If Hope Dies
Life in Ruin
Ironclad/Metal Blade (2006)
Auburn is a tranquil town in upstate New York sitting about fifteen minutes outside of the city of Syracuse. You may not be a geography major, but this is relevant. Why, you ask? Because Auburn is the same town that spawned metal masters Manowar and Syracuse is the city that gave birth to hardcore legends Earth Crisis. It is likely … Read more
Ignite
Our Darkest Days
Abacus (2006)
It's been six years since Ignite's last full-length, A Place Called Home, so one might expect their return to be a bit rocky, it having been so long. It turns out that it's anything but rocky. Our Darkest Days is quite possibly Ignite's best work to date, and depending on your tastes, you may or may not agree. Vocalist Zoli … Read more
Ignite the Will
Words Fail
Double or Nothing (2006)
I sometimes wonder what motivates individuals to be in a band full-time. That's a lot of devotion to one thing, and it comes with a lot of sacrifice, especially if you're a younger band. Well, Ignite the Will have recently made the decision to become a full-time band and their reasoning is as good as I've ever heard: "We would … Read more
Ima Robot
Monument to the Masses
Virgin (2006)
It seemed as though the robots had short-circuited after their debut release. They toured non-stop for a year or two and then disappeared. Many thought the junk yard was the fate for these robots, but it turns out they were just doing maintenance, upgrading and such. Best friends and the only remaining original members, vocalist, Alex Ebert, and guitarist, Timmy … Read more
In First Person
Lost Between Hands Held Tight
Paramnesia (2006)
A few months ago in Scene Point Blank's Mid Year feature I mentioned that Paramnesia Records had been the record label of the year up to that point, and that I was looking forward to their next release by In First Person. That release is now here, and with it comes the solidification of my belief that Paramnesia is the … Read more
In Flames
Come Clarity
Ferret (2006)
In metal circles, In Flames need little introduction, if any at all. The once vaunted band was at the forefront of the "New Wave of Swedish Death Metal" invasion that produced masterpieces like Jester's Race, Whoracle, and Colony. The band has been on somewhat of a decline over the last several albums, culminating in the critically panned, ill received nu-metal … Read more
Insect Warfare
Endless Execution Thru Violent Restitution
625 Thrash (2006)
Insect Warfare is back bringing their Gulf Coast grindcore obliteration in the form of a new 7" EP entitled Endless Execution Thru Violent Restitution on 625 Thrash. Although their fanbase and popularity soared in the wake of their debut EP, At War With Grindcore, this EP is sure to make them into the legends that they deserve to be. The … Read more
Integrity
Those Who Fear Tomorrow (Reissue)
Fractured Transmitter (2006)
Growing up on a steady diet of Sabbath, the darker aspects of music always held so much appeal to me. Yeah, I liked punk rock, still do, but I was looking for something heavier, darker, and as cheesy as it sounds, more evil. I am not talking about Slayer's fake evil. I am talking about visceral scare the shit out … Read more
Intronaut
Void
Goodfellow (2006)
Intronaut is a four piece from California made up of members of Uphill Battle, Impaled, Exhumed, and Anubis Rising, although they sound nothing like I remember these other bands. Intronaut sounds more like a technical metal band with jazz-like flourishes. Void is their first full-length after the wittily monikered EP, Null. "A Monolithic Vulgarity" leads off Void like a jazz … Read more
Invade
Invade
Independent (2006)
My roommate likes to call early 90's hardcore "The Dark Ages of Hardcore" with its metal influences, all the way to the left neo-hippie politics, poetic non-sense, and mosh parts. In many way he's right, but the beginning part of the 90's wasn't all bad and we got some great bands like Undertow, Unbroken, Integrity, Indecision, and others that start … Read more
Iron Age
Constant Struggle
Youngblood (2006)
Despite what everyone else is saying, I can't call Iron Age a hardcore band. I know they're on a hardcore label and have members that were in fairly big hardcore bands. But they're just not hardcore music. Their music is way to metal to be lumped in with hardcore. From the opening track, "We're Dust / The Violator" it's obvious … Read more
Isis
In the Absence of Truth
Ipecac (2006)
Isis has easily become a standard for the "post-" jet setter. Their latest album, In the Absence of Truth is a good example why this is happening. If not for the band, then the Red Sparowes' (with whom Isis shares a member), Cult of Luna's, and the host of imitators and admirers would have no one to look to for … Read more
Isis & Aereogramme
In the Fishtank 14
Konkurrent (2006)
By now all of should know who Isis is and what to expect from them in terms of their music output. A good number of you are probably familiar with Aereogramme - for those of you not, they're a Scottish band that mixes punishing metal with melodic moments and alt-rock vocals. So what's the deal with this In the Fishtank … Read more
Islands
Return to the Sea
Equator (2006)
Islands is the kind of band that has the ability to suck you into their creative vortex and draw from you the emotions that they choose to illicit accordingly, all the while Return to the Sea remains very optimistic and upbeat. How could it not? If you are a follower of Islands leaders Nick Diamond and J'aime Tambeur (who recently … Read more
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan
Ballad of the Broken Seas
V2 (2006)
I must admit that I was shocked to hear of this collaboration, being familiar with Mark Lanegan and his work in Screaming Trees, Mad Season, Queens of the Stone Age and as a solo artist. A great deal of his material is dark, harrowing, and tends to exemplify the dirty, gravel cut images that the sound of his voice so … Read more
Issei Sagawa
All My Best Lovers Were Pre-Teens
Youth Attack (2006)
Issei Sagawa is Flipper-inspired annoying punk rock that tries to offend right down to the full sized poster of the members of the band peeing on each other in the insert. Issei Sagawa sounds like every misanthrope's first band right down to the shit recording in some dude's garage. I didn't even bother flipping this over and listen to their … Read more
Janez Detd
Like Cold Rain Kills a Summer Day...
I Scream (2006)
Archetypal scene dude: So yeah these guys are like super huge in Europe; I am sure they are going to hit it big over here. But I saw them like three years ago in like a port-a-potty with no electricity and they had a generator going to plug in their instruments. But you know they are socially conscious, so it … Read more
Jawbone
Hauling
Loose (2006)
Blues is a word all too easily thrown around these days; attached to the current clique of US indie bands, "bluesy" has become just another overused adjective used to describe over-hyped bands that don't actually sound all that bluesy. Jawbone, however, a one-man band from Detroit, actually does, mixing those blues up with splashes of punk guitar and garage rock, … Read more
