Just about everything about this release offended me, from the cover photo a bloodied tricycle to one of the members flashing a gang sign in the band photo and Rick ta White saying, "No One! Fuck all you bitches and sorry ass motherfuckers out there!" in the thank-you list. If you haven't guessed, Countime is yet another run of the … Read more
Some of the most memorable albums were created in the strangest fashion, The Doors' L.A. Woman comes to mind. Although not exactly a legendary album, the same goes for Crayven's debut EP Colosseum. Guitar and bass were recorded straight to the computer, vocals in the studio of a local radio station and the drums into a mic before going into … Read more
When reviewing an album, it can be difficult to summarize thoughts and feeling elicited from the music you're listening to, to organize these thoughts and feelings in written prose succinctly, honestly, and, above all, professionally. Using these guidelines as my template, I can say with all sincerity, fuck me running, this group is terrible. Creature Feature is the "brain"child of … Read more
There are some bands that are just the sum of their influences and nothing more. These bands trade off their name dropping and ability to sound like their favourite bands but at the same time do nothing of any real originality. These bands seem to just be happy to follow in the footsteps of the bands before them and not … Read more
I don't think there has ever been an album that I've liked that I have hated so much about. Case in point; not even fifteen seconds into Crime in Stereo's debut album for Bridge Nine Records there's a damn wah-wah pedal part. I hate wah-wah pedal parts. Does anyone out there like wah-wah pedal parts that isn't sitting in front … Read more
Two of the world's most underrated hardcore bands team up for fourteen tracks of no-frills and no-fuss hardcore. First up is Crowd Deterrent from Youngstown, Ohio. The band has been going strong for ten years now and during their tenure the band has relentlessly delivered straight-up hardcore that draws from the heyday of the New York scene - early Madball, … Read more
It's time to play the ex-member/members of game again. This time we have members and former members of the Maine hardcore unit, Outbreak. If I'm not mistaken Cruel Hand is actually the same Outbreak lineup that gave us the You Make Us Sick EP, but with a different singer. So if you haven't guessed Cruel Hand does at times sounds … Read more
Culprits is a band that you've likely never heard. What the hell is wrong with you? This New Mexico four-piece serves up five tracks of fast-paced and in-your-face hardcore in less than six minutes. The music is intense and the words are penned with quite the chip on the shoulder. "January 15th" is a minute blast of high octane hardcore … Read more
Cursed are one of those hardcore/punk bands that are genuinely worth people's time and attention. Their music is vicious, honest, and gloriously consistent. The lyrics are both personal and politically driven. One could almost say that topically there is something for everyone, particularly for those into heavy punk rock and hardcore. Every record that they release is almost guaranteed to … Read more
Daggermouth's 2005 release, Stallone was a really solid record. For me, the band came along at a time when no new bands were really catching on with me. I was hooked on Stallone from the start and I've been riding the hype train with The 'Mouth ever since. Turf Wars was certainly a long time in the making, but I … Read more
Dälek have the ability to produce an album that's so distinctively different from anything that have done before and yet still sounds characteristically like a Dälek album. As soon as you hear a song by this group, you know it's them. Not only have they consistently been able to do this album after album, but while doing so the quality … Read more
M(us)ic equals "us in music." Playful guitar lines and broken time signatures characterize Buffalo, New York's Damiera. Imagine a mélange of The Fall of Troy and Circa Survive. This comparison (to bands also on Equal Vision Records) was the first thing I thought of when listening to Damiera. Each track is respectively catchy and melodically technical, proving the musicians know … Read more
Seeing Damnation A.D. for the first time in years at New Year's reunion in Syracuse a couple of years back awoke something in me that I had not realized had been sleeping. Watching this five piece shake the building with their tortured, bottom heavy power was and is a great experience. If you doubt this, go see them and watch … Read more
Explaining the particulars between different types of heavy music is a hard task. For most people, even the most educated music listeners, if it has a guy screaming his head off, then it all sounds the same. I only wish the whole world could hear it and enjoy it the same way I do. And no, I'm not a hippie. … Read more
Those who know, love, and used to love this genuinely cult Norwegian band will probably know what to expect from their latest disc. Darkthrone have decided to take further musical steps away from the genre they will always be considered legends of and deliberately make all the puritan black metal fans furious. I'm not going to say that they decided … Read more
From what I can tell, Dartz! is the U.K.'s shot at Q and Not U. However, their British accents, along with more of a Bloc Party feel, lessen the gap of similarity between the two groups. Some of the guitar work on This Is My Ship, the Teesside trio's debut, also reminds me of a lazy Minus the Bear, using … Read more
Das Oath - or The Oath as they are often referred - put out records with shemale pornography in the liner notes, prompting record stores to stock their albums behind the counter like brown paper bag contraband. They've sold dildos with their name on them. They've released four self-titled records in the last seven years. The Oath consists of former … Read more
Daymares hail from Poland. Yes, that Poland. Prior to this release, the band had nothing more than a roughly mixed demo, which mixed 90's metallic hardcore with brooding metal. And here's why you should take notice Can't Get Us All is the band's debut full-length. Comprised of eleven songs, three of which are re-recorded from their demo, Can't Get Us … Read more
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