Triac
Blue Room
Forcefield/Reptilian (2008)
Grindcore is a genre that you either fanatical about, or you just don't seem to care. I can't say that I'm all that jazzed about the genre. I don't really find grindcore bands to be that entertaining, for the most part. Triac hail from Baltimore, Maryland and they have somehow found a way to keep me interested! These guys mix … Read more
Trial
Reunion / Retrospective
Panic (2008)
If there were one band that I felt characterized both the sound and ideals of hardcore in the 1990's, it would be Trial. The Northwest hardcore outfit delivered a focused and aggressive mixture of hardcore, punk, and metal influences to crowds of all sizes during their original tenure. They partnered this brute, metallic music written by co-founder and guitarist Timm … Read more
True Widow
True Widow
End Sounds (2008)
Talk about coming from proverbially nowhere; after several days of enjoying various streams of this record and eventually tracking this sucker down, I find myself completely hooked on the slow, relaxed rhythms and mellow vocal arrangements on True Widow's debut album. If ever there was a soundtrack to numb apathy, True Widow must be it. This Texas three-piece (comprised of … Read more
Try Me Bicycle
Voicings
Independent (2008)
Try Me Bicycle's Voicings is a dreamy and delicate offering, even when it tends towards the brooding and melancholy. Such a balance is difficult to strike - in less capable hands, the elements can threaten to weigh themselves down - but the Phoenix-based quartet unquestionably achieves it. Andrew Naylor (vocals/guitar) Jay Novak (bass), Jacob Koller (piano) and Laraine Kaizer (violin) … Read more
U.S. Christmas
Eat the Low Dogs
Neurot (2008)
Eat the Low Dogs is a beautifully dark and medicating record that fewer ears will hear than it deserves. It rocks, laments and hollers from the mountainous region of Marion, North Carolina with an enduring gloom that feels archaic and steadfast throughout. The old-timer influences are vast, but U.S. Christmas' old/new merged sound is unified and deliberate: Hawkwind, Neil Young … Read more
Unchained
Dark Days
Independent (2008)
Unchained is a five-piece of youngsters from the Bay Area of California. This release is a four-song demo EP titled Dark Days. On these four tracks the band offers up a nice blend of hardcore, fast-paced punk, and even a dash of 80's thrash ala D.R.I.. "I'm Walking Home" had me thinking of Lights Out. "Fuck Off Die Slow" is … Read more
United Nations
United Nations
Eyeball (2008)
The initial suggestions of United Nations falling under the grindcore, powerviolence, and traditional screamo umbrellas may have created unrealistic expectations for some music lovers. However, one can't really fault the band members of United Nations for attempting to distance themselves from the stereotypes of their main projects with these descriptions of what to expect from the band. To many screamo … Read more
Unreal City
Ephemeral Subsistence
Double or Nothing (2008)
Cities like Boston, San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles get a lot of attention when it comes to hardcore. And it's not that it isn't deserved, they turn out a ton of quality bands. But there are other cities to keep tabs on as well... Pittsburgh is one of those cities and it has finally unleashed the debut full-length … Read more
Unseen Force
In Search of the Truth (Reissue)
Grave Mistake (2008)
Most people that really delve deep into and are passionate about hardcore and punk know Richmond, Virginia for its fruitful output over the past decade or so, but that wasn't always the case. There was obviously a time when, like many other cities, it was a budding scene on the cusp of something huge. Which brings up to this album … Read more
Until the End
From the Beginning...Until the End
Eulogy (2008)
Whenever I think of Until the End, I think of the time I crammed five finals into a twenty-four-hour period so I could take a road trip down to Gainesville Fest. The kids there went absolutely bat shit for them - head walking and jumping off each other, huge pile-ons, and, of course, devastating mosh. Sure, it sounds like a … Read more
Up the Fury
Behind Every Mind
Detonate (2008)
Screw you with your Crime in Stereos, your Capitals, your Agents, and your Thieves and Assassins. Seriously, take a long jump off a short pier into Long Island Sound. Every week there seems to be a new band coming from that damn island that of yours that just feels the need to completely floor me. Is it something in the … Read more
Vancouver / Zatokrev
Split
Get a Life! (2008)
Get a Life! Records brought together two bands on its roster to release a split recording. The twenty minute split features two tracks from each of the bands who have previously released material - Zatokrev with two full -engths; Vancouver with a split and a full length - on Get A Life! This independent label has also released material from … Read more
Vanessa Van Basten
Vanessa Van Basten (Reissue)
KNVBI (2008)
Fortunately for all, Vanessa Van Basten is not the name of the latest female pop diva. Instead, they are a two-piece instrumental duo from Italy that draws heavily from the worlds of post-rock, metal, and shoegaze. This recording is the band's debut EP reissued on a stunning two-tone colored 12" LP. The album was previously only available as CD-R in … Read more
Various Artists
Enjoyed: A Tribute to Björk's Post
Stereogum (2008)
Tribute albums have never really sat well with me. With each song, I usually hear every band featured saying, "Hey, we can do this song better than the original artist." But it's very rare that a cover will be nearly as good or enjoyable to listen to as the original. I think sometimes you should just leave a great album … Read more
Various Artists
Generic Insight Radio Volume One
Eternal Hope (2008)
Generic Insight Radio is a weekly Internet radio show that airs on Wednesday nights from 10:00 PM until midnight EST. I personally have never listened to the show because I'm usually in bed by 9:00 PM CST. Not to mention my computer has a hard time playing the pinball game that comes with Word. I can only imagine what streaming … Read more
Various Artists
Mass vs. Cali
Heart In Hand (2008)
This 7" compilation partners two Massachusetts bands on one side and two California bands on the other side. Each band contributes one track each; with each band honing in on their own take of hardcore. The Effort leads off the Massachusetts side with "Steps Ahead." Musically they seem to fall between Modern Life is War and Shai Hulud. It's fast … Read more
Various Artists
Our Roots Our Pride
Still Life/Youth Crew (2008)
This is a piece of history, as the name of the album might suggest. Our Roots Our Pride: History of Italian Positive Hardcore and Straight Edge Movement 1989-1995 contains thirty-two songs by six different artists that were all prominent during Italy's straight edge hardcore movement from the early-to-mid 90's. All of these bands are a completely new introduction to me. … Read more
Various Artists
Punk Goes Crunk
Fearless (2008)
The Punk Goes series has been running since the start of this century, beginning with metal and running through pop, acoustic, the 80's, the 90's, and now culminating with crunk. There have been some good renditions over the years: A.F.I.'s "My Michelle," Reach the Sky's "Sometimes," Coalesce's "Blue Collar Lullaby," and High the Lights' "Hey Jealousy" come to mind. On … Read more
