Deadbird
Twilight Ritual
At A Loss (2008)
Right off the bat, allow me to bring notice to the cover art for Deadbird's latest album, Twilight Ritual (following up 2005's The Head and the Heat) because it is rather stunning; John Baizley (guitarist/ vocalist of Baroness, and artist for such bands as Torche, Darkest Hour, Pig Destroyer as well as his own) continues his busy schedule of art … Read more
Deadly Sins
Selling Our Weaknesses
Durty Mick (2008)
This Boston punk band is made up of members of Reach the Sky, Even in Blackouts, and Stephanie Dougherty - who apparently has lent her vocal abilities to some Dropkick Murphys songs. Deadly Sins play straight forward tuneful punk rock that is probably more popular in seedy bars than it is in basements and VFW halls as the album as … Read more
Deathcycle
Prelude to Tyranny
Lifeline (2008)
Deathcycle brings hardcore laden with throwback influence and metal finishes. They're young, angry lads who have, within the past month, announced their breakup before I even got around to Prelude to Tyranny. The first thing to strike me upon listening is Ron Grimaldi's voice. It's especially powerful and carries well above the abrasive music. Normally, he is singing over the … Read more
Decades
Numbered
State of Mind (2008)
Ah yes, Texas hardcore. In spite of the recent loss of many of its key bands, the various scenes within Texas continue to strike back with more young and promising hardcore bands. Decades, from the greater Dallas region, is amongst this new crop of bands bringing new life. Numbered is the band's debut effort, a six-song EP. "Caravel / Mediastinum" … Read more
Deep Snapper
Into the Ugly
Edna Peppers (2008)
Deep Snapper is back with another album of almost familiar songs that bring to mind a type of punk rock that is largely forgotten in this age of radio friendly pop punk bands with starry eyes. Into the Ugly is the third release for the Texas three-piece known as Deep Snapper, and at twelve songs, it gives listeners a large … Read more
Deerhunter
Microcastle
Kranky (2008)
Dear 1992, Wow. It's really been a long time. I bet you're kind of surprised I'm writing to you at all. We didn't really know each other when you were around. But I was pretty busy. I had that gig taping firecrackers to GI Joes and that other one where I kept buying six soft tacos, no cheese, at taco … Read more
Defeater
Travels
Top Shelf (2008)
Travels tells the story of a fictional man from birth to death and every heart broken life shattering event in between. So yes, this is a concept album and saying that it's a bit ambitious is a bit of a understatement when it comes to a hardcore band nevertheless them tackling a concept album with their first full-length. Yet here … Read more
Diamanda Galás
Guilty Guilty Guilty
Mute (2008)
Diamanda Galás is unlike any artist in music. Take a moment and think about this. That statement is not embellishment. It is not fanboy bias. It's a simple fact. She is a singular artist with a singular vision and whether or not you appreciate her art is irrelevant. Her genius cannot or, at the very least, should not be disputed. … Read more
Die Young
Through the Valleys in Between
Still Life (2008)
I can't exactly recall my first exposure to Die Young, but I do know the band's 90's inspired hardcore punk sound and intense lyrical messages had me hooked from the get-go. Die Young - now Die Young (TX) - has persevered through the years and compiled quite a back catalog, surprisingly, since they seem to be constantly touring the world. … Read more
Dillinger Four
C I V I L W A R
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)
Being from the same state as well a fan of tuneful catchy pop-punk one would think that I would be really into Dillinger Four. Yes, one would think that. The fact of the matter is that I've always been a casual fan of this rambunctious often inebriated foursome. I've actually only seen them once in the last fifteen years and … Read more
Dillinger Four
C I V I L W A R
Fat Wreck Chords (2008)
As my age teeters closer to thirty than twenty, I continually ask myself three important questions: Am I still punk? Was I ever? Does it matter? Sure my love of punk music grows exponentially with every year I age, but is it just a label for me to wear on my shirt, or is it truly a way of life? … Read more
Dirt Mall
Got the Goat by the Horns
Daykamp (2008)
Raw, grimy in your face rock from these Bostonians. The guitar is mixed high, which is a good thing for these tunes. Most of these songs are under the four minute mark. Except for "The Demons & the Damned" which clocks in at a whopping nine plus minutes. I can definitely relate to "Medicate (Today)." But song number seven is … Read more
Disfear
Live the Storm
Relapse (2008)
After what is quickly becoming a normative hiatus for this Swedish five-piece band, Disfear delivers their latest blast of d-beat influenced mayhem onto the masses. Live the Storm is their second full length with Tomas Lindberg, vocalist of At the Gates and an innumerable number of other heavy bands, and the first with former Entombed guitarist Uffe Cederlund, as well … Read more
Don the Reader
Humanesque
Deathcote (2008)
Don the Reader is a new band to me; I was not aware of them until this album - apparently they have a previous EP that was "rather impressive." The twelve songs that make up this full-length are filled with chaotic and technical metalcore. While listening I could easily hear and pick apart the bits and pieces of the whole. … Read more
Don't Trip
The Root of All Evil
Independent (2008)
Don't Trip is a hardcore band that hails from the Bay Area of California. Northern California has been a hotbed for hardcore bands in recent years, so it's a hard game to jump into. After a self-released demo last year, Don't Trip comes back with the ten-track Root of All Evil. Expanding on the style they performed on the demo, … Read more
Down and Outs
Friday Nights, Monday Mornings
Dead & Gone (2008)
Down and Outs have been shaking things up for going on four years now. Unfortunately, I really didn't start paying attention to the band until last year when they offered up a split 7" with Death is No Glamorous. Despite my ignorance, Down and Outs have amassed a small discography through a variety of releases - both in CD and … Read more
Down to Nothing / 50 Lions
Split
6131 (2008)
Richmond meets Melbourne on this split effort. Down to Nothing follows up last year's The Most while 50 Lions follows up an Australian-released full-length of their own. This split features each band contributing three new tracks. Down to Nothing picks things up right where The Most left off. The band's sound has gotten significantly less punk-oriented and more straightforward and … Read more
Down-Stares
Cobras & Matadors
T.Rex Ate My Face (2008)
A couple of years ago, through my involvement with this website, I crossed paths with Down-Stares' independently released album The Watershed. This was an album that pushed me to my limits as a music critic because, as someone who prefers neatly defined genre categories and, even more so, inaccessibility in my music, Down-Stares is a challenge because of its blatant … Read more
