Powerwolves
You Won't Find Peace
Panic (2011)
Powerwolves had been running around the northeast for a little while now. While this is not important in itself, the band does take their sound from a lineage of past Boston area bands. The most recognizable would have to be The Hope Conspiracy, while this is readily noticeable it comes through only in the style of the vocals. The band … Read more
Primus
Green Naugahyde
Prawn Song (2011)
I, for one, thought Primus were officially dead in regards to new material. Their last studio album was 1999's Antipop before they went on hiatus, and since their reformation, the only new material we've gotten is the so-so 2003 EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People. The fact that they could somehow get it together enough to actually … Read more
Protagonist
States
Paper + Plastick (2011)
Protagonist made their name a couple years ago by releasing a strong skate punk record. This is to say they brought back the glory days of Pennywise or Millencolin. Fast riffs and melodic vocals with a ton of sing alongs ensued. The band must have read the reviews because nothing has really changed. This is not to complain either since … Read more
Protestant
Stalemate EP
Halo of Flies (2011)
Since 2004 the crusty troupe of Protestant has been blasting out fierce songs with reckless abandon. So with that said their most recent release, after a nearly uncountable number of records, comes to us through Halo Of Flies. It does seem rather tough at first glance to see how this sticks out from the labels bread and butter. That is … Read more
Psychic Teens
TEEN
Golden Voyage (2011)
“Psychic Teens Are Regular Adults”Let that sink in to your thick skull bit (I know it took me a bit to wrap my head around) because it is one of the singular strangest statements to be made by a “rock” oriented band in many a year; think about it, and I mean really think about that as a statement and … Read more
Pujol
X File On Main St.
Infinity Cat (2011)
There’s no wasting time on X File on Main St. Within the first few lines, singer Daniel Pujol has taken his stance on careers, art, children, and life in general. I don’t know much, if anything, about his previous acts Meemaw and Saigon Baby, but Pujol plays noisy, stripped down garage that celebrates a DIY punk ethic. His vocals are … Read more
Pulling Teeth
Funerary
A389 (2011)
Pulling teeth have always taken the term metalcore to an almost literal degree. Much like Integrity has done in the sense that for every breakdown there is a strong guitar solo or heavy thrash riff. The band found more than a couple detractors with their last release Paranoid Delusions | Paradise Illusions . While im not certain if that was … Read more
Puscifer
Conditions of My Parole
Puscifer Entertainment (2011)
You can stop staring at your watch with misplaced optimism; there's still no news from Tool on their fifth album, and A Perfect Circle have reiterated their vow not to work on an album-length project again. So then what exactly, you might ask, is everyone's favourite rock-star-turned-vintner doing, if not fronting one of his established bands? As it turns out, … Read more
Pygmy Lush
Old Friends
Lovitt (2011)
Pygmylush have certainly put their time in their scene their ex members list is extensive and well documented. Knowledge of their past endeavors would do little to really prepare one for what you will get upon listening to their music. Know for playing a mix of thrashing punk and hardcore not dissimilar to some of their past bands coupled with … Read more
Rammstein
Made in Germany 1995-2011
Universal (2011)
I usually don't have the time to listen to all of the albums sent to us by every Tom, Dick and Harry around, so I generally save reviews outside of my normal purview for bands of some stature or note. So when this band Ramm-something-or-other wanted to send us a copy of their new album, a compilation no less, I … Read more
Random
Todo.s los colores del
Independent (2011)
I really wish I could describe Argentinian three-piece Random's sound to you. Their Facebook page lists their genre as 'extreme prog metal,' but that label could cover any band from Meshuggah to early Anacrusis. I could describe them as 'avant-garde' metal, but that label gets used to describe every band from Ved Buens Ende to maudlin of the Well to … Read more
Random Axe
Self Titled
Duck Down (2011)
After a few years of anticipatory mixtapes, the debut album by Radom Axe has finally seen the light of day. A multiregional supergroup of sorts, Random Axe is comprised of three men who have cut their teeth in the hip-hop underground: Detroit’s Black Milk and Guilty Simpson and NYC’s Sean Price. Individually, these three carry lavish resumes, but as a … Read more
Reclusa
The Anticonscience
Crucial Blast (2011)
Reclusa has joined the ranks of the crucial blaze releases and take little time to make their intentions known. While the group released a few short run cassettes this is their first big project. Their style matches seamlessly to the labels' general modus operandi revelling in a strained and disturbed combination of noise, industrial and black metal. The press release … Read more
Red Hot Chili Peppers
I'm With You
Warner Bros. (2011)
After a quiet five years of whispers, rumors, questions, confirming of rumors and, at last, the revealing of exactly what the fuck The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been up to, they finally release an album. Featuring a new guitarist. And a fly mounting a pill capsule as cover art. Let there be no doubt; the four chili peppers have … Read more
Rehashed
Code Black
Power It Up (2011)
Rehashed out of Saskatoon are working at carrying the crossover torch into the next decade. While there are a few bands doing this a smaller few truly make it work in the recorded format. Rehashed have everything it takes to be up on top it's only up to the Power It Up Records debut to prove to the world that … Read more
Remnants
Suspension
Tycho Magnetic Anomalies (2011)
Brooklyn based drone purveyors Remnants four track cassette Suspension is a curious little release, building on a foundation of fuzzy electronic notes, and deep unnerving tones. Lead track "Ornamentals" is a tad unsettling in it's minimalism. The quiet buzz of white noise sitting just behind dissonant strikes slowly build in sound level, washing over the touches of an almost bell-like … Read more
Retox
Ugly Animals
Ipecac (2011)
Many wondered what was next for Justin Pearson. The man known for many project (Swing Kids, The Locust, 31G Records, etc) had been out of the musical limelight for awhile. Late last year Retox announced their formation and released a demo. The demo was a nice surprise as it was similar to the early material of The Locust but with … Read more
Rêx Mündi
IHVH
Debemur Morti Productions (2011)
Handily joining the ranks of the best French bands whose abuse of the metal ümlaüt prevents their name from being typed without excessive use of the copy/paste function (I'm looking at you, Trörkrvisätänsrökrëh), Rêx Mündi, in all seriousness, deliver a surprisingly rewarding release with 2011's IHVH.What I like most about this album is its generosity with the song structures. They … Read more
