Portal
Vexovoid
Profound Lore (2013)
The only thing that would make sense of how this album came to be is the following scenario: Portal managed to somehow open a gateway to the realms of the Great Old Ones and were granted supernatural powers by malicious beings, such as Azathoth, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth, Tsathoggua and obviously Cthulhu. And soon enough, Portal decided to put their newfound powers … Read more
Portugal. The Man
Evil Friends
Atlantic (2013)
Portugal. The Man thrives in a music scene often reluctant of drastic change in a band's sound. Meanwhile, the Alaskan natives have spent the last seven years transcending and switching gears entirely with each new release, and pulling it off well. Having originally dabbled in experimental prog, Portugal went on to create a loud, bluesy rocker (2007's Church Mouth), an … Read more
Power
Bremerton Zoo
Twelve Gauge (2013)
Old school hardcore punk has really found its feet in the last few years. Bands like Creem, Raw Nerve and Violent Reaction have brought innovation to the scene by utilising lesser heard influences ranging from street punk to crust, whilst reducing the songs to their bare bones; short, pissed-off and raw. With its vibrant artwork and blistering intensity (11 tracks … Read more
Power Trip
Manifest Decimation
Southern Lord (2013)
Of all the sub-genres which seem to stay persistently strong over time, alongside youth crew, crossover thrash is one with some classic releases; Best Wishes (emphatically not Alpha Omega), Handle With Care, Born To Expire. These albums manage to successfully capture the complexity and experimentation of metal with the rawness and spirit of hardcore, forgoing the pomposity of the first … Read more
Pretty & Nice
Golden Rules For Golden People
Equal Vision (2013)
Quirky indie pop rockers Pretty & Nice have resurfaced again, this time with a new album full of energetic pop gems that prove this band is worth the buzz around it. The Boston quartet generated a lot of interest off of their first release Get Young and gigs at SXSW but after their second LP release the love faded. While … Read more
Pretty Boy Thorson & the Falling Angels
An Uneasy Peace
Kiss of Death (2013)
Have things finally turned around for Jesse Thorson, making the country-punk band sing a new song of joy and celebration? Of course not.Previously, the band didn’t play alt-country so far as they wrote punk songs to country lyrics—however, An Uneasy Peace definitely sees that paradigm shifting toward a fuzzier genre classification. Maybe it’s because Thorson now has an outlet for … Read more
Princess Music
Odobenidae
Hot Congress Records (2013)
Princess Music's members all hail from various chamber orchestras, which would lead you to believe that their debut would be a collection of classical recordings. The album cover, however, seems to suggest something else entirely--it looks like it'd be more at home on the cover of a kitschy indie rock album than that of a classical quintet. But that's exactly … Read more
Psychic Teens
COME
SRA (2013)
So, the three regular adults that make up Psychic Teens has found time in their adult lives to hash out another album of quirky skronking post punk that is somewhat coerced through a heavy (emphasis on the heavy) dose of disaffected charm and maybe some early nineties alternative rock (this is a purposefully broad stroke because there are many little … Read more
Purson
The Circle and the Blue Door
Metal Blade (2013)
Retro-lust is fucking brilliant. For the past years, unbelievable bands have shown their musical endeavors by wedding the psychedelia of the 60s with the heavier rock of the 70s. Artists such as Jex Thoth, The Devil’s Blood and Blood Ceremony are showing the way, to be quickly followed by dreamers of the same utopic principle. Bands such as Jess and … Read more
Puscifer
Donkey Punch The Night
Puscifer Entertainment (2013)
I first became aware of Maynard James Keenan's solo work through his latest studio album, Conditions of My Parole, which immediately sold me with its incredibly pleasant meanderings through light-rock post-industrial soundscapes (with a fair amount of his trademarked humour mixed in). So, of course, I scooped up his new EP, Donkey Punch the Night, as soon as I saw … Read more
Queens of the Stone Age
Like Clockwork
Matador (2013)
"I blow my load over the status quo - here we go".A reading from the book of Homme. It has been 6 since Queens of the Stone Age released their album Era Vulgaris. An album this reviewer gave a favorable rating, but admittedly didn't fully understand at the time of reviewing for this site. I couldn't fully grasp what the … Read more
Queensrÿche
Frequency Unknown
Deadline (2013)
The name on the front of this album says Queensrÿche. It does not say Geoff Tate's Queensrÿche or any other variation. Just Queensrÿche. There is now a battle in court for the right to retain this name and on November 18, 2013 a decision will be made as to who gets to continue using it - Geoff Tate or the … Read more
Queensrÿche
Self Titled
Century Media (2013)
An eponymously titled album is somewhat unusual this late into a bands' career and will typically signify that the band in question is, despite all excuses and comments to the contrary, simply out of any new ideas - as reflected in the lack of title along with the lack of songwriting. This could not be farther from the truth in … Read more
Radioactivity
Radioactivity
Dirtnap (2013)
Each time I write the phrase “garage-punk” I like it less and less. Still, how else to describe a band that blends pop-punk and garage so well? Actually, in recent reviews I’ve taken to simply comparing bands to the Marked Men, which takes us directly to Radioactivity.Radioactivity is Jeff Burke and Mark Ryan, half of Marked Men, joined by Gregory … Read more
Rations
Martyrs and Prisoners
86'd records (2013)
Released on 86’d Records, I came to Rations with a blank slate. Thirty seconds of research tells me the band is a four-piece from Long Island and includes, among others, 86’d Records’ own Wells as a member. Trivia aside, most folks don’t buy a piece of vinyl based on any of that info above. They buy it because it’s good … Read more
Red Fang
Whales And Leeches
Relapse (2013)
There's an untold amount of new bands just waiting to be discovered. Some will be discovered and just as quickly forgotten. Some will be discovered, appreciated for a brief time and then forgotten. The very lucky few will be discovered, loved and will continue to be loved by a few, who will spread the word to a few and, higher … Read more
Restorations
LP2
Side One Dummy (2013)
Is classic rock punk now a genre? I don’t have a whole lot of background with Restorations, other than catching half a set at Fest 11 last year. The energy in the room was powerful and vocalist Jon Loudon had a distinct and memorable voice, of the raspy variety. What I get in LP2, my first recorded introduction to the … Read more
Rifle Diet
Abuse Begets Abuse / The Affected
Profane Existence (2013)
The fourth inclusion in the Profane Existence Single Series arrives via Minneapolis, MN's Rifle Diet, a band comprised of former members of Garmonbozia and In Defence. Up until 2011 the band was known as Thrash Compactor. Along with the name change came a noticeable shift in sound – Rifle Diet is the result of the band moving into a darker … Read more
