Caves
Betterment
Bombed out (2013)
I’d call Caves frantic punk rock, if not for the title track on Betterment actually being a casual acoustic affair. Other than that song, though, the eleven songs on the UK’s band’s latest offering are non-stop energy, complemented by vocal trade-offs, relentless percussion, and a whole lot of screaming. The press sheet drops the term “urgent,” and it’s precisely that, … Read more
Černá
Restoring Life
Domestic Genocide (2013)
It's rapidly becoming clear to me that "post-black metal" just isn't a great name for a genre. In addition to the obvious clunkiness and how little "post-" actually means, a strong argument can be made that the genre doesn't have any legitimate claim to the black metal mantle in the first place. And it's hard to disagree, especially with acts … Read more
Civil War Rust
The Fun and the Lonely
Black Numbers (2013)
In case you’re missing the old Alkaline Trio, the East Bay’s Civil War Rust is calling your name. Not to say the band is strictly derivative of the Matt Skiba-fronted band, but they wear their influences on their sleeve and a number of the songs on The Fun and the Lonely not only recall Alk3’s punkier moments, even the vocal … Read more
Cloud
Comfort Songs
Audio Antihero (2013)
Cloud’s Comfort Songs is a collection of downbeat, gloomy works that create an atmosphere of utter desolation while somehow lifting the emotional aspect of the pieces beyond total sadness. There are lovely little hints of hope hidden in the depths of these songs and the young man behind it all, Tyler Taormina has, at heart, blurred the lines between sadness … Read more
Cloudkicker
Hello
Independent (2013)
Ohio-based musician Ben Sharp (aka Cloudkicker) has made it clear time and time again that he has no intention on confining himself to something as pedestrian as genre labels. Though it's possible to identify trends (the progressive rock and post-anything labels seem to be fairly common for him), there's absolutely no way to tell where he's going next. That element … Read more
Cnoc An Tursa
The Giants of Auld
Candlelight (2013)
I'll admit, I was intrigued by the idea of Scottish Pagan Metal. Even with the full understanding of Pagan Metal by definition of the more extreme metal using folk instruments from any religion or culture, the ole' noggin still tends to default to the Norse code. Cnoc An Tursa hail from the lowlands of Scotland. Falkirk, to be exact. They … Read more
Coffins
The Fleshland
Relapse (2013)
Since the release of their debut album, Mortuary in Darkness which came out in 2005, Coffins started building a cult aura around them. This was further developed with the release of their next two full-length albums, The Other Side of Blasphemy (2006) and Buried Death (2008), while on the same time their split releases, with great acts such as Otesanek, … Read more
Coleman Hell
Stark Raving
Independent (2013)
Coleman Hell is a three-piece Canadian band from Northern Ontario. It consists of vocalist Coleman Hell along with Rob “La+ch” Benvegnu and Michah “Dustbuster” Dowbak. Along with being a band, it is a project that experiments with sound and also consists of their “behind-the-scenes” engineer Brendon “Stretch” McDonald, whom all together help to create, produce and perfect the beats and … Read more
Continents
Idle Hands
Victory (2013)
Continents from South Wales, UK are a Moshcore band that formed in 2010. Their self released video for “Trials” was released in 2011 and propelled them to the top of the UK hardcore scene sharing the stage with such bands as Emmure and Comeback kid. “Idle Hands” is their debut album on Victory Records.This album starts out like all too … Read more
Corrections House
Last City Zero
Neurot Recordings (2013)
With an impressive line up including Scott Kelly of Neurosis, Bruce Lamont of Yakuza, Sanford Parker of Minsk and Buried At Sea, and Mike IX Williams of EyeHateGod, the debut album of Corrections House is met with some high expectations. And thankfully the four musicians are able to deliver. It is quite intriguing to hear what these guys can bring … Read more
Counterparts
The Difference Between Hell and Home
Victory (2013)
The largest requirement of a piece of music, especially from a genre like hardcore, is the intention of creating something completely new: a blending of influences with one's own contributions to create something that's never been heard before. In turn, the biggest requirement of a band is progression: a maturation in both concept and sound and a willingness to experiment … Read more
Cult of Luna
Vertikal
Density (2013)
Isis were the undisputed kings of post-metal, reaching levels of perfection with their music literally unheard of before. But even though they've been retired from the scene for a while, it's unclear whether or not there will emerge another band up to their calibre. If I can throw in my oar, I'd nominate Swedish metalheads Cult of Luna for the … Read more
Cult of Luna
Vertikal
Density (2013)
These heavy bands are increasingly showing off their cultural literacy while still bludgeoning their listeners with a heady mix of loud guitars and cavernous sounding drums, and Cult Of Luna is in some ways one of the main culprits for pushing such intellectually studious music; the band’s return with their sixth studio has been presaged with a building excitement on … Read more
CZARFACE (INSPECTAH DECK + 7L & ESOTERIC)
Self Titled
Brick (2013)
Revisiting a collaboration that first appeared on the title track of Speaking Real Words, the debut EP by 7L & Esoteric, the Beantown duo has teamed up with Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck again. Some 14 years later the three veterans come together with a full-length superhero project titled Czarface. Taking into account the back catalogue of the parties involved, it … Read more
Darkthrone
The Underground Resistance
Peaceville (2013)
There's not a whole hell of a lot to be said about Darkthrone that is not already legend. Having survived the Norwegian Black Metal Scene relatively unscathed - both the chaos of the early 90's and all the cliches of the subsequent years, they are, with the exception of maybe Mayhem, the last band standing in the ashes of the … Read more
Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie Prince Billy
What The Brothers Sang
Drag City (2013)
The Everly Brothers were a staple in my house musically when I was growing up back in the early ‘60s; they were one of the biggest duos around and were known for their soaring harmonies and fusion of the current country sound with rock and roll. They toured and recorded from the late ‘50s through the early ‘80s and amassed … Read more
Dead Mechanical
OK Night
Toxic Pop (2013)
Dead Mechanical is one of those mid-tempo punk bands, built on life’s grimy surfaces and reflecting that tone of rough-and-tumble, down-and-out luck. The music fits this tone, drudging, cursing, and lamenting, striving for a blend of catharsis and transcendence. OK Night is their third full-length and its title just screams of that blunted worldview, neither positive nor negative.The onesheet namedrops … Read more
Deadly Reign
Slave
Profane Existence (2013)
Deadly Reign is a three-piece punk unit based in Austin, TX. They are a fairly new band (not to be confused with the ‘80s Cali band of the same name) but play with the skill and poise of a veteran group. And not surprisingly so, as they are comprised of members of crust luminaries like World Burns to Death, Scarred … Read more
