Ignite
A War Against You
Century Media (2016)
Even after a decade, Ignite still managed to put out a record that was the logical step forward from Our Darkest Days. While it's not a "reunion" album, it certainly feels like it. Up until the last couple years, Ignite have pretty much been on and off when it came to performing. Front-man, Zoli Teglas, went on to join Pennywise … Read more
Ithi
Chapel Perilous
Utech (2016)
Ithi is a Brooklyn based duo, that had been so far exploring the experimental drone domain. Their 2011 release, The Persistence of Meaning, was based around the big drones, immense feedback and noise elements that they were able to conjure. A slight shift came with their next album, Within, seeing Ithi going into a more abstract, experimental rock tone. Their … Read more
Jenny Hval
Blood Bitch
Sacred Bones (2016)
Jenny Hval has soared into the experimental scene since the release of Viscera, the first album under her own name. The quality of her work, and the scope of her vision continued to take form through a series of excellent records in Innocence is Kinky and Apocalypse, girl and is now reaching a peak with her newest album. Blood Bitch … Read more
Johann Johannsson
Orphee
Deutsche Grammophon (2016)
The Icelandic composer has risen magnificently in the last few years due to his works within the film domain. A prolific artist, Johannsson has contributed with scores for some excellent recent movies, including The Theory of Everything, as well as his frequent collaborations with visionary director Denis Villeneuve, in Prisoners, Sicario and the upcoming Arrival. Johannsson returns now with Orphee, … Read more
Kaada & Patton
Bacteria Cult
Ipecac (2016)
John Erik Kaada and Mike Patton. Two great tastes that taste great together. It's been twelve long years since the pair released Romances - a sometimes lush sometimes harsh always beautiful collection of soundscapes.Bacteria Cult is the sum total of two artists that have grown into their own and are completely at ease with what they each can bring to … Read more
Katatonia
The Fall of Hearts
Peaceville (2016)
Katatonia’s evolution over their twenty five year career has been one that’s taken in doom, death metal, gothic soundscapes and progressive beats, but more than anything, a deeply felt emotional tie to the music has been found within. Whenever they’ve been moving through difficult moments as a band - with members leaving during last few years – their music hasn’t … Read more
Kindling
Galaxies
No Idea Records (2016)
Debuting in 2014 and quickly releasing the surprisingly outstanding Spike & Wave 7”, Easthampton, Massachusetts-based Kindling has undergone a substantial metamorphosis over the past few years. The original duo of Stephen Pierce (he of Ampere) and Gretchen Williams have been joined by drummer Andy Skelly and bassist Andrew Farr, allowing the group's initially rather sparse material to be fleshed out … Read more
Leonard Cohen
You Want It Darker
Columbia (2016)
David Bowie's passing was a huge blow for most of us. But luckily we had his final release, Blackstar to ease us through the loss.Now, with the passing of Leonard Cohen, we find ourselves assuaged with the same sadness and loss, but thankfully once again a legend was kind enough - while coming to grips with his own mortality, to … Read more
Lord Mantis
NTW
New Density (2016)
Line-up changes are a scary thought. When it was first announced that vocalist Charlie Fell and guitarist Ken Sorceron were leaving Lord Mantis, it indeed felt like a devastating blow for the band. And the timing was just so depressing, just a little while after the band had released its most complete work in Death Mask? However, Lord Mantis seamlessly … Read more
Low Culture
Places To Hide
Dirtnap (2016)
Screens, (2013) was damn near perfect. So what does Low Culture have in store with their second LP? It’s not disappointment, that’s for sure. Places to Hide continues their run of modern garage-punk that’s run through the melody filter and cleaned up of the fuzz and distortion, letting the elemental energy and punk tempo drive the songs while the vocals … Read more
Lycus
Chasms
Relapse (2016)
Extreme doom/death is not an easy sound to get right. Despite the fact that most bands in the genre will just play slow and release heavy riffs, that is not enough to get someone's attention. There must something deeper in the band's sound in order to give you that feeling of desolation and despair. Lycus is a band that knows … Read more
Magrudergrind
II
Relapse (2016)
Fucking finally. It’s been six long years since we’ve heard from the Brooklyn via D.C. grind-brigade. This month marks the release of II, the only Magrudergrind record since 2010’s Crusher EP and a welcome relief to those only moderately pacified by Avi Kulawy’s (vocals) doom project, Ruine. II presents some major changes from Magrudergrind without exhibiting a substantial departure from … Read more
MakeWar
Developing A Theory of Integrity
Red Scare Industries (2016)
One of the reasons I gravitate toward the pop-end of the punk spectrum is because it lacks pretention. The structures are straightforward and honest, often predictable to such a fault that it’s become cliché. That’s why an album like Developing A Theory of Integrity is so refreshing. The overall sound is gruff pop-punk with a verse-chorus-verse foundation and a lot … Read more
Marillion
F.E.A.R.
Intact (2016)
For a Marillion fan, a new album isn’t just a release – it’s an event. And as far as events go, on an ascending scale from a co-workers 30 day alcohol-free chip celebration, to a close cousin’s Harry Potter themed wedding, to the birth of your new baby, FEAR is more of a birth. A birth of ideas in a … Read more
Marissa Nadler
Strangers
Sacred Bones (2016)
Marissa Nadler has been releasing albums since 2004, and her meticulous constructions of dream states has been astonishing since the first notes of “Fifty Five Falls.” Through the years, Nadler has shown her aptitude in songwriting, not solely by awakening an emotional response with her music, but also with a sense of certainty that became more and more apparent in … Read more
Mark Sultan
BBQ
In The Red (2016)
Mark Sultan has long gone by two stage names: his own, and BBQ (of King Khan & The BBQ Show). Most solo work has been truly solo: just Sultan, his guitar and his drums. That’s right: he’s a one-man band instead of a “singer-songwriter.” On BBQ, Sultan merges both names and both worlds.While I’m familiar with his work, for the … Read more
Metallica
Hardwired...to Self Destruct
Blackened Recordings (2016)
8 years. Jesus. That’s the same length of time as Barack Obama’s two-term administration. That’s the entire lifespan of an 8 year old child. That’s too goddamn long between albums, is what it is. Yes, Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett and Trujillo have finally returned with a new album – Hardwired…to Self Destruct. We all know, given their rarity of appearance on … Read more
Mikey Erg
Tentative Decisions
Don Giovanni (2016)
It took all of three seconds into Tentative Decisions, about 10 seconds before his unmistakable voice, to ID the record as being made by Mikey Erg. Drummer/guitarist/vocalist in bands ranging including but definitely not limited to The Ergs!, The Dopamines, Worriers, The Slow Death, and so many more. Erg’s work has long been built on a pop-punk foundation, emotional indecision … Read more
