Review
Celebrity Murders
Time to Kill Space

Chainsaw Safety (2006) Kevin Fitzpatrick

Celebrity Murders – Time to Kill Space cover artwork
Celebrity Murders – Time to Kill Space — Chainsaw Safety, 2006

There are a few music "fans" that may be in denial, but I think most schooled individuals can attest that there is a tremendous dearth of great hardcore bands out there. There are a few more bands that could be classified as "good" and then a seemingly infinite number of shitty ones. Celebrity Murders is a great band and Time to Kill Space is without a doubt, one of the best hardcore albums to come around in a long, long time. This could quite possibly be the only band strong enough to mount a resurrection of the NYC hardcore scene that's lain dormant these many years.

The band keeps it real with an analog recording of seventeen tracks guaranteed to kick your prick back to 1983 while still managing to sound more vicious and relevant than 96% of their contemporaries. It's always good when a group has a sound that conjures images of where they hail from. Think of any part of New York City's seedy underbelly and you've got the score right here. This is what The Warriors would be listening to on the way back to Coney. Strolling through Clinton or DUMBO (pre-modifications), this is the album that should be running through your head.

This is a group that makes me excited for music again. It's like a Vitamin B Shot in my fat, jaded ass and leading the revolution, cutting a wide swath through the concrete jungle of mediocrity is Artie Philie, whose vocals are just fucking vicious and couldn't be more suited to the task. Do yourself a huge favor, kids. Buy this album. Seriously. And If I'm wrong about anything I've just said, you know where to reach me.

Celebrity Murders – Time to Kill Space cover artwork
Celebrity Murders – Time to Kill Space — Chainsaw Safety, 2006

Recently-posted album reviews

The Necks

Disquiet
Northern Spy (2025)

There are no signs of slowing down for Australian jazz masters The Necks. Following the release of the excellent Bleed in 2024, the legendary trio makes a return with their 20th full-length record, Disquiet. Long-form compositions are nothing new for the trio, but here they dive headfirst into a three-hour tour de force, traversing the abstract and meditative territories they … Read more

The Eradicator

You Can Hate The Eradicator
Independent (2025)

Is The Eradicator a joke that's been going for 10 years (the band), or for 35 (the skit)? Does it matter? Well, only in the sense that I question how much material the Kids In The Hall-inspired hardcore band can cull from a 5-minute skit. (Maybe 10 minutes. The character was revived in 2022's Season 6.) Why do I bring … Read more

Prayer Group

Strawberry
Reptilian Records (2025)

Standing between genres can act as a vantage point. For Prayer Group, sitting at the intersection between noise rock and hardcore has armed them with the necessary arsenal to propel their anger and frustration forward. And so, through a series of EPs and singles, this work culminated in their 2022 debut full-length, Michael Dose, where The Jesus Lizard methodology collided … Read more