506 total search results — Page 5 of 26
Burning Skies – Desolation
Review — February 26, 2007
Damn... Burning Skies has a ton of grind influence as well as some good old death metal influence to boot. I guess Misery Index and Dying Fetus would be good reference points. Regardless, this is a pleasant enough surprise. The production on Desolation is crisp, clean, and heavy; it definitely …
Cassius – I Am Jim Jones
Review — March 4, 2007
My first impression of Cassius is "Oh no, not another metalcore band." As time wears on, I hope that a lot of the kids in these bands wake up and stop perpetuating a mostly tired genre. Cassius at least does a solid job of playing in the genre. They also …
iamthethorn – You are the Lamb
Review — March 7, 2007
Nevermind the seeming monopoly that John Pettibone has on vocals for metal and hardcore bands in the Seattle area. The band, dubbed iamthethorn, that began as a project between he and friend Aaron "Edge" Connell (former member of Himsa, Genuine, Harkonen, The Horde, Grievous, Hellephant, Christ, Autumn, Grip Inc, and …
Cursed – Blackout at Sunrise
Review — March 11, 2007
Cursed are one of those hardcore/punk bands that are genuinely worth people's time and attention. Their music is vicious, honest, and gloriously consistent. The lyrics are both personal and politically driven. One could almost say that topically there is something for everyone, particularly for those into heavy punk rock and …
Menomena – Friend and Foe
Review — March 14, 2007
Wow, this is really rare. Admittedly, this is my first exposure to Menomena - in a nostalgic sort of way; I love their band name. I was drawn to Friend and Foe, the second full-length from the band, because of the superior artwork that they employ for the packaging …
The Hidden Hand – The Resurrection of Whiskey Foote
Review — March 26, 2007
Let's be up front with this right off the bat. For all of Wino's - the guitarist and vocalist of the Hidden Hand - history in prominent bands like The Obsessed, St. Vitus, Spirit Caravan, etc, he is a workhorse musician who maintains a level of consistency that most bands …
Wold – Screech Owl
Review — April 12, 2007
Ever hear of Wold? No? I too am hearing them for the first time. I will say that this is a disturbing record. I understand that being cooped up on the frozen wastes of Saskatchewan probably affects the sound that they produce a great deal. Holy shit this is disturbing. …
Aughra / Mosh Patrol – Is There Anyone Else Outside
Review — April 18, 2007
Is There Anyone Else Outside is the split effort between Aughra and Mosh Patrol. Aughra is the ambient/electronic solo-project of Brent Eyestone (member of Forensics, Corn on Macabre, and Waifle) while Mosh Patrol is a similar solo project from Chris King (member of This Will Destroy You). The Aughra material …
Jesu – Sundown/Sunrise
Review — April 24, 2007
Justin Broadrick and company has been extremely busy. Sundown/ Sunrise is a two-song 12" EP that Aurora Borealis is releasing. These songs are also available on the Japanese import version of the latest Jesu album, Conqueror. The tracks are not remixes of songs on the album, but rather they …
The Locust – New Erections
Review — May 13, 2007
The Locust is an extremely polarizing group. On one hand, people take them as a complete joke. On the other, people take them extremely seriously. I fall somewhere in the middle and find them to be wholly entertaining with some substance hiding beneath the cacophony that they unleash on listeners. …
Sonic Youth – Rather Ripped
Review — July 25, 2006
Rather Ripped showcases a slight stylistic shift for Sonic Youth. Their trademarked noisy dirge rock has been subdued a bit to allow a bit of melody to accentuate the more subtle nature of their music. Quite possibly, this may be the most accessible the band has been since Goo and …
Earth – Hibernaculum
Review — May 31, 2007
It is not often that a band is willing to revisit prior recorded works in a new musical style. With Hibernaculum, the lauded Earth do just that. However, they do more than just rehash old material. Dylan Carlson and company instead breathe new life into the songs and gives …
Napalm Death – Scum (Reissue)
Review — June 12, 2007
Surely by now, almost everyone within the underground music community has heard of Napalm Death. If you have not yet (what rock have you been living under?), check out Albert Mudrian's Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore for a bit of a history lesson. This book …
Pelican – City of Echoes
Review — June 19, 2007
Yeah, the guys in Pelican are busy dudes. City of Echoes is the band's third full-length and seventh record released since 2001. I admire their work ethic. For those of the initiated, Pelican is an instrumental outfit that tends to get lumped into the "Post"¦" categories (see post-metal, post-rock) along …
Neurosis – Given to the Rising
Review — July 1, 2007
This is a Neurosis record through and through. Given to the Rising ultimately destroys any notion that this long running, innovative band are getting soft. Recorded in a very brief six days with long time recording collaborator Steve Albini, this album is an experiment of sorts for the band. Neurosis …
Unsane – Visqueen
Review — July 4, 2007
Damn, it is real hard to believe that Unsane is still going strong (minus a break from 2000-2003) almost twenty years after initially forming. Like many people, my knowledge of the band originates with seeing their video for "Skrape" on MTV many moons ago. The gnarly visuals (predating CKY, MTV's …
Rocky Votolato – A Brief History (Reissue)
Review — July 8, 2007
It is real nice that Rocky Votolato's A Brief History is available again. With the original label - Your Best Guess Records - going the way of the Dodo, this underappreciated gem went out of print. Second Nature, thankfully, has the foresight to make this available for people again, and …
Damnation A.D. – In This Life or the Next
Review — July 15, 2007
Seeing Damnation A.D. for the first time in years at New Year's reunion in Syracuse a couple of years back awoke something in me that I had not realized had been sleeping. Watching this five piece shake the building with their tortured, bottom heavy power was and is a great …
Declan de Barra – Song of a Thousand Birds
Review — July 24, 2007
Now, this is a pleasant surprise. I have not been previously introduced to Declan de Barra or previous outfits (Clann Zu and Non Intentional Lifeform). So, there are no expectations for Song of a Thousand Birds, his first solo effort. The promotional CD (which gives no real liner notes …
