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Reviews by Michael

588 total search results — Page 9 of 30

Force of Change – The Bond We Share

Review — July 21, 2006

Metallic hardcore is easily my favorite genre of not only hardcore, but of all musical genres. My fondness of this genre is a direct result of it being the first type of music I truly immersed myself in. Bands like Integrity, Strife, One King Down, Snapcase, and Indecision among others …

Betrayed – Substance

Review — July 26, 2006

I just finished watching the trailer for the book-to-film documentary American Hardcore and it got me thinking. Anyone that claims to be a fan of hardcore/punk is bound by an unwritten law to have read that book, as well as Get in the Van. Many - mostly the older blokes …

Lamella – Love Versus Dirt

Review — August 1, 2006

I'll openly admit to the fact that the vast majority of my music preferences fall to the heavy side of the medium. However, there are times in my life when I just want to get away from all of that and chill out to something that is non-threatening and created …

Russian Circles – Enter

Review — August 7, 2006

Hearing a new band for the very first time can be an awesome experience - it can also be horrible, but that is not the case here. I had never heard of Russian Circles prior to seeing their name listed as an opener for a semi-recent Isis tour. Being curious …

Slumlords – On the Stremph!

Review — August 11, 2006

The members of Baltimore based Slumlords have been around the proverbial block a few times and know their niche. On their previous releases the band wrote street punk influenced hardcore songs. The songs tackled both serious topics as well as everyday topics that could be joked about. On the Stremph!, …

Jena Berlin – Passion Waits as the Program Keeps Going

Review — August 18, 2006

I realize that we are more than halfway through 2006. I realize that Jena Berlin recently began recording their follow-up to this album. But, I have two solid reasons for reviewing this album so late: 1) I never heard of the band prior to receiving the album in the mail …

The Pledge – Distress

Review — August 23, 2006

I don't really consider myself to be a professional journalist by any means. But in my position as an "in my spare time journalist" I frequently come across fairly unknown yet promising bands that are truly deserving of high praise. The most recent of those being Dayton, Ohio's The Pledge. …

Cloak/Dagger – Piñata

Review — August 29, 2006

When you look at the pedigree of Cloak/Dagger, you really can't argue with it: American Nightmare, Striking Distance, Count Me Out, and Trial by Fire, among others. But what is refreshing is that Piñata really doesn't sound exactly like any of those bands. Cloak/Dagger deliver four songs of aggressive hardcore-punk, …

Deep Sleep – You're Screwed

Review — August 29, 2006

You're Screwed is nine songs of modern punk from Baltimore-based Deep Sleep. The songs on this 7" are quick and to the point and fueled by high-octane energy. Unfortunately, Deep Sleep just really isn't my thing, which is surprising as they claim to be heavily influenced by the Descendents, who …

Our Times – Our Times

Review — August 29, 2006

Buffalo has a rich history as far as hardcore goes. In recent years things have been a bit stagnant, but bands like Dead Hearts and Our Times are looking to change that. Our Times are a straightedge band that play ultra-fast hardcore punk. Musically, I could see them fitting in …

Shipwreck – Shipwreck

Review — September 9, 2007

Shipwreck burst onto the scene last year with their debut 7" on Rumble Records. The four-song release was an instant hit and eventually brought them to Deathwish's door. This release, another self-titled affair, is comprised of two new cuts and a reworking of "Heated" from their debut. "Mirage" kicks things …

Steel Trap – Cold.Dead.Broke.

Review — August 29, 2006

Steel Trap is the latest export from the highly talented Bay Area scene. This five-piece group serves up volatile hardcore that no doubt gets the dance floor moving. The 7" kicks off with your typical intro track of building guitars and a sing-along, this one is "T-S-M!" - not to …

Triple Twins/A Roman Holiday – Split

Review — August 29, 2006

The A-Side of this split features indie rock outfit A Roman Holiday. Their first contribution to this split is "Octopus." The song is a fun and energetic indie rock tune that reminded me quite a bit of Cursive. "Apocolypse Part II," on the other hand takes to a more laid …

Turn It Around – These Days

Review — August 29, 2006

It's been a while since Sacramento churned out a new band worth hearing, but Turn it Around is that band. Their four-song 7" is chuck-full of fast-paced hardcore with a dash of melody. "Live it Up" kicks things off in a sound that is reminiscent of Comeback Kid, which is …

Regret – Misery Brigade

Review — August 30, 2006

Organized Crime Records is branching out these days with the release from a band that isn't from the Chicago metropolitan area. Jokes! Jokes! I'm aware the label has released bands from outside of Chicago. This isn't a knock at the label; they just love their hometown bands. But you can't …

Death is Not Glamorous – Death is Not Glamorous / Undercurrents

Review — September 5, 2006

I know very little about the country of Norway. Sure, I could hit up Google or Wikipedia and shoot off some facts about their leading exports or how many Olympic downhill skiers were born there, but it would be nothing more than useless information. All you need to know, my …

Another Breath – Mill City

Review — September 10, 2006

Fulton, New York's Another Breath have returned with their debut full-length, Mill City. This is their follow-up to their first offering, 2004's Not Now, Not Ever, which blasted through eight songs in just fifteen minutes. Mill City may contain nearly twice as many songs, but the album clocks in at …

On a Warpath – On a Warpath

Review — September 19, 2006

Within hardcore there lies a style of music that has come to known as beatdown. It is an interesting but narrow-minded sub-genre to the whole hardcore realm. Musically, the bands that play this style of music rely heavily on having ridiculously huge breakdowns. I wouldn't be surprised if they wrote …

Isis & Aereogramme – In the Fishtank 14

Review — September 24, 2006

By now all of should know who Isis is and what to expect from them in terms of their music output. A good number of you are probably familiar with Aereogramme - for those of you not, they're a Scottish band that mixes punishing metal with melodic moments and alt-rock …

Set it Straight – Live Your Heart and Never Follow

Review — October 1, 2006

Set it Straight is a band that truly deserves notoriety. Unfortunately, they really haven't gotten much attention outside of the Westcoast, which is both a shock and a shame. Last year the band released their debut full-length, My Favorite Words, an extremely promising LP, as well as a split EP …