Lindsay Rakers Band,"Less Asleep" (Indie Release)
Roots rock, alt-country, whatever you want to call it, all I know is it sounds pretty damn good to me. Raker reminds me of Maria McKee during her stint in Lone Justice. This is an album full of ballsy, rip-roaring songs with clever lyrics of love and loss in much the same vein as songs by the Bottle Rockets. Another favorite of mine. Very promising stuff coming from this Atlanta band. You better keep your eye on this girl.
http://lindsayrakersband.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver

Buzzcocks,"Flat-Pack Philosophy" (Cooking Vinyl)
This CD sounded bland and boring when I first heard it. After several listens, the gems on this CD revealed themselves. Guitarist Steve Diggle saves the day with two of the strongest tracks on the CD: “Sell you Everything” and “Big Brother Wheels”. The rest of the songs (except “I’ve had Enough”) just sort of sit there; neither horrible or great and sounds like filler from their last album. Even a mediocre Buzzcocks song is better than 99% of the pop being played on the radio. The warped tour mall punks will doublessly eat this up. However, one shouldn’t have to work this hard to like a Buzzcocks album.
www.buzzcocks.com
Rating:

Review by DJ Ivan

Def Leppard,"Yeah!" (Island)
Yep, brace yourself...Def Leppard have now joined the ranks of those bands who have "officially" run out of new ideas (although it is safe to say this happened YEARS ago in their case). There must be an unwritten law amongst rockers that you must pick one of the following scenarios when "sales are slumping...and no one knows why...":
1. Put out a live album, complete with plenty of post-concert overdubs to make it sound as close to the studio versions as possible. Oh, and add an obscure cover to make the fans think they are actually getting something.
2. Put out a "greatest hits" collection with possibly a couple of extra "bonus" tracks (i.e. previous studio rejects) to make the fans think they are actually getting something.
3. Put out an album of your band doing all covers of songs that "influenced" you. This is a sure fire way to boost your "street cred", by showing just how hip you are!
Desperately grasping for "credibility", Def Lep has opted for option 3, and their new album "Yeah!" has them covering songs by Blondie, David Essex, T-Rex, Badfinger, The Kinks, The Faces, David Bowie, ELO, Sweet, Roxy Music, Mott the Hoople, Free, the Faces, Thin Lizzy, etc.

But, to be fair, this album isn't as bad as most "influence" albums. Sure, there are some horrid moments, like their cover of "Rock On" (David Essex)...but there are at least 3 more than competent and enjoyable performances on: "No Matter What" (Badfinger), "Waterloo Sunset" (Kinks), and "Stay With Me" (Faces). Their versions of these three show that not all is lost.
www.defleppard.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Ronnie

Tim Easton,"Ammunition" (New West Records)
4th solo record from this great singer songwriter. All the big ones are covered on this disc. Politics on “Black Dog” and “Before The Revolution”. Religion on “J.P.M.F.Y.F.” Drugs on “Not Today” and “Dear Old Song And Dance.” There might even be a few songs on relationships too. But Easton is able to give any subject an interesting spin that may cause you to stare out the window for hours wondering “why?” Good records make you bob your head. Great records make you think. Ammunition will cause plenty of random thoughts to creep into your cranium. Easton’s got plenty of firepower to deliver a warning shot above your head. But it’s still friendly fire.
www.timeaston.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick

Killing Joke,"Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell" (Cooking Vinyl Records)
Dark, dreary and thoroughly mesmerizing. These hymns ring loud and true for fans of Heavy, industrial flavored rock. Jaz Coleman is still worried about the world swallowing up our rights. Geordie Walker’s guitar parts still alternate between shimmering and threatening to dazzling effect. Paul Raven’s bass lines rattle the sabers drawn on this strange battlefield. (Although we can’t give Paul too much acclaim since he just jumped ship to the Ministry camp.) Finally new drummer Benny Calvert tries to top the last “sit-in” drummer-Dave Grohl and very nearly succeeds. Nothing here is quite as commercial as some of the polished tracks on the 2003 self titled record. But as The Black Jester writes in his liner notes that was part of the plan. Titles like “Invocation” and “Judas Goat” provide a perfect backdrop to the bizarre cover and insert art. Put this on and sing along-you never know who may hear you singing.
www.killingjoke.com
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick

Phil Aiken,"It’s Always The Quiet Ones" (The Gentleman’s Recording Company)
Second solo outing from current keyboardist of Crown Victoria, who also did a long tour of duty with Buffalo Tom. Although I truly dug Don’t Look Down, I think I may even like this platter even better. I think Phil may be becoming the Vincent Gallo of pop rock-he keeps getting better as time rolls on. Aiken handles all the lead vocals and keys here, but he gets some help from some excellent singers to sweeten the mix-Chris Toppin (Fuzzy) and Tanya Donnelly (Belly). I could definitely hear “Ginny Took The Easy Way Out” on the radio-satellite are you listening? Clever wordplay on titles like “…Having Lost My Way, Wondering Like Abraham” does nothing to the great songwriting tactics employed here. “Highlights” will make a great summer song-crank it in your ’89 Chevy LeBaron convertible and watch the neighbors stare! The title track has some slippery organ that is well balanced by the drums and bass and the questioning vocals. There’s even a great rework of a Buzzcocks tune that I’m sure even Steve Diggle would enjoy. It’s Always The Quiet Ones…that seem to make great records. This is no exception.
www.philaiken.com
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick

Symphony In Demeanor,"The Second One" (Indie Release)
This bands music falls somewhere between Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side Of The Moon” album and the Beatles “Revolver” album. It’s especially noticeable on songs like “Dream”, “Vision Without Eyes” and “Let The Children Play”. The songs have a timeless appeal about them. I mean, it sounds as if they were recorded around the same time as “Dark Side Of The Moon” or “Revolver”. There’s a trippy feel to the whole thing.
www.symphonyindemeanor.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver

The Church,"Uninvited, Like The Clouds" (Cooking Vinyl Records)
After so many years of existence, it is amazing The Church are still around and making superior records to have of the sludge put out as music today. But we are the lucky ones! Uninvited alternates between guitar overdrives on some songs to more acoustic based tunes. For some reason, the feel of this record reminds me of Pink Floyd-maybe it’s the many textures. You be the judge. Highlights for me include “Block”, “Space Needle” and “She’ll Come Back For You Tomorrow.” If you stopped listening to The Church after Gold Afternoon Fix, now is your chance to return to the fold. Enter the aura of The Church-no money for the collection needed.
www.thechurchband.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick

The Campbells,"Pound on your Boxes" (Indie Release)
Indie pop in much the same vein as R.E.M., Paul Westerberg, Hootie & the Blowfish and the such. Only this is a bit edgier than anything I’ve ever heard by Hootie & the Blowfish so that may not be a completely fair analogy. Campbells voice has a Neil Young flavor to it at times which works great on some of the harder rocking tracks like “Tried To Pretend”, “Rushmore” and the title track. I like it.
www.thecampbellsmusic.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver

Monica Attell,"Band Geek" (Indie Release)
Wow, this is a rarity, pure-pop music with clever lyrics. From the hilarious title, "Band Geek", you get the impression that the music will be some boring, music-prodigy tripe - but, not so on this CD. Sure, she shows off her piano prowess, but she doesn't fall into the trap of most "prodigy" types - it doesn't foreshadow the actual music. Monica Attell delivers perky singing on songs about teenage female angst, but not in a condescending way like Alanis Morrisette. Whether it is a scathing view of "Pop Star", infatuation on "Nineteen" and the hilarious social commentary of "Drunk Girl". Monica
http://www.myspace.com/monicaattell
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Scott H. Platt

The Patryk Brothers,"Mustache & Goatee" (Indie Release)
Two brothers, both with mustache and goatee’s. There’s nothing mystic or hidden about these guys and their music. It’s all pretty straight ahead acoustic romps through tales of travel, trains and the crimes of love. Eight laid back songs that bring to mind England Dan and John Ford Coley, Seals and Croft and Simon and Garfunkel. I’d say that’s not too shabby of company to keep.
www.myspace.com/patrykbrothers
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver

Rob Dickinson,"Fresh Wine For The Horses" (Sanctuary Records)
Sometime in 2000, one of the greatest bands to come from the UK-yes, even better than Radiohead-(there-I’ve said it), called it a day. No big announcement, just a quiet slipping away. While the drummer and guitarist toiled away with 50 Ft. Monster, many wondered what had become of lead singer/guitarist Rob Dickinson. 2005-music fans breathed easier. All were relieved to hear that Rob did not join Iron Maiden, but instead put out this record. It easily holds up to what I consider to be Catherine Wheel’s apex-Adam and Eve, and then some. “My Name Is Love,” “Oceans,” are great songs, sad and wonderful all at the same time. But I really love “Intelligent People”-“you’ve just gotta smile and hang out with intelligent people.” I mean, does hanging out with dumb people ever pay off? I don’t think so. Great debut, let’s hope there’s more and that it doesn’t take 5 years next go round.
www.robdickinson.com
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick

John Mooney,"Big Ol' Fiya" (LML Records)
John Mooney is a bluesman. That’s all there is to say about it. So, if you dig John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, B.B. King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Winter or anyone else along those lines then you will enjoy every damn minute of “Big Ol’ Fiya”.
www.johnmooneylive.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver

The Dischargers,"There's No Place Like Hell" (Fury 76)
Channeling the ugly, hard nosed fury of punk rock, The Dischargers pound out 14 tracks of beefed-up Molotov rockers guaranteed to incite a riot. This quartet has obviously paid close attention to the seminal band Discharge, even going as far as covering two of their tracks, as their brand of seething punk rock is laden with all of the metallic angst and ferocity of the aforementioned. Perfect for a quick fix (the disc clocks in at 27-minutes of pure anti-establishment punk) or to complement a day of drinking, looting, and pillaging, The Dischargers aptly prove that there’s no place like hell indeed, and that if all the music in the netherworld sounds like this, it ain’t such a bad place to be after all.
www.fury76.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Path of Resistance,"Can't Stop the Truth" (Victory)
After a near decade-long hiatus, the Earth Crisis triple vocal assault side project Path of Resistance returns with more of the chugging riffs and straight edge mantra that made the outfit so revered in the scene. CAN’T STOP THE TRUTH is the title of the septet’s integrity-fueled 12-track comeback, an impassioned stomp ‘em in the pit tour de force whose message packs as big a punch as the scolding riffs and pummeling rhythms found on cuts like “Best of My Best”. Tracks like “Haunted”, “The Mission”, and “Against the Gale” strike with the havoc Hatebreed brings and the old school hardcore fire and brimstone delivery that what passes for hardcore today generally misses. Serving as a reminder as to how saturated and downright diluted the scene that this band loves so much has become, Path of Resistance reclaims its stake with abundant force on their return effort.
www.victoryrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Twelfth Gate,"Threshold of Revelation" (Season of Mist)
Progressive metal unit Twelfth Gate play with the technical fervor and aggressive edge of bands like Nevermore and Symphony X, meshing blistering death metal riffs with melodic metal vocals on its latest endeavor THRESHOLD OF REVELATION. This Chicago quintet’s darkened and heavy-handed assault is more Death and less Dream Theater, as the twin guitars weave intricate tapestries that the fearless rhythm section handles dutifully on tracks like “Together Divided” and “Branded”. Thrashing at times, bone jarringly heavy at others, yet somehow maintaining a melodic middle ground thanks to some stellar vocal gymnastics, Twelfth Gate’s hybrid metal sound has something for every discerning headbanger awaiting the new Iron Maiden and Iced Earth releases.
www.season-of-mist.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Gat-Rot,"Us Versus Them" (Rotten)
Long-running Arizona metal act Gat-Rot unleashes its latest affair, an uncompromisingly vicious and utterly unsettling 10-track entity aptly titled US VERSUS THEM. Melding the intensity of VOD and the soul-crushing brutality of most metalcore bands on the scene today with the fist-pumping anthemic goodness of Downset and muscled-up funk of Rage Against the Machine, tracks like the punishingly heavy “Is This The End” methodically beat your ears into submission. Cranking out a barrage of stunning array of chugging guitars, decimating rhythms, and vocals that sound as if Satan himself was fronting the microphone, this disc doesn’t break any ground, but will absolutely break windows in your ‘hood, as it was made with the intent to be played at maximum volume without any sense of remorse.
www.rottenrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Moonspell,"Memorial" (SPV)
Portuguese Goth metallers Moonspell return with MEMORIAL, a 13-track album laden with the darkened atmosphere and ethereal vibes you’d expect from this unit. Moving in a slightly more ominous direction, songs like the closer “Best Forgotten” displays the type of callous vocals and foreboding songs structures which figure prominently throughout the disc. Surprisingly though, despite the band turning up the heavier nuances and delving into near black metal territories, the energy levels of the music rarely wane. From the unabashedly heavy “Finisterra”, the eerily acoustic ringings of “Mare Nostrum” and “Sons of Earth”, and the oppressive twinges of “Luna”, this veteran quartet succeed in retaining its somber side with majestic grace. Intertwining a consistent barrage of gloom and doom with an amplified array of menacing metal in the forefront, Moonspell’s seventh release finds the band revisiting its apocalyptic scope it let stay dormant for so long with excellent results.
www.spvusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Black Cobra,"Bestial" (At A Loss)
Two men should be outlawed for making this kind of noise, yet Black Cobra’s excruciatingly excessive allegiance to all that is heavy and raw comes up for air through the viscous murk just long enough to pulverize your senses silly with BESTIAL. Featuring ex-members of Cavity and 16, this dastardly duo know a thing or two about unmercifully beating your unsuspecting ass down for the count with ferocious levels of feedback and dangerous slabs of stoner rock devoid of acid-fueled sunshine, replaced with cavernous guitar riffs and thunderous skin bashing. Tracks like “El Doce De Octubre” and “The Cry of Melora” best exemplify this tandem’s tenacious tumultuousness, further sending your senses spiraling into the abyss. If you like it addictively raw and unapologetically sludgy, BESTIAL’s supersonic wall of sound will unequivocally quench those desires.
www.atalossrecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Cretin,"Freakery" (Relapse)
Unleashing 16 tracks of putrid crust metal, Cretin’s latest offering harkens back to the days of gore-infested grind and death metal a la Accused and Napalm Death. Implementing song titles such as “Walking a Midget” and “Uni-Tit”, you can imagine that this California trio, whose pedigree includes stints with Exhumed and Citizen, spent a fair amount of their adolescence at the carnival or deep inside a RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT comic, while tracks like “Dirt Eater” and “Creepy Crawlies” pulverize your cranium with lo-fi, almost hardcore punk-sounding barrages of aggression. Blasting through these tracks with blinding speed, bitter sarcasm, and an intense sense of disgust, get your grindcore freak on with FREAKERY.
www.relapse.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Human Television,"LookAt Who You're Talking To" (Gigantic)
Human Television play the kind of uncomplicated pop-rock with oodles of jangly guitars and sticky sweet yet pretty unmemorable choruses that hipster kids everywhere are sure to swoon over. That’s not to say that this outfit is a pretentious lot, as the opposite is definitely the case judging on their early REM leanings on tracks like “Tonight’s the Night”. Transplanted from Florida to the East Coast, this unit’s easy to diagnose yet hard to pinpoint sound has all of the devices capable of telling yourself that while you’ve heard these songs before they’re oh so original and are very wonderful, all in the same breath. Blending masterfully crafted indie pop with subtle shoegazing sensibilities, LOOK AT WHO YOU’RE TALKING TO is a great album to wake up in the morning to, as it gives you just enough jolt to get out of bed, yet enough recoil to hit snooze for those precious few last minutes in complete bliss.
www.giganticmusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

In Extremis,"Absolutes and Opposites" (Indie Release)
NYC juggernaut In Extremis showcase their considerably versatile wares on the seven-track sojourn they rightfully call ABSOLUTES AND OPPOSITES. Emanating an overabundant outpouring of angular metal, this female-fronted quartet knows no boundaries and display limitless songwriting prowess on tracks like “ThreePasses” and the gouging “FcukFriends”. Popping elements of dissonant heaviness, a vast array of metallic influences, and a wealth of ambience into a melting pot that emits shards of Tool, Deftones, Bad Brains, Incubus, System of a Down, Faith No More, and every intellectually charged heavy band of the last 10 years, this outfit unravels an engaging and intriguing musical tapestry chock full of histrionic highlights and deceptively delectable dramatics. Raising the bar of what multi-layered metal should sound like, In Eztremis is a must listen for the complacent and disenchanted.
www.ieband.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Laws of Gravity,"3 Song Demo" (Indie Release)
Laws of Gravity is a NYC outfit whose roots come from the NYHC scene, yet this three-song sampler seems to take a more commercial rock avenue laden with some post-hardcore flair. Female-fronted and in your face, not unlike Flyleaf, Evanescence, and Lacuna Coil, this outfit’s melodic approach to metal yields a plethora of hook-happy choruses and catchy melodies with bite. Tracks like “Still Be Down” conveys a hypnotic rhythm underneath discordant guitars, while “Come Clean” lays down a straightforward and muscular rock tune with conviction.
www.myspace.com/lawsofgravityband
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Gadget,"The Funeral March" (Relapse)
Hailing from Sweden (like most incredible metal offerings seemingly do these days), Gadget’s charred grindcore style and dastardly blackened death metal stance is as caustic and visceral as it gets. THE FUNERAL MARCH is a 17-track beast able to smack the hell out of you with doomy blast beats, ferocious death growls, and unforgiving guitar and bass riffs found on such headache causers as “Choked” and “Tristessens Fort”. Picking up where Nasum, Napalm Death, and Carcass left off, Gadget grabs the ball and scores big, even as so far as to throw touched of Entombed into its mix on tracks like “Out of Pace” as a bit of a breather in preparation for the madness of tracks like “I Am” and “H5N1”. Brace yourself to be bowled over with the foreboding frenzy that this disc discharges.
www.relapse.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Don Caballero,"World Class Listening Problem" (Relapse)
Revered instrumental rock outfit Don Caballero return after a lineup shift with a set of mind-bogglingly expansive tunes which run the gamut on WORLD CLASS LISTENING PROBLEM. After a near five-year hiatus, this Pittsburgh, PA quartet (up from a trio) has put forth 10 tracks of challenging music for the ambitious music fan to stake claim to. Armed with a not so subtle jazz rock pretense on the bass and guitar which tends to lapse into alternative, metal, and space rock and a drummer that absolutely needs to be heard to be understood how amazing he plays, this veteran band’s most recent endeavor may provide the band the widespread accolades the underground has rightfully bestowed upon them. Just check out the spastically arranged “And And And, He Lowered the Twin Down” with its technical percussion, hypnotic bass lines, and frenetic guitar work, to see not only how effortless these guys make it sound, but how the progenitors of the instrumental underground can still get down.
www.relapse.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Fleshgore,"May God Strike Me Dead" (This Dark Reign)
Hailing from the Ukraine, the trio Fleshgore have employed a technically sound yet utterly brutal sound on MAY GOD STRIKE ME DEAD which propels this nine-track release into death metal’s upper echelon. Despite the fact that these guys really aren’t doing anything completely unique or earth-shatteringly radical here, the crisp guitars, stop on a dime rhythms, and voracious death growls when compounded make for some sweetly savage music. Tracks like “No Way Out” sound like Deicide and Cannibal Corpse in a knife fight, while “Twisted Reality” shows off this unit’s death groove capabilities with some stellar percussion holding it all down. Fans of perverse death metal will definitely get off on this one.
www.thisdarkreign.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Matadors,"The Muse of Senor Ray" (Devil Doll)
Smoke and groove rock comes from the Scandinavian trio known as Matadors, whose 13-track Mexican surf stoner rock adventure has the smell of summer all over it. From the flamenco-influenced stomp of “Deliverance” to the QOTSA meets Hellacopters rawk of “Next Episode”, Matadors create a hazy Saturday night atmosphere from the get-go. Imagine what it’d be like if Dick Dale joined Desert Sessions for a few cuts is the best way to describe this band’s trashy garage and jangly guitar flair, which holds water as a novelty but eventually falls by the wayside as an entertaining yet slightly hokey endeavor. But, if the tequila bottle is near, this is the perfect soundtrack.
www.devildollrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Saviors,"Crucifire" (Level Plane)
Saviours, hot off of the release of its EP, have summoned up the demons once again to command an eight-track effigy of evil with CRUCIFIRE. No frills, unabashed, real deal metal played by five guys who exhibit incredible chops, a wet-dream inducing triple guitar assault, and a sadistic songwriting prowess that taps veins of so many of metal, hardcore, and punk rock’s greatest is what you’ll find delivered in diabolical droves here. Mastodon meets Thin Lizzy at a Motorhead barbecue where Slayer and Venom are playing dominoes and High on Fire and Iron Maiden are flipping burgers while Metallica and Megadeth play chicken in the pool is just some abridged examples of Saviours’ chugging downtuned brilliance on “Christ Hunt” and the mesmerizing musical passages which adorn “Heathen Eye”. Crossing over in the most delightful of ways, CRUCIFIRE is a triumphant album brimming with punk metallic pride which needs to be cranked at 11 at all times. Horns up high for this one folks, it truly deserves the accolades.
www.level-plane.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Unsacred Hearts,"In Defense of Fort Useless" (Serious Business)
NYC’s The Unsacred Hearts have pulled out all the stops on the group’s latest 15-track excursion IN DEFENSE OF FORT USELESS. From the pensive acoustic dirge “Bless This Bus” to a booty shaking hipster anthem “Pink Angels on Plastic Horses” to a slew of guest musicians from the Serious Business thinktank making impressive and powerful cameos on “The Two Three Four” and “Sling Drinks at the Pink” to gritty Naked City slice of life rockers like “Whiskey in the Fridge” and “Point of Pride”, this ensemble has got all the bases covered here, leaving something for everyone that considers themselves a rock fan utterly satisfied. Stacked with hooks galore (just try and get the refrain of “Somewhere Deep in NYC” out of your head), staggeringly remarkable songwriting, and a sense of urgency that can only attributed to the band’s love of all things rock, The Unsacred Hearts will blow away any girl jean, carefully coiffed wearing “band” that they have the sheer misfortune of being lumped in with by perpetually exerting the unmistakable half hour of rock ‘n roll soul power and old time whiskey driven swagger of IN DEFENSE OF FORT USELESS.
www.seriousbusinessrecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

La Quiete,"Tenpeun ’01-‘05" (The Perpetual Motion Machine)
Could this be Tony Soprano’s favorite hardcore band (besides North Side Kings, of course)? Spastic yet casting a strangely beautiful aesthetic throughout is the best way to describe the Italian hardcore outfit La Quiete and their latest release TENPEUN ’01-’05. Providing a retrospective of the band’s entire out of print, compilation, and rare materials all in one cohesive package, this 19-track affair provides a really great way to get acquainted with this powerhouse unit whose boundless musical explorations and manic maulings meet somewhere in the middle to create true hardcore bliss. If you dig a lot of what the label Level Plane puts out or are infatuated with angular hardcore with a left of center vibe, then this disc is a must have for your collection.
www.theperpetualmotionmachine.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Dead By Wednesday,"Democracy Is Dead" (Fury 76)
Dead by Wednesday starts its 12-track sojourn with a clunky spoken word slam, but the pace brutally picks up as the title cut comes crashing through your speakers. Hailing from New England and featuring ex-members of regional staple Gargantua Soul, this outfit plays the kind of seething politically outraged metal that you’d expect from System of a Down with a hip-hop edge not unlike Rage Against the Machine or Nonpoint. While some of the material on DEMOCRACY IS DEAD can be deemed a tad too much on the Limp Bizkit tip, there are some killer riffs like “Resist” that would find themselves right at home in the metalcore universe, as well as solid vocals that exhibit not only a feral exuberance a la Slipknot but also illustrates some of the best dub singing this side of Stuck Mojo or Skindred. Ferocious tracks like “Refuse to Suffer” hit the Lamb of God nerve pretty hard, while the act’s take on the classic SOD metal anthem “Kill Yourself” is heartfelt and hellacious to boot. Dead by Wednesday juxtapose different genres while never losing its savage end, a feat that is most admirable about this uniquely engaging act whose version of protest metal makes quite the lasting impression.
www.fury76.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Oblomov,"Mighty Cosmic Dances" (Deepsend)
Czech Republic metal trio Oblomov are a force to be reckoned with, especially if you dig progressive edged black and death metal. Armed with serpentine vocals, buzzing guitars, and a strange outpouring of prog rock pretense (check out the saxophone solo from out of left field on “Starsend” as an example), this outfit can either bludgeon your ears with scathingly evil black metal or send you zooming through the cosmos with a trippy instrumental interlude like the ones found on each end of this nine-track excursion, depending on their mood. Imagine the merging of Hawkwind and Dimmu Borgir to get an idea of the outstanding aural damage this avant-garde extremist unit can muster.
www.deepsend.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Ruins of Beverast,"Unlock the Shrine" (Battle Kommand)
12 tracks of droning, doom-laden black metal with an idea of what’s going on both in the catacombs and above the underground is what the German one-man band known as The Ruins of Beverast delivers on UNLOCK THE SHRINE. This multi-layered offering is adorned with all of the staple nuances of the genre such as buzzing guitars and galloping rhythms, but when adding in layers of synths and entrancing drum patterns, things tend to get very interesting, even as the songs clock in past the five-minute mark on such cuts as “Euphoria When the Bombs Fell”. The excellent recording is what stands out most here, as this style of music is usually plagued with an intentionally raw and undercooked basement recording sound. Thankfully, songs that demonstrate sinewy churnings like “The Clockhand’s Groaning Circles” do not suffer such a fate, as this album’s overall massive sound and studio wizardry is by far its best feature and most valuable asset.
www.battlekommand.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

November Coming Fire,"Dungeness" (Reflections)
Ethereal hardcore could be the tag placed on this UK quintet, as November Coming Fire’s inner flame still burns black with despair, yet its scent has all of the effervescence of some of the more adventurous bands in the hardcore spectrum like Cult of Luna and Neurosis, despite laying down a much more chaotic blueprint overall. Fear not tough guys, these guys have gone all avant-garde, as tracks like “Providence” and “Closure” showcases the band’s resources to rattle skulls and crush craniums with reckless abandonment while “Argonaut” has the propensity to rock out along side the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Doomriders. But, it’s when NCF gets locked into a choleric mix of ambiance and apathy on “Queenliest Dead” or “HMS Blackwater” where things really start to blur from brutality into bleakness and November Coming Fire hits its creative zenith.
www.reflectionsrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Luca Turilli's Dreamquest,"Lost Horizons" (Magic Circle)
Female fronted operatic techno metal? Yup, that’s what Rhapsody’s guitar man (exclusively on the keyboards on this project) Luca Turilli unveils with LOST HORIZON, a grandiose 12-track affair ready-made for an over the top Vegas-esque stage show, a figure skater’s latest program, or the bastardized matching of Meatloaf and Evanescence with elements of Abba and Dream Theater thrown in. Heavy on the Euro metal tip with massive orchestration and glass-shattering operatic vocal overtones, tracks like “Energy” and “Virus” exhibit unmistakably dramatic structures that literally scream out to be made into a colossal production. Perhaps one day LOST HORIZONS will be arriving on Broadway, but for now, fans of superfluous symphonic metal will have to settle for this offering.
www.magiccirclemusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Luca Turilli,"The Infinite Wonders of Creation" (Magic Circle)
The heartbeat of Italian power metal troupe Rhapsody Luca Turilli unleashes a solo album, his third, titled THE INFINITE WONDERS OF CREATION. Following in his other project’s footsteps, this 10-track endeavor features a broad musical scope that could easily be tied into a cinematic endeavor of some sorts. Tackling a wide range of heady topics from nature to philosophy of life while maintaining a bountiful array of keyboard spruces and omnipresent piano-led pieces such as the ready for Broadway “Silver Moon”, meaty guitars on “Mother Earth”, and richly developed orchestrations throughout the entire offering, this disc is a prog rock fan’s fantasy realized and undeniably casts Turilli into the upper echelon of symphonic rock’s hierarchy.
www.magiccirclemusic.com
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Review by Mike SOS

Grifter,"Elephantine" (Fury 76)
What an appropriate title the boys in Grifter have chosen for their three-song sojourn, as their lumbering riffs and bloodshot rhythms sound best when under the influence. This tumultuous trio from the UK seems to have come from the Clutch school of pure rock fury, as tracks like “Brother Sister” suggest a lot of time under the black light, while the title cut’s stop-start rhythm and smoking groove denote a purging of Neil Fallon and company’s entire catalog. For a good time bursting with riffs and good vibes, check this one out.
www.myspace.com/grifterrock
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Gilgongo,"Tanning Our Eyelids-Songs From the Hotel Bar" (Indie Release)
Gilgongo’s tongue in cheek lounge rock is bursting with left of center eccentric influences, as this Long Island ensemble emanate a relaxed vibe while keeping your ears on point. Ever ponder what Mr. Bungle and Ween versus Queen and They Might Be Giants would sound like? Well Gilgongo’s nine-track excursion answers that question pretty succinctly, as these multi-instrumental minstrels of the peculiar throw alternative rock curveballs throughout this deliciously strange yet wondrously warped offering. Tracks like “Honeybitch” and “Chops” sound like standard pop-rock fare, but when you peel away the high-gloss sheen on the top layer, you’ll find a secret world laden with a love of ’70 sunshine rock, blue-eyed soul, and a keen sense of melody that fits well with the wacky lyrical content that moves from the poignant (“We’d Have the Night”) to the light-hearted (“Happy Hour”).
www.gilgongo.net
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Review by Mike SOS

Venom,"Metal Black" (Sanctuary)
Iconic metal troupe Venom return with METAL BLACK, a tour de force of metallic mayhem containing 14-tracks of Satanic diatribes and chunky riffs galore. While many in the loop may dismiss this disc as the outfit cashing in on the surge of metal, lest we forget which band actually brought the face of Lucifer (horns and all) to the forefront of the genre, as well as scared the hell out of the underground scene before we had all of the Hot Topic Goths and black metal kiddies painting their faces. While much of METAL BLACK comes off as tongue in cheek and devoid of any real peril, tracks like “Blessed Dead” musters enough firepower to warrant repeated listens and “Antechrist”, while unthreateningly issuing its refrain of “Satan calls you”, still packs a ferocious punch. And of course, the vocal delivery of Cronos remains one of the most unique and engaging in all of metal, as he screams, growls, and bellows his way through songs like “Sleep When I’m Dead” and “A Good Day to Die” with unbridled attitude and unsurpassed evil. Venom may not be pushing any envelopes on METAL BLACK, but after their undisputed legacy, do they really need to? Instead, metal fans get a treat courtesy of the English pioneers who invented black metal and manage to still sound somewhat relevant, yet arguably less potent, some 25 years later.
www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com
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Review by Mike SOS

The Brought Low,"Right On Time" (Small Stone)
NYC boogie maestros The Brought Low return with yet another swinging batch of bluesy rock ‘n roll with RIGHT ON TIME. This 10-track trek harkens back to the days when rock was built primarily off of rhythms and blues, a la the days when The Rolling Stones weren’t dinosaurs, and creates a deliberate swagger that sounds just as good sober as it does after that third shot of whisky. Songs like “Shakedown” bump and grind with the penchant of an old school burlesque show, while “Tell Me” sounds like a lost classic dredged up from the vaults. Blending an exquisite mix of meat and potatoes rock, Southern rock heroics, and undauntedly muscular blues, tracks like “This Ain’t No Game” meshes The Black Crowes and Black Oak Arkansas without skipping a beat, while “Blues for Curry” displays how these guys translate AC/DC and Thorogood to the hipster contingent. The Brought Low urges you to bypass the thrift shop record racks and feel the sweet heat they radiate on RIGHT ON TIME.
www.smallstone.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Vanden Plas,"Christ 0" (Inside Out)
German prog metal quintet Vanden Plas ambitiously tackles the classic THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO on the nine-track CHRIST 0. This veteran outfit’s latest endeavor explodes with keyboard and guitar duels, passionate vocals, and a metallic bite that accelerates Vanden Plas spot in the prog metal hierarchy. Tracks like “January Sun” is as epic as it gets, clocking in at over nine minutes and fully loaded with choir background vocals, rumbling rhythms, and dramatic changes of pace that rival any well-done Broadway musical, while “Wish You Were Here” excels with a dynamic sense of orchestration that thankfully never gets irritating as some prog metal tends to more often than not. CHRIST 0 will not disappoint fans of atmospheric metal that crave a strong narrative and are floored by remarkable songwriting prowess.
www.insideoutmusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Various Artists,"Trustkill Takeover" (Trustkill)
Hardcore to emo and back again, the New Jersey label Trustkill has a fine arsenal of bands which they lovingly showcase on this 14-track sampler? Like getting physical in the pit? Then try Terror and Throwdown. How about something for your sensitive side (or for your tender moments with your special lady friend)? Bed Light for Blue Eyes and Roses are Red suit the bill. Angst ridden and looking to rage? Allow Walls of Jericho and Most Precious Blood to maul you over. Trustkill covers all the bases for your average 17 year old underground music fan with this comp, a perfect compliment for the car ride to the summer festival of your choice.
www.trustkill.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Arthritic Foot Soldiers,"Only Beer Can Save Us Now" (Voltage)
Three chords, a brew, and the truth seems to be the mantra for this UK outfit whose alcohol-fueled punk rock wares are abundant on this half-live, half-studio nine track affair. Showcasing an authentic punk rock scowl and bratty sneer and stocked with pint-raising numbers like “Nobodies” and “Anarchy in Argos”, this hardened outfit’s mission statement and delivery are dead-on for anyone that likes their punk rock raw, simple, and above all, honest.
www.voltagerecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Destroyed,"Russian Roulette" (Indie Release)
Boston punk rockers The Destroyed are a combined age of 108, and there’s only two guys in the band! While age ain’t nothing but a number, unfortunately no one told these guys that their infernal racket devoid of any melody whatsoever should’ve stayed up in the attic with their leisure suits, pet rocks, and slinkies. Atonal by choice or intentionally unlistenable? Hard to decipher, but save yourself the struggle and avoid at all costs.
www.thedestroyed.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Enforsaken,"Sinner's Intuition" (Crash)
Blisteringly heavy and tersely tumultuous, the quintet Enforsaken hail from Chicago, although after a few strains of the decibel-shattering “Blacklist Assassin”, you’d think these dudes called some remote landscape in Europe home, especially after hearing the Viking chorus on “Sever the Ties”. But, they’re Americans, and they work at their peak when decisively doling out smatterings of death metal grooves, diabolic double bass drumming, and throaty vocal techniques whose growls and rasps are amongst the best in the genre, Enforsaken’s intriguing mix of metal is a definite hybrid of extreme styles that actually work in a sinister symphonic symbiosis guaranteed to leave welts and bruises aplenty. Throw Chimaira, Strapping Young Lad, and Shadows Fall into a cauldron and simmer, and SINNER’S INTUITION is the stew from which all you metalheads shall feast. Amen.
www.crashmusicinc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Savage Circus,"Dreamland Manor" (Century Media)
DREAMLAND MANOR isn’t Michael Jackson’s new abode, nor is it the place where the sleeperhold was invented. It is the title of the debut by Savage Circus, a power metal troupe that boasts members of Blind Guardian, Persuader, and Iron Savior in its ranks. Unadulterated power metal is what these guys serve best, complete with grandiose intros, massive solos, thunderous drums, falsetto vocals, and telling tales about demons, wizards, lands far away, and other power metal lyrical fodder. Chances are if you dig Blind Guardian, Helloween, Iced Earth, and the like, then this swashbuckling epic release is right up your alley.
www.centurymedia.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Future Primitive,"Expression Sessions" (Indie Release)
Straight edge clan Future Primitive’s six-track offering has the California hardcore stamp all over it, as the music found on EXPRESSION SESSIONS is frenetically paced and laden with unabashed energy. The gang vocal choruses found on “Future Presentation” and “White Noise” are some of the best heard in a while, truly drumming up that unbridled passion that these guys must really carry over live. Yeah, chances are you’ve heard this a zillion times, but when a band exudes this kind of spirit, it’s hard not to get charged up yourself. Get set for the pile-on, courtesy of Future Primitive.
www.myspace.com/futureprimitive
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Kataklysm,"In the Arms of Devastation" (Nuclear Blast)
Canadian metal mongers Kataklysm stay the course, grinding out nine-tracks of ruthless rampage on the unit’s eighth full-length release IN THE ARMS OF DEVASTATION. Emblazoned with a winning formula of creeping doom, raging thrash, and mid-paced melodic death, this quartet wickedly pound out a steady stream of savage riffs, crushing rhythms, and machine-like drums on tracks such as the time-released mayhem of “Crippled and Broken” and the hellacious sprawling beast that is “It Turns to Rust” . Meshing Obituary, Machine Head, and At the Gates, this veteran metal act’s scintillatingly sinful delivery and dead-on acumen is a must have for any extreme metal fan looking for doom-laden chaos.
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Gersch,"The Gersch" (Tortuga)
This reissue’s press release urges you to get a new pair of pants for this one, so best have another set of knickers ready for The Gersch’s aural assault. In hindsight, this nine-track monstrosity originally released in the mid ‘90s, can be viewed as a blueprint for much of today’s current crop of avant-garde stoner metal, as songs like “Listwish”, “Face” and the wondrously titled and glued together “Your Lips Are No Man’s Land But Mine” definitively set the now all too familiar drone metal meets sludgy groove meets caustic vocal attack in motion. Be prepared to zone out, burn out, and get out of your head a while after a few spins of this one, folks.
www.tortugarecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Raunchy,"Death Pop Romance" (Lifeforce)
Denmark’s Raunchy returns with the sextet’s third release, the aggressive, keyboard-heavy 10-track offering DEATH POP ROMANCE. And if you thought that these guys were cloning Soilwork and In Flames before, well get set for a lot more of that, with chunks of Children of Bodom and the lighter moments of Strapping Young Lad strewn in for good measure. Humungous drums, killer riffs, and a slew of technical programming is what these metal mavens deliver, from the hooky electronic feel of “Live the Myth” to the contagious death march with an absolutely killer breakdown “Remembrance”. While the melodic metal tag seems to be a maligned moniker to place on a band these days, it’s quite possibly the best way to describe DEATH POP ROMANCE’s innate yet crushing hybrid charm.
www.lifeforce-america.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Amorphis,"Eclipse" (Nuclear Blast)
Finnish metal sextet Amorphis have undergone a few metamorphosis moments in their 17 year career, going from full-on death metalists to a darker folk metal entity, yet the resilient troupe remains undaunted. ECLIPSE is the outfit’s latest offering, a 10-track affair that features the band’s new lead singer as well as the band’s rediscovered experimentally metal side shining through on cuts like “House of Sleep” and “The Smoke”. Imagine Opeth (“Perkele”), Pink Floyd, and Paradise Lost jockeying for the remote control on your couch to get an idea of what to expect from these shape-shifting metal dudes who continuously push the envelope and put intriguing albums out that challenge metal’s conventions.
www.nuclearblastusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Witchery,"Don't Fear the Reaper" (Century Media)
A Swedish all-star band of sorts (but then again, aren’t most Swedish metal acts all-star bands?) comprised of members of The Haunted and Arch Enemy, Witchery’s latest endeavor is a 14-track metal tour-de-force. While nearly not as engaging or hair-raising as the member’s main outfits, DON’T FEAR THE REAPER still manages to excite with a blistering barrage of instrumentals that slowly build to mighty slabs of metal like “Disturbing the Peace” and “War Piece”, as well as molten sung numbers like “Styx” and the relentless “Cannon Fodder”. Providing very simple yet very heavy nuggets of metal throughout, Witchery almost goes the Entombed route on this offering, unveiling a savage thrash assault intertwined with slower, groovier crushers guaranteed to hold you over until these guys return to their main projects. Horns up, indeed.
www.centurymedia.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Good Riddance,"My Republic" (Fat Wreck)
California punk rock vets Good Riddance stay the course on MY REPUBLIC, as the PETA-loving quartet keep the beats swift and the attitude angst-ridden across their latest 14-track excursion. While there’s a whole lotta punk rock riffs thrown about in songs like “Regret” and “Save the Children” capable of rocking the Warped Tour set, sometimes the band exudes an atmosphere like they’re running in place by playing it safe. Taking up the Fenix TX and Blink 182 slack with a bit more muscle and a helluva lot more to say, Good Riddance’s new disc doesn’t break new ground but does thought provokingly rock your inner punk child.
www.fatwreck.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Nights Like These,"The Faithless" (Victory)
Memphis, TN quintet Nights Like These provided a scolding version of technically-charged, heavy handed, and sonically bruising metal on their 11-track debut. THE FAITHLESS finds that, while these dudes are still in the process of finding a distinct voice, they can muster up a mighty fine job in stirring up a tasty stew of eclectic metal. With worn influences displayed which range from Converge to Mastodon to Isis to Lamb of God, these guys keep the pace menacingly in the middle throughout the endeavor, opting to tear your head off at opportune times by shifting into caustic overdrive on tracks such as “Head of Medusa” and “Memento More”. Demonstrating savage riffagings, destructive rhythms, and a vocal assault that shreds, but unfortunately with shades of familiarity, this act’s inaugural offering provides an excellent exhibition of these inexperienced yet eager metal maven’s baby steps, with hopes that they can blossom into a beast akin to their major influences.
www.victoryrecords.com
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Review by Mike SOS

Sick Of It All,"Death To Tyrants" (Abacus)
The resilient and long running hardcore torchbearers Sick of It All return with a seething new 15-track album. Laden with angst-ridden anthems and a discernibly more aggressive overall feel, DEATH TO TYRANTS finds the band sounding (thanks to some wizardry by Tue Madsen) as undeniably heavy and brutal as they do during their not to be missed live excursions. Echoing the veteran crew’s disdain with what the world has become, the songs found on this provocative release take a serious political and social turn, digging up the band’s anger and showcasing it for the doubters and naysayers to choke upon. Still churning out tracks that display the imminence and pertinence of the NYHC hardcore scene, “Make a Mark” and “Take the Night Off” are just two examples of the savage grace and volatile precision the band still emanates, even as this NYC stalwart celebrates its 20th anniversary, while a guest spot by Freddy Madball on “Forked Tongue” and the uncompromising yet contagious “Die Alone” propel this disc straight to the top as one of the group’s most shining moments. Cheers to the boys, and toast to another lengthy run as keepers of the NYHC legacy.
www.abacusrecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Miles Away,"Consequences" (Bridge Nine)
Australian hardcore outfit Miles Away continues their blending of old school techniques and new school melodies on the 11-track CONSEQUENCES. Taking pages from Gorilla Biscuits, Madball and Comeback Kid respectively, this quintet from the land down under lay down a sturdy, yet predictable barrage of power chords, gang vocals, and swift rhythms on choice cuts like the frenetic opener “Final Chapter”, “Yours Sincerely” and “The Great Escape”, aptly exhibiting their abilities to break it down, build it up, and chunk it out. Looking for an album to rage out with? Allow Miles Away to take you back on the new school tip with CONSEQUENCES.
www.bridge9.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Caliban,"The Undying Darkness" (Abacus)
German metalcore giants Caliban return with their latest endeavor with the assistance of some heavy hitters in the scene. Produced by Anders Friden of In Flames, mixed and mastered by metal guru Andy Sneap and featuring artwork by Mike D. of Killswitch Engage, THE UNDYING DARKNESS seems to be the album that this juggernaut finally gets the props from the scene they richly deserve. And with pummeling cuts like “Song About Killing” and the melodically-edged metalcore of “Nothing is Forever” leading the charge, thankfully the music Caliban puts forth here speaks immeasurably louder than the A-List friends the band enlisted for this release. If you’re unfamiliar with these pioneers of punishment, or if you’d like to obtain a companion disc to your Shadows Fall and As I Lay Dying discs, this 12-track encounter dually fits the bill.
www.abacusrecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Aunt Hildegard,"Don't Mind The Stink" (Indie Release)
Remember when rock music was dangerous? The guys in Aunt Hildegard do, and they’re not afraid to bash you over the head with their brand of death punk ‘n roll found on the 10-track DON’T MIND THE STINK. There’s a bevy of influences from the MC5 to Nirvana to Black Flag to Motorhead strewn across the raw realizations and unapologetic rage found on “Xanadu Salad”. But at the end of the day, it’s Aunt Hildegard’s indestructible rock ‘n roll soul that allows cuts like “Angry Cowboy” and “Rats in My Room” to transcend the nonsensical cookie cutter mall rock debris that plagues their Long Island hometown so that they can concentrate on bringing the rock. Unsanitary, uncaring, and unpredictable, this outfit’s attempt to strip the gloss and expose the seedy underbelly of the rock world succeeds in spades.
www.aunthildegard.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Antler,"Nothing That A Bullet Couldn't Cure" (Small Stone)
The whiskey soaked rock of Antler sounds best in a cheap dive bar in between picks of The Rolling Stones and The Allman Brothers on the jukebox, as this Southern-fried sextet from Massachusetts truly encompasses the aura of backwoods rock. NOTHING THAT A BULLET COULDN’T CURE is an 11-track offering served by ¾’s of local rawkers Roadsaw laden in deep grooves, breezy organ overlays, bluesy guitar heroics, and a darker than average essence that takes charge on tracks like the roadhouse swing of “Frozen Over” and the passionate jangle of “See Me Hang”. A bit of Tom Petty, dashes of Creedence, a double shot of Gov’t Mule, tinges of The Black Crowes, and a pinch of Clutch fronted by Scott Weiland is what Antler doles out on this release, a surefire winner for the pitcher of beer and wings contingent as well as the neo-hippie in us all.
www.smallstone.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Ishahn,"The Adversary" (Candlelight)
The solo debut by Emperor’s frontman and guitarist Ihsahn is a lush, epic affair bursting with metallic fury and symphonic elegance. THE ADVERSARY contains nine tracks of progressively influenced death and black metal, almost in the vein of King Diamond going toe to toe with Opeth. Brimming with creativity, tracks like “Panem Et Circenses” blur the edges of prog and black metal with great care, while the regal atmosphere cast upon “Invocation” yields a monstrous black metal guitar and drum fury underneath the polish. While many of these nuances may be deemed a bit too experimental for the ardent Emperor or hardcore fan of extreme metal, the sheer metallic majesty and massive ideas flourishing about in tracks like “Homecoming” should be enough to appease most metal fans.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Endstand,"The Time Is Now" (Lifeforce)
Finland is usually more of a metal town, but Endstand’s muscular hardcore somehow fits in. Perhaps it’s because this Finnish quintet play with the same ferocity and sense of dismay as their metal counterparts, aptly shown on The Bronx meets Bane pounder “Way Out”. Armed with 10 tracks of the kind of punk-influenced hardcore that packs a wallop without sounding clichéd or run into the ground, tracks like “Empty Promises” keep the pits moving by intriguingly shifting time signatures to allow the most mosh for your money, while “To Feel Alive” fires a straight ahead swift kick to the head a la old school AFI meets Strung Out. THE TIME IS NOW unleashes the most explosive elements of hardcore and punk with a discernibly dark edge, wedging themselves somewhere between the Northeast’s avant-garde and the West Coast’s skater punk hardcore scenes.
www.lifeforce-america.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Speakers For The Dead,"Prey For Murder" (Magna Carta)
California metal quartet Speakers for the Dead’s 12-track debut radiates with a ‘90s metal influence from Sevendust to VOD, laden with downtuned and depressive crashing metal and a flurry of growls and screams. This outfit’s melodic meets chaotic style gets tired after a few listens of PREY FOR MURDER, but the band unfurls a few tricks, such as the surprisingly sensationally sprawling “Long Way Home”, a track reminiscent of Ultraspank meets Rollins Band at its jammiest, and the atmospherically epic “I’ve Become”. But for the most part, this unit runs the metal gauntlet from the Black Label Society stomp of “Back Home” to the nu metal assault of “Pest” and “About to Fall” much like a combo of Drowning Pool, Dope, and Taproot.
www.magnacarta.net
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Review by Mike SOS

Crucified Barbara,"In Distortion We Trust" (Liquor and Poker)
Swedish rock troupe Crucified Barbara plays the kind of all girl rock that splits somewhere in between L7, Hole, The Donnas, and Cycle Sluts from Hell. Heavy with the tongue in cheek lyrics, cock rock posturings, and double entendres, these chicks are smoking hot both in looks and on their instruments (especially on the wah-solos on “My Heart is Black” and “Rock ‘N Roll Bachelor”), a one-two punch guaranteed to set prepubescent boys ablaze. Utilizing punk’s direct approach, metal’s songwriting panache, and grrrl rock grit, IN DISTORTION WE TRUST plays like Joan Jett and Pat Benatar’s teenage daughters discovering the power of rock.
www.liquorandpokermusic.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Abysmal Dawn,"From Ashes" (Crash)
FROM ASHES is the first full-length by this California quartet whose relentless modern death metal leaning dually displays technical prowess and unadulterated death metal mayhem in abundance. Crisp, terse riffs and precise rhythms lock to form an enormous beast on the opener “In the Hands of Death”, while the unabashed savagery of “Salting the Earth” rivals any of the top tier death metal acts of today’s era. Decisively devoid of excess, this nine-track album’s lean, mean stance is stripped to the bone, exemplifying a lesson of metal efficiency. If you dig Krisiun, Kataklysm, and Six Feet Under, you’ll really enjoy FROM ASHES.
www.crashmusicinc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Oakley Hall,"Gypsum Strings" (Brah)
The Brooklyn based sextet (scaled down from a ten-piece) Oakley Hall certainly wheel out their penchant for the psychedelic on GYPSUM STRINGS, tackling jam band noodling and trippy musical left turns inside of its folk and bluegrass backdrop. This nine-track release takes you to the back porches and corn fields without getting mud on your shoes, as the dreamy female vocal on “Bury Your Burden”, sweeping banjos on “Having Fun Again” and the soothing picking and grinning of “Spanish Fandango” all secure this multi-talented ensemble’s alt-country banner, while the band’s electronically manipulated blues rock shines through a la My Morning Jacket on “Lazy Susan”. Rocking almost way too hard for a countrified outfit, songs like “Confidence Man” sound like Creedence at its most brooding while “Nite Lites, Dark Days” busts out the moonshine for a down home low lit hootenanny around the fireplace. Oakley Hall’s bittersweet jamboree influenced by Jayhawks, Son Volt, Fleetwood Mac, and Wilco has the perfect balance of Midwestern charm and hipster chutzpah, making this disc a refreshingly exhilarating listen.
www.brahrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Zyklon,"Disintegrate" (Candlelight)
Zyklon’s sophomore effort DISINTEGRATE proves itself to take form as a sharp, wicked, and dangerous entity, careening into the portals of extreme metal with a furious fervor. This 10-track release’s wrath is felt from the opening strains of “In Hindsight” and reverberates throughout the entire disc, accounting for a blisteringly fast and uncompromisingly vile experience. Fortified with a bevy of slaughtering guitars whose horrific squeals and frenzied progressions exude extreme metal to the highest order, tracks like the menacing “A Slow Grave” give off all of the nuances of an impending violent storm about to lay an unsuspecting land to waste, while the double-timed doom march of “Wrenched” is as savage a song you’ll hear all year. Embedded in evil and in cahoots with chaos, Zyklon’s crushingly mammoth next step is an essential purchase for extreme metal purveyors.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Forecast,"In the Shadow of Two Gunmen" (Victory)
The Forecast return with their alt-country flair, punk rock indulgences, and small town rock shuffle embedded deep within IN THE SHADOW OF TWO GUNMEN. This 12-track release sparkles with instantly memorable choruses such as “Carry Me Home”, indie rock sensibilities found on “It’s A Long Drive” and pensive yearnings instituted on “You’re My Needle”. Throwing in a bit more punk rock melancholy than homespun heartache on tracks like “Everything We Wanted to Be” and “West Coast”, the band’s roots rock soul takes a backseat of sorts to produce gutwrenching yet heartfelt deliveries on “that totally out-emos three-quarters of the emo acts on the scene, with a straw in mouth and an Americana rock pedigree to boot. Keeping it rocking, but better yet astonishingly intriguing and rocking, The Forecast’s latest endeavor is a veritable potpourri of underground rock brilliance.
www.victoryrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Battered,"Battered" (Candlelight)
Norwegian metal troupe Battered play a late ‘80s and early ‘90s style of headbanging metal with touches of crossover appeal on its 10-track debut. Tracks like “Demagog” tread the line between Obituary and Exodus, while “Perfect Illusion” throws The Haunted and Nevermore in a blender and sets on whip. While a lot of this eponymous offering you’ve undoubtedly heard before and done a lot better, Battered’s allegiance to the assault from the days of thrash metal’s yore is a trait that has to be commended, even if songs like “Industrial Killing” are a bit past their expiration date.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
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Review by Mike SOS

John Wilkes Booth,"John Wilkes Booth" (Indie Release)
The rumbling and monolithic sludge rock pushed forth by Long Island’s John Wilkes Booth evokes the hesher wares of Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and Scissorfight, as this crusty quartet demonstrate heavily doped-up grooves equipped with memorable hooks and organic musicianship on its four-track sampler. Fully trained in the art of rocking with bloodshot-eyed exuberance, this unit’s sinewy rhythms and bong-fueled jams bust out of the speakers like gangbusters on tracks like “L.I.P.”, while “Unknown Waiting” takes the listener on a rowdy ride down a road well-traveled by bands like Cathedral, Clutch, and Nebula. Spacey enough to be considered cosmic yet providing those gargantuan vibes that weight them down to the ground, John Wilkes Booth’s self-titled endeavor is a worthy companion to your stoner rock discs and blacklight poster collection.
www.jwilkesbooth.net
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

The Bronx Is Burning,"The Bronx Is Burning" (Indie Release)
Hyper punk rock a la Black Flag, The Bronx, and Sick of it All is what the eclectic quintet The Bronx is Burning delivers on their latest four-track presentation. This NYC-based clan’s aural beatings are emblazoned with a blistering twin guitar attack, a wry sense of humor, a thunderous rhythm section, and a lead singer that thrives on bedlam, this band strikes with the velocity and force of a major automobile pile-up on the Major Deegan Expressway during rush hour. Despite this release’s shaky sound quality, the undeniable screamo meets hardcore punch these guys pack rises above and is very much resonated over tracks like “Control Z” and “No Rest for the Wicked”. Truly encompassing the madness of living in a borough of New York City, these guys trounce over the mall punks and heartbroken emo kids without a sense of remorse, so best be prepared to either brace yourself for imminent impact or get the hell out when The Bronx is Burning steamrolls through.
www.thebronxisburning.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS

Starkweather,"Croatoan" (Candlelight)
The seminal metal group Starkweather’s comeback CROATAN is an eight-track release that transcends the typical metalcore moniker placed on the band by integrating doom, death, prog, and sludge metal into its caustic concoction. This Philadelphia-based creature has been summoned out of an over a decade long slumber, and by the sounds of tracks like the lumbering “Slither” and the hauntingly colossal “Machine Rhythm Confessional”, Starkweather’s has awakened angry and lusting for blood. Thankfully, this underground metal sensation blows the dust off with relative ease, letting loose a juggernaut of an album whose massive depth and unquestionably menacing aura found on tracks like “Vespertilian” makes for an unsettlingly mystifying listening experience that fans of everything from Mastodon to Zao should absolutely make time for.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
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Review by Mike SOS

Cyan,"Cloud" [5 song EP] (Indie Release)
Cyan plays Spanish-infused rock/world music. The orchestration makes me think of a Spanish version of The Cranberries. While there are some good songs, the main distraction of this CD is Cyan's over-dramatic voice. Maybe it is just his style, but the backing music is great and very moody. I would like to hear a full length release, as the final song on this EP, "La Danse De Nos Reves" is actually the best on this collection.
www.cyan.ms
Rating:

Review by Scott H. Platt

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