Music Reviews: March 2007

More coming very soon...

Peter Lacey,"Permanent Wave" (Pink Hedgehog)
When Peter Lacey released his first album, his music was most often compared to that of Brian Wilson - mainly because it was mainly piano driven and had layers of superb harmony. However, with each passing release, he sets the bar higher and higher, often leaving the listener wondering if he can surpass his last effort. With PERMANENT WAVE, Lacey's 5th album, he has truly come into his own - creating what is possibly his best work so far. Lacey's vocals come across with more confidence, and his melodies are the strongest he's yet written. One of the best things about Peter Lacey's music (besides the great melodies) is his innate talent for picking just the right arrangement for his songs. So you never have to wonder how it would sound with more/less instrumentation or harmony, etc. It just sounds "right".

While this album is "classic Peter Lacey" in sound and is instantly recognizable as his style, there is a surprisingly heavy dose of drums and (electric) guitar. So, ultimately you get almost a "progressive" Peter Lacey album, with a surprising amount of almost heavy rock songs, along with a great mix of ballads, thought-inspiring instrumentals, and some of the catchiest melodies short of Lennon/McCartney/Wilson.

And with 15 great songs to chose from, I'll just pick a few highlights. "Miss Tere" is a quiet masterpiece, if it wasn't for Peter's distinct voice, you would swear it was a Paul McCartney song! (But it is definitely better than any melody Paul McCartney has written since 1989!). The most pop-sounding song is "Surround Sound", with its touches of psychedelia with backwards guitars. "Many Moons Ago" has got to be my all-time favorite Peter Lacey song and one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in years. If there is one song on this album that you have to hear, this is it! More proof of Lacey's mastery of melody.

If you want to blow the mind of any jaded friends who claim that there is nothing good in today's music - look no further than PERMANENT WAVE, it is the pinnacle of Lacey's brilliance so far and will make a true believer out of anyone.
www.pinkhedgehog.com
Rating:

Review by Ronnie


Single Frame,"Everything Wants to be Used for What it was Made For" (Volcom)
This 17-track offering from Single Frame is a hodgepodge of the outfit's old school demos remixed by various DJs. While the idea seems intimate and heartfelt to the ardent fan, the overall vibe carried by EVERYTHING WANTS TO BE USED FOR WHAT IT WAS MADE FOR is one of an audio spring cleaning with an emphasis on sewing on some hipper patches on a faded pair of jeans to make them look "now".
www.volcom.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Ray Davies,"Other People’s Lives" (V2 Records)
Hard to believe this is The Kinks frontman’s first solo record but it is a fact. Recorded mostly at the ever reliable Konk studios, the disc is permeated with the spirit of New Orleans, where Ray spent some time writing songs beforehand. The most surprising feature of this whole record is that nowhere here does it ever sound like he’s trying to replicate The Kinks sound. Which is pretty refreshing compared to some other songwriters’ solo outings. “Thing Are Gonna Change (The Morning After) rumbles with a slow burn. “The Tourist” and “Is There Life After Breakfast?” hold the whole record together like cement glue. “…Breakfast” hits really close to home-I’ve had some mornings like that too! The record ends with the wistful “Thanksgiving Day” as Ray sings-“Are you going on Thanksgiving Day/C’mon over its Thanksgiving Day/She would always cook dinner on Thanksgiving Day.” Maybe next year I’ll be invited over for Turkey Day. Until then, I’ll just keep playing this great record.
www.raydavies.info
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick


The Willycranes,"Happy Motoring" (Locomotive)
Spinning a elaborately nonsensical back-story about themselves that sounds like half-children's novel, half drug-induced brainstorm, the three Swedish dudes which comprise The Willycranes actually display the chops to transcend their whimsical tale into a cottage industry. Making a mad dash for the California melodic punk rock crown, tracks like "Little Freaky Box" and "The L-Song" emit the ultraviolet rays and fast-paced chicanery of NOFX and Lagwagon with both tongue in cheek and sneer in check, demonstrating that there may be skate parks in Stockholm after all.
www.locomotiverecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Downlord,"Random Dictionary of the Damned" (Open Grave)
Downlord features the ex-singer of pioneering metal act Bolt Thrower, so right off the bat you know this quintet is going to be scathing. Expectedly unleashing a mid-90's metallic crunch which doles out equal amounts of crust, death, and groove, there's a lot of intense vocals to be had here, not to mention a barrage of machine gun riffs and cavernous double bass drums which upgrade tracks such as "Loathe, Scorn, Detest" and "Sleep Forever" from stock to solid. If you dig bands like Carcass, Cathedral, Cannibal Corpse, and Napalm Death, this disc delivers.
www.opengraverecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS



Streetlamps For Spotlights,"Here It Comes" [7” vinyl] (Off The Cuff Records)
This is the Jam and Television squeezed together like two shades of rock ‘n’ roll playdough. The music on this record has that uptempo, bright, trebly, raw feel like all the early Jam material. The vocals and song structure is where the Television comparisons seem to come into play for me. They seem to be more on the avant-garde side you might say. I really dig this forty-five. For one thing, its vinyl and vinyl always sounds more legitimate to my ears. Favorite track: “No Exit” but all three tracks are really good and worth the listen.
www.streetlampsforspotlights.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


Oblio,"Create The Night, Pt. I" (Casino Records)
This is a bit like seventies rock spliced together with nineties alt-rock. If you put the Connells and Marcy Playground in a room to duke it out it would probably sound a lot like this. This cd is an excellent candidate for your next road trip. The bands music seems to make that little crease in your forehead slowly start to disappear. It has a lighthearted, summertime breezy feel that just makes you feel footloose and fancy free. Favorite track: “End Of The Night”.
www.myspace.com/oblio
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


Insomnium,"Above the Weeping World" (Candlelight)
Insomnium connects a good cross-section of Euro metal on their latest nine-track endeavor ABOVE THE WEEPING WORLD. With obvious Opeth influence reared on "Last Statement" and a Children of Bodom by way of Amon Amarth delivery on "The Killjoy", when this Finnish quartet's melds metallic properties, it yields a durable yet somewhat uninspired listen. Perhaps finding their own niche instead of forcing two or three styles into one cluster would suit this band's creative side better, but if you're looking for a sturdy understudy for what rocks the overseas metalfests year after year, check this one out.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Wuthering Heights,"The Shadow Cabinet" (Sensory)
Danish troupe Wuthering Heights employ your typical traditional power metal techniques to hammer their epic metal points across. Grand instrumentation, operatic vocals, double bass drum-a-thons, and orchestrative interludes run amuck throughout THE SHADOW CABINET, giving anyone that can't get enough Blind Guardian and Helloween something to clamor over.
www.lasersedgegroup.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Herod,"Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight" (Lifeforce)
Buffalo NY quintet Herod plays its brand of power metal with a decisively American tone on its 10-track affair. Reaching out with melodic vocals galore, there's a very 1982 vibe to tracks like "Grand Design" that is undeniably simple yet completely over the top, while the ballad "Forever" goes for the flicking of the Bics from the onset with an acoustic passage before blowing you away with a bombastic assault that somehow patches Twisted Sister, Zebra, and Dio together. Without a shred of cheese to be found yet stocked with shredding guitar solos, RICH MAN'S WAR, POOR MAN'S FIGHT is a metal album brings metal's glory days back to the forefront.
www.lifeforce-america.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


They Might Be Giants,"Podcast Highlights" (Indie Release)
Quirky NYC pop twosome They Might Be Giants get in gear with the 21st Century and beyond by launching PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS, a 14-track sampler denoting the best of the band's new technological grasping. Running the gamut from jangly pop to comedic skits, this juggernaut duo unfurls a broad cross-section of their musical wares while continuing to demonstrate their fearless experimental side both with their music and the way which they get it to the masses. Thanks to today's advancements and the unit's embracing of modern media, PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS isn't just an embryonic method which surely many will attempt to emulate, but yet another feather in the cap of the unorthodox yet enthralling They Might Be Giants.
www.theymightbegiants.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Ellen Cherry,"Years" (Wrong Size Shoes)
Ellen Cherry looks like someone you're going to like. I mean, just from looking at her picture on the cover of the cd you feel like she’s a good egg. Now, what that has to do with this review I have no idea but I thought I’d pass that along. Her songs are best described as a pretty equal mix of indie-rock and folk pop. Her lyrics are intelligent and thought provoking. Basicly, it’s like I said in the beginning, she’s a good egg and it shines through on this album. Favorite track: “1864: A Cival War Bride”.
www.ellencherry.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


Jake Stigers,"No Vacancy" (Indie Release)
Starts off like the Georgia Satellites and moves through James Taylor before he gets to just being Jake Stigers. Soulful rock ‘n’ roll with just enough of an edge to be cooler than most of radio darlings in the same vein. You’ll almost immediately find yourself singing along to songs like “End Of The World” and “Tomorrow Never Comes”. Next up is a very convincing cover of John Hiatt’s “Riding With The King”. Then there’s the laid back groove of “House Of Your Own”. This cd is a hit with me because it’s a disc I could pop in the player with pretty much any crowd.
www.jakestigers.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


Del Rey & The Sun Kings,"Battleship Potemkin" (Trakwerx)
Director Sergei Eisenstein was a man with a vision. He wanted a new score to be written every ten years for his silent film Battleship Potemkin. His thinking was that this would keep the film updated enough that subsequent generations would enjoy his work. Eighty three years later we have the latest score to hit the masses. Admittedly, I have not seen the film but the first thought I had after listening was that it sounded like the soundtrack to the raising of the Titanic. Well, if the raising of the Titanic had a soundtrack. This is intense.
www.trakwerx.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Atrocity,"Contaminated" (Open Grave)
Atrocity's latest release is far from being a new recording, as this 10-track offering is merely an album's full of alternate versions of previously released material, which is why it sounds so raw, visceral, and balls-out heavy. Unfettered by today's pristine methods, tracks like "Unseen Death" thrash about without the slick polish, making for a tasty crossover treat that sounds like Sepultura, DRI, and Napalm Death in a triple threat cage match.
www.opengraverecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Mobile Mob Freakshow,"Ready to Misguide a New Generation" (Locomotive)
Swedish hard punk rockers The Mobile Mob Freakshow pour a whole lotta attitude onto their 12-track offering, as songs like "Tankride" and "Violate Me" are power packed with raspy vocals and a discernible metallic buzz which suggests these guys know as much Metallica as they do Misfits. Compact and chaotic yet always in control, READY TO MISGUIDE A NEW GENERATION is a solid album that is bound to keep the party at the motorcycle bar going all night long.
www.locomotiverecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


PPT,"Tres Monos In Love" (Idol Records)
Debut record from Dallas three piece. Lots of different musical styles here, so it didn’t really drag at all. “Internet Girl” and “Hollerin” were the songs that were above the grade in my book. If you liked De La Soul and wouldn’t mind Snoop chiming in for a few verses, this may be the disc for you. Plus anyone who has a special guest called Headkrack can’t be half bad.
www.myspace.com/pttmusic
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick


The Old Ceremony,"Our One Mistake" (Sona Blast Records)
“Talk Straight”, the first track of the disc, sounds a bit like a Randy Newman penned song. As a matter of fact, the whole album sounds a bit like it was written as the soundtrack for a movie. “Papers In Order” is a soulful, upbeat little ditty that captures the feel of Sir Paul McCartney during the eighties. “Get To Love” kicks things up a notch without completely changing the overall mood. The title track sort of leaves me wondering where the albums momentum went. It’s a good song all in all but it takes a bit of the wind out of the sails at this point. The is a great album to chill out to at the end of a stressful day if something like that is your style. Favorite track: I like “Baby, What Is Going On” and I think it’s because it sounds a lot like Elvis Costello.
www.theoldceremony.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Drayton Michaels,"Low Stress In The Deep End" (K9-Son Records)
Equal parts pop, soul and rock. “Low Stress In The Deep End” is one smooth, polished effort. “Thievery” is the lead off track and it alone was enough to pull me in. That doesn’t happen too often. I guess I would file this in between The Goo Goo Dolls and Suzanne Vega with a dash of Simply Red and Squeeze thrown in. Lush vocals are a constant here. Favorite track: “Understand”.
www.draytonmichaels.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


Robert Pollard,"Normal Happiness" (Merge Records)
The second solo record after the Guided By Voices conclusion by Uncle Bob-is, in a word-“Brilliant!” Normal feature less experimental songs than From A Compound Eye, which may have turned the less patient listener off. If there was any justice in this crazy, mixed up world “Supernatural Car Lover” would be on the radio every HOUR. Believe me, no one would get tired of it. “Every morning when I suffer the break/tell my baby I will give up the grape” starts off “Give Up The Grape”. “Pegasus Glue Factory” and “Rhoda Rhoda” are also fantastic pop masterpieces. If this 16 song release is not enough, initial pressings also include a bonus live disc called Moon. Pollard plays his solo stuff and some GBV classics backed by his ace backing band-The Ascended Masters. Unfortunately Pollard has sworn off touring so if you missed the show-you need this too.
www.robertpollard.net
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick


Ferocious Eagle,"The Sea Anemone Inside Of Me Is Almighty" (54 40’ Or Fight! Records)
Intense, swirling guitars, pounding drums come at you full force on this CD. I have a couple questions for the band before we proceed any further. If track 3 is called Untitled, doesn’t it by default, have a title? Perhaps just a blank space on the next record. Second, what do you have against bass guitar? Ok, I did really like “And Know We Have Your Tongue” and “Rape Whistle.” Off the wall tunes that some may enjoy from start to finish. Depends on your mood though, I’m quite sure.
www.fiftyfourfortyorfight.com
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick


Paper Airplanes,"Boyhood" (54 40’ Or Fight Record)
Mysterious 3 piece that adds 3 more members only in a live setting. I guess this cuts down on studio costs-like Chinese take-out orders. The title track has some ripping banjo on it. “Coronation Day” and “PDA” were also OK, but I don’t know if this would slip into heavy rotation here at the pad.
www.fiftyfourfortyorfight.com
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick


The Brothers Dimm,"To…Oblivion" (Dick & Jane Records)
These guys are not really brothers nor are they dim in any sense of the word. Dave B and Drayfus Grayson grew up on opposite sides of town before paths crossed and they formed the Young Danglers. Fast forward a bit and add drummer Paul Marangoni to the mix and you have The Brothers Dimm. They have collectively created a very tasty album full of pop songs that have that fly by the seat of your pants, happy go lucky feel. Think Squeeze and XTC with a bit more pop and blue eyed soul to it. Very enjoyable stuff. Favorite track: Well, they’re all pretty catchy.
www.cdbaby.com/cd/brothersdimm
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by J.R. Oliver


The Icicle Works,"Self Titled" (Beggars Banquet Records)
In high school this tape got a lot of plays in The Silver Bullet (don’t ask), along with The Jam, Big Country, The Smiths and Aztec Camera. But this record stood out because of its almost otherworldly sound. We knew the band hailed from England, but it could have been from the Amazon for all the exotic sounds coming out of the speakers. We really didn’t know what to think of this group. But I do remember we played it so many times the tape disintegrated. Over 20 years later, band leader Ian McNabb gives this recording the old spit and polish-a proper remastering. Plus in this deluxe addition, we get 2 extra CD’s. Disc#2 coughs up sessions, mixes, and B-sides from the same era-1982 to 1984. The 3rd CD delivers BBC session recordings. All delivered in pristine fashion. But dig into the original record first. “Chop The Tree” and “Love Is A Wonderful Colour” set the album off into overdrive. “In The Cauldron Of Love” still rocks with reckless abandon. Then there’s the US hit-“Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream) that for some may live on forever as being a theme to a Budweiser commercial. Hope you got some free cases boys! The disc ends with the downright creepy “Nirvana.” Truly chilling-even today. This is a superb reissue of a nearly flawless record. Buy this reissue and insert it into your stack with your other Hugh Jones productions like Echo & The Bunnymen and Modern English. It deserves it well earned place among the classics.
www.ianmcnabb.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick


Eyes of Argus,"Abandoned" (Indie Release)
Staten Island sextet Eyes of Argus showcase a great depth on their complex yet completely accessible four-track endeavor titled ABANDONED. Meeting where Pink Floyd, Incubus, and Grey Skies Fallen converge, songs like "Show Me" are driven by aggressive acoustic guitar and intriguing percussion while the title cut is led by cascading piano and synths, all the while substituting raw heaviness for sheer intensity. Championing a uniquely extreme coffee house sound that weaves folk metal, world beat, and smooth jazz into its tapestry, this outfit's stellar musicianship and durable songwriting prowess make them palatable for the tree hugging hippie love crew and the left of center metal fan that digs epic songs about Vikings and mythology alike.
www.eyes-of-argus.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Graf Orlock,"Destination Time Yesterday" (Level Plane)
Providing schizophrenic metal dispersed with kitschy samples from classic action movie dialogues, California's Graf Orlock (taking their name from the villain in NOSFERATU) have made their own sub-genre: Hollywood grindcore. Fear not, purveyors of punishment, these guys are as visceral and vicious as it gets, as unlike Tinseltown, there's nary a sign of silicone to gawk at here. Instead, we get teeming hunks of abrasive hardcore, unforgiving blasts of grind, and a relentless highlight reel of movie dialogue that ties the whole thing together. While other bands may employ these tricks, no one comes close to laying it down with the crushing conviction of Graf Orlock.
www.level-plane.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Disciple,"Scars Remain" (SRE)
Knoxville, TN Christian metal act Disciple's latest 11-track offering supplies a smorgasbord of the last 10 years of commercial metal's finest moments on SCARS REMAIN. Tracks like "Dive" sound as if they came fresh off the Warped Tour side stage, while the harmonious chorus of "Regime Change" demonstrates the act's familiarity with bands like Soil and Drowning Pool, as the title track suggests this quartet has had its fair exposure to bands like Atreyu and Demon Hunter. There's even a nod to genre bending, as "Game On" disappointingly resurrect Limp Bizkit-esque posturing for an anthem that sounds like a WWE theme (which was in fact the theme of a WWE PPV), and "After the World" questionably displays the band's sensitive side with that big ballad rock radio salivates over. While offering more variety than your average metal unit, Disciple's metal by numbers design and their placating to the commercial side of the fence leaves room for a few fist-pumping anthems with a somewhat stale aftertaste.
www.srerecordings.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Tiny,"Starring Someone Like You" (Eyeball Records)
Slow, droning, meandering songs that never go anywhere. Most feature long passages without any kind of percussion at all. Ed Harcourt guests on one song, that’s supposed to be some kind of tip off for you indie folks. “My Greatest Fear” is the last track. That title proved to be very ironic, since I saw in the fine print that my copy had 2 bonus tracks. If you like Enya or Tori Amos, this may be a CD you put on before a good séance or Ouija board party.
www.thetiny.net
Rating:

Review by Sean Koepenick


To-Mera,"Transcendental" (Candlelight)
Lacuna Coil and Nightwish fans rejoice! There's yet another act utilizing heavy guitars, operatic female vocals, and epic songwriting skills. The name is To-Mera, and this quintet's eight-track offering is graced with solid musicianship and sweeping melodies that at times are equally haunting and enchanting. Tracks like "Obscure Oblivion" displays the band's mid-tempo mope factor, while "Dreadful Angel" displays this unit's not afraid to wail on the heavy bag to churn out some crunchy riffs. If you like darker-edged rock with tinges of fantasy metal, TRANSCENDENTAL is an album to check out.
www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Exitium,"Outsourcing Morality" (Deepsend)
A blistering aural attack comes courtesy of Oklahoma's Exitium, whose 12-track extreme excursion whips up a contemptuous cacophony of Swedish grind and Cookie Monster-style death metal. "Belligerent Rage" makes the most of whinnying whammy bars and breakneck blast beats in under two minutes, "Prorated Peace of Mind" triumphantly incorporates the hardcore punk beat and death metal pig squeal, and "Only in Death" benefits from the less than pristine production by adding an organic chaos to the already impending madness. While there may be other grind bands that are faster, sharper, and perhaps more punishing, OUTSOURCING MORALITY's charm lies in the twin vocal onslaught that merges death and grind in addition to the fuzzed out, in your face way in which the album was captured.
www.deepsend.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Acumen Nation,"Anticore" (Crash)
Well, the latest endeavor from Chicago's Acumen Nation definitely earns its name, as this 15-track affair sounds more synthetic than anything five guys in wifebeaters can conjure up. Think of the wares of Ministry, Mudvayne, Static X, KMFDM, and traces of Voivod rolled into one as a brief summation of what tracks like "My Lifes Last Breath" and "Tools in the Blood Shed" bring to the table. Heavy on the effects and programmed to death, Acumen Nation's technical metallics are a bit outdated but would be enjoyable for those who still like to rock their PVC outfits and hang from hooks in the ceiling in their spare time.
www.crashmusicinc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Lecherous Nocturne,"Adoration of the Blad" (Deepsend)
Featuring members of Nile and Monstrosity in its ranks, you can truly expect a maelstrom of malevolence courtesy of this quintet. Lecherous Nocturne plays the kind of brutally-charged intricate death metal that makes parents scared and kids go insane, as cuts like the demonic opener "Kampagne" offers all of the furious fright and metallic might you can handle. Relentless yet always on top of things, cuts like "Whorrified" display that this act can effortlessly step outside the shadow's of being a side project and take the world by storm on its own accord. If you dig thick, growling death metal with a disposition for destruction, enter ADORATION OF THE BLADE.
www.deepsend.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Thy Disease,"Rat Age" (Crash)
Hailing from Poland, Thy Disease intertwines brash death metal with hints of synths and other electronic elements on RAT AGE. Sounding like a cross between Fear Factory, In Flames and Behemoth on cuts like "Unity", this band is capable of both creating and destroying an atmosphere with a simple flick of the genre switch. Trippy space odysseys and molten brutality stand side by side on "Antidote", emitting futuristic metal transmissions, while the techno tribal vibe of "Life Form" sounds as if lifted from a barrage of Sweden’s finest. Rugged yet redundant, this quartet goes for the throat but grabs a computer mouse instead, rendering mixed results.
www.crashmusicinc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


A Static Lullaby,"A Static Lullaby" (Fearless)
After losing three-fifths of the band, California's A Static Lullaby refocused, got new members, and put out its latest offering, an 11-track self-titled affair, all within 18 months. Not too shabby, eh? Neither is this album, if you enjoy straddling the line between alternative punk, screamo metal, and heartfelt hardcore. "Trigger Happy Tarantula" contains the type of fiery dynamic changes reserved for Thursday, while "Eager Cannibals" sounds like a cross between The Used and Fall Out Boy and the rapid-fire one-two punch of "Annexation of Puerto Rico" and "The Art of Sharing Lovers" find the band at its most comfortable, blending melodic screams with raging guitars. A band that takes punk rock volatility, metal's crunch, and alternative rock's catharsis and layers solid melodies and well-directed angst on top, the rebirth of A Static Lullaby is good news for the harder-edged alternative rocker.
www.fearlessrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Demise,"Torture Garden" (Crash)
Poland seems to be a hotbed for the metal world, thanks to bands like Vader who have conquered the realm. Demise is yet another export from the country that employ a death metal sound, only theirs is way more progressive and deeply steeped in modern day metal's influences. Decisively not as rigid as many of their peers, this quartet's 13- track endeavor isn't the most precise album, or the heaviest by any means, but it does display a looser feel than most metal albums normally allow. Cuts like "Grieve No Longer" emit an Entombed-like vibe, while the ambient closer "Never Ending Pain" sounds like something from a sci-fi movie closing credit scene. There are quite a bit of metallic moments here ("Termination of Souls", "Ecstasy and Rapture"), but the oddball nuances strewn across TORTURE GARDEN make this album intriguing, if not a bit disjointed.
www.crashmusicinc.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Lower Forty-Eight,"Apertures" (Monotreme)
Juggling post-hardcore abrasions and indie rock savvy is no easy feat, yet the San Francisco trio Lower Forty-Eight make it sound so easy on their latest offering, the 10-track APERTURES. From the jarring syncopations found on "Afterlie" to the hypnotic grooves laid down in "The Distance of Light", this act's firm grasp on creating dramatic songs is shown through mood-altering dynamic shifts and vast influences coming together at weird intersections. From the raucous yet distraught melodies of "Seventh Sight" and the monolithic "Mass Denial, Massive Guilt" to the lovelorn epic "The Ring", APERTURES is an excellent album for those that miss the days when Quicksand, Jesus Lizard, and Unsane were the darlings of the underground rock scene.
www.monotremerecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The Roman Numerals,"The Roman Numerals" (Anodyne)
A seasoned semi-Gothic tone comes courtesy of Kansas City, MO's The Roman Numerals. The spry musicians who comprise this outfit have played in acts such as Season to Risk and Shiner, and their whole formation hinged from a one-off Joy Division tribute band on Halloween, contributing to the band's dark-edged vibes emanating from cuts like "My Life After Death Part 1” and the bottom heavy "Deep Loft". Fusing their moody aura with a dance rock aesthetic akin to what's going down today in indie rock land, this disc's blend of dreamy reverb and driving rhythms on tracks like "Msr. Control" totally resurrects the best of Psychedelic Furs without getting any of that Panic at the Disco nasty aftertaste. With slices of Fugazi and Joy Division as garnish on the whimsically grave "Can We Trust Your Architect" and detailed understanding of '80s gloom sprinkled throughout, this eponymous affair can be shared by the hip kids and outcasts alike.
www.anodynerecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Spitalfield,"Better Than Knowing Where You Are" (Victory)
There's a lot of '80s rock Spitalfield doesn't bother to hide, as well as alt rock radio transplanting and good old middle America indie rock portions assisting this act's latest. Not as sugary sweet as Hawthorne Heights (yet reaching close at times), Spitalfield produces just enough syrup to adorn tracks like "The Only Thing That Matters". Revealing rugged twin guitars and a unspectacular but solid vocal performance throughout, "...Listen" and "Lasting First Impression" seamlessly joins Foo Fighter-esque crescendos with Jimmy Eat World-like melodies, as this group's third CD still manages to grab your attention with those damn hooky choruses gracing tracks like ""Tell Me, Clarice" and the fist-pumping pop punk title track. Other bands from this Chicago quartet's peer group have gone on to accomplish great things, and this 12-track disc is Spitalfield's permit to enter that realm.
www.victoryrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Anti-Hero,"Unpretty" (Her)
Anti-Hero is a Canadian female fronted punk-infused rock band that play it safe on UNPRETTY. Cliched and well-constructed for rock radio, tracks like "For the Last Time" and "Loot" reveal what Courtney Love jamming with Three Days Grace would sound like. Slickly produced and laden with lyrical empowerment for teenage girls that shop at Hot Topic, Anti-Hero makes the perfect Veruca Salt Nirvana suburban angst swirl.
www.anti-hero.ca
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The John Doe Thing,"For The Best Of Us" (Yep Roc Records)
Backed by a crack group of studio veterans, John Doe expands this 1998 EP into a full record. Tony Marsico (Matthew Sweet), Smokey Hormel (Tom Waits), and Joey Waronker (Beck) all bring great chops to the table. But its Doe songwriting and singing that make this a fantastic record. “A Step Outside” kicks the proceedings off with some cool guitar chords, followed by “The Unhappy Song”, where Doe gets to vent his spleen with choice “fucks”! “This Loving Thing” is a more somber tune, co-written with Dave Grohl. “Zero” is my favorite song on here-as far as I know it is not a tribute to Billy Corgan. The disc ends with a Woody Guthrie tune-“Vigilante Man.” Expanded and repackaged-this a great release from Mr. Doe. Cool back cover picture too.
www.yeproc.com
Rating:
and 1/2
Review by Sean Koepenick


The Human Abstract,"Nocturn" (Hopeless)
Meshing the histrionics of Shadows Fall, the technicality of Between the Buried and Me, and the old school flavor brought back by Trivium, The Human Abstract's recipe for creating metal yields a tasty treat for the ADD set with the penchant for a slew of instrumental noodling. From the soulful solo which ends "Mea Culpa", the acoustic whimsy of "Desiderata", and the unbridled thrash metal chaos of "Self Portraits of the Instincts", this Los Angeles quintet bring everything and the kitchen sink to the table, flexing their musical muscle with solid results. If you're looking for the missing link between power metal and metalcore, NOCTURNE suitably fits the bill.
www.hopelessrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Silencer,"Death-Pierce Me" (Autopsy Kitchen)
Despite this disc being is a re-issue from 2000, the cruel and grim musical output placed forth by Sweden's Silencer remains unsurpassed when it comes to producing bleak suicidal dirges. Armed with a disturbing high pitched vocal shriek that convincingly ingrains the insanity of itself into your collective consciousness, the stirring intertwining of doom and black metal captivatingly propels this virtual mental breakdown caught on tape. This six-track death metal opus is a melancholic masterpiece, and even though at times Silencer's pain-wrought tirade becomes utterly unlistenable, DEATH PIERCE ME undoubtedly will leave an indelible mark of darkness on your heart.
www.autopsykitchen.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Allhelluja,"Pain is the Game" (Scarlet)
Finding the perfect middle ground in between Queens of the Stone Age and The Haunted, the Italian-Danish troupe Allhelluja play Godzilla-sized riffs at earth-shaking volumes with hints of death 'n roll in its midst. PAIN IS THE GAME transcends the notion that groove and grind can't coexist, as the 11 tracks that adorn this collection dole out even amounts of metallic firepower and balls to the wall sleaze rock, as cuts like "Are You Ready" and "Soul Man" demonstrate the band's love for all things simple and heavy. While their steeping into debauchery tends to get a bit sloppy at times, the top notch grooves decorating "The King of Pain" and "Superhero Motherfucker Superman" are massive enough to impress even the most hardened of listener. If you like it raw and rude, Allhelluja delivers the goods.
www.scarletrecords.it
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Chrome Helmet,"Full Circle" (Sin Klub)
Chrome Helmet's Midwestern metal slant coupled with the group's indie rock footing makes for an inspired 14-track release. FULL CIRCLE is emblazoned with a steady stream of raw emotion, perpetuating the punk rock meets alt metal stance on cuts like "No More", the downbeat stoner groove adorning "Eyes Open" and the gritty rock attack found on "The Good Rides". Accessible enough to keep heads accustomed to a buffet of AC/DC and Buckcherry bobbing their heads yet taking enough detours to please the discerning rock fan, Chrome Helmet's diverse influences coming together with a straight-ahead rock attitude should earn this band massive respect and a fanbase that appreciates versatile acts that play from the heart.
www.chromehelmet.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Skelter,"Sip O' Tea For the Devil" (Indie Release)
On the a 14-track offering SIP O' TEA FOR THE DEVIL, NYC's rock rabble rousers Skelter turn it up, let it hang out, and crank another batch of tunes factory ready for singalongs in the shower or in the tavern. Taking it even further this time around thanks to the album's "Trenterludes" (ramblings from the album's thankfully made up ignorant and incompetent pseudo host/ MC douchebag), this trio perfectly emulates the NYC Tuesday night rock club vibe to a tee. Their songs also experience an upgrade of sorts, as a discernible punkier edge is added through on "Indifference", building on the band's already Stones-esque swagger revealed on "The Idiot" and the outfit's love for Brit-pop fueling cuts like "Dawn Marie". Rounding out their edges, getting a bit more theatrical both in music and in presentation and writing solid songs that run the gauntlet from late '60s rock of "This is a Ghost Town", '80s college rock on "Hello Hello Hello" and the timeless bottom heavy bass meets guitar jangle on "Your Gray Hair", Skelter considerably raises the bar on SIP O' TEA FOR THE DEVIL, churning out some of the most razor sharp and savvy songs to come from the garage.
www.myspace.com/skeltermusic
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The American Black Lung,"...And They Rode Their Weapons Into War" (Burning House)
Nice name for a band, eh? Punk angst and hard rock muscle dueling in a knife fight is what you'll hear on this howling 10-track endeavor. Sounding at times like a cross between The Bronx and Every Time I Die, tracks like "Graduation Day" and "Doc Bollywood" are heavy on the screams and screeching guitars, while "Werewolves by Night" and "It Don't RaIn Much 'Round Here" share as much in common with The Who as they do Hot Water Music. For a raucous garage rock by way of American hardcore tour de force, this Tucson, AZ quintet brings it without remorse.
www.burninghouserecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Zero Hour,"Spec of Pictures Burnt Beyond" (Sensory)
Fates Warning...Queensryche...Nevermore...influences you hear on the Zero Hour disc? Watch that final square flip and jump for joy with Levar Burton, my friend, as you've won the progressive metal $25,000 Pyramid. This Bay Area outfit's fifth installment of progressive metal boasts a new singer, a fresh batch of tunes constructed with painstaking metallic elegance ("I Am Here"), glass-shattering vocals that can actually fluctuate between prog rock overload and everyday metalhead comprehension ("The Falcon's Cry") and enough technical prowess to satisfy all the people anxiously awaiting the next Dream Theater release ("Zero Hour"). Backtracking through their catalog to reach the sound of their glorious early period, Zero Hour's seven-track affair contains all the luxurious nuances a prog metal band needs to truly captivate.
www.lasersedgegroup.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


It Dies Today,"Sirens" (Trustkill)
Catchy choruses, melodic singing, and heavy riffs aplenty are all employed in assembly line style on the latest effort by Buffalo, NY's It Dies Today. The quintet's 11-track presentation rubs off like another Hot Topic metal act more concerned with their hair dye than the originality of their riffs, yet there's an underlying intelligence found on cuts like "Sacred Heart" and "The Bacchanal Affair" propelling SIRENS past their peers' tour buses (Bullet for My Valentine, Atreyu) and into another musical scope (Demon Hunter, Mudvayne) that relies more on musical advancement than Soundscan numbers. Alas, their singer, one of the band's strongest assets, has just exited the group, and now they're on tour with Papa Roach, so you decide if you want to go to the mall and pick this one up.
www.trustkill.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Twelve Tribes,"Midwest Pandemic" (Ferret)
More than ever sounding like Poison the Well's little brother, Twelve Tribes dishes out 12 sizable slabs of majestic metalcore on their latest effort MIDWEST PANDEMIC. Factor in some memorably cascading Killswitch choruses ("History Versus the Pavement"), some seething anger that's half-Hatebreed, half-Downset ("Pagan Self Portrait"), and the confidence to sprinkle dashes of heavy music experimentation in for good measure, and this Ohio quintet has single-handedly set the motion forth to take metalcore back from the mall and put it on the road, in the studio, and reattach it to the brain. Thank your lucky stars for this group, as their contribution breathes new life to a genre mired in redundancy and content with complacency.
www.ferretstyle.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Japinische Kampfhorspiele,"Druher War Augh Nicht Alles Gut" (Bastardized)
Don't even try to pronounce this German outfit's album's title or even the band's name for that matter. Just realize that this comprehensive 32-track retrospective offering runs 64:20 and is laden with some of the most crustaceous grindcore the metal world has ever released in any language. And it was recorded in a very low budget DIY in a basement kind of way to boot, which only adds to its unmistakably gruesome charm. Leaning towards the grind side of the metal spectrum lately? This disc is a must listen and will satisfy the yearning. Want to experience just how good this raging riff-a-thon of a disc encompassing thrash, death, grind, and hardcore actually is? Pick this disc up and discover it for yourself, but be sure to play it loud enough so the neighbors understand too.
www.bastardizedrecordings.de
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Hella,"There's No 666 In Outer Space" (Ipecac)
2007 finds Hella still floating in outer space, only in an expanded form from a two-man unit to a full-on five-piece on THERE'S NO 666 IN OUTER SPACE, the Sacramento, CA band's latest 11-track endeavor. And while the band's maniacal percussion, disregard for mainstream music, penchant for technical disarray, and unique blend of controlled musical chaos and galactic scope remains for the most part intact, there's a discernible Primus meets The Mars Volta vibe permeating out of cuts like the title tracks and "Let Your Heavies Out" which permits shades of melody and groove to seep from the band's veritable wall of noise rock. Through adding these healthy doses of order to the now quartet's abnormally unbridled presentation, the end result shapes itself into a luxuriously liquefied listening experience that drum freaks, alt rock kids searching for deeper meaning, and spastic rock lovers everywhere will surely get off about. Challenging the norms while blasting off into orbit, Hella's fourth installment finds the band touching down to Earth, but only to recharge and refuel before continuing its interplanetary quest.
www.ipecac.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


The October,"…Bye Bye Beautiful" (Spark Gun Records)
If you ran the Psychedelic Furs through the glue factory and used their sticky remains to fuse Matthew Sweets pop sensibility to U2s epic sound you’d get something close to this. The vocals have an eighties vibe that makes me think of bands like Tears For Fears, Soft Cell and the Smiths while the music falls somewhere between U2, the Furs and the Clash. I guess it really is true that everything old becomes new again. Favorite track: “Through The Waves And Stars”.
www.theoctober.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


The Spirit Girls,"Forever Free" (Trakwerx / End Is Here Records)
This album has one disturbingly freaky looking cover. I thought for sure I had a cd full of hardcore or nu metal songs by a female version of Slipknot or something. But, as the case may be, I was way off the mark. This gets a bit weird at times but it’s much mellower than Slipknot. This band project grew from a rock opera by noted L.A. artist Marnie Weber. The opera is about a group of ghost girls on a journey to find a place to perform their songs and tell their stories. The music is much more like the soundtrack to a surreal dream or nightmare. Favorite track: “Comforting The Bears”.
www.trakwerx.com
Rating:

Review by J.R. Oliver


Xasthur,"Subliminal Genocide" (Hydra Head)
Creating a funeral-like atmosphere by manipulating both the fine art of suspense and a bastardized version of Burzum and Emperor, Xasthur's music is as far from mainstream as you could imagine. However, tracks like the deviously dynamic "Trauma Will Always Linger" display a more advanced structure than any major label disc's metal could ponder. Setting a melancholic tone through the use of dense walls of sound that manage to emit waves of hypnotic guitar riffs and keyboards, this 11-track ode to suffering provides magnificent malaise to anyone already having a bad day and wanting to sink a little lower. Prepare for the darkness with SUBLIMINAL GENOCIDE playing in the background and the underworld's minions are bound to be summoned.
www.hydrahead.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Shadow Demon,"Grimoire of Ruin" (Dark Haven)
Shadow Demon is a metal quintet who primarily play the type of metal that you'd associate with swords, capes, and a lot of fur. The nine-track GRIMOIRE OF RUIN meshes Manowar and Iced Earth together in an unspectacular yet sturdy fashion, tracks like "Red" and "...And the Meek" serve the masses by producing predictable guitars, headbanging rhythms and fist-pumping choruses aplenty. Still have posters of Eddie on your wall? This one's for you.
www.darkhavenrecords.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


Death Breath,"Stinking up the Night" (Relapse)
Death Breath's nightmarishly circle-pit inducing death 'n roll successfully unleashes all of Nicke Andersson's pent-up metallic demons since he formed Hellacopters. This homesick homage to the genre he helped spawn replicates the old school crunch of his past outfits Entombed and Nihilist with gutwrenching intensity and integrity. Showing he can still churn out gory gems like "Chopping Spree", "Coffins of the Unembalmed Dead", and "Reduced to Ashes" without a hitch, STINKING UP THE NIGHT offers the listener a mercilessly crusty thrashing accelerating to severe speeds and capable of massive amounts of destruction.
www.relapse.com
Rating:

Review by Mike SOS


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