August 2004 CD reviews (listed alphabetically)

3 COLOURS RED
UNION OF SOULS
MIGHTY ATOM
One of our most enduring melodic rock bands next to The Wildhearts, 3 Colours Red were one of the U.K.'s brightest hopes back in the late '90s, have picked themselves off the floor, inked a deal with the same label that gave us Funeral for a Friend, and returned with an optimistic comeback record with 10 times more depth and variation than they ever had before. UNION OF SOULS is a remarkably beautiful album, bolstered by the undeniable talents of vocalist/songwriter Pete Vukovic and songs like "Desensitise" trundling along with a mild electro pulse and soothing strings before the sinister stoner chugging of "Counterfeit Jesus" and few stadium-storming riffs of "Repeat to Fade". Overall, this is a more assured and (dare I say it) more mature 3 Colours Red, who appear to have displaced the thrashy-punk of yore with a more accessible and chart-tempting sound. Luckily for them, it seems they have just about the right amount of hooks to see them through.
-Matthew Hocking

5 KNUCKLE
BALANCE
HOUSEHOLD NAME
Taking raucous, in-your-face punk rock right back to the basics and injecting it with an energetic, politically-conscious spirit, 5 Knuckle are a band evidently fuelled by man's inhumanity and total ignorance of the world's true priorities, illustrating their points in the sleeve with various eye-opening facts and chin-stroking quotes. However, sadly, getting their point across musically isn't so effective. Coming across like an amalgamation of Ignite, Propagandhi, and Leftover Crack, their spirited punk-rock vehemence is let down by a vocal style that's just too irritating for words, the monotonous tones in tracks like "Lost in Thought" seemingly begging for a little more teeth-gnashing aggression. That said, if you like your street-punk loud, raw, and politicised, they are well worth a look.
-Matthew Hocking

ABATTOIR 3000
ROAD TRIP TO OBLIVION
KOMMY ELEKTRA BMI
This disc is the companion of the road-trip novel ROAD TRIP TO OBLIVION by Kent Messer. This soundtrack finds Messer and friends (a.k.a. ABATTOIR 3000) dropping some second-rate '80s rock music. Now, perhaps if I'd read the novel first, my views would be different. I hear it's an interesting, fast-paced '80s-orientated (think LESS THAN ZERO) novel. There is even a possible movie in the works. However, most likely I would still feel that this sounds like a middle-of-the-road bar band with some interesting lyrics. Judge for yourself at roadtooblivion.com.
-Jude Ruiz

A JUMPSTART
SELF-RELEASED
It doesn't get anymore DIY than this, a CD-R with a Sharpie-handwritten title. But these French boys have placed a catchy sample in an unassuming package. This delectable preview is brimming with power-poppy beats complete with oh-so-fun keyboards and some dashing foreign accent action. The lyrics are in English and cover typical pop themes, but they are enhanced by a freshness that keeps each tracks crisp and enticing. A Jumpstart may be from across the sea, but they have a sound that travels delightfully and insures a great eagerness for their next release.
-Erika Owens

ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY
FULTON HILL
RELAPSE
The southern fried metal of Alabama Thunderpussy is back, with a new throat leading the sonic charge. Heavy trucker rock has always been ATP's strongsuit, and FULTON HILL is 12-tracks deep of gritty and driving dual guitar work backed by a thunderous rhythm section that kicks the blues out with an authoritative ass whooping. As for new singer Johnny Weills, let's just say that the band hasn't lost a step, as the gravel-throated projections and whiskey-soaked delivery of tracks like "Wage Slave" is a surefire indication that ATP hasn't lost an inch of footing by changing singers on the hike of Mount Rock. Hairy, hellacious, and heinous, ATP play rock 'n' roll the way that it's intended if you grew up in Virginia and were weaned on a steady diet of Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy, and Judas Priest. Horned hands salute; Alabama Thunderpussy is back with a vengeance. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

ALEC K. REDFEARN & THE EYESORES
EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF AND GOD AGAINST ALL
CORLEONE
"It's a candy-ass, little, bullshit scene / But we find solace in its crevices" sings vocalist/songwriter Alec K. Redfearn in "Candyass". Despite playful, They Might Be Giants-like melodies and accordion-driven pop gems, the entire album stays relatively spiritual. Look to the opener "Mole", and the angelic female vocals, which back up Redfearn's delicate words and the lovely pop song "Ohio", which resembles the great David Byrne when he is at his most personal and touching as examples of the beauty contained within. However, intensity and energy are not lacking in the dark, instrumental "Heartpunch", which sounds like the noise and confusion of the death of time as we know it, a broken clock and no reality, we're set adrift. An eclectic piece of spirituality, dark humor, and wild instrumentation make this a very original, creative piece for all open-minded listeners. For more info visit www.aleckredfearn.com.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

ALEXISONFIRE
WATCH OUT!
EQUAL VISION RECORDS
If I were to look up the word "anomaly" in the dictionary, I might find a picture of Alexisonfire right beside it. The surge in popularity (especially in their home country of Canada) is nothing short of astonishing from a band that a few years ago no one cared about. This being their second proper full-length on Equal Vision Records, it is plain to see that this is leaps and bounds better than their previous, inconsistent effort. Musically, it still treads the same water that they had waded in before, but it becomes more expansive with Dallas Green's vocals taking a precedence in some songs rather than being an afterthought. Their punk roots show in this often hectic song structure they induce. For those seeking a shot in the arm of originality, look no further, for Alexisonfire is your cure.
-Ray Harkins

AMAZING DEVICE
THE QUIET ROOM
TRIBUNAL
Hailing from the suburban area of Baldwin, NY, Amazing Device's latest release is a nine-track album that has breakout potential written all over it. This emotive quartet share many traits with its fellow Long Island musical brethren such as Glassjaw and Taking Back Sunday, as well as current radio darlings and personal friends Lostprophets (whose Ian Watkins lays vocals down on opener "Secret"), from the wide array of styles showcased inside its hybrid rock sound to the pure songwriting prowess and mature arrangements displayed on songs like "My Saving Grace" and "Calamine". Laid back on the surface yet undeniably raging underneath, Amazing Device has the innate ability to captures your attention with blatantly hooky choruses and rich musical interplay during the verses, making this band an aural delight. Adventurous and full of vigor, Amazing Device have the new rock star swagger stamped on every song, and by the time you reach the moody groove of "Air", you'll want to hit repeat on the CD player and recapture THE QUIET ROOM's irrefutable charm. www.tribunalrecords.com
-Mike SOS

AMAZING TRANSPARENT MAN
PRINT IS DEAD
DOUBLE ZERO RECORDS
This is the third album from Chicago's Amazing Transparent Man. Whatever the title "PRINT IS DEAD" means, it has no bearing on the fact that this album is an okay hybrid?equal parts pop-punk and emo. Rick Muermann spews his clear, 12-year-old-sounding vocals across the board. There's solid melody riding around, and the chords carry a titillating twinge. PRINT IS DEAD is not too different from the likes of Alkaline Trio or The Get Up Kids...but yes, it is indeed worthy.
-Darren Ratner

ANOTHER BREATH
NOT NOW, NOT EVER
RIVAL RECORDS
In recent times, the rise of old-school hardcore has been noted by the influx of bands that desire to sound like their contemporaries rather than creating their own formula. Fortunately for Another Breath's sake, they take the high road and embellish on what has been laid out before them to create a original take on this otherwise stale scene. Not since the Modern Life Is War record was I more impressed by a band of this genera. Falling from the same tree that Suicide File and Give Up the Ghost came from, Another Breath thrash through eight songs filled with more finger-pointing anthems than you can shake a stick at. Employing the recording talents of Kurt Ballou only enhances the entire package. Inciting excitement and interest in this jaded reviewer takes a great deal of gusto, and this is exactly where Another Breath succeed. Give the hardcore world time to catch up, and this EP will catch on.
-Ray Harkins

ARMORED SAINT MAGAZINE
LESSONS NOT WELL LEARNED 1991-2001
METAL BLADE/BRIDGE PRODUCTIONS
For the life of me, I could not tell if this DVD was to be taken seriously or not. Considering that none of it was funny (at least not laughing-WITH-them funny), I must assume, with a heavy heart, that it is meant to be taken seriously, and that some people somewhere took a swell of pride in its production. (Exhale) For all you die-hard Armored Saint fans out there (and I shudder to imagine), this may be a real tasty treat for you. There are interviews, some live footage of performances, as well as the guys frolicking around in between shows. Let me just say that this DVD enforces the idea that it is sad to see rock stars get old and still think they are cool.
-Thomas Murray

AUTOLUX
FUTURE PERFECT
DMZ
Maybe it has to do with growing up in the late '80s, but I don't trust bands from L.A., and I don't trust promotion/publicity companies from New York City. Maybe it has to do with living through the '90s as an informed music fan that I generally don't trust slick-sounding bands with money behind them that seem to come from nowhere and force some idea of indie credibility on you. I don't trust when a band is the inaugural signing of a major-label subsidiary that was created by celebrities with too much time on their hands. I don't care if your band opened for a fad band like The White Stripes. I don't care that your CD comes with its own media player. Mostly, I don't care for the polished, regurgitated My Bloody Valentine-meets-Sonic Youth flavor of this record.
Wally Peters Jr.

AUDIO OUT SEND
?OR DOES IT EXPLODE
FLASHCARD PROJECT
Those familiar with the lush, subdued trip-hop perfection of The Flaming Lips' YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS will immediately become enchanted by the opening two tracks to ?OR DOES IT EXPLODE. The formula of organic, acoustic jingle jangles juxtaposed with space-age ambience and delicate vocals bordering on isolation are once again at the forefront in yet another well-produced album. The entire work flows from one track to the next in a very fluid motion that constantly feeds the listener's appetite. Simple, ear-pleasing melodies set against powerful drumming make for a very wonderful experience. Unlike The Postal Service (to name one), Audio Out Send manage to stay creative and interesting throughout the entire album, making sure to never bore the listener with the emotional vocal delivery and use of electronics/production. For more info, visit .
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

AWESOME ANIMAL AMBULANCE
THIS IS SOUR
AURORA SEVEN
The name of this band alone struck my interest, and it wasn't long before my ears were completely filled with thick synthesizer arrangements, interesting guitar work, and quite possibly the happiest vocal melodies you can imagine. The thing about these songs is that they are just too happy and catchy not to like. All the lyrics refer to animal rights and finding sick pets. As annoying as that may sound to some, the wonderfully-crafted songs make you forget what singer Tina Randall is saying in the first place. For fans of fun electronic music?as well as members of PETA?check out
-Zac

BEEP BEEP
BUSINESS CASUAL
SADDLE CREEK
Beep Beep scream and rock their way through your speakers with loud, high-pitched, wailing vocals. Beep Beep are an indie rock group who play quick-paced rock music with an artsy edge. Their band name is a little odd and a little on the onomatopoeia artsy side, but the music pounds out rock. Their sound can be compared to a cross pollination of Murder City Devils with Refused, meshed with indie rock.
-Jennifer Moncayo

BELPHEGOR
LUCIFER INCESTUS
NAPALM
With hate in its heart and speed in its wrists, the sonic death charge of Austria's Belphegor continues to roar, denouncing Christianity and spreading its Satanic messages through the auspices of death metal. On the outfit's fourth release, the rapid-fire guitar and drums are incessant throughout the nine-track endeavor, while the guttural vocals range from the depraved black metal barks to death metal shrills. Mixing in some Swedish influences into its already potent concoction, Belphegor has raised the bar in producing brutal death metal that is precise as it is headbangingly quick. If you are a card-carrying member of all that is evil, this CD is essential. www.napalmrecords.com
-Mike SOS

BENUTS
SEX SELLS
WOLVERINE RECORDS
When I think of Germany, I don't usually think of ska music. After listening to SEX SELLS, the fourth album from this amazing German ska band, I'll think of ska right along with beer and Hitler when Germany pops in my mind. When you listen to this band, you'll hear a definite reggae and rocksteady influence, but they're no doubt a third wave band. They even have a tad of a punk influence, but overall, I'd say beNUTS have a more traditional flavor than anything. While at times the language barrier gets in the way, this eight-piece from Munich more than make up for it with upbeat, catchy ska grooves that will make anyone want to dance. Most of the music is in English, but they do throw a bit of different languages into "SOS". The rest of the album is rounded out with some very groovy instrumentals. It's weird, though: all the stuff that came with the CD was in English, including the music. When you go to the band's site, English disappears. Oh, well, the music is what matters, right? beNUTS have a slight similarity to The Toasters, for all of you who feel comparing bands is important.
-Dane Jackson

BIG IN JAPAN
WHO REALLY NEEDS A HEART ANYWAY?
INSUBORDINATION
The singer's voice is distracting in its honky-tonkness, but it is also original and intriguing. The music fills in behind his vocals and makes a nice little bouquet of something I wouldn't buy but also wouldn't get pissed at someone for putting on in the car. At first the lyrics seemed ordinary, but once I really tuned in, I realized how wonderfully bizarre they get sometimes. There is talk of removing body parts with scissors and the scent of dirty sex. These lyrics are not what you'd expect to hear if you were half-listening to this album, especially since the instruments produce a very non-threatening sound. Big in Japan sneaks in some very amusing ideas for those who will listen.
-Thomas Murray

BLACK CROSS
WIDOWS BLOODY WIDOWS
INITIAL RECORDS
WIDOWS BLOODY WIDOWS is a collection of songs from the band's days as Black Widows. It just so happens that I never liked anything I heard from Black Widows, so listening to this collection was painful, at best. I gave these songs another chance, and I can safely say that I still don't like them. If you're a fan of Black Cross now or in its previous incarnation, you'll want to get this so that you can say you have a complete collection. If you like noisy, post-punk-infused rock music with lots of yelling, then you might want to pick it up, because it's a great introduction to the band. It's just too bad I've never liked them.
-Dane Jackson

BLACK DICE
CREATURE COMFORTS
DFA
This experimental collection of bleeps and blips occasionally congeals into something interesting. For instance, a phrase may start out as an ear-grabbing nod to Laurie Anderson, but then this is dispensed as a tangent and it is back to video game puree. The damaged art-noise output lacks structure and coherence, a pointless mosaic of electronic chirps and repetitive beats.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

BLAMESHIFT
BLAMESHIFT
SELF-RELEASED CD
Blameshift is a Long Island hard rock quintet that employs the dual female-male vocal delivery a la that hit song by Evanescence. On the band's three-song release, you'll find mid-tempo, radio friendly hard rock that sounds like No Doubt meeting Godsmack at a Linkin Park show. While the vocal trade off gives Blameshift a theatric quality, the band's deep rooted hard rock gives Blameshift the ability to reach countless youngsters looking for an outlet to let off some steam without insulting their intelligence. www.blameshiftmusic.com
-Mike SOS

BLESSED LIGHT
LOVE LIGHTS THE WAY
MILL POND
I definitely consider myself a secular kinda guy. I'm not looking to be saved, and I'm not looking to find anything religiously spiritual in my music. With that said, in seventh grade I thought Stryper was pretty bad ass, I own all of the Dylan Christian-era records, and in 1998 you couldn't tear me away from Pedro the Lion's IT'S HARD TO FIND A FRIEND. I'm pretty open-minded when it comes to good music (or with bands that have black- and yellow-striped tanks!), but when opening up your review packet to find Blessed Light, it's easy to see why someone like me may get a little worried. The album cover even looks like an overtly religious inspirational poster. So where does this record stand? It's friggin' awesome! An amazing and beautiful record that is equal parts grass-roots Americana, blues, and '70s pop. This record could not have been any more perfect.
-Wally Peters Jr.

BLOOD FOR BLOOD
SERENITY
THORP
The bad boys from Boston have returned, and no, it's not Aerosmith on a blues kick. It's the white trash hardcore mongers Blood for Blood, back from a hiatus of sorts, with a crushing new nine-track endeavor. This time around, SERENITY finds the Beantown quartet implementing some melody in its anthemic poundings, giving the outfit some versatility. But fear not, hardcore purists, the seething anger and lower middle class fighting spirit is still very much at the core of songs like "Live the Lie" and "My Jesus Mercy". Providing a departure from its early days of beatdowns and broken bones, yet still retaining the integrity of a band that has its ear to the ground and its roots in the streets, Blood for Blood's latest release is a welcomed return by a band who haven't forgotten the struggle. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

BLOODJUNKIES
MALADIES
EVIL ONE MUSIC
MALADIES has the interesting distinction of being an album where the listener is actually able to hear the band get lazier throughout the course of its lengthy 17 tracks. After a promising start with the spooky, organ heavy "June Gloom," the album takes a slow and steady nose dive into a boring mix of watered-down lounge and faux-Danzig crooning. I'd never even conceived that a band might strive for the sound of Michael Graves era Misfits, but the Bloodjunkies might very well be the first. Congratulations!, I'm sorry.
-Matthew Siblo

BLUEBIRD
FALLING BACK TO EARTH
DINMAK
Of the five songs on this Bluebird EP, only two truly demonstrate what kind of songs it seems they're trying to write. "Falling Back to Earth" and "Wrecking Ball" are both kind of like heavy rock with traces of early Soundgarden, while maintaining enough politeness to still be called indie rock. I enjoyed the songs to a certain extent, but I can't say much for replay value, as I don't think they'll stand the test of time. Check out for more information and samples.
-Zac

BLUE MOON HAREM
SELF-TITLED
ROADSIDE MUSIC, INC.
What happens when a group of guys who grew up in the '80s get drunk and write music? The answer is an album that ranges in styles such as funk to electronic metal. Blue Moon Harem is the ultimate bar band, showcasing songs for any type of mood you're in. I can't categorize this album, because it jumps all over the place (just like a good bar band should). I'd definitely go watch the band live, but I wouldn't spend the money on an album.
-ADF

BLUEPRINT SEVENTY SIX
BETTER LATE THEN NEVER
BROKEN SPOKE RECORDS
Vaguely recognized as Royce from the Suicide Machines new project, Blueprint Seventy Six are a disappointing pop-punk by the numbers outfit that never seems to break out of its own self-inflicted musical limitations. The band does attempt to break up the monotony, but it comes in the form of a truly awful stab at tough guy hardcore with "The Best of the Worst." While I can appreciate Royce's decision to start anew with something fresh, this record reeks of tiresome riffs and even more predictable melodies. BETTER LATE THEN NEVER? I'm not quite so sure.
-Matthew Siblo

BLURT
THE FISH NEEDS A BIKE?THE BEST OF BLURT VOLUME 1
SALAMANDER RECORDS
Is there really a better way to get introduced into a band than with all the best of the best already handpicked for you? Their laid-back and kick-back style is occasionally piqued with the spontaneity of the alto sax in all the right places. If you find yourself dancing, chances are it'll reflect their style and flair: your hips will shake to the consistency of the drum beat, yet your arms will be flailing with every surprise from the sax or wail from lead singer Ted Milton.
-Mabel Lam

BORKNAGAR
EPIC
CENTURY MEDIA
Before we get into this, guys, don't call your album "EPIC," okay? I don't care how many brooding, melodic black metal songs with pagan folk up the ying-yang you can string together?that album name's already been taken. If you don't know by who, put down those instruments and splash your faces with some of that melted Norway snow. Okay, onwards. Borknagar return with a pretty amazing sixth album, now fronted by the one and only Vintersorg (whose name I love saying with a thick European accent). Old Vinty really adds an extra element of melody to the Bork attack, allowing the band to explore the dark and ancient forests of their musical minds (and a real forest, too, judging by the band photo). Black, melodic metal not afraid to emerge out of the cold, barren wastelands and into the world of thick, rich folklore.
-Jason Schreurs

BRIAN GLADSTONE
PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS
SILVERWOLF
Canada's Brian Gladstone is doing some amazing finger picking on this funny, inventive album?maybe the best folk album that I ever heard. I grew up on folk music, and Brian Gladstone is in that room with the big boys like Woody himself. Brian Gladstone's music comes across in rich, resonating tones found on pre-disco records of so-called classic rock. On track 2, "Save the Wolverine", the mood is haunting in a WORKING MAN'S DEAD/merry prankster kind of way. "I Like Me" is a Beatleish rag that is so entertainingly funny. It is very easy while listening to PSYCHEDELIC PHOLK PSONGS to slip into a late-'60s mode. I love this album, and you will, too, if you have the slightest interest in Americana, folk, or porch music.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

BURNING IMAGE
1983-1987
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
Well I must say I was wrong about these guys. At first glimpse of the album cover I was dreading it. All I saw was a group of ?wannabe Misfits? as my girlfriend called them. But when I gave it a chance and listened, wow. Displaying some tunes from the original Burning Image line up, 1983-1987 shared the sounds of early goth rock before audiences knew what it was. In today?s ever popular and growing acceptance of bands like A.F.I and other ?goth rock? bands, 1983-1987 asks for radio play and long overdue credit. These Bakersfield natives produce a progressive, rhythmic sound for audiences in need of worthwhile rock. Too bad the rest of us are about 20 years behind. Regardless check it out and pay homage to an unknown host of rock.
-Cancun Carley

BURNING SKIES
MURDER BY MEANS OF EXISTENCE
LIFEFORCE
A harrowing and downright brutal debut album here from Bristol metal muthas Burning Skies that nestles savagely alongside their Lifeforce brethren, Heaven Shall Burn, Herod, and the mighty Fear my Thoughts. Fret not, Burning Skies are every bit as vicious and technically volatile as these bands, adding a rich, full-bodied storm where despair and supreme hatred are filtered through vocalist Merv's lethal, blood-boiling growls, particularly in "Individual Hate Complex". This is an uncompromisingly heavy metal classic, fierce enough to slay the wildest beast and potent enough to strike fear into the heart of the most seasoned metal veteran. Awesome. -Matthew Hocking

CANDIRIA
WHAT DOES NOT KILL YOU
TYPE A
Candiria has decided to release yet another album this year, and it is entitled WHAT DOES NOT KILL YOU. To be honest, I'm less than ecstatic about the songs on this album. Candiria has had much success in writing interesting songs in the past, but it appears to me that this album was written in haste, without the usual amount of depth and intricacy the band normally demonstrates. It's a bad feeling to be disappointed, but WHAT DOES NOT KILL YOU simply did not do it for me.
-Zac

CANVAS SOLARIS
SUBLIMATION
TRIBUNAL RECORDS
Canvas Solaris offers post-metal, instrumental, guitar-led rock music with a hard edge. Even harder must be the practice sessions for this stop-on-a-dime, unpredictable, and complex music. If the average rock fan is doing arithmetic, Canvas Solaris is doing advanced calculus, and that makes the music as impenetrable as it is impressive. And yet, the hard-hitting sounds and Byzantine grooves are not altogether inaccessible. Not for the faint of heart, Canvas Solaris fills the prescription for those seeking serious listening and the solution to the integration of the product of Fripp and Buckethead.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

CAPTAIN EVERYTHING
IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
UNION
I guess there was potential somewhere, but it seems rushed. I wish labels would spend some time taking pride in production, rather than just grabbing random kids at the mall and giving them guitars, spitting them off an assembly line somewhere and into the public where they can affect and depress us. This album contains recycled ska and punk riffs that we have all heard many times before. The singer's voice was hidden behind this regurgitation?and I bet you that was on purpose. There were some interesting sound effects in between songs, but other than that, the only redeeming quality was the artwork throughout the album and on the CD. It was very modern cartoon art, which I found appealing. I decided to use this disc as a coaster rather than a Frisbee.
-Thomas Murray

CARCASS
CHOICE CUTS
EARACHE
As perhaps a record company's most treasured option in an artist's contract, "best of"s are usually only reserved for those past-it pop acts and stadium-haunting rock behemoths with little left to offer the world but one last reunion tour and a chart-topping greatest-hits album come Christmas time. Artists like Lionel Richie, Abba, Meatloaf, and, er?CARCASS! As composers of such well-loved sing-along classics as "Genital Grinder", "Crepitated Bowel Erosion", and ostensible love ballad "Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected Virulence", Carcass came to define the whole grind-gore genre, influencing the likes of Exhumed and Cannibal Corpse with their sick, horror-death style. Originally shelved in 1999, this 21-track selection of their finest moments includes their legendary Peel session, as well as interviews with drummer Ken Owen. No doubt a must-have stocking-filler for the kids!
-Matthew Hocking

CATHEDRAL
THE SERPENT'S GOLD
EARACHE
Cathedral is revered as one of the most important doom acts ever, and judging by this retrospective disc, you can make an excellent argument for Lee Dorian and crew's stoic contribution to the world of heavy music. Featuring 15-tracks of the driving gloom and subversive lyrics that made this English crew quite the underground entity, THE SERPENT'S GOLD is a perfect introduction to a band that took the Sabbath sound and attitude of bands like Venom and St. Vitus and whipped it all together into a bastardized, doom-laden concoction. As an added bonus, the collection contains a second disc chock full of rarities sure to please the most ardent disciple of sludge. This release provides the most comprehensive coverage of this incendiary group, and it is an essential purchase for all who claim to be true followers of the doom rock genre. www.earache.com
-Mike SOS

CHRIS STAPLES
BLACKEST HAIR BLUEST EYES
MAKEBREAK RECORDS
The debut major-label release of former Twothirtyeight frontman Chris Staples is an arty solo album that showcases his substantial songwriting skills. The CD is actually a collection of remastered songs from Staples' two self-released solo albums, PANAMA and BURNED AND BLISTERED, along with two new tracks. The languid pace of these tunes paired with Staples' tortured lyrics make much of this album sound like vintage Cracker. Loneliness, loss, and despair run like water through these songs, as Staples seems to dwell on old lovers and screwed-up lives as catharsis. This album may not be the feel-good album of the year, but it is appealing in a dark and depressing way.
-DUG

CIRCLES OVER SIDELIGHTS
...ON BECOMING A PERSON
IMMIGRANT SUN RECORDS
They don't have diplomas yet, but they have already released their debut on a well-respected indie and have another record in the works. COS certainly defy convention. Still in high school, they are making music that is beyond the scope of what many older people can even digest. ...ON BECOMING A PERSON starts from a familiar hardcore foundation but incorporates facets that span the spectrum of the genre. Elements from metalcore to emo to just plain noise are compiled in songs of assorted length and intricate timing that are mesmerizing. The sound is raw and has a youthful edge, but it's also mature and complex?and a great introduction to a new Midwestern outfit.
-Erika Owens

CLASSIC CASE
IT'S BEEN BUSINESS DOING PLEASURE WITH YOU
SELF-RELEASED
Classic Case is one of those bands whose broad musical influence can be traced back to a lifetime of both musicianship and exposure to all types of music. Hailing from NYC and being veterans of the NYHC scene also helps the quartet's cause, but the eclectic flow of songs like "Saturated" are the real reasons to adore this band. Manipulating all types of music, this band rocks like a jazz band and gets smooth like a metal act, all while invoking the spirits of Mike Patton, Serj Tankian, and Ian Watkins to summon all of the prurient interests in your head and let them roam free. Sweepingly sublime melody is always present on this disc; even when the guitars gets chunky, there's still a vocal line or bass groove to get lost inside. Rock radio needs more bands like these guys, as Classic Case keep it real, keep it local, and best of all, keep it interesting enough to be admired by all. www.classiccase.net
-Mike SOS

CLUTCH
JAM ROOM
MEGAFORCE RECORDS
At the start of this re-issue of their fourth full-length, Clutch wants to know, "Who wants to rock?!" Really, who wants to? Hello? Their listeners' unresponsiveness to the cry can be attributed to a massive weed intake, so they'll get started, anyway. The second track, "Big Fat Pig", simmers with a monstrous cacophony of wah wah-ed guitars into the third, a drum solo, drawn out enough to lead the listener to expect something colossal to follow. Unfortunately, the solo leads into the fourth song, a Foghat-esque '70s rocker?good enough on its own, but disappointing after the tension-building drum work. Fortunately, though, the disappointment is over, and Clutch is left to its usual devices. Stoner grooves by loud, funky guitars, pounding drums, and Neil Fallon's trademark gurgling howl are all present and make for a most enjoyable listening experience. Wrap your head around this one.
-Casey Clague

COLISEUM
COLISEUM
LEVEL PLANE
Somewhat stoner rock-y with a whole lot of underground influences, peppered with the noise rock tendencies of both the old school L.A. punk and the NYC Lower East Side early '90s revival is the best way to describe the crusty punk of Louisville, KY's Coliseum. With a vocal style that employs as much barking like a drill sergeant as it does screams and grunts, the 12-tracks which comprise the self-titled album radiate the kind of chaos that Motorhead and Zeke are famous for. This quartet is heavy not to be trendy, but instead out of love of aggressive music, and it really shines through on tracks like "This Mind Locked Inside This Body" and "Pretty Situation". With amps cranked way beyond 10 and the true embodiment of dirty, raucously heavy rock 'n' roll propelling the aural assault, Coliseum will reaffirm your faith that rock music is still alive and well, despite the shit pumped through the mainline. www.level-plane.com
-Mike SOS

COLOUR
TALES FROM THE ENCHANTED SEA
COLOUR
This band has their own garage/blues sound, with some fun songs and lyrics. The music has a mellow, blues-like feel, with some wailing garage-rock riffs. The vocals are very alluring and draw you in, as they possess a lot of attitude and emotion, which displays their personal style. The vocals almost feel like they are an instrument, because they add so much depth to the songs. Some of the songs are comparable to the band Weezer, such as "Caroline Black". Colour is an interesting rock band that Weezer fans might enjoy.
-Jennifer Moncayo

COMFORTABLE FOR YOU
PRIZE FIGHT
LOUD + CLEAR RECORDS
Comfortable for You play hardcore music that has repetitious guitar parts, mindless screaming, and supplies an abundance of boredom. Yeah, we've all heard bands like this a thousand times before. Comfortable for You are from San Diego. The demo I got is just a burnt CD-R. I don't know if that's what they're. Maybe if you contact them, they'll burn you a copy, too. Hopefully they write some good songs before that, though!
-chad

COMMUNIQUÉ
POISON ARROWS
LOOKOUT RECORDS
Hookish and harkening back to '80s rock, Communiqué have achieved worthwhile notoriety after their EP A CRESCENT HONEYMOON. Now it's all about their first full-length effort, POISON ARROWS, which has a lot of cool, addictive particulars. High-pitched electro synths make their way through tracks like "Evaporate", flighty but mighty chords abound, and vocalist Rory Henderson has often-harmonic vocal chords that deserve attention. Lookout! found a safe bet in Communiqué, whose nostalgic yet modern sound is a class act.
-Darren Ratner

CONFUSE YR IDOLS
A TRIBUTE TO SONIC YOUTH
NARNACK
At some point last year, a shiny little light bulb popped up over someone's head at Narnack Records HQ. Their idea: to pay tribute to the legendary Sonic Youth by calling up Brystl, Stationary Odyssey, and a handful of other bands that no one outside of Williamsburg, NY, has ever heard of. CONFUSE YR IDOLS features acts so mysterious that that one snotty and ubiquitous indie kid?yeah, the one whose homepage is diesel.com and brags about how he saw Jeff Buckley in '98?doesn't even know who the fuck they are. The thing that all of these enigmatic ensembles have in common (aside from their cryptic obscurity) is their fervently anti-liner approach, and here they creep up on classic Sonic Youth tunes when they're not looking, clobber them over the head with Heineken bottles, and drag them into the nearest garage for unnecessary surgery. Someone tell New Granada that Sonic Youth's lack of a Moog player is not an accident.
-Dave Kargol

CONSHAFTER
FEAR THE UNDERDOG
DORK EPIPHANY RECORDS
Inexplicably opening for acts like The Hiss, The KIllers, and stellastarr*, Richmond's Conshafter are a more subtle approach to the new new-wave scene. They could be best described as a smarter but more awkward little brother to Rooney (who, in turn, is the cuter but dumber little brother of Phantom Planet). While their sounds are a little less interesting than the rest of the family tree, lines like "I'm just staving off the effects of maturity" hint that it may come in time and on a wave of cynicism. Their potential couldn't be more evident than on the simplistically-built and positively warm "Serotonin".
-Rob Macy

CRISIS
LIKE SHEEP LED TO SLAUGHTER
THE END
The groundbreaking NYC outfit Crisis have relocated to L.A., and have released a new album, the 12-track LIKE SHEEP LED TO SLAUGHTER. Never afraid to experiment within the extreme metal genre, the band's hybrid metalcore sound features heaping amounts of stoner rock, ambient hardcore, and straight-up NYC noisecore. Imagine Neurosis, Helmet, and Bloodlet sharing a triple bill, and that sums up the sonic assault Crisis unleashes. Add in Karyn Crisis, the vocal juggernaut that she is, whose personal stamp of shrills, screams, yells, and growls are virtually incomparable, and the return of this underground band is a triumphant one. Although an open mind is very necessary to appreciate the artsy slant Crisis spins on the metalcore movement, the undeniable fact that this unique outfit may take a few listens to absorb, but once you do, you'll understand and appreciate the fragmented fracas that much more. www.theendrecords.com
-Mike SOS

CZOLGOSZ/CRITICIA RADICALA
SO MAI CARES
SEP. 06 RECORDS
This is a split CD between Czolgosz and Criticia Radicala. They're both political punk bands, I'm assuming. Criticia Radicala is from Romania, and their lyrics are in Romanian, and I have no idea what is going on. Czolgosz is from Boston, and their lyrics are in English, and they seem quite interested and informed about political activities. Musically, I think they're both kind of dull. So, if you enjoy Romanian punk rock?or are at least curious about it?this might be a good split to pick up.
-chad

DEADLY WEAPONS
GET RIGHT IN HERE
JONNY CAT RECORDS
This album is filled with some pretty run-of-the-mill three-chord punk. Expect anthems. Expect lots of "ohs," "whoahs," and every variation in between. The lyrics also leave a bit to be desired. As much fun as songs about sex and the like are, these songs aren't very witty or enjoyable. If you like hearing the same old same old in regards to punk rock, then check out Deadly Weapons. Even the female-fronted vocals don't make this music interesting. You may like it if you want a cruder version of The Ramones, though.
-Dane Jackson

DEATH BEFORE DISCO
PARTY BULLET
GOOD LIFE
Belgium's Death Before Disco's name isn't the only thing that peaks interest about this quintet, as the outfit's 12-track release contains some of the most edgy and precarious hardcore heard on the scene today. Merging heavy riffs like the chugging one found on "Putting Power to the Pauze" with the kind of ethereal jam you'd find from A Perfect Circle on "Like Serpico", it's the band's remarkable ability to create diverse yet profound songs, making this band a unique entity. Pushing the boundaries of traditional hardcore every way they possibly can, PARTY BULLET showcases an anything goes mentality and a penchant for keeping the arrangements interesting, even when the jarring heaviness and staccato movement of "Kiss, Kill, Lolita" is more than enough to keep the kids windmilling in the pit. Death Before Disco is the kind of band that enjoys utilizing all of its strengths to the fullest advantage, and if you dig bands with similar mindsets like Minus, Thumb, and Converge, then PARTY BULLET is an album you should fully enjoy. www.goodliferecordings.com
-Mike SOS

DEK
BONER
FINGER RECORDS
At first listen DEK came off as another group of somewhat talented young chaps whose parents made a mistake by buying them guitars and drums in an effort to pacify their whining. However, with a little patience and a leisurely read through the lyrics I realized these aren?t just a bunch of teens hopping on the punk rock bandwagon, rather, they?re diligently fighting for the re-birth of real punk rock. Their third track, ?Back From the Dead?, shouts that ?punk is now a trend? just the way it shouldn?t be.? Amen brother. These Seattle lads have delivered a damn good set of tracks mixed amongst a few dorky sing along anthems, like ?Captain Pickle?, which I?m nearly positive is in reference to masturbating at times of true boredom. Once again, I say Amen brother.
-Cancun Carley

DIE YOUNG
THE MESSAGE
IMMIGRANT SUN RECORDS
"Subtlety" is not a key word in the Die Young vocabulary. They certainly have a MESSAGE and are not afraid to detail it in strangling screams or in a scrolled lyric sheet. It's a good thing that their goal is so clear, because the rest of the album is positively impenetrable. Loud, thick, and unwavering crashing complements the lyrics that spell out every sentiment (in unintelligible growls, of course). It's typical hardcore?fast, furious, and vacant punctuated with a message that does not bear repeating.
-Erika Owens

DIVIDE BY ZERO
TIMBER
SELF-RELEASED
The problem with Divide by Zero is that lead singer T.J. Malici is only inconsistently in key, and his melody ideas are bad to totally stupid. Track 2, "Anywhere but Here", is some of the worst singing that I ever heard in my life. Physically embarrassing, hurting-me-all-over bad. Plus, it's just a really weak song. The only noteworthy moments are found on track 1, "Timber". The amateurish guitar work here has moments of accidental charm. It's a hardcore/emo blaster, and so I had false hope for the rest of the EP/demo. Divide by Zero sound young on their instruments. If they have been playing a while, they all need to consider stopping and selling their axes. Keep on rocking...I mean, trying.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

DOKKEN
HELL TO PAY
SANCTUARY RECORDS
Let's say that we'll give Dokken their just due. The boys have hung on to their trademark '80s rock sound and have given the middle finger to anyone who thinks they should be doing differently. HELL TO PAY is nothing like the rowdy hair band we used to know, maybe because the sound is outdated. It serves its purpose, however, which is to simply convince listeners that these guys can still play?and that the Cinderellas, Ratts, and Strypers of years ago aren't dead yet. Still craving a little nostalgia, groupies? This one's for you.
-Darren Ratner

DOLOUR
NEW OLD FRIENDS
SELF-RELEASED
The multi-faceted musical projects of Seattle's Shane Tutmarc has morphed into a sophisticated and very listenable disc for his third full-length release. With a penchant for home recording, Tutmarc has put out an album full of tunes that draw comparisons to The Beatles and The Beach Boys. For his live shows, Tutmarc has recruited three different version of his band known as Team Dolour (NYC chapter, Seattle chapter, and L.A. chapter). In his home studio, Tutmarc brings in a plethora of various musicians to help him out. On NEW OLD FRIENDS, the songs seem to draw the listener in to a clever world of soft, inviting lyrics and catchy melodies. It may not be blistering rock 'n' roll, but Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson would both be proud to call these tunes theirs.
-DUG

DRACONIAN
WHERE LOVERS MOURN
NAPALM
Draconian is a Gothic metal ensemble that employs both male and female lead singers, a tactic that allows WHERE LOVERS MOURN much more versatility than your average doom-laden operatic metal album. Draconian's epic songwriting is obvious by the opening dirge "The Cry of Silence", a track which sets the tone for the eight-track endeavor that covers the pain of heartbreak. Giving it to the audience slow, deep, and hard, the melodic musings and melancholy movements of songs such as "A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal" mix folksy undertones with driving Goth rock, creating a sweeping concoction of enchantment and despair. Not exactly party music, Draconian's dour delivery and pure passion make this CD something for the Lacuna Coil and Type O Negative crowd. www.napalmrecords.com
-Mike SOS

EL CENTRO
PROHIBIDO
FINGER/LONG LIVE CRIME RECORDS
El Centro is an Orange County-based band who has been through a lot. Singer Crabby, was a victim in a terrorist attack in Bali, which has greatly affected their lives and music. This album consists of a plethora of different musical styles, such as reggae, rock, and melodic punk. Songs like "Tell Em" are more on the punk realm of No Use for a Name and Pulley. The songs are filled with quick drumming, persistent back-up vocals, and loud guitar riffs. Some of the songs reflect upon their life experiences, including the terrorist attack. The album sounds well-made and very clean.

EXIT CONDITION
1988-1994
BOSS TUNEAGE
So you want someone to release a complete discography of your punk band from the '80s? Boss Tuneage, with its finger on the rapidly-aging pulse of the punk scenester, is here for you. If you're one of the lucky few who figured out three chords on the guitar, the Boss (no, not Springsteen) will put your original demo, a BBC Peel Session, and various other remnants on one CD, conveniently packaged with a fab pic of your band looking like the cast from a made-for-TV movie about kids with silly haircuts. 23 songs?one CD, all 62 minutes of music you wrote in six years as a band. They will even specially remaster it with new digital technology?stuff they didn't have in the '80s, like mixing boards?so it doesn't sound like it was recorded in a Folgers can. Oh, wait, it still sounds like that.
-Casey Clague

FALKENBACH
OK NEFNA TYSVAR TY
NAPALM
Try saying the title of this album five times fast. Ever imagine what kind of metal would come from people from the forest armed with flutes, lutes, and medieval flare? Well, wonder no more, because Falkenbach have answered that burning question by releasing its latest album after a six-year layoff. On the seven-track offering, a foundation of folk and Viking metal is apparent from the onset of opening track "Vanadis", whose majesty remains constant throughout the entire release. Accentuating the heroism of metal, Falkenbach's group choirs and hymn-like compositions make this release a near religious experience powered by the undeniable might of metal. Viking horns and Nordic outfit not included. www.napalmrecords.com
-Mike SOS

FIRST CLASS
SOMEWHERE IN THE GREY
JOHANN'S FACE RECORDS
Beware of labeling First Class as one of those generic catchy pop-punk bands. After listening to it, you'll start to realize that it has a heavy No Use For a Name influence. If you like No Use, you'll probably like this band. The only thing that really needs work is the lead singer's vocals. At times they sound too flat for the melodies, like on the chorus of "Any More Lonely". Still, for a relatively young band, these guys have lots of potential. Plus, Mike Hussa is one of the better drummers I've heard this year. Give these guys a couple years, and give Andy Simon some voice coaching and First Class will be a force to be reckoned with. Regardless, this is an impressive debut.
-Dane Jackson

FIVE HORSE JOHNSON
THE LAST MEN ON EARTH
SMALL STONE
Five Horse Johnson aren't sorry for the mess they made. After all, it comes with the territory of being a badass rock band from Toledo, OH with five discs under its belt and countless drunken anecdotes to share. THE LAST MEN ON EARTH, the quartet's latest offering, blends the stomp of early ZZ Top with the runaway blues-rock of ROCKS-era Aerosmith, creating an acidic flashback of the way rock used to be. Heavy rhythms and whiskey soaked vocals shine on "Cherry Red", while the raucous boogie of "Blood Don't Pay" reaffirms that it's OK to wear those bell-bottoms and butterfly collared shirt together. While some may consider THE LAST MEN ON EARTH a tired retread, those in the know share the sentiment that bands like these are here to reignite the emotions that rock music lost when the world got politically correct. Going from the confines of the swamp to the strip mall isn't an easy transition to make, but the solid grooves Five Horse Johnson lays down make the change both easy and welcomed. Grab a cold one and a pool cue and crank this one up, folks. www.smallstone.com
-Mike SOS

FORT RILE DOG
ETOILE
ONPURPOSE RECORDS
Combined, multi-instrumentalists Paul Nixon and Robert Brenner, with drummer Alex Brenner, create a sparse landscape of quiet noises that explode into a dense, frantic rhythm of structured metal and flailing, angular post-punk. The guaranteed sonic pop comes shortly after the trio has flexed its talent enough to impress, then the music collapses. A brilliantly cultivated sound that is complex and never formulaic. The noodling chaos is a wonderful noise.
-Rob Macy

FURTHER SEEMS FOREVER
HIDE NOTHING
GOOD COP PUBLIC RELATIONS
At first listen, HIDE NOTHING is a typical emo disc. When you listen closer a second time, there is something underneath the standard path of Further Seems Forever. But the members of Further Seems Forever are doing all they can to hide their original ideas under done-to-death structures, phraseology, and vocal tones. At a third listen, Further Seems Forever is a really great band with true moments of genius. I do wish we didn't have to wade through the cliched sections of radio-friendly must-dos. I really detest emo as Oprah rock/whiney shit rock. That being said, Further Seems Forever has won me over to the point where I would say that if you do like emo in the least, HIDE NOTHING is a must-have.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

GONE WITHOUT TRACE
GONE WITHOUT TRACE
THORP
Giving the heavy end of the metal spectrum a run for its money, Orange County, CA's newest metalcore export have released a scathing 10-track album that has as much Lamb of God as it does Hatebreed inside of its body-jarring breakdowns and visceral death metal growls. Anger definitely plays a big part in the music of this outfit, and the explosive death metal meets churning hardcore of tracks like "Eight-Four-Six" and "Battlefield Left in Ruin" will undoubtedly leave welts on your backs, marks on your head, and your ears ringing for days. Relentless and unrepentant, Gone Without Trace is a veritable metal machine, destroying all in its path. If you're a fan of the new wave of American metal by bands like Bleeding Through, Atreyu, and Machine Head, you'll enjoy thrashing around to these guys as well. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

IKARA COLT
MODERN APPRENTICE
FANTASTIC PLASTIC
Presented in an innovatively-designed cardboard booklet, MODERN APPRENTICE is the long-awaited second album from Ikara Colt, which finally sees them come into their electrifying, beat-pumping own. So they've been slotted onto the brash indie-punk pedestal since their last album, but listening to Paul Resende gliding over newly-recruited bassist Tracy Balleries's pulsing bass lines with a suave, Mark E. Smith-esque slur shows that this is clearly a band whose sophistication and elegance never escapes their gutsy art-rock ballast. It's an album with varying twists and turns, the elongated electro-noise of "Modern Feeling" presenting an ear-splintering riot-grrl siren, while "Rewind" reassuringly reverts to
-Matthew Hocking

IMPERANON
STAINED
NUCLEAR BLAST
Two words describe this album: holy shit. Imperanon is probably one of the better metal acts I've heard in a very long time. Instead of following the mold of death metal and focusing on loud guitars, machine-gun drumming, and growling vocals, this Finland-based metal act has broken the mold. Instead of relying solely on guitar work for the melody, Imperanon also used synthesizers and keyboards. In fact, the superior musical work even overshadows the vocals and almost makes you forget about them. This is unique and well worth seeking out if you're a fan of metal.
-Dane Jackson

IMPULSE MANSLAUGHTER
LIVE AT WFMU
BEER CITY
Impulse Manslaughter were one of the first bands to cross the hardcore and metal sounds together into what we can now recognize as metalcore. This 38-track disc chronicles the outfit's career, as it contains a live recording from the vault of NY radio station WFMU, as well as the band's hard to find studio work. If you clamor for the days of Cro-Mags, DRI, or the harder side of the So Cal punk explosion, then this disc is an ideal pickup for you. www.beercityrecords.com
-Mike SOS

IN PASSING
LOOK ALIVE
INDIANOLA RECORDS
The debut full-length album from this (newly re-located) Pennsylvania emo quartet is a handful of love songs where the protagonist is usually so lovesick that he's at death's door. In Passing began its career in 2002 when the band borrowed a thousand dollars to travel from its hometown of Tampa to travel to Atlanta to record its debut EP, THIS BOY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT. An endless round of touring followed the recording, and the band built up a large and loyal East Coast following. Now that it has been signed to a label, the band has made another leap of faith by moving into a basement in the Northeast and has committed to non-stop touring. This type of dedication to musical craft is mirrored in the tight, aggressive melodies that make up this disc. With heart, vision, and a handful of love songs, In Passing is well on its way to becoming an indie legend.
-DUG

INSISION
REVEALED AND WORSHIPPED
WICKED WORLD
Insision is a Swedish death metal band that is attempting to steer the scene away from the melodic and instead focuses on the depraved end of the spectrum. On the quintet's latest release, elements of Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, and Suffocation can be heard strewn about the carnage of such tracks as "We Did Not Come to Heal". Battering your head with intense riffs like the Slayer-esque "The Unrest", guttural vocals, and well-placed blast-beated madness, Insision is on a righteous mission, avowed to bring the brutality back to a scene that is becoming complacent. Strictly for the savages in all of us, REVEALED AND WORSHIPPED is a welcome comeback of sick, sadistic death metal. www.earache.com
-Mike SOS

JAPANISCHE KAMPFHORSPIELE
FERTIGMENSCH
BASTARDIZED
What we have here is some seriously visceral grindcore/metal. The five guys of Japanische Kampfhorspiele masterfully switch up tempos and styles (there's an electronic track?!), making FERTIGMENSCH highly unpredictable?and, if you're into EXTREMES, a joy to listen to. And with vocals3?4sometimes screamed, sometimes demonically growled, sometimes both layered atop each other (as on the furious "Verbrennt euer Geld")3?4so wonderfully rough and abrasive as to render them indecipherable (they might as well be in German...which, by chance, they are!), this is a must. Absolutely pulverizing, psychotic, and ferocious. For a real lesson in how it's done, check out the impossibly good "Fertigmensch", which showcases excellent guitar artistry and mind-blowing drum work. I know it's a challenge, but just try and keep your sanity. If you do manage to walk away from this (relatively) unscathed, prepare for the next chapter of obliteration when JaKa return with HARDCORE AUS DER ERSTEN WELT.
-Janelle Jones

JKPBOMBS
FIVE SONG SAMPLER
ELEMBIEM RECORDS
These five tracks offer trebly, snotty punk rock that fails to be assertive and catchy enough get the label "old school" in a way that would be lauding. Of course, the group is reaching back to a root-punk sound, but nothing really comes together on this debut prelude to the group's album (due out on Elembiem Records). However, there is enough promise here in the Clash-like rhythms of "3813" and "Playing the Villain" for us to adopt a hopeful, wait-and-see attitude.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

JOEY CAPE & TONY SLY
ACOUSTIC
FAT WRECK CHORDS
When it comes to No Use and Lagwagon, I've always been a bigger fan of No Use's music, so hearing such classics as "International You Day", "Not Your Savior", and "Justified Black Eye" unplugged was a shock to the system at first. After the initial shock, Tony Sly's renditions of five No Use tracks are perfect. The new acoustic arrangements add a new dimension to how powerful these songs actually are. Plus, ACOUSTIC showcases Tony's vocals at their best. The other tracks on this album belong to Joey Cape. Where Tony's renditions were a bit more raw and mellow, Joey's new arrangements of past Lagwagon songs have higher production values and are backed by various wind instruments. "Violins" is the best of the bunch for Joey's contributions. While I like what Joey did with his part of the split, I think the added orchestration may have been a bit excessive. Regardless, Tony Sly and Joey Cape succeed in rearranging past favorites from each of their bands and making them new again. While Tony offers up a stripped-down rendition of each track, Joey steps into Bad Astronaut territory with his songs. There are also two new tracks on the album, one from each performer. This is a must-have for fans of No Use for a Name and Lagwagon, or for someone who likes acoustic music.
-Dane Jackson

JOY ELECTRIC
HELLO MANNEQUIN
TOOTH AND NAIL RECORDS
I haven't been exposed to Joy Electric before, but there wasn't much to learn. Ronnie Martin is the sole member. He only uses synthesizers. Sounds simple, no? Come to think of it, simple like a mannequin?and yet, his ingenuity clearly shines through. His intricate melodies and the erratic beeps seem to function as the limbs featured in the album art in order to craft a perfect song. Martin addresses various emotions to a mannequin in a stoic manner during the first track, "Hello, Mannequin". In the rest of the nine tracks, he continues his theme of seeking friends, professes his distaste for disloyal friends, and laments the forgotten works of inventors and musicians. Rest assured, HELLO MANNEQUIN is not a work to be forgotten.
-Mabel Lam

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
FADE TO BLACK
MALT SODA RECORDINGS
While I was only a year old when this band started, I can appreciate their music now that I'm a bit older. It seems like a lot of great bands got together and had short careers in the early '80s. After listening to the band's only CD, FADE TO BLACK, I can add Junior Achievement to the list of older bands that shouldn't be forgotten. The music is along the same vein as JFA, Circle Jerks, and Death Piggy. Also, Malt Soda did a great job at remastering it and making it more accessible than the original, two-track recording. Besides the 10 tracks that make up FADE TO BLACK, people who buy this version of the album will be treated to seven live tracks at the end of the disc. While these tracks aren't as clear as they could be, they do a great job at capturing the band's intensity live. A must-have for punk-rock historians or for people who like to hear bands that inspired some of the bands of today.
-Dane Jackson

JUST ABOUT TO BURN
JUST ABOUT TO BURN
ART MONKEY RECORDS
This charmingly folksy Southern breeze of a record from incog Big Apple strummers Just About to Burn is so captivatingly peaceful that I unconsciously began building a campfire in my bedroom with Kleenex and bedsheets, not realizing my error until I was half through strumming "Blowin' in the Wind" on my $200 acoustic guitar. These 10 tracks are unremittingly peaceful. They're kind of like Cannibal Corpse, except without all of those distorted and chugging guitars and thunderous drum blasts or any of that hootin' and hollerin' about maggots and vaginal mutilation. The boys and girl of Just About to Burn know that that shit is gross. They're not going out like that. The can-kickin' "Girl from Mexico" is already receiving airplay in Belgium and Slovenia (no, seriously), and the record's upbeat closing moment is a boot-stompin' good ol' time. Yee haw.
-Dave Kargol

KERVIN
I THINK I SEE EVIL
SELF-RELEASED
Kervin could be the heir apparent to the gaping hole left behind by the demise of Rage Against the Machine. The band was formed around brothers Apurva (guitar) and Anupum (vocals) Mehrotra. All four members of Kervin are playing at a sky-high standard. Anupum is the star of Kervin. His attack on the mic is as deadly as Zack ever wanted it. The energy that Kervin creates musically draws you in, but it is what Anupum is saying and how he's saying it that makes you settle in prepared to study Kervin's every move. I THINK I SEE EVIL hasn't left my main room stereo in two weeks. Fantastic raw human expression. Malcolm-rock extraordinaire.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

KILL CREEK
THE WILL TO STRIKE
SECOND NATURE RECORDINGS
After 17 years of recording, touring, going from an indie staple to a major label and back again, Kansas melodic rockers Kill Creek are ready to get back on the musical horse that threw them. With the first new material since 2000's COLORS OF HOME album, the band has released an immense 50-song compilation of much of its early material, unreleased singles, and new tunes. The double-CD contains nearly 160 minutes of music, a recording feat in and of itself. The album was produced by Ed Rose and Trent Bell, well known for their work with The Get Up Kids and The Flaming Lips. Kill Creek has an indie sound that relies on powerful guitar lines, hard-rocking choruses, and a relentless upbeat tempo. This is one of the most ambitious releases since The Clash cut loose with SANDINISTA. With cajones like that, the future is definitely upbeat for Kill Creek.
-DUG

KILL VERONA
TRAUMA
LIVEWIRE RECORDS
Big props to the guys that actually took this talent seriously. The musicians making up Kill Verona have reminded me why reviewing new post emotional hardcore music is worth while. You see, occasionally you?ll find a group like them who actually have something to offer to the music scene as a whole. Our lead singer Wes belts out emotional lyrics over dueling guitars, powerful bass chords, and intense drum beats. This five track CD is an impressive display of all that Kill Verona has to offer. With traks like ?You?re Talking to My Guy All Wrong?, Kill Verona is ready to break through the music scene and rock crowds with their immense talent.
-Cancun Carley

KILLING THE DREAM
S/T
RIVAL RECORDS
This is exactly the way hardcore was meant to be played. Free from the boundaries that confine most bands of this "old-school" sound, Killing the Dream show that intensity and passion can be present in a recording. This contains both their newest recordings and their previously hard-to-find demo all wrapped up in one convenient package. In the vein of their contemporaries (Comeback Kid, Stay Gold, Count Me Out, etc.), you can expect an all-out assault from all angles fusing melody, quality musicianship, and a dose of fun. This takes no formal education to understand. Seek and destroy.
-Ray Harkins

LANDING
SPHERE
K RECORDS
Landing produce an intricate psychedelic sound that emanates a weightless and airy feel. The album is all very mellow and very earthy, and it could be played for meditation purposes due to its tranquility. The songs are predominantly instrumental, with a few soft whispers for vocals adding to their mellow musical theme. The music contains multiple layers of instruments and techniques to achieve their synthetic dose of serenity. Landing originates from Utah. Interestingly, two band members are a married Mormon couple.
-Jennifer Moncayo

LAST DAYS OF APRIL
IF YOU LOSE IT
BAD TASTE RECORDS
Stockholm's jangley guitar superheroes Last Days of April have come up with a stunning release for their fourth full-length on Bad Taste Records. BTR has a knack for finding incredibly talented European bands that write catchy tunes and have English as a second language. This album showcases Last Days of April's maturation as a band and definite confidence in the sound it has perfected. After playing the CD once for my wife, the disc kept disappearing into the netherworld of her vehicle. She's always been a fan of indie-nerd rock, and this is some of the best on the market. It's a shout-out for every skinny, sensitive guy with wispy long hair and piercing, understanding eyes. Don't worry about those tattooed muscleheads kicking sand in your hair: LDOA has proven that the nerds usually get the smart girls and put out the most muscular music.
-DUG

LEFT ALONE
LONELY STARTS & BROKEN HEARTS
SMELVIS RECORDS
Hey, kids, let's dress up like old-school British punk rockers and play pop-punk music! No, we're not talking about the latest Christian punk band, but about Wilmington, CA's very own Left Alone. I can't believe there's a market for this type of junk. These guys are so hardcore punk rock. Read some of the band's old-school lyrics: "I was waiting there for you / All the times when I realized all the things she put me through." Someone needs to give the cool guys a reality check that it's not hip to dress like Sid Vicious and sing like Blink 182.
-ADF

LEFT ALONE / VOODOO GLOW SKULLS
LEFT ALONE / VOODOO GLOW SKULLS
SMELVIS RECORDS
This is the second compilation disc with both Left Alone and Voodoo Glow Skulls released on Smelvis Records. Capturing a total of four tracks to give listeners a taste of what each band is made of. This self titled comp offers two tracks from each band which in my opinion is never enough, especially if the Skulls are involved. As if these two bands could disappoint! Included are such unstoppable tracks as Left Alone?s ?Dead Red Roses? and the timeless ?Cielito Lindo? mastered by the Voodoo Glow Skulls. LEFT ALONE / VOODOO GLOW SKULLS made me proud not only to be a Hispanic Californian but also a punk rock fan once again. Simply put, this is a damn good CD, a little short, but damn good.
-Cancun Carley

LEMONENEMY
S/T
VAPID FOAM RECORDS
Yet another band to add to the long list of slick sounding mid-tempo emo-rock ala COLOR AND THE SHAPE Foo Fighters, CLARITY era Jimmy Eat World, and Sunny Day Real Estate's DIARY. The production sounds flawless, the singers raspy croon hints at some profound, emotional statement but by the end of the record's 11 tracks I can't shake the feeling that more than half these songs have already been produced. (With much more effectiveness, might I add) It's one thing to not achieve originality with your music, but it's a whole other can of worms when you don't even bother to try.
-Matthew Siblo

LEVIATHAN
TENTACLES OF WHORROR
MORIBUND CULT
Leviathan's sophomore effort is brazen with the kind of attitude and visions that scream for the apocalypse and are meant to make Joe Q. Public uneasy. Demolishing all in its path with an unleashed fury of death and black metal, TENTACLES OF WHORROR sounds like the melding of Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Emperor, and Bathory rolled into a nihilistic sounsdcape brimming with contempt and scorn. Containing 12 tracks chock full of hate, Leviathan hasn't rewritten the rules as much as they've reminded us of the chaos which black and death metal should emit. www.moribundcult.com
-Mike SOS

LORDS
THE HOUSE THAT LORDS BUILT
INITIAL
Abrasive and disjointed, listening to Louisville, KY's Lords frenetic 10-track offering feels like being involved in a car accident; it all happens so fast, yet the damage is unmistakable. Loud guitars are paramount, as the six-string attack is particularly merciless on tracks like "Mouth to Mouth" and "Sermon on the Mount". Screaming its way into your subconscious, armed with a volatile array of guitar riffs and pounding drums, Lords have unleashed a monstrous display of hardcore punk that needs to be taken with caution. www.initialrecords.com
-Mike SOS

LOVE STORY IN BLOOD RED
SELF-TITLED
LOVE STORY IN BLOOD RED is kind of a lazy, sweltering night of rock. It gets almost unpredictable as to where vocalist/guitarist Jason Frederick will go with the music. The instrumentals are all there: guitars, drums, organs, high hat, and even bells. Frederick's voice is fun, with a slovenly, emo-esque tone. The entire album, however, moves in an interesting, softened, and dumbed-down zigzag. "Joey Bop" is like a whiskey-induced hangover, while "Roll Over" is rambunctious in its sandpapery guitar strums. Those are good examples of the style and why LOVE STORY IN BLOOD RED is pleasingly unpredictable.
-Darren Ratner

LUNASUIT
SUMMER SEASON
BOSSTUNAGE
Lunasuit's sound reminds me of a band that surfaces because of one of their songs is featured in a movie. Maybe when the clown trades in his heroin for a book on balloon animals or little Ricky takes his first slow-motion bike ride through the red-light district. You'll hear the song later and maybe still like it, but you'll always couple it with that movie scene, no matter how many times you hear it. I guess my Lunasuit movie scene would be me melting in front of a box fan, eating chicken wings from Effin's Pub, and playing video games in yesterday's underwear. Jo Walker's vocals are smooth and chalky, like red wine that someone told you is really expensive. The soothing and sometimes slightly jumpy music supplies a complement, kind of like how blue cheese complements a chicken wing.
-Thomas Murray

MAHI MAHI
ME NO WA
CORLEONE RECORDS
Comprised of two musically-wandering New Englanders, Mahi Mahi's minimalist dance music stutters and stammers along, as visions of dancing robot float through your head. As singer V. Von Ricci occasionally chimes clipped, abrupt choruses of nonsense or undecipherable phrasing, Sir VZO lays down electrically-fed, Ringo-precise beats. Simple despite its layers, Mahi Mahi manufactures an '80s feel with little effort. Despite moments of melody, the rhythm-focused bare-wires synth fits best as a soundtrack to a sci-fi concept.
-Rob Macy

MALEVOLENT CREATION
WARKULT
NUCLEAR BLAST
Another molten slab of hyperspeed death metal from Florida's Malevolent Creation, WARKULT is every bit as punishing as their last disc, the formidable THE WILL TO KILL. This band is on their second wind, after the early years as one of the harbingers of the Floridian death-metal scene, and they don't seem to be letting up anytime soon. WARKULT is a scathing indictment of war, the grinding "Shock and Awe" being perhaps the best example of their frustration with current world events. With the return of longtime drummer Dave Culross (who drums circles around their old skinbasher), Malevolent Creation certainly have a few good albums left to crush us with. For the time being, crank this up to maximum.
-Jason Schreurs

MARATHON
SONGS TO TURN THE TIDE
RED LEADER RECORDS
Marathon is kind of boring. They're from Rochester, NY, and play stereotypical hardcore music. This is a five-song EP, but, honestly, I can't say I'm giving it a fair review, because I found it so dull that I couldn't make it through all five songs without dozing off. I tried to prop my eyelids open and everything, but it was no use. Let's just hope they turn the tide away from me!
-chad

MELEE
EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR
SUB-CITY RECORDINGS
Where many bands are at odds with their pop sensibilities, hiding them like an embarrassing bad habit, Melee embrace theirs and use them to their advantage. As can be expected, EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR has moments where the perky indie pop turns to utter cheese. The second song, "New Day", sounds like a song on a commercial for herpes medication or a drug-rehab facility in the middle of a field with flowers and smiling people?pseudo-uplifting and VERY sappy. But those moments are few and far between. Chris Cron's warm croon is a welcome change from the usual piercing emo whine that plagues so many other bands. Although the songs can be formulaic, they are polished, dense without being overly-textured, and pretty catchy. EVERYDAY BEHAVIOR should serve as an example of what similar bands should strive for?Melee proving that being poppy and being lame are not mutually exclusive.
-Casey Clague

MERCURY LEGION
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
CINQUE ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
Can anyone say "midlife crisis"? If you can imagine your dad and his redneck friends getting together and playing rock music, you can imagine Mercury Legion. I almost feel embarrassed for them from just listening to this! It's just bland, boring rock music with, like, hillbilly humor for lyrics. In a way it reminds me of Fox News put to terrible music...but on another level, it's so stupid that it's great! It's definitely worth a listen, at least for a good laugh.
-chad

MISERY SIGNALS
OF MALICE AND THE MAGNUM HEART
FERRET
Overcoming adversity is a common theme found in most metal, but it's never hit as close to the bone as it has for the members of Misery Signals. Enduring a fatal van accident, which claimed the lives of two of the vocalist?s ex-band Compromise, would be enough for most people to turn tail and run. Instead, the resilient singer joined forces with members of the wavering outfit 7 Angels and 7 Plagues and created this metallic juggernaut. The result is an impassioned 12-track endeavor that merges the savagery of underground metal with the aesthetics of the heavier side of the screamo movement. Such moments of brutal grace can be found on the dynamic and poignant track about the tragedy, "The Year Summer Ended in June". Armed with the best of intentions and the power of healing fully in tow, along with metal producer extraordinaire Devin Townsend at the helm, a new beginning from the unfortunate endings looks and sounds to be something to rejoice over for metal fans and the band alike. Misery Signals exquisitely display the wide range of emotions that coincide with its experiences, and have made an album that will grab you by both the throat and the heart at the same time. www.ferretstyle.com
-Mike SOS

MOCK ORANGE
MIND IS NOT BRAIN
SILVERTHREE SOUND RECORDINGS
Everyone loves that feeling when they first discover a band primarily on their own rather than being dictated to about what is good and not good. Mock Orange can easily be that example in my life, as I simply bought their first disc because I found it for cheap in the used bin. Then I was opened up to a world of Jimmy Eat World-like harmonies coupled with intricate guitar work (similar to Fugazi and No Knife). Then, to my knowledge, they dropped off of the face of the earth...until now, and they've resurfaced with a new record, sound, and label. Distinctively different than their previous work, Mock Orange opts for a more Built to Spill approach in their song-crafting. While some may consider this a creative step in the proper direction, I feel like they could have honed their focus in the direction they were heading with previous work. Not bad for a change of pace, but they miss the mark here.
-Ray Harkins

MOTORHEAD
INFERNO
SANCTUARY
The legendary and unstoppable Motorhead have just released a new set of gut-wrenching and absolutely fantastic metal in the same fashion that fans have grown to love over about two decades. I kid you not when I say that every track is killer?and even a few (such as "Life's a Bitch") take on an interesting rock 'n' roll approach, revealing a new side of songwriting for Lemmy. Not one single Motorhead nut will be disappointed with this new album, and I encourage new fans to pick this one up as a great starting point for your soon-to-be-formed Motorhead discography. Pick up INFERNO today.
-Zac

MOTORHEAD
INFERNO
METAL-IS
Will Lemmy ever stop? The mighty machine known as Motorhead return with yet another indication of what a rock 'n' roll band should be. Loud, straightforward, and as punishing as ever, INFERNO clocks in at nearly 50 minutes and goes 12 tracks deep, further fulfilling the legacy of the English power trio and its ascension to the pinnacle of the rock world. The outfit's stalwart slash and burn style is still very much alive and kicking; just check out the barn burning opener "Terminal Show", an explosive ass-kicker that boasts the lead guitar shred work of special guest Steve Vai. But at the end of the day, it's Lemmy, Phil, and Mikkey that unleash the firepower and comprise the all-important metallic punk institution that has been a staple in the metalhead's rotation for over 25 years, churning out righteous tunes like the stomping "Suicide" and the jack hammering "Fight". Not showing any signs of slowing down, INFERNO is another successful chapter in the fine history of one of the most revered hard rock bands of all-time. www.motorheadrules.com
-Mike SOS

MOURNINGSTAR
DISTRATO
FALCOM
Really, the best thing a band can do in this glut of an underground music scene right now is try to forge a sound somewhat akin to their own. The problem is that with so many bands copping the styles of all the more-popular groups, what we've ended up with is an assembly-line music scene where everything looks and sounds the same. That's where bands like Mourningstar come in. Not especially mind-blowing but refreshingly original-sounding, I'd be hard-pressed to compare this band to any others out there (remember, that's a good thing). Decidedly positive and (for the most part) impressively rockin', this five-piece would appeal to those who enjoy hardcore, punk, emo, and even nu-metal. Most of all, it's for music fans fed up with all those cookie-cutter bands.
-Jason Schreurs

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
THREE CHEERS FOR SWEET REVENGE
REPRISE RECORDS
The major-label debut from New Jersey's indie/metal-core masters My Chemical Romance is at once an insanely great CD and some kind of dark and bloody horror movie. I half-expected to find a DVD in this jewel case, as the album cover and inner sleeve are done up to look like a low-budget drive-in slasher film. The tagline "The story of a man, a woman, and the corpses of a thousand evil men?" is the theme and scope of this disc. Producer Howard Benson (who has worked with P.O.D., Hoobastank, Sepultra, and Motorhead) got the most out of the band on this fast-paced disc. The fascinating track "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" is reminiscent of Queen at its creative best. This is a knock-out album from a knock-out group.
-DUG

MY REVENGE!
LESS PLOT, MORE BLOOD
THORP
When a band uses an exclamation point in its band's name, you'd tend to expect certain aspects. Such is the case with Vermont's My Revenge!, a quintet whose choice is well accounted for. Encompassing everything from today's hardcore heavies like Terror to old school skate rock like Suicidal Tendencies to the DIY punk days of Minor Threat and Black Flag, the band's allegiance to real deal hardcore is apparent. Exhibiting the raw passion of punk without metallic overtones, My Revenge! and its 13-track assault is as close to a throwback band as you get, something that truly deserves unique punctuation. www.thorprecords.com
-Mike SOS

NICO STAI
EP
SELF-RELEASED
With a scruffy beard, some scraggly hair, and a self-released six-song CD full of pleasant acoustic folk songs, Nico Stai has emerged on the L.A. music scene. His hand-penned note that accompanied the EP announces upcoming gigs at The Hotel Caf? and Molly Malone's, but the haunting melodies on the disc put Stai in a class with the likes of Val Emmerich and Matt Costa. Stai has a real skill penning the wistful tunes that echo through a listener's subconscious. There's nothing loud here, nothing fast, but something that resonates and endures. The one real criticism I have of this disc is that it really has seven songs, not six, and the track list doesn't match what is on the disc?but hey, nobody ever said Nico was a producer.
-DUG

NIYA
HEAD HELD HIGH
CANDLELIGHT
An incessant metal assault is what Polish pummelers Niya deliver on its debut 12-track release. These days, brutal is a term that gets tossed around like a frisbee, yet it definitely applies to the wreckage that this quintet leaves in its wake. Sounding a bit on the grindcore side of the fence, with a slew of death metal riffs and rapid-fire drums invading your eardrums, Niya condenses the aural assault of Meshuggah down to about two and a half minutes per song, without sacrificing an ounce of aggression. For an industrial strength kick in the ass, Niya will definitely suit the purpose. www.niya-team.com
-Mike SOS

ONLY CRIME
TO THE NINES
FAT WRECK CHORDS
When the opening track of TO THE NINES starts playing, I almost immediately feel like I'm listening to a Black Flag song. Only Crime doesn't just pigeonhole itself as a Black Flag copy band. The second track, "Sedated", sounds like a mellower Good Riddance song. Similarities to The Descendents will also surface, but that's to be expected, since Only Crime's backbone was Black Flag and is The Descendents. Also, the nod to Good Riddance is expected because of Russ Rankin's involvement. Besides the involvement of members of GWAR, Converge, Hagfish, Black Flag, Bane, and Good Riddance, Only Crime does an excellent job of differentiating itself from the bands the members have been involved with. What you get with TO THE NINES is a straightforward hard-edged punk album with a nod to hardcore punk bands of yesteryear, but with more emphasis on structure and melody. TO THE NINES is highly recommended.
-Dane Jackson

ONLY IN DREAMS
UNDER THIS BURNING SKY
POP SMEAR RECORDS
If hearing "Only in Dreams" makes you think of Weezer, just get that out of your head. Even hailing from a "pop" record label, UNDER THIS BURNING SKY is anything but. Only in Dreams used to be named Out of Reach, and that seems like a much more appropriate title, much more in the lame hardcore name vein and more suggestive of their sound. Only in Dreams try valiantly to break out of the boring hardcore abyss. They manage to put more of a focus on clarity and variety than is typical of hardcore. It's a nice effort, but not quite enough of the punk edge that briefly shines through to make the album really appealing.
-Erika Owens

OZOMATLI
STREET SIGNS
CONCORD RECORDS
So I don't really listen to Mediterranean funk. I'll just kind of go ahead and toss that right out there. But, hey, I'll review this spicy helping of fiery Latin groove, no problem. Based on the music and photography contained here, one can reasonably come to three solid conclusions. First, judging by the spiffy photo on the album's back cover, the greater Los Angeles area is suffering a widespread loss of street signs (these guys aren't fucking around about the record title). Secondly, this multiracial sextet won't smile for anything?probably not even a puppet. Thirdly, and most importantly, Ozomatli can shell out entrancing salsa-goes-hip-hop jams with the regularity of a Tostitos commercial. The album-opening "Believe" is a bouncy cross between Incubus and the entire country of Lebanon, and "Dejame En Paz" sounds like a Spanish bar mitzvah...if there is such a thing.
-Dave Kargol

PAIN IS HONEST COMPILATION
FUTURE DESTINATION RECORDS
This eclectic compilation features new and unreleased tracks from The Apprentice (sensitive acoustic-guitar fare), The Redemption Song (anthemic hardcore), and Jeremiah's Grotto (emo/indie rock). The disc also features tracks from Natural Agreement, Farewell to Fashion, Fraunfeld, The Audible Camp, Fairweather Fan, Blessed Be a Broken Heart, Foreknown, and Thunderball First. In all, this compilation just feels to mish-mashed. See fdrecords.com.
-Jude Ruiz

PAULSON
VARIATIONS
INITIAL RECORDS
The third release from this New Jersey prog quintet is blast of creative indulgence that clears the cobwebs of musical stereotypes. With a style that mixes hard rocking, screamo intensity, and slow, ethereal choral work, the band has put its bleeding heart into all 10 tracks for their initial release on Initial Records. The most striking track on the new disc (and one of the reasons the band was the subject of a bidding war between several labels) is the rearranged version of the classic "My Funny Valentine". After a few listens, the cover tune seems unnecessary, due to the band's own terrific songwriting. Tempo changes abound on this disc, as some very creative synthesizer lines weave through the raging guitars. This is a great album from a very promising young group. Find out more about these spacey punks at .
-DUG

PILLOW FIGHT
TOMORROW I'M BRINGING A GUN TO SCHOOL
LEATHER
Pillow Fight, a female fronted punk rock band that hails from Los Angeles, look and sound the part of raucous punkers. On the band's 10-track release, there's a whole lot of catchy choruses, fist-pumping rhythms, and the type of swagger on tracks like "Vegas" and "Rewind" that made Joan Jett an icon and The Distillers a hot property. Containing no fat and packing all of the power in under three-minute spurts of music, Pillow Fight's attitude and overall presentation cuts out the cutesy crap and gives punk rock the welcomed kick in the ass it has been yearning for. www.pillowfightpunks.com
-Mike SOS

PLEASE MR GRAVEDIGGER
HERE'S TO THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
PLUTO RECORDS
The hardcore scene of recent times has been, for the most part, jaded by the influx of bands who sound the same. It's tough to be creative in a scene where everyone listens to the exact same bands. Following the trend set by bands such as The Locust and The Blood Brothers, Please Mr Gravedigger has attempted to create a more spastic and heavily rock-influenced style of metal hardcore. This record reminds me a great deal of a band on Equal Vision called Suicide File. The electronic organ, rock beats, and whiny screaming blend well to create a very unique foundation.
-ADF

POOR BOY: SONGS OF NICK DRAKE
SONGLINES RECORDS
If you're not already familiar with the haunting melodies of British folkster Nick Drake, then I am deeply envious, because you get to hear such greatness for the first time. If you are familiar with Nick Drake's music, I'm not entirely sure you'd want to hear this. It's not that this compilation is bad, it's just not Nick Drake. Comprised of (mostly) Vancouver and Seattle jazz improvisers, experimentalists, and singer-songwriters I can envision hearing this in some hip caf?, but not really elsewhere. It is, after all, so hard to do justice to someone's music when it's already perfect. For more info see songlines.com.
-Jude Ruiz

PROJECT 86
SONGS TO BURN BRIDGES BY
TOOTH AND NAIL
Returning back to its previous label Tooth and Nail like the prodigal son, Orange County God-rockers Project 86 have re-released SONGS TO BURN BRIDGES BY with stunning artwork and three new tracks, breathing new life into the record. Sounding like a cross between POD, Papa Roach, and Boysetsfire, this foursome play the kind of straight-laced hard rock whose purposeful yet frustrated screams and thunderous riffs seem to have a more reflective aura than most other bands lack. Even though the outfit has eight years under its belt and is revered as a Christian rock group, there's a whole lot of commercial rock creeping inside cuts like the sinewy groove of "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy...", no doubt coming soon to a PS2 game soundtrack or beer commercial near you. Project 86 has the arena rock stomp down pact; now all they need is the masses to embrace its play it safe strategy. www.toothandnail.com
-Mike SOS

RAW POWER
THE HIT LIST
SUDDEN DEATH
Spanning two decades, the Italian hardcore troupe Raw Power's visceral approach to the hardcore genre hasn't waned a bit since its inception way back in 1981. In fact, as the band's career reaches the 25-year mark, the band remains as relevant as ever, thanks to the undeterred spirit of founding members and brothers Mauro and Guiseppie Codeluppi. This latest collection spans the underground outfit's massive contribution to the hardcore movement, as songs from all of Raw Power's six releases are featured on THE HIT LIST, standing at a staggering 32 tracks chock full of old school hardcore aggression. If you are a fan of intense, straightforward hardcore a la Sick of It All, Agnostic Front, and DRI, then this all-encompassing Raw Power compilation is a must have item. www.suddendeathrecords.com
-Mike SOS

REBUILTHANGARTHEORY
WITH HURRICANE BLOWS
PLAYS-RITE RECORDS
The debut full-length release from this Rhode Island quintet is a jumble of second thoughts, old songs, and missed opportunities. With no bio sheet from the band and a label Website that offers the disc for sale but no info on the band or the CD, it will be a long uphill climb for any album sales. The climb will be all the longer, since five tracks were recorded in 1995, four in '96, two in '97, two in '98, and one in '01. I would consider this a greatest-hits album if there were any hits on it. As it is, the album is a collection of loose indie rock that fails to excite or inspire. I did notice that there were two female guitarists in the band, and there is a dearth of female guitarists in the music world today. The band should put the women up front, write some songs in the new millennium, and come up with something coherent. For God's sake, they ought to be able to finish an album in less than seven years!
-DUG

RESCUE
FLAMINGO MINUTES
SLOWDANCE
Intricate, creative song structures carry the weight of FLAMINGO MINUTES, Rescue's third release. The vocal crooning and instrumental breaks throughout the album are reminiscent of Mars Volta. In fact, the band as a whole can be compared to the movement that brought out At the Drive-In and the bands that formed after their break (e.g., Sparta). The androgynous vocals are powerful and emotional, as they drive the moodiness along. However, at times the delivery appears off and hurried in a way that throws off the listener. This album is worth a listen to the post-hardcore fans of intricacies. For more info, visit .
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

REVELATION THEORY
REVELATION THEORY
IDOL ROC
Revelation Theory is the kind of rock band whose sound dominates the modern rock airwaves. With a guitar wallop that sounds like a cross between Creed and Godsmack, and the kind of stick-in-your-head choruses that Nickelback are notorious for, this six-track retread is ready for mall record store shelves and beer commercials galore. Slickly produced and arranged, Revelation Theory have that bland rock flavor that major labels clamor for, mixing in deep bass grooves, explosive guitars, and non-descript vocals that sound just like 90% of the bands currently wasting precious airtime. If you dig Puddle of Mudd, Three Days Grace, and the rest of the MTV rock pack, then Revelation Theory is your kind of band. www.revelationtheory.com
-Mike SOS

RYAN'S HOPE
THE TRIALS OF RECESSION
DOUBLE ZERO
Aw, Jesus, no! Look, I've got nothing against this band or any of the countless others who sound like them, but this "pop-punk band goes screamo goes heavy metal" trend has to stop. Take those ingredients out of the blender and put 'em back where they came from?or better yet, throw the whole mess in the trash. Enough genre-mixing and splicing already! Pop-punk is good, yes; pop-punk with pained vocals and metal riffing is not good at all. In fact, it's fucking horrible. THE TRIALS OF RECESSION might have been a decent positive hardcore record in the vein of Rise Against or Good Riddance; instead, the band insists on showing us how they've memorized their Iron Maiden records?and that's just so wrong on so many different levels. I personally call for a boycott on everything-but-the-kitchen sink-core, starting now.
-Jason Schreurs

SAFETY IN NUMBERS
IN THE KEY OF D
TRIPLE CROWN
Hot Rod Circuit main man Andy Jackson and his side project Safety in Numbers have released its sophomore effort, a 10-track offering that sounds a lot more dangerous than anything put out by HRC. IN THE KEY OF D takes a page out of the Boxcar Racer/ Blink 182 playbook by exploring a darker, heavier side without sacrificing those big punk hooks that stick in your head for days on end. Tracks like "Cause and Effect" have a cutting guitar tone that Page Hamilton might be proud of, while other tracks like "Temporary Lapse" delves into the gritty underbelly of post-hardcore much like the melding of Avail and Quicksand. Retaining melody while putting a death grip on the jugular, this release is a good indication that Safety in Numbers are on the verge of carving a solid niche for itself. www.triplecrownrecords.com
-Mike SOS

SCAVENGER
MADNESS TO OUR METHOD
SENTINEL
When I think of Ireland, I don't think of metal, so I was a bit wary of Scavenge at first. After the opening riff of "On the Outside", I stopped worrying. In essence, Scavenger is a heavy metal act with a focus on melody and power chords. Once the vocals kick in, you'll be reminded of what made metal and hair bands great. This is a very enjoyable metal album for fans of bands like Judas Priest, Metallica, and Iron Maiden.
-Dane Jackson

SEE SPOT
WHO GOT IT? (1996-2003)
JUMPUP! RECORDS
WHO GOT IT? may just be the best ska CD I've heard this year. The brains behind See Spot are also involved with The Aggrolites and After Hours, so you know this album will be good. It's taken awhile for the band to follow up their 1996 album IS THERE ANY LOVE IN YOUR SKA, and after listening to this album, the phrase "better late than never" surely fits. On the album, you get 10 traditional ska and reggae tracks, with dashes of Latin boogaloo and rocksteady thrown in for good measure. Then, the final five tracks capture the band's energy live. This is a must have for those of us who enjoy authentic-sounding ska music from bands like Hepcat, The Slackers, The Coldspot 8, and The Toasters.
-Dane Jackson

SENIOR DISCOUNT
WHO THE HELL IS JACK DADY?
SELF-RELEASED
Second-rate blink-182-type pop-punk, replete with the requisite oh-so-silly song titles like "Cum Song", upbeat tempos, Mark Hoppus-like vocals (see "Wendy's" for a sampling), and feel-good melodies. (Because this happy, light-hearted tone makes up most of the record, how out of place3?4and unthreatening3?4are the chants of "I swear I'll kill you / I swear I'll fuckin' kill you" on "Ataxia", the band's foray into, uh, "hardcore"?) Yeah, pretty derivative. But hey, if you're into "funny," catchy punk, have a ball. If not, pass on this forgettable 13-minute disc. As an addendum, the guys also sent a trailer for their forthcoming self-produced movie, which, by the look of it, is a document of the band and their friends' crazy antics and footage of them performing live. www.seniordiscountmusic.com
-Janelle Jones

SEPTEMBER IS FALLING
S/T
BAD SAMARITAN RECORDS
Bland, metalcore histrionics replete with woe-is-me singing and song titles like "I Drink Your Tears". September Is Falling claim to be a politically-minded/-relevant band, but it's hard to imagine lines like "Is it worth a thing / When at night I can't stop falling deeper / Sometimes you bleed / When at night I can't stop crying" inciting any direct action or boycotts. A "powerful?presence?one of the most noteworthy emergent forces in the North American punk music scene"? The only thing powerful about it is its ability to force a 22-year-old writer into a nostalgia trip typical of someone twice or three times his age, saying things like "Back in MY day, music meant something! The lyrics were about ISSUES?or at least poetic and insightful. None of this 'I drink your tears' bullshit. No sir."
-Casey Clague

SHAPED BY FATE/JOHNNY MENTAL
SPLIT EP
MIGHTY ATOM / MISADVENTURE
Bloody hell! No sooner have I pressed "play" than Shaped by Fate erupt into life and almost give me a heart attack with their chaotic metal-core shrieking. Crashing and tumbling like a dozen anvils falling down an "up" escalator, SBF blowtorch their way through some ferocious, white-hot metal and unsettling instrumentation. Cardiff's Johnny Mental take over like their screamier, more groovesome tag-team partner. Obviously influenced by the likes of Will Haven and Biohazard, these guys also add their own flammable fuel to the fire, letting rip with an explosive, lethal counterattack that unleashes sharp riffs bursting with pit-stomping muscle. Only the cringe-worthy vocal melodies in "5 0 Clock Shadow" are letting the side the down, but hey, we'll forgive them due to their having such a superb name!
-Matthew Hocking

SIX REASONS TO KILL/ABSIDIA
MORPHOLOGY OF FEAR
BASTARDIZED RECORDINGS
It's probably a good bet to say that Germany is home to some of the best metal bands in the world?and Six Reasons to Kill and Absidia fit that bill. This split starts off with the pounding of Six Reasons to Kill's "War", which is hard to understand lyrically but is an absolute sonic assault with throaty yells and vocals. The band's intensity is kept up during the rest of their tracks on the split. Regarding Six Reasons to Kill, "Down in Frustration" is its strongest showing on the split. Absidia, on the other hand, offers a more robust and classic touch to metal. Its first track on the split is entirely instrumental. While intensity is still present in Absidia's music, it's nice to see that the band does focus on arrangements and experimentation.
-Dane Jackson

SK8 OR DIE
NOT IN MY SKATEPARK
HILL BILLY STEW
Being totally up-front about its style of music, the tunnel vision of SK8 or Die may be a bit lacking, but at least this trio plays with the kind of fervor that will make skaters try all of the rad moves they've always wanted. NOT IN MY SKATEPARK should come with a purchase of a skateboard, as more than half of the tracks on the disc have skate in the title and denounce such travesties as rollerblading. SK8 or Die is hard to take seriously, unless you've taken one too many falls on a half pipe, but if you're looking for some old fashioned lo-fi rock 'n' roll to thrash around to, look no more. www.hillbillystew.com
-Mike SOS

SLEEZUS FIST AND THE LATTER DAY SAINTS
SELF-TITLED
INDEPENDENT
I really enjoyed this record the first time...when the band was called Anti-Seen. I know the old-school punk rock scene isn't known for innovative music, but it'd be nice if bands at least tried to form a unique identity. This self-titled release sounds like every other old-school revival band you've ever heard. Straight punk drum beats, lousy singing, and pseudo political lyrics makes for one bad record.
-ADF

SNIP RUMMAGE
SNIP RUMMAGE
SELF-RELEASED CD
Riot grrrls rejoice! Queens, NY has a new band for you to worship. Snip Rummage is the name of the trio, and the musical stance which these children of Nirvana take lies somewhere in between the devil-may-care chaotic whiplash of Hole, the unbalanced frenzy of Babes in Toyland, and the luscious stank of L7 mixed as one volatile entity. Sloppy, gritty, disjointed, and sometimes hard to listen to, this two gals and a guy outfit are the perfect deterrent from today's sanitized saturation of punk, as tracks like the deliciously titled "Eerie Canal" and the noise-ridden angst of "Pet" are lovingly the most loose-fitting yet stalwart remembrances of Seattle circa 1989. detoxdoll20@aol.com
-Mike SOS

STALKING TOM
RUSTED RED
BEATON
Stalking Tom is a four-piece band composed of talented young artists who put together interesting displays of indie rock's darker side. The rhythm of every song is hard-hitting and driven by rich bass lines. RUSTED RED is a five-track EP demonstrating the band's admirable goal of writing songs that stray away from the typical indie sounds we are all so accustomed to. For listeners looking for music with just a slight edge to it, you may have found yourself something great.
-Zac

STRAY BULLETS
...THE SLINGS AND ARROWS OF OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE...
FORK IN HAND RECORDS
To put it bluntly, this is a great punk-rock record. That should be enough to entice you to buy it?but if not, here's some more. From the beginning of this album, Stray Bullets seem to have a slight AND OUT COME THE WOLVES-era Rancid feel. Lead singer Jon Cauztik even has a similar singing voice as Lars Frederikesen. Beneath the driving, punk guitar melodies, you'll hear the upbeat strokes of ska and reggae rhythms. While this is subtle, it's effective. Besides the great arrangements and production, the songs are also great. Each one seems to tell a different tale about life. Highlights of the album include "Whiskey in My Coffee", "P.C. 1", and "Thrift Store". If you like Operation Ivy, Rancid, and other bands of that nature, then Stray Bullets will fit well into your collection.
-Dane Jackson

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
GUITAR AND DRUM
KUNG FU RECORDS
I wasn't even aware Stiff Little Fingers were still together! But, apparently, they've never broken up. This album is pretty good. It isn't exceptionally great or anything, but it's alright. I'm familiar with early Stiff Little Fingers, and this doesn't really sound like them at all. They sound like they've evolved as a band, but they've evolved in a direction that isn't very flattering. It almost sounds as if they're consciously trying to fit into the current scene. They do, but I almost expect more from them being one of the original punk bands. Well, who am I to judge?!
-chad

SUNN 0)))
WHITE2
SOUTHERN LORD
Sunn 0))) continues to barrage the senses with its own cacophonic sounds and unintelligible noise rock. On the outfit's fifth release, those with short attention spans need not apply; this music is twisted, macabre, and borderline unlistenable, unless you're an ogre, a morphine addict, or severely mentally unstable. Explorative doesn't even scratch the surface when speaking about Sunn 0))). Unlike any music you've ever heard, this horrifying display of dramatic noise will make your delusions reality if you choose to play the whole three-track, 60-minute plus disc in its entirety. www.southernlord.com
-Mike SOS

SUPATHRIVE
LEFT OF CENTER
SELF-RELEASED
Supathrive is a three-piece rock band from Arizona with heavy Green Day and Red Hot Chili Peppers influences. The latter's influence is evident on songs like "Mental Anarchy" and the boring "Anxiety". The band also has a slight reggae and ska influence, so Supathrive is a bundle of different music styles that sometimes blend well, like on "Realize". This band needs to stick with punk, though, because their ska-influenced songs are generic and quickly revert back to punk, anyway. Also, Supathrive's destruction of a great Bob Marley song is almost unforgivable. These guys are decent, but they need to hone their influences a bit more before they can be taken seriously. The only band that has successfully blended the genres that Supathrive is influenced by is Sublime. After hearing Sublime, all others in the same domain pale in comparison. There are a few worthwhile tracks though such as "Realize", "Supathrive", and "Let Go". Other than that, the rest of the album is forgettable.
-Dane Jackson

SWEET COBRA
PRAISE
SEVENTH RULE RECORDINGS
The debut release from Chicago's blood-curdling metal core quintet Sweet Cobra is a thematic punch to the gut that causes a gooey red substance to leak from the ears with an all-star lineup that includes members from bands such as Suicide Note, The Hope Conspiracy, The Killing Tree, and The Suicide File. The sound is a hybrid from influences like Helmet and Black Flag, while the CD abounds with skeletons, serpents, angels, demons, and all the wholesome stuff associated with mad metal bands. This is the perfect music to listen to after a hard day at work when you just want to think about your boss and how he or she would look with a "Hatchet Wound" in their head or a "River of Crimson" running from their office, their house reduced to "Ruins". This is a great album, but you might need a shower or an aspirin afterwards.
-DUG

THANKSGIVING
NOTHING
MARRIAGE RECORDS
NOTHING, Thanksgiving's second effort, is much of what singer/songwriter Adrian Orange hopes to achieve with this album. That's not a jab, it's just the way the album is written. Thanksgiving has this huge hankering for a solemn, acoustic mood through the entire album. It's very close to a Bob Dylan feel. The lyrics are oftentimes wonderfully slipshod, to the point where it's clear this is how Orange shows his emotion?through random, senseless poetry. For emo and hippie kids alike, Thanksgiving has brought us an intriguing LP.
-Darren Ratner

THE ANKLES
THE ANKLES KILL THEMSELVES
MAGADEE RECORDS
Rattling through beefy riffs and analyzing this sucking life has become a tired among suicidal bands twirling on punk's back porch. Count New Jersey's The Ankles among them, but they spin at a dumber pace. Slightly under the thudding fuzz, Shaun Towey's voice teeters between the breathy Cobain-aping of Daniel Johns and individuality. And while their sound may bounce back and forth from quality to mediocre, they lack originality enough to carry even a single tune. Their melodies are a natural as a circus bear riding a unicycle. Maybe they should kill themselves making a more cohesive record.
-Rob Macy

THE ARSONS
BRIDGES DOWN
MAD AT THE WORLD
With the youthful exuberance so evident on BRIDGES DOWN, the second album by The Arsons, it's a real shocker to see the experienced line-up in this band. Between the four guys in this band, we've got alumni from Token Entry, Black Train Jack, Gorilla Biscuits, Warzone, and Grey Area. Granted, some of those were fill-in spots and secondary memberships, but still, that's some pretty impressive notches on the ol' hardcore bedpost (ew, images of Civ naked just popped into my head for some reason). The result is a slap across the face with a wrecking ball, as song after song on here blazes like there's no tomorrow. Nods to Black Flag, Minor Threat, and the New York bands that spawned them are pretty obvious, but the sound of a band emerging with a sound all their own is damn pleasing to these weathered ears.
-Jason Schreurs

THE BON MOTS
LE MAIN DRAG
MELLIFLUID
The Bon Mots are from Chicago and play jangly indie pop. Their music is similar in style to The Smiths or The Byrds. The songwriting on this album is really amazing. In a few aspects, this album reminds me of Radiohead's THE BENDS. It just sort of has that mopey feel to it that I really enjoy. but at the same time it makes you want to dance and have fun. I think people should check them out.
-chad

THE BRIGGS
LEAVING THE WAYS
SIDE ONE DUMMY RECORDS
The Briggs are great. They sound like Sham 69 or like working-class late-'70s London punk rock. This is only a six-song EP, but it blew my mind! It's so rocking. Every song is amazing. The Briggs have been touring with The Casualties and Tiger Army and have been on the Warped Tour. The Briggs are from Southern California. Buy this EP now! You will be happy, I promise!
-chad

THE C*NTS
EAT MY NUTS
DISTURBING RECORDS
This is one hilarious band. With song titles such as, "I was born in a crack house" and an album called EAT MY NUTS with the picture of a fake squirrel on it, The C*nts are nothing short of genius. The musical style itself is a basic mix of late-1970s punk mixed with early new wave. Not only would I buy this album myself, I'd also drive to Chicago and see the group live. The album strays all over the place, reminding me of what an album might sound like when you're writing music doped up.
-ADF

THE CINCH
SHAKE IF YOU GOT IT
STUTTER RECORDS/DIRTNAP RECORDS
The Cinch have got it. This is what rock 'n' roll is supposed to sound like. They remind me of like if The Runaways were from CBGB New York in the '70s. They just sound really cool, and they rock. The Cinch are from Vancouver, and this is their first full-length album. If you like rock 'n' roll you should buy this album and cherish it forever!
-chad

THE CHINESE STARS
A RARE SENSATION
THREE ONE G
The Chinese Stars are an indie rock band comparable to the style of The Faint and Postal Service. The vocals are rather annoying, due to their pitch and tone, which is dull, high-pitched, and drone on and on. You feel like you are listening to someone complain. The vocals are also practically spoken, and there is no real singing. The music is simple yet intricate, and at times they have a psychedelic eerie feel. The lyrics follow suit, ranging from scientific elements to plastic surgery and body parts. The Chinese Stars are comprised of former band members from Arab on Radar and Six Finger Satellite, so if you enjoy those bands, this album will probably satisfy.
-Jennifer Moncayo

THE CODE
RHETORIC OF REASON
JUMP START RECORDS
If anyone out there misses Catch 22 like I do, then you need to check out The Code. This is a great mix of old-school hardcore, punk rock, and ska. The band even covers the song "Unity" by Operation Ivy, kind of paying tribute to one of the band's biggest influences. Although The Code share similarities to Pittsburgh neighbor Anti-Flag, the band has definitely developed its own solid sound. If you're a fan of bands such as the Suicide Machines, Catch 22, and Operation Ivy, then The Code is for you.
-ADF

THE ED RANDOM BAND
BOXER
WOLVERINE RECORDS
Usually when a band has an upright bass as an instrument, they sound like one of three bands: The Living End, Tiger Army, or The Stray Cats. Fortunately, The Ed Random band isn't just another clone who uses the upright bass as a gimmick. Instead, the band has infused it within the mesh of their furious brand of rock music. Sure, obvious The Stray Cats influences can be heard during songs like "The Steps of Descent", but, in general, the upright bass is used to complement the rest of the band instead of steal all the attention. That allows you to truly enjoy the musical craftwork on this album. From the blazing guitar solos to the anthemic punk rock songs, The Ed Random Band may just be one of Germany's best-kept secrets.
-Dane Jackson

THE FAG HAGS
THE FAG HAGS
SELF-RELEASED
The Fag Hags is yet one more group of freak-show wannabes who have listened to too much New York Dolls. There is not one original idea or note on this self-titled four-song EP. The main problem is that when you pick such a often-ripped-off group to imitate, it's been done to death?and on occasion done very well. The Fag Hags are not doing it that well. The mediocrity is almost charming. I am sure The Fag Hags are a fun party group. So what? This disc is trash.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE FALL
THE REAL NEW FALL EP?FORMERLY COUNTRY ON THE CLICK
NARNACK RECORDS
After 27 years, The Fall's Mark E. Smith continues to deliver albums with lyrical wit and dark, dance-y rhythms. Influenced by both the written prose of William Burroughs and the pulsating sounds of The Stooges, The Fall undoubtedly deliver one of their best efforts in years. "Sparta 2#" comes off like a revved-up "Born to be Wild"; "Janet and Johnny" rivals the best of The Velvet Underground; and on "The Past", The Fall show their goth side. This was originally released in the U.K. on Action Records. This stateside release features a couple of bonus tracks and of couple of alternate, stripped-down versions of tracks, which call to mind the sounds of the early Fall records. If PJ Harvey can dig it, so should you. See narnackrecords.com for a couple of mp3s.
-Jude Ruiz

THE FILAMENTS
?WHAT'S NEXT
HOUSEHOLD NAME
The Filaments, yet another addition to Household Name's growing roster of perpetually-touring punk acts, are back with a follow up to their 2001 debut "Skulls and Trombones", and it's clear they've not mellowed in the slightest. Fuelling their gritty anarchic punk are odes to their hometown cider-guzzling street-punk crew ("B.P.C."), the hypocritical ruling class ("Western Double Standards"), and the legalisation of drugs ("Mafia"). But while such topics have always been welcome in the punk scene, such brainless chants as, "Fuck the pigs we'll never be mates" and "Signing up to sin / 666" clearly prove that logic and reasoning aren't some of The Filaments' strong points. If Anti-Flag and '95-era Rancid gets you going, then this is recommended; but just how their polemic is directed?and WHY, in some cases?might need a little more thought.
-Matthew Hocking

THE FLESH
SWEET DEFEAT
GERN BLANDSTEN RECORDS
This is what synthesizers were made for. The Flesh erupts on to the music scene with their four-track EP, SWEET DEFEAT. Displaying a tasteful selection of horror movie synthesizer riffs and deadly love-story lyrics, The Flesh get the listeners attention within the first 30 seconds of track one. Vocalists Nathan Halpern and Gabriella Zappia play with syncopated beats and a masterful combination of rhythmic hip hop style and glam-goth sounds to deliver a captivating and fresh sound. These syncopated beats are powerfully produced by drummer Gregory Rogove and bassist Jason Binnick to all in all provide listeners with a much needed new sound to divulge in.
-Cancun Carley

THE F-UPS
THE F-UPS
CAPITOL RECORDS
Judging this book by its cover (the enclosed band photo) had me terrified of experiencing a full album of wannabe, high-school pseudo-punk. Well, I was right, as usual. But in their defense, The F-Ups know exactly who and what they are. There are no hidden games here. If you like this pop/rock kind of sound and don't mind that it is the same song that you heard last month under a different name, then, by all means, here are The F-Ups. If you want stimulating lyrics and musical diversity, seek them elsewhere.
-Thomas Murray

THE GIN PALACE
KILL-GRIEF
ARTROCKER
Lady-rocker vocal, guitar fuzzed and distorted, drums, no high hats or bass player. KILL-GRIEF rocks at the same speed as The White Stripes and fallout. But what's new here is artsy fartsy London, where the group call home. The Gin Palace bring an arty weirdness that pokes through the rawness to be avant-hipness. But the splash of color doesn't dilute the rock in the least. This is as rocking an 11-minute mini-CD as I've ever heard?and then some. Meaghan Wilkie's vocals are cool. She has a bluesy for realness and a rock-star attitude, like a girl Iggy. The guitar work of Jon Free is not original in the sense of style (this is garage rock?there are blueprints), but he is just rocking balls. KILL-GRIEF is a raw introduction to bigger and badder things to come, and I can't wait.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE GLASSPACK
BRIDGEBURNER
SMALL STONE
The fuzzed-out garage rock of Louisville, KY's The Glasspack does not come with pretense. Instead, it is fueled by the same intoxicants and spirits that have kept the rock ?n? roll flag flying free for generations. On the 11-track sojourn into the nasty world of thick guitars and pumping rhythms, the distorted vocals speak to the listener like the devil on their shoulder, while the menacing grooves of tunes like "Oil Pan" and "Hydroplane" provide the soundtrack to swilling whiskey and raising as much hell as necessary. Backed with a shot of adrenaline found on such triumphs as the blazing "Peepshow", the domineering aura of three guys getting high, drunk, and stoned while blasting out balls-out, blues-infested rawk is reason enough to get lost with The Glasspack, even if a temporary lapse of decency is all you can muster. www.smallstone.com
-Mike SOS

THE GOOD FIGHT
BREATHING ROOM
GOODFELLOW RECORDS
When word of this band first filtered around, many anticipated what it would sound like seeing, as this band has such a rich history: The Good Fight contains members of Harvest, Season of Fire, and Threadbare. Combine all of these influences and add a modern-day hardcore band into the mix (The Promise, Comeback Kid, etc.), and you are on the way to one breathtaking EP. While this only contains two brand-new tracks and their previously-recorded demo, this is a great glimpse into what the future may hold for them. Seeing as how the next full-length is coming out through Indecision Records, this will serve as their introduction. What a way to make an impression. Seek this out.
-Ray Harkins

THE GREEN CHAIR
MICHAELANGELO
PRISON JAZZ
If you like childish for the sake of being childish lo-fi, indie pop with out-of-tune guitars and vocals, drums with questionable timing, and a bass player who couldn't find the pocket to the corduroys on their own body, then The Green Chair's MICHAELANGELO (sic) is for you! Recorded entirely on borrowed four-tracks?and sounding every bit like it was?this lo-fi indie-pop record missed the boat in one major category: "charm." Beside the obvious problems like hookless songs that seem to go on too long, The Green Chair could have easily gotten away with all of this if they would have done anything remotely "cute." Instead. it's just bland, boring, and uninspired. Start spending less time in the thrift shop and more time actually listening to all those 7" records in the shoe box under your bed.
-Wally Peters Jr.

THE HELLS
S/T
ARTROCKER
Devastatingly good sleazy, dirty rock 'n' roll is what the duo of guitarists/vocalists Ippy and Kev unleash on this, their debut EP (on which they enlisted The Icarus Line's Jeff Watson to play drums). Much of The Hells' appeal lies in the intensity with which they spew forth this passionate, spirited garage rock, as well as the sexy vocals from main singer Ippy (Kev takes over vocal duties solely on "Leading Me On"), who possesses this alluring style best described as disinterested cool (reminiscent of Selene Vigil of 7 Year Bitch fame3?4minus her unbridled anger, that is), which is best exemplified on "Sensation". The pinnacle of the record comes in the form of the chic/icy "Do What I Should", a powerful song; and the slower (but still rocking) finale, "He's the Devil (But I Love Him So)", a liberating song for all those groupies out there.
-Janelle Jones

THE HENCHMEN
FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
TIMES BEACH RECORDS
Detroit's The Henchmen are veterans of the garage scene, and with shredding guitar lines, walkie-talkie fuzz vocals, and the honking Farfsa freak-outs, they maintain their originality, keeping them atop the heap (with The Reigning Sound, The Dirtbombs, and Detroit Cobras). Tim Purrier has authentic version of the Mick/Iggy howl dozens of Swedish acts dream of, and he precariously carries his well-versed, voyeuristic sing-alongs on it like he was born to sneer. And maintaining the R&B standard in their garage is rarely found in garage today.
-Rob Macy

THE JET SET
WE'VE GOT THE DANCE CONNECTION
WEE ROCK RECORDS/DOWNFALL RECORDS/UPRIGHT RECORDS
The Jet Set reminds me so much of The Sonics and The Screamers that I have to appreciate what they're doing. They have that '60s garage-rock sound and use a keyboard as one of their main instruments. The Jet Set are from Illinois and fit right into the Midwest garage-rock scene that's going on. In fact, they fit so well into that scene that it's almost painfully obvious that that's what they're trying to do. But still, they're pretty rocking.
-chad

THE LASHES
THE STUPID STUPID
LOOKOUT RECORDS
THE STUPID STUPID is a nice introduction to this Seattle-based six-piece band. The Lashes beautifully blend a new-wave mentality with driving power-pop guitar work and dashes of punk. The songs and melodies are catchy, and you'll be hooked as soon as you hear "Death by Mixtape". If I had to label these guys into a category, it'd be indie pop. So, if you like more upbeat pop music with an underlying indie feel, give these guys a shot.
-Dane Jackson

THE LETTERS ORGANIZE
(THE CURE)
IN AT THE DEEP END
Overall, (THE CURE), a veritable tour de force from Atlanta's The Letters Organize, is chaotic and crushing (but never oppressive) hardcore in the vein of those psychos Find Him and Kill Him. Yet despite the severe nature of the record, slight dollops of melody do manage to seep through on a couple occasions, most notably on small parts of "The Cure", "10/21" (which has a rather Boy Sets Fire quality), and "We All Fail", tempering the delightful brutality that encompasses the rest of the eight-track disc. The most pleasing composition is the finale, "When Will I (Find My Way)". Opening with disconcerting and tortured screams, it's just plain feral and intense (sans the last few moments, when the composition takes a drastic turn, mimicking the short snippet of an opener (cleverly titled "Intro"), as the music once again becomes abrasive noise atop a tuneful guitar and some spoken-word lyrics).
-Janelle Jones

THE LOCUST
FOLLOW THE FLOCK, STEP IN SHIT EP
THREE ONE G RECORDS
This is the musical equivalent of a couple caffeine pills downed by a Red Bull. This EP features only three songs, giving you barely enough time to adjust to the blaring racket they produce. The second track, "Coffin Nails", is a mere but ferocious 29 seconds, savagely punctuated by the cry, "What can you do to end the hunger?" If you're familiar with the NOW, CRY LATER VOL. 4 compilation CD, you'll recognize "Red". Unlike the other two tracks, its chords are drawn out slowly in a sinister manner...then building up into a yelling fit, of course, which is what they do best.
-Mabel Lam

THE LIDO VENICE
SONGS WRITTEN AROUND THE CAMPFIRE IN THE BELLY OF A WHALE
ECA RECORDS This four-song CDEP is an introduction to an edgy indie rock band with some angularity to its sound. It begins to depart from a basically conventional indie-rock formula midway through "Dancing Our Duress (A Pas de Deux)" and gets full clip into a post-gothic, post-math rock sound on "MEDIC!". The blend of damaged folk and hard rock in "Bury Me Next to My Voicebox" makes this also a standout track.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE MENTALLY ILL
GACY?S PLACE: THE UNDISCOVERED CORPSES
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
Mentally Ill made me physically ill, and I?m starting to believe that was the original purpose. Checking out the cover I was expecting some thrash-about rock music, perhaps about corpses and death, but no. Rather, I was greeted by some poorly produced crappy sounding riffs and vocals. For the effort and money put into the cover and graphics, one wouldn?t think that the enclosed selection might drift in and out of tune, as do tracks like, ?Cum Twat? and ?Split Crotch Straight Jacket?. A few swigs of Absinthe later and I still have only one piece of advice for these guys, next time you?re going to splurge for a CD cover, make sure there?s a worth while CD enclosed. Thanks guys.
-Cancun Carley

THE MILWAUKEES
ANGEL WITH A KNIFE
BOSS TUNEAGE
The Milwaukees play with the kind of anguish that you'd find on any '90s alternative band's album, yet there's a lucid songwriting thread that puts this New Jersey quartet in a classic rock slot. Such a dichotomy comprises interesting compositions, like the driving yet un-noisy "Lighthouse Signals", sounding like a glimmering, stripped down version of Quicksand. Despite the short length of ANGEL WITH A KNIFE, these five tracks are good indicators that this outfit has a lot more solid songs full of well-directed angst left in its arsenal. www.bosstuneage.com
-Mike SOS

THE ONLY CHILDREN
THREE SONG DEMO
NO LABEL
I'm not exactly sure where this band came from, but they're not too shabby. There's a touch of arena rock 'n' roll mixed in with sounds similar to My Morning Jacket here, adding up to a few fun songs. I wish there was more information I could give you about this band, but all I can say is fans of Southern sounding indie rock should look out for a release from these guys or perhaps catch them at a local venue.
-Zac

THE PINK SPIDERS
THE PINK SPIDERS ARE TAKING OVER!
SELF RELEASED
Despite occasionally showing signs of being mall punks on garage holiday, The Pink Spiders debut EP may rip at the seams of their previous labels. Tearing through their seven songs in less than 20 minutes, they show the Warped Tour acts as milquetoast formula. Johnny Thunders's riffs over twisted pop hooks and periodic metal yelps punctuate their illusions of fame?which may be justified premonitions. Dressing like a Leather Tuscadero version of The Hives may be their visual calling card, but kicking their way through the punk mire is their real business.
-Rob Macy

THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
LOVE EVERYBODY
PUSA MUSIC
I normally know what to expect each month when SKRATCH sends me CDs to review. Very rarely am I surprised. Well, this CD marks the first time I've been surprised in a long time as a reviewer for SKRATCH. I remember listening to "Peaches" and "Lump" when I was a kid, and I don't mind admitting it. This new album by The Presidents... has that nostalgic feel to it, especially with the title track. Other memorable tracks include "Some Postman" and "Poke and Destroy". After all these years, the band still sounds the same. If you didn't like them then, you probably still won't like them; but if you want an album for nostalgia's sake, get it. Unfortunately, it's not worth more than a couple listens.
-Dane Jackson

THE RATCHETS
S/T
CHUNKSAAH RECORDS
The Rachets bring forth a very refreshing fusion of rock music with surf rock with its four-song EP on Chunksaah Records. While the songs are great, I think it's a testament to how good this band is when, after you listen to the EP, you realize they recorded it in 14 hours after having just three practices. While "Naming all the Wolves" has the surf-rock feel, the highlight of the EP is "77A Broadway", which sounds like it is directly influenced by The Clash. If you like The Clash, you'll feel right at home listening to The Ratchets. If this band is this good after just three practices, imagine how much potential they have.
-Dane Jackson

THE RED LIGHTS
BROKEN CITY DEMO
The Red Lights are like an indie-rock diamond in the rough. This L.A.-based trio find inspiration in both '60s Brit-pop and '80s new wave and combine it with an indie-rock sensibility. The disc opens with the instant pleasure of "Cold Showers" and flows into "Sleep" (which opens with the clever line "I'm in love with nobody at all / Not a boy, not a girl, just alcohol." The only drawback is that this five-track demo doesn't capture how good this band sounds live (the lyrics are slightly muffled, the drum volume is up just a bit too much). Regardless, this is still a gem, so keep your eyes peeled for this band. For a copy of this demo or more info, contact .
-Jude Ruiz

THE RELATIVES
DIRTY LITTLE SECRET
DELIRIUM RECORDS
Power-pop's The Relatives have a lot of things going for them with an album like DIRTY LITTLE SECRET. First and foremost, songs like "Overblown" and "She Says OK" are catchy as hell. There's a great smart-alecky edge to the music that combines pop with hints of punk. It's pretty simplistic in rhythms and overall style, but a lot of times that's all gleefully overlooked. DIRTY LITTLE SECRET is a sweet effort and deserving of those 15 bucks in your back pocket.
-Darren Ratner

THE SKULLS
NIGHT OF THE LIVING
SQUARE WORLD FILMS/FINGER RECORDS
This CD/DVD combo documents a Skulls reunion in December of the oh-trois at the El Rey Theater in L.A. There are 16 tracks of surprisingly good quality on the CD. The DVD features (questionably included) footage from a nine-year-old's birthday shindig at which the horror punks played, some skateboarding, interviews of various L.A. punk stalwarts, and rare Skulls singles?in addition to the live set. The Skulls are proud of and devoted to their fans. If you count yourself among those ranks, this release is for you.
-Casey Clague

THE STASH?
LIVIN THE HIGH-LIFE
C-RAP RECORDS
The Stash? play dirty hardcore that reminds me of Blood for Blood both musically and in attitude. While the album seems to be a little juvenile for a bunch of guys who have seen more than a few summers pass, (look no further than song titles that include "Impotent Flower" and "Formation 69") they seem to have fun at what their doing which in their terms seems to mean that they're "keeping it real", "bringing it back to where it came from", yadda, yadda, yadda. Nothing groundbreaking but a good time nonetheless.
-Matthew Siblo

THE TURNOFFS
SHUT DOWN
ART MONKEY RECORDS
The Turnoffs are a San Diego trio that drop some short and sweet (this disc clocks in at just over 16 minutes) retro-flavored punk tunes with catchy hooks. The Turnoffs flirt with different punk styles, throw a little pop in their punk on "Right Now", then hit a bit harder with "Complicated Situations", and even try their hand at some punkabilly on "Too Hard to Handle". The Turnoffs infectious grooves will have you rocking along in no time...unless, of course, you don't rock. For samples, go to artmonkeyrecords.com.
-Jude Ruiz

THE WHIRLWIND HEAT
FLAMINGO HONEY
DIM MAK
While I appreciate the artistic aspect of writing and recording a record in five hours and the idea of pushing the songwriting envelope into new and spontaneous directions, I still can't find any appreciation for this record. Maybe it's the 10 songs in 10 minutes that gets me. I mean, it just hardly seems worth the time. With that said, I've decided to oblige The Whirlwind Heat with the same courtesy they have extended toward me, the listener; I've decided to sum up this review in 10 words: it's like Fantamos for indie geeks. Okay five words and a conjunction. Get my point? Oh yeah: I don't care that Jack White likes this band.
-Wally Peters Jr.

THOR AND MICK HOFFMAN
BEASTWOMEN FROM THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
THORTOEN
Rock warrior THOR is back (again) with another slab of metal cheese. This time things get a bit moldy, as THOR and comic-book buddy Mick Hoffman team up to create a theme album about a "deadly sister race" called the Beastwomen. Somewhere, somehow, a comic book accompanies this release, but unless you are into airbrushed buxom babes with cat eyes and tails, best to steer clear of that. Steer clear of this CD slab of gouda, too, while you're at it. The more I listen to this album (and believe me, I've listened to it more than I care to admit), the more I wonder what these guys were thinking. I mean, the normally rockin' THOR is in full operatic mode here, crooning and dramatizing all over the place, as Hoffman masturbates his guitar in swelling, throbbing guitar solos. Is this supposed to be a serious metal album or a Spinal Tap-like spoof? I've met THOR a couple times, and I know how serious he is about his music, so I can probably answer my own question; but to someone who just stumbles upon a copy of this, they would think it's all a big joke.
-Jason Schreurs

TIME IN MALTA
ALONE WITH THE ALONE
EQUAL VISION RECORDS
When this band first hit the scene, I don't think I could have spoken more highly of this Northern California band with their sonically devastating EP. As a three-piece, they provided one of the most intense live shows I have ever seen, with bassist/vocalist Todd yelling with every breath. Time can change a band, and once they began to lose members and switch from a three-piece to a four-piece, my interest began to wane. While this full-length packs everything that a release needs to have (from great artwork down to a powerful recording), it lacks the memorable qualities that stick with you. It seems to me that this band constantly gets the short end of the stick, from touring opportunities that just don't make sense to an ever-dwindling fan base. While I will still fully support this band until the very end, the longevity of this band seems to be in question, and this full-length can support that claim.
-Ray Harkins

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DEATH BY SALT
EIGHTEEN PERCENT GRAY
When you think of Salt Lake City, UT, a few items may pop into your head, like Mormons, The Osmonds, polygamy, and the like. But a burgeoning underground rock scene? Probably not high up on the list, right? Well, that's about to change. Thanks to the folks at Slug Zine, whose commendably exhaustive efforts single-handedly put the fire back in the underground scene's belly, DEATH BY SALT is an all-encompassing 59-track, 3 CD box set which highlights the brightest hopes of the SLC scene. You want cock rock? Check. Female fronted singer-songwriter? Yup. Shoegazing alt-rockers? Sure thing. Brazen death metal? Gotcha. Fact is, if you dig it, it's probably here on one of these discs, and it's damn good. Capturing the local flavor is this collection's most valued trait, and DEATH BY SALT does just that by picking the best of each genre and letting them rip it up. Discover something more than what your local radio and television affiliates feed you and try this compilation on for a musical challenge and overall enlightenment. www.slugmag.com

VARIOUS ARTISTS
DIRTY HALF DOZEN
MILLIEPEED RECORDS
> From the North to the South now. This DIY compilation from > Portsmouth-based indie Milliepeed offers a much-needed platform to?surprise, surprise?half a dozen bands from the South Coast scene. Pilger kicks things off in fine fashion with some primal English punk pounding. It's far from revolutionary, but still, some catchy contributions, nonetheless. Humans the Size of Microphones are a meatier and nastier proposition, reminiscent of the greatly-missed dBh; but it's only with Circus Act that things really heat up, as they introduce their own rhythmic sparkle to an infectious Dischord mould. The temperamental whirlwind thrash of Disoma precedes the fast-paced socialist-punk of Intent, leaving You're Smiling Now but We'll All Turn into Demons (just HOW ACE is that name?) to finish off with a Zeke-like, hard-rocking speedball of noise. You like your punk loud, noisy, and messy? Then get this.
-Matthew Hocking

VARIOUS ARTISTS
LETS START SOME ACTION: AN ELECTRONIC TRIBUTE TO D.O.A.
SUDDEN DEATH RECORDS/INVASION WRECK CHORDS
I'm currently working at Best Buy over the summer so I can earn a few extra bucks and it seems every time I look, the racks are flooded with these strange instrumental tribute cds. A string tribute to Godsmack? Who knew! While I'm not exactly sure what demographic is being target with such albums, my personal belief is that they're an underhanded attempt to sell records to parents of whom have misplaced their reading glasses while buying things for their sons or daughters. Now while I know little about the current state of underground techno and even less about D.O.A. I'm fairly sure that I can recognize a worthy tribute when I hear one, to which this is certainly not. With contributors who's names that range from Noize punishment to Av3rs1on, I'm at a loss for what exactly is going on here. But just remember this: if you're in the market for a D.O.A. record, don't forget to tell your parents to put their spectacles on.
-Matthew Siblo

VARIOUS ARTISTS
NEUROT RECORDINGS I
NEUROT RECORDINGS
Neurot Recordings is the outlet that Neurosis uses to redefine music through its own releases and those of like-minded bands and artists. Appropriately, this two-disc label sampler begins with Neurosis washing over the listener a heavy wave of power and quiescence in "Burn" (a track that also appears on the Neurosis album THE EYE OF EVERY STORM). This roster tour takes from Oxbow, with their dark and dangerous improvisation "Time's Up, Sailor Man" to a gathering storm of instrumental sounds that is The Grails' "Reprieve" to the moody character study that is Enablers' "Pauly's Days in Cinema" to a host of other spooky, metallic atmospheres, laid-back malevolence (e.g., Steve Von Till, Isis), and cataclysms of noise-rock (Zeni Geva). The second disc is a DVD with some audio-only tracks. The DVD includes Neurosis, Tarentel, Bee & Flower, and more, with audio selections from KK Null, Vitriol, Amber Asylum, and more. This is an excellent package worthy of exploration.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

VARIOUS ARTISTS
NEW BLOOD?THE NEW ROCK AND ROLL VOL.3
ARTROCKER RECORDS
Pretty Girls Make Graves lead off this 25-tracker with "Speakers Push the Air" from their full-length GOOD HEALTH. What follows is a veritable clusterfuck of garage-y and post-punk-y bands. The standout track is by Hot Snakes. They're a band that will outshine pretty much any band on any comp, so there's no surprise there. The remaining 22 sleazy, bar-rock anthems for lovers of Pabst and unprotected sex are not surprising, either?typical, in fact, in their musical simplicity and preference for "shameless, good time rocking." What is surprising here is that the title for such a comp isn't the least bit pretentious or overstated. No one here is claiming to be the next Stooges (or blatantly ripping Iggy off, like that OTHER garage band did), so even if the garage-rock thing is a little stale, they just wanna rock?so let the "new blood" do their thing.
-Casey Clague

VARIOUS ARTISTS
SERVING THE BEST IN ROCK @ ROLL
PEEPHOLE RECORDS
$13 for a two-disc set with 50 songs. Not a bad deal once you take a peek at some of the bands on this compilation. You'll be treated to great music by Gatsby's American Dream, Teen Idols, The Queers, and more on the first release from label and distributor Peephole Records. The price is right, the music is right, and what the label is trying to do is right. It'd only be right to support them. Plus, there's a lot of unreleased stuff on this comp.
-Dane Jackson

VARIOUS ARTISTS
TRIBUNAL RECORDS: A COLLECTION [PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE]
TRIBUNAL
A comprehensive look at material released3?4and some previously UNreleased3?4on Tribunal Records. Disc one alone is a whopping 79 minutes. If you're into heaviness, you'll surely be salivating at this collection, which includes compositions from about 40 Tribunal bands past, present, and future. A wonderfully diverse compilation celebrating the label's 50th release, we are treated to many genres, most of which are brutal and harrowing (especially on disc two3?4HIGHLY recommended!). There's death/black metal (Darkmoon (utterly sick!), Darkness Remains, Rifles at Recess), thrash (Animosity), metalcore (Deadsoil, Scarlet), hardcore/metal with melody (From Autumn to Ashes, Age of Ruin, Swift, plus a bunch more on disc numero uno), and just a dash of pop-punk (Brand New Disaster) and melodic rock (One Six Conspiracy, The Underwater). Really, at a mere five bucks for two CDs with over 140 minutes of music, you really can't go wrong.
-Janelle Jones

VARIOUS ARTISTS
TWICE THE TOWN YOU'LL EVER BE
TWICE THE TOWN
Aside from causing me to lament about leaving North England for the musical hubbub of the South, this compilation of the finest and most exciting new bands emerging from the rarely-championed Sunderland/Newcastle scene also reminds me why I loved John Peel so much growing up: all these artsy liddle indie-punk bands sending shivers down my spine with their soulful lo-fi strummings crafted straight from the heart. From the swirling indie rock of The Futureheads to the gentle acousticism of Neville Clay to the punk-powered Written from Negative, each of these 18 tracks are a comforting and infectious sojourn that will have you investing in envelopes and stamps just so you can send off for their individual self-made 7" releases.
-Matthew Hocking

VARIOUS ARTISTS
UNITE THE UNDERGROUND
SELF-RELEASED
Bubbling up from Chicago's underground music scene, this three-band compilation disc showcases artists that are trying to attain some exposure without the help of Big Brother. Mainly stemming from the hardcore metal spectrum, Domestic Godzilla, Bite the Hand, and Chapter Seven are all heavy hitting outfits whose penchant for churning riffs, crushing grooves, and clench fisted aggression is unquestioned. The real question remains is how are they going to turn the music industry on its side. With the collective stance taken by each band, they've implemented a good start, but can the little guy really win here? No matter, as this movement can hopefully gain some momentum and make some waves in the Chi-town area, giving these bands the attention hard working and inventive musicians such as these deserve. www.unitetheunderground.com
-Mike SOS

VINTERSONG
THE FOCUSING BLUR
NAPALM
Combining philosophy with progressive death metal, Vintersong's latest 12-track release challenges the brain in many different ways. For starters, the album's vast musical styles featured on THE FOCUSING BLUR showcases an outfit with a versatile knowledge of all things rock, from the progressive metal edge of "The Thesises Seasons" to the orchestral death metal of "Star Puzzled". Coupled with the masterful performance by a rhythm section that boasts ex-members of Death and Borknagar, THE FOCUSING BLUR is an album which conveys both the band's expert musicianship and intellectual fortitude, as the lyrical content is as intense as the elegant musical backdrop from which its sung. If you dig Opeth, chances are Vintersong's newest release will give you the same chills and thrills. www.napalmrecords.com
-Mike SOS

WALKING CONCERT
RUN TO BE BORN
SOME RECORDS
Think Flaming Lips, think a slightly aged Violent Femmes, got it? That?s Walking Concert. Boasting lead singer, Walter Schreifels from the early 90?s band Quicksand, Walking Concert rocks the acoustic with bassist Ryan Stratton and guitarist Jeffery Johnson. Displaying a play list of mellow, somewhat psychedelic tunes, RUN TO BE BORN is very much festival music; the type of music that makes you want to lay on a plaid blanket picking at grass and nodding your head while the guy next to you offers you a hit. Trying a somewhat softer feel for rock, Schreifels and Walking Concert deliver a tasteful mix of tracks sure to make your summer CD collection.
-Cancun Carley

WASTED
HERE WE GO AGAIN
BOSS TUNEAGE
This is a CD collection of the 7"s Wasted had released from 1998 until 2001. The songs are really good, and they're recorded very distorted and loud, which really helps bring out the harshness in their music. This album does have 29 tracks, though, and eventually all the songs start sounding kind of similar. But for the most part it's a good listen. This CD also includes two videos of the band. Wasted are from Finland, but they sing in English. I don't know if they're bilingual or if they speak English in Finland, and no one I've asked has been able to help me out, either! Maybe I'm just ignorant. Sorry.
-chad

WORLD/INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY
SPEAK OF BRAVE MEN CD EP
GEM BLINDSTEN RECORDS
WIFS denies even being a band. In their press packet, the group notes that "We are a finely organized mischief cult." And WIFS do not list personnel in the liner notes. "In a culture where not being famous is vulgar. Anonymity is key for subversion." There are nine members: vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, accordion, guitar, bass, and three saxophones. The music on SPEAK OF BRAVE MEN is ska. It's also avant jazz and rock in breaks and through sections. The three songs are "Brother of the Mayor of Bridgewater", which has a chorus that rings of "Love Cats" by The Cure; "Paul Robeson", a breakneck tribute to the actor; and "Fiend In Wien", which begins with a polka and is the weirdest tune on the disc (and therefore is my favorite). WIFS is mind-bogglingly good at what they are doing. Top-shelf.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

XASTHUR
TELEPATHIC WITH THE DECEASED
MORIBUND
Xasthur is a one-man band, and a bitter one at that. Frustrated California evil monger turned musical visionary, Xasthur's TELEPATHIC WITH THE DECEASED is eerily atmospheric, as this 10-track disc sounds off as Trent Reznor would had he had delved deeper into the occult. While Xasthur throws in the occasional blast-beated epic metal opus, the majority of the release is ridden with synthesized paganism much like Danzig's BLACK ARIA, furthering the belief that evil does indeed stand alone. If you're into the more avant-garde black metal, Xasthur may have the sounds you need to feel a bit more in tune with the supernatural. www.moribundcult.com
-Mike SOS

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