January 2005 CD Reviews (in alphabetical order)

7 SECONDS
TAKE IT BACK, TAKE IT ON, TAKE IT OVER!
SIDE ONE DUMMY RECORDS
I think it's safe to say that after a few listens, this has become my favorite 7 Seconds album. The band's aggression is still showcased throughout, but the arrangements and tempo of each song are more mature and developed than on previous efforts. The songs on this album are more melodic, catchier, and show a side of the band that I've never heard before. I think it's safe to say that this album is more of a pop-punk album than a hardcore album, but it should also please new and old fans alike. This album has a nice blend of hardcore aggression and catchy pop-punk. While I'm sure some of you will be quick to point fingers and be pissy about the direction this album takes, it's hard to admit that this is not a good album. Kevin Seconds hasn't sounded better, the songs are solid from a lyrical and musical standpoint, and this is an album that will probably be in your rotation for a while.
-Dane Jackson

54 SQ. FT. TRAMPOLINE
THAT SIMPLE
HILL BILLY STEW RECORDS
This post-folk chill-out music is laid back and full of wide open vision that the hinterland of the Montreal band's native Quebec. The hypnotic music and countryish vocals recalls Giant Sand and Calexico, but nothing here is that engaging. This is a collection of demos that is good background mood music in a late-evening, candlelit way (especially if you have rusty farm implements on the walls). A few demos, like "Make It Warm Enough" and "Another Dead Hero", never gel and should have been left off. www.HillBillyStew.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

ANDREWESLEY
STRENGTH
MARATHON RECORDS
The debut solo album from Huntington Beach native and veteran Orange County musician Andrewesley is a heartfelt tribute to the ocean, the environment, and a spiritual path that leads to enlightenment. While vaguely Christian at times, the lyrics are generic enough to encourage any journey to enlightenment, be it Buddha, Krishna, or the Bahai Faith. Andrewesley is a dyed-in-the-wool surfer and uses every opportunity to push involvement in the very worthy, H.B.-based Surfrider Foundation. His sound is soft, soothing, and not quite as hippie-like as that of his surfing colleague Jack Johnson. This is a pleasant album that leaves the listener floating helplessly in an ocean, the great ocean of life.
-Dug

ANNAL NATHRAKH
DOMINE NON ES DIGNUS
SEASON OF MIST
The demonic duo comprising the blast-beat behemoth known as Annal Nathrakh claim they've made the ultimate soundtrack to Armageddon. They make a good case, as this 10-track offering sounds like the amalgamation of Napalm Death, Nasum, and Emperor in the cemetery at midnight with a hapless farm animal in tow. Evil, guttural vocals (if you can even call the sounds vocals) dominate the 40-minute affair, as this ominous black-/death-metal riff machine spits out guitar licks with machine-gun precision. Tracks like "To Err Is Human, To Dream...Futile" and "Swallow the World" showcase the true carnage, as relentless pounding rhythms and frenetic vocals collide, making for one of the most sinister listening experiences in a very long time.
-Mike SOS

ATOMIC 7
...EN HILLBILLY CALIENTE
MINT RECORDS
The sophomore release from this guitar-dominated, swing/spy band is a jazzy cool instrumental album that will have you breaking out the martini glasses and wearing a leopard-skin fez by the end of the evening. With a sound that combines the guitar intensity of Dick Dale and the worldly sophistication of Combustible Edison, Atomic 7 gladly assumes the role of the perfect background music for a party. Though incomprehensible titles such as "Kicking at the Ghost of Ass" and "Riding the Sorry Train to Dumpsville 15, Various Rats Are Whacked" implies some type of thematic content, there is more thematic content in a pack of gum. The tunes are fast, vicious, and bring up images of failed sitcoms, bad spy movies, and young kids with fast cars. Anyone who still has a fetish for twangy swing guitar will love this album.
-Dug

A WITCH'S DISTANCE
THE DEAD WILL ROCK
IRISH VOODOO RECORDS
This Inland Empire five-piece bulldoze their way through some macabre punk, metal, and hard rock-and even add some keyboards to give this a touch of melody to round out all the rough edges. A Witch's Distance's finer moments come on moody powerhouse numbers like "Steelrider", "Evil from Above", and "Thought Police". Recommended for those in serious need of a hard-rock fix, the squeamish needn't bother.
-Jude Ruiz

BEGGARS CAN'T BE CHOOSERS
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
The 10-song debut from this Missouri-based quartet was originally released in 2002. While the band is due for another release in 2005, this original release is a nice piece of melodic pop. The guitar-dominated tunes on this album are crisp and original, with vocals that often sound eerily similar to Michael Stipe. There is an understated passion that burns on these tunes that is nicely accentuated by Vince Chandler's keyboards. At its best, this band sounds like a punk/indie version of Bruce Hornsby. On its coming release, hopefully BCBC will put a lot more emphasis on the keyboard to differentiate themselves from the plethora of talented Midwestern indie bands.
-Dug

BENSIN
LEAVE YOUR MARK
SEARCH AND RESCUE RECORDS
While this release isn't superb or groundbreaking, it's just enough to make me think these guys will have a very bright future. Bensin definitely have the idea of how to make their pop-punk style a tad unique by adding keyboards into the mix just enough to push the music to another level. At times, though, the songs don't offer much variety in the music and vocals, and the album can get feel very repetitive. The lyrical content is also very boy-loves-girl, but kind of clever and witty, and they help take away the non-creative aspect of the themes. With youth on their side, I think these guys definitely have some potential to do some nice things in the future. I would keep an eye on these guys to see what they have to offer up next.
-David Walter

BORN FROM PAIN
SANDS OF TIME
BLACKMARKET
Hailing from the Netherlands, Born From Pain play the kind of beat-down hardcore that you'd expect from an East Coast tough-guy crew, allowing this quintet to give bands such as Hatebreed and Bury Your Dead a run for their money. Tracks like "Under These Skies" and "Stainless" (complete with an old-school death-metal breakdown that cries for violence) teem with pummeling rhythms, guttural vocals, and the kind of vitriol that you just don't find from your average hardcore clan, putting the 11-track SANDS OF TIME in a different league. If you are looking to add an album chock full of chugging riffs, chest-pounding screams, and metallic shellshock, welcome Born From Pain to your collection.
-Mike SOS

BURDEN BROTHERS
BURIED IN YOUR BLACK HEART
TRAUMA RECORDS
Shamelessly blending country music with alternative rock, Burden Brothers offer up some new tunes in the form of BURIED IN YOUR BLACK HEART. I suppose it was only natural for these Texans to form an alt-rock/country hybrid-and they pull it off quite well. After purchasing this album, you'll probably go out and by yourself some of those plastic six-shooters with the orange cap rings you used to scare your cat with. (No, I'm not kidding.) Crooning and swooning, they belt out tunes like "You're So God Damn Beautiful" with all the love in their big Texan hearts. Highly recommended for fans of Kenny Chesney and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
-Zac

CATCH 22
LIVE
VICTORY
Catch 22's live CD does its part to dispel the myth that ska is dead, as the Long Island crowd that this CD/DVD combo was captured in front of is a raucous, rabid bunch. As for the New Jersey sextet, they sound at the top of their game, as the crisp horns and heavy rhythms that pervade this 21-track disc pulsate on tracks like "Lamont's Lament" and "Chasing the Moon". While the third wave of ska may not be the "in" thing right now, no one told these guys. Catch 22, like peers in Less Than Jake and Voodoo Glow Skulls, effectively give off that feel-good vibe with the punk-rock backbeat, making Catch 22's bouncy and brash live show perfect for the prepubescent Warped Tour purveyors.
-Mike SOS

CIRCUS
CIRCUS
LOCOMOTIVE
Circus is a metal band that hails from Spain whose latest, 12-track endeavor is a melodic trip through goth metal sung entirely in Spanish. Distinct vocals help to set songs like "Otra Voz" and "Interior" apart from the usual goth-rock pack. Lumbering riffs, spacious rhythms, and impassioned vocals propel Circus to heights, rivaling Paradise Lost and Lacuna Coil for the coveted dark-rock championship.
-Mike SOS

COACHWHIPS
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY LIVE AT THE GINGER MINGE
NARNACK RECORDS
Coachwhips is even more primitive and deconstructed than Guitar Wolf. The piercing, clarion organ sound here clearly sails over the muddy low-end noise rock of this garage-rock ensemble. This does not quite reach the dissonance of Cheater Slicks, but it is in that zip code. Distorted and homemade microphones that transmute the voice of vocalist John Dwyer contribute to the unique chaos that is Coachwhips. For the record, this is a studio recording and is a live album in name only. www.NarnackRecords.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

COLONIAL EXCESS
SHORT HAIR EXTENDER FOR HAIL DAMAGED CATTLE
Spending a little time with this disc will have you feeling schizophrenic in no time. Colonial Excess are a Colorado Springs quartet that drop more blips, bleeps, and samples than hippies dropped acid during the Summer of Love. Jazz saxophones fade in and out between feedback-heavy guitars, electronic sound effects, records spinning backwards, television sound bites, screeching vocals, some actual singing, a little psychedelic funk vibe...Now your starting to get a hint of what's going down. If this all sounds a bit crazy, take it up with Colonial Excess. By the time the disc reaches its end, it feels like that moment after you've had sex with someone you just met at a party and you're not quite sure what to say afterward. Perhaps just a simple "I'll call you" is best.
-Jude Ruiz

CRADLE OF FILTH
NYPHETAMINE
ROADRUNNER
The morbid metal offerings of Cradle of Filth have never sounded so accessible than on the stalwart outfit's latest release. The trademark gloom and doom that pervades the band's catalog is still prevalent in these 14 tracks, but this time around, the boys have stacked their operatic modus operandi with a bit more of an American metal approach, making songs like the title track skull-crushing and luxurious. This may be the outfit's most complete album to date, as it craftily welcomes new influences without leaving the goth and black-metal influences the band is steeped. When it comes to this style of metal, there are many bands that keep their heads down and keep banging out the same old savagery. Thankfully, Cradle of Filth isn't one of them, as NYPHETAMINE keeps one eye on the grave and another at the scene and in turn, makes an epic metal album.
-Mike SOS

CRAIG'S BROTHER
E.P.IDEMIC
TAKE OVER RECORDS
E.P.IDEMIC is a five-song EP with a clever title and some decent indie rock. Lead singer Ted Bond sounds like a man obsessed with Michael Stipe. The Stipeisms are distracting, but not enough to entirely ruin the Craig's Brother experience. These songs are well written, and the band is doing some cool things...but the Stipe thing does grate on your nerves. E.P.IDEMIC is a classic example of why imitation is the highest form of flattery but doesn't make for good records. Track 4, "E.P.ISSDUMBOLOGY", is a cool song, but it's not enough to save this disc. Lose the vox, then get back at me. Ugh!
-H. Barry Zimmerman

DARKER MY LOVE
S/T
TARANTULAS
Darker My Love is a group of indie rockers devoted to playing high-energy songs with delicately balanced lyrics. The colorful artwork for the EP provides just as much enjoyment as the well-played music itself. Atmospheric and vibrant, songs such as "Slide" and "Cloud Song" provide coverage for two different ends of the musical spectrum, ranging from punk rock-like aggression to slower-paced indie rock. Fans of The Beta Band and Earlimart might be interested in checking this band out for their densely-patterned vocal arrangements and clean guitars.
-Zac

DENVER HARBOR
SCENIC
UNIVERSAL
Rising from the ashes of Fenix, TX, Denver Harbor continues the tough task of bringing respect to the much-maligned pop-punk genre. On SCENIC, the quartet's solid riffs hold up better than anything New Found Glory has offered, while the sinewy lyrics go deeper than The Offspring and Blink 182 combined (as can be heard on the punchy "Outta My Head"). And when the boys decide to get a little melancholic on songs like "All I Want" and "Let You Go", they opt to tone the whine down a whole lot and sing from the heart-a trait all of the fashion punkers out there should take note on. Sturdy songwriting with a bevy of hooks and memorable choruses is what Denver Harbor specializes in, and SCENIC won't disappoint if you're looking for a band in between Foo Fighters and Green Day.
-Mike SOS

DUVALL
O HOLY NIGHT
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
The holidays are a time of giving, and Duvall is giving some of the most famous holiday songs a makeover. This album would even make a scrooge get up and sing, as it's loaded with those holiday favorites that everyone can appreciate. Even religious fans will be happy with these selections. Duvall (featuring ex-Smoking Popes members) cover classic songs like "Joy to the World", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", and "Away in a Manger". The covers are executed very well. The soft and delicate vocals of Josh Caterer are a perfect fit for these songs, as Josh could lead a church mass with his voice. Duvall also don't tamper with the songs too much; they add just enough of their own spice to the songs. This album is definitely worth checking out-even for all those bah-humbugs out there._-David Walter

EL BUZZARD
TRANQUILIZANTE DEL ELEFANTE
THE ELECTRIC HUMAN PROJECT
Halfway between noise metal and stoner rock lie El Buzzard, the crushing California quartet hell-bent on fusing The Melvins, Black Flag, and Black Sabbath into a six-song, 11-minute affair. And goddamn if these guys don't do an admirable job, as they deliberately cut the typical, drugged-out fat and get right to meaty riffs (like the one found on "I Got Shot"), showing that sludge rock doesn't have to move like molasses to smack you upside the head. A quick, low-end jolt to the system, El Buzzard's messy brand of metallic space rock is perfect for a quick fix.
-Mike SOS

EVERY TIME I DIE
THE BURIAL PLOT BIDDING WAR
UNDECIDED RECORDS
Every Time I Die released an EP in 2000 titled THE BURIAL PLOT BIDDING WAR. Little did we know that it would be a precursor to the ever-growing fame the band is experiencing in 2004. Every Time I Die prove to be a great post-grunge act, raw in their attack and purpose. Tracks like "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Prom Song" speed up and slow down while always keeping heavy chords and caustic tones at the forefront. Vocalist Keith sounds as if he's mercilessly being mauled by Doberman pinchers. The band has already been on MTV's HEADBANGER'S BALL and has shared a stage with The Dillinger Escape Plan. This EP should simply be a vision of what was and what's yet to come.
-Darren Ratner

FLAT EARTH SOCIETY
ISMS
IPECAC RECORDINGS
Flat Earth Society is an avant-garde Belgian big band founded by clarinetist, saxophonist, composer, and arranger Peter Vermeersch.On one level the music is rooted in big band (swing, cabaret, R&B, etc.), but the delivery is agile and unexpected, like a compact, small, improvising combo. This is a 19-track compilation culling from previous import-only albums and a few unreleased tracks selected by Mike Patton. The music is exhilarating and thrilling, like a high-speed car wreck. www.ipecac.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

FOUR YEARS STRONG
SAMPLER
SELF-RELEASED
This California-based outfit have got the act down to a science: one part screamo, one part emo, one part dual vocals, one part synths, and one part big, hooky choruses. Meshing Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, and Story of the Year, Four Years Strong's four-track release came without a shred of info, yet from one listen you can pretty much get the general idea that these guys are another pop-punk band further clogging the system.
-Mike SOS

FREE VERSE
GENERATOR
BUTTERMILK RECORDS
Caught kicking and screaming from the riot-grrl capital of the world (i.e., Washington state), Free Verse can be heard kicking some ass and taking some on their latest full-length, GENERATOR. Obligatory Sleater-Kinney comparisons aside, Free Verse incorporate an interesting mix of aggressive and melodic influences with their brand of Northwest female punk. The band are at their best when showcasing their tuneful tendencies, however, especially on the heartfelt "This Time" and the bouncy "Lost in Those Hours". Recommended.
-Matthew Siblo

GASOLINE FIGHT_USELESS PIECE OF WEAPONRY
THICK RECORDS
Musically, this is an EP of in-your-face hardcore punk rock with hints of melodic agony-a well done evolution of punk rock. Lyrically, this is an emotional look at life and death through the eyes of a young man. Gasoline Fight succeeds in taking their brand of punk rock to a different level and separating themselves from the rest of the pack. However, the Henry Rollins-like vocal delivery gets trying at times and clashes with the more interesting musical attack of the guitars. Nevertheless, the maturity is definitely here, making USELESS PIECE OF WEAPONRY a step up from your run-of-the-mill punk rock. For more info, visit www.thickrecords.com.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

GLORY OF THIS
ADORATION
INDIANAOLA RECORDS
Glory of This won a contest to take part of the past summer's Warped Tour. While I'm not a big fan of the bands who seem to be gracing the Warped stage these days, Glory of This actually has a very unique sound that sets them apart from all the Finch, Taking Back Sunday, Underoath, and Story of the Year clones. While the yelling gets a bit old at times, the band balances everything with intricate melodies and masterful guitar work. Plus, the lead singer shows he can actually sing when necessary. Now all someone has to do is convince Glory of This that yelling all the time isn't always necessary. While I love the guitar work on "The Fear That Gave Me Wings", I must say a song like "Senior Superlative" shows how good this band actually is. Despite all the screaming, I could listen to this album multiple times just to hear all the things these guys do with their guitars. Really cool stuff is going on here.
-Dane Jackson

GO LIKE HELL
HELL BENT ROCK 'N' ROLL
BUTTER MILK RECORDS
The guitars (Rev. Spike-bass, Luvleggs-guitar, and Elvis Christ-lead guitar) are riffing like Kiss, while drummer Dick Whisky is pounding the punk into the mix and lead voxstress Alexi Void (complete with a sky-high mohawk and the full costume to go with it) shouts with style and balls. HELL BENT ROCK 'N' ROLL is a traditional big rock/punk disc that is well worth your dollars. I imagine from these tracks that Go Like Hell is a great live band. The power of live rock is here in spades. Some of the baddest of the bad (in a good way) tunes are "Hotter Than Love", "Eat My Dust", and leadoff track "Lucky Me". HELL BENT ROCK 'N' ROLL is a cool combination of styles that add up to bad-ass rock 'n' roll. Run and get this one.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

Guitar Wolf
R.R.E.
Narnack Records
There are only four different words in the Guitar Wolf song "Murder by Rock": "rock 'n' roll" and the three-word phrase "murder by rock." That is how Guitar Wolf is: simple and blunt. Like the word "murder" sounds gloomy and final like a knifing in an alley, so "Guitar Wolf" sounds like the band: ravenous and electric. The primitive, fuzzed-out, loud sonic assault is your favorite garage-rock band on steroids (or other "performance-enhancing" drugs, like the rock-enhancer alcohol). The band throws in some great covers: "Route 66", "Sore Loser" by The Royal Pendletons, and "The Way I Walk", that anthem to cool penned by Hazel Park, MI, rock legend Jack Scott. www.NarnackRecords.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

HATEFUL
REASONS TO BE HATEFUL
REBELLION RECORDS
In a word, this album is great. This is Scotland's answer to bands like The Clash and The Sex Pistols. Hateful has a throwback punk sound that seems to be lost at times these days. On this album, expect three chords, expect charisma, expect anthems, and expect to enjoy your listening experience. For the most part, Hateful sticks to the punk formula laid out by The Clash and The Sex Pistols, but expect to hear some Oi! thrown in for good measure. This is a very catchy and fun album that will leave you asking for more. Besides the catchiness of the album, you'll also notice some pretty damn good bass work laid down by Monty. Highly recommended for those of you who are bored with the slew of generic pop-punk bands polluting the music scene these days.
-Dane Jackson

HELLOGOODBYE
SELF-TITLED EP
DRIVE-THRU RECORDS
When a band that claims to have chosen their name "because Screech said it in the Hawaii episode of SAVED BY THE BELL," it's practically mandatory for them to deliver some chic, geek, happy-go-lucky pop tunes. Make no mistake: if you're looking for some testosterone-driven mayhem or some thought-provoking lyricism, you're knocking on the wrong door; this is more of a bubblegum indie-pop atmosphere. These Huntington Beach natives almost manage to sustain your attention on this six-track debut, however, as their finer moments will have you shimmying all the way down to Baskin-Robbins with a smile. In all, Hellogoodbye are goofy, dorky, occasionally funny-but most of all they'll just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
-Jude Ruiz

HIGH HOLY DAYS
ALL MY REAL FRIENDS
ROAD RUNNER RECORDS
High Holy Days are trying to make being accessible and radio-friendly a good thing. ALL MY REAL FRIENDS is a really great rock disc with balls and hooks and a lead singer with enough attitude and guts to be a megastar. High Holy Days have their feet in the mid '90s (Stone Temple Pilots and Collective Soul) without sounding like a tribute band. ALL MY REAL FRIENDS has many songs that could be the band's breakthrough smash. The disc includes a video for "The Getaway" that is a total gem. I would say track 1, "The Situation", is hit number two. The only thing that stands in the way of High Holy Days is that their sound is not trendy. But the band rocks. The guitar work of lead singer/songwriter Marc Arcand and guitarist Billy MacGregor tear it up with style, making ALL MY REAL FRIENDS a truly great disc.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

HIRAX
THE NEW AGE OF TERROR
MAUSOLEUM
Emanating from the same scene that spawned Slayer, Testament, and Exodus, veteran metal troupe Hirax have been through quite a bit in the their career, yet THE NEW AGE OF TERROR finds the quintet in fine headbanging form. This 11-track old-school sojourn has all of the blistering solos, pure metallic vocals, and bone-crushing rhythms you'd expect from a band that started back in the infant stages of the thrash-metal movement, but it doesn't sound overblown or cheesy (like so many comebacks do). Instead, tracks like "El Diablo Negro" and "The New Age of Terror" may date the band a bit, but displays Hirax as being in the kind of fighting shape that makes you proud to wear your denim jacket and bang your head.
-Mike SOS

HOODS/FREYA
SPLIT
VICTORY
Teaming up for a split CD are two of hardcore's unsung heroes, Hoods and Freya. Up first are Hoods, whose West Coast tough-guy stance and blistering guitars emanate pure rage and fury, especially on the malice-filled "In Love with a Whore", documenting another blissful relationship gone awry. Direct and to the point, Hoods mince no words and deliver the goods as raw as humanly possible. Freya, on the other hand, display a different kind of heavy, leaning on the metalcore side of the fence while implementing melodic guitars into the molten mix of songs like "Immortal Beloved". Not unlike former band Earth Crisis, the outfit is explosive, as the dynamic twists and turns make songs like "Ashes of Troy" boil over with aggression. For an abrasive assault on your ears, look no further than this split CD.
-Mike SOS

HOPESFALL
A-TYPES
TRUSTKILL
Hopesfall's latest release is a much lighter affair than previous releases by this North Carolinian quintet, as A-TYPES contains many more radio-friendly moments. Although a Glassjaw comparison can still be drawn at times (especially on the staccato-riff-stacked "Start and Pause"), the band has strayed far away from getting any more tense than that, opting to go the route of bands like Codeseven and become a bit more melodic. At the end of the day, despite the sprinkling of muscular guitars and screamo vocals, the change of style coupled with the slick production merely lumps Hopesfall in with the heap of bands who use the same tricks, hoping in turn to shed their hardcore skin for more mainstream appeal. While the outfit's heart may still be in the music, stadium-rock choruses found on tracks like "The Ones" fit a bit more snug on bands like Story of the Year, who at times sound jagged and disjointed, but for all the wrong reasons.
-Mike SOS

HOT WATER MUSIC
THE NEW WHAT'S NEXT
EPITAPH
Hot Water Music is a band at a crossroads of sorts. Having been around for a while (this is the Florida quartet's ninth full-length), do they appease the hardcore fan by rewriting past gems or do they follow their guts and write as they feel? A tricky and sometimes fatal position to be put in for any musician, HWM decide to dabble a bit in both of THE NEW WHAT'S NEXT. Songs like "Ink and Lead" show a more subdued, even mature side to the powerful punk band, while the usual urgent guitars still ring loud and clear on tracks like "All Heads Down" and "This Early Grave"; and the tense rocker "The End of the Line" unleashes off the venom of past releases. But at this point Hot Water Music is a band with over a decade of the hardcore life under its belt and is well-equipped to sing about it in a way that packs in both wisdom and angst.
-Mike SOS

HURRY UP OFFENSE
LABOR DAY
SELF-RELEASED
Somewhere between Social Distortion and Good Charlotte lie Hurry Up Offense, a punk trio packed with vitriol and virtue who will play anywhere and sacrifice anything for the sake of the music. On the outfit's rapid-fire, three-song endeavor, sneering '77 punk meets glossed-over WB melodrama rock for a potent mix of fashionable anarchy, especially on the brazen "Me Vs.", which sounds like the meeting of The Dead Boys and My Chemical Romance and features the memorable chorus of "The medicine goes down." Indeed, after a few listens, Hurry Up Offense will seep into your system, too.
-Mike SOS

I.C.E.
APOCALYPTIC IN WHITE
CRASH
No, I.C.E. isn't another rap troupe (although there's probably a lawsuit brewing as we speak), but instead are a malicious black-metal clan who seem to be obsessed with the frigid temperatures and arctic conditions that occur in the tundra. Imperial Crystalline Entombment is what the acronym stands for, and the outfit's harsh 11-track black-metal assault contains all of the blood-curdling screams, pounding rhythms, and searing guitar riffs you'd expect from a band that dresses up in white cloaks with porcelain masks. Yes, you read that right. For I.C.E., white is the new black-and they've brought the soundtrack.
-Mike SOS

JESU
SELF-TITLED
HYDRA HEAD
It's safe to say that those who've heard Godflesh will never forget the experience. Jesu, the finally-realized new project from Justin Broadrick (one-half of Godflesh), is more of the same overwhelming noise/thunder. That's not to say this doom-laden CD can't be enjoyed. In fact, it works wonders with long baths, ambitious journeys through dark and cold nights, or bouts of severe insomnia. Broadrick is as self-indulgent as always here, bringing songs to the utter brink of destruction, yet never going for the easy payoff. Time needs to be invested for this to really have an effect, but it's time well spent...assuming depressive, hellacious punishment is your goal.
-Jason Schreurs

JUMBOS' KILLCRANE
THE SLOW DECAY
CRUCIAL BLAST
Jumbos' Killcrane is a Kansas trio who have overdosed on too many Melvins albums, as well as a steady diet of crust rock like Eyehategod and Crowbar-all of which lends a hand in the making of the band's latest skull-crusher, THE SLOW DECAY. The six-track endeavor is a weighty release whose subtle strengths hinge on the power of the almighty riff and the many speeds at which it can be delivered. And these guys exhibit quite the knack for dynamics, as tracks like "Locust Blanket", with its many slow to slower time-signature changes, make this band a qualified harbinger of doom. Ultimately sticking to the slower, churning edge of the spectrum, tracks like "Brown" corrode your ears with a constant stream of desperate vocal cries, pounding rhythms, and the type of unsettling music that stoner-rock fans will have lucid nightmares about long after the high is gone.
-Mike SOS

KING'S X
LIVE ALL OVER THE PLACE
METAL BLADE RECORDS
This live double-CD from Texas-based old-school metal band King's X is a fitting tribute to a band that has been performing for 25 years. One disc is an 11-song compilation of the band's best hard-rocking, electric tunes, while the second disc is a 14-song compilation of "acoustic" tunes. Of course, when a heavy metal band says it is an acoustic set, that means with an electric bass and an electric guitar simply set on a clean setting. This band puts on huge live shows with great light effects and claims Pearl Jam, Anthrax, and Living Colour as its fans-yet somehow I don't think many people outside of Texas have ever heard of them. There were times when I was searching for a clue that this might be a Spinal Tap put-on, but no, this is a real band with real fans. The closest thing to a hit on this double-disc is an excellent rendition of the Hendrix tune "Manic Depression" on the electric disc.
-Dug

KREATOR
ENEMY OF GOD
STEAMHAMMER
ENEMY OF GOD, the newest album from Euro-thrash quartet Kreator, is quite the creation. Many of the album's sweet spots rear their head when it comes to the lethal guitar chops and penetrating rhythms (most evident on tracks like "Suicide Terrorist"). These sweet spots are many, so all in all it makes for a nice heavy-metal blitz. The raspy vocal snarling isn't so bad, either. Chances are you'll find yourself somewhere between Judas Priest and old-school Metallica circa 1983.
-Darren Ratner

LAKE OF TEARS
BLACK BRICK ROAD
SANCTUARY
Lake of Tears is a long-running Swedish goth-metal outfit whose latest release celebrates a rebirth of sorts for the trio who after a short hiatus decided to give it another go...and the rock world is grateful, as BLACK BRICK ROAD spawns nine tracks of masterfully crafted, well-textured songs that fall somewhere between the savvy of Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and Opeth. Sonically charged with pronounced keyboards and shimmering guitar solos, tracks like "Making Evenings" and "Rainy Day Away" have that progressive-rock edge without incessant musicianship distracting the listener, while the last track, "Crazyman", showcases a heavier (yet still experimental) sound. If you're bored with the Stateside version of metal, tune in to Lake of Tears' latest release and witness a mature, intelligent band that will blow you away.
-Mike SOS

LIFE OR DEATH
SENTENCED
1917
I'm seriously questioning whether music like this should even be allowed anymore. Constipated, angry mosh hardcore is completely redundant to my world-and, debatably, the world in general. Granted, it's a throwback to about 10 years ago, before every guitar monkey learned to play notes in mathematical equations. Something should be said for a good mosh now and then. And hey, they're not just another metalcore band wasting precious oxygen...but Life or Death don't have a lot to offer with their tired breakdowns and cyclical floor-punch. Another problem is that their singer sounds like a bear just coming out of hibernation who desperately needs to become regular again. Not the voice I want to embrace for 39 minutes of grunting and pushing.
-Jason Schreurs

LITTLE BRAZIL
YOU AND ME
MT. FUJI RECORDS
Yes, this is in fact another Omaha/Saddlecreek Records affiliate band. Now, before you go through you're I've-heard-it-all-before routine, you may just want to give YOU AND ME a try. Fans of The Good Life, Cursive, or Desaparecidos should find this equally fulfilling. Coincidentally, frontman Landon Hedges played bass for Desaparecidos and guitar for The Good Life, and both he and drummer Corey Broman lent their talents to the piano-pop band Son, Ambulance. Now Hedges steps into the limelight equipped with some clever songwriting and emotional lyrics and vocals akin to Ben Gibbard's. Standouts include "Now", "Easier", and "Now It's Time". A strong debut with plenty of rock, YOU AND ME is just the kind of stuff that you would figure would be burning up the college radio charts...but that just goes to show what you know.
-Jude Ruiz

LUKE TEMPLE
S/T
MILL POND
Soulful and spirited, Luke Temple brings us a solid four-song EP ridden with emotional vocals and cleanly-picked guitar patterns. Ranging in style from Elliott Smith to Bob Dylan, Temple never minds giving a tip of the hat to his influences. The standout track is easily "Painted Blue", a quickly-finger-picked tune that features brilliant lyrics among an interesting song structure. Luke Temple could easily begin to build an empire of devoted fans as this music gets around, considering that I was hooked the moment I heard it. If you're into Jeff Buckley or Neil Young, look for this record-or just check out .
-Zac

MELVINS + LUSTMORD
PIGS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
IPECAC
Underground kings of rock meet legendary noise terrorist for eight tracks of unabashed skull-crushing-that's the headline for the release of the latest project between The Melvins and Lustmord, an unlikely combination on paper that yields stunning results. Just when you thought the grunge-rock feel of King Buzzo's crew couldn't be enhanced, enter ex-Throbbing Gristle collaborator Lustmord, who puts his creepy electronic spin on tracks like "Safety Third" and "The Bloated Pope" like a chef garnishes a fine meal. While there's a lot of ambient spaces throughout the duration of PIGS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE thanks to the programming genius of Lustmord, it's a welcome addition...and a respite before the metallic maelstrom that is The Melvins churns out another noise-rock classic like "Pink Bat".
-Mike SOS

MILLION DOLLAR MARXISTS
GIVE IT A NAME
GEARHEAD RECORDS
Every now and then something cool comes out of Canada. This time, that something cool is Ottawa's Million Dollar Marxists. With GIVE IT A NAME, this five-piece unleashes a fury of raw music aggression. Channeling bands like The MC5 and Iggy Pop, Million Dollar Marxists offer up 14 tracks of pure, raucous rock goodness. Every song is pounding and filled with a loud, anthemic chorus. While I thoroughly enjoyed most of the album, "Every Action" got me going the most. Besides the great arrangements, the production value on this disc is very solid, capturing what the band's live show might be like. This is definitely for fans of bands like The Stooges and New Bomb Turks.
-Dane Jackson

MOTEL CREEPS
PLEASANTRIES IN THE PARLOR
SELF-RELEASED
This four-song debut EP from New York sonic-pop quartet Motel Creeps is a lush, melodic journey full of dreamlike passion. With influences that range from Joy Division to The Cure, this band makes these songs their own in a way that defines this band on its own terms. The opening track, "Moon Boots", is wonderful tune dominated by Eric Butler's beautiful and sophisticated guitar leads. Unfortunately, the second track, "City Girl", falls back into a generic Echo and the Bunnymen-type sound. Greg Welch's vocals do carry these songs, even when the music or lyrics are lacking. This is a talented band that is developing quite a following in the New York club scene. With focused direction and a talented producer, the debut full-length from this band might be something to watch out for.
-Dug

MOTORHEAD
INFERNO
SANCTUARY RECORDS
There is something special about classic metal bands that just don't seem to fuck around when it comes to their music. In rock we have AC/DC, and in metal we have bands like Motorhead (with Lemmy Kilmister still in charge of his game). Dedicated to the late, great John Entwistle of The Who, INFERNO has all the great elements of Motorhead: straight-up guitar-driven three-piece rock, constant ear-shaking beats, and (of course) Lemmy's signature gruff vocals and dark sing-along lyrics. Like a friend says, Motorhead has always been the "punk" that heavy metallers could listen to and the "metal" that punkers could listen to-but to Lemmy, it's all just good ol' rock 'n' roll." For more info, visit www.motorheadrules.com
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

MXPX
B-MOVIE
SIDE ONE DUMMY RECORDS
Hopefully MXPX's first official music release will be stronger than what this DVD/EP combo has to offer. The five-track acoustic EP verges on marginal, with one or two tracks being worth more than one listen. My favorite of the bunch is a new track called "Grey Skies Turn Blue". Everything else just sounds boring. As for the DVD, you'll be treated to the band messing around while on tour, messing around in Japan, messing around while recording the acoustic EP, and messing around for the DVD. While I'm sure the diehard MXPX fans will absolutely love all the messing around, casual fans like myself will become annoyed quickly. The only worthwhile part about this DVD is the live performance clips that are scattered throughout all the tomfoolery. If this were strictly a live DVD, I'd be singing its praises, because that part of the DVD is great and in ways is better than the SHOW MUST GO OFF series. Unfortunately, you're only given about the equivalent of half a set. Oh, well, there's always next time.
-Dane Jackson

NINJA GUN
SMOOTH TRANSITIONS
BARRACUDA SOUND
Combining the attitude of Johnny Cash with the music of The Ramones, Ninja Gun accomplishes a variety of things with SMOOTH TRANSITIONS. There's a country feeling haunts the entire album, with extremely well-written lyrics and guitar hooks. Songs like "The Smoking Gun" and "Dead FM" remind me of early Wilco with a bit of punk rock thrown in the mix. Ninja Gun covers a variety of music styles on SMOOTH TRANSITIONS. Check them out on tour this winter. www.barracudasound.com
-Zac

ONETRUETHING
FINALLY...
PLAY THE ASSASSIN
If there's one true thing about OneTrueThing, it's that their new album, FINALLY..., is not very good. The music is watered-down modern rock with influences such as Linkin Park or Evanescence, but with traces of Glassjaw. The vocals are very weak and provide for little depth or emotion for already faceless songs. It's as if the singer from The Cranberries was getting choked while the new Puddle of Mudd album was playing in the background. Don't waste your time on this album-check out Tsunami Bomb instead.
-Zac

PARIA
MISANTHROPOS
BLACKMARKET
Bombarding your ears with menacing skill is the mantra from Nebraska metallers Paria, a quintet that transcends the metalcore moniker (much like The Dillinger Escape Plan and Between the Buried and Me). By implementing wicked time signature changes, chaotic guitar parts, intricate rhythmic patterns, and sheer musical terror, Paria have found themselves in the company of the finest of the underground metal community. Juxtaposing the crushing grooves of Mastodon with the blatant death-metal disdain of Slipknot with the ornery delivery of Burnt by the Sun, MISANTHROPOS is an adventurous journey through destruction.
-Mike SOS

PORN
WINE, WOMEN, AND SONG
SMALL STONE
When you put Billy Anderson (producer of the who's who of the classic stoner underground), Dale Crover (Melvins), and Tim Moss in a studio together, it's gonna be loud. And heavy. And spacey. And it will quite possibly kick your ass in unforeseen ways. Such is the case with the trio's latest project, Porn (formerly Men of Porn). On this six-track stoner-rock odyssey, you get it all, from ultra-heavy riffs to 12-minute epics to guttural screams and ripping fretwork to left-of-center, free-form instrumental magic. All in a day's work for Porn, an unstoppable sludge-rock entity whose latest release will please the innermost Sabbath devotee in us all.
-Mike SOS

RACE THE SUN
THE REST OF OUR LIVES IS TONIGHT
FIDELITY
Race the Sun is a Virginia-based quintet whose pop-punk delivery isn't as undercooked as many other bands that attempt the genre. In fact, songs like "Vanity Score" and "I Hear the Book Was Better" hit harder than most of its peers, while "Dreams vs. Me" tugs at the heartstrings in a WB teen-drama kind of way. This 11-track debut is slickly produced and should induce group sing-alongs in VFW halls and small clubs everywhere. In between Fallout Boy and Yellowcard, THE REST OF OUR LIVES IS TONIGHT is a non-threatening rock release chock full of dynamic choruses and heartfelt emotion.
-Mike SOS

RACHEL FULLER
CIGARETTES & HOUSEWORK
UNIVERSAL RECORDS
The debut CD from this English protégé of Pete Townshend is a complex, mature work from an artist who is sure to have a huge career ahead of her. With a sound akin to a more poppy and intense Tori Amos, Rachel Fuller touches upon relationships, failed ambition, and personal shortcoming in this memorable disc. Fuller grew up a piano prodigy, writing music that was performed by the London Philharmonic when she was only 10. Townshend heard her crystal clear voice and encouraged her to becoming a recording artist. Because of her classical background, Fuller's solo compositions seem as if they were written for an orchestra. Perhaps the only unfortunate thing about this album is that many of these songs seem over-produced, when all that is really necessary is a piano and Fuller's beautiful voice.
-Dug

RAZORLIGHT
UP ALL NIGHT
MERCURY RECORDS LIMITED
The debut album from this much-anticipated London-based quartet is about as good as a first album can be. With legendary producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, Talking Heads, Morrissey) beginning work on the album and firm backing from Mercury Records (who won a bidding war for the band), it seemed as if nothing could go wrong for these guys. Yet, after several sold-out tours without an album, their drummer quit and was replaced, while Lillywhite left to work with U2 again. Though an early version of "Rock 'n' Roll Lies" was released in August of 2003 and flirted with top-40 status in England, this album wasn't released until October of 2004. With an edgy energy and blistering pop anthems, Razorlight plays with an intensity few bands can match. Imagine The White Stripes or The Hives with better vocals and much better songs, and you'll have a pretty good idea how this band sounds. Look for these guys to be the next big thing from England.
-Dug

RED GIANT
DEVIL CHILD BLUES
SMALL STONE
Red Giant's debut for Small Stone is a perfect amalgamation of spacey psychedelic rock and fist-pounding '70s hard rock, as this Cleveland clan manages to turn up the volume and crank out 50 minutes of sludgy success. From the fast-paced stomp of "Hoping for the Golden BB" to the hypnotic rhythms of "Go It Alone" to the QOTSA-esque charge of "I Breathe Fire", DEVIL CHILD BLUES shakes out the retro-style grooves with a galactic gloss, finding fine company amongst the likes of Fu Manchu, Alabama Thunderpussy, and Clutch.
-Mike SOS

RELIENT K
MMHMM
CAPITOL
Relient K happens to be a Christian pop-punk ensemble with a lot of heart. Surprised? With three critically-acclaimed albums under their belt, the godly rock circuit has been nice to these Ohio lads. MMHMM is another solid effort. The rhythms never bore you, the instrumentals are crisp, and the lyrics go from spiritual to smartass. "The One I'm Waiting for" is a favorite; everything else packs just enough grade-A Jesus clout to put a smile on your face.
-Darren Ratner

SAINT ANGELES
SAMPLER
SELF-RELEASED
The style of California quartet Saint Angeles sounds something in between 7 Seconds, Pennywise, and AFI, with a little bit of metal dynamics thrown in for good measure. This five-track disc exhibits an outfit unafraid of blending genres for the sake of writing good music and showcases an overall upbeat vibe. Despite the CD being extremely homemade (not even a track listing is enclosed), the music sounds crisp and sharp, especially the excellent drum sounds. The music of Saint Angeles contains a good intense energy that the band can hopefully catapult to the next level.
-Mike SOS

SEVEN WITCHES
YEAR OF THE WITCH
SANCTUARY
American power-metal troupe Seven Witches is a project known for having many guests in its ranks, and there is no exception on YEAR OF THE WITCH, which boasts the low-end skills of both Joey Vera and Dave Ellefson. But this time around, the same core members return-a first for Jack Frost's clan. And these guys have created a swift metal assault in the process, an old-school tone with some heavier elements à la Priest and Megadeth. This is especially evident on fast tracks like "Fires Below" and the soon-to-be metal anthem "Metal Asylum", a track chronicling the history of metal and its legends. Providing pure power metal sans any trace of disgrace, Seven Witches is a metal band you can proudly bang your head to and not worry about the band getting sappy or exploring new ground on your ass-and isn't that a good thing to have in metal these days? If you dig Dio, Queensryche, Neverrnore, and Dokken, you'll love the real metal styling of Seven Witches, whose latest CD is definitely its best to date.
-Mike SOS

SHESUS
RUINED IT FOR YOU
NARNACK RECORDS
This is indie garage rock at its worst. Dayton's Shesus has a raw and monotonous sound filled with awkward guitar riffs, distortion, and plenty of fuzz. The album, which was produced by Jim Diamond (of Von Bondies and The White Stripes fame), is what you would expect if you are familiar with Diamond's previous production work. So, if you like the whole resurgence of this type of music that was ushered in with Jack and Meg White a few years back, Shesus will be right up your alley. I, on the other hand, find it hard to stomach this type of music. I wanted to give RUINED IT FOR YOU an objective listen, but the sonic assault that ensued was just too much for me to bear. If you like loud, distorted, mechanical indie/garage rock, then you'll enjoy this album. I don't, so I didn't.
-Dane Jackson

SIXTEENS
FENDI
HUNGRY EYE RECORDS
Apparently the Bay Area got the memo too late that new wave was back in style. Sixteens is sporting a sound that is almost identical to Ima Robot, minus any type of real instrumentation. Sixteens is an electro band with two members, one who does all of the singing. In this age of computer technology, the record sounds as though the group just learned how to use music programming software. The song constructs are very simple, and the samples that have been chosen are rather dull and not really experimental. I guess this record would've been cool if we were living in the year 1979.
-ADF

SKEEMIN' NOGOODS
SKEEMIN' NOGOODS
IDOL RECORDS
Skeemin' NoGoods is a powerful reminder that Detroit is the home of raw jams that'll knock your sorry ass to the ground. This debut disc presses outward from your speakers like debris from an atomic blast. Comprised of three veteran rockers (the members hold membership credentials in The Paybacks, The Necros, Laughing Hyenas, and Speedball, to name a few), and it shows. John Speck (vocals and guitar) leads the group with spit and fury. His axe work isn't innovative, it's just ripping heads clean off. Some of the highlight moments of this 11-song, 27-minute disc are Track 2, "Politicians" ("Right wing, left wing-it's all the same"), "Gimme the Gas", and my pick for single of the month, "Supercharged". This is rock of size and coolness, the real deal. Go and get this one.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

SLEEPYKID
MONDAY MORNING SMILE
GET HIP RECORDINGS
As the band name suggests, MONDAY MORNING SMILE is nothing but a quaint chamber-pop album that will make you, well, a sleepy kid. A musical mix of Coldplay's British sensibilities and Badly Drawn Boy's bedroom arrangements, Sleepykid's equation adds up to one plain and simple fact: it sounds a hell of a lot like The Beatles. While certainly not bad, after a few spins it seems as though I can't seem to keep myself from yawning. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!
-Matthew Siblo

SMP
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
MUSIC RATION ENTERTAINMENT
Has industrial faded away? I often wonder. But SMP has a very genuine KMFDM thing going one here...as well as a Vanilla Ice thing. That wasn't meant as a jab: it's just that CRIME OF THE FUTURE is the brainchild of Jason Bazinet, a punchy, creepy, sometimes funny guy whose industrialism and hip-hop are straight out of Washington. Represent, ya'll. CRIMES... is arranged well, and tracks like "Three O'clock" have a catchiness to them. Static sounds, electric guitars, and turntablism are pieced together cleverly. I just think that this album may be too "pop" to appease the Raymond Watts-worshipping crowd.
-Darren Ratner

SOMETHING ABOUT VAMPIRES AND SLUTS
WE BREAK OUR OWN HEARTS
VMS/MORPHIUS RECORDS
Something About Vampires and Sluts deliver a darker, noisier, more contemporary twist on '80s synth pop à la Heaven 17, Berlin, or The Cure. WE BREAK OUR OWN HEARTS is full of the kind of electro new-wave sass that would make The Faint or The Firebird Band proud (if they cared). It's clear from the get-go that this Myrtle Beach five-piece is all about the nightlife, with highlights coming on artsy dance rockers like "Can't Be Wrong", "Meant to Be" and "Hyosung". Sure, if I had a dime for every band I compared to The Faint, I would have myself a whole lotta dimes; however, WE BREAK OUR OWN HEARTS has what it takes to warrant a listen. Perhaps it's just the chauvinist pig in me, but in my book, any band that features two hot chicks on dueling synths can't be wrong.
-Jude Ruiz

SONOMA AERO
SELF-TITLED
TRIBUNAL RECORDS
It's hard to decipher-at least from just four tracks-what Sonoma Aero really are. Are they indie rock? Can it be pop/rock? There are some particularly soulful riffs moving throughout the EP (in tracks like "System Soul"), though often there are these minor keys ringing in and out with major ones. Music theory only got me so far. All I'm saying is that this self-titled effort is decent stuff...but a lot like an identity crisis.
-Darren Ratner

SPARTA
PORCELAIN
GEFFEN
Sparta's sophomore effort is a glistening display of post-hardcore brilliance, as PORCELAIN showcases the El Paso quartet rolling up its collective sleeve and dishing out some of the most elegantly displayed anger this side of Radiohead. Traces of early U2 and Fugazi can also be traced throughout the entire 14-track collection, as the shimmering "Death in the Family" yields more angst that 10 hardcore bands could muster; while "Breaking the Broken" showcases both a vibrant wall of sound and a graceful delivery. Jim Ward and crew still show the remnants of At the Drive-In (especially on the coarse "Splinters"), yet do so without bastardizing the mystique. For a dosage of breathtaking hardcore, look no further than the aptly-titled PORCELAIN.
-Mike SOS

STRUNG OUT
EXILE IN OBLIVION
FAT WRECK CHORDS
With EXILE IN OBLIVION, Strung Out offers up another strong outing. The songs on this album may be some of the darkest this veteran band have offered, but that doesn't stop Strung Out from showing off its technical prowess on their instruments. At times-like on "Blueprint of the Fall"-arena-rock guitar solos are fused in with the rest of the band's signature melodic sound. It's stuff like that solo that helps solidify the band's place as one of the more creative punk bands playing music right now. To complement the band's darker imagery, Strung Out tapped Slayer producer Matt Hyde to do the honors here. What came from that alliance is an album that is more aggressive and with plenty of metal and progressive rock elements. Even with all the metal influences, at the end of the day EXILE IN OBLIVION is a catchy, dark, technical punk masterpiece. Hyde helped frontman Jason Cruz write one of the tracks that made it on the final cut of the album, and that track, "Anna Lee" is one of the catchier pop-punk songs on the album. After listening to this album for a week straight, I think it's safe to say it's a good time to be a Strung Out fan, because EXILE IN OBLIVION is nothing short of amazing.
-Dane Jackson

SUBHUMANS
ALL GONE LIVE
CLEOPATRA RECORDS
The fury, excitement, and slight sense of danger found at really good punk shows just doesn't translate to the small screen when extruded through the lens of a video camera. That is the weakness of this uninterrupted, unblinking portrayal of three gigs on a '03 tour mashed into a single concert experience. For the die-hard Subhumans fan, this has something to offer, I am sure, but for the general punk-rock aficionado, what is there to get excited about? Well, like with most DVDs, the action is in the special features. While it could have benefited from post-production editing, the road footage here is fascinating. It is a behind-the-scenes look of what that fan never sees: what happens between the venues. From collecting receipts to combating boredom to traveling, the mechanics of reviving punk rock has better visual appeal than looking at the show through a microscope. www.cleorecs.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE CHASM
THE SPELL OF RETRIBUTION
WICKED WORLD
The Chasm is a Chicago-based trio by way of Mexico whose gripping death-metal stance is glorified on the outfit's debut for Wicked World. This 10-track opus harkens back to the days when the introduction of raw metal (e.g., Slayer, The Haunted, Sepultura) was a monumental metal moment. Menacing and unyielding, songs like "Conjuring the New Apocalypse" exhibit Swedish stomp and late-'80s thrash wizardry; yet The Chasm retains its distinct identity throughout the entire disc. While the group plays in a style that has been lost in the metal shuffle for some time now, the uncompromisingly raw and brutal sound's resurgence couldn't find a more thirsty audience than today's, who have been regulated to wading and wallowing in mediocrity. THE SPELL OF RETRIBUTION goes one step further than denouncing false metal: it slays it convincingly. A must-have metal release.
-Mike SOS

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN
MISS MACHINE
RELAPSE
For every extreme metal band, there seems to be a template by which to compare them. For the last few years, the template has been the New Jersey quintet The Dillinger Escape Plan. While other bands simply mimic what this juggernaut does, no one does it with the fiery passion or the utmost conviction that these guys radiate. The 11-track MISS MACHINE is yet another raise of the extreme metal bar by including real, honest, heavy melodic tunes in the mix. No doubt thanks in part to the band's collaborating with Mike Patton on the outfit's previous EP IRONY IS A DEAD SCENE, songs like "Phone Home", while still far from being mainstream, include unmistakably memorable parts. Adding this kind of depth to an already top-rated aural assault rightfully places The Dillinger Escape Plan in the enviable position way atop the extreme metal genre as the most dangerous band on the planet.
-Mike SOS

THE ENDS
CONCRETE DISAPPOINTMENT
DIRTNAP RECORDS
I like the punk style straight out of the early raunchy CBGB scene, the melodic guitar and total disregard for the listener. Dirty and danceable, all these great elements are here in CONCRETE DISAPPOINTMENT. Austin's The Ends are a simple punk band influenced by punk's glorious days of the late 1970s-perfect for getting the juices and fun flowing. The only problems I have are with the blatant British vocals coming out of a Texan, but The Ends should fit quite nicely within with the recent explosion of garage rock.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

THE HIDDEN HAND
MOTHER TEACHER DESTROYER
SOUTHERN LORD
The king of underground doom rock returns with The Hidden Hand, as Wino and company bring the sludgy, stoned goodness back again for an 11-track sojourn. This time around, The Hidden Hand dabbles in other genres besides the usual doom/stoner-rock areas, with prime results and without alienating the trio's massive freewheeling foundation. Tracks like the epically dismal "Sons of Kings" are true to the doom-metal genre, placing churning riffs at a dirge-like pace. Other standouts such as "Desensitized" juxtapose thick, meaty riffs with metaphysical space-metal jams, while the psychedelic, swirling instrumental "Draco Vibration" contains more trippy value than 10 hits of acid. Pushing the boundaries of heavy without sacrificing an ounce of creepiness, MOTHER TEACHER DESTROYER is yet another sonic success for this group of metal veterans.
-Mike SOS

THE METHADONES
NOT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE
THICK RECORDS
The third release from Dan Schafer's (Screeching Weasel, Riverdales) one-time side project, The Methadones, is a 12-song pop accolade to anyone who ever hated their job and didn't feel like wearing a suit to work every day. With a revolving cast of well-known musicians since the band's inception in 1993, Schafer seems to finally have hit on the perfect permanent lineup. The songs on this disc really click in a teen-angst, ready-for-rebellion kind of way. The band's sound is a new-millenium hybrid of old-school popsters The Plimsouls and Cheap Trick. Sing-along choruses mesh with fast, guitar-dominated pop throughout this disc, with nary a slow, reflective tune to be found. With the release of this crowd-pleasing new album and a new tour, The Methadones will no longer be a side project for Schafer, but the real mealwagon.
-Dug

THE NEW SPAIN
THE NEW SPAIN
SELF-RELEASED
The Williamsburg section of Brooklyn is cited as one of the hotbeds of indie rock, and that is where the eclectic trio known as The New Spain hang their hats. The outfit's latest, self-titled, five-track disc showcases a band that seems to know a thing or two about the usage of dynamics, sounding like a cross between Quicksand, The Police, and Interpol on "Caveat"; while "America Was a Project" radiates waves of At the Drive-In meets Thursday at a Fugazi show. A melting pot of counterculture with massive guitar layering to boot, The New Spain's latest is a captivating listen to those who enjoy left-of-center rock.
-Mike SOS

THE RAMONES
RAW
IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
For fans of punk rock, this DVD collection of The Ramones music can be likened to the Holy Grail. With over five hours worth of material from live performances, TV clips, and rare television appearances, RAW is a testament to these legendary musicians who have changed music forever. Hilarious backstage antics give us a great peak into their friendship and characters throughout their years of relentless touring as The Beatles of punk rock. Also included in the DVD are bonus features: audio commentaries with Johnny and Marky Ramone and John Cafiero, The Ramones live in Italy 1980, deleted scenes, and Easter eggs. For more info, visit www.ramones.com.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

THE REDEMPTION SONG
VICTIMS_FUTURE DESTINATION RECORDS
About every six months or so, my friend Thom and I decide that we've given up on contemporary hardcore. After the constant audio assault of makeup-wearing Trustkill enthusiasts and Bridge Nine machismo, we'll decide it's time to forget about the genre altogether. But just when we're about to throw in the towel, one record always drags us back in. Cue The Redemption Song, with their blistering EP, VICTIMS. Melodic and catchy while still maintaining a high level of intensity and aggression, VICTIMS encompasses the best of what modern hardcore has to offer. Looks like I'll have to hold on to my black hooded sweatshirt after all.
-Matthew Siblo

THE SHAKEDOWNS
SELF-TITLED
VMS RECORDS
This album was an extremely tough listen. The Shakedowns self-titled release lacks a steady and firm structure, which makes it really challenging to follow. Sometimes they play their guitars like it's the 1970s, while at others it seems like they are trying to pull off a more recent mainstream punk sound. That's where the album heads downhill. Instead of staying true to their classic-rock style, they get too cute with trying to modernize their sound. I actually like how these guys have a classic-rock sound, as they pull it off really well. However, when they break away from that element, I quickly lost interest, as the band loses any originality they had going. Sometimes a band can try to do too much, and such is the case with The Shakedowns.
-David Walter

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE FOUR
BROKEN HEARTS AND BROKEN STRINGS
INDIE
Although very indie-sounding, this New York, melodic punk group manage to throw around some half-decent chops and the kind of catchiness usually reserved for bands much older and wiser. The six tunes on BROKEN HEARTS AND BROKEN STRINGS are crammed with melody and a little dissonance, but it's pretty much ruined by nasal, high-pitched vocals. Not sure why bands insist on throwing the guy with the worst voice front and centre and thereby destroying themselves right at the surface level. The voice is the first thing you hear, dudes, so find someone who the listener can tolerate for more than a glimmer, eh? Fans of melodic punk rock who can forgive vocal shortcomings will dig The Slaughterhouse Four.
-Jason Schreurs

THE SOPHOMORE YEAR
YOU ARE HERE...SHE IS THERE
SEARCH AND RESCUE RECORDS
What this band lacks in originality, the make up for with energy. With a very typical pop-punk style of music, there isn't much that can be said that hasn't been said before. They play their music in the vein of New Found Glory and Yellowcard-i.e., very upbeat. They do manage to keep things interesting while playing their instruments at a very fast pace. The lyrical content makes you want to run for the exits, though. Each song is about forgotten kisses and bad relationships-a theme that is just so overused at this point that it's almost exhausting. There just isn't much creativity or imagination being used by these guys. This album isn't bad, but it isn't good. These guys do play their instruments well and with a tremendous amount of energy. I just think that they should take some of that energy and pour it into the creative side of things.
-David Walter

THE USED
IN LOVE AND DEATH
REPRISE
The sophomore effort from The Used further distances the Utah quartet from the rest of the emo-rock pack, thanks to the vocal gymnastics of Bert McCracken and some excellent production work. IN LOVE AND DEATH finds the band sounding like a towering giant on tracks like "I Caught Fire", while more tender moments are beautifully captured on tracks like "All That I've Got". Armed with a humungous-sounding section and a dense guitar tone, McCracken's trademark shrieks and wails sound that much more immediate. Tracks like "Take It Away" and "Listening" show signs of distinction no band in the pack have shown thus far. "I'm a Fake", containing a spoken-word intro that whips into a frenzied punk-rock anthem, makes for not only a proper closer but is the album's most daring track.
-Mike SOS

THE WEEGS
SELF-TITLED
HUNGRY EYE RECORDS
If you were to give Devo tons of mind-altering drugs, then maybe the result would be this record. This is punk fused with very simple new wave and a singer who has a semi-annoying voice (think Blood Brothers). I can't honestly imagine what type of person would buy this record and enjoy listening to it. Not that it's bad music; there's just something about the way it's recorded that makes it hard to listen to. I guess the crappy vocals don't help the cause, either.
-ADF

THE WOBBLIES
UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS
TERRA FORMA
The Wobblies are an Oregon-based punk-rock outfit whose nine-track release sounds very homemade, yet righteously encompasses the DIY punk spirit. Not one of these songs, which contain all of the charm of a beer-hall dance floor late on a Saturday night, runs over two-and-a-half minutes. How's that for brevity? While there's nothing Earth-shattering here, The Wobblies are fortunate: where else can you find four friends who really enjoy banging out punk rock from the heart?
-Mike SOS

THROCULT
STORMBRINGER: CONJURATION OF THE NIGHTHORDE
CRASH
Despite the major changes this Colorado outfit has undergone in the past year, such as losing both a keyboardist and a lead vocalist and scaling back to a quartet, Throcult have managed to pull together and make a tantalizing death-metal release. The song structures and performances are dually intricate, making this nine-track release an album you need to hear many times over to soak in all of its nuances. And even though some of these pulverizing tracks are creepingly melodic at times, Throcult never lost sight of the big picture-which seems to consist of bringing apocalypse to the digital age. With blast-beated drums in full effect and the black metal ambience peeking through the carnage on tracks like "Order of the Lunar Temple", STORMBRINGER displays one of the best examples of war metal this side of Eastern Europe.
-Mike SOS

TOWER OF ROME
ALL IS LOST ALL IS LOST ALL IS YET TO BE FOUND
HE WHO CORRUPTS
I put this short puppy on repeat and soon understood what it felt like to be in crazy, spazz-grind purgatory. Trying my best to avoid eye contact with song titles like "Real Teamwork Means You Pull Your Knife out of My Back While I Push Mine Deeper into Yours", some of the tunes on, um...shit, I'm not typing out that CD title again!...on here is pretty breakneck, but after a few song loops and repetitive spazzery, all the noise and chaos starts to blur together. Similar to the projectile vomit of bands on Robotic Empire Records and (in a big way) The Locust. Just beware of the repeat button!
-Jason Schreurs

TSJUDER
DESERT NORTHERN HELL
SEASON OF MIST
When your drummer's stage name is Anti-Christian, you can pretty much guess what the music sounds like. Such is the case of Norway's Tsjuder, a black-metal trio that dresses up like it's Halloween and who plays with the kind of apocalyptic fury that scares young children and church groups alike. Bleak, brash, and blisteringly heavy, tracks like the maelstrom "Ghoul" and the blast-beated madness of "Possessed" go best with a lamb's carcass for offering to all of the netherworld's demons. If you are enraptured with the early '90s black-metal scene, Tsjuder does its part to summon the evil back to the year 2005.
-Mike SOS

TWINKIE
TWINKIE
AVEBURY RECORDS
Just when I was starting to think that original thought had been traded in for a shot at the mediocrity of radio/MTV stardumb, along comes Twinkie. This Derby, U.K., four-piece has produced a fantastic self-titled disc. The guitar work is noisy and stretched out and crooked with weird tunings. The vocals are used as a sidenote to the chaos. Some of the stellar cuts of this near-perfect experimental indie-rock showcase are "On the Verge of Moral Collapse", "Our Man D.A.V.E.", and "Guess the Weight of My Wife the Horse". Twinkie is coming through with rage and artfulness and rock that is worth investing in. You will be cooler for it, so go buy TWINKIE...now!
-H. Barry Zimmerman

VARIOUS ARTISTS
PUNK CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 5
WOLVERINE RECORDS
PUNK CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 5 is two discs, 51 bands, and a hell of a lot of fun. And while all comp discs have some shit on them, this one is pretty shit-free. What we have here is bands doing their own versions of other bands' hits-and I prefer these versions to the originals, for the most part. While it is hard to be a standout in such a huge collection, some of my favorite cuts include Bitume's "La isla bonita" (Madonna), 0 Eight 5teens' "White Flag" (Dido), Hard Attack's "Land of Confusion" (Genesis) (which blows the Genesis version off the map), and my favorite, American Heartbreak's version of "Heartbreaker" (The Rolling Stones). These two discs for the price of one is a mega-value that will rock your world raw.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

VARIOUS ARTISTS
SAW
KOCH
The soundtrack for the gruesome horror flick SAW features heavy bands and some of maestro Charlie Clouser's twisted electronica, making this 14-track release a mixed bag of sorts. Tracks by Enemy, Fear Factory, and Pitbull Daycare rock with predictable industrial-metal fare, while the more atmospheric yet sometimes unsettling musical interludes from Clouser and friends (among them, Danny Lohner and Page Hamilton) may have fit the film, yet don't stand up well by themselves. If you want to creep someone out, this is an excellent soundtrack to use; but if you're looking for a collection to raise both the hairs on your neck and your expectations, look elsewhere.
-Mike SOS

VOICE IN THE WIRE
SIGNALS IN TRANSMISSION
EYEBALL
Excruciatingly fast and guitar-driven, SIGNALS IN TRANSMISSION delivers 12 songs of serious punk rock. The opening song, "Ash black", plays out like a stick of dynamite that finally explodes into a catchy chorus with crisp riffing from dual guitars. This album reminds me a lot of Ten Foot Pole's REV, in that it delivers song after song. I'd recommend this for fans of Strung Out, 98 Mute, and Osker.
-Zac

VOODOO GLOW SKULLS
ADICCION, TRADICION, REVOLUCION
VICTORY
The long-running ska outfit Voodoo Glow Skulls return with a new album that sounds like the perfect mixture of every facet of Los Angeles street culture. From the old-school punk rock blitz of "Mayhem and Murder" to the more rootsy feel of "Eville" to the straight-up rock-steady ska of "Smile Now, Cry Later", this septet cranks out the kind of evil ska that Memphiskapheles did back in the day. The only difference is that VGS performs with a decisive Latino flavor, as songs like the title track are sung predominantly in Spanish. However, the album isn't without its problems: the crappy mix virtually jumbles the release's overall sound and feel. But down deep inside this 14-track disc, there's a wild house party waiting to burst out of control.
-Mike SOS

WATCHERS
DUNES PHASE
GERN BLANDSTEN RECORDS
Take innovative rock bands of the late 1970s such as Television, then mix them with 1980s pioneers like U2 and Talking Heads, and bingo, you've constructed a similar sound to Watchers. To be flat-out honest, this record is a great listen. Not only can you dance to the rhythms, but the record is also easy to listen to because of the ambient yet melodic vocals. Lots of cool percussion and fancy guitar work make this rock record kind of innovative in its own right. This is not too shabby for a small band from Chicago.
-ADF

WAX APPLES
S/T
NADINE
It's been a while since a good swing/rockabilly band came onto the scene. Wax Apples are just that: a cool bunch of young kids who write horn-driven tunes with a good beat. Bursting with the style of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the soul of Brian Setzer, these kids truly make entertaining music. Fans of swing music and rockabilly will love lead singer Jamie Coakley's smooth vocals layered over the thick bass of James Grissom. Don't be afraid to take a listen at .
-Zac

WE VERSUS THE SHARK
RUIN EVERYTHING!
HELLO SIR RECORDS
Sure, Athens' We Versus the Shark might have the second-worst band name I've ever heard (Bear Vs. Shark takes top honors), but I'll be damned if these kids can't play! Every song on RUIN EVERYTHING! has the ability to peak my interest, continuously pushing boundaries where most bands are content to simply push the same old buttons. Combining the schizophrenic attack of forbearers The Paper Chase and The Dismemberment Plan, RUIN EVERYTHING! acknowledges these influences and runs with them-most of the time in a whole new direction. Finally, a band that recognizes the importance of a properly-placed horn solo! Get up to get down, brothers and sisters.
-Matthew Siblo

YOB
THE ILLUSION OF MOTION
METAL BLADE
Yob (which means hooligan) is a three-piece doom-metal band that is a matter of taste. If you are not a fan of this genre, Yob is not the band for you; but if you dig your metal served up with big, throbbing darkness and long-building sections that is more about mood than interesting arrangements, Yob is fucking great. THE ILLUSION OF MOTION is four songs played out in a 56-minute visit to metal hell. Founding member Mike Scheldt on guitar and vox leads Yob as the visionary and personality character of Yob. Mike's voice runs from high-pitched phaser-soaked pleading to low-toned growling and guttural warnings. THE ILLUSION OF MOTION is a solid piece, consistent in heaviness and themes of doom. A great disc of modern metal. Bravo.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

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