May CD Reviews (in alphabetical order)

AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE
IMMORTAL RECORDS
Although someone shelled out the bucks for a high-class production (including fancy cover art, studio time, and whatever else), this album doesn't completely do it for me. At first, it is your typical dink pop with overly repetitive choruses that announce typical and annoying statements. Then something more aggressively real rips out of singer Torry Jasper and saves the day. This occurs once in a while and seems to be the pinnacle of this endeavor. Other times it seemed to go back to the whiny, "I'm angry with my parents" thing. I read the lyrics and was surprised that there was actually some pretty good stuff sprinkled throughout. This album floats somewhere in the middleóbut it's better than a lot of the stuff coming out, that's for sure.
-Thomas Murray

ABORTED
THE ARCHAIC ABATTOIR
OLYMPIC
Aborted is a technically-crushing metal troupe hailing from Belgium that combine the wares of Swedish and death metal in a very refreshing fashion. On THE ARCHAIC ABATTOIR, tracks like "Threading on Vermillion Deception" showcase the quintet's ability to grind out tightly-woven yet punishing death metal, while managing to throw some Carcass-era metal dexterity on tracks like "The Inertia" for some special seasoning. These guys display some kick-ass hooks, too, as songs like "A Cold Logistic Slaughter" and the manic pacing of "Hecatomb" dually blow your ears out while overcoming you with maddeningly powerful grooves. Armed with a mighty low-end assault and the kind of contained insanity that bands like The Haunted, Entombed, and Cannibal Corpse wield, this 10-track metal extravaganza is a must-have for every extreme metal fan. www.olympicrecordings.com
-Mike SOS

ABOVE THIS FIRE
IN PERSPECTIVE
LIFE SENTENCE
Hardcore punk has a new champion to add to its ring with Above This Fire's new release, IN PERSPECTIVE. Above This Fire takes hard-hitting guitars, adds in crashing drumbeats, and finishes off with commanding vocals courtesy of the band's singer, Andy Hoffman. Along with a very distinctively rough voice, Hoffman has a harmonious vocal range, which is interesting to see from a hardcore band. Another exceptional point for the band is that the guitars are experimental and creative, while the drumbeats franticly switch tempo at a moment's notice. A brilliant display of these aspects can be noted on the songs "The Deceiver Within" and "Miles Apart" (which has an astonishing drum intro). Above This Fire change musical direction with the instrumental "In Perspective", then charge into the energetic "Designing a Requiem". I urge any fan of hardcore to check out this album.
-Joe Licavoli

ADOLESCENTS
THE COMPLETE DEMOS 1980-1986
FRONTIER RECORDS
In celebrating the silver anniversary of Adolescents, Frontier Records has decided to release six years worth of demos from the band. On this 16-track collection, you'll get tracks that predate the blue album, alternate cuts of Adolescents classics, and previously unreleased tracks. The tracks on this album were recorded on tape decks and other assorted ways, but even though the recordings were done on less-than-professional equipment, the mastering on this album is superb. Whether you're an old-school Adolescents fan or new blood, this is a definite necessity for your collection. It's filled with the snotty, disenfranchised punk rock that overcame Orange County in the early '80s.
-Dane Jackson

ADOLF SATAN
SELF-TITLED
ONSLAUGHT RECORDS
This record sounds like someone simultaneously killed a cat and recorded first-year guitar students messing around in a garage. This is an attempt at a punk/metal hybrid that falls short because of the poor sound quality and abrasive vocals. Thank goodness this album was sent to me for free, because although I love punk/metal, I would not have paid good money for this. The recording is so badly done that it actually started to make my ears bleed.
-ADF

AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY/COMMON RIDER
S/T SPLIT
HOPELESS RECORDS
I'm usually not a big fan of splits, because they usually encompass already-released tracks or crappy B-sides. That's not the case with Hopeless Records' new split featuring Against All Authority and Common Rider. All eight tracks on this disc are previously unreleased and mark the first new material from each band in the past two years. Unfortunately, in the case of Common Rider, this will probably be the final material you ever hear from them, since Jesse Michaels and company disbanded shortly after THIS IS UNITY MUSIC was released. Common Rider's selections on the split are actually unused tracks from that recording session, and listening to them really shows the similarities between the two albums. Getting to hear Common Rider's final recordings is reason enough to buy the split, but adding four new ultra-political ska-punk tracks from Against All Authority is just icing on the cake. While I'll have to be satisfied with never having more new material from Common Rider, the new AAA tracks made me thirsty for more. This is the best split to come out so far in 2005, hands down.
-Dane Jackson

AIRBOMB
PNUK
SELF-RELEASED
"If you're not at least trying to be the best band in the world, then why bother?" That's how Airbomb describes their work ethic and enthusiasm towards their music (at www.airbomb.me.uk). This group of fed-up punkers from England pour their pissed-off hearts into this hardcore, fast, must-have DIY album. The band takes influences from such great punk bands as The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, and Generation X, which gives them a good, true-to-the-cause base for good punk rock for the new generation. So, support the DIY scene and pick up this album. It's just what you're looking for (if you're looking for good, sing-along, mosh-pit-provoking punk rock).
-Courtney Strain

AMERICAN HEAD CHARGE
THE FEEDING
DRT
The wild and crazy lives of American Head Charge have once again surfaced on record nearly four years since the tumultuous THE ART OF WAR hit the shelves. Drug addictions, record company red tape, and various band members leaving delayed this juggernaut, which has now returned with a veritable vengeance. Containing 11-tracks of pounding yet discernibly leaner industrial-strength metal, this Minneapolis-based clan's musical output falls somewhere in between the left-of-centrism of Faith No More and the sultry stomp of Marilyn Manson. Tracks like the contagious "Loyalty", "Walk Away", and "Dirty" succeed in delivering sinewy verses with explosive choruses laden with enough musical contortions inside each tune to keep listeners on the edge of their seats. And if you're looking for some rapid-fire aggression, look no further than "Cowards", which sounds like a cross between Ministry and DRI. This is an impressive comeback for a band that many people wrote off as yet another casualty of the industry's machinery. www.headcharge.com
-Mike SOS

ANDERS PARKER
THE WOUNDED ASTRONAUT EP
BARYON RECORDS
Anders Parker's second solo release is a sonic folk masterpiece. The six songs on this EP were originally recorded for Parker's solo debut, the critical smash TELL IT TO THE DUST, but the tunes were a bit more psychedelic and electronic than the straight folk of the debut, so they've ended up on this excellent EP. Parker is joined by Jay Farrar of Son Volt on this disc, along with Joan Wasser of Those Bastard Souls, Jud Ehrbar of Space Needle, and Richard Buckner. Fans of The Jayhawks, Son Volt, and Golden Smog should appreciate this collection of tunes. The biggest disappointment about this disc is that it's only an EP. Just when you begin to drift off into a bit of folk nirvana, the damn thing ends. Parker and band will be opening up for Son Volt on the band's spring tour and is sure to include some of these impressive songs on his playlist.
-Dug

ASTROPOP 3
ALLIES AND STEPPING STONES
PLANTING SEEDS RECORDS
Astropop 3 sound like a rinky-dink band with the potential for big sounds. ALLIES AND STEPPING STONES is a decent effort, mostly coming forward with alternative that goes back and forth between good and not so good. "Forget Tomorrow" is an example of the good stuff, with bouncy rhythms and mixed minor keys. Ultimately, the album's alternative atmosphere is what gives them some power.
-Darren Ratner

BBQ
TIE YOUR NOOSE
BOMP! RECORDS
So, just how hot is this BBQ? Well, let's just say that this authentic-flavored garage-rock album is so smoking that if you're not careful, you might get burned. BBQ is actually a moniker for a one-man band(Mark Sultan of The Sexareenos) who appears to be caught in a beautiful time warp of some Hazel Atkins or Link Wray brand of rock 'n' roll. Had this album been released in the late '50s or early '60s, there would be some guaranteed floor-shakers. Some of these songs have such familiar rhythms that one can't help but want to throw on your dancing shoes (whatever that means) and head out to your local record hop. Highlights come when BBQ borrows some of Hazel Atkins signature growls on "Tie Your Noose" or when he gets a little Buddy Holly on "Record Machine". Songs like "Waddlin' Around" or "Don't Hold Out on Me" are instantly infectious and will linger in your head long after they've finished. This will definitely leave you pining for some more good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll.
-Jude Ruiz

BENZOS
MORNING STANZAS
STINKY RECORDS
The debut release from this New York-based quintet is a celebration of everything good about modern rock. With a sound that bridges the gap between anthemic, U2-style rock and the introspective, tripped-out electronica of Morcheeba, Benzos has a breathtaking effect on the listener. The band (formed in 2003) worked hard on perfecting its sound and has been selling out premier venues regularly in New York City. The musicians nearly all came from the same local music conservatory. Hauntingly beautiful male and female vocals soar over electronic programming and lush guitars. The lyrics to the songs bite as ferociously as the music. The first track on the disc, "All the King's Men", slams the government's policies that make life hard on the common man; while the slow and painful "Glass Souls" echoes with remorse. This is an incredible album from an incredible band. Buy it.
-Dug

BLEEDING KANSAS
1859
ABACUS
Produced by Kurt Ballou, Burbank, CA's Bleeding Kansas play the kind of frenetic, angular hardcore that God City is infamous foróso it's to no one's surprise that 1859 is a jaded, dissonant slab of artistically-stretched hardcore. This seven-track affair is laden with jerky rhythms, passionate vocals, and an overall volatility that bands most bands have a difficult time pulling off. With a name taken straight from slavery-era U.S. history, Bleeding Kansas are a heavy band who deal with heavy topics and showcase their fearlessness through intriguing pieces of disjointed music. If you like hardcore and thinking, these guys are for you. www.abacusrecordings.com
-Mike SOS

BLOOD OR WHISKEY
CASHED OUT ON CULTURE
PUNKCORE RECORDS
Straight out of Dublin comes Blood or Whiskey. The group plays a hybrid of traditional Irish folk and 1980s street punk. This is very similar to bands such as The Pogues and Flogging Molly. The band has toured the U.S. with The Dropkick Murphyís, who have a reputation of discovering great f*&$%ing punk bands. Do yourself a favor and pick this record up as soon as you finish reading this review. Your pub mates will thank you.
-ADF

BRAIN FAILURE
AMERICAN DREAMER
THORP
Anyone into quality '77-style punk, take note: China's Brain Failure just may be your new favorite band. With their charged debut on Thorp, the 16-track AMERICAN DREAMER (produced by Dropkick Murphys' Ken Casey), this four-piece (founded and led by the forefather of punk rock in China, Xiao Rong, on vocals and guitar) channel the best aspects of '90s revivalists, such as Rancid (check out the VERY Tim Armstrong-esque gravelly, tough vocals; the great guitar interplay between Xiao and Wang Jian; and the bad-ass bass work of Shi Xudong), as well as legends themselves: they hark back to Stiff Little Fingers with their raw power and passion; and one need look no further than the slower, more subdued "Give Me the Cash" to hear hints of The Clash. Also like said bands, Brain Failure have some impressive ska-laced numbers, including "Second Hand Pogo", "Holy Bullshit", and "Such a Dangerous". And how could a New Yorker like me not be swayed by Brain Failure's finale, their delightful ode to "New York City"?
-Janelle Jones

CALLISTO
TRUE NATURE UNFOLDS
EARACHE
First, a caveat: Callisto's debut full-length, TRUE NATURE UNFOLDS, is NOT for the short-attention-span crowd, as 10 tracks unfold slowly and methodically over the space of an hour ("Storm" alone is nine-plus minutes). Every track is, essentially, a mini-epic in itself, each having its own elaborate, meandering quality. Yet, there are certainly commonalities tying each exquisitely-composed song togetherónamely, tortured, growled vocals and the music's overall dirge-like quality that gives the entire album a beautiful yet heavy sadness. An excellent example of the grand scope of these compositions is "Cold Stare", which over the course of six-and-a-half minutes oscillates between a slow, light, melancholy tone sans vocals and more forceful and heavier instrumentation. There's even a bit of a serene interlude mid-song, when the instrumentation regresses to its initial delicacy and slower tempo, something highlighted by the addition of some subtle and sultry horns that become the song's focal point. Basically, Callisto's work is challenging, but the listener is duly rewarded by the vast breadth and beauty of the intense music presented.
-Janelle Jones

CEPHALIC CARNAGE
ANOMALIES
RELAPSE
The musical acrobatics and vocal gymnastics of Colorado's Cephalic Carnage have been well documented throughout the band's 13-year history, but never have they been captured so succinctly than on ANOMALIES, the warped outfit's latest, 12-track endeavor. Still grinding at lightning speed and able to turn the intensity knob way beyond the levels of safety on tracks like "Litany of Failure" and "Wraith", this quintet have also found some solace in the art of the groove, as tracks like the death-growling stoner stomp of "Piecemaker" sound like leftovers from Alabama Thunderpussy rather than a CC track. Nonetheless, the boys still pummel you with their blend of unique, off-timed banter, as tracks like "Dying Will Be the Death of Me" and "Scientific Remote Viewing" feature all of the nuances that you've come to expect from this band, which translates into the listener expecting the unexpected and bracing themselves for a tumultuous ride with a band with no boundaries and no compromise in sight. www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY
IN THE ARMS OF GOD
SANCTUARY
A five-year hiatus has yielded an angry beast, as the latest release from North Carolina's favorite sons, Corrosion of Conformity, is a triumphant 12-track album brimming with the Southern-fried stoner metalósomething that these pioneers of pummeling helped put on the map. Pepper Keenan, Mike Dean, Woody Weatherman, and new skins-basher Stanton Moore have clamped down on their collective anger and made the most riff-tastic, lyrically scathing, rhythmically challenging, ass-kicking album of this veteran outfit's acclaimed career. Equally dispersing the Sabbath-esque sludge and Skynyrd-like snarl, tracks like the tumultuous "Paranoid Opioid", the vocally scolding "Dirty Hands Empty Pockets/Already Gone", and the thick, groove-laden "Backslider" exhibit why COC is at the top of the stoner-rock mountain. And the album's title cut is a metal epic bursting with splashes of sonic brilliance. IN THE ARMS OF GOD has solidified COC's lofty stature in the upper echelon of the metal realm and is a top candidate for the best album of 2005. www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com
-Mike SOS

DASH RIP ROCK
RECYCLONE
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS
I'm sorry, but this album is simply horrible. I truly gave Dash Rip Rock a chance, but their blend country and rock is just lame. Hopeful for the "country punk," I was left disappointed from the beginning. "Shootin' Up Signs" and "Johnny Ace" don't cut it in my rock world. Most astonishingly, Dash Rip Rock has been playing this crappy music for 20 years, writing 12 albums. How this band ever made that many albums I don't know, but apparently they have a large Southern following with such hits as "True Drunk Love" and "Let's Go Smoke Some Pot". Who would of THUNK it?!
-Luke Skywalker

DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR
FRIENDS FAMILY FOREVER
BRIDGE NINE
Boston tough guys Death Before Dishonor dish out some bruising beatdown hardcore on FRIENDS FAMILY FOREVER, a seven-track freight train aimed to steamroll your sorry ass right on over. Chugga-chugga riffs galore are part of the well-oiled machine this quartet have built, as tracks like the surging "Endless Suffering" and "Never Again" sound like the perfect mix of Hatebreed's metallic crunch and Propain's anthemic approach. If you are familiar with the East Coast hardcore sound and enjoy a good moshpit, then FAMILY FRIENDS FOREVER should be right on top of your CD wish list. http://www.bridge9.com"
-Mike SOS

DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979
YOU'RE A WOMAN, I'M A MACHINE
ATLANTIC
Drum-and-bass music is usually exclusive to the dance scene, but there's a twisted Canadian duo trying to change that perception. The band's name is Death from Above 1979, and the 11-track YOU'RE A WOMAN, I'M A MACHINE is a hard-hitting, primal slab of rock 'n' roll stripped down to the bone. As experimental as a teenager in Chemistry Lab 101, this dynamic duo take rock music to new heights by subtracting all that extraneous guitar chatter and focusing in on the groove that makes your booty moveóand damn if they don't keep those hips shaking! Tracks like "Little Girl" drip with raucous sex appeal, while the crash-and-burn dramatics of "Cold War" and "Going Steady" both display the devilish stomp that scares the religious right. Hard-rocking yet oh so simplistic, these guys are the embodiment of the old adage that sometimes less really is more. http://www.deathfromabove1979.com
-Mike SOS

DINOSAUR JR.
DINOSAUR
MERGE RECORDS
I was four years old when Dinosaur Jr. started their career. It's pretty safe to say that at the time I wasn't a big fan. While it's nice to listen to the recently-remastered DINOSAUR for nostalgia's sake, I just can't get into it at all. These guys were alternative and grunge way before Nirvana, so if you're one of those folks who like to see where other bands may have gotten their influences, then DINOSAUR should be right up your alley. It's filled with alternative rock with splashes of guitar effects and distortion. If one album isn't enough, Merge also remastered YOU'RE LIVING ALL OVER ME and BUG. The sound is crisp and the packaging is different, but I would strictly recommend this set to collectors only.
-Dane Jackson

DIVIDE BY ZERO
ANSWER TO NO ONE
JUMP START RECORDS
ANSWER TO NO ONE is a surprisingly good album. By looking at the CD art, I expected very little, but it just proves that you can't judge an album by its cover. This band has a great sound similar to old Alkaline Trio but still very unique. Only together since 2002, the Chicago-based band sound mature in their first full-length album. Despite such apparently great qualities, the four-piece still needs some work on lyrics. "Bleeds and Bleeds" is quite repetitive and becomes a bore. For any fan of classic '90s punk, seek out Divide By Zero.
-Luke Skywalker

DOPERMIEN
BEDBUGS AND BANKRUPTCY
SELF-RELEASED
Undercooked and oversaturated, the rap-rock phase is thankfully heading towards the finish line...yet there's a band hailing from Queens, NY, looking to inject some much-needed credibility and musicianship to the fading flame. This seven-track release boldly displays cohesive and inventive rhymes, complemented with organically-charged, hard-edged rock 'n' roll. Tracks like the Rage-meets-Quicksand delivery of "100 Styles" and the monstrous hardcore stomp that starts up "A New Beginning" give off the NYC vibe with conviction, while the outfit's funky, sped-up cover of Black Sheep's "The Choice Is Yours" gives the rap classic a unique spin. Seasoned and knowledgeable musicians fronted by a forked-tongued MC spitting out stream-of-consciousness rants and raves, BEDBUGS AND BANKRUPTCY is a bright flame of life in a genre overrun by mediocrity and mired in pop culture's murky waters. http://www.dopermien.com
-Mike SOS

D.Y.S.
BROTHERHOOD
TAANG! RECORDS
The loose and loud Boston hardcore fly by like a five-song EP on this new, 11-song CD issue of 1983 recordings from Dept. of Youth Services. Notable from the straight-edge band that wears its convictions in its lyrics is "Escape", with its EXCALIBUR introduction and an unreleased version of "Wolfpack" featuring the H¸sker D¸ trio on backing vocals. www.taang.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

ELEVEN MINUTES AWAY
ARSON FOLLOWED ME HOME
DEEP ELM RECORDS
I love Canadian radio rock. Maybe it's that Canadians have better taste or that there is something about being born there that just breeds rock-star talent like it breeds comedic gold. I'm not sure, but Eleven Minutes Away have that quality. Problem is, they don't stick to it. They can't resist the temptation to bring in a few screams and growls (‡ la Boys Night Out). Wisely, Eleven Minutes Away don't venture too far into hardcore-lite territory and largely stick to solid indie rock (with a few distracting shouts here and there). Without the screams, Eleven Minutes Away would be on the path to Canadian radio stardom and American indie adoration (like Sloan); but with the screaming they are just another misdirected band without the balls to stick to their own homegrown sound.
-Erika Owens

ENEMY IS US
WE HAVE SEEN THE ENEMY
CRASH
Enemy is Us is: 1. a new campaign slogan from George W. Bush; 2. a new book by Jello Biafra; 3. a paranoid person's viewpoint of the world; 4. a new Swedish metal band that liberally borrows from At the Gates. If you chose anything but 4., stop reading now. Otherwise, get ready to hear another band in the long line of Swedish metal bands trying hard to emulate the distinguished sound of the glory days of Gothenburg. Not to say that this quintet doesn't deliver, but when you get pizza delivered every day, sometimes you want a little Chinese food, no? Belligerent yet predictably pummeling, WE HAVE SEEN THE ENEMYÖ is simply a decent homage to the Swedish death-metal scene. http://www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

FAULTLINES
TRAVELOGUE
ACTION HEIGHTS RECORDS
If you're in the mood for some serious indie rock, go to the record store and look for Faultlines. Though their album came out late in 2004, TRAVELOGUE is a joy to listen to, especially in the car. The band's musical ability and commitment to their art is highly detectible in all of their songs. Multiple tracks are musical montages that will relax any driver. For goodness' sake, their completely instrumental intro lasts over three minutes, and their final track, "Televise Your Holidays", concludes with a long-lasting musical outro. Most appealing about this particular album is the subtle theme of traveling. Throughout the tracks you have the sense you're on the same journey as the group. Sound clips of planes, trains, and automobiles are interspersed in songs. I recommend this same journey to readers.
-Luke Skywalker

FOETUS
LOVE
BIRDMAN
Only a foreigner could create such intriguingly bizarre music. A native of Australia, J.G. Thirlwell is solely responsible for the enigmatic release, LOVE. Built around electronic rhythms, diverse instrumentation, and penetrating vocals, Foetus is in a world of its own. Virtually every song develops into an epic soundtrack, with mysterious echoes and thunderous crashes transitioning to quiet moments of whispered tranquility. Depending on what particular song is playing, a listener's reaction could range from franticly frightened to seductively stunned. Foetus has been advertised as industrial, post-punk, and alternative, but the only genre that I see as somewhat fitting is simply experimental rock. LOVE will open your eyes to what is outside the confinement of commercialized music.
-Anthony

FOUR SQUARE
INDUSTRY AT HOME
BAD TASTE RECORDS
The promo sheet says that this Canadian quartet shared the stage with Dillinger Escape Plan and Sick of It All. This is difficult and disturbing to imagine. If the fans were there to see some East Coast hardcore and these guys came out all happy, I'd imagine some serious backlash brutality. Not that this isn't a good band; they are quite talented. "Life Worth Living for" and "My Side" seem to be the ones I kept going back to. The choruses are addicting and beautifully sung. This is a positive album, like watching marshmallows melt into your hot chocolate while the snow seals you in your house. I bet this disc will get you laid (unless you are trying to get with a hip-hop or hardcore chick). This is a good sound for those who dig trendy pink pants and think Orlando Bloom is hot.
-Thomas Murray

GARGANTULA
INFINITASM
SOUTHERN LORD
This Californian quartet has got an interesting mix of influences showcased on its 11-track disc. First and foremost, Gargantula is scathingly heavy and will most likely knock your on your ass as soon as the opening riff of "Pulvergeist" rips through your speakers. Hailing from California has given the band some redoubtable influences to emulate, such as the Bay Area thrash-metal scene and the intricate and avant-garde attitude spearheaded by bands like Neurosisóand Gargantula doesn't miss a step. This crew juxtaposes thrashing, mad metal riffs with doomy, atmospheric passages, as in "Flytard" and "Sinking Angels". Add in production courtesy of metal guru Billy Anderson, and you've got yourself a beast of epic proportions on your hands, my friends. Twisted enough to hold your attention, crushing enough to make your head explode, and experimental enough to expand your mind, Gargantula is a complex, savage entity that fans of the aforementioned genres should take heed of. www.gargantula.com
-Mike SOS

SEQ CHAPTER / GATSBYS AMERICAN DREAM
VOLCANO
FEARLESS RECORDS
Not only is VOLCANO Gatsbys American Dream's debut with Fearless Records, but it's also by far their best album to date. While I like their debut album and love RIBBONS & SUGAR, there's something about VOLCANO that sets it on a higher pedestal. The songs on the album fall around the central theme of volcanoes. The band even goes as far as doing a song from a volcano's point of view: "Pompeii". Besides the complex melodies and poetic lyrics, you'll also hear plenty of references from literary works such as INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, JURASSIC PARK, and LORD OF THE RINGS. While the melodies and sound on the album doesn't seem to be as chaotic as an actual volcano, this is still a great album filled with smart lyrics, intricate melodies, and plenty of great indie rock to go around.
-Dane Jackson

GERTIE FOX
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
Upon hearing the first track, "The Early Years", I thought the band was sugary pop fluff because the song sounds like a very elementary power-pop tune with high-pitched vocals, mundane lyrics, and too many blatantly catchy hooks. However, as I continued to listen to the album, while there is definitely a continuous poppy feel, I found that Gertie Fox had many incredibly fun rock tunes. The other songs had harmony-driven vocals, intricate guitar lines, and solid drumbeats. Some of the most innovative tracks were "Stars and Fireworks", "Frozen Town", and "L.A. Night". Gertie Fox's new release transitions brilliantly from mellow rockers to upbeat, even danceable numbers. I definitely recommend any fan of poppy rock and power pop to check out Gertie Fox's new release.
-Joe Licavoli

GIZMACHI
THE IMBUING
SANCTUARY
Frantic and utterly chaotic, Gizmachi's debut disc is an eight-track journey into the depths of depravity via the sounds of today's metal. Part Slipknot (after all, Clown produced this disc), part Strapping Young Lad, and part upstate-NY hardcore outfit (think One King Down, Snapcase, and All Out War), this quintet's scolding release is a relentless ride laden with dissonant guitars, odd rhythm signatures, and the kind of screams that can only come from a deranged individual. If you are seeking another band in the vein of Meshuggah, Dry Kill Logic, and Candiria, Gizmachi triumphantly answers the request. www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com
-Mike SOS

GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY
HELP IS ON THE WAY
LOUD + CLEAR RECORDS
The second full-length release from this hard-driving San Diego quartet is an explosive album packed with incendiary guitar licks and desperate, pulsating vocals. After losing band founder and guitarist Andrew Techa, the band picked up former Dropscience frontman Demetrius Antuna. The change has intensified the band's sound, with Antuna's slightly discordant and distorted vocals acting as the perfect counterpart to the dueling guitar lines that push the band's eclectic and electrifying sound. Even though the majority of this music is fast and furious, the band's not above playing a slow instrumental, as on the captivating third track, "Genius Christ". The band does a nice job of introducing the songs with sound clips and distortion throughout this album. Perhaps the only real criticism of this disc is its length: coming in at a paltry 26 minutes and change, some might consider it an EP. For gosh sakes, guys, the record stores are going to charge full price, so the least you could do is put 40 minutes of music on the thing.
-Dug

GREG MACPHERSON BAND
NIGHT FLARES
MANITOBA
At times, despite their obvious vanity-project name, Greg MacPherson Band does tend to evoke a deceptively genuine blues-pop aura...which, unfortunately, fails to keep them afloat for an entire album. Employing a myriad of influences ranging from Joe Strummer to Pete Yorn, their new album never really succeeds in finding a cohesive stride. In oddly-timed displays, Greg is able to harness his raw talentsósome good (e.g., "Two Haircuts in One", "Cutting Room"), some bad (e.g., "Southern Lights", "Man Overboard"). The execution is both unbalanced and awkward. NIGHT FLARES is an almost toneless work that tends to periodically contradict itself in a most oblivious fashion.
-Daniel

HARSH KRIEGER
HARSH KRIEGER
TABULA RASA RECORDS
This Nashville duo (I guess) has enjoyed a taste of success with a few songs featured on various MTV reality shows. It's a start. The band name is a morph of the last names of the two founding members. These two are the only ones that are in any of the pictures, although there are other members of the band. I guess the others are ugly, not worthy, or not photogenic? Anyhow, the sound is very relaxed, like some pseudo-hippies drinking tea at the start of a light rain. I enjoyed the lyrics, the mood it set, and how everything meshed. I thought repeatedly of Toad the Wet Sprocketóbut that's my problem.
-Thomas Murray

HELL BENT FOR HORROR BUSINESS
JOEY IMAGE
ANARCHY MUSIC
Joey Image has been a busy fellow. Not only was he the drummer for punk-rock legends The Misfits, but he also offers his services to a number of other underground acts. JOEY IMAGE is a compilation of 13 songs from four different bands, all driven by his talented drumming. The first band featured on this compilation, The Mary Tyler Whores, force me to crack a smile with stellar punk tracks "Repo-Man", "15", and "Machine Gun Hooker". There's nothing like throwing your fist in the air to songs about a stolen tour van, a deceiving underage sexual partner, and being chased by a crazed prostitute armed to the teeth. Although much of the album has elements from the classic punk era, modern influences are not absent, by any means. I've decided that The Mary Tyler Whores and Guttermouth should definitely embark on a tour together in the near future.
-Anthony

HELL HOUND
RELEASE THE HOUNDS
SELF-RELEASED
Prepare yourself for a time warp that no one should ever have to experience: Hell Hound and their self-released, 17-track (that's right: 17 tracks) debut album. With amateur KISS-like makeup, big '80s hair, cut-off T-shirts, and only one beat throughout the greater part of this album, this band seems like more of a mockery than serious music. I don't play the guitar or bass, but I could learn allóand I mean allóof the riffs on the entire album in an afternoon. There is barely any variety in the instrumentation. When it does happen, the timing for the miraculous beat change is so awkward that it makes me uncomfortable just listening to it. On top of the boring music, the recording of the album is of such poor quality that it reminds me of a really bad, beat-up LP. If they spent half the time on perfecting their music that they do on their hair, makeup, and wardrobe mishaps, it would be much better. Better luck next time...if that should ever come.
-Courtney Strain

HIGH ON FIRE
BLESSED BLACK WINGS
RELAPSE
Ever wondered what the Apocalypse would sound like? Wonder no more, thanks to High on Fire and the trio's demonically-charged nine-track offering, a metal work of epic proportions. Jarring, explosive, and expansively loud, tracks like the title cut and "Devilution" radiate the kind of devious power that Satan himself could only conjure. Featuring generous helpings of percussive might, commanding exhibitions of pummeling bass grooves, and a twin-guitar/vocal assault by Matt Pike that is both engrossing and downright frightening, BLESSED BLACK WINGS marks not only the perfect amalgamation of Black Sabbath and Slayer, but it may just be the most evil rock album you'll hear all year. http://www.relapse.com
-Mike SOS

HORACE PINKER
TEXAS ONE TEN
THICK RECORDS
While Horace Pinker has been around the block a few times, TEXAS ONE TEN was my first exposure to them. To sum it up, I was kind of bored during the first few tracks. Musically, those songs offer up slow and melodic rock music with hints of pop-punk. While I sat and listened to the album, those tracks seemed to gel together and form one unforgettable track. It wasn't until "Exile to Asphyxiation" that the tempo, pace, and enjoyment of the album started to pick up. If it were up to me, I would have dropped the first three tracks from the album completely. Despite the weak opening, TEXAS ONE TEN picks up steam and begins to be a great album filled with melody and catchy power-pop hooks. While I'm not sure how old fans will like it, I do know it's inspired me to search out more of the band's music.
-Dane Jackson

HOT HOT HEAT
ELEVATOR
SIRE
What bothers me most about people analyzing Hot Hot Heat is that they criticize the band based upon features such as strange keyboard licks, unusual song structure, and (of course) singer Steve Bay's vocal style. These features are what make the band unique. The characteristics give them a strongly decipherable resonance, as tunes from "Goodnight, Goodnight" to "Island of the Honest Man" cascade into our ears with danceable rhythms and infectious melodies. ELEVATOR, the glorious new album, will take you on a ride from the fun of XTC to the intensity of Gang of Four. The bottom line is that this album is practically exploding with fun. The songwriting would appear to some as watered-down, but the truth is that these boys are learning to write pop gems. Oh, and if it helps, singer Steve Bay is the epitome of all that is sexy.
-Zac

IMPIETY
PARAMOUNT EVIL
PARAGON
Death-metal outfit Impiety knows their way around the genre, as this quartet bend notes, gallop guitars, and unleash growls with the expertise of seasoned pros. On PARAMOUNT EVIL, the latest, eight-track offering from this Southeast Asia band, tracks like "Reign the Vulture" intertwine the classic sounds of Bathory with the sonic insanity of Morbid Angel, yielding a beastly entity capable of ripping heads off bodies and stirring up total devastation. Not a whole lot of originality from these guys is exhibited, but when cranked to 11, songs such as the march-like moshpit death stomp of "Indomitable Fist of Decius" is a sure-fire method to piss off everyone around you. www.paragonrecords.net
-Mike SOS

INTO THE MOAT
THE DESIGN
METALBLADE RECORDS
Disappointed fans of old Dillinger Escape Plan can find new hope in rising metalhead Into the Moat. This five-piece straight out of Ft. Lauderdale and right out of high school started as the brainchild of drummer Matthew Gossman, which later escalated to a full-scale, full-time, serious band. Playing the local scene and releasing an EP on Lovelost Records in 2003ójust two years after the band had formedóword of Into the Moat's seriously intense and energetic shows and music spread like wildfire in the Florida underground. As the buzz spread, they were picked up by Metalblade Records and released their newest masterpiece, THE DESIGN. This album is metal backwards and forwards. Although it is hard to slap a one sub-genre on these guys, there is no denying their level of intensity and devotion to metal. Hard bass lines, crazy guitar solos, deep and growling vocals, and every now and again they throw in something completely different, like a blues guitar solo or going from dark, heavy thrash to calm and melodic. This album leaves you wanting moreóbut without ever quite knowing what to expect next.
-Courtney Strain

IS TO FEEL
BENDING HALOS, DIMMING LIGHTS
FEELING COURAGEOUS? RECORDS
In recent years, it seems that Arizona has poured out musical talent into every genre of music: Michelle Branch, Jimmy Eat World, Authority Zero...and now, Is to Feel. This Tucson band's debut album is a unique mixture of metalcore, hardcore, and melodic rock. The contrast between the deep and heavy riffs by guitarist Frank Dillon, bassist Rock Lancaster X, and vocalist James McKenna gives Is to Feel an edge. McKenna's voice reminds me of a cross between Brandon Boyd of Incubus with hardcore growls. Instrumentally, it sounds like nothing else I have recently heard. The album is creative all over and should be considered a must-have for fans of hardcore, metalcore, and melodic rock alike.
-Courtney Strain

JUKEBOX ZEROS
WELCOME TO RUTSVILLE
DO NOT USE
This is roots-rock rebellion at its finest. Jukebox Zeros' new album, WELCOME TO RUTSVILLE, is definitely a trip worth taking. They rely heavily on rabid guitars, wild drumbeats, and definitive yet melodic vocals. WELCOME TO RUTSVILLE is the type of album where the music seems to jump out of the stereo with rocking hooks, as on "Static, Static", "Stutterstop", and "Kill City". Jukebox Zeros have tremendous energy and sound in some ways like punk-rock veterans Social Distortion, but with a flamboyant flare reminiscent of hair-metal bands Motley Crue and Poison (just because of their energy, not their cheesy image). Do yourself a favor and take a fun and rocking trip with WELCOME TO RUTSVILLE.
-Joe Licavoli

KAURA
KAURA
KAUMA RECORDS
Ready for some innovative, musically creative rock? Me, tooóand there is hope with the new Kaura record. If this EP is just a taste of what this band is capable of, get ready for the next big thing in rock. Although this EP is undeniably rock, Kaura members have managed to set their music apart from the typical guitar/drum/melody rock by infusing their sound with other world instruments, as well as tweaking their plain old guitars in order to create something I can only describe as mystical. Just some of the crazy instrumentation used to create this unique but very catchy rock sound: sitars, hybrid six- and twelve-string guitars, and newly-created instruments yet to be named. This is definitely something worthy of a spot in every rock-lovers collection. Be on the look out for more great things to come from Kaura.
-Courtney Strain

KEY NOTE SPEAKER
FICTION
HAPPYBOY/SADBOY MUSIC
The debut full-length from this Seattle quartet is a brilliant bit of modern, alternative ethos. With a sound that often could be mistaken for a new R.E.M. disc, this band captures the perfect melodies, the perfect harmonies, and the perfect attitude. This band has the knack of writing tunes that wrap around your brain (such as the second track, "What Went Wrong") that will probably get picked up as rotation radio play tune. They've already been embraced by one of the newest players in the music world, Starbucks, who've put two of the band's songs in their regular playlist. With that much caffeine behind you, how could you go wrong? These guys are the real deal. They have the talent and the sensibilities to make a really big splash in the industry. This is a beautiful first album by a band that is destined to succeed.
-Dug

KYLESA
TO WALK A MIDDLE COURSE
PROSTHETIC RECORDS
This quartet out of Savannah, GA's second album has been in stores since late March. "In Memory" starts off a slow-roasting bore, but after about a minute the voice and sound completely change and the songs become as intriguing as a schizophrenic meet-and-greet. I figured it out after a few more songs. One singer sounds like Henry Rollins, and the other is screechy like L7 with balls sewn on. The band uses a variety of samples, which work well. I don't understand why more people don't take advantage of the sampleóit's foolproof. Don't lose yourself by trying to place this in a genre; it isn't worth your time. But listening to the album certainly is.
-Thomas Murray

LAST DAYS OF APRIL
IF YOU LOSE IT
BAD TASTE RECORDS
The fourth full-length release for Last Days of April on phenomenal Swedish label Bad Taste Records is another gem of catchy pop melodies, indie sensibility, and ethereal vocals. This Stockholm-based band has been together eight years, and its music has evolved into a sophisticated formula. Though several musicians participate on this album, the music is really the brainchild of Andreas Fornell and Karl Larsson. It's hard to believe that a Swedish duo sings better in English than American bands. This is the kind of music that carries you through a bad day: soft, soothing, and a tad emotional. It's only a question of time before this band gets a couple of legitimate hits outside the college-radio playlist. Songs like "Tears on Hold" and "If You", though sensitive and introspective, are the kind that could become the anthems of a generation.
-Dug

LINGUA FRANCA
GRAND PIANO
ACUTEST
Hailing from Michigan (the same state as rockers The White Stripes) come Lingua Franca, a band just as genre-bending and mysterious. Lingua Franca mesh together blues, jazz, and classic rock, creating an inventive and solid sound. Vocalist Stephen Wisniewski has a strange operatic delivery similar to classic rock bands. Two remarkable tracks displaying these elements are "A Kind of Dancing" and "The Wrong Side of Luck". If you are a fan of rock that isn't afraid to bend the rules, check out Lingua Franca's GRAND PIANO.
-Joe Licavoli

LISMORE
WE COULD CONNECT OR WE COULD NOT
CULT HERO RECORDS
Lismore are a NY duet that flirts with trip-hop and glitch-pop, and this debut album should definitely have what it takes to connect with music lovers of all genres. The album opens with the Radiohead-esque "Tremelo" and then jumps into the indie-rock flavored "Pour un Ancien Ami". Later, Lismore get in touch with their Portishead side on "Cut" and even show some Bjork influence on "Aika Miura". What is most interesting is how Lismore never get caught up in any specific genre but rather touch on them, then quietly and seamlessly move on. WE COULD CONNECT OR WE COULD NOT is littered with so many catchy melodies that one can't help but wonder how this gem has gone largely unnoticed.
-Jude Ruiz

LOWLITE
THE LONG HAUL
MERCY SEAT MUSIC
This five-song EP from Portland trio Lowlite is an exceptionally slick and appealing disc for an indie band. The band's sound is a lush, dreamy rockscape that seems to make a wall of sound that a three-piece shouldn't be able to pull off. By far the best song on the disc is the third track, "Days Stay", which also contains the most memorable vocal lines and melodic trappings. While the band has hit on a very likable sound, it needs to bring that little bit extra on each song to keep all the tunes from sounding like one endless indie dream sequence.
-Dug

MAHAVATAR
GO WITH THE NO!
CRUZ DEL SUR
I'm a man of respect. I enjoy it when new people take on a style of music in which people in their particular ethnic circle or gender are not generally a part. Such is the case with Mahavatar, a band featuring a Jamaican woman named Karla Williams and an Israeli woman named Lizza Hayson. It truly pleased me to hear that these two were not only interested in the style of heavy metal but also willing to take it to the next level by actually creating the music itself. It's refreshing that a genre once dominated by males is now flourishing with extremely talented women. We do have Kittie, and we have frontwomen such as Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy and Tarja of Nightwish...but the girls of Mahavatar take it all to a new level of excitement with the amazing tunes on GO WITH THE NO! If you're into the intensity of Arch Enemy and the heaviness of Lamb of God, you will enjoy this album.
-Zac

MARK DIGNAM
BOX HEART MAN
TIMES BEACH RECORDS
Mark Dignam has an utterly stunning voice. Alas, not even such silky vocal melodies and rich passion can make up for completely boring material. These folkish rock tunes are decent individually, but after an entire album of them, the listener is bored to death by redundant refrains and tasteless piano playing. It's like The Pogues without the talent. Truthfully, there's a greater chance of the parents of anyone who reads this magazine enjoying this than there is of you doing so. Mark Dignam is old people's music.
-Zac

MENNEN
FREAKAZOID
ESCAPI
Mennen is a hard-rock outfit from the Netherlands who sound a lot like those big-haired rock bands that get the VH-1 treatment as of late. This quartet's 14-track album melds hooky choruses with guitar virtuosity like Europe and Dokken made infamous. While there's not a whole lot of thought going down lyrically, the basic rhyme schemes and contents are aren't as forced as you'd expect. FREAKAZOID is a very well-composed album, sounding like a classic Scorpions or Def Leppard release thanks to the production work of Erwin Musper (who worked with both bands before). But, like most of the genre's offerings, Mennen play loud at times and in a heartfelt manner when it's time to flick the Bic, but they don't convey much in the way of substance. However, if you're looking for a hard rock tour de force where you can leave your deep thoughts at the door, Mennen is the band to go to. http://www.escapimusic.com
-Mike SOS

NAPALM DEATH
THE CODE IS RED-LONG LIVE THE CODE
CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS
Viva la code! The latest release from grindcore band and England's own Napalm Death delivers lots of hard-hitting, typical grindcore riffs...but someone please tell me what the hell is vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway saying?! I know it's grindcoreówhich means lots of growling, yelling, and noiseóbut on the first half of the album I did not understand a word he said/sang/yelled. Aside from that, I have to give them mad props for the guest musicians on the new album. With such greats as Jello Biafra, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, and Jeff Walker (ex-Carcass), this album shows SOME potential, but don't hold your breath. The overall theme of the album is politics, as usual, with songs like "Diplomatic Immunity", "Instruments of Persuasion", and "Pay for the Privilege of Breathing". Overall, not something to dart right out and buy unless you're an unconditional Napalm Death fan. It's just not interesting.
-Courtney Strain

NO WARNING
SUFFER SURVIVE
MACHINE SHOP
Okay, so Canada's No Warning has shed its tough-guy shell and sounds a lot more like a cross between fellow countrymen Sum 41 and Linkin Park than the ultraviolent and angry band everyone used to love. Are the boys cashing in or exploring new ground? Hard to tell, but they still hit a million times harder than any of the nu-metal waste sucking up radio airplay. While the good old NYHC stomp is less apparent than on previous offerings, tracks like "Modern Eyes" could still incite a riot, while "Live Through Me" sounds a lot like Hazen Street. Longtime fans will be sickened by the vocals and most likely will dispose of SUFFER SURVIVE instantaneously, but the ones who stick around, as well as this year's crop of new ears, may be able to find some solace in a band that hits harder than 90% of the bands in the scene today and still employs strong vocal melodies. http://www.machineshoprecordings.com
-Mike SOS

OLD SCRATCH REVIVAL SINGERS
OH, DIDN'T HE RAMBLE
XOXO RECORDS
About as far from trendy as trendy can be, Old Scratch Revival Singers have all forms of roots music covered, with styles ranging from bluegrass, ragtime, Dixieland, and gospel. This Iowa sextet manages to create an album that is truly refreshing by mish-mashing styles that are as old as dirt. Purists will say that these genres have all been touched uponóbut they'll always have something to complain about. Every once in a while a band will come along that does something exciting with roots music. This is one of those bands. The highlights are in abundance, so do yourself a favor and seek this one out.
-Jude Ruiz

ONE MASTER
ONE MASTER
SELF-RELEASED
One Master is a trio hailing from Connecticut whose black-metal leanings captured on an eight-track recorder will take you back to Sweden circa 1987. Laying down five tracks of dynamically charged, demonically-invoked metal, One Master's lack of production actually makes the whole self-titled shindig sound that much more convincing. Taking musical cues from some of the heavyweights of the scene (like Satyricon and Darkthrone), One Master's tumultuous din is as raw and uncompromising as a band without face paint can create. www.cs.umb.edu/~mcalder/onemaster/
-Mike SOS

OPUS DRACONIS
SATANIC TRUTH ABOUT FALSE UNION
NEMESIS
Opus Draconis is just your run-of-the-mill made-up satanic metal band, right? You bet your upside-down cross they are, as this Portuguese quartet play with wrath and scorn that only the blackest of black metallers can muster. 13 tracks oozing with demonic keyboards, hellacious riffs, jackhammering drums, and blood-curdling screams, SATANIC TRUTH ABOUT FALSE UNION is a by-the-book, take-no-prisoners assault on your spiritual beliefs. www.nemesismusica.com
-Mike SOS

OUTSMARTING SIMON
STAND UP STRAIGHT
TRIPLE CROWN RECORDS
In a rather surprising development, the rock quartet Outsmarting Simon have seemed to solidify themselves a spot along side some of the more intriguing groups within the medium. Their latest outing, STAND UP STRAIGHT, cautiously walks the line blurring indie and post-hardcore. On "Number Two" and "Consciously Quiet", Outsmarting Simon reveal themselves to be master songwriters with a keen awareness for both graceful ambience and vitriolic aggression. The group quite effortlessly weaves power-pop structures with heavily combative guitar riffs...which can get a tad formulaic at times. However, the ethereal atmosphere created by the expertly-crafted tones, as well as the provocative lyrics, help establish the album's undeniable allure.
-Daniel

OVERISE
A LONG STORY
PURE VOLUME RECORDS
Philly-based foursome Overise shouldn't take offense to the fact that they sound like New Found Glory (and you Glory fans know exactly what I mean). There's emo-like vocals, calm but crafty chords, and swift rhythms. These are all good things. So, A LONG STORY is really five tracks of pop bliss that will make metalheads nauseous and suburban punksters swoon. You just can't please everyone.
-Darren Ratner

PALOMAR
3.5
SELF-RELEASED
Fire up your broadband connection and head over to emusic.com to download this digitally-released EP. You'll need this demo EP to hold you over till their fourth album is released in the next year. What's the rush, you may ask? Well, it's spring, and there is no better time to get a new peppy, good-mood, girl-fronted release. "Bridge of Sighs" is especially reminiscent of the harmonizing and earnestness of Saturday Looks Good to Me, but Palomar also has the power to make you dance. I can't think of a better way to embrace the warmth of these middle months than by bopping around singing along with lyrics like "Give up your plans, give up your work, stay out late." Palomar is currently on tour, and you can get the dates and release info from http://www.palomartheband.com.
-Erika Owens

PILLBOX REMEDY
WASTED MEMORIES
SOUND CLICK
Straight-laced chord rock makes up a lot of WASTED MEMORIES from Pillbox Remedy. It's something to cling to, however. The cover of INXS's "Don't Change" is a cool, filthy-sounding version of the original. Other tracks like "Get What You Deserve" come charging ahead with an energy that seems to grow on you.
-Darren Ratner

PINK RAZORS
SCENE SUICIDE
ROBOTIC EMPIRE
The debut release from this Richmond, VA-based pop-punk quartet is 12 minutes long and eight songs worth of fast, repetitious rock. If you were in the band, you might be able to tell the songs apart, but to a casual listener it all sounds the same. There were some punk bands that could make this kind of noise work (such as The Germs), but this only works for live gigsóand only when the band looks way cooler than this one does. Every band needs somethingóa sound, a gimmick, a great frontpersonóto separate them from the pack. Unfortunately, this band just sounds like a pack. According to their press, the band is ready to record a full-length of original material. Let's hope it's more original than this.
-Dug

PROJECT: FAILING FLESH
A BEAUTIFUL SICKNESS
CANDLELIGHT
Mechanically-enhanced metal is what Project: Failing Flesh brings to the table, as the outfit's 10-track release aptly showcases a group that knows its way around different genres of metal. From New England metalcore to industrial metal, clangs and bangs to Bay Area thrash-a-thons, A BEAUTIFUL SICKNESS covers all of the bases with depth and conviction, although it's safe to say that this trio mainly fall somewhere in between the progressiveness of Voivod and Strapping Young Lad, with the technical leanings of Fear Factory seeping through. Heavy, pensive, but at times a bit too far out in left field for the average Joe, A BEAUTIFUL SICKNESS is an interesting listen for those who seek a bit of adventure. http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
-Mike SOS

PURCHASE NEW YORK
IN VITRO VERITAS
INDIERECT
Purchase New York begins a slow swirl of scintillating but gentle guitar melodies to presage its own thunder of guitar crunch like a rising eddy of air indicated by lifted leaves announces a summer storm. This rhythm of build-up and release keeps the album fresh and interesting, although "Nine Mile Drag" (track 3) is just too much Sturm und Drang, as it makes the windows rattleóand that is just noisy. Purchase New York is at its best on an ebb and flow between subtle melody and intense maelstrom. So, just start at "Kill Jesus©ÆTM" (track 4), and enjoy. Indierect.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

RED ANIMAL WAR
POLIZIDA
ICE PLANET
A nice political message is one thing, but the superfluous political content on POLIZIDA is just distracting. These lyrics appear to be written without effort, producing such lines as, "Lies are all they're ever gonna tell you." The artwork on the cover is 15 times more interesting than the music. The music itself hardly fulfills any other requirements necessary for a decent album. Post-punk has always been a favorite of mine, but Red Animal War seems to have faltered (or gotten lazy) on this release. If you took Fugazi's THE ARGUMENT, eliminated the originality, took away the witty lyrics, and punched Ian MacKaye in the stomach a couple of times, you might be heading in the direction of POLIZIDA.
-Zac

REGGIE AND THE FULL EFFECT
SONGS NOT TO GET MARRIED TO
VAGRANT
Reggie and the Full Effect is the creation of The Get Up Kids keyboardist and Coalesce drummer James Dewees, who proves himself to be a man of many talents, if not a bit schizophrenic. On the latest RATFE release, the 13-track SONGS NOT TO GET MARRIED TO, Dewees, usually known for writing goofy, left-of-center synth rock, has let loose, as his recent divorce has spawned a great deal of musical aggression. Yes, there are still indications of his lighter side here, like the dance rock of "Love Reality" and "Take Me Home, Please", but there's a discernible tone of anger (think Trent Reznor meets Rammstein) on tracks like "The Trooth" and "The Fuck Stops Here" that suggests that he really needed to write this album to unleash some of his inner struggle. While many may dismiss this project as a joke and opt for his more serious endeavors, this disc seems to be just what Dewees needed to brush himself off and start overóand it sounds like a good start. http://www.vagrant.com
-Mike SOS

RUIN THE ENDING
LAST LETTER
SELF-RELEASED
Color me impressed. Usually self-released stuff still has the tag on the case from Sam's Club, but this looks and sounds professional. The CD and Website reveal no current label connections, but the EP did benefit from The Icarus Line's producer. That clean production with ragged speak-singing and controlled guitar work is reminiscent of Thrice and Hot Water Music. This sound makes Ruin the Ending a perfect addition to a Plea for Peace compilation...but the lyrics are unforgivable. A song that is not only titled "Taste of Blood" but also features that line as its chorus is the hallmark of seventh-grade note-writing, not experienced song-crafting. They have the sound down, but it's the lyrics that are stalling label interest and should sidetrack any English-speaking listeners.
-Erika Owens

SAABABANKS
SELF-TITLED
WOODEN MAN RECORDS
This album was recorded a year-and-a-half ago and is just being released now. I can understand why it was kept under wraps, but I have no idea why it had to be released. Saababanks is comprised of members of different bands, including Brazil. Brazil itself produces messy, distracted crap, and the equally unfocused nature of this release proves that at least until the main band is under control, side projects are a no-no! Here, they are obviously trying really hard to be tight, controlled, focused, and mathyóbut it's to no avail. SAABABANKS is merely a lot wailing and epileptic fits set to music.
-Erika Owens

SCARLET SYMPHONY
VULTURE
CAT9 RECORDS
After listening to the first track on this disc, I was a bit concerned that I might have to review AC/DC's wicked stepchild. But after letting all 12 songs play, the band's divergent sound thoroughly impressed me. I tip my hat to these guys for fooling me. Somewhere in between pop, punk, and rock, VULTURE transcends any label that could be imposed on it. There definitely is a modern edge to this album, although I wouldn't throw a shoe at someone who told me Scarlet Symphony was really a glam-rock band preserved by cryostasis. For all of you morose music lovers who weep at the absence of fresh, authentic-sounding rock bands that dish out danceable hits, cheer up.
-Anthony

SCREECHING WEASEL
BOOGADABOOGADABOOGADA!
ASIAN MAN
It's a fact: I have a profound love for this record, which, though coming before Screeching Weasel found their signature pop-punk sound, is still definitely one of my all-time favorite SW albums. Originally released in '88 and re-released in '92, Asian Man has done a good job in reissuing this punk-rock classic (except for the questionable omission of that naked SW photo in the artwork), which was the band's second album. More hardcore and thrashy than their subsequent outings (see songs like the fast, maniacal blasts of "Hunter" and "Used Cars"; or the heavy "This Ain't Hawaii", "Police Insanity", "I Hate Led Zeppelin", "I Love to Hate"), BOOGADABOOGADABOOGADA! is still full of SW's requisite humor ("I Wanna Be Naked", anyone?) and catchy melodies on a number of tracks (e.g., "Hey Suburbia", "Stupid Over You", and tremendous opener "Dingbat"). 'Tis true, as Ben Weasel so judiciously observes in the accompanying liner notes, this record has over the years indeed become "required listening for young punk rockers."
-Janelle Jones

SEARING MEADOW
CORRODING FROM THE INSIDE
CRASH
Searing Meadow claim to have picked up where Amorphis left off, and that statement is on the mark, as this Finnish quartet churn out some powerful and progressive death metal with that European melodic edge. Featuring 12 tracks with throat-grabbing lead-guitar work that doesn't let up an inch from start to finish and with a hearty display of gothic mood rock, tracks like "Fading to Silhouette" and "Three Names for Denial" whisk you away from your environment into a land where brooding and intensely atmospheric metal reigns supreme. If you dig goth, progressive, folk, or even power metal, these guys will appeal to you. http://www.crashmusicinc.com
-Mike SOS

SEVERE TORTURE
BLOODLETTING
CANDLELIGHT
Live death metal is the ultimate testament to the great lengths that these musicians go to play faster, growl deeper, and display the most brutality possibleóand this Dutch group does not disappoint in those areas, despite the overall crowd noise during songs like "Butchery of the Soul" and "Decomposing Bitch" reduced to a few call-and-response death-metal growls and modest applause. Add in a slew of demo and B-side material, and you've got Severe Torture at its most stripped down and starkly savage. This is a beast of a band that is relentlessly pounding your skull with no remorse. http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
-Mike SOS

SHUNNED HOUSE
SANTIAGO AVENUE BRIDGE
CLOCKTOWER RECORDS
On this EP, strange and dark, ethereal music bookends an inane conversation about wireless computer equipment and garbage-picking computers. It is amazing how surreal the most banal information can be when taken out of context. Says Chris Jensen, one half of this duo, "This is the project I always wanted to do." In a world where the project most everyone else wants to do is an unmitigated guitar assault, this otherworldly, stream-of-consciousness album of odd words and ambient electronica is refreshing. www.randomart.net
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SLUMBER
FALLOUT
CANDLELIGHT
Swedish doom-metal troupe Slumber's keyboard-driven seven-track offering is a shimmering display of elaborate compositions and somber aggression. From the shifting atmospheres found on the title track to the Gothic rock stomp of "A Wanders Star", this sextet keep the mood heavy and the music churning, establishing a melancholic state that fans of Opeth and My Dying Bride should thoroughly enjoy. www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
-Mike SOS

SMOKE OR FIRE
ABOVE THE CITY
FAT WRECK
Fat did well in picking up Smoke or Fire, a Richmond, VA-based four-piece who have, after seven years of soldiering on (most of that time as Jericho), finally released their debut full-length, ABOVE THE CITY. A stellar lesson in the great outcome that perseverance and great songwriting ability can bring about, the 12-track album consists of edgy and immediate punk rock flavored with instantly memorable melodies. Some of the most exciting tracks are the phenomenally strong and thought-provoking "Culture as Given" and the urgent "Cops and Drugs". The one instance, however, where the energy is taken down a notch and the band show a different side is on the penultimate track, which starts out acoustically and whose title, "Cryin' Shame", describes the song well, as it has quite a pervasive melancholic feel not present in any of the other, feverish compositions.
-Janelle Jones

SOILWORK
STABBING THE DRAMA
NUCLEAR BLAST
Soilwork's latest effort may have its longtime fans who seek the more extreme side feeling cheated, but the Swedish sextet's 11-track album firmly plants this band as formidable successors in the long line for European metal domination. Perhaps the boys have added a bit too much melody when concocting these tunesóbecause there are some utterly friendly metal hooks hereóbut don't burn all of your Soilwork discs, folks, because the boys still show us that they know how to rip it up, as seen via the deathly growls and massive guitar runs unleashed on "Blind Eye Halo" and "Weapon of Vanity". Like In Flames, Soilwork has found the roundabout way to reach more people by singing cleaner longer and letting a heavy hook dictate the pace rather than a mind-bending solo or intricate arrangement. Depending on how strongly you feel about this band, STABBING THE DRAMA may be the turning point for Soilwork. http://www.nuclearblastusa.com
-Mike SOS

SONIA V.
A THING OR 2
ATOMIC PLANET RECORDS
She dyes her hair red, and she's the number one "Alternative Modern Rock Album" on the CHRISTIAN BEAT music charts. Sonia V.'s new album is a smash in the right-wing, I-wanna-seem-hip Bible belt, but a flop anywhere else. Though she does fake the finger and a snarl on the liner notes, while her label calls her "original" and "cutting edge," her music is a sad and blatant rehash of modern hits. Hmmm, is "Hey Now" "Disarm" by Smashing Pumpkins? Is "Falling into You" "Where the Streets Have No Name" by U2? Did Bad Religion step in to play the riffs from "Infected" on "More"? There are a lot of great Christian bands out there, but this chick's not one of them. It would be better to stick to Switchfoot or emo bands than prostitute yourself to this drivel.
-Dug

STILL REMAINS
OF LOVE AND LUNACY
ROADRUNNER
When you crack open OF LOVE AND LUNACY for the first time and listen to the opening sequence of "To Live and Die by Fire", the sound pouring out your speakers may make it seem as if you've stumbled on yet another fine Swedish metal exportóyet this versatile sextet hails from Grand Rapids, MI. Their debut offering is a scathing mixture of blistering guitars, belligerent vocals, tight breakdowns, and lush keyboards, as songs like "The Worst Is Yet to Come" and "White Walls" intertwine the current American metal exposition with a discernibly European metal vibe. Not unlike bands such as Soilwork, In Flames, and Trivium, Still Remains pour on the melodic thrash metal hooks, yet weave these intricate guitar riffs with startling stop-start rhythms and memorable metalcore choruses that beg for group participation. Meshing the sounds of Killswitch Engage, Thrice, and Shadows Fall into a cohesive package, Still Remains has all of the faculties to be the breakout metal band of 2005. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com
-Mike SOS

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
THE VEILIRONBOUND RECORDINGS
Fans of Atreyu, Trivium, and '80s metal will touch themselves while listening to this. And if you happen to be a fan of all three, then you might self-combust, as the constant pulse of double-kick, dual vocals, and compelling guitar solos pervade virtually every track. I thought it was quite interesting that this six-piece from New Jersey has two separate vocalists who don't play instruments. All the same, the combination of screeching and singing vocals, though somewhat clichÈd, gels quite well throughout THE VEIL. Moreover, frequent harsh breakdowns will surely satisfy fans of thrash and hardcore, while harmony-admirers will revel in the many melodic sections. Expect Strength in Numbers to make it big.
-Anthony

SUMMER AT SHATTER CREEK
ALL THE ANSWERS
BADMAN RECORDS
Oh, what a tragedy it is when the sophomore slump hits a band. With ALL THE ANSWERS, Summer at Shatter Creek gets hit hard. Craig Gurwich, the solo musician who makes up this project, was obviously in a songwriting rut during the recording process. The tracks seem so hastily put-together that one could assume that Craig was held accountable by an egg timer. It's sad, as his previous effort gave us truly beautiful dream pop surrounded by light synthesizers and unusual structure. We could attribute the weak album to being the result of Craig having a large amount of equipment stolen during the process; but in my eyes, if you don't feel you can finish the album to the extent that it needs to be finished, it shouldn't be released. Buy SASC's self-titled record instead and skip this one.
-Zac

SUMMERS END
SUMMERS END
HAND OF HOPE
Summers End is a quintet that employ the current West Coast Iron Maiden-meets-Swedish metal technique (‡ la Atreyu, Bleeding Through, and Avenged Sevenfold). While this nine-track endeavor's incessant screaming vocals are hard to understand, the music underneath the shrillness and growls is complex, merging the Massachusetts metal sound with the twin-guitar assault of NWOBHM and a sweet chunk of Swedish metalcore. Tracks like "Victim" follow the format of blistering lead guitar over searing rhythms so well that it almost becomes clichÈd at times. Unfortunately for Summers End, the style they emulate is super saturated at the moment, and despite the band hauling ass and the singer really pumping his pugnacious pipes, the overall feel of the self-titled affair is redundant. http://www.handofhoperecords.com
-Mike SOS

SUNN 0)))
THE GRIMM ROBE DEMOS
SOUTHERN LORD
The sonic din that penetrates your soul on this four-track, 60-minute endeavor belongs to SUNN 0))), whose latest release is, in fact, a re-release of the first batch of aural awakenings the project unveiled way back in 1999. And yes, it contains all of the mesmerizing dissonance, hypnotic low-end mutterings and ploddingly painful sounds that only Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson can muster. If you're a fan of the avant-garde end of the metal spectrum, this enchanting entry is a welcome addition. http://www.southernlord.com
-Mike SOS

SUPERCHRIST
HEAVY METAL TONIGHT
BESTIAL ONSLAUGHT
HEAVY METAL TONIGHT is a live album put out by the raucous Chicago band Superchrist, whose 13-track ode to metal's lowest common denominator is laden with drunken fans; songs about murder, suicide, and Yoko Ono; and the attitude of Motorhead meeting W.A.S.P. at a Dictators show. Chock full of aggressive riffs, speedy rhythms, and an overall sense of moral decay, this outfit embodies the spirit of unbridled rock 'n' roll to the hilt; and the live backdrop is the perfect companion for the beer-soaked carnage. http://www.superchrist.net
-Mike SOS

TED QUINN
HELP WANTED
CHOLLA RECORDS
This solo release from Joshua Tree impresario/artist/musician Ted Quinn is an incredible folk album that scrapes the soul. With soft, poignant vocals, harmonica, and haunting acoustic guitar, Quinn sounds more than just a bit like NEBRASKA-era Springsteen if the boss had a better voice. There are some chilling moments on this disc, such as on the opening track, "La Porte", a disturbing ballad about what life would be like had one grown up and remained in the small town of their birth; or the touching "29 Palms", where the singer commiserates with families of those sent off to war from the local military base. Quinn hosts an Internet radio show, PEACENIK AT THE BEATNIK, every Friday night live from the Beatnik CafÈ in Joshua Tree. On any given night he might have Victoria Williams, Eric Burdon, Concrete Blonde, or even marines from the local base performing songs about peace.
-Dug

THE BLACKFIRE REVELATION
GOLD AND GUNS ON 51
SOUTHERN RECONSTRUCTION
On their initial release, the five-song, 23-minute GOLD AND GUNS ON 51, New Orleans's The Blackfire Revelation showcase elements of SUPERFUZZ BIGMUFF Mudhoney (a band who had some heavy metal and garage influences), what with the distorted, kinda disoriented vocals that recall the wonderful Mark Arm and the fuzzed-out guitars and heavy sound on songs like the cool opener "Battle Hymn" and the raucous closer "Second Time Around". And speaking of heavy sound, for just a two-man outfit (vocalist/guitarist/bassist John Fields and drummer Ryan "Hank" Haney), TBR really have a full, groove-filled sound. These guys definitely sound more metal/stoner rock/garage than the aforementioned Mudhoney. Whatever you call it, this stuff is trippy, trashy, and just plain good, goddamn it!
-Janelle Jones

THE BLEEDING HICKEYS
LOVERS & HATERS UNITE!
JILTED RECORDS
FINALLY! Some filthy, grimy, old-school garage PUNK! There is relief from pop-punk mediocrity in The Bleeding Hickeys. This album is what garage punk should sound like: dirty lyrics yelled not sung, raw guitar riffs, and an overall sound that just has you begging for more. One of the best elements of the record is itsÖummmÖunique sound, which sounds like it was recorded in someone's garageówhich adds that grimy, dirty, under-funded, punk feeling to this record, which makes me like it even more. All I can say is that if their live show is half as awesome as their album, I can't wait until they're in town next! Definitely something for those of us who can't let go of the good ol' '80s punk days (sans the '80s hair and "fashion").
-Courtney Strain

THE BLUE VAN
THE ART OF ROLLING
TVT RECORDS
If you are looking for a band that is classic rock meets The Strokes, then look no further than The Blue Van. Making a point not to sound anything like the pop-culture-inspired music of today, The Blue Van definitely have succeeded in that respect. In fact, they actually don't mind sounding (and even dressing like) those bands in the '60s, even if they do look extremely goofy in that garb. Having a gritty and earthy sound but keeping melodies in the vein of The Beatles and other bands of that generation, The Blue Van's sound is definitely a classic one. The keyboards add a great feel to the music and make it very get-up-and-danceworthy. Being that its coupled with sing-along choruses, you are sure to feel good inside after listening to these guys.
-David Walter

THE BRUCE LEE BAND
BEAUTIFUL WORLD
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
Nine years ago, Asian Man Records head honcho Mike Park teamed up with members of Less Than Jake to form The Bruce Lee Band. The self-titled album that came out of that partnership was fun, energetic, and filled with what you might expect from a band comprised of members of Less Than Jake and Skankin' Pickle. Well, with the band's first new release in nine years, The Bruce Lee Band went for a complete ska sound. This time, Mike has members of RX Bandits as his musical section. The great songwriting is still very present, except that this time you'll notice more of a Two-Tone feel to the EP, which I absolutely adore. This is an essential ska purchase, as well as a solid purchase for fans of Asian Man Records. For five bucks, how can you go wrong? While I like both incarnations of The Bruce Lee Band, I hope this lineup stays around for a long time to come.
-Dane Jackson

THE BRUISERS
CRUISIN' FOR A BRUISIN'
TAANG! RECORDS
This 10-song enhanced CD includes six bonus video tracks. The rough, growling street core is bruised Oi! and rather uninteresting as working-class punk goes. Give this Boston hardcore band a horn player or two and some good, anthemic choruses, and we would really have something. www.taang.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE FLAMING TSUNAMIS
ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS!
KILL NORMAL RECORDS
Ska is by far my favorite genre of music, so to hear how bad The Flaming Tsunamis bastardize the music I hold near and dear to my heart is just sickening. After listening to ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS!, it's not even fair to call them a ska band: they're strictly a hard-core punk band with slight ska influences. If this is the future of ska, then I hope the genre goes away so that I can reminisce back to a time when ska music was good. If you like horrible ska-core music, then pop in The Flaming Tsunamis; if you're a ska purist, stay away. Even as a fan of a smattering of ska core bands, I just couldn't stomach this album at all.
-Dane Jackson

THE GENERATORS
EXCESS, BETRAYALÖAND OUR DEARLY DEPARTED
FIEND
This album's North American release was delayed for nearly two years, but it's definitely worth the wait, as it triumphantly fills the gap between the zeal of Bad Religion and the sneer of Social Distortion. Nine tracks (plus five bonus cuts for making the Stateside fans wait so long) chock full of fist-pumping punk rock like "30 Seconds" and "Roll Out the Red Carpet" make for an adrenaline-fueled experience that very few of today's punk-rock bands can pull off convincingly. And if all of the punk-rock bravado doesn't get you, then the best song written about the trials of being in a rock band since AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" is here, "Dying in a Rock & Roll Band"óand it alone is worth the price of the disc. If you like heartfelt punk rock full of insight with most of the venom still intact, this is the disc for you. http://www.fiendmusic.com
-Mike SOS

THE HOLY SHROUD
GHOST REPEATERS
LEVEL PLANE RECORDS
This is the first album from Canadian band The Holy Shroudóand a great one, at that. GHOST REPEATERS's template is one that resembles the human heart run wild. Guitars skip and scamper, beats move all over, percussion thunders, and vocals stand out. The songwriting for tracks like "Sound the Death Knell" is terrific, like the band said "fuck it" before going into the studio and just played it by ear. The result is something very daring.
-Darren Ratner

THE KINISON
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
LA SALLE
The Kinison's unbridled punk-rock spirit has been vividly captured on WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?, an 11-track release laden with intriguing twists and turns and convincing vitriolic virtue. Helmed by the same folks who brought us Refused and Poison the Well, it's no surprise that the caustic vocals and jagged rhythms on tracks like "Oh Boy That Girl Can Move" and "You'll Never Guess Who Died" are a bit reminiscent of Glassjaw's or At the Drive-In's most melodically fractured moments; while the straight-ahead sharpness of "Lake Calmern Is Full Now" will skillfully chip away at that gnawing pit of angst in your gut. Anguish hasn't sounded this hip in a long timeóand we've got The Kinison to thank for that. http://www.thekinison.com
-Mike SOS

THE KONKS
S/T
BOMP! RECORDS
The Konks have a sound that is vaguely familiar. It's called garage rock. This disc features the sort of garage punk that must be turned up to ear-damaging volumes to be truly appreciated. Tracks like "Outta My Mind" and "Here She Comes" should have what it takes to get your adrenaline flowing. Other highlights come on tracks like the English-freakbeat-flavored numbers "Move & Shake" and "Can't Get Along with You". The Konks even try their hand at an Aerosmith classic ("Let the Music Do the Talking") and make it work. If you're looking for music that is wild and raw, look no further: The Konks have heard your plea.
-Jude Ruiz

THE LUCKSMITHS
WARMER CORNERS
CANDLE RECORDS
The most depressing fact about The Lucksmiths' glorious WARMER CORNERS is that no one realizes that this is their eighth studio album, thus having missed out on a slew of fabulous material. The band's coalescence was a result of a mutual love for The Smiths, and the influences are apparent throughout. Fortunately, the band nods to their predecessors rather than thieving from them. The songs loosely yield to singer Tali White's dreamy lyrics retelling humorous anecdotes and stories of lost love. "You had your father's charm / And thus your mother's Volvo" sings White on the best track of the album, "Great Lengths". Fans of Belle & Sebastian's lovely melodies are sure to gobble this one up.
-Zac

THE MARS VOLTA
FRANCES THE MUTE
UNIVERSAL RECORDS
The Mars Volta is probably the most talented band in the world. They are also the band most likely to make you put your head through a wall. This band takes the listener on an incredible journey through beautiful melodies, experimental riffs, orchestration, world music, mind-numbing distortion, and more than just a taste of insanity. The hit song from this album, "I'll Never Sleep Alone", is really only a small slice of a "song" called "The Widow", which contains the aforementioned madness. Of the five "songs" on this disc, three are actually rock operas. The scary stories throughout the liner notes might or might not be lyrics on this album. I've listened to this disc 20 times, and I still can't tell. Flea and John Frusciante of The Red Hot Chili Peppers both play on this disc, as do 20 or so other musicians. This album will make you crazy.
-Dug

THE MENACE
SCREWED UP: THE BEST OF MENACE
TAANG! RECORDS
Part of the fertile '77 London punk scene, The Menace never released an LP, but the group did put out a half-dozen singles. This CD has all that material and more, with a dozen tracks from current vocalist John Lacey (who joined in 1997) and six including original vocalist Morgan Webster. This overview of the group's output shows a consistency in delivering raw, explosive old-school punk. www.taang.com
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE N.Y. REL-X
SOLD OUT OF LOVE
TKO
The N.Y. Rel-X play a kind of grizzled yet poppy version of punk rock that only inhabitants of the Big Apple can stake claim to. On the quartet's latest, 11-track release, these veritable punk-rock vets pound out some high-octane, straightforward, female-fronted punk rock with all of the sneer and attitude of the ghosts of CBGB's past. "No More Tears" contains the bouncy bass line no punk band should be without, while the title track's catchy chorus will swirl around your head for days on end. SOLD OUT OF LOVE allows this outfit an avenue to let off some of that big-city pressure without the rap sheet and makes for a fine addition to the NYC punk-rock family tree. http://www.tkorecords.com
-Mike SOS

THE OCCASION
THE OCCASION
SAY HEY
Lo-fi and low key, The Occasion are a quintet aiming to leave you in a peaceful place with their transient loops, organic melodies, and all-around sound manipulations. On the NYC clan's eight-track sojourn, ambience and luxury reign, as tracks like the hypnotic "I Can't Stop Falling" rely on repetitive riffing, while the melancholy organ in "Ease Away" sets a dream-like tone that rivals anything by today's indie-rock mopesters. The Occasion allow their grooves the hearty irony to speak volumes by not cranking to 11; instead, songs like "Smoke and Mirrors" sweep you inside an alluring, meticulously-created musical landscape with strokes of intensity rather than a turn of the volume knob. http://www.sayheyrecords.com
-Mike SOS

THE ROCKET SUMMER
HELLO, GOOD FRIEND
THE MILITA GROUP
Bryce Avary is back, and with him is his latest release, which is sure to satisfy those who enjoy the whole singer/songwriter genre of music. This music is guided along by the piano and guitar (both acoustic and electric)-driven ballads that are sure to hit home for those just wanting to belongóa point Avary seems to drive home throughout this release. Playing every instrument on this album is pretty special, and one must appreciate that effort. This album is much more vibrant and diverse than his last release and feels much more forthright and sincere. My only complaint would be that 13 songs are a little too many for this style of music, and the album seems to drag on a little bit towards the end.
-David Walter

THE SCUFFS
50/50
DISRUPTER RECORDS
There is one big thing wrong with this album: it's just too damn short. The Scuffs (out of Simi Valley) offer up four soon-to-be punk anthem classics on 50/50. Each track immediately puts me in mind of The U.S. Bombs and Anti-Flag. The music is fast, furious, and filled with three chord bridges, heavy drums, and gang choruses. It's a very fun album that should be heard by all who are just sick of the whole post-punk and emo thing. While I hate that this EP is so short, it makes me yearn for moreówhich is probably a good thing.
-Dane Jackson

THE SIN STEREO
THE WAR THAT WAS YOU
GIVE UP YOUR GHOST RECORDS
Not to be a fem-nazi, but when did pictures of a girl bound with her mouth taped shut become album art? I don't think there's a satisfying answer to that question, but it is the first thing that appears to you when you take the CD from the case. Luckily, it's not worth getting to that point. Aside from the perplexingly offensive art, the music just sucks. It sounds like it was recorded in a basement, and that is appropriate. The Sin Stereo can't decide on a sound, so they just combine the hardcore growling and breakdowns from that basement show with the praise-singing from the church upstairs to create an ungodly mix. Plus, they can't sing, the music is poorly mixed and rudimentary, and they use horror-movie clips to open the album. Please.
-Erika Owens

THE WHAT GOES ON! SHOW
LIKE A MIX TAPE FROM YOUR BEST FRIEND (DVD)
LOOK WHO'S WORKING!
This is a very nifty and neat idea, but in the end, the musical talent just doesn't add up. A DVD show that features 10 original artists and bands from the New York music scene playing a song each on a retro-looking, vivid, and in-your-face stage. I really enjoyed the creative intros for each band or artist, as they were featured in a short skit that drew plenty of laughter each time. From there on, though, the bands and artists just really didn't cut it. None of the acts stood out, everything was very average, and most performances were very blah and lacking energy. Again, great ideaójust do some homework and seek out some better talent.
-David Walter

THEE MERRY WIDOWS
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
Proving that gothic punk isn't only for the guys of AFI, Alkaline Trio, and My Chemical Romance, the all-girl powerhouse of Thee Merry Widows have assembled themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The five-member gang of sultry gals creates fun Halloween gloom fueled by melodic vocals over captivating guitar lines and contagious drumbeats. I am sure these ladies will go far with their accomplished musical ability and fantastic sparkle. It's too bad the band only released a four-song EP, but it will definitely be exciting to see what's next for Thee Merry Widows.
-Joe Licavoli

THINE EYES BLEED
IN THE WAKE OF SEPARATION
THE END
Yes, this band features Jeff Araya, brother of Slayer's Tom Araya. Yes, former Kittie guitarist Jeff Phillips is also in the lineup. No, these names will not change how I view this album. Although not technically bad music, the days of bands repeatedly nodding their heads to At the Gates, Carcass, and The Haunted need to be over. It's great metal, and it's as raw as it is enjoyable, but it's just so trite by now. We've heard this before, and we don't need to hear it again. I just hoped for a shred of newness, perhaps a song or two with an experimental interlude...but the listener will be denied this originality and continued to be pummeled by average thrash-metal tunes. It's like eating a bowl of Velveeta macaroni and cheese. The first few bites are amazing, but after 10 or so more, it all begins to seem the same.
-Zac

TIGER BEAR WOLF
S/T
HELLO SIR RECORDS
Ordinarily, when faced with the overtly pretentious proclamation of "When I pick up my guitar, it's because I know that one thing worth saving is rock and roll," I would be immediately taken aback by the all-too obvious self-explication. On Tiger Bear Wolf's self-titled debut, however, they have a powerful ability to make you believe that they are stating their case from the heart. Only a little over one year old and just four members deep, Tiger Bear Wolf cathartically dispel rock's demons with a never-ending onslaught of visceral and versatile anthems the likes of which Fugazi would be proud of. The recording quality is purposely wretched, while the crass nature of the vocals is amplified, creating a bit of a surreal yet hostile environment. TIGER BEAR WOLF tries to fool you into thinking it is simplistic, when, in fact, it is anything but.
-Daniel

TRANSIENT TRACTOR
FAILURE
SELF-RELEASED
Transient Tractor is the end result of one man's obsession to become an accomplished musician...and the disc is appropriately-titled. There's atonal singing, an alarming lack of melody, and the musical acumen of a junior-high-school band. Chances are that if you dig music with heavy doses of sarcasm and a complete disregard for melody, this CD is something you'd possibly enjoy. http://www.transienttractor.com
-Mike SOS

URGEHAL
THROUGH THICK FOG TIL DEATH
SOUTHERN LORD
Urgehal is a Norwegian black-metal band that sticks to the script on its 15-track ode to demonic bliss. It's all included: the face paint, the coarse vocals, the manic percussion, and the odiferous song titles (e.g., "Satanic Deathlust", "Raise the Symbols of Satan"). An exercise in evil, THROUGH THICK FOG TIL DEATH is the kind of album that sadistic death-metallers from across the globe can sacrifice woodland creatures to without any regret. http://www.southernlord.com
-Mike SOS

V/A
BANDPROMOTE.COM SAMPLER NO. 27
DISC MAKERS
The good thing about compilations is that the odds are in your favor that you'll find at a least a couple of bands that you connect with. Having stated that, the finest moments on this diverse sampler come on tracks from The Its! ("Take a Number"), Caufield ("Trendsetter"), Overnight ("Scene Today"), and
Bermuda Triangle Service ("Six Years"). This sampler exceeded expectations by delivering more that just a couple of good songs. You can visit their site at bandpromote.com and link to all of the artists' sites.
-Jude Ruiz

V/A
BUYINDIEMUSIC.COM VOL. 2
BLACK DOG PROMOTIONS
The site buyindiemusic.com promotes new up-and-coming bands of all genres. This volume showcases some new hard rock (Solace), hip-hop (Secret Emissaries), pop (Joanie Leeds), and blues (Ann Pence) acts. Other artists featured are Breathe, Reed Dickinson, Teenage Heartthrob, Big Muff, Eugenia and the Boys, Clifton, Emma Cook, Failsafe Nation, The-Eldur, John Tumminello, and Project: SLAM. Unfortunately, a lot of the music on this compilation might be geared too much towards the mainstream for our readers' tastes, but you can always visit their site to get a taste for yourself.
-Jude Ruiz

V/A
CAN'T DANCE 2005 VER. 3
BANDPROMOTE.COM
This music video collection has some highs, some lows, and some stuff that is best left alone. The Website bandpromote.com helps emerging artists of all musical genres who are looking for more exposure. This collection offers some excellent videos set to not-so-great songs (Budhi Brown's "Death Is a Flower", directed by Michael Medaglia), some excellent songs set to not-so-great videos (Brady Harris's "Good to Know"), and occasionally showcases both a great video and song (Scream Club's "If You Want It", directed by Giles O'Dell). For those who enjoy seeking out new music, there are definitely some artists featured on this DVD that should be looked into.
-Jude Ruiz

V/A
THE BEST BANDS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD: VOLUME TWO
DEEP ELM RECORDS
Who knew indie rock was this boring? Yes, Deep Elm is back with a second installment in their This Is Indie Rock compilation series, THE BEST BANDS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD: VOLUME TWO. The disc once again showcases largely lesser-known acts from metal, emo, punk, hardcore, and the dreaded "indie." The album starts off strong enough with the acoustic/synth-driven Maxel Toft and their "Band 2: Lesson 37-Formal Speech". The song uses strangely-timed loops and an analog beat, while the acoustic guitar raises the work to a higher level of fluidity. This makes for a solid opener. However, the rest of the album is fairly one-note. Based on this compilation aloneówhether it's the all-too-expected folk-pop or straight-up emoóyou'd expect that the "underground" has little to offer in the form of indie rock. (Fortunately, that is far from true.)
-Daniel

VICIOUS ART
FIRE FALLS AND THE WAITING WATERS
CANDLELIGHT
Vicious Art is quite the appropriate name for this Swedish metal troupe that boasts former members of Dark Funeral and Entombed, and this punishing 10-track release stomps with the fervor you'd find in Cannibal Corpse and Hypocrisy. Blast-beated madness is the most prominent weapon used here, as the mighty double-bass pedal is used ad nausea. The guitars are crisp and fleeting, and the vocals are the perfect union of growl and screamóand when doubled on tracks like "A Whistler and His Gun" sound like Hell has risen to Earth. Vicious Art isn't the most unique band on the map, but this quintet packs an undeniable wallop that can floor you. http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
-Mike SOS

VIRTUAL JUNGLE
S/T
BMI RECORDS
Virtual Jungle (a.k.a. Lucio Rebello) is an eclectic experiment that blends rock, electronica, jazz, funk, classical, and Brazilian music. The album opens with a soothing classical guitar solo, "A Vida Se Repete", then proceeds to go nowhere fast. Lucio Rebello is a highly-accomplished musician with the credentials to prove so. However, these songs fail to leave any lasting impact. Perhaps concentrating on a few musical genres instead of branching out into so many would give this album a more cohesive sound.
-Jude Ruiz

WINTER SOLSTICE
THE FALL OF ROME
METAL BLADE
Virginia's Winter Solstice is a bruising quintet whose debut, 10-track release, THE FALL OF ROME, can proudly stand right beside the current wave of churning metalcore. While songs like "Watcher" and "Following Caligula" contain the kind of crushing rhythms, relentless drumming, and blood-curdling screamed vocals that elicit massive moshpit activities, there are about 200 other bands out there playing with the same styleówhich makes it very hard for these guys to establish a unique identity (sans the band's Christian beliefs). Sounding like Earth Crisis meets Darkest Hour with hints of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden inside the stellar guitar work (check out the stunning acoustic title track), Winter Solstice's debut is as tight and pronounced as anything you're going to get out there in the fiercely competitive metalcore genre today. http://www.metalblade.com
-Mike SOS

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
SIX REASONS TO DROP OUT
MARTYR RECORDS
I wanted to like this CD, I really did, but I just couldn't get past the mundane music of With or Without You. It is the same kind of stuff I have been hearing for the past two years, and it wasn't even done that well. Lead singer Andy Frachere's voice is a little rough but tolerable. Despite their shortcomings, this band excels in its ability for shout-alongs. I can image that at one of their shows Frachere could potentially get the crowd shouting choruses with fists in the air. Having shared the stage with such hardcore greats as Comeback Kid and Stretch Arm Strong, I assume they must have a decent live act. I'll have to check them out the next time they're in my hood and see if they've matured.
-Luke Skywalker

WITH PASSION
IN THE MIDST OF BLOODIED SOIL
EARACHE RECORDS
Really, is it any surprise that these guys are metalcore? Just look at their band name. Though I'm not a huge fan of the infusion of the genres, I do enjoy a few bands of this scene. Unfortunately, With Passion did not make my list. This six-member super group is no doubt talented, but their metal guitar riffs and routine screaming grow tiresome. I suppose the album could grow on me, but there is very little flow. In a short bio on their CD case, the band claims "abrupt time changes and diverse dynamics," which is true, yet it could be regarded as chaos. Originally I thought this album had multiple short tracks, but it turns out that I had been listening to one continuous track all along.
-Luke Skywalker

WOLVERINE
THE WINDOW PURPOSE
EARACHE
Swedish prog-metal clan Wolverine's reissue of its 2001 release THE WINDOW PURPOSE should garnish the sextet more of the praise which they greatly deserve, as this remastered 11-track tour de force is a delight for fans of complex metal. Meshing the styles of Fates Warning, Opeth, Dream Theater, and Rush, Wolverine provides a dizzying array of musicianship coupled with elaborately-written songs to satisfy the forward-thinking metal contingent. These songs are a tad long-winded for some, but if you can keep your ADD under control for about an hour, your ears will be in for quite the treat. www.earache.com
-Mike SOS

YELLOW SECOND
ALTITUDE
FLOODGATE RECORDS
Denver's Yellow Second rock out in an alternative pop/rock manner that quenches the thirst of anyone into groups like Something Corporate. Standout tracks include "Material" that is slow but has a sweet kick with mashed guitars and light vocals. Then there's the punchy "Fall Out of Line" that highlights the band's edgier tendencies. But all in all, ALTITUDE is an album that doesn't fall out of line enough. Yellow Second are good, but they need to take more chances.
-Darren Ratner

YOUTHINASIA
E.P.
DIC RAWK RECORDS
It's been a long time since I've come across a band that actually sounded fun as well as enjoyable. Reminiscent of early Goldfinger and the surf-punk era, these guys offer a cumbersome pop-punk sound that is paced by the sharp and clever lyrics and ultra-catchy beats. The guitars are played in that ska tone, with oodles of melodies accompanying them. This release sounds more like an energetic live show than a produced studio EP. Youthinasia isn't attempting to break any barriers with their music, as everything is very straightforward and uncomplicated; they are simply trying their best to put out a release where their energetic and entertaining side can be relayed via recording.
-David Walter

BOOK REVIEW
I, SHITHEAD: A LIFE IN PUNK
BY JOEY KEITHLEY
VANCOUVER: ARSENAL PULP PRESS, 2003
by Marcia Taylor

Joey Shithead, founder of and singer/guitarist for seminal Canadian punk band D.O.A. is probably one of the most pragmatic people I've ever encountered. Born Joey Keighley, he legally changed his name to "Keithley" as an adult, because the "gh" in the original spelling was pronounced "th", and he was tired of correcting people's mispronunciation. And that sums up his approach to life: if it needs fixing, fix it! Or, to quote D.O.A.'s famous axiom, "talk minus action=0".

At the very beginning of the book, Keithley tells us that he isn't going to be going into detail about people's drunken or stoned antics out of respect for their privacy and because it's a waste of time. However, there is plenty of beer drinking and a few stories in which alcohol contributed to the denoument. But none of those stories about people shooting up with filthy toilet water, something of a staple in this genre. So if you're looking for a book like that, read PLEASE KILL ME (about the early N.Y. punk scene) or something about Sid and Nancy.

Keithley's interest in politics and history started early, when his parents bought a color television, on which they watched the carnage of Vietnam unfolding on the nightly Canadian news broadcasts. His first act of protest was in high school in 1971, when the U.S. was testing nuclear devices in the Aleutian Islands. He recognized that music was a powerful tool for protest, and from then until now, he has put his money where his mouth is, touring relentlessly for the last 25 years throughout the world. He has also managed to support himself and a family doing this, run for political office in his Burnaby (suburb of Vancouver) home, played an amazing number of fundraisers, acted in movies, and released some solo work. Does he ever sleep? If so, I doubt it's for very long.

The story of D.O.A. is told chronologically, with brief amusing stories and asides, but mostly in a no-nonsense, straightforward fashion. For example, you learn exactly where the band played in any given year, who they played with, and how the show went. There are some amusing stories scattered throughout, as well as a little bit of gossip. The Clash treated D.O.A. badly back in the day, refusing to mix with them backstage. Keithley has kind words for most of the other people he's played with, ranging from Bachman Turner Overdrive to David Lee Roth to Bryan Adams to X, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag and other American punk/hardcore acts. There are lots of pictures of show flyers and posters here, and many stories of the band getting into trouble for spray painting "[plug in a band name or a conservative institution or an authority figure] sucks! D.O.A. rules!" There are also a fair number of Nazi skinhead-bashing stories, too.

If you're looking for deep insights into the meaning of life, you won't find it here. Keithley's conclusions about life, drawn from his experiences, tend to be pithy and brief. For example, he concedes that although he loves being a parent, it's not for everyone. Other lessons are "don't tour around in old school buses. The school district has sold them off because they are unreliable hunks of shit" and "most fucking record companies are fucking lazy; they will not follow up and will do sweet fuck all, six months after the record has been released." He also has LOTS to say about the quality of alcoholic beverages in Europe, where beer often did not meet the high standards expected by large, extremely thirsty Canadians.

All in all, I SHITHEAD was not the most entertaining book I've read about punk rock and its players. But perhaps that says more about the human desire to read about other people's scandal and misery. However, it was informative, thorough and pragmatic, just like the author, whose point wasn't to dish dirt, but to tell his story and to prove the point that protesting injustice isn't a waste of time, nor is standing up for what you believe in. Further, like Jello Biafra, Keithley is willing to give old school protest music (yes, from the time of the hippies and before) the credit it deserves for spawning punk music, unlike many of your '60s/hippy-hating old school punks. It kind of amazes me that he was able to sit still long enough to write it though, especially if doing so meant missing out on any chances to play music for a good cause.

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