May CD Reviews (in alphabetical order)

46 SHORT
TRUTH DENIED
TKO RECORDS
Bringing it all back to basics is what Southern California's 46 Short have in mind with their latest album. Here you will find 13 tracks of fast punk rock reminiscent of old-school punk-rock acts. The lyrics are rich with powerful words pertaining to our doomed way of life in America (e.g., "Damned Nation"). All 13 tracks pretty much sound the same-but I guess it's what I should expect from a band like this. However, there's no doubt that fans of the retro sound will fall in love with this album. Well done, boys! -Matt Edmund

A LIFE ONCE LOST
HUNTER
FERRET
Meshuggah + Lamb of God = A Life Once Lost, who rises from metal's underground to bring us HUNTER. This titanic, Philadelphia-based troupe's latest, 11-track sojourn (lovingly given the metallic treatment by Scrap 60 Productions) features crushing grooves colliding with pummeling rhythms on brazen tracks such as "A Rush & Seige" and the blistering "Vultures", which boasts a guest vocal by Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. Deliberately bashing riffs that embody machine-like precision and sludge-driven savagery, tracks like "Pain & Panic" will beat you into submission just from the serpentine vocal performance alone. Looking for a clinically brutal release? Look no further than HUNTER, an album whose thrash-metal, stuck-in-mud style is the perfect middle ground between Pantera and Zao. www.ferretstyle.com -Mike SOS

BANG! BANG!
DECKED OUT
MORPHIUS RECORDS
Having already been heralded as "sex rock," Chicago's Bang! Bang! recall a slew of new wave and revivalists bands. Sitting alongside The Raveonettes or Yeah Yeah Yeahs with the male/female vocal bouts and dance-ready rhythms, the trio precisely walk the line of new wave revisited. If all the stylish bands who blew up in the wake of punk rock's first and second jaunts were still around, Bang! Bang! would be a respected kindred spirit. Whatever you're looking for in a band like this can be found on DECKED OUT, and Bang! Bang! have expertly taken us back two decades without making the trip seem wasted or unnecessary. Plus, I'll take this over Karen O. and company any day. -David Barker

BARCODE
SHOWDOWN
NUCLEAR BLAST
Long-running five-piece Barcode sound more like early-'80s NYC hardcore alums than fellahs from Denmark. On SHOWDOWN, their fourth LP, Barcode play tough and mean old-school East Coast hardcore akin to stalwarts Agnostic Front or newer bands like the all-star Ironbound NYC. Adding to the thick and heavy sonic impressiveness of SHOWDOWN is its socio-political critiques and the nice inclusion of a raucous rendition of "I'm a Rebel" from old German metal act Accept. This is a band I've not been aware of (and they've been around for a decade), so if you're like me and have a thing for sheer, unadulterated hardcore, definitely check out Barcode's latest-and then head back to their previous efforts (as I plan to do). -Janelle Jones

BLEEDING KANSAS
DEAD BEFORE DÉCOR
ABACUS
Burbank, CA, crew Bleeding Kansas's second release is the kind of challenging hardcore music that usually emanates from the East Coast-usually under the tutelage of Kurt Ballou, who (surprise!) again produces this act's 14-track ode to unparalleled aggression. From the opening strains of "Retract the Altitude" to the slow-churned grit of the appropriately-titled "Drowning in a Sea of Shit", this unit showcases an expansive sound that transcends standard hardcore fare and aims for both the head and the gut on such cuts as the spastically-composed "Right by Your Side" and the downtrodden "Feel the Sting From the First Bite" (complete with props to the band Kansas). Abrasive and caustic, DEAD BEFORE DÉCOR's grimy misgivings and tumultuous tirades put post-hardcore, noise-metal, and crusty punk in the crockpot for a stew that the most adventurous of extreme music fans will wholeheartedly enjoy. www.abacusrecordings.com -Mike SOS

BUCKCHERRY
15
1OTH STREET
Buckcherry was one of those bands whose timing was less than stellar, as their brand of liquor-swigging, arena-shaking rock was introduced a little before the most recent hard-rock explosion was underway. Reconvening after vocalist Josh Todd's solo efforts, the band's latest disc and first in four years takes the decadent rock sound championed by Guns N' Roses, The Black Crowes, and pre-corporate Aerosmith and modernizes it for today's rock fan. While the AC/DC guitar groove and Stones swagger of tracks like "So Far" and "Crazy Bitch" attempt to jumpstart the heavy blues-rock revival, it's songs like the slide-guitar-infused "Brooklyn" and the shameless power ballad "Sorry" that stick in your craw long after the drugs and booze have exited your system. Buckcherry is back, hopefully this time with an audience that's ready for their deliberate rock 'n' roll excess. www.10thst.com -Mike SOS

CHIBA-KEN
FACES OF THE MOMENT
www.chiba-ken.net
The two songs that bookend FACES OF THE MOMENT may be the most compelling (check out the MASSIVE finale "The Distance from Here"), but that isn't to say the rest of the subdued yet hard-edged seven-song EP shits. In contrast, each mid-tempo song features a similarly beautiful, troubled, melancholy feel supplemented with the occasional screamy, aggressive parts. But don't worry. This isn't that trendy soft-loud-soft-whiny-screamy stuff, as Chiba-Ken just have this welcome maturity that flows through their well-crafted compositions. But honestly, even sans the overtly heavy parts, Chiba-Ken's work would still be EXTREMELY affecting, with each track's undeniable inherent power. The one exception is the dragging, sub-par "Holy Water". But other than this weak track, this is an impressive record. -Janelle Jones

CINEMECHANICA
THE MARTIAL ARTS
HELLO SIR RECORDS
THE MARTIAL ARTS is chaos, simply put. While listening to Cinemechanica's nine track masterful endeavor, you will never distinguish a pattern. At one moment you are listening to a thrilling technical hook that dramatically transitions into a rhythmic intermission. The chaos only continues with the vocals, which is likely the only negative aspect about this record. Sounding like the former punk lead singer from The Dingees, Cinemechanica doesn't improve much with vocals in their unclassifiable genre. "Take Me to the Hospital" and "Get Outta Here Hitler" stand out as the two best tracks, as they are instrumental and exclude all singing. This is best listened loud and in stereo. - Luke Skywalker

CRIME IN STEREO
THE TROUBLED STATESIDE
NITRO RECORDS
Long Island punk rockers deluxe Crime in Stereo (a super cool name) can drive a hardcore beat down your slam pit and then jam a melodic, popish punk song across the top of your head. The musicianship is tight, in the pocket, and masterful. For punks in 2006, this is a must-have record. A wicked disc. -H. Barry Zimmerman

CUE THE DOVES
ARCHITECTURES OF THE ATMOSPHERE
DEAD LETTER RECORDS
With a bassist who used to be in The Beautiful Mistake and a touring past that's included stints with Circa Survive and Emmanuel, it's pretty easy to get a good idea of what Cue the Doves sound like. They might have Failure, Hum and Deftones as influences, and they've created this modern rock record striving for a place in some post-emocore scene. I don't know. Plus, they use their number of MySpace friends as a "selling point" on their press sheet. Fuck that. ARCHITECTURES OF THE ATMOSPHERE has a lot of excellent qualities musically, but it doesn't stand out. -David Barker

DDC
DEATH DESTRUCTION CHAOS
ANTIDOTE
I'm loving the crushing brutality of the savage DDC and their gritty, thrashy, hardcore punk onslaught, DEATH DESTRUCTION CHAOS, an album that was recorded nearly three years ago. But although the Denver band's sound is sheer aggression, anger, and thrash, it's clear that these guys still have a sense of humor. Just check out "Hessian Aggression" with its fine chorus of "Give me a beer / I just wanna get drunk tonight"; the surfer-dude opening of "Pop-Punk Is for Bitches"; or the lyrics to "The Man Downstairs", seemingly a send-up of all the satanic imagery in metal. There is definitely a metal streak throughout this short but satiating album, what with some major fretwork on songs like "Bacon Smells" and total metal crusher "The Man Downstairs". -Janelle Jones

DEMOLITION DOLL RODS
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
SWAMI RECORDS
The fourth album by Detroit's Demolition Doll Rods captures all the spontaneity and raw energy of punk rock, the blues, garage rock, and soul in one 45-minute escapade of sex, drugs, and debauchery. The only drawback is that the songs must have arrived in such a swift wave of creativity that the band laid the tracks down right away while making up the lyrics as they went-and so they are ridiculous. No one could have sat down and wrote these and thought to themselves, "These are fantastic. The world must hear my words." However, if you're looking for something that bridges the gap between The Rolling Stones, The Stooges, and The White Stripes, pick up THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. Just don't expect to be challenged in any way. But sometimes that is perfectly all right. -Jeff Srack

DIXIE WITCH
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
SMALL STONE
The Southern-fried stoner rock of Texas trio Dixie Witch packs quite a punch on the band's fierce 11-track foray. Laden with huge rock hooks that sound as if they came from a 1977 Ted Nugent tour with a plethora of guitar trickery, deep bass grooving, and scathing skin-bashing, songs like the supercharged "S.O.L." and the wailing guitar stomp of "What You Want" contain just as much rock shuffle as they do country twang and metallic doom. "Bridges" sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd jamming with Wino, while the album's closer (called "Last Call", appropriately enough) merge all of the band's eclectic styles into a potent potpourri of psychedelic blues and jam-rock brilliance. Laying down the finest stoner rock with a side order of Southern blues, SMOKE AND MIRRORS satisfies the ZZ Top and Stevie Ray Vaughn cravings while picking up where Nebula leaves off. www.smallstone.com -Mike SOS

DRYLINE
REACH FOR THE SURFACE
ZERO-SUM
Texas metalcore troupe Dryline's 12-track endeavor isn't original in the least, yet it fervently rocks the hell out of most things out today. Sounding like the hybrid of Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and Haste the Day, this quintet's passionate penchant for death metal rips on tracks like "Cast for Your Heart", and guitar heroism shines on tracks like "Screaming Because He's on Fire". Stellar dynamics also steer the songwriting in the right direction, as this quintet's solid breakdowns, stop-on-a-dime tempo changes, and twin-guitar runs are placed perfectly throughout the entire disc. Add in a Shadows Fall-esque acoustic number ("Needless to Say") smack dab in the middle of the chaotic crossfire, and you've got one Texas-sized ass-kicking album on your hands. Despite the confinements Dryline chooses to follow, REACH FOR THE SURFACE is an explosive album that will keep the moshpit moving. www.zerosumrecordings.com -Mike SOS

FT (THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT)
GUNS OF AUGUST
SCENESTERS CREDENTIALS
As GUNS OF AUGUST opens, we're given a stark description of the present state of the United States, with two children warning us of the Orwellian society we're living in. This perfectly sets up what's to follow. FT (The Shadow Government) were formerly known as Flaccid Trip and have members from Ten Grand, Vidablue, Forstella Ford, and Call Me Lightning. I honestly can't say I get what they're doing here. Their political bent is the most interesting aspect. As far as the music, it's more noise and experimentation than anything else. But it doesn't sound like anything else. And they do a T. Rex cover. Props for that. -David Barker

HOPE
HOPE
MILK & COOKIES RECORDS
Hope is a punk-rock band from Moncton, New Brunswick (which is way up in the Canada, boys and girls. The group is pictured on their label's Website dressed in big coats and hats, just in case anybody doubts their geographic origins). When they play their speeding, urgent brand of punk rock, they sound a whole lot like Bad Religion (a group from the far warmer climate of Southern California). Something tells me that if I were shivering all the time, I'd play fast, too. Weather reports aside, Hope makes relatively generic punk rock filled with desperate anger. And all this time I thought those pale Canadians were just too darn polite to be punk! -Dan MacIntosh

JACK'S CANNONBALL
JACK'S CANNONBALL
SELF-RELEASED
Supercharged and sneering is the type of punk rock Jack's Cannonball serves up. Rancid-esque, popping bass lines and spirited gang vocals lead "I Hate Them" into punk rock bliss. Embracing the rock 'n' roll attitude and wearing its punk-rock influence clearly on its sleeve, this French-bred trio's three-track sampler displays a band bursting with the kind of energy on "Just Not Rock 'N Roll" that Warped Tour-goers and punk-rock vets alike can agree on. www.jackscannonball.com -Mike SOS

JUNIPER SKY
DON'T FORGET
TEXTBOOK MUSIC
Juniper Sky features current and former members of The Last Year, After the Bath, November Kills, and Locked in a Vacancy. The music they make has punk's energy, screamo's noise element, and mainstream rock's overt emphasis on melody. "Death of Me" leans toward the gothic punk of My Chemical Romance and reinforces the overall urgency of Juniper Sky's approach. Sadness and death are two common themes here, as "'Till Death Do Us Part" and "Tears" both touch upon unhappy moments. But after all, this album's title refers to those unforgettable life events-and dying and crying are two human activities that often accompany them. Juniper Sky's sky is a dark and clouded one throughout this debut release. -Dan MacIntosh

KATATONIA
THE GREAT COLD DISTANCE
PEACEVILLE
On its seventh studio album, Swedish doomsayers Katatonia's melancholic metal stance is very much in evidence throughout the 12 tracks. With an air of sadness and a flare for creating depression-filled metal dirges (like "Increase" and "Leaders"), these mope-metal veterans meticulously pile on the pain in order to maximize the downtrodden feel. And while this darker-edged quintet may not be as ornate as Opeth, as oppressive as November's Doom, nor as gothic as Paradise Lost, name another act that could convincingly pull off a melodically moody tirade laden with desperation and call it "July". Juxtaposing the fragility of life and inevitability of death with Tool-esque crescendos (check out "In the White") and atmospheric rhythms that radiate a cold, bleak vibe (try "The Itch" on for size), this CD should unquestionably be kept away from sharp objects and unstable mindsets. www.peaceville.com -Mike SOS

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR
THE ULTIMATE DESTROYER
SOUTHERN LORD
Rejoice, heavy-metal subjects, as the second installment of Chicago's finest mythological metal trio has arrived for all to bow to. Lair of the Minotaur returns with a seething vengeance, unfurling an obliterating nine-track offering whose sheer metallic fury is second to none. From the vicious grooves that supercharge tracks like "Horror" to the manic pace of "Lord of Butchery" to the slow-churned death gallop of "Engorged with Unborn Gore" to the meticulously diabolic "Cannibal Massacre" (with vocals from Cattle Decapitation's Trevor Ryan), every track is brazen with a headbangingly heinous array of thrash, black, death, groove, and classic metal, making THE ULTIMATE DESTROYER the perfect album to unleash the demons from within to. The liner notes say that this album is dedicated to metal. No truer words could be spoken. www.southernlord.com -Mike SOS

LANDSPEEDRECORD!
INTERMISSION
AMBIGUOUS CITY RECORDS
Landspeedrecord!'s name might bring Hüsker Dü to mind for you older punkers, but the Baltimore-based group is nothing of the sort. I want to throw out some Dischord bands for points of reference, but Landspeedrecord! is too melodic and polished for that. INTERMISSION is chock full of rhythm shifts, changes in dynamics, excellent keyboard and cello compositions, and superb musicianship all the way around. Every sector of the band contributes something notable to the overall product, sufficiently backing the dark lyrics. INTERMISSION was originally released in 2004, but this particular version has a bonus disc of stellar out-of-print material. A pretty good deal. -David Barker

LETTERS IN BINARY
PRETTY AND PERPENDICULAR
CONSPIRATORS IN SOUND
I love Letters in Binary's erratic hardcore, which combines the free-jazz/rock ideas of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and the furious music of DRI or (more recently) An Albatross. Letters in Binary rocks balls through art and the big bang, as they glide tenderness, pure humanity, and aggression in droves. PRETTY AND PERPENDICULAR is a masterpiece of chaos and expression. -H. Barry Zimmerman

LIGEIA
YOUR GHOST IS A GIFT
FERRET
Hailing from Western Massachusetts and proclaiming its album as an emotional roller-coaster, five-piece Ligeia straddles the line between tough-guy hardcore, pensive post-hardcore, and bone-crushing metal on its 11-track debut. Switching between Bury Your Dead breakdowns and Poison the Well signature shifts, songs like "I'm Sorry Your Ugly" and "Wishing Wells" showcase moshpit-inducing mayhem and well-measured aggression. Crunchily captured by Unearth's Ken Susi, Ligeia has found the perfect medium between unsettling hardcore and melodic metalcore on tracks like "Heart Attack", furthering the notion that there's definitely something in the Northeastern water supply that produces this brand of versatile yet extremely volatile heavy music. www.ferretstyle.com -Mike SOS

LOOK DOWN
24/7 DANCE FORCE
AFTERNOON RECORDS
Looking at this record's cover made me think Look Down would be an atrociously generic pop-punk band. How wrong I was. "Zack Morris Cell Phone Ring" is a stellar opening track, sampling an electronic beat for a catchy dance number; while "Amperfan" plays on the sullen indie rock of bands like Modest Mouse. The other eight tracks are just as good, and I would say more good things if I could, but we have a limit on words, you know. Anyway, they count Paul from Hockey Night and Dillinger Four's Erik Funk as fans, and I'm telling you that Look Down is a damn good band. 24/7 DANCE FORCE shouldn't be overlooked. Check the shit out. -David Barker

MADREPORE
OVERBLOWN
LUKAY
Los Angeles alternative rockers Madrepore have a distinct sound running throughout the quartet's 14-track disc. From the hard-rocking exuberance of "Put a Hole Through Me" and "Picture" to the mellower, college-rock tinge of "The Part of Me You've Thrown Away", this band, comprised of people of both Mexican and Asian heritage (and who lapse into Spanish rock territory on tracks like "Dejame Ser"), have effortlessly combined sugary hooks and jagged riffs like a blend of Seether and Fenix TX. Showcasing an aggressive edge while retaining arena-shaking refrains and atmospheric rock verses, OVERBLOWN takes snippets of The Clash, The Cure, 10 Years, AFI, and Deftones and makes a captivatingly catchy crossover endeavor that fans of Warped Tour punk and radio-friendly rock alike will undoubtedly agree on. www.madrepore.com -Mike SOS

MAEGASHIRA
THE INNER WORKINGS OF BLOCK TIME
SELF-RELEASED
New Jersey quartet Maegarshira demonstrates its sludgy side on its debut four-track, doom-and-gloom metal frolic. From oppressively massive opener "Planet Smasher", this band's intent to blend The Melvins' plodding fury, Black Sabbath's incarnate evil, and Venom's cheeky chaos through songs is quite evident (e.g., the disgustingly engaging "When the Sewers Are Full the Streets Will Run with Shit"). What's not so apparent is how much carnage that Maegashira's borrowed Crowbar-esque twin-guitar slayings and lumbering melodies left behind by Sleep. Diabolically domineering, THE INNER WORKINGS OF BLOCK TIME goes down as smooth as broken glass caked in mud, furthering the band's slow-churning stoner-rock aesthetic. www.myspace.com/maegashira -Mike SOS

MODE
THE DEAFENING MOMENT OF TRUTH
SELF-RELEASED
Mode is an Oklahoma trio whose punk-meets-metal delivery sounds like DRI jamming with Venom. The crossover vocals found throughout this 10-track endeavor are gleefully off-center and fit the chaotic motif. Songs like the point-blank "It's a Lie" and the rebellious "Anti" embody the group's anarchistic tendencies, while the upbeat "Pig Stomp" takes pages from Gwar musically while retaining a hard political stance lyrically. These guys are bursting with attitude and brimming over with early hardcore's and punk's revolutionary spirits-a nuance that all but overrides the outfit's monochromatic, minimalist metal approach. They growl off-key, drill bludgeoningly redundant riffs in your head, and ultimately come off way more cheesy than intended. www.modetheband.com -Mike SOS

MONSTER SQUAD
MONSTER SQUAD
MONSTER SQUAD RECORDS
Monster Squad is a spit-in-your-fucking-eye punk-rock machine. Fan up the 'hawk and circle the troops, as Monster Squad has come to party punk-rock style. The hit and anthem of the year "We Don't Fuck Around" rocks your mama out of the room. A top-notch CD -H. Barry Zimmerman

NACHTMYSTIUM
NACHTMYSTIUM
BATTLE KOMMAND
A maelstrom of hatred and loathing is what this reissued six-track, 2002 disc offers, as Nachtmystium's diabolic decree is thrust upon your hapless soul. Then functioning as a full-fledged group, this collection is slightly more organic than what you'll hear from the one-man band it is today. Eerie, wind-tunnel-induced distortion, incessantly pounding drums, tortured guttural utterances, rapid-fire guitars, and a savagely raw production are what make this CD not only endearing to the corpse-painted contingent, but scary for the rest of the world. It's a triumphant black-metal album through and through. www.battlekommand.com -Mike SOS

NAZI DOGS
CHASE THE MAN
TKO RECORDS
CHASE THE MAN is the debut album from this band from Germany. Influenced by classic punk acts of Europe and the U.S., these krauts have an old-school sound that is clean cut and generally impressive. Aside from their original material, this disc features three covers songs: The Suicide Kings ' "Suicide Kings", The Pagans' "What's This Shit Called Love", and Devo's "Mongoloid" (with a punk twist). Politically-motivated lyrics and tight musicianship makes "Neutrons" one of the many highlights of this release. Fans of the classic three-chord, upbeat sound should most definitely give this a chance. Eat your heart out, David Hasselhoff-Nazi Boys reign supreme in Germany's music scene. www.tkorecords.com -Matt Edmund

NONE MORE BLACK
THIS IS SATIRE
FAT WRECK CHORDS
It seems as though Fat Wreck has had more releases over the last three months than any label out there. With THIS IS SATIRE, the hits just keep on coming. This is the first full-length in over three years for None More Black, and they surely don't disappoint. There's something about the cigarette-smoker vocals of Jason Shevchuck that gives each song its own personality; and you couldn't ask for a better group of musicians to back it up. Perhaps the only downer to this album is "I See London", which totally drags down the momentum of the first six tracks-although it's a good track, highlighted by Shevchuk's emotionally-charged vocals. The good outweighs the bad on this solid disc. -Matt Edmund

PHARAOH
THE LONGEST NIGHT
CRUZ DEL SUR
Pharaoh is a quartet whose traditional metal stance can be felt across 10 tracks of well-versed, carefully-constructed, Americanized power metal. Armed with airtight rhythms, slick yet forceful guitar work, and a commanding vocal presence, tracks like "Sunrise" and "In the Violet Fire" displays this band's penchant for unfurling some of the most glorious metallic firepower smack dab in the middle of the progressive and classic metal templates. Everything from Dio to Kamelot is referenced here, from the cascading melodies found on the galloping "Fighting" to the mid-tempo march that yields to a delectable guitar solo on "Endlessly". If you thought this type of metal was antiquated, Pharaoh seems up to the task of making you rethink those notions, especially as the unleashing of the ultra-harmonic closing instrumental "Never Run" hits you for the first time. Horns up, folks, this one is a hair-raising heavy-metal triumph through and through. www.cruzdelsuremusic.com -Mike SOS

PISTOLITA
OLIVER UNDER THE MOON
EAST WEST RECORDS
Punk rock is traditionally guitar music, not piano material. Perhaps it's difficult to play the hard stuff sitting down. Anyhow, Pistolita has shared the stage with folks like Alkaline Trio and Piebald and have gained a name for themselves on the punk-rock circuit. Conor Meads is Pistolita's piano man, fulfilling this role ever since he became bored with strumming guitar. Although this music is mainly piano-driven, the track "Age" works up a big head of guitar steam and has a ringing electric guitar solo that would not sound out of place on a U2 album. Meads is no meek and mild key guy, either, sounding on the verge of exploding most of the time. -Dan MacIntosh

ROYDEN
BEST FRIENDS OUR WORST ENEMIES
HOPELESS RECORDS
Rockaway, NJ's five-man Royden is combining a lot of styles together to make a highly accessible sound. The music is totally emo, radio songs/product for sell. This is the sell-out sound of The Zero's, though Royden is tearing it up and playing their little hearts out. The players have the chops, and the vocals are sweet and raw. If you lean this way, BEST FRIENDS OUR WORST ENEMIES is a good disc for you. -H. Barry Zimmerman

RUFIO
PERHAPS, I SUPPOSE... (DELUXE EDITION)
THE MILITIA GROUP
Why am I reviewing an album that is five years old that everyone already knows is a punk-pop classic? Because The Militia Group decided to re-release it with five demos as an added bonus and call it the deluxe edition. But don't be fooled by this marketing gimmick, as the demos sound exactly like the originals, except that they haven't been cleaned up and given the glossy shine that Rufio songs have. So enjoy your initial pressing of the record and take comfort in the fact that you're still a huge Rufio fan even if you don't own the "deluxe edition" of PERHAPS, I SUPPOSE. (Oh, and if you have never heard of Rufio or this album, pick it up, as it is pure pop-punk at its finest.) -Jeff Srack

SECTION 8 CARTEL
MELTS IN YOUR BRAIN
SELF-RELEASED
Melodic metal masters Section 8 Cartel return with a 10-track endeavor that showcases this Queens, NY, quartet's aptitude for laying down some of the most atmospherically heavy music this side of Thrice, Nonpoint, Chevelle, and Deftones. Driving guitar riffs (like the ones found on "Same") are commonplace on MELTS IN YOUR BRAIN, as the S8C formula of anguished vocals, airtight rhythms, and chunky guitars shines throughout (even on the band's cleverly heavy rendition of Madonna's "Live to Tell"). Heavy-handed hard rock with hooks aplenty, tracks like the palm-muted anthem "Trippin'" and the frenetic "D.catcher" propel Section 8 Cartel to the top of the heap in the NYC rock scene, providing an emotional roller-coaster ride for those ready to rock. www.section8cartel.com -Mike SOS

SEXYTIME EXPLOSION
SEXYTIME EXPLOSION
SELF-RELEASED
Yet another band putting out a solid record without a label's aid, Sexytime Explosion tampers with frenetic, artsy punk rock to furnish rough-edged, noisy mayhem. Operatic, screechy vocals and keys from Jackie Ojeda might bring to mind The Red Light Sting for some, but there's too much going on here to pigeonhole the band so quickly. Bass lines rumble and punch like Fugazi, while the taut rhythms and gloomy ambiance recalls something The Blood Brothers might dig. The two males and two female hail from Los Angeles and come across as having a wide diversity of influences between them. Sexytime Explosion is sweet. -David Barker

SOUND THE ALARM
SOUND THE ALARM EP
ROCK RIDGE MUSIC
The quality of musicianship on Sound the Alarm's self-titled EP is overshadowed by banal songwriting that attempts little that would set them apart from a slew of like-minded pop/rock bands that supposedly have roots in DIY or punk rock. Sound the Alarm have put together this little EP with nice artwork and solid production, but they sound like a million other bands. Lots of high school girls might dig this, and I'm sure the guys in the band will get laid some, but they've failed to make anything that isn't trendy and is highly uninspired. Drive-Thru Records fans, take notice; everyone else, throw up. This sucks. -David Barker

STEREOLAB
FAB FOUR SUTURE
TOO PURE
Stereolab is a hip German band that has been making surreal and totally real, experimental, and mainstream music for decades. FAB FOUR SUTURE is odd in that arty German style. (Remember, it was German art students from whom The Beatles stole their haircuts. And remember the Bauhaus?) Opener "Kyberneticka Babicka Part I" is a minimalist, Philip Glass-like tribute to Brian Wilson. The music on FAB FOUR SUTURE is not for everyone, but if you have a taste for the uber-interesting or want to hear experimental masters at work, Stereolab is one answer. FAB FOUR SUTURE is a cool CD, 100%. -H. Barry Zimmerman

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO
KEASBEY NIGHTS
VICTORY RECORDS
It's time to jump into your time machines back to 1998 for this release. Actually, this is a re-recording of KEASBEY NIGHTS performed by members of Catch 22 and New Jersey's own One Cool Guy. Bringing it back to 2006, Streetlight Manifesto has reformed not as a side project but as a full-time band. With this re-recording, it's safe to say they plan on reliving those third-wave ska memories. This album is jam-packed with catchy, upbeat punk-ska. Their sound resembles that of many Southern California ska acts of the '90s such as The Scholars and Jeffries Fan Club. Let the critics say ska is dead-I'm sure Streetlight Manifesto will be at the head of the line ready to prove them wrong. -Matt Edmund

TAYLOR HAWKINS & THE COATTAIL RIDERS
TAYLOR HAWKINS & THE COATTAIL RIDERS
THRIVE
Rock music's evolution is a funny thing. Nirvana gave birth to Foo Fighters when Dave Grohl created the latter after the death of Kurt Cobain. Now, Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters' drummer, is recording under the name Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders. It's easy to get a kick out of Hawkins's band name, as many will immediately assume that he is merely riding on the coattails of Grohl, but Hawkins has a gritty and likeable singing voice. It may not be a strong and beautiful instrument, but it still makes "Walking Away" rock. It also brings the sensitivity out of the gentle "Running in Place". There are strong traces of classic rock underlying these tracks, which makes this release a nice throwback to more innocent times. -Dan MacIntosh

THE ADORED
A NEW LANGUAGE
V2
The first blasts of "Tell Me Tell Me" come off like England's Joe Jackson has been transplanted to Los Angeles and now occupies a younger man's body. This is music to pogo to-even if you've never done the pogo before. Lyrics are rapidly sung while guitars are strummed crazily. It may be fast, but it's also melodic. "Power pop" might be an outdated term, so call this power punk. Besides, the original power-pop bands were only concerned with getting girls, while "Savage Youth" proves that The Adored have a few social concerns, as well. In fact, the group's issue songs far outnumber their love songs. The Adored obviously love mind things more than matters of the heart. -Dan MacIntosh

THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT
THE CHUCK NORRIS EXPERIMENT
DEVIL DOLL
Emblazoned with a semi-clever name, this Swedish rawk quintet whose names all start with Chuck (how Ramones of them) play straight from the gutter and have seamlessly lifted all of the wares of Hanoi Rocks and The Hellacopters to comprise this 10-track melee. From sleaze-rock refrains that light up songs like "Reason for My Bad" and "Caped Crusader" to tell-all titles like "Ugly Motherfucker Looking Just Like You", The Chuck Norris Experiment remains a vital, vibrant, and virile crew (much like the band's namesake). High-strung music for the lowest common denominator, this self-titled sojourn is all hand claps, cheap beer, and attitude cranked to the max. www.devildollrecords.com -Mike SOS

THE COPS
GET GOOD OR STAY BAD
MT. FUJI RECORDS
All I can say is: wow. I thought Rancid sounded like The Clash, but The Cops take the cake. They could easily get away with being called The Clash of the 21st century. Is this a negative thing? NO-because if you are going to emulate a band, why not make it the greatest band of all time? The Cops swagger and attack their songs as if it was '77 all over again. They have released a record that will cause any Clash fanatic to give their approval. Throwing in a touch of Gang of Four and The Kinks gives the album a sense of originality that shows signs that this act will grow into a sound of their own. Finally, a group of cops we don't have to run away from. -Jeff Srack

THE DEVIANT
RAVENOUS DEATHWORSHIP
CANDLELIGHT
Bludgeoning Norwegian clan The Deviant's nine-track debut is yet another blood-soaked triumph in the realm of extreme metal, as this band's grim outlook, rapid-fire delivery, and scathing black-meets-death-metal stance are all pristinely presented. An excessive sonic wall of sound is what these metal mavens are best at producing, as tracks like "Genocide" aptly display unearthly rhythms working in synch with blazing guitars and croaking vocals. The attitude and performance levels are both set to slay, and that metallic buzz often heard on so much of this style's musical endeavors is at the forefront, giving fans of Dark Funeral, Marduk, and the like yet another band to clamor over. www.candlelightrecordsusa.com -Mike SOS

THE HELLACOPTERS
ROCK & ROLL IS DEAD
LIQUOR AND POKER MUSIC
The Hellacopters make timeless rock music. One hears everything from The Rolling Stones' naturally interactive grooves to The Who's power riffs. And in The Hellacopters' quieter moments, The Raspberries also come to mind. This band is from Sweden, and even though Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (the leader of The Hives) makes a guest appearance, The Hellacopters are not at all hyperactive; instead, one finds relative contemplativeness here. If The Hellacopters were a drug, they'd be a depressant, not a stimulant. For instance, it's easy to imagine Mick Jagger and Keith Richards lazily leaning against each other and singing "Leave It Alone". Nevertheless, "Bring It On Home" races along with the pedal to the metal. The Hellacopters offer one memorable flight. -Dan MacIntosh

THE LIGHT FOOTWORK
ONE STATE TWO STATE
SELF-RELEASED
Palo Alto's The Light Footwork is-on ONE STATE TWO STATE, at least-the duo of Jay Underwood and Becca Wilhelm. On this debut, the pair is backed up by members of Beulah, and the results are beautiful. Some of this year's most notable indie pop can be found here, with Underwood's witty prose and wordplay often taking center stage. Humorous, memorable melodies abound, while the vocal interplay and taut guitar work build an attention-demanding record. I bet they won't be unsigned much longer, as this album foreshadows a bright future. Check them out if you like Pavement, Beulah, The Spinto Band, or The Elected. -David Barker

THE PATH OF RESISTANCE
CAN'T STOP THE TRUTH
VICTORY RECORDS
Thrashing their way out of the ashes of Earth Crisis, Path of Resistance is preaching a vegan, straight-edge ethos while playing modern hardcore/street punk like pissed-off evangelists. The band is playing hardcore with a punk (rather than metal) edge, but there is most def some thrashing sections. Featuring three lead singers (Bulldog, DJ Rose, and Karl Buechner) and brutal twin axes (Erick Edwards and Scott Krouse), Path of Resistance rocks balls. I love the fact that the band has a song in which the gang vocals chant "Path of Resistance," sounding like a hunting gang of wild cats with a heavy hand and potential for violence all around their sound. Excellent CD. -H. Barry Zimmerman

THE SHAMES
THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER
SELF-RELEASED
The Shames dabble in dark pop on some occasions; other moments see them tampering with edgier, Sonic-Youth-ish rock before bursting into some catchy chorus. Occasionally you'll see a slight similarity to early Lucero without the twang or Southern drawl. The New York City trio has concocted a solid album in THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER, touching a different base on nearly every song-and doing it well. The straight-up rocking tracks fair better than the more relaxed ones, but the album never really hits a dull moment. The only negative thing on the record (and it's not even really that bad) is that there doesn't seem to be a definite The Shames sound. Find it, and labels will come! -David Barker

THE SILENT PRESS
WE CREATED A THUNDERSTORM
SELF-RELEASED
First things first: kudos to The Silent Press for creating a self-released album that doesn't sound like it was made on Mattel's My First Music-Making Machine. This Virginia four-piece plays math rock mixed with punk rock and the occasional atmospheric instrumental that will remind listeners of early emo (i.e., before that little three letter word became something dirty and unwanted). The main drawback is that the songs begin to bleed into each other, causing the listener to become uninterested in the lack of anything overly impressive. Once this band get signed (which it should) and get a producer that can provide help in harnessing their sound into something larger and more accessible, The Silent Press should become more than another band with a MySpace profile looking for new friends. -Jeff Srack

THE UNFOLDING
HEROES
FUTURE DESTINATION
The Unfolding's blistering metalcore assault and sermon-like approach is a bit jarring at first, but once HEROES is halfway done, this sextet's mission is clear. Adding synths for ambient nuances over its heavy-handed guitar chug, serpentine screams, and belligerent bellows, songs like "Way to Go Champ" and "Friends Forever...Dave Thomas Forever" are reminiscent of both Zao and Still Remains, while "Welcome to Stuckyville" blends Every Time I Die's chaos and As I Lay Dying's savage stance. This 10-track offering by this Indiana-based outfit demonstrates that this band has more than ample weaponry in its arsenal to unflinchingly stand alongside the likes of Norma Jean and Stretch Armstrong. www.fdrecords.com -Mike SOS

THE VENDA
THE VENDA
SELF-RELEASED
Hard to believe that this edgy Queens, NY, trio are barely college-aged chaps, as The Venda's six-track sojourn reveals a much more sophisticated musical influence pool than many of their contemporaries. While the obvious The Police, The Clash, and The Cure references spring up on "The Pale White Light" and "Strike Again", '60s mod rock à la The Who and The Kinks is very much alive and well on tracks such as "I Am the Gun". There's even an underscore of SoCal punk (à la NOFX, Lagwagon, and the like) juxtaposed with some '70s British glam on "The Dive", making this disc one of the most unlikely surprises to come from the Queens scene in a long time. The Venda's astonishingly deep musical versatility-something that in most cases is usually misdirected and ultimately detrimental-has been meticulously fine-tuned, making this eponymous release a tantalizing listening experience. www.myspace.com/thevenda -Mike SOS

THREE FANTASTIC
SELF-TITLED
DOTPOINTPERIOD RECORDS
You have to give it up to Three Fantastic, because they are smart enough to notice when they aren't good at a particular style of music, as they just jump onto the next random sound. Unfortunately, they aren't good at anything they try. Punk, piano-rock synth-pop, and even a little funk are given the old college try-all with negative results. Adding to the problem is lead singer Charles Peters's Ian Astbury-meets-Glenn Danzig baritone that doesn't fit at all, collecting unneeded attention that takes away from the occasional hint of musical ability. Someone really needs to give this band some direction, because without it, they are on the fast track to nowhere land. -Jeff Srack

TROPHY SCARS
GOODNIGHT ALCHEMY
THE DEATH SCENE
Why, SKRATCH, have you decided to punish me so? What did I do that warrants having to listen to this? At first glance, one would think it couldn't be that bad: seven songs under 30 minutes. But because most of the songs are so aimless and annoying, they seem dreadfully endless. It's really torture sitting through all of GOODNIGHT ALCHEMY, a fine representation of faux-hardcore (you know, a little aggression atop bouncy beats, plus requisite shouting so as to make the "normal" vocals seem not so...lame) at its most sickening. But perhaps the worst song of all is the puke-inducing "Traps and Tricks and Such", with all those gratuitous female groans and the references to WHINNIE THE POOH characters. Better luck next time, guys...if you're still around. -Janelle Jones

TRUCKFIGHTERS
GRAVITY X
METEORCITY
Swedish stoner-rock troupe Truckfighters kick out the jams something fierce on the quartet's 13-track, 70-minute, explosively enthralling excursion. Meshing the desert-rock wares of Kyuss, the spacey blues nuances of Nebula, the haunting melodies of Queens of the Stone Age, and the bombastic might of Cathedral, Truckfighters entangles the listener into its fuzzed-out world laden with hypnotic grooves on tracks like "Superfunk", the delightfully-titled "Gweedo-Weedo", and "Momentum". The inside of the CD suggests achieving GRAVITY X's maximum enjoyment via avoiding distraction by listening in a comfortable environment and playing the record sans interruption. Throw in a few choice substances and some black light, and you've got yourself an instant party liable to wake the neighbors and alert the proper officials. Give yourself some time to love this album, and it will love you back 10-fold. A must-have for stoner-rock fans worldwide. www.meteorcity.com -Mike SOS

TWO GALLANTS
WHAT THE TOLL TELLS
SADDLE CREEK
In a world where the majority of music is not about quality, Two Gallants gives us a brand of acoustic storytelling that comes across like a refreshing breeze of fresh air. On this sophomore release, we get a dose of the mellow vocals of Adam Stephens, vocals which are haunted by his emotionally wrenching lyrics. Not all of the songs are Dylan-like, though. For example, "Long Summer Day" brings something a little more upbeat (though the lyrics tell a gripping story). The sixth track, "Threnody in Minor B", comes across as inspired by another influential songwriter, Tom Waits. WHAT THE TOLL TELLS proves that these San Francisco natives are only beginning their musical journey and are sure to produce even more stellar albums. www.twogallants.com. -Matt Edmund

ULTRALORD
WE HATE YOU AND HOPE YOU DIE
THIS DARK REIGN
Don't look for Ultralord to start endorsing Hallmark anytime soon, as this wickedly scornful quartet and its abrasively anguished eight-track offering is not only fueled by an incensed view of the world, but also by some of the finest sludge-ridden metal heard in a long time. Hailing from Ohio and boasting members of Rue, Fistula, and Rune, from the opening din of "Wizard Pimp", your best bet is to cling on to whatever is near and pray that the maelstrom of metallic might leaves you unscathed. Unfortunately, with songs containing serpentine vocal deliveries and seething rhythms (as found on "Pussy Witch" and the bombastically hypnotic approaches of the deliberately measured "Negative D" and "Roach Detector"), there's nary a chance of you ever being the same after playing WE HATE YOU AND HOPE YOU DIE. www.thisdarkreign.com -Mike SOS

VOLUMEN
SCIENCE FACTION
WANTAGE USA
Volumen must be a band of nerds. The group is pictured in the CD artwork wearing those shirts that make their chests look like skeletons. That's strike one. Next, one of these songs is called "Dune" and is likely named after the science fiction book/movie of the same title. That's strike two. The music Volumen make is a little too complicated, much like progressive rock of yesteryear. Strike three, they're out! Then again, if you participate in a running neighborhood game of Dungeons & Dragons, this might be the perfect rock soundtrack for you. And if you've never kissed a girl, you might like it even better. The rest of us should probably avoid Volumen. Let's just leave them by themselves with their comic-book stores and STAR TREK conventions. -Dan MacIntosh

WATERDOWN
ALL RIOT
VICTORY
Waterdown's latest offering is an 11-track adrenaline rush from start to finish, as this German sextet returns after a three-year hiatus with ALL RIOT. Meshing Refused's experimental screamo with the new breed of American hardcore's devastating discord, tracks like "Sleep Well" and "Repeater" rip through the speakers with unbridled fury, while "Chewing on Lies" merges the scream/sing aesthetic without a hitch. Giving obvious props to bands like Grade and Snapcase (especially guitar-wise. The band even go out of their way to thank them), Waterdown's left-of-center hardcore approach, tasteful breakdowns (check out "Parasite" for proof), and well-measured abrasiveness make ALL RIOT an album that mixes old-school sounds and new-school thought for one raucous listening experience. www.victoryrecords.com -Mike SOS

WITH RESISTANCE
REAL HARDCORE KIDS HAVE DAY JOBS
IMMIGRANT SUN
Seems this is a posthumous review, as With Resistance's CD booklet reads, "(1998-2005) We're Fucking Dead." Pity, as these guys are/were actually good. The eight tracks included on REAL HARDCORE KIDS HAVE DAY JOBS showcase complex, killer melodic hardcore, the songs beautifully and uniquely waxing and waning between brutal hardcore and lighter, somber interludes seamlessly, especially on two brilliant back-to-back tracks, "Vlade Divac Disco" and "That's Seven". And happily, even when things do get light (check out the great atmospheric guitars that frequently accompany these parts), they never veer into the ubiquitous wince-worthy retardo-pop. Perhaps the reason for the band's demise can be found within the final track, where vocalist Kris disgustedly opines about the present-day scene. We need more "real hardcore kids." -Janelle Jones

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
DIADEM OF 12 STARS
VENDLUS
Black metal with a pronounced ethereal twist, Wolves in the Throne Room pay homage to Mother Nature more than Lucifer on the outfit's four-track release. This Washington-based trio takes the Northwestern naturalist aesthetic and translates it into the realm of foreboding screams, cacophonous guitars, and lo-fi ambience. Featuring guest vocals by the singers of Hammers of Misfortune and Asunder and produced by The Fucking Champs main man Tim Green, DIADEM OF 12 STARS transcends the genre's usual trappings and whips up a masterful blend of symphonic yet diabolical odes perfect for the corpse-paint crew and forest-dwellers alike. www.vendlus.com -Mike SOS

XASTHUR/LEVIATHAN
SPLIT CD
BATTLE KOMMAND
Two of the main perpetrators of the current black-metal movement team up their bleak musical visions for a split CD. First up is Xasthur, the one-man band spearheaded by Malefic, whose contributed seven tracks are cold, distant, and bone-chilling (except for the cover of Katatonia's "Palace of Frost", where the guitars are uncharacteristically pushed up front in the mix to emit a ray of light into the usual black hole of despair that is Xasthur's music). Fronted by Wrest, Leviathan's three tracks clock in at over 30 minutes and utilize ambient keyboards way more prominently than Xasthur, which allows songs like "The Remotest Cipher" to exemplify a false sense of comfort over the pummeling death rattle underneath. There's good reason why these two men are at the top of the black-metal movement, and this split succinctly showcases each artist's strengths in black metal's darkened realm. www.battlekommand.com -Mike SOS

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