November 2004 CD Reviews (in alphabetical order)

3 INCHES OF BLOOD
ADVANCE AND VANQUISH
ROADRUNNER
If I didn?t know these guys and where their true roots lie (hardcore kids trying to be metal), I?d probably be thoroughly stoked by the power-metal purity on ADVANCE AND VANQUISH. Trouble is, I?ve seen some of the members of this band grow up in their hardcore bands, sometimes changing styles radically to match current trends. Singer Cam Pipes alone fronted many a hardcore band in Victoria, and he never (I repeat: never) sounded like he had his balls in a vice; but now, miraculously, he?s the second coming of King Diamond with 3 Inches of Blood. Either these guys have been up to some big-time studio trickery, or they all spent months in solitude studying a copy of Painkiller note for note. Either way, it?s damn hard for me to suspend my disbelief.
-Jason Schreurs

800 OCTANE
RISE AGAIN
NEW SCHOOL
800 Octane is a long-running Northwestern punk rock troupe whose fourth full-length release finds the quartet in fine form. Playing the kind of hard-edged punk rock that bands like Black Train Jack, H2O, and Face to Face employ, the 13-track RISE AGAIN combines gritty guitars on ?Bloodline? with melodic choruses like ?Apology to You?, creating a bouncy yet hard-hitting listening experience. 800 Octane pump out high energy, contagious anthems that, while both wistful and poignant, pack the kind of punch that only seasoned veterans can muster.
-Mike SOS

ACTION SWINGERS
ENOUGH ALREADY
REPTILIAN RECORDS
The first live release from hate-filled (and now defunct) punk trio Action Swingers is just what you?d expect from a garage band set on a foot-high stage from New York?s lower east side in 1998. Lead growler Ned Hayden grinds through 12 Action Swinger standards with an intensity that outshines the limited songwriting abilities of the band. There?s a lot of swearing, sweating, and feedback that bleeds through the original cassette master of this show...yet somehow it doesn?t matter. Listen to the first song, the last song, and any song in between, and you will be lucky to tell them apart. There is some terrific CD cover art from Peter Bagge and a nice sentiment from Hayden on the CD sleeve: he merely states the obvious when he says, ?I hope you hate it.?
-Dug

ACROSS FIVE APRILS
LIVING IN THE MOMENT
INDIANOLA
Across Five Aprils sounds like a cool name for a porn flick, but alas, it is the moniker for an emocore outfit from Tennessee. On the group?s five-track sampling, you?ll hear a lot of Thursday and Open Hand in the verses, but a forced heavier side to the band a la From Autumn to Ashes comes through the choruses and bridges throwing everything out of whack. While the stunning acoustic track ?Through the Pane? profiles how much these guys have a knack for being tender, the mismatched growling vocals heard everywhere else undermines the otherwise elegant overall picture.
-Mike SOS

AMANDA WOODWARD
LA DECADENCE DE LA DECADENCE
LEVEL PLANE
Nobody told the guys in Amanda Woodward that French is the language of love, because these French men play a frenetic form of hardcore exclusively sung in their native tongue. The angular riffs and busy arrangements showcase a band tight enough to go off on tangents without sacrificing the initial groove. While you may need a French dictionary to figure out the meaning of ?Le Temps Du Deuill?, the powerful music behind it all should undoubtedly strike the same nerves bands that At the Drive-In, Refused, and Fugazi.
-Mike SOS

AMON AMARTH/VADER
SIX-SONG SAMPLER
METAL BLADE
Here, we?ve got six songs from two of the most utterly brutal and heavy death-metal bands since the dawn of the genre. The Amon Amarth song ?Where Death Seems to Dwell? is one of the more interesting tracks I?ve heard from these guys in a while.There is an epic quality surrounding this band, so be sure to give them a listen. The tracks from Vader are vicious and intense, with plenty of double-picking and blast beats to keep your head banging. ?Apopheniac? seems to be the standout track, as it?s probably one of the best Vader songs I?ve heard.
-Zac

AMORPHIS
FAR FROM THE SUN
NUCLEAR BLAST GMBH
From the first word, it?s clear that these guys are foreign. Even though the lyrics are actually in English, there is this bizarre, off-time cadence to their execution. Amorphis has a sound you?d expect to hear in the background at some museum-sponsored multicultural dance. Amorphis is apparently a well-established Finnish metal outfit?but it?s not the kind of metal present at any sort of fest. This is more a flashback to big hair and thick, endless distortion. And they do stuff this album with nostalgia, with 10 several-minute songs and five bonus tracks. You won?t be in ?Ethereal Solitude? for long with these six menacing metal men from Scandinavia.
-Erika Owens

ANDERS PARKER
TELL IT TO THE DUST
BARYON RECORDS
I?m such a sucker for good alt-country singer/songwriters. Be it Westerberg, Tweedy, or anyone in-between, there is something about downtrodden, liquor-soaked balladry that goes right for my jugular every time. Lucky for me, former Varnaline frontman Anders understands the prerequisites?and on TELL IT TO THE DUST he does his job damn well. Parker?s fragile delivery makes him the perfect everyman protagonist, aching his way through these 12 tracks like a bruised and battered champ. The perfect soundtrack for those lonely train rides down to Whiskeytown.
-Matthew Siblo

ANDY GROOMS LIVING ROOM
GRATEFUL TO BURN
MAKESHIFT
You could easily classify this album as piano rock, but there is a lot more going on with this release in terms of music. This piano rock is stripped down and really contrasts most of the current piano-driven rock acts. Andy Grooms Living Room takes a jazzier and barroom take on piano. Complementing the piano is the pedal steel, sousaphone, and flugelhorn, which makes for a very atypical output. The songs don?t flow very well, as there are sudden breaks in the music throughout the album. The vocals also are a bit drab throughout. This album may be too complex in many aspects, but there is also excellent musicianship.
-David Walter

ATHROFUGE
IMPALED IN COMPARISON
SELF-RELEASED
The bio that accompanied this wretched CD asked reviewers to be brutally honest. Well, to be honest, trying to get through this entire album is brutal. This CD is filled with tracks that are uninspired, monotonous and boring. There?s no sense of cohesion with the structure of any of the songs. At times, the drums go off on their own tangent and no longer match the music (like on ?None Righteous?). Plus, this band has the worst death-metal vocalist ever. If you can make it through the mess that is IMPALED IN COMPARISON, Anthrofuge badly covers ?Holding Out for a Hero? about 20 minutes into the hidden track. If you ask me, it?s not worth the wait.
-Dane Jackson

BAD REACTION
SIX SONGS
SELF-RELEASED
While the music is good and the songs are well-written, I just can?t get into Bad Reaction. I think this is due to the fact that its arrangements are run of the mill and predictable. These guys are essentially a three-chord punk band that is a fusion of modern punk and thrash punk from the days of Black Flag. While I was slightly bored with the music overall, I must compliment Bad Reaction?s drummer. Jesse is amazing and shows his skill on ?My Summer Vacation?. All these guys need is some more experience together. They have the talent?now they just need to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack.
-Dane Jackson

BAD WIZARD
#1 TONITE!
HOWLER RECORDS
Bad Wizard sprung out of the seediest rock clubs of New York and play some real rock ?n? roll with bellowing, scratchy vocals that add to their style of good old-fashioned rock ?n? roll. They make me think of a different era, when Guns N? Roses and rock ruled the world. This album is their first release off of Howler Records, which displays their need to run you over with their loud and aggressive music.
-Jennifer Moncayo

BURY YOUR DEAD
COVER YOUR TRACKS
VICTORY RECORDS
COVER YOUR TRACKS, indeed, as this CD is of the variety that cannot be ripped or played on computers. Emblazoned on the paranoia-laced album is an outdated track listing, which consists of random movie references, like ?Show Me the Money?. In the end, they opted for uniformity and named all the songs after popular Tom Cruise movies. As this included no CD booklet, the joke is hopelessly lost on me, but it is still an amusing aside to a passable album. No surprises: super breakdowns, murky vocals, round-robin singing?they throw it all in. But hell, who wouldn?t want their new favorite song to be ?The Outsiders??
-Erika Owens

CALIBAN
THE OPPOSITE FROM WITHIN
ABACUS
German metal mongers Caliban?s fourth release finds the quintet under the influence of American metal acts such as Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall, as the juxtaposition of beauty and brutality found on tracks like ?The Beloved and the Hatred? and ?Senseless Fight? will sound crushingly familiar. However, don?t count Caliban as yet another clone looking to cash in: the outfit manages to include its old school Swedish and death metal sound inside songs like ?Certainly?Corpses Bleed Cold?, adding to the overall blistering appeal of THE OPPOSITE FROM WITHIN. Combining polish and punishment, this 12-track collection is a monstrous display of today?s current wave of metal.
-Mike SOS

CALL ME LIGHTNING
THE TROUBLE WE?RE IN
REVELATION
Jagged grooves pervade the latest 10-track release from the Midwestern trio Call Me Lightning. Adopting a slash and burn style and mashing it with dollops of Fugazi-esque sensibility, tracks like the pulsating ?Pizza Party? hit your ears at angles only found by the best protractor. A smattering of indie rock chaotically collides with tones emanating from the garage on tracks like ?Be The Lightning?, while a screaming array of left of center rock like ?Ghouls? and ?Rotten River? indicates the handiwork of the bastard child of Talking Heads, Violent Femmes, and At the Drive In. THE TROUBLE WE?RE IN is jaded and messy, yet strangely captivating, and is worth the listen if you like your rock sans predictability.
-Mike SOS

CLIENT
CITY
TOAST HAWAII/ MUTE RECORDS
For their sophomore album, the femme fatale duo known as Client enlisted a little help from Pete Doherty and Carl Barat of The Libertines (on ?Pornography? and ?Down to the Underground?) and Martin Gore of Depeche Mode (on ?Overdrive?). Lord knows that I wanted to enjoy this disc. Could it be because I thought it would be interesting to hear a couple of The Libertines in an electro setting? Doubtful. Could it be because I?m a huge Depeche Mode fan? Or could it be because these ladies ooze sex appeal? The latter is probably more accurate. This album has a noticeably darker and seedier feel than its predecessor. Highlights include the radio-friendly electro of ?Radio? and the ?80- inspired ?One Day at a Time?. There?s nothing that quite lives up to their club hit ?Price of Love? off their debut album; however, as a whole, CITY is undoubtedly a much stronger release. Not as sexed-up as Peaches, not quite as endearing as Ladytron, but falling somewhere in between.
-Jude Ruiz

CONSTRICTED
RELEASE
SELF-RELEASED
Rising from the ashes of Long Island stalwarts Gutter Poet and Kindread, Constricted is a quartet whose three-song release displays a raw, gut-wrenching heaviness fleshed out by some meaty vocals that fall somewhere between Godsmack and Shadows Fall. With all guns blazing, tracks like ?Smothered? contain that kind of grinding grooves that sets off all those evil feelings in your brain. For a heavy music fix long on rocking riffs and machine-like rhythms, allow Constricted the chance to kick your ass.
-Mike SOS

COLOSSAL
WELCOME THE PROBLEMS
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
The debut full-length CD from this Illinois-based quartet is destined to become an indie staple. Sporting members of The Smoking Popes and Duvall, the band?s pedigree is pristine. Throughout this album, the music walks a fine line between melodic rock and jarring, complicated guitar arrangements. With some very sparse and beautiful horn lines from Jason Flaks, the songs often take on a desperate, melancholy air. College radio stations love pensive, intricate rock tunes that strike a chord with disaffected students. This album is sure to get tons of college/indie airplay. Of course, the songs on this disc are too eclectic for any commercial radio success?but such success would ruin this band?s indie street cred, anyway.
-Dug

DAVID THOMAS & TWO PALE BOYS
18 MONKEYS ON A DEAD MAN?S CHEST
SMOG VEIL
With song titles like ?New Orleans Fuzz? and ?Nebraska Alcohol Abuse?, you know you?re in for some fun?and that?s just what we get when listening to David Thomas & Two Pale Boys. A raw collection of creative, nerve-wracking, psychedelic stew. The dirty, fuzz-driven guitar work helps to complement the great vocal delivery that echoes an insane, bohemian, Ginsberg-like howl of gibberish. Loose and creative, with tinges of Primus-induced wackiness, Dave and the boys are worth the listen.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

DEAD TO FALL
VILLAINY & VIRTUE
VICTORY RECORDS
Dead to Fall is seriously mean. The cover art is as intricate as the music itself. Everything works here. This is the kind of album that seems to stand out among the assortment of unheard-ofs that I usually get sent for reviewing. The lyrics are poetic and have depth, leaving something for imagination and interpretation beyond the first or second listen. More therapeutic self-realization for those listeners on ?the level? that understand what it means to have a demon inside screaming at you, making you feel uncomfortable in groups, making you mad for no reason. No, I have never seen this band live, but dammit, I want to, for I guarantee that every fucker in there with a chip on his shoulder is moshing his ass off to tracks like ?Torn Self? and the title track.
-Thomas Murray

DEEP ENOUGH TO DIE
MY CITY OF RUIN
DRESSED TO KILL
Wow, I?m always shocked when one of these screamo bands manages to win me over. Really. We?ve all heard too many of this type of band in the past 18 months or so. It?s a wonder this particular little subgenre hasn?t become the current version of glam rock. Deep Enough to Die manage to make me perk up and take notice with those smooth-yet-screamy vocal combos and tumultuous riffs (? la Thrice). Lyrics and presentation on MY CITY OF RUIN do leave quite a bit to be desired, but the tunes here grab, stick, and deliver. Love that guitar sound! Reminds me of the production on the early Quicksand stuff. (Nope, it?s not produced by Don Fury.)
-Jason Schreurs

DEMONOID
RIDERS OF THE APOCALYPSE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Wow. It?s so rare anymore for a new metal album to completely sweep me off my feet?but that?s exactly what Demonoid?s RIDERS OF THE APOCALYPSE has done. Featuring Kristian and Johan Niemann of the fantastic Therion and even an ex-member of Soilwork, this project is one of the most intense and concentrated of its kind. The riffs are very old-school death metal, but the technique of amazing solos and drumming are there, as well. In fact, the solo on ?Witchburner? is the kind of face-melting guitar work that every metal song needs. I?d recommend this album for anyone who thinks new metal has gone soft and lost its punch.
-Zac

DMONSTRATIONS
DMONSTRATIONS
STRICTLY AMATEUR FILMS
Dmonstrations are a noise band from San Diego. Do I have to define ?noise band?? Well, they?re guitar/bass/drums-driven, but the song structures aren?t really that defined. And the instruments certainly aren?t tuned traditionally. They?re a pretty rocking band, loud, fast, and strange. I don?t really know what else to say about them. This album is eight songs long and clocks in at a little over 13 minutes. It?s for those avant-garde punk rockers on the go!
-chad

ENDWELL
ENDWELL
SELF-RELEASED
Endwell is a Queens, NY based metalcore outfit that?ve cut their teeth on the NY scene for a long time, despite their relatively young age. It?s that kind of determination and true grit which shines through the three-song disc. Melding the metalcore sound with a smattering of scream out loud group choruses and mind-blowing guitar runs, you can see why Endwell earned a slot on the coveted Hellfest stage this past year. Expertly arranging the clean vocals with hardcore screams while the band behind it all chugs along with undying precision and passion, tracks like ?Away With Words? aptly show that Endwell are primed and ready to hit the next level.
-Mike SOS

EVAN EMGE
ALONG CAME A GUITAR
ORANGE PEAL RECORDS
I?m not very familiar with the happenings of a frat house, but I suspect a guitar in the hands of such a drunken drone would produce something quite similar to this putrid display. The elaborate packaging of this album (including a vividly-colored comic) seems to support such a scenario. Sadly, the protagonist did not remain in fantasyland and committed 10 juvenile, disgusting, offensive, pointless tracks to plastic. When presented with songs like ?Poppin? Cherries?, ?Boobies?, and ?Burpee? (which, just to clarify, are about exactly what you think?and only exactly what you think), words fail any further description. Simply put, it?s crap. Brightly-colored crap. Unfunny, wasteful crap that even alcohol cannot excuse.
-Erika Owens

FABULOUS DISASTER
I?M A MESS
RODENT POPSICLE RECORDS
Fabulous Disaster is a three-piece female punk band from San Francisco. This album contains six songs, with the winners being ?Suck It Up? and ?Dead End? (which really displays their capabilities musically). Some of the other songs, such as ?Viva La Prozac!? and ?I?m a Mess?, are more basic musically and lyrically and do not show off their full abilities or bring you in as a listener. The more I listened to this album the more I liked it. Fabulous Disaster can really play, and the vocals are quite charming and pleasing to the ear. This album is quite enjoyable, with fast and easily-accessible lyrics and sounds that will make you bang your head in agreement.
-Jennifer Moncayo

FAST FORWARD/T CELLS
SPLIT
31G RECORDS
With both bands featuring members of iconoclastic noisemakers Le Shok and the Locust, this two-mini-disc collection of energized, glitchy no-wave keyboard jams is hardly surprising. The two bands do offer slightly different variations on this theme, however. Whereas T Cells focus more on an meandering and ambient sound, Fast Forward contributes a collection of more notable freak outs similar to those of Le Shok themselves. Keyboard weirdoes of the world, unite!
Matthew Siblo

FINAL DAWN
UNDER THE BLEEDING SKY
CANDLELIGHT
Finnish metal troupe Final Dawn?s debut eight-track offering mixes metal genres up nicely, combining the growls of death metal with the fretwork of Sweden and the thrash metal of early American heavyweights like Testament and Overkill. On the quartet?s collection, tracks like the striking ?Bleeding Sky? emanate a classic heavy metal feel, while other cuts such as ?Aggression Overdrive? exemplify a relentless yet intricate death metal influence. UNDER A BLEEDING SKY is a sturdy debut from a band whose metal assault is as well balanced as it is crushing.
-Mike SOS

FLOGGING MOLLY
WITHIN A MILE FROM HOME
SIDE ONE DUMMY
Flogging Molly?s traditional Irish music roots shine brighter than ever on the septet?s latest album, a 15-track collection that masterfully blends the tin whistle and accordion with loads of punk rock pretense. From the louder, more edgy tracks like ?Light of a Fading Start? and ?Queen Anne?s Revenge? to the more subdued numbers like ?Factory Girls?, which features vocals by Lucinda Williams, Flogging Molly?s unique delivery sounds as fresh as a newly poured Guiness from the pub. Add in some traditional Irish song subjects, such as plagues, famines, and drinking, and WITHIN A MILE FROM HOME will make your stereo sound like St. Patrick?s Day everyday.
-Mike SOS

FONZIE
WAKE UP CALL
TRANSDREAMER RECORDS
Fonzie is an emo/pop-punk band from Portugal. Fonzie play a fun-loving, poppy kind of emo that is similar to Sum 41, Blink 182, or an easily-marketable kind of ?punk? band. Fonzie are named after the Fonz of HAPPY DAYS due to their love of his cool and fun attitude. They play a fun and easygoing music, as they have no political or serious motivations...other than having fun. If you like bouncy, fluffy, sweet, melodic emo punk music, you will enjoy this album, as they come across with cookie-cutter goodness that will easily fit into the current MTV lineup next to Jessica Simpson and Good Charlotte.
-Jennifer Moncayo

FOR THE WORSE
THE CHAOS CONTINUES
BRIDGE NINE
Sounding like a bunch of recently escaped mental patients that discovered instruments, For the Worse play the kind of hardcore that is chock full of aggression and attitude. On the Boston crew?s 18-track explosion, the old school mentality that made hardcore the disgusting, unapproachable, and unlistenable to the masses entity is in full swing. THE CHAOS CONTINUES contains the unmistakable vibe of danger that the legacies Bad Brains, Black Flag, and Slapshot all left behind.
-Mike SOS

GOD LIVES UNDERWATER
UP OFF THE FLOOR
MEGAFORCE RECORDS
This album makes you feel like you are in a dance club with laser lights flashing everywhere...and to my liking, that isn?t good. I?m not a fan of this techno and dance music mixed with rock music. In fact, it should never be done. Leave the dance music and rock music as separate entities. Combining them should be considered a sin. I would be fine if this music was pawned off for what it is, but when you attempt to use rock music as a driving force behind your sound, when all you can hear is heavy dance beats and not much guitar, I don?t like that, and I can?t personally relate to it one bit. This music might appeal to those who like to dance and shake their booties, but for people expecting to hear some fun pop-punk, look elsewhere.
-David Walter

GOOD CHARLOTTE
BONUS TRACKS
EPIC
Everyone?s favorite punk rock punching bags have returned, as the omnipresent Madden brothers and company are back with THE CHRONICLES OF LIFE AND DEATH, a collection that finds the boys getting pensive. It also comes with two bonus tracks on two separate versions (ah, always the clever marketers), which Epic decided to give advances out for. Good Charlotte?s audience should lap these tracks up like cats to warm milk, yet casual listeners and even haters may find less things to bitch about, especially about the mature guitars which comprise ?Meet My Maker?.
-Mike SOS

GRAVE
FIENDISH REGRESSION
CENTURY MEDIA
The veteran death metal outfit Grave?s sixth release is a vicious array of doom metal riffs and death metal anarchy. An absolutely punishing low-end assault is what you find on FIENDISH REGRESSION, garnished with razor sharp guitar lines that dominate the entire nine-track affair. These seething Swedes triumphantly walk the line between the melodic and the depraved on cuts like the pulverizing ?Awakening? and chunky gallop of ?Out of the Light?, reminiscent of Machine Head meeting Cannibal Corpse. Growling their way into your skull, Grave?s ominous new release hits you like a sledgehammer to the gut and doesn?t let up until the final scream of the brutal dirge ?Heretic?.
-Mike SOS

HALFWAYHOME
A BRAND NEW SUBDIVISION
THE DEATH SCENE
There is nothing ?brand new? about A BRAND NEW SUBDIVISION. The album is a little more amped-up than some of the other emo bands out there, but for the most part it?s more of the same old. The same guitar riffs, effects, and pre-pubescent vocals are whining through my computer speakers, and I am almost embarrassed to have the volume up for fear that my dad might hear me listening to such effeminate music (not that I?m lacking in confidence about my sexuality or anything). So, rather than take that chance, I will conclude by saying that if you like emo, then check it out; if not, stay away. This might not sound like a ?fair? review, but c?mon, guys/gals, let?s be a little more adventurous these days.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

HIPNOSTIC
DISSOLVE ME
MINDBLOWN RECORDS
Alice in Chains and Godsmack fans, I hereby give you reason to rejoice, as this O.C. trio and their album DISSOLVE ME come off like a vicious hard-rock assault. Vocalist/guitarist Blake Hastings evokes shades of late Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley (most apparent on ?Ritual?) and Soundgarden?s Chris Cornell (on ?Ant Hill?). The real highlights on DISSOLVE ME come on heavy-hitting hard rockers like ?Heels on a Plank?, ?Erosion?, and Hipnostic?s lone slow moment, ?Constant Ozone?. Anyone into hard rock should seek this out.
-Jude Ruiz

HUMAN TELEVISION
SELF-TITLED
GIGANTIC MUSIC
These guys can be classified as a creative and quirky indie-rock band. They have a sound that closely resembles a European punk band combined with sounds of bands that have influenced them, such as REM and New Order. Instead of trying to create a sound that gets promoted as the next big thing, Human Television are more concerned about making music that sounds just like the sounds they enjoyed listening to?and simply putting their own stamp on it. These songs are clearly driven by loads of melody and rhythm. The guitars creatively overlap each other, as the vocals ride just below the volume of the guitars creating a pleasant, evenly-layered sound. The best part of this album is that as soon as you are done listening to it, you have the desire to want to listen to it again and again.
-David Walter

HYDRA
DESTINY
SELF-RELEASED
A leftover from the cock rock scene, Hydra?s five-track release sounds like the marriage of Journey and Puddle of Mudd. Vapid lyrics and retread melodies abound, Hydra have the look and sound of a band whose ready to be swallowed, chewed up, and shit out by the record industry as a third rate radio band that provides some A&R assclown another expense account. Avoid this soulless attempt at all costs.
-Mike SOS

I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN
WHEN GOODBYE MEANS FOREVER
HAND OF HOPE
The difference between the cleverly named I Killed the Prom Queen and the countless other metalcore bands being signed today? For starters, this quintet hails from Adelaide, Australia, not Southern California. And from there? Well, the outfit?s 11-track release, while not so much different than Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, and the rest of the lot, does hit as hard as the aforementioned groups, and does showcase its chugging guitar chops quite nicely on tracks like ?Upon a River?s Sky? and does become surprisingly melodic on ?Death Certificate for a Beauty Queen?. Otherwise, besides the Croc Dundee accents, lump these grizzled, growling Aussies away from Jet and closer to bands like Bleeding Through and Eighteen Visions.
-Mike SOS

INCANTATION
DECIMATE CHRISTENDOM
OLYMPIC RECORDINGS
In my opinion, if you?ve heard one death-metal band, you?ve heard them all. Incantation is just another death-metal band. You get the machine-gun drums, the devilish guttural growls and groans from the lead ?singer,? and oppressive guitar riffs. If you like this stuff, more power to you. I can usually tolerate this kind of stuff, but I was unable to make it through this album in one sitting.

IT DIES TODAY
THE CAITIFF CHOIR
TRUSTKILL
Hailing from Buffalo, NY, the quintet It Dies Today play the kind of metalcore that leaves broken hearts and bruised bodyparts in its wake, properly showcased on the band?s 11-track THE CAITIFF CHOIR. Sounding similar to much of the current wave of metalcore, It Dies Today combine over the top screaming with melodic choruses on tracks like ?Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads? and ?Marigold? for maximum power. Employing a punishing low end assault rounded out with thunderous drums, It Dies Today liberally borrow from bands like Atreyu, Thrice, and Zao and collectively create the sonic fury that makes for a competent offering, yet lack the distinctiveness to get the band on top of the heap.
-Mike SOS

KARMAKANIC
WHEEL OF LIFE
THE END
When a band?s instrumentation contains such entities as Hammond organ, flute, and Yembe, you kind of have an idea that the outfit is a bit progressive. Such is the case with Karmakanic, a quartet whose opening track runs nearly 15 minutes long and whose eight-track endeavor runs more than an hour. Needless to say, these guys like to jam, and if you have a penchant for lush melodies extended to the max with overly proficient musicians going off like there?s no tomorrow, then check out the somewhat masturbatory but overall sensory overloaded WHEEL OF LIFE.
-Mike SOS

KITTIE
UNTIL THE END
ARTEMIS
Kittie has never been a band that had heavy rotation in my CD player, but this album might change that. Kittie has finally found their sound on UNTIL THE END. They move from ?80s metal drumming ? la Judas Priest into modern guitar riffs ? la Lamb of God. Frontwoman Morgan Lander?s vocals have never sounded more mature and controlled, providing for hard-hitting gut-crunchers, as well as the more mellow and catchy songs scattered throughout the track list. Fans of Kittie should definitely quit playing with that ball of yarn and run to the store to get this one. ?Burning Bridges? is my personal favorite.
-Zac-Dane Jackson

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR
CARNAGE
SOUTHERN LORD
Raise your horned hands, metal brethren! A new group is in our midst, unleashing the most nefarious concoction of Slayer, Celtic Frost, Sabbath, and Venom yet. The name of these evildoers? Lair of the Minotaur. Not only does this trio?s heavy metal joyride keep it real, they keep it amazingly heavy, dynamic, sludgy, and...conceptual? Yup. Each song off of CARNAGE?s eight tracks recounts a tale from Greek mythology as they pound you into the ground with sick riffs and terse rhythms. LOTM project a stunning display of metal awareness, as CARNAGE is fully blessed by the gods of metal as worthy.
-Mike SOS

LATITUDE BLUE/FELL CITY GIRL
SPLIT CD
BLEEDING MUSIC
First up on this split disc is British quartet Latitude Blue. Described them as a melodic post-emo-indie band. I don?t know what that means, but I can hear certain elements of guitar-driven Brit pop and indie rock. Last but certainly not least is Oxford?s Fell City Girl, who have a slightly more polished glam/indie-rock sound, at times (as on ?Weaker Light?) coming off like (Muse frontman) Matt Bellamy fronting an indie-rock band. Fell City Girl?s songs digest a bit easier, however.
-Jude Ruiz

LEOPOLD
THE WRECK OF HOPE
TOTAL ANNIHILATION
By far one of the most tedious records I have had to endure in a while, THE WRECK OF HOPE feels like one big, slow, dreary build-up leading up to nothing. Leopold does throw in the occasional glimmer of bombastic noise, yet even these moments sound just as tired. Does anybody have anything in the non-drowsy formula?
-Matthew Siblo

LOGH
THE RAGING SUN
BAD TASTE
A refreshingly mellow band from Sweden, Logh are a must-listen for those dark, lonely nights when the body and mind are a bit run down. The fleeting, flowing sounds on The Raging Sun are the pinnacle of bands who have been creating atmospheric melancholy for quite some time now. Tracks like ?An Alliance of Hearts? and ?City, I?m Sorry? creep above the five-minute mark in what seems like the snap of a finger. It?s this timeless feel of Logh?s often creepy pop that makes this a revelation. Come to think of it, THE RAGING SUN would be the perfect soundtrack to a Lars Von Trier film (one of the good ones, though).
-Jason Schreurs

LOW SKIES
I HAVE BEEN TO BEAUTIFUL PLACES
FLAMESHOVEL
This CD reads like a dark, moody, gritty crime novel filled with pornography and violence. The narratives of vocalist Christopher Salveter are expressed by his subdued yet paranoid vocals, which are reminiscent of a cigarette-smoking Nick Cave and an agonized Robert Smith or Bono. The preacher?s words, however, are only strengthened further by the tight, minimal musings of the rest of the musicians. The organ and retro guitar add the rest of the meat necessary to make this a very high-caliber EP.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

MAN WITHOUT PLAN
I FEEL BADLY
CREEP RECORDS
Throaty and gritty pop-punk in the vein of fellow Creep Records alums Plow United. Most of the hooks aren?t quite as memorable as the dearly departed Plow, but these under-produced ditties of heartbreak ought to put a smile on the face of anyone who lived through Pennsylvania?s pop-punk golden age.
-Matthew Siblo

MANNEQUIN
WARP YRS AHEAD
REPTILLIAN
Mannequin rose from the ashes of Virginia?s Pg. 99. On their seven-track debut, a steady stream of rehashed grunge is mixed with screamo tactics you find on every indie label today, making songs like ?Sloppopmonster? sound like poorly recorded Nirvana. If you need a refresher course on what grunge was, allow Mannequin to show you.
-Mike SOS

MARSHALL STAR
UNCONTROLLABLE
FURRY RECORDS
The first full-length release from this British duo is unlike anything you?ve ever heard before. The band?s own label for its unique genre is ?urban/alt,? though it might better be described as R&B vocals layered over electronica. This male/female duo makes the most of electronic drum kits, sampling, and a plethora of vocal overlays to form a textured tapestry of cool soul that will appeal to the most jaded listener. Though bands such as Portishead and Morcheeba have made inroads in similar styles, no band yet has pushed the envelope as far as Marshall Star. Give this U.K. band huge marks for creativity and an uncompromising attitude.
-Dug

NERVE GENERATOR
NERVE GENERATOR
SELF-RELEASED
Nerve Generator sound like a mixture of The Dandy Warhols and The Talking Heads. They could have been the biggest band in 1986! They play catchy rhythms and mix in electronic noise and have a really cool sound. I think this album is a lot of fun. The songs are original, the sound is great, and it reminds me of the ?80s?but not too much. I think I?m going to go rent ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING.
-chad

MASERATI/CINEMECHANICA/WE VERSUS THE SHARK
S/T
HELLO RECORDS
With this three-way split, Hello Records shows off what they and the state of Georgia have to offer. You?re treated the three bands. While there are only two tracks represented from each band, those tracks help the listener decide to pursue other releases from the band without being forced to listen longer if they hate a specific band. Maserati is almost forgettable, with its instrumental and fuzzy melodies; but if you like atmospheric music, then Maserati will be your cup of tea. Cinemechanica offers up a track similar to the two Maserati tracks with its first appearance on the comp. Cinemachina is a bit more aggressive, though. There is singing on its second track...but trust me, it?s forgettable. Speaking of forgettable, so is the final band. If you like noisy indie rock, fuzzy distorted guitars, atmospheric melodies, and yelling vocals, then you?ll like one?or maybe all?of these bands. (I, on the other hand, don?t like any of them.)
-Dane Jackson

NEW PROFESSIONALS
COME HELL OR HIGH DRAMA
REAL CHICK
New Professionals are a female-fronted trio whose eight-track endeavor combines post-punk passion with pensive rock posturing. Finding a niche between Sheryl Crow and The Pretenders, songs like the acoustical drive of ?Another Saturday? resonate with an insight that few artists display, while the high-energy surge of ?Rockstar? combine a catchy chorus with an undeniably sinewy groove, further accentuated by Karen Curious?s stream of conscious vocal style. Dressed up yet still a little bit dirty, New Professionals are the perfect bridge between The Distillers and Concrete Blonde, displaying an uncanny mix of attitude and tenderness.
-Mike SOS

ODDZAR
ODDZAR
DCIDE RECORDS
Oddzar are pretty boring, and dull...and unoriginal...and lame...to put it kindly. They?re from Maryland and play heavy-metal music in the style of Linkin Park and bands of that caliber. Let?s face it, guys, you play music about as well as I write CD reviews! We suck! So here?s what I?m proposing: if you agree to stop playing music altogether?as in never even picking up a guitar again to doodle around? I?ll stop writing CD reviews. That way we?ll both be saving face and doing everyone a great service, I do believe. So, what do you think? Let me know!
-chad

PINEY GIR
PEAKAHOKABOO
GREYDAY PRODUCTIONS
You?d think this damn girl spoke Swahili looking at her name and album title. Coming straight out of London, Piney Gir?s debut is quite ambitious?and mildly competent in achieving its goals. Switching between electro-clash slow jams (e.g., ?Creature?) to faux honky tonk (?Greetings.Salutations. Goodbye?), PEAKAHOKABOO manages to keep things interesting throughout, even if its diversity isn?t always well advised. Take Piney Gir?s absurd attempt at covering The Who?s ?My Generation?, as Gir manages to take a renowned classic and transform it into sounding like a poorly thought-out Gap commercial. ?Nightsong?, an ill-fated jazz attempt with British hype act Simple Kid has just as much trouble getting off the ground. Luckily, PEAKAHOKABOO regains its cutesy composure shortly thereafter. She may not have everything down pat just yet, but eventually Pinkey Gir might be on to something.
-Matthew Siblo

PLANES MISTAKEN FOR STARS
UP IN THEM GUTS
NO IDEA RECORDS
UP IN THEM GUTS seems like a slight departure for Planes Mistaken for Stars. This album takes an incredibly dark tone. Musically, it?s somewhere in between metal, hard-edged indie rock, and hardcore. The arrangements on the album are progressive and experimental. If you can get past the incomprehensible vocals, you?ll love this album. This album completely shows the dark side of the band with tracks like ?Belly Full of Hell? and ?Dying by Degrees?. This is the most intense I?ve heard this band be, and I like it. It?s dark, bold, aggressive, and experimental?all rolled into one. PMFS fans won?t be disappointed.
-Dane Jackson

PN
THE ART OF BEING WE_LIFE SENTENCE
The initial track off THE ART OF BEING WE from Belgium?s PN sounds like it could?ve been found on Deftones? AROUND THE FUR, especially the opening sequence. This band is reminiscent of Deftones on a couple of fronts, namely, the smooth transitions from heavy and brutal to enchantingly beautiful and ethereal melodic passages; and their ability to evoke emotion via disparate vocal styles (the clean vocals hark back to Chino?s delicate croon, but these can become tortured screams at any given moment?oftentimes when the listener least expects it). But whereas Deftones are considered more of a nu-metal act, PN showcase great melodic hardcore that relies heavily on rock. Some songs are more subdued (e.g., ?The Fingerless Glove?), while others are full-out screamy hardcore gems (?Where Naivety Meets Reality, Stars Are Born?, ?Last Salute to a First Commitment?, ?A Storm Called Life (Lesson II)?). Overall, good stuff, powerful and complex ? la the mighty Grade.
-Janelle Jones

PUNK ROCK HOLOCAUST DVD
SPRINGMAN RECORDS
There was a camera crew following around the 2003 Warped Tour, because they were filming what became PUNK ROCK HOLOCAUST. It?s part concert documentary, part cheesy horror flick, and all-around campy fun. Without giving too much away, there?s a killer on the loose during the Warped Tour, and he?s killing bands and fans in any gruesome way imaginable. Most of the deaths include a sword. My favorite death included feeding a vegan animal fat and watching him puke out his insides. Yup, it?s that good. The main actors include none other than Warped grand puba Kevin Lyman and Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Video fame. Speaking of Troma, if you?re familiar with their style of movie, then you?ll know what to expect. The deaths are ultra-gory and ultra-fake?but that?s part of the fun. Besides the movie, you?ll also get a blooper reel, sneak peeks, videos, and Easter eggs as special features. If you like campy horror flicks with tons of fake gore, then this is for you. Besides, you get to see people like Simple Plan and Mest get slaughtered.
-Dane Jackson

QUINTRON
THE FROG TAPE
SKIN GRAFT RECORDS
Frogs can do some pretty amazing things. We?ve seen them coin clever catch phrases for beer companies, they can be made into a delicious soup, and if you?re Paul Thomas Anderson, you might even think that these lovable creatures have the ability to fall from the sky Old Testament-style. Quintron believes in frog empowerment, as well, but he likes his amphibians singing. On THE FROG TAPE, we are taken for an absurd, organ-filled ride, leading up to the climactic, 15-minute finale, where the frogs are given the vocal duties. It doesn?t get quirkier than this.
-Matthew Siblo

RAZORBLADE
SPREADING FEAR
REBELLION
Razorblade is a skinhead oi band from Holland whose 12-track romp is a simple, yet effective slab of aggressive, in your face hardcore music. While this trio isn?t reinventing the wheel, songs like ?Skinhead Rock? and ?Made in Holland? are both heavy and catchy, hitting you in the gut like a cannonball. With vocals sounding like Sheer Terror and music mixing Motorhead, Agnostic Front, and the dozens of underground hardcore bands worldwide, SPREADING FEAR is an excellent record to cause massive destruction by.
-Mike SOS

SAY ANYTHING
? IS A REAL BOY
DOGHOUSE
? Yeah, what do you have to say for yourself? / Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!? Max Bemis, the 19-year-old, semi-disillusioned frontman of Say Anything sings these words in the last song of their new album ?IS A REAL BOY, pretty much summing up the entire feel of the album. This album is Bemis?s response to the whiny, white-boy rock epidemic that is sweeping the music scene. In the biography, that Bemis flat out admits that this album is purely autobiographical, the story of his revulsion to the current state of the indie scene. The album is an awesome display of rock, with just enough melody and pop to make it really fun to listen to. Bemis?s vocals/spoken words truly single out Say Anything. You don?t really know what?s going on when you listen to this album, but you end up really really liking it?I promise. Give it a shot. website
-tChow

SCUM OF THE EARTH
BLAH BLAH BLAH...LOVE SONGS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
ECLIPSE
Scum of the Earth isn?t the most pleasant name for a band, but when you consider that the outfit is fronted by ex-Rob Zombie guitarist Riggs, it all starts to come together. Make no mistake: the 11-track offering sounds very similar to his former mentor?s previous projects, but when you consider that Riggs kept it in the family and recruited members of Powerman 5000 and Zombie?s band to round out BLAH BLAH BLAH..., it?s elementary that the electronic trailer park stomp of ?Murder Song? and the staccato techno guitars of ?Beneath the Living? share traits with Mr. Zombie. Acting more as an extension to the Zombie empire rather than a rehashed retread, Scum of the Earth have benefited from their collective experience and have made an album laden with heavy, trance-like techno rock primed and ready for debauchery.
-Mike SOS

SILVERTIDE
SHOW AND TELL
J RECORDS
We all know that record executives just can?t get enough of a good thing...and when I say good, of course I mean profitable. Riding on the choppy waves laid out by fly-by-night alterna-superstars The Darkness and Jet, Silvertide are yet another band trying to prove that what?s old is new again. Pumping out 12 tracks of second-rate bar-band R&B, SHOW AND TELL sounds like a cross between The Black Crowes and early Aerosmith, complete with bandanas proudly tied to the mic stand. This showy bravado once again affirms to me why this genre will eternally be damned to clich?d, misogynistic lyrics (such as in ?SFC?, which refers to a young lady who is ?so fucking crazy?) and wailing, self-indulgent guitar solos?not to mention the ridiculous outfits. So many grievances, such little space.
-Matthew Siblo

SLINGSHOT DAKOTA
KEENER SIGHS
IMMIGRANT SUN RECORDS
You?ve got it somewhere, stashed in your closet or a corner of your dresser. It?s getting cooler, so grab that favorite sweater and enter the similarly welcoming warmth of Slingshot Dakota. Immigrant Sun has been putting out some seriously solid stuff, and this dueling-vox indie-pop treat is no exception. ?It Wouldn?t Be? alone is worth the cost of the entire record. It?s heart, it?s strings, it?s ivories...Essentially, it is a glorious trip through what never could have been but what you kept hoping for ?til the end. Slingshot Dakota approach each song emphatically through a tenderness that will keep you warm on the coldest of winter days.
-Erika Owens

SLUGNUT
ALL THE SPLENDOR AND ROT
This album appears to be mostly a homemade job. The insert pictures are off of Google search; and no one gets credit as their label. The things is, it is a solid album. The guys look like old Motorhead-ish bikers, but the music has quite a bit of the newer hardcore/screamo/hard punk feel to it. There is no specific genre to tag on, but it definitely has some real firepower to offer. The screechy screams follow steady beats that will never be confused with fit-for-radio rock. There is an ?I haven?t made it big yet? edge to this music that is as enticing as it is promising. If this album sounds this good without (and I use this cautiously) professional help, then imagine the potential.
-Thomas Murray

SNACK TRUCK
HARPOON
THE PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE
Uh oh, another one of these wacky Locust/Blood Brother-type bands, the latest on a shameful list that includes some unmentionable names that I guess I have to mention in order for this to make sense?Horse the Band, Kane Hodder, Fall of Troy?Jesus, my soul just died right there?and that?s only three names. The odd thing is, Snack Truck almost win me over. Don?t get me wrong: this is still unlistenable trash, but it?s the kind of refuse that is just so bizarre, so out of whack, that it almost works. A bona fide weirdo vibe has Snack Truck treading on Fantomas/Mr. Bungle territory here and there, throwing in an ample doze of spazz-core. Worth more than just a passing head shake.
-Jason Schreurs

SOCIAL DISTORTION
SEX, LOVE AND ROCK ?N? ROLL
TIME BOMB
Mike Ness has perfected his craft. Every song on here is perfect. This is almost the best Social D album, almost. It?s the best hopeful album, that is to say it?s their only hopeful ?life isn?t that bad after all? album. Instead of ?Born to Lose? it?s ?Live Before You Die.? Instead of ?King of Fools? it?s ?Reach For the Sky.? In other words, this album inspires. Inspires you to live everyday like... well, before you die. Showing a more mature, self-reflective in-love side, Ness sums it up best on perhaps the finest song on the CD, ?Winners and Losers.? Are you happy now with all the choices you made? Are there times in life you know you should?ve stayed? Will you compromise, then realize the price is too much to pay? Winners and Losers, which one will you be today? Which one will you be today?
-Scott Andresen

SOMETREE
MOLESKIN
MAGIC BULLET RECORDS
This Hannover, Germany, export might appeal to fans of Aereogramme, Marr, or maybe even Sparta. MOLESKIN requires repeated listens to pay dividends, as only then can you begin to appreciate the moody, quiet-to-loud indie rock that Sometree has put together. I was on the verge of writing a review on how MOLESKIN just kind of left me hanging, but then I popped the disc in to give it another go, and these songs began lingering around in my head for awhile. This is recommended for those with a little patience.
-Jude Ruiz

SON, AMBULANCE
KEY
SADDLE CREEK
For some odd reason, through the rise of the over-romanticized indie/emo-rock craze, Joe Knapp and Son, Ambulance have managed to slip through the cracks. There is genuine pain and emotion trapped inside Knapp, and he releases all of that fire and passion into Son, Ambulance?s latest release, KEY. Knapp has the rare ability to write traditional, elated pop songs and transform them into dazzling indie masterpieces. He crafts his songs in such a highly developed manner, and he neatly unifies the ?singer/songwriter? label with his indie music roots, complete with light sounding guitars, keyboards, violin, making up and one of the strongest points on this album. With songs that range from under two minutes to over eight minutes, the diversity within the songs keeps the album progressing and refreshing. This release by Son, Ambulance should push Knapp in the direction of respect and fame he rightfully deserves.
-David Walter

SPUTNIK MONROE
SELF-RELEASED
Sputnik Monroe is a newer band from the L.A. area with an awesome Website, an obvious scientific interest...but. sadly. not much musical substance. They cite varied and illustrious influences like Fugazi and Radiohead, but on this four-song EP they aren?t able to follow either mentor. There is a strong Sparta tone evident, but in a steamy, goth-nightclub sorta way. It?s clear that they are still feeling out their sound?which made the devotion of a quarter of the EP to an instrumental track a particularly weak decision. By focusing more on building upon their influences rather than getting sidetracked by singular solos, they may just be able to eke out that radio-rock niche they seek.
-Erika Owens

STAND AGAINST
UNTIL THE END
MY OWN WALLET
Stand Against is a rebellion movement as much as it is a hardcore band, as the members of this group formed from both the love of metal and hardcore as well as to take a stance versus the community that they despise. Playing the kind of crossover hardcore punk influenced by Suicidal Tendencies, DRI, and S.O.D., songs like ?Gripes? are succinct, subtle, and chock full of the hostility these guys are apparently ridden with. Good, fast, angry fun is what you?ll find on UNTIL THE END, the perfect companion for a house party that suddenly becomes a battle royal.
-Mike SOS

SUICIDE NOTE
TOO SICK TO DANCE
FERRET
Suicide Note is a strange yet captivating 14-track release. Sometimes, they sound like a freaked-out jazz band, thanks in part to guitarist Jay Golday?s pursuit for a master?s degree in jazz music. Other times, they are captured as the foremost advocates for disjointed hardcore like Every Time I Die and Black Cross, complete with angular riffs and manic fits of screaming grabbing you by the throat. The quartet?s latest effort is not going to be understood by a good portion of hardcore people, yet the band still radiates the immediacy of the genre like Minor Threat and Fugazi, which along side the band?s left-of-center influences, leads you down uncharted musical territories. If you?re up for a musical adventure, TOO SICK TO DANCE is as thrilling as it gets.
-Mike SOS

SWITCHBLADE
S/T
DEATHWISH
This album caught me completely off-guard. Take one part Joy Division, two parts Mogwai, and two parts Swans, and you?ll have the foundation for this dark and moody instrumental collection of music. Without much vocal work, Switchblade has released six songs (adding up to 47 minutes) that will completely shock you with their driving gloom and angry aura. In other words, this is not music to put the baby to sleep. The guitars are distorted and dark, while the drums are raw and thick. Fans of Neurosis, Isis, and The Melvins should be interested in checking this disc out.
-Zac

SYBREED
SLAVE DESIGN
REALITY
Sybreed is an angry techno metal outfit whose 10-track release spins a futuristic twist on heavy. Like many of the Swedish progressive metal acts staking claim in this genre, the quartet, who claim to have a cyber alter ego, utilize the wonders of programming in its crushing metal assault for maximum aural overload. While Sybreed tries very hard to sound like a unique entity, the fact remains that the world already has a Fear Factory, a Static X, and an In Flames. However, when you melt all of those bands into one, and write dramatically epic songs like ?Bioactive?, then the world can stand to have a Sybreed in the fold.
-Mike SOS

THE BLOOD BROTHERS
CRIMES
V2 RECORDS
The Blood Brothers managed to create something totally new in a time when it seems that the music industry had run out of fresh ideas. What they?re doing is so brilliantly innovative that sometimes I question if they?re even from this planet. Chaotic but purposeful, intense but absorbing, complex but appealing, their new album, CRIMES, defies all the boundaries of explainable musical genius. It might give you a heart attack?it?s that vigorous. It will definitely have you dancing (or should I say: convulsing). The album begins with an engrossing build-up in ?Feed Me to the Forest?, drawing you into the craziness that is the entire album from the get-go. There is more obvious melody and sing-alongability (e.g., ?Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wrecks?) on CRIMES than on their previous, groundbreaking album, BURN PIANO ISLAND, BURN; yet some of the greatest parts of BURN? are still just as evident on CRIMES, thankfully, like the piano-based tunes. All in all, CRIMES is more approachable than BURN?, but just as brilliant. website
-tChow

THE C*NTS
EAT MY NUTS
DISTURBING RECORDS
The C*nts have been cranking out DIY albums since some of you punks were in diapers. The influential Chicago quartet drops some drugged-out punk with hints of surf, farfisa organ, Motown, and garage rock, bringing to mind The Fugs, The Dead Milkmen, or (very early) The Flaming Lips. As an added bonus, EAT MY NUTS contains a few rarities from the out-of-print disc OH NO, IT?S THE C*NTS and LA LA LA . High points come on opening tunes like ?Girl in the Plastic Nightgown?, ?I?m Upset?, and ?Steel Foundry?. DIY rock is alive and well in some dingy Chicago garage, snuggled up tightly with The C*NTS.
-Jude Ruiz

THE CROWN
CROWNED UNHOLY
METAL BLADE
So, The Crown decided to disband, but not before they make a swan song effort, re-recording the band?s final album, CROWNED IN TERROR. The end result is CROWNED UNHOLY, with a slew of new sounds emanating through the punishment, including new vocals, new bass tracks, and enhanced drum and synth sounds. As if the previous effort wasn?t abrasive enough, The Crown have made a definitive ending to the band?s 14-year career by raising the bar of death metal brutality, as tracks like ?Deathexplosion? and ?Cold is the Grave? are the most sonically crushing offerings ever made by the band. A rightful way to bow out gracefully, CROWNED UNHOLY is accompanied with a live DVD of The Crown in Germany, adding more incentive to pick this puppy up.
-Mike SOS

THE EAMES ERA
THE SECOND EP
C-STUDENT RECORDS
The second EP released by this Louisiana, architecturally-themed quintet is a poppy, four-song romp that sounds like a cross between The Breeders and Weezer. Ashlin Phillips?s thin, slightly nasal vocals match the nerdy demeanor of this band perfectly. The four male musicians in this band are all architecture students and have fittingly named the band after the famous architects and designers Charles and Rae Eames. The foundation of indie rock is formed by young bands like this. The layout and design of this band?s music build a solid foundation for a structurally-secure future. After this, THE SECOND EP, it is time for this band to quit slapping together such small, temporary structures and construct something more substantial.
-Dug

THE FEATURES
EXHIBIT A
UNIVERSAL RECORDS
The Features are one of the best rock ?n? roll bands I?ve heard in a long time. They can make you dance, and they rock. They have their own unique sound, so I hate to say they sound similar to The Kinks or The Who or whatever, but that?s the sort of feel I get from their sound. And since they?re on Universal Records, I probably don?t need to promote their album too much, because I?m almost sure it?ll be shoved down your throats before too long! So I?m suggesting (and I don?t know how effective this will be) that you get their album now, before the rush. Then you can tell all your friends you liked them before they were everyone?s favorite band...and then you can get over them before they make you sick from constant exposure. Who knows? I?m lame.
-chad

THE FIGHT
NOTHING NEW SINCE ROCK ?N? ROLL
REPOSESSION
More of the same kind of slap-happy pop-punk these female-led Brits cranked out on their EP on Fat Wreck Chords a few months back. That thick English accent and the happy, infectious punk bring brilliant memories flooding back of classic Snuff. Granted, 14 songs of this same power punch is a bit much to take, but stick ?Karaoke Star? on your latest feel-good mix, and the smiles will be ear-to-ear all around. If the world was a right and just place, The Fight would claim their stake in the MTV pop-punk feeding frenzy. Until then, here?s a cool indie punk band to impress all of your buds.
-Jason Schreurs

THE GUNSHY
NO MAN?S BLUES
LATEST FLAME RECORDS
The second full-length release from Pennsylvania tunesmith Matt Arbogast is a gripping album of despair, lost love, and squandered opportunities. Once a solo project, Arbogast has added a few friends to The Gunshy to flush out his sound on this disc. The most distinctive thing about this album is the phenomenal vocals. Arbogast has a voice so gritty that he makes Tom Waits sound like a castrato. When he sings of his modest grave, haunted nights, and darkest dreams, his voice captures that desolate place in the heart. When the band kicks in to his acoustic guitar melodies, there is a Celtic vibe to the music. Hopefully, Arbogast?s life isn?t as dark as his music would lead us to believe. With a voice as phenomenal as his, the future should be bright indeed.
-Dug

THE HEAVENLY STATES
MONUMENT
BARIA RECORDS
Slated to be released on the grand ole election day, November 2nd, The Heavenly States have put their political opinions to good use in three war songs. Is this the 1960s all over again? The goal of these songs is to make it known how sorrowful the band feels for the Iraqi civilians and other innocents who have lost their homes, families, and lives due to the American occupation of the area. The music itself is not spectacular, but that?s not the point: the message is clear, and the target has been hit dead center by these ambitious and informed songwriters who want to make their beliefs know in the best way they know how. That?s respectable any way you slice it in my book. Even if you disagree, it doesn?t hurt to listen to what others have to say, so pick this one up.
-Zac

THE JULIUS AIRWAVE
DRAGONS ARE THE NEW PINK
SICKROOM RECORDS
The debut full-length CD from this indie trio is a powerful, beautifully-executed work of art. This is a band that recorded the album themselves in a green shed behind their house. The sound quality is astounding, a melodic, progressive rock that starts out soft and occasionally reaches into the realms of sonic dissonance with power-packed crescendos. But as good as the music is, it is Rick Colado?s haunting lyrics that sets this band apart. One track, ?Broken Tusk?, relates the cold-hearted response we have to suffering to the image of a mammoth frozen in a glacier. Other, more disparate imagery utilizes zombies, vampires, and a small gray mouse to get across points. This isn?t a perfect first album, but it is one hell of a start.
-Dug

THE NITZ
NECROMANIA
REPTILIAN
NECROMANIA is the first full-length release for this Sacramento-based speed hardcore/punk/metal band. The Nitz have a similar sound and ferocity to bands such as Zeke, with fast, uncompromising riffs and screaming vocals. Their cover is very well done and draws your attention to the CD, as it is a photo of all five band members depicted as disfigured mummies. The Nitz seem to draw their musical influence from bands like Zeke and The Dwarves. Lyrically, they sing about movies, death, mummies, murder, violence, witches, and beer. The tempo of this album is very fast, and it is very dark and sinister?which will appeal to metal and hardcore punk fans.
-Jennifer Moncayo

THE RUM DIARY
POISONS THAT SAVE LIVES
SUBSTANDARD RECORDS
If you?ve ever wondered what it is like to live in Northern California, this album might be a good place to start. The Rum Diary is a quartet of young men who embody the free spirit of an alternative lifestyle and extend the legacy of bands such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Phish. With double drum kits, double bass lines, and a smooth, ethereal groove that pulses with psychedelic intensity, the band has found a style of music that echoes long hair, tie-dyes, and pre-?67 VW Transporters. The music isn?t rock in a conventional sense; it?s more like a slow journey through Pink Floyd?s unreleased music. These prog-rock tunes are epic, thematic, and beautiful in a way that only the ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? crowd can truly appreciate. It is said that their live shows climax in an indie drum circle towards the end. Damn, it?s ?68 all over again.
-Dug

THE SHEMPS
SPAZZ OUT WITH THE?
RESERVATION RECORDS
I have little doubt that if I ever saw The Shemps live (most likely in some grungy Lower East Side bar), I?d be personally inclined to spazz out. Unfortunately for my spazzing habits, The Shemps? obvious beer-soaked intensity comes across noticeably flat on record. SPAZZ OUT WITH THE? certainly hints at the band?s ability to kick out the jams, but its lengthy 17 tracks left me reaching for the skip button about halfway through. For all their promise, The Shemps are a stellar example of a band that must be listened to with the lights dimmed and the air smoky.
-Matthew Siblo

THE YOUTH CLASS
THIS IS WHAT I REMEMBER
DUST RECORDINGS
The first full-length release from this Peoria, IL-based quartet is an earnest attempt at defining a true rock/emo crossover. Though most of the songs on this disc deal with schoolyard fistfights, second-grade crushes, and lost innocence, there is just enough dark and melancholy material here to keep The Youth Class from becoming another emo clich?. On the best tunes, the band breaks into some unconventional dissonance and separates its sound from the thousands of emo bands whose discs now lay in the independent record store bargain bins. The band is young but demonstrates some sophisticated sensibilities on their darker tunes and with some great cover art. This disc may not get the band signed to a major label, but it sure will get them noticed.
-Dug

TRANSMISSION 0
0
GO-KART
Transmission 0 hail from the Netherlands, and the band?s vicious barrage is complemented by the band?s stellar musicianship and captivating arrangements, which switch from lush to crush with power and poise. The entire 10-track affair is built with both metallic might and dynamic impact in mind, making for an engaging album whose scope broadens from electronic to visceral to ethereal with grace and ease. From Godflesh to Opeth to Poison the Well, Transmission 0 shifts its style without losing face or purpose, making 0 that much more appealing.
-Mike SOS

ULYSSES
010
EENIE MEENIE
Not to be confused with Apples in Stereo or Marbles, Robert Schneider has recruited some fresh new talent to work on his new project Ulysses. 010 brings us a fun collection of indie-rock songs in the vein of old Pavement, with plenty of synthesizer work, to boot. The lyrics are great (as expected), ranging from television to medication to break-ups. The best part about this album is that all the vocal tracks are first takes from the studio, capturing a very authentic and emotional sound?something that has been missing from a lot of bands? recent releases. Fans of Cap N? Jazz, Pavement, and The Minus 5 will eat this one up.
-Zac

U.N.K.L.E.
NEVER, NEVER, LAND
GLOBAL UNDERGROUND
We had to wait five years for the follow up to U.N.K.L.E.?s widely acclaimed debut release, PSYENCE FICTION, but don?t fret: good things come to those who wait. With an all-star cast ranging from Mike D of The Beastie Boys and Ian Brown of The Stone Roses, NEVER, NEVER, LAND provides some interesting collaborations for an electronica/dance album. The musicianship is generally uncanny and unmatched by most electronic albums to be released in the past few years, especially on ?Reign? (featuring Ian Brown) and ?In a State?, two songs that will grab your attention immediately. The manner in which the songs are arranged is easily the most impressive aspect of the disc, as they?re complex, but very listenable. Don?t wait?go and get it!
-Zac

VARIOUS ARTISTS
BRABANTIA NOSTRA
REBELLION
Rebellion Records showcase its wares on this 25-track oi street punk compilation, comprised of bands full of bald, venom-spewing outlaw rockers. From the more direct approach of bands like Razorblade to the rockabilly stomp of The Gecko Brothers, this collection keeps it pretty hard throughout with a few welcomed twists and turns along the way to break up the self-righteous skinhead swagger. Dr. Martens and army wardrobe sold separately.
-Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC SPLIT
RODENT POPSICLE RECORDS
Rodent Popsicle Records has put out a compilation of hard street-punk and skinhead bands. The compilation features four of the label?s bands, including Monster Squad, Whiskey Rebels, The Abuse, and Cropknox, with about four songs from each band on the comp. Monster Squad is from Vacaville, CA, and they play fast street punk, with many of their songs talking about how they ?don?t fuck around.? Whiskey Rebels are from Sacramento, and they have a little more melody, but it is still fast punk. The Abuse are from Vacaville and have a female lead singer screaming about the experience of angry youth. San Francisco?s Cropknox play fast and loud punk. If you enjoy spiky-haired, loud street punk, this compilation will fit nicely into your collection.
-Jennifer Moncayo

VARIOUS ARTISTS
FENRIZ PRESENTS THE BEST OF OLD SCHOOL BLACK METAL
PEACEVILLE
This compilation disc is a veritable blueprint for the black metal scene, as every major player that has donned spiked wristbands and sung about Satan from this genre is included. A virtual lesson in evil, those that just found out about the darker side of the metal spectrum through Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth need this disc, as it richly chronicles bands that have made an immeasurable impact on the extreme metal scene. From Celtic Frost to Bathory to Mercyful Fate to Mayhem, all of your face-painted favorites are here, for one reason and one reason only: to deliver you to evil.
-Mike SOS

VARIOUS ARTISTS
MUSIC FROM PLAYGROUNDS VOL. 1
SUNDAY LEAGUE RECORDS
This compilation is the first release from new Canadian label Sunday League Records, so it won?t make much sense when I say that listening to it brings back memories. How can a brand new release induce nostalgia? Well, the entire compilation features hits in the making from local acts like Ten Speed Hero, Choke, and Fallen Year; and bigger acts such as Moneen, The Early November, and Braid. It?s this brand of emo/indie rock that hearkens back to the days of early Get-Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World. I am just glad that this emotive and youthful brand of rock is still being generated somewhere in the world.
-tChow

VARIOUS ARTISTS
MOHAWKS AND WHISKEY SHOTS
HUSSIESKUNK
Columbus, OH?s hussieskunk.com (purveyors of independent punk on the Internet) have brought together diverse bands from the U.S., U.K., Norway, and Canada on this 27-band, 70-minute compilation. Some hit the mark, and others miss?horribly (e.g., Black Flamingo, Red Ash and the Love Commandos, the insipid folk/punk of Greenland Whalefishers (horrible, just horrible), the abhorrent electro-pop of Hellogoodbye). Dogshit Sandwich, a U.K. band playing fast, hard, loud, in-your-face hardcore punk and the like-minded Dysfunctional Youth (from the U.S.?but with total U.K.82 vibe going on), Norway?s Valdez, the wondrously under-produced streetpunk of Snarl, and screamy U.S. punks Liberty ARE the record. The infectious ska from Square and the trashy rock ?n? roll-drenched Bottlefight aren?t too shabby, either. The verdict?s still out on the blatant Screeching Weasel-worshipping The Brainless Wonders. Being influenced by a band is inevitable, but playing EXACTLY like them isn?t the best route to take.
-Janelle Jones

VARIOUS ARTISTS
RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE
ROADRUNNER
The second installment of the movie RESIDENT EVIL has spawned yet another garden variety metal soundtrack, providing today?s casual shopping mall metalhead an ample potpourri of heavy. From Slipknot to Killswitch Engage to Cold to Thrice, every demographic and preference is accounted for, sounding like an Ozzfest lineup in your dreams. Highlights include a surprisingly throat-grabbing track from The Cure, a Duran Duran cover from Deftones, and a new level of destruction via audio courtesy of Cradle of Filth, sandwiched between remixes of A Perfect Circle and Rob Zombie and previously released tracks from 36 Crazyfists, The Used, and Lacuna Coil. If you don?t own these albums, or if you want to get hip to the new metal right quick, this is an album to get primed by.
-Mike SOS

WHAT MADE MILWAUKEE FAMOUS
TRYING TO NEVER CATCH UP
SELF-RELEASED
A cavalcade of melodic electricity demands your attention as track 1, ?Idecide?, blares in one of the best surprise attacks ever. The deed has been done, and from then on we are unable to do anything less than give our full attention to the rest of the album. We are not disappointed with the ingenious fusion of electronic melody and pure emotion which is driven by a genuine Buckley/Sondre Lerche-like falsetto. There are so many ups and downs, mood-wise that we are kept captivated throughout?a great feat. The range of material goes from very electro (e.g., ?Idecide?) to straightforward pop fun (e.g., ?Hellodrama?).
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

WITH DEAD HANDS RISING
THE HORROR GROWS NEAR
LIFE SENTENCE
With Dead Hands Rising are an ambitious band, to be sure. ?Corey Feldman as the Devil?, the first track off their six-song EP, communicates their eclectic essence wonderfully. To wit, the five-piece are all over the place, starting out fuckin? hard and heavy with the song?s initial grind madness and ensuing oppressive breakdowns, then slowing things down a bit, all while maintaining their brutal edge. Simply put, they wail at the beginning of the song, but then show they can mix things up with intermittent splashes of melody, even incorporating an unexpected, beautiful, light and airy interlude around the 2:40 mark. Akin to the brilliant Morse Code Heartbeat, WDHR have technicality and ungodly fierceness, but also a mind for melody and affecting instrumental pieces. All these qualities appear on the EP within seconds of each other, making for quite an interesting, unpredictable record.
-Janelle Jones

XDEATHSTARX
THE TRIUMPH_LIFE SENTENCE
Absolutely feral and oppressively searing straight-edge hardcore from this SoCal band. Seriously, xDEATHSTARx just do NOT let up on this 10-track album, especially on the menacingly heavy ?Suffocate Faster?, the thrashy ?True Believer?, ?Scars?, the dirty ?Red Asphalt?...eh, fuck it?the whole damn thing is menacing musically. Meanwhile, the guys sing of what?s important to them: integrity, sobriety, standing strong, fighting for yourself and your friends (et al.). Bludgeoning drum work; harsh, gloriously abrasive vocals; guitars that rip and shred; and bloodcurdling bass?What more could one ask for? Yeah, this is simply too fucking good to make any stupid STAR WARS jokes.
-Janelle Jones

XPOINTBLANKX
S/T
SELF-RELEASED
This self-titled album from California?s xPointblankx is an example of not judging a band before you hear it. The band?s name is absolutely ridiculous. Fortunately, the music on this CD is excellent. It?s hard for me to get excited about unknown bands these days, but this is definitely a band I can get behind. xPointblankx blend straightforward punk with a few skacore elements thrown in for good measure. Musically, these guys are in the same vein as Nick Traina-era Link 80 and Operation Ivy. Highlights include ?Brick Wall?, ?Conformity?, and ?Pots & Pans.?
-Dane Jackson

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