September 2004 CD reviews (listed alphabetically)

ACONITE THRILL
THE RECLINER
MIGHTY ATOM
Miraculously managing to avoid ANY over-used trends in the increasingly tired math-metal genre, Aconite Thrill bend, shape, and restructure this mould in such a refreshingly disparate way that it sets them miles apart from most other hopefuls on the circuit. Comprised of five equally creative individuals, it's a style that meshes together some spectacular non-screaming vocals from bespectacled frontman Will with a frantically erratic feel that jerks and jolts like a geriatric on a roller-coaster. But at times it can get a little much, as their guitarists jostle for attention over Will's contagious melodies, leaving some of these tracks a little too disjointed in parts. Maybe if they compromised their rhythmic syncopation for a little more structure things might have clicked a little more. However, those who are looking for a fresh take on the whole math-core thing should still check out some mp3s on their site.
-Mathew Hocking

AGATHODAIMON
SERPENT'S EMBRACE
NUCLEAR BLAST
Agathodaimon has consistently released hard-hitting collections of black metal for years now. Their newest release, SERPENT'S EMBRACE, is a perfect example of well-written metal with enough keyboards to keep it interesting but enough raw power to keep you banging your head. The title track and "Solitude" seem to be the standout tracks. Fans of Dimmu Borgir and Dark Tranquility should definitely run down to the record store and pick this one up.
-Hibb

A IS JUMP
MY ICE-FINGERED GHOST
FUTURE APPLETREE RECORDS
A sparkly, artsy vibe is what comes across with A is Jump's MY ICE-FINGERED GHOST. With light percussion, cool/airy guitars, soft vocals, and touchy electronics, there's a relaxed atmosphere that makes its way through the album. "Everglade" is a good example, where the off-kilter rhythm combines with high-pitched keyboard and echo guitar. Maybe hailing from Iowa (home state to this band) doesn't mean you have to be pissed about it. Let's ask Slipknot.
-Darren Ratner

ALASTAIR MOOCK
LET IT GO
INDEPENDENT RELEASE
AMERICANA! Aside from having a unique name, Mr. Alastair Moock has created an incredible contemporary folk/roots rock album. Lyrical highlight of the album is as follows: "I like to play the hoes, but I'm done before they go." This now gets as much rotation in my car as my Neil Young and Bob Dylan records. As my British friend would say, "It's bloody brilliant!" Soothing guitar backed by great vocals makes for one stellar modern folk record. Go buy it!
-ADF

ALL ELSE FAILED
THIS NEVER HAPPENED
ABACUS RECORDINGS
According to the PR for this album, you better brace yourself for a thrilling combo blending the likes of "the Psychedelic Furs or Joy Division" to "Slayer or Anthrax." Now, with an introduction like that, whose curiosity would not be piqued? In the end, it's a good thing that they set expectations like that to keep you curious, because curiosity is the only motivation to sit through this entire album. It's loud, it's thick, it's really freakin' long, and I swear I heard a chainsaw or similar power tool. Disparate influences or not, the end product here is just more of the same ole metalcore ramblings.
-Erika Owens

ANAM CARA
S/T
STRIKE FIRST RECORDS
I find what Facedown Records is doing with their new imprint to be very odd, as it seems to be a proving ground for bands that are interesting but still missing that extra push that would land them on Facedown. Nevertheless, Anam Cara sound like an updated version of what Overcome were doing during the middle of their existence. Relying on a shredding vocal attack with guitars that complement each other well, you can expect fans of anything that Facedown and/or Solid State releases to be all over this release, as well. For being presented with such a simple package, it took me by surprise that this was even tolerable, but this might actually warrant a second listen. I like the doses of melody that are interspersed throughout their EP. While it gets repetitive, I can see many getting behind what this band does. (It also features the original guitarist of Underoath, for those keeping score.)
-Ray Harkins

ANODYNE
LIFETIME OF GRAY SKIES
LEVEL PLANE
Creeping from the NYC underground, Anodyne's latest release showcases tons of muscular riffs and frenetic arrangements. Merging the attitude of Helmet and Unsane with the musical stealth of Candiria and Burnt by the Sun, this Brooklyn-based trio will deluge your ears with an impenetrable wall of sound. Tunes like the driving and dissonant chug of "In the Desert Sound Proceeds Light" and the comically-titled yet iniquitous "A Mind is a Terrible Thing" are as effective as a punch with brass knuckles to the jaw: impact is quick, and the results are staggering. If you dig Mastadon, Today Is the Day, or any other band currently pushing the envelope in heavy music, LIFETIME OF GRAY SKIES would be worth checking out.
-Mike SOS

ANTAGONIST
ESCHATOLOGY (SAMPLES)
SELF-PRODUCED
"You're a prima ballerina on a Sunday afternoon / Changing to the Wolfman howlin' at the moon." David Johansson sang that in 1973, and the condition described fits Antagonist perfectly: personality crisis. With a sound that alternates between whatever group of neo-emo indie fuckers will be popular next week and whatever crusty grind band that will never be, Antagonist works on an interesting aesthetic: a little of both, not enough of either. It's like The Get Up Kids picking a fight with The Black Dahlia Murder over who gets the last Killswitch Engage ticket. With better production (or any production) these Whittier, CA, kids might just become your girlfriend's favorite band. But, alas, Antagonist (who've been around since '98) seems committed to DIY, which, while not exactly chic these days, is respectable. And fuck all labels: integrity is still cool.
-jck.

A PERFECT MURDER
UNBROKEN
VICTORY
A Perfect Murder is a metalcore outfit whose 13-track release is laden with the kind of unbridled fury and metallic might that fits right in amongst the Ozzfest crowd. This Canadian quintet has garnished a slew of comparisons, as influences from Entombed to Down to Earth Crisis (whose singer, Karl Buechner, guests on UNBROKEN) are very much apparent. While APM isn't one the most innovative bands on the circuit, the sheer power wielded on such cuts as "Speak without Faith" and the stoner-esque power groove of "Die with Regret" leave indelible marks both in your head and on your back. With a heavy hand in both the stoner and metalcore genres, APM's lethal combination sounds like a doped-up Hatebreed or a really pissed-off version of Crowbar?both dangerous entities.
-Mike SOS

A-SET
ADELINE MOON
LUMINAL RECORDS
Having formed in Chicago back in ?98, A-Set is the brainchild of Albert Menduno and is rooted in roots rock jamming and vintage styled ballads. After numerous lineup changes A-Set has paired down to a trio and beefed up their decidedly lo-fi approach without losing any of the hard hitting lyrics and toe tapping rhythms. Highlights include the blues based rocker "Two of Hearts" and the folksy "Tennessee Sunset". Fans of M. Ward or Iron & Wine should definitely seek this one out. See website for mp3s.
-Jude Ruiz

BABY STRANGE
PUT OUT
PRIMARY VOLTAGE
Baby Strange has an electrifying energy driven by their garage rock and angst-ridden vocals of Eric Deneen that echo back to Van Morrison at his most throaty. Jingle-jangle guitar melodies, a strong rhythm section, and hard-hitting bass thumping hit hard at the start of the album with the title track. However, their formula offers no new developments throughout the album. Without any creative searching, the album falls a little flat to those looking for something with more of an individual noise. For more info, visit .
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

BALISTICA
THE JUNGLE SCIENCE EP
SELF-RELEASED
Strong synth melodies and beats are the high point of Balistica's THE JUNGLE SCIENCE EP, which is a successful blend of electro-punk/funk (phunk?). A little less obvious with the songwriting and more fierce exploration would help the use of samples and electronics to have a larger impact on the listener. Balistica's attempt at being cute in "Racer" is an utter failure' giving them a horrible '80s/Blink 18- like mutant baby of Satan himself. In other words, very unappealing. "Jungle Science" itself sounds like a rip-off of Soul Coughing, except not good. There is still a lot of maturity lacking, but it is an EP, after all. It can get better. Right? I hope to God my next batch of CDs is much better. For more info, visit website .
-Norberto Gomez, Jr

BEEHIVE & THE BARRACUDAS
COCK READY
DOLLAR RECORD RECORDS
Having always heard nothing but praise for this band?not to mention the fact that it includes members of Rocket From the Crypt and The Peechees?I must admit to feeling a bit cheated after hearing this. All snotty swagger but with very little to say, COCK READY plays exactly like an Icarus Line live show. I understand and appreciate what they're trying to do, but that doesn't mean I want to listen to it. Considering that the liner notes state that this is a reissue of the band's earliest recordings, I'll cut them some slack. If this is indeed the case, COCK READY stands as a testament to how humble some bands' beginnings are.
-Matthew Siblo

BILL SANTEN
IN THE NIGHT KITCHEN
SWEATIN' BETTY RECORDS
The debut solo release from ex-Birddog frontman Bill Santen is a pleasant collection of acoustic tunes that draw their strength from his clever lyrics and prophetic phrasing. The eight songs on this rather long EP reflect some good pop sensibilities mixed with the type of subject matter that freezes the listener in rapt attention. Fans of Matt Costa and vintage Donovan will love this release. Santen finances much of his recording time with proceeds from his artwork. The eerie photo of Santen in front of a blood-drenched, vintage refrigerator on the back cover is a good example of how his uncompromising appreciation for art pushes his music to a different level.
-DUG

BLOODLINE CALLIGRAPHY
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
STRIKEFIRST RECORDS
If there were a "hardcore as heck" contest at Cornerstone, Bloodline Calligraphy would be clamoring contenders. The name, the label, the thank-yous?there are no surprises. Super derivative Christ-core in full Midwest effect. Hardcore being repetitive and boring is no surprise, but where Bloodline set themselves apart is with their words. At first glance, they are pretty funny, with titles like "Trying to Collect Child Support from Ghostdad", but the fact that the songs are composed of some of the most trite lyrics possible?e.g., "And I can make you happy, too"?and are punctuated by an explanation of their absurdly obvious meaning is unforgivable. In case you are interested in screaming along to a second-graders notes, check website for more hxc hysteria.
-Erika Owens

BULLETS AND OCTANE
THE REVELRY
CRITERION RECORDS
The fact that Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses fame produced this album is almost enough for me to want it. The lead singer of this band sounds like a hybrid of Scott Weiland, Mike Ness, Greg Graffin, and the guy from HIM, the Scott Weiland resemblance being the most prevalent (though it seems to depend on the tempo and song arrangement). Since Bullets and Octane have an engaging frontman, it's only natural to get drawn into their music. Once you give the music a chance, you'll realize Bullets and Octane deliver in the music category, as well. Great lyrics, great vocals, full-throttle guitars?these are all elements that make this a very good band that blends rock music with unapologetic punk rock.
-Dane Jackson

CHAINS IN THE SHED
SELF-TITLED
SILOH RECORDS
The debut solo release by West Virginia's Nathan Daniel Limbaugh is a thoughtful, slow-rocking tribute to whitewater rafters everywhere. The album art pays more of an homage to Limbaugh's beautiful rafting visions than to the actual theme of the CD, which might better be termed "carpe diem," or even "seize the day...before you're dead." As with most one-man bands, the artist's weak spots become apparent rather quickly. Limbaugh has a good hand for writing songs, but his bass- and drum-heavy tunes run out of steam quickly with the lack of any lead guitar. Nobody expects a musician to be able to play every instrument well, but if Limbaugh isn't able to learn some rudimentary lead riffs to spice things up, he might want to invest in a set of keyboards for variety.
-DUG

CHRONIC FUTURE
LINES IN MY FACE
INTERSCOPE
You may have caught the snazzy video for "Time and Time Again" on MTV, as this hybrid band has had quite the auspicious debut. Upon first listen, though, Chronic Future sounds like yet another bad version of rap rock. But when digging a little deeper into this Arizona quartet's debut release, a lot more than just a generic, played-out style is showcased. Surprisingly, there's a decent pop-punk band á la All American Rejects underneath the Eminem-meets-Ludacris lead vocals, and there's even shades of modern alternative rock á la Hoobastank and The Used here on tracks like "Thank You". Sounding like an updated, more street-credible version of Sugar Ray, high-schoolers who frequent the malls of America should eat LINES IN MY FACE UP, as it mixes the best of MTV's TRL into a digestible package suitable for mass-marketing success.
-Mike SOS

COPELAND
KNOW NOTHING STAYS THE SAME EP
THE MILITIA GROUP
Copeland was burgeoning indie label The Militia Group's sweethearts last year. Their debut album swept the scene and won over mass amounts of fans. Needless to say, there has been a lot of anticipation for new material from these four Southern boys. So, even though the five-track EP of covers is amazing, it just doesn't quite satisfy our Copeland needs. KNOW NOTHING STAYS THE SAME features five covers of very appropriate classics done with just enough Copeland twist to add some spice. Even though the disc will read as 99 tracks long, there are only five whole tracks and a secret song amidst the other 94. Good luck trying to find it. And good luck being patient for more Copeland. I know I am going to have a hard time. website
-tChow

CONVERGE
YOU FAIL ME
EPITAPH RECORDS
Who does not know Converge? Providing one of the richest musical histories in hardcore today, Converge made the jump that everyone was not expecting to the largest independent record label in the punk world, Epitaph. This will be on the lists of every music fan, critic and casual listener alike, as it encompasses such a wide range of sounds, from intense bursts of passionate vocals to the most mind-boggling time signatures. Converge continue to astound and perplex the mass audience by topping each previous record. This is the main reason that many of us got into heavy music?and rightfully so, as Converge continue to reinvent themselves and push boundaries many bands would never dare venture near.
-Ray Harkins

COUNT OF FOUR
STANDING ON THE CORNER
This just may be the hardest thing I?ve ever had to listen to, therefore putting me in the awkward position of having to slam 12 & 13 year old kids. Now in no way am I trying to discourage youngsters from picking up an instrument and strumming along to their favorite tunes but this record sounds amateur at best. This album evokes the image of three prepubescent children daydreaming of being rock stars. I?m sure these kids are real popular at their school and perhaps in due time they will manage to make some mildly interesting music or at the very least turn out to be as handsome as those boys from Hanson. Until then you could live a fulfilling life without ever having heard this.
-Jude Ruiz

CRADLE OF FILTH
SONGS FROM NYMPHETAMINE
ROADRUNNER
Cradle of Filth are one of the longest-running yet misunderstood metal acts in the world today. Finding a home on Roadrunner after a decade of label-hopping, the latest installment of depraved majesty and horrifically powerful headbanging music is still long on the dramatic, yet there's a sense of violence displayed on tracks like "Gilded Cunt" that's previously unheard from these merchants of evil. Like any well-respected black-metal band, the surge of evil is very much apparent, as are the seething riffs and bruising rhythms that made COF the underground entity that they are today. Maybe being on a pure metal label will help this band realize its full potential and give the band the mainstream recognition they richly deserve?even if the sight and sound of this band will scare your siblings, neighbors, and whole damn community to death.
-Mike SOS

CREAM ABDUL BABAR
EXCAVATION 1995-1998
PUBLIC GUILT
Even though this Florida septet's name is pretty silly, there's nothing comical about its musical onslaught. This collection is a twin-CD package, digging up all of the group's out-of-print material for a convenient one-stop shop. Cream Abdul Babar's decade-long lifespan has been considerably successful when you factor that they are, by far, one of the most odd heavy bands on the scene. What else would you expect an outfit with a trombonist that plays hardcore? How about some noisy, catchy songs like "Shithead" that play like surf rock gone awry? And with songs with names "Jennifer Aniston's Pussy" and "...And Afterwards There's Cake", be prepared for a slab of humor inside of the musical madness, almost as if Rockets from the Crypt, Faith No More, and Unsane merged into one giant supergroup like Parliament Funkadelic. For those who enjoy a challenge, check out this band's early work.
-Mike SOS

CROSSFADE
SELF-TITLED
FG/COLUMBIA
Excuse me if I get my back hairs up at bands that sound exactly like Nickelback and use the same producer, but I was pretty apprehensive listening to the debut from South Carolina's Crossfade. Really, does the world need another band that sounds like this? That "yeeeeeah" vocal style that every Eddie Vedder-acting motherfucker has used since the late '90s, the same tired "new radio" guitar riffs and the diary-pilfered lyrics?it all adds to up to a load of shit. Naw, man, I ain't giving this one any more of my time.
-Jason Schreurs

DESPERATE MEASURES
NEVER ENOUGH TIME
YOUNGBLOOD RECORDS
While it's not as good as bands like Good Riddance, Sick of it All, and Only Crime, Desperate Measures' sound is very similar to the bands listed previously. What makes Desperate Measures worth more than one listen is the lyrics. After reading along with the music, you'll find yourself relating to a lot of the situations outlined therein. It's almost therapeutic and cathartic. Besides that, the album also points out repeatedly not to waste your time here on Earth. This is a very solid hardcore album with great lyrics. Give these guys a few more years and they might be on the same level as the bands they probably model themselves after.
-Dane Jackson

DRAW
SIMPLE TO SEVERE
EMPIRE RECORDS
Proving once more that Scotland is the place to look for deeply affecting, down-tempo indie music, Draw are a band combining the soulful burden of Travis with the grace of The Byrds to create an expressive, mouth-watering formula that begs for the kind of adoration only 2000 gushing, screaming fans can give. While "Silver Screen" gently rocks their boat of dreamy anthemicism, the odd track like "Subject Surfer" throws in a bit of tempera mentality that makes the whole listening experience so stirring. Indeed, quite why Draw haven't been eagerly snapped up by a major label in a counterattack to those deeply depressing indie cherubs Keane is frankly baffling; but if the strength of their songs can continue, then their future looks very bright indeed.
-Mathew Hocking

DREAMEND
AS IF BY GHOSTS
GRAVEFACE RECORDS
AS IF BY GHOSTS, the second full-length release from Chicago's most unassuming post-rock trio is not one that you will easily forget (if you can find a copy). The packaging is among the most original in recent memory: each CD comes with a unique antique photograph framed by the cardboard case, as well as a page of THE JEWISH HISTORY and an unidentifiable negative of a second photograph. The music contained inside has all the makings of a typical indie-rock trio, yet meanders and sways with a clumsy shoegazing grace through the ground broken by Mogwai, The Dirty Three, and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, breaking waves of light and dark and folding gray into something more than just a sigh. GHOSTS is a work of art on many different levels?and if you use it right, it can get you laid.
-jzk.

EACH PASSING MOMENT
LET HER SLEEP NO MORE
FORSAKEN RECORDINGS
Lately, North Carolina has been churning out a large amount of highly original and inspiring bands that are making their mark on independent music. Bands like Beloved, Between the Buried and Me, and Glass Casket are all pushing the boundaries of the perception of North Carolina metal hardcore. With an influx of successful bands, you are always bound to find the bands clinging for dear life so as not to be lost in the sea of music. Each Passing Moment seem to be one of those bands?which I think works in their favor, as you can sense urgency behind their work. Unfortunately, too many bands have similar qualities as this band...and pull them off better. The Each Passing Moment boys are technically sound in their songwriting and executing, but the originality factor ranks somewhat low. Only determination will show the true colors of this band.
-Ray Harkins

ENDICOTT
THE WORDS IN INK DON'T LIE
EQUAL VISION
Endicott's newest, 12-track release is one of the most ambitious underground efforts thus far this year, both lyrically and conceptually. Explosive punk with hints of hardcore delivery, the album's point of view switches throughout the entire disc, detailing the story of an abduction via the perspective of victim, abductor, and the victim's family, making Endicott's offering one of the most stark topics for a concept album. Despite the initial confusion, what holds THE WORDS IN INK DON'T LIE firmly in place without unraveling into a sonic and logistic disaster are the quintet's penchant for rhythmic solidarity (á la fellow upstate NYers like Snapcase and Coheed and Cambria), as well as the innate ability to tug at the heartstrings, especially during the atmospheric gut wrench of "Holding Cell" or through the swirling feedback of "Southbound". For an endearing yet disturbing listening experience that surpasses the normal punk-rock album's limits, check it out.
-Mike SOS

EPIC HERO
NEW LIFE
SELF-RELEASED
The only thing worse than a band that sounds like a cross between Nickelback and Three Doors Down is...wait?there's nothing worse than a band that sounds like a cross between Nickelback and Three Doors Down. These dudes didn't know; they seem to have been all about the idea. Listen, 7 million sub-genres of independent music don't exist because people want to hear more color-by-number pseudo-rock. This is what fans of Barenaked Ladies listen to when they feel like being adventurous and expanding their horizons. NEW LIFE is Christian rock minus the Christian rock, if you catch my drift. When your stepdad drags you along to his employer's summer picnic, this is the band that shows up, plays three Candlebox covers, and asks to be paid in hotdogs. In fact, this CD has inspired me to stop reviewing albums for SKRATCH altogether. Fuck it. I quit.
-Dave Kargol

EVEN THE ODD
POPULAR AMONG VAN OWNERS
WRONG
Hailing from a small Michigan town, the snarling 11-track release by Even the Odd is a potent shot to the realm of today's version of hard rock. With some '80s cock-rock bravado backing the pounding rhythms on such tracks as "Hey Hey" and "Broken Gun", the fury of Monster Magnet meet the hooks of Love/Hate for a rock 'n' roll experience sans excessive posing and pissing and moaning. Mixing the moodiness of grunge, the stripped-down sound of garage, and the sneering of punk rock, tracks like "Mothra" and "Burn It Down" highlight the band's penchant for keeping the spirit of rock 'n' roll a riff-happy, rhythmically supercharged endeavor.
-Mike SOS

EWIGKEIT
RADIO IXTLAN
EARACHE
Looking for a complete diversion from your average death metal endeavor? Then look no further than the cosmic chaos caused by the multi-talented Mr. Fog and his project, Ewigkeit. This progressive excursion from the typical grinding sound of death metal has its feet way off the ground and into another universe, as the band's name (German for "eternity") suggests. Much like fellow multi-tasker Devin Townsend, Mr. Fog plays most of the instruments himself and carries a unique vision to heavy music that encompasses everything from Pink Floyd to KMFDM to Opeth?often in the same song. Tracks like the folk-metal stomp of "Strange Volk" and the doom-laden dance rock of "esc." are just some of the more eclectic examples from this pioneering piece of work. RADIO IXTLAN contains nine ambitious tracks that combine synthesizers, shred guitars, and a slew of samples to create its own musical realm where rave meets death metal at a space-rock showcase. For those stuck in a metal rut, become unbound by the sounds of Ewigkeit.
-Mike SOS

FAIRMONT
ANOMIE
REINFORCEMENT RECORDS
Fairmont are a quartet out of New Jersey that blend indie ("True Love Waits"), emo ("Artemis"), punk ("Hello Kitty"), and folk ("Burn the Churches") with a bubblegum pop feel that falls somewhere between The Weakerthins and Barenaked Ladies. As the bands website informs you, this is Fairmont?s best work to date, however there is still room for improvement. One thing is for certain, that (whether you like it or not) these songs will find a way to linger around in your brain for awhile, provided you have one.
-Jude Ruiz

FOREVER IS FORGOTTEN
DYING BEAUTIFUL
THORP
On the chaotic side of metal, there are a slew of bands today trying to outcompose each other and make the most intricate yet ballistic music on the scene. Add Milwaukee's Forever is Forgotten to that list, as this quintet pummel with relentless riffs and thunderous rhythms. But, like so many of its peers, there's a lot of technical excellence underneath the schizophrenic sonic output that makes this re-release so appealing. If you enjoy bands like Candiria, Shai Halud, and Between the Buried and Me, then DYING BEAUTIFUL is worth the purchase.
-Mike SOS

FUN PEOPLE
THE ART(E) OF ROMANCE
LITTLE DEPUTY RECORDS
Just how fun are these Fun People, you ask? Well, if their music is any indication, I'd say pretty damn fucking fun. Argentina's Fun People bust out some short and sweet, energetic English/Spanish fusion of punk, '80s pop, surf, hardcore, and bolero mixed with political views that have earned Fun People a reputation as being Argentina's Fugazi. This is Fun People's first domestic release, is produced by Steve Albini, and showcases how this band can morph into different genres faster than you can say "Caf? Tacuba." The real question here is: Is there anything this band can't do? website
-Jude Ruiz

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
CASUALLY DRESSED AND DEEP IN CONVERSATION
FERRET
There's a huge buzz surrounding Funeral for a Friend?and with good reason. This Welsh quintet has turned the U.K. scene on its ear with their special blend of emo, metal, and hardcore. Now it's time to conquer the good old U.S.A., and the band seems poised to do just that. On the outfit's first full-length collection, the 12-track CASUALLY DRESSED AND DEEP IN CONVERSATION, the band's distinctive essence is remarkably captured, thanks to the stupendous knob-twiddling of metal monger Colin Richardson. FFAF morphs gracefully from hulking behemoths to fragile lovemongers, as tracks like the cascading and stunning "Juneau", the arena-rock strut of "Escape Artists Never Die", and the dynamic bursts found in "Red is the New Black" aptly showcase. Drawing comparisons to fellow countrymen Lostprophets, both groups play with similar conviction and passion and employ many of the same influences. By taking metallic guitar antics, sturdy hardcore rhythms, and topping it off with the fervor of every emo frontman that matters, Funeral for a Friend have laid out the template for today's rockers to follow, making the listener feels every heartfelt cry and pulsating guitar riff. Easily one of the best albums thus far this year.
-Mike SOS

GASOLINE PLEASE
EP
PHANTOMS RECORDS
This brief offering opens with "Swell", a rather old-fashioned word perfectly representative of Gasoline Please's nostalgic sound. They don't go back to the '50s, but they do harken back to the progenitors of the emo movement. Low production quality adds to that mystique, but the emphasis on impassioned singing and driving beats instead of just screaming and shredding separates Gasoline from the current tenor of the genre. They fill the EP with four tracks that sound snatched from time and two live renditions that showcase the messy, noisy, screamy angle that dominates emo of any era. "Miss Intervention" best typifies their energy and kinetic abilities, complete with the timeless assistance of a tambourine?old and new all in one.
-Erika Owens

GATSBY'S AMERICAN DREAM
IN THE LAND OF LOST MONSTERS EP
LLR
There was a lot of hype over Gatsby's when they first burst onto the scene. Straight out of Seattle, their edgy math-rock sound truly blew everyone away. Since then, there has been another full-length, and now an EP. This EP definitely shows evolution since their first album. Less harsh and more approachable is the sound of this seven-track disc. In my eyes, it is the vocalist and the cleverness of the band that truly adds uniqueness. It sets the band apart, even if their music wasn't fresh enough to do so by itself. If you weren't necessarily won over by the band's other two albums, still give this EP a healthy shot, because it just might be a turning point for you and Gatsby's American Dream. website
-tChow

GARY WILSON
MARY HAD BROWN HAIR
STONES THROW
Gary Wilson was making sub-hip, electro-pop cult music in 1977, and he's still doing it. Better than Jandek and more transparently psychological than Daniel Johnston, Wilson's new album of lo-fi electro-funk is his first since the late '70s. Some things never change, and Wilson is still obsessed with the real or imagined lost loves Mary, Linda, and Debbie. MARY HAD BROWN HAIR is destined to be a classic.
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

GBH
CRUEL & UNUSUAL
IDOL RECORDS
This most recent release from GBH is a collection of cover songs from bands like The Lurkers, Billyclub, and The Rezillos, as well as live recordings. The songs "No" and "I'm On Heat" were recorded in 1987, and "Last of the Teenage Idols" was recorded in 1989. These three songs are actually some of the better songs on the album. "No" is my favorite track. The tracks "Freak", "Time Bomb", "Drugs Party in 526", and "Give Me Fire" were recorded live at the Cockpit in Leeds, England, in 2002. The live portion of the CD displays what it is like to see the band play live with all their energy, attitude, and speed. This album is a nice edition for any GBH and punk-rock fan, as it contains both new and old recordings.
-Jennifer Moncayo

INSTRUCTION
S/T
GEFFEN
Instruction is a rock band that plays fast and loud music the caliber of Linkin Park's. The vocals are similar to Disturbed, with a low but loud voice and also high-pitched screaming. Their has a more modern, mellow indie-rock sound, with very powerful vocals similar to Creed and The Deftones. Their music has range and seems like it will do well once it is put out in the mainstream. And they have been picked up by Geffen Records, so I'm sure they will become one of those many bands that are played on way too many radio stations way too often, as their music is probably palatable to many audiences.
-Jennifer Moncayo

GEISHA GIRLS
S/T
JSR RECORDS
Alright kids, time to say hello to your new favorite band. Geisha Girls (ironically are not girls at all, rather three guys based out of Costa Mesa, CA) are caught in a beautiful time warp of Brit-flavored late 70s/early 80s post-punk driven madness. Traces of Public Image Limited, Gang of Four, A Certain Ratio, and even a bit of The Cure or Violent Femmes can be heard throughout. This four track E.P. is littered with infectious bass lines, choppy guitars, and pulsating drums that?ll guarantee to get you off your lazy ass. This is sold as a 45rpm and can be purchased through the band directly at this email address or at Vinyl Solution in Huntington Beach, CA.
-Jude Ruiz

GONGA
GONGA
TEE PEE RECORDS
Gonga reminds me a lot of Black Sabbath. They have a heavy sound, but they have a definite groove, too. They were discovered by Geoff Barrow from Portishead, and I can also hear some elements of that, as if Portishead and Black Sabbath collaborated. But the majority of their songs are reaching past the seven-minute mark, and I have ADD and can't handle it, and I flip out?so who knows how the songs end? But they start off pretty well. If you have the attention span of a saint, then maybe you should check them out.
-chad

GRANT OLNEY
BROKEDOWN GOSPEL
ASIAN MAN RECORDS
Just like any big city, Austin, TX, has its share of the poor, lost, vagrants living among the rubble of the cold cement. Unlike the thousands who walk the streets and fail to consider the lives that hang perilously on a daily basis, Grant Olney chooses to recognize these less-fortunate in an attempt to wake himself from the numbness before it encompasses his soul. BROKEDOWN GOSPEL is an album that remembers the forgotten and accepts the thin line drawn between good and bad luck. No one is immune. Olney croons through folk, jazz, pop, and rock songs mixed with his distinct vocals (which resemble Jarvis Cocker of Pulp) in order to get his message across. For more info, visit, .
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

GREENHAVEN
SOUTHBOUND SINGLE
HUMBLE RECORDINGS
Who out there can still remember their junior-high/high-school metalhead friends? Go ahead and try. We all had them. They were the quiet, polite, and generally larger fellows who didn't really seem to care about anything, as long you left them alone when they wanted you to. Sometimes they'd give you a ride home and maybe even scared away some of the larger, more intimidating gentleman coming to harass you. To thank these gentle giants for being so courteous, on occasion I would return the favor by attending a show or band practice of theirs. Those were the days I'd like to forget. Remember how predictably heavy and scary they were trying to sound but how they lacked any of the talent real metal bands have? Well, this just about accurately sums up Greenhaven. Not since the glory days of 1998 have I heard such juvenile, thoughtless muck trying to be passed off as metal. These guys sound like a bunk collaboration of '90s-era Misfits and Drowning Pool. Randy Rhodes would NOT be pleased, gentlemen!
-Matthew Siblo

GU MEDICINE
GU MEDICINE
UNDERGROOVE
If you're wondering what the "G" stands for in "GU Medicine," it's "genital." And the "U"? "Urinary." Put it all together, and you have a band with a worrying fascination with that most-feared of medical departments amongst the more promiscuous teens. So I guess it must seem strangely ironic then that a well-known female radio DJ should declare their heavy-thumping monster rock grooves "better than sex." But with the sheer level of sleaze oozing from every pore, it's enough to tempt even Monster Magnet's buxom groupies from his suave clutches. As such, it's a powerful, wall-cracking debut that's much heavier than most of their stoner-rock contemporaries, particularly when the rumbling, red-eyed Corrosion of Conformity juice of "Red in the Obvious" spurts out all over you. One for the weekend smoking session, I reckon.
-Mathew Hocking

HALFWAY TO GONE
HALFWAY TO GONE
SMALL STONE
Looking for that '70s fuzzed-out sound? Then you'll be enamored with the tones and tunes from Halfway to Gone and its latest, self-titled offering. This adrenaline-filled 12-track release ensures this New Jersey trio's place in the annals of fist-pumping, bottle-breaking, mayhem-unleashing rock 'n' roll history, as tracks like "Hammer's Fallin" grind with the abandon of a coked-up stripper, while the bluesy ball-breaking beat of "Good Friend" hearkens back to the days when Led Zep were in their prime and Aerosmith cared more about the drugs than collaborating with the flavor of the month. Armed with a ton of battleaxe riffs and amphetamine-powered attitude and blessed with instrumental gold like the Nugent-meets-Blue Cheer anthem "His Name Was Leroi", Halfway to Gone's third release puts this band way up on the list as a soundtrack to take into the woods and get wrecked to while feeling up your girlfriend in the '69 Dodge Charger.
-Mike SOS

HANALEI
WE'RE ALL NATURAL DISASTERS
THICK RECORDS
The solo debut from ex-The Ghost guitarist Brian Moss is a subtle, breathtaking album that worms its way into your subconscious on the first listen. The sound is dominated by acoustic guitar and backed by electronic keyboards and programmable drums, yet it is Moss's soft, ethereal voice and poignant lyrics that tie this material together. More poetic than musical, the lyrics to the 12 songs on this album are as smart as they are memorable. There's no rock 'n' roll here, just simple, beautiful melodies that move as smoothly as a canoe floating downstream in a quiet forest. Only a few artists can pull off a true solo album without leaving gaping talent holes at instruments they are unfamiliar with. Moss has pulled off one of the best solo albums I've ever heard. Give a few of the tracks a listen at , and I think you'll agree.
-DUG

HANOVER SAINTS
BLOOD, GUTS, & GLORY
FIRST STRIKE RECORDS
Hanover Saints have a raw and down-to-earth punk sound. Produced and put together well, this album offers plenty of attitude and punch to back up its tough talk, kind of like the mean guy at the end of the bar who can say whatever he wants because everyone knows he can kick their asses. But with songs like "New War Same War" and "Writing on the Wall", Hanover Saints show that they also offer style, emotion, and intelligence through their lyrics and music. Their eyes are open to the ugliness of the way the world works, and they aren't going to sugarcoat it.
-Thomas Murray

HATESPHERE
BALLET OF THE BRUTE
CENTURY MEDIA
Leave it to Century Media to sign blazing metal acts. Hatesphere are a Danish member of the Century Media family who have enough thrash and death-metal gusto going on to make themselves heard. BALLET OF THE BRUTE is a solid effort, with great rhythms and awesome power chords leading the way amongst catchy rhythms and scary vocals. It's not anything too different, but I did get a kick out of tacks such as "Vermin" and "Downward to Nothing", where it's simple headbanger bliss. Good stuff.
-Darren Ratner

HIT THE DECK
LOOK ALIVE
STRIKE FIRST RECORDS
Spirit-filled, straight-edge hardcore. With something as niche as this, one wonders how this band plans on spreading their message. Hit the Deck do just the trick and present their message with a no-frills, straightforward old-school hardcore attack. Back in the days of the circle pit, this band would sit at the head of the table with the other Knights of the Round Table, but they might just get overlooked with the focus shifting from traditional hardcore to the metal-tinged hardcore of today. Fans of Youth of Today, Champion, and Minor Threat will feel right at home with this record.
-Ray Harkins

HOT LIKE (A) ROBOT
HURRY UP AND DIE
CRITERION RECORDS
Here comes another weird band from San Diego. Hung Like (A)...I mean, Hot Like (A) Robot provides its listeners with an array of indie guitar licks and weird, introspective lyrical bangs that make for an interesting mix. At times sounding a little on the Fugazi side, the band has a very indie/punk edge. If you're into bands like Christiansen and Fugazi, then check out this album.
-ADF

JOEY'S LOSS
UNWELCOME TRAVELERS AND OTHER BRAVE MEN
INDIE VISION MUSIC RECORDS
From a musical standpoint, this record is very tight and easy to listen to. The only element acting as an anchor to this band is the lead vocalist. He lacks range and pitch, and because of his voice the album sounds monotone. The actual music is pop/metal-fused punk. The album is very similar to bands like MxPx and Slick Shoes, in the sense that they're all talented bands with Christian overtones. Once you get past the vocal lag, this is a very solid album.
-ADF

KIDS NEAR WATER
HEY ZEUS!_ABSTRACT
Though I'm loath to agree with the outlandish press-release statement proclaiming punk/hardcore/emo fans won't find "a band as talented nor find an album so destined to click" as Britain's Kids Near Water's first U.S. release, the 10-song HEY ZEUS!, it IS good. The guys bring the rockat times mellower, at times full of aggression, sometimes both in one composition, but always well-played and (by the sound of it) sincere. Great and more abrasive tracks like the outstanding, rather disoriented-sounding "And We Two Were Lost" and "Token" recall the genius of Rites of Spring. The album overall is intense. KNW mix post-hardcore goodness with indie, emo, and screamo intermittently, in the vein of From Safety to Where's masterpiece IRREVERSIBLE TRENDespecially in songs like the glorious opener "Bad Day Contest", which totally could've come off that record, as it's upbeat and full of feeling; and the by turns heavy and light "Forward Thinking". Impressive stuff.
-Janelle Jones

HOT CROSS
FAIR TRADES AND FAREWELLS
LEVEL PLANE
Hot Cross is an East Coast outfit whose latest, six-track endeavor challenges the listener to allow the band's potent juxtaposing of indie rock and post-hardcore to seep inside your system. With a staunch DIY approach (its label, Level Plane, is run by drummer Greg Drudy) and an expansive repertoire of D.C. hardcore, early SoCal punk, and NYC noisecore to choose from, Hot Cross keep your ears on their toes by throwing in tasty guitar licks and impassioned vocal melodies over frenetic rhythms, making sure that your full attention is paid. Captivating and thought provoking, fans of At the Drive-In, Fugazi, and any thinking man's hardcore outfit will soak this one up like a sponge.
-Mike SOS

HOT WATER MUSIC/ MORTIIS
THE NEW WHAT NEXT
EPITAPH
If you like Hot Water Music, THE NEW WHAT NEXT is going to be right up your alley. The album is filled with everything you've grown to love about the band, from the thought-provoking, gravelly vocals to the intricate musicianship. The production value on this recording is stellar, which makes the layered guitar textures that much more prominent. Some highlights include "My Little Monkey Wrench" and "Bottomless Seas". There's a nice mix of mellow melodic songs and harder-edged melodic songs. I think it's safe to say that THE NEW WHAT NEXT is the band's best effort to date.
-Dane Jackson

IRRADIO
MAKE-UP FOR THE INAUGURATED
GREY FLIGHT RECORDS
The sophomore release from this San Diego-based quintet is an electrifying journey into the heart and soul of fusion. With roots in jazz, funk, rock, and hip-hop, the band turns indie rock on its head with its captivating, original style. The music on this disc is probably closest to a Cake-like vibe. The 10 songs burn with originality, and the production by Ben Moore (Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt) puts the music in a league of its own. Huntington Beach's Grey Flight Records has a potential monster on its hands with this group. Grey Flight is offering most of their catalog at only eight bucks, so by all means search this one out. (And if you get the opportunity see this band live?they have the heart and soul of champions.)
-DUG

JED WHITEY
MONGOLOID CAGE MATCH
MANIC RIDE
For a bunch of supposed retards, Jed Whitey rock, as evidenced on their debut full-length, MONGOLOID CAGE MATCH (now THAT'S a scary thought). Fans of the old Epitaph sound will appreciate the speedy "My Own Private Altamont"; the extremely Pennywise-ish "Are You Ready to Hate Us?" (which kicks off the 10-song album); the ferocious "Yes? No!"; and the mean, hyper-intense, super-short finale "We Used Your Record as a Beer Coaster". Meanwhile, on occasion the Australian band channel The Dead Boys with the tough and gritty rockers "I'm OKYou're Fucked", "One Trick Pony", and "I Am Spasticus". They also throw in a nice little cover of Devo's "Uncontrollable Urge". Some good stuff going on here. Basically, the only moment on the entire record when the band falter is with the sub-par (and annoying) "My Band Is Better than Your Band".
-Janelle Jones

JOHNNY RELIABLE
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
SELF-RELEASED
Well, congratulations are in order. I honestly believe that Johnny Reliable is the worst band I have ever heard in my entire life?and believe me, that is saying a lot. I've heard some shit that would force a rational person to drive a screwdriver into their eardrums just to escape the noise they were being subjected to...but I'm saying Johnny Reliable is even worse then that, because just deafening myself isn't enough, because there'd still be a part of my memory that's been subjected to this. The thought terrifies me. They did send me a handwritten note (in pencil, no less) that says please review our album for your magazine. Well, here you go, guys!
-chad

JOSH KAMENSKY
SECOND STORY
SKY K STUDIOS
Sometimes you just have to feel bad. It is so clear that the person put a ton of time, money, and thought into producing this new musical extension of himself, yet it still somehow does not work. Josh tries to shake that pity. He employs various sounds, instruments, and supporting vocals, but he never overcomes that disconnect with the listener. "All Your Wendys" stands out amongst the muck by featuring a strong female singer who presents a beautiful contrast to the rest of the confused mass, but that highlight is not enough to alter the tone of the entire album. Earnest but unfocused, eclectic yet muddled, Josh tries to but just can't seem to find his own grove?never mind one that the listener can appreciate.
-Erika Owens

KILLRADIO
RAISED ON WHIPPED CREAM
COLUMBIA
Killradio is probably in line to have a smash hit. RAISED ON WHIPPED CREAM is a super mid-tempo rock disc. The band has found that point where rock can be ripping and big and still be accessible. The light in the sky for Killradio is lead singer/lyricist/guitarist Brandon Jordan. The opening track, "A.M.E.R.I.K.A", is by far the best, with its funky Jane's Addiction-like, relentless attack ("No matter where I go / You're always there / 'Cause no matter where I sit, man / I sit in fear"). Killradio is Jane's Addiction super light. To be accessible, the music must sound familiar, and RAISED ON WHIPPED CREAM sounds very familiar. That's the bad news. The good news is Killradio actually rock.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

KILLING THEORY
DEAD, BURIED, FORGOTTEN
TRIBUNAL RECORDS.
If Killing Theory's DEAD, BURIED, FORGOTTEN could be summed up in two words, those words would be (in the ancient language of death metal) Pig Destroyer. John Nguyen's voice is just as raw as Jr. Hayes's vox, which means it's like a psycho zombie whose larynx is being ripped out as he sings. Killing Theory is full of cool time changes and amazing instrumentation all around. Killing Theory really have their shit together. DEAD, BURIED, FORGOTTEN is a five-song EP that's not for everyone; but if you like your corpses decapitated and eaten by the light of big rock amplifiers, Killing Theory is the cup of death for you.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

KULTUR SHOCK
KULTURA-DIKTATURA
KOOLARROW RECORDS
Gypsy sounds with a muscular, post-metal delivery makes this an interesting (if not challenging) release. Not for relaxation, the energetic album may best be appreciated by ears attuned to Western hard rock but raised on East European folk. (If you find this intriguing but not accessible enough, I recommend Mano Negra.) website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

LANDLORD
SELF-TITLED
SELF-RELEASED
This New York City trio has come up with a novel idea for its debut album: good songwriting, excellent production, and a heartfelt political message. Very few?if any?self-released CDs reach the quality exhibited on the 12 tracks from this release. With a sound that radiates between U2 and Midnight Oil, the band has found a late-'80s groove that suits its material perfectly. Tunes like "War Child", "Revolution", and "Politics" pull no punches in the political arena and are some of the band's most passionate tunes. It's high time for this band to step up to an industry showcase gig and get signed.
-DUG

LORD STERLING
TODAY'S SONG FOR TOMORROW
SMALL STONE
When a band's instrumental arsenal includes Moog synthesizer, electric sitar, and a harmonium (whatever the hell that is), strap yourself in for a E ticket to Space Mountain, which you get courtesy of the New Jersey-based Lord Sterling. This quartet knows how to alter mood through sound, and the psychedelic aura of "Password" and late-'60s arena-rock swagger of "Tough Times for the Troubadours" are just some of the stock sounds manipulated here for maximum output. Sprinkled with acid and deeply rooted in punk-rock history, Lord Sterling put a sense of majesty into its sneer and come up with a 10-track collection that will swirl in your head for hours on end after a few solid listens. Heavy, trippy, and ultimately satisfying.
-Mike SOS

THE LUCKY STIFFS
TODAY WILL FOLLOW YOU
FIVE RECORDS DIME
This isn't just another boring pop-punk band, this is an omni-punk band. In fact, this is the world's first?and probably only?omni-punk band (whatever that even means!_). Apparently it implies an all-inclusive punk idea? I really don't understand. But this band is championing it, so I hope it works out for them. But first and foremost they should write some good songs, and then it would appear to be a more worthy cause. In all honesty, they're not as bad as, say, Good Charlotte. This is a six-song EP. The Lucky Stiffs are from San Francisco.
-chad

MALIBU STACEY
ON HEAT
TOWNSEND RECORDS
I'm not sure if Terrorvision made much of a splash your side of the pond, but over here they were, once upon a time, our very own pop/rock treasures, creating bouncy, sing-along anthems with enough riff-wielding grit to grant them exposure in every rock club in the land. But that was THEN. Now, this side of the millennium, bassist Leigh Marklew has got his act together, formed another band, and re-strung his bass with a post-grunge twang, rocking the heck out with some huge, chunky riffs alongside some shaky Ash-cum-Stony Sleep vocals. It's an endearing album, for sure, and will no doubt appeal to fans of Terrorvision's glitter-grime trounce, (not to mention The Wildhearts' melodic hooks). But whether this will stay near my stereo for more than a few plays is somewhat doubtful.
-Mathew Hocking

MAY I REFUSE/ MRSFLETCHER
A SPLIT CD
PANC RECORDS
This is a split cd featuring three songs apiece from two new competent Italian emo/indie-rock bands. May I Refuse kicks off the disc with their most winning tune "Wax House" and close their set with the lazy and melancholic "The Travel Song". Mrsfletcher doesn?t quite match the charisma of their label mates, with only their opener "I?m Coming There On January" having a lasting effect. There?s nothing groundbreaking going on here, but nothing embarrassing either, just a couple of hard working emo bands trying to globalize. See band sites for audio samples website or website
-Jude Ruiz

MINDGRINDER
MIND TECH
CANDLELIGHT
Norwegian noisemongers Mindgrinder have released a catastrophic display of aggression in the form of the outfit's debut, 10-track record. Containing all of the pummeling nuances of fellow Norwegian groups like Zyklon and Emperor, while combining heavily programmed and utterly disaster-ridden traces of bands like Fear Factory, MIND TECH's crushing riffs and incessant double-bass drumming are satisfactorily savage. Mindgrinder's sound of evil grinds on tracks like "Human Error" and slays on cuts like "Repulsive Evolution" in ways that any self-respecting extreme metal follower will enjoy endless hours of headbanging to.
-Mike SOS

MISCHIEF INVASION SOUNDTRACK
LIQUID 8 RECORDS
A soundtrack of hardcore industrial for a film based on a European street race, MISCHIEF INVASION is helmed by Fear Factory drummer Raymond Herrera. Much like Fear Factory's own material, this collection of songs goes absolutely nowhere except to blur the lines between nu-metal (e.g., Korn, Deftones) and guitar-driven "industrial" (e.g., new Ministry, Rammstein)...which is not very exciting or appealing. Those who have heard Fear Factory know what to expect from this soundtrack. However, for those interested in street racing, this high-octane, testosterone-driven soundtrack may be just the ticket. I, for one, would rather hear Yanni's intro theme to CBS's coverage of golf.
-Norberto Gomez, Jr.

MODEL CITIZEN
THE INNER FOOL
BENT RAIL FOUNDATION RECORDS
"Eccentric punk" is the term I've coined to describe Model Citizen. The group blends elements of early angst-ridden punk rock with classic rock beats. If The Rolling Stones were to form a band with Dead Kennedys, it would probably sound something like Model Citizen. Catchy melodies that're aggressive in nature makes for one solid album.
-ADF

MOMENTS IN GRACE
MOONLIGHT SURVIVED
ATLANTIC
I am going to just say it, get it off my chest: the best thing about this up-and-coming band is, without a doubt, vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Griffith. Everyone will agree. Their publicist, their label, their A&R guy, their oldest and newest fans?they all agree. You'd think that a voice like that would be enough, but, amazingly, Moments in Grace has more going for them. An emotional, melodic rock sound accompanies the beautiful voice, making a perfect match. MOONLIGHT SURVIVED is not MIG's first offering (it follows a rough demo), but it is their first release on their new label, Salad Days/Atlantic. This combination of powerful music and powerhouse label will definitely bring Moments in Grace the recognition and distribution they deserve. website
-tChow

MOONLYGHT
PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS
NAVARRE
Moonlyght is a Canadian metal troupe whose sound encompasses many different genres of metal, from the darker-edged keyboard-laden to classic, guitar-led, valiant metal to folksy, forest-esque stuff?usually in the span of one song. On the outfit's seven-track release, the epic songwriting is an imperative: only one song is under five minutes long. This device serves to place the listener on a fantastic, metallic journey that melds traditional metal with some more progressive and experimental elements. If you've got the attention span and the ability to appreciate detail, or if Dream Theater is your favorite band but you dig Satyricon and Cradle of Filth, too, then PROGRESSIVE DARKNESS is right up your alley.
-Mike SOS

MORNING 40 FEDERATION
MORNING 40 FEDERATION
M80 MUSIC
This New Orleans-based troupe's raw and throbbing dirt-funk tirades do for music what eating meat off of still-living animals did for culinary arts. This is the filthiest beast in the kingdom of dirty funk rock, no question, and it's produced exclusively for grungy folks who frequent strip bars after nightfall to get shit-faced on warm scotch and steal toilet paper from the bathroom. In fact, an analogy between Morning 40 Federation's gloriously drunken sing-alongs and toilet tissue may indeed be drawn. Clearly, the abrasiveness of muddy romps such as "Gotta Nickle" and "Headlamp" cannot be aligned in any way with that quilted and triple-layered stuff. Nah, it's more like that prison-issue, single-layer shit that doubles for cardstock and rubs you like a ball of smoldering hot thumbtacks. At first you kind of hate it, but then you're all like" yeah, that's it," and you even start to kind of like it. Wiping your ass analogies?that's why you need this album.
-Dave Kargol

MORTHEM VLADE ART
SLOW WAVE SLEEP
LUMINAL RECORDS
Morthem Vlade Art are a Parisian duo whose albums rival any of those late-night chill-out compilations, with a little help from some dislocated electronic grooves. SLOW WAVE SLEEP is a retrospective from 1988-2002 that showcases some of Morthem Vlade Art's finest tracks from their first three full-length releases. SLOW WAVE SLEEP easily provides some great after-party music, though on occasion tracks like The Cure-esque "Counter Canter" or the icy cold, Aphex Twin-styled "Crimson Lung" take center stage and you realize just how interesting this shit is. website
-Jude Ruiz

MORTIIS
THE GRUDGE
EARACHE
Though tempting, it's difficult to label Norway's Mortiis a sell-out for one simple reason: he's never actually sold anything. After ditching black metal's mightiest band, Emperor, in 1991, he went on to explore his own dark, twisted, and fairly boring creativity, which included a professed love for Enigma and several synth-dominated releases that, honestly, no one listened to. Now he's back with a full band that's actually (gasp!) playing like a real band, with guitars and tempos and shit like that. Unfortunately, the band they're playing like is Nine Inch Nails, and THE GRUDGE (which is billed as an "electro-industrial epic") sounds as though it could have been written and discarded by Trent Reznor after fucking Courtney Love 10 years ago. The remedial programmed beats, guitars so weak most Republicans wouldn't be offended... Christ! I'm a metalhead! I don't dance! Get this shit outta here!
-jzk.

MOURNING SEPTEMBER
A MAN CAN CHANGE HIS STARS
FLOODGATE RECORDS
Houston, we have reached a breaking point. The glut of music of this variety has expanded so far into the culture that you cannot escape it, no matter how hard you try. Mourning September can play, no question about it. The question remains if what they are doing evokes any real feeling. Obviously, I can only speak for myself, but when listening to their debut full-length, it just sounds very "modern." If this band were standing on their own in a sea of bands that have the whole Further Seems Forever rock sound, they might just peek their heads above water...but not by much.
-Ray Harkins

MYSTIC CHORDS OF MEMORY
S/T
ROUGH TRADE
Mystic Chords of Memory is comprised of former guitarist from Beachwood Sparks Christopher Gunst. The band takes their name from Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address, which Gunst found as a poignant and fascinating way to describe music. The sound of their album goes along the lines of modern-day hippies. They play a mellow, earthy rock, with multiple instruments, including harps and organs. Mystic Chords of Memory are from Santa Cruz, and this is a hippie-like album full of serenity.
-Jennifer Moncayo

NO COMPLY
WITH WINDMILLS TURNING WRONG DIRECTIONS
DECK CHEESE
They may be upping the profundity stakes with their album title, but naming your band after a certain skate trick is rather inevitably going to see you lumped into the whole skate-punk scene?and all the teenage lyricism that goes along with it...which isn't too bad. After all, the band specialise in galloping, high-energy melodic punk with a roasting brass section, and I can't think of much better to skate to on a sun-soaked summer afternoon?especially when said band contain the fiery talents of Miss Kelly, a girl harnessing one of the best female vocals in punk rock today (definitely up there with Tsunami Bomb's Agent M, but with maybe a bit more pissed-off attitude). Yeah, I can see ya smilin'! Sounds good, doesn't it? Then get this!
-Mathew Hocking

NORMAL LIKE YOU
THE WORST OF MANY FLAWS
SELF-RELEASED
Normal like You is just awful. Hanson meets Linkin Park. This is a five-song EP that is five songs too long. Their bio stresses how successful they are on mp3.com's San Francisco region ? so watch out!...I guess. Does website really mean anything? Who cares? Normal like You's music is so boring and uncreative, and yet for some reason lots of people have apparently downloaded it (and hopefully deleted it). And now, because of them, I'm sitting here being tortured by this wall of doldrums and bland pop. (Then again, I have nothing better to do.)
-chad

NO SUBSTANCE
TEACH KIDS TO HATE
MILLIEPEED
Ha ha, this is awesome! Not in a polished, musically proficient way, but in an inexperienced, totally DIY, give-it-all-you've-got punk rock kinda way. From the time-consuming cut 'n' paste layout to the hand-scrawled label logo to the cool little rambling message about the band and this recording in the sleeve ("This artwork is really getting stressful?I have to be at Ben's house in a couple of hours to get it all scanned in and finalised. Since when was punk rock supposed to feel like homework?"), this record oozes a true do-it-yourself attitude. Musically, there are no surprises, bashing out thoroughly basic, raspy-throated punk that, okay, you wouldn't go out of your way to find; but after soaking up the passion behind the whole package, you can't help but fall in love with them. They personally asked me to include their e-mail in a hand-written note, so here it is: .
-Mathew Hocking

ODD PROJECT
THE SECOND HAND STOPPED
INDIANOLA
A big fuss is being made about this being Indianola's most-anticipated and -requested new release in some time. For the life of me, I cannot figure out what the appeal is. This sounds identical to any screamo/metalcore-lite band currently annoying me. There's nothing new or original on THE SECOND HAND STOPPED. Fans of Boys Night Out, From Autumn to Ashes, Alexisonfire, Norma Jean, and Eighteen Visions (should I go on?) will probably drop a load or kickbox or whatever to these 10 songs, but I'm left feeling generally ambivalent towards this disc. I like the full-on death sections, but when they kick back into wimp-core, they just lose it for me. If it was all death (or all wimpy), hey, I'm there, but this is a band with a severe identity crisis.
-Jason Schreurs

OSTINATO
LEFT TOO FAR BEHIND
EXILE ON MAINSTREAM RECORDS
The debut full-length CD from this Arlington, VA-based prog-rock trio is a sonic adventure into an intricate world of the band's own making. With slow, plodding development, Ostinato's songs build to a level of complication and exhilaration that few bands can match. The fact that Ostinato was signed by a German label gives this band a definite edge in a business where an American label would pressure the band to put out a pop tune once in a while. The Germans thrive on complex orchestral-type tunes with pretentious choral work (much like Wagnerian opera). The sheer quantity of noise that this trio of musicians packs into a song is amazing. This album may not appeal to pop/punk enthusiasts, but for those who enjoy Coheed and Cambria, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead, this is a godsend.
-DUG

PINES
SELF-TITLED
GREY FLIGHT RECORDS
The debut EP from this Illinois-based stoner trio is an instrumental gem that dredges up memories of Rush and Black Sabbath in their salad days. The only real problem with the four catchy tunes on this ear-splitting retro romp is the lack of a Geddy Lee or an Ozzy to give these songs some substance. A band can come up with all the great rock riffs in the world, and unless it can meet the competence level of Alvin Lee or Jeff Beck, there is no way it can pull off a purely instrumental set. What we're left with here is three wasted guys playing some great rock 'n' roll in a basement somewhere, just waiting for a lead singer to show up.
-DUG

THE PAPER CHAMPIONS
WEEKEND OF COMPROMISE
REASON Y RECORDS
In this debut release from The Paper Champions, the listener is struck with many trite tunes that you can hear from just about any band of the emo-rock genre today. They don't really break any new ground, and hardly any of it is memorable. Not to rip on these guys, but I truthfully found nothing redeeming in the time I spent listening to this record. I suppose if you like Thursday and The Starting Line that you might be into this, but I wouldn't recommend it.
-Hibb

PAUL BRILL
NEW PAGAN LOVE SONG
SCARLET SHAME RECORDS
This record plays out beautifully from beginning to end. Brill has written some fantastic indie-pop tunes with a few electronic touches scattered throughout. I gathered interesting lyrics and fun song structures for a surprisingly enjoyable listen. There's a lot of replay value here, too, as none of the songs seem to become played out. I recommend this for fans of Her Space Holiday, The Shins, and The Fruit Bats.
-Hibb

PONIES IN THE SURF
A DEMONSTRATION
EARLY MORNING LATE NIGHT
The first release from siblings Camille and Alexander McGregor is a soft and poignant slap in the face. With callous disregard for current trends and commercial markets, this Boston duo has crafted a seven-song disc of the music they believe their grandparents would have loved. The songs are candy-sweet, with soft acoustic guitar, the occasional bongo rhythm, and lyrics that sound as if they were lifted from early-'60s pop charts. There is the quirky and bizarre here, with tracks such as "Je T'aime" (which came from their 10-year-old niece), "More to Living" (which was a 1966 folk spiritual), and "Sweet and Low" (which is their attempt to write a commercial jingle). The McGregors' talent is obvious, their vision is endless, and this record is, well, both bizarre and cool.
-DUG

PUNK ROCK IS YOUR FRIEND 5
KUNG FU RECORDS SAMPLER # 5
KUNG FU RECORDS
29 tracks, five videos?for only $3.98. That's such a good deal! This compilation is pretty good, too. Kung Fu has some really cool bands on their roster. There's some heavy metal tracks, punk-rock tracks, dance tracks; some new tracks, some old tracks, and some remixed tracks. There's something for everyone?and it's fun. And it's only $3.98! Some of the bands included are Tsunami Bomb, No Use for a Name, Ozma, Stiff Little Fingers, The Vandals, Adolescents, and Guttermouth ? so you know what you're getting into.
-chad

RECESS
RECESS
SELF-RELEASED
Recess has climbed in a time-traveling machine and brought back with them a little Bad Finger meets a modish version of blues rock. This promo disc contains Recess' EP STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT! and six never-before-released tracks. Part of me likes this disc because it is familiar. The group isn't moving the art form an inch...which means part of me hates it as a rip-off and idea-free junk. But that's why I'm an asshole. If you don't mind the time warp, you will love Recess. Recess is a fine band with style. I have just heard it all before. I think that's the point.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

REMEMBERING NEVER
WOMEN AND CHILDREN DIE FIRST
FERRET
Remembering Never is on a mission to sanctify the scene, and they've even gone so far to start by blaming themselves for the lack of hardcore purity in the genre today. The remedy, according to this Florida-based quintet, is to be as abrasive as necessary while espousing the virtues and morals of a band on the mend and questioning the meaning of it all. Centered around riffs that churn, burn, and pound with efficient aggression, this 10-track endeavor combines the dissonance of Poison the Well with the sheer brutality of bands like Norma Jean and Darkest Hour. Metalcore fans will rejoice over the indulgent twin-guitar pummeling, while those who enjoy music with a conscience will find vocalist Mean Pete's screamed sermons a welcome addition to the band's arsenal. Showing more concern than your average outfit, Remembering Never's newfound direction should find the band making fans and friends that crave socially-aware yet relentlessly musical savagery.
-Mike SOS

RENMINBI
THE GREAT LEAP EP
OLIVE JUICE MUSIC
Renminbi are a NY trio that artfully works a quiet-to-loud experimental indie rock vibe that may appeal to fans of Sonic Youth, Mogwai, or The Rum Diary. This EP has all the free-form flow of an avant-garde jazz record; from the moody electro tinged "Electronika" to the offbeat song structured "Call & Response" to the riot grrl flavor (complete with layered vocals) of "Chant Song". This is definitely not instant pleasure but given a repeated listen or two this could grow on you faster than a stubborn pimple. Hey, don?t take my word for it, see for yourself at website
-Jude Ruiz

RESILIENCE
SOUND OF STRENGTH
SOS RECORDS
Having shared a stage with punk giants like Agnostic Front, The Business, T.S.O.L., and The Casualties, Resilience are one five-piece combo that prove they can hold their own with the heavy hitters of punk. As classic as classic hard punk can get, Resilience kicks out some street punk and sing-along Oi! anthems for this, their sophomore-release. With all the yelling going on, SOUND OF STRENGTH should have what it takes to get you worthless punks moshing in no time. resiliencepunx.org
-Jude Ruiz

RESPIRA
THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAD PLANNED
GREY FLIGHT RECORDS
A five-track EP, THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAD PLANNED is some vibrant emo, without compromising its ability to get a little mushy. Most tracks (such as "A Brief Conversation" and "The Least Self Destructive Self Destructive Thing You Could Do") start as if they're yielding, and then swing into minor-chord electric guitars and percussion. But true to emo, there are those moments of contemplation when it seems like the band just plopped themselves on a sofa. THIS IS NOT WHAT YOU HAD PLANNED may not be all you want?or what you had planned?but it's something to be made welcome.
-Darren Ratner

ROCKSCAR
S/T
UNDERTONE
Coming from Seattle, RockScar is the sort of grunge-revival band that half of us hoped for and the other half wore extra garlic around their necks to stave off. In any case, this EP isn't all bad, with some elements of Nirvana and basic punk roots (á la The Ramones) placed somewhere in there.
-Hibb

RWAKE
IF YOU WALK BEFORE YOU CRAWL, YOU CRAWL BEFORE YOU DIE_AT A LOSS
Crusty metal at its most visceral is the handiwork of Rwake, a sextet from Arkansas that employ two lead singers (but not in the Linkin Park way). While sinister stoner riffs flow through the twin-guitar onslaught (á la Judas Priest back in the day), one singer tears a lung out with screams of agony, while the other follows suit. They're armed with a sampler and a Moog for some texture. And texture is what you get throughout this album, as Rwake evolve from the dark acoustic guitar intro of "Sleep and Forget Forever" to sludgy dissonance on "Woodson Lateral" with the greatest of ease. If you're looking for an album to slap you around some while blowing your mind, then Rwake's latest release is the one to get.
-Mike SOS

SAINT VITUS
V
SOUTHERN LORD
Saint Vitus, along with Trouble and The Obsessed, were the seminal American doom acts, dutifully holding the torch passed down by the mighty Black Sabbath. The re-release of the band's eight-track metal opus is like receiving an early Christmas present for stoners everywhere. The churning yet subtle grooves found on V are without question some of today's stoner rockers main influence, and to hear the incendiary Wino in the early years is a treat for all who worship heavy music. Laden with sludge and chock full of the sounds that have shaped metal music for over a decade, Southern Lord has done a fine job of bringing a band into the limelight and allowing an unsung musical group its just desserts.
-Mike SOS

SASQUATCH
SASQUATCH
SMALL STONE
The debut release by this trio boasts a Leonard Nimoy sound clip from the cult sci-fi expose IN SEARCH OF, and from there Sasquatch kicks into high gear. Syrupy sweet á la Kyuss and Nebula and bottom-heavy like Fireball Ministry and Fu Manchu, this 10-track offering is long on heavy rock anthems like "Knuckle Down" and "Dragonfly", whose guitars chug with unabashed fury and whose rhythms are as groovy as a freshly-paved highway. Fighting the good rock 'n' roll fight, Sasquatch's hard-rockin' '70s feel and slight reprise of the psychedelic gel together masterfully, giving your head and heart alike bold thrusts of real rock swagger.
-Mike SOS

SCORPIONS
UNBREAKABLE
SANCTUARY
German metal stalwarts Scorpions have returned with a new album that finds the long-running outfit sounding as current as a band on its 35th year of existence can. UNBREAKABLE is billed as the band's return to the glorious metal sounds which yielded hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and "Blackout", and while that sounds like an unrealistic goal, you can't deny how good vocalist Klaus Meine still sounds for a man in his early 60s, especially on the harder-edged numbers like the first single "Love 'Em or Leave 'Em". The classic Scorps guitar stomp of master axemen Mathias Jabs and Rudolf Schenker is also prevalent here, as tracks such as the driving "Borderline" and fast-paced "Blood Too Hot" are the heaviest cuts the band has recorded in over a decade. Armed with new blood on bass and drums (Pawel Maciwoda and James Kottak, respectively), these Scorpions still possess the sting that made the group an international metal sensation.
-Mike SOS

SECOND AUDIO PROGRAM
S/T
SDI
Heavily influenced by Linkin Park and even traces of Evanescence, Second Audio Program just could be the next big thing on MTV. The songs have depth to them, and while not to my liking, they do contain a certain appeal that I'm sure fans of the alternative-rock genre would enjoy. Check out to hear for yourself.
-Hibb

SHAVE
TRANS UNIVERSAL WORLDWIDE
HEADCHANGE RECORDS
I think Shave is trying too hard to be different and innovative. By doing this, the band has made themselves a hodgepodge of styles that makes it hard to take them seriously. At times, the band sounds like an eclectic space-rock band. Then, it changes things up and resembles a jam band or groove rock band. The best way to describe Shave is an experimental jam band. Unfortunately, Shave's constant experimentation turned me off and made it hard to take this album seriously. When listening to this album, expect an eclectic and eccentric experience. It'll probably be a bumpy ride, as well.
-Dane Jackson

SIDEKICK
SO FAR AWAY
GALE FORCE RECORDS
This is the full length debut from this Hollywood, CA quartet who borrows from the likes of Screeching Weasel, Offspring, and Bouncing Souls to round out their sound. Mastered by East Bay Ray (The Dead Kennedys) many of these punk tunes possess a certain melodic pop quality that may not appeal to some of you punks out there. Checkout their website website for a few downloads and judge for yourself.
-Jude Ruiz

SIGNAL LOST
CHILDREN OF THE WASTELAND
PRANK
On the exceptional CHILDREN OF THE WASTELAND, Austin's Signal Lost undoubtedly prove they possess the entire package, a passionate, purposeful, mid-tempo hardcore punk coupled with meaningful, thought-provoking lyrics that question society (like these great thoughts from "Identity Crisis": "Why does it all have to be this way / Why does it all have to be the same / I don't wanna be a part of this / The fucking black sheep brigade"; and the visceral, defiant declaration: "We don't want to hear you fucking preach" (off "Diatribe")). With wonderful female vocals, the band is kind of a female-fronted Pipedown, I guess you could say. And oh, what vocals! They recall NY Rel-X's lovely Erikapowerful and tough, but also truly beautiful at times (as on the affecting, melancholy "Deus Ex Machina", where Ashley's voice takes on a PJ Harvey likeness). Basically, Signal Lost is a talented, highly-relevant hardcore punk outfit.
-Janelle Jones

SIX
THE PRICE OF FAITH
EMBRYO RECORDS
Six is a heavy metal band that reminds me of The Deftones or Korn or something like that...which I don't really dig but can still appreciate on some level. The first song on this album is really good, but after that it gets kind of stale and blah. You've heard it all before. It becomes so clich?d that you can't take it seriously. But I do believe there's potential here! Heavy rock fans would dig them, I think.
-chad

SKINKRAWL
DEMO
SELF-PRODUCED
SkinKrawL has been fucking shit up down in New Orleans for about a year now, but apparently the Mardi Gras parade never traveled down their street. Their demo (dedicated to "those who welcome suicidal death with open arms") presents three crazy, Korn-y, bass-heavy songs about death, suffering, and persecution gnashed and gnarled through shit-and-spit vocals of the guttural persuasion. Seriously, these guys are pissed about something?most likely the fact that they sound like they're humping Slipknot's leg. But, like most young metal bands, an extra guitarist (and a working Website) would really help push their neo-nu-metal sound to its glorious extreme?getting them one step closer to MTV2.
-jzk.

SLIM CESSNA'S AUTO CLUB
BLOUDY TENENT TRUTH & PEACE
ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
Choosing a pre-'60s country sound more like Hank Williams than anything in FM country today, Slim Cessna offers a refreshing take on Americana. The sound is big and eerie, like the open country at night and a blend of Johnny Cash and Nick Cave. website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

SLUTS OF TRUST
WE ARE ALL SLUTS OF TRUST
CHEMIKAL UNDERGROUND RECORDS
The guitar/drummer format made famous by The White Stripes is done here by Glasgow's Sluts of Trust. John McFarlane and Anthony O'Donnel actually do way more than garage rock. Stylistically, the duo is hitting a lot of points, such as Firehose on "That's Right...That Cat's Right', Andy Summers's weirdo songs on "Tighter than the Night", and Oingo Boingo on one of my favorite titles this week, "The continuing struggle between the Dirty and the Smooth starring Admiral Flannel and the Duke of Blag". WE ARE ALL SLUTS OF TRUST is an addictive disc. There is so much energy.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

SLUTS OF TRUST
WE ARE ALL SLUTS OF TRUST
CHEMIKAL UNDERGROUND RECORDS
The guitar/drummer format made famous by The White Stripes is done here by Glasgow's Sluts of Trust. John McFarlane and Anthony O'Donnel actually do way more than garage rock. Stylistically, the duo is hitting a lot of points, such as Firehose on "That's Right...That Cat's Right', Andy Summers's weirdo songs on "Tighter than the Night", and Oingo Boingo on one of my favorite titles this week, "The continuing struggle between the Dirty and the Smooth starring Admiral Flannel and the Duke of Blag". WE ARE ALL SLUTS OF TRUST is an addictive disc. There is so much energy.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

STARWOOD
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, BREAK IT!
METAL BLADE
Holy '70s! If you're a fan of Cheap Trick, KISS, or any other pre-'80s rock ensemble, Starwood might be just the nostalgia you need. IF IT AIN'T BROKE, BREAK IT! carries some of that '70s ass-kicker mentality, minus the makeup and hair products. It's a modern look at that blue-jean, dark-shades enthusiasm that was all the rage in that decade, with songs such as "What's Your Damage" brimming with old-school hard-rock moves. Even lead vocalist Lizzy sounds like Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson in some spots. Maiden rules...and so does Starwood.
-Darren Ratner

SUSPERIA
UNLIMITED
CANDLELIGHT
Susperia, once a predominant black-metal band, has all but shed that label on the group's latest release, the 10-track bruiser UNLIMITED. Forsaking the darker, more European sound for a solid slab of Bay Area thrash metal á la Testament c. 1990, this quintet have made an album that is sure to piss off longtime fans but also will crack open a whole new listenership for these Norwegian metallers. Tracks like "Devil May Care" still contain a black-metalesque atmosphere, but when melding with the band's new (and much more interesting) direction, the floodgates open, making a crushingly epic track that packs the punch of a Pantera with the aura of In Flames. Making a major change in a band's sound is risky, yet Susperia have picked a good time period and genre to rebuild its sound around, as the classic flare of tracks like "Home Sweet Hell", combined with the band's vast and explorative European metal background, allow Susperia to stand out among the multitude of bands running in circles.
-Mike SOS

TERROR
ONE WITH THE UNDERDOGS
TRUSTKILL
Terror is a Los Angeles-based hardcore troupe whose excruciatingly brutal 13-track debut showcases an old-school mentality that so many of today's bands completely miss. Whether it's through the beefy guitar breakdowns found on such pit anthems as "Are We Alive" or the rapid-fire rhythms and seething screams highlighted on "Spit My Rage", Terror is always on point, giving the listener a definitive mainline to aggression. As an added bonus, some of the most familiar voices in hardcore (Jamey Jasta, Lord Ezac, and Freddy Madball) are here to lend support to the cause, laying down some complimentary rage in support of the band that has toured with everyone from Sick of it All to Unearth. Reminiscent of the NYHC of the early to mid '90s with a sprinkle of Slayer-esque staccato mayhem and Sepultura's CHAOS AD style headbanging, this quintet have released an album that hardcore kids worldwide will be proud to crank and destroy to.
-Mike SOS

TEXAS THIEVES
KILLER ON CRAIG?S LIST
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
Here is another first-rate release from the good Dr. Strange. This is the second full-length album from the Texas Thieves, a shredding four-piece consisting of hard-drinking, harder skateboarding, punk aficionados from San Francisco CA. KILLER ON CRAIG?S LIST is a salvo of intense tunes that is very hardcore in nature, with amped-up, bluesy bass lines, on the spot drum work, and vocals reminiscent of Clif Hanger (The Freeze) and/or Casey Royer (D.I.) Fans of bands such as D.I., Aggression, and The Freeze will definitely get off on this one. If you appreciate fast, fun, aggressive, drunken, skate-minded, pit-inspiring madness that is still tight, pick up on the Texas Thieves. The only problem with this CD is that it is over much to quickly. Its total playtime clocks in at only seventeen minutes and fifty-four seconds. website website
-Marcus Solomon

THE ADICTS
ROLLERCOASTER
SOS RECORDS
The clown princes of rough-edged mirth and creative joviality have crafted the band?s seventh wonderful, full-length release. ROLLERCOASTER is perhaps the finest collection of songs since the first Adicts album, SONGS OF PRAISE, which was released way back in 1981. Often, the music on this CD noticeably slower and at times escapes from the vague realm known as punk rock, but it still retains the strong, uplifting spirit that always defines The Adicts experience. Almost every song is written with its crux being the live, audience sing-along. The result being a somewhat transcendent experience wherein the listener can almost hear every other Adicts fan harmonize with the gleeful Monkey and his musical droogs. This is another album where the songs get stuck in your mind for weeks, but you won?t mind one bit. Come ride the ROLLERCOASTER! website
-Marcus Solomon

THE BOMBSHELLS
THE BOMBSHELLS
SELF-RELEASED
The Bombshells are playing a role. They have cast themselves into the Iggy Pop/Stooges vein of rock 'n' roll. A lot of cats venture down this avenue, and most of them make jackasses out of themselves. The Bombshells make believable rock. Like I say, The Bombshells are committed to their roles. Lead singer Miguel Hell is full-blown playing the part?and he loves it, you can tell. He is great at the mic. Like The Ramones, The Bombshells' songs are short on lyrics and guitar solos. The Bombshells are patriots for a certain kind of religion. Like the fire-eaters in the freak shows of the night, they're just keeping an art form alive. All hail the Michigan rock straight out of the garage and into infinity. Amen.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE BONELESS CHILDREN FOUNDATION
THE BONELESS CHILDREN FOUNDATION
SELF-RELEASED
The Boneless Children Foundation are this quirky rock band who aren't very good. The singer sounds a lot like Jack White, but the lyrics are kind of lame, and the music is just slow popish blah. They are from San Francisco, and I'm assuming they must put on a better live show than they were able to put on record. Their bio mentions performances at certain cabarets around town. But based on this album, avoid them!
-chad

THE BRIEFS
SEX OBJECTS
BYO RECORDS
A previous SKRATCH MAGAZINE reviewer gave this wonderfully spastic collection of songs a good review, but also described the overall product as "tranquil." I must agree with that writer?s assessment that The Briefs? SEX OBJECTS is worthy of your hard-earned (non-Republican) dollar...but tranquil? Not so...tighter, cleaner, with a couple of relatively slower tunes, but definitely not tranquil. Here, The Briefs belt out more of its signature convulsive, new-wave influenced, aggro-quirk. It has both intelligence and absolutely insipid stupidity, always presented in this band?s distinctively unique manner that has inspired many pogo-saturated slam-pits. It starts off with a very catchy, humorous middle finger to the Bush administration?s retarded color-coded Terrorism Alert System with "Orange Alert," and ends with the superbly silly "Lifestyles of the Truly Lazy." Grab your dumb plastic sunglasses, put this CD on real loud, and pogo until your tongue pierces your cheek. website
-Marcus Solomon

THE COACH AND FOUR
UNLIMITED SYMMETRY
MAKESHIFT MUSIC
I really don't like this band, but you might. For fans of Q and Not U and other post-punk/indie rock/raw DC-sounding bands. website
-tChow

THE ERGS!
DORKROCKCORKROD
WHOAH OH RECORDS
Unfortunately for The Ergs!, this album is all over the place. It goes from Descendents-influenced pop-punk about love to distortion-laden guitar noise and ridiculous thrash. Luckily, 10 of the 15 songs presented on this album are of pop-punk love-song persuasion. If it were up to me, I'd take the remaining songs off this disc, because they really mess with the flow and don't do any justice to this band's talent. What sets these guys apart from other bands influenced by Descendents is that they don't sound like total rip-offs. While the whole love and heartbreak thing is slightly played out, The Ergs! do a good job of making it interesting. This is for fans of The Queers, Descendents, and possibly Screeching Weasel. Another cool thing about this band is there drummer is also the lead singer. That doesn't happen often.
-Dane Jackson

THE ESOTERIC
1336
BLACK NOISE
Released on Brad Logan's (F-Minus) record label and featuring Cory White of Reggie and the Full Effect and the ex-drummer of Today Is the Day, you'd expect The Esoteric's 1336 to be something special. Well, almost. What we get here is four songs of cool-sounding metalcore with a little ambience, a ton of possessed screaming, and enough ebb/flow riffs to last a lifetime. It's cool to hear this stuff done with a bit of thought put into it. This ain't so much the radical change-up, short-attention-span 'core that is constantly smothering the genre; instead, as is the case with bands like Breather Resist, Playing Enemy, and the much-missed Botch, there's room to breathe here, giving the songs much more impact. And when it comes to this kind of stuff, you gotta love the EP.
-Jason Schreurs

THE EXIT
HOME FOR AN ISLAND
SOME
The Exit play elegant punk that hearkens back to the early days of U2, The Police, and The Clash. Dreamy at times yet strikingly attentive (especially the rhythm section), HOME FOR AN ISLAND contains reggae-rock vibes with the quiet disobedience of punk stirring about, making the listening experience much more esoteric than, say, a Sublime or 311 record. Making smart, detailed rock is not easy, yet The Exit use good blueprints and execute its blend of dub, rock, and island beats with grace and assertiveness. If you yearn for something headier than another bleached-haired punk-rock band that sings without conviction, check out The Exit.
-Mike SOS

THE FIRST STEP
OPEN HEARTS AND CLEAR MINDS
AM RECORDS
Someone has to represent the North Carolina hardcore scene, so why not these guys? This album is solid in many ways, but if you squint your eyes really hard, it almost sounds like what will happen when pop-punk meets hardcore. The vocals are mean and pleasing. They seem frantic at times when trying to keep up with a very fast rhythm section, but it all comes together nicely for a solid sound that is appropriate for breaking traffic laws or sucker-punching frat boys.
-Thomas Murray

THE FREEZE
FREAK SHOW / CRAWLING BLIND
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
Happily riding the razor?s edge between old school punk and the first wave of hardcore, Boston?s The Freeze escapes from detox and the confines of time with two shredding re-released albums on one CD. Both FREAK SHOW and CRAWLING BLIND are brilliant, artistic testaments to vocalist Clif Hanger?s slow process of self-destruction. All 31 songs on this collection are high quality, hard-hitting, and contagious. FREAK SHOW was originally minted in 1996 and is considered by many (including clif) to be the best from this band. CRAWLING BLIND was first crafted in 1994 on Germany?s Lost and Found label, but it was virtually impossible to find in the U.S. Drugs, fuck the cops, do whatever you want and screw the consequences...it?s all here. You may also be a walking disaster, but will your demise sound this good? website
-Marcus Solomon

THE FUTUREHEADS
THE FUTUREHEADS
679
Emerging from the fast-growing North East indie-punk scene, The Futureheads?all aged between 18 and 21?are a head-spinning aural mind spasm, to put it bluntly. A multifaceted mish-mash of dizzying, shambolic harmonies, choppy guitar jerks, and abstract lyricism delivered with a manic, twitching, compulsive expressionism that propels their thorny art-rock racket with an urgent, guitar-grinding thrust. Their vocals being delivered with broad Tyne & Wear accents intact adds immeasurable weight and character to tracks like "Robot", where its dizzying call-and-response chants from all four members gets you bopping your head from side to side, uncontrollably oooing, ahhing, and singing along. Well, what are you waiting for? Go get!
-Mathew Hocking

THE GOOD LIFE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
SADDLE CREEK
Personally, anything that is led by Tim Kasher's raw drawl is a winner. And where there is his voice, there is his songwriting genius. It's not Cursive?it's something much, much more. More folk, more toned-down, less attitude and anger, and more satirical wit, more catchy hooks, and less guitar-driven, The Good Life is everything that Cursive isn't?and for good reason. Kasher lets out in TGL what he can't in Cursive. What started out as his solo side-project has now grown into a full-fledged and singular band. Each release from The Good Life has been so different from the last, from his first album, NOVENA ON A NOCTURN, to his newest EP, LOVERS NEED LAWYERS. All of the best traits from each of the band's releases come together in ALBUM OF THE YEAR (pretentiously- but rightfully-titled). I love it, and so should you. website
-tChow

THE GREAT DECEIVER
TERRA INCOGNITO
PEACEVILLE
The Great Deceiver is an extreme hardcore/metal rock band from Sweden. They call themselves a melodic metal band, but it seems more accurate to add "hardcore." The vocals are a low growling hardcore scream, which maintain through the chorus, accompanied by backup vocals that could be considered melodic in comparison to the vocals. The Great Deceiver deliver a rough dose of anger with their second album, TERRA INCOGNITO. This is definitely an album for lovers of heavy metal and hardcore.
-Jennifer Moncayo

THE HALF EMPTIES
S/T
ROGUE RECORDS
Rising out of the Arizona heat, The Half Empties cool you off with a refreshing dose of punk rock with anthemic vocals and riffs. "Drug of a Nation" starts the CD off on a great foot, as it is full of fun, great guitar riffs, and awesome vocals. The vocals have a raspy quality to them while still being able to sing and maintain melody. The Half Empties' album was produced and recorded by Chip Hanna, former drummer of U.S. Bombs and drummer of One Man Army. Coincidentally, The Half Empties sound is comparable to One Man Army, except for the vocals.
-Jennifer Moncayo

THE HELLBOYS
CHA CHA WITH THE HELLBOYS
THE HELLBOYS
The Hellboys is an amorphous, protean group and somewhat of a prog-rock collective. The central figure is Tom Redmond. Redmond is part of the sound-alike triumvirate that also includes Lou Reed and Larry McMurtry. On this album are Tony Levin, Jerry Marota, Robert Fripp, The California Guitar Trio, and more. The album is a wonderful blend of shocking sounds, unexpected melody, and quirky lyrics. website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE JE NE SAIS QUOI
SECRET LANGUAGE EP
COALITION RECORDS
I don't know what it is about The Je Ne Sais Quoi, but they make me think that indie dance hipsters can join hand with the punks. They have the signature female keyboardist, Josie O. Charlie M. offers his stoic, cutting vocals. Their spastic, funky bass lines thrown in with the steady drumbeats is as natural and godly as peanut butter and jelly (or do I just have the late-night munchies?). These four from Sweden are kicking off their non-stop dance party pretty well (and "non-stop dance party" is synonymous with "super music career").
-Mabel Lam

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT
THE SOUNDS OF VINDICATION
FORSAKEN RECORDS
The Manhattan Project is a collection of strapping young men who have decided to make some intense metalcore á la Hatebreed and Metallica. These men create some interesting tunes, with certain dance breakdowns and an intensity rivaled only by the heaviest of hardcore bands. For fans of Adamantium and Welcome to Your Life.
-Hibb

THE NADS
BACKASSWARDS
DOLLAR RECORD RECORDS
With a band name and CD title like these (not to mention MAD MAGAZINE-inspired artwork), I was expecting some stupid-ass, cheesy, "funny" pop-punk shit. Luckily, The Nads are much more than meets the eye. On BACKASSWARDS, this San Francisco band (who've been together for eight years) unleash very pleasing dirty, raw, gritty, and tough rock 'n' roll/proto-punk, which harks back to greats like The Stooges and Rocket from the Tombs, as well as the later rock 'n' roll-drenched punk of The Dead Boys. No posturing here, just sweat-soaked, bare-bones rock. I don't know how old these guys are now (their Website says something about The Nads' "family tree" going back about 20 years, and there's a subsequent declaration of "Oh my god we're old!"), but they certainly got two-thirds of the YOUNG LOUD AND SNOTTY credo covered...which is more than most bands can say.
-Janelle Jones

THE NECESSARY
THIS IS US
FORESAKEN RECORDS
Nothing annoys me more than bands with blatant signs of arrogance, and The Necessary have this in spades. Between their band name, album title, and the lyrics of the album's opener, "Captivated" ("We think you should be captivated / By every word and melody"), I couldn't help but scoff at THIS IS US before I had even pressed play. Even more disturbing was that after I listened to each track, this arrogance turned out to be completely unwarranted, as The Necessary are nothing more than a third-rate Taking Back Sunday?this being extremely ironic, considering that Taking Back Sunday is essentially just a second-rate version of a handful of bands with actual talent. By my fuzzy math, this makes The Necessary somewhere along the lines of being six times removed of a quality band. I may not be the smartest man around, but I don't like those odds.
-Matthew Siblo

THE ONCE OVER TWICE
SPECIAL MOMENTS TO DETONATE THEMSELVES
IN AT THE DEEP END
Writing my batch of reviews has proved frustratingly difficult this month?not because of any computer-related problems or because I've run out of caffeine and have had to type this through swollen, red eyes to meet the deadline, but for the simple reason that this insanely brilliant band have taken complete control of my stereo and refuse to leave until something as aggressively catchy, fast, and intelligently-written in the world of Bluetip-esque post-hardcore arrives and successfully fights them in a sword-thrashing duel for their lofty throne. So I guess that means I'm buying a new stereo, then? Don't say I didn't warn you.
-Mathew Hocking

THE ORANGES BAND
TWO THOUSANDS
MORPHIUS RECORDS
With a whole lot of attitude going on, TWO THOUSANDS is a concoction of tracks from the band's first two Morphius releases: THE FIVE DOLLARS EP and 900 MILES OF FUCKING HELL. If you've never had a taste of those two albums, this is a great way to hear the group's gnarly, Quentin Tarantino-esque approach to indie rock. There's a macho edge to it. When a track like "Nextstopexjock" starts to play, the vocals come across distorted, the drums are jumpy, and the guitars kick hard. TWO THOUSANDS is a good album, and its strut seemed well worth the listen
-Darren Ratner

THE PARTISANS
IDIOT NATION
DR. STRANGE RECORDS
Originally formed in the summer of 1979, The Partisans return with its best ever release. A considerable quantity of the immortal spirit of the late Joe Strummer manifests in the music, lyrics, passion, and delivery in this 11-song masterpiece. IDIOT NATION is one of the best punk rock albums of all time! Damn! Sometimes it sounds so much like the late '70s Clash, that you will wonder if Mr. Strummer had another secret side project that was a bit grittier but every bit as relevant. The primarily mid-tempo and always inspiring music is also reminiscent of 999, The Buzzcocks, and even has a hint of early Social Distortion. A "Partisan" is a resistance fighter. Make this CD the soundtrack to your own battle in this current IDIOT NATION named the U.S.A. "We don't want your cause / We don't want your wars!" website
-Marcus Solomon

THE PAYBACKS
HARDER AND HARDER
GET HIP RECORDINGS
Detroit's legendary Wendy Case (Ten High) continues to burn bright in the neo-garage constellation. Some of the hard-driving songs further her projected persona of hard drinking and hard sex (e.g., "Can You Drive," "Scotch Love"). To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln in regards Gen. Ulysses Grant, find out what she is drinking and send a case of that to all the other ladies leading garage punk rock 'n' roll bands, because this album swings as well as it rocks. A lot of that swing is undoubtedly due to the presence of the rhythm section from The Hentchmen (i.e., bassist John "Johnny Volare" Szymanski and drummer Mike "Audi" Latulippe). website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THE RAINLIGHT
NOTHING SAYS I LOVE YOU LIKE MURDER
SELF-RELEASED
Never forget the adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover," because it's all too true. This CD came in all its home-PC-burned glory, complete with a title referencing murder and love. Now, normally an underproduced package with an over-the-top name would bring to mind a few loud, crusty kids in a basement. In reality, The Rainlight are a few indie kids apparently inhabiting their own little world where effort equals ability. It is clear that they take this very seriously and did put a lot of time, planning, and heart into this EP. Bravo for trying, but I doubt that random assaults of screaming and run-of-the-mill indie rock will catapult them from self-release world.
-Erika Owens

THE SAFES
BOOGIE WOOGIE RUMBLE
PRO-VEL RECORDS
The O'Malley brothers?Frankie and Patrick on guitar and Michael on bass?along with drummer Doug James have put together a great five-song 10-minute shout-out disc. The guitar hook on track 3, "Wired", is brilliant and followed me around for days. Track 4, "D-Down", is a rocking instrumental which reminds me of The Replacements' "Seen Your Video". My vote for video or hit single is closer "Mental Wheelchair". That song's structure reminds me of The Plimsouls with more balls. The Safes are a tight outfit. BOOGIE WOOGIE RUMBLE is a kicking collection of songwriting prowess and instrumental mastery. This is rocking.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THE SIRENS
THE SIRENS
GET HIP RECORDINGS
The ladies of Detroit quartet The Sirens dress the part, harmonize like The Shangri-Las, and rock out with a great selection of covers on this 12-track garage-rock album. We have here Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro ("Glycerine Queen"), Ike Turner ("I'm Blue"), Roky Erickson ("Don't Slander Me"), and more delivered in a burst of fuzzed-out '70s glam energy. The singer is Muffy Kroha, little sister to Dan Kroha (Gories, Demolition Doll Rods). Muffy has come quite a ways from teaching theatre to youths in Africa. Playing guitar is Melodylicious (Gore Gore Girls). website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

THESE ARMS ARE SNAKES
OXENEERS
JADE TREE RECORDS
Seeing that their first EP was one of my favorite records of last year, one could expect the joy when my package arrived. At first listen, it seemed to be the usual story for most bands that release a great EP first: their full-length just lacks the kick that was present initially. Once you dig a bit deeper, though, things begin to make sense. While not as edgy, These Arms Are Snakes are more concerned with creating a record that encompasses a certain vibe, rather than the inconsistent tendencies of their previous work. I am reminded of Ink and Dagger, Frodus, and other progressive punk acts that never quite hit the mainstream audience but developed such a cult following that it did not matter. Either way, These Arms Are Snakes push forward their artistic vision, and I, for one, am happy I am a part of the ride.
-Ray Harkins

THE SEX MANIACS
MEAN AS HELL
MANIC RIDE
These Yorkshire lunatics put forth a solid album that will break a few teeth loose from the gumline. Crunchy guitars and dirtbag lyrics will have listeners abandoning all sense of personal hygiene while dancing around in their garages to songs like "Four Big Dicks", "Broken Down Clown", and "Illegal Libido". Their sound is somewhere in between mean classic rock and old punk.
-Thomas Murray

THE SKULLS
NIGHT OF THE LIVING SKULLS
FINGER RECORDS
I hear The Skulls (who originally formed in 1977 and are undoubtedly one of THE greatest rock 'n' roll-infused punk bands EVER) were voted BEST live band in Europe. After experiencing this CD/DVD, I don't wonder why. This awesome package includes a 42-minute, 16-song, simply blazing live set taped in L.A. (2003), PLUS a two-hour DVD with interviews, concert footage, the guys playing a nine-year-old's birthday party (!), etc. If you like The Skulls (and if you don't, there's something horribly wrong with you), get this release. Awesome band, live or in the studio. The only thing that could make this better is if "Gold and Ruby Red" was in their set. Oh, but now I'm just being picky. Anyway, this release consists of furiously energetic, non-stop action. Thank god that by the time this issue comes out, they'll have hit NYC and I'll have seen this shit in personthough they DO end the record with The Randoms' "Let's Get Rid of New York". Whatever.
-Janelle Jones

THE SNAKE THE CROSS THE CROWN
MANDER SALIS
EQUAL VISION
Sometimes I wonder when I will finally just have my fill of falling in love with new bands. I mean, there has to be some sort of limit, right? The Snake the Cross the Crown is weaseling its way into my heart. MANDER SALIS is the band's first release from their new home Equal Vision, and it's sure to be a winner. There is a lot of variety to be found on the album?some pop, some alt, some country, some indie, some straight-up rock, and some easy listening. There's something for everybody, really. Somehow the band finds a way to claim all these sounds as their own and bring it together to form an identity of their own. website
-tChow

THE STRANGER'S SIX
THE INAUGURAL
SELF-RELEASE
THE INAUGURAL is a very impressive debut. From the beginning of "Pagan", lead singer Aaron Thompson's voice captivated me. At times he sounds like a mix between Misfits-era Glenn Danzig and Davey Havok, but mostly he just has a very definitive voice that will help his band distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. The music is essentially rock music, but at times punk influences shine through. The band even incorporates keyboards effectively on "Ghost Town" to set the mood of the song perfectly. Thematically, this is a darker album, and the feelings brought about by the lyrics are aided with voice effects and other production decisions. If you like AFI, Alkaline Trio, and bands of that vein, then The Stranger's Six would be right up your alley. Don't worry, The Stranger's Six isn't just a generic rip off of those two bands, just a great band with a bright future. So far, this is the best independent debut I've heard this year.
-Dane Jackson

THE UPSIDEDOWN
TRUST ELECTRICITY
REVERB RECORDS
I love this band. I'm going to marry them. They sound like The Dandy Warhols but with this Joy Division feeling. Just amazingly good. This is their debut album. They are from Portland, OR. I'm going to move there and bring them chocolates and flowers, and we're going to have a big wedding, and you're all invited! I can't even believe this music is real. It's blowing my mind. Gloomy pop music at its best.
-chad

THE VACATION
THEY WERE THE SONS
FIERCE PANDA RECORDS
Nowadays it seems as if you don't ever actually have to get dirty in the garage to be believed as the second coming of Iggy. The Vacation (who have garnished high praise from the lead singer of Jet as his "new favorite band" (a fact which is very hard to not hold against them)) are the latest addition to the already crowded landscape of scruffy MC5-worshipping white boys playing "raw" rock 'n' soul. While it's hard to not cry "fraud" on something so easily transparent, The Vacation praise their idols with enough gusto and enthusiasm to make it work. THEY WERE THE SONS certainly isn't the genuine article...but then again, what is these days, anyway?
-Matthew Siblo

THE VOTE
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED
VMS RECORDS
The Vote is really very good. I like the fact that it seems like The Vote is up for trying many kinds of music. "Witness to Waste" is piano with clever vocal parts. "Freedom at Midnight" is a wrecking ball of punk-rocking hardcore. The Vote is more clever than rocking. This is a thinking band exercising brain power and rock power at the same time. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED is a dynamite rock album and touches of mastery. A truly gifted band. My pick for hit single would be track 12, "Get Up and Go". That song wails with balls and class. Everyone should have a copy of The Vote's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED?everyone! It's that good.
-H. Barry Zimmerman

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
THE SPINE
IDLEWILD
Oh my, who doesn't love this band? You may own none of their albums, or maybe you don't even know who they are without me naming these songs: "Particle Man"? "Istanbul Was Once Constantinople"? "Birdcage in My Soul"...Amazing, I know. And this new album falls short of nothing! They're quirky and catchy and huggable and silly and so sing-alongable. Their pop/rock sound, influenced by the harmonies of early-'60s sunny rock (which is so hot right now (The Thrills, etc.)), is so approachable and likeable, who can resist it? Laden with piano, carried by catchy pop harmonies and songs that are so clever, THE SPINE is just another must-own. Take your love for They Might Be Giants and make it real and substantial by owning the new album.
-tChow

THRESHOLD
SUBSURFACE
INSIDEOUT
After recently sitting through their live DVD, it was cool to all of a sudden find the latest by blue-collar prog-metallers Threshold sitting on my desk. Expect smooth, pro-sounding prog rock similar to Dream Theatre, Fates Warning, and other such nerdy bands. It's that nerdiness that makes Threshold so endearing. Instead of the usual ego-driven metal trappings, prog-metal bands like this simply celebrate metal as the art form it is, obsessively creating teched-out epics that are circular around all the edges. Sure, wimpy, geeky music it is, but if you can just sit back, relax, and let the warm sounds on SUBSURFACE envelop you, I can guarantee it will be just as enjoyable a ride as the latest extreme metal disc. But if synthesizers and singy vocals bother you, stay away.
-Jason Schreurs

TOBER
HARAJUKU NO EMO KO
DORK ROCK RECORDS
Tober are an NYC rock trio that offers up such infectious indie-rock/power-pop tunes that it's difficult to not like them. HARAJUKU NO EMO KO (a reference to the emo gals of Tokyo's fashion district) drops more pop culture references than you can keep up with ('80s films, TV shows, grade-school crushes, and those fabulous Members Only jackets). This six-song EP is driven by angular math rock, vintage synths, and witty lyrics. Weezer fans rejoice! website
-Jude Ruiz

TRAP2
SELF-TITLED EP
SELF-RELEASED
This hard-rocking quartet from Sheffield, England, is one of the hottest unsigned British bands around. With a retro sound that intentionally meshes elements of England's greatest rock acts (such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones), Trap2 seem to be on the fast track to the top. Lead singer Michael Hughes belts out lyrics with the confidence and vocal range of Axl Rose, while the group rips through material that would make Guns N' Roses proud. Unfortunately, there were only three songs on this EP. All three tunes were catchy, well-produced numbers that echoed in my head long after I turned the stereo off. After a recent set of Los Angeles-area gigs in late July, these Brits are sure to have caught the eye of an American label.
-DUG

TREVOR DUNN'S TRIO CONVULSANT
SISTER PHANTOM OWL FISH
IPECAC RECORDINGS
Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fant?mas) continues to muddy the confluence between composed jazz and art rock with a hard edge. Edgy melodies are punctuated with potent power chords on this instrumental album. Islands of free improvisation crop up regularly on this rich and fascinating disc. This trio of Dunn with Boston guitarist Mary Halvorson and Theory of Ruin percussionist Ches Smith presents an album that reminds us why we started listening to independent music in the first place, as well as why we found we could supplant The Exploited with Sun Ra. website
-Tom "Tearaway" Schulte

UNLEASHED
SWORN ALLEGIANCE
CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS
I'm not sure if this makes the guys in Unleashed cool or absolute dorks, but they put a song about LORD OF THE RINGS on their album. While the lyrics are kind of lame, the guitar and drum work is awesome on that track. If you're familiar with Unleashed, then you know what to expect with this album. You'll get your fair share of machine-gun drumming, double-bass, growling vocals, insane guitar riffs, and all the Norse mythology you can handle. Plus, you'll get some devil shit and necrophilia thrown in for good measure. As far as death metal goes, Johnny has made it pretty easy to understand his lyrics; but after hearing "Only the Dead", I'm not sure if that was such a good thing. This is an average album that true metalheads will be able to get into?I just wasn't feeling it. SWORN ALLEGIANCE just wasn't innovative enough for my liking.
-Dane Jackson

VARIOUS ARTISTS
THE NAIL VOL. TWO
TOOTH AND NAIL RECORDS
Thank Tooth and Nail Records for cranking out this comp of their best. Now that their best music has all been neatly consolidated into one CD, you poor kids don't have to give up your ramen and ketchup to hear songs from Underoath's or Further Seems Forever's latest releases. If you're not down for the cheerful perkiness of "California" (maybe they'll replace Phantom Planet soon?) from Hawk Nelson, you'll find the hardcore aspects more pleasing. Just press play. The first track, "Spy Hunter" by Project 86, will force you to keep listening.
-Mabel Lam

VARIOUS
BREEDING DISLOYALTY: CAMPFIRE SONGS FOR THE DISRUPTIVE ELEMENT
HOUSEHOLD NAME
Once upon a time, Household Name Records was responsible for some of the earliest releases from some of the UKHC scene's best-loved bands, including Assert, Knuckledust, and the vastly underrated Medulla Nocte. Now, a few years on, the label's turned into a haven for punk rock, Oi!, and ska acts (with even a new Hard Skin album on the cards for the new year!). So, exemplifying exactly what Household Name is all about in 2004, this sampler is a 17-track selection of their current roster, with highlights including The Foamers, Captain Everything, and Lightyear's comedic, brass-fuelled hijinks, the upright bass-plucking escapades of The Peacocks, and the oddly-placed but welcome knuckle-crunching brutality of One Fine Day and John Holmes. I think it's free with orders, so check their Website and see if anything in their catalogue tickles your fancy.
-Mathew Hocking

VARIOUS ARTIST
DEATH RATTLE & ROLL VOLUME ONE
WONDERTAKER RECORDS
Comps usually suck, but DEATH RATTLE & ROLL is a really good comp disc?because death is always a great subject matter. We're talking 30 tracks, and not a dud in the bunch. Some of my favorites are opening track "R.I.P. RnR" by The Hydromatics (who sound like Mountain with Greg Lake on lead vox) and "101 California" by Ain't (who have the honky tonk punks like Lone Justice). Also, there are two live tracks from the great Fleshies. The title of this disc is a descriptive masterpiece. DEATH RATTLE & ROLL is first a rock 'n' roll disc; the theme of death is secondary...but the theme makes it cool. Long live death and rock 'n' roll.
-H. barry Zimmerman

V/A
THE ROUGH TRADE FIELD GUIDE TO MUSIC: VOLUME 1
ROUGH TRADE RECORDS
A collection of Rough Trade's most recent 7"s, this
"field guide" is an amazing opportunity for a broader audience to hear some of the label's overlooked or forgotten vinyl gems. Showcasing the B-sides first, The Fiery Furnace's "Single Again" and Art Burt's "Bad Weekend" are a testament to the power of the flip side; while Hal's "Out Tonight" and Eastern Lane's "Take Me Lonely" are my front-runners for the strongest singles. A fantastic and economically sound concept from the nice folks at Rough Trade. Here's hoping that other labels will follow suit.
-Matthew Siblo

V/A
UNSCENE
PUNKTASTIC/SOREPOINT
It seemed inevitable, really: the most popular and best-loved pop-punk Website in the U.K. (website ) following up on recent tour promotion to start up a label and release a compilation featuring a few more of their favourite bands that have somehow slipped the radar of the big booking agents. However, nothing is shakier than the quality of our own melodic punk acts. Despite some awesome contributions from Appease, 3 Dbs Down, Phinius Gage, My Awesome Compilation, and The Killerest Expression, you find yourself skipping past too much uninspiring drudgery to get to them. That said, Punktastic's enthusiasm for promoting new music through their various exploits is more than commendable, and this is worth picking up, if only check out those newbies you'll be reading about in the future.
-Mathew Hocking

WHERE EAGLES DARE
TO COME FROM NOWHERE
NEW DAY RISING
Adrenaline-rush old-school hardcore that unfortunately finds itself floundering in wimpy breakdowns from time to time. Not exactly the best way to keep the circle-pit dudes happy and sweating, but it does provide the impetus for mixing things up a bit. Lead screamer dude sounds a bit like Civ mixed with the guy from Modern Life Is War, so I'm happy there. I've always liked those pre-pube chipmunk screams to a certain point, but they do start to grate after awhile. The band cranks out the hardcore in a no-nonsense, gangbuster fashion, throwing out the background shouts in all the right places. Nothing to blow your mind here, but HxC fans will be kept content with TO COME FROM NOWHERE. newdayrising.org
-Jason Schreurs

YESTERDAYS RISING
WHEN WE SPEAK, WE BREATHE EP
FEARLESS RECORDS
To all those kiddies who are trying to keep themselves from going insane during Thursday's hiatus, all I have to say is: pick up WHEN WE SPEAK, WE BREATHE, from Yesterdays Rising. You might be craving for Thursday, but they're a worthy substitute that will "hit the spot" in the meantime if you're looking for melodic hardcore (which always sounded like an oxymoron to me). Rather than clashing horribly, their passionate furor injected with serene melodies creates a rather pleasant dissonance.
-Mabel Lam

YOUR TEAM RING
IN SERVICE OF THE VILLAIN
PERHAPS TRANSPARENT RECORDINGS
"Experimental" is the perfect word to describe Your Team Ring's IN SERVICE OF THE VILLAIN. With blubbery bleeps, weirdo sweeps and a myriad of different instruments moving through this album, it's hard not to really enjoy it. A mix of genres also has a lot to do with the album's charm?not just some mesh of untried rhythms and psychedelic pop. Folk, new age, and world also take the stage here. It's an appreciable effort and is as original as it is inspired.
-Darren Ratner

XANIMO
S/T
INDEPENDENT
With a type of goth-metal sound similar to My Ruin and Kittie, XANIMO is fronted by a female vocalist and backed with heavy bass lines. This kind of music can be fun if played correctly, but this EP seems to fall short in the category of overall enjoyment. Their sound is just rather weak, perhaps due to poor production or poor songwriting. Regardless, go to to get the real action.
-Hibb
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