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May 2008 - Issue 233

21
Music from the Motion Picture
Columbia
Street: 03.18
21 = LCD Soundsystem + MGMT + Peter Bjorn and John + Rihanna
How are we going to make this movie “cool”? How can we appeal to generation Y? I know! Let’s find all the hip bands of yesteryear and put them in our movie. OK, so maybe this comp did get us right a little bit, the exclusive LCD Soundsystem track, “Big Ideas,” is pretty cool—kinda a cross between their 45:33 album and Sound of Silver album sounds. In addition, an electro-dub heavy remix of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What you Want” by Soulwax brings the only other reason to seek out this compilation. Everything else is pretty average, played out, or random, not much to make this soundtrack stand out by any means. Speaking of the film, Kate Bosworth has a huge forehead. Has no one else noticed this? Weird. –Ryan Powers

Aletheian
Dying Vine
Metal Blade
Street: 05.13
Aletheian = Death + Cynic + Atheist
Dying Vine is Aletheian’s second album and was originally released in 2005—three years later, Metal Blade obviously saw promise in the band and has given Dying Vine the re-mixing and re-mastering treatment and worldwide distribution, as well as an added bonus cover tune of Cynic’s “How Could I.” I’ve had the original release in my collection since it came out and hopefully, this new larger label and re-master will give the band some more credit, which they most definitely deserve. Aletheian quite possibly makes death metal sound the most beautiful and serene that it can sound. There is no denying the progressive influence on the record with technical guitars flowing and playing circles that dance in your head, coupled with epic and majestic keyboards. But then there is dynamic shredding going on here, with piercing growls. The juxtaposition of melody and brutality is a nifty one here; many bands have tried and the ones that achieved the success are legendary. Aletheian is poised to snatch that greatness with this album now achieving a larger audience. I’m ready for the next full-length—guys, bring it on soon. –Bryer Wharton

Arsis
We are the Nightmare
Nuclear Blast
Street: 04.15
Arsis = Necrophagist + Death
Arsis have been hailed as one of the few American death metal bands that are at the front of the scene as far as ingenuity goes. The Virginian band relishes in their tempo changes and sheer musical technicality, the band seems to have forgone the groove element of death metal seen on the band’s previous albums. But in that lack of groove there is a massive does of chaos in the swirling leads and solos; the whole record is basically a guitar player’s showcase, with the drumming coming in at a close second. We are the Nightmare holds in its hands the ability to transcend the death metal genre, mainly because of its slight metalcore element with its vocals that aren’t the standard cookie-cutter monster-sounding death growls, and that thriving chaos. This means other genre fanboys that exclaim greatness whenever they hear guitars that Darkest Hour couldn’t come up with might jump on the wagon. Arsis deserves credit but not from those fanboys—they deserve it from the people that have stewed in the American death metal scene since it began and can appreciate a relatively new band that can play very well. –Bryer Wharton

Avsky
Malignant
Moribund Records
Street: 04.08
Avsky = Svartsyn + Craft + Katharsis
Swedish black metal always has a tendency to win me over because it generally seems more energetic and youthful than many bands from neighboring countries. I can’t place my finger on it, but Avsky doesn’t contend this generalization at all. Though this album doesn’t try to break any new ground, all of the songs manage to stand out from each other, and the vocals actually have a unique grind to them (OK, and the reverb effect helps a bit, too). Though Avsky’s style doesn’t exactly revert back to the early black metal days of Darkthrone or Bathory, where thrash and punk were still heavy influences, it still has an almost crust-punk tinge to it that adds a great deal of appeal for me. It’s almost as if these guys have managed to cross over several eras of black metal but in a manner so subtle that it’s nothing but fantastic. –Conor Dow

A Whisper In The Noise
Dry Land
Exile On Mainstream
Street: 05.06
A Whisper In The Noise = Poison Arrows + your doom approaching + ghosts in the shape of acoustic instruments + Arcade Fire + Church of The Red Museum
The first track on Dry Land, “As We Were,” is straight-up menacing. This song will be the soundtrack that plays when Death himself approaches me to put an end to my days and CD review-writing for eternity and to put an end to all the suffering I have put endless bands through by giving their album bad reviews. The second track, “Awaken to Winter,” would be the celebration that occurs after I am dead and gone. This album is soft and gloomy, similar to your grandparents without their antidepressants. The more I listened to this album, the more I realized how wonderfully sad this album is. Every song comes across in a well-thought-out natural sound and every note seems to accentuate the overall dreary feeling. If you listened to this album too much on your home stereo, black clouds will roll in and it will start raining all over your house and ruin your couch. –Jon Robertson

The Balustride Ensemble
Capsules
Dynamophone
Street: 03.03
The Balustride Ensemble = Mogwai + Boxharp + Mum
As a debut release, Capsules is that music you hear when experiencing sleep paralysis. It’s that creepy, piano-ridden, gentle background music that seems to sneak up on you from behind and appear out of nowhere—leaving a curtain of ancient dust behind. Tapered around a lot of creaking noises—rocking chairs, doors, floors, you name it—Capsules is comforting and weird at the same time, which is a hard balance to find in any genre. Nothing about this album is particularly striking; however, it remains within its own box of gentle and unobtrusive little melodies that sound like they’re being ushered in from a miniature piano box—it’s that subtle. If you were to spend an afternoon in a rocking chair on a snow bank, this would be your soundtrack. –Kristyn Lambrecht

Bamboula
Guilty Pleasures
Kaiser Records
Street: 03.2007
Bamboula = Gorilla - heavy Hungarian accents + Paul Roman
Psychobilly in America is ill, and that’s not a compliment. Creativity is a thing of the past for far too many bands in the genre. Luckily, there are notable exceptions to this trend. Bamboula is one of them. They are a ray of hope for American psychobilly. Too many psychobilly bands these days try to hide their non-psychobilly influences. The result is, obviously, that many bands are interchangeable in regard to sound, not to mention almost every other aspect. Not these boys, though. They show off hardcore, punk rock and ska influences with pride in “Thee Infected,” “Bamboula Bop” and “Cannibal,” respectively. Also, if I didn't know better, I'd say that “Get Out” (or the intro to it, anyway) is a tribute to King Kurt. Overall, the music is similar to Gorilla, and Adam Miller's voice sounds like Paul Roman from The Quakes. This makes for a truly fresh sound. If you're looking for a Demented Are Go sound-alike, look elsewhere. Lord knows there are plenty of ’em. –Aaron Day

Billy Talent
II
Atlantic
Street: 05.13
Billy Talent = Green Day + new school A.F. I. + Project 86 + Goldfinger
From the get-go, the vocals on II are enough to make me want to put gum wrappers in my ears and leave them in there forever. This dude’s vocals sound like a cartoon character’s. Lead singer Ben Kowalewics must make it a point to sound like some strange British animated character on helium. The album’s lame-ass power pop is a perfect match to his magnificent voice. These dudes are whack. If everyone in the whole world started kicking each other in the crotch as hard as they could, we could all sing like this. Maybe that’s what B.K. does before he starts singing, and judging by the short-bus melodic pop-punk music on II, the rest of the band must beat each other in the head with baseball bats so their brains function on a slower, less creative level. Bad news!! –Jon Robertson

Black Tide
Light From Above
Interscope
Street: 03.18
Black Tide = Motley Crue + Guns N’ Roses + Avenged Sevenfold
There is a cool honesty in the music Black Tide plays; the band basically pays homage to a scene that isn’t supposedly cool anymore, though that fact is changing. Some people may say it’s a novelty they’re playing off the fact that 80s metal and hard-rock bands are camp or retro these days. Regardless, Light From Above is well played, catchy and most importantly, fun to listen too for traditional metal lovers and hard-rock fans. That said, the band does tread a fine line between metal and hard rock. There is definitely a lot of Iron Maiden-style soloing and riffs flowing over the cup that Black Tide has filled. The vocals and lyrical content for this new band is refreshing—there is no relationship dribble or touchy-feely emo stuff, just sheer hard-rock rampaging. Amongst the juicy licks and hard rock/classic metal attitude, there is a small pop sensibility with the band. All in all, it flows well and forms a great album; it’s a nice feeling for these youngsters to appreciate where metal and hard rock came from and in a way, pay homage to it as well as craft some fun tunes. I challenge Black Tide to keep this spirit going and hold that old-school vibe high in regard as to their creation of music. –Bryer Wharton

Broadcast Sea
Wounded Soldier
East:West/Pluto Records
Street: 03.18
Broadcast Sea = The Jesus Lizard + Nirvana + Slint
Dirty. That’s the only word I can think of to describe this record. Blending the genius of The Jesus Lizard with Nirvana’s In Utero and adding a splash of ultra-heaviness, this release from Broadcast Sea is one of those releases that would have flown under the radar for me had it not mysteriously ended up in my review box. It’s not what I would consider to be a work of genius, but it is an absolute crush-fest from beginning to end … the kind of record you want to have angry sex to. Extreme low-end and noisy-as-fuck guitars combine with back-in-the-mix vocals to sculpt an entire album that would work perfectly as the soundtrack to some low-budget indie movie love and bank robberies. –Gavin Hoffman

Brown Jenkins
Angel Eyes
Moribund Records
Street: 04.04
Brown Jenkins = the death rattle of your only child
Brown Jenkins is back with a full-length dose of sludge which wears hats to please both the black-metal kids as well as the doom-metal fans. When I reviewed the previously released EP, I expressed concerns about sitting through a full-length album release of his work because most of the songs wander a bit before finding an ending. Fortunately, the full album isn’t much longer than the EP; however, much of the material still blends together without variety or deviation from its path of madness. While I appreciate this as the point of existence for one of the styles of metal Brown Jenkins explores, it still just sits just on the fence between bold-faced direction and non-commitment, refusing to take me as a listener anywhere except into feelings of impatience. Not exactly a terrible listen; on the contrary, not exactly a memorable one, either. –Conor Dow

Bury Your Dead
S/T
Victory Records
Street: 03.18
Bury Your Dead = Fear Factory + Between the Buried and Me + Martyr AD
Well, I’ll be damned—some of the tracks on this rocker are pretty catchy and listenable, even if 10 minutes in it starts to blend together. I suppose it’s because of the many lineup changes over the years and the addition of vocalist Myke Terry (Cassius) that this one stands out. So, whatever the reason for cutting the chaff is fine; this record is better than their prior releases. Now, this album isn’t breaking a whole lot of new ground, nor is all of it good—sometimes scream/sung vocals that are out of tune just sound bad, not tough. Lyrically, Bury Your Dead covers heavily trodden ground about darkness and betrayal, finding the light, etc. However, at least two tracks cover child abuse and a broken home on here, and they have some teeth. The guitar lines can be monotonous, but then again, that’s Bury Your Dead’s calling card. The advantage of this approach is that the guitar-playing sounds restrained, as if you know they could play much more complex song structures, so when the more technical melodic parts kick in, they are noticeable. Overall, this release is passable, but not terrific. –Peter Fryer

Burning Skies
Greed.Filth.Abuse.Corruption
Lifeforce
Street: 05.13
Burning Skies = Dying Fetus + Heaven Shall Burn + Misery Index
Finally, a band that actually fits their deathcore description, and the hardcore part of the death metal ain’t that stupid breakdown crap, either. This album is riddled with speed shredding away anything in its path in an old-school style with modern flair. As for the death-metal portion of the album, which the band so easily blends with hardcore, well, there are your fanciful guttural growls amongst some perfect leads and soloing that would make some modern U.S. deathcore and metalcore acts wallow in their wimpiness and lack of ability to write a good grinding tune. The U.K.’s Burning Skies have 11 of those grinding tunes that should shatter any deathcore act around. The tempo, riff creation and cohesive blend of what Burning Skies have put forth here is something to behold. This is what deathcore should all be like; then maybe it wouldn’t get knocked about as being boring all the time. –Bryer Wharton

Burzum
Anthology
Candlelight USA
Street: 05.13
Burzum = one of the 2nd wave black metal Forefathers
Burzum. The only solo project of Varg Vikernes, a.k.a. Count Grishnackh, a.k.a. controversial and outspoken Odalist, a.k.a. convicted murderer, a.k.a. prison escapist, a.k.a. church arsonist, a.k.a. fantastic musician. Would you like to know how countless people got themselves into this mess known as black metal? Look no further than Burzum, a project which still stands out as solid material, even today among all of the imitators and namedroppers. This anthology release is a nice, although short list of some of the better songs Varg ever wrote, and off of almost every album he ever released, including his not-so-popular, dark ambient “midi-because-I-wrote-it-while-in-prison, OK, guys??” work. As a Burzum fan, I can’t recommend an anthology disc because his albums are best as complete listens; however, if you want an idea of where much black metal inspiration stems from, this disc should suffice. –Conor Dow Canoe
Places
Canoe Music
Street: 01.08
Canoe = Sufjan Stevens + James Taylor + poppy goodness
I was immediately intrigued when I saw a cover of Holland 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel on Canoe’s debut album, Places. I mean, let’s face it, no matter how clich NMH are to the indie-rock hipsters out there, you’ve got to be interested in what this folk-rock band out of Portland does with Holland 1945. And it was just that—a stripped-down, folksy version of the previously distorted song. The rest of Places is filled with other downright catchy acoustic tunes that will undoubtedly entertain you and your girlfriend (in a good way). While “Anxious Jenny” has the immediate poppy vibe to it, other songs on the album don’t necessarily follow suit. “Drip Drip Drop” is a bit more solemn, but still embodies that folk spirit, lyrically and sonically, that is seen elsewhere on the record. Check this album out for sure, and check them out in Logan and Provo at the beginning of May. –Tom Carbone Jr.

Cataract
Cataract
Metal Blade
Street: 04.01
Cataract = Unearth + Hatebreed
These Swiss metalcore stalwarts have been kicking ass and taking names for a decade. Their last record from Metal Blade, “Kingdom,” seemed a bit mediocre. But damn, they took it up a notch for this self-titled beastly thrasher. The second cut on the album, “Blackest Hour,” starts out with a great lead, and those leads only continue throughout the album. Cataract play metalcore to the very definition—there are plentiful hardcore-style breakdowns that are not only intermingled well through the songs, but actually have a substance and heaviness to them that other bands just seem to take for granted and who perform them in such a way that they come off as boring. Take into account plenty of thrashing moments on the album complete with howling guitar solos. I applaud Cataract for kicking my ass with this new record and giving me some renewed appreciation for metalcore, not to mention some hope that the genre isn’t as stale as I think … hell, I’m starting to contradict myself; one month I get a bunch of crappy metalcore, the next a bunch of really top-notch stuff—just goes to show that when you play any genre right, you sound great regardless. –Bryer Wharton

City Scum
City Scum
Rich Botch Records
Street: 08.2007
City Scum = The Stooges + The Germs + Turbonegro
On the other side of the punk rock spectrum, here we have the garage-oriented barrage of California’s City Scum. Trebly, snotty, and terribly catchy, the debut 7” slab from these guys is the kind of thing that all these lame “nu-Stooges” ripoff bands are trying to do, and are failing miserably at. Sing-along choruses, twangy guitars, and a steady backbeat make for a record that makes me remember when punk bands cared less about how they looked than having a good time and, erm, “fucking shit up.” This release is the reason I personally prefer vinyl to CD or digital … “suck my dick and drink my cum,” bitches! –Gavin Hoffman

Clinic
Do It!
Domino
Street: 04.08
Clinic = The Libertines - actual talent
Remember when Clinic was exciting? Way back at the start of the millennium when the U.K. foursome put out two albums (2000's Internal Wrangler and 2002's Walking With Thee) that were punky and arty at the same time while somehow coming off as totally unpretentious? Yeah, those were good times. Unfortunately, Clinic’s two albums since then have been filled with uninspired, indulgent art-rock dreck … and this year's Do It! is no exception. Opening with the trashy fuzzbox stomp of “Memories,” it sounds like the band collectively decided to give Charles Manson's entire back catalog the full-band treatment, here marrying whimsical Beatles-inspired keyboard-breaks to a production style that sounds like it was recorded in a rat's asshole. The very few songs worth saving (“Shopping Bag,” the lonesome, wistful “Emotions”) are genuinely worth saving, but after three albums of eroding returns, it's obvious that the only people who will ever check into this Clinic are genuinely, truly crazy. –Evan Sawdey

Cursed
III
Goodfellow Records
Street: 03.25
Cursed = Cast Iron Hike + Cobra Noir + Converge
Cursed know how to brand woebegone hardcore. They are skilled in the ways of subversively satanic iconography, immoral typeface, and the “I should probably go to therapy cause I’m so messed up but instead I make creepy music” schtick. Moreover, they've maintained a keen awareness of nuanced hardcore authenticity that has elitists like me slowly nodding with approval. On III, Cursed plug in their voxes, crawl into a dark (and probably totally haunted) basement, and cough up some thick and dirty audio. They’ve toned down their sometimes silly, caricature-like horror aesthetic, and the cocksure hardcore rockabilly swagger of previous albums in place of a more no-nonsense, concentrated demonstration of a multifarious antipathy that is (perhaps at times too) reminiscent of Converge. I feel like Cursed is leading me further into their (still totally haunted) mansion of sound, and there are more rooms worth exploring. –Megavore

Dark Meat
Universal Indians
Vice Records
Street: 03.10
Dark Meat = BJM + Crazy Horse + Albert Ayler
Not that you should care, but the reason that dark meat is different than light meat is that dark meat is found around in areas that have more myoglobin, a chemical that temporarily stores extra oxygen that is necessary to oxidize the fat. It is obvious that Dark Meat is storing many chemicals in their bodies, but rather than oxidizing their fat, the chemicals are possessing them to make the most hippie kind of music possible. Seventeen people in one band? Is that really necessary? They sound like The Polyphonic Spree on even more acid, plus a little cocaine thrown in to make it a little more focused. Is that what cocaine does? Universal Indians is produced insanely well and contains many brilliant uses of the F-word, funky guitar riffs and horn orchestration that would probably make Anton Newcombe roll in his grave if he were dead. –Andrew Glassett (Kilby 5.02)

Dave Gahan
Hourglass Remixes
Capitol
Street: 03.11
Dave Gahan = Depeche Mode + Moby
This collection of remixes from Dave Gahan’s recent album go about as well as those of his day-gig’s remixes have gone for the last 10 years: iffy. Who decides on this motley variety of good and bad? I picture an early-forties exec who digs Burning Man and thinks he’s onto some new tip (note: it’s not new just because it’s new to you), making recommendations to “the board” while seated at a $250,000 table in the Capitol Records executive sweet. He heard that hip LCD Soundsystem mix James Murphy did for Nike, and, fortunately for the album, swung labelmate The Juan Maclean for a Lightning Man-esque jaunt; The T Raumschmiere take on “Deeper and Deeper,” biting and stomping in usual TR fashion, is also a highlight. However, the mixes by Kap10kurt and Onur zer are null and void clubbers (the boring night at the club), stabbing synth, arpeggiated piano and other clichs sinking the originals. –Dave Madden

Dave Gahan
Hourglass Remixes
Mute/Virgin
Street: 03.11
Dave Gahan = Depeche Mode – Martin Gore + A-List Remixers
The history of the remix album isn’t exactly an inspiring one. Often you’re left with bits and pieces of a song scattered against disjointed rumblings tranced up for clubbing for tourists who are entertained by anything that has enough bass and kick drum to grind to. Hourglass Remixes, however, takes the best tracks from Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan’s latest solo effort and gives them a proper reworking. Certainly the results aren’t flawless and are more often aimed towards a club setting, but rather than completely abandoning the original vocal in favor of a five-second snippet repeated for 20 minutes, they rely on the strengths of the original versions as a guide. “Love Will Leave” (kapl0kurt remix) is worth the price of admission alone. –ryan michael painter

The Deathset
Worldwide
Counter Records
Street: 04.22
The Deathset = Japanther + Dan Deacon
The Deathset really sounds like a literal combination of Dan Deacon and Japanther—the monotone punk vocals and electro dance background are almost too spot-on to differentiate the band in a meaningful way. On the other hand, both Dan Deacon and Japanther totally kick ass, so perhaps it’s not necessarily that bad of a thing. Additionally, the live shows of this band sound particularly fun—a pop-punk take on electronic dance; the music is neither aggressive nor angry, but much like pop punk, the long-term replay of this album is little to none. At the same time, it is fun to listen to. But if you think about it another way, it is no good. Except for the fact I kinda like it. In the other corner, it has some joke songs on it. Counterpoint: who cares? It’s just punk music. –Ryan Powers

Desaster
666—Satan's Soldiers Syndicate
Metal Blade
Street: 04.29
Desaster = Absu + Destruction + Melechesh
Desaster have a long history stemming back to 1988, and with that experience comes true metal mastery. 666—Satan's Soldiers Syndicate is a metal opus that fans of black metal and thrash can sink their teeth into. Unlike many black metal acts, the guitar tone on this new offering from Desaster (who took their name from the mighty German thrash act Destruction) isn’t hollow; it holds meat to it—a thickness but raw, cold and ravishing grimness. And the vocals—don’t get me started. Where normal black metal bands tread with the same style of vocals, Desaster pulverize with these thrashing, demonic screams. The album is a perfect blend of thrash and black metal while influenced heavily by the old-school style of metal. Desaster take on their own sound and have crafted something for the true metal fan. And with this follow-up to their Metal Blade debut, Angelwhore, they have the backing of a label of a larger scale that can push the limits of where and what audiences Desaster can reach. This is a great trip into the old school with crisp yet crushing, raw production; there is nothing but acclaim and accolades to give to Desaster. –Bryer Wharton

Diesto
Isle of Marauder
Exigent
Street: 04.20
Diesto = Jesus Lizard + Botch
This record is pure chaos in the best possible way. It’s like getting dirty and feeling so right. Diesto drop the most righteous kind of dirty noise-rock that you’d think you went to heaven and had a mud fight with God. This band sounds like an angrier, noisier version of Unsane. When the lead singer from Unsane, Chris Spencer, was attacked and in Vienna, it may have been the guys from Diesto who did it. They knew that they were a better version of Unsane and that they were truly the new leader of sludged-out death metal so it was time for their reign of terror to emerge. Peace out, Unsane; hello Diesto. That’s evolution for you. –Jon Robertson

Dirty Girls
Murder Mountain
Prime Directive
Street: 08.2007
Dirty Girls = Eyehategod + Discharge + His Hero Is Gone
I’ve had to re-write this review four times, goddammit, so you fuckers better appreciate it. California’s Dirty Girls are the epitome of a “kick-ass-and-take-names-later” punk rock band. There are four songs on this 7”, and the fucking thing is roughly five minutes long … five of the most absolutely punishing minutes I’ve ever experienced. While a lot of so-called “punk bands” these days are content with simply ripping off Black Flag, Tragedy, or any number of “Dis-” bands, Dirty Girls take the aggression of D-beat punk and meld it perfectly with the pain and grime of Eyehategod. The result is a release that gives a much-needed shot in the arm to a genre that should have been dead and buried 10 times over by now. Track it down. –Gavin Hoffman

Divinity
Allegory
Nuclear Blast Records
Street: 03.28
Divinity = Lamb of God + Killswitch Engage + et al
Canada’s Divinity first released this album independently, but as fate may have it, they were picked up by Nuclear Blast Records some time after, and here is a multimedia release that includes the full album as well as some computer interactivity if you happen to have a CD-ROM. How is the music? Well, it’s fairly general run-of-the-mill melodic death metal with plenty of catchy hooks, dueling guitars and three-to-five-minute song lengths. Though the musicianship is fine, and I’m sure they put on an energetic live show, nothing about this CD is fun or memorable to me. It definitely has a “been there, done that” feel to it, which is fairly common for bands that tend to write styles of music that are all but a dry well. –Conor Dow

Dornenreich
In Luft Geritzt
Prophecy Productions
Street: 05.09
Dornenreich = everything from Lunar Aurora to Tenhi
This is one of those albums where a band that is traditionally metal decides to steer an entirely different direction and write a batch of songs which might be laden with acoustic guitar and traditional melody-centric instruments. Though Dornenreich hasn’t exactly stuck with their initial style in the first place, they are able to remain very much respected by fans who appreciate bands such as Agalloch. Those who are fans of Dornenreich will likely enjoy this release, which in a nutshell is stripped down to mainly acoustic guitar and violin, with Eviga’s vocals rarely moving beyond a sullen whisper. The performance is extremely intimate and I’d definitely recommend listening with headphones as the production is warm and inviting, as if they’re playing in the same room you’re in. This is certainly reminiscent of the direction Opeth took with Damnation and Green Carnation took with Acoustic Verses. I highly recommend this. –Conor Dow

Down and Away
Reclaim the Radio
Warbird Entertainment
Street: 03.01
Down and Away = (Screeching Weasel/2) + (NOFX/2) + The Briggs
For some people, a band that is unabashed about having 20 songs that all use the same typical power chords might not be too bad of a thing. If you still get stoked when The Briggs come to town then you might even like these guys quite a bit. Their sound fits the “punk bands that high schoolers really like” mold pretty damned well, and even is a bit reminiscent of Screeching Weasel, albeit with a bit less talent. Unfortunately, for how these guys are sounding after their fourth album, even kids who still listen to Total Chaos can probably find something more worthwhile out there. –Ross Solomon

Edenbridge
My Earth Dream
Napalm Records
Street: 05.13
Edenbridge = Nightwish + Angtoria + symphonic madness
Wow, if melodies were considered brutal, this album would be brutal as all hell. I thought Nightwish used a lot of symphonic keyboards; this record puts them and many others to school. Then again, with this album, the band had help with use of an actual orchestra taking part of the recording. With years of experience behind them, crafting an album that is catchy as it is powerful must be at least somewhat easy. None of the songs sound re-hashed or use any repeated material from previous songs. Call me a dork or whatnot, but I could listen to this record all damn day. Its melodies are soothing and beautiful but the guitars remain consistently heavy and rocking as rocking can quite possibly get. Power metal—or call it symphonic power metal—should always be this fun to listen to. –Bryer Wharton

El Perro Del Mar
From the Valley to the Stars
Licking Fingers Records
Street: 4.22.08
El Perro Del Mar= Azure Ray + Sigur Rs + The Fiery Furnaces
An opening track consisting of only two words: “Jubilee” and “Jubilation,” sung alternately over an organ, can spell one of two things: redundancy or creativity. El Perro Del Mar (Sarah Assbring, a Swede), accomplishes a little of both on this release. Influences of Motown, ambient organ and some horn/woodwind/sitar elements are all concocted into something very intriguing. The vocals are breathy and the chorus and verse structure is largely an afterthought—supplanted, mostly, by repetitious lyrics. This isn’t entirely unlikable; it’s just engineered to get stuck in your head very efficiently. This is some diverse and ultimately evocative noise. It may take a few spins but, at the least, can be respected by true music fans. The band’s name means “The Dog of the Sea” en espaol, which may be confusing coming from a Swedish act, but it just proves Assbring’s ultimate point: to give the unexpected in novel ways. –jon “jp” paxton

Embrace the End
Ley Lines
Century Media
Street: 04.15
Embrace the End = Every Time I Die (old) + Eyes of Fire + Norma Jean
Normally Embrace the End’s brand of metalcore/deathcore would turn me off, but this Sacramento-based five-piece can actually write good songs with immense structures, that actually have calculated rhythms and a mathematical precision to them. Underlying the speedy chaos that the band puts forth so effortlessly are melodies, a bit of thrash and black-metal influence. The band even offers up a doom-type tune, giving that much more bulk to the album and providing a much-needed break from the fast tempo changes and chaotic vocal concoctions. As far as sophomore records go, this one is well played and I don’t doubt these boys will make some high-profile tours for the summer; the music played on Ley Lines has a huge live feeling and seeing the skill it’s played with within that setting would be phenomenal. Please everyone give metalcore a chance: It is definitely taking a turn for the better with a select few bands; Embrace the End is one of them. –Bryer Wharton

Emmure
The Respect Issue
Victory Records
Street: 05.13
Emmure= Acacia Strain + Impending Doom + Killswitch Engage
Emmure lay breakdowns heavier, chuggier and more randomly than any other band in fucking history. The cheesy metalcore lyrics like “Run. Fucking. Die. Just for fun,” backed by scratchy guitars became silly fast and left me having zero respect for this effort. The slower “ballads” feel like a mandatory emo clause Victory threw into their record deal. Regardless, any metal band relying on such heavy vocal effects should check their genre if their vocalist can’t throat the lows without multiple vocal pedals. –jon “jp” paxton

Engel
Absolute Design
SPV
Street: 11.07.07
Engel = Passenger + what n-metal wishes it could be
There is no question that the type of music Engel plays fits the n-metal genre. Engel utilizes lots of great breakdown riffs, melodic guitars and just that great catchy hook feeling that Korn and early Deftones used when they broke into the scene. Take into account that the bands’ influences are more rooted in Swedish music than American. To be precise, they are rooted in melodic death metal. Guitarist Niclas Englin (probably where the band got its name) played for In Flames and Gardenian, undoubtedly impacting the Gothenburg scene. But I guess the guitarist wanted to venture outside that realm. The end result is a catchy record in its vocals and songs. This record has been listened to many times by myself and it will be listened to many more, even if it’s just to find the amazing tune “Next Closed Door.” The album just has that sound that is pleasingly heavy yet almost simplistic but fruitful in melodies. Screw the cynics; this is some good listenin’ metal. –Bryer Wharton

Everest
Ghost Notes
Vapor Records
Street: 05.06
Everest = Simon and Garfunkel + Band of Horses + Elliott Smith
I was hoping for something new and monumental in the genre of “indie”-folk (is it OK just to call it mainstream pop now?) given the band name; but Everest didn’t make the steep grade. They’ve got the beat, the eerie slide-guitar and the plaintive vocals down pat. Ghost Notes wasn’t an exciting listen. though; due in part to standard lyrics like, “Take this love into your soft heart” with standard hooks “doot doot doot doot” [extra “doots” omitted for space]. I’d rather not “doot” in this style or ponder what the fuck a “soft heart” is (is it a medical condition?). Other groups created this same album for the love of the music and to pave new roads; not to tread on tired trails to satisfy a certain demographic. –jon “jp” paxton

The Explicits
Self-Titled
Explicit Records
Street: 04.08
The Explicits = The Distillers + The Briefs + Radio Friendly Screamo Bands
This band and album aren’t terrible, but ultimately, this record is nothing new. The Explicits are the kind of “punk band” that are a safe starter band for kids who have yet to discover the bands of the early 80s, whom the Explicits are most likely influenced by. Lead singer Renee Phoenix’s voice is best described as Brody Dale-light. The song writing can be described in much of the same way. Instead of focusing in on the details many of the songs are incredibly vague. On “Over It,” Phoenix wails, “I’m so over it/I’m sick of your shit/I’m so over it” repeatedly over fast-paced guitars, but fails to ever mention what it is she’s sick of. This album also lacks the aggression that I’ve come to expect from female-fronted bands in the same vein. “Hallelujah” is the standout track on the album; everything else on the disc has been done before and done better by other artists. –Jeanette Moses

Fall of Serenity
The Crossfire
Lifeforce
Street: 05.13
Fall of Serenity = Kataklysm + Heaven Shall Burn + In Flames
Germany’s Fall of Serenity underwent some an interesting lineup change since their last record in 2006; their bassist John Gahlert took over the vocal duties and guitarist Alex Fischer took up the bass, entering in new guitarist Ferdinand Rewicki. All this mixing is definitely for the better and adds a freshness to The Crossfire album. The album treads a fine line between metalcore and melodic death metal; there is just a tiny bit of hardcore seeping in, but then the whole album is filled with these great leads, soloing and melodic guitars, creating a perfect blend of harshness, brutality and somber melody. There is plenty of machine-gun drumming playing right in queue with the guitar. As an added bonus, Sabina Classen of Holy Moses and Temple of the Absurd guests, adding her great thrash vocal mayhem to the mix. There isn’t anything new to any genre thrown in here, but the album is well done and brutal as it is technical. Fans of melodic death metal and in a way, metalcore, take note: This fits every nook and cranny of the style of brutality you love. –Bryer Wharton

Fate
Vultures
Metal Blade
Street: 04.29
Fate = Necrophagist + Throwdown + Through the Eyes of the Dead
Fate does a great job of mixing traditional and technical death metal with metalcore; throughout the stop-and-go tempos of the album are really stellar leads popping in from time to time as well as some finger-licking solos. It seems as if the band relies on their breakdowns to sound heavier-than-thou. The album has its really grandiose moments and then its boring “please do something” different moments. There is even some thrashy-type guitars going on, but it seems as if the really good stuff is few and far between and when it is used, it seems out of place for the arrangement of the music. I don’t necessarily understand why they crafted their sound this way; it can be very frustrating. When all is said and done, there are plenty of other dime-a-dozen deathcore acts out there that sound a hell of a lot worse and extremely bland. Fate has something going for them in their small nuances of musical technicality; there is potential here for something better; I just honestly wish they could have met that potential with Vultures. –Bryer Wharton

Fern Knight
Fern Knight
VHF
Street: 05.05
Fern Knight = Beth Orton writing songs for Joanna Newsom while fending off an attacking cello
Last year, Robert Plant decided that MOR-rocking was right up his alley, completing a whole album of covers with Alison Krauss before bringing the rawk during his Led Zeppelin reunion. Said collabo album, Raising Sand, was really just Krauss wailing like desert siren over T-Bone Burnett's studio fuckery, making for one of the weirdest discs ever to be foisted upon the NPR masses. Fern Knight—which really is nothing more than a front for singer/cellist Margaret Wienk—is really nothing more than Raising Sand Pt. II; Wienk sounding like some medieval wood nymph lost in the same forest that Joanna Newsome emerged from. The times when she's straightforward (as on “Sundew” and “Loch Na Fooey”) are the times when her avant-folk sound works best, but when she throws in a pair of seven-minute yawn fests and a pretentious three-part song cycle at the end (called the “Magpie Suite”); it's as if she's deliberately trying your patience. Just watch as your mind drifts on to more important matters … like that Zeppelin reunion tour … . –Evan Sawdey

Finest Dearest
Finest Dearest
Bloodtown
Street: 04.08
Finest Dearest = Female-fronted 90s indie rock
San Francisco’s Finest Dearest is more than just a passable pop band; they’re skilled songwriters. With a nod towards 4AD Records’ Lush’s later releases, they combine gritty guitars with dream-pop hooks. Slower numbers like “Fathers” and “Pendulum” aren’t nearly as effective as the faster-paced songs, but all in all, it is a fine debut. I recommend checking out “Naming Ceremony,” “Night Blooming Flowers” and the “Making A Sound” trilogy as a starting point. –ryan michael painter

Firewind
The Premonition
Century Media
Street: 03.25
Firewind = Nightingale + Fates Warning
Prog metal doesn’t get more epic and fascinating than this, but if you’re a prog-metal fan, you probably already know all about Firewind. Members with a laundry list of other famed metal acts from all styles have crafted 10 tracks of pure metal fun and awesome guitarwork; there are seriously more hooks here than any fisherman could ever need in his tackle box; bad analogy, I know, but it works! Every song here is a memorable one, be it blazing opener “Into the Fire” or the smooth “Mercenary Man,” or my favorite—the cover tune of “Maniac;” as funny as it may be, it rocks. This is catchy metal at its finest, with Firewind’s history and lengthy list of experience only adding to the musical experience they have delivered with The Premonition. –Bryer Wharton (06.02, Avalon)

The Foxglove Hunt
Stop Heartbeat
Common Wall Media
Street: 03.25
Foxglove Hunt = The Cure + The Petshop Boys
A lot of groups use the tried-and-true formula of retooling music from the past with a modern spin to create seemingly groundbreaking records. The Foxglove Hunt, on the other hand, is going straight for recreating the mediocre pop of the 80s. There is more personality in a zombie on Xanax then this borefest. It feels like it should be the soundtrack to a TV-movie sequel to Sixteen Candles. On the brief but positive side, the production is glossy and flawless, to ensure no accidental sounds that might give some depth to this shallow exercise in 80s tribute. –Ryan Powers

Gallhammer
Ill Innocence
Peaceville Records
Street: 10.09.07
Gallhammer = Sigh + Pentagram + Boris
This female Japanese band have quite possibly released one of the most compelling and astonishing doom-metal albums I’ve heard in a long time. There is an honest doom on Ill Innocence, a feeling as though the band is completely unhinged from what other doom-metal artists are doing and just wrote these songs because it’s what they truly have in their darkened hearts. I may say this a lot, but when I do, I mean it with all sincerity—every song on the album is different and embodies different themes and styles from other metal genres; notably black metal; it’s those wicked female Japanese screams that sound evil and sinister and unquestionably unique. This is one doom-metal masterpiece that could be described in a short novel; it must be experienced firsthand to realize the massiveness to the music, the depth and sheer creativity of the beast. Fan of doom metal? Then by all means, Gallhammer cannot and will not disappoint with Ill Innocence. –Bryer Wharton

The Gossip
Live in London
Columbia Records
Street: 04.15
The Gossip = Debbie Harry + Glass Candy + The Donnas
My favorite way to listen to The Gossip involves drinking a multitude of Red Bull vodkas at 10 a.m. and then skipping around downtown SLC in booty shorts alongside the world’s largest disco ball. Unfortunately, I was not able to enjoy this particular disc in any of the aforementioned ways. The Gay Pride parade is still a few months away and driving around with the world’s largest disco ball in the trunk of my car sounds dangerous. But without fail, every time I popped Live in London in my car stereo, it wasn’t long before the volume was turned up somewhere close to 30 and I was singing and dancing while driving––it’s just that damned good. Although this live release (recorded during a London concert on July 9, 2007) suffers from some subpar recordings, the hooting crowd doesn’t detract from the overall quality. All of the songs are amazing, but my favorite tracks were the cover of Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody,” “Standing In the Way of Control” and “Careless Whisper.” –Jeanette Moses

Gregor Samsa
Rest
Kora Records
Street: 05.13
Gregor Samsa = Sigur Ros + Halcyon High + Low
I listened to this album while doing an art project—and after one listen through, refused to listen to anything else. Sounding uncannily like Sigur Ros, this senior release is as innocent as it is hypnotic—taking at least four or five listens to fully grasp the album. The album is themed primarily around a detached, artistic center that combines bells, chimes, electronic beats, and subdued vocals to create a beautiful collage of melancholy, slightly depressing songs that have that ability to change your mood from mediocre to artistically somber within minutes. I loved every minute of it—from start to finish Rest reflects the subconscious, dormant emotions we often experience within the stormy seasons of our lives, motivating creativity as much as confrontation. Rest is a beautiful, artistic release that deserves constant rotation on those though-provoking, drizzly and somber days. –Kristyn Lambrecht

Gripp
As Knowledge Kills Beauty
Self
Street: 02.11
Gripp = Del tha Funkee Homosapien + Early Blackalicious (minus a DJ) + some weird electronic shit
Gripp does his own production. If he had some quality producers and an actual DJ backing him, his future rhymes could find a place in my album rotation. If I were a big fan of computer-produced rap, then this album would already be there. The 20-year-old’s release displays potential, but unfortunately, Gripp’s album could easily be written off as semi-bullshit. Thirty seconds in, he raps about loving “hip-hop” over a synthesizer. I searched for a vinyl scratch or obvious sample on As Knowledge Kills Beauty and there were none. I believe at least two elements of the hip-hop four (MCs, DJs, B-boys and graffiti) need to be present to call it that. In this case, it’s just a rap album trading in on the name of the institution. –jon “jp” paxton

Hayden
In Field & Town
Hardwood Records
Street: 04.08
Hayden = Older Ben Kweller + Wilco + Nick Drake
“No relationships were hurt in the making of this album” was the first thing I noticed while thumbing through the twelve-page booklet full of lyrics written by a man with a suffering heart. Tears had to be shed to write words as evocative and emotional as this album comes across. This Toronto based singer/songwriter seems to have come out of nowhere. Every piece of this album fits together as it should, with a melodramatic logic that folds sound and sense into an unbroken whole that resonates with unsettled meaning. Every song is like a relationship coming to an end––faster than the next sunset, but only the beautiful and reasonable parts of the circumstance.
With his mopey folk-rock grooves, Hayden unquestionably has something to offer with this album. Whether it be found serenity from someone who has “been through it” or reciprocated memories of love lost and the acknowledgement of the light at the end of the tunnel, In Field and Town was a pleasant surprise. –Lance Saunders

Headlights
Some Racing, Some Stopping
Polyvinyl Records
Street: 02.19
Headlights = Sea Wolf + Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelstin + Of Montreal Between playing over 300 shows and putting out a pair of releases in just three years, Headlights are one of the most exciting and intriguing acts coming out of the indie-pop scene so far this year. Some Racing, Some Stopping, the band’s sophomore effort, greatly outshines its predecessor, something they shot for themselves. Kill Them with Kindness, their debut record, was a bit noisier and all around sloppier than Some Racing, Some Stopping, a record built on catchy guitar licks and the essential—albeit basic—boy-girl pop vocals. While most of the songs embody the general description for a pure pop song, others are a bit more somber and emotional. “January” is one such instance of a somber tune, but almost every other song is elevating and peppy. If you aren’t tapping your toe to this one, you aren’t human. Or you don’t like pop music at its purest form. –Tom Carbone Jr.

Insolence
Audio War
Powerslave Records
Street: 01.22
Insolence = Head (PE) – an ultra annoying singer + Dislocated Styles
Insolence could be judged by their longevity; they’ve been around for over seven years. Back in the day when rap-rock or n-metal was huge, this record could’ve sold millions. Now with the genre basically dead with a few artists still playing the style, it’s not nearly as profitable. So there is some credit giving for Insolence because they’re obviously playing music they like instead of doing it just to sell records. For the genre, when the band isn’t pumping out stupid n-metal riffs, there are some really good drum beats and reggae-style vocals and jams; that style is about the only redeeming quality of the album. The other stuff sounds like it came straight from the late-90s, early-2000 era of n-metal where rap and metal were huge and Fred Durst was the biggest rock star around. For people that still enjoy this style of music, more power to them. Insolence probably do it better than many counterparts around today, so hey, enjoy a decent band that does what they do well. As for me, I’m sick of listening to this strange and annoying concoction of rap, reggae and really boring riffs and stupid vocal screams. –Bryer Wharton

Jarboe + Justin Broadrick
J2
The End Records
Street: 03.18
Jarboe + Justin Broadrick = Jarboe + Justin Broadrick
If you have any idea who Jarboe (Swans, numerous collaborations) and Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu, Napalm Death, etc.) are, you don’t need an equation to tell you what to expect. Or do you? I’ll admit that I didn’t know what to expect the first time I caught wind of this project. Jarboe had previously worked with Broadrick by providing vocals for a track from a recent Jesu EP, so I suppose it only made sense for them to say, “Fuck it!” and create a full project together. Although there are some interesting continuances, I unfortunately couldn’t get into it. I can appreciate the creepy atmosphere they’re trying to accomplish, but given the talent on hand for J2, I would have expected quite a bit more from several songs which tend to rely heavily on repetition, leaving little room for moments that create desire for repeated listens. –Conor Dow

Jeremy Jay
A Place Where We Could Go
K Records
Street: 05.20
Jeremy Jay = The Smiths + The Shins - Enthusiasm
Sadly, this album went in one ear and out the other; or in other words, I couldn’t find anything to catch my attention. You could go through the entire album without realizing it; and the whole time it sounds like he’s just reading out of his little book of poetry. All that’s missing is some sunglasses and bongos and you’ve got yourself a beat poet. Although the music is very simple and repetitive, it adds emotion where Jeremy Jay lacks and every now and then, you’ll get a sweet little guitar riff that wakes you up from the daze of the album; the daze that is produced by Jay’s smooth Morrissey vocals. It’s funny how something can be so beautifully done, yet at the same time be unable to spark any flame of interest. –Lyuba Basin

Juno Reactor
Gods & Monsters
Metropolis
Street: 04.22
Juno Reactor = Enigma + FSOL + Massive Attack
While experimentation is always welcomed in any genre, electronic artists seem to become bored with the status quo far more quickly than your typical songwriters. Over the years, Juno Reactor has drifted through the darker elements of club culture while fusing an ever-changing obsession with world music without catering to the NPR crowd ( l Deep Forest). It is a combination that has kept their music in films such as Mortal Kombat and all of the The Matrix installments. Pulling influences from India and Africa, along with dub and traditional dance, and industrial scenes (I’ve always sensed a certain Laibach in them), Gods & Monsters is predictably all over the place, but for the most part it works, and when it doesn’t, you still have to admire their ambition. –ryan michael painter

Korpiklaani
Korven Kuningas
Nuclear Blast Records
Street: 03.21
Korpiklaani = Finntroll + forests + DRINKING
This is such a fun band. Korpiklaani hail from Finland, along with their brethren the illustrious Finntroll. Though their music is primarily metal-centric, they interlace a great deal of folk elements and a flavor of Finnish polka music called Humppa. Naturally, you can probably tell that this isn’t your typical brooding, grim and frostbitten metal band who pose scowling in corpse paint. Nope, Korpiklaani take on a sincere, but much jollier approach with choruses that are either group-sung or in a style of what is called “yoiking,” heavy usage of the accordion, and themes that mostly revolve either around mythical forest tales or drinking. If you can imagine what sort of metal bands might tour through The Green Dragon to play for Hobbits, Korpiklaani is one of these bands. Head to the forests, fill a stein with your favorite ale or mead and propose a toast to metal! –Conor Dow

Lazy Magnet
He sought for that magic by which all glory and glamour of mystic chivalry were made to shine
OR
Is Music even Good? Corleone
Street: 01.13
Lazy Magnet = Starlight Mints + Yellow Swans + Animal Collective + Jab
Micah Och El A challenging minimal mix of orchestral and electro with singer-songwriter, a bit of punk, and “Other,” Lazy Magnet seems to challenge the idea of music with this calliope of ideas, brilliantly executed across genres with little regard for structure or defined sound boundaries. Flutes versus analog synths for the breakdown of a thrash punk song? Yeah, it’s here. Lazy Magnet’s Jeremy Harris has a long history in the Providence music scene, explaining in part the broad dynamic of this album. In fact, it is nearly impossible to review this album from a referential or empirical perspective; it simultaneously expresses the frustrations of being a generation of ideas without a way to express them in new and genuine methods, while playing against the traditional archetype of marginalized music always maintaining only abrasive natures or particular melodies or scales. Lazy Magnet reminds us that soft rock, world sounds, glitch noise, free jazz, and punk are really a combinable set of media to those willing to accept it—especially the black-metal parts. –Ryan Powers

Less Than Jake
Reissues of Pezcore, Losers, Kings & Things We Don’t Understand, and Goodbye Blue and White
Sleep It Off Records
Street: 03.18
Less Than Jake = horns + goofiness + bleached hair + white-boy dreadlocks
Going back and listening to these early recordings by ska-punk icons Less Than Jake is a lot like thinking back on my high-school days: there are occasional moments of triumph, but they’re heavily outweighed by innumerable crippling defeats and poor decisions. There’s definitely something endearing about the feelings of teenage hopelessness coupled with the band’s high energy on songs like “Growing Up on a Couch” and “Liquor Store,” but sometimes with great youth comes great crappiness. Goofy-ass songs like “Yo-Yo Ninja Boy” and numerous intolerable covers, including but not limited to “I Think I Love You” and “867-5309,” make it hard to listen to a good chunk of these records. Each album includes a DVD featuring the modern-day LTJ performing their old albums in their entirety, but it’s more sad than cool. The past should probably stay in the past for Less Than Jake and their fans. – Ricky Vigil

Leviathan
Massive Conspiracy Against All Life
Moribund Records
Street: 03.24
Leviathan = Judas Iscariot + Burzum on Dimethyltryptamine
Among the immense amount of material that Wrest has released under his Leviathan moniker, this is only his third official full-length album. After an almost four-year wait, this has grown to be a highly anticipated release. With the least amount of tracks yet, it may be his most concise work to date and is certainly not lacking the same adventurous songwriting which seethes with caustic misanthropy and paranoia. The songwriting here is fueled with a relentless intensity which could arguably make this Leviathan’s most aggressive release yet. The second track, “Merging with Sword, Onto Them,” stands out because the first half holds a slower tempo than most of the rest of the album and calls forth an atmosphere similar to Wrest’s other project, Lurker of Chalice. If this is the last Leviathan album, it’s a hell of a way to go out … another requiem for a turd world. –Conor Dow

Little Beirut
High Dive
Self-released
Street: 04.08
Little Beirut = The Rinse? + The Billionaires + The Silent Years
Why would you name your band after a statement that President George Bush Sr. said while visiting your hometown on his cutthroat travels of the United States? Also, why would you write a love song for Condoleeza Rice entitled “Love During Wartime”? Wow, I just can't take it seriously. It took me about three songs to figure out why I couldn't locate a record label insignia anywhere on the digipack, which probably cost them a pretty penny; nobody would pick the record up! Portland is a dope-ass city, but I don't get why people persist on drilling we’re you’re from into your brain before you even listen to the damn music. I figure that the music should speak for itself. Errrr, the music ... Nothing new here; simple bridges, uncomplicated choruses and elementary verses. Sorry, guys, but this album can jump from the “High Dive” into a bone-dry swimming pool. –Push Barrow

Lividity
Rejoice in Morbidity (re-issue) 7”
Vice Core Records
Street: 05.06
Lividity = Skinless + Impaled + Carcass
Here is an early piece of gore-grind metal from Lividity, quite possibly one of the most underrated gore-grind bands in the U.S. I hope all you gore hounds have a record player because this re-release of Lividity’s Rejoice in Morbidity is only available in 7” form. While there are four short songs contained in this demo re-release, the content will make a bloody pulp of your brain. Lividity have always utilized samples in their music to create a sinister atmosphere and there are plenty of them to go around for these four cuts of morbid joy. The songs play the groove of gore-grind heavily and don’t skimp on any technicality in their music; while there is groove, there is massive speed and blast-beat-style drumming to fracture your bones. The production from this early release is strangely better than some of the band’s later records. All you collectors and gore-grind fans enjoy this chunk of Lividity history available for the first time in roughly 12 years. –Bryer Wharton

The Lonesome Kings
Legendary Suffering
Kaiser Records
Street: 4.2006
The Lonesome Kings = The Hellbillys + Fear + The Batfinks + Minor Threat
I’m a sucker for good album art and I’ve been burned many times because of it. Luckily, the sounds contained on Legendary Suffering are just as interesting as the cover that graces it. Mostly, the songs on this one contain a lot of anger and a lot of sleaze (Singer King Sleaze isn’t called that for nothin’). The title track is the strongest track on the album and is surprisingly well written. It’s not every day that a psychobilly song has memorable lyrics, after all. There is more of a punk-rock flavor on this album than I anticipated. A few songs reminded me of Fear in sleazy lyrical content and style, and the guitar often reminded me of Minor Threat in speed and sound. It’s not all balls-to-the-wall fast, though; “Pure Evil” is a mid-tempo number in which the band showcases their rockabilly influence with intricate guitarwork and “Let Me Die” is a slow, brooding song that closes out the album rather nicely. My one gripe is that the vocals are way too quiet. Other than that, this is a solid release that fans of punk rock heavy psychobilly will eat right up. –Aaron Day

Lucertulas
Tragol de Rova
Robot Radio Records
Street: 10.02.2007
Lucertulas = These Arms Are Snakes + Mars Volta + Night Wounds
Lucertulas are obviously on a mission to blow your mind. They want to either blow you away, or at least blow away your mind, like blow it onto the floor. In any case, there is definitely blowing to be had; you will feel a general blowing or the feeling of having been blown in some way or fashion. But just where are these blowing winds blowing? They are blowing across the Atlantic towards the inattentive ear of Omar Alfredo (Hernandez-Guantanamo El-Dexterimo Fantastico) Rodriguez-Lopez, so as to say, “Omar amore, you like-a da music?” However, they don’t realize that Omar is busying himself with making music that will blow your mind back all over the 70s all over again. I don’t predict a response. However, should you care to intrude on this impassioned, imaginary dialogue, tune the hell in, and have your mind totally blown away to hell and back again. –Megavore

The Mae Shi
HLLLYH
Team Shi Records
Street: 03.25
The Mae Shi = Animal Collective + Matt and Kim + Saturday morning cartoons
Exuberant is an understatement. The Mae Shi started in 2002 and have since traveled the world time and time again, playing in countless basements in order to share their version of distended happiness. Similar in feeling to Polyphonic Spree, these guys cut out the hippie aspect and add a little nerdiness in the way of countless Casio chops along with the expected accompaniment of vintage drum machines. This is not the core of the band, though, as they are very proficient in post-hardcore and punk by way of drums, bass and guitar. Add in choir vocals and crazy off-the-wall screaming and you h