August 2004
Review: K.O.T Feat. Haze – Dreams
K.O.T. FEAT. HAZE “DREAMS” Defected Records From Kings of Tomorrow, including headman Sandy Rivera (“Finally” and “Changes”) comes the hit of the summer. The first edition of this release comprises Spanish boys Chus and Ceballos. Promised to be engineered for the New York and Ibiza megaclubs, this track is full of tribal sounds underlying the
Review: Hellshock – Only the Dead Know the End of...
Hellshock “Only the Dead Know the End of War” LP Speaking of my three-week Bolt Thrower binge, this Hellshock LP came at the perfect time. They have twin-guitar harmonies that are brutal and foreboding, just like Bolt Thrower. They have march-into-battle riffs and guttural vocals, just like Bolt Thrower. They have lots of songs about war,
Review: Hocico – Born To Be Heated
HOCICO BORN TO BE HATED Out of Line 4/5 It’s hard for me to get tired of Hocico. They produce so much consistently angry, quality music and it never seems to get old. “Born to be (Hated)” is the single to the album that is rumored to be released sometime in August. Four tracks (the
Local Review: Theta Naught – Something Scientific
Theta Naught Something Scientific Eden’s Watchtower Theta Naught put the mental back into instrumental. All instrumental all the time, their aptly titled Something Scientific bypasses the borders of known quantum mechanics, not through math metal, as may be expected by the album title, but via the vessel of abstract, mellow, Mazzy Star alterna-rock. They’re mathematical
Local Review: The New Transit Direction – Wonderful Defense Mechanisms
The New Transit Direction Wonderful Defense Mechanisms Some Records Even though Some Records’ press release for The New Transit Direction mistakenly says that “Salt Lake City is known more for its religious zeal than its quality independent music. The town’s isolation and small indie community gave the guys little else to depend on but their
Local Review: Le Force – Le Fortress
Le Force Le Fortress Wäntage USA It’s finally here, Le Force’s first record label release. The deflowering honor goes to Wäntage USA, out of Missoula, Mon., which also hosts Federation X and The Fucking Champs, among others. Hot tubs filled with whiskey and semen, feathered hot-pink boas and glass fish tanks full of cobras and
Local Review: Ichor – Metal Bigotry
Ichor Metal Bigotry The lo-fi sound recording and instrument playing of Ichor’s unrefined, jugular-choking death metal is about at Mayhem-and-Burzum level (sometimes the guitars and drums need to make friends more), which is just fine with me, because what Mayhem and Burzum lacked in $100,000-studio recordings and target-market interviews in metal magazines they made up
Review: Frost – Raise Your Fist To Metal
Frost* Raise Your Fist To Metal Noise Records As if it’s not bad enough Jack Frost named his solo album Raise Your Fist To Metal, he’s also pictured on the cover… that’s right, raising his fist to metal. A number of guest musicians were involved in this project, although limited information offered on the
Review: Decontrol – The Final War
Decontrol “The Final War” CD This record has four different illustrations of gas masks, and I’m beginning to wonder why they are so popular on T-shirts and record covers. It’s probably because gas masks are the last thing punks see before the riot police hose them down with pepper spray. Decontrol know exactly how to get
Review: Delays – Faded Seaside Glamour
DELAYS FADED SEASIDE GLAMOUR Rough Trade Undoubtedly the Delays will draw comparisons to The Byrds, love children and braided hair adorned with flowers in the pre-Altamont 60s due to the cascading of songs like “Nearer than Heaven.” Which I suppose is fine as long as you’re not intending it as an insult. Personally, I hear
Review: Davantage – Unholy
DAVANTAGE UNHOLY Black Rain 5/5 Davantage failed to impress me the first time with their debut album, Broken Influences. Unholy generously offers 13 tracks of some of the best dark electro I have heard in a while. Title track, “Unholy,” sold me instantly with stunning dance-floor beats and anthem electro. “T.C.A.” and “Davantage 03″ bring
Review: Crisis – Like Sheep Led To Slaughter
Crisis Like Sheep Led To Slaughter The End Records It’s been seven years since the last album from Crisis. They’ve just released their latest, Like Sheep Led To Slaughter, and I’m struggling to hear something new from this band. Despite a new drummer and the addition of a second guitarist, this still sounds pretty much
