Category: Reviews
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Ides of Gemini – Old World New Wave
I’ll admit, I kinda slept on this album, which actually came out back in September. But the L.A. trio’s debut, Constantinople, left enough of an impression that I figure their follow-up effort is worth a belated listen. A two-thirds-female outfit that mixes shoegaze sounds into a lighter shade of doom with stirring feminine vocals: unlike…
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Death Penalty – Death Penalty
It didn’t take long for Gaz Jennings to pick up a new project following the unfortunate demise of Cathedral. Recruiting former SerpentCult vocalist Michelle Nocon, Jennings formed Death Penalty. Filling out the lineup is SerpentCult drummer Fredrick “Cozy” Cosemans and Belgian bassist Raf Meukens. I wonder if Jennings likes waffles and beer in addition to…
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Hunters – Hands on Fire
From the very first time I heard Hunters‘ debut full length album, I was in love. The grainy, gritty street-punk-meets-grunge mixture produced by the band touched every single pleasure center in my brain. Derek Watson’s guitar growled just the right way and Izzy Almeida’s vocals smoothed the hardened, angry burrs in my mind with a…
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Laika – Somnia
This band have taken their monicker from the unfortunate Russian dog who became one of the first animals in space: Laika. Unusual name for a band, but no less so than Leprotic Acid Spitting Amoebas From Angola (NB: I made that name up off to the top of my head – if a band with such…
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Pallbearer – Foundations of Burden
Man, I gotsta say, this new Pallbearer rekkid is pretty fancy-schmancy: a double dose of uber-thick vinyl (I’m guessing 180g) that comes with a glossy poster/lyric sheet. Profound Lore really went all-out on this one… but considering the success of its critically-acclaimed predecessor, Sorrow and Extinction, I can see why they felt ’twas worth the effort.…
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Today Is the Day – Animal Mother
Let’s be honest here. Today Is the Day is mainly the life’s work of one man, Steve Austin, with a rotating rhythm section that changes every album or two. That said, he usually finds musicians that are well-versed in the genre… I guess you could call it post-hardcore? For album number 10, it’s drummer Jeffrey Lohrber…
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Lo-Pan – Colossus
I didn’t love the last Lo-Pan album when it came out, but having seen ’em live a couple times since, I can dig it. You could probably file this one under “Stoner Rock” with its big, fuzzy riffs, heavy grooves and soaring vocals… although it’s not necessarily something you’d hit a bong to. Actually, might as…
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Witch Mountain – Mobile of Angels
Much like the first time I saw ’em, Witch Mountain was recently touring in support of an album that wasn’t even available yet… at least not on vinyl. I did grab a CD, though, and if the live preview was any indication, their third record should be pretty decent. Sure enough, she opens up with…
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Orange Goblin – Back from the Abyss
I must say I quite enjoyed the Goblin’s last album when it came out, oh, some two-and-a-half years ago. I missed their headlining tour when it came through town (I was in Texas, incidentally), but caught ‘em when they opened for Clutch last year. Which has absolutely no bearing on this Orange Goblin recording, mind…
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Electric Wizard – Time to Die
I’ve heard all sorts of mixed reviews of this new Electric Wizard record, though most tend to be favourable (perhaps none more so than this liquidized-teeth kid). But for me, even before I lay wax to the turntable, my opinion is coloured by the whole Greening vs. Wizard feud, which is readily apparent just by looking…