Weedeater – Jason… The Dragon
A little on the short side, and lacking in any memorable tunes, Jason… The Dragon is only somewhat satisfying. That being said, I won’t object to another Weedeater tour, provided that it stops somewhere close by.
Southern Lord
Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1
With their latest effort, Earth toys with the idea of heaviness. Angels of Darkness… isn’t an album that pounds and pummels you into submission, but lightly glides on by, taking you along for the ride. This record exudes mellow vibes, so light a candle and close your eyes as it takes you away…
Black Breath – Heavy Breathing
What is the best thing Entombed has done since Wolverine Blues? It’s Seattle, Washington’s Black Breath and their album Heavy Breathing.
The Secret: Channeling Frustration Into Fury
Most of our lyrics are a reflection of the times and the country we’re living in. I think that the main lyrical concept of the record is the loss of faith in pretty much everything. Politics, religion, media. Playing is a very cathartic experience, so it’s something we’re doing mostly for ourselves. The band is pretty much an outlet for our negative sides.”
Keith Carman interviews Michael Bertoldini of THE SECRET about their new album Solve Et Coagula, the band’s debut album for Southern Lord.
BXI: Boris & Ian Astbury
Since hearing about its upcoming release, I’ve wondered what kind of compilation Astbury and a band whose output has been as diverse as Boris’ has been would produce. Well, now I have an answer: such an effort is short and sweet, which is a problem when only half of it is really good.
Pelican – What We All Come To Need
What We All Come To Need isn’t new news by this point, but it’s a real recommend for anyone looking for a heavy album that trims away most of the muscular excesses of progressive and noise metal while still that retaining their heavy-hitting skeletons.
Virulence – If This Isn’t a Dream… 1985-1989
A pretty cool find from a band on the cusp of the post-hardcore movement—especially considering the direction its members went afterwards. I guess they didn’t start smoking reefer till they moved away from their parents…
Black Cobra: Chronomega
Chugging along like a steam train bound for the pits of hell, Black Cobra’s Southern Lord debut is one hell of a beast.
Black Breath: Razor to Oblivion
Black Breath is the kind of metal that’s devoid of any pretension whatsoever, just five scruffy guys hunkering down and coming up with some of the most bracing, rewarding circa-1985 retro metal you’ll hear these days.
Mondo Generator: Cocaine Rodeo (deluxe edition)
Cocaine Rodeo is an offbeat mixture of plodding, bass-heavy alt rock, and sub- two-minute punk tunes.