Little Barrie – King Of The Waves – Review

The UK power trio, Little Barrie, may not be on many U.S. listeners radars just yet, but it’s certainly not from a lack of trying. The remaining original members Lewis Wharton and Barrie Cadogan, started the band around twelve years ago as a soul-funk, garage rock band, eventually switching previous percussionists to drummer Virgil Howe and adopting a more bluesy rock n’ roll sound as they released their sophomore record, 2007′s “Stand Your Ground.” It’s been half a decade since we’ve heard a peep from this group, but with the local and international release of their latest effort, “King Of The Waves,” questions such as “would they stick to the strict rock and roll framework of previous material?” Or “would they be able to create more stripped down, soul-infused rock?” have fans clamoring over the bands latest material. read more

Attack Attack! – This Means War – Review

As one of the only bands in history to be remembered for imitating a crustacean, the flamboyant and equally as heavy, metalcore (lately boarding on death metal) four-piece Attack Attack! has secured a listeners spot with many simply for the novelty of having their metal cake and eating it to the tune of electronica, while squatting really low to the ground and shredding. The guys at AA! have however come along way from their freshman album, the brash, “Someday Came Suddenly.“ The departure of vocalists Austin Carlile and Nick Barham ushered in an unnecessarily heavy metalcore style featured in 2010′s self-titled record, the result of the addition of Caleb Shomo at lead vocals, and the noticeably thick riffs lended by guitarist Johnny Franck. With the bands hardest effort in their rear-view, fans became curious if Attack Attack! would even be able to continue the trend and rupture listeners ear drums with more guttural, down-tuned guitars as well as providing more contrasting singing and fluttering effects. With the groups latest record, “This Means War” upon us, I can tell you they have since fallen very far. read more

Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood Of Colour – Review

Back in 2007, the still relatively unknown (at least in the US) four-piece UK band, Enter Shikari, released their debut record “Take To The Skies.” Given the bands unorthodox influences of both electronica and post-hardcore, the bands remained quietly (unjustly) under the radar, until they released their sophomore record “Common Dreads” which featured blatant political motives and a noticeable change in lyricism. The result catapulted  the band into the center stage of the States and prepped the band for three years of constant tours, newly written music and a rapidly growing fan base. With 2012, and a rash of additional compilation albums behind them, the band has signed to Hopeless Records to handle their US distribution (indie labels do it better) and has finished their junior record, which was handled this time around by producer Dan Weller, entitled “A Flash Flood Of Colour.” read more

Pale Creation – Twilight Haunt – Review

This next record I am reviewing has always meant a lot to me. It was I believe three years ago that I was exchanging words with Nick Fiction at an Entombed show that I wanted the lyrics to Twilight Haunt. After a lengthy conversation, I left it with someone should really press that on vinyl, I mentioned Dom since he just released the self-titled ep. It was left with a maybe one day consensus. Now two years later I finally own the vinyl version of the record that includes a lyrical sheet. read more

Anne – Dream Punx – Review

Anne’s Dream Punx is a compilation of the bands mixtapes and demos out now on A389 Records. Chances are you never heard of Anne or checked out the demos. I for one was looking forward to the release of these mixtapes on vinyl so Dream Punx was a nice addition to my record collection. read more

Lagwagon – Putting Music In Its Place – Review

There were only a few things that made much of high school remotely bearable. One was getting to third base in an actual dugout, and another was the consistently great releases from the 21+ year old punk band Lagwagon. Being one of the only bands to actually repeatedly turn down major label offers over the years (where peers like Green Day, Blink 182, and Rancid suckled at the mainstream tit) and stay focused on making traditional skate punk for their adoring fan base instead of chasing a possible large payday, always made me not only love the bands efforts such as the stand outs, “Trashed,” “Hoss” and “Blaze” — but also respect Joey Cape and his creative band of ne’er-do-wells. It’s a little weird then that I would praise a band for re-releasing old material, because it’s usually some sort of cash grab for old albums that fans and occasional listens have already forked over money for. This time however, Lagwagon has pulled together their first five releases and remastered them all. Add in about 10 demos, b-sides, and outtake tracks per effort (many unreleased), as well as including an underground Section 8 (pre-Lagwagon) demo, and you have one beautiful, nostalgic collection of tracks from one of the founding members of modern punk. read more

Chevelle – Hats Off To The Bull – Review

The last time I actively ventured a listen of Chevelle was some point back when numetal was all the rage and 2002′s “Wonder What’s Next” and 2004′s ”This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)“ had such thick bass reverb that it would blow stereo subwoofers if played too loud (from experience). Since then, the band has released two Epic Records backed albums, “Vena Sera” and “Sci-fi Crimes,” that went virtually unnoticed by most of their mainstream fans, while the bands early adopter base has slowly started dropping off, no doubt the result of the lightening of Chevelle’s sound over the last half decade to a shadow of their previous alt metal standing as well as the notable absence of the third Loeffler brother on bass. The groups latest release “Hats Off To The Bull” read more

The Dear Hunter – The Color Spectrum – Review

Embarking on one of the more challenging and inspiring efforts of recent memory, Casey Crescenzo and company have gone the extra mile with their pièce de résistance effort, the nine EP, color-focused collection, “The Color Spectrum.” The involved story and smooth indie of the progressive rock band’s previous installments, “Act I: The Lake South EP,” “Act I: The River North EP,“ ”Act II: The Meaning of, and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading” and the concluding full-length, “Act III: Life and Death,” were three parts of a compelling tale that is rarely ever able to be told genuinely in today’s music. Being one of the most ambitious conceptual releases that I’ve heard since Thrice‘s elemental-based conceptual EP’s “The Alchemy Index“ (funny that Casey Crescenzo shares an increasingly similar appearance with Dustin Kensrue), the anticipation was growing ever higher to ignore abandon and get my hands/ears dirty to experience the “rainbow” of emotions from this thirty six track opus. read more

Eddie Brock / Lapse – Split 7” – Mini Review

Eddie Brock and Lapse two fast hardcore punk bands, I am sure there’s a dozen stupid subgenre categorizations you want to put them into, but let’s just move on. Recently released a split 7” on To Live A Lie Records, Eddie Brock brings two new tracks and Lapse three, all in under eight minutes.

First up Eddie Brocks two tracks mid tempo hardcore with Weekend Nachos(esque) vocals that “IM ANGRY FUCK YOU,” type barking. “Absol,” is definitely my favorite of their two tracks slow to nice fast thrash riff. Then Lapse comes in with a very similar sound but you can definitely make the distinction between the two. Both bands have these classic punk sounding riffs but then heavy grinding parts and it’s just great, the breakdown in “Trend,” is just rad. If you like bands like Weekend Nachos or a cleaner Triac you will dig this split. [James Terry]

Score: 4 (out of 5) read more

Brokencyde – Guilty Pleasure – Review

Another year, yet another musical abortion from the unapologetic, crunkcore four-piece, Brokencyde. Even after critics (ie. anyone with ears and a computer) panned the band’s first album “I’m Not a Fan, But the Kids Like It!” as well as its 2010 sequel “Will Never Die,” BC some how has amassed enough preteen followers to warrant the release of another record, which has been titled, “Guilty Pleasure.” I’ve seen the same bizarre set of circumstances when ever Black Veil Brides some how finds a way to sell more that five records — sometimes the world is just a twisted little bunch of irony. read more