Review: Primal Fear
Primal Fear ““Nuclear Fire”” (Nuclear Blast) In a world of lame power metal that just sonically squirms, trying to capture the faded glory of an earlier day and other bands, Primal Fear is hand and shoulders above the rest. The…
Tag issue-11
Review: Sick on the Bus
Sick on the Bus ““Set Fire to Someone in Authority”” (Go-Kart Records) I’’ve personally never set fire to anyone-either an authority figure or otherwise. My two younger brothers did once shoot a smoke bomb out of a water balloon launcher…
Review: Simon Says
Simon Says ““Shut Your Breath”” (Hollywood Records) Vocalist, Matt Franks, deserves major recognition for his amazing voice with a pitch that goes from a mind-blowing scream, to a soothing whisper, all while sounding so clean it’s almost eerie. Although Simon…
Review: Skarhead
Skarhead ““NY Thugcore: The Hardcore Years 1994-2000”” (Triple Crown Records) Skarhead. The name seems so tough, they have really seen the thug life. I am terrified that I might get a beat-down. New York style hardcore with all of it’s…
Review: Matthew Jay
Matthew Jay ““Draw”” (Capitol Records) Matthew Jay is yet another moddish export from the UK, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Richard Ashcroft, though he’s far sweeter than his bitter countryman; which isn’t necessarily a good thing. The songs on Draw…
Review: My Ruin
My Ruin ““A Prayer Under Pressure of Violent Anguish”” (Snapper Music) Spinning My Ruin¹s latest release, A Prayer Under Pressure of Violent Anguish, is a simple pleasure. The neo-goth album is solidly crafted with obvious skill, delivering consistently strong tracks…
Review: Hate
Hate ““Holy Dead Trinity”” (World War III) Another triumphant act off of new American label, WWIII; Hate is part of the new generation of Polish death metal, and their debut, Holy Dead Trinity, is a blistering and brutal offering from…
Review: Hi-Tek
Hi-Tek ““Hi-Teknology”” (Rawkus Records) He was the man behind the boards for much of Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s well-received “Black Star” album, and he combined with Kweli on the 2000 favorite “Reflection Eternal”. On the verge of becoming one…
Review: Icarus Line
Icarus Line ““Mono”” (Crank Records) Sounds like Drive Like Jehu and they dress kinda like Kraftwerk did on “Man-Machine”, but regardless L.A.’s Icarus Line treat the listener to some of the most brutal, stripped down rock and roll available. Driving…
Review: Junction 18
Junction 18 ““This Vicious Cycle”” (Fearless Records) This really pisses me off. Why do so many new punk bands feel they have to sound exactly like Green Day? People, Green Day sucks so stop trying to copy them! Damn, it’s…