Opeth “Deliverance” (KOCH Records) Highly talented musicians comprise this band. It’s evident in every note, passage and time change. The music is moody and atmospheric and, ultimately death metal, when all is said and done. Yeah, sure, it’s good, intricate,…
Pervertigo “Throne of Chaos” (Century Media) Don’t judge a Pervertigo by its cover. I was expecting something fully different from what I got. Based on the baroque grotesqueries on the album cover and the band’s modish style of dress I…
The Planet Smashers “No Self Control” (Stomp Records) I haven’t gotten one ska record from this here magazine in the last two years I’ve worked for them and then I get like three in the same month. Is there another…
Plastic Mastery “In the Fall of Unearthly Angels”” (Magic Marker Records) What would be the best possible form of plastic? I think it would have to be flexible yet very firm, soft yet hard and coarse, see through yet every…
Poison Black “Escapexstacy” (Century Media) Easy going, drifting and lugubrious are the music and vocals of Poison Black. The band is a side project for Ville Laihiala, the vocalist for Sentenced (Poison Black are similar to Sentenced but a touch…
Pressure Point “To Be Continued” (GMM Records) Fun punk rock. Loud, aggressive, hoarsely shouted stuff with some minor political leanings (anti-racist and pro-union sentiments pop up here and there) but mostly its about life’s struggle with some anthems about drinking.…
Prong “100% Live” (Locomotive Music) Live Prong. Delivers as promised. “Live” disks, are basically, ‘Greatest Hits’, with a couple of gems thrown in, only live. Prong was a seminal prog-thrash band of the late 80’s/early 90’s with a signature low-end…
Raised Fist “Dedication” (Burning Heart Records) Blistering. Singer Alexander sounds like he’s trying to set a record for shoving the most words into a punk song. There is this screaming urgency to Raised Fist. Falling somewhere faster and grimier than…
Ramallah “But A Whimper” (Bridge Nine) Catchy anthem-like hardcore laced with punk speeds. Earning their oft-dropped comparisons to Hatebreed, it’s all about speeding it up just to break it down. Catchy, if not overly-simplified lyrics snap to attention consistently. The…
Nightingale “Alive Again: The Breathing Shadow Part IV” (The End Records) With a pretentious title like “Alive Again: The Breathing Shadow Part IV” how can this album fail to please me in every which way but loose? Give me a…