Nightwish “Century Child” (Century Media) Finland’s Nightwish are the height of operatic quasi-goth metal. With a pleasant female vocalist named Tarja and crystal clear production they capture the cinematics and theatrics of metal, goth and progressive rock and mash ’em…
Various Artists “Orange County, New York vs. Orange County, California” (Orange Peal Records / Smell My Thumb Records) Just reading this compilation’s title will give you a pretty good idea as to what to expect. The two-cd record pits Orange…
I Defy ““The Firing Line”” (Reflections) Dear God, I think I just dropped a load in my pants. This is some of the sweetest hardcore I’ve heard in months! Furious and relentless, this stuff attacks your ears like a pit-bull…
Pinhead Gunpowder “Compulsive Disclosure” (Lookout!) Pinhead Gunpowder basically sounds like Green Day + Crimpshrine, which is fitting, being that Billie Joe sings and Aaron, Jason and Bill are from Crimpshrine, Monsula and The Influents, respectively. The band’s been around forever…
Pretty Girls Make Graves “The New Romance” (Matador Records) With their second full length release “The New Romance” Seattle, Washington’s Pretty Girls Make Graves have not only made a serious impact on the world of independent rock, but within the…
Sleep Comes Down “Wax Romantic” (Uprising Records) As I write this it is almost Thanksgiving and that makes me happy because Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s a time to stop and take stock of the things that make us…
Small Brown Bike “The River Bed” (Lookout!) “The River Bed” is aggressive indie rock from SBB, full of powerful vocals and emo-ed out, angular guitars. SBB have crafted a wonderful album here, full of lush, varied textures and sounds without…
Longwave “The Strangest Things” (BMG) The Longwave’s latest, “The Strangest Things” is a record of colorful, emotional tunes with each track exhibiting different personalities. The idea isn’t to blow you away with pompous exhibitions of musical know-how. This is an…
Lazarus ““Songs For and Unborn Son”” (Temporary Residence) Solo work by Trevor Montogmery of the Drift and Tarentel. This is really mellow, melancholy, singer-songwriter stuff given a kind of electro-ambient, post-rock treatment. Think Elliot Smith, if he was from Chicago.…
Leng Tch’e “Manmadepredator” (Willowtip) Belgian grind-core. Belgian grind-core mixed with leftist politics. Belgian grind-core that tries to be humorous. Belgian grind-core, comedy written in English. Belgian grind-core funny men writing in English fail to be funny except by unintentional language…