Year: 2004
Review: Peccatum – Lost In Reverie
Peccatum Lost in Reverie The End Records Norway’s Peccatum are back four years after their last album, Amor Fati, with Lost In Reverie. This album was written and performed by Ihsahn (Emperor) and Ihriel (Star Of Ash), with guest musicians providing additional drums, percussion and vocals on some of the tracks. This album covers everything
Review: Otep – House Of Secrets
Otep House Of Secrets Capitol Otep is back with House of Secrets, the follow-up to their major-label full-length debut, Sevas Tra. The music this band plays revolves around female singer Otep Shamaya’s self-loathing lyrics that tend to get a little stale after a song or two. During “Buried Alive,” Otep hates her life, during “Autopsy
Review: Panzer AG – This Is My Battlefield
PANZER AG THIS IS MY BATTLEFIELD Accession Records 4/5 Somewhere between Icon of Coil and Combichrist, Andy Laplegua finds time for another project, Panzer AG. This first release under the Panzer AG moniker is titled This is my Battlefield and fits comfortably among the sounds of his other two projects. Take the synth stylings of
Review: Nicki Jane – Of Pigeons and Other Curiosities
NICKI JANE OF PIGEONS AND OTHER CURIOSITIES Shaman Yes, it is comforting to know that there is still enough space in the world for a little dark cabaret. On Of Pigeons and Other Curiosities, Nicki Jane swings around her guitar or piano with a bitter assurance reminiscent of Nick Cave. Through restraint, she’s more subtle
Review: Nonpoint – Statement
Nonpoint Statement Lava Even from their first album, Struggle, in 1999, the band Nonpoint wasn’t a simple metalcore band. This band’s music has always had substance lyrically, vocally and musically. The band continued their hard-hitting approach on their major label (MCA) debut in 2000 with Statement. I lost touch with the band for a while
Review: NamelessNumberHeadman – Your Voice Repeating
NAMELESSNUMBERHEADMAN YOUR VOICE REPEATING The Record Machine Quite frankly this is an experiment that at any given moment threatens to go awry. A dose of the Flaming Lips’ bizarre atmospheric kookiness, occasional afternoon drinking binges with acoustic guitars and quiet pianos that from time to time explode into New Order’s rock-electronica before crashing into the
Review: Midlake – Bamnan and Slivercork
MIDLAKE BAMNAN AND SLIVERCORK Bella Union Typically, Simon Raymonde (Cocteau Twins) and his lovely Bella Union record label release quality albums. Bamnan and Slivercork from Midlake is quite easily the worst lazy clone of a Flaming Lips release that you could ever imagine. It’s detached without any sense of purpose other than to remind me that
Review: Motel Creeps – Pleasantries In The Parlor EP
MOTEL CREEPS PLEASANTRIES IN THE PARLOR EP www.motelcreeps.com “Moon Boots” sways in as a Bunnymen jam with a slightly more animated Interpol flavor. I’m not blown away, but I’m pleased with the combination of warm guitars and distant vocals. The remaining tracks, “City Girl,” “Gun for Hire,” and “Ocean Storm” are solid but not nearly
Review: Mothboy – The Fears
MOTHBOY THE FEARS Ad Noiseam 5/5 Two or three tracks into The Fears, thoughts immediately went to Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto and to Scorn’s Mick Harris. The music is distinctly different from both, but the influences seem so obvious. Onto my research, I discovered that Mothboy’s Simon Smerdon lists both as influences and
Review: M83 – Dead Cities, Read Seas & Lost Ghosts
M83 DEAD CITIES, READ SEAS & LOST GHOSTS Mute There will be those who would crown this French duo as the anointed kings of highbrow hipness and perhaps, for once, the masses might not be far wrong. M83’s sound is caught directly between Sigur Ros’ stark and soaring beauty and Air’s synthesized warmth. The result