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Reviews: Front Line Assembly – Echogenetic
Returning somewhat to their early 1990s sound, but with a detour through dubstep—it’s sort of impossible not to get that particular peanut butter wub in your electronic chocolate these days—Echogenetic is a very workable, even strong bit of electronic industrial/ebm. … read more
Reviews: The Garden – The Life and Times of a...
The Garden write some very interesting riffs. In fact, both the drum work and the guitar work on “The Life and Times of a Paperclip” feature some surprisingly progressive moments—an interesting departure from the simple garage-style fare which Burger Records are known for. … read more
Reviews: Gauntlet Hair – Stills
It starts with “Human Nature,” a fist-pumper with an awesome build-up to a glorious hook. What follows is a collection of songs that are grungy, crystalline, sexy and ugly. … read more
Reviews: Get Dead – Bad News
Intense, growling vocals swoon wonderfully over heavy acoustic rhythm instrumentation and an electric lead guitar. … read more
Reviews: Ghost Wave – Ages
Everyone loves songs about getting drunk and breaking stuff, romanticizing self-destructive behavior like a poorly written Bukowski novel. This album gives me none of those feelings—it is about as visceral as a Ryan Adams song. … read more
Reviews: GWAR – Battle Maximus
GWAR are metal to the teeth, even if you count their dabbling in punk rock and other musical diversions. … read more
Reviews: Havok – Unnatural Selection
Havok’s rocked a cut above the feckless ‘80s imitators since day one, shamelessly copping chunks of top-tier bay area mayhem into their casserole, while freely adding their own ingredients. … read more
Reviews: Hawthorne Heights – Zero
Featuring their first foray into concept album territory, it’s too bad that the dystopia-themed lyrics don’t form the most coherent concept in the world, and it’s all fairly forgettable in the long run. … read more
Reviews: Highway Cross – Run Dry
Highway Cross sound like a grown up hardcore punk band. There are moments that have glimmers of Dag Nasty or Hüsker Dü in the eight minutes of charging guitars over semi-harsh vocals. … read more
Reviews: Hot Water Music – Live in Chicago
Hot Water Music = Small Brown Bike + Avail + Polar Bear Club
Recorded live over two nights shortly after these raspy-voiced rapscallions reunited following a two-year hiatus, Live in Chicago is an amazing document for hardcore HWM fans. … read more