Issues: Issue 297 - September 2013
Reviews: Soft Metals – Lenses
We’ve seen nearly the same kiss before, on their self-titled debut, and, musically, they’ve made a similar statement—retro-synth explorations carved into Italo-disco driven pop songs. … read more
Reviews: Sombres Forets – La Mort du Soleil
Great black metal is a balancing act between atmosphere and brutality. This one-man effort from Quebec proves that it has the ability to deliver on both. … read more
Reviews: Speedtrap – Powerdose
Prepare yourself, because Powerdose takes off fast. Ville Valavuo’s guitar snarls out with a heavy metal vengeance while Miika Keränen sets the breakneck pace with swift fills and a relentless beat. … read more
Reviews: Steel Cranes – Ouroboros
Ouroboros is a huge, raw sound, with only drums, guitars and vocals, all from the talents of just two ladies from Oakland, Calif. … read more
Reviews: Stomach Earth – Self-Titled
Stomach Earth is the solo project of Mike “Gunface” McKenzie (Red Chord), and is being branded as a funeral doom record, although there are industrial sounds floating throughout, and the album isn’t sorrowful so much sorrowful as menacing. … read more
Reviews: Swiiim – Cellophane Castle
From the first song on this album, I was enthralled. Sadly, the infatuation didn’t last long. … read more
Reviews: These Animals – Pages
These “pages” nod back to late ‘90s alternative indie/emo. The problem is: That’s a place I don’t prefer to go. … read more
Reviews: Transplants – In a Warzone
After breaking up in 2005, shortly after the release of their second album Haunted Cities (I would’ve broken up after that album too…), this rap/punk supergroup has returned with a fun (if kinda dumb) new album. … read more
Reviews: Turn Me On Dead Man – We Are The...
The new age mysticism concepts on We Are The Star People comes off as too contrived, the riffs are too cut-and-dried (especially when paired with the band’s Marc Bolan and George Harrison influences) and the lyrics sound like drivel spewed from a smug yuppie backpacking in India. … read more
Reviews: Void Meditation Cult/Sperm of Antichrist – Sulfurous Prayers of...
What essentially amounts to a split release by the same band (Void Meditation Cult was previously called Sperm of Antichrist), the first side of Sulfurous Prayers of Blight and Darkness is Void Meditation Cult and the second side is Sperm of Antichrist—confused yet? … read more