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A CLEAR BLURR Drop Everything Self-Released |
| If you grew up at the same time I did then it was bands like Screeching Weasel, Blink 182, Green Day, etc… that influenced you early on and made you get involved with the punk rock scene. Then something weird happened over the years and true pop punk somehow turned a corner and when it re-emerged it became a bunch of screaming that took over the stages of Warped Tour by storm. However, for the folks like me, you have probably searched high and low looking for a band that embraced their youth, gave you an energetic album, full of catchy hooks and a thumping bass line that made you move, not to mention vocals that spit out the lyrics with a added punch to them. A Clear Blurr is the band you have been looking for. A group of high school seniors that apparently grew up listening to their older brothers punk rock albums have released what is destined to become one of my favorite albums this year. This is everything a good pop-punk rock album should be. Due to their youth, this is simple music without too much experimenting going on. This is the aspect that keeps things a bit more poppy and fun. Note to all the bands trying to be something your not; 3 chords=good music!!! This album as a whole, from the vocals to the music, reminds me a lot of albums like Blink 182's "Cheshire Cat" in that it is raw, a bit more rough around the edges, and all in all just simply good, solid pop-punk music. This is easily a band to keep your eyes on and watch them evolve the way bands like Blink and Green Day did. | |
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A COASTLINE ENDING In The Name of Progression Not Alone Records |
| With their debut album "In The Name of Progression," A Coastline Ending, has made me a very happy guy. If you are anything like me you were sort of let down by the direction that bands like Taking Back Sunday and Saosin took after great debut albums. Well cheer up, A Coastline Ending has continued where I wish those bands would have gone and delivered a great debut album chalked full of catchy pop driven "emo" style with great lyrics that are easily relatable to anyone that is into what I commonly refer to as the Warped Tour era of punk rock. The album kicks off with "Made By Machine," which honestly was a bit weird for my tastes as it is very keyboard heavy and my first thoughts were that this wasn't going to be something I would dig too much. However, it only took "Breakdown," to change that. The vocals were crisp and energetic as were the guitars that seemed to know exactly when to assault you in the chorus and when to hush down a bit to let the vocals shine in the verses. This was the trend that I found to be spread throughout this album from this point forward. Songs like "Face The Music," and "Brave The Tide," kick off with a simple guitar riffs and drumming that will pound right through you wrapped around vocals that hammer the lyrics home. My overall thoughts that I get from this album is that I just stumbled onto something new and exciting and if you haven't already given these guys a listen, then what exactly are you waiting for? | |
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A KISS COULD BE DEADLY Self-Titled Metropolis Records |
| A Kiss Could Be Deadly's self-titled debut album is exactly what the music industry has been yearning for now for quite some time. Pretty bold statement to kick off a review with eh? I absolutely loved this album since I first hit play and heard the opening notes of "The Exit." The click of the cymbals, the simple punk rock influenced guitars, and a drumbeat pounded right into the amazing vocals of Lauren Baird. And when I say amazing, I mean amazing folks. With the spunk and energy of punk rockers like Agent M (former Tsunami Bomb), Baird is going to be attracting a whole lot of attention and rightfully so. She continues to bless us with her vocals throughout the rest of the album and never misses a note. Musically, this ranges from punk rock influenced songs like "The Exit" fused together with 80's vibes much do in part to the synth work of the band's mastermind Chris Qualls who has likened the band to "Madonna For A Modern Generation." This review wouldn't be complete without touching on the outstanding lyrical content ranging in topics from dramatic to mystery. This is modern dance hall music at it's finest and with the underlying punk influence I suspect great things for A Kiss Could Be Deadly. | |
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ANEW REVOLUTION Rise Koch Records |
| Anew Revolution may just be breaking into the rock/metal scene, but they are no strangers. They've played in Unloco and Slaves on Dope and have been carving their name out through tour dates including The Summer of Sin Tour and dates with Dope and Kitty. On their debut, full-length album, "Rise" they display catchy hooks and melodies, crunching guitars, and an overall modern rock sound that is sure to please fans that frequent events like Ozzfest as well as Warped Tour. You are tossed into the album with a guitar riff and thumping drums that lead to an aggressive in your face vocal on album opener "Done." The aggressiveness and catchiness don't stop there though. You need to look no further than "Generations" or "Saddest Song" to see that this is a band that has the ability to pound a hole right through you musically and keep things rolling with the vocals that are delivered clearly and not full of screaming like so many bands like this are these days. The outstanding "California Burning," written as the band looked out of the wildfires of LA as they were recording stands out as the track that encompasses everything this band is about and wraps it all up perfectly to offer a great, pounding, rock song with a meaningful lyric. But, it is "Let Go" that will capture the most attention as it offers a slower paced style, acoustic guitars, and an outstanding lead vocal and lyric that offers a heartfelt look at the ending of a relationship. Overall, by keeping things a bit more stripped down to the basic instruments this album offers no studio tricks, no extra flash, but rather just a solid album full of what a rock/metal album should be and if this is just the start of things, then Anew Revolution is easily a band to keep your eyes on. | |
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ADVERSARY Singularity Trustkill Records |
| It isn't an everyday occurrence that a band will enter a recording studio to begin working on their new album, and a major independent label will catch wind of them and sign them on the spot. However, this is the case with Virginia based Adversary, who had that very thing happen to them when Trustkill Records found them and so here we are, just a month away from their debut Trustkill release "Singularity." For me personally, I grew up on melodic, pop driven, punk rock, so it is hard for me to really grasp the heavy metal/hardcore thing that so many bands like this bring to the table. While there is no denying that the guitar riffs are great and lean towards the blistering sounds of heavy metal, it is the vocals that always throw me for a loop on albums like this. I just don't understand the screaming thing and that's really all that Adversary brings to the table in their leads. Intensity? Sure, I guess we can say there is a bit of that here, but could the message have been relayed without screaming it at me to the point that I can't understand the lyrics without having them scribbled right in front of me? So, with that being said, this style of music is one that I personally don't spin nor do I even personally like it, however if you like hardcore, thrash styled metal, ala the bands that Victory was putting out back in the day, then Adversary may be just the band for you. For my likings though, I will pass on this one. | |
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AFS Immature Nobodies TVR Records |
| The punk rock genre was started with morals, values, and respect for the individuals within’ it and the fans embraced it with open arms, most of them needing a place to call home and feel welcome, and thus a scene was born. The music was crass, often rude, and always took a stance on what they believed in. Along the way something changed and the scene lost a lot of its core giving away to things like Warped Tour and mainstream/radio friendly punk rock. Don’t get me wrong, that is not necessarily a bad thing, but you do have to dig around nowadays to find “true” punk rock and when you do you will find AFS. With their latest album Immature Nobodies, they seem to be on a mission to take back the scene single handedly. This full on guitar assault begins with “Unite,” a song that allows you to quickly see what this band is all about as they instantly have you singing along with the “whooo ohhh’s” and the fist-pumping chorus. The vocals are rough around the edges a bit, but this is the punk rock scene remember, where that is completely acceptable. As you dig into the album the guitars continue blazing you through the foot-stomping, sing-a-long anthems like “Chicks and Beer,” “Wrong Place Wrong Time,” and “God Fearing Country.” This isn’t a band or an album that is going to sacrifice anything musically or lyrically. They say what they mean and mean what they say. This is a completely honest record full of the true punk rock spirit. AFS has seemed to dig into the past and put the best pieces together of the late 70’s/early 80’s era of punk rock and combined it all on this album. | |
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AFTERDAWN Break Self-Released |
| Afterdawn's 5 song EP, Break, reminds me of 90's alternative/nu/funk metal. I can't describe this any other way but, decent. Afterdawn has potential, don't get me wrong, though the genre of music they're going after has died out a while ago and the only way for this lebeless band to succeed is to change their sound. This is a 2 out of 5. (Nick Zamfoti) | |
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AFTERHOURS Milanesi Ammazzano il Sabato Universal Music |
| Sometimes you have to look to other countries to find some solid, underground, rock music. In the case of Afterhours you'd have to look all the way to Italy. The minute you hit play on "Milanesi Ammazzano il Sabato" you are brought into album opener "Naufragio Sull 'Isola Del Tesora" with a vocal that is somewhat dark and creepy, but as they build to the first chorus you are sucked into the raw, grittiness, of the guitars and quickly realize that you will be listening to something like you haven't heard in the states for quite sometime as they combine elements of punk rock with the grunge era extremely well. There's just one problem with this album. I really don't know Italian all that well so I really couldn't begin to tell you what the songs are actually about since everything is sung in Italian. So with that being said, my focus shifted to what I was hearing rather than what they were singing. From that stand point, the melodies are good, the backups are creepy, and the songs have a very rough and raw feel to them throughout the album, but unfortunately I am a lyric kind of guy, so as good and raw as the music was something was really missing for me as I listened to this album. If you are one of those folks that likes to explore the import bins for new artists and get ahead of the curve then this may be for you but if you are anything like me then I'd say to take a pass on this for the simple fact of the lyrics not being able to be understood. | |
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AGAINST ME! The Original Cowboy Fat Wreck Chords |
| With the release of New Wave, the major label debut from Against Me! They shot to superstardom amongst the modern rock scene earning countless fans. However, sometimes it is fun to take a look back at the history of a band that has reached popular appeal. Against Me! has a great resume that includes a stint with Fat Wreck Chords that saw the release of As The Eternal Cowboy, which arguably is what helped launch them to major label status. Now we as listeners and fans have the chance to experience Tom Gabel’s test sessions for that monumental album through the release of The Original Cowboy, a collection of never before heard demos from the album. Because these songs were only meant as a trial, and only focused on for a matter of hours, you are presented with material in its rawest form. Nothing on this is mixed extensively, and 4 of the 8 songs clock in at under 2 minutes in length. I love albums like this, because 99% of the time, and it is indeed true with this as well, the demos from established acts like this are usually better than most band’s final products these days. Songs like “Mutiny On The Electronic Bay” and opener “A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction/Cliché Guevara,” both allow listeners to experience the incredible amounts of raw energy this band is made of. While on other tracks like the acoustic “Cavalier Eternal” you get to see a song in its very early stages of creation. Against Me! is a band with a whole lot of fans and this is a perfect addition to any one of their collections of music. It is fun, it is raw, and most importantly it is really great too! | |
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AKA'S (ARE EVERYWHERE) Everybody Make Some Noise Metropolis Records |
| The AKA's found their way into the scene via their debut album "White Doves & Smoking Guns" and countless tour dates including stints on the Warped Tour. After solidifying their name amongst the scene, they are back with their Metropolis Records debut, and sophomore effort overall, "Everybody Make Some Noise" and they take things to a whole new level. The keyboards are ever prominent on this release, the guitars quietly hum in the background and find the perfect moments to crank it up a notch, and the vocals seem to have gotten 100% better than those found on their debut album. Not to mention an influence from the likes of new wavers like the B52's combined with punk rock influences are spread throughout the album. In a day and age when you aren't sure what has happened to a true punk rock sound, The AKA's seem to be on a mission to show you that it is alive and well on fist pumping anthems like "In Case I Die Tonight," and "Knives on 45's." This is an album that embodies the spirit of the late 70's/early 80's new wave and punk scenes and combines everything perfectly to re-introduce the youth of today to the true punk rock sound. | |
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ALESANA Where Myth Fades To Legend Fearless Records |
| Alesana delivers a hit with "Where Myth Fades to Legend." If you guys were a fan of their last album "On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax," then you will also be a fan of this one. When I saw an interview with them, and the interviewer asked them to describe their sound, lead vocalist, Denis, described it the best: "The most intense screamo you have ever heard." "Where Myth Fades to Legend," in my opinion is their best work so far. Alesana gives the listener a mix of soft, heavy, and pop driven songs. This one gets a 5 out of 5! BUY THIS ONE NOW! A must have for fans of Four Letter Lie, Atreyu, Silverstein, Escape The Fate, A Day To Remember. (Nick Zamfoti) | |
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ALKALINE TRIO Agony and Irony Epic Records |
| Chicago's hometown heroes, Alkaline Trio, released their 1st major label debut and it was a success! Alk3 has been my favorite band for 7 years now and they still haven't disappointed me, unlike KoRn when they released "Take a Look in the Mirror" *shudders.* For most of you old school Alk3 fans that want them to release another Goddamnit, this is going to be the closest you'll get to it. The one song that really caught my ear was their sad war song called "Over and Out," it's a different approach for them and they did well. I have to say that Matt Skiba's voice sounds the best it ever has on this album and with Derek Grant adding more backing vocals, it sounds excellent. I've got to give this one a 5 out of 5.Buy this one! (Nick Zamfoti) | |
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AIMEE ALLEN A Little Happiness Side Tracked Records |
| When Aimee Allen burst onto the scene she was full of piss and vinegar and wasn’t afraid to show her angst through her music. However, in 2008 she fell victim to a gang attack that left her for dead, and Aimee reevaluated life and began to find inspiration in the simplicity of just living life. The end result of her revelation is her brand new album “A Little Happiness.” With a new initiative, Allen set out to make a feel good album full of feel good songs. Her reggae-influenced style combined with positive lyrics is sure to catch attention. Early in the album you’ll find Aimee presenting an outstanding cover of Unwritten Law’s “Save Me,” and midway through the album she takes on Sublime’s “Santeria,” but as great as her take on the familiar songs are that’s not where this album truly shines. Tracks like “On Vacation” proudly display a super positive message in the lyrics as she sings “Everything is cool, everything is fine, etc…” and it is the positive vibes that embrace you and pull you through the album. Songs like “A Little Happiness” is an older song of hers that she has reworked, and instead of it being full of anger it now presents a newfound happiness within the lyrics. She shows a more spiritual side then she has in her past with cuts like the darker “Calling The Maker” and the album closer “God Talks.” It is always a good thing, especially in the world we live in right now, when an artist finds something positive in life and wants to share it with the world the way Aimee Allen has. This is the type of album that beyond the music, is one that can be a permanent spin on the IPOD’S for those people that are feeling alone, beaten down by life, etc… and act as a glimmer of hope. | |
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ALMOST Southern Weather Tooth & Nail/Virgin Records |
| Aaron Gillespie is no stranger to fans of the Warped Tour scene. He has been seen sharing vocals and playing drums for Underoath and has now stepped out from behind the drums to take us on a journey through his side project, The Almost. First things first, thank you Aaron Gillespie for doing this project. I am going to get a lot of flack for saying this, but I really don't understand or like all the screaming that bands like Underoath present, and with the Almost, Gillespie doesn't bring one bit of that to the table. Rather what you get is great vocals that combine power and honesty and bring forth Gillespie's well-crafted lyrics surrounded by music that satisfies the lyric and acts as an aide giving them life. Sure there is sprinkles of Underoath throughout the album in the music, but that is to be expected a bit, although The Almost does stand on their own two feet as well. With driving songs like "I Mostly Copy Other People," "Southern Weather," and "Everyone Here Smells Like A Rat," The Almost will have you singing and bopping your head right along with them, while on the slower paced "Dirty and Left Out," and "Amazing, Because It Is," Aaron Gillespie wears his heart on his sleeve and delivers the passionate lyrics over a mostly acoustic guitar. This is truly a labor of love for Aaron as he provides a majority of everything you hear on the album, and with one listen will quickly become an album you will love. | |
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ALUMINUM BABE 17 Lucero Records |
| New York is a city full of life and music. There are the mainstream styles that everyone falls in love with that come out of the city and litter the radio day in and day out, but there is also, and has always been, an amazing underground scene in New York that features solid music of all genres. Aluminum Babe is one of those underground bands that helps to define a scene with their brand of electropop as they show on their latest album 17.After making their name known throughout the Manhattan area at countless parties and clubs, as well as festivals throughout multiple countries, they have now brought the party to you on their latest effort. Throughout the album they stick to what they do best and provide a pop assault of beats that get you moving while the lead vocals by Swedish native Anna, provide a feeling of the early 80’s New Wave style. As an added bonus to the album, they also give you three re-mixes of the album opener “Infatuation,” with all being vastly different from one another as they were mixed by three different DJ’s from three different countries that each allowed their culture to define their re-mix of the song. Though I am not by any stretch of the imagination a raver or dance hall type of guy, there is no denying that Aluminum Babe is good at what they set out to do and deliver it perfectly throughout the album. There are shades of the past while keeping a foot on the here and now, but most importantly they remain unique throughout the album in an overcrowded scene. | |
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AMBUSH American Monster Hotfoot Records |
| Ambush's American Monster is crap! The vocalist, Kyle Dischinger, sounds as bad as when Francis Mark of From Autumn To Ashes started screaming, but at least Mark's voice doesn't make every song sound the same. Though, it's not entirely Dischinger's fault why every song sounds the same, its also the rest of the Ambush's fault as well because it sounds like they're playing the same guitar chords and drum beats through out the entire cd. American Monster reminded me of the time I watched Jason X, at the end I realized I had just wasted all this time sitting through this garbage and I'll never get it back. I have to say that I probably have never been happier when a cd reached the end other than this one. 1 out of 5. (Nick Zamfoti) | |
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AMERICAN SPEEDWAY Ship of Fools Prophase/MVD Audio |
| Some bands are just great live and that's cool. They can make a heck of a career playing live shows and having a good time with it. American Speedway is one of those bands. They have spent the better part of their first year solidifying themselves as a powerful live act. With the release of "Ship of Fools", I am just not so sure what to really think of this band. They are indeed power driven, complete with loud guitars that find a way to rock your socks off no matter what, and the vocals are full of spunk, both backing and leads. Unfortunately, for me the vocal is where they come up a little short for my personal tastes. I was never a big fan of bands like Motorhead, and more often than not I found myself reminded of Lemmy as I was listening to lead singer Michael Thursby Speedway spew the vocals out. They are rough around the edges and full of grit and heavy metal flare, but just didn't do it for me making this album fall just a bit short of what I dig. If you like metal with a lot of speed added to the mix and loud guitars than this is for you, but if not I would say pass on this one. Buy Album Here | |
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AMERICAN STEEL Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts Fat Wreck Chords |
| A five-year hiatus is a difficult task to overcome as a lot can happen over that period of time in the ever-changing music world. However, as the rock music scene got watered down and infused with diet punk bands that forgot what it means to play punk rock music, it left a hole where American Steel once filled. Well good news folks, they are back and ready to release their fifth album Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts and it is everything you’d expect and more. 12 brand spankin’ new cuts that combine fist pumping choruses, bass lines that will get you moving, and so much more. It doesn’t take long before American Steel will have you pumping that fist high up in the air as early on in the album “Tear The Place Apart” does the trick and again later in the album it happens with “Bergamot.” Songs like “Your Ass Ain’t Laughing Now” don’t rely on the anthem tinged style to get you going, but rather lean heavy on a bass line that is going to have you moving the instant it begins. Most importantly however, is that throughout the album each and every song presents a sing-a-long style chorus that grabs you with it’s poppy feel and keeps you enthralled in what you are hearing. With their mid-90’s branded punk rock sound combining with an influence of bands like The Clash, they have satisfied any punk rockers that grew up as I did with the 90’s explosion. This is a great album that offers all of the best of what is missing from today’s scene by presenting a style filled with yesteryear’s influence while still maintaining a fresh, modern sound. Welcome back American Steel; Glad you’re here again!!! | |
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ANGUS KHAN Black Leather Soul Nickel and Dime Records |
| The current state of the rock music mainstream is a bit in shambles and not a day goes by where I don’t hear somebody asking me what has happened to rock radio? Where did the classic sound of bands like AC/DC, Motorhead, etc… go? It has been a very fair question over the past few years in one sense, but in the other I suggest turning off your radio and looking a bit deeper for it and you will find it and if you haven’t already found it then look no further than Black Leather Soul, the debut album from Angus Khan. The moment that you hit play and album opener “Midnight Moses,” a cover of The Alex Harvey Band’s under appreciated cut, brings you into the album you become completely aware of the fact that this is an album that is going to lean heavy on the guitars and vocals which tend to remind you of Bon Scott and Lemmy all rolled into one. This same guitar assault and vocal snarl is prominent throughout the album as you dive forward and often times it all gets cranked up a notch. Tracks like “Call Me Motherfucker,” a song that Nashville Pussy turned down, “On The Run,” and “Hot Pants,” all provide fast played guitars in a classic punk rock style with vocals that spit out unapologetic lyrics the way a good rock song should. So to wrap it up pretty easily, the next time that someone asks me what happened to rock radio and where did the classic rock sound go, I am going to turn them on to Angus Khan because it is right here on Black Leather Soul. | |
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ANIMO Blood in the Water Self-Released |
| Looking at the cover art for Blood in the Water, I thought I was going to be listening to a metal band, but to my surprise it was a punk band that I was most impressed with. This band reminds me of everything I missed in punk rock. These guys are a mix of Unwritten Law, NOFX, and old Blink with catchy riffs as well as catchy and melodic choruses. Why these dudes aren't signed is beyond me, because these are awesome! Check out their myspace or go out and buy their CD. This is a 5 out of 5! (Nick Zamfoti) | |
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ARCHITECTS Vice Anodyne Records |
| The Architects are no strangers to the rock music scene and with their third album "Vice," they have separated themselves from the pack even more than they have done so in the past. Front man, Brandon Phillips has stated "We've made a record that sounds like it could be more accessible to more people," and he is absolutely correct. With a mainstream ready rock sound on tracks like "Pills," and "Daddy Wore Black," you will no doubt find yourself singing along with the catchiness of the vocals, and bopping around to the wonderfully crafted guitar riffs that combine a whole lot of rock influences ranging from classic rock sounds to the punk influenced sounds of bands like the Replacements, etc… Phillips decided to stretch his influences for the lyrical content and explore the writers like Cash, Haggard, and Jennings for this album and focus on writing great stories as is evident on tracks like "Mrs. Doyle." If you are looking to get a song stuck in your head all day then this band will accomplish that for you. Overall the Architects combine catchiness, bouncy guitars, and bass lines that will make you dance along making "Vice" a must have album for any fan of good music. | |
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ADAM ARCURAGI I Am Become Joy High Two Records & Noise/Racket |
| The beautiful thing about music is that through time people get influenced by different aspects of it and when those people themselves try their hand at creating their own art they find a perfect balance within’ their influences and can present something unique to listeners as Adam Arcuragi has done with his new album I Am Become Joy. With his sophomore album we see a songwriter that lets the walls of comfort down and take chances with his music delivering a well-crafted album full of lyrics that face life head on and take control of situations even when they aren’t the most positive. His unique blend of singer/songwriter with a traditional folk influences pulls you into the album with the opener “She Comes To Me” and hooks you from there. As you dig through the album you find not so common instruments playing a part to bringing songs to life like the whine of the pedal steel on “Math,” but the fun doesn’t stop there as you will hear everything and anything from a dulcimer to an accordion. Arcuragi matches this odd instrumentation with his very polished vocal and outstanding lyrics helping to pull you into the songs throughout the album. With no two really sounding the same you hear an artist exploring his influences across the board, but don’t let this scare you away. He is also smart enough to lay this album out perfectly and the flow on it is incredible as you listen. Even though the styles may not be the same from song to song there are aspects that keep them cohesive and by the end of the album you will be in love with it. This is one of the most ambitious projects I’ve heard all year and is well worth a spin. (JK) | |
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ARTICLE A Stay Now 785 Records |
| New Jersey has been known to put great bands out there for the world to hear from Hidden In Plain View to The Bank Robbers, and the next great band from New Jersey is Article A. With their debut album "Stay Now," they combine a whole lot of rock-based influences to create what will easily be a favorite album amongst fans of the Warped Tour circuit. After spending their time honing their live shows, they signed a record deal, and shifted their focus to writing great songs that would eventually make up "Stay Now." There isn't a bad song in the bunch and all of them are capable of being a single. The catchiness of the guitar riffs, the big, sing-a-long choruses of songs like "Find A Way" and "When You're Gone," all the way to the up-tempo modern rock style they bring to the table throughout the album, you will no doubt find your next favorite album the minute you hit play. For 785 Records to have this album be its flagship release and set the tone for the label, I suspect great things from 785. Article A is here and now and is the future of rock music. Great album! A must have!!! | |
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AS CITIES BURN Hell or High Water Tooth & Nail/Solid State |
| After original lead vocalist T.J. Bonnette left the band between their debut and sophomore efforts, As Cities Burn has since been able to recreate themselves and are now ready to release their third overall album; second with Cody Bonnette manning the lead vocals. With an idea in place to capture their raw, live energy on tape and bring it to our stereos they set their plan in motion. Just as they had with their sophomore effort the focus for this album was on lyrics that had something to say with a unique twist in the wording that helped to shape the songs and make them unique to As Cities Burn. From there the focus shifted to the music they were creating around the well-crafted lyrics. With the recreation of who they are as a band came a recreation of their sound as they dove a little bit deeper into the roots rock area of the rock genre for this album but still maintained their edge and appeal. Throughout this album the music does exactly what it needs to do as it mainly sits there as a way to accompany the outstanding vocals and lyrics as is evident on tracks like "Into The Sea," and very obscure "Lady Blue," but still it picks the right times to kick everything up a notch an hammer home the song as they show on "Pirate Blues" and on album opener "84' Sheepdog" as the drums pound through you and the bass takes center stage throughout the verses allowing for the guitars to assault you through the chorus. So many bands out there go through changes and try to evolve but can't find a way to pull it off. As Cities Burn have found the way to pull it off and explore a new direction with their music as "Hell or High Water" shows perfectly, but they don't lose the integrity of whom they are as a band by doing so. | |
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ATTACK! ATTACK! UK Self-Titled Rock Ridge Music |
| In Chicago I can remember a time very fondly when you could huddle up in a crowded basement in some suburb and watch a local band like Fallout Boy before the major record deals, before MTV, the tabloids, etc…. Those days when bands just made their music and they hadn't really found their sound yet so everything came out a little bit rough around the edges and not so over polished and perfected yet it sounded excellent and there was a certain degree of charm. That is exactly the same charm that Wales based Attack! Attack! UK brings to the table on their debut album. The producing of Stuart Richardson (Lost prophets) is solid as is evident the minute you hit play. The album opener "Honesty" will instantly bring you into the album with great vocals and guitars that drag you to the chorus very subtly before assaulting you and pounding home the chorus. I promise that you will be hooked from this song on, as this album is one of those that when you like one song you are destined to like them all. What I love about an album like this and a band like this is the chances that they take musically in that these songs aren't just the same old verse chorus verse structure, but offer guitars running riffs in places you'd least expect them to creating a unique flavor to a familiar sound. From song to song you tend to get in your face guitars, sing-a-long gang vocals as is best evident on "This Is A Test," and leads that deliver the in your face lyric perfectly. Everything is done right while maintaining charm and edge and by not slowing the album down too much, with the exception of "From Now On," you will find yourself in the middle of one of the best new bands and one of the best debut albums you have heard in a long time. | |
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AUTOMORROW Diver Self-Released |
| With so much music out there it is difficult to find something that presents a cohesive body of work that is still unique in comparison to the countless others, and while Automorrow’s Diver may not be cohesive as it wanders from style to style, there is plenty of uniqueness to this project. The EP opens with “Grow,” which displays a reggae like style at times with a bass line that has you moving yet combines with a raw, indie rock edge throughout the chorus as they get your fist pumping into the air. But as you begin to dig through it is almost as if Automorrow wanted nothing to sound similar to one another. “Pulse” leans heavy on a hip-hop influence, cuts like “Overboard” lean heavy on the guitars as they shred you through the punk rock styled song, and “Tomorrow’s Not Today” combine everything from reggae to rock to bluesy like riffs. This EP is all over the place on one hand. You can’t get a true feeling for the style these guys bring to the table. However, on the other hand you get a feeling for exactly what they bring to the table; a little bit of everything. If you are looking for something where if you like one song you will like them all then this band and this EP isn’t for you. If you are looking for something that will present a unique flare from song to song with nothing at all really flowing the same way, then this is a must have for you. (JK) | |
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AWAKEN DEMONS Mirror Trustkill Records |
| Though I am not a fan of the hardcore genre at all, there is no argument that this genre contains some of the most passionate bands and fans. Awaken Demons, who hail from Italy, are set to make their mark on the US with the release of Mirror, their debut album for hardcore giants Trustkill Records. The 10-track album acts as an introduction to the band for those that have never heard them before and they instantly hit hard with guitars that assault you while the drums pound through you on album opener “Coming To An End.” The good news for hardcore fans out there is that this album never lets up on the aggression and energy as you dive forward. The blistering guitars continue hitting you on cuts like “Drawn To Death’s Door,” “Abandon The Darkness,” and “Real.” Throughout the album the vocals are presented in typical hardcore fashion as the scream their way through the majority of the songs, which is where I usually get lost on this brand of music, but nonetheless the hardcore fans love this aspect of it and it does in fact add an aggression to the album that no other genre comes close to having. As stated earlier, I am not a fan of hardcore music much, but it does have some of the most loyal fans and they tend to always be looking for a new band that they can follow that satisfies their musical needs and Awaken Demons could just be that band. To attract some extra attention to them they even feature guest vocals from Vincent Bennet (The Acacia Strain) and Karl Buechner (Earth Crisis) on this album so if you are a fan of this genre give them a spin and see what you think. | |