Music
Review: Makoto – Primitive EP
As soon as I played the first song on this album, I was presented with a drum instrumental that was, well, primitive (which only seems fitting since the name of the track was “Primitive”). … read more
Review: Hank 3 – Brothers of the 4×4
If you’re like me and you respect everything Hank 3 does—from the grind metal to his early traditional country work, and everything in between, but you wish he’d focus on making honest-to-goodness country music, a honky-tonk-as-hell kinda record, then this is for you. … read more
Review: Hank 3 – A Fiendish Threat
Hank 3 has always touted his love of aggressive music, such as punk and metal, and the juxtaposition of that with his family heritage and country persona have lent, in no small part, to what makes him a fascinating character. … read more
Review: Halaska – Mayantology
Let me start off by urging you not to take the band name, album name or any of the track titles at face value. Fortunately, they’re one of the better progressive math-rock outfits I’ve heard in a long time. … read more
Review: Ludovico Technique – We Came to Wreck Everything
Aesthetic Perfection took “Dead Inside” and helped it transcend from industrial to synth-pop, leaving me in audio bliss. E-Craft let the vocals shine through in “Heal My Scars” and mixed in their own style of futuristic synth sound and a simplistic beat. … read more
Review: Tony Joe White – Hoodoo
This blues-like punk rock, in a way, is very simple—it’s often played with the same chord progressions, tempos and even instrumentation. So, like punk rock, it takes talent creativity and originality—all of which are not found in high amounts on Hoodoo. … read more
Review: The Growlers – Gilded Pleasures
The second 2013 release from The Growlers picks up right where Hung at Heart left off. Although technically an EP, the nine tracks on Gilded Pleasures play like an LP. … read more
Review: Goblin – Tour EP
Goblin occupy a strange musical space, leaning most heavily toward prog, but also referencing creature feature organ music, when fitting. Profondo Rosso has long been one of my favorite Goblin scores, particularly the title track. The version that appears on Tour EP is my favorite of the five pieces that make up the set. … read more
Review: Funeral Circle – Self-Titled
Funeral Circle set out to be epic doom metal, but unlike Candlemass, Funeral Circle, for the most part, retain a crunchier groove-riff-burdening album featuring slower tunes with sparse guitar solos and leads. When those leads and solo licks do kick in, the impact is much harder. … read more
Review: The Flatliners – Dead Language
I’ve got a thing for rough-voiced, fast-paced punk rock. Done right, it resonates in my soul like nothing else. Done wrong, it’s nothing that’s going to change my life, but it’s a damn fine time. I have a hard time criticizing the latter, which is why I’m not going to. … read more