Hatebreed – Hatebreed

It’s a busy and expensive year for all the Hatebreed fans out there. Having just released an album’s worth of covers (“For The Lions”), these guys are back already with a brand new full-length, the band’s fifth. Not only is it self-titled (which bands usually do when they change their sound or something), it also marks the return of original guitarist Wayne Lozinak. One thing’s for sure, Jamey Jasta and the rest of his troupe have always been a powerhouse and that hasn’t changed at all on the new album.

They still couple Slayer riffs to groovy hardcore and while many other are doing the same thing, they don’t come anywhere near what Hatebreed pulls off. Just check out killer tracks like “Not My Master” or “Every Lasting Scar” and be blown away by the amazing riffage and Jasta’s growls.

What is new is the addition of more melody than ever before. It’s still relative compared to other bands, but I for one had never thought I’d see the day when I’d hear a piano in a Hatebreed song (“Undiminished”). And how about them clean vocals in tracks like “Every Lasting Scar”? Some people will probably bitch about, I love it. It makes “Hatebreed” a more diverse album and it solidifies their position as reigning kings of the genre even more.
Score: 9 out of 10
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com
http://www.hatebreed.com

How Dare You – Comfort Road

After vocalist/guitarist Justin Goldman traded Philadelphia in for Florida, he hooked up with three other dudes in order to start How Dare You. One of them is drummer Zach Swain who you might still remember from As Friends Rust. They recently released their debut full-length “Comfort Road”, which is out now on Fail Safe Records.

They excel at playing a gritty kind of poppunk with gruff vocals that works well for them. It’s nothing you haven’t already heard before, but they do a solid job nonetheless with songs like “Beacon St.” or “Eat At Charlie’s”. Even though it’s poppunk, it comes with plenty of bite and the choruses offer loads of singalong moments.

Comparisons with As Friends Rust are of course easy, but at the same time not that far fetched. Hot Water Music is another name that comes to mind with that typical Gainesville bark. I love both of those bands so you do the math!
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.failsafe-records.com
http://www.myspace.com/howdareyoufl

Young Fresh Fellows – I Don’t Think This Is

The Young Fresh Fellows were college rock heroes in the late 80s and early 90s and helped put Seatlle on the music map before grunge was even born. Most of them settled down and started a family, ready to live a quiet life. That was not to the liking of Robyn Hitchcock who summoned the band into the studio to record their first new album in eight years, “I Think This Is”. It’s out on Yep Roc and now in Europe as well thanks to Munster Records. Only here it’s called “I Don’t Think This Is” and it comes with three different tracks from the US release, and different artwork.

These guys combine powerpop, rock and punk with a bit of comedy in a great way. It doesn’t sound too different from what a band like The Posies or Camper Van Beethoven do/did as well. Listen to songs like “Never Turning Back Again” or “Lay You In The Ground” once and be you’re ready to sing along the second time.

I for one am glad to hear they’ve still got it and am rooting that a next album won’t involve another eight years of waiting first.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.munster-records.com
http://www.myspace.com/theyoungfreshfellows

The Bomb – Speed Is Everything

‘he/she/it is the bomb’ was a popular expression for about one minute, but now no one uses it anymore. But fear not all you linguists! Jeff Pezzati’s latest project will blow new life into the words because yes, they are the bomb.

“Speed Is Everything” not only features Pezzati but can also count Jeff Dean, Mike Soucy, and Pete Mittler amongst its ranks, who have been involved in countless bands in the Chicago area. On top of that the album also boasts guest vocals by Bob Nanna (Braid, Hey Mercedes), Dan Yemin (Paint It Black) and producer J. Robbins. Together they make this a very charming album.

Most of the cuts on here are mid-tempo affairs that are chock full of melody and put together they rival some of the best work Pezzati has ever done with Naked Raygun.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.noidearecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/bomb1

Slow Club – Yeah, So

Never heard of Slow Club before but this UK twosome apparently already released an EP and a couple of singles.

Yeah, so?

Umm well, the band exists of Charles Watson (guitar/vocals) and Rebecca Taylor (vocals / drums / some guitar).

Yeah, so?

Umm okay, the album starts off with “When I Go”, an acoustic affair with great vocal harmonies that could’ve been on the Juno soundtrack. It’s followed by the upbeat “Giving Up On Love” which plastered a smile on my face despite the title. The rest of the album moves between those two formulas as well. One song is just acoustic strumming with soft vocals while other arrangements bring Arcade Fire to mind.

Nothing? Oh, I thought you were gonna say ‘yeah, so?’ again but you’re intrigued now, aren’t you?

“Yeah, So” is a very enchanting album even though this boy and girl never rise above their influences. But is that really necessary in order to make a good album? Listening to extremely charming songs like “It Doesn’t Have To Beautiful” and “Because We’re Dead”, I think the answer is obvious.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.moshimoshimusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/slowclub

The Upwelling – An American Stranger

The Upwelling are a three-piece operating out of New York City. The band is built around the Ingber brothers (songwriter/singer/guitarist Ari and drummer Josh) and is rounded out by Conor Hefferman on the keyboards. On “An American Stranger” they play straightforward enough poprock that becomes wayt too sappy and high school-y for me thanks to the cliché-riddled lyrics (I’ve got everything I want / because you’re everything I’m not) and – for the most part - unnecessary keyboards.

When they’re good they’re good though. Like on “Wanderlust” which thrives on the higher tempo and tight bass sounds. Could’ve been on a Gaslight Anthem album if you ask me. “Ladder 116” works as well and reminded me of Third Eye Blind.

If these guys work a little harder, write better lyrics, scratch the mushy keyboards and add another guitarist, I can see them going places. If not, they’ll probably end up on the scrapheap along with the million other could’ve beens.
Score: 5.5 out of 10
http://www.doghouserecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/theupwelling

Kiss Kiss – The Meek Shall Inherit What’s Left

When Kiss Kiss frontman Josh Benash was forced to keep his mouth because of a vocal polyp and vocal node, he wrote the songs for “The Meek Shall Inherit What’s Left” without knowing if he’d ever be able to sing again. I can imagine it must’ve been a very frustrating period which is why the man obviously poured everything he had into this batch of songs. It’s sort of a marriage between emo and avant-garde music that leaves me with somewhat mixed feelings.

Diving into specifics about songs is pretty much impossible because they all twist and turn from slow to fast, from epic to chaotic and from loud to quiet in a matter of seconds. I don’t know how they did it but they do manage to keep everything together and run a tight ship. Some might call it eclectic, other will say it’s schizophrenic. The jury’s still out on this one but after the first couple of songs, it’s obvious that “The Meek Shall Inherit What’s Left” is not for everyone.

Imagine The Dresden Dolls and Fall Out Boy performing a soundtrack that Danny Elfman wrote and you might have an inkling of an idea of what Kiss Kiss sounds like. It’s nothing like anything I’ve heard before but the thing is, I’m still not sure I want to hear it again.
Score: 6 out of 10
http://www.eyeballrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/kisskiss

Lewd Acts – Black Eye Blues

Deathwish has already been the go to label when it comes to nasty as fuck hardcore and with Lewd Acts’ “Black Eye Blues” they’ve got another winner. This southern California outfit starts opener “Know Where To Go” off with the lines ‘I was born with soapbox shoes/ Raised with morals that I chose to lose/ And when I've seen the evil that people do/ That’s when I learned to sing the blues’ and then take the blues to places that Robert Johnson had probably never thought of in “Wide Black Eyes”.

With the help of a drummer who’s kicking the shit out of his drums like they’re Rihanna and he’s Chris Brown, guitars that blow every single dust particle out of the amps and a vocalist with a PhD in exorcising demons, these guys mean business. They simply keep on going with songs that range from one to five minutes but always burst from the seams with unbridled aggression. And then in comes closer “Nowhere To Go” which sees the band diving straight into SST territory.

“Black Blue Eye” is one intense motherfucker of an album made by a bunch of pissed off guys who don’t give a fuck what you think. Whoever dares to stand in their way, will be blown away by Lewd Acts’ wall of sound anyway.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.deathwishinc.com
http://www.myspace.com/lewdacts

Saosin – In Search Of Solid Ground

When Saosin released the “Translating The Name” EP back in 2003, they immediately created a lot of waves. They hit a bump in the road when vocalist Anthony Green left the band the year after but he was soon replaced by Cove Reber. Some say Saosin ceased to be the day Green left. Those are the same people who missed out on an amazingly catchy self-titled album in 2006. We’re three years later now and Saosin is back with the follow-up to an album many thought could not be topped. It’s called “In Search Of Solid Ground” and well, I don’t like repeating myself but it’s amazingly catchy.

The album features a couple of songs that are rearranged versions of tracks you could already find on the band’s “Grey” EP (“I Keep My Secrets Safe”, “The Worst Of Me”). But the improvements are massive so I’d hardly call this a flaw. These guys have a real knack for writing solid songs with hooks aplenty and Reber’s voice floating above it all and while things do sound similar at times, “In Search Of Solid Ground” is simply too much fun. Just check out the bigass choruses in “Keep Down” and “Say Goodbye”!

If looking for solid ground means writing songs like this, I hope that just like Gilligan these guys never find land.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.virginrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/saosin

Iron Age – The Sleeping Eye

If you already liked what Iron Age did on their 2006 debut “Constant Struggle”, wait ‘til you hear “The Sleeping Eye”. Holy fuck!

These Texas natives harken back to classic hardcore and 80s crossover/thrash yet still manage to keep things sounding relevant and modern. The riffs on here are simply insane, reminding me of both old Metallica and Black Sabbath. All the while the drummer keeps spurring the rest of the band on to keep on going. And keep on going they do throughout all eight songs, the last of which lasts eleven minutes. It shows Iron Age at its broadest and while not given to many, Iron Age somehow pulls it off to keep things sounding interesting. I could’ve done without “Materia Prima” though, a sort of instrumental interlude/soundscape thing in the middle of the album that’s unnecessary.

Other than that, I have no qualms about “The Sleeping Eye”, an album with which Iron Age that hardcore can be a lot more than simply stacking up breakdowns.
Score: 8 out of 10
http://www.teepeerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/ironagetexas

Paint It Black – Surrender 7”

Paint It Black follows up the “Amnesia” EP which they released on Bridge Nine earlier this year with “Surrender” and it out’s on… Fat Wreck. Nice! Does that mean they changed their sound? Fuck no! On these here four songs, Dan Yemin is still foaming from the mouth while the rest of the band dishes out some more thrashy yet still melodic and always irresistible hardcore tunes.

Opener “Sacred” comes with a nice Kid Dynamite feel while “Worms” might very well be one of the nastiest songs Yemin & co. have ever recorded. The other two cuts on here (“Cipher” and “Surrender”) could’ve been lifted straight off of “New Lexicon” and that is a compliment as far as I’m concerned.

Guess this means that “Surrender” is yet another fine addition to the band’s flawless discography.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.fatwreck.com
http://www.myspace.com/paintitblack

Moneen – The World I Want To Leave Behind

One of Canada’s finest is back again with a new album. And no, I’m not talking about a Bryan Adams comeback. “The World I Want To Leave Behind” is the pessimistic title of Moneen’s fourth full-length and rather than letting it drag me down, I’m nothing but optimistic about it.

With a new drummer and a slight change in sound, this is the Moneen I’ve been wanting to hear ever since their debut came out. You’ll never know what they will come at you with next and that’s okay by me. They’re as likely to crank up the pace with loud distorted guitars (“Great Escape”) but they’ll whip out a piano just the same. The result is an album where post-hardcore is traded in for more gentle songs in a heartbeat.

Heart, that’s basically what it all boils down to and these guys have plenty of it. Couple it to great songwriting skills and catchy hooks and you have yourself an album that can easily compete with the band’s previous album, “The Red Tree”. While that album saw Moneen finally coming into their own, “The World I Want To Leave Behind” shows a band that is not only comfortable with their sound but also not afraid to build upon it to reach new heights.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.vagrant.com
http://www.moneen.com

Thrice – Beggars

Never content with making the same album twice, it’s always exciting to see what Thrice will come up with next. Some people can’t wait for the album to come out and will throw it on the net three months before the actual release date. Unfortunately this was without the consent of the band, causing them to swear a lot and release the album digitally at an earlier date.

Anyway, “Beggars” sees Thrice following up their experimental 4-disc release known as “The Alchemy Index” with a more straightforward rock sound that does still contain some rougher edges here and there. It pretty much combines everything they’ve done over the years, the hardcore of their debut excluded.

Whether it’s a piano-drive song, atmospheric soundscapes or an assault on the eardrums, Thrice has something for everyone with Kensrue’s thoughtful lyrics tying the whole thing together over great melodies and playful rhythms.

Maturing is an ugly word most of the time but as Thrice keeps reinventing themselves, they also keep getting better with every single release.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
http://www.vagrant.com
http://www.thrice.net

Miss May I – Apologies Are For The Weak

Miss May I may sound like a 13-year-old going for the crown in a beauty pageant, it’s actually the name of a metalcore band who have just released a metalcore album called “Apologies For The Weak” and yes, it’s filled with metalcore songs.

Swedish melodic death metal riffage? Check!
Double bass drum action? Check!
Breakdowns? Check!
Clean vocals in the chorus versus screams in the verses? Check!

And guess what? They never deem it necessary to waver from the path once. Not for even one second.

Yawn.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.riserecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/missmayi

Burden Of A Day – OneOneThousand

What do you do when your vocalist runs off to be with God and his wife (not necessarily in that order)? Well, you either call it a day or find a new vocalist and run the risk of being the subject of ‘I liked them better with their first singer’ kinda comments. Burden Of A Day went with the second option and have just released “OneOneThousand” featuring new vocalist Kyle.

The music is of the typical screamo variety… absolutely no surprises there but the singalong parts are plentiful and these guys know how to write a mean hook. Downsides? It’s way too predictable and the clean vocals are sometimes a bit too high-pitched to be taken seriously. But other than that, Burden Of A Day did a pretty solid job and released a fun album that all the fans of Sense Fail and Saosin should enjoy the hell out of.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.riserecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/burdenofaday

Rapid Cities – Machinery Saints

Let it be clear, Rapid Cities is a band that takes its music very serious. They’ve got those kind of songs where every instrument seems to veer off in another direction and I imagine them onstage to all be off in their own little world without a smile on their faces and moving around in a way that’s normally only reserved for those with seizures.

There’s pounding bass lines, spazzed out, jangly guitars, a fair amount of noodling and a vocalist who seems intent on tapping into every single aspect of his vocal range within fifteen seconds. Think of Fugazi and Hot Cross and figure out for yourself if this is something you’ll be into.

It’s probably all very exciting and challenging for some of us out there but to be honest, “Machinery Saints” is completely wasted on me.
Score: 5 out of 10
Look Again Media
http://www.rapidcities.com

Emmure – Felony

Throw some moshcore and metalcore together in a blender along with Korn’s leftover nu metal riffs and you’ve got Emmure. Vocalist Frankie Palmeri sounds like a rabid dog who deserves to be put down while the rest of the band seems to have made a sport out of stuffing as many breakdowns as possible into one song. There are some clean vocals on “I < 3 EC2” and “Don’t Be one” to make things more diverse, yet they will make your toes curl.

All in all “Felony” lives up to its title and should be locked up if there was such a thing as a prison for crappy albums. It’s a terrible album that only 15-year-olds who want to show off their karate kicks in the pit, will enjoy.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.emmure.com

Sparks The Rescue – Eyes To The Sun

With “Eyes To The Sun”, Sparks The Rescue has released the kind of album that is the perfect soundtrack for all you mall kids out there. You can play it in the background while declaring your love to the girl you met on MySpace just a couple of hours earlier. Hey, light some candles while doing so… it helps set the mood. Make sure your hair doesn’t fall into the flame though. That dye will catch fire really fast and you’ll be all over Youtube before you can spell ‘emo’. Just swoop it back across your head in the most manly of ways like you always do. But hurry, otherwise “My Heart Radio” will already be over, she’ll lose interest because she hasn’t taken her Ritalin yet, has like, zero patience and dump you. Then again if she does dump you, it’s good to know you can find solace in “American Blues”.
Score: 4 out of 10
http://www.hasslerecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/sparkstherescue

Jeniferever – Spring Tides

From Uppsala, Sweden comes Jeniferever. When you say Sweden, it’s either garage rock or post-rock. And with a name like Jeniferever, it’s more likely to be the second, right? Right. On “Spring Tides” you get to hear ten songs that curl, swirl, swell and then swell some more towards the end.

It’s a well-proven recipe but it still works when done the right way as Jeniferever more than aptly proves. It’s not the easiest album to get into, but give it enough of your time (I’ve seen your schedule, you’re really not that busy) and you will be rewarded.

“Spring Tides” is at is most interesting when they don’t follow the tried formula though. Like in “St. Gallen” which doesn’t explode but simply smoulders all the way through. The horns in “Nangijala” and the catchiness of “The Hourglass” are two more songs that make “Spring Tides” a more diverse offering and it only contribute to its replay value. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before, but it is still worth hearing.
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.monotremerecords.com
http://www.jeniferever.com

Man Must Die – No Tolerance For Imperfection

Scotland… home to haggis, kilts and extreme metal. The latter is proven by Glasgow’s Man Must Die who have just dropped their third album, “No Tolerance For Imperfection”. If you’re thinking technical death metal with additional grindcore influences, you’re right on the money. These guys will feel right at home being lumped in with the likes of Origin and Neuraxis.

Basically that means that this is a whole lot of sheer noise with blastbeats, supertight riffs and a vocalist who grunts and screams like there’s no tomorrow. After seven songs, it’s time to catch a breath with “What I Can’t Take Back”. Other than that this is an all out assault on your ears. Don’t bother fighting back, these guys will level you regardless of your futile resistance!
Score: 7 out of 10
http://www.relapse.com
http://www.myspace.com/manmustdie