Bloc Party - The Nextwave Sessions (EP Review)

Bloc Party will soon retreat into the distance for another hiatus, leaving behind a legion of fans and 'The Nextwave Sessions' EP.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Monday, 19 August 2013

Arabrot - Arabrot (Album Review)

Årabrot are genuinely filthy. Not in the lewd, posturing sense of a Mötley Crüe or Steel Panther though. They are grimy and nasty, as they proved it on 2011’s ‘Solar Anus’, which was an obscene chunk of blackened noise sludge.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 19 August 2013

Superchunk - I Hate Music (Album Review)

The passing of time is something of a going concern for all of us. On 'I Hate Music', their 10th full-length, power-pop legends Superchunk have faced it head on.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 16 August 2013

SOiL - Whole (Album Review)

Their first album with original vocalist Ryan McCombs since 2004's 'Re.De.Fine', 'Whole' finds SOiL reclaiming their old sound in a welcome fashion.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Friday, 16 August 2013

Watain - The Wild Hunt (Album Review)

Rarely in recent years has a black metal record come as highly anticipated as ‘The Wild Hunt’. With ‘Lawless Darkness’, their 2010 album, Watain received accolades from the famously tight-knit black metal community, and also praise from many in the wider metal scene.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 15 August 2013

Drenge - Drenge (Album Review)

Brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless, know to most of us as Drenge, have garnered plenty of attention early on in their career. A handful of singles, a blistering live show and the, somewhat unwelcome, love of former Labour MP Tom Watson can only take you so far though, so it’s a good job they’ve managed to hammer together a mightily impressive debut album.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2013

White Hills - So You Are...So You'll Be (Album Review)

It appears that White Hills are no longer prepared to pull any punches. Their psych ramblings have always had a solid dose of Hawkwind’s proto-metal heaviness, and a fair dollop of their distinctive space rock tropes as well. ‘So You Are... So You’ll Be’, though, takes things to another level on both fronts.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 13 August 2013

CB6 - Succession (Album Review)

Metal, punk and hardcore have been cohabiting for some time, certainly since thrash reared its head in the early ‘80s, and it’s also been a good while since critics and artists alike began to roll their eyes instead of attempting to categorise the myriad sub genres.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Tuesday, 13 August 2013

White Lies - Big TV (Album Review)

Since their formation in 2007, Ealing post-punks White Lies have secured a comfortable spot alongside Editors and Interpol as purveyors of Joy Division-inspired doom and gloom.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 12 August 2013

AlunaGeorge - Body Music (Album Review)

It can be hard to get excited about new music when a lot of it has already been done to death. AlunaGeorge, then, are a welcome surprise.

Written by: Emma Dodds | Date: Monday, 12 August 2013

James LaBrie - Impermanent Resonance (Album Review)

As vocalist of prog-metal giants Dream Theater, James Labrie has often been a source of conflict for fans. A quick glance at YouTube clips of the band's live performances reveals numerous threads of debate over his style and position as the band’s frontman.

Written by: Jonathan Lin | Date: Friday, 09 August 2013

Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue Acoustic (Album Review)

"On July 22, 2003 our lives were changed forever. We didn't know what 'Ocean Avenue' would become, but it is a chapter in our story that we will never forget." Yellowcard are now 10 years on from the release of their most important record, and have opted to commemorate the date with an acoustic rendition of the collection.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Friday, 09 August 2013

Ministry - Enjoy The Quiet: Live At Wacken (Album Review)

For a man who's been pronounced dead three times over, Al Jourgensen seems to be doing alright. Since resurrecting his industrial hellchild Ministry in 2011, he has spent the majority of his time touring in support of the ravenous 'Relapse' record. A stop at Wacken 2012 served as one of the final shows of the trek. The gig, captured here in glorious high-definition and 5:1 stereo sound, also proved to be one of guitarist Mike Scaccia's last with the band before his tragic death.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 08 August 2013

Dan Vapid And The Cheats - Two (Album Review)

If you know who Dan Vapid is, then you know what to expect from 'Two', his sophomore effort with the Cheats. Whether as a member of Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales or the Methadones, Vapid has always been a reliable purveyor of high-quality, super catchy pop-punk.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 07 August 2013

The Dangerous Summer - Golden Record (Album Review)

Perception is a major part of modern music. Perhaps it shouldn't be, but it is. Unfortunately for the Dangerous Summer, they're an easy target for music fans fond of labels. Named after an Ernest Hemingway novel, not always the most endearing social media presence...you get the the picture.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Tuesday, 06 August 2013

Midnight Juggernauts - Uncanny Valley (Album Review)

‘Uncanny Valley’ - named after a hypothesis by roboticist Masahiro Mori - was never going to be dull. Midnight Juggernauts have never been so, having previously produced three albums of genre-bending glitter music.This latest release comes after a successful tour with fellow Australian psychedelic rockers Tame Impala, and they have again come up with a unique, challenging record.

Written by: Charlie Hurt | Date: Monday, 05 August 2013

The Defiled - Daggers (Album Review)

The next big thing. The future of British music. Saviours of rock 'n' roll. How many times have those words been said about bands who don't deserve brown-nosing on such a preposterous level?

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 01 August 2013

The Crimea - Square Moon (Album Review)

If sorry seems to be the hardest word, then goodbye must be a close second. Unless you're the Crimea, that is. With 'Square Moon', the sprawling double album that will serve as the band's swan song, they've crafted a beautiful, bittersweet farewell.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 01 August 2013

Arthur Beatrice - Carter (EP Review)

One of the word-of-mouth bands of the moment, Arthur Beatrice, have finally harnessed some of the hype they have gathered with the release the four-track ‘Carter' EP.

Written by: Ryan Crittenden | Date: Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Dusty Springfield - Live At The Royal Albert Hall (Album Review)

Live records can be hit and miss, it’s always been that way, but for many fans they remain intriguing time capsules. Dusty Springfield's 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall' - a CD and DVD combo - was recorded almost 35 years ago and is exciting for just that reason; it captures a moment in time that many weren't around to see.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Tuesday, 30 July 2013