Reviews

Weathered is Facedown Records newest addition and is unarguably the most anticipated release in some time in the scene. While Facedown prides itself on an always esteemed roster of metal bands, the signing of Weathered might be a head scratcher, if the album wasn’t so good. Starting the Minnesota 4-piece’s first LP, “Burn” prepares the listener for what the album has to offer. The first track starts off with clean and reverb-filled guitar as vocalist Justin Hieb sings with an eeriness and creates an atmosphere the likes of which Brand New would be jealous.… Continued →

Not Beneath is an exciting new project featuring ex-members of Narcissus, Outcry, North Meadow Park, and Vessel. In 2018 those names might not mean very much but if you were into hardcore/metalcore in the late 90s or early 00s, you’ll recognize them for sure. Memento Mori ventures into new territory though, pushing for a death metal vibe with progressive leanings at times, and occasionally some touches of –core. Having said all that, it’s a very rewarding listen. It caught my ear upon first listen, and almost immediately I wanted to listen again—lots of layers of sound, melodic and harmonic textures, and heavy as crap!… Continued →

The world  is full of grit, seriousness, and dark themes within media. Whenever something “fun” comes around, it’s a nice change of pace.  The Protest’s debut album on Rockfest records, Legacy, provides a Christ-centered, lighthearted yet heavy hitting album that’s perfect for some summertime head-banging. The southern rock intro and uplifting chorus of the opening track “Valor” kicks off the album in full force and doesn’t let up until the album ends. The lyrics of the chorus are focused on persevering through hard times through Christ, “All the oppression we will take it, take it in stride.”… Continued →

Archabald flirts with hardcore influences on their latest conceptual EP.

Kevin Schlereth's newest EP is an intimate mix of Scripture-based acoustic songs.

DENS' Facedown debut release proves that the label's decision to expand beyond their metal foundation is truly paying off.

On their debut full length, Hostile Array tackles tough topics while providing an anthemic and rebellious soundtrack perfect to vent these injustices to.

Songs of Water sends listeners on a journey around the world on their latest EP.

"Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day of restoration." These words echo true in our modern world and there has never been more of a time for revival than now. Check out this incredibly relevant and in your face spirit filled hardcore release from new So. Cal. band - Lifelong

Like a Chuck Norris roundhouse straight to the kisser, one might wonder, where the heck that ferocious beat down just came from. 2Minute Minor in similar fashion, lets loose a barrage of straight to your face, knock you on your butt hardcore punk tracks. From deep in the heart of Chicagoland, comes a band that doesn’t mess around. The passionate and fired up Wiley Willis takes us through a quick, yet rowdy 13 track blistering punk rock journey. He addresses many important social and moral issues and he also isn’t afraid to sing about his faith in God.… Continued →

Captain the Sky's deluxe re-release of "Lions & Foxes" blends the best of post-hardcore and math rock technicality with fun acoustic jams.

DIRE, a metal band from Quitam, GA, released an EP titled “Depths” this past November. “Depths” is the band’s first offering since being signed to Sancrosanct Records earlier that year and is an impressive label debut. “Depths”, however, is preceded by a full length the band released in 2016, titled, “Volume 1” and an earlier, self-titled ep in 2013. Both of these releases were a bit heavier than “Depths”, but to me, it reveals a refining of the bands sound, and in a very positive way.… Continued →

Lael's newest EP lacks artistic form and overindulges in pop clichés.

Off Road Minivan proves you can't always judge a band by its name on their debut EP which mixes indie and post-hardcore elements.

When it was announced that Jen Ledger would be releasing her debut solo ep, it filled many with a sense of excitement, rivaled only by an insatiable curiosity as to what we could expect from it. Would it be hard rock, similar in nature to her band Skillet? Pop? Electronic? Rock? The answer is yes…yes, it is. The Ledger EP, which drops this Friday, is a fairly diverse offering that has a little something for everyone. A common thread throughout the EP, is a distorted synth type sound, though there’s keys and drums that compliment it in all the right places.… Continued →

This Friday, April 13th, 2018, horror-punk band Grave Robber returns with their first album in 7 years, titled “Escaping the Grave”. How fitting is it for these guys to re-emerge after seven years of silence on a Friday the 13th? This release is an album that has been long awaited and anticipated by many, myself included. Over the past 7 years, the band has undergone a number of changes, such as band member changes as well as a number of challenges in various areas of their personal lives.… Continued →

Whale Bones' ambitious debut EP is a refreshing, dynamic amalgamation of post-hardcore, indie, post-rock, alternative, and pop-punk that reaffirms the Indiana rock scene is still thriving.

First things first. Have you heard there’s a new Stavesacre album out? Yeah? I bet you’re wondering who played on it? This is the classic 5-member line-up: Mark Salomon – vocals Sam West – drums Dirk Lemmenes- Bass Ryan Dennee – guitar Jeff Bellew – guitar Besides the Against the Silence EP in 2009, this line-up hasn’t made a record together since Speakeasy. Of course, what most readers will be wondering is, “can they still bring it?” Does this album hit as hard as Speakeasy did?… Continued →

Benjamin James' "Change is Everything" is an explosive sleeper hit of 2017 that melds chamber pop and electronic elements into a dynamic listening experience.

Don’t listen to this album if you want to feel happy. Lyrically and musically, this is moody alternative rock taken to its logical conclusion. Decade brims with melancholy: “All the beauty I ever wanted is going to fade away” (“Fade; Decay”); “…helpless in will, my body just gave up” (“Do You Wanna Find Out?”); “There’s no one on the road that I can call a friend” (“Closer”). Fighting Jacks like their vocals and guitars loud, making for some of the best rock I’ve heard in a long while on songs like “Fade; Decay” and “Come On Come On.”… Continued →

"Ultraviolet" tackles big questions of faith head on with a wall of reverb, lyrical poeticism, and a fair share of experimentation.

Just because some people use a lot of words does not mean that they say a lot. This linguistic dilemma has been expressed in popular culture through numerous means, from Miss Othmar in the Peanuts cartoons, to the less specific (and pejorative) title of “chatterbox” and its synonyms. Unfortunately, I feel that Indie Jones II falls into such a predicament. This is unfortunate because Ruslan actually has interesting things to say (hear his controversial song “Random Thoughts 4 (Shai Linne)”). Not only that, but he is particularly well spoken, as made evident by his album reviews on YouTube.… Continued →

Once in a while, I’ll come across a band that slipped beneath my radar and wonder why I hadn’t heard of them sooner, wishing that I had. In the Verse is a perfect example of that. Hailing from WI, the 5-piece band brings a lot to the table for avid hard rock fans. The band is uncompromising in their message and is determined “to bring the message of Christ back into the lime-light with uncompromising, deep lyrical content while maintaining a rich musical experience.” And they certainly do.… Continued →

LOYALS may fill the hole in your musical heart that longs for good pop music. No, we’re not talking about computer generated beats with autotune. We’re talking about real musicians that play memorable songs that are beyond catchy. The first couple of songs offer a few glimpses of what LOYALS has to offer. They’re fairly catchy, however the highlights of the album begins with the single “Skyline.” The song is a lighthearted account of a first date gone wrong. Lyrically, it’s a story that many can relate with and it’s that kind of nostalgia that will keep this song in the heads of many.… Continued →

Punk rock and pizza are similar in more ways than one. While the two can complement each other quite well, music – like food – requires a recipe. Unfortunately, Young Poet’s Thrive in a Modern Era tastes more like a dubious experiment than a well-made pizza pie. Opening song “Alizaren,” catches me completely by surprise with the spoken word akin to Being As An Ocean or Listener. I thought this was pop punk? Once “Better Hearts” comes on, I find out that it is … at least, for the most part, in retrospect.… Continued →

The Sprinkle brothers are back! If you don’t know who that is, then stop reading. Go and find Poor Old Lu, The World Inside, Aaron Sprinkle, Paloma, Fair . . . I could go on but I’m using up valuable reviewing space (and I didn’t even mention the production credits)! Considering who is involved in this project, you might think you already know what it’s going to sound like. And sure, you might be in the right ballpark—alternative/indie rock with a capital Rock. But you haven’t heard this.… Continued →

Nashville, TN is known for a number of things, but the thing that tops the list is music. If you were to walk down Broadway, each restaurant and bar you pass has live music going on, all of it diverse. It’s on street corners as buskers play their hearts out for little more than the love of the music and the heart to share it with others. One band that stands out in the middle of all of this is Samecity. Samecity is a pop rock outfit that formed in 2014 and draw influences from a variety of sources, some of which include Needtobreathe, Switchfoot, and The Civil Wars.… Continued →

Chasing Victory's first material in almost 11 years showcases a powerful mix of post-hardcore and southern rock that's full of grit and energy.

The Oh Hellos have wasted no time releasing a strong follow-up to "Notos", this time opting for a festive, autumnal mood.

If you guessed by the band name that you were about to hear some grindcore, you’d be right.  However, what you might not expect from this Brazilian band is the type of grindcore they play (yes, there are multiple subgenres, but let’s not get into that)!  While the trademark elements are there—incredibly fast riffs, blastbeats, extremely short songs—the longest song is just one minute, 12 seconds and it’s the only song over a minute.  In fact, the whole album of 16 songs clocks in at just over 6 minutes!—yet… Continued →