108 – Creation. Sustenance. Destruction 2XCD (Equal Vision Records/Target)
 Just as in rock’n’roll and metal it’s conventional wisdom that Satan’s got all the best tunes, in hardcore Krishna’s got all the righteous fervour. Cro-Mags were probably first to add the spiritual dimension to a set of ethics that already existed in the straight edge scene, and later on, Vinnie Signorelli of Unsane would become a guiding light to young NYHC scenesters searching for some deeper meaning beyond the mosh pit. The band that truly united their religion with their music, though, was 108: The brainchild of former Inside Out and Beyond member Vic Dicara turned aspiring Gaudiya Vaisnava monk, who between 1992 and ’96 would record the two albums “Songs of Seperation” and “Threefold Misery” as well as the EPs “Holy Name” and “Curse of Instinct”. All of these were written by Dicara during weeklong seclusion in basement cells of various Krishna temples, then a band would be put together to record them, tour, then split up for him to leave for restoration in India. If that sounds esoteric, you should check out the recorded output, the entirety of which has now been compiled in this 2 CD set, complete with extensive liner notes, lyrics, and biography, but, curiously, without indicating which songs stem from which recordings. Rarely have I heard hardcore with such emotional depth, music that so challenges the boundaries of what hardcore could be: Not only with its occasional use of traditional Tibetan music, but with its versatility and its pure ambition. In many ways, 108 can be seen as a forerunner of the screamo scene that was popularized by their contemporaries in Refused, with whom they shared affinity and a tour. A decade on, this is a worthy testament of a band more people ought to discover.
http://www.equalvision.com
If you dig: Refused, Earth Crisis, Snapcase
Jon A
Allhelluja – Pain Is the Game CD (Scarlet Records/Target)
 Jacob Bredahl is a busy man - if you’ve seen him in person, you’ll know it’s a bad joke to suggest he’s even spreading himself thin – fronting Denmark’s premier death metal machine, HateSphere, producing records in his Smart’n’Hard studios, and now releasing the second album with his Italian stallion, Allhelluja. As with HateSphere, the key to Allhelluja isn’t exactly invention or pushing boundaries, but the pure thrill of playing music that’s heavy and evil. And a thrill “Pain Is the Game” is: A pure rock’n’rolling metal onslaught where every single song is about serial killers, sex murders, and spunk spouting saviours, demons, death, and divine destruction. It’s not exactly Fugazi. But if you dig Entombed post-Nicke Andersson, or the last few Danzig records, then this is a treat: Beer guzzling, amok running, rampaging, hollering Viking metal rock that eats emo kids for breakfast.
http://www.scarletrecords.it
http://www.allhelluja.com
If you dig: Entombed, Down, Danzig
Jon A
All that Remains- The Fall of Ideas CD (Prosthetic/Target)
 All the Remains hail from Massachusetts and play a strange mix of death metal meets Queensryche or something. This is the bands 2nd CD and a strange mix of battery ram drumming, death vocals, melodic guitars, heavy guitars and melodic singing. Seems this is the flavour of the year as Mastadon, Trivium (ok, they are like Metallica clones), Chimaira, etc… all mix these very melodic parts with raging metal and death vocals that you can’t hardly understand a thing. These guys have all the melodic dual guitars you would hear on the Dream Theater, Queensryche and going back to Thin Lizzy days type guitars. What do they offer that is different? I am not sure.. I heard the CD a few times and could not remember a single song. I guess if you are into Mastadon and the lot, then you will probably dig this as well. It was not for me..
http://www.allthatremains.cc
If you dig: Mastadon, Evergrey, Stone Sour
Scott
Amplifier- Insider CD (SPV Records/Target)
 First thing I can say is that after reading the press release for this CD, I was quite sure that this was the wrong CD in the case. The claims that this was louder, more intense and aurally stimulating than ever, are false. Toned down is the huge sound the band used have and in comes the indie brit pop sound. To my ears this sounds nothing like the last CD, which had this great wall of sound. They describe gargantuan riffs, sailing serpentine bass spines powered along by kerosene drums… very little or any of that on this record? What record were they listening to??? The CD begins with the instrumental Gurstav’s Arrival, which probably is the heaviest track on the CD but not that is interesting. Maybe I am just not in the mood for this… liked the last but this one I just don’t get it. Such slick brit pop like singing, the band is for sure going for a more accessible sound. It will probably be more popular than ever…. Kick me in the head….
http://www.amplifiertheband.com
If you dig: Tool, QOTSA
Scott
A Sonic Sound Session – Hit Me (Joyless Jack Records)
ASSS is a young band from Luleå, Sweden. A quartet. Two guitars, drums and bass. Surprise. I can’t tell if they’re trying to be poppy and just couldn’t afford the BIG studio or whether it’s meant to sound like garage rock. Let me check the press release: ”A new brand of rock movement”, ok – ”the lyrics has such impact that no one can resist its power”, I see. ”Category: alternative/indie/pop/punk”. Alright! Young and hopeful band speaking Orwellian looking for a career in pop music - a thoroughly recipian approach to rock and the name – nostalgia or swollen heads? It must be 2006.
http://www.sonicsession.com
Morten
Betrayed – Substance CD (Equal Vision Records/Target)
 Old school, truer than thou hardcore from a band featuring ex-members of such luminaries as Champion, Terror, and Carry On. That would be enough of a sales pitch for most of this band’s potential audience, and really, it’s not like there’s that much more to say about this record, because it’s all there up-front: The mix of full throttle hardcore and heavy mosh parts with positive lyrics. With good song writing, and absolutely metal free, this one’s for those that are tiring of the whole new school of hardcore, but aren’t content with just listening to those same old records over and over again, those who want to be assured the torch is being carried on.
http://www.equalvision.com
http://www.betrayedhc.com
If you dig: Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front, Terror
Jon A
Black Label Society- Shot to Hell (Roadrunner Records/Target)
Well, after a delay of 3 months the new BLS CD is here.. I have been a fan of Zakk for many years and saw him play with Ozzy and twice with Pride and Glory and finally BLS. I have to say straight out that I am really disappointed with this CD and it is easily the worst thing he has ever recorded. What the hell has happened? BLS’s music has always been about aggression and power and this record has very little of either. It is like tracks for a solo record or an Ozzy record but not BLS. 13 tracks, 4 ballads and one piano track… These songs are nice and the strongest songs on the record but that is not what I thought this band stood for and I think the long term fans will also dislike the record as well. I know a lot were disappointed with Mafia and I thought that was a weak record after Blessed Hellride and Hangover Music Vol VI (my two favourites). There are some heavy tracks but the chorus and riffs are just too uninspiring. I think the single, Concrete Jungle is one of the best but it is short, virtually no guitar solo and not nearly as cool as Stillborn or Suicide Messiah (A killer song, in my opinion), and the singles from the records before. Devil’s Dime is pretty cool but just not much to offer. If you check out the bands new DVD, Doom Troopin’, this is totally killer… As for this studio record…. Trash bin….. Sorry Zakk.. Love ya man, but this just let me down big time…oh yeah.. Really lame cover but cool booklet design with the fold out cross.
http://www.zakkwylde.com
If you dig: Ozzy, Zakk Wylde, newer Black Sabbath
Scott
Bouncing Souls – The Gold Record CD (Epitaph Records/Target)
Scary, how one day Epitaph promos suddenly show up in the mail. Actually, deep inside, I am a Bouncing Souls fan. I think we all are. Yes, inside every one of us there’s a Bouncing Souls fan. Even you. There’s something about their hopelessly romantic bubble gum anthems about their hometown and hanging out with the boys on the corner watching the world go by. Clashian punk rock group therapy in the n’th degree, for all of us to hold hands, sing a long and share the power of music to. At least, they weren’t conceived in some industry dork’s wet dream about a unit pushing super group cashing in on punk rock’s illustrious semiotic victory as rebellious and dangerous music. The Bouncing Souls go back to the early nineties, late eighties, I think. Plus they have short greasy hair on all the covers I’ve seen (in fact, they look like the Chippendales…). They’ve been touring forever too and now they have a new album out called The Gold Record. It’s not a bad album if poppy sing-a-long arena bubblegum (punk) rock tickles your sideburns. No ska, though – sorry. Still, I’m sure they make a lot of confused ”teenagers” happy, by making them feel like they’re part of something bigger, something real. Sometimes I wish I was. But, I guess it takes more than the latest Bouncing Souls album to lure me. A new and improved SACD player maybe?
Morten
By Night – A New Shape of Desperation CD (Lifeforce/Target)
 Phew! Sometimes, you take stock of the records you’re supposed to review this month, and it’s metal, hardcore, metal core, all brutal, frantic, grandiose, larger than life, hit-you-in-the-face stuff that leaves you completely exhausted just facing the prospect of having to get into all this. Really, I like my music pretty hard, but sometimes it does get too much for me. Then I spend a couple of days listening to jazz and meditation music, and I’m back in the game. By Night are awe-inspiring: What they’ve done is combine the technicality and complexity of their fellow countrymen Meshuggah and combine it with the groovy mosh awareness of our own HateSphere and the hardcore leanings of Himsa. And made it all their own. Post-death metal core, or something, but really something altogether different. This was the one album I was really vary of, but it’s actually very rewarding, might turn out to be one of the most ambitious extreme metal albums of the year.
http://www.lifeforcerecords.com
http://www.bynightonline.com
If you dig: Meshuggah, Himsa, HateSphere
Jon A
Comity - … As Everything Is a Tragedy CD (Candlelight Records/Target)
 “Do not go gentle into that good night / (…) Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” old Welsh poet Dylan Thomas advised, and Comity seem to have taken his advice to heart, as they plunge themselves headfirst into the abyss, arms flailing about them, snapping at every monster they chance upon, making enough noise to darken entire cities. Really, this is not for the weak-hearted, but for those that kind of dig the first Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Fantômas, Meshuggah, but find them all a bit too tame. Screamo, then, very much so. Quite testing, actually, and takes some getting used to, but bears its own reward in the sensation you get once you let this music, the single, hour-long track that constitutes this album, into your heart, a feeling of “I can handle this, I can handle everything.” It’s a music that reflects the chaos and inner turmoil of a fragile young mind with a raging Tourette’s Symptom, but it goes so far into the jungle, the whole dissolves into one single note: The Om. Advanced Buddhist meditation music, in other words. No one around you will understand how you can call this music, but you’ll feel better for it.
http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
If you dig: Dillinger Escape Plan, Fantômas, Meshuggah
Jon A
Firebird- Hot Wings CD (Rise Above Records)
Well, I have the first two Firebird records but never heard the 3rd one and this is the 4th one. The band is reunited with Spiritual Beggars drummer, Ludwig Witt, who played on the earlier Firebird records. This stripped down three piece really goes for the old early 70’s blues rock feel and a very raw production on this record. While it has been 3 years since the last record, I came across not all that impressed with this one. Bill has some great guitar riffs and lays down some cool lead guitar but never really lets it rip (only 1 song breaks 5 minutes). They mix it up a bit with some harmonica on Misty Morning and some not that great slide playing on a couple of other tracks. Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad record at all but after 3-4 listens, it still did not just grab me. Just not that memorable of songs…
http://www.riseaboverecords.com
If you dig: Johnny Winter (maybe?), Josiah, Mountain, Buffalo, Groundhogs
Scott
The First Step – What We Know LP/CD (Rivalry Records/Target)
“It’s ti-i-i-i-ime!!!” Sure, it’s been time for the music and ethics of The First Step for a couple of decades now; first wave East Coast hardcore heeding the straight edge creed; but with a delivery like this, it still feels like a wake-up call. It’s time, indeed, to reconsider what hardcore was all about in the beginning and what’s to be learned from that, and what can be put to use today, and The First Step are a happy reminder of just how invigorating hardcore can be when it’s done with a righteous heart, without a care for fashion or being cool or even sellable. Musically, this album holds no surprises for those who know their Minor Threat records by heart, if only how good this music can sound when it’s matured some.
http://www.rivalryrecords.com
If you dig: Minor Threat, Agnostic Front, Bad Brains
Jon A
Free Love- Apocalypse CD (Poseidon)
 Free Love is a relatively new band from Japan that play very intense progressive psychedelic rock music. This is the bands first full length CD. One of the bands major influences is Led Zeppelin but the band throws in its own dose of psychic Japanese power… In fact the CD begins with the bands short and very cool version of Kashmir. It is a really unique and psychedelic take on the classic Zep song. Spiral is next and this is an excellent nearly 8 minute instrumental track that really shows how good of players these guys are, especially keyboard player Horoki Matsui. IT starts off quite hypnotic and slowly builds as the guitar begins to solo into the developing loop like groove. Suddenly the track nearly stops and gets very spacey before it takes off again. Great number. Kami-No Chishiki is next and brings things down after 2 very intense songs. Guitarist, Hiroaki sings the lead vocals in Japanese. This track comes across as something probably very special to the band and almost a bit Beatles like. Island has a really down and dirty distorted guitar riff and a great rock groove with the organ playing a major role in shaping the sound of this track. Maze of Psycho is next and 9½ minutes long. IT begins with a drum solo and a jam develops that is quite spacey. As he repeats the lyrics over and over, the band eventually really take off with some great guitar and organ soloing. Umi-No koe is beautiful piece with some flute like keyboards played at the beginning. The 19 minute psychedelic rock monster, Shangrii-La, again a very Led Zeppelin-Kingston Wall influenced track, ends this CD and again really demonstrates the ability of the band. This is really cool stuff and I can’t wait for them to make the next record.
http://www.poseidon.jp
http://ww35.tiki.ne.jp/%7Eapocalypse
If you dig: Led Zeppelin, Kingston Wall, Marble Sheep, WE
Scott
Free Love- Official Bootleg Vol. 1 (Vital Records)
This is the new Japanese band, Free Love’s first live release and it was recorded in Sapporo in October 2005 and features 4 tracks (34 minutes), all from the Apocalypse CD but in quite different free form jammed out versions. This sounds like a very good audience recording and there is a bit of distortion at times but overall the sound is excellent. The CD begins with Long Way to Kashmir, which is a shortened version of the classic Led Zeppelin song but instrumental here and very much focused on the guitar work and psychedelic. This leads straight into Spiral, which like the titles suggests spirals and loops and the band keeps the groove going. The Maze of Psycho is next and this begins as a jam and the guitarist place a classic guitar riff before the track begins. The band really rock out and there is a great organ solo at the end of this track before the band close the CD with the Led Zeppelin inspired Shangri-La, which is a bit shorter than the studio version but very cool and begins with a Japanese string instrument (simulated on the keyboard, I assume) before the tracks kicks in. This short CD gives the fans of classic psychedelic rock a good glimpse into what this band sounds like and can do live.
http://www.poseidon.jp
http://ww35.tiki.ne.jp/%7Eapocalypse
If you dig: Led Zeppelin, Kingston Wall, Marble Sheep, WE
Scott
Giglinger – Distortion+ CD EP (king Penguin Records)
 Giglinger have something of a marketing strategy going for them: “No gigs, no full-length albums, no bullshit.” They have released 2 7”s and now a CD EP since ´97, though, so they’re not completely nihilist in their approach to commercialising their art. And it must be art, because there’s a cop in full combat gear on the cover, and they use a drum machine. They also sing about a “Disneyland freak show”. Despite the title, there’s not as much distortion on this one as on their “Big Muff” 7” (reviewed in LowCut # 11), which is a shame, because that was one thing I liked about them. This sounds more like straight punk rock’n’roll, and therefore not as interesting to me. A bit like Suicide, but not as champagne, cocaine, coli cocktail decadent as the New Yorkers. These guys probably even have families and all to take care of.
http://www.kingpenguinrec.com
http://www.giglinger.com
If you dig: Suicide, The Faint, Devo
Jon A
Alex Gomez - Warm Sensations CD
’Elmore James on acid’, ’Dazed and Confused Stoner Punk Blues’ sez the press release, which ain’t far from the truth, no siree. Mr. Gomez sure knows how to molest his slide geetar, haven’t heard such a mean blooze strummin’ since Hound Dog Taylor. The only ’percussion’ is Alex’s foot stompin’ ala early John Lee Hooker, and his voice snarls’n’tear through the wall of amped up fuzz guitar, howlin’ like a certifiable loon for cheap whiskey and fast women. Houston’s best kept secret? Damn straight! Now git yer ass to Copenhagen, Alex, I wanna see this shit!!
http://www.alexgomez.com
If you dig: Black Keys, Hound Dog Taylor, Bog Log III
Jens
Gov’t Mule- High and Mighty CD (Blue Note Records/Target)
It is always time to celebrate when your favourite band has a new studio LP. This is the 2nd CD with not so new Mule line up and Warren has written all the songs and there are some classics amongst them. Geordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady) produced the record at Willie Nelson’s studio in Texas and this has given the record a grittier in your face but still very clear production that I like. The opening track, Mr. High and Mighty, has an AC/DC like riff and is the first single and is quite catchy but not my favourite track. Lyrics have rumoured to be about Chris Robinson (Black Crowe’s) and/or George W Bush… Next up is the totally killer, Brand New Angel which is an amazing track with a cool Robin Trower like Riff and powerful vocals and a cool bass groove and Warren just rips it up on the solo. Awesome! So Weak so Strong is a powerful and beautiful ballad. I really love this track and this is followed up by Streamline Woman, which is quite Led Zeppelin inspired, even the way the drums are mixed, John Bonham style. This will be a killer jammer live for sure. Child of the Earth is one of my favourite songs with powerful lyrics and playing by the whole band and amazing singing. Next up is a quite strange and cool Tom Waits influenced track, called Like Flies, with some potent political lyrics. Great and different song. Next is the 8 minute roots reggae track called Unring the Bell, again with political lyrics and a great track. It has some cool spacey stuff mixed in as well. I should also mention the rest of the band as all play absolutely superbly. This is a band where the musicians basically can’t improve on their musical skills, as they are already at the top of the game, so it is all about making interesting music now. Ok.. back to the record… Nothing Again is a slow bluesy track, nothing special except the beautiful guitar solo. The next track reminds me classic southern rock stuff. This is a favourite of many people and it is a great track and features some nice female back up singers and features Danny on the piano prominently. Brighter Days is a very Zeppelin inspired slide guitar number not dissimilar to In my Time of Dying, at least to start. Cool song and one I hope they stretch out live. Endless Parade is the longest track at almost 9 minutes and another ballad like track but very powerful stuff. The CD ends with the all instrumental track, 3 String George… Well, this is a CD that does not kick your ass the first time but the songs are just so excellent that this CD just gets better and better the more you hear it. Fantastic playing and songs.
http://www.mule.com
If you dig: The Allman Brothers Band, Black Crowes, North Mississippi Allstars
Scott
Hawkwind- Take me to your Future (Voiceprint)
 Well, Hawkwind is back with a special release EP/DVD dual layer disc. One side is studio outtakes from the last few years and the DVD is various tracks from upcoming DVD releases and two pieces exclusive to this release. The CD begins with a pretty damn cool rerecorded version of the classic Calvert track, Uncle Sams on Mars. Great long version and a very stoned psychedelic mix. Next is Small Boy, which is a taster track from a new CD that will come out in which Dave Brock and the other Hawkwind guys have added some spacey music to spoken word poetry of and read by Robert Calvert. Quite nice but not that interesting. Next up is the Reality of Poverty, which was originally going to be on the Take me to your Leader CD but removed and this is a very cool track featuring Arthur Brown. This is a very psychedelic track. Next up is another old Calvert poem called Ode to a Time Flower, which Robert reads and the band has added a electronic techno like backing track.. Not sure what Bob would have thought?? The final track is a rerecorded version of Silver Machine featuring Lemmy (yes.. he resung the track in 2003 or so).. Anyway, Lemmy sounds amazing and very much like the original vocal but the version is not nearly as cool with some strange stuff in the middle and a weird jam that does not really fit or seem like it was from the recording session, tacked on the end. Ugh… This is only for the hard core fans!
As for the DVD, we get 7 videos but only 4 of these are concert tracks. The first is from a DVD release coming out in the future called Space Bandits and this is a very cool video collage of the song Images. The picture is excellent but the audio is so so… Next up is Utopia live from the Studio 22 in Australia. This was for a TV program and the band will also release this. This is excellent and a great spaced out version of the track. Assassins of Allah is the best track on here and recorded at the Astoria, London in 2005 for a full concert DVD release. Very nice 5.1 audio and footage from the back of the hall with a single camera. Next up is just garbage and filler. The band with Ron Tree rehearsing Steppenwolf in 1996 but 98% of the video is 3 dancers practicing in the yard…. Ugh…. Skip this one.. Then a video collage of pictures from the bands CD release party in London for take me to your Leader with the new version of Paradox as the backing track. The CD ends with another video collage and a brand new Dave Brock solo track, which is not that interesting.
If you are a diehard fan, then there is stuff you will enjoy here otherwise you can pass this one up and not miss much..
http://www.hawkwind.com
If you dig: Hawkwind…
Scott
Helmet – Monochrome CD (Warcon/Target)
Let’s set things straight: Helmet are an all-time fave with me, “Meantime” is one of the best albums ever produced, certainly one of the heaviest (LowCut Classic #21). That’s why I was absolutely thrilled by the news a few years back that Page Hamilton was reforming the band, that’s why I was absolutely let down by the resulting album, “Size Matters”. Not that it wasn’t heavy, it was just so – well, melodic. I mean, it was a pop album, only heavy. It’s not like Helmet weren’t melodic in the old days – “Unsung” is totally sing along-material – but they sure weren’t pop. “Size Matters” had some memorable songs, like “See You Dead” or “Last Breath”, but overall, it was a let down. Two years later, Hamilton has regrouped again, keeping only Chris Traynor from “Size Matters”, and hooked up with Wharton Tiers who also produced “Meantime”, and the result is admittedly a lot less polished than “Size Matters”, sounding more like “Aftertaste” or “Betty”, both good albums in my book. And it sounds good at first, the opener’s not something to get excited about, but it’s OK, and the next two songs aren’t bad at all, even angry and snarling and all. Then, by the title track, 4th song, it’s all over: Hamilton’s gone sensitive again. He’s singing. It’s pop. After that it sounds like Ol’ Page is all burned out: The songs are without spark, some, like “Money Shot” and especially “Gone” are even downright horrible. Is this really the same guy who made all those noise rock classics up through the 90’s? “Rude”, “In the Meantime”, “Give It”, “I Know”, “Birth Defect”; now he’s writing crap like “Hey, now you’re gone / I can feel the sun”? Today’s Helmet aren’t worthy of the name.
http://www.warconrecords.com
If you dig: Helmet
Jon A
The Hip Priests - Numbers Of The Priests EP/Demo CD
From the ashes of Brit punk’n’roll ragers X-Rays and The Divine Brown this combo was formed early this year, guess they were in a hurry to record this 6 track demo. From albums like Turbonegro’s ”Ass Cobra” to ”The Big 6” by The Bottomfeeders, the London sleaze punks sure know how to cut it. Nothing too orginal, but they do a helluva job at it, so swing with hot tubed super lubed rock’n’rollers.
http://www.myspace.com/hippriests
If dig you: Turbonegro, Dead Boys, Bottomfeeders
Jens
Jucifer – If Thine Enemy Hunger CD (Relapse Records/Target)
Ephemeral, esoteric, erotic, and positively evil: That’s Jucifer of Athens, GA. That’s a brilliant name and a good idea: One sensuous female singer against one man belting out the heaviest possible guitar riffs and bombastic drums. This sounds eerily familiar, like the sum of a thousand more or less obscure records I’ve heard over the past decade-and-a-half, all come together to serve a higher purpose than what they managed themselves. In the heavier parts, it’s pure garage stoner rock mayhem with Amber Valentine – one of the better nom-de-guerres I’ve heard lately - melting on top of it, while elsewhere it recalls the lazy, melancholy shoegazer rock of Mazzy Star, the neurotic-romantic yearnings of Cranes, or the trashy playfulness of Breeders. It’s all delivered with a self-confident swagger and tons of attitude. One of those records that’ll slowly creep up on you and win you over.
http://www.relapserecords.com
http://jucifer.com
If you dig: Mazzy Star, Cranes
Jon A
Junkpile Jimmy - Alberhill 2LP (Cárel Ilustre Records)
 Wow! This motherfucker of a double album hits you right between the eyes like a runaway meatwagon! There are one-man-bands and then there’s Junkpile Jimmy who creates a fascinating niche of his own. From frantic cowspeedpunk to aural assaults of noises made from horse troughs (!), washing machines, ventilation duct, weed eaters, animals, garbage cans, roof flashings and hair clippers. Imagine if Hasil Adkins had made the soundtrack for ”Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Wonderful insane ’folk’ music. Limited to 235 copies.
http://www.cartel-ilustre.com
If you dig: Doo Rag, Haunted George, King Louie One Man Band
Jens
Kayser- Frame the World…..Hang it on the Wall (Scarlet Records/Target)
Kayser are back with their 2nd full length record. This band, if you don’t know, features the ex-singer from the Spiritual Beggars and Mushroom River Band. This stuff is most of the time much heavier and metallic than either of those bands but there are quite a few songs that are quite close to the classic heavy Spiritual Beggars sound. The opening track is a full on Slayer and this is the bands clear influence on their fast tracks. Some of the heavier more melodic tracks might remind one of Megadeth. This record is much better than the EP they released earlier this year. I think heavy metal fans who like Spice’s voice and the old Spiritual Beggars stuff will dig this release. It features some excellent songs..
http://www.scarletrecords.it
If you dig: Spiritual Beggars, Mushroom River Band, Slayer, Megadeth
Scott
Robert Lawson- Before the Revolution (Tiny Tapes)
I recently reviewed Robert’s previous release. Robert is a guitarist based in Spain who often records all the instruments himself and produces some interesting mostly instrumental music. This CD includes only 3 pieces of music and a full band. It is a very laid back 32 minutes of music and quite stoned. New Goose Boogie starts things off and the band lays down a steady groove over which Robert plays lead guitar. The organ is used in a droney way and this leads straight into the old Coltrane track, My Favorite Things. This is a very loosely arranged version though but it really lets Robert stretch out the guitar while coming back and forth into the classic riff. Bingo for Ringo ends the CD and is a slow track with some stylish, melodic wah guitar. Nice.
tinytapes@yahho.com
Scott
The Lucky Punch - Join Our Cruise CD (Punchin’ Prod./Gema)
 I wasn’t impressed with the previous ”Kick Up A Hullabaloo” album, and had sorta written them off as yet another bland Hellacopters ripoff. ”Join Our Cruise” is definitely an improvement, a bit more laidback 70s-ish with some Stones/Flamin Groovies touches, some boogie/blues/roots vibes, and a neat version of Larry Williams’ immortal ”Bad Boy” tune. I like it. Apparently The Lucky Punch were the first German band to do a 3 week tour in China, way to go! Maybe that’s why this is the ’China Edition’, with a ’China Edition bonus track’, haha.
http://www.myspace.com/theluckypunch
If you dig: Stones, Flaming Sideburns, Black Oak Arkansas
Jens
Magnolia- Magnolia (Transubstans Records)
 Magnolia is the band of Swedish guitarist, Ronny Eriksson. This CD was recorded over the last 3 years in Love Tholin’s Dropout Studio in Åmål, Sweden. The CD is highly influenced by the hard rock bands of the late 60’s and early 70’s like Cream, November, Mountain, Buffalo, etc.. Anyway, this record has plenty of great guitar and some killer riffs and jams. All the lyrics are sung in Swedish. There are a couple of instrumental tracks as well and one features trombone! Track 6 is one of the best and features guest guitarist, Jack Vreeswijk, and some great guitar duals… Amazing stuff. If you are a fan of the heavy early 70’s blues rock stuff you can’t go wrong with the great CD. Loads of lead guitar and a great sound. This CD really grows on you as well, even if you don’t understand Swedish!
http://www.myspace.com/magnoliarock
http://www.recordheaven.net
If you dig: Svarte Pan, Abramis Brama, November, Mountain, Hairy Chapter
Scott
The Men - Return CD (Playground Records)
Second album from these Swedish boss modsters. Definitely one of the best neo-mod bands I’ve heard in years, everyone of the 12 songs is so catchy it’s criminal and Sven Köhler sings just like a young Van Morrison. ”Return” is just the perfect blend of r’n’r, soul, beat, and pop, that can get any grumpy bastard on the dance floor. The Men actually plays here in Copenhagen at Studenterhuset, October 10th, so be there! The Men consists of ex-members from The Sinners, The Girls, Thee Expression, and Colubrids.
http://www.playgroundmusic.com/
If you dig: Small Faces, Them, The Blue Van
Jens
Motosierra - Son Of A Bitch 7” (Bad Attitude Records)
Some might remember Motosierra and their “Hobbit Motherfuckers” track on the “Alpha Motherfuckers” Turbonegro triobute. The band hails from Uruguay, South America, of all places. The 4 tunes mix the sleazy Scandinavian cockrock sound with some harder edge metallish hardcore, not bad. But it’s nothing you haven’t heard done before, although the ballsy production gives the tunes a lotta power. Bet they rip live.
http://www.motosierra.net/
If you dig: Smoke Blow, Turbonegro, Peter Pan Speedrock
Jens
Mouth Sewn Shut – Pandemic = Solution CD (Rodent Popsicle Records)
Sometimes you half suspect some of these hybrid bands of mixing genres just because it sounded like a hilarious enough idea it had to be tried. Say what? Screamobilly? Blues metal? Math folk? Let’s go! Which is how you get a band like Mouth Sewn Shut playing brutal crust core in the vein of “Scum” era Napalm Death, then mixing it with ska, making it sound every bit as natural as your average Soulfly record – that’s to say not very, but offsetting it is. Sure, we all heard a bunch of bands mixing punk and ska and hardcore and ska before, but I never heard one doing it quite like this. Mouth Sewn Shut is the result of members of Boston hc bands Toxic Narcotic and Profits/Swat joining arms, and their declaration of war is on mankind as a whole: “Pro Nature – Anti Human” proclaims that because of our destroying the planet, “humanity deserves to die”. So crust it practically reeks of tofu and lentils, but somehow, it’s nice to know that records like this are still being made somewhere.
http://www.rodentpopsicle.com
http://www.mouthsewnshut.com
If you dig: Ratos de Porão, Napalm Death, Discharge
Jon A
Sinking Ships – Disconnecting LP/CD (Revelation Records)
This is not such a bad record, to be honest, it’s just not that gripping either. Sinking Ships have got all the trademark modern hardcore licks down to pat: The mosh parts, the shouty choruses, the speed parts, even adding a lot of melody and surprisingly poetic lyrics for the genre. They just don’t touch me, don’t make me smile or want to smash things up or anything. More like read the paper and forget music’s playing on the stereo. Part of the fault lies with the vocals that are way too strained, but also the lack of something distinct to set them apart from all the other hardcore bands around at the moment. It may be a case of my having heard too many hardcore records lately, I know Jens and my wife definitely think I have, I don’t know. Sinking Ships are better than a lot of their kind, but I can’t get excited over them, and if hardcore can’t do that to you, it’s fucked.
http://www.revelationrecords.com
If you dig: Snapcase, Sick Of It All, Gorilla Biscuits
Jon A
Snitches Get Stitches – Even A Butchered Carcass Can Shine CD (Empty Records)
 The follow up to their debut from 2005 (I Liked You Better When You Were A Corpse, Empty Records) is an eclectic experience. The songs are made up of more parts than the number of tits on a sow and they vary in tone between angry, sad, sensitive, brutal and other unambiguous emotions, but somehow they still manage to come across as wholesome as scrap metal. Did I say eclectic? Hey, don’t worry. It’s not like they’re trying to beat Dillinger Escape Plan playing silly symphonic metal with glass shattering vocals. They do play with the punk/hardcore/metal crossover yo- yo, but SGS go for your teeth, not your glasses. Aggressive music with lots of nasty hooks, melodic qualities and punk rock bottom end and a charming American type of ”we’re so fucked up” fucked up vibe to it (they are from America, in case I forgot to mention that). The lyrics are worth your attention, as well. A cerebral cast. The contrast thing works. Congratulations. Another thing that makes this disc shine is the Conrad Uno production. Seattle’s Egg Studios have laid a few rotten ones here and there over the years, but here the albumen really suits the material. The instruments are quite piercing and the clear separation gives the album a clinical surgeryesque finish, which suits SGS. They could have recorded it more abrasively and I’m not saying that wouldn’t have worked, but there is a subtle point to how the abusive music sounds so clean at the same time. One scary chicken. Anyway, this is a CD and it is too bad their albums are only available digitally. Thanks Empty Records! Now, put this stuff out on a record, please.
http://www.emptyrecords.com
Morten
The Soulshake Express EP CD (Pitshark Records)
 Groovy tight hardrock with plenty of blues and soul, and probably a bit of southern boogie rawk (think of a more ’civilized version’ of Five Horse Johnson). Nothing revolutionary, but an excellent riff on early 70s rock’n’roll with infectious youthful energy and top notch musical skills. I dig the Soulshake. There’s also an enhanced video of ”Feel It”, a simple but enjoyed experience with the band in front a theater screen with psychedelic colors and three foxy hotties dancing.
http://www.soulshake.se/
If you dig: Cato Salsa Expericence, Highway Child, Deep Purple
Jens
Taipuva Luotisuora- II (UUU Records)
 TL are an interesting Finnish band and this is their 3rd release, so I am not sure why they call it 2, perhaps because it is their 2nd official CD. Anyway, the band is continuing to evolve in style and have added a vocalist on 4 of the 9 songs. Additional players (mostly family members) fill in with flute and cello. While the previous CDs were very much in the progressive space rock vein, this is more melodic-poppy in a sense due to the melodic singing in English (with a Finnish accent!) on some of the songs. Out of the Chrysalis starts the CD with some electronics and some spacey sounds and an eastern sounding riff before the drums kicks in the track takes off. This track is mostly instrumental with only a few lines of lyrics. Next up is Sable Road, and this highlights the new direction that the band is heading. This song begins with piano and flute and has this melodic radio friendly feel to it but it still remains a bit spacey and has some nice violin. North-East Passage is back to the more complex time signatures and instrumental music that the band excels at. I really like the synthesizer passages on this track and all the cool other instruments that get mixed in as well. Chimaera Monstrosa tells a very interesting story and the music that accompanies it is fantastic. This song is a real classic composition with beautiful music, cello, and great singing. Uotila is a short instrumental track with programmed drums and synths by Ville. Maybe he made this track by himself? Ozrics fans will like this one! Unaja Infinite Laser starts like a dark trance track and remains quite electronic and spacey as well and this leads straight into the acoustic start of the Crane, the last song with singing. Nice song but it seemed a little short like it was begging for an extension for the band to stretch out?? Anyway, Emerging Disagreement (Between Nations) is a slow starting track but is quite intense and the heaviest track on the CD and very Crimson inspired. Äyhö ends this excellent CD and is the longest song and one of my favourites on the CD as there is so much cool instrumentation mixed in while the groove develops. All kinds of instruments.. This is a CD that really grows on you though. An excellent step forward for this young Finnish band.
http://luotisuora.kaakao.fi
If you dig: King Crimson, Ozric Tentacles, Hidria Spacefolk
Scott
Television Pickup – Da jeg var lille var alting større (Boogiepost Recordings)
 This one had crappy indie written all over it: From the title, even the band name, to the press release. I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was nothing like it, bur really, some bands ought to consider their press releases more. But that should be the least of this band’s worries: They’re already so far out of this world, such a petty, worldly thing as a press release wouldn’t be able to distract them. This is far from what we usually cover here in LowCut, I can’t recall ever receiving something like this for review here, but it’s cool: Improvised free jazz rock, reminiscent of the Ninth World Music catalogue. Somehow very Nordic in its sound, although I can’t claim to have an in-depth knowledge of this genre, I just know that this reminds me more of the works of TS Høeg, P.O. Jørgens, and Jørgen Teller, than of some of the older free jazz records I have. Very intellectual, but with a warm glow, and playful – this may not be for all rock’n’rollers or headbangers, but it would do them well to give it a listen.
http://www.ljud.org/televisonpickup
If you dig: Ninth World Music, TS Høeg, Zappa
Jon A
Time Again - The Stories Are True CD (Hellcat Records)
Generic Rancid clones without any identity whatsoever. But hey, they got the look, the tatttoos, spiked hair, the ’street lyrics’, Tim Armstrong on guest vocals...as exciting as the new Pink album, which Rancid probably also wrote. A fuckin’ insult to punkrock, as ’real’ as any boyband...”I’m a punkrocker till the day I die” (from ”The Stories Are True”), yeah right. Go listen to Gorilla Angreb or Hjertestop instead.
http://www.hell-cat.com/artists/artist/212
If you dig: Rancid
Jens
Trigon- Herzberg 2004 (HeavyZenJazz)
Trigon is an all instrumental band from Germany (near the French border). While it is may be more difficult to establish your unique signature playing all instrumental music, Trigon, clearly have blazed their own path since 1989 and are now producing the best music they ever have. These two CDs, the bands latest self produced and released material, are both amazing. A lot of the bands music is out of print on CD but the band puts some of this up at the www.archive.org site and also has several unreleased jams on MP3 on their web site. The live Herzberg CD includes tracks from some of the bands previous CDs and is the first CD with new keyboard player, Udo. While this CD includes some of the songs on the Herzberg 2002 CD, most of the material is either new or on the Continuum CD (which is sold out). Trigonometrie starts the CD and it is a bit spacey and features Rainer’s excellent melodic guitar soloing. The addition of keyboards adds a new dimension to their music and allows for a further expansion of band members interactions. This band is clearly about the guitar taking the lead though and the rest building and following. They have a guest Flügelhorn player on two tracks which is quite interesting and different. Blue Time is quite different with the piano on this CD and features an totally amazing guitar solo. A fantastic live CD that really captures the band in great form.
http://www.heavyzenjazz.de
If you dig: Eric Johnson, Oresund Space Collective, Guru Guru, Jing Chi
Scott
Trigon- Emergent (HeavyZenJazz)
 Trigon is an all instrumental band from Germany and this is their latest studio CD. It is also the first with Udo on board on keyboards on 4 tracks. The new CD is quite an intense experience. Rainer has never played better guitar and the people at Magna Carta should for sure sign this band for the next release! Anyway, the band remains all instrumental except on scream by someone in the band when a jam gets very intense! The opening title track is the longest track on the CD and Rainer comes out straight away with some pretty intense playing. This is music for fans of lead guitar as it is mostly guitar solos with a super solid backing band. Kamasutra Debakel begins with the bass but then Rainer comes in slowly and kicks in with some intense wah guitar playing on this track. Lederne Beistelldamen features a quite heavy and intense playing and this track gets a bit spacey as he adds some delay and Udo comes. Tracks 4-6 all feature Udo on keyboards but he does not play a lot and is often mixed quite far in the background. Raff an Dorte takes things down and is a beautiful melodic track. Zeitgeistbedirgte Unfalle features some beautiful guitar playing and this track slowly builds in intensity. Nice stuff. Next are Fette Beute and my favourite track on this CD and Rainer just rips it up on this intense jamming song.. Mission Critical follows and is slow to build but gets quite intense at the end with all instruments. Udo returns on the closing track, Space Chick strikes Back (one of their rare titles in English!). As the title suggests this is more space rock and a cool song to end the CD with. If you are into instrumental guitar rock, then you can’t go wrong with Trigon..
http://www.heavyzenjazz.de
If you dig: Eric Johnson, Oresund Space Collective, Guru Guru, Steve Hillage
Scott
Unearth – III: In the Eyes of Fire CD (Metal Blade Records/Target)
Unearth have established themselves as one of the greats within metal core by now, and this, their third proper album attests to why: More metal than core, it’s terrifyingly precisely executed, with good song writing and just the right amount of melody to keep it interesting. Actually, apart from the fervour, by now it’s hard to hear what this band’s supposed to have to do with hardcore, they’re even longhairs, and they’ve forsaken most of the mosh parts, which is something of a relief these days, refreshing even. Does all this make “III” a good album, though? Not necessarily. It’s a fine album, but it’s also so uncompromisingly brutal and unyielding, listening the whole way through it is somewhat testing. It’s even funny when they introduce the big, cheesy epic piano on the closing salvo, “Big Bear and the Hour of Chaos”, just because it allows you to breathe for the first time in nearly 3 quarters of an hour. By all means, “III” is a much more devoted album than both Hatebreed’s “Supremacy” and Terror’s “Always the Hard Way”, but that doesn’t necessarily make it an easier listen. I’d recommend this for serious thrashers – for hardcore heads, I’d go somewhere else to get my kicks.
http://www.metalblade.de
If you dig: Hatebreed, HateSphere, Terror
Jon A
Versus the Mirror – Home CD (Equal Vision Records/Target)
 Go ahead, scream it all out, like that, will make you feel better, right? Right? Still not feeling better? Any? Damn, God knows I like screamo as much as the next physics nerd, but this is too much for even me. If you really hate yourself and the world this much, what you should do is not make a hardcore record about it, you need professional help, boy. Davey Siebold’s screaming style takes more than just some getting used to, but I’m not sure if I have the nerves to try it – he’s that extreme. And this comes from a man who’s usually complaining about vocalists who start singing when they should just be screaming, mind you. I’m hard pressed as for what the music might sound like, because the vocals drown it out completely, but after really concentrating on it, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just not that very interesting: Epic, edgy, erratic stuff, but nothing that really catches me. This might be one of those records that’ll hit me in the back of the head in a few weeks’ time, but for now, I can’t get into it. Comes with a short documentary about the making of the album, which from the look of it is your typical hagiography with added emo haircuts.
http://www.equalvision.com
If you dig: Refused, Planes Mistaken for Stars, The Dillinger Escape Plan
Jon A
Warpig- Warpig CD (Relapse Records/Target)
Warpig were a Canadian band that released one record back in 1971. This is part of a series of re-releases of classic records from the 70’s on the Relapse Record label. The CD has been remastered, not sure if from the original tapes or not and includes extensive liner notes (the bio says). The CD opens with the tune Flaggit, which certainly has an early Blue Oyster Cult feeling to it but actually precedes BOC’s first record by a year! Doubt they knew of each other. Tough Nuts is a very short but Heavy Black Sabbath like track with a cool riff. Melody with Balls is the first of 3 longer tracks that allow the band to stretch out and show some interaction between the guitar and the keyboards (which are pretty low in the mix most of the time), including a slide guitar solo that goes into a pretty spaced out psychedelic section before the song kicks back in. Advance in A Minor is nearly all instrumental and begins with organ-piano as the track slowly builds up and includes some strange yodelling like vocal. The track comes across as a strange jam.. Rock Star is next and has a cool heavy bass driven groove that reminds me of the Groundhogs. This and the first track are probably the most straight forward rockers, both cool tracks. Sunflight is next quite a Uriah Heep inspired track. U.X.I.B. starts with what sounds like harpsichord before picking up with one of the heavier guitar riffs on the CD. A really good song. The CD ends with the Moth. Pretty cool and obscure record from 1971…
http://www.relapserecords.com
If you dig: Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Hairy Chapter, Uriah Heep
Scott
Andre Williams – Movin’ On With… Andre Williams. Greasy & Explicit Soul Movers 1956-1970 LP/CD (Vampisoul Records/Munster)
It’s not all political, vegan, yoga, Buddhist, activist hardcore at Casa A, thank God. Andre Williams is probably one of the biggest meat eaters and one of the most anti-PC entertainers of the last half century – that’s as long as this man has been going. And even if his appearances have become more than sporadic, he’s still active, his last effort the brilliant, Mick Collins-produced “Black Godfather” of some five years ago, and he hasn’t softened with age, as he explains in the extensive, self-penned liner notes for this collection of early material: “people come up to me and ask me how I work, how it is like to be Andre Williams. I tell them: If you go fuck three girls in one week, you’ve got to fuck all three of them good!” Thanks, granddad. This collection, with 28 songs from the first 14 years of Williams’ career, before he suffered his first serious illness from overworking, over-drinking, overdoing life, contains both good, classic funk tracks, like the heavy, instrumental take on “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, and greasy cuts like “Chicken Thighs”, “Bacon Fat”, and “Jail Bait”, plus the original version of “You Got It, I Want It”, which was re-recorded for “Black Godfather”. This is obligatory stuff for anyone into raw rock’n’roll and soul.
http://www.vampisoul.com
If you dig: Dirtbombs, Jon Spencer, James Brown
Jon A
Wolly Mammoth- The Temporary Nature CD (Underdogma)
This is the debut CD from this Washington DC area trio. It is quite a mix of stuff. Think if you throw Electric Wizard and the Melvins in a blender with Nirvana and Queens of the Stone Age and mix well. I think you might come out with something like this…. Again, this is a CD you need to hear a few times to get caught by the hooks. While some of the tracks are pretty straight up the band like to get a bit spaced out as well and use some effects and delay and trip things out a bit… I should also tell you that local, Wino (Hidden Hand, St. Vitus, etc..) plays guitar on the last 11 minute track called Mammoth Bones. A damn cool CD….
http://www.underdogma.com
If you dig: QOTSA
Scott
Zul – El Golpe de la Aguja CD (Basement Apes Industries)
For a while there, instrumental post-rock became the most boring thing in the world, because every indie band dropped their vocals, bought a sampler, and started jamming. By now, though, the fad is over, and we’re left with the worthier bands – at least we’re not flooded with releases any longer. So French label Basement Apes Industries has dug up this ltd ed release from 2001 by the Catalan band Zul, nowadays playing under the name Pupille, and released it properly. Honestly, I don’t know enough about Iberian post-rock to say if there exists such a thing as a specifically “Iberian sound” in post-rock, but the vibes in this reminds me of [lo:muêso]: Melancholy, yet at the same time joyous, in the same way Do Make Say Think are. Zul don’t use the quiet-loud dynamics as much as was in vogue in post-rock, but concentrate on creating meditative hymns where melody and noise intertwine. This isn’t the Holy Grail of post-rock, but it’s a good little record.
http://www.basementapesind.com
If you dig: Red Sparrowes, Do Make Say Think, Mogwai
Jon A
V/A Kyklooppien Sukupuutto & Death Token split 7” (Spild Af Vinyl)
Side 1 is some brutal noisy hardcore from Finland, pretty intense stuff, but not really my cup of tea. Copenhagen’s Death Token is more of the same 80s style Discharge-esque crustcore, heard it all before a million times in my youth, but if you a fan of the genre then by all means pick up this 7 track seven inch platter.
http://www.kyklooppiensukupuutto.com
http://www.spildafvinyl.dk/
Jens
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