Lollipop Magazine

Spyder Baby – Let Us Prey – Review

January 1, 2008

You’d call this razor-sharp punky industrial metal if you hadn’t been listening to Ministry since ’90, cuz then you’d just call it a good genre cover band.

Meshuggah – Obzen – Review

January 1, 2008

Great musicians with riffs like Pantera gone haywire, but they’re often so prog, you can’t headbang without second-guessing their next slippery transition.

Martin Bisi – Sirens of the Apocalypse – Review

January 1, 2008

His stuff has a classic/dated/timeless NYC feel, but seeing as he’s from Brooklyn and recorded NYC greats, that’s no shock.

Jarboe/Justin K Broadrick – J2 – Review

January 1, 2008

Jarboe worked with the NYC artrock/noise legends, Swans. Justin was the mastermind behind Godflesh, a pioneering metal/industrial band in late ’80s/early ’90s.

Hulda – Always Haunted – Review

January 1, 2008

Lyrical cliches abound, but the tunes are solid, the guitarwork and solos are spot-on, and the addition of keyboards adds a new depth to the dark bar rock.

HorrorPops – Kiss Kiss Kill Kill – Review

January 1, 2008

Female-fronted psychobilly. Dark guitarwork, the singer belts it out and lashes against fashion/trendy music, but it’s a bit too self-aware for my tastes.

Firecrackers – You Gotta Love It – Review

January 1, 2008

French rock’n’rollers that love The Hellacopters.

Draconian – Turning Season Within – Review

January 1, 2008

Swedish doom, huge and looming, crystal production, sweet female vocals, and trudging guitars supporting the monster roar lamenting deep and sorrowful stuff.

Crom – Hot Sumerian Nights – Review

January 1, 2008

Crom was Conan’s god. Conan had a big sword, and Crom, the band, has big grooves, lots of distortion, and screams and demon bellows from here ’til doomsday.

Cougars Kill Cobras – Review

January 1, 2008

This Portland, ME band has style, chops, some studio trickery, and lots of heart. And heart can’t be taught or faked, you either got it or you don’t, and these fuckers got it.