Lollipop Magazine

Blind Guardian – Imaginations Through The Looking Glass – Review

March 7, 2005

Finally, a Blind Guardian DVD has arrived, and the band has pulled out all the stops, if not for loading up a DVD, at least for presentation of a live show.

Alove For Enemies – The Harvest – Review

February 23, 2005

Long Island metalcore, predictable sameness of vocal and guitar tone and style, but just a hint of Dark Tranquillity melody amidst the mindless chugging.

Hypersolid – Inertia – Review

February 21, 2005

Providence, RI quintet Hypersolid, on this debut five-track EP, fuse the histrionics of latter-day Queensrÿche with something a bit more contemporary.

Sick Of It All – Outtakes for the Outcast – Review

February 21, 2005

Collects the beloved hardcore giant’s rarest efforts, from covers to b-sides to live ditties. Sick Of It All’s anthems advocate unity, compassion, and optimism.

Slapshot – Tear It Down – Review

February 16, 2005

It’s a Slapshot record. They’re from Boston, they’re old school, straight-edge, and absolutely predictable/reliable. Here are seven more songs by them.

Brutal Fight – Our Merciful Father – Review

February 16, 2005

Straight-ahead hardcore from Vancouver, WA. Uh, that’s it. They like Converge, Coalesce, and Turmoil, but so do a lot of opening bands.

All Hell Breaks Loose – Review

February 16, 2005

Straight-ahead hardcore with nü metalcore artwork and big production. Ex-members of Until the End and Where Fear and Weapons Meet.

The Crown – Crowned Unholy – Review

February 14, 2005

The “re-vocalizing” of Crowned in Terror. Original vocalist Johan Lindstrand proves he’s more dynamic, urgent, and emotive than the ex-At The Gates dude.

Bars – Introducing – Review

February 7, 2005

Here’s a band that’s firmly entrenched in the hardcore ethos of scream and blast away, but is happy to mix in a healthy portion of ’70s arena rock riff-o-mania.

Grave – Fiendish Regression – Review

February 7, 2005

Since the inventive brutality of Hating Life failed to catch on, Grave have been all too eager to return to their phee-phi-pho-phum primitivity.