When a bullet train like Sick Of It All go all out, there’s no room for disappointment. Death to Tyrants is angry, urgent, and beaming with revitalized spirit.
The tunes are here, the production is impressive, and the band gets off their asses and plays SXSW and tours, albeit still at the Middle East upstairs level.
A lot lighter than my usual fare, but I know quality songwriting when I hear it. Classy Kansas indie rock featuring members of Ben Folds and My Morning Jacket.
Chicago female-fronted Goth/industrial band on Dark Star. Part sexy cooing, part banshee wailing, part lush synths, part crunching guitars. Never a dull moment.
I’m no expert on thrashy post-punk noise, but there’s lots of (tinny) percussion, horns blatting, and vocal warble/howl on this Austin band’s third outing.
All the “I Heart Metal” button-wearing posers will run home and curl-up with their wanna-be Suicide Girl girlfriend for comfort. Goatwhore don’t fuck around.
From VT to AZ these eyeliner-wearing boys might just make it outta the scrap-heap if they focus on a sound, cuz this 14-song hybrid covers too much ground.
A three-song mini-CD from an unsigned Finnish band. People press the “metal” angle, but they’re melodic rock. Not trendy like Nickleback, but “heavy” like that.
Upstart band on an upstart label, have toured with 30 Seconds to Mars, Saosin, Forgive Durden, Saves the Day, Cobra Starship, Angels & Airwaves, and The Sounds.
Opening band powerpop/punk/bar rock with a belt-out Gwen Stefani-influenced singer and few memorable moments and a lot of filler on a 14-song sophomore effort.