Label: Viva Hate Records Released: September 21, 2007 When dealing with any of the post-this-or-that sub-genres, you’re almost always going to have music that is a challenge to even the most patient ear and largely inaccessible to most everyone else. There are, of course, exceptions and Long Distance Calling is one of them. Their strong layered approach can be spellbinding… Read more »
Label: Metal Heaven Released: October 26, 2007 Time changes some things, but not all. This is certainly true of Steve Grimmett. The music hasn’t taken any great strides, but time has tempered his once distinctive voice. Other than an occasional hint of modern metal (and I do mean hint), Personal Crisis doesn’t explore any new territory. It is a fine… Read more »
Label: Red Leader Records Released: October (?), 2007 One of the best recent trends in punk rock is the burgeoning punk/folk (or punk/roots or punk/country) movement. While this may seem to have its roots in bands like Uncle Tupelo and the Violent Femmes, that’s only partially true. Bands like This Bike is a Pipe Bomb and the amazing though little… Read more »
Label: Vacuous Pop Recordings Released: October 29, 2007 This two song limited edition white vinyl 7″ features two songs that straddle post-punk and indie pop. “You Are Wrong” contrasts quick rhythms and grating guitar with the low-key melancholy of indie pop vocals. At times, it has shades of Joy Division, but doesn’t fully tap into the cold emotion that characterized… Read more »
Label: Warner Bros. Released: October 30, 2007 Avenged Sevenfold are one of those bands that makes me wonder what all the hype is about. It’s not that they’re bad, just that they don’t seem to really separate themselves from the pack so to speak. Their self-titled follow-up to their major label break-though, City of Evil, both justifies my question about… Read more »
Label: Facedown Records Released: October 16, 2007 Unlike most of the Facedown stable, Remove the Veil takes it’s cues from gritty hard rock, grunge and stoner rock rather than more technical metal. Interestingly enough, the album still fits well with the label’s catalog. Their ability to use this in a powerful hardcore format sets them apart from their peers. The… Read more »
Label: Equal Vision Records Released: September 4, 2007 After finding a fair amount of success with 2005’s All’s Well That Ends Well, Chiodos were in a position to coast safely into their next album. Instead, they chose to further break out of the emo-screamo scene that spawned them and follow their arena-sized prog-rock dreams. Bone Palace Ballet has some leanings… Read more »
Label: Irish Voodoo Records Released: October 31, 2007 Chain Shot plays hardcore like they don’t often make it anymore. It isn’t overly metally or technical, just fast, hard and angry. They forgo the indulgent solos and the now dime-a-dozen growls. Instead, they stick to the raw passion that made hardcore exciting in the first place. The sons aren’t complex, but… Read more »
Label: Vice Records Released: September 11, 2007 The Black Lips exude the dark undercurrent of lo-fi 60s garage rock, but unlike other revivalists, they haven’t filtered it through the present. Good Bad Not Evil is a minimalist affair with a harsh, thin sound made up of tinny guitar, echo-laden vocals, wild, loose rhythms and production right out of some hole-in-the-wall… Read more »
Label: Roadrunner Records Released: 2007 I’m gonna cut to the chase here. “Shout” is the biggest slice of musical joy I’ve heard since U2 released “Beautiful Day” seven years ago. The song bursts with unadulterated happiness. It’s hooks and harmonies grab you right from the start. A tide of pop beauty rolls in on driving rhythms, infectious bass lines and… Read more »