ARTIST: Primus
ALBUM TITLE: Green Naugahyde
RECORD LABEL: ATO Records, Prawn Song
RELEASED: September 13, 2011

By Jon Robertson
Staff Writer, Illegitimate son of Irwin M. Fletcher

Finally Primus is back!! After years of waiting for frontman Les Claypool to quite diddling around with his various side projects — that, in my opinion, never even came close to the awesomeness of Primus — the band has finally released a new album. I have been patiently waiting to hear some new material from these dudes, because after hearing their 2003 EP Animals Should Not Act Like People and the new direction they were taking, I had to have more.

Claypool is back with longtime guitar player Larry “Ler” LaLonde and Jay Lane, his original drummer from way back in the day. These dudes have definitely aged well, while the music isn’t as heavy or catchy as it has been in the past, it definitely has a more spaced out vibe to it. These longer spacier compositions are good for the band because it gives Claypool more freedom to noodle around and also gives the other two members time to sneak in some chops whenever the crazy bass lines give them the opportunity.

But there is part of me that misses their heavier days when Bryan “Brain” Mantia  was their drummer for two albums in the late nineties, especially the sound the band was able to achieve on the Brown Album, which in my mind is their most complete and well conceived album to date. There’s just something about the way Mantia drums with all the open hi-hat action and crazy kick drums that just made Les and Ler so much more groovy.

Now don’t get me wrong, I still dig the precise intricate drumming that Tim Alexander, and now Lane, bring to the table, but I just miss Mantia’s raw power. With that being said, this album is still a solid listen and no matter who their drummer is, Claypool still continues to bring his weird sense of humor into his always entertaining lyrics. It’s hard not to listen to tracks like “Eyes Of The Squirrel”, “Jilly’s On Smack” and “Moron TV” and not get completely caught up in the mad hatter type story that Claypool weaves.  This band will always have a special place in my heart and it’s good to have them back. I have always thought that Primus is one of the most original sounding bands I have ever heard. If I were stuck in a mental institution and slowly losing my mind while on psilocybin mushrooms, Primus would be the soundtrack in my mind.

RATING: 7/10

Photos courtesy of ATO Records.

ARTIST: DJ Shadow
ALBUM TITLE: The Less You Know, the Better
RECORD LABEL: Verve Forecast
RELEASED: September 27, 2011

By Jon Robertson
Staff Writer, Illegitimate son of Irwin M. Fletcher

It is probably really hard on an artist when they make a genre-defining, insanely classic album the first time around and then everything they put out is always compared to that. DJ Shadow is one of those artists.

His first album Endtroducing…. is considered an all time classic when it comes to instrumental hip-hop/trip-hop/breakbeat/sample based whatever. So now every time he puts something new out it’s compared against his classic first album and the majority of the public is generally disappointed. I for one have enjoyed all of Shadow’s releases except for the Outsider. The reason I didn’t enjoy that one is because it had a bunch of rapping all over it and I thought it took away from the amazing beats that he had created.

Then it occurred to me that I am basically like everyone else and I just want some sort of variation of Endtroducing…. Which isn’t cool of me at all, because I’m basically trying to pigeonhole one of my favorite artists into making the same album over and over. This is something I try not to do with acts that I like, and I actually get all bummed when an artist doesn’t reinvent or evolve in some way. But with Shadow I want him to evolve my way and get better at the sweet sample driven trip hop beats and not put a bunch of lame-o guest vocals all over his amazing compositions.

On The Less You Know, The Better, Shadow has kind of done what I wanted him to do. There are a two tracks out of the 19 that I don’t care for (because of the guest vocals) but that’s a pretty good percentage. This album is slower paced then his previous work, and the samples Shadow has chosen are more guitar oriented, two traits that add to the the awesome atmosphere and mood of the album. But at times can also make things drag a little. But, overall the album is classic DJ Shadow and the majority of the songs are inventive and entertaining from start to finish.

I think a lot of the reviews floating around the internet are hating on this album a little too much, which goes back to my previous point that a lot of people just want Shadow doing the same thing again and again. There is no DJ or producer out right now capable of creating a sample-based song with the same emotion and originality as Shadow has done on songs like “Sad and Lonely,” “I’ve Been Tryin” and “Let’s Get It.” I have realized the error of my pigeonholing ways and now can truly appreciate what The Less You Know, The Better is doing. The trick is to listen to the album as a progression not as an extension of his previous work. Let the man grow, Viva la Shadow!! Plus if you listen to “Def Surrounds Us” and you don’t have some sort of spiritual awakening/aneurysm then someone secretly gave you a lobotomy without you realizing it and you shouldn’t be allowed to listen to music anymore.

RATING: 8/10

Front page image from soundunwound.com. Interior image from choicecuts.com.

ARTIST: Puscifer
ALBUM TITLE: Conditions of My Parole
RECORD LABEL: Puscifer Entertainment
RELEASED: Octobber 18, 2011

By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

My first experience with the Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) side project Puscifer was the Renholder remix of “The Undertaker” from the Underworld: Evolution soundtrack. I was a little late in hearing the song, but I did manage to catch it before the album that contained the original, “V” Is for Vagina, was released. Though I found it a bit odd that Maynard launched another side project, I was still interested because the single song I heard took the industrial route.

Vagina seemed to confirm my suspicions, though it certainly wasn’t strictly industrial. Along with the trip-hop beats, the first album seemed to go off on its own, being largely unfocused and playful. I later learned that Maynard’s intentions were to use Puscifer, in his own words, as a playground for the various voices in his head. In other words, Puscifer is a way to simply let the subconsciousness work itself out.

Another thing I have noticed about Puscifer is the comedic edge the project brings. From subtle lyrics to obvious visual puns, like having Jesus have targets on his hands looking scared on the cover of the Don’t Shoot the Messenger EP, Maynard has no qualms showing listeners his sense of humor. Sure, Tool showed its fair share, but those occurrences were a fairly rare sight.

That’s why I was kind of surprised what I was hearing on Puscifer’s latest release, Conditions of My Parole. This album takes a far more serious turn. However, that’s not to say that it takes itself too seriously. I’ll put it this way: Conditions… is kind of like A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step in two ways. One, it’s far lighter and more gentle than its predecessor. Two, the project practically reinvents its sound by vaguely sounding like the previous work.

Right from the start, it’s very apparent that it is exploring new territory. Most of Puscifer’s material before now was sludgier, and as mentioned above, more beat-oriented. Now, the songs seem to follow a melodic structure, simplistic approach and are slightly more focused. Many songs still have beats, mind you, but they are more electronic influenced than anything else. Even when a beat does sound more in the vein of trip-hop or industrial, all the other elements of the song still sounds different from anything else Maynard has done with Puscifer.

Honestly, Puscifer is a project that I have always been indifferent towards for the most part. Maybe chalk it up to my interest in Tool and A Perfect Circle being greater, or perhaps it’s my interpretation of the casual way Maynard approaches this project. Anyway, I imagine fans of A Perfect Circle will dig this album more than other type of Maynard fans simply because Conditions… does remind me of an album coming from that area. It’s not a direct copy and paste job, mind you, but that’s another reason why this album is making me think of Thirteenth Step in spirit. My main problem with the album is the same issue I’ve always had with Puscifer: consistency. To me, every Pusicfer song is either fun to get into or seemingly prattles on and on. As I have been saying throughout this review, this project is a figurative playground, so one could argue that the type of consistency I experienced is to be expected.

The flaw I see in that is how that sort of mentality mainly worked for the earlier material when Maynard was truly messing around and having fun. With the new found serious attitude Conditions… brings forth, the idea of making music without any real direction — not to say that idea itself is a bad thing, for the record — doesn’t work as well. Going back to the Perfect Circle comparison, this album almost sounds like Maynard is working out the kinks preparing for that project’s next effort.

The whole experimental nature of the album also reminds me of what I imagine the mentality was on how Tool approached Opiate. While that EP was more straightforward compared to later material from Tool, the songs were more relaxed — even ones that were meant to be taken seriously. While I like that EP, it is still jarring as hell to hear Tool just mess around. The tables have turned all these years later, and now it’s difficult for me to hear Puscifer move away from its playful roots.

That being said, I am aware that I am probably in the minority opinion for letting something like this bother me. Hardcore Maynard fans will dig Conditions of My Parole because there are traces of his signature touch, like everything else he works on. Also, I did enjoy the album to a certain extent, with my favorite tracks being “Tiny Monsters,” “Telling Ghosts,” “Man Overboard,” “Oceans” and “Tumbleweed.”

Overall, Conditions of My Parole is a solid album worth a listen. I may have my problems with it, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a fun ride. Maybe next time Maynard will go back to his mental playground or find a smoother road.

RATING: 6.5/10

Photos from speakeasypr.com.

ARTIST: Thrice
ALBUM TITLE: Major/Minor
RECORD LABEL: Vagrant Records
RELEASED: September 20, 2011

By Jon Robertson
Staff Writer, Illegitimate son of Irwin M. Fletcher

There was a time when nü metal was popular and I was becoming really fed up with the ridiculous machismo it represented. During this time all my favorite bands from the ’90s had either broken up or had begun putting out really lame albums and I was becoming really disillusioned with rock and heavy music in general.

Then around 2000 or so the emo/screamo/hardcore thing was starting to break out and I was even more disillusioned. But there were a few bands within that genre that I hoped could pull their heads out and ditch the cookie cutter action, while throwing some experimentation and originality into their jams. Thrice was one of the bands that I had hope for. Now before people read this and start getting all bummed at me for calling them emo, they did come out around the same time that shit was popular and their first two albums were pretty bland and had a bunch of shredding all over it that grew quite tiresome.

Throughout the years, Thrice have evolved just the way I have wanted them to. I knew they band had potential when I heard the leaps and bounds they took on 2005’s Vheissu and after that album the band kept getting more experimental and adventurous with the Alchemy Index EPs. They started to come back down to earth when the more organic and straightforward Beggars came out but, the musicianship and songwriting stayed intact.

Their seventh studio Major/Minor is out and it is still is as badass as their previous four releases. Imagine Beggars on steroids; the band has stepped it up on the mathy time signatures, distortion and just volume in general. I was hoping for the album to be a bit more progressive and a little bit heavier than it is, only because I am sucker for the boom, but it’s still a good listen from start to finish. Thrice is aging like a fine wine, with each member honing the complexities of their instruments and becoming a tighter cohesive band and Dutin Kensure’s voice is flat out entertaining. While he isn’t the flashiest of singers, the melodies and emotional inflection he is able to pull of in his vocals are either straight up inspiring, eye watering or just amazing in general.  If you pay close attention you can hear hints of Rival Schools and Sparta within some of the songs, but don’t pay too much attention because you might make yourself cry.

RATING: 9/10

Front page image from hangout.altsounds.com. Interior photo by Jonathan Weiner. Courtesy of Vagrant Records.

ARTIST: Pathology
ALBUM TITLE: Awaken to the Suffering
RECORD LABEL: Victory Records
RELEASED: September 13, 2011

By Eric Stuckart
Creator, Destroyer

There’s no denying it, I listen to a lot of metal. That’s kind of a given just by judging from the bulk of the music I review on this site. But I’ve always liked all the different types of metal, from the commercial stuff to the more experimental and unknown bands out there. I don’t claim to have some über-hipster knowledge of knowing every little underground band out there, but I do like a good majority of what the genre has to offer.

Well, just about all of it. There are a few genres out there that I just can’t get into, most of which have to do with shitty production, but still. Hey — I like to be able to listen to the music and not be distracted with how it sounds! There’s a fine line between sounding like a DIY band just breaking into the scene and sounding like you recorded your “kvlt” black metal band using a Fisher Price cassette recorder and insulated the room with packing peanuts. But I digress. Whatever floats your boat, man.

However, the one genre that I’ve always been kind of weird about, regardless of production, is goregrind. Is Pathology even true goregrind? I’m not sure that I’m the expert to answer that question, but judging by their song titles and general approach to their craft, I’d say that would be the most apt genre to label these lads from San Diego.

Not being very much into the whole goregrind thing, I’ve always wondered what the main attraction to these types of bands was. I mean, it couldn’t be the guttural vocals, which typically waver between sounding like a clogged sewer drain trying to empty out, neverending belching and wild boars grunting, could it? I hope not. And from a lyrical standpoint, the whole singing about death and murder and mutilation (among other choice topics) really isn’t my cup of tea. Plus, considering how many different — and quite specific, when you really get down to it — subgenres of metal there are, the goregrind genre in and of itself is one of the least willing to color outside the lines.

And while I respect the true dedication and skill that it takes to make your voice sound like a clogged sewer drain emptying out, it’s just not doing it for me. I think mainly because when a vocalist performs in this manner, there’s really not much that can be done to make them really stand out. It basically just ends up being a barrage of grunts oozing out of the speakers that just so happen to be uttered out in rhythm of the music.

This really works against everything else Pathology has going for them, because the rest of the band is really firing on all cylinders on Awaken to the Suffering. Playing a more traditional thrash/death metal blend to serve as the backbone of Jonathan Huber’s vocals, it’s pretty straightforward and tight, and while I probably couldn’t listen to it all day (my mind tends to wander), it’s great for what it is. Hell, there’s even a couple of bright moments on the album, such as the solo/breakdown section in “Media Consumption,” as well as “Humanity’s Cesspool,” with some serpentine soloing and Huber throwing in some more traditional screaming into the midsection rather than his trademark gutturals that overcrowd the music. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between, and Huber’s voice completely takes me out of the music. Even worse, during pretty much every song on this album, I keep distracting myself thinking about how awesome most of this would sound with a more traditional death metal vocalist. You know, one that you can actually make out some of the words every once in awhile? I know I sound pretty harsh, but even I have my limits.

It seemed like the only time I was really interested was during the title track and album closer “Revocation of Earth” — both of which are instrumentals — and the few vocal-less breaks during the rest of the album. The musicianship is great, and the songs have the potential to be really engaging, but I just can’t get into it with those vocals. I know that there’s a definite audience for Pathology and their type of metal. Unfortunately, I’m not it.

RATING: 2/10

Front page image from parolofsson.se, interior photo courtesy of Victory Records.

ARTIST: Steven Wilson
ALBUM TITLE: Grace for Drowning
RECORD LABEL: Kscope
RELEASED:September 27, 2011

By Justin Polak
Co-founder, Ambassador to the Mushroom Kingdom

Having arrived just after Fear of a Blank Planet was released, I was late to the Porcupine Tree party. Since I grew up on prog, as some frequent readers have no doubt noticed by now, it’s obvious that I latched on to the band immediately and quickly became familiar with their entire discography. In fact, Porcupine Tree is the first band since Nine Inch Nails where I obsessively looked for various versions of albums, songs, bootlegs and b-sides. I’m kind of a passive person when it comes to music, too. While I certainly don’t stick to only what’s on the radio and listen to a song or two from a band, it takes something special for me to really dig down to the core.

When Insurgentes dropped in late 2008, I was pleasantly surprised to hear what Steven Wilson could do when free of Porcupine Tree. I liked how noisy the album seemed at times, and it was executed in a way where it didn’t interfere with the music. Hey, like I implied, I like Nine Inch Nails. I also got kind of a Radio Head vibe from certain tracks as well. Most obviously, I loved the giant nods to bands like The Cure (for example, “Puncture Wound” was like a slowed down “A Forest”). Overall, I would say that the album was liked a warped Porcupine Tree work, but with plenty of originality behind it where the tracks didn’t seem like cut material.

Grace for Drowning is an entirely different beast. Wilson has managed to pull off a pure experimental, psychedelic and progressive album that somehow seems more contained than his previous effort. What also amazes me is that the album is very much an homage to early ’70s prog, but simultaneously feels like a brand new experience. Another positive contradiction is how quiet the album is, yet it manages to be engaging and fierce sounding, like watching a thousands of tornadoes in the distance.

I also get sort of a sad and tragic feeling when listening to Grace for Drowning. I generally enjoy albums with that type of feeling, but usually I stray away from them at times because I don’t want to feel negative emotions. Yet, this is an album I can fully enjoy regardless if I am in a terrible mood or am having the best day of my life. Again, I notice a contradiction that I don’t mind because the end result somehow makes sense.

The album opens unsuspectingly with the title track, “Grace For Downing.” I mean, chances are you’ve heard plenty of instrumental openings that are short, piano driven pieces. However, “Sectarian” keeps the instrumental nature going, but comes out swinging with its chaotic, driving guitar and a chorus sound that brings various points of the song to an exciting climax. While the track slows down a bit and shows the first sign of ’70s prog on the album, rest assured you’ll find yourself thrown right back where you started by the time its over.

“Deform To Form A Star” finally brings us vocals, and while the song certainly has a somber opening and closing, it generally feels like venturing on a long journey. Or at the very least, knowing like you have rough times ahead of you. The lyrics may not reflect what I just described, but I am more of a musical person than a lyrical. Also worthy of note, this is the only track that carries anything remotely close to a Porcupine Tree song. I would place it somewhere around In Absentia.

The next track, “No Part Of Me” really caught my ears right off the bat with it’s electronic sprinkling and beat. It was about here on my first listen that I was almost sure that it was truly turning out to be one of the best albums I’ve heard in ages. If anything, the flow of this track leads seamlessly into an exciting build up that would probably work perfectly with an action scene in a David Fincher movie.

Though “Postcard” kind of changes the pace to a lighter and softer ballad-like piece, the end section, though obvious sounding, works to the album’s advantage. Yeah, there are plenty of songs like this one, but given the nature of GfD, it fits in just fine. Plus, I like how it contrasts with the next track, “Raider Prelude.” Though the track it’s foreshadowing sounds very different, it still gave me the chills. That damn scary Steven Wilson piano strikes again!

“Remainder The Black Dog” closes out the first disc with a sound somewhat reminiscent of “Sectarian,” but the key difference is that the jazz elements on the album pop up while effortlessly coexisting with the overall sound the album has formed for itself at this point. All in all, this is a perfect place to leave the album off on an intermission. I especially like the electronic guitar with the both piano arrangements.

A haunting guitar and keyboards carry us into the second disc with “Belle De Jour.” Though I risk pissing people off and ousting myself as a true dork by making this upcoming comparison, but I can’t help but be reminded of a Final Fantasy track when listening to it. Perhaps it would have played in a ghost town or a similar setting? Anyway, it manages to differentiate from the instrumental opening of the first disc, but still retains the journey that album has been taking the listener in on the first place.

“Index” is unquestionably my favorite track on this album. Once again, subtle electronic elements are brought to the table, and I just can’t resist the menacing scent the song breathes. Call me crazy, but I also get a hint of Peter Gabriel when the song gets louder and more active. Well, “Track One” brings the album back to more of a minimalistic quiet haze, and seems to want to stick around into the lighter side of late ’60s rock until an explosion of noise builds up more and more, expectantly fades out and closes with a relaxed guitars.

What follows next is certainly meant to be the centerpiece of the album. Clocking in at an impressive 23 minutes, “Raider II” opens ominously, like something very unfriendly is headed your way. Once again, the song gets loud with the same type of chorus sound found in “Sectarian.” From there, the song becomes on epic duel of jazz and prog. On top of all that, much of the song is is backed by a flute that often goes on its own path with some badass soloing. Sometimes crafting a long song is risky because if it doesn’t work, you wasted a good chunk of your album. Thankfully, this track does not venture into that pitfall. If anything, it’s one of my new favorite long songs in my music collection.

Finally, the album comes to a close with “Like Dust I have Cleared From My Eye.” Generally, this track has the perfect “end of album” feel to it without sounding too cliche’. Once again, Wilson softly jams on his guitar as the backbone song marches on. Then, fittingly, the song fades out slowly, as if it knows that its part of an album that has left a notable mark on the world.

I am sure you have guessed by now that I enjoyed the album. In fact, Grace for Drowning has done something it has never done to me before. Like many albums like this one, I can tell when a track is long when listening to it. Besides “Raider II,” there are many tracks that made me double take when I looked at the track time. I found myself so immersed in this album that there were many instances where a seven or ten minute song merely felt like three or four minutes. Also, when someone from a band releases a solo album, no matter how much I like the effort I usually think something along the lines of, “Well, that was nice, but I can’t wait to hear [band's next album].” For a change, I actually am looking forward to another Steven Wilson project than anything else he is attached to!

RATING: 9.5/10

Front page photo/photo #2 from awenwoods.com, photo #1 from hangout.altsounds.com.

ARTIST: Opeth
ALBUM TITLE: Heritage
RECORD LABEL: Roadrunner Records
RELEASED: September 20, 2011

By Eric Stuckart
Creator, Destroyer

Opeth has always been a complicated band. For a band steeped in both progressive and death metal elements — among many others — some of their music has been known to be too much of one thing or another, depending on the listener and their musical persuasions. With Heritage, the progressive metal band has drawn a definitive line in the sand by delivering an album that draws influence more from 70s progressive rock than anything even remotely resembling metal.

Removing all but the most basic of their metal influences, swapping them out for a much more adventurous, experimental progressive rock approach, it would be remiss to not acknowledge the fact that some of Opeth’s more metal-oriented fans are bound to be turned off by the album. Hell, even some straight-up prog nerds will find the album to be a bit of a bitter pill to swallow at times. This is mainly due to the fact that at some points, it feels like the band is merely toying with their audience, trying to not be metal. I don’t think that’s the case, though.

It’s been well-documented that frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt is very much the obsessive when it comes to 60s and 70s folk and progressive music, so it really shouldn’t come to so much of a shock to hear what the band brings to the table with Heritage. Opening with a self-titled piano piece, it’s apparent that they were trying something much different this time around. Even the more traditional sounding songs feature a bit of off-kilter randomness to them that shows a band that’s finally taking some major risks with their sound, and that’s something that I welcome wholeheartedly.

Jazzy interludes and warm analog sounds permeate the record down to its very core. In a manner of speaking, this is due to the old-school affectations that the production and mixing lend the music, making it sound simultaneously new (for Opeth, at least) and ancient. This comes as a bit of a double edged sword, as it downplays the musicianship slightly. Everything from the drums and guitars, to even Åkerfeldt’s voice (at times) sound muted and dulled down. We’ve never heard Opeth like this, and the dated sound quality is a bit jarring for a band known for their clinical production on pretty much everything post-Blackwater Park. The interplay between the instruments also points to a greater emphasis on rhythm. Strange, complex percussion rears its head, along with a freaky flute solo that sounds more than a little reminiscent of Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson on “Famine,” and the second half of “Folklore” is goosebump inducing, all while being very unlike anything Opeth have ever done before.

Even still, the songs still sound as bleak and hopeless as ever. I’m pretty sure that’s an element that will never be removed, but it’s a much different beast. Where before it was the stark nakedness of Åkerfeldt’s clean vocals brushing up against the more overt death metal moments, now it’s the depressing swirl of keyboards, mellotron and other such instrumental flare-ups. Combined with the generally morose nature of Åkerfeldt’s lyrics — at one time masked over from his otherwise demonic death bellows, it proves that the band need not be metal 100% of the time to still be heavy.

Ultimately, one’s enjoyment of Heritage comes down to a few factors. First and foremost, Opeth fans that are only into it for the metal might as well not even bother; in my opinion, this album steps even further away from their heaviness than 2003’s acoustic Damnation, as rather than just being stripped down Opeth songs, this one introduces a completely new style of songwriting that is sure to ruffle more than a few feathers. Secondly, upon the first few listens, it can be viewed as being a bit disjointed and unfocused. Also, it’s not a perfect album either; as with most experiments, this one has it’s fair share of lesser moments, and I’ll be the first to admit that I miss the contrast that the death metal elements gave their songs. However, much like most musical endeavors that prove to be more of the ‘grower’ variety, Heritage proves to be most rewarding after multiple listens.

RATING: 9/10

Photos from opeth.com.

ARTIST: Mastodon
ALBUM TITLE: The Hunter
RECORD LABEL: Reprise
RELEASED:September 27, 2011

By Jon Robertson
Staff Writer, Illegitimate son of Irwin M. Fletcher

This time around, Mastodon are ditching their usual formula of molding their album around an obscure concept and have opted for some good ol’ rocking out. This band has to be one of the coolest metal bands that have come out in awhile.

While they are a lot more digestible than your average heavy band, they are a hell of a lot more creative, plus they don’t take themselves too seriously, which is refreshing since most metal bands are always scowling in their black t-shirts and trying to look hard. But throughout the years, band has lightened up a bit. I spent some time the other day listening to their first full length, Remission, then immediately listened to every album they put out after that including The Hunter (I had a serious Mastodon listening marathon) and I noticed something that I had never noticed before: the vocals have gotten progressively cleaner and more sung on each release.

Now after realizing that and giving The Hunter a few more listens, the band almost sounds like some strange concoction of old Mastodon mixed with some Queens of the Stone Age and a nice big helping of Torche, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I love Queens and Torche.

Now all that being taken into consideration, this album for the most part rocks it up and kicks you right in the pants from the get go. The boys also venture out a little bit into some psychedelic vibes towards the end of the album, which is refreshing after getting pummeled for 30 minutes straight.

One of the more psychedelic tracks is “Creature Lives,” a complete departure from anything the band has ever done, with a more open song structure and lead vocals by drummer Brann Dailor. A few of my friends that have listened to the album absolutely hate this song, but I politely disagree. While its lyrics are a bit more straightforward and possibly could be considered a bit cheesy, I like the variety that it provides within the context of the album and the song gives you a bit of breathing room from the pummeling I mentioned above.

Now if you were already down with Mastodon, the new album might disappoint a bit on the heaviness, but should satisfy for the most part. If you’re not down with this hairy elephant yet, The Hunter would be a good place to start. P.S. -  watch the video for “Curl of the Burl.” It will change your life.

RATING: 7.5/10

Front page image courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, interior photo from mastodonrocks.com.

ARTISTS: blink-182
ALBUM: Neighborhoods
RECORD LABEL: DGC/Interscope
RELEASED: September 27, 2011

By Chris Kromphardt
Staff Writer, Justice Administrator

After breaking up in 2005, blink’s back, but is the album that’s a result of their reunion worth it? That’s a matter of perspective. Some hardcore blink-fanatics might bitch because the band on Neighborhoods isn’t the same as the three guys running around naked in the music video for “What’s My Age Again?” Nor are they the same guys who recorded the fantastically obscene “Happy Holidays, You Bastard” a decade ago on Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, a song that my 14-year-old self didn’t initially realize even had words on it because I first heard it on an edited version of the album.

However, the blink-182 here really isn’t that different from the one present on the last studio release by the band, 2003’s self-titled album. Sure, that album predated Tom DeLonge’s controversial Angel and Airwaves project (more on this later), but it definitely heralded a different direction for the band. They were no longer content with being the class clown; they were in the process of graduating to something post-blink.

Post-blink included a number of side projects by all three band members, the most significant being Delonge’s Angels and Airwaves and Travis Barker’s The Transplants. Delonge started to sing in a less punkish, more Bono-ish sort of manner, Barker and his family had their own reality show, and Mark Hoppus, well, pretty much remained the same. blink-182 lived on in the collective memory of thousands of American teenagers as they themselves graduated into adulthood, with everyone selectively remembering a band that, as suggested by the more somber tone of blink-182, could no longer exist as it once did.

So does Neighborhoods change any of this? Based on the hue and cry on the internet of former-teenagers everywhere, their childhood recollections have been forcefully violated by the very same guys who authored those memories’ soundtrack. (This seems to be a common complaint in recent weeks: see also George Lucas and the Star Wars Blu-Ray controversy.) For such people, nothing short of a return to pre-9/11 American suburbia would be enough; for the clearer-eyed among blink-182’s fans, however, Neighborhoods should come as a treat, akin to finding out what an old friend’s been up to at your ten-year high school reunion.

Of course, this means that Neighborhoods is most heavily influenced by DeLonge’s time in Angels and Airwaves, a band that’s pretty far removed from the blink-182 of yore. I’ve always had a place in my heart for A&A; the same weakness for catchy pop that made blink-182’s hooks and choruses irresistible finds in A&A an awkward family resemblance, the art school graduate to blink-182’s party animal. While a fair chunk of Angels and Airwaves songs over three albums has been kinda spacey, occasional upbeat gems like “Everything’s Magic” vibrate on the same pop wavelength as blink-182’s best anthems. And, to my delight, so does most of Neighborhoods.

In the end, though, many of blink-182’s fans will probably go into Neighborhoods already biased, expecting to be disappointed. Which is unfortunate, because, as a whole, I probably enjoy it more than I did the uneven blink-182. Growing up’s hard to do, a theme that’s been blink-182’s rallying cry since its inception as a band. But that doesn’t mean you can’t ever get the old band back together and rock out like it’s 1999.

RATING: 6.5/10

Front page image from shoutysongs.com, interior photo from blink182.com.

ARTIST: These Hearts
ALBUM TITLE: Forever Ended Yesterday
RECORD LABEL: Victory Records
RELEASED: June 21, 2011

By Eric Stuckart
Creator, Destroyer

Over the past decade or so, give or take, I’ve grown accustomed to Victory Records signing more melodic, emo/punk bands to their roster, many of which were known to combine sugary, pop punk hooks and melodies with brutish, screamed breakdowns and whatnot.

The list could go on forever, starting with the seminal (and still influential) Grade, to Glasseater, Thursday — who thankfully still sit in a league of their own, to bands like A Day to Remember and Silverstein. They’ve all hit me in differing ways, with some making a much bigger impact than others, but whether this sounds jaded and cynical or not, I’ve seen and heard a lot by now. Long story short, I’ve heard so many of these bands pass through Victory Records that eventually they all start to blend together.

These Hearts are a relatively young group, but I can’t really find anything different about them to separate their music from the rest of the pack. Simply put, their music is straightforward and played as competently as one could expect, but it’s not really doing it for me. Forever Ended Yesterday is just one of those albums that plays it safe and rarely colors outside the lines. Given the oversaturation that the whole modern screamo genre has experienced over the past ten years, coloring outside the lines is the very thing that these bands need to do to be noticed.

Some of the songs are bright and poppy, some of them are a little more aggressive, but that’s about all there is to say about it. And as is typically with this type of music, most of the songs are about some nameless ‘she’ and mistakes made in the past of the relationship sort. If these guys are as young as they look, that’s more than a little bit understandable though. Coming from personal experience, most writers don’t ever want to read the type of stuff they wrote about when they were coming of age, and These Hearts’ lyrics don’t seem any different. You readers out there know exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t act like you don’t!

Granted, the popularity of the whole screamo genre isn’t nearly at the height it was at its peak, but it’s far too soon to call this some sort of a revival, and therein lies the problem. Without some sort of unique aspect to this music, barring exceptional musicianship or superbly talented vocals — two things this band sorely lack — it leaves Forever Ended Yesterday as just another face in the crowd.

RATING: 5/10

Photos courtesy of Victory Records.