Previous Diagnoses:
Paradise Lost|Primus|Faith No More|Paramore|HEALTH|Dir En Grey|Mc Ren|Black Light Burns|Shellac
Band/Artist: Nickelback
Origins: Hanna, Alberta, Canada
Founded: 1995
Members:
Current members:
Chad Kroeger – lead vocals, lead guitar (1995–present)
Ryan Peake – rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1995–present)
Mike Kroeger – bass (1995–present)
Daniel Adair – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2005–present)
Former members:
Brandon Kroeger – drums (1995–1997)
Mitch Guindon – drums (1997–1998)
Ryan Vikedal – drums, percussion (1998–2005)
Studio albums: 10
Active: Yes
Are Nickelback the Kings of buttrock?
For this edition of the Doctor’s Diagnosis series, I thought I’d give things a little shake up and throw myself out of the comfort zone. Thus far, the artists I’ve covered are both well-respected in their respective fields, and they only have a couple of blunders at worst in their back pocket. With that in mind, I felt it was time to tackle a genre I’m not particularly thrilled about and double down still on a band I have relative ambivalence for. Why? Well Nickelback are a curious case, gaining momentum with their third album Silver Side Up and peaking mainstream success with All the Right Reasons, albeit quickly garnering an ire so intense it became a cultural movement. Was the hatred warranted? That’s what the Doctor is here to find out – so, Nickelback, it’s time to spread ‘em…
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By Sowing
Thursday April 4, 2024
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Sputnikmusic Staff’s Q1 Playlist 2024
Welcome to the first installment for our 2024 quarterly playlist! Feel free to jam while reading what some of our newest staff writers as well as other longtime Sputstaffers had to say about their picks. Tell us what your favorites are in the comments, any new artists you may have discovered here, or let us know what we missed!
Tracklist:
Allie X – “Girl With No Face”
Girl With No Face
On an album loaded with mid-tempo mad-bops, “Girl with No Face” truly takes the cake. A new-wave beat and sassy bass lines revel in the humid dark before venomous guitars crash through the bridge and fully kick shit into gear. The resulting finale is a noiry powertrip with surprising muscle and a killerrr groove. –neekafat
Anatole Muster – “blip blop”
blip blop
The alliterative onomatopoeia “blip blop” seems to cleave a space between the digital and the natural — the ‘blip’ indicating an ontology rooted in electronic music, the ‘blop’ indexing the kind of reverberation brought forth by the movement of an object in real space. Anyways, this vaguely hyperpop-ish song by very promising German accordion prodigy Anatole Muster (“Layers”, “auntie mabel”) and pretty-damn-good South African cornball M Field (“Andrew”, “Block Universe”) is beautiful and expansive and catchy and has a chorus in falsetto to show that softness can…
Below, please find an ongoing sampling of new releases for the week of April 5th, 2024. If I missed something obvious, pretend it’s April Fools’ Day and I bamboozled you. Ha! Genres/labels are best guesses based on cursory Googling and should not be taken seriously. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors. Don’t forget to swap out Oreo cream for Arm & Hammer toothpaste if you hate your family (or yourself).
– List of Releases: April 5th, 2024 –
Alpha Wolf – Half Living Things
Genre: Metalcore / Nu Metal
Label: SharpTone
Austere – Beneath the Threshold
Genre: Blackgaze
Label: Lupus Lounge
Bayside – There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive
Genre: Pop-Punk / Alternative
Label: Hopeless
The Black Keys – Ohio Players
Genre: Blues Rock / Psychedelic Soul
Label: Nonesuch
Bob Vylan – Humble As the Sun
Genre: UK Hip Hop / Punk Rock
Label: Ghost Theatre
Dana Gavanski – Late Slap
Genre: Indie Pop / Indie Folk
Label: Full Time Hobby
Dead Pony – Ignore This
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: LAB…
Previous Diagnoses:
Paradise Lost|Primus|Faith No More|Paramore|HEALTH|Dir En Grey|Mc Ren|Black Light Burns
Band/Artist: Shellac
Origins: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founded: 1992
Members:
Todd Trainer – Drums, Vocals
Bob Weston – Bass, Vocals
Steve Albini – Guitar, Vocals
Studio albums: 5 (soon to be 6)
Active: Yes
Sample: Here
Has there ever been a more distinct guitar tone? Welcome, denizens of Sputnik, to the ninth edition of the Doctor’s ‘Diagnosis Series’, where I go through a band or artist’s catalogue of music and analysis the core strengths and weaknesses found within their recorded works. Shellac recently announced their first new album in ten bloody years, so I felt it was an auspicious time to run through the trio’s work, which sprawls over three decades. So, sit in the waiting room for a minute and grab a coffee while I get my coat, stereoscope and gloves to run through this bitch.
At Action Park (1994)
The Doctor’s rating: 4/5
Analysis: Named after the infamous theme park in Vernon, New Jersey, where at least six people were known to have died as a result of the park’s negligence and failure to follow health and safety regulations, Shellac’s 1994 debut sets the groundwork for their illustrious future. Being that this band is one third Steve Albini, you can only imagine the abrasive…
Chelsea Wolfe- She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
“You only know the one I’ve been
I’ve shed a thousand skins since then”
Not many artists are quite so familiar with re-invention as Chelsea Wolfe; on She Reaches Out to She…, she wanes away the pagan-folk of her prior LP and welcomes electronics back under her shroud. Expounding on the darkwave of Pain Is Beauty, her latest churns through nocturnal scenery while flipping familiar gothic, industrial, and trip-hop influences around on their heads. Dave Sitek (of TV on the Radio fame) contributes razor-sharp production that provides clarity to each element without losing the shadowy murk the album inhabits so naturally. But perhaps the most notable progression Wolfe has made is personal—as nightmarish as her soundscapes are, her lyrics expound optimism. As each track twists toward its uniquely devastating climax, Wolfe’s vocals soar with the fire of someone bursting from their internal void to fight for the light in their life—and coming from Queen of Darkness, that means something. Her latest displays an artist fully aware of themselves and their brand, who knows just how to throw their audience for a loop. By combining that knowledge with a willingness to turn inward and face her demons, Chelsea Wolfe has crafted a proper goth album for the ages.
-neekafat
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By Koris
Tuesday March 26, 2024
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It’s that time again! Below is a list of the new releases for the week of 29 March 2024. As always, feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors. Cheers!
– List of Releases: March 29th, 2024 –
The Absence – The Absence
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Listenable Insanity Records
Beyonce – Cowboy Carter
Genre: Country / R&B
Label: Parkwood / Columbia
Boundaries – Death Is Little More
Genre: Metalcore / Hardcore
Label: 3DOT Recordings
Buddy – Don’t Forget to Breathe
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Empire
Chastity Belt – Live Laugh Love
Genre: Indie Rock / Post-Punk
Label: Suicide Squeeze Records
Coffin Storm – Arcana Rising
Genre: Heavy Metal / Thrash Metal / Doom Metal
Label: Peaceville
Deadman – Genealogie der Moral
Genre: Alternative Rock / Indie Rock
Label: David Skull No Records
Ed Harcourt – El Magnifico
Genre: Alternative / Indie
Label: Deathless Recordings
Frail Body – Artificial Bouquet
Genre: Post-Hardcore / Skramz
Label: Deathwish
Gesaffelstein – Gamma
Genre: Techno / Industrial
Label: Columbia
The Quill…
Previous Diagnoses:
Paradise Lost|Primus|Faith No More|Paramore|HEALTH|Dir En Grey|Mc Ren
Good day denizens of Sputnik and welcome to today’s edition of the Doctor’s diagnosis series, where I take on a band or artist’s studio recordings and formulate a comprehensive diagnosis by looking at the artist in question’s simmering highs and disappointing lows. On this eighth instalment, I will be putting on my latex gloves and analysing the mighty Riff Lord Wes Borland and his seminal project, Black Light Burns – a scintillating artistic affirmation that has only spawned three records and a compilation album hitherto, but has left a lasting resonance. So, join me while I grab my stethoscope and go over the Black Light Burns catalogue.
Band/Artist: Black Light Burns
Origins: Los Angeles, California, USA
Founded: 2005
Current Members:
Wes Borland – lead vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, programming (2005-Present)
Previous members:
Nick Annis – guitar, Backing vocals (2005–2013)
Danny Lohner – guitar, programming, sound design, producer (2005–2007)
Josh Eustis – synths, sound design, engineering (2005–2007)
Josh Freese – drums, live percussion (2005–2007)
Sean Fetterman – bass (2007–2008)
Marshall Kilpatric – drums, percussion (2007–2011)
Dennis Sanders – bass, backup vocals (2008–2013)
Dylan Taylor – drums (2012–2013)
Studio albums: 3
Active: Hiatus (?)
Cruel Melody (2007)
The Doctor’s Rating: 4.5/5
Analysis: Though Wes…
Here’s a list of 30 notable new releases for the week of March 22nd, 2024. Please refrain from immediately jumping into the comments letting me know how much I suck for omitting a fusion dungeon synth polka band from Kyrgyzstan (I can deal with it if you wait at least a day). Genres/labels are best guesses based on cursory Googling and should not be taken seriously. Some Bandcamp embeds are included. This is the Little Caesars Hot-n-Ready Principle: instead of picking two between Hot, Ready, and Good, you have to pick 2 from Some Embeds, Some Information, and Exhaustive List of Everything That Could Possibly Be Released This Week Complete with Hyperlinks Everywhere. Yaaas, queen! Slay! Live, laugh, love. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors. Or don’t, whatever. I’m not your mom. Live your best life. YOLO.
– List of Releases: March 22nd, 2024 –
Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future
Genre: Alternative / Folk
Label: 4AD
Alestorm – Voyage of the Dead Marauder (EP)
Genre: Folk Metal / Pirate Metal / yarrrr
Label: Napalm
Barely Civil – I’d Say I’m Not Fine
Genre: Midwest Emo / Indie Rock
Label: Take This To Heart
Blanket – Ceremonia
Genre: Shoegaze / Alternative Rock
Revisit other SputStaff Top 10 Lists:
Bjork | Bon Iver | Kanye West | Metallica | Mastodon | mewithoutYou
My Chemical Romance | Queens of the Stone Age | The National | Say Anything
Swans | Taylor Swift | Tim Hecker | Thrice
Foreword:
In celebration of the release of Chelsea Wolfe’s enrapturing new record She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She and the ongoing tour that, if you’re lucky, will bring her stunning show to a room near you, a group of staffers decided to gather around the fire, burn our clothes and howl our favorite Wolfe tunes under the light of a red moon.
As you know, Chelsea Wolfe’s body of work now spans seven albums (or eight depending on what you choose to include or not) and she has managed to consistently blend different styles into one single sound that is unmistakably hers. Whether it is the dark folk and occult Americana of Birth of Violence, the noisy bamboozling of electronic evil of Abyss or the indescribable gothic post everything of Pain is Beauty, Chelsea Wolfe is an artist that has grown from a seed of bedroom lo-fi recordings to branching out: making a collaboration project with hardcore legends Converge, soundtracks for different films and touring the world with unanimous success for her craft. Us here at the staffdom are very much fans of her music and hence we present you with our favorite tunes from the Californian songstress. – Dewinged
Honorable Mentions:
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 15th, 2024. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: March 15, 2024 –
 Aborted: Vault of Horrors
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
 Andrea Von Kampen: Sister Moon
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Independent
 Atrophy: Asylum
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Massacre Records
 The Black Crows: Happiness Bastards
Genre: Rock
Label: Silver Arrow Records
 Dragonforce: Warp Speed Warriors
Genre: Power Metal
Label: Napalm Records
 Four Tet: Three
Genre: IDM / House
Label: Rough Trade
 Justin Timberlake: Everything I Thought I Was
Genre: Pop
Label: RCA Records
 Kacey Musgraves: Deeper Well
Genre: Country / Folk
Label: Interscope
 Lenny Kravitz: Blue Electric Light
Genre: Pop Rock
Label: Roxie Records
 Lutharo: Chasing Euphoria
Genre: Metalcore / Melodic Death Metal
Label: Thrash / Metalcore
 Marla Hansen: Salt
Genre: Trip Hop / Pop
Label: Just Isn’t Music Ldt.
 Necrophobic: In the Twilight Grey
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Centruy Media Records
 Pink Milk: Night on Earth
Genre: Gothic Shoegaze
Label: Black Hair Records
 The Progressive Souls Collective: Sonic Rebirth
Genre: Progressive
Label: Metalville Records
 Sam Lee: Songdreaming
Genre: Folk
Label: Norman Records UK
 Scott Stapp: Higher Power
Genre: Rock
Label: Napalm Records
 Till Lindemann: Zunge
Genre: Industrial Metal
Label: Universal Music Group
 Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
Genre: Progressive Metal
Label: InsdeOut
 World Wide Whack: Tierra Whack
Genre: Rap / Pop / R&B
Label: Interscope Records
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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 8th, 2024. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: March 8, 2024 –
Alterium: Of War and Flames
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Label: AFM
Ariana Grande: Eternal Sunshine
Genre: Pop
Label: Republic
Before the Dawn: Archaic Flame [EP]
Genre: Death Doom / Gothic Metal
Label: Napalm
Bleachers: Bleachers
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: Dirty Hit
Ecclesia: Ecclesia Militants
Genre: Heavy Metal / Stoner Doom
Label: Aural Music
Exhorder: Defectum Omnium
Genre: Thrash Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Goat Major: Ritual
Genre: Stoner Doom
Label: Ripple Music
Grey Skies Fallen: Molded By Broken Hands
Genre: Profound Lore
Label: Death Metal
Isenordal: Requiem for Eirene
Genre: Doom
Label: Prophecy Productions
The Jesus and Mary Chain: Glasgow Eyes
Genre: Noise Pop
Label: Fuzz Club
Judas Priest: Invincible Shield
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Epic
Kim Gordon: The…
Welcome back to the Sputnik’s most irresistible democratic feature!
Digbox Ten is T for TECHNO, which is fortunate because the science is finally beginning to show that techno is the only good genre, and we are able to deliver a high-profile TIE-IN with Sputnik’s Build-an-Album Competition. Run by bop chieftain Sinternet, the tournament sees a number of users go head-to-head with one another, jumping through a pernicious set of hoops to produce the perfect playlist for a range of randomly-selected genres. Starting on an apparent high with techno, Round 1 laid down the following criteria for song selection:
No tech house
Neither the artist nor song title may contain the letter “E”
This gauntlet wreaked havoc among the unfortunately techno-phobic ranks of the competitors (many of whom managed to produce excellent submissions all the same), but in order to get the scoop on no-E / no-house techno, Digbox decided to investigate further and is happy to present the following set of killer tunes you should listen to from based+qualified enjoyers of the genre. Enjoy!
Aril Brikha – “Ottil”
Despite being born in Iran and now residing in Sweden, Aril Brikha is a pivotal contributor to the formation of Detroit Techno in the vein of Jeff Mills or Robert Hood. The supposed simplicity and repetition of his tracks act as major positives here as I’m transported back to my early childhood days where using my dad’s Windows 98 at his office felt like I was taking a vacation.…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of March 1, 2024. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: March 1, 2024 –
Bruce Dickinson: The Mandrake Project
Genre: Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Label: BMG
Daniel Herskedal: A Single Sunbeam
Genre: Jazz
Label: Edition Records
Devastator (UK): Conjurers of Cruelty
Genre: Black Metal/Thrash Metal
Label: Listenable Records
Everything Everything: Mountainhead
Genre: Indie Pop/Rock
Label: BMG
Fathomless Ritual: Hymns for the Lesser Gods
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Transcending Obscurity
Firewind: Stand United
Genre: Power Metal/Heavy Metal
Label: AFM
Fontaines D.C., Massive Attack, and Young Fathers: Ceasefire (EP)
Genre: Various
Label: Battle Box
Gulfer: Third Wind (Feb 28th)
Genre: Emo/Math Rock
Label: Topshelf Records
Halfway Line: Halfway Line (EP)
Genre: Alt-Rock/Post-Rock/Shoegaze
Label: ?
Ilat Mahru: Incipit Akkadian
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Death Prayer
Liam Gallagher and John Squire: Liam Gallagher John Squire
Genre: Britpop/Alt-Rock
Label: Warner Music UK
 
Liv Kristine: Deus Ex Machina (Reissue)
Genre: Gothic Rock
Label: Napalm Records
Mannequin Pussy: I Got Heaven
Genre: Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Label: Epitaph Records
Mildlife: Chorus
Genre: Psychedelic/Funk/Disco
Label: Heavenly
Ministry: HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
Genre: Industrial Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Mini Trees: Burn Out (EP)
Genre: Indie/Dream Pop
…
Revisit other SputStaff Top 10 Lists:
Bjork | Bon Iver | Kanye West | Metallica | Mastodon | mewithoutYou
My Chemical Romance | Queens of the Stone Age | The National | Say Anything
Taylor Swift | Tim Hecker | Thrice
 
Foreword:
Equal parts the preserve of masochistic veterans of the no wave scene, po-faced crescendo-riders, and arthouse devotees of guitar music’s more arcane side, few names command the same behemoth weight or stern complexion as Swans. Founded in 1982 as the brainchild of demoniac auteur Michael Gira, the band’s output has overlapped a wide range of collaborators and musical styles, yet rarely showcased anything less than ruthless focus and a profound sensibility for the extremities of humanity and inhumanity alike.
Originally prompted by last year’s release of Swans’ sixteenth album The Beggar and subsequent discourse over whether Gira appeared to be ageing with dignity or decrepitness, this list may not plumb the depths of the band’s multi-decade career or (spoilers) even dip its toes into their harrowing noise rock roots or folk-infused middle years, but it does provide a relevant snapshot of the eras they are best known for: well over a decade since Michael Gira reformed Swans, it’s remarkable how much staying power his ’10s output has had past its initial boom. This era saw Swans reframed from a revered cult classic to an obligatory hurdle to just about anyone starting out on the path of experimental rock music, and any reservations over the expansion of their audience or the datapool underpinning our democratic process can hold their horses until you’ve heard…
Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of February 23rd, 2024. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.
– List of Releases: February 23rd, 2024 –
 A Burial At Sea: Close to Home
Genre: Progressive Rock / Math Rock
Label: Pelagic Records
 Ace Frehley: 10,000 Volts
Genre: Rock
Label: Ace Frehley Merchandise
 Allie X: Girl With No Face
Genre: Synthpop
Label: Rough Trade
 Amaranthe: The Catalyst
Genre: Metalcore / Pop / Electronic
Label: Nuclear Blast
 Atoll: Inhuman Implants
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Rough Trade
 Austrian Death Machine: Quad Brutal
Genre: Metalcore / Thrash
Label: Napalm Records
 Borknagar: Fall
Genre: Progressive / Black Metal
Label: Century Media
 Cathubodua: Interbellum
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Label: Massacre Records
 Coltre: To Watch With Hands…
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label: Dying Victim Productions
 Darkest Hour: Perpetual | Terminal
Genre: Metalcore / Melodic Death Metal
Label: MNRK Heavy
 Erika de Casier: Still
Genre: Trip Hop / Pop
Label: 4AD
 Hand of Kalliach: Corryvreckan
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Prosthetic Records
 Jazmin Bean: Traumatic Livelihood
Genre: Pop Rock
Label: Interscope
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