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User
Reviews 123
Approval 95%
Soundoffs 238
News Articles 11
Band Edits + Tags 250
Album Edits 1,484
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Last Active 12-23-19 9:27 pm
Joined 09-16-14
Review Comments 22,503
| April 2018 resumé
Some albums from this month y'all need to listen to. I might be adding some later tonight, might be adding some three years later. Rating scale: 10/9 - 5; 8 - 4.5; 7 - 4; 6 - 3.5/3; 5 - 2.5; 4 - 2; 3 - 1.5; 2/1 - 1 | | 1 |  | The Ex
27 Passports
BNM
The Ex still going strong so deep into their career. On this album, much like on most of their work, you will encounter a horde of irregularly paced, oddly written and chaotically performed, but somehow completely cohesive noisy tunes. There is littel to complain about, this is as solid as The Ex can ever be, even if mildly inoffensive by their standards. 8/10
Soon All Cities, The Heart Conductor, New Blank Document, Piecemeal, Footfall | | 2 |  | Lebanon Hanover
Let Them Be Alien
Lebanon Hanover has to me always been the gold standard of imagination-lacking sterile Joy Division-worshippers who barely even understand what Joy Division was all about. This album doesn't quite stand out as worse than their other work, but it just is the tipping point for me. I can't with this band. 3/10 | | 3 |  | Wout Gooris Trio and Chisholm/Vann
Some Time
BNM
This seems to be Sniff's favourite album of the month and I can certainly see why. The album is almost tangibly pleasant. It has a wild array of instruments, but it never turns wild in its aethetics. It is soft and smooth, but never to a cheesy extent. It is just bloody nice. 8/10 | | 4 |  | Winterfylleth
The Hallowing of Heirdom
I was told there'll be metal... 6/10 | | 5 |  | Cardi B
Invasion Of Privacy
I've never heard of Cardi B until it was too late. I think I've heard those hits of hers, but I forgot them immediately, because they were so non-distinct and bland. And then it turns out everyone knows her and everyone likes those hits I couldn't distinguish from a pile of Azelia Bankses. And now that's on a full album. No, thank you. 3/10 | | 6 |  | Rainbow Kitten Surprise
How to: Friend, Love, Freefall
BNM
In all honesty, when the first single off of this album, Fever Pitch, dropped, I was petrified that the obscure decision to add rapping into the mix will osmehow affect the whole album. Meaning, there will be more of such ill-advised, difficult to understand decisions made. But thankfully, this was just a two-time off-putting throw-off (it is repeated on When It Lands, unfortunately). The whole album is in no way awkward or insufferable like that short bit was. In fact, it is one of the most maticulously written and song-writingly intriguing albums of the year so far, no doubts about that. 8/10
Mission to Mars, Fever Pitch, It's Called: Freefall, Holy War, Moody Orange | | 7 |  | City Calm Down
Echoes In Blue
BNM
I am not keen on post-rock and I am not keep on overbooming, bloated music that tests your patience, but there just was something about this album that kept me hooked start-to-finish multiple times in a row. Perhaps the softness, in spite of the explosion. It is truly a beautiful listen, even though surely not for everybody... hell, maybe just for me. 8/10
Joan I'm Disappearing, In This Modern Land, Distraction/Losing Sleep, Blood, Echoes in Blue | | 8 |  | Warm Bodies
Warm Bodies
A harsh and chaotic work of punky weirdness. Yay for that. 7/10 | | 9 |  | Christina Vantzou
No. 4
GotG
Not sure what to say about this. It's a banal ambient snoozefest with little-to-no surprises, but it is indeed pleasant, so there's that. 7/10 | | 10 |  | Gaspar Poet
ISO1473
GotG
Inherently pleasant and calming tape that might not exactly offer much in terms of innovation, but at least fluently flows through the clearly established boundaries of relaxing ambient music. 7/10 | | 11 |  | Spear Of Destiny
Tontine
Before anything else is said, I must say this: this guy's voice is fantastic. It is truly one of those old-school crass goth-rock nonchalant babbles. The themes and lyrics are often silly and the surrounding music can be campy, but the song-writing, the entertaining execution and those damn vocals all eventually make it worthwhile. 7/10
Brighton, MK Ultra, Second Life, Enigma, Mr. Livingstone I Presume | | 12 |  | Encircling Sea
Hearken
Another Post-Black Metal band that falls somewhere into the "too little of essence on too long a runtime" category of these kinds of records. 6/10 | | 13 |  | Mastersystem
Dance Music
Oh lord, why is this thing so disjointed? Why does every song sound like it's been pushed through the disorganisation-filter? Yuck. 4/10 | | 14 |  | Mind Over Mirrors
Bellowing Sun
I'm certainly intrigued by the obscurity that is happening on this record, but overall it just doesn't sound like much of anything to me. Just a bunch of grating electronics. 5/10 | | 15 |  | Panopticon
The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness
BNM
This thing is so exhaustingly long, but the music is so invigorating that I just can't get tired of it and cannot get myself to turn it off. I just want to drown in the sheer beauty of this sharply produced, tightly mixed, insanely played atmospheric nightmare (or a dream, not really sure). I love it, even though the Part 2 is just an acoustic folk-ism. It is still so damn pleasing. 8/10
En hvit ravns dod, Blatimen, The Singing Wilderness, Echoes in the Snow, The Devil Walked the Woods | | 16 |  | mol
JORD
BNM
Talking about beautiful black metal releases. Here's one that blew me away even more. Panopticon was magnificent, but I would still prefer it to be a fully black metal release. But this, on the other hand, is just pure, blasting wonder of metal. De-fucking-licious. 9/10
Storm, Penumbra, Vakuum, Ligament, Virga, Jord | | 17 |  | Air Waves
Warrior
I dunno, budgie will like this probably... 6/10 | | 18 |  | Eels
The Deconstruction
Is this like that latest Decemberists album, but by Eels measurments? It feels that way. Some decent tunes (the title track still one of the best songs of the year), but mostly water and drought (somehow) combined. 6/10
The Deconstruction, There I Said It, The Unanswerable, In Our Cathedral | | 19 |  | Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Sex and Food
Unknown Mortal Orchestra. They who dropped literally everything that made them so good in the first place down the drain in order to fuzz and buzz... didn't work out well, did it, fellas? 4/10 | | 20 |  | Thirty Seconds To Mars
America
You don't need to know what I think, you've heard it said already. 2/10 | | 21 |  | Afsky
Sorg
A decent throwback to the good olden days of underproduced, lo-fi, visceral, gutteral black metal. If you're into that at all, do not skip this record. 7/10 | | 22 |  | Bambara
Shadow on Everything
Brooding, atmospheric post-punk, but not exactly one that hits all the emotive spots for me to truly appreciate. I like the spacy, but simultaneously sharp production and the vocals are also properly apathetic, but the overall execution is just too unfocused for me. 6/10
Dark Circles, Doe-Eyed Girl, Monument, Wild Fires, Back Home | | 23 |  | Heads.
Collider
Although I usually am far from a grunge fan, this did have that dark, grumpy appeal I strangely liked. Yes, the vocals are bland and the tunes sometimes rely too heavily on the weighty atmosphere, other than anything actually substantial, but overall it's not a bad album. 6/10
Last Gasp Shout, Wolves at the Door, Samsa | | 24 |  | Dr. Octagon
Moosebumps
The collective that had one moderately decent album in the 90s are still trying to play off the name once recognised, but still failing to deliver much of anything at all. 5/10 | | 25 |  | Black Salvation
Uncertainty Is Bliss
How does an album that sounds this exciting and naturally interesting overstay its welcome that quickly? 6/10 | | 26 |  | Young Galaxy
Down Time
A fairly lackluster synthpop album. That's about it. 5/10 | | 27 |  | Hollywood Burns
Invaders
I don't know what to make out of this... it's sort of neo-classical album with electronic production written as black metal.... yeah... 6/10 | | 28 |  | Our Place of Worship is Silence
With Inexorable Suffering
For all the certainly admirealbe and intoxicating harshness and vicious brutality the album has to offer, it did drag on with not a lot to say. I suppose the band just had very little in terms of variety to offer and the album eventually fell apart under the weight of its own repetitiveness. 6/10 | | 29 |  | L.A. Salami
The City Of Bootmakers
BNM
Incredibly refreshing, fun and just plain pretty. It really is difficult to describe this album properly, but there is a certain atmosphere of loosening breezy small-town harbour. It's beautifully calming, lyrically snarky (even if sometimes on the nose) and occasionally raunchy, while still maintaining some kind of naturally charming optimism and upbeat hopeful attitude. 8/10
Generation L(ost), Who's Cursing Us Now?, Terrorism! (The ISIS Crisis), I'll Tell You Why, England is Unwell, A Man; A Man Without Warning (certified), I Need Answers, What Is This?, Jean Is Gone | | 30 |  | Manic Street Preachers
Resistance Is Futile
This is just odd. That usual MSP song-writing is still there, but everything is somehow made flatter and more timid. Just a mediocre album overall that would have gone unnoticed under any other band's name. 5/10 | | 31 |  | TesseracT
Sonder
Good. Lord. No. (but a step up from their previous awfulness) 4/10 | | 32 |  | A Place to Bury Strangers
Pinned
An album that constantly finds itself in struggle of being both kinda too noisey and odd to rely on its atmosphere and kinda lacking anything else of intrigue to make up for that. 5/10 | | 33 |  | The Damned
Evil Spirits
Who would have guessed that out of all the long-forgotten 80s bands to make a return nowadays, The Damned will be some of the best. Sure, this album is filled with silly and cheesy lyrics and bloated conceptual musicianship, but its energy, catchiness and kookiness is just so damn charming. I can't hate on it, man. 6/10
Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow, Look Left, Sonar Deceit, I Don't Care | | 34 |  | Crone (DE)
Godspeed
Quite a balance between cheesy hard rock and artsy progressive, stoner-induced sludge, but often just failing to grip because of the song-writing. 6/10
The Ptilonist, Leviathan's Lifework | | 35 |  | Breaking Benjamin
Ember
This is actually quite astonishing. Every song is so predictible, repetitive and bland that it reaches whole new intercelestial depths of emptiness. 3/10 | | 36 |  | Bacchae
Bacchae
Eh. It's fine, I suppose. If you like some fuzzy, wild on guitar post-punk-ish noise, then have at it. 6/10 | | 37 |  | HIRS
Friends. Lovers. Favorites.
While I do indeed appreciate the explicit harshness and raw brutality, the album could use a little more variety to its staggering 26 entry tracklist. I get what is being accomplished here, but it does come off as repetitive. 6/10 | | 38 |  | Rival Consoles
Persona
I'm not sure what was it I was trying to get out of this... it's an electronica record, if I understand correctly, which already should have told me everything I need to know about whether or not I would enjoy it, i.e. there is a possibility, but a narrow one. 6/10 | | 39 |  | Human Tetris
Memorabilia
By-the-numbers, dime-a-dozen, run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-road, all-over-the-place, style-over-substance darkwave-post-punk. 6/10
Another Day | | 40 |  | Criminal Code
Twenty-Five, Thirty-Four
More punk than post-punk definitely, but still a decent enough experience. The songs did tend to be rather indistinguishable and repetitive, but still fun, while they were on. Nothing much really wrong with it, so don't be afraid to dive in. 6/10 | | 41 |  | Wrong (FL)
Feel Great
A decent enough hardcore album, but really nothing much in terms of memorability or variety. Just an alternative version of the same song throughout the whole album. 6/10 | | 42 |  | A Perfect Circle
Eat the Elephant
It is difficult to admit, but this might be the most easily digestible APC album. It definitely has far less gut replacements (cause there have never been any actual guts) than their previous work, but at the same time it is barely as excruciating as something like Thirteenth Step, which to me seems like Tool sans the popping bass. And Tool without a popping bass is just a fart in slow motion. 3/10 (it used to be 4/10, but I just can't with this horsecrap) | | 43 |  | Ganser
Odd Talk
Ganser try to either reinvent the wheel and fail at that, or they are doing no such thing and it's just this concept of theirs isn't very well thought out. As unfortunate as it is, this album expands very little on the promising sound established on the band's EPs. The album sounds extremely messy and the already lacking song-writing in combination with the highly questionable production choice just makes it all reach from jarring to boring most of the time. 5/10 | | 44 |  | Wiegedood
De Doden Hebben Het Goed III
BNM
It might be only my own intoxicating and blinding love of atmospheric black metal that leads me to such high praise for this otherwise hardly remarkable piece, but I enjoy the living crap out of it, so whatever. 8/10 | | 45 |  | Ails
The Unraveling
Ails came out of nowhere to me and delivered a riveting, shrieking and piercing experience of riffing song-writing and intriguing instrumentation, whilst never really falling into the pit of banal "atmosphere-above-all". 7/10
The Echoes Waned, Dead Metaphors, Any Spark of Life, Bitter Past | | 46 |  | Foliage
III
Washed out, dreaded out and sterile, but not without its occasional charm. (but I do believe that the incredibly warm and comforting cover art is the album's best aspect. 5/10 | | 47 |  | Avantist
Avantist
BNM
My initial scepticism has been all but eliminated upon my very first spin of the album. What I feared would be a difficult to swallow, all-over-the-place weirdness for weirdness' sake turned out to be a crazy, but calculated, wild, but not mindless, fun, but not juvenile, ride. Bloody hell! 8/10 (props to neekafat for the rec)
Conquer, Tidalwave, Medi Demi, Our Design, Human Driver, Deep Red Love, Solita Soledad | | 48 |  | Father Murphy
Rising. A Requiem For Father Murphy
GotG
I'm not sure what am I listening to, but I am sure that it makes me feel calm and safe. It's... quite engulfing... even if nothing really happens. 7/10 | | 49 |  | Ivar Bjornson and Einar Selvik
Hugsjá
A collection of highly intriguing and stimulating tunes all based, arranged and composed as nodric traditional music. It truly is an atmosphere one of a kind. 7/10 | | 50 |  | Charmer
Charmer
A fairly standard middle-of-the-road indie emo that doesn't surprise much at all, but at least isn't really awful either. 6/10 | | 51 |  | Sleep
The Sciences
This is that kind of dimmed-down, lazily played stoner-doom that I cannot stand, with only the heavy production to create any sense of quality. Over my head and into the trash can, folks. 4/10 | | 52 |  | Shields
Life In Exile
I have a hard time figuring out, whether this is that good and fun insane kind of metalcore, or if this is that overproduced, bloated silliness with little-to-no merit. Help me, on a scale from Dillinger Escape Plan, which I am apparently supposed to like, to Asking Alexandria, which I am apparently supposed to hate. Which is it? By default: 5/10 | | 53 |  | Unreqvited
Stars Wept to the Sea
They certainly improved upon their last release that had a little too much water and forgettable moments. But on the other hand, this album is just a bit too bloated. Not to mention that the band again fails to really deliver any particularly memorable tracks. All you remember after listening is that it was grandiose, but that's about it. 6/10 | | 54 |  | Forever Losing Sleep
Ritualistic
Perhaps, had the band known where exactly they are going with these songs, listening to them wouldn't have been such an unrewarding drag. So far, so sleepy. 5/10 | | 55 |  | Smoke DZA
Not For Sale
I like hip-hop, generally... in theory. But lately I found myself listening to less and less hip-hop albums. Certainly, this is far from the best listen in that category. The album is a little all-ove-the-place, some of the lyricals themes may jump around a tad too loosely and many flows and beats sound quite repetitive and non-distinct. Eh. 5/10
The Come Up, The Soul | | 56 |  | Post Animal
When I Think of You In a Castle
[insert whatever three sentences explan the word 'meh' perfectly] 5/10 | | 57 |  | Sectioned (Metalcore)
Annihilated
BNM
My fucking balls torn off my body, this has been about the most skinning, creeping, mind-twisting and hellish record of the year thus far. Indeed, on its surface it is a banal, samey grind-y hardcore that goes on forever and never really slows down, which can definitely seem tiring to some. However, this album's viciousness and the song-writing/instrumental ability to find variety and progression, as well as clear distinction between the songs, this is quite the experience. 8/10
Annihilated, Synchronicity, Betrayer, Toothgrinder, Eigengrau, Release, Life's True Beauty
(this band changes the name in the database so often I'm afraid this entry won't be here by the end of the day) | | 58 |  | Janelle Monae
Dirty Computer
There's just something weird in hearing her rap... and say things like 'homies' and go from promiscuous sex-addict ballad to social commentary, when you most definitely know that she's having sex in a sterilised room, scented with perfume, shouting "Oh lordy." when the moment hits, and that she is too detached from reality to be talking about things she is talking about... that's what people who call themselves 'pansexuals' usually are. 4/10
Dirty Computer, Don't Judge Me | | 59 |  | Forth Wanderers
Forth Wanderers
This album offers nothing. The instrumentation and vocals are too weak to create any sort of momentum and the song-writing is too lacking to make up for that. In the end it ends up quite a snore. 5/10 | | 60 |  | Willie Nelson
Last Man Standing
I understand that this is far from my kind of music, but I figured that I'll listen to it just out of respect to ol' Willie. And yeah, it's a regular country americana bluesy record that isn't particularly memorable or unusual, but if you're at all into the genre or into Willie Nelson's music, you will probably dig it. 6/10 | | 61 |  | Boss Keloid
Melted On The Inch
I tried to enjoy every aspect of this album, because I genuinely believe there to be many a good aspects to it, but time and time again it failed to wow me in any significant way, besides just having many cool things thrown around here and there. The song-writing, being traditionally the weakest link of any progressive rock/metal albums, is here, seemingly adhering to the tradition, absolutely unremarkable. The instrumentation then just feels a little too lazy and underdeveloped, often just lacking much to its energy, outside of the heaviness. It is probably a treat for anyone tolerant of the genre's purposeful missteps, but not for me it wasn't. 5/10 | | 62 |  | The Armed
Only Love
BNM
Goodness, what the fuck? I have about all the reason to utterly hate this record and in a way I think I do, but at the same time I absolutely adore it. It is melodic, but also insanely chaotic, it is noisy, but also pretty and sweet, it is harsh, but also not without its tenderness, it is absolute mess, but it feels thought out and on purpose. I hated it, but had it on repeat again and again. The conclusion is obvious: 8/10
Witness, Role Models, Apperception, Fortune's Daughter, Luxury Themes, Middle Homes, Ultraglass | | 63 |  | Godsmack
When Legends Rise
This is not beating a dead horse anymore, this is lazily slapping over the rotten spot that the horse's decomposed carcass once layed. 1/10 | | 64 |  | God Is an Astronaut
Epitaph
God is dead. You killed him. Congrats, you boring shits. 4/10 | | 65 |  | Half Waif
Lavender
I actually enjoyed some of the artsy, oddball production and arrangement moves here. It is also quite obvious what exactly is Half Waif trying to accomplish. She is trying to create that typical slow-burning grower music that doesn't wow at first, but have a certain long-lasting appeal. Well, that shouldn't be your primary hope, beause if that fails, you have no more tiers to fall on. And this album often does exactly that, it gives unconvincing performances and isn't overall that rewarding. How unfortunate. 5/10
Keep It Out, Parts | | 66 |  | Okkervil River
In The Rainbow Rain
They're playing it safe lately, but still bring out some o' them good tunes. 6/10
The Dream and the Light, Pulled Up the Ribbon, External Actor | | 67 |  | Wild Hunt
Afterdream of the Reveller
BNM
reviewed it and you need to listen to. 8/10 | |
Papa Universe
05.01.18 | what a month | DinosaurJones
05.01.18 | Jesus.
I've only heard 6 & 31 so far. 6 is great. 31 is not. I'm sure I'll check a few of these out. | bgillesp
05.01.18 | Hooray for 6! | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | hooray indeed | Sabrutin
05.01.18 | 22 kinda sounds like Depeche Mode covering Pornography-era Cure. Think I'll bite | butcherboy
05.01.18 | good list, Uni.. of note for the three of you interested, The Damned have been playing as part of a supergroup called The Mutants for the past six years or so.. group also includes members of the Buzzcocks, The Beat and a few others.. decent material too.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | sounds cool... will never check tho | butcherboy
05.01.18 | not friends no more.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | so friends still? | butcherboy
05.01.18 | non-friend says what? | DinosaurJones
05.01.18 | Que? | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | friend says you used double negative, which means we are still friended | butcherboy
05.01.18 | i feel twice as negative about you, you're right.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | well, then go listen to some of that god-forgotten superband of yours to cheer you up, cause we are done-o, honeysugar | butcherboy
05.01.18 | well, then go ride a drunk pig through a vast field of black metal records that all have interchangeably shit 'musicians..' | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | well, go smother yourself in that dust and rust falling off your loudspeakers, when you play that disjointed deathrattle of a binary-system world war two era computer you call noise punk. | butcherboy
05.01.18 | well, then go immerse yourself in the passionless bloops of the McCalay caulkin fart noise machine you call indie folk.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | well, you might as well go to your usual hideout in the dumps next to the mental clinic, where they still perform lobotomy with surprisingly squeaky instruments, which combined with the animalistic shrieks of the patients make what you call free jazz | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | and I don't even like indie folk that much | butcherboy
05.01.18 | well, then you go and have a grand ol' time pouring broken lightbulbs, steel shavings and sad feelings up your arse and then sticking you thumb in your mouth and blowing till your cheeks go rosy also known as ...And then the Trees.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | tell that to the familial life you never had, promiscuous fake-turk | butcherboy
05.01.18 | cold cut war kid.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | guided by poor choices | butcherboy
05.01.18 | tuxedoshite.. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | burn in richard hell! | butcherboy
05.01.18 | king gizzard and the lizard wizard.. no puns necessary, worst fucking name around already.. | klap
05.01.18 | Check out the Exitmusic record | Deez
05.01.18 | 'I tried to enjyo every aspect of this album, because I genuinely believe there to be many a good aspects to it, but time and time again it failed to wow me in any significant way,'
This is EXACTLY how i feel about that band, Theyre freinds of friends of mine and Im always geting told Ill love them and I should, They tick boxes of stuff I like but theyve never really made me feel ANYTHING at all. Theyre clearly a very talented band with some great ideas but I just dont feel it but also dont dislike it. Shame | DoofusWainwright
05.01.18 | Some top tier descriptions - eating the elephant is a fart in slow motion 💨
An injustice to the quality of farts everywhere | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | cheers | Egarran
05.01.18 | Sweet.
I wish you hinted at a genre in your comments. Some of your tastes are kryptonite to me. | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | I figured you can always click on the album and find out more, but I also am considering starting to do that... then again, some of these genres are a mystery to me. | SandwichBubble
05.01.18 | Holy shiiiiiit
Need to check a few of these | JLR2DEG
05.01.18 | 16 is excellent...I have been listening to it over and over since it came out. Their previous two EP's are also excellent. | bgillesp
05.01.18 | Mom, dad, can you two stop fighting please? | Papa Universe
05.01.18 | you're adopted | bgillesp
05.01.18 | ...................... | butcherboy
05.01.18 | does kidnapping qualify as adoption? | Sabrutin
05.01.18 | 22 was sweet, especially the last tracks.
"does kidnapping qualify as adoption?"
Only if the victim likes the new environment | BlazinBlitzer
05.01.18 | "This is that kind of dimmed-down, lazily played stoner-doom that I cannot stand, with only the heavy production to create any sense of quality. Over my head and into the trash can, folks. 4/10"
Took the words right out of me. | osmark86
05.01.18 | cheers for including my music in your write up | MH18
05.03.18 | Quality write-ups my man. Will check some of these out for sure |
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