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Staff
Reviews 647
Soundoffs 102
News Articles 98
Band Edits + Tags 345
Album Edits 2,238
Album Ratings 3167
Objectivity 73%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 43,944
| Best User Reviews: September 2023
Reminder: list is NOT ranked. | | 1 |  | Lunatica
New Shores
"Fans of synth-y, generic symphonic metal may find a hidden gem in this album. The singer is great throughout, and hardly needing auto-tune, even when backed with a soft instrumental section. Also, when the riffs get their engines started, a great time is involved. This is a great album to put on and relax to, while breathing in the Nightwish-y fumes. Lunatica’s New Shores is totally worth the return visit via speedboat. It’s not a perfect album, but it holds the vibes symphonic fans salivate over." --pizzamachine | | 2 |  | Woods
Perennial
"Beginning to end, Woods mainly reaffirm their strengths here. If a fault is to be pointed out, it is that their ability to take risks seems to always be relegated to where and how to record the same kind of music they always have, instead of what new direction or musical idea they can employ. Credit where it is due, it is not like the sound they have found for themselves is in any way an atrocity. Woods constantly re-recording the same album is only as exhausting as we allow it to be, seeing as the band are perfectly content with remaining the champions of pleasant acoustic background music. As such, Perennial mainly serves as an exercise for the band itself, less so as an outward statement of anything. They want to play around and play safe, maybe help fund their festival with these endeavours. Who am I to deny them that?" --someone | | 3 |  | Moonlight Sorcery
Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
"The mix of power metal and black metal can be a tricky one. One that Children of Bodom perfected over two decades ago with their first 3 albums. Moonlight Sorcery are here to take the torch from their Finnish brothers and they've added their own spin on it, being more rooted in black metal (so many tremz) than CoB ever was. The feeling I keep coming back to while jamming this is that of being stuck in a fantasy movie where I'm on a journey into the forest to battle the horned lord. The invovation of such feelings lets you know you've been listening to a musical masterpiece that people can get lost in. That's exactly what Moonlight Sorcery has done, and they're just getting started!" --Hawks | | 4 |  | Sylosis
A Sign of Things to Come
"A Sign of Things to Come" showcases Sylosis' adaptability and musical prowess. However, the album stands at a crossroads, reflecting both the band's roots and their aspirations for a broader appeal. While it's a commendable effort, long-time fans might yearn for the raw authenticity that once defined Sylosis." --MalConstant | | 5 |  | Mustard Plug
Where Did All My Friends Go?
"One listen to the singles "Fall Apart" and "Doin' What We Do" immediately made it clear that I was in for a quality experience. Every song on the album feels like a celebration of the past, a warm summer breeze of nostalgia that isn't a pale imitation of an older sound, or an uninspired retread of the 90s like so many new ska punk albums tend to be. Nothing has changed with Mustard Plug but the passage of time, and getting older hasn't made them any worse at pumping out catchy tune after catchy tune." --TheArtofTheGanja | | 6 |  | Deeper
Careful!
"Tracks like “Fame,” with its messy sax solos and bare-bones percussion, ended up as one of my favorites off the album. But then you have stuff like the aforementioned “Heat Lamp” and “Pilsen 4th;” both fairly unsubstantial ambient songs that just end up feeling more unnecessary than anything. Though, I suppose both of those would be better than “devil-loc,” which is easily the worst song on the album and probably the band’s worst to date. Another instrumental, it plays like a child’s first experiments with a music production application." --SandwichBubble | | 7 |  | Left to Suffer
Feral
"Lyrically, Left to Suffer runs through topics such as mental health, abusive relationships, despair, and reactive emotions, presented as a monologue while creating a beautiful yet disgusting contrast between heaven and hell. Barber’s vocal approach and diversity is one of the highlights of Feral, as he showcases his impressive range and rhythmic contributions in every track without becoming stale and monotonous. Feral is an outing that folks should stick around for consecutive and close spins to take in the album’s full and potent scope." --jpaulwegenast | | 8 |  | Hawthorne Heights
Lost Lights
"Mark really puts a larger stamp on this release, providing uncleans on all tracks and his sounding a lot nicer, less muffled and layered. ‘Empty’ comes across as a B-side off ‘Yellowcards’ ‘Ocean Ave’ (minus the violins) and ‘We Were Never Lost’ has a nice little dueling guitar part and a ‘galloping’ beat that is something new that Hawthorne have welcomed here." --bellovddd | | 9 |  | Polaris (AUS)
Fatalism
"Hails though will always be at his best with his screams and other single ‘Inhumane’ showcases that with the frontman’s strong vocal delivery and Ryan laying down a head banging riff and a welcome solo, with the accompanying ending breakdown. ‘The Crossfire’ kicks off the undeniably stronger back half of the album with a kick ass groovy riff, a stronger clean chorus and drummer Daniel Furnari providing some fast fills and keeping up the strong tempo." --joshieboy | | 10 |  | Fire Down Below
Low Desert Surf Club
"Overall, Fire Down Below maintains their track record of quality desert metal with Low Desert Surf Club. This approach is the sort that could look like a generic pastiche on paper but is elevated by strong personality and a respectful amount of romanticization. I would love to see them dig even further into some of those outside excursions but this is ultimately another immersive adventure." --PsychicChris | | 11 |  | Utsu-P
HAPPYPILLS
"That being said, despite the bloat present, and the occasional baffling track or two, HAPPYPILLS is a solid release from a solid artist. While it may not do too much different, it, at the very least, provides one hell of a fun experience, with a bevy of memorable tracks to headbang the day away to. It won’t change many minds, but for those of us who’ve already been hooked, it’ll keep us on the line for a little while longer until the next project rears its head." --SaiseiTunes | | 12 |  | TesseracT
War of Being
"The War of Being is everything Djent Is Not a Genre could have and should have been. TesseracT really came out swinging with this one; the 5-year wait between Sonder and this was well-worth it. Again, it feels as if they finally made Three. The huge production, the phenomenal bass playing, the drums, the renewed aggression in the riffs and vocals, while still retaining the atmosphere that they’re known for? Sign me the fuck up." --veninblazer | | 13 |  | Tomb Mold
The Enduring Spirit
"There’s ample evidence to conclude that we have something really special here. The band’s early days paid homage to the late 80’s unadulterated extreme metal sound, which expanded and built serious momentum for them in Manor of Infinite Norms. With Planetary Clairvoyance, the foundations of something extraordinary were first put to place, to erect the monument that is The Enduring Spirit. There are few cases of bands with a meteoric rise and this is one of them, Tomb Mold have managed not only to top their previous top-notch record, but possibly to achieve heights that none of us considered before. One for the ages, as the next era of death metal belongs to names like this." --NightOnDrunkMountain | | 14 |  | Nithing
Agonal Hymns
"Considering its place in the landscape of a genre all about maximalism, it must be reiterated that the short runtime is a huge strength of Agonal Hymns: for everything that its flailing, splattering style lacks in subtlety, it conveys in a dense but surprisingly digestible and resultingly moreish steaming visceral heap." --ffs | | 15 |  | Aeonic Impulse
Beyond the Light
"The ear candy for this prog-rock quartet relies on monstrous drums with a lot of syncopated tom beats and double bass patterns, sweep-picked guitar solos, and vocals that go from melodic to strained in a blink of an eye. There are some screams here that make me feel like I’m listening to one of the later Dillinger Escape Plan records. Not just that, but there are many tasteful bass-lines which is rather refreshing." --deadcrown | | 16 |  | Cursetheknife
There's A Place I Can Rest
"What this record does superbly, however, is creating a spellbinding atmosphere with dreamy melodies provided by both the guitar and vocals. This skill was definitely not lost after Thank You For Being Here. Thrall is your typical yet brilliantly executed shoegaze track, with it beginning with subdued melodies that eventually break out into a climactic wall of noise, and The Gift shows off the band's ability to blend groovy and heavy riffs with their ethereal style. Some of the most hypnotic moments in the album are found in the simpler tracks, such as Big Ole House. Despite its concise two minute length and mellow soundscape, it still provides some of the most captivating and memorable melodies." --Zac124 | | 17 |  | Berried Alive
BERRIED TREASURE
"What will you find in this sweet blend of sonic harshness that is Berried Treasure? Dig deep enough and you'll find some old seeds of influence harkening from Soulsucker and even Fool's Gold. The gritty grinding of syncopated and palm-muted riffs ala Berries Alive hasn't gone anywhere, although they do take a more subtle and reserved place in this tall drink, to make way for more subdued, atmospheric vocals, and production-laden trap beats we've all come to appreciate here in this great year of 2023. This release feels so in place with what catches the ear for our audience of diverse tastes, while still delivering that tech-death edge of absurd guitar leads and solos." --NudeTayne | | 18 |  | The Belair Lip Bombs
Lush Life
"Another relatively brief track, "Stay Or Go" is one of multiple bits on here that tie into the title and broader theme of the album; 'Is the lush life just a big abyss,' Maisie ponders, juxtaposed with her eager proclamation 'I wanna live in the lush life way' on "Say My Name." The copiously pretty "Easy On the Heart" swells with vivacious keys, rhythmic drums and Bradvica's grooving and glistening guitars. On "Things That You Did", Maisie's vocals are layered and again soaked in reverb. Closer "Suck It In" is a mildly tepid, if otherwise pleasant note to end on. Everett reaches for a sweet sounding alto that compliments the tangentially cheerful lyrics. "Take me and throw away the key. I feel like a child again," she gently exhales." --Shamus248 | | 19 |  | Good Looking Friends
Wasted Now
"The album continues with song after song of dense, yet accessible arrangements that are a joy to engage with. Each one is tied together by Zach Fischer's lyrics, clever but never for the sake of it, confessional, but never exploitative – full of expressive, knotty observations. By the time the penultimate “Baba Yaga” comes around, the album has already been through many songs that have seen the band experiment with their sound. It's still not enough preparation for its piercing, propulsive newness. Shelley Washington's voice take center stage for the first time and the dark, reflective lyrics soar over the unrepentant drums and thrashing guitar. It's hard to shake." --uman32 | | 20 |  | The National
Laugh Track
"Where do The National go from here? Can they possibly tap into the level of showmanship of “Space Invader” or the writing, urgency and manic energy of “Smoke Detector” for an entire album at this point in their careers? Maybe, maybe not. Have the album’s highlights seduced me into a slightly optimistic rating? Time will tell. But Laugh Track has sparked a hope that the band still has something left in the tank and that they can continue to put out great albums, even if they don’t quite match their outstanding, elongated peak spanning over a decade. That flicker of hope is all I could ever ask of Laugh Track and I’m happy that it delivered. And even if this was the last album from my favorite band, this would be a much more gratifying note." --CrisStyles | | 21 |  | Baroness
Stone
"The dual vocals are a great fit for the style presented here and Gina Gleason actually has a better singing voice than John Dyer Baizley. Both of them compliment each other well both on an acoustic format as well as the louder/harsher moments. The aggressive vocals from Red and Blue also make a return here, and they sound heavier than on the other recent releases. The overall style goes more in line with their stoner rock and sludge metal underpinnings, exemplified by opener “Last Word”, which also includes a terrific guitar solo from Gina." --bananatossing | | 22 |  | Thurnin
Útiseta
"In the eleven-and-a-half-minute Endrborinn, there is a single motif that hammers home the anticipation that beauty exists because some people are brave enough to stand up to fight the destruction of entropy of not only the physical world, but the villainous part of the egoic mind. A person thought this song up, felt it in an inexplicable singularity. Their fingers made a replication of it. Woven inside this vast landscape of sound, mind and matter aren’t separated. The genius of Endrborinn is precisely this: the subtle and ever changing chord progression is a prism of emotion that resonates within the soul of the listener. This song is the true focus of this entire album without which no real satisfaction could be achieved." --DeadHand | | 23 |  | Devendra Banhart
Flying Wig
"My fantasy 'ideal scenario' to listen to this album, the one that would potentially lift it to an all time favourite, would be something like waking up in a small retreat (there could be monks involved) located in the coastal suburbs of an unknown city somewhere vaguely tropical and humid. You would be presented with earphones to take a walk at nightfall, exploring the deserted streets and coastal paths with 'Flying Wig' accompanying you. I'm certain a week or so of that routine and those 'magic' hooks would sink in, but as these events are not going to manifest I'll just have to make do with rating this as one of the most pleasant, understated, and faintly evocative musical surprises of the year. It caught me at a good enough time anyway." --DoofDoof | | 24 |  | Harm's Way (USA-IL)
Common Suffering
"The album has a cohesive sound without turning into something too predictable or static. A little more experimentation and risk-taking would be welcomed, but the surprises and chances the band take here are well-executed and hold up upon repeated listens. The lean runtime and lack of filler are appreciated and lead to very few uninteresting moments. Every member of the band delivers a great performance and link together in the right ways to make each song an intriguing and enjoyable listen." --goblinilbog | | 25 |  | Red (USA)
Rated R
"Besides the truly great tracks of "Surrogates," "Cold World," and "Tell Me How to Say Goodbye," there is little that stands out about any other song. There's an interesting lead guitar bit in the opening of "The Suffering," and a couple of cool rhythmic sections of closer "Emergency," but otherwise Rated R is basically 11 solid Red singles in album form. Every song is great Spotify playlist fodder, but as an album, it's slightly less than the sum of its parts." --Clifgard | | 26 |  | Oneohtrix Point Never
Again
"Remember "Inside World" from R Plus Seven? Well, it's not exactly a sequel, more like a restructure. With the concept I mentioned earlier about composition, we can see many parts of the original song sampled, flipped, with a lot of reverb, and now reversed, pitch-shifting occasionally. Yes, this brings us back to the more abrasive and energetically saturated side of Daniel, and it's quite noticeable with the abrasive changes, the incredible vocals seemingly from heaven, and the interesting fusion between the heart of R Plus Seven and the heart of Magic OPN." --Epetit | |
Sowing
10.03.23 | Thanks again to all who contributed. | tyman128
10.03.23 | Texans going to the Super Bowl
.. wait wrong list | pizzamachine
10.03.23 | #1 let’s gooo | Hawks
10.03.23 | Thanks once again for the shoutout Sowing bro! m/// | DoofDoof
10.03.23 | cheers Sowing | someone
10.03.23 | Cheers, didnt think that the Woods one of all things would get traction | AsleepInTheBack
10.03.23 | Love this wholesome thing well done folks keep on wordin’ | bananatossing
10.03.23 | Hell, yeah! Thanks, Sowing m/ | tyman128
10.03.23 | Thought I edited my comment but it didn't go through... killer revs all around, love the production out here | Zac124
10.03.23 | Thanks again for including my review! | mkmusic1995
10.03.23 | Great month for reviews! Really enjoyed The National rev and Baroness rev! :D | Shamus248
10.04.23 | Thanks for yet another recog on #18. You're a big part in what motivates me to keep writing! | NightOnDrunkMountain
10.04.23 | Thanks for the feat! It's a really nice endeavor from you Sowing to do this every month.
Very much appreciated, and cheers to all the great writers here | AnimalForce1
10.09.23 | I didn't even realize my HAPPYPILLS review ended up here! Thanks Sowing! Didn't think many people saw that one, those reviews are usually the ones I end up writing for myself above all else |
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