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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: June 2022 | | 1 |  | Marina Satti
YENNA
"The main problem I face with YENNA is that Marina has yet to find a lyrical identity. In spite of her willingness to push the sonic boundaries in recent Greek music, she has put together a narrative about love and passion, themes that have been explored in Greek folk music for years — and her approach to those themes is not anything new either. Considering Marina Satti grew up in a culturally diverse environment (her mother is Cretan and her father Sudanese), a debut album exploring identity and family would have been an incredibly engaging concept and one that I thought the album hinted at with the opener. As it stands though, the themes of lust are better translated through her sound, rather than the lyrical execution." -- PanosChris | | 2 |  | Thornhill
Heroine
"Contrasted with the conscious narrative storytelling and focus on mental health and climate disaster awareness of its predecessor, ‘Heroine’ is heavily inspired by classic Hollywood films. Seeking to capture emotions and scenes from cinema on the album, Thornhill uses both lyricism and a diverse sonic palette in unique ways to capture these moments and communicate them with excellence. The record is a visual one, with each song invoking its own set of imagery through theatrics and atmospheres intricately woven into each layer. “Valentine” is the perfect example of this, being a simplistic adaptation of 1940s and 50s jazz soundtracks with Charlton crooning over modern drum programming and ambient guitars." --Crxmateo | | 3 |  | Artificial Brain
Artificial Brain
"We all knew that Artificial Brain’s third album was going to kick total extraterrestrial ass. Or is that too sweeping of a generalization to make? It’s certainly safe to say that Artificial Brain have, with Labyrinth Constellation and Infrared Horizon, proven that their chops are formidable and their vision is more than a gimmick. Despite the fact that sci-fi-themed death metal of the ‘90s psychedelic/technical variety is becoming an increasingly saturated niche as of late, Long Island’s resident transdimensional cyborg quintet has kept things fresh with their trademarks of (former) vocalist Will Smith’s pit-creature gurgles, blackened atmosphere, and melancholy, off-kilter dissonant melodies. The band’s technical expertise was merely the glue holding the operation together, and now, on their self-titled third record, Artificial Brain have taken the natural next step: perfecting their craft." --0BSCURA | | 4 |  | Temple of Void
Summoning the Slayer
"Temple of Void wore their hearts on their sleeves with this record. This was an act of complete and utter transparency. This album is more accessible than their previous work, not because they have domesticated their sound, but because they have reflected a mirror upon common struggle. This is a heavy album not only in tone, but in subject matter." --InfernalDeity | | 5 |  | Lights
PEP
"In the time since Lights released her 2017 album Skin&Earth with an accompanying graphic novel, written and illustrated entirely by her, she decided to step away from larger projects in favor of less intense endeavors. In the few years that followed, she collaborated with many different EDM producers to release a plethora of singles and EPs, as well as creating the formerly-anonymous "gothbounce" project Lun, and releasing a chillwave mixtape on her Bandcamp profile. With all of the time she spent dipping her toes into other styles of music, I was left wondering if Lights' next proper album would see any sort of drastic change from her tried-and-true brand of electropop. It turns out that my worries were for not, because PEP is very much a return to form for Lights; and for better or for worse, depending on if one is a fan of her previous albums or not, she has essentially picked up where she left off on Skin&Earth." --Get Low | | 6 |  | Clayshaper
Vampiric
"While this is not a bad album by any means, unless The Shaper intended this to be a partially atmospheric album, there are too many underdeveloped songs that are difficult to overlook. Nonetheless, if it is evil, Opethian soundscapes you are looking for (like on Still Life or My Arms, Your Hearse for instance) then this will suffice. But those who are looking for Opeth's progressive song structures, catchy guitar melodies, or compelling dynamics then I would for the most part look elsewhere." --WattPheasant | | 7 |  | Cory Wong
Power Station
"On each third of this smorgasbord, there’s one solo Wong tune - his way of taking the spotlight for a moment. Every other track has a collaborator who always accentuates whatever he’s laying down. One man is much too few to run an energy grid, and through the magic of collaboration Power Station runs the gamut and flexes Wong’s muscles on all fronts. And that deserves recognition." --gryndstone | | 8 |  | Trudge
No More Motivation
"I go back to the title: No More Motivation. The key word is “more,” signifying a drive that was once present has reached its end point. You’d expect an album about being demotivated to be lethargic, yet Trudge hits a closer truth in the agile and wide-ranging states of mind he presents. The emotions might be vague and downtuned, yet there’s an endless fascination with the ongoing experience of life. As an album both for crawling under the covers and stepping out into the world, No More Motivation carries a subtle promise that a purpose can be found once again. It’s an internal conversation many of us have been holding the past few years; I can’t think of a better soundtrack for my own." -luci | | 9 |  | Suppression
The Sorrow Of Soul Through Flesh
"The material is highly technical but not to the point of qualifying as tech death proper. Thunderous, evil riffs dominate the soundscape supported by ocean-deep basslines, frenetic blast beats and wildly parched vocals. Ominous guitar solos are frequent, providing a melodic factor but conversely, hints of dissonance are present - the band have been conservative in this respect, avoiding taking the claustrophobic route of bands such as Ulcerate and Ad Nauseam. The jarring guitar and fluidity of the bass work on “Misunderstanding Reality” bring the album to its progressive peak without losing any of the sadistic heaviness. Deep grooves provide further diversity on “Unperpetual Misery” while album closer “Extortion Behaviours” showcases Suppression’s ability to mix mind-bending cacophony with more studious parts to great effect." --BitterJalepenoJr | | 10 |  | Dir En Grey
Phalaris
"What makes all this work is that Dir En Grey don't just bring the metal, they also bring the vibe. The atmosphere. The dark unsettling mood that gives even the most soaring beautiful moments the same feeling of fatalistic hopelessness it gives the most intense sections of brutal death metal riffing. That's the Dir En Grey Difference (tm); the thing that allows the band to explore so many disparate genres, often within the same song, without the listener feeling like they're playing a randomly ordered Best Of compilation, or that Spotify has skipped to a different artist entirely. Whilst their previous effort The Insulated World wasn't a disaster it only really brought the metal, not the vibe, and thus never really felt like it measured up to the three releases that preceded it." --SunBro | | 11 |  | James LaBrie
Beautiful Shade Of Grey
"While I find myself wishing that Beautiful Shade of Grey had a bit more ambition behind it, I’m into the change of direction that it offers. This more mellow approach to alt-prog suits LaBrie’s current talents quite well and the backing musicians also put in plenty of competent performances. Much like the lineup that played on 2010’s Static Impulse and 2013’s Impermanent Resonance, it’s easy to imagine them gelling even more and putting out an even stronger follow-up. Between this and other members’ recent solo successes, I can’t help but wonder if Dream Theater’s creativity might be better displayed in its individual parts than the larger whole." --PsychicChris | | 12 |  | Vexes
Imagine What We Could Destroy / If Only Given Time
"For those unfamiliar, Vexes play a personally perfect variant of alternative metal - too cerebral and deliberate for fans of straightforward, mouth foaming barnburners and yet too fierce and caustic for those who recoil at impassioned screaming and bursts of sonic aggression. Vexes fall somewhere between Vheissu-era Thrice and post-Diamond Eyes Deftones on a musical spectrum, but with plenty more to offer. While not a concept album, IWWCD///IOGT loosely explores the nearly universal struggle of maintaining genuine human connection while most of society wrestles and chokes swimming upstream against a current of pervasive social media tactics and a consciousness that continues to grow increasingly digital." --Teal | | 13 |  | Drive-By Truckers
Welcome 2 Club XIII
"That Welcome 2 Club XIII seems to mark the beginning of something like the fifth era for Drive-By Truckers in over 25 years since the group’s inception is a testament to their status as survivors. Fittingly, this status is exactly the concept which the record aims to examine and deconstruct. The band’s 14th proper studio album follows 2020’s The Unravelling and The New OK, which together with 2016’s American Band formed a trilogy of overtly political albums that marked a departure from the band’s signature Southern Gothic storytelling. Welcome 2 Club XIII, on the other hand, as indicated by its cover art, is a much more classic DBTs affair (and, in some respects, a self-mythologizing one), songwriters Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley both pointing their eyes toward the past, looking back at their own “glory days” and re-analyzing them with the wisdom that can only come from experience." --theBoneyKing | | 14 |  | Drake
Honestly, Nevermind
"At the end of the day, it's obviously not a surprise that Drake is not putting out a release that finds him at the top of his game. What becomes harder to justify, however, is that he remains in the game at all. Hip-hop is a difficult genre to remain relevant and is largely a young man's game. Aging genre stalwarts like Kanye and Jay-Z have had their fair share of stumbles, but have shown more often than not a graceful aging of their sound. Honestly, Nevermind is an album that is so bloated, boring, and bad that it works not only as a Spinal Tap-esque self-review, but also potentially as a mission statement on how we should feel about the biggest artist of the 2010's." --Odal | | 15 |  | Alanis Morissette
The Storm Before the Calm
"Since the album is supposed to be meditation music, there’s only so much timbre and power than can be directly put into the music; but instead of the music being sparse, Morissette finds the beauty between compromise and instead we are provided with an album full of atmospheric nuance, in size and in details. The Storm Before The Calm uses heavy electronics, synths, and reverb to act as a solid foundation, which gives the music the space to add depth in terms of little glitchy programming, light swinging overhead feedback and muted percussion; above that, we are supplied with a variety of organic instruments such as piano, string and wind instruments; and finally topped off with Alanis herself, who comes in from time to time to supply choir vocals." --STIGMATIZED | | 16 |  | Old Nick
Ghost O'Clock
"While it’s easy to focus on Old Nick’s penchant for nonconformity, it would be a disservice to not mention just how good they are at devising compelling black metal sections that can both stand on their own, but also work the more flamboyant elements of their music. “Ghost O’Clock” opens and closes with a powerful cascade of melodic riffs and “Weeping Mystery Trenchcoat”, comes the closest to honoring Old Nick’s original vision of “dungeon synth black metal” (despite it’s wacky chip-tuned bridge). The more orchestral sections recall the wonder of old-school vampyric black metal, something Old Nick have shown to be big fans of, and that also offers a pleasant sense of familiarity throughout Ghost O’Clock's weirder moments." --TheSpirit | | 17 |  | Still Stayer
EVEREND
"Progressive Metalcore band Still Stayer are not doing anything that you won’t find elsewhere, but their songwriting talent and execution create a stimulating listen for progcore fans. Christopher Davis’s riffs are more fleshed out and unending as it always seems that he has more to say with his instrument. Outside of when he falls into common djent tropes like in "The Cycle", every guitar lick and riff feel fresh and purposeful. A main highlight is the vocals of Luke Steffens, who mainly guides listeners with a low growl comparable to JT Cavey, but occasionally uses a higher shriek to add texture. The intro track is an excellent showcase of the vocalist's range. Albeit seldomly used, Steffens adds another dynamic with his smooth clean vocals." --Purpl3Spartan | | 18 |  | Vitam Aeternam
Revelations of the Mother Harlot
"Overall, Revelations of the Mother Harlot is one the most unique albums I have heard in a while. It contains a number of great instrumentals and two truly immense, inventive and engaging tracks with instrumentation and vocals that are beyond stellar. This is a must hear if you like your music to be theatrical while also having a wide range of influences." --Zac124 | | 19 |  | Motionless in White
Scoring the End of the World
"Scranton, Pennsylvania gothic-metalcore outfit Motionless in White return for their sixth full length studio record and deliver more of their signature fun, heavy-hitting, tongue-in-cheek jams. Their previous effort proved a bit divisive and inconsistent, leaning heavily into more commercial and radio-friendly territory. With this release, MIW have found a steady and peaceful balance between the Breaking Benjamin style radio-styled alternative metal and the super aggressive, pounding and relentless metalcore that propelled their career 10 plus years ago." --mkmusic1995 | | 20 |  | Porcupine Tree
Closure/Continuation
"While I was ecstatic about the band’s return and the realization that new Porcupine Tree material actually exists now, there wasn’t a feeling currently greater for me after my first few listens than gratefulness. I’m grateful that the band was able to find a stable direction after Colin Edwin’s departure, grateful that the album resoundingly stamped its rightful place in a frankly legendary discography, and grateful that, even if not necessarily perfect, the band kept their word on staying true to their sound while simultaneously challenging its own customs." --BlazinBlitzer | | 21 |  | Astronoid
Radiant Bloom
"The melodic sheen of the guitar is stunning, and the drums push songs forward with blastbeats, double bass pedals, and pop-punk style aggression. Immersion should be easily attainable with this soundscape, it should whisk us outside the Earth’s atmosphere, but the songwriting and vocalist keep us tethered to the ground. The songs are pretty enough but not catchy enough to leave a lasting impression - they enter one ear and leave shortly after. Vocal hooks/melodies can make a memorable album, yet the singer persistently sings robotically. Like nuance is absent in the vocals, so does the album play out, with a lack of memorable moments and hooks." --pizzamachine | | 22 |  | Alexisonfire
Otherness
"Spanning the whole album, you hear the different vocalists singing, chanting and screaming alongside each other more than they have on any other album. Tracks like “Dark Night of the Soul” and “Conditional Love” contain anthemic gang vocals and layered harmonies that highlight the band’s three talented vocalists. The vocal and instrumental writing seems much more cohesive, purposeful and balanced across Otherness, confirming the band’s message of collective contribution, most notably found on tracks like “Blue Spade” and “Sweet Dreams of Otherness”. Dallas Green especially elevates himself to new heights, exuding more power than he had throughout all of Alexisonfire’s tenure, really testing his vibrato and range." --vult | | 23 |  | Foals
Life Is Yours
"Like what the album title suggests, it’s an affable statement that shines lights on a world of intense uncertainty - music is normally a form of escapism for many and Foals have tried to make a record that refuses to bow to any agenda. It’s nice. But by doing so sheds so much of what makes them special. And by being so indifferent, Life is Yours commits a huge crime in popular music - like a wilting flower in the scorching sun, it’s nothing but a lifeless husk of its former self. Let’s hope the next record has better execution. Sigh." --gimo80 | |
Sowing
07.11.22 | I was a bit late getting around to June's installment. Thanks as always to any users who kicked it up a notch last month. | pizzamachine
07.11.22 | Never thought I’d make it on a list like this. Does anyone have a tissue handy lol | Sowing
07.11.22 | You used to be a contributor, so your ability to write shouldn't be all that surprising ;-) | pizzamachine
07.11.22 | Fair haha. ‘twas a great month. | Get Low
07.11.22 | ty sowing : 3 | mkmusic1995
07.11.22 | Thanks for the shoutout! Being new here, it's fun to explore and be a part of this community :) | pjquinones747
07.11.22 | needs more tyman | Sowing
07.11.22 | ---needs more tyman---
he's a contributor, not a regular user | pjquinones747
07.11.22 | oh im an idiot please ignore | TheSpirit
07.11.22 | Thanks for the shout sowing!! | Zac124
07.11.22 | Thanks Sowing! | tyman128
07.11.22 | “ needs more tyman”
i love you | tyman128
07.11.22 | also, shout out to Purp for getting his review up here m/ | Crxmateo
07.11.22 | Thank you! | Purpl3Spartan
07.11.22 | Thank you so much for the shoutout! | Teal
07.12.22 | Thanks for the recognition. I appreciate it. | STIGMATIZED
07.12.22 | ayo ty | Koris
07.13.22 | Really nice reviews here. Good work everyone!
@Pizza and TheSpirit: You should both reapply next cycle ;] | InfernalDeity
07.13.22 | pizza has to operate outside the bounds of the law | pizzamachine
07.13.22 | The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. | BitterJalapenoJr
07.13.22 | Just noticed this. Thanks for the inclusion Sowing, I'm much obliged. | PunkerBlast
07.14.22 | Hey I became the new AEW spokesperson. | Minortimbo12
07.15.22 | Sowing, did you see my reviews? if so, can you evaluate them? Of course, I'm new, so I never excpect it to make it on a list like this, but still, it would be helpful. | Sowing
07.15.22 | I've noticed them but they've all come in July so they wouldn't have qualified for this particular list. Keep an eye out for the July feature and you just might be on there! ;-)
(If you're looking for more discerning/critical feedback, I'd post to the proofreading thread in the forums. I occasionally respond there but you'll also get a wider range of feedback). | theBoneyKing
07.15.22 | Thanks for the shout out! | WattPheasant
07.15.22 | Hi Sowing, I'm once again honored to be a part of this list with other awesome User reviewers. And I'm surprised to see my review of Clayshaper was the one you picked from June out of my three, and it's quite high on your list which I'm pleasantly surprised about. |
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