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Album Edits 970
Album Ratings 2303
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Last Active 03-14-20 2:46 pm
Joined 08-24-14
Review Comments 1,357
| Here's What I've Czeched Lately
Oh, would you look at that? It seems as if I, the Faux Angel, am gradually running out of list ideas. My last one was rather similar to this in a way, although that also marked my 1st Sputversary. Anyway, I promise not to waste your productive time as I name 40 releases that I've recently listened to - and of course, since you've superior taste in music compared to me, I'll let you rub it on. How this glorious hellhole never ceases to amuse me is beyond my wildest imagination. Let's get down to it. Thank you, fuck you, a star is here! | | 1 |  | Evan Brewer
Your Itinerary
4/5
You may have heard about this guy because of his tenure in the tech death act The Faceless, and I can't say I blame you, really. But with that said, Mr. Evan Brewer hails from Nashville, and this right here is his second solo full-length. Although an unsurprisingly bass-driven record that is without vocals, Your Itinerary features other instruments such as drums and keyboards (the former of which is provided by one Navene Koperweis). Let me tell you right now that this record here is quite an adventurous treat, filled to the brim with ingenious songwriting abilities. Despite not being ultimately original from a musical perspective, it's still a very good LP that doesn't let up as much as the listeners would like to believe. Both halves are nice, but the second stretch of pieces is just breathtaking. | | 2 |  | Dharmata
Dharmata
3/5
Dharmata's self-titled debut is adequate in regards to both the vocals as well as craftsmanship, but at the same time, it's pretty darn basic stuff. I couldn't help but think of Sevendust when I ventured through album numero uno courtesy of these Florida natives, except minus the memorability of a couple songs from the latter band. Weak songcraft and a noticeable lack of purpose almost hinder what is otherwise a satisfactory modern rock recording. | | 3 |  | The Web
i spider
5/5
That's one of the more thought-provoking cover illustrations I've laid eyes upon for any release period, and it says quite a bit because I've seen a smorgasbord of zazz-tinged album covers. Regarding i spider, it's a gobsmackingly impervious album that never hesitates to surround itself with jazz and progressive rock flourishes galore. Web were totally in their element. "It's got to be a 6/5 otherwise it's wrong" | | 4 |  | Tides of Man
Dreamhouse
4/5
I normally have mixed feelings about Tilian Pearson, to put things lightly. On an uplifting note, the amount of emotion his voice can muster is actually swell, but on the negative side, there's the fact that he's essentially another one of those singers in new post-hardcore with a high-pitched voice and nothing else to show for it. If you couldn't give a shit about Pearson, then there's no way you'd like him after checking out Tides of Man's Dreamhouse. To be honest, he wasn't nearly as inconsistent in tone when the dude was in this project, for he could write hypnotizing hooks and had a great team of instrumentalists backing him up. For fans of Circa Survive and, blatantly enough, Dance Gavin Dance. | | 5 |  | Bring Me the Horizon
That's the Spirit
2.5/5
Nope, that my dear is desperation. I have no qualms with a band or artist trying to experiment in order to survive and whatnot, but if you're going to attempt to do just that, make sure you execute this new sound of yours in a much more proper fashion than how That's the Spirit turned out. For British ex-metalcore unit Bring Me the Horizon, this is such a downgrade when you put it next to their last two albums. Oli Sykes' vocals have improved, though he lost that relatively distinctive edge in the process, and the musicianship manages to be at least tolerable. This is that moment when I don't desire whatever the other review sites were on. BMTH's fifth album isn't awful; merely painfully average. | | 6 |  | Blinded Colony
Bedtime Prayers
3.5/5
Picture Mnemic and Sonic Syndicate having the universe's most one-sided boxing match. From out of nowhere comes Blinded Colony, a band once helmed by Johan Schuster (AKA Shellback), who offers to help the former knock SS' lights out. All is fair in love and war wherever you like it or not. Bedtime Prayers, which is BC's second official release, includes elements of a melodeath sound, even though it doesn't possess said style in the traditional sense. Labeling aside, it's a fun little product that offers nothing new to the table. The amalgamation of harsh and sung vocals is fairly suitable to this group's kind of music and the guitar playing can get punishing. | | 7 |  | Waco Jesus
Mayhem Doctrine
3/5
If you want a quick death metal fix, Mayhem Doctrine might be there sitting at your doorstep. It comes without fancy shmancy tricks and has a noteworthy misogynistic bent if the artwork's any indication of that. There isn't a whole lot I can say about the album, so if you're totally cool with simplistic dm, I'd say take a looksie. | | 8 |  | Mudvayne
Mudvayne
3.5/5
The Peoria-based nu-metal band known as Mudvayne have been said to be one of the subgenre's saving graces when L.D. 50 came rolling along, alongside System of a Down and Maximum the Hormone; if you can consider these two ensembles nu-metal, that is, but whatever. After the 2008 flop that was The New Game, these guys wanted to redeem themselves via a self-entitled effort, which is indeed a windfall next to its predecessor. The results were satisfying, of course, but if you're anticipating a new Mudvayne record anytime soon, then stop right there. Basically speaking, Chad's too busy with Hellnah whilst Greg and Matthew are in Audiotopsy. | | 9 |  | Iceburn
Firon
4/5
What a heavily overlooked record this one is. Issued in the year 1992, Firon's not nearly as creative these days as it used to be back then, but Salt Lake City's Iceburn were able to fuse together jazz, metal, prog and punk in such a manner that the victims ought to hear for themselves. Okay, it's by no means a flawless outcome, but I think it's commendable for what it's worth. The rhythm section is so fucking unbelievable on this thing. | | 10 |  | Voodoo Glow Skulls
Steady as She Goes
3.5/5
Ska-punk troupe Voodoo Glow Skulls' sixth album was not their finest hour. The production quality of Steady As She Goes sounded uneven and the songcraft's a bit too safe for anybody who easily flocks to - let's say - Streetlight Manifesto, although be that as it may, the record does warrant a gay old 38-minute duration. I would say a little bit more about the album, though I'd prefer it if you read my review. Who do Voodoo? These Riverside, California men do! | | 11 |  | Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas
Feeling of Unity
3.5/5
First and foremost, I'll address something fast: yes, these folks did take their name from a Hunter S. Thompson novel, thanks for noticing. The Japanese electronicore band's fourth record thus far, Feeling of Unity, fares a little better than Phase 2 ever did, and I always did appreciate F,ALiLV's energetic approach to electro-metal. Who cares if it's not revolutionary? Even in this day and age, you can still ask for more of the same without being dissatisfied. The band is also CalculatingInfinity's guilty pleasure, or at least I'm assuming they fit the bill. | | 12 |  | White Lung
Deep Fantasy
4/5
Girl power enables the world to become more stable, without any shadow of doubt - and throw a male in the mix, because why not? Canadian punk rock act White Lung are a fascinatingly vigorous bunch, and on their 2014 full-length called Deep Fantasy, they demonstrate enough rawness and rebellion to overtake a poisonous gate. It's really consistent and offers a decent aggregate of replay value, and if you enjoy brevity, I suggest you sink your teeth into this LP. | | 13 |  | Sachiko M
Bar Sachiko
1.5/5
This is going to seem pointless, but the reason I opted to shove this in the list was because of a user who has the technique to "get" what we don't, and I'm dubbing thee Sachinimbaway. What Bar Sachiko boils down to are two sine waves that comprise an extremely minimalist piece of work, and it becomes nerve-wrecking in a matter of seconds. As ridiculous as it is, however, I will commend Sachiko Matsubara's urge to indulge in free improvisation, and the concept of Bar is vaguely intriguing. Gulaggh's Vorkuta is far and away a better aural experience, no matter how traumatic. Now to do something about the tinnitus... | | 14 |  | Black Tongue
The Unconquerable Dark
2.5/5
...and even though Black Tongue's not what I had in mind, I suppose I'll have to take it. The snailcore band from the United Kingdom have churned out their first album as of late, and you know what? In comparison to the Born Hanged EP, it doesn't make you fall into a deep slumber, but then again, that's all still debatable. The beginning of The Unconquerable Dark starts off nicely only to transform into a heap of mediocrity later down the road. It's an improvement over the extended plays, to summarize. | | 15 |  | Death By Stereo
Death for Life
2.5/5
A well-respected hardcore band during the late 90s, it was all downhill for Death By Stereo the moment they decided to dish out 2005's Death for Life. The punk influence that was most prominent on DBS' previous albums is all but gone here, replaced by an obvious heavy metal vibe that suits this band not one iota. It's all too familiar and one-dimensional, whilst Efrem Schulz' vocals has become increasingly exhausting. The band lacked the energy here necessary for an enjoyable record, but it's not completely useless; instrumentation-wise, Death for Life gets a pass, but the guitar playing and drumming are in no way remarkable. | | 16 |  | D'erlanger
La Vie en Rose
4/5
Now here's a band who knows how to get busy! Granted, their stint in the spotlight didn't last too long in the 1980s, and yet D'erlanger would go to become one of the founders within the visual kei subculture. This is their debut studio release, La Vie en Rose, an alt-rock beast tied to a lamppost. While I don't think it has aged very well, the material by itself made an uber-sweet first inspiration, as Hiroshi "Kyo" Isono's downright unchaste vocal performance combined with compelling instrumental work makes an overall splendid (if harmless) J-Rock collection of songs. | | 17 |  | Ni
Les insurgés de Romilly
4/5
Hailing from France, this instrumental mathcore squad are nothing more than an interesting musical project. Ni's 2015 record Les insurges de Romilly typically stays on its toes and proves to us that Ni aren't afraid to throw on a pair of technical slacks. From the synergy between Ni's bandmates to how spine-chilling the showmanship is, it's clearly not the most wonderful album within the movement nor is it anything we haven't heard elsewhere, but these French misfits have a lot of potential; some of which they seem to be keeping under wraps for now. | | 18 |  | Kelis
Tasty
4/5
"Milkshake" is ubiquitous, obnoxious, and pretty much every other synonym for both terms, that much is certain. Fortunately, a majority of what makes up Kelis' Tasty comes close to overshadowing the lead single. Mixing traces of neo soul, R&B, and a dash of hip hop, this 2003 release is pleasurable and sort of gets shunned all due to the impact "Milkshake" made, which in and of itself is not that bad a track. Kelis Rogers Mora has a comfortably warm voice that suits the overall mood of the album and the snazzy production helps to a degree. This lady is the boss, bitch. | | 19 |  | Trivium
Silence in the Snow
3/5
Trivium Pursuit's latest album added to the metal band's discography is restricted in terms of both composition and instrumental prowess. They might've been given these limitations and then some, but I must say that Silence in the Snow pays off swimmingly once the listener takes that into account. Matt Heafy's singing this time around is nothing short of hunky-dory, and the entire album luckily has certain songs that I find better than others (e.g. "Blind Leading the Blind" and closer "Breathe In the Flames"). As for the cover artwork, it's bland akin to a Disney Channel film. | | 20 |  | the GazettE
Dogma
3/5
Neo-visual kei entourage The Gazette fell from grace in 2011 with full-length effort #5, Toxic, though YMMV on whether or not they had elegance since the start of their career. The two releases that followed were better, but in Beautiful Deformity's case, that's not saying much. Thankfully, Dogma sees Gazette gaining back the momentum they possessed on earlier albums, even if it won't top DIM. If anything, other than NIL, nothing else in the gang's catalog will. My review here: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/68345/the-GazettE-Dogma/ | | 21 |  | The Blood Brothers
...Burn, Piano Island, Burn
4.5/5
I almost vomited when I first heard The Blood Brothers' ...Burn, Piano Island, Burn. Regurgitation is not a precious feeling, and yet this is an album that poses as the exception rather than the rule. This is a post-hardcore act who can and will assault the eardrums of the innocent and not so pure with a collection of ditties that are, to put it in layman's terms, best described as organized chaos. They're a pack of wolves I wouldn't mind getting devoured by, and Ross Robinson's production style makes the demented experience all the more complete. | | 22 |  | The Shaggs
Philosophy of the World
1.5/5
YOU ARE TEARING ME APART, SHAGGS! EVERYBODY BETRAY ME, I FED UP WITH THIS PHILOSOPHY OF THE WIRRULD! Ohai, Kurt Cobain. What a story, Frank Zappa. Let's go eat, Foot Foot, honk. | | 23 |  | Soilwork
The Ride Majestic
4.5/5
Succeeding the acclaimed double album entitled The Living Infinite, 2015's The Ride Majestic has Soilwork playing up their most recognizable characteristics to appease the fanbase, and boy were they able to accomplish that goal. Not like the average stalker, the melodeath band cook up material that's not too alienating while they cautiously step over obstacles almost as if they were nonexistent. The composition abilities are admirable as shit, the guitar leads and harmonies splendid, and Bjorn Strid's vocals never disappoint. No moment is wasted. | | 24 |  | Jimmy Eat World
Bleed American
4.5/5
Here's one for Futures. Emo-meets-alt-meets-punk quartet Jimmy Eat World's most successful offering in the form of Bleed American is a delicious treat from top to bottom. The predictable structure of the record can be disregarded due to how sincere, passionate, and unforgettable all of it is. To give you an idea of what makes Bleed American instantly click, you've got to feast your ears on the hook-infested "Sweetness". There is not one horrible song on display, though "The Authority Song" is clearly the weakest link. | | 25 |  | Slice the Cake
Other Slices
4/5
No obligatory Portal references will be made by me, sorry. Deathcore is an oft-ridiculed genre and it's an extreme metal fusion style I feel quite biased towards, mainly because of MySpace. As is the case with every type of music, dxc has its share of both good and terrible acts; it's a sign of relief that Slice the Cake fall into the former category, especially as far as Other Slices is concerned. The band keeps the brutality intact, but the down-tuned guitar riffage is surprisingly not monotonous, and StC are adept songwriters to make matters the antithesis of worrisome. "Kow Otani's Castle In the Sky" is an outstanding song, to be honest with you. | | 26 |  | Wicked Wisdom
Wicked Wisdom
2/5
Wicked Wisdom are about as cringeworthy as a great deal of Otep's work (referring to both the singer and nu-metal band). Try to imagine Straight Black Stitch, except 10x less appealing and more pathetic in regards to track arrangements. What else is there to talk about, really? Oh, yeah, here's a fine mindfuck: the frontwoman is Will Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett. I'd vamoose from Bel Air if I were now, Cypher Raige. | | 27 |  | SID
Hoshi no Miyako
4/5
Anime fans may remember this band for Black Butler, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and the base breaker that is Bleach; "Monochrome no Kiss," "Uso," and "Melody of the Wind" were used as theme songs for these three series respectively. Even if you couldn't give a care about Japanese animation, SID can be appreciated outside of said context. Hoshi no Miyako's a charming, soothing album that isn't too varied in sound, but can't be called homogeneous, either. Pop melodies show up, rock-oriented musicianship is present, and the nature is decidedly jazzy - but not overtly so. SID's second studio offering is both nice background noise and magical, particularly if you like daydreaming similar to children who insist on staying inside a house of mirrors in pitch-black darkness. | | 28 |  | maudlin of the Well
Bath
5/5
Beautiful and haunting, maudlin of the Well's Bath is 61 minutes of avant-garde metal perfection. Released alongside its companion record Leaving Your Body Map, shortly before the collective's initial breakup, you are either without a soul or cannot for the life of you astral project if you allow yourself not to resonate with the 2001 record's atmosphere. To quote a certain user, Bath brings the feelinz hard. How something like this could be created with a major quantity of consistency while staying diverse is a mystery I'd like to one evening solve. | | 29 |  | Dream Theater
Images and Words
4.5/5
Dream Theater's highest-selling album Images and Words marks my true first exposure to the band, for while I have heard about DT during my years in high school, I didn't decide to actively follow them up until now (fuck me, right?). That said, the 1992 full-length is the light that's formidable with erasing the grimdark aura from everybody's hearts - and yes, the statement I just made was corny, but so is DT; not like there's anything wrong with silliness and bombast every once in a blue moon. Images and Words is a prog party I'm glad I attended, in conclusion. | | 30 |  | Kuroki Nagisa
Kuroki Nagisa
5/5
Speaking of CalculatingInfinity, the young lad rec'd this mini-album a fuck lot, and not for just any undisclosed reason at that. Kuroki Nagisa has since become a solo project, yet at this point, the name applied to other instrumentalists in the project and not just Kuroki herself; it's like Marilyn Manson, as that's not only the stage pseudonym of Brian Warner, but also the moniker of a music act. All I have to say is that this eponymous mini-record is absolutely gorgeous and offers a barrel of amusement for those who are into J-Rock or female composers. | | 31 |  | Halsey
Badlands
1.5/5
The sum of Badlands' parts are very manufactured, which wouldn't be such an issue if there was a little more personality and muscle put into the album. Halsey has a generally uninteresting vocal performance and the concept behind her full-length debut is facepalm-inducing. While it's apparently satire, "New Americana" grates on my nerves to the point where I wouldn't call it good satire in the least. Halsey has promise, but doesn't care to deliver for the time being. | | 32 |  | Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
3/5
Regardless of your sentiments on A7X, I can definitely say that they've progressed over the years. Starting things off as a metalcore unit on their first two albums, they later adopted more of a hard rock motif beginning with 2005's City of Evil; said record is a bit thrash-tinged, too. What are my thoughts on S/T? Originally, I gave this offering a 2.5, and only recently have I consciously made the decision of raising it up. Despite the inconsistent strength of the experimentalism and M. Shadows continuing to ape Axl Rose's vocal style, Avenged Sevenfold's self-entitled LP does come equipped with strong instrumentation (especially from The Rev, R.I.P). On a side note, "A Little Piece of Heaven" isn't all that bizarre when you remember that the group's drummer used to be in Pinkly Smooth. | | 33 |  | Plastic Tree
Chandelier
4/5
I've heard of this band from sixdegrees and Jasdevi087 through the grapevine. Released in 2006, Plastic Tree's Chandelier is a J-Rock album that effortlessly shows that the Chiba Prefecture-based act have razzle dazzle. Taking the record's flat production quality out of the equation (or maybe PT are supposed to sound like that), it's overall a load of victorious entertainment capable of humoring both the fans of old-school visual kei groups and supporters of the second wave of VK, whoever you are. | | 34 |  | Deep Sands
Catalyst for Change
4/5
Though technically not a user-made project, Simon Killip's the bass player of this three-piece British rock band who certainly requires more recognition. Listen here: https://deepsands.bandcamp.com/albums/catalyst-for-change/ | | 35 |  | X Ambassadors
VHS
1/5
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this was an absolute trainwreck of a debut impression. What this alt-rock band is is American Authors-lite, who in turn have ripped off Imagine Dragons. I do like a select few of ID songs, which is more than what I can say about X Ambassadors. Pointless, pointless, pointless. "Renegades" is not enough to justify a 1+ score, seriously. | | 36 |  | ChugChugWob
Redemption
1.5/5
Really, look at that name. Do you want me to go into detail about how this reeks of puerile nonsense? Well, didn't think so. | | 37 |  | Jesu
Conqueror
4/5
Led by Justin Broadrick of Godflesh fame and Napalm Death at one point early in the latter band's career, Jesu are a very intriguing bunch. Conqueror, the project's second full-length album, can be easily called my introduction to them. The effort demonstrates a great deal of melody and brusqueness, although the quality of Justin's vocals may not be for everyone. Songs such as "Old Year," "Brighteyes," and "Stanlow" will earn you a ticket to provocative quietude. | | 38 |  | Supercell
Today is a Beautiful Day
5/5
I'm probably getting ahead of myself here, but this has got to be one of the most compelling and affectionate J-Pop music releases that I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. With the title of the album posing as either sarcastic or literal, depending on your POV, Today Is a Beautiful Day just hits the spot in a number of extraordinary ways, and it never overstays its welcome. This is a record worth spinning no matter what mood you're in. | | 39 |  | The Internet
Ego Death
4/5
I'm not exaggerating when I say that I'm a huge Odd Future newbie. Aside from checking out the two studio albums by Earl Sweatshirt, I possess limited knowledge of Tyler, the Creator and also watched Loiter Squad via Adult Swim, but that's about it, really. There was a soul train I wanted to catch, so I figured I'd hop on The Internet's locomotive - and to say the least, Ego Death was a great ride. It is one of those albums I could get lost to in a heartbeat. | | 40 |  | Atreyu
Long Live
3/5
Not to be confused with the The Chariot album of the same title, Orange County-based metalcore band Atreyu released their newest affair nearly a month ago. Lead Sails Paper Anchor and Congregation of the Damned were flukes, so it's good to hear a proper sequel to 2006's A Death-Grip on Yesterday. Long Live will make you feel nostalgic, that's for sure, and I'm tempted to play Burnout Takedown again just to hear "Right Side of the Bed"... oh, and "Rookie of the Year" by Funeral For a Friend. | |
Angelboros
10.03.15 | I'll add descriptions for the rest of the items later. Hopefully you've checked better crap than me. | AnimalsAsSummit
10.03.15 | that web album is so badass | Sinternet
10.03.15 | 36 don't even need a description the name says it all | Angelboros
10.03.15 | @ Sinternet: Exactly what it says on the tin. TV Tropes can come in handy. | Archelirion
10.03.15 | A lotta good stuff here. Awesome to see Evan Brewer getting some love, his solo work is incredible. I need to listen to 25 again, haven't done so for a while ^.^ | MrSirLordGentleman
10.03.15 | 3 is so fucking good, glad more people are checking it, it might be my next review | SharkTooth
10.05.15 | Needs moar Opeth
Jk good list | Angelboros
10.05.15 | I used to own a physical copy of Morningrise. | LotusFlower
10.05.15 | bump the web rating m8 | CaimanJesus
10.05.15 | 34 is great, 15 is pretty bad. | Angelboros
10.05.15 | "bump the web rating m8"
Bumped! Now I'm interested in trying out the two releases that came before it, 'cause curiosity killed the cat. Elsewhere, generosity summoned a lake troll. | evilford
10.05.15 | every time I see Angelboros posting I think for a second that AngelofDeath is back | LotusFlower
10.05.15 | Their first two releases are pretty good, but they had a different vocalist on them and the tone/atmosphere isn't as bleak as i spider.
Meanwhile, The Web became Samurai and released one more album under that name before disbanding due to financial issues. It's alright, but nothing else the band ever did would compare to i spider. | Angelboros
10.05.15 | @ evilford: Probably why KILL called me "Faux Angel" on the last list - not that I really mind. | Gyromania
10.05.15 | great list! major props for #3 | Mort.
10.05.15 | wouldnt really call the blood brothers skramz but cool list anyway man | Angelboros
10.05.15 | This is bound to have the most comments out of any of my lists.
@ Mort.: Either art punk or post-hardcore *do* sound more convincing, so I'll change it, even though labels are ridiculous sometimes IMO. | Snake.
10.05.15 | i don't seem obvious do EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEYEYYYYYYYYYEYEYYYYYYYYYYYYYE?!?! | CalculatingInfinity
10.07.15 | I missed this because I suck, sick list man. Shocked you never checked Images and Words until now. |
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