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Staff
Reviews 647
Soundoffs 102
News Articles 98
Band Edits + Tags 345
Album Edits 2,238
Album Ratings 3166
Objectivity 73%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 43,943
| | Best User Reviews: August 2023 | | 1 |  | An Autumn For Crippled Children
Closure
"Overall, it is clear that the well is running dry for this band and their sound. While it once was fresh, it no longer is, even if it is competently played and even if it has captivating melodies. There needs to be something new here to keep interest, but Closure does not do this outside of a few very (and I mean very) brief moments. Despite this, it is still a fine album, and it is evident that it succeeds in what it wants to achieve." --Zac124 | | 2 |  | Scaphoid
Echoes of the Rift
"Though this album fell a bit short of my prior expectations, it is still far from a failure. Although, I would have wanted Scaphoid to put more effort into creating build-ups necessary for a satisfying climax rather than cramming space with guitar solos, this has too many great ideas to be hastily lumped in with the average instrumental djent album and certainly has the potential to intrigue the curious listener. However, I’d preemptively recommend Absent Passages over Echoes in the Rift any day of the week." --WattPheasant | | 3 |  | Velaraas
Pantheon
"A near unrecognizable metamorphosis eight years since their debut sees Velaraas effortlessly executing at a high level. Bands spend whole careers honing their sound to something this tight and impactful. Diverse guitar instrumentation and effective pacing dynamics smartly ordered make for a smooth enthralling listen and enticing replayability without a weak track in the well individuated bunch. The scarce space remaining for evolution would be a telescopic expansion of their techniques and approach for characterizing single songs scaled to multi-movement suites or a full album sized scope of epic proportions to breathe the same rarefied air of magnum opus works like Edge of Sanity's Crimson or Ayreon's The Human Equation. Pantheon , in a few short listens, cannot fail to impress Velaraas is more than capable of crafting such a gem - illuminated by the shining liberty of their fire-stolen spark." --Azazzel | | 4 |  | Eternity's Edge
Serpent Amongst Roses
"The highlight of this album is Will's superb songwriting. He took elements from the first two albums, and made it the perfect instrumental experience. The flow of the album is wonderful as well. Starting with a haunting intro ("Warning: The End Is Near"), the album features heavy, kick you in the teeth tracks like "Alienate//Discommunicate" and "Infamous", weird tracks like "Diluted Mentality" and "Ghosts II: Nosferatu", a soft ballad in "Butterflies" (Which was an AWESOME change of pace btw), and two 10+ minute tracks to finish off the album in "Solace Within Pain" and "Serpent Amongst Roses". This is Will's most diverse and dare I say best album yet. Not perfect, but I cannot wait to see what he comes up with moving forward, assuming he's sticking to the same style along with the vocals." --RedLockhart | | 5 |  | The Maine
The Maine
"Even when The Maine plays to their poppier side, as on “blame,” it generally works better than where they’ve done similar things on the last two albums. The band has always written solid hooks, but there’s enough variety to keep it from feeling too much like a generic pop song despite the overly-slick production. Elsewhere, “leave in five” sounds like The Maine trying to write a Bruno Mars song, which sounds silly when you write it out but actually adds some nice variety to the album." --instantradical | | 6 |  | The Murlocs
Calm Ya Farm
"Indeed, Calm Ya Farm presents a coming of age for The Murlocs - and in that coming of age the band has stumbled upon some keen wisdom - wrapped in the jagged tinfoil sheen of boisterous blues rock. However, it's a subtle sort of growth, especially when compared to the constant metamorphosis of their sister band: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Nothing here is earth shattering - or even particularly innovative - and diehards of psychedelic thrashing may find this work middling. But, in the vein of Steely Dan: the magic is in the writing, and the execution. It's clever lyricism and airtight structure. It's ability to acknowledge uncertain turning points in one's life and answer them with joyous front porch rock riffing." --SublimeSound | | 7 |  | Edenfall
To Gaze Longer at the Earth
"While the choruses are very repetitive, they remain intriguing. The lead singer has an operatically inspired sound similar to Tarja Turunen, and stretches their voice. Delicately crafted and plentiful high, lengthy notes fill the air in a somber collage. Through long passages the band show off their uniqueness as though sung in a tunnel. Gorgeous melodies persist, yet cavernous black metal vocals bring tension to an otherwise serene setting. Beauty and the beast vocals are very much the motif, and the tactic is effective. Between both vocalists it’s difficult to pick a favourite; the air is acutely drenched with their presences." --pizzamachine | | 8 |  | Anohni and the Johnsons
My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross
"As grim as it all sounds, the overall tone of the album is confronting rather than bleak, and rather than only inspiring hopelessness it functions as a call-to-arms. One example is the massive riff that bursts into the last minute of “Scapegoat” like a sunbeam through a storm – it is an epic, awe-inspiring moment that unshackles you from the onslaught of dark themes, even if just for a moment." --brandontaylor | | 9 |  | Yellowcard
Childhood Eyes
"Childhood Eyes is vintage Yellowcard. Sean Mackin's violins swell as poignantly as ever, Ryan Mendez's riffs are perhaps the fieriest of his tenure with the group to date, and the whole production just oozes with the sunny, coastal California vibes that have always been endemic to the band's sound." --Shamus248 | | 10 |  | Paroxysm Unit
Fragmentation // Stratagem
"Fragmentation // Stratagem brings you riffs and blasts galore. Add in the tightness, speed and technicality mixed with the top notch production job and you get one hell of a tasty modern death metal album. The vocals are EXTREMELY guttural and absolutely maniacal in every sense of the word. It's as if Belial is cursing you out from the pits of hell itself." --Hawks | | 11 |  | Travis Scott
Utopia
"The music flows well but there is a ton of variety too, and it hits more than it does not. As usual, Travis uses his voice more as an instrument a la Young Thug, than as a mode of social communication. His atmospheric turbo-tuned wails are still present, but I really enjoy the percussive element he gives here, especially in songs like "HYAENA", “CIRCUS MAXIMUS”, "LOST FOREVER" and “LOOOVE”. The beat in "SIRENS" carries itself and Drake's comeback in “MELTDOWN” is another highlight, though its inferiority to “Sicko Mode” highlights that Utopia is unlikely to be the commercial chart-stomper that was Astroworld. Frankly though, Utopia might be the better album." --anarchistfish | | 12 |  | Trha
Rhejde Qhaominvac Tla Aglhaonamëc
"Of the three proper Trha solo releases this year (so far), rhejde qhaominvac tla aglhaonamëc is by far the best. Its return to a rather suffocating black metal sound effectively found space to combine the styles of Trha’s more aggressive earlier works with the project’s more recent turn toward uplifting melodies and anthemic punk. While it’s much shorter than most Damián Antón Ojeda diehards are probably used to, its brevity makes every of its three tracks stand out well on their own–particularly its closer. And for all those reasons it can stand firm as one of, if not the, best black metal albums of the year thus far." --zaruyache | | 13 |  | Nate Nubia
Quadrant One
"Quadrant One EP stands out a bit with more modern and adapted sound, diverse composing, and a nontrivial approach to production. This release highlights Nate’s ability to create a different breed of techno, not only paying homages to the OG sound. Rooting in repetitive and heavy percussive EDM, Quadrant One is at the same time full of innovative design choices and exquisite choice of instruments." --gbongzilla | | 14 |  | Froglord
Sons of Froglord
"While Sons of Froglord may not have the usual storytelling, it may be the amphibian’s most realized outing so far. The pronounced southern flair is a natural extension of their stoner-sludge and the songs are some of the strongest they’ve put together, even if they might’ve benefited from a rearranged track order. With how quickly this project’s turnover tends to go, it’ll be interesting to see whether these elements get explored further." --PsychicChris | | 15 |  | Blut Aus Nord
Disharmonium – Nahab
"Nahab is to me, much more convincing than anything that they have released since 2014’s Saturnian Poetry, including the already magnificent Undreamable Abysses. This is the Blut Aus Nord we love, and this is how this band sounds at its best. It’s been a while since they have released something so crushing, and it feels like this new trilogy will go down in history as a part of their discography that contains some of their best works. The first album was just a teasing treat in front of this behemoth, you’re not ready." --NightOnDrunkMountain | | 16 |  | lowheaven
collapse
"Lowheaven’s debut EP collapse is bleak. Its depressive weight clings to you like swampy air and is even described by the band itself as “not a happy listen”. Lead by ex-Sparrows frontman Dan Thomson, collapse retains Sparrows’ narrative-leaning song structures and presents them through a lens of screamo, blackened hardcore, and buzzy shoegaze. While obvious to the discerned ear, the band’s influences never result in collapse devolving into a rehash of any one of them. Rather, collapse carves itself an interesting niche with its deliberate pace and crushing guitar work, with opener “cancer sleep” slamming into the listener with a foreboding quality like an encroaching storm." --NBA | | 17 |  | Uhr
Salathiel Harms
"Every track is bursting at the seems with memorable guitar lines and hooks. And while the lyrics are all but (intentional) surrealist nonsense to my ears, they’re damn fun to chant along to. I don’t know very much about the band’s members, but they work together well on this record. You can tell they’ve been polishing this set for a few years before finally deciding to put it to tape and the album’s all the better for it. You might hear an album like this, what with the noisy feedback and sporadic vocals, and assume that these guys are amateurs. But frankly, this is as tightly produced as any pop record I’ve ever heard." --SandwichBubble | | 18 |  | Spanish Love Songs
No Joy
"No Joy brings me a lot of joy, more than their highly rated predecessor. For me it’s because of changed frequency of experiences on this emotional rollercoaster. I didn’t notice unnecessary elongations, needless and strenuous overbearing the narration voice as well as absorbing every single track into similar tight unity. On both lyrical and instrumental levels its well portioned incarnate life lesson." --terriblekonrad | | 19 |  | Asking Alexandria
Where Do We Go from Here?
"Perhaps the most baffling aspect of this release is its time spent on Sirius XM Octane. One can't help but wonder if the programmers at Octane are suffering from a severe lapse in judgment. It's almost as if they're pandering to people that'll accept anything with distorted guitars and a catchy hook, no matter how uninspired or derivative it may be. It's a glaring misstep for Asking Alexandria. It lacks direction, authenticity, and innovation. The trap beats, Worsnop's bro-country voice as of late, and the overall lack of substance make it a forgettable and cringe-inducing experience. Much like its name suggests, it's time for this band to reevaluate their trajectory, because they're going nowhere fast with this sound." --Philthereaper | | 20 |  | Alice Cooper
Road
"Here the theme tying the songs together is a bit less structured, it’s a celebration of touring and the life of a musician. Alice croons/snarls his way on topics ranging from being on stage (“Welcome to the Show”), seductress waitresses in diners (where Alice’s wit and love for wordplay play out on the slightly cringe-inducing and embarrassing-for-a-75-year-old-man “Big Boots”), and what it’s like having to leave loved ones behind for extended periods (“Baby Please Don’t Go”.) Most if it is average and competent, the song structures get quite repetitive and unmemorable but the clean sounding production allows the musicianship to shine through with some great guitar solos from the incredibly talented Nita Strauss and Kane Roberts (and even a drum solo on the cover of The Who’s Magic Bus.)" --emprorzurg | | 21 |  | Thy Darkened Shade
Liber Lvcifer II: Mahapralaya
"Having listened to the album a few times, one of the aims is to have a ritualistic character. Because of its "religious/ideological" content, I was reminded of Dissection's Reinkaos, the best - in my opinion - album of this logic. In my logic, such an album should be governed by repetitive musical patterns so that they have a character of "subconscious" prayer. Of course, such a logic can lead to a monotonous repetition. In order to avoid this, the musical themes must have the required compositional imagination, while the orchestration, the corresponding pluralism." --DEPART | | 22 |  | Spellling
Spellling and the Mystery School
"All would have been well, had the whole tracklist been written and arranged specifically for the purposes of a lush orchestra or a disposition not as synth-laden as the original tracks were. The dramatics of this new arrangement somehow still sound much more bare and tiptoeing than when her palette had been in part synthesised and electronic. The lushness of construction is compromised by the express attempt to overdo it even further with organic work, yet one that thus ends up even more artificial. In the most unflattering of combinations the new sound compromises the harmonic structure altogether, which is of essential damage to a work of the likes of Spelllllling. Songs like „Cherry“ or „Haunted Water“ come off as if out-of-tempo or out-of-tune instruments from rehearsals or early demos somehow made it to the final cut. This especially works to bury all beauty of their original counterparts under the grandeur." --someone | |
Sowing
09.01.23 | It's that time again. Only four more this year! | someone
09.01.23 | Always glad to see Sandwich publishing and getting the appreciation he deserves. Get the man his Contrib, goddammit | YoYoMancuso
09.01.23 | Shamus is a fantastic writer | Minortimbo12
09.02.23 | best user reviews RANKED | DadKungFu
09.02.23 | Mad congrats to everyone wish I'd read more reviews this month | mkmusic1995
09.02.23 | Damn good reviewing as always by this community | Dewinged
09.02.23 | "Get the man his Contrib, goddammit"
I have tried to make him apply for years. The man, the legend, doesn't want the tag. | someone
09.02.23 | i suppose once you become a contrib, you get the scrutiny, but none of the praise. maybe it isn't as prestige as we covet it to be | cor22222
09.02.23 | my infamous review, what, i'm mega surprised | Shamus248
09.02.23 | Thank you both Sowing and YoYo for the recog | BitterJalapenoJr
09.03.23 | Congratulations to all and props to Sowing for keeping this going monthly. | Hawks
09.03.23 | Damn I'm on this list again this month, I'm shocked. Very glad to be writing again though! Thanks for another shoutout Sowing bro! | Hawks
09.03.23 | Maybe time for me to think about applying for contrib again hmmmmm??? | anarchistfish
09.08.23 | Thanks once again *heart emoji* | NightOnDrunkMountain
09.11.23 | Thank you for the feature once again! |
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