Album Review: A Storm of Light

Album Review: A Storm of Light
Album: Nations to Flames
Label: Southern Lord

A Storm of Light are not the most subtle band you’re ever likely to hear. Take one look at Nations to Flames’ fiery album cover – and the title itself – and you can take a good guess at the subject matter driving the Brooklyn outfit’s fifth album.

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EP Review: Hawk Eyes

EP Review: Hawk Eyes
Album: That’s What This Is
Label: Self

Since adopting a new moniker, Hawk Eyes have gone from strength to strength. Festival-goers across Europe have been treated to their acerbic blend of chaos and melody off the back of 2012’s explosive Ideas. Now, as a precursor to a third album, the band offers up another tasty morsel of crunching guitars and wild-eyed vocals.

Album Review: ISIS

Album Review: ISIS
Album: Celestial (reissue)
Label: Ipecac Recordings

Sometimes you hear a band for the first time and you have absolutely no frame of reference to understand what it is you’re listening to. This was my – and probably a few others’ – experience with Isis.

Album Review: Palms

Album Review: Palms
Album: Palms
Label: Ipecac Recordings

It would be fair to say that Palms achieves the fabled definition of a ‘supergroup’. At face value, it’s a recipe of one-quarter Deftones, three-quarters Isis – two of the most groundbreaking acts in alternative metal in the last decade, if not longer.

Album Review: And So I Watch You From Afar

Album Review: And So I Watch You From Afar
Album: All Hail Bright Futures
Label: Sargent House

Have you ever felt pure joy? Perhaps you were running, naked and free in a glorious field surrounded by sunshine and lollipops. Maybe you were blissfully asleep, your slumber full of smiles as your dreams, for a fleeting moment, are as good as reality. Whatever your definition of delirious happiness, All Hail Bright Futures is full of that same sense of rapturous joy in abundance.

Album Review: DJ Shadow

Album Review: DJ Shadow
Album: Reconstructed
Label: Island Records

In November of 1996 24-year-old Joshua Davis released a Frankenstein’s monster of an album, pieced together through the words and music of others. Endtroducing, and DJ Shadow, introduced the world of sampling to a whole new generation.

Album Review: The Mars Volta

Album Review: The Mars Volta
Album: Noctourniquet
Label: Warner Brothers

The Mars Volta have never done things by half. Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala have consistently experimented with both what can be done in the confines of an album and with the patience of listeners. So it’s no surprise that, 11 years after the release of De-Loused in the Comatorium, Noctourniquet represents the biggest change in philosophy from the band since Frances the Mute sent heads spinning.