DROPCLUTCH
THE REASON
SELF RELEASED
Upstate NY quintet Dropclutch have incorporated the best moments from modern rock radio into their 10-track jaunt The Reason. Heavy downtuned guitars, thunderous basslines, and tasty drum work fills out this unit's Staind meets Godsmack by way of Seether approach on tracks like “Understand” and “Hollow” while cuts like “Make Your Move” and “Over & Over” really hammer out the aggression a la Mudvayne. Armed with an accessible yet rumbling sound while demonstrating an endless array of bass and guitar chugging to keep the heads bobbing and the bodies grooving, there's a place on your shelves between Sevendust and Nonpoint for Dropclutch's latest fist-pumping release. ----Mike SOS
EMPIRE STATE TROOPERS
UPSTATE AGAIN EP
ONE CELL RECORDS
myspace.com/empirestatetroopers
Upstate Again, by the (gasp!) Upstate, NY based band Empire State Troopers (couldn’t the band name clue you in on that also?) is an excellent six song EP that swings with the gnarliest of them and is just the right length. In fact, it feels more like a full length than a short player due to solid songwriting and a healthy portion of meaty riffs (not just hash browns filler).
Singer Kelly Murphy seldom screams but when she does it’s like a howling alley cat. She usually leans more towards a rich, full yet still feminine bluesy vocal that is well suited to the workman-like thump n’ roll riffs here. EST’s lyrics tend to seem to be about struggle and anxieties from real life and dealing with assholes, executed with poetic punch by Murphy who sings like she’s trying to keep her head above water.
Opener “Dogs of Odessa” is a catchy and intoxicated, rumbling beast of a jam. It’s probably my favorite track as simple yet heavy grooves build and build to a hypnotic and exciting effect. This band fulfills the role of a great four piece where every player takes up a perfect amount of space so that a second guitar just isn’t needed. I would’ve liked some more guitar soloing but they seem to be coming more from an indie rock approach on a lot of songs despite cool stoner flair creeping through the tunes.
The title track moves out of stoner territory into angular post punk riffage over choppy, precise beats from one of Upstate, NY’s most talented drummers Nate Pallace. Pallace is seriously deserving of further recognition, a confident and monster player who used to pound the skins for the truly scary (Jesus Lizard meets rock n roll train crash) underground 90’s band Mearth. “Phantom Limb” by EST also herks and jerks like the Jesus Lizard but with Murphy’s cooling croon instead of David Yow-esque drunken Lord Byron vomiting.
The production is dry and honest to the bands sound without too much polish killing the vibe. Jason Lowenstein of famed low-fi gods Sebadoh recorded the album with DJ Miller. Lowenstein also mixed and mastered it.
Much of the EP bops like an almost heavier Slant 6, the classic Dischord band, partying with Daredevil era Fu Manchu. Danceable yet bluesy indie punk and fuzzy slabs of Sabbath glory intertwine like it aint no thang. “15 Years” is a great example of the former with excellent, near surf, unison guitar and bass from Thom Hall and Jeff Fox.
Empire State Troopers are great and creative, rooted in classic influences but forging their own path with familiar tools. Someone should give this further distro immediately! ----Morgan Y. Evans
END THE CENTURY
HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
SELF RELEASED
Orange County metalcore quintet, how redundant, huh? Add End the Century's name into the bingo cage of bands whose feral screaming sounds like a rabid animal's revenge, as the six-track Hammer And The Anvil presents a band full of fire but seriously lacking the compelling compositions to properly get their power across. Tinny guitars, stock arrangements, and overwrought devices are milked to excess here, making this disc a frustrating listen from start to finish. ----Mike SOS
GENERALS AND MAJORS
GENERALS AND MAJORS
SELF-RELEASED
Putting substance way ahead of style is a rarity in the pretentious NYC rock scene, yet the quintet Generals and Majors do their part to turn this trend around. Armed with a '70s rock shimmy and tricks straight out of the Phil Lynott handbook of how to be a cool rocker, tracks like "I Don't Care" and "Every Night's a Bust in NYC" reveal the underground's scruffy underbelly by unleashing a raw rock boogie best accompanied with a busty babe and a muscle car. Displaying a love for The Rolling Stones, MC5, T. Rex, and an era when rock music was truly raucous and rebellious, this eponymous disc convincingly runs its fingers right over the pulse of rock 'n roll. Bringing the heartfelt heartbreak beats of yesteryear, Generals and Majors are resurrecting the glam rock glories and four on the floor stompings of when NYC was the rock music tastemaker. ----Mike SOS
IMPOSTER SYNDROME
FRESH AIR
SELF-RELEASED
Imposter Syndrome is a cagey NYC trio whose big hooks and sultry rhythms could easily draw comparisons to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Blondie. Yet there's more than that on Fresh Air, like the impenetrable NYC attitude which permeates through these four jagged pieces of pop elegance. Quirky without being inaccessible, tracks like "Should I?" sound like Olivia Newton John channeling The Runaways while the sinewy groove heard on "How Come?" shows this unit at its darkest and most melodic. Imposter Syndrome's latest disc offers their unique how to guide on the tips necessary to not only survive in the NYC music scene, but thrive creatively and build a distinct sound along the way. ----Mike SOS
JESUS KNEVIL
JESUS KNEVIL
SELF-RELEASED
Scathingly heavy and relentlessly abrasive, NYC's Jesus Knevil brought all their Suffocation and Immolation records to the strip club and return with this four-track endeavor reeking of liquor, smoke, and rock. Reminiscent of the time in the NYC heavy music scene when anything goes was the flavor of the month (Leeway, Blitzspeer, Crumbsuckers), this quintet manage to meld stoner rock, Slayer, NYHC crossover, and punk rock's anarchistic nihilism into metallic nuggets suitable for the moshpit or the stripper pole on The Damned by way of Motorhead-inspired "Dead People" and the Bad Brains meets Discharge stomp of "Cynical". Hard, catchy, and raw, this group throws down some solid slabs of crusty metallic rawk ready to rumble at moment's notice. ----Mike SOS
KABANG
DEGENERATION
TRIBRO
Orlando, FL by way of NYC quartet Kabang play the kind of tortured nu metal that bands like Mudvayne and Slipknot have made palatable on their 10-track affair Degeneration. With a modern metal approach in full effect, tracks like "Sacrifice" and "Break Away" sound as if they came from 10 Years or Soil, while the intense rhythm interplay on "What Now" momentarily evokes Tool before going into an early Alice in Chains-esque big rock chorus. Beefy riffs and a thick lead vocal really allow Kabang to stand out as a cross between '80s bands with balls like Bang Tango with a touch of Godsmack, giving this band a good shot of picking up new ears from the mall metal contingent. ----Mike SOS
KICKSTART
KICKSTART
SERIOUS BUSINESS
Non-pretentious traditional three chord and the truth punk rock played to the hilt is what this NYC trio Kickstart amplify on their 11-track self-titled offering. Placing punk back in the gutter with full force is what this act accomplishes, with dashes of Joe Strummer, Mike Ness, and Johnny Thunders hovering around each sneering vocal and infectious hook located in "Harmonica" and "Nothing at All". Streetwise and raw, this one is for the most hardened of punk heathens yearning for more than a fancy haircut and preposterous posturing. ----Mike SOS
KILLA BEATZ
STAY STRONG
SELF-RELEASED
Killa Beatz is a mashed-up quartet from NYC whose upbeat rap-rock leanings put
them somewhere in between The Black Eyed Peas and POD. On this urban unit's
12-track disc, the band's hybrid sound fluctuates between teenybopper anthems
("Another Piece") to hard-edged hip-hop rockers ("Scorpion",
"Stay Strong") without any hesitation. Catchy yet sounding a bit out
of touch at times, Killa Beatz comes through with a somewhat Brit-pop sensibility
on cuts like "Pressure Cookin" and "Through the Dawn", giving
this band a well-rounded yet sometimes dated stance that fans of Beastie Boys,
Kid Rock, and Limp Bizkit are sure to fawn over. ----Mike SOS
LANDING PROJECT
LANDING PROJECT
SELF-RELEASED
Queens, NY trio Landing Project play the kind of feel good punk rock that your girlfriend will undoubtedly love. And yes tough guys, you too will admit digging this melodically enhanced display of punk thanks to the sturdy songwriting twists and heartfelt performance given on their three-track self-titled sampler. Poppy without being sappy, tracks like "The Big Picture" emanates a sort of summertime bounce to it, while the overall vibe here spreads the chill with your friends and crank the radio in the parking lot aura that most suburban teens can relate to. ----Mike SOS
LOST DEPARTMENT
LO. DEP
SELF-RELEASED
Belgian bruisers Lost Department are a sextet who blur the edges between the groove-laden melodic hardcore of bands like Thumb and the seething modern metal of bands like Trivium on the five-track LO.DEP. Able to crush with the churning riffs and bastardized screams that the big boys brandish, yet still adept enough to subtlely introduce a chorus that could shake a soccer stadium, this band showcases a versatility that hampers the overall vibe at times, but rarely fails to disappoint. Tracks like "Part One" and "Grudge" unfurl elements of death metal, new school punk rock, and radio-ready hard rock into a surprisingly sucessful swirl that typifies the schizophrenia Lost Department is responsible for. ----Mike SOS
LUCKY DAY
LUCKY DAY
SELF-RELEASED
Dreamy female-fronted pop rock is what the band Lucky Day is all about judging by their three-song sampler. The jangly hooks found on "Time Will Only Know" radiate a TV sitcom theme song feel, the somber piano balladry heard on "Look At Me Now" emits a hazy '90s shoegaze feel while the precocious little girl vocals throughout the disc leaves the type of impression that squarely transports to a Juliana Hatfield or Mazzy Star kind of place. ----Mike SOS
MALSTROM
THE WORLD WILL BE LOST
SELF-RELEASED
Queens, NY quintet Malstrom continue to add weaponry to its vast arsenal of metal devices, crafting their latest near 60-minute seven-track affair with a discernibly fluid metal stance that flows from Mastodon-like crush to Opeth-esque gallop to Lamb of God's groove on tracks like "My Mortal Fetish". Mixing vast metallic styles to come up with their hybrid sound of progressive metal's penchant for soundscape exploration, European metal's majesty, and American metal's dissonance, cuts like "The War Will Be Lost" display a band whose dextrous knowledge of the metal realm allows their brand of epic songwriting to flow with authority and splendor, while "The Beast" throws the devil horns out in full black metal mode with its sinister fretwork and painstaking rhythmic precision. The World Will Be Lost is an album rich in genre-shifting dynamics and intricate songwriting that truly embodies the spirit of today's modern metalhead. ----Mike SOS
MANDATE OF HEAVEN
HUN IN THE SUN
SELF-RELEASED
The tenacious Mandate of Heaven returns with another batch of unsung multi-influenced indie rock in tow on Hun In The Sun. This 10-track recording marks the first time the project is officially a duo, as a full-time drummer has been added, shaping the songs in ways a one-man band usually lose in translation. Oodles of syrupy Jawbreaker versus Weezer riffs can be found stashed in tracks like "American Jet Fighters", while Foo Fighters and Hot Water Music fuel the burn of "Team Bird". Displaying a love for all types of rock from Smithereens to Ween, the quality of the songs attached to Mandate of Heaven's latest are declarative messages telling us there's something brewing in Upstate New York again. ----Mike SOS
METALHEAD
METALHEAD
SELF-RELEASED
Giving its band a lofty name to live up to, the act Metalhead aim to please the metal sect that likes it loud with a slew of genre-spanning metal melodies and hard-nosed lyrics. Sounding like Skid Row circa 1992 ("Speedball") at times, this group keeps the backbeat heavy and the guitar solos ripping throughout with arena-rocking choruses on tracks like the gutwrenching grunge on "Let's Get High", while "Toxic People" brings the mood down with maracas and a down and out Sunset Strip bluesy strut. The throbbing rhythm section stands out here as a driving force behind a lot of the tracks, especially on the Cult meets Audioslave stunner "Hell's Where We're Living". No frills hard rock whose grooves dig deeper than most, Metalhead's self-titled endeavor sounds like a vintage band with a modern streak, perfect for those into Buckcherry and Velvet Revolver. ----Mike SOS
MINK
MINK
GREY NURSE
NYC meets Australian rock crew Mink play their refined rock 'n roll loud and proud on their 12-track eponymous disc. Armed with gigantic glam rock hooks, a vocally-versatile frontman, and a rowdy array of big badass hard rock riffs ("Pressure Pressure", "Madame Chung"), Mink falls somewhere in between The New York Dolls, The Strokes, and Velvet Revolver while presenting the sinewy shimmy on "Untouchable", the garage-rock feel of "New York Summer", the Pumpkins meets Stooges bite of "Pills", and the Strokes-esque "Talk to Me". Superb production (just check out the smoky vibes emitted from the melancholic "Will Not Let You Down") and big connections aside, Mink is enriched with a genuine sense of rock 'n roll savvy that you can't fake, making their disc a wise choice for those about to rock. ----Mike SOS
NEVEREVEN
NEVEREVEN
SELF-RELEASED
NYC quartet Nevereven strike an intriguing middle ground between pop-punk, hard rock, and progressive rock on their eponymous seven-track offering. The dextrous and crunchy guitar work ("Dreamcatcher", "Midnight") really stands out, as their Coheed and Cambria meets Incubus mix goes down smooth yet manages to pack a kind of unassuming yet welcomed punch to the head. Thanks to solid chops and ears to the ground for the last 15 years of rock music, this band is able to take meaningful musical breaks containing the crisp solos and passionate twists found on "Naive Crush" and "Cloud Nine" without sounding overblown or unskilled. Nevereven's genuine delivery and impressive songwriting prowess bolsters this unit's uniquely slanted rock amalgamation enough to warrant repeated listens and rounds of air guitar playing. ----Mike SOS
NO ONE GOES HOME
THE NEW ERA
SELF-RELEASED
The emo rock trio No One Goes Home makes sure that their hair and clothes are coordinated, but don't hold that against them. After all, consider their market that The New Era, the squad's latest endeavor, is made for. Besides their well-measured fashion sense, these cheeky bastards showcase all of the makings of a 14 year old girl's favorite band, from dreamy pop choruses and big rock guitar hooks to wavy keyboard sounds and biting lyrical sarcasm. If you attend the Warped Tour and like the more sing-y bands, No One Goes Home may strike some chords with you. ----Mike SOS
NRL
NRL
SELF-RELEASED
Connecticut-based skate punkers NRL play with the vigor and virtue of NOFX meeting Blink 182 at a Bad Religion show on their 10-track disc, even though these guys hail from the wrong coast. From the fast-paced Pennywise-esque stomp of "Discarded Youth" to the reckless spirit that propels "Adore", these guys sing about getting wasted and sticking it to the man with convincing melodic flare, making songs like "Hell Loves Company" prime candidates to skate, drink, or generally rip shit up to. ----Mike SOS
OBNOXIOUS GAS
OBNOXIOUS GAS
SELF-RELEASED
Long Island crustcore crew Obnoxious Gas unleash a relentless 10-track assault on your brain with their neck-snapping self-titled affair. Rapid-fire rhythms, punk rock riffs on warped speed, and frantic vocal yelps are the specialty of this quartet, keeping the musical output vicious while keeping their bitterness intertwined with the right amount of whimsy on cuts like "Fight Your Parents" and the death and roll stomp "Raped in Your Grave". If you dig Eyehategod, Entombed, SOD, Napalm Death, A.C., or anything else abrasively loud and genuinely unapologetic, the raw offering from these raucous bunch of dudes will have you grinding the night away. ----Mike SOS
OVERTHRONE
DECLARATIONS OF SECESSION
SELF-RELEASED
Sounding a bit too polished for the catacombs and definitely way too advanced
to come from America, the Illinois duo known as Overthrone unleash their black
metal malaise to the masses in the form of the eight-track Declarations
Of Secession. Taking the template set by bands such as Cradle of Filth
and incorporating it into their bastardized concoction of blast beats, synth
overlays, and demonic vocalizations, songs like the title cut and "The
Tribunal" contain the frenetic energy and genuine disdain necessary to
pull off a competent yet maligned mutation of black, death, and progressive
metal. ----Mike SOS
PATIENT PATIENT
PROFESSIONALS AND CONVICTS
SELF-RELEASED
Wistfully artistic, the Pacific Northwest clan Patient Patient enjoy creating multi-textured, odd-chorded guitar rock that challenges both the inimitable vocals and the curious listener. Radiohead, Muse, Jeff Buckley...yes. they're all apparent influences, but so is the grunge scene of their hometown, stamped on this unit via bands like Soundgarden and Green River on tracks like "Nyctalopia". Armed with a Brit-rock gleam and soul-drenching alt rock despair one-two punch, the nine tracks on Professionals And Convicts cram bright rays of light through the small cracks in the floor, casting ominous musical shadows like "It's A War" along the way. ----Mike SOS
QUEEN V
DEATH OR GLORY
ROYAL NOISE
Straddling the line between hardened rocker and breakout star, the NYC scene vet Queen V still emits the power of her previous works, only this time around there's a whole lot more polish on the 11-track Death Or Glory that makes this disc sound major league. From the arena rock sized arrangements heard on cuts like "Good Enough" to the guest appearances on the album from everyone from six string heroes Vernon Reid and Tom Morello to Lemmy of Motorhead, who lends the gritty backroom groove to the rocking "Wasted", everything on this release is cranked to the maximum threshold for a total rock excursion. Chock full of harmonica ("Revolution Baby"), dynamic guitars ("Survival"), and of course the unrivaled pipes of the Queen herself ("One More Time"), this endeavor debunks the theory that the NYC rock scene is dead and buried. ----Mike SOS
ROCKETS TO RUIN
LOVE DRUGS REBELLION
SELF-RELEASED
Produced by Rachel Bolan of Skid Row, the 10-track disc from Rockets to Ruin is full of rock 'n roll excess and low on originality. Hair metal with a modern bite could best describe tracks like "Gotta Go, Gotta Roll", while "1 More Fix" relies on a deep bass groove before hitting the Sunset Strip for a six-string spin. Reminiscent of bands like LA Guns, Poison, and Faster Pussycat at their raunchiest, the sizable bark and bit of a punk rock bite heard on Love Drugs Rebellion affords Rocket to Ruin a raw rock feel that helps them stand above the pack. ----Mike SOS
ROSETTA/BALBOA
PROJECT MERCURY
LEVEL PLANE
Two underground Philadelphia, PA rock bands putting a split disc together usually doesn't sound like an unusual undertaking, unless the bands in question are hardcore troupe Balboa and the Isis-inspired Rosetta. Here, not only does each act gets to strut their own unique slant on heavy music from the City of Brotherly Love, but they join forces like The Wonder Twins at the end for a rousing uniting of chest-beating hardcore and isolationist metal with the epic title cut, far surpassing anything else here from either group. ----Mike SOS
RUBY BULLET
NOTHING LEFT TO BLEED ON
VICTORIOUS PIRATE
The NYC duo Ruby Bullet reveal their dark and edgy designwork on their seven-track offering Nothing Left To Bleed On. Equipped with a strong female vocal and barrage of dramatically-induced hard rock with tons of Goth charm and meaty hooks, cuts like "In My Silence" and "Thorn" conjure up a Evanescence meets Opeth vibe, while the discernibly noisy jazz feel of "What I Know" demonstrates just one of this unit's versatile approaches to their progressive pop concoction. Mixing complex musical nuances with everyday melodies, Ruby Bullet manages to get their musical rocks off at the same time as presenting the listener with solid slabs of well-crafted rock that provide a supple blueprint for every disenchanted female rock fan to follow. ----Mike SOS
SHOOT THE MOON
AIM HIGH
SELF-RELEASED
Sleazy and bluesy hard rock comes courtesy of Shoot the Moon, whose nine-track disc wreaks of hard rock hooks, hip-slithering rhythms in leather pants, and loads of regret. You can smell the booze on the breath of the vocals on "No Rewind", "Someday" is full of power ballad bravado, and hey, isn't track five a cover song? Well "Nowhere & Hell" is one of the best riffs G'NR never wrote, but luckily this crew has lifted many more tricks from the down and dirty hard rock dictionary. Laying down blues boogie hair metal with a touch of southern livin' ("Grandma"), Shoot the Moon showcase their solid chops with the attitude of the top shelf of hard rock acts in tow. ----Mike SOS
SKELTER
SIP O' TEA FOR THE DEVIL
SELF-RELEASED
On the a 14-track offering Sip O' Tea For The Devil, NYC's rock rabble rousers Skelter turn it up, let it hang out, and crank another batch of tunes factory ready for singalongs in the shower or in the tavern. Taking it even further this time around thanks to the album's "Trenterludes" (ramblings from the album's thankfully made up ignorant and incompetent pseudo host/ MC douchebag), this trio perfectly emulates the NYC Tuesday night rock club vibe to a tee. Their songs also experience an upgrade of sorts, as a discernible punkier edge is added through on "Indifference", building on the band's already Stones-esque swagger revealed on "The Idiot" and the outfit's love for Brit-pop fueling cuts like "Dawn Marie". Rounding out their edges, getting a bit more theatrical both in music and in presentation and writing solid songs that run the gauntlet from late '60s rock of "This is a Ghost Town", '80s college rock on "Hello Hello Hello" and the timeless bottom heavy bass meets guitar jangle on "Your Gray Hair", Skelter considerably raises the bar on Sip O' Tea For The Devil, churning out some of the most razor sharp and savvy songs to come from the garage. ----Mike SOS
SOMA
SOMA
SELF-RELEASED
Soma is a Queens-based quintet whose five-track release treads the emo-tinged hard rock waters inhabited by bands like Glassjaw, Thursday, and Deftones. Armed with a slew of good ideas and a good sense of direction, when these guys get all screamy on tracks like "Nothing is a Tragedy" they are most effective, yet they could use a metronome and a little more polish instrumentally to make it a more cohesive affair. Nonetheless, Soma displays an ample amount of angst to keep an eye out for their next batch of tunes. ----Mike SOS
SOMETHING FIERCE
COME FOR THE BASTARDS
SELF-RELEASED
Volatile punk rock seems to be a specialty of the properly-named Something Fierce, whose 10-track release showcases this trio's relentless intensity. Snarling bass lines and stoic drums hold it down while the shrieking vocals and powerful guitars lead the charge on cuts like the pogo-inspiring "Lost Perspectives", the anger-fueled "Find Darkness", the contagious title track, and the UK punk rock feel on "10FT Demon". This Houston, TX group's oddball mix of traditional punk, edgy indie rock, and sing-along hardcore shines brightest throughout the duration of Come For The Bastards, radiating a boundless energy that fans of punk will definitely dig on. ----Mike SOS
STORM THE CASTLE
THE FREE OF CHARGE DEMO
SELF-RELEASED
Arkansas trio Storm the Castle want to put the fun back into metal according to their press release, and judging by their five-track demo, that means throw in a slew of Iron Maiden-esque guitar runs and sneak a couple of AC/DC riffs in for good measure. With dead-on double guitars ("Lost in the Goddamazon") and a fiery vocal delivery that, while is discernibly non-metal, gets the job done, Storm the Castle is much more metal than they let on. Heavily leaning on the NWOBHM and relying on the progressive a la Rush meets Voivod to hammer their points home, these guys obviously know their way around the fretboards and aren't afraid to go down roads reserved for the absurd. Undaunted and daring, if you dig Primus, Zappa, and Judas Priest, you're gonna freak on this one. ----Mike SOS
SYMPTOM 7
VOL. 1
SELF-RELEASED
Talk about a power trio! Symptom 7 is a metal outfit whose 12-track disc VOL. 1 scorches from top to bottom with jaw-dropping fretwork, balls heavy rhythms, and the kind of low-end crush employed by Alice in Chains, Black Label Society, Soundgarden, and of course, the almighty Black Sabbath. Armed with memorable riffs like the ones found "Bound", "Trip", and "Killin' Floor", if you hanker for no frills, technically excellent hard rock, this crushingly heavy offering is a must-have disc. Symptom 7 successfully melds the attitude and vibes of grunge, metal, and hard rock with a monstrous delivery that anyone that appreciates all things rock can't help but crank up to 11 and rock out to. ----Mike SOS
THE ANYWHERES
THE ANYWHERES
SELF-RELEASED
Long Island trio The Anywheres have a everyman quality to their music that truly invites a broad base of fans, as their easygoing melodies and laid back style are reminscient of bands like Dashboard Confessional, The Fray, and Goo Goo Dolls on cuts like "Summer Song" and "D.E.F.". The band also knows how to kick it up a notch as noted on the Pearl Jam meets Lenny Kravitz funk rock of "Lube", but it's on "New Tonight" when the band's somber and reflective side shows through and in turn demonstrates the outfit at its best. ----Mike SOS
THE DIRTY PEARLS
THE DIRTY PEARLS
SELF-RELEASED
Stylish sleaze rock best describes the NYC quintet known as The Dirty Pearls. whose eponymous six-track sampler oozes with rock and roll grit from the opening strains of "Happy New Year". Packed with oodles of commercial rock melodies and a suave swagger reminiscent of the bluesy end of the hair metal spectrum, this squad comprised of grizzled NYC rock veterans combine the wares of Junkyard, LA Guns, and some of the more guitar-grooved '80s metal outfits to round out their undeniably contagious huge rock sound. Giving Buckcherry a run for its money, The Dirty Pearls unabashedly bring back the arena rock attitude with a bevy of risque vocals and dirty guitar licks whose familiar tone should please those still decked out in denim and leather. ----Mike SOS
THE FRANTIC
A STORY OF BETRAYAL AND LUST
SELF-RELEASED
The Frantic is a New Jersey-quartet whose sinewy blues bitten alternative rock shuffle reigns over A Story Of Betrayal Ane Lust. Going two steps beyond bar band fare with their inventive songwriting, drama-building dynamics, and hard rock backbone, songs like “Ver 2.0” are transported from the garage floor to the stage with ease, while the title cut shimmies with shameless rock ‘n roll spirit. Fully in tune with each other and how to rock, The Frantic’s simplistic yet rich melodies are stapled all over this smart seven-track disc, giving fans of fist-pumping rock something to cheer about. ----Mike SOS
THE KRUSHERS
BARUCH ASHEM
KURAVILU
The Krushers are an Italian grindcore troupe whose penchant for writing bursts of lo-fi abrasiveness crashes through like a battering ram into a wall on the 10-track Baruch Ashem. Smashing their way through on the wings of bands like Napalm Death, Schizo, and Discharge, tracks like "Figa Sociale" and "Pedokorpse" contain a potent blend of death metal, grindcore, and punk rock whose pugnacious immediacy renders the perfect soundtrack to a demolition. ----Mike SOS
THE NICK VIVID EFFECT
THE NICK VIVID EFFECT
SELF-RELEASED
Nowadays, when you hear of a band
consisting of only two members, colored shapes are usually spring first to mind.
The Nick VIvid Effect sticks four middle fingers up to that notion right quick
with their balls to the wall shaken and stirred brand of bluesy hard rock. A
veritable time warp of a disc, this three song explosion just sent you back
to the golden era of conversion vans and fast times, as the fist-pumping anthem
"Go Get 'Em, Kid!" blares out of the eight-track player. Vintage yet
volatile, this tandem's big rock sound and matching attitude will bowl you over
with glam rock goodness and arena rock awe.
----Mike SOS
THE OUTSIDE
YOU ARE THE ALPHA…GRACIAS POR NADA
SELF-RELEASED
Sounding like Yeah Yeah Yeahs on steroids, The Outside’s barrage of melodic musings and off-kilter rhythms and timings intrigues and excites. The quartet’s latest five-track release hits hard yet knows when to tone it down so the differences in songs like “10%” feel that much more striking. Able to maintain a dreamy female vocal that viciously morphs into a guttural growl without warning help The Outside fine tune its usually dissonant yet uniquely angular wall of sound that at times is reminiscent of Tool clashing with Helmet, especially on the warped cosmic blues-metal of “Milky Way”. Dynamic as hell, heavy as lead, and enthralling throughout, this disc contains some post hardcore of the most volatile variety and should be handled with such regard. ----Mike SOS
THE PUTRID FLOWERS
YOUNG FOR THE LAST TIME
SELF-RELEASED
http://www.theputridflowers.com
Queens-based punk crew The Putrid
Flowers have morphed from punk rock princes into budding rock luminaries judging
by the outfit's latest 12-track endeavor, Young For The Last Time.
Maintaining the group's punk rock roots on tracks like the Offspring meets All-esque
"Amanda the Salamander" and the brawny and brooding twitches of "On
the Eve of St. Agnes" while straying into the metal realm with a killer
lead riff and an extra dose of vitriol on "Going Your Way", this veteran
unit continues to write compelling compositions. Melding the rock stuff you
hear on MTV reality show soundtracks with the outfit's unique and tactful songwriting
nuances and twists on "Mourning Clouds Yielding to a Midday Sky",
The Putrid Flowers brand of punk rock captivates and keeps you coming back for
more.
----Mike SOS
THE VENDA
THE VENDA
SELF-RELEASED
Hard to believe that this edgy Queens, NY trio are barely college-aged chaps, as The Venda’s six-track sojourn reveals a much more sophisticated musical influence pool than many of their contemporaries. While the obvious The Police, The Clash, and The Cure references spring up on “The Pale White Light” and “Strike Again”, ‘60s Mod-era rock a la The Who and The Kinks is very much alive and well in this fold, aptly shown on tracks such as “I Am the Gun”. There’s even an underscore of So Cal punk a la NOFX, Lagwagon, and the like juxtaposed with some ‘70s British glam on “The Dive”, making this disc one of the most unlikely surprises to come from the Queens scene in a long time. The Venda’s astonishingly deep musical versatility, which when appearing in most cases is usually misdirected and ultimately detrimental, has been meticulously fine-tuned here, making this eponymous release a tantalizing listening experience. ----Mike SOS
TRAGIC ORANGE
CHRYSALIS
SELF-RELEASED
Long Island hard rock quartet Tragic Orange have a ready for mass consumption sound masterfully displayed on the 13-track Chrysalis. Combining modern hard rock's dramatics and melodic metal's malaise, songs like "Formula" skillfully wisks through ebbs and flows without losing an ounce of intensity, a staple device utilized with tremendous success throughout. Grinding riffs like "Gutter Song" collide with the Snot-esque funk of "Get Off", creating a wide spectrum of sounds that shake down the walls, while the top notch rhythm section holds it all down with a fierce undercurrent propelling every snare hit and bass fill all over but most notably on "Climbing Chaos" and the aggressive yet atmospheric "Pure and Simple". Throw in a singer whose versatile range and sanguine shifting vocal attack goes from blow for blow to beyond and Tragic Orange becomes required listening to anyone that considers themselves a fan of hard rock past 1995. ----Mike SOS
TRIPLE CREME
THIS MIGHT HURT
SELF RELEASED
Triple Creme is a gay all-girl four-piece from NYC whose sharp guitar hooks, and riot grrrl pretense shine on their 10-track offering This Might Hurt. Taking pages from Slater-Kinney, Le Tigre and Veruca Salt as much as Jesus Lizard, these ladies bring the rock with an indie rock vibe and a biting social commentary that complements the slash and burn rhythms found on "8/29" and "TNT", even double-dipping in sarcasm on the raucous homage to Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" and Brooklyn hipsters on "Team Queen". Poppy enough to sing along to yet armed with a guitar tone that elicits massive rounds of air guitar and topped off with sneering punk rock ironies, Triple Creme proudly displays its love for swirling guitar rock on this release. ----Mike SOS
VERISMO
CITY OF KINGS
SELF-RELEASED
Brooklyn metal trio Verismo’s latest 10-track offering reveals a band whose stoner rock vibes and thrash metal licks work in conjunction to righteously kick you in the ass. Fat grooves like the one found on “Field Report” are commonplace when shuffling through this CD, as this unit really cranks out the COC meets Life of Agony aura while implementing its unique spin on NYC metal of past acts such as Circus of Power, Blitzspeer, and Warrior Soul. Spanning the metal realm for influences that range from Clutch to Scorpions, Verismo ceremoniously unfurls heavy hooks and galloping guitar runs like a crossover band a la Leeway on tracks like “Enemy”, while the super-tight rhythm section’s uncanny knack for consistently driving it home keeps City Of Kinigs sturdy on cuts like “The Lorax” and “Moment of Clarity”. A veritable potpourri of great songs and a great overall sound is what City Of Kings offers, so if you’re looking for a band that can groove, thrash, and leave a melody humming in your head, look to Verismo. ----Mike SOS
VERMEFUG
VERMEFUG
SELF-RELEASED
The burgeoning thrash metal revivalist
movement has made its way to NYC thanks to the surly quintet Vermefug, whose
old school headbanging thoroughfare comes complete with blistering guitar solos
and sneering vocals. On the outfit's four-song sampler, these cats do a solid
job in recreating the vibes of 1983 metal all over again, right down to the
breakneck rhythm audible on "Maze of Torment". While the disc sounds
a tad underproduced, it exudes the charm of the era when DRI and Excel pounded
it out in the clubs, bars, and halls across the country. Vermefug's eponymous
offering lays down a spirited effort that lovingly revisits a time when these
young un's were thrashing in their cribs while Exodus and Metallica were living
out of a van paving the way for the initial wave of thrash metal to break through.
----Mike SOS
VOICE OR NO VOICE
VOICE OR NO VOICE
SELF-RELEASED
Incorporating a cavalcade of influences into their blend of East Coast hardcore, the NJ-NY conglomerate known as Voice or No Voice lay down an intriguing mix of music on their eponymous four-track disc. Political punk, crossover hardcore, and even some straight up rock creeps its way into tracks such as the gang-vocal propelled "Time Travellin'", while the post-hardcore stomp of "Happier" sounds like a collaboration between Quicksand and Sick of It All with a touch of Sheer Terror strewn in for good measure. Open minded hardcore fans rejoice, Voice or No Voice will surely unite you via their stellar arrangements showcasing their slanted approach to the underground. ----Mike SOS
VORE
MALEFICUS
SELF-RELEASED
Death metal mongers Vore mid-tempo stomp contains more than a touch of evil, as this eight-track offering follows the Deicide/Six Feet Under paradigm well enough, truly sounding foreboding. Doomier than deathier, “Threshold of Empowerment” sounds just as much at home on a Crowbar album, while the deliberately measured “Misery Embrace” feels roomy despite the incessantly intense double bass drumming. Unafraid to wield a 12-string, songs like “Ashes” give the album a more somber tone than overall death and destruction, adding traces of humanity to the typically demonic delivery. Vore does a fine job in conveying their diverse dynamics on Maleficus, reaching cavernous lows that shake to your soul with dexterity. ----Mike SOS
WHAT DOESN'T KILL ME
WHAT DOESN'T KILL ME
SELF-RELEASED
Long Island hardcore punkers What Doesn't Kill Me play as blindingly fast as a grindcore band and vocally (thanks to some blood -curdling metal screams) come off as angry as a pack of wild dogs, so it's no surprise that this totally DIY nine-track affair contains an immense amount of underground charm. Add in a need for speed, a discernible love for chaos, and a tip of the hat to the old school non-fashioncore style that propels cuts like "Me Vs. Man" and "Both Feet in the Grave", and you can almost feel the elbows crash into the back of your neck from the uncontrollable pit war. Volatile and visceral, What Doesn't Kill Me delivers an unapologetic kick to the teeth with this eponymous release. ----Mike SOS
WORLD WAR IX/ BLACKOUT SHOPPERS
LARCENY ARMAGGEDON
SELF-RELEASED
Two bands carrying the tattered NYC punk rock flag have joined forces to comprise this split 7". Up first are the caustic World War IX, a throwback to the early days of rebellious punk rock rebellion with the rock steady tongue in cheek bravado of "Employee of the Month" standing out, while Blackout Shoppers and their hook-laden smash and grab subtlety tear through two of their own tracks, with "Beerhead", clocking in at 1:13 of pure adrenaline leaving the most dubious impression. Two hard working NYC bands and four kick ass punk songs equals something punk rockers should get their hands on at any cost. ----Mike SOS
YO!SCUNT
YO!YO!YO!
SELF-RELEASED
Embracing and radiating the long lost filthy NYC punk rock spirit that left long before CBGB's closed its doors, the Queens-based Yo!Scunt pull no punches and make no excuses for their jarring musical dissonance, controversial song lyrics, or in your face style. On this depraved squad's 11-track offering, the band climbs out of the gutter long enough to throwdown venomous punk rock like "I Can't Wait to sk8" and "Self Abuse". Brazen with a total disregard for decency, a deplorable sense of diplomacy, and an uncouth sexual prowess that creepily comes out on cuts like "Happy Ending" and the contagious X-rated gem "Cummy Tummy", any band that can not only get away with a song called "Honkey Spic Nigger Slope", but can get a racially-diverse crowd to sing and dance along must be doing something right, even if at first glance it seems so wrong. Unsanitized and unruly, Yo!Scunt takes punk rock back from the clueless masses and brings it back down to the days where the attitude and lifestyle lived solely on an underground level. ----Mike SOS