Music Reviews
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Mar 12 Reviews
Heart Failure
Church TongueReview by Philip Trapp
Indianapolis hardcore band Church Tongue has burst on to the scene with a heart-stopping debut album. Heart Failure sounds downright filthy on first listen, its bombastic, grimy hardcore seeping through...
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Feb 22 Reviews
Ghost Ship
TheocracyReview by John DeGroff
Theocracy’s fourth album, Ghost Ship, is probably the band’s most ambitious work to date. What started as a solo effort for lead singer Matt Smith has evolved into a...
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Feb 18 Reviews
New Heaven / New Earth
HandsReview by Philip Trapp
I must admit, I was caught by surprise when Facedown Records alumnus Hands announced their reunion and an upcoming performance at the label’s annual showcase, Facedown Fest. This spring’s...
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Jan 28 Reviews
Nothing but Void
Final SurrenderReview by Danielle Martin
It’s been nearly four years since progressive metalcore trio Final Surrender released their debut album, Empty Graves. Again releasing through Rottweiler Records, they’ve marked their return with an EP...
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Jan 19 Reviews
Oh, the Suffering
Becoming SaintsReview by Danielle Martin
Hard riffs, harsh vocals, carefully placed melody, and contentious (but inspiring) lyrics are factors expected from the metalcore formula. They are all accounted for on Becoming Saints’ freshman LP,...
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Dec 29 Reviews
Feral Children
Holy GoldReview by Nao Lewandowski
Some albums just leave you speechless, and Holy Gold’s debut EP, Feral Children, will do exactly that. This powerful collective (with history, weight and pedigree behind all the band’s...
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Dec 27 Reviews
State of Mind
Those Who FearReview by Nao Lewandowski
The mind is powerful. It’s the genesis of actions and words, governing character and impacting daily life, bridging our thoughts and decisions, creating a world of good and evil....
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Dec 26 Reviews
Three Dots and the Guilt Machine
Mike HranicaReview by Danielle Martin
Have you ever wondered how people would respond if they could actually read your mind? If you’re like me, the silence of internal quandary feels safe and is generally...
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Nov 27 Reviews
The Well-Intentioned Virus
ZaoReview by Danielle Martin
Zao has returned after what felt like an eternal absence. Seven years have passed since the West Virginia metal pioneers released the well-received Awake; it’s easily been the longest...
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Nov 26 Reviews
This Light I hold
Memphis May FireReview by Nao Lewandowski
It’s rare to see a band hold true to their identity throughout five studio albums. Especially so after multiple member changes. After a year of writing and recording new...
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Nov 17 Reviews
Who You Selling For
The Pretty RecklessReview by Danielle Martin
Unless you’ve actively avoided pop culture for some time, you’re familiar with the innocent-blonde-actress-from-Gossip-Girl who happens to be the wildly-talented-rockstar-frontwoman Taylor Momsen. The band she fronts, The Pretty Reckless,...
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Nov 14 Reviews
Types and Shadows
Wolves at the GateReview by Danielle Martin
When a band’s sophomore album drops, the fans can comfortably approach the music with a certain sense of expectation. By the third LP, the band’s sound is typically established,...
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Nov 7 Reviews
Pariah
GlasslandsReview by Danielle Martin
It’s no secret that artists are peddlers of varied passions. Musicians in particular are guilty of being in pursuit of simultaneous primary, side, and experimental projects, living out the...
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Nov 2 Reviews
Honor is Dead
WovenwarReview by Philip Trapp
The band's sound and message is best served hot, firing on all cylinders and blasting with their unique combination of aggressively catchy metal. Capitalizing on their surprisingly melodic 2014...
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Oct 23 Reviews
To the Point of Death
Poured OutReview by Danielle Martin
The newest member of the Facedown Records family, Poured Out, have released a killer full-length debut. The band, evoking ’90s-era hardcore, brings raw to a new level on To...
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Oct 23 Reviews
Deathgrip
Fit for a KingReview by Philip Trapp
Are you ready to die? Is anyone, really? The 89 rock music fans mercilessly slaughtered by ISIL terrorists on November 13, 2015 at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris, France,...
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Oct 23 Reviews
Volume I
DireReview by Nao Lewandowski
While Volume I successfully gives listeners an idea of what to expect from Dire in the future, the best is surely yet to come with this band. A strong...
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Oct 21 Reviews
Lovely Things in Ugly Places
Mattie MontgomeryReview by Danielle Martin
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to ascend to international success as a musician, you’re going to want to read Lovely Things in Ugly Places. Penned by...
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Oct 9 Reviews
American Prodigal
CrowderReview by Danielle Martin
If there’s anything tenured worship artist David Crowder is known for, it’s for doing things differently. For many years, Crowder and his band connected the world to God through...
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Oct 4 Reviews
Polar Similar
Norma JeanReview by Justin Mabee
From the crunching, devastating tone of the first track, “I. The Planet,” it’s obvious that Atlanta-based metal heavyweights Norma Jean is far from done with their career. Bands with...
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