Reviews

Christian Hardcore/Post-Hardcore act from Argentina, Lo Inconmovible (translated: The Unshakable) after 6 years of being a band, have finally released their official full length.

The Chairman Dances’ latest release wrestles with the pain of life and death over brooding orchestral arrangements.

Valleyheart’s moving debut is repentant, vulnerable alt-rock laced with explosive crescendos.

The Tyranny of Things, the latest release from Dystopian Futures, builds on the foundation laid during the band’s debut self-titled EP, and Low Arts. This world is a dangerous place. And it’s not just the horrific scenes that appear on the evening news. Continued →

San Antonio, Texas’ Metallic Hardcore act Thin Ice has recently released demos for what would’ve been their full length follow up to their Blood & Ink records EP release “Revelation Through Tribulation”. Needless to say, this doesn’t disappoint in the least. Heavy and aggressive as expected.

There are albums that one finds out about and count the days in anticipation for its release. Young Oceans’ “Songs of Christimas” is one album that I, myself was not aware was being worked out, but was exceptionally joyed upon hearing of it’s release.

Eager Seas’ latest release is composed of songs released consecutively throughout 2018. Does it suffer from being single-driven or does it maintain enough cohesion to be considered a proper album? Does this question even matter?

A while ago, I remember hearing a small snippet of a track from a band I would later find out was Amongst the Giants; just a few seconds in length really, but based solely on that, I already had high expectations of what was to come and was eager to hear more. Continued →

Before I came to a place of faith in my life, I was really, REALLY into Marilyn Manson. Odd way to start this review? Maybe, but stick with me. When I finally did come to faith in Christ, I guess I really had little idea of the concept of Christian music and what it could sound like. Continued →

Back in May, I was able to catch Memphis May Fire on a show they added to an off night on their tour with Sevendust. I was fortunate enough to have secured a VIP for that show, part of which included a pizza party and getting to listen to the new album well before it was even announced, much less released. Continued →

P.O.D. has long been a favorite of mine, and likely the first Christian band I ever listened to. Their successes have made them a staple among hard rock fans in both Christian and secular markets, and despite a less popular album here or there, or even less interest in the hard rock genre in general, the band’s fanbase have continued to remain loyal to the band, a fact easily evidenced by the band’s live shows and the online response to all the latest news, especially where new music is concerned. Continued →

We’re excited to give some pre-release press on this new band – check out our review and be sure to keep an eye on Gr8frt for an official release on 12/15!

While this is being described by the label as “Norwegian death metal”, honestly that is a bit misleading.  To my ears, what we have here is a hybrid form of extreme metal.  For instance, you have some down-tuned nu metal rhythms, but they’re heavier than most.  Continued →

If you have not yet heard of the Melodic/Post Hardcore band Meadows from Birmingham, Alabama, then this ep is a great place to start. This band has been active since 2012. This is their 4th release to date that is the first volume of a 3 part story of tragedy, perserverance, and hope found in a hopeless time.

(This review is short due to the fact that words themselves cannot do this release justice, but to give you an idea of what it entails. Recommend listening to yourself.)

“The Flood” begins the tragic story of loss in this first installment . The song itself musically brings to mind Idle Threat. and Time Spent era Household.

“The Raven” continues this tragic story at full force then breaks down to a slower rhtyhm and back up. Reminds me so much of Ruiner. (Sidenote: I haven’t always just listened to Christian music)

“The Dove” ends this ep beautifully beginning with ambient guitar reverting similarly to how this ep began sounding like Idle Threat. and Time Spent era Household. This song seems to be the precursor to lead to volume II of the story on perserverance ending with the lyrics, She cried, “Our Father, who art in Heaven, give us the strength to live today. God, help us carry on.”

Overall, this band just gets better release after release! Start with this ep then check out their back catalog. Fans of Household, Idle Threat., and Ruiner will be pleased. Fans of Being As An Ocean will also love their older releases.

(Actual album cover in review. Edited Cover provided by our friends at JesusFreakHideout )

The southern emo/screamo/rock/alternative/however you decide to classify them boys have returned after three years from their last full length release. You’ve read the controversy, you’ve seen it, and so what is there to say about this album? Continued →

For those who don’t know, Desiring Dead Flesh are a 3-piece hardcore punk band from Michigan, entirely made up of family members Bryan (vocals, father), Adam (drums, son), and Ravyn (guitar, daughter). Yep, just drums, guitar and vox—no bass or anything else. Continued →

Ascending King is a one-man extreme metal project from Texas. Stylistically it’s a straight-up 50/50 mix of raw black metal and funeral doom. What’s strange about that mix is just how incredibly well it works here. Slower tempos overall and crushing heaviness reminiscent of sludge without the leftfield tendencies of that subgenre, but with occasional mid-paced blastbeats? Continued →

This is a fun record, that’s really easy to listen to. It’s not really ground-breaking, just straight-forward indie rock with really warm guitar tones. While there’s not a lot of distinction between the guitar and bass, for some reason that’s not a bad thing, it just adds to the simplicity. Continued →

Over the last 5 years, there hasn’t been many bands in the metal scene to remain as active as the growing juggernaut that is Fit For A King.

With this fifth release, the band brings all of their strengths to the front and showcase their heaviest work yet. Continued →

Nuoro’s debut offering shows promise with an eclectic electronic sound, but it falls short a bit due to lack of cohesion.

Having initially formed in 1992 as simply Outrage, the band released 2 independent releases by 1995 when they sadly broke up. Reuniting as the newly-christened Outrage AD in 2013, the band quickly began work on New Blood. On this debut the Canadian band apportion some classic thrash metal, with touches of crossover and groove metal. Continued →

Atlas is an artsy mix of post-rock and strong percussion grooves, paired with numerous sing-along moments.

Adjy’s wordy, four-track EP is a whirlwind of driving percussion and proof that you didn’t pay attention in English class.

Weathered is Facedown Records newest addition and is unarguably the most anticipated release in some time in the scene. While Facedown prides itself on an always esteemed roster of metal bands, the signing of Weathered might be a head scratcher, if the album wasn’t so good. Continued →

Not Beneath is an exciting new project featuring ex-members of Narcissus, Outcry, North Meadow Park, and Vessel. In 2018 those names might not mean very much but if you were into hardcore/metalcore in the late 90s or early 00s, you’ll recognize them for sure. Continued →

The world  is full of grit, seriousness, and dark themes within media. Whenever something “fun” comes around, it’s a nice change of pace.  The Protest’s debut album on Rockfest records, Legacy, provides a Christ-centered, lighthearted yet heavy hitting album that’s perfect for some summertime head-banging. Continued →

Archabald flirts with hardcore influences on their latest conceptual EP.

Kevin Schlereth’s newest EP is an intimate mix of Scripture-based acoustic songs.

DENS’ Facedown debut release proves that the label’s decision to expand beyond their metal foundation is truly paying off.

On their debut full length, Hostile Array tackles tough topics while providing an anthemic and rebellious soundtrack perfect to vent these injustices to.