June 1, 2007

The Showdown Temptation Come My Way [3.5/5] When thinking of Christian metal, “interesting” isn’t typically a term that comes to mind. However, when infused with strong vocals and intriguing, full guitar sounds, opinions tend to change for the better. This is the case for Tennessee’s the Showdown, who have masterminded a Southern rock-influenced breakthrough in...

Light Yourself On Fire Light Youself On Fire EP [1/5] Go ahead, do it: Set your body ablaze, as it’ll be the only excitement generated in the vicinity of this album. Maybe you could see it coming, as the combination of metal and hardcore is continually being pushed closer and closer to its breaking point....

Hot Cross Risk Revival [3.5/5] With the cleanest production Hot Cross have yet embraced in their swelling discography, it’s easy to fear that their brand of angular, emotional hardcore has lost even more intensity than their 2004 EP Fair Trades And Farewells exposed. However, the new album merely continues in the EP’s fashion, a 44-minute...

Chimaira Resurrection [3/5] With ballsy thrash riffery straight from the late-’80s speed-metal playbook, Chimaira deliver a huge album chock full of false harmonic squeals, pummeling double-time kick-drums and Mark Hunter’s patented roar on Resurrection. Produced by knob-turner/czar Jason Suecof at his Audio Hammer studios in Florida, Resurrection finds Chimaira delving into typical manly subjects like...

Blinded Black Under The Sunrise [4/5] Blinded Black humbly credit advertising and bugging people on MySpace for building their fanbase, but whatever happened to the music simply doing the work? Under The Sunrise, Blinded Black’s full-length debut, can definitely stand on its own two feet. The musicianship is inspiring as synth-driven rock marries metal-tinged emo....

Jesu Conqueror [4.5/5] In abandoning the industrial-strength guitar/cock hammering contest of Godflesh-the same one that spawned Nine Inch Nails, Fear Factory and Psalm 69-era Ministry-for the dreamy, pastoral narco-haze that envelops all of Jesu’s best material (see last year’s pretty-much-perfect Silver EP) Justin Broadrick is creating the finest music of his career. Which is saying...

Trans Am Sex Change [4/5] At their best, Trans Am forge captivating electro rock that combines an ominous retro-futurist starkness with cheeky virtuosity and thrilling dynamics. What makes their music more intriguing is you never know if Trans Am are utterly serious or parodying coldly paranoiac synth muzik, bombastic prog and chugging boogie rawk. (However,...

Stars Of Track And Field Centuries Before Love And War [4/5] It’s been a long time in the making, but Stars Of Track And Field have overcome several hurdles (bad pun intended) including losing their bass player and switching labels before releasing their debut full-length, Centuries Before Love And War. The Portland, Oregon, trio jumped...

Ron Sexsmith Time Being [4/5] Shy, sensitive artists need supporters who’ll shout their heroes’ names into the corners the music is too quiet to reach. Over the years, everyone from Elvis Costello to Coldplay has shouted out Candian pop-folkie Ron Sexsmith, but he can’t even count on the hipsters anymore, as a nation turns its...