Iron Age – Constant Struggle / 2006 Youngblood Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/youngbloodrecords / Reviewed 01 April 2006 It was not an accident that Iron Age makes their actual CD for Constant Struggle” look like an eighties CD. The style put forth on tracks like “We’re Dust / The Violator” looks back to bands like Megadeth and their ilk for influence. Still, the production values of “Constant Struggle”, as…
Ion Dissonance – Solace / 2005 Abacus / 10 Tracks / http://www.iondissonance.com / http://www.abacusrecordings.com / Reviewed 16 November 2005 While it is hard for me to typically appreciate the style of technical hardcore that bands like Converge play, I feel that Ion Dissonance moves beyond that sound in trying to put the hardest type of music down on disc. Individuals may say that this is just a chaotic mess, that…
The Invisible Eyes – Laugh In The Dark / 2005 Bomp! / 16 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/theinvisibleeyes / http://www.bomp.com / Reviewed 09 December 2005 Psychedelic seems to be the major fuel that drives bands in 2005. Between the Invisible Eyes and The Coffin Lids, there seems to be a single-handed resurrection of the style by Bomp! bands. The Invisible Eyes are more sedate than The Coffin Lids, tending to be more…
Intronaut – Void / 2006 Goodfellow / 7 Tracks / http://www.intronaut.net / http://www.goodfellowrecords.com / Reviewed 10 August 2006 It may take a few seconds for individuals to be properly welcomed (assaulted) by Intronaut, but when you hear the band cranking themselves up during “A Monolithic Vulgarity”, you know that something impressive awaits just around the corner. The track is not just a minute of introduction and then something that drops…
Intrinzik – Double U I Double L / 15 Tracks / 2004 Intrinz Ink / http://www.intrinzikweb.com / [email protected] / Reviewed 18 April 2004 Intrinzik is a key member of Arizona’s Fall Guy, and this album is an album in which we finally see where Intrinzik wants to go. We are immediately assaulted with a diverse sound that mixes together Cypress Hill, House of Krazees, and Kid Rock, along with nu-metal…
Intangible – Elevate / 2005 Larkin Music / 4 Tracks / http://www.intangiblemusic.com / http://www.larkiomusic.com / Reviewed 22 March 2005 Intangible begins their EP with “Release”, a track that explores fully the indie-rock influences of the members of the band, allowing a high-flying Creed-like guitar-solo (which looks back to the rock of the sixties) to dominate the bridges on the track. The drums are still the highest part of the disc,…
In Stereo – Death Before Emo / 2005 New School / 6 Tracks / http://www.instereomusic.com / http://www.newschoolrecords.com / Reviewed 23 August 2005 The pop-punk played by In Stereo really is amazing considering that the current band has only been around for four months. Everything sounds smoothed out and mature, not quite unlike a better version of Unwritten Law. “Always And Forever” is reliant on repetitive guitar riffs in the vein…
Instant Camera – Alive On Departure / 2005 Wall To Wall / 10 Tracks / [email protected] / [email protected] / Reviewed 14 July 2005 The opening track “Beyond Infinity” starts off with a mixture of different style, taking equal parts from Radiohead and Coldplay just as from the dream-pop movement from the mid-nineties. The rockabilly approach to “Dr. Glass” mixes with Modern English to have Instant Camera attack with a new…
Innaway – S/T / 2005 Some / 10 Tracks / http://www.innawaymusic.com / http://www.some.com / Reviewed 11 May 2005 The dreamy fuzz of “Threat Hawk” hides a great appreciation for harder rock, and the driving guitar line that threads its way through the first track makes me expec that the band will just break out in true rock-fashion. When the band brings finesse to their general sound (“The Strings of North…
InMemory – In So Many Words / 2004 Doughmain / 12 Tracks / http://www.inmemorymusic.com / http://www.doughmainrecords.com / Reviewed 02 June 2005 InMemory plays the same brand of emo that is so present uin every high school and music scene through the United States. InMemory’s hook is that they have a greater ear for arrangement and have a better general sound than 99% of the bands currently out on the scene.…
Inner Surge – Matrika / 7 Tracks / http://www.funender.com/music/bands/40/ / [email protected] / Reviewed 17 April 2004 Starting out their CD with “Driven”, sounding like a mix of Tool and Damage Plan, Inner Surge really are a heavy rock band that knows what they are doing. While the recording on “Matrika” may not be the best, the musical talent of the band shows through, even if their originality is not as…
In Ink Please & The Foliage – How To Make Better Love (Split) / 2004 Fall Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.ininkplease.com / http://www.fallrecords.com /the_foliage / Reviewed 19 September 2004 Another two-piece band, In Ink Please enjoys a rich instrumentation and willingness to experiment that keeps individuals listening. The split starts off with “AQ75#3”, led by by Vanessa’s strong voice and a slightly-jangly acoustic guitar. Assaulting and pushing the track…
Infliction – The Silence / 2005 Cruz Del Sur / 11 Tracks / http://www.infliction.it / http://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com / Reviewed 16 January 2006 This is an interesting mix; Italy’s Infliction mix together the most deep and heavy black metal with a goth/synthpop type of vocals that are first shown during a track like “Eyeseeblack”. Three styles of vocals dominate during “The Silence”; the gothic, slower style, the more thrashy, screamed out vocals…
Indifference – Born To Be A War Machine / 2003 Self-Released / 5 Tracks / http://www.indifferencemusic.co.uk / Reviewed 07 July 2005 Indifference’s EP came out in 2003, but immediately it becomes obvious that the music is still vital and worthwhile. The time that this disc has been sitting on the shelf has really given Indifference the time to age well, like a fine well. What follows on “Born To Be…
In Civilian Clothing – We Made A Killing, We Made A Mess / 2006 Right Place / 11 Tracks / http://www.incivilianclothing.com / http://www.rightplace.tv / Reviewed 21 January 2007 In Civilian Clothing does not give individuals much of an idea what they will eventually sound like at the beginning of “Poets of the Great Salvation”. The style is sedate and the vocal style is quite and does not become powerful until…
In Case of Fire – S/T / 2005 Self / 4 Tracks / http://www.incaseoffire.co.uk / [email protected] / Reviewed 12 March 2006 While the sound of “Violence and Pictures” seems pretty hard from the start, what comes forth during the track is a much more nuanced brand of sound. This is not emo music, but rather a fusion of emo and rock that defies any easy categorization. Driven, intense and with…
In Black and White – The Thermocline / 2006 Self / 5 Tracks / http://www.in-black-and-white.net / Reviewed 25 December 2006 In Black and White do not give an indicator of how they sound on the front cover of “The Thermocline”. The cover is actually just a representation of the name of the band, with black and white text. The only ornamentation comes with a grouping of four penguins that are…
Imperial Leather – Something Out of Nothing / 2006 Profane Existence / 13 Tracks / http://www.communichaos.com/il/ / http://www.profaneexistence.com / Reviewed 02 March 2006 The two-tiered vocal attack that opens up the disc during the title track showcases the chaotic approach of the band that inexorably links the vocals to the music of the band. What is most interesting about Imperial Leather is the fact that they can create the 82…
“One Man Revolution” is a furious bit of hard rock that has more than its fair share of metal influences. Think about bands like Hellyeah and Black Label Society and one gets some semblance of what Darklight Corporation immediately assaults their listeners with. Instead of merely crafting a carbon copy of what is current, Darklight Corporation creates something unique that touches upon a number of distinct influences. The aforementioned “One…
It seems as California has been a rap scene that has seen its day; there are few up and coming individuals coming from that side of things besides Glasses Malone and Lil Eazy-E. It was surprising to see an unknown rapper – in this case, Swade G – rep Los Angeles and actually come out with a rap album that comes forth hard with killer beats. The disc itself begins…