You know that little ol' band Alexisonfire? Their second full-length, entitled Watch Out! and replete with cheesy cartoon-horror motif, is actually a far cry better than their debut, despite what some "purists" might say. Better guitar production, massively less of those irritating nonstop screeches they passed off as 'vocals'(guitarist Dallas Green really is the heartbeat of this band), and a sense that AoF have learned How to Write a Song. I approve. Of the two songs I heard today anyway.
In other new album news, the latest from Bad Religion dropped this past Tuesday, and I had a chance to hear some of it, and what I heard was good. Buzzsaw guitars everywhere, Greg Graffin's usual polemics for the intelligentsia in punk circles, and even some nasty synth on 'Social Suicide'. I still think that, generally speaking, if you've heard one Bad Religion record in the last ten years you've heard 'em all, but they're good nonetheless.
Speaking of good(what marvelous segues today!), burnthe8track have been added to this Sunday night's Crowned King show. BT8T are to my knowledge the only Canadian band on Abacus Recordings out in California(they're from Winnipeg), but that's not why they're good; it's because they rock the house down that they're good. 6:30pm, Club SAW, eight bucks. Can't beat that on a Sunday night.
In Okay, Enough Already news, just for kicks I counted the number of guests on the new Method Man album - there's fourteen total. There should be legislature against this kinda thing. If I buy a Method Man record it's 'cause I wanna hear Method Man, not all his friends. C'mon.
Says here("here" being here) that Strike Anywhere are touring with Rainer Maria and Engine Down until July 29th - in Toronto. Wonder if Ottawa'll get added; it's a well-known fact that Strike gets huge love from this scene.
Indie Vision Music, after about a year of being an actual label and putting bands out there for your enjoyment, are closing their massive oak-paneled doors come this autumn. Two albums from Pennylane and Joey's Loss are still receiving the full hype treatment, but the main man behind IVM(the only man, truth be told), Brandon, has decided enough's enough. We wish him well and promise to review those records he sent like months ago. The industry - the Christian music industry in particular - needs more people like Brandon Jones. IVM will revert later this year to a sort of active-participation website, much like a lot of others out there. Betcha can't wait.
If you weren't aware, Darkest Hour, the most Euro-metal band in Washington, D.C., is playing OzzFest this summer, alongside a ton of other great bands. Putting two and two together, this would explain why they're not playing Ottawa on the 20th no more. Oh well, Buried Inside are more than capable of headlining, being so disgustingly talented and all.
Essential listening for June 10th is No Innocent Victim's 1999 classic Flesh and Blood. I can't say enough about this record, so I'm gonna say nothing at all save for the fact that this band was one of the very first hardcore bands I ever heard, way back. I miss them.
I couldn't possibly make this funnier rewording it, so I'll just run it: "Mel Gibson's distribution company is suing Regal Entertainment Group for more than $40 million, claiming the nation's largest theater chain shortchanged him on revenues from The Passion of the Christ. Regal allegedly agreed to pay Gibson's Icon Distribution 55 percent of the film's receipts, but so far have offered only 34 percent, a box of Sno Caps and unlimited refills on Diet Coke." That is so funny. Well-played, virtualfrequency! Well-played!!
Hot on the heels of the covers album they put out on Eulogy Records, Evergreen Terrace(what a band!) are releasing their proper next album on Hand of Hope Records. It's called At Our Worst, you will most assuredly love it, and you only have to wait til July 13th to hear it! Dope! [chamberspinsthree]
New Ottawa hardcore band? Fox On The Run? What the...why wasn't I informed about this sooner? Heads will ROLL! Listen to Fox over here while I fire some people.
oooOOOOoooo, pwetty: soundthesirens has been overhauled. I like. I like a lot.
Yaaaaay! My Revenge! have a new album up! If you've read the interview we have up with Spencer Revenge, you'll know we like this band - a lot. You can read a review of their latest, Less Plot, More Blood over here, to boot.
Posted by mike at June 10, 2004 07:15 PM