The Devil Wears Prada
Plagues
By Dave Synyard

If their name’s insinuating that people who follow fashion above all else are shallow sheep focusing on aesthetics over actual substance, well, I’m good with that. And I think that’s what they mean when lead singer Mike Hranica screams, “You’ve surrendered yourself to fashion, come back to your faith, come back to your grace.” Since Plagues touches upon many religious ideals, I think it’s an apt theory. This Dayton, OH sextet are young (18 to 20 years old), full of energy and brutalise this sophomore release. However, this CD is as beautiful, at times, as bludgeoning. They start things with heavy melodies and metal licks, the synth effects fading in and out like fashion trends. They use clean vocals to accentuate the beauty of certain parts on “Goats On A Boat,” contrastingly utilising descending belly growls in “Html Rulez D00d,” which features many tempo and sonic changes. It’s tough keeping track of what song you’re listening to, however. In the beginning there are light vocals over top of snare rim cracks, then comes the brutality they showcase on every track. There are breakdowns with slow, drooping notes and heartbeat background sounds over clean vocals that complete a heavenly breakdown. These kids are reading quality material as well, giving thanks to Oscar Wilde and Shakespeare. (Rise)
Raging Speedhorn - Before the Sea Was Built
Heavy. So fucking heavy. That’s the only way to describe the opening track on British band Raging Speedhorn’s latest, “Everything Changes.” Destroying any doubts fans may have had that they couldn’t change a vocalist and a bassist and retain their unique sound, they’ve managed to follow up 2004’s ex ...Read More
Horse the Band - A Natural Death
If you have the tinniest bit of geek love for old school videogames, “Nintendo-core” might have been the coolest shit you ever heard. Except, of course, if you didn’t like chaotic music and a band that could very easily be wrongfully interpreted as idiotic instead of ingenious. Horse the Band’s late ...Read More
A Perfect Murder - War Of Aggression
Aeon - Rise To Dominate
The Agonist - Once Only Imagined
Akercocke - Antichrist
As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us
Canvas Solaris - Cortical Tectonics
Cerberus - Despite the Truth
Crionics - Neuthrone
CWAF / Noosebomb - CWAF / Noosebomb
Dekapitator - The Storm Before the Calm
Devin Townsend - Ziltoid the Omnicient
Divinity - Allegory
Embryonic Cryptopathia - Uterine Excretor of Carcinovomit
Entombed - Serpent Saints
The Fire The Flood - Truth Seekers
The Fucking Wrath - Season Of Evil
Halford - Metal God Essentials Volume One
Korn - Korn
Madball - Infiltrate The System
Modern Life Is War - Midnight In America
Municipal Waste - The Art Of Partying
Nadja - Guilted by the Sun
Napalm Death - Punishment In Capitals
Nodes Of Ranvier - Defined by Struggle
Obituary - Xecutioner’s Return
Still Remains - The Serpent
Still Remains - The Serpent
Superchrist - Back & Black
Torche - In Return
Underminded - Eleven Eleven
Upside - Jim Beam and the American Dream
Vision Bleak - The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey
War of Ages - Fire From The Tomb
The Warriors - Genuine Sense of Outrage
Watain - Sworn to the Dark
Weedeater - God Luck and Good Speed
Widow - Nightlife
Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything
Yakuza - Transmutations
Toro y Moi - Causers of This
Last year's most exhilarating subgenre alternated between the ridiculous names of "chillwave" and "glo-fi." Chaz Bundick, or Toro y Moi, may be the last of the bunch to have his say, but he has two reasons to be excited: Causers of This is the first of two albums he's prepared for 2010 and he... Full Review
Dallas and Travis Good
The centre of Blue Rodeo's universe is a non-descript building on the Danforth in Toronto, housing their management company Starfish Entertainment and their renowned Woodshed Recording Studio. If the band have any roommates at the Woodshed, then it's the Sadies.... Read More
Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields - It's Only Time
Whimsical curmudgeon Stephin Merritt is undeniably one of the most significant artists of the past 20 years. A clever wordsmith equally devoted to Human League and Cole Porter, Merritt's nascent musical explorations produced the lo-fi, synthesized sound of the Magnetic Fields. Even then, with his intellectual interest in diverse pop and folk instrumentation and the timeless art of charming, sentimental songs, glimmers of a contemporary pop genius shone through.... Read More
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