Reviews: Twingiant "Mass Driver"

By: Garviel Loken

Dense, warm, and full of sheer power, the debut full length by this Phoenix outfit is a real gem of sludge metal, but so much more as well. With a healthy swagger and a plethora of musical ideas, "Mass Driver" saunters out of the speakers as if it were ripping a hole through space and time from some alternate dimension. The sounds command you to pay attention and to join the trip down the proverbial rabbit hole. Having seen these guys use the term "space hobo" in relation to their music, this listener must agree that those words are an apt fit for the band. It conjures up the image of galactic hitchhikers that jump from ship to ship, maybe looking for home or just a new place to crash. What can be better than that?

Reviews: Flying Donkey Punch "Lumps To The Head"

By: Garviel Loken

Eschewing fancy arrangements and all the frills, Flying Donkey Punch comes at you with both crusty fists clenched and ready to swing. Grind, punk, and a little bit of death-tinged thrash metal make up the potent mixture that is "Lumps To The Head", a twelve track audio brickbat that honors the days of real punk rock, when it was dangerous, dirty, and completely raw. Those with faint hearts or think that hardcore started out 10 years ago, please go away.

Reviews: Ladybird "Demo EP"

By: Garviel Loken

Sporting more fuzz than a yeti in the mountains, Ladybird's demo offering is a hefty slab of lo-fi doom that worships at the temple of drone. Consisting of three tracks, the demo delivers over twenty-six minutes of ponderous riffs that surf the audio void while buzzing like a thousand stoned bees singing a Black Sabbath tune underwater. Hands down, this is perfect music for sitting back and tuning out the world for awhile.