Formed by members of the Ocean Collective - who are known for releasing sprawling double disc concept albums - it's only by comparison that Coilguns is less ambitious. Watchwinders, the band's fourth album, eschews the sludgy, atmospheric metal of their former band, finding itself closer to Breach's forward-thinking, genre-splicing post-hardcore. Moshpits for the mind. [Name your price.]
[Read my interview with Coilguns here.]
Anyone nostalgic for the glory days of noise rock will revel in the ultra muscular sound of Chicago's Salvation. The trio's third album Year of the Fly hammers the listener with its pulsing, percussive riffs and an obvious Nineties bias. It seems AmRep Xmas comes earlier every year. [$7]
Detroit's Child Bite follow suit with their own blend of Nineties heavy alternative. Blow Off The Omens combines the fuzzed out heft of the Melvins and the slithering rhythms of the Jesus Lizard, with Shawn Knight's vocals reaching Mike Patton levels of yodel-yelling. Ipecac and roll. [$9]
Like similar bass/drum combos Lightning Bolt and Radiation Blackbody, Boston duo Bedtimemagic seem intent to prove that they don't need guitars to make a hellacious racket. Pillow Talk is a surprisingly diverse album, encompassing everything from sludgy doom to screamo melody while limiting itself to four strings, keyboards, and an extremely limited drum kit. Minimum resources, maximum results. [$7]
