Shonen Bat - No Competition

Artist: Shonen Bat
Release: No Competition
Year: 2013
Shonen Bat are an emo/indie band from Malaga, Spain, but if you didn't know that you might swear they were from the American Midwest, Seattle, San Diego or Brooklyn in the 90s. This record sounds a hell of a lot like Mineral and Pinback rolled into one. Slocore-ish sensibilities, melodies that even sound a little like something from Jawbreaker's first two, all blended through the mostly clean, pluckiness--so not too far from the criminally underrated Boilermaker. I am really impressed with this record.
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Alaskan - Despair, Erosion, Loss

Artist: Alaskan
Release: Despair, Erosion, Loss
Year: 2014
I have not finished listening to this record but again, I wanted to go ahead and share it because what I am hearing so far is pretty good. The first track opens up with some strings that I thought may have been sampled from a soundtrack at first but they were arranged for this record, which returned pretty powerfully towards the end of the track. It's in a sludgey hardcore vein, but I'm not sure who exactly to compare it to. The melodic direction is not far from Cult of Luna but it's not that intentionally grandiose or melancholy and the songs do pick up in their pace a bit more. The way the strings and post-rock guitar parts come together are something to behold.
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Artist: Papayér
Release: Boo
Year: 2014
Not a whole lot that has come out this year so far has blown me away but this record was pretty neat. It kind of sounds like the slower Capn' Jazz songs. Also reminded me of Midi and the Modern Dance but if they were fronted by the guy from Foals. I like it, especially because they are pretty different from what every other emo band sounds like lately. More on the indie side but the guy can't really sing that great so he just sings really loud all the time and kind of just warbles which is super effective most of the time. One of the most interesting listens this month for sure

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Artist: Dangers
Release: Five O'Clock Shadows at the Edge of the Western World
Year: 2014
Haven't listened to this yet but I heard the title track a few weeks ago and it's damn good. I heard that this record is a lot slower than their last two records but I have no doubt it's genius. Members of Graf Orlock, Ghostlimb, Banquets, a million bands. If there was a Vitriol Records sound this would be it. You should know this band but if you don't, now is your chance cause it looks like they are back or at least more alive than they have been lately.They always did fast better than any hardcore band, so now I'm sure they will do slow better than anyone else

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Plug - Back on the Skull

Artist: Plug
Release: Back on the Skull
Year: 2013
Members of Iron Age, Mammoth Grinder, Bitter End and some others apparently just climbed out of a time machine a few years ago and immediately set about cranking loud, heavy jams inspired by what I assume were their contemporaries from before their time travel excursion. Stuff like Rollins Band, Helmet, Unsane. It's a great record, fuzzy, spacey and pulse pounding rock/punk. This was definitely one of the most interesting releases from last year, but it's likely just a side project so I wouldn't expect a whole lot of output from them. Enjoy it all the same though. Bang your head off.
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Death Pedals - The Carvery

Arist: Death Pedals
Release: The Carvery
Year: 2013 
A British Post-hardcore group in the vein of Hot Snakes or more recently Black God. It has a more raw punk rock feel than Hot Snakes. Some of the riffing is a little more "shit-kicking" too, in much the same way as Burning Love. For a more traditional hardcore comparison see Battalion of Saints or maybe under the right light Born Against.
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An Autumn For Crippled Children - Try Not to Destroy Everything You Love

Artist: An Autumn For Crippled Children
Release: Try Not to Destroy Everything You Love
Year: 2013
Super happy sounding, experimental...black metal? I guess this falls into the Transcendental Black Metal mold of Wolves In the Throne Room or Deafheaven, whereas those bands have stuck with harsher tones, this group from the Netherlands goes all out with bright, poppy synth parts and very sparse vocals. It's cool though, it doesn't go for the shrill, unlistenable experimentation of Liturgy. It also reminds me of Sigur Ros or Boris' ambient stuff, but it's not boring post-rock.
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