There's nothing here that will lead Disguises to be hailed as a masterpiece, because there's nothing here that hasn't already been done before--either by other bands or by Aiden themselves--but it's nevertheless a solid piece of work that demonstrates the power and passion of their dark melodies.

Finally, the coolest guy in rock makes a record worthy of his reputation. [May 2011, p.92]

Gimme Some is grounded in a guitar-based directness it seemed PB&J had left behind. [Apr 2011, p.118]

Polished studio effects notwithstanding, Belong's truest charms remain the songs themselves. [Apr 2011, p.115]

The second half loses momentum slightly. When in concentrated form, however, the Mountain Goats still manage to reach their peak. [Apr 2011, p.115]

It's all about perfect guitar tones, what frontman Rick Froberg doesn't say and the space Obits give their songs to breathe--even though it's evident it's not for lack of technical ability. [Apr 2011, p.115]

Too Young To Be In Love captures the primal pulse of vintage late-'50s/early -'60s radio bubblegum with a loving touch. [Apr 2011, p.115]

While we believe that Sum 41 have the potential to succeed without the aid of power chords, the fact that only a handful of the musical ideas on the album are fully developed makes for a frustrating listening experience.

Your ears may start to ache a little, but it also makes the album's eventual deliverance all the more divine.

While this may sound like an Oprah Book Club selection, it's Sims entertaining flow and producer Lazerbeak's ability to switch between dancefloor packers ("Weight") and worldly drum-circle loops ("Future Shock") which takes Bad Time Zoo through the ceiling.

It's impeccably crafted with a rich selection of subtle sonic touches--executive producer Butch Walker's undoubtedly due some credit--for bringing the songs to life. [Feb 2011, p.87]

There's more energy on Um, Uh Oh than in Say Hi's entire back catalog, creating wonderful tension with the songs' downcast sentiments. [Feb 2011, p.89]

Classic/stadium rock and brainy trash collide in "Tandem" and "Moonlight;" "Termites" rocks like Minus The Bear, Overkill and Yes; and it's obvious someone's discovered Mahavishnu Orchestra abnd Primus. [Apr 2011, p.118]

The duo-especially Urie, who turns in some of the premier performances of his career-sound absolutely recharged, likely a result of the lineup shuffling, but also perhaps a realization that the '70s were a nice place to visit for a couple years, but life in the 21st century is much more fun.

When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes sounds like less of a comeback and more of a homecoming. [Apr 2011, p.113]

Sure, their label debut feels slightly more hooky and accessible in places. But Darker Handcraft is mostly the same humble, misanthropic band, playing relentlessly, vicious, rapid metallic hardcore with their requisite flashes of D-beat, grind and thrash influence. [Apr 2011, p.122]

The most impressive aspect of Rogers' Thomas Giles persona is his ability to surpass the metalcore/mathcore trappings of BTBAM--it's probably the most versatile album to ever be released on Metal Blade Records. {Mar 2011, p.99]

Many songs have a steady drum-machine thump to keep the listener's attention focused, even as the low-key vocals nudge toward narcosis.

Angles ends up being one of the group's more compelling efforts, rather than the casualty of experimentation it could have been.

The album's missteps appear when the band slows things down; but for the most part, First World Manifesto is Pop-Punk 101, which is to be expected from a bunch of veterans. [Apr 2011, p.122]

The relatively hushed tone of Several Shades Of Why is unnerving at first spin, strictly when considering the auditory atom bomb of Mascis' well-documented projects; but the second go 'round clears the clouds, revealing a vast lo-fi victory. [Apr 2011, p.115]

The saccharine harmonies are still present on the title track; they're just augmented with more expansive arrangements that bring out a welcome new dimension to the band's sound. [Apr 2011, p.114]

Showing an impressive savvy in inviting perhaps unlikely artists to collaborate with them also leads to some of the record's highlights.

Thankfully, the band, aided by longtime producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag), have once again tapped into that intangible magic that makes them so great, and have delivered a full-on rager with Endgame.

With an occasional chest-bursting "yeeeeeeah", Vile avoids letting his most straightforward, circular songs fall into a stupor. [Apr 2011, p.115]

It's impressively well-wrought music, though no longer as instantly engaging, requiring several listens before its charms truly take shape. [Apr 2011, p.122]

While the album may not move you the way their first album does, maybe it'll just take a minute for the second one to sink in, too. [Apr 2011, p.120]

Blistering brittle and beautiful, this is a cold, winter wind of a record, perfect for shutting yourself away from the outside world as you mourn the passing of friends, loved ones and better days. [Apr 2011, p.118]