New Review Update: Black Flag; Crusades

Hey! The release schedule this time of year is rather scant, so while we'll post reviews when we have them, it might not be every weekday, at least until January when things start to kick back up again. You're... welcome?

Anyway, we've got a couple of good ones today. John Gentile gave the new Black Flag album
What The... a fair shake:

It's easy to want to hate this album, because it was birthed in such controversy and also may offend an intangible notion of the band's values which no one can ever seem to quite define or state what is being violated (not to mention, the band themselves never agreed to that pact to begin with.) But, when on tracks like "Outside," where Ginn bends out his fabulously sharp, teethed, ominous riffs, and where he allows Reyes to howl out in that beach bum gone berserk voice of his, the band reach the subliminal heights of their original run.

Read the review here.

Then, reader elliot submits some thoughts on Crusades' new LP,
Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment with Greater Fear Than I Receive It:

Crusades have retained their lyrical targets, but the music is noticeably changed. Much of The Sun is Down dealt in urgent 2-minute bursts of straightforward pop-punk, with very little sentiment or friendly chord changes, and a murky production with buried vocals that made them sound like a black metal band not playing black metal. The production on Perhaps You Deliver This Judgment lifts off a bit of that murk and allows the vocals and the playing to come through much more clearly.

Read the review here.

Looking for another (or any) review? Head here. Want to submit your own review? Do that here.