Succeeds only as an inessential novelty. [Jan 2004, p.98]

While they are accomplished musicians and combine their growling, death-metal-influenced moments with a wealth of shiny hooks, they fail to do so in a way that counts. [Feb 2012, p.84]

The sound of an artist losing the qualities that made him unique to begin with. [Apr 2006, p.216]

Chirpin Hard makes you feel like you're getting chased by a swarm of giant mosquitoes in a scrolling Mega Man hellscape circa 1992, while Church Gone Wild is a nerve-shattering whirlwind of atonal chaos. [May 2005, p.168]

Channels the spirits of no wave via clinks and clanks, doomy vocal chants, ominous tribal thumps, abstract guitar scraping and jarring haunted-forrest samples. [Mar 2004, p.110]

There’s a good deal of filler on In A Warzone, to be sure, but fortunately there are still some rewards awaiting those who stick it out.

Building on the same base that made his early material brilliant (a love for both odd sounds and cheesy pop), Warren has painted himself into a musical corner: knowing its hard to get any listener to swallow the same thing repeatedly outside the mainstream market, but also wanting to indulge his muse. [#151, p.78]

A cluttered, derivative mess. [Dec 2006, p.200]

The humor practiced by Black and cohort Kyle Gass hasn't evolved much since [2008's "Pick Of Destiny"]; Fenix is loaded with classic-rock-aping material which simultaneously admires and lampoons everything from Star Wars ("Deth Starr") to organized religion ("Throwdown").

The overall ambition is commendable, but perhaps a better plan of action would have been to strip the story completely, cull together the album’s best songs and instead close the EP trilogy with a stronger, shorter release.

Despite its pristine arrangements, Colonia turns into sonic NyQuil about halfway through, and ends up a low-day--albeit impeccable-sounding-listen. [Jun 2009, p.102]

Jaill's pacing and musical phrasing feels noticeably lethargic. [Jul 2012, p.94]

The album sounds, not surprisingly, overproduced, lacking even a hint of the earthy quality of 'I Do Not Want...' and leaving little space for O'Connor to stretch out vocally. [#146, p.96]

There's very little here to grab the listener. [Nov 2007, p.162]

Fire's beauty often feels distant and untouchable. [Sep 2005, p.164]

Some Loud Thunder isn't without its successes--but it is defined by its failures. [Feb 2007, p.114]

You'll probably get annoyed after about 30 seconds. [May 2005, p.138]

Other than the booming, Devo-ish vocal effects on "Spacetime," these songs aren't pushing the envelope--but you should still tear it open and look inside. [Aug 2011, p.114]

Unsurprisingly, he's at his best when he's melding heartfelt lyrics with otherworldly noise. [Sep 2006, p.230]

Listening to American Central Dust ultimately feels a bit too much like working on an assembly line. [Aug 2009, p.114]

There is little on Golden State to differentiate it from its predecessors. [Dec 2001, p.76]

Deheza's still a fine singer and there are plenty of interesting tones and sounds flitting across the background, but all it ever coalesces into is wan, directionless, dance rock.

Ultimately, the album's main fault is its resolute consistency, namely the fact that things basically run on one speed, and it gets repetitive quickly.

Multicultural rage is all well and good, but when you cop your flow from Vanilla Ice, it undermines your underground cred. [Jan 2002, p.98]

They lard The Printz with rote Aggressive Rock Radio fodder. [Jul 2004, p.148]

On some songs... the cutting-and-pasting fails to produce anything new, but a handful of others blend their textures beautifully. [Sep 2004, p.122]

Unfortunately, the band overcompensate for all the testosterone with modern-rock romps like "Some Say" and with bland ballads like "Slipping Away." [Dec 2004, p.142]

Aveo's songwriting isn't as intriguing as their sound. [May 2004, p.94]