Florida quartet Torche has maintained hard-hitting heaviness for almost 15 years. It’s earned the band high regard as riff-addicted sludge metal rockers, but its no-nonsense approach often teeters on the mundane. Not that it’s been a problem for the band thus far, but with two lineup changes, it’s about…

Tijuana Panthers If a band plays Coachella with no booking agent only two years after releasing its debut LP, there’s got to be more to the story. Tijuana Panthers’ grass roots work ethic during the early 2000s made them DIY luminaries with a ravenous following far before 2010’s Max Baker…

The Soft Cavalry, self-titled. Though its story surrounds Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell, The Soft Cavalry is largely the project of her husband, musician and Slowdive manager Steve Clarke. The 56-minute self-titled LP tracks his journey. With vocals and other support from Goswell and production by his brother, the album combines…

Clockwise from top left: San Fermin’s Ellis Ludwig-Leone, Ceremony, Hundredth, MONO/POLY, Jacques Greene and Cadence Weapon, and Jake Clemons. With so much music coming out at once, it’s easy to stick to what you know and avoid the intimidating ocean of tunes. Daunted music lovers can count on RIFF to…

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, “Bandana.” Few rap groups have more follow-up pressure than Madgibbs. With the decade drawing to a close, the first collaborative LP between Freddie Gibbs and Madlib remains one of its best hip-hop albums. Piñata proved to be as unexpected as it was successful, charging true-to-life…

Look into a funhouse mirror, and the distorted reflection may as well be another dimension. It’s a fitting metaphor for Cara Beth Satalino to use with regard to her new album. Her Outer Spaces persona came from her desire to free herself from outside influence in pursuit of pure…

He Is Legend solidified its cult status 15 years ago when 2004’s I Am Hollywood not so much arrived on the scene as erupted. The band’s combination of Southern rock and metalcore perplexed many, but the people who hopped on board still devour whatever these guys do. Following the matured…

Clockwise from top left: Vagabon, Pallbearer, Nérija, Tennis System, Seratones and Rocket Summer. Summer’s here, and with the season comes a tidal wave of album releases. It’s the best time of year to be a music fan, but also the most overwhelming. With so many new songs dropping every…

For a proggy sludge metal act, incorporating hooks into chunky riffs can be tricky. After the ambitious mixed bag of Yellow & Green, Baroness pulled off the transition on Purple. The album embraced catchy vocal melodies and sonic detours without forsaking bulldozing heaviness. Baroness’ evolution continues boldly on Gold &…

Peter Frampton Band, “All Blues.” Peter Frampton has influenced the identity of loud guitar music to the point where people less than half his age have probably inadvertently heard his hits. When you’ve helped write the hard rock rulebook and collaborated with David Bowie, where do you go next?…