Top 5 records to look out for in 2011

With 2011 in full force and tons of releases coming up, what's important? In 2012 what albums will 2011 be remembered for? This list will help you know what albums to bring into the bunker when the world ends.

• Touche Amore- Parting the Sea Between Brightness And Me. Due out Spring 2011. Los Angeles based post-hardcore band offers up their sophomore album on Deathwish Inc. Singer and lyricis Jeremy Bolm says the new album is going to be heavier and darker than the 2009 debut ...To the Beat Of A Dead Horse. Lyrics and Artwork have been posted on band members' tumblr pages, as well a live video of new song "Amends."

• Title Fight- Shed. Due out April 19. Debut from the Kingston PA, melodic hardcore band, on SideOneDummy Records. These kids (oldest members in the band being just 20) have toured relentlessly over the past few years opening for bands such as: Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals, and Bayside, and have gained recognition with their Lifetime influenced sound. Check them out on the road co-headling with Touche Amore this May/June.

• Maritime- Human Hearts. Due out April 5. Fourth album from the Milwaukee based indie pop band, is offering more of its 90's emo roots (with 80's U2 as well). Featuring members of 90's legends The Promise Ring, Singer/Guitarist Davy Von Bohlen, and Drummer Dan Didier, the band just finished up playing South By Southwest in Texas debuting new tracks. Human Hearts is the bands first album on Dangerbird Records, which is featuring the single "Paraphernalia."

• Joan of Arc- Life Like. Due out April 29th. After a summer of playing reunion shows leading 90's Chicago based, hardcore/emo legends Cap'n Jazz, frontman Tim Kinsella settles back into his indie/math rock esq project on Life Like. The bands 15th album simplifies the usually overly complex music that was found on the 2009 Flowers. Narrowing down the live lineup to a four piece, the band plans to hit Europe soon in support of the album on long time label Polyvinyl.

• Japandroids- TBA. Due out before the year ends. Currently the noisy Canadien duo is locked up recording the followup to the 2009 debut masterpiece Post-Nothing. No real details have been given about this album. But the singles collection Polyvinyl has been putting out to hold fans over during the recording process, maybe a preview of what is to come: more noise.

So there it is, if the world ends in 2012 bring these records from 2011 into the bomb shelter and reflect on the last year of humanity.

Touche Amore "Amends"

Fantastic new Touche Amore song "Amends" from the upcoming sophomore record Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me, this spring on Deathwish Inc.

Be sure to check these guys out on June 24th at Santo's Party House in NYC, along with Title Fight.

Liturgy Show Review

On a windy Friday night at Monster Island Basement located in Williamsburg Brooklyn, a neighborhood known for its enclitic musical diversity hosted Liturgy, a black metal band based out of Brooklyn.

Openers featured a diverse group of other Brooklyn based bands such as: Cavex, a recently formed band who's performance and noisy sound was very in the same vein as Sonic Youth. Bassist Nat Baldwin played a quiet, solo, minimal, but very entertaining set next, noting that his bass was "broken" and was using a friends for the night, to whom he was thankful for. Rounding out the openers was current buzzband Talk Normal. Gaining a solid following with landing supporting slots with bands such as Sonic Youth.The all girl duo played their loud, wailing guitar and relentless drum sound to a active audience.

Liturgy took the stage around midnight, and most of the people who went for Talk Normal had filed out or went to bar in the back. Once the first note of Liturgy's brutal pounding black metal Monster Island turned into a all out free for all of tons of headbanging, people literally hanging off ceilings, moshing that got to intense nearly half of the band got taken out along with the mic stand. Still no one seemed to find the intense environment, and just plain embraced the power of extreme metal. The band lead by guitarist, singer, and only constant member Hunter Hunt-Hendrix said very few words on stage other than "thank you" and "new album will be out in the spring", letting the music speak for itself. Mainly playing songs from their 2009 LP "Renihilation."

The show in the end did offer what Williamsburg is best known for diverse music that still appreciated by most of the people in the room.

Check out more on Liturgy here: