Review Roundup is a new feature in which we do quick, no bullshit reviews for up-and-coming bands.  There are no star ratings like individual reviews, just short bursts of words that tell you if they suck or rock.  Here is our first ever.  Enjoy.

Elder – Reflect

“Screamo” has become a bit of a scenester trend over the last decade, but there a few bands who remember what real screamo is all about: emotion, not eyeliner.  Elder is a group of those guys who haven’t forgotten.  Reflect weaves its way through six tracks of honest screamo that will draw comparisons to Fugazi and Envy in spots, among others.  The six-minute epic “Niños” takes centre stage; drums dominate the beginning of the track before giving way to a huge wall of sound that features a catchy chord progression and impressive arrangement.  Don’t miss out on these guys.

Moodring – Scared of Ferret

There is a very thin line between noise and really awesome fun times in today’s musical climate.  More and more lo-fi indie bands are being called the next big thing, which makes it hard to actually make your way through all the crap to get to the good stuff.  Moodring lean a bit more to the noise side – there isn’t much really awesome fun time throughout the eleven tracks that make of Scared of Ferret.  It is unfortunate too; tracks like “#9″ and closer “Horse” are very strong, but are overshadowed by the lack of punch from the rest of the group.  Watch out though – this band may get big one day.  They have the potential.

Rise of Caligula – Parading from Heaven’s Descent

‘Brutality’ in metal can come in many different forms; relentless blast beats and drumwork, guitars that rotate between frantic tremolo picking and devastating chugs, basses that go boom, vocals that shriek and growl more than a rabid animal.  Rise of Caligula has all of these elements, which makes Parading from Heaven’s Descent an enjoyable listen for any metalhead.  “Swans on Colossus” portrays this perfectly; it carries all of the above elements, and for an added twist, ends with a slightly emotional climax that is brutal in its own right.  Even better? The ambient guitar interlude that follows.  An album that needs to be heard.  For fans of The Red Chord.

Scarred By Beauty – We Swim

It is easy to assume that a band named Scarred By Beauty would fall into the shitty metalcore trap, but if We Swim is an accurate representation of the band, that is hardly the truth.  The three tracks that make up the EP will make any fan of Misery Signals or Between the Buried and Me happy; intense breakdowns are well-placed in between the dominant lead melodies.  Like a lot of bands starting out, there are some minor issues here and there, but don’t hesitate to check these guys out because of their name.  The ten minutes you spend on their EP will have you excited for a full-length.

Why Intercept? – Channels

Channels may have an album cover that resembles Pelican‘s City of Echoes, but the music contained on the disc is more akin to a mix of moving post rock and metallic prog rock.  And much like that description, Why Intercept? will delight fans of all sorts, despite some tracks losing interest as a result of their length (most tracks are over five minutes, several others over six).  Still, it seems the band has mastered an important element of the type of music they are playing: the buildup.  All in all, Channels will demand your attention once you give it the time of day.