With 'Laika', Wil Wagner delivers a deeply personal, intimate record that serves as a firm reminder of why he's one of country's best songwriters. This stripped down solo outing feels so sincere it hurts, and the simplistic musical backdrop of an acoustic guitar and some percussion beautifully complements the raw, genuine nature of the lyrics. An impeccable release.

Altogether, 'Blame & Aging' sees We Were Skeletons come firmly into their own skin, providing an extremely solid release that both wears its influences proudly on its sleeves while defiantly carving out a sound of their own, blending energetic chaos with technique and intricacy.

The more competent you are, the more sternly you are graded. It might be perceived as unfair but that is often the reality. War from a Harlots Mouth develop with ‘Voyeur’. It’s decent and passes in most areas. The full-length just doesn’t offer as much impact as perhaps is expected.

When compared to the original line-up and the band’s debut ‘Number[s],’ things are not better or worse for Woe, Is Me, just different. When judged by itself ‘Genesi[s]’ has enough surprises to make the post-hardcore genre exciting again for a few more months.

It's hard to flesh out a review on a two track EP, but from what little is presented, 'S/T' is thoroughly impressing and should ensure this act gets some more media coverage. The two tracks here are solid, but could do with some studio touch up. It's a minor gripe for what it is however. For what it's worth, these are a good couple of songs. Despite the short three minute length, if you're a fan of anything similar, it's probably worth a look.

Weightless are the most exciting new act to come out of Adelaide in a while, and the fact that they are so young means the best is probably yet to come. Get on board now so you don’t miss out on the brilliance this band will no doubt offer in the future.

A solo career is the true test for William Beckett to see if he is the rock star and capable musician that The Academy Is... made him out to be. Whilst this EP is too small an offering to see if the songwriter can actually walk the talk, it's not a bad start.

Amongst a cohort of bands like Phantoms and Relentless playing heavier, tougher hardcore, Warbrain are already looking to be a mainstay of the genre’s future in this country. “Paranoia”, while not doing much more than reinventing the wheel, is a solid and very listenable debut. If this is an Australian hardcore release that you’ve been sleeping on, get with it.

Western Sydney pop punk mainstays Wake The Giants have proven their readiness to emerge from the cocoon of their local scene with ‘Hill Rd’, a new single which marks the highest point in the band’s career to date. Moving beyond the easycore formula that characterised their earlier work, the track is washed over with lashings of pop sensibilities and punctuating, memorable hooks set against driving powerchords and catchy lead guitar phrases. ‘Hill Rd’ shows a band at the top of their game, paving the way towards a bright, prosperous future at the forefront of the genre.

On their debut release, Western Sydney pop punkers Wake The Giants have displayed their penchant for irresistibly catchy melodies and memorable guitar riffs peppered with explosive, hard-hitting breakdowns and considerably large nods to the sensibilities of hardcore and metalcore. The EP reflects an infectiously upbeat and positive vibe, exuded from a band who have refused to be overcome by tragedy and adversity and are poised to take the national scene by storm.