In the news today: Osees, Death Cab For Cutie, Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Riot Fest, The Cure, The Mars Volta, The Postal Service, Turnstile, The Sisters of Mercy, Andy Rourke, The Smiths, Rivers Cuomo, Weezer, Knower, Patti Smith, Pavement, The Walkmen, The National

Crystal Fairy (Ipecac). Review by Jen Cray.

The lightning and thunder of The Mars Volta fires up Yifat Grizman in Tel Aviv, but it’s openers Le Butcherettes that blow her mind.

Le Butcherettes unleash their inner she-beast at an Orlando show that not only wowed Jen Cray , but won over a venue full of macho Deftones fans.

Skin, spit, and sweat were on board for a recent These Arms Are Snakes show that Jen Cray soaked up in Orlando.

Take Me to the Sea (Matador). Review by Addam Donnelly.

Those unconvinced by the musical genius that is The Mars Volta need only experience a fraction of what Jen Cray experienced at their recent sold out Orlando show.

Metal drummer Dailor in Phil Collins fanboy shocker!?!? Stick around for what other revelations Gail Worley coaxes out of Mastodon’s rhythmic anchor in the Ink 19 interview.

For their second trip to Orlando in just three months time, Portugal the Man took a backseat in billing (to Rock Votolato), and quietly appeared as an opener at the same venue that they had previously sold out on their own. Jen Cray was back for a second helping of these Alaska boys.

Fables From a Mayfly: What I Tell You Three Times is True (Universal Republic/ Serjical Strike). Review by Jen Cray.

New Erections (Anti-). Review by Jen Cray.

M(US)IC (Equal Vision). Review by Jen Cray.

For their first headlining American tour, Japan’s Dir En Grey have brought along Fair To Midland and Bleed The Dream to further challenge young audiences with new hybrids of Metal. Jen Cray caught show #2 at Orlando’s House of Blues.

Fair To Midland are blessed, and cursed, with the title “the first band to be signed to Serj Tankian’s label.” Jen Cray sat down with vocalist Darroh Sudderth and keyboardist Matt Langley outside of Orlando’s House of Blues just before the second night of their first ever major tour.

The Drawn and Quartered EP (Serjical Strike). Review by Jen Cray.

When At The Drive In split up, half of the band went on to critical success in The Mars Volta. The other half quietly slipped into a band just as worthy of praise, Sparta. Jen Cray stepped in to pay the band some respect.

Waiter: You Vultures! (Fearless). Review by Addam Donnelly.

(Triple Crown). Review by Jen Cray.

System of a Down fuse rap/metal with bold political opinion, and The Mars Volta are just bold, period. When the two bands tour together you’ve got one hell of a package deal. Jen Cray ignores the politics (mostly) for an unforgettable night.

The year 2003 isn’t officially over until we’ve had Gail Worley’s picks from the mountain of interviews she did over those twelve months. It’s a rock zeitgeist!