SOUND BITES

With Nine Inch Nails' eighth studio album (I know, that seems like an awfully low number considering the twenty-eight official "halo" releases, but it's true) set to drop next week, I figure now is as good a time as any to look back on the tumultuous and exciting career of the man known as Trent Reznor and his most recognizable brand (and, apparently, also as good a time as any to go for excruciatingly long sentences). Over the course of Nine Inch Nails' career arc, Reznor has seen the highest of highs and lowest of lows. The ten videos selected do more than just plow through nearly a quarter century of a visionary musician's resumé; they chronicle the soaring best and crushing worst of the man's very life. Enjoy!

Stream Avenged Sevenfold's Hail To The King here , courtesy iTunes. As uncool and un-hipsterish as it may be for me to admit on a blog, I'm a fan of Avenged Sevenfold. Their breakthrough album City of Evil and its blistering lead single Bat Country sucked me in, and their varied, multiple era sprawling attack kept me around waiting for more. Their 2007 self titled effort was just as strong in its shameless genre hopping, planting their feet firmly in the technical metal that endeared them to so many while reaching out to explore new sounds. With that said, I felt 2010's Nightmare was a step back; while it had some genuinely thrilling moments, it overall lacked some of the adventurousness that made them so interesting. Upon listening to Hail To The King 's title track for the first time, I was admittedly disappointed by its trite lyrics and (mostly) simplistic musicianship. However, repeated exposure has helped the track age well; once you get past the lyrics

Stream Superchunk's new album here , courtesy NPR. It's been a long, slow summer with regards to substantial rock releases, even more so than suggested by a history of long, slow summers. As an out-of-control music whore with an out-of-control CD buying habit, I haven't bought a new release since Queens Of The Stone Age's ...Like Clockwork . That's about to change as what I playfully call the "fall shopping season" gets an early jump start over the next few weeks, with new platters from heavy hitters Avenged Sevenfold, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys arrive on shelves before fall even officially gets under way. Even before those, there's the tenth album from perpetual fringe heroes Superchunk, I Hate Music . Making some of the most satisfying crunch pop to ever burst from speakers for over two decades, Superchunk rarely fail to give their listeners the warm and fuzzies, and I Hate Music happily won't disappoint those who have waited pat