Album review
Demanufacture
Fear Factory
Demanufacture draws strength from the way Fear Factory make their instruments work together. Short, tight guitar parts and rapid drums connect so closely that the music sounds…
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Reviews
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Album review
Among the Living
Anthrax
Anthrax bring an unusual combination of enthusiasm and aggression to Among the Living. The riffs have the speed and weight of thrash, but the shouted backing vocals and sharp …
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Album review
SYL
Strapping Young Lad
SYL makes Strapping Young Lad sound more direct and serious. Devin Townsend's overwhelming sound remains, but the riffs stand closer to the front. The music draws heavily on d…
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Album review
Carnal
Nothing More
Nothing More put a lot of faith in a big chorus on Carnal. The guitars are heavy, the arrangements are detailed and Jonny Hawkins sounds fully committed to every emotional tur…
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Album review
Sacrificium
Xandria
Sacrificium lets Xandria think big, but its strength involves more than the amount of orchestra and choir. The band leave sufficient room for heavy guitars, and Dianne van Gie…
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Album review
Amplifier
Amplifier
Motorhead opens Amplifier with a guitar sound large enough to define the room around it. Sel Balamir's voice then gives the noise a clear melodic purpose, establishing the deb…
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Album review
Gifts from the Holy Ghost
Dorothy
Gifts from the Holy Ghost makes its case through Dorothy Martin's ability to sound certain. The songs deal in recovery, defiance and the determination to keep moving, and she …
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Album review
The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
Explosions in the Sky
Explosions in the Sky make large music from straightforward ingredients on The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place. The guitars stay clear, the drums build tension and the melodies…
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Album review
Painkiller
Judas Priest
Scott Travis's opening drum attack leaves little doubt about the intentions of Painkiller. Judas Priest make speed and impact central to the record, then give the guitars and …
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Album review
Friend of a Phantom
VOLA
VOLA have a very useful ability: they can make a heavy, awkwardly shaped riff sit comfortably next to a chorus you could sing without knowing anything about progressive metal.…
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Album review
Lucy
Candlebox
Lucy has a darker, looser atmosphere than its familiar hard rock ingredients might suggest. Candlebox still favour substantial guitar chords and an openly emotional singer, bu…
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Album review
Smash
The Offspring
The Offspring sound heavy even when they are writing a pop hook. On Smash, the guitars have a rough, solid weight, and Dexter Holland's high voice pushes against them with ver…
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Album review
Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
Periphery
The jazz passage in Wildfire is a revealing interruption. After an intense opening of low guitar attacks and harsh singing, Periphery introduce piano and saxophone without mak…
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Album review
Ravenhead
Orden Ogan
Ravenhead sounds heavy enough to support its large vocal parts. Orden Ogan keep the guitars working hard, with sharp riffs and solos that develop the melodies. The choruses ar…
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Album review
The Lash
The Dirty Nil
The Dirty Nil still sound as though a good riff is enough to improve most situations. The Lash gives that belief a harder test than usual. Luke Bentham's writing is more perso…
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Album review
Lotus
Soen
The title track of Lotus makes its strongest impression through the space around Joel Ekelöf's voice. The arrangement begins delicately, then grows in force without losing the…
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Album review
Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise
The Dear Hunter
Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise brings The Dear Hunter's melodic rock and orchestral ambitions into a colourful, theatrical setting. Strings, horns and layered singing are central …
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Album review
Bleed American
Jimmy Eat World
The opening guitar attack on Bleed American is a useful reminder that Jimmy Eat World can sound anxious as well as reassuring. Jim Adkins pushes his voice hard, the rhythm is …
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Album review
Parrhesia
Animals as Leaders
The most interesting conversation on Parrhesia takes place between the drums and the two guitars. Animals as Leaders make their parts overlap in ways that can feel unstable, t…
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Album review
Out in the Open
Steep Canyon Rangers
Out in the Open sounds like the work of a band that knows exactly how much room a song needs. Steep Canyon Rangers bring bluegrass, country and folk together without turning e…
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Album review
The Mandrake Project
Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson gives himself a lot of room on The Mandrake Project. His first solo album in nearly two decades moves between heavy metal, darker rock and long, reflective arr…
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Album review
Hex
Bark Psychosis
Hex places Bark Psychosis between a song and a slowly changing environment. Guitars, bass and drums remain recognisable but need not keep playing the same roles. Piano, string…
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Album review
Disclaimer II
Seether
Disclaimer II is an unusual album to judge because it gives Seether's debut a second life rather than simply following it. The original songs return with revised sound and add…
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Album review
角度 Angle
Elephant Gym
The bass has an unusually free role on 角度 Angle. Elephant Gym do not build their music around a leading guitar with a rhythm section behind it. The three instruments continual…
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