Album review
Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
Slipknot
The quiet opening of Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) gives Slipknot room to rearrange expectations. Prelude 3.0 is patient and uneasy, with a vocal that invites attention inst…
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Reviews
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Album review
Brutalism
IDLES
Brutalism hits hard, but IDLES use their anger with unusual precision. The guitars scrape, the bass and drums lock together tightly, and Joe Talbot puts a clear emphasis on al…
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Album review
As Good as Dead
Local H
Local H make frustration sound sharply specific on As Good as Dead. Scott Lucas' songs are rooted in the feeling of being stuck somewhere, watching time pass while resentment …
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Album review
Datura
Boston Manor
Datura gives Boston Manor's alternative rock a more concentrated setting. Across seven tracks, electronic textures and heavier guitar parts create a dark, continuous atmospher…
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Album review
Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…
AFI
AFI have moved the furniture around again. Silver Bleeds the Black Sun… puts their goth and post-punk influences directly in front, with Davey Havok using a deeper, more theat…
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Album review
Berserker
Beast In Black
Berserker draws a thick line between heavy metal and danceable melodies, then happily steps across it. Beast In Black let fast guitars, large keyboard parts and remarkably hig…
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Album review
Twilight of the Thunder God
Amon Amarth
Twilight of the Thunder God turns Amon Amarth's heavy guitar melodies into something immediately memorable. The songs have a firm rhythmic pulse, Johan Hegg's growl gives them…
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Album review
Pawn Shoppe Heart
The Von Bondies
Pawn Shoppe Heart gives the Von Bondies a clear sound without smoothing away their force. Guitars and drums come firmly forward, but Jason Stollsteimer's deep voice has space …
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Album review
Black Lines
Mayday Parade
Black Lines gives Mayday Parade's guitars much more to say. The sound is rougher, the riffs carry more weight, and Derek Sanders allows an abrasive edge into his voice. The ch…
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Album review
Moments Elsewhere
Johnny Booth
Moments Elsewhere gives Johnny Booth's heavy sound more room to move. The band still deliver sharp rhythmic changes, harsh vocals and substantial breakdowns, but melody has a …
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Album review
MTV Unplugged in New York
Nirvana
A quiet Nirvana record still has plenty of bite. MTV Unplugged in New York removes much of the distortion, but it leaves Kurt Cobain's voice exposed enough to make even famili…
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Album review
The Sea of Tragic Beasts
Fit for an Autopsy
The Sea of Tragic Beasts shows that a heavy record can also have plenty of space. Fit for an Autopsy keep their low riffs and forceful rhythms firmly in view, but increasingly…
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Album review
Giants & Monsters
Helloween
Helloween's expanded lineup could easily have become an exercise in keeping everybody happy. Giants & Monsters works because the voices and guitars mostly serve the songs. Mic…
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Album review
Polaris
TesseracT
A strong vocal melody is the main point of connection on Polaris. TesseracT keep their shifting low guitar patterns and detailed rhythm section, but Daniel Tompkins gives the …
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Album review
Visions
Stratovarius
Visions makes it easy to understand why Stratovarius have such a recognisable place in power metal. Timo Kotipelto's high voice, quick guitars and prominent keyboards all have…
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Album review
Leave a Whisper
Shinedown
Brent Smith is a strong reason to pay attention to Leave a Whisper. His voice can bring a rough lower register and a clear, forceful high line into the same song, giving Shine…
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Album review
Take Off Your Pants and Jacket
Blink-182
The best moment on Take Off Your Pants and Jacket comes when Blink-182 stop treating growing up as a punchline. Stay Together for the Kids moves from Mark Hoppus's low, restra…
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Album review
Keeper of the Seven Keys, Part II
Helloween
Keeper of the Seven Keys, Part II places big melodies firmly at the centre. Helloween retain speed and precise guitar work while leaving Michael Kiske plenty of room above the…
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Album review
Mer de Noms
A Perfect Circle
3 Libras is the point where Mer de Noms makes its strongest impression. The picked guitar and strings give Maynard James Keenan a delicate setting, and the song grows around h…
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Album review
loveless
my bloody valentine
loveless makes distortion as important as melody. The guitars of my bloody valentine keep moving even when the chords are held for a long time. Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butch…
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Album review
Cannibal
Bury Tomorrow
Cannibal gives Bury Tomorrow's familiar vocal partnership a particularly personal setting. Dani Winter-Bates's harsh delivery and Jason Cameron's cleaner singing move through …
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Album review
Until All the Ghosts Are Gone
Anekdoten
Anekdoten make a convincing case for their familiar sound on Until All the Ghosts Are Gone. The Swedish group combine forceful bass, rough guitar and rich Mellotron with room …
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Album review
We're Here Because We're Here
Anathema
We're Here Because We're Here reaches toward hope without making it sound effortless. Anathema give their songs a bright, open setting, yet the voices still carry hesitation a…
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Album review
No Closer to Heaven
The Wonder Years
“Cigarettes & Saints” is the heart of No Closer to Heaven. A friend's death becomes a struggle with religion, anger and the limits of what another person can do. The song star…
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