Even though their singer will soon be pushing 60, it's clear these guys haven't run out of things to say. Or shout.

This loose, spilling energy does not translate to a lack of moment-to-moment intensity. On "Cop Dream / Black Eye (True Story)," Spider Bags let loose with a thrashing blaze, guaranteed to conjure up mosh pits wherever it's played. The record also features some of the band's most indelible imagery.

This is no B.S. heavy metal and it makes you feel good, which is way more than many were expecting. And, no, the bass isn't embarrassingly loud in the mix.

While they don't break a ton of new ground with this record or introduce any drastic new elements, Only Ghosts is still a great new addition to their canon.

With its comparatively morose yet still lively sound, Animator is just as instrumentally adventurous and aurally beautiful as the Luyas' enchanting debut.

Dream Police take an expert background in far noisier music and strip it down to its bones, offering something that is simultaneously intense and easy on the ears.

While the album doesn't have the same immediate impact as ULTRAPOP (everything they release henceforth will inevitably be compared to that titanic slab of a record), Perfect Saviours will undoubtedly cement the Armed as one of the best, most exciting rock/punk/hardcore/experimental/whatever-you-want-to-call-them bands making music today.

Because the Internet is a vast improvement over his debut effort, showcasing an artist who has confidently found a way to coalesce his love for music and films into one hybrid effort.

There are few artists who are as artistically uncompromising, and while EarthEE may not garner the duo many new fans, its quality will ensure it outlives the kind of transient hype they might have shot for.

She's surprised everyone yet again by turning her sultry voice and razor sharp intuition in a whole new direction, building Kidsticks off beats and keyboard loops she created in a Californian backyard with Fuck Buttons' Andrew Hung.

Harmonicraft is filled with catchy hooks and pop melodies, as well as progressive, atmospheric rhythms.

The album is a tad long, but the diversity in sounds and use of ambient noise make it clear this is to be listened to from beginning to end. There are plenty of single-worthy songs for casual listeners, while offering dedicated fans a more fulfilling experience by pacing the record's heavy moments.

The one flaw is that at times Frahm allows the songs to continue for too long, losing the flow of the album--particularly between tracks 9 through 11, but later as well--but that's a small concern. Otherwise, Frahm's Late Night Tales curation is a blissful, satisfying experience.

You Want It Darker is a strong record, with an even stronger message.

The amount of technical and emotional ground that YOB are able to carry across these four tracks is phenomenal, and makes Clearing the Path to Ascend the album that marks the band's return to the height of their power.

The pair are making strummable instruments sound new again, and it sounds like redemption. Proceed frantically and without caution.

There's Always More at the Store is a solid addition to Holland's discography, and hopefully there is indeed more where this came from.

Put succinctly, awE NaturalE leaves listeners wanting more.

Not every moment is seamless, but the results are fascinating and, more importantly, enthralling from beginning to end.

Generous helpings of angst and spice on Hot Between Worlds make for a raw listening experience, one which does not offer resolution or understanding, but rather a ding-dong-ditch challenge to psychic fisticuffs in the middle of the street.

Clever turns of phrase and quirky observations still permeate Barnett's writing, and there are still jangly, toe-tapping jams like "Need a Little Time" and "City Looks Pretty," but there are also darker forces at work.

Despite clocking in at a whopping 70 minutes, Car Seat Headrest pack enough hooks in to avoid lagging, thanks to Toledo's practice with his lengthy yet phenomenal earlier albums Twin Fantasy and How to Leave Town.

Lenker's writing in general is vivid, and bursts with the kind of verve its subject matter demands.

With smartly layered melodies and excellent vocalists, the band really isn't that far off from a parallel universe Lamb of God (if they were raised on Aborted), at least in theory. This is a huge compliment.

Every song manages to fit very well together without sounding too similar.

Sumney approaches the complexities of relationships, power structures and an inability to experience romantic love with a quiet, powerful confidence.

This is a perfect match of old school talent and righteous inspiration.

Although it may not be essential listening for Mogwai fans, A Wrenched Virile Lore's recontextualized tracks certainly allow for greater appreciation of one of the band's best albums in years.