You better get ready to start your "Best Albums of 2017" list--a serious contender has arrived. [7 Jan 2017, p.52]

Little has changed. [8 May 2017, p.69]

Cradle Of Filth have created a gothic horror that makes Mary Shelley's Frankenstein look like The Emoji Movie. [23 Sep 2017, p.52]

It’s an intelligent, thrilling and likeable record from one of the most exciting bands in British punk.

By no-holds-barred closer The Scythes Remorseless Swing, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed with sheer awe just seeing these death metal progenitors getting back to murderous business. Killer stuff.

It’s a ferocious, fearless record from one of Britain’s best.

At it's best, it's a thing of beauty. But if the duo's choruses set the gold standard, it's the riffs that are worth their weight in platinum. [23 Aug 2014, p.54]

Throughout, layered vocals sit gloriously atop it all, like a doomed Bruce Dickinson. [16 Jun 2018, p.59]

This is classic ATG with freshness and vigour to spare. [25 Oct 2014, p.54]

Eyehategod are growing old disgracefully, and they're all the better for it. [24 May 2014, p.54]

[Trent has] ended up somewhere unique, exciting, and genuinely of his own making. [16 Jun 2018, p.57]

Attention to detail makes …So Unknown an involving listen, but emphatically doesn’t detract from the band’s primary intention of rearranging your skeletal structure through elastic, chugging riffs and neck-snapping beats.

Signed And Sealed In Blood finds Boston's finest as raucous, rowdy and riotous as ever, without sounding hoary or hackneyed. [5 Jan 2013, p.55]

It's impressive to hear how Sleigh Bells rock so hard with so little. [19 Feb 2012, p.52]

The result is a fresh, pavement-referencing quirk on tracks Like Son Of A Gun and Boxelder. [2 Jun 2012, p.52]

A nonstop riot of positivity that might not change the world, but will certainly make it seem a less dismal place for the 37-odd minutes. [19 Jan 2013, p.52]

A sensory overload that doesn't let up. [28 Mar 2020, p.51]

No Gods No Masters is one of the coolest, most vital releases of 2021, let alone one by a band some 30 years and seven albums into their career. Listen and learn.

It's bold, atmospheric and destined to play havoc with the concept of playlists. [24 Sep 2016, p.52]

While DISCO4:: PART II isn't perfect, it's definitely worth your time.

The end result is excellent in places, but easier to admire than endure. [21 Dec 2013, p.69]

They deliver a raw brand of garage-punk that isn't exactly new but remain fresh in these hands. [14 Mar 2020, p.73]

It's chaotic, panic-inducing and downright delirious. [5 May 2012, p.53]

As Hardcore closes, it beats its chest too, the subtleties of the album's earlier songs unfurled into those wonderful dramas of old. [12 Feb 2011, p.52]

Propelled by Sergio Vega's springy bass, Walter Schreifels' effortless instantly recognisable vocal floats over everything. [11 Nov 2017, p.51]

This is as exciting as heavy music gets in 2012. [23 Jun 2012, p.54]

The melodic emo guitar parts are more catchy than most of their ilk, while nostalgic pop-culture references are both comforting and sincere. [11 Oct 2014, p.53]

They continue to blast out their post-punk hymns to the end of the world with a wild-eyed mania that's genuinely scary. [31 Oct 2015, p.54]

It crucially all gels properly into something all of its own, rather than disparate parts that won't mix no matter how hard they're shaken. [26 Oct 2019, p.54]

Taking artistic plunges in areas outside garage punk is not for them, but this fifth album is nevertheless a solid half hour of what the Kentucky outfit do best.

It was a given that Hesitation Marks would provide Nine Inch Nails with a future. But what's so impressive here is that it's given then a future every bit as promising as their illustrious past. [31 Aug 2013, p.52]

This is hook-laden power-pop with one eye on the world's arenas. [4 Oct 2019, p.55]

There's the occasional turbulent moments of riff-deja-vu, but ultimately it's a fascinating, satisfying and impressive prog-metal odyssey. [9 Apr 2011, p.51]

They offer no hits or immediately accessible anthems, but when they do engage, they show why they're beloved of so many. [25 Aug 2012, p.54]

[The] band's most atmospheric music to date. [14 Oct 2017, p.52]

It’s not pared back, but WE ARE CHAOS is a less immediately antagonistic and forward prospect than recent output. But that’s a good thing that’s been mastered to darkly brilliant effect here. Unexpected, bold and artistic, Manson remains an artist it is dangerous to underestimate.

Longtime fans won't be disappointed by this hearty sixth effort. [20 Oct 2012, p.54]

It has to be said that this is more of a nice vibe record than it is one full of great standalone songs, but when the vibe created is as utterly charming as this, that can only be a minor gripe. [1 Jul 2017, p.52]

It’s evocative stuff, but what makes it more compelling is that it’s delivered by a 43-year-old woman whose tastes can’t be contained by low ceilings, so these observations don’t necessarily arrive with the musical backing you might expect.

This is a raw, vicious and churning blast of a record. [25 Aug 2012, p.52]

You'll need to sit down when it's all over, but you'll soon be right back to the start, re-embracing that darkness. [28 Jul 2017, p.48]

It's absurd, OTT stuff. But who wants anything else from Andrew W.K. [24 Feb 2018, p.51]

On the whole, they should definitely be commended for their ambition in mixing things up at this stage of the game, the result making for a compelling, quite fascinating collection.

Its unhurried pace is a drag at times, but should leave bands who repeat themselves with their pride punctured and their egos pricked. [22 Nov 2014, p.51]

While pulling no punches in discussing anxiety or uncertainty, their sparky indie punk still evokes sunny days and exhilarating nights. [16 Sep 2017, p.52]

Sounding better than most of their studio-recorded output, Sugar Daddy's dark riffs are so sludgy you'll have to wash them before allowing them home. [18 Jun 2011, p.52]

Dig deeper and beguiling melodies emerge while the intriguingly sinister edge to Cacie Dalager's lyrics is exposed. [25 Aug 2012, p.53]

The Amity Affliction have polished their beauty-and-the-beast sound and frankly, it couldn't be better. [29 Sep 2012, p.54]

Death metal has rarely sounded as deliciously demented as The Faceless do here. [11 Aug 2012, p.54]

The result is jaw-dropping. [12 Jan 2013, p.52]

It works and then some. [1 Jun 2013, p.54]

With tracks such as Clarity and Without Prejudice helping make this the most accessible Protest The Hero release to date, every one of these 11 tracks have enough substance to fulfill all your musical wants and needs. [26 Oct 2013, p.54]

The tense atmospheres and '80s-strength songwriting neutralise the ever-present threat of lapsing into pastiche. [30 Nov 2013, p.53]

Musically, this is the most extreme Slipknot have sounded since 2001's Iowa. [25 Oct 2014, p.52]

Weird, arty, heavy excellence, thy name is (still) Therapy?. [9 May 2015, p.53]

Like Sabbath on an especially mellow day. [14 Nov 2015, p.52]

It's as sharp as can be, as powerful as an atom bomb, and exactly the sort of thrilling metal adventure you want from them. [17 Mar 2018, p.53]

It’s a joyous riot from start to finish, and all comes together to form a loveable, middle-fingers-up record that furthers the recent work of bands like Dream Nails, Drones and Nova Twins in demonstrating the strength of modern UK punk.

Every single one of these songs flags up Bad Waitress as a genuinely exciting prospect.

It’s in the staggering breadth of what Code Orange dare to do here that’s as striking as how much they want you to break your neck from turning your head every time they dart around a corner.

Unquestionably the most proggy proposition on the album, this tune [L’Enfant De La Lune] shifts through different passages like a receptacle for all the musical touches Alcest have at their disposal. As such, it’s part of a listening experience which often feels like something of a journey, and if the specific destination is ambiguous, the direction is very much into the light.

It’s an altogether more oppressive album than Brighten, and therefore something that Alice In Chains fans are going to want in their lives. That said, I Want Blood still knows when to pause for breath.

This is an album for the coldest of autumns and for dark nights of the soul. It’s hellish, haunting and an emotional maelstrom, deeper and more textured than Witch Fever have ever gone before.

Across imperfect accounts and admissions, 5SOS are acknowledging how the pressure of performing links to a pressure to always be liked: to be young, to be attractive, to be good but not too good. So, they may piss off a metalhead or two by being colourfully themselves, but they’re sure good at pop rock.

The wonderfully titled England Keep My Bones features some of the finest songs Frank has yet written. [4 Jun 2011, p.52]

Funeral For A Friend have always been ordinary chaps with ordinary ambitions. Yet That masks something important: there is extraordinary heart in what they do. And there is much of that here. [21 Mar 2011, p.50]

It's adventurous, daring, different. [7 Feb 2015, p.54]

Compounding shades of this all-encompassing bleakness and newfound furore to an already formidable plateau of emo, indie and shoegaze could just about make it mewithoutYou's finest work to date. [20 Oct 2018, p.55]

As well as being excellent, Local Honey is evidence that the man himself is able to adjust his songwriting to his circumstances without compromising in its quality. It all makes for a seriously sweet listen that reaffirms the Jersey boy as a storyteller and songwriter par excellence.

This is an album that’s compelling and will leave you hanging onto your headphones to see what’s coming next.

What's most impressive is the sense of personal innovation, and WITTR's willingness to follow their vision wherever it may roam. [12 Jul 2015, p.54]

The whole thing is done and dusted in just under 40 minutes, yet zips by so fluidly that it feels half as long. [2 Jul 2011, p.50]

The quartet take songs that are not always wholly divorced from pop music and turn them into something weird and wild. [23 Mar 2019, p.55]

Musically, Requiem is heavy but not stodgy, fresh but familiar, and accessible without ever feeling forced. Its wisest creative decision, though, is keeping things lean and mean. At just nine tracks, there are few moments that feel anything less than essential.

Truly, so confident and perfectly measured are Royal Blood here that, while definitely focused on the stars, they sound like they never noticed the gutter was there in the first place. It’s rock’n’roll lit up by a disco ball.

Serpents Unleashed doesn't expand Skeletonwitch's armoury, but this band never disappoint. [26 Oct 2013, p.53]

Snarling, furious, smart, more please, Boss Hog. More. [1 Apr 2017, p.53]

It's just an album of bona fide, polished, often odd, perfect pop-rock. [27 Sep 2014, p.52]

With Sparse arrangements and songs that are never less than smart, How Do You Love? is an album for lovers than fighters and for anyone with a little romance in their heart, this is a doozy. [17 Aug 2019, p.55]

As with the original, Black Stallion is an album of competing extremities held together in a state of perfect equilibrium. It is certainly true that White Pony needed no augmentation. In its original incarnation it sounds as breathtaking and innovative now as it did in June 2000. To weigh Black Stallion against it would not only be unfair, but also miss the point. What we have here is a whole new set of parallel hoof prints to marvel at.

Who Will Look After The Dogs feels more intensely personal than anything the band have made before.

A triumph. [29 Oct 2011, p.52]

This is a terrific album, a rich, sweeping 12-song set that features more potential hit singles than you can swing a pickaxe at. [18 Sep 2010, p.57]

Full of weirdness and with groove to spare, this is a fascinating collection. [25 Feb 2017, p.53]

Admittedly, without Trent's voice and lyrics it lacks the sense of introspection that defines classic NIN albums, but that doesn't matter; the master is back at work. [16 Oct 2010, p.52]

Just as Emperor expanded and grew with each album, becoming ever more grandiose and sophisticated, so it is with Ihsahn's solo material that he never repeats himself. [16 Jun 2012, p.54]

It's not perfect, but a once-a-decade check-in from Desaparecidos sounds perfectly acceptable to us. [20 Jun 2015, p.53]

The solos are absolutely enormous and are some of the most interesting song writing that they’ve produced to date.

Always on the front foot, bloodied but unbowed, IDLES are a claustrophobic, relentless, airtight and pulverising machine of perpetual motion. That they are able to keep themselves airborne throughout Ultra Mono is testament to the art and skill that lies behind such an unstinting display of brazen contempt.

It's a long overdue return, but one that's been entirely worth the wait. [12 Feb 2011, p.52]

From the meandering opener, Weave, it's a record that's entirely absorbing. [31 Oct 2015, p.54]

We didn't expect Asking Alexandria to raise the bar this high. [3 Aug 2013, p.52]

A few teething problems aside, Between The Stars is a brilliant reinvention. [1 Nov 2014, p.54]

A record that's intelligent with its music, but played with an explosive level of nastiness that sounds like they'd burn your house down if you crossed them. [17 Sep 2016, p.52]

It’s not an easy listen, in both an emotional and sonic sense. But, as an individual experience, it’s hard to ignore the boldness with which Hayden realises her vision, and the terrifying impact that such unfiltered, uncomfortable ambience can hold.

Bumbling and awkward in the best way. [1 Mar 2014, p.54]

Once again, Arctic Thunder sees Darkthrone doing something different, without doing much different than usual. [22 Oct 2016, p.69]

NOTHING, a band noted for their none-more-dour demeanour using a black hole as inspiration might be a little too on-the-nose for some tastes. At a time when hope feels in scant supply, wade into the blackness of these waters at your own discretion.