It does meander in the middle, but mostly this is an admirable step in Katatonia's ongoing quest to keep their identity fresh. [18 Jun 2016, p.52]

Their seventh record might just be their most melodically expansive yet. [27 Aug 2016, p.52]

It's radiant, bold and frequently brilliant. [4 Nov 2017, p.53]

Erase Me is not a perfect record, but it is a solid statement from a band who believe they still gave unfinished business to attend to. [7 Apr 2018, p.53]

The results will mostly appeal to completists. [13 Jul 2019, p.73]

As good as Heavy Fire? Nope, but it's another superb shot of classic-spirited heavy rock from masters of their craft. [7 Sep 2019, p.55]

Throughout, DevilDriver are taut, tight and tenacious.

A composed and well-thought-out record, Life In Your Glass World doesn’t exactly shatter expectations, but what it does showcase is a talented band operating with a fully-fledged confidence and faith in their craft, and that’s more than fine by us.

BUMMER is an album where cleopatrick excel more than they struggle. Their sound could do with a little streamlining, but for a debut LP, this is a bold and at times very enjoyable effort.

There are no crashing power chords, OTT theatrics or questionable haircuts to worry about on All The Truth That I Can Tell. Just an open-hearted, increasingly middle-aged man, his acoustic guitar, and the same brand of chest-swelling songwriting many of us have known since we were young.

The Mandrake Project is a colossal idea carried out by an artist who revels in snowballing ideas and having to work hard to cram it all in. It’s the most Bruce Dickinson of all Bruce Dickinson’s solo works. It's also the best.

SELF HELL, is their most fearless. The 12-track collection mediates its electronic curveballs with the melodic metalcore mash-up that Sleeps have pioneered over their career, blended to masterful effect.

The Velveteers strut across many different dimensions, whether that’s through the means of dreamy ballads like the title-track, the cinematic, swaying Heaven or the hulking blues rock of Moonchild (with a sassy coda that demands that listeners get up and shimmy). It leaves a remarkable impression, so much so that even after a couple of plays, these songs feel like they’ve been in your life forever.

We’re left with something that isn’t Volbeat’s best album, but is a candidate for their most interesting.

This is a record that taps into punk rock’s restless spirit while giving it a sharp, modern lick.

It’s true that not every track here rises to equal heights, but few overstay their welcome.

They may not have subtlety in their arsenal but then again, with riffs this menacing, who needs it? [21 Jan 2012, p.52]

If you're expecting an album full of immediate anthems like Monkey Wrench and All My Life, dig out their Greatest Hits. Otherwise, bask in this hour of masterful '70s-flavoured jams. [9 Sep 2017, p.50]

For every comparison you can make of individual moments, there is little here that you can honestly say you’ve heard before, and little that can be judged on traditional terms. But that’s what makes her such a fascinating force.

They might have official veteran status but these old dogs remain as vital and exciting as ever. [29 Jul 2016, p.50]

It’s a fun, if not unusual listen, that ploughs deeper into the band’s flirtations with synth-pop and electronic experimentation. It’s lacking in the enormity expected of a celebration of 25 years of existence and this is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as it’s a further example of Ulver’s ability to push the envelope and keep their music fresh and exciting.

Rarer still are those who can apply their personality to another’s songs and make them theirs simply by sitting down and playing them. Here, she has done so to nothing less than a triumphant degree.

Musically there’s a touch more considered atmosphere than on predecessor AmeriKKKant, but this new Ministry line-up – featuring former Tool bassist Paul D’Amour and guest appearances from the likes of Billy Idol guitarist Billy Morrison and former Megadeth man David Ellefson – still knows how to rage.

Another quiet triumph, then, exclusively on their own terms. [17 Nov 2012, p.55]

[Darkthrone] take a detour from the brawling, blackened punk of their last couple of albums and head into thrashier territory. It still sounds like Darkthorne, of course. [23 Feb 2013, p.52]

Boris often sound like they're fashioning a facsimile of a style rather than engaging with it fully. [14 Jun 2014, p.53]

Occasionally this album is just as you might expect, raucous and raw, but elsewhere it is the work of people who seem unafraid to sound afraid. A gem. [6 Nov 2010, p.52]

Just Like You is a good album, in that it contains many more good songs than bad ones. [21 Feb 2015, p.52]