What The World Needs Now builds on This Is PiL in just about every way, taking the band in new directions while remaining rooted in the sound that PiL invented so long ago. For those who thought the band's 2012 return album was a one-shot burst, you're dead wrong, and you're lucky you are.

Happiness Is has some great tracks, but ultimately is probably the group's weakest showing overall.

It’s a gratifying experience structured like a pop album jam-packed with catchy choruses. While it is flawed and contains a few too many niche references, that’s become a part of Weezer’s DNA.

It’s on par with recent great stuff by Testament, Exodus or Death Angel. It’s another excellent addition to the already impressive Overkill discography.

True Brew recaptures the original essence of the band as well as any magic these veterans have picked up on the ride over the past few years.

There’s never a rush to get to a bridge or breakdown, but the emotion oozes out when they are loud and free, competitive yet supportive. They build on each other, like the Harlem Globetrotters of guitars. And man, when Diarrhea Planet hit, they blow you away. Lyrically, there's not as much to say, clearly less of a priority.

This isn’t horrible, but I can really only recommend Dead to the World to hardcore Helmet fans. The rest of you should just go listen to Meantime.

The album's pretty good -- especially as Relapse loves letting bands do this shoegazey wandering and overall 'finding yourself' schtick -- but with something so deep and filled with portraits of different eras and mentors, it's going to take some time to really say just how good, especially compared to an already profound discography.

Apart from running repetitive with no real memorable tracks in the back-end, it's the cheese factor that ends up hampering the show.

Right now they still seem to be in the reactionary phase, rebelling against the slick pop punk produced for Warner Bros. Ideally they’ll find a happy medium but for now we have You’re Welcome.

They stand true to their ideals on Stoke Extinguisher.

While a product of hard times, Defend Yourself is a joyful listen and welcome addition to the Sebadoh catalog. It will please any fan of the band and also wouldn't be a bad jumping-off point for a new listener.

Fans who dismissed the band as being on autopilot after Invented was released should give Damage a try; they'll find a band that's focused, relatable and on top of their game.

Ultimately, it doesn't feel as differentiated as what the band did way back when, when their records stood out and urged you to pour sweat and tears into basement shows.

Whales & Leeches, their third full-length, offers more of what we’ve come to expect from the group, and can only be described as a hard-rocking, hard-partying good time.

It's a record that goes deep, slow and pensive at times, but then quickly gears up into its natural beast, staying in this state and allowing you to bask in its chaos.

With Wavves, you know what you're getting, and while Afraid of Heights offers no major surprises, it may be their finest hour yet.

The question is then, on Everybody Loves Sausages, the band's first all covers album, can they maintain the originality that seeps through their reworkings for an entire album? Yes, yes they can. And how.

Repentless is the best Slayer album of the 21st century.

If Lonesome and Moon are 10s, Good News is a 9 and Long Drive and We Were Dead are 8’s, then this gets 7/10. Definitely worth picking up for Modest Mouse fans, but those new to the band should start elsewhere.

Health's dark musical aesthetic feels as fresh as ever. ... Now, that's not to say there aren't a couple misses like "Rat Wars", but all in all, the androgynous energy of Jake Duzsik on the mic is more than enough to shape another pulsating yet nihilistic soundscape that reminds us how Health ages well like fine wine.

A few tracks run a bit boring and slightly monotonous but you've got the synth-traced "Shapes I Know" paying homage to acts like Conor Oberst and Max Bemis, "Buttercup" for fans of John K. Samson, and songs like "Phoenix" for when Ewald wants to explore his inner Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens. In these 10 tracks, you get a lot closer with him than you do in Modern Baseball's narrative which feels much more wholesale as opposed to Ewald's new musical therapy sessions.

Hare’s both sides show that in fact, the door of Glass Boys was just what they needed. With their past now packed away, they can essentially do whatever they want and their inherent Fucked Up-ness will still shine through.

The Frank Turner side of the record wins the West Coast Vs. Wessex war. Whether it’s due to Fat Mike’s songwriting, or Turner’s vision is hard to say. I doubt this will ever occupy that special place in our hearts that NOFX/Rancid did, but it’s still a fun listen. It’s not a game changer at this point, but there’s still enough good stuff that fans of both acts are going to want to pick this up.

To whereas many may have expected that Idol’s first LP after 10 years be a rock destroyer, it’s probably his most mediative to date. It’s always great to hear Idol rev it up like the rock god that he is, but arguably, at this stage, it’s more interesting to hear what Idol thinks of Bill. And he still rocks live.

If I hadn't heard ROC, this album would have probably gotten a half-star more, but as it stands it's just above decent.

Cope is a loud dose of poetry which I can see stretching its musical arms very far and very wide.

It's strong all the way through, and it'll make you wish there were more than ten short tracks.