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If there was a specific pigeonhole that I had to put Die Close in, there’s no doubt it would be labelled something like, ‘Not My Usual Bag, But I Actually Like It’. Taken at face value with its red and grey artwork, you could be forgiven that you are about to enjoy a death or death/doom record or perhaps a blackened death metal record. Die Close is some of and none of those things, all at the same time. If you are looking at the artwork thinking you will get your fix of chugga, chugga, chugga then you are not going to be disappointed. When it riffs, this record riffs hard. However, there is a lot more to the album than that. For a concept album about a vampire, it is in fact a very contagious record all round.

Displaying a groove element to their big doomy riffs, Blood Vulture heads up a charge of doom metal riffs combined with gothic rock and grunge, with the very occasional spray of death metal for good measure. A solo project in the main, Jordan Olds recruits Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota, Sightless Pit and Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter), Jade Puget (AFI, Blaqk Audio and XTRMST) as well as Shadows Fall and Overcast vocalist Brian Fair to assist him on some tracks, whilst Gina Gleeson of Baroness also appears on a couple of tracks. So not only do we have a plethora of styles/genres being moulded together, but we also have a cacophony of artists from different backgrounds collaborating to deliver the album. As such, any listener who just tries to focus on one element of the record will be disappointed. One of the main successes of the album is how well it all combines into a coherent and powerful single entity. The production job certainly helps this, but the song writing in the main is solid, achieving infectious levels of catchiness almost at times.

As I listen to this I am constantly reminded of Alice in Chains (albeit the more modern version of the group) but the album is a real treat of influences and styles, with Pallbearer being in the sound also to my ears. My favourite track on the album is ‘Entwined’ which features Kristin Hayter. Full of dark opera and drama yet still catchy as well, this track combines allure with reward perfectly. The rolling riff on ‘Burn for It’ featuring Brian Fair stays with you long after the record has finished. In a little over a fortnight, many tracks are traced into my brain so deep that I can recite them end-to-end. Where it does come unstuck to rob it of full marks, the album is only guilty of missed edit opportunities. I don’t need the interlude halfway through the record, although I get its relevance in the story being played, it does rob us of some momentum I feel. ‘Silence of God’ is the only real proper track that I find falls over itself a bit, Whilst I did have some reservations over ‘A Dream About Starving to Death’ with its repetitive structure, I soon calmed my fears by relating the concept of a nightmare being something that happens relentlessly and so perhaps that repetition is actually a genius way of representing the horror of the vampire’s dream.

Good hooks out manoeuvre the need for complexity and excessive grandiosity here. Die Close will chart highly somewhere on one of my year end lists I am sure, just which one it fits under is going to be the only quandary.

I've mentioned on a handful of occasions that I struggled with Sumerian Records back in the day. Djentcore was in its early stages of development and this record label was destined to pump out as many metalcore and djent bands as they possibly could through the early 2010s. Born of Osiris were just another one of the fairly unoriginal bands of the time, but as the years pass they modulate closer to the Veil of Maya sound. I've personally never cared for them, but as an inoffensive modern metalcore/deathcore/djent band, I cannot admit to ever switching the channel when they come on. A large reason for that was the songwriting, which was short and direct to the listener.

Short projects like The New Reign and The Simulation play into the groups strengths as being fat-free, straight-to-the-point metalcore/deathcore. Albums like Angel or Alien and more recently, Through Shadows on the other hand, are too long and drawn out for the band. Promotional singles like "Elevate" and "In Desolation" have decent ideas, but both feel cut short; "Elevate" and the opener "Seppuku" in particular feel like their final chorus is missing.

If this was a normal, formative Born of Osiris album, I probably would not mind as much. But in 2025, Through Shadows is a hair under fifty minutes in length. Combining that with shorter than average songs makes for a major issue in the structure of this release. When the band experiments with longer song structures like "A Mind Short Circuiting" and "Transcendence" it feels like two separate song ideas stitched together. The record is just not that well meshed and a large portion of that might come from the bands continued pivot towards electronica.

At the least the sound is nice. Since Born of Osiris are from that formative djent era, Through Shadows is super groovy. The percussion is precise and compliments the vocals very well as well as the occasional guitar lead. I did not find the guitar/bass work to be very impressive; this definitely still has that Sumerian blockiness to it. And vocals are mostly okay; Ronnie continues to move away from harsh screaming as frequently and they can be hit-or-miss, but I do appreciate how not every track on this record has a sung chorus.

Overall I found Through Shadows to be a fairly inoffensive album, just like the rest of Born of Osiris' discography. They are certainly talented when it comes to writing killer grooves and the occasional catchy hook, but given the albums length and continued push towards the progressive leaves this band in an odd predicament. Singles bands can be fine in small doses, but as far as I can tell, Born of Osiris are still chasing the shadows of Veil of Maya.

Best Songs: Inverno, Activated, Blackwater

One of my first albums. I grew up with this thing, it was part of my formative years in middle into high school. Most of the songs evoke memories of bus rides, of seeing the same friend group every day, of walking around town with nothing to do. Actually, Toxicity was one of the albums my friends and I could agree upon; I was pretty strictly into 80’s and 90’s Metal at the time, whereas they were much more Deathcore modern scene kids, but Toxicity, we could agree, was awesome.

That’s not to say I am blinded by nostalgia; in fact, I will go on record to say this album is vastly overrated. One of the main reasons being its inconsistency. It’s got some amazing highlights that even people without a clue or care about this band can enjoy (Chop Suey!, Aerials). The title track has some of the most iconic drumming in the history of music. But it’s got just as many tracks that fall into… “filler” seems a bit too harsh, because every track is very unique and memorable, but just… not as good territory? They aren’t nearly bad songs, but I don’t have much desire to revisit “Prison Song” or “Jet Pilot” again.

The songwriting on this album is really interesting. Could never say for a second that a single moment of this album is boring. And each song is absolutely bursting with character. The amount of personality oozing from each band member is cartoonlike in its audacity. Yet at the same time, some of the compositional choices are just odd. I mean, purposefully so, but that doesn’t make them good. Some of the jerky or disjointed start-stop tactics or odd mood shifts sound “quirky for the sake of being quirky” and at worst pull me from the enjoyment of a song. The aforementioned “Prison Song” as well as “Needles” are guilty of this, with their calmer, catchier sections really not meshing well with the heavier ones. “ATWA” on the other hand, averts this magnificently, but there’s a reason; the song stays consistent in mood, detailing the thoughts of a paranoid maniac tormented by their own thoughts, and so the somber, softer sections exploding into heavy dissonance make sense thematically and compliment each other perfectly.

SoaD was super influential as a band, and this was far and away their most influential and iconic album. History has also been very kind to it, whereas there was a time when “trve” or “kvlt” metalheads disavowed it, it’s almost universally beloved now. Too much so, in my opinion. An album as quirky and inconsistent as this seems out of place holding accolades such as… I dunno, anywhere near the top 10 Metal albums of all time? It’s a great album, but this is one I’d rather reach for the highlights and not play the whole thing front to back for another 10 years.

Tool is a band I’m not particularly fond of. There is the fact that everyone seems to love them – including non-Metalheads and people not normally interested in progressive brain music or however you want to say. It’s odd to me, how many times I’ve met someone who doesn’t like heavier music, “but I like Tool.” Especially considering they aren’t exactly… accessible. They top charts across multiple websites, Metal-centric and not. They get radio play, yet at the same time have a fanbase of some of the most esoteric music aficionados on the planet. They are a weird enigma, and I suppose that suits them…

My gripes with their status aside, none of that affects my own personal thoughts on the music. And for this album, Lateralus, the music is… Good. It’s quite good. Many of the tracks are actually really great. “Schism” is the hit, and for good reason; it combines every strength the band has into one elaborate track. Quiter, contemplative sections lead by odd-time rhythms explode into heavier crescendos; passionate, allegorical lyricism delivered in a fit of desperation sets a scene and mood that strikes too close to reality; and it’s all tied together by one of the most iconic music videos of all time (which normally don’t interest me, but this one… is an exception). “Ticks and Leeches is a personal favorite of mine, showcasing the band’s more aggressive and angry side, and having some of their best riffs (Tool isn’t really a riff-oriented band, so hearing them do it well here is a treat).

At the end of the day though, the album still suffers from the biggest problem all their albums have; it’s bloated, overlong, and has vast boring sections. Lateralus is, without a doubt in my mind, their best album - the highs are mountainous, and the filler space is a bit better at crafting some contemplative atmosphere than most of their output. But still, the album as a whole to me is… just quite good. Not great. Would never be anywhere near the top of my all-time list, my 2001 list, my Prog Metal list… and again, this is coming from a metalhead, who loves Prog Metal. I will give accolades to this album where they are deserved, but I will never understand the world’s obsession and adoration for this band.

I posted Private Music in a thread on another forum I frequent and got asked by one of the regulars there to help them understand the appeal of Deftones. After a lot of words, I came to the overall conclusion that I respect Deftones because they never attempt to “be” anything. Their range of musical styles and influences could take up a whole paragraph of this review quite easily. However, the comparison I eventually made was that in my experience of metalcore/deathcore, there are some acts who like to step around inside Bilie Elish style electro-pop ecosystems for a few minutes before landing a twenty-second breakdown of crushing riffs to keep some semblance of metal relevant in their sound. For some of these acts, they could quite easily for go the metal parts and just stick with the non-metal if they do it well enough. However, although Deftones work with a blueprint, it is one that exists in such a size already that on their best records, the sky is literally the limit and metal may not always obviously be on the cards.

That having been said. I cannot recall the last time I actively waited for a Deftones album, let alone really enjoyed one in its entirety. Following the huge impact that Diamond Eyes had on me when I returned from a hiatus from metal in 2010 was realistically never going to be repeated, I know. When Koi No Yokan dropped some two years later, I lapped it up most definitely but my levels of fascination with its predecessor were never repeated. Working back from Diamond Eyes into their discography rewarded me with White Pony of course, which will go down as one of my all-time favourite alt metal releases, albeit I do not have an extensive listening history within that sub-set of metal music. When it came then to their more modern records, Gore and Ohms just failed to hold my interest and I drifted from the Deftones world of gazey, alt-metal, trip-hop, dream-pop music altogether.

With more of a focus on new music this year, I soon got wind of the singles ahead of the release of Private Music itself. Whilst neither ‘My Mind is a Mountain’ or ‘Milk of the Madonna’ bristled with any true sense of a reinvigorated intensity returning to the Deftones sound, I have hung fire passing any judgement until the album itself was available. Whilst they were both perfectly inoffensive tracks in isolation, I was more interested in how they fitted into the usual multi-textured layers of a whole album by Chino and co. It does not take long for me to find things that I like very much about Private Music. Whilst in isolation ‘My Mind is a Mountain’ is an appetiser, as an album opener it sets out the stall of the record well. Bold in the riff department, whilst also letting the percussion do its thing it marries perfectly with ‘Locked In’ which then follows a similar blueprint, leading into the chugging ‘Ecdysis’. Exploring the bass to get the pace going before establishing a very familiar sound to the Diamond Eyes era that I am such a fan of adds much needed familiarity for me to this track.

The stories within stories layering of the Deftones writing is alive and kicking still on Private Music. Watch the video to ‘My Mind is a Mountain’ and see Chino dancing to a very different theme to what is playing. This is a good thing for me, seeing the heavier end of their sound being embraced a little more whilst still having an agenda the listener must work on uncovering. Whilst far from perfect, the flow of tracks this time around feels more cohesive than it has in a while. Running the usual musical gauntlet over forty-two minutes there are still some golden runs of tracks, especially towards the end of the record. ‘Cut Hands’ through to album closer ‘Departing the Body’ springs to mind. Two up-tempo pieces followed by a more poised track to finish shows the maturity that the band clearly have at this stage.

Caution remains on calling this a return to form perhaps. If I was ranking the record against the last few over the past fifteen years, then Private Music sits in third behind Koi No Yokan and Diamond Eyes respectively. A large part of me doubts the band can achieve the heights they once enjoyed, but Private Music is evidence enough that the potential remains.

Not really a deathcore guy, not really a nu metal guy, so this "nu metalcore" that Wikipedia apparently has an article for doesn't really appeal to me beyond the fact that it's metal.  I checked out Slaughter to Prevail for a coworker and I politely told him that it was better than most of the deathcore I've heard, which isn't really untrue.  But it's only OK.  I didn't really expect much of a change when I heard about the new album.  But to be fair, each song had little tricks here and there that I appreciated.  Good portions of each song were built on these little tricks basically being major focal points.  Unfortunately, none of these aspects were really strong enough to differentiate this album from the vast majority of deathcore in the longrun.  Basically, this album manages to be catchy and edgy enough to get by on its own, with little amounts of creativity making it better than all the other generic nu metal and deathcore albums, but not a groundbreaker by any definition.

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I may have been overly harsh toward Deftones in 2020 with Ohms. I could tell that it was a serviceable project with enough solid moments, but I just could not see it as a standout amongst a discography that includes White Pony and Diamond Eyes. But upon further inspection, songs like “Genesis” and “Pompeji” were stronger than I remember them and Ohms also had a strong production to wipe the slate from Gore.

This new album, Private Music, features the return of Nick Raskulinecz as primary producer. This excited me, since Koi no yokan was also produced by Nick which, while considered a fan favourite, I hold Diamond Eyes in higher regard. And Nick’s presence can be felt almost instantly on Private Music with “My Mind Is a Mountain” having that distinct, early 2010s Deftones sound that was more melodic and atmospheric. Later tunes like “I Think About You All the Time” and “Souvenir” feel deliberate but not boring, leaving the listener in an almost trance-like state; something Deftones are very proficient at.

Deftones are a band that do not have to reinvent the wheel that often given their blend of shoegaze and metal music, even this far into their careers. And sure, Private Music might not be much of a progressive marvel for the group but like with an album such as The Sin and the Sentence by Trivium, you can hear Deftones maneuvering their way through their catalogue in a nostalgic kind of way. I already mentioned how Nick Raskulinecz’s production gives the album a feeling of nostalgia for those early 2010s albums, but as the album gets slower and more longing, pieces of White Pony start to show their face. And of course, you have tunes like “cXz”, “Cut Hands” and “Metal Dream” which feel closer to the original Deftones sounds of Adrenaline and Around the Fur.

Compositionally I really enjoy this record. It is more atmospheric than I would have liked, so I found that some of the truly mesmerizing hooks in the guitar or Chino Moreno’s vocals were a little lacking, but Deftones use space incredibly well. There are sometimes where the guitar work sounds a little bit oppressive through endless wall-of-sound soundscapes, but whenever you have a break as in the outro of “Souvenir”, or the intro riff to “I Think About You All the Time”, it sticks the landing. Also, Chino’s vocals are as pronounced as ever and sound even less like ASMR.

Private Music is just a solid album. For a couple of thirty-five-year-old veterans, Deftones know how to keep a fanbase entertained. Even in their legacy years, Deftones can pull from their past without having it sound derivative. They also have sections that pay homage to the groups influenced by them (i.e. Thornhill on “Milk of the Madonna”). Highly recommended even as a legacy project.

Best Songs: My Mind is a Mountain, Infinite Source, Souvenir, I Think About You All the Time, Departing the Body

I really want to like BABYMETAL. When they first came on to the scene in 2014, they were playing a very unserious, but also very fun style of power metal. The “fun” part drew me in, while many other metal fans were in complete disgust that anyone would want to enjoy themselves instead of moshing to incoherent gibberish. But something changed around the turn of the decade. After losing Yui Mizuno in 2018, BABYMETAL started becoming trend chasers.

Now that on its own might not be a bad thing, but when you release an album such as Metal Forth, it starts to feel less like an experiment and more as a grab bag. The first four tracks on this record have features (Poppy, Electric Callboy, Slaughter to Prevail and Bloodywood) and each song sounds like a rejected tune from each of their respective groups. On reflection, Metal Forth feels closer to Ed Sheeran’s collaboration albums than it does a BABYMETAL one; rather than inviting guests to feature on BABYMETAL tracks, it is instead a BABYMETAL feature on another band. The transitions between tunes like “Song 3” and "Kon! Kon!” is jarring and unpleasant to put it politely.

When I reviewed The Other One, I criticized it for dismantling the identity of BABYMETAL as j-pop/metal hybrid idols, with its incessant use of industrial percussion. But now? It’s as if BABYMETAL does not have an identity at all! One moment you’re listening to power metal, the next it’s Indian oriental, then the worst deathcore you’ve probably ever heard (“Song 3”), then Courtney LaPlante shows up to do some kind of nu metalcore hybrid.

This is a hard album to recommend, even for the novelty’s sake, because the novelty of BABYMETAL has mostly passed. This crossover of j-pop/metal into the west was at its peak with Metal Resistance in 2016. And instead of staying the course, BABYMETAL joined Capitol Records, got a load of guest features from popular bands of the time, which might be good for artist recognition, but the record that came along with it feels more like a collaboration project. I guess that if you like any of the guest features then you might check out a couple of those, but even then, you’ll probably find better tunes in the bands original discography.

Best Songs: Sunset Kiss, White Flame ー白炎ー

I will not say that I was excited to listen to the new Chevelle album in 2025, but given the lackluster performance of legacy bands so far this year, it would surely be a decent change of pace to hear a band that actually gives a shit about writing good melodies and motifs in their music, instead of mindless metalcore breakdowns or a 60-plus minute jazz fusion solo/wank.

Chevelle's style of alternative metal was closer to that of Thornhill (modern day Deftones), but with fewer shoegaze elements. They do like to use atmospheric open chordal progressions in the guitars, but they also have some strong groove centric ideas as well. Wonder What's Next and Vena Sera are two standout albums during the nu metal boom of the 2000s despite not being that close to nu metal at all. The bands 2021 progressive pivot with Niratias was a great album from a compositional point-of-view, but the production was terrible and packed with a bunch of filler content. Bright as Blasphemy streamlines the length, which I enjoy, as well as reworking some of the previous albums production issues; the bass is super prominent in the mixing giving songs like "Jim Jones - Coward, Pt. 2" and "Karma Goddess" some real grit and energy.

I did like the first three songs on the album, even if by Chevelle standards, they can be a little bit too predictable. I cannot say the same about the remainder of the project. None of it is by definition bad, but I feel like there are a lot more inconsistencies from "Hallucinations" on. The biggest issue is the inclusion of two interlude songs, with "Hallucinations" and "Blood out in the Fields" taking on those roles. Normally, the interlude serves a transitional purpose within the album, and Chevelle wisely turned them both into fully stretched out ideas, but I don't see much of a reason to have two of them. "Blood out in the Fields" is the correct place for an interlude since it precedes two of Bright as Blasphemy's heaviest tunes (as well as its best). The two pieces that follow "Hallucination" ("Wolves (Love & Light)" and "Karma Goddess") are both quite meandering.

There isn't that much else to say about Bright as Blasphemy. I think it is a decent album by Chevelle; probably their best since La gárgola, it has a noticeable rough patch during the middle, but is salvaged by its conclusion. Chevelle and Thornhill fans will likely find this enjoyable, while others outside of the 2000s nu metal bubble will probably get nothing out of it. As a musician myself, I've been told that the most important notes in a song/set are the first and last notes. Given that Chevelle saved the best of Bright as Blasphemy for the beginning and end, I can give it a little boost. 

Best Songs: Rabbit Hole - Cowards, Pt. 1, AI Phobias, Shocked at the End of the World, Karma Goddess

You ever wonder what System of a Down would sound like with Poppy doing all the vocals, plus some South American aspects thrown into the mix? Now you know. Calva Louise is one of the more stylistically diverse bands of this year, crossing over into elements of different genres.

The thing about diverse bands is, you don't know what would work until you try it. And it's quite exciting to give an album like this a spin. Will they add in classical piano? (YES) Will they add in a dash of brutal tech-death? (NO) The point is, Edge of the Abyss is all about unpredictability, the kind that would make you sit down and listen all the way through. It's also a concept album, so the different elements depends on the mood of the story. So let's smash that play button and unleash this fusion of fusions...

"Tunnel Vision" starts with a sweet pop intro, then the rest is an alt-metalcore blast often turning into pop and dubstep. Awesome start! "W.T.F." has frantic progressiveness with a punky pace. "Aimless" is another highlight, really proving the band's unpredictable talent, alternating between Latin flamenco, classical piano, and metal riffing. Seriously, this band needs to be discovered more. My brother and I can't be the only ones enjoying these fun experimental works! "Lo Que Vale" is my favorite track in the more alternative side, shining with Jess Allanic's vocals as she sings in her native language (she's from Venezuela).

"Impeccable" is a great song with more of Jess Allanic's impressive vocals. I gotta thank my brother for recommending this track to me along with "Feast is Over". Then "Barely a Response" continues the earlier progressive punky sound, taking some cues from Coheed and Cambria and later Katatonia. The semi-title track "The Abyss" can pack a punch despite its lack of metallic energy. More of the groove, folk, and vocal harmonies occur in "El Umbral" with some spoken vocals appearing here and there.

"La Corriente" comes out kinda awkward, attempting to add some electronics to stay in your mind but ending up somewhat obscure. "Hate in Me" brings back some of that Katatonia vibe from earlier while being more fun and energetic. "Under the Skin" seems to struggle with its groove, but it's not a total fail.

Nothing's totally bad at all in Edge of the Abyss! However, the first half has more impact than the second half which is still OK. But the album as a whole gives the band the potential of going big, experimenting with different genres to the point where the band is practically their own genre. Many unique bangers here! While not entirely perfect, listeners should give it a shot for some all-out fun....

Favorites: "Tunnel Vision", "Aimless", "Lo Que Vale", "Impeccable", "Hate in Me"

One of the best things about metal is its diversity and the ability to combine different genres both metal and non-metal. Born of Osiris are the masters of combining metalcore with elements of djent and deathcore, and in their new album Through Shadows, they've added an alt-metal cherry on top! And writing for the album started around the same time as their previous album Angel or Alien that was rewritten after failing to be a companion for their incomplete album The Simulation.

As with many of their albums, Through Shadows is an excellent one with many twists and turns. The djent-ish alt-metalcore sound is so diverse and interesting. All you can expect here is the unexpected.

A robotic female voice that starts "Seppuku" leads to an explosion of sharp riffing and digital electronics. Everything's so simple yet futuristic. "Elevate" has an accessible rave-ish groove, and the chorus mixes together electronics and riffs quite well. The 5-minute title track is another journey for Born of Osiris. Impressive vocals here, both the screams and cleans! "The War That You Are" has both heaviness and melody cranked up. And holy sh*t, the riffing and vocals are as deathcore as their earlier material.

We also have some Middle Eastern vibes in "Inverno" along with some pleasant melody. On the flip side, "A Mind Short Circuiting" is a dissonant riff frenzy only for those experienced with the band and sci-fi action video games. "Burning Light" is a melancholic synth interlude to act as the album's intermission. It segues to "In Desolation" which has a similar vibe to some melodic metalcore bands, and that I really enjoy. "Torchbearer" is the first single for the album, released nearly two years before the rest of the album. They never cease to amaze me, and I might try exercising with this song on play.

Then we have the perfect "Activated", in which everything experienced so far is put together in a trancey metalcore fiesta. I love the guest vocals by Underoath's Spencer Chamberlain and the saxophone solo that can surpass "Careless Whisper". Then "Dark Fable" has more of the electronic synths and metal beats, and the clean vocals in the chorus sound so tranquil. "Transcendence" borrows some electronic experimentation for early 2010s Linkin Park. "Blackwater" ends the album with epic crushing sorrow.

I'm glad that the new Born of Osiris album has come out and I got listen to it and review it once it got added to this site. Through Shadows is another amazing work of art from this unique band to appreciate. It's something diverse music listeners need in their lives, and let's hope they have another album in the writing works as we speak!

Favorites: "Seppuku", "Through Shadows", "The War That You Are", "In Desolation", "Torchbearer", "Activated", "Blackwater"

The timing for me to review another Slipknot album couldn't have been better. A few days before this review, backstage at the final concert for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Slipknot turntablist Sid Wilson became engaged with Ozzy's daughter Kelly. Congrats to them! Although this engagement might confuse some people, since they've already been dating since 2022 and have a son together.

I think just found my new favorite nu metal album. There are so amazing songs that sound as fresh as they did 24 years prior. These 9 members perform in great synergy, especially in the rhythm section, not just from Wilson but also two percussionists, as well as drummer Joey Jordison and bassist Paul Gray. RIP the latter two...

Intro "(515)" is confusing, just shouting the word "death" over and over. Then "People = Sh*t" blasts off in brutal heaviness. "Disasterpiece" is also good, sounding more thrashy. Though not as extreme as "My Plague" which would end up in the soundtrack of the Resident Evil film. Then everything continues to get heavier in "Everything Ends", which again speeds up at thrash-esque levels.

"The Heretic Anthem" is also good, sounding quite deathly for a nu metal song. However, the lyrics take a dip in quality. The refrain where Corey Taylor yells "If you're 555, then I'm 666" is just silly and doesn't make much of a lyrical impact. "Gently" is another track that's good but isn't really a highlight. It was re-recorded from their 1996 demo album Mate Feed Kill Repeat. "Left Behind" is one of my favorites here. It's a prime example of nu metal with a more rock-ish tone while unleashing their usual rage in everything. "The Shape" is in good shape. So is "I Am Hated" which I would never hate.

"Skin Ticket" is another track that I can probably do without. However, "New Abortion" is another solid standout. "Metabolic" isn't bad but doesn't offer anything special. Unlike one of the longest and most experimental tracks in alt-/nu metal, the 15-minute closing title epic. It is the band's longest track to not have a title track, and an incredible journey for those who are patient and never restless. The Japanese edition bonus track is a live rendition of the 1999 debut's "Liberate" which is OK but doesn't add much.

All in all, Iowa is an excellent nu metal offering that shows Slipknot at their best. If you're one of those people who hate nu metal to the bone, a lot of what this album has to offer would convince you that there's still goodness in the genre. Just pure in-your-face extreme nu metal!

Favorites: "People = Sh*t", "My Plague", "Everything Ends", "Left Behind", "I Am Hated", "New Abortion", "Iowa"

The only experience I had with this female-fronted Arkansas alternative metal outfit was through their latest album "The Bitter Pill" which I reviewed when it was our feature releases back in 2021. Not only did I find that record to be seriously underrated but I also quite enjoyed the experience so I always intended on checking out some of their more popular work at some point, if only to satisfy the unrelenting completist in me. Well, 2003's "Fallen" sophomore album is clearly the Evanescence record of choice for most fans of the band & includes a number of big hits that most metal & rock fans would know very well, even if they've never actively gone out of their way to investigate the album they're taken from. After giving it a few spins this week I've come to the realisation that it's a hit & miss record in my opinion with a good 45% of the tracklisting offering me very little appeal. Thankfully though, the other 55% is very solid indeed which gives "Fallen" enough value to see me coming out of the experience feeling quite positive, if not quite as positive as I did with "The Bitter Pill".

Evanescence's signature sound was forged with this record which champions an alternative metal sound that also draws influence from nu metal, symphonic metal & gothic metal at times. The vocals of Amy Lee are obviously the main focal point as the instrumentation isn't anything terribly interesting or creative & I was happy to find that she's well up to the task too with her tone being both powerful & pure. The incredible adult contemporary number "My Immortal" is the clear highlight of the album but nu metal super-hit "Bring Me to Life", the ultra-catchy "Tourniquet" & the stripped-back piano ballad "Hello" are all very solid & professional inclusions too. The weaker moments are generally aligned with the weaker vocal hooks though which makes it even more apparent that Evanescence lives & dies by the skills of their front woman to control the narrative.

I'm not gonna say that "Fallen" is essential listening because its creative statement is not significant enough for that but it's certainly a bit of fun that most rock/metal fans with do well not to find some enjoyment in. It's interesting that "The Bitter Pill" has been so heavily slandered in comparison because I don't think that's warranted given that I actually prefer that record over this one. I think the fact that "Fallen" is a little more obvious & immediate is what gives it the edge for most listeners but I slightly prefer the added maturity & depth of Evanescence's latest work. Regardless, it's easy to simply allow both to pass you by under the premise that they're none of your business but if that's your position then you might just find yourself missing out on an attractive hook-laden three-quarters of an hour of alternative metal.

For fans of Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil & We Are the Fallen.

If there's one thing that most of our regulars would know about me by now, it's that I call 'em purely as I see 'em & I don't give a fuck what the general consensus is. I like to make up my own mind about things & won't be swayed by what the cool crowd thinks. With that in mind, this week I decided that I really should have an informed opinion on one of the most successful yet heavily divisive metal acts on the global scene in Florida's Limp Bizkit. I'd never heard a full record by them before as I'd always assumed that they'd be none of my business up until now but, you know what, this shit ain't half bad. These dudes certainly know how to write a catchy hook, how to play their instruments & how to create a throbbing mosh pit anthem.

I was surprised at how many of the fifteen tracks I knew as there was clearly a whole slew of hits taken from this record but it wasn't always the well-known stuff that I found the most appeal in. Another thing that I perhaps wasn't prepared for was just how good a rhythm section Limp Bizkit had at the time, particularly the bass guitar which really drives a lot of this material. I don't think there's any doubt that front man Fred Durst's personality is what turns off most metalheads & I can see why as his message can often be summarized as meathead fodder but his macho posturizing can't disguise the obvious Eminem influence in his whiny rapping which I would suggest comes across as nothing more than tolerable. In fact, the rap component in Limp Bizkit's sound is really significant (perhaps more so than most nu metal bands) & that's usually the element of the subgenre that I struggle with the most but I've somehow managed to overlook it here, despite Durst being one of the more overt exponents of the craft. And once I managed to look past his immature personality to the groove-laden music behind him, I discovered that Limp Bizkit had more creativity in their kit bag than I'd ever given them credit for.

All of the hits are pretty enjoyable to tell you the truth with "My Way" being my pick of the bunch but it's the strength of some of the album tracks that surprised me the most with "The One", "Getcha Groove On", "Boiler" & particularly the outstanding album highlight "Hold On" really getting under my skin. Unfortunately, the album is book-ended by some much weaker material though with opener "Hot Dog" falling victim to Durst's idiocy, the Urban Assault Vehicle version of "Rollin'" being a total mess & the almost ten minute "Outro" track being absolutely pointless & a complete waste of your time. The remainder of "Chocolate Starfish & the Hot Dog Flavored Water" is well worth hearing though & provides further proof that you shouldn't believe everything you read. Perhaps I won't go running out to indulge in the remainder of Limp Bizkit's back catalogue any time soon but I can honestly say that this record isn't any worse than the majority of the subgenre, even if it doesn't compete with Linkin Park or Korn's best work.

For fans of Korn, System of a Down & P.O.D.

Katatonia have a special place in my listening habits nowadays.  The album Fall of Hearts has been of recent importance as it guided me through some of the darker times of a relationship breakdown over the past year.  The Dance of December Souls is also one of my favourite records of the sub-genre of the time, and whilst I cannot pretend to be massively in love with everything the band releases, a new release from them will certainly wind up on my rotation list for a period.  With a couple of singles circulated ahead of the main album release, I was already prepared for more of the same from modern day Katatonia.  Progressive elements, fused onto a main hull of alt-metal seem once again to be the order of the day.  Pace and tempos do vary but there is still that lumbering undertone to their sound that scratches some of that Fallen clan itch for me.

My favourite element of the band’s sound, Jonas’ pained vocals, are in fine form here.  Never getting into the pleading territory, nor are they bleating about unfairness or uncertainty, they paint a melancholy picture without grating.  For their largely monotone presentation, this consistency could easily end up grating, yet they compliment the darkness inherent in Katatonia’s sound so perfectly.  The other element that stands out this time are the superb guitar leads that haunt the record at various intervals.  Just as harrowing as the vocals, they are the perfect accompaniment.  Also, there are some quality riffs happening here on Nightmares of the Waking State.  Add in the power of the drums and you soon find yourself in that strange atmosphere of a subdued, yet deep and thoroughly entertaining experience.

The infectious (yet somehow not catchy) chorus line of ‘Temporal’ is a genuine joy that sticks in my head for days afterwards.  ‘Efter Solen’ is a sullen and moody track with a sneaky build that grows subtly in the background of the dreamy vocals and keys, exhibiting a crawling ambience as it goes along. There is a variety to album number fourteen from the Swedes, that we all absolutely expect by now, but it is all so mature sounding, without being boring.  The predominant colour of Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State in my mind after multiple plays is still grey.  That monotone is filled with bursts of white, some of them brighter than others, yet there is no real burst of vibrant yellows, oranges or even reds and that is absolutely fine for me.  Another chord struck with me here.

From surreal performance art YouTuber to experimental popstar to metal screamer, Poppy, born Moriah Rose Pereira, has revolutionized both the internet and music scene. However, I've barely encountered any of her work, only knowing her collaborations with her highly acclaimed collaborations with Bad Omens and Knocked Loose. So now it's time for me to dive into her diverse world...

Her 3rd album I Disagree marked her transition from electropop into experimental alt-metal. The album's themes are empowerment and destroying the destroyer. It's clear that a lesson to learn is to disagree with life's conventionalities that can drag you down.

"Concrete" shows Poppy reinventing the pop metal wheel, by combining anime-style electropop with metal shredding. Two different worlds collide as catchy hooks battle against brutal breakdowns. At one point, an audience chants her name which then leads to a pop rock bridge and the last of the metal shredding. Truly an energetic banger! Then the title track shows more of her creativity. The chorus is quite playful as Poppy sings like an angel, telling us to "let it all burn down, burn it to the ground". After which, her devil side strikes back against her manipulative ex-collaborator Titanic Sinclair, "I disagree with the way you continue to pressure me". She can burn away her abusive past and walk away without batting an eye. "Bloodmoney" takes on some electro-industrial, leaning into a bit of hardcore dubstep.

The electronic side continues on in "Anything Like Me", which also drifts into cacophonic metal and continues the directly empowering lyrics, "sorry for what I’ve become, because I'm becoming someone." Then "Fill the Crown" encourages liberty for all, "you can be anyone you want to be, you can be free". The edition of this album I'm reviewing includes a bonus cover of "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u., and interestingly enough, this is one of my favorite tracks here, fitting in the "metalizing covers" category by adding in dark alt-/industrial metal drama while staying true to the original. If that isn't Poppy's most emotional moment, I don't know what is! After that, "Nothing is Need" dives into dreamy soft pop, like something Ariana Grande would make. There's not much metal there, unless you count some lead guitar melodies. As a heavier listener, I find that one bland, though not a total disaster.

Poppy can let her ideas run loose in "Sit/Stay" with lyrics against having to obey like an animal. She wants to show that she is an independent individual and motivates us to have that same feeling of freedom. Then we have the explosive "Bite Your Teeth" with its straight-on metallic energy. "Sick of the Sun" is one of the more ethereal tracks here. 6-minute closing epic "Don't Go Outside" has a soft acoustic intro, and... I know this album fits well as an alt-metal release, but this track is the closest to that genre, maybe even the post-grunge style my brother likes. The music and lyrics revisit many of the earlier tracks, most notably the title track, "Let it all burn down, we'll be safe and sound".

I Disagree is a fine example of the experimental creativity Poppy has, expanding the boundaries of modern music. Although it's too poppy (no pun intended, maybe) for me to listen to on a regular basis, she deserves some great appreciation from fans. And we will disagree with the haters....

Favorites: "Concrete", "I Disagree", "Anything Like Me", "All the Things She Said", "Bite Your Teeth", "Don't Go Outside"

Released in 2017, ‘Bloodlust’ is the sixth studio album by rap metal band Body Count, the metal project formed by hip hop legend Ice-T. After an eight year hiatus, the band struck back with 2014’s ‘Manslaughter’, an album that was arguably the heaviest thing they’d ever put out, and instantly helped the band gain momentum with their return. This brings us to ‘Bloodlust’, which follows on exactly where its predecessor left off.

Once more pushing the boundaries with how heavy they can get, ‘Bloodlust’ is a non-stop assault of absolutely massive guitar riffs, rapid-fire lyrics spewing pure vitriol and frustration, all packed into 41 minutes of anger, aggression and political statements. 59 year-old Ice-T hasn’t mellowed with age, in fact, he sounds more pissed off than ever, rapping about crime, violence, corruption, and all the usual subjects that he’s been rapping about since the late 80’s, yet sadly, are still as relevant today as they ever were.

It’s insane how monstrously heavy this thing is. Having ramped up their sound and production to fit perfectly with the modern metal landscape, songs like ‘The Ski Mask Way’, ‘Civil War’, ‘All Hope is Lost’, ‘Black Hoodie’ and the title track itself, show a band who are pulling no punches and taking no prisoners. Particular highlight, ‘No Lives Matter’, is probably one of the best songs Body Count has ever written, probably one of their most relevant too. And along with guest appearances by the likes of Dave Mustaine and Max Cavalera, and a cover of the Slayer classic, ‘Raining Blood’, it’s clear that ‘Bloodlust’ is not for the faint of heart.

While there may be a couple of tracks I find fairly passable, overall, this is a very solid album from start to finish. Ice-T and co. have proven that they’re here to stay, and showing with ‘Bloodlust’ that 25 years since their debut, and getting heavier with each release, they still have plenty to say, and are just getting warmed up.

This is a fantastic live EP by forgotten nu metal quartet the Union Underground. Released in 2002, it features six tracks and flies by in 20 minutes, but it’s an adrenaline-packed 20 minutes that doesn’t let up for a moment.

The Union Underground only ever released one album, 2000’s ‘…An Education in Rebellion’, and that was literally one anthem after another, and this live performance perfectly reflects that, with the band smashing through a number of songs, full of energy and youthful vigour. They should have gone so much further than they did.

The sound is really good, the performances are tight, and the set list is great, including such bangers as ‘South Texas Deathride’, ‘Killing the Fly’, ‘Revolution Man’ and their biggest hit, ‘Turn Me On. Mr. Deadman’, but overall, this EP isn’t really worth owning unless you’re a big fan of the band. Their only studio album is an absolute gem from the nu metal scene at the turn of the century, and it’s cheap enough too, so just get that instead.

I seem to have inadvertantly developed a knack over the years to avoid a whole slew of bands that others seem to consider as metal 101. Helmet are yet another of those. Now that is a real shame because this is a really good album and I think if I had stumbled across it twenty years ago I may even have proclaimed it a masterpiece. Lots of punky influence go into this alternative metal recipe, but despite the post-hardcore tag I feel a number of the tracks take more influence from some of the 1970's proto-punks like The Dictators, The Stooges, The Heartbreakers and The New York Dolls rather than Black Flag or Minor Threat. I love the riffs, the guitar sound is bang on point and the vocals are extremely well-judged, but what I dug the most about this was the drumming - John Stanier's performance adds that little bit of X-factor to what is already an impressive album. The flow is also excellently judged, the length is just about perfect and the production job is superb, it absolutely nails the band's sound.

I have been informed by many different subsections of the metal community that I am supposed to hate Sleep Token. That first statement alone is heresy since some don’t even consider Sleep Token to be metal at all! Sleep Token are a plant; a piece shoved into the spotlight by RCA records to bring heavier sounding music to the masses with the inclusion of smooth synths and trap beat percussion instead of the standard symphonic strings and glitchy industrial embellishments. I’m told to hate them because of their appearance; their anonymity and the world that they have created through their music videos, comic strips, visual novels, etc. I’m told to hate Sleep Token because Vessel’s vocals sound devoid of harsh screams and intensity, and the instrumentals are not these technical showpieces with blistering solos and relentless percussion. And, most of all, I’m told to hate Sleep Token because of their poser fanbase.

Sleep Token are an enigma, combining the universe building of Coheed and Cambria with the insufferable fanbase of Taylor Swift. This band has somehow managed to become more than just their music, while still living in a fantasy world that is isolated from our own. Audiences want to know more about the people behind the masks. Vessel and company are a lot like wrestlers; they need to live and breathe the character that they portray in the ring even when they are not wrestling to not break face. Imagine a meet-and-greet with a heel wrestler and they turn out to be the nicest guy in the world. Wouldn’t that…sour the image for you?

Anonymity becomes ever more important in 2025 with the rise of artificial intelligence and deepfakes. And Sleep Token, despite their best practices, still managed to get doxed by a parasocial fanbase prior to the release of Even in Arcadia. Some do not value other people’s privacy, and it does leave a bad impression on the rest of the Sleep Token fanbase that’s for sure, but what does Sleep Token have to do with it? They were the ones who were the most affected. Why should they be held accountable for their own audiences’ actions?

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the entity of Sleep Token and not their music to start this review off (kind of proving my own point there), so let me just say this: Sleep Token are a better progressive band in 2025 than Dream Theater. Those who saw my review of Parasomnia know what I mean, but to those who missed it: Dream Theater have been running on autopilot for the last twenty-five years and have not done anything remotely progressive since Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Meanwhile, Sleep Token have taken a genre known for intensity, technicality and anger, and transformed it in a way that is atmospheric, moody and calm. Some elitists will suggest that Sleep Token need to be gatekept, but they aren’t really a metal band so what is there to gatekeep? Progressive music should defy categorization after all.

2023’s Take Me Back to Eden was a challenging listen. I really dug the promotional singles like “Chokehold” and “Vore” and ended up turning around on “The Summoning” later. However, the back half of that album was far too safe for the experience that the band was trying to portray, so I ended up enjoying it, but not over the moon for it. Even more so, the pop fusion made for a truly troubling experience, since pop and progressive music are not really known for their bountiful crossovers. Even in Arcadia had me worried with its promotional singles since I didn’t really like any of them, especially “Caramel”. I was worried that, like with Architects some three/four years ago, my defense of this band was going to be crushed by a lackluster project and that my review would be discarded in a cesspool of “sLeEp tOkEn aReN’t aCtUaLlY mEtAl” whiners.

The album opener, “Look To Windward” is perhaps the perfect encapsulation as to why so many people have a distaste for Sleep Token as a musical act. As a pop song, eight minutes is way too long for casual TikToker’s to stay engaged without a Subway Surfers video in the background, and as a metal song, the guitars and thall breakdown take up less than one-third of the song length. “No matter how you approach Sleep Token, everyone loses!” seems to be the consensus from both commercial and critical positions. But doesn’t that defeat the progressive argument? What happened to “it utilizes unorthodox songwriting featuring complex harmonies, multiple sections […] additional instrumentation such as keyboards, and influences outside of metal music?”

When I revisited the singles prior to this album and I tried figuring out why I didn’t enjoy them as much, I quickly realized that it was Vessel who was the problem. My favourite Sleep Token moments are the ones that use dynamic range, like on “Dangerous” to draft a story. So much of Even in Arcadia falls into this very monotonous vocal delivery that does not contribute in the way that it once did, even when the instrumentals are djent-y. Part of the reason I had to stop reviewing hip-hop albums on a regular basis was because not one could tell me a good story through the music. I understand that hip-hop is a very different genre from rock/metal since the words are given more importance than instrumentals, but if that’s the case, then why not just make it spoken word?

Getting back on topic, the instrumentals are a mixed bag. Songs like “Past Self” have okay introductions and set high expectations, only for the direction to just sit idly like a drone or doom metal album, not really evolving past its fundamentals. “Caramel” has this colossal soundscape that transitions from reggaeton beat, to a pop/djent chorus before concluding with alternating blackgaze riffs with double bass drum, open power chords and harsh screaming. Those screams are surprisingly quiet, but it beats the alternative of sounding like an auditory mess. Piano and strings are on the menu during “Even In Arcadia” as the albums interlude before the album takes on an uplifting texture the rest of the way. I for one was very surprised by main guitar lick on “Gethsemane” and reinvigorated the optimism for the final two songs on the album.

I for one am very appreciative of Sleep Token for how unapologetically not metal they are. The guitars serve more as textural emphasis in the same way that vocals work on an Unreqvited album. However, Sleep Token’s songwriting has taken one major setback on Even in Arcadia. This album has a lot of dynamic variety, but it always goes in one direction: soft to loud. This album has nothing like “The Summoning” or “Vore” which start intense and diminish in volume and intensity as the tunes progress. This is either a gross miscalculation on the part of the band and Carl Brown, or a lame excuse for songs to get more attention on streaming platforms like TikTok. Imagine the sheer horror on the face of some young teenager who just discovered Sleep Token through some viral trend, only to look up more of their music and be walloped across the face by “Vore” or something equally as intense. So, the formulaic calm opening to every song does feel like a wasted opportunity.

I liked Take Me Back to Eden two years ago but ended up going into Even in Arcadia with mixed emotions. And I came out the other side perhaps more mixed than when I went in. Is Even in Arcadia a good album? Yeah, probably. Is it as good as Take Me Back to Eden? Certainly not. And yet I want it to be. Not because it deserves it: the album is littered with curious design and ignorant omissions. But because of the inevitable push back this album is going to get. I discovered Sleep Token five years ago not through Tik Tok, but through metal forums that I frequent filled with people that would not shut the fuck up about them. Even going into this album, forums were littered with violent screeching from grown children who know metal music so much better than you or I. And you know what? Despite the album’s quality, I’m going to recommend it anyway!

This will be one of my most polarizing scores I’ve given to an album in quite some time; chances are I will look back on this review when the next Sleep Token album comes out and I still will not agree with the rating. Perhaps it is a bit of Stockholm syndrome on my part, so please consider this recommendation with some caution, but Sleep Token are making metal music for a new generation. It will not be for everyone, but in a great depression of Octane metal, with Sleep Token coming out and making something completely original, it deserves respect, if not admiration.

Best Songs: Dangerous, Gethsemane, Infinite Baths, Emergence, Even in Arcadia

Engine are an alternative metal supergroup, consisting of Ray Alder from Fates Warning, Joey Vera from Armored Saint (and also Fates Warning), as well as Bernie Versailles from Agent Steel, and Pete Parada, at the time in a band called Face to Face, but would eventually go on to drum for bands such as Halford and even The Offspring.

Released in 1999, ‘Engine’ is their self-titled debut album. Considering the progressive metal background of some of the musicians involved, it’s surprising that this is a very stripped down, laid back affair, focusing on a more groove metal sound that fits in with the nu metal-influenced scene at the turn of the century. I guess sometimes these guys just want something nice and easy to rock out to.

And rock out, they do! ‘Engine’ is brimming with plenty of heavy and grooving guitar riffs, Ray Alder’s fantastic vocals work great with this style of music, and the writing here is very polished. The band plays together very well, almost feeling like a “proper band” and not a “side project”.

Standout tracks from the record include ‘Tree of Life’, ‘Falling Star’, ‘Monster’, ‘Alone’ and ‘I Don’t Need’, but in all honesty, at barely 44 minutes in duration, this is a solid listen from start to finish. Engine might be a pretty obscure band for the casual metal listener, but if you’re a fan of any of the musicians involved, or like your metal simple, without endless noodling and complex melodies, then you can’t go wrong by giving this a go.

Here we are again. Another Machine Head album, another handful of tracks to unpick, another round of discerning if Robb has settled on any direction this time around. By now notorious for injecting virulent amounts of nu-metal, alt metal and even rap metal into their music, any new record from MH certainly gets greeted with the guard somewhat up. My absolute horror at the shitshow that was Catharsis from seven years ago was probably the peak of my derision with Flynn’s continued dilution of their core groove metal sound. Sitting here in 2025, I felt kind of desensitised to anything that Unatoned could throw at me, and so listening to the usual plethora of styles being blended across a lengthy twelve tracks did have me once again rolling my eyes in frustration that the skip button was out of reach.

Graphic Nature was formed in 2018 to add another aggressive modern dimension to the ever-expanding UK metal scene. They began releasing singles in 2019, and the singles they've made when compiled in two short EPs. It wasn't until 2022 when they started performing shows with other well-known bands (the wait partly due to the pandemic) and recording a full-length album, A Mind Waiting to Die.

The album's release date was pushed from late 2022 to early 2023 to avoid competition with Slipknot's album The End So Far. Still there were several singles from Graphic Nature's album released in advance. And once the full album dropped, it was time for listeners to enjoy the full experience...

The intro "404" welcomes you to this brave new world. "Sour" punches through with heavy drumming, riffing, and Harvey Freeman's frantic vocals, pounding you down like a thousand baseball bats. The F-bomb is dropped as the breakdown explodes from drum 'n' bass to brutal djentcore fury. Next up is one of the singles, "Into the Dark", which is a bit disjointed but has an ultraviolent breakdown. Strange didgeridoo aside, "Killing Floor" is a total ravager, with not much techno from the rest of the album.

Listeners won't object to "Sleepless" with its heavy music and lyrics of anguish, "I'm dying to leave this Hell". It's not meant for easy listening, instead for tearing things apart. Furthermore, "White Noise" has relentless guitars that fit well with the lyrical narrative, "Just give me some space to hide, somewhere else that isn’t my mind". Then we have a breakdown full of hardcore hellfire than can get the live crowd moshing. Another interlude "90" is short but might not age well for my metal mind. Second single "Bad Blood" fires away in hyper rage. The heavy guitars and slight turntables are not for the faint of heart. After that, things get a bit draggy in "Twisted Fear".

"Headstone" also seems to lose some steam. Next track "Deathwish" is another solid aggressive piece, though a bit of the high quality has fallen. Next up, "A Twin" is an emotional electronic interlude-ish track with spoken vocals and atmospheric keyboards. It reminds of how Linkin Park's first two albums each have a penultimate track like that. Closing track "The Downpour" strikes with brutality and emotion, "I lost it because I trusted you". The best saved for last that shall leave listeners wanting more!

A Mind Waiting to Die is a relentless start to Graphic Nature's nu metalcore adventure. Everything's so heartful and intense at the same time. The heavy aggression is only for those who are prepared and experienced, both of which I already am....

Favorites: "Sour", "Killing Floor", "Sleepless", "White Noise", "Bad Blood", "The Downpour"

Some fifteen years ago, after I had taken a brief break from metal altogether, I picked up Diamond Eyes on iTunes as my reintroduction back into the scene. I was not a fan of the band prior to this but reconciled to go back into the metal world with something different. During my brief dalliance with nu-metal in the early noughties I had become aware of 'Back to School' (from White Pony) which was all over Kerrang TV at the time, and to be honest I had never really been all that bothered by it. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it either, it just passed me by because of over-exposure, I guess. Coming back to metal with Diamond Eyes (now I revisit it in retrospect) seems like an odd choice therefore, but I guess the non-metal elements here, the dreamy, hazy sensibilities helped ease me back in. That having been said, some of the riffing here is right up my alley still.

I recall now, as I write this review (triggered by seeing Daniel’s thoughts earlier this week) that it was the single 'Rocket Skates' that brought me to the album in the first place. That auditory assault of frenetic riffage and those screamed vocals “guns, razors, knives!” still prove to be a real adrenaline trip to this day, which is the sign of a great song, that it can invoke the same reaction from an older, much more underground dwelling metalhead, some fifteen years after they first heard it. However, there was much more to savour on the record once I had got past the frenzy of 'Rocket Skates'. Opening with the title track, the album seems to bring together all the elements that I now know to be contained across the album into one track. Bruising riffs, dreamy and yet also scathing vocals, dense atmospheres, balanced percussion and a constant murky, seedy undertone.

There is a darkness inherent in Diamond Eyes. It is a theme that is not always obvious. For all its pleasantries, its indistinct tranquillity, its promise of peaceful and soothing music, there also lies the sharper, more jarring, less subdued emotions of someone barely containing these more troubling emotions. It is an album written by a band who always sound on the fucking edge. I am reminded of one my cats that I miss dearly. She could be adorable, playful and outright loving one moment and in the next you had claw marks across the back of the same hand that she was just nuzzling mere milliseconds ago. That’s what Diamond Eyes is like. It is forty-one minutes of a false sense of security, and I fucking love it.

Album highlight for me here is the sultry and brooding ‘Beauty School’. The way the bass and the drums work together here to set the boundaries of the atmosphere is great. The lyrics are full of covert sexual connotations as fans of the band will come to expect, yet it plays like a modern ballad to the uninitiated. The bass once again is a key component on ‘Prince’, alongside those chiming keys and that down tuned guitar it makes for one of the more intense tracks on the album. I can only point to one criticism of Diamond Eyes and that is that it is a shade too long in the sense that once we get to the last couple of tracks it just starts to sound like the same ideas being rehashed in some regard. Forty-one minutes is not a long album runtime by any means of course, but when you get involved with it, properly in amongst the songs, that immersion does make elements of repetition standout even more I find. Still so glad that I came back to it this bank holiday weekend though, in so many ways an important album for me as it turns out.

The Place After This One can be considered Underoath's very own Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit. It's their 10th album and the one where they take on more of an alt-/industrial metal sound. This is where the band adds in more electronic experimentation than before, taking some cues from bands such as The Prodigy and early 2010s Linkin Park, signifying a new future for the band.

Don't worry, longtime Underoath fans! You can still hear some of the melodic catchiness of They're Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line, along with the anthemic metalcore of their subsequent albums. All in solid bangers, though there are a couple disappointing tracks...

Kicking off the action right away is "Generation No Surrender" which attacks with lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain's frantic screams. It's practically like their late 2000s era on steroids, especially in the riff-wrath. Everything sounds so fresh and natural, staying true to what you remember them to be. "Devil" comes up next with electro-industrial synths by longtime keyboardist Chris Dudley, almost heading into trancecore territory with his synths and the guitarwork. Drummer Aaron Gillespie sings his wonderful cleans to remind you about the band's fresh unique sound. The chaos doesn't end there, as "Loss" blends hardcore screams with melodic cleans, alongside fast drumming speed. After those 3 tracks, "Survivor's Guilt" keeps up the anthemic streak, more melodic in the chorus while going wild in the verses.

Another trance-y track "All the Love is Gone" has more experimentation on their plate. The vocals rise slowly in intensity in the first verse, letting out all this energy in the chorus. It all leads up to a fist-pumping breakdown in the bridge. The more formulaic "And Then There Was Nothing" still has something, with nothing but guitar/vocal aggression. However, I feel like it could've extended with some melodic sections to make it a more balanced killer banger. Really pulling my leg is "Teeth" which really shows something different. It grabs my attention but in a bad way. Choppy glitch-hop just isn't my thing. Fortunately, the boost of heaviness at the end saves that track from being a total sh*tter. What can really get the live crowd dancing and headbanging is "Shame", a big highlight with cinematic electronics. The riffs and vocals will make you jump along to the beat. The synths and guitars are in such a sweet blend.

The blazing "Spinning in Place" is like a better more electronic take on one of the weaker songs from Define the Great Line. The rapid pace isn't that bad, but seems kinda like rushed towards the end, another short track that should've been extended for better closure. One of the band's most industrial highlights yet, "Vultures" is a killer track that can really punch its way to Hell and back. The ethereal leads grab my attention as much as the heavy chorus, "How’s it feel now that you circle with the Vultures?!" The chorus isn't the only massive hooker here. We also have the dark heavy bridge featuring Troy Sanders of Mastodon and his gritty singing. Truly a "take no sh*t" kind of highlight. Next, "Cannibal" continues switching between heavy and melodic. The vocals in the chorus are quite huge, though the drop into a soft bridge kinda breaks the flow. Still I love that harmonic vocal power, "CANNIBAL!!!!" Final track "Outsider" marks the grand end of the journey. Aaron Gillespie sings solo in this track, and that helps it being an easy track to end with. The perfect way out, with more to expect in the future!

The Place After This One is a strong transition from the past to the future for the most part. While a few odd tracks may bring this album down to almost average status, Underoath still have their boundary-pushing passion in album #10. The keyboards really take the frontstage without losing much of the riff variation. The screams and cleans are in great balance, adding cool effects without damaging the vibe. If two or 3 songs from the middle of the album were slightly improved though, the quality would be much larger. With such powerful compositions, Underoath has never ceased to amaze the world. We don't know what will come next after this, but I can't wait....

Favorites: "Generation No Surrender", "Survivor's Guilt", "All the Love is Gone", "Shame", "Vultures", "Outsider"

Released in 2000, ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water’ is the third studio album by American rap rockers Limp Bizkit, who, having gained mainstream recognition with their previous outing, really stepped up the ante on this one, and produced an album that totally defined an era. Not just in music, but in pop culture.

It’s crazy to think how big this band was back in 2000, but Limp Bizkit were literally one of, if not THE, biggest band on the planet. ‘Chocolate Starfish’ produced five chart-topping singles, a memorable soundtrack to a huge, Hollywood blockbuster, the music to one of the most highly revered Wrestlemania events of all time, and had mainstream appeal thanks to cameos by hip hop superstars DMX, Xzibit and Method Man.

And in all seriousness, it holds up well to this day. I know it’s cool to hate this band, and it’s cool to hate this album… but whatever, I love it! It’s just pure energy and attitude throughout, whilst never taking itself too seriously, nor coming across as a parody. The band have a sound and style that they stick to, and don’t care what anyone thinks. Fred Durst’s lyrics are often daft, but always memorable, and Wes Borland’s unique guitar playing is taken to a whole new level here. The production is fantastic too, and this sounds as fresh and exciting as it did way back at the turn of the century.

Need proof of how awesome this is? ‘Rollin’’, ‘Take a Look Around’, ‘Boiler’, ‘My Generation’ and ‘My Way’ are all the massive anthems that everyone knows, but in their shadows are some fantastic tracks such as ‘Hotdog’, ‘The One’, ‘Getcha Groove On’ and ‘I’ll Be Ok’. This is an incredibly well put-together album. If you’re looking for something deep and introspective, this isn’t for you. Neither too serious nor too daft, this album hits all the right spots if you just want to rock without a care in the world.

Back in 1999, drummer Tommy Lee quit world-famous glam rockers Mötley Crüe, to embark upon a new endeavour delving into the (then) increasingly popular world of rap metal. The result was a smorgasbord of genres and guest appearances known as Methods of Mayhem.

Personally, I love rap metal. I think the worlds of metal and hip hop blend together perfectly. Both in musical terms, in attitude, and in image, the two were made for each other. And this album is a fine representation of that. With an excellent production and very polished writing, this album is nonstop adrenaline and energy.

Besides Tommy Lee, this album features the likes of Fred Durst, Kid Rock, Snoop Dogg, Lil’ Kim, Phil X, Chris Chaney, The Crystal Method, and Mix Master Mike. There’s a true mix-up of rockers and rappers, but somehow the album flows coherently, as though everyone is all operating under the umbrella of this being one very legit band, rather than a whole bunch of guest appearances for the sake of it.

Sadly, there are a couple of songs that are kind of passable, but for the most part, this is a solid album, and when the band get it right, damn, they really smash it out of the park! ‘Hypocritical’, ‘Who the Hell Cares’, ‘Get Naked’, ‘Proposition Fuck You’, ‘Anger Management’, ‘Narcotic’ and ‘Crash’ are all absolute bangers that make this album a more than worthy addition to any rock, metal, or hip hop collection. The only real shame is that it would be ten years until the next album.

A Dark Halo made a second album after 17 years in the void. And this time, they have a full 5-member lineup to make a solid cyber/alternative metal offering. A phenomenon that has sadly yet to caught on...

For those wondering what this blend would sound like in A Dark Halo's perspective, imagine the electronic/metal mix of Fear Factory put together with the mainstream gothic-ish tendencies of Evanescence. Vocalist/bassist Dave Lowmiller and guitarist Jonesy have continued the project with guitarist Abe Robertson, drummer Kaye Papale, and vocalist/guitarist Mel Rose (from Mechina) by their side. You can also expect some melodeath, djent, and pop-core here, a similar cauldron to Amaranthe.

We start off strong with the great "Thin Be the Veil" with splendid vocal melodies. The glorious "Starfall" is my favorite of them all. Nothing I can say can do that perfect song justice. "Vector Unknown" is darker and heavier, featuring Anna Hel. The softer cleans and heavier screams alternating between each other sound so haunting. It's like a lurking menace in the space of tranquility, turning it intense and bleak. The cleans still shine, along with the creativity in the music. The band is never afraid to explore the unknown, and as a result, we have another wonderful standout!

"Flame Betide" can also please me with some influences from Fear Factory and Scar Symmetry. The one track I would consider somewhat weak is "I, Revenant", the only song here that's under 4 minutes.

"It Never Sleeps" is another one of my favorites, sounding haunting while having the lovely clean singing of Mel Rose. The beautiful ballad-ish track "Afterworld" practically combines the late 90s eras of Paradise Lost and Fear Factory, while having some deathly heaviness. The album ends with the 6-minute epic "The Disquiet", filled with hammering metal to remind you that the journey was worth it.

The only things I would object to in this great album is one or two tracks having some slight weakness, and there probably could've been a couple more tracks added here. Nonetheless, I approve of this long-awaited comeback album for A Dark Halo. May the future flame of cyber metal never be extinguished....

Favorites: "Starfall", "Vector Unknown", "It Never Sleeps", "The Disquiet"

Ah yes, A Day To Remember. How could I ever forget? One of the 2010's most mainstream and pop friendly metalcore bands. They have returned with their first album since 2021's abysmal You're Welcome and showed just why ADTR (A Day To Remember) are so unnecessary  in 2025. Here we have a band doing the exact same thing that Architects tried with their last album as they sheepishly modulate back-and-forth between modern metalcore trends, while staying close to their comfort zone that made them so popular with Homesick. And I guess on a purely sonic level, Big Ole Album Vol. 1 can be a promising listen. Unfortunately, ADTR have forgotten the most important part of easycore, which is the pop adjacent choruses. They might still be here in practice, but in execution, they are severely lacking. Some of them are okay (i.e. "Flowers" and "Miracle"), but more often than not this album turns into monotonous mush. Whether it be the painfully generic breakdown structure, the weak electronic percussion, the poor low end in the mixing, or the atrocious volume modulation that persists throughout the entire album! There is no way that anyone who has worked with a rock band before (or ever recorded anything in their life) would think that consistently adjusting a tracks volume in the middle of recording/mixing was a good idea. But, like Architects, it butchered whatever good graces the last three albums may have had, and mostly does the same here. The bands intent to not be taken seriously is at least a more promising takeaway than Architects, or any other modern metalcore act, but it does become less fun when the songs are this formless. 

P.S. "Die For Me" is a poor excuse of a country rock crossover, probably due to the Hardy collaboration a couple of years ago. I would call it bad, but that would be too generous.

Best Song: Flowers, Silence

‘Extreme II: Pornograffitti’ is the second album by American hair metal band, Extreme. Released in 1990, it came out at a time when there was a sense of change in the air. While grunge hadn’t yet completely taken over the world, there was certainly a feeling that a lot of the glam and party antics of the 80’s were becoming dated, which is unfortunate for this Boston quartet, as they had just released what could arguably be considered their best album.

I’ll never understand why hair metal was on such a decline back then, with energetic showmen traded for angsty introverts and flashy guitar solos traded for three chords. Perhaps people were just sick of the image of it all, or just not being able to relate to the lyrics? But regardless, the musicianship was still truly spectacular. For Extreme in particular, praise must go to guitarist Nuno Bettencourt, whose absolute ferocity on the guitar is insane, and vocalist Gary Cherone has an incredible and charismatic voice that totally fits the funky shred style of the riffs.

And I won’t leave out drummer Paul Geary and bassist Pat Badger, who are absolutely solid as a rhythm section, providing plenty of groove and funk.

There’s an absolute abundance of hits on this album, but particular highlights for me include ‘Decadence Dance’, ‘Get the Funk Out’, ‘It (‘s a Monster)’, ‘When I’m President’, the frantic shred-fest that is ‘He-Man Woman Hater’, soft ballad ‘More Than Words’ (which was actually a massive hit for the band), as well as the title track itself. But in all honesty, this album is just non-stop banger after banger, and if you can shake off the 80’s glam stigma, this is an incredible album, and an essential addition to every rock or metal collection.

Released in 1989, ‘The Real Thing’ is the third studio album by alternative metal band Faith No More, and is notable for being the first to feature vocalist Mike Patton. With former frontman Chuck Mosley gone, it’s the addition of Patton that helped the Californian’s truly find their sound and establish themselves as a huge name in the rock and metal world. A certain hit single didn’t hurt, either.

Further pushing the boundaries of where they could take their music, Faith No More’s chemistry as a band really started to pay dividends here. Blending metal, funk, and even pop and disco elements, with a variety of singing, rapping and growling, the band really hit a creative high with their unique sound and unique singer.

Of course, the main focal point of ‘The Real Thing’ is arguably the bands most well-known song and their biggest hit, ‘Epic’. A song that still garners endless radio rotation to this day! Along with ‘Epic’, there are other great tracks, such as the energetic ‘From Out of Nowhere’, the funky ‘Falling to Pieces’, the heavy ‘Surprise! You’re Dead!’ or the title track itself. Though, I must admit I do feel halfway through the album there’s a decline in quality. While the songs are easy enough to sit through, I generally find them quite passable.

Still, overall, this album is regarded as a classic, and rightfully so. It really put Faith No More on the map as mainstream superstars for a short time, and while their brief flirtation with commercial music wouldn’t last long, this record still holds up pretty well to this day, and definitely belongs in the collection of every rock and metal fan.

When discussing music, there will always be the topic of underrated or forgotten artists. For me, when it comes to the nu metal scene from the late 90’s to early 2000’s, there’s always one band that comes to mind. And that band is Stuck Mojo.

After that, it’s The Union Underground!

‘…An Education in Rebellion’ is the first (and to date, only) studio album by Texas quartet, The Union Underground. Released in 2000, this is an absolutely fantastic 34-minute slab of nu metal. Full of short, energetic anthems, there’s no messing around here, just one banger after another.

The band have their sound absolutely nailed, with amazingly heavy and crunchy guitars and some fantastic vocals that perfectly blends clean singing and shouting, but with enough aggression to mesh the two together flawlessly. This is all emphasised by the incredibly polished song-writing and punchy production that puts these guys ahead of so many of their contemporaries, and produces one of the best sounding and most pumping albums from that era.

However, despite doing the opening theme for WWE Raw for a number of years, and being hand-picked to tour with Marilyn Manson, The Union Underground just never really took off. From what I recall, they were never heavily featured on TV or radio, never really received much (if any) magazine coverage, nor were they prominent in any major tours or festivals. And it’s a shame, because they certainly deserved to be much bigger than they were.

With an abundance of unforgettable anthems, such as ‘South Texas Deathride’, ‘Bitter Man’, ‘Until You Crack’, ‘Drivel’, ‘Natural High’, ‘Revolution Man’, and their biggest hit, ‘Turn Me On Mr. Deadman’, it’s a travesty that we never heard more from these guys, as this album truly is an absolute gem from the nu metal days, and still sounds as fantastic today as it did back in 2000.

After 2000’s hugely successful ‘Infest’, and it’s follow-up, 2002’s ‘Lovehatetragedy’, Papa Roach, like many, shifted their sound away from the dying nu metal subgenre, and became more grounded in hard rock or post grunge (or whatever style all the nu metal bands became once the fad died down). It was around this time that I lost touch with Papa Roach, a result of my own musical tastes changing, so I was keen to revisit these superstars from my teenage years to see what they’ve been up to since I left off.

‘Getting Away With Murder’ sees Papa Roach do away with a lot of the metal elements in their music, with the most notable being that the guitars don’t quite sound as edgy or aggressive. There’s less focus on rapping vocals, and the lyrical content itself is nowhere near as bleak or angst-ridden as before. The songs are a lot more poppy and radio-friendly, with vocalist Jacoby Shaddix displaying more singing ability than he’d done on previous releases.

But none of this is a detriment. Sure, it’s not quite the same Papa Roach that caught everyone’s attention by ‘cutting their life into pieces’, but there’s still some good, well-written rock songs that show a band maturing and evolving. I might have been disgusted at this change back in 2004, but now, I can see it for what it is. And I’m glad to be making up for lost time.

‘Take Me’, ‘Getting Away With Murder’, ‘Scars’, ‘Blood (Empty Promises)’ and ‘Be Free’ (which features an amazing vocal performance) are all great radio rock songs that demonstrate the band changing with the times whilst still maintaining a high quality of writing. And while ‘Getting Away…’ is far from their best work, it’s still a solid album which definitely has its share of unforgettable tracks.

BREAKING NEWS: Architects are heavy again.

This really shouldn't be news to anyone considering how poor Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit was. I had low expectations for an Architects album already and then Sam Carter and company dropped the biggest non-effort I've heard this side of the 2020s. It was right up there with Bastille as my worst albums of 2022 and for good damn reason. It was a record that promised accessibility, but butchered whatever character Architects may have had. Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit did not sound like an Architects album, but rather a procedurally generated alternative metalcore album that could be replicated by anyone.

The issue is not that Architects are going back to a heavier sound. What matters is will Architects actually sound like Architects? And so, The Sky, the Earth & All Between does show signs of improvement. Segments of "Elegy" and "Brain Dead" show the band embracing more of a hardcore sound. "Whiplash" and "Everything Ends" are closer to the mainstream accessible sound the band has been playing with for the last couple albums, while "Evil Eyes" has some decent hybrid action going on. The biggest issue with this album is that it lacks consistency; I like "Evil Eyes" and the opener "Elegy", but then the album hits you with "Broken Mirror", which I swear just sounds like a rejected Bring Me the Horizon song. 

The back half of The Sky, the Earth & All Between is so safe that I don't really have anything to say about it. The Amira Elfeky feature on "Judgement Day" could have been a bright spot for this record, until the main riff enters and it reminds me of AI generated metalcore again. The worst part about it is that none of these songs have anything ear catching; whether that be a catchy chorus, guitar solo, or compositional change of pace. They all do the same thing and a record that started off with potential gradually loses that momentum in quick fashion.

Now, I understand that it is unfair to criticize The Sky, the Earth & All Between by comparing it to Holy Hell, the band's 2018 record that served as a farewell/lament to their bandmate, Tom Searle. I really question just how much weight that must have carried because while this album does certainly sound like Architects, it also does not contain the same passion. And even then, this album is showing signs of a group desperate to stay relevant, and will incorporate as many modern trends into their music to do so. Some of them work, while others just...don't. Perhaps it is poorly outlined expectations by people like myself that an artist does not need to completely revamp their sound every album. Sleep Token are Sleep Token, and they do not need every 2010s metalcore group mimicking their style to maintain relevancy. Instead of being good at just one thing, Architects' The Sky, the Earth & All Between includes The Sky, the Earth & All Between, and isn't really good at any of it.

Best Songs: Elegy, Brain Dead, Evil Eyes

Spiritbox have returned with their second full length album following The Fear of Fear EP from 2023. The first thing that strikes me on the new record is how much heavier this is than Eternal Blue. The promotional singles for this record did not leave me with much hope. The promotion for Tsunami Sea was showing signs of this band continuing down the more accessible path with "Perfect Soul" being thee prime example. While not a bad song, it does sound eerily similar to some of Eternal Blue's weakest songs. 

So having been on vacation for the last week, I've had the chance to listen to this record freely for longer than most, and I was quite impressed with the result. This is by far the best project that Spiritbox have released since the 2017 EP. Even though the record does still implement many of the talking points that I've previously mentioned (most notably the "musical grab bag"), Spiritbox have claimed an identity and they are sticking to it throughout the entire album. The bands hybrid personality has become apart of their unique sound and that carries into the songwriting itself. This album has such a eclectic palette of song styles, song compositions and directions. And while some of them don't work (i.e. "Crystal Rose"), other songs like "Keep Sweet" and "A Haven With Two Faces" are very good.

Tsunami Sea is adding a few more electronic and industrial elements, which is new for the band and plays into that "grab bag" personality the band is presenting for themselves. In a way, this album can be seen as some kind of culmination of taking Iwrestleabearonce and making it accessible. On their own, none of these songs scream progressive or event avant-garde, but as a whole, Tsunami Sea does so much to change up from track-to-track that it gives off the passing impression of a progressive metal epic.

"But Saxy" I hear you moan, "what about the breakdowns? This is metalcore after all and you are a notorious hater of breakdowns." And while that may be true, it is only because modern metalcore bands do not know how to include breakdowns into a tune; insert a percussion buildup, a vocal break where the title of the song is shouted, band returns with a breakdown groove that is not connected to the chorus. And while Spiritbox do employ this mechanic here, it is breakdowns like on "A Haven With Two Faces" that make me think this band really are metalcore geniuses. The pure bliss that was felt as Courtney LaPlante sings "I watch as it floats backwards to me" and the seamless recurrence of the main band is the highlight of the album for me. 

Like I said off earlier, I think Tsunami Sea is the best Spiritbox record since the debut EP. The songwriting has improved tremendously, the album has a great variety of song styles, both in their aural presentation as well as the physical compositions. LaPlante's vocals are tremendous their range and delivery, and while the compression of the mix is a questionable choice, I feel like it adds to the groups dynamics during the records softer moments, as the heavier moments can sound tremendous at times. Like with all metalcore, the best waves are the ones that make you savor them.

Best Songs: Fata Morgana, Keep Sweet, A Haven With Two Faces, No Loss, No Love, Deep End

It is with Architects' new album The Sky, the Earth & All Between that their earlier metalcore roots are in a stand-off against their recent alt-metal sound. I'm just glad they didn't lose most of their metal like they did in the dreaded Here and Now...

If I were to rank this album with the rest of their 2020s era so far, I say it's as good as For Those Who Wish to Exist, maybe a few points higher, and better than The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit. Still those 3 albums can't beat the great Holy Hell and the glorious mid-2010s era before that. Producing the album is Jordan Fish who had just departed from Bring Me the Horizon. His production skills give this offering more meat to bite down on.

Opening track "Elegy" is an epic track to kick things off, with their alt-metalcore sound going soft to hyperfast in no time flat. "Whiplash" is another f***ing ground-breaking banger to make sure the band isn't dead. "Blackhole"is another f***ing h*ll of a headbanging single with some of the greatest vocal intensity from Sam Carter. Adding to the perfection is the drumming by Dan Searle. That shall get the live crowd going! But then everything changes with "Everything Ends". It's a poppish song that lowers some of the quality. Nonetheless, the guitar melodies have great variety, sounding dark and uplifting at the same time.

"Brain Dead" cranks the metalcore speed back up with pit-inducing riff storms. Electronicore duo House of Protection steps in with vocal fury to make things more intense. And there's more to explore in the tracks that aren't previously released as singles... "Evil Eyes" concludes the second half of the album with the band's typical blend of aggressive verses and serene choruses, all the way up to its ending throwdown. "Landmines" has a sonic duel between synths and drums. Nothing is overused, and the mighty chorus rules along with the vocal distortion in the verses. "Judgement Day" features Amira Elfeky in this more industrial track. Her vocals work out nicely behind Carter for a perfect chorus. That shall boost up the album quality a bit!

"Broken Mirror" is a more brooding song. Carter sings nice and soft before rising into his usual screams. It's so emotional and almost a power ballad that you're bound to get your lighters up. Just remember to turn them off before the heavy bridge so you don't set the place on fire while headbanging and moshing. "Curse" is another banger that apparently is in the soundtrack of WWE 2025. So f***ing underrated, with choruses that sound like the choruses they're meant to be. Plus a bit of Bring Me the Horizon vibes here and there. "Seeing Red" is the first single, released as early as late 2023, proving that the band hasn't lost any of their earlier heaviness in this awesome highlight. Lots of raw rage from beginning to end with gang vocals by the Choir Noir. Ending it all is "Chandelier" (not a Sia cover) that once again starts calm and peaceful before rising up in climatic heights. Some screamed vocals and guitars remind you that the band is still what they're known for, and it all ends as you look forward to more.

The Sky, the Earth & All Between, I would put in the highest part of the 3.5 star tier, and consider it the album metalcore fans wanted after Holy Hell. New aspects are brought to the band's usual sound in album #11. They might just reach have more live opportunities come up. A good offering for anyone who likes it loud and soft and all between...

Favorites: "Elegy", "Whiplash", "Blackhole", "Evil Eyes", "Judgement Day", "Seeing Red"

After my poor revisiting experience with Karmacode, I decided to skip ahead nearly two decades through their discography into their new album Sleepless Empire. Ever since my move away from the more melodic metal bands 7 years ago, I hadn't listened much to this band at all, apart from several Gateway playlist submissions. The latest two albums I've heard from this band were Broken Crown Halo and Delirium, two albums that my brother enjoys for their alt-metal sound. I've almost completely missed out on Black Anima, which I've heard has a more metalcore tinge, and Comalies XX, a 20th anniversary re-recording of their breakthrough album. Well if I wanna hear female-fronted modern metalcore-ish alt-metal, In This Moment is currently my go-to band. But let's see if Lacuna Coil would become that again with their new album...

Now this is a great blast to the past! Sleepless Empire shows the band returning to their gothic metal roots while leaving their modern alt-metal path intact. It's almost like this was an unreleased album from 2004, literally a bridge between Comalies and Karmacode, finally seeing the light of day with a modern revamp. Honestly, I might just be up to finally checking out Black Anima and Comalies XX later on, maybe even Within Temptation's two new albums that I've also missed out on mostly. Not all of Sleepless Empire is exciting though, since a couple tracks/singles are a little weak for me. Still there are many songs that really brought back my memories from 10 years ago.

The "bridge between Comalies and Karmacode" theory sounds about right in "The Siege" with its memorable riffing, though the metalcore-ish growls of Andrea Ferro are different for sure. But then we get to the poor-quality "Oxygen", which sounds closer what they have Delirium but ends up being quite a letdown. The growls by Andrea Ferro sounding similar to Matt Heafy of Trivium are actually quite killer and don't make the song a total loss. Despite continuing that poor riffing in "Scarecrow", it is brushed aside by the electro-dance pace that can almost work as "Closer 2.0". We hear more of the vocal balance between Cristina and Andrea in "Gravity", which is pretty good, although the verses by Andrea could've had better execution.

"I Wish You Were Dead" is a single that got me pumped up for the album, and it's a true highlight, perhaps my favorite here! Again it connects the bridge between Comalies and Karmacode, maybe even a more dramatic take on a song from Shallow Life. It's a little short, being under 3 minutes. Maybe a guitar solo before the final chorus would make it better, but I still enjoy it as-is. An absolute must-listen! "Hosting the Shadow" really shows the band firing through, another great highlight! And even more so by the vicious growls of Lamb of God's Randy Blythe. You also gotta hear the massive soloing that comes up "In Nomine Patris" that makes an otherwise good song awesome.

I can almost consider the title track an actual blend of the 2020s eras of Memphis May Fire and October Tide with female cleans. "Sleep Paralysis" once again has amazing soloing that you wouldn't expect from a modern band. Pretty much all the band's albums can be heard stylistically throughout these 5 minutes. "In the Mean Time" is great but not all that special, except for the guest vocals by Ash Costello to break up the repetition. Ending track "Never Dawn" is the first ever single for the album, originally recorded two years prior for Zombicide: White Death, and giving me a feeling of hope for what this album would have later. The gothic strength of Comalies and the groove-metalcore-ish sound of Delirium actually become one! It might be disappointing for old-school fans, but it's much stronger than a big chunk of Karmacode.

Sleepless Empire is an enjoyable comeback for the band, with some memorable hits. It's a much better blending of old and new sounds that In Flames' Foregone, and hey, maybe I can check out Dark Tranquillity's new album Endtime Signals and see if I can find a similar result. I can never regain the perfect glory I experienced when I was a teen who was into the more melodic stuff, but those highlights are some of the band's best songs in years. I'm still torn between whether or not I should finally listen to Black Anima and Comalies XX, as it's another case of love it or hate it amongst the fans. Nonetheless, Sleeping Empire has much better songs to offer than Karmacode, and it has reminded me of how much I once enjoyed Comalies and their mid 2010s albums. And while I scored big in the metalcore realm with last year's new releases by ERRA and Make Them Suffer, I can still look back at this gothic/alt-metal band still going on for 3 decades. Lacuna Coil have returned with a true blessing....

Favorites: "The Siege", "I Wish You Were Dead", "Hosting the Shadow", "In Nomine Patris", "Sleep Paralysis", "Never Dawn"

It's not unusual for something you loved 10 years earlier to end up being abysmal to your ears today. After all, that happened to me when I revisited DragonForce's cover of "Ring of Fire". So what do I think of Lacuna Coil's switch from gothic metal to alt-metal that I was given a chance to revisit after all these years? Well, I still love some songs here, but for everything else, [insert metalcore BLEGH of disgust here]. And this was the band whose success came from their previous album Comalies.

See, I like alt-metal enough to be worthy of my time in the Gateway clan. However, it's hard for me to get used to the more mainstream albums. Maybe the reason I liked Karmacode more in my teens was because of how melodic it is. Well, there are good surprises here in the same amount as the bad ones...

Talking about only the tracks I like or find OK, "Fragile" is a catchy start. As in every Lacuna Coil album, there are the raging shouts of Andrea Ferro and the calm singing of Cristina Scabbia. However, here those vocals are used more equally. "Our Truth" is close to a f***ing incredible highlight! Even though I moved away from this band during my departure from gothic metal, after listening and reviewing a couple Evanescence albums, they might be some hope in returning to Lacuna Coil in the future. Maybe if I check out a different album later. "Within Me" is a great song for post-breakup woes of loneliness, bringing back good memories of when I used to listen to this band full-time.

We hear some earlier chanting by Cristina in "You Create", which would've been a highlight if it wasn't an interlude. "What I See" is another track I enjoy with more of Cristina's magical vocals. Ferro's vocals sound a little off here, but they don't break that track's glory. "Closer" is an amazing song that actually has some Europop vibes that might've influenced Amaranthe. Years since my last full listen of this song, and it remains immortal in my memory. I enjoy the bad-a** bass intro and outro, though the guitars are still worth bringing in. These lyrics hit me like a train in this awesome song, especially when the first chorus starts at the one-minute mark. This might be tied with Disturbed's "Stricken" as two historical modern alt-metal songs for me, and they still have that energy in subsequent decades. Guitar Hero players know that song for sure...

The rest of the tracklisting is just weak and forgettable. It's tough when the music doesn't hit me as well as it once did. And don't ask me that Depeche Mode cover that I now find f***ed up (I prefer It Dies Today's cover). I'm glad I still enjoy a few songs in the album, preventing it from becoming as awful as Metallica's St. Anger. I heard Lacuna Coil has made somewhat of a return to their gothic roots in their new album Sleepless Empire. I should check it out and hope for the better....

Favorites (only true highlights): "Our Truth", "Within Me", "What I See", "Closer"

With all due respect to the bands previous catalog, it really is nice to hear Lacuna Coil returning to their roots of Comalies and not trend chasing. The bands previous number of records have all been plagued by trying to be something that Lacuna Coil is not. Whether it be the nu metal on Karmacode, or the atrocious metalcore breakdown chasing of Delirium. 

This is not to say that Sleepless Empire isn't a little bit indulgent. "Scarecrow" does begin with a very metalcore-esque riff, but Lacuna Coil are confident enough in that riff to make it a foundational piece instead of your typical ping-pong of riffs and never sticking with one. Cristina Scabbia's vocals are pretty bland if I'm being honest; while certainly some good moments, the main vocal melodies of quite a few tracks are monotonous. What that means is a lot of the main hooks come from the instrumentals. The riffs still have that metalcore foundation, but the inclusion of synthesized strings and orchestral arrangements do bring back images of the bands strong gothic roots. 

But the harsh vocals are a lot to take in. They add some intensity to the record that only appears in short bursts on records like Karmacode, but now they are a big part of the tunes. Reminds me a bit of Color Decay by the Devil Wears Prada and does run its course after a while and becomes predictable. The real issue though is when you have a Randy Blythe feature ("Hosting the Shadow") and it doesn't really need to be here. Sleepless Empire is already close to 50/50 on vocal splits, so the appearance of a guest vocalist (with a very similar vocal timbre might I add) is just odd choice and adds nothing. The track itself is one the albums faster paced tracks (good) and the one that exhorts the least amount of gothic metal energy (not good).

In the end, Sleepless Empire would be best described as an album in much a similar way. For every step forward the band takes (i.e. gothic revival, decent choruses, solid production), Lacuna Coil are just as likely to take a step back (i.e. 50/50 vocals, metalcore trend hopping). I think that the album does more good than bad, which is why I'm giving it a more generous score, but some really foundational issues continue to hold this band back from their true potential. 

Best Songs: Scarecrow, I Wish You Were Dead, Sleepless Empire

White Pony is revered as one of the greatest Alternative Metal albums of all time, and as a big fan of certain strains of the genre, I gave this album a very fair chance. The potential for masterpiece is there, but overall I was left wondering what makes this so great in the eyes of the world.

By rights, the highs are magnificent. It’s got a couple great songs that kept me coming back again and again. But I soon found that most of the album just consisted of anticipation for those few tracks, while the majority didn’t do anything special for me. Why was this?

For me personally, it’s because White Pony just doesn’t go far enough in any of the things it sets out to do. It’s an eclectic album with a good balance of influences, primarily Alt Rock and Alt Metal, but also spreading across Nu Metal, Shoegaze, Post-Hardcore, Dream Pop, and even some artier moments of Downtempo and Glitch. Problem is, it doesn’t exactly excel at any of those things. The heavier, Nu Metal tracks are not heavy enough nor aggressive enough, the darker songs aren’t dark enough, the clean songs aren’t catchy enough, the emotional songs aren’t passionate or evocative enough… you get the idea. If I wanted heavy Nu Metal, I’d rather throw on Slipknot. If I wanted cleaner, more passionate Alt metal, give me modern Katatonia or In flames. If I wanted atmospheric stuff… give me actual Shoegaze or Post-Metal.

The highlights of this album are found in those couple great tracks where everything comes together perfectly. As shameful as it is, I’m unfortunately talking about the same tracks that everybody else likes, the lead singles “Digital Bath” and “Change (In the House of Flies).”

Wow, is “Digital Bath” something special. That was the only song that immediately gripped me the first time I heard it. When Chino goes higher and passionate with his vocals and the gazey chords come in, man, it’s perfect. That moment in the middle of the song where you can actually hear something that sounds like electrical water… godly atmosphere. It’s catchy, it’s passionate, it’s moody, it’s atmospheric, and it’s got a hell of an interesting lyrical concept. AND it manages to capture all of that perfectly with the quirky song title.

“Change” was much more of a grower. Didn’t stand out immediately, but got a lot stronger each time I came back to the album, full of great symbolic lyricism and a dark, ominous mood that works really well with the simpler guitarwork. I will also give a shout out to “Knife Prty” which is just shy of a fantastic song thanks to a bit too much meandering and a slightly lamer concept idea, but the energy and mood of the song is great.

All of these aforementioned songs share something in common; they are cleaner, technically simpler, denser and more atmospheric. They focus on mood, and more evocative vocals. Deftones can do this sort of style pretty damn well. But when they try to do something else, they don’t succeed, and here’s why; the riffs suck. They are incredibly boring, mostly dissonant, not catchy, not creative, not evocative. Ditto for the rhythm section; it’s simple, boring, not energetic enough. Chino’s harsh vocals aren’t very convincing either. For this reason, the band falls flat when they try to go heavier or more energetic. None of the heavier Nu Metal songs left any impression on me. The only other song I can really remember is “Teenager” and that’s because it’s so damn different, being a full on Glitch/Downtempo track. And they do that one decently well too! They just were really not meant for Nu Metal.

‘Boombox’ is the eighth studio album by American hard rockers Fozzy. Released in 2022 and coming off of the huge success of their 2017 release, ‘Judas’, the band, who have been on a constant upward trajectory since their 1999 conception, have played it pretty safe with this one, and followed in the same vein as their previous album.

The brainchild of wrestling superstar Chris Jericho (the best in the world at what he does), and Stuck Mojo mastermind (and my hetero man-crush) Rich Ward, I don’t think anyone back in 1999 would have expected the band to still be around doing this as long as they have been. But they’ve overcome comedy cover band antics, being named after one of the Muppets, and being more than simply “Chris Jericho’s band” to become a very legit, very authentic group of musicians.

But while the last few albums have been absolute bangers, it feels with ‘Boombox’ the songs just aren’t all up to par. And I don’t mean that to sound horrible (and I don’t want to make the list!!!), because Fozzy are one of my all-time favourite bands! Literally every album they’ve released has been of exceptional quality, and while this one certainly has its moments, I do find myself preferring to go back to any of their previous outings instead.

Still, the likes of ‘Sane’, ‘Nowhere to Run’, ‘I Still Burn’, ‘My Great Wall’ and ‘Purifier’ are all remarkable songs, and with an excellent production and a pretty sick sleeve artwork, this is still a very solid album. And while it may not their best, it’s still definitely worth owning for rock and metal fans, and plenty worthy of the name Fozzy.

I absolutely love and miss Pete every day. He is a huge influence on the musician and song writer I am today. Type O Negative was an incredibly important, influential, and innovative band. Pete was always a huge fan of the Beatles, sometimes referring to Type O as the "drab four" in mirror of the "fab four" moniker the Beatles wore. More than any other Type O offering, the Beatles influence is felt here, it's slightly more conventional and slightly more optimistic than the rest of their catalogue-SLIGHTLY being the operative word here. It's still every bit a Type O Negative album, and Type O Negative albums are damn good.

By 1994, metal in the mainstream was dead. Grunge had taken over, and other than a select few torch-bearers keeping the flame alive, most metal bands had either gone underground, gone grunge, or simply gone away. Then a band from Bakersfield, California came along, and changed all of that.

There’s no denying the impact Korn had on the metal genre. They were ahead of their time, and pioneered what would become nu metal, thus given heavy music a lifeline and appealing to a whole new audience. Their sound captured the angst, moodiness and self-loathing of grunge, but combined with the heaviness and attitude of metal.

But listening to this today, damn, this hasn’t aged well!

Back during my teenage years, I, like many newcomers to the metal and rock genre, loved Korn! They were edgy, dangerous and exciting, and any school kid who was bullied, felt rejected or left out could relate to them. Their low-end guitar riffs, percussive rhythm and Jonathan Davis’ unique blend of singing, shouting, rapping and scatting (is that what it’s called?) were totally unique! And that album cover is still as striking and eerie as it was back in 1994.

But listening to ‘Korn’ today, I’m surprised how quickly I got bored by it. Sure, it’s got classics such as ‘Clown’, ‘Shoots and Ladders’, and of course, ‘Blind’, with its famous opening line. But honestly, I really struggled to sit through this all the way. Every song just sounds the same and plods along. And I know that’s kind of common for most Korn albums, but I just seem to remember loving this when I younger. I guess I’m just not that young anymore. Sorry guys…

I’ll give Linkin Park credit. For a (at the time) young band, they really were getting their money’s worth out of their debut release, ‘Hybrid Theory’. As if they hadn’t already sold millions upon millions of copies of the album, and probably millions of hit singles (back when artists could actually make some money out of singles sales), now they were going to make millions upon millions with a remix album.

But is it any good? Actually, yes, it is. I feel bad rating it a two, because it’s actually a pretty decent album. This is, in some ways, what ‘Hybrid Theory’ would sound like if it was more hip-hop oriented. With plenty of guest vocal appearances by numerous rappers and nu metal singers, as well as some remix credits by a number of notable industrial artists, it’s quite a varied and interesting line-up of contributors.

But the thing with ‘Reanimation’, is that, while the album flows well and is easy enough to listen to, there’s only two tracks I’d really consider coming back to. All the others, well, I’d rather just play the actual ‘Hybrid Theory’ album. And while I don’t really mean this as a detriment, this has been on my playlist long enough with me being uncertain what to rate it. So I really can’t judge it any better than “it’s okay”.

Still, the two songs I like, ‘Wth>You’ and ‘My<Dsmbr’ are both fantastic, and can stand by their own merit as more than just remixes. The rest… well, they’re good, but passable. In all honesty, I just don’t know what else to say. This definitely belongs in every Linkin Park fans collection, I just don’t think I’m likely to listen to it very often. If ever.

In Defense of St. Anger.

User  @ZeroSymbolic7188  wrote "It was an unpleasant, misguided experience that nobody, not even the band, enjoyed." and " BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG"

But I am here to speak today to say  NAY to this heresy against St Anger. I am here to speak of its good qualities. That I think many are unwilling to look into in order to join in with the masses and stand among the crowd who gathers to throw their stones as it is the 'cool' thing to hate this. but as it says in the song Dirty Window , I'm judge, I'm jury, and I'm executioner too.  And perhaps I myself drink from the cup of denial when I say that St Anger, is not a bad album. Is it a great album? No. I'm not insane. I love Metallica,  but I am not speaking with an uncritical bias ( you can miss me with And Justice For All. but that is a topic for another review.)  But I don't believe it deserves the hate  people lobby at it. This album  take elements of classic Metallica sound that a fan who enjoys them would be able to recognize and enjoy, but also has some new and different elements. Trying out some grungier, dirtier less polished sounding elements  in the tones and instrumentations and throwing more dirt on the lower end and yes, that drum set tone, was  a definable shift. but I can't say I hate its distinct sound. In fact my own less than professional grade set sitting in my basement right now sound VERY SIMILAR, is it a little broken? yeah. Do I still play it all the time in a band? yeah. Does it feel relatable like when I hear James calling out INVISIBLE KID  while it bongs on the tracks? yeah.  

Its an album that I can say I have listened to more songs from it and have come back to more times to listen to or discuss than many other so called " better " albums . with other individuals who say they do no not enjoy it. yet them so "wait you have to hear this' to others... To which I say,  isn't it a sign of the music's importance and relevance if you believe everyone should hear it? Even if Frantic is the only song you bring up,   (you cannot say its just for the silly lyrics because James has many many songs on many other albums with less than intelligent lyrics)

There are many very potent lines from this album that are relatable and striking yet only the silliest are brought up,  but are you  familiar with the ending of My World when  James starts singing "  God it only feels like it only rains on me,  into  I don't even know what the question is into ENOUGH is ENOUGH is ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

This album feels very heavy to me both thematically and sonically and I am a big fan of that. I am here because I LIKE heavy metal, and being a fan of noise music, perhaps that's why I'm quick to forgive what many deem are unforgivable sounds when to me it makes many of the tracks sound heavier when the large hits drive in emphasis on the beats. 

If you have only listened to this album with the ear's of a listener ready to take the piss out of it  then I encourage you to take another listen to it.

Listen to it as someone ready  to see a band trying to come together and express some raw and powerful thoughts and emotions to you. Back to a band who is just picking up their instruments and playing. Not trying to churn out the shiniest piece of metal, but something raw and infiltered and heavy. And if you still can't get past it, so be it. But you're not cooler for hating it. You're just, basic. which is fine,  but there's no medal for it. remember, Your lifestyle determines your deathstyle.

I've been hearing a lot about the hate and controversy towards Metallica's 2003 album St. Anger, and I finally decided to give it a shot. And I'm probably one of the many people thinking, "THIS is the band that made Master of Puppets?!?" Yes, it's as awful as many say it is, but there are still some parts I enjoy about it. Though we're gonna start by pointing out all the mistakes the band made for this album. For one thing, the band distanced themselves further away from their thrash roots and even the hard rock/heavy metal of Load/Reload. Now it's generally just alt-/nu metal that takes some groove metal/metalcore from some of my favorite bands and botches it up hard. Heavy verses and catchy choruses are a cool blend but end sounding more suitable for alt-music radio than in line with the band's 80s/90s thrash/heavy metal peers.

It ends up being quite strange hearing the occasional guitar and blasts of yore when most of what's going on is closer in sound to Drowning Pool. The guitars would've been a lot more interesting if there were any solos. Now I've heard a lot of solo-less metal music over the years, but when the songs drag on for a long time without variety... C'MON MAN! And of course, we can't forget about the SNARE. The only other band who had a oil-can snare drum that I'm aware of is Cold as Life, based on one of their songs that I heard in a Revolution playlist. There's also no bass at all. And the vocals by James Hetfield make me cringe when trying to doing some nu metal shouting.

The first third of this 75-minute album is the part that's not all bad, as we have the raging anger of the title track. Plus, "Some Kind of Monster" is a monstrous 8-minute epic that should be re-recorded with the improved production the band would have later, guitar soloing, audible bass, and none of the G****MN SNARE. When the worst offender "Invisible Kid" comes in, that's when everything sounds too similar and makes the remainder of the album a f***ing migraine-inducing mess.

So yeah, St. Anger is bad, though only two of the first 4 songs are good enough to score some points. While there's nothing wrong with experimentation, it doesn't often pay off as it should, and it has tainted the history of metal. You can't win it all from this band....

Favorites (only songs I like): "St. Anger", "Some Kind of Monster"

User Shadowdoom9 (Andi) writes "Interesting review, Zach. Now I'm curious about your thoughts on Metallica's other highly hated album St. Anger. I haven't listened to that one but I'm aware of the amount of hate it has received." In response to my review of the much maligned Lulu project. 

Well, ask and ye sha'll recieve...

The late 90s and early 2000s saw the emergence of nu-metal acts such as Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed, System of a Down, and so forth. That context is important when trying to understand Metallica's St. Anger, Megadeth's Risk, or Slayer's Diabolus in Music. These albums aren't the worst things ever made, but they are widely considered to be missteps in the discographies of otherwise legendary thrash metal bands of the 1980s. The effect was kind of like a lame dad trying to relate to his angsty teenage son. It was uncomfortable and a little awkward because "dad just doesn't get it." The old legends were a bit out of their element is what I mean. In Metallica's particular case add on top of it that the band and it's members were a mess at the time-if you have not seen the rockumentary "Some Kind of Monster" it's kind of a mandatory watch, and explains a lot about why this thing came out the way it did. Then of course there is that god forsaken snare tone BONG BONG BONG BONG.

Let me explain how that snare makes me feel, as a young man I once rented a video game called Turok Dinosaur Hunter 2: Seeds of Evil. The game is recently remastered, and worth playing for nostalgia or if you enjoy "boomer shooters". Why do I bring this up? The game features a weapon called the Cerebral Bore. You fire the Cerebral Bore at an enemy and it drills into their skull then explodes, blowing the head off in gory fashion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CaiXVbFZXI That is what the snare drum on this album does. It gradually bores it's way into your brain until your mind explodes-no not in the fun way, but rather in the dentist drill during a root canal kind of way. It's damn unpleasant, and it doesn't stop. 

The best thing about this is album is the opening track "Frantic", because it contains an absolutely goofy chorus FRANTIC-TICK-TOCK, TICK, TICK-TICK-TOK! and the line "My lifestyle determines my death style." Which I've been internally and externally debating if it is brilliant or the absolute stupidest fucking line in a song ever sang. I think it's very cheesy like a goofy Doctor Seus thing, but James is singing it with his whole heart like it's the deepest shit he ever wrote, and damned if I don't want to hear him do it from time to time. That track is responsible for 0.5 of the 1 star I gave this album.

The title track is a weird metaphor that just doesn't work. St. Anger-he's bustin' out, he's bustin out... it's dumb as all hell, and yet I constantly reference it in near daily conversations with my wife whenever a student at work (we are teachers) or our family dog becomes clearly irritated with something we can't explain-it's St. Anger.. he's bustin' out, he's bustin out! That's another .25 of the single star rating.

The remaining .25 is for "Purify" which would be great if it was about 1/3rd as long as it is. 

Everything else on this album is a waste of time. 5 of the remaining 7 songs are over 5 minutes long, some getting up around 7 or even 9 minutes in length, and there was not a single idea on this album worth expressing for more than 3... no 2 and 1/2 minutes. Shave these songs down to their best parts, and make a punk album and hey I could see it... except BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG. There is no saving that snare tone, and listen I know that snare tone is a running gag in the metal community, but it really is some unholy torture device if you listen to this album in one sitting. I can not remember a single memorable thing about any of those songs, not a single thing, not line, not a riff, none of it. I remember the BONG BONG though, the goddamned BONG BONG BONG.

Without the context of Some Kind of Monster, you would think this album was some kind of sadistic hazing ritual on Robert Trujillo. "Welcome to Metallica now play the shittiest music you've ever played", but it wasn't-nobody is that sick and cruel. 

It was an unpleasant, misguided experience that nobody, not even the band, enjoyed. This is not the album Metallica wanted to make, this was the album that Metallica had to make at that time, and it plays like it.

I remember reviewing one of The Old Dead Tree's albums for The Fallen Gothic Metal Modern Era clan challenge almost 5 years before this review. I've forgotten all about that band since falling out of The Fallen a couple years later. That is, until the band's new comeback album appeared in the Metal Academy 2024 Awards Gateway Gallery thread. So now's a good time to give this band another chance, and see if its cover artwork will head home with its award.

Second Thoughts is the band's first full album after a long 17-year gap, as a result of a 10-year hiatus, apart from a couple reunion shows. And it sounds like their dark progressive/alt-metal melancholy can still practically reign in triumph! Their haunting legacy isn't withering any time soon.

First off, "Unpredictable" is a soaring composition of life's struggles. Vocalist Manuel Munoz and the rest of his team give the heavy instrumentation lots of emotion. "Don’t Waste Your Time" is a nice blend of dark and light. "The Lightest Straw" takes you through the depths of existence in the lyrics, as the music gets more dynamic. Manuel's vocal power allow you to experience the melancholy while finding the hopeful side of things. There are a couple trilogy suites in the album, one of them being "The Secret", starting with the short acoustic "Better Off Dead". The second part "Within a Second Thought" continues this story of regret and loss. "Luke" finishes this dark mini-saga with the most haunting and heaviest they have to offer. This emotional lyrical theme is not often heard in progressive tempo-changing arrangements like that one.

Another standout comes in "Story of My Life", which is more accessible while staying strong and anthemic in the lyrics. That shall get the live crowd moving! Then comes the other trilogy, "The Hunt", beginning with another song of clean melancholy, "Fresh Start". The second part, "I Wish I Could" is a highlight that's both hopeful and hopeless. It charges through in emotion and heaviness while having some grand atmosphere for a complex structure. The dramatic concluding part, "The Trap" has modern melody to please many of its listeners.

"Solastalgia" stands out in layers of rage and despair, despite being more of a power ballad. "OK" packs some killer heavy punches, as almost a polar opposite to the smooth wonders of the previous track. "The Worst is Yet to Come" is not as much of a classic as the similarly-titled song by, Still Remains, but it's a decent end to this personal journey, promising a more steady evolution for the band to come...

Creating and listening to music is a good way to let out your grief, as exemplified in Second Thoughts. This dark alt-metal sound is better executed than Swallow the Sun's attempt in their new album Shining, although that one's not as bad as people say it is. With this magical ride, The Old Dead Tree is far from dead!

Favorites: "Unpredictable", "The Lightest Straw", "Luke", "Story of My Life", "I Wish I Could", "Solastalgia", "OK"

From Kent, England, Graphic Nature is another addition to the rising nu metalcore scene. Since releasing their first album A Mind Waiting to Die in 2023, they've become a main attraction in the more popular rock/metal festivals. They've also had Cancer Bats and Vended by their side in their tours!

17 months is around the same time difference between the births of me and my older brother. It's also how long it took after the debut's release for the band to unleash their second album to the world, Who Are You When No One Is Watching? The album is so emotional, with lyrics of showing one's true self. This concept stemmed from around the debut's release when vocalist Harvey Freeman was randomly assaulted during a train ride, and the PTSD Freeman has subsequently suffered.

The intro "Who Are You?" is quite exciting for something heavily distorted. "Locked In" kick-starts the action in massive impact, from both the music and vocals. "Blinded" has great heaviness, with some Spiritbox vibes. "Human" has more melodic synths, while blending it with heavy guitars, a balance already mastered by Sleep Token. "Something I'm Not" is a true highlight. It's more of a rap-ish nu metal track, though Freeman's rapping actually works quite greatly. That's the song with the most inspiration from the train trauma, with the lyrics rapped and screamed in emotional pain.

"Breathe" is more electronic, yet makes room for more of the ravaging nu metalcore. "Session24" is a pleasant interlude. It's basically TDEP's "Weekend Sex Change" given a BMTH/Enter Shikari twist. The hardcore heaviness shines the best in the short "N.F.A." Same with "Fractured", though it could've used some slight fixing.

"Low" is filled with heartful emotion, as Freeman lets out lyrics of his mental health to relate to those listening. Single "To the Grave" lacks some impact, but it still works here. "When No One is Watching" hits it high as the heavy metalcore sound is given a good taste of drums and bass. The final track "For You" perfectly summarizes all the band has given you in this album.

Who Are You When No One Is Watching? is another blessing for 2024 in the nu metal and metalcore realms. The amazing production and relatable lyrics should please many listeners. This shows that Graphic Nature can stand out in the nu metalcore crowd!

Favorites: "Locked In", "Blinded", "Something I'm Not", "N.F.A.", "When No One is Watching", "For You"

My relationship with Katatonia has been distant at best. As documented in my review of their debut, it took many, many moons before I finally got to grips with it. In terms of the rest of their discography, well, I was approaching it at the same pace that I had the debut until recent life events led me to look for some music with a little more of an emotional connection to reflect my strife. Soon, The Fall of Hearts was not only on consistent rotation, but it more or less immediately adorned a spot in my vinyl collection.

I do not often listen to alternative metal, and although I get the connection here, still I do not feel The Fall of Hearts is necessarily justified of this tagging. Playing as a progressive rock record in the main, the album is certainly not my usual bag of extreme metal listening. Its more challenging aspects are still what draw me in though. That awkward structuring that forbids catchiness without sacrificing memorability is a welcome inclusion for me. Similarly, the expression of feelings, without the grandiose and minus the tedium is an honest share that I can acknowledge and respect in equal amounts. There are still some big riffs in here that inject real depth into tracks, often unexpectedly. A solemn and yet obvious bass presence also has great effect on proceedings, keeping the mournful and sorrowful themes of the album true against a background of solid if not all that remarkable drumming.

Vocally, I should not get on with Jonas Renke’s vocal style, having a usual disdain for clean vocals sung by a less than tuneful vocalist. However, his monotone style with those occasional harmonies that only half work is well suited and only adds to my enjoyment. The lyrics are what speak to me more however in terms of their content, seeped heavily in themes of uncertainty and turmoil, Jonas’ vocals only seek to enhance the appeal for me. I was not looking for something soulful, more the need was for an honest, rawer expression without the instrumentation necessarily leading this for once.

Suffice to say that this album struck the correct chord with me at the perfect time, standing out from the wealth of other music I was going through at the time to try and find some connection with. There truly is no greater feeling than finding such a record and on reflection I can honestly only say that this has happened on a handful of occasions over the years. Getting on for nearly forty years of listening to music, this has been a very unexpected yet incredibly rewarding find.