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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 3

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Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the third issue now for free!

Volume three includes an update from cover star Chris Shiflett, and a review of ‘Race the Night’ from Ash.

We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Don Broco, Lonely The Brave, Dream Wife, TesseracT, DragonForce, Staind, Duff McKagan, Skinny Lister, All Time Low, While She Sleeps, K.Flay, The Meffs, END and Mother Mother!

Plus new live announcements from British Lion, Fozzy, KITE THIEF, VV, The Amazons, The Coral, Twin Atlantic and Lonely The Brave.

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Major Moment, Tropic Gold and Future Static!

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Read our review of the Foolhardy Folk Festival

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Album Reviews

All Time Low

Tell Me I’m Alive

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ALL TIME LOW – TELL ME I’M ALIVE – ALBUM REVIEW

“You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”

The juvenile lyrical content and ability to mimic whatever the popular music of the scene is of the time is ultimately what endeared All Time Low to their legion of fans in their early years. Their knack for jumping on trends and still producing solid musical output has allowed them far greater longevity then perhaps they could’ve expected when they broke through.

Whilst, like many others from that scene, they have evolved musically, they also feel like the one band still desperate to cling to the past. It’s this mismatch of philosophies that makes their new album, ‘Tell Me I’m Alive’, so disjointed and well, just plain cringey.

WATCH ‘CALM DOWN’ ON YOUTUBE
All Time Low – ‘Calm Down’

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The lyrical content alone feels like its purposefully devolved back into the infantile and over-simplistic work of kids lacking life experience. The band feel like a creepy caricature of themselves on this record which is just odd and uncomfortable.

Musically they still seem to be reaching for whatever they feel will sell to the youth of the day. This is a sound business technique and it’s served them well in the past, largely due to their ability to pull this off better than most of their contemporaries. This time though it feels like that charm has worn off, and we are left with another re-tread of tired old tropes.

Over the course of their career All Time Low have always shown ambition and have tested themselves creatively whilst maintaining the essence of what they are. This is their first release that feels like a lazy replica and that almost makes it stand out more.

They may want us to tell them that they’re alive, but with this album, you find yourself asking if it’s time for the band re-evaluate, do something drastic or they may well see themselves become the villains.

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Read our review of ‘Truth Decay’ from You Me At Six

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News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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News Report

Iron Maiden announce ‘The Future Past’ Tour

Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!

This week we start with tour announcements and the mighty Iron Maiden, who have revealed the ‘Future Past’ tour that includes a run of UK arena dates next Summer.

The show will feature previously unperformed songs from the band’s most recent studio album, ‘Senjutsu’, along with a focus on 1986’s iconic, ‘Somewhere In Time’ record, plus other classic cuts.

Says founder member and bassist Steve Harris, “Following the release of our latest album, Senjutsu, we updated the current Legacy of the Beast Tour a little by opening the show with the first three songs from it, with the Japanese Palace stage set.

As it doesn’t make a lot of sense to repeat this for a Senjutsu album tour, we thought about other options and we’ve decided to revisit Somewhere In Time as that tour didn’t feature in the various retrospective history tours we’ve played over the years. They were based on our 80’s concert videos and sadly we did not film that tour (blame the manager!!).

We have had lots of requests from fans over the years for many tracks on it so we are now going to play them, plus of course a few others we know you will like! It will also be particularly satisfying to finally get to play some of the more epic tracks on Senjutsu, it’s been a long wait! 2023 is going to be an exciting time and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone again in the UK, Ireland and around Europe”.
 
Manager, Rod Smallwood adds, “This combination of the two albums we feel is very exciting. We know fans want to hear those epic cuts on Senjutsu for the first time live and we think that by combining it with an iconic album like Somewhere In Time it will make for another really special tour for fans old and new!

Of course, for a new album tour in Europe and the UK we will go back largely to the relative intimacy of arenas and we know fans will be very happy about that too!”

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Senjutsu’ from Iron Maiden

Depeche Mode announce London Twickenham Stadium date

Another iconic act to announce a show for early Summer is Depeche Mode, who will takeover Twickenham Stadium in June.

The Memento Mori Tour will support the band’s forthcoming 15th studio album, ‘Memento Mori’, due out in Spring 2023.

In speaking about Memento Mori, Martin Gore commented, “We started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch’s passing, we decided to continue as we’re sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.”

Dave Gahan added, “Fletch would have loved this album. We’re really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we can’t wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.”

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘EBM’ from Editors

P!nk reveals ‘Summer Carnival’ UK dates

P!nk this week unveiled her ‘Summer Carnival’ 2023 tour with stadium dates in Bolton, Sunderland and Birmingham alongside an appearance at BST Hyde Park in London.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of Pearl Jam live at BST Hyde Park

All Time Low announce Wembley Arena show

News Report

Next year will see All Time Low play a show at Wembley Arena with special guests Pale Waves.

The band also debuted their new single, ‘Sleepwalking’, this week and you can check it out below.

All Time Low – ‘Sleepwalking’

More here.

Read our review of ‘Unwanted’ from Pale Waves

The Answer plot UK Tour

Rockers The Answer this week announced a March run of new album shows.

Tickets are here.

Check out Podcasts from Full Pelt Music

L.S. Dunes set UK Tour for January

Ahead of the release of their album, ‘Past Lives’ on 11th November, L.S. Dunes have this week revealed a UK Tour set for January.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of My Chemical Romance live in Milton Keynes

News Report

Billy Joel joins BST Hyde Park bill

Our News Report looks at festivals now and the line-up for BST Hyde Park grew considerably this week with not just P!nk but also Billy Joel being announced for next Summer.

They join the already announced Bruce Springsteen in London.

Tickets are here.

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News Report

Alter Bridge debut ‘This Is War’

Alter Bridge – ‘This Is War’

It’s on to the week’s best new releases now as our News Report continues, and we start with Alter Bridge!

As the band prepare for the release of new album, ‘Pawns & Kings’, on October 14th, they have debuted new track, ‘This Is War’. You can check out that single above.

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of ‘Marching In Time’ from Tremonti

Bury Tomorrow share ‘Abandon Us’

Bury Tomorrow – ‘Abandon Us’

Bury Tomorrow have shared new single, ‘Abandon Us’, which you can listen to above. The track arrives as they reveal that their latest album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, will be released on March 31st.

“We are proud to present, ‘The Seventh Sun’. It is an understatement to say we are excited to share the new era of Bury Tomorrow with you all and the first single from the album, Abandon Us, is the perfect way to showcase our intent for the next phase of our band,” say the six-piece. “Visceral and heavy, this track is for each and every one of you that has stood by us either from the beginning, or supported us along the way.”

Of the song’s origins, the band share, “it started with a demo simply entitled, Abandon. Taken from a time of loss, uncertainty and insecurity, the intent was to create a heavy track that mirrored these feelings. The lyrics highlight the frustration and anger at the current state of our society and how our so-called leaders seem intent on satisfying self-interest above the collective needs of humanity.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Download Festival

The Subways share ‘Black Wax’

The Subways – ‘Black Wax’

The Subways this week debuted their latest single, ‘Black Wax’, which you can listen to above.

The track comes from upcoming album, ‘Uncertain Joys’, which is out January 13th.

Commenting on the track, front man Billy Lunn says: â€œCaught mid-wintertime during the pandemic, hibernating in the warmth of the band’s studio, I’d indulge in days’ worth of spinning my favourite artists’ records on my turntable. Following one particularly beautiful session, I felt compelled to express my gratitude for music itself. Not just the inspiration my favourite artists offer me as a songwriter, but all the various aspects music holistically offers us as people: the respite, the sense of belonging and being understood (and thus the validation), but also the mere aesthetic pleasure of the space between our ears being tended to.”

“Given that our first ever gig was on the hallowed stage of The Square in Harlow, which, following over a decade of Tory rule is now resigned to rubble, it felt only right to record my guitar parts with the guitar that had been built from the wood lifted from The Square’s bar. This guitar, built by local legend Murray Torkildsen, was lent to me by a very good friend, Adam Smith, who fought so hard to save The Square in its final days. It’s no coincidence that his handle online is Black Wax. Long live The Square. Long live music.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of The Subways live in Norwich

Jamie Lenman debuts ‘Lena Don’t Leave Me’

Jamie Lenman – ‘Lena Don’t Leave Me’

Cult hero Jamie Lenman has shared the details of his fifth album, ‘The Atheist’, which will be released November 25th. This week also saw Lenman debut new single, ‘Lena Don’t Leave Me’, which you can listen to above.

“I’ve got into the habit of saying, whenever I have a new record out, ‘I’ve been trying to do something like this for a really long time’, because they typically have very lengthy gestation periods with a lot of thought going in,” says Lenman of what fans can expect from the new album.

“This one is no exception – I’ve always loved mellowed-out indie rock like Gemma Hayes and Pete Yorn and I’ve always wanted to make an album with that sound. Trying to focus on simple songs, looking for any place we could add a bit of extra sugar – a little bit saccharine, but also slightly snide and in some places softly sad. The end result is – I hope – a bittersweet experience.”

Commenting on the track, which channels both his love of stadium rock giants Queen and his wife and long-term partner Lena, Lenman says: â€œIt’s a song about what it actually means to refer to your partner as your ‘other half’. That’s how I feel about my wife and I. We started out as two separate people and over the past twenty five years we’ve grown into two halves of a whole person. She fills up my missing parts and I fill hers – not that she has as many as I do. I always feel when people are talking to me that they’re only really getting half the story if she’s not around, just like it says in the song. And not the best half, either!”

“When I was a kid I loved bands like Queen with all their pomp, and then as a teenager I turned the other way with Nirvana’s punk philosophy. I went through the post-hardcore thing with all the awkward timings and chonky riffs, and now I find myself leaning back towards those giants of stadium rock. I wrote ‘Lena’ to see if I could do something like Toto, with my best impression of Brian May’s guitar solos. It’s my love letter to all those classic power ballads – it’s so uncool, it’s cool.”

The track comes with an official video homaging that particular brand of nostalgic 80s music video which always centred around the star’s desire for an unattainable, idealised lover.

“I wanted to do it with heart and genuine emotion instead of just spreading some poor model over the bonnet of a porch,” says Lenman of the concept. â€œI wanted the viewer to see my wife through my eyes, as this amazing, dazzling creature that I just get to be around. We went to the beach on the hottest day of the year and tried to forget the camera was there. It’s nice for people to see all those old photos and how we’ve grown together, just like in the lyrics. And it’s nice for us too!”

Pre-order your copy here.

Read our review of Lonely The Brave live in Cambridge

From Ashes To New debut ‘Until We Break’

From Ashes To New – ‘Until We Break’ ft. Matty Mullins

This section of our News Report comes to a close with the new single from From Ashes To New. ‘Until We Break’ features Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire, and you can check it out above.

Reciting lyrics from the song, Matt Brandyberry said, “‘Close our eyes ‘cause there is nothing to see. We’ll all be fine if all we do is believe.’ It seems we are increasingly taking the path of least resistance. Although, that is often the wrong path. Closing our minds to the truth because a lie is easier to believe
A short term solution for a long term problem. We are following our leaders one by one until we break.”

More here.

Listen to our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

News Report

As always we conclude our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

Militarie Gun – ‘Let Me Be Normal’

LA based Militarie Gun have shared their latest single, ‘Let Me Be Normal’.

Ian Shelton says: “‘Let Me Be Normal’ is a plea for normality despite no matter what you achieve or how much money you have, “normality” can’t really ever be achieved if you grew up in a messed up situation. There’s no unseeing what you’ve seen, something will always poke you in the ribs and remind you of the trash you come from.”

Doodseskader – ‘Alive & Not Well’

Belgium’s Doodseskader are gearing up for the release of their debut album, ‘Year One’, on November 18th with new single ‘Alive & Not Well’.

On the track, vocalist/bassist Tim says, “‘Alive & Not Well’ is things clicking for us.It was half Sigfried, half me. Half of it describes us struggling, but half of it also is us grabbing misery by the throat and facing it head first. It’s the fifth song on the record and I feel like this is the point where things started shifting and we realised that while the record served as a document of our hardships and us trying to come to terms with the past we’d put on display in MMXX : Year Zero, from that point on it’d be us using our honesty and this band as both a weapon and an armour. “Forty fucking five, I wear the number like a vest”. Fortune gave us a shitty hand. Now we’re slowly turning it into the fist that’ll strike back.”

ROLLA – ‘Ease My Mind’

ROLLA have preview their upcoming debut EP with new single, ‘Ease My Mind’.

Rolla commented, â€œâ€˜Ease My Mind’ was written as a reaction to feeling the constant pressures of daily life, the same old routine and all that shite. I guess it’s kind of a clichĂ©, but it’s an anthem to get you up and get you going and prove to people that you are more than just your daily grind, and that there’s more to life than just answering to your bosses. For a lot of people that whole other world is rock ‘n’ roll, it will always give you all the answers. 

We recorded it at Rockfield, which was a week to never forget. It’s a cool old place,  and it was a pleasure to work with local legend Nick Brine. Creative carnage at its finest.” 

Listen, Follow and Discover your new favourite act now with our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Then find our the stories behind the songs on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of ‘NULA’ from VUKOVI

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Magazine

News Report

Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week!

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More acts for Reading & Leeds Festivals

News Report

Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report, where we roundup the best music news from the past week. We start this week with the latest festival announcements including the above from Reading & Leeds Festivals.

The dual event this week added a load of new acts for August including Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Black Honey, DMA’s, All Time Low, cleopatrick, Tigercub, Kid Kapichi, Witch Fever, The Blinders and Crawlers!

They join the likes of already announced Arctic Monkeys, Bring Me The Horizon, Rage Against The Machine, Wolf Alice, Fontaines D.C., Enter Shikari and Pale Waves.

Remaining tickets and info are here.

Read our review of Wolf Alice live in Norwich

The Rolling Stones to headline BST

News Report

Probably the biggest band on the planet, The Rolling Stones will headline not one but two nights at British Summer Time Festival this June and July.

The legendary act will be celebrating sixty years together with two shows in Hyde Park, with a Liverpool date also announced.

Tickets and info here.

Find the latest Podcast episodes from Full Pelt Music

Hardwick Festival reveals line-up

Festivals across the country continue to reveal their line-ups for this year, and this past week saw Hardwick Festival unveil theirs.

Headlining the event will be Stereophonics and The Specials. They’ll be joined by Jake Bugg, Seasick Steve, The Proclaimers, Lottery Winners, Rats, Twister and more.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Oochya!’ from Stereophonics

Neck of the Woods adds more acts

New Norwich Festival Neck of the Woods has this week added The Snuts, Little Comets, Youth Killed It and more to their line-up.

They join headliners The Kooks plus DMA’s, Sea Girls, Lottery Winners, Yonaka, Noisy, The Goa Express and many more.

Tickets and info here.

Read of review of The Snuts live in Colchester

Firestorm Rock Festival reveals line-up

Firestorm Rock Festival will take place in Manchester this August, and this week saw the event reveal a packed line-up.

Performing over the weekend will be Wayward Sons, Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons, Those Damn Crows, Stone Broken, King King, The Treatment, Inglorious, Mason Hill, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Revival Black, The Hot Damn and many more!

Tickets are here.

Watch The Treatment guest on The Full Pelt Music Podcast

News Report

Florence + The Machine announce arena tour

We move our News Report on now to the latest tour announcements, and none came bigger this week than the live return of Florence + The Machine.

Florence will be joined by support act Willie J Healey on a huge trek around the UK’s biggest venues this November.

Tickets are here.

Listen to ‘King’ from Florence + The Machine on our Spotify Hot List!

Kaiser Chiefs reveal huge UK tour

Another lengthy arena tour announced this week comes from Kaiser Chiefs, who will be joined on the ‘All Together’ UK Tour by both The Fratellis and The Sherlocks.

Tickets are here.

Read our review of ‘Half Drunk Under A Full Moon’ from The Fratellis

The Struts announce ‘The Homecoming Tour’

The Struts announced this week that they’ll be heading back to the UK for ‘The Homecoming Tour’ this July.

Lead singer Luke Spiller comments, “We are bursting with excitement to be coming back to our home country to see you all once more.  It’s been far too long and we are more than ready to make up for lost time. Can’t wait to make some more amazing memories with you all!”

Tickets are here.

Check out our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast

Corey Taylor announces UK dates

Rock icon Corey Taylor this week announced details of three solo UK dates this October. Taylor will play London, Hull and Swansea with support from Cherry Bombs.

Tickets are here.

Listen to our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Spotify Playlist

Yeah Yeah Yeahs announce UK return

Yeah Yeah Yeahs this week announced their return to the UK with three shows this June. Support comes variously from English Teacher, Dry Cleaning, Porridge Radio and Anika!

Tickets are here.

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News Report

Muse announce new album and debut ‘Compliance’

Muse – ‘Compliance’

The latest music releases now in our News Report. Rock behemoths Muse this week announced details of their new album, ‘Will Of The People’.

The album will be released on August 26th, and is preceded by new single, ‘Compliance’, which you can check out above.

Speaking of the album the band explain, “Will Of The People was created in Los Angeles  and London and is influenced by the increasing uncertainty and instability in the world.  A pandemic, new wars in Europe, massive protests & riots, an attempted insurrection, Western democracy wavering, rising authoritarianism, wildfires and natural disasters and the destabilization of the global order all informed Will Of The People.  It has been a worrying and scary time for all of us as the Western empire and the natural world, which have cradled us for so long are genuinely threatened. This album is a personal navigation through those fears and preparation for what comes next.”

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Won’t Back Down’ from Muse on our Spotify Hot List!

Royal Blood debut ‘Honeybrains’

Royal Blood – ‘Honeybrains’

Royal Blood had new music on offer this week as the band prepared for their upcoming arena tour with new single, ‘Honeybrains’.

Listening options here.

Read our review of Royal Blood live in Norwich

Def Leppard announce new album and debut new single ‘Kick’

Def Leppard – ‘Kick’

Classic rock icons Def Leppard announced this week that they’ll be releasing a new album on May 27th.

They also previewed ‘Diamond Star Halos’ with the single, ‘Kick’ which you can listen to above.

Pre-order your copy here.

Listen to ‘Kick’ on our ‘Hard & Heavy’ Playlist

VUKOVI debut ‘LASSO’

VUKOVI – ‘LASSO’

The new tracks continue with VUKOVI and their newly debuted single, ‘LASSO’, which you can check out above.

More from the band here.

Read our review of VUKOVI live in Norwich

Nova Twins debut ‘Cleopatra’

Nova Twins – ‘Cleopatra’

This week also saw Nova Twins debut their new single, ‘Cleopatra’, which you can watch above.

The track will feature on their new album, ‘Supernova’, which will be released June 17th.

Pre-order your copy here.

The band will also be playing three huge shows in November. Tickets are here.

Read our review of Nova Twins supporting Bring Me The Horizon in London

The Virginmarys debut ‘The Meds’

The Virginmarys – ‘The Meds’

Our News Report is drawing to a close, but we aren’t done yet! The Virginmarys kick started their new era this past week with the release of their new single, ‘The Meds’, which you can watch above.

Listening options here.

Read our review of The Virginmarys supporting Ricky Warwick live in Norwich

Skunk Anansie debut ‘Can’t Take You Anywhere’

Skunk Anansie – ‘Can’t Take You Anywhere’

There was also new music this week from British rock icons Skunk Anansie who debuted new track, ‘Can’t Take You Anywhere’.

Discussing the song Skin explains, â€œThis track is a double-edged sword. We all have that one friend that we love but is a total embarrassment to us, a mate that has no off button and no filter. So if they aren’t losing their phone/keys/coat, they’re saying some stuff that will defo get you cancelled by all your other mates. This song is about how polarised the world is now, and how careful you need to be. It’s about dealing with the new world order of friendship, as never before have I had great long term friends develop completely opposing views to mine. It’s about having to navigate and understand people, keeping the love and respect but also standing firm in your opinions.”

More from Skunk Anansie here.

Read our review of ‘Torpedo’ from Feeder

News Report

As always we finish out our News Report with the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist!

‘WORRY’ – PEANESS

Peaness are preparing to release their debut album ‘World Full of Worry’ on May 6th. Check our their single, ‘Worry’, on our playlist!

‘TV PERSONALITY’ – BAIT

As their debut album edges into sight, BAIT are back with the electrifying new single: ‘TV Personality’.

Of the track Michael Webster says: “The pandemic locked us away and forced us to live life through a screen. We each became a TV personality, broadcasting from the rabbit hole for work, study & play.”

‘ALL OUT’ – THE NATIVE

Rising Plymouth band The Native have just signed with This Feeling Records, and will soon support Bastille in arenas across the UK.

Check out their single, ‘All Out’, on our playlist!

Listen, Follow & Discover your new favourite act on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist

Get to know the artists on our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast!

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Read our review of ‘Red Alert In The Blue Forest’ from Von Hertzen Brothers

Categories
Features

Album of the Year 2020

Photo by Andrea Turner from Pexels

Who is going to make the Full Pelt Music Top 20 Albums of the Year List?

2020 – a year we would all much sooner forget. Certainly not the year we had all envisaged. Real life has been traumatic and upsetting for many. The effects of the virus have been disastrous for the music industry, with the collapse of live music and many delays and production issues for albums.

You’d think therefore that selecting an Album of the Year list would be difficult due to a lack of new music! We are however talking about the most creative and adaptable industry and in fact compiling this list has been hard for the opposite reason. Even through all the sadness and despair this year, we have been graced with some amazing new music.

More so, the uniqueness of this year has created a special connection to the music released during the most troubling times. This is therefore a highly competitive list and all 20 entries deserve high praise!

We have been counting down the list as part of our #AdventCalendar of music over on our Twitter Page. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by clicking the icons below!

Finally, before we talk through our Top 20 Albums of the Year, a special mention to Yungblud and his new album ‘Weird!’ which we recently reviewed here. Released after the compilation of this list, the album is a stunning piece of work and had it been released earlier would have been competitive at the top of the list! But, now to the countdown…

20

HAYLEY WILLIAMS
‘Petals For Armor’

In a year that doesn’t seem to want to end, January seems a lifetime ago when Paramore’s Hayley Williams announced her debut solo album ‘Petals For Armor’. By the time that album arrived, the world had descended into chaos and all touring plans had been cancelled. When the album did emerge in May it represented a ray of light in dark times, and showed Williams has a lot to offer outside of Paramore.

we suggest you check out:

Hayley Williams – ‘Simmer’

19

DOVES
‘The Universal Want’

When Doves returned from an eight year hiatus in 2018 the band initially basked in that reformation glory. Thankfully for fans though it hasn’t taken long for the band to head back into the studio and the resultant album ‘The Universal Want’ is a timely reminder of what we had been missing.

we suggest you check out:

Doves – ‘Prisoners’

18

AC/DC
‘Power Up’

After a tumultuous few years with the tragic loss of Malcolm and departures of Cliff, Phil and Brian, AC/DC could have been easily forgiven for riding off into the sunset having had one of the greatest careers of any heavy rock band. But then that wouldn’t be the AC/DC way of doing things would it? Instead we get another classic AC/DC album in ‘Power Up’ with Williams, Rudd and Johnson back in tow!

we suggest you check out:

AC/DC – ‘Shot In The Dark’

17

REWS
‘Warriors’

The Shauna Tohill led REWS have somehow managed to equal if not surpass their debut album with sophomore release ‘Warriors’. Packed with punchy, catchy, bouncy rock and roll, we challenge you not to throw your heart and soul into this album just as Tohill clearly has.

we suggest you check out:

REWS – ‘Birdsong’

16

THE STRUTS
‘Strange Days’

With The Struts you should always expect the unexpected. This is not a band that plays by any kind of rule book. So why wouldn’t they team up with guests as diverse as Tom Morello, Phil Collen & Joe Elliott, Albert Hammond Jr and yes the actual Robbie Williams? ‘Strange Days’ solidifies The Struts reputation as the future of rock.

we suggest you check out:

The Struts – ‘Strange Days’

15

ALL TIME LOW
‘Wake Up Sunshine’

‘Wake Up Sunshine’ is somehow the eighth studio album for All Time Low, which makes me feel very old. Thankfully this isn’t an album that rests on any laurels and the band continue to deliver the goods with another very solid album added to that back catalogue.

we suggest you check out:

All Time Low – ‘Monsters’

14

THE KILLERS
‘Imploding The Mirage’

By now we know exactly what to expect from The Killers and thankfully their first album without lead guitarist Dave Keuning still delivers that classic feel. With the likes of Lindsay Buckingham instead contributing on ‘Imploding The Mirage’, there is even an air of freshness to their sound.

we suggest you check out:

The Killers – ‘My Own Soul’s Warning’

13

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS
‘We’re The Bastards’

When Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons released their debut album, to the surprise of many they delivered a classic rock masterpiece. Any doubters thinking they couldn’t do it again have now been proven wrong with the release of ‘We’re The Bastards’ In our recent review (here) we stated “The bands fans are the loyal kind hence their lyrics proclaim “…’cause we’re the bastards, and you’re a bastard too…”.  If you’re in to good old fashioned rock and roll, give this album a listen and you too will be in that club”.

we suggest you check out:

Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons – ‘Son Of A Gun’

12

GREEN DAY
‘Father Of All…’

‘Father Of All…’ may not sit highly amongst the bands back catalogue if we are being honest, but an average Green Day album is still a very good album in the grand scheme of things. Despite this album pre-dating national lockdowns the album has remained on rotation throughout the year which is a testament to its real qualities.

we suggest you check out:

Green Day – ‘Oh Yeah!’

11

BOSTON MANOR
‘Glue’

Nobody should be surprised at the quality of Boston Manor’s albums anymore. With the release of their third album ‘Glue’, the band have now delivered three high quality albums with plenty to unpack.

we suggest you check out:

Boston Manor – ‘Liquid’

10

HAIM
‘Women In Music Pt. III’

With ‘Women In Music Pt. III’, Haim have let it all hang out with a statement of an album that takes listeners on a musical journey of wonder. Taking elements of various genres and given them that now classic Haim twist, this album is a stunning piece of musicianship.

we suggest you check out:

Haim – ‘Now I’m In It’

9

PVRIS
‘Use Me’

With the release of third album ‘Use Me’, PVRIS have continued their evolution into something majestic, enormous and vital. The bands growth had been put out there for all to see and this album just encapsulates the power of Lynn Gunn.

we suggest you check out:

PVRIS – ‘Dead Weight’

8

BLACK STONE CHERRY
‘The Human Condition’

On ‘The Human Condition’ we get the Black Stone Cherry that we all love, just doing what they do best. Full of head banging and foot stumping this record sees the band confirm that they are here to stay, and that they have plenty left in the creative tank.

we suggest you check out:

Black Stone Cherry – ‘Again’

7

TRIVIUM
‘What The Dead Men Say’

‘What The Dead Men Say’ is a stunning piece of work that captures a band that has hit their peak. Trivium have mixed the lessons learnt from their past with their recently rejuvenated vigour and have come out the other side with an album that stands up that anything that they have previously released.  

we suggest you check out:

Trivium – ‘Catastrophist’

6

CREEPER
‘Sex, Death & The Infinite Void’

The release of ‘Sex, Death & the Infinite Void’ was a rocky road for Creeper, and not just because of a global pandemic. Various internal struggles and personal demons had to be overcome before Creeper could make their grandiose return. Sadly this return coincided with a certain virus which hampered the typical over the top promotion of a Creeper release. Thankfully for the band the record itself is brilliant enough to shine through even the darkest times.

we suggest you check out:

Creeper – ‘Born Cold’

5

BIFFY CLYRO
‘A Celebration Of Endings’

As we hit the top five Albums of 2020, things are very tight. A terrible year has thankfully seem some amazing music emerge to see us through. Biffy Clyro are another band whose plans were destroyed by this horrible virus, with tours cancelled and the album delayed. The early single releases from ‘A Celebration of Endings’ however provided much joy in the early period of lockdown.

When the full album finally found his way into the public domain, little did fans realise the treat that was in store for them. Biffy Clyro always evolve with each release, but they somehow manage to retain that Biffyness to their music. This is a unique band and ‘A Celebration of Endings’ is a unique record that mixes both the beautiful and the heavy as only Biffy Clyro seem to be able to.

we suggest you check out:

Biffy Clyro – ‘End Of’

4

ENTER SHIKARI
‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’

Another band whose releases were a small positive in the huge negative that was the first national Lockdown was Enter Shikari. It was clear from the start that ‘Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible’ was going to be a very special album. The connection felt now with certain tracks only serves to ensure that this album will forever be seen as one of, if not the best Enter Shikari album.

All the normal quirkiness is there, along with the more mainstream elements incorporated into 2017’s ‘The Spark’.  In fact, on this album Enter Shikari may have actually made the perfect Enter Shikari recipe and in turn the perfect Enter Shikari album!

we suggest you check out:

Enter Shikari – ‘satellites**’

3

BRING ME THE HORIZON
‘Post Human: Survival Horror’

Yes, ‘Post Human: Survival Horror’ is technically an EP, but it is just so outrageously good that it had to feature and feature high. Precursors such as ‘Ludens’ and ‘Parasite Eve’ had promised something special but I don’t think anybody predicted anything this good.

When we recently reviewed the record (here) we told you “This new EP takes the best elements from throughout their career and combines them in one stunning masterpiece of an album.”. Bring Me The Horizon prove with this album that the best is still to come!

we suggest you check out:

Bring Me The Horizon – ‘Obey’

2

FONTAINES D.C.
‘A Hero’s Death’

The battle for the number one spot this year was fierce. Actually, the battle for the top 5 was fierce this year. Fontaines D.C. are the band that gets the number two spot, but this album deserves Album of the Year. ‘A Hero’s Death’ shows that the band are no flash in the pan and builds on the basis of debut ‘Dogrel’. This album actually feels a step above that debut album, and is another that has created a huge personal connection during this tough year.

This record has already rightfully brought the band much acclaim and we can’t wait to hear these songs live. Fontaines D.C. are an unstoppable songwriting force and with ‘A Hero’s Death’ they have placed their claim to be the band of their generation.

we suggest you check out:

Fontaines D.C. – ‘I Don’t Belong’

1

IDLES
‘Ultra Mono’

It has been a crazy year, and this list has been heavily influenced by that. As mentioned the top of this list is massively impacted by new music I heard during the height of the initial lockdown. ‘Ultra Mono’ was an album that I was already extremely excited to hear; and the stream of songs released during Lockdown only served to raise that excitement to a fever pitch.

Thankfully IDLES didn’t disappoint and when the album arrived it was a pure masterpiece. It shows a natural progression on the bands first two records and grows the bands sound. It still captures what made us all fall in love with the band but by incorporating new elements into the bands sound the album shows that IDLES are no one trick pony.

Above all other releases this year and those that feature in this list, this was the album that we needed this year. In a year where we have all been knocked down one way or another, IDLES and ‘Ultra Mono’ has been a call to arms, to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and keep going.

we suggest you check out:

IDLES – ‘Model Village’

So, there you have it, the Top 20 Albums of 2020 as considered by Full Pelt Music. We are sure that your lists will be different to ours and we want to hear them, so why not share yours with us on social media!

Categories
Magazine

News Report

Monday 7th December – Sunday 13th December 2020

Full Pelt Music – Weekly Music News Report

Slipknot Announce European Summer Tour

Slipknot European Summer Tour Dates

With news of vaccinations we are all hoping that by next summer we will be in a position to safely stand in a muddy field with thousands of strangers. Clearly, a number of promoters feel the same, as this week has seen a string of tour announcements.

Up first were metal titans Slipknot announcing their return to Europe with a list of summer dates including headline shows and festival appearances. There is no sign of any UK dates as of yet, however the band had been set to debut their own Knotfest in the UK before COVID-19 intervened. Fingers crossed!

Tickets for their European dates are available here.

Trivium to return to the UK

Trivium UK Tour

One celebrated metal band that are actually coming across to the UK are the always stunning Trivium. The band will play 4 shows in November 2021 with an impressive supporting bill including Heaven Shall Burn, Tesseract and Fit For An Autopsy.

This is a tour not to be missed and you can grab tickets here.

All Time Low announce 3 headline shows for 2021

All Time Low to play London, Manchester and Glasgow

Another American group heading to the UK is All Time Low. The band has revealed a run of 3 dates in London, Manchester and Glasgow. Tickets for these shows will not hang around long, grab yours here.

Wayward Sons return with new song and UK Tour

Wayward Sons UK Tour Dates

It hasn’t just been American bands announcing tours this week, as British classic rock group Wayward Sons, led by Toby Jepson, have revealed a full UK Tour for November 2021. Tickets are available here.

Alongside the tour announcement, the band also unveiled their new single ‘Even Up The Score’, which you can check out here.

The Pearl Harts deliver new EP ‘Live At The Drive-In’

The Pearl Harts release new live EP

Speaking of new music, we also were treated to a new live EP this week by the fantastic The Pearl Harts. That EP, entitled ‘Live At The Drive-In’ is available here.

You Me At Six unveil Hot Sauce

You Me At Six Hot Sauce!

Finally this week we bring you something a little different. Having recently highlighted the new version of Metallica Monopoly, we bring you another unique Christmas gift idea. If you like You Me At Six and enjoy a little Hot Sauce on your meal, you are most definitely in luck!

That’s because You Me At Six have announced the release of their own Hot Sauce, which you can pick up here. You can also pick up a ticket to catch the band live here.