The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 19 features cover stars Korn as they announce their biggest ever UK headline show! We also have album reviews for Hannah Wicklund and Casey.
Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements from Teenage Cancer Trust, Call of the Wild and PVRIS!
Plus all the best new releases including Bob Vylan, The Black Keys, Thomas Nicholas Band, Robert Jon & The Wreck, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, LĂLĂ, Gun, iDKHOW, Dayseeker, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Gen and the Degenerates, Courting, Dead Poet Society, Florence Black, Marisa and the Moths, Issues, Exit Eden, Disturbed, K.Flay, New Model Army, Fit For A King and Being As An Ocean!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our âDiscoverâ New Music Playlist with Katie Pruitt, Cyan Kicks and Air Drawn Dagger!
The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 16 is a special edition where we run down our Top 50 Albums of the Year! 2023 has seen some amazing records released, but who will take the coveted number one spot?
Our News Report is still here also covering the latest from Vended, Slam Dunk Festival, Liam Gallagher & John Squire, Teddy Rocks, Brighten the Corners and LeeStock!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our âDiscoverâ New Music Playlist with Telltale, Shooting Daggers and Fraser Morgan!
The 2023 Full Pelt Awards are here and you can have your say from our shortlists below!
Votes here will be tallied with those on Social Media, plus weighted votes from our Full Pelt staff with the winners all revealed in a special Magazine on New Year’s Day!
Our 2023 Album of the Year will be revealed on our Social Media on Christmas Day! Let us know your favourite album of the year in the comments and be sure to follow us across social media to be the first to see who wins our award!
The last few years have proven to be a highly transitional time for PVRIS. Pandemic navigating releases, line-up changes, record label moves and expansions of their sound have all compounded a period of tumultuous change.
Throughout all of this Lynn Gunn has steered the ship through stormy waters and PVRIS remain on a steady course towards delivering on their enormous early promise. Now with the release of their fourth studio album, âEVERGREENâ, it feels like PVRIS are ready to show the truest form of themselves.
This candid and refreshing record is a stunning journey of sonic exploration across eleven tracks, all of which add something significant to the album as a whole. That said, itâs worth noting that this may be the most cohesive collection from the band yet.
Whether delivering heavy rock hooks, serenading us with delicate moments of melancholy or exploring recent EDM influences, âEVERGREENâ sees Gunn at her creative peak. Gunn has always shown great ambition musically and that shines through intensely on this album.
Having caught PVRIS live at Slam Dunk Festival this summer, we can attest that the likes of âANIMALâ and âGODDESSâ sound absolutely huge live and you feel listening to this album that plenty of other tracks will also excel in the live setting.
After a period of upheaval, âEVERGREENâ is the perfect statement needed from Gunn that the project remains not just viable but also striving for greatness!
Rock fans know that festival season is upon us when we get to the late May Bank Holiday weekend and Slam Dunk Festival brings rock and punk fans to Hatfield and Leeds.
This year that journey takes a little longer for some due to traffic issues, probably borne out of the fact that both events are sold out. Leeds in particular feels like the Temple Newsam is bursting at the seams today.
Queues are unimaginably long for merch, toilets, food or anything else, but thankfully the music (and weather) is very much on point!
We start the day in the ‘Knotfest’ tent for rising metallers Heriot, who attract a decent sized early crowd. That crowd is treated to a blistering set of gloriously heavy goodness and a spirited performance from a band on the cusp of bigger things.
Itâs then a short walk over to one of two outdoor main stages, the âAmazon Rock Sceneâ stage, where we will spend most of our day today. Taking this stage next are VUKOVI who absolutely own the stage and showcase their superb new album, âNULAâ. Singer Janine is able to hold the audience in the palm of her hand and orchestrate the first truly great set of the band.
Logistically the event may be remembered for the wrong reasons, but musically today is fantastic, with that set from VUKOVI one of many that will live long in the memory for all the right reasons.
Thinking, weâll go for a quick wonder around, itâs clear that nothing will be quick today, but we do catch a glimpse of girlfriends who are very impressive for the time we can stay. Soon though we must head back down the hill to catch Trash Boat.
This is a band that has grown significantly in almost every sense of the word over the past few years. Their latest album, âDonât You Feel Amazing?â, was one of the most surprising of 2021 as the band took their sound to new heights. Today they use the stage to bring many of these tracks to life and the crowd are clearly appreciative of another excellent performance.
Trash Boat are followed on stage by Holding Absence who have just announced that their third album, âThe Noble Art of Self Destructionâ, will be out later this year. Their set today is a good mix of old and new including brand new single, âFalse Dawnâ and fan favourite âAfterlifeâ, which gets a monumental response from the passionate crowd.
Soon enough itâs over to Wargasm who are becoming one of those marmite bands where itâs almost cool to hate them. The energy and ferocity that they put into their show however canât be denied and whilst the energy levels for some of the crowd starts to sap, the band push through with tracks such as âBackyard Bastardsâ and âSpit.â getting everyone back moving.
We then head over to the other end of the festival site (very slowly) to the âKerrangâ stage where the tent is overspilling already ahead of Boston Manor. The band are on top form right now and have every person singing along to their gargantuan anthems. As they conclude their time on stage with âHaloâ you canât help but think that Boston Manor deserve to be absolutely huge.
Itâs a blast from the past next as Slam Dunk keep up their track record of reformations with Kids In Glass Houses. Playing their first shows in almost a decade the band focus their set on âSmart Casualâ, which will be getting a re-release later this year. Songs like âSaturdayâ and âGive Me What I Wantâ still have it and so do the band who fly through the set like theyâve never been away.
Sticking to the same stage we are soon graced by PVRIS who deliver another really good performance which features a well structured setlist. Lynn Gunn leads the trio through a selection of their popular tracks with âYou and Iâ and âMy Houseâ both getting big audience responses. The band will return with their fourth album in July, and new track âGoddessâ goes down very well today complete with guest spot from Charlotte Sands.
We are at the business end of the day now and up next on stage are Billy Talent who are able to deliver a pure masterclass in how to make the most of a shortened festival set. Banger, after banger, after banger as the band deliver suckerpunch after suckerpunch. The crowd reciprocate the bands energy and by the time the set finishes with âRed Flagâ, the band have done enough to claim the band of the day moniker!
In the clash of the headliners, we opt to head to the âDickiesâ stage for punk icons The Offspring. The band have an endless stream of hit songs, and tonight the band focus more on their back catalogue then they did at Hatfield yesterday.
Their covers section in the middle feels a little too much considering their short time on stage but nobody can deny the final run of tracks which provides a great end to a packed day both musically and in terms of the volume of people on site!
Slam Dunk is a trusted brand these days and musically theyâve delivered once again, but there are undoubtedly some logistical issues that need to be fixed. Perhaps theyâve once again outgrown their homes and need to find bigger accommodation, one thing is for sure though and next May will again see a packed line-up heralding the dawning of a new festival season.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
“Finding ‘Lost’ was like finding a favorite photo you had forgotten youâd taken, like it was waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.” – Mike Shinoda
Linkin Park will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their seminal ‘Meteora’ album with a special edition out April 7th.
This week the band shared a previously unreleased track that will feature in the new collection. You can listen to ‘Lost’ above now.
Enter Shikari recently announced their upcoming new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’, will be out April 21st, and this week saw the band share the latest taste.
You can listen to new track, ‘It Hurts’ above. Of the track, Lead vocalist and producer Rou Reynolds explains:
“It Hurts came to me in a dream. Literally. Melody, chords, and fully-formulated chorus were all part of a dream that, thankfully, remained with me when I woke up. I was hiding under the duvet at 3AM, singing it into my phone, much to the bewilderment of my girlfriend.
Lyrically, It Hurts is about perseverance, and the importance of reframing failure as a fruitful and, in fact, pivotal route to progress. Society teaches us we should avoid and criticise failure, when defeat and honest mistakes can actually present us with insights that light our way forward.
In reality, we should be taught that simply to try makes us more than enough.â
This week saw the return of Gengahr as the band shared their brand new single, ‘A Ladder’, which you can listen to above.
Frontman Felix Bushe comments: “A Ladder is a fun, trippy little song soaked in cartoon-like imagery. Essentially it’s about the power of true love and its ability to not only change the way we feel but also the way we see and interact with the whole world around us.”
Dream Wife have announced details of their next studio album with ‘Social Lubrication’ set to be released on June 9th.
This week the group preceded the release with new single, ‘Hot (Don’t Date A Musician)’, which you can check out above.
‘Social Lubrication’, in the band’s words, is âHyper lusty rock and roll with a political punch, exploring the alchemy of attraction, the lust for life, embracing community and calling out the patriarchy. With a healthy dose of playfulness and fun thrown in.â
Vocalist Rakel says, âDating musicians is a nightmare. Evoking imagery of late night make-outs with fuckboy/girl/ambiguously-gendered musicians on their mattress after being seduced by song-writing chat. The roles being equally reversed. Having a laugh together and being able to poke fun at ourselves is very much at the heart of this band. This song encapsulates our shared sense of humour. Sonically it is the lovechild of CSS and Motorhead. It has our hard, live, rock edge combined with cheeky and playful vocals.â
âMusic is one of the only forms of people experiencing an emotion together in a visceral, physical, real way,â says Alice. âIt’s cathartic to the systemic issues that are being called out across the board in the record. Music isn’t the cure, but it’s the remedy. Calling the record Social Lubrication harks to that. It’s the positive glue that can create solidarity and community.â
âThe album is speaking to systemic problems that cannot be glossed over by lube,â says Bella. âThe things named in the songs are symptoms of f-ed up structures. And you can’t fix that. You need to pull it apart.â
We move our News Report on now to the best tour announcements from the past week and of course we have to start with the above dates from Fall Out Boy!
The group will make their way to the UK and Europe this Autumn with five UK Arena shows in scope finishing up at The O2 in London.
Support for the tour comes from both PVRIS and nothing,nowhere.
The tour will follow the release of their upcoming new album, ‘So Much (For) Stardust’, which is out March 24th.
Our News Report looks now at the best festival announcements made over the past week and we start by the coast with Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival.
Jamiroquai and Kasabian are already announced to headline with one more headliner yet to be revealed.
They will now be joined in August by the likes of The Charlatans, Jake Bugg, Circa Waves, The View, Newton Faulkner, Blossoms,Alt-J, Kaiser Chiefs, Amyl & The Sniffers, The Coral, Pale Waves, Shame, The Vaccines, Sea Girls, Johnny Marr, The Enemy and Hard-Fi!
Steelhouse Festival this week confirmed that Those Damn Crows will be heading up the mountain as Saturday’s Special Guests. Also added this week was Ginger Wildheart & The Sinners.
They join the likes of Airbourne, Black Stone Cherry, Kris Barras Band, The Answer, Blues Pills, Florence Black and many more.
UK metallers, Electron, draw a line in the sand with their explosive new single, ‘Sick and Wrong’, which is out now!
On the single, frontman Jason Payne discusses: âThe track symbolises solitude, melancholy, madness, anxiety and fear. The persona in this song (inspired by âThe Scream, E. Munchâ) is suffering a lot of pain. In the beginning, this person has hope that they will escape from the terror of its own mind â however, as the song evolves, they grow aware that the melancholy is eternal, and revolt with their agony.â
This Dying Hour – ‘Age of the Coward’
Modern metalcore 4-piece This Dying Hour have shared their blistering new single âAge Of The Cowardâ.
“âAge of the Cowardâ challenges the way we see ourselves – how we can either perpetuate or abolish the feelings of nihilism and guilt through the way we understand personal accountability. Over the years I have personally battled with self-identity and purpose. I donât think these things are exclusive to me, but a journey we all must take. This is why we shouldnât settle with your shortcomings, but instead with discipline and hard work we can lace their linings with gold. You canât make the world a more meaningful place, until you see through who you truly are.â – Vocalist Steve Kerr.
Creature Cult – ‘poster boy’
With just one single out in the world – the powerful and rousing, ‘ughly’ – Creature Cult have shared new single ‘poster boy’ – another message delivered loud and clear: in the face of bigotry and hatred, be uncompromising in your self-expression.
Commenting on the new single, Connar says: “Poster boy is my hate letter to homophobia. It takes all the disgust and discrimination from vicious people and spits it right back at them. Itâs basically saying Iâm going to be the fucking biggest and loudest version of all the things you hate about me because I really donât care what you think and I know that scares you. Being able to express yourself and love who you want to love should be treated by everyone as the basic human right that it is.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week by running through the best festival announcements made over the past week and up first we have Kendal Calling.
Topping the bill this year will be Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and Nile Rodgers & Chic! They are joined by the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Frank Turner, Circa Waves, The Enemy, KT Tunstall and The Amazons.
Also across the weekend will be The Hunna, The Murder Capital, Vistas, We Are Scientists, Lottery Winners, Black Honey, Newton Faulkner, October Drift, Jack Valero and many more!
Glasgow’s TRNSMT has added some fifty new acts to the bill for this year’s festival. The events features headliners Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.
They are joined by Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The View, The Kooks, Pale Waves, Hot Milk, Hamish Hawk, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, The Enemy, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife, Lauran Hibberd and many more.
Rock returns to Mote Park in Maidstone with the newly minted Maid of Stone taking place in July. The first headline act to be revealed are rockers Airbourne.
Joining the Aussies on the bill will be Skindred, The Hunna, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Kris Barras Band, Elles Bailey, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Black Spiders and more.
Wales is also able to attract rocks finest with Steelhouse Festival leading the way. This week the festival announced that Black Stone Cherry will be topping the bill alongside already announced Saturday headliners Airbourne.
They are joined over the weekend by the likes of The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, When Rivers Meet, The Cruel Knives and Dead Man’s Whiskey!
Another rock event getting bigger this week was Slam Dunk Festival who have added more bands to an already packed bill. Probably a good thing then that they’ve also broken down the stage splits.
Added to the event were PVRIS, Sueco, Millie Manders and many more. They join the likes of Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Bowling For Soup, Yellowcard,Creeper and far too many others to mention!
Live At Leeds: In The Park has added The Hives, DMA’s, gengahr and more to an already packed line up headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
They join amongst others, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Skinny Living, Deadletter, Ellur, Low Hummer and Opus Kink.
Speaking about their appearance at Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, The Hivesâ frontman Pelle Almqvist said: âSome festival names just have a ring to them donât they? Live At Leeds. It sounds like some upper echelon rock shit and if this yearâs edition wasnât before, now it is. The Hives are very proud and happy to join this upper echelon. They are coming for your money and dignity and in exchange they will deliver however long a show you will let them of life-affirming record-breaking rock â ‘ roll music. If you have never seen them before. imagine a rock show but to the 3rd power. Too much of everything. If you have seen them before, you know you will have to again.â
Skinny Living said: âLive At Leeds is one of our favourite festivals in the UK! The line up is always top class, so to be able to play the main stage as a local band this year is a proper moment for us and our people.â
Looking ahead, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said: âIt may be chilly outside, but weâre already incredibly excited about returning to Temple Newsam for an unforgettable summer festival celebration – with even more favourites and new faces joining the party at Live At Leeds: In The Park this year.
DMAâs and The Hives may just be some of the best festival bands going right now, and having phenomena like Cavetown and Crawlers join the party is truly special. At Live At Leeds, we always look to bring unmissable live titans together with fansâ next favourite bands – and this yearâs In The Park is the perfect example of that. All coming together on one day at Temple Newsam, thereâs nothing quite like it – and we canât wait to see everyone this May!â
Following a run of new solo singles, iconic guitarist Chris Shiflett this week revealed a run of UK dates this March including a tour finale at Scala in London.
Our News Report continues with news that Pierce The Veil will be in the UK next April. The band will play a number of large venues finishing up at Alexandra Palace in London.
Next in our News Report is the latest single from Willie J Healey featuring Jamie T. Listen to ‘Thank You’ above now.
The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is out August 25th.
Willie comments on the new single: “I was tired and flat and didnât know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie Iâve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote ‘Thank You’ the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing.”
Mimi Barks concludes this portion of our News Report with the new video for her track, ‘SAW’, which you can watch above!
The track features on their recently released mixtape, ‘DEADGIRL’.
Barks had the following to say, “SAW, the third song on the DEADGIRL Mixtape, marks the resistance, rage, and anger I experienced while seeking my identity and self-worth on an emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental level.â
She continues to mention – âWorking independently on set with a micro teamâjust me, and my videographer, and his cameraâit takes me back to my roots. No crew, no lights, and no screenplay. Itâs raw, industrial and dirty – with the walls of the derelict buildings captured in the music video reflecting the wrath and backlash of my internal war.â
Blondshell will release her self-titled debut album arrives April 7th and is preceded by new single, ‘Joiner’.
Describing the new single, Blondshell explains, âI was listening to a lot of Britpop when I wrote this song. A lot of those bands like The Verve, Pulp, Suede, and Blur channelled dark subject matter, drugs, and all this dirty stuff, but with a fun acoustic guitar under it. I was listening to The Replacements, too. Thatâs what this song was inspired by sonically. I wanted it to feel like youâre watching HBO, where even though itâs heavy, itâs still a good time.”
BLACKGOLD – ‘Boogeyman’
Masked Misfits BLACKGOLD are back at it again with new single âBoogeymanâ!
The band comment, ââBoogeymanâ is about that person that haunts your dreams. They have full control over you within your subconscious and it feels like you canât escape.â
Riyah – ‘Perfect’
Riyah is ready to unleash her first single ‘Perfect’, showcasing what is to come from her hands and lungs.
She comments, “I’m excited to see this new chapter roll out with this new EP. I’ve spent almost two years figuring out which way to go, and these songs might feel like baby steps to some, but for me it’s gigantic leap into my passion”Â
We roundup the best music news from the past week!
Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week in our News Report. To stay up to date with the biggest news be sure to follow us on our social channels:
Welcome to another weekly News Report from Full Pelt Music. We start this week with a handful of 2022 festival line-up announcements and first up is this beauty from 2000trees Festival.
Added to the event this week were the likes of Dream State, Tigercub, Ginger Wildheart, ROAM, Never Not Nothing and WITCH FEVER.
They join the already announced IDLES, Jimmy Eat World, The Amazons, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Young Guns, Royal Republic, Lonely The Brave, Crossfaith, Vukovi, Bob Vylan, Beans On Toast, Will Varley, Press To MECO, Lauran Hibberd, Haggard Cat and so many more.
To be at the loaded event, you can grab your ticket here.
Check out The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Press To MECO ?
Bearded Theory announce more acts for 2022 Festival
Some of the best UK Festivals are the smaller independent variety that can feature real strength and depth in their line-ups. Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering was already looking packed, but this week they’ve added even more incredible acts!
New acts include Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, The Hives, Yonaka, Working Men’s Club, Billy Nomates, John, Do Nothing, Bob Vylan and Little Comets!
They join Placebo, The Flaming Lips, Patti Smith, The Mission, Shame, Peter Hook & The Light, Wilko Johnson, Ferocious Dog, Lauran Hibberd, The Ninth Wave, Nova Twins and more!
Another festival revealing their 2022 line-up this week is Boardmasters. Headlining the surf and music event will be George Ezra, Disclosure and Kings of Leon!
They’ll be joined by the likes of Bastille, IDLES, Declan McKenna and Tom Grennan with hundreds more still to be announced.
British Summer Time in Hyde Park has added two more superstar names to it’s 2022 bill this week. First it was announced Adele would perform two now sold out shows. It was then announced that the legendary Eagles will also perform the event.
They join already announced headliners Pearl Jam, Elton John and Duran Duran. Tickets for the shows are here.
Stereophonics to celebrate 20th anniversary of ‘Just Enough Education to Perform’
Our News Report moves onto tour announcements now and we start with a celebration from Stereophonics. The band will be playing some intimate ‘Just Enough Education to Perform’ shows to celebrate the albums 20th anniversary.
New music now as our News Report continues. Ahead of his upcoming album, ‘FTHC’, Frank Turner this week debuted the latest track from the record, ‘Non Serviam’.
Check the song out above and pre-order the album here.
Watch Frank Turner on The Full Pelt Music Podcast ?
Nova Twins unveil ‘Antagonist’
Nova Twins – ‘Antagonist’
Nova Twins this week unveiled their latest track ‘Antagonist’, which you can check out above or here.
Finally this week we conclude our News Report with the latest single from Blood Red Shoes. You can check out ‘Morbid Fascination’ above ahead of the release of their new album ‘Ghosts On Tape’ which arrives January 14th!
We roundup the best music news from the past week!
Every week we roundup the best music news from the past week in our News Report. To stay up to date with the biggest news be sure to follow us on our social channels:
Slam Dunk Festival reshuffles line-up one final time
Welcome to another edition of our weekly News Report. We start off on the festival front with some news from Slam Dunk Festival. All events have been hit hard by the pandemic, perhaps none as badly as Slam Dunk however.
One of the first events to postpone due to the very first lockdown, the event has been postponed multiple times since. Each change has also seen changes in line-up. Some bands have been added, then dropped out and then been added again!
Now, with the event just a month away, organisers have finalised the line-up. That has seen the loss of headliners Sum 41, but the additions of the likes of Creeper.
The final line-up now features acts such as Don Broco, We Are The In Crowd, Creeper, Roam, Frank Turner, Alkaline Trio, Funeral For A Friend, Trash Boat, A, Normandie, Vukovi, Wargasm and many more.
We shift the focus of our News Report now onto tour news and first up is the newly announced ‘Shoot Me Your Ace’ Tour from Reef! The band will be embarking on a UK Tour next April starting in Newcastle and finishing up in Norwich.
Helping to make this tour a must see extravaganza are the always great A. To join the fun, pick up your tickets over here.
Vaccines have helped the country head back towards ‘normal’ (whatever that is), and now The Vaccines will be helping music venues come back to life!
The National Lottery’s #ReviveLive Tour with the Music Venue Trust sees fans get a second ticket free for lottery players. There are many great acts playing these shows, and that now includes The Vaccines.
One of the hottest new bands to emerge over the past year, Wargasm, have now announced their debut tour of the UK. The shows are booked in for November this year and tickets are available here.
Another new act hitting the road later this year is Zuzu who will play 13 shows across the UK in December. Tickets for this tour are available from here.
Guns N’ Roses release new music
Guns N’ Roses – ‘ABSUĐŻD’
We move onto new music releases now in our News Report and another band moving on is Guns N’ Roses. As the band move onto the next phase of their mega reunion, we arrive at a point whereby we get new music from the legendary act.
This week the band debuted ‘ABSUĐŻD’ which has now also featured in the bands live shows in the United States. Check out the new single here.
Don Broco debut ‘One True Prince’
Don Broco – ‘One True Prince’
Don Broco continue to build towards the release of their next album, ‘Amazing Things’. This week the band debuted their latest single, ‘One True Prince’, which you can check out above.
You can pre-order your copy of the album here ahead of its release on 17th September.
There is plenty of new music releases this week to sink your teeth into. Next up is Twin Atlantic who have just debuted their latest track, ‘Bang On The Gong’.
Finally this week for our News Report, one last new release to enjoy. Alien Weaponry have debuted their new track ‘Buried Underground’ ahead of the release of their new album, ‘Tangaroa’, which is out September 17th.
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 doesnât seem to want to end, January seems a lifetime ago when Paramoreâs Hayley Williams announced her debut solo album âPetals For Armorâ. 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 hasnât taken long for the band to head back into the studio and the resultant album âThe Universal Wantâ 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 wouldnât be the AC/DC way of doing things would it? Instead we get another classic AC/DC album in âPower Upâ 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 âWarriorsâ. 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 wouldnât they team up with guests as diverse as Tom Morello, Phil Collen & Joe Elliott, Albert Hammond Jr and yes the actual Robbie Williams? âStrange Daysâ 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’
âWake Up Sunshineâ is somehow the eighth studio album for All Time Low, which makes me feel very old. Thankfully this isnât 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 âImploding The Mirageâ, 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 couldnât do it again have now been proven wrong with the release of âWeâre The Bastardsâ In our recent review (here) we stated âThe bands fans are the loyal kind hence their lyrics proclaim â…âcause weâre the bastards, and youâre a bastard too…â. If youâre in to good old fashioned rock and roll, give this album a listen and you too will be in that clubâ.
we suggest you check out:
Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons – ‘Son Of A Gun’
12
GREEN DAY ‘Father Of All…’
âFather Of All…â 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 Manorâs albums anymore. With the release of their third album âGlueâ, 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 âWomen In Music Pt. IIIâ, 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 âUse Meâ, 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 âThe Human Conditionâ 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’
âWhat The Dead Men Sayâ 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. Â
we suggest you check out:
Trivium – ‘Catastrophist’
6
CREEPER ‘Sex, Death & The Infinite Void’
The release of âSex, Death & the Infinite Voidâ 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 âA Celebration of Endingsâ 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 âA Celebration of Endingsâ 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 âNothing Is True & Everything Is Possibleâ 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 2017âs âThe Sparkâ. 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, âPost Human: Survival Horrorâ is technically an EP, but it is just so outrageously good that it had to feature and feature high. Precursors such as âLudensâ and âParasite Eveâ had promised something special but I donât think anybody predicted anything this good.
When we recently reviewed the record (here) we told you âThis new EP takes the best elements from throughout their career and combines them in one stunning masterpiece of an album.â. 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. âA Heroâs Deathâ shows that the band are no flash in the pan and builds on the basis of debut âDogrelâ. 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 canât wait to hear these songs live. Fontaines D.C. are an unstoppable songwriting force and with âA Heroâs Deathâ 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. âUltra Monoâ 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 didnât 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 âUltra Monoâ 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!
