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Volbeat

Volbeat

God Of Angels Trust

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VOLBEAT – gods of angels trust – album review

The longest gap between releases in their prolific career, throat surgery for singer Michael Poulsen and the departure of Rob Caggiano after a decade with the band. It’s safe to say that new album ‘Gods of Angels Trust’ invites intrigue for Volbeat.

How will they sound, what will they deliver and is the magic still there? Three pre-release singles whet the appetite suitably that the fundamental elements of the band were still present and correct. Not least their ability to conjure ridiculous songs titles – ‘In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom’ anybody?!

The album as a whole unsurprisingly follows very succinctly the path furrowed by these singles. Indeed, no moulds have been broken or even redesigned really on this latest record.

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Volbeat – By a Monster’s Hand’

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Nine albums in and it is becoming somewhat predictable what the formula will be for Volbeat albums, some delicious riffs, plenty of catchy choruses, a heavy aesthetic and some fun Johnny Cash vibes.

What this album does well though is capture each aspect of their signature sound and deliver it with professional ease. Given the pressures created by the issues highlighted at the start of this article, it’s probably a smart move by the band to re-solidify themselves with their fanbase.

It would’ve been nice however to have seen some more substantial evolution given the passage of time and events of the past few years. Oh well, this is Volbeat doing Volbeat and doing it proficiently.

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Pulp

Pulp

More

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PULP – MORE – ALBUM REVIEW

As they toured the UK in 2023, Pulp debuted a new track, ‘The Hymn of the North’ and set in motion the foundations of a new record. Joining together to record that new album in late 2024, the iconic band teamed with prolific producer James Ford and delivered eleven tracks in quickfire time.

Those tracks combine now as their eighth studio album, ‘More’. This album though is their first in twenty-four long years! It’s a different world now and in particular the music industry itself has moved on greatly… for better or worse.

Can a band that never fully fit into any pigeonholes during their own time, create something able to do their legacy justice all this time later?

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Pulp – ‘Spike Island’

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Helpfully, the band have bucked the trend of releasing eighty percent of the album in advance! Only lead single and opening track ‘Spike Island’, and the rousing ‘Got to Have Love’ have given an indication of what to expect and that is really how it should be.

Listening to ‘More’ for the first time is therefore something of a sensory overload and you’ll need a good few listens to pick up on all of the nuances, bells and whistles. Overarchingly though this is Pulp being the eccentric oddities that they’ve always been and for old school fans of the band that results in a magical collection of unique sounds.

Frontman Jarvis Cocker exudes charisma throughout and whether serenading us with his trademark vocals or leading us through the stories of this album with his soothing spoken words, it’s reassuring to know that such a special talent can still captivate with the best of them.

That sentiment is what sums up this collection in totality. We didn’t know we needed a new Pulp album in 2025 and ‘More’ won’t be for everyone, but it sure feels great to get lost in a wonderland of quirkiness again.

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Turnstile

Turnstile

NEVER ENOUGH

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TURNSTILE – NEVER ENOUGH – ALBUM REVIEW

The growth of Baltimore hardcore punks Turnstile was slow and steady until it wasn’t. In 2021, their third album, ‘Glow On’ was met with universal acclaim and propelled them to new heights. Three Grammy nominations, larger shows and greater attention soon elevated the band to something bigger than the scene that they’d helped to foster.

With this heightened attention though comes expectations and the fact that it has taken the band four years to return with the successor to ‘Glow On’ had started to raise eyebrows. The departure of founding member and lead guitarist Brady Ebert only added to the speculative ponderings of what the band would do next.

But in April the band confirmed Meg Mills as their newest member and announced details of their fourth studio album, ‘NEVER ENOUGH’. The title-track and opening song on the record, ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ also gave a glimpse of what to expect on the long awaited follow up.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘NEVER ENOUGH’
Turnstile – ‘NEVER ENOUGH’

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Now the album is here in all of its forty-five glorious minutes, the answer is basically the same. This feels very much like a compendium of continuation and that of course is bound to draw both pleasure and an element of doubt. Given the four-year gap, you’d perhaps expect a new evolution, but the band are instead doubling down on the successes of ‘Glow On’.

That though is fine because that was such a great record and by default ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ is also a very good album. Atmospheric, true to their beginnings, but also showcasing their grander ambience which sets them apart.

‘LOOK OUT FOR ME’, at pushing seven minutes long, is a standout track and shows the ambition that the band clearly still possesses. The ‘SEEIN’ STARS’ / ‘BIRDS’ one-two keeps momentum going as the album progresses through its fourteen tracks and towards the climax ‘MAGIC MAN’.

The release of this album will certainly answer many of the questions that fans began to have over the direction of the band, but it will likely also lead to a few further questions over what comes next. In the meantime, just hit play and have fun with another fantastic album from one of the bands of the moment.

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Lowswimmer

Lowswimmer

Godspeed, Fantasy

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LOWSWIMMER – Godspeed, fantasy – album review

The musical exploits of Ed Tullett are traceable through many projects and guises, but whilst the others are largely collaborative, Lowswimmer is his own personal sonic palette. Now as he re-evaluates what is important to him, he sets free an album of atmospheric soundscapes capable of capturing hearts and minds.

‘Godspeed, Fantasy’ is his most introspective and engaging work yet and solidifies Lowswimmer as a vehicle for Tullett’s unshackled melodies which will captivate your soul.

A large swathe of the songs on this record came out as pre-release single and in fairness you could almost choose any track to be a single on what is a great record. The album itself though is greater than the sum of its parts and each listen through allows you to discover new layers to this multi-dimensional smorgasbord of musical treats.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘SLEEPER (HIT)’
Lowswimmer – ‘Sleeper (Hit)’

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The record flows elegantly through its eleven tracks and culminates with the hypnotising ‘Sojourn’. ‘Sleeper (Hit)’, ‘IRL’, ‘Godspeed’ and ‘Open Season’ all deserve mentions, but as we’ve hinted we could’ve just listed the entire tracklist.

Given the mesmeric traits of ‘Godspeed, ‘Fantasy’ you may wish to enjoy this record whilst chilling out in nature. There is an essence of life that seeps out of the songs and into your consciousness.

This may not be the first Lowswimmer record, but you do feel that this is the beginning of a wonderful journey for Tullett.

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Garbage

Garbage

Let All That We Imagine Be the Light

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You could argue that Garbage are enjoying something of a fabled career renaissance. The group have always been somewhat sporadic with their releases but new (eighth) studio album, ‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light’ is their second since the world locked down.

Predecessor ‘No Gods No Masters’ was a frank indictment of the modern world and came at a time when the world was suffering. The band set about this time making a different record and leaving the socio-political analysis behind, alas that couldn’t possibly happen with the planet still facing such worrying times.

There is therefore still an undertone of challenging injustices still present on this album but as highlighted by the album title itself, the overarching theme is one of hope. The band are acknowledging the darkness but striving for the light.

WATCH the video for ‘There’s no future in optimism’
Garbage – ‘There’s No Future In Optimism’

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Sonically the record follows this path too and whilst still undeniably Garbage’s signature sound there is an evolutionary experimentation throughout which ensures that this is a standalone record for the now as opposed to a direct sequel for ‘No Gods No Masters’.

‘Let All That We Imagine Be the Light’ comprises ten eclectic tracks each harnessing different elements of the bands varied influences. From statement opener ‘There’s No Future In Optimism’ to epic conclusion ‘The Day That I Met God’ and all in between; this is an absorbing collection which will only further emphasise that Garbage are enjoying a real purple patch of artistry.

With their shows drawing plaudits and their recent albums gaining such admiration, hopefully we will continue to get more Garbage in our lives over the next few years because just the eight albums over their thirty-plus year career is somewhat slim pickings.

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Skunk Anansie

Skunk Anansie

The Painful Truth

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SKUNK ANANSIE – THE PAINFUL TRUTH – ALBUM REVIEW

‘The Painful Truth’ represents the seventh studio album for Skunk Anansie. It is their fourth since reforming in 2009 but is also their first in nine years. It also happens to be their most ambitious and expansive selection yet!

Working with renowned producer David Sitek, the group have taken his advice to simplify their process and in doing so have conjured up an album full of complexities but elevated by the simplistic notion of writing damn good pop songs and adding that Skunk Anansie alt-rock tenacity.

This is demonstrated immediately with the statement lead single and first track ‘An Artist Is An Artist’ with its mad sax solos and extravagant groove. Each track thereafter has its own identity and style as the band showcase the eclectic influences that have made up their signature sound.

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Skunk Anansie – ‘An Artist Is An Artist’

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Whilst each track stands strongly on their own, the album flows incredibly smoothly and just works so well. It always feels clichéd saying a new album is the someones best work, especially when they already carry such a strong back catalogue with them. But this album exudes those words.

This really is a stunning collection with the fierce talents of vocalist Skin naturally echoing throughout. Sometimes a break can help and after a release gap of similar length to their first split, this feels like another big comeback from one of British rock’s original disrupters.

This is a magnificent celebration of Skunk Anansie’s past but more importantly their glorious present!

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The Callous Daoboys

The Callous Daoboys

I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven

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THE CALLOUS DAOBOYS – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven – Album Review

You can’t really say that The Callous Daoboys have exploded on the scene considering that they’ve been active for pushing a decade, but the group has certainly had an impactful past year.

The band have been building towards their third album, ‘I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven’, and now that record is here in all of it’s madcap glory! An actual genre-defying label applicable collection which truly defies any sense at all yet it is still absolutely fantastic.

Maniacally frantic yet oddly measured, these thirteen songs and interludes take the listener on a chaotic journey through what vocalist Carson Pace describes as his museum of failure. A personal and introspective construct which is also explained away by Pace as a “snapshot of 24-47. A scrapbook of trial and error”.

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The Callous Daoboys – ‘Lemon’

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Given that description you can only help but wonder what these years have witnessed in the life of Pace given song titles such as ‘Two-Headed Trout’, ‘Body Horror for Birds’, ‘The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog’ and ‘Douchebag Safari’!

Sonically the seven-piece have manifested a ferociously brutal bombast of modern nu-metal inspired heaviness. The overriding takeaway feeling being that these songs are going to go hard when played live.

Their own journey may have been slow, but the band feel on the cusp of a bigger breakthrough and if that is the case then this is the album needed to act as a launchpad.

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Sleep Token

Sleep Token

Even In Arcadia

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sleep token – EVEN IN ARCADIA – ALBUM REVIEW

Sleep Token are the poster children for the TikTok generation of heavy music fans. They have amassed a fanbase of fanatical followers in a timeframe not really seen in the modern music industry. Whether you love then or loathe them, you have to respect their success.

There will naturally be jealous naysayers seeking to belittle their ascent and take away from their achievements, but these mysterious masked figures have captured the imaginations of a diverse cross-section of the world.

Time comes now for those followers to worship a new offering – their fourth album, ‘Even In Arcadia’. The album very much treads the path that they’ve already forged on their releases thus far and those fans will enjoy dissecting every lyric and every sound on this record.

LISTEN TO ‘CARAMEL’
Sleep Token – ‘Caramel’

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The entire build towards the album has again sent those dedicated fans down many a merry path as they uncovered details of the record. Any band that can cause such hysteria over the unveiling of a tracklist must know that they are on to a winner.

Their core fanbase will not need to read any reviews of the album. They will be fully absorbing themselves into the ten tracks in the coming days. That again is some commitment with the record pushing an hour in length.

Our review then will just tackle the headlines. There is some small evolution of their signature sound but not enough to make this a truly interesting record. The most interesting facet is the most revealing and personal lyrics yet from the secretive Vessel. Sonically the album could be described as lounge music for metal fans, but that means that you’ll need to be in the right mood for this album.

Realistically you’ll again love or loathe this record based off of your pre-conceived perception of the band. It may not be earth-shattering, but it’s another step in the quest for world domination by the band of the moment.

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The Amazons

The Amazons

21st Century Fiction

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THE AMAZONS – 21st CENTURY FICTION – album review

In their relatively short career thus far, The Amazons have already shown that they are happy doing things their own way. A rock band who in a different generation would’ve been huge, have still managed to make a hell of a dent on their own timeline.

Their self-titled album shot them into the picture of an always challenging landscape of young bands trying to make their mark before ‘Future Dust’ served to solidify their presence in the consciousness of the current music scene. Their third album, ‘How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me’ then displayed their ambition and willingness to experiment.

One criticism that you could throw at their last album though was perhaps a lack of truly anthemic standouts. That however is rectified delightfully on their new fourth album, ‘21st Century Fiction’!

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The Amazons – ‘Living A Lie’

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This new collection is the best of everything The Amazons have shown that they can deliver. Those arena rock anthems are back, but their penchant for the epic and more grandiose also hits it pinnacle.

From the gradual build of the opening number ‘Living A Lie’, all the way through to the big finale of ‘Go All The Way’, this is a highly ambitious piece of artist expression which is more of an experience for listeners than a mere album.

The band have been brave but clever with both their songwriting and their album craft and the results are pretty stunning. It’s always a risk for a band to take something of a punt on themselves, but you can tell that The Amazons have poured their passionate selves into this record and the outcome is their best collection to date!

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The Kooks

The Kooks

Never/Know

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THE KOOKS – NEVER/KNOW – ALBUM REVIEW

The Kooks soon headlining the O2 Arena is a sure-fire sign that the alleged TikTok revival for 2000’s indie bands is real. The Kooks though aren’t one of those bands that disappeared when the going got tough only to re-appear at the whiff of some attention. They’ve been plugging away and experimenting with their sound for the past two decades instead.

Some of the intervening material was instantly forgettable but at least they were trying. They absolutely did also produce some decent new songs during recent years, proof that if you throw enough darts at the board, some will indeed hit the bullseye!

There’s much in their latest, seventh album ‘Never/Know’ that nods towards their journey and the pressures that maintaining relevance and indeed reverence can create. In amongst some telling lyrical moments there is always a sense of returning to a familiar aesthetic on the tracks.

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The Kooks – ‘Sunny Baby’

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It’s absolutely not a u-turn back to their signature early sound though and their more exuberant side is still living and breathing throughout these tracks. Fans of all eras of the band will find something comfortable on here.

There within though can lie the problem and the elephant in the room. The indie boom of their generation was written off and maligned under the indie-landfill label for all being the same. A band like The Kooks though who are happy to try new things will always end up turning some fans off with different approaches.

It’s a lose-lose for any band of any genre but the likes of The Kooks and their contemporaries can legitimately argue that they’ve suffered heavily. Whilst there is something here for all fans to find something good in, equally there is something for all to find something bad in.

The reality? This is a good album from The Kooks, but that’s just about it. They will have some new material to air in the cavernous O2 Arena, but they shouldn’t be surprised when the crowd spend the night shouting for ‘Naïve’!

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