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Album Reviews

Pendulum

Pendulum

Inertia

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PENDULUM – INERTIA – ALBUM REVIEW

15 long years have passed since drum and bass / rock crossover icons Pendulum released their third album, ‘Immersion’. That record looked like properly cementing their status at the top of the industry but instead the band soon disbanded.

A number of initial reunions eventually led to now and the band fully back in the flow of things with a series of singles and tours reminding fans of what they do best. The release now however of their long awaited fourth studio album, ‘Inertia’, feels like a real moment for the band.

For the longest time a new Pendulum album felt extremely unlikely so fans will be ecstatic about the arrival of this sixteen song compilation record. The only real negative here is that given the vast majority of these songs were already released (some of them many years ago!), the album does really feel just like that… a compilation.

‘Inertia’ is almost a ‘best of’ record of the bands work post reunion and that’s absolutely fine but there isn’t a lot to get excited about here that you’ve not already heard!

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘COME ALIVE’
Pendulum – ‘Come Alive’

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There are also a high volume of collaborations on the record with the likes of WARGASM, Bullet For My Valentine, Hybrid Minds, Joey Valence & Brae, AWOLNATION and Scarlxrd all present and correct. These team-ups have all previously emerged and individually impressed in their own ways.

There is a real smorgasbord of ideas, talent and experimentation across this album and that does ensure that despite the lack of unheard material this is an engaging, adrenaline pumping listen.

There are plenty of top quality Pendulum singles on here with ‘Come Alive’ up there with the best they’ve ever produced. Fans therefore really do need to rejoice at their return and hope that this is just the beginning of Pendulum 2.0!

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Dinosaur Pile-Up

Dinosaur Pile-Up

I’ve Felt Better

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DINOSAUR PILE-UP – I’ve felt better – album review

Life can be incredibly cruel, and Dinosaur Pile-Up have always seemed to suffer more than their fair share of bad luck or in industry terms ‘technical issues’.

2019’s ‘Celebrity Mansions’ looked like it would elevate the band to new heights but firstly a global pandemic and subsequently the hospitalisation of frontman Matt Bigland with life-threatening illness naturally curtailed their well-earned momentum.

Bigland highlighted his case on his social media at the tail end of last year, before bringing the band back to life earlier this year with return single, ‘’Bout to Lose It’. That same track opens new album, ‘I’ve Felt Better’ and is the first of many that feel like Bigland exercising his demons.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ”bout to lose it’
Dinosaur Pile-Up – ”Bout To Lose it’

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The sense of catharsis that exude from the likes of ‘I’ve Felt Better’, ‘Sick of Being Down’, ‘My Way’ and even ‘Love’s the Worst’ is palpable. You can really feel the pain and frustration felt by Bigland in these stunningly to the point tracks.

There is still a real tongue in cheek fun that seeps from the record meaning that the bands undeniable charm is still centric to their sound. Grungy throughout with metal and alt rock hijacking riffs and hooks at every turn, this is another Dinosaur Pile-Up romp that just needs to be enjoyed at full volume.

After a lengthy gap like this, some bands struggle to recapture what made them special, but this is absolutely Dinosaur Pile-Up at their very best. An acknowledgement of their past but equally a brand new beginning for a band that really do deserve all the success in the world.

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Deftones

Deftones

private music

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DEFTONES – ‘private music – album review

With nu-metal era nostalgia currently a thing, the timing of a new Deftones album is logical move. That said, the band have always been pretty regular with their releases but the gap between their previous effort ‘Ohms’ and new record ‘private music’ has been the longest in their career.

Whilst that gap between releases still isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, that and the apparent renaissance of heavy music both lend themselves to a sense of revitalisation of the band on this album.

Indeed, the thing that perhaps deserves the most praise on this record is how the band have managed to sound fresh whilst delivering the peak Deftones sound exactly as needed to capitalise on the current focus on them.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘MY MIND IS A MOUNTAIN’
Deftones – ‘my mind is a mountain’

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Pre-release singles ‘my mind is a mountain’ and ‘milk of the madonna’ gave tantalising glimpses of what to expect on the eleven track full-length and the album itself very much lives up to those created expectations.

The droning heaviness of the band is again all-encompassing and is a timely reminder of why the band were always operating on a different plane from their supposed contemporaries. This is another Deftones album designed as a singular piece of work and the flow between tracks is masterfully handled to make this an album in the truest sense.

This release is perfectly timed and excellently executed. Whether you are an old school fan or one of those just now discovering the band – this album will land incredibly well!

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Wolf Alice

Wolf Alice

The Clearing

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WOLF ALICE – THE CLEARINg – Album Review

There can be no denying that ‘The Clearing’ is a big album for Wolf Alice. The band have already delivered three magnificent albums, they’ve pushed themselves to finally be playing arenas, and it happens to be their first on their new major label.

Plenty of pressure then and lots of eyes on the band to see what they do next. They also happen to be entering the phase of their career where people will be declaring that the honeymoon is over whilst looking for reasons to shoot them down.

The bonkers but utterly brilliant lead single, ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ certainly got pulses racing for this fourth album and with that track sat at number two on the tracklist it really does serve as the centrepiece for this record.

From thereon in it’s a mixture of the weird and the wonderful. The high production values of Greg Kurstin are both a blessing and a curse as the record sounds big and bold but lacks that chaotic element that helped give Wolf Alice their unique identity.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘BLOOM BABY BLOOM’
Wolf Alice – ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’

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This after all is a band that have majestically straddled multiple musical worlds and sadly some of that is lost on ‘The Clearing’. Instead, the influences are pretty centric to the likes of Fleetwood Mac, ELO and latter-day Beatles.

The good thing is that the band are very clearly phenomenally talented, and the incredible vocal powers of Ellie Rowsell are undeniable. You cannot fault their ambition and their confidence in delivering this immersive collection of pop rock earworms.

This is an expansive album that grows with each listen and whilst it likely won’t garner the levels of acclaim reached by their previous releases, it absolutely keeps the intrigue and captivation of their aura intact.

This is a band clearly destined to dominate the landscape for the coming decades and ‘The Clearing’ is another stunning monolith created purely to generate mystique and intrigue.

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As December Falls

As December Falls

Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine

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As december falls – everything’s on fire but i’m fine – album review

‘Everything’s On Fire But I’m Fine’ may just be the most appropriate album title ever given the absolute dumpster fire of a state the world finds itself in. As we often say though, music is such a vital distraction to the pain of the world and pop punk in particular has always had a way of making us dance through our depression.

As December Falls have been gradually reinforcing their status as one of the best young purveyors of this genre and now with their fourth studio album they are doubling down on their credibility.

You can expect catchy as hell choruses, bouncy riffs, pounding rhythms and an ever so relevance to modern life and the pitfalls within. I mean what else would you want from a pop punk record?

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘therapy’
As December Falls – ‘Therapy’

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Well, that’s where the layers come in! Whilst their pop-punk roots are naturally all over the DNA of this album, the band have really stretched themselves and emboldened their sound further than any of their previous releases.

Emo aesthetics, modern rock hooks, brazen melodies and a sprinkling of attitude and angst ensure that there is plenty on this record for more strait-laced rockers and even more pop orientated fans.

‘Therapy’, ‘For The Plot’, ‘Fall Apart’, ‘Bathroom Floor’ and ‘Angry Cry’ are fantastic, but there isn’t a bad track on this album. The ambition shown by the band on this record has been rewarded with far and away the best As December Falls record yet!

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Black Honey

Black Honey

Soak

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BLACK HONEY – SOAK – ALBUM REVIEW

The perennially superb Black Honey are back with their fourth studio album, ‘Soak’. Maintaining their pretty consistent release schedule, the album follows three records which have seen the band carve out their own niche.

A crossover sound that deserves far more attention than it tends to get, it’s somewhat baffling that the group haven’t reached bigger heights yet. ‘Soak’ probably isn’t the album to suddenly change that and propel them into new territories but that’s only because it’s another great example of what they already do so well.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘SHALLOW’
Black Honey – ‘Shallow’

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They aren’t reinventing the wheel on this album and their fanbase will feel incredibly familiar with the aesthetic of the record. That however is far from meant as any kind of criticism because that’s really exactly what you’d want from them.

Izzy Phillips remains an absolute star and musically the band are again on top form, this despite the band commenting that the recording process was a little rushed. Hey, if this is Black Honey out of kilter then that just demonstrates how good they really are.

The twelve tracks that make up this collection are all worthy of inclusion and it’s ultimately another fun record that adds further weight to the argument that Black Honey should be superstars!

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Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 98

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Full Pelt Magazine
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Rise Against

Rise Against

Ricochet

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RISE AGAINST – RICOCHET – ALBUM REVIEW

What is everyone expecting from a Rise Against record in 2025? Lyrics targeting injustice and big topics, music carrying their signature punk rock sound? Well, you’re in luck as they set free their tenth studio album, ‘Ricochet’.

The album is once again undeniably a Rise Against record and they obviously aren’t about to significantly shift their politics or their sonic resonance. What fans will find though is a renewed polish as the band bring in a high-profile production team of Catherine Marks and Alan Moulder.

This shift is noticeable in resulting in an even more accessible sound for the band. This largely works and helps to ensure a different feel for the record, albeit at times it feels like it’s at the detriment of their fiercest tendencies leading to this album sometimes feeling a little too easy to listen to.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘NOD’
Rise Against – ‘Nod’

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This though is absolutely overarchingly a good record which is well worth your time whether you are a diehard fan or just discovering them. The pre-release singles ‘Nod’, ‘Prizefighter’ and ‘I Want It All’ do standout but so do the title-track and ‘Black Crown’ featuring Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra.

The one thing that this record truly proves though is that the band are never going to rest on their laurels. Be that musically, their beliefs or their willingness to stir pure emotion and a sense of urgency.

Whilst ultimately ‘Ricochet’ isn’t their best record, it’s still a relevant and rousing collection of staple Rise Against calls to arms, and we should all be grateful in this mess of a world for artists willing to make a statement still.

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BABYMETAL

BABYMETAL

Metal Forth

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BABYMETAL – METAL FORTH – ALBUM REVIEW

The ascent of BABYMETAL continues as the group played their biggest headline shows this year and now unleash their ridiculously fun new album, ‘Metal Forth’.

Their fifth record finds the band in full on collaborative mode and features appearances from… *deep beath*… Poppy, Electric Callboy, Slaughter To Prevail, Bloodywood, Polyphia, Spiritbox and the legendary Tom Morello!

The album kicks off with the huge Poppy crossover ‘from me to u’ and then finally finds a home for their mega hit with Electric Callboy, ‘RATATATA’. That should give a good impression of how the album will continue.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘RATATATA’
BABYMETAL x Electric Callboy – ‘RATATATA’

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Each track has its own identity and takes on the essence of their collaborator whilst maintaining that signature BABYMETAL madness. This ensures that you have a rich tapestry for this collection captivate you from.

On the flipside of that, the album as a whole can feel more like a compilation record then a true standalone album, particularly following their more conceptual 2023 release, ‘The Other One’.

The full integration of newest member Momoko Okazaki (Momometal) alongside Moametal and Su-metal is a highlight of the album and is a positive sign for the future of this band that keeps excelling where everybody predicted failure.

They’ve long since dispelled the flash in a pan style visions of demise by naysayers and ‘Metal Forth’ is only going to grow their credibility further!  

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The Black Keys

The Black Keys

No Rain, No Flowers

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THE BLACK KEYS – NO RAIN, NO FLOWERS – ALBUM REVIEW

In recent years The Black Keys have struggled to add to their reputation and may in fact actually have diminished it with some well publicised undersold shows following a series of increasingly lacklustre releases.

Blame poor management (they did) or band led complacency like others have, but either way their stock has been in decline and something has been needed to re-energise them. Recent releases have felt bloated and a quick look at the album credits for each album shows that their circle has gotten bigger and bigger over time.

Whilst new album, ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ may not be the revered back to basics approached some wanted, the duo have altered their collaborators and mindset in order to reset themselves and it may have worked!

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘MAN ON A MISSION’
The Black Keys – ‘Man On A Mission’

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No this album isn’t up their with their biggest releases but it’s a big improvement on their recent releases and should act nicely as that much needed reset moment. Their blues-rock sound feels more controlled and accessible across these tracks and the shortish runtime assists greatly in making this the easiest Black Keys listen in a decade or more.

There’s not a bad track on the album, something we couldn’t say about any of their recent records and ultimately this collection holds the power to reignite your love affair for the duo.

As the mellow ‘Neon Moon’ brings the album to a close, you’ll be wanting to hit play again and that’s certainly another thing we couldn’t have said of late regarding The Black Keys. We all know how good this duo can be and ‘No Rain, No Flowers’ is a timely reminder of their talents.  

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