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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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Album Reviews

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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Good Charlotte

Good Charlotte

Motel Du Cap

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GOOD CHARLOTTE – MOTEL DU CAP – ALBUM REVIEW

Seven long years have passed since Good Charlotte released their last album, ‘Generation Rx’. Just think how much has happened in that time. War, a pandemic, the death of a monarch, the defeat of Trump, the conviction of Trump… the re-election of erm Trump.

The world is a mess, so any distractions are welcome and new music from the Madden Brothers and co is always something to get excited about.

Curious though has been the casual understated promotion of their eighth studio collection, ‘Motel Du Cap’. None of the usual fanfare for an act such as Good Charlotte has preceded the release and that only adds to the level of intrigue as you press play. What will a Good Charlotte record sound like in 2025?

Well, in truth much like you’d expect from a band of their age. There are plenty of nods to their past, but their sound has naturally matured. Despite working on much of the material with the in-demand Jordan Fish, the record lacks a certain impetus or thrill that their past work managed so well.

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Good Charlotte – ‘Rejects’

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The lengthy gap between releases hasn’t been to reinvent themselves or push the envelope in any tangible way. The likes of ‘Rejects’ and ‘Stepper’ are decent and some of their collaborations help to add some layers to the album but as a whole it’s unlikely that this record will achieve for the band even what its predecessor did.

That’s fine in reality because the band have crafted their legacy already but you’d of liked something to standout to justify their return to the studio. ‘Motel Du Cap’ doesn’t therefore add to their legacy but it certainly doesn’t detract from it either.

This is a fine Good Charlotte album, nothing more and nothing less. It may not be the full on distraction that we all need but it’s enough to remind you of why you fell in love with this band in the first place.

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Halestorm

Halestorm

Everest

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HALESTORM – Everest – Album Review

Nobody can ever question the ambition and pure drive of Halestorm. The quartet have been making statement after statement since they first announced themselves to the world with their self-titled debut album in 2009.

Over the past fifteen years, they released a further four well-received records, graced some of the biggest stages and forced themselves higher and higher on the festival line-up barometer of success.

This year they will embark on their biggest headline tour to date with a daring run of UK arenas welcoming them in November. To prepare they have been supporting Iron Maiden and helping to kickstart the moment in time that was Back To The Beginning.

These appearances are apt because along with that ambition, the band have never been afraid to hide their classic influences and their latest album, ‘Everest’ is packed to the absolute brim with some of the most classic of rock’s trickery.

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Halestorm – ‘Everest’

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From the hard-hitting rockers to the melodic ballads and the outright extravagance of it all – Halestorm are a band genuinely keeping the spirit of rock alive. Even when the likes of ‘K.I.L.L.I.N.G.’ seem a bit on the silly side, they still somehow ultimately come across as charming thanks to the undeniable charisma of Lzzy Hale.

Hale’s spectacular voice is against front and centre on ‘Everest’ but the band, as you’d expect, amplify that weapon of mass destruction precisely and magnificently. The title-track, ‘Rain Your Blood On Me’ and ‘Darkness Always Wins’ are standouts but whilst there are definitely some quirky tracks, there aren’t any bad tracks on what can only be considered another success for the group.

You always feel like there is more to come from Halestorm and you again don’t sense that they’ve fully unleashed all of their unique talents but when a band can churn out albums of this quality as standard, you know that they are damn good!

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Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 97

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