The rising stars in UK black metal, Necronautical, have returned with their third full length, ‘Apotheosis’. Building on the strengths that caused their spike in underground popularity, the quartet have delivered a strong follow-up to 2016’s ‘The Endurance of Night’.

It’s prog metal Christmas, as legends Tool return with their long awaited fifth studio album. Can it live up to their storied creative legacy?

The Murder Capital achieve two vitally important things with ‘When I Have Fears’. The first is an undeniably accomplished debut album. The second is the ability to make a prominent punk record that invokes a strong sense of feeling, proving The Murder Capital have stepped into the spotlight with their best foot forward.

Press Club took the UK by storm in April on a tour that included sold out shows and festival slots, can they keep pushing forward with their sophomore album ‘Wasted Energy’?

Forming for a project at ArcTanGent in 2018, the members of Pijn & Conjurer have unleashed one of the best surprise releases of the year. Described by ArcTanGent organiser, James Scarlett, as “like Baroness playing Pink Floyd,” ‘Curse These Metal Hands’ combines driving riffs and gang vocals with moments of crushing power and peaceful reflection.

Country spanning two-piece Cultdreams took the advice of those offended by their previous name on board and made changes with no fuss, which is exactly how the process should work. This change in name could be the perfect opportunity for a change in musical direction, and within the first few moments of the album there is a suggestion that changes will be made with this release.

At this point in time if you want to find high quality metalcore music you can turn your attention to the southern hemisphere, or more directly Australia. Parkway Drive are currently headlining festivals and arenas around the world, The Amity Affliction are still pulling up trees in a similar fashion (despite releasing the most critically berated album of their career) and now Northlane are looking to step up to the plate with their long awaited fifth studio effort, ‘Alien’.

After the sublime ‘Birdie’ can Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald continue to write himself into DIY music’s history books?

It’s been four years since their previous record ‘Edge Of Humanity’, can Eradikator create something potent to re-announce themselves to the world of metal?

Taking on a darker concept than its ancestor, Batushka’s ‘Hospodi’ is a polished, well-orchestrated record. However, while it has its glorious, exciting moments, and sees more experimentation than that heard in ‘Litourgiya’, it is far from the immersive masterpiece it followed.