Music Reviews

Completed days before coronavirus lockdown restrictions were put in place, Black Stone Cherry are packing a 12-track punch with their latest album. 'The Human Condition' will be the Kentucky band’s seventh studio full-length, with a postponed tour rescheduled for September 2021. But will it be a treat in time for Halloween?

After 18 months in the works, Black Foxxes are back with their raw and unfiltered self-titled third studio album. The band have been putting together a new sound with new bandmates, new mixing, and blending, topped off with their own personal messages. But will Black Foxxes live up to the anticipation?

A forgotten music-based entity, who initially faded away into obscurity back in the era of early 80’s pop culture, are back having hit the big time. Alternative duo I Don’t Know How But They Found Me have made it in the 21st century modern music world, by dropping their dazzling debut album 'Razzmatazz'. Legend has it this illusive two piece were first founded over forty years ago, embedded deep within unclear imagery of several retro VHS tapes. Recently recovered to show the duo's musical talents on works such as 'Modern Day Cain' and 'Choke', iDKHOW are following up the garage, glam and new wave of their '1981 Extended Play' with a full-length that goes by the wildly glamorous name of 'Razzmatazz', and it is nothing short of exactly that. 

Pallbearer make their return with 'Forgotten Days', the follow-up to 2017’s 'Heartless', which sees the band mix some surprisingly melodic, poppy hooks with a more traditional doom flavour, that makes for one of the most compelling records of the year so far.

With this year containing so many twists, turns and such a lack of uncertainty people are clambering to find something reliable that they can cling to. DevilDriver are a band you can depend on for groove-laden, melodic death metal and with the release of their first album of original material since 2016s 'Trust No One', you can trust them to deliver just like they always do. Frontman and ringleader Dez Fafara has said that 'Dealing With Demons I' is the first instalment of two; an emotional and mental purge, giving the man a chance to bare his soul and lay down some crushing metal all at once.

The follow-up to 2018's 'Stay Inside' sees the band go on a journey through the highs and lows of a relationship, captivating the listener with emotive lyrics and passionate vocals.

The Burbank trio have self-released their debut EP 'Proof of Concept' - find out what we thought about the five-track EP here.

The musically multi-talented Machine Gun Kelly has made a name for himself in the hip-hop world as a renowned rap star, since storming onto the scene with debut studio effort 'Lace Up' some eight years previous. Proving his prowess with the full-lengths to follow, a stylistic shift has been lurking in the shadows of Kelly’s killer hip-hop career for years. The Houston born artist's most recent record, 'Tickets To My Downfall', is his ascent into the pop-punk universe, overhauling rap diss tracks in place for an alternative rock reinvention of the rapper, singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor himself. 

While it does show off his personality and wide musical taste, and though it contains some diamonds hidden in the rough, 'CMFT' is a disappointing, middle-of-the-road debut offering from Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman, Corey Taylor.

The debut release from UK-based stoner-doom quartet Slump is a very promising start, proving that this new band on the scene really can do it all.