• Record Label: Epitaph
  • Release Date: Apr 2, 2013
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 266 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 26 out of 266
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  1. Apr 2, 2013
    7
    This album has single-handedly proven to me that it’s possible for a bad band to become good. I haven’t heard too much from their previous work aside from one track from each album, but from what I’ve heard they started out as an awful, generic, monotonous, breakdown-infested deathcore band. The song from their last album showed some promise musically but was thoroughly defecated on byThis album has single-handedly proven to me that it’s possible for a bad band to become good. I haven’t heard too much from their previous work aside from one track from each album, but from what I’ve heard they started out as an awful, generic, monotonous, breakdown-infested deathcore band. The song from their last album showed some promise musically but was thoroughly defecated on by frontman Oli Sykes’ pig-squeal vocals. This of course has led to BMTH’s bad rap in the music world, particularly among metalheads. However, it seems that with Sempiternal, this band has pretty much reached their potential. For one thing, instead of the typical forced-sounding mix of 90% obnoxious screaming & 10% whiny singing in the chorus, Sempiternal is a lot more well-executed in the vocal department, both in creating a good balance & making the vocals themselves sound, you know... good. I'm not the biggest fan of screams but I can tell a good one from a bad one. The transitions between clean & unclean vocals feel very natural, and most of the time the latter serves more to compliment the songwriting than to just sound br00tl. In a way this new balance almost reminds me of early Linkin Park, but with screaming instead of rapping. Safe to say Oli’s sense of vocal control & restraint (when necessary) has greatly improved. The instrumentation has taken a big step up too, incorporating some more smooth pseudo-electronic influences, most notable on tracks like Can You Feel My Heart, Sleepwalking & And the Snakes Start to Sing, while also keeping a solid metalcore feel throughout. Can You Feel My Heart in particular has a very catchy synth riff that basically uses spliced & looped vocal samples as part of the hook. And the Snakes Start to Sing is also a notable departure, slowly but effectively building up from somber alt-rock with pounding drums & electronic rhythms to a dramatic orchestral metal song. Pretty much every track here is packed with big hooks, staying memorable while rarely trying too hard to be infectious. If there’s one weakness to be found in the album, it’s the lyrics. While nothing is completely terrible, most of them are pretty generic β€œtortured guy” stuff. It works fairly well on Can You Feel My Heart (with some good lines like β€œI can’t drown my demons, they know how to swim”) but any further attempts are kinda underwhelming. Another recurring theme is the bashing of religion. Now even though I’m Christian I’m okay with anti-religious messages as long as they’re done with thoughtfulness, intelligence & maturity. Yeah, let’s just say Oli Sykes is no Greg Graffin. Because of this songs like The House of Wolves & Crooked Young (which literally includes him screaming β€œF*CK YOUR FAITH!” at the top of his lungs), while good musically, are among my least favorite tracks. The excessive cursing & the line β€œmiddle fingers up if you don’t give a f*ck” in Antivist is admittedly a bit cringeworthy as well. I don’t really have any complaints other than that though. In all other departments this is a very solid album, using elements of metalcore, alternative & experimental rock, leaving the deathcore behind. Let’s hope it stays that way.

    Top 5 tracks: Can You Feel My Heart, And the Snakes Start to Sing, Shadow Moses, Hospital for Souls, Go to Hell for Heaven’s Sake.
    Score: 76/100
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  2. Aug 25, 2015
    10
    It's a refinement of their already excellent work on "There is a hell...". Mix in the bits of bold experimentation the band tries here and you have an excellent album with surprisingly diverse themes scattered throughout the tracks. It's one of the most refreshing and masterfully created albums you'll find in the metal genre or any of it's subgenres.

    The first track on the album "Can
    It's a refinement of their already excellent work on "There is a hell...". Mix in the bits of bold experimentation the band tries here and you have an excellent album with surprisingly diverse themes scattered throughout the tracks. It's one of the most refreshing and masterfully created albums you'll find in the metal genre or any of it's subgenres.

    The first track on the album "Can You Feel My Heart" is sure to shock fans. It's a track that heavily experiments with elements of pop. If that's not your cup of tea don't let it detract you from the rest of the album. It's still very much in touch with bands metal roots.

    It's fantastic, heavy, and at times very emotional. This isn't the type of album that's going to stick with one theme and say the same thing different ways across all of the songs here. The diversity in the tone of songs as well as in the range of vocals lead singer Oliver Sykes is capable of using set this album apart and ensure there's always something exciting just around the corner.

    Tracks like "House of Wolves" and "Crooked Young" are brutal attacks on religion. Then you have tracks like "And the Snakes Start to Sing" and "Hospital for Souls" which are emotional ballads that are surprisingly cathartic and aren't afraid to get heavy. "Go to Hell, for Heaven's Sake" is a powerful dis song and "Antivist" is about anarchy and saying screw the system. All that diversity and even more is present in the themes the songs in this album carry. It's a mature work that touches on a lot of different themes.

    Of course none of that would matter if everything didn't sound good. Luckily, Bring Me the Horizon took the fantastic sound from their previous album and darn near perfected it. Once again Sykes shows that he knows how to write excellent lyrics that have a masterful flow to them and can bring out some real emotions. With this album Bring Me the Horizon has established themselves as one of the elite in the metal genre. Heck, with talent like this they could probably establish themselves as one of the elite in any genre they wanted to. This is that good of an album.
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  3. Nov 12, 2014
    7
    The "sacrilegious" lyricism and often tongue-in-cheek Atheistic tone of the album may further turn off a certain demographic of listenersβ€”however, deciding by their previous albums that carried the same alleged messages, I'm guessing that wasn't much of a threatening loss. Oliver Syke's clean vocals are scratchy on the surface, but authentic and vocally vulnerable nonetheless. Bring Me theThe "sacrilegious" lyricism and often tongue-in-cheek Atheistic tone of the album may further turn off a certain demographic of listenersβ€”however, deciding by their previous albums that carried the same alleged messages, I'm guessing that wasn't much of a threatening loss. Oliver Syke's clean vocals are scratchy on the surface, but authentic and vocally vulnerable nonetheless. Bring Me the Horizon continue unraveling their path of becoming something more than a Warped Tour staple. But Sempiternal's largest faults is how it feels more like an anticipated unveilingβ€”or rather, a striptease of something much, much greater in qualityβ€”rather than a finished product. Or in their case, a work of modern post-hardcore art. Expand
  4. Mar 22, 2015
    10
    10/10 ................................................................................................................................................
  5. Jul 22, 2018
    10
    Sempiternal is epic in every sense of the word. It's very cohesive and it feels so genuine.
  6. May 13, 2013
    10
    The truth is that it is the first album I hear from Bring Me The Horizon, but I must admit that I love. When i hear the first song "Can you Feel My Heart" I thought I was wrong album for a moment, but as I said, this is the first album I heard from BMTH, but when you get listening to him you realize that it is a powerful album. Ultimately Bring Me The Horizon are well energized. It's veryThe truth is that it is the first album I hear from Bring Me The Horizon, but I must admit that I love. When i hear the first song "Can you Feel My Heart" I thought I was wrong album for a moment, but as I said, this is the first album I heard from BMTH, but when you get listening to him you realize that it is a powerful album. Ultimately Bring Me The Horizon are well energized. It's very noticeable electronic presence. Although guitarist Lee Malia said that the album would influence post-rock, electronic influences abound in this album really, with the addition of Jordan Fish (keyboards synthesizers). In short, "Sempiternal" is an excellent album that really shows what Bring Me the Horizon can do, but as I said, this is the first album I heard from them, so I can not tell if it's the better.But, incorporation keyboardist "Jordan Fish" really do look the sound of the band.
    For the moment, is the best album of the year I've heard, we'll see if another group or artist surpasses.
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  7. May 19, 2013
    4
    Bring Me The Horizon impressed me with there 2010 album, There Is A Hell… The album had, for me at least, the right balance between good metal and metalcore so to speak. I am no big fan of β€œscreamo” just as with rap music. But the album won me over with songs like β€œAlligator Blood” and β€œBlacklist”.

    There new album, one that I first heard was going to head down a more rock road,
    Bring Me The Horizon impressed me with there 2010 album, There Is A Hell… The album had, for me at least, the right balance between good metal and metalcore so to speak. I am no big fan of β€œscreamo” just as with rap music. But the album won me over with songs like β€œAlligator Blood” and β€œBlacklist”.

    There new album, one that I first heard was going to head down a more rock road, disappoints. The first song though, β€œCan You Feel My Heart”, is really good. It has this electronic stutter melody line for the first thirty seconds and it is repeated later in the song. The one problem I have with this is when Oli Sykes screams. He sings softly later in the song, as he does on a couple of songs from the album, it’s just this is the beginning, of what I feel to be a new Bring Me, and they don’t feel all there.

    The album gives off this angsty metalcore clichΓ©d filled feel to it. I know that they are trying to break the conventions of their genre, but they don’t really get anywhere. There is almost a pop punk, emo scene vibe going on. It’s like they are trying to lighten their sound to be more accessible. There are spoken word sections, like at the beginning of β€œHospital For Souls” which feel really out of place. The song itself is the second redeeming quality of the album. Between the opener and β€œHospital For Souls” it’s just bland and boring and I don’t want to listen to it all. I just want these two song and I want a different Bring Me, one that knows where it is going. The album brings nothing new because it is bogged down in conformity. They try, and I must give them something for that, it’s just they don’t go very far.

    The band seem to do a mix of light electronic vibes with the metal well. They did it on β€œBlacklist” with the help of one Sonny Moore, and they do it again here. So I don’t know if maybe they should be like Enter Shikari, but I suppose we shall have to wait and see.
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  8. Mar 6, 2016
    10
    Honestly, if I ever want to review future BMTH albums, I will probably give this album a listen as well. It is in my opinion (at the moment), Bring Me The Horizon's best work. If you can't buy all the songs however, I recommend The House of Wolves, Sleepwalking, Shadow Moses, Antivist, and Chasing Rainbows.
  9. Apr 17, 2013
    9
    For those who read my review of A Flash Flood of Colour by Enter Shikari, most will probably criticise me for giving this a higher rating than that album because its practically the same. Well yes and no. On this album there's less of the political message and the electronics are far superior. Oli Sykes has mastered his metalcore growl but for the most part resorts to shouting overFor those who read my review of A Flash Flood of Colour by Enter Shikari, most will probably criticise me for giving this a higher rating than that album because its practically the same. Well yes and no. On this album there's less of the political message and the electronics are far superior. Oli Sykes has mastered his metalcore growl but for the most part resorts to shouting over electronic textures (see Can You Feel My Heart) and singing on some occasions (see the dark, haunting And The Snakes Start To Sing). This is Bring Me the Horizon's most ambitious album, but given There Is A Hell's... eclectic nature this seems like natural progression and Jordan Fish (keyboards) is a worthy addition. Expand
  10. Apr 3, 2013
    9
    Sempiternal explores the "there is nothing above, there is nothing below" concept only hinted at on previous material, which may specifically offend some of the members of the bible belt. But in the end, musically, the band draws influences from modern rockers 30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park to create a magnificently maturer sound in comparison with their previous metal-esque materialSempiternal explores the "there is nothing above, there is nothing below" concept only hinted at on previous material, which may specifically offend some of the members of the bible belt. But in the end, musically, the band draws influences from modern rockers 30 Seconds to Mars and Linkin Park to create a magnificently maturer sound in comparison with their previous metal-esque material whilst still holding onto that aggression. Skye's new whispering clean vocals are wonderfully fit throughout the conceptually raw verses before picking up with the backing chants in the sing-along choruses. Some recommendations are the lead single "Shadow Moses", which calls back to their There Is A Heaven and even Suicide Season days, while album closer "Hospital For Souls" has some of the most meaningful lyrics in Skye's songwriting history. Overall, despite the newer experimental sound, this should please both longtime fans and newcomers. Expand
  11. Nov 12, 2016
    10
    while its not my favorite album of them (this goes to Suicide Season) its their most intelligently crafted, more nuanced, so i can look at this album and critic it, isolating my personal opinion.
  12. Aug 24, 2018
    10
    Masterpiece from Bring Me The Horizon!
    I like very songs from this album!
    Can You Feel My Heart, The House Of Wolves,Sleepwalking,Shadow Moses,Crooked Young,Hospital For Souls - just ten from ten.
    They have experimented with sound and I am not disappointed in them!
    Really good job!The best album of the year!
  13. Dec 18, 2016
    10
    Sempiternal is one of the best thing that ever happened to Metalcore. It stands out from all the generic crap, delivering beautiful riffs, beautiful lyrics, beatiful production, beautiful everything. Sempiternal is, in my opinion, the best MBTH album. Great blend between metalcore and electronic, it's POWERFUL. And MEANINGFUL. I didn't think this style could be defined more precisely thanSempiternal is one of the best thing that ever happened to Metalcore. It stands out from all the generic crap, delivering beautiful riffs, beautiful lyrics, beatiful production, beautiful everything. Sempiternal is, in my opinion, the best MBTH album. Great blend between metalcore and electronic, it's POWERFUL. And MEANINGFUL. I didn't think this style could be defined more precisely than with "There is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen it. There is a Heaven, Let's Keep it a Secret" ; but I was wrong. Expand
  14. Oct 8, 2014
    10
    Very rarely does an album get released which is flawless. Every song is as good as the last... It isn't let down by one bad song or one bad moment. I wasn't in to Metalcore or bands that scream before this album, so hats off to Bring me the horizon! Made me a huge fan!
  15. Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Sempiternal is the one of the most promising, brilliant albums of the the highly underrated Metalcore genre. The reason why metalcore is so underrated, is because, well, they're offering the same things. I've heard so many heavy metal albums that constantly contain lyrics about how the sun is going black and that we will rise as one. Well this album is a growth for the band and the genre,Sempiternal is the one of the most promising, brilliant albums of the the highly underrated Metalcore genre. The reason why metalcore is so underrated, is because, well, they're offering the same things. I've heard so many heavy metal albums that constantly contain lyrics about how the sun is going black and that we will rise as one. Well this album is a growth for the band and the genre, and its perfect. BMTH has shown people that meaningful lyrics can be given in any form of music. BMTH has grown in their last two albums, and i hope they continue to do so. It will grow their success and their ability to be more than "some guy screaming". 10/10 Amazing. Expand
  16. Oct 15, 2016
    10
    The best album they ever made. Oliver doesn't need to scream to make their music good. Sleepwalking and Shadow Moses are the highlights of the album, but it doesn't mean that the other songs are bad. People keep talking **** about them, but BMTH changed for good.
  17. Apr 2, 2013
    10
    Bring Me the Horizon comes together with new and old sounds to make yet another ground breaking album just like There is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen it. There is a Heaven, Let's Keep it a Secret.
    Every kind of fan of them will find something to like here.
  18. Jan 6, 2020
    6
    Me gusta y le pondrΓ­a mejor nota pero acΓ‘ se empezaron a vender ΒΏQue es eso de can You feel my heart? Y wn croocked young es por lejos su peor tema, por lo demΓ‘s, estΓ‘ bien
  19. Apr 2, 2013
    10
    This album is perhaps the best album of the year. No faults included.. just pure perfection. I think the lyrics are written purely from the heart with so much emotion! The guitars sound amazing with mesmerizing riffs. Then there is the electronics added by new member Jordan Fish, well i thought the album couldn't be better but with the fantastic sounds from Jordan Fish the album gets aThis album is perhaps the best album of the year. No faults included.. just pure perfection. I think the lyrics are written purely from the heart with so much emotion! The guitars sound amazing with mesmerizing riffs. Then there is the electronics added by new member Jordan Fish, well i thought the album couldn't be better but with the fantastic sounds from Jordan Fish the album gets a perfect 10 from me. Expand
  20. May 1, 2013
    8
    Interesting new abulm, new sound seems to have worked some of the songs on this abulm are some of the best they have ever done
  21. Apr 15, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is probably the BEST album I own, with no faults, all songs are great. I'm happy Oli Sykes has found a new style, and sings as well of screaming, instead of just screaming. Expand
  22. May 25, 2014
    4
    This is a remarkable improvement over their prior abysmal albums. However, this still falls flat in many ways. I like that they are progressing as a band, but they are floundering at times, too. Olly Sykes is one of the worst lyricists I've ever seen. He is misogynistic, illiterate, and it makes it hard to approach this as an art. If they can try being more instrumental, they could move inThis is a remarkable improvement over their prior abysmal albums. However, this still falls flat in many ways. I like that they are progressing as a band, but they are floundering at times, too. Olly Sykes is one of the worst lyricists I've ever seen. He is misogynistic, illiterate, and it makes it hard to approach this as an art. If they can try being more instrumental, they could move in the right direction to become a more enjoyable band. Expand
  23. Apr 3, 2013
    10
    this has got to be one of the biggest records of the year, running for the best album of the year, BMTH reinvents their sound and evolves as an artist. and the result is good. Sempiternal is nothing like Count you Blessings or There is hell... musically and lyrically this is their best album to date, their decision of breaking out of the underground and not minding hipster to prevent themthis has got to be one of the biggest records of the year, running for the best album of the year, BMTH reinvents their sound and evolves as an artist. and the result is good. Sempiternal is nothing like Count you Blessings or There is hell... musically and lyrically this is their best album to date, their decision of breaking out of the underground and not minding hipster to prevent them from evolving made them better and stronger as musicians. well done boys! Expand
  24. Dec 26, 2013
    10
    Simply astonishing album. I've liked every album this band has ever made. But Sempiternal is epic in every sense of the word. Great work of art from the Sheffield boys
  25. Sep 23, 2016
    10
    The first album i've heard by bmth. And i think that it's the best one. The first song i've heard was Can You Feel My Heart, I also remember when I first heard Sleepwalking, House Of Wolves or Go To Hell, For Heaven's Sake, absolutely loved it.
  26. May 21, 2020
    10
    Easily one of the most important and influential metal album of the last decade. Sempiternal, and Bring Me The Horizon in general, changed the face of metalcore and opened the door for a fresh new sound in the scene.
  27. Jul 27, 2021
    10
    Metal-god-core. ΠœΡƒΠ·Ρ‹ΠΊΠ°, которая сначала каТСтся Ρ‚Π΅Π±Π΅ Π΄ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠΉ. ΠŸΠΎΡ‚ΠΎΠΌ ΠΎΠ½Π° становится для тСбя ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΈΠ· Π»ΡŽΠ±ΠΈΠΌΡ‹Ρ…. А Ρ‡Π΅Ρ€Π΅Π· врСмя это ΡƒΠΆΠ΅ Ρ‡Π°ΡΡ‚ΡŒ Ρ‚Π²ΠΎΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ. ΠŸΠΎΡΠ»Π΅Π΄ΡƒΡŽΡ‰ΠΈΠ΅ Ρ€Π΅Π»ΠΈΠ·Ρ‹ Π½Π΅ смогли Ρ‚Π°ΠΊ Π·Π°Ρ†Π΅ΠΏΠΈΡ‚ΡŒ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ этот. 10/10
  28. Mar 14, 2023
    10
    a mio parere l'album migliore della band, consigliato anche a chi si vuole approcciare al genere
  29. Apr 4, 2013
    9
    This album absolutely surpassed any expectations I had for Bring Me the Horizon's fourth full-length album. Bring Me the Horizon has not only matured musically and aesthetically, but seems to have revolutionized the artistic journey of songwriting. Penning lyrics that may offend the pious, affirm feelings of revenge, create the notion of pessimistic optimism, Sykes manages to do all ofThis album absolutely surpassed any expectations I had for Bring Me the Horizon's fourth full-length album. Bring Me the Horizon has not only matured musically and aesthetically, but seems to have revolutionized the artistic journey of songwriting. Penning lyrics that may offend the pious, affirm feelings of revenge, create the notion of pessimistic optimism, Sykes manages to do all of this in a unique and artistic manner. With clear influences from other genres of music, Sempiternal solidifies BMTH position as one of the bands that can essentially remain the most underestimated, yet buzzed-about bands of 2013. If you purchase this album, be prepared to sing along to every lyric and feel the emotion that radiates from the charismatic lead singer. Overall, this band is quite possibly be one of the most underestimated within the genre but know this: It will all change with the release of such a brilliant album. Expand
  30. Jun 15, 2013
    10
    This is one of the best albums i've heared so far. They became soo much better since there first album.
    The only Albums that come to my mind, that can be compared to this masterpiece is Hybrid Theory or Dead by April.
  31. Oct 8, 2013
    10
    This is a fantastic album. BMTH has consistently raised the bar for the whole metalcore album and continue to do so with this stunning achievement. Opening the album with "Can You Feel My Heart", which features vocalist Oliver Sykes (who is also the lyricist) singing for the first time on a BMTH record is a daring move that pays off. It sets up the rest of the album, which soars with eachThis is a fantastic album. BMTH has consistently raised the bar for the whole metalcore album and continue to do so with this stunning achievement. Opening the album with "Can You Feel My Heart", which features vocalist Oliver Sykes (who is also the lyricist) singing for the first time on a BMTH record is a daring move that pays off. It sets up the rest of the album, which soars with each song. Key tracks include: "Can You Feel My Heart", "Sleepwalking", and the endgame "Shadow Moses". Collapse
  32. Oct 2, 2013
    10
    Bring Me The Horizon it's a typical metalcore band that has released a non typical metalcore album. Excellent mix of sounds and excellent songwriting. One of the best album of the 2013'
  33. Feb 24, 2014
    10
    New bmth incredible! voice Oliver sounds much better than in the first three albums, perhaps due to the change of the genre ,but it's not important sounds unforgettably
  34. Sep 2, 2016
    9
    It is one of the best albums of BMTH, with masterpieces like "Shadow Moses", "The house of Wolves", "Sleepwlaking", etc. All these with a particular style of metalcore of BMTH, but with a very generic rock.
  35. Feb 20, 2020
    10
    Great album, I like every song in it. Love its style its emotion its creativity etc. Interesting music.
  36. Apr 1, 2020
    10
    For Me One Of The Best Metalcore Albums of All Time, The Innovation From There is a Hell to Sempiternal is Surreal with Jordan Fish on Keyboard, Things Get More Fresh for The Band and I Think this is Their Best Work So Far, With Gems Like Can You Feel My Heart, Crooked Young, Antivist and The Best Track of The Album Shadow Moses, For Me This is The Best Work By Oli and The Band So Far
  37. Oct 23, 2020
    10
    So... sorry for my bad english people, i'll try to write better possible, Ok? Lets go.

    When i had completed my 15 yo, i listened to bmth for first time, my first song was Can you feel my heart, a classic of this band, with the time passing, i was discovered my Post Hardcore phase at 16. Sempiternal its like a Pop Rock on Metalcore music world, because is a album that will agradate as
    So... sorry for my bad english people, i'll try to write better possible, Ok? Lets go.

    When i had completed my 15 yo, i listened to bmth for first time, my first song was Can you feel my heart, a classic of this band, with the time passing, i was discovered my Post Hardcore phase at 16.

    Sempiternal its like a Pop Rock on Metalcore music world, because is a album that will agradate as First BMTH phase fans as Alternative n Indie Rock fans. Da mix with hard riffs n soft screamo / clean voice in general, made a excellent Post Rock aesthetic for me.

    If i was choose a Album that will enter at Top 200 best Albums on music history, Sempiternal would be here.
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Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 12
  2. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jun 25, 2013
    70
    BMTH sound more genuine, dramatic and emotional than they ever have before. [Jun 2013, p.89]
  2. Q Magazine
    May 13, 2013
    60
    They've long threatened to make an album that would propel them to metal's major league. This might be it. [Jun 2013, p.95]
  3. Kerrang!
    Apr 18, 2013
    100
    Sempiternal sounds like a record that wants the world--that's all of it, not just the bits where longhairs dwell--which is refreshing for a metal record in 2013. [30 Mar 2013, p.52]