A fine bounce-back from the lackluster They Want My Soul, as they seemed to have found their attitude and swagger. The glitzy, moody atmosphere they conjure up is a hella good look. [Apr 2017, p.82]

These new hooks are just as sharp as you'd hope for. [Mar 2017, p.80]

Not only does the album overflow with stick-in-your-head hooks, but it also boasts contemporary production, from sleek digital programming to airy synthesizers, to go along with more traditional band-based instrumentation.

It showcases a wise and occasionally raw Hause sharpening his veteran punk chops into rousing and often smoothly melodic fare. [Mar 2017, p.82]

So it's not really that different, but it's still really good. [Mar 2017, p.82]

This is unapologetic alternative rock with a rainy day, late-night drive twist. [Mar 2017, p.80]

While they're not all winners, tracks like the lonesome, devastating "Shiver and Shake" prove Adams remains as powerfully evocative a songwriter as ever. [Mar 2017, p.80]

After the Party stacks up with the Menzingers' best material. [Mar 2017, p.82]

While on the surface its 12 tracks might seem less visceral than some of his previous work, they’re actually an incredibly powerful, important and thought-provoking glimpse of both his life and mind—and the state of the world at large.

The duo are branching out more than usual, finding themselves tougher, smarter and more tender all at once. [Feb 2017, p.80]

It's unnerving, exhilarating and surprising. [Feb 2017, p.80]

Epic-sounding and true to that signature AFI sound, AFI (The Blood Album) will be a record that stands out for hardcore fans, while picking up some new ones along the way. [Feb 2017, p.78]

Fans both old and new can crank this record 'til their ears bleed as Sepultura take a victory lap around the temple of the metal gods. [Feb 2017, p.82]

The British band's frothy, fun mix of samples from public domain educational films and their spunky electronic-infused art pop is taken to new heights on this live album. [Jan 2017, p.83]

Life Without Sound is rife with memorable hooks and earworms--and the substance to make them meaningful. [Feb 2017, p.80]

The result is a heavy batch of driving tunes worthy of each member's origin stories. [Feb 2017, p.80]

What remains on Night People is anthemic enough to keep people listening. [Feb 2017, p.82]

I See You [reveals] a more mature sound, one where the songwriting is top-notch and the intertwining vocals are more polished and mesmerizing than ever. [Feb 2017, p.82]

You'll blare Valuables on the car radio one moment, then throw it through headphones for study time later. [Jan 2017, p.83]

Not The Actual Events is everything we would expect from Reznor and Ross, offering textures we’ve never visited and contexts with conscience.

They're taking an experimental risk that pays off well. [Dec 2016, p.102]

Highly Suspect successfully avoid the dreaded sophomore slump.

What they did do was stick to their guns. And as the old guard of arena-filling hard rockers begin to diminish (physically, artistically), it’s good to know there’s someone dedicated to keeping the bar high.

AAL not only continue to cut through genre restrictions, but do so while considering song and structure. [Dec 2016, p.100]

A radical reinterpretation of the material that expands and adapts it using inspired improvisation and healthy doses of feedback. The songs are all the better for it, with added shades of emotion and fury oozing through every chord and squeal.

Page Hamilton and Co. show more growth than they have in nearly two decades. And damn, they still have it when it comes to riffs. [Dec 2016, p.102]

This is Sleigh Bells at their most adventurous. [Dec 2016, p.102]

CRX's only real mistake might be releasing a top-down record perfect for summer at the end if the year. [Dec 2016, p.100]