While the new sound may alienate a few old fans, Reign of Terror is a solid album that should win over just as many new converts.

Having tasted success, it's not surprising that most of the vocal tracks on 7th Symphony are decidedly commercial. Almost to counter that, however, Apocalyptica's instrumental pieces are among their heaviest and most grandiose yet. [Sep/Oct 2010, p.90]

The Offspring's hit-making machinery is as efficiently well-oiled as ever. [#3, p.106]

Fifth album The Oracle is a much welcome return to form, at least in energy. Ten tracks, no ballads, no bullshit. [May/Jun 2010, p.95]

The new songs sound similar to those on the the band's last full length release, The Powerless Rise.... The remixes, meanwhile, aren't exactly noteworthy.

American Tragedy is wildly fun, a head-thumping, booze-chugging, 14 track-long hedonistic binge.

AFI fans will no doubt miss the guitar muscle, but adventurous listeners will appreciate the retro-synth theatrics.

Murdered Love is best when all the anthemic stuff comes equipped with the sort of infectious grooves that the band's SoCal stomping ground is known for.

Rather than pat themselves on the back for still being alive, the guys in Soundgarden went on a nostalgia trip, and honestly, it's for the best.

British Lion might surprise longtime Ed Heads in that it's more redolent of the sort of '80s hard-rock bands who dominated the radio waves when Maiden couldn't, like Dokken and even Whitesnake.

Unfortunately, the toidy humor isn't funny, and the introspective songs aren't that relevatory. [#3, p.105]

A welcome surprise.

While spirited in their performance, this brutal quartet lack the dynamism and versatility of label-mates Dying Fetus.

[Drowning Pool have] managed to produce consistently killer albums with an unmistakable sound. This continues with album No. 5.... The weakest songs here are the singles.

The result ain't fresh, but it's definitely fun.

Sometimes, Blood's industrial metal is the kind that got overdone a decade ago. Still, it's a mostly good set-and a cool comeback for Seinfeld.

Overall, though, most of these covers sound disappointingly similar to the originals.

While Lions roars with all of the classic rock bombast and Stones-y swagger we've come to expect from the Crowes, the album is sorely lacking in the magic that can only be achieved when the innately talented drive themselves to distraction in the pursuit of perfection. [May/June 2001, p.110]

While not terribly mindblowing, this EP is a quick and entertaining listen.

The result certainly stays true to Hank3's legacy of audacity, especially in "Mad Cow," which drones on for 10 minutes. But actually listening to the thing? Pretty torturous.

This collaborative overkill is the same misstep that hobbled the group's last comeback attempt, 1993's Down With The King. [#4, p.108]

Fans already won over by Egypt Central's previous record will recognize the band's original sound here, and new listeners will be taken a wild ride to a strange, dark wonderland and back. Follow the White Rabbit.

Chalk up a new classic on Abruscato's resume.