Clocking in at just under an hour across 14 songs, about 12 of which could easily be singles, Technology is engaging, fun and an early contender for album of the year, plus the album of this band’s career.

This long-awaited second album isn’t just thrilling from start to finish: it might also be exactly what rock needs right now.

This is brave, baffling, bonkers and most importantly, absolutely brilliant. Strap yourselves in, it’s a hell of a ride.

It works. It all makes an album full of awesome, genuine pop-rock music. Time will tell if this album and the next couple of years propel this band to the huge rooms these songs were made for, but for now? A great band just got even better.

Despite its more slippery moments, Underworld finds Tonight Alive honing in on and owning their identity again; and given the bigger picture, taking a huge step in the right direction.

There are strings, spoken word sections and sweeping solos, so while the themes and melodies may sound familiar, the overall tapestry rarely wears thin.

While they continue down a more measured, accessible route--calling to mind everyone from The Clash to Rancid--there’s a freshness to the anarchy this time. Here’s a welcome beacon of hope.

Gut-busting, heart-wrenching and captivating from vicious beginning to devastating conclusion, the likes of ‘Cannibals’, the jolting ‘Arkhipov Calm’ and beautifully excruciating title track capture the band at their most ambitious and dominant.

Front to back, start to finish, this is pop-punk for those who have lived, loved and lost and aren’t afraid to contemplate the fact that maybe, just maybe, it isn’t going to be their weekend or their year.

Phantom Anthem is an awful lot to stomach in one sitting, but those prepared to strap in and take the ride from guttural beginnings to dramatic conclusion will be rewarded with an album of intense grandeur and unmatchable ambition.

It all combines to make Citizen’s gloomiest, most atmospheric record yet--and also one of the most disturbing of the year so far. It’s a memorable journey.

It’s impossible not to admire the scale and ambition of what Sleeping With Sirens are trying to achieve here, so don’t be too surprised if they’re swapping Warped Tour for arenas before too long.

All 10 tracks here bear such scars, adding up to a staggering work of honesty, beauty and artistic achievement. It’s hugely impressive on those terms alone... but even more so given everything PVRIS endured in its creation.

Drew’s definitely been reunited with his fury again, and it feels so good.

Full of textured, wide-screen soundscapes, the record dips its feet in electronic waters, yet retains the emotional vulnerability that has always defined the Atlanta band. There’s an extra dose of sinister unease, too, especially on ‘Lead, SD’ and ‘The Moth’.

From the barbed, Blink-182-esque pop-punk of ‘A Million Miles’ and grouchy, tongue in cheek call-outs of ‘Am I Deaf’ to sun-drenched ska numbers like ‘Don’t Let Me Go’, this is a mix of music for lounging by a pool, and tearing up a sweaty basement venue.

It’s very much the work of a band who are still capable of delivering the goods even after 17 years, while showing the fresh-faced up and comers a thing or two.

It doesn’t deviate much from the well-worn blueprint that the band have stuck to throughout their career, but when your music is this deliciously punishing why would you change?

The frontman sounds great as ever, as on the powerful ‘Fabuless’ and ‘The Witness Trees’, but his usual conviction isn’t as present and the album feels largely colourless.

At just seven tracks The Beautiful Stories is a touch slight, but whether it’s the ’80s guitar tones or quiet insistence of the quintet’s lyrics, it’ll leave a much longer impression.

This is his new project and, unsurprisingly, it’s brilliant.

Lyrics largely consist of nostalgic references, in-jokes and arch observations, but with a bummed-out charm that invites rather than excludes. If you’ve played the classics to death and want a fresh fix, this is among the best of the new breed’s offerings.

An album that will creep up on you time and time again, Two Parts Viper is more evidence that all you need to incite a riot is a guitar, drums and pure attitude.

Its delicate, sparse build-and-explode approach is largely typical of what Last Young Renegade has to offer--anthemic yet atmospheric songs that are subtly affecting.

One of punk’s few great constants, the Chicago four-piece are back and as furious as ever with this eighth album. As you’d expect, they don’t fumble the ball.

Sure, the relative absence of co-frontman Mike Shinoda saps some of the band’s unique character and they get bogged down in sluggish, downcast dirges in the final stretch, but there’s also a sense of liberation running through these 10 tracks; the mark of artists unshackled from their past, stepping into the unknown.

Bearing the smart but dark pop hallmarks of bands like The Cure and Echo And The Bunnymen, it’s astonishing how the L.A. foursome’s fusion of disco, funk and hot gothic takes sounds so fresh in 2017, 30-odd years after that stuff’s heyday.

There are enough special moments and poignant observations here to recommend a peek into the gloom.

There are plenty of moments on this record where it feels like Motionless have grown into their own skin; tugging at the heartstrings one moment and cutting straight to the bone the next.

From the breakneck belligerence of ‘Balance The Odds’ to the nostalgic groove of ‘Step To You’, this is the purest strain of hardcore you could possibly mosh your life away to.

Though Makes Me Sick is still a fun listen--complete with some brilliant lyrical put-downs, genuinely touching moments and echoes of past glories--it doesn’t quite capture NFG at their life-affirming best.

Noticeably less refined than the aforementioned masterpiece, ‘Pendulum In A Peasant Dress’, ‘Tilting At The Univendor’ and ‘Torrentially Cutshaw’ are part of a breathlessly jagged, abrasive, unruly and punk as fuck whole.

11 blistering, confrontational, and breathtakingly intense tracks.

Every Where Is Some Where is in turns intimate, expansive, confessional and inviting--thoroughly addictive on the dark, pulsing and urgent ‘Blood In The Cut’, woozily euphoric on ‘High Enough’, playfully political on ‘The President Has A Sex Tape’ and swirling and sultry on ‘You Felt Right’.

This is so inoffensive, it’ll be hard for anyone to hate--or love.

If they can combine the desperate urgency demonstrated on that first EP (which is a little diminished here) with the more finely-crafted songwriting they’re moving towards, they will be swimming onward, rather than sinking, for a long while to come.

These songs might not be the complete, finished product yet, but as signals of intent go, they’re a crystal clear demonstration that Mallory have what it takes to break through the glass ceiling--to make truly exceptional music of soul-stirring quality.

Few bands out there twist metal into such bewildering, bewitching shapes, and--somehow--there’s little sign of their well running dry.

The songs soar in unison with the band’s grand vision. Those songs are a riot, too.

Problems arise though when things get overly slow and sad, falling into the trap of alienating coldness. Boucher’s pain is evident for all to hear, but it’s rarely inviting.

The Texas crew have created a piece of art that probes into what it means to love and be loved with real intent and passion. If you’ve slept on this band up until now, it’s time to change that.

An honest & emotional record.

This eight-song effort serves as a breathless, panic-inducing assault on the senses; delivering A-grade riffs, punch-in-the-throat immediacy and more ass-kicking per second than many will be able to withstand.

Skillfully sketched melodies are their calling card and, while it has virtually no bite or cutting edge to speak of, there is enough craft and subtle depth here to warrant repeat listens.

Mattie aims to start conversations, change minds and make a difference, and with a collection of tracks that are as catchy as they are provocative, he’s on his way.

It’s a challenging and, at times frustrating listen, with great melodies getting lost amongst the feedback--but it begs your attention nonetheless.

Safe In Sound’ is clearly engineered for the airwaves; almost every song produced and polished to within an inch of its life. ... That’s not to say that Safe In Sound is without its triumphs – there’s still an abundance of riches to enjoy here.

This is the band’s 10th studio album, and it’s chock full of chugging, anthemic rock songs, torn straight from the ’80s airwaves. That’s no bad thing, even if in places, The Trigger Complex does sound lost in time.

It adds up to another deft, mature and utterly addictive release.

For those unfamiliar with the band’s at times world-class back catalogue, this disc is a fine--if fleeting--new entry point.

It’s an album dripping with class, craft, heart and soul and Deaf Havana’s most accomplished to date--a step out of their comfort zone and a step up in every regard.

While none quite make it all the way, they do end up nestling rather nicely among the planets.

More than a decade on from ‘Orchestra Of Wolves’, Frank is still singing from a different hymn sheet to everyone else, and that’s well worth celebrating.

While they’ve ramped up the production values on this follow-up, its nine tracks retain the reckless zest for life that have defined their creators’ output.

Whether opting for the sledgehammer (check out the riffs on ‘The New Reality’) or an icy scalpel (the warped post-punk of ‘Ugly’), the Pittsburgh four-piece rain down a hail of killer blows. Welcome to Hell.

This is the sound of a band re-discovering the aggression that made them so great in the first place, and applying it ably to their new template.

Crammed with skyscraping melodies and moments of spine-tingling poignancy, it stands them in the best possible stead for packing out stadiums and headlining festivals in the near future. They’ve fulfilled their side of the bargain with these 10 songs.

While the spacious (and slightly dreary) prog textures remain, the lurching riffs of ‘Resurge’ and melodic highs of ‘Ornament’ hit the bullseye; showing how talented these four musicians truly are.

Replete with ramshackle tales of bar brawls (‘I Had A Hat’) and barely scraping by (‘Sandlot’), this ninth album feels warm and familiar--but there’s more beneath the surface.

Though riff addicts may find this slightly wanting, for the patient listener, Enemies have left a fitting swansong.

At times the results are exhilarating, as on the superb ‘Moth Into Flame’ and doomy death-march of ‘Confusion’--written from the perspective of a soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder--but there’s a smattering of filler, too. Too many tracks outstay their welcome by a matter of minutes.

Packed with ragged, neurotic and enjoyably volatile punk rock, Parachutes picks up the baton from 2014’s ‘.STOMACHACHES.’ and runs it into new territory.

Tracks can bleed into one another, but their ideas are finally finding focus. This is Wovenwar, but a whole lot meaner, louder and more driven.

Admittedly, some riffs do feel like re-runs of Korn classics, holding the album back from true greatness. That’s charming in itself, though: reminding us how deeply important this band once were and continue to be.

The Australian punks tone down the fury on album two, and manage to achieve so much without it.

It’s the driving energy and urgency of hook-filled bangers like ‘Flies’ and ‘Not For You’ that makes this memorable.

While Dillinger might have become more melodic over their years, they have categorically never softened. There are songs on here that will strip paint at 500 yards, curdle fresh milk and happily go toe-to-toe with the best of their back catalogue. That’s no small accolade.

Admittedly, it’s easy to sneer at this album for its lack of diversity, but it’s a tried and tested formula. And, for Airbourne it’s one that works.

The band’s mad formula is familiar now, but there’s still enough experimentation here to keep things interesting.

Eschewing their hard-edged, rockier side, the Pennsylvania five-piece have cultivated 40-plus minutes of intense but dreamy atmosphere on Light We Made.

While some of these songs may not be up to the standard of their world-beating best, it’s clear they’re still having a lot of fun.

Frantic opener ‘Praise Poison’ feels like the heaviest song they’ve penned in years, while elsewhere the slow, heavy-hitting riff of ‘Lock & Load’ and the desperate, raking soar of ‘Flyover States’ make this a versatile, and interesting album that manages to combine everything that’s great about this band’s rich back catalogue.

It’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s nevertheless a formidable collection of songs by a formidable gathering of musicians.

Everything’s here from a band that still pack arenas, whilst there’s enough progression to ensure they’re ahead of their peers.

For all the album’s heart and scope it does suffer from a lack of fire and fun that made their earlier releases such big successes.

A brief but superb collection, this cements them as one of the most compelling acts in their genre.

This album is a perfect representation of what this band has and always will be--brave, real, and resolutely striving for something different.

As usual, chaos and consistency make for a winning combination.

Beach Slang’s second full-length does a stellar job of building on frontman James Alex’s knack for storytelling.

Intimate, impressive, and ultimately cathartic, Stage Four is well worth your time.

While it’s not the career-defining milestone that some were anticipating, this album still offers up enough melancholy mayhem to keep ADTR ahead of the chasing pack.

This album does suffer from moments like an indulgent breakdown on ‘River’ and the toothless Brit-rock sentimentality of ‘Home’ but overall, I’m Not Well is full of feeling and an accomplished, homegrown take on an old, familiar formula.

Wade through the filler, and the New York stalwarts haven’t sounded this fun in ages.

While Afraid Of Heights may fail to break any new ground, if you love this band’s idiosyncrasies, there is plenty to enjoy here.

A poppier polish, especially vocally, coats this album as they move into catchier, crowd-pleasing metalcore territory with mixed results.

Youth Authority is a sun-drenched delight that sees the quintet firmly reconnecting with their roots.

All told, this is an almighty beast of a record--yet another in the now bulging Biffy Clyro canon. They’re well and truly settled into a creative groove now, making the improbable seem like a reflex, as easy and instinctive as breathing.

While achingly sincere rock bands aren’t hard to come by these days, Fatherson have more than enough melodic nous to get listeners invested.

Blink-182 have delivered an album that recalls everything that makes this band great and gives it all a fresh twist, the end result is California being amongst the best albums they’ve ever produced.

Even if it doesn’t all hit the bullseye, at least they’ve dared to stray from the beaten path.

Possessing more jagged edges than a shed full of rusty chainsaws, You Will Never Be One Of Us is 21 minutes of frenzied, guttural hardcore of the highest calibre.

[The production by Danger Mouse] doesn’t make much difference--they still sound exactly the same.

Beartooth are a band that truly deliver songs for the disenfranchised.

Lonely The Brave haven’t just succeeded in proving they were no one trick wonders here, they’ve gone and pulled another rabbit from the hat.

In Our Bones is a versatile, ballsy take on modern pop-rock, and it’s impossible not to sit back and admire as Chrissy, Dan and Will take another step on the way to superstardom.

There may be fewer hooks and a lack of a real fist-in-the-air anthem, but on The Home Inside My Head, these sad boys become men. Gracefully.

In short To Be Everywhere... is another triumphant step for a band whose two-decade growth from able but impetuous riff merchants to purveyors of truly ambitious art has been nothing short of inspiring.

This cements their position as one of the world’s most exciting, vital bands, and it’s unlikely you’ll hear many (if any) more impactful records in 2016.