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

Psychic Babble's debut is proof that being chilled does not equate to being dull.

All the songs here are concise and to-the-point.

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

Say Anything have always been a hard pill to swallow for some, and while Anarchy doesn't change that, it shows that they have far more than just the one spanner in the toolbox.

For all those teens who grew up disgracefully with Taylor and Jim Root's other band, Audio Secrecy is the soundtrack to the rest of their lives.

Ordinary Silence is light on gimmicks but big on heart.

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.

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

Although some of the quieter tracks can overstay their welcome, this is a well-structured album, hopping between these and frantic, uplifting songs.

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

This is still above average dude rock from the Canadian five-piece.

While certainly an accomplished progression from 09's "Union" in terms of tempo, it's still a bit too midlevel and the band might stand out from their contemporaries if they were a bit more rough around the edges.

Amoral proves that Violens will stand proud knowing they can give a name to their organized mess, even if they don't know what it is yet.

The Constant does what it says on the, er, CD; constantly good, but with more focus it could have been brilliant.

Korn’s follow up to ’11’s dubstep-infused ‘The Path Of Totality’ is a completely different monster to its predecessor, and for all the right reasons.

It's good--really good--but only if you want it to be.

It’s a disappointing, day and night affair compared to the soaring triumph of last year’s ‘Joy, Departed.’

Though occasionally difficult to digest, 'Harakiri' is nevertheless a worthwhile and intriguing listen.

Frontman Dave King's vocal approach now presents itself as one of jaded disinterest, the defiant cries replaced by a sense of wistful reminiscence.

The brutality of the breakdowns and throat-cutting growls are balanced by infectious melody and clean vocals, offering possibly their most complete package yet.

Some Kind Of Hate is at its best when it doesn't take itself too seriously.

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

One can’t help wish for less social commentary, and more hands-in-the-air/ feet-in-the-moshpit bangers.

These are songs of excruciating truth, eternally relevant and assembled with no lack of heart.

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

The beauty of their sound is its unpredictability: fragments of rock, metal, folk, punk and pop collide and smash, creating Frankenstein monsters that spark into life and chase you down. And they've never sounded more convincing than this.

Revel in the gloom.

Though it doesn’t boast the bounce, style or solid gold hooks that we’ve come to expect from this lot, it’s the raw honesty found on There’s Nothing With Me that exhibits a level of songwriting and maturity that’s slowly pushing them ahead of their peers.

A right dirty dose of LA rocking is in order courtesy of Buckcherry, and boy, is it great to have them back!

While it's not a groundbreaking redefinition of what metal should be, it's a firm statement of intent from the London-based quintet.

Whether regaling us with an ode to a middle-aged prostitute or outlining their plans for solar domination, they're on fine form.

Being such an influential rock drummer, it's hard not to approach this expecting more of a crossover sound, but treat Travis Barker's debut like an eclectic hip-hop record and it won't disappoint.

The five-piece's dramatic Orient metal (their words) might not brace consistently but when it does it's unstoppable.

Although not original at all, ‘No Guts. No Glory’ is another strong, balls-out full-length from the brothers O’Keeffe and co.

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.

The Glaswegians' real USP is the way in which they inject everything they do with equal levels of joyous celebration and outright aggression, conjuring up a uniquely delirious sound throughout this disconcertingly unpredictable, but never less than utterly delightful release.

There are enough early anthems included to warrant picking this up, if only as a gateway to their back catalogue.

Their jangly indie-rock explores the journey of two twin brothers separated at birth through a procession of the schizophrenic ('Drunken Birds') and the more accessible ('Warmer Warmer') with largely satisfying results.

While the 12 tracks here are built around conventional nu metal structures, what unexpectedly rolls out is a stubbornness and increasing force never present with Evanescence.

Ultimately Immersion adds nothing new to the Pendulum experience, but still sees the band doing what they do best. Go immerse yourselves.

A fine new outing.

It would be churlish to deny that some of the selections on Born Free feature tunes on which the listener can truly chew, but it would also be wrong to ignore the fact that without this music Kid Rock's lyrics are, at best, the work of a sentimentalist and at worst, the mewlings of a moron. [13 Nov 2010, p.52]

Fever is unlikely to win Bullet For My Valentine more respect amongst their peers, but this could be the album to persuade non-believers.

The dark-hued, hard rocking glory of 'Sinead' and the Evanescence-bothering theatrics of 'A Demon's Fate' should draw Within Temptation a wider audience, but it's the ferocious guitar/keyboard attack of the blazing 'In The Middle Of The Night' that might coax most bullet belts out of retirement.

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.

If there's criticism, it's that Nightmare still falls back on cliches, building with aggressive force to then rely on a safe melodic chorus. However, there's enough of a change to see A7X lash out beyond their core sound, making Nightmare their greatest achievement to date.

A solid if not spectacular release from the king of wail.

Above all, Vices & Virtues is a complete package that secures Panic! At The Disco as one of the most forward thinking pop-rock acts around.

Suffice to say, the once-beloved Kansas City quintet are not Radiohead, and whilst they may have left their pioneering, emo-infused pop-punk behind over a decade ago, nothing quite prepares the listener for the insipid snooze-a-thon they've concocted here.

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?

A blend of electronic beats, keyboard-heavy dance grooves and hip-shaking pop underpinned by distorted guitar lines, this is funky and enjoyable stuff.

The frantic, high-pitched vocals of old are still present and correct, but they're also tempered by frequent downbeat melodic refrains, echoing the likes of Nirvana more than, say, The Blood Brothers. Musically too, the band display a staggering diversity.

Reign Of Terror will filter into the middle ground of obscurity amid countless other albums from bands of a similar ilk.

It's all good fun and makes the most of its human components, but there isn't much here that emerges as truly awe-inspiring or anything else other than a jolly good jam between chums. Of course, if that's all that's needed for Apocalyptica to remain among Finland's most popular imports, then for now, at least, it's still job done.

This is a solid album, rife with brooding love metal and big choruses, but while this is HIM’s most accessible album to date it’s also the most unpalatable, as Ville takes one step too many towards self-satire.

There is a sense of funk and bounce characterised by RATM on display here that gives the songs an underlying sense of conviction on top of Morello's already biting vocal approach.

It’s their use of modern electronica (‘Unmade’) and metalcore crunch (‘Paper Thin’) that asserts this as bleeding-edge relevant, and there’s enough spark here to suggest they could turn into more than a nostalgia trip.

A stinging reprise of ’93’s ‘American Jesus’ serves as a timely reminder that these perennial bastions of articulate dissent haven’t gone soft on us quite yet.

For an album that led the charge in early-’00s pop-punk, it’s worth a spin or two, if only for the memories it’ll bring back.

The album's extended title track take the catchier parts of their newer material (vocalist Chris Conley's infamous Beatles influences seem to mesh much better with their punk rock sound here), and then deliver it so tightly and concisely that it would be a total waste to rehash their glory days.

Provided you don't have an unreasonable dislike of melody, you'll enjoy the majority of tracks on this album. Even if that does make you feel a bit dirty.

Most strikingly, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa displays a masterful control over the multi-faceted Cradle Of Filth sound; brutal vocal gymnastics, skull-rattling double-kicks, symphonic flourishes, dramatic narrative and balls-out axe-slinging all make their presence known, but in a manner which routinely serves to bolster the coherency of the greater whole.

Pop sensibilities like these make some of the rhymes in the lyrics a bit predictable, but as they also result in choruses like those on 'The Joyride' and 'Circle Of Lies', it's forgivable.

American Capitalist announces them as the world champions at post-Black album piledriving riffs and soaring, US radio-friendly melodies.

Expect polished fare awash with slick harmonies, clean guitars, heavy drumbeats, giant hooks and an unadulterated wall of gleaming pop.

It's probably about time more people started caring about this band, especially since they deal in the sort of sounds that demand to be taken to heart.

It's a consistently satisfying rock experience.

It won't be to everyone's tastes, but for those who like their metal both heavy and undeniably hook-laden, this is as satisfying an effort as you're likely to find.

At almost 50 minutes in length, it's an eyebrow-raiser for all the wrong reasons.

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

Murdered Love is a perfectly enjoyable and easily digestible slice of rap-metal.

It's not to say Time For Annihilation isn't very good, just if you like Pink and other commercial rock, you're going to love this.

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.

This Is War is passionate, rousing and astonishingly focused.

Super producer Ross Robinson has been given the unenviable task of bottling lightning, and he's certainly earned his money this time round; from Jonathan Davis' tortured, primal yelps to the pounding drums and a bass sound that ebbs and flows violently through your extremities.

Ghost B.C.’s first effort at a covers EP is another difficult, tedious listen.

What this means is that if you find this band annoying, you'll probably hate them 10 times more after hearing Wonders Of The Younger. For the rest of us, there's no denying that 'Rhythm Of Love' and 'Killer' are guilty pleasures in the making--consider us thoroughly killed with kindness.

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.

At times, the quintet deliver the solid grooves and renowned, catchy singalong choruses that have engaged their adoring fan base, but for too much of the time Ungrateful sounds a bit flat and tired.

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

To hear a band with such obvious and deep passion playing unencumbered and liberated rock music is an utterly captivating experience that Rock Sound would thoroughly recommend. Holding nothing back sounds exactly like this, everyone else please take note.

So is it any good? Does it matter? Limp Bizkit are bigger than ever before so getcha groove on, stop taking things seriously.

Nothing groundbreaking, but sure to keep fans of the band happy.

There is a welcome confidence throughout The Latest Fashion that Attack! Attack! have not previously shown and it's likely to propel this lot to great things.

It is with frightful ease that one can declare 'Days Go By' as a parody of the efforts which came before.

Commercially-driven producers or not, though, the band have a knack for keeping their sound current and contemporary –- while still being reminiscent of their early material.

If you're checking out their fifth album to discover groundbreaking, controversial new music, you are a strange individual indeed.

Overall, If Not Now, When? is the sound of Incubus coming of age. It's not particularly experimental nor is it completely straightforward but it is concise and a risk that's paid off.

Overall, it’s a decent summer barbecue soundtrack, but hardly vintage Sublime.

They're no longer a phenomenon; instead, Sum 41 have continued to mature into a rather good band.

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.

While not quite as cack as recent efforts by Bad Brains or DYS, it still defies belief that this should ever see the light of day.