Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Founded in 1977 in New Jersey, The Misfits are regularly cited as progenitors of horror punk. Whether you have examples of bands that set the tone for that sub-genre earlier is, of course, another point entirely. Nevertheless, the outfit, which are still going today, laid down a blueprint for a take on punk that was at once rowdy and gnarly, but also conceptual and artistic.

Not that you really need to focus on those aspects when listening to the raucous and frenetic 'Horror Business'. If you prefer, it's just as easy to centre on the shout-y chorus and relentless riff that carry the track to its cacophonous conclusion. Also included here is the runaway train-ride of 'Teenagers From Mars', and equally uncompromising 'Children in Heat'. A masterclass of why louder is often better.

Review: Originally released at the dawn of the new millennium in the 2000th year of our Lord, The 'Miracle Of Shame' was an EP from Berkley, California 80s pop-punk legends The Mr T Experience. Their only project to feature bassist Gabe Meline as an official member following his studio contributions to the preceding years' full-length Alcatraz (their final work with Joel Reader handling bass duties), the credits also cite Erik Noyes on Hammond organ as an official member, as he'd previously recorded with the band on 1997's Revenge Is Sweet & So Are You as well as Alcatraz but had never been considered an official member. Reissued on a 1-sided etched green vinyl 12" (like any true punk EP should be), the material gives the almost guaranteed nod to The Ramones they've become known for (on 'Mr. Ramones'), while the beautifully titled closer 'I Don't Know Where Dan Treacy Lives' is easily one of the greatest punk song titles of the 21st century. No, we will not back that up.

Review: Rock dynamo Machine Gun Kelly has been busy of late. After a well received album in 2020 he is now back with another one, Mainstream Sellout, which is his sixth in all and is full of just as many big riffs. As always these are short put potent tunes and this is the second collaborative record he has made with drummer and producer Travis Barker. The record has plenty of pent up angst that fans old and new will feed off and plenty of entertainig lyrics.

Review: Unatoned (stylized as UNATONED) serves as the 11th full-length from Oakland, California groove metal titans Machine Head and marks their first effort to feature drummer Matt Alston and lead guitarist Reece Scruggs (with the latter replacing Decapitated axeman Wac?aw Kie?tyka aka Vogg who worked with the band on 2022's Of Kingdom & Crown). First announced through lead single 'These Scars Won't Define Us'; a self-described "Wu Tang Clan-level thrash collaboration" featuring guest vocals from members of In Flames, Lacuna Coil and Unearth, who will all support the band across their 2025 North American tour in support of the project, the addition of secondary single 'Unbound' showcases mastermind Rob Flynn's knack for marrying venomous heft to anthemic structures, whilst the air of brevity compared to some of their previously far lengthier compositions is indicative of a much more instantaneous sonic delivery (or gut-punch) this time around.

Review: Perth based Aussie progressive metalcore outfit Make Them Suffer return with their follow up to 2020's venomous yet audacious How To Survive A Funeral. Their fifth full-length and first to feature newly enlisted keyboardist Alex Reade, who stepped in to replace Booka Nile following his departure in 2022, serves as a self-titled declaration of intent, fusing almost every sonic maelstrom the band have weathered to this point. Elements of blackened death metal from their earliest formation clash with the djent-inflected prog deathcore grooves that have now become their sonic staple, while swathes of symphonic death metal motifs underpin the frenetic breakdowns with ethereal keys. Having left Rise to sign with SharpTone Records to deliver their most cohesive and definitive statement yet, it appears the suffering may have only just begun.

Review: US rock demon and counter-cultural musical star Marilyn Manson returned with his bold, provocative album on vinyl last year and now it arrives on CD. Known for pushing boundaries across his long career, Manson delivers another dark, gripping collection of industrial rock here that is full of haunting melodies and intense vocals that brim with menace. The album explores themes of power, corruption and rebellion all wrapped in his signature shock value and unique expression. With unsettling lyrics and atmospheric sounds, Manson creates a twisted, dystopian world that pulls listeners deep into his confrontational style and is sure to win over fans old and new once more.

Review: Returning with his redemption attempt follow up to 2020's We Are Chaos, industrial metal shock-rock provocateur Marilyn Manson seeks to skirt the numerous controversies and accusations accrued in the last few years with his most potent musical statement in decades. Signing with Nuclear Blast and enlisting the likes of Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to helm the project, his 12th full-length One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 (indicating that more is sure to follow), offers up some of the heaviest and introspective material of his career to date, with cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand' harking back to the unhinged angst of Antichrist Superstar, whereas 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' breathes with the same mercurial synth-gloom as the strongest moments on Mechanical Animals. A cynical attempt to regain fan adoration, or the sound of a tortured artist finally coming to terms with his own demons and attempting to rediscover former glory and prowess, the interpretation is entirely your own to consider.

Review: The somewhat surprising return and attempt at redemption from the industrial metal shock-rocker Marilyn Manson has been a bold pill to swallow, with the once iconic provocateur seeking to avoid the many allegations and numerous controversies he has garnered over the last decade. Attending rehab and becoming fully sober over the past few years has seen dramatic weight loss, a notably more lowkey public demeanour and a newly signed record deal with Nuclear Blast (having been dropped by Loma Vista not long after 2020's We Are Chaos) turn a few heads, simultaneously cautious and curious as to the authenticity of this humble arc. With lawsuits recently thrown out, the court of public opinion appears to be the only form of due process that shall occur, leaving it to individual listeners to make up their mind as to the merit of the artist as a person. As to the art itself, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 is the 12th album to adorn the name Marilyn Manson, and it's his best since 2000's Holy Wood. Tapping Chelsea Wolfe collaborator/producer Tyler Bates to oversee the entire project has helped to create a generational bridge between how out of sync Manson himself had become with his own artistic strengths and audience desire, and Bates' insider knowledge as a younger fan first, collaborator second. Together they rediscover the core industrialist menace, gothic romanticism and hedonistic nihilism that kept listeners hooked after the initial shock of aesthetic would cease, but for the first time in decades, it feels earnest and earned rather than forced. Boasting Antichrist Superstar style buzzsaw synths and chug-heavy breakdowns on cuts such as 'Nod If You Understand', while the self-deprecating admission of using drugs to hide behind monstrous flaws on the gloomy balladry of 'As Sick As The Secrets Within' harks back to the most fragile moments of Mechanical Albums. Be it a cynical cashgrab or attempt to regain fan adoration, or the genuine musings of a tortured artist finally learning to face his own demons head on, there's simply no denying that this is Manson at his most potent, intimate and focused, begging the question of how different of a career trajectory and latter day output might we have had if the man had learned to look inward long before hitting the bottom.

Review: Argentinian crowds are probably the most exciting to play to in the world. And Marilyn Manson at this time had just released his Trent Reznor-produced masterpiece LP Antichrist Superstar and was at the peak of his game, so to say a ticket to this show at the Velez Sarsfield stadium in Buenos Aires was hot property is an understatement. This is about as good as heavy metal rock n' roll gets and not many will come close to the thrills that a 90s Marilyn Manson show brought. The setlist is monumental, with singles from Antichrist Superstar such as industrial metal banger 'The Beautiful People' and 'Tourniquet', which sounds like the blueprint to the nu-metal boom that was to come, among the highlights. Unusually for a live album, it's taut, with the track list limited to 11 songs, but this is for good reason. In a moment of Spinal Tap-esque horror, shortly after the final track you hear on the album, the band's drummer Ginger Fish received an electric shock whilst playing and the show ended abruptly. Putting his body on the line like that to deliver this blistering set is an heroic deed and it's a fantastic consolation to have this show fossilised onto vinyl.

Review: The duo of Therese Lanz and Casey Rogers, better known as Mares Of Thrace, deal in a ferocious, bruising blend of sludge-laden crusty noise-rock and hardcore punk. Their latest EP/mini-LP/opus, 'The Exile', limps a barefoot trudge over broken glass with violent, cacophonous results. Take the thunderous malevolence of 'Mortal Quarry' or the doomgazing of catastrophic closer, 'The Thread That Will Unravel You', as punishing examples of the unkempt vehement potential seeping its way out of the true north (that's what the Canadians like to call it).

Review: Marilyn Manson is back with another of his famously bold and provocative new albums, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1. Mansn has always been known for pushing boundaries - as well as buttons - and comes through again here with a dark and gripping collection of tracks that blend his usual tropes of industrial rock, haunting melodies and raw, intense vocals that come from deep down inside and ooze with menace. This album explores themes of power, corruption and rebellion, all wrapped in Manson's signature mix of shock value and unusual expression. It adds up to a journey into a twisted, dystopian world filled with layers of atmospheric sounds and unsettling lyrics so is perfect for fans of Manson's uniquely confrontational style.

Review: Returning with his first full-length since 2020's David Bowie-indebted We Are Chaos, while more notably marking the industrial metal goth icon's return to the spotlight following a series of troubling allegations that seemingly appear to now hang in limbo, One Assassination Under God: Chapter 1 shall serve as the 12th full-length studio endeavour from Marilyn Manson. Co-produced with frequent Chelsea Wolfe collaborator and film scorer Tyler Bates, the material boasts some of the most synth-laden, new wave winking and direct metallic rock bangers the mercurial yet questionable figure has dropped in almost two decades, making for a sonic victory lap of sorts as Manson attempts to rebuild his brand and aesthetic.

Review: .Originally released in 2009, Crack The Skye would serve as the fourth full-length and creative rebirth of sludge-indebted alternative metal behemoths Mastodon. Inspired by the suicide of drummer Brann Dailor's sister in their youth, the album takes cues from prog classics such as Pink Floyd's Animals and King Crimson's In The Court Of The Crimson King to craft a monolithic sonic journey spread across seven tracks. With their later material taking on a more instantaneous approach to composition, whilst coming off the back of the harsh dynamics of 2004's Leviathan and 2006's Blood Mountain, the mercurial middle point the band found themselves on this LP emboldened them to add Dailor as a third lead vocalist, providing a melodious fulcrum between the snarl of bassist Troy Sanders and nasal croon of guitarist Brent Hinds. A hallucinogenic, astral projecting prog epic in the search for peace accumulated through unprocessed grief, the project has been held near and dear to the hearts of the band and their fanbase in the fifteen years since initial release and now celebrates such a milestone with this definitive boxset. Spread across gold vinyl 2xLP with a bonus blu-ray, poster, magnet sheet and 12-page booklet.

Review: Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Leviathan would serve as the breakout sophomore success from alternative/sludge/progressive metal legends Mastodon, and is still highly regarded as one of, if not, the band's finest output to date. Based on the 1851 Herman Melville novel Moby Dick, the project would mark the first of several concept albums from the group while boasting some of their most iconic bangers from the off-time prog-thrash of blistering opener 'Blood & Thunder' to the heaving 'Iron Tusk', to the epic 13-minute opus 'Hearts Alive'; already hinting at their later grandiose prog-rock proclivities. The LP also features guest appearances from Clutch's Neil Fallon on the aforementioned opening lead single, as well as Scot Kelly of Neurosis on the hallucinogenic 'Aqua Dementia'. In short, Leviathan is a modern classic of American metal, and should already have a place on any self-respecting fans' shelf.

Review: Cardiff noise-rock legends Mclusky make their long-awaited return with the highly anticipated The World Is Still Here & So Are We. Serving as their fourth full-length and first since 2004's The Difference Between Me & You Is That I'm Not On Fire, the album comes following numerous sparse reunion shows and tours since their initial disbandment two decades prior. First revealed through the release of the Unpopular Parts Of A Pig EP during the latter half of 2023, which would mark their first newly recorded output in 19 years, both the title-track as well as 'The Digger You Deep' were said to be the first tastes of their fourth LP, now making good on that promise with a release set for distribution via Ipecac Recordings, the label of musical absurdist Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle). Having worked in the past with the late, great Steve Albini, even opening for Shellac one fateful evening in London's Scala, the iconic noise-merchants seemingly haven't lost an iota of their bite or shitheaded cynicism during their time away, evidenced as such as in the blistering lead single 'Way Of The Exploding Dickhead'.

Review: Welsh noise-rock royalty Mclusky make their decrepit return on their majorly anticipated fourth album The World Is Still Here & So Are We, marking their first full-length in over two decades, following on from 2004's The Difference Between Me & You Is That I'm Not On Fire. While the Cardiff legends have reformed for brief reunion runs in the past, this time they seriously mean it, revealing their first taste of new material in 19 years through their 2023 EP Unpopular Parts Of A Pig, with the title-track and 'The Digger You Deep' both announced to be featured on their (at the time) as-of-yet unannounced comeback record. Arriving courtesy of Ipecac Recordings, the outsider-rock label ran by vocal absurdist Mike Patton (Faith No More, Tomahawk, Mr. Bungle) and working in the past with the late, great Steve Albini, with the band even supporting for Shellac one fateful night in London's Scala, the chaotic noise-merchants haven't lost one tooth of their bite or snarky cynicism during their long respite, made abundantly clear on blistering lead single 'Way Of The Exploding Dickhead'.

Review: Punk rock absurdist cover-band supergroup Me First & The Gimme Gimmes have gone through a myriad of contributors during their tenure, with the current iteration featuring members of Lagwagon, Swingin' Utters, RKL and at times Fat Mike himself of NOFX, though his input can be infrequent and sporadic. While not as prolific or committed to the bit as they were in their late 90s/early 00s heyday, the band are still known to regroup under typically oddball circumstances when the world requires they do so. Following on from their last live album being recorded at a bar mitzvah, fan speculation was rife when little details emerged in summer of 2023 of the collective performing at a QuinceaNera in Las Vegas, and for good reason as almost a full year later, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes Blow it ... At Madison's QuinceaNera was finally announced. Boasting a ludicrously banging rendition of Abba's 'Dancing Queen' to reintroduce themselves, grab your Hawaiian shirt or equally colourful garb, and get ready to boogie on down to another batch of pop anthems reimagined by some of the greatest punk veterans in the scene...at a QuinceaNera!?!

Review: Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, self-described "Adventure Metal" outfit Mega Colossus appear to have little interest in using the metal genre to craft sonic aggression. Utilising melodious leads, powerful vocals and technically impressive flashes of prog brilliance, their fourth full-length Showdown offers up a form of triumphant positivity and anthemic fantasy, harking back to the classic era of illustrious prog and classic rock with subtle nods to the likes of Rainbow, Deep Purple, and Kansas. It might not be 1978 anymore, just don't tell the band that.

Review: Taken from their controversial/iconic debut UK/European show at London's Hammersmith Odeon in 1987, this performance from thrash metal titans Megadeth was famously plagued by misfortune due to the band's gear getting stuck in customs, leading to unfamiliar hired equipment causing the dreaded technical difficulties throughout. Those in attendance that faithful night have since rushed to the band's defence, with the general consensus being no issues could overshadow the sheer ferocity and energetic mayhem exuded by Mr. Dave Mustaine (and his at the time bandmates). Captured whilst promoting their genre staple sophomore effort Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?, the set is packed to the brim with blistering, breakneck paced renditions of some the band's most mammoth, face-melting bangers from 'Wake Up Dead' to 'Peace Sells' with plenty of fan favourite deep cuts like the criminally overlooked 'Devil's Island' making appearances.

Review: Beginning life in the late 70s as a Leeds based art collective, The Mekons have gone on to become one of the longest-running, most prolific and sonically diverse acts to be considered part of the first wave of British punk. Spanning numerous decades, projects and literal continents, the sprawling array of visionary contributors return with the succinctly titled Horror; a work written towards the end of 2022 that showcases their expansive yet solely unique approach, drawing on elements of dub, country, harsh noise, rock & roll, electronica, punk, music hall, polka and even waltz. Myriad vocalists lead differing sonic journeys such as the Jon Langford-led 'Mudcrawlers' telling the story of the Irish famine and subsequent refugees traversing to Wales, whereas Rico Bell leads the charge on the harrowing folk-horror climate change breakdown 'Fallen Leaves', with swelling violins painting an aural tapestry akin to Rolling Thunder era Dylan sitting on a dimly lit rolling green hill accompanied by The Pogues. Ranking somewhere between the collective's 23rd to 25th album (depending on which member of the fanbase or artists themselves you ask), Horror marks their first work for Fire Records.

Review: The long-awaited ninth full-length from legendary Japanese noise-rock duo Melt-Banana comes over a full decade on from 2013's exceptionally bizarre Fetch, marking their longest gap between albums yet. Known for combining the yelping, yapping, unhinged yet endearing vocals of Yasuko Onuki and the cybergrind guitar manipulations of the virtuosic Ichiro Agata, the pair expertly craft a schizoid car crash of genres, styles and sounds that would simply refuse to coalesce in lesser artists hands. Sugary bubblegum pop-punk is dropkicked by grindcore powerviolence, while industrial harsh noise engulfs hyperpop hooks before suffocating the debris in death metal malevolence. If this sounds horrible, impossible and bewildering, it only means two things: 1. You are sane. 2. You need to get some Melt-Banana into you. What better way to make sense of the chaos than by starting with the highly anticipated 3+5, then working backwards?

Review: Proto-grunge/sludge metal band Melvins laid down six compelling songs on their fourth album. Lice-All was a cohesive, tightly woven trip made up of three original tunes and three fine covers. Two of them were originally written by the man, the legend, Alice Cooper, and one is by nose rock gang Flipper. The record is said to have influenced bands such as Sunn O))) and Sleep over the years because of the way it layer sup heavy, droning guitars. First release back in 1992 and something of a cult classics, this reissue comes on red wax. Back then, the album was known as a set titled LP, but also under the name Lysol.

Review: Originally released in 1983, Melissa was not only the debut album from Danish first wave black/extreme metal pioneers Mercyful Fate, but legitimately the first ever release on, what can nowadays be considered to be easily one of the biggest record labels in all of the heavy sphere, Roadrunner Records. Often cited as a quintessential influence on the subgenres of black, death and thrash metal, the album's prevalence of intricate prog rock-inspired lead guitar lines, abundance of solos, constant barrage of double-kick drumming and macabre Satanic imagery and lyricism have led many to consider the work to be one of the first true examples of anti-mainstream extreme metal. Introducing listeners as well as eventual peers in Metallica and Slayer to a far darker, boundary-pushing form of heavy music, whilst along with Venom and Bathory, paving the way for the second wave Norwegian black metal scene of the late 80s/into the early 90s, this iconic debut from the creative visionary lunacy of King Diamond and Hank Shermann should really require no introduction to fans of the extreme. They were even one of the first metal acts to draw the ire of the Parents Music Resource Center when advocating for Parental Advisory labels on audio recordings, citing 'Into The Coven' among their "Filthy Fifteen" objectionable songs due to its perceived occult content.

Review: Swedish progressive groove metal legends and djent pioneers Meshuggah have always been in competition with themselves, nearly eclipsing all prior output with 2022's ninth full-length Immutable; a near 70-minute beastly display of ludicrously technical, poly rhythmic mayhem that served as both their lengthiest work to date as well as one of their most critically acclaimed, combining the unhinged aggression of 2008's ObZen with the post-prog hypnotism of their 2002 fan-favourite Nothing. The Indelible Edition offers a unique sonic enhancement and total remaster, redefining the album's depth and clarity, while including three bonus live tracks captured over the course of their 2023/2024 world tours. A very on-brand reissue from a collective known for their painstakingly detailed commitment to their vision and craft, whether you prefer the term "indelible" or "definitive", this is the version of Immutable the band finally appear content with sharing with their fanbase almost three years after initial release, almost like the Kanye West of progressive metal but without all of the antisemitism. Complete with updated artwork and gold foil intricacies for the aesthetically minded fanbase.

Review: This unmissable two-disc bundle nets Metallica's explosive live performances at the Seattle Center Coliseum on 29-30 August 1989, during their legendary Damaged Justice Tour. Widely regarded by fans as among of the band's finest shows, this tearout time capsule boasts a stellar setlist, including 'Seek & Destroy', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', 'Creeping Death', 'Battery', 'Master of Puppets' and 'The Thing That Should Not Be'. Unleashed to the world like a cageful of batwinged, sledgehammer wielding demons, it came right after their fourth LP release And Justice for All, which in turn set the Damaged Justice tour in motion; these menacers will always come back to haunt us through the tube amps.

Review: If you've seen Metallica live and in the flesh you'll appreciate how ferocious their shows are. It's not just the music that's loud, all aspects of the performance seems to hit like wrecking ball, raising the volume and intensity on each chord of every riff, drum-packed crescendo, and disorientating outro. And it's always been that way, as this reissued recording from one of their legendary shows proves. Captured in 1994, when the thrash metal pioneers played Woodstock, USA, Justice For All certainly lives up to the name of the outfit's classic 1988 LP, And Justice For All, which earned them their first Grammy nomination. It's pretty powerful, potent stuff, running through a number of the group's strongest tracks in a live context, which goes some way towards transporting us to the gig itself.

Review: Originally released in 1989, Altars Of Madness would not only serve as the debut full-length from Florida's Morbid Angel but is also considered to be on the first true examples of the death metal genre, with its use of frenetic guitar work, blast beat drumming, guttural vocals and extremely horrific lyrics. Recorded at the iconic Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida, home to seminal recordings from other death metal peers such as Cannibal Corpse, Death and Obituary, this sonic blueprint laid a foundational groundwork that has been emulated, bastardised and progressed, yet the rigid skeleton has consistently remained the same. Reissued on blue and black smoke vinyl by the old school heads at Earache, Altars Of Madness is an essential shelf-lifer for any self-respecting death metal devotee and continues to age like a fine wine in some Transylvanian villain's cellar.

Review: The eight full-length from Motorhead is often regarded as one of their most underappreciated works. Originally released in 1982, 'Iron Fist' would be the final album from the classic Three Amigos era line up of Lemmy, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. Citing the pressures of following up their, 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith' live album that debuted at no. 1 on the UK album charts, as well as the internally controversial decision to allow guitarist Eddie Clarke to produce, the end result would be a project respected and adored by most, with the exception of the men behind the craft. With Clarke's departure not long into the promotional tour, and the underwhelming regard Lemmy held the work in, it's times like this that we can thank the fans for championing the record and its praise for years to come. This 40th anniversary edition is mere proof that even sometimes the artist themselves doesn't get the last say on the staying power of their art.

Review: Originally released in 1984, No Remorse would serve as a compilation album from London's homegrown metal legends Motorhead, marking the end of their time on Bronze Records. Following the departure of Brian "Robbo" Robertson and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor after 1983's Another Perfect Day, this would spell the end of the classic trio line-up which had already been shaken by the replacement of "Fast" Eddie Clarke by Robertson following 1982's fan favourite Iron Fist. According to Lemmy, the label were unhappy with his own personnel changes, lacking confidence in a new lineup they hadn't heard themselves, while once they announced news of a greatest hits-style compilation, the gravel-throated vocalist/bassist surmised it as "readying the death knell" for the group, hence his insistence on including new material as well as compiling the tracklist. Marking the first recordings from the next era of Motorhead featuring Lemmy alongside Phil Campbell, Wurzel, and Pete Gill, the band would enter London's Britannia Row Studios for a week in May 1984 to bang out their contributions - 'Snaggletooth', 'Steal Your Face', 'Locomotive', and most notably, 'Killed by Death', while the collection boasts all of their past iterations' essential bangers up until this point such as 'Ace Of Spades', 'Overkill' and '(We Are) The Road Crew'.

Review: Originally released in 1977, if there's a rock or metal-oriented album that requires little to no introduction, it's the self-titled debut from Motorhead, welcoming the unsuspecting masses to the blistering balls to the wall ferocity that was Lemmy (bass/vocals), Phil Taylor (guitar) and Eddie Clarke (drums). Complete with a silver hot foil replication of Joe Petagno's original Motorhead logo on a vibrant red background, this 2xLP includes the original full-length boasting classics such as 'White Line Fever', 'Violator' and 'Keep Us On The Road', as well as a bonus disc featuring the Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers EP, along with newly mixed and alternative versions of bangers like 'Motorhead', 'The Watcher' and 'Keep Us On The Road'. Complete with sleeve notes by Ted Carroll, taking the reader through the story of how Chiswick Records managed to scrape together enough money to fund the recording of what would eventually enter both the label and band into the annals of rock history.

Review: The second studio album from metal behemoths Motorhead saw the trio - in their classic line up form of Lemmy (bass, vocals), Fast Eddie Clarke on guitar and Philthy Phil Taylor on drums - truly hit their stride. In probabality, this LP, originally released in 1979, produced the biggest crop of classics of any in their career, with 'No Class', 'Capricorn', 'Stay Clean' and 'Metropolis' all joining the title track in the ranks of songs that would remain staples of their live sets for literally deacdes to come. The year is significant, as Overkill marks the band harnessing the anarchic overtones of punk to their metal power, with plenty of lyrical attitude added to the sharp riffing, 747-like basslines and double kick drum onslaught. This reissue restores the original tracklisting without the frills and extras of the 2005 remaster, but when it's all as shitkicking as this, why mess?!

Review: The Irish music scene has rarely been in such rude and varied health. From Galway to Dublin in the South, up to Belfast and Derry in the North, Great Britain's smaller and - arguably - greener little sibling is making a lot of interesting noises right now. Each seems to be as captivating as the next, although few tear out of the starting blocks with anything like the intensity and energy, anger and tumultuous emotion as The Murder Capital. Blindness is album number three, following on from a debut that hit number two in the Irish charts and 18 in the UK, and a second - Gigi's Recovery - that achieved the number one spot in the group's homeland and 16 in the UK. We'd be shocked if part tres didn't do better. Always immediate and packed with personality, we finally hear the culmination of those preceding years. From post punk chug distorted through the fizz and crackle of humanity, though quieter moments deliver even more devastating blows, shades of everyone from The Killers (at their creative peak) to The Watchmen, Pixies, PJ Harvey, Savages and Idles ring crystal clear.

Review: There's not a huge amount of background we can share on Mysterium, a startlingly beautiful and complex self-titled six-tracker on the always reliable Silver Arrow. A collection of music that lulls you with its blissful moments but still manages to maintain an air of uncertainty about it. A guitar-led dreamscape filled with achingly serene sections, yet underpinned with a real atmosphere that's neither relaxing nor intense, but is ever so-slightly unsettling at times. At least that's true of 'April Food' and 'I Am The Chaos', two tracks that open scoring here. Both seem to build a subtle darkness in comparison with closer 'Turn In', with its quietly rousing and affirming key changes. Taking elements of shoe gaze, beach pop, psychedelic rock, trip hop and more, it's an intoxicating ride through a spectacular unknown.