Formed in 2009, Ohio’s TWENTY ONE PILOTS are something of a living breathing concept. Currently consisting of duo Josh Dun (drums) and Tyler Joseph (virtually everything else), they take their name from an extract of “All My Sons”, a play by Arthur Miller, basically referring to the notions of moral dilemma, self-doubt and inner turmoil, which conceptually is the very foundation of their music. Having signed to FUEL BY RAMEN records 2012 and showing great promise with their label debut; “Vessel”, it’s only natural that there’s expectation surrounding album number two; “Blurryface”. Are 21P facing greater, breakthrough success? Let’s find out…

The album gets underway with “Heavydirtysoul” and it’s almost instantly infectious. Tyler spits his lyrics like an established rapper of veteran status over layers of up-beat soft dub-pop, it’s got a heavy R’n’B feel to it, while the chorus is rich in its urbanized pop melody; the whole thing is incredibly slick and provides a highlight from the word go. “Stressed Out” on the other hand flips in the complete opposite direction being a far slower, methodical number, focusing on Blurryface himself; a character devised by the band to act as a metaphor for all of the insecurities harbored by everyone as individuals. It’s within Blurryface the character that the concept lies, and he is the means for the storytelling of Tyler’s lyrics. The song itself, musically, is nothing special but it’s about the content here.

The single “Tear In My Heart” provides the listener with a dose of soft indie-inspired pop, aided by some quirky lyrics resulting in a quaint little love song and a pleasant listen, while the rest of album fleets in and out of electronic-infused, indie rap-pop, with the occasional ukulele thrown in and even a dabble in reggae (because why the hell not?) until we reach “Goner”; a blissfully depressing little piano lead number that can’t help but sound sweet, despite its raw emotional delivery. Essentially, what can be said about “Blurryface” is that it’s a 50/50 album for all the right reasons. Firstly and commercially, there are no real solid hits here; which means it could easily be overlooked by the casual, neutral music lover, however, that doesn't matter. The strength and in essence the point of this record is to portray feelings, insecurities and to tell a story…fans will know where it’s coming from and rightfully love this…new listeners? It’s strongly suggested you give this the time of day if you want to appreciate it properly because despite sounding overall really run of the mill, it’s so much more. [7]

It would appear that, the 90’s / early millennium scene is going through a bit of a resurgence of late; WHEATUS have an anniversary tour planned…COAL CHAMBER have successfully reformed with a brand new album…hell even S CLUB 7 have been doing the rounds on a UK arena tour, so it’s only fitting that EVERCLEAR too have emerged with their first new album in three years; “Black Is The New Black”. Despite numerous line-up changes, the rockers from Portland, Oregon, keep soldiering on courtesy of founding member / front man Art Alexakis…will 2015 see them return to platinum selling records? Let’s find out…

The album starts off with “Sugar Noise” and it’s a pretty straightforward riff-driven rock song, in subtle ways finding itself in between the likes of AUDIOSLAVE and THEORY OF A DEADMAN musically. The guitars sound decent and really drive the song forward but all in all its relatively standard stuff. “The Man Who Broke His Own Heart” is generally much slower in pace, taking a while to get going, chugging along for the most part, utilizing an incredibly simple chorus, it’s almost lazy to be honest, while tracks such as “Pretty Bomb”, “American Monster” and ironically “Anything Is Better Than This” in comparison stand out as highlights fairly easily, all notably livelier with some good rhythm behind them, but it’s not to say they can’t do subdued well too; closing track “Safe” is a delicately sombre affair with the emotional tones of the song suiting Art’s vocals very well, ending the album on a strong note.

What is clear here, is that Everclear is a project Alexakis cares greatly about, why else would he keep it going otherwise? Sadly however, his determination isn't necessarily a dead-cert for success. Sure there are some enjoyable tracks on offer here, but in the grand scheme of things it does sound somewhat dated and just a tad run of the mill. I’m afraid black is still the same old black. [6]

When Austrian performer CONCHITA WURST graced the stage at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, held in Copenhagen, Denmark…nobody knew what the hell to think. Was a bearded lady meant to be some sort of joke; a gimmick? Whatever it was…it worked, as Conchita (real name Thomas Neuwirth) went and won it with the track “Rise Like A Phoenix” almost unanimously. It created a stir among several right-wing states across Europe, as the portrayal of a drag artist being successful could be interpreted as pro-LGBT and was criticized to great extent…Conchita however cared not one bit and today, we see her release her debut album; “Conchita”. 12 point’s to Austria or the dreaded nil pois? Let’s find out….

The album starts off with recent single “You Are Unstoppable”; a classic inspired, pop power ballad with a bold, positive message to take control of your own destiny, to not be afraid of following your heart and it’s encouraging. It’s good to see her still on the fight for equality and acceptance of individuality which is her primary message. “Up For Air” is musically a more modern sounding track, the stripped back electronic/R’n’B elements to some extent, compliment Wursts voice well proving for another pleasant listen, aided by some impressive vocal notes to boot. The album picks up somewhat with highlights such as “Colours Of Your Love”, a brilliantly soulful track for the most part, combining the influences of LADY GAGA and CHER effortlessly, also that sitar solo…yes…sitar…and “Firestorm”, an almost 90’s sounding retro dance track which makes for an interesting listen. The album naturally also includes her winning Eurovision entry, thrown in for good measure but a year on the appeal has worn a little thin.

Whatever your views on Eurovision, it’s clear it’s provided Conchita with the perfect platform in which to kick start her career and in the twelve months that have passed since she won the hearts of the continent, she’s gone and gotten a pretty decent debut album recorded and produced. It’s not for everyone; the modern diva / classic pop sound is an acquired taste but there are some decent tracks here. Give it a listen…it’s not the Wurst thing you’ll hear this year….[6]

Since they hit the big time back in 2005 with that single…“Lips Of An Angel”, Oklahoma’s HINDER have enjoyed a relatively successful career over the past decade with their radio friendly soft-rock anthems, gold and platinum-selling records, huge tours with the likes of MOTLEY CRUE and NICKELBACK…they can only be applauded, however this is rock ‘n’ roll at the end of the day and nothing is ever plain sailing. In Hinder’s case, original vocalist Austin Winkler did a stint in rehab and eventually, parted ways with the band only to be replaced by one Marshall Dutton. Dutton’s first task; the new album “When The Smoke Clears” which came out just this month. Has the transition been a smooth one, or will this hinder Hinder???

The album kicks off with “Rather Hate Than Hurt” and really there’s not too much difference in the bands overall style despite the line-up change. It’s quite straightforward hard rock with a touch of grunge, with a nice little solo thrown in as well courtesy of Joe Garvey; it’s a decent opener. “Hit The Ground” sounds more familiar with its acoustic elements and blues tones. It lacks momentum but is generally a pleasant track, with yet another solo included, Garvey’s having fun on this record! On the subject of acoustic guitar, “If Only For Tonight” is a lovely little ballad complimented nicely with a sprinkling of piano, providing the album with mainstream accessibility.

At the other end of the spectrum, “Intoxicated” and album highlight “Dead To Me” bring the riffs with a slightly heavier delivery ensuring there’s something for everyone, diversifying the album just enough, while the rest of the tracks carry on as standard. If you’re unfamiliar with the band and are more of a casual rock fan, then this new album will probably resonate well with your tastes, it’s easy on the ears and accessible listening, and is in no way a bad place to start if you’re introducing yourself to Hinder, or even just fancy a spot of light rock. Fans of the band will probably be pleased they've not altered a great deal; Dutton slots in well and the set up works. The only real flaw this album has? The artwork…it’s horrendous. If you can get past that, you’re OK. [6]

Back in 2013, a fresh faced group of pop-punks by the name of MISS VINCENT dropped their debut EP; “Creepy”; a short burst of youthful energy that saw the 4-piece from the south east of England prove without a shadow of a doubt that, not all of the quality punk rock comes from the United States. The five tracks recorded showed great promise for the quartet (consisting of Alex Marshall on vocals / guitar, Lawrie Pattison on guitar and backing vocals, Jack Donnelly on drums and Owain Mainwaring on bass and backing vocals) so, with the release of their follow-up EP; “Reasons Not To Sleep”, expectations are somewhat high…forget sleep, is there reason enough to listen?

The EP starts with “DNR” and very soon we’re in familiar territory; it’s an up-beat track, its quick tempo by-numbers punk rock yet with a slight edge echoing the likes of ALKALINE TRIO lyrically, ever so slightly darker in content than your average punk-pop track and it’s a decent start. “Gradients Of Grey” and EP highlight “Shogun Queen” in particular maintain the EP’s overall feel, continuing to balance the fun, energetic aspects of the genre with the subtle tones of a more alternative. / emo-inspired artists such as early-day MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE at times, whereas slower tracks such as “Disparate, Desperate” show glimpses of progression creatively, departing from the typical formula the band generally exploit.

As a whole, there’s not too much of an evolution, musically, between the two EP’s…the band having merely tweaked one or two things here and there resulting in a bit of a double-edged sword. While it’s fine to see a band stick to what they know and love, honing their craft in many aspects, it can also be looked upon with a sense of stagnancy from a creative standpoint. There’s nothing generally wrong with this EP, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s more of the same and if you’re not keen on pop-punk, there’s nothing here that will change your perception of it. [6]

If we’re to cast aside “Tragic Illusion”; a bonus album of sorts, consisting of rarities and unreleased material, the last time we heard from PARADISE LOST proper was 2013’s acclaimed “Tragic Idol”, which saw the Yorkshire based goth-metal icons continue in a fine run of form having rediscovered their dismal, doom-laden past, embracing all that was dark and heavy about their early years and writing with a fresh lease of death. 2015 sees Nick Holmes and co return with a brand new album; “The Plague Within”; their 14th… let’s open her up…

We begin with “No Hope In Sight” and creatively at least it sets the tone of the record from the very start. It’s a bare minimum riff-laden affair of the bleakest nature…it’s slow, chugging tempo, coupled with Holmes’ mellower vocals allow for a mesmerizingly dreary listen; this is Paradise Lost as we know and love them…a great start. “Terminal” takes things up a notch with a more relentless approach. Drummer Adrian Erlandsson pummels away for the duration, really driving the song forward, whilst Holmes’ revisits vocals harking back to the days of “Gothic”, utilizing deep, demonic growls verging on black metal, they've really gone back to their roots here!

Single “Beneath Broken Earth” is a morbidly brooding number; the slow build, the overall haunting tone of the track and Greg Mackintosh’s chilling guitar playing result in nothing short of a masterclass in musical despair, whilst tracks like “Flesh From The Bone” and “Cry Out” relish in being more hard-rock in nature, particularly the latter, providing ample balance between melancholic and menacing, before we finish up with “Return To The Sun”, another example of a band knowing exactly how to play to their strengths. The track is drawn out and harks back to the days of “Draconian Times” in tone, proving the band still have it in them twenty five years on. All in all, regardless of your preferred genre within rock and metal, you cannot deny the longevity and staying power of Paradise Lost…sure their hopelessly depressing brand of gothic gloom isn’t for everyone, but you have to appreciate the quality and consistency of what they do, especially to produce albums of this quality, 14 albums down the line. “The Plague Within” is a fine return and may it spread far and wide... [8]

When THE DIRTY YOUTH dropped their debut album; “Red Light Fix” a few short years ago, it was a really raw, real rock ‘n’ roll record into which they gave everything they had…literally…everything. Vocalist Danni Monroe will tell you herself that, they went into the studio with the 10 songs on that album and nothing else, no plan B, no extensive list of potential tracks or ideas,  just self-belief and a sprinkle of hope that it would pay off, and boy did it just. In the years that followed, TDY have grown to become one of not only Wales’ but the UK’s brightest prospects, continuously gaining momentum with successful appearances at Download Festival, tours with KORN, THE RASMUS and FOZZY, winning over new fans each and every way they turned. 2015 sees them drop their hotly anticipated follow up; “Gold Dust”…was it worth the wait? Or, perhaps…is it worth its weight?

We kick things off with “I’m Not Listening To You” which has a gradual introduction, slowly rising in intensity before letting rip, unveiling the interesting inclusion of synthesizers, a new instrument in the bands arsenal showing growth and musical progression. It adds character to the bands already up-beat blend of pop-infused melodic rock, complimenting Monroe’s vocals nicely. There’s a slick guitar solo thrown in for good measure too, courtesy of Matt Bond, this is a great start. Lead single “Alive”, despite its slightly subdued intro is absolutely huge, Monroe allowed to really belt out the chorus with clear passion and she’s got one hell of a voice to do it with, there’s anthem written all over this one.

The bands penchant for dropping incredibly infectious tunes is proven without a doubt here on album number two; too, with tracks such as “Just Move On”, recent single “The One” (which has a bonkers video to boot) and album highlight “Bedroom Karate” all proving to be enjoyable listens, while elsewhere they get to showcase their softer side; with “Darkest Wedding” and especially “Holding On” carrying heaps of sentiment, Monroe’s lyrics putting all emotions proudly on display. With several high profile bands from Wales disappearing over the past year alone, “Gold Dust” is exactly what we needed and here it proves they have what it takes to step up and then some. The Dirty Youth aren't fool’s gold; they’re 24 carat…and lucky for us, they’re here to stay. [8]

Whether it’s a sign of the times, or simply a yearning for change, there are more bands and musicians these days ditching the typical song writing formula and thinking outside the box. Not so much within pop-music; that’s mainstream as standard, but the indie scene. The modern musicians with fresh, innovative ideas…are not just creating music, but pushing the boundaries of music as an art form itself. A prime example would be Brighton based duo NORDIC GIANTS. Consisting of permanent members Loki and Roka, the pair have just released a brand new album; “A Séance Of Dark Delusions” via KScope Records…a rich tapestry of musical indulgence if ever there was one…let’s check it out…

After a period of silence, the album eventually gets underway with “Elysian Skies”; a slightly hypnotic, lavish instrumental introduction, setting the tone on an almost theatrical scale. It’s easy to see why they've been described as cinematic by many, and before we know it, without realizing  we’re listening to “Evolve Or Perish”; the tracks blending into one, the continuation, musically, adding a degree of depth and storytelling with sound. To some extent it’s not unlike parts of “A Thousand Suns” by LINKIN PARK in places given its ambiance, also using quotations oppose to lyrical content….an interesting listen.

The first vocalist proper comes in the form of Beth Cannon on the track “Rapture”, who’s delicately sweet tones bounce off the bold, almost orchestral level of musicianship steering the album through each track, which can similarly be said about “Give Fight To The Imagination”. Vocalist Freyja this time, again, soft-spoken but with the track itself however being far mellower, while tracks such as “Illuminate” and “A Thousand Lost Dreams” keep up with the albums overall dramatic feel. It’s easy to dismiss records such as this as being pretentious, but in reality it’s refreshing to hear. Granted, it’s not the type of album you’ll pick up and play on a whim for entertainments sake, it’s something you’ll need to absorb and appreciate, and it’s fair to say it’s not for everyone; however, that doesn't automatically make this a bad album. Nordic Giants by name, cold and vast by nature…the séance is in session…please be seated. [6]

When we talk about specific genres or their related movements, we often associate them based on location. With regards to punk, we can go on about the UK’s contribution in the 1970’s, with THE CLASH and SEX PISTOLS helping change the face of music as we knew it, there’s the American market with the likes of California’s GREENDAY, BAD RELIGION and many, many others being hugely successful…but when was the last time Sweden got a mention? Well it’s getting one right now, because for over 20 years, MILLENCOLIN have been flying the flag for European punk rock and have enjoyed a more than respectable career since their formation in Örebro in 1992. This year see’s the Swedes release their eighth full-length studio album; “True Brew”… Bäst att smida medan järnet är varmt as they say…

We open up with “Egocentric Man” and it’s rich in it’s seemingly Bad Religion style influence, but with Nikola Sarcevic’s vocals notably gruffer in their delivery. It’s got a basic feel with its simple drum beat, really your typically standard punk track as a whole but not unpleasant. “Chameleon” follows up with a more up-beat energetic number; full of melody and with a great chorus, this is perfectly executed pop-punk and an early highlight. “Bring Me Home” gives you a full feel for the bands influences from skate culture, being big fans of the sport, it’s easy to imagine this, along with “Sense & Sensibility” being used by the likes of Ali Boulala in session videos, it’s got that whole Tony Hawk Pro Skater video game soundtrack feel to it and is very easy on the ears.

The rest of the album consists of short, sharp tracks that rarely surpass the three minute mark, characteristic of the genre, with “Perfection Is Boring” and “Something I Would Die For” in particular standing out as further album highlights, resulting in a consistently brief yet enjoyable album from start to finish. Millencolin will in all likelihood never reach the heady heights attained by Greenday’s “American Idiot”, but where they lack in major commercial success, they more than make up for it in the love for what they do. “True Brew” is to be appreciated simply for what it is, and what it is is a quality punk rock record, no more, no less, and really it’s all you need. Ingenting är nytt under solen [7]

Nu-metal; to some, it’s a stain on the timeline of heavy alternative music, shamefully cashing in on the rap/hip-hop culture of the 90’s…to others, it opened the doors to a whole new world of music, allowing fans to discover artists they’d otherwise never come across. Big names such as KORN and LIMP BIZKIT gaining commercial success for metal that hadn't been seen for years, paved the way in this new era of music, while others simply rode the waves of profitability. One band who never quite made it to the big time, despite their popularity, was COAL CHAMBER. With a charismatic front-man by the name of Dez Fafara, and a darker take on nu-metal with tracks such as “Fiend” and “Glow”, they had a more underground following in the grand scheme of things, before disbanding early into the new millennium. However, with nostalgia ripe, Dez has recently reformed the old band, taking a break from his duties with DEVILDRIVER, resulting in a brand new album; “Rivals”…let’s take a trip down memory lane…

We open up with the come-back single; ”I.O.U. Nothing” and immediately it’s as though they never went away. The familiar growls of Fafara sounding revitalized among the characteristically down-tuned guitar sound associated with the genre, as it was intended back in the day, and it’s a welcome return to form, which is also repeated in “Light In The Shadows”. Vocally it’s fair to say Fafara retains some of the elements of his heavier work with Devildriver but it only adds to the overall feel and intensity of the record; this is some strong material right here. “Suffer In Silence” features guest vocals from infamous MINISTRY front-man Al Jourgensen and together they combine to unleash an unforgiving, visceral onslaught, like a match made in hell if you will.

The title track, slotted half way through the album is a slow, sinister number really highlighting the heritage of the band, harking back to the early underground days of their career, while “Wait”, “Over My Head” and closing track “Empty Handed” maintain the overall brutality throughout the album as a whole, never letting up, proving CC to this day, despite being dormant for so long, are still a force to be reckoned with. The genre itself may be taken with a pinch of salt these days but many bands have proven their worth in the fallout. Coal Chamber may have been forgotten by many, or even unheard of by some younger fans, but the fact is this, they rock…hard…and Rivals? They have plenty, but can more than stand their ground. [7]