Opening proceedings is the goliath ‘Borehole’, composed of surging guitar arpeggios bolstered by the thunderous bass tone of Brian Cook and the commanding and precise drumming of Dave Turncrantz. The guitar melodies here feel almost lyrical, lending the track a near sing along quality. Lead single ‘Empath’ is one of the heaviest and downright claustrophobic tracks the band have ever produced. Opening with an eerie siren-like synth, Cook’s earth shattering bass soon crashes in, accompanied by a succession of filthy, monstrous riffs courtesy of guitarist Mike Sullivan. Reminiscent of 2016’s ‘Guidance’ heavier tracks, ‘Empath’ gradually gets more oppressive as the minutes pass, culminating in a whirlwind of airless weight that doesn’t let up until the final second. 

The grand and cinematic ‘Eluvial’ opens with addictive synth bleeps, with tension slowly building as layers of malevolent bass and reverb drench guitars are added, sounding like an ominous soundtrack to an epic, interstellar-set movie. With genuinely moving and melancholic melodies interwoven amongst the track’s heavier passages, the track feels like the album’s emotional core and stands as a true standout. ‘E2’ follows in similar fashion, but with a greater emphasis placed on the grooves and fills of Turncrantz, whose dry and punchy drumming once again perfectly drives the song forward. ‘Meridian’ is similarly propulsive, and features some of the album’s more melodic and celestial passages, as addictive synth melodies are bolstered by crunchy riffs and the ever present, pummelling bass lines of Cook.

There is some brief, light relief from the intensity in the form of the elegant, mournful acoustic ‘Arletta’, beautifully played on nylon string guitar, Ballou has captured the gentleness of this track with effective grace. However, after this short and sweet reprieve the heavy returns with swirling, crush of ‘Seventh Seal’. With its fast chugging riffs, chaotic synths and groove oriented drumming creating a vortex of disorientating, revolving heaviness, it’s an absolute beast of a closing track that serves as a reminder of just how huge Russian Circles sound at their heaviest.

Twenty years into their career, Russian Circles sound as fierce, forward thinking and heavy as ever. With ‘Nine’, they have once again produced an exceptional slice of post-metal that is distinctly their own. Intense, naturally heavy and with a fittingly organic production from Ballou, ‘Nine’ is a document of three musicians operating at their creative zenith, and further proof that Russian Circles are without doubt one of the best instrumental bands performing today.

ADAM FIRTH

The subject of war has always been fertile ground for metal bands and Maiden themselves are no stranger to this, with many of their most well known tracks taking inspiration from historical events such as the Crimean War (‘The Trooper’), World War II (‘Where Eagles Dare’, ‘Aces High’) and the cold war (‘2 Minutes To Midnight’) but with ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ the band would focus on these themes exclusively, resulting in an album that eschews the flag waving bombastic bluster of warfare and instead hones in on the grim human cost of war and the futility of combative violence itself.

A fertile writing period for the band, ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ was recorded quickly too, with many of the first unmastered takes making the final cut. Indeed, the decision to not master the album was something the band felt aligned with the organic nature of the writing and recording process, an approach befitting the album’s subject matter. But whilst the production may have been a bit more back to basics in approach, the songwriting certainly wasn’t. It’s a long album (just over 70 minutes) but none of the tracks outstay their welcome, every song feels well developed, thought out and assembled. Every band member is locked in too, with Dickinson in particular laying down some of the most impassioned vocals of his career, particular on the balladic ‘Out Of The Shadows’, anthemic ‘These Colours Don’t Run’ and hard rocking epic ‘The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg’. In the album’s heavier passages, the guitars feel crunchy and thick too, 

With the exception of the short and sweet singalong opener ‘Different World’, this is an album entirely comprised of songs ranging from five to nine minutes long, tracks that build slowly and have a much more of a progressive feel to them. The longer, drawn out nature of these compositions only adds to the heavy nature of the album’s themes, with some of the tracks feeling almost claustrophobic in their gloom. ‘The Longest Day’ (named after the 1962 John Wayne WWII epic) paints an understandably bleak picture of the Normandy landings, as Dickinson, in the song’s menacing verses laments “The enemy coast dawning grey with scud/These wretched souls, puking, shaking fear/To take a bullet for who sent them here”. This darkness prevails on the disarmingly anthemic ‘For The Greater Good Of God’, a song which questions religions’ role in war, as Dickinson’s soldier character pleads “Tell me now what life is/Tell me now what love is”. The bleak tone is carried throughout the entire album, right until the final lines of epic closer ‘The Legacy’ where the track’s narrator, speaking of the orchestrators of war, concedes “Do you think that they care? They benefit from death and pain and despair”. Though not a concept album,’ A Matter Of Life And Death’ is as close as the band have ever come to making one, so interlinked are the tracks and subject matter. The album’s artwork too is similarly bleak, with the familiar face of Eddie facing the viewer, astride a tank, gun aloft as an army of skeleton soldiers stagger towards us amongst a burnt, war torn, leaden skied landscape.

In a recent interview, Nikko McBrain proclaimed ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ to be his all time favourite Iron Maiden album (his drumming absolute shines throughout, bolstered by that unfussy production) and Bruce Dickinson has spoken nothing but fondly of it through the years. They chose to play it live in its entirety for a reason – these are songs the band believe in and are proud of. With fans, it still often remains somewhat of a polarising album, with its detractors finding the overall mood of the album too dour for their tastes especially in comparison to Maiden’s more tonally varied albums from the 1980s. What is without doubt however is that ‘A Matter Of Life And Death’ is a singular and standout album in an already teeming-with-quality back catalogue filled to the brim with classics. It’s the Iron Maiden album with the clearest vision and execution.

This is Maiden unfiltered, dark and focussed, a band nearly three decades into their career at the absolute peak of their songwriting powers. 

ADAM FIRTH

Mastodon of course are no strangers to making music overshadowed by death. 2009’s career defining ‘Crack The Skye’ saw drummer Brann Dallor confront the tragic suicide of his sister, while 2017’s ‘Emperor Of Sand’ was a loose concept album about the band’s individual experiences of dealing with cancer within their immediate families. Even the band’s most recent album, 2021’s ‘Hushed And Grim’, was recorded in the midst of them losing their longtime manager and friend Nick John. With this in mind, it will come as no surprise that ‘Marrow Deep’ is littered with odes and references to the late Hinds (his tattooed likeness can also be seen in the album’s spellbinding cover art) as well as the sad passing of Dailor’s Mother, who died during the writing of this album.

In quintessential Mastodon fashion, ‘Barbarian’s Blood’ opens the album in thunderous style as powerhouse drumming gives way to treacle thick, sludge-infused riffs, alongside bassist Troy Sander’s commanding howl. A shapeshifter of a track recalling both the Mastodon of new and old, the storming opener also features the first touches of proggy, atmospheric keyboard work from Nogueira, cementing his place in the band early on in the record. Immediately noticeable too is just how crisp and clear the band sound in the hands of producers Kurt Ballou and Patrick Berger. Dailor’s distinctive drum patterns have a little more space to breathe, whilst this is by far the most prominent Sander’s bass have ever sounded on record. ‘Poisonous Weapons’ is another absolute rager of a track and features a great solo from new boy Johnson, who instead of trying to replace the irreplaceable has clearly brought his own ideas to the Mastodon table. Likewise his lead guitar work on the ferocious ‘Out Like A Lamb’ is showstopping, demonstrating just what a perfect fit he is. Lead single ‘Your Ghost Again’ already feels like a Mastodon classic with Noguiera’s keyboards once again nudging the band in a proggier direction during instrumental passages, recalling ‘Sorceress’ and ‘Heritage’ era Opeth.

‘Marrow Deep’ gets really interesting, however, when it starts venturing into slightly more uncharted waters. The album’s moving centrepiece ‘In The Ruins’ is easily one of the best tracks of their career, featuring Hinds-esque, heartfelt vocals from Sanders, moving guitar work and a chorus that truly embeds itself in the mind. The trippy ‘The Vanishing’ is also a standout. Opening with a bass intro from the legendary Geezer Butler, it morphs into an emotive and psychedelic-tinged ballad complete with memorable, emotive arpeggios, gorgeous harmonised vocals and a glorious solo from Johnson. Speaking of guest features, Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe lends his almighty roar to the groove-infected and riff-filled ‘A Vampire’s Demeanour’, whilst Clutch’s Neil Fallon lends his unhinged vocals to the mind-bending trip of a closer ‘The Three Fates’. Here, we find the band fully embracing all things psychedelic, using the second half of the near eight-minute runtime to have one heavy blissed-out jam, complete with mesmerising keyboard and guitar solos.

In all, ‘Marrow Deep’ contains many elements you could easily attribute to Mastodon’s past albums, in particular ‘Blood Mountain’ and ‘Hushed And Grim’. But more importantly, this album represents a new incarnation of Mastodon; with Johnson and Nogueira on board, the band are confidently carving a new path and entering a new era of their career. ‘Marrow Deep’ is a passionate, intricate, raging, and at times poignant album that more than stands up to the band’s best work. 

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The title track opens the album in spectacular fashion as flickering guitar melodies are propelled along by energetic drums and a pulsating bass line, with the whole track feeling like it’s about to leave the runway and soar high above the clouds in a vast expanse of blue. It’s simultaneously life-affirming and bittersweet, the feeling of leaving something behind as you venture into uncharted territories. ‘Marmoris’ follows in similar fashion, with the graceful guitar melodies of chief songwriter Andie Gill and fellow six stringers Tom Hazelhurst and Chris Core intertwining to mesmerising effect. It’s hard to avoid the flying metaphors with an album called ‘Takeoffs & Landings”, but the songs here are filled with such soaring movement and wonder that the feeling of propelling motion is ever present. Indeed, in the album’s quieter passages, there is a sense that even when time appears to stand still, life subtly moves ever forward, like on the spacious and stirring ‘From This Summit We Can See The Heavens’, which conjures a twinkling tapestry as enormous as a starlit sky. Likewise, the epic grandeur of ‘You Are My Temple’ manages to sound both tender and colossal as subdued passages give way to galaxy-sized melodies and riffs that pack serious heft.

Elsewhere the breathtaking beauty of the second half of ‘When Suddenly…” is the most heartrending music the band have penned thus far, as plaintive pianos give way to charging drums, melancholic synths and an epic choral-like zenith that carries the listener up into the warm glow of the heavens. The affecting ‘I Hope That Road Leads You Somewhere Beautiful, Somewhere You Belong’ is another highlight. It’s a deeply personal track, penned following the tragic death of Gill’s partner Roisin in early 2025 during a time of intense grief. The song is also a beacon of light, a memorial of sorts and a reminder that those we lose shine on in the light they leave behind. The shimmering guitar melodies are heartbreakingly delicate, buoyed by sensitive synths and delicate drum patterns, adding to the track’s fragile, beguiling nature.

Huge credit goes also to producer Joe Clayton, who manages to capture the band’s full splendour in dazzling aural technicolour. The band themselves have admitted to wanting a richer sound for this album, to make use of the possibilities that the studio can provide, with synths and double tracked guitars creating a more intricate sound than we’ve heard from them before. This also is what lends the music its more cinematic feel, with Clayton making even the smallest detail visible within the radiant panorama. With ‘Takeoffs & Landings’, Din Of Celestial Birds has documented the adventures and personal odysseys that they’ve traversed over the past few years, and have entrusted us to accompany them too. But more generously, with these mesmerising songs, they’ve provided a soundtrack we can apply to our own lives; music that we can take into our hearts, to be a source of comfort in our own journeys too. 

ADAM FIRTH

Opening with the horn drenched, spoken word ‘Overture’, the album blasts out of the gates in earnest with the charging, catchy ‘Eat For Peace’, as frontman Julian Pratt implores “Radical love compels me to fight”, a lyric that perfectly embodies the album’s message of standing together in times of darkness, both politically and on a more personal, immediate level. Much like the music, the words are direct and hit hard with Pratt’s no frills delivery. “I try to be a man about it, what the fuck even that mean” ponders Pratt on the plaintive, restrained ‘See You Again’, a song dealing with personal bereavement. “No grave or cemetery will keep you from me” he further implores, over melancholic banjo and deep bass groove.

In an album with no dull moments, ‘Dance In The USA’ is a standout. A bass heavy, danceable rage fuelled tirade against the capitalist hellscape of modern low-wage America. “It’s a fool’s game but I ain’t gonna lose… dance to the minimum wage” screams Pratt over gritty bass, choppy guitar licks and a funk induced beat. Similarly, the closing title track is an absolute juggernaut of sound as crushing bass, irresistible grooves and heavily distorted riffs underpin some of Pratt’s most heartfelt vocals to date. The dry, unfussy yet clear production only adds to the album’s direct nature too, with Pratt’s standout voice cutting clearly through the punchy music.  

‘Alone Together’ is an album for our times, a hard hitting response to the turmoil in the modern western world, a reminder of the power of unity within our culture, of standing together and supporting one another, a true tenet of hardcore culture. It’s also the most direct and focused the band have sounded thus far, a collection of songs that will undoubtedly translate perfectly to the live setting. The spirit of hardcore is alive and well.

ADAM FIRTH

Twenty years later and a followup finally arrives. Written by Walker throughout the course of 2025, a time in his life that he describes as “transformative”, the five songs here were destined to form the next chapter for Warning. And what songs they are too. Two decades may have passed, but Walker’s voice sounds as flawless as ever, and his songwriting prowess and heartrending lyrics still elevate Warning far above their peers. 

Opening with the near 13-minute epic title track, we’re in familiar and powerful Warning territory. Atmospheric and haunting, ‘Rituals Of Shame’ unfolds slowly as sensitively played melancholic arpeggios ring out over restrained drums and rumbling bass, the perfect foil for Walker’s devastating vocals, which here soar higher than ever. Lead single ‘Stations’ is similarly affecting, with mournful melodies that are achingly breathtaking and disarmingly catchy.

Whilst doom can often feel claustrophobic in its musical heft, Warning’s approach always feels more spacious. The music here is given room to move and the result is a feeling that has something of a cinematic quality.  Walker’s strength is creating music that has emphasis on creating memorable melodies within the more progressive song structures, like on the sorrowful and slow-moving ‘Landing Lights’ or the aforementioned ‘Stations’. The closing track ‘Teacher’ is equally poignant, featuring some of Walker’s most stirring vocals to date as he yearns, professing “I can’t see beyond you and I can’t count to the ways I love you” over the song’s closing refrain. 

‘Rituals Of Shame’ was recorded in a 140-year-old former church, a fact which only adds to the album’s subtle gothic leanings. Walker has noted prog rock masters Marillion as influences , but one can also detect hints of Jethro Tull and early Black Sabbath, particularly in Walker’s vocal inflections and the overall mood the music conjures. Much like these bands, Warning’s music feels peculiarly English in its sorrowful, folk-like melodies. It’s also the breadth of feeling Warning are able to embody in their music that sets them apart. To the uninitiated, doom can often come across as simply “depressing” or “miserable”, but here Walker mines a deeper and more nuanced emotional well; this is music imbedded with grief, longing and regret; feelings that come with age and a life lived.

‘Watching From A Distance’ was always going to be a difficult album to follow, but Warning have succeeded by producing a record that is comfortably its equal. The twenty year wait was worth it. Poignant, evocative, and at times bleak but always crushingly beautiful, ‘Rituals Of Shame’ is destined to be another hallmark for the doom genre and become one of the most revered albums released this year.

ADAM FIRTH

From the moment opening face-melter ‘One By One’ unleashes its fury, ‘Armour Of Angels’ is an unrelenting assault of ferocity and show-stopping musical technicality. The guitar work by Jak Madden and Sam Baker is heartstopping throughout the entire album, as intricate and tightly played chugging riffs are interspersed with effective sprinkles of harmonics and death metal like squealing solos, as heard on the ripping brutality of ‘Suffer Me’ and the melodically rich ‘Blood Atonement’. The band’s first album since signing to Roadrunner Records, ‘Armour Of Angels’ is notable for hearing Guilt Trip’s nu-metal influences peak through too, like on the Korn-esque spooky cleans of ‘Veins’ and the raging, groove-ridden ‘Resurrected’, which features a guest spot from Sonny Sandoval, frontman for genre veterans P.O.D. These touches only serve to enhance the band’s sound, lending them their own unique identity, standing out in what can often feel like a crowded field. 

As well as a stronger focus on technical playing this time around, ‘Armour Of Angels’ also finds vocalist Jay Valentine venturing further out of his comfort zone, with more clean singing featured here than on any other Guilt Trip release. Always a divisive decision, the use of cleans only serves to lend the album a richer emotional palate, like on the catchy single ‘Dirt’ and the aforementioned experimental stylings of ‘Veins’. These are used sparingly and effectively, whilst his harsh shouts sound more commanding than ever before. Noteworthy too is the faultless work by drummer Tom Aimson and bassist Lily Kilcoyne, who hold down the low-end with flawless efficiency, demonstrated on the infectious grooves of ‘No Love Lost’, ‘Burn’ and epic closer ‘The Banner Of Heaven’. 

The production on ‘Armour Of Angels’ is a highlight too; crisp and clean without feeling sterile, everything shines a touch brighter than it did on 2023’s ‘Severance’, doing so without losing any of the band’s raw energy or hardcore integrity.

So whilst ‘Armour Of Angels’ doesn’t necessarily rewrite the band’s sound, it certainly sees them elevate it to jaw dropping new heights and delivers the strongest, most mature and technically proficient set of songs Guilt Trip have released to date. Very much all killer no filler, be prepared to see ‘Armour Of Angels’ on many 2026 Album Of The Year lists.

ADAM FIRTH

‘No Place Of Warmth’’s epic opening title track is ominous. Its ’80s horror movie synths give way to a gigantic riff, bolstered by the band’s pummelling rhythm section of drummer Matt Dennard and bassist Samantha Mobley. Notable too is the surprising guest feature of My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, who lends some eerie shriek-filled vocals to the title track’s final minutes. A subtle addition to the track, Way offers an even greater malevolent edge as he seethes “This is not your place of warmth, you will find no peace” over the track’s brutal chugging. Here, and indeed throughout the entire album, the drums and vocals are pushed to the fore, making for a direct, dry and punchy style of death metal. Meanwhile, sparing but effective melodic flushes from guitarists Michael Munday and Chris Bonner lend a somewhat melodic feel to proceedings, as their impressive leads on ‘Eyes Of Despair’ and ‘Ethereal Dreams’ demonstrate. 

What’s apparent as the album progresses is just how huge the band sound. On the earsplitting ‘Invoke War’, the thunderous stomp of ‘Frost Forged’ and towering riffage of ‘DEATHWEAVER’, they sound positively colossal – this is death metal in all its widescreen glory, invoking the fantasy-filled, evil-tinged imagery of the band’s album covers. The bass-heavy chugging filth of ‘Dreadnought’ features the guttural tones of Sanguisugabogg’s Devin Swank. They plunge the band to ever darker depths, whilst the Carcass recalling, catchy-as-hell and gloriously titled ‘Killin’ Time (Until It’s Time To Kill)’ closes the album in neck-breaking style. The result is an album bookended by its two most immediately hook-laden tracks. 

It’s hard to avoid words like “frostbitten”,“ice-cold” and “glacial” when talking about Frozen Soul’s sound, but the band’s no-frills, stripped down and savage approach to death metal lends itself well to these descriptors. The riffs are razor sharp, the low-end is aggressively punchy and you can practically see the steam emitting from Green’s mouth as his monstrous roars echo over the barren and vast, sub-zero landscapes the band so effectively evoke. Despite being only three albums into their career, Frozen Soul are beginning to sound like genre veterans themselves, such is the strength of the band’s songwriting, self-assured identity and singular vision. With a focus on making killer, riff-filled, savage headbangers propelled by the instantly recognisable gargantuan roar of frontman Green, ‘No Place Of Warmth’ is the band’s most affecting, cohesive and monstrous release to date.

ADAM FIRTH

Opening with the spooky licks and tight grooves of all-too-short instrumental ‘Backstabber’, the album launches proper with the pulsating, twisted ‘Human Terror’. The filthiest bass tone you’ll hear this year paves way for a twirling, hypnotic nu-metalesque guitar riff before Matt King’s ferocious snarl takes centre stage. Bolstered further by a hip-hop flavoured groove courtesy of powerhouse sticksman James Beveridge, ‘Human Terror’ is disarmingly catchy, and sets the murky, unnerving tone for what lies ahead.

‘Heaven’s Gate’, finds the band in more familiar Portrayal Of Guilt territory (if there is such a thing), with a lo-fi, claustrophobic feel to the barrage of guitar and frantic blast beats. Similarly, ‘Under Siege’ is an all out assault on the senses, as caustic and raw as Portrayal Of Guilt get, with an undercurrent of industrial elements creeping in. The dirt ridden bass tone returns on the dancy ‘Ecstasy’, a creepy and unnervingly catchy little number that sounds like a death metal spin on the 90s trip-hop inspired output of Beck. 

Elsewhere, the band dial up the evil and nasty even further. ‘God Will Never Hear Me’ is one of the bleakest pieces of music the band have recorded. A waking nightmare set to music, a discordant riff rings out over a threatening pulsating bass, bringing to mind ‘The Fragile’ era Nine Inch Nails with its swirling malevolent riffs and threatening vocal passages. Similarly the threatening aura of ‘Object Of Pain’, carves a similar path that Crippling Alcoholism did last year on ‘Camgirl’, as post-punk inspired riffs, industrial noise and sinister vocals are propelled along on by an addictive laidback beat and air of unease.

King gets to flex his guitar chops and vocal prowess even further on the choppy and savage ‘Total Black’, whilst ‘Chamber of Misery Pt. IV’ finds the band embracing the hip-hop influences further with a guest spot from Slim Guerilla. Closing the record is the brutal, Primitive Man-recalling oppression of ‘The Last Judgement’; a colossal, pummelling track that ends with King’s most visceral and blood curdling scream echoing out over the album’s final moments. 

With ‘…The Beginning Of The End’, Portrayal of Guilt have created their most accessible, diverse and darkest set of songs to date. A band that have always carved their own path, by embracing more melodic, but no less dark, elements into their sound the Austin trio have managed to paint a more nuanced picture with varying shades of black. Bleak yet catchy, oppressive yet danceable, varied yet cohesive ‘…The Beginning Of The End’ is Portrayal Of Guilt’s most sophisticated and immersive album to date, and one of the most rewarding listens you’ll hear this year.

ADAM FIRTH