Dangerkids - 'Things Could Be Different'

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It's been a long time coming for Dangerkids, but a new chapter has arrived. After their success in their 2013 debut Collapse, they're ready to take the post-hardcore world by storm again.

The first single from their new record 'Things Could Be Different' shows an evolution for the band, still clinging to its roots but adding a new vibe to their existing sound. The song begins dramatically, electronics pounding under the lo-fi vocals before powerful guitar punches bring the song to its powerful first verse. The song rings with a certain urgency, ringing all the way to the end, where it all combines into one conglomerate of apocalyptic elements.

What 'Things Could Be Different' shows is that Dangerkids has gone a long way from their original sound. What was once an homage to Linkin Park paired with a wandering sense of loneliness has become something more serious; Dangerkids' sound is its own monster, full of power and a mature purpose. This track isn't about loneliness; if anything, it's a testament to loneliness. It bashes those with massive egos and encourages originality, evident in the chorus which angrily chants "If you’re sick of all the lies, let me tell you the truth: / Nobody wants to be you."

Dangerkids continues to be the fresh sound in the post-hardcore scene. 'Things Could Be Different' is a massive departure from the safe, inviting sounds of Collapse and treads into something more daring and purposeful. It's been a long three years since their debut, and it seems their sophomore album is ready to take the world by storm once again.

Rating: 90 / 100

Avenged Sevenfold - The Stage

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Metal and theatric grandiose always blend well together - Avenged Sevenfold are the band to bring the two together with flying colors without fail. Their surprise seventh record The Stage progresses their giant sound even further. 

It's been a long few years for the band since the release of Hail To The King in 2013. The Stage is the band's first record with drummer Brooks Wackerman following the departure of their drummer since Nightmare, Arin Ilejay. The band also changed record labels, with The Stage being their first on Capitol. It's a confusing and impactful time for the band, and it'd probably be best to take things slowly and test the waters.

Nope. Avenged Sevenfold have done quite the opposite; The Stage borders progressive metal, songs featuring complex structures and multiple sections, the majority of the tracks on the record clocking in at over five minutes long. It's the band's longest record to date, beating out City Of Evil by a minute. There was surely uncertainty in the creation and risk of the record, but Avenged Sevenfold burst into it confidently and succeeded with flying colors. 

The record does, however, get off to a bit of a bumpy start. The title track 'The Stage,' also the album's lead single, kicks off the record, and if you read our review of the track, you could probably tell that I was not a fan. I'm not quite certain what it is; whether it's the lack of a clichéd music video accompanying it or the context of the record, the track certainly sounds like less of a trainwreck as it did upon my first impressions. That doesn't mean it's a standout; it's more like a mild derailment. There's a lot of things going on with the song, and it doesn't play towards the benefit of it. Wackerman doesn't make a great first impression on this track - and that's not his fault. It's the fault of whoever mixed and produced the drums on this track. There's never been a deader or messier kick drum sound than what you hear in the intro of the song behind the tapping guitar. The lyrics are just plain embarrassing, too; how can "Jesus Christ was born to die / Leave it to man to levitate his own to idolize / We’re simply sociopaths with no communication baby / I see your angle but we differ from our points of view" be acceptable in any song? The melody is still tacky and the parts don't really feel cohesive. It sets the foundations of what the record will introduce later on, but the song itself doesn't cut it.

The album only gets better from there; in fact, it gets better and better as it progresses. 'Paradigm' kicks in with immediately more impressive (and better produced) drumming and a powerful guitar riff, the verse furthering this as the guitar imitates the drums and M. Shadows escapes his shaky melodies from the former track and returns to his signature vocalizations, complete with an epic scream to really bring the entire song together.

Big riffs are a key element of any A7X record, and The Stage is no exception - in fact, it may have set a whole new standard. Creepy, dark powerchords dance with the thick rhythm guitars in the intro of 'Sunny Disposition' before the pounding drums drive the song through the chugging guitars and classic A7X melody. The song ends rather rawly, a peaceful and mysterious guitar line falls in line with an equally pretty bassline to end it all off. 'Creating God' also has a powerful riff, though pretty simple. It's just ascending powerchords, but there's something in the way it imitates a big bass synth line that makes it sound a bit robotic and all the more powerful. 

Electronics make a surprising debut as a key part of some songs on The Stage. Though there aren't any songs that fully blend the line between electronica and metal on the record, there's some toying around with the idea. 'Fermi Paradox' is the last place you'll expect to hear synths, its thrashing intro leading into powerful verses. You then meet the bridge of the song, synthy electronic keyboards supporting an amazing bluesy solo from Synyster Gates that shifts the mood of the song to something more retrospective. After one final verse, the soloing returns and brings the song to its end.

The album is closed by the fifteen minute progressive rock epic 'Exist.' It begins right away with arpeggiating synths and the same beautiful orchestral elements that build the previous track 'Roman Sky' and its tragic drama. 'Exist' is a sort of summation of the record - it's almost like the polar opposite of 'The Stage' - 'Exist' is a showcase of the mastery of every single element introduced on the record, while 'The Stage' hides in the shadows as an uncertain projection of what they wanted to sound like. The phenomenal, dramatic intro blasts straight into a thrashing mix of pounding drums and dual sweeping guitars. The song then bursts sporadically into both heavy and thick riffs until it hits its halfway mark, where the distorted riffs are replaced by another great, bluesy solo before clean guitar reminiscent of Radiohead's 'Electioneering' come into play and the first vocals of the song are sung. Shadows sings in a pained tone, "Our truth is painted across the sky / In our reflection we learn to fly," profound lyrics that emulate the searching adventure of the track. 'Exist' is a journey through space in search of an escape from the tragedies of Earth and to find a place for a chance at redemption; somewhere to start anew, unbound by any burdens of the past.

The Stage is a monster of a record. It may take a bit to get it up and roaring, but when it does, it takes metal to an epic level. Avenged Sevenfold hit it big with this album - it's by far one of their most introspective and honest ones to date. Despite all of the brooding changes and pressure on them, they burst into this new frontier with confidence and took it over and made it their own. The Stage is a successful experiment, though not free of imperfection - if it was, how would the next record be able to top it? Because if this is the direction they take, it certainly will.

Favorite Tracks: Exist, Roman Sky, Creating God, Angels

Least Favorite Track: The Stage

Rating: 87 / 100

Alter Bridge - The Last Hero

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Alternative metal's most mainstream heroes are back with another record. Alter Bridge's fifth record The Last Hero attempts to make their sound even bigger and evil while still delivering its relevant political agenda.

The first thing about this record is its message. With the 2016 election dividing Americans so vastly and many caught in between the two candidates, there's a lack of trust in both of the candidates. The album's title is derived from that similar concept: "the last hero" being a hero in society amongst feelings of disillusionment amongst the world's current powers. So, Bernie?

Jokes aside, the album does definitely make a strong stance on the matter. It's heavy riffs and soaring vocals really provide an urgent view on the scenario. The first song on the record 'Show Me A Leader' is a good example, a creepy, semi-clean guitar intro leading into big riffs from Mark Tremonti and giant vocals from Myles Kennedy. The album's strength lies in these two things. There's really nothing beyond the big riffs and big vocals - 'The Writings On The Wall' follows up with much the same vibe as the song that preceded it, while 'The Other Side' sounds distinctly more evil and brooding, complete with a weird siren-sounding guitar effect.

Things start getting old by the time 'Poison In Your Veins' comes around, but the big riffs keep them from being fully boring. The album isn't completely riddled with these thick riffs, luckily. Some distinctly non-evil sounding songs add to the album's palette, like the uplifting 'My Champion' and the interesting guitars of 'Cradle To The Grave'.

The album does, admittedly, get interesting in its second half. It begins with the ballad 'You Will Be Remembered', starting acoustic then building up into a sweet, uplifting rock track. 'Crows On A Wire' follows up with crazy, thick riffs that take the track to nearly off-kilter thrash levels. The band then sounds like a metal version of U2 in 'Twilight', bright guitars above heavier rhythm. Then comes the epic 'Island Of Fools', starting with a dramatic guitar intro that leads into an awesome and confident track with immense vocals. The title track is one of the only tracks where the drumming from Scott Phillips can be appreciated for being interesting. The big riffs and nice bridge allow for another big moment before 'Last Of Our Kind' ends the album on a similarly big note.

The biggest disconnect, for me, at least, is the vocals. Kennedy definitely has a lot of strength and power as a vocalist, but there's something in how operatic and dramatic his voice is that makes it sound like he's a hair metal wannabe. There are moments on the record where it works well, but it just doesn't work for me as a whole. More specifically on the music itself, it just downright sounds like the band tried way too hard to sound bombastic and relevant. The formula of "we'll grab your attention with these big riffs in between vocals" is prevalent throughout the album. They took relevance over quality.

Alter Bridge is the bridge between modern metal and 80's hair metal. Sometimes that doesn't always work in their favor, though. The Last Hero is plagued by the divide between grandiose and relevancy in a way that would make Muse's The Resistance jealous. There's too much punch, not enough value. They're doing what they do best, but perhaps not to the best of their ability.

Favorite Tracks: Island Of Fools, The Side Of Fate, The Last Hero

Least Favorite Tracks: Poison In Your Veins, Cradle To The Grave

Rating: 68 / 100

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

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The turn of the century marked big changes for the world, and for music. Evolution occurred right from the start, yet nu-metal was carrying over from the 90s to truly dominate the first few years of the 2000s. The most prolific band from that era was Linkin Park their brand of nu-metal fused with elements of electronica and hip-hop made Hybrid Theory one of the most important records of the 2000s, and, by extension, all time.

Hybrid Theory changed more than just music - it changed lives. From the angst ridden rebellion of the brutal bridge of 'One Step Closer' to the personal, scared feeling of 'Crawling', Linkin Park hit people in more ways than most were doing at the time. Most people will put it off as just another angsty album of that era, but they miss so much more. From start to finish, this album made its mark in history and in many people's hearts.

1) Papercut: Fans of the band will always cherish the opening drum beat and distorted synth in their hearts. Whether it be from the live scene or just a casual listen, the beginning of the song is perhaps as iconic as the album itself. Mike Shinoda's verses are riddled with paranoia as random harmonies and voices punch in and out in all directions, the thick, drop-tuned guitars providing dynamic throughout its play time. The band's elements all come together in the epic conclusion, Joe Hahn's scratches adding extra percussion on top of Chester Bennington's harmonious croons of "The sun goes down, I feel the light betray me" lines as he sings with the stronger chorus, concluding the song with one big "I can't stop what I'm feeling within / It's like the face inside is right / Beneath my skin!" 'Papercut' is a huge Linkin Park track and it's held in the hearts of the band's fans for a good reason - for many, it was the first track they would hear from the band as they edged into an album that would stay with them forever, unbeknownst to them. That's what makes "Papercut" the true introduction to Linkin Park. (96 / 100)

2) One Step Closer: The opening riff of the song is perhaps one of the most iconic riffs of the era, perhaps even as significant as Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' or Guns N' Roses' 'Sweet Child O' Mine'. Equally as iconic is the bridge of the song, the rebellious, yet all too relatable, unrelenting screams of Bennington's "Shut up when I'm talking to you!" This song is what really got into people's hearts - the early 2000s was a period of confusion for a lot of lost and angry teens. The song's anger gave them a funnel for their inner feelings, and as did much of the rest of the album. What makes this record all the more timeless is the fact that even today, the same anger is what countless people - including pubescent teens and adults alike - struggle with, and Linkin Park has always been able to provide a way to channel that. 'One Step Closer' was only one of the first examples of this. (92 / 100)

3) With You: "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Hahn!" The famous quote from live performances of this song made it one of the most memorable parts of the band's energy-filled live shows (shoutout LPLive!). While lacking the brutal "Come on!" scream from the intro of its Reanimation counterpart and live performances, 'With You' is still packed full of energy. It's this song that really brings out the elements of the band that weren't as obvious on previous tracks. The atmospheric, electronic verse flow sweetly under Shinoda's unstoppable flow and a hip-hop beat, transitioning perfectly into the heavy choruses with Bennington's raspy vocals. The song also highlights Mr. Hahn's contributions to the band (which have been sparse as of late) - his scratches may not be noticeable without focussing on them, but their purpose in carrying the percussion is perhaps just as important as the drums themselves. 'With You' is the perfect example of the band's electronica influences, as well as their talent in creating mind-boggingly amazing instrumentals. (98 / 100)

4) Point Of Authority: Anyone who has heard this song can never forget Shinoda's opening verse. It's one of the songs on the album that features the last rapping, though ironically enough it contains one of the most recognizable verses on the record. There's something threatening in Shinoda's "Forfeit the game" delivery, and it's a threat that sticks with you. Bennington also delivers a memorable appearance - really listening to the choruses, you can hear a lot of depth in his half-screamed vocal. The texture and melody of his voice atop the thick beat truly create a certain power that can't be easily recreated. (96 / 100)

5) Crawling: "Crawling" is the song that won the band a GRAMMY award, and for good reason. It's composition in dark but melodic, beautiful yet full of alertness. It's the first in the band's line of singles that features an iconic synth-key intro ('Numb', 'Burn It Down', 'Until It's Gone' are also examples) as other synths start kicking in and the higher register powerchords that provide a reprieve from the thick lower-register guitars that dominated the album until this point. Chester's delivery of the chorus really made it clear that his voice was something different. The perfect amount of rasp combines with the perfect amount of melody and power to create something unique and epic. The song's premise resonated with thousands, if not millions, again playing to the fact that Linkin Park are able to relate to you no matter what the case. As easy as it is to make "Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal" the subject of a meme, its those simple lines that could really make a difference for some, and that it did. (94 / 100)

6) Runaway: The song leads in with a watery synth and lo-fi guitar before bursting into a heavy bombardment. The song is admittedly one of the weaker songs on the record, but it still serves its purpose. The verses feature Chester singing melodically over the keyboard synths before his raspiness is channeled for the choruses. The bridge explodes with thick guitars and Chester's strong voice screams high above them. The song doesn't have much more to it, but many could identify with its title alone. The frustration of the recording of this track led to the creation of 'One Step Closer', so we have that to thank it for, if for nothing else, at least. (83 / 100)

7) By Myself: Perhaps more iconic than the grumbling intro riff itself is the staple 2003 live intro the band used during the touring for Meteora. 'By Myself' is characterized by its ominous synth verse instrumentals with Shinoda's rapping sounding paranoid and anger and Bennington's screams acting as precursors to the melodic "I can't hold on, it's all too much to take in... with thoughts of failure sinking in" lyrics of the choruses. The bridge creates a quiet tension with Shinoda's threatening whispers before the song kicks back in full force for one final hurrah. 'By Myself' showcases both the melodic and heavy aspects of the band in a similar yet familiar fashion as 'With You' - these elements coming to into fruition together are a signature part of what makes Linkin Park's sound so great. (95 / 1000)

8) In The End: This song needs to introduction or explanation. Everyone has heard 'In The End'. Whether they have learned the simple yet effective key intro to the song or use the chorus as a joke, 'In The End' is a universally known track. It's the song that put the band on the map, and for good reason. It opened up the band's sound to a poppier audience that wouldn't agree with the anger of 'One Step Closer', 'In The End' instead telling the tale of tragic love or struggle. The seamless flow of Shinoda in the verses as he and Bennington trade off to the chorus made this song an iconic track, and a prime example or rap rock. The song's beauty is magnified by the guitar harmonics used in the choruses thanks to Brad Delson; the blend of pretty and heavy really play to the tragedy of Chester's lyrics and voice. 'In The End', as many times as you've heard it before, is ultimately a big classic tune. (95 / 100)

9) A Place For My Head: If you're a fan of Linkin Park, you're a fan of 'A Place For My Head'. The song reigns as a massive fan-favorite in the live scene and is one of the band's signature jams. The Middle-Eastern tinged guitar riff that backs Shinoda's blasting lyrics in the verses ("I watch how the moon sits in the sky in the dark night / Shining with the light from the sun / The sun doesn't give light to the moon assuming / The moon's going to owe it one / It makes me think of how you act to me / You do favors and then rapidly / You just turn around and start asking me about things that you want back from me"). The chorus reigns huge with crushing guitars that support Chester's powerful voice above it, singing melodically. The bridge is where things get intense: Chester painfully whispers "You try to take the best of me, go away" as his anger builds before he explodes into a massive outburst of rage. The chorus reprises itself once more before the giant outro begins, featuring the band giving their all to end the song on an unforgettably massive ending. 'A Place For My Head' to this day remains one of the band's biggest tracks (even with the heavy tunes introduced in the band's latest The Hunting Party), and it has not lost its luster at all in the last sixteen years. (99 / 100)

10) Forgotten: There's no build up to this one - the threat of Linkin Park's dynamic duo of Bennington and Shinoda open to the track in a trade off before the verse kicks in. Shinoda tells a story of loneliness in his rapping, perhaps one of the earliest indications of Fort Minor without an exaggeration of hip-hop elements. The song's guitars are really interesting, changing throughout the entire track. There's the main opening riff that's reprised throughout the song, the peaceful, flowing guitar lines of the verses, and the melodic, almost groovy powerchords of the chorus. 'Forgotten' is an acquired taste on the album, but once you invite its charm to your mind you come to truly appreciate it. (92 / 100)

11) Cure For The Itch: The album's instrumental that gives Mr. Hahn a chance to shine. It showcases his scratching and sampling techniques, but there's really not much else to it. It's nice to see the album's most understated element get a chance to shine all on its own, but it just doesn't do it for me. The song builds with strings and the occasional Eastern-tinged piano line as drum samples and scratches see it through. Never underestimate Mr. Hahn. (60 / 100)

12) Pushing Me Away: 'Pushing Me Away' is a ballad more in the vein of 'Crawling' than any other track, just in a prettier fashion. The guitar harmonics in the intro and verses are beautiful atop the electronic synth, and eventually the driven beat, give the song its character. It's not as heavy and unrelenting as many of the other tracks - like 'In The End', it sees peace in the verses then becomes bigger in the choruses. Chester's vocals sound pained and abused as he sings about being sacrificing everything for someone for it all to be taken for granted. The powerchords go higher up the guitar neck than much of the rest of the album, contrasting the thick rhythm guitar, ending the album on a different note than it began with 'Papercut'. 'Pushing Me Away' isn't about the heaviness; it highlights the band's songwriting abilities that may have been overlooked in other tracks. The album couldn't have ended in a more appropriate way (unless 'High Voltage' was kept on the backend - though 'Pushing' may still be the best way spiritually to end the record). (96 / 100)

Hybrid Theory was the album of a generation. Nothing quite like it had ever been done before - it seamlessly blended nu-metal, alternative rock, and electronic music all into one succinct sound. To this day, there are still bands who try to emulate the mastery of noise Linkin Park created on Hybrid Theory and still can't quite get there. This is an album that shaped music forever, setting it on a different courses and really brought metal to a more accessible scene. Its anger, pain, and fear gave countless people something to hold onto in times of confusion, and it has the same impact today that it did when it was released nearly sixteen years ago. Hybrid Theory is perhaps to most influential debut album to ever be released, and its importance will never be forgotten, because it will forever have a place in our hearts.

Favorite Tracks: A Place For My Head, With You, Papercut, Points Of Authority

Least Favorite Tracks: Cure For The Itch, Runaway

Rating: 95 / 100

Various Artists - Rock Sound Presents: The Black Parade

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The Black Parade defined not only an era, but a generation. It was part of everyone's soundtrack in the mid-2000s, whether it was the heartwrenching piano chords of 'Cancer' or the iconic piano intro of 'Welcome To The Black Parade'. It was revolutionary, powerful, and generally one hell of an album.

Its been ten years since it was released. With its tenth anniversary just a month away, The Black Parade memorabilia is coming through. Next week, My Chemical Romance will be releasing a double LP: The Black Parade / Living With Ghosts, featuring the album on one side and demos from the era on another. This week comes in the form of a dedication album. Rock Sound has brought together a number of big artists to cover songs from The Black Parade. It's a cool project, but not everything is as good as it may seem...

1) One OK Rock - The End.: Starting off fresh is perhaps one of Japan's most well established rock bands, One OK Rock with the opening track, 'The End.' It's a pretty great cover as an opener, but also a bit misleading. The song has great little subtle differences hidden in between the more notable ones. The song's performance adds electronic elements in between the cleaner moments, the contrast between the soft and heavy moments becoming that much greater. What's misleading is how original and good the cover is: having it at the start makes you think some new interpretations of these classic songs are coming, not completely changing them yet adding something new... (92 / 100)

2) Escape The Fate - Dead!: ...sadly, that isn't the case, as seen in Escape The Fate's cover of 'Dead!' It's pretty much an except copy of the original, without much change to it. It has a great guitar solo, but that's as much credit as you can give it. The vocals don't quite give it the same punch, either. It feels like a standard cover band cover, and nothing else. (74 / 100)

3) Creeper - This Is How I Disappear: On the subject of vocals, Creeper's cover of 'This Is How I Disappear' has perhaps the least-fitting vocals on this entire record. It goes in with the nature of Creeper - the vocals are trying to sound creepy and condescending, and it simply doesn't work with the song. The instrumental is incredibly weak, as well. The vocals are half of the mix, and the instrumental is barely any louder than them, making it have little impact. (51 / 100)

4) State Champs - The Sharpest Lives: In the same scenario as Escape The Fate, this song stays even closer to the original than 'Dead!' did. The little guitar punches in the verses aren't as spidery as they were in the original, being fatter and bassier, an subtle but odd difference. the guitar solo is great, and they nailed the bassline underneath it. (70 / 100)

5) Crown The Empire - Welcome To The Black Parade: It's impossible to create a cover that truly does this song justice, but Crown The Empire didn't even try. It's almost painful to listen to this cover. It's completely uninspired, drained of emotion, and takes away all of the original charm of the song. They couldn't so much as try and take out the hammers of the piano hitting the strings as they play the intro. It's worse than a cover band. It really makes you appreciates the small things in the original song that may seem insignificant, but really made the track what it was. They didn't even do the guitar leads in the intro! It's nothing more than a badly rehearsed cover by a cover band you'd see in a bar setting. (35 / 100)

6) Moose Blood - I Don't Love You: Moose Blood amassed a pop punk following leading up to their release of their debut LP Blush - read our review of it here - and brought pop punk back in a new yet familiar light. 'I Don't Love You' meets all the criteria to be a banging pop punk song, and Moose Blood took it and made it just that. With Eddy Brewton's reckless abandon in his vocals, the vocals worry more about emotion than hitting the notes, giving the song a fresh new revival in sweet and warm colors. (88 / 100)

7) Palisades - House Of Wolves: Another song that's received a rebirth in a brand new light. Palisades brings a great blend of intensity and electronica, the verses quite and choruses explosive. The original had an off-kilter, funky composure to it, while Palisades brought a groovier rendition on this cover album. It sounds very modern - if The Black Parade was released in 2016, this is definitely what 'House Of Wolves' would've sounded like. The massive chants of "S-I-N-I-S-I-N" bring a huge conclusion to the song. It's one of the most original covers on the record, without a doubt. (94 / 100)

8) Twenty One Pilots - Cancer: There wasn't a better band to cover this song. No one else but Josh Dun could capture the somber and accepting tone that Gerard Way sang the song in better. The song's a melancholy build of piano and a light drum electronic beat, while Dun's vocals dance a tragic dance in a symphony of vocoders and reverberating words through a cavernous atmosphere. Some would argue that the cover abandons the original's premise and mood with the electronic elements, but its subtlety makes it just as powerful in a different light. It captures all of the beautiful of the original while still remaining catchy, especially in the amazing part after the chorus where samples of Dun singing "I will not kiss you, lips are chapped and faded, call my..." as they echo and float away. The ending reprises it, and the final piano chord resonates and fades away, as if its acceptance and resignation of the narrator. It's truly beautiful. (97 / 100)

9) Ghost Town - Mama: 'Mama' was always a weird song. Ghost Town made their cover of the song weird, but a bit too weird. It's a cool cover, but it tries too hard to create the mood of the original by adding a bunch of different elements. The creepy keyboard part in the verses is cool, albeit overused. It's encouraged for a band to not stick too close to the original, yet Ghost Town sounds like they had to deliberately try to make something like they did. It explodes just like the original does at the end and has the same vibe, for what its worth. It's a good cover, just... a bit too much. (75 / 100)

10) New Years Day - Sleep: Female vocals! It's great to hear someone of the opposite sex tackling the classics on the album, especially when she brings a badass rendition of 'Sleep'. New Years Day's Ashley Costello sings and screams powerful atop soaring and heavy choruses, truly bringing out the best of alternative metal, resulting in a massive, melodic, and epic cover. The guitar solo combined with her screams are just excellent as they kick into one last explosion to end the track. An awesome cover, no doubt. (96 / 100)

11) Against The Current - Teenagers: Against The Current brings in more female vocals into the mix, their groovy and fun alternative rock vibes to record. Their debut album In Our Bones proved that they have the anthemic pop rock vibe nailed (read our review of it here). The intro starts dramatically before Chrissy Costanza's vocals kick in in time with the bass synth. The choruses are just as anthemic as the original's, big drums and sweet guitars not powering the song but acting as support for Costanza's warm vocals. The guitar solo is nailed, leading into a powerful final chorus complete with big gang vocals to emulate the rebellious composure of the song and a bright guitar lead. No one could've fit better into this song than her. (94 / 100)

12) Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - Sleep: This cover of 'Sleep' just sounds like an overproduced version of the original. There's really nothing special about it that MCR's version doesn't do better. Just a standard cover. It's good, but doesn't provide anything new. (74 / 100)

13) Asking Alexandria - Famous Last Words: It would just so happen that my two favorite songs on the original album happen to be the worst on this cover album. Perhaps it just goes to show how My Chemical Romance absolutely nailed what they were working to accomplish. If you read our review of Asking Alexandria's album The Black, you'd know that I was already unimpressed in them. If you haven't read it yet - click here to check it out. They completely tossed out the energy of the original song, making it feel like you're listening to a weak rendition by a cover band. Where's the punch of the final chorus? Why is it shortened? Why is the instrumental so undynamic? It's overproduced, uninspired, and just plain weak as a cover to end the album. It's a sad listen. (38 / 100)

Rock Sound's compilation is hit or miss, really, though the sentiment is sweet. My Chemical Romance truly created something amazing, and to see all these different bands come together to say thank you to the music and bring this dedication to them. It's humbling, even as a fan, to see these artists perform these songs that are close to so many people's hearts. You can't recreate what The Black Parade made, but you can always pay respect to it.

Favorite Tracks: Cancer, Sleep, Teenagers, House Of Wolves

Least Favorite Tracks: Welcome To The Black Parade, Famous Last Words

Rating: 73 / 100

Of Mice & Men - Cold World

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If something in 2016 earns the privilege of being tagged as "nu metal", you know it's going to be a disaster. Of Mice & Men have done it. 2013's Restoring Force was a powerful and emotional record, full of anger and loss. You could feel its big moments bombarding you and you'd remember them vividly.

Their fourth album Cold World is not Restoring Force. It doesn't even sound like Of Mice & Men. It's a bunch of songs that bring to question where the line is drawn between "influenced by" and "copied from". It started with the lead single 'Pain' (see our review of it here), which basically ripped off the old sounds of Slipknot, probably so that they could appease the crowds of their opening slot with them. It only gets worse.

I've never heard an album where every song sounds like a carbon copy of a different artist. I'm really not sure what they were doing here. The album starts off with 'Game Of War', which is literally just a worse version of Puscifer's 'Grand Canyon'. It's an awful intro, too - it's four minutes long and incredibly underwhelming. 'Real' features Austin Carlile singing, which is cool, if it wasn't clearly trying to be a heavier version of Minutes To Midnight-era Linkin Park. Maybe the boys spent a little too much time with them on tour in 2014... There's also the complete mess of a Limp Bizkit song with 'Relentless'. It's the most nu-metal thing to be released since nu-metal died. That is not good.

To it's credit, it's not completely horrible. Just mostly. 'Like A Ghost', the one track on the album I can actually say has some substance. Aaron Pauley's singing in the verses are a bit odd (it sounds like he's trying to imitate Marilyn Manson), but Austin Carlile screams powerfully in the background as he sings, making those powerful accentuations that made a lot of the vocals on Restoring Force so great. It's the first energy with raw energy, too, but it's a bit too late. By the time you get to this song you've already lost hope in the album. At least the interlude '+' has nice strings.

When the band isn't copying another, the tracks are just painfully average. There is absolutely nothing special in songs like 'Down The Road' and 'Away'. They're boring. They don't even have the quality of another band for fans of that particular band to enjoy. The album ends on 'Transfigured', sounding like even they gave up on this record. Where is the soul of the album? What happened?

It doesn't feel right to assign blame to any band member; after all, an album has to be a team effort. But it's hard to ignore the overwhelming presence of Aaron Pauley on the album. It feels like he took this album over. It has his sweet singing parts that featured in a few tracks on Restoring Force (most of which were really great) and gives himself a part in almost every song. It feels less like an Of Mice & Men record and more like a demo CD of a solo Pauley record. His highlights on Restoring Force were so good because they were refreshments between brutal screaming and metal tracks. Now that he's in literally every song, it's hard to enjoy his voice, which is a true shame. Of Mice & Men has Austin Carlile for a reason, and it's not to make him sing. It's to let his screams make the music stronger and more vivid. Why silence him?

Cold World feels like a step in the wrong direction. It's hard to even call it an Of Mice & Men record - it sounds like Aaron Pauley featuring a backing band and a guest screamer sometimes. It's a sad and boring record. It's nu-metal moments don't help, either. Of Mice & Men had finally found their signature sound, and after building on it for a single album, they dropped it almost completely. The only response I have to this record is a question: why?

Favorite Track: Like A Ghost

Least Favorite Tracks: Relentless, Down The Road, Transfigured, Away

Rating: 52 / 100

Korn - 'Rotting In Vain'

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Korn has been through both the highs and lows of their career. Fans will remember the golden early era Korn, back when nu-metal was all the hype. Others will remember their experimental phase with contempt, especially their brief excursion with dubstep with The Path Of Totality. Since then, the band has slowly been honing their sound once more, and with another new album on the horizon, things are looking good with the new single 'Rotting In Vain'.

Progression is most easily seen when a band takes the elements that were loved of previous sounds and crafting something new, those ideas in mind while still finding a new direction to take. 'Rotting In Vain' isn't exactly progressive. Nothing necessarily new is found within the track, but it does take previous elements of Korn's music and builds a well-constructed jam.

I'm a sucker for when electronic music comes together with heavy music (thanks, Linkin Park). This is no Hybrid Theory, though; no band does that blend of heavy and electronica better than Linkin Park. The electronics in 'Rotting In Vain' are much more upfront and act as a replacement for, say, another guitar line (not to mention the guitars are drop tuned lower than a typical Linkin Park song). That being said, the melodies the electronics serve really add a lot of dimension to the song. The guitars wouldn't sound quite as immense as they do without them. It may not be the primary part of the song, but they definitely serve an important purpose.

It can't be unsaid that the riffs on this song are massive. The first riff that kicks in right after the intro buildup is immense. You can feel the earth shaking as if at a live show and the crowd jumps as this mental riff kicks in. The instrumental really kicks you in the face. The finally riff before the last chorus that is riddled with a phaser and the deep synth imitating it is perfect, too. The instrumental is a classic, epic alternative metal jam, electronics helping that come a little further. The vocal melodies support this too, though they do feel a little overdramatic. The growled vocals in the bridge could've been replaced by something a lot better, but it's Korn we're talking about here.

Speaking over overdramatic, take a look at that music video. The more I watch it, the more lost I feel. It doesn't seem to contain much meaning - just the band playing in an old, creepy house with a well-dressed man (played by Sons Of Anarchy actor Tommy Flanagan) doing some creepy things. It's one of those videos that piles in a lot of edginess in order to seem like it has meaning, where in reality they stuck Jonathan Davis in a bathtub with leaves and told him "pretend these leaves are hurting you."

Musically, Korn seems to getting back to that hold they had on metal they had in their prime. 'Rotting In Vain' feels fresh and big, still undeniably a Korn song but also feels new. With the new album The Serenity Of Suffering dropping in October, hopefully the album lives up to the hype this song has raised. If it does, we're in for a big one.

Rating: 85 / 100

Chevelle - The North Corridor

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When taking on a Chevelle record, you better know you're heading into the territory of nothing but jams. Their eight record The North Corridor is full of those big riffs, but does find its ways to make it sound repetitive, much like some criticisms of their previous albums have claimed. There hasn't been any curve in sound, if that's what you're looking for.

This album has a very safe alternative metal sound to it. The riffs are big and in your face, if not repetitive, and the spidery vocals and big choruses make up each track. Opening track 'Door To Door Cannibals' starts off with promise, but ends up just being boring, and by the final chorus has you waiting for the end to come. The Tool-esque melodies (the song's vocals has be thinking of 'Ticks & Leeches') give this track some endearing qualities to metal fans, and the big alt. metal chorus is also a treat. If you want a great chorus though, 'Enemies' is your song: its chorus is absolutely massive, though the verses are a bit stale.

The problem with this record is that yes, the riffs are big and metal, but they all kind of sound the same. 'Joyride (Omen)' has that big, upfront metal sound with the distorted bass but just fails to do anything else with its sound besides sound really standard. This album feels like it's full of attempts at something interesting, but none of these attempts got anywhere. 'Punchline' is full of references to jokes, which is lyrically amusing, but has no real place in the album. There's a lot of lyrics that just seem off in the record; 'Young Wicked' comes to mind - it feels almost like it was going for an 'Another Brick In The Wall' vibe - but in oddity it makes up for an engaging instrumental and progression. 'Shot From A Cannon' clocks in at a huge 8 minutes, but there's really no purpose for it to be that long. It's length can be thanked for a long, stale instrumental jam section complete with an uninteresting lead guitar and all. A very incompetent ending to an album that feels much the same. 'Rivers' also has that big instrumental ending, but in grandness it lacks substance to make it actually good.

Chevelle brought jams, sure. These jams get stale after hearing them consecutively on the album, sadly. There's little engagement on The North Corridor. Fans who were disappointed by their last effort La Gargola won't be impressed much by this release, either. It's stale and uninspired. Not much else to it.

Favorite Tracks: Enemies, Young Wicked

Least Favorite Tracks: Shot From A Cannon, Punchline

Rating: 56 / 100

Deftones - Gore

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Art metal is brought to an all time high with every Deftones release. The alternative metal outfit have released their highly-anticipated follow up to 2012′s Koi No Yokan in the form of Gore, an new exploration of melody and riffs that are new for the band whilst still giving out what they are best at: beautiful pieces just excreting passion and tension.

As Deftones are one of my favorite bands, it’s only right to do a track-by-track review for this one.

1) Prayers/Triangles - I’ve actually already reviewed this song, but the context of it’s opening position on the album gives it a new punch. It’s feedback intro and light drum beat enters the album on an eerie note, before Chino Moreno’s flowing melody soars over a punchy bass track and dreamy guitar work. The tension in his voice adds to the chorus’ relentless bout of emotion, crying, “Prayers, lay it on the line / You will never be free… / Triangles, placed in your mind / You will never be free,” leading to an outburst of anger of the bridge which is reprised in the outro. A standout track and a fantastic opener to a thrilling album. 9.5/10

2) Acid Hologram - The first taste of brand new music for those who have been following the singles, ‘Acid Hologram’ can be confusing. Moreno’s almost dreamy melodies and harmonies soar over thick guitar. Something with this track just doesn’t sit me with my initial listens... While it is a somewhat of a signature with Deftones music to pit clean and heavy together, it just doesn’t seem to work with the heavy distortion and the soaring vocals. Isolate either or, and they are both fantastic performances. The song definitely takes some growing, and as of right now, it’s still in that phase. 8/10

3) Doomed User - Back to familiar territory for fans; ‘Doomed User’ is heavy. It has a big heavy metal, Alice In Chains vibe, especially the choruses. Stephen Carpenter’s triumphant guitar licks elevate the song to a massive level, as Chino roars over the choruses and brings it back during the chorus for a slight reprieve. It doesn’t last long, as this song’s constantly chugging big riffs and headbang moments that just ask to be jammed to. It’s easy to forget the lyrics to the song, which do have some tasty moments. Particularly the bridge’s, “Go waste your breath somewhere to someone new / Your castle’s burning down, here / Your kingdom is burning down,” grabbed my attention. This song has a lot going on, and that also means it a lot going for it. 9/10

4) Geometric Headdress - The guitar in this song is just awesome. Carpenter’s finest moment on the album is on ‘Geometric Headdress’, the guitar just adding such a mysterious and urgent feel to the song that makes the backing synths sound massive. Chino sings beautifully in the chorus while Abe Cunningham delivers a badass performance on the drums - another highlight of the track. There’s not really any clear statement that can be said to define the intensity this track has. It’s just huge. 10/10

5) Hearts/Wires - Beginning creepily, like a more bluesy and ambient reprise of the eeriness of the intro to ‘Prayers/Triangles’, the track begins softly with atmosphere and beautiful guitar. When the body of the song comes in, it just feels beautiful, like a whole different beast has entered the game. Like the softer tracks on 2010′s Diamond Eyes, Chino shows off his quieter range delivering hypnotizing verses and an intense, emotional chorus. This song doesn’t disappoint on any front. It’s beautiful intro is followed by a beautifully composed instrumental that brings Chino’s melodies to a whole new wavelength. The intensity of the choruses scream back to the aforementioned album’s title track (which also just so happens to be my personal favorite Deftones song) and I just fell in love with those one as I heard it. There’s no more to it than a brilliant sense of elation and yet, a sadness this song has. 10/10

6) Pittura Infamante - Triumphant guitar chords bring this song to a huge start, with Cunningham delivering another brilliant performance on percussion. continuing with the tantalizing melodies from the previous track, ‘Pitture Infamante’ has a wonderful chorus melody that’s so enchanting, you almost miss how epic the chorus sounds as a whole, the chugging guitars and bass driving the song like an engine at full roar. The guitar feels like it was inspired by Porcupine Tree - that’s the first thought I had, hearing the intro. The bridge sounds epic and grand, Chino’s lyrics showing sensuality while also taking over a thrilling sense of imagery: “I’ve sank through the cracks / I’ve drowned every one / To bathe in your soul,” on top of purely electric guitar riffs. The song’s outro is pure intensity and brings it to a thrilling conclusion. 9.5/10

7) Xenon - This one is... weird. The electronic transition from ‘Pittura’ halts abruptly, before a disjointed guitar riff comes in, attempting to mesh with one another and just creates a cluster. The chorus comes in promising with the cool lines, “With the lions at the gate / With a diamond in your brain,” but then takes an optimistic sounding melody that melodically works pleasingly with the guitar, but feels out of place before you can accept it. You can tell the type of sound the band was going for here: big and anthemic, but ‘Xenon’ just didn’t get executed the proper way. It has some epic moments, like the crushing drums in the outro, but altogether it just feels like it was slapped together for the sake of it. 7/10

8) (L)MIRL - Another creepy intro to lead the album into its final quarter. This one washes over you with a wave of effected guitar, before a Tool-esque bassline from Sergio Vega and a sweet guitar line dance with each other. The prechorus in the second verse has the same big sounding idea that they tried to capture in ‘Xenon’, but executed properly this time, the song’s flow not being interrupted. It does take you out of it for a second just in the same way that the prior track did, but the recovery period is much swifter. This track, like ‘Pittura Infamante’ has a big progressive rock presence. As to be expected from Deftones, the bridge is massive, and seems to use the same formula of heavy section with razor lyrics like ‘Prayers/Triangles’ and reprises it to end the track. No complaints, it sounds huge! 8.5/10

9) Gore - This one’s a surprising track. Of anything the title track of this record could’ve sounded like, this isn’t what I’d have thought. Chino’s credited with saying this was his least favorite track on the record, but I can’t see how - it’s classic Deftones material. A picked bass chugs quickly on top of a syncopated hi-hat before a crushing chorus comes in to bring groove and metal together. I can just picture Chino moving to this one onstage. It’s epic and driven, just what you need from Deftones. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. The screaming at the end sounds like it came straight from the Adrenaline and Around The Fur days. The ending is tense and concludes with a horrifying shriek, that I want to say is a scream, but honestly don’t want to question. It’s a thriller. 9/10

10) Phantom Bride - The Alice In Chains influence on this record reaches a peak, especially considering this song features the lead guitarist from the band, Jerry Cantrell. Despite the massive guitar presence this song seems to have given its featured collaborator, it’s Chino that really shines on this song. His vocal delivery and falsetto on this song just add a beautiful juxtaposition to the muted guitar in the verses and the electrifying Cantrell solo that makes its way to the bridge of the song. The final chorus explodes with a brilliant light, the powerful guitars and sweet melody leading into a guitar reprieve, which brings the song to an even more intense conclusion. The sheer intensity of the heavy outro is a thrill in and of itself. 10/10

11) Rubicon - Rubicon: a point of no return. That’s exactly what this song is. It burns with a conviction to end this album on an unforgettable note. Deftones bring their all on this track, combining everything you’d want into this one thrilling conclusion. Deeply tuned guitars contrasting a shriller, higher line, a driving drum performance, and Chino’s growls and belts. The song is brilliant and extreme, its conclusion threatening and unrelenting, as if building to what ever is in store next. And after this record, I’m not sure I’m ready for what’s next. 9.5/10

Gore is an experience best taken in as a whole. Each track has an intensity and unchallenged presence that separately makes each a monster, but cohesively makes an absolute beast of an album. Deftones have outdone themselves and crafted an album beautiful yet thrilling and exciting, forming a collection that will be hard to follow up. Gore is a thriller, a challenge that can’t be beaten. All I can say now? Wow.