Back catalogue: Metal

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

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

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

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

Review: 'Unfurling' their 15th album - a stonking discographic achievement - My Dying Bride's A Mortal Binding is brought to our attention. The Yorkshire-based quintet deliver this incendiary sonic meditation on loss, distress, and abyssal horror with glee, eliding gothic and apocalyptic themes while playing on bleak aspects of the band members' personal lives, sublimated through wicked doom metal. 'Thornwyck Hymn', 'Her Dominion' and 'The Apocalyptist' betray a belief that one can master the end of times - whatever form they may take - and use them to one's own advantage: such is the implied message.