Back catalogue: Rock

Review: Four Year Strong has released their sixth album and first in four years, Analysis Paralysis, on Pure Noise Records. Produced by Will Putney, the album emerged from a creative struggle, with Dan O'Connor and Alan Day seeking inspiration in Putney's home studio. The result is a bold expansion of their signature pop-punk and hardcore sound, now incorporating industrial synths and raw reggae elements. This adventurous blend showcases the band's growth while remaining unmistakably true to their roots. The lead single, 'Uncooked,' exemplifies this evolution with its blend of hardcore intensity and 90s guitar work, delivering a chorus that's perfect for both mosh pits and headbanging sessions. Following 2020's Brain Pain, which took a more considered approach, Analysis Paralysis marks a fresh chapter for Four Year Strong, proving their ability to innovate while maintaining their core appeal. Fans can expect an exciting fusion of styles that pushes the boundaries of their classic sound.

Review: Freedom Hawk are Virginia Beach-based stoner heavyweights sounding stronger than ever on this, their sixth studio album. When the whole world went into shut-down, these hard-rockin' stalwarts made the most of the chance to build their own studio and immediately set about crafting the thunderous tracks you can hear on Take All You Can. Matching squalling riffage and solos with a grandiose approach to songwriting, this is the sound of a band at the absolute peak of their powers. If you love anything from Sabbath-soaked doom to anthemic metal a la Maiden, you're going to be all over this album.

Review: Ace Frehley’s role in KISS was crucial in shaping the band's signature theatrics. The Spaceman to Simmons’ Demon, Stanley’s Starchild, and/or Criss’ Catman, Frehley’s silver-laced face makeup would of course come star-dusted by quasaring guitar chops, doubly amplifying KISS's popularity in histrionic heavy metal at large. Frehley’s new Now Playing tracklist - a new record from the prima donna rock quartile via Atlantic - highlights his diverse solo career, with'Rock Soldiers’, ‘Breakout’, 'Into the Night’ and 'Calling to You’ all featuring. It also packs the best hits from his time with Frehley's Comet, such as ‘Insane' and 'Dancin' With Danger’.

Review: If you want classic heavy rock... you've got it. The 2024 Foreigner and Styx tour was a juggernaut in the truest sense, Stateside at least. The two stadium guitar outfits have done a lot together over the years, and their joint US tour was the last in a long history of collaborative efforts, with Foreigner using this as the final chapter in their mammoth farewell tour, bringing a 50 year on-stage career to an end. Styx apparently have no intention of following suit, with frontman Tommy Shaw quoted in at least one interview saying the group will bow out "when they drag me to the funeral home" - fitting given the outfit are named after the mythical Greek river that would transport the dead from this life to the next. All that aside, if you know either troupe you'll know what this historic package sounds like - big, emotional, packed with power chords and soaring solos. If you don't, we just told you.