LADY GAGA
'Born This Way'
INTERSCOPE

Following the highly acclaimed debut album of electropop sensation Lady Gaga, the sophomore attempt was to be a hard one to accomplish, or was it? Following 'The Fame' came the American-Italian's 'Born This Way' with a more technical approach the electronic music initiated on the first album and even so with the slight hint of Heavy Metal influences; the latter becoming a shocker to the music industry, but then who says opposites don’t attract? 'Born This Way' brings out the Lady Gaga sound, an upbeat face-puncher of dance music with synthrock and sensual sounds to unleash the belter on the dance floor, lets face it people may find her with a wardrobe malfunction, but don’t judge the book by its cover, Lady Gaga is bringing the best of pop to life, considering most mainstream music is all the same, Lady Gaga makes the sound emerge right.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

THE HORRORS
'Skying'
XL RECORDINGS

Maybe the sounds of Southend's music scene have undermined the rock etiquette and persona established by The Horrors. The quintet started off with the sound of Gothic Rock/Shoegaze but have now edged to a more space-rock/post punk sound with their third full-length album 'Skying'; naturally not sounding remotely similar to Muse but spot on with a comeuppance of synth-infused rock and catchy beats to entrance all who listens into sensual and phantasmagoria euphoria. 'Skying' without a doubt has the complete emphasis of the music shift riding on it and whilst the overall tone of the release is fruitful and delinquent, The Horrors themselves will always be remember for the Gothic look.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

VERSES
'No World For Us'

Versatility, imagination and a sense for making the bizarre the obscure and bringing out the best of the missing pieces of British rock, such is a statement in reference to Brighton boys Verses and their latest release 'No World For Us', the EP carries four anthemic rock tracks, powerful enough to keep a thousand generators running the UK's electricity supply. Sounding in the same sort of style as Muse but definitely closer to 30 Seconds To Mars, nonetheless Verses have a clarified sound with as much excitement as a derby in football. Verses bring the best in rock sound, a bandmember apparently looking like 'David Tennant (Dr.Who)' and enough fists to raise an army from anything.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

WE WERE LIONS
'Rebirth'

From first impressions conceived, this is an EP worth counting for as a new step in rock music, lashing together a mix of Power Pop with Hardcore as heavy as a two ton breakdown. We Were Lions came from the ashes of Faint Young Sun, a Wickford-based Pop/Hardcore band with enough power to blast peoples clothes off. Now with a new moniker and a new path for sound, the quintet from Essex are working their way to change the course of music, with their debut EP in tow and four tracks making it up, there is no reason why the Essex music scene wont receive a 'rebirth' from this boyband. Highlight songs include 'backseat' with its groove-laden breakdown from 1:37 to 2:17; such an imageable sound coalescing from the intricacy of this song, but even 'silver medal' delivers justice.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ERILAZ
'First Of The Vortices'

Coming from the eerie darkness of the Helsinki suburbs is Finnish industrial/EBM project Erilaz. 2012 marks the coming of the debut EP from this project, 'First Of The Vortices' takes into its production the very sensual embodiment of EBM and logistically adapts it to make it more commendable. With influences from Eisenfunk taken aboard and industrial music implemented in the way the Finnish go about doing it, there is no reason to stop this project from breaking more barriers down. Those who enjoy fast electronic music mixed with a soul-soothing pace, this is the release for you.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

ANGELSPIT
'Hello My Name Is'
METROPOLIS

Australia's Cyber Punk / Electro Industrialists Angelspit come back with their fourth synthetic production and call it 'Hello My Name Is', this is an album full of raving, techno-breakdowns and sensational beats, taking the definition of cybergoth to a new level and inducing a coma of megawatt level. 'Hello My Name Is' brings the best of underground rave and excites it by installing a better hard drive for cutting edge electronic music. For the Australian duo, this is perhaps their best album of their career and as of yet is sure to make appearances across alternative clubs across the globe. The album 'Hello My Name Is' will appeal to those fans of Ayria, Black Light Discipline and Despair.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

_ MIDGAR
'Lead Your Children To The Sky'
ROCKET TOWN

English Progressive Alternative Rockers Midgar unleashed their mini-debut album in 2010 to rapturous reviews, none the less this is a great debut in the sound of Tokio Hotel-cross-Maroon 5 style music. The London quartet set themselves on the path of devising a spectacular return and with this release under their belt, their next effort will almost be certainly an enjoyable one, with a charged-atmosphere of calmness and soul-soothing tunes to engulf the listener with, 'Lead Your Children To The Sky' will not shy away from being dubbed 'prog rock revitalised and rejuvenated'.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

THE KARMA HEART
'Throw Your Light'

Combining the delightful influences of Paramore and Foo Fighters is the North Eastern rock band The Karma Heart who on their debut album 'Throw Your Light' do not fail to impress, with a beautiful level of singing to provide the intricate background music with an electric personality, this is one record that is sure to get them noticed. In rock terms, they are more punk than pop, but have pop elements here and there, but are not emo unlike Paramore. It is to be said that this release is one for those parties and can surely ignite a night in pure glory, so whilst its time to 'Throw Your Light', The Karma Heart are what the English rock scene has been missing.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

THE CONFLITTO
'Dusk Over The Nations'
WORMHOLE DEATH

The debut album for Italian Post-Hardcore / Screamo quartet The Conflitto is such a heavy and brutal one, sounding similar to that of Rise Against colliding with Screamo act These Hearts, the boys from La Spezia give it all full throttle with the music and vocals, prepare to be shredded apart by the sheer force exuberated on 'Dusk Over The Nations', volaitile vocals backed by some of most nasty drumming and outrageous riffs from the Italian music scene. 'Dusk Over The Nations' is for those fans of Enter Shikari, Rise Against and These Hearts, The Conflitto could prove dangerous sometime soon.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

ESKIMADA
'Eskimada'

Eskimada released their self-titled album 'Eskimada' last year in 2011, the Italian Alternative Metal / Rock quintet deliver solid music but the vocals are a little to be desired, in fact it ruins the album in its entirety. Whilst they sing in English, they do not achieve captivation in most areas and thus leave the listener questioning what they are playing. This is nothing like Evanescence nor like System of a Down, in fact its hardly really anything, just plain music. The fact comparisons are hard to draw up says it all, but for those who like obscure music, 'Eskimada' is one for you.

[5.5] RHYS STEVENSON

THE BUNNY THE BEAR
'If You Don't Have Anything Nice To Say'
VICTORY

Sounding something out of Disney or Epcot, Electro-Hardcore experimentalists The Bunny The Bear return with their sophomore album 'If You Don't Have Anything Nice To Say' released this year, now whilst the electronic music can be compared to Enter Shikari and general synthesizer music, the vocals and instruments take in early Bring Me The Horirzon, so effectively making Electro-Hardcore/Deathcore, or for tongue-in-cheek purposes 'animalcore'. Essentially this has a party feel to it, even if it is too brutal for your average party, who cares, this is a band breaking the mold and making a unique sound, something Victory Records detects bands that are unique. An essential for any heavy music fan, regardless of any preferable bands, no animals were hurt in the making of this album or review.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

ANGELSPIT
'Carbon Beauty'
METROPOLIS

Re-mixer of Angelspit, well essentially the third remix album under the Australian electro-industrial project Angelspit has come to light, with more trance-laden, body-moving and Cybergoth beats to lighten any party up, whilst the remix album essentially being covered by many remix specialists and the basis being Angelspit's third full length album 'Hideous & Perfect', the collaboration is one of spine-tingling and brain-shocking music, powerful enough to send any general rave into absolute chaotic party time, an essential release for any alternative music club, Angelspit is a work of 'Carbon Beauty'.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

EVARANE
'The Fears / Here's To Hoping'
SOLID MUSICAL ACT

Sounding their way through the Essex music scene is Southend sextet Evarane with their techno-infused pop rock blasters, whilst sounding straddled between Paramore, Madina Lake and the sort of soft rock that should be aired on BBC Radio 1, Evarane are one of those bands that no matter how long you've been replaying their music, it never gets boring. Weaving a mystical style of synth music, not as heavy as Enter Shikari or Silent Descent, but enough to create a fourth dimension of being relaxed and having a chill out, with heavenly vocals giving their music a powerful drive and being supported by a matrix of intricate musical compositions, Evarane are set to become a favourite for Kerrang! magazine, this is just the beginning for the Southend crew, watch out Hayley Williams, England is about to rebel.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

FAKE THE ATTACK
'November / Feathers / The Line'

Hailing from sunny Hampshire is Alternative Pop Rockers Fake The Attack with their three song sampler CD, featuring their tracks 'November', 'Feathers' and 'The Line'. Bringing together a radio friendly sound to the affray, the quintet take an easy listening approach and add some Paramore to the chaos experienced on the CD. 'November' hits with a v8 engine sound on the drums whilst the harmonics rest in the juicy riffs and lovable vocals. 'Feathers' is a little slower on the beat but it still retains a party feel experienced on 'November', whether this band have little Mindless Self Indulgence influences remains unclear but one thing is for certain, they are due to be noticed nationwide. Finally they close on a post-punk feel in the song 'The Line', but throughout keeping the riffs tight, drumming percussive and vocals as soul soothing as the ocean waves gracefully kissing the sandy beaches of Hampshire. Fake The Attack is due to be detected by BBC Radio 2, if not BBC Radio Solent.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

M!R!M
“Enjoy Your Sorrow”

At first glance "Enjoy Your Sorrow" looks like an album by a person undergoing art therapy and not to be taken seriously due to the irrelevant, poorly drawn doodles on the cover. To begin with, the Post-Punk rockers prove this point right with monotonous drum beats and riffs throughout the first 4 tracks. The competing music elements drown out the vocals which are already far too over-distorted. However, when you reach 'Dew', a whole new opinion comes into play. The vocals are echoic and still distorted, but in a much more professional way as opposed to the over-distortion mentioned before. 'Dew' is the best song on the album, but is ruined by its predecessors. If only M!R!M could produce an album consisting of similar tracks, then they’d be on to a winner.

[4.5] EVILYN BRAUN