Album per day: Day 9

Artist: Disclosure
Album: Settle
Released: 2013

Surrey dance brothers Disclosure have been brewing up a storm since the release of their debut effort Settle. They've made splashes in the UK and most of Europe, but they've also found a home across the pond; Settle was nominated for a Grammy, acknowledging their growing fanbase over there. Their music isn't particularly aggressive like The Prodigy or Chase and Status, but the chilled atmosphere created by their music appeals to a wide audience who seek out a more calming influence to dance to.
After a minute long introduction track, When A Fire Starts To Burn kicks things off. It gets annoying very quickly, with repetitive and irritating lyrics, and unfortunately, the music is no more captivating. Latch invites Sam Smith to the party on lead vocals, and considering he's been shoved in our faces over the last twelve months, I imagined I'd find myself disliking it. This was not the case though. The house influence on this track is calming, but still danceable,  and Sam Smith's voice surprisingly fits in. F For You was familiar to me from the soundtrack to FIFA 14, and it was always one of those songs that I never wanted to skip. You couldn't turn on the radio in 2013 without being exposed to White Noise, much like Sam Smith, but I didn't particularly mind hearing it, with vocals being supplied by electronic music duo AlunaGeorge. The addictive club sound combined with catchy vocals makes for a chart humper, which is the status it ultimately achieved (it hit no.2 in the UK charts).
Defeated No More called to mind the synths and claps of Deadmau5, incorporating more of a house vibe, and Edward MacFarlane matches Sam Smith's performance on Latch with his octave-bending vocals. As you can tell, there are quite a few collaborations on Settle, which makes me wonder if dance acts can't get by without guest appearances on every song. There are a few independent songs, but I would like to see Disclosure do more of them on their next record. Grab Her! may be five minutes long, but it sounds lazy and lackadaisical - it needed to be cut down.
The final four tracks all featured guest vocalists. You & Me features Eliza Doolittle, who seems to have gone off the radar recently. Nonetheless, for Doolittle's vocal talents, this song doesn't distinguish itself enough from many of the others on Settle. The same synths are used, the same vocals effects are used etc. The rest of these collaborations don't do much else to differentiate themselves from their fellow songs on this album; there is no individual stamp that the guest vocalist brings to each song. I was intrigued to hear their collaboration with London Grammar, which was one of the brighter sparks of the collaborated efforts, mixing Grammar's soothing, definitely-heard-them-on-Made-In-Chelsea sounds with Disclosure's recognisable dance-pop.
The first record for an act is never supposed to be perfect; there's supposed to be mistakes and signs of immaturity and naivety. Most of the titans of the music world never had a perfect first album, but they learned from it and saw what they could do to improve on their future outputs. I think Disclosure are a good example of that. They may not quite reach the heights of some of the other acts in their genre, but there will always be a fanbase for what they put out. I tend to think that when artists peak too quickly, there is a great amount of pressure placed on them, and they tend to crumble and not deliver in the future, ultimately fading into obscurity. Whether that happens with Disclosure remains to be seen, and I wonder if the dreaded "second album syndrome" will rear its ugly head.

Rating: 6/10
Recommended songs: Latch, F For You

Album per day: Day 8

Artist: Black Sabbath
Album: 13
Released: 2013

The first Black Sabbath album in 18 years was released to mostly critical acclaim. It was the first studio album with Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals since Never Say Die! was released in 1978, and reunited three out of the four of the iconic Black Sabbath lineup: Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, so this new record was always going to cause a stir. Add Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave to the mix to contribute drums, and you've got a rock fan's wet dream. The excitement generated by 13 caused the album to climb to the top of the UK album charts, which was their first to do so since Paranoid was released in 1970. With all of that background information on one of the worlds most illustrious metal bands, let's get this album from the Brummie Boilers underway.
You would think that a band who have gone through countless line up changes wouldn't be as tight after all this time, but if first track End Of The Beginning is anything to go by, 13 is going to be a very enjoyable record indeed. This is the sort of metal I dig: slow riffs with plenty of groove. Lead single and the Grammy-winning God Is Dead? follows, and you start to acknowledge the quality of the production that Rick Rubin has brought to this album, but is that what Black Sabbath fans want? They're used to the old fashioned, analogue approach that doesn't give songs the glossy finish - take what Foo Fighters did with Wasting Light for example, which was all recorded on analogue tapes. Nevertheless, it still sounds like Sabbath through and through, with Iommi's unmistakeable licks complimenting Ozzy's voice so very nicely.
Stripped back psychedelic acoustic surfaces on Zeitgeist, which is beautifully executed by a band who are so used to turning it up to 11. Age Of Reason is heavy as balls, but drags on towards about seven minutes, and Live Forever gallops along the low string of Iommi's downtuned Gibson SG, and Geezer Butler and Brad Wilk remain as tight as though they have been playing together for 20 years. I'm loving the blues influence that Sabbath bring to the table, and you'd be hard pressed to find a band that does it better. Dear Father is one of the later highlights, with a strong sense of chemistry being expressed. Starting off the bonus tracks is a song that starts off like Enter Sandman, but is really called Methademic, a vicious, gloomy heavy metal anthem with a quicker tempo to boot. Peace Of Mind is the shortest track on 13, and hits hard and slow, only then to turn it into a quick-fire pummelling, and then we end on Pariah, with memorable singalong lyrics, but not the most memorable pieces of music on 13.
As a man who has spent his life shying away from the bands of yesteryear, maybe favouring acts like Guns N'Roses and Queen instead of bands like Black Sabbath and The Who, it shames me that I have taken this long to appreciate anything that this band has released beyond Paranoid and Iron Man. This doesn't sound like a band that are desperately trying to cling onto whatever relevance they have, or attempting to be nostalgic in any way - they still feel like they have a message to convey, and with the way that they have been received since, they definitely still have a place in the hearts of their fans. They deserve a large amount of respect to come back and record an album after the trials and tribulations that they have been through, be it Ozzy's drug dependencies, or Tony Iommi's news that he has sadly been diagnosed with lymphoma. It doesn't matter how much reality television Ozzy sullies his reputation with; he and his Sabbath cohorts will always be one of the greats, and boy have they still got it.

Rating: 9/10
Recommended songs: End Of The Beginning, Live Forever

Album per day: Day 7

Artist: Team Sleep

Album: Team Sleep

Released: 2005

As a huge Deftones fan myself, I am surprised more than anyone else that it has taken me so long to pay any attention to Chino Moreno's shoegaze-influenced side project Team Sleep. They've only released one album, so it seemed like a good opportunity to catch up. The rest of the band is comprised of guitarist Tom Wilkinson and DJ Crook, although there are many contributors to this record, so they can't really be pinned down as a band.

In the essence of Deftones' music, it appears that Chino is the component of the group that provides an ethereal vibe to their songs, which gives them a more individual sound when compared with their 90's cohorts such as Korn and Limp Bizkit, having been tossed in under the nu-metal tag. Team Sleep was a chance for Moreno to expand his horizons and work in an environment that thrives on post-rock sounds, with elements of dream pop and more ambient music. Substituting his screaming for Morrissey-style crooning, I'm expecting Moreno to prove why he is one of my favourite vocalists.

Out of the first few tracks, the one song that stands out the most is Princeton Review, with Rob Crow leading the line on vocals. It could easily be a Smashing Pumpkins number, or even a Radiohead B-side in the style of Talk Show Host, so anyone who knows me knows that this is right up my street. Blvd. Nights could be mistaken for a pure Deftones song, so this album will still appeal to those who enjoy the heavier side of Deftones' music. Our Ride To The Rectory is your sort of soul-searching walk music - it's strangely uplifting for such a sombre number. This segues nicely into Tomb of Liegia, with vocal duties taken by Mary Timony, but it leads nowhere and ends up sounding a little bit too repetitive. I love the trip hop influence on this record, and the use of drum loops, with Staring At The Queen sounding like it could come off Radiohead's Kid A or Amnesiac, but it ends up transitioning into something completely different, with guitar reverb and a distinct lack of percussion until the end; this type of instrumentation is common on Team Sleep. It's a damn shame, for all the brilliant songs on this album, there are also some rather bad ones, as much as it pains me to say; King Diamond is an example, which totally fucked my mind, with loud male vocals (Moreno) doing a back and forth with female talked vocals once again provided by Mary Timony. It didn't do anything for me; I'm not that artsy fartsy. Live From The Stage used to be called Natalie Portman, and I can see why. Because it's hot, that's why! It's also aggressive, although a bit of a slow burner. Album closer 11/11 is alright, but not as strong as a climax as I would've expected from an experimental act that have the chance to delve into so many different sounds.

I had some hope for this album, and it delivers on about 8 or 9 tracks, but there are some songs here that are ultimately forgettable. However, the songs that do shine, shine very brightly. If you're a Deftones fan, I urge you to check this out. Also if you're into that shoegaze thing, or any of the stuff Radiohead released when they went through their "non-rock" phase. There are rumours of a new Team Sleep record coming out this year, and will I give it a listen? Based on this album, yes, but I hope they keep the numbers of tracks a little lower than the 15 they have on this effort.

Rating: 7/10

Recommended: Princeton Review, Blvd. Nights

Album per day: Day 6

Artist: Iron Maiden
Album: Powerslave
Released: 1984

Veteran metallers Iron Maiden have been putting the music scene to the sword since they released their self-titled EP in 1980. I had never given them much of a chance to impress me; I was the usual casual listener who knew the chorus to Run To The Hills. But then I saw them at Sonisphere Festival last year... it was one of the greatest shows I've ever been to, and I hardly knew any of the tunes. Characteristics like that let you know a band has still got it. I have now listened to a few more of their songs since, but I have yet to listen to an album in full. On that note I decided to give Powerslave a listen.
Aces High gets things underway with one of Maiden's biggest songs to date. Along with fellow single, and track number two 2 Minutes To Midnight, they provide the singalongs of the album, nonetheless maintaining the harmonising guitars that Iron Maiden have become so famous for. Instrumental track Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) allows vocalist Bruce Dickinson to rest his voice while Dave Murray and Adrian Smith let rip on their axes. The Duellists is a catchy number, despite the fact that it exceeds the six minute mark, although I wished Dickinson would come into the song a little quicker after the extended and overdone guitar solo.
It is at this point that I notice that most of the songs on this album  have a similar structure, with more or less matching tempos, and a lot of them make use of the same chord sequences. I won't let this completely overshadow the album though, as there is still so much more going on here, be it with the mesmerising solos from Murray or Smith, or Dickinson's operatic yapper. It's no surprise to see why this band are as wildly successful as they are, with over 85 million record sales to their name. The penultimate track, Powerslave, is full of heavy metal vigour, with a mid-section that is slightly reminiscent of Metallica's Master of Puppets. It also exceeds the six minute mark, so you have to have a bit of patience to be a fan of this band, and even though I'm not the most patient bloke in the world, I had a lot of time for this song. Ironically, we come to the final song, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, which stands at 13 minutes and 34 seconds long. Many die hard Maiden fans have this down as one of the group's best songs, even though it is not the most commercially accessible of songs. Inspired by a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the first five minutes are typically loud and powerful, but then it goes all Tom Waits for a minute, then ending in big and bold fashion. This song is one that fits the word "epic" quite deservedly.
Every rock fan should listen to Iron Maiden more often. They can largely get overlooked by the younger generation, but I implore all of you to show Powerslave to your children when they're ready to embrace the metulz. Remember, you can't kill the metal; the metal will live on.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Aces High, Powerslave

Album per day: Day 5

Artist: Pierce The Veil
Album: Selfish Machines
Released: 2010

I have quite a few upcoming gigs this year, one of them being a Sleeping With Sirens/Pierce The Veil co-headliner in Birmingham with my girlfriend (who adores both bands). I've heard bits and bobs of either band, but never actually taken the time to listen to one of the albums in full. Pierce The Veil are one of those overseas acts that seem to have found their popularity through the internet, rather than relying on record sales or appearances on mainstream UK media. I've spotted them a couple of times on Kerrang! TV or Scuzz, but that's as far as it goes.
To give you a little background, Pierce The Veil are a pop punk band hailing from California, although you can tell that they honour their Mexican heritage. Their biggest hit was a collaboration with Sleeping With Sirens vocalist Kellin Quinn on King For A Day. I've been pointed in the direction of Selfish Machines as a good starting point, so here goes.
Whilst settling into this album, it is apparent that Pierce The Veil aren't your typical pop punk act, like New Found Glory or Good Charlotte; there's a lot more experimentation here. These guys can shred! All manner of influences are pulled in, ranging from post-hardcore to Rick Wakeman inspired keyboard sections, suggesting there are some more progressive elements happening here. Besitos kicks things off, but doesn't really shine as an opener. The Boy Who Could Fly sees the quartet let loose on their instruments, and shows just how damn good a vocalist Vic Fuentes is. They pull in old cohort Jeremy McKinnon from A Day To Remember to lend his voice to Caraphernelia, sending fangirls into excitement-induced comas everywhere. Bulletproof Love treats listeners to some excellent guitar work from Vic Fuentes and Tony Perry, whilst Stay Away From My Friends is the passionate ballad this album was crying out for; I especially enjoy the way the piano fades out the song.
As much as I can appreciate the talent that this band has, I find myself becoming a little irritated with how Vic Fuentes uses his voice as if he's singing at full volume for most of the album. I wish he'd calm it down a little more often, like he does in the verses of the poppy Disasterology. Did he also really need to use autotune on Million Dollar Houses? We end on The Sky Under The Sea, a roller coaster ride of a song that travels at stop-start speed; I can imagine this being a total bitch for the band to play live. It's a strong ending that this album deserves.
Pierce The Veil have never quite managed to emulate their American success over in the UK, but then again, they have never quite committed to touring here. They have that upcoming tour with Sleeping With Sirens, and an appearance at the Reading and Leeds Festival to look forward to, but with their fourth album hitting the shelves later in 2015, their could be bigger things on the horizon for this self-proclaimed "mexicore" group. As for this album, Selfish Machines is indeed a good place to start if you wish to become a cog in the Pierce The Veil fan machine, but they're a band who will always split opinion. As for me, I enjoyed it. The guys have got plenty of talent, and I appreciate how they can grab the attention of people from all sorts of musical subcultures, be it a straight up metalhead or a regular Radio 1 listener.

Rating: 7/10
Recommended songs: Caraphernelia, The Sky Under The Sea

Album per day: Day 4

Artist: Linkin Park
Album: The Hunting Party
Released: 2014

Most fans of Linkin Park will agree that the high points of the band's career were the sublime
double offerings of Hybrid Theory (2000) and Meteora (2003). To this day, Hybrid Theory is still the biggest selling debut album of the 21st century, with around 30 million copies being sold so far, which is something usually unheard of in the metal genre... the "noughties" were a very different time though.
Buoyed by external pressure to travel back to their roots as one of the pioneers of the tidal wave of American nu-metal, Linkin Park certainly kick things off on their sixth studio album with aplomb. Keys To The Kingdom begins with the most deafening of screams that lead vocalist Chester Bennington is synonymous with, albeit whilst being backed by what sounds like a vocoder. Lead single Guilty All The Same shows that there is still life in this beast yet; many will have written off this band after their shift towards an over-reliance on electronic music on their most recent albums, notably Living Things and A Thousand Suns. The heaviness has returned on The Hunting Party, but it's a different kind of heaviness, and not the kind I would associate with the nu-metal genre. This is the record where Linkin Park shift towards a more alternative metal sound, rather than just tuning their guitars to Drop C# and throwing out power chord after power chord, a formula which worked so well on a number of hit singles from Hybrid Theory and Meteora. Still though, Wastelands, Final Masquerade and Until It's Gone are good examples of how Linkin Park can still write catchy pop hooks, with the latter sounding like it would feel right at home on Bring Me The Horizon's more radio-friendly album Sempiternal.
Collaborations run amok on this record, and where some strike with incredible power, others fall flat. Page Hamilton from Helmet lends his vocal abilities to All For Nothing, but it's nothing to really shout from the rooftops about; I find myself wondering if many of the younger Linkin Park fans would even know who Helmet are. I don't really think Rakim's contribution to Guilty All The Same was necessary; Mike Shinoda himself is a very good rapper and could easily have been left alone to spit those rhymes himself. System Of A Down guitarist Daron Malakian makes an appearance on Rebellion, and although System are yet to get their shit together and record a new album, this song serves up a delightful slab of modern metal guitar riffs that are just typical of Malakian; fans of System Of A Down should whet their appetites with this. Seen as he is my favourite guitarist, I had high hopes for the collaboration with Tom Morello, of Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave/The Nightwatchman fame, on Drawbar. It started off with some ambient U2 vibes, but then enter the military drum sequence. One expected a throwback to 90's politically charged rap metal, but instead there is a sombre beauty about this stripped back piano ballad that, on paper, shouldn't work... but it just does. In a way, I would describe it as missed opportunity to have Tom Morello on your album that is supposed to display your return to heavy music, and then limit him to a piano song that doesn't even break the three minute mark.
Linkin Park are starting to get into the mindset that they had when writing their first two or three records - whilst the rock is most certainly back, it comes in the form of punk rock, alternative metal and System Of A Down's brand of experimental metal. They tackle it well, but when it has to live up to the standards of Hybrid Theory, an album that contained twelve potential singles, it doesn't touch it. There are more high points on The Hunting Party than there are low, and Chester Bennington is in sparkling form on vocals, but it won't be knocking off Hybrid Theory or Meteora from their pedestals.

Rating: 7/10
Recommended songs: Rebellion, Final Masquerade

Album per day: Day 3

Artist: A Day To Remember
Album: Homesick
Released: 2009

There is usually a large gap between pop punk and metalcore, but what's in between all that? The correct answer is A Day To Remember. Listening to their third studio album, I would never think that A Day To Remember had any pop punk tendencies at all. Bar a couple of tracks, Homesick is laden with a barrage of palm muted riffs and growled vocals from Jeremy McKinnon. When he sings clean vocals, there are times, such as on You Already Know What You Are, where I can't help but hear Brendan Urie from Panic! At The Disco.
In keeping with their policy of mixing pop punk hooks with modern metal breakdowns, Homesick, as mentioned before, leans towards the latter. However, there are plenty of poppier moments on the album for the more casual listener to sink their teeth into. Kicking off with The Downfall Of Us All, the vocals resonate with the powerful backing provided by the band, and if you watch any live footage of the band, the crowd are usually singing the main vocal line of this song long before the band take to the stage; I was lucky to be a part of this at Leeds Festival last year. I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? is another belter, and tends to be a staple of the live set nowadays, and contains arguably my favourite guitar riff of the record. My favourite song of the lot though has to be Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End, which lifts the listener to heavenly heights during the chorus, but pummels during the verses, therefore finding the perfect blend of the two genres mentioned many times in this review.  There are times when I find myself hearing traces of Slipknot in this album, with the heavy blasts of sound and the switches between growled and clean vocals. A prime example of 'knot influence can be found on Welcome To The Family.
On their most recent record Common Courtesy, it is clear that the band are maturing nicely, and if they carry on this upwards trajectory, they may very well find themselves headlining all of the festivals they have graced their presence with. Criticising this record could see me on the receiving end of some harsh words from my girlfriend, but I think the only thing I can say is that there are times when I find myself thinking that one song sounds just like the rest of them. Yes, some songs are stronger than others, but this is a fan favourite of an album, and I can clearly see why.

Rating: 8/10
Recommended songs: Downfall Of Us All, Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End