Swans: The Seer – review

The heaviest band in the world (by some estimations) return with an album that should win them new fans, writes Dave Simpson

The Darkness: Hot Cakes – review

The Darkness's terrific new album could be the one to propel them back into arenas, writes Dom Lawson

The misanthropic 70-year-old gives the Meltdown audience his best nice Lou/nasty Lou routine, writes Mark Beaumont

Kerrang!'s best British newcomers have the ringing guitar lines to achieve crossover success, writes Ally Carnwath

Even a new frontman can't disguise the veteran rockers' lack of bite, writes Kitty Empire

Norway's snotty, filthy glam-punk-schlock-rockers return with a new frontman and a renewed intent, writes Dom Lawson

Its sheer volume and intensity turns the latest Ministry comeback show into something of a disorienting blur, but that OK by Betty Clarke

This hugely seductive mix of droning strings, tablas and chants is a hazy melange of rock at its most languorous, writes Jamie Thomson

Remarkably for what is the band’s 19th studio album, Clockwork Angels never sounds dated, writes Jamie Thomson

Linkin Park’s continued experimentation with subtle electronica impresses Phil Mongredien

Linkin Park’s last album was a big departure, stylistically, but the surprise has worn off a bit now, writes Dave Simpson

French metallers Gojira take the genre to a higher plane of brilliance on their new album, writes Dom Lawson

The outstanding guitar work on Slash's second solo outing is undermined by quite appalling lyrics, writes Phil Mongredien

Slash's ever-terrific guitar playing is elevated by a replacement Axl on vocals, but it's still no Guns N' Roses, writes Michael Hann

Bleak, turgid and blisteringly loud, Black Sabbath reigned supreme at heavy metal's answer to Glastonbury, writes Ian Gittins