After a sneaky month off our regular feature is back, this month we have a bumper crop of recommendations from our staff as they share with you lovely readers just what it is that's getting them excited this month.


Michelle Moore

Fearless Vampire Killers - Militia of the Lost
Since reviewing this debut album and seeing the band live with William Control earlier in the year, Militia of the Lost has been played on repeat! It consists of some brilliant tracks each telling a different part of the story about a fictional city and its royal palace being set on fire. Vocals responsibilities are split between guitarists Laurence and Kier, each having their own vocal range and qualities bringing something new to the album. These are the types of tracks you can never get bored of.

The Suburbians - Follow the Lights
After the amazing performance these guys put on at the Camden Barfly recently, this debut is a must listen again and again and again. Within this anthemic release there are so many moments that make you want to scream and shout along with the tracks. Favourites have to include Breaking Away, Red Dress and Six in the Morning. This is an amazing album that builds in strength each time you listen...and it only takes one listen to get you hooked!



Paul Chesworth

Bonafide - Ultimate Rebel
The Swedish rockers' third album, and bugger me, if it isn't one of the best rock albums of the year (or possibly quite a few years!). Likened to AC/DC, and rightly so, they take simple riffs and turn them into a hurricane of sound. Don't believe me? I'm that confident, I'll show my bum in Burtons' window if you don't like it. Simply awesome

Neal Morse - Momentum
Neal's been away God bothering now for at least a decade. Whilst his albums in that time have been great, I don't like the Mormon 'in your face and foot in the door' approach to his music since he departed my beloved Spock's Beard. With Momentum, he has toned down the preaching (it's still there in parts), but the end result is the best prog rock album of the year without a doubt.



Che Ballard

Firewater - International Orange!
The latest release from 'World Punk' pioneer Tod A has just been released, and it's a corker of an album that I've had on repeat for several days. An added bonus is that, 7 albums in, they're finally going to play some UK shows!

Prong - Carved Into Stone
Carved Into Stone sees Tommy Victor and co in fine fettle. Riffs jagged enough to draw blood.

dEUS - Following Sea
If any band work out the formula for the perfect album it will probably be dEUS. Beautiful and powerful yet subtle enough to still surprise and satisfy after repeated listens.



Heather Fitsell

Jake Bugg - Taste It EP
This 18-year-old is extremely hot property at the moment and everyone wants a piece of him. His popularity has simply escalated since I first heard him in March and this EP gives us a prelude to his album which will be released on 15th October. Jake writes lyrics with a maturity beyond his years. His music offers something different to what mainstream radio normally has to offer and is a talent that can only get better.



James Stant

Black Mirrors - Crimson
Formed from the ashes of Leamington rock group Motorcade, duo Black Mirrors is the new venture for Jim Hargreaves (vocals/guitar) and Tor Burrows (drums/vocals), which sees the pair exploring a heavier and edgier sound. Combining reverb-laden vocals with busy drums, Crimson is a track that bursts with energy and perfectly demonstrates how well the twosome play off each other. Crimson is available to download for free at Black Mirrors' ReverbNation page, as is their equally delicious track, Dead On My Feet.

Pure Love - Handsome Devil's Club
Rejecting the brash aggressiveness of their hardcore punk backgrounds, English-American rock outfit Pure Love (co-founded by ex-Gallows vocalist Frank Carter and former Hope Conspiracy guitarist Jim Carroll) have unearthed a glorious strand of hard rock that places a surprising degree of importance on melodiousness. If the single Handsome Devil's Club is anything to go by, Pure Love are sure to be ones to watch.

The Ataris - So Long, Astoria
Soon to become a whole decade old, So Long, Astoria was a solid release from the Florida pop punkers, despite not achieving much critical success. The quartet's fourth studio album may not boast chart-topping, ground-breaking tunes, but there are a couple of notable highlights, including singles In This Diary and The Saddest Song.



Jim Parry

Maserati - Earth-Like / The Eliminator
Whilst drooling over the thought of release day for my favourite instrumental band's new full-length, these two tasters have been on repeat now for a week or two. Late drummer Jerry Fuchs' influence on their sound was huge, and it certainly sounds like his spirit will live on through Maserati's music as they continue to create fantastically driving slabs of psychedelic, electro-instrumental rock.

Riding Panico - Lady Cobra
This is one I come back to regularly. A consistent reminder of how good post-rock can be when it's done really, really well. These Portuguese instrumentalists capture the perfect combo of riffs, hooks and atmosphere. Now hurry up and make some more music!

Black Sheep Wall - No Matter Where It Ends
The heaviest thing you're likely to hear this year, at least this side of Neurosis' impending new release. Dense, noisy sludge with a genuine no-holds-barred approach. Utterly soul destroying. In a good way.



Richard Ounsworth

Architects - Day Breaker
In my opinion this is the best I've heard in 2012 from the beautiful melodic start in Bitter End through to the massive single Alpha Omega this album is about the bullshit that Architects are clearly fed up with! Clearly a band all about atheism most of their songs are encouraged by the fake people of the world. Devil's Island, inspired by the riots last summer, is a song that should remain on people's iPods forever! The hardcore beats that this band produces are only outmatched by the lead singer's amazing vocals! Listen to this album!!!

Anti Flag - Press Corpse
It's safe to say there are a few bands of the past that I've overlooked. I've recently discovered the American punk outfit Anti Flag and Press Corpse is probably on its millionth play on my iPod. From the word 'go' the song just inspires happy dancing, moshing and the brilliant sing-along "and I want to talk talk talk talk talk about it", which is pretty much burnt into my brain thanks to the millions of plays. Safe to say this is my favourite song of the month.

Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP
In the year 2000 my favourite album ever was released, it was the second effort (and in my opinion the best) from Eminem, he had made a staggering come back and with it came singles like The Way I am and of course the legendary Real Slim Shady but this album has so much more to offer Kill You features some of the best lyrics and rapping I have ever heard. All the way through it's clear that Marshall Mathers is an angry person and just wants to vent his anger from the rooftops. We've all got those exs we want to disappear; Eminem makes a song about killing his ex 'Kim', her boyfriend and his son. A short paragraph to discuss an epic album is not fair! If you've never heard it then do yourself a favour and listen to it!



Emma Gould

Bastro - Diablo Guapo
Bastro's 1989 album was one of my favourites back in the day, I think because it reminded me of Big Black but with a stronger punk/DC hardcore type edge. It still holds up to scrutiny now over twenty years on and still appears on my turntable for regular spins.

Dowsing - It's Still Pretty Terrible
I'm a total sucker for the current batch of emo/indie bands and Dowsing, whose album I belatedly reviewed the other day for R13, is really hitting the spot and will be getting a whole load more plays this month I should think, given that I just splashed out for the vinyl.