In short, this bizarrely melodic, masterfully well-written and produced lysergic opus is easily one of my favourite albums this year.

It’s remarkable that an artist this far into their career is still holding out that promise of going somewhere new for both themselves and their audience. Looking forward to seeing where we go.

What we get is ‘real’ gospel roots music that in its sound and spirit is at the same time same as the original, but with a touch of timelessness.

Liturgy are a polarising band and their fifth LP, being an attempt to write an opera, will surely do them no favours in changing opinion. However, the record is incredible in how, for the most part, the quartet manage to pull off the impossible. Surely, the most ambitious album of 2020?

One of post-rocks finest bands continues its evolution with Oscillate. Huge walls of atmosphere keep the momentum rolling from the ground breaking Versus.

Sensational screamo/post-hardcore which is possibly the finest album I have heard this year. A prefect lesson in riding the fine line between chaos and control, a flawless record.

A feedback loop destined to swirl round and round, every listen exposing a hitherto unheard element or emotional pang.

There’s no denying that Black Sabbath’s first two studio albums broke the barriers of what is now known as both Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. It’s been 52 years since the band launched. They originally started out as a blues band between two different nam …

The band continue their constant and considerable evolution, but despite it all, genre debates and line-up changes aside, this record still sounds resolutely like Tombs. Only the best bands can do that.

The final result tells us that Seed’s changes of musical colors work, particularly if you are more attuned to the current electronic sounds. Or, if you need a Halloween 2020 soundtrack.

A fine raw black metal debut album from Canadian trio, Liminal Shroud, unfortunately undercut by poor production that despite their aesthetic, weighs too heavily upon the material on offer.

It wasn’t a wasted trip from Tennessee to Abbey Road. Because All Them Witches have delivered their best album yet. Nuanced, moody, heavy in places and delicate in others.

Lauren uses all the ‘same old story’ concept and infuses it with the exact touch of emotion and (musical) side steps to make Vanity Metrics interesting and engaging throughout.

Veteran Swedes stick rigidly to their melodic death metal template. Fans will find plenty to love here, but ultimately Moment feels like a band going through the motions.

The only uncertainty Because of a Flower leaves you with, in the end, is a question – can Ana Roxanne come up again with another album of such excellence and beauty.

The Bats are a NZ institution, not only recording for most of their careers on the venerable Flying Nun Records, but also maintaining the same 4 person lineup since their inception in 1982.

On Memories, Vipid doesn’t try to paint his personal memories with too many, either rosy or dark colors, and makes a good walk over the thin (ambient) ice.

Lunatic Soul pushes new boundaries through Mariusz Duda’s personal reflection.

In Erasable Assignments, Karhide gives the listener a calm and melodic space to think in a world of panic, noise and sensory overstimulation.

A fantastically immersive soundworld, revisiting the powerful impact of his processed loop investigations while exploring a wider range of atmospheres.

Individually each track is worthy of praise, but with only three on offer, it’s difficult to understand what Kiova are really offering the listener.