News

Glasswerk’s Albums of 2015

• 17th Dec 2015

10. DEXTERS – We Paid For Blood

Scruffing up the hook-laden indie riffs of old, Dexters have produced something that is both manic in style and simply addictive in nature. It’s loud, abrasive and most importantly really quite good. This band now offer something that could arguably shape the musical landscape of 2016 and become one of the most remarkable releases of this year. The way in which every song has it’s own genuine story makes the album itself a dramatic work throughout. Lyrically front man Tom Rowlett has come over leaps and bounds, over the sound of the guitars colliding with the drums in a moment of hysteria you can hear a genuine poet. This is not just an attempt to stand out – it’s a real success. Dexters have essentially grown up, and written a bloody good album while they were at it. That’s also not to detract from the strength their debut, in fact that would be a heinous suggestion to make. It’s just that this album is different and something that should – destiny willing – take the band to the next level of stardom. It will surely be hard for anyone to ignore the importance of this album over the course of the coming year.

Read the full review here.

9. MARILYN MANSON – The Pale Emperor

Becoming the demon of pop culture is always a tricky line to walk between staying loyal to both old and new fans, but ‘The Pale Emperor’ is a fantastic example of how to do it. The Rammstein-influenced numetal stomp of ‘Deep Six’ should feel completely at odds with the bluesier tracks, and while the ambient electronica ballad of ‘Warship My Wreck’ pierces the midpoint like a rogue arrow, it somehow works as a cohesive whole. With this, he’s done the impossible – Manson should be a washed up poster boy for a generation of numetal fans, but instead, he’s become more intriguing than ever before and proven that he’s still making records that are relevant in an age he was never really supposed to survive.

Read the full review here.

8. ENTER SHIKARI – The Mindsweep

If there’s one thing Enter Shikari know what to do well, it’s write a politically charged album. A musically grabbing, lyrically inspirational piece of art that gets itself stuck in your head and lives there for weeks on end. Their latest offering is exactly that, and The Mindsweep is a cool 45 minutes of rock music directed at every person on the planet who doesn’t call their own shots. Enter Shikari have delivered once more, as counted on, and it’s tough to expect anything less from the foursome. Here we have a seminal album, one which requires listening. By both the little guy, and the big guy.

Read the full review here.

7. HELLIONS – Indian Summer

Every few years a band comes along and sweeps up all the empty bullshit we’ve had stuffed down our throats and buries it with their vitality, exuberance and importance – Hellions could well be that band. Far from being a muddy mess, listening to this record is like being smacked around the head by every band you’ve every loved at different stages in your life all at the same time. By just the second track on the album you’re knee deep in a dueling guitar solo that wouldn’t be out of place on a Dragonforce record. It’s just possible that we might all have died and gone to rock music heaven.