With 'LP2', Restorations have made an album that firmly positions them as being an important voice in contemporary punk rock. Their ability to take from such a wide scope of influence and combine them in a way that feels wholly ambitious and impressively unique secures LP2's an early place in this writer's favourite records of 2013.

'Pardon My French' may not be an absolutely terrible album, but it certainly isn't by any standard all that good either. Fans of the band will probably enjoy this album, but it won't be winning them over any large amount of new fans, and it won't be helping to leave any mark or make any major impact upon the metalcore scene.

 'Vessel' is an inviting listen. It's eccentric, it's eclectic and keeps interest. There are moments that feel hollow and maybe just repetitive though. It's still a balancing act for Twenty One Pilots. For the time being, you accept the bad because the good seems to outweigh the most.

The clean vocals on 'Stories' show the potential for some kind of successful music, but mixed with these harsh growls and incohesive attempts at both electronic and, dare we say, metal, the album lacks structure and substance. Honestly, this 'experimental hardcore' should have stayed a garage experiment.  

For fans of Jack's Mannequin, there's enough familiarity here to keep you coming back, while also having covered enough new ground that you won't get bored of hearing the same thing all over again. All in all, this is a strong addition to Andrew's already stellar catalogue.

If you don't smoke cigarettes and drink whiskey you will by the time this album is finished.

'Tears on Tape' holds some good, intriguing sounds with its slow rock instrumentals mixed with its dark, poetic lyrical sounds. There are some stand out songs that make it worth a listen if you are interested in HIM. However, if you have heard HIM before it may not be the pick of the bunch.

The Australian punk and hardcore scene is thriving right now, there are so many great up and coming bands that are waiting to be discovered by the masses and One Vital Word are no exception. People probably wouldn't have expected this much from their debut full length, but fans of hardcore punk, especially when tinged with a classic feel, will find plenty here to love.

Terror have returned with another impressively solid hardcore album, Live By The Code. It’s a relentless assault of hard as hell vocals and crushing riffs that truly cements why they are so favoured and regarded as pioneers. It’s true to their sound and ethic, without compromising on their original formula. It’s undeniably addictive, and will definitely be favoured instantly.

On 'Shift of Redemption', Enabler proudly carve out their place as a forward-thinking group showing no signs of losing momentum. It's angry, loud, and raucous - but with enough creative flair and experimentation to stay unique.