Kerrang! The Album ‘09

Since 1981 weekly metal mag Kerrang! has been waving the flag for hard rock charting the rise and fall of thrash, nu metal, grunge and emo. This double album exemplifies the dichotomy at the heart of any commercial magazine: do you cover what’s popular or what’s genuinely good?

Over 42 tracks the producers desperately try to encompasses both extremes, the first disc is all emo and pop punk while disc two appeals to their core audience of ‘real’ metallers. With so many tracks it would be impossible not to include some quality tunes (from the likes of Slipknot, Mastodon and Enter Shikari), but there’s as much dross (Metro Station being a prime offender) as there is good stuff.

(Rhino)