Alright, let's kick this review off on a different note for a change. There are many prejudices regarding Liquid Tension Experiment and its third studio album and almost all of them are completely wrong in my book. Is it true that the quartet sounds rusty twenty-two years after its last studio output? No, the four talented gentlemen don't sound rusty at all and have excellent chemistry which is quite astonishing considering that bassist Tony Levin is already seventy-four years old. Doesn't Liquid Tension Experiment only offer long-winded instrumental wankery for pretentious connoisseurs? No, that isn't the case either since the songs vary in length, sound surprisingly structured and should at least partially appeal to most fans of progressive rock and metal music. Is it true that the band basically sounds like Dream Theater without vocals? No, Dream Theater focuses much more on atmosphere, concept and structure than the mostly improvised songwriting of Liquid Tension Experiment. Doesn't Liquid Tension Experiment sound much better than Dream Theater? No, it doesn't and it wouldn't be fair to compare those two bands since James LaBrie's emotional vocals have always been an essential element in Dream Theater's sound. Wouldn't it be great to have Mike Portnoy back in Dream Theater since he is still cooperating with some of its members in Liquid Tension Experiment? No, that wouldn't be a great idea since Mike Portnoy has many other interesting projects going on and the chemistry in Dream Theater with current drummer Mike Mangini seems to be better than ever before.

With those questions out of the way, what can we say about this instrumental progressive metal album whose limited edition includes thirteen songs and a whopping running time of one hour and fifty-seven minutes? Well, the final result is varied, skillful and much more entertaining than I had initially expected. The first disc offers eight more structured tunes while the second disc presents five songs consisting of improvised jams. The first disc should be accessible for most progressive rock and metal fans while the second disc is for die-hard fans of the band only.

Among the most accessible songs, ''Beating the Odds'' comes around with futuristic melodies where guitars and keyboards harmonize perfectly and bring back the greatest hours of progressive rock and metal music of the nineties. ''The Passage of Time'' also opens up after a few spins with a more technical, raw and contemporary edge driven by the guitars and rhythm section but those passages are refreshingly interwoven with mellower parts driven by imaginative keyboard sounds and a few heartfelt guitar solos.

Among the more experimental tracks, ''Chris & Kevin's Amazing Odyssey'' is a highly atmospheric combination of otherworldly bass guitar sounds and playful percussive sections that take the listener on an uneasy but fascinating trip. ''Shades of Hope'' on the other side offers an epic, melodic and vibrant combination of mid-paced piano sounds and slow guitar leads that makes for an imaginative instrumental ballad.

The record's longest tunes like the warm, slow and mellow ''Rhapsody in Blue'' and the diversified, imaginative and spectacular ''Key to the Imagination'' combine the more accessible moments with the group's confident experimental side. They sound appealing upon first contact but need some focus and time to fully unfold due to their epic lengths.

Not every single experiment on this album works out however. The challenging ''Hypersonic'' is chaotic, fast and technical and the worst way to open an album in my opinion. ''Solid Resolution Theory'' is a tad bit repetitive towards the end and could have been cut by at least three minutes to make it sound more fluid, focused and organic.

At the end of the day, Liquid Tension Experiment's third studio album was certainly worth the wait and offers almost two hours of diversified, inspired and technically stunning progressive metal musicianship that grows with every single spin. That's no music to be listened to on your iPod on your bus ride to work or on Spotify while cooking your dinner. This music is best appreciated with some time, patience and focus as you put your headphones on, sit down and close your eyes. This imaginative music offers escapism of the greatest kind and transports its listeners to worlds unknown which is a welcome gift in tough times like these.

Final rating: 85%

American punk rock quartet The Offspring has taken nine years to release its tenth studio album Let the Bad Times Roll due to label issues, line-up changes and other activities such as singer, pianist, guitarist and bassist Dexter Holland becoming a doctor in molecular biology. The new album comes around with twelve songs with a total running time of thirty-three minutes. The Japanese version features three bonus tracks that offer a little bit more value for money.

The band makes it clear right from the start that it hasn't changed its approach to music at all. Vibrant opener ''This Is Not Utopia'' is powerful, melodic and incredibly catchy. The vocals are memorable, the riffs are gripping and the rhythm sections is steady. The lyrics are thought-provoking even though the youthful grit of yore has vanished as time has passed by.

''Breaking These Bones'' should also please to fans of old date with its drum introduction before melodic guitar riffs and vibrant bass lines kick in to introduce the simple but efficient pop punk tune. The sing-along chorus gets stuck on your mind even though it flirts with genre tropes.

''We Never Have Sex Anymore'' is the best song on the record by a mile with a mixture of rockabilly guitar sounds and Latin American folk elements. The songwriting is creative, diversified and melodic but the song always remains catchy, focused and true to the band's identity.

Another noteworthy song is the aggressive, chaotic and short ''Hassan Chop'' that combines fast musicianship with another catchy chorus with powerful backing vocals. The dominant bass guitar play stands out in particular. This song should appeal to fans who claim that the band has left its punk roots behind and are craving for something energetic, mean and rebellious.

However, the record also has a few fillers despite its short running time. The short instrumental cover of Edvard Grieg's ''In the Hall of the Mountain King'' rushes by without leaving any significant impression. The closing ''Lullaby'' is cumbersome, repetitive and ends with a vapid fade-out. The band also covered itself and offers a symphonic ballad version of its classic hit single ''Gone Away'' that one would have rather expected from a band like Evanescence. Don't get me wrong, the final result sounds memorable, inspired and emotional but it shouldn't have been included on a first studio album in nine years that should offer only authentic new material in my opinion. Another issue is the somewhat toothless contemporary production as a more organic and rough approach would have made the songs sound more vibrant.

At the end of the day, The Offspring's Let the Bad Times Roll isn't among the band's greatest hours but it's a good to very good alternative rock album with quite a few interesting ideas. The record has great flow and entertains from start to finish. The only thing that is missing is a truly memorable hit single like the band used to write on numerous occasions in the past. Genre fans can give this album a few spins without any hesitation.

Final rating: 70%

American hard rock quartet Greta van Fleet from the little city of Frankenmouth in Michigan has been all the rage since the release of its first extended play Black Smoke Rising that has soon been followed by another extended play entitled From the Fires and later on the group's debut record Anthem of the Peaceful Army. Despite the band's large number of followers and the numerous awards it has already received for its works, some people claim that the band only rips of classic hard rock bands like Led Zeppelin and fails to have its own identity. While it's true that this band should appeal to fans of hard rock, progressive rock and psychedelic rock of the seventies, the band's music sounds inspired rather than rehashed and the new output is a gigantic step forward for the band in terms of shaping its very own brand.

The Battle at Garden's Gate is inspired by calm, dreamy and introspective progressive rock music of the seventies as it recalls groups such as The Eagles, Procul Harum and Rush. A great example is strong opener ''Heat Above'' that kicks off with an extended organ solo before the drums smoothly fade in and transport this imaginative track into inspired progressive rock territory. ''Tears of Rain'' could be described as folk ballad of epic proportions with passionate vocals and almost jam-like instrumental passages. ''Trip the Light Fantastic'' has a strong vintage touch with its warm guitar sounds, vibrant bass lines, smooth drumming and dreamy keyboard sections that meet extremely variable lead vocals supported by mantra-like backing vocals that take the listener on a nearly religious voyage to the past that invites to dream yourself far away. The closing epic ''The Weight of Dreams'' goes even further in the band's progressive experimentation as it clocks in at nearly nine minutes that are filled with extended instrumental sections offering airy keyboard layers, bluesy guitar sounds and dynamic bass lines that transport the listener from the American wasteland to space and back again.

The band has consistently moved away from its catchier, shorter and simpler hard rock tunes of yore and taken quite some risks with this airy, dreamy and progressive sophomore output. Few songs remind of the band's recent past such as energetic, joyful and playful single ''My Way, Soon'' and swaggering, rhythmic and gripping ''Built by Nations''.

Some people might be surprised by the band's development and it could even lose a few fans over this progression but the young quartet has simply managed to define its own identity and offer one of the very best progressive rock albums in recent memory. The instrumental work is creative, the songwriting is inspired, the vocals sound unique and the warm vintage production transports listeners back in time and into space in times when this world has momentarily become a somewhat desolate place. Rock fans old and new around the world should be grateful for Greta van Fleet's sixty-four magical minutes of escapism. The Battle at Garden's Gate will not only be included on many lists for album of the year but stand the test of time and go down in history as one of the best rock albums of this decade. After listening to this record on multiple occasions on its first day of release, I certainly feel like spinning it again instead of revisiting the classics that inspired the band in the first place. Ignore the negative remarks and you will realize that Greta van Fleet's music isn't old-fashioned but timeless.

Final rating: 95%

Combichrist is an American aggrotech band formed by Norwegian vocalist Andy LaPlegua of futurepop band Icon of Coil. The idea was to release more aggressive material under the new banner and the project has since become a huge success in the so-called dark culture that combines subcultures such as darkwave, electro. gothic, industrial, medieval, metal and neofolk. The band has released nine full length efforts so far but also numerous other releases such as eleven extended plays. The group's stamina is remarkable and its latest full length effort One Fire is an excellent example for this. The album's stunning limited edition features the record with thirteen songs and a running time of fifty-one minutes, the soundtrack for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice with eight songs and a length of thirty minutes and a remix record entitled Mixfire that compiles eight tracks for thirty-two minutes of entertainment. The colourful and imaginative cover artwork and booklet are the cherries atop the cake. This package truly offers value for money.

How about the music? The first disc doesn't just offer noisy electronic music but actually a vibrant mixture of radio play passages, guest appearances, calm moments, danceable parts and dystopian sections filled with anger, grit and speed. An instant highlight is nightmarish ''Hate Like Me'' that finds the perfect balance between ruthless anger in the verses and a surprisingly catchy chorus somewhere between Laibach, Ministry and Rob Zombie. ''Guns at Last Dawn'' is fast, noisy and relentless piece with a guest performance by former Fear Factory vocalist Burton C. Bell. ''Lobotomy'' has a futuristic sound and is largely instrumental as it comes around as the record's simplest and most danceable tune. Title track ''One Fire'' on the other side is one of the catchiest tunes without neglecting the band's distorted, disturbed and dystopian soundscapes. ''2045'' includes radio play passages evoking a nightmarish future that are underlined by rhythmic and noisy instrumental passages and interrupted by angry shouts of anger, despair and fear. Album closer ''The Other'' is one of the calmest songs with slow pace and melodic lead vocals but nervous whispers in the background and menacing industrial soundscapes keep the record's ominous atmosphere going until the very end. This record is definitely diversified, entertaining and inspired and worth your attention if you like creative electronic music inspired by dark culture.

The soundtrack on the second disc has been made for video game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. This disc only includes the eight tracks Combichrist front man Andy LaPlegua has been involved in. These eight songs are significantly different from the other two discs. These tracks are mostly instrumental and offer cinematic, mysterious and smooth soundscapes. Soft female backing vocals can be heard in some tracks while others come around with epic storytelling passages. The most creative, diverse and intriguing song of the bunch is epic closer ''Sea of Corpses'' that clocks in at nearly six minutes. This disc is highly recommended to fans of adventure game soundtracks who like to discover fantastic worlds.

The third and final disc features eight remixes of different songs from the new album. ''Guns at Last Dawn'', ''Hate Like Me'' and ''Understand'' have been remixed once, title track ''One Fire'' has been remixed twice and ''Last Days Under the Sun'' has even received three different remixes. The remixes are quite interesting as they respect the original tunes but also add a new identity to them. The opening remix of ''Last Days Under the Sun'' for instance is quite fast, noisy and ruthless which suits the original's dystopian soundscapes. ''Guns at Last Dawn'' finds the perfect balance between noisy and speedy passages and more melancholy and melodic parts that make for a wild rollercoaster ride. The second remix of ''One Fire'' is enjoyably short, melodic and mellow and ends with an unusual fade-out. At the end of the day, these eight remixes are very interesting for anyone who has liked the original versions and appreciates sinister electronic music with creative twists.

As you can read, Combichrist's limited special edition of its ninth studio record One Fire is worth your attention, money and time if you like dystopian electronic music. This package offers nearly two hours of entertainment that is worth being discovered over and over again. With this release, Combichrist underlines its status as one of the very best aggrotech bands to be around as it offers much more creativity than similar groups.

Final rating: 80%

Nuclear Power Trio obviously initially grabbed my intention with the humorous artwork for its debut extended play A Clear and Present Rager. The song titles also looked quite amusing to say the least. Since I found the record in the metal section, I expected this to be a tongue-in-cheek crossover thrash metal release somewhere between Iron Reagan and Stormtroopers of Death. As it turns out, this is an instrumental progressive metal album which was somewhat disappointing at first. After multiple spins however, the record that offers five songs for a total running time of nineteen minutes has grown on me and is actually quite decent.

The trio manages to mix memorable melodic passages with technically impressive sections where all three musicians can shine on bass guitar, drums and electric guitar. The songwriting is refreshingly focused with lengths varying between roughly two and a half minutes and five minutes. The production is excellent for this genre in my opinion as all instruments are perfectly audible. ''Grab 'Em by the Pyongyang'' is an instant highlight for instance with its melancholy melodies that clash with skilled guitar play, playful drum patterns and dominant bass guitar sounds.

''Ukraine un the Membrane'' is similar in style but has a more cinematic, dramatic and epic note lead by melodic guitar play while the rhythm section is fast and pitiless at times. The song remains creative, dynamic and playful through nearly five minutes with surprising ideas such as an acoustic guitar coda. Despite all those changes, the track has structure and doesn't lose itself in instrumental wankery like so many other instrumental progressive metal groups do.

''Mutually Assured Seduction'' convinces with longing guitar sounds that clash with distorted riffs. The bass guitar play is yet again quite fast, playful and technical as it occasionally takes the lead in this song. The drums and percussions are also given the opportunity to shine and come around with multiple stunning tempo changes. This longest tune on the record ends this extended play on a high note.

At the end of the day, I can admit that I came across this release for the memes but stayed for its excellent music. Anyone who likes imaginative instrumental progressive metal in the key of Unbeing should check Nuclear Power Trio's A Clear and Present Rager out. Now that the trio has got our attention, let's hope that these guys stay around and follow this excellent extended play up with a full length effort in the near future.

Final rating: 85%