HAPPY 5 YEARS // REARVIEW RETROSPECTIVE

I started this blog back in 2021, a year of uncertainty for many, including for me. During the Coronavirus outbreak, and the subsequent lockdowns, everyone had a lot of time for soul searching, or for taking up casual alcoholism. I did the former, and truly connected with my deep love for music. Not only did I learn how to play the guitar during lockdown, I also decided to start up a music blog I aptly named Audio Addict to write about all my favourite musical releases, and finally give myself the space to nerd out about the things I love in a setting where I wouldn't be making my friends roll their eyes. Since then, I've written over 100 articles, chatted about some of the hottest new records as well as celebrated the lives and times of some of our favourite musicians, all whilst attempting to stay true to little 17 year old me who just wanted a space to be themselves. Here we are, in 2026, five years down the line, and I'd like to think I'm still going relatively strong. I mean I don't post as much as I used to (alas, I have a full time job) and my taste has changed relatively in comparison to how it was in 2021, but here I am still doing my best and making this work, curating my little corner of the internet.

I also want to say a quick thank you to you, who's reading this right now. If you've been here since the beginning (I'm so sorry if you have) or if you're jumping on for the first time, thank you for taking the time out to come and visit my blog. It means the world that my friends, family and those closest to me carve out a little moment in their lives to read what I have to say - it's always appreciated and I am truly humbled and undeserving of the messages you all send me, whether it's telling me my opinion is wrong on my latest Taylor Swift take, or letting me know you enjoyed whatever waffle I was putting out.

So how do I celebrate the last five years on my blog? What is something I can do to both pay my respects to the path that I've paved, whilst also doing something new and exciting? How's about going back and re-listening and reviewing every single album I've ever written a full blog post about? Like every single one, from the first one posted on the 14th of June 2021 to the latest posted this year. Yeah, sounds by no means like a crazy idea that will take ages to write and potentially drive me completely insane. For context, I'm doing all the albums I wrote a full breakdown and review on, so that includes my small bitesized reviews of albums that I post, but not any of my 'is not good' series. Mainly because I really don't want to listen to that god awful Eminem record again. Sound good? Sweet.

I'm going to go in reverse order, so starting with the worst records, and slowly moving my way up to the best of the best. For each album, there will be an original score, and a brand new score, we're going off the new ones this time around, so we can really see how things have changed and how I feel now so many years down the line. These records are then banded into brackets based on their score, going from 11 right the way down to 1. That does however mean that the first record I'm going to talk about will be the worst record I've ever reviewed on this blog - not a wonderful accolade, and believe it or not it's shared between four! Right, enough yapping, let's get to it!

In joint 11th place, with a new ranking of 4/10 are;

The Devil Wears Prada - ZII

Original Rating - 4/10

2026 Rating - 4/10

A non mover here for The Devil Wears Prada for their narrative driven record ZII. All parts boring and repetitive, this record suffers from some serious fatigue as soon as you reach the second track. Although there are some small redeeming factors in it's sheer heaviness, that alone isn't enough to save this EP from being a one dimensional snooze fest.

Corey Taylor - CMF2

Original Rating - DNF

2026 Rating - 4/10

This album held the not so wonderful accolade of being the only record in the history of my album reviews to ever get DNF'd, so i was mildly apprehensive to give this one another listen after I so harshly kicked it to the curb previously. On re-listen there were some small redeeming qualities, but what struck me the most was the serious identity crisis this album seemed to potray - caught between his Slipknot and Stone Sour roots, Taylor lets this record run wild in the genre department, and although for some artists this is fine, for Taylor it's an execution that lacks cohesion or any real appeal.

Glass Animals - I Love You So F***ing Much

Original Rating - 6.5/10

2026 Rating - 4/10

What originally stumped me about this record was that it refused to step out of it's own wheelhouse at any point, and upon revisiting it still reeks of that same refusal to branch out. All tracks on this record revolve around a beat, synths and the same type of mildly whiny vocals that after a track or two you can appreciate, but a whole record? No thanks. I really like some of these guy's early work, but I get much more replayability out of that than I do this, which is why I dropped it down a few marks.

Childish Gambino - Bando Stone & The New World

Original Rating - 5/10

2026 Rating - 4/10

Since listening to this record, I can firmly say I have not thought about it again, and for a goliath in the industry like Gambino, I really expected more. Bar the mildly overplayed but exceptional Lithonia, this record left me with more questions than it did answers, and honestly just irritated me at it's lack of cohesion or fluidity, which is why it's fallen down to a 4.

Next up, ranking in 10th position in my all time album rankings on 5/10 are;

Vended - What Is It // Kill It

Original Rating - 9.5/10

2026 Rating - 5/10

A dramatic drop for the lads in Vended, but honestly I have no clue what I was thinking rating this record so highly. Although I see a lot of it's merits, what with the intensity, impressive musicianship and harsh sound, this record is really quite one dimensional, and lacking any sort of real substance to get your teeth into. On the replay, it impresses on some metrics, but also fails to deliver on most, which is why it now sits at a perfectly fine 5/10. Alright, but not something I'd go back to in a hurry.

100 Gecs - 10,000 Gecs

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 5/10

There is a small part of me that had some very localised nostalgia for this record, and the time where insane hyperpop was my jam. Alas, that time is now past, and what I used to love about this insane, zany and downright chaotic album now just grinds on me. From the insane sampling, the insufferable sfx looped back to back to back, or the grinding melodies and glitches, it's just a little much for me these days - and that's ok. Although I probably wont be running back to this one in a hurry, I can still stomach some of their debut record, when I'm in the right mood - which is very rare.

Fourteen Minutes - Dominic Fike

Original Rating - 6/10

2026 Rating - 5/10

I like this record. I do. There is some really solid musicianship in this one, and obviously Misses is an iconic track that sounds excellent - but it's only 14 minutes long. I know that is it's whole schtick, but I can't rank it higher than a 5 because it's just got so little to go off. But it's a good little EP nonetheless.

Sitting in at 9th place in my all time rankings at a decent 6/10 are;

Corey Taylor - CMFT

Original Rating - 7/10

2026 Rating - 6/10

Although a little more all over the place than it's successor, CMFT at it's core is a decent record of stadium rock tracks that are pretty well made and really well performed. Walking the tightrope well between heavy and bluesy, this album flexes Taylor's solid musicianship without it ever feeling like a pastiche or that he's trying too hard - which help round this one out as a decent body of work.

Paramore - This is Why

Original Rating - 6/10

2026 Rating - 6/10

A non mover on this list, This is Why has always been a little bit of a head scratcher for me. It's probably because when it comes to Paramore I was introduced to them through Riot! and therefore expect a bit more edge and angst, and this album caught me completely off guard. However, even when listening back to it, I can still say it's not my cup of tea. Although the more mature sound is a new step into the unknown that I respect, I just don't vibe with it too hard, so it's staying as a 6 for now.

Fontaines D.C - Romance

Original Rating - 6/10

2026 Rating - 6/10

I have a very love hate relationship with this record. On the one hand, it's singles, namely Starburster and Favourite were exceptional, and I played the shit out of them when they came out - but the rest of the record in my head was just a little lacklustre. It was all a little too fast, and when that's condensed into barely 45 minutes of runtime, it left exciting ideas feeling half baked, and me feeling quite considerably let down - and that emotion remains to this day. If some of the tracks were given just a little more room to breathe, then they could have been truly excellent, but were instead cut a little too short for my liking.

Charli XCX - Brat // Brat Deluxe

Original Rating - 6/10

2026 Rating - 6/10

This one is a non mover, not only because it was a cultural movement, but also because in that deluxe album you have so many songs that are so good they deserved to be on that main record. Why am I grouping them together? Because I want to, and to be honest to make two in the same bracket of 6/10 feels unnecessary. Their both solid bodies of work, just not my genre wheelhouse, but that by no means makes either of them bad albums - they're full of some razor sharp production and some awesome soundscapes that still hold up to this day.

There's only one record in 8th position on a 6.5...

Twenty One Pilots - Scaled and Icy

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 6.5/10

Now, I know I did a whole retrospective on how this record isn't as bad as I first thought it was - it was my first ever blog post, me absolutely dunking on this album, but after I let it grow on me, I wanted to retroactively change my thoughts. Well, I've always been indecisive - after all of the other amazing records Twenty One Pilots are putting out, this one does rank a lot lower. That's not saying its not good, it has some wonderful upbeat synth pop tracks that are a good listen, but I think this record thrives in the background, so I don't seek it out to really listen if that makes sense.

Next up in 7th position in the all time rankings with a solid 7/10...

Frank Iero and The Future Violents - Heaven is a Place, This is a Place

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

What a little record this is. Full of some of the most emotive vocals I have ever really experienced, this is a rocket fuelled journey from front to back. There are some really golden moments on this album that keeps me coming back to it, bit even then there's not much of it all together for me to sink my teeth into, which is why it sits at a nice sturdy 7.

Ghost - Imperia

Original Rating - 9.5/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

I had a huge hyperfixation on Ghost that crashed and burned pretty hard - especially during the Imperia album cycle. This pretty solid collection of grandiose goth rock is a record that although I don't spin personally much anymore, I still hold in relatively high regard. Sure, the deep rooted gothic identity of this record does go on a little, and some songs get quite bogged down in the verbose wordplay and semantics, but all in all this is a good record with some standout tracks.

Metallica - 72 Seasons

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

Metal monsters Metallica really wowed me with their latest full length 72 Seasons. At the time, I remember having a lot of these singles on repeat, with the album bridging the gap between my want for something more melodic than Slipknot, but heavier than Green Day. This album is a solid anthology of reflective song writing, masterful guitar riffs and well put together tracks, but is by no means their best record to date (even if I attempted to connote that the first time around...)

Frank Turner - Undefeated

Original Rating - 7.5/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

This album is really good - filled with some brilliant rock ballads and moments of sheer emotional intensity, Undefeated shows Turner as his most vaulnerable self, a side to him we had yet to really see behind the brash and confident offerings of his previous discography. However, this record has the highest highs, and the lowest lows, with a couple songs feeling a bit undercooked in comparison to emotional ballads like East Finchley and Somewhere Inbetween.

Chappell Roan - Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Original Rating - 7/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

A non mover here for Ms Roan with RAFOAMP, and what's more to say than just a very accessible and a very catchy modern pop record. From front to back it's pretty enjoyable, with both upbeat bangers and slow grooves to please any pop enjoyer. It's not shocking to see why this album became such a phenomenon, but even so I can't say I personally have been blasting it on repeat, which is why it's stayed at a solid and sturdy 7.

Amyl and The Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness

Original Rating - 7/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

No changes either for punk rock powerhouses Amyl and the Sniffers with their latest offering. All parts jagged, political and instrumentally bonkers, Cartoon Darkness is this band at the cutting edge of its own raunchy and diabolically chaotic sound, and it's a bloodt pulse raiser. There are some real stand out tracks on this one, but once again it's not played enough by me to warrant it any higher on my owm personal list - maybe that'll change, we'll find out in 2031.

Tyler the Creator - Chromakopia

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 7/10

Down one point is Chromakopia, an interesting and sonically diverse offering from the brilliant mind of Tyler the Creator. I really enjoyed this record when it came out, from the punchy hooks of Darling I to the brutal and reflective Hey Jane, this records sound is so genre spanning and textural, you can't help but enjoy it for all it has to offer. However, this crazy spanning sense of sonics does at times begin to grind on full listen throughs, and is more enjoyed by me when shuffled in a playlist rather than played end to end.

Another lone ranking at number 6...

Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To

Original Rating - 7.5/10

2026 Rating - 7.5/10

This record is hefty from front to back. It's so hefty in fact that it's metalcore and hard punk mix got a little much for my delicate ears. What I will say is that this record is a machine, executing some of the most chunky instrumentals that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing, as well as it's small guest spots elevating the tracks they were written in on. Sure it's just shy of half an hour, but holy hell is this a solid body of work.

Next up, scoring 8/10 and reaching the number 5 spot are...

Slipknot - The End, So Far

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

Down .5 of a score is TESF, one of the most divisive records of the masked nines entire discography. Cooky, and at times completely deranged, this record blends some crazy elements, that actually end up working nearly every time. From the melodic opener to the more crushing Yen and Hivemind, this record proved to purists and casual fans alike that whatever direction the band decided to pull itself in would always end up sounding pretty badass.

Pierce the Veil - The Jaws of Life

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

This record is really a story of two halves. The opening end of this album is sheer blazing perfection. Tracks like Pass the Nirvana and it's title track are insane punk rock bangers, with amazing sounding instruments, brilliant vocals and really well put together themes and lyricism. In the second however, it begins to loose its momentum, and offer up some tracks which - in comparison to the others on the record - pale in comparison. Note I say 'some' here and by no means 'all' (i'm literally just talking about the closing track which I think is really quite whack) this is still an amazing body of work that really acted as a gateway for me into their earlier stuff, and I look back on super fondly.

Blink 182 - One More Time

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

When I first heard the title track of this album, I will admit I shed a tear or two. The story of this band is bonkers, and to be able to be around to witness them make amends and go back to their classic unserious selves was, at the time a joy to listen to. Maybe on the repeat this time around I found it a little crass, and at some points so dumb I winced, this record is such a return to form, and so joyful in its makeup that you can't help but grin your whole way through.

Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

I remember when I first listened to this album - I was in the library of my university, sitting with my friends doing an all nighter after pulling an insanely long shift at work. I similarly remember being absolutely blown away at the time by this record, and to this day I think it holds up as a brilliant body of work. The blend of electronic pop, singer songwriter no holes barred lyricism and brooding synth layers make this record in a league of its own above other competitors - I just haven't re visited it in so long (really since then) that I don't think it deserves the near perfect spot for me, it's just not in my wheelhouse enough to warrant any higher a score in my own personal ranking - still an excellent album though.

The Cure - Songs of a Lost World

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

This record by The Cure is an excellent flex of their experimental capabilities. What they do on this record, the insane lengths they go to to really nurture their own sonic soundscapes is really excellent, and I think should be commended. However, what this record has in some amazing diversity and moments, it's stunted by it's own length. Some songs go on and on relentlessly, making me loose interest about halfway through, only to be swept back up into it by the end. So brilliant sonically, but I've got to be in the right mood to want to lock in and revisit it again.

Sabrina Carpenter - Man's Best Friend

Original Rating - 8/10

2026 Rating - 8/10

Of all the current pop princesses on the radio, Sabrina Carpenter is probably my favourite. She has been firmly at the front of the strong female surge of empowered artists not shying away from the spotlight, and in her latest project Mans Best Friend no punches are pulled. Facing in her trademark sarcastic way her own breakup with high profile partner Barry Keoghan, this record is just a joy to listen to, laugh to, and at times get nice and emotional with. It's also produced superbly, written brilliantly, and all in all just an excellent record. Good things all around!

Up next are the albums on a brilliant 8.5 rating, scoring 4th position...

Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

When I wrote the review for this Ozzy record, I had no idea it would be the last body of work he would give us before his death. I also didn't realise what a controversial figure he was up until very recently, but after reading his books and trying to understand him a little more, I think he has done a lot as of late to really earn back the trust of his fanbase, and the music community as a whole. This record was yet another steeping stone in that - genre spanning, chocked full of anthemic belters and rapid speeding riffs, this album encapsulated the wildness and emotion of Ozzy Osbourne almost to a perfect T, with some excellent guest features and some really impressive moments. Although it was his last, it was certainly a great record to go out on.

Twenty One Pilots - Clancy

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

This is probably going to come as a shock to quite a lot of people, but I'm going to be so honest with you - I loved this record when it came out, but I think a lot of the heavy lifting was being done by my own recency bias. Listening back to this album, I feel like I'm waiting for the big tracks, for Routines in the Night, Navigating, and getting through the others so I can reallt enjoy those big anthemic blockbusters. However, this album is still fantastic, it has such a style, such a sense of identity, and that makes the whole listening experience front to back so satisfying. The release of new music from this band, which we'll talk about later, has taken this from a perfect record in my eyes, to a pretty near perfect one - but Clancy still holds a very special place in my heart.

Bring me the Horizon - Post Human; Nex Gen

Original Rating - 6/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

I love this record. Genuinely, really love it. I know it's not every BMTH fan's favourite, but it's over the top hyperpop doomcore mixing is just so perfectly blended, so chaotic, that it works for me on every single level. It's an album of absolute polemics that somehow blends to create one rapid and ever changing experience that front to back is just excellent. Sure I have some small problems with it, some tracks I don't meld with or moments I skip, but all in all this is such a solid album full of songs I still have on repeat to this day.

Sabrina Carpenter - Short 'n Sweet

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

Now now, before you Sabrina fans start to sharpen your pitchforks over the fact this is higher up than her latest album please know this - this record has had more time to grow on me than the newest one, so it goes a little further up. That's all. I love basically the exact same things about both these records - they're fun, accessible and well put together front to back, this one has just had more time for me to really hear it and enjoy it than Man's Best Friend. Ok? We all good? Sweet, onto the next one.

LS Dunes - Violet

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

What a record from LS Dunes, it's a powerhouse of emotion and such solid lyricism from Anthony Green - it really is a tour de force of what makes this band so damn good. The vibes are absolutely electric from front to back - even if there are a couple of songs from the album that don't go as hard as others. I listen to this record every now and again, and it never fails to set a good mood.

Deftones - Private Music

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

This one was so recent that my opinion of it hasn't changed - it's a solid record, with some really driving tracks full of signature energy and distorted guitars. I still listen to a lot of the singles from this album, and it's been enhanced by getting to see them live - I appreciate the songs in both a recorded and live setting. Again there are a couple of songs that I don't vibe with as hard, but I still vibe with the record as a whole.

Joji - Piss in the Wind

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 8.5/10

Again, a recent release, and another pretty brilliant one. This record sees Joji distill down his signature style, blending electronic R&B and his harmonic vocals to create some really solid and catchy tracks - even if they are a touch short. I still listen to tracks like Sojourn and Pixellated Kisses when I need something driving and high energy, and I can't wait to see him live in a couple of months time. I'm sure it'll just hone my appreciation for his music.

These next albums are so close to perfect, scoring a 9/10 and reaching 3rd position...

Green Day - Saviors

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 9/10

Saviors is a brilliant return to form for Oakland pop punk legends Green Day. Insanely well written, catchy, and with that classic cutting lyricism and social commentary, this record feels perfect for the times, and is still on hefty repeat on my playlist. It's a special record, one that cemented Green Day once more into my top artists of all time. This is a record for the ages, only let down by one or two tracks that underdelivered in comparison to the others - I'd really recommend listening to the extended edition, there are some great ones on there.

Tyler the Creator - Don't Tap the Glass

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 9/10

What a record, not bogged down in narratives and storytelling, just focusing on making music that makes people want to get up and dance. It's just so damn good, blending rap with 90's R&B and house styles to create one of the most solid records of last year. I listen to this one a lot, just to immerse myself in it, really enjoy the beats and goofball lyricism. It's a joy to listen to, and why it's got a 9/10.

Twenty One Pilots - Breach

Original Rating - 9.5/10

2026 Rating - 9/10

Remember how I said that due to another release Clancy went down a little in my all time ranking? Meet it's bigger and better brother Breach. Full of dynamism, pace, and enough chunky basslines to rattle even the most solid spine, this record is front to back brilliance - maybe even one of the best from the Ohio band. Free from their overarching narrative from the first track, the record tackles deep themes of belonging, love, responsibility, but with an edge that only this band can generate - both cutting and emotional but with a drive that makes you want to get up and run a mile. My one issue? The final track - I just wish the record closed on something a little more... substantial. Apart from that, what a brilliant album.

PRESIDENT - King of Terrors

Original Rating - 7.5/10

2026 Rating - 9/10

This EP is stunning - and when it comes from one of the most exciting bands on the heavy scene, it's hard not to appreciate it in all it's glory. This short project has it all, speedy and precise live drums blended with drum machines, humming synths and distorted low tuned guitar riffs, and some of the most enticing vocal performances I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. Sure, half the EP was released before it's actual drop, sure Destroy Me has an annoying bell sound effect which I still find hard to take seriously - but what excellent groundwork, that's so so so close to being perfection it's painful.

And, in the silver medal position, albums I think are so painfully close to being perfect on a 9.5...

Brakence - Hypochondriac

Original Rating - 9.5/10

2026 Rating - 9.5/10

It's rare that you get to experience a record like this one in your lifetime. Something so beautiful, yet so volatile - something so vulnerable like singer songwriter guitar ballads blended with the intensity of hyperpop. It's a blend of everything that's good about Brakence - the immediacy of his lyrics and the soundscape to his production, every song oozing emotion. It's a truly gorgeous record, and so close to being perfect that it physically hurts me to not give it a 10, but I don't think about it as much as those perfect 10/10 records, so it stays at a very respectable 9.5.

Fall Out Boy - So Much (For) Stardust

Original Rating - 9.5/10

2026 Rating - 9.5/10

What a way to come back - with a powerhouse of a record that both pays tribute to their pop punk roots whilst blending that with the styles that make every single band member shine. Soulful choruses, crashing drums with heavy toms, controlled and clinical guitars and simple thumping basslines - what more could you want from a Fall Out Boy record. This album felt so current on release, with it's finger firmly on the pulse of pose 2020 life, and how it's recontextualised all our lives, written in a way only Pete Wentz can manage to write - with so many words, and metaphors. What an album, thoroughly deserving a 9.5.

Los Campesinos! - All Hell

Original Rating - 8.5/10

2026 Rating - 9.5/10

I found myself revisiting this record over and over again - because it has everything you could really want from an indie pop rock project. Need a slow burning lyrical masterpiece? Feast of Tongues is the way to go. Need an indie banger with bright sparkly guitar? Moonstruck all the way. It spans every emotion, every style with searing ease, and does so with joy, and seemingly little effort. This is also an album you can really enjoy front to back, it feels like it's really been made with that whole album playthrough in mind, and that's something I can really respect.

And now, I introduce you to my favourite albums of all time that I have reviewed on this blog... in the number one 10/10 bracket are...

Boston Manor - Datura

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

This brooding, stalking, howling masterpiece is a testament to Boston Manor and their ability to put everything they've got into a concept. Depicting an entire evening, it has atmosphere in spades, bringing dark synths and gritty composition to build their gloomy soundscapes. They blend that with some of the best, and most inspired music of their careers, edgy and violent, but delivered like a razor, sharp and precise. There's a reason why Foxglove is so iconic, it's an excellent alternative rock track that encompasses this entire records darkest roots - maybe I'm the problem. If you haven't heard it, I implore you, go and give this album a spin, and once you're done with that...

Boston Manor - Sundiver

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

...give this one a listen! The daytime counterpart to it's gloomier sister record, Sundiver sheds the dark skin of it's predecessor and let's the light in, gleaming in cleaner guitar tones and buzzing synths. But in that light, it looses none of it's edge or energy, delivering perfect tracks back to back to back. Full of their signature punky dynamism and spectacular production, this album is Boston Manor once again at their best. This felt like such a special album when it released, and to this day is one of my personal top five of all time beyond this blog. It's just a treat to listen to - I'll tell you now, we only get to experience these records for the first time once, and I wish I could do it again and again with this one.

Nick Mobin - Better With Me

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

Call me biased. Call me whatever you want, this is a fantastic first longform release from Mobin. Every track glimmers in it's own beautiful way, blending singer songwriter lyrics that are gorgeously 'heart on his sleeve' with some subtle electronic elements - it's just a joy to listen to, and one I can't get off repeat. I know Mobin is going to have one hell of a career, and what an honour we get to watch it all unfold infront of us.

The 1975 - Being Funny in a Foreign Language

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

I have sung this albums praises a lot - and for good reason. This album is one of, if not the best projects we have seen from The 1975. Everything you could want from one of their albums is right here, honest and sometimes bonkers lyrics that both playfully tug or slice away the heartstrings, some beautiful and diverse production (I still hate you Jack Antonoff but you did it so damn well I'm letting you off this time) and some serious musicianship - I am by no means opposing the tagline that this is the 75 'at their very best', I still see no evidence against that claim, even after all this time.

Hailey Williams - Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

Now, I know this one came out of left field, giving this record a perfect 10 in one of my short review posts, but this album is really really special. Williams just has her craft so well mastered, I feel like there's no emotion she can't elecit in me, and this record takes you on a journey like no other I've really had the pleasure of experiencing. I'll blab on and on about Parachute, about that one song and it's bine shaking honesty, and Ice in my OJ for it's catchy chorus - and before you say 'this is just the DNA of 'This is Why' recontextualised', yes it is, and it works better here than there. Cool? Cool.

Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden

Original Rating - 9/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

Listening back to this album now, I really believe in ten or fifteen years time, this will ascend into the pantheon of records that informed an entire paradigm shift in the alternative scene. Blending effortlessly heavy metal composition with djent riffs, enough crazy drum fills merging metal with punk and somehow gospel, and etherial vocals, it is simply a masterpiece. It is a band finding its own sound and running with it, taking the listener on an end to end journey that does not hesitate to throw you around as violently as it can, before delivering cutting emotional blows. I am in permanent awe of Vessel and the command he has of this music, and believe he is a once in a lifetime artist - this record could just be Sleep Token's magnum opus, but we will have to wait and see, because it's not the only one of their projects in this final bracket.

Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia

Original Rating - 10/10

2026 Rating - 10/10

I am, somehow, living in one of the most amazing musical landscapes ever fostered. Flying the flag is of course Sleep Token and their newest record just cements that in my mind. Finally breaking their way into the mainstream with Caramel and Emergence, this is a record that is perfection when you listen to it from front to back, but flourishes in a playlist setting too. It is a beautiful project, both glistening with synth and soundscape, whilst twisting the emotional knife in your back that's been there since their last release. Remember Euclid? Remember how that hurt you on an emotional level? Try Gethsemane on for size. I keep saying it, but I am so grateful this band is still releasing music, still exciting me in ways I never thought were possible, and cannot wait to see where they go next. For now, I'll have Provider and Past Self blasting on repeat.

Overall;

There it is. Every single album I have ever reviewed on this blog, re listened to and re scored, and here. This has been a bonkers undertaking, with a full table of all 47 of these albums, my previous thoughts, and my new ones, and where they all jigsaw together to make this monster of a list. It's been hard work, sure, but also so much fun.

What now, I hear you ask. Well, we keep going. Who knows if I'll be doing this in 5 years time, I'll nearly be 30, but I really hope I'll still be doing this. In a world, a society that sometimes seems so fragile, so vapid and scary, it's been such an escape to have this blog, have this outlet where I can speak about something that is truly such a core part of my life. I am forever grateful I have this space, and again to you for reading it. Even if you skimmed this massive post because 47 reviews of albums sounds completely stupid and might take you an age. You're here, and for that I am forever in your debt. Thank you. Thank you so much.

I want to leave you with a memory I have writing this blog - something that at the time felt small, but now feels really quite massive. It was the 26th of July 2021. I had only just got into the swing of my blog, and I was chilling in my bedroom, doing god knows what. I get a notification on my phone that Joey Jordison, one of my inspirations and idols, had passed away. It floored me. I was a massive Slipknot fan, and it felt like an emotional gut punch. So what did I do? I sat down, and I write a blog post, and let all those emotions out onto the page, and it felt so vindicating. I got to share that emotion, that passion, and package it up, and send it away into the void, onto this blog. When I pressed that publish button I felt, as cringy as it sounds, at peace. That's what this blog is for me, I get to pour out a little bit of myself, and share it to anyone who wants to experience that. I continue to do it to this day, but that moment, that small snippet, was the first time I really realised what this blog could do for me.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. Here's to the next five years, or ten, or two. Either which way, I'll be here - and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Happy five years Audio Addict

2021-2026