To reiterate, change the band’s name to something inoffensive and mediocre, to better reflect the music contained within, and I’d be more apt to give this a moderately higher mark. But to so thoroughly tarnish the memory of classic Tank with this half-assed schmaltz is inexcusable and pointless.

Straight up, Someone Here Is Missing is an excellent album that deserves to be heard by anyone conversant with Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, or Anathema.

This record isn’t so much a split EP as it is a clash of the titans concerning those who revel and relish in the slow and painful.

Now, with all that praise for Judas Priest’s Setlist on the proverbial books, it doesn’t need to be questioned why – with six live albums already in circulation, does a compilation need to exist? In Judas Priest’s case, their entry into the Setlist series marks a fantastic proof of the band’s faculties as a love act. The band proves that they have never dramatically changed or experienced a decline in the thirty-year span of time that this record offers glimpses into. That, in a word, is unbelievable.

Since hearing about its upcoming release, I’ve wondered what kind of compilation Astbury and a band whose output has been as diverse as Boris’ has been would produce. Well, now I have an answer: such an effort is short and sweet, which is a problem when only half of it is really good.

“I’ve done it all, I’ve been it all, I’ve seen it all – these are like the bonus rounds as far as the opportunities go. Personally, I’m having the time of my life right now just doing what I really want to do. That’s a nice feeling, and having all the fans supporting Priest and the other endeavors – it’s just tremendously gratifying that you can still go out and do what you want to do more than anything else in the world and that’s write metal and play metal live.”

On the eve of their appearance at this weekend’s HEAVY MTL festival Rob Halford speaks to Hellbound.ca’s Bill Adams about the return of his solo band Halford and their plans for the remainder of 2010.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

Find out what HELLBOUND’s contributors have been listening to during the month of May. Almost every writer has submitted their Top 5 list and have an option to list a book and a film they are into right now too.

Overall, yes, this offering is brimming with value but the jury is out on whether or not that’s impulse or extended. Still, with its improved quality, bountiful bonuses and footing in solid new school ‘core, there have been far worse ways to part with hard-earned dollars than Suicide Season’s Deluxe version.