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Australia is in such a rich vein of form when it comes to producing heavy music that to point it out is to risk being clichéd. That’s not an issue when it comes to As Paradise Falls, because, on the strength of this album, they’ve got a way to go before they can be mentioned in the same breath as the best of their antipodean brethren. Digital Ritual has such an unfocused amalgam of styles that much of it is jarring. Star Blind starts with brutish aggression but descends into strained, unnecessary melodic vocals that sit uncomfortably between Marilyn Manson and Generic Metalcore Vocalist 101. Occasionally, as on Glory To The Server, they aim for tech-death brutality before switching to a radio rock chorus, and don’t nail either style as an example. As Paradise Falls sound like a band scrambling around for their own identity. They’ll need to find it quick, or risk being left in the dust by their peers.

Since blagging his way onto the Hammer team a decade ago, Stephen has written countless features and reviews for the magazine, usually specialising in punk, hardcore and 90s metal, and still holds out the faint hope of one day getting his beloved U2 into the pages of the mag. He also regularly spouts his opinions on the Metal Hammer Podcast.