Remember when Jane’s Addiction weren’t a stadium-rock parody of the band they started out as? Middle Class Rut strip that down to the basics, and it rules.

Who the hell are Left Side Brain? Based on Rifftrospective‘s look-back at a ten year career, they’re one of the best British alt-metal bands I’ve never heard of.

Despite being tired after a two-month tour, Oceansize put everything into their homecoming show at Manchester Academy. So why are the audience so bloody quiet?

Sludge-pop progenitors Torche have returned – though their new EP/album Songs For Singles is more short sharp heavy pop than sludge, most of the time.

Berlin threesome Rotor make a roaring dirty sludgy noise, but it’s crafty and angular and jazzy too. All kinds of post-whatever everything, right here. Good.

Manc alt-proggers Oceansize are back with their fourth album. Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up is challenging, intricate, and a work of genius.

Good news for fans of Oceansize and epic post-rock acts: Reading’s Heights blend virtuoso precision with melody and clarity to great effect on From Sea To Sky.

It wouldn’t be a Future Of The Left show without the equipment failures… but the Mclusky covers are unusual. Is this a new phase, or the beginning of the end?

Gloriously gloomy post-rock posse iLiKETRAiNS aren’t moping over their lack of record label; instead, they’re asking their fans for cash, and it’s working.

Newport outfit Spiridion mash up Deftones and Tool very successfully on their self-released debut A Moment Of Clarity. Give ‘em time, and they could be awesome.