Album: Slipknot, All Hope Is Gone (Roadrunner)

Slipknot are guiltier than anyone else for the current spam-brained obviousness of American alternative rock.

'All Hope Is Gone', a reunion album trailed by the earth-shattering news that the Iowa nonet have – whoopee! – new masks, may contain the odd critique of Bush-led imperialism behind its widdly-widdly soloing and ankle-breaking drumming, but the growl of "We will burn your cities down!" is just made for the good ol' boys in the US army to bang their heads to in their armoured vehicles. Still, it'll keep shifting those hoodies made by 12-year-olds in poor countries to 12-year-olds in rich countries for another couple of years.

Pick of the Album: Laugh your mask off: 'Butcher's Hook'