Wretched and Divine: the Story of the Wild Ones Lava Records/ Island****

Whose idea was it for a fledging band to release a concept album with themselves as the heroes of a dystopian futuristic nightmare? Given how disastrous the whole idea could have been, Black Veil Brides' third album is good. At times it is brilliant. They may look like Robert Smith after he's been left out in the rain, but BVB are an old-fashioned rock band with the musicality to match their vision. This album is full of big anthems. Sometimes they stray close to 1980s bombast, but the guitar sound is contemporary, with more than a nod to Avenged Sevenfold's brilliant guitarist, Synester Gates. BVB's teenage fan base has earned them the enmity of many metal purists, but they are a lot better than their detractors would admit. An early contender for hard rock album of the year. officialbvb.com

Download:I Am Bulletproof, Wretched and Divine, Nobody's Hero