''Science, Not Fiction'' is the tenth studio album by English heavy metal band

Orange Goblin Orange Goblin are an English heavy metal band from London. Formed in 1995, the band's lineup currently consists of singer Ben Ward, guitarist Joe Hoare, drummer Chris Turner, and bassist Harry Armstrong. Their most recent album '' Science, Not ...

. The album was released on 19 July 2024 by

Peaceville Records Peaceville Records is a British independent heavy metal record label. The label was founded by Paul "Hammy" Halmshaw (of the bands Instigators and Civilised Society, as well as a former drummer of Sore Throat) in Dewsbury, England, in 1987. ...

. It is the band's first album to feature bassist Harry Armstrong, who joined after the retirement of founding bassist Martyn Millard in 2021. Reviewers noted lyrical content of a more serious nature than on the band's previous albums, with a focus on religion, science, and spirituality, plus a taste of sarcasm and a voice of reason among modern political discussions. The new lyrical outlook was inspired by singer Ben Ward's adoption of a healthier lifestyle.

Critical reception

The album received generally positive reviews from the rock and heavy metal media. ''

Classic Rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

'' raved that Orange Goblin "attain nation treasure status" (in the United Kingdom) with the release, while the band "aren’t just keeping up their impeccable standards, they’re getting better with age. They’re the real deal, the embodiment of British heavy metal, and we should all cherish them as such." ''Mystification'' magazine called the album "the band's most complete, full-featured and driven heavy rock album in a decade or two" and concluded that it represents Orange Goblin's sound "past and present without a too-severe bloat to the running order." ''

Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...

'' praised the album as one of the best heavy metal albums of 2024, and noted the band's "profound understanding of what makes heavy metal such a joyous phenomenon." ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British music webzine and quarterly magazine that primarily covers rock, punk and heavy metal music. Since 2017, the magazine has been published by Wasted Talent Ltd (the same company that owns electronic music publication ...

'' also praised the album, calling the band's performance "leaner, meaner and even trippier than ever before." ''Last Rites'' gave the album a favorable review while noting that "Catchiness is the name of the game from the get-go with tunes that sound like they’re straight from the golden age of heavy metal and rock ‘n’ roll." ''Angry Metal Guy'' offered a mixed review, praising the consistency of Orange Goblin's sound but concluding that "despite some grand moments, ''Science, Not Fiction'' falls shy of past glories." ''Distorted Sound'' offered a similar assessment, concluding that "While the band have made evolutionary strides with this album in terms of songwriting process and lyrical observation, ultimately the album it is still a meat and potatoes heavy metal album that doesn’t deviate too far from the Orange Goblin template."

Track listing

Personnel

* Ben Ward – vocals * Joe Hoare – guitar * Chris Turner – drums * Harry Armstrong – bass

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolf Bites Back, The 2024 albums Orange Goblin albums Peaceville Records albums