During the early 1990s in America, Monster Magnet were big news as red necked males bought the albums ‘Dopes To Infinity’ and ‘Powertrip’ by the bucket-load. 2001's ‘God Says No’ fared less well but Monster Magnet retain a cult following and are an undoubted influence on the likes of Blink 182, Green Day, Sum 41 et al. Whether that’s something to be proud is open to question.

Led by Dave Wyndorf (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mark ‘Zodiac Mindwarp’ Manning), Monster Magnet have returned with the blustering single ‘Unbroken (Hotel Baby)’. It sounds like an unholy liaison between the solo efforts of David Lee Roth and Tommy Lee. It’s as loud as Ted Nugent’s shirts* and is as subtle as the make up of Kiss. Choice lyrics include the charming couplet: "Sucking on your Daddy’s cigar/I’m the destination/I’m the reason why/Let me take a look at your scars".

Poetic it ain’t and the title of their forthcoming album, ‘Monolithic Baby!’, really does tell you all you need to know about what to expect from a band who look (in this case, not so much Spinal Tap more Bad News), sound and are way past their sell by date. Monolithic? Prehistoric more like.

* = This correspondent would like to point out that, much like the Ted Nugent reference in _‘Ocean’s Eleven’, this joke may only be amusing to our American cousins._