To start this review I’d like to quote what the now former editor of Kerrang says on the back of the booklet that came with this album:

This quote makes it seem that this album would be a throwback to the days of Kerrang The Album years ago where I got my first taste of White Zombie, Hole, Kid Rock, Marilyn Manson and that gave me a genuine love for rock and metal that shaped my teenage years and beyond.

However, times change and with it comes the polarization that the Kerrang magazine causes. This album continues this trend as we start with the singles by Green Day, Billy Talent and My Chemical Romance ('Know Your Enemy', 'Rusted From The Rain' and 'Desolation Row' which, by the way is a cover of a song; some people seem to think it’s an MCR original, I suspect these people are the 15 year old demographic.)

It then becomes abundantly clear that the two CD’s are split into categories as Paramore (with 'Misery Business' which, if you don’t count THAT 'Twilight' song is their biggest hit to date), You Me At Six, All-American Rejects and the like(with a few exceptions of Nickelback, Theory Of A Deadman, Spinnerette, Alexisonfire, The King Blues, Swound!, Enter Shikari and The Prodigy.) The first CD is much more of a pop-punk affair which that demographic will blatantly like and maybe even love so you have to give the compilers some credit however, this first disc includes probably the most laughable decision for a Kerrang album I have EVER seen.

METRO BLOODY STATION.

HOW THE HELL ARE THESE A KERRANG BAND?!

Oh wait Kerrang isn’t how I remember it. It’s sad when the new generation seem to be into an era where if you’re the brother of a Disney star and can try to be ‘rock’ by filling your arms with tattoos regardless of the cheesiness of your music that will be lapped up like purity rings at a Jonas Brothers concert. I understand that the Disney fixation of teenage girls seems to be the norm now which makes me despair but again, how on earth is this related to Kerrang? The exceptions that I previously mentioned make the first CD bearable for me, even Nickleback has a song that I don’t mind for a change!

When we get to the second CD however we got more [screams in the style of the vocalist of Dream Evil] METAL! with Slipknot’s ‘Sulfur’ followed by Dragonforce’s ‘Heroes Of Our Time’. Artists such as Killswitch Engage, Devildriver and Gallows give this CD the edge that the album craved and reminds me more of the old Kerrang albums. Kerrang! The Album 2009 also does another thing (along with Swound! On CD1) that the old albums did in helping me discover Outcry Collective and The Dead Formats for the first time and, on the basis of what is on display here I’ll be looking forward to seeing them in November at Hellfire Festival. Also the ‘Nickleback’ role on CD2 goes to Bring Me The Horizon, yes there is one song I like by them even if it did take me a long time! CD2 for me however does have a few problems in the presence of Fightstar and Papa Roach ('Lifeline' and 'Mercury Summer') which seem slightly out of place. I would have instead chosen 'Damocles' for Fightstar and as for Papa Roach they could quite comfortably sling their hook!

Kerrang! Th Album 2009, depending on your musical taste is the definition of ‘hit and miss,’ in my case more particularly the first disc but given that it encompasses

it does achieve that even if the fans of a more metal nature may not like it or agree.