SkinDred (BMG) Out this summer

Skindred's debut album is the slickest, most diverse collection of songs you'll hear this summer. Eponymous, it's the first from Newport's Benji Webbe and co since they stopped being Dub War and started the slow morphing that has finally delivered this mix of ragga, nu metal, rap, and hard rock.

Opener, Set it Off, starts SkinDred with a touch of drum and bass and a ragga MC introduction, followed by a song that is more like Skunk Anansie. After three minutes with more musicality, rhythm and pure class than most bands muster for an entire album, it's clear SkinDred is going to be a seminal release.

Kiss and Make Up follows and is a more traditional rock song for about a minute, but, like the nine songs to follow, there are many breaks away from the nu metal vibe. These breaks are blended for Together, an anthemic love song that's as much hard rock with a melancholic tune reminiscent of Massive Attack.

Sicker is nu metal over an electronic, minimalized piece of drum and piece, and the vocals tell of urban decay.

Selector is almost an homage to The Selector with the guitars rocking along to a kicking piece of ska.

With Babylon the mood darkens and reflects the familiar heavy vibe of SkinDred live and makes everything recorded by Limp Bizkit seem obsolete.

The vibe continues into Fear, a rude boy's stance against bully boy tactics, but with a Soul- flavoured reggae song with sweet vocals answered in a ragga style.

Nu metal and horse vocals are back on Bruises, and from herein SkinDred rocks out to the epic closer Nobody.

SkinDred mix the hard metal guitars with haunting ragga, ska and reggae to sound like they've never been apart. The whole album is loud for the summer - it will bake your mind.

* See SkinDred live at the Essential Festival, Ashton Court, Bristol on Sunday May 5 (1pm). Dial 0870 53444444 for tickets or surf to www.essentialfestival.com for more information.