You usually have to dig deep in order to find a no-nonsense rock 'n' roll band. Luckily The Virginmarys have surfaced to set fire to false pretenses, bringing only track after track of fiery, punk-inspired heavy rock. This British trio's King of Conflict takes from the school of Nirvana in its pure, untainted riffs, melodicism and aggression. Then there's the swagger and passion that feels like a update on the powerful, no-frills '70s hard rock of bands like Thin Lizzy with a hint of the school-of-'77 punk rock fury. Tracks like "Dead Man's Shoes" and "Bang Bang Bang" are songs that demand attention immediately with lead vocalist Ally Dickaty sneering and shrieking like a man possessed. The album's love of all that is gold about metal, punk, pop, and rock 'n' roll make this a no-contest Editors' Choice. This version also comes with three stripped-down versions of some of the album's highlights.