SINCE FOUNDING BIG Wreck in the early Nineties, Ian Thornley has filled his band’s songbook with arena-conquering melodies, Led Zeppelin-hailing heft and some of the most super-heroically knuckle-bust

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Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery embraced his more electronic side this year with Bioscope, his soundscape project with Tangerine Dream’s Thorsten Quaeschning. But he’s not ditching the day job: work is well underway on Marillion’s next studio album, and there’s his long-awaited collaboration with a certain Mr Hackett still to come.

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With solo projects, other bands and a massive Creed reunion between them, there were whispers that Alter Bridge might be on the way out. Instead they regrouped, faced the dark side of our times, put their foot on the gas and recorded a brilliant new album.