Review: Six. By Seven’s latest album

Nottingham-based Six. By Seven’s powerful mix of punk aggression and space-rock song structures never quite crossed over from critical acclaim to more tangible commercial success.

Their first album since 2007 — and their first with ex-Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt — largely takes up where they left off: Sympathy locks into a sinuous groove and slowly builds to a squalling climax; the ferocious, concussive nine-minute Truce finds Hewitt earning his corn; Fall Into Your Arms rivals My Bloody Valentine for woozy charm. It’s not flawless. A couple of the lengthier songs wouldn’t suffer from a little judicious pruning and they lose their way on the aimless Colder, but this is still a very welcome return.