15 Best Hard Rock & Metal Albums Of 2020 (So Far)

Over the past few years, Pearl Jam have earned their stripes as the elderstatesmen of rock. With them being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and being one of the last of the grunge bands, these guys could have easily retired now and been artistically fulfilled. But where's the fun in that?

While many fans were wondering if we'd get any more Pearl Jam music after 2013's Lightning Bolt, Gigaton shows the band coming up with more fresh ideas like clockwork. As opposed to the straightforward rock affairs of their past few releases, this album takes a few left turns like the new wave stylings of "Dance of the Clairvoyants" and the ominous acoustic cut "Buckle Up." That doesn't mean the heavy parts of this band have gone anywhere though, with songs like "Never Destination" being a MC5 sounding throwback tune that reintroduces Eddie Vedder's trademark growl.

Granted, while a lot of these songs are good, they won't necessarily be replacing any of the band's classic material from albums like Ten or Vs. Even if it doesn't reinvent the wheel, the band's willingness to experiment with their sound and see what happens is just another reminder of why these guys are one of the most pure rock bands going today.