Five years after their last album Era Vulgaris came out, rock band Queens of the Stone Age has given us its latest offering, “…Like Clockwork.” Queens of the Stone Age is comprised of lead singer and guitarist, Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar), Dean Fertita(keyboard), Michael Shuman (bass), and Jon Theodore (drums). “…Like Clockwork” features many guest musicians in addition to the normal members of the band. The record features Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters, Mark Lanegan from The Screaming Trees, Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys, Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters, and Elton John. The lineup of well known guest musicians didn’t overpower Homme, though. In order to know what tracks feature the guest musicians, you would have to look at the albums liner notes, however, the tracks wouldn’t sound the same with out them.

The variety of sound on “…Like Clockwork” is shocking. There are of course the rock anthems that you would expect from Queens of the Stone Age, like the single, “My God is the Sun” and the track, “If I Had a Tail,” but there are also slower songs. The tracks, “The Vampyre of Time and Memory” and the album’s closer and title track, “…Like Clockwork,” really show Homme’s softer side. These delicate songs are the best on the record.

The five year hiatus really paid off for Queens of the Stone Age.