It hasn’t just been a hard few years for PiL firebrand John Lydon, it’s been tough for his fans too. Many, including this reviewer, have felt a bit, well, rotten, watching him support Brexit and Trump, while performing like a pantomime dame on reality shows like The Masked Singer (not to mention his failed attempt to represent us at Eurovision).

Regardless of whether the one time Anti-Christ and full time shit-stirrrer actually “means it, maaaan” or not, he had quite spectacularly lost his cool. Well, PiL’s first album in eight years will help restore it a little.

While End Of World loses its way in the middle, and meandering tracks like ‘Strange’ and the aptly titled ‘Pretty Awful’ are as directionless as a wonky trolley, the opus starts and ends with a bang. Lydon temporarily trades his dulcet – or should that be Dalek-esque – tones for a deeper croon on first song ‘Penge’. It’s a wonderfully bloodthirsty, apocalyptic number: part football chant, part sea shanty.

Elsewhere, the EDM-infused ‘Car Chase’ sees the band firing on all cylinders, while final track ‘Hawaii’ brings proceedings to a powerful and poignant close. Inspired by Lydon’s late wife Nora’s battle with Alzheimer’s, the ballad offers a rare glimpse behind his carefully created mask. A stylish way to end the record.

6/10