Dennis Jarman

Full time downtrodden album/gig reviewer and part time rock God!

Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2018 – Saturday

As the kids TV programme TISWAS used to say, Today Is Saturday Watch And Smile and with another packed day ahead at Bloodstock Open Air Festival, there was loads to smile about! First up was The Brood laying waste to a full New Blood Stage with some full on grind. …

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Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2018 – Friday

My annual deja vu quote of “Another year, another Bloodstock Open Air Festival” returns and 2018 saw a wealth of talent spread along four stages in the beautiful location of Catton Hall. First band up at the eye rubbingly time of 10.30am on the New Blood Stage were Dumfries based …

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Torqued – Resurgence

I was lucky to catch these lunatics at Bloodstock Open Air Festival in 2017 as Torqued tested the resilience of the New Blood Stage with their seismic onslaught. So fast forward a year and they have just unleashed an over the top six track EP titled Resurgence, available on digital …

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Vicious Nature – VII

Never mind nature calling, when Vicious Nature call you had better be ready for some over the top heavy metal, point proven by their current six track EP VII available on physical CD from the band or an unlimited streaming and high quality download options from Confidential Records. The fearsome …

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Theia – The Ghost Light

Burton Upon Trent based Theia have shown great promise with the studio album releases of Back In Line and Take The Pill but it has been fulfilled by the latest opus The Ghost Light. Out now on WDFD Records with eye catching artwork from Andy Pilkington at Very Metal Art …

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Airrace – Untold Stories

It’s a return flight for me with Airrace as I first saw them support Ted Nugent at the Hammersmith Odeon in Feb 1984 and here I am today reviewing their executive class new studio album Untold Stories, released by Frontiers Music Srl on August 10th 2018. Laurie Mansworth returns with …

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Massive Wagons – Full Nelson

Even by the standards Massive Wagons have set by their three previous studio albums they have raised the bar higher with Full Nelson, due to be released via Earache Records on August 10th 2018. Featuring ten brand spanking new tracks and two from previous album Welcome To The World added …

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Ryders Creed – Ryders Creed

Ryders Creed should surely call themselves Apollo Creed because of the way they come out swinging throughout their self titled debut album. Since they formed just over a year ago they have toured hard and it shows judging by how they have honed these ten songs down. Recently released on …

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Ghost – Prequelle

Ghost - Prequelle (Cover)

It took me a while to get on the Ghost train. I stupidly dismissed them as a novelty band but their headlining set at Bloodstock Festival in 2017 got me on track and the journey is now even more full steam ahead with the release of their fourth studio album …

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Monument – Hellhound

Monument - Hellhound (Cover)

Something heavy this way comes from ROAR Rock Of Ages Records that goes under the name of Hellhound, the third studio album from metallers Monument! No cliche is left out as they hammer out nine songs of pure heavy metal with joyous vigour. Lead by the powerful vocal pipes of …

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Toledo Steel – No Quarter

Toledo Steel - No Quarter

At last, the wait is finally over. Southampton based metallers Toledo Steel unleash their debut album No Quarter via Dissonance Productions on June 1st! Now back to a five piece the album opens up with ‘Behold The Machine’ but never mind the machine, behold these riffs that burst out of …

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The Asif Outlaws – The Asif Outlaws

The Asif Outlaws

First caught this captivating band a few months ago opening a Cancer fundraising gig in Nantwich; proving my point to watch the opening bands as you never know what you might miss! The Surrey based The Asif Outlaws, fronted by Asif Ali were a joy to behold as they veered …

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Sky Valley Mistress – Percy’s, Whitchurch, 25/05/2018

Jamming jamming jamming! Sky Valley Mistress jammed more than Hartley’s during their seventeen song marathon set at Percy’s last night. A little gem of a venue with corrugated iron walls and roof providing great acoustics for the seismic music the band create. Forget Marvels Fantastic Four, these are the real …

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Heartbreak Remedy – Memento Mori

Classed as an E.P but you get a whopping seven tracks on Memento Mori from Heartbreak Remedy! Available now from all major streaming sites it impresses on all levels. Now trimmed down to a trio opening track ‘Octane’ bursts in on a bluster of riffing from Luke Blair, snappy snare …

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Praying Mantis – Gravity

Praying Mantis - Gravity

Summer is almost here and what a way to herald the sunshine with Gravity, the brand new studio album from Praying Mantis! They have always been on the melodic side of the NWOBHM genre, point proven by the impressive 2015 release of Legacy and their song writing form is just …

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Anthrax – Kings Among Scotland

Anthrax - Kings Among Scotland

As live albums go this is as damn near as good as being at the gig itself as Anthrax thrash their hearts out to a vociferous crowd at the Glasgow Barrowlands Ballroom on this double CD Kings Among Scotland, due for release by Nuclear Blast Records on April 27th 2018. …

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Blitzkrieg – Judge Not

Blitzkrieg-Judge-Not

The NWOBHM movement throws up so many influencing bands, one of whom is Blitzkrieg, formed in 1980 with original vocalist Brian Ross still remaining. His haunting croon can be heard on their latest studio album Judge Not, released on Mighty Music on April 27th 2018 and will be celebrated by …

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