Dennis Jarman

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

Wildfire Festival, Biggar – Day Three 26/6/16.

Sunday:- The third and unfortunately the last day of Wildfire Festival 2016 but there are bands to be watched all day as Canterbury based Wretched Soul proceed to try and darken the blue skies at 11.30am with a visceral six song set. Opener ‘Bury The Heretic’ was nothing less than face melting …

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Wildfire Festival, Biggar – Day One 24/6/16.

 Friday :- So here I am again, third year running for me at the fantastic Wildfire festival, run by the ever smiling Dave Ritchie. Situated in the rolling hills in the grounds of Wiston Lodge, the views are nothing short of stunning. Due to finishing work at 6.15am, catching an 8.00am …

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Forgotten Remains – Morbid Reality

After listening to thrash/death metal for over 30 years it takes a lot to surprise me anymore but Chesterfield based band Forgotten Remains are a welcome breath of fresh (or even fetid) air into the genres with their 3rd E.P Morbid Reality. Produced and recorded by Russ Russell they are …

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Destruction – Under Attack

Probably my favourite genre of rock/metal would be thrash for the sheer intensity it creates and Destruction are a fine example of this. Considered (and rightly so) to be in the top 4 of German thrash metal bands along with Kreator, Sodom and Tankard, their latest studio album Under Attack, …

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Obey – Gutless

Staffordshire based trio Obey have been playing musical chairs since I last heard from them. Well, to be more correct, musical drum stools! Bassist Chris Poole has taken over drum duties following the departure of Matt Lane, so welcome Dan Ryder on bass guitar. New single ‘Gutless’ is a taster …

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Vardis – Red Eye

Red Eye was always going to be a bitter/sweet album for me to review. 1985 saw the release of Vardis’ last studio album Vigilante and the following year saw them split. I’ve been a fan since 1979 so I was ecstatic when they finally got together again about 3yrs ago …

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Salem – Dark Days

NWOBHM band Salem release their latest studio album Dark Days on April 29th 2016, available from Pure Steel Records and shows them in a strong songwriting vein following the 2013 release of Forgotten Dreams. April will prove to be a busy month as the day after Dark Days is released, …

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Anvil – Buckley Tivoli, 16/04/2016

Sandwiched in between opening band I.C.O.N and headliners UDO, Anvil did what they do best and that was to entertain an appreciative crowd with their proto speed metal. Unfortunately they have only been allotted 45 minutes on these 6 UK dates after being allowed an hour previously on this tour …

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Dakesis – The New Dawn

Since forming in Birmingham in 2008, Dakesis released an EP and their debut studio album Trial By Fire by 2011and it shows the confidence that they have in themselves to follow these up with a 78 minute long concept album titled The New Dawn. Concept albums can strike fear to …

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Jonestown – Aokigahara

It is hard to believe that the English seaside resort of Brighton could give birth to a band as vicious sounding as Jonestown. Their debut July 2014 release EP The Erebus And The Terror showed promise but their debut album Aokigahara raises the bar even higher. Available digitally from March …

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