Mark Ashby

no longer planetmosh staff

Rick Springfield – ‘Rocket Science’

As I sat down to write this review of this, the hard-to-believe-it’s-actually-his-20th-album, from Rick Springfield, a little note popped up on my Facebook feed, pointing out that the very date on which I started typing marked the 35th anniversary of the release of his breakthrough album. ‘Working Class Dog’… For …

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Wigelius – ‘Tabula Rasa’

Let’s get this clear from the start:  I hate fucking so-called “reality” TV “music” shows.  Never watch them.  By and large, they’re ego-stroking vanity trips for equally vainglorious multi-billionaires merely seeking to embarrass weird and random selections of wannabe has-beens into making complete dicks of themselves and earning undeserved adulation …

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Axevyper – ‘Into The Serpent’s Den’

Over the course of the past decade or so, the Pure Steel family of record labels has established itself as a stronghold of the classic-meets-New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal sound, whether it be via its own multiple imprints or equally numerous distribution deals.  It has a reputation for picking …

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Bonfire to release 30th anniversary collection

Bavarian hard rock legends Bonfire are to release a special 30th anniversary collection, via UDR Music, on March 18 in Europe and March 25 in North America. ‘Pearls’ will be a double album, spanning the band’s 14 studio and six live albums. The first disc will feature 13 re-recorded tracks, …

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Eric Bell – ‘Exile’

The word legend is one which is often, and even more frequently inappropriately, bandied about. But, it is a description which definitely does apply to one man: a guitar player from the humble back streets of east Belfast whose name is cemented in the mythos of the Irish, and subsequently …

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Primal Fear – ‘Rulebreaker’

For almost two decades now, Primal Fear have been one of the cornerstone acts of the European power/speed metal scene, standing alongside the likes of Accept and Helloween and certainly matching both of them in terms of both artistic contribution and musical pedigree. While they may not have enjoyed the …

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Tremonti to release new album in April

Tremonti are to release their third album, ‘Dust’, on April 29 via Fret 12 Records. It was was recorded during same sessions as last year’s ‘Cauterize‘.  Several exclusive fan bundle pre-orders, including autographed CD’s, T-shirts and hoodies, are now available. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PGvyjZtVKU Tremonti will be touring the European festival circuit in late May …

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Grand Magus to release new album in May

Swedish riff lords Grand Magus will release their eighth studio album, ‘Sword Songs’, on May 13 through Nuclear Blast. Frontman JB commented: “We put all of our sweat, blood and tears into this new album and I think that you can hear that. For me, ‘Sword Songs’ is the best Grand Magus album ever!  The new songs are faster and more …

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Lost Society – ‘Braindead’

If ever you needed proof that the future of thrash metal is safe in the hands of the younger generation of bands seeking to re-invigorate the genre, then this third album from madcap Finns Lost Society is it. The young quartet first emerged into the collective metal conscience with their …

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Soulfly – Belfast, Limelight 2 – 3 February 2016

Max Cavalera certainly believes in keeping it in the family.  Or maybe it’s a case of keep your friends close but your family closer.  Whatever it may be, the last couple of Soulfly tours have gone out under the ‘Maximum Cavalera’ banner, with bands featuring both his sons and his …

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Max Cavalera – PlanetMosh EXCLUSIVE

Max Cavalera is to re-unite with his brother Igor again later this year, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sepultura’s iconic ‘Roots’ album, by playing the album in its entirely on their Cavalera Conspiracy tour later this year.. That was the exclusive revelation which the Soulfly frontman made when PlanetMosh …

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Lost Society release final trailer for new album

Finnish thrashers Lost Society have released the third and final track-by-track trailer for their forthcoming new album, ‘Braindead’, being released on Nuclear Blast next Friday (12 February). In this episode, frontman Samy Eblanna discusses the tracks ‘Only (My) Death Is Certain’, ‘P.S.T.88’ and the bonus ‘Terror Hungry (Californian Easy Listening Version)’: …

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Richie Cavalera (Incite)

Richie Cavalera is a man very much in the mould of his stepfather, Max.  For a start, he’s a workaholic.  He’s very much a hands on guy when it comes to everything to do with his music.  And, like the leader of the Cavalera clan, he loves life on the …

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