Already this is a contender for my album of 2020! Looking at the name I expected it to be peppered with a shitload of guitar solos and no songs but I could not be more wrong! Axel Rudi Pell will release Sign Of The Times via SPV/Steamhammer on May 8th …
Read More »Robert Jon And The Wreck – Last Light On The Highway
According to a quote in the latest Classic Rock mag by You In The Future, Last Light On The Highway, the latest studio album by Robert Jon & The Wreck is “The best fucking album I’ve heard for ages”! I would not go that far but after hearing it I’ll …
Read More »Sam Millar – Radio Gouda EP
He’s back! Proving that his debut EP Holy Sass in 2019 was no flash in the pan, Sam Millar bounces back with his latest EP Radio Gouda, due for release on June 5th 2020. It could not have come at a better time with gigs postponed/cancelled as brief opener ‘Radio …
Read More »Second Cities – Oceans (Elemental Hero Bubbleman) (single)
Second Cities – Oceans (Elemental Hero Bubbleman) (single) Describing them themselves as melodic hardcore, Birmingham based Second Cities release a new single on April 20th 2020, curiously titled ‘Oceans (Elemental Hero Bubbleman)’. An accompanying video of them playing it in their various houses during lockdown highlight their frustration of cancelled/postpones …
Read More »Paradise Lost – Obsidian
Since their 1988 formation in Halifax, Paradise Lost have consistently flown the flag for gothic metal and it’s at the top of the pole for their sixteenth studio album Obsidian. Released on May 15th 2020 via Metal Blade Records, the masters of morose deliver nine songs whose titles reflect the …
Read More »Cadence Noir – A Reckless Endeavour EP
Self proclaimed Gothic Folk ‘N’ Rollers Cadence Noir return from the wilderness to defy us with their eccentricities courtesy of the latest musings on new EP A Reckless Endeavour. Even by their ludicrously over the top standards, opener ‘Weighing Owls’ is a jiggingly jiggy jig as Emma Bennett on …
Read More »The Senton Bombs – Be What You Want (single)
This is just what we need in these troubled times, a brand new single from the Blackpool beach boys, The Senton Bombs! It’s available on all digital suppliers for 99p on April 20th, 2020, ‘Be What You Want’. A quote from frontman Joey Class of “Time to rockdown in lockdown” …
Read More »Cirith Ungol – Forever Black
Cirith Ungol – Forever Black Cirith Ungol define the meaning of being a cult band. Formed in 1971 in Ventura, California, their four studio albums they ground out before splitting in 1992 were heavy doom laden monsters. After a long hiatus they reformed in 2016 and fast forward to the …
Read More »Leatherjacks – Extremely Dangerous
Leatherjacks – Extremely Dangerous Leatherjacks, a new band to me but what a band, albeit a one man band founded in 2015 in Sao Paulo by Mauro Cordeiro. So he could be Brazil’s answer to Tom Scholz! New album Extremely Dangerous is the follow up to the 2017 debut release …
Read More »Hammerheart – Distant Skies (single) (featuring Blaze Bayley)
Hammerheart – Distant Skies (single) (featuring Blaze Bayley) Hammerheart, formed in 1994 in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia have released Distant Skies as a single from their upcoming album Beyond The Farthest Point. It’s a seven minute chest beating adrenaline rush of heavy metal and very Iron Maiden influenced, so the obvious …
Read More »Kaine – Reforge The Steel
Kaine – Reforge The Steel Notwithstanding founder member Rage Sadler of Kaine, this is a completely new line up to me and after one listen to current album Reforge The Steel, it sums up their current position perfectly! Since their formation in 2009 there has always been a sheer bloody …
Read More »Black Roze – Spiritual Hell
Black Roze – Spiritual Hell This is a cocksure debut album to say the least from Kent based Black Roze as Spiritual Hell swaggers not staggers! They open up with the throbbing bass guitar heavy ‘Obscenity’ that adds funk to militaristic snare drums, wiry guitar lines and a piercing solo …
Read More »Devils Henchmen – Built By Hate (EP)
Devils Henchmen – Built By Hate (EP) Before I had even heard anything by Liverpool based trio the Devils Henchmen, I saw them play at a festival in Wakefield and talking to them after their set I was astonished by their playing and songwriting at the age of 14. Fast …
Read More »Bad Touch – I Get High (single)
Bad Touch – I Get High (single) Welcome back Bad Touch and what a return with a new single called ‘I Get High‘ taken from the forthcoming album Kiss The Sky. They tap into a winning formula of feisty funk-rock as tight but loose riffs writhe like snakes over a …
Read More »Dynazty – The Dark Delight
Dynazty – The Dark Delight Dynazty, a new band to me (even though they formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 2008). I first thought they would be another dodgy 80’s glam rock band who spelt their name wrong to get attention but I could not be any further from the truth …
Read More »Deified – Anthrobscene
Something wicked this way comes courtesy of death metallers Deified with their raucous new mini album release Anthrobscene due out on May 29th, 2020. The ferocious five have certainly channeled a lot of hate here as a pounding call to arms instrumental ‘Prelude’ sets the scene for the apocalyptic churn …
Read More »Skyryder – Vol. 2
Skyryder – Vol. 2 It’s been two long years since Newcastle Upon Tyne based nutters Skyryder battered us with Vol. 1, so we can now rejoice in the arrival of, erm, Vol. 2! Recently released on High Roller Records, if you like your metal hard and heavy then this …
Read More »Underking – Ghosts Of The Past
Ghosts Of The Past, one of two debut albums released on April 3rd 2020 by Underking is a much different animal to its twin, the full on metal mayhem of Amongst The Dead. A change of personnel sees Maxwell Jeffries not just play all the music, he also takes on …
Read More »Shrapnel – Palace For The Insane
2020 is already looking a healthy year for thrash metal and Norwich based Shrapnel are adding a lot more muscle to it with their latest studio album Palace For The Insane. Due for release on May 15th via Candlelight Records it’s dizbusting dozen songs decimate from the off with the …
Read More »Underking – Amongst The Dead
Now this takes some balls! When you form a band in November 2019 with two members. One on vocals, the other doing all of the instrumentation and you release two debut albums on the same day, April 3rd 2020. This is a review of one of them Amongst The Dead, …
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