Dennis Jarman

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

Damnation’s Hammer – Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres

A phrase I’ve used once before and certainly applies to Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres by Damnation’s Hammer is “Riff after riff after motherfucking riff!”. The power they create is breathtaking, bringing to mind a fusion of Paradise Lost and Burn My Eyes era Machine Head, will be released via Massacre …

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Destruction – Thrash Anthems II

By the title you may think this is a covers album but German thrash metallers Destruction have not remastered some of their finest songs, they have re recorded them and to say they have breathed new life into them is an understatement! Thrash Anthems II was originally a pledge music …

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Reuben Archer’s Personal Sin – Petrolhead

Reuben Archer, the Peter Pan of hard rock without a shadow of a doubt has released one of my highlights of 2017 with his studio album Petrolhead from his band Personal Sin. Released by Toxic Records his songwriting suss with Lautrec, Lionheart, Wild Horses and Stampede was pure gold and …

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Trespass – Footprints In The Rock

2018 is already looking to be a good year for heavy metal as NWOBHM legends Trespass release their brand new studio album Footprints In The Rock via Mighty Music Label and distributed by Target. Formed in Sudbury, Suffolk in 1979 by Mark Sutcliffe, the front man still flies their flag …

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Jesse’s Divide – Other World’s Than These EP

True to its word of the press release announcing “For your all out hard rock enjoyment”, Jesses’s Divide have a sure fire winner with their upcoming release of their four track EP Other World’s Than These, due out on January 26th 2018 on Spotify, iTunes and other online providers Physical …

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Anvil – Pounding The Pavement

Another year and another Anvil album to crank up. Pounding The Pavement, their seventeenth studio release due out on January 19th 2018 via Steamhammer/SPV Records follows Anvil Is Anvil, a statement of who they are and they are still blazing a trail their way! Formed by Lips and Robb Reiner, …

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Rose Tattoo – Tatts Live In Brunswick 1982

Now this is how you make a live album! No overdubs, just a furious run through of your finest songs that sound like you are at the gig. Rose Tattoo, one of Australia’s finest exports, formed in Melbourne, Sydney in 1976 are still blazing away with tour dates penned for …

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Morbid Angel – Kingdoms Disdained

Well this is the heaviest and most brutal album I’ve heard for quite some time. Kingdoms Disdained, the ninth and latest studio album from Tampa Bay,Florida death metal band Morbid Angel, founded by original guitarist Trey Azagthoth in 1983. Released by Silver Lining Music, it is a constant assault to …

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Twisted Illusion – Molly’s Smile

Matt Jones, frontman for Twisted Illusion, when he is not screaming his lungs over heavy progressive metal, has a knack of stopping you in your tracks with deft, heart wrenching balladry and he has surpassed himself with ‘Molly’s Smile’. It’s a charity single dedicated to Brian and Claire Mear who …

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Blitzkrieg – Reign Of Fire EP

NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg, formed in Leicester in 1980 burst back onto the scene with a two track EP titled Reign Of Fire. Original lead vocalist Brian Ross still captains the ship and his eerie, operatic performance on the title track sets the tone for a five minute heavy metal masterpiece …

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Tygers Of Pan Tang – Eleven, Stoke On Trent

Midway through their feline good current UK tour, NWOBHM legends Tygers Of Pan Tang stopped on by to sharpen their claws at Eleven. Run by Paul Hume, Demon guitarist and lead vocalist for Lawless, the year old venue is going from strength to strength and was near full to capacity …

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The Sourheads – Care Plan For The Soul

2017 has certainly been a fine year for finding new talent and my first experience of Wakefield based The Sourheads was at Rockwich Festival in August this year. Frontman Jake Coxon is a bona fide rock star in the making. Bare footed and bare chested he oozed Jim Morrison like …

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Savage Messiah – Hands Of Fate.

It took a few spins of Hands Of Fate, the fourth studio album by Savage Messiah to get around their new change of direction, but it has still blown me away. Their heads down thrash metal has been honed down to a heavy metal groove with no loss of power …

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Annihilator – For The Demented.

When a band announces that with their next album that they are “Going back to their thrash metal roots” it can be taken with a pinch of salt but when I heard Jeff Waters, founder member of Annihilator in 1984 say it on the Bloodstock Open Air Festival main stage …

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KYNGS – Three track EP.

When attending gigs I’ve always stuck with the same rule and that is to watch the opening bands. At the end of the day, that’s how the headliners started out so give them a chance, you may be pleasantly surprised and I certainly was when I caught Manchester based band …

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Devils Henchmen – Control EP.

Once again, the youthful trio Devils Henchmen deliver another high quality EP titled Control that follows their debut 2016 release of EP Hatred. The Liverpool based trio are coming on in leaps and bounds, fronted by lead guitarist/lead vocalist and chief songwriter Joseph Doolan. First track ‘Control’ surges in on …

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Spreading The Disease – Insurrection.

Well this is a bit of an animal to say the least! Insurrection, the debut studio album from Kent based bruisers Spreading The Disease. Formed in 2014 by bassist Steve Saunders, their debut EP Viral showed a lot of promise which has now been fulfilled when the album is released …

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