Excite The Light Part One, the first of a soon to be released trilogy of albums by the cosmic Twisted Illusion shows that the song writing suss of Matt Jones has no bounds with another dazzling array of compositions. Six songs stretch out to just under the sixty minute mark …

Ears still ringing from day one, we made our way to the Black Mass Bar for the final day of my best Bad Ass Bash so far and any chance of a quiet band to ease us slowly into the day was thwarted by a feisty five piece from Huddersfield …

Another year, another Bad Ass Bash summoned up as ever by the superhuman efforts from promoter Martin Short, once again handpicking bands to play for us, all of whom played for no fee with profits totalling £588.42, made up to £600 by Martin for the chosen charity Chart Children’s Hospice …

To say the least, Attrition is a major step forward for Hull based NWOBHM band Salem! Released on Dissonance Productions on February 23rd, this could be their Pyromania such is the quality of songwriting on display here. Kicking off with the title track ‘Attrition’, its hard hitting riffs from guitarists …

Almost two years ago Canadian metallers Anvil played the Tivoli in Buckley for the first time supporting ex Accept vocalist Udo Dirkschneider and to say they gave the headliners a hard act to follow is an understatement and now they return as headliners to a packed out venue on a …

Somehow between fulfilling his duties with Absolva and Iced Earth, Luke Appleton has written and recorded a four track EP titled How Does It Feel To Be Alive?, due for release via Rocksector Records on March 3rd 2018. Produced by his brother Chris Appleton at their studio in Manchester it …

Like a fine wine, Saxon mature to its finest age, although I expect lead vocalist Biff Byford,one of two original members from the bands beginnings in Barnsley 1977 (the other being guitarist Paul Quinn), he would probably prefer a mug of Yorkshire tea! Recently released new album Thunderbolt, number twenty …

This certainly takes good parenting to the next level as guitarist Phil Campbell has three of his sons in his band Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons. Todd on guitar, Dane on drums, Tyla on bass guitar and they are all joined by Neil Starr on lead vocals. Their self …

Cancer On The Rocks was a great day out, to say the least, in the normally quiet Cheshire town of Nantwich. Local boy Rick Palin, managing director of Skyfire International and owner of Firebrand Radio handpicked ten fantastic rock and blues bands to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Research after …

Recently released via Inakustik Records, A Decade Of The Mad Axeman is a glorious best of double album covering Michael Schenkers’ four studio and two live albums between 2007-2016 covering the Michael Schenker Group and the Temple Of Rock line ups where he amassed an impressive array of musicians that …

So early into 2018 and Utrecht, Netherlands based Bleeding Gods have set the bar high for death metal with their latest studio album Dodekathlon. Formed in 2012 by guitarist Ramon Ploeg their musicianship is very impressive. Currently available via Nuclear Blast Records its twelve tracks are based on the twelve …

What a great start to 2018 for British rock music with this self titled release by Dundee based Emerald Sunday. Nine well crafted songs with more hooks than a fishing match! The phrase “All killer no filler” certainly applies here as the full on grunge main riff of opener ‘City …

My first album review of 2018 and what better way to start by a stupendous beer related seventeen track best of album called Hymns For The Drunk by German thrash metallers Tankard. The tracks were taken from five albums they recorded with AFM Records between 2002-2010 proving their rightful place …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …