My first experience of Ghost Bath arose at the 2016 Bloodstock Open Air festival. They were the first band on the main stage at 11.30am Sunday morning and as I was reviewing and dashing between stages the plan was to watch the first half of their set and the second …
Read More »Impavidus – Eradication Of Mankind
In my opinion an E.P should not be overly long and leaves you wanting more which is what Manchester based noisemongers Impavidus have done effortlessly with the storm they have whipped up in the studio for their latest release Eradication Of Mankind. The quartet go straight for the throat with …
Read More »Vice – The First Chapter
An over the top album launch at Manchester Rebellion club for The First Chapter, the debut album from Bury based metallers Vice resulted in this review. They like to write long songs riddled with over the top guitar solos from Tom Atkinson and Jack Trelawny with Connor Summers smashing the …
Read More »Silverchild – The Red Desert EP
I caught a live set by Silverchild a few weeks ago when they were part of a four band bill at the Underground in Stoke and was so impressed I had to check out their recorded material, so here are my thoughts on their seismic The Red Desert EP. You always …
Read More »Night Ranger – Don’t Let Up
It may be a daunting task when your next studio album follows an excellent double live album release but with ‘Don’t Let Up’, San Francisco veteran rockers Night Ranger make it look easy. Self produced and released via Frontiers Music its the perfect album to blast out in the car …
Read More »Obituary – Obituary
After listening to rock/metal for almost forty years, albums that really grab me by the scruff of the neck are few and far between but the self titled tenth album by Tampa Bay death metallers Obituary can be added to the list. The atmosphere they create on this ten track …
Read More »Blaze Bayley – Endure And Survive (Infinite Entanglement, Pt. II)
If it were ever to happen, Blaze Bayley O.B.E has a great ring to it I think. Since singing with Wolfsbane from 1988-94, Iron Maiden from 1994-99 and a solo career from then until the present day, he has doggedly flew the flag for British heavy metal. The title of …
Read More »Bad Ass Bash – Snooty Fox Club, Wakefield, 4/3/17.
An earlier start with almost twice as many bands as the previous day saw a mad dash for a Wetherspoons fry up before heading off once again to the Snooty Fox Club. On arrival a line up change saw planned third band Cadence Noir opening proceedings as they were two …
Read More »Bad Ass Bash – Snooty Fox Club,Wakefield, 3/3/17.
A welcome return for me to Wakefield for the annual Bad Ass Bash saw all the bands booked by event organiser Martin Short playing for free with the proceeds once again going to Ian’s Chain and chART charities. Seventeen bands for only £14.50 was a sure fire bargain with proceedings …
Read More »Firewind – Immortals
Its been a five year wait for Immortals, the latest studio album released via Century Media Records from Greek power metallers Firewind but the wait is well worth it as founding member Gus G leads from the front with guitar heroics throughout its nine tracks. Founded in Thessaloniki in 1998, …
Read More »Annihilator – Triple Threat
Triple Threat, the new release from Annihilator is so named as it consists of a live set played at the 2016 Bang Your Head Festival, an Unplugged : The Watersound Studio sessions and a live DVD of the Bang Your Head Festival set. Currently released by UDR Music, it highlights …
Read More »Kreator – Gods Of Violence
Since their formation in Essen 1984, Kreator have consistently delivered an impressive caustic catalogue of thrash metal, proving that the Germans do it better than anyone else and Gods Of Violence their fourteenth studio album shows they are still at the forefront of that genre. Currently available on Nuclear Blast …
Read More »Krokus – Big Rocks
Big Rocks, the latest album from Swiss legends Krokus is the perfect way to cure the January blues! It is made up of thirteen songs, twelve covers and a new version of their ‘Backseat Rock ‘N’ Roll’ song which featured on their ground breaking 1980 Metal Rendezvous album. The dozen …
Read More »Sepultura – Machine Messiah
With their fourteenth studio album Metal Messiah, thrash metal legends Sepultura are still raising the middle finger to the “Bring back Max” computer keyboard warriors. Lead vocalist Derrick Green has fronted them for over twenty years now and personally speaking he has earned his stripes many times over, point proven …
Read More »Sparta – No Retreat, No Surrender
Steadfastly moving on with the original line up since their formation in 1979, NWOBHM band Sparta release No Retreat, No Surrender on Suspect Records. Eight new tracks plus a travel back in time to 1981 for one song shows a rich vein of songwriting. A lo fi production makes it …
Read More »Quartz – Fear No Evil
Almost a year ago, Quartz released Too Hot To Handle, an album consisting of sixteen demo tracks written between 1981/1982 remastered by Bart Gabriel and released on Skol Records. An announcement was made that a studio album of brand new material was planned and so here we have Fear No …
Read More »Night Ranger – 35 Years And A Night In Chicago
Now entering thirty five years on from their beginnings in San Francisco as a power trio known as Rubicon in 1979 onto the five piece Ranger until an enforced name change to Night Ranger in 1982 and apart from a hiatus between 1990-1996, they have steadfastly delivered some prime AOR …
Read More »Deep Purple – California Jam 1974
To be honest I was never a fan of the David Coverdale/Glenn Hughes era of Deep Purple back in the day but my blinkered youthful naivety from well over thirty five years ago has been changed by this recent DVD release from ear@MUSIC. The previous line up with Ian Gillan …
Read More »Trespass – Mark Sutcliffe. Interview with PlanetMosh at HRH NWOBHM
Dennis from PlanetMosh spoke to Mark Sutcliffe, Trespass frontman before their set at HRH NWOBHM at the 02 Academy in Sheffield, 03/12/2016.
Read More »Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons – Self titled E.P
From tragedy comes triumph! It has been almost a year since the sad loss of Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister. The day after his death, drummer Mikkey Dee announced that the band was over. Guitarist Phil Campbell, who had been in the band since 1984 has now put together the Phil …
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