Album Reviews

Irish Metal 2 The Masses semi-finalists Megacone have released their debut EP, titled Fondle Fantasy. Like many bands who play instrumental music, particularly fusion, Megacone enjoys putting forth plenty to listen to. There’s a lot to ingest and process here: a lot of time swings, a lot of tempo changes, …

The world of rock and metal from Japan is one that, by and large, has passed the majority of us by until very recently. With the rise to prominence of Crossfaith, Dir en Grey and Sabbat and the quite extraordinary explosion of Babymetal, the genre developed in the Orient is …

For some inane and unknown reason, this third album from Melbourne’s White Widdow initially fell under this reviewer’s radar – which is something which almost became a crying shame as it is a hugely powerful slice of melodic rock. Very much rooted in the classic Eighties roots of the genre, …

Formed in 1989 with the moniker of Abdominal Bleeding and stuck in the death metal genre,influenced by Cannibal Corpse,Morbid Angel and Pestilence,they changed their name to ‘Mangled’,a couple of demos and 3 full length albums followed before they disbanded in 2006, but thanks to Dutch label Victory Records and guitarist …

It’s only around 18 months since The Crunch released their debut album, but they’re already gearing up to release their second album in April.  Ahead of the release of the album they’ve released the first single from the album – Neon Madonna. In case you missed hearing about The Crunch …

Joe Bonamassa is back with another new release – a live release that is coming out in various formats – a Double CD, or 2 DVD, Bluray or 3 x LP.  You may be wondering what sets this release apart from other Joe Bonamassa live releases, but as always he …

@planetmosh reviews Frantic by .@gunofficaluk Back in 1996 I went to my first ever stadium gig, Bon Jovi at Ibrox, Glasgow.  A few things stick in my mind from that day.  The intro to Lay Your Hands on Me being played by a pipe band, the entire Glasgow Rangers squad …

Dorothy famously said ‘Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore’. Oh hang on, yes we are and we are being entertained by Ashes in Vein. Originally formed back in 2008 and hailing from Junction City Kansas the band reformed in 2012. Original members Tyler Peterson and James Swaim …

The King Lot are a Scottish Hard Rock trio who have impressed me greatly over the short space of time I have known them. Last year saw the band performing with several top acts such as The Answer, Beasto Blanco, Vain, H.E.A.T. and Supercharger. I managed to witness the band’s …

Sticky Boys. Now where do I start? I have never heard of this Parisian threesome before I listened to their latest and second album ‘Make Art‘. The French trio certainly do show their love and affection for all things Rock and Roll here, but it took several listens of the …

FM, one of the best rock bands to come out of the UK in the 1980’s are back with a brand new album and this lucky chap has been listening to it almost continually for the last 2 weeks… I love my job! On rock solid British foundations is built …

The old saying of good things come to those who wait can certainly be applied to Mansfield based Sparta and their fans as it has taken almost 35 years for their debut album Welcome To Hell to see the light of day. Formed in 1979 by guitarist Tony Foster, they …

Exactly a year ago, mid-Ulster hard rockers Trucker Diablo shocked fans by announcing that they were putting the brakes on and going on an indefinite hiatus.  Guitarist Simon Haddock had already announced his intention to quit the band, due to family commitments:  a show at a small social club on …

Few bands these days can claim to have been around since the birth of a musical genre, let alone say that they were part of a scene that would revolutionise the stale and tired UK blues-rock movement, creating a sound that would dominate the music world in one way or …

The cast list reads like a veritable rock and metal who’s who. Based on the pedigree present, “Rise Of The Animal”, the latest long playing offering from Wolfpakk, promises great things. Happily, I can report, it delivers on those promises… in spades. From the outset they nail their colours firmly …

Given that vocalist Simon Gordon once fronted acclaimed Brit tech deathsters Xentrix, it may come as somewhat of a surprise to many to find that this debut album from the beautifully named Black Whiskey (any band that combines my favourite colour with that of my preferred tipple – and with the …

I have to start this review with an apology to the guys in Divine Chaos. I’ve caught them twice in Glasgow over the past few years and loved them to bits from the off. Anytime I chatted with them the conversation always came round to the release of the album …

Good bands, like a really fine Cabernet Sauvignon, truly do get better with age, improving on the palate as they in turn develop and mature:  but, like wine, they also need the right environment in which to do so – and, with a new three-album deal with Napalm Records tucked …

Robin Trower has been making music for over fifty years, first finding fame as a member of Procul Harum (he joined shortly after the release of “White shade of pale”, and then under his own name.  That in itself tells you a lot about what to expect – people don’t …

With a name like Voodoo Sex Cult it’s hard to not summon up some scary, heaviliy moral corrupt troupee who may or may not sacrifice the odd virgin for record sales. To be honest with names like the rev, the preacher’s son, redneck, the Castilian (a region of Spain,yes I …