Album Reviews

To say that Avenged Sevenfold have had a funny few years would be the understatement of the millennium. Having lost original drummer Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan in tragic circumstances at the end of 2009, the band have bravely battled on, releasing the excellent ‘Nightmare’ the following year (with help from …

  Open your eyes and ears to the great unseen.     Tech Metal can be off limits for a lot of listeners, by its very nature the twisting and turning, sporadic riffs and fast changing rhythms can be difficult to digest and absorb. So it was with a slice …

What can you say about these guys that hasn't already been said? This is indeed a supergroup of musical talent and one that has produced a rock album that, while full of expected flourishes, has an infectious groove to its heart.

Re Vamp and Floor Jansen return with a full deck.   Having just finished touring every nook and cranny of the globe as guest/ temporary/ permanent (delete as appropriate) vocalist with Nightwish, Floor Jansen at last gets the chance to unleash her own creative powers with this, the follow up …

Ajenda is a rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Fronted by vocalist Jen, the four-piece brandishes a mellow, blues-infused rock sound that’s pleasing overall. Following the release of two platters: 2009’s Vicious Circle EP and 2011’s The Suomi Sessions EP, listeners are treated to Ajenda’s 2013 debut album, Unrecognizable. This …

The Rides are a blues-rock “supergroup” whose three members are well known musicians.  For a start you have Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young).  Joining him is guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and keyboard player Barry Goldberg (Electric flag). With The Rides first album we have …

Even though i was brought up on early 1970’s glam rock, I only ever bought the odd 45rpm single by Marc Bolan now and then so after all these years the chance to make up for lost time by reviewing this stunning 6CD boxset was welcomed. The boxset is made …

    Debauchery have been hacking and slashing their brand of blood soaked, gore driven Death Metal for some ten years now and show no sign of fading meekly into the mincing machine either if this album is anything to go by. Hack, slash, kill being the overriding theme dominating …

After working with Robin Beck at Firefest in Nottingham Rock City, I was very eager to review her new album ‘Underneath’. It is her 10th album release, including her 20th anniversary edition of ‘Trouble or Nothing’. Her last album ‘The Great Escape’ was back in 2011, so as a massive …

When band’s like Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols and Metallica introduced themselves to the world, they were the first of their kind, demonic, anarchic and shocking. Nowadays it is far harder to be truly original than it was 30 years ago. Whenever new music graces our ears, we cannot help …

‘Rock ‘n’ Roll is Alive’ is the second studio album by The Jokers, this follows on from the impressive debut ‘The Great Rock ‘N’ Roll Show’ released back in 2009, so has it been worth the wait ? ? In a nutshell, just about, although this is not as good …

          Although this four track E.P. has been out for a couple of months now, it’s one that may have passed you by. The Lancashire five piece have been in existence for a couple of years , steadily progressing and building a loyal fan base. Not …

Let me introduce you to Ecocide from Haarlem (the Netherlands) who have released their debut album “Eye of the Wicked Sight”. The band consists out of 3 members and they bring you a raw mix of old-school death metal.

San Francisco's self-proclaimed "doom pop" merchants Death Valley High follow up their acclaimed 2011 album with more tracks of a deliciously dark nature on Positive Euth.

Rage of Angels is the brainchild of original Ten keyboard player Ged Rylands,who played on their first three studio albums and the double live CD ‘Never Say Goodbye’. During his time in Ten, Ged took part in several very successful tours in Japan as well as playing on the highly …

Album of the year and it is only August? You betcha and I’d even put my house on it (even tho it is rented). Reuben Archer,currently handling lead vocals with Stampede has taken some time out to record a solo album called Personal Sin with fellow Stampede member,guitarist Rob Wolverson …

Finnish singer Tarja Turunen is back with her third rock/metal solo album – Colours in the dark.  Tarja is the Finnish classical singer who with Nightwish changed the female fronted metal scene dramatically.  No longer were female vocals limited to standard rock or metal styles (e.g. Doro or Girlschool), instead …

Hailing from Brazil, Hibria is a quintet that combines power and speed metal with elements of thrash. Like fellow Brazilian heavy metal acts there is a ferocious intensity in their music, but with Iuri Sanson’s melodic and high-pitched vocals there is also a serenity in the midst of the thunder-clap. …

As the title suggests this is this Danish Death Metal band’s 7th album. Panzerchrist have been doing the rounds since 1993 and whilst not as prolific as some; their less is more approach when releasing albums works.  The band is a revolving door of musicians but has at one point …

You have to admire the tenacity of Jeff Waters,lead guitarist and founder of Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator. He formed Annihilator in 1984 and although he will never reach the upper echelons of the so called Big 4 he has earned a lot of respect from fans and bands that …