Album Reviews

Amidst all our genre squabbling and elitism, there exists a selection of bands who operate on metal’s outer limits. Elusive, erudite and enigmatic, they so staunchly avoid direct genre classification that it’s almost to their detriment. For Cult Of Luna, a five year gap has pervaded between 2008’s Eternal Kingdom …

KISS the very first signing to the newly formed Tim Bogart label Casablanca on the evidence of a single performance at New York City’s Le Tang’s Ballet Studio in 1973, have released a limited edition box set of their singles while at the label to celebrate their 40th anniversary in …

To say that Cassiopeia, the 9th studio album from Greek metallers Nightfall is busy is an understatement as it jumps from symphonic metal to death and thrash in the blink of an eye. Its dominated by the one dimensional but compelling aggressive bark of vocalist  Efthimis Karadimas. Efthimis formed Nightfall …

If you’ve never heard them before, you would be forgiven for thinking, upon first listen, that there is a very Savatage quality to Circle II Circle’s sound:  it’s a comparison that you would be more than justified making, as CIIC frontman Zak Stevens spent eight years at the helm of …

France’s Idols For Dinner actually trace their roots back more than half a decade, forming as Corpse Division back in 2007 but changing their name a few years later as they felt their original monicker did not reflect the style of music they play:   “it sounded like a brutal death …

This fifth studio album from Polish progressive rockers Riverside – their first since 2009’s ‘Anno Domini High Definition’, which charted at number one in their native Poland – is an interesting beast, drawing as it does on a myriad of influences, from underground central European jazz through English folk music …

Envinya deliver a stunning debut album, a band with huge potential.     Formed in Bavaria in 2006 and with one previous E.P. under their belts, this album represents Elvinyas full length debut album. Now, obviously, the band are going to come under the vast and all encompassing umbrella that …

Los Angeles based rockers Buckcherry are back with their sixth album – Confessions.  Formed in 1997, the band split in 2002 before being reformed in 2005 with singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson as the only original members alongside three new recruits.  They released their album “15” a year …

Mind the Gaep are a hard rock band from Frankfurt, Germany.  The band formed in 2006, and have previously released an EP (Rock’n’Roll decadence), with “Get ready for tonight” being their debut album.  The music is heavy guitar-driven rock with plenty of guitar solos. Brief comments on a few tracks.. …

German quintet deliver a very special debut indeed.   Debut albums can be a bit hit and miss sometimes, quite often a band can try too hard to cram everything in to impress and end up falling short of the mark. Some can demonstrate a bands fragility and lack of …

Sacrifice is the 20th album of the NWoBHM  legends SAXON.  It was recorded by Jacky Lehmann and mixed by Andy Sneap. The Albums starts with  ‘Procession’. The atmosphere is threatening and a good intro for the following song ‘Sacrifice’. This song is one of my favorite songs of the album. …

Well here we are barely three weeks into 2013 and I’ve already got a stunner of an album to review. Storming out of Bridgeport, Connecticut come possibly metals hardest working band Hatebreed, with their latest offering  The Divinity of Purpose.  This will be the bands 6th studio album which front …

‘Regeneration‘ is the 2nd album of the Italian power metal band Steel Raiser. The band is from Cantania on Sicily. The first thing that attracts attention to me is the voice of Alfonso Giordano (ex Noble Savage). I thought I listen to Blacky Lawless in the most of the songs. …

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, those Germans know how to make good metal that you can just kick back, nod your head to and raise the horns and more importantly just enjoy. Granted, I was expecting something more akin to Motley Crue, Poison and the likes …

More often than not, side projects tend to be experimental, self-indulgent pieces of work that are salivated on by Über fans of the bands involved.  Thankfully, Audrey Horne (featuring current members of Enslaved and Sahg) is an entity that thrives on the complacency of the listener and challenges the side …

Quite simply, the best ‘crossover’ album you will ever own.     At last it’s here! Not far off two years in the making, the London Dubstep/Rock band are about to unleash this monster of an album on the eagerly awaiting public and trust me, it’s a wait worth while. …

It’s hard for me to explain where Steve is in his life at the moment, so it’s best if we use a quote from Steve himself to explain his personal ups and downs surrounding this album, As it contains some of the most heart-felt songs of his career. “Transition is …

Vaduz take their name from the capital city of Liechtenstein.  A strange choice perhaps for a band whose members were all born and raised in Iowa, but apparently it’s a name they chose after seeing it in a travel brochure.  The band formed in 1987 and within a year or …

Russian band Spyon were formed in 2003 in Petrozavodsk.  Since then they have undergone a number of lineup changes as well as playing plenty of gigs.  In 2006 they recorded a 5 track demo – “Spies and dreamers” which attracted new fans and won them a place at the Vozduh …

Hollow Truth are a 5 piece crossover band hailing from Dublin, Ireland. Presented here are 3 tracks and an intro “MMXII” which is simplistic but effective until a Hetfieldism of warbling “yeah” is brought into the mix. Track 2 “He Who Shook the Earth” clocking in at under 3 minutes …