Album Reviews

Magnum are a British institution as far as I’m concerned, as they were the first band I ever saw, I was 14 at the time ( Wigan Pier ) and I’ve followed their career, both ups and downs ever since. ‘On The 13th Day’ will be the bands 18th studio …

Formed in 1999 by guitarist Andrea Martongelli, Arthemis are an Italian heavy/thrash metal band and are about to release their seventh album, We Fight, through fledgling record label Off Yer Rocka Recordings. I was first introduced to Arthemis nearly 2 ½ years ago on the sun kissed island of Ibiza at the …

Due to be released on 27 August 2012, ‘Unsung Heroes’ is the latest offering from Finnish folk-metallers Ensiferum. This is an interesting album and one that certainly gives your ears food for thought.  There are a variety of elements collected together throughout the 10 songs and at times can appears …

The Burning Crows plough a rich vein of good-time, old-fashioned sleazy, snarling rock ‘n’f’n’ roll that traces its roots back to the likes of Mott The Hoople, Slade and Bad Company and, more especially, latterday reprobates such as Dogs d’Amour, The Quireboys and The Wildhearts. Indeed, mention of the quintessential …

If you think back to bands such as SixTh then this genre of ultra tech/ djent has been around for some time, however, with bands such as TesseracT, Periphery and Meshuggah perhaps bringing it more to the public eye and out of the groove Metal shadows, it can be no …

Reunions are such a tricky business. A band will never be followed under such scrutiny and (often biased) critique than if they’ve disbanded and eventually reunited. You can double up the cynicism if we’re talking about a band who were universally lauded and respected within their genre during their original …

If you are even slightly familiar with the UK hardcore scene there’s no way you haven’t come across north east 5-piece, Demoraliser.  Since their beginnings in 2010, they’ve released 2 EP’s and collaborated with other great bands to produce fantastic split EP’s. With the fame gained from these critically acclaimed …

Zatokrev are a Swiss 4-piece sludge metal band who are quickly on the rise. Their 2008 debut album Bury the Ashes was released to critical acclaim in Europe, the UK and the USA and after extensive worldwide touring and some heavy line-up changes they’re back with their new full-length; The …

The yeti may be a mythological creature from the higher reaches of the world’s highest mountain range, but the quartet who pay homage to ‘him’ in their band name are a whiskey- and blood-soaked loud-as-fuck riff machine from the deepest, darkest underbelly of Los Angeles. They may also well be …

This fifth album from these Vancouver progressionalists – and their second for the impressive Californian label, Ripple Music – is certainly an interesting offering, and definitely one which bears more than one listen, given its complexity and depth. At first, it comes across as a purely retrospective slab of prog, …

Right, first off the bat I am a massive Korn fan, I have been for nearly 15 years.  They were one of the first metal bands I ever really got into.  BUT I really can’t stand live albums; I just don’t see the point.  Live is about the visual as …

It’s a sensual, euphoric and mystical sounding song. It’s very well written, and it somehow manages to get going and get into the swing of the song without the listener ever actually noticing that it’s happened. It’s a really soft yet uplifting song, and with a title like The Swan …

Hertfordshire is getting a bit of a habit of producing excellent bands. First Enter Shikari appear out of St. Albans, then The Subways out of Welwyn Garden City. Now, it looks like the musical county is at it again, with Welwyn Garden City based metallers Thousand Autumns cooking up a …

  The mighty, Swedish Grave have released a new album and I have to say I am rather fucking excited.  Possession of Souls is Grave’s 13th studio album, not a bad number! Returning to Century Media this album has been long awaited by Grave fan’s since Burial Ground in 2010. …

Unsigned pop-rock quartet The City Divided, hailing from the county of Hertfordshire, last month released their début EP The Endless Moment under their own steam. Hertfordshire is a county that is rapidly becoming famous for producing rock bands, the most prominent being Enter Shikari, and then also The Subways and …

  Their current 2012 tour ended  in 2 triumphant European performances. Headlining the main stage at the Swedish Rock Festival on August 10th and a main stage slot in the UK at Bloodstock Open Air on August 12th, Anvil keep their resurgence going by having their 11th,12th and 13th studio …

Zodiac are a four guys from Germany, who sound like they have just crawled out of the Louisiana swamps, and still think it’s the 70’s, mad ? maybe, utterly compelling ?, Yes. The record kicks of with the title track ‘A Bit Of Devil’ and your immediately immersed in 70’s …

Indulge me if you will on this one.  I’m no Threshold fan, nor do I know any of their work prior to what this, their ninth studio album, brings to the table. So if you’re reading this as a fan knowing what to expect, feel free to shake your head …

Formed in Northampton in 2008, this five piece tour-de-force are unveiling their self-funded debut album Deadly Sins on 25th August 2012. It follows on the heels of their debut single No Mans Land released back in 2010, reaching an impressive number 44 in the Rock Metal Chart. The band have …

Consisting of Adrian Tonceanu (Vocals/Guitars), Igor Lazebnik (Vocals/Guitars), Tyler Koch (Drums/Backup Vocals) and Tim Young (Bass/Backup Vocals), Morre have been kicking around since 2008, they hail from Toronto, and this will be their third release. With their feet very much in the Classic rock camp, they bring an updated feel …