Album Reviews

Cats in space are a band I only saw live for the first time late last year, opening for Deep Purple, and they really impressed me, both on stage, and in their attitude with them coming out to the merch stand at an arena show as soon as they finished …

2016 was a year that saw the death of Die so fluid drummer Al Fletcher. After the death of their friend, the remaining members, Grog and Mr Drew stepped back to consider the future of the band. They eventually decided to make a new album. Before Al’s death a number …

The Koch Marshall Trio is Greg Koch, a guitarist described by Joe Bonamassa as “scary good”, Dylan Koch on drums, and organist Toby Lee Marshall on the Hammond B3. In terms of vocals, well, there are none – yes it’s an instrumental album. By now 90% of people reading have …

This certainly takes good parenting to the next level as guitarist Phil Campbell has three of his sons in his band Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons. Todd on guitar, Dane on drums, Tyla on bass guitar and they are all joined by Neil Starr on lead vocals. Their self …

There’s a warmth and integrity to Dan Patlansky’s ninth studio offering Perfection Kills. A kind of confidence and assuredness that is positively infectious.  That the South African is a consummate guitar play is unquestionable but, here, it is also clear that his songwriting is keeping apace, with ten tracks of …

The dynamism and at times mind-boggling enthusiasm Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa display laying down the ten covers that comprise Black Coffee – in just five days, it should be noted – is quite mesmerising. Their first studio album in four years this might be, but man-oh-man has it been worth …

Recently released via Inakustik Records, A Decade Of The Mad Axeman is a glorious best of double album covering Michael Schenkers’ four studio and two live albums between 2007-2016 covering the Michael Schenker Group and the Temple Of Rock line ups where he amassed an impressive array of musicians that …

Irish Street Punk band Hooligan formed in Dublin back in 2009, to date they have released four EPs. Teenage Rebel is their fifth EP released via Reekus Music Ireland Ltd in Autumn 2017. The lead track is a cover of (Justa Nother) Teenage Rebel by Belfast Punk band The Outcasts, which was released in …

They may never have reached the heady heights of some of the other bands that formed in the eighties, but Corrosion of Conformity have always enjoyed continued success and love in what is now a career spanning over 35 years. Members have come and gone over the years but three …

So early into 2018 and Utrecht, Netherlands based Bleeding Gods have set the bar high for death metal with their latest studio album Dodekathlon. Formed in 2012 by guitarist Ramon Ploeg their musicianship is very impressive. Currently available via Nuclear Blast Records its twelve tracks are based on the twelve …

Pretty Boy Floyd have just released their fourth studio album Public Enemies via Frontiers Music s.r.l., their first full length studio release since 2004. Cast your mind back to the late eighties, when hair was high, and trousers were so tight that voices were even higher! Hollywood, 1987, enter Pretty Boy Floyd …

What a great start to 2018 for British rock music with this self titled release by Dundee based Emerald Sunday. Nine well crafted songs with more hooks than a fishing match! The phrase “All killer no filler” certainly applies here as the full on grunge main riff of opener ‘City …

My first album review of 2018 and what better way to start by a stupendous beer related seventeen track best of album called Hymns For The Drunk by German thrash metallers Tankard. The tracks were taken from five albums they recorded with AFM Records between 2002-2010 proving their rightful place …

One thing I’m never keen on is comparing a band’s current singer to previous singers, but it’s something that a lot of music fans seem to be obsessed by, and with this being the first full Leaves Eyes album since the departure of long time singer Liv Kristine, then fans …

Magnum release their 20th studio album in January. There aren’t many bands that reach that figure, even after a 40 year career but Magnum are a band that are always busy writing, recording and touring. Most singers seem to suffer from their voice deteriorating over the years, but Bob Catley’s …

Young states are a punk rock band that met while studying at music school in Norwich. Formed as an all-female band, they’re inspired by alternative rock bands such as Mallory Knox or Kids in glass houses rather than punk bands such as Sex Pistols, and that shows in their music …

“Offerings” is the fourth album from Indie rock band Typhoon. Unusually rather than releasing a song as a single, they’ve released what they describe as the first movement from the album which is made up of the first four songs on the album. Check it out here… That will give …

The Bad Flowers have been making a name for themselves since releasing their debut EP in 2016 and putting in a string of great live shows since then. Now they’re gearing up for the release of their debut album – Starting gun. Ahead of the album release they released their …

Following the release of their “Darkness remains” album in early 2017, Night Demon are kicking off 2018 with the release of an expanded edition of the album. I have to say I’m not a fan of this sort of strategy since it penalises the dedicated fans who bought the album …

A phrase I’ve used once before and certainly applies to Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres by Damnation’s Hammer is “Riff after riff after motherfucking riff!”. The power they create is breathtaking, bringing to mind a fusion of Paradise Lost and Burn My Eyes era Machine Head, will be released via Massacre …