Monthly Archives: July 2014

Gig review: GUILFEST – 19-20 July 2014

Saturday saw the weather again being kind to Guilfest and a bigger crowd too. Arrived to The Farm doing their hit ‘All Together Now’ on the main stage and they seemed to have gone down well with the crowd. Next … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: EMIL BULLS – Sacrifice To Venus

EMIL BULLS – Sacrifice To Venus

AFM Records [Release date 08.08.14] Emil Bulls are a German alternative metal band who I have never heard of even though “Sacrifice To Venus” is their 8th album according to the AFM press release (if you include their acoustic live … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: BRIAN MAILLARD – Reincarnation

Brian Maillard - Reincarnation

www.brianmaillard.com [Release date: 01.02.14] Brian Mailliard is an accomplished guitarist who came to wider attention with the band Solid Vision and perhaps more widely with the ill-fated if rather good Dominici albums (2005-7) fronted by original Dream Theater vocalist Charlie … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: GUILFEST – 18 July 2014

Good to have the Guilfest back after the previous company running it went into liquidation after 2012’s festival. Last year they had two one day line-ups sponsored by Magic FM. The amount of stages has remained the same with two … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Album review: FURYKANE – Furykane

Furykane - Furykane

Self Release  [Release date -  Out Now] Furykane are an alternative rock/metal band from France. Comprising of Jen (vocals), Max (guitar), Quentin (bass) and Romain (drums), they formed in 2006 and this is their second album. Furykane claim to be … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: KANSAS – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 17 July 2014

Kansas were back after a nine year gap since their last London date and this was always going to be a special gig as Steve Walsh had announced a couple of weeks earlier that he was leaving the band after … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Album review: SABATON – Heroes

Sabaton - Heroes

Nuclear Blast – Out Now When you are signed to one of Metal’s biggest record labels, your albums enjoy first class promotion around the globe by being made available in various lavish formats and the last major tour you undertook … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: VALLENFYRE – Splinters

VALLENFYRE – Splinters

Century Media – Out Now. The death of a loved one can be a devastating experience and there is no ‘right’ way of dealing with it. While some find solace in isolation, others do so in expression. Greg Mackintosh, guitarist … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND – Somewhere Over Detroit

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND – Somewhere Over Detroit

Gonzo Multimedia [Release Date 23.05.14] Given the atrocious sound quality of this album and the apparent jumble of material ‘Somewhere Over Detroit’ is for completists only. Recorded in December 1980, this concert was part of Beefheart’s comeback, as he reverted … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: CRADLE OF FILTH – Total Fucking Darkness

CRADLE OF FILTH – Total Fucking Darkness

Mordgrimm – Out Now. Long before enjoying the support of major labels like Sony and Roadrunner and headlining festival stages around the globe, Suffolk-based extreme Metallers Cradle Of Filth were just another UK band struggling to make ends meet. Their … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: E-MUSIKGRUPPE LUX OHR – Spiralo

E-MUSIKGRUPPE LUX OHR – Spiralo

Svart Records – Out Now. Svart Records is an underground label from Finland whose support of the country’s local Metal scene is responsible, to a large extent, for the evolution of metal music in the land of a thousand lakes. … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: POSSESSION – Anneliese

POSSESSION – Anneliese

Iron Bonehead / Invictus – Out Now. Possession are an underground Black/Death Metal quartet for which not much information can be found, other than the fact that they were first formed back in 2012 and that they are signed with … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

EP review: BEGGARZ FIXX – Rouse The Rabble

BEGGARZ FIXX – Rouse The Rabble

Self Release  [Release date –08.09.14] Hmm, not too sure where to go with this EP. On the one hand the music is good, although nothing to write home about, think any second rate LA band from the late 80’s hair … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE IDOL DEAD – Dark Little Hearts

The Idol Dead - Dark Little Hearts

Raaa! Records  [Release date – out now] The Idol Dead were formed in Leeds back in 2008 with the five members having eclectic musical tastes which were tapped to produce the band’s sound. They bill themselves as ‘five men hell … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: SNAKECHARMER – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 11 July 2014

Raw Glory - Islington Assembly Hall, London, 11 July 2014

Much like the lovingly recrafted Islington Assembly Hall where this gig took place, Snakecharmer are an example of how to reimagine a vintage classic and create something new. The classic rock ‘supergroup’, boasting respected alumni from the likes of Whitesnake, … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Album review: CHICAGO – Chicago XXXVI:Now

CHICAGO- Chicago XXXVI:Now

Frontiers Records [Release Date 04.07.14] Chicago’s enduring habit of numbering each of their albums consecutively only draw attention to their longevity. XXXVI  is their first album of new material since 2006’s XXX, and while the latter saw them collaborating with … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Album review: FOZZY – Do You Wanna Start A War

FOZZY – Do You Wanna Start A War

Century Media [Released 21.07.14] Amazingly Fozzy have been going nearly fifteen years and this album is possibly their most commercial and accessible to date. Now that vocalist Chris Jericho is winding down his wrestling career the band are touring (the … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Album review: RICHARD THOMPSON – Acoustic Classics

Richard Thompson - Acoustic Classics

Beeswing/Proper Records [Release date 21.07.14] Amazingly this is the first acoustic release (excluding live recordings) in over thirty years. This collection of his most famous songs newly recorded in acoustic form provides the perfect accompaniment to his solo acoustic shows. … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: KODIAK JACK – Alhambra

Kodiak Jack - Alhambra

Self Release  [Release date - Out Now] Kodiak Jack hail from Portsmouth and formed in 2009. This is their second album and it is produced by Brian Wheat from Tesla. Kodiak Jack opened for Tesla on their recent UK show … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

EP review: SECOND RATE ANGELS – The Lost Days

Second Rate Angels - The Lost Days

Self Release  [Release date - Out Now] Second Rate Angels are a foursome from Hemel Hempstead and formed in 2011. They have performed at the Bloodstock Open Air Festival and played in support to Breed 77 amongst others. ‘The Lost … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: NEIL YOUNG AND CRAZY HORSE, British Summer Time Festival, Hyde Park, 12 July 2014

Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Hyde Park, 12 July 2014

How typical of the idiosyncratic, sometimes curmudgeonly, always unique Neil Young to amble on stage and effectively jam for five minutes with his band before turning to the audience and uttering his first lyric. Trends ebb and flow, fashions swell … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: GRAVE DIGGER – Return Of The Reaper

Grave Digger - Return Of The Reaper

Napalm Records – Out Now. With thirty four years of active service and sixteen studio albums under their belts, German Heavy Metal warlords Grave Digger would have been quite justified had they decided to start taking things easy. Rather than … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Leave a comment

Quick plays: PETER FRAMPTON, FRANCO AND THE DREADNOUGHT, ARCELIA

Franco And The Dreadnought

PETER FRAMPTON – Hummingbird In A Box Red/Sony Music [Released 07.07.14] Peter Frampton has seen his popularity increase of late following a couple of recent, well received studio albums backed by relentless touring (at the time of writing he’s touring … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: HALL AND OATES – Hammersmith Apollo, 11 July 2014

At a sold out Apollo it was a chance to witness musical legends Daryl Hall and John Oates, the most successful duo in US chart history, even surpassing the Everly Brothers. They can still draw a crowd (all the UK … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gig review: HOP FARM MUSIC FESTIVAL – Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent 4/5/6 July 2014

Hop Farm Festival, 4-6 July 2014

The Hop Farm Music Festival 2014 is a reconfigured broad based festival. While previous years included Neil Young, Dylan and The Eagles, the new promoters focused on striking a musical balance that pleased more than it alienated.  The result was … Continue reading

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Photo Galleries | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment