Album review: WASTED SHELLS – The Collector

Wasted Shells - The Collector

Broken Bones Productions  [Release date – out now]

Yet more quality metal from Sweden, the clear waters in Scandinavia must have a high iron content  which gets into the blood at an early age. Wasted Shells are the latest in a long line of hard and heavy bands to emerge and, as with the likes of In Flames, they meld the heavy with the melodic to create ultra heavy but tuneful songs.

Opener ‘Monster’ set the stall out well with a furious riffs, rapid fire bassline and vocals which change from growl to clear with ease, ‘Stand Alone’ follows with more of the same. What comes across on each track are well thought out musical arrangements which help to raise the album above the majority of shouty metal bands and holds your interest through the 9 tracks on offer.

It’s not all breakneck riffage and titanic drumming though, there are moments where they slow things down as on ‘The Fall’, which is a very atmospheric track, and gives vocalist Ola Svensson a chance to show what he can do when not in full growl mode. The song builds gradually to a twin guitar driven climax before fading gently. The guys are at their best though when at maximum attack as on the powerful ‘Bulwark’ and ‘A Barren Country and the Walking Dead’, a big song with a big title.

This is the band’s second album following on from their 2010 debut ‘The Debt’. They have managed to build up a strong live following over the last few years and with this album they should continue on the ascendancy. Hard, heavy and melodic, ticks all the right boxes for me.  ****

Review by David Wilson


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024

ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


Please log in/register