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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL- Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Gig review: LAZARUS HEIGHTS – The Auditorium, Bassilac, SW France, 7 December 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Author Archives: Phil Berisford
Album review: PRETTY MAIDS – Kingmaker
Frontiers Records [Release date 04.11.16] “Kingmaker” is Pretty Maids’ 15th studio album if you include 2014’s superb “Louder Than Ever” which contained re-recordings of old tunes plus 4 newbies and it continues their run of high quality releases. The Danish … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Allan Tschicaja, Frontiers, hard rock, Ken Hammer, Kim Olesen, Kingmaker, Pretty Maids, Rene Shades, review, Ronnie Atkins
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Album review: ELECTRIC SIX – Fresh Blood For Tired Vampyres
Metropolis Records [Release date 07.10.16] American oddballs Electric Six are back with their 12th album in as many years…the strangely titled “Fresh Blood for Tired Vampyres”. To be honest I didn’t know they were still active and only remember them … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Blood for Tired Vampyres, Christopher Tait, Da Ve, Dave Malosh, Dick Valentine, Electric Six, John Nash, Johnny Na$hinal, Metropolis Records, Noah Appel, review, Rob Lower, Tait Nucleus?, Two-Handed Bob, Tyler Spencer
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Album review: HARDLINE – Human Nature
Frontiers Records [Release date 04.10.16] Former super-group Hardline return with their 5th studio album “Human Nature” following on from 2012’s “Danger Zone”. Vocalist Johnny Gioeli and brother Joey formed Hardline on LA’s sunset strip back in 1991 and they found … Continue reading
Album review: – LORDI – Monstereophonic – Theaterror vs. Demonarchy
AFM Records [Release date 16.09.16] Finland’s masked melodic metal band Lordi, who will forever be widely known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006, follow up 2014’s “Scare Force One” with their 8th studio release, the split “Monstereophonic – … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM, album, Amen, hard rock, Hella, Lordi, Mana, metal, Monstereophonic – Theaterror vs. Demonarchy, Mr Lordi, Ox, review
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Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld
AFM Records [Release date 09.09.16] European supergroup Serious Black return with their sophomore release “Mirrorworld” less than 2 years after debut “As Daylight Breaks” hit the racks. The backbone of vocalist Urban breed, Dominik Sebastian (guitars), bassist Mario Lochert and … Continue reading
Album Review: – SOLUTION .45 – Nightmares In The Waking State – Part II
AFM Records [release date 26.08.16] Nightmares In The Waking State – Part II is Solution .45’s third studio release and is the follow up to Part I released back in November 2015 (though recorded at the same time). Solution .45 … Continue reading
Album review: – KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Generation Goodbye
AFM Records [Release date 08.07.16] German modern hard rock band Kissin’ Dynamite are back with their fifth studio album “Generation Goodbye” and somehow they keep on improving! Previous release “Megalomania”, from September 2014, was a wonderful slice of modern melodic … Continue reading
Album review: PARADOX – Pangea
AFM Records [Release date 03.06.16] German thrash band Paradox celebrate their 30th anniversary with the release of their seventh studio “Pangea”. Surviving founding member Charly Steinhauer has been joined by an endless array of musicians since debut “Product of Imagination” … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM, album, Charly Steinhauer, Gus Drax, Kostas Milonas, Pangea, Paradox, review, Thrash, Tilen Hudrap
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Album review: IRON SAVIOR – Titancraft
AFM Records [Release date 20.05.16] Iron Savior’s ninth studio release “Titancraft” features more of the same from the German power metal band…namely science fiction inspired Teutonic metal a la Primal Fear/Helloween. Main-man Piet Sielck (vocals, guitar) is back again and … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM, album, IRON SAVIOR, Jan-Sören Eckert, Joachim Küstner, Piet Sielck, power metal, review, Thomas Nack, Titancraft
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Album review: ORDEN OGAN – The Book of Ogan
AFM Records [Release date 25.03.16] “The Book of Ogan” would appear to be German power metal band Orden Ogan’s way of closing the first chapter of their career as it is a very impressive double CD double DVD package. What … Continue reading
Album review: THUNDERSTONE – Apocalypse Again
AFM Records [Release date 01.04.16] Thunderstone are another one of AFM’s hidden treasures that I’ve never actually listened to before and now they return with their sixth studio release “Apocalypse Again”. Guitarist Nino Laurenne put the band together back in … Continue reading
Album review: HUMAN FORTRESS – Thieves Of The Night
AFM Records [Release date 18.03.16] “Thieves of the Night” is German melodic metal band Human Fortress’s follow up to the well-received “Raided Land”. The band deal in a genre populated by bands such as Kamelot, Avantasia and Virgin Steele according … Continue reading
Album review: THE LAST VEGAS – Eat Me
AFM Records [Release date 18.03.16] The Last Vegas are an American sleazy hard rock band and somehow they have managed to get their latest release “Eat Me” released on a German metal label… The band hail from Chicago, Illinois and … Continue reading
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Tagged Adam Arling, AFM, album, Bryan Wilkinson, Chad Cherry, Danny Smash, Eat Me, hard rock, Nathan Arling, review, sleaze, the Last Vegas
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Album review: SINBREED – Master Creator
German power metal band Sinbreed return with their new opus “Master Creator” which follows on from 2014’s “Shadows”. The band line-up has remained unchanged with vocalist Herbie Langhans (recently to be heard singing the part of “Eclipse” on the latest … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM, album, Alexander Schulz, Flo Laurin, Frederik Ehmke, Herbie Langhans, Master Creator, power metal, review, Sinbreed, speed metal
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Album review: THE NEW BLACK – A Monster’s Life
AFM Records [Release date 26.02.16] “A Monster’s Life” is German band’s The New Black fourth release and follows on from the impressive “III : Cut Loose” from 2013. This time around, rather than self-producing again, they have enlisted famed Volbeat … Continue reading
Album review: SHAKRA – High Noon
AFM Records [Release date 29.01.16] Swiss hard rock band Shakra return with their tenth studio album “High Noon” and, after the departure of vocalist John Prakesh in late 2013, surprisingly also return with previous vocalist Mark Fox who quit the … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM Records, album, Dominik Pfister, High Noon, Mark Fox, melodic rock, review, Roger Tanner, Shakra, Switzerland, Thom Blunier, Thomas Muster
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Album Review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Into The Legend
AFM Records [Release date 15.01.16] Rhapsody of Fire return with their 11th studio album “Into The Legend”…this is of course classing Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody as a totally separate band which I suppose it is anyway… The press release points out … Continue reading
Album review: PRIMAL FEAR – Rulebreaker
Frontiers Records [Release date 22.11.15] Teutonic metal merchants Primal Fear return with their 11th studio album “Rulebreaker” which follows a similar path to 2014’s well received “Delivering The Black” opus. Primal Fear were founded way back in 1997 when bassist … Continue reading
Album review: BRAINSTORM – Scary Creatures
AFM Records [Release date 15.01.16] Brainstorm’s 11th studio album “Scary Creatures” follows hot on the heels of 2014’s “Firesoul” and features ten more Euro-style power metal numbers. The Bavarian band were formed way back in 1989 and released their first … Continue reading
Album review: MANIMAL – Trapped In The Shadows
AFM Records [Release date 20.11.15] Manimal return with their brand of Swedish metal in the form of “Trapped In The Shadows” but for me the band name is a little off putting as it serves as a reminder of that … Continue reading
Album review: BILLY SHERWOOD – Citizen
Frontiers Records [Release date 06.11.15] Billy Sherwood, man of many talents and currently bassist for Yes, has assembled an impressive cast of guest musicians for his “Citizen” album…but the question has to be can it deliver when so many of … Continue reading
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Tagged Alan Parsons, album, Billy Sherwood, Chris Squire, Citizen, Colin Moulding, Frontiers, Geoff Downes, Jerry Goodman, John Wesley, Jon Davison, Jordan Rudess, Patrick Moraz, Progressive Rock, review, Rick Wakeman, Steve Hackett, Steve Morse, Tony Kaye
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Album review: DANZIG – Skeletons
AFM Records [Release date 27.11.15] “Skeletons” is Glenn Danzig’s first studio release since “Deth Red Saboath” back in 2010 and it is an album of covers of songs that have influenced his career. The songs were supposedly recorded at various … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM Records, album, covers album, Danzig, Glenn Danzig, metal, review, Skeletons
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Album review: GAMA BOMB – Untouchable Glory
AFM Records [Release date 30.10.15] “Untouchable Glory” is the fifth album from Northern Ireland’s answer to vintage Anthrax, namely Gama Bomb. The band formed back in 2002 in Newry and bonded over a love of obscure thrash bands and zombies. … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM, album, Domo Dixon, Gama Bomb, Joe McGuigan, John Roche, Paul Caffrey, Philly Byrne, review, Thrash, Untouchable Glory
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Album Review: 21OCTAYNE – 2.0
AFM Records [Release date 25.09.15] 21Octayne are back with their sophomore album, thoughtfully titled “2.0”, a mere 16 months after their superb debut “Into The Open”. The line-up for “2.0” remains unchanged apart from the loss of bassist Andrew Lauer…so … Continue reading
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Tagged 2.0, 21Octayne, AFM, album, Alex Landenburg, alternative rock, Hagen Grohe, Marco Wriedt, melodic hard rock, review
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Album review: ROYAL HUNT – XIII : Devil’s Dozen
Frontiers Records [Release date 21.08.15] Danish progressive metal kings Royal Hunt return with “Devil’s Dozen” which is, surprise surprise, their 13th studio album. The man behind Royal Hunt and its music always has been (and always will be) keyboard maestro … Continue reading
