Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)

Album review: MAJESTICA – A Christmas Carol

Posted on November 26, 2020 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 04.12.20] ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens is one of my all-time favourite books and has been adapted for TV and film many times. Now we have Swedish symphonic metal band Majestica giving their take on … Continue reading →

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Album review: ELLEFSON – No Cover

Posted on November 19, 2020 by jason

Combat Records/earMUSIC [Release date 20.11.20] Ellefson, the solo band of Megadeth bassist and co-founder David Ellefson, have a double album of covers for your enjoyment. Even the cover artwork is a homage to Def Leppard’s ‘On Through The Night’ album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bumblefoot, Cheap Trick, classic rock, Covers, David Ellefson, Doro, Jason McMaster, Megadeth, metal, Ministry, Motorhead, Nazareth, No Cover, review | Leave a comment

Album review: PYRAMAZE – Epitaph

Posted on November 11, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 13.11.20] “Epitaph” is the sixth album in sixteen years from Danish metallers, Pyramaze. This is a band who rebuilt their line up in 2015, after significant loss of key members in 2011. That shakeup reflected an … Continue reading →

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News – BLACKMORE’S NIGHT, H.E.A.T., ORANGE GOBLIN (November 2020)

Posted on October 30, 2020 by jason

DORO - The Tivoli, Buckley, North Wales, 21 November 2015

Blackmore’s Night release a festive themed four song EP ‘Here We Come A-Caroling’ on December 4 via earMUSIC. The same label release the band’s new studio album ‘Nature’s Light’ next spring. Lizzy Borden releases ‘Best of Lizzy Borden, Vol. 2‘ … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, All Posts, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged Arthur Brown, Blackmore's Night, classic rock, Crashdiet, H.E.A.T., Massive Wagons, metal, news, Orange Goblin, prog rock, rock | Leave a comment

News – AC/DC, BILL BAILEY, INGLORIOUS, FLOGGING MOLLY (October 2020)

Posted on September 30, 2020 by jason

AC/DC (pictured above) have been teasing new activity via their website and UK press adverts. They have now confirmed that vocalist Brian Johnson, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Phil Rudd are officially back in AC/DC, joining Angus and Stevie Young. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, All Posts, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged AC/DC, Bill Bailey, classic rock, Flogging Molly, folk, gigs, Inglorious, metal, New releases, news, punk, rock, tours | Leave a comment

Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – The Last Viking

Posted on September 27, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 23.10.20] Leaves’ Eyes are nothing if prolific, with eight albums, eight EPs and a live album since they formed back in 2003. ‘The Last Viking’ marks the final part of the band’s Viking trilogy, telling the … Continue reading →

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Album review: RISING STEEL – Fight Them All

Posted on September 26, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Second album from Grenoble’s finest metal band, Rising Steel. And you can see the tongue in their cheek from space. Allegedly. The band’s amusingly phallic name is the first Freudian nod and wink. And then, endearingly, … Continue reading →

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Album review: FORNDOM – Fapir

Posted on September 17, 2020 by jason

Nordvis Produktion [Release date 03.04.20] A new genre has been created: Viking Chill-out and Forndom is the King. Skillfully mixing the best of Icelandic bands like Sigur Ros along with traditional Scandinavian folk, this Swedish artist brings a stunning world … Continue reading →

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News – KING CRIMSON, NEIL YOUNG, ULTRAVOX (September 2020)

Posted on August 31, 2020 by jason

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

King Crimson release a 26-disc set, ‘The Complete 1969 Recordings’, through Panegyric on October 23. It features a brand new Dolby Atmos mix by Steven Wilson of the band’s 1969 debut album ‘In The Court of the Crimson King’, and includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, All Posts, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, Broken Teeth, classic rock, country, folk, King Crimson, metal, Neil Young, New releases, news, Nightwish, pop, prog, re-issues, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: VICIOUS RUMORS – Celebration Decay

Posted on August 22, 2020 by jason

SPV Records [Release date 21.08.20] Vicious Rumors found a home at Germany’s SPV Records four albums ago. In fact, Europe’s always offered a warm welcome to the band, right from the start, back in 1985. Now, everything has changed. But … Continue reading →

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Album review: ONSLAUGHT – Generation Antichrist

Posted on August 21, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 07.08.20] When, on the 29th of April this year, the British Thrash metallers Onslaught announced that singer Sy Keeler had decided to once more part ways with the band, I felt pretty sad indeed. The band … Continue reading →

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Album review: HAKEN – Virus

Posted on July 30, 2020 by jason

Inside Out [Release date 24.07.20] Following the release of their fifth studio album “Vektor” back in October 2018, the members of the British Progressive Metal sextet Haken have rightfully been in the receiving end of various rewards and accolades. For … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Dream Theater, Haken, melodic, metal, progressive, progressive metal, review, virus | Leave a comment

Album review: PARADISE LOST – Obsidian

Posted on May 13, 2020 by jason

Nuclear Blast Records [Release date 15.05.20] Creating an album whose compositions are fresh-sounding, well-balanced, expertly-performed and capable of causing high levels of excitement with every new spin is a pretty hard task for any band to achieve in the year … Continue reading →

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Album review: KATATONIA – City Burials

Posted on April 22, 2020 by jason

Peaceville Records [Release date 24.04.20] When, on the 28th of February 2020, I visited the “Gagarin 205” club for the purpose of attending what can only be described as an outstanding performance by the Prog Metal quintet Katatonia, never in … Continue reading →

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Album review: DYNAZTY – The Dark Delight

Posted on March 29, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 03.04.20] Dynazty’s first three albums culminated in the stirring melodic rock of “Sultans Of Sin” in 2012. By 2014, they had radically recalibrated their sound, trudging through the bland power metal of “Renatus” (2014) and “Titanic … Continue reading →

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Album review: INTENSE – Songs Of A Broken Future

Posted on March 21, 2020 by jason

Pure Steel Records [Release date 27.03.20] It has been nearly nine years since we last saw an album from Intense, during which time they have been busy inside and outside of the music scene (see interview below). The album was … Continue reading →

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Album review: ABSOLVA – Side By Side

Posted on February 25, 2020 by jason

Rocksector Records [Release date 18.10.19] Absolva formed from the ashes of Fury (UK) in 2012, featuring Chris Appleton (vocals, guitar), Luke Appleton (guitar, vocals), Martin McNee (drums) and bassist Karl Schramm, who joined the band in 2014. The band also … Continue reading →

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Album review: RAGE – Wings Of Rage

Posted on February 22, 2020 by jason

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 10.01.20] Every family has a black sheep. That one relative who never gets invited to Christmas lunch. Rage are that family member, the unhinged uncle who is usually locked in an attic or roaming around the woods. … Continue reading →

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Album review: METAL CHURCH – The Elektra Years 1984-1989

Posted on February 22, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red Records [Release date 28.02.20] Before Kurdt Vanderhoof went off to invent a new genre with his band, Hall Aflame, in 1991, he released 3 albums with his startup venture, Metal Church. Cherry Red Records have bundled these into … Continue reading →

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Album review: ROSS THE BOSS – Born Of Fire

Posted on February 18, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 06.03.20] Just when you thought that there was no band more ‘metal’ than Manowar or Judas Priest, along comes Ross ‘the Boss’ Friedman and his crew to combine elements of both and more to provide an … Continue reading →