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Album review: RITA BLISS – One More Winter
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Album review : SEVEN SPIRES – A Fortress Called Home (Master Key Edition / 3CDs)
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Album review : SHAKRA – Just Live Loud
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Album review: KRIS BARRAS BAND – Monsters We Made
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Album review: THE UGLY GUYS – Highway Shoes
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Album review: STEVE HACKETT & STEVE ROTHERY – The Roaring Waves
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Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)
Gig review: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA – Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 4 January 2014
The first time that I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra live, it turned out to be one of the musical highlights of the year for me. The year was 2011, the venue exactly the same as tonight (note: then called The Hammersmith … Continue reading
Interview with LEIF JENSEN (Dew-Scented) – 10 December 2013
Lady Luck has not always been on the side of the German Thrash/Death Metal powerhouse Dew-Scented but that never stopped them from pursuing their goal of performing honest and good quality music to their loyal fans. An hour or so … Continue reading
DVD Review – VARIOUS ARTISTS – Live At Wacken 2012
UDR ( Release date – out now) As anyone with an ounce of metal in their veins knows the Wacken Festival is one of the longest established and heaviest festivals in Europe. This three DVD package … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts)
Tagged 2012, Amon Amarth, festival, Ghost Brigade, metal, Michael Denner, Nesum, rock, Saxon, Scorpions, Suffocation, Testament, VOLBEAT, Wacken
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Gig review: THERION – O2 Islington Academy, London, 20 December 2013
Support Acts: Arkona Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis It was around the end of November that an acquaintance of mine asked me to name my favorite gig of the year to which my response was “It’s too early … Continue reading
Album review: HAIL OF BULLETS – III: The Rommel Chronicles
Metal Blade – Out Now. Being both a huge Metal fan and a passionate historian with a particular fascination for all things WWII meant that I was hooked immediately back in 2006 on the old-school Death Metal quintet Hail Of … Continue reading
Interview with LIV KRISTINE (Leaves’ Eyes) – 12 December 2013
There are few people who I have thoroughly enjoyed talking to over the years in my capacity as a music journalist, and Liv Kristine, leading member of the Symphonic/Gothic Metal sextet Leave’s Eyes is certainly one of them. Hours prior … Continue reading
Interview with MORGAN STEINMEYER HAKANSSON (Marduk) – 5 December 2013
I have spoken with quite a few musicians over the years but few can claim to have been as consistently enjoyable and professional as Marduk’s founding member Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson. Currently on tour performing the “Those Of The Unlight” and … Continue reading
Interview with OLA LINDGREN (Grave) – 5 December 2013
When I decided to become involved in the world of music journalism a good decade ago, I did so with the hope that, in time, I would be given to meet some of my music heroes and get to talk … Continue reading
Album review: DEICIDE – In The Minds Of Evil
Century Media – Out Now. When the Hoffman brothers decided to leave Deicide (or were ceremonially fired, depending on which version you choose to believe) back in 2004, many people felt that the days of the American Death Metal band … Continue reading
Album review: ARTILLERY – Legions
Metal Blade – Out Now. Formed back in 1982 in a suburb of Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, Thrash Metal quintet Artillery possessed all the skill and passion necessary to make a name for themselves in the music industry but bad timing … Continue reading
Gig review: DEATH ANGEL – London, The Underworld, 10 December 2013
Support Acts: Dew-Scented Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Five days on from the glorious Marduk/Grave show, I am back in The Underworld in Camden to see San Francisco Thrashers Death Angel, who are back in town, supporting their … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 10 December 2013, Death Angel, Dew Scented, gig, London, review, thrash metal, Underworld
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Interview with TOR ODDMUND SUHRKE & ØYSTEIN LANDSVERK (Leprous) – 9 November 2013
Leprous are a group of five very skilled musicians who are better known in the wider Metal community as the backing band of guitar maestro and Emperor front man Ihsahn. Having quietly perfected their craft over the last twelve years, … Continue reading
Album review: ASOMVEL – Knuckle Duster
Bad Omen Records – Out Now. Ask anyone in the music business what the two basic elements for achieving commercial success are (apart from talent, obviously), and you are bound to hear among the answers ‘good timing’ and ‘luck’. These, … Continue reading
Album review: SOULFLY – Savages
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. There are not many musicians out there who have willingly parted ways with one of the biggest Metal bands in the world and can still hold claim to a decent career, but Brazilian musician/song-writer Massimiliano … Continue reading
Gig review: MARDUK – London, The Underworld, 5 December 2013
Support Acts: Grave, Death Wolf, Valkyrja Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis With Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson being the top guy that he is and Marduk one of the most energy driven and high performance black metal bands around, one … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 5 December 2013, Camden, Death Wolf, gig, Grave, London, Marduk, metal, review, Underworld
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Interview with TED LUNDSTROM (Amon Amarth) – 17 November 2013
The Forum is a large London-based venue, a place that many bands dream of selling out but something which only a handful are capable of achieving. This old theatre has been the home of the Swedish Melodic Death Metal band … Continue reading
Gig review: AMON AMARTH – London, The Forum, 17 November 2013
Support Acts: Carcass, Bleed From Within, Hell Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Oh how times change! One thousand three hundred years ago, a ‘visit’ from the people of Scandinavia to these shores would have been accompanied by sheer terror and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 17 November 2013, Amon Amarth, Bleed From Within, Carcass, Death Metal, Forum, gig, Hell, London, metal, review
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Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Dark Wings Of Steel
AFM Records – [Release date 25.11.13] Keyboard wizard Alex Staropoli, founding member of the Symphonic Metal outfit Rhapsody (Rhapsody Of Fire since 2006), is a man who has suffered trials and tribulations and undoubtedly grown a second skin through relentless … Continue reading
Interview with ALEX STAROPOLI (Rhapsody Of Fire) – 7 November 2013
Name changes, line up changes, legal disputes: Rhapsody Of Fire have been through and survived all these last couple of years. What is quite surprising, though, is the fact that they have emerged looking stronger and with a top quality … Continue reading
Interview with MICHAEL SCHENKER – 15 November 2013
If ever there was an example of looking to the past for a catalyst for the future, then ‘Bridge The Gap’ is it. Award winning guitarist Michael Schenker is back with some familiar faces on an album that plays to … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, Pure Metal/Interviews
Tagged Bridge The Gap, Doogie White, Francis Buchholz, guitar, guitarist, Herman Rarebell, interview, Michael Schenker, Michael Voss, November 2013, Pete Way, Robin McAuley, Temple Of Rock, UFO, Wayne Findlay, William Shatner, Yngwie Malmsteen
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Gig review: LEPROUS – London, The Underworld, 9 November 2013
Support Acts: Blindead Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Emily Dgebuadze Two weeks or so ago I was contacted by Inside Out’s London PR rep about reviewing the upcoming London show of Norwegian Progressive Metal band Leprous. Up until … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 9 November 2013, gig, LEPROUS, London, progressive metal, review, rock, Underworld
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Gig review: PARADISE LOST, Lacuna Coil, Katatonia – London, The Roundhouse, 3 November 2013
My introduction to the chromatic world of Death Metal took place exactly twenty three years ago and one of the albums responsible for my immediate conversion was Paradise Lost’s debut “Lost Paradise”. It was not at all surprising, then, that … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 3 November 2013, anniversary, gig, Katatonia, Lacuna Coil, London, metal, Paradise Lost, review, Roundhouse
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Album review: THE VISION BLEAK – Witching Hour
Prophecy Productions – Out Now. Goth and Metal are two musical genres which, though closely related in some ways, are obviously quite distinct. It was in the early 90s and in the truly capable hands of bands like Anathema, Paradise … Continue reading
Album review: DEATH ANGEL – The Dream Calls For Blood
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Twelve years ago, and following a ten year Sabbatical, the vast majority of the original line up of the Bay Area Thrashers Death Angel reunited for the purpose of participating in Thrash of the Titans … Continue reading
Interview with ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN (ex-The Gathering) – 19 October 2013
Meeting an artist whose work over the years has had a profound effect on you on a purely emotional level is like a double-edged sword: a good experience can further enhance your appreciation of them, whereas the opposite can cause … Continue reading
