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Tag Archives: metal
Album review: W.A.S.P. – s/t
Madfish [Release date 21.05.26] Record label Madfish have been working some of the early W.A.S.P. catalogue, including The Savage 7 CD boxset. Here is the band’s 1984 debut and in line with all the other Madfish releases I’ve encountered, it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes, hard rock, metal, re-issue, review, self-titled, sleaze, W.A.S.P
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Album review : VON GROOVE – Born To Rock
Frontiers Music [Release date : 15.05.26] There can be few more explosive opening tracks than Von Groove’s ‘Once Is Not Enough’ from their self titled debut, 1992. 30 years later : they’ve got the band back together – Michael Shotton, … Continue reading
News: SKINDRED, THE ROLLING STONES, BURNING ROPE (May 2026)
Accept celebrate 50 years with a new release, ‘Teutonic Titans 1976–2026‘ due on September 4 via Napalm Records. Guests on the album include Kirk Hammett, Rob Halford, Tobias Forge, KK Downing, Chris Jericho and more. The Alarm’s final album, ‘Transformation’, originally scheduled … 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 albums, AOR, blues, Burning Rope, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Skindred, special editions, The Rolling Stones, tour dates
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Gig review: SKINDRED – O2 Academy, Oxford, 17 April 2026
Skindred released their new album, ‘You Got This’, and their ninth overall, on the same day as they played this sold out gig in Oxford. So good to see that for once at a gig I was at the older … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Arimea, Benji Webbe, Friday April 17 2026, gig, hip hop, metal, nu-metal, O2 Academy, Oxford, ragga metal, reggae, review, rock, Skindred
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Album review: ELEGANT WEAPONS – Evolution
Exciter Records [Release date 24.04.26] Album number two from Elegant Weapons, the band formed around Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG), with bassist Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep), and drummer Christopher Williams (Accept) making their recording … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adam Wakeman, album, Andy Sneap, heavy metal, Judas Priest, melodic metal, metal, review, Richie Faulkner, Ronnie Romero
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Album review: XTASY – Phoenix
Art of Melody Music / Burning Minds Music Groups [Release date 10.04.26] Now here’s a thing. Melodic rock that’s not from Scandinavia! Spain’s Xtasy formed in 2011 and have been building a following in their home country and in Continental … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Phoenix, review, Xtasy
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News: PAUL McCARTNEY, THE 69 EYES, JUDAS PRIEST (April 2026)
Airbourne release their new self-titled album on August 27 via Spinefarm. Balaam and the Angel release a new EP on May 1 entitled ‘Love Death Wealth Water‘. Capitol Records/UMe is celebrating the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ album’s 60th anniversary with ‘The … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Competitions, Exhibitions, 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, Special Events
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, folk, gigs, Judas Priest, melodic rock, metal, news, Paul McCartney, re-issues, RIP, special editions, The 69 Eyes, tour dates
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Album review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Live At The Great Hall
Earache Records [Release date 27.03.26] For anyone who has seen Massive Wagons live, you will know that the band onstage is an unstoppable juggernaut with enough energy to power a medium sized town for a week. So, it’s quite a … Continue reading
Album review : IGNESCENT – Eternal
Frontiers Music [Release date : 20.03.26] Judge a hot band by the company they keep. Ignescent have opened for Flyleaf, Skillet, Stryper and many other headline metal/hard rock acts in recent years. You could hear the influences of these bands … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Eternal, Fight In Me, Flyleaf, Frontiers Music, Ignescent, Jennifer Benson, Lambretta, metal, review, Skillet, Stryper
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Album review: LAUTENFEYN – Verdammt Und Vergessen
Magic Mile Music [Release date 06.03.26] Many years ago I was sent a CD to review (remember them?) by a German band called The Ordeal. The album was Descent To Hell and it was a metal masterpiece that still gets … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Fairytale, Lautenfeyn, Magic Mile Music, medieval, metal, Olli Opperman, review, rock, The Ordeal, Verdammt Und Vergessen
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News: RUSH, CRIMSON GLORY, VON GROOVE (March 2026)
Acacia Avenue release ‘Chapter V’ via Pride & Joy Music on May 29. Amberian Dawn release their latest album, ‘Temptation’s Gates’, on June 26 via Napalm Records. The band have also announced Nicole Willerton as their new vocalist. Deko Entertainment release a 50th … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Exhibitions, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, Crimson Glory, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Rush, special editions, tour dates, Von Groove
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EP review: SPREADING THE DISEASE – Purgatory Carnival
Facebook [Release date 28.02.26] Kent based Spreading the Disease are back and heavy as ever! The band’s current line-up consists of Steve Saunders (bass), Thorsten Giertsch (guitar), Donal McGee (drums), Daniel Stevenson (guitar) and Jonny P (vocals). Spreading the Disease … Continue reading
Album review: BIG BAND OF BOOM
Ragtime Records [Release date 13.03.26] “Imagine the Kill Bill soundtrack played by Rage Against the Machine with an orchestra” is the blurb used to entice the wary listener into the music of twelve piece, Birmingham based, Big Band of Boom. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, big band, Big Band of Boom, fusion, indie, jazz, metal, review, rock, swing, System Of A Down
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EP review: LEAVES’ EYES – Song of Darkness
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 06.03.26] Leaves’ Eyes have been around since 2003 and still feature vocalist (growls), keyboards player and producer Alexander Krull, with Finnish soprano Elina Siirala fronting the band since 2016. The EP also marks the recording … Continue reading
News: AEROSMITH, SAVATAGE, CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL (February 2026)
Acid Reign will release a new album ‘Daze Of The Week’ on May 15. Aerosmith release ‘Aerosmith (Legendary Edition)’ on March 20 as a limited-edition deluxe 5LP box, a 4LP slipcase, black and colour vinyl, 3CD, CD, and digital. Steven Tyler and Joe … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, Listening Post, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Aerosmith, albums, AOR, blues, Cambridge Folk Festival, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Savatage, special editions, tour dates
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Album review: THE HARA – The Fallout
Mascot Records [Release date 23.01.26] This album from The Hara tackles mental health struggles and subjects of toxicity and self-doubt along with the pitfalls of the industry on their journey. Channelling this into their livewire performances has seen them pick up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt metal, indie, Mascot records, metal, review, The Fallout, the Hara
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Quick plays: AVALANCHE, UUHAI
AVALANCHE Armed to the Teeth [Release date 13.02.26] Avalanche are husband & wife duo Steven Campbell on lead vocals & bass, and Veronica ‘V’ Campbell on lead guitar, who are joined by Blake Poulton on rhythm guitar and drummer Bon … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged AC/DC, album, Armed to the Teeth, Avalanche, classic rock, folk, Human Herds, indie, metal, Quick Plays, review, rock, The Hu, traditional, Uuhai
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Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, December 27 2025
It is those no-man’s lands days between Christmas and New Year in 2025 and the Punchdrunk Saints have bravely decided to host their second ever gig after their debut in London’s 100 Club. Tonight’s gig at Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden … Continue reading
News: DEMON, QUEEN, PETRA (January 2026)
The All-American Rejects release their first album since 2012. ‘Sandbox’ will be released in February via Too Lost. Alt Blk Era have announced a new EP, ‘Our World’, which will arrive on May 22 via LAB Records. Tori Amos releases … 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 albums, AOR, blues, DEMON, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, Petra, Queen, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates
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Album review: BEYOND THE BLACK – Break The Silence
Nuclear Blast [Release date 09.01.26] Amazingly Beyond The Black have been around since 2014 and this is their sixth album, although to this recent convert it seems like they only started out a few years ago! Beyond The Black’s line-up … Continue reading
Single review: THE MOTHERZ – Sweat
Facebook With a name like The Motherz you’re not going to expect Abba are you. And how right you would be. To me they sound like the illegitimate offspring of Metallica and The Stooges. They claim to draw their influences … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged classic rock, hard rock, metal, Motherz, review, single, Sweat
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Album review: GHOST – Skeleta
Loma Vista Recordings [Release date 25.04.25] Album number six from Ghost, produced by Gene Walker, who is actually Ghost main man Tobias Forge, as said Gene Walker name is a pun on the Swedish word gengångare i.e ghost, zombie. Interesting variety … Continue reading
News: BRYAN ADAMS, THE KARMA EFFECT, THE GEMS (December 2025)
Bryan Adams releases ‘Bryan Adams & Friends: A Great Big Holiday Jam’ on December 8 via Bad Records – the same day the Christmas special of the same name premieres on Citytv and streams on Citytv+ in Canada. Asia release … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, Bryan Adams, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, The Gems, The Karma Effect, tour dates
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Gig review: SAXON – Hammersmith (Eventim) Apollo, 15 November 2025
A wonderful evening of classic rock at Eventim Apollo (that’s the Hammersmith Odeon in English), and well attended it was too, having the aura of a sellout. And after Saxon vocalist Biff Byford’s recent health scare (now clear of cancer), … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Accept, Biff Byford, classic rock, Dirkschneider, gig, Hammersmith Apollo, heavy metal, metal, November 15 2025, NWOBHM, review, Saxon, Udo Dirkschneider
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Gig review: SAXON – 02 Academy, Glasgow, 9 November 2025
Mention Saxon to anyone and they will probably reply with ‘Ah, Wheels Of Steel!’. This song and album have become fixtures in any self-respecting rock fans collection and one of the defining albums from the NWOBHM period. The album has … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 9th November 2025, Accept, Balls To The Wall, Biff Byford, Brian Tatlet, Doug Scarrett, gig, live, metal, Nibbs Carter, Nigel Glockler, rock, Saxon, U.D.O, Udo Dirkschnieder, Wheels Of Steel
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