-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
-
Album review: MARIACHI EL BRONX – Mariachi El Bronx IV
-
Album review : JON ANDERSON – Survival And Other Stories / Earth Mother Earth (2 CDs / remasters)
-
Album review: MYRATH – Wilderness Of Mirrors
-
Album review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Live At The Great Hall
-
Album review: JAMIE WILLIAMS AND THE ROOTS COLLECTIVE – In The Moment
-
Album review: JOE HICKS – Before It Gets Dark
-
Latest Gig Reviews
-
Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 14 March 2026
-
Gig review: A VERY SPECIAL EVENING OF MOTT THE HOOPLE – Riverside Studios, London, 27 February 2026
-
Gig review: EMERALD MOON – Le Marquee, Peyrignac, Dordogne, SW France, 7 March 2026
-
Gig review: MILKFEST, Indigo2, London, 1 March 2026
-
GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Tag Archives: metal
Album review: DYNAZTY – The Dark Delight
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
Album review: HATS OFF GENTLEMEN IT’S ADEQUATE – Nostalgia For Infinity
Bandcamp [Release date 06.05.20] Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate are Malcolm Galloway and Mark Gatland along with Kathryn Thomas on flute and vocals on one song. The theme of the album is the frailty of civilisation, from a variety of … Continue reading
Album review: INTENSE – Songs Of A Broken Future
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rock Stars, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Pure Metal/Gig reviews, Pure Metal/Interviews
Tagged album, Intense, Karl Groom, melodic metal, metal, power metal, prog metal, review, Songs Of A Broken Future, Threshold
Leave a comment
Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Suite 226
AFM Records [Release date 31.01.20] “Suite 226” is seriously good Serious Black. The band have taken a lot of flak over the variable quality of their last couple of albums. Which isn’t surprising, knowing that the band’s refusal to conform … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AFM Records, album, melodic metal, metal, review, rock opera, Serious Black, Suite 226, Urban breed
Leave a comment
Album review: SEVEN SPIRES – Emerald Seas
Frontiers [Release date 28.02.20] If only all concept albums were like this one…bittersweet melodic metal anthems liberally laced with apocalyptic metal tragedy. It’s such an accomplished piece of music that it belies the fact it is only the US band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Emerald Seas, Frontiers, metal, prog metal, review, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, Sascha Paeth, Seven Spires, symphonic metal
Leave a comment
News: KANSAS, FISH, HEATHEN, OZZY, BRIAN WILSON (March 2020)
Ozzy Osbourne’s latest album ‘Ordinary Man’ debuted at number 3 in both the US Billboard and UK album charts. Fish is now hoping to release his long-awaited final studio album ‘Weltschmerz’ in July. Carcass have named their new album ‘Torn … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged AOR, Brian Wilson, classic rock, Fish, gigs, Heathen, Kansas, March 2020, melodic rock, metal, news, pop, rock, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: ARCHON ANGEL – Fallen
Frontiers [Release date 14.02.20] Archon Angel is a new project born from a meeting between producer/guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere) and former Savatage and Circle II Circle vocalist Zak Stevens during the making of Timo Tolkki’s Avalon’s Return To Eden … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Archon Angel, Circle II Circle, Fallen, metal, progressive metal, review, Savatage, Zak Stevens
Leave a comment
Album review: FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – F8
Better Noise Records [Release date – 28.02.20] This is album number 8 from Five Finger Death Punch and it’s one that marks a number of firsts for the band. It is the first album to feature new drummer Charlie Engen, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, CD, Charlie Engen, Chric Kael, F8, Five Finger Death Punch, Inside Out, Ivan Moody, Jason Hook, metal, review, rock, Zoltan Bathory
Leave a comment
Album review: ABSOLVA – Side By Side
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
Album review: RAGE – Wings Of Rage
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
Album review: METAL CHURCH – The Elektra Years 1984-1989
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues
Tagged album, box set, Cherry Red Records, classic metal, David Wayne, Keith Howe, Kurdt Vanderhoof, metal, Metal Church, review, The Elektra Years 1984-1989, thrash metal
Leave a comment
Album review: BIRDEATSBABY – The World Conspires
Bandcamp [Release date 18.10.19] ‘The World Conspires’ is the fifth album from birdeatsbaby, who started out in 2009. Birdeatsbaby’s current line-up consist of Mishkin Fitzgerald (vocals, piano, accordion, synths), Hana Maria (violin, cello, vocals, harp, hurdy-gurdy), Garry Mitchell (bass, guitars, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Birdeatsbaby, experimental, folk, gothic, metal, progressive, review, rock, World Conspires
Leave a comment
Album review: ROSS THE BOSS – Born Of Fire
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
Backstage Hero Interview: MARTIN DAVID PORTER
Photographer Martin David Porter gives us an insider view form the other side of the photographer’s lens. You can view his work on his website and the Mart’s Arts Photography Facebook page. How did you become interested in photography? I’ve … Continue reading
Album review: BIFF BYFORD – School Of Hard Knocks
Silver Lining Music [Release date 21.02.20] One of British heavy metal’s finest icons, vocalist (and occasional bassist) Biff Byford has fronted Saxon since the mid 70s, when they were called Son Of A Bitch. And after talk of a solo … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged album, Biff Byford, classic rock, interview, metal, NWOBHM, OPETH, review, rock, Saxon, School Of Hard Knocks
Leave a comment
Gig review: FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, 30 January 2020
This was my first visit to the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena and on arrival at the venue prior to the doors opening I was greeted with massive queues waiting to get into the sold out venue. Thankfully local boy and crack photographer Darren Griffiths was a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 30th January 2020, Bad Wolves, Cardiff, Dave Ellefson, Dave Mustaine, Dolores O'Riordan, F8, Five Finger Death Punch, gig, Ivan Moody, Jason Hook, Megadeth, metal, Motorpoint Arena, Peace Sells, rock, The Cranberries, Wrong Side Of Heaven, Zoltan Bathory, Zombie
Leave a comment
News: MARILLION, NICK MASON, STYX, BLUE OYSTER CULT (February 2020)
Marillion release an expanded version of ‘Script For A Jester’s Tear’ on April 3 as a 4CD/Blu-ray package and on 4LP. Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets will release ‘Live At The Roundhouse’ (2LP, 2CD/DVD and Blu-ray) on April 17 through … Continue reading
Album review: SONS OF APOLLO – MMXX
Inside Out [Release date 17.01.20] Second studio outing from the prog metal supergroup Sons Of Apollo who consist of vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, bassist Billy Sheenan, guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, drummer Mike Portnoy and on keyboards Derek Sherinian. Sons Of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Billy Sheenan, Bumblefoot, Derek Sherinian, Dream Theater, Guns 'N' Roses, Jeff Scott Soto, Journey, melodic metal, metal, Mike Portnoy, MMXX, prog metal, progressive, review, Sons Of Apollo
Leave a comment
Single reviews: SOLD, FALSE HEARTS, HELLZ
SOLD ‘Empty Words’ Seemingly making quantum leaps with each new release, Estonia band Sold have really hit things out of the ballpark with ‘Empty Words’. A snarling wildcat of a song, its mix of growling male and clean female vocals … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged False Hearts, Halestorm, Hellz, melodic metal, metal, new bands, review, singles, Sold
Leave a comment
Album review: ALUNAH – Violet Hour
Heavy Pysch Sounds [Release date 29.10.19] Midlands four-piece Alunah show that, without doubt, you can take something primal and brutal but turn it into a thing of beauty. Their 60’s tinged doom metal follows in the footsteps of pioneers Black … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alunah, Black Sabbath, Doom Metal, Heavy Psych Sounds Records, metal, psychadelic, review, Violet Hour
Leave a comment
Album review: SERPENTYNE & OPEROSE
Hell Fury Records [Release date 21.11.19] There is always so much to explore in music, as you explore every sub-genre of a sub-genre. Modern Symphonic Metal is a good case in point and, what was once just purely the domain … Continue reading
Single reviews: SHADES OF GRAY, KOBURG, THUNDERSTICK
SHADES OF GRAY – I Get Up In a dark world, there are few things that unite us and raise our spirits more than music. Not many people understand this as fully as Myke Gray and the guitar guru/songwriter/producer offers … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged alternative, Bastette, Derange, indie, Junk Food Death, Koburg, metal, Molly Karloff, Planet Rock Allstars, Powderhead, review, rock, Shades Of Gray, singles, Thunderstick
Leave a comment
Album review: KOBURG – Position Of Power
Bandcamp [Release date 01.01.20] It sounds like a fairy tale but, at the stroke of midnight, as the old year passed into the next decade, a new Queen was crowned. Now, America has Amy Lee, Holland has Floor Jansen, Sweden … Continue reading
News: FM, SKAGARACK, AIRRACE, NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA (January 2020)
Compiled by Jason Ritchie Got news? We want to hear it! Contact us now FM (pictured) have completed work on their new album and it will be released on Frontiers in April. THE DOGS D’AMOUR are planning to release a … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Airrace, album, AOR, classic rock, FM, gigs, January 2020, melodic rock, metal, Neil Innes, New releases, NEWMAN, news, Night Flight Orchestra, RIP, Skagarack, the Brothers
Leave a comment
Album review: MOB RULES – Beast Over Europe
SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 13.09.19] Germany has long been a hotbed for rock and metal, with the Scorpions, Accept, Doro and Bonfire leading the way and the huge Waken Open Air festival bringing Teutonic thunder to the world. Celebrating their 25th … Continue reading
