Yearly Archives: 2014

Quick plays: SONS OF THE SEA, JOSH TAERK, INGER LORRE, ADRIAN NATION, BIRDS OF CHICAGO

SONS OF THE SEA S/t Avow! Records [Released 03.03.14] www.menbran.net Sons of the Sea is a collaboration between producer Brendan O’Brien (Incubus/Pearl Jam/RATM/Springsteen) and Brandon Boyd of Incubus (not a band I have heard anything by although my daughter informs … Continue reading

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Album review: ELYSION – Someplace Better

Massacre Records – Out Now. In the twelve or so years since I moved from my native Greece, a revolution of sorts has taken place in the local Metal scene. Whereas in the early to mid 90s it would be … Continue reading

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News: WINGER announce new album and Download appearance

FIRST NEW ALBUM FOR 5 YEARS RELEASED ON FRONTIERS RECORDS 21.04.14 AND BAND ALSO CONFIRMED TO APPEAR AT DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL 15.06.14 One of the most misunderstood Hard Rock bands to emerge from the 1980’s is returning with their highly anticipated … Continue reading

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Album Review: PSYCLON NINE: [Order of the Shadow: Act I]

Psyclon Nine

Metropolis Records [Released 23.12.13] Picking up all the best reference points from Al Jourgensen’s demonic Ministry creation and shredded together in a moulinex with the sweeping drama of Rammstein, Psyclon Nine have produced an album of surprisingly good industrial metal … Continue reading

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Album Review: THE MANIC SHINE – Let Go Or Be Dragged

The Manic Shine - Let Go Or Be Dragged

Animal Farm Records This is a very original and encouraging debut album from Scottish borders-based quartet The Manic Shine.  The ten tracks here each have it all going on. The material could broadly be described metal-tickled prog rock, with a … Continue reading

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Album review: INCURA – S/T

Inside Out [Released 24th February 2014] This Canadian band Incura have been around since 2003 having released a series of EP’s and this is their first album given a full release. Two things strike you on first listen, the high … Continue reading

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Book review: ‘Reinventing Metal – The True Story of Pantera’ by Neil Daniels

Backbeat Books Or to give the book it’s full title “Reinventing Metal- The True Story of Pantera and the Tragically Short Life of Dimebag Darrell”. Another in depth and insightful rock biography from the much published Neil Daniels. This time … Continue reading

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Album Review: EDISON’S CHILDREN – The Final Breath Before November

EDISON

Random Disturbance Records [Release Date: 01.01.14] I had the pleasure of reviewing Edison’s Children’s first album ‘In The Last Waking Moments’ back in 2012 which, with the odd caveat, was fully worthy of the five stars garnered. At the time … Continue reading

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Gig review: SKINDRED/SOiL – Manchester Academy, 2 February 2014

Skindred - Manchester Academy, 2 February 2014

3 bands, 3 music styles and 1 outcome, one awesome night of entertainment. It’s the last night of the UK leg of Skindred’s ‘Kill The Power’  tour before they head off to Europe and beyond for the next few months … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE TREATMENT/Cage Of Gods – Sugarmill, Stoke, 5 February 2014

The Treatment - Sugarmill, Stoke - 5 February 2014

If the quality of tonight’s bands is anything to go by then the future of Rock music is in good hands as both The Treatment and Cage The Gods are both young in age and full of the attitude and … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE QUIREBOYS – Live Rooms, Chester, 6 February 2014

THE QUIREBOYS - Live Rooms, Chester, 6 February 2014

What better way to spend my birthday that at a live gig and tonight we are at The Quireboys acoustic show in The Live Rooms, Chester. A new venue that is ideally situated across from the train station and has … Continue reading

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Album review: WITHIN TEMPTATION – Hydra

WITHIN TEMPTATION - Hydra

Dramatico [Release date 03.02.14] With their last studio album The Unforgiving (2011), Dutch symphonic rockers Within Temptation looked as if they were about to step into the American mainstream and take it by storm with a set that included radio … Continue reading

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Album review: STORMWARRIOR – Thunder & Steele

Massacre Records – Out Now. German Heavy/Power Metal quartet Stormwarrior are a well known entity to fans of late 80s Metal. During the last fifteen years they have recorded a decent number of high velocity tunes, some with the assistance … Continue reading

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Album review: ICED EARTH – Plagues Of Babylon

Century Media – Out Now. Three years ago a rebirth of sorts took place in the camp of Iced Earth, one helped by the bringing into the fold of a very charismatic front man named Stu Block – a young … Continue reading

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Album review: TRANSATLANTIC – Kaleidoscope

Inside Out – Out Now. ‘Super groups’ are complicated affairs. What some treat with deep suspicion as nothing more than vanity projects, others see as a way for musicians to indulge in ideas unsuited to their day jobs. There is, … Continue reading

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Album review: GRAND MAGUS – Triumph And Power

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Having fronted Swedish Stoner Metal legends Spiritual Beggars for eight whole years (2002-10), guitarist/vocalist Janne “JB” Christoffersson decided to change course and move into more ‘classic’ musical territory by forming his very own heavy power-trio … Continue reading

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Album review: ANETTE OLZON – Shine

Anette Olzon - Shine

Interview edit: Anette Olzon, 26 February 2014 The full interview is featured in ‘Assume The Position’ Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sunday 9 March, 22:00 GMT More information earMUSIC [Release date 31.03.14] For those who don’t pick their fruit from … Continue reading

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Gig review: SPIN DOCTORS + DODGY The Garage, London Saturday 22nd February 2014

The last date of the Spin Doctors three date UK visit re-arranged from last autumn. It was a decent turn out at the Garage, although the curse of the 10pm curfew to allow for the nightclub after badly hit openers … Continue reading

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Album review: BATTLEAXE – Heavy Metal Sanctuary

Steamhammer/SPV [Release date 24.02.14] Originally part of the mid 80s era New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWoBHM), Battleaxe released tracks on several compilations as well as two albums in 1983 and 1984; both have since been reissued on CD, … Continue reading

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Album review: THE DAMNED – Tiki Nightmare: Live At Shepherd’s Bush Empire July 2002

The Damned - Tiki Nightmare

Salvo/Union Square (2CD/DVD) [Release date 10.02.14] Widely recognised as the first UK punk band, releasing a punk album and single (and I’m near the front of the queue to stick that up the nose of the Sex Pistols), The Damned … Continue reading

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Album review: VANDEN PLAS – Chronicles of the Immortals : Netherworld

Vanden Plas - Chronicles Of The Immortals

Frontiers www.frontiers.it [Release date 24.02.14] It has been a while since Vanden Plas released The Seraphic Clockwork back in 2010 but that’s not to say they haven’t been busy…far from it. German best-selling author Wolfgang Hohlbein suggested a collaboration with … Continue reading

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News: Camel’s Andy Latimer is featured in The Guitarists series on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio

Andy Latimer - Camel

One of the highlights of 2013 was the return to live shows for seminal progsters Camel, and not least the return of frontman and founder Andy Latimer. The band take to the road again in early March for more UK … Continue reading

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Album review: TOMMY CASTRO AND THE PAIN KILLERS – The Devil You Know

      Alligator records [Release date 20.01.14] While this album is a slimmed down version of Tommy Castro And The Pain Killers, there’s actually some 14 guest musicians helping him out in the absence of his previous horn section. … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: HEAVY METAL NINJAS, TIDE, KATIE COLE

HEAVY METAL NINJAS – Interstellar Abduction

HEAVY METAL NINJAS – Interstellar Abduction Warner Music [Release date – out now] Heavy Metal Ninjas hail not from Japan as you might expect but from New Zealand. Lead by virtuoso guitarist Richie Allan, this instrumental six piece are here … Continue reading

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Album review : DOG DAYS REVOLUTION – Overloaded

        Turenki Records (Release date – out now) Rock ‘n’ Roll and Finland have long gone hand in hand for some reason, maybe it’s the long dark nights? The latest addition to Finland’s rock heritage are Dog … Continue reading

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