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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review: AGE OF TAURUS – Desperate Souls Of Tortured Times
Rise Above – Out Now. London has long been the breeding ground of all-things Metal in the UK, but it is specifically its Doom Metal community which seems to have been more active in terms of output these last few … Continue reading
Album review: DEW-SCENTED – Insurgent
Metal Blade – Out Now. Dew-Scented is a band pretty close to my heart, as my first ever album review was for their 5th studio album “Impact”. It seemed quite appropriate, therefore, that I should be the one to also … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged Dew Scented
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Album review: ANVIL – Hope In Hell
The End Records – Out Now. Canadian Speed/Heavy Metal trio Anvil are, to put it simply, on fire! Since the release of the highly acclaimed documentary/movie ‘The Story Of Anvil’ back in 2009, long time friends and colleagues Steve “Lips” … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, anvil, heavy metal, Hope In Hell, review, rock
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Album review: TONY HARNELL & THE WILDFLOWERS
[Release date 30.04.13] One of the greatest things about music is when it can transport you to a different world. Much like reading a great book, an album can remind you of days gone by, memories that bring a smile … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Bumblefoot, review, rock, TNT, Tony Harnell & the Wildflowers
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Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Live From Chaos To Eternity
AFM www.afmrecords.de Filmscore Metal (or Melodic Operatic Power / Symphonic Metal) at its best and from the opening track a fantastic live set. Following the departure of founded guitarist Luca Turilli, who has since formed his own version of Rhapsody, … Continue reading
Album review: UFO – At The BBC 1974-1985
EMI [Release date 25.03.13] UFO have been well served by EMI in recent years with the Official Bootleg Box giving fans the chance to sample the band’s live delights in various forms and quality – but at least officially – … Continue reading
DVD Review: AEROSMITH – Rock For The Rising Sun
Eagle Rock [Release date 22.06.13] Much like the Stones who are 10 years their senior, Aerosmith pop up on this DVD like cartoon characters come to life. They rock and roll and charm their way round the post-tsunami Japan on … Continue reading
Quick plays: JAMES YOUNGER, THE CAPSULES, APESKULL
JAMES YOUNGER – Feelin’ American This may sound like a classy piece of US heartland rock, yet James Younger comes from Manchester! He nails that classic US rock sound with the lead single ‘Monday Morning’ and the other album stand … Continue reading
Album Review: POOR GENETIC MATERIAL – One Day In June
QuiXote Music [Release date 31.05.13] In the last couple of years or so the number of progressive rock concept albums released has been going through the roof. Always known as a genre that spawned over-indulgence on an epic scale – … Continue reading
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Tagged album, One Day In June, Poor Genetic Material, Progressive Rock, review
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Album review: THE TANGENT – Le Sacre Du Travail
Inside Out – Out Now. The Tangent is one of those bands that have only recently come to my attention and after I realised what Andy Tillison and his highly skilled colleagues are capable of achieving, especially on the strength … Continue reading
EP review : FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS – We’re Not Losing, We’re Just Not Winning
Self Release ( Release date – 26th August 2013) These pop punksters from Lincoln have only been together since the beginning of 2013, so they could be forgiven for producing substandard, badly written tracks. No such concessions … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged CD, EP, For All The Wrong Reasons, Lincoln, pop punk, review, rock, We’re Just Not Winning, We’re Not Losing
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EP Review: CIRCADIAN PULSE – In The Blink Of An Eye
Self Release ( Release date – out now) This 5 track affair is the debut release from Melbourne prog metallers Circadian Pulse. Citing Dream Theater and Symphony X as influences gives you some idea of where the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged CD, Circadian Pulse, EP, In The Blink Of An Eye, Melbourne, prog metal, review, rock
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Album review: NIGHTGLOW – We Rise
Logic(il)logic records (Release date – Out now) Nightglow formed back in 2003 in Italy and have been rocking hard ever since. The band are unashamedly metal to the core and at one point were the official Manowar … Continue reading
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Tagged album, CD, metal, Nightglow, review, rock, Thrash, We Rise
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Album review: STONE ORANGE – The Dreamcatcher
Street Symphonies Records (Release date – out now) Stone Orange are the first band I have encountered from Slovenia and if this is the standard of rock in Ljubljana it may be worth further exploration. The four … Continue reading
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Tagged album, CD, review, rock, Slovenia, Stone Orange, The Dreamcatcher
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Album review: THE SUPER HAPPY FUN CLUB – All Funned Up
Throop Records (released August 5th) www.thesuperhappyfunclub.com This is the band’s second album and made after some difficult personal times for the band members. The album is full of mostly upbeat guitars and seriously addictive choruses and harmony vocals. ‘Move On’ … Continue reading
Quick plays: VALENTIINE, NEVERSTAR, WHITE CLOUDS & GUNFIRE
VALENTIINE Valentiine Valentiine – Vanessa (guitars / vocals), Erica (bass/vocals) and Shelly (drums/vocals) – are a 3-piece all girl garage rock outfit from Melbourne, Australia. And they come with attitude in abundance. Their laid back, almost nonchalant approach leans on … Continue reading
Album review: LUNA ROSSA – Sleeping Pills & Lullabies
Firefly Music [Release date 10.06.13] www.lunarossa.co.uk Panic Room have been one of my favourite bands to emerge over recent years, and Anne-Marie Helder one of the finest vocalists on the circuit. So I was looking forward to this ‘side project’ … Continue reading
Album review: GROUNDHOGS – United Artists Years 1972-1976
EMI [Release date 20.05.13] ‘Split’ with its black and white glossy gatefold sleeve was a staple in the knowing rock fan’s early-1970s collection. The Groundhogs, led by one-time John Lee Hooker sideman Tony ‘TS’ McPhee, were also a staple on … Continue reading
Album review: MARILLION – The Singles Vol.2, 89-95
EMI [Release date 22.04.13] This collection is a reissue of the now deleted 12-CD box set (2002) when all the singles had a nice repro card sleeve. The album charts the band’s more commercial Hogarth era from 1989 (and ‘Season’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 89-95, album, collection, compilation, Marillion, review, rock, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, The Singles Vol 2
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Album Review: SPLIT SOFA – Coloured Dream
Self-released – 3rd April 2013 Good news folks – dig out the kaftans, it’s 1967 all over again. If the so-called ‘Summer Of Love’ did it for you way back in the day when The Fabs, … Continue reading
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Tagged album review, Coloured Dream, Psychedelic Rock, Split Sofa
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Album review: AVANTASIA – The Mystery Of Time
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Some may find this pretty hard to believe but it has been two whole decades since the German vocalist/songwriter Tobias Sammet released his first documented musical contribution, specifically to Edguy’s 1994 demo release “Evil Minded”. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged AVANTASIA
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Album review: TICKET TO THE MOON – Dilemma On Earth
Brennus Music – Released November 2012 The tidal wave of superlative progressive rock emanating from continental Europe shows no sign of dissipating anytime soon and, for all aficionados of the genre, surfboards should be waxed-up and this … Continue reading
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Tagged Dilemma On Earth, Progressive Rock, review, Swiss, Ticket To The Moon
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Album review: MOCKINGBIRD – Live Cuts! Wizzfest, Belgium 2013
Self Release (Release date – 20th July 2013) All too often new bands try too hard to conform to the latest trends and jump on whatever bandwagon is doing the rounds at that point. It’s refreshing then … Continue reading
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Tagged 2013, album, Belgium, CD, classic rock, Irish, Live Cuts!, Mockingbird, review, rock, Wizzfest
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Album review: OLIVA – Raise the Curtain
AFM Records Oliva is of course Jon Oliva of Jon Oliva’s Pain, Savatage and Trans Siberian-Orchestra (TSO) fame and this is his solo album. It differs from his JO Pain albums in that he handles most of the instruments himself, … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Jon Oliva, Oliva, Raise the Curtain, review, rock, Savatage, Trans Siberian Orchestra, TSO
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Album review: MAT SINNER – Back To The Bullet
Re-issue AFM Records Mat Sinner released this long lost solo album back in 1990 in between releases from his own band Sinner and long before the formation of his current band, Primal Fear. AFM have seen fit to re-release Back … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged AFM Records, Back to the Bullet, Mat Sinner, Primal Fear, Sinner
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