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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)
Gig review: MESSENGER – The Borderline, London, 15 October 2014
Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis In the short period since they first came together as a band back in 2012, Psychedelic/Progressive Rock troupe Messenger have really made their presence felt in the music world. Having … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
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Tagged 15 October 2014, Borderline, gig, Messenger, prog, progressive, psychedelic, review
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Album review: LUNATIC SOUL – Walking On A Flashlight Beam
Kscope – Out Now. Inspiration is an interesting thing. While most us mere mortals struggle to come up with anything remotely interesting to offer to the world in artistic terms, others like the Polish musician/composer Mariusz Duda are constantly creating … Continue reading →
Album review: RIGOR MORTIS – Slaves To The Grave
Rigor Mortis Records – Out Now. The story of Texan Speed/Thrash Metal quartet Rigor Mortis is a pretty fascinating one indeed. Having first formed back in 1983 by schoolboy friends Harden Harrison (drums) & Casey Orr (bass), they were the … Continue reading →
Album review: EXODUS – Blood In, Blood Out
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. There has been a significant number of changes taking place in the line-up of the California-based Thrash Metal legends Exodus over the last thirty four years but none has come close to being more debilitating … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Blood In, Blood Out, Exodus, metal, review
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Gig review: DESTRUCTION – The Underworld, London, 8 October 2014
Support Act: Shrapnel, Lost Society, Evil Invaders Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Attending Metal shows, even those taking place right in the middle of the week, is, strangely, still something I do with the passion … Continue reading →
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
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Tagged 8 October 2014, Camden Underworld, Destruction, gig, London, review, thrash metal
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Album review: VAINAJA – Kadotetut
Svart Records – Out Now. How I love discovering new bands; and I am especially referring to those which, though respectful of their musical influences, are not afraid to try to bring something new to the table. The latest such … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Death, Doom, Kadoetetut, metal, review, Vainaja
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Album review: DARK FORTRESS – Venereal Dawn
Century Media – Out Now. Ever since their first demo “Rebirth Of The Dark Age” saw the light of day back in 1996, German sextet Dark Fortress has been one of the most prolific entities in the international Black Metal … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Black Metal, German, Germany, review, Venereal Dawn, Vicious Rumors
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Album review: SOLSTAFIR – Otta
Season Of Mist [Release date 01.09.14] Iceland may be one of the most barren places on earth but the same cannot be said about its music scene – which is a rich gathering of like-minded and highly artistic people that … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Iceland, metal, Otta, progressive, review, Solstafir
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Album review: THE HAUNTED – Exit Wounds
Century Media [Release date 25.08.14] To lose one founding member may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness… Now, I am not normally in the habit of paraphrasing Oscar Wilde when writing music reviews but this … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Exit Wounds, metal, review, The Haunted
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Album review: U.D.O. – Steelhammer Live From Moscow
AFM Records [Release date 26.05.14] It was thirteen years ago that ex-Accept frontman Udo Dirkschneider recorded his solo band’s first ever live album in Russia and, if the AFM Records press release is to be believed, the very same logic … Continue reading →
Album review: TUSMORKE – Riset Bak Speilet
Svart Records – Out Now. Some people may have all the luck in the world but then the majority of us have to try really hard in order to achieve our goals in life. Take Norwegian Folk Rock quartet Tusmorke … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, folk rock, Jethro Tull, Norway, review, Riset Bak Speilet, Tusmorke
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Interview with TOM S ENGLUND & JOHAN NIEMANN (Evergrey) – 22 August 2014
Less than a year ago, following another unwanted line-up change, Evergrey were on the brink of calling it a day. A few months later, Evergrey welcomed back in its ranks two of its most important old members and with their … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews
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Tagged August 2014, Evergrey, interview, Johan Niemann, metal, progressive metal, rock, Tom S Englund
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Album review: THE PINEAPPLE THIEF – Magnolia
KScope – [Release date 15.9.14] Bruce Soord must have felt both pretty chuffed and stressed in equal measure the moment he realised the success achieved by The Pineapple Thief’s 2012 opus “All The Wars” – pleased because this album was … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Magnolia, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Pineapple Thief
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Interview with NIGE ROCKETT (Onslaught) – 4 August 2014
British Thrash Metal combo Onslaught are a band I have been supporting since day one, so reviewing their London show and interviewing their long term guitarist Nige Rockett was something I was looking forward to. While the former was achieved … Continue reading →
Posted in INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews
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Tagged August 2014, interview, Nige Rockett, onslaught, thrash metal
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Album review: TANKARD – R.I.B. (Rest In Beer)
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Looking at Tankard’s discography, one cannot fail but be impressed by the incredible consistency of this German outfit. Since their inception back in 1982, the German Weltmeisters of humour-driven Thrash Metal have been pretty much … Continue reading →
Album review: OVERKILL – White Devil Armory
Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Few bands have a work ethic and determination that is even remotely comparable to that of the New Jersey based Thrash/Speed Metal outfit Overkill. Even during the mid 90s, the time when Grunge’s dominance led … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, metal, Overkill, review, speed, Thrash, White Devil Armory
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Album review: SEPTICFLESH – Titan
Season Of Mist – Out Now. When the members of the Symphonic Death Metal outfit Septicflesh (originally Septic Flesh) decided to call it a day back in 2003, there were quite a few of their fans, myself included, who truly … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Death Metal, review, Septicflesh, symphonic, Titan
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Interview with MICHAEL BASTHOL DAHL (Artillery) – 20 July 2014
Of the Thrash Metal bands that made their appearance in the early 80s, the one perhaps less deserving of the total lack of support provided by the music industry were the Danish quintet Artillery. Following a few well-documented break-ups and … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews
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Tagged Artillery, interview, July 2014, Michael Basthol Dahl, thrash metal
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Gig review: ONSLAUGHT – O2 Islington Academy, London, 20 July 2014
Support Act: Artillery, Nightlord, One Machine Review and photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis July is not the best of months to arrange a gig in London. This is the time of the year when most people are either counting their … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
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Tagged 20 July 2014, gig, London, metal, O2 Islington Academy, onslaught, review, Thrash
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Album review: SABATON – Heroes
Nuclear Blast – Out Now When you are signed to one of Metal’s biggest record labels, your albums enjoy first class promotion around the globe by being made available in various lavish formats and the last major tour you undertook … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Heroes, metal, review, Sabaton
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Album review: VALLENFYRE – Splinters
Century Media – Out Now. The death of a loved one can be a devastating experience and there is no ‘right’ way of dealing with it. While some find solace in isolation, others do so in expression. Greg Mackintosh, guitarist … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Doom Metal, review, Splinters, Vallenfyre
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Album review: CRADLE OF FILTH – Total Fucking Darkness
Mordgrimm – Out Now. Long before enjoying the support of major labels like Sony and Roadrunner and headlining festival stages around the globe, Suffolk-based extreme Metallers Cradle Of Filth were just another UK band struggling to make ends meet. Their … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Cradle Of Filth, demos, metal, review, Total Fucking Darkness
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Album review: E-MUSIKGRUPPE LUX OHR – Spiralo
Svart Records – Out Now. Svart Records is an underground label from Finland whose support of the country’s local Metal scene is responsible, to a large extent, for the evolution of metal music in the land of a thousand lakes. … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, E-Musikgruppe Lux Ohr, Finland, metal, review, Spiralo
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Album review: POSSESSION – Anneliese
Iron Bonehead / Invictus – Out Now. Possession are an underground Black/Death Metal quartet for which not much information can be found, other than the fact that they were first formed back in 2012 and that they are signed with … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Anneliese, Black Metal, Death Metal, Possession, review
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Album review: GRAVE DIGGER – Return Of The Reaper
Napalm Records – Out Now. With thirty four years of active service and sixteen studio albums under their belts, German Heavy Metal warlords Grave Digger would have been quite justified had they decided to start taking things easy. Rather than … Continue reading →