Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)

Album review: ELVENKING – The Pagan Manifesto

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Yiannis
Elvenking - The Pagan Manifesto

AFM Records – Out Now. Even though they have been earning their chops performing Folk infused Power Metal for the last seventeen years, the members of Italian sextet Elvenking do not really perform the style of music that I would … Continue reading →

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Album review: SABBATH ASSEMBLY – Quaternity

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Yiannis
Sabbath Assembly - Quaternity

Svart Records – Out Now. By all accounts, our world looked a far more spiritually uplifting and inviting place forty odd years ago – a period when art, philosophy and all other forms of human expression were experiencing a renaissance. … Continue reading →

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Album review: COLTSBLOOD – Into The Unfathomable Abyss

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Yiannis
Coltsblood - Into The Unfathomable Abyss

Candlelight – Out Now. Coming up with a fresh and unique musical proposition in this day and age is quite a challenging undertaking but nothing seems to be able to stop young bands like the Doom/Sludge Metal trio Coltsblood from … Continue reading →

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Interview with LARRY BARRAGAN (Helstar) – 12 June 2014

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Yiannis
Helstar

Larry Barragan, guitarist and sole founding member of the American Power Metal institution Helstar, has been living and breathing Metal since the band’s inception back in 1982 and his passion and love for the said genre is certainly reflected in … Continue reading →

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Gig review: ANGRA – Camden Underworld, London, 24 June 2014

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Yiannis
ANGRA – Camden Underworld, London, 24 June 2014

Support Act: Stormborn Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Planning a gig in London during the Football World Cup in full swing is equivalent to commercial suicide for most bands but the fact that it’s been … Continue reading →

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Interview with TIM BOWNESS – 19 June 2014

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Yiannis
Tim Bowness

Singer, songwriter, record label owner…Tim Bowness has stuck his skilled fingers in many different  musical pies over the years but “Abandoned Dancehall Dreams”, his first proper solo effort,  finds the Englishman finally fully taking charge of his artistic destiny. Having … Continue reading →

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Album Review: TIM BOWNESS – Abandoned Dancehall Dreams

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Yiannis
Tim Bowness - Abandoned Dancehall Dreams

Inside Out – Out Now. Tim Bowness is a much sought after singer/songwriter who is best known as Steven Wilson’s creative other half in the experimental Art Rock / Dream Pop outfit No-Man. Various collaborations have resulted in an impressive … Continue reading →

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Album Review: OPIUM WARLORDS – Taste My Sword Of Understanding

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Yiannis
OPIUM WARLORDS – Taste My Sword Of Understanding

Svart Records – Out Now. Last time I decided to write a review for one of Sami Albert Hynnien’s musical projects, I was not impressed by the offering in question.I like to consider myself as a fairly open-minded person but … Continue reading →

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Album Review: RAGE – The Soundchaser Archives

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Yiannis
Rage - The Soundchaser Archives

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. It was not very long after they released their debut album “Reign Of Fear” back in 1986 that the German Thrash/Power Metalers Rage were first brought to my attention and subsequent heart-stopping performances, one in … Continue reading →

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Album Review: TORTORUM – Katabasis

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Yiannis

W.T.C Productions – Out Now. Born three years ago and bred in Bergen, the unofficial capital of Scandinavian Black Metal, this Norwegian trio has a very important heritage to live up to. This a task that the lads in Tortorum … Continue reading →

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Album Review: MAYHEM – Esoteric Warfare

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Yiannis

Seasons Of Mist – Out Now. Suicide, Murder, church burnings…when one considers that such extreme events have influenced the productive process of the Norwegian Black Metal outfit Mayhem  since pretty much day one, seven years without releasing any new material … Continue reading →

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Album Review: CARNIFEX – Die Without Hope

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Yiannis

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Carnifex is a new name to me, but the Californian Deathcore quintet has been playing loud and thought – provoking music for quite some time now. It was back in 2005 that this outfit was … Continue reading →

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Album Review: CARNIFEX – Die Without Hope

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Yiannis
Carnifex - Die Without Hope

Nuclear Blast [Release date 03.03.14] Carnifex is a new name to me, but the Californian Deathcore quintet has been playing loud and thought – provoking music for quite some time now. It was back in 2005 that this outfit was … Continue reading →

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Album Review: MEKONG DELTA – In A Mirror Darkly

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Yiannis
Mekong Delta - In A Mirror Darkly

Steamhammer/SPV – Out Now. A good thirty years since their inception, and German Prog Thrashers Mekong Delta continue to be an unknown entity for quite a few Metalheads out there – a state of affairs that surprises and annoys me … Continue reading →

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Album review: TRIPTYKON – Melana Chasmata

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Yiannis

Century Media – Out Now. When Celtic Frost decided to ‘pull the plug’ for a second time in their career back in 2008, the world of extreme Metal began mourning the loss of perhaps its most innovative and influential bands. … Continue reading →

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Album review: BURZUM – The Ways Of Yore

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Yiannis

Byelobog Productions – Out Now. Since his release from prison back in 2009, Kristian “Varg” Vikernes has found himself in a truly creative mode, with every passing year witnessing the release of another new Burzum album. His first recordings as … Continue reading →

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Album review: MOUNT SALEM – Endless

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Yiannis

Metal Blade – Out Now. 70s Heavy Rock is back in fashion. I do not suggest for a moment that bands like Black Sabbath, Cream and Pentagram ever stopped being a massive influence on young artists, especially those of a … Continue reading →

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Album review: VADER – Tibi Et Igni

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Yiannis

Nuclear Blast [Release date 30.05.14] Line-up changes have been a constant feature in the life of the Death Metal combo Vader since their inception back in 1983 but, as their relatively modest album collection clearly suggests, every new addition has … Continue reading →

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Album review: DESTRANGE – Are You Kidding Me? No.

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Yiannis

Metal Blade – Out Now. Attracting the attention of a label as established and well respected as Metal Blade is no easy feat, however, Italian Technical Metalers Destranged have achieved precisely that. It was on the strength of their 2012 … Continue reading →

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Album Review: VAMPIRE – Vampire

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Yiannis
Vampire

Century Media – Out Now. As someone who has been actively supporting extreme Metal bands for the last thirty or so years, I am both pleased and proud to find genres such as Thrash, Death and Black Metal in such … Continue reading →

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Album review : U.D.O. – Steelhammer Live From Moscow

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Phil Berisford
U.D.O. - Steelhammer Live From Moscow

AFM Records [Release date 23.05.14] I’m not really a fan of live albums and these days they are a dime a dozen with certain bands releasing what seems like endless streams of them. So what does Mr Udo Dirkschneider have … Continue reading →

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Album review: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM – No Place For Disgrace 2014

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Yiannis
FLOTSAM AND JETSAM – No Place For Disgrace 2014

Metal Blade – Out Now. For better or worse, Flotsam And Jetsam will always be known as the band where ex-Metallica bassist learned his skills and that is perhaps the reason why “Doomsday For The Deceiver” (1986), the band’s debut … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE FLOWER KINGS – O2 Islington Academy, London, 8 May 2014

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Yiannis
Sound Of Contact - O2 Islington Academy, London, 8 May 2014

Support Act: Sound Of Contact Review and photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Performing a show in London on the same day that Yes are headlining the legendary Royal Albert Hall is the worst scenario for any Prog Rock band and … Continue reading →

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Album review: ADMIRAL SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVELL – Check ‘Em Before You Wreck ‘Em

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Yiannis
ADMIRAL SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVELL – Check

Rise Above – Out Now. The first time I came across an article featuring the name of the Psychedelic/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal trio…Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, I have to admit I was probably put off by it – the name, I … Continue reading →

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Album review: BIGELF – Into The Maelstrom

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Yiannis
BIGELF – Into The Maelstrom

Inside Out – Out Now. Back in 2010, Prog Metal’s finest band Dream Theater went on the road in support of their then latest album “Black Clouds & Silver Linings” and with them brought us as an opening act the … Continue reading →

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