Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)

Album review: GAZPACHO – Demon

Kscope – Out Now. The description by a well respected UK Rock magazine of Gazpacho as “Norway’s best kept Prog secret” is one that truly baffles me, not because I do not share the enthusiasm and excitement for the music … Continue reading

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Album review: MARCH 15 – Our Love Becomes A Funeral Pyre

Svart Records – Out Now. Sami Albert “Witchfinder” Hynnien is a much loved figure, especially in the Doom Metal scene, as, under the Reverend Bizarre moniker, he recorded some of the catchiest, dirtiest and, face it, funniest compositions of said … Continue reading

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Album review: SLOUGH FEG – Digital Resistance

Metal Blade – Out Now. There isn’t a single person I know who’s into underground classic Metal (and believe me when I say I know quite a few people so inclined), who hasn’t tried at some point or another to … Continue reading

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Album review: CYNIC – Kindly Bent To Free Us

Season Of Mist – Out Now. Ask any fan of the US Progressive Metal trio Cynic if six years is a very long time to wait for the release of a new album from their beloved band and chances are … Continue reading

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Gig review: OVERKILL – London O2 Islington Academy, 13 March 2014

Support act: Soilwork & Xentrix. Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Two gigs in a row, with less than four hours of sleep in between – not a problem back in the day, but getting closer … Continue reading

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Gig review: TRANSATLANTIC – London The Forum, 12 March 2014

TRANSATLANTIC – London The Forum, 12 March 2014

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis Wednesday the 12th of March was in my calendar for quite some time; this was the day when Progressive super group Transatlantic were to be in London for a highly … Continue reading

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Album review: LOINEN – Loinen

Svart Records – Out Now. Even though we live in the information age, there’s not much out there in English on the Sludge Metal outfit Loinen – a totally different case altogether if one possesses a decent command of Finnish. … Continue reading

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Interview with MEM V.STEIN (Exumer) – 19 February 2014

As I assume many of you are already well aware, not every band that played good quality Thrash Metal back in the 80s managed to make a career in the music business and the German quartet Exumer is a perfect … Continue reading

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Gig review: EXUMER – London O2 Islington Academy, 19 February 2014

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis I would like to start this gig review by first apologising for how short it is and secondly by clarifying one important thing: German Thrashers Exumer did not perform a headline show on the evening … Continue reading

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Album Review: TOWERS – II

Aeolian Empire – Out Now. Two years after they were first formed, Portland-based Sludge/Stoner/Doom metal merchants Towers had to face a massive problem, the departure of their then guitarist. How did they decide to deal with this? In a way … Continue reading

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Album Review: SHIN TO SHIN – Shin To Shin

A389 Recordings – Out Now. I did not make much of  a link to the debut release by a band called Shin To Shin when I first spotted it in my Inbox, since the name was totally unfamiliar to me … Continue reading

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Album review: BEHEMOTH – The Satanist

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Some artists are so unbelievably driven that even what seem to be insurmountable problems cannot stop them from achieving their goals. Nergal, founding member and leader of the Polish extreme Metal quartet Behemoth, is the … Continue reading

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Album review: THYRIEN – Hymns Of The Mortals – Songs From The North

Massacre Records – Out Now. The idea of working with a record label is still quite appealing to most young Metal bands out there, with the most eager ready to enter the best possible recording studios even before the ink … 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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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: HELL – Curse & Chapter

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Theatrics and Rock music have been enjoying a symbiotic relationship for many years and it is this interesting partnership that is often responsible for the atmospheric and lyrical themes of our beloved music. With legends … Continue reading

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Interview with JOE McGUIAN (Gama Bomb) – 1 February 2014

While most young musicians first pick up their instrument in hope of fame and fortune Joe McGuian, bassist of the Irish Thrash Metal combo Gama Bomb chose, a long time ago, to do so for what he described as ‘all … Continue reading

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Interview with ANDREAS KISSER (Sepultura) – 6 February 2014

If you had told my 18 year old self that one day I would be sitting face to face with Andreas Kisser, having a conversation about a new album, I would almost certainly have laughed in your face. Well, this … Continue reading

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Gig review: SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis There are many bands out there, claiming to play high velocity Thrash Metal, but only a handful can do so with the energy and conviction which characterise the legendary Brazilian quartet Sepultura. When Andreas Kisser … Continue reading

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Album review: SEPULTURA – The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. It’s been seventeen whole years since Max Cavalera, singer and rhythm guitarist of the Brazilian Thrash Metal combo Sepultura, decided to end his working relationship with the band he helped form in Belo Horizonte back … Continue reading

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Album review: BAST – Spectres

        Black Bow Records/ Burning World (Release date – 24th February 2014) Bast are a London based trio who are here to challenge your musical senses. The album may only contain five tracks but it clocks in … Continue reading

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Interview with JILL JANUS (Huntress) – 18 January 2014

Passion, determination, organisation…apart from luck, these are all attributes that any band needs to be in possession of if it’s to have any chance of making a career in the music business these days. It takes less than a minute … Continue reading

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