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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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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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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: STONE THE CROWS, MAGGIE BELL (reissues)
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Album review: JUPITER FALLS – Revolution
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Album review: VARIOUS – New Wave of Classic Rock Vol 1
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Album review: WIG WAM – Out Of The Dark
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Album review: JETHRO TULL’S IAN ANDERSON – Thick As A Brick – Live In Iceland
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DVD review: BAD COMPANY – The Official 40th Anniversary Documentary
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Features
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Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)
Gig review: ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN, Trillium – London Jazz Cafe, 19 October 2013
Fifteen years ago, at the now demolished Rodon Club in Athens and in the good company of another two thousand fans of atmospheric/progressive metal, the author of this review enjoyed one of the most artistically satisfying and emotionally charged performances … Continue reading
Album Review: CHURCH OF VOID – Dead Rising
Svart Records – Out Now. Debut albums from young and up-and-coming bands are released pretty much on a daily basis but, judging from many positive past experiences, it is mainly those which carry the seal of approval of the independent … Continue reading
Rock Stars: Interview with ROINE STOLT (The Flower Kings) – 2 October 2013
Normally, by this time of year, most of you would have made a decision as to which albums you consider as most important for 2013. Well, I strongly suggest that you postpone this exercise until the end of October, as … Continue reading
Interview with MATT BARLOW (Ashes Of Ares, ex-Iced Earth) – 27 September 2013
There are not many singers whose contribution to the mid-90s Metal scene has been as instrumental as that of ex-Iced Earth front man Matt Barlow – a man whose unique pipes have blasted classic compositions, such as “Dante’s Inferno” and … Continue reading
Album review: RUNNING WILD – Resilient
SPV – [Release date 7.10.13] Few bands can claim to have fans across the globe who are as passionate and devoted to their craft as those belonging to the legendary German Heavy/Power Metalers Running Wild. Even they, however, had their … Continue reading
Gig review: POWERWOLF, ASHES OF ARES – The Underworld, London, 27 September 2013
Friday the 27th of September was a day that I had been looking forward to with feverish antiscipation, the way I would have done when I was in my teens. Why? Well, Matt Barlow and his Power Metal troupe Ashes … Continue reading
Gig review: ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO – Jazz Cafe, London, 29 September 2013
This always promised to be a curious night, but if some of the audience were taking a leap of faith they were amply rewarded by a band who clearly relished a challenge as much a sharing their enjoyment with their … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 29 September 2013, Alex Skolnick Trio, fusion, guitar, guitarist, jazz, Jazz Cafe, London, rock, Testament
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Interview with MAURIZIO IACONO (Ex Deo) – 10 September 2013
When you put a passionate and dedicated student of history (yours truly) in the same room as a very intelligent musician who loves all things related to ancient Rome, the likelihood of the conversation following a pre-planned line of questioning … Continue reading
Album review: ANNIHILATOR – Re-Releases- Double Live Annihilation , All For You, Schizo Deluxe
UDR Music (Release date – out now) Following Annihilator releasing their new album ‘Feast’ recently, the band’s new label, UDR Music has re-released three of their previous albums to allow potential new fans to catch up on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, All For You, Annihilator, CD, Double Live Annihilation, Jeff Waters, metal, review, Schizo Deluxe, Thrash, UDR
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Album review: FATES WARNING – Darkness In A Different Light
Inside Out [Release date 30.09.13] When Jim Matheos, leader of the Connecticut-based Progressive Metal legends Fates Warning, decided to put his band into a dormant recording state back in 2004, even he could not have expected this period to last … Continue reading
Interview with DANIEL CAVANAGH (Anathema/Leafblade) – 25 July 2013
Anathema are currently going through the most productive and commercially successful period of their long and fruitful career and that fact alone is enough to get guitarist and founding member Danny Cavanagh in high spirits. Smiling and accommodating, the forty … Continue reading
Gig Review: NILE, EX DEO – The Garage, London, 10 September 2013
I love autumn, especially when it follows a particularly hot summer: the air is once again fresh (as much as this is possible in London!), friends are back from holiday and, most importantly, it’s possible to attend an intimate Death … Continue reading
Album Review: ANNIHILATOR – Feast
UDR [Release date 26.08.13] This album is the 14th studio release from Canadian thrashers Annihilator. I have been aware of the band for many years but have never really warmed to them, even their ‘Alice In Hell’ … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Annihilator, Feast, Jeff Waters, metal, review, rock, Thrash
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Album review: ASHES OF ARES – Ashes Of Ares
Nuclear Blast [Release date 6.09.13] The concept of high profile musicians combining forces and working on side projects is as old as Rock music itself – still, as if by instinct, I always find myself negatively predisposed towards any collection … Continue reading
Album review: EWAN DOBSON – Acoustic Metal
Candy Rat Records [Release date 06.02.13] ‘Once you see the line between metal virtuosity and classical music the challenge begins.’ So says Canadian guitarist Ewan Dobson whose 2 CD ‘Acoustic Metal’ is a challenging, innovative and hugely enjoyable CD. If … Continue reading
Album review: ONSLAUGHT – VI
AFM Records [Release date 20.09.13] When the Bristol-based Thrash Metalers Onslaught decided to give this music business thing another try back in 2005, quite a few people, myself included, were slightly sceptical as to how long this second phase … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged onslaught
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Album review: DEADLOCK – The Arsonist
Napalm Records – Out Now. The combination of brutal male and angelic female vocals, better known as the “beauty and the beast” phenomenon in Metal music, first appeared in the mid 90s and was popularised by leading bands of the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged deadlock
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Album review: CHURCH OF MISERY – Thy Kingdom Scum
Rise Above – Out Now. Church Of Misery is a Japanese Doom/Stoner Metal quartet that I barely knew up until a couple of years ago. It was a highly energetic and fairly inspirational show at the London Underworld that first … Continue reading
Album review: PHILIP H.ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS – Walk Through Exits Only
Season Of Mist – Out Now. Philip H. Anselmo is probably one of the few active musicians who, I would presume, is in the enviable position of being able to sit back and rest on his laurels without having to … Continue reading
Album review: TROUBLE – The Distortion Field
FRW RECORDS – Out Now. Being a top quality singer involves much more than having a good voice, it requires charisma – although what that actually is can be difficult to define sometimes. In Eric Wagner, Chicago based Doom Metal … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged Trouble
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Album review: BLOOD CEREMONY – The Eldritch Dark
Rise Above – Out Now. Ask me to provide you with a list of all the bands I adore and you are guaranteed to find among them important names like Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull and Deep Purple. These legends of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged blood ceremony
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Interview with JON OLIVA (Oliva/Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra) – 15 July 2013
It is not often that one gets to have a conversation with a music legend, especially one as pleasant, humble and down to earth as Jon Oliva – a man whose musical journey has created music of unsurpassable quality under … Continue reading
Gig review: ANVIL – The Garage, London, 30 July 2013
Support Acts: Asomvel, Skreamer. Last time I visited The Garage was five days ago for Kscope’s celebratory gig, headlined by the mighty Anathema. I had firmly resolved to stay away from that place until the weather had cooled down as … Continue reading
Gig review: 5 Years Of Kscope – The Garage, London, 25 July 2013 featuring Anathema
Main Act: Anathema Support Acts: North Atlantic Oscillation, Mothlite & Leafblade Another gig, another evening drenched in sweat. I moaned about the poor ventilation at the Garage in Highbury and Islington when I was there ten days ago for Wintersun’s … Continue reading
Album review: BURZUM – Sol Austan, Mani Vestan
Byelobog Productions – Out Now. Having paid his dues to both the Norwegian penitentiary system and society at large, Kristian Larsson “Varg” Vikernes has since been a very busy man indeed. Under his highly controversial moniker Burzum, and with the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged burzum
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