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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: THE ROLLING STONES – Foreign Tongues
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Album review: SCHEFF TOLLE ADRIAENS – Let’s Stop The World
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Album review: TRAGIK – Propaganda Elite
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Album review : ELECTRIC MOB – 2 Make U Cry And Dance (Digital Deluxe Edition)
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Album review: THE MILK MEN – Milky Way
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Album review: FATAL VISION – Four Sides To Every Story
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: DEF LEPPARD + EXTREME – BP Pulse Live, Birmingham, 4 July 2026
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Gig review: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS- Indigo2, London, 30 June 2026
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Gig review: HALESTORM’S LZZY AND JOE: UNPLUGGED – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 17 June 2026
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Gig review: THE WILDHEARTS – Tolbooth, Stirling, 30 May 2026
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Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Gig review: 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
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 6 February 2014, gig, London, metal, O2 Islington Academy, review, Sepultura
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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
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Bast, CD, Craig Bryant, Death Metal, Doom, review, Spectres
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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
Interview with DAVID BOWER (Hell) – 16 January 2014
Technically proficient, passionate, flamboyant, entertaining…these are words that perfectly describe the Nottingham-based Heavy Metal institution Hell – a band which has managed to win the hearts and minds of riff lovers across the globe over the last three or so … Continue reading
Album review: PESTILENCE – Obsideo
Candlelight Records – Out Now. 2008 was a very important year for fans of old school Death Metal as it marked the return on active service of the Dutch Death Metal quartet Pestilence – a unique and technically outstanding outfit … Continue reading
Album review: MASSACRA – Day Of The Massacra
Century Media – Out Now. Death Metal may be a much loved musical genre by many, the author of this review included, but it never was what you would describe as massively popular. The only time when things looked quite … Continue reading
Interview with CHRISTOFER JOHNSSON & THOMAS VIKSTROM (Therion) – 20 December 2013
Kristofer Johnsson, leader and founding member of the Swedish Symphonic Metal giants Therion, is a man who has always been in possession of a clear musical vision – a vision that he has promoted and defended with much passion throughout … Continue reading
Interview with ROB CAVESTANY (Death Angel) – 10 December 2013
It’s both humbling and inspiring to find a band that has been around for as long as Californian Thrashers Death Angel have, still seemingly thirsty for success, especially when this thirst translates into the creation of songs as impressive as … Continue reading
Gig review: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA – Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 4 January 2014
The first time that I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra live, it turned out to be one of the musical highlights of the year for me. The year was 2011, the venue exactly the same as tonight (note: then called The Hammersmith … Continue reading
Interview with LEIF JENSEN (Dew-Scented) – 10 December 2013
Lady Luck has not always been on the side of the German Thrash/Death Metal powerhouse Dew-Scented but that never stopped them from pursuing their goal of performing honest and good quality music to their loyal fans. An hour or so … Continue reading
DVD Review – VARIOUS ARTISTS – Live At Wacken 2012
UDR ( Release date – out now) As anyone with an ounce of metal in their veins knows the Wacken Festival is one of the longest established and heaviest festivals in Europe. This three DVD package … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts)
Tagged 2012, Amon Amarth, festival, Ghost Brigade, metal, Michael Denner, Nesum, rock, Saxon, Scorpions, Suffocation, Testament, VOLBEAT, Wacken
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Gig review: THERION – O2 Islington Academy, London, 20 December 2013
Support Acts: Arkona Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis It was around the end of November that an acquaintance of mine asked me to name my favorite gig of the year to which my response was “It’s too early … Continue reading
Album review: HAIL OF BULLETS – III: The Rommel Chronicles
Metal Blade – Out Now. Being both a huge Metal fan and a passionate historian with a particular fascination for all things WWII meant that I was hooked immediately back in 2006 on the old-school Death Metal quintet Hail Of … Continue reading
Interview with LIV KRISTINE (Leaves’ Eyes) – 12 December 2013
There are few people who I have thoroughly enjoyed talking to over the years in my capacity as a music journalist, and Liv Kristine, leading member of the Symphonic/Gothic Metal sextet Leave’s Eyes is certainly one of them. Hours prior … Continue reading
Interview with MORGAN STEINMEYER HAKANSSON (Marduk) – 5 December 2013
I have spoken with quite a few musicians over the years but few can claim to have been as consistently enjoyable and professional as Marduk’s founding member Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson. Currently on tour performing the “Those Of The Unlight” and … Continue reading
Interview with OLA LINDGREN (Grave) – 5 December 2013
When I decided to become involved in the world of music journalism a good decade ago, I did so with the hope that, in time, I would be given to meet some of my music heroes and get to talk … Continue reading
