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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER- The Garage, London, 28 March 2025
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Gig review: SOUTH OF SALEM – Thekla, Bristol, 27 March 2025
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Gig review: JIZZY PEARL’S LOVE/HATE – The Underworld, Camden, March 13 2025
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Gig review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Cadogan Hall, London, 20 March 2025
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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – G Live, Guildford, 11 March 2025
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Gig review: FISH – O2 Academy, Glasgow, 9 March 2025
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Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)
Interview: BLOOD FEAST (CJ Scioscia)
When I decided to approach Hells Headbangers in order to arrange an interview with the New Jersey based Thrash Metal legends Blood Feast, little did I know that in guitarist CJ Scioscia I would end up finding a musical kindred … Continue reading
Album review : VICTORY – The Circle Of Life
AFM Records [Release date : 13.09.24] Battle hardened bands like Victory know that treading the boards for 30+ years teaches you stuff. You learn to map new paths to the same destinations. In reality, there is no substitute for experience. … Continue reading
Interview: DEATH COURIER
Thirty seven years ago, a trip into the world of extreme Metal started for the author of this Interview which you are about to read. One of the bands whose music was responsible for shaping the musical taste of my … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews
Tagged Bill, Death Courier, Death Metal, Demise, interview, metal, Perimortem
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News: AUSTIN GOLD, WARREN HAYNES, HOUSE OF LORDS (September 2024)
Lee Abraham releases his latest album ‘Origin Of The Storm’ through F2 Music on October 21. Bryan Adams releases ‘Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2024′ on November 15. It will feature complete performances of three of his iconic albums: … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, AOR, Austin Gold, blues, folk, gigs, House of Lords, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates, Warren Haynes
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Album review : BLACK WIDOW – Sabbat Days, The Complete Anthology 1969-72 (6CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date : 30.08.24] Formed in 1969, English band, Black Widow – the “Godfathers of Occult Rock” - initially rivalled Black Sabbath. This 6 CD box set anthologises the band’s recordings. They were basically a Prog / Hard … Continue reading
News: STEEL PANTHER, FLEETWOOD MAC, VON HERTZEN BROTHERS (August 2024)
Photo: Steve Goudie Bryan Adams (pictured) has launched his own label Bad Records with the release of two songs – ‘War Machine’ and ‘Rock And Roll Hell’ – both of which were written by Adams alongside Jim Vallance, and Gene Simmons for the KISS album … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, Fleetwood Mac, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, Steel Panther, tour dates, Von Hertzen Brothers
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Album review : MISTER MISERY – III
AFM Records [Release date : 02.08.24] Looking like a reimagined Kiss in a Gothic horror movie, Mister Misery’s dress and music sense could not be more theatrical. Nor could it fit the music any better, and vice versa. On III, … Continue reading
EP review: FORLORN HOPE – Valour Part I
Website [Release date 30.08.24] Historical metal band Forlorn Hope are back with an ambitious new album ‘Valour’. This EP is the first part of ‘Valour’, which tells the stories of fifteen Victoria Cross winning actions from Crimea to the Second World … Continue reading
Album review : UNCLE SLAM – Will Work For Food and When God Dies (2 CD Reissue)
Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] Uncle Slam’s roots grew and blossomed in the fertile ground of Punk and Thrash, California style, in the late 80s, taking shape initially in the form of Suicidal Tendencies. Then splintering off into various … Continue reading
Album review : PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE
BraveWords Records [Release date : 19.07.24] The music here serves as a fully realised reminder of the gifts that vocalist Paul Di’Anno has displayed numerous times, originally with Iron Maiden, and then anything he’s been involved with since. Despite (or … Continue reading
News: TWISTED SISTER, ULTRAVOX, JESSICA LYNN (July 2024)
Accept will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2025-2026 with a “unique anniversary tour” planned for the end of 2025. An anniversary album will be released early 2026. Avantasia return with their latest album ‘Here Be Dragons’ due for release early … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, classic rock, EP, festivals, folk, gigs, Jessica Lynn, metal, New releases, news, punk, rock, singles, tours, Twisted Sister, ULTRAVOX
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Album review: ORDEN OGAN – The Order of Fear
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 05.07.24] Album number eight by the power metal veterans Orden Ogan (well, they have been around since 1997 under the Orden Ogan name!) and their first for their new record label, Reigning Phoenix Music. Mainman Sebastian “Seeb” … Continue reading
Album review : KRYPTOS – Decimator
AFM Records [Release date : 05.07.24] On their magnificent seventh album now, Indian heavy metal band, Kryptos still have their eyes on the prize. It’s always tantalisingly out of reach for most bands. Few ever get their hands on it. … Continue reading
Album review : CHATEAUX – Spirit Of The Chateau (3 CD Reissue)
Cherry Red [Release date : 21.06.24] CD1: Chained And Desperate (1983) CD2: Firepower (1984) CD3: Highly Strung (1985) Led by guitarist, Tim Broughton, English metal band Chateau signed to Ebony Records, a NWOBHM startup label, in 1981. The band (previously … Continue reading
Album review: VICIOUS RUMORS – Welcome To The Ball (Remaster)
Rock Candy [Release date : 24.05.24] Rock Candy Records are perhaps, unfairly, more associated with AOR and Melodic Rock than they are Metal, but among reissue labels they have no peers when it comes to value judgement. The always underrated … Continue reading
Album review : ANVIL – One And Only
AFM Records [Release date: 28.06.24] There’s Old School Heavy Metal bands, and there’s Anvil. On their 20th album now, the aptly titled One And Only, these Canadian legends have shed any pretence of “modernising” their sound, reaching back to the … Continue reading
News: AL ATKINS, NEONFLY, HEART (June 2024)
The Angels have announced their first album in a decade. Entitled ‘Ninety Nine’ it will be released via Bloodlines on June 28. Former Judas Priest vocalist Al Atkins has revealed a 50th anniversary edition of Judas Priest’s ‘Rocka Rolla’, as well … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Al Atkins, albums, classic rock, EP, festivals, folk, gigs, Heart, metal, Neonfly, New releases, news, punk, rock, singles, tours
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Album review : NIGHTMARE – Encrypted
AFM Records [Release date: 06.06.24] Formed in 1979, French Power Metal band, Nightmare have been worshipping the mighty riff for 11 albums now. Their 12th album, Encrypted, sees ex Songbird songbird, Barbara Mogore (a smart bit of recruitment by Yves … Continue reading
Album review : RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Challenge The Wind
AFM Records [Release date : 31.05.24] Fans of the Symphonic Metal genre will know ROF is a band big on concept. This new album, Challenge The Wind, is the third in their “Nephilim Empire Saga”. The second, Glory For Salvation, … Continue reading
Single review: SPREADING THE DISEASE – Addicted
Website [Release date 17.05.24] Kent based metal muthas Spreading the Disease have been on hiatus since late 2019, whilst undergoing a major line up, change, then Covid, Brexit and other reasons the band had to deal with. Now Spreading the Disease are … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews
Tagged Addicted, metal, nu-metal, review, screamo, single, Spreading The Disease
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News: ATLANTIC, THE ALARM, THE DEAD DAISIES (May 2024)
Atlantic release their second album ‘Another World’ through Escape Music on June 21. The band’s first album ‘Power’ was released in 1994 and featured Phil Bates (ex-ELO Part 2) on vocals. Simon Harrison remains from that line-up teaming up with … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Atlantic, classic rock, festivals, folk, gigs, metal, New releases, news, Our Price Records, punk, rock, The Alarm, The Dead Daisies, tours
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Album review: WARHORSE – The Recordings 1970-72
Cherry Red [Release date : 26.04.24] In 1970, on leaving Deep Purple, bassist/songwriter, Nick Simper, joined Marsha Hunt’s backing band, later striking out on its own under the band name, Warhorse. In the seventies, Metal and Hard Rock blossomed in … Continue reading
Album review: BALANCE OF POWER – Fresh From The Abyss
Massacre Records [Release date 19.04.24] Balance of Power are a band this reviewer has been aware of, mainly for featuring former vocalist Lance King, but would never class myself as a fan. Balance Of Power seemingly went missing in action … Continue reading
Single review : RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Brave New Hope
AFM Records [out now] Rhapsody Of Fire’s vocalist, Giacomo Voli sounds more like Brother Firetribe’s Pekka Heino every day. Or maybe it’s the other way round. Those expressive vocals, bringing a lyric to life, are hard to match. ‘Brave New … Continue reading
Album review : BLOODBOUND – The Tales Of Nosferatu – Two Decades Of Blood (CD and DVD)
AFM Records [Release date : 19.04.24] It was 20 years ago today that Swedish keyboard player Fredrik Bergh and guitarist Tomas Olsson jumped the genre ship from AOR to Power Metal. They left behind popular melodic rock band, Street Talk, … Continue reading
