Category Archives: PURE METAL (All posts)

Album review: METALITE – Expedition One

Posted on January 8, 2024 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 19.01.24] Is this 15 track, high concept sci-fi metal album meant to be fun? Because it most certainly is. Not funny, but fun. It’s high energy, as well as high concept. It’s got a slick, sophisticated, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, concept, Edwin Premberg, Erica Ohlsson, Expedition One, Metalite, review, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THE GRANDMASTER – Black Sun

Posted on January 5, 2024 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date: 12.01.24] For The Grandmaster’s second album, mainman, guitarist and Edguy co-founder, Jens Ludwig has recruited ex Fate vocalist, Peer Johansson. Surprisingly, given the accessibility of the material they created in previous employment, much of Black Sun … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Edguy, Fate, Jens Ludwig, NWOBHM, Peer Johansson, power metal, review, Secret Sun, Teutonic, The Grandmaster | Leave a comment

News: KREATOR, ARCH ENEMY, DAN PATLANSKY (January 2024)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by jason

Art Of Anarchy release their third studio album, ‘Let There Be Anarchy’, on February 16 via Pavement Music. Jon Votta (guitar),Vince Votta (drums) and guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal are joined by vocalist Jeff Scott Soto and bassist Tony Dickinson. The Black Keys new album ‘Ohio Players’ is due … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, AOR, Arch Enemy, blues, Dan Patlansky, folk, gigs, Kreator, melodic rock, metal, news, prog rock, reissues, RIP, rock, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review : EVERDAWN – Venera

Posted on December 10, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 08.12.23] Classy and classic symphonic metal from Everdawn. Who could ask for more? This US band made a few waves with their debut, (when they were known as Midnight Eternal), only to have internal disputes lead to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Alina Gavrilenko, Eric Rachel, Everdawn, review, Russian, symphonic metal, Tommy Hansen, Venera | Leave a comment

Album review : LAIBACH – Nova Akropola (3 CD set)

Posted on November 30, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 01.12.23] It was only when Slovenia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, that avant garde, politically aware metal band, Laibach gained wider acceptance in the country of their birth. Culturally, Yugoslavia was already the most … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Balkans, EU, extreme metal, Laibach, Morbid Angel, Nova Akropola, political, Slovenia, Type O Negative | Leave a comment

News: SPINAL TAP, PROG FOR PEART, MARTYN JOSEPH (December 2023)

Posted on November 29, 2023 by jason

Big Big Train will release their 15th studio album ‘The Likes Of Us’ on March 1 via InsideOut Music. Founding Crimson Glory members Ben Jackson (guitar), Jeff Lords (bass) and Dana Burnell (drums) are being joined by new vocalist Travis Wills and guitarist Mark “Borgy” Borgmeyer. Two new singles, ‘Triskaideka’ and ‘Indelible Ashes’, … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, 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, AOR, blues, folk, gigs, Martyn Joseph, melodic rock, metal, news, Prog fof Peart, prog rock, reissues, RIP, rock, Spinal Tap, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review : LILLIAN AXE – The Box Volume One Resurrection

Posted on November 26, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red / HNE [Release Date : 24.11.23] Lillian Axe is the thinking man’s heavy metal band. Even if you hadn’t heard the music, mainman Steve Blaze (writer/guitarist/producer) writes a cracking set of liner notes. Here is just a glimpse: … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged heavy metal, Lillian Axe, Resurrection, review, Sunset Strip | Leave a comment

Album review : SECRET SPHERE – Blackened Heartbeat

Posted on November 4, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 10.11.23] Blackened Heart is the tenth studio album from the EU’s Power Metal poster boys, Secret Sphere. It’s also the second with original vocalist, Roberto Messina, who reunited with the band on 2021’s Lifeblood, after an 8 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Aldo Lonobile, Blackened Heartbeat, concept, Lifeblood, power metal, review, Roberto Messina, Secret Sphere | Leave a comment

News: KOBRA PAIGE, FIREFEST, TRAGIK (November 2023)

Posted on October 30, 2023 by jason

GLENN HUGHES- Electric Ballroom, London, 25 October 2023

Bon Jovi have released a new song ‘Christmas Isn’t Christmas’. Caligula’s Horse release their new album ‘Charcoal Grace’ through InsideOut Music on January 26. Sheryl Crow will release her new album, ‘Evolution’, on March 29, 2024 via The Valory Music Group, … 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, AOR, blues, Firefest, folk, gigs, melodic rock Kobra Paige, metal, news, prog rock, RIP, rock, tour dates, Tragik | Leave a comment

Album review: DORO – Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud

Posted on October 29, 2023 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 27.10.23] Doro Pesch is one of metal’s most consistent performers, both on stage and in the studio, having lost none of her vocal range and power, as opener ‘Children Of The Dawn’ ably illustrates. The Queen … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bonnie Tyler, classic metal, Conqueress – Forever Strong and Proud, Doro, melodic metal, metal, Nuclear Blast, review, Rob Halford | Leave a comment

Album review : VENOM – Live From The Hammersmith Odeon (CD/DVD Deluxe Digipak)

Posted on October 28, 2023 by brianmc

Venom-Live-at-Hammersmith-CD_DVD-expanded-2-scaled 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 27.10.23] Formed in England’s industrial North East in 1979, there was none heavier, none more extreme and indeed none more influential in the heavy metal genre than Venom. The band’s reputation was born out of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Abaddon, Black Metal, Cronos, eighties, Hammersmith Odeon, live, Mantas, Metallica, Motorhead, punk, review, thrash metal, Venom | Leave a comment

Album review : NUCLEAR ASSAULT – Radiation Sickness

Posted on October 13, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red/Dissonance [Release date : 13.10.23] Despite multiple break ups over the years, US Thrash Metal band, Nuclear Assault continued touring into the new millennium, only hanging their boots up last year. The band, formed by ex Anthrax bassist, Dan … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Anthrax, Dan Lilker, John Connoly, Motley Crue, Nuclear Assault, Radiation Sickness, review, Slayer, thrash metal, Vince Neil | Leave a comment

Album review: IMPELLITTERI – The Complete Beast 1987-2009 (6 CD Boxset)

Posted on October 2, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 06.10.23] Every Impellitteri album from 1988 to 2009. Nine in all, and the band’s 2 EPs. Plus a score of bonus tracks. All shoehorned into 6 jampacked CDs. (Such was the weight of heavy metal contained … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged album, boxset, Chris Impellitteri, Graham Bonnet, Impellitteri, Michael Wagener, review, Rob Rock, The Complete Beast | Leave a comment

Album review: IRON SAVIOR – Firestar

Posted on October 1, 2023 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 06.10.23] Iron Savior’s 2020 album, Skycrest, signalled a new era of Power Metal. Three years later, the voyage of the mothership has apparently been sidelined temporarily, to allow a celebration of Teutonic and indeed, in places, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Firestar, Iron Maiden, IRON SAVIOR, Judas Priest, Piet Sielck, power metal, review, Saxon, Viking metal | Leave a comment

News: BERNIE MARSDEN, THE KINKS, PALLAS (October 2023)

Posted on September 29, 2023 by jason

Alkaline Trio release their latest album, ‘Blood, Hair And Eyeballs’, on January 26 via Rise Records. The Beatles release ‘Now And Then’ on November 2, and it is being advertised as the final ‘new’ Beatles song ever. Black Sabbath release a … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, 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/Interviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, Bernie Marsden, blues, blues rock, classic rock, folk, gigs, metal, news, Pallas, prog rock, Re-issues/special editions, RIP, The Kinks | Leave a comment

Album review : JACK STARR’S BURNING STARR – Metal Generation 1985-2017

Posted on September 8, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [release date 08/09/23] It seems like Jack Starr’s bands have been playing gigs and cranking out albums ever since Heavy Metal became a thing. And yet, from his beginnings with Virgin Steele in 1982, to his primary music … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bruno Ravel, Frank Vestry, heavy metal, Jack Starr, Mike Tirelli, Ned Meloni, power metal, review, Rhett Forrester, Shmoulik Avigal | Leave a comment

News: ELLES BAILEY, HELMET, STEVEN WILSON (September 2023)

Posted on August 31, 2023 by jason

BRAVE RIVAL- Tropic at Ruislip, London, 5 March 2023

Bryan Adams releases a 35 track box set ‘Live at the Royal Albert Hall’ on December 8. Bachman Turner Overdrive have announced US tour dates, plus next year the band will release a concert film, shot in 1976, and a … Continue reading →

Posted in 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/Album reviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, blues, blues rock, classic rock, Covers, Elles Bailey, folk, gigs, Helmet, metal, news, prog rock, Re-issues/special editions, RIP, Steven Wilson | Leave a comment

Album review: SKINDRED – Smile

Posted on August 25, 2023 by jason

Earache Records [Release date 04.11.23] This reviewer knew Skindred by name but never really listened to them (more fool me!) until hearing ‘Gimme That Boom’ on a new arrivals playlist on a streaming service. Then off down to HMV to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Benji Webbe, melodic, metal, pop rock, punk, ragga metal, rap, review, Skindred, Smile | Leave a comment

Album review : OLIVER / DAWSON SAXON – Screaming Eagles – The Complete Works (6 CD boxset)

Posted on August 25, 2023 by brianmc

OLIVER DAWSON SAXON Screaming Eagles cover 200

Cherry Red [Release date: 25.08.23] CD1 : Motorbiker (studio album 2012) CD2 : ReLanded (Live 2000) CD3 : It’s Alive Pt 1 (2003) CD4 : It’s Alive pt2 (2003) CD5 : Victim You (Son Of A Bitch, pre OD studio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 6 CD boxset, album, Bill Byford, boxset, Graham Oliver, heavy metal, NWOBHM, old school metal, Oliver Dawson Saxon, review, Screaming Eagles - The Complete Works, Steve Dawson | Leave a comment

Album review: PROMETHIUM – Bleeding The Ghost

Posted on August 25, 2023 by jason

Load 4 Records [Release date 15.09.23] Post-pandemic has seen a lot of bands undergo line-up changes, and in some cases calling it a day, as musicians re-evaluate what they want to do and achieve musically. Promethium are one such band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bleeding The Ghost, classic metal, Doom Metal, heavy metal, melodic metal, metal, Promethium, review | Leave a comment

Album review : HELL IN THE CLUB – F.U.B.A.R.

Posted on August 9, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.08.23] This outstandingly good Rock / Metal band have everything going for them except their band name and their album art. Neither of which do them any favours. Just as well the music is so good. Constructed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album review, Alice Cooper, Andrea Buratto, Backyard Babies, Crash Diet, Davide Moras, Elvenking, FUBAR, Glamrock, Hell In The Club, metal, Motley Crue, rock, Secret Sphere, Viking metal | Leave a comment

Album review : SCREAM MAKER – Land Of Fire

Posted on August 6, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 14.07.23] Although Polish Melodic Metal band, Scream Maker are usually bracketed beside the bands they have frequently toured with, like Saxon, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Slayer and others, their own material drills down into the DNA of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Deep Purple, Frontiers, Guns'n'Roses, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Land Of Fire, Megadeth, melodic metal, review, Ronnie James Dio, Saxon. Slayer, Scream Maker | Leave a comment

News: BRUCE SOORD, MESHUGGAH, OF MICE AND MEN (August 2023)

Posted on July 31, 2023 by jason

The Anchoress will release a covers album ‘Versions’ on October 6 through Drowned In Sound. Atlantea, the new progressive rock project by Ten’s Darrel Treece-Birch, has signed a record deal with Lion Music. Ronnie Atkins releases his third solo album, … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, 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, blues, Bruce Soord, classic rock, folk, gigs, Messugah, metal, news, Of Mice And Men, prog rock, Re-issues/special editions, RIP, The Pineapple Thief, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review : IRON SAVIOR – Riding On Fire – The Noise Years 1997-2004, 6 CD Boxset

Posted on July 19, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 28.07.23] “A constant and independent force within the Power Metal universe”. No prizes for attributing this quote to Iron Savior mainman, Piet Sielck. It could easily have come from his Iron Savior buddy, Kai (Gamma Ray) … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged boxset, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kai Hansen, power metal, Teutonic Metal. Piet Sielck | Leave a comment

Album review: RAY ALDER – II

Posted on July 16, 2023 by jason

Inside Out [Release date: 09.06.23] When asked to compile a list of the most influential vocalists of the Progressive Metal genre, Ray Alder’s is, undoubtedly and reservedly so, one of the very first names that comes to mind. Having been … Continue reading →