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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
GRTR! Greats
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Tag Archives: heavy metal
Feature: Albums that time forgot – GRAND PRIX – Samurai
Chrysalis [1983] Back in 1983 I ventured along to my first gig on my own at the tender age of 14 to see Iron Maiden at the Playhouse in Edinburgh (Friday 13th May to be exact) and what a show … Continue reading
Album review: CIRITH UNGOL – Forever Black
Metal Blade Records [Release date 24.04.20] Cirith Ungol are a band I have been aware of for many years (with a name like that, they are hard to ignore!) however until now I have been oblivious to their history or … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, CD, Cirith Ungol, Forever Black, Greg Lindstrom, grunge, heavy metal, Jim Barraza, review, Robert Garven, rock, Tim Barker, Twisted Sister
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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to DEMON
Jason Ritchie highlights the recording history of NWOBHM band Demon Formed in Stoke back in the NWOBHM the band initially lived up to their name with singer Dave Hill rising up from coffins on stage, along with lots of devil references … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES
Tagged classic rock, Dave Hill, DEMON, feature, hard rock, heavy metal, introduction, melodic rock, NWOBHM, prog rock, review
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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to BLUE OYSTER CULT
Jason Ritchie picks out some of the key albums from the heavy metal masters Formed from the late 60’s band Soft White Underbelly, Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) are often dubbed ‘the thinking man’s heavy metal band’. But for me they … Continue reading
Album review: RAGE – Wings Of Rage
SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 10.01.20] Every family has a black sheep. That one relative who never gets invited to Christmas lunch. Rage are that family member, the unhinged uncle who is usually locked in an attic or roaming around the woods. … Continue reading
Gig review: BLACK SABBATH 50TH ANNIVERSARY PLAYBACK – Number 10, Hackney, 11 February 2020
Most of us listen to music while distracted by other things. Commute to work, at home or live venue. But what if there were no other distractions around you? Just you and the music, in the dark – would you … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
Tagged Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, blues, classic rock, event, Geezer Butler, heavy metal, Ozzy Osbourne, playback, review, rock, Tony Iommi
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Gig review: POWERWOLF – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, 28 October 2018
It is immensely gratifying to have a band, whose career you have been closely following since day one, reach such great levels of success – case in point here being the German Heavy/Power Metallers Powerwolf. Not many people were supportive … Continue reading
Gig review: PRIMAL FEAR – Biebob, Vosselaar, 12 October 2018
Ask me to compose a list with the best Metal albums for 2018 and you are almost certainly guaranteed to find Primal Fear’s latest studio effort “Apocalypse” somewhere near the very top. It may be a good two decades since … Continue reading
Posted in GIG REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Gig reviews
Tagged 12 October 2018, Belgium, Biebob, gig, heavy metal, metal, Primal Fear, Ralph Scheepers, review, Riot V, Vosselaar
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Gig review: SAXON – Barrowlands, Glasgow,18 October 2018
Saxon, as Biff reminded us during tonight’s show, are rapidly approaching their 40th anniversary. With this in mind the band would be forgiven if they decided to slow down a bit and started taking things a bit easier. However, on tonight’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 18th October 2018, Barrowlands, Biff Byford, Denim And Leather, FM, gig, Glasgow, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Jim Kirkpatrick, live, Nigal Glockler, review, rock, Saxon, Steve Overland, Toby Jepson, Wayward Sons, Wheels Of Steel
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Album review: SAXON – The Eagle Has Landed
BMG [Release date 19.10.18] To coincide nicely with their latest opus Thunderbolt, we get this reissue of Saxon’s classic 1982 live album. This rounds off the BMG reissues of the Carrere and Phonogram catalogue. Originally a single LP, this comes … Continue reading
Gig review: IRON MAIDEN – 02 Arena, London, 10 August 2018
Photo: Andy Nathan It would not be an exaggeration to describe Iron Maiden as the people’s band. They inspire remarkable loyalty among their vast army of fans – I don’t think I have never seen a higher percentage of gig … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 10 August 2018, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, Dave Murray, gig, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Janick Gers, Legacy of the Beast, London, O2 Arena, review, Steve Harris
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Album review: SAXON – Denim And Leather, Power And The Glory, Crusader (reissues)
BMG [Release date 25.05.18] BMG continue with their Saxon reissue campaign and have produced fine editions of their fourth, fifth and sixth albums. And we can announce these the same week as the first three remasters (Saxon, Wheels Of Steel … Continue reading
Album review: RAVEN – Wiped Out
Dissonance Productions [Release date 27.04.18] Formed in the north of England in the mid 70s by brothers John (bass, and vocals) and Mark (guitar) Gallagher, Raven were a trio associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Playing what … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, hard rock, heavy metal, metal, NWOBHM, RAVEN, re-issue, review, Wipe Out
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Album review: SAXON – 10 Years Of Denim And Leather Live 1990/The CD Hoard (reissues)
Edsel [Release date 27.10.17*, 16.03.18**] Saxon seem to be enjoying a resurgence even more impressive than their 2007-2010 revival. With a remarkably relevant new album ‘Thunderbolt’ and a raft of reissues and box sets, we can at least luxuriate in … Continue reading
Album review: SAXON – Thunderbolt
UDR [Release date 02.02.18] Bastions of British heavy metal, NWoBHM stalwarts, basically if you like trad heavy metal, Saxon are where it’s at and have been for longer than I can remember. Album number 22 comes two and a half … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Biff Byford, heavy metal, metal, Motorhead, NWOBHM, review, Saxon, Thunderbolt
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Gig review: W.A.S.P. – White Rock Theatre, Hastings, 12 October 2017
Loud, brash, obnoxious, Blackie Lawless’s LA metal outfit W.A.S.P. burst on to the scene in the early 80s and were never far from controversy. Over time, however, the band evolved and their output started showing signs of growing maturity. To … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 October 2017, Blackie Lawless, classic rock, gig, Hastings, heavy metal, metal, review, rock, The Crimson Idol, W.A.S.P, White Rock Theatre
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Album review: SAXON – Solid Book Of Rock (Box set)
Edsel/Demon Music Group [Release date 18.08.17] It seems that – exhausting the market for CD expanded or deluxe editions – 2017 might be the “Year of The Box Set” as labels try and find new income streams. We’ll be getting … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, Biff Byford, box set, Dogs Of War, Forever Free, heavy metal, heavy rock, Into The Labyrinth, Killing Ground, Lionheart, Metalhead, review, Saxon, Solid Book Of Rock, Sollid Ball Of Rock, The Inner Sanctum, Unleash The Beast
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News: Win BLACK SABBATH Ten Year War Box Set! (Competition starts 4 September 2017)
Here’s your chance to win a copy of the BLACK SABBATH ‘Ten Year War’ box set. For the runner-up, a pair of tickets to attend the one-night only cinema screening of ‘The End of The End’ chronicling the band’s final … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Competitions, NEWS
Tagged Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, box set, competition, film, Geezer Butler, heavy metal, heavy rock, Ozzy Osbourne, prize, screening, Ten Year War, the End of The End, Tony Iommi, win
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Album review: EDEN’S CURSE – Eden’s Curse (Revisited)
AFM Records [Release date 24.08.17] Is it really 10 years? Phew! The timeline of EC has pretty much followed that of GRTR! and we have been enthusiastic supporters throughout. But a revisiting of the debut album in 2007? Well I … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Eden's Curse, hard rock, heavy metal, melodic, metal, Paul Logue, re-recording, review, Revisited
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Album review: BLACK SABBATH – The Ten Year War (Box Set)
BMG [Release date 29.09.17] Black Sabbath’s Ozzy-fronted albums have been given a monster remaster and the full luxury box set re-issue treatment. It is quite a piece of work. The package has even had a roadshow of launch events. The … Continue reading
News: BLACK SABBATH – Ten Year War Box Set (September 2017)
Heavy metal legends release a limited edition vinyl box set on 27 October via BMG. ‘The Ten Year War’ brings together their eight Ozzy-fronted albums, plus many other rarities, all housed within exclusive artwork created by renowned street artist, graphic … Continue reading
Gig review: BLACK SABBATH – 02 Arena, London, 31 January 2017
Gloomy, doom-laden and portentous. And that was just the weather at North Greenwich station. A busker was smashing out ‘War Pigs’ in the ticket hall on his Gibson SG. Quite a crowd of gig-goers had gathered and he finished with … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 02 Arena, Black Sabbath, Geezer Butler, gig, heavy metal, live, London, Ozzy Osbourne, review, Rival Sons, The End, Tony Iommi
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Album review: BLACKTHORNE – Afterlife/Don’t Kill The Thrill (Graham Bonnet, Bob Kulick)
Hear No Evil [Release date 02.09.16] Cherry Red have embarked on a fairly extensive trawl through Graham Bonnet’s back pages, ahead of some UK dates and a generally higher profile. We’ve reviewed some of his solo material which is frequently … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Afterlife, album, Alcatrazz, Alice Cooper, Blackthrone, Bob Kulick, demo, Don't Kill The Thrill, Graham Bonnet, heavy metal, heavy rock, Jimmy Waldo, Kiss, live, Quiet Riot, Rainbow, review
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Album review: ASSASSIN – License To Kill
Thanks to this little invention called the Internet I have managed to discover an amazing amount of music and bands – some of it stuff just hitting the shelves while others are items I’ve often heard or read about and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Assassin, classic, heavy metal, License To Kill, metal, NWOBHM, review
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Gig review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Kentish Town Forum, London, 29 July 2016
This was a bit of a special event as not only was this the first sighting of Blue Oyster Cult outside of a holiday camp in the UK for a few years, but this gig marked the return of drummer … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 29 July 2016, Agents Of Fortune, Albert Bouchard, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic, Eric Bloom, gig, heavy metal, heavy rock, Kentish Town Forum, London, review, rock
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