-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Tag Archives: metal
Album review: EVA UNDER FIRE – Villainous
Better Noise Music [Release date 10.07.26] The female-fronted pop metal genre is a fairly crowded space these days. We have – for example – Ad Infinitum (Switzerland), Elysion (Greece) and not forgetting the trailblazers who are sounding as good as … Continue reading
News: PALLAS, MINISTRY, QUEEN (August 2026)
The Beatles release a box set (4CD/5LP) of their ‘Rubber Soul’ album on October 2. Eliza Carthy releases her new album ‘Frenemies’ on October 26 and it features guests including Jools Holland, Robyn Hitchcock, Miranda Richardson, Tim McInnerny and more. … 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 AOR, blues, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, Ministry, news, Pallas, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: BILLY MORRISON – Hollow
TLG/ZOID/Virgin Music Group [Release date 07.08.26] Billy Idol’s rhythm guitarist Billy Morrison has been carving out a successful solo career, including hit singles on the US mainstream rock charts with Ozzy Osbourne on ‘Crack Cocaine’, and again with Ozzy and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Billy Idol, Billy Morrison, country, Duff McKagan, Godsmack, Hollow, metal, nu-metal, Nuno Bettencourt, Ozzy Osbourne, punk, rap metal, review, rock, Run DMC, Steve Stevens, the Offspring
Leave a comment
News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2026)
A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation. We try and pick out a cross-section of albums that reflect the range of genres reviewed at the website. The star rating … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS
Tagged 2026, albums of the month, April, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, June, May, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock
Leave a comment
Album review: MORK – Monolitt
Peaceville [Release date 19.06.26] mork is an acclaimed Black Metal project formed by Norwegian multi instrumentalist Thomas Eriksen in 2004, this is their 8th album. The title translates as Monolith; inspired by the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, it explores … Continue reading
News: DBA, ANN WILSON, PETER HAMMILL (July 2026)
Amon Amarth will release their new album, ‘The Allfather Awakens’, on October 2 via Metal Blade Records. Asia, featuring original member Geoff Downes, along with guitarist John Mitchell, drummer Virgil Donati and vocalist/bassist Harry Whitley, release their new album ‘Indigo’ … 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 Ann Wilson, AOR, blues, DBA, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, Peter Hammill, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review : VANDEN PLAS – AcCult II
Frontiers Music [Release date 12.06.26] Some 30 years after the band’s Accult album, Vanden Plas follow through with their long promised second all acoustic effort. Stating the obvious perhaps, but the real test of a band is its ability to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Pure Metal/News
Tagged AcCult II, acoustic, Andreas Lill, Andy kuntz, Frontiers Music, metal, review, Stephan Lill, VANDEN PLAS
Leave a comment
News: JACK J HUTCHINSON, KAMELOT, SALIVA (June 2026)
Audrey Horne release their latest album ‘Achilles’ through Napalm Records on September 4, with ‘Insanity’ released as the first single on June 11. The Bites release their new, self-titled, album on September 18 through Earache Records. Metalville is reissuing of … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Exhibitions, 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 AOR, blues, folk, gigs, Jack J. Hutchinson, Kamelot, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Saliva, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: TARJA – Frisson Noir
earMUSIC [Release date 12.06.26] Tarja Turunen releases her tenth studio album and one she calls the “heaviest record of her career”. There are a few notable guest appearances including fellow ex-Nightwish member Marko Hietala, Dani Filth (Cradle of Filth), Apocalyptica, and Chad Smith (Red … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Apocalyptica, Dani Filth, Frisson Noir, gothic, Marko Hietala, melodic metal, metal, Nightwish, review, symphonic metal, Tarja, Tarja Turunen
Leave a comment
Album review: W.A.S.P. – s/t
Madfish [Release date 21.05.26] Record label Madfish have been working some of the early W.A.S.P. catalogue, including The Savage 7 CD boxset. Here is the band’s 1984 debut and in line with all the other Madfish releases I’ve encountered, it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes, hard rock, metal, re-issue, review, self-titled, sleaze, W.A.S.P
Leave a comment
Album review : VON GROOVE – Born To Rock
Frontiers Music [Release date : 15.05.26] There can be few more explosive opening tracks than Von Groove’s ‘Once Is Not Enough’ from their self titled debut, 1992. 30 years later : they’ve got the band back together – Michael Shotton, … Continue reading
News: SKINDRED, THE ROLLING STONES, BURNING ROPE (May 2026)
Accept celebrate 50 years with a new release, ‘Teutonic Titans 1976–2026‘ due on September 4 via Napalm Records. Guests on the album include Kirk Hammett, Rob Halford, Tobias Forge, KK Downing, Chris Jericho and more. The Alarm’s final album, ‘Transformation’, originally scheduled … 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 albums, AOR, blues, Burning Rope, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Skindred, special editions, The Rolling Stones, tour dates
Leave a comment
Gig review: SKINDRED – O2 Academy, Oxford, 17 April 2026
Skindred released their new album, ‘You Got This’, and their ninth overall, on the same day as they played this sold out gig in Oxford. So good to see that for once at a gig I was at the older … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Arimea, Benji Webbe, Friday April 17 2026, gig, hip hop, metal, nu-metal, O2 Academy, Oxford, ragga metal, reggae, review, rock, Skindred
Leave a comment
Album review: ELEGANT WEAPONS – Evolution
Exciter Records [Release date 24.04.26] Album number two from Elegant Weapons, the band formed around Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG), with bassist Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep), and drummer Christopher Williams (Accept) making their recording … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adam Wakeman, album, Andy Sneap, heavy metal, Judas Priest, melodic metal, metal, review, Richie Faulkner, Ronnie Romero
Leave a comment
Album review: XTASY – Phoenix
Art of Melody Music / Burning Minds Music Groups [Release date 10.04.26] Now here’s a thing. Melodic rock that’s not from Scandinavia! Spain’s Xtasy formed in 2011 and have been building a following in their home country and in Continental … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Phoenix, review, Xtasy
Leave a comment
News: PAUL McCARTNEY, THE 69 EYES, JUDAS PRIEST (April 2026)
Airbourne release their new self-titled album on August 27 via Spinefarm. Balaam and the Angel release a new EP on May 1 entitled ‘Love Death Wealth Water‘. Capitol Records/UMe is celebrating the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ album’s 60th anniversary with ‘The … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Competitions, Exhibitions, 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, Special Events
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, folk, gigs, Judas Priest, melodic rock, metal, news, Paul McCartney, re-issues, RIP, special editions, The 69 Eyes, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Live At The Great Hall
Earache Records [Release date 27.03.26] For anyone who has seen Massive Wagons live, you will know that the band onstage is an unstoppable juggernaut with enough energy to power a medium sized town for a week. So, it’s quite a … Continue reading
Album review : IGNESCENT – Eternal
Frontiers Music [Release date : 20.03.26] Judge a hot band by the company they keep. Ignescent have opened for Flyleaf, Skillet, Stryper and many other headline metal/hard rock acts in recent years. You could hear the influences of these bands … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Eternal, Fight In Me, Flyleaf, Frontiers Music, Ignescent, Jennifer Benson, Lambretta, metal, review, Skillet, Stryper
Leave a comment
Album review: LAUTENFEYN – Verdammt Und Vergessen
Magic Mile Music [Release date 06.03.26] Many years ago I was sent a CD to review (remember them?) by a German band called The Ordeal. The album was Descent To Hell and it was a metal masterpiece that still gets … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Fairytale, Lautenfeyn, Magic Mile Music, medieval, metal, Olli Opperman, review, rock, The Ordeal, Verdammt Und Vergessen
Leave a comment
News: RUSH, CRIMSON GLORY, VON GROOVE (March 2026)
Acacia Avenue release ‘Chapter V’ via Pride & Joy Music on May 29. Amberian Dawn release their latest album, ‘Temptation’s Gates’, on June 26 via Napalm Records. The band have also announced Nicole Willerton as their new vocalist. Deko Entertainment release a 50th … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Exhibitions, 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, Crimson Glory, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Rush, special editions, tour dates, Von Groove
Leave a comment
EP review: SPREADING THE DISEASE – Purgatory Carnival
Facebook [Release date 28.02.26] Kent based Spreading the Disease are back and heavy as ever! The band’s current line-up consists of Steve Saunders (bass), Thorsten Giertsch (guitar), Donal McGee (drums), Daniel Stevenson (guitar) and Jonny P (vocals). Spreading the Disease … Continue reading
Album review: BIG BAND OF BOOM
Ragtime Records [Release date 13.03.26] “Imagine the Kill Bill soundtrack played by Rage Against the Machine with an orchestra” is the blurb used to entice the wary listener into the music of twelve piece, Birmingham based, Big Band of Boom. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, big band, Big Band of Boom, fusion, indie, jazz, metal, review, rock, swing, System Of A Down
Leave a comment
EP review: LEAVES’ EYES – Song of Darkness
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 06.03.26] Leaves’ Eyes have been around since 2003 and still feature vocalist (growls), keyboards player and producer Alexander Krull, with Finnish soprano Elina Siirala fronting the band since 2016. The EP also marks the recording … Continue reading
News: AEROSMITH, SAVATAGE, CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL (February 2026)
Acid Reign will release a new album ‘Daze Of The Week’ on May 15. Aerosmith release ‘Aerosmith (Legendary Edition)’ on March 20 as a limited-edition deluxe 5LP box, a 4LP slipcase, black and colour vinyl, 3CD, CD, and digital. Steven Tyler and Joe … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, Listening Post, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Aerosmith, albums, AOR, blues, Cambridge Folk Festival, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Savatage, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: THE HARA – The Fallout
Mascot Records [Release date 23.01.26] This album from The Hara tackles mental health struggles and subjects of toxicity and self-doubt along with the pitfalls of the industry on their journey. Channelling this into their livewire performances has seen them pick up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt metal, indie, Mascot records, metal, review, The Fallout, the Hara
Leave a comment
