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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Tag Archives: metal
Album review: KYLE SHUTT – Doom Side Of The Moon
Music Theories Recordings [Release date 08.12.17] ‘Doom Side Of The Moon’ celebrates 50 years of Pink Floyd by re-imagining a heavier version of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. It’s an attempt to get inside the textural richness of Pink Floyd’s … Continue reading
The Best of 2017: top albums, top live acts – the reviewers’ choice
On Sunday 17 December on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, David Randall announced the popular poll results. This two-hour special includes artists voted for in the various categories: Top Albums, Top Live Acts, Top Breakthrough Acts. Every year we ask … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged albums, Best of 2017, blues, blues rock, breakthrough acts, gigs, heavy rock, listing, live acts, melodic rock, metal, pop, progressive, reissues, reviewer, rock, selection, singer songwriter
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Album review: TANKARD – Hymns For the Drunk
AFM Records [Release date 12.01.18] I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until I’m tits up and in the ground: Germany has produced some of the best Metal bands around. From so many varying sub genres, the German Metal … Continue reading
Album review: BLIND GUARDIAN – Re-issues
Battalions Of Fear/Follow Me Blind/Tales From The Twilight World/Somewhere Far Beyond/Tokyo Tales’/Imaginations From The Other Side/The Forgotten Tales (compilation)/Nightfall In Middle Earth/A Night At The Opera/Live Nuclear Blast [Release date 27.10.17] German power metal band Blind Guardian have produced some … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged albums, Blind Guardian, Hansi Hursch, metal, Nuclear Blast, power metal, re-issue, review, Thrash
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Gig review: ALICE COOPER – Manchester Arena, 15 November 2017
The release of Killer in 1971 was a defining moment in my love affair with rock and I’ve waited 40 plus years to see Alice perform with what remains of the original Alice Cooper band, Glen Buxton having passed away … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged 15 November 2017, Alice Cooper, Fee Waybill, Manchester Arena, metal, rock, shock rock, The Mission, The Tubes, Wayne Hussey
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Album review: BARBARA BLACK – Ad Libitum
[Release date 18.09.17] Barbara Black (not a very Spanish name) is, by all accounts, one of the best female voices on the Spanish female singer/songwriter, rock/metal scene. A classically trained singer, as well a pianist, and make-up artist and hairdresser … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Ad Libitum, album, Barbara Black, metal, pop, review, rock
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Gig review: MICHAEL SCHENKER FEST– O2 Ritz, Manchester, 4 November 2017
Around this time of year there are cries around the country of ‘Christmas gets earlier every year’ as the first decorations are spotted and every TV ad features snowy scenes and perfectly wrapped presents. Manchester took this a step further … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged 4 November 2017, Chris Glen, Gary Barden, gig, Graham Bonnet, Grand Prix, live, Manchester, metal, Michael Schenker, Michael Schenker Fest, MSG, review, Ritz, Robin McAuley, rock, Steve Mann, Ted McKenna, The Departed
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Album review: SCREAM SERENITY – Eye Of The Storm
3MS Music [Release date 01.12.17] A suitably named debut from a suitably named band. I feared I might be the wrong person to review this humungous slice of unbridled power combining the weight of Maiden, Metallica and Sabbath, but with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Eye Of The Storm, metal, review, rock, Scream Serenity
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Album review: LA GUNS – The Missing Peace
Frontiers [Release date 06.10.17] To be fair, I am a big fan of L.A Guns. Now before you assume that this review is going to be a one sided love fest, let me assure you that this is an upfront … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, glam, LA Guns, metal, Missing Peace, Phil Lewis, review, rock, sleaze, Tracii Guns
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Album review: DEVOID – Cup Of Tears
MelodicRock Records [Release date 13.10.17] Devoid is the brainchild of French guitarist Shad Mae and features vocalist Carsten ‘Lizard’ Schulz (Evidence One and many other guest vocal spots), keyboardist Jorris Guilbaud, bassist Ben Toquet and drummer Ben Wanders. Joining this core … Continue reading
Album review: SAXON – Decade Of The Eagle
BMG [Double CD/4 vinyl 180gm LPS Release date 17.11.17] British metal legends Saxon, still going strong, released what is considered the first album of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal genre. Originally called Son Of A Bitch, the band formed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Biff Byford, Christopher Cross, Decade Of The Eagle, double, Elton John, metal, NWOBHM, Paul Quinn, review, rock, Saxon
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Album review: ANNIHILATOR – For The Demented
[Release date 03.11.17] Annihilator’s brief rise to fame in the late 80’s early 90’s was one that helped propel heavier music into the mainstream along with bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, and many others. With a hyper aggressive aproach to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Annihilator, For the Demented, Jeff Waters, metal, review, rock, Thrash
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News: Albums of the Month (September 2017 – November 2017)
Albums of the Month September 2017 BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION BCCIV (Mascot) “…a set of tunes that rock up, for my money, a significant cut above ‘Afterglow’ and stand shoulder to shoulder with anything on the band’s first two albums…This is … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged 2017, albums of the month, AOR, melodic, metal, November, October, progressive, review, rock, September
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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: SONS OF APOLLO – Psychotic Symphony
Inside Out [Release date 20.10.17] Sons Of Apollo only formed earlier this year and come labelled with the ‘supergroup’ tag, which can be a blessing or a curse – luckily a blessing in Sons Of Apollo case. The Sons Of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, Billy Sheehan, Derek Sherinian, Dream Theater, Jeff Scott Soto, metal, Mike Portnoy, progressive, Psychotic Symphony, review, rock, Ron Bumblefoot Thal, Sons Of Apollo
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Album review: VUUR – In This Moment We Are Free Cities
Inside Out [Release date 20.10.17] Vuur is the brainchild of former Gathering and current Stream Of Passion vocalist Anneke van Giersbergen. She is joined in Vuur by drummer Ed Warby (Ayreon), bassist Johan Van Stratum (Stream Of Passion) and guitarists … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (May-August 2017)
Albums of the Month May 2017 COCO MONTOYA Hard Truth (Ruf Records) “It’s rare for an artist in the middle of his career to push himself up to another level, but ‘Hard Truth’ does precisely that … an album that … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged albums of the month, AOR, August 2017, July, June, May, melodic, metal, progressive, review, rock
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Album review: ICE AGE – Breaking The Ice
GMR [Release date 21.10.17] Many fans of 80s thrash may well remember all girl Swedish band Ice Age. Originally formed in Gothenburg by Sabrina Kihlstrand, Pia Nystrom, Sabrina’s sister Helena (later replaced by bassist Viktoria Lafsson), and drummer Tina Stromberg, … Continue reading
Album review: GAMMA RAY – Reissues (Land Of The Free/Alive ’95)
earMUSIC [Release date 29.09.17] earMUSIC’s Gamma Ray re-issue schedule continues with the band’s fourth studio album (original released in 1995) getting a deluxe 2CD re-issue. The second disc adds three songs (including the band’s blistering cover of Holocaust’s ‘Heavy Metal … Continue reading
Album review: MOONLIGHT DESIRES – Just The Hits 1981-1985
Infamous Butcher Records [Release date 15.09.17] Moonlight Desires hail from Canada and have produced a set of very enjoyable covers, and not the usual suspects either as they have gone for 80′s synth led pop rockers. The band’s name comes from … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 80's music, album, AOR, Corey Hart, Covers, Just The Hits 1981-1985, Lawrence Gowan, melodic, metal, Moonlight Desires, pop, review, rock, Steve Winwood, Styx, Trevor Ziebarth
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Album review: PHIL VINCENT – XX
Phil Vincent Music Phil Vincent is very prolific, this being his twentieth solo album, plus he has been in various bands/projects through the years including D’Ercole, Legion and Tragik. Although Phil plays and produces all of the music on here, he … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, hard rock, interview, melodic, metal, Paul Sabu, Phil Vincent, review, rock, Solo, Vince O'Regan, XX
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Quick plays: A II Z, INTO THE UNKNOWN
A II Z The Witch Of Berkeley Caroline Records [Release date 18.08.17] Part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, AIIZ (pronounced A To Z) were formed in Manchester in 1979 and recorded one album, this live set (like … Continue reading
Album review: VARDIS – Reissues
Dissonance [Release date 22.09.17] Vardis have to be one of the most underrated and overlooked bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal genre. Their brand of metal, often dipping into boogie/biker metal, could also be seen as a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 100MPH, album, metal, NWOBHM, Quo Vardis, reissue, review, rock, Steve Zodiac, The World's Insane, Vardis
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Album review: THRESHOLD – Legends Of The Shires
Nuclear Blast [Release date 08.09.17] Threshold have been in the metal news a lot recently after vocalist Damian Wilson left the band in March and they announced former vocalist Glynn Morgan was returning to the band – he left them back … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, Damian Wilson, Glynn Morgan, Karl Groom, Legends Of The Shires, metal, Nuclear Blast, prog metal, progressive metal, review, Richard West, Threshold
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Album review: KLOGR – Keystone
Zeta Factory/Phd [Release date 06.10.17] Keystone is the new album from Italian-American alternative metal outfit, Klogr. Some may find the juxtaposition of very melodic, rather proggy instrumentation with grungy, alt-rock vocals something of an acquired taste but there are certainly … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, alternative, Keystone, Klogr, metal, review, rock
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