Tag Archives: metal

Album review: ANNIHILATOR – For The Demented

Posted on October 22, 2017 by jason

[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 | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (September 2017 – November 2017)

Posted on October 19, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

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 | Leave a comment

Gig review: W.A.S.P. – White Rock Theatre, Hastings, 12 October 2017

Posted on October 13, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: SONS OF APOLLO – Psychotic Symphony

Posted on October 12, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: VUUR – In This Moment We Are Free Cities

Posted on October 3, 2017 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anneke van Giersbergen, Ayreon, In This Moment We Are Free Cities, Inside Out, metal, progressive, review, rock, Stream Of Passion, The Gathering, Vuur | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (May-August 2017)

Posted on September 25, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: ICE AGE – Breaking The Ice

Posted on September 25, 2017 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Breaking The Ice, Ice Age, metal, review, Sabrina Kihlstrand, Thrash, Viktoria Lafsson | Leave a comment

Album review: GAMMA RAY – Reissues (Land Of The Free/Alive ’95)

Posted on September 20, 2017 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged album, Alive '95, Classic Albums, EarMusic, Gamma Ray, Kai Hansen, Land of the Free, live albums, metal, Michael Kiske, power metal, review | Leave a comment

Album review: MOONLIGHT DESIRES – Just The Hits 1981-1985

Posted on September 16, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: PHIL VINCENT – XX

Posted on September 12, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Quick plays: A II Z, INTO THE UNKNOWN

Posted on September 12, 2017 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, Reissues | Tagged A II Z, album, Chris de Burgh, Headcharger, Hexagram, Into The Unknown, metal, NWOBHM, Out Of The Shadows, review, rock, The Witch Of Berkeley | Leave a comment

Album review: VARDIS – Reissues

Posted on September 12, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: THRESHOLD – Legends Of The Shires

Posted on September 7, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: KLOGR – Keystone

Posted on September 3, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: EDEN’S CURSE – Eden’s Curse (Revisited)

Posted on September 1, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

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 | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) October-December 2017

Posted on August 30, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie October 6th AUTOGRAPH ‘Get Off Your Ass’ EMP JEFF BECK ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ JON BODEN (ex-BELLOWHEAD) ‘Afterglow’ THE DARKNESS ‘Pinewood Smile’ Cooking Vinyl LIAM GALLAGHER ‘As You Were’ HEAVEN & EARTH ‘Hard To Kill’ … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged album, AOR, Bluray, CD, DVD, heavy rock, melodic rock, metal, New releases, October-December 2017, progressive, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THOR – Beyond The Pain Barrier

Posted on August 19, 2017 by jason

Deadline/Cleopatra [Release date 04.08.17] Canadian born bodybuilder Jon Mikl Thor has been acting and singing since the mid 70s, fronting his eponymously named band and, on stage, combining his strength with steel bars and blowing up hot-water-bottles to give a great … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged album, Beyond The Pain Barrier, interview, Jon Mikl Thor, metal, power metal, review, rock, Thor | Leave a comment

Gig review: RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR – Day 1 – Mote Park, Maidstone, 28 July 2017

Posted on August 7, 2017 by david.wilson

RAMBLIN’ MAN FAIR –Mote Park, Maidstone, 28 July 2017

The Ramblin’ Man Fair is now in its third year and is going from strength to strength. It is situated in Mote Park right in the centre of Maidstone in Kent, it is a bit bizarre passing a children’s playpark … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events, The Best of 2017 | Tagged 28 July 2017, Biff Byford, Dave Meniketti, Dio, gig, Graham Bonnet, Last In Line, Maidstone, metal, Mote Park, Rainbow, Ramblin' Man Fair, review.rock, Saxon, The Eagle Has Landed, Vivian Campbell, Y&T | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL, Ebbw Vale, 30 July 2017 (Part Two)

Posted on August 7, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

British Lion - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL, Ebbw Vale, 30 July 2017

Mud and music – what more can a hardened rock fan ask for? Sunshine? Well it was in short supply again today. Cars had been marooned in the muddy field but it wasn’t going to deter the faithful… The Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 30 July 2017, British Lion, Broken Witt Rebels, classic rock, Ebbw Vale, gig, Jared James Nichols, metal, review, Rival Sons, rock, Saxon, South Wales, Steelhouse Festival, Steve Harris | Leave a comment

Quick plays: DA VINCI, LEPROUS

Posted on August 3, 2017 by jason

DA VINCI Ambition Rocks AOR Heaven [Release date 25.08.17] It has been a mere 25 years since Da Vinci last released an album, the rather good ‘Back In Business’. The 2017 version of the band appears to only feature guitarist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Ambition Rocks, AOR, Da Vinci, LEPROUS, Malina, melodic, metal, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) July-September 2017

Posted on July 30, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie Updated 14.08.17 June 2nd ADRENALINE MOB ‘We Are The People’ Century Media DON AIREY ‘K2 – Tales of Triumph & Tragedy’ Gonzon Multimedai (limited editoion 100 copies) http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/donairey ALL TIME LOW ‘Last Young Renegade’ COLDPLAY ‘Kaleidoscope’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged 2017, album, August, blues, Bluray, CD, DVD, forthcoming, July, metal, new release, progressive, rock, September | Leave a comment

Album review: QUARTZ – Against All Odds

Posted on July 29, 2017 by jason

Dissonance Often associated with the NWoBHM, Quartz were at the melodic end; a bit like Magnum without the pomp. And before splitting in 1983 they produced some fantastic hard rock (and since their reformation too). The catalogue has been reissued … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Against All Odds, album, heavy rock, metal, NWOBHM, Quartz, reissue, review | Leave a comment

Quick plays: EMPIRE, LAST BULLET, TOM RUSSELL, DICK

Posted on July 21, 2017 by jason

EMPIRE The Raven Ride Pride & Joy Music [Release date 18.08.17] Pride & Joy Music continue their Empire re-issues and here we have the band’s third album which was originally released in 2006. Former Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin sang … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Americana, country, Dangerous Dreams, Dick, Empire, folk, Folk Hotel, Juanita Stein, Last Bullet, metal, review, rock, Rolf Munkes, Tom Russell, Tony Martin | Leave a comment

Album review: EDGUY – Monuments

Posted on July 20, 2017 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 14.07.17] Edguy are celebrating their 25th anniversary in style with this 28 song compilation that has an added live CD and DVD. Edguy main man Tobias Sammet never does things by halves and there are five … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged 25th anniversary, album, AVANTASIA, Edguy, metal, Michael Kiske, Monuments, Nuclear Blast, power metal, review, rock, Tobias Sammet | Leave a comment

Album review: BITCHES SIN – Predator

Posted on July 16, 2017 by jason

Dissonance Formed in 1980, Bitches Sin were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and have since issued a number of classic metal albums, including Invaders, Uduvudu, The Rapture and First Temptation. It’s a genuinely great catalogue. This, … Continue reading →