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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 14 March 2026
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Tag Archives: metal
Album review: BRAINSTORM – Scary Creatures

AFM Records [Release date 15.01.16] Brainstorm’s 11th studio album “Scary Creatures” follows hot on the heels of 2014’s “Firesoul” and features ten more Euro-style power metal numbers. The Bavarian band were formed way back in 1989 and released their first … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged AFM Records, album, Andy B. Franck, Antonio Ieva, Brainstorm, Dieter Bernert, metal, Milan Loncaric, review, Scary Creatures, Torsten Ihlenfeld
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Album review: EXUMER – The Raging Tides

Metal Blade [Release date 29.01.16] Old fashion thrashin’. It can’t be put more simply than that. Exumer released both “Possessed by Fire” and “Rising from the Sea” at the height of thrash’s popularity, the 80s. This is a band that … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
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Tagged album, Exumer, metal, Metal Blade, review, the Raging Tides, Thrash
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EP reviews: MORE THAN MOST, HOMEWRECKR

EP Review: MORE THAN MOST – Impossible Is Temporary Self release [Release date 05.02.16] This is the debut EP from the London five piece who formed back in 2014. They describe themselves as ‘electronic alt-rockers’ and contain elements from the … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
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Tagged EP, Homewreckr, Impossible Is Temporary, Linkin Park, metal, More Than Most, review, The Blackout, The Wreckning; rock
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Quick plays – HELLSPRAY, HURON, THE SHAMBOLIC

Album review: HELLSPRAY – Bring On The War Self Release [Release date 07.08.15] This is the second album by Swedish metal band Hellspray following on from their debut ‘Part Of The Solution’. The band master in hard and fast metal … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Quick Plays
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Tagged album, Anders Moberg, Bring On The War, CD, Doom, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, Hellspray, Huron, metal, Motorhead, review, rock, Skindred, The Dead, The Dead Stay Dead, The Dying and The Damned, The Shambolic, When The Kill Code Fails, Zac Wylde
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Album review: MANIMAL – Trapped In The Shadows

AFM Records [Release date 20.11.15] Manimal return with their brand of Swedish metal in the form of “Trapped In The Shadows” but for me the band name is a little off putting as it serves as a reminder of that … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged AFM Records, album, André Holmqvist, Henrik Stenroos, Kenny Boufadene, Manimal, metal, review, Samuel Nyman, Trapped In The Shadows
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News: R.I.P. DAVID BOWIE

R.I.P. DAVID BOWIE 1947-2016 David Bowie has died at the age of 69 from cancer. His son, film director Duncan Jones, confirmed the news and a statement was issued on his social media accounts: “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded … Continue reading →
Album review: PRONG – X: No Absolutes

SPV www.spv.de [Release date 05.02.16] Formed in New York City in 1986, Prong are a band that has flew under the radar to many in years gone by. The typical 80s thrash metal band also include many aspects of hardcore … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, album X - No Absolutes, metal, Prong, punk, review, rock, SPV
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Album review: SANGUINE – Black Sheep

Odyssey Music [Release date 29.01.16] This is the second album from UK based alt metal band Sanguine who have appeared at Download and Hard Rock Hell Ibiza. The album was recorded at In Flames’ IF Studio and the band’s guitarist … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars
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Tagged album, Black Sheep, In Flames, interview, metal, Nick Magee, review, Sanguine, Tarin Kerrey
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Quick plays: ASHBY, AMELIA WHITE, SHADES OF SORROW

ASHBY Fragmental [Release date 13.11.15] Ashby are a progressive rock quintet from Germany. Fronted by Sabina Mosel, three thoughts immediately struck me a vocal symmetry with Sam Brown and Doris Brendel, a proggy sound that put the band in a … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged acoustic, Amelia White, Angelleno, Ascension, Ashby, country, Cruel Season, Fragmental, Home Sweet Hotel, metal, progressive metal, Sam Outlaw, Shades Of Sorrow, singer, songwriter
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Album review: SEVEN SHOTS FROM SOBER – Songs From Stephen Ave

Self release [Release date 29.09.15] Named after a pedestrian mall in their native Calgary, ‘Songs From Stephen Ave’, is a smoking album from a Canadian powerhouse trio. With a name like Seven Songs From Sober, you’d expect nothing less than … Continue reading →
Quick plays: BRAD SCHECTER, ATOMIC SYMPHONY

BRAD SCHECTER – Live Your Dreams www.bradschecter.com This is Brad Schecter’s debut album (he has fronted a couple of metal bands according to his bio) and the songs on here represent 22 years of songs he has been working on. … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged album, Atomic Symphon, Brad Schecter, Lazy Bonez, Live Your Dreams, melodic, metal, prog, review, rock
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Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL IX – Hafan Y Mor, Pwllheli, Wales, 12-14 November 2015

Thursday When the line-up was announced for this year’s 9th chapter of the Hard Rock Hell journey there were the usual naysayers but to be fair it’s the same for every festival… However one thing that topped everything was the … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
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Tagged 12-14 November, Attica Rage, Black Label Society, Black Spiders, gig, Hafan Y Mor, Hard Rock Hell IX, heavy rock, Helloween, LAWLESS, metal, Pwllheli, review, Saxon, The Screaming Eagles, Trucker Diablo, UFO, Wales
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Album review: SIMULACRUM – Sky Divided

Self Release [Release date 28.08.15] This is the second album from Finnish prog metallers Simulacrum and rather good it is too. The band are led by Niklas on vocals and Chrism on keyboards who take care of the lyrics and … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS
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Tagged album, CD, Fallout, Finland, Mad Max, metal, prog, review, rock, Simulacrum, Sky Divided
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Album review: GRAAL – Chapter 1V

Code 7 – Jolly Roger [Release date 25.05.15] It ten years since the Italian prog rock band Graal’s debuted with ‘Realm Of Fantasy’ and ‘Chapter 1v’ finds them honing their craft in a genre hopping mode while revelling in instrumental virtuosity. … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, Andrea Ciccomartino, Chapter 1V, Danilo Petrelli, Deep Purple, Dougie White, Francesco Zagarese, Graal, guitar, interview, Jethro Tull, John Lord, keyboards, metal, Nick Mason, PFM, Pink Floyd, prog, Realm Of Fantasy, rock, Rory Gallagher
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Gig review: DEF LEPPARD/ WHITESNAKE, Hydro, Glasgow, 10 December 2015

This run of shows must be one of the most hotly anticipated of 2015. A double header of Def Leppard and Whitesnake with Black Star Riders along as support, it promised an evening of classic rock heaven. Horrendous traffic (2.5 … Continue reading →
Posted in GIG REVIEWS
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Tagged 10 December 2015, Black Star Riders, Damon Johnson, David Coverdale, Deep Purple, Def Leppard, gig, Glasgow, Hydro, Hysteria, Joe Elliott, live, metal, Motley Crue, Phil Collen, review, Ricky Warwick, rock, Steel Panther, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake
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Album review: DANZIG – Skeletons

AFM Records [Release date 27.11.15] “Skeletons” is Glenn Danzig’s first studio release since “Deth Red Saboath” back in 2010 and it is an album of covers of songs that have influenced his career. The songs were supposedly recorded at various … Continue reading →
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Tagged AFM Records, album, covers album, Danzig, Glenn Danzig, metal, review, Skeletons
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Quick plays: AMBERIAN DAWN, SUNSPOT, LUKE GASSER

AMBERIAN DAWN – Innuendo Napalm Records [Release date 23.1.15] Second album from the Finnish symphonic metal band to feature vocalist Capri Virkkunen and she helps lift the band from another run of the mill metal band. To be honest it … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged A Quest For Life, Abba, album, alternative, Amberian Dawn, Angel Air, Crsytal Gates, David Ellefson, Doll Skin, EMP Records, Innuendo, Love Affair, Luke Gasser, Megadeth, metal, review, rock, Steve Ellis, Sunspot, symphonic, Weirdest Hits
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Album review: PHANTASMA – The Deviant Hearts

Napalm Records [Release date 27.11.15] Phantasma is a project consisting of Georg Neuhauser (Serenity), Oliver Philipps (Everon) and Charlotte Wessels (Delain). Helping out are drummer Jason Gianni, bassist Randy George from Neal Morse’s band and Tom Buchberger (ex-Serenity) guests on … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged Charlotte Wessels, debut album, Delain, Everon, Georg Neuhauser, Meat Loaf, melodic, metal, Napalm Records, Oliver Philipps, Phantasma, Queen, review, rock, Serenity, symphonic, The Deviant Hearts
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Gig review: MOTLEY CRUE – Metro Arena, Newcastle, 2 November 2015

Almost 30 years ago, give or take a couple of months, I went along to the Edinburgh Playhouse to see Motley Crue who at that point were riding high on the success of their ‘Theatre Of Pain’ album. What a … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
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Tagged 2nd November 2015, Alice Cooper, Dr Feelgood, Final tour, gig, live, metal, Metro Arena, Mick Mars, Motley Crue, Newcastle, Nikki Sixx, rock, Shout At The Devil, The One Hundred, Tommy Lee, Vince Neil
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Album review: EVERTHRONE – The Dawning

Tribunal Records/Divebomb Records [Release date 30.10.15] The first time I saw Everthrone they were opening for Fates Warning. As this was my first time seeing Fates Warning, frankly, I was WAY more excited about FW than any of the opening … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, Everthrone, metal, review, rock, The Dawning
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Album review: MAGNUS KARLSSON’S FREE FALL – Kingdom Of Rock

Frontiers [Release date 06.11.15] Primal Fear guitarist Magnus Karlsson returns with the second album under the Free Fall banner. Magnus handles all the instruments, bar the drums provided by Jamie Salazar and again, like the debut, he has some top … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, David Readman, guitarist, Joe Lynn Turner, Jorn Lande, Kingdom Of Rock, Magnus Karlsson, Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall, melodic, metal, review, rock, Tony Martin
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Gig review: RIVERSIDE, SIXXIS, LION SHEPHERD – Ritz, Manchester, 22 October 2015

With their superb new album, Love, Fear And The Time Machine to promote (check out my review), Riverside have been on tour since the end of August, taking in North, South and Central America as well as Europe. They rolled … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
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Tagged 22 October 2015, gig, Lion Shepherd, Manchester, metal, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Ritz, RIVERSIDE, SixxiS
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Album review: PAGAN’S MIND – Full Circle Live at Center Stage

SPV [Released 16.10.15] I have come quite late to the Pagan’s Mind party having first heard them on their 2011 release, ‘Heavenly Ecstasy’. Hailing from Norway, they play progressive metal or space metal as some have dubbed it. This show … Continue reading →
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Tagged album, CD, DVD, Full Circle Live at Center Stage, metal, Pagan's Mind, progressive, review
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EP review: BLACKWATER DROWNING – Delusionary

www.facebook.com/blackwaterdrowning If you haven’t heard the name Blackwater Drowning yet, don’t be alarmed. They’re very new on the scene and haven’t had the chance to make their presence known in the metal world. That’s what I intend to do for … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
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Tagged Blackwater Drowning, Delusionary, EP, Industrial, metal, progressive, review
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Album review: EXPENZER – Kill The Conductor

Czar Of Crickets [Release date 06.07.15] In the mid-Eighties thrash metal was king. Early Metallica and Anthrax releases were hailed as future classics but for me it was the first two albums by Slayer which defined the genre. ‘Show No … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, CD, Expenzer, Hell Awaits, Kill The Conductor, metal, review, rock thrash, Show No Mercy, Slayer, Tom Araya
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