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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : KEITH WEST – Cross That Bridge, The Anthology 1965-99 (2 CDs)
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Album review : COUSINS & WILLOUGHBY – The Bridge
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Album review : WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS – Covers of The Beatles 1967-70
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Feature: All Boxed Up for Christmas (December 2025)
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Album review : LYNCH MOB – Dancing With The Devil
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Album review: CYTRUS – Duality
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Tag Archives: metal
Quick plays: MAD MAX, BLACK TRIP

BLACK TRIP – Shadowline SPV www.spv.de [Release date 28.08.15] Drawing heavily on the influences of very early Maiden and other NWOBHM band of that era and ilk, Sweden’s Black Trip have followed up 2014’s “Goin’ Under” with new release “Shadowline”. … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged album, Black Trip, Mad Max, melodic rock, metal, Michael Voss, review, rock, Shadowline, Storm & Passion, Thunder
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Album review: STRATOVARIUS – Eternal

earMUSIC [Release date 11.09.15] Amazingly this is the band’s sixteenth studio album and they have been around since the mid-80′s, although the present line-up has no original members. Vocalist Timo Kotipelto has also been busy with Cain’s Offering who released … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, Cain’s Offering, Eternal, melodic, metal, progressive, review, rock, Stratovarius, Timo Kotipelto
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Album review: GHOST – Meliora

Spinefarm [Release date 21.08.15] Ghost have always been a bit of a Marmite band, people tend to love or hate them. I first encountered the band a few years ago supporting Trivium and having seen the pictures and the image, … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged A-Ha, album, CD, Ghost, Meliora, metal, Papa Emeritus III, prog, review, rock, Trivium
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Album review: MOTORHEAD – Bad Magic

UDR [Release date 28.08.15] When I reviewed the last Motorhead album ‘Aftershock’ a couple of years back I did think that it was going to be the band’s swansong due to Lemmy’s ongoing health issues. Lemmy though has stuck two … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged Aftershock, album, Bad Magic, blues, Brian May, CD, Glastonbury, Lemmy, metal, Mikkey Dee, Motorhead, Phil Campbell, review, rock
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News: BLACKWATER CONSPIRACY, RATM, UGLY KID JOE – Wednesday 19th August 2015

Rage Against The Machine will release a DVD, ‘Live At Finsbury Park’, on October 16th. Candlebox have signed a deal with Pavement Entertainment and will release their new studio album in early 2016. UGLY KID JOE will release a new … Continue reading →
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions
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Tagged Blackwater Conspiracy, classic, metal, Million Dollar Reloaded, Moon Safari, news, RATM, rock, Sepultura, UGLY KID JOE, upcoming releases
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Quick plays: MOLTEN TRAIL, FOREST FIELD, MURDER MY SWEET, THIRD LUNG

MOLTEN TRAIL – Striving For The Sky Defox/Heart Of Steel Circles This is the project of Lithuanian keyboard maestro Vytautas Diskevicius, who has been playing and performing in Lithuania and this includes being part of former Uriah Heep vocalist John … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged album, Angelica Rylin, Angels?, Beth Out Of Hell, China White, Daniel Flores, Erik 'EZ' Blomkvist, Forest Field, keyboards, metal, Molten Trail, MURDER OF MY SWEET, Peter Cox, Phil Vincent, prog, review, rock, Seven Thorns, Striving For The Sky, Third Lung, Vytautas Diskevicius
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Album review: IMMENSION – In Vain

Self Release (Release date 15.06.15) Hailing from the steeltown of Sheffield seems somewhat apt as Immension are all about the metal. The trio sound as if they have been raised on a diet of Metallica, Trivium and In Flames to … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, IMMENSION, In Vain. CD, Jake Kearsley, metal, Metallica, review, rock, Sheffield, Thrash, Trivium. Tim Dolan
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Album review: ROYAL QUEST – The Tale Of Man

Self Release ( Release date 22.05.15) This concept album is the brain child of guitarist and vocalist Yiannis Androulakakis and bass player Dennis Bekatoros and has been many years in the making. The two got together in 1999 and planned … Continue reading →
News: VOODOO VEGAS, THE HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, MUTE GODS – Thursday 13th August 2015

Voodoo Vegas release a new EP ‘Hypnotise’ on October 12th. It can be pre-ordered here. Status Quo bassist John ‘Rhino’ Edwards will release his second solo album, ‘Rhino’s Revenge II’, on October 23rd via Molano Music. The Mute Gods is … Continue reading →
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions
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Tagged albums, Alice Cooper, classic rock, EP, Inside Out, Joe Perry, John 'Rhino' Edwards, Johnny Depp, metal, news, Nick Beggs, prog, rock, the Hollywood Vampires, the Mute Gods, Voodoo Vegas
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Album review: DAMN DICE – The Great Unknown

Self Release ( release date 24.08.15) In a world of screaming tortured vocals and riffs that sound like a rockfall in a quarry it’s good to find a band who are happy to play honest, melodic … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS
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Tagged album, CD, Damn Dice, LA Guns, metal, review, rock, Skid Row, The Great Unknown
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EP reviews: ELEMENTS, V/VEGA

EP review: ELEMENTS – Where We Once Begun Self Release [Release date – 16.08.15] This is the second EP release from Southampton rockers Elements and it is a well honed affair. The band owe a lot to the likes of … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
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Tagged Don Bronco, Elements, EP, LA Guns, Leaving Lyra, metal, prog, review, rock, Skid Row, V/Vega, Where We Once Begun
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Gig review: SOS FESTIVAL – Radcliffe Civic, Manchester, 17-19 July 2015

It’s that time of year when the Civic Hall, Radcliffe gets its roof well and truly raised as the hordes of rockers and metal-heads gather for the annual SOS festival. Organized by Rocksector Records it showcases not only their own … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
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Tagged 17-19 July 2015, Black Whiskey, Blaze Bayley, Furyon, gig, Knock Out Kaine, Manchester, metal, NWOBHM, Radcliffe Civic, review, rock, SOS Festival, The Amorettes, Triaxis, Tysondog
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Gig review: STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 2 – Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 26 July 2015

Photo: Simon Dunkerley What a difference twelve hours can make, from beautiful blue skies to masses of mud, the lovely Welsh rain has made an appearance but, no matter, the show goes on. Skam had the unenviable task of starting … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
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Tagged 26 July 2015, Colour Of Noise, Danny Vaughn, Day 2, Dee Snider, Doro, Ebbw Vale, FM, gig, heavy rock, melodic rock, metal, review, South Wales, Steelhouse Festival, Twisted Sister, Tyketto
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Album review: RIVERS OF NIHIL – Monarchy

Metal Blade [Release date 21.08.15] When a band records a first album that is so amazing, you wonder if that band will be able to follow it up and come even close to its greatness. Look at a band like … 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, Death Metal, extreme metal, metal, Metal Blade, Monarchy, review, Rivers of Nihil
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Album review: KILLER KHAN – Kill Devil Hills

My writing has given me so much satisfaction in my life. Not necessarily the writing itself, but certainly most of the events leading up to it, and some aspects that have remained with me forever. I have seen some amazing … 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, Kill Devil Hills, Killer Khan, metal, review, rock
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Gig review: RAMBLIN’ MAN FESTIVAL Day 1 – Mote Park, Maidstone, 25 July 2015

Photo: Paul Rodgers Another summer and yet another new festival joins the ranks of the many. This one however had the classic rock fraternity foaming at the mouth with a line up which comprised some of the biggest names in … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events
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Tagged 25 July 2015, Anathema, Biff Byford, Blue Oyster Cult, Camel, Dream Theater, FM, gig, Klaus Meine, Maidstone, metal, Mote Park, No Hot Ashes, prog, Ramblin' Man Festival, review, rock, Rudolf Schenker, Saxon, Scorpions, Toseland, Touchstone
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News: THE FACES, UDO, SUPERTRAMP– Thursday 6th August 2015

The Faces have announced a one-off reunion after 40 years. They appear on September 5th with a special gig as part of the 3rd Rock ’N’ Horsepower charity event for Prostate Cancer UK. Original surviving members Rod Stewart, Kenney Jones … Continue reading →
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions
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Tagged Accept, charity, classic, metal, news, Rick Davies, rock, Rod Stewart, Supertramp, The Faces, UDO
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Quick plays: IAN TOOMEY, DATURA4, DAVID COURTNEY, SKINAGE

IAN TOOMEY – Ascension Metal Nation [Released 04.09.15] Ian Toomey is the guitarist in Bitches Sin, a band that formed way back in 1980 and reunited back in 2008. This is his solo album, aided by legendary producer Chris Tsangarides, … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged album review, Angel Air Records, Ascension, Bitches Sin, blues rock, classic, Datura4, David Courtney, guitarist, Ian Toomey, Leo Sayer, metal, NWOBHM, pop, Quick Play, rock, Roger Daltrey, Skinage, Solo
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News: JOEL HOEKSTRA, FOZZY, THE LEMONHEADS – Saturday 1st August 2015

Guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake/ex-Night Ranger) releases his new solo album, ‘Dying To Live’, on October 16th on Frontiers. Guests include Jeff Scott Soto, Russell Allen, Tony Franklin, Vinny Appice, Derek Sherinian amongst others. Nalle Påhlsson’s ROYAL MESS release their debut … Continue reading →
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions
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Tagged classic rock, Fozzy, GIRLSCHOOL, guitarist, Joel Hoekstra, melodic, metal, Motorhead, Nalle Påhlsson's Royal Mess, news, Reef, rock, rock 'n' roll, Saxon, the Lemonheads, UK tour, upcoming albums, Whitesnake
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News: SHOOTING STAR, MICHAEL MONROE, ART NATION – Saturday 25th July 2015

Shooting Star have released their new album ‘Into the Night’ for free as a download on their website. Download by going to www.shootingstarmaniacs.com and using the code “1980″. Art Nation release their new album ‘Revolution’ on AOR Heaven on 28th … Continue reading →
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions
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Tagged AOR, Avenged Sevenfold, classic, Hardcore Supertar, melodic, metal, Michael Monroe, news, punk, rock, Shooting Star, the Melvins, UK dates
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Quick plays: TONY IOMMI TRIBUTE, MARK MORRISS, GUNSHIP, CEREBELLION

VARIOUS – Great Lefty: Live Forever! www.tanzanmusic.com [Release date 04.05.15] An interesting double CD this one featuring a collection of Black Sabbath tribute bands, musicians and a couple of ex-Black Sabbath members, all paying tribute the master of the doom … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
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Tagged 80's music, album, Black Sabbath, Cerebellion, Covers, Great Lefty: Live Forever, guitarist, Gunship, Mark Morriss, metal, review, synths, the Bluetones, The Taste Of Mark Morriss, Tony Iommi, Tony Martin, tribute, vocalist
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News: SOS Festival, Radcliffe, near Manchester, 17-19 July 2015 (Metal and Rock)

This preview of the SOS Festival was broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on Sunday 12 July as part of ‘Assume The Position’ presented by David Randall (21:20) The 8th SOS Festival takes place 17-19 July at Radcliffe Civic … Continue reading →
Posted in Festivals & Large Events, NEWS
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Tagged 17-19 July 2015, Blaze Bayley, Furyon, heavy rock, Manchester, metal, Radcliffe Civic, rock, Skarlett Riot, SOS Festival, The Amorettes, Triaxis
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Album review: NEXT TO NONE – A Light In The Dark

Inside Out [Release date 29.06.15] When I was about 14 years old, I got beaten up by the meanest, toughest, most fearless kid in school – and he was only 10…not my finest hour. Now, at the ripe old age … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged A Light In The Dark, album, Dream Theater, Inside Out, Max Portnoy, metal, Mike Portnoy, Next To None, prog, review
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Album review: POWERWOLF – Blessed & Possessed

Napalm Records [Release date 17.07.15] Powerwolf are back with album number six and the second one I have heard by them having been mightily impressed by their last albums ‘Preachers Of The Night’. As their name suggests they play power … Continue reading →
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Tagged album, Blessed & Possessed, metal, Napalm Records, power metal, powerwolf, review, speed metal
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Interview: ERIC A.K (Flotsam And Jetsam) – June 2015

Few bands who have been musically active for a good three decades can claim to have been as daring, innovative and talented as the Arizona Thrash Metalers Flotsam And Jetsam, and a lot of that has to do with the … Continue reading →
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews
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Tagged Eric AK, Flotsam And Jetsam, interview, June 2015, metal
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