Tag Archives: review

Gig review: GIANTS OF ROCK, Butlins, Minehead, 7- 9 February 2014

Giants Of Rock - 7-9 February 2014

Floods, rain, rock music, more rain, howling wind, storms, seagulls, climactic guitar solos, wigs, trannies, vestal virgins, tarts, vicars, hot dogs, oceans of beer and more rain. It could only be Butlins Giants of Rock! Although the Giants of Rock didn’t … Continue reading

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Album review: FREEDOM CALL – Beyond

Freedom Call - Beyond

SPV [Release date 24.04.14] Album number eight from Freedom Call and a couple of line-up changes with a new drummer Ramy Ali, along with the return of original bass player Ilker Irsin. I have to admit Freedom Call are one … Continue reading

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Gig Review: QUIREBOYS – The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh,16 February 2014

The Quireboys - photo by Simon Dunkerley

The Quireboys have to be one of the hardest working and most enduring bands on the UK rock scene. This year sees the band celebrate their 30th anniversary with the promise of a new album, some special birthday shows, and … Continue reading

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Album review: MAGNUM – Escape From The Shadow Garden

Magnum - Escape From The Shadow Garden

Interview with Tony Clarkin of Magnum, first broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 2 March 2014 (12:31) SPV [Release date 24.03.14] It is fair to say that with Magnum you will probably never get a naff album.  Tony Clarkin’s … Continue reading

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Gig review: DREAM THEATER – Manchester O2 Apollo, 13 February 2014

Dream Theater - Manchester O2 Apollo, 13 February 2014

With the ‘Along For The Ride’ tour announced as a three-hour event, I couldn’t help wondering if the merch stall would be pushing Majesty symbol-branded thermos flasks, travel rugs and even smelling salts.  Having witnessed Dream Theater on previous tours, … Continue reading

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Album review: VANDENBERG’S MOONKINGS – Vandenberg’s Moonkings

Vandenberg

Mascot Records [Release Date: 24.02.14] Adrian Vandenberg is back! The man responsible for the sensational guitar solo in Whitesnake’s all time classic “Here I Go Again” and whose collaboration with David Coverdale built the foundations for the amazing “Slip Of … Continue reading

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Gig Review: DEL AMITRI, Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London, 7 February 2014

Del Amitri - 7 February 2014

12 years after splitting up, Del Amitri made a welcome return, reuniting for an extensive tour culminating in this sold out date before an appreciative Hammersmith crowd, albeit one with very few people who will see 40 again. Initially I … Continue reading

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Gig Review: MOLLY HATCHET, O2 Islington Academy, 5 February 2014

Molly Hatchet - 4 February 2014

For those of us too young to remember the pre-plane crash Skynyrd, Jacksonville’s Molly Hatchet were among the standard bearers for southern rock during our formative musical years, with a turbocharged, triple guitar boogie that made our own homegrown bands … Continue reading

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Gig review: SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

SEPULTURA – O2 Islington Academy, London, 6 February 2014‏

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis There are many bands out there, claiming to play high velocity Thrash Metal, but only a handful can do so with the energy and conviction which characterise the legendary Brazilian quartet Sepultura. When Andreas Kisser … Continue reading

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Single & EP reviews: WAKING UGLY, CHRIS ADAMS, VANITY RIOTS

Waking Ugly - Say Something Sweet

WAKING UGLY Say Something Sweet EP www.wakingugly.com If Kylie was going to make a ‘heavy metal’ album it would probably sound like this.  Girlie vocals, some decent rock guitar, but ultimately fairly shiny ‘pop’.  And that’s just what Waking Ugly, … Continue reading

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DVD review: U.S. Festival 1983 Days 1-3

US Festival 1983 Days 1-3

Wienerworld [Release date 27.01.14] It’s weird how when you look back at this footage, just how young everyone looks, yet when you look in the mirror that same youthful young man looks back at you (well, maybe not). The U.S. … Continue reading

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Quick plays: ROBBY HECHT, DAVID BERKELEY, PETER MULVEY, DAMIEN DEMPSEY

Robby Hecht

ROBBY HECHT Robby Hecht (Old Man Henry Records) [Release date 24.03.14] DAVID BERKELEY The Fire In My Head (Straw Man Music) [Release date 17.03.14] I’ve brigaded these two singer songwriter’s releases together, not just because they’ll be touring the UK … Continue reading

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Album review: WICKED FAITH – Under No Illusion

Wicked Faith - Under No Illusion

Self-released [Release date 18.11.13] It’s always good to hear a young band giving it their all but referencing  – perhaps subconsciously – some of those female-fronted bands that you grew up with.  Wicked Faith formed in Norwich in late-2011 and … Continue reading

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Album review: BRAM STOKER – Cold Reading

Bram Stoker - Cold Reading

sunn creative [Release date 27.01.14] The band, taking their name from one of the great horror stylists, might well conjure up dark and nefarious activity akin to their early contemporaries Black Widow.  Forget all that.   40 years after their debut … Continue reading

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Gig review: URIAH HEEP – Tivoli, Buckley, 6 February 2014

Bernie Shaw, Uriah Heep - February 2014

Chatting at length to Bernie Shaw I suddenly realised that vocalists usually need to rest their voice before a gig.  He agreed.  But his real complaint was the woeful heating in the semi-legendary ‘Tiv’ and a lack of TLC for … Continue reading

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Album Review: FREEDOM TO GLIDE – Rain

Freedom To Glide - Rain

Rubystorm Records  [Release Date: 11.11.13] For a pair of musicians whose day job involves being in one of the top tribute bands around, it must be very difficult to break free of the constraints of that musical straight-jacket and decide … Continue reading

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Gig Review: TRIVIUM / KILLSWITCH ENGAGE – 02 Academy, Glasgow, 4 February 2014

Trivium - O2 Academy, Glasgow, 4 February 2014

This tour had originally been billed as Trivium with support but at the eleventh hour Killswitch Engage were added to the bill with ‘co-headliner’ status. Not sure what went on behind the scenes but suffice to say the late addition … Continue reading

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Album review: ADRIAN GALYSH – Tone Poet

Adrian Galysh - Tone Poet

www.adriangalysh.com [Release date 03.12.13] Not a name I have come across before, although Adrian Galysh has been releasing albums since 1998 (this is his fourth solo album) and has toured in Uli Jon Roth’s band. He has won plaudits from fellow … Continue reading

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Album review: MISSING PERSONS feat. Dale Bozzio – Missing In Action

Missing Persons feat. Dale Bozzio - Missing In Action

Cleopatra Records [Release date 04.03.14] The digipak at the top of the stack didn’t look that inviting.  Could it have been Dee Snider’s half-brother on the cover?  There’s an awful lot of ivory around that lady’s neck.  The name Dale … Continue reading

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Album review: STATUS QUO – Piledriver Deluxe Edition

Status Quo - Piledriver

Universal [Release date 24.03.14] Status Quo are preparing for the second round of their ‘Frantic Four’ reincarnation and – hey – here comes an extended reissue of their 1972 album.  ‘Piledriver’ is important because it continued their journey from the … Continue reading

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Quick plays: CREMATORY, SONJA KRISTINA, SECTION A, SEB BACH, OVERLAND

Crematory - Antiserum

CREMATORY – Antiserum SPV www.spv.de [Release date 24.02.14] Crematory have a been around awhile starting out as a death metal band with gothic leanings and gradually steering more away from the death metal sound to a more industrial/gothic sound. This … Continue reading

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Album Review: SWEET ERMENGARDE – Raynham Hall

Sweet Ermengarde - Raynham Hill

Equinoxe Records – [Release Date: 14.06.13] Just when you thought Goth had shrivelled up, died and gone to meet its maker in Valhalla, it’s time once again to dig out that white face paint, strap a spiky dog collar to … Continue reading

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Album review: BAST – Spectres

        Black Bow Records/ Burning World (Release date – 24th February 2014) Bast are a London based trio who are here to challenge your musical senses. The album may only contain five tracks but it clocks in … Continue reading

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Book review: Electric World – A Casual Guide to the Music of Neal Schon by Neil Daniels

Available as an EBook or book on Amazon Neal Schon if you needed reminding is the guitarist with melodic rock giants Journey, although this book by Neil Daniels (the Ginger Wildheart of rock writing as he always seems to have … Continue reading

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Album review: FALLING RED – Empire Of The Damned

Falling Red - Empire Of The Damned

Outcast Records [27.01.14] www.falling-red.com When Kiss’ Gene Simmons recently described rock music as dead, what he failed to take into account was a the likes of Falling Red who are part of a new breed of bands that are making … Continue reading

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