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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Album review: CATTAIL BREW – It’s A Bit Difficult Really
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Album review: JOHN WETTON – Concentus (10-CD box set)
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Album review: NORMAN BEAKER – Running Down The Clock
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Album review: HAWKESTREL – The Future Is Us
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Album review: MAGNUM – Lost On The Road To Eternity
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Album review: THE PETAL FALLS – Workin’ All Night Workin’ All Day
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Tag Archives: symphonic metal
Album review: ANGRA – Ømni
earMUSIC [Release date: 16.02.18] Despite releasing eight albums since 1991, Brazilian band Angra’s symphonic/prog metal is a new sonic experience for me. Ninth album ‘Ømni’ is for the most part a pretty impressive outing within the genre. The album holds … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ANGRA, Brazilian metal, power metal, prog metal, review, symphonic metal, Ømni
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Album review: THE DARK ELEMENT (featuring Anette Olzon & Jani Liimatainen)
Frontiers Records [Release date 10.11.17] After Anette Olzon’s unceremonious departure from Nightwish in 2012 she took stock, brushed herself down, and fashioned the beginnings of a solo career. ‘Shine’ was released in 2014 and was one of my favourite albums, … Continue reading
Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – Sign Of The Dragonhead
AFM Records [Release date 12.01.18] Back in April 2016 Leaves’ Eyes parted ways with singer Liv Kristine, which led to various accounts of how the departure came about surfacing on social media and ill feeling between both parties. So this … Continue reading
Album review: INSATIA – Phoenix Aflame
Pitch Black Records. [Release date 23.06.17] This is a very accessible, well produced power/symphonic metal follow up to Insatia’s debut album ‘Asylum Denied’ in 2014. The band is based around vocalist and founder member Zoë Federoff. The album has been … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Insatia, Phoenix Aflame, Pitch Black Records, power metal, review, symphonic metal, Zoe Federoff
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Quick plays: LOVED ONES, DAVEY DODDS
LOVED ONES Harness Blood Records [Release date 05.05.17] Loved Ones are on ‘that difficult second album’, or so the theory goes, however this band have no qualms on that score as they have a plethora of musical ideas to share … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged albums, alt rock, Davey Dodds, DC Cooper, Fire In The Radio, folk, Last Giant, Loved Ones, New Air, pop punk, prog, prog metal, Quick Play, Red Jasper, reviews, rock, Royal Hunt, symphonic metal
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Album review: DEFECTO – Excluded
Elevation [Release date 19.03.16] This is the debut effort from Danish symphonic rockers, Defecto. It’s a pretty solid, competent outing and follows an EP in 2012. If there’s nothing here to set the world on fire, there is certainly more … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Defecto, Excluded, Flemming Rasmussen, prog metal, review, symphonic metal
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Gig review: THRESHOLD – O2 Islington Academy, London, 24 January 2016
This was a progressive/symphonic metal triple-header, but sadly I only caught the dying embers of the Damnation Angels as I ascended the stairs. Pretty good it sounded too, but the Northern Line had effectively robbed me of the set. French … Continue reading
Album Review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Into The Legend
AFM Records [Release date 15.01.16] Rhapsody of Fire return with their 11th studio album “Into The Legend”…this is of course classing Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody as a totally separate band which I suppose it is anyway… The press release points out … Continue reading
Album review: SINCE EVER, SMELL MY PILLOW, MIDORI & EZRA BOY
SINCE EVER Isolation Does the world need another symphonic metal band? Discuss. When symphonic rock burst onto the scene it sounded fresh, vibrant, and most importantly gave rock something ‘different’. But for some inexplicable reason, the genre has become formulaic, … Continue reading
Quick plays: FOREVER STILL, KARI RUESLATTEN, CELIA ROSE
FOREVER STILL Tied Down [Release date 15.01.16] Danish female fronted heavy rockers Forever Still’s debut release is typically ‘in your face’ mixing some bludgeoning riffs from the fret board of Mikkel Haastrup, with melodic lead vocals from Maja Schoenning. While … Continue reading
Album review: W ANGEL’S CONQUEST – Taste Of Life
Ferrum [Release date 08.06.15] This is the 5th album release from W Angel’s Conquest, Ukraine’s oldest power metal outfit apparently, I will take their word for that. Formed back in 1996 by guitarist W Angel this album is being hailed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, CD, power metal, review, symphonic metal, Taste Of Life, Ukraine, W Angel's Conquest
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Rock stars: ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN (The Gentle Storm) – interview, April 2015
Polite, talkative, pleasant, full of positive energy…Anneke van Giersbergen is what most music journalists would describe as the perfect interviewee. Her passion for the music she’s involved in is such that getting her to talk about “The Diary”, her latest … Continue reading
News: RICHARD THOMPSON, BLACK SABBATH, WASP – Tuesday 28 April 2015
Richard Thompson releases his new album ‘Still’ on June 29th via Proper Records. Red Dragon Cartel have another new vocalist, step forward Chas West, who replaces Darren Smith who lasted just over a month! Kingcrow release their new album ‘Eidos’ … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS
Tagged albums, Black Sabbath, Evanescence, folk, gigs, metal, Motorhead, news, Ozzfest, Richard Thompson, rock, symphonic metal, tours, WASP
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Album review: MAGIC KINGDOM – Savage Requiem
AFM Records [release date 20.03.15] Take the band name (Magic Kingdom) and throw in an excellent cover featuring a fire breathing dragon and you just know what “Savage Requiem” is going to sound like…Rhapsody of Fire on steroids comes fairly … Continue reading
Album review: LESOIR – Luctor Et Emergo
The PR blurb for their latest release would have you believe Transience received rave reviews beyond their homeland. If that’s true, they’re well hidden from Google’s search engine. The sessions for Luctor Et Emergo sees the band (Maartje Meessen – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Lesoir, Luctor Et Emergo, Netherlands, review, symphonic metal
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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Court Of Conscience
[Released 08.09.14] This is the third album by UK based symphonic metal band Winter In Eden and they have upped the ante for this one, recording it in the Netherlands and it’s been produced by Ruud Jolie (Within Temptation). The … Continue reading
Interview: 10Q’s with NEOPERA (Nina Jiers)
Neopera have just released their rather fine debut album ‘Destined Ways’ on earMusic. The band were founded in 2010 by DARK AGE lead guitarist Jörn Schubert, who was joined by GAMMA RAY bass player Dirk Schlächter, Mikis Trimborn (SYNDEMIC) on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged Dark Age, interview, Jorn Schubert, July 2014, metal, Neopera, Nina Jiers, operatic metal, symphonic metal
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Quick plays: NEOPERA, GRAMERCY ARMS, KNIFEWORLD
NEOPERA – Destined Ways earMusic www.neopera.com [Released 21.07.14] Neopera were formed by guitarist Jorn Schubert (Dark Age) in 2010 and the line-up includes Gamma Ray’s Dirk Schlächter, along with two operatic styled vocalist Nina Jiers (soprano) and Thorsten Schuck (baritone) … Continue reading
Quick plays: THE REE-VAHS!, TARJA, CROWN OF GLORY, AVALON STEEL, SEVEN THORNS
THE REE-VAHS! – Geordieland www.theree-vahs.co.uk [Released 09.06.14] The Ree-Vahs! Hail from County Durham and carry on the tradition of North Durham singing, although it’s not that heavily accented and you can listen to the lyrics easily enough. Andy Loan has … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Avalaon Steel, Crown Of Glory, Fastball Music, folk, Geordieland, King For A Day, Left In The Dark, melodic metal, Nightwish, Northumberland, power metal, review, Seven Thorns, symphonic metal, Tarja, the Ree-Vahs
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Album review: WINTER DAWN – By Embers Embraced
Self Release (Release date – out now) Symphonic metal is a genre that can either delight me or distress me. I can usually tell how things are going to go within the first couple of minutes of the opening track … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, By Embers Embraced, CD, Hilda Geber, Johan Uvesten, review, Robin Lindblad, rock, Simon Lindblad, Sweden, symphonic metal, Winter Dawn
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News: Ex-Nightwish singer ANETTE OLZON chats to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio
Sunday 9 March, 22:00 Get Ready to ROCK! Radio In this week’s ‘Assume The Position’, David Randall chats to Anette Olzon about her new album, and plays tracks from ‘Shine’. GRTR! Reviewer Pete Whalley described the album as a contender … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS
Tagged album, Alyson Avenue, Anette Olzon, interview, March 2014, Nightwish, pop, rock, Shine, singer, Sweden, Swedish, symphonic metal
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Album review: WITHIN TEMPTATION – Hydra
Dramatico [Release date 03.02.14] With their last studio album The Unforgiving (2011), Dutch symphonic rockers Within Temptation looked as if they were about to step into the American mainstream and take it by storm with a set that included radio … Continue reading
Album review: ANETTE OLZON – Shine
Interview edit: Anette Olzon, 26 February 2014 The full interview is featured in ‘Assume The Position’ Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sunday 9 March, 22:00 GMT More information earMUSIC [Release date 31.03.14] For those who don’t pick their fruit from … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alyson Avenue, Anette Olzon, Nightwish, pop, progressive, review, rock, Shine, Sweden, Swedish, symphonic metal
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Gig review: THERION – O2 Islington Academy, London, 20 December 2013
Support Acts: Arkona Review & Photos by Yiannis (John) Stefanis It was around the end of November that an acquaintance of mine asked me to name my favorite gig of the year to which my response was “It’s too early … Continue reading
Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – Symphonies Of The Night
Napalm Records www.leaveseyes.de There are a lot of female fronted symphonic metal bands out there now and a lot do tend to blend into one another, with a few notable exceptions and Leaves’ Eyes are one such exception. The soaring … Continue reading
