Opinion

Recently I caught up with Stormzone prior to their performance at the first ever Helfast Metal Festival held in The Limelight2 venue in Belfast. The band took some time out to talk about touring, the forthcoming Three Kings album and also give us a glimpse of their unique pre-gig ritual! …

Shetland islanders Ten Tonne Dozer recently released a live album of their exploits on mainland Europe that I had the distinct pleasure of wrapping my lugholes around right hereon Planetmosh.  While I didn’t go all the way to the Shetlands to speak with them I did get a chance to …

A sunny Thursday afternoon finds me heading off to Glasgow to catch the mighty Canadian trio, Rush in concert on their Clockwork Angels tour.

The setting in the Classic Grand is very intimate for tonight’s show. The stage is dimly lit. The front section of the room has a few tables and stools close to the stage. There was gentle lighting around the small venue, which had plenty of space for people to chill …

Tonight’s gig was to be a very special one.  Firstly it’s being held at a site that is very special to rock and heavy metal – the headquarters of Marshall amplification , in a theatre they have just behind the factory that makes the iconic amps.  Secondly tonight is the …

2010 was the release of “Beyond Hell/ Above Heaven” and now Volbeat return with their fifth album “Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies”.  It demonstrates their metal heritage more than they have in any previous albums.  The album comes across as a musical journey combing the genres from the past few decades into something …

Wildest Dream – formerly known as ‘Wrathchild…be thy name‘, are a local rock duo from the East midlands made up of Edd Smith and Terry Crofts. Mostly performing as a rock tribute band, they have though written and sung their own songs along side the many greats they enact.   …

Today was the day something strange happened – the sun came out before the bands started, and stayed out all day.  Warm sunny weather at an outdoor festival in the UK – not a common occurence but one that people were very happy about.  Today at the festival was celebrating …

Overnight rain had left parts of the festival site rather muddy, so conditions underfoot weren’t great in a couple of the busy places, but generally the site was still fine and easy to get around. Zombie met girl are first up on the main stage.  With a rock/punk sound it’s …

This was my first time at Bearded Theory.  It’s held in the grounds of Kedleston Hall, so the setting is beautiful – festival-goers walking from the car park to the campsite cross a bridge over a weir by a lake, with a  nice view of the hall  on the hillside  …

David Farrell for Planetmosh, Interview with Diddi Kastenholt/Bai Bang. PM: Hi Diddi, the new album “All Around The World” has just been released, has it been well received? Diddi: “Hallo to you….! Yes. It’s been great! We get the best reaction from our fans, and from different magazines from all …

When you’ve spent three days at a music festival, it takes a special gig to make you want to go out the next night.  Fortunately for me, I was heading to such a gig after three days at Bearded Theory – the arena tour of Journey, Whitesnake and Thunder.  That’s …

I cannot be the only one struck by the irony of the coincidence… just days before Black Star Riders – basically, Thin Lizzy with a bit of makeover – release their much-vaunted but ultimately disappointing ‘debut’ opus, the one band acclaimed by many as the natural heirs to the crown …

Doors opened for tonights gig at 6.15pm – and early starts on a weeknight generally mean reduced attendance early on, and that was certainly the case tonight. First band, Killfloor mechanic went on stage pretty much as soon as the doors opened.  Heavy and loud with a mix of clean …

A saturday in May saw hundreds of fans of female fronted metal descend on the Robin 2 venue in Bilston, just outside Wolverhampton for the Dames of Darkness festival.  The third festival by that name, it’s the first for a few years, and the first to be held at the …

Launch gigs can be weird affairs… all too often, the band doing the launch, be it an EP or whatever, deliberately pull together a rather lame supporting cast, so as not to expose their own weaknesses.  The alternative, and much more preferable option, is to invite along support acts which …

Doug Aldrich is best known as part of the twin guitar attack in Whitesnake.  But, before he hooked up with David Coverdale – and, indeed, Ronnie James Dio before him – he played in a number of successful bands, including Lion and Burning Rain.  The latter outfit released two highly …

On 11th May, Delain headlined the Dames of Darkness festival at the Robin 2 in Bilston, Wolverhampton.  I took a short break from enjoying the bands to go upstairs and talk to Delain singer, the lovely Charlotte Wessels about the bands new album, Interlude, their guest star at this years …

I recently met up with German heavy metal legend, former singer of Accept, Udo Dirkschneider to talk about the latest release from his band U.D.O. – Steelhammer.  Udo doesn’t hold back on the subject of Accept.   Udo interview

I recently spoke to Will and Matt from Jettblack, just before their gig in Nottingham with Crashdiet.  Listen to what they had to say about the tour, their forthcoming EP, and each others worst habits on tour..   Jettblack interview – April 2013