Album Reviews

Majestic is the musical project of Jeff Hamel, who writes all the music as well as palying guitar and keyboards.  He’s joined by other musicians and vocalists to record this album.  It’s a double album, with the first disc consisting mainly of a ten track opus. Musically it’s Prog rock …

SBS, or to give them their full name, Spicy Bits of Scandal, are a rock band from Lithuania.  The band formed in 1979, and by 1988 was playing gigs in Lithuania and abroad including festivals in Poland and Latvia.  Since then they’ve released three albums, supported Judas Priest and played …

Steroid Freak Pussy are a Leeds band  who formed in 2005 whose influences include L.A. Guns and Zodiac Mindwarp.  In 2011 they had a lineup change and went from a 5 piece to a 4 piece band.  Following this they headed to the studio to record this CD. This release …

Hailing from the humble, hardworking Pittsburgh, PA, is modern rock outfit Parise, a band composed of friends in music. Spearheaded by guitarist Dan Parise, this project came in to being to showcase the prodigious talents of these musical collaborators. These aren’t any ol’ friends: the band features within it’s ranks, …

This sophomore offering from Dublin instrumentalists Parhelia has been four years in the making, being as it is the follow up to their 2009 full-lengther debut, ‘Shifting Sands’ (they previously had released two EPs, ‘First Light’ in 2006 and 2007’s ‘Oceans Apart’). ‘The Precipice Of Change’ is a hypnotic album, …

Due to be released in the UK on 2 September 2013, Turisas2013 is the latest offering from the Finnish metal band.  Only two years since Stand Up And Fight was released, this is a quick turnaround and as well as a change from the previous releases by not being a concept album.  Progression has …

Dennis “Fergie” Frederiksen (Toto, Frederiksen/Philips, Mecca, LeRoux) is an inspiration. His long and storied music career continues strongly, despite advancing age and failing health. Frontiers Records brings listeners his newest material, 2013’s Any Given Moment. Produced by Alessandro Del Vecchio, this record has 11 tracks of melodic, smooth rock and …

Wretched soul are a death/thrash metal band from Canterbury.  The band played Bloodstock festival last year, and on 9th September will be releasing their debut album, Veronica. Brief comments on a few tracks… The album kicks off with ‘Where shadows ride’.  The guitars have a very traditional heavy metal feel …

Theia’s debut EP, just self entitled that, ‘Theia‘. It has got to be one of the most professional hard rock hitting EP’s of 2013. For this extremely young group of three guy’s ( the youngest being sixteen ) to put together songs like theses you would have thought after listening …

Winter Kills is one of the most intense albums I have heard this year, any of the 11 songs will slay when played live.

Lending additional momentum to Swedish stalwart death metal band Hypocrisy‘s career in 2013, label Nuclear Blast decided to re-release the band’s seminal 1992 debut Penetralia, and 1993 sophomore effort, Osculum Obscenum. These albums are packaged in a 2CD deluxe box, featuring additional live recordings as bonus material. 2013 marks the …

UK melodic death progenitors Carcass, have released their new album “Surgical Steel”. A lot of putrid water has passed under the bridge in the seventeen years since their Swansong and Jeff Walker alongside Bill Steer surprised many with a return to the studio. In the interim, Walker gave us the …

Vomited into existence from Denver Colorado in early 2012, this is the re-release of their debut record on Relapse records. Relapse has generally as a rule been on the ball when it comes to picking up bands that are primal and downright ignorant to the ears and this band are …

‘Phoenix Rising’ is a new album created by two groups working together.  You have Japanese prog rock band Rovo, and Steve Hillage’s dance music project, System 7.  While Prog rock is known for experimentation, a union with an electronic dance music project still seems like a strange mix.  The two …

Jonny Lang is an American Rock and Blues singer/guitarist.  Although you wouldn’t guess from the photo on the album cover he’s in his 30s and has already had a long career, having released his first album in 1995.  This is his sixth studio album, and he’s also appeared on scores …

To say that Avenged Sevenfold have had a funny few years would be the understatement of the millennium. Having lost original drummer Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan in tragic circumstances at the end of 2009, the band have bravely battled on, releasing the excellent ‘Nightmare’ the following year (with help from …

  Open your eyes and ears to the great unseen.     Tech Metal can be off limits for a lot of listeners, by its very nature the twisting and turning, sporadic riffs and fast changing rhythms can be difficult to digest and absorb. So it was with a slice …

What can you say about these guys that hasn't already been said? This is indeed a supergroup of musical talent and one that has produced a rock album that, while full of expected flourishes, has an infectious groove to its heart.

Re Vamp and Floor Jansen return with a full deck.   Having just finished touring every nook and cranny of the globe as guest/ temporary/ permanent (delete as appropriate) vocalist with Nightwish, Floor Jansen at last gets the chance to unleash her own creative powers with this, the follow up …

Ajenda is a rock band from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Fronted by vocalist Jen, the four-piece brandishes a mellow, blues-infused rock sound that’s pleasing overall. Following the release of two platters: 2009’s Vicious Circle EP and 2011’s The Suomi Sessions EP, listeners are treated to Ajenda’s 2013 debut album, Unrecognizable. This …