Album Reviews

Swiss rockers Shakra are new to me, for all their strong pedigree and lengthy history. Having shared the stage with the likes of Uriah Heep, Maiden and Guns n’ Roses alongside doing some pretty major world tours with Hammerfall and Stratovarius, 2013 sees the release of their tenth studio album …

Jorn is the solo project of Jorn Lande, the former vocalist of Masterplan, Ark, Beyond Twilight, Millenium, Vagabond, and The Snakes.  Between these bands and guest apeparances with bands including Ayreon and Avantasia, he’s racked up an impressive discography of over 30 albums.  The reason for his success is simple …

German Heavy Metal Band Dark At Dawn founded in 1993 with three albums, tours and shows on the most popular Metal-Festivals (Wacken, Summer Breeze and Wave Gotik Treffen) followed. In 2007 the band decided to split due to various factors line up changes, jobs. Five years later, they are back …

Since their formation in 2001, Welsh ‘post-hardcore’ crew Funeral For A Friend have literally “been there, done that, sold a million T-shirts”. However, over the past decade or so, their popularity has undeniably waned: following the gold status of their debut ‘Casually Dressed And Deep In Conversation’ in 2003, and …

Snakecharmer is probably a new name to most of you, although Planetmosh readers may remember we introduced you to this band back in December 2011 when they were first unveiled to the press.  The name gives a nod to the past of two of the members – former Whitesnake members …

Voivod formed in 1983 and have never achieved the commercial success they deserve but have maintained critical acclaim throughout their career by releasing records that are starkly different and follow no set formula. This is their thirteenth studio album and the first to feature Dan Mongrain and first to be …

A true ‘Fly On The Wall’ rockumentary that will keep you glued to the screen. ‘Road Dog Forever’ the DVD is so much more than the title suggests, for here we have not one but two DVD’s, each featuring around two hours worth of live material, studio sessions and general …

It’s been the best part of three years since US metallers Holy Grail released their critically acclaimed debut, Crisis in Utopia.  A number of line-up changes aside, they’ve continuously worked hard and played harder, touring and writing to produce follow up album Ride The Void. I remember supporting Holy Grail in Glasgow …

Folk metal, pagan metal, call it what you will, has an unnerving penchant for veering, inexplicably and unexpectedly, from one extreme to the other – and, most notably, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Unfortunately, Munich-based sextet Knaat fall somewhere ‘twixt and between – but, at the same time, manage …

The name The Resistance may be a relatively new and unknown one to those not “in the know” on the underground scene – but it’s constituent members are certainly no strangers to the extreme metal scene, being, as they are, former In Flames stalwarts Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström, ex-The …

I may not be (quite) old enough to remember them the first time around, but the names Skid Row and Taste hold a seminal place in Irish music-lore: the former as the ultimate forerunner of the mighty Thin Lizzy, and the latter as the trio who propelled the late, great …

While not strictly falling into PM’s orbit, last year’s ‘In Time To Voices’ was definitely one of the more pleasant surprises to be unearthed in this particular corner of the planet that is mosh: a mixture of punk, indie and blues very much in the vein of White Stripes and …

When Sweden’s Troubled Horse released the “Bring My Horses Home” single back in 2010, this reviewer was not expecting to wait almost 2 years for a full length album. Then again, it did take 7 years to release the aforementioned seven inch.  “Step Inside” is proof that good things come …

After numerous YouTube teasers and a 7 year wait since their last album “The Forsaken”, Norwegian “unblack” metal band Antestor release their fourth album “Omen”.  Black metal has never been my cup of tea but over the past couple of years I have grown a soft spot for Antestor and …

It’s a new year and a brand new album, album number 14 to be exact, from that bastion of all things metal from Germany, Helloween. I can’t believe I’ve been listening to these guys for the best part of 25 years now and that makes me feel old. Thankfully one …

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to My Reflection, a five piece melodic metal band from Finland. Formed in 2007, the band quickly released their first EP, ‘Slipping Away’ before taking a year-long break. In 2010 a self-published demo album, ‘Be My Eyes’, surfaced, of which three tracks began receiving …

  Progressive rock supergroup Coheed and Cambria released the first part of their epic double-album attempt last year with, imaginatively titled, The Afterman:Ascension, and it was well received to critical acclaim. Now, after what seems like no time at all, they’re back with the second half, the predictably-named The Afterman: …

There’s nothing like a good rock album to lift the spirits after suffering with the post-Christmas blues, and this is not a good album, this is a great album. So before the Christmas credit card bill arrives, do yourself a favor and buy this record. Simple as. This is a …

Udo Dirkschneider, the legendary founder and front man of Accept, and now singer with U.D.O releases a live dvd filmed in Sofia, the package also contains the concert on two cd’s. This package is a must buy for any metal fan as UDO is in top form here, the band …

Finland, yet again unleashes a monster of a Metal band onto the rest of the world.   Formed in 2009, Retaliatory Measures went through a few line up changes and a settling down period, including a demo release before finding the current line up. The excellent Massacre Records snapped the …