Album Reviews

Kerstin Bischof has been the singer for bands including Axxis, Lakonia, and Xandria.  Recently she has focussed on her own solo work and has just released her solo album, “Project Ava”.  It’s an interesting mix of metal, rock and more classical sounds. Brief comments on a few of the songs. …

Finnish metal giants Nightwish have released the musical score to the film ‘Imaginaerum’, the final part of the overall experience that keyboard player Tumoas Holopainen wanted fans to hear. This is also the final album to feature former vocalist Anette Olzon, before she was controversially let go by the band …

“Old School” is a 4 disc collection that spans the ten years of the Alice Cooper Group and includes a whole host of goodies spread over the four discs. This Special Edition is in its self a cut down version of the original sold-out Old School: 1964–1974 super deluxe box …

  Barely a year old and already this band are planning an E.P. and a tour for next year but in the meantime they release this rather catchy little ditty accompanied by a video as well. Based in the London Boroughs All She Wrote deliver a great mix of Post-Hardcore …

Deathcore comes of age with this brutal debut album release. Germanys Bust A Move have been around for a few years now, releasing an E.P. and touring hard to both develop their style and build a strong fan base. With all that accomplished they are now able to infest the …

San Francisco’s Doom masters Orchid released their latest EP “Heretic” back in September via Nuclear Blast, as a follow up to the successful album “Capricorn” that came out in 2011. Orchid’s next full length is set to be released next year. “Heretic” starts with a spoken chant before seething into …

“Shake your skull” is the third album from Swedish rock band Chillihounds.  The album is darker and heavier than their earlier albums – as lead singer and rythm guitarist Gabriel Aadland says “Even though we’re very pleased with our previous albums, we knew we wanted to do something different this …

Norwegian band The Boogiemen inc. started their careers in the early nineties as a purist Blues and Rhythm and Blues band, but ove the years they have evolved to more of a rock band in the vein of Rolling Stones or The Faces.  They take influences from a range of …

The Southern Experience Band released their debut EP (Beginnings) in 2011 and are back with their debut album. Brief comments on a few of the songs The album kicks off with a short intro before the first proper song, “Where I’m from”.  It’s got a real Southern feel to it …

Violet Gibson are an Italian band that formed in 2007 under the name “Last vegas”.  After a lineup change the band changed their name to Violet Gibson.  They spent the next year writing and recording their album “American Circus” and it was released in Italy in April 2012, before they …

Livin’ Garden is a four piece band from Curitiba, Brazil which was formed in 2006.  According to the band the name ’Livin Garden’ is a metaphor that means the connection between human beings and nature. Despite being an unsigned band, they’ve managed to play some big gigs supporting bands including …

Sicktrust were formed in 2010 in Philadelphia by four veterans of the local heavy metal community..  In August 2011 they released their self titled debut album. Listening to the album, my first thought is that whoever did the mixing really didnt do a very good job – the sound is …

Moore street band was founded by Tony Chiarchiaro, Ken Tsuchiyama and Norman Mezey after their band Heritage broke up.  They brought in guitarist Ed Krzyzaniak to complete the lineup. They have a sound that stresses three and four part harmonies, and as the various members have considerable experience working with …

Croatia’s best exporters of Doom return with an album to fuel your blackened souls. Formed in 1995, Ashes You Leave have certainly come up the hard way, living in war torn Croatia certainly must have fuelled the bands vision and musical direction, putting them firmly in the Doom genre. ‘The …

Jetbone formed in 2008 and take their sound from bands such as KISS, The faces, the Rolling Stones as well as jackson Browne and 90s Scandinavian Garage/Punk. Brief comments on a few of the tracks The album kicks off with “Dancin’ on your grave” and I have to say, it’s …

Junkfoxx formed in late 2011, and this is their debut EP.  They are an unsigned rock band from Wickford in Essex with three members, two of whom do the vocals.  As such you get some songs with male lead vocals and others with female lead vocals. It’s a great EP …

Jeerk are a very unusual band – they are a rock band, a rhythm group and a tap dance act.  Yes that’s right, the band members are all tap dancers as well as musicians.  They formed Jeerk in 2002 and toured Sweden in 2004 for a whole year.  They’ve toured …

Kaisas is a hard rock band formed by Greek musician Babis Kaisas and Shy/TNT vocalist Tony Mills.  The album was recorded by the three members individually as they all live in different countries.  Once recorded the album was mixed and mastered in Wolverhampton (UK) at the M2 studio, by Mark …

Circle 7 are a hard rock band from San Diego, California.  It was formed by Daniel Cease and Ryan Holliday who first met in school and since then have been involved in several bands and projects.  In 2006 they formed Circle 7, and three years later they released their first …

It’s always difficult to review a greatest hits album.  You’re reviewing a band and their music that has been around a good while, in 3 Doors Down’s case since 1996, and whose music is also well loved enough that they can spawn a greatest hits album.  Fans ignore the review …