Album Reviews

The greatest selection of albums, reviewed and rated

Them – Return to Hemmersmoor

Them are a band with German and American members with a strong King Diamond influence. Their new album, “Return to Hemmersmoor” is the third part of a supernatural trilogy which started with “Sweet hollow” and “Manor of the se7en gables”. To that end, the first track is an intro which …

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Evildead – United States of Anarchy

Back in the late 80s when California and New York were spawning the thrash bands that went on to dominate the genre – Metallica, Exodus, Anthrax etc, one California band, Evildead was formed. Their first gig was alongside Dark Angel, Cryptic slaughter and Possessed in 1987 and they released an …

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Twister – Cursed And Corrected

Now I’m of a certain age with over forty years of listening to and watching bands so it takes a lot to really impress me but here is my album of 2020 from one of the most exciting debuts I’ve heard for a long time. Channelling the audacity of early …

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Wyrmhaven – Delirium

I don't know what else I can say but please give this band 16 mins of your life and you won't regret it. The album is now 3 months old and it is criminally underrated. And being unsigned the band don't have the funds to promote themselves the full. Do you like Metal and Headbanging? Well so do they and trust me when I say they made an EP worth Headbanging to.

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The Midwich Affair – Hard (single)

Staffordshire based The Midwich Affair in just under four minutes power out a song that straddles the line between indie and hard rock with latest single ‘Hard’. It lives up to its title with a no holds barred delivery that burst through my headphones as lead vocalist Vicky Travis channels …

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King King – Maverick

You know that feeling when you play an album for the first time and one song jumps out at you so you keep going back to it? After the first spin of Maverick, the new studio album from Glasgow based King King, I got chills after at least three of …

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Dismal – Quinta Essentia

Italian female fronted, symphonic goth band Dismal are celebrating 25th years of activity.  Their new album Quinta Essentia mixes classical symphonic music with doom metal, darkwave, neofolk and waltz creating a wonderfully relaxing gothic fairy tale. The first pounding sounds of Gold Leviathan Part I,II brings to mind an image …

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Autopsy – Live In Chicago

Recorded at Reggie’s Rock Club on 7th March 2020, and just about squeezed in prior to the Covid lockdown (which one, I hear you ask), thrash metal legends Autopsy bring us their first official live album. With just over an hour of classis tracks from over the last thirty years …

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King Creature – Set The World On Fire

It’s been a long time coming, but Cornish crunchers Creature are finally back with their second album. Volume One was nothing short of stupendous, so this latest release is properly highly anticipated. And deservedly so. I’ll be honest, I took a gulp of unimaginable air as the opening verse to …

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DevilDriver – Dealing With Demons I

I’m always excited to get my hands on a new DevilDriver album, having been a big fan of the band since their early releases ‘The Fury Of Our Makers Hand’ / ‘The Last Kind Words’, and this latest offering from the Californians was no exception. ‘Dealing with Demons I’ is …

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Noosed – Rise

14 minutes of sheer mayhem are on offer here from Hardcore Grudge Thrashers Noosed. There’s an industrial vibe oozing from the whole of this release together with an intensity which is, err, intensified by the production, or lack of it, but in a good way. Take ‘Never Going Home ‘ …

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Mick Rossi – All the Saints & All the Souls

Cranked Up Really High it isn't. However Mick Rossi one of the original boot boys has mellowed and matured like an Italian red wine. All the Saints & All the Souls is robust with lots of depth and hidden flavours! You can buy the album from Mr Whippy Banana Split Productions for £15 with the profits going to charity

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Mike Ross – The Clovis Limit Pt.2

Mike Ross

  Casually listening to Wyatt Wendels show on Planet Rock radio a few weeks ago on my night shift my ears pricked up when ‘None Of Your Business’ by Mike Ross caught my attention. It had one foot in the blues and the other in a quirky Frank Zappa kinda …

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Raging Speedhorn – Hard To Kill

Now then. Ever since ‘Superscud ‘ drifted through my eyes back in 2000 I’ve been a huge fan of Raging Speedhorn, and I’ve been lucky to catch them twice in the space of seven months with both line-ups. Supporting Phil Anselmo & The Illegals in Manchester (June 2019), and then the …

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Legendarium – Reign In Repose album review

The Dutch metal duo Legendarium is the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Laurence Kerbov and Stefano Vaccari, who is also the drummer of the Italian prog band Prophexy.  Their third release Reign In Repose is a full-on concept album with every song telling a different part of the central story.  The style …

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AC/DC – Shot In The Dark (single review)

For well over forty years I’ve been listening, watching, headbanging and singing along to AC/DC, the greatest rock and roll band EVER! They have always done things their way, thundering along like a force of nature through many trials and tribulations. The losses of lead vocalist Bon Scott in 1980 …

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Yersin – Guilt

I first came across Yersin the Saturday before lockdown at Blossom’s in Stockport. Blew the roof off they did. The North East grindsters are one of the most brutal bands I’ve heard in a long time. This latest offering is nothing short of fabulous. Title track and opener ‘Guilt ‘ …

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