Album Reviews

The greatest selection of albums, reviewed and rated

Cro-Mags – From The Grave

I’ve not listened to cro Mags for a long time, I bought “Best Wishes” back in the day. With it’s cool looking cover art and the bands intense logo I thought these guys were the epitome of hardcore coolness. That album inspired me to check out other bands that were …

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Salem UK – Win Lose Or Draw

  NWOBHM stalwarts Salem UK return to the studio to hedge their bets with their latest studio album Win Lose Or Draw. Released via Dissonance Productions, their brand of hard rock is of a very high standard as opening track ‘The Wraith’ crackles with energy throughout. Bullying riffs are the …

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Angel Witch – Angel Of Light

Since their formation in 1976, Angel Witch albums are as rare as Halleys Comet as latest release Angel Of Light is their fourth studio since their self titled 1980 debut but the wait is definitely worth it! Released via Metal Blade Records the eight tracks here are all killer, no …

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Slayer – The Repentless Killogy

I’ve been a fan of Slayer way back since 1983 after buying their debut album Show No Mercy. 1985 saw Hell Awaits with the band playing a darn sight faster but the major game changer was Reign In Blood in 1986. For a measly £5.50 I got to see them …

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VAMBO – Vambo debut Album Review

Vambo

VAMBO debut album review Vambo delivers a mix of psychedelic blues 70s infused rock with a modern twist with their debut album Vambo. Lead by Jack Stiles, the sultry vocalist gets you into their groove with a stack of songs about women. Whether it was intentional or not there seems …

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Agnostic Front – Get Loud!

Having caught the documentary “The Godfathers of Hardcore” on some TV channel not so long back my interest in this New York band was reinforced yet again. This is a band that clearly has a lot to say regarding current social/political situations. And they say it against a backdrop of …

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The Midnight Dogs – Hotel Mango.

Hotel Mango, the second studio album from The Midnight Dogs can be described by a Rolling Stones song title, ‘It’s Only Rock And Roll (But I Like It)’. Their self titled 2016 debut showed promise but this release is a real humdinger! Twelve songs will kick your ears one minute, …

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King Creature – Desolation (Single)

I first heard Desolation, brand new single from King Creature when they played it live in Manchester last Friday, the day it was released It was one of my highlights of their set and they have captured that intensity in the studio. Earworm buzzing riffing backed by a vocal delivery …

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Ashen Crown – Obsolescence

When an album starts with an eerie intro such as this you know it’s going to be one hell of a ride. Pouring rain and a single church bell chime, Sabbath-esque, which eventually falls in time with the opening riff. So haunting, so perfect. Ashen Crown have produced a blinding …

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StoneWire – Life As We Know It

Sometimes you just need a good old dose of rock and roll, and when you get to hear the new release from StoneWire that’s what you get. It’s been a long time since they last scratched out some vinyl (5 years in fact) but like a good wine they seem …

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Edenbridge – Dynamind

After Nightwish started to become well known in the late 90s a number of other bands sprung up producing symphonic metal with clean female vocals. Edenbridge were one of the early bands to come along and are still going strong, with this being their tenth album. These days there are …

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Motorhead 1979 – Double Vinyl Box Set.

Forty years? Has it really been that long since the titanic trio of Lemmy Kilmister, ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke and Philthy ‘Animal’ Taylor bashed out not one, but two ground breaking albums in 1979? From 1976-1982, Motorhead ,with this line up shook the Earth to its very core! Overkill on March …

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Officium Triste – The Death Of Gaia

      Masters of all things Doom, Officium Triste return with their latest album ‘The Death Of Gaia’ 2019 marks a momentous landmark in the history of Officium Triste, as the guys from Rotterdam celebrate their 25th anniversary. And what better way to fly the flag and remind us …

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Twisted Tales – Bringer Of Woe

Twisted Tales are a Serbian Thrash / Metal band releasing this their 2nd studio album. It’s actually very good, if a little naive in places, but it’s hindered by timing issues which we’ll come to shortly. You can tell straight away who influences these guys. The guitaring is heavily influenced …

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Michael Monroe – One Man Gang

Michael Monroe, the stage name of Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm founder and frontman of the iconic glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, (formed when he was a teenager back in 1979) has just released his ninth studio album One Man Gang via Silver Lining Music. The talented Mr Monroe not only sings but …

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Articulus – I

Newcomers Articulus are bringing their own take within the progressive metal framework. Being a debut it has just taken that bit longer to fully digest and shake off any pre-conceived notions. Chris Willumsen and Erling Malm are the mainstays behind this project and have brought in Dirk Verbeuren the current …

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Her Despair – Exorcisms Of Eroticism

London based Her Despair are back with their third release Exorcisms of Eroticism.  They combine pagan and symphonic metal with guitar based Goth to create nuggets of melodramatic adventure.  I found it easy to be immersed in the atmospheric sound of the six varied tracks, often with the music taking …

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Joe Bonamassa – Live at the Sydney opera house

Joe Bonamassa’s new album is out on 25th October. Like many of his previous live releases it’s been recorded at an iconic venue – in this case, the Sydney opera house. In fact I think Joe Bonamassa must have sat down with producer Kevin Shirley at some point and made …

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