Album Reviews

90’s nu-metal band P.O.D are back with a new album – Circles. A Christian metal band, Payable on Death (abbreviated to P.O.D), they’ve had remarkably few lineup changes, with the current lineup being the same as the band had in 1994. For this album P.O.D teamed up with L.A. production …

In 1987 Jason Becker released his first album, Speed metal symphony as part of the duo Cacophony with Marty Friedman. They released a second album before breaking up and Jason Becker then went on to release several solo albums. Then in 1996 he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) …

The passage of time becomes very apparent  when sitting down with this sprawling cd set. It is strange to hear thank-you for 20 years, I would not have pegged it at anything like that much time. Admittedly I lost touch with Lacuna Coil around the Karmacode album during their ascent. …

On December 21st Twisted Illusion will self release their first live album I Have Music, I Have Life!. Recorded on their debut headlining tour on February 2nd 2018 at the B2 in Norwich, its sound quality took me back to my tape trading days when sometimes I was lucky enough …

Aria, formed in 1985, was the first Russian Heavy Metal band to break through to mainstream media and commercial success. The media dubbed these guys the ‘Russian’ Iron Maiden. Interestingly enough, most of the bands lyrics are written by professional poets. Mixed by Roy Z and mastered by Maor Appelbaum, this …

      Germany’s latest exponents of classic Hard Rock, Radiant announce themselves with a rip roaring self titled debut   Formed in Northern Germany in 2014, Radiant have been busy assembling an album of so many fist pumping Rock anthems, that it’s in danger of becoming an instant classic. …

      French sonic landscape gardeners Dirge return to the fore with a new album entitled ‘Lost Empyrean’   Some bands are just simply born with it, flowing through their very DNA, things just seem to click into place so easily. Dirge fall into that category, making the most …

Slayer may be all but finished but this Italian quartet will be keeping their memory alive in what is their third full length album in incredibly 14 years. This is actually a re-release from 2016. Only difference is a bonus track, ‘Black As War’. This album could easily be a …

It’s hard to beleive that Creedence Clearwater Revival only existed for a few short years – in the period from 1968 to 1972 they managed to record and release seven studio albums. These weren’t low quality albums just rushed out – they include plenty of fantastic songs that have stood …

Ahead of their UK tour, Def Leppard are releasing a greatest hits album – “The Story So Far – The Best Of Def Leppard”, due for release on 30th November It will be available in multiple configurations: a 2-CD set comprised of 35 tracks, 1-CD comprised of 17 tracks, 2LP …

Def Leppard are really ending the year with a bang. Not only are they touring the UK playing the Hysteria album in full, but they’re also releasing a “best of” compilation album with tracks spanning most of their career. That’s not all though – they’re also releasing “Hysteria – The …

Once again it’s time to bang our heads with the five French lunatics Gang and their latest studio release All For One, recently released via Underground Investigation. The press release statement of “Old school heavy metal” is reinforced by the CD inlay of “The flame of heavy metal is still …

In May 2018, Dutch singer Anneke van Giersbergen performed two very special shows with an orchestra – Residentie Orkest The Hague. Since making her mark as the singer in The Gathering, Anneke van Gierbergen has been a very influential singer and is cited by singers suchas Nightwish’s Floor Jansen as …

Norwich band Little red kings are a Norwich based band, who have recorded this, their new album, at their own studio (Goat pen studios). Little red kings play music that’s primarily roots rock with alternative rock and blues influences. If that seems like it’s not a particularly helpful description then …

There’s something unreserved about post-hardcore rock outfit The Last Band, who hail from Gothenburg Sweden. Hisingen their third album is accomplished but there’s a rawness to the 11 tracks which are brutally honest about the world as they see it, and they want to share that with you, ‘animals of …

On November 16th, The Black Bullets assault the airwaves with their brand spanking new single ‘When The Devil Comes Knocking’. I heard it first live at one of their gigs a few weeks ago at Percys in Whitchurch and the power it created there has been captured in the studio! …

      Finland do it yet again by unleashing Frozen Land upon the world with their self titled full length debut album released via Massacre Records   Sometimes an album drops in your lap that has you bouncing around the room like a teenager once again, which after tripping …