Album Reviews

Rick Hunolt returns as he joins brand new band DieHumane, describing themselves as “Avant garde, blending elements of metal, industrial, jazz and blues”. It’s a far cry from when Rick was playing guitar for Exodus, my favourite thrash metal band ever but I’m really liking the path he’s taking with …

Steven Wilson polishes and shines Gentle Giant's last great prog album - Interview

Motörhead play at a jazz festival in Switzerland and the sound of music is as fresh as a daisy!

Not so subtly named Aussie crust death noiseniks give us a suitably uncompromising full-length debut With a name like Küntsquad, you pretty much know from the name and album artwork, that this is not going to be a collection of love songs. What is laid out before us akin to …

Dutch old-school death metal maestros Bodyfarm deliver a fine fifth full length album. I’ve had this album to hand since its release back in February, but its never too late to get a review in – especially when its a bloody good un like this! Now, I shall just like …

Welcome back to The Damn Truth as the Montreal based rockers return with their both feet kicking new single ‘Lonely’, released ahead of their headlining UK July 2023 tour. Three thrilling minutes from this slow burner threatens to ignite at any time but they keep us guessing throughout as grinding …

Welcome back to The Self Titled, The Fantastic Four return with four fantastic songs recently released as an EP titled In Your Fire which certainly applies to it, point proven by opener ‘Dust Devils’ and the dust doesn’t settle as it takes no prisoners from the off on snare drum …

Kaine, the irrepressible band formed in Colchester 2009 forge on with their unrelenting five track EP Extinction After. Formed and fronted by Rage Sadler, the Bruce Banner of metal,”Don’t make him angry, you won’t like him when he’s angry!” Opening track ‘Evil I (All Hail The Evil One)’ is an …

It’s not very often I get to review music by one of my heroes, let alone them being born in the same town of Oswestry, Shropshire that sees Ian Hunter, best known as lead singer for Mott The Hoople from 1969-74 releasing his twenty third star studded solo album Defiance …

Bisongrass, a heavy metal band from Scotland and not bovine informers channel their inner Mastodon, a band not an extinct mammal with their single ‘The Beast Of L.A’, probably in Los Angeles than lower Aberdeen! I was lucky to see them supporting Anvil at the Cathouse in Glasgow 2013, giving …

A very metal welcome back to Master Charger as they return from the blackest heart of the Midlands with their first single since 2020 ‘Social Witch Hunt’. Time has not calmed them down as the trio tackle the subject of the dark side of social media and how users constantly …

Welcome back Liverpool based rockers Fugitive with new studio album Nobody Gets Out Alive released on CAT Records Music Label, an apt description of how strong this is proven by opener ‘Anything Is Possible’, a feelgood rock and roller fuelled by big fat riffs that hit hard and heavy over …

Hang onto your hearing as A Titan, A Deity return with their raging new single ‘Shattered By The Touch’. It’s definitely shattering and more brutal than just a touch as riffs of mass destruction potency writhe and churn around a seismic drum battery that’s offset by a lung shredding lead …

The history of YES over the last 20 or so years has seen more ‘Drama’ than Coronation Street and Eastenders combined.  I’m not going to go over all the details but for fans it has been a bit of a ride. Albert Tatlock and Ena Sharples have nothing on this. …

Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa returns by kicking down the doors for new single ‘I Want To Shout About It’ that’s to be featured on an upcoming studio album in 2023 on his J&R Adventures label. It’s a cover of the blues classic by Ronnie Earl And The Broadcasters that Joe …

Formed in Birmingham 2022, Vanitas first came to my attention with their highly impessive self titled four track EP and they return just under a year later with a brand new single ‘Eventum’ released on May 19th, already reaching just under three thousand YouTube views. Four furious minutes effortlessly soothe …

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed Twisted Illusion and I don’t know why but the stars have aligned once more as they have not just released their fifth studio album Upstairs To Optimism, they unleash it! Formed in Manchester 2013 by Matt Jones, his herculean work ethic has seen …

It seems rather fitting that Wolf At The Door, studio album from Trespass is released on May 26th 2023 via From The Vaults! Formed in 1979 in Sudbury, Suffolk by guitarist/vocalist Mark Sutcliffe and brother Paul Sutcliffe on drums , they embraced the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal), …

Many years ago when I started buying vinyl I would buy a live album as it’s a sort of greatest hits thing and you get to hear what they sound like onstage so fast forward about forty five years as Orange County,California based Robert Jon & The Wreck unleash their …

Welcome back to Syncolima, the curiously titled band from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire who have just released their sophomore studio album Wavelengths that features stunning artwork from Andy Pilkington at Very Metal Art , following Where The End Meets The Beginning, their 2021 debut. These ten tracks prove that they put the …