Album Reviews

Since forming in Birmingham in 2008, Dakesis released an EP and their debut studio album Trial By Fire by 2011and it shows the confidence that they have in themselves to follow these up with a 78 minute long concept album titled The New Dawn. Concept albums can strike fear to …

Kentucky is in their blood, many fans hankered after the sound of Black Stone Cherry’s self-titled debut and with their move to Mascot Records BSC were able to return home to where it all started. Whilst their last two albums sought to bring forward more American radio friendly songs, it …

                      Sister Rose will soon be celebrating their 40th Anniversary having been formed back in 1978 by three musicians from Ramsbottom. Pete Nicolson on vocals/bass, Craig (Clanger) Fearnley on guitar and Johnny Jackson on drums. Despite having gone through various line up changes, and …

With four previous full-length releases under their belt, Italy’s Black Rainbows are becoming a contender on the psych/stoner/blues rock scene, and for good reason. Stellar Prophecy sees them reaching for new heights. Stellar Prophecy, unfortunately, opens with what are (in my opinion) the two weakest tracks; “Electrify” and “Woman.” They …

The Stone Foxes are currently celebrating the physical release of their fourth studio album entitled Twelve Spells, which was officially released on Friday 18th March in the UK. The album is a compilation of thirteen tracks, made up from fan favourites, new material, and recently publicised singles. In the climate …

They say it takes a lifetime to write your first album and 18 months to write the second. Given the overwhelming reaction to Babymetal’s self-titled debut, the pressure the girls, their backing Kami band and management would have been under to produce a second of the same quality must have bordered …

Joe Bonamassa is back with a new studio album “Blues of Desperation” which features all-new material, and once again is produced by Kevin Shirley. Recorded in just five days in Nashville, Joe delivers eleven stunningly good original tracks, backed by the dual drummers, Anton Fig and Greg Morrow, bassist Michael Rhodes, …

This was recorded at Danko Jones third appearance at Wacken last year and captures the enigmatic front man at his best.  So far Danko’s quirky, alternative, electric personality has seen him become an independent commentator, spoken word artist and columnist for The Huffington Post. On this though, he is the …

Hailing from Warsaw, Poland, Sunnata have been carving a niche for themselves in the noise/post metal scene since 2008. Blending several different textural ideas, they most certainly bring something new to the table, but does it all work? Sunnata begin Zorya with the multi-layered post metal dirge of “Beasts of …

Slabdragger return with a truly monolithic new release in the form of Rise of the Dawncrusher. With songs upwards of fifteen minutes, this release takes you through a journey of not just the concept, but heavy music itself. Strap yourselves in and hold on tight, this is a long album. First up is …

Irish death-groove trio Dead Label return with their second album, Throne Of Bones. Recorded at East West Studios on Sunset Boulevard towards the end of last year, it sees the band maturing into a well-oiled machine. Dead Label toured sections of the States between their visits to the studio and …

I have to start this review by saying it was actually very hard for me to write. As a massive fan of Mr Wildheart I really wanted to be objective about this – after all if we all liked the same music you’d never argue with your friends or be …

Jesus Chrüsler Supercar are a trio of death ‘n’ rollers from Stockholm.  They play energetic, vibrant rock mixed with punk fury, with references to death and thrash metal, and even a hint of stoner mixed with grunge.  They play it loud.  VERY loud.  And they play it fast.  VERY fast. …

While Post Pop Depression has been billed as a collaboration, it’s Iggy Pop‘s name on the album’s marquee and spine. Producer, multi-instrumentalist, and co-writer Joshua Homme and Pop are both revered musicians and celebrated collaborators in their own realms. Homme worked with John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl in Them …

With this, the the band’s tenth album, Amon Amarth take their penchant for their epic evocations and retelling of the ancient myths and sagas, the feats of bravery and heroism which soak the bloodstained page of their homeland’s history, to next level by producing their first concept album.  Based around …

The lads from Germany are back with their new full length album “Starless.” I am going to go track by track as there is a lot to say and some of is not good. The main issue here is tone and the feel of the album. There are points on this …

                  Once seen, never forgotten, could be said of Spunk Volcano the larger than life guitarist from Midlands Punk Rock band Dirt Box Disco. He of the one-eyed, safety pinned balaclava with inbuilt orange woolly mohawk does his bit to keep the …

The new album from Ben Poole opens with the hard hitting “Lying To Me” a big, powerful, rocking number with a steady, hard bluesy riff and serious soloing which certainly grabs your attention. “I Think I Love You Too Much” slows things down a notch or two, and on this …

Boss Keloid are fast becoming a strong contender in the sludge/stoner/doom community throughout the UK. Having shared stages with the likes of Gurt, Slabdragger and Raging Speedhorn, they are on their way to changing the shape of the sludge sound with intelligent writing and impressive vocals. Boss Keloid begin with a huge slab of sludge in …

      Sometimes, just now and again, an album comes by that makes you want to do bad stuff. With ‘Wrank’, Mastiff have achieved that status   It has been said that Edvard Munch played this album on his iPod shuffle as he created and painted ‘The Scream’ in …