Co-headline shows are awkward beasts. And, personally, I’m not a huge fan of them… I mean, you either have a headline act or you don’t – right? Running a bill with two headliners has inherent problems – who goes on first, what happens if the opening act are better than …
Read More »Kerstin Bischof – Project Ava
Kerstin Bischof has been the singer for bands including Axxis, Lakonia, and Xandria. Recently she has focussed on her own solo work and has just released her solo album, “Project Ava”. It’s an interesting mix of metal, rock and more classical sounds. Brief comments on a few of the songs. …
Read More »Evile ‘Shout Out Against Hate’ Headlining Metal Fest in support of Amnesty International and Sophie Lancaster Foundation 24.11.12
Saturday the 24th of November, Leicester kick off a Metal Fest all dayer at Leicester Square, home to Metal Hammer’s alternative, rock and metal night Redeemer. Metal Fest was set up in aid of the Amnesty International and Sophie Lancaster Foundation, to front the night was the great supporters …
Read More »Doro photos, The Garage, London, 20th Nov 2012
Pictures taken at the Doro concert at The Garage in London on the 20th November 2012.
Read More »Nightwish – Imaginaerum – The Score
Finnish metal giants Nightwish have released the musical score to the film ‘Imaginaerum’, the final part of the overall experience that keyboard player Tumoas Holopainen wanted fans to hear. This is also the final album to feature former vocalist Anette Olzon, before she was controversially let go by the band …
Read More »Alice Cooper – Old School [Box set]
“Old School” is a 4 disc collection that spans the ten years of the Alice Cooper Group and includes a whole host of goodies spread over the four discs. This Special Edition is in its self a cut down version of the original sold-out Old School: 1964–1974 super deluxe box …
Read More »All She Wrote – Weathered
Barely a year old and already this band are planning an E.P. and a tour for next year but in the meantime they release this rather catchy little ditty accompanied by a video as well. Based in the London Boroughs All She Wrote deliver a great mix of Post-Hardcore …
Read More »BUST A MOVE – ‘There’s No Place Like Home’
Deathcore comes of age with this brutal debut album release. Germanys Bust A Move have been around for a few years now, releasing an E.P. and touring hard to both develop their style and build a strong fan base. With all that accomplished they are now able to infest the …
Read More »Magnum Manchester HMV Ritz 24/11/2012
Trillium, the band fronted by Amanda Somerville, are the special guests on the UK part of Magnums current tour. They had a good half hour set to show the crowd what they were all about. Playing Symphonic metal at a Magnum gig might have sounded like a strange idea to …
Read More »Incassum Album lanuch Club Ater Ego, Manchester 24th November 2012
Tucked away beneath the rain swept streets of Manchester, we find ourselves at club Alter-Ego, and the stage for the launch of Incassum’s second album, ‘Rite of Passage’. In support tonight are Lazarus Syndrome and Hanging Doll, both of whom, curfew or otherwise, assist in making this intimate subterranean microcosm …
Read More »Heaven’s Basement – Electric Ballroom, London – 15/11/12
Hot off supporting Halestorm on their sold out UK and Europe tour, Heaven’s Basement have barely taken a breath before joining Seether on their tour. Tonight is the first of the UK dates and Heaven’s Basement leap onto the stage fresh footed and raring to go and with ‘Unbreakable’ we …
Read More »Sodom. The Button Factory, Dublin.
Saturday 17th of November was the second date of the Dublin Thrashathon hosted by DME (Dublin Metal Events) and held in the Button Factory. Thrash Kings Sodom took over Dublin for one evening and showed us all how thrash should be done! Gospel of the Horns were a great support …
Read More »EUROPE, Manchester HMVRITZ, 22rd November 2012
Since reforming nine years ago, Europe have released four albums , all receiving critical acclaim, and selling by the truck load, ‘Last Look at Eden’ was my surprise hit of 2009, as it marked a turning point in the bands musical direction, heading more into hard edged blues territory. Paul …
Read More »Orchid – Heretic EP Review
San Francisco’s Doom masters Orchid released their latest EP “Heretic” back in September via Nuclear Blast, as a follow up to the successful album “Capricorn” that came out in 2011. Orchid’s next full length is set to be released next year. “Heretic” starts with a spoken chant before seething into …
Read More »Graspop Metal Meeting 2013
Graspop Metal Meeting 2013 will be held in Dessel Festival Park over the weekend of Friday 28 June to Sunday 30 June 2013. With leading bands from just about every metal and rock subgenre and a lineup that spans several generations of heavy music, there’s loads of fun to be …
Read More »Andi Derris, Helloween interview, London, November 2012
I recently spoke to Andi Derris, singer with German power metal band Helloween to talk about their new album, “Straight out of hell”, which is due for release in January, and also about their tour plans including who they tried to get to join them on their tour with Gamma …
Read More »The Temperance Movement – 100 Club, London – 9/11/12
Having only discovered The Temperance Movement a couple of weeks earlier, it was with eager excitement, that I headed down to London’s legendary 100 Club. Opening with the first track on their EP, I was in no doubt from the initial words and notes that I was hearing and watching …
Read More »Chillihounds – Shake your skull
“Shake your skull” is the third album from Swedish rock band Chillihounds. The album is darker and heavier than their earlier albums – as lead singer and rythm guitarist Gabriel Aadland says “Even though we’re very pleased with our previous albums, we knew we wanted to do something different this …
Read More »The Boogiemen inc. – Rocket surgery
Norwegian band The Boogiemen inc. started their careers in the early nineties as a purist Blues and Rhythm and Blues band, but ove the years they have evolved to more of a rock band in the vein of Rolling Stones or The Faces. They take influences from a range of …
Read More »The Southern Experience Band – Where I’m from
The Southern Experience Band released their debut EP (Beginnings) in 2011 and are back with their debut album. Brief comments on a few of the songs The album kicks off with a short intro before the first proper song, “Where I’m from”. It’s got a real Southern feel to it …
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