VARG – Rotkäppchen EP

‘Wolf metal’ takes a turn for the fantastical at the hands of VARG’s ‘Rotkäppchen’. Contemplate fledgling concept ‘wolf metal’ and the mental image of canine dominance and menace suitably demonstrates a visual representation of VARG’s ‘Rotkäppchen’, otherwise known as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. Hinged on a fairytale of innocence and concealed …

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The Crawling – ‘In Light Of Dark Days’ EP

Despite having only emerged from Norn Iron’s dankest extreme metal sewers within the past 12 months, The Crawling are by no means newcomers to the scene over here, with the triumvirate collectively counting nigh on four decades of experience between them.  Guitarist Andy Clarke, for example, was the cornerstone of …

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Ahab – ‘The Boats Of The Glen Carrig’

Throughout their decade long career, German doomsters Ahab have consistently displayed a fascination with both all things nautical and literary:  previous albums have been based on works such as Herman Melville’s epic ‘Moby Dick (with the band, of course, taking their name from the novel’s psychotic lead human character) and Edgar …

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Bauda – ‘Sporelights’

Bauda first came to life in 2006, ostensibly as a solo project by Chilean guitarist and vocalist César Márquez.  It wasn’t until 2012 that it became a fully formed band.  The following year, Márquez and his fellow musicians – drummer Nikolas Recabarren, bassist Juan Díaz and keyboard player Edgardo González …

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Resin – Persecution Complex

Persecution Complex is the new EP from Leicestershire band Resin.  It’s been an unsettled year for the band, with the departure of drummer Danny Finch in October last year followed by what seemed to be the end of the band in December.  That would have been a shame after a great 2014 in …

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Draconian – Sovran

          Sweden’s purveyors of Doom return with a stunning follow up to 2011’s “A Rose For The Apocalypse”. Much has happened in the Draconian camp in the intervening four years, the major upheaval of losing long time vocalist Lisa Johansson, the subsequent search for and unveiling …

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Ufomammut – Belfast, Voodoo – 6 October 2015

There are not infrequent debates on various social media channels (not least on my own Facebook page last week) about whose responsibility it is to actually promote a gig and attract fans to it.  It is an argument which I have absolutely no intention to rehearse once again on here …

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Ola Lindgren of Grave, 10/2015

Armed with an excoriating, blistering new album, titled Out Of Respect for the Dead, Sweden’s death metal monster Grave has returned. The now-legendary heavy metal genre that Grave upholds, Swedish death metal, often showcases downtuned guitars, a “buzzsaw” distorted guitar tone, mid-tempo to fast-paced songs, deep-pitched vocals, and lyrical storylines …

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Grave – Out of Respect for the Dead

Sweden’s long-running death metal stalwart act, Grave, has returned with an aggressive, pummeling new album, titled Out of Respect for the Dead. The disc is a blistering marathon through nine tunes, ranging from mid-length to a nine-plus minute epic. Recorded, mixed, and mastered at the modern, digital Studio Soulless, Out …

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Review – Mercy Isle – Storm EP

There have been some fantastic releases this year so far; one I have been eagerly awaiting is Mercy Isle’s new EP; Storm.  Having been lucky enough the last few years to see Kassandra Novell in action at Metal Female Voices Festival, I knew Mercy Isle would be something special.  Kassandra really …

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Bernie Marsden interview – Nantwich, 25/09/2015

Planetmosh talked to Bernie Marsden after his sold out gig at the Crown Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire. That was a great show Bernie. Very nice it was to. Very good, very enjoyable. With Jim Kirkpatrick, hired hand. Stripped back songs played as they were written. How do you approach acoustic gigs …

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Glenn Hughes interview, 5th October 2015

I spoke to former Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Country Communion & California Breeze  singer/bassist Glenn Hughes earlier today about his forthcoming UK tour.  You’re currently on tour in Europe and hit the UK in just under a fortnight for ten dates around the UK. Having lived in the US for so …

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Kinasis – ‘Divine Self Invention’

Sometimes a band comes across your path by seemingly the most inconceivable route.  In the case of Kinasis, that path traversed its journey from Somerset to Belfast via Dublin – and more especially one Gareth Jeffs, guitarist with extreme death groovesters Xerosun who, one day out of the blue, contacted your humble …

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