The Bronx / Torche – Belfast, Limelight 1 27/05/2015

This evening’s gig – featuring the somewhat ironically named LA punks The Bronx and Florida-based grinders Torche – was originally scheduled to be two separate affairs, with the two bands playing in neighbouring venues within the same complex.  However, the promoters – and, co-incidentally, the venue owners – quickly managed …

Read More »

Helloween – My God Given Right

It’s been the best part of 25 years since I was first introduced to Helloween back in the late eighties. I remember being blown away by, at the time, these Germanic speed metal merchants that were something akin to Maiden but with pace and even more wonderful vocal and guitar …

Read More »

Graveyard Johnnys – Dead Transmission

Graveyard Johnnys a Punk/Psychobilly trio from Chepstow formed in 2008. With a self-funded EP, ‘Streetblock and City Lights’ and debut album ‘Songs From Better Days’ already under their belts. A few line-up changes along the way, they released their latest offering ‘Dead Transmission’ via Bomber Music on the 11th May …

Read More »

Kamelot – Haven

After the comeback with the album Silverthorn in 2012, Haven is the 11th studio offering from Kamelot and the 2nd album to feature vocalist Tommy Karevik. In this album I feel Karevik has really established he is exactly where he belongs in Kamelot; by having more input in the writing …

Read More »

Babymetal – Babymetal

People adore them, people despise them and some people don’t want to know about them because they’re still as confusing as ever. Whatever your opinion though, the bottom line is that Babymetal have been the most talked about band for the past 18 months and have surpassed everything we thought …

Read More »

Doomsday Outlaw – Black River

@planetmosh reviews Black River by .@DoomsdayOutlaw Doomsday Outlaw are a five piece from Derby who went into the studio to produce this, their debut album after reaching the East Midlands finals of Metal to the Masses but narrowly missing out on a spot at Bloodstock Open Air in 2014.  Fast forward …

Read More »

Captain Horizon – Imitation Sun

The second full length album from Birmingham based Captain Horizon sees them stretching their musical boundaries even more. Released on May 11th 2015 via Rocksector Records and a well attended album launch/gig in Birmingham on May 22nd shows the leaps and bounds they are making since they were formed by …

Read More »

Vardis – Queens Hall, Nuneaton, 16/05/2015

2015 started badly for Vardis when drummer Gary Pearson, who had doggedly searched for guitarist Steve Zodiac to reform the band again after a 30yr hiatus, decided to quit after the band had only been back together for almost 2yrs. Fans wondered what the future would hold but a few …

Read More »

Midnight Odyssey – Shards Of Silver Fade

  Sometimes, just sometimes, when the celestial bodies align , on a clear moonlit night I’ll find myself drawn to the coast. To sit on rocky cliff tops and gaze out onto the ocean, to ponder humanity’s foibles and achievements, as the white Lunar rays dance and skip on the …

Read More »

Entrails – Obliteration

Fans of the original wave of Swedish death metal are in for a treat, from Entrails‘s latest release, Obliteration. As the band says, it’s ten tracks of “death metal and nothing else.” Entrails formed around the same time that bands like Entombed and Grave were just beginning to garner some …

Read More »

Various – ‘Snuff Fetish Infection’

There is something morbidly fascinating about goregrind.  It’s a musical sub-genre which often inhabits the darker, more taboo elements of the human psyche, addressing lyrical issues which many, more mainstream, artists only dare to skirt around with the comparative finesse of a housewife cleaning her most precious porcelain compared to …

Read More »

War Iron – Belfast, TBWNN 15/05/2015

It’s the middle of May and spring is supposed to have sprung with summer allegedly around the corner – but, guess what?  It’s feckin’ freezin’ and it’s sheeting it down – so, there’s nothing else to do but forsake the backyard barbecue for another weekend, plunge out into the night …

Read More »

Raven – ExtermiNation

Formed in 1974 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by brothers John and Mark Gallagher, Raven have stuck to their guns through thick and thin resulting in their 13th studio album release ExtermiNation currently available via SPV/Steamhammer Records. Fan friendly formats include a CD Digipack with bonus track ‘Malice In Geordieland’ and …

Read More »

Neal Schon – Vortex

After selling upwards of 80 million albums as a part of rock titan Journey, guitarist Neal Schon has released his latest solo offering, Vortex. For Vortex, a two disc set, Schon was joined in the studio by keyboardist Igor Len, and fellow Journeyman, drummer Steve Smith. Schon has the freedom and the space to explore …

Read More »