Reviews: Deep Purple, Steel Panther, Jasta, Tequila Mockingbyrd (Reviews By Paul)

Deep Purple: Infinite (earMUSIC)

Back in the 1970s, behemoths like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath released albums like clockwork every year. The grind of album, tour, album, tour clearly took its toll on these bands, as you will no doubt have seen by the various rockumentaries and autobiographies. It's been four years since Deep Purple released the excellent Now What?! With a lengthy tour lined up, is there pressure on a band of Purple's pedigree to deliver? Well, however you feel, Infinite is an absolute corker. Full of laid back bluesy explorations, The band are on top form with the duels between Don Airey and Steve Morse particularly exciting and reminiscent of the early workouts between Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord. 

Ian Gillan was always one of my favourite British singers and his performance here is fantastic. With his usual humour coming across in several of the tracks, particularly during On Top Of The World. There are no duff tracks in my opinion, with Birds Of Prey and All I Got Is You possibly the pick of the lot. The steady, reliable bass lines of Roger Glover continues to flow seamlessly with Ian Paice's jazz style drumming. Meanwhile Morse and Airey prove that age is no barrier with some stunning keyboard and guitar work. An interesting reworking of The Doors' Roadhouse Blues is also included for a bit of indulgence. It's worth making the effort to pick up the deluxe version too, as it contains four extra songs, the pick of these being the instrumental Uncommon Man which is simply superb. The band come to Cardiff in November and I for one am already excited to see them. 9/10

Steel Panther: Lower The Bar (Open E Records)

I've never been a huge fan of the glam metal scene. The hair of Crue and Poison did little for me in the 1980s although I have a fondness for the first two Crue albums and Dr Feelgood remains a total beast. Steel Panther take all the excess of that era, load it with sexist parody and continue to sell out arenas across the UK every time they tour. I have no problem with their musicianship and Satchel demonstrates once again on Lower The Bar that he can really play. Their back catalogue ranges from humorous to downright insulting (Mrs H always smiles at Glory Hole, especially when it pops up on her workout compilation). 

Lower The Bar continues in the same vein as Balls Deep and 2014's All You Can Eat with the usual range of appallingly offensive tongue in cheek lyrics. Goin' In The Back Door, Anything Goes, Pussy Ain't Free, you get the picture. The saving grace on an otherwise mediocre release is a very good cover of Cheap Trick's She's Tight which fits comfortably with the other titles (and features Robin Zander - Ed). Slightly tired, a little bit over done? The audiences appear to suggest otherwise. I just don't get it. 6/10

Jasta: The Lost Chapters (Matyr Records)

Hatebreed and Kingdom Of Sorrow from man, known to most as Jamey Jasta returns with a new solo release, The Lost Chapters. It's a tasty release if you like the rampaging beast known as Hatebreed, crushingly heavy whist maintaining the groove synonymous with Lamb Of God and the like. Vocalist Jasta is joined by bandmates Steve Gibb, Charlie Bellmore, Chris Beaudette and Nick Bellmore along with former KSE singer Howard Jones on the excellent Chasing Demons. 

You know what you are going to get with an album like this, the anthems of rebellion in songs such as Back To What Matters and Parasitic. There is also the curved ball at the end of the album with a cover of Buried Alive, which first appeared on Black Sabbath's 1992 album Dehumaniser and a very sympathetic cover it is too. I won't lie, Jasta appeals to me. The Lost Chapters is a stomping size 12 which you'll either love or hate. I fucking love it. 8/10

Tequila Mockingbyrd: Fight And Flight (Off Yer Rocka)

Since their inception in 2012, Melbourne power trio Tequila Mockingbyrd has been kicking up a storm and gaining some solid international acclaim. A number of European tour slots has raised their profile and they are on the bill at this year's Steelhouse Festival. Fight And Flight is their debut release and it sits very much in the vein of many of their countrymen. Think Airborne, think Massive and think good time rock n' roll. 

It's straight up, heads down party rock which is guaranteed to get the feet tapping. It's not brilliant throughout, with Somebody Put Something In My Drink and Why Are We Still Friends weaker than a newborn kitten. However, if you like your music simple, feisty and raucous then tracks like I Smell Rock N Roll, Everyone Down and Good Time will certainly have you grabbing for a cold one. Estelle Artois, Jess Reily and Josie O'Toole give it their all throughout. Worth a listen. 7/10

Another Point Of View: Ritual Festival 2017 (Live Review By Rich)

Ritual Festival 2017, Canal Mills, Leeds

The hottest weekend of the year and I headed up to Leeds for one of the hottest metal shows of the year - the second Ritual Festival which boasted a line up of absolute crushing heaviness and violence.

A carful of us set off from Cardiff early in the morning getting to Leeds around lunchtime. After checking into the hotel and a short taxi ride we arrived at the Canal Mills venue just before 2pm. The venue itself was brilliant - an old converted mill with plenty of space both indoors and outdoors. The main room was set up for the main stage, merchandise stalls and bar whilst a small room off to the side hosted the second stage. A sizeable outdoor area provided plenty of seating which was well used due to the fantastic weather on the day. A couple of very tasty food stalls were also located outside.

After getting my wristband and grabbing a severely overpriced drink I wandered into the second stage and caught the last couple of songs by opening band of the day Groak. This local Leeds band played an absolute crushing set of filthy sludge metal. Even though it was very early on the band had a fairly decent crowd watching. Unfortunately I only caught the last two songs of their set so don't feel I can give the band a fair score.

Next up was the first band of the day on the main stage the mighty Conjurer (9). Conjurer are one of the most exciting and essential bands in the UK metal scene right now and their short but amazing set proved just why. The band have a sound that almost defies classification as there are so many different and varied influences which the band pull upon but manage to mix together and make a sound that is very much their own. A fantastic sound complimented the bands mix of crushing sludgy riffs, atmospheric soundscapes and moments of sheer utter chaos. A great way to get this festival really going.

With such a packed out day of bands and no breaks there was no way I was going to be able to watch every band on the line up so I took advantage of a food, drink and sunshine break before heading over to the second stage to catch Corrupt Moral Altar (6). The bands mix of sludge and grindcore got the crowd going and the band had bagfuls of energy on stage but unfortunately a terrible sound mix marred what could have been a fantastic set.

Next band of interest to me were Crepitation (8). I have been waiting years to see this band ever since one of my friends showed me their material on the North-West Slam Fest split and they did not disappoint. The band play an absolutely over the top style of brutal slam death metal with some of the most ridiculous vocals you will ever hear in extreme metal. The sheer joy of their performance was the fact that the band know they are silly and totally play up to the fact getting one of the most fun and bonkers crowds of the day. The sound wasn't perfect but it didn't need to be with the sheer amount of energy and fun that Crepitation brought to their performance. If you like insanely brutal music with a sense of humour then Crepitation are a must see band.

Heading straight over to the main stage next up were Bossk (7) who provided a vast change of pace and sound. Opening with a build of shimmering post-rock guitars the band slowly but surely ramped up the heaviness with their atmospheric sludge metal sound. The band laid down a performance that was both crushingly heavy and atmospheric but after the barrage of blastbeats and brutality I had not long witnessed I found it difficult to adjust to this change of pace. A commanding performance though which went down well with the majority of the audience.

Due to some earlier bands overrunning or starting late due to technical difficulties the day was running a bit behind but it was ensured that no bands played over each other so it was straight back over to the second stage for The Afternoon Gentlemen (9). These Leeds grindcore madmen can always be relied on for a great show and this was no exception. In fact it exceeded my expectations turning out to be one of the highlights of the day. Absolute savagery, carnage and chaos played with passion and precision and with an audience hungry for blood. Absolutely sublime stuff.

Next up was my most anticipated set of the day - the mighty Anaal Nathrakh (7). Further delays due to technical issues had me almost salivating with anticipation so when they finally did hit the stage it was disappointing that the sound was so awful that I couldn't recognise the song they were playing. Also they were a guitarist down due to flight issues but not wanting to disappoint the audience the band performed as a four piece. As the set progressed the sound did improve but it was far from good with the bass cutting out for an entire song. It seemed the universe did not want Anaal Nathrakh to perform this day but the band were having absolutely none of it and forged on regardless belting out tunes such as Hold Your Children Close And Pray For Oblivion, Forging Towards The Sunset, Depravity Favours The Bold and In The Constellation Of The Black Widow. The band get ten out of ten for effort but the sound issues definitely did spoil their set.

Another break was needed so more overpriced drinks and a sit down outside was had before heading back in for All Pigs Must Die (9). Friends have raved to me for years how good this band are live and all their hype was completely justified as All Pigs Must Die played an absolutely jaw dropping set. With a sound that mixes elements of crust punk, death metal and grindcore their set was a masterclass in heaviness and a demonstration of a band at the absolute top of their game. New material was played which absolutely slayed so anticipation for the new album is very high indeed.

After what seemed like an everlasting queue at the bar I managed to scream into an incredible packed out second stage for a few songs of Misery Index. This was easily the loudest and sweatiest set of the day with an audience spilling out of the doorway and a crowd absolutely hungry for some death metal devastation. With the best sound produced on the second stage all day the band whipped up the crowed into a sweat drenched fury. Being an old git I only managed to survive the heat, chaos and sheer sonic levels for only a few songs so cannot justify scoring the band. What I saw though was utterly brilliant.

After a day of sheer heaviness, brutality and more blastbeats than I can count it was time for the days headliners the legendary Emperor frontman and progressive metal mastermind Ihsahn (9). It was an interesting choice of headliner considering the extremity of the music that had gone on beforehand throughout the day. The band seemed to be suffering power issues which delayed the set considerably with a visibly stressed Ihsahn apologising to the crowd about the delay but when the band finally started the crowd and myself were in absolute awe. A fantastic sound elevated songs such as Hiber, Until I Too Dissolve, Pressure, Frozen Lakes On Mars and My Heart Is Of The North. Very little was played from his early albums but this was more than made up for by the quality of songs played from his later albums. A fantastic end to the day.

Overall I have to say that Ritual Festival was very enjoyable. There were many sound issues and technical problems throughout the day which spoiled some sets but didn't ruin the overall experience. The venue itself was brilliant reminding me of a smaller scale Motion/Marble Factory from Bristol. The bar really needs sorting out though. The only beer or ciders they had were in cans which were £4 each and the selection was pitiful. This is a fault of the venue though and not one that can be directed towards the festival. If there are to be more Ritual Festivals then I can highly recommend visiting especially if your taste in metal is more on the extreme end of things. Roll on 2018!

Reviews: Duel, From Eden To Exile, Codex Alimentarius, SelfMachine

Duel: Witchbanger (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Review By Paul]

Back in February 2016 we were fortunate enough to grab a copy of Duel's debut Fears Of The Dead which earned an 8/10. Witchbanger picks up where we last heard the band, full of fuzzy distortion and gritty riffs. The tunes remain infectious, memorable and chunkier than a fisherman's jumper. It's only seven tracks in length but they are all footstomping tracks, which allow the Halfmann brothers to open up the throttle and the express themselves with some mighty fine fretwork. Shaun Avants' vocals are spot on, the JD soaked tonsils giving it all, especially on the title track and the bouncing Astro Gypsy. There are hooks a plenty, some right dirty soloing and overall a filthy time is had by all. If you like the hooks of Clutch and the drive of Sabbath then check out the Austin outfit. A fine follow up. 8/10

From Eden To Exile: Modern Disdain (Attic Records)

From Eden To Exile are probably not the happiest of chaps, as you can see their debut album is called Modern Disdain which would lead one to assume it's not about fluffy bunny rabbits. With Gospel Untold this is proven to be true as the brutal riffs come thick and fast trying to keep up with Liam Turland's intense drumming as Matt Dyne roars, barks and screams his way through the aggressive lyrics. FETE draw their influences from LOG, Sylosis and even Pantera as the speedy riffs give way to thundering groove as bassist Joey Jaycock, guitarists Tom Kelland and Mike Bell grind in the slower heavier skull crushing beatdowns.

Modern Disdain is a debut record built by lots of touring, the band have been featured on the Bloodstock New Blood stage and various UK tours which has made them into the explosive metal machine they are today, the songs on this record are savage each one attacking your soft fleshy bits boosted by the production of Krysthla/Gutworm man Neil Hudson means that this record crushes anything in it's wake. A strong debut that will see From Eden To Exile rise through the metal ranks rapidly. 8/10

Codex Alimentarius: The Infinite Growth Paradigm Verses Finite Resources MK.II (Self Released)

The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "Food Code") is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety. Wait...no that's not right...THIS Codex Alimentarius are a melodic death metal band from Devon (yes folks Devon), TIGPVFRMII is not really the bands second record it's a re-recorded version of their debut EP (Mk.I) which was released in 2010 and having dug through the internet and found the original you can hear the difference, this version is louder, bolder and is guaranteed to cause more devastation than before.

The music contained on these 6 tracks is the best kind of melodic death metal, the triple guitar wielding six piece utilize their unique position to it's maximum allowing them to play snarling riffs overlapped by twin axe harmonies this is at it's most evident on the epic Baptised which is probably the band's showpiece song which happily opens the EP kicking it off well. With growling vocals, the aforementioned triple guitar harmonies and blitzkrieg rhythm section Codex Alimentarius are a great band for those that love the Gothenburg sound, what they'd score on the Food Code scale is anyone's guess, but if music is food for the soul then they score a solid 7/10

SelfMachine: Societal Arcade (WormHole Death) [Review By Paul]

I'd never heard of Self Machine before but the Dutch outfit's debut certainly puts down a marker. Hailing from Tilburg, Amsterdam, the five piece outfit has been around for a few years with influences such as KSE, Soilwork and Periphery you may be unsurprised to hear that the band focus very much on the metal core type sound, thumping bass lines and razor sharp guitar work combine with the clean and growling vocals of Steven Leijen. Opener Against The Flow is a snarling powerhouse, whilst Join the Hatetrain adds in some of the more complex polyrhythms and time changes so popular in the djent movement. As the album progresses further influences become apparent with No Cliche very reminiscent of US outfit Staind. It's well constructed, with some chunky riffs and crushingly heavy parts. It's not my go to genre at any time but it's good solid stuff all the same. 7/10

Reviews: The Doomsday Kingdom, Chaos Trigger, Sinner (Reviews By Paul)

The Doomsday Kingdom: Self Titled (Nuclear Blast)

The Godfather of Doom (Doomfather-Ed), Leif Edling is back with another side project, this time the magnificent The Doomsday Kingdom. Formed in 2016 Edling is joined by Andreas Johnson (Royal Hunt) on drums, guitarist Marcus Jidell (Avatarium/Soen) and vocalist Nikolas Stalvind (Wolf). It is a mighty fine affair, full of crashing doom filled riffs, very much in the Candlemass vein but with a slightly sprightlier feel. Opener Silent Kingdom sets the scene before the enormous The Never Machine crashes in.

With his history in Candlemass, surely the forefathers of Swedish Doom and his other side project, the fabulous Avatarium (whose new release is amongst the most anticipated of the year), Edling's pedigree is unquestionable. Eight tracks, with a couple of weighty monsters such as the atmospheric The Sceptre and the epic closing track The God Particle give ample time to demonstrate Jidell's excellent guitar work whilst Stalvind's vocals fit perfectly. If you like haunting doom combined with a fresh metal edge then get yourself along and pledge allegiance to The Doomsday Kingdom. Utterly compelling. 9/10

Chaos Trigger: Degenerate Matter (Self Released)

Few bands come at you harder than South Wales's Chaos Trigger. With their industrial technical sound conjuring up comparisons with the brutality of Meshuggah, Gojira and Fear Factory, Degenerate Matter simply flattens everything in its path. The futuristic intro Skineaters segues into opening track Binary and it is then all hands to the pump as Ben Duffin-Jones snarl and growls his way through another 10 tracks of utterly destructive groove laden metal. Rust is just mind crushing, Paul Cremin and Mark Llewellyn slicing holes with their quite frightening guitar work. As the album progresses you get a sense of the power with some massive riffs and an absolute battery of drums courtesy of Bradley Kaler. It's aggressive, powerful and quite honestly just terrific. An essential listen for anyone one who loves their metal dripping with groove, and strong enough to crack concrete. 8/10

Sinner: Tequila Sunrise (AFM)

Way back in 1982 a band from Stuttgart, Germany released their debut Wild N' Evil. 35 years later Sinner, one of the main outlets for Mat Sinner (also Primal Fear) have released album no 18, Tequila Sunrise, the follow up to 2013's Touch Of Sin 2. Far removed from the speed and power of Primal Fear, Tequila Sunrise is a pedestrian affair, full of 1980s Germanic rock riffs stolen from Scorpions and Accept back in the day.

Lyrically, it's typically routine metal with Dragons and House Of Rock particularly insipid. Throw in the mandatory acoustic ballad, in this case the awful Dying On A Broken Heart and what you have here is a band that for whatever reason continue to plough their heavy metal blueprint regardless of time, fashion or record sales. In another year of top quality releases, you may wish to give this the swerve. 5/10

Reviews: Marvel Zeros, Amken, Chronosphere

Marvel Zeroes: Circus Of Karma (Self Released)

Thessaloniki rockers Marvel Heroes are an interesting prospect, their debut record Circus Of Karma is marketed as Alternative rock and yes there is an almost modern American post-grunge sound to but the band break free of barriers with an eclectic range of songs on this record, they started out as covers band and state their influences as QOTSA, RHCP, Muse, Pearl Jam, Faith No More and even Porcupine Tree! These influences explains the diversity of sounds on this record, one minute it's classic solo wielding hard rock, the next garage fuzziness Beast In Me, the RHCP is writ large on A Dream To Dream Upon and Walking On Your Knees which successfully merges classic rock with funk, there are even some electronic touches on Bridges To Burn.

This record has been built on solid gigging in their native country and has been in production since 2012, that time and experience has paid off as Circus Of Karma drew me in from the first chords, the tough rhythm section of Nick and Andy underpin the riffs of Vasilis and the synth of Chris Koim, this guitar/keys combo adds to Marvel Zeroes sonic individuality and the thick musical backing is perfect for Dimitris to show his great voice that shifts between deep crooning and roaring like the Macedonian Lion on the front cover. The band are politically charged with their lyrics especially on the powerful Human...Right? it's a great album from an interesting band that draw from numerous styles it's progressive in the sense of Muse with the music being complicated and layered but not detracting from the concise songwriting. Circus Of Karma impresses as a debut album, with the right radio play and support Marvel Zeroes could be a big hit. 8/10

Amken: Theater Of The Absurd (No Remorse Records)

Amken play blisteringly fast thrash metal that takes it's cues from the Teutonic thrash metal scene with Kreator, Destruction and Sodom the main influences wrapped up with the Californian crossover sound favoured by more recent bands such as Municipal Waste and Gamma Bomb. The musical backing moves from furiously fast to fist pumping stomps and breakdowns, the vocals are barked aided by gang vocals on D.A.P which twists and turns and leads into the doom intro of Obedient Dogs that picks up all the pace of a train rolling down a mountain with no breaks.

It's speedy proper thrash made for the live stage and as such rips and tears at it's recorded leash as much as possible the Athens four piece play like their lives depend on it, Theater Of The Absurd is a very strong debut album, the production zings, the performance is top notch and it all puts the band in a position to sound far beyond their years. With so many thrash metal albums out this year it may be hard to break through but Amken have a youthful exuberance that could see them achieve great things. 7/10

Chronosphere: Red N Roll (Punishment 18)

Unlike their Athens counterparts since their inception in 2012 Chronosphere have released three albums, Red N Roll is their third and latest, also unlike their compatriots the Athenian mob have a much heavier groove-laden start to their record but after this Demonized hastily gets things sprinting with the ferocity of Slayer and the melodic touches of Megadeth or Metallica. The vocals are cleaner on this record than Amken, Spyros' pipes working very well with the music, there are more pinched harmonics and a classic metal feel throughout especially on Picking Up My Pieces and Be The Best both of which display excellent bass playing from Kostas. Red N Roll is an album that shows how experience can affect a band, it's a professional sounding record building on the two before it and honed by touring. Chronosphere are once again another triumphant thrash metal act from the Hellas. 7/10

Reviews: The Bleeding, Aldaria, Game Over (Reviews By Rich)

The Bleeding: Rites Of Absolution (Self Released)

The Bleeding are a London based death/thrash metal band and Rites Of Absolution is their brilliant debut full length album. The Bleeding take elements of old school thrash metal and old school death metal and fuse them together resulting in an album that sounds old school and sharp and modern helped by the clear production job on the album. This is a band that isn't afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves with many of the riffs bringing to mind thrash and death metal bands from the mid eighties to early nineties.

The vocals on the album sit somewhere between a thrashy snarl and a throaty death metal scream. As a massive fan of old school thrash and death metal this album brought a huge smile to my face and will definitely appeal to fans of both subgenres. Highlights include the savage title track (which is available to stream on the band's Bandcamp page), Consumed Existence, Crook And Flail and a faithful cover of Death's Open Casket. A highly impressive and enjoyable debut album. 8/10

Aldaria: Land Of Light (Pride & Joy Music)

Aldaria are an all-star power metal supergroup masterminded by Frode Hovd of Memorized Dreams. The only solid member is Frode Hovd himself who also writes all the music but the album features a whole host of guest vocalists and musicians. On the musicians front you have guests such as Jimmy Hedlund of Falconer, Roland Grapow of Masterplan (who also mixed the album), Mike Lepond of Symphony X and Uli Kusch formerly of Helloween. On the vocalists front you have appearances from Fabio Lione of Rhapsody Of Fire, Jonas Heidgart of Dragonland and Tommy ReinXeed of ReinXeed. These are just a tiny selection of the guests involved.

The album itself Land Of Light is a concept album and uses the metal opera style previously established by Avantasia. The music throughout is symphonic power metal performed effortlessly by the plethora of talented musicians and singers involved. Unfortunately the songwriting just doesn't really hold up with very few memorable songs or melodies throughout. This album also lacks in the originality department as well with the storyline behind the concept sounding very similar to Avantasia's The Metal Opera. When this album does get to shine though it can be very enjoyable with tracks such as Guardians Of The Light, Lost In The Darkness Below and Answers In A Dream being particular highlights. When it comes to a new metal opera project comparisons with Avantasia are going to be inevitable and whilst it has its moments this album just doesn't hold up to the project which spearheads the metal opera sound.
6/10

Game Over: Blessed Are The Heretics (Scarlet Records)

Blessed Are The Heretics is the latest EP by Italian retro thrashers Game Over and they seem to have thrown in everything but the kitchen sink. The EP comprises of a brand new song, an Italian language re-recording of an old song, a cover song and a bunch of live tunes. Things get off to a start with the new song which is the title track of the EP which is a nice melodic mid paced thrasher with plenty of crunch. Following that is Mai Più which is an Italian version of No More off the Burst Into The Quiet EP which doesn't really add anything to the original.

The most interesting track on the album is the thrash metal cover of You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) by Dead Or Alive which although a strange choice for a thrash cover actually really works. The live tracks that follow are chock full of energy and of good recording quality. Blessed Are The Heretics is a nice selection of odds and ends from Game Over but is an unessential release and one really only for hardcore fans of the band. 6/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Blackberry Smoke (Live Review By Paul)

Blackberry Smoke & The Biters - O2 Academy, Bristol

It's been over six months since Atlanta's Blackberry Smoke released their country rock Like an Arrow, a fine release that moved more toward the country than the rock. That may be the case on record, but live, these boys continue to demonstrate that they can shake it with the best of them. Our last encounter with the band was a raucous London Forum gig back in November 2015, and the delight at finally getting the band on the doorstep, albeit the travel challenging O2 Academy in Bristol was unrestrained.

The Smoke usually have a decent support act worth forgoing a pint or two in order to get in early doors. In 2015 it was the excellent The Record Company (see our recent review of their show at The Fleece a few weeks ago) and on this tour it was their fellow  brethren Biters (7) who opened the evening. A very healthy crowd had gathered, no doubt lured in partly by a band who are getting some big plaudits within the Classic Rock fraternity but also by the sneaky opening of doors at 7pm for an 8pm start.

Led by the very visual and energetic Steven Tyler styled Tuk Smith, Biters sound mixes Cheap Trick, Bowie, The Sweet, Slade and the New York Dolls. They put a sterling effort into their 40 minute set, with some early crowd participation and an amusing anecdote about a surprising hand job for their merchandising man in Helsinki keeping the interest. Musically they are extremely competent, with guitarist Matt Gabs showing some great chops, especially in the extended guitar duel with Smith on final track 1975. Ultimately, the band appeared to be showing the strains of a long tour, with a slightly forced effort pushing them towards appearing more British than they needed, something that they will never comfortably achieve. A rousing reception alright, but not a band that had me racing to the merch stall to pick up their latest CD for.

We've written about the live show of Blackberry Smoke (9) twice before in the Musipedia. My two previous encounters in Birmingham and London saw the Georgia outfit increase the quality at each show and once again they proved to be a superbly slick outfit. A set which consisted close to 20 songs, lasted close to two hours and crammed full of Smoke classics old and new. Their set was bookended with Fire In The Hole and Ain't Much Left Of Me. In between, the band, led by the utterly captivating Charlie Starr ploughed through a perfectly paced set which picked up tempo for the traditional mid-set musical diversion of Sleeping Dogs which segued into Zeppelin's Your Time Is Going To Come, slowed perfectly for Ain't Got The Blues and Sunrise In Texas before a wonderful climax of The Move's California Man, One Horse Town and the aforementioned Ain't Much Left Of Me which allowed guitarist Paul Jackson to show once more that he isn't here just to add those delicious backing vocals. 'too country to be called rock, too rock to be called country' said the t-shirt. All I know is that this is a band slowly easing into their rightful place at the top table. Stunning stuff.

Reviews: The Texas Flood, Pokerface, Michael Schenker

The Texas Flood: Overworked And Underpaid (Off Yer Rocka)

When you name your band after the debut album of one of the greatest blues-rock players of all time (the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughn) you need to impress and on their debut album Young Dogs, Old Tricks they showed talent that was evidently there if not totally recognised. Overworked And Underpaid changes that from the opening line of "I come up smelling roses" the band have discovered a newfound sense of dirty grit. Funky basslines mix with strutting blues guitar for the best for the kind of foot shuffling blues rocking SRV was renowned for. As I've said Roses kicks off the record in fine style with filthy bass driven rocker kudos to Ben Govier, it's followed by Treading Water which is based around Tom Williams giving it all of the cowbell (and you can never have enough of that folks).

This Port Talbot three piece really know how to rock out, in true power trio style all three of them function like clockwork Govier and Williams laying the intricate base for Tom Sawyer's Southern (Welsh) drawl and excellent guitar playing. Overworked And Underpaid sits as the end of transitionary period for the band, they've grown considerably as a band and their songwriting has benefitted, there is a sense of lamentation to the countryfied Forget About You, a boogie to Up In Smoke and they ramp up the swagger on Ain't No Cowboy. On Overworked And Underpaid The Texas Flood have upped their game significantly it looks like The Texas Flood can stand the weather and they are here to stay. 8/10

Pokerface: Game On (M&O Music)

Russian thrashers Pokerface's second album has been two years and numerous ex members in the making, since the debut record (reviewed in these pages) the front of stage line up has been replaced wholesale with only bassist Doctor and drummer Free Rider remaining from the first album. The new arrivals to the group include Vadim Whitevad on rhythm guitars and six string vixen Xen Ritter on lead guitars with former singer Delirium Tremens being replaced by the enchanting Alexandra Orlova.

Beware though folks as just because this band features two ladies they aren't some symphonic/Gothic metal act this is flesh ripping thrash at it's most violent with ear-splitting riffs, bone crunching rhythm sections and demonic vocals from Alexandra, imagine Arch Enemy but with a D.I.Y attitude and you'll be near, there seems to be a theme of gambling running through the record with tracks named Play Or Die, Blackjack, Straight Flush and Jackpot but in the maelstrom of lightning speed riffage, roars and barks and blast beats any lyrics are rendered almost indecipherable by the scratchy production still if you want explosive thrash metal grab your dice and take a punt on Game On. 6/10

Michael Schenker: Fest Live (Inakustik) [Review By Paul]

Old school reunions and retro outfits are all the rage these days. Rock and metal fans seem to be unable to satisfy their thirst for the "good old days". The recent Thunder tour is an example of this, with sell out arenas throughout the UK. The adulation that The Dead Daisies continue to receive continues to bewilder me. It's not just here though, as this album proves. The Japanese have always loved German guitarist Michael Schenker, in that strange obsessional way that they love Cheap Trick amongst others. Back in 1982, the MSG double live release Live At Budokan was a must have release. Full of early classic MSG tracks, it was a demonstration of how exciting the band were ... at the time. Since then, Schenker has travelled a varied path, with his most recent line ups headlining Hard Rock Hell and Steelhouse a few years ago along with support slots to Priest as well as Academy sized headline shows.

So, what a wheeze to regurgitate the original band and add on a few extras to make a few more quid, because that is exactly how Fest Live comes across. Recorded live at the International Forum in Tokyo on 24 August 2016, it features original vocalist Gary Barden, Graham Bonnett who appeared solely on Assault Attack and Robin McCauley who formed the McCauley Schenker Group which lasted from 1986 to 1992. It also features drummer Ted McKenna, bassist Chris Glenn and Steve Mann on keys and rhythm guitar. Fest Live highlights many things. Firstly, Gary Barden isn't a great singer. He never had a particularly powerful voice and it shows here as he strains his way through Attack Of The Mad Axeman, Victim Of Illusion, Cry For The Nations and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

Secondly, Graham Bonnett's contribution to MSG was limited in both time and quality. Assault Attack is solid but Dancer is and always has been rubbish. Thirdly Robin Mcauley wrote some of the blandest songs ever recorded. Name one that stands out amongst the Schenker catalogue? Fourthly, metal Mikey remains a superb guitarist. His work throughout is as abstract and unconventional as ever. He remains one of my all time favourites. Fifth, only Phil Mogg should sing Rock Bottom, Doctor Doctor and Shoot Shoot. The climax to the show with all three vocalists brutalising Doctor Doctor in that horrible karaoke style is the only proof I need. Singing "nah nah nah nah " over the start is unforgivable. Sixth, the early MSG did have some great tunes. The aforementioned Attack Of The Mad Axeman remains a real rocker. And finally, Glenn and McKenna are a formidable engine room. Overall this album appears to be a record of days which are very much viewed through rose tinted spectacles. It's a bit meh. 5/10

Reviews: Darkest Hour, Evocation, Crystal Viper (Reviews By Paul)

Darkest Hour: Godless Prophets And The Migrant Flora (Southern Lord)

Over 20 years and on album number 9, Washington DC's Darkest Hour return with a chaos filled battering which takes their death metal influences and once more mixes them with brutal metalcore. It's hardcore stuff from start to finish, John Henry's death vocal unrelenting whilst the duel guitar of original member Mike Schleibaum and Michael Cardigan split the eardrums. What's most impressive is the pace of this monster. It just comes at you like a runaway truck. Knife In The Safe Room, Those Who Survived and Another Headless Ruler Of The World all crush. The instrumental pause for breath, Widowed, is welcome respite from the carnage mid-album but also shows off the guitarists gentler side. With blistering speed, intensity and energy that you could power a city from, this is a monster of a release. 8/10

Evocation: The Shadow Archeytpe (Metal Blade)

More death metal from Scandinavia , this time it's Boras, Sweden and the throbbing pulse of Evocation. Heavy as the proverbial bag of anvils, the fifth release and first since 2012's Illusions of Grandeur is an absolute beast. Thomas Josefsson's guttural roars mix with the huge sound of Per Moller Jensen's machine gun drumming, Gustaf Jorde's rampaging bass lines and the slicing guitar work of Marko Palmen and Simon Exner to create a sound that assaults indiscriminately. Condemned To The Grave, Modus Operandi and the sheer monsterous size of Children Of Stone open the release with no mercy provided. This is solid, assured death metal which melts your face off. Children Of The Stone in particular is a huge number, giant slabs of riffs cut across land masses and rip continents apart. If you fancy an aural pummelling then get a bit of this bad boy on the CD player. 8/10

Crystal Viper : Queen Of The Witches (AFM)

Unless you are the Ed there may be a strong chance that Katowice's Crystal Viper may be slightly left field of your metal radar. Pick up a copy of their sixth album, Queen Of The Witches and that might change. Playing traditional heavy metal with a power metal edge, There is a straight forward approach which is straight out of the 1980s. Several tracks unashamedly plagiarise the Iron Maiden riff locker. I Fear No Evil and the Charlotte The Harlot pinched riff in Burn My Fire Burn are just two examples. Add in a bit of Judas Priest circa Painkiller and you have a pretty good understanding of what to expect. Having said that, it is well played and composed, and if you like your metal in the meat and two veg section with some incredibly powerful vocals courtesy of Marta Gabriel then this may be right up your street. It certainly isn't original and you could get a bit peeved at the clear theft of many riffs. However, I'd crack open a beer, put on your bullet belt and battle jacket and raise your fists to the air in celebration of all things metal. 6/10

Reviews: Troubled Horse, Nightmen, Emerald, Death Blooms

Troubled Horse: Revolution On Repeat (Rise Above Records)

Here's a band that have risen from the figurative ashes, Troubled Horse's debut album in 2012 saw them arrive, raise retro hell and then leave to little or no bluster. After a period of quietness the noise has come once again and it's full of the typical Swedish riff-worship you'd expect from bands such as Graveyard. The Filthy Ones is a furious twisting hard rocker, Which Way To The Mob is a more psychedelic influenced and features some sweet howling guitar solos and frantic drumming.

The five years between album one and album two has not been wasted on Revolution On Repeat the songs zing with a knowing look to the past but modern production, they straddle psych, rock and metal with trippy sections on The Haunted which also displays excellent wide eyed vocals and a massive slab of doom on the Sabbathy Track 7. Troubled Horse's second album is more nuanced than the first, it takes a few listens to really hear everything and sees the band spreading their wings a bit lets hope this second record brings a UK leg of the tour. 7/10

Emerald: Reckoning Day (Pure Steel Records)

Emerald were not a name I'd heard of when I picked up this record, after a bit of research, I found that they are Swiss power metal band and have been doing the rounds since 1995, their debut was released in 1999 and they have released 6 albums. They also suffer from a curse that affects a lot of power metal bands, this is that they seem to have had numerous members throughout their history, the most notable being Thomas Winkler who is now more famously the vocalist of Gloryhammer.

The two consistent members throughout have been brothers Michael and Thomas Vaucher who are the founders of the band and take the roles of guitarist and keyboardist within the band. This album illuminates the personnel problems with former vocalist George Call taking the mic for three songs with the rest sung by new vocalist Mace Mitchell, the rest of the band has changed since their last album (in 2012) with only the Vaucher brothers and drummer Alex Spicher remaining.

Taking up the other guitar role is Julien Menth and on bass is Vania Truttmann and they slot into Emerald's "Pure Fucking Heavy Metal" assault perfectly adding the to the furious rhythms and twin axe attack you'd expect. With a long time to write this album, there was clearly no lack of inspiration as it's 15 songs long. The first seven have no thematic link other than the usual power metal trademarks but the final part of the album is part of a suite that deals with The Burgundian Wars (1474-1477) a conflict between the Dukes Of Burgundy and The Old Swiss Confederacy. The vocals are nearly indistinguishable both sky scraping and the songs are at the heavier end of the traditional metal spectrum, Reckoning Day sees Emerald return with a vengeance, it may be a bit too long for some but  it has lots more killer than filler. 7/10

Nightmen: Can't Avoid Success (Lövely Records)

I reviewed the first Nightmen record Fifteen Minutes Of Pain very favourably, I really enjoyed their spunky, garage rock n roll, dual vocals and catchy shout along choruses. It was a record that stunk of cheap leather and channeled Cheap Trick and The Ramones with powerful pop melodies merging with four-chord riffs. Well Nightmen are back with their second full length album and it sounds as if they have mellowed and matured a bit, Can't Avoid Success was recorded in a farmhouse and the pastoral surroundings have obviously rubbed off on the band as this time under the leather jackets are Hawaiian shirts.

This record is much more pop-centric with the Surf-Guitar of Link Wray or the Ventures a major influence throughout, this time the album is more The Ramones jamming to Beach Boys records as the sounds of the 60's California are writ large on Can't Avoid Success. The spikiness is still here but it's been softened a bit by the breezy pop melodies, whether this is for the better or worse is your own opinion but I'd like to hear just a bit more snarl on this second record still these Swedes have captured the essence of the era well. 7/10

Death Blooms: S/T (Self Released)

Having toured with Skindred, DOPE, Raging Speedhorn, Anti-Clone Death Blooms have been tearing up the UK live scene for a while now so here's an EP for everyone to see what the fuss is about Hate:Die opens the record with brutal riffs, hardcore scarred vocals and big breakdowns. Death Blooms are band for fans of While She Sleeps and Beartooth, it's modern alternative metal with lots of sounds from the 'core' scene that has sprung up since the beginning of this decade, this is evident on the fat riffs of Last Ones which has the duality of the guttural roars, a melodic clean chorus and a lot of chugging, while I'm Dead is a Slipknot-like call to arms. Death Blooms are a defiantly modern band, an angry, dark EP that features four slabs of melodic extremity that may get them a lot more recognition. 6/10