Reviews: Avenged Sevenfold, Trouble, Jettblack

Avenged Sevenfold: Hail To The King (Warner Bros.)

A7X return with their second album since the death of their drummer Jimmy 'The Rev' Sullivan and this one is not the tribute that Nightmare was this is a band finding their sound again. From the bell tolling, Sabbath-like intro to Shepard Of The Fire which bursts into a riff that Metallica would be proud of, this then moves into the first single Hail To The King which is classic A7X with some tasty guitar work from Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates. These similarities can be forgiven if it was one or two tracks however it does become abundantly clear that it is every track yes this is an album is full of well written metal tracks well played however it does all sound very familiar, like I said the first two tracks are Metallica, Doing Time is a G'N'R track from the Appetite For Destruction era, and the album continues in this way with This Means War being Sad But True under another name. They have the obligatory ballad in Crimson Day which is Sweet Child 'O Mine I'm afraid. So yes this has been hailed as A7X best album and it did go to number one however this might be because the album is essentially a covers album bringing together Metallica and G'N'R tracks but with different lyrics. If it was a homage I could deal with it however this seems to be an outright rip off of classic bands work. 5/10 

Trouble: The Distortion Field (FRW Records)

Doom metal veterans Trouble return with their first album of new material since 2007's Simple Mind Condition. It also sees a new vocalist at the for front long gone is the original doom monger Eric Wagner and also his ill-advised replacement Warrior Soul's Kory Clarke; in their place is former Exhorder, Alabama Thunderpussy and Trouble live vocalist Kyle Thomas who brings his burly Anselmo-esque singing to the 'White Metal' attack. So what is the first Trouble release without Wagner at the helm like? Well musically it's big doomy, Sabbath worshiping riffs that kick off with When The Sky Comes Down and move swiftly into the swinging Paranoia Conspiracy. The guitars of Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin bring the down dirty doom riffs and Thomas does a great job on this album, I've always loved his voice and I actually prefer it Anselmo's, he brings a real Southern style to the quicker tracks like Sink Or Swim and also the mega doom monsters like One Life. Yes there are many bands doing the doom at the moment but Trouble are up there as legends of the genre. At 13 tracks you get a lot of Trouble for your money and even for fans that are late to the party this album is a notable addition to the Trouble catalogue and shows they still have it. 7/10 

Jettblack: Black Gold (Spinefarm Records)

British macho rock exponents Jettblack have released this album based around a song from their last album Raining Rock usually this would be a stopgap E.P however this album has 13 tracks made up of unreleased tracks, covers and acoustic versions two of these are versions of the song Black Gold one is the full length version and the other is an edited version that featuring Damon Johnson from Black Star Riders, if I'm honest the full version is better however the rest of the album has some real highlights. Feel The Love and Weapon are both full power electric Jettblack songs that are full of the macho almost chauvinistic lyrics that Jettblack are known for. Feel The Love has a special guest in the shape of Deep Purple's Ian Paice who provides the skins for the song, which makes it sound like Fireball. The acoustic versions of their songs are all very good as they all translate very well to the acoustic style with Not Even Love still having the emotional power of the electric version. The covers are a slightly patchier story, Let Me Put My Love Into You (AC/DC) has been previously released and is a good fit for Will Stapleton's voice as is Name In Vain (Motorhead) too which they bring the punk power of Lemmy and co, on the other hand their cover of Barracuda is well played turning it metallic but neither Will or Tom's vocals will be able to match Ann Wilson but they put their own spin on it I suppose. A good stop gap, that is a money making exercise yes, but one that will keep fans happy. 7/10 

Reviews: Volture, Lancer, Sign Of The Jackal

So I thought with this review I'd bring together a few retro/trad metal revivalists for one review, because I'm a bit of a fan of tight jeaned, bullet belted metal!

Volture: On The Edge (High Roller Records)

High Roller Records is quickly becoming the place for retro infused sneaker wearing metal with the likes of Enforcer and Axxion on its role call you can now add to that list Volture who play twin guitar infused trad-metal. The band hail from Virginia and are the brainchild of guitarist Nick Poulos and Ryan waste who plays bass in this project but most will know him as the guitarist of crossover thrash maniacs Municipal Waste. The album is full of hard hitting anthems full of scything guitars from Poulos and partner in crime Dave Boyd, rumbling galloping bass from Waste, smashing drums and some high vocals from singer Jack Bauer (no not that one). From the opening riff of the title track you know what you are going to get but this album stands above many others in this genre as the band have the hallmarks of early Maiden or Priest but with a distinctly European flavour of Enforcer despite being from America. The song lyrics as per usual with trad metal are about bikes, women and the joys of heavy metal and with song names like Ride The Night and Desert Pursuit the band focus more on the Iron Horse, with Desert Pursuit sounding like it should feature on Killers in fact it’s the early Maiden influence that is the most overriding sound on this album, yes the songs are samey but Volture deliver them masterfully meaning that this album is definitely one to pick up for retro fans. 8/10    

Lancer: S/T (Doolittle Group)

In a slight change of style Swede's Lancer are from the power/speed school of metal but they maintain the trad-metal sound of dual guitars etc. The album kicks off with Purple Sky which features a dual guitar rundown for the main riff, some cracking drumming from Sebastian Pedernera, and classic European-style vocals of Isak Stenvall who sounds a lot like Timo Kotipelto from Stratovarius and in places like fellow Swede Joey Tempest. In fact the band sound a lot like early Stratovarius albeit without the massive keyboard passages that Strato are known for. They do however fill their songs with guitar solos (see The Exiled) rampaging blast beats (Young And Alive) and even some progressive influences on the 7 minute plus Seventh Angel which is a ballad that Timo Tolkki would be proud of (and features some keys!). The production is not as crisp as Strato (and nowhere near as clean as Europe's) but with big backing choruses and lots of meaty guitar action this is a solid power metal album that will entice completists. 7/10    

Sign Of The Jackal: Mark Of The Beast (High Roller Records)

Another treat from High Roller this time with more of an occult vibe, so you need to be thinking Angel Witch, Mercyful Fate, Withcfinder General, Venom and more recently In Solitude. In a twist of (Mercyful) fate though the banshee at the microphone, is not some tall, dark stranger but a small perfectly formed woman; in the shape of Laura Coller who howls the occult lyrics over the retro metal blast. Coming from Italy the band should be well acquainted with the works of Satan and with tracks like Hellhounds, Night Of The Undead and Queens Of Hell they are defiantly in the Angel Witch school of occult metal. The album is good with lots of little B-movie references sprinkled throughout (and lots of Italian) it makes for an authentic 80's sound, obviously you know what the music sounds like but it’s the vocals that will make or break this album, you will either love them or hate them but still in the right frame of mind and with Halloween on its way this is one to put on at a party. 6/10  

The View From The Back Of The Room: Attica Rage

Attica Rage, Tidal & Black Light Machine; Bogiez Cardiff

So into Bogiez again for another night of heavy metal, this time the headliners were Scottish road dogs Attica Rage and support was coming from to local bands.

Black Light Machine

Swansea's Black Light Machine play riff heavy metal with some progressive influences. However from the off it was clear that something was wrong as the band did sound a little out of sync, this may have been because of the lack of Chris Angelow's lead guitar which had been waylaid by some technical hitches, the sound engineer John valiantly tried to make BLM sound as good as possible through the trouble but ultimately the first two songs felt a little flat due to just having the one guitar. However when normality resumed the band continued with their riff driven metal. Frontman Andy Markin has a strong keening voice and lays down a functional rhythm on guitar that adds to the powerful rhythm section, however despite their prowess as a band a few of their songs did drag on a little too much, there is a fine line between progressive and boring. A good opening set that was plagued by some pretty major problems. 6/10

Tidal

Another Swansea based band in the shape of Tidal who have groove laden classic hard rock that spans Led Zeppelin, Clutch and even throws in some funk and blues into the proceedings. The band stormed through songs from their debut album, whipping those that were near the front into some serious head-banging. The band are made of Adam Vaughn's guitar prowess melding light and shade, dirty riffs and soaring solos, the drums of Joe Wilkes were tight propulsive and in places deafening, through Caged Bird, Like The Wind and Beautiful Ugliness the band rarely let the pace drop except when needed and were driven by the ripping bass of man-mountain Joe Lewis and huge range of Adam Payne who has a cracking voice that can hit stratospheric high notes and also has some great stomping and leg shaking on the guitar solos and lead breaks. Their set was over in a flash and by the time The Tide was played the band had won over the crowd that were there with their excellent groove filled hard rock sound and great live performance that should be in arenas. 9/10

Attica Rage

Attica Rage have been doing the rounds for a few years now and have gathered a loyal cult following due to their relentless touring and no nonsense attitude. The band have the ethos of Lemmy and co which is; plug in, shut up and play Rock N Roll in its purest form, big dirty riffs, pounding rhythms, shouted vocals and bags of attitude. I know very little about the songs they played but what I could tell is that they were all big, heavy biker rock anthems, delivered with authenticity and gusto, that got the partisan crowd going, the set came from their three albums with a focus on their latest release 88 MPH and they built the set up to a great crescendo of their anthem Back To The Old School. The band were very professional and obviously honed from their years of touring meaning they had razor  sharp delivery but enough louche-ness to be an authentic hard rocking hard drinking band. Together Jonny, Ritchie, Stevie and Colin make a hell of a racket that is enough to get the heads banging and the fists pumping. They also do a heavy metal version of Crazy Horses which was very silly but still heavy as hell! 8/10 

Out Of The Beyond 28

So I haven't done one of these for a while but I've managed to pick up three great albums that many of you might have missed. So without further ado...

Morpheus Rising: Let The Sleeper Awake (2011)

Morpheus Rising are a British Rock band, from North Yorkshire, that bring a myriad of influences to the table covering NWOBHM, elements of prog and the post millennial metal of bands like Alter Bridge (most notably on opener Daylight). They have been supporting bands from the British prog circles with The Reasoning, Panic Room, despite this they are not a prog band, yes they have progressive influences but they are more hard rock/heavy metal inclined. After losing their original vocalist the creation of this album stalled until they were joined by Si Wright, who is a perfect fit with his muscular, burly scream that immediately grabs you with its power, range and uniqueness, at certain points he's Biff Byford and at others he's Graham Bonnet. Musically the band have killer dual guitar attack from Damien James Sweeting and Pete Harwood (who is pulling double duty as part of Panic Room) that has Messer's Smith and Murray written all over it, lots of syncopated dual riffage and killer solos that really sizzle from the fret board, they are backed by Paul Gibbons who smashes his kit with aplomb throughout and Mostly Autumn's Liam Smith on bass who does his best Steve Harris impression throughout and shows of his chops on Those Who Watch. The songs are amazing with the heavyweight title track stomping like Godzilla in a marching band, Lord Of The North which half inches the riff from Ozzy's No More Tears, the melodic Shades Of Grey which would be at home on one of last couple of Maiden albums, very progressive with thought provoking lyrics. This album is full of some top notch heavy metal, lots of light and shade, power and progressive prowess. It brings to mind the classics of Maiden and Priest and even Thin Lizzy on Fighting Man but mixes them with the modern influences to make this album an absolute cracker! 9/10

Sebastien: Tears Of White Roses (2010)

Sebastien are a Czech power metal band founded by vocalist/guitarist George Rain, he is aided by a crew of excellent musicians that play the kind of metal that Kamelot are the leaders at times heavy and dark and at others melodic and even romantic, Rain even sounds like Khan vocally. The rhythm keeps everything moving in the pacey numbers, the keys bring the hooks and the guitars shred and solo like mad with rain crooning over the top, however he is rarely alone, there are only three tracks where it is just Rain singing as this album is chock full of A-List power metal guests. First off on the instrument front we have Tore Moren from Jorn providing solo's on the opening track and Masterplan and ex-Helloween man Rowland Grapow ripping faces on Voices In Your Heart. However it’s on the vocal front that they really go for it the bewitching chanteuse Amanda Sommerville provides the duet vocals on Femme Fatale and the final track. Grapow too has the chance to show off his snarl on two tracks however its ex-Riot screamer Mike DiMeo and Rhapsody (Of Fire) crooner Fabio Lione that get the main roles featuring on two tracks each. All the vocals mix together well providing the album with a strong vocal track that is backed by the perfect power metal backing, see the Gothic organ on Dorian, or the epic stomp of Silver Water which has the mighty Apollo Papathanasio contributing his pipes. This is a very strong power metal debut a must for any fans of Kamelot or Serenity, or if you're just a power metal completest like me. 8/10 

Tidal: What Will Remain... (2012)

Tidal play riff heavy classic rock straight from the shores of South Wales!? Yes that's right Tidal bring American style hard rock to the valleys. This is the band’s debut album and it is really something special, its ballsy, funky, rocking and full of groove, the first four tracks give you everything you need with Lost In Thought putting the pedal to the floor early, before groove-laden Caged Bird shows off the incredible rhythm section of Joe Wilkes' powerhouse drumming and Joe Lewis' heavyweight bass riffs which also have the lead on the funky Beautiful Ugliness. Caged Bird also shows off the bands more progressive touches with an emotive middle section showing off the full light and shade of Adam Vaughn's guitar which soars, weeps and shreds throughout the album providing the horizon reaching instrumental intro Behind Closed Doors which is followed by the almost metallic Can't Turn Away. The band is finished off by the amazing vocals of Adam Payne who has a perfect hard rock voice. The band  have a myriad of styles in parts they are Soundgarden with a grunge like metal roar, in parts Zeppelin with a powerful hard rock delivery and they even have some Zep styles on the softer side like the acoustic Guilt Trip. The album crescendo's perfectly with two amazing tracks in the heavy metal sounding The Tide and Flowers On The Battle Field both of which end the album in very strong style. This is a great debut album full of strong muscular hard rock with a rich bottom end and some superb solos and vocals, well worth checking out if you want some high quality British rawk. 9/10

Reviews: Black Spiders, Reckless Love, The Jokers

Black Spiders: This Savage Land (Dark Riders)

The Black Spiders have balls, massive brass balls that AC/DC sang about see Balls. They are the type of band that play during a bar fight, the type of band that bring a knife to a gunfight and win (they even say as much on Teenage Knife Gang). They are sleazy, punky and raw as hell ready to punch you in the mouth and then drink a case of beer (or the other way round). This is the band's second full length album and it much like its predecessor it grabs you by the throat and doesn't let you go until you're a quivering mess. From the rip-snorting opening of Knock You Out which sums up what rock n roll is about, this moves into the punk spit in your eye attitude of Stick it To The Man. The band are all killer musicians but deliver the songs in a louche but amazingly focused style full of swagger but also substance. The three way guitar sound of frontman Pete Spiby, Andrew Lister and Mark Thomas is key to the band’s sound as it means they can add a lot of subtleties to their old school hard rock sound but the rhythm of Si Atkinson and Adam Irwin are determined to punch you in the guts. There is very little slow down, a band that don't really do ballads the nearest they get is the dreamy psychedelia of Put Love In It's Place but that breaks into a heavy chorus. However by and large this is another album of big, brash hard rock that Sabbath (Sleepy Demon), Motorhead (Trouble) and AC/DC (Raised By Wolves) did in their heyday but aimed at both their fans and the thousands of new fans discovering real hard rock. Black Spiders make no apologies and take no prisoners and they are all the better for it. 9/10  

Reckless Love: Spirit (Spinefarm)

Finland's Reckless Love are now onto their third album and they have continued to be the premier glam metal band who bring together all of the sounds of the 80's together in one place. From the guitar runs of Pepe who is part EVH part Mick Mars and can move from sleazy Sunset Strip riffs of Bad Lovin' or the crystalline AOR of Runaway Love. He is backed by the rhythm of Jalle and Hessu who show their mettle (or should that be metal?) on Metal Ass which has the hallmarks of Skid Row's Slave To The Grind. This is one of the major reasons I like Reckless Love as they are the sounds of an age distilled into one band but not a parody like Steel Panther, yes ok they do have their tongues in their cheeks on tracks like I Love Heavy Metal which is the band naming their influences to a Def Leppard style rhythm. Frontman Olli Herman has an excellent voice melding DLR (in looks and voice) and even has some Steve Perry in their in the ballads like Edge Of Our Dreams and the slow burning Hot Rain. Yes it's a dated sound but it's still fun and still very cool to listen to if you need a light relief and want to party. 7/10

The Jokers: Rock N Roll Is Alive (SPV)

The Jokers hail from the Northwest of England and it has been 5 years since their debut album hit the rock community with its bombastic brand of classic, hard and glam rock, the band were part Stones, part AC/DC, part T-Rex in one big rock and roll party. So after a long wait they have returned with their sophomore album and it moves the band more into a blues rock territory of early Zep and even Aerosmith. The album kicks off with the laidback rock of Silver City which wouldn't sound out of place coming out of a Cadillac on the Sunset Strip. The album has some cool riffs from guitarist Paul Hurst and bassist Simon Hurst, some brick house beats from drummer Chris Poole (who shows his prowess on the frenetic Night Driver) and the band have a diamond in vocalist Wayne Parry who sounds like a mix between Ian Gillan and Robert Plant especially on the title track which has some Page-like riffage and leads into the acoustic based Radio. Like I said the band are the epitome of a classic rock band full of bluesy riffs and swagger throughout and even though the glam influences of their debut are missing for the most part the band have made up for it with a lot of hard rocking songs filled with big hooks and tasty riffs and solos. The production to needs to be mentioned to as it's crystal clear and has a rich warm tone throughout. A band that draw on their influences rather than copy them The Jokers have created a very good follow up to their debut that will draw any fans of AC/DC with Let It Rock, Led Zeppelin with the title track and Free with Find My Way Home. If classic blues rock is your thing then you will love The Jokers who prove that British rock n roll is indeed alive! 8/10  

Reviews: Ashes Of Ares, Western Sand, Chelsea Wolfe

Ashes Of Ares: S/T (Nuclear Blast)

Ashes Of Ares is somewhat of a prog/power metal supergroup as it features ex-Nevermore stickman Van Williams on the skins and THE voice of Iced Earth Matt Barlow, together they are joined by ex-Iced Earth bass man Freddie Vidales who handles all of the strings on this record. So what does the album sound like I hear you ask? Well it's straight up old school metal with some heavy riffage that emulates the mighty Schaffer, pounding drums and Barlow's amazing multi-layered vocals, the man can roar, bellow and scream as well as anyone else but he can do it all at once in some songs. From the slow burning opener of The Messenger which also has some synth bass on it before the main riff kicks in forcing your head to bang, the album then picks up a gear and moves into the speed riffage of Move The Chains. The album moves between the mid-paced and the furious thrash style riffage, bringing to mind both Iced Earth and Nevermore with its use of light and shade bringing in acoustics on On Warrior's Wings and The Answer adding the progressive touches to the album. A good solid album that doesn't break the mould of these men's past bands but does continue in the same vein in fine style. One for any Nevermore/Iced Earth fan. 7/10

Western Sand: S/T (Self Released)

This is Western Sands debut E.P and it features 4 songs of blues influenced hard rock that has a lot in common with Brit rock heroes heaven's Basement and Voodoo Six. The band oozes swagger and sleaze on these 4 tracks that will see them in good stead when they support Black Star Riders at the end of the year. The band have a cool dual guitar attack from Jimmy Bradshaw and Tyler Hains that mixes dirt with some killer slide and a shed load of attitude especially on the guitar wig out on final track Welcome To The Badlands. Hains' smoky whisky soaked vocals providing the perfect voice for the bands hard rock attack. That's not to say the rhythm section of Finlay Hotchkiss and Nathan J Kay don't pull their weight especially on the cool rhythm break on Take It Away. The songs are really sparkle with just the right amount of hard rock riffage and old school blues which is mixed with some soul especially on the acoustic desert rock of Broken Bones which is part Bon Jovi, part Soundgarden. Like I said this is an impressive debut EP that shows a lot of promise for this hard rocking 4-piece and will go down a storm in the live arena. 8/10

Chelsea Wolfe (Sargent House)

Well this isn't really metal, nor is it rock but its dark enough to be included in this blog because it will bring a chill to the heart to the biggest of Manson fans. Yes this is some very dark brooding music filled with eerie synths, pounding drum patterns, rumbling D-bass and some slick-drone like guitar from Ms Wolfe herself. She doesn't stick to any particular genre, switching between brooding goth on the opener Feral Love, heavy industrial rock on House Of Metal which also features some black metal flourishes, as well as some creeping psychedelia and almost folk-trance on The Warden. All of the songs have Wolfe's haunting vocals on them that stir the deepest recesses of your soul and bring them to life with a melancholy that is usually only reserved for Joy Division. Through the album Wolfe and her band take you through a journey of 'idealistic love' that gets more disturbing as the album progresses, from the Muse like electronica of Sick to the percussive Reins and then the dark acoustic folk of They'll Clap When Your Gone before the building cacophony that is The Waves Have Come which adds layer upon layer in its 8 and a half minute run time. This is a real journey through music that brings together many genres all of which collide together to create an excellent album. 8/10   

Reviews: Annihilator, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, Haken

Annihilator: Feast (UDR)

The most recent album from Canada's premier thrash band is nothing new, it is technical, speed driven thrash with some absolutely stunning guitar work from main man Jeff Waters. However since their last self-titled album they have had somewhat of resurgence. This album continues where Annihilator left off with lots of slick guitar work from a man that has always provided top notch fret-wankery. However what sets this incarnation of the band head and shoulders above much of their other work are the vocals of frontman Dave Padden who has a hell of voice that can snarl on the speedy thrashy numbers like Deadlock, No Way Out and the political Smear Campaign, however he can also croon on the almost Trivium-like ballad Perfect Angel Eyes and Fight The World which shows that Water's is not all about the head crushing riffs and face melting solos. Most importantly it also shows that he is in touch with the new wave of bands coming out of metal as there is an abundance of old-school thrash riffs but much like the last two Testament albums and indeed those of Exodus or any in the 'second wave' of thrash, Waters is keeping his head above water and looking forward with tracks like the almost death metal sounding Demon Code and the almost funk-metal of No Surrender. The special edition includes an extra disc of re-recorded classics with Padden on vocals which I haven't heard but it should be a great introduction of the band's classic songs but with their new vocalist and modern production. A great album that has a couple of slower moments but it is mostly pure metal fury. 7/10

Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Made Up Mind (Sony Masterworks)

Both Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks are successful solo artists in their idea of splitting their bands in half and touring as one band was first realised excellently on the debut album Revelator but it's on this second album that they really have brought their blues, rock, soul combo to its only logical evolution. With influences drawn from the gamut of roots music things kick off with the chicken pickin' title track that has an air of Clapton's Crossroads about it, this leads into soul-tinged country ballad of Do I Look Worried which has some delicious slide guitar, some great brass parps from the trio of Kebbi Williams (Sax), Maurice Brown (Trumpet) and Saunders Sermons (Trombone) and Susan Tedeschi's gospel trained vocals, she has a voice that could soothe the roughest soul and she steers the ship admirably with her heavenly voice and some smooth rhythm guitar which lets her husband pull off some fireworks in the lead guitar department, Derek Trucks weaves some guitar magic throughout every song peeling off solo after solo which makes you realise why Clapton picks him as a side man on his tours, he also alludes to his Allman Brothers membership on Idle Wind which has all of the acoustic picking and slide guitar workouts of Jessica. The album moves through genres with ease showing off the impressive band that back the husband and wife, the Hammond's and B3's of Kofi Burbridge are brought to the front on the funk filled Misunderstood which wouldn't sound out of place on a Stevie Wonder album, the drums too need to mentioned as both drummers (yes two) both work in perfect synchronicity and provide the perfect backbeat for the rest of the players, Part Of Me continues in this funk vibe with some (Nile Rodgers style) staccato guitar and some Motown harmony vocals from Mike Mattison and Mark Rivers. This another excellent album from Mr and Mrs Trucks which is a menagerie of some of the best American music styles, one for fans of Rock, R&B, Soul, Funk, Guitar workouts and just general great music. Go out and buy it! (Then buy the debut too) 9/10

Haken: The Mountain (InsideOut Music)

The UK's prog/rock/metal merchants are now on their third album of genre bending prog however this time The Mountain has more of a personal feel which is reflected in the rawer edge to the music on this record, the songs come together and build into a whole piece of stirring music that ebbs and flows throughout the album. Things start off slowly with the piano led The Path which is a slow burning opener that sets the tone for the new record admirably; it’s haunting and plaintive and shows off amazing soundscapes that the band creates even in their quieter moments. The Path leads (no pun intended) to second song Atlas Stone which again has the simply staggering keyboard progressions from Diego Tejeida and Richard Henshall, these strong keys are a major factor in Haken's sound and run through the album lifting the tracks to a higher level. However the keys aren't the overriding factor they work as part of a whole, the guitars of Charles Griffiths and Richard Henshall are intricate and in parts very heavy, Thomas MacLean's bass is also an incredible addition bringing the amazing jazz inflected rhythm patterns in tandem with Raymond Hearne's drums and lastly it’s the unique vocals of Ross Jennings that complete the band's sound. Like I said Atlas Stone starts things off properly with the piano-led intro which moves into a heavy djent like riff, off kilter bass and drums after the solo it moves into a jazz break and it's here that Haken show that they above and beyond a lot of the progressive act as in places the band are hard to listen to and have lots of intricate passages that move through jazz, rock, metal and lots of other odd sounds. The band can be seen at their most weird on Cockroach King. They show their electronic and Gregorian influence on Because It's There which leads into the 11 minute workout of Falling Back To Earth which is all light and shade. In parts this album is heavy in others it's ethereal, an album that is hard to describe but an absolute joy to listen to as it's only with repeated listens that it's jewels are revealed. 10/10

Reviews: Turisas, Revamp, Newsted

Turisas: Turisas2013 (Spinefarm)

Finland's premier exponents of Battle Metal Turisas have continued in the vein from their last albums slight change in style, with a more straight power metal approach rather than the folk metal of their first two albums. Things are taken further on this album as the opening track For Your Own Good has a elements of bands like Kamelot or Sonata Arctica with its heavy piano/keyboard led riff and big background vocals. Ten More Miles has a more classic Turisas sound with the driving drums and some big folk metal arrangements. This album is a bit more guitar driven than previous efforts but the solos are still handled by violinist Olli Vanska. Despite some strong tracks on this album with Piece By Piece and the excellently titled No Good Story Ever Started With Drinking Tea however this album just doesn't really do it! It sounds like Turisas are trying to be something they are not with tracks like Into The Free and We Ride Together sounding like generic Power metal rather than the folk influenced battle metal of the band's past. Yes Warlord still has a great voice and the band are all very talented but by trying to change their sound so much they have managed to become just another band. 6/10     

Revamp: Wild Card (Nuclear Blast)

So former After Forever and current (stand in for the time being) Nightwish vocalist, Floor Jansen returns with her second album with her new band Revamp. Since the first album Jansen has experienced a burnout and got the Nightwish gig which has postponed this instalment of the album but it was worth waiting for. More streamlined than the first effort this combines Gothenburg style sometimes even djent style guitars, blast beat drums mixed with more symphonic elements of Jansen's past. Much like on the first album three of the tracks are part of a concept called Anatomy Of A Nervous Breakdown which builds up into the heavyweight third part Neurasthenia which features the mad Canuck Devin Townsend who provides some unmistakeable demented vocals to the breakdown. The musicianship is of the highest quality throughout with some killer riffs and solos coming from the two guitarists, some huge hooky keys but most impressive of all are Floor's vocals she is equally at home in the upper operatic register as she is grunting like Corpsegrinder, she provides both styles throughout the album but most effectively on the superb I Can Become. The final track Misery's No Crime features guest grunts from her After Forever cohort Mark Jansen (no relation) and ends the album in sine style (unless you have the bonus tracks). Still this is a much more streamlined concise but hard hitting album that is a lot more satisfying than her debut, with an album like this part of me wishes she wasn't frontrunner for the Nightwish job. 8/10   

Newsted: Heavy Metal Music (Chophouse Records)

Jason Newsted has always been 'the other guy' stepping into the world’s biggest thrash band after the death of their superstar bassist. He was always standing in Cliff Burton's shadow and only ever had a few writing credits while in Metallica, along with the famous case of his bass being all but mixed out of ...And Justice For All. After a few years in the wilderness he is back with a solo album which consists of the man himself on bass and vocals and a band consisting of some heavyweight players. Be sure that the bass is loud and proud on this record standing head and shoulders above the rest of the instruments. Now with all the mentions of Metallica you'd expect Heavy Metal Music to sound like Lars and co but it doesn't, it has more in common with Megadeth than it does with 'Tallica Newsted's voice has the same shredded quality as Megadave's and the riffs vary from being fast and furious (Soilderhead is the best Megadeth song they've never written) to big heavy ragers like the opening Heroic Dose and ...As The Crow Flies. However Jason doesn't just stick to one style he runs the gauntlet making sure this album brings as much Heavy Metal Music as possible with Long Time Dead and Above All having the bass heavy blues metal of Lemmy and co, Ampossible is AIC under another name, punk comes in the form of Twisted Tail Of The Comet with King Of The Underdog and Nocturnus being pure doom metal. Newsted has brought all of his influences together and created an album of strong heavy metal tracks that stand shoulders above anything his former band have done in recent years. 8/10

View From The Sunny Field: Bloodstock Day 3

Bloodstock Festival, Catton Hall, Burton On Trent Day 3

So our final day on BOA's hallowed turf had a leisurely beginning and a hectic end. We missed the two opening bands and made our way in for the third band on the bill as once we were in the arena it would be all systems go!

Sacred Mother Tongue

These Northampton bruisers came out flying with riff after riff from virtuoso Andy James peeling off heavy grooves and technical solos with every song. His muscular riffage is as always complimented by the strong melodic vocals of Darrin South. The band does what they do very well and were a nice mid paced start to ease into the day. However my one criticism would be that they only played tracks from their latest album and nothing from their debut. I can see the logic in this but as a fan of the band since the first album I would have liked Two Thousand Eight Hundred but we got Demons, Bleeding Out and Seven. So a strong showing from SMT but not one for the hardcore. 7/10

Passing up Fozzy we had a small break before our party halved with half going to see Amorphis and the others heading towards Evil Scarecrow

Amorphis (Chris Hutchings)

Looking at the 45 minute set and thinking “wow, only 7 songs; that’s not very much at all”. However,
watching Amorphis was pretty damn absorbing and those seven songs went by extremely fast.  Tomi Joutsen (Vocals) did an excellent job, chatting to the crowd in-between songs whilst keeping it short and kept the rhythm going making it a pleasure to watch as well as wind milling with his extremely long dreadlocks which was incredible! His microphone was also uniquely shaped and rather impressive to see. There were not many technical difficulties for these guys at all considering that all weekend there had been problems although they did come on stage about 5 minutes late.  When they did arrive, they paced the set just right, interacting with the crowd just enough to not over play it. The atmosphere down the front for these guys was superb and it was very easy to get caught up in it and sing along and head bang and just generally rock out to this band. From the set list, it was clear that Sky Is Mine was the favourite song of the set and the most commonly known judging by the reaction of the crowd who comprised of some diehards and more than a few first timers. So when Amorphis next tour I would definitely go and check them out. Well worth it and to quote the wise words of Mr Brett Perry get down the front! 7/10

Evil Scarecrow

The Sophie tent was at first empty while the band warmed up however it filled quickly, as we waited two lovely girls came through the crowd and handed out party poppers and gave specific instructions that they should not be used "Until Dr Hell tells you". With the instructions taken on board we waited and the band stormed on stage to Verdi's Messa da Requiem throwing their trademark shapes to this classical piece. From then on it was outright metal from the off, things started with Choose Metal their opening track of choice and the now massive crowd was shouting right back, banging heads, throwing horns and enjoying the metal party for what it was. Some call Evil Scarecrow a parody band, they aren't they are a band that have more fun than any other playing the music they love! With the first song out of the way the noticeably impressed Dr Hell exchanged expletives that were used to convey his disbelief and then plunged into the second song the bands emo anthem Blacken The Everything which was the first part of the bands legendary crowd interaction, getting the packed tent to fake cry (although Hell do it for real) for them. The song is led by the hypnotic drums of Monty Blitzfist and the keys and samples of Princess Luxury and got the crowd chanting along with its hook filled chorus. After this brief slowing in pace we were told that the bands and I quote "no expense spared" pyro display would be used during the next song so we got out party poppers ready and let them off when told to during the song War And Seek covering the metal heads in attendance with coloured streamers adding to the party atmosphere. More crowd participation on the fantastic new song Crabulon which involved much pincer moving, scuttling form one side of the tent to the other and the disturbing sight of man mountain bassist Kraven Morrdeth sitting on Dr Hell's knee. The early guitar filled Ra Vs. Thor was next showing off the guitar talents of Dr Hell and Brother Pain, before things got serious for the future classic Robotoron which came with the obligatory perfect robot circles and the massive metal knees up of cover Final Countdown which I'm sure they will stop playing at some point and we were treated to the bands resident mad man Brother Pain solo from atop the bar and crowd surf at the end of the song. This was a triumphant show from the Nottingham natives that left no doubt in anyone's mind that Evil Scarecrow are defiantly one of the best live bands in the UK. 10/10

So suitably knackered with the largest grins ever seen on our faces we made our way back to rendezvous with the rest of our group.

Exodus

Now I've never seen the American thrashers live but I've been told that they are excellent and boy was I informed correctly. After the initial strains of an intro faded it was full speed, head smashing thrash mayhem from the outset with very little let up. The Ballad Of Leonard and Charles was first and proved it is anything but a ballad with the razor-sharp riffage of Gary Holt (pulling double duty) and Lee Atlus trading riffs at light speed determined to kill the crowd and aided by Tom Hunting's drumming. The pit was ferocious for all of the songs especially on A Lesson In Violence and the perennial Bonded By Blood which was used as a tribute to Jeff Hanneman and former Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff. There were no safety warnings here oh no. The music was thrash in its purest form  and the imposing presence and shouts of Rob Dukes make Exodus a forceful live act that are quite willing to destroy the crowd with pit inciting songs and the occasional wall of death. By the end of Strike Of The Beast those down the front were battered bruised and some bloody but most of all they had been blown away by the full on fury of Exodus in full flight. Good show indeed! 8/10

Devildriver

I'm sorry Dez but I'm afraid you've lost your touch a little. First it was a Coal Chamber reunion and now it's tarnished your day job as on my third viewing of Devildriver it was them that looked like the parody band. While trying not to sound like an uncool parent every song does indeed sound the same and rather than aiming for new sounds with some melodic light and shade they just go for relentless fury primarily to incite pits. These were appearing but I think many were already beaten by Exodus and were saving themselves for Anthrax who were coming next. Because of this Devildriver would have been better suited earlier meaning there was a glut of thrash following each other before the main event. As it was they just got a little lost in the mix. 5/10

Anthrax (Paul, Chris & Alex Hutchings)

After a less than inspiring set by Devildriver the front of the stage rapidly filled as Worship blasted out into the summer evening.  Racing onto the stage, Anthrax flew into one of their many anthems, the appropriately titled Caught In A Mosh. Down the front the pits opened up, and every word was mouthed. Say what you want about Anthrax, but they sure have some tunes and the opener is an all-time classic. Frank Bello as always racing around the stage, Scott Ian exchanging some frank and what looked like harsh words to his guitar tech, and there he was, the human sultana himself, Joey Belladonna urging the crowd to sing along. Now Belladonna can be a bit irritating but he was on top form, hitting the notes and running across the stage throughout ensuring that everyone got his attention. Following the opener they launched into an awesome version of NFL before the obligatory cover of Joe Jackson’s Got The Time. A little momentum was lost with dedications to RJD and Dimebag for In The End, leading to a couple of questions about why there was no dedication to Jeff Hanneman, given their membership of the Big 4. However, the band picked it right back up with a blast from the first album, Fistful Of Metal, delivering the opener from that album Death Rider with full force brutality. New guitarist, ex-Shadows Fall’s Jon Donais looked right at home stage right, hitting the solos whilst Scott Ian continued his usual energetic performance. He really is a legend. Anthrax then treated the crowd to a storming version of TNT (sigh of relief it wasn’t Anthem!) from their latest release, before wrapping up with Indians, Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t, and then the arrival of Dredd, for I Am The Law. Belladonna brought out the Judge that had been stomping around the festival site all weekend. As the crowd lapped it up, Anthrax finished off with their third cover of the day, Trust’s Antisocial. Like Priest with the Green Manalishi, Antisocial and Got The Time are now staples of the set and are treated very much as their own. Like ‘em or loathe ‘em, they always put on a show, and at BOA 2013 Anthrax were very much in the mood. One of the sets of the weekend. 9/10

Slayer

So with everyone getting a 40 minute rest bite from the madness we waited eagerly as the stage was set. No fancy stage dressing no fireworks or props just one backdrop that had the one word bellowed by metal fans all around the world. Yes it was time for Slayer, probably the heaviest and still the most underground of all of the Big 4 a band that appeals to mainstreamers and those that worship at the tomb of Euronymous and everyone in between. No intro tape no fuss no messing the band were onstage in heartbeat and launched into World Painted Blood which was followed in quick succession by Disciple it is an odd sight to see thousands of heads all moving in tandem but Slayer are one of the few bands that command this. Unrelenting and violently aggressive they are band that don't do crowd interaction but let their music do the talking. A small break ended with Tom Araya's shriek that signals the still dazzling, breakneck riffage of War Ensemble which proceeded to incite the mother of all pits down the front forcing us at the back to take a few steps back. Not one to play a slow song the pace continued with Hallowed Point the Bill Bailey approved Mandatory Suicide before Altar Of Sacrifice and Jesus Saves continued to inflict more damage on those that dared to venture into the pit. With only two original members left Slayer are still a dominant live force with Gary Holt equally matching the speed and dexterity of Kerry King and Paul Bostaph showing why he has now replaced Dave Lombardo twice, Tom Araya was on keen vocal form hollering every line and shrieking like a banshee when needed. The set was punctuated by small episodes of silence meaning that it was not just one wall of noise, these little rests meant that the show flowed a lot smoother and stopped anyone from getting bored, although most of the crowd were mesmerised by the cacophony of violence unfolding before them. After Snuff and Hate Worldwide it was time for the greatest hits part of the programme the final crowd pleasing part of what had been a varied set. Firstly the dirge like doom intro of Seasons In The Abyss built up to its main pounding riff before another slow burner in the shape of the old school Hell Awaits this led to Araya's 'poem' of the refrain "Dance With The Dead In My Dreams" which signalled Dead Skin Mask which ended with the audio downpour that starts the evergreen(red) Raining Blood. Another pit and the main set was closed a small break and the back drop fell to reveal a large Hanneman memorial which incited a massive cheer from the crowd and was the only mention of it. Slayer are not a band to live in the past and dwell on sentimentality, no words were spoken the band just paid tribute to their fallen brother in the best way possible with two of his best songs the uber-doom South Of Heaven and the full on head ripper of Angel Of Death which showed both sides of the great man's talents. As the final chord hit there was silence and the band left the stage Araya walked straight off leaving Kerry King and Gary Holt to thank the crowd briefly before also making their way to the back. The crowd released their breath simultaneously and started to pour out of the arena. A simply stunning set from Slayer that will not be beaten for a good while awesome! 10/10

Roundup

So another Bloodstock and this one was the biggest ever mainly for the 'mainstream' draws of Slayer and LOG, it will be hard to see where BOA will go from here whether they will keep courting the arena bands or will go back to the more underground bands that made their name. Still a stunning set of bands, great music, great (and painful) memories and a hell of a good time! Roll on next year! My personal picks are Emperor (already confirmed), Amon Amarth/ Nightwish and Saxon!  

View From The Sunny Field: Bloodstock Day 2

Bloodstock Festival, Catton Hall, Burton On Trent Day 2

So day two and the sun was still shining (and the hand still hurting) so after another round of bacon (from our endless supply) we venture once more into the arena.

Beholder

Firstly we gathered to take in Bloodstock's resident house band who stormed the main stage bringing their brand of hard hitting British metal to the early crowd. Simon and his merry men proceeded to crank out the riffs and stomp through the grooves providing some lunchtime aggression that drew a hearty crowd. With most of the songs coming from their new record it was tracks like Killing Season, Toxic Nation and the clarion cry of Liar that got the fist pumping and hopefully politicians running! A great heavy start to the day on day two. 8/10

3 Inches Of Blood

Now I didn't watch much of them as Cam Pipes voice irritated me but I heard their cover of Heaven And Hell and it was dire, however they committed a bigger sin by covering Tom Sawyer which made at least of my group completely dumbstruck and in considerable physical pain. So unfortunately they can only score. 0/10 

Hell

This was better! Full blown pomp and circumstance of British heavy metal. After the orchestral intro the band strode on bedecked in their paint and all black stage costumes and the riffage started the tri-headed riff machine of guitarists Kev Bower (with the dreadlocks), the freshly shorn Andy Sneap and the goblin-like Tony Speakerman all driving things along with their razor-sharp riffage that twisted and turned through tracks from their debut album, in the instrumental sections you could see that the band, backed by drummer Tim Bowler, were technical, rocked like anything. However as usual it was David Bower who was the star of the show as he strode around the stage giving off an aurora of authority, pouring emotion into every line, zipping around the stage like a cheetah and adding an air of Shakespearean gravitas to the proceedings. As well as being a great performer and a singer he also had a few new tricks up his sleeve, coming to the stage as mighty version of the hooved-beast himself he unleashed his firework shooting trident which left the crowd in awe and this combined with his self-flagellation and exorcisms of the front row combined to make hell (no pun intended) of a show. The final strains of Save Us From Those Who Will Save Us ended the band received a massive ovation from the huge crowd that had gathered for the mass ritual, the faces of the departing people was enough for any fan of metal to feel buoyed by (some were even brought to tears), the crowd loved it truly a band that should be headlining soon as they encompass everything heavy metal is about! Joyous! 10/10

After the experience of Hell it was time for a break before we returned to the arena for French bowel splitters Gojira

Gojira

Due to some British airline mix ups (sabotage?) Gojira were missing their backdrop and most of their kit however they still managed to come out and completely level BOA with their unrelenting heaviness. Things kicked off with Explosia which speaks for itself before The Axe and Flying Whales followed. Fighting against some sound problems that had dogged the main stage Gojira managed to make their sound even heavier with hardly any let up in the brutal pummelling Backbone came next where Randy Blythe received a massive cheer for helping out on vocals. the crowd were weakened by this onslaught and Gojira hadn't even got going. Watching this band at work is like a test of mettle for metal fans they are a bit of a tour de force that were dampened a little by the technical hitches but still managed to blow some eardrums with their metal beating. 7/10

Sabaton   

Sabaton too were victims of flight funniness as Joakim Broden came to the stage belting out evergreen opener Ghost Division not wearing his trademark vest. However all was not right in the Swede's camp as they hampered by technical issues which meant there was 10 minute break in their set in which Joakim did a heroic job of filling in cracking jokes and telling stories and borrowing a fan's vest to wear for the set. They then resumed with Gott Mit Uns and Carolus Rex. This was followed by another break before more songs from the new album was followed by a run through of classics with 40:1, The Art Of War and Metal Crue all followed in quick succession. Their set did seem a bit disjointed but Joakim kept it going and the songs spoke for themselves. Not the best I've seen them but a heroic set from Sabaton. 7/10

Avantasia

Tobias Sammet's 'other' project made their first ever venture onto British soil. After the Also Sprach Zarathustra the band made their way onto the stage, he has amassed a great band to support him with power metal legends Sascha Paeth and Miro on guitars and keyboards respectively, the other guitars are provided by Oliver Hartmann, drums came from Edguy's Felix Bonhke. Together they opened with Spectres which saw Sammet prowl the stage decked out in his finery and showing of his amazingly powerful voice. This was the final song just to feature Sammet as Avantasia is a metal opera project so it has many guests and Tobi had brought some up with him. First up to bat was the muscular whiskey soaked vocals of Pretty Maids' Ronny Atkins who joined for two tracks before a prelude led to Reach Out For The Light and Breaking Light which showed of the absolutely stunning vocals of former Helloween man Michael Kiske who matched Sammet note for note as they both reached the upper atmosphere, Kiske hasn't lost it at all. What came next was the more AOR section of proceedings with local boy (is boy the right word?) Bob Catley who despite having a great voice Catley didn't seem to have a clue what was going on but he was enthusiastic and delivered his parts excellently before he took his leave and the final guest was Mr Big frontman Eric Martin who preened and pouted through his two songs one of which was the awesome Twisted Mind which led into the final songs which became full ensemble pieces mixing vocalists with Farewell introducing the amazing Amanda Somerville on lead vocals for the first time (she had provided backing vocals all set) before the set ended fully with Sign Of The Cross/Seven Angels. This was a great set from the debuting Avantasia that captured the majesty of their albums in the live setting. It was a real metal party atmosphere that bewitched the crowd, very awesome indeed. 9/10

Lamb Of God (Paul)

 So, a year after Testament hung ‘Free Randy’ banners at Bloodstock, Lamb Of God arrived at Catton Hall to a massive ovation. Given the huge support that Randy Blythe (Check Spelling) received from the metal community during his trial for manslaughter in the Czech Republic, this was always going to be one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend.  As the day wore on, it was clear that a large
number of the crowd had bought day tickets and the arena was rammed by the time the lights dimmed. The omens during the day had not been good. Gojira’s set had been interrupted earlier in the day due to concerns about the strength of the barrier at the front of the stage, whilst Sabaton had endured huge technical difficulties which had resulted in at least two songs being cut from their set.
 As the intro music blasted out, LOG stormed on stage with Desolation from their latest album Resolution. However, it wasn’t long before the gremlins re-emerged and there was a gap after Ghost Walking whilst some of the previously mentioned technical difficulties made an unwelcome appearance. After ripping through Walk With Me In Hell, with Morton and Adler’s twin guitars finally getting some benefit from the mix (which took some time to sort out) the band kicked into Ruin only for Randy to call a halt very quickly. Having earlier asked the crowd to take three steps back, it appeared that the earlier concerns about the barrier had not been resolved and a prolonged break of around 15 minutes ensued whilst emergency repairs were undertaken. A couple of pit survivors were brought through the crowd during this time and it was clear that at the front no quarter was being given.
 Eventually things got underway and Ruin was completed with no further problems. LOG then picked up their game and managed to deliver the remainder of the set without further distractions. Obviously by now they were slightly disjointed and some of their balance had disappeared. Energy levels in parts of the crowd had also dropped which was understandable given the delays and frustrations. I have to say that I am full of admiration for the way the band picked it back up, delivering storming versions of 11th Hour, newbie Undertow and a quite breath-taking Omerta. LOG finished the main set with Contractor; Chris Adler’s drumming resembling a heavy metal octopus. The encore kicked off with In Your Words before Laid To Rest and the unstoppable Redneck led to a brutal Black Label, complete with one of the biggest walls of death ever seen at BOA. LOG were understandably knocked off their stride at BOA. However, they were pretty heroic in the way they battled through the challenges that were presented. I’ve already got my ticket to see them at Bristol in January. 8/10