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

RavenEye – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

Is there a better live outfit than the UK’s RavenEye? No. you are wrong. Having seen these guys at both this year’s Steelhouse Festival and a super support slot to the Blues Pills, RavenEye are just a bit special. As part of their UK tour in support of the brilliant debut Nova the band took in a show at Clwb which proved to be as epic as their other appearances in South Wales to date.

We missed openers The Caspiens but made it in time for local heroes Dead Shed Jokers (7) who brought a fair number of their supporters to swell the numbers. As it was billed as a Halloween party the band arrived on stage in fancy dress. Quite a confusing sight, we had Jimmy Saville, a Zombie, a Britney Spears Schoolgirl outfit and Velma from Scooby Doo. Yeah, go figure. The band’s performance was thankfully not as chaotic as their appearance and with a liberal sprinkling of new tracks they proved to be excellent main supports despite missing a guitarist.

As brilliant as they are on record, it’s in the live arena where Oli Brown, Aaron Spiers and Adam Breeze really excel. Crackling with energy from the start, Raveneye (10) have more energy than bands with double their numbers. What’s more, they have the tunes too. Mixing songs from 2015’s Breakout EP and Nova the venue was soon bouncing. A small disturbance in the crowd was dealt with efficiently by security and some solid action by other members of the audience, Oli and Aaron checking things were okay whilst keeping things motoring. By the time the band hit Wanna Feel You the intensity was off the chart.

Their engaging attitude is refreshing and whilst the fun is certainly a huge element in their show (including Oli’s chicken costume developing a hole in the most unfortunate location) they are technically excellent musicians. Gunner has given the band the maniacal engine room whilst Aaron doesn’t stop moving. Oli is a gifted guitarist and his fretwork during the evening was fantastic with Supernova a fine example. Finishing with the trademark walkabout in the crowd (Oli on Aaron's shoulders whilst they both continue to play) Raveneye proved once again that they are as good as anyone on the circuit today. If you’ve not seen them play yet, make sure you do it soon. You won’t regret it.

Reviews: Hammerfall, Crippled Black Phoenix, Devilskin, Hand Of Dimes

Hammerfall: Built To Last (Napalm)

Sweden's premier power metal band are now on their tenth record and in a move started on their last album (r)Evolution it sees them go back to the euphoric, might and magic power metal of their first albums. Built To Last kicks off in true Hammerfall style with the galloping Bring It! having the slicing dual riffs of Oscar Dronjak and Pontus Norgren shredding with a hearty crunch as Fredrik Larsson's thumping bass section bolsters the riffs. Joacim Cans again is on top form, his voice hasn't dropped an octave since Glory To The Brave and here he is still soaring high above many of those younger than him.

Hammer High has a fist-in-the-air epic quality and bears witness to the Templars returning to their roots and is driven by the huge drum beats. The thing with Hammerfall is that they sound like Hammerfall, since they rediscovered their mojo for writing classic power metal there doesn't seem to be anyway of stopping them, The Sacred Vow is battle metal by the numbers, Twilight Princess the album's folksy ballad that has Cans displaying his overwrought delivery and the remaining tracks on the record just solidify why Hammerfall are the masters of their craft. This record is not going to change the world but for a band nearly in their 20th year it proves that Hammerfall are Built To Last so try and knock them if you can. 7/10

CBP: Bronze (Seasons Of Mist)

CBP are special to me (and my lovely other half) the 2014 Athens gig it was the first gig we went to together as a couple so trying to be objective will be difficult but here goes. CBP are somewhat of a cult band that have much more of a following abroad (especially in Eastern Europe and Greece) than they do here but regardless they have always been a band that are a constantly interesting prospect, imbuing their vigilante, politically charged, humanist ideals with Floydian dynamics and an understated aggressiveness that comes from bandleader Justin Greaves and indeed several of the groups 8 members history in the more extreme realms of metal. 

This record is more studied, deliberate affair than their more direct, combative previous record, the songs are sprawling and experimental sitting the band back in their early days of psychotropic melancholy (Winning A Losing Battle) while also yet again adding new depth. No Fun is a doomy depressive track with Gilmour-like guitars over the discord, while Rotten Memories and the 9 minute long Champions Of Disturbance (Pt 1 & 2) make up two parts of one song segueing from one into the other style perfected on Dark Side Of The Moon. 

The bands music has always been largely instrumental in nature and they allow the sounds to grow, drama to build and on the elongated tracks they turn into a cacophony noise, with the four guitar set up of Justin Greaves, Daniel Änghede, leads from Jonas Stålhammar and the bass of Tom Greenway the riffs are monolithic in nature anchored by the drumming of Ben Wilsker. On top of the colossal wall of guitars Mark Furnevall's keys/synths put flesh on the bones as pianist Daisy Chapman is the emotional heart of the more melancholic parts, supplementing the harrowing distinct vocals of Daniel Änghede.

There is monstrous sound to some of these songs, at times ominous and at others fragile, CBP are a truly progressive band resolutely sticking to making albums they want to make, much like Waters et al did back in the late 60's, they also do a great cover version this time it's Joe Walsh's A Turn To Stone and is probably the rockiest track with expressive guitar solos and incredible drum fills from Wilsker as well as guest vocals from Greenleaf's Arvid Jonsson. The wealth of musical alchemy is always impressive and here Scared And Alone stands out as the fuzziness and sparse horns punctuating this solemn song that deals with the 'black dog' beautifully sung by newest full time member and Greaves' Se Delan collaborator Belinda Kordic.

There always seems to me at least to be a ray of hope in CBP's music no matter how dark it gets but such is the grandiose nature of the music that you can't help but get swept up in the bleakness of it all. CBP are musically colourful but yet again their palate adapts and they take wider brush strokes encapsulating what makes them a formidable musical force but also isolates them from being cool. I for one am proud to be uncool if the soundtrack is this good. 9/10

Devilskin: Be Like The River (Self Released)

New Zealand metal band Devilskin's debut only came out last year, but they have once again come back with another full length album featuring 13 more songs of their melodic, modern groove metal. the four piece are a much bigger prospect in their native land, their next tour sees them as headliners and the more well known name of Halestorm as special guests, as well as being the special guests to Disturbed but with another set of songs similar to their debut and another tour over here they will improve their standing over this side of the pond. The majority of the songs are driven by the rhythm section of bassist Paul Martin and his son Nic who takes care of the drums and the keys that are used to add a wider element of sounds to the metallic base, see the atmospheric Animal.

The groove is the main proponent of the music stylistically similar to Disturbed with guitarist Nail riffing like a demon and using the solos sparingly meaning the songs are riff driven fist pumping anthems that see frontwoman Jennie use her unique vocal sound to it's fullest, I mentioned in my previous review how good a singer she is and here she proves it again blasting out every line with a style that is in the lower register but more powerful than many of her contemporaries effortlessly switching between clean and harsh for the more aggressive tracks such as Believe In Me. The performance is Herculean and is the final piece of the musical puzzle for the band. Much like their debut there are should-be-anthems with first single Mountains and the bouncy Pray the two stand-outs as the heavier end with Voices the slower lighter rallying cry.

They also spread their wings with the Maiden-style F.Y.I, a thump of LOG on Bury Me and the proggy orchestral elements on Limbs. This second record is not as immediate as it's predecessor but sees the band morphing their sound refining it to carve themselves a bigger slice of the musical pie. Buy both albums and when the 2017 UK leg of the tour comes I encourage all of you to see this band before they ascend to bigger things. 8/10      

Hand Of Dimes: Raise (Coda Recordings)

Hand Of Dimes is the result of reconnection between Kooga keyboardist Neil Garland and former writing partner Neville MacDonald better known as the voice of hard rockers Skin. The two got back together and started to write the bluesy hard rock they started with in the pre-Kooga days, picture the classy swagger of bands such as Free (Pinstriped Arrogance especially), Rory Gallagher and The Faces, when guitarists played the blues of the American South, singers had a throat made of whiskey and grit and the songs were about gamblin, sinnin' and women.

Raise is the band's debut full length and it has all of the above MacDonald displaying the vocal prowess that made Skin a success back in the early 90's while Colin Edward's guitar playing is soulful and understated especially when paired with Garland's bubbling organs on the AOR infused Moonlight Mile. While Moonlight Mile takes the more melodic route Stranger In My Home Town is driven by the parping mouth harp, acoustic guitars and Hammond organs.

The obvious comparison to this record would be the debut album from Red, White & Blues, Skin guitarist Myke Gray's blues project and where that was the powerful blues rock favoured by Joey B, Hand Of Dimes go back to the old British masters adding the melodic touches from both the main men's previous careers. Jacob's Ladder smolders, Lookin At You packs a punch, Sail On carries a hint of Bad Company. Raise is a competent album from the Welsh blues rockers and one that will win them more fans. 7/10

Reviews: Monte Pittman, 40 Watt Sun, Glitter Wizard, Dee Snider (Reviews By Paul)

Monte Pittman: Inverted Grasp Of Balance (Metal Blade)

I’m not sure if being the guitarist in Madonna’s touring band since 2001 is a fantastic status to hold but this is the title that sits with Monte Pittman. For those who are unfamiliar with him, he also played guitar and some bass in Prong from 2000 – 2008. Inverted Grasp Of Balance is his third solo album and follows 2014’s The Power Of Three. It’s a competently performed album, crammed with shredding guitar licks and some very heavy riffs. It also features Billy Sheehan on bass and Richard Christy (Charred Walls of the Damned, Iced Earth, Death) on drums. Unfortunately, some of the tracks on the album are dreadful, Guilty Pleasure being the prime example of something that Anvil would reject. By the middle of the album I was struggling to maintain interest and by the end I was totally disinterested. I’m afraid it’s a no from me. 5/10

40 Watt Sun: Wider Than The Sky (Radiance Records)

London three piece 40 Watt Sun’s follow up to 2011’s The Inside Room is a somber affair. With a focus on introspection and relationships, layered pieces full of atmosphere wash over the listener. For a three piece, 40 Watt Sun create a complex sound, with Patrick Walker’s vocals mournful yet very apt. In places dynamic, in others light, orchestrated instrumentation abounds with a hard rock edge, the band are not what you’d expect from an outfit labelled with the doom tag. My one criticism is that the songs all blend into one which may be the point when some of your tracks are 16 minutes long. 6/10

Glitter Wizard: Hollow Earth Tour (Heavy Psych Sounds)

Yeah, another crazy psychedelic stoner outfit immersed in 1970 is just what we need was my first thought when I saw this. Turns out we might just need Glitter Wizard for a little while. Hollow Earth Tour is one massive slab of fast paced punk infused psychedelia which certainly warms you up on a cold day. Opener Smokey God gets things moving but it’s the Hammond keys of Doug Graves which layer and underpin Lorfin Terrafor’s rampaging guitar on The Hunter where things get good. A huge shift in time and direction half way through keeps your attention whilst the 70s sound is both retro and fresh. The seven minute Scales maintains the pace with seismic sound changes, manic vocals and the cacophony of noise powering the whole thing forward. One-and-a-half-minute Stoned Odyssey segues perfectly into the riff heavy Fungal Visions with Fancee Cymbals drumming and Wendy Stonehenge’s trippy vocals drawing you into the sounds and visions of early Sabbath, Blue Cheer and Hawkwind. It’s wild and 70s soaked, but it’s also solid and good fun. Well worth taking the trip to the centre of your mind.  7/10

Dee Snider: We Are The Ones (earMusic)

"Most of my heavy metal fans are going to hate it". So said Dee Snider in late Summer 2016 and he’s nailed it. The frontman of one of the most astonishing live bands has delivered a steaming turd of an album that I fucking hate. Never mind the crawlingly poor acoustic We’re Not Going to Take It (Yes, it was for a cancer charity but that isn’t an excuse for the appalling video that accompanies this) or the pointless cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Head Like A Hole. There is only one track on this album and that is Close To You. Now I’m hoping against hope that this is a song written to highlight the problem of men stalking women and all the connotations that accompany such unacceptable behaviour. If it isn’t, it is one of the most disturbing and uncomfortable songs I’ve ever heard. I felt sick after listening to it. In fact, I’m basing my mark on this track alone. You were right Dee, I really do hate it. 3/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: Pain

Pain, The Vision Bleak, Dynazty & Billion Dollar Babies, The Fleece Bristol

Heading to the Fleece is always a joy, the Seven Stars next door is always a good shout for good beer and parking for the venue is always free. With a stacked four band set the doors were open early and 15 minutes after they let the 8 people that were in the room into the venue, Billion Dollar Babies (5) arrived on stage. Personally I was interested how they would fair in the live arena as their album is very polished affair, as the all packed themselves on to the tiny stage that was taken up mostly by the headliners' drum kit the amount of fishneting and eyeliner was enough to scream GOTH in capital letters and as they played every song basically blended into one samey, uninspired, song. Shame as I liked the album but live there wasn't much spark, maybe it was due to the crowd size but with a good band that doesn't matter.

So out to the pub we went for a tasting platter of ales to compare, all of which were finished by the time Dynazty (7) had started their set, with an album produced by Peter Tägtgren these Swedes (one of three Swedish bands on the bill) place was assured, however they did stick out like a sore thumb as they play bouncy power metal which was in strict opposition to the rest of the bands playing, still they are entertaining enough with dual guitar licks, galloping rhythms and strong vocals and I would have scored them higher had they not committed the cardinal sin of freaking bass solo mid way through the set. I realise bassists are an almost vital part of most bands but  bass solos are the pits equal only to most drum solos that aren't played by Neil Peart. Still the now bigger crowd gave them a warm reception and after another short change over we decided to stick around for the only band on the bill we didn't know anything about.

With an ominous intro and dressed head to foot in black and corpse paint, the self described 'horror metal' band The Vision Bleak (8) slid onto the stage took their positions and then unleashed hell. The German band is made up of guitarist/vocalist Ulf Theodor Schwadorf and imposing vocalist Allen B. Konstanz both of whom pretty much play everything on the records, relying on a session drummer and guitarist to help out on stage, no bassist for this band going against my earlier statement, not that it mattered as the discordant wall of guitars was enough to get heads banging to the thumping metal sound created by the band.

The Vision Bleak are a mix of the stomping industrial metal of Rammstein, the doom -laden imagery of Paradise Lost and occult stage mastery of Ghost, especially from the dapper frontman who had a throaty baritone for tracks such as Descend Into Maelstrom and the mighty Kututlu! Metal with an unhealthy dose of Lovecraftian horror was an excellent way of preparing for the more off the wall approach of the headliners, setting the scene for Peter and co excellently.  

So the time had come all the rest of the stage was cleared and the mammoth drumkit sat in the middle of the stage now empty except for three mic stands. Returning bassist Andre Skaug led the way, followed by new guitarist Greger Andersson and Peter's son Sebastian perching behind the kit. As the cheers increased the twisted genius himself took tot he stage clad in a straight jacket, guitar slinging and taking off with the riff for the adrenaline fuelled Designed To Piss You Off the elder Tägtgren shouted the songs confrontational and deliberately annoying chorus as the die-hard crowd lapped it up bouncing about like mad. For what started out as side-project for the Hypocrisy frontman Pain (8) now has a life of it's own, the mix of industrial, techno and crazy metal getting the crowd going in a frenzy.

The live show was unrelenting rattling off Suicide Machine, The Great Pretender and Zombie Slam in quick succession taking the bulk of the set from his most recent disc Coming Home, the title track was one of the few slower moments in the set, but for the most part the band switched positions frequently, taunting each other on stage and at one point Andre even played the bass in the crowd. Musically crushing, visually there was an impressive light show and the addition of a crawling hooded figure stalking the stage and Sabaton's Joakim arriving in puppet form to 'sing' his part on Call Me. Given a bigger stage I think Peter's brain would concoct a stage show to rival the Coop but we may have to wait for that one.

Still with a set packed with killer cuts like Pain In The Ass, Same Old Song and the climactic Shut Your Mouth (complete with expletives) the enthusiastic crowd were both pleased and knackered from exerting the energy, I was exhausted from just watching them. I hope it doesn't take them another 3 years to tour again (their last UK leg concluded at Bogiez Cardiff in 2013) as for as much talent Tägtgren displays on the records this one man project is just as splendid live.

Reviews: Korn, The Answer, The Pretty Reckless, Pelander

Korn: The Serenity of Suffering (Roadrunner) [Review By Paul]

It only seems like yesterday that Korn were being labelled the flag bearers for the Nu-Metal movement with their self-titled debut crashing into the scene with all the finesse of Donald Trump in a brothel. Since Korn hit the shelves in 1994, the band have stuck faithfully to their own sound, distinct and immediately recognisable. Three years since 2013’s The Paradigm Shift, The Serenity Of Suffering is their 12th studio release and it hits hard and heavy. Opener Insane has a brutal riff, the usual throbbing bass lines that we’ve come to expect from ‘Munky’ whilst Brian ‘Head’ Welch is now firmly back in the fold and shredding harder than ever. It’s as heavy as anything Korn have released since those early days and with the line-up stable these days, it’s easy to hear how this has benefited the band. With Ray Luzier firmly ensconced on the drum stool, ‘Fieldy’ driving his guitar and Jonathan Davies in fine vocal form, this is a pretty solid album. Of course, if you don’t like Korn, this won’t change your mind on iota, even with Corey Taylor adding his unmistakable roar on A Different World. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz, full of crashing riffs, big hooks and thundering bass, Korn continue to follow their own path, unaffected by fads or fashions. 22 years on from that stunning debut, the Korn juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down. 8/10

The Answer: Solas (Napalm) [Review By Paul]

For many The Answer are the ultimate good time band, full of anthems and sing-a-long songs, heart and passion. The Answer has always been one of THE bands to see live. On record, they’ve blown hot and cold. After the impact that debut Rise had in 2006, great things were expected. Everyday Demons, Revival, New Horizons and last year's Raise A Little Hell all contained a mix of good stuff and some average songs. Maybe they've just plateaued a little too much? Solas will do little to change that situation. Coming off the back of some of the most unfortunate personal issues you could imagine, it’s astounding that the band ever wrote again.

So maybe it’s unsurprising that there is a profound change in sound present on the album. Focusing more on a lighter, traditional feel but with a huge amount of reflection and introspection, the band have returned to their Celtic roots with fiddle and folk influences all present. The title track is a stunner. Full of atmosphere, intense and brooding, it is without a doubt one of the tracks of the year. Hearing it on record cemented the live experience when the band debuted it at the Steelhouse Festival in the summer. The power continues on Beautiful World which maintains the change in direction. Battle Cry requires a couple of listens but gets better with a folksy blues feel. It’s on track four, Untrue Colour where the band really move away from their Zeppelin stomp, with a sound reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age. Less rock, more pop but a good track. Thief Of Light fuses the new style with some heritage, a return to the Gaelic influences. 

From here on it all becomes a touch weaker and apart from the driving rocker Left Me Standing which is very much in the vein of old school sound, the rest are just a little filler. Demon Driven Man, Real Life Dreamers (with additional vocals from Fiona O’Kane) and closer Tunnels do little although the lyrical content tugs at the emotions. The deluxe edition adds three bonus tracks; an acoustic version of In This Land, a demo of Light In Darkness which is actually one of the best tracks with its heartfelt feelings and Paul Mahon’s honest guitar work excelling and a cover of Pink Floyd’s Money which adds little but does allow Mahon to show his chops again.

It’s hard to be tough on such a great band. Live they are one of those bands I’d never tire of seeing. They have energy and power, with the natural and engaging charm that the people of Northern Ireland possess. They’ve also been through a lot of shit, with Cormack Neeson in particular clearly using some of Solas to verbalise the world of darkness he inhabited for four horrendous months. And it’s not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. It’s just not the brilliant release we all hoped it would be. 7/10

The Pretty Reckless: Who You Selling For

Third album from The Pretty Reckless sees them spreading their musical wings a bit more which shows the band are trying hard to impress more with their songwriting and musical nuances than the fact they are fronted by the incredibly attractive and more than a bit naughty (especially live) former actress and model Taylor Momsen. The band, and Momsen especially have been trying to define themselves as musician, rather than just a project, their previous release achieved this part of the way but with this third record it looks like they will get the recognition that, on the evidence they deserve. Here Momsen displays her vocal versatility while the band make sounds that are far more mature than before, The Walls Are Closing/Hangman opens the record with grinding progressive grunge, which itself is a misnomer. Many would have been drawn to the record due to first single Take Me Down which is a jangly rocker with some great percussion and Taylor using her husky vocal to perfection on a track that sits well with more recent Halestorm approach.

The classic rock vibe continues on the soulful stomp clap of Prisoner, the funk fuelled Wild City which contains a smattering of Doobie Brothers-like guitars, on a track that sounds like it should be in a Shaft episode. There is a jam-like feel to this record, it's sounds as if it was recorded live in the studio. They've drawn from their influences with punk (Oh My God), Country (Back To The River which features Warren Haynes), blues (the moody title track). Who You Selling For really does let the music do the talking. This record shifts the focus of The Pretty Reckless from them being a actor's other project to being just a band in their own right, with a well constructed, performed piece packed with some of the band's most accessible and strongest material yet. 8/10

Pelander: Time (Nuclear Blast)

Pelander is the solo project of Witchcraft main man Magnus Pelander, Time is his debut solo album and sees the multi-instrumentalist/vocalist exploring paths that his main band would fear to tread. Despite Witchcraft having an expansive style of doom/occult rock, Time takes it's cues from the pastoral side of music featuring mainly acoustic sounds this record brings to mind Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull and even Opeth in their quieter moments, with the guitars backed by violins on The Irony Of Man as Magnus uses his dulcet tones to sing songs of change, love and loss with the title track one of the best on the records with tapping percussion and some haunting female vocals. This is a relaxed fireside album that merges the occult sounds of Pelander's day job and takes them into the acoustic realms never before heard. Time is not a metal album, neither is it a rock album but it has a presence all of it's own, listen to it on a cold winter's night in front of a warm fire and you will be bewitched by it's charms. 7/10



 

A View From The Back Of The Room: InMe, Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics, Empire

InMe, Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics and Empire, The Globe, Cardiff

A trio of British bands descended upon The Globe on a Tuesday night, all three playing different styles rock/metal but as the night progressed all of them, endeared themselves to the crowd. The headliners due to their longevity (this was their 20th anniversary tour) and headline status and supports due to their disregard to be labelled as such both taking the stage with confidence and doing what they do to win the hearts of the reasonably full venue.

First to take flight were the South West based band EMP!RE (8) who play riff heavy modern rock with a metallic sheen, the dual guitars riffed in tandem with the flowing melodic intricate guitar lines trading off throughout as the rhythm section pumped out driving heaviness that had the radio play ability of  Biffy Clyro. EMP!RE were immediately impressive and the stage banter of Joe Green was understated and welcoming warming the hearts of the early birds with his humour and humility. He then proceeded to unleash one the best vocal performances I've heard this year, his range is staggering (and I say that as someone that has studied singing) soaring to almost soprano highs as well as adding guttural lows, telling the crowd in jest after this bowel rupturing scream that they wouldn't like him when he's angry. Songs such as Sparrows were excellent and the entire presence of the band persuaded me to pick up their new EP and meant I could have a very interesting and human conversation with frontman (later seen shimmying to the other bands). The heady mix of At The Drive In, Coheed & Cambria and Forever Never made for staggering opening effort, proggy, heavy and hooky enough to appeal to a broad audience EMP!RE are a band I will come back to again.

The same can be said for second supports Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics (9) who expertly meld classic hard rock with modern sheen. If the name seems familiar then there is a good chance you've heard frontman Aaron before in his previous guise as the young long haired crooner for Heaven's Basement. He left the band to form this outfit (cut his hair!) and if I'm brutally honest it was a very good move, Buchanan was the standout in Heaven's Basement and he seems more comfortable with this band than he ever was playing the larger venues with his previous act. That's not to say that they are resting on their laurels, all five members of the group took tot he stage with a swagger a plunged into a set of unknown songs that due tot he sheer performance level were greeted like old friends.

This was groovy, hip-shaking rock n roll with a 21st Century crunch, Kev Hickman and Chris Guyatt laying down a sturdy foundation while the twin axes of Tom McCarthy and Laurie Buchanan (Aaron's sister) conjured fuzzed and strutting guitar riffs and slinky solos. Working through songs from their soon to be released debut album, the one or two technical hitches were the only cracks in the bands armour revealing their relative youth as a collective. However with songs such as The Man With The Stars On His Knees which has Aaron display his wonderful rock star vocals, then builds breaks into trade off solo between Tom and Laurie that evokes the spirit of Skynyrd with McCarthy as Allen Collins and the wide brimmed hat wearing Buchanan taking the Gary Rossington role (with a smidgen of SRV too). Nigh on perfect and with a bit of tweaking The Cult Classics will ascend to a higher echelon than just a cult act. Catch them now!

With heavy gauntlet to pick up from their opening acts, headliners InMe (8) had a lot to live up too, but as the 80's megamix played between the sets subsided the band now in their 20th year hit the stage and kicked things off with the Myths & Photographs which got the partisan crowd bouncing from minute one. A band that have always been more than what their tag suggests InMe have always fused angsty alt-metal with a technical precision favoured by prog metal bands, watching the band play their instruments is like witnessing four virtuoso's at work. Massive kudos to drummer Simon Taylor who was visibly extremely ill but still played like his life depended on it, hanging his head in exhaustion after every song. With the McPherson brothers, Dave vocals/guitar and Greg bass/vocals and guitarist Gazz Marlow up front the songs came a rapid rate.

The set list containing 15 slices of the bands signature sounds (with the bonus of no encores) with more modern tracks such as the trio of Hymn: Ivory Elder, Creation: Amethyst and Reverie: Aquarium coming from their Sci-Fi concept record Trilogy: Dawn rubbing shoulders with cuts from their debut record Overgrown Eden, the gaps were filled in with crowd-pleasers such as 7 Weeks, Legacy and one of my personal favourites Nova Armada (excellent arpeggios from Marlow). Again there were sound gremlins mainly for Dave's guitar but no-one noticed really with everyone in the crowd already onside, the band could have sung nursery rhymes and the crowd would have gone nuts, they didn't do this instead it was up to sing-alongs such as Safe In A Room and Firefly to give the tonsils a flex, not that Dave needed our help belting out every line with the same raw emotion as he has always had as brother Greg aided and abetted him with the harmonies. Once again InMe displayed why they receive such affection and devotion from their fanbase as they rounded out the the set with Underdose and Faster The Chase. 20 years is a long time for any band but InMe show no signs of stopping now.                

Reviews: Electric Six, Mobius, Be The Wolf (Reviews By Paul)

Electric Six: Fresh Blood For Tired Vampires (Metropolis Records)

Dick Valentine and his crew blast back with their latest long player, and as always it's full of witty, clever tunes which appeal to the widest of audiences. In the 13 years since Fire debuted the Six has maintained a work ethic second to none with an album a year and a touring schedule that would put the majority of bands into shock. Although the band are still most famously known for the hits from Fire, namely Gay Bar and High Voltage, their music is so much more. The satirical lyricism combined with the sheer brilliance of their fusion of rock, punk, electronica, new wave and even a bit of metal make them a must see.

Fresh Blood For Tired Vampyres continues where last year's Bitch Don't Let Me Die! and 2014’s Human Zoo left off. The Number Of The Beast follows the intro track Acid Reducer, and it is a beast alright with a thumping bass line, electronica and Dick Valentine’s distinctive vocals immediately stirring the desire to cut the most appalling dad shapes. The funk sound of Mood Is Improving is followed by I'll Be In Touch, with the ridiculous lyrics which are a staple of this most brilliant band. “I hate you … but I'll be in touch”. Ridiculous stuff. Lottery Reptiles is old school Six, quick moving and engaging, whilst more of the crazy dance moves are required for Dance With Dark Forces and the new wave synth drenched (Be My) Skin Caboose. Infectious is synonymous with Electric Six and I fail to understand how you cannot be truly under the spell of them after one song. I Got The Box and the B-52’s sounding Lee Did This To Me keep the momentum fired as the album moves to the fine conclusion of The Lover’s Pie and the insanity of Space Walkin’. Yet another eclectic release from one of the world's most original and enjoyable bands. Always worth it. 9/10

Mobius: The Line (Self Released)

Lyon based five piece Mobius have pulled together a real fusion of influences on their debut release The Line. Whilst Djent bass lines and time changes is the dominant sound, there is a huge nod to Opeth, Dream Theater and Symphony X as well as the world of jazz and the progressiveness of Porcupine Tree. The female vocals of Heli add an interesting symphonic metal feel ala Epica. At 54 minutes and only eight tracks The Line consists several lengthy tracks which feature some amazing talent. The percussion of Adrien combines with Julien’s driving bass lines and some searing guitar work from Anton. The keyboards of Guillanme work well to add depth and layers to the band’s sound. An interesting debut which demands extended listening to appreciate the complexity and energy that flows from opener Cosmopolis to the final, epic Mist Of Illusion. 8/10

Be The Wolf: Rouge (Scarlet Records)

The immediate comparison when listening to Rouge was that of The UK’s Brother and Bones. However, on further listens it moved away from the B&B sound and more towards the poppier end of the rock world. A lightweight rock edge, very clean boy band type vocals and some pretty accessible songs, the Turin outfit’s release crosses many genres. I've got to admit that it is pretty generic but very polished and accomplished with some neat hooks and oodles of melody, heart and soul. Federico Mondelli is the driving force behind the band, vocals and guitars all sit with him whilst the rhythm is supplied by bassist Marco Verdone and drummer Paul Canetti. If you fancy something a little more indie edged than the stuff we usually review then give Be The Wolf a try. 7/10

Reviews: Amaranthe, The Black Moods, Suicide By Tigers

Amaranthe: Maximalism (Spinefarm)

Amaranthe are concerning themselves with premium quality poppy electro metal with one ear to the mainstream, they have the guts of a metal band and rippling synths that wouldn't sound out of place in Ibiza, on Fireball the synths are at their thumping best. This record has all of the musical touches that have been part of Amaranthe's style since their debut. They dabble a bit on the record too however as That Song has a touch of Halestorm to it and would sound perfect at a major sports event, while 21 is an ode to luck and gambling that is harder edged and powered by the guitar of Olof killer solos.

The electronica elements are still heavily prevalent with the drums bass and keys all being the main driving force behind the pumping music as Olofs guitar cuts in with heavy riffs and serious solo chops. Again the vocal interplay is impressive with Elize showing a wider range to her vocals putting a bit of grit into On The Rocks. With the Jake E Lundberg and Henrik Englund Wilhemsson supplying clean and harsh vocals, they are the ideal counterpoints and companions to the main vocals of Elize. Her voice is still the stand out though she can out sing most of the pop strumpets doing the rounds at the moment providing the melodic power to the faster tracks but also handling a slower songs such as Limitless with a grace that is only shared by a few vocalists around.

Endlessly is her magnum opus, it has the huge musical backing and sees Elize moving into diva levels of pomp with a simply stunning performance. Amaranthe are now four albums into their career and they have carved out a niche as the premier purveyors and some would say originators of their sound. It's another album that will see Amaranthe gain more fans, play bigger arenas and ultimately cement themselves as a headliner of the future. 8/10

The Black Moods: Medicine (Another Century)

With that name and the album title you'd be forgiven for thinking The Black Moods were the kind of fringe wearing emo band parodied so brilliantly by Evil Scarecrow on their song Blacken The Everything. However on this assumption you would be wrong, The Black Moods are hard rock band from Tempe Arizona, fronted by singer/guitarist Josh Kennedy who is a born rockstar, with his leonine Plant-like hair, he supplies the swaggering guitar riffs with the loucheness of Keith Richards and compliments it with his whiskey soaked vocal, backed by Chico Diaz on drums and rounded out by Johannes Lars on the bass the trio play a mature type of alternative rock that puts them in the same category as Muse, CandleBox, Chevelle but with the pop sensibilities of The Killers and even our own Ash.

Think The Foo Fighters with a classic rock ethos and you'll get The Black Moods' sound, they go to arena rock on How Long driven by jangly power chords, add an indie sensibility to Paralysed, but they are at their best on the driving hard rockers such as Someone Save Us and the thumping Right Now Anywhere. The trio bind together as one and this record moves away from the crafted multi tracked albums that seem to flood rock at the moment stripping things back to their basic state of just instruments and vocals. Medicine is a tough, direct and punchy debut that is a promising start for the Arizona rockers. Keep an eye out for the band as they have lot of promise. 7/10

Suicide By Tigers: S/T (Self Released)

Despite sounding like what could be a very nasty way to end it all, Suicide By Tigers are a Swedish hard rock n roll band. Being from Sweden this means that they are very retro, expansive drumming from Johan Helgesson kicks off Death On Your Tail as frontman Nils Lindström croons with a soulful vocal comparable to Glen Hughes but with a lower register. Helgesson's drumming is exquisite throughout and the main draw for this record especially his fills on Vicious Malicious. SBT take from the late 60's blues and soul backed rock that Rival Sons have helped bring back into the public consciousness, the production helps the record no end it makes the walking bass of Peter Broch sound warm and inviting, defines the drums from the percussion on Beautiful Nights and it also means that Petter Rudnert's guitar has a crisp tone to it when it cuts in for his firework displays.

As I've said SBT have that late 60's early 70's vibe that can be heard on the Black Country Communion records with Pack Of Wolves being one of the picks of the record with its groovy riff and numerous razor sharp guitar solos. This self released, self titled album is a cracking record that sounds like it should be on a much bigger label than it is, soulful, bluesy, brimming with cocksure confidence and oozing with coolness these cats definitely have claws. 8/10  

Reviews: Blackberry Smoke, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Testament (Reviews By Paul)

Blackberry Smoke: Like An Arrow (Earache)

With a swagger born of the confidence of a band at the peak of their game, the Atlanta outfit hit the target once again. If 2015’s Holding All The Roses hit the country road, then the latest release sees the ‘Smoke well and truly into the journey and hitting all the right notes. Twelve songs, balanced and well-paced, vary in style from the Wild West bar sound of What Comes Naturally, the Country soaked Ain’t Gonna Wait through to the rockier tracks Waiting For The Thunder and the title track, this is a band who continue to do the simple things with such class and skill that they make everything look effortless.

The velvet harmonies are superb, enhancing the clever song writing whilst the Georgian drawl of Charlie Starr just draws you in. Despite the apparent simplicity, the musicianship of the band is once again first class. The Skynyrd flavoured Workin For A Workin Man has hooks galore, the reassuring Hammond keys of Brandon Still and the double edged guitar work of Starr and Paul Jackson. Hell, there’s even a funked up tune in Believe You Me that Stevie Wonder would be proud of. With their fifth release, Blackberry Smoke have once again staked their credentials as one of the premier Southern County rock outfits of modern times. The UK tour in April can’t come quick enough. Yeeeehaww!! 9/10

Joanne Shaw Taylor: Wild (Axehouse Music)

Wild is the fifth studio album from blues singer and guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor and it’s a fine release. Soaked with her now trademark smokey vocals and dripping with some of the best guitar work you will hear this year, Wild opens with the by now familiar Dyin' To Know, continues with the stomping Ready To Roll which has some lovely backing vocals from Mahalia Barnes (Jimmy Barnes' Daughter - Blues Ed), Juanita Tippins and Jade MacRae and doesn’t stop from there on in. Such is the quality and warmth of JST’s playing, you feel like these are old friends you are welcoming back into your house rather than new visitors. There are a couple of fine covers on this release too. First up is Wild Is The Wind, written by Dimitri Timokin and Ned Washington for the 1957 film of the same name and performed over the years by a multitude of artists as diverse as Nina Simone, Johnny Mathis, George Michael and probably most recognisably by David Bowie. JST treats this fantastic tune with a great amount of respect and adds another quality version to the catalogue.

The other cover is slightly more well known. Summertime, originally written by George Gershwin and DuBose Heywood for the opera Porgy and Bess in 1934 has, according to Wikipedia, been recorded over 25,000 times so take your pick of your favourite version. All I can say is that this version sits comfortably amongst all the other tracks on this album and JST’s guitar playing adds personality and individuality to one of the most recognisable songs of all time. Perfect to relax to with some beautiful piano playing enhancing the guitar work. With superb production from the renowned Kevin Shirley and supported by a plethora of excellent musicians, this is one of the releases of the year. It’s worth shelling out the extra Welsh pound or two for the deluxe version which has two additional tracks, both real quality with the final track, the rocking Your Own Little Hell bringing a superb album to a close. 10/10

Testament: Brotherhood Of The Snake (Nuclear Blast)

It’s been four years since the Bay Area thrash monsters Testament hit us with possibly the best album of their long career, Dark Roots Of The Earth, which was a mighty slab of anthemic and memorable thrash metal at its best. Four years. Since then, the band have toured relentlessly, albeit sporadically in the UK with a full tour substituted by smatterings of shows far away from our stomping grounds.

Brotherhood Of The Snake is the band’s 11th studio release, and the first to feature returning bassist Steve DiGiorgio since 2001’s First Strike Is Deadly. Musically it is tighter than my mother-in-law on holiday. The drumming of the legendary Gene Hoglan is astonishing, whilst the twin guitars of Alex Scolnick and Eric Peterson is razor sharp. Up front, Chuck Billy is as robust as ever, full of snarling aggression and power with as much energy as those early days in the 1980s when anthems such as Into The Pit and Over The Wall were pretty much glued to the turntable. And I suppose therein lies my only problem with what is a competently excellent album. The songs lack that little bit of pizazz which grabs you by the bollocks and slams you into the wall and leaves you demanding more.

The title track is a stomping opening to the album and The Pale King is memorable but after that it pales into a bit too much of the same. Breakneck speed drumming, riffs and solos galore but just a little repetitive. Seven Seals adds a little variety on an album lyrically inspired by ancient astronaut hypothesis and Ancient Alien TV programmes and Neptune’s Spear is classic Testament. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination and Andy Sneap’s mixing combined with Juan Urteaga’s production make it a high-quality listen. You just get to the end and think, what did I just listen to. Maybe the bar was just set incredibly high with Dark Roots. Still a thoroughly enjoyable release. Just not the smack in the face you might have expected. 7/10

A View From The Back Of The Room: GUN

GUN - Thekla Bristol

As Paul and the younger Hutchings males were in London with the emotive tones of Katatonia, Mrs H, Dan, Nicola and myself headed to our second home Bristol, to catch the Scottish rockers on the boat. I last saw the band at Camden Rocks and they blew my socks off with how tight and actually how heavy they were live. So I was excited to see whether they could replicate that performance in a smaller more local venue and also it was a great way for them to show those undecided that they were a great addition to the Black Star Riders tour next year.

As we entered the venue, after the first pint of the night of course, we were in time to catch SKAM (7) who I have seen before at Hard Rock Hell, however here they did make more than a fleeting mark, with a muscular brand of power trio hard rock that saw them flying through songs from both of their albums. They have a knack of mixing big riffs with sing-along choruses (much like the headliners) and by the time they were near the end of their set they had drawn quite a reasonable crowd all of whom were clapping along and heartily sang the opening parts of War Pigs when the band dived into a snippet from it in their final song. The almost relentless touring of this band is to their advantage as they are a formidable live force and seemed to be loving their time on stage, even if guitarist Steve's guitar did go out of tune, but as group of consummate professionals bassist Matt Gilmore and drummer Neal Hill treated us to a jazz odyssey as Steve tuned. A firebrand start to the night and one that set everyone up for the main event.  

As the room filled out, however there were not as many I would have liked to see on a Friday night, the banner on the back of the stage was exposed and as the PA closed out the band took to the stage in their new 5-man version, this tour has seen them reunite with original guitarist Alex Dickson who was in the band during the Gallus era. This addition made GUN (9) a much louder prospect than before, as Dickson and founding member Jools Gizzi traded licks and riffs right from the opener of Let It Shine, behind them the rhythm section of Paul McManus (drums) and Andy Carr (bass) drove the hard rock groove, most effectively on Word Up! which came second in the set to many people's surprise. Still we all sang along and shook our hips as frontman (and original bassist) Dante Gizzi crooned with his tough vocals.

There wasn't a break as the tempo was kept high during Don't Say It's Over, Better Days, which still has a cracking guitar sound to it, even after all these years and Hold Your Head Up. Most of the set was drawn from their debut record Taking On The World with the title track sitting mid set as huge crowd participation piece and the nearest thing they get to a ballad. Live GUN have a toughness that has never really translated on their records (except maybe their latest Frantic, off which three songs were featured). Dante was a genial host keeping the stage banter to a minimum, which was a benefit as many couldn't hear his broad Scottish accent, he just belted out the songs as the rest of the band rocked hard Jools and Alex sharing out the solos.

Alex taking most of the songs from the Gallus era, including the impressive Welcome To The Real World (sing along alert), my favourite track Steal Your Fire and Freedom which kicked off the encore, that was rounded out by Shame On You and Fight For Your Right To Party. A groovy, raucous show packed with should-have-been-classics GUN provide a quality hard rock show, personally I hope Alex sticks around until at least the BSR tour as GUN's sound deserves the dual guitar sound witnessed hear. If you're going to the shows next year go early as GUN will be throwing down a serious gauntlet to pick up.