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

Memoriam – The Asylum, Birmingham

As the year winds to a close, it was fitting that my 40th gig (including three festivals so many more bands seen) in 2016 was an absolute monster. Travelling with Matt and our death metal loving buddy Lee to Birmingham on a dour Sunday in December isn’t most people’s idea of fun but we really love the live music buzz.

I’d never been to the Asylum before. It’s a decent venue, despite a shocking lack of appreciation for the real ale. With a 600-person capacity, it gives the Midlands a decent sized venue for bands slightly left off field and who pull the 400+ crowd. Mind you they’ve had a range of bigger names too, with Exodus and Trivium unsurprisingly selling the place out in recent times.

Opening the evening were local outfit Absolution (6), back in the metal fold following their return in 2012. Some of our older readers may remember them skirting around the edge of the early 1990s death metal scene. The band stated that they played old school death metal. Well, they certainly played death metal, with vocalist Neil Hadden, a veteran from the beginning of the band grunting with gruesome delivery. The band’s apparent curiosity with serial killers manifested in many of the songs, such as Shallow Grave. They were aggressive, brutal and unfortunately repetitive.

A Celtic Frost cover was a brave choice in the middle of their set and it just about edged over the line. I was struck by how amazing Frost had been, delivering such complex sounds as a three piece; the five members of Absolution just didn’t get close. However, credit where credit is due; the band obtained a reasonable reaction from the crowd although inter-song change overs were sloppy and there appeared limited cohesion at times.

On a bill of death metal a doom soaked band didn’t seem the obvious choice. However, this was a night for Birmingham bands and Kroh (7) are another local outfit. A 40-minute set flew by, the combination of their Sabbath/Portishead/My Dying Bride induced misery and dirty riffs met with wide approval. All eyes were focused on the elfin Olivia Sobieszek whose powerful vocals and enthusiastic response to any applause was warming. Flanked by the duel guitar fuzz of Paul Kenney and Paul Hampton and supported by the energetic drumming of Rychard Slanton and the crushing bass lines of Dewan Donovan, Sobieszek did a great job, commanding her space centre stage. The band played a selection of tracks from their vinyl only release Altars and were rewarded with a warm round of applause at the end of their set.

There was only one band that the assembled 350 or so punters had travelled to see and that was Memoriam (9). For the uninitiated, the band are fronted by legendary Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willetts, who spent much of the evening wandering around mixing with the crowd. Absolutely no ego with this man. Alongside Willetts Benediction/Sacrilege bassist Frank Healy, Benediction guitar ace Scott Fairfax and former Bolt Thrower drummer Andy Whale. Although the band originally formed to deliver cover versions the creative juices have been flowing nicely with The Hellfire Demos whetting the appetite for 2017’s full release.

With The World At War theme blasting out the band launched into Memoriam, a crunching battering which left those in the audience who may have been dozing with a rude awakening. Willetts amazingly deathly growl is just immense, his timing superb. Grinning like a Cheshire cat as he spotted friends and family in the crowd, this event was part Christmas party part jam room. It was also pretty fantastic and when the band slipped in their version of Captive (Sacrilege) as well as the pounding of Spearhead from Bolt Thrower’s The IVth Crusade there was much banging of the head. Alongside these classics, the new stuff from the band sounded fucking mean, with the merciless assault of Resistance, the grinding battery of Drone Strike and the majesty of War Rages On impressing.

Willetts is the complete frontman, giving a shout out to the Cardiff lads who had made the trip along with those battle-hardened Germans who made the trip from their home country. As the band slipped into Inside The Wire from Bolt Thrower’s Honour, Valour, Pride it was with some warmth that I reflected on the reward for our efforts getting to Birmingham. This was an evening to savour. Brutally brilliant.

Reviews: Oni, Solitude, Crown Of Earth (Reviews By Rich)

Oni: Ironshore (Metal Blade)

Canada's Oni set out to impress with their fantastic debut album Ironshore and impress they most certainly do with an album which fuses progressive metal, metalcore and technical death metal in spectacular fashion. The music on Ironshore is amazingly technical but without being self indulgent and is also equal parts brutally heavy and stunningly melodic. The rhythm sections are dizzyingly complex with some absolutely savage guitar riffs and stunning leads performed ably by guitarist Brandon White. The vocals by Jake Oni switch between impressive cleans, guttural death metal growls and high end screams.

The bass playing and drumming must also get huge rounds of applause as they both performed amazingly though special mention must go to xylosynth player Johnny DeAngelis whose fantastic playing gives some of the songs a new dimension (seriously watch the video on YouTube of Johnny DeAngelis playing through Barn Burner - it's glorious!). Opening track Barn Burner gets things off to a stunning start being one of the most death metal leaning songs on the album. The Only Cure is also one of the heaviest songs on the album and also features guest vocals by none other than Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God.

The highlight for me is the eleven minute proggy masterpiece that is The Science. Other highlights include the technical madness of Spawn And Hate and the xylosynth driven Kanvas. Ironshore is an absolutely stunning debut album mixing jaw dropping musicianship and fantastic songwriting. My only tiny criticism can be that one or two of the songs are overshadowed by the rest of the album and are slightly less memorable. If Oni are this good on their debut album then they have an extremely promising future ahead of them. This is one band I shall keeping a very close eye on and already cannot wait to see what they do next. A modern day metal masterpiece. 9/10

Solitude: Reach For The Sky (Spiritual Beast)

Reach For The Sky is the second album by Japanese old school heavy metallers Solitude. This album was originally released last year in Japan but has only now been released globally. I'm gonna start this review by saying that if you are a fan of old school heavy metal then this album is essential listening and probably the best straight up heavy metal album I have heard this year. Solitude take influence from bands such as Accept, Saxon and Motorhead and also mix in some speed and thrash metal influences to create the ripping metal storm that is Reach For The Sky combining tearing riffs, catchy melodies and a thunderous rhythm section.

The vocal style of Akira Sugiuchi might not be to everyone's taste with him employing a gruffer and grittier style quite in the vein of Chris Boltendahl from Grave Digger. The songs on the album range from the speed metal attack of Venom's Angel and Don't Need Mercy to fist pumping yet melodic metal anthems such as Reach For The Sky and Escape For The Crime. All the tracks have a sense of urgency and a ridiculous yet addictive energy about them which will have your head banging whether you like it or not.

Reach For The Sky is an absolutely fantastic album with great songwriting, fantastic performances and ridiculous amounts of energy. It may be in the vein of classic eighties heavy metal but this album feels modern and contemporary rather than a retro release. An essential listen for any self respecting heavy metal fan. 9/10

Crown Of Earth: Crown Of Earth (Cochise Entertainment Inc)

Crown Of Earth are a Philadelphia based band playing classic 1980's style heavy metal and this is their self titled debut album. The music on Crown Of Earth is classic old school heavy metal with crunching riffs and catchy melodies. The guitar playing by Michael Ellis and Christopher Graziola is impressive with crunchy riffs and some impressive leads. The vocals of frontman Danny Knight are both gritty and melodic. The bass playing and drumming is fairly pedestrian but holds everything together.

Crown Of Earth is a band who have a clear love and passion for old school heavy metal especially shining through on tracks such as Frank (The Hellraiser), Born Again Warrior and Into The Night. The band wear their influences on their sleeves and you can hear everyone from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Manowar and early Queensryche in their sound. The problem with a retro heavy metal band is that they are never going to sound as good as the bands they are imitating but Crown Of Earth is a vastly enjoyable yet somewhat unspectacular debut album. 7/10

Reviews: Nightmare, Bad Touch, Sister, Vanderberg (Reviews By Paul)

Nightmare: Dead Sun (AFM)

The origins of Nightmare can be traced all the way back to Grenoble, France way back in 1979. The band were active in the NWOBHM scene until 1987 when they disbanded. Reforming in 1999 with drummer Jo Amore taking on vocal duties, the band has moved from classic rock, through death metal to their current thrash tinged power metal. The current line-up includes original member Yves Campion on bass and backing vocals and the impressive pipes of Maggy Luyten. Dead Sun is their 10th full release, eight of which have come since 2001. It is the follow up to 2014’s The Aftermath.

Within these parts female fronted bands are always measured against South Wales’ own Triaxis, whose front woman Krissie Kirby possesses one of the best voices in metal today. What Nightmare have over Triaxis is a more composed sound, with standout tracks Inner Sanctum, Ikarus (sic), Starry Skies Gone Black and opener Infected all impressive in their strength and sheer power. Luyten’s voice contains a gritty husky edge which adds to each song, with the battering of Olivier Casulan’s drumming combining with Campion to lay down a hugely infectious foundation which is topped off by some viciously dangerous guitar work from Frank Milleliri and Matt Asselberghs. Dead Sun is a listenable slab of hard metal, simple yet intricate at times but full of pace and potency that obviously comes with the experience that Nightmare holds. 7/10

Bad Touch: Truth Be Told (Bad Touch Records)

Just over a year ago, Norfolk’s Bad Touch opened for Snakecharmer at The Globe. Their high-energy show won over the crowd and ensured that their debut release Half Way Home was snapped up. It was a gutsy debut, oozing the swagger of the Black Crowes and infused with a Zeppelin like feel which is often evident in this type of band. A year later and their sophomore release Truth Be Told is a bit of a damp squib. It’s routine stuff with little to catch the imagination. Stevie Westwood’s vocals remain the best thing about this band, and whilst the groove and swagger dips in and out, for example on opener One More Night, it isn’t maintained in the manner which bands such as The Answer and The Temperance Movement can do with ease. It’s easy to listen to and competently played but just a wee bit dull. 6/10

Sister: Stand Up, Forward March (Metal Blade)

Don’t get confused with the 1970s outfit that spawned one Blackie Lawless, this is Stockholm’s Sister. Formed in 2006, Stand Up, Forward March is the third release from the band who were signed to Metal Blade in 2010 by Primordial’s Alan “Nemthenga” Averill. It’s full of aggressive fast powered punk-driven metal, lots of anthems and sleazy riffs and some impressive hooks. A bit like Motley Crüe without the bloat mixed with the edge of early Guns ‘N’ Roses.

Jamie Anderson’s dirty vocals fit perfectly whilst the guitar of Tim Tweak chugs away alongside the filthy bass of Martin Sweet and drummer Cari Crow. Lost In Line, Carved In Stone and Dead Man's Dirt are all disgustingly infectious, and whilst the glam punk rock sound isn’t my bag this lot could raise the dead with their infectious approach. Album closer Piece Of Shame is dreadful, old school Hanoi Rocks without the class but overall this is a decent album which won’t have you thinking hard but may get you close to a speeding ticket. Drive with caution. 7/10

Vanderberg: Devil May Care (Self Released)

Guitarist Marc Vanderberg is another German virtuoso influenced by the likes of Yngwie Malmsteen, Kee Marcello and John Norum; all whose styles can be heard on this very competent melodic hard rock release. Not to be confused by the Dutch master Adrian Vandenberg (different spelling folks) and his Moonkings, this release has some spectacular guitar work but suffers from a lack of variation in compositions and too many vocalists. Goran Edmann (ex-Malmsteen) and Tave Wanning (Adrenaline Rush) add some solid performances but it’s Columbian Paulo Cuevas who steals the show with the best Joey Tempest impression I’ve heard for years on Key To Your Heart and balls out rocker Corrosion Of Society which is by far the best track on the album, full of power and pace.

Spirit Of The Dragon features Boban Vasileski and if you like your rock heavy but full of melody you’ll dig this immensely. Basically, Devil May Care takes you back to the mid-1980s when Swedish rock was taking a foothold in the world. There are some dull tracks on here, such as the weak Pray and closer Smoking Kills which is just garbage. However, if you can cope with these this is a decent album, especially if you want to live in 1986 again. 7/10

Reviews: Eternal Idol, Dario Mollo's Crossbones, Hevidence

Eternal Idol: The Unrevealed Secret (Frontiers)

For many who love their metal like they love their TV shows, full of Dragons and battles then Italian legends Rhapsody(Of Fire) or whatever they are called now, are pretty near the top of the list in terms of genre leaders their cinematic fantasy power metal has been around since the dawn of scene in the early 90's. In that time the band has split, reformed, split again and are now Lione has left the Of Fire version and they have come together one last time and are about to do their farewell tour as the original Rhapsody.

Those familiar with the band will already know what a great singer Fabio Lione is and with four active bands, six former bands and having guested on over 30 projects, if any metal band worth their salt needs a vocalist Fabio seems the man to go too. So then now he has settled down again and formed Eternal Idol with members of Hollow Haze a band he once fronted but are now led by Giorgia Colleluori who along with guitarist/keys Nick Savio and drummer Camillo Colleluori are all part of Eternal Idol, this means that you get the best of both worlds as Lione's and Colleluori's vocals work in glorious tandem atop the symphonic musical backing.

Giorgia has a powerful rock delivery different to the multitude of operatic singers in this genre her vocal is a revelation, while Fabio has his normal wide style. The Unrevealed Secret is good symphonic metal project there are heavyweight rockers like Another Night Comes In and more melodic tracks such as Awake In Orion as well as the emotive Is The Answer Far From God? it's everything you could want from a symphonic metal album, nothing new but well delivered. 7/10

Dario Mollo's Crossbones (Frontiers)

Dario Mollo has been known for projects involving Tony Martin and Glen Hughes, the Italian guitarist knows how to pick a vocalist and now he has aligned himself with Carl Sentance of Persian Risk and most recently Nazareth. Sentance has stunning Bruce Dickinson-like voice and gives the songs his full range especially on the strutting opener Red. He was recommended for the job by Don Airey and this high praise is rewarded by a great performance throughout the album. The Crossbones project is an homage to Mollo's first band Crossbones and takes him back to the driving hard rock he stared his career with, Rainbow and Whitesnake being the major influences.

Along the way he has brought back original Crossbones drummer Ezio Secomandi who plays for his life on this record as the beating heart of the band. Mollo's guitar playing is fantastic as usual with touches of Blackmore throughout he riffs when he needs to and cuts in with impressive guitar fireworks as the tracks peak. Augmenting him are the bass and keys/organs of long term collaborator Dario Patti who takes the Hughes/JPJ and Jon Lord role all at once. Sentance is the perfect foil for the guitar moving between soaring and snarling on the title track and giving it the full Coverdale on ballad Gates Of Time. A great hard rock record sitting near the top of Mollo's other projects, this has to last longer than one album! 8/10

Hevidence: Nobody's Fault (Frontiers)

Before you put on the debut record from Hevidence on you might want to listen to all of the albums by Alcatrazz, Yngwie Malmsteen' Rising Force, Impellitteri, Dokken, MSG and Racer X. If you see a pattern arising then congratulations Sherlock as all of these band feature classically trained shredders in a band situation. Diego Reali is such a shredder having been the six string wizard for Italian progressive act DGM until 2005.

Since then he has tried his hand at various styles but has always returned to classic hard rock/metal of his youth, Hevidence is the second incarnation of a solo band (that used to be called Evidence) and it's an album that could quite easily slot into any of the band outings by Malmsteen, Vai, Gilbert or Mr Scary himself George Lynch, the neoclassical guitars are the focal point of this record Reali shreds and shreds hard double tapping with panache and playing those arpeggios from hell.

What stops this being sheer guitar porn though is that this is an album full of songs, from Dig In The Night through to All I Ever Needed the showing off never gets in the way of the songwriting, even the instrumental is constructed well rather than just being nonsensical soloing. As good as Reali is he would be nothing without a strong supporting cast (which can be said of any of the bands mentioned).

Luckily the bass and drums of Andrea Arcangeli and Emiliano Bonini are equally solid and skilled as every guitar hero needs a vocalist to match Corrado Quoiani does an ample job behind the mic. For any fans of neoclassical guitar playing and songs that range from swaggering hard rock to thundering power metal then Hevidence will be on your Christmas list for sure! 7/10

Another Point Of View: Electric Six (Live Review By Paul)

Electric Six- The Globe, Cardiff

It's been three years since the Six has graced our fair city so it was unsurprising that that this gig sold out way before the night. A cold night outside but fully heated indoors with the temperature rising as the crazies got into their stride as the evening progressed. Opening act Nightmares From The Discotheque (7) got the evening off to a splendid start, the Cardiffians humour on the same wavelength as many of their countrymen. Front duo Rick Schaple and Canz Rickman got everyone chortling to their song about Kanye West You've Been Kanye’d and their ode to the unsung nightclub heroes, the toilet lurking aftershave sprayers with No Spray No Lay. These guys have been pushing it hard for several months and were a very good choice of opening act. Closing with the close to the knuckle A Yewtree Christmas Carol, Nightmares are well worth seeing for their typically local brand of humour.

Next up were We Are Z (7), a collection of French and London based multi instrumentalists led by the charismatic Gabriel Cazes. The band arrived on stage sporting an image which appeared to have been generated from the end of year lost property box in a primary school. Their brand of indie rock pop went down a storm with the crowd getting more involved as the set progressed. A range of observational songs from their debut release Animal proved to be just what the audience wanted.

Two years since I last saw Dick Valentine’s crew but Electric Six (9) remain the consummate live band. Although the  line up changes quite regularly, and with the White Wolf absent due to impending fatherhood (thanks to Dave Sugarman for the info), the drive, humour and infectious grooves remain constant. With albums released annually their set list becomes more varied every year. New tracks from their latest album Fresh Blood for Tired Vampyres were interspersed between classics such as Gay Bar and Down at Macdonnalzzz  as well as a couple from last year's Bitch Don't Let Me Die including opener Electric Six (a song about Electric Six!) and When Cowboys File For Divorce.

In between songs Dick Valentine is witty and dry, his deadpan delivery so funny. Encouraging the crowd to head to Swansea for the finale to their tour the following night “it's all free, free entry …”. Of course, it's sometimes easy to miss the quality of the music during all the fun but this band are just the business. A raucous High Voltage!  was received with joy and the unexpected but very welcome Synthesiser from debut release Fire got the place moving. Hit with Improper Dancing and closing track I Buy the Drugs the place went nuts. Another really enjoyable evening from one of the best bands around.

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

Marillion, The Tramshed, Cardiff

I have to admit that I've not seen Marillion since the 1986 Misplaced Childhood tour rolled into St Davids Hall. Thirty years is a long time to leave it and it was with much anticipation that I headed to the Tramshed to renew acquaintances.

Since that tour Marillion has morphed into a totally different beast. With the arrival of Steve “H” Hogarth the band were released from many of the difficulties they had experienced with the “Scottish singer” and over the past 28 years their sound has changed dramatically, far removed from the punk fused neo progressive rock that many who don't follow them still associate with the name of the band. In fact, the Hogarth era sound is much closer to the progressive nuanced indie style of Radiohead and the like. Clever without being arrogant, delicate and intricate, intriguing and thought provoking and beautifully played. It's fair to say that Marillion don't make music for the three minute single generation.

The Tramshed is a cracking venue but boy does it become hard work when full to capacity. For the vertically challenged it's inevitable that sight lines will be interrupted or even completely blocked and the temperature rockets very quickly. Sensible action by the ever excellent staff in opening the doors to allow airflow during the main set helped but this was only after at least one member of the audience required assistance. Perhaps the demographic of an audience for a band such as Marillion needs to be given more consideration. These aren't spring chickens we are talking about.

Opening act John Wesley (6) faced a stern challenge. With a stellar reputation thanks to his time in Porcupine Tree and of course with Fish, he didn't have to win over the crowd but his solo approach with programming to support his guitar and vocals was a bit dull for a partisan crowd who were there for only  one reason. Despite a game effort and some pleasing interactions with some wags in the audience prior to his last song, A Way You'll Never Be, Wesley was unable to maintain the attention of many which caused frustration for those who did want to listen.

The start of two and a half hours of quite superb music began with Marillion (9), minus H, gently arriving on stage and launching into The Invisible Man, the digital backdrop projecting H’s vocals before the man himself arrived on stage, dapperly dressed in suit and tie. As the evening progressed H’s appearance matched the mood of the music, losing the tie and later jacket and by the encores changing from a sweat drenched shirt to tee and leather. It's no coincidence that this band evoke such loyalty from their audience. This was akin to a religious experience with the commitment of the band fully matched by the crowd who soaked up every minute, passion and emotion present throughout.

Whilst H is the focal point of the band, and he is a damn good frontman, the unassuming work that goes on around him is remarkable. Ian Moseley is a fine drummer, his work with bassist Pete Trewavas solid and crafted. Mark Kelly’s keyboards and programming provides the layers and textures which are the Marillion sound whilst the underrated guitar work of Steve Rothery, the sole original member was just beautiful. Never one to push it, his work meshes perfectly with the band's, but he can let rip when he wants. Of course, it's the vocal performance that makes or breaks a band and H cannot only sing but perform as well, theatrics enhancing his lyrics. He also took the audience banter brilliantly, swearing like a trooper and greeting an impromptu “oggi oggi oggi “ with genuine surprise.

A large chunk of the set was unsurprisingly devoted to the quite magnificent F.E.A.R , possibly the album of 2016. Politically astute and observationally accurate, F.E.A.R reflects the world we live in, ruled by wealthy corporations to the expense of the rest. Chillingly clear and oh so accurate. Living in Fear was the first track, many of the audience fully familiar with a release a mere two months old. Solitary pre H track Sugar Mice from Clutching At Straws  allowed those around at the time to open up the vocals, H only needing to sing about a third of the song thanks to the Cardiff choir who were in full voice. I’m sure there is a massive cross over between the Fish and Marillion fan base and it was no surprise to hear many sing it word perfect.

The most accurate and frightening part of F.E.A.R, The New Kings held everyone captivated. A quite masterful piece of work, H’s Performance was astonishing, dripping with emotion and anger. The ovation that was received was fully deserved. The fragility of the rock star life was hammered home during King with a poignant montage of those stars who died before their time. Enough legends to fill the entire song, Lynott, Presley, Lennon and Winehouse amongst them.

A deserved encore brought more new treats in the shape of El Dorado from F.E.A.R which sounded majestic in the live arena. Sadly a few of the crowd were by now restless and some of the quieter parts were spoilt by mindless chatter. The finale of This Strange Engine, introduced by H as a mad song that even he didn't know what was  about, brought a fantastic show to a close. Two and a half hours in length and quite technically astonishing, Marillion really did deliver.

As a footnote, it would be remiss of me not to comment on the quite idiotic behaviour of some of the fans. It appears to be increasingly common for the crowds in the Tramshed to get tanked up as the night progresses. This got to ridiculous proportions when during Marillion’s set a fight broke out! Yes, grown middle aged men for fuck’s sake. Whilst the Marillion army is devoted to the core, they also contain some of the biggest assholes. A real shame but a bit of tarnish to an otherwise glorious evening.

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

Bigfoot, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff

Maybe we've just been spoilt in recent weeks with our gigs. Maybe the sun and beer back in July messed with our judgement and maybe we got caught up in the social media frenzy. All I know is that this gig was a crushingly underwhelming evening.

Arriving in time to catch most of The Boom Sons (6) set, the three piece from The Rhondda grooved away with their fuzzy hard rock sound. Performing to 12 people is unlikely to be the most inspirational event of your life but the diminutive Vanessa Morgan, grappling with a giant bass guitar didn't worry with a solid vocal performance. Playing a range of tracks from their debut release Weird is the New Black there was some welcome variation in their style although set closer Move Your Deriere reverted to type to close the set. Whilst the band were okay, their inter song manner was pretty chaotic. Something to work on but a bit of promise.

Most of Bigfoot’s traveling entourage slowly wandered into the room for main support from the dirty ‘Port Everyday Heroes (7). These boys had played the Friday night at Steelhouse and earned some positive reaction. The crowd had swelled to around 35 by now, although we later realised this was mainly due to the band's friends and family. In fact, there were probably fewer than 10 non-associated punters in the room. Everyday Heroes are South Wales’ Answer to Northern Ireland’s Trucker Diablo, full of Black Stone Cherry, Nickleback and the like. Led by the towering Luke Phillips who shoulders both lead vocals and lead guitar duties the band are competent if a little routine. Their supporters certainly increased both volume and temperature but their set went on about four songs too long; there's only so much BSC lite I can take.

Back in the summer we had been sufficiently impressed by the headliners to purchase advance tickets for this event. Social media suggested that it was heading for a sell out. With a large percentage of the crowd having left after Everyday Heroes but bolstered by their own supporters, this was clearly a load of bollocks. With possibly 30-40 people in the room Bigfoot (5) hit the stage in confident manner, riffs wailing but Antony Ellis’s vocals way down in the mix. This continued for the next four songs by which time some of the audience including their “supporters” had resorted to chatting and taking selfies. Bigfoot’s songs were bland, repetitive and thoroughly uninspiring. Maybe it was the sound which once again influenced the opinion, but I was expecting much better. Sadly, by 10.50pm we'd had sufficient Bigfoot for one year and headed out.

So what did we learn? Don't believe the hype. There was plenty of room and this was nowhere near capacity. If  you are the main band, sort your sound out. It was fine for the two before you. Fuel is still a crap venue for live music. And finally, reaching a wider audience still relies on spreading music. Some EPs on your merchandise stand would have been welcomed.

Reviews: Sixx:A.M, Sirenia, Superjoint, Haddock (Reviews By Paul)

Sixx AM: Prayers For The Blessed Vol 2 (Universal)

Back in May I reviewed Prayers For The Damned Vol 1, album number four from Sixx AM, giving it a 6/10. I stated at the time that it was probably the most accessible of the band’s four releases. Prayers For The Blessed Vol 2 follows swiftly on the heels of that release and it’s not bad. The compositions remain focused on the rock radio fare which we’ve come to expect. Vocalist James Michael possesses a decent set of pipes and with tracks like The Devil’s Coming and Wolf At Your Door he really lets rip.

The former track is a fine rip snorter of a track with some chunky riffs and sweet guitar work courtesy of DJ Ashba whilst That’s Gonna Leave A Scar thunders along with a melodic hard rock edge. Once again Nikki Sixx and co have drawn up some anthemic tunes which will get the fists pumping. Generic but perfectly listenable. 7/10

Sirenia: Dim Days Of Dolor (Napalm Records)

The Norwegian symphonic metallers have been around the block a few times since their formation in 2001 and return with their 8th full release and the first with new vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan. She replaces Ailyn Gilmenez who had been with the band for eight years. For Zoldan this is a step up, having been a member of the Sirenian choir for 13 years. Her classically trained mezzo soprano fits the band’s sound perfectly and she is of course no stranger to the metal scene having been a big part of Trail Of Tears’ Existensia and Turisas’ Battle Metal in 2004. Meanwhile the engine of Sirenia Morten Veland remains the composer and instrumentalist for all this album.

With fewer harsh vocals from Veland than in previous releases and a limited input from the choir in comparison to before, the focus is very much on Zoldan’s vocals and she doesn’t disappoint with a commanding performance. The title track allows her to demonstrate her calibre and she hits some stunningly high notes with apparent ease. The 12th Hour does see Veland’s gruff tones contrast with Zoldan’s delicate yet powerful delivery and the backing from the choir adds atmosphere to a busy track. It’s a little too similar in parts but symphonic metal is often like that. Worth a listen 7/10

Superjoint: Caught Up In The Gears Of Application (Housecors Records)

Formerly Superjoint Ritual but now just Superjoint for legal reasons, the filthy beast that is Philip Anselmo crashes back with the band’s first album since 2003’s A Lethal Dose Of American Hatred. Caught Up In The Gears Of Application is pretty much as you’d expect with an outfit that contains Anselmo associates Jimmy Bower, Kevin Bond, Jose Maneul Gonzalez and Stephen Taylor. It’s brutal, it’s dirty and it’s full of sludgy punk attitude. The hardcore edge, Anselmo’s guttural snarling shouted vocals and some quite disgustingly crushing riffs leave little to the imagination. Titles such as Sociopathic Herd Delusion and Rigging The Fight are full force anger. Listen with caution. 6/10

Haddock: Captain Wolfe’s Journey (Self Released)

I kid you not. Possibly the worst named band in the history of fish based rock, Haddock are a four-piece fuzz balled stoner outfit from Sweden. This five-track release is dirty, scruffy and very competent. Merging The Sword, Graveyard, High on Fire as well as the desert howlings of Kyuss, Captain Wolfe’s Journey continues very much in the vein of the stoner rock format, with crashing cymbals, rampaging riffs and distorted guitar work. If you like the stoner sound then this will be a pleasant addition to your collection. It’s nothing new and won’t win any awards but this is a genre which isn’t really about originality. 6/10

Reviews: Burning Point, Chronos, Lucifer's Friend (Reviews By Rich)

Burning Point: The Blaze (AFM Records)

Finland's Burning Point return with their seventh album of power metal goodness The Blaze which is also their first full original album with vocalist Nitte Valo (formerly of Battle Beast) with previous album Burning Point being a mix of new and re-recorded songs. You pretty much know what you are going to get with a power metal album so you have to judge an album's worth on songwriting and performances. Thankfully both are on top form. Burning Point play a more melodic brand of power metal with huge singalong choruses and hooks that will bore into your subconscious for weeks.

The standout star of the album is frontwoman Nitte Valo who absolutely dominates with her aggressively edged yet soaring vocals. There is also plenty of guitar wizardry on display throughout the album and the eighties sounding synths give this album an old school feel. Burning Point won't win any awards for originality with The Blaze but balls to originality when you get power metal at this level of greatness. Stand outs include Master Them All, Lost In Your Thoughts and The King Is Dead, Long Live The King. 8/10

Lucifer's Friend: Too Late To Hate (Cherry Red Records)

Among a stream of high profile comebacks and reunions another legendary band has returned and put out their first new album in a very long time except many rock and metal fans will have never heard of this band. Time for a bit of a history lesson...

Lucifer's Friend formed in Hamburg, Germany and released their debut album way back in 1970 playing an early form of heavy metal. They released another seven albums throughout the 70's and early 80's dabbling in other genres such as psychedelic rock, progressive rock, jazz fusion, funk rock and AOR before calling it quits in 1982. A couple of members released an album under the name Lucifer's Friend II in 1994 but this did not last until a proper reunion in 2014.

Too Late To Hate is the first proper Lucifer's Friend in 35 years. Three of the original members play on this album - vocalist John Lawton (who also sang for Uriah Heep - Ed), guitarist Peter Hesslein and bassist Dieter Horns and they are joined by keyboardist Jogi Wichmann and drummer Stephan Eggert. So after a 35 year between album gap is Too Late To Hate any good? Well Lucifer's Friend seem to pick up where they left off playing a mix of hard rock and AOR reminiscent of the early 80's albeit with a 21st century sounding production. You get a mix of straight up hard rockers such as opener Demolition Man (Thankfully not a Sting cover - Ed) and Tell Me Why to the bluesy This Time and the ballad-esque When Children Cry. Performance wise the band sound fantastic.

John Lawton's voice sounds fantastic for a guy aged 70 whilst Peter Hesslein belts out some fantastic guitar riffs carried by the impressive keyboard playing of Jogi Wichmann. After a 35 year wait 'Too Late To Hate' is an enjoyable album with some great catchy rocking tunes. Not a groundbreaking album by any means and will probably sound fairly dated to any younger rockers but classic rock fans will lap this up.7/10

Chronos: Pallid Reflection (Self Released)

Chronos are a four piece melodic death metal band hailing from Bath and Pallid Reflection is their debut album independently released on Bandcamp. Chronos are at the thrashier end of the melodic death metal spectrum but also add a progressive metal influence. The material on this album sounds like a cross between Scar Symmetry, At The Gates and Opeth especially on the tracks such as Emerald Soul and Shadow Of The Sun which sound very influenced by the Swedish prog metal masters. Other highlights include the aggressive opener Blood River and the Spanish guitar influenced Shiver.

The vocals of frontman James Rideout alternate between death metal growls and clean vocals slightly reminiscent of Christian Älvestam (ex-Scar Symmetry and Solution .45) and Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth). The guitar playing is aggressive yet melodic with some great solos. The bass guitar and the drums provide a solid backbone to the songs. The main criticism of the album is the songs are generally far too long without enough interesting ideas to sustain the song length.

The main tracks that suffer from this are the bloated two parts of Thuribles Veil. Chronos also seem to lack their own distinct identity sometimes sounding all too alike the bands that influence them. That being said Pallid Reflection is a very strong debut album by a very talented band. 7/10

Reviews: Sacred Gate, Tower, Damaj

Sacred Gate: Countdown To Armageddon (Metal On Metal Records) 

They're back, a band that I have an affinity with despite many not knowing who they are, Countdown To Armageddon is Sacred Gate's third album of traditional power metal, however it is unfortunately the bands last album, as they split up shortly after recording the record, this is a great shame as yes it's standard fayre but they do bring a lot to the table. Think twin guitars, relentless drumming and passionate vocals and you are in the right ball park, much like Swedes Sabaton Sacred Gate deal with the themes of war but they are more adult, more serious sounding, Manowar would be proud as this is crunch driven true metal, so if you don't like it you know where to leave.

You could throw around names such as Accept or Helloween and you'd hear them in Sacred Gate's sound but equally there is a heaving load of Maiden especially on opener Angel Of Darkness which slows into a Harris-like chug in the middle, Legions Of The North takes from Priest even dabbling in skyscraping vocals and some grunts, this record sees them with a new vocalist who although good I prefer his predecessor. It's all very Anglo-Germanic in its sound as the Teutonic speed metal fuses with the NWOBHM for what is an excellent slice of proper heavy metal, as classic as it get's, a fitting tribute to the band's legacy, they have 3 solid records of heavy metal anthems and personally it's a shame they are no longer a going concern. 8/10 

Tower: Tower (The End Records)

As we've probably noted numerous times the rise of new bands that draw heavily from the late 70's scene where hard rock became heavy metal, this saw the rise of thrash in the USA but earlier still it was the birthing of the NWOBHM. There are literally hundreds of bands that are trying to reinvent and re-popularise this sound, if I were to list them it would number 100's so Tower from New York City have a steep mountain to climb as they have come late to the party, however they bring a lot of talent to the table, much like Thin Lizzy (Bad Reputation), Scorpions (Lovedrive) and Priest (Stained Class), they avoid the follies of the NWOBHM by taking from hard rock of the 70's and just making it quicker and adding an extra guitars. Looking at the band tells you all you need to know, tight bellbottoms, denim cuts, beards, waist length hair and a raven haired frontwoman decked out in velour, leather and tassles. 

Yep it's all here musically too there are axe harmonies, bass gallops and wild vocals from frontwoman Sarabeth who has killer husky hard rock vocal that's displayed when she sneers, croons and bellows over the big riffs of James and Zak who duel and harmonise like Robertson & Gorham or Downing & Tipton at their best while the rock n roll element is held down by the backroom of Philippe's bass and Justin's drums. The whole record rocks, grooving and riffing as Sarabeth really gets you believing the rock n roll gospel they are spreading, her voice is full of conviction and it bewitches converting you to their cause as soon as the first track ends. Tower is a great debut, classy, polished and with enough of their own charm to elevate them above many of the bands doing similar, put it on turn it up and rock out like it's '78! 8/10    

Damaj: The Wrath Of The Tide (Self Released)

Damaj are a Scottish heavy metal band and this their first EP it has an old school vibe, there's no glossy production or simmering ballads, just heavy metal like it was back in its early years of the American scene concentrating more on groove than outright speed. Much like Sanctuary or Annihilator the rhythms changes and progressive bent of The Wrath Of The Tide makes Damaj not just another thrash copyist, they are a very interesting prospect indeed. Dual guitars intertwining and a colossal rhythm section of David Douglas and Scot Macleod make for loud listening while the vocals of Daniel Stewart are clean and have hint of the Het although they need refining. It's the instrumentation that make this record, the solos of James Haggart are sublime and the riffs get the fist pumping and the head banging throughout. This is a great first shot from Damaj four songs that show what they can do, the four Scots in this band have hooked on to a sound that is rare, heavy but hooky and they deliver it well, I await the full length. 7/10