Mother's Cake: No Rhyme, No Reason (Membran)
Booty-shaking, psychedelic, blues rock with an indie spirit Mother's Cake are something a little special, they blend the trippy sonics of hawkwind with the strut of The Black Crowes, the hard rocking of Aussies Wolfmother (Now Or Never) with the spiralling kaleidoscopic palette of The Mars Volta on the trippy H8 and even throw in the 60's vibe of Rival Sons on the atmospheric Black Roses.
This three piece from Austria are Yves Krismer on (vocals, guitar), Benedikt Trenkwalder (bass) and Jan Haussels (drums) and they play like a much bigger band, the sounds this band make are incredibly intricate you can hear every bass note, every snare hit, every chord change, every guest organ playing, much of this is due to the stella production, but the band themselves are obviously superior musicians as they effortlessly shift between the Arctic Monkeys on psychotropic drugs fuzzy indie bluster of The Killer to the bluesy rocking of Now Or Never while they can also give us tracks such as The Sun and Streetja Man that go into full freakouts with The Sun having a relentless riff and Streetja Man pairs timpani percussion with phased guitars for a otherworldly sound that bleeds into a full frontal madness in the last part.
This is the band's third album and it is such melting pot of sounds it will immediately grab the listener by the collar and shake them around, Mother's Cake is one that you will want to eat again and again, it's pairs perfectly with those 'special' cookies. 8/10
Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters: Bad Habit (Self Released)
We reviewed Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters EP Sick Like This not long after it came out and I was impressed with their radio bothering hard rock with Beth every inch the rock chick. Only one of the songs from this EP has made it's way to the Cardiff band's debut full length, the strutting, sexy Hell In High Heels which is one of the songs that exhibit the strutting, kick ass, rock n roll attitude of this band. The rest of the record is all new material (obviously played live previously) but the quality shown on the EP is increased tenfold on this full length.
Owing as much to Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, Alter Bridge as they do AC/DC and KISS, the band is made up of Sam Bain and Nicko Goodwin smashing away in the backroom as Craig Manning has the firework leads while Beth brings the riffs with the rhythm guitar and her powerhouse vocals, she sings her heart out while the band play with a hard rock snarl, the lyrical content paints Beth as a rock n roll warrior Queen, they are empowering, sexually charged, a little naughty and clearly display the band's love of the rock n roll lifestyle.
The record opens with the clarion call of Hell Yeah! which quickly moves into the dirty, blues riffage of the title track, as this speeds by Beautiful Disease brings a percussive groove. The performances on this record have been honed over years of touring and it shows the band are all on top form and the songwriting has the guts to match the performances the production too while not as crystalline as Halestorm etc still makes the songs sound big.
As with many of the band's BBATBD are akin to there is always going to be a big centerpiece ballad and this record is no different with Poster Girl For Pain and Angel With A Dirty Face really letting Ms Blade let loose behind the mic. Bad Habit is an excellent debut record from the Cardiff band, it will hopefully see them gain more recognition and fans and ultimately it will see them achieve bigger and better things, Da Iawn! 8/10
Victorius: Heart Of The Phoenix (Massacre Records)
Teutonic power metal is a genre that can sometimes can be much maligned, the bands all tend to be similar with very few breaking out of the mold. So from Lower Saxony come Victorius who have the blast-beating drums, speedy guitars and powerful vocals you'd expect, having been around since 2004 they have a very polished sound with sparkling production, razor-sharp guitar playing and massive layered vocals on the choruses.
The lyrical content is mainly fantasy and battle with Shadow Warriors taking on the unlikely sound of Ninjas, Die By My Sword about expert use of a sword, Sons Of Orion has a killer synth, a folky feel and the fastest drums on the record. Four records into their career and Victorius are still sticking to their guns as all great power metal bands should, it brings a smile to your face and gets your fist punching the air, a record for fans of Hammerfall Heart Of The Phoenix is a real force of power metal. 7/10
Hateure: Erase This (Self Released)
Hailing from the Philippines Hateure are a sludge band with emphasis on the slow, deliberate, sludge sound. Their debut EP is one track that clocks in at a colossal 10 minutes long and my does drag it's knuckles with the sheer violent sound it creates. Extraordinarily heavy with discordant riffs screamed vocals it's all extremely angry and disorientating the waves of riff after riff can make you woozy and the rough production is a bonus to the D.I.Y sound. Erase This is 10 minutes of sheer distilled rage administered over prolonged period as the band torture their instruments, in the best way possible. 7/10
Sunday, 15 January 2017
Reviews: Morta Skuld, Alluvial, Impalers (Reviews By Rich)
Morta Skuld: Wounds Deeper Than Time (Peaceville)
Most of the nine tracks are crushing mid paced bruisers with plenty of old school groove and moments of all out speed and aggression such as the crippling velocity of Scars Within. The band also know how to bring things to a slower more menacing pace whilst still maintaining the same levels of brutality. There seems to be a renewed interest in old school death metal bands with a whole new generation of bands trying to emulate the filthy sound of these bands from the late eighties and early nineties but as proven with this album you simply cannot beat the original bands who were back there in the day. An essential listen for fans of all things brutal.
A huge welcome back for Morta Skuld. 8/10
Alluvial: The Deep Longing For Annihilation (Self Released)
Alluvial is a collaborative project between Keith Merrow (of Conquering Dystopia) and Wes Hauch (of Black Crown Initiate and formerly of The Faceless) and The Deep Longing For Annihilation is the debut album from the project. The pair play a mixture of progressive and technical death metal albeit in instrumental form. Auditions were held for a vocalist but in the end it was decided to leave the music as it was originally written.
Impalers: Styx Demon - The Master Of Death (Evil Eye Records)
Impalers are a thrash metal band from Denmark and are one of the new generation of thrash bands replicating the sound and style of old school eighties thrash metal sounding like a cross between the German and US Bay Area thrash styles. Styx Demon: The Master Of Death is their new EP which contains two brand new songs and two cover versions.
Alluvial is a collaborative project between Keith Merrow (of Conquering Dystopia) and Wes Hauch (of Black Crown Initiate and formerly of The Faceless) and The Deep Longing For Annihilation is the debut album from the project. The pair play a mixture of progressive and technical death metal albeit in instrumental form. Auditions were held for a vocalist but in the end it was decided to leave the music as it was originally written.
This works to the albums disadvantage in my opinion as this music would work far better and be far more engaging with a vocalist. Unlike the majority of progressive/technical death metal which is usually style over substance this album isn't a load of fretboard wankery and many of the compositions have real atmosphere and depth and the music on display ranges from the brutal and ferocious to the calm and introspective.
The musicianship on display is absolutely top notch and whilst there are plenty of guitar solos they are used sparingly which increases their effectiveness. Whilst the musicianship and compositions produced are impressive I did find my interest starting to wane about two thirds of the way through the album as I find instrumental albums difficult to digest in one sitting. If this project was to return for a second album I think the addition of a vocalist would give the music an added dimension. Still an impressive effort and debut album. 7/10
Impalers: Styx Demon - The Master Of Death (Evil Eye Records)
Impalers are a thrash metal band from Denmark and are one of the new generation of thrash bands replicating the sound and style of old school eighties thrash metal sounding like a cross between the German and US Bay Area thrash styles. Styx Demon: The Master Of Death is their new EP which contains two brand new songs and two cover versions.
The two new songs are straight for the jugular, ripping thrash tunes with opener Megalodon being a bludgeoning thrash attack and the title track Styx Demon following a similar approach but with a bit of a NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) influence running throughout. The two cover versions are high octane renditions Death Comes Ripping by Misfits and Prowler by Iron Maiden. Both covers are fairly true to the originals but with a bit more bite and aggression. In summary this EP is not essential listening but it is a very fun and enjoyable release. 7/10
Saturday, 14 January 2017
Reviews: Gotthard, Cellador, Deaf Radio
Gotthard: Silver (Musikvertrieb)
Swiss rockers Gotthard have now been playing across the world and releasing music for 25 years, so Silver is a nod to the anniversary associated with that many years, the band have overcome tragedy and are still a going concern with guitarist Leo Leoni triumphantly leading the band into their 25th year of rocking. Silver is the third record with vocalist Nic Maeder who took the mic after founder Steve Lee's untimely and tragic death in 2010.
They are still going very strongly though, as this record is evidence, it opens with the piledriving Purple-esque Silver River which pairs huge organ-riffs with the soulful vocals, Gotthard have always utilized the keys to great effect bolstering the slinky guitars of Leoni and Freddy Scherner that team up for the swaggering riffs and each put their own stamp with the solos.
Gotthard have always owed a lot to Whitesnake and on tracks like Stay With Me which is laced with orchestral touches and acoustic guitars they also have touches of Mr Jovi that continues to show that Gotthard have real knack for ballads. It's a case of Silver being as valuable as gold as this record is another classy hard rock album from the Swiss supermen. 7/10
Cellador: Off The Grid (Scarlet Records)
Well this is a blast from the past! I saw Cellador supporting Trivium shortly after the release of their debut album Enter Deception in 2006. They were one of the bands at the re-insurgence of power metal along with Dragonforce amongst others, an enjoyable band live and on record, after a bit of a fuss was made by the metal press (dubbing them the 'Kings of American Power Metal') the band seemed to be stuck in the USA meaning much of the European press dropped away.
They went on hiatus in 2009 with most of the band quitting, leaving guitarist/songwriter Chris Petersen pretty much by himself, he set about finding a new band, released some demos in 2011 and now finally after bringing in a new line up and re-honing their skills live in support of Amaranthe, Havok, Into Eternity and Helloween, Cellador have returned with their second album.
This version of the band sees Petersen take the role of vocalist along with guitarist, songwriter and producer and the band also add a synth player which is key to developing their infectious, bouncy power metal as it blends with the aggressive, technical dual lead guitar playing. There are nods to Gamma Ray, Dragonforce, Mob Rules and several other Euro power metal acts as the band speed through the the songs at lightspeed, with technical prowess that puts them near the apex of the power metal heap, Cellador are back with a vengeance, stick around guys I for one am very pleased you've returned. 8/10
Deaf Radio: Alarm (Self Released)
Back in 2002 Queens Of The Stone Age released their seminal Songs For The Deaf album, well Deaf Radio are clearly taking this album to heart as they have an entire radio for the deaf. They play cerebral alternative rock and come from Athens, their music has an overarching sound of QOTSA permeating the songs. This influence is at it's most audible on Aggravation which has thumping bass, jangly guitars and erratic vocals. The songs on this record are off kilter, left of centre rockers that mix hazy psych sounds (Vultures & Killers) with blasting alt rock, heavy bass lines and lots of snare and harsh guitar tone that cuts through are the order of the day.
It's a noisy record that revels in its discord the sort of band that would go down a storm in support of Royal Blood or one of Josh Homme's projects. Vocally too they are a dead ringer for the QOTSA frontman which adds to the influence heard on this record. A strong debut record from the Athenians, in places it can be too much of a carbon copy of the QOTSA but if you love psych drenched, fuzzy rock then Deaf Radio could be your new groove thang. 7/10
Swiss rockers Gotthard have now been playing across the world and releasing music for 25 years, so Silver is a nod to the anniversary associated with that many years, the band have overcome tragedy and are still a going concern with guitarist Leo Leoni triumphantly leading the band into their 25th year of rocking. Silver is the third record with vocalist Nic Maeder who took the mic after founder Steve Lee's untimely and tragic death in 2010.
They are still going very strongly though, as this record is evidence, it opens with the piledriving Purple-esque Silver River which pairs huge organ-riffs with the soulful vocals, Gotthard have always utilized the keys to great effect bolstering the slinky guitars of Leoni and Freddy Scherner that team up for the swaggering riffs and each put their own stamp with the solos.
Gotthard have always owed a lot to Whitesnake and on tracks like Stay With Me which is laced with orchestral touches and acoustic guitars they also have touches of Mr Jovi that continues to show that Gotthard have real knack for ballads. It's a case of Silver being as valuable as gold as this record is another classy hard rock album from the Swiss supermen. 7/10
Cellador: Off The Grid (Scarlet Records)
Well this is a blast from the past! I saw Cellador supporting Trivium shortly after the release of their debut album Enter Deception in 2006. They were one of the bands at the re-insurgence of power metal along with Dragonforce amongst others, an enjoyable band live and on record, after a bit of a fuss was made by the metal press (dubbing them the 'Kings of American Power Metal') the band seemed to be stuck in the USA meaning much of the European press dropped away.
They went on hiatus in 2009 with most of the band quitting, leaving guitarist/songwriter Chris Petersen pretty much by himself, he set about finding a new band, released some demos in 2011 and now finally after bringing in a new line up and re-honing their skills live in support of Amaranthe, Havok, Into Eternity and Helloween, Cellador have returned with their second album.
This version of the band sees Petersen take the role of vocalist along with guitarist, songwriter and producer and the band also add a synth player which is key to developing their infectious, bouncy power metal as it blends with the aggressive, technical dual lead guitar playing. There are nods to Gamma Ray, Dragonforce, Mob Rules and several other Euro power metal acts as the band speed through the the songs at lightspeed, with technical prowess that puts them near the apex of the power metal heap, Cellador are back with a vengeance, stick around guys I for one am very pleased you've returned. 8/10
Back in 2002 Queens Of The Stone Age released their seminal Songs For The Deaf album, well Deaf Radio are clearly taking this album to heart as they have an entire radio for the deaf. They play cerebral alternative rock and come from Athens, their music has an overarching sound of QOTSA permeating the songs. This influence is at it's most audible on Aggravation which has thumping bass, jangly guitars and erratic vocals. The songs on this record are off kilter, left of centre rockers that mix hazy psych sounds (Vultures & Killers) with blasting alt rock, heavy bass lines and lots of snare and harsh guitar tone that cuts through are the order of the day.
It's a noisy record that revels in its discord the sort of band that would go down a storm in support of Royal Blood or one of Josh Homme's projects. Vocally too they are a dead ringer for the QOTSA frontman which adds to the influence heard on this record. A strong debut record from the Athenians, in places it can be too much of a carbon copy of the QOTSA but if you love psych drenched, fuzzy rock then Deaf Radio could be your new groove thang. 7/10
Friday, 13 January 2017
Reviews: Last Union, Mechina, The Clamps (Reviews By Stief)
Last Union: Most Beautiful Day (Self Released) (Dec 2016)
Featuring ex-members of Helloween and current members of Symphony X along with a decent scattering of James LaBrie of Dream Theater fame, you can tell this is going to be a great ride. The debut album from the band, it has a great mix of thumping hard rock, which sways into the realm of the symphonic at times, all tied beautifully together by frontwoman Elisa Scarpecci's wonderful and distinctive voice. As mentioned before, James LaBrie has a few stints on the album, featuring on not one but four songs, and his voice fits brilliantly with the hard hitting drums of Uli Kursch (ex-Helloween), whilst Cristano Tiberi's riffs mesh wonderfully with the bass work of Symphony X's Mike LePond.
Featuring ex-members of Helloween and current members of Symphony X along with a decent scattering of James LaBrie of Dream Theater fame, you can tell this is going to be a great ride. The debut album from the band, it has a great mix of thumping hard rock, which sways into the realm of the symphonic at times, all tied beautifully together by frontwoman Elisa Scarpecci's wonderful and distinctive voice. As mentioned before, James LaBrie has a few stints on the album, featuring on not one but four songs, and his voice fits brilliantly with the hard hitting drums of Uli Kursch (ex-Helloween), whilst Cristano Tiberi's riffs mesh wonderfully with the bass work of Symphony X's Mike LePond.
Stand out songs include the title track Most Beautiful Day, which includes overlapping vocals, strings, and excellent guitar work from Tiberi, The Best Of Magic, a slower paced song with the same hard rock sound and Ghostwriter, a fast paced, toe tapping song guaranteed to get the heads banging. With news that the band is already working on a second studio album, it's looking like a great start for this band, one to keep your eye on! 9/10
Mechina: As Embers Turn To Dust (Self Released)
Starting off with a 2 minute symphonic intro, before bursting into the blast beats of their industrial tinged death metal sound, it's obvious Mechina aren't just a regular death metal band. This isn't to say the old "Industrial death" combination hasn't been done before, but Mechina pack a punch. The 7th album from the American three-piece is a decent mix of soaring symphonic strings and vocals mixed with harsh blast beats and guitars mixed wonderfully by Joe Tiberi.
Mechina: As Embers Turn To Dust (Self Released)
Starting off with a 2 minute symphonic intro, before bursting into the blast beats of their industrial tinged death metal sound, it's obvious Mechina aren't just a regular death metal band. This isn't to say the old "Industrial death" combination hasn't been done before, but Mechina pack a punch. The 7th album from the American three-piece is a decent mix of soaring symphonic strings and vocals mixed with harsh blast beats and guitars mixed wonderfully by Joe Tiberi.
If I had one criticism, it would be that David Holch's clean vocals seem to fit just outside of the rest of the band's sound. It's a good voice, but Holch's death growls seem to gel better when juxtaposed with Mel Rose's operatic voice, whereas his clean vocals seem to be fighting to be heard fully over the music. Whether a product of mixing or an aesthetic choice, it's hard to say, but it's a great listen either way. 7/10
The Clamps: Blend, Shake, Swallow (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Album number two from this Italian trio is heavy rock n' roll from start to finish. From the opening of Barracuda to the close of One More Time/Barracuda Outro, it doesn't let you breathe. Every song brings visions of hurtling down the American Highway at 90mph, Lead singer Ben's gravel-laden voice fits perfectly with the dirty riffs of his guitar, Bely's bass is equally as dirty, and drummer Marcy moves from the slow beat to overtime in seconds. There's a mix of punk attitude, the pace of speed metal and the sludginess of stoner rock all wrapped in a delicious 50's rock n' roll package. There's even the odd Meat Loafian (it's a word) boogie-woogie piano thrown in for good measure. Drink it in man! 9/10
The Clamps: Blend, Shake, Swallow (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Album number two from this Italian trio is heavy rock n' roll from start to finish. From the opening of Barracuda to the close of One More Time/Barracuda Outro, it doesn't let you breathe. Every song brings visions of hurtling down the American Highway at 90mph, Lead singer Ben's gravel-laden voice fits perfectly with the dirty riffs of his guitar, Bely's bass is equally as dirty, and drummer Marcy moves from the slow beat to overtime in seconds. There's a mix of punk attitude, the pace of speed metal and the sludginess of stoner rock all wrapped in a delicious 50's rock n' roll package. There's even the odd Meat Loafian (it's a word) boogie-woogie piano thrown in for good measure. Drink it in man! 9/10
Thursday, 12 January 2017
Reviews: Project Nightscape, Pareidolon, Book Of Wyrms
Project Nightscape: To Sin Against Our Mercies (Imperiad Entertainment) (Released Dec 2016)
Hang on, this is going to be a bit of information overload, Portland, Oregon band Project Nightscape's debut album is based upon the supernatural thrillers of writer/director David W. Edwards, this is a progressive hard rock concept album based around Grammy-nominated guitarist Tony Gaglio. The album’s story concerns an itinerant, nineteenth-century doctor who encounters a blind boy in communication with the dead. With those buying the album on a pre-sale receiving a free digital copy of tie-in novel Nightscape: Early Darkness. To Sin Against Our Mercies is a record based upon a book that is all part of a bigger multi-platform media entertainment project that takes in supernatural thriller films, books and video games.
Gaglio has some top flight help for this record with Vinny Appice taking the drums on Occulted (that unsurprisingly sounds like Dio-era Sabbath), Mirabi Peart contributing violin throughout, Tobin Sprout (Guided By Voices) duelling with Gaglio on Only Reason while Pete Trewavas duels on the title track. These contributions the already powerhouse performances by the rest of the band vocalists Holland Andrews and Rich Ray work in perfect unison of light and shade telling the story while David Conigilo is the pace of the record anchoring all of the flights of fancy that Gaglio's guitars and Craig Bidondo's keys and Hammonds take you on.
The music on this record is complex and spans many genres, the soundscapes move from gospel-flavoured rock (Living In) Sacred Time, through the jazzy Inmortuorum Memorias, the pop-laced prog of Only Reason before the 10 minute plus Starlost finishes the record in epic fashion with a string section, layered keys,synths and organs, guitar solos galore and the beautiful vocal harmonies that fill the record. It can be overwhelming at times but give it a few spins and some time and you will be richly rewarded, behind the complicated musically dexterous music there are subtle undertones that link the songs but let them all speak for themselves. Classic sounds throughout To Sin Against Our Mercies is a spectacular concept record! 9/10
Pareidolon: Aporia (Self Released)
Following on from the the female fronted prog rockers Project Nightscape, Pareidolon are a.7-piece Canadian progressive rock band formed in Nelson, BC by bassist/songwriter Lachlan Tocher in 2015. The band is made up entirely of graduates from the Selkirk College Contemporary Music & Technology program. Featuring three girls and four guys yet again there are dual female and male vocals, but unlike Project Nightscape, Pareidolon have a much more classical sound taking their influences from Marillion, (early) Genesis, Camel and most importantly King Crimson the first song Abducted! especially owes a lot to Robert Fripp, albeit with more female vocals from Brittany Keller.
Book Of Wyrms: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Twin Earth)
It's quite fitting really that Book Of Wyrms debut record is called Sci-Fi/Fantasy seeing as they hail from Richmond Virginia, the landing ground of Intergalactic Scumdogs G.W.A.R. Whereas the notable Virginian monsters play their sci-fi loving thrash Book Of Wyrms are more groove heavy trippy sounding prospect marrying science fiction and fantasy lyrics (thus the self explanatory album title) with slabs of heavy stoner metal that often creeps into knuckle dragging doom.
Six of the seven tracks on this record clock in at over 6 minutes with All Hallow's Eve and Sourwolf the records longest efforts. The entire album clocks in at a hefty 53 minutes but the record keeps the attention of the listener by pairing the slabs of riffage with the hazy female vocals of Sarah Moore-Lyndsey. It's relatively standard fare but good enough to last the distance what separates it from much of the other stoner metal bands around are the lyrical flights of fancy and the female vocals. It's a valuable addition to the stoner metal scene. 7/10
Hang on, this is going to be a bit of information overload, Portland, Oregon band Project Nightscape's debut album is based upon the supernatural thrillers of writer/director David W. Edwards, this is a progressive hard rock concept album based around Grammy-nominated guitarist Tony Gaglio. The album’s story concerns an itinerant, nineteenth-century doctor who encounters a blind boy in communication with the dead. With those buying the album on a pre-sale receiving a free digital copy of tie-in novel Nightscape: Early Darkness. To Sin Against Our Mercies is a record based upon a book that is all part of a bigger multi-platform media entertainment project that takes in supernatural thriller films, books and video games.
Gaglio has some top flight help for this record with Vinny Appice taking the drums on Occulted (that unsurprisingly sounds like Dio-era Sabbath), Mirabi Peart contributing violin throughout, Tobin Sprout (Guided By Voices) duelling with Gaglio on Only Reason while Pete Trewavas duels on the title track. These contributions the already powerhouse performances by the rest of the band vocalists Holland Andrews and Rich Ray work in perfect unison of light and shade telling the story while David Conigilo is the pace of the record anchoring all of the flights of fancy that Gaglio's guitars and Craig Bidondo's keys and Hammonds take you on.
The music on this record is complex and spans many genres, the soundscapes move from gospel-flavoured rock (Living In) Sacred Time, through the jazzy Inmortuorum Memorias, the pop-laced prog of Only Reason before the 10 minute plus Starlost finishes the record in epic fashion with a string section, layered keys,synths and organs, guitar solos galore and the beautiful vocal harmonies that fill the record. It can be overwhelming at times but give it a few spins and some time and you will be richly rewarded, behind the complicated musically dexterous music there are subtle undertones that link the songs but let them all speak for themselves. Classic sounds throughout To Sin Against Our Mercies is a spectacular concept record! 9/10
Pareidolon: Aporia (Self Released)
Following on from the the female fronted prog rockers Project Nightscape, Pareidolon are a.7-piece Canadian progressive rock band formed in Nelson, BC by bassist/songwriter Lachlan Tocher in 2015. The band is made up entirely of graduates from the Selkirk College Contemporary Music & Technology program. Featuring three girls and four guys yet again there are dual female and male vocals, but unlike Project Nightscape, Pareidolon have a much more classical sound taking their influences from Marillion, (early) Genesis, Camel and most importantly King Crimson the first song Abducted! especially owes a lot to Robert Fripp, albeit with more female vocals from Brittany Keller.
It also has hints of Bigelf in it too due mainly to the massive organs and Jonathan Kwak's wild-eyed vocals. For a band with seven members nothing ever seems rushed or overwhelming, the songs are actually quite concise but obviously played with a technicality of a group of virtuosos meaning that there is a strong mix of musicality and accessibility.
The six songs on this record are all different in approach, some are big, loud celebrations, the synthy, poppy Modern Romance others however like the atmospheric The Tunnel and the devastating Leave are more restrained and beautiful taking cues from emotive sounds of Mr Wilson or Anathema. For a debut record of a young band this is of the highest quality, indulgent, mesmerizing songwriting, superior performances and their influences worn proudly on their sleeves. 2017 is shaping up to be a very good year. 9/10
Book Of Wyrms: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (Twin Earth)
It's quite fitting really that Book Of Wyrms debut record is called Sci-Fi/Fantasy seeing as they hail from Richmond Virginia, the landing ground of Intergalactic Scumdogs G.W.A.R. Whereas the notable Virginian monsters play their sci-fi loving thrash Book Of Wyrms are more groove heavy trippy sounding prospect marrying science fiction and fantasy lyrics (thus the self explanatory album title) with slabs of heavy stoner metal that often creeps into knuckle dragging doom.
Six of the seven tracks on this record clock in at over 6 minutes with All Hallow's Eve and Sourwolf the records longest efforts. The entire album clocks in at a hefty 53 minutes but the record keeps the attention of the listener by pairing the slabs of riffage with the hazy female vocals of Sarah Moore-Lyndsey. It's relatively standard fare but good enough to last the distance what separates it from much of the other stoner metal bands around are the lyrical flights of fancy and the female vocals. It's a valuable addition to the stoner metal scene. 7/10
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Reviews: Halestorm, Dead Witches, Solarus
Halestorm: ReAniMate 3.0 (Atlantic)
I what seems to be a recurring theme now Halestorm have released another EP of covers as stopgap between full length albums with artists as wide ranging as Skid Row, G'N'R, Pat Benatar, Judas Priest, The Beatles, Lady Gaga and Daft Punk covered in the past you never know quite what to expect from the Pennsylvania natives on these EP's. Luckily we have familiar territory as the famous opening of Still Of The Night starts Lzzy Hale gives it a jolly good belt her voice at full power, those who have seen Halestorm recently know that they have been playing this one live and as such they channel that live sound into this recorded version.
On the rest of the record there is the poppier sounds of Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins and Heathens by Twenty One Pilots both showing the more melodic radio rock style of the band even but they often use these EP's to show off their heavier sound this time with Soundgarden's Fell On Black Days and Metallica's Ride The Lightning (which is done brilliantly actually). Tellingly their cover of I Hate Myself For Loving You by Joan Jett sounds exactly like a Halestorm song rather than a cover. ReAniMate 3.0 is yet another selection of choice covers to satisfy the fans. 7/10
Dead Witches: Ouija (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Ok I'll get this out of the way now Dead Witches are a doom band made from members of other doom bands and as such they sound like an amalgamation of the bands they have all previously played in. The band is the unholy union of Mark Greening formerly of Electric Wizard, more recently With The Dead his 'supergroup' with Cathedral's Lee Dorrian and Virginia Morti the vocalist of Psychedelic Witchcraft so here on this debut record you get all the facets of both musicians past the rumbling heavy doom riffs Greg Elk (who sadly died after album had been recorded) cranks out at full volume, Carl Greary's bass rattling your eardrums, Greening's drumming thundering like heavy artillery fire as Morti's haunting vocals bewitch with tales of the occult.
The record is a psychedelic, hypnotic debut that beckons you into it's sinful, subversive sound with a vintage flavour, right from the discordant Intro the record takes you back to the halcyon days of Dopethrone (the record was recorded in the same studio as that legendary album). Drawing Down The Moon has a stoner rock vibe with the fastest riffage on the record, while Dead and Ouija are the low, slow, groove-laden doom songs you'd expect from those involved. Ouija kicks out the distorted, trippy, fuzzy riffs and is the exact record you'd want from anything Greening is associated with. 8/10
Solarus: Reunion (Self Released)
Canadian progressive metal band Solarus have a modern take on progressive metal, much like fellow Canadian's and similarly titled Borealis. They have technical modern riffs from band founder Lucas McArthur, his guitar playing is virtuosic, his rhythm playing cranks the technicality, the solos are impressive feats and he also handles the bass giving the bottom end for drummer Jacob Burton to blast away against. Up front Sarah Dee's vocals are excellent she delivers each line with conviction and the requisite power giving a nice change from the normal female fronted metal, Solarus have a sound more akin to Threat Signal, Symphony X and as I've said Borealis, who the band have much more common with than just name and sound.
Borealis' drummer Sean Dowell provides this record with the stirring orchestrations, Ethereal Tears being the pick of the bunch and their singer Matt Marinelli gives a blast of his baritone duetting with Sarah on Shattered Skies and the title track. The band are really a female fronted Borealis but this is not a bad thing by any stretch, I love Borealis they have managed to keep the progressive metal scene very fresh and as such I also like Solarus a lot they too play direct prog/power metal that is equally complex and accessible much like their fellow Canadians. 8/10
I what seems to be a recurring theme now Halestorm have released another EP of covers as stopgap between full length albums with artists as wide ranging as Skid Row, G'N'R, Pat Benatar, Judas Priest, The Beatles, Lady Gaga and Daft Punk covered in the past you never know quite what to expect from the Pennsylvania natives on these EP's. Luckily we have familiar territory as the famous opening of Still Of The Night starts Lzzy Hale gives it a jolly good belt her voice at full power, those who have seen Halestorm recently know that they have been playing this one live and as such they channel that live sound into this recorded version.
On the rest of the record there is the poppier sounds of Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins and Heathens by Twenty One Pilots both showing the more melodic radio rock style of the band even but they often use these EP's to show off their heavier sound this time with Soundgarden's Fell On Black Days and Metallica's Ride The Lightning (which is done brilliantly actually). Tellingly their cover of I Hate Myself For Loving You by Joan Jett sounds exactly like a Halestorm song rather than a cover. ReAniMate 3.0 is yet another selection of choice covers to satisfy the fans. 7/10
Dead Witches: Ouija (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Ok I'll get this out of the way now Dead Witches are a doom band made from members of other doom bands and as such they sound like an amalgamation of the bands they have all previously played in. The band is the unholy union of Mark Greening formerly of Electric Wizard, more recently With The Dead his 'supergroup' with Cathedral's Lee Dorrian and Virginia Morti the vocalist of Psychedelic Witchcraft so here on this debut record you get all the facets of both musicians past the rumbling heavy doom riffs Greg Elk (who sadly died after album had been recorded) cranks out at full volume, Carl Greary's bass rattling your eardrums, Greening's drumming thundering like heavy artillery fire as Morti's haunting vocals bewitch with tales of the occult.
The record is a psychedelic, hypnotic debut that beckons you into it's sinful, subversive sound with a vintage flavour, right from the discordant Intro the record takes you back to the halcyon days of Dopethrone (the record was recorded in the same studio as that legendary album). Drawing Down The Moon has a stoner rock vibe with the fastest riffage on the record, while Dead and Ouija are the low, slow, groove-laden doom songs you'd expect from those involved. Ouija kicks out the distorted, trippy, fuzzy riffs and is the exact record you'd want from anything Greening is associated with. 8/10
Solarus: Reunion (Self Released)
Canadian progressive metal band Solarus have a modern take on progressive metal, much like fellow Canadian's and similarly titled Borealis. They have technical modern riffs from band founder Lucas McArthur, his guitar playing is virtuosic, his rhythm playing cranks the technicality, the solos are impressive feats and he also handles the bass giving the bottom end for drummer Jacob Burton to blast away against. Up front Sarah Dee's vocals are excellent she delivers each line with conviction and the requisite power giving a nice change from the normal female fronted metal, Solarus have a sound more akin to Threat Signal, Symphony X and as I've said Borealis, who the band have much more common with than just name and sound.
Borealis' drummer Sean Dowell provides this record with the stirring orchestrations, Ethereal Tears being the pick of the bunch and their singer Matt Marinelli gives a blast of his baritone duetting with Sarah on Shattered Skies and the title track. The band are really a female fronted Borealis but this is not a bad thing by any stretch, I love Borealis they have managed to keep the progressive metal scene very fresh and as such I also like Solarus a lot they too play direct prog/power metal that is equally complex and accessible much like their fellow Canadians. 8/10
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
Reviews: Foetal Juice, Light & Shade, Mordant (Reviews By Rich)
Foetal Juice: Masters Of Absurdity (GrindScene Records)
One band who have been making a name for themselves in the UK underground metal scene is Manchester's Foetal Juice. With a number of splits and the wonderfully titled Big Trouble In Little Vagina EP under their belt they have finally released their first full length album Masters Of Absurdity. The band continue the sound they have laid down in previous recordings - a deliciously brutal blend of old school death metal albeit with a big wedge of humour throughout with hilarious song titles and lyrical content.
The jokeiness doesn't overshadow the album and the music more than speaks for itself though. Songs such as Noneckahedron, Gin'll Fix It, Nun So Vile and More Hate, More Hell are viciously brutal yet undeniably catchy. The songs also vary throughout from scathingly fast to a slower bludgeoning style. Foetal Juice have been honing their craft on their early releases and the result is an extremely accomplished slice of death metal that displays a love of the genre but also a vast knowledge of it. With Masters Of Absurdity the band show themselves to be one of the best and most promising death metal bands in the UK right now. 8/10
Light & Shade: The Essence Of Everything (Scarlet Records)
Light & Shade are an international band featuring members of Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, Secret Sphere and Seven Spires and The Essence Of Everything is their debut album. They combine together power metal, progressive metal and symphonic metal in a fine way that mixes a pop metal sensibility with epic symphonic passages and a slight extreme metal edge with some very aggressive parts complete with harsh vocals. The main polarising point of the album will be vocalist Adrienne Cowan who whilst having an impressive range does tend to go a bit overboard at points where it is not really necessary.
Her vocals range from soft melodic pop metal through harsh extreme metal to only what I can describe as melodic screaming. I found it very jarring, distracting and irritating at times. The band are impressive musicians with some great songwriting skills and for the debut album of a young band it is very accomplished indeed. Someone just please just tell Adrienne to restrain her vocals a bit. 7/10
Mordant: Demonic Satantic (To The Death Records)
This is my first exposure to Sweden's Mordant and as far as first impressions go this is rather good. Demonic Satanic is the band's third album and a delicious blend of melodic black metal, death metal and thrash metal sounding like a melting pot of Dissection, Nifelheim, Desaster and Absu. The music on the album is fast and ferocious though there is a nice balance between the melodic and the gnarly with some fantastic songs such as Devastating Storm...Evil Holocaust, Evil Impalers and Infernal Curse Of Evil bidding you to bang your head and raise your horns. Mordant have managed to put together a wonderfully old school sounding record which fans of old school black and thrash metal will absolutely adore. 8/10
One band who have been making a name for themselves in the UK underground metal scene is Manchester's Foetal Juice. With a number of splits and the wonderfully titled Big Trouble In Little Vagina EP under their belt they have finally released their first full length album Masters Of Absurdity. The band continue the sound they have laid down in previous recordings - a deliciously brutal blend of old school death metal albeit with a big wedge of humour throughout with hilarious song titles and lyrical content.
The jokeiness doesn't overshadow the album and the music more than speaks for itself though. Songs such as Noneckahedron, Gin'll Fix It, Nun So Vile and More Hate, More Hell are viciously brutal yet undeniably catchy. The songs also vary throughout from scathingly fast to a slower bludgeoning style. Foetal Juice have been honing their craft on their early releases and the result is an extremely accomplished slice of death metal that displays a love of the genre but also a vast knowledge of it. With Masters Of Absurdity the band show themselves to be one of the best and most promising death metal bands in the UK right now. 8/10
Light & Shade: The Essence Of Everything (Scarlet Records)
Light & Shade are an international band featuring members of Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, Secret Sphere and Seven Spires and The Essence Of Everything is their debut album. They combine together power metal, progressive metal and symphonic metal in a fine way that mixes a pop metal sensibility with epic symphonic passages and a slight extreme metal edge with some very aggressive parts complete with harsh vocals. The main polarising point of the album will be vocalist Adrienne Cowan who whilst having an impressive range does tend to go a bit overboard at points where it is not really necessary.
Her vocals range from soft melodic pop metal through harsh extreme metal to only what I can describe as melodic screaming. I found it very jarring, distracting and irritating at times. The band are impressive musicians with some great songwriting skills and for the debut album of a young band it is very accomplished indeed. Someone just please just tell Adrienne to restrain her vocals a bit. 7/10
Mordant: Demonic Satantic (To The Death Records)
This is my first exposure to Sweden's Mordant and as far as first impressions go this is rather good. Demonic Satanic is the band's third album and a delicious blend of melodic black metal, death metal and thrash metal sounding like a melting pot of Dissection, Nifelheim, Desaster and Absu. The music on the album is fast and ferocious though there is a nice balance between the melodic and the gnarly with some fantastic songs such as Devastating Storm...Evil Holocaust, Evil Impalers and Infernal Curse Of Evil bidding you to bang your head and raise your horns. Mordant have managed to put together a wonderfully old school sounding record which fans of old school black and thrash metal will absolutely adore. 8/10
Monday, 9 January 2017
A View From Another Country: Scars Of Tears
Scars Of Tears, Prague Draft Live Stage, Kastoria, Greece
So I once again spent New Years in Greece with my other half and this time I ventured as North as I have ever been to the beautiful municipality of Kastoria, this mountainous part of the country has a devastatingly gorgeous inland lake, with plunging temperatures and the build up to the Ragoutsaria carnival that takes place on the first weekend of January in full swing there was a party atmosphere in the air with plenty of feasting, drinking and traditional Greek music filling the snow covered streets (not that the temperatures put off the hardy inhabitants of the Macedonian region, they were all out partying with aplomb).
Still myself and my girlfriend did manage to get away from the sound of drums and clarinet with a trip to one of the few little bars/clubs the city has the Prague Draft Bar/Live Stage. The band in question were Kastoria natives Scars Of Tears who have recently signed to an American record label so I was excited to see what they could do in the live arena.
However first we had to see the support and local boys R For Renegade (5) were unfortunately more of hindrance than an enjoyment, prompting me to order more the of the clubs fine Belgian draft ale (they also a great selection of bottled ales too). With most Greek bands playing local gigs the set was a mixture of covers and their own songs and they ranged from the abysmal Last Christmas, through to the misguided Californication which was rendered limp by the guitar solo, despite Nick being a competent guitarist.
The band did play some of their own songs though which are actually where the band shine, they do a good job of the alternative rock they have written themselves and really if they stuck to that it would have been a much more entertaining start to the night. Still those in attendance seemed to be cheer the band maybe it's just me anyway best of luck to them but they need to fill their set with more of their own songs.
Scars Of Tears (8) are a powerful, atmospheric, female fronted metal band, with symphonic touches and crunching guitars the band had an air of Delain, Within Temptation and some Lacuna Coil when they ramped up the heaviness. As the set kicked off the solos were a little masked due to muddy sound but by song 2 the sound was clear meaning that everything could be heard. As I've mentioned Greek club shows are a little odd as they tend to be a mix of the band's own songs and lots of covers, Scars Of Tears had some very good selections in their setlist, near the beginning of the set was Smalltown Boy originally by Bronski Beat which displayed the female/male vocal switching between the deep vocals of guitarist/vocalist Babis Stefanidis and the soaring melodic pipes of frontwoman Anastasiadou Charitini.
Her vocals are not operatic but she sings with a distinct power and drama, the interplay between them great as the male vocals are gruff and deep giving a perfect juxtaposition with Anastasiadou's vocals. Even more impressive was that she was singing with a fever in the morning. Other covers in the set were a Lacuna Coil sounding Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey), a crushing rendition of The Bleeding by FFDP and a bouncy run through of Stratovarius' Hunting High And Low which made me grin from ear to ear even if the rest of the crowd didn't seem to recognise it.
With so many covers in the set it's sometimes hard to pick out the artists own songs but with slick modern, heavy metal and symphonic elements songs such as Broken Glass and Tear My Scar really stood out and showed why the band have been picked up by an American label. The band are all excellent live Babis Stefanidis and Petros Nikolaou's guitars move between thrash, speed and classic metal riffage while the grooves are brought by Thanasis Salagiannis (bass) and Christos Polyzos (drums), as the set wound up they played a rocked up cover of Diamonds by Rhianna which worked well in the heavy rock style.
They finished up with a cover that seemed to be totally in keeping with their style, as the keys kicked in they blasted through What Have You Done Now by Within Temptation and had me for one singing along. The crowd had noticeably thinned by the end of the set (possibly due to Greek indifference or many finishing early to get home before the cold set in) but from what I saw Scars Of Tears deserve a bigger audience, hopefully bigger things lay ahead.
Sunday, 8 January 2017
Top 10's Of 2016
Stief's Top 10 Albums
1. Avantasia - Ghostlights
2. Noctem - Haeresis
3. Twilight Force - Heroes Of Mighty Magic
4. Rotting Christ - Rituals
5. Gojira - Magma
6. Temperance - The Earth Embraces Us All
7. Outright Resistance - Me Vs I
8. Charred Walls Of The Damned - Creatures Watching Over The Damned
9. Ghost - Popestar EP
10. Plagueship - Shrykull
Anthony's Top 10 Albums
1. Gojira – Magma
2. Metallica – Hard Wired To Self Destruct
3. Korn – The Serenity of Suffering
4. King 810 – La Petit Mort Or A Conversation With God
5. Billy Talent – Afraid Of Heights
6. Opeth – Sorceress
7. KSE - Incarnate
8. Grand Magus – Sword Songs
9. Megadeth – Dystopia
10. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake
Alex & Chris's Top 10 Albums
1. Sabaton - The Last Stand
2. Metallica - Hardwired To Self Destruct
3. Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
4. Gojira - Magma
5. Grand Magus - Sword Songs
6. Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
7. Lacuna Coil - Delirium
8. Megadeth - Dystopia
9. Opeth - Sorceress
10. Billy Talent - Afraid Of Heights
Mrs H's Top 10 Albums
1. The Mission - Another Fall From Grace
Elle's Top 10 Albums
1. Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
2. Ghost - Popestar
3. Gojira - Magma
4. PAIN - Coming Home
5. Devil Driver - Trust No one
6. Hatebreed - The Concrete Confessional
7. Opeth - Sorceress
8. Testament - The Brotherhood Of The Snake
9. King 810 - La Petite Mort Or A Conversation With God
10. Metallica - Hard-Wired To Self Destruct
2. Noctem - Haeresis
3. Twilight Force - Heroes Of Mighty Magic
4. Rotting Christ - Rituals
5. Gojira - Magma
6. Temperance - The Earth Embraces Us All
7. Outright Resistance - Me Vs I
8. Charred Walls Of The Damned - Creatures Watching Over The Damned
9. Ghost - Popestar EP
10. Plagueship - Shrykull
Anthony's Top 10 Albums
1. Gojira – Magma
2. Metallica – Hard Wired To Self Destruct
3. Korn – The Serenity of Suffering
4. King 810 – La Petit Mort Or A Conversation With God
5. Billy Talent – Afraid Of Heights
6. Opeth – Sorceress
7. KSE - Incarnate
8. Grand Magus – Sword Songs
9. Megadeth – Dystopia
10. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake
Alex & Chris's Top 10 Albums
1. Sabaton - The Last Stand
2. Metallica - Hardwired To Self Destruct
3. Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
4. Gojira - Magma
5. Grand Magus - Sword Songs
6. Amon Amarth - Jomsviking
7. Lacuna Coil - Delirium
8. Megadeth - Dystopia
9. Opeth - Sorceress
10. Billy Talent - Afraid Of Heights
Mrs H's Top 10 Albums
1. The Mission - Another Fall From Grace
2. Raveneye - Nova
3. Joanne Shaw Taylor - Wild
4. The Temperance Movement - White Bear
5. The Answer - Solas
6. Chris Robinson Brotherhood - Anyway You Love We Know How You Feel
7. Blackberry Smoke - Like An Arrow
8. Riverside - Eye Of The Soundscape
9. Blues Pills - Lady In Gold
10. Lazuli - Nos Âmes Saoules
Elle's Top 10 Albums
1. Korn - The Serenity Of Suffering
2. Ghost - Popestar
3. Gojira - Magma
4. PAIN - Coming Home
5. Devil Driver - Trust No one
6. Hatebreed - The Concrete Confessional
7. Opeth - Sorceress
8. Testament - The Brotherhood Of The Snake
9. King 810 - La Petite Mort Or A Conversation With God
10. Metallica - Hard-Wired To Self Destruct
Saturday, 7 January 2017
Gigs Of The Year 2016
Top 10 live performances of 2016
I made it to 41 gigs and festivals this year. So 38 gigs plus three festivals; the less said about Download the better but the Steelhouse Festival was great fun despite the rain on Sunday and my sole day in the sun for the Friday kept up my annual attendance at Catton Hall. Amongst all of the bands who appeared in the outdoors and the other 38 headliners and numerous supports many were just amazing. I've selected ten to share, either the entire gig or the individual band performance. I've worked through the year, which had one massive absence in the shape of an empty Hammersmith Odeon at the end of January where the bomber should have been. Whether Motorhead would have been any good is all conjecture of course but it would have been ace for Lemmy, Mikkey and Phil to have made it to that 40th run at their spiritual home. Of course, you always look back on the year and wonder why you didn't go to more live music. Finances, other commitments and sheer exhaustion of life sit amongst a host of other reasons but I feel reasonably content with this number. I've put a fair bit back into the music world and add on the cds and merchandise and it's not too shabby.
Staring at the beginning of the year, my first gig in late January was also one of the best. Steven Wilson is not only a masterful musician but a superb performer and his band delivered a stunning show at Bristol’s Colston Hall performing all of 2015’s Hand.Cannot. Erase, as well as a collection of tracks from his previous solo work and a couple of Porcupine Tree covers alongside a poignant tribute to the recently deceased David Bowie.
Moving into March we had a triple bill in South Wales in one week with the Swedes Sabaton hitting the Tramshed and Bay Area thrashers Exodus laying waste to the Globe. However, it was another thrash titan, the mighty Machine Fucking Head who pick up my second nomination with their Evening with Machine Head at a packed Great Hall. Of all the numerous MFH performances I've seen over the years this was possibly the best I've ever seen. Shorn of the internal strife, the band played with a relaxed freedom of an outfit moving into the legendary status. Powerful, intense and so tight, with a set list crammed with more treats than a stocking on Christmas Day.
My third pick was a band who rarely visit these shores. Amorphis visited the brilliant Fleece in Bristol a week after MFH and whilst we were still recovering from the thrash assault the Finnish outfit proved their worth to an enchanted audience who were over joyed to see them in the UK. With their strongest album Under The Red Cloud comprising a Decent part of the set, they also flooded the evening with some memorable tracks from their back catalogue. A cracking evening.
Roll forward to July, past a soggy Download where little inspired mainly due to the absolute misery of standing in the pissing rain and where Sabbath’s final (not) UK performance fizzled rather than exploded, and the first U.K. appearances since 2004 of the Wilson sisters and Heart. Whilst the band were superb, with a magical 90 minutes of classics, the setting made the event. The 2200 seater Symphony Hall in Birmingham allowed the evening to be so intimate in comparison to their other dates and really made the evening special.
Through the summer and some storming performances at Steelhouse from Raveneye, Blues Pills, The Answer and The Von Hertzen Brothers as well as the finale of Twisted Sister’s UK career on a gloriously hot day at Catton Hall and a trip down memory lane with Status Quo in the fine settings of Caldicott Castle. Canadian outfit Barenaked Ladies made a rare visit to South Wales whilst the stoner fuelled rock of Ben Ward’s Orange Goblin filled the Globe in early October. My fifth gig of the year was totally different with an evening with Mrs H at the O2 Academy Bristol to witness gothic perfection in the shape of Wayne Hussey and The Mission. Whisking us back to 1986 and God’s Own Medicine, this was no nostalgia trip with a set list buoyed by tracks from the band’s excellent Another Fall From Grace. What made this gig so fantastic was not only the tightness of the band now in their 30th year but the immense collective spirit of the crowd who looked out for each other from the start. With security heavy handed, Hussey ordered them out of the pit and the crowd sorted it from there on in. The mandatory human tower for Tower of Strength was just awesome. A rare glimpse of human bonding which we metal heads falsely think we have the monopoly on.
The beautiful setting of Shepherds Bush Empire in Central London was the venue for gig number six. The melancholic sound of Swedish outfit Katatonia has long been a favourite of mine and the opportunity to take the three lads to a special evening to celebrate Alex and Chris’s 21st birthday was snapped up. We were not disappointed as the band played the entire Cold Great Distance before a greatest hits set which covered songs from their entire back catalogue. An impromptu and additional encore of Ghost of the Sun concluded a very special evening.
As we hit November the gigs came thick and fast. Raveneye’s energetic show in Clwb Ifor Bach was close to inclusion in the top ten, as were solid shows from stalwarts UFO at Tramshed and Saxon at the O2. However, the next gig did make it into the top ten. A sold out Globe was treated to two hours of Liverpool’s finest Anathema, who played a quite magical show. Four new tracks nestled comfortably alongside the emotional Untouchable Part I and II, which had half the audience in tears, and a plethora of songs from the band's now extensive back catalogue. Rarely do we get to see this stunning band on home soil, and the crowd were once more a contributory factor to the evening with massive knowledge and respect show. Throughout the show.
Three more gigs the following week including number eight. The Marble Factory had two visits in three days but after the sound made Blues Pills show a disappointment our return was anything but as Italians Lacuna Coil rammed the place to the rafters and put on their best Perfromance I'd ever seen from the band. Attacking hard from the start with Ultimate Ratio from the superb Delirium, the band delivered a show of incredibly high quality. Packed with top songs and newer tracks, the crowd were on board from the start whilst the duel vocals of Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia combined more effectively than ever before.
It was off to Wembley Arena for the gig of the year, and number nine in the list. A bonus treats for this one as Anathema opened the evening with a confident performance. However, if ever a band peaked during 2016 it was Opeth, who were just remarkable. Oozing confidence, the band played a double set which contained some mighty slabs of progressive metal and a selection of tracks from Damnation and Deliverance which culminated in the epic 12 minute title track of the latter. I was breathless when we left London.
After that, it was going to be difficult for any band to match it but French band Lazuli got close with their lovely show at the Fleece a week later. Marillion’s sold out show at the Tramshed was marred by arse holes in the crowd. Electric Six were great value whilst my final show saw the mighty Clutch bring the house down at the Great Hall. However, the final gig in my top ten took place in a small 600 capacity venue, The Asylum in Birmingham where Karl Willetts’ new band Memoriam provided a stunning hour of death metal which really was first class. Brutal but controlled and so so good.
With ten gigs already booked for 2017 and goodies like The Answer still to purchase, anticipation will be high again. I'm hoping for an arena tour from Metallica and Very much looking forward to the old guard of Maiden and Purple in Cardiff and Kiss at Wembley. The return of the eagle at Steelhouse, an amazing line up already at BOA and the inaugural Hammerfest Birmingham weekend are also in the diary. Live music. There is nothing like it. See you at the back!
I made it to 41 gigs and festivals this year. So 38 gigs plus three festivals; the less said about Download the better but the Steelhouse Festival was great fun despite the rain on Sunday and my sole day in the sun for the Friday kept up my annual attendance at Catton Hall. Amongst all of the bands who appeared in the outdoors and the other 38 headliners and numerous supports many were just amazing. I've selected ten to share, either the entire gig or the individual band performance. I've worked through the year, which had one massive absence in the shape of an empty Hammersmith Odeon at the end of January where the bomber should have been. Whether Motorhead would have been any good is all conjecture of course but it would have been ace for Lemmy, Mikkey and Phil to have made it to that 40th run at their spiritual home. Of course, you always look back on the year and wonder why you didn't go to more live music. Finances, other commitments and sheer exhaustion of life sit amongst a host of other reasons but I feel reasonably content with this number. I've put a fair bit back into the music world and add on the cds and merchandise and it's not too shabby.
Staring at the beginning of the year, my first gig in late January was also one of the best. Steven Wilson is not only a masterful musician but a superb performer and his band delivered a stunning show at Bristol’s Colston Hall performing all of 2015’s Hand.Cannot. Erase, as well as a collection of tracks from his previous solo work and a couple of Porcupine Tree covers alongside a poignant tribute to the recently deceased David Bowie.
Moving into March we had a triple bill in South Wales in one week with the Swedes Sabaton hitting the Tramshed and Bay Area thrashers Exodus laying waste to the Globe. However, it was another thrash titan, the mighty Machine Fucking Head who pick up my second nomination with their Evening with Machine Head at a packed Great Hall. Of all the numerous MFH performances I've seen over the years this was possibly the best I've ever seen. Shorn of the internal strife, the band played with a relaxed freedom of an outfit moving into the legendary status. Powerful, intense and so tight, with a set list crammed with more treats than a stocking on Christmas Day.
My third pick was a band who rarely visit these shores. Amorphis visited the brilliant Fleece in Bristol a week after MFH and whilst we were still recovering from the thrash assault the Finnish outfit proved their worth to an enchanted audience who were over joyed to see them in the UK. With their strongest album Under The Red Cloud comprising a Decent part of the set, they also flooded the evening with some memorable tracks from their back catalogue. A cracking evening.
Roll forward to July, past a soggy Download where little inspired mainly due to the absolute misery of standing in the pissing rain and where Sabbath’s final (not) UK performance fizzled rather than exploded, and the first U.K. appearances since 2004 of the Wilson sisters and Heart. Whilst the band were superb, with a magical 90 minutes of classics, the setting made the event. The 2200 seater Symphony Hall in Birmingham allowed the evening to be so intimate in comparison to their other dates and really made the evening special.
Through the summer and some storming performances at Steelhouse from Raveneye, Blues Pills, The Answer and The Von Hertzen Brothers as well as the finale of Twisted Sister’s UK career on a gloriously hot day at Catton Hall and a trip down memory lane with Status Quo in the fine settings of Caldicott Castle. Canadian outfit Barenaked Ladies made a rare visit to South Wales whilst the stoner fuelled rock of Ben Ward’s Orange Goblin filled the Globe in early October. My fifth gig of the year was totally different with an evening with Mrs H at the O2 Academy Bristol to witness gothic perfection in the shape of Wayne Hussey and The Mission. Whisking us back to 1986 and God’s Own Medicine, this was no nostalgia trip with a set list buoyed by tracks from the band’s excellent Another Fall From Grace. What made this gig so fantastic was not only the tightness of the band now in their 30th year but the immense collective spirit of the crowd who looked out for each other from the start. With security heavy handed, Hussey ordered them out of the pit and the crowd sorted it from there on in. The mandatory human tower for Tower of Strength was just awesome. A rare glimpse of human bonding which we metal heads falsely think we have the monopoly on.
The beautiful setting of Shepherds Bush Empire in Central London was the venue for gig number six. The melancholic sound of Swedish outfit Katatonia has long been a favourite of mine and the opportunity to take the three lads to a special evening to celebrate Alex and Chris’s 21st birthday was snapped up. We were not disappointed as the band played the entire Cold Great Distance before a greatest hits set which covered songs from their entire back catalogue. An impromptu and additional encore of Ghost of the Sun concluded a very special evening.
As we hit November the gigs came thick and fast. Raveneye’s energetic show in Clwb Ifor Bach was close to inclusion in the top ten, as were solid shows from stalwarts UFO at Tramshed and Saxon at the O2. However, the next gig did make it into the top ten. A sold out Globe was treated to two hours of Liverpool’s finest Anathema, who played a quite magical show. Four new tracks nestled comfortably alongside the emotional Untouchable Part I and II, which had half the audience in tears, and a plethora of songs from the band's now extensive back catalogue. Rarely do we get to see this stunning band on home soil, and the crowd were once more a contributory factor to the evening with massive knowledge and respect show. Throughout the show.
Three more gigs the following week including number eight. The Marble Factory had two visits in three days but after the sound made Blues Pills show a disappointment our return was anything but as Italians Lacuna Coil rammed the place to the rafters and put on their best Perfromance I'd ever seen from the band. Attacking hard from the start with Ultimate Ratio from the superb Delirium, the band delivered a show of incredibly high quality. Packed with top songs and newer tracks, the crowd were on board from the start whilst the duel vocals of Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia combined more effectively than ever before.
It was off to Wembley Arena for the gig of the year, and number nine in the list. A bonus treats for this one as Anathema opened the evening with a confident performance. However, if ever a band peaked during 2016 it was Opeth, who were just remarkable. Oozing confidence, the band played a double set which contained some mighty slabs of progressive metal and a selection of tracks from Damnation and Deliverance which culminated in the epic 12 minute title track of the latter. I was breathless when we left London.
After that, it was going to be difficult for any band to match it but French band Lazuli got close with their lovely show at the Fleece a week later. Marillion’s sold out show at the Tramshed was marred by arse holes in the crowd. Electric Six were great value whilst my final show saw the mighty Clutch bring the house down at the Great Hall. However, the final gig in my top ten took place in a small 600 capacity venue, The Asylum in Birmingham where Karl Willetts’ new band Memoriam provided a stunning hour of death metal which really was first class. Brutal but controlled and so so good.
With ten gigs already booked for 2017 and goodies like The Answer still to purchase, anticipation will be high again. I'm hoping for an arena tour from Metallica and Very much looking forward to the old guard of Maiden and Purple in Cardiff and Kiss at Wembley. The return of the eagle at Steelhouse, an amazing line up already at BOA and the inaugural Hammerfest Birmingham weekend are also in the diary. Live music. There is nothing like it. See you at the back!
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