No end to the German conveyer belt of power metal with Thunder And Lightning’s latest release Demonicorn. The Berlin based outfit have been delivering their brand of metal since 2004 and whilst I will admit they are new to my ears, their style of music is actually a lot easier to bear than many of the hyperactive delivery of some of their countrymen. Opener All Your Lies combines traditional metal with the frenetic speed of power metal and instantly Norman Dittmar’s clean strong vocals grab the attention. The title track follows, a thick riff heavy track, with much more heft than maybe expected. This is solid fast and enjoyable. There are elements of Sabaton, Priest and Helloween mixed here.
Demonicorn contains some superb guitar work, lead guitarist Fabrizio Agabiti making his full-length debut with the band after joining two years ago shredding for fun on Demmin, a song about the largest mass suicide in German history which took place in May 1945 in the German town. A brave move to tackle a subject that for years was banned in East Germany. The album impresses as it progresses, The Temple Of Death a soaring, bludgeoning track which captures some of the best elements of power metal and uses it in a much heavier style. Gods For A Day continues the journey, and by now I’m thoroughly engaged. Salt To The Wounds drips with melody but carries a steel backbone Whilst closing track Telltale Signs tackles terrorism in a robust and bombastic manner. Demonicorn is bombastic, fun and above all a cracking listen. 8/10
Murray And McGowan: Out From The Inside (Self Released)
Neil Murray: bassist with a multitude of rock bands ranging from Whitesnake to Thin Lizzy to Black Sabbath and all stops in between. He’s been part of the We Will Rock You musical for many years and is still part of Snakecharmer. Even so, this album is a bit of a mystery, with little information available. It’s been released almost under wraps. Recorded at Ken McGowan’s Blackberry studio on the South Coast over a nine-month period, Out From The Inside is 13 tracks of classic rock, in the vein of Lizzy, Bad Company and Skynyrd. Slick and competent, the shock here is that Murray takes not only the bass lines and keyboards but also the vocals.
At least that what’s I’ve gleaned from the magic of the interweb. If so, this will be the first time I’ve ever heard Murray open his mouth. In all previous bands I’ve seen him in he has rarely even added the briefest of backing vocals, content to lay down the bass whilst avoiding the spotlight. Well, whatever, this album is a polished piece with McGowan adding some sweet blues style guitar work and Chris Allen keeping time with ease. With Christina Wood adding backing vocals on Living The Dream, a funky honky-tonk number which adds brass to the mix. All in all, a rather comfortable but highly entertaining release. 7/10
House Of Shakira: Radiocarbon (Frontiers Records)
Formed in Stockholm in 1991, House of Shakira is a band with some pedigree. Radiocarbon provides 39 minutes of high-quality melodic rock which echoes their influences such as Journey and Van Halen. With the smooth vocals of Andreas Novak leading the way, there is plenty for fans of melodic rock to enjoy. Elements of Def Leppard on tracks like Radiocarbon should get the Joe Elliott fans dancing whilst the high-pitched harmonies of Matts Hallstensson and Basse Blyberg will appeal to those whose tastes sit with Journey, Foreigner and Eagles. I can’t hear much in their sound of Sabbath, but the glam trash of Kiss does surface from time to time, for example on Sweet Revenge which is a banal song but one that is delivered with an upbeat tempo. Melodic rock is a genre I generally struggle with; its lightweight feel and dramatic lyrics often too overblown for me. Here, the band are tight and polished, a up-beat almost pop-rock flavour for most of the time. It really does little for me, but as melodic rock goes this is near the top. 7/10
Ancient Crown: Blood Evolved (Self Released)
Blood Evolved is the debut release from this five-piece from Syracuse, New York. It’s a right gnarly bastard, a hybrid cross of thrash and death metal with the faintest hint of industrial gothic. Ghost of Future Vision is a roaring opening, the strained vocals of Andrew Hulburt better when he’s spewing up his lung as the duel guitars of Buddy Fishcal and brother Barry Hurlburt rage with chainsaw effect. Clean vocals are employed on Helm Of Awe, a raging Mastodon influenced almost death-sludge beast which races away, increasing in tempo and ferocity to a punishing velocity. On Primal Fire continues the intensity, thick heavy riffs, punishing drumming and a guttural delivery combine. This would be exhausting live. Think the intensity of early Mastodon combined with Neurosis and a chunk of fat death metal. Continue to pour oil on water and the flame will increase. Such is the obliterating progress that occurs here and by the time you arrive at Above And Beneath this is simply a pummelling that the referee should stop, such is the brutality. A vicious, aggressive and back breaking slab of metal to end the year. 7/10
Neil Murray: bassist with a multitude of rock bands ranging from Whitesnake to Thin Lizzy to Black Sabbath and all stops in between. He’s been part of the We Will Rock You musical for many years and is still part of Snakecharmer. Even so, this album is a bit of a mystery, with little information available. It’s been released almost under wraps. Recorded at Ken McGowan’s Blackberry studio on the South Coast over a nine-month period, Out From The Inside is 13 tracks of classic rock, in the vein of Lizzy, Bad Company and Skynyrd. Slick and competent, the shock here is that Murray takes not only the bass lines and keyboards but also the vocals.
At least that what’s I’ve gleaned from the magic of the interweb. If so, this will be the first time I’ve ever heard Murray open his mouth. In all previous bands I’ve seen him in he has rarely even added the briefest of backing vocals, content to lay down the bass whilst avoiding the spotlight. Well, whatever, this album is a polished piece with McGowan adding some sweet blues style guitar work and Chris Allen keeping time with ease. With Christina Wood adding backing vocals on Living The Dream, a funky honky-tonk number which adds brass to the mix. All in all, a rather comfortable but highly entertaining release. 7/10
House Of Shakira: Radiocarbon (Frontiers Records)
Formed in Stockholm in 1991, House of Shakira is a band with some pedigree. Radiocarbon provides 39 minutes of high-quality melodic rock which echoes their influences such as Journey and Van Halen. With the smooth vocals of Andreas Novak leading the way, there is plenty for fans of melodic rock to enjoy. Elements of Def Leppard on tracks like Radiocarbon should get the Joe Elliott fans dancing whilst the high-pitched harmonies of Matts Hallstensson and Basse Blyberg will appeal to those whose tastes sit with Journey, Foreigner and Eagles. I can’t hear much in their sound of Sabbath, but the glam trash of Kiss does surface from time to time, for example on Sweet Revenge which is a banal song but one that is delivered with an upbeat tempo. Melodic rock is a genre I generally struggle with; its lightweight feel and dramatic lyrics often too overblown for me. Here, the band are tight and polished, a up-beat almost pop-rock flavour for most of the time. It really does little for me, but as melodic rock goes this is near the top. 7/10
Ancient Crown: Blood Evolved (Self Released)
Blood Evolved is the debut release from this five-piece from Syracuse, New York. It’s a right gnarly bastard, a hybrid cross of thrash and death metal with the faintest hint of industrial gothic. Ghost of Future Vision is a roaring opening, the strained vocals of Andrew Hulburt better when he’s spewing up his lung as the duel guitars of Buddy Fishcal and brother Barry Hurlburt rage with chainsaw effect. Clean vocals are employed on Helm Of Awe, a raging Mastodon influenced almost death-sludge beast which races away, increasing in tempo and ferocity to a punishing velocity. On Primal Fire continues the intensity, thick heavy riffs, punishing drumming and a guttural delivery combine. This would be exhausting live. Think the intensity of early Mastodon combined with Neurosis and a chunk of fat death metal. Continue to pour oil on water and the flame will increase. Such is the obliterating progress that occurs here and by the time you arrive at Above And Beneath this is simply a pummelling that the referee should stop, such is the brutality. A vicious, aggressive and back breaking slab of metal to end the year. 7/10
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