If I were to mention anvils then some of you will conjure up different memories…for instance there’s Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart…a popular wrestler in the 80’s and early 90’s who with his bulky physique, ginger beard and bright pink attire looked like he was caught somewhere between Groundskeeper Willie and Mr. Blobby…some of you will remember “Looney Tunes”; with Wyle. E. Coyote using an anvil and numerous other weapons to try to kill the Roadrunner…I personally think “Saw” took direct influence from this cartoon (Seriously think about it, talk about fucking overkill!) and then there’s ANVIL themselves. The legendary cult metal outfit from Ontario, Canada formed way-back in 1981 and can arguably be cited as being a major influence for the likes of THE Big 4…in 2008 they had a bit of a resurgence in popularity following a “Spinal Tap” style documentary and now, ten years later, we find them releasing their 17th studio album; “Pounding The Pavement”…let’s hit the street…

The album kicks off with the ominously titled “Bitch In The Box” and immediately we’re met with classic sounding guitar licks straight out of the heydays of traditional metal with some slow, chugging riffs; it’s a solid piece of metal, with Steve Kudlow’s course delivery having harmonic, gang vocal accompaniment it’s a fairly balanced track…but who is this bitch? Why is she boxed? Is there a woman trapped? Buried alive? Nope…he’s singing about Satnav…Fucking. Satnav…is this a theme for old bands now? ACCEPT did it with “Analog Man” and now this…what’s next? Ozzy singing about Pokemon GO? I digress…we follow this up with “Ego” and this is more like it. It’s a short sharp dose of up-tempo, thrash based hard rock and it’s this style, as too made popular by the likes of MOTORHEAD back in the day that laid the foundations for a lot of the fast paced metal we know and love today and the band have clearly still got it in them, with a decent solo to boot; this is much better.

This can also be said for album highlight “Black Smoke” which is very much more of the same with it’s raw, gravelly delivery and, in ways we can include the title track too…peculiar this however as it’s rare to find a title track that’s an instrumental midway through a record. It does break up the album nicely with some well-executed guitar melodies and to be honest it’s just different, it works well. Sadly however, the following tracks don’t…”Rock That Shit” for example…while on one hand can be discarded as merely a song to enjoy and head-bang to with a beer in hand…it’s also fucking cringe-worthy lyrically…from a band virtually celebrating a 40 year anniversary it’s hard to ignore. I’m all for humour in content, I’m all for not taking yourself seriously, but this is elementary school stuff. “Smash Your Face” is another one…and this doesn’t even have up-beat music going for it, I’m going to actually smash my face instead of listening to this one again. Eventually we close on “Don’t Tell Me” and while musically I guess it’s anti-climactic, somewhat middle of the road, it at least touches on relevant social-political topics regarding fake news and the ridiculous state of government right now. Overall, this one’s going to appeal to certain demographics…naturally they have their fans, they are well established in metal circles, but outside of those, and the demented denim-clad rockers you’ll find constantly drunk on Red Stripe moshing to anything they can get their ears on (Think Hell Boy and his cronies from the movie “Haggard”) this doesn’t really have a large target audience. Pounding the pavement or a pounding headache…you be the judge. [5]

As a music reviews blogger I’d like to say or at least think that I’m fairly open minded…I’ll cover the majority of genres, but one thing I have to address is my own potential false advertising. My whole tongue in cheek gimmick is that I’m a Gothic Chav; an abomination of dress sense and the self-proclaimed outcasts outcast…but truth be told, I sadly don’t really cover a great deal of Goth bands within these pages (As much as I’d like to at least) and I can’t say I’ve ever truly considered attempting to form words about a Ministry Of Sound compilation, so I need to fix one of the two…Goth it is then! With that said in all seriousness, let me introduce you to MGT…far from a new kid on the block, Mark Thwaite as his birth certificate states is a seasoned veteran when it comes to alternative/Gothic rock music…in the early 90’s he was a guitarist for THE MISSION but he’s also worked alongside legends such as GARY NUMAN and PETER MURPHY and he’s a respected name in post-punk…back in 2016 he released “Volumes”…a collection of songs with a variety of collaborations, most notably a brilliant cover of ABBA hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You” with Ville Valo of HIM…this year he returns with a much anticipated follow up entitled “Gemini Nyte”…is MGT the MVP? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with the lead single “All The Broken Things” and immediately we’re met with the classic guitar tones that defined the 80’s new-wave / post-punk movement…the gentle melody wrapped around a subtle melancholia that defined the era and laid the foundations for so many Gothic rock bands in the years that followed. Vocals are provided by Ashton Nyte of THE AWAKENING…returning from the last album but what’s different here is that he’s the sole collaborator, making this feel more like a complete album as oppose to a playlist. The continuity is most prominent on “The Reaping (Reprise)”…the song making a second appearance re-recorded but without feeling like lazy filler, it better suits this album stylistically and feels right at home here.

Elsewhere highlights include “Armageddon’s Sideshow” which again perfectly captures the emotions and memories of the likes of SISTERS OF MERCY, but with a modern twist; Ashton has an ideal baritone vocal that carries the despair that this genre so thrives upon, but the music is up-beat, lively and energetic, while by contrast, “Tear The Sun” has the same level of throwback nostalgia, but it’s a much slower, morose yet hypnotic piece, more akin to his time with The Mission…combining elements of alternative rock with shoegaze. What’s also a pleasant surprise is another cover…last time we had ABBA but here we go full synth-pop courtesy of THE HUMAN LEAGUE and their hit “Love Action (I Believe In Love)”…it stays loyal to the overall tone of the track and is delivered incredibly well but it adds enough grit and attitude to separate itself from the original. The album isn’t without its lesser moments however; as “Atlanta” comes across as pretty slow and repetitive, providing a dreary and boring listen sadly, while “Everything Undone”, utilises a 50/50 approach combining sultry DEPECHE MODE inspired electronica with surging GOTHMINISTER-esque guitars in the chorus…not awful per se just, indecisive. Overall the album is solid from start to finish, this sole-collaboration with Ashton gives the album a sense of completion instead of feeling like an experimental project and they work well together, this is nostalgic without feeling forced or cheap, with their passion for this genre worn proudly on their sleeves. If you feel at home at alternative club nights like Slimelight or Spellbound then I’m sure MGT will make it into your playlists with this album. [7]

Local music scenes; you know, grassroots level…all bands start here as it’s where you hone your craft, you learn, you play to 5 people in a little bar, you make mistakes and you gain experience…it’s a long and difficult road for many. Some bands strike it lucky and get a break, some fizzle out…but the good thing about music at this level is that in a way it’s like Lego. Nothing is truly established at this level so often you’ll see mergers with bands, members swapping around like some sort of musical swingers club until the little pieces click together in the right place for whatever it is you’re trying to make…and this is what happened with today’s band. Let me introduce you to DEMOCRATUS. The Cwmbran based outfit (Consisting of vocalist Steve Jenkins, guitarists Kerrin Beckwith and Joey Watkins, bassist Stu Rake and drummer Zak Skane) comprise of former members of COUNTERHOLD, CANNIBAL GOD and ALIVE IN SALEM and together they’ve recently dropped their debut EP appropriately titled “Starting Again”…being a democrat myself it’s only fair I give them a chance…

The EP opens up with the title track and immediately we’re met with a classic metal vibe within the guitar licks, the riffs and overall vocal tone…structurally the track takes influence from several genres to create an honest, heavy onslaught of down to business metal…there are thrash elements, there are touches of black metal, subtle nods to power metal in the clean vocals but the bulk of the track has its roots in melodic death and it works really very well…truth be told the clean power vocals are probably the weakest part of this, they lack an assertiveness felt within the rest of the track but it’s a strong start nevertheless.  EP highlight “Life For A Life” follows up and it’s a politically charged battle cry about the gulf in living standards and social equality, aimed at our current wealthy Conservative clique...it’s got some decent riffs and chord progression and the solo is a lovely touch too, and it all combines to create a very powerful and more importantly relevant track.

“The Furious Horde” returns to a more thrash influenced sound, it’s raw, fast paced and hard with some shredding guitar and a slightly fuzzy overall tone, imagine a sound somewhere between SLAYER and GWAR musically, before “Endless Prophecy” again then takes it up a notch and implements more of their death metal influences in a short, sharp two-minute barrage a la DEATH and finally then, the closing track “Deity”. Probably the weakest track of the EP, it struggles to properly get going and despite some crunching riffs here and there the track itself is pretty sluggish overall, dragging itself across the finish line in the end and ending the EP pretty abruptly with a sense of “Oh?”…although to its credit it’s a nice little atheist anthem, there’s not enough of them if you ask me. Ultimately the EP is a decent one and by starting again per se they’ve allowed themselves the time as musicians to regroup. A change in direction from some of their past efforts elsewhere but the fresh start has done them good, there’s some solid metal on offer here and some heartfelt song-writing…if you like it heavy, then do the right thing…vote for Democratus; metal for the many, not the few. [6]

Do you remember back in 2013, when FALL OUT BOY shocked the world and underwent what many called a renaissance? Their surprise come-back album “Save Rock And Roll” was not only a glorious return to form, chock full of tunes but it was also a mission statement…if you caught them live on that tour, the title track, ironically a moving ballad, was a call to arms…the stage production would show black and white images of icons such as Freddie Mercury, Sid Vicious, Kurt Cobain and many more, as if to say don’t let the music die, literally save rock and roll from the music industry…and everyone thought that this was the beginning of something special; a resurgence in rock music across the board, and in many ways it was…just…not for Fall Out Boy…after the 50/50 reception of follow up album “American Beauty/ American Psycho” which many described as a mishmash of songs lacking real direction, we find them in 2018 dropping another new album by the name of “M A N I A”…this one was delayed because they themselves felt it was rushed…was it worth the wait?
 
We open up with the first single “Young And Menace” and…this is an interesting direction to say the least. After a seemingly dreary, slow build to the track with sombre tones and an impassioned, angst ridden feel, we descend into a totally distorted, techno riddled breakdown of a chorus…it’s positively shapeless…it’s like the chipmunks dropped acid and hijacked a SKRILLEX sample…it’s honestly fucking horrendous! Luckily the follow up track is far more recognisable as the FOB we love and expect…”Champion” has a similarly slow intro but the guitar here is gritty and in ways reminds me of early KAISER CHIEFS…there’s more attitude here and despite the clear pop-production it’s got enough of that early emo-rock feel to stand out as a brand new classic and is bound to go down well live, this is much better. The same can be said for “The Last Of The Real Ones”…an up-beat energetic number with a really enjoyably catchy hook and huge sing-along chorus, this is massive FOB by numbers and the level of quality we recognise…

The trouble though is that, besides these two undeniable tunes, the album falls right back onto its arse and leaves the listener thinking, what the hell are FOB trying to achieve? “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea” just feels like they picked random words out of a hat…granted the message is one of today’s cut-throat culture, the competition for stardom and the spotlight with a really obscure reference to the 1994 US figure skating scandal (And I thought I made weird analogies) but again they opt to utilise a pulsing, bass-driven EDM foundation for the track…”Hold Me Tight Or Don’t” and “Sunshine Riptide” both jump on the bandwagon regarding Caribbean structured pop, tinny guitar, the subtle steel-drum tones and rhythm…it’s something a lot of mainstream artists have done recently so in all likeliness it’s a dig but it still doesn’t make it worth listening to, even ironically. “Heaven’s Gate” has this soulful, gospel inspired blues tone, before closing track “Bishops Knife Trick” ends proceedings on a predominantly lulling note…and another random reference; this time to “Alien”. A song of journey; torn between the feeling of freedom to explore and knowing where you call home, in ways summarising the album from a creative standpoint really rather well. FOB in ways here simply come across as oxymoronic…their save rock and roll gimmick went out the fucking window let’s be clear on that, and this album is almost a parody of itself. It sounds like the band are ribbing mainstream pop culture but the joke flew over everyone’s heads as it just blends in with the very thing they are ribbing…”M A N I A” in ways just reminds me of “Insania” by PETER ANDRE…he thought he had something new, something fresh and exciting but, it wasn’t. [5]

Ah the fond memories of English literature class in school…sat for an hour going over “Of Mice And Men” by John Steinbeck, taking it in turns reading paragraphs about farm work, mentally disabled men, stroking puppies to death, racism, manslaughter, accusations of rape (Did I mention STROKING PUPPIES TO DEATH?) while the teacher tries to force her interpretations upon you as if she wrote the damn novel herself?  Luckily I don’t have to pay George and Lennie another visit (Well, George, spoiler alert, Lennie dies mwahahaha) but we are going to be looking at OF MICE & MEN…formed in Orange County, California, back in 2009, the metalcore-mob have gradually established themselves as one of the biggest up and coming names in alternative metal with an ever growing and ever loyal fan-base, but, this is rock ‘n’ roll damnit and nothing ever goes according to plan! "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley" after all…and in this case, it involves former vocalist Austin Carlile. He suffers from Marfan Syndrome which affected his lungs and he was forced to step down from vocal duties…yet the band went on with bassist Aaron Pauley taking the helm and they’ve just released their first album without Austin; “Defy”…let’s check it out…

​We open up with the title track an initially it’s like the band have gone all BLACK STONE CHERRY with a slick, groove-laden approach with their riffs and general tone, but we’re soon reminded of their metalcore roots with some raw, aggressive vocals, but it’s not the be-all and end-all…new front-man Aaron provides some wonderful clean vocals too and the chorus here is huge; it’s a well-balanced track and gets the album underway with a bold and positive note. “Instincts” follows up with another well balanced track combining pummelling metal qualities with another infectious pop-orientated chorus…it’s really the best of both worlds and it appeals to several demographics, the solo is pretty bold too which only adds further character and it’s another impressive effort…so far so good it has to be said!

The only issue however, is that very contrast…as realistically it’s hard to pinpoint what OM&M are actually aiming for with this new record…album highlight “Back To Me” is a wonderfully melodic, almost anthemic rock track with so much passion coursing through it, which can also be said about “Unbreakable” which despite its riff-work clearly has a lot of pop production behind it given it’s catchy delivery, so too with “Forever YDG’n” and it’s infectious hooks layered within the breakdowns and again, a huge chorus…it’s like a band in transition really. This is confirmed by some 50/50 efforts such as “Warzone”…easily the heaviest track on offer here with its sharp dose of brutality and intensity, but its countered by closing track “If We Were Ghosts”…for what it’s worth a generic rock ballad. While the album itself is a strong one, there’s nothing wrong with the music here whatsoever it’s an enjoyable listen from start to finish, it’s as though the band are at a crossroads…it’s a lot more accessible for casual fans but I can imagine original fans finding this weak…I guess in ways it’s down to this; are you a man or a mouse? OM&M are somewhere in between right now…where do you fall? [7]

Way back in 1985, Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin exploded into the charts creating a burst of pro-feminism with their anthemic duet; “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves”…encouraging women from all walks of life to stand up and be counted, reinforcing their already huge influence as artists. Franklin, the Queen of Soul, one of the most successful R&B artists of all time, and Lennox, one of the most influential pop artists to come out of the 80’s with her group EURYTHMICS…it sent a strong message and opened up the door for so many women in music to feel confident and we’ve never looked back…today we’ll literally be looking at a set of real life sisters who are doing it or themselves by the name of Klara and Johanna Söderberg, but collectively they are known as FIRST AID KIT. Formed in Enskede on the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden, the duo have a couple of releases under their belts already but 2018 sees them return with their brand new album “Ruins”…let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “Rebel Heart” and sadly, they aren’t paying homage to NXT superstar Johnny Gargano (-_•)…for that would be too awesome to be true…but instead we get a rather lengthy introductory track. At over five minutes it’s a little bold, especially given its slow tempo and overly-gradual build; the lulling tone of their country inspired vocals is mellow and harmonious but it does take a while for the track to get going to any real effect. Its climatic semi-flurry is welcome and it rounds track off nicely but it just feels like a stuttering start. “It’s A Shame” then follows up with a far more jovial little number…it’s got a real old school feel with the traditional organ effect coming through the synths giving it that retro 60’s vibe and it’s a charming little track with a deep rooted sadness born of love-loss and unmet expectations, which can also be said for “Postcard”. Channelling icons such as DOLLY PARTON through the classic country and western tone of the tack…it’s the type of track you can imagine being performed at an old road house.

The trouble is that while a lot of this album is, again, charming, the same percentage of the album is frustratingly dull…with their Swedish folk influences there is room for a wonderful collection of ideas and tunes and there are hints of it; “My Wild Sweet Love” is ever so adorable while “Fireworks” delves into a 50’s type, blue’s soaked pop ballad which is full of character, it’s like something you’d find on a “Dreamboats And Petticoats” compilation…but too much of the album fails to ignite a spark of interest…if it was an ice cream flavour it would be Swedish Glace sugar free, dairy free vanilla with a gluten free cone…my point really is that, while it’s perfectly suited for some people, I myself like my ice cream like I like my music…richer and fuller. There’s nothing wrong with them as vocal performers and credit to them they’ve come a long way since their days busking in the Stockholm Metro, but sadly this one doesn’t really inspire a repeat listen. First Aid Kit? Excessive…just give me some Pro Plus I’ll be just fine. [4]

I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now and, sometimes it’s nice to look back and see how you’ve progressed…it’s nice to remind yourself of some of the music you’ve covered; sometimes good…sometimes not so good…and sometimes I’ve questioned my own judgement, even my sanity. Back in 2014 for example I was tasked with reviewing a German duo by the name of JUNKSISTA…with influences ranging from LADY GAGA to NINE INCH NAILS I was naturally intrigued by the prospect of their then album “High Voltage Confessions” but merciful god were things about to get Nazi (Nasty…I made a Pun before you go all Alt-Right on my ass)…with songs about panties, whoopee cushions and I’m not even joking; twat punching…I was left mentally scarred. The group have recently gotten in touch with me once again and asked if I fancy round two…their new album “Promiscuous Tendencies” drops on February 9th…cue the Dad’s Army intro…let’s do this…

We open up with “Monday” and like the beginning of every week the prospect is a depressing one, especially knowing what preceded it last time round…musically it combines a dark pulsing techno with a trance inspired feel elevating the chorus and it’s got it’s hooks, it’s not a bad listen by any means musically but I can’t help but feel they dropped acid listening to THE BOOMTOWN RATS and thought “Yeah, fuck Mondays!”…never mind the Cleveland Elementary School shooting, Bob Geldof was referring to this song 40 years in advance! New single “Fuck For Love” is a considerably slower, more morose effort…an anti-ballad of sorts, it’s cold and synthetic and emphasises the juxtaposition of the title which works well given it’s more serious tone. Then we have “Ice Cream”…and given its suggestive lyricism and seductive approach I can’t imagine that this is a play on words promoting anything other than oral sex…do I ask Tonibell for a 69 or do I get a spit-roast from Ben & Jerry? I have too many options…

​One thing that I will say though…all jokes aside…this album is a remarkable improvement. “Control” for example utilises some infectious dance-pop qualities and has a good rhythm, while “Bitch This Is My Party” is rich in bubbly, light electronica which is undeniably enjoyable, but the real highlights come courtesy of “Monster” and “Freak At Heart”. The former, featuring LAYZEE, is a wonderfully catchy, disco inspired up-tempo piece with a strong DAFT PUNK influence, while the latter, a collaboration with EMKE is a brilliant slab of 80’s inspired synth-wave; it’s impossible to not appreciate this…and here I eat humble pie. When vocalist Diana emailed me I have to be totally honest, she called my bluff and I fell for it. I conditioned myself to expect the worst and mentally prepared myself for the impending cringe, but I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The musical quality has never been in question, it was the last albums saving grace, it was the song content that really got under my skin…but here they’ve toned down the ridiculousness but managed to retain their core character and it’s paid off really rather well…a solid electronic album; even though I’ve been put off ice cream for the foreseeable future. [7]

Every now and again the music world is introduced to a new genre…and by new genre I mean a group of artists that are loosely grouped around a certain demographic, usually for marketing…in this instance I’d like to remind you about a primarily British movement called “New Grave”. Not that I’m knocking it, let me be clear, but in in recent years, several artists have been labelled within this sense of grouping to form under this new umbrella term, artists such as ASHESTOANGELS, NEVER FOUND and even CREEPER in their early days…and in all fairness it got a bit of coverage, but it seemingly died away…or so we thought. Cue THE DEAD XIII…hailing from Manchester and consisting of vocalist Kurt Blackshard, bassist Paul Ryan, drummer Spike Owen, lead guitarist Ste Mahoney and guitarist / synth player Symon Strange, the horror metal mob plan to dig us all a fresh one on February 9th when they drop their brand new album “Dark Days”…grab your shovels…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Bloodlines” and we’re met with some cold, eerie synths and a foreboding sense of musical thanatophilia as it slowly builds towards an intense dose of aggrotech inspired metal…it’s energetic and up beat but retains a darkness, backed by Blackshard’s deep, raw vocals…this would easily please fans of say SADDOLLS and DEATHSTARS without sounding like a cheap knock-off, the quality here is top-drawer and it gets the album off to a strong start. We continue on with the album’s title track and though, while the synths are still there as a prominent feature, layered deeply within the songs structure, this is a slower, heavier offering with more emphasis on the chugging riffs, and in many ways this would satisfy anyone following MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, it’s got that crossover, metalcore vibe to it.

​The album has it’s fine points elsewhere too; “Angels” and “Play Hell” keep the momentum going with more of the same up-tempo industrial tinged electronic goth metal…I don’t say this lightly but artists in this genre bracket are a dying breed, especially ones of this quality, the market has shrunken considerably so it’s wonderful to see not only a band totally owning it, but to have come from the UK too, it’s so encouraging! The real star of this album however has to go to “Killers”…with all of the qualities already mentioned but taken up a notch, it’s got some wonderfully infectious melodies and a chorus bordering on anthemic, add to that the slick guitar solo, this tracks on point! A couple of tracks that missed the point however do slightly tarnish the album to a degree…”Last Stand” despite its frenetic black metal inspired intro ends up a little methodical. “Vigil” while undeniably a sweet little piano interlude, is sadly still just a sweet little piano interlude. A break from the vocals is welcome mind you, that’s another thing, it’s all systems go from Blackshard 100% of the time and some clean vocals wouldn’t go amiss...before we get click-baited by “Curtain Call”. First of all, putting another instrumental filler track in the album is one thing but placing it at track 11 on a 12 track album is just annoying…have an elongated intro to proper closing track “From Beyond” by all means but this is a waste of time…it’s literally just filler. Nit-picking aside it’s a strong album overall and does the genre ample justice…whether or not that genre is worth being labelled as new grave is up for debate but for now, consider 13 a lucky number. [8]