There are a couple of reasons why I started writing reviews a few years ago; I have my influences scattered around different mediums, some might surprise you but I’ll leave that for another time…one reason however was and, I guess still is…music magazines. Now I’m not sat here saying they influenced me because I wanted to write FOR them…no…you see the beauty of a review is that it’s essentially an educated opinion. Do I see myself as the all knowledgeable Wizard Of Oz when it comes to music? Of course not, but if you read this regularly you’ll know that I care enough about my music to take it seriously (granted sometimes I include some ridiculous humour but that’s just me amusing myself)…my point is, while it’s still only a collection of my own opinions, my opinions are 100% honest. This is where I had the issue with certain magazines and for this example and for this review funnily enough I have to turn my attention to KERRANG!...back in 2013 FALLING IN REVERSE released “Fashionably Late” and amidst a sea of controversy and hype surrounding front-man Ronnie Radke, Kerrang! were tasked with reviewing it and using their K-Rating system (1K to 5K)…they voted it…”Fuck Knows”. Yep…a score of ?K’s…this told me one thing…the reviewer and the magazine, knowing FIR were hot property and would sell magazines as cover stars, were too afraid to just say look, the album is fucking mediocre at best, I don’t understand why you are so popular…so they chickened out. You won’t find any of that here…oh no…so when I see the same publication say this about the new NECK DEEP album; “11 instantly lovable genuinely unique tracks”…I’m like hold your horses, this is pop-punk we’re talking about…what the fuck is unique about pop-punk? So…without further ado, here are my thoughts on “The Peace And The Panic”…

The album gets underway with “Motion Sickness” (that in itself is a good start…) and in all honesty we do open up with some vibrant riffs; a positive, punk-inspired guitar tone, the melody is pleasant and carries the light pop qualities well, it all sounds crisp and fresh and in terms of sound, mini breakdown included, musically and vocally I guess too should appeal to fans of NEW FOUND GLORY...it references the album title and essentially it’s about struggle going forward, the choice between good and bad and you can see by the album art itself it’s very rooted in balance, civility and conflict, the choice is as clear contrast as night and day, hence the black and white drawing…stylistically they take a similar approach on tracks like “The Grand Delusion”…I mean this is so NFG, you have to stop and remember these lads are from Wrexham, not fucking, West Tampa Florida…

There are some highlights here though to be honest…”Happy Judgement Day” takes the ever-popular almost clichéd route of social-political commentary found within a lot of iconic punk artists…it’s what the genre is famous for, non-conformity, speaking out, having an angry voice, wanting people to wake up…and while here the message is clear, essentially we are responsible for our own downfall, mankind will be the reason for its own undoing because of segregation, creating diversity, wars…the usual…and while it’s good they have the passion to make a point of it, try to encourage fresh ears to make world a better place, the style here musically is just maybe too soft for such a serious global issue…like…it’s not so much “This is important! Do whatever you can!”…it’s more “This is pleasant…have a bit of a dance”. It ticks all the pop-punk boxes though so sounds decent. “Wish You Were Here” tones things down for a sweet little acoustic song, the story within a tale of loss and mourning, aided by some subtle, soft piano, it’s sad but an enjoyably quaint listen, while by contrast “Don’t Wait” has an intense, relentless energy to it…it’s heavier, it’s assertive and isn’t messing around…the gang vocals aid the chorus but it’s Sam from ARCHITECTS that puts the cherry on top here, his furious vocals really add weight to this track and it really stands out…before we finish up on “Where Do We Go When We Go”…a song about making a lasting impression, make something of yourself before, well, you die essentially. Now, while I’ve pointed these tracks out as my own personal highlights, and I’ll be honest, this album isn’t unpleasant, it’s got it’s quirks, I can see the easy-listening appeal and I can see why the band are making a name for themselves here in the UK; it’s all tailor made for radio and its easily accessible for young audiences with its light pop tones, but for Kerrang! to turn around and say these songs are genuinely unique, is quite frankly, a bit bollocks…it’s just well produced pop-punk, and as I stated, they can sound like NFG…if you sound like someone else…you aren’t unique…wake up Kerrang! [6]

When you mutter the words GOLDFINGER…the vast majority of people are going to suddenly turn into Sean Connery…shtart shpeaking really shtrong Shcottish, ordering by dry Martini’s, shhaken, not shtirred (Shhit, I’m doing it myshelf!) but in all fairness, it’s one of the most iconic James Bond movies of all time and you’d be forgiven for doing so…others may look upon the term with a mind full of filth; Goldfinger? Slip the Queen a cheeky one? Foreplay by Royal appointment…I literally can’t believe I just typed that but, I digress…the rest of you may remember it’s actually also the name of a punk band! Formed back in Los Angeles in 1994, they steadily found themselves garnering a loyal fan-base with their upbeat blend of ska and pop-punk, associated with artists like LESS THAN JAKE and REEL BIG FISH, but we haven’t really heard from them since 2008’s “Hello Destiny…”…well, luckily, 2017 sees them dust off the cobwebs and return recharged with a new line-up and a brand new album; “The Knife”. Are they still as sharp or is this a wild stab in the dark? Let’s find out…

I mentioned the new line-up and I’ll quickly touch on that before we begin, founding member John Feldman remains on vocals but here he’s joined not only by Mike Herrera of MXPX, but also Travis Barker of BLINK 182…so to some degree we’re now dealing with a punk supergroup…which is pretty cool, so we press play with plenty of anticipation and we’re greeted with opening track “A Million Miles”. To be fair you can’t really say anything overly negative about this; it’s got everything you’d want or expect really…it’s lively, typically up-tempo ska-infused melodic pop-punk. It’s got the gang vocals, it’s pretty much by numbers but, being the first track in nine years, it’s forgivable…ease in as such, so it’s a decent start. “Get What I Need” and “Don’t Let Me Go” especially ramp up the ska content, you’ve got the trumpets and occasional subtle steel drums contributing their own flavour, the latter having hints of THE POLICE layered within it and a genuinely enjoyable brass solo, so it’s all really easy listening.

Further highlights include “See You Around” which features Travis’ Blink buddy Mark Hoppus providing guest vocals, distinctive as he is, he never disappoints, it’s just a shame Matt Skiba isn’t here too, as it’s a genuinely pleasant track, nothing special, just, nice, while “Am I Deaf” offers us probably the albums grittiest track, more punk driven and aimed at the current music scene; the state in which Goldfinger have found it in coming back from their hiatus, joking that they feel old, everything’s changed, a tongue in cheek poke at the industry which is always fun. There is one track I’ll point out however…”Orthodontist Girl”…it’s a touch weird, I mean, cute love songs about having a crush are all well and good, but, this one’s just…weird. Getting turned on by her sterile rubber gloved fingers in your mouth while she does her dentistry is…an odd fetish let’s be honest. I mean, there is NOTHING remotely sexy about dentistry…drilling here, injecting there, tugging here, and filling there…actually OK yeah I can see that it’s really quite homoerotic…lovely. I’ve lost focus…anyway, to summarise, while there will be fans very happy to have Goldfinger back, especially in this new supergroup format, I guess musically there’s only so much you can do with ska-punk. It’s not bad, far from, but it’s not entirely memorable either. Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’m going to phone my dentist…[6]

Over the course of time I’ve spent reviewing, I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with a number of PR companies and labels, covering a wide variety of artists and genres and in recent times, one of the labels I’ve highlighted has been FiXT. Based in Detroit, U.S, and founded by workaholic visionary Klayton, its home to artists like CELLDWELLER (Klayton himself) and BLUE STAHLI, and focuses primarily on electronic music; ranging from synth-pop and EDM to industrial and aggrotek…slowly but surely, the label has steadily been growing in success and as a result, its roster has been growing in numbers. Recently, Klayton dusted off (pun intended) CIRCLE OF DUST, a heavy industrial metal beast that was prominent in the 1990’s and introduced a lot of fans to a back catalogue of music showcasing his heavier history…but it’s not the only thing to resurface and, as it turns out, he isn’t the only musical member of his family! Let me introduce you to LVL…formerly known as LEVEL, it was formed by one Mr Dan Levler (Dan Albert, Klayton’s brother) and back in 1999 he released his sophomore album “Devil’s Advocate”…now, in 2017 it’s been remastered with 7 additional bonus tracks and will be available digitally for the first time ever on September 8th courtesy of FiXT…the question is, are FiXT going to level-up? Or have we found a glitch? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “She: Backslide” and after some brief, semi-pleasurable, almost sadistic screams, we’re greeted with some fairly basic drum & bass style percussion accompanying generic crunching riffs…to a degree up-tempo but to another degree a little repetitive…there are basic breakdowns and key changes, brief pauses allowing for certain progressive qualities but vocally it’s a little rough, almost demo-like in places…and it ends really quite abruptly too which sounds a little off…a faltering start. “Best Way Out” follows up and here we’re given a far more metal-based offering…the riffs are meatier, there’s more weight behind them and there’s an anger within Dan’s vocals this time around…it’s very much of its era, bridging the gap between grunge rock and the early days of nu-metal…utilising the electronic elements to offer a slightly different sound for its time, fans of say, PITCHSHIFTER would appreciate this…this is better.

Further highlights include “Caught Slick”; a complete contrast in style comparatively…it’s incredibly light electronica, it’s gentle and almost aquatic…the synth carrying an almost bubbly tone and as a result we’re given a far calmer track, before the end sadly spoils things with its randomly included chugging guitar and another complete cut-off…the title track on the other hand kicks into life with a sense of assertiveness…we’re back with attitude; edgy, riff-laden guitar and raw, shouted vocals layered within a generally industrial tone gives this track a feeling of STATIC-X inspired metal however yet again, the ending feels cut short, it’s a reoccurring problem that hampers the record, while “She: This Time” closes the album, similar in style but not as heavy, leaning more towards the style of say, early ORGY. Sadly however, the majority of the record fails to excite…”Downplay” is rather lacklustre, it’s quite lifeless with a dull vocal tone, despite the brass inclusion peaking some interest while “Hero Zero” has a real, slow, foreboding, generally depressing feel and suffers similarly to the aforementioned…before 6 of the 7 bonus tracks ultimately waste your time purely as instrumentals…there’s virtually no need for them. There IS a Circle Of Dust remix of “Backslide” at the end but, it’s too little too late. While die-hard fans would appreciate this album getting a second lease of life, especially with the additional content, and yes, it did in its own way help develop the sounds and styles honed by the rosters main stays today, it’s a shame it just hasn’t aged well since its first release on CD nearly 20 years ago…if you like your electronica dreary with occasional metal dabbling’s, you might find something of value here but, personally, this isn’t even a glitch, it’s a corrupt file. [4]

Now…I don’t have a PhD…or a master’s degree or anything of the sort, I’m just you’re average gothic chav…I squeeze my skinny jeans on one leg at a time. I’ve found challenges trying to use tin openers to be honest let alone trying to wrap my head around scientific /  algebraic equations…so, luckily for me (And I say that with more than a sprinkle of sarcasm) we’re about to check out a band by the name of KLOGR. Pronounced “Kay-Log-Are” and derived from the psycho-physical law (S=KlogR) developed by Ernst Heinrich Weber (An experimental psychologist) and Gustav Fechner (A German philosopher)…the purpose of this four-piece Italian/American outfit (consisting of vocalist/guitarist Gabriele Rustichelli, guitarist Pietro Quilichini, drummer Maicol Morgotti and bassist Roberto Galli) is to explore human perception via means of stimulus and they intend on doing this with their new album “Keystone”, scheduled for release on October 6th. A real thinking man’s band or, pretentious prog-rock? I’m about to get a headache finding out…

The album opens up with “Sleeping Through The Seasons” and initially we’re given a hushed, gentle piano-led intro akin to a lullaby you’d find emitting from a babies cot mobile, which in itself is fitting…beginning in a dream-state, allowing life to pass you by without truly living, a total numbness of the senses, before it livens up with its riff-heavy offerings, chugging but restrained, more generic than djent, accompanied by Gabriele’s raw vocals…for the most part you can hear the influence of the likes of A PERFECT CIRCLE, but the chorus is considerably livelier, channeling the influence of ALTER BRIDGE here too, especially within the solo, it rounds off the track nicely and it gives it an extra air of quality, a decent start this. First single “Prison Of Light”, musically doesn’t differ a great deal…the bass heavy riffs carry the track as it plods along...another solo thrown in for good measure, it’s OK but the real essence of the band lies within the stories carried by their songs…here we find them lambasting the shallowness of the modern world, the importance of appearance and materialism an ever increasing issue in a generation too absorbed in aesthetics…

​The generally slower, sluggish tone is pretty much consistent throughout though, as “The Echoes Of Sin” channels Gabrielle’s inner Maynard James Keenan with this stab at a hard rock ballad, aimed at the scaremongering culture of religion, you shouldn’t live in fear of failure, of divine judgement , before we go all conceptual via the double header of “Siren’s Song”…a brief but chilling interlude, leading onto “Dark Tides”…targeting environmental issues, the loss of marine life and the consequences mankind faces as we kill the ocean, while at the tail end of the album, we finish up on “The Wall Of Illusion”…concentrating on a self-imposed façade because of the harsh realities of life we aren’t strong enough to face…a psychological barrier held up by denial. Essentially, the narrative of this album, while it isn’t strictly a completely conceptual one, does highlight important issues and does so cleverly through solid song-based storytelling…the only real down fall is that musically, it’s almost holding back. The few solo’s that are included are very enjoyable but they don’t pick up the overall stagnancy of the record; it really can feel quite slow in places. Lyrically it’s from the heart, you can tell, allowing you to then appreciate this more…sadly the musicianship doesn’t live up to the same standard, often finding itself as middle of the road hard rock….which is a shame as when some of your inspiration comes from bands that also include TOOL and PORCUPINE TREE, you just can’t help but feel that instrumentally they played it a bit safe. Nevertheless, a decent album and an interesting one to digest…he says with an enigmatic smile. [5]

I’ve often talked about legends and icons here; the artists who started it all, just as likely to pick up a pension as they are an instrument these days…let’s be honest (and without meaning to sound disrespectful) you’re as likely to find early Rolling Stones records on an episode of Time Team as you are in HMV…but, these bands did pave the way for music as we know it after all. I’ve mentioned several bands that defined eras in these pages, the usual suspects like Sabbath and Maiden etc…but rarely have I touched upon specific individuals. Well, all that is about to change…Vincent Furnier was born in Detroit, Michigan way back in 1948 and would grow up to become one of the most iconic rock ‘n’ roll stars of all time under the moniker ALICE COOPER…with a career in both music and movies spanning nearly 50 years, he’s become a pop-culture icon far surpassing his status as “The Godfather Of Shock Rock”, but it’s that very gimmick that kick started it all, giving the world of rock ‘n’ roll one of its most charismatic and theatrical performers of all time, influencing the likes of ROB ZOMBIE and WEDNESDAY 13 and recently, he released his 27th (Twenty seventh!) studio album…”Paranormal”…has the shock rocker still got it in him or like and episode of Most Haunted, will all we get be a series of questionable noises…let’s find out…

We get underway with the title track and it simply oozes nostalgia through its guitar tone alone, it’s got a proper classic feel through its riffs and melody, the slow build…there’s an air of drama to the whole thing despite its general simplicity, and in keeping with the theme its quite the haunting love song, an unobtainable love after death, a mere memory and in ways it’s quite sad, however the song comes to life itself with a rather slick old-school solo…it’s very emotive and provides good contrast, and furthermore a solid opening track…speaking of solid tracks, Cooper proves he still has enough to offer at this stage in his career with several enjoyable offerings dotted throughout the album; “Paranoiac Personality” has a slow, plodding build just like the opener, the bass is very prominent here, it’s quite groovy this one but lyrically insecure, talking about a target on his back and there’s a brief inclusion of the “Psycho” shower score which adds character, it’s well done.

“Fallen In Love” is rich in blues tones paying homage to rocks southern roots with another quality solo and it’s no wonder, as ZZ TOP guitarist Billy Gibbons is at hand to lend his services and it shows…while “Holy Water” includes some wonderfully cheery brass elements, it’s got another catchy chorus and the jazz-infused up-tempo approach works well, mixing things up nicely, but the highlight has to be “Fireball”; it’s bass heavy, scruffy, riff-driven raw energetic guitar is full of attitude and sounds like it was plucked straight out of the 70’s in a good way, this is a track with heritage and it’s a pleasure to listen to. The album isn’t without its minor faults however…”Dead Flies” struggles to inspire over its two minute play time plus vocally its far poorer, and “The Sound Of A” could pass for a discarded BLUE OYSTER CULT track…however, any faults here are minor and overall we have a pretty solid album from the veteran rocker. He might be way past shocking in this day and age, I don’t even think shock rock exists anymore quite frankly, everyone is so desensitized, but here he proves he can still deliver after all these years. Who the fuck is Alice?! Alice Cooper…that’s who… [7]

Not too long back, you may remember that I wrote a piece on an American artist going by the name GAYWIRE and, essentially the focal point was people’s rights and acceptance within the LGBT+ community…now, while today’s post isn’t directly linked to that in any way, sadly I still have to bring up the topic of discrimination…the lovely people over at Rage PR forwarded me an EP by a band called JACK THE ENVIOUS recently and upon looking them up on social media, doing some research as I always do, the band stated that they’d moved to London at the beginning of the year, but it didn’t state where they originated. Merely out of curiosity I asked Rage and sadly the response I got was so incredibly disheartening. The band were formed in Israel, and while it isn’t a secret per se, they don’t talk about it out of concern it will draw prejudice or create problems given today’s political climate etc…quite frankly, that’s appalling. I’d like to start off by simply saying I don’t care where you come from, I don’t care what nationality you are, I don’t care what religion you categorise yourself as part of and I definitely don’t care if you put pineapple on pizza…all I care about is your band’s music…and to those of you reading this, I suggest you prioritise the same. Now that that’s out of the way, we need to talk about their new EP! Entitled “In Your Own Way” and released last month, the band (consisting of vocalist Nir Perlman, guitarist Guy Avnon, bassist Guy Checkarov and drummer James MacPherson) combine melodic pop-sensibilities with post-hardcore attitude, resulting in some solid yet tuneful rock…let’s check it out…

After a brief intro consisting of subtle electronica and almost drum & bass inspired percussion, we’re enveloped in a strong dose of impassioned, anthemic alt. rock via opener "Shut Me Off"…Nir’s vocals are for the most part smooth and clean but he’s capable of releasing the aggression when required, though his vocal tone generally is predominantly higher in pitch and in ways it’s the sort of style that will easily appeal to fans of say, SLEEPING WITH SIRENS and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE for example…it’s a positive start. Elsewhere further highlights include “Mrs Grim”, with its up-tempo flurry of punk-inspired energetic pop rock…wonderfully blending catchy hooks with a more intense guitar driven core sound it’s a perfect balance between happy and heavy (for its genre) in all the right places and ends all too soon, it’s one of those tracks you can happily put on repeat, so well done to the lads here, while “Never Look Down”, despite being no less catchy is far softer, the guitar tone is a touch moody, accompanying a more emotional track and it all combines very well, it’s a very enjoyable listen.

While the official EP is completed by tracks “Begging For More” and “Guilty”, which are generally fine in terms of content, there’s nothing generally wrong with them, each carrying distinct qualities including soaring vocals, bass driven hard rock, they even include some notable double kick drum…the tracks overall don’t manage to deliver the same level of enjoyment as the aforementioned…however…if you are to listen to the version with bonus content, you’ll be met with two incredibly interesting covers…and if I may say so myself, two incredibly brave covers while you’re at it…to be perfectly honest, their cover of “Wonderwall” by OASIS isn’t going to please everyone. It’s a modern classic and for all intents and purposes it’s one of the most revered songs of all time, it’s just on another level, so anyone choosing to cover it is going to face scrutiny, and while many will argue that a harder rock driven sound will take away from the song, it’s been done fairly well and they deserve at least a little credit…BUT…and oh there is a big but…we’re talking a SIR MIX-A-LOT level of big but and I cannot lie when I say that, they have absolutely butchered “Feel Good Inc.” by GORILLAZ…good god it’s bad, even Harambe will be turning in his grave at this one. The guitar just sounds so off, it’s really a track that was never intended for aggressive rock and here they’ve more than proven it. Feel Good Inc.? No Feel bad Jack! You really should! Other than that, it really is an enjoyable EP and solidifies the four-piece as ones to watch heading into next year. [7]

Everyone has their favourite…it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about, everyone has a favourite something…let’s use genres as an example as there’s a lot of choice in a variety of mediums. Take movies, some people like rom-coms…I on the other hand like classic horror movies, none of this modern day “Paranormal Activity 15: The Conjuring Of Insidious Annabelle vs The Vvitch Part II: The Revenge Of Saw” type bullshit…give me a black and white Nosferatu any day…the same can be said for music. Some people are really into R&B…I don’t understand these people, I really don’t…now, while I have to remain open minded and impartial here, personally I will always gravitate to electronic pop-rock, 80’s vibe stuff…and goth rock…however like I said I get to cover a wide variety of bands on this blog so I have to remain open minded and address things fairly…today we have a first. The lovely people over at FiXT sent me an email that contains the new record from genre-masher BLUE STAHLI…the record is called “Antisleep Vol. 4” and…it’s a 100% instrumental record! No lyrics…no stories…just the notion of vague concepts and ideas; a clusterfuck of content aimed at YouTuber’s and for Movie/TV trailer licencing…it’s essentially a sampler of sorts, available for marketing…let’s check it out…

We open up with “Sunset Neon” and it’s a very light, very vibrant electronic pop piece, it’s a touch retro and utilises slightly warped, autotune-driven synths, it’s very easy listening and generally sounds like the basis for a Summer dance pop record in the early production stages, before vocals are added…the kind of thing you might see on an advert promoting like, an alchopop or a new fruity perfume…elsewhere, further use of electronica can be found within tracks like “Car Chase Club Action”, which is heavier on percussion and overall has a more hard techno / EDM based core sound, there’s easily more attitude here, and the slightly contradictive “Futureproof”, which primarily consists of pulsing, spacey synths…simplistic techno beats, there are subtle vocal samples here but they really don’t count, more like blurts of noise as opposed to lyrics, practically a stutter…

The general idea of this record though was to showcase a variety of styles or stylistic themes that Stahli is able to produce and work with to cover a variety of platforms upon request…as I stated this kind of thing is useful for movie trailers, for intro themes for videos…basically he can produce for a multitude of projects and what we have here is practically a catalogue of products he’s able to supply…”Secret Agent Business”, as cliché as it is, gives off the classic undercover spy, Pierce Brosnan era James Bond vibe…you can easily imagine this music accompanying a gadget crazy highly exaggerated, ridiculous montage where Bond uses a shoelace to laser through a revolving door to obtain missile codes that Soviet’s intend using to blow up Bosnia from the moon because they gave them Nul Points at Eurovision 27 years ago…(use your imagination OK)…while “Red Carpet Rush” sounds like he’s taken FLO RIDA and tweaked things to sound like it would on a click-bait site that has nothing to offer but celebrity gossip from wannabe news reporters who have nothing better to do than comment on what dress Kim Kardashian was wearing…(Newsflash; no one gives a fuck!)…but you get the idea, if you follow celebrity culture, you’ll know what I’m talking about when you hear it…elsewhere, really it’s just playing with sound. There are heavier, rock fuelled tracks with more prominent guitar elements, there’s hints of dark country blues, hints of soft jazz…it’s a bit of everything. Not really an album as such, but, if anything, it’s a good advertisement. If you’re interested, the ‘album’ is available for pre-order now and is released August 25th…if you’re working in media and are looking for some audio content, this may very well help you out! Otherwise it’s more of a fans/collectors thing. [4]

When I initially created this blog back in 2014, one of the main things I wanted to do was highlight an array of new bands and promote new local music as much as I could…South Wales has always had a vibrant scene full of up and coming musicians, a vast talent pool of unsigned artists just waiting to make a name for themselves, the likes of REAPER IN SICILY and CLEAR THE AUDITORIUM for example showed huge promise, while THE DIRTY YOUTH and HOLDING ABSENCE have become two of the hottest bands in the UK…but like most things in life, there’s always been balance…for every Shawn Michaels, there is a Marty Jannetty. In terms of music, sadly that’s not a good thing…if you’re a regular reader of this blog you are probably well aware of the difficulties I’ve faced with home grown talent…bands like NOO5E (that’s a Vietnam style, PTSD inducing flashback if ever there was one) and the fucking Voldemort of Welsh punk bands, BANKRUPT PUG (seriously just uttering their name broke one of the seals to open the gates of hell just then) have subject me to some of the toughest challenges of my time as a reviewer…I never back down from a challenge however and often the resulting (and more often than not negative) review can be quite comical / borderline slandering…sadly…this seems to be a reoccurring issue. Recently, I received an email that opened up with “Hello beloved Gavin”…I’m already scared…the second thing I notice is that it’s by a band calling themselves DING DONG PROBABLY…(I shit you not). Hailing from Neath, the hardcore punk 3-piece sent me a link to their new album; “Up In Heaven, Down In Heck”…it’s TWENTY NINE TRACKS LONG…what the actual fuck have I gotten myself into this time?!

The album, and I use that term loosely, starts off with the epic nine second opener “One Chord & The Truth”…just like the lyrics suggest, the trio are clearly on drugs and I don’t mean the odd spliff…before we’re met with first track proper, the tongue in cheek “Ding Dong Probably”…lyrics about doorbells and starting the best band in the world, albeit a drunken decision…very much a song of split personality, initially very basic but, when it gets going it’s actually decently crafted punk rock…musically at least…which is why I conclude after listening to the whole thing, that this album is really fucking disappointing…let me explain. When you’ve got an album 29 tracks long, you’d hope to god that there was SOMETHING hidden within its 28min run time that would be worth listening to? Yes you did read that right, despite the number of tracks it’s still less than half hour long, it’s one of those punk albums…and in all fairness, quite frankly, very surprisingly if I’m honest, it does have its highlights…”Coffee Punks” ticks all the typical punk rock boxes with it’s short, abrasive and angry tone, ranting at hipsters, vegan carrot cake and card machines…random, yes but it IS punk rock…”I Saw A Goth” is one of the most random 10 seconds you’ll ever find on ANY record…more of a tongue in cheek slice of social commentary, questioning the authenticity of rain fearing goths…it’s quite funny for what it’s worth, a bit of a rib, while “Lone Pine Mall” actually has structure! More vocal harmony, clear distinction between verse and chorus…fuck me it sounds like an actual song! The same can be said for “He’s A Little Prince If Anything”…a song about a dog…repetitive but, at least it has catchy qualities, while “The Ballad Of Leatherface” isn’t as it seems…instead of a horror parody, it’s about a local leather faced, toothless hag who lives for Bargain Booze and Wetherspoons…charming, I’m sure she’s honoured…well done Lesley you’re famous! I’m struggling for positive points now, but I have to mention “I Still Remember The California Games”…a throwback for all the retro Nintendo kids, its got nostalgic value…and Stephen Hawking-esque intro…I’m sold.

The rest of the album…or…menagerie of mentally deranged song content as is more appropriate, is so fucking off-kilter! “Cum Buffet” for example…an ode to cheap party food instead of fancy middle class snack-sized delights, they long for a sausage roll and some quiche, none of your fancy canapés…they may be fighting their own just cause but I’m fighting to stop myself hitting the stop button…”Never Happened” is 7 seconds you need to hear because I simply cannot begin to describe other than with a slow, confused WTF?! While “Rainbow Slug”…I just don’t know, I honestly don’t know. Musically…as the punk band they claim they are, they deliver, some of the snippets of music offered up here are at least aesthetically on point within the confines of their chosen genre, some of it actually IS performed with an ounce of authenticity and can therefore be appreciated…HOWEVER…frustratingly, when you need to drop acid to get your head around a record, you know you’re in for a rough time…I don’t even mean in the cool 1970’s hippie free-loving era of drug fuelled rock and roll…I just mean these guys are fucking mental and this album should only be approached if you fancy something really different. Ding Dong Probably? I probably need counselling after that…[2]

If we look at the crazy world that is the music industry, be it from a consumers stand point or from a business and marketing stand point, it's safe to say that since the inception of popular music as we know it, we've seen it undergo a near constant evolution through each generation after the next...a prime example is the way we listen to music...in the past 40 years we've seen everything from vinyl...cassettes...CD's...MP3 files up to the present day where we have streaming services, advances in technology have changed the way labels and artists operate and it hasn't been without it's problems. Physical sales have been fluctuating and generally steadily declining (though a resurgence in vinyl has been positive) and a lot of artists, especially up and coming bands have found themselves resorting to independent releases and fan-funded albums via the likes of pledge funds and kick starter campaigns...so when a record label, especially an alternative label, such as METAL BLADE records celebrates it's 35th anniversary...it's a pretty big deal! I was lucky enough to have a quick chat with Metal Blade CEO / founder Mr BRIAN SLAGEL about the label, and his upcoming book; "For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records"...let's look back on one of the most important pieces of the heavy metal jigsaw puzzle...

I have to start by saying congratulations! Metal Blade Records is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year…in today’s climate such longevity can only be respected and admired, how does it feel to reach this milestone?
 
​"Thanks! I think by remaining true to the music and being fans first all the hard work over the years has paid off!​"
 
To mark the occasion, you’ve penned a book entitled “For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records” which is scheduled for release on August 29th…it details the story behind one of the most influential and important labels in heavy metal, something you created…where did the idea to write the book come from?
​
"We have been talking about this for a while…people have offered me book deals before but, this seemed like a good time. Plus as we were deciding what to do for our 35th anniversary a book was a great choice…"
​
The book tells the story of how you built Metal Blade from the ground up…starting writing for a fanzine, writing your own reviews and features on your favourite bands at the time, you were very much just a fan with a passion for heavy metal…it must have had its challenges and obstacles back in the days before the internet?
 
​"Of course, I think any business does. But we were able to figure out how to manage all of the changes and survive for all these years.​"
 
Things begun picking up when you started piecing together the first “Metal Massacre” compilation album, it’s here the notion of Metal Blade as a label was born and again, it was all done simply out of passion…you simply wanted to champion the Los Angeles underground scene at the time; did you ever imagine it would become the label we know today?
​
"Never in a million years!  If you would have told any of us metal heads back then this would all get so big that we would still be talking about it in 35 years’ time?...We would say that is crazy!"
​
Your name is now synonymous with heavy metal to the point where, many would say that without Brian Slagel, the world of metal would be an entirely different place…you’re owed a lot of credit for enabling artists such as METALLICA and SLAYER (two of the most iconic bands in metal history) to even get their foot in the door…you must have an immense sense of pride in that...?
 
​"Sure, I’m just happy to have played whatever role I played to get those two amazing bands started. It’s simply amazing seeing the careers they both have had. They still remain good friends to this day and that I might be more proud of…"
​
 
Speaking of Metallica, it speaks volumes when Lars Ulrich personally wrote your book’s foreword…when arguably the biggest band in the world thank you for essentially what was their very formation, it goes to show just how important you have been in the ever evolving story that is heavy metal…do you ever look back and just think to yourself, “Wow”?
​
"Not as much as I should, to be honest…but certainly moments like this are very humbling!"
​
As nostalgic as the book is, Metal Blade is as much about new and exciting bands as it is known for its heritage, you’ve always approached bands as a fan first and foremost…are there any new artists on your radar right now that you are looking to or hoping to work alongside? What do you look for in a band when it comes to the Metal Blade roster?
​
"There really is no formula to it...it’s simply just whatever I hear…if I like it I want to work with it. Certainly it helps if the band has something going on; whether a big following in their home town or on the internet…the bottom line is if we like it we will work with them."
​
With the popularity of blogging, you see so many people from around the world having the opportunity to share their passions with the world, very much like you did back in the day…what advice would you give to somebody who may be looking to make that next step and get anywhere in an ever changing music industry?
​
"I believe that you should do it for the love of the music first and foremost…if you’re doing it for that, you have a path to succeed…look at Metal Blade!"
​
Mr Slagel, thank you very much for time and I wish you all the best with the new book.
​
"Thank you!!"

"For The Sake Of Heaviness: The History Of Metal Blade Records" is out August 29th. Click on the image below to be sent directly to the Metal Blade Records webstore to pre-order your copy today.

I’d like to begin by pointing out that, I’m not bilingual…hell, I’m barely lingual! English is awkward enough and I’m born and bred in the UK! SO when faced with an artist or band that, sings / performs using their native language, well it’s safe to say that I have about as much a grasp of the songs as say, the Conservative party understand…well…human beings. Lyrical content and storytelling goes out the window quicker than Bam Margera during the opening of Jackass Number Two, so all I’m really left with is purely musical interpretation; mood, atmosphere, feelings…and the blind hope that Google translator doesn’t fuck me over for the song titles at the very least. With that in mind, let me introduce you to HAPPORADIO…formed in Helsinki, Finland back in 2001, the band have had steadily growing success in their home country and are looking to continue their journey with new album “Kauniin Kääntöpiiri”…roughly translated as “The Beautiful Turnaround”, let’s see what’s gotten these Finn’s spinning…

The album opens up with “Valopallo” (“Ball Of Light”) and we’re greeted with a classic rock style of sorts; the percussion and guitar tone is for the most part generic and straight forward, simplistic riffs but backed by an incredibly melodic chorus, coupled with the use of the talk box, the whole thing has shades of BON JOVI dotted throughout and it’s an enjoyable up-beat track, a good start. The same can be said for further album tracks such as “Älä Puhu Huomisesta” (“Don’t Talk About Tomorrow”) with it’s incredibly infections, almost disco-inspired retro tone…the soft synths, the sweet pop hooks, in ways reminiscent of DAFT PUNK’s smash hit “Get Lucky” in its overall feel musically; its bright and incredibly relaxed, living in the moment, while “Mies Vailla Huomista” ("Man Without A Nightmare”) retains a similar approach albeit more focused on the light pop-rock aspects…focused on discarding fears and negativity, the chorus is sickly sweet and as to a degree this sounds like it could pass for a really good Eurovision entry…and I mean that in the utmost complimentary way; it’s really quite infectious and they all provide album highlights.

Some of the tracks here however are less inspiring shall we say…”Ihan Hyvät Ihmiset” (“Always Good People”) is a more restrained offering vocally…while the chorus is undoubtedly passionate and the track has a good rhythm, for the most part, vocally it’s almost spoken word content courtesy of front-man Aki Tykki…there is a semi-climatic flurry and in ways it comes across as late 90’s indie…while “Leevin laulu” (“Leevi’s Song”), at just over two minutes in length can’t decide whether it’s a quaint ballad or an interlude before finally we close the record on “Pidä Pinnalla Pää” (“Keep Your Head Above The Surface”)…a wonderfully melancholic piano driven piece…it’s rich in emotion and sonically it’s dramatic…the ideology of holding your head up high, stay afloat, have hope and stay strong in difficult times, it’s gently encouraging and positive despite its somber tone and ends the album beautifully. While it’s understandable that many would look at this and give it a miss purely because it’s all in another language, obviously we like to be able to understand what the singer is saying and it’s not something you can easily invest in sometimes, we have to remember the huge popularity of artists like RAMMSTEIN and BABYMETAL…granted German and Japanese as languages are more prominent culturally, here in the UK at least, but we can’t and shouldn’t overlook the music…a succession of number one albums in Finland highlights Happoradio’s clear talent for writing these infectious songs and they deserve a chance to flow through your speakers too. Nosta radiota ja paina soitinta! [7]

Looking back at the early 2000’s, both the US and UK saw a complete shift in popularity within the music industry and, we witnessed a massive surge in back-to-basics guitar music…a new wave of modern indie rock was upon us. Bands from both sides of the pond like THE KILLERS and ARCTIC MONKEYS had garnered huge critical and commercial acclaim and soon, like with most trends, we found ourselves utterly swamped with radio-friendly rock bands. In what became known as the “indie landfill”, there were more bands than you could shake a vintage Telecaster at and eventually the scene imploded, with many bands rapidly declining in relevancy. One band didn’t stick to such a rigid formula however…ARCADE FIRE. The Canadian multi-instrumentalist ensemble were a far more artsy in their approach to music, with their sweeping, dramatic and often progressive blend of indie, pop and shoegaze, and, in 2017, we find them releasing album number five; “Everything Now”…very much a sign of the times or are they simply a bunch of impatient bastards? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “Everything_Now (Continued)”, a brief intro piece, at less than a minute it’s very minimalistic, almost jarred synths descending into a flurry of desperate vocals in a flash of intensity and as quickly as it comes to life it abruptly jerks to a halt, jumping into track one proper; “Everything Now”…and everything suddenly takes a far more jovial, up-beat turn for the better. Incredibly light and happy in tone, this piano led soft pop track is fueled with a gentle, funk inspired rhythm…vocalist Win Butler has a very subdued approach and there’s nothing really negative to say about this track, it’s simply happy and a decent start to the album. For the most part an equally restrained sound is carried throughout the album…tracks such as “Put Your Money On Me” is layered with delicate soulful qualities throughout another soft-funk offering, barely getting out of second gear throughout, highlighting the shoegaze elements to the bands song writing.

​“Creature Comfort” has deeper, bass-heavy electronics running throughout, it’s a darker sound with certain aspects harking back to the original 80’s new-wave indie boom…musically it’s really quite retro without trying too hard to be, and again, has a really jovial vibe, while “Electric Blue” is an incredibly light, crystal-fragile dose of synth pop, tinkling along with vocals sounding like a Jigglypuff siphoning helium out of a rectal cavity using a broken harmonica…seriously, Régine has some high pitched vocals bordering on painful to listen to, they’re almost distracting. A surprising highlight however comes in the form of “Infinite Content”…a short dose of post punk, only negated by a sense of repetition….the rest of the album generally plods along with a sense of lacking…the tracks on offer here aren’t unpleasant, but there’s little in means of energy or enthusiasm driving the album. “Everything Now” but, sadly nothing entirely spectacular. [5]

With the upcoming release of “The Solid Book Of Rock” collectors box set, UK metal veterans SAXON are looking to remind everyone that metal has always been with us, it’s never surrendered to the times and in turn, it’s thoroughly bloody British…we invented it after all! Sure, they were surpassed by the likes of IRON MAIDEN in terms of global success, but with a career also spanning four decades it’s impossible to not respect the longevity and consistency of these Yorkshire-men and what they have contributed to heavy metal, providing us with many a classic album over the years, influencing generations of new bands with an appreciation for heritage…and you don’t get much more heritage than a 40-year, 21-album career! The new box set doesn’t cover the bands entire timeline however but does offer us a whopping nine studio albums in one neat bundle covering the majority of work from the 1990’s on wards…and here we’ll take a little more in depth look at what you’ll be getting and believe me, it’s plenty of metal for your money’s worth…

We start off back in 1991 with the release of “Solid Ball Of Rock” where the title of the collection comes from (albeit tweaked) and it’s an interesting era in alternative music to say the very least…the 80’s had given us glam-rock; bands focused on girls and good times, drugs, the cliché rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, it was very extravagant whereas the 90’s saw a complete transition into the dominating era of grunge…everything was down tuned, stripped back, morose, almost depressing and really the styles couldn’t be much further apart in terms of sub-genres under the big metal umbrella…for many, the 90’s WAS grunge…traditional metal was an afterthought, it was old hat…but it never went away, in part, thanks to the likes of Saxon. Tracks like “Alter Of The Gods” and “Lights In The Sky” retained elements of the previous decade during this transition, but their sound was true to their origins, and highlights like “Baptism Of Fire” proved that…we welcomed in the 90’s with an instant classic. [7]

In case there was any doubt, just a year later they were back with follow up album “Forever Free” and they had lost no sense of purpose or momentum… proving that metal was far from one-dimensional, the title track had one hell of a catchy, hook-laden chorus that was impossible to dislike while simultaneously keeping the classic approach to riff-writing and solos, by today’s standards, it’s beige but it was true to itself…the album had extra character too by means of a cover of WILLIE DIXON blues classic “Just Wanna Make Love To You” and the beautiful acoustic ballad “Iron Wheels”…it was a more diverse but no less enjoyable album. [7]

1995 saw Saxon deliver us “Dogs Of War” and here we find ourselves in our first dip…as if contending with the monumental popularity of the grunge era wasn’t enough at the turn of the decade, the year prior saw KORN practically invent Nu-Metal and ripped the alternative music landscape a new asshole…things were changing and evolving yet again, music had a whole new visceral edge and Saxon here sounded just a little bit dated with their classic hard rock approach. The album wasn’t without its highlights however, with “Hold On” and “Great White Buffalo” providing enjoyable listens. [5]

I guess you could say, they took a step back and re-evaluated what was going on around them at this point in time…with a little shuffle in the ranks, introducing new guitarist Doug Scarratt, Biff and the boys delivered one of the albums of their career in 1997’s “Unleash The Beast”…with a new lease of life this album does exactly what it says on the tin! Tracks like “Terminal Velocity”, “Ministry Of Fools” and “Bloodletter” pounding the listener with a surging urgency, this was more up-tempo and very much a statement, Saxon were back and metal was very much alive and kicking. [8]

Saxon weren’t quite done with the 90’s however, as they managed to slip in another record before the decade was up via the fittingly titled “Metalhead” in 1999…not having as much impact as its predecessor, it didn’t pack as many punches but did have some notable moments…”All Guns Blazing” was and is pretty self-explanatory; high octane, energetic metal providing an instant hit, while they also dabbled in slight progressive qualities with the eight minute epic “Sea Of Life”…also, the track “Piss Off” gets an honourable mention…purely for its name. [6]

The turn of the Millennium saw Nu-Metal hit it’s monstrous commercial peak…for Korn really had created a monster. The refreshed combination of rap, hip-hop and metal had led to an entirely new wave of bands dominating the airwaves…we’d seen the creation of SLIPKNOT and nobody saw that coming; nine masked, utterly mental bastards from Iowa took the metal world by storm…the likes of LIMP BIZKIT and LINKIN PARK were going multi-platinum, conquering the charts, metal was once again evolving into something new, but, as always, Saxon stayed true to themselves and released 2001’s “Killing Ground”; another return to form…featuring KING CRIMSON cover “Court Of The Crimson King” and tracks like “Dragon’s Lair”, coupled with the passionate, heartfelt “Rock Is Our Life”…Saxon were here to remind everyone where it all comes from…[7]

They followed this up with a concept album of sorts with 2004’s “Lionheart” and sadly, we find ourselves in another dip…inspired by 12th century king of England Richard The Lionheart, it’s very based around the time and era…tracks such as “Witchfinder General” and “To Live By The Sword”, plus of course, the title track are steeped in history, a very common theme in metal, almost cliché…swords, conquests, battle, all that…it’s a solid album generally but in places just comes across as generic with everything going on around them, and again, suffers for sounding just a little bit dated. [5]

Never deterred mind you and showing true character, Saxon would bounce back once again and round off the naughty’s with a double-whammy of pure metal quality very much proving you can’t keep a good band down, and you certainly can’t kill metal! In 2007 they delved into “The Inner Sanctum” and the songs they returned with were just as much a statement as anything. New anthems like “Need For Speed” with its wailing guitars and intensity was delivered by a band far younger than their years, while “I’ve Got To Rock (To Stay Alive)” and “Going Nowhere Fast” were full of intent, Saxon were here to stay and could still duke it out with the new kids on the block [8]

Finally then, saying goodbye to another decade and without ever having compromising their core principles, with their love for true metal forever shining through countless new fads and movements in alternative music, they dropped “Into The Labyrinth” and saw out the 2000’s with a bang. Following on with prior statements, “Live To Rock” was a message, this is what they do, this is their life and they live it with pride, while “Demon Sweeney Todd” and “Come Rock Of Ages (The Circle Is Complete)” further bolster an already hefty catalogue of meaty metal anthems…For many artists, releasing enough albums to put together a collection as weighty as this one is the stuff of dreams…but to think that this is just a portion of the bands material, not only missing out the earlier records of their successful heyday, but the albums they still make to this day, it’s simply impressive. They’ve been there from the beginning more or less, they’ve seen bands and entire genre’s come and go and here they are, true to themselves, true to metal and still going strong…Saxon are a real British metal institution and deserve a lot of credit for flying the flag, defending the faith if you will...if you can’t appreciate that? Metal up your ass! [8]

The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (Or, NWOBHM for short) is a term coined following possibly the largest and most iconic spike in the popularity of metal in the UK’s illustrious heavy history…us Brit’s invented metal after all, with the likes of BLACK SABBATH and DEEP PURPLE pretty much kick-starting an entire genre, influencing bands to this very day…but that first wave of bands that followed in the 70’s…those first to truly carry the torch and make metal a legitimate thing…they deserve so much credit too. Everyone can agree that, the most successful band to emerge were IRON MAIDEN…arguably the biggest band in the world, their story is already legendary, but what about the others? Many, many came…many disappeared but some? Some still soldier on with an army of loyal, old-school fans…the veterans, ever reliable but, never quite hitting the big time…and one such band is SAXON. Formed in 1976 and hailing from Yorkshire…Saxon (lead by iconic front-man Biff Byford) have had one hell of a career, with numerous albums hitting the UK Top 40 and still touring to this day, there’s no sign of them retreating anytime soon, and to celebrate their longevity, they bring you this; “The Solid Book Of Rock”…

​Yes forget box sets, this is the book set…housing a whopping 14 disks, it not only contains nine original studio albums spanning from 1991 to 2009, starting with “Solid Ball Of Rock” and finishing on “Into The Labyrinth”…it also includes two bonus CD’s…”Classics Re-Recorded” from their early days, plus a rough studio-mix of “Lionheart”…PLUS…it also contains three additional DVD’s including “Perceval”…a Spanish art film which features Biff playing King Arthur…with extra documentaries and interviews, all wrapped up in a sumptuous 24-page 12”x12” book including lyrics, credits, photo’s…painted/designed by Paul R. Gregory. An Amazon Exclusive Edition, limited to a number of 500 copies comes personally signed by Biff himself! Released on August 18th, this is very much one for die-hard fans, collectors and metal historians…the set is priced at around £60 and if you follow the link below by clicking on the image, you can pre-order your copy today.