This time last year, we were all getting our heads around the sudden death of the legend that is LEMMY; Mr. MOTORHEAD himself, the actual embodiment of rock 'n' roll, a god among men. Many still haven't accepted it...but if anything, it was the catalyst for what has truly been a shit-storm of a year. These past twelve months have been an utter bastard, a cruel wake-up call...we've lost a painful amount of visionaries and artists, both musically and from the silver screen...and while many will point out "a celebrities death shouldn't mean more than a regular persons"...it's to be noted that, these people, especially of this calibre have touched, influenced and inspired millions of people in more ways than one, and it's both appropriate and respectful to collectively grieve. 

I mentioned Lemmy...a man nobody thought could die. A staple diet of Marlboro and Jack Daniels, everything louder than everything else...it stunned the rock and metal world, but it was just the beginning. Back in January, DAVID BOWIE, at the age of 69 passed away merely days after the release of what would be his final album; "Blackstar", after a secret battle with cancer. His sudden death was one thing, but the album itself took things to another level...it was a clue, a farewell, it really was his parting gift and he left us in a way only he could and it left a gaping hole in the music industry. He was unique, an artist that thrived on pushing both boundaries and senses and it was a harsh introduction to the year...however, we're just getting started. Over the next year, we lost the likes of PRINCE, whose death triggered a true purple rain of tears, few were as flamboyant as the symbol himself, and at the age of just 57, he left us back in April. We certainly weren't partying like it was 1999...fast forward to October and we suddenly lose PETE BURNS...as eccentric as they come, the DEAD OR ALIVE singer, again, aged just 57 suffered a fatal heart attack and we lost one of the most colourful characters in the world of pop music, but the record, it keeps on spinning.

If that wasn't enough, 2016 wasn't done, not at all...at the ripe old age of 82, the one and only LEONARD COHEN passed away after a period of illness, but again, just like Bowie, his last album which came out earlier this year, spoke of acceptance and preparation, as if he knew his time was drawing near...and the writer of "Hallelujah", one of the best songs ever written said goodbye. Not long before Christmas, the rock world was saddened yet again by the sudden death of STATUS QUO guitarist RICK PARFITT...he passed away in hospital in Spain much to the sorrow of so very many...with a career spanning decades and a style immitated yet never bettered, he will be greatly missed. Alas, if 2016 hadn't already been evil enough, on CHRISTMAS DAY...we lost GEORGE MICHAEL. The former WHAM! singer had a history of personal demons and was never too far from controversy, but he was also one of the most generous, kindest and caring human beings you could hope to encounter...a true pop icon, he will never be replaced.

As heartbreaking as all of the above is, we've merely scratched the surface....other names like ALAN RICKMAN....CARRIE FISHER...RONNIE CORBETT...MUHAMMAD ALI...GENE WILDER...heroes, icons, legends of their fields, words don't quite cut it sometimes and that's precicely how 2016 left us feeling; speechless. The cynical of us will not bat an eyelid and say that, they are only human and that, everyone dies in the end...but that's not the point. We know this, we understand this, but if anything, 2016 has hit that home harder than most years prior, or at least it had that feel to it. We have to come to terms with the fact that, now, our heroes of years gone by are leaving us, and that these special, gifted masters of their craft are a real dying breed, and that the memories we have of these people should be treasured. We will NEVER get another Bowie, another Lemmy, another Ali...and this is exactly why they are held so dearly within the hearts of millions. It's not going to get any easier guys and galls...far from it, this is something we sadly have to live with over the coming years, as many more of our beloved stars will pass, but we must be strong...so this new year, 2017...I just want everyone to laugh louder, love harder, live fuller and enjoy everything. If you have goals, shoot for them...let 2017 be yours for the taking and above all else; be happy. You deserve it. In a world of Brexit, President Trump (I can't belive I'm writing that)...war, terrorism, conflict, inequality and prejudice...2017 needs us more than ever, as a sensible, loving and compassionate species. Let's not fuck things up...

Gav  <3

TV shows such as "The Only Way Is Essex" and "Made In Chelsea" are annoyingly popular, a braindead generation of wannabe sub-celebrities that have somehow managed to find fame and fortune for doing practically fuck all let alone anything of any merit...except maybe this; COASTS. The young band from Bristol were featured in the latter of the aforemntioned stains on the TV guide and it helped get them noticed...it's as close to selling your soul to the devil as you'll get in 2016. Anyway, earlier this year they dropped their debut self titled album and what a beautiful album it is! Rich in melodic pop hooks, combined with an abundance of indie-inspired swagger, the tunes on this record are totes reem... whatever the fuck that actually means, regardless, tracks like "You" and "Modern Love" are glorious slabs of well-polished alt.-pop and from start to finish, this is a truly enjoyable album. Even the deluxe, with 6 extra tracks doesn't tired, now THAT speaks volumes.

As you should probably know by now if you follow my social media that I have zero shame in my love for all things EUROVISION SONG CONTEST. Hosted by Austria in 2015, it was a typically pompous occasion that found Sweden's Måns Zelmerlöw being crowned winner with his track "Heroes". I don't always agree (rarely in fact) with the choice of over 40 countries but bare with me....this was different. The super-smooth production, the incredibly infectious dance-pop tones, this was quite simply some really catchy shit. Fast forward a year and he's got a brand new album out which I honestly looked forward to (more rarity there). "Chameleon" proves without a doubt that he is Sweden's answer to JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE...retaining his successful blend of dance-anthem inspired pop, tracks like "Glorious" sound gleefully familiar while "Fire In The Rain" and "Hanging On To Nothing" ooze simplistic yet lyrically emotive musical poetry. Personally, my favourite pop album of the year.

My last official review of 2016 turned out to be one of my favourite albums of the year, and it makes sense as it came from a personal hero of mine; BAM MARGERA. Not that I'm biased, far from, but this was hotly anticipated for a number of reasons. First of all, his previous band; FUCKFACE UNSTOPPABLE was more of a joke than anything else...tracks about bending dicks, drinking moonshine etc...but everyone starts somewhere and it had some foundations at least to work on...secondly, he's been through A LOT over the past year...and rehab has reignited a creative drive in Bam, releasing the committed professional we all know and love. The new tracks with his new band THE EVESDROPPERS are more mature, with more depth and substance, they were taken seriously, they are raw, emotional, real and you can not only hear but feel what Bam went through. A stunning comeback proving he still does whatever the fuck he wants.

Several bands made comeback albums this year....GOOD CHARLOTTE were one, but they lacked any of the excitement and real energy of their past and the album was, well, bland....BLINK 182 were another...releasing their first record since the departure of Tom DeLonge. "California" had Matt Skiba from ALKALINE TRIO for fuck sake and it still fell flat....but do you know who surprised me? If you told me at the beginning of the year that SUM 41 would release one of the best albums of 2016 I would probably have done a massive sarcastic LOL in yo' face! But oh how I would have eaten humble pie. "13 Voices" was dropped back in October and it's like a breath of fresh air it honestly is. From the slick classic rock vibe to "Goddamn I'm Dead Again" (the guitar work is amazing)....incorportated into a real, no nonsense punk approach, while "God Save Us All" has elements of "A Thousand Suns" era LINKIN PARK at it's core...they really stepped up this time. Hats off to Deryk, he came through some rough times and really delivered, a truly incredible album.

I can't think of any other example, of when an album title has been anymore poignant than this; "Universal Monsters" by Finland's THE 69 EYES. It's well documented that the Helsinki Vampires hold Count Dracula dear as inspiration, especially with front-man Jyrki, original blood-sucker Bela Lugosi...harking back to the days of early cinema, classic horror movies...the golden age of black & white motion picture....it's going back to the roots...which perfectly sums up the sound of this album. In the early 2000's The 69 Eyes shifted gears and took on a more prominant gothic approach to their song writing and it became a defining era for the Finn's. "Universal..." revisits that era with an incredible throwback album of straight-up goth rock, tracks such as the beautifully morose "Blackbird Pie", the SISTERS OF MERCY inspired "Miss Pastis" and the haunting "Blue" make this one of the bands strongest albums in an career spanning nearly 3 decades. This...this is how you goth 'n' roll baby.

The past couple of years have been busy for the guys over in HIM...since 2014's release of "Tears On Tape" they've toured pretty relentlessly and only in the latter half of this year did things finally slow down for the Finnish five-piece, but they were far from inactive...far from it indeed. While front-man VILLE VALO took a break to release "Olet Mun Kaikuluotain", a brilliant solo cover of JOHN DENVER's "Annie's Song"...guitarist LINDE (Mikko Lindström) returned with his own side project; DANIEL LIONEYE. An experimental project to say the least; their first album "The King Of Rock 'N' Roll" was a noisey, blues-inspired rock 'n' roll album, made famous thanks to BAM MARGERA and "Viva La Bam"...while "Vol II" was a brutal slab of unforgiving black metal. This year they released "Vol III" and it finds itself somewhere in the middle. There's fantastic riff-work and some solid hard rock musicianship but there's plenty of melody too, especcially on album highlight "Dancing With The Dead"...probably Lioneye's best output to date, it's a very welcome return.

Nu-metal is dead man! So people say; "It was just a phase...like emo...and Crazy Frog..." well guess what? Bollocks! Not only do the likes of KORN, SLIPKNOT and PAPA ROACH simply keep on delivering, evolving, album after album...there are still new bands emerging not only giving fans a dose of early 2000's nostalgia but they're making music that sounds fresh and relavent again! Enter CANE HILL...named after a mental asylum, the New Orleans rockers dropped one of if not the hottest debut metal album of 2016; "Smile"...the combination of Slipknot-inspired anger and andrenaline with MARILYN MANSON-esque controversial undertones made Cane Hill hot property, coupled with a huge tour supporting BULLET FOR  MY VALENTINE to round off the year, expect big things from Elijah Witt and co over the next year or so...nu-metal is dead???....You fucking numpty...

Those of you familiar with CELLDWELLER will know that Klayton, the brainchild behind the project is an astoundingly busy gentleman...not only did he release the "End Of An Empire" album last year (which made my 2015 Top 10), the culmination of work over the course of a series of four concept EP's, he kept working and working and this year he not only returned with CIRCLE OF DUST, an older industrial metal project from the late 90's, but he finally released the debut self-titled album from another project; SCANDROID. Sticking with his love of all things electronica, Scandroid is considerably easier on the ears than the aforementioned and is probably Klayton's most accessible work. Tracks such as "Salvation Code" and "Empty Streets" have huge, 80's pop undertones with incredibly catchy hooks...not to mention an incredible cover of "Shout" by TEARS FOR FEARS...Klayton proves he's a jack of all trades, and master of, pretty much all of them too...

It's been a good year for electronica and another group to return to the fold in 2016 was BLAQK AUDIO. Formed by members of AFI (Davey Havok and Jade Puget), they released their debut; "CexCells" back in 2007 and garnered much critical acclaim for their gothic-tinged electronic-pop, not to mention a cult fanbase! This year they dropped their much anticipated third album, "Material" and it was well worth the wait. Far superior to 2012's "Bright Black Heaven"...tracks like "First To Love" and "Graphic Violence" are superb slabs of bouncy synth-pop and it shows Havok isn't always dark and dreary...it's just a shame they didn't include their cover of "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)", easily one of the covers of the year. Either way, great stuff

Another fantastic debut for 2016, "IIVV" was unleashed upon the world by ALL TVVINS; hailing from Ireland, the Dublin-duo (Conor Adams and Lar Kaye) dropped one of the most up-beat and energetic albums of the year. With a combination of styles utilised, sounding somewhere inbetween the likes of BLOC PARTY and TV ON THE RADIO...tracks like "End Of The Day" and "Darkest Ocean" perfectly combine soft indie-rock with delicate synth-pop and smooth harmonious vocals resulting in a quality album end-to-end. If you haven't given these guys a listen yet, do so, now...you won't regret it, and it'll make a bloody good gift this Christmas...for yourself!

If you read music publications you'll often find cover stories or in-depth exclusive interviews on how a band, or a singer, has had to overcome adversity and face personal demons...but it's fair to say that few have probably had the past couple of years that BAM MARGERA has. Last time round, it was clear for all to see that, things weren't quite right. His debut band, FUCKFACE UNSTOPPABLE was a touring mess, Bam himself was a mess, drinking heavily, he let himself go and it's understandable. He lost his best friend, Ryan Dunn in that horrific car crash, his first marriage had broken down, his Uncle, Don Vito had gone through a lot of legal difficulty before sadly passing away in October 2015...there's no wonder he hit the bottle. Hard. FFU was almost both a distraction and an excuse...he was on the road with Novak, Rubbish Heap...it was a non-stop party...on the surface at least. Deep down Bam was hurting and slowly killing himself, not in the trademark entertaining JACKASS way, no...really on the verge of self-destruct. Enter April Margera...Bam's long suffering mother...bless her heart April had seen enough to know her son needed help, serious help...and so together, they got Bam into therapy and rehabilitation and as a result of a long, difficult sometimes painful process...he's back with a new sense of belonging, a new found sense of self-worth and a brand new band...let me introduce to you THE EVESDROPPERS. This was the real release Bam needed...let's drop in...

We open up with "Dance With The Devil" and it's clear from the very start that, this self-titled album is a far cry from FFU...gone are the comedic undertones, the songs about moonshine and bending dicks; this is some serious rock. With a mixture of vocal approaches ranging from THE 69 EYES inspired deep baritone to sinister CRADLE OF FILTH inspired whispers, with additional melodic gang vocals, coupled with some genuinely meaty riffs and synth elements...this sounds like a proper band and it's superb.

This is proven further on tracks such as "Red Hot Panic Switch", which gradually builds into a really catchy piece of up-tempo rock, a legit foot-tapper of a track, not to mention album highlight "Empty Vessel"...a deep, riff-fuelled, angst-ridden almost hypnotic piece of brilliance. Bam and co are simply on another level this time round, the writing is better, musically and lyrically...they've taken this project seriously and its evident from start to finish. That's not all there is to this current set up mind you...fuck no...the tender moments are just as good and show not only a diversity in influence but a maturity in the approach to recording this album too. "Icelandic Murder Ballad" featuring GRETA KAREN is a beautifully soothing piece of music with acoustic guitars and flowing string segments, while "Gods Ocean" featuring ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ from ARCH ENEMY, despite expectation, is a wonderfully morose affair that could easily of befit any LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE record.

The cameos don't stop there either, as former HIM sticks-man GAS LIPSTICK lends his drumming to closing track "Love Is Dead" and at seven minutes long, with it's raw, slightly garage-rock vibe it gives off a feeling of realism and vulnerability, a far cry from Bam's famously invincible, boyish and reckless approach to life...and this is why the album shines. With the tracks mentioned, plus other cuts like "9 Lives" and "My Old Mind"...it's clear that the process of writing and recording, venting, channelling his pain...it's been cathartic for him and it's resulted in a very real, very honest album. Musically it's backed by some incredibly talented artists, including CKY guitarist CHAD I GINSBERG, of course there's his brother Jess on drums, there's former HANOI ROCKS guitarist ANDY MCCOY, there's Greta Hotmer from THE MOXY...he's got great support and naturally, it's resulted in a great record. Bam's come a long way, not just making The Evesdroppers, but in life...he's turned over a new leaf and turned all of the pain, anger and frustration into something both positive and encouraging. Thank you Bam and really...well done, we're proud of you. [8]

While the legend, the legacy and the relevance of THE ROLLING STONES cannot be questioned...(a career spanning over 50 years, Grammy awards, MTV awards, number 1 albums, Glastonbury headliners etc etc) we can't forget that these once sprightly lads from London are getting on a bit now. With a combined age crawling towards the 300 mark, how long will it be before these stones wither to dust? In an age where the likes of BLACK SABBATH and AEROSMITH are calling time...in all honesty, the stones should too, before they end up dying on stage. The best of a bad bunch, "Blue & Lonesome" really should be their last record...

If you know me personally you'll know I have a soft spot for Finnish bands...so when I was made aware of SHIRAZ LANE, I got a little excited. An old school rock 'n' roll band, they have wine in their name, surely, I was on to a winner? No. Now ok, musically they are very enjoyable, the classic solo's, the swagger, the rhythm...it's all good, but vocally? My god. Take the most painful ear-piercing shrieks from any discarded track by THE DARKNESS or AC/DC and completely fill an album with them. For crying out loud Hannes Kett barely lets up with the ear raping on this one. Shiraz Lane? You'll need about a bottle per track to put up with this one...

It's been a long time since this young lady from Barbados hit the scene with "Pon De Replay"...in the years since, she's become one of the biggest selling pop stars on the planet...we're talking millions of sales under her belt (when she's actually wearing something that is). She's prone to churning out massive radio hits; "Umbrella", "S&M" and "Diamonds" prove this, but the new album, despite scoring points for experimentation, lacks any real noteworthy tunes. Also, for the record..."Work" is annoying as FUCK. She sounds off her face let's be honest...

One of lifes anomalies...why people actually like DEFTONES. Who knows? I sure as hell don't! This year they released an album called "Gore" to much hype and excitement...an album called gore covered in fucking flamingo's...what? Questionable cover art aside, Deftones have to be one of the most miserable, depressing alternative rock acts out there; they often sound sluggish or like they are bored of their own playing, Chino Moreno sounds half asleep 80% of the time, the other 20% he just warbles...probably one of the most over-rated bands of 2016 if not ever...

2016 has been the victim of many, many injustices...DAVID BOWIE...Donald Trump...Harambe...even Toblerone's were ruined...but what stands out as truly remarkable, in a year of mind-numbingly unfathomable stupidity, poor judgement and heartache, for ALL of the wrong reasons...was the release of "Angelic 2 The Core" by COREY FELDMAN. The actor turned "singer" channelled his inner MICHAEL JACKSON and embarrassed his way through not one but TWO disks worth of album...an album not even SNOOP DOGG or FRED DURST could save. This is officially the worst case of attempted career suicide on record...we're talking worse than GERI HALLIWELL's comeback...avoid...avoid like the plague.

While it's never a bad thing to support home grown talent (how else will we keep rock 'n' roll alive for years to come?) it's also worth remembering that other countries have their own scene's too, full of up-and-coming artists worth checking out who, you never know, may just be your new favourite band. If you remember some time ago, I posted a series of reviews for an Italian label by the name AREASONICA, showcasing the diversity of Italian alternative music culture aside from the obvious; LACUNA COIL...well...they've been back in touch and they've forwarded me another album to share. It's an album called "Time Machine" and it's by a group called SUPERCATS & THE BADGER. Yes...that is genuinely their name. Formed in Bologna, after vocalist Mike Nash returned from a life in New York...what makes these cats so super? Do they wear capes? Why a badger? So many questions...

We open up with "Melody" and it starts as a pretty simple chord sequence, vocally subdued,  very little going on with it but when it kicks in it's a completely different animal altogther. It becomes this bold, bombastic indie-rock track layered with soaring soul-inspired vocals giving it a lot more depth and character, reminiscent in ways to MOBY and it's got a powerful chorus making for a strong introduction; a good start.

"Threads" on the other hand is a generally calmer track; slower in tempo and utilising a 70's inspired funk-vibe, with a touch of brass dotted here and there giving the track certain jazz/blues elements, yet retaining a core sound based in soft rock, it's a mixed bag of treats to say the least, before we hit album highlight "Somebody New". A delicately performed ballad, blissfully sweet showing there is yet more depth to these Italian's writing. The climatic electric guitar is slick and sensual and as a whole it's a great listen.

The funk influence is a strong factor throughout the album as a whole however, with the title track and "Morning Light" in particular benefitting from the genre fusion, it add's a little flavour to what is otherwise pretty straightforward indie-rock, closing track "Sky Over Sky" being another highlight, with it's solid groove and sultry bass, but elsewhere...the album is lacking. "Infinity", despite it's almost TAKE THAT inspired chorus is a generally flat song, while "The Passion" is tainted further by some awkward off-sounding saxophone, before "Distant Star" suffers from some truly awfully nasal, droning vocals...it's like a depressed cat with pharyngitis gargling it's own tears in a pitiful attempt to drown itself in its own sorrow quite literally...very disappointing.

So, what can be said about SC&TB? The weird name draws attention initially, that's a given, even though the album cover is as appealing as a colourblind game of Twister...they have shown a lot of potential and promise. There are moments on this album that are undeniably enjoyable, the genre mixing separates them from being typical of the indie band bracket, but they need to maybe here and there, really go for it. The album started off strong but became it's own cliche over the course of it's run time. A little more attitude, and these guys have the ability to write some top tunes. [5]

Ahh December...this is the time of year most music releases come under two categories; re-released "deluxe" albums to make "essential" stocking fillers...or that fight for the coveted Christmas Number 1 chart position (or as it's become known as please be anyone except that fucker from The X Factor)...but that's the big money end of the industry. For the rest of us it's business as usual and there are plenty of bands and artists up and down the country who just see the holiday season as a good enough time to release music as any. Let me introduce to you HUNTER KILL HUNTER. Based in London, the alt./post-hardcore five-piece dropped thier second EP just last week, looking to expand on what has already been an impressive and promising twelve months. Simply entitled "II", let's see if we fall prey when we press play...

Stickler's for tradition they open up with "Intro" and for the next 41 seconds we're told there's "too much to take but, we will survive"...very defiant, a clear message that no matter what, these lads are prepared to dig deep...and it leads on to first track proper; "Too Much To Take"...it's a smooth transition and results in a strong conceptual EP opening sequence. The track itself is a blend of visceral hardcore-style vocals coupled with an up-beat, melodic rock backing. The harmonies and gang vocals add depth and really this is a pleasant start.

"The Hunted" carries with it a slightly, off-kilter, almost prog-inspired vibe, reminiscent of the early 2000's alternative scene...the key changes sounding jarred, it's easy to imagine them on Kerrang! back in the day with the likes of INME and HELL IS FOR HEROES, while "They've Traded Us For Gold" focusses more on melody and a softer approach overall. There's a steady progression to the track; it builds up gradually until it ends on another powerful gang-vocal piece, very stripped back and is tailor made for live shows...it's very easy to imagine the crowd getting in on the action here, compared to the short yet forceful, almost THE BLACKOUT style assault of "We Are The Blame", before we finish up on "Find A Way Home". Featuring guest vocals from SHIELDS front-man Joe Edwards, it retains the steady, uniformed style the band have carried through the EP, with the lighter pop hooks and the heavier metalcore-esque segments all in unison, combining well.

While HKH haven't brought anything new to the table so to speak, the quality of what they have produced here is what allows them to stand out. There are many bands that do this, many of which fall victim to sounding like carbon copies of the band they copied copying an already copied band...but with "II" HKH have delivered just enough to get noticed, but have left enough room for potential too. It's kill or be killed for these hunters and they have no intention of being on the receiving end, 2017 could be big for these boys,take your eyes off them at your own risk. [7]

New bands come and go all the time, some are successful, some aren't, but it's safe to say that none have made a mark on the crazy world of rock and metal quite like GHOST. After releasing their debut album "Opus Eponymous" back in 2010, the Swede's have gone from strength to strength; ammassing a loyal cult fanbase with their soft, almost BLUE OYSTER CULT-esque classic rock, coupled with their strong Satanic imigary and lyricism...they have been nothing short of a marvel and a spectacle to behold on the live stage. 2016 saw them release an EP by the name "Popestar"...the track "Square Hammer", an off-cut from previous album "Meliora" is an absolutely superb piece of melodic rock, and the covers of the likes of ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN and EURYTHMICS are just something to behold. No one does it quite like Ghost, and that's why Papa with his nameless ghouls are special.

The amount of young bands emerging from the UK right now is astounding, anywhere you look up and down the country, be it Scotland, Wales, England...there are more good up-and-coming bands than you can shake a drum stick at. In a world where venues are facing the threat of closure and album sales are down in favour of streaming, it's good to see that the scene is as healthy as it's ever been, and one of the brightest bands to breakout in 2016 is AS SIRENS FALL. The Bradford based 5-piece have only been around since 2014 but they got their foot on the ladder this year with their EP "The Hospital Party"...with a ear for some catchy pop-rock, tracks like "Smoke" and "State Of The Artist" make this EP a pleasure to listen to, making As Sirens Fall definite ones to watch in 2017...no trips to A&E required.

It's been a rollercoaster of a year fo one Mr. WiL Francis....at the beginning of 2016 he said his goodbye's and laid rest to AIDEN...much to the dismay of their many, many goth-punk fans and followers, but it hasn't all been doom and gloom...he rounded off the year by not only returning as WILLIAM CONTROL, but he returned stronger than ever when he dropped "The Pale EP". Some of his best material to date, with some solid production and his knack for combining edgy alternative rock with the throwback tones of DEPECHE MODE inspired electronica (not to mention his trademark dark erotic lyricism) he really is on top ofhis game. With three more EP's to come in the series...William is without a doubt in control.

Music is a funny old business on times...people sometimes forget that, just because something is really popular in one place, it doesn't mean it's the same somewhere else...or that, just because you've never heard of an artist, they aren't really successful. JOHNOSSI fit this mould perfectly; award winning, platinum selling artists in their home country of Sweden, the duo dropped their newest EP in 2016 entitled "Air Is Free" and it's absolutely brilliant. The title-track and lead single is a massive alternative indie track; one of the catchiest most positive songs you will hear ever, while the ballad "Alone In The Summer" is quite simply beautiful. Incredibly good performers and song writers, you need to follow Johnossi over the coming year, they will conquer the UK.

Every year there is a band...one band...that hits you like an RKO out of nowhere, and for 2016 that band is AS LIONS. Formed out of the ashes of RISE TO REMAIN by front-man Austin Dickinson...the London based five-piece dropped an absolute scorcher of an EP to round off the year called "Aftermath". There's no bullshit, this is just straight-up, quality hard rock inspired metal....tracks like "White Flags" are flawless examples of how rock should sound, while tracks like "World On Fire" show it's ok to have a tender side while still sounding cool as fuck. Daddy Bruce ought to be proud...As Lions released THE EP of 2016...and I seriously cannot wait for the album in January.