When it comes to Greece, aside from being an immensely popular Mediterranean tourist destination, little is known about the countries musical culture from an alternative perspective. Sure in the past I’ve covered artists such as SADDOLLS, who fly the flag for gothic rock equally wonderfully and woefully, and more recently, black metal artists such as ROTTING CHRIST, but, who else could you associate alternative music to Greece with?  GUS G is arguably the biggest name given his catalogue of work and collaborations…VANGELIS? He IS a celebrated and critically acclaimed composer and progressive electronic artist, but he doesn’t REALLY count…what about Meteora? LINKIN PARK named an album after the place? OK, fine I’m clutching at straws! It’s safe to say that, unless you really dig, Greece isn’t a country renowned for its rock and metal…but that’s where today’s band comes in.

Yes today we’re going to be talking about a ‘band’ by the name of SIXSTRINGNOISE, who got in touch with me not too long ago via email, so before I get into things I’d like to say Σας ευχαριστώ που έρθετε σε επαφή! Formed in 2010 by founding (And currently sole member) Markos 6SN, it didn’t take long after his digital debut “Snowing Bullets While Kissing The Ground” for him to want to hit the stage and perform live, recruiting Alex D and Alex B (Drummer and bassist respectively) in 2011. With a penchant for hard rock and metal, they toured up and down Greece, establishing themselves as hot local talent in the Athens area, but after a couple of releases, we find them back down to just Markos as he releases album number four in 2019. The question is, just how noisy can one guitarist be? Let’s find out as we listen to “Relics”…

The album opens up with “How’s The World From Up There?” and we’re immediately met with some simple yet melodic riffs, before switching in some subtle prog-rock elements as it transitions through certain rhythmic variations. The chorus here is bold and soaring, with further key changes giving off an almost power-ballad vibe amidst the hard rock, but vocally at times it sounds more like a demo-quality recording which brings the track down a touch. Instrumentally fine, there’s some solid guitar work here but the vocals could probably be mixed and produced a little better…although it’s a decent opener regardless. “True Colours” keeps the riffs coming hard and heavy with a more metal inspired influence shining through musically; guitar solo included. In ways this pays ample homage to bands like ALTER BRIDGE in its delivery and overall sound; you can easily hear the likes of Myles Kennedy in this track inspirationally and again it’s a decent listen.

It isn’t all about the balls-out rock and roll with Markos mind you, as he’s able to mix things up here and there for a more diverse listening experience…”Underdog” in particular has a wonderfully relaxed country-rock vibe. He still incorporates some impassioned electric guitar but overall it’s a welcome change of pace. “The Old You” goes one step further by stripping back completely to an acoustic ballad and it’s really quite the emotive little track, and an album highlight to boot. The soft croon of the vocals here sounding better and it’s a proper lighters in the air track this, lovely stuff. Further highlights include “None Of Your Business” which while once more picking up the pace and aggression delivers all of the hooks and makes for a catchy hard rock number, with it's simple yet effective chorus. Sometimes all it takes is a great chorus and you’re invested; this is one of those times. Ignore the rest of the track, just, enjoy this chorus.

There are a couple of lesser moments, naturally, and mainly we find them mid-album. “Crack A Smile” houses more of that prog-inspired instrumentation and structure with a touch of fret-wankery thrown in for good measure, while “What’s Wrong With You?” has quite a repetitive chorus and poor gang vocals, honestly they sound like pub-level  karaoke at times…to answer your question Markos, what the fuck is wrong with me? Well right now I’m listening to this song…that’s what. We finish up then on the title track and it’s intro instantly reminds me of A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS but sadly there’s no synth-pop to be found in this instance…instead we’re given a dramatic, metal inspired track with deep riffs and a methodical, militant tempo, almost combining those Alter Bridge influences with a slight middle eastern flavour. It’s not a bad track but it is a slow burner, ending the album on a slightly damp note. It’s safe to say that, SixStringNoise can’t be done for false advertising…Markos plays the guitar, and he makes some noise…which is all well and good, but is the noise worth listening to? Sure there are some genuinely interesting moments dotted throughout these ten tracks and there is definitely promise and potential, but sadly at times the vocal production side of things let’s this album down. That’s not to dismiss this entirely though…I honestly hope Markos continues to make all of the noise and helps encourage an alternative music scene in and around Athens. We could market a new wave of Greek rock…we could call it; Grock…I’m a fucking genius. [6]

As it currently stands, we live in a time where our more Westernised society is, for want of a better description; all over the fucking place.  While culturally we’re (For the most part) all steadily becoming more and more open-minded and understanding, of the ever expanding perception of normality, there are still people who may get, ‘triggered’ as you may say, by certain topics and buzz-words. Some of the most common are generally simple things like veganism which, ironically, causes a lot of beef between some people…then there are prejudices and confusion surrounding the ever growing list of sexualities and gender fluid identities. Seriously now they’re giving rock and metal sub-genres a run for their money in volume and I just don’t have the appropriate graphs to go into that right now. Then there’s feminism…

Let’s be honest, it’s 2019 and the very fact feminism is still such a strong word speaks for itself. The inconsistencies regarding equality (Or lack thereof) can still be beyond laughable, covering everything from salary to bloody abortion rights! Well today’s band are proud and passionate to provide a voice for the cause, exuding a positive feminist vibe; let me introduce you to HANDS OFF GRETEL. The four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Lauren Tate, guitarist Sean Bon, bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Sam Hobbins) formed in South Yorkshire in 2015, and with influences including JACK OFF JILL, HOLE and THE DISTILLERS it’s easy to see where they blend punk and emancipation. They recently released their brand new album “I Want The World”…but where’s the equality in that? Let’s find out…

Opening track “Kiss Me Girl” gets the record off to a roaring start with an up-tempo flurry of punk-rock, laced with lashings of attitude and a tongue-in-cheek sense of taboo; it’s very Brody Dalle. The track explores female sexuality within same-sex relationships, with lyrics like “Have you never kissed a girl before?” and “What’s wrong just feels so right” entwined within a narrative of naughty excitement. Tate delivers the track with a brilliant sense of sarcasm and it kicks things off wonderfully. The first half of the album as a whole in fact doesn’t miss a beat and really we’re treated a solid run of tracks from the word go…”S.A.S.S” continues with its sense of female empowerment by taking a swipe at misogyny with an assertive hard rock number, balanced with subtle layers of funk, something which fans of SUMO CYCO would appreciate for sure. “Big Boy” is another up-tempo piece with a solid rock ‘n’ roll rhythm and more than a sprinkling of innuendo. Very lyrically suggestive, Tate is clearly having fun here and resonates through the track.

If you fancy something a little less intense however the album houses further gems such as the wonderfully infectious “Alien”…vocally not as fervent; there’s a predominantly more funk-pop aesthetic here with a cleaner sound and a more polished, commercial production value…this one would easily entertain fans of NO DOUBT / GWEN STEFANI and it’s got a brilliant climactic flurry. The album does run out of a little steam as it reaches its final moments however with a couple of less inspired cuts not quite on par with the aforementioned. “Milk” for example carries a strong grunge influence and as a result it’s a lot deeper, but at the same time more sluggish; sadly a boring listen, before “My Friend Said” then despite being a generally jovial little track becomes pretty stale and repetitive very quickly…I guess you could say it’s lyrically la-la-la lalalalalala-lazy? Aside from those hiccups it’s safe to say that this is, overall, a very strong and entertaining album. The punk elements where needed are raw and confrontational to aid the subject matter well, allowing Tate to get her message across in an epigrammatic fashion, while the more pop-driven segments allow for a genuinely infectious listen. They may want the world, but you may want to just give this album a listen, and very much get your hands ON Gretel…with consent though, naturally. [8]

If you pay any attention to the Chinese zodiac, you’ll know that 2019 is the year of the pig, and while many are celebrating the prospects of wealth and good fortune (According to traditional beliefs that is, personally I just double-up on my bacon) there’s a group of musicians on the other side of the world with an entirely different set of animalistic beliefs; let me introduce you to YEAR OF THE LOCUST. The New York based five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Scot McGiveron, bassist Fred Serrell, drummer Dusty Winterrowd and guitarists Tyler Hensley & Cody Hyde) dropped their debut album “Devolver” back in 2016, and with the ballsy-brand of hard rock riffs they found themselves supporting the likes of SALIVA, HOOBASTANK and PUDDLE OF MUDD. 2019 sees them return with their brand new self-titled EP; “Year Of The Locust”…will these new tracks see them devour all before them, or are they just a plague on rock and metal? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Stay Alive” and immediately you can hear a marked improvement in the production quality here…everything sounds cleaner compared to the album prior. The vocals are clear and more polished and the instrumentation sounds crisp so we’re already off to a promising start. The song itself is superb; a simple yet steady beat and progression of riffs, embracing the slow build leading into an infectious, hook-laden chorus of powerful vocals. It’s impassioned and poles apart from anything offered previously, coupled with the frenzied solo, it makes for a brilliant opening track. “Line Em Up” follows on and it’s got a tough task ahead of it, but it takes on a slightly more southern-metal tone instrumentally, with its distinct guitar driven groove and subtle vocal drawl…fans of BLACK STONE CHERRY and THEORY OF A DEADMAN will likely get a kick out of this; no nonsense, fun rock ‘n’ roll.

As most bands of this genre do, they aren’t opposed to dropping a ballad or two either, allowing for a change of pace and to showcase their varied vocal and musical ability, and here that comes by means of “Whispers In The Dark”. A slower, tender piece of soft rock that’s big on melody and emotive vocals…with its key changes and sensually flowing solo it’s teeters on soaring power pop without quite having you reach for the lighters, before closing track “Sorry” rounds things off with another dose of chugging hard rock. A decent track but spoiled by the inclusion of random spoken-word segments. They sound jarring and hinder the flow of the track, coming across as forced and would have been better suited to an intro monologue or interlude to set up the track.

Overall in the three years that have passed between releases, YOTL have come a hell of a long way…their song writing and playing have come on in leaps and bounds and the sound quality improvement in terms of recording and production is doing them all of the favours. Gone is the grainy instrumentation and raw vocal performance, despite being only four tracks long, this makes the album feel more like a demo! Whatever the band have done differently is paying off, and if this is their direction then it’s an exciting and promising one, as their next record could feature some absolute tunes. It's the year of the locust they claim, and it’ll take more than pesticide to stop this lot! [8]

When I utter the word ‘Gothenburg’, I can guarantee that you’ll know what I’m referring to…you’ve got this already haven’t you? Fucking damn right I’m talking about the Crazy Frog! No honestly, before I get into this review I have to remind each and every one of you that we collectively allowed the Crazy Frog; that…irritating, frankly cancerous, poorly animated and apparently Swedish cunt-nugget to not only be a thing, but ACTUALLY TOP THE CHARTS! I’m ashamed of us as a species. I digress…I just found out that the Crazy Frog did indeed originate in Gothenburg and had a mild PTSD episode.

I say this though with relevance as taking this seriously now, Gothenburg as we all know it is, for want of a better description, a Mecca for all things melodic death metal. Everyone from AT THE GATES to AVATAR have emerged from this epicenter of Swedish metal, which bring us to today’s band, and arguably one of the biggest of them all; IN FLAMES. Over their near thirty-year career to date they’ve delivered some of the finest melodic death metal albums to ever puncture our ears, from their seminal work on “Colony” which paved their way back in the 90’s, through to the Billboard bothering successes of “Reroute To Remain” and “Come Clarity” especially, In Flames have always been a reliable source of maelstrom…until recently that is. Back in 2016 the band released “Battles” and despite being a decent record generally, it irked many fans with its sense of pop-record production. Can they redeem themselves in the eyes of those same fans? 2019 sees them return as they channel their inner Stanley Ipkiss on “I, The Mask”…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Voices” and after the brief, slow build of a repetitive guitar fill that gradually rises in pitch and key, we find ourselves immersed in the familiar sounds of their heavier riffs and subtle synth elements. Vocalist Andes Fridén delivers a particularly run of the mill performance, switching from his usual raspy snarls into a more melodic vocal for the chorus. It’s a fairly standard affair, textbook In Flames in 2nd gear for the most part though Bjorn Gelotte’s solo is a nice inclusion; it’s a safe start. The title track follows up and to be fair this picks up the pace aplenty and there’s a lot more urgency here; with it’s almost thrash-based musical approach coupled with a hook-laden chorus it provides the listener with a truly up-tempo, enjoyable track and gets the album underway properly.

Elsewhere highlights include “(This Is Our) House” which combines anthemic gang vocals and a hard rocking rhythm with almost prog-inspired key changes, which includes Anders vocals; ranging from soaring melody and an emotive clean delivery to a sudden baritone, giving the track additional character. The band haven’t completely left behind the accessibility of the more pop-orientated production from their previous record however…”We Will Remember” despite its crunching hard-rock riffs carries with it a predominantly euphonious tone and it’s really easy listening, before the sudden surprise that is our closing track “Stay With Me”. This is essentially a power ballad and totally juxtaposes the album altogether…with the acoustic guitar, sweet harmonies and Anders surprisingly impassioned, heart-wrenching vocal display; it’s unquestionably a beautiful track and is in its own unique right, the best thing on this record.

Overall over the course of these twelve tracks, the album itself isn’t poor; it’s just for the most part In Flames by numbers. The Swede’s have always been able to deliver the goods over a 13-album discography now and I guess you could say there is the safety of familiarity within their brand of metal, which they do well…but it’s when you’ve got tracks like the aforementioned ballad, it makes you wonder why they haven’t done MORE of that? This is exactly the kind of track that builds bridges between not just genres but audience demographics, and dare I say it, mainstream success? The idea of a 30 year old melodic death metal band delivering such a genuinely sweet song is a mind-blowing concept, but In Flames have ALWAYS been a quality outfit…if anything just genre pigeon-holed. If the likes of BRING ME THE HORIZON can switch from death-core to getting a number one UK album in a country run by chavs and TOWIE outcasts, then on this evidence, In Flames are EASILY capable of being a lot more successful in the eyes of the wider mainstream audience. It’s just a shame it’s preceded and ultimately weighed down by the middle of the road metal before it. [6]

Birmingham, as we all know, is the spiritual home of heavy metal and the myriad of alternative genres that followed it, but it’s not the only city in the UK with serious rock ‘n’ roll credentials. Yes today we’re going to be turning our attention to Sheffield and to be fair, its home to several big-name artists itself, spanning from all walks of rock and metal culture, having spawned everyone from DEF LEPPARD to BRING ME THE HORIZON over the years…and while the latter are at the very peak of their career riding high with chart success, infiltrating the mainstream, their contemporaries aren’t too far behind…enter WHILE SHE SLEEPS. (That sounds creepier than intended…)

The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Lawrence Taylor, drummer Adam Savage, bassist Aaran McKenzie and guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh) have been going strong since 2006 and over that time they’ve steadily established themselves as one of the UK’s hottest up-and-coming metal acts. With their last album “You Are We” receiving heaps of critical praise and breaking into the UK charts, all eyes were wide awake in anticipation for their eagerly awaited follow up, and the lads delivered at the beginning of March with album number four; “SO WHAT?”…if I may paraphrase MEGADETH for a second…so far, so good…so what’s in store for us here? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “ANTI-SOCIAL” and while initially ticking off the clichés with the police sirens and dogs barking, planting the image of troubled neighbourhoods over at the bad side of town, it soon descends into a flurry of almost djent inspired metalcore riffage. Lawrence’s vocals are initially hushed before a bold yet simplistic chorus of ‘I’m not anti-social, I’m anti-bullshit’…the almost nu-metal tones of the instrumentation carry a sense of vitriol and as a whole the track is brimming with piss and vinegar. The disdain for the current state of society, awash with corruption has become too much and here those sentiments are hammered home, especially in the incredibly powerful accompanying video; this is intense stuff. “I’VE SEEN IT ALL” initially follows up with some crazed fret-wankery, before  bellowed gang vocals are layered within the groove-heavy slab of hard rock, giving the track a prominently anthemic feel.

The title track again utilises a rich groove, coupled with duel vocal / guitar harmonies over a hook laden chorus, which can also be said for “THE GUILTY PARTY” and album highlight “SET YOU FREE”…the former, another up-tempo offering with a blistering chorus and more gang vocals, while the latter doubles down on the pop-production quality. The clean vocals are much more prominent and there’s a fun, almost pop-punk tone to the chorus and it all flows so smoothly, before the album eventually closes up on “GATES OF PARADISE”; another fine blend of mauling metalcore and melody, even including some almost rap-inspired vocals towards the breakdown. There was a lot of hype and anticipation around this record, and I will gladly point out that it IS a quality modern metal record; the riffs, the aggression; it’s all on point, just as the softer moments are and it’s a well-balanced album overall. The metalcore aspects themselves ARE growing tired truth be told, there’s only so many screamed vocals and breakdowns you can hear before you begin to feel you’ve heard all of it as many bands apply a copy and paste formula, but there’s enough here to warrant repeat listens, switching up JUST enough to keep their sound fresh.  They aren’t quite on the same level as their fellow Sheffield residents BMTH right now commercially, but the music speaks for itself, and this is an album well worth checking out. [7]

​As some of you will know, Nu Metal was my thing; when I was first introduced properly to this crazy world of rock and roll, it was Nu Metal titans such as LINKIN PARK and LIMP BIZKIT that got me hooked. Now, while we all know the current situation surrounding Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit are doing a TOOL and taking forever to release their anticipated next album, we have to turn our attention to today’s band and remind ourselves that, we still have it good!

PAPA ROACH have been going impressively steadily since their iconic debut “Infest” back in 2000, and while the genre they helped take over the world with, faded to nothing but a cringe-worthy memory to some, they’ve kept evolving and maturing musically, managing to stay relevant all the while still retaining their own sound. Just under two years since their last album “Crooked Teeth” broke into the Top 20 Charts on both sides of the pond, Jacoby & co are back already with album number ten; entitled “Who Do You Trust?”. The more important question is, can WE keep trusting them to put out solid albums? Let’s find out…

The album interestingly opens up with “The Ending” and we’re greeted with a dark, ominous synth driven affair that leads into Jerry Horton’s traditional, crunching riffs. Jacoby enters the fray with some smooth hip-hop inspired lyrical delivery, before the dual approach of vocal harmonies and visceral screams, leads us onto a simplistic yet catchy chorus. It again shows how well Papa Roach are able to blend styles and ideas to create something truly unique to them; a strong start this. Lead singles “Renegade Music” and the title track then take us further into the meat and veg of the album as a whole. The former, again, dark in tone and rich in political overtones, which allows subtle elements of the likes of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and even BEASTIE BOYS to trickle through.; it’s all empowering and a well-executed, anti-establishmentarian call to arms. The title track, aided by its tongue-in-cheek video refers to the idea of ‘Fake News’ and again, with a guitar heavy, jarring style, speaks to AND for the people against certain people in government.

Speaking of heavier sounds, the brief bombardment of “I Suffer Well” is an interesting yet entertaining slab of hardcore punk…over in less than two minutes, this is a Papa Roach we haven’t felt for a long time and proves they still have it in them to tear it up twenty years in, and it’s quite refreshing. We all know Jacoby is a big softie at heart though and they are more than capable of tugging on the heartstrings of even the most rugged rockers. “Problems” in particular hitting far harder than any goodbye kiss with its level of emotion, self-awareness and brutal honesty…and sadly it’s painfully relatable. Luckily “Feel Like Home” lifts the mood with its soft indie-rock tones and vibrant, optimistic production, despite Jacoby’s trademark, oxymoronic lyrical delivery; contrasting the up-beat style of the song.

Overall, though the album as a whole doesn’t contain ‘hits’ akin to their early years per se, the focus is on the bigger picture, and that picture is of a band who have matured in sound and are comfortable and confident in their ability to deliver a genuinely quality album. Do I trust Papa Roach? Every single time…[7]

Well well well...what can I say? 2018 has been and gone; some of it was awesome, some of it was interesting, some of it was amusing and a lot of it was spectacularly shit...however, one thing that's consistent is the sheer volume of music and art created around the world. 2018 saw me cover my usual rock and metal albums...there wasn't a lot of goth...but I dabbled in some pop, in some rap, in some hip-hop...that's not including that which I checked out for the team over at All About The Rock...ultimately 2018 has kept me on my toes musically and I'm sure that my Top 20's, no matter the category, can show you that. 

From Eurovision bangers courtesy of Saara Aalto...to heavy metal swan songs a la Machine Head. From returning Welsh rap rock renegades The Kennedy Soundtrack...to returning Finnish goth godfathers Musta Paraati. From crossover WWE Superstar Elias...to young crossover Stranger Things superstars forming Calpurnia...you name it there's been something for everyone in 2018 and I like to think I've covered a fair unbiased amount of it. After over 200 albums and EP's, the above gallery showcases the best of the best of 2018 and I hope you agree with my overall picks. Below you'll find the link to the GTGC Facebook page, where you can find my lists in their entirety (Including the bonus WORST 20 OF 2018) and my official GTGC 2018 Spotify Playlist, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed compiling it. Here's to 2019 and all of the new music coming our way...some of it will get the GTGC treatment, and you know you're looking forward to that. Peace out bitches...WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB!!!!!!!!!!!!

​It’s been an interesting couple of years for one Mr Jyrki Linnankivi (Aka Jyrki 69) of THE 69 EYES fame…while it was back in 2016 where we last heard from the Helsinki Vampires, with their last album “Universal Monsters”…he’s been keeping busy himself with some projects outside the usual comfort of his coffin. Last year he dropped his first solo album, appropriately titled “Helsinki Vampire” which featured the tracks from horror movies “Halloween Pussytrap! Kill! Kill!” (I shit you not, that’s actually a thing) and “Sunset Society”…this year however he delves deeper into the Finnish goth ‘n’ roll archives, resurrecting some true Finnish legends…let me explain.

Back in the early 80’s, long before Finland was truly on the map musically as a hotbed for alternative music, when you were lucky to know about HANOI ROCKS if anyone, given the lack of internet etc…there was a little band called MUSTA PARAATI, who despite only having a brief career, as well as several line-up changes, managed to influence artists like Jyrki with their post-punk, early proto-goth style. Now, in 2018, after a 30+ year hiatus (If you can even call it that) Jyrki has gone through all the appropriate rituals to bring these Finnish goth icons back from the grave, providing vocals for the brand new English self-titled album “Black Parade”. Please note, if you’re expecting anything relating to MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, you’re going to be disappointed…

The album opens up with “Animosity” and don’t worry, it’s the track name, you aren’t going get a smack in the chops. Generally a slow burner; you initially only get the soothing notes of guitarist Saku Paasiniemi, before it expands into a soft, synth-pop piece. A beautiful blend of rock ‘n’ roll, with throwback electronic keys and retro pop production, coupled with Jyrki’s distinct baritone vocals all combine for a strong start. Despite its slow-tempo it still houses a hook-laden catchy chorus and is textbook post-punk. We then have another of many highlights courtesy of “Nacht Der Untoten” (Which is German for Night Of The Dead) and the icy synth notes, along-side Jyrki’s deep drawl complement each other wonderfully, really allowing the idea and tone of the chilling, horror theme to shine through aesthetically.

Switching up linguistically next we go from German to French via “Aujourd’hui” and given the dark gothic tones, plus the French connection this reminds of early 69 Eyes works such as “Dance D’amour”, with the synths taking on an almost orchestral approach, adding a sense of intensity and drama at the tracks climax. Both “Radio” and “Digital Twin” provide up-beat, quirky, albeit by-numbers pieces of retro goth-pop, especially the latter, before standout track “Today”, as the shortest track here, gives a hard hitting dose of up-beat, bass-driven  rock that fans of SISTERS OF MERCY should easily lap-up. While there are weaker tracks on offer here, like “Reaper” and “Chopsticks”…it’s more a case of them being a bit generic as opposed to bad, coming off as more filler than failure, managing to keep the album overall sounding consistently solid.

Given Jyrki’s distinct vocal style and the accompanying music, it would be easy to mistake this as 69 Eyes version 2.0…given the blend of garage rock and gothic atmospherics, almost acting like an unreleased selection of tracks rather than a new record with Musta Paraati…but let’s not let that detract from the fact we’re still getting superb quality gothic rock in 2018. This is must have for post-punk fans AND 69 Eyes fans, and it easily gratifies 69 Eyes fans around the world while we wait for 2019’s new 30th anniversary album, as well as reintroducing fans to one of Finland's hidden gems in the process. Musta Paraati? You Musta' listen to this one, seriously… [9]

“That was intense, REALLY intense…well, not really intense, but pretty intense”…you may remember this quote by Chris Pontius from Jackass Number 2, when Preston and Wee-Man did the “The Bungee Jump”, but as intense as that was, it pales in comparison to the recent touring cycle undertaken by CKY. Yes the Philadelphia three-piece (Consisting of Chad I Ginsburg, Jess Margera and Matt Deis) made their triumphant return in 2017, with their comeback album “The Phoenix” (Their first in nearly a decade) and ever since the guys virtually haven’t stopped. From US headline tours, supporting HIM on their US farewell tour, covering the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour, touring with SKINDRED, playing multiple festivals, touring with NEKROGOBLIKON, they’re own UK headline tours…the guys have practically LIVED on the road for the past two years! That’s not enough though for these rejuvenated rockers…hell no, amidst all that they still managed to find time to record and release a new EP especially for Record Store Day. Let’s check it out and find out exactly why camp kill yourself are in fact “Too Precious To Kill”…

The EP opens up with “Chase Me” and as the title may suggest it’s got a not-so-subtle action-packed car chase vibe to it…the up-tempo feel, the catchy guitar licks and the brass-bursts take this back to the golden era of James Bond films if you will (Think DURAN DURAN)…there’s elements of a detective caper to this and it’s a really fun opening track. The track flows with an easy listening fluidity and really is infectious, great stuff this. “Fists To The Sky” follows up and here we have a more traditional sounding CKY musically…the imposing trademark riffs are instantly recognisable in tone and although the track has a very steady pacing, broken up by THE DOORS inspired organ-esque synths, it’s still very up-beat…doubling as not only a statement of intent from the trio regarding their come-back, but also maybe a subtle nod to Rocky thematically, given the Philly connection.

As this was a vinyl release, side-B kicks off with “One Step Ahead” and it immediately starts off darker, atmospherically speaking…the slow build leading to a frenetic chorus, with Chad belting out the lyrics against a wall of reverberated noise. He gets to fret-wank his heart out here too as he embarks on an incredibly trippy, psychedelic guitar solo and you can sense the enjoyment had in writing this one, it resonates through his playing. The final track however is the one we’ve all been waiting for…not just over the course of these four tracks…no…I’m talking over the course of the last TWENTY YEARS. Yes, for the first time ever, CKY have FINALLY given us a recorded cover of GG ALLIN classic “Bite It You Scum”. A long-time fan-favourite and a staple of their set list on the live stage forever, they finally put it to record and they’ve more than done it justice. It’s lost none of its raucous rock ‘n’ roll charm and still retains all of its raw punk attitude, while both refreshing and nostalgic at the same time. Having heard it live for all these years, we finally get a studio recording and it’s magnificent. While currently only available as a limited edition vinyl released for Record Store Day, (Were you lucky enough to get one?) I’m sure that sometime over the near future the EP will become available for download or streaming, or you should hope at least. Is this an EP you want? Is this an EP you NEED!? fuCKYea! [9]

The history of CKY is, for want of a better word, turbulent…when things were good, they were great; record deals with the likes of Island and Roadrunner, the worldwide fame thanks to connections with the whole “Jackass” phenomenon, they developed an intensely loyal fan base, or, alliance…but when things turned sour, boy did they turn sour. In 2011 after the praise and acclaim of “Carver City”, there were disagreements over the bands future direction…which led to conflict…which in turn led to one of the most, bitter, if you will, separations in rock.

In the years that have followed, while CKY, after trialing new vocalists, decided to settle on their current 3-piece formation (Consisting of Chad I Ginsberg, Jess Margera and a returning Matt Deis) Deron Miller opted to go it alone, dabbling in several projects during the period. Initially in a dispute over the rights of CKY, he released the solo album “Acoustified!” which, as you can probably guess was an acoustic medley of previous works…there was the return of his prior band FOREIGN OBJECTS who resurfaced for a new album in 2015…and then we have this; 96 BITTER BEINGS. Not only a jab at arguably one of CKY’s biggest tracks itself…but the album has been called “Camp Pain”…which, mistake me if I’m wrong, is ironically similar in theme to Camp Kill Yourself? I did say things were bitter right? Let’s see what Deron (Backed by new band members Kenneth Hunter, Shaun Luera and Tim Luera) has come up with…

The album opens up with “Try It Again” and it’s both an intro AND a skit…the idea that they’ve spent ages writing and practicing only for the track to sound like absolute shit essentially; out of tune without any sense of cohesive rhythm, it’s a rib on themselves basically as it’s been a while since we’ve had any new recorded material…they’re a bit rusty. First track proper however "Still Unstable, Still At Large" charges right at you with a serious sounding, deep, chugging albeit sluggish guitar riff, before we’re greeted with the traditional, sweet synths and moogs that so characterised CKY’s original music. Deron plays and writes with such a distinct style, this brings back so many memories…and the nostalgia doesn’t stop there.

Despite being only 10 tracks long in total, it manages to cram in a fair couple of highlight tracks…in particular “The Whipping Hands” which sounds like it could have been taken right out of the recording sessions from “Carver City”. It’s got a great rhythm and an infectious bass-heavy groove, playing out nicely. “Where Were You?” offers a more relaxed, melodic track, with a primarily down-tempo approach but a chorus that harks back to the style of “An Answer Can Be Found”…before the album ultimately ends with “December Higher Power”, a traditionally slower ballad-esque piece to close proceedings, a staple of past CKY works. Some tracks are a little questionable mind you…”Megadextria” is just a recycled track from the last Foreign Objects record, “Cavalcade Of Perversion” is 90% instrumental and 10% what the fuck? Speaking of, there’s a cover of MICHAEL JACKSON’s “Beat It” thrown in for good measure…I’m not even joking. I mean they pull it off quite well but, seriously…why?!

Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s not a perfect album by any means, but it’s damn impossible to not enjoy this. Deron has such a creative flair for solid guitar riffs and an iconic sound that’s been missed…CKY are doing fine right now without him don’t get me wrong, and I’m not about to wish for a reunion, that ship sailed, but, I will just state how glad I am to have Deron back releasing music again. There may be 96 bitter beings but, I’m not one of them…for I am simply…Bernadette Nere. [7]

Anniversaries…usually happy times shared by couples as they grow old together, celebrating their love and commitment to one another…sometimes they can be nostalgic or, historic; marking so-many years since an incident or an event…though other times they can be painful; tainted with sad memories and tearful reminders, and I’m afraid in this instance we’re referring to the latter. Yes it’s nearly been a year now since Ville Valo and HIM went out with a bang and a whimper on their, admittedly rushed, 2017 farewell tour… a whole year of knowing that the Heartagram had beaten for the last time, buried alive by its own love, and it’s a truly sad fact. However…even the most melancholic gothic-laced grey clouds have silver linings, and in this instance, after a metaphorical mass funeral of hearts, in HIM’s absence we’ve got some new projects from our favourite Finn’s! Let me introduce you to FLAT EARTH…

A Finnish super-group of sorts…HIM’s six-string maestro Linde Lindstrom and former drummer Gas Lipstick make up 50% of the band, while it’s completed by former AMORPHIS bassist Niclas Etelavuori and POLANSKI vocalist Anthony Pikkarainen, and together, over the past several months they have stripped everything back, wiped the slate clean and written a no-nonsense, no frills, no gimmicks hard rock album by the name of “None For One”. The question is, is their musical prowess better than their apparent grasp of basic geology? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Subhuman” and ironically, it’s what you’d suggest someone who DOES believe that the Earth is flat would be in terms of mental capacity…slightly sluggish in tone for the most part, it comprises of slower riffs and percussion, combining a classic rock tone with just a touch of blues metal, although there’s an incredibly subtle middle-eastern feel to some of the more melodic guitar notes. Pretty straightforward stuff but it’s a fine start nevertheless. “Blame” follows up and here we find Anthony leading the musical direction more with a primarily 90’s grunge-inspired piece, backed with Linde’s distinctive string-work…the solo here is classic Linde, his fret-work is on point and you remember here how underrated a guitarist he really is.

This combination of styles is, for the most part the very foundation of this album as a whole…the back-to-basics, guitar heavy instrumentation being the very backbone of their sound while vocally we hark back to a simpler time; clean but with a certain raw emotion and in ways, at numerous points throughout this record you get a sense of ALICE IN CHAINS meets THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, really embracing those 90’s characteristics. The title track is a wonderful example, highlighting the above point really quite well…”Noble Swine” has some intense percussion and oh how we’ve missed Gas behind a drum kit, he can really drive a track and here he does just that…also baring a light resemblance to Linde’s other work with DANIEL LIONEYE in tone, before album highlight “Limelight” carries you away with a genuinely catchy little harmonic chorus and a simplistic groove. The rest of the album is generally run of the mill hard rock but as I said, that’s the aesthetic they’ve gone for; nothing fancy or over the top…just some good honest rock, which is fine. Admittedly it CAN feel a little lethargic at times, and if anything is to blame for that it IS Anthony’s vocals…maybe it’s just because I’m not too used to them and, to some extent can’t quite yet fully separate this from HIM, but he’s no Ville Valo. I know that’s the point to a degree, but this album DOES lack in belters and could do with a shot of adrenaline really. He’s got the emotion, but lacks in power. Overall the Earth here isn’t entirely flat, but it’s only just slightly concaved…they need a little more depth next time around. [5]

The Japanese progressive metal outfit SOKONINARU have confirmed that they will be hitting London during their debut European Tour in 2019, for a must-see one-off headline show. The tour poster via Avo Magazine specifies that it will all go down at The Underworld, one of the homes of London’s hardcore metal scene. If everything goes according to plan, you can catch Sokoninaru’s unique, harmonic, heavy, and highly technical sounds on February 12th. They will also be hitting Germany, France, Holland, and other European locations during the scheduled 13-date tour.

Active since 2011, it took a while for vocalist / guitarist Juko Suzuki and vocalist / bassist Misaki Fujiwara to get recognised in Asia’s metal scene. Nowadays however, it’s safe to say that the band has a massive global following online, evident by the 1.2 million views (October 2018) garnered by their music video Tenohira de odoru. Meanwhile, their latest video "re:program" was able to gain 150,000 views in just a matter of months. Further proof of Sokoninaru’s global fame is the fact that they also recently officially launched their own English website, a major step in the band’s efforts to appeal to overseas audiences. And seeing as Sokoninaru is now slated for a major European tour early next year, they’re bound to attract more fans of rock, metal, and good old melodic chaos.

While London and Japanese metal might seem a strange combination, there are actually plenty of historical precedents for this 'meeting of cultures'. For starters, heavy metal has its roots in the UK. The likes of Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix – both of which achieved global fame while in the UK – are responsible for the seminal sounds that birthed the different courses of metal and rock music, including the harmonic, heavy, and highly technical speed metal of Sokoninaru. There’s even an award-winning Japanese electronic/rock/metal band that’s based in London – Esprit D’Air have been channelling UK influences since their debut album, "Constellations".

During the last decade, Japanese culture has exploded in the UK. This is highly apparent in the UK’s wide array of Japanese-influenced media, including TV, film, music, and even online gaming. On the BBC, "The Art of Japanese Life" prompts audiences to join Dr. James Fox in examining the intricacies of Japanese art and culture. 

​Another reason of this desire for more Japanese culture is the increasing number of digital media dedicated to the country. The Japanese gaming industry is one of the biggest in the world, and its games consoles and titles dominant markets across the globe. The response to this has been that modern digital companies are now trying to tap into these growing markets to find new audiences. Online Asian games provider Expatbets has a dedicated Japanese slot game called "Sakura Fortune" that combines two parts of Japan’s heritage, the lone warrior and the cherry blossom, both of which attract millions of visitors each year. Japanese-inspired entertainment has become so big that a lot of people’s first contact with Japan’s culture is through these games, which then leads them on to discover more about the country. The European tour of Sokoninaru is a sign that western audiences are a part of this growing interest, and that music fans are seeking out more obscure parts of Japanese culture to find new and exciting talent. 

All of these factors will combine to give Sokoninaru an unusually warm welcome in cold, wet London on February 2019. In a way, it can be said that, one of the greatest proponents of modern metal will be bringing metal back home to the UK.

Words: Madison Scott

Over the years many an artist, in rock ‘n’ roll especially, have used shock tactics or elaborate theatrics to help get themselves noticed. It’s all part of the image; the horror and excess that (Music aside) helps separate rock and metal from other genres. Many have succeeded throughout history…ALICE COOPER arguably helped start it all with his stage production going WAY back, you have the likes of ROB ZOMBIE bridging media formats by branching out into some intensely brutal horror movies…though today however we’re focusing not so much on artistic theatre, but, more of a macabre pantomime…yes we’re going to be looking at LORDI. Now instantly recognisable, their whole gimmick is based around the demonic monster costumes designed by front man Mr Lordi (Real name Tomi Petteri Putaansuu) but, despite being around for some time now, it wasn’t until that fateful and unforgettable night where they WON the Eurovision Song Contest for Finland back in 2006.

As unreal as that sounds, “Hard Rock Hallelujah” catapulted them into a mainstream audience, and their tongue-in-cheek style or horror metal has won them over a legion of fans, and they now have an impressive back catalogue of albums. Earlier this year they released their ninth; the wonderfully titled “Sexorcism”, supposedly their most controversial release to date…somebody better call Father Merrin, I think Jesus has done WAY more than fuck this lot…

We begin with the title track and it does open up like a cut from a horror movie score; really dramatic sounding and in preparation for a jump scare or intense fight between good and evil. The simple but ominous piano soon gives way though to some decent riffs and a surging hard-rock aesthetic and musically this is fine; it’s got a decent melodic hook for  a chorus too which, given, Mr Lordi’s honestly awful gravelled vocals, is quite impressive….it’s been produced really well up in Finnvox. This is far from a regular exorcism however (Is there even such a thing?) as he sings of FINGERING the demon out of her…steady on guys this isn’t the 19th century, you can’t be palming shit like this off like hysteria…did she even consent? This gimmick is backed up later by the interlude “Scg9: The Documented Phenomenon”, which essentially parodies THAT Exorcist scene with only slightly re-arranged verbiage. I really don’t know if this is a tribute or a parody…

The ridiculousness doesn’t stop there however as thematically following on from the title track we’re gifted with “The Beast Is Yet To Cum”...a nice play on words there Sir but if anything you’re promoting the fact that your own fingering skills are sub-par at best. Y’all motherfuckers need STEEL PANTHER and that’s one thing I thought I’d never say! In terms of musical highlights, it’s actually quite hard to separate any of the 13 tracks offered this time around. “Naked In My Cellar” has some more catchy synth elements and initially opens up like an early NIGHTWISH number before it delves into this rumbling, bass-heavy riff, and it’s about as clean as Mr Lordi’s vocals can probably get? It’s got a great pop chorus really…”Polterchrist” is another amusingly named track which starts off with some chilling female choir-esque vocals and more piano, before descending into a chugging, classic-metal type affair.

We eventually close out with “Sodomesticated Animal” which aside from its admittedly good name and a decent solo doesn’t inspire a great deal, while “Haunting Season” rounds things up with a generic symphonic metal effort. The trouble with this album is, everything seems to last forever, all of the songs, despite their comedic quirks, sadly drag a little and overstay their welcome to a degree. Less Lordi, more of a thick load quite frankly…a good release for Lordi perhaps like but, not something you want in your ears…the power of Christ compels you to NOT listen to this album. [4]

GUNS 'N' ROSES' globe-spanning “Not In This Lifetime” tour will have finally come to an end in 2018, after more than two years of activity, having performed to over 4 MILLION people worldwide. For all of that time it’s been one of the most exciting things happening in rock music in recent memory, despite the fact that it’s been about 30 years since the height of the bands popularity. Excitement aside though, was the tour a fully-fledged success? Was it executed as well as possible for a mega rock revival? Having put together a review of sorts; taking into account the comeback’s roll-out, other reviews of specific shows, and the trajectory the whole journey established, we’ll take it point by point and find out whether or not these guns were firing blanks, or if these roses were once again in full bloom...Maryland's John Jameson elaborates.

​The band’s revival officially kicked off at COACHELLA in 2016, as the group sought successfully to shock fans by showing off the reunited duo of AXL ROSE and SLASH. That alone was enough to create a frenzy, who would have ever thought it possible?But it did draw plenty of attention to the show. As for the actual quality of the show, reviews were mixed. Some suggested that nostalgia carried the day, and that while the performance lacked some sort of, trademark injury, it was all-in-all a good listening experience. Others (Such as The San Diego Union Tribune) were more critical, suggesting that the band had aged and grown tame to a degree that made them less than themselves. Oddly, the LACK of dysfunctional nonsense that once defined the band was cited as a negative. All in all we’d say that given the reasonable level of expectation, it all went well - even if it wasn’t as wonderful as it could have been. Essentially, while lacking to some degree, it was still very welcome. [Rating: Just Okay]

​Back-tracking from the actual debut show at Coachella, it’s worth recalling any build-up to the Guns N’ Roses reunion too - even though there was in this case practically none. The closest thing there was to a hint or clue, came in the form of an ambiguous, seemingly random highlight reel played as a cinema trailer of sorts in December of 2015. Those paying VERY close attention to all things G'N'R may also have noticed a band-based casino slot game becoming popular around this time as well, though it’s unclear if this was a direct publicity effort from the band. Online slot sites these days tap into all sorts of themes, such that the most fun and lucrative thing about them is the variety. In this vein, G'N'R 'headlined' a game, as did MOTORHEAD and JIMI HENDRIX, and intentionally or not, this may too have played into revving up excitement about the band. However, there was very little direct or overt build-up. As successful as the tour has been, it may have been even more exciting with some kind of anticipatory energy. [Rating: Poor]

​This is the broadest category, and the one that matters most, though also the simplest to comment on. As with any band in any tour, Guns N’ Roses by all accounts had varying levels of energy from one night to the next throughout this tour. You can easily dig up reviews of specific shows lamenting the group’s lack of enthusiasm, as well as some praising G'N'R for being as good as ever. The truth of the matter is that it’s largely a matter of perspective. There are even divergent reports about the economics of the show. You may read that the shows aren’t selling out, for instance, but some of this is explained away by the fact that limited seats were available in lots of the larger venues, and the argument is offset by the fact that the show was by most any numerical degree an enormous success. Ultimately, what happened is that an aging, past-its-prime rock group took to the road for two-plus years and rocked concert venues around the world. OF COURSE they weren’t AS good as they were once upon a time. But they were still good. [Rating: As Good As Can Be Expected]

​It’s reasonable to argue that the most successful aspect of the “Not In This Lifetime” tour will in the end have been the anticipation it built up for future endeavors. While build-up for the tour itself may have been lacking, Guns N’ Roses has now set the stage for any subsequent album releases or additional tours it may be planning. The band has been fairly tight-lipped about future plans to this point, but it doesn’t take a psychic to guess that a new album will almost certainly be released in due time. And because of these last two years, there will be untold millions of fans ready to send it to the top of the charts the moment it comes out. So as for establishing potential, there’s really nothing negative to say. [Rating: Perfect]

When it comes to the UK music scene, there’s always hot-spots…an obvious one is Camden which has more quality venues than you can shake a drum stick at…Nottingham has Rock City which is a favourite among many gig-goers…Wales too has a great history of grass roots music support, but today we’ll be looking at Southampton. With its own iconic venues such as the Guildhall and The Joiners, over the past couple of years it’s produced some top quality artists such as BURY TOMORROW and of course, CREEPER, who’ve had an almost stratospheric rise to the top of the alternative rock scene…so naturally with So’ton back on the map, we’re going to be hearing about more bands looking to make a breakthrough, which brings us to today.

Let me introduce you to CANAVAR…consisting of vocalist / guitarist Deklan Webb, guitarist Jack Bowden, bassist Rowan Rashley and drummer Toby Rashley, they bring together a chaotic blend of heavy metal and hardcore punk to create an equally commanding and confident sound; so confident in fact that they totally skipped recording an EP…no testing the water for these fuckers they dove straight into a full length album! With a name roughly translating as Monster…let’s see just how monstrous they sound on “Canavar”.

We open up with the lead single “Sacrilege” and initially we’ve got this really bouncy, up-tempo punk-rock piece; the vocals are clean though very rough around the edges giving it that traditional skater-punk vibe…but this soon descends into a more traditional metal style breakdown and a crazy solo! The classic metal approach charging through, but this only leads us into the tracks climax, foreshadowing the rest of the album…Deklan switches up his vocals and sounds almost possessed such is the change in tone, the inclusion of growls being so sudden, it’s an interesting start. “Brick By Brick” follows up and while it has certain thrash-inspired elements running through its riffs there is still a pretty prominent punk backbone here; you can hear the influence the likes of RISE AGAINST or even say, ANTI-FLAG have had musically on the 4-piece, and naturally as a result it’s quite another pacey offering.

Those same thrash elements can again be heard in “Fire Inside” which for all intents and purposes sounds like the bastard offspring of some weird METALLICA / SLAYER crossover experiment from a 6-string perspective, while vocally again it bridges the gap between hardcore punk and heavy metal, absolutely full of piss and vinegar. The main highlight however comes courtesy of “Devil’s In The Details” which initially embraces a subtle MISFITS vibe while also harbouring more modern alternative rock aspects, mirroring artists like MATCHBOOK ROMANCE and the aforementioned Creeper. The rest of the album generally fleets back and forth, hand picking certain qualities from all genres listed above…there are slower cuts like “Deadly Sins” and “Moral Compass”…then there’s the less than two-minute flurry of closing track “Ready And Willing”, and while  musically they’re not reinventing the wheel or anything as such here, this is for the most part a really fun album and that’s really down to THEIR enjoyment, the band are having a fucking whale of a time making noise and it resonates. Personally I’d like to hear them focus on being a solid punk unit as it’s that area they sound strongest and more fluid musically, but overall, it’s a fine album. [7]

The place you grow up, the place you call home very often has an impact on your outlook on life, easily shaping who you can become, and this can ring true with certain styles of music too. Just take BLACK SABBATH for instance, out of the poverty of working class Birmingham in the late 60’s and early 70’s, they arguably crafted heavy metal as we know it today; using their surroundings and social standing to fuel their bleak brand of heavier blues rock…well this can also be said of today’s band; THE BALANCE FACTOR. Formed in Gary, Indiana, just 25 miles outside of Chicago, The Balance Factor (Consisting of vocalist John Yaney, guitarists Heath Reid and Jason Zeilstra, bassist Aaron Brown and drummer Jonas Doran) have for years been surrounded by a booming steel industry, that over time faded away through job loss, political corruption and racial segregation, as America looked to import cheaper steel, killing industrial cities such as Gary.

Very much like Ozzy and co before them however, they’ve put all this to good use and started writing music which leads us to the here and now; following on from 2016’s debut album “Here I Am”, they return with a brand new EP by the name of “Ouroboros”…perfectly summing up their situation and up-bringing with a symbolic gesture of creation born from destruction…artistically poignant, or are they just chasing their own tails? Let’s find out…The EP opens up with the imaginatively titled “Introduction” and to be honest; while I’m not a fan of intro’s generally I do appreciate the no-nonsense approach here. The minute and a half of TV static, broken channel reception and police sirens portraying a state of unrest and uncertainty; a level of chaos, as it transitions into lead single “Killafornia”…and god how I wish Arnold Schwarzenneger was a part of this. It’s a word tailor made for a Terminator parody that hopefully AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE will pick up someday. The track itself is a brilliantly rugged blend of hard rock and early 2000’s nu-metal; it's coarse production quality with a more melodic chorus combining elements that would appeal to the likes of ORGY and at points MUSHROOMHEAD; a promising start.

Follow up track “Hypochondriac” jumps straight out of that same era quite frankly with its underlying techno elements and angst-ridden style of riff-heavy rock…a little repetitive for the most part and the vocals do seem off during the chorus, but the guitar solo delivers well it has to be said, an unexpected surprise in an otherwise grating track. “Arrows In My Heart”, the longest on offer here is itself too let down by some off-putting vocals…again harking back to Orgy, they’ve opted for an almost, mechanical /  filtered vocal recording but John’s no Jay Gordon I’ll say that much, he’s too off-key too often. The sudden switch then to album highlight “Die For Another Day” is very welcome, as it opens up with an almost trad-goth / post-punk guitar tone, with layers of piano giving it extra character, coupled with the chorus’ rhythmic hooks and a more pop-based vibe, it’s incredibly catchy while still retaining the raw rock elements, before closing track “Taken By Surprise” sounds like it could have easily been taken out of the “Queen Of The Damned” soundtrack, musically having similarities to “Redeemer” in places, rounding things up on a somewhat nostalgic note.

The band themselves cite influences such as NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON and TOOL but listening to this EP we find them to be nowhere near as profound or creatively edgy, and instead we find them more closely resembling the lesser end of the Nu-metal gene pool…I mentioned Orgy but you’ve also got the likes of ADEMA and POWERMAN 5000 layered within these songs, bands that saturated a trend as opposed to setting one. Yes it’s nice to listen back fondly to that era, but to ironically paraphrase Trent Reznor, it’s just a copy of a copy of an already ridiculed genre. Silver linings, The Balance Factor are still better than the fucking X factor…[6]

Formed in Seattle, Washington back in 1987, ALICE IN CHAINS would go on to become one of the ‘Big Four’ of the game-changer we refer to as grunge. Alongside SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM and of course, NIRVANA, they pushed alternative music ever further into the mainstream and affected pop-culture in ways polar opposite to the glam rock era they oh so miserably replaced. Far more stripped back, raw and emotive; the audience could identify with them as opposed to the sheer shock value and flamboyance of glam, and what they lacked in sass, they made up for in song writing. While the movement was for the most part short lived as music and tastes evolved (And not to mention Kurt Cobain French kissing a shotgun) the more successful of these bands would continue on and 2018 see’s AIC release the brand new album “Rainier Fog”…actually only their SIXTH studio album in 30 years! Grab your umbrella’s folks…this is gonna’ be a wet one…but let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “The One You Know”…which is a blatant lie because this is the first time I’ve listened to the album and I’m not psychic! I jest…it opens up with a series of short, sharp guitar chords, repeated like some really lackluster Norman Bates parody. Seriously it just half-asses it’s way along with about as much momentum as a bout of constipation…the chorus has a decent groove and the guitar solo salvages something at least, but this a poor opener, it’s one I NOW know but also one I want to forget…moving on. The title track does at least have decent rhythm and it’s riffs do have a certain hook to them, which coupled with the tracks key changes make for a more fluid listen I’ll give it that, but what IS rainier fog? You don’t see the weather man warn you about that special rainy fog…of course it’s fucking wet otherwise it’d be smoke! It is in fact a nod to Mount Rainier, a volcano overlooking Seattle, and the aforementioned cities music scene which appropriately erupted like a volcano in the early 90’s…fitting, both then and now, as like a volcano the genre is thankfully dormant.

Further notable points on the album are sadly sparse as AIC are hardly the most energetic bunch…”Fly” opts for a far lighter approach with its melodious guitar tone and almost indie-esque post-rock feel; it’s simplicity and harmony allowing for one of the records more enjoyable listens. “Maybe” and similarly “Never Fade” do utilise far catchier choruses for the most part, the latter having a little more grit and attitude to it throughout but it hardly gets your blood pumping, and this is arguably the best track on offer here! The rest of the album sadly makes you feel not only as miserable as you do when it IS raining, but there’s a leak in your roof to boot, plus your toilet has flooded. “Drone” does exactly what it says on the tin and drones on like it’s even bored of itself…it actually musically sums up grunge in one damning swoop, utterly boring stuff this, while closing track “All I Am”, the longest track on offer, just feels completely drawn out and needlessly time consuming. I’ll tell you this much, All I am, personally, is fed up, and I’m glad this is the last track.

Now, I’ll be fair and as impartial as I can be…vocally Jerry Cantrell, as far as clean vocalists in rock and metal go, does have a distinct and iconic sound; he’s crafted the style to his own and he knows how to carry a song…likewise with the musicianship; yes there are some solid riffs utilised here and you can’t fault the band for their prowess as song writers…but there’s only so far that can go when the song’s themselves are so utterly depressing. Alice has been in chains for 30 years now and for some reason she’s still being kept alive; reasons which frankly elude me…and truth be told she’s brought nothing new or interesting to the table with this one sadly. [4]

Word of mouth can be a powerful tool (Crying ‘rape’ being a prime example) and it used to be the backbone of the alternative music community if you will…long before the days of the internet, you’ve heard of how rock and metal fans would have to swap mix tapes and records etc. to keep up to date with what was happening in music, relying on your good friend or source to learn who was up and coming, who was the next big thing, who just dropped a sick EP…well those days may seem like a distant memory, but word of mouth can still introduce you to some wonderful people. Take today’s band for instance; SECOND SELF.

The Cheltenham based 4-piece (Consisting of vocalist Simon Bond, guitarist Janek Davies, bassist Barny Barnfield and drummer Pablo Rodriguez) got in touch with me personally after mutual friend and 50 BELOW PROMOTIONS booker Robert Tite (He puts on some sweet gigs and I wholeheartedly encourage you to go check them out) suggested me, as they were looking for reviews. They’re preparing to release their debut self-titled EP and have kindly asked me to give it a listen…full of second self-worth or should they have second-guessed my handling of it all? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Never Coming Home” and it combines a certain nostalgic, classic hard-rock approach with underlying funk-inspired qualities…it’s all about the simple groove here as the bass carries this track forward, coupled with Bond’s emotive vocal display…this sounds like they’ve taken parts of INCUBUS and merged them with the likes of IN SEARCH OF SUN for a truly bluesy opener; it’s a decent start. “Stepping Stones” goes for a similar approach in ways but it does utilise more consistent guitar melody, so while keeping in theme with the track previous we also get throwbacks to artists such as IDLEWILD from that early 2000’s post-indie scene; clean vocals and hooks but not afraid to throw a riff down where needed.

The opening to “Falling Backwards” has a more subdued feel with the relaxed drum-fill and the bubbly guitar tone, before it delves into this, angst-ridden blend of early emo and post-hardcore…a bold vocal display coupled with some passionate instrumentation allows for an enjoyable, emotional jaunt, before closing track “Eat Your Horse” goes all Tesco ready meal on your ass. Arguably the weakest track on offer, it’s here you notice most that it’s the band’s debut recording and production isn’t 100%, there are a few rough patches which will naturally improve with time but here you can feel the scruffy, demo-quality if you will…ultimately however for a first offering you can clearly hear that there’s promise here from the quartet. With just a bit of polishing you potentially have a solid blues-based hard rock unit in Second Self as instrumentally they’re on the right path, and the vocals will only improve with confidence and experience, once they’ve found their groove by the next record fingers crossed. Second Self? Maybe a case of first the worst, second the best as they say… [5]

German Goth-metal gods LORD OF THE LOST returned recently with their brand new studio album “Thornstar”, which came out August 3rd via Napalm Records. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with long-time bassist Klaas Helmecke (AKA Class Grenayde) about the album, touring plans and German metal…here’s what he had to say;

Klaas, thank you so much for taking the time to have a quick chat, how are you?

“Hey Gav! Thank you for asking, me and the guys are having a great time; our new record recently hit the Official Album Charts at number 6!”

Congratulations that's awesome! Now, as one of the core members of LOTL alongside Chris, you’ve been here since back in 2007 where the band formed in Hamberg, Germany…for those newly discovering you, how did the band come to light?

“I was the first member with Chris starting the idea of the band in 2007; Chris came up with the idea to make his own music with a band formed out of friends. We always wanted to have a band together, so i was the first person to ask. We released our first record with Chris’ music in 2009… from that day on we’ve played as many shows as we can, touring our asses off and released quite a lot of records, videos and other stuff. And we never get rid of it. We love what we do!”

It’s easy to jump straight to RAMMSTEIN when people think of German metal, but Germany has always had a rich heritage in heavy music, who inspired you in those formative years and what’s the scene like in Hamburg?

“Rammstein was an inspiration for us, that’s for sure! But the inspiration didn’t only come from German music. And also not even only from Metal or Goth music. If we speak of Chris as the mastermind and main writer in the band, he got also a lot of inspiration from bands like ROXETTE, AEROSMITH and stuff like that. Talking about the German music scene, especially the Hamburg scene, we are not having so many upcoming artists these days. Rap is actually booming like all over the world and if i think of Hamburg bands i always come back to bands like HELLOWEEN, GAMA RAY and bands like that. We hope that  someday people naturally name us in the same way, speaking of Hamburg bands.” 

In the ten+ years you’ve been together you’ve been quite prolific it has to be said; aside from a number of EP’s, compilations and live DVD’s you’ve also just released your 6th studio album “Thornstar”, which we’ll touch on shortly…what keeps you motivated to produce and what fuels those creative juices so efficiently?

“Some people need to write to be alive. Chris is somebody like that; he’s got some sort of creative overflow, from which he can take as much creativity from as needed; that’s a blessing for all of us. And everybody else is giving their parts and knows how to complete the final product.”

Coming back to “Thornstar”, aside from being a great listen it seems to be a solid concept album with plenty of religious overtones, with tracks such as “On This Rock…”, “Black Halo” and “Naxxar”…what was the inspiration for the record?

“There is an old mythology about the Pangaeians, a culture that got almost forgotten in time. This record is based on the stories and legends around this culture. It was tough to find material about it. You really have to dig deep in libraries and this new thing called the internet.” 

Given LOTL’s blend of dark Gothic rock and classical, often orchestral tones, concepts around religion and folklore can offer so much room for creativity with resource in abundance; do you find it’s a natural fit? With the deluxe edition having an additional 7 tracks it seems you had plenty of material heading into the studio!

“We always added orchestral elements to our music, with Chris and Gared for example; having classical backgrounds in their musical education. And since especially Chris having such and endless output we got too many good songs in our hands! The additional 7 songs are as good as the rest. They just made it ‘ONLY’ on CD 2 because they are less related to the mythology; which the main album is all about.”

To mark the album’s release you’re heading out on an extensive European tour leading through winter, including 5 dates here in the UK in November which I’m personally looking forward to; what can your fans expect from the upcoming shows? Are you looking forward to blending the new tracks in alongside classics like “Sex On Legs”?

“Of course we will play new songs, but since we didn’t play so often in the UK yet, the people also deserve to enjoy our ‘classics’. We’ll play the best compilation of our songs we can to kick everybody’s asses!”

With the tour already booked deep into March of next year, your current long term focus is clearly on promotion, can fans outside of Europe look forward to catching you somewhere in 2019 too or are those plans still in development?

“We always plan to reach out in the world as far as we can. We’ve got good plans in our pockets to come around a lot, and we always appreciate promoters all over the world that say ‘Hi’ and invite us to come over and play. If we can travel and reach out to our fans worldwide, we are happy!”

Class, thank you for your time, and all the best with the up-coming tour.

Going back decades, arguably since its inception truth be told, ‘rock’ music was always viewed upon as bad thing; a rebellious genre that started in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll a la ELVIS' controversial hip-swinging, leading young ladies astray…punk rock was always a primary instigator of rebellion when that came about, the musical equivalent of streaking through a convent with your middle fingers proudly pointing skyward…and then there’s metal. We’re not going to be delving into all of the deep, dark sub-genres, but metal itself has always been associated with the devil and darkness, and of course bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN only fueled that…but sometimes a band just feels the need to speak up; make a statement and be as brutally honest or opinionated as they can be. Here; special guest writer PETE HARRIS (petesmusic0508@gmail.com) showcases his personal picks on “5 Metal Bands That Made Their Name Attacking The Establishment”

"There are many ways to speak to the powers above. But sometimes, the best and only way to unleash truth is to do it as loudly and as aggressively as possible. Here are five of our favourite artists who knew just that — and have used the inherent aggression of metal to express rage, dissent, and criticism against the unyielding sociopolitical establishment."

Godfathers of 90’s and 00’s thrash metal; MACHINE HEAD first made a name in Europe before getting famous back home in the US. One of the pioneers in the ‘New Wave Of American Heavy Metal’ which began in the mid 1990’s and peaked later in the millennium. Machine Head dabbles with thrash and groove metal, which they’ve perfected in songs like “Aesthetics Of Hate” and “Clenching The Fists Of Dissent”. From criticising the critics who act like the gatekeepers of rock, to taking an anti-war stance in the midst of the American government’s oil-hoarding in the Middle East, Machine Head’s fans know that they mean business.

"Being able to loudly and aggressively speak truth to power is just one of the many uses of anti-establishmentarian music. As many metal-heads can attest to, listening to some quality rock and metal can prompt emotional, mental and even physical benefits as well; revelling in the violent themes of metal in in many ways, an act of anti-violence and therapeutic self-love. In fact, academically-backed research published in an article on LOTTOLAND reveals that people who regularly go to live rock music gigs are more satisfied with their lives than those who don’t. The same source also reveals that powerful music can give a 26% boost to your overall blood-flow. Keep these things in mind the next time you’re debating whether or not it’s worth it to go out and see what the newest bands have to offer…"

What are your thoughts on metal bands speaking truth to power? Were there any bands or artists you feel deserve to be in this list? Let us know what you think in the comments!

As disappointing as it is, it’s not just day-to-day society that’s still behind in terms of equality between men and women in the work place…the world of rock and metal is still very much a male dominated genre of music and despite the best efforts of several high profile bands, it’s still dragging it’s knuckles to a degree…for example; Download festival (Arguably the most mainstream and high profile of the alternative rock and metal festivals) is yet to have a ‘female-fronted’ headline act on its main stage. Women in rock and metal just don’t seem to be getting a legitimate fair shot…but one young lady is hoping to change all of that; let me introduce you to DIAMANTE.

The Los Angeles-based singer found herself listening to the likes of AVRIL LAVIGNE and KELLY CLARKSON at a young age but through that soon discovered and developed a passion for classic rock, and artists such as JOAN JETT and PAT BETANAR. After dropping her debut single “Bite Your Kiss” back in 2014 she’s generated millions of streams on YouTube etc. and has recently dropped her debut full length album; “Coming In Hot”. Produced by Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MOTORHEAD) he’s proclaimed himself that the 21-year-old is the rightful heir to the throne of Joan Jett; while Diamante herself intends to make a statement…incredibly bold, let’s see if she can back it up.

The album opens up with the title track and lead single “Coming In Hot” and within seconds you can hear the influence that Joan Jett has had on the young artist…from the gritty, attitude-riddled vocal delivery and the simple, old-school style of the guitars, this will easily appeal to fans of all that is classic rock. Do you remember when BRITNEY SPEARS covered (And I use that term loosely) “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll”? Well this is better, considerably better…follow up track “Sound Of Us” for the most part is more of the same though the pre-chorus has some additional melody, while the chorus itself has gone big, bordering on anthemic. The guitar solo here too is a pretty decent effort and ultimately we’ve got a straightforward yet enjoyable track here. Recent single “Had Enough” directly addresses the issue of women’s rights by supporting the #MeToo movement…with a video inspired by “Thelma & Louise” and a production staff consisting entirely of women, it’s more of a statement than a hit single as musically again it’s relatively straight forward, but the message is more important than the track itself here really.

Elsewhere the record does have further highlights including “Kind Of Love” which combines bold melodies and soaring gang vocals over some catchy pop-rock hooks for a solid, enjoyable track…”War Cry” takes things up a notch with a deeper, darker core sound, almost rooted in industrial given the lyricism and instrumentation; the riffs are heavier and the overall tone of the track is a little more sinister, while “Fight Like A Girl” is predominantly more groove-heavy with another strong chorus. The album isn’t without it’s lesser points however; “Definitely Not In Love” is a completely cringe-worthy track driven by spoken-word verses, I’m definitely not in love with THIS one, while “Black Heart” harks back to those early Kelly Clarkson influences, negating the whole classic rock vibe of the album, before closing track “Lo Siento” is just a Spanish version of earlier track “I’m Sorry” and serves little to no point, adding nothing to the album in terms of quality…it would have served better as a B-Side. Ultimately the album as a whole is a decent selection of rock ‘n’ roll track’s and despite her young age she’s done well, channeling the genre’s heritage through to a new generation of listeners, bridging the gap between pop and rock well, but there’s nothing truly iconic or memorable about the record. Diamante here coming in lukewarm if anything, but there’s no reason to suggest she can’t turn up the temperature next time around. [6]

Back in 1999, in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a young man by the name of Benjamin Burnley would lay the foundations for what would become one of America’s most popular alternative rock bands; BREAKING BENJAMIN. As the sole remaining original/founding member, Ben has overseen virtually all of the song-writing and composition amidst a series of line-up changes (And lawsuits) but has seen the band attain multi-platinum status in the States with a string of successful albums…however…due to a serious case of aviophobia, as well as hypochondria, it wasn’t until 2016 that Ben and the rest of the current band finally left the comfort of their home country to play their first shows overseas. 2018 sees them return with album number six; “Ember”…have they found new inspirations on their international travels? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with a brief intro piece called “Lyra” and it’s a delicate sounding, sombre piano-led instrumental; based in Greek mythology it represents the Lyre Of Orpheus and is said to produce music so charming that it could affect inanimate objects, and conceptually here that works for this 30 second piece of music, but as we lead into first track proper “Feed The Wolf”, all of that charm goes out the window. We’re met with a thick wall of chugging riffs as Ben delivers his duel vocal onslaught; fleeting between deathly growls and harmonic melodies as he sings of fighting temptation, and giving into the urge of man’s animalistic nature and it’s emotive despite its lag. The albums lead single “Red Cold River” follows up next and really speaking we have more of the same…the combination of his smooth, clean vocals with his intimidating metal growls showcase Ben’s admittedly impressive range, but structurally the track is quite generic and honestly quite bland, despite the ferocity of that pre-chorus…

The album isn’t without it’s highlights however…”Blood” utilises solid groove and rhythm over some well delivered hooks that make up the chorus, using Ben’s growls sparingly and it’s a lot more effective here; it’s balanced incredibly well and allows the chorus to have that much more impact and intensity, and the track stands out all the more for it, while “The Dark Of You” takes a different approach altogether, opting for a chilling power-ballad of sorts, the change of tone no less emotive but it does provide an extra level of depth and variety…though that there is the albums primary flaw; variety…or, lack thereof. Yes, as I’ve previously stated Benjamin’s vocals ARE impressive as he’s able to sing and snarl with the best of them, but here the writing behind it is far too monotonous or two-dimensional. While there are peaks and troughs of specific talking points scattered throughout the 12 tracks on offer, the idea of repeat listens is more than a touch laborious, with the album as a whole coming off as disappointingly boring and repetitive in places. Ember is quite fitting as a title really, for on this evidence, the fire’s gone out and we’re left with just a smouldering lump of used up carbon. [4]

The beautiful island of Trinidad; the southernmost island of the Caribbean just a few miles off the coast of Venezuela…a colourful and vibrant place with a rich, diverse culture of exotic carnivals, and also the inspiration behind classic stories such as “Treasure Island”, to many it really is a tropical paradise, however, the steel-drums aren’t the only source of ‘metal’ you’ll hear whilst you sip your cocktails in Las Cuevas Bay, for even the Trinidadian’s know how to rock out; let me introduce you to HAIL THE HATTER. Having formed in 2015, the metal outfit started off when vocalist Jonathan Boos and guitarist Dax Carter decided that the world of rock music was lacking a sense of fun, and thus HTH (Now completed by drummer Nickolai Assam and bassist Aaron Lowchewtung) was born. Having recently released their debut mini-album “Discovering Light”, let’s see just how mad these hatters really are…

We open up with a little intro entitled “The Coming Of The Hatter” and frankly I hope he brought tissues…I kid…incredibly foreboding; it’s a spoken word piece foretelling the hatters arrival as an omen among the thunder and rain, bringing with him the imminent doom for the people of the island, before we get chants of “Hail The Hatter!”, likening him to the devil himself. It sets up an interesting concept and we’re a far cry from Wonderland here let me tell you. First track proper then is “Bone Grin” and aside from the incredibly random Arnold Schwarzenegger opening, we have a brief build towards some slick, blues-inspired hard rock. Initially up-tempo it channels influences such as GUNS ‘N’ ROSES which you can pick up in the tone of Boos’ vocals and definitely the solo towards the end; it’s a decent start…aside from more Schwarzenegger rounding it off…you’re NOT AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE…stop it.

Next up we have “God Bless The Beast” and we’re pretty quickly head-banging to some classic riffs and solid percussion; it’s quite nostalgic in sound for the most part, acting like a throwback to vintage NWOBHM acts such as SAXON and JUDAS PRIEST given it’s tone and even lyrically, you can hear them praise the likes of BLACK SABBATH, they’re definitely tipping their hat to their influences here. “White Walls” initially slows things down dramatically, reduced down to no more than a sluggish drawl with tired riffs mixed with brief guitar licks and gang vocals; so incredibly lethargic, that is until a brief up-tempo fill click-baits you into thinking the song is waking up, but alas it’s short lived. “Akasha”, given its name has a sense and feeling of both vacuity and freedom, with Carter’s guitars flowing through your conscious like they would through space and time itself, before we end proceedings then on the title track, and the longest track on offer here. After a long winding string-section leading into the track, we’re met with more vintage metal at nearly three minutes in, backed with some emotive, soaring vocals from Boos. It’s a dramatic number, especially with the delicate tones of the piano wrapping things up, ending the record on a high.

It’s an interesting listen all in all really and musically they’ve delivered, there’s ample to be enjoyed here for fans of hard rock, classic metal and maybe even a little prog too if you will.  The band wanted to incorporate a little ‘fun and menace’ into their sound and style but sadly they’ve not really delivered on the fun bit to be honest; given their name and such a statement, I was expecting something more off-kilter and essentially bonkers but sadly didn’t so much as smirk once, and coming from the West Indies, well…it’s just not cricket. [6]

At the risk of stating the obvious, I’m quite partial to a review…yes I spend a fair amount of my time writing up these blog entries and contributing to the team over at All About The Rock, but a lot of my free time is spent watching YouTube reviewers too; guys like Anthony Fantano, AVGN, Brandon Tenold and more recently I’ve stumbled upon a guy named Decker Shado; the internet personality with the best hair. He, like most internet movie reviewers has gone through the “Alien” franchise and having watched these particular videos over the last day or so, it’s only ironic that this next review has ties to the movie itself…thematically at least, let me explain…

​Allow me to introduce to you a band by the name of SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL and to utilise some professional wrestling terminology here, they’re ALL about the kayfabe. Hailing from Acheron LV-426, a moon orbiting Calpamos, 39 Light Years from Earth, from which the USCSS Nostromo picked up a distress signal, before its crew got face-hugged the fuck out of in the aforementioned movie “Alien”. Or, if you prefer…Rome, they’re from Rome, Italy. The intergalactic 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Herma, bassist Big Daddy Ray, drummer Evey plus guitarists Lobo and Rev C2) apparently “crash landed” in the Italian capital after their spaceship; the BFS9000 suffered engine failure on their travels and they’re a bit stuck, but as luck would have it they’re a space-age musical circus freak-show and request your generosity in funding the repair costs by checking out their brand new album “Element Of Sex”. Clearly not endorsed in any way by the Weyland-Yuntani group, let’s see if they deserve our hard earned dollar…

We open up with “Fire True” and immediately we’re met with a dramatic, string-inspired synth sequence, verging on symphonic really, before we’re thrust right into the crunch of some thick, throwback nu-metal riffs. The heavy intensity and subtle electronic elements musically places this somewhere in deep space between KORN and CANE HILL, add to that then a slick guitar solo and overall we’ve got a decent opener here. Recent single “Megalomaniacal” is up next and it brings the tempo with it too, mixing raw, punk qualities via Herma’s cacophonous vocals, with a classic hard rocking rhythm…also the “Mortal Kombat” inspired arcade game video that accompanies it is a bit bonkers to boot; all in all a fun track. “All Wanna Go To Heaven” then reaches an entirely different echelon as the albums clear stand-out track…the gradual build of seductive keys and simple percussion leading into cleaner vocals, capitalising on influences such as GARBAGE and NO DOUBT resulting in a perfectly catchy piece of pop music; the hooks and overall groove here will have you hitting repeat with no doubt ironically, this is superb.

The trouble with that is, the rest of the album can only go downhill, but it doesn’t go too far down it has to be said; “Hellawake” is another brilliant example of synth-pop combined with hard riffs and hushed ambiance for a solid, almost anthemic listen; layered incredibly well…”HeXxX (The Element Of Sex)” has a certain retro feel to it, partly channelling the likes of THE B52’S in tone giving it a fun, up-beat feel, while “Cryptid” utilises a pacey guitar driven approach, rich with gang vocals, melodies and subtle breakdowns for a well delivered ear-bashing, before closing track “C*mmunion” ends on a high note with more hooks and accessible pop-rock enjoyment. It’s not quite a perfect album over its ten tracks though sadly; “Slam!” despite being heavier and grittier musically plods along a touch too methodically, while “New Witch 666” undergoes a remix following its initial release in 2015…not the best of tracks to begin with, the revised cut gives it new life but it’s still weaker compared to what else is on offer. All in all however we have an undeniably strong album here and from start to finish these xenomorphs entertain on a number of levels. If we could just get Ash to sabotage the fuck out of their repair operation given his previous, maybe they’ll stick around a bit longer…because whilst sick they are indeed beautiful. [8]

Ah West Bromwich…while it may not have exactly been a year to remember for your beloved Albion, (It’s a football thing…they came bottom of the Premier League because they SUCK!) one thing you can always be proud of, is that you spawned one of the biggest and most influential metal bands of all time; JUDAS PRIEST. Having formed way back in 1969, the band went on to pioneer not only how bands approached playing heavy metal, but also the way metal as an entire image was perceived, introducing the now-iconic look of spiked / studded leather accessories, one that we now mostly view as a cliché. Despite their advancing years, and the likes of their fellow Brummie’s BLACK SABBATH calling it a day, Priest are still going hard and 2018 sees them release album 18; “Firepower”…but are they all guns blazing? Let’s find out…

We kick off with the title track and to be fair there isn’t a lot that can be said without going through the motions really, and that sums up the song itself. We’ve ticked all the boxes here regarding the traditional duel-guitar onslaught with pummelling drums, coupled with Rob Halford’s distinctive vocals, with a slick solo or two thrown in for good measure…it’s a decent track, a proper metal track and pretty much Priest by numbers really…or, well, ANY classic metal band by numbers for that matter. Follow up track “Lightning Strike” is predominantly more of the same really…there is a decent rhythm flowing through the track despite the gruff, often blunt delivery of Halford’s vocals in places but it’s still pretty run of the mill.

It’s not all a barrage of beige however…”Never The Heroes” utilises a strong, groove-heavy intro that builds up wonderfully into a solid, blue’s-based track that is brilliant in its simplicity, and the chorus is spot on; nothing extravagant but undeniably catchy…this is a clear album highlight. “No Surrender” is a short, sharp dose of classic metal but has ample, melodic guitar harmonies  and effective hooks during its brief run-time, resulting in another enjoyable listen, while closing track “Sea Of Red” initially swaps the aggression for subtle acoustics, as we end on a blissful power ballad. It gradually picks up the pace; even incorporating symphonic elements, but the change in overall style is a welcome swap indeed and a strong finale.

Elsewhere, well, I’m afraid over the 14 tracks on offer, the majority of it is just a little bit boring. “Evil Never Dies” is amusingly fitting as you feel that way about the song itself; it just methodically plods along  for what seems like forever, it has like, one hook pre-chorus and that’s about it. “Flame Thrower” despite its name really doesn’t ignite much interest…and the chorus sounds off vocally, it just doesn’t sound right. “Guardians” beautifully played piano intro sounds absolutely noble and heroic, but it’s just an interlude and ultimately disappoints, leading into “Rising From Ruins” which is consistent but generic at best and it’s a shame. For a band approaching their 50th anniversary it’s pretty impressive don’t get me wrong, they still play with passion and Rob Halford can still hold his own vocally, credit where it’s due, they’re far more entertaining that fellow dinosaurs THE ROLLING STONES…but just like fellow Brit metal veterans SAXON they’re running the risk of merely going through the motions now. As far as traditional metal goes, it’s fine, but like most branded clothing, you’re only paying for the name on the cover of this record. [6]