The super group…the term probably conjures up images of the Avengers or, Guardians Of The Galaxy among today’s youth (Seriously I’m over it already, can we stop with the comic book movies? Can Marvel or DC like, invent a hero called No Need For A Fucking Film Man?) But musically, it’s a term used when big name artists come together for more than a one-off song…when new bands are formed by merging two already established singers or groups, Eric Clapton helped pioneer this with CREAM but, over the years, the likes of THE HIGHWAY MEN and more recently, ALTER BRIDGE have all come together for the greater good…in 2016, members of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, CYPRESS HILL and PUBLIC ENEMY came together to form PROPHETS OF RAGE, solely intending to tackle the mountain of bullshit that was the American election, using their platform and voice for good, contribute to the revolution and the prospect, for all intents and purposes, was mouth-watering. With a history of strong political opinions and frustration between them, and plenty of material to fuel the creative fire, they dropped their eagerly anticipated debut self-titled album this year…will the prophets profit or are they gonna’ make me rage quit? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Radical Eyes” which is a nice little play on words I will say…musically it’s really quite slow and lethargic with an almost southern-rock groove in it’s bass-heavy riffs, while B-Real and Chuck D question the establishment, minorities getting ignored and mistreated, false information in the media, it’s a serious issue but it’s not really hammered home here as sadly the song is very middle of the road, there’s a lack of passion or, frustration behind it and fails to really ignite the album, a lackluster start this. “Unfuck The World” however is a vast improvement, again, bass driven thanks to Tim Commerford and it too has a solid groove, a slick feel to this one with the rhythm and catchy appeal, it’s an album highlight with a great title…if only life was that simple…while “Legalize Me” is a fittingly laid back, almost blues / classic rock inspired piece praising the devils lettuce…with several states in the US having already decriminalized marijuana use, the song campaigns for complete nationwide legalization, both medical and recreational…quite literally, stoner rock.

Sadly however, for the most part, the albums is a bit of a let-down…there is a truly awful solo rounding off “Living On The 110”, while “Fired A Shot” and especially “Hands Up” later on suffer from a deal of repetition…”Who Owns Who” is another strong political track but once again we find even more poor guitar work, honestly it’s painful, if it’s a solo, Tom Morello deserves to be shot…”The Counteroffensive” provides with nothing more than a pointless 38 second interlude…NO! They should have called it counter-productive, before we eventually finish on “Smashit”…nothing overly special, and in that I guess I’ve summed up this record perfectly. The hype surrounding this collaboration was off the chart and while they’ve delivered on a lyrical front, and I won’t take it away from Tim, the bass really owns it on this record, but with a collection of artists such as this releasing an album, do you really want bass to be the thing that stands out? For the most part generic and a little bit dated on times, there are tracks here that wouldn’t be out of place on a Tony Hawk’s soundtrack…never mind unfucking the world, I’m trying to un-listen to this. [5]              

Do you believe in a thing called love? Well apparently you did back in 2003…yes 14 years ago, a little band from Lowestoft in Suffolk called THE DARKNESS ejaculated onto the scene like the most flamboyant of glam rock money shots with their debut album “Permission To Land”…the old-school rock ‘n’ rollers (fronted by spandex-clad mad man Justin Hawkins) instantly became hot property after an immensely successful year (They held off the mighty IRON MAIDEN at the top of the charts and won everything from Kerrang! to Brit Awards…they even had a stab at the coveted Christmas Number 1!)…they were touted as saviors of British rock with a multi-platinum selling album and the world was theirs for the taking…but somehow it all went wrong. In the wake of their follow up; 2005’s “One Way Ticket To Hell…And Back”, Justin left the band, tired of the whole process of recording and touring, coupled with a stint in rehab, and ultimately, the band split up…after such promise, that one way ticket would never find its way back…or so we thought. Fast forward a couple of years and after a reformation, we find them in 2017 releasing their fifth album; “Pinewood Smile”…enduring one-hit wonders or a long lost treasure? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with “All The Pretty Girls” and after a slow-building, droning guitar intro we’re met with Hawkins unmistakable shriek…his falsetto vocals giving the band enough of a unique edge to earn them their popularity early on but over time it’s become sort of a gimmick and detracts from the song to a degree…musically it’s solid rock with a fairly decent solo to boot, one thing that can be said is that instrumentally they’ve always delivered…a shaky start. Follow up “Buccaneers Of Hispaniola” is an immediate remedy however…an early album highlight, it’s got a brilliant rhythm, it’s incredibly slick and some wonderful indie-rock hooks, couple with some enjoyable riffs, this is a quality song and is much better overall, this is The Darkness on form.

As I mentioned, musically, The Darkness have never disappointed…”Solid Gold” capitalises on the classic rock influence, the AC/DC and DEF LEPPARD inspired riffs, but the song has a very tongue-in-cheek feel, attacking the industry and their critics with their trademark blend of humour…speaking of which, “Southern Trains” is a brash and punk-inspired piece…but being so very British, we have a song about delayed services and rail commutes…while “Japanese Prisoner Of Love”…about the uh, intimacies of prison relationships shall we say…dropping the soap and such…is a generally quirky track, albeit random. “I Wish I Was In Heaven” has another strong indie-rock vibe with pop elements, but again those vocals seem like their being milked, we get it, Justin can hit some impressive notes but, here they spoil a generally decent song, before we finish up on “Stampede Of Love”…while yes, it does have Western qualities, a stampede conjures up images of chaos, frantic animals, galloping across the plains…this has all the urgency of a galloping sloth. The deluxe edition has four extra songs…”Rack Of Glam”, Justin’s tribute to tits I guess, while there’s a sweet but peculiar acoustic track about losing his virginity, although nothing entirely memorable. While it’s fair to say, I honestly don’t think The Darkness will ever match the glory of their debut, and to be honest I think they know that too, so really it’s unfair to compare everything they do to that first album…look what happened to LINKIN PARK with “Hybrid Theory”…for what it’s worth it’s a decent record with some enjoyable moments and some good, solid rock ‘n’ roll…but it’s not a world beater…solid bronze if anything…[6]

The shark; the ultimate predator…having existed for around 400 million years, essentially predating spines, they’ve lived through multiple mass-extinction level events and have evolved into the perfect killing machine. They properly put the shits up some people (Jaws didn’t help) but to be perfectly honest, sharks get a bad rap most of the time…did you know you are 1000x more likely to die while riding a bicycle? And did you also know you are 75x more likely to be killed by lightning? So with that in mind…let’s see where today’s band, HARBOUR SHARKS, find themselves on the musical food chain. Formed in Kingston, London in 2015, the hardcore pop-punks (Consisting of vocalist/bassist Jack Morris, guitarist Rob Rees and drummer Richard Hemley) have steadily been finding their fins with live shows up and down the country following the release of their first single “Alive To Survive”…but on October 27th they are taking the plunge with their debut full length album; “A History Of Violence”…let’s tuck in.

The album opens up with “False Flags” and there’s no messing around here, hitting very serious topics from the word go. Inspired by the current state of the world and the on-going conflict between terrorists and the west, it’s message is simply that we need to be sensible and open minded, we can’t rely on the media…for most governments are solely interested in profits and they will use newspapers and such to their advantage; scare mongering and propaganda, we need to be wise to this as we are expendable…set over some meaty riffs, it’s up-tempo and frustrated, it’s a solid opener. “The Killer Inside Me” again utilises a chugging, breakdown approach to this blend of soft metalcore, capped off with a decent melodic chorus, the clean vocals balancing the track well, add to that a slick guitar solo and it’s another enjoyable track overall.

Album highlight “It’s Not Working Out” is considerably lighter with more emphasis on the pop qualities regarding the core sound of the track, there are still riffs and light breakdowns but there’s far more harmony within this melodic little anti-love song…this one reminds me of AMBERLINE with it’s easy-core approach, while “Swing Away Merrill” has an up-tempo BLINK 182 inspired feel, Jack channelling his inner Mark Hoppus, while “Burn Down London” has an almost NEW FOUND GLORY inspired sound, before closing track and further highlight “Abandon All Hope” rounds things off on another serious note. With subtle doom elements, it’s a far slower, morose offering and it really sets itself apart from the rest of the album, and though it does pick up at the end, it’s dramatic and emotional and ends the album strongly. On a random note…”Vulva” is a wonderfully quirky minute-long mid-album punk rock snippet with sole intention of calling the government a bunch of cunts…brilliant. All in all, Harbour Sharks have delivered a decent debut here, there are some elements such as breakdowns which feel dated already because they became the in-thing and are now overdone, but ultimately there’s enough here to keep the listener going, plus the encouraging thought of how these songs play out on stage. They aren’t quite Great White’s but, they’ve still got plenty of bite. [6]

The nicest man in rock…it’s a pretty strange title that if you ask me, but it’s a title that’s been thrust upon one Mr Dave Grohl. In recent years, the former NIRVANA sticks-man turned FOO FIGHTERS visionary has been generally viewed upon as a top bloke by virtually everyone in the music business (The guy recently left a $2,000 tip on a bar tab, told a guy to fuck off out of his show for fighting in the crowd, not wanting any of his fans hurt and despite having a broken leg, had a throne specially made for him to sit on, on stage, so that they could still play shows in his cast) but, it has to be asked, does being a really nice bloke get you an automatic pass on your albums? Everyone knows in the past, yes, the Foo Fighters have churned out several absolute banger's, but in recent years that form has dipped substantially…their 2015 thank-you to the fans and dedication to the Paris attacks, free to download (damn he is a nice bloke) “Saint Cecilia” EP wasn’t anything truly memorable musically, while their last album, 2014’s conceptual “Sonic Highways” suffered with the same issues…so we look upon their newest album, “Concrete And Gold” with a sense of trepidation…is this 24-carat or will it kiss the curb? Let’s find out…
 
We open up with “T-Shirt” and at just over a minute here we have another album with a little intro track…on face value it’s a bit of a request in ways, as if Grohl doesn’t want to be lauded with all of this praise, he’s too down to earth for all that…like he’s been there and worn the t-shirt so to speak, let’s just focus on the important stuff…it’s done sweetly , semi-acoustic, bursting to life at the tail end of the track, albeit briefly, before we transition into the album’s first single “Run”. The acoustic tones delicately continue into the song and it sounds like we’re going to get a power ballad of sorts, intensifying subtly to what you feel may be an emotional chorus…but oh no, the tone here is totally unexpected! It’s riff heavy, distorted and savage, Grohl has a raspy anger to his voice and there’s some proper weight behind this, the flurry at the end particularly enjoyable, but it comes and goes in waves, almost bipolar in presentation…and interesting track.

“La Dee Da” has a similarly raucous tone for the most part, especially as the track rips into life over the chorus…it’s incredibly raw and punk-inspired, the rough around the edges appeal of the track giving it plenty of character, this is harking back to their garage band roots and when it gets going it’s incredibly fun this…sadly however, most of the fun stops here. “Dirty Water” has some wonderful harmonies, the female backing vocals giving the already soft track a blissful tone…that is until it’s halfway point and it jump-scares you with some surging guitar…this would be better suited as a closing track to be totally honest but mid-album it feels…lost. “Arrows” and then “Sunday Rain” suffer greatly from repetition…the former does have a classic climatic Foo’s feel, the latter is quite frankly boring and at over six minutes, drags out far longer than it deserves to, before we finish up on the title track…while it is sweeping and to a degree dramatic, it fails to capture any real interest and as a result, the album sort of just, fizzles out. The concept of concrete and gold is quite simple; it’s the rough and ready of Grohl’s rock back ground meeting with the more polished approach of a pop-record producer (Greg Kurstin) and while intentions were good creatively, it merely comes across as two separate albums trying to coexist on the same disk space and sadly, they don’t gel well…not that it matters…while I’m being negative, Grohl just helped an old lady across the street, rescued a cat from a tree and did some recycling…the nice bastard that he is…[4]

There have been countless times within these pages where I’ve celebrated the heritage of heavy metal, celebrating one of the UK’s greatest gifts to the world, but it’s not just these British Isles with a rich history of bands! Not at all…so today, we’re going to turn our attention to Germany and more specifically, to a band by the name of ACCEPT. Formed in Solingen back in the 1976, Accept helped pave the way for a lot of what we now define as speed or thrash metal, further cementing their status by celebrating a fair amount of success with 1983’s “Balls To The Wall”, but, as time went on, the fire inside began to fade and in 1997, they disbanded. Luckily for metal fans however, there was to be a second wind and a new lease of life…in 2009 they reformed with a new vocalist; Mark Tornillo and in the subsequent years they’ve had possibly their best commercial success to date with all three of their recent album charting incredibly well! They hope to continue this with their newest album; “The Rise Of Chaos”…let chaos ensue…

We open up with “Die By The Sword” it’s got a very traditional, dramatic slow-build intro…the duel attack of founding members Wolf Hoffman and Peter Baltes on guitar and bass respectively gives this a primarily classical vibe with their chugging riff approach…the chorus has almost choir-esque chanting and gang vocals accompanying Tornillo (who has a decent range it must be said) and it’s effective in its simplicity, its catchy enough and lifts the track a little…further highlights include “Koolaid” which on surface value may appear to be an incredibly random attempt at sponsorship, but in actuality Hoffman will tell you it’s derived from a mass suicide in Guyana back in 1978, where over nine hundred people drank flavoured Cyanide and took their own lives in what was dubbed a “revolutionary suicide” by the hands of settlement leader Jim Jones…a really interesting listen, while “Worlds Colliding”, while utilising some solid hard rock, combined with slick, catchy hooks perfectly captures the feel of the song’s message…it’s very spiritual and steeped in self-discovery, the ying and yang of your inner self, the good and the bad, finding where the two meet and making that separation (if you can)…and that solo too…this is very enjoyable.

Elsewhere tracks such as the album’s title track and “Analog Man” carry messages themselves, the former highlighting the issues we face worldwide in present time, the chaos we have ourselves created and the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into…the world is a dangerous place and we’re not helping matters at all, while the latter focuses on the advances in technology and in a tongue-in-cheek look at themselves as older veterans of metal, they poke fun at themselves for being old-school, preferring simpler times, mentioning 8-Tracks and iClouds…it’s quirky and proves an entertaining listen…closing track “Race To Extinction” adds to this with a sense of, having a  lack of faith in humanity…we’re tripping over ourselves with advancements and progress but we’re killing the planet, it’s really quite deep and poignant…musically, the majority of the album plods along with a traditional metal feel, looped riffs, the odd solo thrown in for good measure but other than that, there are moments here where it can feel stagnant. While the metal itself may be good, it’s pigeonholed within an era to some degree and again, targets a certain demographic of listener…it’s not to say it’s a bad album by any means, they’ve covered some strong and relevant topics here and it’s been produced well but, for the most part it goes through the metal motions. Less chaos more, rinse repeat…[7]

Ohhh nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol…C-c-c-c-c-cocaine!!! No, I’m not talking you’re average shopping list from the Gurnos estate (although it’s pretty damn accurate) I’m obviously referring to iconic stoner-rockers QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE…yes, that “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer”, however tongue in cheek, propelled the desert dwelling Californian’s to instant stardom and, over the course of time, several well received albums and endorsements by the likes of Dave Grohl, they’ve become one of the biggest names in rock music, but, things have been quiet for a couple of years now. The last we heard of them was back in 2013 when they ironically dropped “…Like Clockwork”…and aside from some work front-man Josh Homme has been doing with IGGY POP, QOTSA have been dormant…until now. At the tail end of August, they unveiled their brand new album “Villains”…a decidedly more care-free album according to the band, a little looser…have they taken stoner rock quite literally? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Feet Don’t Fail Me” and after a lengthy intro, consisting of very little other than tinny, echoed guitar tone, soft synths and hushed percussion…it’s got certain qualities to it that would honestly see it befitting on a show like "Stranger Things", it’s quite dark and trippy…before the track kicks in properly. It’s pleasant enough, the rhythm and overall feel of the song is very generic and methodical at its core, it’s really quite basic, only the subtle synths breaking the monotony, though it’s fitting with Homme’s distinctive drawl, but there’s a solo mind you (at least I think it’s meant to be a solo), incredibly brief but oh god does it sound off, however intentional the tone, it’s honestly excruciating to listen to, really spoiling the song. “The Way You Used To Do” follows up and is redemption enough…it’s a far more positive, up-beat track, although still simplistic, harking back to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll with its basic percussion and repetitive style, it flows nicely, accompanied with the hand-claps it’s got a feeling of movement, the old dance-all days of swing and it’s got a great climatic flurry with the guitars turned up a notch, this is much better.

Further highlight’s include the short, almost punk-a-billy inspired “Head Like A Haunted House”…it’s a sharp dose of energy and the whole thing, again, harks back to an almost 1950’s style of American rock ‘n’ roll,  aided by the inclusion of subtle electronica, it’s like an amalgamation of two era’s with a slight hint of B-Movie feature thrown in for the full retro package, while standout track “Fortress”, despite being more restrained, combines string sections and a soothing, morose tone with further synth elements for simple but effective hooks…there’s more melody here, it really is loose, it’s a band relaxed and just enjoying themselves, it is laid back, it is care free and that carries over through the listener, allowing you to just kick back and enjoy…sadly however, the rest of the album  fails to hit the mark. “Domesticated Animals” for example is incredibly slow and practically lifeless…its really quite a boring listen, likewise too on “The Evil Has Landed”…there are moments when tracks pick up the pace but it’s sadly too little too late for the most part, before the album closes on “Villains Of Circumstance”; rounding off proceedings with a disappointingly dull listen…again, there is a flurry of life at the end but it doesn’t make up for it too well. It’s not a terrible album, for what it’s worth…it’s within its style and QOTSA have approached this record with a sound and theme in mind, and there are moments to take away from this, but you can’t help but think back to the likes of “Go With The Flow” and “Little Sister” and just wish they’d turn it up again. It may be called villains but, the only crime they’ve really committed here is for the most part subjecting the listener to boredom. [5]

Ah the internet; such a wonderful invention…for professional procrastinators such as myself, hours of fun can be had on YouTube, laughing at DT rant on Arsenal Fan TV…reliving my childhood watching the likes of Continue? and AVGN playing retro video games…joining in with a healthy WWE debate with Oli Davies and Luke Owen on Wrestle Ramble…but on a more serious note, its allowed me to hear music that I otherwise really wouldn’t have heard if it hadn’t existed. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that there have been PR companies and labels that have so generously forwarded me music from around the world, from Spain to Sweden, from Finland to France and beyond…even America, which is pretty damn cool, and it’s incredible to know that, even on the smallest scale, something you’ve done has reached out internationally in some capacity. I recently received an email with a private request off a band by the name of ZAIPH and I believe it’s a GTGC first, as they originally formed in Argentina! Yes, formed in San Francisco in the province of Córdoba by singer/keyboardist Nico Moroni, they released their debut album “Echlectic” back in 2011, but now, having relocated to Toulouse, France, they’ve found themselves working with Dan Swanö (who’s worked with the likes of OPETH and KATATONIA) for the brand new album “New Era”…have they found their missing prog puzzle piece? Let’s find out…

The album gets underway with “Tomorrow’s Promises”  and a deep, social-political quote from the late THE BEATLES icon John Lennon…it’s in its own way revolutionary, urging society to wake up to the lies fed down to them by government and world leaders, for tomorrows promises are essentially false, and we fall for it every time we vote…musically it’s delivered with a hard dose of riff-fuelled metal; both guitar work and percussion is assertive here while vocally, Nico sings with a disdain and disbelief, before the prog-inspired qualities reveal themselves near the end with a gentle shift in tone and a piano-led fill, soothing the listener, before the guitar, steeped in melody reawakens like an epiphany; a strong start here. “Wild Beauty” is much slower to begin with and leans more towards doom-based metal in its morose tone…you can hear the likes of Opeth but also early PARADISE LOST too as the track rounds off with surging, deep, bass-driven riffs.

“Blow!!!” continues on from this and here you can sense that they’ve derived influence from rock and metal both old and new for a well-rounded sound; here for instance you can taste the classic style of early METALLICA but melodically you get a sense of GHOST layered within the tapestry of the track, while “Gates”, utilising a solid up-tempo rhythm, sounding energised and to a degree spacey, has elements of KILLING JOKE, resulting in an album highlight, yet on the flip-side but no less appealing, is the gentle, acoustic-led “Song Of The Mountain”, with its subtle native/tribal feel courtesy of wood instruments and pipes; it’s really quite enchanting, a welcome respite.

The good thing about prog-metal is essentially the open-minded approach to writing and playing, there are no real boundaries or restrictions, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to experimenting with sound, which is why this album is so rich in diversity…”The Butterflies Carrousel” , despite its initial ferocity transitions into an almost soft-jazz interlude…it’s got brass elements and is quite emotional, almost soulful, before we end rather conceptually with the double header of “Conscious Minds” and “13 Lunas”…touching upon the album art; the notion of interstellar, large scale Ouroboros..the infinite cycle of creation and destruction, it’s beyond our control and we must essentially accept it, free our minds of worry and live…cleanse ourselves mentally, the closing track fading out, as though a metaphor for letting go of negativity, setting ourselves free and it works very well. There may be a lot to take in upon the first play-through, but the depth here only makes “New Era” that much better with each and every listen. With their name taken from the 6th brightest star in the constellation of Orion, Zaiph are prepared to boldly go where, no sound has gone before. [7]

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's weird to think really, that, I've been reviewing for at least four years now and, I've covered a fair range of artists for not only this blog but, I've whore'd myself out to other publications as well! That sounds bad...but no, over these past few years I've been allowed to develop as a writer, contributing to several amazing teams which has taught me a lot and allowed me to grow into the bitter, sarcastic bastard you follow today...one such publication would be FIREBRAND. A very well organised e-zine, Firebrand was split into two publications; Firebrand Magazine (which dealt generally with straight-forward rock 'n' roll, blues, AOR type releases) and Firebrand After Dark (which I primarily wrote for, featuring heavier, darker releases). In issue 11, going way back to May 2014, I wrote a review on an album called "Grave Party" by a Greek gothic-rock band by the name of SADDOLLS...it was refreshing to see and hear a band keep the genre alive with a genuinely quality album (gothic rock has always been a niche market)...now...three years later, they have released a follow-up record by the name "Blood Of A Kind" and there's absolutely no way I wouldn't keep you up to date...get your goth on...let's go...

We open up with a track called "Dunkelstein" and immediately I'm forced to imagine Boris Karloff tea-bagging Mae Clarke in a director's cut of "Frankenstein" from 1931...that literally never happened but I really wish it did...nevertheless, it opens up with some chilling organ-esque synth notes and thematically it's very Transylvanian in a horror movie sense. The guitars chug along while the deep vocals of George Downloved offer the listener a dose of familiarity, with this style already working well for the likes of DEATHSTARS and LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE for example, fans of those will appreciate this and as an introduction it works. "Creep It Into You" however takes things up a notch following immediately afterwards and offers us an early album highlight...more melodic and up-beat, it's got a hell of a hook in the chorus and the softer female vocals provided by Ioanna Zach give the track extra texture, the guitar solo is brief but sleek; there are rich pop elements to the track and the finished result is catchy as hell.

Lead single "Cold Blood Inside" is a slower, far more morose track for the most part, the video portraying a simple message, hope springs eternal so to speak, metaphorically no matter what, the outlook for humanity has to be optimistic, you can't kill hope...musically it'll appeal to fans of "Blessed Be" era THE 69 EYES in ways, it's quite simplistic and to a degree repetitive, there are better choices for a lead single really. "Kiss You In Hell" for example opens with it's moody bass, layered under tickled keys and more guest vocals provided by Georgia Dm, it's generally got more life to it, as is the same with "Die Better"...an absolute scorcher of a track; there's great rhythm here, it's solid and consistent, again, it's got really catchy hooks, key changes, I've said it about tracks in the past but this is the sort of thing that would do great in alternative nightclubs.

There are lesser tracks here too however, with "Pale White Dracula" sounding like they are going through the motions so to speak, plodding along, no real life in the riffs as such, and lyrically "Dracula, Dracula, kiss my lips...Dracula, Dracula, give me that kiss..." sounding just a little bit cheesy, but not as much so as "Sex In Church"...yes that is the actual name of track five. As aesthetically pleasing as the track may be musically, you can't help but cringe here...I hope this is a track that doesn't get a music video...anal beads for a rosary anyone? Were you really a virgin Mary? Were you? Were you really? Ave Maria...I bet he did...all jokes aside, while laughable it doesn't spoil the album too much and overall, the nine tracks on offer here again deliver us a solid goth-rock record, as I said before, goth is rarely "in" as such, but it's good to see bands still catering for miserable buggers such as myself. These dolls might be sad but, they are still worth playing with. [7]

Bands operate in cycles, you know the drill; announcement > promotion > single > hype > album > tour > break > repeat...it's a pretty standard formula and let's be honest, it works! Every few years you find yourself thinking "So and so are due an album...". Some fans it has to be said wait longer than others; no one will forget the debacle that was THAT underwhelming GUNS 'N' ROSES travesty "Chinese Democracy" (seriously, that was the musical equivalent of the Gobbeldy Gooker at WWE's 1990 Survivor Series...by the time it happened all you could say was, why?) but luckily, most artists are pretty consistent. Cue AFI...Davey Havok and co hinted at activity with last years return of BLAQK AUDIO, so it's no surprise that a fire inside ignites once more for the first time since 2013's "Burials". Are they still burning brightly on "The Blood Album"? Let's get warmed up shall we...

We welcome them back as "Dark Snow" gets the album underway and it's a wonderfully paced, rich, bassy electronic number...the band have clearly retained the soft-goth core sound that they fully embraced for "Decemberunderground" and it's essentially a gentle reintroduction, Havok's vocal complimenting the melancholy of their music ever so sweetly and it's a nice start. "Still A Stranger" briefly starts with some jolly acoustic guitar but soon becomes trademark AFI; bold chorus, up-beat rhythm and momentum carrying a genuinely catchy piece of modern alt.-rock. Havok's vocal touches on aggressive towards to climax but a far cry from their punk-rock past, but it still adds texture.

Album highlight "Get Hurt" is a quaintly vexed little offering sounding not unlike something you'd get from R.E.M. for example but, obviously with the modern, emo twist that AFI have perfected over the last decade, while other highlights include the intense, angst-driven "Dumb Kids", here harking back to the aforementioned punk-rock origins with a short but sweet stab of adrenaline, and by contrast, "Feed From The Floor" channels subtle nods to THE CURE before closing track "The Wind That Carries Me Away" blends blues tones with dramatic, pop-hooks for a powerful climax.

At 14 tracks long however there a couple of weaker moments, "Above The Bridge" for example suffers from repetition and "She Speaks The Language" while tense for the most part is let down by a fairly flat, unimaginative chorus. Overall though, AFI have delivered a strong and consistent album here...it may not have any immediate hits that leap out at you that previous records have produced but from start to finish it's a good listen. You can water down a record for a fast buck and a cheap shot at the charts but as they've proven here, blood is thicker than water and collectively, the fire inside still burns on. [8]

"...We ALL know, that one of the main elements of attack...is the element of surprise! So, what could be more surprising, than the first battalion transvestite brigade?! The airborne wing, parachuting into dangerous areas with FANTASTIC make-up...and a fantastic gun...and the opposing forces going 'Fucking hell look at these guys...they've got guns! They've got guns! Jesus they've got guns!...I was so surprised, were you surprised? I was surprised'..."

I know what you're thinking, "Gav...what the fuck are you on about?"...well let me elaborate. In this excerpt from "Dressed To Kill" by EDDIE IZZARD, he perfectly sums up my overall reception of "Peace In Chaos", the brand new EP by Reading-based rockers THE FINAL CLAUSE OF TACITUS. It just rolls off the tongue doesn't it (-_-) Seeing a name like that, your first impression is maybe they are a prog-metal inspired outfit? Or something incredibly heavy and conceptual, given the figure of Tacitus, a notable historian and political philosopher in Roman history...but no...far from it. Let me explain...

We open up with some pretty straightforward guitar riff on "7 Years" and it sounds as though we'll be heading into some classic-inspired, old-school rock and roll territory, but the bass, courtesy of Flea, sorry, Andy, turns everything on it's head...this is some funked-up shit! Coupled with vocalist Matt's best Anthony Kiedis impression you could easily be forgiven for thinking this is some unearthed early-era RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS demo. The is a segment where the forced, shouted vocals literally make you wince with their blunt delivery and it tarnishes an otherwise decent track; an interesting start...

First single "Give Them Blood" initially slows things down considerably, taking a more serious tone and a slightly more aggressive chorus has shades of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE etched into it's core sound, though retaining the funk-driven elements, there is some interesting guitar experimentation but the repetitive chorus does fall flat quite quickly. "Snake Town" adds further influence from the likes of FAITH NO MORE and as a whole this record could of easily been released in the early to mid nineties, when rock was in the middle of a transitional period and finding it's feet again, combining various elements to reinvent itself and this track acts as a perfect throwback to that period, before we eventually finish up on title track of sorts "Hidden Patterns", further utilising all of the aforementioned styles. I guess in a way their name represents their musical mindset very well, as Tacitus (history lesson alert) was renowned for his questioning of establishment and not wholeheartedly agreeing with the principles of his emperors, voicing his opinions clearly and going against the grain so to speak. As a band, TFCOT have done this by not falling into any current trend or style. They've looked at the current scene in UK music and have made a bold statement by sounding completely different to the vast majority of bands emerging right now. Original? Far from it, but right now it's refreshing. If you are of that era, this might be your new favourite band! [6]

"Peace In Chaos" is released on February 24th
The single "Give Them Blood" is out January 27th

​"All of this began with a scrap of paper, which we've now come to call 'The Plan'"...and that is how ALTER EDEN were born. Yes, back in 2015 everything seemed like a good idea, that little scrap of paper full of scribbles was the blueprint to what eventually became the debut EP "Fearless"; showcasing the alt.rock / metal potential these lads from Stoke-On-Trent had within them...now, fast forward two years and the band (consisting of vocalist Nick Pilgrim, guitarist Alex Coleman, bassist Aled Roberts and drummer Simon Whitney) is back. Older and therefore wiser, they have put everything into their new record; creatively, practically and figuratively and the end result? The new EP "Tigers & Lambs"....Will they roar like tigers or like little lost lambs are they bleating their way through life? Let's find out...

We open up with the title track and there's already a sense of improved production quality second time around and it's not surprising, as it's been mastered by the guys behind BRING ME THE HORIZON and LED ZEPPELIN no less! The track itself is a multi-layered sonic offering, the urgency of the guitars in parts is full of emotion, the riffs adding weight while balancing a bass-driven roller-coaster of softer rock and off-kilter metal, giving this introduction character.

EP highlight "Colourless" kicks in immediately afterwards with it's frenetic desire to get the listener pumped up; the rhythm flows well and the gang-vocal lead chorus ensures great sing-along qualities, a great catchy track overall, while "Resent / Relent / Repent" touches on the bands influences such as LETLIVE. and DEFTONES, with a rough around the edges core sound, in places channelling the likes of Jimmy Page through production. The nods don't stop there either, as "Count Your Sins" and closing track "We've Had Enough" utilise the early post-rock emo days of REUBEN and THRICE for more melodic offerings, ending the EP pleasantly.

​The question was, are they the tigers, or are the lambs? Well frustratingly we find them somewhere in the middle...where as they have shown they have the calibre to improve, (its a strong step up from their debut in terms of sound) they aren't quite top predators yet in the food chain that is a thriving UK music scene, but, they are far from being lambs either as they've offered up some solid material here. It's worth noting that they have addressed these obstacles with this EP's title in a way, and it'll be interesting to see where they go from here, as they are on the right track. [5]

Every so often, every once in a while, it's refreshing for a band to emerge that ignores scenes and trends, that has no gimmicks and just delivers some straight up quality rock 'n' fucking metal...and in 2016, such a band did just that. Formed by vocalist Austin Dickinson out of the ashes of his former band RISE TO REMAIN, he ditched the metalcore, polished everything up and returned with AS LIONS. Completed by members Connor O'Keefe and Will Homer on guitar, bassist Steffan Whiting and drummer Dave Fee, they dropped one of the hottest  if not THE hottest EP of the year by the name of "Aftermath" and it showed signs of something truly special. Coupled with blistering sets at Camden Rocks and a huge support slot touring with SIXX: A.M. no less to round of the year, we eagerly anticipate their debut full length. Luckily the wait is not long...does January 2017 offer us an early contender for the album of the year?! Let's see if they deliver on "Selfish Age"...

We open up on familiar territory as "Aftermath" gets us going in style and, greeted like an old friend it sounds just as fresh as it did on the EP. Austin immediately showing his worth with some very clean and melodic yet, simultaneously powerful vocals, switching between the styles from verse to chorus. As proven on the live stage he is a great front-man and he's backed up with some quality hard rock here, the track flows effortlessly and it acts as a quality reminder. The rest of the EP is included too, making up around a third of the album, but lead single "White Flags" is still a truly phenomenal modern rock anthem in every sense of the word that still gives you goosebumps with every listen, and "World On Fire" showing a sense of tenderness many bands wished they could tap into and still sound so hench.

It's the new songs however that are the real test for the London-based 5-piece as everything we've heard before, we know is good, we just want to know if they can keep it up...and believe me they do. The title track is another example of slick, melodic rock mastery. Just like they've shown on the EP we're treated to an incredibly catchy chorus, the rhythm is solid while the balance between soft and angst-driven is perfect. "The Suffering" utilises some genuinely meaty riffs and pummelling drumming, with a more restrained, subdued chorus, flipping the formula without losing any edge, while "The Fall" is again, powerful and hypnotic, almost sensual hard rock, just close your eyes and you will fall...in love with this song...no...this band.

I have said it once before when I reviewed the single for NOIZZE and I'll say it again, Austin does his daddy proud here (yes, he is the son of IRON MAIDEN legend Bruce Dickinson) and really it's no surprise that his showmanship has rubbed off on young Austin. With a powerful, authoritative vocal and a band equally adept, collectively they can do nothing but succeed. "Selfish Age"? It would be selfish of me to not share As Lions with you...if you love great rock music with no frills, no bullshit...then these are the band for you. [9]

It has to be said, 2001 was a great year not just for established artists, but breakthrough bands as well. SUM 41 released “All Killer No Filler”, JIMMY EAT WORLD oh so casually dropped “Bleed American”, Aaron Lewis’ STAIND were absolutely everywhere with “Break The Cycle”…and as much as we try to, we can’t ignore the impact LOSTPROPHETS had on the UK scene when they unleashed “The Fake Sound Of Progress”. All of these would go on to become household names…but some bands just came and went…or so we thought. One of these bands was AMERICAN HI FI, and when they delivered us “Flavour Of The Week” off of their debut album, we didn’t think that’s literally all they would be. Sure, they released a few more albums down the line, but they never truly took off after that initial hit. However, 2014 sees them back with a fresh new album, “Blood & Lemonade”…is this their year?

Starting off with “Armageddon Days”, its evident the band retains their ability to write catchy hooks around seemingly serious undertones. The track is subtle but a real foot tapper, a great, simple yet effective chorus and as a whole, there’s plenty of rock ‘n’ roll swagger here. It’s a good start. “Golden State” sounds more familiar, a pleasant dose of radio friendly rock, the bands signature sound unchanged inducing a welcome nostalgia trip, resulting in an enjoyable listen.

“Wake Up” is a far livelier effort, which is fitting, with its almost punk style guitar driven intro. Front man Stacey Jones’ vocals remain soft and melodic however keeping everything on a more pop based tone, but it’s a highlight track. “Amnesia” takes things up a gear yet again with some great bass driven rock, musically it’s probably as heavy as you’re going to get with the Boston based 4-piece and it’s a welcome change of tempo. “Killing Time” and “Portland” keep the album ticking, before we end on “No Ordinary Life”. The longest track on offer here, it’s a sombre rock ballad of sorts, but it does include some slick 6-string work courtesy of Jamie Arentzen.

“Blood & Lemonade”, despite its charm, will never live up to that song thirteen years ago, we can’t deny that, the band were lucky AND unlucky enough to have such a hit, people always seem to remember the song before the band, but, credit to AHF, they’ve stuck at it through an ever changing landscape in musical trends and they’ve written another simple yet enjoyable album. This may not catapult them into superstardom, to be fair I think they’re past that now, but it’s still very much worth a listen. [7]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americanhifi

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/blood-lemonade/id890566287

If you’re a supporter of your local scene, it’s always heart-warming to see with your own eyes,  a band develop over time, and back in June, I wrote a piece on a young band by the name of GLASS GIANTS. Having steadily risen in popularity as a reliable live band, as proven by a recent sell-out show at the iconic CLWB IFOR BACH, the Welsh quintet are back with their 2nd EP; “Cocktails & Bikinis”. Aided by the trusty hands of producer Romesh Dodangoda, how far have these Welsh lads come?

Opening track and lead single “D.A.N.C.E.” see’s the boys continue down the path of fun, light hearted pop-rock which they’ve undoubtedly mastered. It’s easy on the ears, catchy and simplistic, drawing you into the EP with its mildly hypnotic tones.  “Seeing Is Believing” and “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” keep things running along smoothly; the production is slick allowing you to take everything in with crystal clear quality. Ross Dixon’s vocals are powerful and melodic whilst also managing not to drown anything out, given the almost laid back, somewhat gentle style of indie inspired rock the band plays.

“Dirty Knees” despite being an EP highlight, an undeniably enjoyable track, with a great chorus, for some reason, seems to come across as just a little bit, too...innocent? A song such as this, about cheap women and such…you’d expect from STEEL PANTHER, and done with no remorse for that matter too…the track’s been done well but it’s all a bit polite if you ask me, before we finish up on “Love.Live.Laugh”. It starts off with some nice solid guitar work, before plodding along with more of the expected clean vocals and radio friendly rock.

Whilst Glass Giants have earned a name for themselves as live performers, and are clearly good song writers, there hasn’t been a great deal of progression since their ironically titled first EP; “Define Progress”. The sound is still great, it’s enjoyable, but, ultimately, it is essentially more of the same, if not just more polished. Once the cocktails have run out and the bikinis are off, there’s only so much you’ll have before you eventually want to go home. A short burst of fun this one. [6]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlassGiants

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cocktails-bikinis-ep/id897196227

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again; south Wales has one of the richest deposits of talented and/or passionate musicians in the UK, if not the world. Everywhere you look you’re a stone’s throw away from a gig or an up and coming band, busker or songwriter, and one of the freshest bands on the scene, are Pontypridd’s IN REQUIEM. The alternative rock 4-piece (consisting of vocalist/guitarist Adam, guitarist Owen, bassist Grant and drummer Lee) have literally only been around a couple of months, but they’ve already played a promising debut live show supporting REAPER IN SICILY and also, already have a self-titled  4-track EP under their belt…Too much too soon? Let’s see…

Opening track “Trapeze” softly seeps out of your speakers with a really mellow, almost sleepy tone. It’s gentle indie rock, very hushed in its delivery, aside from its chorus, leaving you with a feeling of “oh…” rather than “ooooh!” but it’s a pleasant start, nothing wrong with the track as such but it’s a timid introduction.

“Animal” seemingly has a little more life to it, crunchier guitars, an almost grunge-like tone and when it kicks off properly it’s a welcome riff driven number, albeit a familiar one…anyone else recognise the slight hint of “Fortune Faded” by RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS as it gets going? Just me? It’s there! Coincidence or not; a solid track none-the-less…

“Into The Night” returns to the delicate, ambient tones of the first track, at over five minutes long it does appear to go on a little bit but it’s got some fairly boisterous segments that’ll wake you up If required, before we finish on “Holy Hands”, which is a classic case of leave the best until last. It’s a good quality, straight up rock song, easy on the ears, and over before you can fully appreciate it, making you want to hit replay. Again, there are subtle similarities to the likes of RHCP, but this time in general style as oppose to any section in particular, it’s got that feel about it and all in all, it rounds the EP off nicely.

In Requiem may have only been around since, well, May, but they are clearly eager to get the ball rolling early on. Obviously there’s a long way to go before they’re a fully polished outfit but more live shows, more hard work and ultimately more patience, I’m sure they’ll be around for some time to come. Until then, enjoy this for what it is, rough and ready, there’s nothing wrong with that at all. [6]


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rqmband

You can listen to "Holy Hands" on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rqmband

For some reason, the UK has a bit of a soft spot for indie/alternative duos. Whether it’s THE TING TINGS, GOLDFRAPP or more recently, DRENGE, two seems to be the magic number; so really, it comes as no surprise that Brighton’s fresh faced rockers ROYAL BLOOD are on the verge of making huge breakthrough’s in the current music scene. The pair, comprising of Michael Kerr (bass and vocals) and Ben Thatcher (drums) have just released their debut self-titled album which has already been praised by well-respected voices such as Radio 1’s Zane Lowe and are on the verge of chart success…let’s see what all the fuss is about.

Starting off with “Out Of The Black”, a slightly disjointed, off-kilter intro leads into a sullen indie-rock number, generally plodding along but it does have a chorus with a bit of bite, it’s a little dark with a slightly ballsy attitude, it’s a grower this one. “Come On Over” carries with it more rock ‘n’ roll swagger, the bass driving the song forward with some great rhythm, while “Figure It Out” has qualities not too dissimilar to artists such as THE WHITE STRIPES, pleasant stuff here.

“Blood Hands” is a slower, deeper display from the duo, quite bluesy, raw and emotive; it’s one of the albums highlights, that notion continued with “Little Monster”; a simple track, easy on the ears, again, utilizing the catchy chorus. “Loose Change” and “Ten Tonne Skeleton” keep the album rumbling along then, before we finish up on “Better Strangers”. It’s a bit of a slow burner this one, but draws everything to a close on what is essentially a nicely rounded album.

Royal Blood have released a quality album here, proving that passion and dedication will allow even the most minimalistic means of expression to sound bold and prosperous. Add this to an already acclaimed live performance, recently confirmed by a well talked about set at Reading & Leeds Festival, these boys from Brighton are flying the flag for British indie artists and musicians, and they fly it high. [8]


You can find Royal Blood on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalBloodUK
The album, "Royal Blood" is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/royal-blood/id891695026

Having only been together little over a year, Cardiff based post-hard core pop-punk 5-piece, LED BY LIONS, aim to tackle the current music scene head on, by jumping in at the deep end with the debut EP; “A Long Time Coming”. Inspired by the likes of FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND and NEW FOUND GLORY, they've delivered us five original tracks…let’s see if they were worth the wait…

For starters, naming your opening track “So What Do We Do Now?” isn't particularly encouraging…have they taken on too much too soon? Apparently not, bluff very well called indeed. It’s an instrumental intro but the infectious guitar playing draws you in once it’s allowed to build up over its brief length, before first track proper, “Just Close Your Eyes And Think Of MacGyver” kicks in with some hefty vocals. It’s in your face, tearing stuff…that is until lead vocalist Scott settles things down with some simple melodic singing. As a whole it’s an enjoyable song with some nice harmonies, good start.

“Song For A Hero” and “Fall Of A Giant” both utilise strong pop-infused melodies in the form of their catchy, up-beat guitar driven punk, especially the latter, probably the stand-out track of the EP. The inclusion of some brief breakdowns and some more of the heavy vocals ensure things don’t get completely lost within a soft, pop-rock niche, giving the tracks an ample amount of bite, before we finish up on “So Far Away”. The chorus here alone is worth owning the EP for, definitely one that’ll get stuck in your head and is assured to incite great reactions at live shows.

For a first foray into original recording, so early on for a new band, Led By Lions have certainly not disappointed or let anyone down. For anyone thinking this was instead going to be a wild goose chase in the quest for promised quality, they’d be wrong. This is certainly a capable band, with so much ahead of them; let’s just hope they’re not led astray. [6]


The EP, "A Long Time Coming" is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/a-long-time-coming-ep/id905316545

Regardless of your opinion of the man, BAM MARGERA does a lot for bands. Be it his massive endorsement of the band HIM, their fellow Finn’s THE 69 EYES, or be it lesser known bands such as THE MOXY and LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE, he’s always promoted artists through whatever he’s done, whether that’s a compilation CD or the soundtrack to a TV show or a DVD, and, more often than not, they’re awesome too! So when Bam personally recommends a band to you, you check them out. Back when I interviewed him in July, he suggested I check out a band called THE FAINT, who just so happen to have a new album out called “Doom Abuse”. Here’s what I discovered…

Opening up with “Help In The Head” it’s apparent we’ll be dealing with a variety of influences from the word go. Vocalist Todd Fink carries similar tones to the likes of indie artists such as KASABIAN, while musically it’s slightly grungy, a little punky and very alternative; interesting stuff. “Mental Radio” introduces more of a synthesized electronic sound, but it’s quite straightforward, generally consistent throughout, plodding along enjoyably enough before “Evil Voices” unleashes some quality up-beat indie rock. It’s got a brilliantly catchy chorus and is easily an album highlight.

“Salt My Doom” is an altogether different kettle of fish, far brasher, more intense and as far as this album extends, it’s heavier too, delivering a short burst of energy, while “Animal Needs” on the other hand is fairly monotonous in a KRAFTWERK sort of way, albeit rockier. “Loss Of Head”, “Your Stranger” and “Lesson From The Darkness” keep everything flowing smoothly, before we eventually finish up on “Damage Control”; a relatively slow, sullen anti-climax.

It’s a shame really that, these four guys from Nebraska have been at it since the mid-nineties…yet they’re relatively unknown within the UK. Hopefully “Doom Abuse” can change that, it’s well worth checking out, whoever you prefer to trust, me OR Bam. [7]


The album "Doom Abuse" is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/doom-abuse/id827930963 
The Faint on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefaint

Classic rock or metal aren't just genres, like pop-punk or nu-metal, it’s called classic for a reason, the songs and artists have stood the test of time, foundations were laid, benchmarks were set and legends were born. Even now in 2014, you will see bands forming around the world that cite their influences as say, METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN, for example, hoping to emulate their heroes or, “defend the faith” as popular monthly metal magazine METAL HAMMER would say…and one of these such bands comes from Dorset, England. That band is called ETERNAL ENDEAVOUR and they’re about to drop their début EP; “Out Of Ashes”.

The 4-track EP kicks off with “Fallen Angel” and straight away we’re greeted by the galloping bass-driven influence of Iron Maiden, there’s some decent riff-work on offer here from the fresh faced metallers, and given that it’s all been recorded in drummer Chris Ewan’s home studio, it’s quite respectable, however for an opening track, it does go on a bit.

The title track starts off relatively hushed, a well worked build up, leading on to some slick guitar work, there’s a great vibe about the track as a whole, musically, with that classic style they aimed for easily recognisable, flowing through your speakers, while “Give It All” is a relatively slow burner and plods along harmlessly, before we finish up on “Road To Nowhere”. This sounds like we’re going to end up on a high note. There’s a sense of intensity and hunger, and it’s one of the more traditionally heavy sounding tracks on offer here with this EP, a solid ending.

Musically, or to the point instrumentally, the EP is a decent effort, you can hear the influence, the style is clear, the tracks are well played, but, when you think of all the big classic rock and metal bands, what stands out? Vocalists...name them; Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Dio…all of them in a league of their own, each of them making their band THAT much better. Sadly, for Eternal Endeavour, Jon Belfield is not of that calibre…and while he gives it his all, credit to him, you can hear in places his voice just isn't powerful enough for this kind of music, based on these recordings at least anyway. For now though, I say give benefit of the doubt, allow them time to grow, maybe record with an established producer, and see where they can take it. The key word here is endeavour, after all. [5]


Eternal Endeavour on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EternalEndeavour 
Eternal Endeavour on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EEndeavour

The line-up is complete, the stage is set, Cyfarthfa Park is ready to host the return of MERTHYR ROCK! With the stage times now announced, who will you be seeing this Sunday? Which of the three stages appeals to you more, and who do you think will step up and deliver? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
Please visit http://merthyrrock.com/ for tickets.

MAIN STAGE
21:00: Taking Back Sunday
19:35: Reel Big Fish
18:10: Anti-Flag
17:00: Blitz Kids
16:00: Save Your Breath
15:00: Clear The Auditorium

SECOND STAGE
20:25: The Blackout
19:00: Feed The Rhino
17:40: LostAlone
16:30: The One Hundred
                                                                   15:30: Colt 45


                                                                   YOUNG PROMOTERS NETWORK STAGE
                                                                   19:55: En Garde
                                                                   19:00: Continents
                                                                   18:05: When We Were Wolves
                                                                   17:10: Falling With Style
                                                                   16:15: Reaper In Sicily
                                                                   15:15: Breathe In The Silence

Since their inception in 1999, and given their initial tongue-in-cheek approach, to some extent it’s quite surprising that today, in 2014, FOZZY are not only still around releasing albums, but actually thriving with a continuously growing fan base. Having WWE Superstar / multi-titled world wrestling champion CHRIS JERICHO for a front-man no doubt brings the band fame and attention, but it takes a proper band to maintain that attention, and that’s exactly what Fozzy are. From their beginnings as a cover band, playing the likes of TWISTED SISTER, JUDAS PRIEST and MOTLEY CRUE, to their more recent signing to CENTURY MEDIA records, not only do they have credibility, but now an aura of expectation surrounding them with each and every new album.  This year sees them release “Do You Wanna Start A War”…the question is, are they ready to fight?

Kicking off with the album’s title track, its already annoying that there’s no question mark anywhere to be seen, given that, at the end of the day, it’s a question right? Illiteracy aside, it’s not bad. It appears there’s been a slight toning down since 2012’s “Sin And Bones”; it’s a bit more polished in production and not as raw sounding, however the track itself is a bit repetitive. Lead single “Lights Go Out” is the first clear stand-out track on offer here, it’s very mechanic in tone but falls short of being anything industrial sounding, it plods along, but has such a simple, great quality chorus; catchy stuff.

“Died With You” is another stand out track, touching rock-ballad territory on this one, it’s got a real sentimental feel to it beyond being just a set of touching lyrics, to some extent, playing to Jericho’s strengths as a vocalist, he’s a genuinely good singer. Tracks such as “Unstoppable” and “Scarecrow” keep the album ticking along nicely, the theme of the album seeming to be penning really ear-pleasing choruses, which no one can complain about really…before we come across “SOS”…another cover…from ABBA…what’s more, it actually works too! Fozzy yet again showing their versatility, and willingness to tread new ground…

Chris Jericho maybe a legend in the squared circle, a future WWE Hall Of Famer, however, it’s his band and passion for rock and metal that are the reasons we hear his name more often in recent times, and slowly but surely, he’s becoming the legit rock star he’s dreamed of being, with respectable band behind him to boot. Do you wanna’ start a war? Only if you promise not to use the Walls Of Jericho… [7]


The album, "Do You Wanna Start A War" is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/do-you-wanna-start-a-war/id879555041

Less than twelve months ago, the MANIC STREET PREACHERS dropped “Rewind The Film”, their eleventh studio album. It was a very mellow, quite stripped back affair, focusing on a sense of nostalgia and heritage. It lacked the usual bite the former Welsh punks can be renowned for but it was still a quality record. 2014 however already sees them release yet another album; “Futurology”. Two years, two albums and seemingly two opposite concepts…or are they simply lost creatively?

Opening up with the album’s title track, it’s already clear that things are a little livelier this time around, a soft indie rock number utilising the melodious tones of James Dean Bradfield’s vocals, with a simple rhythm to Nicky Wire and Sean Moore’s respective playing. It’s a pleasant start. First single “Walk Me To The Bridge” has a slightly 80’s vibe to it musically, again, a simple track but with a chorus as bold as any, while “Europa Ghet Durch Mich” has a heavier, electronic pulse driving the song. Guest vocals from German actress Nina Hoss give the track extra bite and it makes for an interesting listen.

“Sex, Power, Love And Money” and “Mayakovsky” are grittier guitar driven pieces, with the latter being primarily instrumental, while “Misguided Missile” and “Dreaming A City (Hugheskova)”…another instrumental…are both incredibly catchy and are both album highlights.

Despite its title, what the Manic’s have treated us to with “Futurology” is a fine collection of tracks combining the sleek, seemingly effortless, modern observational song writing we've come to recognise from the Welsh rockers, with a slight retro nod to artists along the lines of KRAFTWERK and ULTRAVOX in places the way it’s all been delivered. It’s still very much a Manic’s album, but with just enough ingenuity to be fresh and more importantly, enjoyable. No matter what direction they take, be it rewinding or contemplating the future…it’s all irrelevant. What counts is the end product, and in album twelve they've proven yet again just how reliable they are. [8] 


The album, "Futurology" is out now: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/futurology/id858632456

Described by some as a “four man punch in the face” and, “explosive, creative and unique”…there’s a lot of promise surrounding Oregon based alternative grunge rockers BLACK HARE. Inspired by the likes of CHIODOS and NIRVANA, we find the four-piece releasing their second album; “Seasons”…something tells me that it’s not going to be all Summery and fun…

Kicking the album off with “Break Away”…we’re greeted with some simple guitars, it sounds slightly promising at the very least, before the vocals start up that is. Zacky Settergren’s vocal tone is, for the most part flat and occasionally down right unpleasant, but he can deliver a decent growl which when utilised is more than welcome. With regards to the guitars and the overall vibe of the song, it’s got a slight MISFITS feel to it but sadly that doesn't save it. “Sin Tax” has a little bit more weight behind it, heavier in its alt/punk roots and again, musically, it’s enjoyable, but you can’t help but wish it was just an instrumental for the sections where Settergren isn't shouting.

The rest of the album is essentially more of the above; the odd shimmer of hope engulfed by poorly delivered vocals. Even the growls get on your nerves eventually and you just want the album to end, so when “Nite Lite” finishes and it does, there’s nothing but relief. As I said musically there is so much potential evident here; there’s an underlying quality to the album that can’t be denied, but it would benefit being used in a completely different band all together…such a shame. [4]


The album "Seasons" is available now on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/seasons/id879567891