Ah yes; Money Inc...For those of you who don’t know, they are one of the most iconic heel tag teams in professional wrestling from the early 90’s. Consisting of “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and “IRS” Irwin R. Schyster, they won the then WWF tag team championships three times over the period of 1992 to 1993, having beaten the likes of the Legion Of Doom and the Natural Disasters, before eventually disbanding, as wrestling continued to adapt and evolve into a new era trough the mid-nineties. Wait a minute…something’s not quite right here…*checks notes*… for fuck sake Gav (-_-) let’s start again shall we?

MONO INC. for those of you who don’t know, are an alt. rock  / Goth band formed in Germany in 2000 and over the past twenty years have racked up an impressive number of albums and EP’s. The four piece (Currently consisting of vocalist Martin Engler, drummer Katha Mia, guitarist Carl Fornia and bassist Manuel Antoni) have enjoyed a fair bit of homeland success as their previous five albums have all reached the Top 10 in the official German charts, and they hope to continue their run of good form with their brand new album “The Book Of Fire”. Let’s see how quickly we can read this before it’s little more than a smoldering pile of ash…and it better have pictures…

We open up with the seven-minute-plus title track and after a brief piano intro; we practically set sail for high adventure…honestly for a split second I thought I was aboard the Black Pearl swigging rum with Captain Jack Sparrow. This is some piratey shit! The song itself, while a little drawn out in places is up-tempo and incredibly up-beat, it combines that ideology of exploring the seven seas with folk inspired qualities and a rock-based core sound, which while fun and not unpleasant, IS unexpected.  Goths and pirates don’t mix like…do I bury the treasure at the graveyard or scare all the children at the beach? I digress. Follow up track “Louder Than Hell” is the first real album highlight and takes a more traditional musical approach without as much of a gimmick. Rich in melodic guitar and a simple yet commanding rhythmic percussion, it’s got a solid groove amidst subtle power metal qualities and a great hard rock solo, resulting in another entertaining, up-tempo offering.

Lead single then “Warriors” takes a disappointing down-turn in momentum sadly, as we get a slow, sombre orchestral rock ballad with dreary, near monotonous vocals (Chorus aside)…while instrumentally charming in places, it doesn’t do the album too much justice in all honesty. Highlights do however include “Shining Light” which features LACRIMOSA vocalist Tilo Wolff…and it’s a shiny black slab of gothic tinged alt. rock, combining a deeper vocal and harmonic, choir-esque background singing. This is continued with “The Last Crusade” which really ups the ante with it’s incredibly SISTERS OF MERCY inspired intro and slick presentation. This track is infectious as all hell, from the vocal hooks in the chorus to the borderline sexual guitar solo, the book of fire is scorching here. Elsewhere “Right For The Devil”, which features German medieval metal outfit TANZWUT continues a similar standard of simple yet catchy alternative rock…slower in pace maybe but it’s a got a great bass-line and with that comes a certain swagger which is impossible to dislike.

The rest of the album trudges along fairly well without any real complaints, resulting in a solid overall listen, as portions of it will appeal to quite a broad spectrum of alternative music fans. Granted it’s not the all-out Goth-rock record I was expecting, seeing as THE 69 EYES were mentioned in the 'FFO' section of the press-kit, but I can admit I’m not disappointed. “The Book Of Fire” is itself only the latest chapter in Mono Inc.’s storied career to date, and it’s safe to say that these flames aren’t dying anytime soon. A record worth checking out this. [7]

​There are plenty of little things in life that I appreciate; like, having two kidneys for example, one simply wouldn’t be enough to handle my love of Jack Daniel’s in all honesty, but one thing I actually do appreciate; is a band putting in the hard work to make their dreams and aspirations come to fruition.  As it happens, one such band would be FOREVER STILL.

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, the four-piece (Consisting of Maja Shining, Mikkel Haastrup, Rune Frisch and Inuuteq Kleemann) are really anything BUT what their name suggests. From day one and their 2013 debut EP “Breaking Free” they’ve gone above and beyond to ensure they do things as they want and how they want. From booking and arranging all of their own tours with no agents, to doing all of their own photo shoots for promotion and record covers, and even filming their own music videos, they manage virtually every aspect of their career themselves, and it’s paying off. Over the years they’ve had opportunities to support the likes of CHILDREN OF BODOM and LACUNA COIL on tour, and have signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast. 2019 saw them release their newest album entitled “Breathe In Colours”, and you suggested I check it out on my last poll, so let’s do just that…

The album opens up with “Rewind” and initially we’re greeted with a slightly industrialised barrage of riffs and mild distortion…there’s a subtle crackle to the sound quality in places giving the track a rustic character, before we erupt into a chorus of powerful, soaring vocals. In ways Maja finds herself somewhere between Lacey Sturm of FLYLEAF and Sharon Den Adel of WITHIN TEMPTATION and her delivery is bold and assertive, drawing you in as a listener; it’s a solid start. “Fight!” keeps things going with a predominantly Nu-Metal inspired affair…the guitar tone coming straight out of the early LINKIN PARK repertoire, backed up by the harder vocals and climactic ending. This is full of piss and vinegar and it’s a very enjoyable listen.

The rest of the album in all fairness is pretty damn consistent and to be honest doesn’t really put a foot far wrong if at all. “Is It Gone?” utilises a more symphonic metal ballad style with a strong power-pop influence, allowing for a very melodious track with honey-sweet vocals, which can also be said for “Pieces”.  Another soft, dramatic effort, it mixes a solemn yet powerful vocal display resulting in an incredibly deep, emotionally testing track. “Survive” has a more metallic approach with harder riffs and an increased level of intensity, with the screamed vocals providing a deeper, angst ridden delivery. There are some questionable high notes on “Do Your Worst” which is ironic as it seems Maja did just that, something seems off about these vocals in places, like it was hurried or something and they settled for it, but she doesn’t hit those notes as well as she may think.

The end of the album though is very much worth the wait however…beginning with a stripped back version of “Is It Gone?”… A straight up piano ballad, it totally differs from the previous version, providing a deeply emotive and mournful listening experience, channelling the likes of EVANESCENCE in ways; it’s a pained track and you can literally feel every note. The real album highlight however comes at its very end, courtesy of a cover of the LOU REED classic “Perfect Day”. It manages to sound tender and touching while retaining a strong guitar sound during the chorus, though it’s delightfully done, as though the track was tailor made for Maja. This cover works incredibly well for Forever Still and I can see this going down brilliantly live. There may not be any tracks that leap out at you here, but to be fair they blend into each other pretty well…and though while the quality in terms of consistency and production value is fine, don’t expect to single out any massive tunes. They’re on the right path however…and you can expect some anthems from this lot in the future. [7]

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.

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]

Symphonic metal is another one of those sub-genres in which its popularity ebbs and flows like the tide, never really lasting too long but never away for too long either. Bands such as NIGHTWISH and LEAVES’ EYES, despite generally being consistently good, usually find themselves releasing albums into a drastically changed market, and, with styles and tastes changing more frequently nowadays, it can result in these bands sometimes sounding, maybe not dated, but a bit behind. The Netherlands’ WITHIN TEMPTATION however hope to make more of a lasting mark on the current scene with their brand new album; “Hydra”.

The Hydra, being a multi-headed creature from Greek mythology, is used here as a metaphor for musical influence and, as a title shows this album holds more than just another collection of run of the mill, female fronted Gothic tinged metal. Opening track “Let It Burn” does get things under way with a fairly standard effort, but consider it as a warm up. It’s unyielding and dramatic with strong vocals from Sharon Den Adel, textbook stuff really.

Track two is where the album starts to get a little more interesting, with the first of FOUR collaborations recorded for the album. “Dangerous” features one Howard Jones, formerly of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, who himself has an impressive set of lungs. Despite both being renowned for their powerful vocal displays, they compliment each other very well over an up-tempo, bombastic rock track, without anything sounding over bearing.

“And We Run” throws a curve ball into the mix, with a guest appearance from American rapper XZIBIT (no one saw THAT coming), but it does work impressively well! For the best part it’s a steadier number, more of a ballad at Its core despite retaining an intense almost orchestral feel. It’s still a huge sounding track, with Xzibit giving not only the song but the genre itself a swift injection of character and new life.

The leading single, “Paradise (What About Us?)” is in many ways the result of forming what is essentially a super group of symphonic metal. You've got Within Temptation AND none other than Tarja Turunen, the original vocalist from Nightwish. Together they deliver an operatic vocal master class, ticking all of the boxes required and showing the world how it’s done. A genre defining anthem if ever there was one.

Elsewhere, “Edge Of The World” and “Dog Days” keep the album ticking along, while “Covered By Roses” and “Tell Me Why” maintain the albums edgier appeal, with some great guitar driven sections, before we finish on the albums final collaboration. Dave Pirner, from SOUL ASYLUM joins Den Adel on the mic for “Whole World Is Watching”, and although it’s a sweet song, ending things on a somewhat soft note, it can’t help but come across as a little bit weak, and dare I say it, very Eurovision in style. It also ends very abruptly too, leaving you with a feeling of, “oh?” as oppose to giving you real closure. Despite the disappointing ending, “Hydra” is a good album and has just enough originality to help it stand out. Like the creature it was named after, this album had many heads itself, with the band utilizing some interesting but effective collaborations. Good job they didn't find influence in the Greek god Moros instead then really... [8]


Download: "Dangerous", "And We Run" and "Paradise (What About Us?)"
"Hydra" Is Available On iTunes For £7.99 - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/hydra/id773523916 
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