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]

Back last year you may remember I covered not one but two SAXON compilations courtesy of two special collectors sets; ”Decade Of The Eagle”, a sort of best-of comprising of the band’s first ten years together…and “The Solid Book Of Rock”, a collection specifically covering the bands work from 1991 all the way through to 2009…by the end of it, having listened to nearly 40 years of work, I felt like I’d gone through more Saxon history than an entire season of fucking Time Team…I was literally THIS close to going on a crusade…nevertheless I got through it and I could finally put down my sword and shield, or so I thought. 2018 see’s the heavy metal veteran’s return yet again with their 22nd studio album “Thunderbolt”…let’s check it out.

We open up with “Olympus Rising” and like its name suggests we’re met with an ominous, foreboding intro…the home of the gods, the slow build of the guitar and subtle percussion layered over some almost ritualistic chanting sets a serious tone…something big is coming and it’s all very dramatic as we lead into the album’s title track. The guitars kick in with some hefty riffs before it settles into their trademark, classic metal inspired sound. Biff still has a decent voice on him despite his aging years, singing of Hades and Greek mythological history and they have substantial weight behind them, sounding just like they did decades ago, just with better production quality, although there is a brief guitar solo that sounds really off, tarnishing an otherwise decent metal track.

​Highlights here include “They Played Rock And Roll”, which with its fast paced delivery and appropriately thrash-based intensity is dedicated to MOTORHEAD following the deaths of Lemmy, Fast Eddie and Philthy Animal Taylor, and it’s a touching inclusion, showing solidarity in metal. “The Secret Of Flight” is rich in groove-led guitar melody, while “Nosferatu (The Vampire’s Waltz)” captures the essence of the 1922 silent horror wonderfully, on par with BLUE OYSTER CULT in fact, re-telling the story over some symphonic inspired metal. There are some sub-par moments here sadly however, which makes for an album of two halves, with it starting really strong and ending on a somewhat flat note…”Speed Merchants” and “Roadie’s Song” in particular bring the album down with their poor, almost clichéd lyrical content, especially the latter…and there’s a raw cut of “Nosferatu…” which serves no purpose being there, too much time in the sun that one. There is an interesting collaboration with AMON AMARTH front-man Johan Hegg for the track “Predator” but his death metal growls are a little too much for Saxon’s style of play if you ask me and it sounds a little disjointed. Other than that it’s a decent metal album and you have to applaud any band that has such longevity. [6]

If I were to mention anvils then some of you will conjure up different memories…for instance there’s Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart…a popular wrestler in the 80’s and early 90’s who with his bulky physique, ginger beard and bright pink attire looked like he was caught somewhere between Groundskeeper Willie and Mr. Blobby…some of you will remember “Looney Tunes”; with Wyle. E. Coyote using an anvil and numerous other weapons to try to kill the Roadrunner…I personally think “Saw” took direct influence from this cartoon (Seriously think about it, talk about fucking overkill!) and then there’s ANVIL themselves. The legendary cult metal outfit from Ontario, Canada formed way-back in 1981 and can arguably be cited as being a major influence for the likes of THE Big 4…in 2008 they had a bit of a resurgence in popularity following a “Spinal Tap” style documentary and now, ten years later, we find them releasing their 17th studio album; “Pounding The Pavement”…let’s hit the street…

The album kicks off with the ominously titled “Bitch In The Box” and immediately we’re met with classic sounding guitar licks straight out of the heydays of traditional metal with some slow, chugging riffs; it’s a solid piece of metal, with Steve Kudlow’s course delivery having harmonic, gang vocal accompaniment it’s a fairly balanced track…but who is this bitch? Why is she boxed? Is there a woman trapped? Buried alive? Nope…he’s singing about Satnav…Fucking. Satnav…is this a theme for old bands now? ACCEPT did it with “Analog Man” and now this…what’s next? Ozzy singing about Pokemon GO? I digress…we follow this up with “Ego” and this is more like it. It’s a short sharp dose of up-tempo, thrash based hard rock and it’s this style, as too made popular by the likes of MOTORHEAD back in the day that laid the foundations for a lot of the fast paced metal we know and love today and the band have clearly still got it in them, with a decent solo to boot; this is much better.

This can also be said for album highlight “Black Smoke” which is very much more of the same with it’s raw, gravelly delivery and, in ways we can include the title track too…peculiar this however as it’s rare to find a title track that’s an instrumental midway through a record. It does break up the album nicely with some well-executed guitar melodies and to be honest it’s just different, it works well. Sadly however, the following tracks don’t…”Rock That Shit” for example…while on one hand can be discarded as merely a song to enjoy and head-bang to with a beer in hand…it’s also fucking cringe-worthy lyrically…from a band virtually celebrating a 40 year anniversary it’s hard to ignore. I’m all for humour in content, I’m all for not taking yourself seriously, but this is elementary school stuff. “Smash Your Face” is another one…and this doesn’t even have up-beat music going for it, I’m going to actually smash my face instead of listening to this one again. Eventually we close on “Don’t Tell Me” and while musically I guess it’s anti-climactic, somewhat middle of the road, it at least touches on relevant social-political topics regarding fake news and the ridiculous state of government right now. Overall, this one’s going to appeal to certain demographics…naturally they have their fans, they are well established in metal circles, but outside of those, and the demented denim-clad rockers you’ll find constantly drunk on Red Stripe moshing to anything they can get their ears on (Think Hell Boy and his cronies from the movie “Haggard”) this doesn’t really have a large target audience. Pounding the pavement or a pounding headache…you be the judge. [5]

Local music scenes; you know, grassroots level…all bands start here as it’s where you hone your craft, you learn, you play to 5 people in a little bar, you make mistakes and you gain experience…it’s a long and difficult road for many. Some bands strike it lucky and get a break, some fizzle out…but the good thing about music at this level is that in a way it’s like Lego. Nothing is truly established at this level so often you’ll see mergers with bands, members swapping around like some sort of musical swingers club until the little pieces click together in the right place for whatever it is you’re trying to make…and this is what happened with today’s band. Let me introduce you to DEMOCRATUS. The Cwmbran based outfit (Consisting of vocalist Steve Jenkins, guitarists Kerrin Beckwith and Joey Watkins, bassist Stu Rake and drummer Zak Skane) comprise of former members of COUNTERHOLD, CANNIBAL GOD and ALIVE IN SALEM and together they’ve recently dropped their debut EP appropriately titled “Starting Again”…being a democrat myself it’s only fair I give them a chance…

The EP opens up with the title track and immediately we’re met with a classic metal vibe within the guitar licks, the riffs and overall vocal tone…structurally the track takes influence from several genres to create an honest, heavy onslaught of down to business metal…there are thrash elements, there are touches of black metal, subtle nods to power metal in the clean vocals but the bulk of the track has its roots in melodic death and it works really very well…truth be told the clean power vocals are probably the weakest part of this, they lack an assertiveness felt within the rest of the track but it’s a strong start nevertheless.  EP highlight “Life For A Life” follows up and it’s a politically charged battle cry about the gulf in living standards and social equality, aimed at our current wealthy Conservative clique...it’s got some decent riffs and chord progression and the solo is a lovely touch too, and it all combines to create a very powerful and more importantly relevant track.

“The Furious Horde” returns to a more thrash influenced sound, it’s raw, fast paced and hard with some shredding guitar and a slightly fuzzy overall tone, imagine a sound somewhere between SLAYER and GWAR musically, before “Endless Prophecy” again then takes it up a notch and implements more of their death metal influences in a short, sharp two-minute barrage a la DEATH and finally then, the closing track “Deity”. Probably the weakest track of the EP, it struggles to properly get going and despite some crunching riffs here and there the track itself is pretty sluggish overall, dragging itself across the finish line in the end and ending the EP pretty abruptly with a sense of “Oh?”…although to its credit it’s a nice little atheist anthem, there’s not enough of them if you ask me. Ultimately the EP is a decent one and by starting again per se they’ve allowed themselves the time as musicians to regroup. A change in direction from some of their past efforts elsewhere but the fresh start has done them good, there’s some solid metal on offer here and some heartfelt song-writing…if you like it heavy, then do the right thing…vote for Democratus; metal for the many, not the few. [6]

I’ve often touched upon the 90’s as being the era of grunge but we have to remember that it was a decade that saw a lot of evolution and development in alternative music, and none more so than metal. New ideas brought new sounds and new sounds came courtesy of new bands…and one of the most enduring bands to breakthrough, were MACHINE HEAD. In 1994 they dropped their debut album “Burn My Eyes” (Which became Roadrunner Records best-selling debut at the time) and metal was never same again…over the years they’ve established themselves as one of the biggest bands in modern metal itself (Arguably peaking at 2007’s “The Blackening”), and continue to pummel the masses to this day…and by this day, I mean January 26th, 2018. The band release their ninth studio album “Catharsis” and they’ve pulled absolutely no punches…let’s check it out.

The album kicks off with “Volatile” and it’s exactly that…with an opening cry of “Fuck the world!” Robb Flynn is clearly full of piss and vinegar here, and the music matches his lyrical frustration pound for pound. Inspired by the state of the world we live in, it’s decidedly chaotic and aggressive and really hits home the sense of dissonance plaguing humanity right now. Musically up-tempo and riff-heavy with layers of thrash, in ways there are parts that can be likened to early SLIPKNOT in ways…this is a solid start. The title track follows up and so soon we find ourselves with a drastic change of pace, but it’s surprisingly welcome…it’s incredibly smooth and polished with rich melodies and a real sense of drama in tone, but while it does retain the trademark snarls of Flynn, the tender piano led sections are genuinely moving; a fitting title for a track that clearly deals with a lot of pent up emotions and issues with the world…and an interesting change of direction.

The highlight’s don’t end there either…”California Bleeding” has slight nu-metal qualities, especially within the hook-laden chorus and, more recognizably the lyrical style…it reeks of nostalgic, early 2000’s angst but it’s not hamming it up per se…before “Kaleidoscope” barges in with its frenetic, fast-paced thrash metal onslaught, though the chorus still uses a decent hook, but possibly the biggest surprise here comes courtesy of “Behind The Mask”…for Machine Head have delivered…a ballad. What apocalyptic fuckery is this I hear you typing angrily…but bear with me; you need to listen to this. The simplistic acoustic number is rich in delicate melody and Flynn’s vocal performance is actually quite impressive, opting for purely clean harmonic vocals instead of his usual growls. The change in tone here will offend many purists but this is a very well written, stripped back song that despite lacking in their typical weight, manages to add plenty of depth to the album structurally. “Eulogy” too is another wonderfully subdued piece of music for the most part, with two thirds of the track opting for a dreary, despairing closing number, which again is a welcome change.

The album isn’t without it’s downfalls mind you…firstly I must mention the length, it’s 15 tracks at 75mins which is a hefty listen…they could have cut the track-listing down a little for a more easily digestible listen…”Triple Beam” again champions the nu-metal revival with its semi-rap inspired lyrics…lacking the quality of the aforementioned, realistically with about as much appeal as, say, POD in places, or even INSANE CLOWN POSSE…make of that what you will…and then we come to “Bastards”…the message may be strong and it’s clearly emotional but…the best way I can summarize this is if…fuck…um…I don’t even know? Say JOHNNY CASH had a bastard failed abortion with the DROPKICK MURPHYS? I’ll leave you make your mind up on this one, it’s giving me a Machine Head-ache…overall a solid album but it has its controversies and question marks. Flynn has stated no fucks were given making this, it’s unapologetic in its creation and delivery, and that’s exactly the feeling you get as a listener, so he’s succeeded…so its debatable in a sense that, it’s very possibly their best album since The Blackening…[8]

It’s been an incredibly nostalgic year for SAXON…as they slowly approach their 40th anniversary, the Yorkshire based veterans have taken us on a trip down memory lane of late, celebrating their heritage and educating new generations on how they became one of the most important and influential metal bands of all time, flying the flag for not only metal, but Britain too as part of the NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal). Inspired by the likes of IRON MAIDEN and MOTORHEAD, Saxon, led by front-man Biff Byford, have had one hell of an illustrious and prolific career, releasing an incredible 21 studio albums and in 2017 they’ve been dusting off some classics courtesy of some new collectors sets. Earlier this year we were treated to “The Solid Book Of Rock”…a wonderfully packaged set of albums covering everything from 1991’s “Solid Ball Of Rock” all the way to 2009’s “Into The Labyrinth”…showcasing the bands ability to withstand the test of time in an ever changing musical landscape…but they’re going further this time…far back, right to the beginning with “Decade Of The Eagle”…set for release on November 17th, “Decade…” highlight’s the band’s first ten years; from their emergence through the most commercially successful years of their career which included gold and platinum selling albums and multiple chart positions…let’s check it out…

The two-disk compilation appropriately opens up with a selection of tracks from 1979’s historical debut; “Saxon” and it’s here where it all began…given the time, we were in the very earliest days of metal and it’s a far cry from today’s brutality, with a sound having borrowed more from rock ’n’ roll. Here you can hear a band trying to find their feet, with “Stallions Of The Highway” and “Militia Guard” proving to be raw and pacey…the production quality wasn’t great but it’s here their journey began, marking a milestone in metal history. From there however, things would pick up big time…as follow up release, 1980’s “Wheels Of Steel” sped up the charts to their highest ever position at number 5 and the band would never look back. With better production quality and a sound more rooted in blues rock, the band would release one of their most popular songs of all time “747 (Strangers In The Night)” and the seeds were sewn for success…seeds that quickly blossomed as they released not one but TWO albums in 1980, following up with “Strong Arm Of The Law”. While not charting as high, reaching number 11…it made up for a lack of standout hits, despite “Dallas 1pm” (Written about the Kennedy assassination) with a more consistent writing quality and the album is considered one of the best in the bands discography by many, many fans. Just a year later then, they broke into the top 10 once more with 1981’s “Denim And Leather”…there was no stopping them! With subtle nods to their beginnings, they included a slicker, classic rock feel into their sound and the title track became an anthem for the metal lifestyle as we came to know it, musically and fashionably transcending style…

Disk two then gets us going with highlights from 1983’s “Power And The Glory” returning yet again to the Top 20 kicking off with “This Town Rocks” and a return to their frenetic hard rock roots, paying homage to the likes of Motorhead, contrasting the generally slower “Midas Touch” which focused on a catchy chorus balancing a more ballad-driven piece, delivering another solid collection of songs. In 1984 we saw Saxon release their final album for the Carrere record label; “Crusader”…a touch softer than previous releases, it garnered its criticisms, and the single “Sailing To America” does suffer from repetition, an anticlimactic end to the relationship with their label. Their form soon picked up again however when they joined to EMI and released 1985’s “Innocence Is No Excuse” and the bulk of disk two’s content is taken from this…tracks like “Rockin’ Again” and “Rock ‘N’ Roll Gypsy” again using classic rock and slick guitar tones to their advantage, which can also be said for 1986’s “Rock The Nations”…Saxon, already established by now, dabble in subtle glam-rock elements for tracks such as “Waiting For The Night” and shock horror, using acoustics and piano for “Northern Lady”, showing they were far from a one-trick pony with another power ballad not sounding out of place whatsoever, before we round off the collection and the decade with a couple of tracks from 1988’s “Destiny”, which includes a cover of “Ride Like The Wind” by Texan songwriter CHRISTOPHER CROSS and the scorching “Red Alert”, ending the collection on a hard rocking high note.

Whereas sounds and styles have changed multiple times over the years, with new genres and fads coming and going with each decade…one thing that will always stand the test of time is metal and here, Saxon prove that like the rock royalty they are…having pounded out so many classics in such a relatively short space of time shows just how important and influential a band they are, even to this day, paving the way for many acts such as the mighty METALLICA…this collection of songs highlights the heydays of heavy metal in all of its unashamed glory and Saxon were at the forefront of a revolution, helping lay the foundations of one of the world’s longest standing genres of music…many would argue it’s more than that, many would say it’s a way of life and thanks to bands like Saxon, we still live for the denim and leather. [8]

Sinister Visions Records are a new independent label with a fresh perspective. One that will support exceptional artists who have a lot of potential but aren’t necessarily seen as commercially viable.

They are currently raising funds to launch their new way of thinking, business-ethical artist-friendly Heavy Metal record label in Greater Manchester, UK. They will be focusing mainly on Thrash, Death, Extreme and Black Metal bands but are not limiting themselves to these genres. If a band can start a decent pit going at a gig then they are most welcome!

Here is what Sinister Visions Records told us:

"Put simply, the only people making money at the moment is Record Labels and this has to change because if bands don't make money then they cannot survive".

​"Our business model is this....the band pays for the studio time, recording costs, mixing and mastering costs. The label pays for the cost of putting the finished album onto CD, LP and/or Cassette (whatever is agreed with each band), it also pays for any necessary advertising and PR costs". 

"Any profits from the sale of music after production, advertising costs and monthly donations (oh, we forgot to mention that didn't we? A set percentage which is to be confirmed but likely around 10-15% will be donated to mental health chariites) is split 50/50 with the band".

​"We are by no stretch classed as "Tree Huggers" but we are mindful enough about the planet and switched on enough to know that we would prefer and insist on (where possible) to use recycled packaging and materials for all our releases. We have been pricing up the costings involved such as recycled card for all digipack releases and vinyl record sleeves etc and these are not much more (if at all) than the costings of non-recycled materials but as that big supermarket chain says - "Every little helps".

While the record label will be going ahead regardless, by clicking on the link above, you'll be taken directly to the SINISTER VISIONS KickStarter campaign page, where you can donate money towards helping the label hit the ground running and make it success not just for the team involved, but for all the bands who will work with them in the future, giving them the best possible start. All donations are welcome and appreciated but if you donate so much, you will be rewarded with items like physical CD's or T-Shirts from the label, or even digital downloads from the label's roster...or...if you really want to splash the cash and are feeling generous (Should you have the funds spare) you can even get a performance from one of the artists in your own home, or even have yourself named as an executive producer on a future release. If you want to do your bit to support up and coming metal...donate now!

Rovio Entertainment, the creators behind the hugely popular mobile app game ANGRY BIRDS have teamed up with the one and only IRON MAIDEN this Halloween, bringing you an exclusive gaming experience! Yes, Maiden's world famous mascot and heavy metal icon in his own right; EDDIE will become a playable character in "Angry Birds Evolution" as "Eddie The Bird"...a tribute to the character.

Miika Tams, VP Games and Product Lead for the project states "Our team is filled with massive Iron Maiden fans and Eddie was both our first choice and a natural fit in Angry Birds Evolution...It's about time his status as a true rock icon was celebrated and we know that fans will love seeing Eddie The Bird raise hell on Bird Island!"

Available for two weeks as a character event celebrating Halloween from October 18th, players who successfully recruit Eddie will get to keep him permanently as a member of their Angry Birds team...Llexi Leon, Interactive Creative Director at Phantom Music Management went on to say; "When you get a call from Rovio, one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world confessing that they are Maiden fans and want to celebrate Halloween with Eddie, you just have to take notice. They have outdone themselves with this incredible tribute to Maiden and the opportunity to share the bands music with their millions of players around the world. I really can't wait to play him and skittle those pigs!"

The island in-game will become an exclusively themed heavy metal oasis with a selection of Eddie evolution's to choose from, based on classic Maiden album art work, as well as featuring 100+ new colourful characters. The game is available as a free download from the iTunes App store as well as Google Play. "Can I Play With Madness?" Bruce Dickinson once asked...probably, but you can definitely play Angry Birds. Download it now.

Back in 2014, the world of metal underwent a bit of an unexpected change…Swedish melodic death metal troop ARCH ENEMY had made a name for themselves not only with their quality, technical playing but also because of Angela Gossow…the German vocalist wasn’t like most female rock and metal singers…with the likes of Tarja Turunen and Sharon Den Adel opting for a more operatic, theatrical style, Gossow could tear it up with the very best of them, with her distinctively demonic drawl (Honestly the majority who listened to Arch Enemy without having any prior knowledge assumed she was a bloke given her set of pipes) however…in March of 2014, she stepped-down from her position as vocalist to work behind the scenes as the bands manager…who the hell was going to replace her? Cue Alissa White-Gluz…formerly of THE AGONIST, the young Canadian had had some daunting shoes to fill; would the bands trademark sound and dynamic be lost now with the new vocalist? Would it fuck…the album “War Eternal” proved she could more than handle herself and the band’s sound…so in 2017, we find them releasing their much anticipated follow up, “Will To Power”…will it be worth the wait? Let’s find out…

The album gets underway with “Set Flame To The Night” and essentially it’s just an intro track here…at little over a minute, we’re given some very smooth, melodic guitar and it’s almost enticing…with the police sirens and radio coms providing background noise, the whole thing has a feel of drama and suspense…before we’re pummelled by “The Race” and here we get our first taste of Alissa’s visceral growl…all fired up, she roars her way through a very poignant track, hitting home a very topical issue surrounding equal rights, privileges…the mistreatment of minorities, cultural segregation from the people who are meant to be leading us in office…it’s a powerful opener…”Blood In The Water” follows on and here we have classic Arch Enemy…Michael Amott shreds his way through some classic melodic metal riffs, playing with a passion that you can not only hear but feel, distinctive in style, several notes here take you back to their earlier work, showing their transition has been more than smooth…

It isn’t a 100% brutal metal onslaught however, no not at all, as the band do dabble here and there…for example “The Eagle Flies Alone” closes with some delicate piano, adding a feeling of sadness to the otherwise heavy track, whereas “A Fight I Must Win” includes subtle string sections for a similar effect…adding an extra sense of depth and class to proceedings too. That isn’t all though…”Reason To Believe” features clean vocals for the first time in the bands history and it has to be said, Alissa has a wonderfully smooth singing voice, it’s a shame Arch Enemy don’t utilise more of it, It opens up so many more avenues musically and provides a real album highlight, before we close things on a cover; “City Baby Attacked By Rats” by British punk rockers GBH…the shift in style musically is unexpected but they pull off hardcore post-punk very well…the 1982 chart success given a new lease of life here and it’s a pleasant addition. If anything, this album proves to be a frustration as too much of a tease, they’ve shown they can incorporate more melodic, softer qualities into their sound allowing for a more diverse listen, I mean Alissa can clearly sing, and I think going forward they should explore these avenues more instead of the rinse/repeat heavy hitters…like Australian comedian Steve Hughes says…you can listen to metal all day, but you need a little bit of ENYA to relax in the afternoon. [6]

When it boils down to it, being in a band is essentially like being in a relationship…it’s people coming together, giving it a go, trying to find that spark, that chemistry and, sometimes it works right off the bat. There are still, believe it or not a select few bands that have been together, unchanged since day one; bands like GARBAGE who formed in the early nineties, or more impressively, U2 who have had a consistent line-up since 1978! (Seriously guys you could get less time for murder…) but as we know, a lot of relationships don’t last, people come and go, get dumped, get replaced, and it’s the same for bands…shuffle the ranks, new vocalist etc…and it’s not always amicable. Let’s take VENOM for example…originally formed in 1979, they went on to release one of the most important metal album’s in history; “Black Metal”…it practically kick-started an entire new genre, fusing together elements of thrash and heavy metal with satanic lyricism…but, it wasn’t enough to keep them all together and subsequently they had more line-up changes than the Power Rangers…however, despite vocalist Cronos now doing his own thing, three former members (Vocalist Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, guitarist Jeffery “Mantas” Dunn and drummer Anthony “Abaddon” Bray) have returned under the moniker of VENOM INC. and they have recently dropped their come-back album “Avé”…let’s ave’ a look shall we?

We open up very boldly on the 8-minute epic “Avé Satanas” and initially we’re greeted with the sweet, angelic tones of the Hail Mary…but the tranquility is soon shattered by the deep, demonic growl of the devil himself as he invites you to instead Hail Satan…it’s all incredibly gimmicky and a touch pantomime but there’s always been a level of theater to metal, thematically returning to their dark roots here. Musically it’s quite lethargic for the most part; it chugs along and feels every bit as long as it’s 8-minute run time which is sadly not a good thing…luckily, follow up tracks “Forged In Hell” and “Metal We Bleed” pick the pace right up as far more livelier offerings! The former utilising an up-tempo, thrash-inspired approach to classic metal, coupled with more of the rough, guttural vocals, and it has to be said the solo here is really quite captivating, this is much better, while the latter continues the onslaught with more pacey speed-metal…I can’t however get the image of GWAR and LORDI out of my head because of the vocals…

​Lead single “Dein Fleisch” uses a deep, bass-heavy riff to give-off a sense of darkness, sinister intentions, while in the back ground you can hear an almost sensual suffering courtesy of female moaning…it’s a very sultry track, focusing on suppressed urges and giving into your desires; the pleasures of the flesh, mental and physical corruption and musically it fits very well, before musically we pick up the pace again with “Time To Die”…very frenetic, it channels the likes of SLAYER in it’s unrelenting delivery, the gang vocals adding an intensity, before “War” kicks in and HOLY SHIT BRAUN STROWMAN! I jest…it opens up with a battle cry and continues to pummel the listener, another fine solo to boot, it’s very stylish this, until we then finish up on “Black N Roll”…very possibly a tongue in cheek reference to black metal and a bit of a dig but regardless, it ends the album on a strong note. They might not have the same impact now as they did in the early 80’s, but there is a respect and admiration for these veterans as has been proven on the live stage in recent years…it’s hardly ground-breaking stuff this but it’s nice to have them back, they are venom incorporated, but we are part of that too…let’s black n roll bitch! [6]

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]

There’s an old saying; if at first you don’t succeed…you’re not Chuck Norris…but, all jokes aside, the idea is that if you want to become good at something or, achieve something, you’re going to need to practice. There are steps to take and it doesn’t matter who or where you are in the world, everyone starts at the bottom. For bands this can be incredibly testing; some get a lucky break with a hit single or grab the right attention through consistent local gigs (word of mouth is still a powerful thing!), some take years to get recognised and some just fizzle out before ever getting noticed, because this way of life is so competitive and demanding, not everyone can do it. If you’ve got the passion and the desire however, time is merely an obstacle…and BLIND DIVIDE make this point brilliantly. The heavy metal outfit (consisting of vocalist James Birkett, guitarists Adam Duffield and James Ponsford, bassist Dellan McCabe and drummer Anthony Ellis) formed in Cardiff back in 2007 and, over the past ten years, they’ve been in and out of the local scene, releasing low-fi home demos and generally finding their feet, finding where they belong in the world and finally, now in 2017, we find them releasing their official debut self-titled EP. Shall we follow blindly or shall opinions be divided? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Heaven’s Gallows” and good god they don’t waste any time whatsoever! We’re greeted with pummeling ferocity within nanoseconds! The riffs and percussion are intense and unrelenting, while James’ vocals are nothing short of brutal…the sheer unforgiving onslaught showing the band are done with waiting, this is a statement of intent, this is Blind Divide and you will pay attention…a blistering start this. The same too can be said for “Scourge Of Humanity”; the sinister tone of the guitar work coupled with certain thrash-metal elements entwined within the texture of the track allowing for a rich listening experience, the influence of bands such as LAMB OF GOD can be heard here too, providing a solid groove, which can also be said for EP highlight “Pathfinder”…its very “The Sacrament” era and despite it’s obvious heaviness there’s more melody and an overall smoothness to proceedings here; it’s very well balanced but loses absolutely nothing in terms of its lack of forgiveness.

If there are any faults here at all however, it would have to be “Source” and even then they’re minor…with a track under three minutes long, you’d expect them to really hammer home the aggression and take no prisoners with a really intense thrash-inspired piece, something pacey; something hungry…but instead the track feels longer than its run time. There are stripped down segments that make the track feel drawn out unnecessarily and it loses some of its bite as a result. However, in the grand scheme of things, Blind Divide have finally delivered and this can easily make a huge impact on the Welsh underground metal scene…with the likes of CHAOS TRIGGER growing and growing and events such as Eradication and Celtic Mosh both highlighting and championing artists such as this then going forward, they have all the promise in the world to make a name for themselves…uninitiated? Allow the blind to lead the blind…[7]

Apposite to the current situation regarding Womanby Street and the threats to South Wales' live music scene, it's only right that I focus my attention closer to home and remind everyone exactly why we need to stand up not only for our venues, but for the local bands that ply their trade within them. If you're a regular punter at FUEL rock bar and if you pay attention to local metal there is no doubt you have heard of CHAOS TRIGGER...for several years now they have been honing their craft having tried out numerous line-up changes but things are finally looking strong and steady for the Merthyr-based quintet...with performances at BLOODSTOCK festival and support slots with EXODUS under their belt, they look to hit the ground running with their brand new album "Degenerate Matter", hoping to bring Welsh metal out of the mines and into the minds of many...

We begin with "Skineaters" and as it's title suggests, it's rather chilling...at under two minutes it's essentially another case of the tried and tested intro spot, but it's effective here in the way it's very cold and machine-like; like something out of a Sci-Fi movie it drones on, heartless, non-organic...you can't help but picture yourself quietly stalking the decks of the Nostromo desperately trying to avoid being eaten by a Xenomorph while this plays...unsettling stuff, but my god it calls your bluff. When first track proper "Binary" kicks in, it really does kick in! It kicks your fucking teeth in! After a brief drum-fill the listener is subject to a battering-ram of riffs and raw power...the aggression here is such a swivel in tone it's all the more impressive with it's GOJIRA-esque brutality... (that bass!)

There's a smooth transition into "Rust" which allows the listener very little time to recover here and the continuation is on point, slightly slower in tempo but no less lacerating;  there's more melody in the guitar work and over all it's a touch more methodical throughout it's near six-minute run time but where it lacks pace, with sheer weight it still pummels you. The same can be said for "Gluttonizer", with it's doom-metal inspired introduction, while "Fucking Machines" with it's djent qualities finds itself slotted somewhere between the likes of CHIMAIRA and MESHUGGAH in overall sound.

The slight thrash-metal elements of "Snakes In Suits" inject a flurry of life into the album musically, and so too on tracks like "Release The Hounds"; the increased tempo giving the record momentum going forward, before we round it all off with "Use Of Weapons"...after trolling you with a gentle opening segment, it abruptly rips into more of the ferocious, unforgiving metal we've become accustomed to over the course of these eleven songs. While musically, instrumentally the band are solid, from the drumming of Jay Roberts, to the guitar work of Paul Cremin and I've already touched upon the impressive weight of Bradley Kaler's bass playing; vocally...in reality it's, a little too monotone...front-man Ben Jones does an incredible job as a heavy/death metal vocalist don't get me wrong, he kills it, but he doesn't change his approach at all throughout this record and it get's to a point where you can't help but crave a little more diversity. Yes this is purposefully heavy but SOME clean vocals aren't going to damage your product, and will prevent tracks from coming across as one dimensional at times. For the most part this is a strong release mind you and while there is room for improvement, they have their finger firmly on the trigger and they certainly aren't firing blanks. [6]