Al Atkins – Reloaded
(Gonzo Multimedia – 2016)

Good ole Heavy Metal that’s totally mid 80’d from beginning to end from the throaty predecessor to Rob Halford in Judas Priest.

Jump anywhere on here and you’ll get a similar kind of thing happening with highlights being the opening ‘Winter (feat. Ian Hill on Bass); ‘Money Talks’ or ‘Love At War’ (that’s total Priest feat. Chris Johnson on guitar). Talking of said band, Al does a killer version of ‘Victim Of Changes’ with Roy Z on Guitar plus Ralph Scheepers duetting on vocals) and what follows is a rare bit of unreleased demo in the form of ‘Mind Conception’.

Fists in the air! You know the rest!

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

ALICE SWEET ALICE - Viola Organista....and Other Impossible Dreams
(Cauldron Soundwerk - 2016) 

With another Kansas act having recently managed to lift us here at Metalliville off our perches, its time to hope Alice Sweet Alice can keep up the good work.

Catchy, uptempo heavy rock with all -familiar American sass sort that for us, at least as far as opening track 'Daredevil' is concerned. Strange Things' stutters around in a very Deep Purple way, while 'Viola Organista...' sends up the dirt with a silky symphonic vocal layer on top. Singer Ali Cat sounds in her comfort zone with both main styles, switching between sharp, punkish rock and progressive smoothness as mentioned, which shines to prominence in 'Osseus' and the Dream Theater-esque 'Floodwaters' and the searing 'The Hostage'.

Just having twigged that this band are on their FIFTH album brings to light how much of a fanbase they've deservedly developed in their ten years together. Avoiding the need to please the record industry, as they admit to on their promo, and making music for the sake of making music as they very much do in 'V.O.A.O.I.D.' is what keeps a band like Alice Sweet lasting...and new listeners like myself scratching around for their back catalogue.

Great!

9/10 

By Dave Attrill 

NET: www. alicesweetalice.com 

The Answer – Rise (10th Anniversary Edition)
(TAP Music Ltd – 2016)

The heavy pelting swagger filled Irish Rockers debut that’s been re-mastered with a bonus disc featuring a mass of demos from 2004!

It sounds as vibrant as it did a decade ago and I can see it going down as a classic album if it isn’t classed as one already to be honest with you. Brilliant throughout – just pick any song and you won’t feel let down.

With several highlights being the rollicking ‘Come Follow Me’; the fantastic ballad ‘Be What You Want’; the almost funk-zepped blues-laden ‘No Questions Asked’; the ballsy cock-rockin’ ‘Sometimes You Love’ and Preachin’ that still puts me in mind of the Faces ‘Around The Plynth’ with it’s killer slide guitar work!

Love the second CD too with so much on offer with highlights like ‘Under The Sky’ ((2016 Mix); ‘Too Far Gone’; ‘Always’; ‘So Cold’ (All 2004 Demos and none actually appear on the album); ‘Take It Easy’ (Acoustic slide blues from 2006) and ‘Not Listening’ (Exclusive Mix) with its gospel glory and tip-top guitar!

Worth having for the second disc alone!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

LA. based one-piece, ‘A Protest Of Futility’ are the seed of a decade of general live playing, jamming and, as the promo puts it, 'just having plain ole fun'.

Nicely obviously put, although the part that says this infuriatingly unnamed one member handles all instruments so isn't very good at just one is a little harsh. Surely there are a lot of less than enticing entries on this ten-tracker but an acceptable portion of prog, industrial and alternative fusion fights for its place, shared with some tasty blues-flavoured lines.

Screamcore tinged trips like opener 'Shadows Play' ill-advertise the album as a potentially tuneless racket to come so the song order could have been arranged somewhat better, but there is a fair little bit to chew at in places on this platter.

6/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www. aprotestagainstfutility.com

ARCANE SYMPHONY - A New Day Begins
(S/R – 2016)

Russia have a ready hand to ram down on the European symphonic metal table.

Arcane Fire might even burn a big f**k-off hole in the middle, through which all the silver collapses. At least the sweet metallic noise that this female-led fivesome serve up should still drown that out. Divine numbers such as opener 'Ocean', 'A New Day Begins', 'It's A War', 'Nostalgia', 'What is Life For You' and the enjoyably thrash-like 'You Are Free' yelp form the speakers in a surprisingly vast assortment of speeds and tempos, showcasing the stunning cleanliness of frontwoman Anna Volodina's projection.

Her smooth, fluttery octaves let loose the greatest on the lush balladry of 'Loneliness' and 'Something To Die For' although the work is well and truly done by one number along. Gritty work by founding members Cyril Romaniuk (guitar) and Anton Andryushin (keyboards) beneath her combines tightly to carry the songs where they need to go with a small tip of the finger. Rich production and polished arrangements, of the sort you can savour on 'A New Day Begins' are the exact reason Eastern Europe pride themselves on symphonic metal quality every time.

Magnificent stuff. 

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nightwish, Dream Theater & Megadeth.

NET: arcanesymphony.com

Aeraco – All Or Nothing
(S/R – 2015)

Hard Rock band from Chicago that are real ballsy and remind me of The Almighty at times with the ferocious vocals and slamming at ya drum and guitar-work and in other songs Metallica.

There’s some fantastic and powerful well arranged songs on here like the opening ‘Into The Night’ that starts with the starting of a car; the Judas Priest melodied meets James Hetfield like vocalled ‘Grimm’ while ‘Destruction’ is of a similar style with pounding double-bass drum action.

Then there’s the power ballad that reminds me of ‘Ride The Wind’ by Poison called ‘She’s A Lot To Lose’ or the very acoustic ‘Feel The Wind’ that’s a real standout moment on here, proving ballsy bands can produce real heartfelt numbers indeed or the dramatic ‘This Life’ with its cracking riffery and striking chorus work.

Great band and deserve to do well!

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Arch Stanton – The Stanton Files
(S/R - 2015)

A four piece from Newcastle, UK that features a dude called Clive Jackson who has been reviewed in his own right elsewhere for his solo release who shares vocals with Edward Box (and guitars too) with Mick Robson on drums and Gary Foalle on bass.

It’s very late 60’s in sounds and has strong elements of bands like The Beatles, The Byrds, The Small Faces and loads more in there that have a modern element at times running though them without turning me off and going indie all of a sudden. It’d almost what the likes of Suede or Cast would have sounded like if they had come out of the psychedelic era.

Literally two dozen great experiences on here from the late Small Faces like ‘Strange Time’; the Thunderclap Newman’sh ‘On The Seventh Day’; the Hendrixy ‘Where Are You’; the full-on rocking ‘Concrete Eden’ or The Cure’esque ‘When Alison Smiles’ right through to the closing ‘Still It Makes No Sense’.

Brilliant Retro Rock!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Atkins May Project – Empire OF Destruction
(Gonzo Multimedia – 2014)

Brought to you by the original Judas Priest vocalist, Al Atkins and the now late Guitarist, Paul May.

Basically it sounds like Judas Priest with the sound not being as good since it comes across a bit too muffled and treble to the left. It’s very Painkiller meets Ram It Down style meets Saxon as well. Al sounds like a Heavy Metal Louis Armstrong with songs like ‘The Midas Touch’ ‘Whisper On The Wind’ is an amazing ballad.

There’s a cracking cover of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Are You Ready?’ – no wonder it sounded familiar to me and then there’s the bonus track with the female vocal that is rather nice too entitled ‘End Of The Earth’.

Also included is a limited edition DVD.

Great but very Spinal Tap.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

AURA BLAZE - S/T
(S/R - 2015)

Prog act Aura Blaze may not have have the longest album by genre standards but are definitely rooting for a recorded with the title of opener 'White Lotus Chakra Blossoms in Pranotthanic Euphoria'.

Accessing the album through a remarkably Deep Purple like display  as performed by prime innovator Rhode Rachel, a lush variety of lengths and styles swoop out and bite you from the near-concealed nest behind. Tantalising seventies rock and psychedelic elements amalgamate in this part vocal-part-instrumental platter.

Utilising keyboard and guitar sounds solely from the age of flared trousers, some might past this bloke off as an imitator but Mr Rachel puts,a lot of passion into the stuff he has penned here as tracks like 'Life Is A Lucid Dream', 'It's A Ride', 'A Glass Of Tears Half Empty' and the epic-sized 'Sub-Earthen Patchwork Torus' will duly speak.

Catchier as it travels along, Aura Blaze's self titled debut is the indicating light of another multi-instrumental magician in surfacing. Rhode might not have pulled an unfamiliar rabbit from the hat but as they all say, old tricks still work the best.

Tremendozo.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.aurablaze.bandcamp.com

AKARUSA YAMI – Heavyclimb
(S/R - 2015)

At long last, Akarusa Yami unleash a full length assault of their industrial melodic metal fare onto the fearless massess.

Since their coming-to-be five years ago, they've seen through two eps and two successfully-aired singles so the anticipation is somewhat frothing. Gripping you straight by the bit between the legs, 'The Old Man By The Fjord' is angry hardcore waltzing into a harmonious chorus vocal. Leader Tom Brumpton's trademark approach still proves to be in fantastic fettle as they fire onwards through 'At Last Sunlight' and the almost noticeably prog-esque title track. Going for an instrumental interval with 'Long Nights In The City', they ascend to diverse levels with the more keyboard friendly 'Monument to Carnal Desire' which with its aggressive bounce has to be my fave one of the album.

There comes nonetheless tight competition via 'And The Night Will Take Us All', an out-and-out Pantera-style rager which should likely rule each and every live show as from now. 'I Work in Formaldehyde' is another progressive and also while no stinker is a bit of a sticker at the start but seems eventually to peter out. After putting the mic down again for the hauntingly tribal 'Loving Parents', its up to the ending coupling of Les Mere Terribles and 'The Natasha Trade' to bring things to the boil. The near overwrought rage core of the former froths over a bit despite some occasional melodious refrains but they sound to take hold a bit too late.

Joy Shannon, singer of fellow upcoming Brit outfit Beauty Marks joins Brumpton behind the mic for the closer, culminating the disc with an unexpectedly different finish. Spoken word narration and a deadly flowing wall of guitar go often hand in hand, despite this being a little-ill placed right at the end giving the impression more of a bonus cut. Terrifyingly precise and  overtly multi-influenced, Akarusa Yami's debut album release suffers the odd minor slow-up but overall, 'Heavyclimb' is a hugely respectable trek into the experimental metal woodland.

Twin guitars and keyboards get to shine individually against - as opposed to drown out - one another although Mr Brumpton is again the mean sturdy nail making it all stay firmly together.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Fear Factory, Killswitch Engage, Limp Bizkit, Korn & Deftones.

NET: facebook.com/Akarusa Yami

ARMED CLOUD - Obsidian Desert
(Maxxive Records -2015)

Dutch Symphonic metallers Armed Cloud have enjoyed an active start so far. A three track, EP inclusion on the Dutch Exposure band compilation and their first full length album, all in the space of two years .

Entering their stream at the stage of their debut lp , their waters are a wild and enjoyable ride. Tidy guitar work and frontman, Daan Dekker's well -tutored Bruce-esque vocals may seem the as standard requirement in the genre but the balance of prog and no-peeing-about  metal you listen to here would appeal across either side of the wire. Running a tight long race between lead guitarist Wouter van der Veen and his brother Remco on keyboards, both solos and synth symphonies suck you in small few-second intervals allowing the vocals to smooth off the work.

Catching material with consistency and atmosphere, and also the ability to turn out a tasty ballad or two with unexpected British seventies feel - the fourth track is a very pleasant surprise by the way.  Armed Cloud draw out their weapons, set to rain their musical hail down on the appreciative...and maybe something harder and painful on the not-so.

Winning stuff.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Rhapsody Of Fire, Iron Maiden & Judas Priest.

NET: armedcloud.net

The burning question is, as much as I've never object to bands sounding suspiciously like Iron Maiden, how far is it one can actually go without truly overstepping the mark?

Finland's Adastra seem to have no fear of sailing this close to the wind. Despite a more distinctively Megadeth opening, the less vocals of frontman on thrash lead off 'Only Live At Night' sound like Bruce Dickinson freshly out of bed and on doing his pre- breakfast workout. Did I say that was a bad thing though ? Absolutely not is the answer and on top of so, this is an old-school metal fans perfect Friday and Saturday night tied together.

Riffs and solos so familiar yet so fastly executed don't come too ten-to-the-penny these days and though a few little progressive excursions arise, such as in 'The Day I Die' it's not necessarily intended to follow in the path of the Irons post-Bruce offerings. Symphonic speed metal treats like 'Amnesia' and 'Forgotten Heroes' come, grab you by the ear and go, whilst softer entries such as groover 'Bring Me Back On Track' and dual vocalled ballad 'As I Close My Eyes' give you chance to dance without feeling the rattle of your ribs.

Superbly borrowed as Adastra's fourth album is, Scandinavia remains the continents capital for such classy, erm classic metal talent and this one claims its rightful, leather-studded slot.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Primal Fear, Judas Priest, Overkill, Anthrax, Helloween & Kamelot.

NET: adastracave.net

AVAILABLE ONLINE VIA: iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, CDbaby & Bandcamp.

Carmine & Vinny Appice – Drum Wars Live
(Deadline Music – 2014)

2 Brothers battle it out with a pair of sticks and a kit each and play with some of the best cuts from each other’s repetoir.

There’s bangs, rolls, crashes, taps and booms a plenty on here for all the 12 numbers.You have Vinny on the left speaker and Carmine on the right – something which has never been attempted before with supersonic, interstellar lead vocalist Jim Crean taking care of singing duties.

There’s an absolute ton of Ronnie James Dio related associated songs on here including ‘The Mob Rules’ ‘We Rock’ and ‘Stand Up and Shout’. It’s cool to hear Carmine sing Rod Stewart’s ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ and there’s the utterly mind-blowing experiences that are ‘Drum Wars’ and ‘Drum Wars Part 2’ with swishing effects coming from Vinny and traditional drumming from Carmine. It’s killer to hear a bit of Ozzy in ‘Bark At The Moon’ and Crazy Train’ too. So who wins? Buy it and find out for yourself.

It’s available on DVD too. Now that’s a must see!

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Whatever overrated act of garbage are grabbing the front page of metal mags, weekly, you can still rely on a few (hundred) other bands to still specialise in metal dredged up from the core of the earth and extreme talent.

Tampa, one of the top metal capitals across the pond dealt in some serious names in their name and if Archangel may find it difficult to try sounding distinctively original, an amalgam of such great eighties influences shall do. Welding the operatic vocal soar of Savatage, against an Anthrax-Meets-Megadeth inspired twin guitar concrete wall, little will stop Archangel's musical cement from hardening up. Played more power metal than thrash, there is still plenty of speed stuff thrown about the 55 minutes of it to delight.

Divine Descent, Eternal Sleep, Wings of Death, To Hell and Back, Caught Between Worlds and Second Corruption can be seen as randomly named favourites as scarcely little lets up at all on Archangel's debut. Widdlesome twin guitars plus gargantuan old-school pipes from Frontman, Michael Brady yank you by the hair should you dare to turn from the speakers, and suck you right against their wall until it's over. Ruthlessly borrowed stuff but the combination could stand out, if only under 'Someone-has-actually-got-the-knackers-to-play-decent-old-school-metal'. Let's not mess about now - this album is essential to any true metal collection.

Effing get it!

9.5/10  

By Dave Attrill

VERY, VERY RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Judas Priest, Overkill, Metallica, Exodus, Anthrax, Rhapsody of Fire, Iron Saviour & Kamelot

NET: www.facebook.com/ArchangelMusic  www.Bandcamp.com/album/Archangel-2

AREA 51 - Judge The Joker
(The Devil's Own Music - 2014)

Area 51 are a Japanese-singing, Japanese/US melodic metal band, fronted by an American singer.

Confused? I almost was, still at the end of the day,when you've got pipes to the calibre of Kate Cain, it matters dramatically less as to what lingo she opts to perform in. Kate obviously has the right teacher, in lead guitarist Yoichiro Ishino whose enchanting solos make every one of these songs only more the incredible. Large in classical schooling himself, this chap cuts and shapes every corner of the numbers in the best Kamelot fashion you could imagine.

With a fiery layer of keyboard (Labrie's Matt Guillory) and only a rare few fudgy moments sticking on your musical teeth, 'Judge The Joker' unites these two uprising discoveries, alongside a pedigree of players including Mike Le Pond (Symphony X) on bass while Soilwork man Dirk Verbeuren donates his duties on skins.

Superb playing - give this Joker a chance before Batman blows him away.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Epica & Stratovaroius.

NET: www.area51-web.com

ASTRALION - S/T
(Limb Music - 2014)

No they're not Australian, they actually happen to come from Finland, although you could be fooled by the English lingo names they've adopted on the sleeve.

Fast, melodic, sonorous operatic vocals, should speak volumes about what you've got coming and I duly advise to keep yours adjusted in the region of 10. Not as keen on endless epic tunes, most of Astralion's eleven span between four and six minutes apiece, save for thirteen minute ender 'Last Man On Deck'. Catchy, crunchy lines and luscious leadwork are what Scandinavia's latest proud symphonic metal export are all about, and in hooks they hardly disappoint.

Every track has its chorus and every chorus stops with you until the next screws itself into your woodwork. Cool-headed persistence and killer live potential are what seperates bands like Astralion from the pack marked 'along for the ride' and in prime cuts like 'Mysterious & Victorious', 'At The Edge Of The World', 'We All Made Metal' and 'To Isolde', they unabashedly deliver.

Ripping work, lads!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Rhapsody, Hammerfall, Epica & Edguy.

NET: www.soundcloud.com/limb-music

ANTHOLOGY - The Prophecy
(S/R - 2014)

This young East-European combo have been on the go as of 2008, yet by their tender young faces still look like they only threw it together last week.

Where it was seven years or seven days , the Slovak sextet still tear it up, top notch with their enchanting symphonic metal on their second album. Led with leather reins by female vocal discovery Raylyn Shayde and the equally sonourous shred-meistery of Mathias Gonda.

Grandiose compositions including 'The Prophecy', 'Lost Dreams', 'Scream Into The Darkness', 'Open Your Eyes', 'Inside My Rage' and 'Fate In Your Hands' are hardly the stuff of originality but substance scarcley leaks a drip elsewhere. Rich in both delivery and output, Anthology promise fireworks, live, with this latest barrel of melodic metal gunpowder.

Get!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Rhapsody Of Fire & Sonata Artica.

NET: www.anthology.sk

ARKHAVEN - Aether (EP)
(S/R - 2014)

Maryland fivesome Arkhaven hit you on the head with huge driving three-guitar walls and wavy choruses that weld all five tracks together but not without leaving the joints in between to see.

Angled heavily at Nickleback and Alter Bridge, their approach is meaty melodic grunge rock with summery tension and titanium choruses, set to the top by singer Nick Grayson's efforts. Spin 'No Darker Days', Before I Was Me' and 'Bucky Quakes The Thread', to take in a gust of the way these guys' musical winds will blow you over.

Highly promising.

9/10 By Dave Attrill

NET: arkhaven.bandcamp.com

ARS MAGNA - Dehumanize The Nation
(S/R - 2014)

Guatemala finally gains a flag on the metal globe with Ars Magna's sizeable gorilla of a disc.

The female-fronted five-piece shred through 12 tightly fisted metal assaults that take you back to a time when the Bay Area believed it was acceptable to roll out such sinisterly fast outfits. Speed-oriented, aggressive twin guitar metal with balls (well the rest of the band are blokes) and an added element of Latin strummery on 'Dystopia' weld together to make a mighty iron, brought down on your unsuspecting moosh by yet more talented South American hands.

Superb and shamelessly archaic, the coupling of a female voice and ferocious soloing was scarcely seen back in that time and day yet everybody now seems up for giving it a try... very wisely so.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Anthrax, Judas Priest, Forbidden & Megadeth.

NET: www.arsmagnamusic.com

AUBURN RUST - S/T
(Stormin Productions - 2014)

Auburn Rust are a three-piece prog-alternative act from Colonie, NY, carry out the work of about six between them. Merging prog, grunge, pop and metal together makes seven slabs of ground churning, guitar- oriented force.

Stacatto-driven rhythms and stop-start structures sometimes irritate like no one's business but a bold assault via the guitars builds up as these tracks bound forward. 'Dream Junkie', 'Incipio', 'Spaced', 'Radiation' and 'Ruse' smack of seventies flavour except with a fully wave washing over and with the help of singer Brain Louck's sometime strongly Cobain range will prove popular outside of its main genre.

Worth it.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Flower Kings, Porcupine Tree & Bush.

NET: www.auburnrust.com

AUTUMN ELECTRIC - Flowers For Ambrosia
(S/R - 2014)

Originated from.a particular city can often fuel.stigmatisation in the shallow industry of rock 'n' roll.

Seattle's Autumn Electric are, just to make it clear, a prog rock band and a very good one with a weighty seventies take. Saying this there is a slight grunge feel in frontman Michael Trew's voice but it won't be allowed to get in the way of this good old-fashioned slab of psychedelic rock fun. Nippy guitars from Max Steiner, since departed from the ranks (awww!!!) and everlasting keyboard waves save generous space for flutes, banjo and tambourines amongst umpteen various instruments that all work as a team to weld these strong tracks together.

With few if any outstaying their welcome, Motorcycle Hill, Return To Detroit, Riding The Rogo, Hermit Of North Pond, The Ballad of Magnum PI and Joe The Lion Sleeps Tonight are sturdy works and sell this outfit extremely well in the genre.

Recommended trying.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Pink Floyd, Flower Kings & Jethro Tull.

ANONYMOUS ICONOCLASTS - Downstairs for Dancing
(S/R - 2013)

If you've read the likenesses with other artists amidst Anonymous Iconclasts' promo hype you probably might have seen David Bowie's name pop up.

Please do not be put off probing the produce of these four sprightly young Welshmen further. Whilst Frontman, Steve surely does reminisce the Thin White Duke's range most of the way, the wild diversity does also parallel albeit in their own footprint. The sixteen tracks seem mostly tilted at the textured seventies side of the bank, giving guitars a good ride both on clean electric-acoustic and blues mode.

Denied a track-list to take favourites from (naughty, boys) some ten - at least - of these numbers steal away my ear space on the spot. Deep and sometimes dirty harmonies settle together over the sort of guitar line Neil Young would have given his two veg to venture back with. Thinking of some cheerful topics along the way ie alcohol, marriage, divorce, debt, its probably down to the relaxing, near ambient noise that is this band's debut album to divert your woes into song.

Great step back in time, brought back to ours.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.facebook.com/Anonymousiconclasts

A SECRET RIVER - Colours of Solitude
(S/R - 2014)

More undiscovered (by us) Swedish genius, A Secret River's start-out long player yields swish, ambient prog, from head to ....that thing on the end of your leg.

Opener 'Blinding Light' is only two and a half minutes old and already we're onto an massively atmospheric keyboard line from in-house maestro Bjorn Sandberg that collates every supporting element of the song around it. Singer/bassist Andreas Alov is obviously not to be outdone, venturing his way and his velvety voice straight across the eight numbers before anything else can intervene.

Nasal on occasion, Andreas's range would not unlikely see him approached by the odd alt-rock act currently after a new throat, just assuming though that technically modest cuts such as 'No Way To Say Goodbye', 'Starbomb', 'Are You Coming With Me', 'A Place To Start' and 'On The Line' are seeing them succeed enough to keep his talent where he belongs. That of course being in A Secret River...another corner to Scandinavia's super-immense plethora of talent.

Titanium stuff throughout.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Pink Floyd, Procul Harum & Yes.

NET: asecretriver.com

* Just to clarify for misunderstanding readers, neither Andreas Alov - or any other member of this band - have been, or are reported as intending to leave the group at time of writing.

Susan Aquila – Broken Angel
(Original Kitchen Records – 2014)

This ladies resume is incredible since she has worked with people such as Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Tommy Lee, Steven Tyler, Robert Plant and many, many more.

She is a Grammy-nominated vocalist and electrical violinist and this is her debut album. It’s like Charlie Daniels meets ELO but with a metal sound there too and then some…

There are some really grabbing songs like the opening classical Led Zep gone Egyptian ‘Sah Tah’; the Southern-Rock like ‘Intervention’ and ‘India (Jungalbandi)’ that puts you in mind of the country itself. Then there’s the excellent ‘Johnny Got Lost’ which has a wicked rhymed intro to it or the closing ‘Don’t Be So Nice’

Violins at the forefront baby!

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

AUDIO NATION - Wait It Out
(S/R - 2014)

What do you call a band whose influences are cited as Pearl Jam, Rush and Ozzy Osbourne? Out of this world probably for one.

Then as Iceland is scarcely seen popping up on the planet rock atlas something manages to make up the justification. Reykjavik's Audio Nation know how to use the wisdom without neglect. Driving progressive and alternative feel, and flying harmonies spread across the full ten track platter like a lethally uncontrolled fever.

Rough echoes of early Sabbath, notably the 'Planet Caravan' like intro to 'My Grave' serve up the unintended Ozzy vibes, though the aforementioned legend's latterday take can be traced in several of Gisli Brynjar's melodies. Sticking in some bluesy hard rock grit with 'How Thoughts Change' theirs start to at a very alarming pace although mine on this album barely budge.

Scorching stuff from another Scandinavian name to be noted for the future.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.audionation.is www.soundcloud.com/audionation

ABINAYA - Beaute Paienn

(Symbol Musik - 2014)

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

A200 – I’m Not Perfect (.E.P.)
(S/R – 2013)

Crunchy sounding melodic up-to-date sounding metal band that I’ve known personally since 2006 from Fort Myers, Florida.

It’s very a-typical & generic of what I’ve heard from the current crop but it’s done well all the same with 4-tracks that are recorded really well with the best number being the closer ‘I’m Not Perfect’. Anyway, who wants to be perfect?

Okay CD for the younger kids.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

A GOOD ROGERING – Lifeblood
(S/R - 2013)

Hold right there a second, i just need to check over this cd sleeve once more... no, I'm right - a band have indeed chosen to name themselves the unthinkable.

Austin foursome, A Good Rogering's sound however scarcely relates to sex or sordid erotic orientations in any sense. Starting off with a sharp resemblence to thrash giants Testament, the unlikely style for their name moves you into deeper confusion whether you got the correct disc inside.

Dissing would be definetely harsh though - 'Care For A Rat In The Face', 'Under The Gun', 'Lifeblood'' 'Changing Tides' and 'Caveman Angry ' are neat metal numbers that take in all the favoured elements and leave one thinking you might have just sat through a blistering new Bay Area release instead.

Jumping in with occasional funk, jazz and blues rhythms, some of their parts play larger on the head but it's all honestly done and deserves a full blast on ten. Not the most ordinary of metal releases, with its strangely aor solo moments, AGR's album - their second - does warrrant three quarters of an hour of your time all the same.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Metallica, White Zombie & Cathedral.

NET: www.agoodrogering.com

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

ARMORY - Empyrean Realms
(Metavania Music - 2013)

Famed as it might be for Aerosmith and Extreme, Massasuchetts has many other metal machines stored in its garage.

Armory have given it way too long - six years in fact - since their shattering debut 'Dawn of Enlightenment' turned up my volume by itself. Since then, their whereabouts almost became open to question, but no, here they they still live and rock on strong with the rest of them. Maybe we'll correct that to stronger than, as this titanium-forged follow-up patches over the agonising gap.

'Beyond The Horizon' bounces up and down with Dickinson-like metal dynamism and Dio educated class, speeding up for the keyboards then letting the solos steal the place. 'Horologium' is the only time I've ever complained of an intrumental cut being too short - the duels of guitarists Joe Kurland and Chad Fisher, occasionally intervened by the ivories of Peter Rutcho frankly just don't last long enough at an abrupt four minute cut -off.

Fast playing gives way for more proggy moments within 'Elements of Creation' - a clue in the title if ever there was one - nicely placed tempo changes taking you right across the span with thrashy interludes in the Megadeth/Annihilator vein. Knocked into place by Joe's super-talented brother Adam adding his authentic Bruce meets Geoff Tate tonsils to the top layer, reasons why we've missed these guys seem to heap. Power metal at its prime classy greatest.

Take a pen and put this one on your shopping list, as Armory have pushed it beyond the realms a second time running.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

HUGELY RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Royal Hunt, Kamelot, Stratovarius, Gamma Ray, Iron Savior, Queensryche & Saga.

NET: www.armorymetal.com

ANOTHER LOST YEAR - Better Days
(Megaforce Records - 2013)

Another lost band by the end of next year, as the name probably reads longer to listen to their style though rarely for once I might hope that that isn't the case.

As bandwagon-jumpingly familiar as this Charlotte power pop combo's sound is on first entry they've got a notable bit going for themselves. Strongly progressive fixations and soulful catchy hooks strap themselves to more than many of ALY's numbers above ompetently structured twin guitars.

The singer's pissed-off Eddie Vedder vocal attack is an upfront tour de force, on top of some old school rock chord twinges, showing that some such bands of their associated department don't tailor their music to under 20's only listening. Giving 'Better Days' 'War On The Inside', Broken', 'Angels', 'Runaway', 'Your Last Goodbye' and 'Writing On The Wall' more than one playback provides me the knack to reinstate my faith in a genre I first warmed to a decade ago before it grew stale.

Large songs and long reaching choruses show there's new blood pumping strong. Getting ready for better days certainly seems the case.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nickelback, Alterbridge, Audioslave & BoySetsFire.

NET: www.whoisaly.com

AS ANGELS BLEED - S/T
(S/R - 2013)

Hailing from Australia, As Angels Bleed are a two/five piece, studio and live respectively centrered round guitarist and innovator Von Lehmann and awesomely velvet chanteuse Avelina de Moray. Using the as standard goth metal template favoured by girl-fronted outfits, scarce few can both sweeten and toughen it up at the same time as this Sydney combo seem to have mastered doing.

Geared up on the European symphonic metal idea of soaring keyboard fills along with a single guitar, 'Sinfully Yours', 'Desire', 'I Drown', 'Lumiere', 'A Love Worth Dying For' and 'Bloody Kisses' still work to straight ahead principles with thrash, prog and alternative sprinkles added on for a tastier dish. Strong-held harmonies delivered by vampiric frontlady Avelna leave bite as well as beauty while the instrumentation takes forever to fade at the end of each cut, and even more with the mind.

Delicious stuff from another promising talent down-under, let's hope they can get round to Europe for a few dates.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: My Dying Bride, Candlemass & Evanescence.

NET: www.asangelsbleed.com

The Anthem Life – Sins Of Salvation
(S/R – 2013)

Heavier sounding stuff from Kirkkonummi, a small municipality in Southern Finland that is kinda half growl and throaty sung songs at times making it an interesting listen.

The Anthem Life give us pelting, aggressive rifferey that is addictive from the opening almost splintering gothic ‘Sevn’; the 80’s thrash metal of ‘Salvation’ that is very old-school and reminds me of Judas Priest in their Painkiller era and Testament’s ‘Into The Pit’.

Whereas ‘Stnd Ur Grnd’ has almost a folky element and it back that brutal grind meets gothicness on official closer ‘You’re Not Me’. Hang on there’s a secret song on here too tacked onto the end that ain’t even titled that is a piano ballad.

A very interesting band indeed and you simply don’t know what is coming next from a band that should go far although lazy journalist will have job pigeonholing these guys –right?

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

ASHES OF CHAOS – Eye
(Logic(il)logic records - 2013)

Italian proggies Ashes of Chaos seem to have got it right most of the way.

Huge choruses and commerical-oriented rhythms set their sound merrily apart for a conceptual record with only the title to give it away. Giving everything from goth, thrash straight through to traditional metal a try, something would have to crumble and one or two numbers amidst the ten do collapse under the effort. Nothing deadly to dread in AOCs sound, the keyboards start to sting with their pitch but the purity of pace is slick and keeps one from resorting to the lyric sleeve for amusement instead.

Decent solo work connects the parts smoothly courtesy of mechanic Mike Crinella's masterly guitarring, giving 'Falling', 'Doom', 'Mechanical Rage', 'Atmosfear Parts 1 and 2' and 'Awake' the nice over- top-polish to send them on the way to your speakers. Singer Alexios Ciancio comes over, a near clone of Theater's James laBrie in almost every big way but its still hugely appetising to hear him switch his modes, as to suit the darker side of their music.

Good work Italy, yet again.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Fates Warning, Candlemass, Kamelot & Threshold.

NET: www.ashesofchaos.com

ARUNA AZURA - A Story of a World's Betrayal
(Metal Scrap Records - 2013)

A story of a sleeve's betrayal more to the point as a promisingly interesting cover conceals simply snarling death metal instead. Don't judge a book by the outside, you all say and boy I can just about try not to here. Aruna Azura aim high at the progressive target, taking away a lit of the extreme metal tedium as they move the gears round.

Dark, sludgy yet strangely mellow rhythm guitars seem to make you forget about the vocal form until front-man Paul Wicker returns to the mic each final time, and the moving acoustic start to 'Disaster Lullaby' is an incredibly pleasant surprise. The solos don't hog the lane as long as expected, Wicker deputising with a subtle side to his voice - yes he actually sings too and rather well.

An album that grows, these seven tracks don't bore the death - doubtful as much as you worry it will, even if their epic length keeps them from being even more accessible.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: facebook.com/arunaband

Arctic Winter - Uch Alder
(S/R - 2013)

Hard Old School Heavy Metal band from Germany who incorporate plenty of fast riffing, double bass drums.

Imagine Cradle Of Filth meets Iron Maidens and Judas Priest - kinda cheesey to say the least. There are a few cool bits in the album such as the opening 'Defcon 5' & the riff to be found in 'War Of Wrath' or the light ballad that is 'Avalanche (2013)'.

Okay but gets tedious quickly.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

APOLOKIA - Kathaarian Vortex
(My Kingdom Music - 2013)

When are people going to learn that putting a fancily tailored genre on your promo does not put away the fact there is a frightfully godawful din down in the depths behind it?

Pure Karharian Black Metal is simply pure torture that even few of the most ardent of extreme metal purists will struggle to seek appeal through. What sounds like a radio left on a lecherously bad signal for thirty-plus minutes is made worse by the almost inaudible vocals drowned away behind.

Does one honestly care that its based round a 1992 sound, (I remember many acts on the scene being at the top of the listenability ladder by comparison.) as that only serves to show you this lot have been torturing our ears for two decades.

Stay away unless desperate.

2.5/10

By Dave Attrill

AXECUTER - Metal Is Invincible
(Inferno Records - 2013)

An execrably cheesy but as equally enticing title, Axecuters debut album is destructively honest, ad much lyrically as musically.

Not German as the metal-obsessed conceptual theme might throw you into believing, but in fact Brazilian this thrash-happy three piece leave your skull in some pieces after they've been and gone. Nostalgic as hell heavy metal guitars slam you left and right through 'Too Heavy To Load', 'Feed The Beast', 'No God No Devil', 'Bangers Prevail', 'Keep On Sinning' and 'The Fires Of Krakatoa' until you remain barely conscious whilst the over Manowar-esque title track keeps the word 'metal' so heavily molten in your mind even the hottest acetylene will have a job breaking it apart.

Turbo-propelled solos and rhythms set to a brutally fast drum engine across all none tunes, Axecuter are an epitome of old fashioned metal - yes, even with all three members sporting short hair - that is hugely unwise to go ignored in 2013, along with the rest of Brazil's supersizing metal scene. Nice stuff indeed, lads.

Kindly visit Britain sometime.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Forbidden, Venom, Whiplash, Destruction, Slayer, Evile, VioLence, Metallica & Judas Priest.

NET: www.myspace.com/axecutormetal

Aventyr - Driven
(Mighty Music/Target Distribution - 2013)

A nice refreshing change to get back to some great unabridged gutsy rock as opposed to trying to create something different and being less entertaining than what you could be.

This is the sh*t - ten tracks of full on partydom filled sounds from Sognefjord, Norway that clocks in at just over 31 minutes but what a great journey all the same. Highlights include the opening title track 'Driven' that's like Billy Idol on speed; the ballsy and great rhythm of 'Betrayed'; the rollicking 'Crazy Roads' and the Motorhead-like 'Empty Bottles'.

Fire this one up loud!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Accept – Stalingrad
(Nuclear Blast - 2010)

STALINGRAD (subtitled ‘Brothers In Death) is the bands 13th album and really nothing has changed and that is a good thing. It’s significantly shorter than the previous at 52 minutes, although many territories have different bonus tracks.

The cover art was upgraded after a bit of outcry about the plain cover that was initially proposed by the band. Derbyshire’s Andy Sneap (of Megadeth, BLAZE, Exodus, Testament, Arch Enemy and Onslaught fame) does another immaculate production job. Lyrically the band stays on course with tried and true topics of death and war although there are a few variations on the theme.One cut that caught my ear, in terms of lyrics was the final song, ‘The Galley’ which is roughly based on a Rudyard Kipling piece and details the life of slave condemned to row in the galley of a ship. It’s nice to see the band stretch out a bit in terms of lyrical imagery.

Speaking of lyrics, on BLOOD OF THE NATIONS, Accept (unintentionally) borrowed lyrics from Lizzy Borden with the song, ‘Teutonic Terror’ with it’s chorus of ‘Give ‘Em The Axe’, the name of a Lizzy Borden song. Well, it happened again on STALINGRAD! Accept wrote a song called ‘Against The World’ which of course is very close to the Lizzy Borden song on VISUAL LIES, called Me Against The World’ and both are excellent anthems of rebellion.

Musically STALINGRAD delivers everything an Accept could want. Huge guitars, lots of solos, the gruff and battle-tested vocals of Mark Tornillo, thunderous rhythms, crunchy riffs all wrapped up in that timeless tradition of Accepts’ anthemic Metal. If I had one criticism it might be that maybe, just maybe some of the fire that was heard on BLOOD OF THE NATIONS, is not quite as pronounced. Perhaps that is natural.

That previous album was make or break, do or die and they poured a lot of blood sweat and tears into that monster. Did they repeat? STALINGRAD is pretty damn close even if they didn’t go for the jugular on every song, like they did prior. It’s getting pretty hard to choose a favourite Accept album with the consistency and quality of this band. Sure, maybe EAT THE HEAT (’89) and PREDATOR (’96) didn’t quite meet expectations but that leaves at least 10 Accept albums all competing for top billing.

If Accept had called it quits after BLOOD OF THE NATIONS I would have been happy. They would have gone out on a high note and all would be well. The band held their cards close to their chest stating that they would see how the reception of the ‘comeback’ album was (and how Mark Tornillo ex-T.T. Quick worked out) before making any big long-term plans.

10/10

By Andy Turner

Angel Witch – As Above So Below
(Metal Blade - 2012)

Nobody argues over the impact Angel Witch’s self-titled album has had on the metal world and its influences on bands today, but that was in 1980, over 30 years ago.

The band never came close to really making it big and never came close to equalling their debut album with the few mediocre releases in the 1980’s. They quietly disbanded in the mid 80’s. Along with bands like Saxon, Iron Maiden, Saracen, Girlschool, Tank, Samson, Raven and the Tygers Of Pan Tang they were the main contenders in the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal).
Predictably, once a NWOBHM revival started then it was time for Angel Witch to reform and try and recapture some of their former glory. On the other hand, you really can’t argue with them reforming and trying get back to their former glory as a true heavy metal band.

‘As Above So Below’ is a very respectable album, well worth of the name ‘Angel Witch’. It contains four tracks from the original ‘Angel Witch’ archives and four new tracks aswell. You may find it hard telling the difference from the old and the new tracks. The album opens up with an old track ‘Dead Sea Scroll’ and immediately sounds like it Angel Witch haven’t left off from the 80’s.

The production of this CD sounds just like it was back in the 80’s. Angel Witch still provide mid paced songs with fast paced rhythms, excellent riffs all the way through the album. Kevin Heybourne’s vocals sound very good and his guitar solos are well above average.
Of the four new tracks, one that stands out on its own is ‘The Horla’, which is a very dark ballad style track. The track ‘Witching Hour’ leads the old tracks on the album, is a true NWOBHM type of anthem.

On the album there are plenty of very respectable and worthy tracks, but they aren’t delivered with the fire or sense of excitement that the band once did and had. There seems to be nothing new or unexpected on this album, it seems that time has stood still for Angel Witch. There is nothing unusual about this album; all the songs are over 5 minutes long in true NWOBHM style.

There is denying that this was an important era of metal history and this classic era has spawned so many bands that are still going today (Saxon, Iron Maiden, Tygers Of Pan Tang) and have inspired many thrash bands (Metallica, Slayer). ‘As Above So Below’ serves as a nice trip down memory lane for the older metal fan and will help to give a brief history of British metal to the younger metal fans.

More recent metal fans that are unfamiliar with the NWOBHM will find that the new album sounds rather elderly and will say that it was something their parents would listen to.

8/10

By Andy Turner

Net: www.facebook.com/angelwitchofficial www.last.fm/music/Angel+Witch
www.myspace.com/youranangelwitch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVXv97cBNzY

ALPHA ATTAKK - First Strike (E.P.)
(S/R - 2012)

Alpha attack face first from that favourite of all metal nations, Sweden, albeit with a strangely alternative sound you’d seldom come to associate with their country’s commonest produce.

Unless you know them for bands like Hellacopters and Backyard Babies, in which caser this five-track shebang of sheer no-nonsense punk n’roll raucousness is less set to alienate. On a strictly out-and-back- in-again-when-done approach, song arrangements make space for tasty fast solos and some choice blues intrusions, including harmonicas but it’s the blue-collar rock style set in motion by singer Martin Blom and guitarist Robert Majd that eclipses all else within, hereabouts.

Short but rather sweet, I’d say, guys.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.soundcloud/alphattakk

ASHENTIDE - S/T (E.P.)
(S/R - 2011)

Symphonic metal bands from LA seem rarely heard of over here. Symphonic metal bands releasing 3-track eps.. read even more the same so.

Ashentide, a female-vocalled six piece peddle strong beautiful melodic metal with awesome atmosphere and grace gifted to us mostly by Dream Theater, Mostly Autumn and Kamelot. To say frontwoman Lenore’s voice is incredible would be understatement of the year at least -few can even merely match the octavial astronomies she climbs to through ‘Homelands’, ‘Ondine’s Curse’ and ‘Purgatory’.

Placed around sometimes strangely grungy chord line rhythms from shredders, messrs Rivers and Faust, there is promise of a full length album in the pipeline. Not too much of a wait please, guys because this taster’s astounding enough as is.

Seek out, people, please.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Epica, Nightwish & Evanescence.

NET: www.ashentide.com

ATRIUM - Places (Single)
(S/R - 2012)

Ongoing testimony that the prog rejuvenation of late is not a cash-in on the halcyon days, as Kerrang or Metal Hammer might have you believe.

Atrium however still perhaps believe that sending us a full album might yet test Metalliville’s patience since we have only been afforded a two-track taster of their talents with which to acquaint. There is nothing testing or offensive at all about this Portugese foursome’s Transatlantic-meets-Pink Floyd-tinged plushness - other than that I can’t play even a tenth as well as these lads. #

Swish guitats, vocals and keyboards and surprisingly standard- duration tune structures keep both ‘Zintra’ and ‘ZigZag Of The Great Wall’ repeating in my machine most of the morning. Hugely tantalising, I might admittedly over-word things for just a two-track sampler but these guys have got something pleasantly big up and already running with this one.

Can’t wait for the album.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RENATO ABELLA - Miss You (Single)
(XL Records - 2011)

Before you congratulate Mr Abella over his wonderfully fine-tuned yet familiar vocal deliveries, startled you will be to learn that it is not that that of the aforementioned - in fact it is ex-Survivor man Dave Bickler himself, fighting his way out from the musical wilderness, showcasing a talent that has stood the test of time faultlessly.

Yet, saying this, guitar discovery Renato, here along with also-guesting Night Ranger legend Brad Gillis certainly knows his way round his strings, to pen a strong emotive American AOR number like this in a day and age that sadly outlaws the genre. Incredible melody lines and chorus to soak in the bath to as per usual, pretty text book stuff on the menu but still to this night a dish best served hot.

Excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

AGENTS OF CHAOS - Volume One
(S/R - 2012)

US grungers Agents Of Chaos have seen a stupendously large share of activity in their three year existence – surprising then that it has yet to yield a full length cd.

This new five-tracker is still set to please not one bit less, setting plenty aside for both metal and alternative aficionados to sink their teeth into. With Jacob McCoy’s Scott Weiland drive behind the mike moving guitarist/mainman Brain DeChristophers’s drilling rhythms right through the ground to you.

‘Face Down’, Cold War’, ‘Window Pain’ and ‘Damage’ form the foundations, cement and bricks into one solid musical building. Massive chord lines and strong emotive vocal dynamics, similar to Pist.on (remember them?) in most places stoke up the energy for you to absorb straight away from this outfit.

Recommended.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains & Metallica.

NET: www.ChaosAngels.com

AKINESIS - The PassAge
(S/R - 2012)

Another eagerly vibrating Italian music machine switches on with the aim to impress on first test.

Akinesis pas though on a precarious margin - the early part of this 14-tracker are pretty close to being labelled under chart pop category but at least on the listenable side. Delicious melodies and electric/acoustic combinations still prevail over the day and messrs Caspani and Ambretti’s first langue isnt English, hence the serious lack of rhyming lyrical content, they know how to wham those hooks hard into their mountings.

‘Alien’, ‘Taken’, ‘Morning Comes’, ‘Pain U W8’, ‘Blind’, ‘Prayerz’, ‘Song of Simplicity’ and ‘Second Life’ collectively come together with swagger, serving up healthy teaspoonfuls of Toto, Led Zep, Journey, Marz Volta, Mitch Malloy and even Metallica in their brand of hot steaming pop rock brew.

If you like your harmonies sweet and summer infested, this one should become compulsory for you!

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: *Bands as described in review.

NET: www.akinesis.com

American Aquarium - Dances For The Lonely
(Freeworld/Floating World - 2012)

I liked their last album so much that I was looking forward to checking this one out too and was not disappointed with what I heard either.

Pure brilliant Americana like sounds - think Drive By Truckers and hints of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan honesty and downright bluecollar stories meets Counting Crows gone totally retro - excellent stuff indeed.

There are some harsh, sad 'n' painful songs on here such as 'City Lights'; 'Downtown Girls'; 'Mary Mary', 'Ain't Goin To The Bar Tonight' that aren't exactly advisable listening if you are going through some bad times - unless it's theraputic to you. I guess there's a clue in the title of the album itslef that the topics of the songs aren't gonna be positive and uplifting.

Excellent all the same and I guarantee the tracks here will touch you one way or another.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

ABANDONED STARS - Opening Act
(S/R - 2011)

Last time we had a Scottish band with only two Scottish members no board, it was the still excellent Almighty.

Like them only Abandoned Star’s rhythm section hails from Highland-wards, the Hodge brothers flanked by a French vocalist and Italian shredder.. And they also sound bloody damn good just as expected. Dealing only four tracks seems a bit of a metaphorical dropper but at least its four of the right examples of their silky prog metal.

Speed comes in doses rather than as a direct rule of play with some pleasant uptempo hard rock through the earlier three numbers ‘Beyond Reason’, ‘Follow Your Heart’ and ‘Sealing My Fate’ before an epic end with eleven -plus minute tour-de-force ’Against The Tide’, delivered in technical panache. Astounding keyboards, shared by drummer Tony and guitarist Peppe are still every iota what these releases are about today and Abandoned Stars are destined to be rename Rock Stars if this material catches the right earlobes off-guard.

Excellent listening, lads. - here’s to hoping this opening act preludes the massive production to follow.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Dream Theater, Savatage & Kamelot.

NET: www.myspace.com/abandonedstars

ACID EMPIRE - S/T
(Darkplace Records - 2011)

Upholding the UK’s somewhat latterly dormant epic metal front, Acid Empire are an interesting breed to kick the scene moving on these shores.

Stemming from the common mainland style of fast fingered widdling and flowery keyboard layering, applied too are further additional strands of notability. The double headed lead vocal, one male one female is fantastically synchronised with both Jack Lipinski and Hannah Bridge delivering a soaring dynamic air that pumps this power metal dinghy up til it flies away into the water.

Classic lead soloing is in prominence throughout this album as well with speed metal soloing placed aside to allow more seventies rootsy string technique from the Blackmore/Page department to become coolly utilised. Traces of lethally Zep alike acoustic work from Mike Bridge would definitely set the listener at odds if he were to wake up in the middle of the album at one of these points, but still all the best to boast widely of their surprisingly more widespread influence.

Succulent licks and strong chorus harmonies hit above the surface unexpectedly and while only six songs of the eleven are vocal-fronted, the entire engine is one long needed building for this desperate vehicle.

Wonderful.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: My Dying Bride, Candlemass, Epica, Anathema & Dream Theater.

NET: www.acid-empire.com

ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE -Windfall
(S/R - 2011)

All but impossible to conceive, the grunge verse prog animosity in the musical creative field seems to have become progressive quelled of late.

We’ve had Detroit rockers Morrow’s Memory pull the mix off to magnificent panache just lately - will these four spirited young people from Port Washington make the hurdle? Taking no steroids for the sprint, they still come in thick and fast through not literally so in tempo. ‘Freedom Ahead’ is a sweet mid-tempo modern hard rocker with singer Justin Volpe’s gritty vocals setting he lines for what lies throughout. Driving guitar lines leave us looking forward to ‘Picture of your Mind’ which ladels more of the same out in a Black-Sabbath- like initial helping. Getting more aggressive on the vocal front plugs their contemporary prowess to its maximum.

The beat progressions don’t flounder, delivering ‘Open Ends’ with guitar-friendly fire and a switch to something of a Pearl Jam side on the vocal gearstick. Not put off a ballad or two, the swish seventies roll through ‘Freedom Ahead’ compliments itself with cuts of swish American string twiddling amidst the vocal lines up to a mid -way metal departure underneath its epic chorus. Entering behind, also from the unplugged door, ‘The Shine’ is fine progressive metal of the modern day equilibrium with the rhythm guitars showing thrash temptations come within their sights. Spanish- guitar-led instrumental ‘The Expedition’ is still the clearly stronger departure, and preludes the soulfully melodic intro section to ‘Unchanged’.

Despite sounding notably ballad-oriented, the album’s seventh track is my personal favourite with a fantastically laid out refrain that I am already humming before the acoustic bonus rehash comes along at the end . A final chorus just claps back in from the mid-way instrumental relapse to stop anybody thinking of falling asleep. Keeping you awake through another two songs pretty alike most from the other fistfull you’ve sat through is often a tall order on some albums. ’On my Own’ however with its high-pitched hookline works as a splendid extra alarm, even if some uncalled-for screamcore snippets do intervene at one point.

After another acoustic visit from ‘Washed Away’ which as the last catchiest cut almost does end up that way, ’Still Constricted’ struggles to find its placer to start but then suddenly strikes very hard at the right moment, in a similar way to ’On My..’ and many of the discs earlier numbers. The female vocals are a treat at the end through the guest’s identity is untraceable for the promo details. Swish modern hard rock nonetheless, with meaty musicianship by shredder Cody Ryan, and massively wholesome crossover feel A.B.I do not let up anywhere enough to tell them off for it and take you through every song with everything they have. Smart lyrics also contribute with a self-discovery theme in place of the standard suicide/depression dirge.

These boys have already been discovered for the record and become an bigger discovery on top of this one.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Coheed and Cambria, Nirvana, Alter Bridge & Nickelback.

NET: www.AllButImpossible.Bandcamp.com

Already Gone - One Good Reason
(S/R - 2011)

Cracking young 4-piece rock band from the Midlands part of the UK whose sound harks back to that of the late 80's much to our liking.

They have the x-factor indeed and that's f*ck all to do with anything that the likes of Mr. Cowell is involved with although fromtman Luke Maskery did appear on a similar show called 'Stars In Their Eyes' back when he was 18.

Already Gone have already gone and played all over the UK who no doubt enjoyed their songs that are on this here CD. Highlights of this album include the opening rocker 'Cry Baby' who he can still smell on his fingertips; the 'Billion Dollar Babies' like 'Make My Day' and the ciggy lighter hard hitting ballad 'Wash Away My Tears'.

Then there's countryesque 'Sweet Dreams Baby'; the Aerosmith meets Status Quo-like 'Sweet Lady Jane' and the Southern Rock closer 'So Long Gone'. Not one song is like the other and they manage to nail down numerous styles of hard rock artists over the last 30 years or so.
A band that deserves big things on all sides of the pond.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

AUTHORITY OF HATE - Crackdown
(Metal Scrap Records - 2011)

The sort of name telling you to expect a street-hard metal core monster instead somehow yields anther equally heavy beast of the devil-horn inducing variety instead.

Russian duo Authority Of Hate attack the senses with a short sharp but thankfully not quite shocking delivery of death metal crafted as you just expect to hear it. Expectations for a little novelty wear off with two tracks but the constant intrusions of old-school thrash soloing keep things about half appetising, Authority, Phantom Of a Doll, Zombie City, At the Bottom Of The Universe and Death By Hanging guaranteed to hurt like a bullet to the head.

Not bad but the live environment will be far better welcoming for this kind of sound.

6/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Morbid Angel, Sepultura & Emperor.

NET: www.metalscrap.org.ua

Aesthesia - Shattered Idols
(Shotgun Generation Records 0 2010)

Swedish trashy 5-piece sleazers who have a real polished album here soundwise and they ain't too bad as a band either.

They've got some great songs and have elements of Guns 'N' Roses, Backyard Babies and even Muse believe it or not. Highlights on here include 'Under 16' about female jailbait - true story lads?; 'Gone' that must be about someone they have sadly lost.

Then there's the fast 'n' burnin' 'Rattlesnake Preacher' or the opening 'Greed Machine' or what about 'Tales Of Underground' where frontman, Nico Marlyn seems to think he is W. Axl Rose.

Decent.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Amebix - Sonic Mass
(Easy Action - 2011)

A band who have been out of the scene for about 20 years who came out well before the likes of Tool, Ministry and Type O Negative - boy you can tell where the said bands took their influences from.

It's dark, it's heavy, it'a sinister, it's mysterious and so incredibly engulfing and draws you in making you so addicted to the vibe and the sound of the album and band in general. It comes across like a deep conceptual piece as the songs flow to each other or link by some kind of ambience that include tribal calls and moody instrumentation that guide you through the scary journey.

An album that is one big highlight from the get go off 'Days' right through to the single 'Knights Of The Black Sun' with killer songs in between including the voice-overed at times 'Visitation'; the beautiful acoustic 'Sonic Mass Part 1' and the heavier Sonic Mass Part 2'. You need to heat this to get full effect - no amount of word can really make an impact to what is gonna hit your eardrums and mind.

Just what the Doomlord ordered.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Anthrax - Worship Music
(Nuclear Blast - 2011)

Well when the 'thrax comes out with a new album and has Joey back on the mike we all all edgy about whether it is gonna sink or swim but believe me this album literally flies out the water as it's the best thing they've brought out in absolutely years - this album is smokin'.

There's everything from good old New York hardcore and thrash that they are famous for with a great example being 'Earth On Hell' the 1st song on the album after the 'Worship' intro or 'The Devil You Know'. There are those slamming guitar crunches and heavy slamming machine gun drum beatings but you'll also find a lot more than that such as powerful, strong melodic arrangements that aren't even thrash and excellent solos such as found in 'Fight 'Em Till You Can't'. Vocally Joey sounds good although you don't hear him trying to imitate dolphins every few seconds like back in the old days because he simply don't need to - he's moved on from that.

Love the opening of 'Judas Priest' that's a killer military drum beat that turns into a storning epic of a number with trademark styles of Anthrax and then some - before you ask it ain't about that famous band from Birmingham, UK either. Other standouts include 'The Constant' with an excellent strong chorus and very latchable hooks throughout the number and 'In The End' with excellent vocal harmonies and a magnificently beautiful song arrangement.

This is the 'Holy Grail' of all things Metal so worship 'Worship Music'!!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Asking Alexandria – Reckless and Relentless
(Sumerian Records - 2011)

Immediately, from the start, Reckless and Relentless grabs you with its heavy screams following an almost tension building introduction with the first track, 'Welcome'. This leads straight into the second song, 'Dear Insanity', which starts with a gasp of air before unleashing the throat slicing vocals of Danny Worsnop.

After a mad, hardcore verse, Danny sings a quite melodic chorus, with Ben Bruce backing him up vocally. 'Closure' starts off with a breakdown of techno mixed in with the heavy drums and guitar that Asking Alexandria are known for. The vocals are a mix of screaming and singing, which fit in nicely with each other. After a couple of minutes, we get another techno breakdown, with drums entering to liven things up. As Danny sings the verse, the guitars join in and make this an amazing song overall.

Although the boys seem to have grown up a lot since the release of their first album, Stand Up and Scream, there is still the same element of youth within the Reckless and Relentless album. You still get the sense that they love to party as hard as they play, but if that’s what they need to do to create the albums, then I say let them do it! Ben Bruce has a little twist in store for us with 'Dedication'. This ‘song’ is something we’ve never heard from the boys, as it helps us remember our loved ones that have passed. Quite a soothing song, it’s quite a nice interlude to add into the album. 'Someone, Somewhere' also appears to be a song commemorating somebody important. Clean vocals are backed up by the guitar riffs of Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell, creating an elegant mix of music.

The clean vocals are short lived as 'Breathless' once again incorporates all the attributes of a hardcore band, hitting you like a well timed punch in the face. “Reckless and Relentless”, the song that the album is named after, starts with a rant about music being ruined before starting the screams again. Probably the heaviest song on the album, 'Morte Et Dabo', starts off with a ghostly choir singing the song title, before Danny releases an extreme overdose of violent screams that sound like they could rip his lungs apart. All of the songs have a techno element in them, which works well with the music and vocals.

Overall, the album offers an extreme mix of music, that all hardcore fans will most likely love.

10/10

By Sam Hutchinson

AKARUSA YAMI - Ouroborous
(S/R - 2011)

These lads may sound like they’re from somewhere in the upper reaches of Africa if that moniker is anything to go by, but actually they hail from Lincolnshire and happen to be fronted by an ex-member of the Metalliville elite.

Tom Brumpton doing successfully elsewhere I the music media trade of late fronts these noisy newcomers, here introducing themselves to all and Britain’s sundry with their devastating debut mini-album. ‘The Fallout’ is a straight ahead metal core treat with a guitar harmony line and shrill virtuoso solos that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Kamelot or Rhapsody cd. Good thrash breaks throughout the piece whet the appetite aptly for the rest. ’Comfort in amputation’ shows Tom in diverse form as he adds melodic chorus interludes in an emotionally horsedrawn approach that give a ‘Saw’ movie feel to his increasingly distinctive style.

‘Change Reflects’, a three minute acoustic instrumental with tasty salsa flavour comes in for a very welcome intermission and introduces you to a side of these type of act, we hear way short of enough about. ‘Millennium Is my salvation’ carries on as previously with its distinctively larger Fear Factory vibe turning it into my personal fave. Not to say the remaining pair of numbers are rendered poor, ’Third Eye Wide Open’ offers the best thrash riff, fed along a stomping rhythm while ’day One’ though a struggler with its all over the place rhythms is a decent enough inclusion and clear verse-chorus approach by Mr Brumpton. Great first time out by these homegrown bruisers, with brutal tendency and classy metal solos you don’t expect from their genre plus some impressive twists of versatility you don’t expect coming.

Live shows should be therefore above promising… more like devastating.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Killswitch Engage, Sepultura, Fear Factory, Machine Head & Slayer.

ATANAB - Black Magic
(Mighty Hordes Productions - 2011)

Black Magic… that’s it. The limit of trite metal album name-age has been heightened above that ol’ raised bar itself.

Credit slightly due to these Colombians for as descriptive as it can any longer come, legally speaking… which means sadly however finding yourself poised to sit through forty-odd minutes of horrendously banal black metal racket by numbers. Horrendous may be a harsh word itself as the redeeming factors act sufficiently in time to stop it being a put off for the purist while otherwise one may be pacified by a welcome progressive edge.

That the music doesn’t get shoved in the direction of that precipiece often enough, itself is the bog that hugs the wheels of outside eagerness here and the dominant scream-and-speed-til-the-end-approach just makes such parts, including a couple of blissfully Maiden-inspired solo twiddles sound even more monumental.

There are some fantastic products falling out from this genre’s line over the last year but sadly this one has ended up dropping down the completists chute.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Emperor, Bal-Sagoth, Nile & Cradle Of Filth.

AYGAN - Plastic City
(S/R - 2011)

That other blistering hotbed of Latin metal talent, Brazil takes turn with their latest winning chip on the rock n’ roll roulette wheel.

Sao Paulo foursome Aygan brighten the stakes with ten pleasantly spins of melodic prog rock. Influenced by the usual fair old roster of household names, there are a lot of match-worthy moments to spot amongst ‘To Turn Around’, ‘Shadows’, ‘Days’, ‘Bloody Meanings’, ‘Back At Moon Street’ and ‘Hollywoodian Roses’ but with frontman ***’s unique range conveying them to the band’s clear own distinction in style.

Grand guitar lines with both solos and rhythms having their space to fight fro , these boys are a promise of plenty as good if even better to emanate from South America’s nowaday-hyperactive shores.

Same, Aygan sir? You bloody bet!

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Porcupine Tree, Magellan, Dream Theater, Fates Warning & Saga.

NET: www.myspace.com/aygan

Jamie Allen – Storyteller
(S/R – 2011)

Poison tribute frontmans debut that was produced by a man who is no stranger to Metalliville, Johnny Lima who also does background vocals.

A completely excellent album throughout and every bit of it is highlights. You hear pure top grade 80’s rock mixed in with some glory of country music as well on this ere platter. Stand-outs include the opening ‘Smoke & Mirrors’; the retro thinkin’ ‘Back In The Day’; ‘The Way I Roll’ & ‘She gets Around’ and the closing ‘Same Old Feeling’.

This album is brilliant and an essential buy.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Amebix - Knights Of The Black Sun (Single)

(S/R - 2011)

These dudes remind me of a cross of Simple Minds, a throwback Goth Act (well they've released nothing for 24 years) with a throaty Shane McGowan and Feargal Sharkey of The Undertones fame like frontman who goes by the name of Rob The Baron. There's also a bit of doom metal as well for good measures.

It's catchy, uneasy and extremely sinister and very brilliant. There's a spooky long ghostly ending in there too. A song where you are curious what the hell will happen next. Hey, they even feature Roy Mayorga from Stone Sour in the band too - an attractive way of grabbing new fans right there if ever I saw one.

Interesting stuff.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

ANA KEFR - The Burial Tree (II)
(Muse Sick - 2011)

An interesting and not wholly un -Zeppelin-like cover design greets us, as at the same time the enclosed promo sheet promises 14 finely crafted compositions of philosophical metal.

However, not one minute into the first and we get that all too familiar growl over the mike. That said, this US fivesome’s scram core/hardcore/death vocal revolving door is well rested on its supports and will hurt most who try to walk through it the wrong way. Settling not for some modern two -chorded Kerrang-ball-licking racket, Ana Kefr make use of very evident eighties/early nineties inpsirations, Scandinavian names aplenty coming to surface alongside Testament, Sepultura and Slayer amongst others.

Knotted together by a very thick progressive ribbon, ’Ashahid’, ’Eago’, ’In The house Of Distorted Mirrors’, ’Thaumatrope’, ’Zephirus Circus’, ’Apoptosis’, ’Parasites’ and ’Fragment’ are guarantee able moshpit fun but on CD still show a massive second dimension. Apparently with commendable praise over their previous disc from two years ago, these boys are set to lecture their philosophy to an ever larger class. Good riffs and good ideas spread far across the platter, some of their numbers could have seen a little extra substance pumped in but there is still plenty to be heard.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.anakefr.com www.facebook.com/anakefr

Ashton, Gardner & Dyke - The Best Of
(Repetoire Records - 2009)

Cult British late 60's, early 70's faves from Liverpool get their 'Best Of' released again - it plays what it says on the title.

Highlights from the 20 track offering include the opening brass filled wacky 'Resurrection Shuffle'; the bluesy 'Billy And His Piano With'; the funky and wacky titled 'I'm You Spiritual Breadman'; the county honked blues of 'Oh Mathilda'; the lyrics of it's time 'Paper Head, Paper Mind' & the epic Dylanesque & The Band like 'Hymn To Everyone' and the live 12-bar 'Momma's Getting Married' - Garden - who the hells that lol - now that's funny - the announcer is corrected at the end of the song though.

It's an excellent collection dedicated to a band who should have been as huge as the likes of Deep Purple but got pigeonholed by their hit sonh 'Resurrection Shuffle that opens the album funnily enough. Or what about the question and answering 'Can You Get It' or the retroness of 'Ballad Of The Remo Four' about 2 of the members previous band. There are excellent liner notes in the CD Inlay that gives you a full history on the band - Ashton and Gardner may have passed away but we still got their great music. Brilliant trio if ever there was one.

A real nice introduction to a band I 1st heard via Beat Club - that German Music Show!

10/10

By Glenn Millgan

ACUTE MIND - S/T
(Electrum Productions - 2010)

Disturbing the trend of girl-fronted outfits in Eastern European territories, Acute Mind are for once a male-fronted one though another potentially large Polish scoop out of the bucket.
Yet again an outfit poised to differentiate themselves in every thing other than line-up format, these guys serve it up with another blissfully distinct sound. Assembling a vaguely bluesy prog /metal fusion based round sometime semi-acoustic oriented arrangements, the darkly atmospheric intent still functions although the melodies are more often than not a little summery sounding as well.

Frontman Marek ah one of those voices you could place in any genre and it would still sound powerful, even though with his LaBrie like smoothness on numbers like 'Grief And Pain', 'Garden', 'Misery', 'Sweet Smell Of Success' and 'Bad Incitments', he’d be probably wasted elsewhere. Brilliant velvety work on guitars and keyboards behind him, this debut album is sadly just too short at only eight tracks - let’s hope there’s plenty of additional stuff lying in wait on the live set as Acute Mind can’t create too much of it.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Stratavarius, Dream Theater & Fates Warning.
NET: www.myspace.com/acutemind

A DEEPER DREED - Masquerade (E.P.)
(Self Released - 2011)

Some people combine the most risqué of styles together, as much as crossing over is all the rage on the rock n’roll promenade nowadays.

Power metal and alternative is one of the most dangerous feats with little or everyone suddenly likely to want to know, Deeper Dreed took the gamble. The all-eighties twin-guitar marathon fires off from the start after teasing me with a black metal sounding run-in and though capped with a vocal sound just as appropriate for decorating the average Blink 182 or Drowning Pool album these guys are defiantly prosperous with it.

This cd is an already incredible taste of audacity and natural ingenuity you hear and without leaving hooks behind, at that. Throughout ’Masquerade’, ’The Cell’, ’Glass To Sand’ and ’Of Me’ you get just about everything (else) thrown at you small or large pieces, from thrash to grunge, hard rock to punk, but this Suffolk fivesome’s pot is seriously simmering and set to boil over brutally on stage.

Buy this!

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

ALEXIS - Birds Of Prey
(Pitch Black Records - 2010)

No they didn’t recently remove the words ‘On Fire’ from their name - this lot are an entirely different machine, thanking f**k merrily as I do, this Chilean show their superiority instantly in presenting me with a meaty old school metal sound that teases me with its intro before rocking out and hard both in one hurl of the stone.

Hooks lie in the riffs as they do with this style advertising that the choruses have to be something when they come and they are at least good. The twin guitar , very much school by a few listens to Judas Priest and Megadeth over the years wins over the album with a very broad lead sound that clarifies main shredder Gabriel Hidalgo’s performance.

Although, frontman Freddy Alexis, the vocal talent from whom the band take their tag, often supplies a great impression of what Ozzy would have been like if he still had a voice today. 'Shadows', 'Golden Path', 'Birds Of Prey', 'Metalliser II' and 'Witchblade' are amongst great slices of steamy molten melodic metal you’ll either love or hate, but their pure musical consistency makes the latter very hard.

Excellent work from another South American team, playing right up to and above their pride in the genre.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Gamma Ray, Tad Morose, Apocrypha, Iron Saviour, Savatage & Megadeth.

NET: myspace.com/birdsofpreychile www.FreddyAlexis.cl

Julian Angel's Beautiful Beast - Adult Orientated Candy
(G.T.O. Entertainment - 2011)

3 Piece Sleazey Cock Rock and even Hard Melodic Rock at times Act fronted by a dude called Julian Angel who plays some killer metal solos as well - think Dokken meets Danger Danger or something to that effect.

Highlights include the gorgious ballads 'Tokyo Nights' and 'Save My Heart' the opening 'Showdown' that comes complete with cop sirens; the awesome beast that is all beautiful entitled 'Rock All Arenas (Born To Rock)' or the excellent cowbell slamming an female wailing 'Singer And Guitarist In A Hair Band'

Something else for Germany to be proud of for sure alongside the Scorpions, Accept and Doro.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

ARMONIGHT - Suffering and Passion
(Heart Of Steel Records - 2010)

Armonight are a half-female, half-male metal outfit from Italy, who have already paid a visit to the UK this last year to a sweet reception.

Performing a sweetly splendid gothic line in melodic metal its easy to see how they picked up the praise, their sound is an instant catch-on, and that’s before you get to the tunes. Frontwoman Sy‘s range is exquisitely shrill, supplying an anthemic air that changes mere verse lines into lingering hooks by themselves suiting the lush keyboards more than the guitars, without disrespect to the very smoothly sustained solo notes.

‘Revenge’, ’Past Shadows’, ‘Emotions’, ‘Into My World’, ’What We Were’, ’Heaven’s Below’ and ’Crystal Tears’’ account for seven of the stronger numbers out from ten altogether above substantially composed cuts that stay with you days after one play and make that second listen even more special as opposed to the movie principle of a diminishing sequel.

Excellent showing of both a band’s experimental and classic sides with that catchy trad metal solo break on ‘Yellow Flowers’ a crafty highlight to boot, Armonight aren’t exactly a sound one can likely be found suffering anytime soon, but fully load the dice in favour of passion. European metal excellence in its most shining form.

Buy!

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Anathema, Epica, Tristania & Evanescence.
NET: www.myspace.com/armonight

American Aquarium - Small Town Hymns
(Last Chance Records/Floating World - 2010)

I guess the band name and title gives you an indication of what you're gonna hear here - and if you reckon it's homegrown countrified sounds in a Drive By Truckers kinda way then right you guess y'all.

These guys hail from Raleigh, North Carolina and every song is a southern gem right from the opener 'Hurricane' through to 'Hard To Quit' - I had the problem quit the album too so put it on again and that doesn't happen very often. The acoustic 'Reidsville' is excellent with it's too much in love to give a god-damn' line; the haunting & beautiful 'Meredith'; the sad but true sounding 'Water In The Well' about feeding your family in hard times; the humourous 'Rattlesnake' about a woman actually that quotes many parts of the USA - and then theres the gorgious steel guitar playing or 'Gone Long Gone' about losing your woman.

Life don't work like a fairytale when everyone that's good lives happily ever after as bandl0eader BJ Barham prove in these outstanding songs here.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sound like the name of some sh*te horror movie they may do but Kentucky’s American Hollow are certainly not hollow… and more British than US nationality in the sound department.

And less of the excrement comparisons if you please, these chaps are fantastically accurate in their professional prog rock output. One gets treated to the complex rhythm gymnastics as standard but the near bluesy guitar twang and an occasional pinch of grunge where it suits takes things a little off the regular path, or at least allows the music to play with the leaves a bit.

Instrumental breaks are not automatically capped out by keyboard harmonies about ten minutes long but a variety of gubbins including leisurely treks across their catalogue of distortion samples that sound like there may be a couple of ‘2001 A Space Oddity’ fans amongst the group. Keeping some soulful vocals from frontman Jameson in check amongst the elements, AH are a strong brick in the prog wall wherever they slide in.

Worth more shouting about than whispering.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Porcupine Tree, The Police & Nirvana
NET: myspace.com/American hollow www.americanhollowband.com

ANGER MANAGEMET - Beyond the Threshold Of Pain
(Three Piece Recordings - 2010)

This lot sound like they need classes in it themselves.

Comprising ex-Medulla Nocte/Murder One personnel within ranks, you’d expect it to be typically heavy, guttural and aggressive with nought point-nought-nought room for musical subtlety, so at least in that context they don’t disappoint.

As brutal and relentless as it gets, its sadly still Metalcore by numbers for all five cuts with awkward rhythm arrangements, the word ‘rhythm’ being used very loosely, and after three tracks you know all the five are just going to sound melded into one irritatingly overlong mass. There’s some brief solo intrusions to seek out and the occasional decent thrash riff but that’s about all to stop this from reaching above take-or-leave status alone.

Live however, this band guarantee to become awesome.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: Myspace.com/angermanagementmusic

Acid Drinkers - Fishdick Zwei "The Dick Is Rising Again'
(Mystic Production - 2010)

Wild and Crazy covers by an out-there band of nutheads from Poland who either murder or salute or obliterate various well-known numbers.
Some really cool and funny stuff on here such as thrashy fast as hell versions of 'Ring Of Fire' (Johnny Cash) or 'New York New York' (Frank Sinatra); an impressive 'Hot Stuff' (Donna Summer); 'Love Shack' that sounds like the original B52's vocalists (it's the single for the album actually); a wacked out country version of 'Seasons In The Abyss' (Slayer) complete with fiddles!!

Then there's the Hungarianor whatever the hell it is version of Metallica's 'Nothing Else Matters' that fattens up in the chorus to wholehearted metal complete with the guitar solo or a gorgious rendition of Black Sabbath's 'Fluff' that they end the album with.

Now this is what I call very entertaining.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

ADVENT OF BEDLAM - Behold The Chaos
(Environmental Records - 2010)

No matter how fancy the name is , its still death metal inside the sleeve and down right boring some of it can be too.

While I’ve encountered some decent and innovative extreme metal combos lately, Costa Ricans Advent of Bedlam. are sadly left out from the list. Nine tracks that might as well just be one soar by in not a short enough time - they have the cheek to make these tunes last up to 7 and a half minutes. The solos are about the only redemption form the near unbearable gargling and seldom- slower than -150mph drum speed though a couple of tracks offer an occasional bouncy mid-paced interlude..

Technically the instrumental abilities of these guys goes without saying and most fans will pick this one without a second’s hesitation but I cannot see anyone who doesn’t already like the genre being swiftly converted by this record.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Nile, Slayer & Emperor

ARTHEMIS - Heroes
(H&H - 2010)

Arthemis are a four piece from Italy that play one music and one music only… heavy-effin’- metal! Don’t believe me? Fine, just listen to ‘Scars on Scars’ and ‘Vortex’ then see who’s lying.

These Verona chaps come out of nowhere to crack your skull violently open with what turns out is not their debut, nor their second but their SIXTH album ( have we got some catching up to do or what.) and the likely might of their preceding catalogue is pretty well advertised in this disc. Cued on by every crucial machine of the genre, Arthemis just blend the whole lot in the bag and bring their own flavours to the table.

The Pantera influences exhibit themselves, quite literally with the intro to ’7 Days’ but as its my personal fave of the record, I’ll let them have it. The gigantic hook is probably one of the greatest melodic metal choruses I’ve heard since the dawn of the millennium, leaving me humming it already as the second verse heads in.

‘This Is Revolution’ is the Megadeth part of the disc, with vocals and guitar lines taking a joyously Mustaine-esque swing, the luscious leads travelling right along the back of the entire number. ‘Home’ does the same but with more European aplomb, that hauntingly Scandinavian sounding chorus providing a welcome warhead aimed at anyone daring to turn off.

Anyone wanting to do that before giving ’Heroes’ and ’Until the End’ a chance deserves more than shooting for missing two absolute metal treats here. Assembled on a prog floorspace they are nothing for even the strictest of purists to merely sniff at, riffing, rocking and rolling their way through your systems with hooklines so big there’s’ no hiding behind the rocks.

’Ressurection’ is the tune heabangers have waited all album long for, sending up a shattering duel of Testament and Anthrax anger whilst enriched again by Fabio D’s versatile range. With a couple of sweet instrumentals in ’’Cross Fire’ and closer ’Road To Nowhere’, the perfect metal album is complete and this one is more than that it’s compulsory.

Till now a scarcely known fish in British waters, Artemis prove to be a shark with no less than perfectly razor- sharp teeth and you hear then being used to unrelenting effect for fifty five minutes right here.

Incredible.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:

Megadeth, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Candlemass, Paradise Lost, Judas Priest & Alice In Chains

NET: myspace.com/arthemisweb

The Action Five – Idaho (Single)
(S/R – 2010)

Great band who fit somewhere between The Manic Street Preachers, Faces and overall Americana but come from Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. It’s a long way to Idaho – it sure is from where these guys come from – awesome stuff indeed.

Energetic song too in ‘Stuck In My Seat’ & then the wonderfully moderate rocker ‘Get Your Kicks’ that are also included.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Abadden - Sentenced To Death

(Rising Records – 2010)

Winners of the competition organized by Metal Hammer, Abadden were soon picked up and signed. Abadden understand old school thrash like Kreator, Sabbat and Overkill to produce a solid ground for the debut CD.

‘Sentenced to Death’ releases an energy that’s been missing for a while in the UK’s thrash scene. As new comers to the market, Abadden have produced an new world wind style of thrash as they pound, smash and grind their way through the new age punk that’s around today.

‘Sentenced to Death’ is an 8 track CD full of power, enthusiasm and commitment from the self-titled first track through ‘My Misery’ to ‘The Day of Reckoning’. With solid drumming, good riffs and thunderous bass lines what more can you ask for from a thrash band

8/10

By Tony Watson

Abysse - Metal Ambient
(Blue Wave Production – 2010)

Imagine Tool, Opeth and the heaviness of Korn in a little package of French progressive metal and there you have it, Abysse in all their proud and glory.This 4 track promo CD is an instrumental production with ‘Deviance’ and ‘One last breath’ eing over 10 minutes long, but the surprising thing is, the melodies roll along with so much passion and intricacy, there is no time to be bored.

I must admit, this EP has been played around 15 times and I still find quirky things popping out and adding a little more excitement to the whole ambient feel.

As things go Abysse have worked hard to produce a classic promo that’s going to be hard to follow. Instrumental or not, this CD is a must.

8/10

By Tony Watson

Age Of Evil - Get Dead (EP)
(S/R – 2009)

You know when you are getting on when you revert to bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Pantera, but Age of Evil are the new kids on the block, relishing in the metal of yesteryear with their take on the metal scene.

Get Dead is a powerful 6 track EP that refreshes the parts other metal bands can’t reach. These teenagers know they can be like Priest, Maiden, Megadeth and Slayer but what they do is provide us with a feel of the old school and add a sparkle with new energy.

Get Dead has covers of Skid Row’s ‘Slave to the Grind’ and Judas Priest’s ‘Electric Eye’ as well as two live performances of ‘Eye for an Eye’ and ‘Glimpse of Light’. The two studio tracks ‘Get Dead’ and ‘Cruel Intentions’ do get the blood boiling with the power of the 80’s.

If these guys carry on with what they are doing, they won’t go far wrong.

10/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Tony Watson

Beware for these chaps are going to be transmutating into one dangerous metal creature in 2010.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Avith - Heir Of Agitation
(Emotion Art Music Ltd – 2009)

Avith from Greece enter the world of rock music through a compromising display of typical European power metal with a slight twist of funk and soprano vocals mixed with atmospheric tones covered with a gothic coat.

Heir of Agitation is a somewhat slightly lost, we have this solid metal sound that’s carried through the whole 9 tracks with guitar solos, pounding drums and definitive keyboards that are on the verge of Evanescence. The only downside is the dull monotone vocals of the female vocalist Ira.

As the CD pounds it way through ‘Lilith’ we then enter a poor track of ‘That Distant Light’ which then rips into ‘Winter’ and then melodically ripples onto ‘Not Mine Yet’ which puts you into a state of confusion.

What are Avith about? Are they metal or are they Ambient rock? Who knows.

Remove the complex confusion and on a half listen background overtones, Heir Of Agitation isn’t too bad, but it’s a CD that will be left on the shelf for a long time before the brain asks for a replay.

6/10

By Tony Watson

Great start boys, more of the same please.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENED IF YOU LIKE:
Helloween, Megadeth, Annihilator, Gamma Ray, Edguy.

Acoda - Characters
(S/R- 2009)

Acoda are a five piece band from Northamptonshire that are mixing metal, screamcore with indie, you may find this a bit strange but in a sense it works. If I had to put place them I would say they are on the verge of Lost Prophets.

A self produced EP, Acoda have shown they have the talent, flair and chemistry to push their way to the next level.

As a 6 track EP Acoda grasps the listener and keeps them entertained as they progress through 'Sleeping Escapade', ' A Stolen Car Passing', 'A Dark Passenger', 'Just', 'Trains' and 'Distractions' to release a ruthless but at the same time melodic feel.

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Sepultura, Evile, Deicide, Obituary, Morbid Angel

NET
www.myspace.com/theargentdawnuk

A200 – Play
(S/R – 2008)

2nd EP from the Fort Myers Rock band that is very similar to the 1st with highlights being the forceful ‘Lies’ that must be a true number about unfaithfulness and the closing ballad ‘By The Way’.

I am looking forward to their 3rd release where I think the band will manage to really capture themselves on cd like they do in concert when they play in and around South Florida.

I think there’s more that these guys have to offer than what is shown on the CD for sure.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

‘Ashes And Madness’, ‘Lost and Forsaken’, ‘Esoteric Lies’, ‘Beyond The Hallow Graves’ and ‘All The Kings Horses’ are well built cuts which use every part in the right place and don’t try to defy their own capability in absorbing with the listener. Maintaining the verse-chorus-verse criteria here pays as always even if not a most frequently practised arrangement in prog but as always enables each tune to travel quicker.

The epic length tracks make occasional returns with this disc but with strong and well accommodated guitar rhythms from multi-instrumentalist Yan Leviathan, concentrating largely on scope than on random speed-strumming exercises, one should not be deterred by the 10 minute plus duration of closer ‘Time And Space Pt 2’.

A enjoyable piece of melodic metal that slots firmly amongst the better examples we’ve encountered in 2009. Enjoyable.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Iron Saviour, Hammerfall, Awake, Dream Theater

8/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Tony Watson

4/10

By Tony Watson

These young energetic lads have a place in the European metal scene, which will give them the credit they deserve, which I don’t think they will get through the British media.

9/10

By Tony Watson

5/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Tony Watson

Due to the endless releases of the same thing the CD get 1 mark for each CD in the set.

2/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

This is the forth album from the Italian pagan metal band from the Port of Trieste area. Aisling have been together for about ten years producing black metal with a weaving symphonic twist.

‘Stone Of Light’ is their new creation that comprises of ten tracks, which only last for a pitiful thirty-seven minuets. The melodic introductory track ‘Speir’ Aisling rush into a death defying leap into the depths of hell, with the power cords screaming vocals, blood beating drums and harmonic keyboards.

The only thing that pisses me of with this CD is that every track has a high-pitched female vocalist (well I think it is a female) who is trying to sing like an opera singer, which in my eyes ruins the tracks. They should have left this out of the tracks and stuck with what they are good at.

If it weren’t for the screeching high-pitched vocals this would have been a reasonable CD.

What a shame.

7/10

By Tony Watson

Assignment are from Gutersloh in Germany, which may give you a little insight into what to expect. There is plenty of Power metal, Thrash metal and Progressive rock from mainland Europe and Assignment have decided to combine all three into their release.

After a few listens I’m sure what the band are trying to achieve, we get the power metal side the thrash is missing slightly and the progressive rock is trying to bully the power metal out of the way.

I feel the music is somewhat lost somewhere in the calibration of the strong vocals that have been placed on the CD, there seems to be too much going off to keep you interested in the tracks, with the keyboards taking president to the guitars.

I think they need to rethink about the direction they are heading and stick with one or the other

5/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Dave Attrill

A scream core 5-piece outfit from the midlands. These sets of lads try to be like Lost Prophets but fail miserable.

We have a collection of 11 tracks that release as much excitement as a dead dog being told to fetch a stick. These guys need to realise this style of metal went out with the ark and the reason it is struggling to stay around is that basically it’s shit.

I can’t knock the effort these guys are putting into the band ore the passion they have for their music but I can give them a bit of advice to not follow other bands and try to be themselves and develop their own style.

A very poor release

3/10

By Tony Watson

French metal band Angher just released its first album called Hidden Truth. The album contains contain 11 tracks plus a bonus DVD which shows the band rehearsing and recording.

First thing that comes into my head were the obvious similarities to other more famous American metal bands such as Slayer, Metallica, Black Label as well other such as Exodus and kreator but there was still something missing but Angher manage to put their own mark and unique stile into their music making it rather interesting.

The band adds cello to their music that isn’t as unusual in metal music now a days, it gives a whole new atmosphere to the sound giving an interesting feel for the listener.
Still in general this music can best be described as a mixture of thrash, heavy and experimental metal that is a nice refreshing change.

Without a label I think these guys will suffer so will some one give these guys a chance and give them the break they deserve.

8/10

By Tony Watson

More Scandinavian magic conjured up and these lads look like another sprightly rabbit straight fro th hat.

Altar Of Oblivion’s sound can easily be matched with another favourable name - M Dying Bride especially where the vocals of the impressive Mik Mentor are concerned.

A single guitar act - as are the Bradford outfit, this young quartet don’t have a keyboardsman but their instrumentation fends well itself and you feel yourself sailing along with these five well crafted cuts.

Looking forward to a full album here guys.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

4/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

ARMORY - Dawn Of Enlightenment
(S/R – 2007)

Power metal acts that do not hail from Germany or Scandinavia seem to need the vocal style to prove so these days - or it could just turn out as being massively coincidental that Amory, who hail from the good ol’ US of A opt to be fronted by a geezer who sounds more like Geoff Tate or Bruce Dickinson combined, than the two do seperately themselves.

The Massasuchets sextet have an excellent throat in Adam Kurland, supported by immensely tutored stringery by his brother Adam and fellow widdler Chad Fisher, and the absence of any need to vocally reminisce anyone called Michael, Kai or Ralf I might mention is an open door for them to distinguish their own name and product. Something ‘Faith In Steel’, ‘Riding The Cosmic winds’, ‘Heart Of Dreams’, ‘Warrior Forlorn’, ‘Eyes Of Time’ and the quarter-hour long closing title cut definitely do with flying colours and very if not no holes at all.

There’s a decent blast of Maiden’s ‘Flight Of Icarus’ for those lucky enough to get a copy with the bonus tracks tacked on, that sounds painstakingly near-identical to the Brit legends version but the main album is a treat enough for true metal fans as this outfit are themselves. Hopefully there’s be a live slot or two sorted out in the UK soon, as these lads will swallow ‘em up big and bringing a few copies of this excellent disc to the merch stall on that day should shift most.
Oh, by the way, I seem to remember another album closing with a title track 13 minutes-something long.... Er .. let me think..... ”Keeper of the Seven K.......’ (don’t you even think about it, Dave - Ed)

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

7.4/10

By Al Hoath

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Adrenaline Factor – S/T
(Perris Records – 2007)

Sleazin, sexiness that gets it pumpin – the adrenaline of course. This is your classic gutsy Bon Scott AC/DC stuff – Lee Scott is a deadringer in the vocal dept as well – ironically enough his other band is called ‘Big Balls’.

This outfit sees Lee him team up with Paul Lidel of Austin, Texas who slung his six string with Dangerous Toys and Broken Teeth. Joining them are Steve Sweat (Bass/Vocals) and Armando Reyes (Drums ‘n’ Percussion).

Ten strong songs on this ‘ere album with highlights including ‘Ride’; ‘Boozin’ Susan’; ‘Seven Bear Bitch’; the slower southern like ‘No Warning’ and the closing ‘Goin’ Nowhere’ (is that a Hammond you are playing there Mr. Lidel? Nice !).

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

THE ALMIGHTY -

Anth-f***in’-ology - The Gospel According To….
(Sanctuary - 2006)

Try getting that title out of your gob in a hurry when someone asks you what this collection, from one of Britain’s best loved hard rock outfits of the nineties (and one of my personal favourites), is called.

Recently reformed after a five year gap, Ricky Warwick has rejoined the classic line-up with Pete Friesen, Stump Monroe and Floyd London and played a full UK tour that featured truckloads of classic cuts plus one or two more than welcome surprises and just about all of them are accounted for here, for those of you stupid to miss out on that opportunity.

Featuring material from both the Friesen and Tantrum eras we are bombarded with belters in the form of ‘Free an’ Easy’, ‘Full Force Lovin’ Machine’, ‘Addiction’, ’Jonestown ‘Mind’, ‘Over The Edge’, ‘Destroyed’ and the immortal crowd sing-a-long classic ‘Wild And Wonderful’. The two criminal omissions are ‘Crucify’ and ‘Ressurection Mutha’ which knocked many for six with its inclusion on that tour in December. One or two numbers from their short-lived re-incarn’ from 2000-02 also make it, and even though only Ricky and Stumpy returned to the fray on that occasion, the song-writing seemed to have suffered minimally.

There still at time of writing remains a question mark on how long this revival is intended to last for, with Pete still on loan to Alice Cooper (who is touring the UK this November in case you forget) but even if we don’t see an album of new material from the Glaswegian act for sometime yet, this’ll come in handy to remind everyone they are around..

8/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

"Blast from the Past"

Arch Enemy - Black Earth

(1996)

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

Named after a 15th Century Alchemist Manuscript, the album that is, Angra’s latest – a band that are like a heavier Helloween and becoming as well known. I heard from a buddy who writes for another notable webzine how good this album is and I can’t disagree.

You never know what is gonna come Angra, next such as the choir in ‘The Voice Commanding You’ or a searing ballad in ‘Breaking Ties’ – what voice Edo Falaschi has!! Like the Egyptian/Indian come marching drums intro on ‘So Near, So Far’ with the scary orchestration and almost poppy Genesis melody that breaks out into a gorgeous chorus, not to mention a creackin’ instrumental section with an tasty solo.

Then there’s the bombastic, riff thrumming ‘Passing By’ with a ‘Gimme Shelter’ thing going off in the background – sound effect – listen out for it. Just when you thought the album couldn’t get any better is rounded off by a mesmerizing acoustic number called ‘Abandoned Fate’ – nice one lads.

Probably their best album so far. Love to see them live.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

14 numbers that all feature Carmine Appice on drums but with different guitarists on each song.

Varied ditties with the highlights featuring the Beatley ‘Nobody Knew’ with Brain May about secrets in the Whitehouse; the Soundgarden ‘Rusty Cage’ riff-like bluesy Steve Morse’ified ‘4 Miles High’; the ballad that is ‘Doing Fine’ with Vivian Campbell or the re-worked version of Rod Stewart’s ‘Do ya think I’m Sexy’ (remember folks, Carmine played on the original) – this time he gets to do the vocals with Pat Travers.

There are such an array of artists on here that also include Mick Mars, Zakk Wylde, Richie Sambora and Slash but the main problem is, is that in my humble opinion, its very much a pile of grunge band album tracks or other less sparkling selections.

A pity really as this could have been a real stormer of an album. Dissapointing.

5.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Boy Sets Fire

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

A female 4 piece rocking band who come at you with angst filled rage. It’s in the same vein of Girlschool, Crucified Barbara and Broadzilla.

Nicely put together and worth checking out. Go to www.aroarah.com for more info on the band.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

I've just been informed of the sad news of guitarist Bryan Ottoson's death as I begin writing their latest disc up. Not that it makes listening to and reviewing this album altogether that much easier.

I remember seeing A.H.C in Nottingham Rock City three years ago and quite quickly adapted to their style Pantera-esqe aggression. Sadly, I put their CD on to find little much more than run of the mill nu-metal that sounds at best like Anselmo and the lads every now and then but t worst a fourth division My Own Victim.

Being no killjoy, the album is true to form and comes highly recommended to all devotees of contemporary metal, not to mention moshpit mayhem in the making, but after a third listen I'd advise prospective followers to go and enjoy them onstage instead, as the same feel just isn't there on their recorded material.

Disappointing.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

9-10/10 By the FANS, no doubt

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Dave Attrill

The fans were given a chance to vote for their fave Anthrax songs to be re-recorded live and this is the result. It was done on May 4th, 2004 and mastered to CD in two days flat.

If you've seen 'em live with John Bush then it isn't too much of a surprise for ya - he's done a decent job of the Belladonna stuff - even tho he ca'nt get them wailin' high notes - take 'Indians'; 'Caught in a Mosh' and 'Madhouse'. Good to hear some older classics too like 'Metal Thrashing Mad' from the Nick Turbin era - you don't get better than that, now do ya ?

F*ckin' Metal.

And then Joey Belladonna re-joins Anthrax for a while - funny old world innit/

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Who? Are they a bunch of rednecks who hang out in the swamplands of Florida - well actually no.

They are actually from California but play Southern Rock - their vocalist being 'Gary Jefferies' who was the front-man of 'Asphalt Ballet' who released an album in 1991) which I indeed own and you should too. Going back to 'Alligator Stew', this is rocking country blues coming complete with a dodgy sounding out of tune at times hony tonk piano.

A dirty to die for album that reeks of leather boots, gators and moonshine as well as featuring the sound of a few crickets too. Blues out to the harmonica wailin' 'Shiner'; get serious with the brother killin' 'Blood Money' that's both electric and acoustic); burn to the fun-time boogie biking 'Two Wheels' or hit the factory reality with the Skynyrd like 'Voodoo Spell'.

Excellent.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

An hour of melodic power metal - well what else would you expect from these guys. It's a concept album about the 'Saga of the Shadows Hunter - an 11th Century Crusader who questions the Catholic ideals' that guitarist Rafael Bittencourt came up with.

Produced by Pink Cream 69's 'Dennis Ward' and featuring guests like Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray - ex-Helloween); Hansi Kursh (Blind Guardian) and Sabine Edelsbacker (Edenbridge).

Apart from the full-on tracks like 'Angels and Demons' and 'Temple of Hate' you get to hear the band in am more atmospheric mode such as 'Wishing Well' which is not a cover of the Free classic (which would stand out like a sore thumb) but is more of a string set acoustic ditty that turns electric all of a sudden. 'Sprouts of Time' is a nice touch with its Brazilian feel and 'Late Redemption' especially which is an orchestral, acoustic and electric number all in one that features Brazilian singer and composer 'Milton Nascimento'.

This album is just what the fans were looking and waiting for.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

ASTARTE - Sirens

(Avante Garde - 2004)

A name I may or have may not have caught beforehand, Astarte's material is to most respects what a front sleeve depicting a scythe-wielding hell-maiden standing waist high in a pit of severed heads would indicate.

Keeping things pleasant in some ways possible, these ten slabs of melodic black metal are quite approachable fro the majority of the 55+ minute running time, and the piano breaks both on top and alongside of the often tuneful guitar lines will please fans of today's British dark metal scene.

Some more info on the sleeve - I thought this was a demo at first - would have been nice but at least they've got the production, as well as the songs.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Paradise Lost, Cradle Of Filth, My Dying Bride.

As heavy metal and hard rock goes back to its roots of late, death metal is certainly one genre not to be left out of the movement. Aura Noir score a further point or two in that you can literally hear what they are growl.. er, I mean, saying, along the top of those traditionally relentless guitars.

As a bonus, you can also dance to one or two of these tracks, a fact which may offend the more pedantic metallers out there but throws the gate at the end of the commercial bridge wide open. All just a pity that it only lasts 27 minutes as this is one of the most enjoyable extreme metal releases this year, helped all the more by their frontman's Wyndorf-esque rant.

Recommended without exception for those always up for some good old-school metal fun.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
A combination of Monster Magnet, Hidden Hand, White Zombie, Obituary, Metallica, Usurper

Another hot property on the thriving Wind-Up label, this delightful little cut from After Bridge promises plenty as well as delivering plenty itself. Obviously contemporary sub-structure supports a well aligned driving melodic vocal layer and the whole song runs on full petrol throughout.

An impressive introduction to this group, I can only hope there's more, as good, behind it.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

ANAND - Joy 4 Ever
(Lion Music - 2004)

Quite why the name of Surinam should crop up on the rock/metal map baffles one and about bl**din' all.Anand - nice to meet you, whoever you are, is the south American principality's first contributor of profile to the genre, so as first impressions go, he's got as much weight on his shoulders as someone trying to give an elephant a backie down the street.

No idiot, Anand gets dfown and grooves with eleven chunks of meaty AOR/prog directed instrumental pyrotechnics.While this material does, as is custom, require some getting to grips with by a notable portion of the rock n' roll fraternity of present day, he's still let his hair down, not that he has a great deal of it to, and tried to go with his own flow, and we can tell. The fellow uses all his techniques without fault and the styles explored in his solos substitute quite well for the absence of vocal parts.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Interesting name, Interesting country (France) for this type of metal and interestingly graphic hand-drawn gore cartoon pic on the sleeve, though by this time, something was beginning to give the game away. Pity then that the material held on the disc inside the case did in fact turn out to be just another load of practically business-as-usual black metal that despite a few melodic lists from the guitar, did otherwise little to make me play this album a second time.

France has got a fistful of decent acts emerging from its shores but some can be permitted to stay inland unless called to sea by the completists, and I think this lot are just about accounted for by that category, unfortunately.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

The fist of the three songs that these lads have generously offered here, 'Looking On The Downside' starts in a slow but angry manner that can only be on the way to something else, like another formulaic lump of contemporary metal core, for example. Surprising as you may find it, this is not the case as I find this tune in possession of a damn good melodic chorus line of the sort Boy sets Fire pride themselves on that jumps on you from out of absolutely nowhere.

'Ghosthouse' attacks with similar weapons albeit with the odd warning shot, before '21 Sins' takes them where very few acts of their kind dare treat, with an unarguably prog-accented sound, and still with the hooks loaded.

A strong and varied assortment of material, I hope there's more on the way. Good start, chaps.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

This is very much a slammy, punky Sum 41/Blink 182 type vibe goin' on here. It comprises of a live gig with tracks like 'Rotten Aples' and 'Brain Vacation' but I have to admit that American Heartbreak sound better acoustic - a good example being 'Come on, come on, come on' with its simple happy lyrics and then there's the frightening 'Dead at 17'.

You also get the tracks from the 'What you deserve' E.P. that has been re-mixed but this material is very average to say the least.

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

I actually had trouble deciphering amongst some fourteen pieces of vaguely gothic Middle-Eastern gospel sounds of some sort, which began to absorb for about three tracks or so, then washed out again almost as fast. Interesting in its own little ways but what appeal it'll hold at all to 99 percent of the regularly expected sort of visitors to this site, I can't quite understand.

4/10

By Dave Attrill

Well the 50's had 'Spike Jones and his City Slickers' zanying up the charts and now we have 'Anti-Product' - the cacophonious Rock/Metal equivalent (but it's all their own original material). The 'Product create real hacoc in the studio and on the stage with their crazy chorus's, handfuls of melodic hooks as well as identifiable lyrical topics - you've only got to listen to 'Hey, let's get it on' which backs me up and can be topped by 'Bungee Jumping peole die' (as show on Noel Edmond's 'The Late, Late Breakfast Show' a few years ago - sick but very true) and 'Captain Wrong'.

7/10

You can see where they were heading for from the debut as 'Made In USA' (2003) is a more advance album without the need to get boring and sophisticated. The album boils over at boiling point and the vocals are miles higher in the mix - in fact Alex Kane's singing is completely in-your-face and sounds real confident plus the girls sound well with their 'Pa Pa Pa' backing vocals on 'Thank God I'm right'. In my opinion, no matter where you land on this 5"er you will like what you hear - my faves being the B-52'y 'Goin' where the action is'; the bands last single 'Better than this'; the chantingness of 'Something Good'; the Ramonesy 'The Rules we Rock 'n' Roll by' and the hop-boppin' 'My Favourite One' that's got an ELO vibe that thrown in atmospheric dept.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

16 tracks for a CD single - no wonder it's called a maxi-single - the main song 'Better than this' being a bopping, climaxing, bawly rocking effort that merges in Marilyn Manson and the pop band Shampoo (well almost) and screwed up with piles of heavy bursting energy - it comes in album form, live form and video edit form also.

On the journey to and from these various versions of 'Better than this' there's a an alternate version of what can be described as INXS turn into the B-52's on 'Goin' where the action is'; a live version of 'Tell me what you want' (where Alex forgets the words); the light 'n' poppy 'One more last thing' (Demo) that's like McGuinness Flint (those dudes who came up with 'When I'm dead and gone'); the Who'ish, psychedelic 'Hey, let's get it on (Demo) and the madness that has guitarist/backing vocalist ;Clare Pproduct screaming at American Wrestlers in 'Clare Vs The Mullets of WWF' - the joys of alcohol!!!

Next Stop - another single - wonder if it's gonna be as long as this one - let's hope so.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Another unknown disc by an unknown act. Apostasy deliver a pleasant angle on black/death metal with this disc, spreading their tunes over five minutes apiece to allow for more ideas to sit in comfortably distinct positions.

Although voiced by the standard helium-fuelled shrieks, albeit quite like (Chuck Billy at times), the guitar work takes a more symphonic leaning through most of the nine tunes, demonstrating that while these vocals are always best suited to their own confines, most six string styles have more than one pair of legs. Having keyboards works too and this is no exception.

A fine example for bands of this ilk to observe, Apostasy are probably one of the best things that's happened to this scene for a long time.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Lack of band detail when dealing with a hitherto unknown act is one major league downer. Hello, Astral Doors, then, whoever you may be, let's see/hear what you've got for us. What they have quite hits me in the hanging bits. Think Tad Morose and legends Black Sabbath combined and you couldn't be far off.

Vaguely German sounding in their use of vocal melodies and backing vox, coupled with voice that sounds like a deeper, gutsier Ronnie James Dio scores a good part of their points the rest picked up by some classy, driving old-school guitar rhythm lines, and some interesting little solos too, I also noticed. The lyrics are little less than the usual cheesiness levels but on account of everything else here, we'll let it pass.

As we always state, this brand of rock 'n' roll will never be brought to its knees, no matter how hard people have tried in the past. Brilliant.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Dio, Dio era Sabbath, Tad Morose, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody, Dreamtide

Liverpool doom metallers Anathema have ridden the height of the wave from the beginning of their decade-plus existence. This is something like their sixth album and continues to show why they've been set apart from the rest of their pack, most often onto a higher step.

Not relying on the same misery-propelled ventures that brought Paradise Lost et al to the top (and back down in the case of Holmes and co), they take the time to explore the depths of their inspirations and wallow in them for other treasures. This is music I dare you to try and sit down and listen to without being absorbed in such depths yourself.

Mixing passion and integrity as very few extreme metal bands dare to, but leaving in the heavy guitars albeit only using them when they fit the slot, and while we're at it, vocals of both the male and female varieties, 'Natural Disaster' is still a pretty acquired taste but worth taking the time with. An album likely to keep one of MFN's top acts well up on the roster.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Oh that's a fine start. Only introduced to this chap this very minute and I can't pronounce his name. For the record, he's Hungarian and sports a leather jacket and a punk hairdo on the back of the sleeve. Again, a misleading image, this collection of so-called best-of material turns out to be a variety of industrial deathcore noises from various acts of his involvement that show seldom quantities of inventiveness or interest in my case, though a few numbers should please die-hards.

Sadly only 'Cursed For Eternity' and 'Decay' are of any real interest even if then the production of that guitar solo at the end of the latter makes it a bit off-putting. Nice meeting the guy but I'm going to have to hear something a bit better in order to make any real impression.

4/10

By Dave Attrill

Some bands never change and Agent Steel being one of 'em - a bunch who boldly keep up the conquest of old-school thrash metal going - they even played a couple of gigs in October on the Bounded by Metal Tour (sadly I missed 'em due to being at a Motorhead concert).

For those of you who are in the dark to what the head-splitting sounds of Agent Steel, then try crossing Joey Belladonna era Anthrax with Helloween and you'll end up with summat like these guys such as the opener 'Avenger' - which says it all. 'Earth under Lucifer' has that Judas Priest go even harder feel about it and then there's the eastern sounds that are prominent on 'Insurrection'. Just a thought, is the bass solo called 'Dance of St. Vitus' a bit of competition to Anaesthesia (Pulling Teeth) or simply a tribute to the late, great Metallica member, Cliff Burton? - I'll let you decide on that one.

The epical 'Kontrol' is as old-school as it's ever going to get and images of the thrash-head slamming around Rock City as featured on the BBC 'Arena' special on Heavy Metal immediately comes into my head. 'Human Bullet' fools you into thinking that you're in for a f*ck*n' ballad - ha !! no such luck there, dear boy as it suddenly launches into hyperspeed thrash with blasting drums and throaty vocals.

This is the real deal - an album filled with harsh, belting, bleeding ears guaranteed speed sounds that makes you think you've been transported back to 1987 with the Doc in his Delorian.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Most three-piece acts throughout rock n' roll history have made some very interesting sounds. So do Acid Ape proceed to do as the like now, only not very
interesting songs, with them.

With a large stack of electrofuzz-voiced alternative offerings, most less than exciting, sitting on my desk at this period, this 'un does marginally more than little to elevate my optimisms here. They could also do with a different (and better) singer then they'll take off up the runway but for the meantime, there is still too much more important traffic already in the air.

Another anti-climax at the end of the hype, this half-hour or so of all noise and not too much substance leaves me little to go Ape about either way.

4.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Here we have two versions of the same tune, plus the vid (which wouldn't play due to copy-protection) and the other tune included isn't particularly bad either. In summary, not as disappointing this time round - that song does get better with each spin, I must admit.

Here's to hoping their next release thrown in my direction climbs the ladder even further.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Amplifier is another relatively new name bandied about of late, the much-mentioned MFN-signed act apparently being described as one or two parties as Pink Floyd-meets- U2. I can only assume on having sat through this… whatever it's supposed to be…, that another act share name as well as label because Roger Waters and Bono have written much better material than this throughout most of their careers.

I'm not calling this stuff stupid because it sounds serious enough in penning and performance, only TOO serious. They've seemingly got their shoes stuck to the floor while trying to move in various intended directions and as a consequence, all four tracks sound like one that's dragged on forever, collecting little or no grit en route.

Bloody good job it's only a promotional sampler because all the public would sample of Amplifier here is a new 25-minute musical insomnia remedy, effective in about 4.

3/10

By Dave Attrill

The present day metal scene in Scandinavia has brought us many wonderful things including Arch Enemy who I've just learned are on their fifth album here (they've been around that long?). Passing the due credit though, I wouldn't have believed this to have been a woman's voice a single bit without having read the band details. The talented Angela Gossow is actually on her sophomore work with the Swedish act now, and looks to make a name for herself as extreme metal's no 1 female vocalist on merit of her efforts herein.

Backed rigidly all the way by brothers Michael and Chris Amott's Slayer/Maiden - oriented riffing, she makes this one of thrash/death metal's deadliest chemical combinations for some years bygone. Fast, relentless and stopping for not one single soul, as is the trademark for its common category, Arch Enemy have nonetheless kept boundaries flattened to the floor and trampled across by diversity's troops, the resulting battle signalling victory on all sides.

An Enemy I'd regard more as friends.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Gutsy southern-tinted hard rock led by Greg Fulkerson whose voice conglomerates the tones of Tamplin, Crash Test Dummies, Pearl Jam and perhaps Paul Weller too. There's also a very vague hint of Queensryche and Bon Jovi audible too so the sound turns out to be a tad more multi-dimensional than just good ol' suvvern rawk n 'roll.

A sort of present-day Lynyrd Skynyrd, this album packs power, groove, suss and good feel into the same case before headin' out down the highway. Another proud flag on Artenzia's map.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Trying to carve your own pattern in extreme metal is quite a hard and not exactly frequently considered task but some bands have bothered to have a go at it. German quintet, Asterius have hopped on for several without paying. Getting to the point, this album is like little passed my way before.

The expected guitar styles turn up, topped by two-way lead vocals that sound either almost like some new form of industro-rap technique or the chap fronting their country's latest synth rock hotshots Funkervogt, while at other times like those of someone associated with one of Europe's top power metal acts. Coupled with a selection of wild, wonderful and well-arranged sounds and samples that blend brutality with an overall flow of genteel, here's another welcome new act marking Germany out alongside Sweden as one of the mainland's central hard rock crop plantations, still generously dusted on a daily basis.

Singularity is indeed what Asterius' musical style defines.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Something of a cross between Die Krupps, Fear Factory, FunkerVogt and Royal Hunt, Artension, Rhapsody and beyond

From last year's 'Mon Chi Chi' debut album, Canada's 'All Systems Go' kindly decide over a year later to release one of the album's catchier numbers as a single. Not a bad idea in the main, but the three unreleased cuts accompanying it do little to excite, just random romps through threechordsville forest that tarnished my anticipations. Quite a likely clue as to why they didn't make it onto the album.

6/10

By Dave Attrill

Steve Plunkett's pack are back with ten pieces of 80's Rock that fall into the Hysteria style of Def Leppard and beyond - so expect to hear explosive guitars and big harmonies, not to mention that Van Halen meets Mr. Big influence as well. It's an album that's firmly up Partyville Street - thank god as well.

Favoured highlights include 'Shake the tree'; 'She's the reason'; 'Can't stop Rock'; and 'Party like we did' etc, etc - you get the idea.

In my humble, it's the album that Def Leppard should have made. It's a CD that buzzed me up anyway.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Remember the song 'Animal (F*ck like a beast)' by WASP well this bunch who go by the name of Animal feature 3 members of that band ironically enough - those guys being the guitarists Chris Holmes, Randy Piper and also Tony Richards.

This new Ex-WASP outfit have the dark heavy attitude of Blackie's baby but they also wonder into the doominess of Dio. A lot of what's on offer is very formulaic and I have to say done before many times - but saying this there are some good songs such as the title track itself '900lb Steam' which its 'Here I am' roar; and 'Another Victim' about a shooting incident and the reason behind it taking place - Was it a real event? I wonder because there's plenty of US news coverage throughout the song.

Animal are likely to do well due to who is in the band - the ultimate would be to support WASP on their next tour and blow them off stage.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Have I been sent the wrong disc in this case, by accident? I'll just take it out and check… ….no, the title on the disc matches that on the sleeve. I'll play it again. Yep, that's definitely Matti Alfonzetti there. Funny. This sounds like something that's absolutely nothing to do with the stunning 'Ready' album from a couple of years back. Surely it's just another act by the same name that he's also got going, now. I've got little choice but to accept it for what it is, as we at Metalliville make a point of doing.

For my open-mindedness, opener, 'It speaks' is actually a good tune, an aggressive, punky number with a bouncy vocal line through the chorus. 'My Machine' and 'Welcome To My Mind' are more subtle and owe to top Canadian acts Von Groove and 24K in more ways than one. Rowdy pop-punk dominates the ring in 'Barbie Doll', a tune that will offend the alternative-loathing majority of the AOR following, though it's a catchy track.

'Live In Sin' and 'A Happy Guy' are less favourable tunes, though a few baggy trousered youngsters may find them of appeal (that NOT being the reason I dislike the two songs). 'Boss of Me' even sounds like there's some Offspring having been listened to in the Alfonzetti recording rooms of late, but the distortion-laden guitaring of surviving 'Ready' colleague Stefan Bergstrom sits in a comfortable chair. 'Give It All Away' is another so-and-so cut with a Bush/Nirvana/Everclear.

In total contrast, however, 'The Bitter End' is the only link to the glories of the previous album that Mr Alfonzetti is able to offer, plus a live version of 'In The Groove' to cheer up the disillusioned punters a notch. To those yet to buy the album, be warned, it's completely different from 'Ready', apart from 'Bitter End' and the live cover, obviously, and most of you may take a while to absorb the revamp the sound has undergone, here - you think I didn't struggle to?

It's by no means a bad album but how long Matti's new career with rival Swedish melodic rock giants Damned Nation will last once they hear this album, is quite worrying.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

It seems like this is the bands second album within a year. Then with such talent as that of Russian keyboard maestro Vitalij Kuprij and lest we forget, current Royal Hunt crooner John West lining the decks, they are all but entitled to such a privilege. Still with last year's line-up completed by Messrs Staffelbach, Terrana and Chown, the question lurks - are there any new discoveries to speak of, musically? I think you'll find the music remains pretty much where they last left it, but surprisingly there is an overall feel throughout all ten songs that manages to differentiate it from last year's 'Sacred Pathways' CD.

There is a presence of depth on a couple of numbers 'Hearts Are Broken' and 'Endless Days' that does their job of carving identity into the wall. As usual, Kurprij's scene-stealing instrumentation makes his presence felt through the disc as if it never left, quite obviously on instrumental track 'Symphonic Expedition' - as if you didn't think it to look at that title.

We get the usual fist-in-the-air Euro Metal belters such as 'Remember My Name', 'Storyteller' and 'Last Survivor', all delivered in their trademark high speed onslaught, plus mid-tempo numbers like 'New Discovery' and 'Call Of The Wild' (now there's an original title).

So in the end, business almost as usual, but lads do get up to tricks in the office, the product still meriting its many satisfied customers and that includes me by the way.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Reviewing an alternative/punk rock album is quite a big deal for me nowadays with my hard rock/melodic rock preferences, but as I sniff right across the spectrum of rock, bias is not of my persona. Believe it or not, there are some decent bands in this genre, and in fact, some damn fine ones, such as Boy Hits Car and Boy Sets Fire.

Swedish newcomers, All Systems Go join the roster without question and are brass-plated proof of Sweden's diverse rock scene that has provided us with bands like Seven Wishes, Livin' Parazite, Entombed and Psycore across its variety and that's just a minute four of the terrific acts cropped from that country.

Doing this album proudest is the catchy vocal hooks that monopolize the songs alongside some corking guitar/bass lines that just pump along like an engine. There are a few odes to the hardcore punk styles of the New York scene's softer acts like CIV and Shelter and you could get away with feeling that Feeder also sound like an influence on these compositions.

'All These Things', 'Fascination Unknown', 'Running Blind' and 'Robots' are likely to be the most re-playable romps but at 36 minutes, I'm sure there's plenty of time for a few full-length plays before I die.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

The A Dog Debut that started it all off where you'll find an adorious barrel full of beer-driven, South-sounding ditties like 'Drank too much' and 'Drinkin' about you' or the sicko blues live number 'She had it comin' about killin' a chick for smokin your hash - ha ha - 'she didn't know I had a gun' - pure tongue in cheek - love it !!!

The AC/DC'ish 'TV Disease' is a memorable cut that was recently included on the label's sampler.

The 'Dog also pay homage to their hero's as well like Twisted Sister (Under the Blade -sung slightly lower - well Dee is a bit high ain't he) and Mental nuthouse metal madness in the form of 'Straightjacket' that's inter-cut with later on with snippets of Alice Cooper's 'Dwight Fry'.

A 'Dogs Life' is the life for me - you betcha - and what a f*ckin' cool song as well - a 12 bar about bein' a dog - they eat, shit and lick their balls - that's it .

Why be so serious about life? - enjoy it - these guys certainly do. Best debut since G'N'R's 'Appetite for Destruction' - then again I love Southern Rock and you should too.

God Bless American Dog and God Bless America.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Straight ahead Southern based Rock 'n' Roll Redneck trio fronted by Bassist/Vocalist Michael Hannon (ex-Salty Dog/Dangerous Toys) alongside Drummer, Keith Pickens and Guitarist, Steve Theako.

These Ohioans dudes deliver kickin' ass beatin' numbers about drinkin' ('Blame it on the booze' and 'I keep drinkin') and are out to give you a great time guaranteed - especially live if they are playing at your local club.

You can re-live the classic no-bullsh*t sounds of early ZZ Top in an AC/DC kinda way. They tell it like it is - honestly with songs like 'Bullsh*t (Goddammit)' or 'Motor's Down (your voice keeps runnin').

American Dog are quite frankly the Dogs B*ll*cks and they'll bark off any wannabee's -that's a promise.

It won't be long before these guys are huge.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Now this is a gig I should have been at. American Dog pump out classic bar-room rock to a specially invited audience of friends that salute the almighty legless god - the immortal can of beer.

Real love songs from the heart are presented here, because unlike a woman, beer is something you can always rely on (ok, I'm joking - but you can't beat a beer can you?). Hear Michael Hannon preach the gospel of beer and I'll 'Drink to that'. You just can't beat songs like 'Let's all get drunk (and f*ck tonight)' or 'Just an alcoholic' or 'Drinkin' about you' - especially when your armed with a can of beer.

Hey man, who's up for a beer or six?

10/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Fresh sounding commercial Blues-Rock band that have a lot of potential - a group that'll show the kids what they are missing in the old sounds.
It's snazzy, paced arid rocky if substance and recommend numbers like 'Superhero', the funky 'Bring my baby back' and their last single 'Hard Hat'.

They've played the UK and France late this year (2002) and no doubt they went down real well.

Amor shine out ah honest love for the blues and perform it in a modern way that blows the cobwebs off this long-standing musical genre.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

An Italian prog Power Metal Sextet who combine the musical standard of Iron Maiden with a few aspects of Rick Wakeman keyboard stylings. They've had numerous members in Anthelion who have left due to outside commitments and or musical differences - you know - the usual score - with the main stays being Fabio Garzi (Guitar) and Matteo Borselli (Keyboards).

A wide range of gigs have been played at venues that include schools, squares and clubs and now they've released this promising 4-tracker that greets you with epics like 'Song of a lie' and 'Dirty Right Me'.

Hopefully it won't be long before these guys are signed up to a good label.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

American Nightmare are your typical hardcore punk band, these guys are trying so hard to be part of the British punk scene but failing because they're not British, you can tell from the way they play that these guys are just trying to make a quick dollar and in America they my, but I feel they will be wasting their time in hitting the British shores.

Background Music definitely isn't what it says, this 11 track CD abusers and pollutes the air you are in, from the start of '(we are)' to the eleventh track 'Farewell' this CD has been produced very tightly to give you that continuous aggression as you would expect from the rest of your punk collection, but sounding more like Crowbar as the CD goes on, this itself releases the chemical that produces boredom, which this CD finally gave me, it's nothing new and nothing exciting to talk home about.

American Nightmare have definitely made their name in my book as they have stood up to their name, yes these guy's are an American Nightmare.

4/10

By Tony Watson

What can we say about an eighties German thrash power metal band who have been off the scene since 1988. To my delightful surprise 'Of Human Bondage' is like a fresh of breath air, it's not the aggressive speed and thrash metal from the early years of 'Into the Dark Past' or even 'To Dust You Will Decay', which are in themselves are masterpieces of that era.

Angel Dust have released an exhilarating example of modern power metal at it's best, they come across with this new material as a mixture of Helloween, Pantera and surprisingly Queensryche, with wonderful tracks like 'The Human Bondage', 'Disbeliever', 'Forever', 'Unite' and 'The Cultman' to name but a few that will have you stunned with amazement of the musical talent, the concept and production of 'Of Human Bondage'. This CD also has a cover version of Seal's 'Killer' that has to be heard to be believed with its pop power metal.

There aren't many bands that can disappear of the face of the earth and come back to the metal scene with a CD that has so much energy and enthusiasm that will have you talking and playing it for years to come.

10/10

By Tony Watson

ANDRE ANDERSEN - Black On Black
(Frontiers/Now & Then - 2001)

Here it is, the solo release from Royal Hunt's Ivory tickler. I must warn you however that no other Huntsters are involved in the line-up for this new solo album, with the only name that rings any bells being vocalist Ian Parry, who accepts and performs the vocal duties with flying colours. And then there's the Double A himself, pluggin' in an' poundin' those poor defenceless little keys to the floor - but they do make a lovely sound in the process.

Oviously, it's got to sound at least to a reasonable degree Royal Hunt-ular as he's got the loyalty to his fans at stake but Andersen shouldn't have to just stand there and take orders like some sort of music waiter, and doesn't. Thus, it is possible to distinguish this as a different act, although songs such as 'Tell Me Why', 'Arena', and 'Desperate Times', I'd hear anyday, regardless of coming from either source.

I may have found a little bit less meat on its bones than I did on the last R.H. disc but it remains a vital addition to any symphonic metal collection. The Rick Wakeman of Euro Metal is riding high again.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Last heard on CD, on the Meteor City label 'Scene Killer' project album - Atomic Bitchwax are famous through having Monster Magnet's Guitarist, Ed Mundell in their ranks.

Warming the heart immediately is a cover of AC/DC's 'Dirty Deed Done Dirt Cheap' - it's a party from here on. A series of Blue-Rocking Stoner cuts await the ears and I commend the meat and potatoe blues of 'Liquor Queen' and 'Spit Blood' to you with a bet that you'll absolutely dig them. 'Spit Blood' places your head in Blackpool Ballroom every so often due to the Wurlitzer playing that flows in and out every minute or two - it somehow compliments in a weird kind of way.

Wanna hear a bit of ZZ Top Riff - then hit the last track on entitled, 'U want I should' then try telling me that it would be out of places on the mighty three's 'Tres Hobre' album or such like classic LP's.

I'll leave it to you to discover the other 3 momentous offerings that make up the rest of the cd. I reckon you'll like 'em all the same - and don't forget about the CD-Rom section featuring the 'wax in the studio.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

'Wages of Sin' is a mixture of Kreator, Dark Angel, Death Angel, Bathory and a bit of Iron Maiden for good measure within its 12 tracks, if you are lucky enough you will also have a bonus video track 'Ravenous' that will delight any avid fan. Arch Enemy have released a 49 minute CD that consists of 'Enemy Within', 'Burning Angel', 'Savage Messiah', 'First Deadly Sin', 'Shadows and Dust' and also a bonus track 'Lament of a Mortal Soul', which finishes off the CD perfectly.

'Wages of Sin' is a CD that you wouldn't want any more and you wouldn't want any less, from one of the fastest, hardest and at the same time exhilarating albums to hit the market this year.

What I can work out, Arch Enemy have released 'Wages of Sin' with a limited edition CD 'A Collection of Rare & Unreleased Songs From the Arch Enemy Vault', which contains 7 tracks such as 'Starbreaker', Iron Maidens 'Aces High', 'Hydra' and another bonus video track 'The Immortal' that show the fans how they have progressed through the years to become one of the most underrated thrash acts in the world.

With both CD's to delight the ear drums, Arch Enemy have shown the world what they are made off and with such power and enthusiasm the world will listen.

10/10

By Tony Watson

Melodic metal hotshots Artension are amongst the latest batch of new kids on the Frontiers block - even though they're actually grown men - and I notice straight away, one familiar face in this crowd, which is Vitalij Kuprij. The ultra-talented Ukranian keyboardsman is a renowned figure in not just European but probably the symphonic metal scene the world over by now, his most recent other work being with Ring Of Fire, the band featuring former Malmsteen vocalist Mark Boals. Just savour his stunning ivory-bashing acrobatics throughout this otherwise American/German act's debut album.

Tell me they don't nearly put Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess to shame. Let's not leave out the other guitarists, especially guitarist Roger Staffelbach whose well-tutored widdlings intertwine superbly with Kuprij's work and current Royal Hunt frontman John West (in NO WAY related to tinned fish manufacturer of matching name) contributes the performance of a man who knows his way round this scene. All-round superb showmanship and an example of how Frontiers have pushed the boat out like this to bands of such various ranging styles.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

JEFF AUSTIN PROJECT - Go Big Or Stay Home
(Frontiers/Now & Then 2002)

The Project is a title format wearing rather thin nowadays. Unlike the music, though, thank god. Respected US drummer Jeff Austin has brought along a rather nice little package here, me thinks. Shall we open it? Yeah why, not. What have we got here first then. Bloody hell, this first 'un's a bit Brian McDonaldy, ain't it. No bad thing that. 'Lisa' is a truly appropriate rocker fro an opening number before 'Hideaway' and 'Too Late For Love' follow as the like. A storming Survivor cover comes in the form of 'I'm A Fighter', definitely a dance-floor must, be it Jeff's or Jim Peterik & co's version played.

'Caught Up In Ecstasy' is the album's resident Mitch Malloy-esque moment of glory, whilst second cover 'Whilst You Ran' is impressively like its original too. Other tracks, 'Forever', 'Too Many Midnights' and 'Find A Way' are no filler fillers either, although we would have appreciated a couple or so more tracks on the listing, so as to give us paying types a bit more than 37 minutes for our pennies.

Mark Roebuck (vox), Mark Severns (guitar) and Rex Alan (bass) all deliver duties worthy of praise but Mr Austin's band it is and his precise brand of percussion work does not wasted on this disc. If you like Brian McDonald, Mitch Malloy, Prisoner or Survivor, don't even think about not getting this album. Oi, you, I mean it. And I'll tell you something else. Given the choice, I'd recommend an Austin Jeff rather than an Austin Rover anyday.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Awesome Machine - Under the Influence
(I used to f*ck people like you in Prison Records/Century Media - 2002)

Stoner Rock from Sweden that's been done countless times already by bands like Kyuss. Awesome Machine groove out but the atmosphere is ruined by the poor production and overall sound quality making the album sound like a boxy £50 demo recording - a pity. The guitars bleed out over the vocals way too much - it would've been a mass improvement if the voice was knocked up a few notches.

Awesome Machine use the same old vocal rawping technique - basically just yelping out the lyrics as loud and as full on as possible - not to mention fuzzy guitar riffs that come bellowing out very frequently. A good example of this formula is to be found in 'Tomorrow' and 'Desire' (featuring drum solo reminiscent of Cream's 'Toad' or Led Zeppelin's 'Moby Dick'.

It's real pleasing to hear the bit of difference - the track 'Sonic Hustler' is one to remember - a slick stint of slide guitar playing - it's just a pity it only clocks in at 1 minute 49 as more of this gear would set them apart from the other bands sat in the middle of the stoner circle.

Another memorable number is the flashback psychedelia of 'Still got one share (parts 1 and 2)'. Part 1 sees early Pink Floyd meet the zany
cacophonous cop out vibe of Hawkwind and part 2 comes across like a fly on the wall visit to Tony Iommi's bedroom.

It's a halfway house of an album but if you delve in a bit you'll discover some brief moments of musical brilliance.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

This is a brilliantly up-there mix of Jazzy Rock and Metal - first rate musicians musicianship stuff - basically tip-top prowess that cannot be bettered. Many of the songs are similar in style and it's a rambling musical voyage that never ceases to amaze the ears - you simply don't know what is gonna happen next. A sort of Yes meets Chick Corea in a new Rock/Metal mode.

Ten numbers appear in all which are very up-tempo that keeps you interested - although listeners that are less musically will probably find this material too complex to grasp - as is the case with a lot of progressive fusion music.

There's an epic instrumental called 'The Deep Ones' with a long guitar solo (of the widdly type - loads a notes etc if you get my drift!!!). The opener 'Alone Among Friends' is a warm delightful listen. 'Be my thing' is really good - with its beautiful acoustic beginning.

This CD is one for the more musically advanced and/or refined listener.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

ANATHEMA - PRESSURE
(MUSIC FOR NATIONS - CDKU189 - 2002)

Their debut single and what a classic, 'Pressure' will with the right publicity make it big as well as band themselves.

This CD contains the edit version, the full-length version, an acoustic version of 'Underworld' as well as an enhanced section: 'Pressure' video.

'Pressure' perfectly captures Anathema's own brand of emotional indie/rock, which is beautifully performed from the opening Radiohead influenced piano chords to the heartfelt chorus.

This will go down as one of the music industries classic songs, the track itself has already been play listed at VH-1, Kerrang! TV and is already picking up plays on Radio One and XFM.

10/10

By Tony Watson

ANGRA - REBIRTH
(STEAMHAMMER SPV 085-72782 CD - 2001)

A Brazilian power metal band named after the mythological goddess of fire with a slight difference. On first impressions you would probably think they were a Helloween side project from Germany, but no, they have their native country throughout their music with traditional rock with pure classical elements of fast paced melodic metal interlaced with South American folk influences.

This is there forth release that has bought them back to their tried and tested strengths of power metal with a new line up including the vocalist Edu Falaschi who was short listed for Iron Maiden front man slot when Bruce Dickinson left. 'Rebirth' is probably what this is, a rebirth of Angra with three new members and a return to their old style, which will reach out to their huge fan base in Europe and Japan.

Throughout the CD you get the taste of Helloween and Gamma Ray, so if power metal is your thing then you will not be disappointed with what you will hear with over fifty two minutes and ten tracks of power and surprise.

8/10

By Tony Watson

With Earache being a well known label for it's underground hardcore thrash with releases from Napalm Death, Godflesh and Paradise Lost, the first thing you think of is that it will be a CD that scares the pants of you, how far from the truth this is.

Autonomy are a young band that are on the same level as One Minute Silence mixed with Will Haven but also has a slight hint of Limp Bizkit and Beastie Boys with its hard-hitting hip-hop vocal content and catchy tunes. From the start of 'Shovel Affections' to the last track 'Replaced', the CD contains a massive variations of vocal techniques and rhythmic beats that come across very load and clear, the combination of two vocalists one screaming the chorus and mixing his technique with the pleasurable hip-hop vocals of the other seem to run in harmony with one another.

This twelve track, forty 0ne minute long CD that has a lot to offer to anyone in the public, a new band with new ideas with tracks like 'But I Thought', 'Was It Worth It', 'A Feeling Undescribable', 'Destination' and 'When Things go Wrong' to name but a few won't get the publicity they deserve.

A very entertaining, well engineered and produced CD that has the makings of being big within the rock clubs throughout the UK, whether they get the publicity is another thing. Well worth getting a copy. Marvellous!

9/10

Tony Watson

Johnny A is a fine, precise guitar player whose capable of creating a mood of intense mystery and completely capture your interest.

You could say - man, he sounds like Bert Weedon meets Hank Marvin - but there's also a Jazz side to him (which becomes apparent on the track 'Oh Yeah'). To make the sound complete Johnny's joined by Ed Spargo on Bass and Craig MacIntyre on Drums.

Mr A's style and playing technique are well crafted and he makes it sounds so easy to do - which of course, it ain't!! - Johnny is a top-ranking supremo - and nothing less. 'In the wind' and 'Walkin' West Ave,' see him getting all Carlos Santana on us (with both numbers featuring a striking array of percussion), whereas his cover of The Beatles 'Yes it is' see's him return to the Weedon pastures.

Other stand-outs on this tremendous instrumental album include 'You don't love me' (which puts me in mind of 'The Yardbirds'); the cheesy, lightweight 'Tex Critter' (a la Chet Atkins) and his slowed down version of 'Walk Don't Run' (coming complete with castanets).

It's a great listen guaranteed for mature lovers of guitar-orientated music.

8/10

By Ken and Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Aerosmith really have become a band that others try and aim to match themselves against. The Boston boys are forever being quoted as being a major influence - and no wonder when they unleash songs like 'Walk the Way', and 'Mama Kin' which are part of rock 'n' roll history. The artists on Perris have recorded a fitting tribute album to their hero's - which brings out ten of Aerosmith's finest moments in the 70's.

The house band is made up of Drummer, Carmine Appice (Rod Stewart/Vanilla Fudge); Bassist, Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys), Rhythm Guitarist, Steve Fister (Lita Ford) with guest solo's passionately screaming from Gilby Clarke (ex-G'n'R), Keri Kelli (Slash's Snakepit/Pretty Boy Floyd/Ratt), Marc Ferrari (Keel), Jaime Scott (Vain) and Jimmy Crespo (who co-wrote 'Rock in a hard place' when he was in Aerosmith).

There are many highlights on offer all with cooking vocals, take for instance the double-it-up force of Ron Keel (Keel) and Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent) who kick out a powerful version of 'Mama Kin'. Talking of Derek St. Holmes - it's quite scary how he can imitate the voice of Steven Tyler - especially when he gets his teeth into 'Lord of the Thighs'. Other gems include an exceptional take of 'Rock in a hard place', coming from the voice of Rough Cutt, 'Paul Shortino', Davy Vain saluting 'S.O.S
(Too Bad)' and then there's the breath-taking 'Mama Kin' from Derek St Holmes.

The album really is a sharp 'n' tasty set of covers that does Aerosmith proud. Some of these guys could form their own band - and (as crazy as it sounds) call themselves 'Aerosmith' - bring out write some new material and from a musical and vocal point of view, easily fool the listener that they are the real thing!!!

Also included is a great 12-track freebie that features some brilliant numbers from many of the artists that have played on the tribute album. I must check out the new material from Davy Vain, Rough Cutt, Broken Teeth and Cherry Street - in fact all of the artists appearing on here are well worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Perris Records really does house some incredible talent on its roster.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Hold on, have I received a CD from a British band, I have, what a shock to the system. Anathema is four extremely talented musicians from Liverpool, and no it's not the Beatles in disguise. This is their sixth full-length studio album in twelve years, surprised? So am I.

'A Fine Day To Exit' is a nine track CD full of beautiful and powerful masterpieces that are performed with so much feeling and passion, the intensity of each track is so deep you wonder what was going on in their lives around the time of writing and recording.

As you listen to the CD you will notice 'Radiohead' heavily influences the way they write, which isn't a bad thing. From the opening piano chords of 'Pressure', through to the intensity of 'Panic' and the heartfelt tracks of 'A Fine Day To Exit' and 'Temporary Peace' you will feel and experience so many different emotions as every track mentally releases its own visually image that runs around in your head.

Whether you love or hate bands like 'Radiohead' or even 'Toploader', this CD is one that will end up in your CD collection, there isn't a bad track on it, and the boys from Liverpool should definitely be proud of themselves with this one. Brilliant!

10/10

By

Tony Watson

I first bought this on vinyl at a second hand record stall in Barnsley when I was 19 and quite frankly, I thought it was a bit too average on first listen, hence it not being too long before it disappeared into the depths of my deep LP box, unlikely to re-emerge too much in the near distant future.

However, opinions tend to change with times and this reissue for the Scandinavian 80's metal act prompted me to give it another spin to see if my opinions would budge. Well they did, a little bit, but only so much as to afford one further mark out of ten. The problem is the songs in the earlier half of the album seem to know what they're doing in terms of traditional all-out metal riffing but the overall vocal melodies don't seem to know where they're going, which sounds like nowhere very much, to me.

Don't get me wrong though, the singer is good. Opener 'Church Hill' is a true example. A stomping, chugging beat leads the way but just when you expect a huge fist waving chorus to come your way….. I'm afraid it doesn't, and the dullness detector starts to bleep. The final five songs are a bit more lively in al departments, including those the other tunes weren't, and most are aching to be heard live, if the band are still active today. If so, they should get onto the next support slot with Helloween or a band of such ilk, to keep their name visible in Metalheads' minds a while longer. This album may not be great but it's no stinker.

6/10

By Dave Attrill