Q Box – Black Orleans
(Hell Awaits Records – 2015)

Crunchy sounding metal that has underlying sounds of bands like Metallica, Nickelback, Black Sabbath and loads of bands that all the kids appear to be listening to this days of the post grunge variety.

They do have some killer riffs though to be found in songs like ‘Awkward Bloom’ but the bawliness and familiar guitar tones get on your tits too much. This guy thinks he is a latter day James Hetfield by the sounds of those vocals – unless he really does sounds this for real? Take ‘Burn’ for example – not a cover of the Deep Purple classic either but sounds more like a Load/Re-Load Metallica track.

Sub-bass swirlings and voice-overs in ‘The Fame’ are welcoming things to these ears since it has a real old-school thrash feel to it – good job too as I was ready to press stop but this number makes it well worth hanging in there – pity it goes back to the same old formula about 3 minutes or so in though.

Not the best but you know, bound to do well all the same.

6.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

QUO VADIS - Infernal Chaos
(Total Metal/Metal Scrap Records - 2011)

Bloody hell, these lads are still at it? Quo Vadis have nerves to name themselves with a ‘Vad’, with a certain fellow Polish death machine having done rather prosperously over the last fifteen years.

QV guys carved their own niche from the start and still do with their brand of progressive death metal. Largely thrash-oriented as always, they stick to sharp middle of the road riffs, fast or slow but never less than blood -tinglingly furious. Strings and keyboards both race each other along with the angrily spat aural charges and the intensity brews rather worryingly towards the boil here.

Save ‘Cauducus’, ‘Blood For Oil’, ‘Black Horizon’, ‘Chaos’, ‘Cross Of Gold’ and ‘Evil Dad’ for a pre-gig mosh rehearsal or repeatedly blast your bedroom windows out - whichever you chose ‘Infernal’ Chaos for will be less than a waste as the talent certainly isn’t one with this lot.

Good.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Morbid Angel, Dimmu Borgir & Testament.

NET: www.metalscrap.org.ua

Quireboys – From Tooting To Barking/Lost In Space
(Floating World Records – 2011)

On disc 1, ‘From Tooting To Barking’ there’s many early versions of songs for the debut but quieter or slowed down affairs, as opposed to the majestic recordings that the band are famous for. ‘7 O’clock’ is slower and does not even featuring the famous chorus line at this point in time. Most notably is a song that got away that is a cool ditty called ‘Devil Of A Man’ – beats me why it never made the final cut of an album.

On disc 2, ‘Lost In Space’ we get a cracking 20 track gig but sadly does not state the origin on the CD inlay so it’s a case of guessing. We do know it’s a venue that Spike would place a bar in as it ain’t got one. It’s gotta be post ‘Bitter, Sweet & Twisted’ as there’s songs from that on there, unless they were playing them before it actually came out – roadtesting before the release as its often known.

There’s a rarity on here in the form of a cover of T-Rex’s ‘Buick McKane’ for all the Marc Bolan fans which Spike said, “This one’s for June”. It’s a real feel-good fact during this gig – Quireboys concerts always as Spike jokes that they got some ecstasy drinks and ask if they remember this one and go into ‘Hey You’. Later in the gig the last few numbers of the main set are played nearly twice as fast as the band must have been concerned about curfew issues or wanted to go to bar (outside the venue) before it shut – you never can tell – it is the Quireboys for pubs sake – lol.

They come back out though acoustically with Spike joking to the crowd that I bet they’d never seen this before – Simon & Garfunkel and go into ‘Hates To Please/Last Times’ but crank up the electrics for the final number of the night ‘7 O’ Clock’.

Excellent.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

QUBE - Incubate
(Electrum Production - 2010)

More mysterious sounds emanating from over the Iron Curtain, I hear, this time being Qube’s turn to demonstrate their metal dealings.

Not girl-fronted Goth metal act or a brutal extreme metal machine, this Polish fivesome’s fare is angry and frightening nonetheless. Working round an industro-grunge fusion they apply elements of thrash, prog and random other vibes into six tracks of meticulously -constructed metal noise that seldom uses speed to win the race.

The skull-routing guitars with on-off classic approach and Daniel Gielza’s Layne Stayley-meets-Jonathan Davis-like range as heard on tunes like ’Nothing’, ’Running’, ’In The Name Of God’ and ’Way To Nowhere’ do this outfits potential reputation solid justice as well as their country’s for unleashing hotly discovered metal talent.

Excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Alice in Chains, Tool & Korn.
NET: www.cube.com.pl

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Latest live effort from the 'ryche with quite a lot of new material in the set such as the epic 'Open'; 'Tribe' and the brilliant 'Best I can' as well as older materialk like 'Anybody listening' and 'Breaking the Silence'.

Musically excellent but can get a bit tedious and sophisticated. Geoff Tate's voice sounds weak and worn at times as well. For one reason or another there's no 'Eyes of a stranger' or 'Jet City Woman' - which I find very odd to say the least - especially as they are the bands most well known tunes.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Spike's bunch doin' what they have always done and do best - good ole Rolling Stones meets Humble Pie like rock 'n' roll - thes best of British - the UK's answer to The Black Crowes.

They've honed in on AC/DC on 'The Finer Stuff' especially that guitar riff - I certainly ain't complainin' though - gimme more, gimme more. Overall it's cider soaked, jack 'n' coke splender. They've got a crackin' ballad here in 'Too Familiar' that goes towards being as good as 'I don't love you anymore' and I f*ck*n' love the gospel rockin' 'n' groovin' 'You've got a nerve' and the crack open a beer partying vibe filled 'The Last Fence' - with that deep cutting' harmonica playin' melting around that cookin' organ fingerin' and corkin' drumming.

Best album I've heard from the UK so far this year.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

May

The rightful return of the 'ryche and it's an effing masterpiece throughout. With highlights like 'Open (your eyes)' that kicks off with its Kashmir'ish riff and wide-open, soaring choral vocal harmonies.

We also see Geoff's gang marching into Marriott meets (Paul) Weller territories with the electric/acoustic 'Falling Behind' and getting us all warmed up with 'Losing Myself'. They are a band that never cease to amaze , especially when they bring back that orchestral sound with 'Rhythm of Hope' that's no doubt soon gonna stand on an alter with 'Eyes of a stranger'. Then there's the melodic brilliance of the closer 'Doing Fine' that I think will be a live favourite and be one of those where you'll see an arena full of cigarette lighter flames.

An extremely strong album from one of the worlds greatest bands ever.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Swedish Stoner band (seems that this music is still big over there) that's very Soundgarden in both musical and vocal style. I'm sure that singer, Magnus Ekwall thinks he is Chris Cornell.

You've heard this sorta thing times many but at least The Quill do it a lot of justice without sounding like an unoriginal Black Sabbath tribute band who have had a go at writing their own material.

There are a few numbers well worth checking out such as 'Handful of Flies' with it's Indian feel; 'American Powder' that has a real suck you in riff and especially the acoustic/electric that's like up to date Led Zeppelin - a number called 'Hammerhead' - now these tracks are definitely ones destined for repeated listen.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Not exactly Rock but more towards a folk style in a contemporary kinda way is a good way of describing British band, Quecia - an act who have recently won the best band award that was presented to them by 'The Classic Rock Society'.

Fronted by the gorgeous 'Kirst McCarrick'- a haunting soprano whose voice drives the passionate melodics of each song like the opener 'Fight for this'; the attention grabbing 'Wrong kind of love'; the funkyish 'Stay' that puts one in mind of The Who's 'Eminence Front'; the warming 'Circles' or the pacey 'Sleepwalking in Paradise'

Catch 'em somewhere near you and be prepared to witness a supreme night of electric beauty and acoustic charm.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS