Sixx:A.M.– Prayers For The Blessed Vol. 2
(Eleven Seven Music – 2016)

The second album from Nikki Sixx’s other band with new singer, James Michael alongside the famous bassist and Guitarist, DJ Ashba plus drummer Dustin Steinke and backing vocalist, Melissa Harding.

It’s brashish & modern sounding that very much differs to what Sixx’s day job fans will be used to hearing coming out of their speakers. Highlihts include ‘Wolf At Your Door’ with its really exquisite harmonies and melodies which can also be said for the ballad ‘Maybe It’s Time’ too. A nice surprise is the instrumental ‘Catacombs’ from DJ Ashba which reminds me a bit of VH’s ‘Eruption’.

The version of Harry Nilsson’s ‘Without You’s is a real mindblower while the closing track ‘Helicopters’ is one of the best things that Sixx has ever committed to an album since it’s an epically beautiful building up anthemic ballad with powerful, exuberant vocals and mirrored with orchestral standard arrangements.

Overall this is an exceptional album. Hope to see them live some time in 2017!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

‘Head Like A Hole’ is killer as well and does justice to the original Nine Inch Nails version. There’s even new styled ‘R ‘N’ B’ in the song ‘Superhero’ with sub-bass thrown in there. The last number is an epic bassy slowy called 'So What' that rattles your speakers majorly. Get your ‘Middle Fingers In The Air’ for it like Dee sings!

This is an enjoyable album whereby you don’t know what is going to come next. Some solo UK shows are definitely needed!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SEASPLASH - S/T
(S/R - 2016) 

8/10

By Dave Attrill 

NET: www. seasplash.ch

SELSIUS - First Do No Harm
(Rocred Production - 2016)

Sweden may have the upper hand with hard rock and AOR leanings in latter years but we shouldn't leave out that they also do alternative rock rather well.

Gothenburg foursome Selsius sizzle at quite high degrees with their dirty soundscape. Prizing prog, indie and a little industrial together, their angrily ambient house is not overall unfamiliar but has all the adequate depth and drive of like-mannered contemporary rock acts still peppering the scene today. 

It isn't easy to find the hooks straight away on a lot of these nine tunes but singer Jakob Hjulstrom's searing husk of a voice hooks you pretty duly into the mix, sustaining across the emotive melodies in the middle of second tracks 'Moscow' as one example.

An impressive grower of an album, especially if you give it the time.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.rocred.se

SINSILENCIO – Toroide
(S/R - 2016)

SinSiliencio are a three piece Chilean metal act who have been milling away at metal's wheel since 2001 and have already had a debut album to their credit.

Evidently due, the credit could be added to now with this second release. Set on a progressive precipice, their sound teeters over towards thrash and power metal valleys. Superb guitar spots and swish vocal harmonies, sung in Spanish are going to make for an approachable combination and although one or two of these seven tracks do drag their course more than travel it, this is a pretty tasty little set.

Dinky elements of Dream Theater, Pink Floyd and Flower Kings swirl around with the Iron Maiden and Helloween influences on show, again demonstrating that South America does have an upper hand at assembling from the best components.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.facebook.com/sinsilencio

SOLOWSHOW - Ancient Electricity
(Mirror Records - 2016)

4/10

By Dave Attrill

SONIC DEATH MONKEY – Infected
(S/R - 2015)

Sonic Death Monkey sell themselves with an interesting name, and the promise of bringing a new dynamic to the metal scene in their native Cyprus.

Sadly in the end, we find ourselves fooled again, as it's down to dreary deathcore by numbers, most of the way although they have the decency not to stick to the full 200mph for the whole duration. No argument that it will aggravate a few rafters, livewise, 'Infected' screams, roars and rumbles its way by  with a few decent but all too short lived guitar spots that scarcely rescue it from overall tediumsville. 

Let's not be mistaken - that corner of Europe are commonly known for some mightily tasty crops in the metal market, but occasional ones are still best left behind in the field.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

CARL STACEY PROJECT -S/T
(S/R - 2016)

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.carlstaceymusic.com

STEELMADE - Love Or A Lie
(Timezone - 2016)

Swiss newcomers Steelmade come in at a pretty close corner to legendary hard rock countrymen Gotthard to begin but begin to bore their own hole by the middle of 'Even Gods Have Enemies', the opener of this high octane debut album. 

Bolshy, modern heavy rock with hard-driving punch is something the continent seem never to have forgotten the recipe for. 'Stay', 'Revolution', 'Desire and Love', 'We Are Bizarre' and 'Sweet Lady' all bear the right ingredients, leaving an infectious taste.

Tight guitars, slick acoustic work and gritty verse-chorus-verse numbers work to up a meaty, no-nonsense product between them that not even frontman Jack's nasal-veering vocal range spoils and the sales they have achieved in parts of the world, notably Russia solidifies that point.

Great. 

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.steel-made.com

Gabriel Sanchez – Immortal By Sound
(S/R – 2016)

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Brad Schecter – Live Your Dreams
(S/R – 2015)

A man from Sherman Oaks, California who has written some pretty intricate stuff and fires out a good few forms of styles on this nine track album.

He has a voice not unlike Meatloaf at times but doesn’t go O.T.T. like the said man does but hits the highs when needed. ‘’Blind Eye’ has an Iron Maiden feel to it and the last number says what Brad does ‘Live Your Dreams’.

Nice power ballad to be found in ‘Spring’ which is preceded with the sounds of birds and children. ‘Just In Case’ has some outstanding vocal qualities coupled with a beautiful piano that blows up into a large guitar filled riff of orchestrated quality – a true masterpiece!

Excellent and well worth checking out!

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

THE SHAMBOLIC - The Dead, The Dying & The Damned  
(Factory Fast Records - 2015)

Shambolic are, in spite of their sludgy, and not just a little Southern-sounding din, actually from sunny Manchester.

Al (guitar) and Lee (bass) share the songwriting and also vocal duties which is only awkward in that the two can't be tooooo easily told apart, as you might discover. Trying to cover their ground, they get a lot in, with grunge, prog and power pop peeping out from below their musical tarpaulin, though a punishing seventies metal approach overcasts the horizon.

Nasty, nippy numbers like 'Death Of Me', the groove of 'Jarhead' and Prong-esque 'Evil Gun' give you plenty to pick at, while the eleven minute title track closes off a little less cumbersomely than expected with some enthusiastic work from all instruments concerned and a enjoyably Korn-esque chorus part to boot, dissolving also into a Jethro Tull element in the middle.  Despite taking three different drummers into the studio with them, The Shambolic come out a solid performing machine, making a hugely rough, hullaballoo but one you can easily rattle the floor yourself to.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Monster Magnet, Cathedral, Trouble, Black Sabbath, Coheed and Cambria, Jello Biafra & Flower Kings.

NET: www.theshambolic.co.uk

Skin & Bone – Revenge
(Hot Box Music – 2015)

An 80’s hard rock band from the Sheffield area that have been at it a few years with a sound and style that reminds me of Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Saxon and Dokken etc – you get the picture right?

‘High Society’ reminds me of Extreme’s ‘Decadence Dance’ that has some David Lee Roth like shouty word section in the middle too. Great songs include the rocking ‘Like A River’ that is probably the best number on the album, followed by ‘Walking Shoes’ in quality. Johnny has an incredible range of voice too and would love to hear more of his mid and lower register.

Looking forward to the next release.

810

By Glenn Milligan

SMELL MY PILLOW - Strawberry Lipgloss
(Kwall Records - 2015)

Minneapolis's Smell My Pillow first wafted into my radar in late 2010 with an impressive first album (the review of which still remains on Metalliville).

In the intervening half decade in which they have since been hidden from our sight, these retro metal upstarts have not yet slung their somewhat unorthodox moniker although they have switched singer. Grittily-throated Amy Shaw-Valentin nicely layers a new punkier dimension to their drive with her sometime bloke-like output and angry choruses, specifically on 'Not Happy' and the the bass-rooted 'Rotting From The Inside'.

Lead guitarist and central innovator, Andy Kowalski evens the entire set over with appealing old fashioned solos, some of which are pretty southern-peppered. Turn in a few stirs with the seventies metal and also grunge-coloured spoons (safe, I assure you - they have done an album of it before), Smell My Pillow are not one you'd want to fall asleep on...and if I were to say otherwise, you might find that to be just an ever so slightly obvious insult.

Insulting.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:  Black Sabbath, Free, Pearl Jam & Girlschool.

S.O.T.O. – Divak
(Edel/ear Music – 2016)

The latest album from you’ve guessed it, Jeff Scott Soto that shows a more brutal side to him musically but always has that magnificently powerful voice in tact no matter what style he goes for with plenty of choral hooks thrown into the mix.

Highlights include the opening ‘D.I.V.A.K’; ‘Weight Of The World’; ‘FreakShow’, the bombastic ballad ‘Unblame;’; ‘In My Darkest Hour (not a Megadeth cover before you ask!)’ and ’Time’ especially for the chorus section Zakk Wylde like riffage.

Another great release from Jeff!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Surf Cowboys – Crossroads
(S/R – 2015)

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Joey Sykes - Classic New Rock
(Purple Virgo Records – 2015)

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Aron Scott – Earthquake
(Nosferatunes – 2015)

An awesome Singer/Guitarist who also doubles up as a tattooist from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada who has a great rhythm section too.

He was introduced on Rock music from the age of 2 when he first heard Elvis Presley from his mum and at six introduced to Alice Cooper and Kiss. Now talkingof those New Yorkers, you must here ‘Gimme Some Kiss’ which name checks loads of their songs with riffage to match as well while other great songs include the opening ‘Sunshine And Rock And Roll’ and the Lenny Kravitz like ‘Cosmic Hog’.

Then there’s the southern wailings of ‘Good N Gone’; the bluesy ‘Rattlesnake It’ or the very 70’s like ‘Rock And Roll’ where Aron sounds like Joe Walsh meets Davey Johnstone with a marvellous country solo in the middle or the kick-ass closing ‘Rock And Roll Dogs’ that reminds me of Ted Nugent meets Montrose!

Classic Stuff!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Seven Shots From Sober – Songs From Stephen Ave
(S/R – 2015)

Throaty and almost whisky soaked vocalled band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada who rock it up on these 11 numbers and having a fine time doing so too.

Some of it comes across rather stoner but there’s some really cooking cuts like the
Southern Blues Rock Romp of ‘Rattlesnake’, the AC/DC like guts of ‘Going For Broke’ and the wailing, Dixie sounds of ‘What Have You Done’.

Pretty decent.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stiff Staff – Mean Machine
(Hammer Strike Sounds – 2015)

Sounds like Motley Crue, Poison & Kiss and other great hair bands who come from Basel, Switzerland.

They have a gruff voiced vocalist in Randy Andy with the line-up completed by Dick Fuxxx (Guitar/Backing Vocals); Lex Climax (Guitars); Nicky Sick (Drums) and Eddie Quicksilver (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) – I couldn’t resist listing them - hahaha. Very Steel Panther right?

It’s all crazy full-on rock ‘n’ roll with cooking cuts like ‘Scream My Name’; Rock This City’; ‘Mean Machine’ and ‘Down The Highway’ with an opening drumbeat that puts me in mind of Motorhead’s ‘Overkill’ or the Kiss meets Europe like closer ‘Stayin’ Young’.

Great band!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

STRANDS OF REASON - Truth Sequence
(S/R - 2015)

Drummers releasing solo albums often makes one shudder...unless it is done within the prog genre, and all other instruments are as equally covered, in this case by the drummer.

Being taught his skins by Dream Theater/Annihilator man, Mike Mangini is a mighty push from behind for massively talented Chris Munton, as it is mightily brave to admit being both influenced by both Van Halen and Killswitch Engage on your promo sheet. Diversity knows but no barriers still, and this chap's debut mini album would have made plastic dust of them.
Metal-oriented rhythm guitar with a weighty ode to Metallica, Slayer, Korn and Deftones sets the tracks and lets the wheels that are run by Munton's smooth - and slightly Seattle-flavoured - range ride along.

Gritty tempos and chug-along blocks seem to take you away from the fact that this is a man schooled by a member of the world's no1 prog metal act but there is still the massively multifunctional feel that Labrie, Pretrucci and the boys lay down time after time. With guest vocals from sister Amanda, who has also lent her pipes to Lamb of God to date, this five track taster indeed promises to pull a few under for a further listen.

Nice start to things.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

AVAILABLE VIA: iTunes, Spotify & Amazon.

SAVATAGE - Return to Wacken
(Ear Music - 2015)

Them good old Savvers, you've got to hand it to them haven't you.

Eight years since they split up and it doesn't seem like a second ago as they reform for a bash at Germany's revered Wacken Fest. Except this is not a recording of said event, nor a live cd of any kind. It is in fact a studio collection craftily replicating the sets they performed at the '98 & '02 instalments. Just an excuse to put out these classics as if to reminding people they exist. ...and why not.

In a world worked by the harsh -gloved hands of fashion, anthems such as 'Hall of The Mountain King', Gutter Ballet', 'Edge Of Thorns' and 'Wake Of Magellan' need to be given the occasional flutter in front of people's eyes, to remind everyone of what this talented hand has produced across the last three decades. Sadly 'Sammy and Tex' and even more shockingly 'Sirens' were not on those sets ...so hopefully you rectified that this year, Mr Oliva. A sneaky but somewhat not un-worthwhile release if Savatage's music is still new to you.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Helloween, Queensryche, Wasp & Dio.

NET: ear-music.net

Shiraz Lane – Be The Slave Or Be The Change (E.P.)
(S/R – 2015)

An excellent young gang of Finnish Rockers who have remarkable chops and pipes to die for on this 5 track E.P.

Like it says on the lid, it’s a kind of story concept of life as a slave and then seeing that change occur. It’s got fantastic songs right the way through from the ballsy Skid Row like ‘Mental Slavery’ right through to ‘Story To tell’ with its marching drums and narrative.

One band to definitely look out for!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SILENT SNARE - Darken (E.P.)
(S/R - 2015)

Belgian Three-piece Silent start off less than promisingly but then suddenly improve, albeit up to a limit.

Deep, indecipherable vocals give way to a Cure like creen, only to be curdled by unnecessary screamcore noise. The four tunes sound well written themselves, set against a sweet sounding prog guitar layer with lush seventies-flavoured solo work.

Things improve again throughout 'Psycho' and 'Darken' but there is the occasional drag and the vocal alternations are less than perfectly structured in my opinion - the screaming element only really does justice on the former. An interesting idea, only a little more work could be applied in parts.

6/10 

By Dave Attrill

SOUTHERN FRIED GENOCIDE - Electric Mayhem
(Independently released, 2015)

Definitely a name for the years books there. They are indeed southern, hailing from the state of Florida as they do to deliver a dark, destructive stoner sound onto many an unsuspecting ear.

A dark destructive stoner sound that's quite the same as many thousand before them but still it's all good fun. The first few of the nine tracks seem to weld slowly into one wearisome lump after a while but the last half sees everything suddenly gel a little more. Rough and angry guitars and grunge-friendly patterns, solidly steeped in seventies American metal lend little parking space for their more diverse parts to become prominent but the blues and acoustic intervals are there along with a little drop of Deep Purple in the vapour. A recommended release for dedicated stoner-ites, some nice solo work sees Southern Fried Genocide sizzle with added accessibility, on and off.

For a full serving of fries on the side, checking them out live might still probably be best advised.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Black Sabbath, Soundgarden & Trouble.

STORMHOLD - Battle Of The Royal Halls
(Art Gates Records - 2015)

I often urge people to follow my example by not judging the album on its cover but some bands make it hard if not harder.

If it saves you investing further, yes they are Swedish, yes,they are power metal.and yes they are f**king good at it as are most other Scandinavian acts that have passed before them. Stormhold do frankly sound rawer and less operatic than a lot of other acts of their such ilk, carrying more of a direct hard rock approach in their vocals. Still dealing in epic choruses, the tunes stay modest, mostly clocking in at 4-5 minutes apiece and without keyboards, the twin guitar sonics have extra duties which their solos ably substitute.

'Destiny's Calling', 'Journeybook', 'The Final Decision', 'Aeise', 'Godric Hammerfist', ' Stormhold', Fear Your Death'  and the immense title track are tunes that will surprise those expecting something more along the Hammerfall/Stratovarious side of the room yet carry enough to be caught with wide open arms. Sturdy yet surprisingly fresh, Stormhold's full length debut album is a defining signal of what their clouds might be carrying along into 2016... which includes seriously forked lightning.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Helloween, Primal Fear & Kamelot.

NET: www.stormhold.se

Styx – Live At The Orleans Arena Las Vegas
(Eagle Records – 2015)

A fantastic show recorded for us all to enjoy from one of America’s finest AOR bands – Styx – love or hate ‘em they are one of those at the top level of the game.

Plenty of fun-time banter with mentions of Betty Ford, Montgomery Alabama and much more. They and the audience are in fine form with classics like ‘Come Sail Away’; ‘Too Much Time On My Hands’ and ‘Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) featuring ex-Eagle, Don Felder’ which finishes off with the amazing ‘Renegade’.

They still have pipes to die for and by the looks of it they always will. Join the Las Vegas crowd and fire up Styx on your stereo. You know it makes sense.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SWEETALK - Picturesque
(S/R - 2015)

Sweetalk are a Winsconsin-based threesome, making a sometime sweet, sometime...well, not sure about sour but pretty bitter type of sound.

Dirty, in-your face alternative rock, geared up the Foo Fighters way, with an added stoner peppering gives you an urge to advance from each track onward to the next. Dancy hooklines and hard-hitting chordy strums sit neck and neck as singer Jame Koebe's gravely delivery yields a somewhat nostalgic Seattle foam. 'Moments of Clarity', 'Weather The Strom', 'The Right Kind of Empathy', 'Come a Little Closer, Closer', 'Diamonds on The Floor' and 'Light My Way' fail to make ST stick  out as a one-trick pony, showcasing as they do, subtle signs aplenty amongst the surrounding speed and grit.

Trampolining paces pound up, down and about, with an apt  amalgam of technique by Jame at all the suitable spots and spaces, scattering things in between the extremes. Slick but with little  of the slack, SweeTalking yourself  into snapping up a copy of 'Picturesque' will save them  the job, although that's hoping we at Metalliville already have.

Fabulous.  

8/10

By Dave Attrill 

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Bush & Nirvana.

NET: www.wearesweetalk.com

SHADED GREY - Constellations Collide 
(S/R - 2015)

Vermont four-piece Shaded Grey claim never to have heard of the similarly named book at the time of the naming themselves, although appropriately speaking, they scarcely slot in either end of music's blacks and whites.

Swish indie/pop elements with scatter punk and progressive flavourings on the top is how you could describe most of these twelve tracks. At least half of the ideas here are instant, with a catchy hook part and don't outstay their parking limit although others do over-use their samples and they sound slapped in their place whilst occasional pairs seem to weld from one number into the next.

Decent stuff indeed but some of it is better suited to be heard in a live set.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:  Republica, Pretenders & Pink Floyd.

NET: www.shadedgray.com

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – Live At The Roxy 25.9.14
(Armoury Records – 2015)

Last September Slash made a historic return to the Sunset Strip of West Hollywood with Myles and co playing the venues one night after another much to the delight of his old new fans he’s picked up along the way.

It’s a cross section of songs from his time with Myles with a few cuts from the Guns ‘N’ Roses such as ‘Night Train’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ and the Velvet Revolver days which is represented by ‘Slither’ that I always like to hear the solo of. Various highlights include the opener ‘Ghost’; ‘Back From Cali’; ’30 Years To Life’; ‘You’re A Lie’ and ‘Anastasia’ mainly for Slash’s outstanding signature guitar work.

My gripe is that there’s nothing from the Slash’s Snakepit period at all which apart from GNR was by far my fave period of the guitar god since I preferred the vocals of Eric Dove and Rod Jackson or even Axl on a bad day to the post-grunge whining of Myles Kennedy who has too much Scott Stapp going down at times for my liking.

Halfway house to be honest with you and personally I am waiting for the day when Guns ‘N’ Roses reform in the original line-up.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SPIRALING SUNS - Accidental Truths
(Laughing Apsis Productions - 2015)

Heavy melodic rock, calls out the promo genre description - as in Trivium and Tyketto on some sort of overnight jamming collaboration thing?

Come to the point of listening, and we catch Michigan trio Spiraling Suns out as being a bouncy prog/aor hybrid. Opener 'One Less Thing' is a hookless, multifaceted rhythmical structure that allows a couple of plays to take it in better before 'Skin That Sleeps' skips up and down in a respectably Primus-like  pace. The rest of the album sets itself into a chequered template of the two styles, with super precise playing and songs that become more instant as you amble through the eight, 'The Thing Is', 'Tomorrow Burns' and 'Silence Is Sweeter' starting to draw me in further on first blast.

Technically speaking, Spiralling Suns can not be slated any more than the best, and despite twenty five percent of this debut being a bit of a clamour, they are certainly spiralling more in an upward direction as opposed to the other.

Amiable work, lads.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Porcupine Tree & Rush.

NET: www.spiralingsuns.com

The Static Shift – Windsor Street
(S/R – 2014)

A power blues rock trio from Canada who know how to crank it up and make a solid impact who even score a 5 on i-tunes with this album.

As the CD inlay stats ‘recorded live off the floor in Revelstoke, BC at Phil’s Place (this being Phil Gregory who also lays down some harmonica work too. Straight away they got my attention especially when lead vocalist & guitarist, Mitchell Brady is a deadringer for Robert Plant backed up by Keone Friesen on bass/harmonica/backing vocals and Isaiah Stonehouse on drums/backup vocals.

Some cracking numbers to be found here including the opening ‘Gates Of Dawn’; the epic lengthly ‘I Won’t Don’t That’ which not be out of place on an early Led Zeppelin album or the groovin’ funky ‘You Don’t Know Me’. Then there’s the stomping ‘White Car’ and the closing acoustic to electric ‘Shades Of Light’.

Excellent stuff.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

The Sticky Fingers Ltd – S/T
(Logic(Il)Logic – 2014)

Pretty decent actually! Now does Bill Wyman and the rest of the ‘Stones know about these guys?

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Strongheart – Scream Out Loud
(Epos MD – 2014)

Before you ask this is a totally different band to the one fronted by Wilbur Hess and have a female on lead vocals called Jessica Nordstrom who leads one hell of an exciting raunchy sleazy sounding group from Umea, Sweden.

With elements of Heart and Joan Jett they will appeal to a big audience indeed and have already played shows in New York and New Jersey and little wonder when they rock the hell out with cuts like the opening ‘Friday Night; ‘Lady Lynn’; ‘Touch’ ‘Rebel Queen’ and the ballad ‘Withered White Rose’.

These could go far I reckon.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

S.O.T.O. – Inside The Vertigo
(Edel/ear Music – 2015)

Wow this totally is the heavier side of Soto without a doubt with the odd ballad thrown in to keep us on our toes.

It’s dark, powerful and nasty and is only missing some bombastic Malmsteen of latter years at times. It’s mastered damn loud and extremely in your face – there’s no escaping this baby! All the songs really are top grade and not a filler inside in here with fluent, flowing fresh arrangements.

Highlights include the opening ‘Final Say’; the supercharged ‘Wrath’; the epic ballad to blasting ‘End Of Days’ that even has a childrens choir on there and sinister orchestral moment. Great chuggery guitar to be found in ‘Jealousy’ with a very sing-a-long chorus or the straight to the point closing ‘Fall To Pieces’.

Outstanding and easily matches the songs he did for ‘Rock Star’.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Spelled Moon – Forsaken Spells (E.P.)
(S/R – 2013)

Now this is a band that I remember being put together since as Claudio Pesavento (Keyboards), a good buddy of mine told me that he was laying down his parts for it. Then there’s a Metal king of the skins here in the form of Patrick Johansson manning the kit.

This three tracker has two symphonic, balladeering numbers in ‘Hidden In the Winds’ and ‘Soul Mates’ and the closing bombastic to quiet ‘n’ beautiful at times ‘A War Of Shadows’ that comes across rather Malmsteenesque via Helloween.

This is damn fine stuff and I look forward to hearing a full length album.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Spirit Level - Kollosi Blues
(S/R – 2014)

A duo made up of two blues dudes both called Chris plus some additional musicians to make a full band. We have Chris Louvieris on lead vocals, dobro slide guitar and lead guitar on 1 number that is ‘Feel The Blues’ alongside Chris Kyriacou on lead and rhythm guitars number.

Baseed in Cyprus they let the blues flow and are entitled to it after a series of bad luck over the years such as a house fire, losing the use of your left hand for a number of years or having your work shelved due to a company going out of business.

Nothing short of excellence is to be found on this album with stand-outs being the classic Robert Johnson like riffed ;It’s Gone’; the chicken and dobro opening title track ‘Kolossi Blues’; the loss feeling of ‘Sarah; or the southern delta riffery of ‘Foolish Pride’.

Just get it on!

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo – Aquostic Live @ The Roundhouse
(ear Music/BBC – 2015)

Yes it’s the audio release of that show where you were invited to press the red button a few months ago to witness what will be considered a classic concert in years to come.

Who’d have thought that Rick & Francis would put their Telecasters down and strum the acoustics for a full show? Well here’s proof right here which has all the songs featured on the studio album plus a cracking version of 1986’s ‘Rolling Home’.

Opening up with Hello’s ‘And It’s Better Now’ that is proceeded by the famous drone the beauty just goes on and on and is a pure joy. Seems strange to hear Rick Parfitt in a lower octave on ‘Again & Again’ but it works well all the same or the mysterious (scuse the pun) violin intro of ‘Mystery Song’.

Awesome to hear Bob Young on there cranking up the harmonica on ‘Softer Ride’ and ‘Down The Dustpipe’. Man, those violins really make ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men’ come alive even more since they sound so vibrant in the mix. That’s some real cooking piano from Andy Bown on ‘Reason Living’ and then there’s that death nell song that is the country vibe of ‘Marguerita Time’; the percussive opening ‘Whatever You Want’ or the beautiful ballad ‘Rock ‘Til You Drop’ before finishing on that Celtic blasting of ‘Burning Bridges’.

Definitely opening the band to a whole new audience here and holding onto the open-minded established fan base too.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

SPIT RUSTY - Tin Foil Hats & Magic
(Independent - 2014)

Denmark's Spit Rusty start off in a time-forgotten fashion of opening with a chorus.

Saying that, lead-off track Givin It All is a belter all over with a bouncing verse section that brings you back into the hookline from up high. 'Underwhelmed', 'I Don't Need To', 'Nothing Comes Across' and 'An Uphill Battle' come across as good, as do most of the seven others that follow behind, trading trad metal, hard rock and contemporary guitar styles off against one another and the result is some masterly calibre songwriting from yet more of those erm...masterful Europeans.

Set against a tough-wired,twin guitar net, the leathery, old-school vocals of Martin Arthur just land in without too much bounce but still allow the songs yo spring with their rhythm. Moderate-sized solos and strong tempos still set the space aside for some acoustic-flavoured product, and there is a pinch of Queensryche to be picked upon in places. Superb work from this spirited fivesome's first long-player...first of many to follow behind her.

Avoid letting the rust rot this one away...buy!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.spitrusty.com

SULLEN - Post Human
(S/R - 2015)

Portugese proggies Sullen arose from the ashes of defunct scene act Oblique Rain and obviously wasted no time as it has taken only two years for this debut album to come our way.

Using a metal/alternative base to begin on, they build together with every coloured brick as each song shoots up from the groundwork. Crisp guitar and drum noise as well as production gives this sixpiece the ability to showcase every note they are playing and allow us savour it back with struggling.

'Devata', 'Broken Path', 'Redondo Vocabulo', 'Become', 'Exult', 'The Mounder' and 'Place Of Time' hide quite a few surprises, some of which extreme metal fans should also cock an ear to although if you like it deep and diverse, then the work of 'Post Human' most likely outweighs on this.

Search it out and try.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.sullenpt.bandcamp.com

DAN SANDMAN - Rochyrax
(S/R - 2014)

Not by any means associated by Metallica as far as we know, British guitarist/singer Dan's sound is not far off how James, Lars and the lads ended up, a few years on from then.

Not being a bad thing, Mr Sandman's slick fuse-age of fuzz-laden seventies guitar and gritty folk based boppiness still keeps me listening until all twelve numbers are done, including nine-and-a-half-minute closer 'The History Of Robert Smith'. There is a a shortfall in instant-ness across the early few tracks as one tune starts to sound like the two either side but his in-out solos soon boost the pace.

Surprisingly in your face for an acoustic -led record, Dan's seventh (would you believe) long player runs by with its own little signs of tripping, but never tumbling completely down.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Jethro Tull

NET: www.dansandman.co.uk

SARIS - Until We Have Faces
(Duck Dive Music - 2014)

You'd think that this Gerry dual -vocal prog metal combo were another hot new name steaming up from the European soil.

Saris have in fact been around the block, a ball-bashing thirty four years and certainly sound well for it. Although 'Until We Have Faces' is only their third ever album it shows how strong a band can stay with such long durations amidst discs, the secret possibly lying with its magnificent male /female alternation between singers Henrik Wager and Anja Gunther. UK-born Henrik has the pipes that you could place on power metal heavyweights Kamelot, and they would still climb out sounding giant.

Despite the variable lengths of the tracks, between standard and epic, they still consist and avoiding forcing themselves to sound different just for the sake of it. There is however a lot of natural flexibility in Saris's show, with speed metal, pop, hard rock, progressive, and even a little reggae in the form of 'Run Away Now' to wave your net at.

Tightly performed and prepared tunes that display the abilities of each of their members, Saris's catalogue may well as we've seen looked a bit sporadic but this one should easily stretch over the wider gap.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.saris.website

KEVIN SERRA - Mirage Reflection
(S/R - 2014)

Kevin Serra is a young guitarist from Italy and an effing good one at that (maybe his being left-handed even has some relation to that).

Dropping the biased flattery to the side, if I might, Mr Serra is one of very few musicians who manages to make you disappointed that an instrumental album lasts only five tracks. From.the beginning of 'Honour The Brave' this bloke means business, swinging straight in and out again with an ambient AOR sound that seems to last only half its five minute and seven second span.

The subsequent four cuts come over as an interesting crop, keeping the momentum strongly up. From the riveting prog of 'Rising Aura' and the Petrucci-esque technicality of the title track, across to the metal-motivated 'Optic Red' Kevin never lets up the pace and I'm still pinned for the sixth piece that sadly is not to ensue. Well we've heard, and we've savoured to say the least.

Talented display from another European maestro in the making, or in fact made, 'Mirage Reflection' is hopefully the beginning of a beautiful catalogue for this chap.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.kevinserra.wix.com/kevinserraofficial

SOUND OF SILENCE - S/T (EP)
(S/R - 2014)

Sound of Silence are Canadian one-man band Marc Antoine Leblanc, who handles all instruments plus voice on this viciously jumpy 7-track debut ep.

Adding alternative and hardcore together with a little prog sauce on top, Mr LB is eager to show the world a little taste of what he's tried. Dirty chords and crabby, Foo Fighters -like chorus parts still seem to float many a boat today and with this bloke you might not need a life jacket too instantly if 'Erase You', 'Money', 'Take One' or 'Sound Of Silence' hit the waves.

Superb.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: facebook.com/soundofsilenceband

SPINNING JAMY - Guilty Victims
(Tetraktys Music - 2014)

Swiss fivesome Spinning Jamy are a unique combination. Knocking off the shackles they start from the grid mark with gritty girl fronted trad rock noise, sharp and vitriolic as you like.

Come halfway through the first number at they curve away into a progressive valley and still I find myself listening away, hoping all the following twelve numbers stay with these standards. They do, mostly too. Welded strips of various metal forms make a lethal, multi bladed weapon of a contemporary European metal album with the edges serrated to harm.

Moving the gearstick over to the blues side for the lead solos on 'Tick Tock' amongst others, and slamming in some sweetening saxophone after, crafts a classy sound from modern day clays. Superb work from a country we should hear much more by.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Girlschool & Pink Floyd.

NET: www.spinningjamy.com

SQUONK OPERA - Pneumatica
(S/R - 2014)

US instrumental veterans Squonk Opera introduce themselves to moi for the first ever time, nine albums into their 20-year run.

With Radiohead, the Beatles, Gary Numan and Rush being just four influences amongst the twenty-odd on the promo, I was trained to expect the...well somewhat unpredictable from these five crazy lads. Suffice to say I more or less got it in the shape of these eight slabs of sound, driven together by about seven times more different elements shoved together than I would say was healthy.

Use of a progressive baseboard to place the rest on is pretty easy to anticipate but then this lot play around as if it can take any weight. Electro, indie, synth, piano, bagpipes and Irish flute amongst others supply enough tastes to last a lifetime, and the ambient approach takes on a whole new avenue.

Word of warning, this one is not for love-at-first-listen but after a second or third listen, you should be prepared to hear what else Squonk Opera have got up to in their time.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.squonkopera.org

SUMO CYCO - Welcome To Sumo City
(S/R - 2014)

Another great female Canadian talent, hot on the heels of Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morrissette, former pop singer Skye 'Sever' Sweetman reinvents her approach via this vicious, industro-crusted contemporary metal outfit who have, as I speak already brought their show across the pond.

Difficult to get into at first dig, great choruses come out to give you a helping hand, notably flagship single 'Fighter' and help you also hear what huge pipes this young lady has. Stuttery drum breaks do normally great with me but after putting up with bands like Limp Bizkit this last near-two decades some things can now pass.

Sharp and unremitting with enough clubfloor crunch to cripple the foundations, Sumo City's debut deserves a huge live repertoire in its name but but you will learn what's to come by listening here first.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.sumocyco.com

SUNLESS SKY - Firebreather
(Pure Steel Records - 2014)

Accusing melodic metal bands of ripping off Iron Maiden seems almost the norm nowadays, as annoying as I find this.

Still when Cleveland's Sunless Sky introduce themselves with a sound slap identical to the said Brit outfit, I cannot help but become momentarily brainwashed. Doing it innocently well is another kettle of fish though and these boys boil the books  hotter than others care to cook them. Meaty, shredsome guitars screech along behind Juan Ricardo's scarily Bruce-like croon that turns slowly into Rob Halford as the album rolls on (he has the hairstyle to suit, coincidentally).

Applying a few Megadeth tricks to the likes of tracks like 'Immortality', 'Pandemonium', 'Grind You Down' and 'Air Raid' is overkill, some might tell you yet there is a lot of Blitz and the boys going on in some places here as well. Lacking originality but loaded with class to the rafters, Sunless Sky will rain down hail sized lumps of metal from every live stage they play.

You need to buy this one just to believe what they get away with, then I'd acquit them of their particular crimes any day.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Gamma Ray, Helloween, Primal Fear, Metallica & Wolfsbane.

NET: www.sunlesssky.com

SEPULTURA - Metal Veins - Alive At Rock In Rio
(Armoury Records - 2014)

Still going strong after 30 years, Sepultura justifiably celebrate with this live release, recorded at their home country's signature metal-fest.

Despite down to one original member, lead guitarist Andreas Kisser , the Brazilian metal legends still know how to serve the noise. Assisting them are French drumming combo Tambours du Bronx who add a timely tribal dimension to their timeless thrash nuggets. Scarce few numbers from the Cavalera days come up, only 'Refuse/Resist', Territory' and 'Roots Bloody Roots' to note, but with Derek Green having donned the mike for seventeen years, searing latter day classics such as 'Sepulnation', 'Requiem' and 'Structure Violence' have long settled into the spaces.

Shoving in a fearsomely tight rendition of Prodigy's 'Firestarter' showcases Mr Greens's growing prowess, not to mention his proven likeness to his predecessor, vocally. It's always always murder to convince purists to move on and embrace a band for what they are today, but that bloke's brutal performance each time out doesn't make it easy.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Slayer, Morbid Angel & Metallica.

NET: www. eaglerock.com / www. Mzamusic.com/br

STORMHOLD - The Lost World
(Total Metal Records - 2014)

There seems to be a brand of bands in the Eastern bloc, intent on making extreme metal a listener-amiable product.

Trying what fellow Ukrainians Red Hills have but with huger finesse, Stormhold attach symphonic metal bases to their structures, then build up with a death metal coloured wall and windows. Smooth cut keyboard and guitar performances, side by side don't advertise it as a dark gargly assault of a record at all, until vocalist Alexey Gasakov fires off his first words.

Beyond then it's still quite a musical box of chocolates, in big parts of this seven track disc. Concentrated twin guitar work trips over itself slightly at only scarce occasions as the vocal and rhythmical intensity itself overpowers it yet it never collapses by a brick.

Constructed well and with a love for all subgenres combined, Stormhold are in their own World, yet haven't Lost us as successfully as they might.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: vk.com/stormholdband

Swirl - S/T (E.P.)
(S/R - 2013)

Excellent LA based Rockers who have the gift of sounding like the 80's, 90's and of the now on this seven tracker.

Highlights include the hooking you immediately opner, 'Fourth Of July' that even quotes Johnny Cash and the Soundgarden like 'Mad Disease' both musically and vocally. Then there's the gutsy 'Rise Up' with Zakk Wylde like urping as I like to call it that has that big hair like arena sound going down or the slammy 'n' agressive 'We Are Alive'.

Excellent.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

NET: http://www.swirltheband.com/

Status Quo – Aquostic
(Warner Music UK Ltd – 2014)

Well this is a real turn up for the books – an acoustic Quo album – clever title lads, not to mention the nakedness of the cover too – hahaha – proving the band never lose their sense of humour.

Two dozen tracks in all that range from the late 60’s to the early 90’s recorded in a bare bones kinda way. There are added textures of zydeco and classy female backing vocals when appropriate and even some strings in some like the opening ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men’ which is an award winning performance.

It’s a well chosen cross section of material that fit well with the acoustic style and the fact that they have included numbers that we haven’t heard in years makes it so, so special. These include album favourites like the beautiful ‘And It’s Better Now’ that is so atmospheric and calm; the humourous 12-bar groover ‘Reason For Living’ and the not heard for many years gorgeous hit ballad ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll that personally made my day.

Rick Parfitt’s voice sounds a bit dry and worn on ‘All The Reasons’ but those strings sound so gorgeous and make up for it and hits like ‘Caroline’; ‘Whatever You Want’; ‘Again And Again’; ‘What You’re Proposing’ or ‘Down Down’ adapt perfectly for the occasion. I can see this release opening up the band to an even bigger fan-base especially when the BBC made the Roundhouse show available by pressing the red button.

It’s an album that deserves awards and to be frank with you one of the best they have ever made. I’ve played it so, so much and it grabs me every time. Can’t wait to see it played live on the Aquostic Tour in April 2015!

Bare, Bare, Bare – Sorry I mean Buy, Buy Buy……

10/10

B Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

SEEDS OF PERDITION - From Within
(Born Of Chaos Records - 2013)

Philadelphian metal supergroup Seeds of Perdition pledge something different on the sleeve of their debut mini album.

Depending on the interpretation of different here I was probably not born yesterday, yet also neither was I born too late to still appreciate a seven -track slab of pure old school US thrash.

Sharp, fast and frantic dual guitars and a vocal that veers between gut-altercating gargles and a respectable reminiscence to Testament's Chick Billy, use the songs to sell a sound we've heard maybe a zousand times across the preceding 30 years but still proves capable of shedding off the stale spots when it wants to.

With a few interesting interludes, sadly too brief as they are, the Perdition's Seeds appear sown in time for the following spring though some could do with a reasonable amount of watering.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Exodus, Evile & Slayer.

NET: www.reverbnation/seedsofperdition

SEVEN THORNS - II
(Sonic Revolution - 2014)

Just to clear the air, no member of Metallica are involved in this project. Yes they are Danish and have a drummer named Lars...and they play fast metal (well that makes it doubly hard to convince you now doesn't it, doh!)

Seven Thorns - yes there are seven in their number - ricochet their rich and razor fine melodic metal through every unclouded air particle in its path. Thin but tough twin guitar lines and swish synthesiser melodies match up along the span of every song and whilst giving solos more than their fair share of time on occasion.

No one’s bound to be let down by 'Eye Of The Storm', Revelation', 'Justice', Night Of Temptation', Redemption' and 'A Joker's Game' marching out of the amps in all their majesty. Not a play on the name of their first album, this confusingly titled third demonstrates where to jump on midway through their crusade.

Don't get these Thorns in your side..buy!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Stratovarius & Queensryche.

NET: www. seventhorns.com

SHADOW MERCHANT - The Tunnel
(S/R - 2014)

US of A have never had a,gigantic hold on the prog tree, or either fallen away from it totally.

While the genre remains a significantly British invention, Shadow Merchant make bold moves to ensure they manage a bite of this never-ageing cake. Clinging on to cliches - two songs staying round for 11 and 13+ minutes respectively - along with the tradition shrill seventies organ lining every crack, these lads have had to been nippers when their daddies stuck on the 'new one from Procul Harum' one Sunday lunchtime, beer in hand.

Tradition never dies and when you take numbers like 'Noah', 'Architect', Selfless Devotion', Judgement Day' and 'The Kindness Of A Stranger' tight into your hearts, you recognise how healthy this genre still is. Strong, slick and slightly less on pretence than certain other household prog names, the solos and vocals both throw their weight at each other as well as just our ears. These Merchants are set to show the genre still long off becoming a Shadow of itself.

Fabulous.

9.5/10

Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Dream Theater, Yes, Jadis, Rainbow & Deep Purple.

NET: shadowmerchant.net

SHAFT OF STEEL - S/T (E.P.)
(S/R - 2014)

London is less known for AOR nowadays as it is for alternative musos still ambling after one bandwagon or another.

Shaft Of Steel seem to have had enough as they're suddenly out here repairing that damage. Possessing a sound just slightly likeable to capital-sprouted legends Blue Blud and of course FM, this six-some set their eyes more on the sharply produced melodic hard rock style of today. Using the silky, upbeat approach of Swedish giants Work of Art, they stick a strong guitar-based rod into the musical fission holes as well, which should somehow account for the power metal comparisons I've been clocking onto around this group.

Second track 'Spinning Vortex of Love' pretty much succeeds to win both scenes over with its swirly keyboards while 'Steel Avenger' stomps in and across the room with its near Helloween-like hammer-pound. Definitely a revival on the strength of a single act if it takes off, the only disappointment out of Shaft Of Steel's debut is the fact we've only four tracks to make do with for now.

Wonderful stuff all the same.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: shaftofsteel.com

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

The Sidney Green Street Band – S/R
(S/R – 2014)

Clear sounding blues band from Northern New Jersey with a singer/guitarist in Lance Doss (from Alabama) who has a voice not unlike the guys in ZZ Top which is no bad deal at all.

Excellent funky blues opener in ‘Bye Bye Bye’ with many cool numbers on offer throughout like ‘Get It Back’ which is rather Southern and Allman Brothers like and the laid back ‘Some Things Ain’t Gonna Change’ that is kinda like Ronnie Wood meets Steve Miller.

Then there’s the vocal duetted coolness of ‘My Pride’ or a closer that is a pure epic in both length and style – proper drawn out boogie brilliance and goes by title of ‘Consumer’. I was also real pleased to find out the bands drummer is none other than Steve Holley, formerly of Wings!

This is awesome!

9.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SOLEDOWN – Mudbox
(Sonic Revolution - 2014)

You can tell from the name Mudbox aren't going to merrily lash songs about sex and sunset strip out over all and sundry. And indeed they do not.

The German quintet drive their depressed (very peed off more like) grunge assault in like drills into scarcely sustainable plaster. Rough twin guitars start trampolining up and down on top of the tight-as-buggery bass line and let the rest lie either wide till it moulds. One or two tracks amongst the eleven see frontman Thorsten Willer switch from Layne Staley to something dangerously James Hetfield.

Don't by any means cite that as a bad thing as selections such as 'Nothing To Fear', 'My Sanity', 'Burning', 'One Way', 'Bridges To Burn' and All The Way' yield more metal than the promo description now somewhat vainly concealed. Dirty, raw and alternative in a very appealing fashion, Soledown have their foot flat on your face with their own finesse for weight.

Advice: try buying this album before yours become the next.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nickelback, Soundgarden & Bush

NET: www.soledown.com

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SOLAMNIA - Those of Honour
(Internet Released - 2014)

Finlands Solamnia conceal a brand of melodic metal ...phrasing in other words that it creeps up on you just as you're expecting something different.

Diving through these five cuts sees you swimming through a few slightly scented musical waters and the sultry female vocals are finely woven in with their frontman's feral garglings. Settling in amidst some sweet acoustic feeds and and an almost Eastern departure for one minute, 'Those Of Honour' sounds perfect enough to be contrived but not contrived enough to offend.

Good.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrilll

AVAILABLE VIA : Amazon, Spotify, iTunes and other good online sources

SPEAKS OF RAIN - Home in Bluffdale
(S/R - 2014)

US duo Speaks of Rain are a couple of old college mates who met up after many decades, still sharing their penchant for all things progular and British.

Seriously spurred on by a little too much Jethro Tull to listen to cuts like 'Black Widows' and 'Orionids 19', their semi instrumental ambient workouts suffer a lot of accessibility issues - under not circumstances should you expect to gel with too many of these ten tracks in just a single lap.

Placing guitars, bass, xylophone, African bells and Irish flute together in one room, messrs Godfrey and Rogers sacrifice little and if you live for any of the late sixties cornerstones of psychedelic rock,critically more than casually you should eventually lap these lads up.

Put as plainly as I can, this cd is destined to drive you to do one of two likely things - yawn gratuitously, ripping the disc from the deck and slinging it as far as you can see, or better still otherwise, set up your paint kit and easel on some quiet English coastal promenade and let your mind together with the atmosphere escort you.

Worth giving a chance.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Porcupine Tree, World Music, Genesis (Peter Gabriel era)

NET: speaksofrain.com

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sons Of Merrick – Of English Execution
(S/R – 2014)

In your face brutal stoner and sludgy sounding metal from these English boys.

9 blasting tracks to be found here that are sure to rip out the cones of your speakers if you play it loud enough with songs like the opening ‘Valley’d And Thunder’d’; the air-raid siren starting ‘Of Dusky Pallor’ that is dirty down-tuned misery or the joyfully titled ‘Bowels Of Britain’.

A bit of tedious listen to be honest with you.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kings Of Leon, Black Sabbath & Procul Harum.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

Seven Shots From Sober – South On Sierra (E.P.)
(S/R – 2013)

Ballsy Rockin’ trio from Calgary, Alberta, Canada with a few other styles trhthat really take you by surprise as they look so frikkin’ ordinary on the cover itself – proves you can’t judge artists by their image alone.

There’s stoner in ‘South On Sierra’; a gutsy bit of Southerness on ‘Insomniac’ and slutzy coolness on ‘Your Beautiful’ and a total stealing of the riff from ‘Roadhouse Blues’ in ‘Concrete Monster’ while the riff of the closer ‘Not Going’ reminds me totally of Rod Stewart’s ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’.

Decent.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Derek Sherinian – Mythology
(Armoury Records – 2004/14)

An array of stars playing with Derek – most notably being Zakk Wylde who throbs, urps and wails through much of the album in the way that only he can do along guys like Steve Stevens, Brian Tichy and Marco Mendoza.

It’s a solid release with gargantuan arrangements and melodies with many belters such as the opening ‘Day Of The Dead’; ‘Gods Of War’; the gospel coolness and cool ballady bluesness of ‘Goin To Church’ (feat. Steve Lukather on guitar); ‘Trojan Horse’ featuring some guitar galloping craziness from Brian Tichy (Guitar) & Marco Mendoza (Bass) and the closer ‘The River Song’ with the blonde haired axeman on vocals too.

There’s also some cool liner notes from Steve Stevens to top it off too.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Kevin Simnacher – Window Of Opportunity
(S/R / SimRock Publishing – 2013)

This man is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA and after being in many cover bands decided to create his own album at fifty – good on him too.

Highlights include the eastern vibed ‘Gypsy Girl’; the folkified ‘Sky Is Falling’; the fast rocker with killer guitar that ‘Time Machine’; the cracking title track itself ‘Window Of Opportunity’ not to mention the outstanding power-driven closer ‘On Our Way To Jupiter’.

Pretty excellent this one!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SIPARIO POWER METAL ACT - Oblivion - Dark Thorns
(S/R - 2014)

Here's a lesson in keeping up with the Trade Descriptions Act for you kids....spell out the genre in your own bands name.

Female fronted, Italians Sipario don't disappoint at that, despite fourteen tracks meaning nine actual songs and several spoken interludes in and amongst them. Then I did neglect to mention this is a rock opera (tsk, tsk). Leviathan guitar pieces and perpetuating keyboard lines sweep you away from the start of 'Oblivion' and take you sailing on an epic melodic metal journey you might well be used to but never tire of living.

The instrumentation never becomes one-sided, with solos and keys all stealing it back and forth amist bolshy rockers and ballads alike. Long songs are not a huge speciality here with a verse-chorus-verse and out approach but a shortfall in that is less time to enjoy listening to vocalists Meg and Mari's magnificent performance sliding gracefully along the heads of it all.

Lush continental metal with class and grace - why concept albums seem to suffer such ridicule remains behind me, when they come on this strong.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Mostly Autumn, Nightwish & Ten.

NET: www.reverbnation.com/spariometal

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Six Days Til Sunday – Predetermined
(S/R – 2014)

A new band from Los Angeles that features ex-Murderdoll member, Eric Griffin on guitar that far exceeds many acts I’ve heard from the area for a while with a debut release – not to mention an incredibly professional sound and overall mix too.

The album has a real abrasive Marilyn Manson feel and style to it and more with some really well constructed songs indeed. Highlights include the extremely strong ‘My World Would Change’; ‘Afraid To Win’ with an exceptionally good racing melody and solo section.

Then there’s the pummelling drum work found on ‘Before Tomorrow Comes’ and even a surprise in a really excellent guitar meets orchestral styled take of Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah.

Watch this band get big in the Metal World as it’s only a matter of time I think.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Skookum – Pleasure Cruz
(Fugly Music – 2013)

Interesting name indeed who present some classic rock sounds from Vancouver, Canada.

It’s very crunchy at times with wailing guitar and throaty vocals through the cd that has 14 songs in all. There are a handful of great songs on here such as the opening rocker ‘Pleasure Cruz’; the acoustic ‘Aydan’s Song’ that reminds me of early 70’s Led Zeppelin; the slidin’ guitar on ‘I Got’ or the humourous ‘Growing Up’s a Bitch’.

Okay.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

4/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo – Piledriver (Deluxe Edition)
(Universal – 2014)

And it’s down memory lane from some 1972 Quo which has been re-released in a 2-cd package of the the original album and a bonus Cd with BBC Session tracks and the Paris Theatre from 1st March 1973.

Always been a great album which I got in mid 80’s on vinyl as a reissue. How can you not like an album with classics like ‘Don’t Waste My Time’; ‘Big Fat Mama’ ‘Paper Plane’ or ‘Roadhouse Blues’ which are all live staples to this day, not mention fantastic album tracks like the ballads ‘A Year’ & the beautiful ‘All The Reasons’.

Okay, I managed to get some of us have a lot of the second cd already on bootleg or recorded from 'The Saturday Rock Show' back in the day hosted by the late, great Alan Freeman but it’s cool to actually own it officially. The band are so good that at times you can’t tell the BBC Peel Session versions from those on the Piledriver album itself such as ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ which appears twice – 2 different sessions and a pre-listening to ‘Softer Ride’ too from the forthcoming ‘Hello! album.

That Live show is an absolute joy and Francis had his tongue-in-cheek cocky confidence back then, heckling and taking the piss out the audience as some knew the new album and others obviously didn’t. Yes there’s the odd wrong note bleeping out now and again but it just simply adds to the raw, simplistic charm of it. ‘In My Chair’ is so damn cool, deep and dirty and ‘Railroad’ rocks so hard as we expect the Quo to do.

They don’t half sing parts of ‘Paper Plane’ high and it’s so good to hear ‘Someone’s Learning’ that’s never done these days. The banter is so funny in ‘Roadhouse Blues’ – like “There’s a lady picking her nose there!” & “Go on my son!”. Holy Hell ‘Bye Bye Johnny’ has some sheer guts from Alan Lancaster and we’ll let him off for forgetting the words at one point.

I look forward to more deluxe re-releases of all things ‘Frantic Four’ in the coming months – if that is the case.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Dave Attrill

Suns Of Stone – S/T
(Bad Reputation – 2014)

Cookin’ rockers that have a Southern feel to them but are actually from Ottawa, Canada.

Their songs are solid and they’ve been established on and off as a unit over the years with these debut album making a great impact on my ears with their gutsy and earthy rock that has element of The Black Crowes, Rival Sons and older bands like Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynrd in eaqual quantities.

Certain songs really grab my tabs like the opening almost funk riffed ‘Hold On Me’ that opens up into a 70’s delight; ‘Rise Up’ that reminds you of ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynrd combine – not to mention that John Bonham like opening.

And about the cool as hell ‘Another Dollar’ that is Gary Rossington and Steve Gaines to a Tee in the axe department or the closing sure –to-be Dixie epic from up North that is ‘Piece Of Mind’ that is a real heartfelt ballad with some bluesy guitar sounds to die for.

These Canadians are well worth a listen.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sweetkiss Momma - A Reckoning Is Coming
(S/R – 2013)

Absolutely outstanding Southern Rockers who tick every single box with strong songs, purely authentic sounds and riffs to die for – this is pure Dixie excellence.

‘A Reckoning Is Coming’ stands up next to albums by The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Stone Cherry at their finest moments where you can literally land on any song and be blown away.

Wow so many knockout numbers on here such as the gutsy opener ‘Fix My Hair’ that immediately sets the stall out from the start; the early like ZZ Toppish title track ‘A Reckoning Is Coming’; ‘Dirty Uncle Deezer’ with cooking harmonica shrieks and gospel like backing vocals.

Then there’s the slipper stonging ‘Get Some Love’ with a sound akin to good ole Rev. Billy G and other cool bluesy rock icons not to mention electric and acoustic versions of a song titled ‘Breath Rebel’ that talks about who you are and what you stand for.

Truly Magical.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Switchblade – Heavy Weapons
(Killer Metal Records – 2013)

Full on old school Heavy Metal from Israel believe it or not that instantly puts you in mind of artists like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and even Accept at times.

It don’t let up hardly for a second from the opening title track that is ‘Heavy Weapons’ right through to the closing ‘Endless War’. Highlights in all things leather include ‘Metalista’; the ballad ‘Lost Lovers Unite’ that is so Bruce Dickinson in the vocal dept to say the least.

Then there’s the fast tempo’d beating at ya ‘Curse Of The Father, Sins Of The Son’ that is very Priest-like with even a bit of Dio creeping in. An excellent way to spend Sunday afternoon indeed especially when you get galloping cool *ss riffs like ‘Into The Unknown’ to devour.

It’s 1986 all over again so dig out that black leather studded, tassle jacket and crank these guys up!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stone Diamond – We Stole The Stars From The Black Night
(Davin Enterprises – 2013)

Excellent Rock band from Cologne, New York that go into commercial territories at times and remind me of bands like U2 or INXS during points of the album.

There’s some well worked out melodies on here and terrific bright songs overall and I really like the opener bouncy ‘Love Stays’; the cheesey simple and to the point number ‘Let It Roll’ (not a cover of the UFO song); the U2 like ‘When We Were Young’ & the sad sounding ‘Traumatised’.

On the up and up for sure and it shouldn’t be long before they make an impact on the chart on both sides of the Atlantic. The sound is incredible and this album is definitely a grower.

Oh by the way guys, can we have the stars back.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sweet – The Answer
(Angel Air – 2013)

This is Sweet in name only because the only member here is Andy Scott on guitar, lead and backing vocals which needs stating from the start as this is more of a mid 80’s rock band than 70’s Glam band that Sweet were famous for.

Mal McNulty here takes over on vocals from Brian Connolly though the line-up of the band has altered a fair bit since this was originally released back in 1984 and even has Bodo Schopf of Falco (Rock Me Amadeus) fame on drums/percussion and effects.There some great numbers on here though Quo like ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’; the cheesey hard rocker ‘Marshall Stack’ that’s a tribute to Jim Marshall’ or the hilarious parody going by the name of ‘Crudely Mott’ that turns into Hungarian sounding folk music.

‘Natural’ is a beautiful ballad with soft tranquil vocals that matches the mood of the song perfectly with some fabulous orchestral instrumental like qualities in there too and ‘Mind’ has got a real beatle-phased brilliance to the vocals with the song itself being rather Europe meets US Arena Soft Rock.

The opener ‘Do As I Say’ reminds me of Queen’s ‘One Vision’ with regard to the intro but it predates it by two years and is a great Deep Purple meets US Radio friendly Pomp when the song gets going. I can’t help but like the Spinal Tap’ish ‘Stand Up’ that’s a really joyous rocker all the same with a cool riff and chorus that has grandiose spandex written all over it.

Decent enough for its time but I think it’d favour better if the band had a different name altogether – just my personal opinion.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sons Of Hippies – Griffons At The Gates Of Heaven
(Cleopatra Records – 2013)

Now this is a quirky band from Florida that sound like a cross between Hawkwind, Toyah, Brigitte Wishart and Siouxsie And The Banshees all rolled into one with a wacky indie flair to them too.

The name is confusing since they have female fronting the trio in Katherine Kelly that has additional musicians there too on things like moog, audio oscillation and acoustic guitar that makes for an interesting listen as you can no doubt imagine.

Amazing sounds in the opening ‘Forward’ with its phaser-like cosmicness; the atmospheric choral ‘Rosie’ that has a cracking melody to it; the oscillating ‘Spaceship Ride’ that is kinda like U2 meets Suuz that has a real attractive bassline to it or the ballsy rocked up ‘Minute x Minute’ that is like what would happen if you met Toyah & Kate Bush on an acid trip.

Intriguing and need to be heard.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SPIRITROW - The Signs
(S/R - 2013)

The signs are already there - warning me to expect dark angry, growling...or perhaps screaming noisy metal stuff.

Except it appears to be a bit more and better than that. Driven not by trends and bandwagon spaces going begging but instead by class, Italy's Spiritrow play it astoundingly old school and accessibly astute instead.

Trading away aimless alternative metal in place of Metallica-meets-Cathedral crunch, the game here is evidently to get into a groove and hold it right to the line. Knocking rocks off the hill top with a hammer continuously swung in circles, slick rhythm guitars ratchet away round typically guttural vocal noises set in a rhythm and reedeemingly decipherable.

Ten molten tablets of menacing metal are the result and despite some awkward death overpours down the side, they drip away in their archaic heat. Touching 'Even Stars Cry', 'Said F**k', 'Voice of Nothing', 'Inflictions', 'EPF' and 'On Time ' minus gloves is strictly ill- advised but missing out on this unknown metal treat is a serious hazard of disappointment.

Check it out and enjoy extreme metal as it should still be played.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Testament, Slayer, Orange Goblin & Sepultura.

NET: www.myspace.com/spiritrow

State Of Insomnia - American Psycho
(Bloodshot Productions – 2013)

These are a new madcap bunch who fall somewhere between Slipknot, Pantera and even have elements of Biohazard and Mushroomhead and loads more who come out of Bakersfield, California.

So much on here that got my attention as they have incredible playing abilities once you get over the bawly vocals and overdone up-to-date moshiy nu-metal riffs since they have a lot going on. Love the banjo intro’d ‘Get My Drink On’; the cracking short ballad that is ‘Mother’s Cry’; the outstanding powerful loud ballad called ‘Lost Inside’ that has a killer guitar solo in, not to mention is also duet with Ellie Enns.

Then there’s the hilarious ‘WTF’ that is literally a phone call from a buddy concerning a chick that he won’t touch no matter how much whiskey he can down that is followed by the hilarious ditty aptly titled ‘Whiskey Dick’ – no doubt influenced by the phone call – hahaha. Or what about the hardcore sounds of ‘Rearranging’ that Scott Ian would totally dig!

Check out the crazy phone messages at the end of the album too – jesus!

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

STONE ORANGE - The Dreamcatcher
(Street Symphonies Records - 2013)

Cross between mainstream rock and hard edged guitar driven sound, bordering to metal, the promo states.

Slovenia's Stone Orange do exactly what they say on the tin and a bell of a lot on top. From punk-oriented pop rock power of opener 'Broken Man' and the stomping crunch of 'I Am Whatever', to the solo-laced 'Lovetron' these four lads give melodic rock fans of all shapes and sizes a spin for their money. Yet while straight ahead hard rockers like the keyboard-peppered 'Pride of Pain', 'Scare Me', 'Nobody Cares' and 'Whites of their Eyes' steal a garganutan part of the glory, my personal standout would definitely be ballad 'It Keeps on Raining' with a chorus you just would not see coming... though you can also see it appealing to a few Nickelback fans.

Stealing a slight bit from 'Highway Star', the solo along with chorus of 'Nobody Cares' seem to work end to end as one continuous slide, though singer Marko Erjavec's shrill, updated range sets the vocal segments well apart to the ear, reminiscing Offspring's Dexter Holland as he does, a tad. Deep and innovative with the adequate eighties element, Stone Orange deliver a wholly unexpected tour de force of traditional rock cut in with contemporary chisels.

'Dream Catcher’ is a serious surge of East European electricity that should definetely not be touched withwet hands.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: The Cult, Tyketto & Bon Jovi.

NET:www.stoneorange.com

SAGA - Spin it Again Live (CD/DVD)
(Ear Music - 2013)

With all these prog acts foaring into the old revival thang, Canadian legends, Saga could stay there on the sidelines could they.

Especially when original and best man Michael Sadler showed back up at the door wanting (or wanted) back into the action again. Even after a mere half decade away, he shows how much he was missed with the might of this double cd show, captured in Munich earlier this year. Opening with 'Anywhere You Wanna Go' a track from the amiably received '20/20' comeback, the crowd are warmed up as wildly as Germans can get. Time for the classics to come, 'Mouse in a Maze' leads a dozen plus paramount favourites, fast and furious.

Sadler hasn't been damaged one single iota by the winds of time, his sweet, regal range laying it down to them mightily as it does on disc. Keeping up the razory eighties chord sound that connected them with metal audiences seems none too uncomfortable for Ian Crichton as he slams it down throughout 'Careful Where You Step' and plenty of other cornerstones to come. Most unusually only four numbers from the timeless 'Worlds Apart' album feature (possibly to do with the fact they played the entire bleeder on their previous tour) but the treble-header of 'On the loose', 'Wind Him Up' and 'Framed' do make for a handsome brace late in the set.

Two further newbies show up, but I think 'Spin it Again' and 'Six Feet Under' are robustly fine Saga numbers, they are swallowed up by the likes of 'Flyer', 'The Cross' 'Humble Stance' and 'Tired World', just as they are swallowed practically whole by the hordes of adoring Deutsch folk without choking. As the closing crescendo of 'Don't Be Late' finally rolls out time's up for this titanium hour-and-three quarters of a restlessly vibrant career - not to mention a hugely successful, sold out tour. At 36 years active these guys have been around as long as I have been breathing air and I'm pretty much out of it by now myself.

The accompanying live DVD covers the same show, and shows all original members, bar current drummer Mike Thorne up and pumping away the powerful harmonies. Seventy five percent of the material comes massively further to life on screen, including instrumental track 'Corkentallis' showcasing Mr Sadler's multi-instrumentalism to the hilt amongst many tracks.

That he can also play guitar, bass, keyboard and drums does beckon wondering why he needs a full band doing the rest around him. That said his charismatic duets and duels with keyboard mainstay Jim Gilmour steal the gig, as does their newly shorn leader's commendable likeness to Sir Ben Kingsley these days. Whilst Crichton compliments his playing with the classic neck in the air posing at every turn Mike handles the drums on solo cut 'Fish Beat' as a bold initiation into the ranks, attracting again a lot more attention visually with the assisting coloured light display. I don't happen to have twigged on any British dates (sadly) in the Saga itinerary as yet but Germany's enthusiasm might just propel these lads along this way if enough pay the money. You can help by investing in this stonking package.

Harem Scarem and Von Groove might hog much of the glory nowadays but don't forget where Canada's seeds on the melodic rock field were sown the biggest beforehand.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Rush, Styx, Queensryche, Genesis & Asia.

NET: www.sagaontour.ca

THE SEED - Pull the Trigger... and Bite This Bullet
(S/R - 2013)

Not Nick Cave coming out of hiding with a cut-length band name, these Spaniards however are very bad seeds making a big bad noise.

Straight-cut thrash in towering twin guitar tradition knocks you off your perch, as if sounding to make the predictable actually less so when you've been sat with your eyes half open for a while. Lethal repeating riffs and real choruses slay and skewer your cynicisms as the Europeans show their current day US counterparts how good they used to do it themselves.

Vocalist Koko brings a sturdy leg to the table with an extreme metal growl that's impressively decipherable, mixing Cavalera and Anselmo elements. The result - ten solid metal slabs that wont stand to break on your head too easily - live or in the studio - are dropped to form a punishingly hard patio below.

Might be worth watching this seed grow, peoples.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Slayer, Sepultura, Evile, Pantera, Machine Head & Biohazard.

NET : www. myspace.com/theseedmusica

SEPUKU - Demo & Live Perversions
(S/R)

The year is 2013. Deep into the digital age, as I look into the latest heap of cds and suddenly I fish out something shaped uncannily like a...CASSETTE!!!

Kudos in absolute cupped handloads to the chaps that call themselves Sepuku for this unprecedented two-fingers at modern day technology requirements. Sadly that's about as far as the praise for this three, piece extends, other than that their paltry death metal enjoys a superb production job.

There are worse bands but these tunes still suffer under the shadow of averageness and also an awkward stop -go pace setting that irritates at best. Third track 'Deathcrust' takes to a slightly more palatable punk corner for a pinch of its duration but the rest of the way its all an average day in the extreme metal mill.

Live, they seem to have it together which from the four tracks on the second side seems the best way to see them, otherwise this cassette make for little more than a worthwhile museum piece.

5/10 (Music) / 10/10 (Format)

By

Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHEILAN - Para Toda La Eternidad
(Santo Grial - 2013)

Malaga - now there's a place we don't hear the name of on mother earth metal's satellites too frequently - will Sheilan now return to patch up the gaping hole? I use the word' return' to clear the air on the fact that this frenetic foursome have been at it since 1989.

Strangely enough they come cautiously updated in style here, abandoning most of what might have gone before. Layering melodic metal vocals in a sometimes-alternative,sometimes-power metal style along with the as-standard death growl, lead vocalist Carlos Jimenez gets away with all of this in Spanish, though on the weight of the harmonious side,the translations take less than a lot of guessing.

And thats before you get on to the subject of their music - make way as prog, extreme and just about every other contrastable metal form moves in like the doors are left negligently open.

Good Dream Theater vibrations shake third track 'Volver a Nacer' along with classy metal leads from guitar geezers Emilio Sanchez and Carlos Lorda, rebounding strongly into the start of the closing title number before a brutal thrash turn takes hold.

Devastatingly technical yet not tedious, this short, sharp mini-album shocks in positive channels. Whilst at least some small English detail on the sleeve wouldn't have hurt, the Latin talent for this type of music suffers no taint.

Total gracias for this, guys.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.sheilan.com

SILENTLIE - Blood Under Snow
(S/R - 2013)

I often wondered what might actually lay hidden beneath the old white winter fluff.... then some of my childhood sledging smashes were indeed quite nasty.

Chat over, there's absolutely no nasty surpises in this five-track mini album from Italy's Silentlie. The girl-fronted four-piece get it on with a gothic creaminess,straight-aimed song structures and emotional direction all together working the pistons. ‘Regret’, ‘While I Hurt Myself’ and ‘Cruel Look’ possess a slight Evanescence-ism about them whilst the title tune goes for a sharper metal edge with distinct prog dynamics in the centre.

Riveting stuff, with a feeling performance from vocalist Georgia Sacco Taz adding individual zest to it throughout, Silentlie should not stay too silent for a while if their sound begins to sell on our side of the channel.

Look out for this one.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE : Mostly Autumn, My Dying Bride & Queensryche.

NET: www.facebook.com/silentlieband

SKY POLICE - Entangled

(Interval Records - 2013)

No, not a dig at Sting's satellite TV meanderings, Sky Police still liken a weighty third of their approach to the eighties pop legends.

Slender, electric/acoustic flavoured alternative with ambient delivery instead of poor mans punk pretences are what these four boys called Boris, Tim, Rigo and Alex are about. With aded jazz and funk colourings, the smooth, airy vocals of Boris Polissky are almost a third guitar themselves but dont fall into the dissolve beyond their advisable depth.

The eleven numbers each offer feel and meaningfulness sent to you in silk envelopes labelled 'Run', 'Baby Let's Get Married', 'Entangled', 'WW1' and 'In The Morning' amongst them plus the sweet violin noises set to play if you open 'Watching You'. 'Essence' shows another side not seen coming with a Marillion shaped hand on the style switch but Polisky pulls off a fantastically polished job. Brilliantly performed and written with passion 'Entangled', despite being classed as rock, stands to merits solid crossover credibilty from many corners .

Sky Police are a band to savour without bias - buy or risk arrrest.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.skypolice.net

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Status Quo – Back2 SQ.1 - The Frantic Four Reunion 2013 (CD/DVD Box Set)

A boxed set that compiles 4 CDs and 2 DVD’s of that tour that every hardcore, old-school fan of the Quo wanted to see happen.

What you get is the audio of the Glasgow O2 Academy Gig and the Hammersmith Apollo Gig too which are both totally outstanding. Okay Rick Parfitt sounds a bit worn and strained at times but as he said himself in the inclusive documentary that is with the Wembley Arena DVD – this was very demanding material to perform at this stage of their lives and it took enough to do that as opposed to running and leaping around like back in the day.

The set-list for the shows are built around the seminal ‘Live’ album that was recorded at the Glasgow Apollo in 1976 so they have included the classic intro but took out the venue name so it worked at all the dates. Of course this makes for certain that you get killer songs that feature plenty of Alan Lancaster on vocals like ‘Backwater’; ‘Just Take Me’ and ‘Is There A Better Way?’. Brilliant to hear ‘Don’t Waste My Time’, ‘Most Of The Time’ and many others that appeared on that seminal.

Sound-wise it’s a lot more in your face and harsher and rawer because there are no keyboards at the shows because they didn’t use them in that period. It’s very authentic to say the least – in fact, shut your eyes and it’s the mid 70’s again. I mean how can you beat the hard-hitting straight to the point meat and potato drum work of John Coghlan or the throbbing gutsy heaviness bass playing of Alan Lancaster that has been missing for the best part of three decades.

What makes the set-list even more appealing than the Live album set was already is the inclusion of never played before or hardly played numbers since their release such as ‘Blue Eyed Lady’; ‘Oh Baby’ and ‘April Spring, Summer and Wednesdays’ but I just wish ‘Daughter’ had been added too – but you can’t have everything can you? Bob Young has been added to the table too who gets up on stage a couple of times too such as on ‘Roadhouse Blues’.

This set is an absolute must for a real Quo fan and even has voxpops from loads of fans, rehearsal footage and the view from Coghlan as well from the stage via a special camera.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

STEEL CITY - Now's the Time
(logic(il)logic - 2013)

Not from Sheffield, the band laying claim to the Steel City moniker this time out might have still proved a prided export, if only Bring Me The Horizon had had the kindness not to exist.

With an intro drum that reminds you of the start of Star Wars Episode III, these Italians sure waste no time in teasing you about their content. Takes little exploration before we find feral melodic metal core comfortably tucked herein. Not known for prolific activity as regarding this genre, SC's homeland hit you hard on the ol'cranium with a contemporary aggro metal album that impresses old and young like they're huddled together listening in the same room.

Meaty old-school metal solos seem quite ill fitting to this place but the commercial turn comes through a dissolved progression before punching you back in the face to make sure. Rough, sturdy twin guitars and strong drive make for substance in Steel City's music. Crappy it is indeed that they only have nine tunes worth, as this is a scarce example of a once great genre at its better, our European brothers handling the repairs.

Now's the time for a total resurrection, I reckon.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Biohazard & Machine Head.

NET: www.logicillogic.net

Steriod Freak Pussy - D.O.R / If it Ain't Broke (We're Gonna Break It)
(Sprocket Science Records - 2013)

Balls out Sleasze punk with bawling at ya vocals that reminds me of Motorhead & Zodiac Mindwarp with a little hint of Seb Bach era Skid Row.

It's a double A side single release from a band with a great name from Leads - no wonder they ring a bell as it's just up the road from me. The main two numbers come at you like a bag of dirty circular saws that can still cut ya to shreda no matter what filth they are covered in while the bonus track 'Genosha' takes you by surprise as it's a ballad telling you they aren't gonna die any more.

Bet they are awesome on stage.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Screaming Eagles - From The Flames
(S/R - 2012)

Good ole rockin' stuff from Northern Ireland that's very much in the style of 70's AC/DC with elements of bands like Buckcherry and Tokyo Dragons too - much to my personal delight.

There's a real feel-good factor to these guys for sure that hits you immediately with 'All The Way'; that is followed up by 'Down The River' and later numbers like 'Rock N Roll Soul' 'Blood' and 'Take My Time' and the closer 'Blood'.

Pure Gibson rawness and high volume stacks is the name of the game here. It's little wonder that thy are making leaps and bounds and big headway on Interner radio stations. A band that deserves to be heard on a wider scale and on stage too.

Brilliant - these guys keep the real deal alive!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shanghai Guns - Seven Shots
(Bellaphon - 2012)

No there ain't a Japanese guy in sight in this band but this band is in fact from Germany and come across like Hair Metal meets Scorpions as there's song high ended vocals from Stefan Tudela and flash guitar work from ex-Roko axe slinger, Yves Leyvraz.

7 songs and an intro make up this mini album since it clocks in at just over 32 minutes with some killer cheesey 80's Rock moments in 'Hard Way Long Decision' and 'As Long As I Rock' and 'Party Animal Dude (PAD)' that has some slick double drumming on there from Sebastian Chave - this is very Van Halen meets Yngwie J. Malmsteen at times too.

Can't help thinking how this band would sound if fronted by an American vocalist as I keep thinking Klaus Mein too much while listening to this album.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stark Raven - All We Want To Do Is Rock n' Roll
(S/R - 2013)

Clue in the title what this band are like - yep Chuck Berry meets Status Quo but with weak vocals.

There's two seperate CD's as well but I found it hard to get past the 1st one to be honest with you as there's not much to keep your attention really - truth be done. They mean well and are from Poughkeepsie, NY and are enjoying what they do.

They just don't have that oomph factor - they need a strong vocalist in there and move on as well as it's hard to get excited about an excessive amount of 12-bars - unless it's working for them in the venues they play.Major improvement is a no-brainer to stand a chance these days in the bigger field of things.

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo - Bula Quo
(Fourth Chord Records - 2013)

Yes it's the soundtrack album to the movie the guys have got out but despite you thinking it's gonna be cocktails and cheesiness it actually surprises you with some extremely good cuts.

Split into two cds - the 1st of which has all brand new songs - 9 in all with some quality numbers the tropical authentic ballad 'Mystery Island' sung by Rick Parfitt in a gorgious real choir like voice as opposed to the balls out bawl we are all so used to. Another shiner is the hard-*ss 'Run & Hide (The Gun Song)' which sees Rhino take the mike and comes across more like Hugh Lloyd Langton Hawkwind as opposed to the usual Quo boogie. Then there's there's 'GoGoGo' with its James Bond like riffs.

The second CD is basically other songs featured on the soundtrack - an array of live & studio material that's already been released via the last album 'Quid Pro Quo' and a couple of numbers Live From Montreux - the standout being 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men' by far'. What really makes the second CD worth having is the beatiful Fiji styled 'Living On An Island' which I personally can't stop playing and should become a single or even the remake of 'Rockin' All Over The World (Bula Edit') is stellar too. Interesting album that opens the box to what else this band can do if they give themselves a chance.

Would like to see more varied styles on future releases as well.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

SURTR - Pulvis Et Umbra
(Altshphere Production - 2013)

France does a lot of things well. Does doom metal also appear on their list. To be honest probably yes.

Surtrs produce may not pillage the opposition as groundbreaking fare goes but still they like what they live for and audibly live for what they play, even if lyrics such as 'Satan Rise Again, Satan Lives Again' send you cringing. Good, basic Goth metal performance from guitarist/vocalist Jeff Maurer on more or less both his duties sets generic metal elements as a weapon still not to doubt the deadliness of in 2013.

Nice bounce up-and-down doom grooves such as those you are treated to on second track 'Three Winters Of War' endlessly reverberate old-school echoes throughout each tune of the seven.

Nice, dark music done with a pedestrian edge.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Candlemass & My Dying Bride.

NET. www.surtr.net

SWEET KENNY - Jennifer's Box Of Junk
(Waterfall Records - 2012)

Just hoping it isn't one itself, this Detroit act's debut is pretty far from becoming so at the best of moments.

Solid tunes instantly recognisable as a unique brand of hard rock called their own, Sweet Kenny mainman Ken Sutton and sidekick Scott Schroen knock all the best of seventies prog's smoother end and eighties rock's rough -edged areas together to see how they heat.
'America's Hottest Mom', 'Blackjack Moan', 'But Only To Find Out', 'Used, Hurt, Payback!' and 'Jennifer' send the froth foaming close to over the top with their gritty culmination of classic and ambient rock sounds plus a interesting rap/blues exploration on the Joe Cocker-esque 'Little Girl' that strangely works.

Unorthordox almost to the max, Sweet Kennys style is not to be ignored lightly after one single listen, Michigan multi-instrumentalist Ken getting a hypnotic lid over the little tat there is with his talents.

Give it a go.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.sweetkenny.com

Seven Nails - Factory Of Dreams
(S/R - 2013)

Progressive Symphonic Metal from Germany with both male and female fronted vocals that are in the Evanescense, Epica and Nightwish style of things.

Great riffing and operatic vocals throughout this album that keeps you thoroughly intriqued and entertained throughout the entire album with strings, chugging guitars and excellent musical arrangements. Highlights include the 1st real number that is 'Factory Of Dreams' that sets the bands stall out from the start; the epic 'Frozen Blue' or the egyptian vibed 'Pharoah's Call'.

Then there's the long instrumental intro'd 'Prisoner Of My Own'; the hard-hitting 'Msquerade' or the war sfx that fire off 'Choose Your Weapons Right'. Sometimes bands of this nature get self-indulgent and are less than pleasing to the ear but the Seven' have nailed it no problem.

Good well-planned material indeed - pure art.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Spill Sixteen - Let It All Hang Out
(S/R - 2012)

Probably the best band I have heard from Sheffield in many years on the rock front and to be honest I'd expect nothing less when you've got Guitarist, Andy Mewse & Bassist, Indy Chanda in the tight unit who were previously been in Silverjet .

The double S dudes really kick up the licks and have some well chosen polished songs on this debut album that they've exquisitely recorded with guitarist JJ Watt being the head controller of the desk. This debut has a real warm sound to it and gives damn good treatment to second to none songs like the opener 'Doing It Tonight' that makes me think Southern Rock meets Sheffield; the hard-hitting 'Damned' & 'All The Same'; the heartfelt ballad 'You Make Me Cry' & the stand-out live staple 'One Way To Go' that has a Cinderella like element to it.

Nothing short of brilliant. You won't find any filler on this at all and what a cracking high voice Steve Church has as well which has so much clarity and real emotion to it with Dave Byrne laying down some thunderous well-striked crashings on his kit. This brings an 80's Rock style up to date and you just know this band are doing what they feel. It all comes across so natural and flowing without comprimising quality one bit. Make sure you catch them live as they will astound you with their professionalism and sheer excellence.

Best band from Sheffield since Def Leppard - hands down.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

net: www.spillsixteen.com

SKINNER - The Enemy Within
(S/R - 2012)

Not to confuse with a certain German act of almost identical name, Skinner do nonetheless consist mostly of personnel familiar to one.

Formed by three fifths of past Metalliville favourites Imagika, a second pint of interest abounds in the inclusion of a father and son duo occupying the twin guitar mantle. Rob Kolowitz, the central engine of their previous esteemed vehicle is joined by his 14 year old son Grant on rhythm guitar detail whilst the remainder of the nucleus is made up by fellow ex 'Magika mates Norman Skinner (vocals) and Elena Repetta (bass).

Using a similar melodic thrash template this time, Mr Skinner's voice is recognisable in its uniquity hence probably why the band take his name for the side of their ship. Power metal at its most punishing end, angry yet hookladen aggression sets up all five of these tunes to give a fantastic taste from this revised menu. Wonderfully progressive, fast and sharp shredding by both Kolowitzes Snr and Jnr stops this style sinking to becoming a shadow of what stood before.

Rivetting numbers such as 'Sleepwalkers', 'Miss Agony' and 'Hell In My Hands' show us where old- fashioned metal still stands in the world plus use the all-too-soon demise of one promising outfit to progress forth into the next. Tasty mixes of Machine Head, Dio and latterday Metallica are welcome in a metal cd anyday, mini-album or full-length irrelevant.

I-magikal stuff guys...welcome back.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.skinnermetal.com

Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion - Good Times
(33 Records - 2012)

A big helping of the blues with a female on top of the game is what you'll get here that'll suit old school fans the world over.

Plenty of harmonica & hammond sounds scattered all around the platter and solid songs to match this musical meal as well with good cuts including 'Beatitudes' that comes in full form and radio version; the slow harp filled 'Fine And Mellow' and the well vocalled and up tempo 'n' full brassed 'I'll Do Anything'.

Then there's the 12-barred humour of 'Too Darn Rich To Be Happy'; the excellent 'Blues Get Off My Shoulder' and the trad like 'I'm Leaving You'.
Decent helping of bluesiness.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHAMEYOURSELF - Wonderf**k
(Total Metal - 2012)

Something else crawls out from beneath the East European cloth that we hope is as promising as most of their other product.

Shame Yourself manage not to do as described by their moniker, making a healthily welcome racket in all the right departments. Stealing heavily from Sepultura an Metallica in vocal and rhythm guitar departments respectively, they get away with it, given their mix is exemplary for all extreme metal ears.
Even the use of a segment from ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ (Eh???!!) during ‘For All Your Sins’ is a forgivable one this time. Noisy, angry no-nonsense thrash with cracks of commerciality that come naturally leave ‘work is not over’, ‘Secrets’, ‘Jab C.O.’, ‘Metalheads’, ‘Your Creation’, ‘Redium’ and ‘Slave Of Masturbation’ for you to enjoy alone (no obligation to take the last one literally).

Highly destructive old school –de force with vengeance centred on the cynics, it is rather unwise to suggest this scene might have died, straight to Shame Yourself’s faces.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Death, Testament, Sepultura & Machine Head.

Shotgun Revolution - The Legacy Of The Childhood Dreams
(Target Records - 2012)

The current release from these Denmark Boys that's just as fine as the last two CD's I've been raving about.

In excellent form in every way possible too with a ten great tracks and a bonus too with hot as hell tunes including 'Driving Without Brakes' that got a nice helping of vocoder action in it; the power ballad 'Just Gettin' High' that's become a favourite of mine and the uplifting and reminiscing song title track 'The Legacy Of Childhood Dreams'.

Then there's the angst of 'Too Much Reality'; the hatred of 'Backstabber'; the illusion G'N'R & Slash like 'Blessed Be My Child' that's got some outstanding licks & riffs in there and just for fun there's the glory of the bonus number 'Superblonde Babe'.

Need to be heard and deserve to make it big.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shotgun Revolution - Unplugged - The Jack Daniels Session (E.P.)
(Target Records - 2012)

An excellent 4 track E.P. from a brilliant band I struck upon at The Whisky when I was there in Nov. '12.

Pure proof (scuse the pun) that these guys write and perferm real atmospheric strong hooked songs as they stand up so well acoustically in a completely live environment. Imagine a Denmark version of the melodic rock band, Firehouse - well that's the style here - extremely beautiful. Highlights apart from all it would be 'Just Gettin' High' and the closing 'Hopefully'.

Brilliant.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shotgun Revolution - Join The Revolution
(Target Records - 2010)

An outstanding album from Denmarks finest that everyone should know about around the world as they really have something special in both songs and performance overall.

This 13 tracker, a number unlucky for some but definately not in this bands case has some real popping out at ya songs that'll stand the test of time and become classics in the next year or two. You just fault tracks like 'Bleeding' with it's harmonious hooks both vocally and musically; the electric version of 'Hopefully' and the gorgious power ballad 'The Big Mistake'.

Shotgun Revolution really are one of those bands who appear to have no fillers at all but instead have astounding tracks that also include the angry 'Slipping Away'; the Southern Rock meets Melodic Rock poppiness of 'The Last Goodbye' and the closer 'Flipside' that has the excellence of a pime 'Guns 'N' Roses' ballad meets Lynyrd Skynyrd.

An album that cannot be better and I'd rate it as a milestone that needs discovering by millions.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

6th AWAKENING - Psycho Path
(S/R - 2012)

A girl-fronted Swedish metal act, and one who do all the things I love such outfits for, 6th Awakening elect however to sir the elements.

Singer Louisa Lundmark’s silky gothic voice sets the pulse going, only for it to alternate with the standard sickening gargle of extreme metal fare then switch back again in a Fear Factory –schooled way. Yet, for the dent in its commerciality bonnet, ‘Psycho Path’ throws up a heft-load of innovation and diversity to doodle with.

Thin wisps of alternative and doom metal smoke get in through the grates, smoothening up ‘Raw’, ‘Nightlife’, ‘Psychosane’, ‘one More Day’, ‘Demon’, ‘Shallow’ along with a creamy rich rendition of Type o’s ‘My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend’. Dual guitar grittiness from Messrs. Harnerud and Jonasson drives the vehicle with pristine momentum, and though minimal soloing is involved they do still supply an old-school substructure to ride on.

Nice music with na nasty side – nice to hear from time to time.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Arch Enemy & Lacuna Coil.

NET: myspace.com/6thawakening

Slander – Careless Talk Costs Lives
(Stormspell Records - 2012)

The band formed in 1990, with the initial tentative line-up, in order to participate in Blackpool's Rock Battle competition. They recorded various demos in 1990 and 1991, the best of which were compiled to form the debut LP, funded by founder and guitar player Andy Saxon-Lamb's parents. Only 500 copies were pressed.

The band relocated to Colchester in 1992, and broke up in 1993. They reunited in 2009. Slander are: Simon Staples (Vocals), Andy Saxon-Lamb (Guitars), Pete Hewitt (Bass) and Andy 'Eddie' Edwards (Drums). This version of 'Careless Talks Cost Lives' is a two-disc set comprising of the 0riginal 1991 version and the second disc contains consists of re-recordings of some of those older songs, alongside some newer tunes and / or songs that didn’t make the initial release. Not all of the original 'Careless Talk Cost Lives' made the re-recording cut, but most of it did – eight of its twelve tunes are reprised, with 'Shadow In The Night' and 'Lay Down The Law' renamed to 'Shadows' and 'This Time You Lose', respectively.

'Fighting Talk' opens both discs, by far the band’s best tune and the first of many dead ringers for some overlooked NWOBHM act like Savage or Witchfynde, all riffs and youthful exuberance and street-level swagger topped with an instantly sing-along chorus. Steve Slater’s vocals inhabit a warm midrange, but it’s the catchy melodies and Andy Lamb’s riffs that really push the tunes forward. In true NWOBHM spirit, Slander just did what they did, rocked hard, and wrote some good tunes and are still doing it to this day.

The closest Slander comes to a ballad is the opening of 'Passion Crime', which quickly shifts to mid-tempo and then a step further. The eight tracks that appear on both discs are clearly the bands best -- with other highlights in 'On The Run', 'Colour Of Your Money', and the fist-pumping 'Lay Down The Law'.
For the obvious reasons, the second disc, the newer material, sounds more modern, although it’s not exactly slick. Truthfully, some of Careless Talk Cost Lives' best cuts lose the earlier fiery enthusiasm in the transition – most notably, 'Fighting Talk' is preferable in its earlier form – although the majority benefit from the update, if only in the thickened tones and stouter feel.

The band are currently writing and demoing tracks for their 2nd studio album and have just finished recording a mini covers album just to introduce the new voice of Slander that is Si Staples and the top class bass playing of Pete Hewitt.

9/10

By Andy Turner

Net: www.slandermetal.com www.myspace.com/slandermetal www.youtube.com/user/slandermetal www.facebook.com/pages/Slander-UK
www.reverbnation.com/slandermetal

SOAPBOX ARMY - Reactor
(S/R - 2012)

Noo Yawk alt rockers Soapbox army surfaced on the scene in 2008 with a seemingly well-received debut album.

Their second full-length player puts in little doubt about the fuss over this talented young US act. Typecast for its hardcore/punk contributions, the Big Apple does also vend mellow alternated acts, Soapbox Army sitting on the melody and panache buttons of their song-building machines instead. You can hear countless Britpop names shimmering above as these nine catchy little numbers cook the air.

The razor-fine vocals of frontman Dan Tucker do come across more a Chad Kroeger/Kurt Cobain fusion than a Tim Wheeler/Gavin Rossdale one but it can’t be said that doesn’t shift the appeal-o-meter up a distance in their department. Dainty driving guitars with funk, elector and jazz diversions in on the journey, plus Tucker’s eloquent piano performance on track 5, this is one album fans new and existing will react to hugely on the whole.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: soapboxarmy.com

The Spokes - In My Head
(S/R - 2012)

A straight up rock band from Sweden with no frills 'n' spills but plenty of roll to attract your attention instead with such crackin' 70's like cuts with plenty of hookiness in them.

You can't halp but like this band as soon as you hear them with fun-time cuts like 'Centrefold Girl'; the bluesy 'Don't Feed The Fire' & 'In My Head'; the gorgious 'Love Will Never Last' that's one hell of a nice ballad that's very southern complete with cookin' organ sounds as well.

Other highlights include 'Tell Me Why' with awesome harmonica or the Stonesy meets Black Crowesiness of closer 'Hard Life'.

Top Dollar Baby!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

THE STOMPCRASH - Directions
(Dreamcell 11 Entertainment - 2012)

More Italian madness! Stompcrash come, er… stomping out from Milan with a very interesting delivery.

Resting on the new wave seat, their synth-saturated alt rock is sweet, melodic noise that no one should have realistically believed to been concocted on the continent. High-soaring harmonies from both guitarist Christian Celsi and Keyboardswoman Daniela Palermo duel for the dominating element, whilst electro- layering sets the eighties needle to full.

‘Awaken From Uneasy Dream’, ‘The Leaves Begin To Fall’, ‘The Black Dahlia’, ‘Memories’, ‘Cats Eyes’, ‘Enemy At Your Gate’ and ‘Hazel’ contain more surprises than a car-load of lucky bags. Hooks aren’t too difficult to hunt down within these numbers either and the instantness in these sells the album on its own hands. Admirable retro-pop nostalgia, from a nationality already generous with many things musical.

Please stop it Italy, you’re spoiling us.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.thestompcrash.com

Suicide Bombers - Criminal Record
(S/R - 2012)

Hmm, nice name for a band that - go down well going through customs to say the least. That aside this is hard edged sleazy rock 'n' roll from Oslo, Norway.

It's full on from these guys with highlight in the 1st real song on the album that is 'Let's Rock 'N' Roll'; 'High On Explosives' 'Electric Fire' 'Teenage Breakdown' that are tear *ss numbers with throaty vocals.

Not a bad album.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

SYMPHONY OF SHADOWS - Stupefying Belief
(Metal Scrap Records - 2012)

Symphony of Shadows sounded really encouraging when I first began my listen.

62 minutes on though, and hell was I struggling. Much as I love prog metal, and don’t mind a bit of the ol’ deathular stuff from time to time either, a accident has indeed happened here for Hungarians here. Overcooking the ingredients is as bad in music as it is in the gastronomic environment and ‘Stupefying Belief’ is what the title says, with a thick dark smoke emanating from the kitchen windows. Well handled instruments save it a fingerful of its points.

Sadly overused and directionless signature and time changes only proceed to confuse as who’s trying to play which and each track becomes a several minute rabble of random metal rhythms. Sreamcore exceprts only serve to irritate, making things worse. Applause must go to the drummer in particular whilst vocalist Hajnali Sardo hasn’t the least decipherable of death voices on him, bless the man.

Frankly a space fronting Sepultura or Machine Head might suit his talents more adequately.

4/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.symphonyofsymbols.hu

SYMURAN - Syklus Av Helheim
(Metal Scrap Records - 2012)

More metal madness erupts from the East European end of the surface.

Symuran are quite frankly somewhat demented sounding themselves. Sadly they are also rather so-so sounding, peddling extreme metal by numbers that destroys the hope held up by that bludgeoning riff at the beginning. Little to set these six tracks apart, the playing is as able-fingered as you can find it, otherwise screaming bloodbaths of brutal musical noise signal business at its boring usual.

Live, it should still be quite an animal.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Hatebreed, Nile & Cannibal Corpse.

SIVA’S ADDICTION - Bad Decisions
(S/R - 2012)

Going by my history with fancy band names, Siva’s Addiction could for all I care indicate a so-so’s-ville screamcore machine nestling in the midst of my headlights.

On ze contrare, S.A. are a hugely un-average, in fact excellent, female-fronted four-piece metal act from Oaklahoma. Throwing grunge, metal and all that may hang reachable in between, have got it all and give it to you from start to finish, plus fill out the middle with magnificent quality tunes as well. ‘Bad Dreams’, ‘One-Night Rodeo’, ‘Gone Away’, ‘When Its Over’, ‘Get On Out’, ‘More Than Memory’ and ‘Night To 5’ are not songs for wimps – stereotyping girl-fronted metal acts as all being soft is something you do strictly at your own risk here.

Huge rhythm guitar lines shunt each of these ten mighty musical engines into their own individual sidings, set to run you over if you dare stand in the way. Awesome, angst-creosoted vocal performance from leader Bridgette Oliver ride along against seventies blues leads from stringsman Andy Hopkins plus the pulsating bass breaks you hear from Jesse Slone , in particular on ‘Take Me Home’.

Nice, meaty keyboards sit behind doing their job but on some heavier cuts, where drummer Brandon Fields’s sledgehammer poundings steal the backdrop, they begin to suffer redundancy, with ‘When Its Over’ and ‘Freedom’ coming through strongly in their inaudible eighties feel. Large riffs, larger choruses, larger than life songs and sound make Siva’s an Addiction that applies without saying.

Struggling myself to put this disc away, after one listen yourself to Bad Decision you’ll probably find turning this titanium treat of an album off one itself. The Europeans may hazve stolen most of metal’s up and coming thunder of late but you’d be foolish indeed to believe the good old US of have forgotten how its done.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Evanescence, Nickelback, Skunk Anansie, Mostly Autumn & My Ruin.

NET: www.siva-addiction.com

SKYSENT LU - 2 Seconds Late
(S/R - 2012)

Greek rockers SKysent Lu leave you wondering if you are still playing the same album at the end that you started with.

Fair to say it changes colours a bit over its nine-track course. From wiry blues grunger ‘Bob’s Adventures’, mighty Maiden-esque stomper ‘Loneliness Of My Heart’, trad metal trudger ‘Few Moments’ and nineties-schooled swirler ‘Follow Me’ through to deeper-thought cuts like ‘Last Man’s Cry’, ‘Two Seconds Late’ and nine-minute masterpiece ‘Into The Night’, take your pick is the word…or words.

Twin guitarists Costas Karapetsas and ~Christos Spyropoulos both seek their own respective routes in synchrony through the course of each song, with Nondas Emmanouil arriving equipped with a voice suited pristinely to metal and alternative rock alike Unpretentious and versatile, unlike a lot commonly encountered bands still orbiting planet rocks atmosphere.

Skysent Lu are their own band start to end, and this first taste of this promsing Greek act’s attitude is a herald of huge things to come.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.myspace.com/skysentlu
www.skysentlu.com

The Southern Experience Band - Where I'm From
(S/T - 2012)

Cool laid back Southern Rockers from North Carolina who don't totally look the part at all but they do when it comes to the musical aspect of it.

Highlights on here include the 1st song on the album 'Where I'm From' (since the opener is an intro with some classic snippets culled from the radio or so they make it seem) which tells youy about people of the south and their way of life or the very Lynyrd Skynrd/Charlie Daniels like ballad about what I presume is about fighting in Iraq or Vietnam called 'Fight The Fight' with some very deep and honest lyrics.

Later on you'll find the wholesome coutrified love ballad with beautiful piano that goes by the name of 'You And Me'; the totally nailed version of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition' and the secret song at the end of the CD about being in 'North Carolina in the Morning' that's totally ad-lib and acoustic.

Brilliant Stuff.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

St. Prostitute - Here Come The Prostitutes
(S/R - 2012)

Great gutsy hard rock almost sleaze from these Danish boys who burst out of Copenhagen and unleash some killer tunes on us.

Highlights on here include the opening rocker, 'Here Come The Prostitutes'; the Dogs D'Amour meets Def Leppard like ballad that is 'Dreaming Of You'; a full-on 'The Highway Hitcher Murder Blues' and the sad but atmospheric acoustica of 'A Bitter Man's Lullaby'.

Worth a buy.

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Snew - What's It To Ya
(Maman Music - 2012)

Well what can I say, I just love these guys and their fired up brand of dirty rock 'n' roll splendour.

Pure tongue in cheek kinda stuff of the AC/DC vein with songs like 'I Got A Rocket' and 'Pull My Stinger' - wonder what they are about? - lol. This is packed with fun loving stuff of the party nature as you can imagine. There's a song about a hoover in 'Electrolux' or what about the funky coming complete with cowbell 'Unglued'.

"A ballad?", you exclaim, "A ballad?" - well kinda I suppose in the southern sounding 'Bad Words' but then it revs back up with the country rockin' Young-brother riff-like title track 'What's It To Ya' and the bluesy boogie based 'All Over You' that closes the album.

Another fine album from one of California's best bands that you all need to know about!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Son Of A Bitch - Victim You
(Angel Air Records - 2012)

An outstanding album that has just been re-released that originally saw the light of day back in 1995 featuring ex-members of Saxon in Steve Dawson (Bass), Graham Oliver (Guitar) & Pete Gill (Drums) alongside Haydn Conway (ex-Guitarist of Saracen) and Ted Bullet (Vocalist of Thunderhead).

I was really suprised at the high standard of the songs and which come across like Saxon meets AOR in all the right places. Love the song about bejng blown off while driving and being caught by a cop that is 'Drivin' Sideways'; the great ballad in 'Treacherous Times' & the fast Heavy Metal almost 80's Thrash 'Love Your Misery'. I thnk Poison and Bon Jovi will want royalties for the melody of the ballad 'I Still Care' as this is very much 'I'll be There For You' meets 'Every Rose Has It's Thorn' - lol - great tune all the same. Love the slipper stomping 'Old School' - hanging with the old crew - yeah!!!

Or what about the singalong 'Evil Sweet Evil'; the pummeling 'Victim You' and even a bonus cut in the form of 'Running Away' that's got ballsy Saxon written all over it with hard-hitting drums, excellent melody and killer guitar riffery with nice tones to that put me in mind of 'Rock 'N' Roll Gypsy'; 'We Will Remember' and other songs of that ilk.

A real pity this band didn't carry on in this format as this is totally excellent in every way. How about a reformation guys?

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SURREAL - Someday Was Today
(S/R - 2012)

Don’t we get tired of all this twee male/female-vocalled summertime pop peddled at us ten-to-a-penny?

Well after ages of hardly hearing a note of it, I try very hard not to and succeed dramatically. Surreal as it sounds, erm…Surreal make a difference. Soft, sharp and instant alternative rock anthems and melodies rain down in cloud –crippling abundance, and that’s just the male-fronted elements. Julie Holmes, also the band’s bassist, dominates her songs, sugaring them without letting any hit the sickening level too precariously, and lets leader/guitarist Corey Lennox set the rest of them alight his way.

Youthful as ever these albums are, piano and solo guitar performances within are not those of overnight wannabe workouts. Setting out from the start with a solid passion in hand, ‘Want’, ‘About To Be Out There’, ‘Plans’, ‘Come With Me’, ‘Surrounded’ and ‘The Impossible’ let you listen without testing them for honesty – these lads, and one girl, know what they like and what we will like to hear someday. Then again, I think that particular day’s already been through today and out the other side.

Don’t know about surreal exactly but definitely do about great.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.myspace.com/surrealband

Staind - Live from Mohegan Sun
(Eagle Rock Entertainment - 2012)

Not a massive fan of Stained as I found them to be too repetitive and boring after the prolonged playing of Outside, and the monotone vocals of Mike Mushok.

The CD is a single disc containing 16 tracks recorded 25th November, 2011 at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, capsulizing the raw energy of Staind and the hard work they put into their music and live performances. The CD is clear, giving the listener every in depth pick up, tone and crunch that has driven the band to the status they have today.

Staind have expressed themselves well on the disc, without all the ruffles of a live performance, which has been taken out in the production and engineering. Overall it’s an enjoyable listen but I feel it won’t be one that is kept in the player. After listening on more than a few times, I didn’t feel like opening up my CD collection and placing them back on the decks.

Sorry!!!

6/10

By Tony Watson

Johnny Scaramanga - Listen
(S/R - 2012)

Fresh young artist from Sweden who grabbed my attention immediately with the opening number 'It's Good To Be Alive' since it mentions going to LA and heading down the Strip (Sunset that is) - which I love to do as much as I can.

Other great songs on this six tracker include the Who like title track 'Listen' and the power ballad brilliance of 'What If I'm Not Enough'. What a great voice this guy has - sorta like a smoother metallic Bryan Adams sound going down there but on a high register all the time.

Check him out.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Staind - Live From Mohegan Sun
(Eagle/Armoury Records - 2011)

Miserable, depressing, noisy bawling flavour of the last few years band caught live who at times appear to be Tool wannabe's and nothing but.

It's all very downtuned and it gets me wondering if there lives are really as negative as this or is it all for show? Surely music should be escapism away all the bad things we have to contend with in days in our life. Turgid, banal, tedious and f*ck*n' unentertaining - why kids like this band is so beyond me altogether. I'm done after about 15 seconds of each song. In fact I couldn't even make it halfway through the album.

Totally avoid unless you are suicidal and want a good musical recipe to kill yourself to.

4/10

By Glenn Milligan

SUNRUNNER - Eyes Of The Master
(Illegal Eagle Productions 2011)

USA and prog rock seldom come attached in the same sentence in comparison to what they used to… but when they do succeed…they do indeed succeed in delivering a quality album.

Not to be mislead by the title, into the expectation of an epic melodic metal platter, Portland’s Sunrunner span their soundscape between 1965-1975 strictly speaking and great they sound for it too. Electrically based, Jazz, folk and occasional blues tastes take their positions to act out an eccentrically swish piece of psychedelic rock utopia.
Accenting their acoustic-capped laid back swagger with occasional metal visitations, songs come, sit around for as long as they are needed and leave for the next anyone has time to become tired. ‘Throne In the Twilight’, ‘Air and light’, ‘Iron Hawk’, ‘Globalazilla’, ‘The Seige’ and ‘This Colossal Show’ are amonst surprisingly accessible numbers that sit on verse-chorus-verse- shaped chair and rock merrily back and forth.

Thinking music for the thinking person… and I do advise one thinks about buying this album.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Porcupine Tree & Procol Harum.

NET: www.myspace.com/sunrunnermusic

SYNE - Boundaries of Hope
(Inshane Productions - 2012)

Their should be a poster ad campaign played around Europe, reading ‘Prog rock album writing is fun, come on everybody, let’s all make one'.

Mind you of course, they are rather that, Italians Syne being the latest to become tempted. Doing a swerve from the usual Dream Theater fireworks, these four chaps fuse the more modern technical elements together, adding the staple ingredients only ot their bowl. Largely more an alternative flavoured combination, their cross of grungy electric/acoustic guitars, emotional gravely vocals and light keyboard backdrops stay as atmospheric as the old school line while inviting new fans into this cautiously approached musical patch.

‘Hurting Words’, ‘Brand New Breathe’, ‘Sleepless’, ‘So What’, ‘No Use In Wonders’, ‘and ‘Slow Me Down’ are superbly shaped tunes that don’t stay outside their time limit and take you for a journey you feel often abandoned by at the end. Endearing choruses and catchy pop-rock structures shape
'Boundaries of Hope' into something very hopeful itself for this promising continental combo.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Coheed and Cambria, Crash Test Dummies & Porcupine Tree.

NET: www.syne.it

Michael Paul Scally - America
(Salvation Rock Music Company - 2011)

My fave subject as friends of mine will no doubt tell you - hahaha - It's obviously Mr. Scally's favourite one too and rightly so bro!

Michael sounds like a cross between Cat Stevens that dude who fronted Family - oh yeah Roger Chapman. There's some good Americana sounds on here with highlights including the opening 'There'll Be Times'; the southern like 'Stars In Orion'and the ballad 'Light Of The World'.

Very Christian like but very wholesome stuff on here.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

SEVEN7 - Under Eye
(MGP Records - 2011)

Unsure whether their name is intended to translate as twice-lucky or a fancy way of writing ‘fourteen’ is irrelevant against the interest that I find in this original sounding Brit combo.

With their first album having been entitled ‘Try Something Different, Seven7 go on not so much as to practise what they already preached but to ram it rather forcibly down the listener’s proverbial laughing hole. Trippy technical and tribal guitar rhythms strut and stutter angrily along without solos in abundance to help although there are still some there in the background for strictly harmony purposes, it sounds.Singer, Dave Brown, a man who seems to have benefit from practising to too many Pearl Jam and Korn numbers at the same time in his teen years showcases his strong angst entrenched display to devastating aplomb along the top of a hard-molten, modern metal sound wall.

Melodic and upset at something or other in equal balance across the running order, ‘The Iceman’, ‘Boy Drowns Girl’, ‘Three Days’, ‘Blood Stains’, ‘You Can Have It’, ‘Forgive’ and ‘Under Eye’ are nine furious sounded metal numbers, set in thought and soul beating-depth that echoes after every track finishes. Seven7 are going to be a lucky find this year with this second album bringing their attack loaded to annihlate all in its way.

Awesome!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Machine Head, Metallica, Disturbed & Korn.

NET: myspace.com/thesevenband

Not to confuse with Escape faves Radio Silence under a radical name trimmage, Silence are a French/Belgian duo with a deliciously similar sound in places but put more ably close to all AOR’s significant names.

Releasing two albums at once is a somewhat fabled rarity, famed by a band called Guns and..somebody- or-other but these two discs sure come with some corkers. ‘City’ (Days) shows their Nelson like tendencies in swift clarity and on the subject of such, Ben Venet’s Bon Jovi - moulded mega-range sets in a pleasant journey ahead. From upbeat pop rockers like ‘Beggars Day’ , ‘Father’, ‘Brand New Start’, ‘Guardian Angel’ , ‘The End Of The Day’ and 'Business' to Tyketto -carved ballad ‘Jenny’ and the female-vocalled ‘Lift Me Up’ you couldn’t have blamed these boys for spying on the US scene this last twenty years to accumulate their research.

Guitarist, Bruno Levesque’s solo an piano work here is a silky delectable Peterik-influenced powerhouse that sets the listener up ready for ‘City’ (Nights’) before the first phase is even halfway finished. Few might have actually been that ready for how the second disc rumbles in from the start, rocking mightily hard in contrast to the predecessor. ’Drifting Away’ picks up where we left off halfway in but on a hard plane, a strong Dokken /Winger accent over that riffing there.

Harmonies reminiscent of Swedish hotshots Work Of Art are the established norm by this stage, semi acoustic lushness of ‘Ghosts’ getting it interesting in the familiar ol’ style. As form ‘Taste Of The Past’ onwards, the start becomes a sweet mislead as the sugary summer lustfulness picks up exactly where left off, great huge semi-acoustic AOR emotion all the way forward. ’Crashing Down’, ’Memory of Blue Eyes’, 'Someday', and 'Promised Land' are the tunes Europeans get so good at writing nowadays they leave their Stateside and Canadian counterparts almost crawling in the mud to keep with.

A revisit to the harder-crusted end of their catalogue with 'Just One Kiss on Your Heart' before ending with awesome ballads ‘Out of The Dream’ and 'Goodbye to The Good Old Days' makes up for a fitting culminative trio that takes us back all twenty two numbers once again to see if we were just dreaming. I’d safely say that in truth it feels so much the case, Silence showing one and hopefully sundry how melodic rock lives to be played here on in 2012. If you trust the continent for a lesson or twenty two, let these two lads educate you with this pair of treats.

Tres excellent, monsieurs!

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Bon Jovi, Mitch Malloy, Journey, Street Talk, Def Leppard, Drive She Said & Nelson.

NET: www.myspace.com/silenceaor

SILVERDOLLAR - Morte
(Massacre Records - 2011)

Not the glammed-up Southern-oriented rock n’ roll experience you might have had your ears set on, the label should be a clue as to what’s coming.

Silverdollar’s sharp pumpy line in power metal isn’t anything drastically new but it does seem to stand its own little way aside for admiring inspection. An angry, scowlier side to the style lands in place of the usual high-pitched operatic though this outift’s frontman has a voice equipped with the standard melodic metal capabilities all the same. Some unexpected Whitesnake-esque flickers across occasional tunes do a welcome flavouring on this mixture more centred to please fans of the heavier machines the trad metal spectrum.

‘Damage Done’, ‘Eternal Glory’, ‘Evil Good’, ‘Hear Me’, ‘Morte’ and ‘Raging Eyes’ are pure fist-prodding heavy metal anthems of the kind it was compulsory to write twenty five years ago.. .and sadly mandatory under musical fashion laws not to nowadays. Swift ‘eff off’ uttered to the Kerrang -pandering pleboreans, ‘Morte’ is proof of the immortality of this genre, and of Massacre bringing the goods up once more in great shiny parcels.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Stratavarious, Tad Morose & Metallica.

NET: www.massacre records.com

THE SKYS - Colours of The Desert
(S/R - 2011)

Lithuanian proggies Skys have witnessed a sporadic discography with four albums spread almost evenly across fifteen years… obviously a case of Def Leppard disease getting about in the European metal scene.

Sadly iti s difficult who to deicde is th best waiting five years for, then separate subgenres are unwisely compared. While holding on for the next Dream Theater record to surface, this one is a sure-bet treat. Of course the tunes aren’t promised to be short though three of the nine surprisingly od clock in at a standard tune duration. Seventies is the decade to swill around on your lips this time. Massive guitar lines in the true league of Clapton and Blackmore meet head first with female-alternated vocals , combusting an incendiary retrospective engine.

Chugging fast through numbers up to nine and a half minutes long like they were over in four, these fellas do not mess with that many fancy elements as expected and delve into the simple pages of the prog rock cook book. Keeping it modern with gothic touch , there is little doubt that ‘Colours Of The Desert’, ‘Is This The Way’, ‘I.. He..’, ‘When The Western Wind Blows’, ‘Calling Out Your Name’ and ‘Lethal Kiss’ will see a combined and colossal following from over the spectrum. All said, the Skys surely qualify as one band to get up in the air about if not having done already.

Try.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Yes, Jadis, Magellan, Deep Purple & Led Zeppelin.

NET: www.myspace.com/dangai www.theskys.com

SLIDESHOW - S/T
(S/R - 2011)

Sweden doing what they’re best at once more, namely swaggery rock with no quarter given to rules, except the ones that require you kick some serious portions of backside with every guitar chord stricken.

Slideshow may not be the first let alone the last to live by the principle but they’re no different on the accessibility side. Guided into the track along a guitar-friendly alternative streak, the quartet’s fast paced pop rock is aggressive and very catchy. Highlights include ‘Strung-out Liar’, ‘Horizon’, ‘Big Chief’, ‘In your Veins’, ‘When Your Goal is Gone’, ‘Straight Ahead’ and ’Stoned Ripped and Twisted’ getting the attitude full on and the feel-good sensation motoring. Superbly played with rock n’rolling solos aplenty, Slideshow put on indeed an entertaining movie.

I repeat it again- the Swedes doing what they do best.. And you’d best not forget it here.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
New York Dolls, Backyard Babies, Hellacopters, Dogs D’Amour, Goo Goo Dolls, Diaomond Dogs & Buckcherry.

NET: ww.mypsace.com/slideshowrocks

Ringo Starr - 2012
(Universal - 2012)

Ok not the most imaginitive title for an album but it tells it like it is, Ringo's album for the year - or should that be mini-album since it only clocks into just over 28 minutes.

There are brand new songs on here such as the peace and love filled opener 'Anthem; or the beautiful looking back into yesteryear ballad that is 'In Livepool' that are mixed in with well done covers Buddy Holly's 'Think In Over' and Lonnie Donegan's 'Rock Island Line' that certainly pay homage to their creators.

For the real Starkey fans out their we get an intriguing revamped version of one of my favourite songs of his that came out on the 1973 'Ringo' album - we are talking 'Step Lightly' - there's no tap dancing and other ex-Beatle backing vocals on this take though - nice all the same. 'Wonderful' is just that - a lovely ballad about looking back on his life with his wife Barbara Bach who is still by his side today. Listen out for some gorgious guitar from Kenny Wayne Shepherd on here too.

It closes with a cool, slow rocker aptly titled 'Slow Down' that features an instantly recognisable Joe Walsh on guitar throughout the song. I am hoping that Ringo releases another album as good as this later in the year as I am sure he's got some more great Starr-studded songs ready for us.

Nice release Ringo.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Street Light Suzie - The Red Album
(S/R - 2012)

A killer quartet from Austin, Texas hose albuym has been produced by no other than Gilby Clarke that excite you with some crunchin' meaty breatheren.

Frontman, Wiley Ross vocally is like a cross between Zakk Wylde and Billy Gibbons with the rest of the guys in Joe 'Oso' Morales, Scot Gibel and Rob Williamson complementing solidly on their chosen instruments too.

Highlights include the momentous guitar slidin' opener, 'Cowboy'; their cover of Chris Isaac's 'Wicked Game' proving it a masterpiece heavied up as well; the cool arranged 'Walls' - Limo's just aint this man's scene; the foot-stompin' 'Stand Up' and the serious but humourous 'Drunk 'N' Lonely' with its false quiet ending that catches you out everytime.

Get the boys round, crank open some beers and get a roast going and blast this one up. This is a great band who I hope will get pretty big one way or another.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

JOEY SUMMER - One Bite From Paradise
(Perris Records - 2012)

Rock in Rio normally refers to the festival but for once, it we might be able to translate it differently.

Joey Summer shoots from out of nowhere to deliver a stunning AOR disc that scarcely could be expected from a country so renowned for its extreme metal prowess. The 40-year old Greek-Brazilians superb voice is straight on you from ‘One Bite …’ setting your teeth into the other ten tracks to come with his silky Steve Perry/Steve Walsh hybrid of a voice. An accomplished guitarist, he handles almost all of the instrument duties bar drums with the matching panache. Powerful harmonies set tracks like ‘No Margin For Error’ and ‘Running Through The Night’ far apart from the rest, and not just also because the latter allows for a little gothic flavour on the icing.

Strong elements of many Scandinavian acts from the late nineties shoot unashamedly up in his style but he strikes through it with a sound proudly to call his own in ‘Addicted To Your Love’, attacking with a streamlined solo intro on entry to this exquisite power ballad. Piano-led pomper ‘From Miles Away’ demonstrates his dynamic talents as a pianist on top - the tile oh so slightly gives you an idea. From one personal fave to another, the tune’s feel-good AOR vibe follows onto the heavily Toto-inspired ‘Heaven To Earth’ while Mr Summer hits Mark Stanway mode for ‘That’s What I’m Waiting For’ which, in ways it probably is.

Soulful chorus lines fill the room here for such a long age after the number ends, that you’d almost need someone nearby has to remind you there are three numbers still to ensue. ‘Sailor on The Moon’ is almost a trip too close to so-so’s -ville but the chorus is as instant as always, saving it from a point loss. though ‘It’s Only Your Love’ would have relinquished it on the dot.The disc’s best ballad dominates nearly all numbers bygone for class and emotion with elephantine melodies form Summer’s strings as always.

‘The Prize of Love’ is probably the most uptempo number, played more hard rock than soft with rippling leads and sharp verse vocals sending you headlong into another of his superb choruses. Closing with a bonus track is a bad habit I’ve witness by bands lately when it’s a number as good as ‘No One’s Gonna Hurt Me Any More’ let alone the rest. Tommy Denander puts in his usual gargantuan work here as a guest performer, the legendary Swedish shredder slotting in a sound that would make for a colossal collaborative work one day in the future.

To the present again, this astounding cd will do more than very nicely while waiting. Joey Summer ‘s name is, well was an unknown quantity until this here day in ol’ April Twenty-Twelve… and after this one gets about, we’ll likely find him appearing on every Firefest bill for the next decade.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

VERY RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Journey, Michael Sembello, Survivor, Stan Meissner, Streets, Tyketto, Hardline, Boulevard, Harem Scarem, Magnum & Foreigner.

NET: www.joeysummer.com

ANDI STARR - The World Will Follow
(S/R - 2011)

Andi Starr is not a bloke but a woman and a wonderfully talented one at that.

Only due to the immense pile-over of my current Metalliville workload am I prevented from sinking into detail about how deliciously sweet this Portland lady’s strongly-held down harmonies transcend as being. Angled around an alternative/pop guitar base that is both suited both electrically and acoustically, her voice steals all the glory of numbers like ‘The World Will Follow’, ‘Little Bird’, ‘A Song That Never Dies’, ‘Delilah’s Response, ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ and ‘Happy Ballad’. Anthems as likely to go down well with the customers of a coffee bar as they would in front of a grossly over-populated Glastonbury field, the bigger the crowd the deserved.

Starr says it all in her name and we need say no more as regarding her future.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Cranberries, Tori Amos, Evanescence (softer version of)

NET: www.Andistarr.com

STONE COLLAR - Trial By Fire
(S/R - 2011)

Getting in on a hive of activity from the South African rock scene of late, Stonecollar are amongst its strongest exports over this last year.

Despite a familiar direction with their country’s dominantly alternative leanings recently, this Cape town quartet become a swiftly fantastic listen. Starting as they seem meaning to go on, each tune comes in nickelback style and somehow ends in Soundgarden mode, the vocals from Leshem Petersen most likely to blame… or preferably congratulate.

Twin guitar acts in this scene shoot up rather sporadically on the monitor so the aggro metal- tinged axery of messrs Tait and Jurgens is sweeter than its own disturbed brutality. ‘Not For Good’ ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘SQT’, ‘Poison the Well’, ‘Say Your Prayers’, ‘As The Crow Flies’ and ‘Dying Breed’ come deserving of attention very much both live and by cd.

My advice is to try both but not necessarily in that order. Impressive, muchly.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE Audioslave, Bush, Metallica, Black Sabbath & Helmet.

NET: www.stonecollar.za

SANGUINE - S/T
(Sanguine Records - 2011)

Devon does occasionally cough up a metal act believe it or not, Exeter’s Sanguine living proof of that and as a bonus for the county’s sporadic mention on the metal scene , it’s a girl fronted one.

Not to expect any songs about cream teas for these fervently noisy four youngsters, the sometimes sweet as scream - sometimes very peed-off screams of fronteuse Tarin Kerrey make every chorus what it is. Coming over frequently as a female Devin Townsend, her voice suits industrial -based numbers like ‘Anger Song’ ‘Contagious’ ‘Bangkok Nights’ and ‘Live Consume Drive’ like Savile-tailored gloves. Largely contemporary inspired produce the instrumentation is delivered in either realistic post-thrash brutality or airey alternative rock smoothness with style.

There are indeed plenty of relaxed interludes to choose from the list as well , ‘Given Up’, ‘In The Sky’ and ‘A Place That You Call Home’ allowing us to explore the purest of her pipes and share some more of guitarist Nick Mageee’s notably, rather variable chordery. Crisp as autumn leaves and crunchy as an Armadillo’s backside, Sanguine’s debut album delivers and damages and does more justice than a room of 200 judges.

Smashing stuff.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Tura Santana, Kittie, Andrew WK & Skunk Anansie.

NET: www.sanguineband.com

SAVATAGE -

Hall Of The Mountain King/Handful Of Rain/Ghost In The Ruins/Poets and Madmen
(Ear Music - 2011)

In case you’re wondering, Savatage did re-release more than just four parts of their twelve -strong back catalogue. The Floridian melodic metal king’s earliest entry of this latest selection, 'Hall Of The Mountain King', become one of their immediate benchmarks.

# Starting off on a stuttery note 24 hrs ago’ although firing off with a promising metal lick is a complex catastrophe of rhythm and Jon over-mixing vocal octaves and the chorus we wait for comes out bland and hookless. After this one major blip, ’Beyond The Doors of The Dark’ rocks along at Iron Maiden -schooled speed doing back the justice that the chuggish and slightly bluesier ‘Legions of the Damned’ caps off behind. 'Strange Wings', a traditional Savatage bruiser brings the best chorus thus far in, paired end-on-end with an unusually maintained, upper-pitch solo bend from Jon.

The middle sect of the album was always guaranteed to be confusing as ‘Prelude To Madness’ embodies an instrumental metal rendition of the classic with which the album shares name before the title cut follows, another classic Savvers standard that opens with sizzling Vai-like lead on entering and old-school groove the rest of the way out. 'The Price You Pay', brought us back to typical sweet Savatage metal as we know it while ‘White Witch’ was one of their convincing attempts at thrash, accented in a true Exodus sound of its time, both deeply soaked in traditional Oliva bends. Bravely affording a second instrumental again the album moves on from that to, of course closing cruncher ‘Devastation’, a bruising trad metal rocker that reeks far more of Britishness than its own Stateside composing.

Corking acoustic versions of 'Castles Burning' and 'Somewhere in Time' showcase Jon’s talents as not only a singer but also fine acoustic guitar operator, adding flavour to the top of a largely fine album we have been once again reminded of.

9/10

‘Handful Of Rain’ was an absolute new beginning even though for mixed reasons - anyone new to their music via this release would have been blameless for thinking they’d landed a different band who’d also poached the name.

The first album since Criss Oliva sadly departed for the big guitar shop in the sky, Zak Steven’s arrival brought a heavier and distinctively darker makeover wit his not-unlike-Metallica range. Explaining as much, Kriss’s brother remained within the ranks though swapped strings for ivories, allowing Testament departee Alex Skolnick to steal the reins. The tunes nonetheless remained to high standard along with being near-unrecognisably different but old Savatage soon peeps its way through the window. Opener 'Taunting Cobras' and the title number are thrashy-edged metal numbers that demonstrated the bands new central nucleus were here for business. Eight minute long ‘Chance’ is a typical Savs epic, the new formation trying out the band’s long running operatic tendencies to a fairly commendable outcome.. Thry still did ballads well if you were worried, ‘Staring Into The Sun’ driving into a recurring Dio like grind then pulling back for the next quiet verse line again.

Opening with an oh-so Skolnick slide line, 'Castles Burning' echoes deeply of his old group coming in strong with that fifth track that ends with a pounding finale played indeed far more Bay Area than Florida. Jon had to be given chance to show he still sat within the ranks , ‘Visions’ a short instrumental allowing his additional talents on piano an open door to gleam through. Taking them nearly into Toto mode’, ‘Watching You Fall’ alternates between a summery string line, and power-coated chorus attack and back again - easily the album’s smartest composition. 'Nothing’s Going On' seems the case itself with the rickety prog metal workout that follows, the only difficult listen of this disc, though you can’t help but enjoy the final vocal bend by Zak, going into the rideout, dragging traditional Tage back in by its heyday heels for a minute's glimpse.

‘Symmetry’ sounds promising with its building melody and bridge but the chorus ends blunt and disappointingly misconstructed - the ‘dying hard….’ part would have done a great job by itself. Jon holds helm for also lengthy closer 'Alone you Breathe' a power ballad that some might say plays at an overstretched length but holds a grandiose air over the album, as if it were still a to-be expected sign-out. Strong after such difficult time, Savatage proved the pieces were there for the picking-up and thy placed an every bit as might machine of a band together as previously. Acoustic bonuses ‘Summer’s Rain’ and ‘Believe’ once again reflect the past days with a swish new dynamic.

8/10

‘Ghost In The Ruins' (A Tribute to Criss Oliva), the band’s second live disc is what it says in its co-title. Commemorating the talents of Jon’s late and legendary brother, more than a year after his passing. This 1995 release was , to pacify the newly mislead, culled from live action across the ages as opposed to all within a single night on the stage, though in Iron Maiden fashion, they dissolve each track together giving it the feel of one. Paying - importantly - tribute to the hero, Criss Oliva’s claim to fame was easy to fathom out in his playing style, adjusting the solos as they were performed, to include astonishing varieties of techniques and could leave people hearing an almost half-different tune each time but at least it was always him. Shredding as majestically through 'City Beneath The Surface', ‘Legions’, ‘Strange Wings’, ‘Gutter Ballet’, ‘Of Rage and War’, ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’ and ‘Sirens’ all Savatage tunes are strongly played as they are on record with Jon never failing to force the roof almost off any venue they set foot in.

’24 Hours Ago’, one of my least favourite studio moments from the Savs legacy sounds much more wholesome in the live arena, Criss’s outstretched widdling livening it up from its stop-go stagger. Frankly only eleven full length songs may be a bit short from an outfit usually in the habit of delivering two-hour slots nightly, come the late eighties so that’s probably why an additional live cut ‘Devastation’ also adds its way onto the tracklist this time. Jon also grabs his acoustic to revisit ‘Stare Into The Sun’ though a thirteenth electric cut from the good old Criss Oliva days wouldn’t have gone amiss in its place.
Either way, the guy still probably appreciates being remembered, making ‘Ghost..’ an essential again if you missed out last time.

9/10

‘Poets and Madmen’ is frankly not my particular favourite Savatage release but it still scored big with followers. Largely so because of Zak Stevens relinquishing Jon the mike, there still however shows cracks of some desperation to delve into the glory days in too much a carbon copy fashion. It is not a bad album by my own opinion though beginning with ’Stay we Me’ which goes from a haunting piano-based verse to a clumsily dragged chorus rhythm doesn’t give m the greatest of turn ons until the wistful solo arrives late in the tune. ‘There in The Silence’ is back where its at for the Savs or perhaps Sabs, as those Ronnie vibes come volleying in. The blandly operatic 'Commissar' is my next skip-through, listenable but treads its water at five and a half minutes. Momentum regained once more, 'I Seek Power' is a catchy modern ballad catching Jon Oliva still at his vocal best while it continues into short but spirited rocker 'Drive' - tunes lasting three minutes haven’t been that heard of on the Savatage line since the Sirens days.

Songs lasting ten minutes are more understandable, 'Morphine Child' being an effective reply of the entire 'Streets' and 'Gutter Ballet’ albums in a single tune, to hear. We love it, oh yes and despite some cheesy moments in the middle eight, it is one of their best, as is ‘The Rumour’ comprising of some grooves that spread over the entire tune itself to consume the chorus. Guitarists Chris Cafffery and the legendary Al Pitrelli give I some plentiful grinds, driving the chorus on its own old-school metal wheels to a fine acoustic close. ‘Man in the Mirror’, thankfully not a Jacko cover is though as catchy, with a fairly Megadeth-like hook, ‘Surrender’ then attacking Anthrax style but leads into a disappointingly flat chorus, stumbling over the stuttery rhythm line that lies underneath.

Another weak point of the record over with, ’Awaken’ hits back with one of these classy one word choruses that allows Jon to exercise his mouthular muscles, creating a great live singalong feed. Despite the solo being way too short and undignified, it is one of my favourites form this list. Piano-led ballad, ’Back to A Reason’ is one more respectable outing from the fantastically talented frontman, and hopefully a recommended live inclusion on their next return. Routine acoustic extras, ’Tonight He Grins Again’ and 'Sleep' pass over me afterward - excellently played but seem tame by comparison. As said, not the most memorable chapter of the Savatage story, it remained a fairly worthwhile signout and the tunes promise to be terrifyingly stronger onstage than on plastic.

Where Savatages destiny lies, here eleven years on no one can quite be sure but Jon Oliva is a man never to believe in resting, so til that time we…shan’t, shall we kids?

7.5/10

by Dave Attrill

NET: www.ear-music.net

SHIFT - Watch It Burn
(S/R - 2011)

Picture that classic scenario quite easily cant you - someone asks me the name of the band currently on my deck and I answer “Shift” only to merit comeback in the vein of ‘”Ok mate, was just asking”.

US duo Shift do that plenty enough themselves, between every angry and loud style and sound available around the table. Already onto the hint that they might be the sort to built on ingenuity with one chap handling most of the instrument parts plus lead voice, Shift mainman Rob Lambert doesn’t exactly lead me to think otherwise, shredding his way into ’Stand Against’ with a rippley lead sustain. The tunes work across a common trend of capping over crunchy grunge/hardcore guitar rhythms with a healthily intensified vocal that only irritates when he tries to venture down screamcoresville.

Ignoring the sole thumbs-downer, ‘The March’, ’Watch…’ , ‘The Brink’ and ‘2 Minutes Of Hate’ are brilliant, repeatable slabs of modern alternative metal creativity on a cd written and recorded with not one single live performance to herald it. Strangely they opt to refer to this release as en EP, though it is made up to nine tracks by the two bonus covers , including Anthrax’s ‘In My World’ ( although I can’t argue against Rob’s range and ex ‘Thraxie man John Bush being somewhat an impeccable match on occasion) If you like a bit of everything in your biscuit, let Shift’s windmills stir you the oats.

Great.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Bush & Bring Me The Horizon.

Skinny Molly - No Good Deed...
(Moss Rose Records - 2008)

The debut album from the Southern Rock band fronted by Mike Estes (an ex-guitarist of Lynyrd Skynrd) who also plays mandolin that I've wanted to get my ears around for a couple of years.

Seen the band live a couple of times at Sheffield's Boardwalk but now it's brilliant to hear the CD of nine great cookin' numbers that come to us via the 3 States that are Tennessee, Florida and Ohio. The quartet is completed by Kurt Piertro on drums & percussion; Luke Bradshaw on bass and Chris Walker also on guitar to complete the line-up. Highlights include the dixie brilliance that are the opener 'Better Than I Should' with its strong melody and chrous; the bluesy ballad 'Just Me'; the cool titled 'Whiskey, Cocaine and Blues' with it's dirty slow guitar riff and the closing 'Miss Fortune'.

Good sounds of the South. Looking forward to the new album.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

STEMM - Crossroads
(Catch 22 Records - 2011)

US foursome Stemm play a very attractive style of old school thrash/hardcore noise which knocks and bruises you about over eleven sturdy tracks and stays largely consistent as well.

More riff -developed than solo-dominant, the decade in echo here is certainly the nineties more than anything else twitch to mention though latterday Bay Area outfits I dare not mention do frequently bypass in the vibe department. Melodic, more than monotonous guttural garglings, ‘Salvation’, ‘Fleur De Lis’, ‘Monster’, ‘What Do You Think Of Me Now’, ‘Left Behind’, ‘Smile & Wave’ and 'Pulling Teeth' are placed at a naturally commercial side to the thrash shelf that defunct Brit favourites Dearly Beheaded also occupied.

Easily decipherable lyrics most of the trip and even a notable hook or so alongside a grindy-as-f**k rendition of Sabbath's 'Supernaut' show up here to treasure taking you headlong straight into the depth of this record, ultimately an all-round decent piece of metal.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Recommended IF YOU LIKE: Machine Head, Prong, Pantera & Skinlab.

NET: www.stemm.net

STRAYLINGS - Entertainment
(Deadpan Records - 2011)

Though girl-vocalled acts do tend to specialise in a more retro-oriented rock sound seventy-five-percent of the time, its still often carried off in perfectly voiced panache.

Brit youngsters The Straylings sure don’t let the pedal up on that premise, setting frontwoman Dana Zeera’s zesty young harmonies along to catchily seventies-driven instrument age. Sometimes taking to the edge paralleling a female-fronted Led Zep whilst at most other times, Bad Company the widening influential abilities of this band tiptoe into the tunes, sitars also an becoming occasional part of the mix.

Strengthened by the shrill harmonies as found in ‘Carver’s Kicks’, ‘Sleep Shapes’, ‘The Spoils’, ‘Bitter Face’, ‘Kings Of The Mire’, ‘Arcadian Moon’ and ‘To Lay Down Roots’, Straylings are entertainment from beginning to end on their debut and deserve big things their way in 2012. Let’s entertain that possibility.

Buy.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Pretenders, Mostly Autumn, Siouxie and the Banshees & Blondie.

NET: www.facebook.com/straylings

Stretch - That's The Way The Wind Blows - A Collection
(Repetoire - 2011)

The Rockin' Blues dudes from the 70's who had that good olenow famous funky pub rock song 'Why Did You Do It?' are featured on a 20 track compilation with a bonus EP as well.

There are some amazing cuts on here from a band who once blew Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow off stage with their fine form of R'N'B - hearing this it's little wonder why - who out me in mind of Led Zep, the Stones at the rootsiest and Humble Pie. You just can't argue with this when you hear songs like 'Fixin' to Die with some excellent slide work and gutsy vocals; the full of percusssion funk of 'Miss Jones'; the Ronnie Wood like guitar work found on ' Showbiz Blues' and the Wings-like 'Miss Dizzy'; the rather famous rocker that LA Guns covered that is 'Rock And Roll Hoochie-Coo'. Then there's ballsy Humble Pie meets Nazareth like 'If The Cap Fits' and the outstanding title track of the compilation 'That's The Way The Wind Blows'. The best number though has got to be the closing light, spacey ballad 'Slip Away'.

Well worth checking out with even an alternate mix of 'Why Did You Do It?' on the bones E.P.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SYFT - New Beginning
(S/R - 2011)

And tonight’s band are from .. Ooh, we have a Seattle entry here! Being a long time since I saw the likes of this, it’s rather justifiable to wonder whether we should expect something reminiscing Nirvana, Alice in Chains and the like or perhaps more down in Queensryche’s department.

Strictly 99.99999% the former, this loud foursome combine Kurt’s general gravely agitation with Cornell/Cantrell-schooled guitar through messrs Ingalls and Kise respectively and it is devastating. Grunge and Thrash were hardly paired as the ideal combination, especially with one being partly responsible for the commercial downfall of the other but the right guitar element of the extreme side dissolve in safely to see this band’s chemistry froth to the top.

Placing an ounce of scream core in, sometimes outside necessity in my opinion, the sound is lusciously angry and drives along at mid-beat rhythm, grooves and grind holding either side of the scales with matched weight combinations. See if ‘Ten Ton Brick’, ‘Scream At Me’, ‘Tonight’, ‘New Beginning’, ‘Dead Like Yesterday’ or ‘Sold Me Out’ leave you with your skull in place afterwards.

Brilliant!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Faith No More, Alice In …..like-you-don’t- know-who, Alter Bridge, Bring Me The Horizon, At The Drive In & Life of Agony.

NET: www.myspace.com/syft

SHOOT THE BREEZE - Nomadism - The Sonny Terrence Brentwood Story… Final Chapters
(S/R - 2011)

Another outfit trying to jump on the ‘tommy’ bandwagon, Norway’s Shoot The breeze have actually split their epic tale across more than one album and we appear to have landed down with the last instead here.

Set coincidentally in the sixties, you wouldn’t tell it immediately to be a conceptual piece on just listening alone as these four boys set their tale of rock n’ roll and tragedy to hard-driving, no messing, melodic hard rock. Twin guitars and strapping upper tempo rhythms dominate as do choruses and catchy hook repeats both vocally and in the solos alike.

Definetely no groove-ophobics, these guys know how to lock into a line then leave it smouldering with the vibrations. ‘Bad Blood and Beef’, ‘Redrocks Longest Tale’, ‘Gutterfly’, ‘Scale Of C’ and ‘Contrapazzo’ are powerful hard rock numbers fully of class and crunch with all the popular hair metal elements added.

Excellent stuff from the Scandinvavian shores once again.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Danger Danger, Dokken, Bon Jovi & Ratt.

NET: www.myspace.com/rockwithshootthebreeeze

Sickstring Outlaws - S/T Sampler
(S/R - 2011)

It's funny who you get chatting away if you walk into the Raibow around 12.00 midday in mid November - there's always a musician and a character or two kicking around.

On this occasion I got talking away to a dude who had a cool baseball cap that just happened to be the name of the band he was in from San Diego, California called 'Sick String Outlaws' so gave me this 'ere CD to check out. I was blown away by it - good ole country music with plenty of banjo on it with tunes about listening to artists like getting stoned, writing cool songs and having a good time with your friends. There's a killer tribute to Johnny Cash called 'Johnny Drank Black'. This is rootsy county bluegrass with masses of southerness at its finest.

I urge everyone to check out these guys.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Recommended if you like: David Allen Coe, Merle Haggard, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Johnny Cash.

Net: http://www.thesickstringoutlaws.com & http://www.myspace.com/sickstringoutlaws

SOMA DARK - Begin
(Casket Records - 2011)

Although the north-western sect of our great nation is known largely for its AOR associations in recent years, its contributions over to the heavier side of our home grown produce stand undisputed, Kill II This and Dearly Beheaded amongst the best of names.

Stand forward, Soma Dark if you will, another potential English metal monster in the box, and boy does this one need some seriously large nails to keep locked down from escaping. These Mancunian lads muscle and maraud their way through ten highly primed cuts of melodic contemporary metal in a set cleverly separated into its four parts. Thrashing their way through opening duo ‘Passengers of Time’ and ‘Lies Behind’ they become dispensers of pure headbang juice, bopping and bashing in a very Beheaded-esque way themselves, abeit along with some even more catchier choruses one is already chanting along before the first play is done. Taking on a softer direction, ‘Mauna Kea’, and ‘Breathe’ are deeper slower numbers with plenty of mellow angst set to smoothly waving chord lines that crack back into position only at the particularly needed time.

Quite abruptly, the guys switch straight across to the side marked hardcore for a couple of gritty outings, ‘Faultline’ and ‘Resolute’ blending in a major proportion of new metal influence into the style as well but sufficient street attitude gets in well on the latter, creating a genuinely Biohazard-schooled bruiser. Neither mode seems any difficulty for vocalist Michael Hardman as he adapts back and forth between the brutally rasp and laid back refrains of ’A Tone Set For The Lace Skyline’.

‘Forsaken and Falling’ concludes the segment with the heaviest number of the album and a powerful classic hardcore hook. ‘2505’ and ‘Sundowns Last Rise’ close things off for good on a smoothish prog metal note in near absolute contrast, boasting great multi dimensional movement by guitairsts Arun Kamath and Stuart Armriding and an ounce or two of Seattle topping on the end of the last track. ‘Begin’ is the beginning of many great things to strike the metal core of mother earth with very hard for this lively UK act whom ‘promising’ can‘t even begin to describe.

Rarely do we get a modern metal act on the isle with the ambition and the potential that soma Dark have planted the seeds to grow and these lads kept a full watering can on standby very early.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Pantera, Machine Head, Fear Factory, Metallica, In Flames, Agnostic Front & Korn.

NET: www.myspace.com/somadark

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Net: www.soulsign.us

STRATOVARIUS - Intermission
(Ear Music - 2011)

Stratovarius like to release something at least once a year when they can, even if it's an odds and sods package.

Or craftily re-release an old one. Ha, gotcha there! ‘Intermission was first subject to the light of day ten years beforehand but the Finnish metal giants seemed under the impression some may have just missed out so heres to trying not to miss again. Seventeen tracks instead of fifteen this time, the rarities are more huge rollicking slabs of symphonic metal, varying from studio titbits like ‘Falling into Fantasy’, ‘The Curtains Are Falling’, ‘Keep the Flame’, ‘What Can I say’, ‘When The Night Meets The Day’ and ‘It’s A Mystery’ to live meltouts of Strats classic ’Hunting High and Low’ and Rainbow’s ‘I Surrender’ plus the worthy demos of ‘Freedom‘ and ‘Neon Light Child‘, ending proceedings..

Never the lads to let the pedals up, Messers Kotipelto and Tollki inject each and every their all into these as much as they do into their regular album material and the solos are amongst TT’s might best while Kot’ does Rob Halford’s efforts awaited justice on their punchy rendition of ’Bloodstone’. Not to neglect the other men, Jens Johansen is equally in there with the fully maintained finesse you’d expect of a chap who supplied the ivories for Yngwie Malmsteen many moons ago, his authentically-produced performance on ‘Kill the King’ rendering one’s neglect to catch this disc on the previous occasion ever more regrettable. Well you have it now.. or should have.

A Stratters fan essential - excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE : Rhapsody, Helloween, Queensryche & Dream Theater.

NET: www.stratovarius.com

SU-TA-GAR - Ametsak Piltatzen
(Jo Ta Ke/Ekoizpenak - 2011)

Another band already long in the graft at it before we got wind, Basque boys Su-Ta-Gar are seemingly obvious craftsmen at their chosen field.. That of course being heavy metal.

Which they do very well and with flagrant pilfering of their influences along to a sometimes, almost alternative beat. Uttering their anger and angst in four languages, including French and English, the old fashioned rhythms and guitar hooks steal the show even when as lot of them are as I said stolen themselves.

Lead guitarist Aitor Gorosabel loves to ladel on the classy speed solo vibe like a well simmered soup itself while spitting out his husky vocal assault that still entertains even without being able to understand the language. Adding some swish AOR interludes in the middle of a few later tracks , its sounds occasionally cut and glued but the attitude is all there and these boys belt home an impressive lump of traditional metal fury with the trimmings.

Sufficient to indicate a few Basque-et cases may be loose on the scene.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Iron Maiden, Metallica & Nirvana.

NET: www.myspace.com/sutagar

SAVATAGE -

Sirens/Power Of the Night/Gutter Ballet/Streets (A Rock Opera)
(Ear Music - 2011)

Kerrang and Rock sound would be lining up at the door to give albums from metal’s heyday a jolly good ol’ hiding the moment they set foot through the letterbox. We fine chappies at Metalliville HQ meanwhile are already down on our knees to Jon Oliva and the lads for gifting people another chance to hear these much seasoned old metal gems once again. Debut album ‘Sirens’ was a commendable entry shot into the eighties metal market back in its 1983 heyday and it's NWOBHM -matched production along with their upbeat metal approach would look to have been a likely inspiration for Californian thrash goliaths Megadeth Testament and Exodus.

Capturing some very Mustaine-ish soloing moves through ‘Holocaust’, ‘I Believe’ and ‘Rage’, the inevitable glam sound dissolved in by halfway with ‘On The Run‘ and ’Twisted Little Sister’’ while the rest sounded audaciously closer to Dee’s army themselves, especially ‘Living For The Night’. As a bonus treat for twenty-eight years of patience, you get the whole ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’ platter on the end. Not quite the anti-climax you dread, their original 7-track spinner delivers unexpectedly gritty material with the same primal prowess and stompy tempos as their earliest full-lengthers to ensue.

9/10

‘Power of the Night’ would be above blatantly ridiculed as a title in today’s musical climate if not re-pronounced ’Power Of The Sh*te’ by aforementioned trendy-schmendy Brit metal rags with no ear for true rock n ’roll. The Savvers only serious liberty taken here is the dangerous similarity to Def Lep’s ’Wasted’ on the titular opening number though as a fan of both this and the Sheffield act’s early classic it is fully forgiven.

Belty straight-ahead metal is however the foundation as set for all the nine tunes that follow while the shredding guitars of Jon’s legendary brother, the late, very great Criss Oliva stirred a cement guaranteed to set faster than Blue Circle could ever dream up. Still yet acquainted with doing the epic thang at this stage in their tender young age, most tracks range from 2-3-4 minutes of album space apiece with ferociously fast and short cuts like ’Washed Out’, ’Skull Session’ and ’Stuck On You’ feeling longer even when they fly past.

Excellent live versions of ’City Beneath The Surface’ and ’Hounds’ make up for that in the bonus track department this time, this particular rendition of the latter also appeared once before on a Metal Forces sampler way-y-y back in 1992.

9/10

Gutter Ballet’ which saw the ‘Tage by now working under Paul O’Neill’s production helm was where their musical versatility experienced its real daybreak as explained by Jon on the sleeves liner notes. No longer required to specialise in purist-pandering traditional metal styles throughout, Florida’s finest flexed all muscles and the variations in sound that resulted was genuinely merited route to the spotlight. 'Of Rage And War', ‘Gutter….’, ’When The Crowds Are Gone’ and ’She’s In Love’ are immediately seen to be their own song, the frontman also reminds us of how they group the songs by type to compare tempo in the studio though some tunes being a mix of more than two of these become confusing.

'Hounds' is and always be my personal Savatage favourite with its legendary high-speed exit demonstrating Criss’s mental-fretting finesse the way he is still remembered for after these many years, while two decent instrumentals showcase both brothers integral talents , Jon also the band’s pianist duetting very sweetly against the strings. Departing through that subject, bonus acoustic runs of 'Alone You Breathe' and 'Handful Of Rain' have a gritty blues sensation about them, that you can ’t begin to ignore. Rver one of their defining moments in their fourteen-strong discography, 'Gutter Ballet' is one to grab without fail this time if you kneel deep in the shame of not having already done.

9.5/10

Sucker as I am for concept albums, ‘Streets’ was a struggle for me to lap up. Whilst the band, now down to a four-piece again continued to exercise their educated tread across diverse waters , Savatage had considerably slowed their tempo by this time but also, sadly their instantness too. The rock opera storyline, echoing pleasantly of The Who’s ‘Tommy’ as would WASP’s astounding Crimson Idol a year later was barely above the only thing serving to maintain my interest as the album certainly dragged its seventy minutes.

Certainly not missing on decent numbers ‘Jesus Saves’ was already an instant hitter before I heard the full long-player but until now few other tracks, really tempted me to touch the repeat. However, two decade on, there is an appreciable freshness to this classic with ‘Sammy and Tex’, 'Tonight He Grins Again', Strange Reality’, 'Can You Hear Me Now', 'Ghost in The Ruins' and ‘If I Go Away’ catching on strangely bigger than before. Solos still typically strong of Oliva’s standard never took a day out and his brother once again cackles his Cooper-like throat across the lines. More worth a listen now than before the deadly escapades of DT Jesus are no longer the only thing keeping my ears open.

7.5/10

All Reviews by Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Gamma Ray, Overkill, AC/DC, Megadeth, Dokken & Black Sabbath.

NET: www.savatage.com www.ear-music.net
*Ten further album re-issues from this series also available - contact above site addresses for more info.

Solsikk - S/T
(Femme Metal Records - 2011)

Female fronted band from the UK who have a very much generic metal sound a lot of the time - think System Of A Down and the like with a girl on vocals with a ton of chug a chug and what sounds like triggered drumming.

Well the 1st 4 songs are rather uninteresting from 'Relish In Nervous Delights' through to 'Freefall' but the ballad 'Cut A Little Deeper' is in a different league altogether proving that they do have something passionate and heartfelt to give as Tairri B like stuff does get damn tedious when it's on a collision course with Lacuna Coil and Machine Head like sounds. 'Volatile Territory' does have some killer Priest like guitar work and then some but they let themselves down by trying to be way too commercially generic in other parts of the song.

Wish they'd kick the down-tuned nu-metalness as it's overdone and unoriginal as they've got a lot of talent here but it's not being channelled which blurs them in with more bands of the same nature that are as boring and tuneless.

Shame.

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stretch - Unfinished Business
(Repetoire Records - 2011)

The reformed 70's combo of vocalist Elmer Gantry and Guitarist Kirby Gregory give us an album of blues covers that you've heard too many times already.

A lot of it are songs you'd hear by the average old men covers band like 'Live The Life I Love'; 'Need Your Love So Bad' and 'I've Got My Mojo Working' so it's killer to hear an excellent rendition of 'Down In The Bottom' or 'See That My GravenIs Kept Clean' or a remake of their 'Why Did You Do It' - so that's who originally did this song.

Ok but not essential unless you are a blues completist of the highest order.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

Styx - Regeneration Volume 1 & 2
(Eagle Records - 2011)

Without getting all smart about things, this is simply a load of re-recordings of Styx's best songs and a couple of Damn Yankee classics spread out onto 2 discs - hence Volume 1 & Volume 2.

The production is stellar and crystal clear as we are in the digital age and the guys sound as good as they did way back then - utterly faultless with storming singing and effortless precision musicianship all round. Highlights include the remakes of 'The Grand Illusion'; 'Lorelei'; 'Come Sail Away'; Renegade' and 'Too Much Time On My Hands' - not to mention an incredible version of Damn Yankee's 'High Enough' - one the best hair metal ballads ever! Also worth getting for the brand new number 'Difference In The World'.

Well needed by all AOR and Rock Fans Worldwide.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shift – Watch It Burn
(S/R - 2011)

Shift add together heavy music and not-so-heavy music to create a unique album.

Their guitar riffs go well with the more melodic sounds that they produce. As this is only the bands second EP, there is definitely room for improvement, but it’s a very good EP nonetheless!

The band used the media to build up a strong fanbase, who are ready for a live show. Including two covers, this EP looks set to gain Shift even more fans throughout their quest to dominate the music industry.

7/10

By Sam Hutchinson

IVAN SMIRNOV - Privet Earth
(S/R - 2011)

No relation to any heir of a popular Vodka firm, this Mr Smirnov is a talented young chappie from Moscow called Ivan.

Second mistake to avoid is being put off by the pics of him sporting his guitar in that sinisterly familiar eighties way - although a hot property on his six-string he does not resort to sometimes pretentious euro-metal or epic instrumentals to showcase his abilities. Conniseurs will call him a traitor for dishing out alternative -spangled punk metal to peddle his noises but Ivan Smirnov is one diverse young gent who tries it all out between ‘A Phuken Angel’, ‘On & Off’, ‘She Dreams Big’, ‘Take It To Mars’, ‘Ice Orkestra’, ‘Rebelz’ and ‘Big City’ amongst his other impressive samples.

Mr S’s pipes come out in clean sound with Soul, funk, pop, prog, AOR, metal and hard rock all sit their place round the table, taking their equal throw in support. With enough already there to clarify how this guy came by a Grammy nomination or two this year , the two singles - ‘Saddest Boy In The World’ and ‘Sunshine Never Cries’ which saw him towards the accolade also feature within.

A recommended look at a largely deserving new star in action. Smirnov served on extra rocks!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Foo Fighters, Queen & David Bowie.

NET: http://www.smirnovmusic.com/Music.html

SPLIT SOFA - The Gathering
(S/R - 2011)

Another name of those who have been hovering on my never -unmoving musical lips since 2000-and-something, East Midlanders Split Sofa will be seeing me making noises aplenty between them from tonight onwards.

This brand of seventies- strung psychedelic sweetness has been aching for me to meet it ear-on a long time. I will make no lies of the fact they have toyed with every major household name’s sound within the quintessential reaches of the genre but the authenticity of mainman Lewie Docksey’s style is a massive treat fro the retro-desperate. Adding the guy’s excellent Floyd-esque keyboard harmonisations to the fantastic electric/acoustic duels of messsrs Nicklin and Gilman, the whole shebang stops by the line marked consistent from track one to ten.

Lewie, a massively talented multi-instrumentalist himself, includes in the parcel, his own gravely husk that would front many a thousand bands of the era, his rich, sometime Lennon-like voice spelling the words ‘astounding live performer’ right across his chest. In ‘Circles’, ‘U Will C Me’, ‘I’m Following’, ‘Take Me There’, ‘So Long Ago’ and especially ‘Shadowman’ you will hear a fistful of choruses you think you’ll recognise but then after three or four plays of this beauty you will indeed be rightful to claim that accolade.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Grateful Dead, Spock’s Beard, Pink Floyd & Porcupine Tree.

NET: www.myspace.com/splitsofa www.splitsofa.co.uk

S.Y.F.T. – New Beginning
(S/R - 2011)

The album starts with a deafening scream from lead vocalist, Sean Ingalls.

He explodes into vocals and adds various screams throughout the album. With heavy backing music, the album stays as intense as ever all the way through. The Seattle boys certainly know how to play music! New Beginning is an album to keep you awake on a long night, because you won’t want to fall asleep while listening to this.

Killer!

9/10

By Sam Hutchinson

SECRET ILLUSION - Illusion
(Rising Records - 2011)

Greece’s Secret illusion have been in demand by way of a debut album for the entire four years since formation.

The wait over and very so worth it, ‘Illusion’ performs just that, conjuring up creatively exquisite melodic metal that at only nine songs is below enough for this type of stuff. Fluttery keyboards place their pristine melodies along well-disciplined guitars that wait til their own turn to start. Although comparably pedestrian stuff, the deep-voiced range of their frontman, cast more in the mould of a modern day Geoff Tate supplies the outermost attraction and an AOR feel you immediately pick up on listening in.

'Silent Voices', 'Hold On Forever', 'Beauty Of A Lie', 'Light On Your Way', 'Endless Flight' and 'Serenity' house every preferable element and leave little else out without passing it once over at least. Fabulously written and played, 'Illusion' is the first of hopefully many from another Mediterranean talent machine whirring on its lights.

Excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Last Tribe, Artension & Helloween.

NET: www.myspace.com/secretillusionband

SKILLER - Follow The Siren (EP)
(S/R – 2011)

More Nordic metal magic afoot, Skiller are, well, pretty skilled at what they do and straight away get attention for reasons right and…well, ok if it’s what you wish to hear.

Angry hatecore laid atop lush symphonic metal keyboards and melodic chorus hooks are always sweet ear candy flavour to me especially put together in one bag. Shame indeed that there’s only three tracks full today as I’m roped up by the peppery speed guitar lines, specifically of middle number ’The Crowning’ and the substance is again big in numbers.

Just a case of asking… more please.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.Skiller.se

ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION - Flesh
(S/R - 2011)

They’re from Bristol but don’t drink cider unless its been possibly spiked. Then again, these five young men must have been confused as to what actually did come in the can as I am about what their music on this debut mini-album intends to do for them.

Clumsy prog-beat alternative, a couple of so-so-scream core laden outings and two damn decent numbers. After struggling my way through the dreary title track that just never wants to take off, 'Ales From the Crypt' is a bouncy rock n' roller of a number which is worth half a dozen repeat itself before I eventually move on to the rest.

'Safe and Sound' and 'Innocent' seem tailored to please Bring Me the Horizon fans who pass it by, the latter becoming tolerable after second listen. 'Last Words Of A Bent Cop’ come over as a cross between 'Ales' itself and these two, kicking up a near-Motorhead -esque anarchy metal racket that shit’s the momentum up a few notches at the final advisable moment.

Snake with a definite bite but the tongue likely forked at too crooked an angle to effectively apply the poison.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SUBVERSION - What We Are Entitled (Single)
(Rising Records - 2011)

Noisy as f**k Brits Subversion handily remind a few heathens who foolishly ignored the advent of their debut album with one of its mightiest, most brutal cuts.

‘WWAE’ with initials that sound like a wrestling contest brawl with all the best of metal’s elements as do all the other cuts on ’Lest we Forget’ and let you enjoy a hook or two amidst it.

Disappointing only in there being no second tune to follow, (thanks bl**din' loads, Rising peeps) these Suvvern geezers are sure of letting no one down as this cut destroys and devours all the way to the repeat button.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

ALSO RECOMMENDED: SUBVERSION - Lest We Forget (Subversion Records)
*See review further back up page for this album.

Seks – Harder ThanYou
(Hard As A Rock Music – 2011)

A Norwegian based kinda Glammy/Arena rock styled band who are in their early and mid 20’s.

This is an album which has its ups and its downs. Upside is that is has a handful of great songs such as the opener ‘Rich Girl’; ‘On The Inside’; the ballad ‘Hangin’ On’; the humourous ‘I Wanna Be Your Bitch’ & ‘Get Out Now’. It’s just that his vocal sound gets on your nerves of frontman Rock Hart get a bit annoying especially when he wails really girly.

OK but not essential listening.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

SMALLTOWN NOBODIES - 20 More Steps
(S/R - 2011)

Probably called so because nobody knows quite what to categorize them as, Smalltown Nobodies step across the stones marked prog, thrash, metal and industrial with legs defiantly spread, completely fearless of the daunting chasm underneath.

Not that they look young enough to be trying their hand at any bar one of those four, these Dutch chaps do indeed do a marvellous job of musical creativity. ‘20 More Steps’, ‘Drowning’, ‘This City’, ‘So Called Friends’, ‘How It Feels’, ‘Ugly’ & Once The Faith Is Broken’ and a crushing cover of Faith No More’s ’Ashes to Ashes’ are the eight, stood strongest amongst ten tunes amalgamating the soulful deep throat of Lain Barbier with might twin guitars of recent Metallica mouldings, which also run off ecstatic solos to compliment each piece.

Taking on board their additional electronic stylings, that sound placed in for the sake of diversity STN are a strongly wholesome band with big ambitions and even bigger potential stage prowess.

Fabulous!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.smalltownnobodies.com www.myspace.com/570452860

Spike - Gods Hotel
(Floating World – 2011)

A heavier side of Spike that was done after the Quireboys originally split up. Recorded in LA with Alex Kane (of Anti-Product) on some guitar and other peeps from that neck of the woods too such as Ted Hutt (Guitar), Dominique Davalos (Bass/Vocals) and Doni Gray (Drums/Percussion).

It’s a heavier side of Spike that many aren’t used to hearing – as opposed to his retro Faces/Stones thang you expect from that famous band he fronts. There’s touch of scary, surfy pschobillness on ‘Beauty Queen’; some laid-back reggae grooving on ‘Mercy Or Metal’ and not much like the original cover of ‘Fool For A Pretty Face’.

Or what about some Beatley likeness in ‘Dead Without You’ ( a la Lennon & Harrison in solo mode). Then there’s the mad vibed Pistol/GNR rocker ‘Chiva’; the fun-time ‘Hesitation Blues’ and the excellent closing ballad ‘You’re Gonna Die’.

One hell of an inspiring album showing what else Spike’s capable of.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo - Quid Pro Quo
(Fouth Chord Records – 2011)

An album that we’ve expected for a bit since this was the name of the Tour late last year.

It opens up with a really promising number called ‘Two Way Traffic’ that remind me of a cross between the Quo, Motorhead & Hawkwind – the heaviest I’ve heard them in a while and then up comes ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ You’ that’s very old school (think 77/78) but with keyboards thrown in – the one that was never off Radio 2 in May/June.

Love the catchy ‘Leave A Light On’ & the dark lyrics with the chirpy frantic guitar solo in ‘Frozen Hero’. Good to hear Andy Bown’s harp playing in ‘It’s All About You’ and then best of all is a remake and partly re-written version ‘In The Army Now’ done in 2010.

Also included is an extra CD that makes up for it a bit that has classic hits live from Amsterdam and Australia from 2010 – which is stated next to each of the 10 songs that include ‘Down Down’; ‘Ice In The Sun’ and the younger ‘Beginning Of The End’.

Not their best but it's a decent enough effort.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHEAR - In Solitude
(S/R - 2011)

’In solitude’ is the debut EP from Finnish six piece sensation Shear.. And they sound darn quite sensational to me right from the start.

Their female fronted melodic metal is easy to taste all ingredients within right into the opening title track. ’Scorched’ leaves a little more with their power metal prowess to discover, where front woman Alex’s beautifully operatic lines come to recognition while the remaining two tunes explore a continued progressive thrash direction but all is pleasantly done and wonderfully clean.

Creative and hugely enjoyable equally in guitars and keys as well as voice, this is one of most technical without pretence to have come to me for quite a while, no one here trying too hard to be better than what they are although these six musicians are evidently as talented as it gets, to start.. More gold lies discovered at the end of the Scandinavian rainbow.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Edguy, Evanescence, Mostly Autumn, Gamma Ray, Dream Theater
NET: www.myspace.com/shearofficial

SILVERJET - En route (EP)
(S/R - 2011)

The long in coming/forthcoming third album from Silverjet finally yields its first berries from a still not yet ripened tree, but these three taste sweet of their old fashioned v southern flavour.

‘Machine’ is an excellently ballsy hard rocker with an opening lick dodgily alike to The Almighty’s ‘Takin’ Hold’. The most unlikely direction I’ve ever known Dave Kerr to take, ‘What it Takes’ is an awesome tour de grunge of a groover with a smooth upbeat main progression the chorus just rides like a wave. ‘Take My Pills' is also a familiar inclusion from the last couple of live sets I’ve attended and the closest arced to their very early days.

Four impressively cool acoustic cuts make up the remaineder of seven-tracker, one each from their previous three releases plus unreleased newie ’The Answer’. ’Won’t See Me Bleedin’ is particularly gutsy with Dave’s re-laid vocal lines living up to their original bite every bit…. (like they wouldn’t). Can’t wait for the album.. and for those others of you equally impatient SJ faithful, let's just hope this one will keep you quiet for a week or two til then.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Guns N‘ Roses, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith & Faces.
NET: www.myspace.com/silverjet

SKINDRED - Union Black
(BMG - 2011)

First time I believe Metalliville’s received a disc from ex-Dub War man Benji’s present-day rap metal juggernaut (2nd time actually as Tony Watson reviewed the last one).

The first impressions I hear in opener ‘Warning’ are that he may want to put his Limp Bizkit cds away in the loft for a bit… just listen to that chorus - omg!. Still off on a high though plagiaristic plain, the following ten numbers take the welsh outfit right to the max of their musical prowess. ‘Cult Dem’, ‘Doom Rif’, ’Living a Lie’, ‘Own Ya‘, ‘Make Your Mark‘, ‘Get it Now‘ and ‘’Death to Spies‘ are the anthems of a man so insane you are instantly sent behind the bed for cover yet want to worship the ground he stomps, screams and slams himself from wall to walk on at the same time.

Aggressive melodic and often both the two at one time this band blend their reggae and their rock 'n’roll faultlessly with big punchy pop-like chorus lines you could get in hundreds of other commercial rock genres yet remain brutal mode the rest of every tune. Terrifying, but not terrible, Skindred not so much skin but mercilessly flay on the bone with this latest album. Modern-day UK metal at its finest.

Buy!

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Dub War, Stuck Mojo, Limp Bizkit, Boy Count, Biohazard, Strapping young Lad & White Zombie.
NET: www.skindred.net www.myspace.com/skindred

THE 16 DEADLY IMPROVS - The Triumph of The…
(Rosemont Recordings - 2011)

The Sixteen Deadly Improvs are six very talented sounding chappies from sunny old California state who house a huge pedigree of prog and classic rock names on their influence roster and boy they strive to make most of them at least half proud.

Having as many as sixteen tracks on the list itself allows for a balanced of all that’s in their store, and they share it out like everyone listening seems after something different from their spectrum. For every vocal number there’s an instrumental, for every intriguing guitar arrangement, threes a tastily flute or keyboard melody hiding behind to impress with all heads focused on substance even though it does occasionally slip to just aimless noise as all instruments clash at the edge.

‘Spirit or Matter’, ‘Torpedo’, ‘Invincible Pole Fighters’, ‘Into Another time’, ‘Gargantua’, ‘Sand Palm’, ‘Dear Me’, ‘You’d Make A Lot Of Money’, ‘Death To Disco’ and ‘The Burrowers Beneath’ won't gain them the greatest area of commercial musical ground but on their own merit matches them up with the mightier pillars holding up the prog temple.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Rush & Jethro Tull.
NET: www.myspace.com/thesixteendeadlyimprovs

SOWN AMONG THORNS - Journey Of A Life
(Dual Nature Records - 2011)

You wonder.. How does a vocal/keyboard only act qualify for its place in the pages of a hard rock ‘zine? Well it happened before and it deserves to happen again - at least for Sworn Among Thorns.

The US-based duo’s sweet AOR/alternative amalgam is largely delectable even with no guitars (I do lie, there is the occasional piece of rhythm/lead where seems legitimate for good measure) and serves up some wonderful keyboard anthems from messrs Lapchon and Fratelli. The Christian-themed concept is fully evident in the titles list but ’What Will You Be’, ’, ’Hurry Up & Wait’, ’’Someone Else’, ‘But I Can Praise‘, ’Don’t Take My Light Away’, ’Biblical Blues’ and ’Just A Prayer Away’ are allowed to be enjoyed as lush melodic rock tunes whatever ones own beliefs dictate.

Frankly, Michael Lapchon hasn’t got the most exemplary set of pipes I’ve heard put to use but stands notable for his vocal clarity - thee is not one word you’ll fail to decipher throughout the whole twelve numbers. Put together with co-conspirator Nick Fratelli, they form an undisputedly talented musical team on the ol ‘ tinklers. Songwriting done to perfection, ‘J.O.A.L’ is worth at least half one good listen before judging.

Great.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Toto, Pink Floyd & Steely Dan
NET: www.sownamongthorns.com

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

STREETKIND - Ocean Grown

(S/R - 2011)

Grown thankfully on this side of the ocean, this young combo deal in a pleasantly chirpy brand of pop/ska/new wave fused noise that probably offend metalheads no end but for the non-purists will give you plenty to bounce up and down to on your bedroom chair unit l it breaks.

Letting no boundaries go uncrossed, there’s a welcome rap element in between sweetly melodic hooks that also enjoy a Latin overtone, notably opener ‘ole’. Potential hits loom throughout in other favourites like ‘This Is Love’, ‘Lay It On Me’, and ‘Alt Diggin’, although the momentum is hampered in between by a brace of three tracks that go uncomfortably into boy band territory and almost begin to damage my faith levels.

‘Heat Rises’ finally set the wheels back on course just in time but its almost a struggle if you’ve not been put off al little by now. If you are partial to a good ol’ blast of UB40 with added rock balls, for six of these nine tunes, this comes especially for you. Streetkind if not a little too just street occasionally, this band are hugely tipped for greatness if they keep up albums more dominant style.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED (Except tracks 6-8) IF YOU LIKE: UB40

SNAFU - S/T
(Repetoire - 2010)

Their debut that came out in 1973 - a classic early 70's band that featured Micky Moody on guitar who was later to be in the 1st incarnation of Whitesnake, but let's not jump the gun.

These guys were a funky outfit who also deleved into country aspects because that's basically what they were into and managed to get signed on what they dug doing and got a deal with Vertigo and this 8 tracker has really got some beauties such as the opening funkyness of 'Long Gone'; the gospel edged rocker 'That's The Song'; a cover of the soulful 'Drowning In The Sea Of Love'; the autobiographical 'Goodbye U.S.A' (something I can always identify with) and the countriness of 'Morning, Morning' (feat. Micky on Mandolin) and 'Country Nest'.

Wish you got bands like this now - sounds perfect to me!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo - Under The Influence

(Edel/ear Music - 2011)

A really together album from the Quo that originally got released in 99, but now it's out as a deluxe copy with bonus numbers. Cool thing is, is that I got all the other albums, bar this one so I was rather impressed when this landed in the mailbox.

It has everything you'd want from this nearly 50 year old band - yes it really is getting to 5 decades of the UK Rock Legends. Man, I love the Quo and have done since '78 and there's some real gems on here such as the opening 'twenty Wild Horses'; 'Shine On' that reminds of a slower version of 'Creepin' Up On You' and the fast 'n' rockin' 'Making Waves'.

Then there's the beautiful and loving acoustic ballad 'Blessed Are The Meek'; the coutried up version of Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away' with some excellent guitar pickin' on there. Then there's the excellent bonus numbers like the 2 great covers of 'Sea Cruise' and 'I Knew The Bride' and a live version of the opening number from Antwerp in 1999.

Anotherr fine Quo album.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SAUL - Embrace The Rain
(S/R - 2010)

Not an unforseen shock decision by ex Gun n’ Roses man Slash to use his natural name on the front of a release for a change, this Iowa trio are quite a pleasing combination of most styles he’s peddled out elsewhere since 1995.

For fans of Velvet Revolver in particular the grunge/hard rock fusions of 'Atrocious Ra', 'Intimacy' and 'Take It From Me' will be appetising and their whole sound, whilst precariously below par with originality, is tastily solid. Punchy guitar drives and a gravely Stayley -schooled throat from Blake Bedsaul add to favourable a reception these five tunes will earn them.

Worth trying.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Metallica & Bush
NET: www.myspace.com/saul_music

SCRATCHED MATINEE - Notes From The Incurable
(S/R - 2010)

Although an unknown band name the principal founder’s is an instantly familiar one. Chris Francis, former lead shredder for Manc AOR goliaths, Ten resurfaces with a new project that will surprise or shock fans of his earlier catalogue of musical wonder-stuffs or both.

For the latest thirteen songs he has created Chris takes a clipping of every hedge round the musical lawn and planted them to create his own pretty sounding shrubs. Metal, blues, 60's, grunge, industrial and the inevitable very hard rock edge all come up in their equal cut of the action substantiating tunes like ‘The Scarlet Ice’, ‘Those Long Winter Evenings’, ‘Horror Show’, ‘New Moon Monday’, 'Mother Medicine', ‘Ward 19’ and 'Mr Spencer’ to a delightful hilt.

The unmistakable Francis solo sound is still about, make on mistake , his own retro twist taking advantage of having his own machine to drive and he proves to have been benefiting from listening to his Tom Jones collection before writing. Its not unusual, well maybe again it is but ‘N.F.T.I.’ is unusually great for it and with an impressive Kroeger -like delivery from Phil Pilsworth, Chris’ career continues to mount a high rung.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Queen ,Nickelback, Bush, Beatles & Madness.

NET: www.myspace.com/scratchdmatinee

SKIN TRADE - The Heretic
(S/R - 2010)

LA Rockers, Skin Trade might have been mistaken as having originated from that good ol’ town up the road beginning ‘S’ and ending ‘e’ with the sound they have.

It’s nonethelesss very refreshing and pleasing to pick up on the style of pure grunge again a couple of decades down the line. Eclipsing a brace of other diverse titbits into their sound, ST run off eleven tasty slices from the musical sausage. Based around the three-chord thang as expected, the hooks and instant-ness of their tunes is constant from start to end with fast flying choruses and no endless solos if practically any at all.

With ehoes of Stone temple Pilots and also the Stooges sounding amidst their cheerful noise, these guys will be great fun live for everything including their music.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nirvana, Alice In Chains & Soundgarden

NET: www.myspace.com/skintrade

SUBVERSION - Lest We Forget
(Subversion Records - 2010)

A band who impressed me ten months ago with their ‘Treason ‘EP Brit extreme metal innovators Subversion look to have been very busy fulfilling their promise as their debut long-player finally makes it to my door, packed with a whopping fifteen.

Their angry deathcore noise transpired to be an unexpected helping of ear candy when I listened to them last time , and it so continues without disappointment. Heavy with hammer -verses- skull degrees of intensity , the melodic chorus breaks make themselves a mainstay of Subversion’s sound, as do hooks plus there’s even a vaguely Celtic turn to one or two parts. ’The City I Here’, ’’into The City’, ’Butchered’, ’To Gain Your Gain’, ’In Order To Live’, ’What We Are Entitled’, along with personal favourites ’Bypass’ and the title track are powerful and strong tunes for more than basic reasons , also needing to mention nice keyboard touches from Chaz Barnes -when audible- and the provocative war theme of the lyric.

Ad-libbing actual sound footage from our fellas on the frontline pays dividends for the dramatic concept of the disc and the solo at the entry to ’Treason’ itself is circumstantially majestic in its harmony with a victorious overtone. Totally upholding and surpassing the expectations laid in my last review of their work, Subversion come on strong on their first full-length spinner, supplying their live set with more than the menace and power it requires. Incredible and inventive ’LWF’ is an example for formative death acts to follow instead of letting themselves become dragged down that other deathly hole.

(Anybody notice I said ‘death’ twice there?)

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Killswitch Engage, Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad, Messuggah & Black Sabbath.

SAMANDRIEL - Awakening
(S/R - 2010)

As the girl-fronted metal overload of late continues to seduce us, I try hard to ignore the fact that you can have too much of a good thing. In fact, sod all that - this band are beautifully schooled in their melodic metal craft and give you everything you want from the scene and all the more surprising, they’re not Polish or Scandinavian even but Canadian.

Strongly operatic and boldly enriched in the essences of progression, the Alberta five-piece are led by the powerfully sweet-pitched tones of Doneka Reid who must have spent all of her previous lives in a school choir to have brought it up to the stunning octave-roving range topping the swish instrumental mix throughout this six-tracker. Messrs Jankovic and Black bring it on with solidly smooth performances on strings and keys apiece and create a stunningly accessible feel that doesn’t allow one to feel like skipping any of the longer tracks.

Fabulous music from another Canadian machine, Awakening is just what the hard orck scene is doing over there, not that it ever laid totally dormant.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nightwish, Anathema & Stratovarious
NET: myspace.com/samandriel

Ritchie Sambora - Shark Frenzy
(Retro World/Floating World Records - 2010)

Way back before Bon Jovi came to be Bruce Foster discovered an unknown guitarist called Ritchie Sambora and to cut a long story short a band called Shark Frenzy was created. Here for the 1st time you get volumes 1 and 2 of that band and I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised with how good this band was - they ought to reform in fact.

There are elements of different bands here such as 'Come Saturday Night' (Hanoi Rocks & Cheap Trick), 'Law Of the Jungle (Humble Pie), 'Southern Belle' (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Platinum Heros (The Beatles), 'I'll Play The Fool (Meatloaf & Smokie) - you get the picture - various styles of rock ranging from Southern Rock right throught to New Wave.

Brilliant to hear one of the 1st ever Ritchie Sambora songs where he takes care of lead vocals also on the rocker entitled 'A Good Life'. Other great songs include the 12-bar 'Til The Walls Come Down' and a brilliant cover of The Beatles 'Golden Slumbers'. Kinda makes me wonder why this band didn't make it - probably because record companies couldn't label them into a particular genre and pigeonhole them.

Well worth hearing how it all began for the future Bon Jovi Guitarist.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SEARCHING FOR CALM - Celestial Greetings
(Mystic Production - 2010)

Polish alt rock experimentalists Searching for Calm appear dangerously multi dimensional in what they get up to. With opening track ’Screens’ they proceed to tease me at first with a hardcore noise before going into a pleasant prog rock sound and we are immensely stewed as to what is to follow for the rest of the disc space.

A Police like thread weaves its loom through the earlier numbers, especially, ‘Follow’ and ’ Transformation’ plus ballad ‘Celestial’ and this provides the more comfortable part of the record. Other areas see the sound adapting back to the earlier forecast aggro-metal format which is not all that bad either, but some rather shaky examples, especially the badly sung mess that is ‘Airs and Graces’, a number I feel is a little out of place amongst this platter.

The lattter three tunes drag their feet a considerable iota but the impressive experimental guitars hold the substance there and the overall vibe from the disc is positive. Sounding good but capable of being put together, Searching for Calm are at least doing a lot of that.

Not bad, boys.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: myspace.com/searchingforcalm

Smoking Bird - Survivors
(Osopho Productions - 2010)

Great country rock sounding dudes with elements of The Rolling Stones & The Georgia Satellites in there and more laid backness as well. Coming from Spain, they've actually been at it since 1997 and originally called Junk whose vocalist reminds me of Davey Vain of Vain.

This latest release of theres features 8 cookin' songs with highlights including the well vocal harmonied 'Everybody Knows'; the beautiful piano and echoing guitar leading 'What We Really Need is' and the official closer 'Survivors' that's got some really nice acoustic guitar work on it.

Good, tight 'n' together band.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

STRATOVARIUS -Infinite (Special Edition)
(Armoury Records - 2010)

By rights a ‘Blast From The Past’ item, Stradivarius’s significant masterpiece is never undeserving of a second round of recognition once more Obviously a kind of tenth anniversary re-release, this double-disc version of the Finish melodic metallers first incendiary lp is an important opportunity for those with the excuse of ever being able to find it on their HMV shelves.

From the moment ‘Hunting High and Low’ steams into action with that first majestic chorus the standards are weighed and set to be judged by. ‘Millenium‘, ‘Phoenix‘, ‘Million Light Years Away’ and ’Why Are We Here?’ should’ve, by all perceivable rights been as huge as ‘I Want Out’ or ‘Run to the Hills’. These twelve numbers marked their scorch on the floor not only not only because of incendiary performances from guitarist Timo Tolkki and ex-Yngwie key-ster Jens Johnansson but also because they have hooks in all of their songs which vocal tornado Timo Kotipelto proceeds to do above justice to.

Promisingly produced demos of ’Hunting..’ and ’Millienium are included amongst the bonuses, the four freebies also made up by live versions of ’Phoenix’ and ’Infinity’ from one of the countless European tours Scandinavian metal’s most hardest working sons never seem to see the end of. A generously reincarnated gift for those still after the greatest tasting sounds symphonic metal has to offer.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Helloween, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody, Dragon Force, Magnum, Primal Fear, Dream Theater, Judas Priest & Saga.

SWORN - S/T (E.P.)
(S/R - 2010)

French foursome Sworn hide their four-track mini album behind some interesting Salvador Dali-esque doodles on the sleeve artwork, also forecasting an unorthodox sound to come within.

Kicking off the first number with a powerful old school thrash riff, they turn out to be more of a prog vehicle, yet maintain the thrash prowess. Unusually for the style its strong Cobain vibes in the vocal department but there is no interference on the scope between this and their prettily strummed solo lines. The purists will approves of most elements , especially with the tunes being quite on the long side as well but the whole collection is mostly fun for the connoisseur.

Commendable offering from another undiscovered name, I swear this lot are worth a listen.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Dream Theater, Threshold, Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree & Nirvana.
NET: myspace.com/swornfr

SYMPHONY CULT - Rewind to Fast Forward
(Copro - 2010)

Riding the plethora of new girl-fronted acts, London’s Symphony Cult are plucked from amongst the finest of the current new crop.

Diving in with energy from the press of play to the final note, riffs, chorus and treble laden angst workouts waste no time in coming and send you straight into another track before you even think to stop listening. Putting the common three, punk, metal and hard rock all into the modern musical shamrock, the leaves grow fast from seeds well watered seeds such as ’You’, ’This Devastation’, ’Breaking Free’, ’Under the Lights’ ’The Riddle’, ’Speak’ and ’Goodbye and Goodnight. Like many fantastic versatile female voices we are graced with nowadays Charlotte Lubbock unleashes her harmonies with that loveably universal range typically suited as much to a Goth outfit as to a hard rock or alt act.

One would have to regard that twin guitarists John and Barney steal their half of the show with tight rigid lines and progressions still allowing for flow with the mood direction of each tune, and putting an impressive job on the sliding as well. Three years in the coming, Symphony Cult’s debut LP justifies all its manic anticipations with a brutal performance right across the board, hopefully another one across the boards will be a possibility before long.

Fantastic - a Cult classic and potentially more than, our beloved island has finally done it again.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Evanescence, Alter Bridge, Anathema, Doro & Lita Ford

NET: myspace.com/symphonycult

Joe Satriani - Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards
(Sony Music - 2010)

11 slabs of instrumental music brilliance from satch that start with the church bells of the rockin' 'Premonition' and end on the funky space-age groove of 'God Is Crying'.

In between these you get hightlights on the album include the epic positivieness of 'Pyrric Victoira'; the bluesy at times like 'Littleworth Lane'; the excellent, pumping 'Wormhole Wizards' with the opening mysterious orchestration and the amazing balladeering 'Wind In The Trees'. Every track is beautifully crafted and produced to say the least.

You really got to be in the right mood for an album by Joe so pour yourself a few drinks, switch off the light and chill out to some top-notch axe warming tones and knockout rifferey. It really makes you wonder where all these amazing tunes come from at times.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Scarlet Viper - Roll The Dice (Single)
(S/R - 2010)

From Italy, we get a decent enough hard rock sleazy sounding single with the only drawback being the vocals which are a bit too throaty and got fully glam enough to make a big impact. They kinda remind me of 'Dear Superstar'.

Could be a good support band by the sounds of their material - if memory serves me right they've played with one of our locals, Silverjet.

File under - could get well known in time.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Senes - De-Evolution Of Theory
(Global Music - 2010)

The 1st instrumental album on the the label. He goes by the name of Steve Senes and is pretty damn good I have to say - close to the Satriani kinda league without all the mad space-age sounds going off.

Plenty of guitar highlights here include excellent opener 'The Swami' with its killer wailing notation; the beautiful acoustic 'Ruth'; the madcap 'Cop Show' that get's all funky on us; the ballsy rocker that is 'Facecheck'; the sliding away cooly sounding 'High & Mighty' that reminds me of Satch and such icons. Then there's the acoustic likable 'Angel' and gorgious closer 'The Afterglow'.

A promising artist indeed.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Skin - Breaking The Silence
(S/R - 2010)

Comeback and final album from one of the finest hard rock bands of the UK - Skin.

It's an incredle strong album with 'Stronger' saying it all (with it's gospel like harmonies) because it's 'Good To Be Back'. There's a gorgious ballad in 'When I'm With You'; the hard-hitting 'Trigger Inside'; the gospelling powerful ballad 'Redemption' and the excellent epic powerful rocking closer 'Born To Rock 'N' Roll. It's brilliantly well recorded and Myke and the guys have done themselves proud on each and every single song here.

Pity they aren't gonna be here on a long term basis as this album is outstanding.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SMELL MY PILLOW - Off Switch
(Kwall Records - 2010)

As a writer for Metalliville, one is used of course to friendly people grilling me on bands I have written up on in recent times. A question I am usually happy to answer; however when the band’s name happens to be Smell The Pillow…. boy am I going to have trouble.

As you expect from the name, they sound…well, unique, serving up a indie/prog sounding infusion that is in most places good but on first play goes totally over my head. Hunting out the hooks, the subsequent listen sends up a few gems amongst ‘Free‘, ‘Debbie‘, , ’Katelyn’, ‘Walkin’ Tall‘, ’Urban Decay package’ and’ ’Kissing The Ground’ even if they are a bit long in coming.

The electro -peppered vocal production is an addition one over necessary for diversity’s sake and I’ve heard better vocalists in my time, the strains very much cellar on at least a third of the numbers. Still ’Off Switch’ is no switch off - SMP smell of promise rustling amongst the feathers.

Pretty impressive.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: smellmypillow.com

Superhorrorf*ck - Livingdeadstars
(Street Symphonies Records - 2010)

Great rock 'n' roll band who allegedly were a band called Morphin and on the way to a gig, the car crashed into a tree and the bodies dissapeared - lol - whatever. Anyway the tale goes that these zombies did the gig and the rest is history so to speak.

Overall this is your Italian equivalent of Wednesday 13 or Murderdolls basing their songs on horror, sickness, sex and the macabre. It's entertaining and pack 11 songs in to just over 35 minutes including a cover of Kate Perry's 'Hot N Cold'; a cool song called 'Holy Zombie' about Jesus Christ - oh the Bible thumpers will love this - lol; then there's the multi-riffin' excellence of 'Welcome To My F***k Show' or the rappy wild rockin' punkish closer 'The Texas Chainsaw Ranger'.

Come to the UK - you guys kick ass!!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SWEET JAMES - Multitrack Drifting (EP)
(S/R - 2010)

A Canadian band - where have you guys been hiding? A country I was inundated with bands from almost a decade ago have been relatively quiet in Metalliville circles lately.

Though still a loyal spinner of all discs with the names Honeymoon Suite, Von Groove (or that other chap called Bryan) on the sleeve, its always …welcome of them to bring something as exciting but different to the table and these …. lads don’t let me down. Filling up their tanks with fuel dated 1970, they deliver a smooth retro/alternative conglomeration that is constantly infectious for all five cuts, most notably Skynrd -accented rock n’ rollers ‘The Wanderer’ and ’Movin‘ On’.

You don’t seem to see it coming at all , listening to opening numbers ‘Better for The Crime’ and ‘Get on Something Good’ with their totally contrastable prog /indie feel and begin to wonder if there are two different bands with same name playing this album. At least we know one thing, they’re great. Both ways.

Classify and original together this is a great slab of summertime music despite the fact I’m reviewing it during a wintry January day.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Eagles, Blackfoot, Lynryd Skynyrd, ELO, Steely Dan & Faces.

NET: myspace.com/sweetjames www.sweeetjames.ca

THE SINS - The Undone
(SINister Records/TSM - 2010)

Some bands do come across the best of solutions to quarrelling over styles or sitting on a fence between bandwagon jumping and being your own thing completely.

The answer as always, do the whole bloody lot of ‘em…. The styles that is, not the principles, Seattle’s The Sins have done more or less that ever since their incarnation in 2001. This being their third album means we have missed out on some serious treats fro m their first tow as they guys are superb. Attacking every available corner of the rock n’ roll spectrum, including that style itself, literally, plus throwing a violin into it for interesting measure there’s little this manic fivesome are afraid to explore and these twelve tracks are going to rub it right into the faces of the shallow of you.

From Motorhead-spurred punk metal opener ‘El Guitarro’ through Misssion-like ‘Abigail‘, ’Stone Goes Cold, fantastic prog ballad ’Chi Chi’ and the near -glam chorus vocals of ’No Tomorrow’ to soulful acoustic fare like ‘Don‘t You Cry‘ and ’Western’ blueser ’Sin Town’ there is plenty for everyone to peck at without the pretentiousness needle going even halfway. ’Wrapped’ annoys a little with its vaguely over used distortion line but the excellent rapid-fire rhyming couplets on the vocal part make it one of my clearest favourites.

Extremely short on sticky moments, only ’Arms of Devoria’ and ‘Tonight’ get vaguely stuck in the dirt but the rest fly past and get individually noticed. ‘The Undone’ is my first and sweet tastes of an incredibly diverse, talented and wholesome rock band who carve a niche deeper than a breadknife through treacle.

Brilliant stuff - it should be a sin not to check out this one.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Eeerm…. List is too long to fit ,- just try ‘em , it’ll be worth it.

NET: myspace.com/thesins thesinsband.com reverbation.com/thesins

Stray - Valhalla
(Angel Air - 2010)

Del Bronhams awesome blues rockin' trios latest release and it's damn good too.

Highlights include the blazing opener hard rocking reminiscent of Humble Pie 'Move A Mountain'; the murderous power ballad almost military like at times that goes by the title of '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue' and the plodding funkyish (reminding me of Saxon) 'Skin' about being the same really but just different skin.

Then there's the funky 'Double Six'; 'Sing (The Song)' and 'Ghostwriter' that has elements of that famous Blue Oyster Cult number as well then atmospherics of the Pink Floyd (both of which flow and revolved taking it in turns throughout the song); the souly and bluesy 'Rainy Day Blues' and the alomost late 60's like Beatley closer 'You'

Cracking album well worth checking and seeing Stray play songs off live.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sweetkiss Momma - Revival Rock
(Sonic Boom Records - 2010)

Decent earthy rock band from Puyallup, Washington that remind me of younger guys on a southern trip and more.

It's totally retro throughout the album - no wonder that that album's titled 'Revival Rock'. Highlights include 'Son Of the Mountain'; the exquisite 'Mercy Love' that has a bit of 'Sweet Home Alabama' riffage and much more in it; 'Rocket Ride' - not be confused with the Kiss number - lol.

Then there's 'Strange Fire' that reminds me of Lynyrd Skynyrd's'Tuesday's Gone'; 'Sugar In The Raw' that comes complete with vocoder and elements of The Steve Miller Band; the Crowesy meet a certain Bad Company ballad 'Good God Woman' and the closing Allmansy vibed 'To Help A Man' that has so much dixie sweetness to it.

F*ck*n' Excellent.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHELLCASE - Dead Memories
(Monzoo Music/Universal - 2010)

Not that we’re sure if their name is a softer version of headcase, the musical approach of this trio is somewhat along such lines - but believe me when I say do not approach these guys without the balls to handle them.

Shellcase belt out a fearsome twelve shot volley of battering punk metal -oriented ammunition fused on a 50:50 rate between grunge and nu-metal’s better end and hit it home with testosterone-propelled fists. While a decent player, frontman Dave Varlet’s riffing is not always that unfamiliar with a lot of big names of the previous 15 years scene coming to mind but the mix is strong fare, wrapping around his anguished creening like high-quality cling wrap.

If you want to take a bad day at the office out on your bedroom .. but not yourself, play ’Faith’, ’F**ked Up’, ’Lobotomy’, ’’Cold’, ’Scars’, ’Pain’ or ‘Crash landing’ and ‘Fatigue’ if for easing it off in a more mellow demeanour - these guys have music for either mood. Either way, Europe’s best contemporary-rock offering of 2010 has just come crashing through your roof and should be made to stay till played; this album is jammed with strong tunes while weak on… well weak moments and pushes you into each next song with its driving chord lines.

Excellent stuff, boys, we hope to see you hit UK’s stages plenty a time in coming years - please don’t become a dead memory yourselves before you have the chance.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Therapy, Nickelback & Linkin Park

NET: Myspace.com/shellcase

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Snatch Magnet – Screw, Nut & Bolt
(S/R – 2010)

What do you get if you mix The Police, U2 with Iron Maiden and an array other influences plus wild metal? Snatch Magnet – that’s what.

An effective, well engineered and supreme class of musicians here who hail from Hollywood, CA. Their vocal harmonies are exceptional and it appears obvious they have individually put the work in an awful lot. Highlights include ‘MultiGirl’ that sounds like The Edge from U2 guested on it with a newer outfit or the Maidenesque titled funnily enough ‘Call Of The Maiden’. Then there’s early Def Leppard meets The Policeness of ‘Games’ or the intriguing building closer ‘Hybrid’.

Looking forward to catching these guys live sometime.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SPIRIT OF THE DEAD - S/T
(White Elephant Records - 2010)

Norwegian foursome Spirit Of The Dead could have been easy to get into as many bands of their nationality usually are, but they frankly, aren’t.

A laid back pop/prog hybrid, their debut seven -tune selection lacks quite noticeably on the hook front and is wrecked by over piled electro-fuzz on parts ad in cases sends full tracks totally under the surface. Some impressive arrangements save it from complete doom but the excruciating chorus distortion used on the fifth number is a particularly unforgivable sin. What looked at first to be a stimulating taste leaves a very cloudy palate.

Pity.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

Power Metal that reminds me of Mr. Malmsteen & Helloween combined.

The band don’t really need much introduction at all (so I’ll keep it short and sweet – since Tony reviewed the album earlier this year.Highlights include the opening ‘Deep Unknown’, ‘Blind’; ‘Emancipation Suite parts 1 and 2 and ends with the old English folk style of ‘When Mountains Fall’ that I can imagine Ritchie Blackmore taking a liking to these days.

Top Ranking Band of the Genre – be it a bit on the serious side or not.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sasquatch - Sasquatch III
(Smallstone Recordings – 2010)

Sasquatch were formed in Los Angeles in 2001 with a very distinctive style of stoner rock.

On the outskirt of things Sasquatch sound like Monster Magnet with their psychedelic style rock, which gives the listener a full blow rock pleasure. Oh and by the way a guest appearance from Ed Mundell on track 2 ‘Take Me away’

III is a 10 track CD full of the deep hard heavy stuff we all like as ‘Get Out Of Here’ starts rattling the tired bones of an old man. As the CD boulders its way through ‘Complicated’, ‘Walkin’ shoes’, the subtle ‘New Disguise’ and ‘Burning Bridges’ deep down you know we have something special with the taste of success.

If Monster Magnet is your mix then Sasquatch is the finished warm cake.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Sawol - Through Soil and Skin
(Bullroser Records – 2010)

Sawol started as a solo project, but Pekka realised there was more to the slow atmospheric music he was creating.

Sawol are on the verge of Godflesh mixed with Black Sabbath and Opeth. Through Soil and Skin is a 9 track collection of beep, hard pounding, solid metal music. As ‘Furor’ hit the airwaves, Sawol have hit you in the face so hard, only the bright light can lift you and take you to another dimension.

As Through Soil and Skin trudges its way through the CD, Sawol get harder and heavier with every passing second. This atmospheric feel you receive is only the beginning of this epic journey as Sawol engulfs you in their presence.

A very dark and mysterious collection of tunes.

Marvellous.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Serial Obsession - Shotgun Opera

(S/R – 2010)

Serial Obsession have released a full length CD after great press reports from their self-released EP ‘Sexy But Useless’.

Serial Obsession are a mixture of Cheap Trick and Velvet Revolver so you know from the start we have the old school guitar riffs and melodies. Shotgun Opera is a 10 track CD with a disappointing 37 minutes of good solid rock music. As the Cd winds its way through ‘All the way’ to ‘Edge of The Blade’ and to finish with ‘So Cold’ you can’t help but feel there is something missing. Not sure what it is but the excitement is lost slightly.

These guys are talented and play a good tune, which leaves the CD in a very listenable state, but that’s as far as it goes. Unlike Velvet Revolver the passion has been lost but the enthusiasm still remains.

7/10

By Tony Watson

SHOT - S/T
(TSM- 2010)

Not to be confused with nu-metal types Snot, (did these guys have to print their name in lower case), Shot are a five-piece hard rock outfit from Noo Yoik city with an album already under their belt which while turning out to be only five-tunes strong, provides a sweetening example of what they are up to.

Imagine Hanoi rocks, GNR, Sex Pistols and Goo Goo Dolls, - plus another band with ‘Dolls’ in their name - and any disappointment is swept instantly aside. Dirtier than twenty-year old laundry, ’Don’t Come Round Here’, ’Bodies in The Trunk’ and ’In The Streets’ are menacing ieces of sleaze rock and ’Axegrinder’, ideally re-named Axl- grinder is about as close as law allows to the Gunners ’Lies/Appetite’ era.

Bolshy solo fills all the way through some tunes make up the infectiousness elements, close behind the hooks, kicking just about every available backside in the house. Excellent stuff from another hot unknown act hopefully to make bigger waves over the future.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Skanska Mord - The Last Supper
(Smallstone Recordings – 2010)

Unlike most stoner rock bands Skanska Mord are so laid back they are horizontal. Skanska Mord from Sweden formed in 2006 from a breakdown of bands Half Man and Mothercake.

You know what to expect with a stoner rock band, but these guys have added a small laid back and relaxed vibe to the slow deep riffs that are on the verge of early Deep Purple, Ian Gillan with a hint of Soundgarden.

The Last supper as my partner described is like being at a last supper, there is more excitement in a morgue. No real disrespect to this 10 track collaboration, but the slow laid back production is a little too much for everyday listening. As we are filled with the doom and gloom of ‘Under The Volcano’ which rolls into ‘Things are quiet out there’, ‘Doghouse’ and ‘Daybreak’ all you feel like doing is getting a splif out and passing it around the room to help you sink back into the sofa of psychedelic relaxation.

I feel this CD is one for an evening of friends dining and chatting away with a glass of fine wine as it quietly plays in the back ground, without it becoming part of the evening entertainment.

6/10

By Tony Watson

Solace - A.D.
(Small Stone Recordings – 2010)

A small surprise from Small Stone Recordings, unlike previous releases, Solace from New Jersey have generated a fast tempo stoner rock style.

A.D. is a 9 track CD and 59 minutes of fast up tempo beats, dark deep riffs and pounding drums as we enter a world of new stoner rock. Like Monster Magnet, Solace have an excitement, passion and enthusiasm about them as they produce a sound that gets you off your ass.

A.D. hits the ears with ‘The Disillusioned Prophet’ which then transpires into ‘The Immortal, The Dead and The Nothing’ which both exceed 6 minutes of rock pleasure. The only track that is under 5 minutes is ‘The Skull of the Head of a Man’ at a mere 2.47 minutes and you will know why, as the track is played with such speed and force, it makes me wonder if these guys are a metal band.

Solace have a firm base, pace and style to go with it and maybe the next episode will bring another delightful twist

8/10

By Tony Watson

Svolk - Svolk
(Tuba Records – 2009)

Svolk are from Norway with a very distinctive solid rock sound.

As they like to call it Svolk are the first Bear Metal band from the depths of the eastern Norwegian forest.

The self-title CD is 9 track collaboration of solid, fast and furious rock and metal with an entertaining value to go with it. As ‘52’ hits the airwaves you know this big bear isn’t going to stop for nothing as it tears its way through ‘This is it’, ‘Anchor’, ‘Sweet Agony’ to finish with a blood bath of pure pleasure of ‘Dead:30’.

A very exciting band and one with a lot of energy that will come across in their live performances.

9/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sahara Steel – S/T
(Perris Records – 2010)

Young dudes from the United States with one hell of a high ended vocalist who rips the roof off big style in the good old style of Mike from Steelheart!

Highlights include the opening ‘Fatal Heartbreaker’; ‘Booze, Tattoos & Rock ‘n’ Roll’; ‘Man On The Run’ & ‘Push Comes To Shove’. These guys sound dead set for a big support slot on an arena tour or something that calibre because they have definitely got the confidence in the quality of the perfomance and songs over.

They may be unknowns at the mo but by the sounds of this I don’t that will be a long lasting occasion. Proper Hard Rockin indeed.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SNAKESTORM - Choose Your Finger
(Kabuki Records - 2010)

Sweden. Not literally an anagram for great metal bands but nonetheless always treated as one, as ever.

Another sweet seed from the Scandinavian rock poppy, SnakeStorm storm out and coil round you in an indeed viper like grip. Straight ahead rock is a crime to many young metalheads today but SS couldn’t give a flying eff, their finger is well chosen - I think it’s the middle one - with their intense punk meets hard rock attack.

Brought to the barrel by J Meiton’s Lemmy-voiced spit, ’D.T.P.’ , ’Clean Cuts And Leather’, ’The Calling’, ’Black Saints’, ’Swallowed’ and ’Partners In Crime’ are the rock n’ roll produce of a band taking less shit than a toilet blocked by hardened cement. Awesome thrash- meets garage punk guitar fusions alongside their impressive vocalists classy barking assault gives this album its recommendation on a plate. More Nordic without the charm but plenty of the chop.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Motorhead, AC/DC, Metallica, The Clash, The Almighty & Black Sabbath.

NET: myspace.com/snakestorm

Snew – We Do What We Want
(Maman Music – 2010)

Brand new band that are purely in the style of Airbourne, AC/DC, Broken Teeth, Rhinobucket & Cherry St – classic riffing and sqwaky rocking vocals.

They hail from Hollywood and the album is a pure no brainer of rock 'n' rolling brilliance with plenty of highlights throughout that include the titled track ‘We Do What We Want’; ‘Private Stash’; ‘Power Pack’ & ‘Shinebox’.

Wanna good time – this is a perfect way to start.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SORA - Desire And Truth
(Avenue Of Allies - 2010)

Erol Sora, the chappie who lends his name to the outfit is a Canadian born, UK-bred guitarist /vocalist …. and a bloody good one at that. Brought up on British rock of his seventies youth, he saved all the sweet bits to shape into the perfectly crisp cut melodic rock sound you finally hear in 2010.

Through guitar -driven AOR of ’Taste of Rock ’n Roll’, ’The Storm Has Just Begun’, and ’When You’re Gone’ , ’Diamonds In The Wind’ to more old fashioned foot in the air fodder like ’Rock and Roll Dog’ and ’Stop Messin Around’ this fella leaves no one out. Those grooves are ready to get everyone dancing ad though featuring some very familiar sounding licks it’s the fu of the thing that counts here. Great rollicky solos and decent Meniketti -esque pipes from Mr Sora compound into a lethal mixture than fires off the sparks then sends the bangs flying.

Awesome work from Erol throughout what as it happens is his second album, this must mean we have undiscovered treasure from this talent to dig out .

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Survivor, Whitesnake, Y&T, Led Zeppelin & Giant.

NET: www.erolsora.com
myspace.com/erolsora

SPARKLING BOMBS - Spray Paint Prayers
(Nicotine Records - 2010)

Glitter punk is a scene that has bored me almost more often than entertained me, with only an elite minority of outfits actually coming on stronger with a sound to remember them by.

One outfit guaranteed a place in that small but happier fraction has to be this French fivesome. Not quite at either the Faster pussycat or Fratellis end of the equation, these guys - and one girl - sit in the middle line and send any train not only pulling frantically on the brakes but flying backwards halfway down the line.

The colourful, mid-paced glam pop you get from ‘ Beauty Hides The Lies’, ‘Birthday’, ‘Spattered Spider’, ‘Down’, ‘50s Fallen Heroes’, ‘G.O.N.E.’ and ‘Motown Junk’ is a golden departure from the tedious 200mph pop/punk with slightly glammed up vocal I get tricked into hearing time and time again.

If you seek to hear a genuine slice of sleaze infested rock n’ roll crafted for the 21st century, the infectious hooks and incessant melodies and pace of the ten tunes on this second album (What, you telling me I’ve missed one already?) are almost as good as first stop as your last.

Let’s give these Sparkling young talents a chance before they end up Bombing, for there are plenty other bands of this genre I wish did instead.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Tokyo Dragons, Towers of London, The Darkness, Hanoi Rocks

NET: www.sparklingbombs.com myspace.com/sparklingbombs

STAIRWAY - Interregnum
(S/R – 2010)

Veteran Brit trio Stairway are another of the umpteen classic rock outfits who many on this isle appear to have been denied the liberty of listening to, due to ignorance by certain mainstream rock rags, one beginning ‘K’ coming to mind as usual.

Stairway, now on their fifth elpee are consistent from start to end, serving traditional 70’s British hard rock on a plate and enjoying every second of it as we do along with them. ’The Suffering Servant’, ’I’m Calling’, Born To Die‘, ‘New Life‘, ‘Enter The Light‘. and ’The Battle’s Over’ feature timelessly built hooks and solos from messrs Leslie and Jennens respectively and inject an overall flavour that smacks brilliantly of defunct UK old-schoolers Demon and Dirty Deeds.

Strong if not exactly complex song arrangements keep up the interest factor right across the span and the disc on substantial repeat plays before the review is finally completed. Excellent stuff from another outfit that we deserve to hear a lot sooner that we do.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Rainbow, UFO, Deep Purple & Demon.

NET: myspace.com/stairway

STARFIRE - Eye Of The Storm
(S/R - 2010)

It’s time for one of those bands that you just don’t know what to call- apart from their name.

Starfire are fronted by veteran US guitarist/singer Dairennn Lombard can’t in any way be called metal and barely touch on ’rock’ for that matter but for what they are, at least to the open minded, I could say ’good’. ’Distance’ would pass as something off a seventies romantic movie but it gives you a good first taste of Daireenn’s clean soulful range, and also pleasant piano talents. ’Thinking bout you ’ ‘Waiting’ and the title song continue as the like and though rarely do we review an album with this many guitarless entries these guys come through with some promising progressive vibes.

Very little conventional electric hard rock stringage is involved in the remainder of the nine tunes either, ‘Open’, ’No One But You’, and the Van Halen-like ’I’m On My Way’ being the only ones but the sweet acoustic funk lines we enjoy in ’In The End’ and ’Genie’ make them personal favourites in their full right. Messrs Lombard, Pajer, James and Paulson are a strongly innovative team, whatever you make of their style, and swipe their kudos very much from that as they do form their talent and material itself.

’Different with a capital ’D’ they may be, these chaps are worth a try.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Rush, ELO, Pink Floyd & Kings X.

NET: www.starfire.com myspace.com/starfiretheband

Stray – New Dawn/Alive & Giggin’
(Angel Air – 2010)

A 2 CD set from Del Bronham’s power rockin’ trio that is made of the man himself on lead vocals & guitar, Phil McKee on drums and vocals and Dusty Miller on bass and vocals.

Highlights of ‘New Dawn’ include the opening intro ‘Dawn Rising’ that puts you in mind of a Celtic battle that’s about to begin; the bluesy rock of ‘No Future’; ‘Maybe You Want Me, light Quo-like ‘Further To Fall’; ‘Rock Steady’ with the cool use of the vocoder and the gorgious acoustic ‘I Want More’ with plenty of percussion.

As the title of the 2nd cd suggests it’s a concert where Stray were recorded live at The Robin Hood R&B Club, Brierely Hill West Midlands, England on 21st August 1996 with great cuts including ‘Leave It Down To Us’; ‘Take A Life’; ‘I Believe It’; ‘Buying Time’ and the closing epic ‘All In Your Mind’.

Check ‘em out at a venue you – I will nest time they hit my local.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SadDolls - About Darkness…
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Once in a while the world is blessed by a band that just sweeps you off your feet. SadDolls enter the dark and mysterious depths of Goth metal, similar to Type O Negative, The Fields of Nephilim but slightly heavier.

With a more brutal Goth style, SadDolls have laid down a platform for a new wave of music with their heavy riffs, electronic interludes and deep drum beats. From the intro of ‘Space Loneliness’, SadDolls open up their miserable lives to the public with ‘Bleed All I Can’, ‘Misery’ and ‘Life Equals Zero’.

As the 12 track CD produces more misery and sadness to our lives, ‘Don’t say Goodbye’ throws us down to the bottom of the pit with a very emotional and depressing thump.

This CD is one of the best I have heard for a long time. I hope this hasn’t put a smile on their faces.

10/10

By Tony Watson

Sedona - Golden Valley
(Avenue of Allies Music – 2010)

Sedona have the sound of 80’s California but with a full on French attack from the mid 90’s. This is the first time Golden Valley has ever been released internationally including bonus tracks from the original recording.

Golden Valley is a journey into good rock music with a touch of that country feel that will relax any tired muscle after a hard day at work.

This 12 track CD engulfs the air with pleasant vibes and rocking sounds with a lazy French attitude. As the CD starts with Magic Dream, and surfs into Surfing State of mind, you know exactly what you are in for and as long as you have that in mind, you won’t go wrong.

A very pleasing 49 minutes.

8/10

By Tony Watson

7 Months - In Time
(Active Mind Productions – 2009)

On first reflection I wouldn’t have said 7 Months were a band from LA due to their prog rock style. In Time is a 70’s fiasco of YES, Genesis, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Rush but with a 2000 twist.

7 Months are an extremely complex of musical talent of rock and jazz with a soft undertone of progressive metal that sets a new style of commercial rock.

In Time is a 10 track accolade of things that have gone before. Throughout the 55 minutes I struggled to get to terms with the complexity of the sound and the intense feel to the whole production. It’s good to have people who are talented and play their instruments, but occasionally there come to a point where their skills get in the way, which causes a chaos of sound.

Unlike the early prog rock or even the modern rock music, 7 Months fail to produce something new and exciting, which is a dam shame. Due to all the musical content of the tracks with the same style and tone I struggled to find the tracks that stood out.

5/10

By Tony Watson

Skindred - Shark Bites and Dog Fights
(Bieler Bros/Atlantic – 2009)

Skindred are one of those bands that you hear in the club, go home, sleep off the beer and wake up the next day forgetting what the hell you did last night. Which is a damn shame? They aren’t a band that get the publicity they deserve, and ‘Shark Bites and Dog Fights’ is one of those CD’s.

Skindred have released a classic of a CD, with their metal/reggae/punk/alternative style, is this the confusion for most simple minded people? I don’t know! But what I can comment on is the brilliance of this compact CD.

‘Shark Bites and Dog Fights’ is playful, energetic and joyful. With tracks that are straight to the point, no messing about and there to be enjoyed by all. As ‘Stand For Something’ gets your ass on to the dance floor ‘You Can’t Stop It’ does exactly what is says on the tin as you then are spun into an Eddie Grants ‘Electric Avenue’, which is one of the best cover versions I have ever heard. And if that doesn’t get you up, you must be dead.

Skindred have probably released their best CD to date and the energy throughout will only leave you wanting more.

10/10

By Tony Watson

SONIQ THEATER - Unknown Realities
(TSM - 2010)

Why is it that great surprises are so good at the habit of being spoilt, these days?

While a veteran of ten albums, Alfred Mueller should know that any use of the word ‘Theater ‘ on his band name will give away the game especially for the new generation of young proggies after a first try. With this in the air, my first taste of his long-running one-man show Soniq Theater melts pleasantly in the mouth.

Performing a verse-chorus-verse tune on a keyboard as opposed to vocally is something very few can ever pray to carry off but Alfred is clearly a master of the art, with harmonies than most half -decent vocalists level up to, and he even creates hooks too on quite few of the eleven cuts. Not exactly a one-trick pony of his trade, his guitar work is as strongly polished with decent bends and Vai/Yngwie-esque moments aplenty, though not as overwrought and playing its portion without blanketing the remaining instruments.

While the synth effect becomes uncomfortably boy-band like on one track, it is rendered a superficial blot on his copy book by the overall consistence of the disc, - some of the astounding workouts he pulls off on his ivories will have any people called Sherinian or Rudess running for cover.

Unknown reality from an unknown genius.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.soniqtheater.de

SorrowfulAngels - Ship In Your Trip (EP)
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Greek gothic rock band with a Sisters of Mercy, Paradise Lost and The Mission feel.

SorrowfulAngels have generated a new style of goth/rock genre with a dark mystical overtone and powerful undertones.

Ship In Your Trip is a 10 track collection of fresh new music that engulfs the darker side of goth, which is not only catchy but also an absolute pleasure to listen to. The dark feel has you caught in a magical mystical venture as ‘Denial’, ‘Red Sunrise’ and ‘A Long Stay’ takes over your mind.

Although the EP is released as a 5 track, the presence it has placed is an arms wide open welcome for the rest to enter.

8/10

By Tony Watson

Spitfire - Die Fighting
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Greek metal band that have been around since the middle eighties, but have only released 4 albums, with the latest ‘Die Fighting’ riding a storm into the UK.

Spitfire are a solid rock/metal band with precise vocals, steady drums and bass and tons of guitar solos, licks and flicks.This style of metal is the old Judas Priest and Metal Church that comes across load and clear as ‘The King of a Mountain’ pounds its way through the thick fog of the 90’s to land on your lap with an energetic big wig head bang performance.

The 13 track CD has some delightful tracks such as ‘Die Fighting’, ‘Macedonia’ and ‘Danger in the World’, but there are also ballads such as ‘Icarus’ and a live acoustic track to finish the CD off quite nicely.

Unfortunately the CD fails to reach out to the masses due to the lack of power that Judas Priest and Metal Church have.

5/10

By Tony Watson

Steelgar - Xenocide
(Pegada Brutal – 2010)

Exodus, Testament and Overkill watch out Steelgar have hit these shores with their 80’s style thrash/speed metal and plan to take on the world.

Xenocide is a 10 track solid thrash CD from start to finish as they churn out the power chords and furious riffs. As soon as ‘Injected’ hits the ears a sudden flash back to the 80’s big wigs, leather bike jackets, Hitec Hitops and skin tight jeans come into view with a pungent smell of sweat, bear and bike oil.

Steelgar start well with the speed and thrash but as the CD continues, it’s like the speed slows down slightly which is a bit of a shame, but overall you can’t knock the songs of ‘Retaliator’, ‘Raiders of the Sand’ and ‘Thrashing Knights’.

A blast from the past but a disappointment for today as the excitement disappears.

7/10

By Tony Watson

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Quennsryche, Magnum, Journey, Helloween

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Surefire – S/T
(Newkirk Records – 2009)

Surefire are from Brooklyn, New York United States, who have released a self titled debut CD with a Beatles, Oasis and Black Crowes sort of feel.

This melodic rock band embraces the world of rock with open arms of love and hope that gives the whole CD a pleasant feel with an ora of pure white.

As the CD glides through its 10 tracks as you get a sense of a warm feeling as tracks such as ‘Stone Fox’, ‘Hold On To The Feeling’ and ‘By My Side’ wraps you up in a warm blanket of unforgettable tunes.

As a debut CD, Surfire have released a masterpiece.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Sun Gods In Exile - Black Light, White Lines
(Small Stone Records – 2009)

Sun Gods in Exile formed in 2008 gathering a multitude of followers with their mellow stoner rock style music before the elease of Black Light, White Lines.

This four piece band release their energy in their music as they would play a live performance, creating a raw un-interfered style production.

Black Light, White Lines has a different energy to the styles of stoner rock that’s on the market at the moment, with its tamer approach. The CD is not full of hard heavy beats, but is full of good classic rock style influences.

Although some people may put them in the stoner rock category, I would personally give a good solid rock feel as you venture through the world of ‘Eye for an Eye’, ‘Heaven Help us all’ and ‘The Gripper’ to name a few.

Unfortunately it’s nothing new and nothing exciting jumps out and bites you in the balls.

5/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Pantera, Machine Head, Slayer, Exodus, Dark Angel, Sepultura, Testament, Metallica

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Seasons Lost - After the Storm
(Silverwolf Productions – 2009)

After the storm is a good solid debut rock CD from Seasons Lost, who are a five piece band formed in 2005 Fort Lauderdale Florida.

We have the subtle tones of Stained, the darkness of Alice in Chains and the enthusiasm of Breaking Point. This 10 track CD floats from track to track expressing the passion and the love of rock music Seasons Lost has to offer, as the grab the listener in a solid state moment and then release them back into the real world with a feather like drop.

After the Storm is full of passion that is felt throughout each track as they progress from 'To hell and back', 'Confession' and 'The Big Empty' to finish with 'Predanatural' and 'Grave Shift' that finishes off a very thought out and intriguing CD.

I'm not saying Seasons Lost are a here now gone tomorrow band as I do expect several more CD coming our way, with a progression to go with it.

8/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sound Storm - Twilight Opera
(Rising Records – 2009)

This debut CD from Sound Storm has a operatic feel with a majestic overtone released within a power metal blanket.

Musical wise this CD has the power, the punch and the aggression to entice any power metal fan but the vocals have something of a operatic feel that needs a bit of time to get use too. As the CD is titled Twilight Opera, that is what you get. Imagine Phantom of the Opera meets power metal and there you have Sound Storm.

I would say an acquired taste is needed here with an open mind to alternative metal as the 11 tracks rattles through its progressive theme to tell its story to the world of good, evil and true love.

Sorry to say the true love for this CD did not pull my heart strings, which leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

4/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sycronomica - Sycroscope
(Silverwolf Productions – 2009)

Death metal has returned with a violent blast that puts Cradle of Filth to shame. Sycronomica rage their way through the realm of death to enlighten the cold dark earth with a sophisticated, melodic and complex death metal. As the world dies around us Sycronomica enters our doom and gloom with such force, the world can only surrender to their wants and needs.

Sycroscope grabs your balls so hard that your vocal screams can only be heard by dogs as this 9 track epic drags us into a world of pain and pleasure as they rip their way through 'Kaleidoscope', 'Realm of Dust and Ashes', 'The Call' and 'Embers' to name a few. The vocal growls are so cold, the shiver down your spine stays with you forever, the complicated guitar riffs churn your blood as the pounding drums stop the heart with a curse of no return.

Unlike most death metal bands Sycronomica bring in a touch of classical, progressive, atmospheric and technical influences that stands them out from the rest. Forget about Gorgoroth and Cradle of Filth, Sycronomica is the way forward.

8/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Although this is a three track EP, Surfaces have developed a technical death metal/thrashy style that is very entertaining to listen too.

They rate themselves in the same league as Meshuggah, Textures, BTBAM and Suicide Silence. With their deep sound, grunge guitars, cruel and evil vocals and their jackhammer drums. It’s a shame I have only 3 tracks ‘Voices and Lies’, ‘This Broken Black’ and ‘Icy Trails’ as I wanted more.

Keep it up lads.

9/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SINNOCENCE - Scar Obscura
(SPV - 2009)

Sinnocence are a four –piece from Northern Ireland and have a sound I’ve not failed to come across about 100,000 times previously (from four-pieces from North America) but their melodic metalcore sound is fun by the time you’re about 3 tracks in.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Enjoyable to listen to but I do feel they will be boring after a few listens but at this moment I am quite enjoying the party feel.

7/10

By Tony Watson

Very dark and heavy… keep it up.

7/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

SPANK - Get Bent
(S/R - 2009)

Oh come on, this is getting silly. Were it not for my rockular expertise, I would have assumed this North Carolina quartet’s moniker advertised some corny sleaze-punk wannabes hiding beyond the bushes, and the equally risque title hardly helps.

Yet on commencing my exploration of the musical content, I find oneself pleasantly surprised to discover some rather delightful melodic rock greeting me out of the speakers. The opening two numbers, ‘Turkey Leg’ and ‘Gravity’ are good enough for starters but ‘Back To Me’ is where it takes off. A strongly Scandinavian–edged sound .....oh yeah...fires away down the track, ‘Breathing’, ‘Terrified’ and ‘In Time’ the three other hook-fuelled rockers that follow closely behind. Kept alive by luscious guitar lines and great blues licks, the twin lead vocals of their two six-stringers provide a welcome Nelson element and, into the bargain, ballad ‘Hard To Understand’ brings the brothers themselves to mind.

Maintaining regard fro the requirements of diversity, Space’ is a mid –paced sludger with prog metal feel, and the lads close with punk feel on ‘Step Out Of Line’ . Why this album, the Charlotte outfit’s second, spans only a measly 33 minutes, 47 seconds tests me as it is to most extents quite a beaut. A practically unknown force in the UK< Spank nonetheless have something here that will certainly give melodic rock doubters six of the best but I myself will turn that ‘6’ upside down for a more accurate rating.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
MotleyCrue, Every Mother‘s Nightmare, Poison, LA Guns, Danger Danger, Enuff Z’nuff, Ratt.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Ex-members of The Darkness who have now have a band that sounds nothing much like the last outing at all – this is a real mixed bag of styles – making each song stand out with its own merit alone.

On this here album they comprise of Richie Edwards (Lead Vocals/Guitar); Toby McFarlaine (Bass/Backing Vocals); Dan Hawkins (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals) & Ed Graham (Drums) - since then though ex-Bush Drummer Robin Goodridge is now the full-time stickman.

Every single song is f*ck*n’ outstanding and there’s little wonder why it got nomiated as one of the best Rock Albums at Classic Rock Awards in 2008. Theres Rock ‘n’ Thrash in the opening ‘Burn The Witch’; the literally, haunting acoustic ‘Magdalen Street’ with harmonious beautiful backing vocals; the AC/DC like legendary tour story taled addictive ‘I’m With The Band’ with a killer solo from Dan & the positiveness of ‘Start Of Something’.

Then there’s the Status Quo like rocker ‘Making It Hard’; the autobiographical ‘Wasting Time’ about working it up in rock ‘n’ roll no matter what the odds are with a wonderful musical and vocal arrangement – well they do do it everynight or the dry-mouthed, oh sh*t we’ve missed last orders tonightness of the excellent closer ‘Oh Where ‘O My Beero’ that’s a political stand about pub opening times.

A tremendously amazing album that will be played again and again – I think this will go down as a Classic Album in years to come.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Tony Watson

4/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

6/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

-100/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Dave Attrill

SQEALER - The Circle Shuts
(AFM - 2008)

Encounter a German metal label and you’re about twice more than likely to find a truckload of national acts on its roster. That’s not to say quantity gets the upper hand over quality on AFM’s turf, and Teutonic thrash vets Sqealer are around to peddle strictly the latter of those two.

Formerly sporting ‘A.D.’ on the end of their moniker, the change of sound that comes with it is really one of sorts back to the classic edge from their heyday, but not a total throwback in itself. New vocalist Norbert Vornam, who fills the shoes stepped out of by ex-Grip Inc man Gus Chambers has a kind of Joey Belladonna-meets-Chuck Billy throat to fill in the top layer above those tow placed firmly in position already by the considerably diverse work of their two guitarists.

Messrs Schiel and Doring’s CD cases haven’t missed out totally on some current-day content - there’s a lot of the contemporary thrash scene to be heard in most of these songs, on top of the nostalgia elements. Less old school -purified than label mates Tankard they may be, but Squealer also have a well-conditioned engine on which to run, with no black smoke coming out the back quite yet.

Good stuff.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Evile, Anthrax

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

S-Core - Gust of Rage
(Drakkar Records/Sony BMG -2008)

A Hardcore, speed power, thrash metal band from Eastern France, yes that’s right from eastern France, no realy! Yes, this surprised me, I fact I will say it again, these guys are from FRANCE.

I must admit not much with regards metal music comes out of France but this has come as a bit of a shock. The power generated within their music is clearly displayed throughout the CD. A solid thrash feel that isn’t new but has a different edge to it. I would say they maybe nearly on the same verge as Bloodbath with a mixture of Machinehead but without the years of experience.

As you delve through ‘Greaser One’, ‘Requiem for a dying race’, ‘Buried’ and ‘Pangenesis’, the solid stable sound stays throughout with no massive alteration to their concept.

As this is nothing new, I do believe they will get a good following within Europe and I do wish them all the best for the future.

7/10

By Tony Watson

4/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Tony Watson

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - 1978: Live In Boston
(Fuel 2000 Records - 2008)

Within the inlay card the first sentence ended with the words ‘are a dying breed’, I am sorry to say when this was recorded in the Christmas period of 1978 I think they were already dead.

The sound is old-fashioned R&B (rhythm & blues), with the typical uptown rock and roll. If you are a big fan of early Springsteen, then you will probably enjoy this, but if you were more in tune with the times, then I would give this one a miss.

Overall this bored me and it drained the life and soul out of my party.

2/10

The 2 is for the production.

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

Stonewall Noise Orchestra - Constants In An Ever Changing Universe
(The Unit Music Co. - 2008)

This second release (Debut for the UK) from the Swedish hard rockers have released a powerful, melodic and double guitar riffed CD with a vocalist that sound like Chris Cornell. This band bought back memories of Soundgarden, Monster Magnet and Black Sabbath but also have the influence Audioslave, Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry.

With band like Soundgarden, Monster Magnet and Tool being their main influences you know exactly what you are getting, a deep stoner rock grunge style that accompanies the vocals if they were a match made in heaven.

From ‘Skyscraper moment’ to ‘The Inventor’ through ‘Clone Baby’ to end with ‘Unknown of Me’ the power and enthusiasm of this band isn’t lost, which generates a fresh feel to every track.

If someone played this to you without mentioning the band name, I would guess you would say it’s Soundgarden and the scary thing is that I think this is where Soundgarden were heading.

If you feel like something new to listen too, then I would say this is the CD to get, I don’t believe this CD will ever be put on the shelf to rot.

Brilliant.

10/10

By Tony Watson

2/10

By Tony Watson

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Tony Watson

5/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Dave Attrill

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Overall as much of a Sepultura and Slayer fan that I am, it’s just not working for me but I do believe they could end up with a good solid fan base around the Scottish highlands where they bellow out there hatred for the world.

6/10

By Tony Watson

Tony Harnell seemed to have disappeared from the radar following his departure from the reformed TNT. Was he giving Westworld or Morning Wood another go, albeit on a more full-time scale?

While the Norwegian legends forged on with another Tony at the mike (Ex-Shy man Mr Mills, that being) all is not lost for the big T.H. as he teamed up with one of Europe’s top melodic metal six-stringers, Primal Fear man Magnus Karlsson, and the satisfying result this latest venute,, namely Starbreaker.

Sounding not unlike the Westies themselves, the guy has moved forward and injected a more progressive feel into the mould this time round with a lot of these keyboard lines setting the vibe for the whole disc.

’End Of Alone’, ’Evaporate’, ’Unknown Superstar’, ’Hide’, ’Beautiful Distaster’, ’Hello Are You Listennig’ and ’Day belongs To Us’ between them should house enough to please fans of any of Tony’s past acts even though his still impressive voice sees to that as it is. Not TNT itself but could blow a few away.

Nice one Tone.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
TNT, Helloween, Edguy

Stonelake - Uncharted Souls
(Unlimited Music Production - 2008)

A brilliant Swedish quarted who have a sound that meshes in elements of Guns 'N' Roses, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with a vocalist in Peter Grundstrom who can sound very similar at times to all three of those bands frontmen.

I completely relish in this band because I've not heard a band who can pull this off and pull this off well without sounding tedious and strained to the point of stocking filler. Every one of these numbers is well worth lending your ears to several times over. The sound quality is rather poor and mushy but I'll let them off for that somewhat due to the musical and vocal quality exceeding it.

Highlights include the opening title track 'Uncharted Souls'; '(Tonight) You're Beyond The Shadows'; the Piesty Painkiller-like 'Higher'; 'Eyes Of The World' and the gutsy Hard Edged AOR'ness of 'White Flame'.

Check them out.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SWORN AMONGST - And So It Begins
(Rising Records - 2008)

After all the not-exactly-poor press that young Brit Metal hotties Sworn Amongst have earned and enjoyed from umpteen other British rags it comes our turn to decipher the reason for their appeal. Clues in the title (track) as the few likely cynics are sent scrambling for cover the very moment that ‘A.S.I.B.’ itself rages its way into the ring and a melodic sustained lead along the span of the intro pleasantly surprises into listening with both lobes pinned further ajar.

Only lacking experimental abilities where one or two song titles are concerned - ‘Unleash The Power’ and ‘Lord Of War’ are two of my favourite cuts as well, - they try plenty of moves that fellow national newies Evile didn’t dare to.

Frighteningly mainstream and in one or two cases almost AOR-ish vocal lines duel with guitars that prefer to be more Iron Maiden and Annihilator than Slayer or Pantera but their frontman’s Anselmo-like range keeps the match with the advertised description of their sound safely honest. Rarely a downer within the 55 minutes, these ten lumps of pure molten old-school metal magma guarantee a lethal injury when thrown.

You put your head in the way purely at your own risk here.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SACRED MOTHER TONGUE - Two Thousand-Eight Hundred (Single)

(Transcend Records -2008)

 Noisy Northampton youngsters Sacred Mother Tongue have already paved in their reputation as an act to be reckoned with over the preceding two years and support slots for Evile, another of our proudest national metal scoops of recent times has inevitably helped things.

Sounding like typal scream-core metal on first entry, it is superbly subtle for the larger remainder of the cut with the flowing chorus harmony taking me along first time.  With the performance of newly acquired guitarist Andy James -  who says you’re not allowed solos in modern metal now.

These lads are put on a higher step from most of the rest, and only the debut album itself remains to take them to the uppermost rung.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

ST. DEAMON - In Shadows Lost From the Brave
(Frontiers Records - 2008)

St Deamon are a four-piece power metal act from Sweden - ‘come off it, Dave I know a German band when I hear one’ you probably all argue right now.

Justly so with the product within being a near amalgam of every outfit to have involved people called Scheepers, Hansen or Kusch, past and present - yes, that little band beginning with ‘H’ included. Three quarters of S.D are familair names, with messrs Noberg and Milianowicz having been the rhythm section for fellow Swedes, the also Metalliville-approved Dionysus while vocalist Jan Thore Grefstad’s name has popped up on a project with TNT’s Ronnie Le Tekro in the past.

Poor old Toya Johansson is however no less important as his classy and more than a little Malmsteen-schooled guitar work makes the following three-quarter-hour we are graced with, the monster it turns out to be. One oddity in application here, is that it’s the first half that the chequered area of their material falls within, this time, with ‘In Shadows....., ‘My Heart’ and ‘No Man’s Land’ being the only three of the first six that bite me by the first chorus without need of a repeat play. The surviving trio, opener ‘My Judas’, ‘The Burden’ and Manowar-esquely titled ‘Ride Forever’ still later become fun after another listen, while the final five are where it’s at, even if one or two of the numbers are ballads.

‘’Black Symphony’, ‘Deamons’, ‘The Brave Never Bleeds’, ‘My Sorrow’ and ‘Run For Your Life’ are the full meat and potatoes of what melodic power metal should be, even if they astonish many with their absence of epics - 5 minutes 14 being the longest anything lasts this time. Quality, not quantity is stringently what these lads preach in and on a live set, these four chaps will rule. Zero to find for the seeker of originality, may be that usual one minor bone to pick but one I can safely throw in the direction of a hungry canine to enjoy, while I enjoy this album once again.

A very Saintly effort, indeed.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

VERY RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Hellow.....you-know-effin-well-who, Gamma Ray, Last Tribe, Stratovarius, Primal Fear, Royal Hunt, Jorn

ALSO RECOMMENDED - (See reviews also on site)
LEVERAGE Blind Fire (Frontiers)
RIDE THE SKY New Protection (Nuclear Blast)

5.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

SUDDYN GRAVITY - Gravity
(S/R – 2007)

Why the effin ‘ H are the most interesting new bands to dock at Planet Metal’s bays nearly always the same ones who give us one measly song on which to decide their initial merits, eh?

Sudden Gravity, it is muchly hoped, have a catalogue of others at least as good as this, as ‘Gravity’ is despite its title, product of a clearly less than down-to-earth act. Goth-Pop is the closest I can draw the line at here with a strong eighties flavour both on the outside and in the centre.

This power ballad-structured tune is a blinding song but two or three on the disc would have helped, even if just to make sure.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SAMAEL - Solar Soul
(Nuclear Blast - 2007)

Glad to find them still round after all these years, Samael haven’t let up in the time since I last heard from them about a decade back, their respectable ranking in the doom metal genre keeping unflinchingly intact.

Here’s another disc that will probably ensure that stays the case, as ‘Solar Soul’ brings us another helping of their dark but overall commercial extreme metal that also has potentially as much appeal to Metallica fans and perhaps a White Zombie follower or two, a top the gothic body of their sound that keeps things otherwise done by the book for their scene once again. ‘Solar...’, ‘Slavocracy, ‘Western Ground’, ‘On The Rise’ and ‘Suspended Time’ fall amongst the good ones and although no live dates seem planned in the UK, there’s time to get used to some of these impressively constructed numbers that rely on straight rhythms instead of messy death metal string mingling.

It’s worth having anything at all from these lads nowadays if just to prove bands like this still exist even though the album has been out a few months.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SUBLIMINAL FEAR - Uncoloured World Dying
(Burning Star - 2007)

Intense melodic death metal is what Italy’s Subliminal Fear are billed as brining us. Intense, yep, but the directionless thrash racket that accounts for opening cut ‘Insane Archetype’ lumbers past, almost bereft of any tunefulness.

As I see that the remaining eight vary mostly between 5 and 8 minutes in length rather than the 2-3 we are more accustomed to, something strange happens. ‘Destroy My Ruins’ is a much more accesible number with singer Carmine showing us his nice pipes for the job, and fro the remaining three quarters of the disc, it’s a chequered platter, just marginally listing towards the more favourable element.

‘The Silence That Remains’, ‘Leave Our Eyes In The Burning Sky’, ‘I’ve Lost My Control’ and the epic closing title cut have substance even if not always instant – it’s just a shome the others don’t quite stay in the same mould, and just go over my head.

Still, the guitar work’s nice, boys.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Dave Attrill

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

JAKE STIGERS AND THE VELVET ROOTS - Do You Feel High

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDEDIFYOU LIKE
Sep…..you-know-who (‘Beneath The Remains’ era), Skinlab, Machine Head,
Killswitch Engage

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Threshold, Enchant, Last Tribe, Royal Hunt

SILENTREE - Tree Of Silence

Very corny title lads, not that the music’s exactly silent though, is it. Italian four-piece ‘Silent Tree’ delight in dealing in a brand of old-school thrash that sadly only receives praise from devoted metal fanzine but from Kerrang, oodles of scathing ridicule accompanying a one-K rating.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SITE www.silentree.it

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Signs for the Romagna quartet are good from the start, as opener ‘But Evil Lives Again’ launches with a surprising as you might think it, Iron Maiden assault- then you know you are in for some serious leather-clad aggression, but the time two more numbers are done. These lads may more-than-likely count the Cro-mags amongst their inspirations, the format is almost identical as they layer the aggro-punk and thrash essentialities repeatedly through, so that you take both in with every bite, but tunes like ‘Nightmare’, ‘Revenge Of The Swampthing’, ‘The Cage’, ‘Growing Fire’, ‘A Place In Hell’ and ‘Swallowed’ bear bigger teeth themselves. I understand we’re not the only source of positive press for this disc, but Showstrip look set to Silence a few more critics in their life.

A Monster itself.

8/10

By Dave Attill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Sick of It All, Motorhead

9.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

7/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

667/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE - Pantera, In Flames, Iron Monkey

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

5/10 – 10/10 to you if you make it all the way through.

By Glenn Milligan

Sweet Seduction – New Demo
(S/R – 2006)

Carries on from where the last one left off – this time the production is extremely professional – nice one lads – more in your face than before. Songwise this is a lot stronger and they ooze more confidence on here like on ‘Down in the City’ or ‘Sweet Seduction’.

See ‘em somewhere at a UK venue near you or beyond.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

WEBSITES www.sanctorum.co.uk www.myspace.com/sanctorum

7/10

By Dave Attrill

SKID ROW - Revolutions Per Minute
(SPV - 2006)

New Jersey legends Skid Row received a surprisingly warm welcome on their return three years ago, by their (remaining) fans… the ones who remained after hearing disappointing comeback album ‘Thickskin’ that being. I must admit, after having heard it myself though, I found it was at least listenable and there were one or two decent numbers on offer.

Anyway, here they try again and just about do it this time as ‘Revolutions’ is about as close to their Seb Bach era sound as they’re going to get it. You’d be thinking largely ‘Subhuman Race’ at first but a punkier sounding ‘Slave…’ era noise also come to the conscience and they are more melodic again now. Johnny Sollinger makes himself more at home, his range creeping close to that of his Canadian predecessor and in synchrony, the guitar work actually sounds like that of messrs Hill and Sabo once more…. Thank f***.

The songs are shorter nowadays, with the twelve here amounting to about thirty-five minutes between them, but getting better again as this once great band begin to (re-)find their feet. Hooks at no shortage, ‘Revolutions Per Minute’ may still fall a way short of satisfying those waiting for another ’18 and Life’ or ‘Rattlesnake Shake’ but they are once more starting to steer in the right direction.

Recommended for anyone prepared to give them a second chance, but still worth trying, if a new fan, The Row have hit the Skids of late but are now just about comfortably back on the road.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

6.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Dave Attrill

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

This is an album that Neal can be proud of making and one that I urge people to purchase.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shrine Of The Monkey - S/T

(Self-Released Demo - 2005/2006)

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

4/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SITE www.slavetothesystem.com

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

The odd bit of diversity of course does little if no damage to the surface, hence Sandalinas sees fit to add a bit of funk and Prog into the odd space and chorus here and there over the area of the album, but this is a strong and virtually flawless release nonetheless with hooks and solos both doubling as selling points. If you can find it on sale anywhere in the UK, buy!!!

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Dio, Magnum, Ten

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Dave Attrill

ALSO (HIGHLY) RECOMMENDED
LAST TRIBE Witchdance (Frontiers 2002)
POWERQUEST Neverworld (Frontiers/Now and Then 2004)

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Basing it round mostly straight-ahead structures, they combine every precious element of Threshold, Enchant, Saga and Dream you-know-who into their formulas and burn the combustion off into a sweet smell that fills the musical air. The guitar work does sound a little borrowed here and there even if equally well tutored but some things in life you are allowed to enjoy more than your share of.

Catchy in both vocal and instrumental perspectives, I think I'm actually tempted to call them, though I'd prefer it if they'd kindly provide the number this time.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

I've reviewed about five (dozen?) live slots and an Ep by this lot all in the last six months and for all my troubles I finally get to assess their first full lengther. Several, Several tunes are already established live favourites of mine, 'Deuce', 'Ode To Spike', 'Face To Face' and 'Over The Hill' amongst them but many of these ten slabs of southern rawk n' roll splendour prove Sheffield's current retro-rock kings' credibility with the scene well earned.

Elsewhere on the map, 'Like A Fool', 'Honour…', 'Hangin' On' and 'Get Me Up' parade their Stones/Black Crowes-and-beyond inspirations all the way round town, and should stop a fair ol' amount of traffic en route. More or less specialising in rough n' ready rhythms, the realistic guitar sound that propels them, crafted precisely by messrs Kerr and Mewse carries a subliminal message that reads 'It's 1965 again, folks' and you will begin just to wonder how old these lads were exactly, when they first started pinching their dads' lps.

Pleasant stuff all round and with impressive vocal performances from Dave, 'H.A.T.' is quite an incendiary introduction to one of Steel City's most promising hard rock acts of late, and one with the possible potential to play D*f L*pp**d at their own game. Why they only want eight quid per copy of this nice little disc baffles me a tad.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5

By Dave Attrill

6.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Southern Rock All-Stars - Trouble's Comin' Live !
(Tazer Records - 2004)

It's Southern and it rocks with a band made up of ex-members of Molly Hatchett; Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot who play some of their best gritz live and then some! Pure rebellious arousery on 2 Cd's and recorded at various gigs around the USA that has been 4 years in the making.

The band are absolutely loving it throughout, not to mention their fans and friends. And before you ask, no there are no overdubs or additional sound added to the album - it's been cut straight from the stage to the CD.

How can you argue with Molly Hatchett numbers like 'Gator Country'; 'Whiskey Man' and 'Flirtin' with Disaster' or versions of Blackfoot's epic 'Highway Song' and 'Stars/Run and Hide' plus covers like 'Train Train' and 'Wishing Well' (as done by Blackfoot); Mountain's 'Mississippi Queen'; 'Morning Dew' by Tim Rose that has a U2 'Where the streets have no name feel' to it'.

There's literally so much on here to choose from with other faves being the tribute to Shorty Medlocke, where you hear the man himself singing and playing the banjo - it's moving material indeed amd especially so is The Allman Brother's 'Dreams (I'll never see)'.

This set proves that the south has well and truly risen.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Their take of 'That Smell' burns brilliantly and very like the original and even the accent nearly convinces you that these guys come from a deep part of Florida. It's nice to hear the backing vocals on 'Simple Man' as they get it spot on. 'I know a little' is played well but the female backing vocals just don't like sound like southern belles enough.

Overall it's good and no doubt exceptional in concert.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

A name that I vaguely remember hearing beforehand, Slow Roosevelt's debut album (that is right, by the way?) unfortunately bears a title that describes about half of its content. Rarely to be too harsh without due cause, they do have meaning expressed in their material but their deal in shriek-laden metalcore is too borderline owing chiefly to a shortage of hooks or any memorable elements for that fact.

If a Third-rate Rage Against The Machine or Downset mixed with some of Boy Sets Fire's infrequent weak moments to avoid a total lack of direction, is your perfect cup of tea, enjoy. For those less informed of the scene, leave this one on the shelf and look elsewhere because Slow Roosevelt didn't brew quite enough bags in their pot.

Sad.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

80's Glam sleaze from Denmark that as the bio sez, is like a cross of The Four Horsemen, Circus of Power and Junkyard - you better believe it.

Not afraid to keep their accents despite odd this sounds on cd as you don't get that high octane vocal style associated with this music but gravely baritone instead. A lot of it is rather corny lyrically especially the Status Quo like 'Live it Up'. 'Down 'n' Dirty' is a pretty cool number though and so is the cracking 'Fall' - just a pity about those awful backing vocals.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

True survivors in rock music's most criminally ridiculed genre today, Canadian prog legends Saga still manage to steer successfully clear of the machine printing the 'has been' and 'underdog' labels after these 25 years.

'Keep It Real' is one example showing Dream Theater in particular who the envelope containing the style royalties should be addressed to. Ironically, Michael Sadler's voice, fro any new Saga-tarians reading, reads clear as a lower-strung LaBrie but the Theater frontman, also Canadian quite coincidentally, stuffs this chap's range by many degrees. That's not to say this veteran Toronto quintet underperform, far from it, matey. With a new drummer, Christian Simpson in the firm, Saga continue to bring the milk to the doorstep on a daily basis.

Living on the side of the fence favouring straight forward verse-chorus principles, 'Network' delivers ten pretty-damn fine tunes, all differentiable yet almost all fitted with hooks amidst Ian Crichton's short but sweet solo breaks. 'If I were you', 'Don't look Now', 'Live At Five' and 'Back Where We Started' complete the album's better half, the latter taking quite an 80's electro/New Romantic leaning, an affordable act of diversity at this stage in their stretch. Another great chapter in this wait for it. Sag... (Shut It!!!).

9/10

By Dave Attrill

I picked this up immediately after enjoying their 30-minute debut set at the Boardwalk and on the volume of that performance expected quite high things. No disappointments then as the three numbers all deliver the goods in ways big and small and I know even more where their collective heart lies musically. This is somewhere between Black Crowes, GNR, Jellyfish, The Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd, veering from one closer to others on each of these catch little tunes.

Guitarist Dave doubles as lead singer for the time and quite truthfully though he's put down his own vocal abilities in the past, I didn't notice too much fault in his performance especially as his love of southern rock n' roll has probably motivated him at least a little part of the way with this venture. Formed in late '02, the band take their name from one of the instruments in Dave's prized guitar collection and has quite a prized song collection to churn out with them too.

Seriously - even though Dave's a mate of mine - these three tracks, all immediately impressive themselves, are only the introduction to another promising Steel City outfit who deserve a chance after the less than smoothly-running times some may be aware they've had over the last year or so.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

He's got loads to offer has Jeff, he's the frontman of 'Talisman' and that band's guitarist 'Howie Simon' appears on this solo outing too as well as 'Neal Schon' of Journey.

As the bio says, he is the vocalist of melodic hard rock as well as being a very confident, enthusiastic performer - and those who've seen him will completely agree - me being one of the many. This album does Jeff justice and far outdoes his previous release 'Prism'. It may sound lazy to simply say it's a masterpiece but it is just that.

You've got the brilliant melodic vocal harmonies in 'Soul Devine' that's like a look back at Extreme (that band that featured Gary Cherone on vocals). The song 'Drowning is a rocking bolt from the blue where the exquisite vocal harmonies ring out as amazing as ever. A splendid ballad ins found in the relationship breakdown of 'If this is the end' but you don't get too long to feel down as the title track 'Lost in the translation' blasts you up to the moon again.; same with 'Doin' Time' and 'High Time' that have all the necessary ingredients to be pumpin' thumpin' Soto standards. I am sure that 'On my own' is a follow-up to 'Is this the end?' - so has Jeff just split with his other half or something because 'Find our Way' is another inclination to where his head could be at the moment. The closer, 'Sacred Eyes' is an acoustic beauty that is reminiscent of Extreme's 'Hole Hearted' that again has those mesmerising harmonies.

This album is a pure X factor for melodic rock and Jeff is rightfully receiving the credit and appreciation he deserves.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Good ole fun partyness that matches in the gutsy filth of AC/DC with the sleazey hipness of Kiss, not to mention having a frontman who has the Gene-like voice on many occasions with 'Woman in a fast car' being a class example.

The single itself is an anthem, the tell-it-how-it-is and stand up for your rights of 'Never turn your back on rock 'n' roll' as well as the full-on 'Mister Saturday Night' or the tribute to the best cut-off denim shorts wearing beauty in the USA 'Dasie May', from 'The Dukes of Hazzard'. Another great track is 'Dee Dee Dominator' - just can't think what that's about.

Basically land anywhere on this album and you'll scuse the pun, come across a nice slab of erotic gratification.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

With an approving couple of listens to 'The Panic' on a recent 1-track sampler, I was expecting fireworks from metal hotshots Strata on this much discussed debut. Thankfully, most of this material ignited on lighting the fuse with next to no damp squibs in the display today. That said they still sound too much like many of the other respected names on the roster but they do have their own moments even if rather too few of them.

The guitar work is none too idle and some distinctive grooves support the gutsy BoySetsFire-esque vocal melodies. That and not exactly a major shortage of hooks plays to their favour, even more so when these tunes hit the stages but in the long run, I can only see them as Drowning Pool's cute little brother who bites.

Still worth checking out, before you get worried.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Cheesy OTT metal band that blend daft Manowar like lyrics with the power of Anthrax and come off like Spinal Tap trying to make out they are serious - yeah right!!

It really is a bombastic comedy album if ever there was such a thing with a song called 'Sexual Abuse' coming complete with female porno wailing, a cover of The Trogg's 'Wild Thing' (you make my d*ck swing!!); 'Hey Joe' and a send up of 'God Bless America' or the silly 'Evil Elvis' all you can do is laugh.

Tongue in cheek throughout from a bunch of Arizonians who resemble Kiss, King Diamond and then some.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

He's out on his own again like he was in '78 - welcome to 'The Demon's' second solo album which is worth the buy alone to see all the scantily clad hotties pictured with him on the cover.

The Jewish dark lord burns us up with a cover of The Prodigy's 'Firestarter' that even features 'Gizz Butt' on the guitar - it's got as much atmosphere as the original - if not more - it's like the song was written for him.

There's compositions with Bob Dylan and the late Frank Zappa and let me tell you that there are plenty of rock genres covered here and it ain't like a Kiss album with Gene doing all the vocals (although 'Sick and dirty love' could fit snugly on one of his day-job releases). He's not lost his sick, twisted, arrogant touch either - check out the title track 'ASSHOLE' for a major example. Nice bit of kiddie singing on 'Now that you're god' and the poppy humorous 'If I had a gun' suits his nature too.

Is it a coincidence that this album has 13 tracks - well it appears to be a lucky number for Gene. Like to see his do them live some time.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

And onto yet another of those interesting little names with little of great substance to support its cause, we go, this turning out to be just another four minutes of nu-metal by numbers. Coming straight after reviewing the EP by fellow newcomers Brody, it's practically another of their tunes but lacking the same quality hook. Don't get me wrong, it's only one track we're talking here, but they probably have plenty of better ones that I've so far missed. There's always next time lads.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Typical crashing, ten a penny US Rock band that you'd expect to hear on the 'Buffy the Vampire' TV series. This song is melodic and bawling with a bashing big chorus that's got the title of the song in it. Like the fact that it's got a banjo in it.

Artists like Bush, Seether and Nickleback can look out because Seven Wiser are on their trail. They are perfect fodder for an update teen film.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

4 London based glam rockers who are simply tryin' to bring back rock 'n' roll despite what else the British media says is big because they are probably being payed to plug it.

Made up of T3 (Keyboards/Guitar); Vile Gilez (Percussion); Stevie Lee (Lead Guitar); Lord Zion (Vocals/Guitar) and Vikki Spit (Bass) they are a band who sure as hell show you what you are missing out on throughout with cuts like 'Trust your instinct' and 'Not dead yet'.

No doubt they'll be travellin' up north to see us soon. F*ck commerciality, get into a band like 'Spit like this.'

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

The name rang alarms at first but thankfully false ones as Hungary's Stereochrist sound nothing at all whatsoever like the Welsh Britpop act of a name not too different. After my first taste of Hungarian decibels in the shape of Attila Csihar's 'Best Of..' failed to impress, I was still not without reason to exercise a little caution.

These boys cut short my worries with their deep grinding' and also slightly progressive brand of stoner metal which should especially appeal to those who appreciated recent offerings such as Hidden Hand's 'Divine Propaganda' disc. Strong melodies and stabbing grooves are only on occasion slightly ruined by the sometime indecipherably manic vocal style but it is more or less 38 minutes of raw rock n' roll for its own enjoyment.

Do try it.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Monster Magnet, Corrosion of Conformity, Floodgate, Cathedral

A band who should have got signed but sadly got ignored. They featured the bassist of the orginal Tuff line-up, Jaime Fonte' as well as the drummer from the Big Bang Babies. Their vocalist, Joey Martell has made this album available for the 1st time and good on him too as this is Hollywood glam in the vein of The Bullet Boys, Black 'n' Blue and Tora Tora.

Get your ears round some unsophisticated soundz like the explicit 'In you or on you'; 'Legs up High' and 'Hollywood Angel' to name but a few.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

When sleaze fans heard 'Sinn' on the 'Hollywood Hairspray II' with their bashing 'Stepsister' they wanted more of 'em so Tom Mathers of Perris Records sorted it. I guarantee that you won't be grumbling either with what he's packed together on this cd collection.

A main highlight is their stab at Poison's 'Look what the cat dragged in' (that they must have played during the various gigs along the LA Sunset Strip. Other highlights include 'Freak' about wearing your friends mums clothes; 'Science Girl' about what to do with a particular girl who wears tight red pants; the cowbellesque cock-rock of 'Outlaw' and 'Sexy Sweet' and the Pretty Boy Floydy 'Almost 16'.

If there's any more of this bands material around, I've got to hear it!! Be sure to buy it if you love the early sounds of Motley Crue, Faster Pussycat and Poison

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Now the last band who gave their album this title disintegrated but I just can't see that happening to Skew Siskin who are fired up and ready for action on a different label with a new drummer.

The ballsy Motorhead hit is still there (like the track 'We Hate') and the sound appears to be more high-ended than the previous album 'Spend the night' in '99. Their way is still heavy AC/DC riffage with a Girlschool attitude like on 'Shake Me' that's rather 'Let there be rock' and has Lemmy on backing vocals. There's plenty of good ole 'wham bam thank you mam' with songs like 'Lips'; 'White Trash' and '2 much 4 U' and 'The Goddess'. 'War and Peace Song' sees 'Siskin ket serious on us and 'Strike me blind' and a Bryan Adams'y styled song has been thrown in too - this being the closer 'Torn Apart'.

A cracking album by a crackingly good band - do I smell a headline tour on its way?

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

A band who house one of the strongest Rock vocalists of the 80's - this being Mike Majevic. The opener 'We all die young' will be instantly recognisable - well that's if you have seen the film, 'Rockstar' (the song appears in the audition segment of the film).

It's overall a strong album with the funky tracks like 'Live to die' and the moderately tempo'd 'Take a little time' with its killer chorus but I can't help feeling that they are simply trying to emulate Led Zeppelin because Mike sounds so much like Percy Plant especially in 'The Ahh Song'; 'Electric Chair' and 'Shangrila' instead of proving what they can achieve as a more original composition - if all the numbers were as good as the opener then the album would stand up next to AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' but it wasn't to be.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

This vehicle for Steelhouse Lane/Streets guitarist Mike Slamer and former Kansas/Sign bassist Billy Greer was one of the scene's big talking points with their debut three years back. Ballsy melodic rock of the sort that keeps the scene alive n' pounding in todays fashion controlled rock n' roll world, the disc immediately made them their fair share of fans and obviously one disc didn't seem enough. So these two jolly chappies got together and scratched their heads once more, hence another masterwork was created.

From the very off, you know again where they are both coming from, with Slamer's distinctive guitar sound, fresh from his main day project dominating the structures of all the tunes, coupled with Greer's quite impressively Hess-like vocal contributions. Quite a surprisingly varied album in styles at most times, but rarely stooping from expectations, 'Sun Will Rise', 'You Cross The Line', 'Sin City', 'It Should Have Been You' and 'Run' keep the wheels going round at full throttle, and if they are billed on the slot for this year's Gods fest, I hope at least three or four of those aforementioned are included on the set list.

Another fine showing from two of AOR's revered figures. Now Mike, about that next St**lh***e L**e album.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Steelhouse Lane, Harem Sacrem, Winger, Giant and definitely Seventh Key's first album.

They've impressed with a couple of the releases they sent us to scrutinise but we appear to have run into problems here. Whatever this is, it's different, it's unusual and it's only interesting for a couple of numbers. Coming on like some Jethro Tull wannabe trying to mix various other elements, mostly folk and medieval into the style, and removing the electric guitars in the process.

France's Still Volk carry it off adequately enough but the songs do very little before long and there is about that in it for me and more definitely for anyone who is not a fan of the works of Mr Anderson and his cohorts. No points get knocked off for singing in the band's native language, and they have zero problems with the performance of duties involving their respective instruments, but they could have tried, in many ways to make some of these numbers a bit more memorable because they are quite frankly flat as a car tyre on a nailbed.

If you want to give this disc a go, be my guest but I can't see many followers of the rock n' roll scene finding a great amount of appeal in this material. Disappointing.

3.5/10

By Dave Attrill

The European continent's Latin quarter has always been a keen contributor to the goth/doom metal fraternity. Latest arrivals, Italians 'Sun Of Weakness' maintain this repute with this promising quintet of interesting tunes that not only look to My Dying Bride and Anathema amongst more expected influences but a fair bit of Paradise lost and surprisingly enough Dream Theater vibe also traceable.

Quite progressive itself in areas, a vague mixture of symphonic elements might not be too bad an idea to protect this act's material from likely accusations of sameiness. Still without a deal at present, there is enough here to convince several labels and I hope one of them has the manners to give Sun Of Weakness their chance.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

Andy Sartori is an unknown shredder type neo-classical guitarist whose influences include Johan Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and Nicolo Paganini (who also happen to be Yngwie Malmsteen's main influences) plus Yngwie himself and Rainbow. Isn't the name similar to Yngwie's band as well - Rising Force !!! - Surely it's a p*ss-take calling your band 'Andy's Force'.

It's very Malmsteen styled (but he uses different tunings or keys according to my mate Alex Kotziamanis). If you like wailing, high-end vocal power metal then this is right up your street like the opener of the four tracker, 'Castle of lost souls' or 'One Distant heart' with its plodding melodic riff and widdly guitar solo.

It's ok and no doubt he'll do well in parts of Europe and Japan.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

The solo album from the ex-Seb Bach band, now of Mountain bassist, Ritchie Scarlett who's got a real throaty, elaborate kinda Peter Criss meets Ace Frehley sorta voice.