Musipedia Of Metal

The Treatment, Buffalo Summer & Massive, Clwb Ifor Bach

So another gig in my hometown (Thank Christ!) and this one was real doozy, three young rock bands flying the flag for rock and roll in the face of many that say rock is dead (Yes you Mr Simmons!). As the lights went down the first band hit the stage

Massive

The trials of support band are well documented, playing gigs to five or six people, most of whom are uninterested in what the hell is going. This is all standard fare for a band in the opening slot, not for Aussie's Massive (or is it MASSIVE), they dove straight into their ballsy brand of AC/DC meets G'N'R snarling rock and roll and went for the jugular with first song Burn The Sun then ploughing straight into Dancefloor. The crowd garnered as these four Australians worked themselves into a whirling dervish of riffs similar to that Antipodean Devil Warner Bros gave us. The between song banter was short sweet and completely incomprehensible but the bands songs spoke for themselves, smash and grab drums of Jarrod Medwin, the thumping bass of Aidan McGarrigle, the smoking leads and solos of Ben Laguda and finally the whole testosterone fuelled, attitude lace rock and roll cavalcade is fronted by firecracker frontman Brad Marr on rhythm and vocals. Having a self aggrandising name like Massive can be a curse however it's both a blessing and prophecy for these Aussie madmen. Mark my words they will be Massive soon enough! 8/10

Buffalo Summer

A small change of pace was required after the muscular man rock of Massive and Buffalo Summer provided it perfectly. This Welsh quartet have been getting bigger an bigger on every tour and with good reason; the band play the same kind of 70's style hard rock that was always favoured by Zeppelin and Free as well as more modern acts like The Answer. However the band are much more than just a pastiche to the past they bring a modern edge to proceedings adding some heavier elements to their sound and also a tonne of funk that lends many of their songs a sound not too dissimilar to Extreme. Jonny (guitar), Andrew (vocals), Darren (bass) and Gareth (drums) all gel togetehr perfectly to give real guts to songs like A Horse Called Freedom, Ain't No Other, Rolls On Through as well as the bayou stomp of Down To The River which got everyone stomping and clapping like a revival. Yet another home grown rock band showing that rock is still alive and well and at this gig particularly giving a great bluesy, funk laden break in between the riotous rock a roll with some sublime classic rock straight from the Page and Plant copy book. 8/10

The Treatment

I've seen the Treatment evolve on stage from long haired teenagers to the stylised, focussed, precision rock machine they are now. As the lights went down the speakers jumped to life with Swords Of A Thousand Men which in my opinion is one of the best drinking/fighting/attitude songs of all time. As the crowd bellowed along the band appeared on stage decked out in their Sex Pistols leathers oozing attitude from every pour. The song cut dead (it is only three minutes long) and I Bleed Rock And Roll was (obviously) the first song, it's a declarative statement with AC/DC style riff getting heads banging and fists pumping. The band definitely have the look as I've said with frontman Matt doing his best M Shadows meets Axl Rose throughout, but what the band also do is stun you with just how accomplished they are musically, their song writing is great and their live delivery is flawless. Special kudos to the guitarists Dee Dammers and Tagore Grey who both gurn for their lives as they kick out the riffage for tracks like Emergency, the filthy The Doctor, the clarion call of Drink, Fuck, Fight and the mini epic The Outlaw before they played Running With The Dogs which is pure distilled punk rock. The set was well paced leaning heavily their excellent new album, the climax of the set came with Get The Party On which encouraged the (quite large) crowd to drink like it was Saturday night (it was in fact Wednesday) before Shake The Mountain made the roof come off. After being hit with nearly and hour of pure rock and roll all conducted by a band that have grown into a great, polished live act, the crowd caught their breath as the encore came with the lighter waving sing along Nothing To Lose But Our Minds. Next time they tour do your self a favour and see The Treatment live, this is what rock and roll is about! 8/10

So with a bill of three young rock bands, all of whom gave their all for rock and roll, I can say that ignore what the detractors say rock is still alive and kicking ladies and gents!!

Slipknot: 5: The Grey Chapter (Roadrunner)

The world's most dangerous band have been in turmoil as of late, with the passing of bassist/primary song writer Paul Gray in 2010, something that shocked the band to it's core and saw them on the verge of collapse. This feeling of loss has been doubled by the resignation of drummer Joey Jordison in 2013 meaning that this album, the band's fifth, has been gestating for six years. In the meantime the disagreement between Jim Root and Corey taylor around their other project Stone Sour has caused conflict between the two, however Slipknot have always been a twisted family and it is all of the members first love that they always return to. Because of this the release of a Slipknot album is always an event and .5: The Grey Chapter (title is a homage to their fallen brother) has been teased for months the full reveal coming with the video for The Devil In I which the band debuted their new masks, Taylors being the most radical change and also their new rhythm section. However the music is the same as it's always been, animalistic percussion from the new drummer, the twisted genius Shawn Clown Crahan and the gonzoid Chris Fehn, samples galore from the silent killer Craig Jones and the evil gimp Sid Wilson, murderous riffs from man mountain Mick Thompson and the Viking bearded joker Jim Root before the twisted master of ceremonies, Taylor, sings, croons, growls, barks the aggressive lyrics becoming the mouth piece for another slice of fervent rallying becoming a clarion call for the disillusioned and the angst ridden. The overall sound of the album is a mixture of the melodies present on Vol. 3 and the aggression and primitive nature of Iowa. XIX is a call to arms with just a single electronic sample and Taylor's scarred vocals showing the scars of their recent past before Sarcastrophe starts off subdued but as the guitars kick in they proceed to bludgeon just like the old days with everything going 100 mph, AOV kicks it up another gear with a riff meant to cause huge pits. The pace doesn't let up on The Devil In I which has more melody in it harking back to Vol 3 but still has enough bile and violence to ensure that you are still aurally beaten. Killpop slows things down and is a percussive violent love song before Skeptic takes things back to the boilersuits and blood of Iowa, with Taylor screaming his head off. The riffs are brutal, the percussion is bone breaking and Taylor shows why he is considered one of the best singers around, see the change between barks on Lech the croon on the electronic ballad Goodbye (a song that is heart breaking) and even the expletive filled machine gun spoken word delivery on Custer. The finale is in two parts, the first is Negative One which is Slipknot distilled and the second is the sparse, haunting, depressive If Rain Is What You Want. So even though they have matured and had their fair share of tragedy the nine man killing machine is still pumping out some of the most confrontational, influential metal music in the world. Lock up your loved ones, Slipknot are back whether you like it or not! 9/10

Flying Colors: Second Nature (Mascot)

When supergroup Flying Colors relased their first album in 2012 expectation was high, here you had one of the leading lights in prog Neal Morse, his Transatlantic bandmate and frequent collaborator Mike Portnoy, joining forces with Deep Purple's Steve Morse and his fellow Dixie Dreg Dave LaRue, the only unknown being singer Casey McPherson. With the talent involved everyone a expected a prog extravaganza but what they got was a technically proficient, brilliantly executed mix of pop, rock, funk and jazz all brought together in one place with the immense musicianship of the the musos mixed with the pop voice of McPherson. However many felt the album didn't scratch their prog itch so Second Nature aims to redress the balance doing exactly what the title suggests, prog is in these men's blood so as the Transatlantic style opening of Open Up Your Eyes we dive straight in at the deep end with some airy keyboard fuelled majesty that then changes into a synth filled 13 minute stunner of an opener that echoes ELP and Yes, Neal Morse's fingerprint is all over the opener and as the song progresses we get changes in key, pace and style as LaRue lets his jazz side out, Portnoy turns from easy patterns into huge fills and Steve Morse solos like a demon in the middle eight and at the climax. Again it is McPherson's voice that is a revelation as he can really sing, his voice reminiscent to a cleaner version of Dave Grohl and his pop phrasing means that he hasn't got the overblown histrionics of many prog singers. Yes prog certainly is in this bands nature and they show this to full effect on this record with most of the songs over 4 minutes and the album is bookended by one 12 minute track and one 11 minute track the glorious finale Cosmic Symphony. In between we have Mask Machine which is big rock track followed by the orchestral backed power of Bombs Away and the Queen-like ballad of The Fury Of My Love which again is pure Neal Morse. The band gel so well on this record there is no self-indulgent nonsense, everything is for the good of the song, we are taken on a journey through the members influences from the Beatles-like A Place In Your World, the Celtic flavoured One Love Forever and of course the likes of ELP, Yes and even Floyd on the plaintive acoustic strummed Peaceful Harbour which gives McPherson ample opportunity to show off his impressive voice. This is a passion project from all those involved they created the songs, performed them and produced the album meaning that this album pips it's predecessor only because; one it is what is expected and two a true labour of love. So the prog is most definitely back and Second Nature is the sound of five men doing what they do best and doing it with style. 9/10

Sanctuary: The Year The Sun Died (Century Media)

Move along Axl Rose your album Chinese Democracy took 14 years to make, well Sanctuary's last album, the excellent Into The Mirror Black, was released 25 years ago, and in the year 2014 it now finally has a follow up. This gap between albums is because the band broke up after their last album and only reunited again in 2010, this isn't to say the band faded into obscurity, frontman Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard formed Progressive metallers Nevermore with guitarist Jeff Loomis. Nevermore was a totally separate entity from Sanctuary, it was far more progressive with wider style and themes explored on their albums. Sanctuary on the other hand were smack bang in the middle of thrash (their first album was produced by MegaDave himself) so they managed to make strong aggressive but also progressive thrash/traditional metal albums. Now I don't have a preference, I think both bands are excellent so thankfully The Year The Sun Died has all the elements you would want from Sanctuary with the modern, mature touch of Nevermore. As the opening riff of Arise And Purify kicks it is clear the thrash is definitely back with Lenny Rutledge and Brad Hill proving some expert riffage along with the speedy gallop of Sheppard's bass and the frankly excellent drumming of Dave Budbill, obviously one of the major selling points of both Sanctuary and Nevermore was the amazing vocal range of Dane who shows his form off brilliantly here from the bellowing lower range croon on tracks like Let The Serpent Follow Me and the monolithic doom of Exitium (Anthem of the Living) to the ear piercing shrieks (not favoured in Nevermore) of I Am Low which is a surprisingly Nevermore sounding track as is The Dying Age which ends with cries of "Exterminate". The Year The Sun Died is glorious return from Sanctuary, it picks up where Into The Mirror.... left off and adds everything that Dane and Sheppard have been part of since, the songs are heavier, bolder and more mature than before and as the emotive and passionate title track ends the album perfectly I felt as if Sanctuary have continued their legacy by carrying on the sound of both the bands they are associated with, this is one for fans of the original Sanctuary and also happily for fans of Nevermore too. 8/10

Opeth – The Institute, Birmingham

Having been unable to get to the Bristol date of the Pale Communion tour it was a first ever visit to The Institute in Birmingham to check out the last leg of Opeth’s UK tour. Getting to Birmingham at tea time on any evening is always a massive ball ache but with the gods on our side we made it shortly after doors opened and in good time for openers Alcest.

I have a lot of time for French outfit Alcest. Their music is moving and emotional and Shelter earlier this year was a quite beautiful release (see review earlier this year in MoM). This was my fourth viewing of them in the live arena, following their magnificent headline set in the Sophie Tent at BOA in 2012 and two stints as support on the last Katatonia tour. A short set consisting of five songs represented their works from their four albums. Opening with Opale from Shelter, Neige’s voice was initially lost in the grubby mix, overwhelmed by an overpowering bass line. Alcest need a clean mix to highlight the nuances and complexities in their compositions and once it was sorted their quality began to shine through. Heavier live than on record, Neige’s vocals vary from clean to death growl. Autre Temps followed, Winterhalter’s powerful drumming looking easy. Indria’s bass playing blends perfectly whilst Zero’s guitar playing combines with Neige’s to provide the riffage alongside the shoe gazing. Zero’s backing vocals were excellent and look very strange coming out of a mountain of a man. Closing with Deliverance from Shelter, Alcest received a very warm reaction from the packed crowd, even from me who had been dozing off; we call that the Alcest effect! Warm and dreamy, they really do make you lose yourself for a few minutes at time. 8/10

Opeth are fast approaching classic status. After over 20 years in the business, a band much loved by many (yours truly included) and surely but slowly but surely increasing in status, they also attract quite a lot of negativity from members of the metal community. There are those who feel that they have lost their heaviness and abandoned their black metal roots with their last two albums moving effortlessly to a progressive and 70s sound far removed from their debut Orchid. How wrong they are. What we were treated to was an absolute master class in metal and how to construct the perfect set list. This was my 11th evening with Mr Akerfeldt and company, and with the exception of the sensation Albert Hall gig in 2010 this was the best set list and performance I think I've ever witnessed. As the strains of Through Pain To Heaven faded out, the band launched into a double header from Pale Communion; Eternal Rains Will Come and Cusp Of Eternity. Opeth had a few dates before Birmingham to get used to playing these live and both were pretty astounding; heavier than on the album but also allowing the delicate and clear tones of Akerfeldt to come to the fore. Any suggestion that this was going to be a set consisting of the quieter side of Opeth was immediately blown away as a thunderous Bleak blasted any cobwebs away. As usual, Akerfeldt was in fine form, dry humour and his self-depreciating approach evident every time he engaged the crowd. A comedy moment followed as guitarist Fredrick Akersson launched into Advent, only to be hauled back as the next track was actually The Moor from the excellent Still Life. As several of the crowd laughingly shouted that Akersson would be “sacked in the morning”, Akerfeldt made light of it. What never fails to astound me is the technical ability of all members of the band. Both Akerfeldt and Akersson are stunning guitarists, able to peel of solo after solo as well as add the layers required to the complex structures of the songs. Martin Mendez’s bass playing is consistently solid and he combines with Martin ‘Axe’ Axenrot superbly. Axe’s drumming is so impressive, powerful bass drumming hammering away whilst he effortlessly moves around the rest of the kit. However, what was really noticeable this time around was the influence that keyboard player Joakim Svalberg has on the music. His mellotron and Hammond keyboards flow through the tracks, enriching the sound and adding a fresh dimension to older songs. He also has added a welcome harmony to the backing vocals, an area most recently shared somewhat limitedly by Akersson. Following The Moor it was indeed a welcome rare airing for Advent from 1997’s Morningrise, a powerful and complex track, full of atmosphere and numerous changes in mood and speed. The tempo was then reduced as Opeth slowed the tempo, delivering the beautiful Elysian Woes from Pale Communion before dipping back to Damnation for the delicate and fragile Windowpane. After this though it was heads down for an all-out assault as Opeth demonstrated that when you need heavy, there aren't many bands that will come close. April Ethereal bludgeoned its way towards the sole nod to Heritage with The Devil's Orchard before the band closed with a brutal combination of The Lotus Eater from Watershed and The Grand Conjuration, an evil and twisted piece from Ghost Reveries. An encore followed and despite several shouts for my favourite track Blackwater Park, it was the crushingly heavy Deliverance, all 13 minutes of it, which ended a performance that had lasted well over two hours. A complex journey through much of Opeth’s catalogue with some rare outings adding to the overall excellence of the evening. Opeth just get better and better. 10/10

Decapitated: Blood Mantra (Nuclear Blast)

When it comes to technical metal you immediately think of Meshuggah, giants in the world of polyrhythmic time changes. Add the word death to the technical metal and there is no finer artist than Polish quartet Decapitated. Following on from 2011’s excellent Carnival Is For Ever, Blood Mantra elevates an already high bar into orbit. Crammed full of intricate and subtle time changes, this is a work of the highest quality. From the aggression of opener Exiled In Flesh to the atmospheric Blindness, the whole album just oozes brilliance. Blast beat drumming combined with powerhouse riffs which stick in the memory entwine with the stunning soloing from the main heartbeat of the band, Waclaw ‘Vogg’ Kieltyka. Dripping with hooks and no little dose of groove, Blood Mantra provides vocalist Rafal Piotrowski with the perfect platform to demonstrate his prowess and his growling delivery fits the bill completely. Each of the tracks are crafted brilliantly with the supporting rhythm section of bassist Pawel Pasek and new recruit Michael Lysejko on drums ensuring that the heaviness remains ever present. Just as an example, album closer Moth Defect contains an absolute blitzkrieg of powerhouse drumming. Blood Mantra is without doubt a masterclass for the genre of technical death metal. This album will definitely feature in my end of year top 10. A stunning piece of work from a band now firmly established in the top percentile. Roll on 12 December and their supporting role to Behemoth. Nergal and co had better watch out. His countrymen might well blow them off the stage. 10/10

Cannibal Corpse: A Skeletal Domain (Metal Blade)

The blueprint for death metal over the past 26 years has been crafted and delivered by New York’s gore masters. With A Skeletal Domain, their 13th release, Cannibal Corpse continue to demonstrate why they are the absolute masters in their field. Granted, if you don’t like death metal, this album won’t change your view one iota; however, if you happen to like a bit of extremely fast aggressive violent bloody death metal, this album will tick your boxes. 2012's Torture was a decent release and maintained the momentum that Cannibal Corpse have built over the years. Yet whilst the subject matter remains very much par for the course, (Sadistic Embodiment or Ice Pick Lobotomy anyone?) this album is a real improvement with some excellent writing and playing. The band are tighter on this album that a bull dog clip on your nut sack; blast beat drums hammer away from start to finish, crashing down with tsunami force; riffs drop from the sky at intense speed, solos peel off at an alarming rate and as always George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fischer’s vocal delivery remains the ultimate pinnacle of death metal frontmen. Take Kill Or Become, nothing says death metal more than Corpsegrinder growling “If you want to live you have to kill or become”; and the catchy refrain of “Fire Up the Chainsaw”. This album won’t change the world but what it does do is cement the position of Cannibal Corpse as the ultimate Death Metal outfit. No band from this genre has sold more records than them and they remain the true ideal for thousands of pretenders to their crown. Top quality death metal at its finest. Now, where was that chainsaw again? 8/10

Black Moth: Condemned To Hope (New Heavy Sounds)

Leeds outfit Black Moth’s second full release is a glorious mixture of doom, gothic, indie and hard rock. In fact, it's difficult to actually put a label on them. Opener Tumbleweave displays the doom influences of Sleep and Sabbath, stomping riffs and dark atmospheric lyrics cascade around you. Set Yourself Alight has the brashness and aggression of Iggy And The Stooges with elements of many of the guitar based indie bands; think of Sonic Youth or the Breeders for example. However, what provides Black Moth with an edge over many of their contemporaries is the haunting vocal delivery of Harriet Bevan. Sticking to a doom laden delivery, Bevan’s vocal suites the dark and witty lyrics: “your eyes say rock n roll but your lips say pepperoni” (Tumbleweave). Condemned To Hope displays pleasing variations in style, memorable hooks and catchy choruses, laced with the introspection of Siouxsie and the Banshees amongst others. The biggest problem facing Black Moth may the difficulty in categorising them and trying to gain the exposure they deserve. Are they metal, are they indie, goth or as I would suggest a magnificent hybrid of all genres. Having seen them live at Temples Festival earlier this year I know they can deliver live and I'm looking forward to another viewing at Damnation in November. 8/10

Evil Scarecrow – Galactic Hunt (Deadbox Records)

The scarecrew’s third full release has been a bloody long time coming. Forged out of a massively successful pledge music campaign and capitalising the momentum deservedly achieved from their constant gigging, not to mention two fucking incredible BOA appearances, Galactic Hunt is certainly packed full of new goodies from Dr Hell and his cohorts. Opener Rise is a full on heavy metal rocker, whilst Space Dementia, all homage to Red Dwarf races along, ringmaster Monty Blitzfist’s drumming powerful and combining with the guitars of Dr Hell and Brother Pain. However, throughout the album it is the subtle synths of Princess Luxury which have been enhanced in the excellent production, adding a soothing and essential layer to many of the songs. Of course, if you've seen Evil Scarecrow live, the opening few tracks will be familiar already. Space Dementia is greeted like an old friend whilst Crabulon has been around so long it seems scandalous that it is only now committed to record. Evil Scarecrow make no bones about their parody element; their lyrics are ridiculous yet right. However the band can really play and Galactic Hunt certainly justifies their right to THAT Saturday morning slot at BOA. Flight Of The Dragons, one of 12 tracks, certainly provides a demonstration of their musical prowess, building atmospherically from an Arthurian setting into a full on heads down metal attack, harmonies in full use, before the pace slows and showcases Pain’s guitar work. In fact there is little for me to criticise on Galactic Hunt except for … and this is a minor issue, the vocal delivery. Dr Hell’s voice is really suited to the live arena and although it fits the band perfectly, on record it can become a little difficult to live with after the first few tracks. Having said that, this is a really decent release, we'll worth the wait and the pledge. The opportunity to see them convert these songs in the live arena should be taken with both claws; Hammerfest can't come quickly enough. 7/10

Audrey Horne – Pure Heavy (Napalm)

Regular readers of this illustrious blog may recall that I waxed lyrical over Audrey Horne’s 2013 release Youngblood. Indeed, if memory serves, it made my top 10 of last year [They did- Matt]. It was with delight that I discovered that Pure Heavy had been released, albeit below my radar. So what is it about Audrey Horne that makes them so damn fine? Well, a listen to Pure Heavy should answer that very easily. Excellent musicianship, beautifully crafted heavy rock songs with no hidden agenda and of course the brilliant voice of Toschie. I won't provide a history as this has been done before, save to say that in my opinion Norway has produced nothing finer. Highlights on this album? Opener Wolf In My Heart rocks comprehensively, whilst Out Of The City is pure AOR filth. The whole album just reeks of classic rock, influences of many rock giants evident including Van Halen and one of my all-time favourite bands Thin Lizzy but all what the Audrey Horne stamp. Harmonies adding to the the sing-a-long choruses (Tales From The Crypt is a prime example), hooks galore and an overall great feel. Unfortunately Audrey Horne are rarely on the UK shores although I had the massive fortune of seeing them live at Sonisphere a couple of years ago (and at the same time introduced the legendary Brett Perry to Jagermeister but that’s another story) but they are really worth catching if you get the chance. Into The Wild, possibly my favourite track on the album, demonstrates the excellent guitar work of Arve Isdal (Enslaved) and Thomas Toftenharg (Sahg) and really is the essence of the band. Powerful rhythms and swirling guitars topped off with great hooks and vocals. Pure Heavy continues the excellent work laid down in Audrey Horne and Youngblood. Another great release in a year of quite exceptional music. 9/10

Messenger – Illusory Blues (Code 7-Svart)

Messenger first appeared on my radar when I was fortunate enough to see them support Casualties of Cool at the Union Chapel in September. Even in their short set their complex delicate compositions pricked my interest and the subsequent purchase of their first long player left me with the feeling that I'd uncovered a bit of a gem. Formed in London in 2012 the core of the band consists of Khaled Lowe, Barnaby Maddick and Jamie Gomez Arellano. This album sits very comfortably in the KScope stable, alongside the likes of Anathema, The Pineapple Thief, Lunatic Soul and Blackfield. Combining the best elements of the progressive movement with folk, rock and even Jazz, the album is delicately crafted and beautifully constructed. The Return starts with harmonies and an instrumental opening that quickly develops in an acoustic epic complete with flute action! The track slowly meanders to a dramatic and thunderous conclusion, rolling drums and chords a plenty. Piscean Tide is awash with folk, violin and acoustic guitar providing a folksy opening which progresses into another quite delightful track, mellow and relaxing with the violin enhancing the rhythm. The vocals are pristine throughout, warming melodies and soaring harmonies combining to quite stunning effect. Dear Departure captures the huge Pink Floyd influence that surges through the whole of Illusory Blues, no bad thing. Atmospheric sound effects provide another layer to the compositions. The combined vocals are of the highest quality, rich and powerful yet measured and composed. The Perpetual Glow Of A Setting Sun contains oriental influences along with the. Swirling keys and effects synonymous with bands like Hawkwind. Somniloquist sweeps you on a journey which ebbs and flows, intricate time changes and some quite heavy riffs in the middle section, contrasting perfectly with he overall calming vibe which flows through the album. String sections and keyboards are used to great effect, adding a number of complex layers to the tracks. The Eastern feel continues with final track Let The Light In, Led Zeppelin influences fusing into a fitting climax. This album requires some dedication, each listen allowing you to discover more and more of the delicious elements which are almost hidden within each song. A quite enchanting album. 9/10

The Datsuns: Deep Sleep (Hellsquad Records)

The Datsuns have been peddling their high quality fuzzy garage rock since 2002 and their sixth record is yet another trippy, reverbed, fuzzed up slice of down and dirty rock. The album kicks off with Caught In The Silver which is driven by frontman Rudolf de Borst's rumbling low end and Phil Somervell and Christian Livingstone's distorted guitars, Bad Taste is a radio rocker that comes straight out of the QOTSA playbook, Claw Machine has a shuffle that the Hellacopters would love. The band merge classic hard rock, noisy garage rock That's What You Get, punk rock on Shaky Mirrors, all combined with huge slabs of psychedelia especially on 500 Eyes which has a 60's Jefferson Airplane vibe that with a gorgeous slide solo in the middle. For a band that have been around so long you can really hear the years of touring and recording have paid off as this album is slick and flawless in it's execution. The guitars sear, the bass rumbles, the drums tumble and they all come together brilliantly. As the album rounds off with the trippy title track, you've been taken on a journey into The Datsuns little world rock and roll that encompasses elements of 60's psych, the blues rock of The Black Keys and lashings of professionalism. A great album with broad appeal. 7/10

Antemasque: S/T (Nadie Sound)

So after the explosion of The Mars Volta. Thw two main men Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala had somewhat of a falling out leading many to believe that neither The Mars Volta or indeed At The Drive In would ever return and they in part are right as even though the two have buried the hatchet they have returned with a new band and a sound that seems to be an amalgamtion of their two bands as well as drawing from all of their other projects. Unlike The Mars Volta, Antemasque are a more straight up prospect as the songs like 4AM and I Got No Remorse are based more around driving punk rock mixed with Rodríguez-López's extremely talented guitar playing, so think progressive punk rock/hard rock and you wouldn't be far off. In fact as this album progresses it becomes clear that this is what The Mars Volta had been aiming for on their two final(?) albums. I've already mentioned about Rodríguez-López's excellent of kilter, noodling, jazz guitar which set this album out like an upbeat, progressive The Smiths see In The Lurch. Bixler-Zavala's vocals are also very good he keeps his caterwauling to a minimum on this project preferring to concentrate on his normal mid range meaning that he is a lot more listenable for those that found his vocals in The Mars Volta to be a little overbearing. Former TMV and Killer Be Killed drummer Dave Elitch provides the crazy percussion sometimes sounding like he is playing a completely separate song, think Stewart Copeland, the funk bottom comes from funk bass pioneer Flea (who notably contributed trumpet to TMV). Everything gets a little Zeppelin on Drown All Your Witches before making everything gets dark and fuzzy and in the finale heavy on Providence. I'll be honest I've always been a fan of The Mars Volta but they have always been a little too out there for many, Antemasque is the bridge between the gap, it's proggy enough for TMV fans but also mainstream friendly enough for fans of At The Drive In, RHCP's and accessible rock music. 8/10

Immortal Guardian: Revolution Part 1 (Independent)

American extreme power metal band Immortal Guardian first came to my attention with their first EP Super Metal. I thought it was a hell of an album with the kind of speed metal riffs that wouldn't seem out of place on a Symphony X, Dragonforce or indeed any Japanese metal album. However the album was lacking vocally, that was until it was re-relased with their then new, now current vocalist Carlos Zema who has a hell of voice in the style of Russell Allen, gritty, powerful but also stratospheric. Revolution Part 1 is the precursor EP for their debut full length album and yet again it features some insane musicanship from these madmen the rhythm section of Thad Stevens bass and Cody Gilland's drums are insane with Steven's gallop having more horsepower than a Mazerati and Gilland's blast beating putting some black metal drummers to shame. To add the melodies and riffs we look to Gabriel Guardian who contributes guitars and keyboards (most of the time simultaneously) and Jyro Alejo who shreds like Malmsteen at lightspeed. Over these five tracks we have the two opening tracks the power metal rampage of Beyond The Skies, the heavier darker tone of Walk Alone before the middle of the album delivers one it's finest tracks, the excellent Immortal which features Roy Z who has contributed to both Rob Halford's and Bruce Dickinson's solo projects and also produces this EP, this track is phenomenal featuring lots of light and shade, a progressive nature and shit loads of guitar solos from the Guardian boys and Mr Z himself. Before we are treated to a huge ballad on Between Fire And Ice which has huge backing vocals and slows everything down fleshing out IG's sound a bit more before the finale of Victory Shore ends the album in true IG style. If this is an indication of what the album will sound like then it's guaranteed to be a real treat for metal fans!! 8/10

Blackberry Smoke: The Institute, Birmingham

Another trip to England’s second capital within a week for another quite brilliant evening.

After a smooth journey we arrived at the venue with three hours before Atlanta’s good ‘ole boys Blackberry Smoke took to the stage. An interesting hostelry a short walk away caught our eye and proved to be a real treat. The Old Crown Inn reputed to be Birmingham’s oldest pub dating back to the 1300s looked warm and inviting. Serving some lovely draft ales and possibly the best burger I've ever had in a pub, we spent a happy couple of hours pre-gig. If you come this way make sure you check it out.

The Institute is a strange venue and the Google reviews are quite damning. Having spent a few hours in the smaller Library venue last week, this event was at least being held in the main hall. It turned out to be decent enough, and having squeezed our way through the crush at the rear of the hall we actually ended up with ample room and decent sight lines for once. Of course, the idiot magnet that I possess worked like a charm and once again a total tit ended up very close to us. Absolutely blasted, he became something of a distraction with his flailing arms, poorly timed jumping and general crashing around inviting the potential of a large slap from the less than amused lady behind him. Luckily his mates saw sense and moved him to the middle where he was less irritating. TWAT!!

Just after nine, Blackberry Smoke made their way onto the stage amidst a quite epic amount of incense burning. This was inspired as the whole evening was scented with the pleasant aroma of this rather than the usual farty, beerery stench which we have come to associate with gigs (and no, the burger hadn't taken effect at this time!). The band wasted little time, powering through their highly crafted Southern country rock anthems; Like I Am from Little Piece Of Dixie was followed by Testify from their first album Bad Luck Ain't No Crime. Clad in denim and sporting the most incredible chops ever seen, the Smoke were on fire and their playing was exceptional. Lead vocalist and guitarist Charlie Starr has a quite incredible stage presence, understated and yet imposing at the same time. His solos were excellent and he quickly demonstrated what a fine talent he is; he also has the best sideburns North of Billy Gibbons I've ever see.

A collection of tunes from their 2012 release The Whippoorwill followed; Lucky Seven and the sing-a-longs of Pretty Little Lie and Six Ways To Sunday had the buoyant crowd mouthing every word (and who wouldn't want to hear their baby “speaking in tongues” after a good roggering?). Unfortunately a rather unsavoury incident then occurred at the front as one of the audience was violently assaulted by another member of the crowd. As the perpetrator fled there was an air of confusion on stage, mainly as bassist and all round smoothie Richard Turner had witnessed the event directly in front of him. Charlie Starr checked that all was good and then wise-cracked about it being like back home on a Saturday night before ironically launching into Good One Coming On! Not for the poor bloke with his nose all over his face though. As the injured party was led out by ShowSec and St John’s Ambulance, the pace picked up and the track extended into a showcase of quality guitar work from Starr and Paul Jackson combined with the fat Hammond sounds from Brendon Still on the keys. A snippet of Midnight Rider from the Allman Brothers was also included and received a very warm reception before the pace slowed with a couple of bluesy numbers which culminated with the title track from their last album.

The set was perfectly paced, with ample opportunity for the band to make everything look absolutely painless and totally effortless. That is surely the mark of an excellent band, top quality on every level with absolutely ease. Up In Smoke got the crowd moving again before a departure from the usual subject matter with Ain't Got the Blues. We then got a rare treat with two booze flavoured tracks, both from their 2008 EP New Honky Tonk Bootlegs. First up the lovely Lesson In A Bottle, followed by Son Of The Bourbon, this had the diehards singing along. Penultimate tune One Horse Town maintained the audience participation levels before the band closed the evening with Ain't Much Left Of Me. A short pause as the traditional breather was taken before a final duo of Leave A Scar and Freedom Song rounded off a quite brilliant evening of top quality music. Blackberry Smoke has the confidence and ability to be headlining much bigger venues than this is years to come. Absolutely Top Drawer. 10/10

Dreadnox: The Hero Inside (Die Hard/Nightmare)

Dreadnox are a metal band that hail from the most metal loving country in the world, Brazil. One thing Brazil have always been keen on in their metal, apart from Sepultura, is the classic old school style of bands like Maiden, Priest and especially their own home grown bands like Angra. Dreadnox are definitely the type of band Brazil have always produced and they play their style of classic/power metal with precision, flair and even branch out a little into heavier territory. The band is made up of
Fábio Schneider's excellent vocals, he is somewhere between Ripper Owens and his kinsman Andre Matos in terms of style, with gritty mid range and some sky scraping highs. On guitar is Kiko Dittert who riffs with dual harmonies of Maiden but also the harder thrash riffage of 'Deth and 'Tallica. He is supported in the rhythm section by Dead Montana on the bass and drummer Felipe Curi on machine gun duty. The gunshots and sirens start off Final Siege with a bit of atmosphere before we are driven straight into riffage galore at the beginning with what is a strong opener, the pace then rarely lets up from there with the band throwing in lots of elements to their sound but not drifting too far from their traditional metal sound. Abuse Of Power has the chugging guitars of 'Tallica behind it before we are back in Iron Maiden territory with Who Can Be Sure Of Anything which has that authentic epic feel that 'Arry and co do so well, before the finale gets faster and even has some screams for good measure, the Maiden theme continues on the title track which even has a bass led gallop! This Brazillian quartet have some real chops and merge classic metal with heavier styles seamlessly, this is proper metal how it's supposed to be done, no frills, nothing too complicated but just big, quality metal tunes. Go and find out about Dreadnox you won't be disappointed! 8/10

Viathyn: Cynosure (Independent)

There has been a slew modern power/progressive metal bands coming out of the great white north of Canada and Viathyn have one album behind them with Cynosure being their second release. Much like the debut this is a concept album that is (as the band put it) an "exploration into the chaos and the beauty of the natural (and unnatural) world, with themes of discord, affliction, disillusion, enlightenment, and grandeur, as seen through the eyes of nine storytellers". So nothing to complex then *gulp* but I wouldn't expect anything less from a progressive band. The band are all amazing musicians with both guitarists playing for their lives with riffs and solos galore on tracks like The Coachman which also has a snippets of In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Greig not Savatage), the drumming is fast and furious and the bass playing is as usual the basis of all the rhythms. Tomislav Crnkovic also, helpfully, has a superb voice adept to crooning melodies and also the occasional growl. He and Jacob Wright are also the excellent guitarists Crnkovic on rhythm and Wright providing the solos and leads, they work together for immense effect on the songs that twist and turn with loud and soft dynamics used to full effect on Shadows In Our Wake with it's melodic middle section, the slower pace of Time Will Take Us All explodes into a rapid fire and melodic final part and the final track Cynosure. Viathyn are a great band that play progressive music that is heavy, technical but never overly so, the focus is on the excellent songs played with skill, the band blend genres at will with Albedo having a death metal vibe from the dual kick drumming and screams before ending with a choir and Three Sheets To The Wind has plundering folk/pirate metal sound. Viathyn are of the same ilk as Borealis or Above Symmetry, two other bands I find excellent, this is yet another awesome addition to the North American progressive/power metal stable. 9/10

The Black Stymphalian: Khaos Sigma (Self Released)

"This is a bit tasty!" that was my first remark upon hearing this the second EP from Darlington UK based The Black Stymphalian. The 'band' is made up of Jaymez Stephenson who handles all the stringed instruments providing both the guitars and the bass as well as keys etc he is joined by the blitzkreig drums of Lyle Cooper and vocalists Greg Fender and Ian Gillings, who are both from the Robb Flynn/Randy Blythe school of growls and screams. As Chaoskampf erupts from the stereo we are battered by superfast drumming and the amazing riffage of Stephenson who channels the modern thrash of Machine Head even incorporating the more recent progressive elements on tracks like Rules Of Engagement which also draws influence from American's Trivium (especially their Shougun faze). This EP is a bit special, 5 awesome tracks that show of the frankly stunning playing and songwriting of Stephenson who is a one man band in the truest sense, he has brought the dual riffs of modern American metal, merged it with searing solos, a progressive edge, crystal clear production and recruited some top notch musicians to aide him. With some great tracks like March Of A Blackened Christ, Martyr No More and the excellent closing shot of The Awakening this is an EP of top notch metal, could we have a full length soon please? 8/10

Amaranthe: Massive Addictive (Spinefarm)

Swedes Amarathne are now on their third album and this comes just over a year after their second, in that time front woman Elize Ryd has become the go to female voice for such acts as Kamelot and Timo Tolkki on his Avalon project. Also in the interim they have lost their harsh vocalist Andreas "Andy" Solveström who has been replaced by Henrik Englund who is also in Scarpoint. Most bands try to expand their sound on their third album, however Amaranthe are not one of those bands they have just continued the formula from their first two albums. So yet again we have another album of heavy metal mixed with pulsing electronic pop, this is at it's best on first single Drop Dead Cynical which is as saccharine as a honey covered cotton candy. The title track is heavy weight with an electronic backing but it is driven by a big guitar riff from mainman Olof Mörck, the following track Digital World also shows off the skills of new boy Englund and he is good having more of black metal delivery than his predecessor but he works excellently with both Ryd and Jake E Berg who provides the clean vocals. Digital World also has a huge drop in the middle making it prime club fodder, expect this as the next single, the adrenaline rush subsides on ballad True and Over And Done on which Berg really gives his all. Again Englund is the driving force behind Danger Zone. So Amaranthe's third album has all the sounds of their first 2 albeit with a slightly different vocal, still if you liked the first 2 albums, then you will know what to expect and will love this album, however if you didn't there is nothing here to change your mind. 7/10

Allen/Lande: The Great Divide (Frontiers)

Symphony X singer Russell Allen and Masterplan vocalist Jorn Lande have been steadily releasing albums since 2005 with one coming every couple of years, when you have two amazing singers like Allen and Lande you need supreme talent backing it, on the last three albums The Battle, The Revenge, The Showdown it was Primal Fear guitarist Magnus Karlsson doing all the writing and most of the instrumentation, on this fourth album it is man who doesn't shy away from a collaborative project; ex-Stratovarius man Timo Tolkki who provides all the guitars (electric and bass) and also handles production. As usual his musical compositions are great with sweet riffs and solos bolstered by his crystal clear production and aided by Jami Huovinen on drums. The romantic hard rock of Come & Dream With Me starts things off, Down From The Mountain is faster track that is prime power metal on which Lande and Allen do their best Rob Halford while Huovinen keeps the pace rapid. From then on it's your normal power metal fodder with symphonic backing. Still even with the talent of the vocalists this is all a bit generic and gets very similar very quickly, still if you've got the others get this one, if not I would keep your money for some of the other better releases out at the moment. 5/10

Virgil & The Accelerators: Army Of Three (Mystic Records)

Virgil McMahon formed his power trio with his brother Gabriel on drums and Jack Alexander Timmis on bass in 2009, their first Radium album was full of hard hitting blues rock with elements of funk, soul and even jazz, McMahon has been hailed as spoken about in the same breath as Clapton or Hendrix and has been decorated with numerous awards such as European guitarist of the year. So what about his second album well the Hendrix vibe is at full effect on Take Me Higher which features some playing that would be at home on Electric Ladyland, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold As Love with Gabriel giving his best Mitch Mitchell and Timmis providing the funk of Noel Redding or Billy Cox. McMahon's superb playing is bolstered by his sonorous voice that betrays his age and adds to the band's classic power trio vibe. Blow To The Head rocks hard with it's "Hey Hey Hey" chant along final part. The blues runs through this album, everything is anchored by it the phrasing and feel the construction of the songs but where the magic lays in this album is how far they play with the genre moving away and adding others to create some great sounding rock music. All Night Long is a perfect example of this with it's punky riff and psychedelic middle section driven by Timmis bass. Love Aggression has an almost 80's feel to it with the lush backing synths, it moves into another rocker Give It Up which has the hip shaking groove and parping mouth harp of Aerosmith or The Cult. Through The Night is another big ballad with a hell of a solo in it, the heavyweight Stand Up is driven by lots of cowbell. Virgil & The Accelerators released a hell of a debut album but they have followed up in excellent style on this second album which is more mature, more considered work on which all three of these men give supreme performances, the spirit of Cream, The Experience, Taste and even SRV looms large on this record and because of that they have created an excellent second slice of pure British rock. 9/10

Dreadnox: The Hero Inside (Die Hard Records)

Dreadnox are a Brazilian metal band that have a sound based in the modern metal style with influence drawn from power and traditional metal FinalSiegestarts off with gunfire and sirens beckoning you into a world of rebellion, the band kick things off in style with crunchy metallic riffing, dual harmony's and powerful vocals from Fabio Schneider who has a vocal not to dissimilar to his countryman Andre Matos, as well as evoking 'Ripper' Owens and even Bruce Dickinson in parts. As I've said the band play muscular classic metal on which Felipe Curi blasts the drums like a machine gunner moving between smashing rhythms, killer fills and double kick blast beats. Dead Montana brings a bass gallop that has been perfected by 'Arry in Maiden, see finale My Judgement Day. Finally we have the guitars of Kiko Dillert brings the riffs, harmonising on top of the excellent rhythm section. Dreadnox are not all about the traditional of metal or Maiden etc through they add thrashier elements from Metallica and Megadeth see Manic Depressive and Nomophobia both of which have the thrash element, they also bring some progressive power metal on Dreamcatcher which sounds a lot like Angra and shows off Schneider's awesome vocals. So Dreadnox are not your normal classic metal band they add many elements to their sound which sets them apart from their contemporaries, they are both melodic and heavy and in true classic metal tradition they have an instrumental in the shape of DX which has some solos and riffs that would make Megadave blush. Brazil has always been the spritual heart of the heavy metal scene, they really care about metal there and Dreadnox are a testament to this with a melting pot of influences all brought together to create a great album full of strong metal songs from a band well worth checking out!! 8/10

Viathyn: Cynosure (Independent)

Canada is becoming somewhat of a breeding ground for intelligent modern progressive metal with bands such as Borealis bringing a new scope on the works of Shadow Gallery, Fates Warning and of course Dream Theater. Viathyn are now on their second record with Cynosure being an "exploration into the chaos and the beauty of the natural (and unnatural) world, with themes of discord, affliction, disillusion, enlightenment, and grandeur, as seen through the eyes of nine storytellers" so far so prog, it is this lofty ambition/concept that is met with some seriously amazing musicanship from the Canadians, with the drums of Dave Crnkovic coming thick and fast part metal/part jazz driving everything along, the bass of Alex Kot is technical and is the base (no pun intended) layer of the rhythm, the solos and leads are handled by Jacob Wright who wrings every bit of emotion out of his instrument while also showing the skill of the virtuosos associated with the genre, he is aided by the rhythm playing of Tomislav Crnkovic who also provides the powerful vocals. The band are equally at home with speed as they are with the slower songs like Time Will Take Us All which is all about the atmosphere, as they are with more rampaging romps like Shadows In Our Wake and the rollicking of Three Sheets To The Wind which has to be classed as progressive Pirate metal. As is the norm with prog metal the songs are all over five minutes but they never outstay their welcome, most are metallic, progressive songs with touches of power metal thrown in meaning that they hold your attention, as this is a concept album based on 9 points of view they all have different feel to them meaning that the album flows well with exercises in light and shade throughout. As I have said their seems to be a glut of excellent progressive metal bands coming from Canada at the moment and Viathyn is just another addition to this country's list of high calibre bands. 9/10

The Black Stymphalian: Khaos Sigma (Self Released)

"This is a bit tasty!" that was my first remark upon hearing this the second EP from Darlington UK based The Black Stymphalian. The 'band' is made up of Jaymez Stephenson who handles all the stringed instruments providing both the guitars and the bass as well as keys etc he is joined by the blitzkreig drums of Lyle Cooper and vocalists Greg Fender and Ian Gillings, who are both from the Robb Flynn/Randy Blythe school of growls and screams. As Chaoskampferupts from the stereo we are battered by superfast drumming and the amazing riffage of Stephenson who channels the modern thrash of Machine Head even incorporating the more recent progressive elements on tracks like Rules Of Engagement which also draws influence from American's Trivium (especially their Shougunfaze). This EP is a bit special, 5 awesome tracks that show of the frankly stunning playing and songwriting of Stephenson who is a one man band in the truest sense, he has brought the dual riffs of modern American metal, merged it with searing solos, a progressive edge, crystal clear production and recruited some top notch musicians to aide him. With some great tracks like March Of A Blackened Christ, Martyr No More and the excellent closing shot of The Awakening this is an EP of top notch metal, could we have a full length soon please? 8/10

Haken, Leprous, Maschine & others - Bristol Prog Invasion, The Fleece Bristol

This was supposed to be a three band tour comprising three of the brightest young things in progressive rock and metal. The Bristol date on this tour turned this into an all day event showcasing a few more young bands to partisan fans. As we arrived we had missed the prog black metal of Reign Of Perdition, but we came in just in time for Wales own Akb'al.

Akb'al

The psychedelic, shamanistic prog of Akb'al is always well received by us here at the musipedia and the band put in a consistently strong live showing. Their percussive, driving fusion of world rhythms, heavy rock and mind melding psych always gets head nodding and brains altering. The guitars of Thoby and Rob worked in unison with Floydian leads on top of Tool-like rhythm playing much of which comes from the technical bass playing of Michael and the percussion of Mic. The bands sound was not the best I've ever heard which could have been the venue (something that would rear it's ugly head later). With songs like Equilibrium Akb'al have a big future ahead of them and were definitely one of the stand outs on this bill. 8/10

Alatyr

Bristol based Alatyr are a female fronted metal band with progressive influences, they combine thrash and black metal riffage from their two guitarists and bassist, blast beats galore from their drummer and a mix of female and growled vocals. Think bands of Epica and ReVamp's ilk, the problem with Alatyr is that they are a little bit samey, the riffs were all similar making all of the songs the same. Yes musicianship was good but Alatyr on the whole were boring and the vocals of Steph Kiddle were not really to my taste. On the whole Alatyr just didn't inspire me, sorry guys. 4/10

Maschine

I was really looking forward to seeing Brighton's Maschine as I like their mix of intensely progressive rock, with a three distinct vocals harmonizing together. Unfortunately as they ascended to the stage there seemed to be a lot of problems with the sound and the instruments in general, this lasted for most of the set meaning that the band were only able to play two (admittedly long) songs, frontman/guitarist/bandleader Luke Machin did seemed a little miffed at the whole situation but the band managed two excellent songs one being the excellent Rubidium which is the title track of their album that bodes well and I look forward to seeing a full set in the future. 7/10

Leprous

Leprous have seen their profile explode in the last few years especially since their latest album Coal hit the shelves. In fact these Norwegians are possibly one of the best truly progressive bands around at the moment with a multitude of elements to their sound making genre classification very difficult. For all the Pain Of Salvation (a band they share a lot with), they also have Opeth, some black metal leanings and even some King Crimson thrown in. The band are not only their own seperate entity but they also make up Ihshan's band meaning that they have a huge amount of live experience, which shows through in every aspect of the bands show. The the heavy rifftastic guitars of Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Øystein Landsverk are the driving force of the band with the rhythm section of Martin Skrebergene's bass and Baard Kolstad's drums anchoring the heaviness and melancholy of the Coal era songs of which made up the majority of the setlist, but the instrumentation also made the earlier songs sparkle with their more upbeat melodic progressiveness. The key to Leprous' sound are the keys and unique vocals of Einar Solberg who shouts, screams, croons and generally acts like ring leader while abusing his keyboard to provide that extra edge to Leprous' musicality. The band seemed very receptive of the warm applause they received from the large crowd. With their phenomenal musicianship, infectious energy and cinematic light show Leprous are a band to catch, no matter what your taste you will find something in this band. 9/10

Haken

The main event came around, British progressive rockers Haken are rapidly becoming THE band in progressive music, their talent is beyond words with influences from all of the prog greats combining them altogether with a modern freshness. Haken are now on their third album and their recorded output seems to be getting stronger and stronger with The Mountain being both their most recent and their finest. And as The Path Unbeaten intro moved into piano driven Atlas Stone kicking off the set proper. It's the atmospheric nature of their music that makes Haken so good as they manage to combine hard rock, modenr metal and old school ethereal prog together to create some unique music. Ray Hearne's percussion and drums are excellent with jazz influences interspersed with primal power, new boy Conner Green is the rhythmic bottom end allowing the guitars of Charlie Griffiths and Richard Henshall to really show off their talents playing with some intense, intricate riffs and solos that duel with Diego Tejeida's keyboards, his keys are also bolstered by the Hen's additional keys. Tejeida also draws the eye with his madcap antics as he fights for attention with vocalist Ross Jennings who has an amazing voice that is at it's best on the crazy Cockroach King which shows off his range to the full. After Atlas Stone came the heavier tones of In Memoriam which sounds a lot like Mr Wilson and co, then a new song in the shape of Darkest Light, into the Middle Eastern Pareidoila and the finally the two epic tracks in the shape of Crystallised and Visions end the set with a blistering display of musicanship and virtuosity both songs together provided nearly 40 minutes of music and sent the prog fans home with a euphoric happiness. Haken keep on getting better and better and on this tour and this show especially they get one step closer to that stratosphere. 9/10

Devin Townsend Project: Sky Blue (InsideOut)
Devin Townsend: Z2- Dark Matters (InsideOut)

Hevy Devy returns!! Yes fan boys start your fapping as the crown prince of geeky prog has come back with his new album(s). Yes folks two for the price of one as the Z2 has the new DTP album Sky Blue as well as the sequel and continuing story of the coffee seeking alien Ziltoid the Omnicient on Dark Matters. They are two fundamentally different albums, one is a DTP album the other a Devin solo effort as it continues the Ziltoid chapter. As such I'll review them as two albums:

Sky Blue - Devin Townsend Project

Sky Blue is DTP working within it's own confines, strong, anthemic music mixing rock, metal, electonica together in a melting point, but also showing a lot of of creative freedom to try new things. Rejoice has the cascading riffs, Anneke Van Giersbergen's amazing vocals and Devin doing his shouted croon on top of multi layered playing, it sets the album up perfectly following directly on from the previous album Epicloud, Fallout too merges metal with pop and allows Devin to exercise his operatic tendencies. As usual he contributes pretty much everything music wise with Dave Young on additional guitars, Bryan Waddell on bass, Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums and Mike St John on keys. They all long term members of his touring band and as such are flawless in their delivery, on this note the production too is both bold and crystalline. Midnight Sun is a slower more balladic song which shows off the special Universal Choir, this is a contribution of 2000 voices which make for the largest choir on a metal record ever, the choir contribute to both records but are at their best on Sky Blue. A New Reign is heavier than previous songs, but Universal Flame is unabashed pop with it's bouncy rhythm and the choir on top form. There is always something so cathartic about Devin's music, you can't help but smile when it comes on, you just sit back and let the music wash over you filling you with joy at the musical menagerie involved in every DTP album. Sky Blue also throws the occasional curveball with the title track itself is based on DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love by Usher and as such has a pumping electronic back beat, the whispered croon of Townsend and the ethereal vocals of Giersbergen. Silent Militia makes full use of Anneke and is a tribute to will.i.am in the style of You Spin Me Right Round by Dead Or Alive. Rain City is darker in tone and brings things back to the DTP sound (something that a lot of the time is only subjective). The nearly 8 minute Rain City starts normal enough before the finally becomes very eastern and atmospheric with a clockwork beat behind it, it is followed by the heart breaking Forever but is counteracted by the life-affirming Before We Die which all but ends the album. Sky Blue is the natural successor to Epicloud as it continues to combine all the facets of Townsend's career but it is also a progression as it indulges in a lot more sonic experimentation drawing from other artists, showing that yet again Townsend and in particular his Project are vital to the rock and metal scene. 9/10

Dark Matters - Devin Townsend

So moving on we come to Dark Matters, this is not credited as a DTP album even though it features the same band as Sky Blue, no classed is a Townsend solo record and the second part of the Ziltoid The Omnicient storyline. As such it is Townsend that handles the guitars, keys and programming with Morgan Ågren contributing percussion on From Sleep Awake (Ågren was last seen on the Causalties of Cool album). As From Sleep Awake starts we are told Ziltoid has become a megastar with all the world now revering him as a God, we are reintroduced by Captain Spectacular(played by Chris Jericho) as well as other characters such as the Poozer on Ziltodian Empire, the Queen Blattaria mother of the Poozer's on the rocking War Princess, The War Princess is played by Dominique Lenore Persi from the experimental band Stolen Babies, she has very unique but very good voice and along with Townsend and Jericho works well as one of the three lead characters. With a crazy tongue in cheek story about intergalactic war The Ziltoid concept is still as mental as ever but I'm not going to explain what happens (spoilers and all that) but what I will say is that this album has a much bigger scope than the previous Ziltoid record, with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra contributing heavily and the story being propelled by Bill Courage's narration giving a proper cinematic feel to things. Now unless you are on board with the Ziltoid story then you may think that is album is a little childish, which to be honest is, but it is also full of fun with some great, heavy music to back it up, from the rocking DeathRay, to the Samael influenced March Of The Poozers, the Soilwork speed metal of Ziltoid Goes Home and the epic Earth which takes it's cues from Peter And The Wolf. By itself Dark Matters is a worthy addition to the Ziltoid canon, but as part of the Z2 package it is pipped to the post by Sky Blue which is an album with a broader appeal than the metallic second record. Still like I said if you like The Omniscient, coffee loving alien and his intergalactic hijinks then you will over this but for me it is beaten hands down by the DTP effort. 8/10

Black Stone Cherry & Airbourne, CIA, Cardiff

We as a collective attended the Black Stone Cherry concert in Cardiff needless to say two of our number had slightly differing views of the concert. So here is something I'm calling:

The Battle Of Cardiff: Blame It On The Sound Man

First up is Paul's view:

A rare visit to the cavernous Motorpoint Arena for the visit of Kentucky outfit Black Stone Cherry. Opening the evening were Theory of a Deadman but they are shit so my review begins with the Australian nutcase outfit Airbourne.

Blasting onto the stage with a huge banner with their logo on it, Airbourne, led by the hyperactive Joel O’Keefe delivered 40m minutes of awesomeness. Yes, they are AC/DC in all but name, and yes, O’Keefe is a Angus and Bon Scott rolled into one but fuck it, they play hard and fast rock n’ roll which does exactly what it says on the tin. Opening with Ready To Rock the Aussies hit Cardiff with a storming set which included anthems such as Too Much Too Young Too Fast and the ode to all Cardiff ladies, Cheap Wine And Cheaper Women. Interestingly, when O’Keefe demanded the good looking ladies in the audience got higher in the crowd, as many men as women were hoisted onto shoulders. Only in the ‘Diff. After a solo foray into the crowd from O’Keefe ala Angus and Bon circa 1977, a final blast with Runnin’ Wild brought their set to a close. Always excellent entertainment, Airbourne play at the same tempo be it the local pub or in front of 50,000 at a festival. 8/10

And so to BSC. Many a band has struggled to make the jump to arena; think Machine Head on the Locust tour (although anyone that takes Bring Me The Horizon as main support deserves it). Opening with the powerful double of Rain Wizard and Blind Man BSC took to the stage with a glossy polished approach. All power chords and posture; particularly Ben Wells who plays rhythm and gurns for fun. Has anyone in rock got more polished teeth than him? Choreographed to within an inch of their life, BSC delivered a slick, polished performance that had everything except the energy and drive that had coursed through the Airbourne set. Me And Mary Jane was followed by In My Blood which allowed vocalist Chris Robertson to loosen the pipes. And then it just got a bit pedestrian. The god-awful Things My Father Said got the arena crowd singing along. Now in my mind, getting the crowd to sing along is a demonstration of laziness. If I want to hear BSC karaoke I’ll got to a bar or stay at home. When I see the band in the live setting I want them to sing the bloody song. Fiesta del Fuego, one of the few rockers from latest release Magic Mountain picked the tempo back up a little but the set felt pretty pedestrian with the band a little bloated in comparison to the lithe, hard rocking outfit that had torn the roof of the Solus, blown a hole in the afternoon at Download a few years ago or given Myles and co such a run for their money at the Motorpoint not that long ago. Closing the main set with obvious crowd favourites White Trash Millionaire and Blame It On the Boom Boom, BSC completed an hour and 20 minutes of perfectly competent arena rock. Now maybe it was because the notorious Motorpoint sound was about as poor as it could be, or maybe it was the fact that in the last week I had seen Opeth and Blackberry Smoke, but BSC demonstrated why the transition to arena is both right and wrong for them. For me, seeing them in a sweaty club beats this environment every day. The reaction of a far from sold out crowd suggested that a lot of people like this kind of evening. For me, a disappointing evening. I would need to be persuaded big time before parting with cash to see these guys again. 6/10

Now for Nick's take:

Theory Of A Dead Man.

I and my fellow musipedians have little to no time for Theory of A Dead Man, a generic bad that on the few occasions I have seen convey their music with equal generic delivery. Needles to say we stayed in the pub for this one.

Airbourne

Leaving the pub we headed into the arena arriving just in time to see the wild-headed Ozzies enter the stage. Without a second wasted O’Keefe hit the stage running with the energy and vigour he always has. Running up and down the stage thrashing his guitar, you need to ensure your neck stretches have been completed before catching these guys live. Presenting a set predominantly filled with tracks from their debut album, pleasing hardened Airbourne fans and Airbourne virgins alike. Highlights of the set included the regular Runnin’ Wild, Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast and the cracking Cheap Wine and Cheaper Women; which live, is nothing short of brilliant. Every person young or old held their arms aloft and joined in with great delight. Airbourne are a band that will never fail to disappoint live. The utter passion and belief that the O’Keefe brothers and co have for their music is alone enough to drive any crowd along. The only disappointment, which is a recurring theme every time I see Airbourne, was again the lack of Airbournes ability to control O’Keefes vocals. The sheer power and pitch is a struggle for any microphone to take, yet they seem to ignore this every show, which is a great shame as it does detract greatly from their performance. If you are not familiar with these Ozzie nuggets vocals are important and at times they were very hard to decipher. Having said this, we all know the sound in the Motorpoint is far from brilliant, which never helps. 8/10

Black Stone Cherry

For many years I have admired Black Stone Cherry, not only for their music but also for the hard work they have put into it. When I consider where they have come from and the way they have risen to such hefty heights in such a relatively short amount of time, it truly is impressive. Now came the next step in their growth; the arena tour. I have seen these gents in many venues varying in size and an arena tour is nothing short of what they deserve. Entering the stage behind a curtain the obligatory opening of Rain Wizard kicked in to which the crowd joined in with great enthusiasm. Air guitars were scattered all over the arena as Black Stone Cherry burst into an opening furore of classic anthems including Blind Man, Me And Mary Jane and In My Blood; all of which were met with rapturous applause and a three thousand strong sing along. During this opening tirade of anthems the pure look of disbelief and humbleness was plain to see on the face of these Kentucky farm boys. Chris Robertson particularly was clearly astounded at times, considering his recent fight I'm sure this was a great boon for him. After this the pace slowed a little as other familiar songs such as Holding On To Letting Go and Such A Shame were offered with great aplomb. Next came the fan favourite and clearly a special song for the band; Things My Father Said, predominantly serenaded by the crowd Ben Wells stood high on a platform dumbstruck as he strummed away. Usually things like this annoy me as I pay to see a band perform, however there is something about this song that make it’s acceptable, it’s somehow more personal, more meaningful?

As the set moved on things started to fall apart a little, tracks from Cherry’s most recent album Magic Mountain were delivered but despite the songs being good strong songs they are not anthems that the Black Stone Cherry are known for and this killed the flow and mood of the set also the arena. Don’t get me wrong, Magic Mountain tracks like Bad Luck Hard Love and Fiesta del Fuego were delivered with great assurance and style but the songs just don’t engage the crowd. This is a great shame as until this point the Cherry’s were on top form. Robertson’s voice on top shape, getting better every time I see him, while Young is just as skilled animated on the drums as ever, he remains one of may favourite drummer to behold live to this day. Nonetheless Black Stone Cherry finished the set in style with another run of anthems; Soulcreek, White Trash Millionaire, Blame It On The Boom Boom which again brought the crowd to loud voice and great power. Leaving the stage the crowd had been won back and there was a ecstatic chant for more, as Robertson creeped back on stage… they duly delivered, and in style; with Peace is free and the mighty Lonely Train which live is heaver than I expect every time I hear it. You can’t help but get your head down and thrash away with the person nearest to you.

Black Stone Cherry is a class act, this cannot be argued, and they are more than worthy of an arena tour. The sheer number of fans and they have and the crowd they draw is answer enough. However this means there is a lot more people to please and people will expect a little more for their money. The main problem the guys had tonight was the set list, opening and closing with a bombardment of anthems sets the mood and may send the fans home with a smile on their face, but leaves the middle of the set very lethargic and this is a dangerous line to tread. With the amount of anthems Cherry have in their back pocket they can easily afford to spread them across the set to hold the pace and energy of the crowd. Unfortunately this is not what happened in this set, nevertheless myself and the majority of the crowd had a cracking night. Black Stone Cherry deliver heavy rock with unquestionable skill and style, they just need to plan their attack a little better in the future. Personally, I hope to see them back in arenas sooner rather than later. 8/10.

Sixx A.M: Modern Vintage (Eleven Seven Music)

The kings of the gutter LA scene Motley Crue will soon be hanging up their spurs and shelving their hairspray for good within the next year, a good job then that band leader, bassist, serial corpse and reformed hell-raiser Nikki Sixx has this project to fall back on. Sixx A.M have been Sixx's side project since 2007, their first two albums were based upon Sixx's Heroin Diaries memoir and his second autobiography This Is Gonna Hurt respectively. So Modern Vintage is the first album not to part of another project so I was wondering how well it would hold up. Well the answer is very well indeed, the project retains the same members as the previous releases with Guns N Roses axe slinger DJ Ashba on lead guitars and producer/singer/multi instrumentalist James Michael (producer for Halestorm, Meat Loaf and Motley Crue) providing the vocals, additional guitars, keys, drum programming and of course his Midas touch production. So into Modern Vintage and the title is one of the best ways of describing the album with elements of 70's glam rock and 80's sleaze mixed with modern alt-radio rock Stars is a guitar packed opener that screams of the post 2000 era but it sharply followed by football stomp of Gotta Get It Right which sound like classic Queen all backing choirs, thumping percussion and preening bravado. Ashba's guitars are excellent, he echoes the guitar heroes of old playing with a relaxed experience, Sixx is a great bass player providing the backbone to most of the songs while clearly channelling his influences, finally there is very little I can say about James Michael's vocals other than wow! There is a great mix of styles on this album with the acoustic southern influenced Get Ya Some, the chest beating Let's Go, the almost disco funk of Miracle, the New Orleans carnival feel of Before It's Over and a fantastic reworking of The Cars Drive which gets an electronic overhaul with some massive drum loops and synth fuzz. This is yet another top drawer album from Nikki and his new Crue, let's hope that we see a lot more of these guys after Motley Crue finally call it a day, with GNR's relative inactivity it is really only Michael that could stop that but I'm sure they can work it out. 8/10

Crobot: Something Supernatural (Wind-Up Records)

Pottsville, Pennsylvania may not immediately spring to mind when you think of rock and roll but this city of 14,000 people is also the home of Crobot, the heavily bearded, eight legged riff machine. The band play music that they describe as "Dirty. Groove. Rock" and they are pretty spot on they have a really soulful mix of blues based rock with a real heavy groove. In fact if you are a fan of Clutch then Crobot will be right up your street as they have a similar style of riff based rock fuelled by smokes and brews, as well as Clutch there are nods to Scorpion Child, Wolfmother, The Sword and even Soundgarden. Crobot's songs are all drawn from fantasy and the occult meaning this band will appeal to the dope smoking, beer drinking, comic reading members of the fanbase. With titles like Skull Of Geronimo, Chupacabra and even simple Wizards the band stick rigidly to the fantasy imagery. As the album kicks off with excellently titled Legend Of The Spacebourne Killer we are thrown straight into a world of blazing leads from Chris Bishop he takes you to space and back with his six string wizardry, the groove comes from the bass and drums of Jake and Paul Figueroa who are the voodoo groove of a bottom end. The percussive Nowhere To Hide follows before the honking mouth harp led The Necromancer takes you into blues territory and shows off the keen vocals of Brandon Yeagley who sounds like a merger of Chris Cornell and Myles Kennedy with a soulful croon that can explode into a sky scraping holler at any moment. Crobot do what they do, but they have crafted an album of songs perfect for the live arena, somewhere that Crobot apparently are truly electrifying. Pick up a six pack, roll some doobys and crank it up Crobot welcome you into their world! 9/10

While Heaven Wept: Suspended At Aphelion (Nuclear Blast)

While Heaven Wept have been around for a since 1994 but I will admit I've never heard of them, but on doing some research I found they have are a progressive metal band with a taste of the epic about them, now any band that has two guitarists and two keyboardists (sometimes three) is a bonus in my book. So pressed play and the classical intro Introspectus came to life with it's plaintive cello and classical guitar playing, the band are known for their emotive and personal lyrics dealing with struggle and problems so the sadness etched into this intro is the norm for the band, as the scene was set the drums clattered and the guitars kicked in with gusto, the band is the brain child of Tom Phillips and he leads the guitar charge with some technical and melodic playing ably aided by Scott Loose and the pulsing synths of Jason Lingle and Scott's sister Michelle Loose-Schrotz, while the drums are handled by her husband Trevor and the bass comes from Jim Hunter and the deep sonorous vocals of Rain Irving ties everything together. The first two proper tracks are huge in scope but the length of them is immaterial as the time flies by as you are taken of a journey with some seriously epic music, middle track is Heartburst which is a slow classical guitar piece that explodes into a searing guitar solo in the final section, from here on out the songs get better and much wider in scope with the 5th and 6th tracks amalgamating at least three different songs to create a some lush arrangements that deal in light and shade, the guitars soaring with some seriously fantastic solos see Reminisce Of A Stranger/Lifelines and rhythms that are bolstered by the the amazing keys that work together to create quite an overpowering musical adventure. Some may love this some may hate it but give it time and it will reveal itself as a great progressive album. 7/10

Bloodshot Dawn, Seprevation, Triaxis - The Exchange, Bristol

Across the bridge to Bristol for a hell of line up featuring Wales' own classic metal band Triaxis, Bristolian death/thrash mentalists Seprevation and Portsmouth technical death band Bloodshot Dawn. There were two other bands on the bill but we missed them due to other factors, but still for £6.50 we got three excellent bands and one of the most surreal nights I've ever witnessed.

Triaxis

Welsh metallers Triaxis are going from strength to strength, they are currently recording their third album and we were promised a sneak peek of two songs from said album. Now to address the elephant in the room, this was a Halloween show with all the bands and indeed a lot of the fans in fancy dress. Triaxis went all out with the band decked out as The Zombie Village people and kicked things off with Sand & Silver the pounding drums of Giles The Builder were like skull cracking metronome and they worked well in providing the bottom end with new girl Becky's Rickenbacker bass, who in her biker with handlebar moustache get up resembled a female Lemmy (Surreal moment number 1). The riffs came thick and fast from Soldier CJ and Cop Glyn, with elements of Maiden, Priest and even thrash bands like Megadeth, the riffage was sublime, the solos of Glyn melted the fretboard and CJ's rhythm guitar just brought riff after glorious riff. Finally to top it all off were the sublime vocals of cowperson (political correctness here you see) Krissie, there aren't many vocalists that are still audible when the mic is about a foot away from them, the power this woman has is amazing. We were taken into twisting metallic rhythms of Sker Point and the excellent Some Things Are Worth Dying For which gave a nod to of what to expect on the new songs with a war theme and heavy weight music. As we collectively got our breath back and massaged our necks, it was time for the new songs, first up was Victorious which brought forth the heavier new sound and saw Krissie in full Xena mode. Finally the Welsh band left us with the the might of Death Machine which ended the set strongly. Triaxis have always been good but by mixing up the set list a little and adding the new tracks it showed that they are both progressing strongly as a band and producing some more top quality metal!! 9/10

On a personal note, the band paid tribute to a of fallen brother the Musipedia's during their set bringing a little tear to the eye of myself and Mr Hewitt. So thank you guys, we appreciate it so much.

Seprevation

Back in May I’d seen Seprevation serve notice of intent with half an hour of blistering burning groove laden thrash which was sufficient for me to purchase their debut Consumed, an album that spent several weeks on repeat in the car. Blessed with an excellent sound tonight, Seprevation turned in a performance several levels above that one in May and possibly took all the points on the night. Dressed as superheroes, well, Batman, Spiderman, Superman and of course Willyman, the Bristolians provided a thrash onslaught which once again highlighted their excellent musicianship and song writing. The band started as they meant to go on with a maelstrom of riffs, blast beats and shouts on the excellent Servants Of Suffering before rapidly moving into Slave To The Grave and Sarcophagal Chamber. The first three songs battered you like a fight with Manny Pacquiao with the band drawing most of their set from their debut album Consumed they played a relentless set of death infused thrash with everything coming at lightning speed, lots of shredding, powerhouse drumming and the semi-death vocals of Lluc Tupman combined to get the healthy crowd moshing and thrashing away. This included the surreal sight of a Ewok in the middle of the pit at one stage (surreal moment number 2) However they drop a point for their cover of Iron Maiden's The Trooper no matter how good it was, and indeed it was good. If these guys can maintain the momentum they have a great chance of progression and I’d love to see them on the Sophie stage at BOA next summer. 9/10

Bloodshot Dawn (Review By Paul)

Fresh from an impressive main stage opening set at BOA, Bloodshot Dawn has already delivered one of the albums of the year with the recently released Demons, full of high quality compositions and technical death metal. In the club environment Bloodshot Dawn are in their element and tonight they were excellent again. Buoyed by the release of Demons and a successful UK tour, and assisted by the excellent sound, newie Smoke And Mirrors kicked off proceedings in fine form with Josh McMorran and Ben Ellis soloing as if their lives depending on it. In fact, such is the shredding prowess of these two that later in the set, when asked what the audience wanted, one wag shouted out “less shred” which raised smiles all around. The Bloodshot set was a mixture of new tracks from the new album and older tracks from their self-titled first album. Vision, The Quantum Apocalypse and Archetype merged seamlessly with Unified amongst others. Technically Bloodshot Dawn are in a class of their own, dynamic structured songs with massive blast beats and a driving rhythm section and most importantly some huge hooks which leave the songs in your head for ages afterwards and after a slow start the crowd increased in both size and ferocity with Josh instigating a brief wall of death at the end of the set. One of the most important bands in the UK metal scene today, Bloodshot just keep getting better and better. 9/10

Rammstein: Dem Regen (??)

So this has appeared from out of nowhere, there is no information about the album but it seems to be a bootleg containing new/unreleased songs as well as some remixes. With the previously released songs like the still epic Mein Hertz Brennt and Mein Land (featured on their compilation album). As far as the new stuff goes we start off with Schatten Grim which does sound a lot like Sonne, Exzenter has the metallic/electro stomp Rammstein excel at with marching drums, big riffs and Till's huge vocal delivery, the title track is very electronic and harks back to the early albums, in fact the newer tracks all have that classic Rammstein sound, the anthemic Fried Eis is pounding techno metal with Till sparring with a female singer and Blunt Vaults is evil with Adios having an almost power metal riff. With Rammstein there is also an element of fun in all Rammstein songs as they give us a cover of Das Model by Germany's other premier band Kraftwerk, which they rock up in true Stein style. So with the 'normal' songs covered we are taken into the remixes part of the record first is a slower sparse electro 'funeral version' of Mein Land then we get two 'live' tracks which I'm assuming are demos as the production on them is not great but both songs are pretty cool, then there is the funky metal/trance version of Stripped as well as the remix of Mein Hertz Brennt which makes it even more unsettling. So without any information this is about all I can say about Dem Regen if this album is looking forward to the new full length album then I can say the new songs sound great, if it is an album of unreleased stuff then this stuff is very strong and if it's a bit of both it serves as a tasty little stopgap for fans. 7/10

Lordi: Scare Force One (AFM)

Finn's Lordi have always had a lot to live up too; their Monster Show album was a strong album full of schlock horror hard rock songs harking back to Twisted Sister, Kiss and even Alice Cooper, their profile was raised with their Eurovision win and their Arockolypse album which in my opinion is their finest hour. However since then they have really struggled to reach the heights of these to albums, Deadache was a bit too serious, Babez For Breakfast was far too 80's echoing the sleaze and AOR scene a bit too much for my liking putting more focus on keys than on riffs on the other hand their previous album To Beast Or Not To Beast was a little more rocking but still had a bit too much keyboard, thank fully though the very well named Scare Force One brings back the riffs in droves, this for me is a very good thing as guitarist Amen has always been very good, no he isn't flashy but he knows his riffs. The title track kicks things off with some very cool riffs, Mana's speedy drums and the occasional organ and synth flare from Hell, this has always been what Lordi have been about and it sounds like they are retuning to it, How To Slice A Whore too has some great guitars, the horror theme and shows off Mr Lordi's unique vocals brilliantly, Hell Sent In The Clowns is the only truly scary song for me but I digress. As the album progresses the riffs continue with Monster Is My Name Nailed By The Hammer Of Frankenstein and Sir, Mr Presideath, Sir. Still despite the riffs coming back in force, Lordi still rely a little heavily on the keys and they do seem to treading the same old ground lyrically. Lordi have always been more of a visual live act and this album gives them a few good tracks to add to their live set, but still bands have to keep their act fresh and give their fans new music. Scare Force One is a good album but it's nothing they haven't done before, still it will appeal to fans. 7/10

Sorrow's Path: Doom Philosophy (Iron Shield)

Sorrow's Path hail from the shores of Greece and they play a strange mix of melodic and crushing doom metal. An intro and then straight into Tragedy (no a Bee Gee's cover thankfully) but it sets the pace for the rest of the album, big slabs of doom metal riffage from the guitars of Kostas Salomidis and Giannis Tziligkakis bolstered by sledgehammer drums from Fotis Mountouris and rumbling bass from Stavros Giannakos. The band are based in doom metal but they are not the slow lumbering doom you associate with a lot of bands in this genre, yes they do have the occasional slow, brain frying doom passage but much of album is made up of faster, distortion heavy guitar passages and melodic solos giving many of the songs like A Dance With The Dead having a more classic metal feel so think Maiden meets Candlemass and you won't be far off. Much of the lyrical content is drawn from the occult as you would imagine but it is delivered by the strong European vocals of Angelos Ioannidis who has a unique voice that suits the music well, his mid range is slightly Halford-esque and he can also add a few growls too. Yes this is more than just doom, there is a lot of it present see the final few tracks of Epoasis, Clouds Inside Of Me and Darkness these are the doomiest tracks on the album with rumbling riffs galore and even some synths and organ on Darkness, which is actually a little off putting in places. The band do tend to swing more towards the classic metal style on most of the tracks with lots of galloping rhythms and melodic solos. If the thought of Candlemass mixed with Maiden or Priest excites you then Sorrow's Path will be right up your street, the mix of doom and classic metal is just right and these Greek metal warriors pull it off in style! 7/10

Y&T, The Globe, Cardiff

American rockers Y&T are now in their 40th year of touring and as such they have embarked on an anniversary tour, thankfully hitting Cardiff's diminutive The Globe venue. Now myself and my compatriots opted for the pub instead of the supports (sorry) but part of me wished we had gone in earlier as when we arrived we were literally on the bar, which is at the back of the room, but still the beauty of The Globe is that the stage is high enough for a band to be seen, added to this is that Y&T are not the most visual band letting their music do the talking. The exception is guitarist John Nymann who is well up for it, but more about him later. We squeezed in next to the Y&T megafan next to us, who's love for the band was only beaten by his love for Rush, something one of number despaired at. Still the band took to the stage 15 minutes before the official start time and kicked things off with the awesome opening one two of Hurricane and Black Tiger which is Ron Burgundy distilled in a song. Because the band have been doing this for so long they have twelve albums they can draw from and they did so with L.A Rocks coming from Contagious, Lucy from Ten before the more Burgundy with Lipstick And Leather. I do kid as Y&T are from the late 70's and 80's so of course their songs will always have a hint of misogyny but this is more tongue in cheek now. What has always separated Y&T from their 80's brethren is the musicanship with a real blues rock edge coming through in the guitars of Dave Meniketti, who also happens to have a flawless voice too, his band are not to shabby either with the the rhythm section of Mike Vanderhule's drums, Brad Lang's bass (still feels weird without Phil Kennemore though) and the guitar dervish of John Nymann who ended up in the crowd at one point during a solo spot. Again we went back to Ten with Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark which Meniketti claimed many disliked, I can see that as both Ten and Contagoius are a bit poppy, not that this put off superfan who continued to sing back the lyrics to his wife during every song (I know one current Mrs that would have given him a swift kick to the gonads) Back to the old school with Dirty Girl and Mean Streak before the slightly cheesy All American Boy changed the tone again, the proto speed metal of Midnight In Tokyo gave Meniketti a chance to show his amazing guitar playing. We got one from Musically Incorrect with Cold Day In Hell before the middle of the set brought some album tracks, I'm Coming Home from 2010's Facemelter along with I Want Your Money also from their 2010 album towards the end of the set. I between the songs from the latter albums we got Rescue Me the evergreen cheese of Summertime Girls and the finale of I Believe In You which is still as anthemic as ever! 20 songs in the main set and 1 hour and 45 minutes gone by, with only 15 minutes left we got an encore of the supreme riff-fest of Forever which is very hard to follow and as the final song, Sail On By, kicked off this laid back ballad seemed to be a little bit of an anti-climax so we left. Y&T are always consistently good but they showed how strong most of their career has been on their anniversary tour. Roll on Hard Rock Hell for a second bite!! 9/10

Damnation Festival – Leeds University

A first trip to the Damnation Festival, brought to you in association with Terrorizer, Jagermeister and Eyesore Merch. A few musings before we get onto the bands. This is an excellent venue, with four stages and a host of bands mainly towards the heavier end of the metal spectrum. If you want your AOR or Black Stone Cherry this probably isn't your bag. If you want mind crushing riffage, indecipherable lyrics and beards that would have Amon Amarth retreating then get the fuck in. The organisation was decent, bands ran to time and the security and staff generally friendly. A few gripes have been raised on social media about the clashes and lack of space, but there is a balance that is needed and for me it worked a treat. Sure, the queuing for Bolt Thrower merchandise was a bit shambolic (although tee-shirts at £10 was very welcome) and the bar prices weren't great, but overall it ticked nearly every box.

Kicking off proceedings on the Terrorizer stage, Bristol death metal outfit Amputated(7) got the day off to a fine start with a solid 30 minutes of impressive extreme death metal. Amputated take no prisoners, inciting the day’s first pit action with some pile driving and quite terrifying riffage. The UK’s Cannibal Corpse, Amputated are similar in delivery and theme to their West Country cousins Flayed Disciple. Song title of the day was already secured with Repugnant Genital Deformity. If you can’t work out what they sound like you clearly need a subscription to Terrorizer for the next decade.

A packed PHD stage greeted locally based outfit Black Moth (7) with a very warm welcome and they soon got into their stride with opener Tumbleweave from recent release Condemned To Hope dark, doomy and atmospheric. Unfortunately a muddy sound masked the excellent vocals of Harriet Bevan and whilst the doom element of their music benefited the cutting edge of their more gothic and indie style got a little lost.

Meanwhile back on the Terrorizer stage Rhod was sampling the sounds of Aeon (8) from Osterund, Sweden. More death metal was the order of the day, with a startlingly good performance full of top quality crushing technical power. Our intrepid reporter was noted to enthuse “Pure death metal on an epic scale. I was this close to jumping into the pit”. No higher praise can be heaped onto a band than that.

First visit of the day to the smaller Eyesore stage for Glasgow’s Falloch (8) who delivered a stunning set full of introspection and melancholy, post-rock, black metal and rock. A large crowd reacted very favourably to Falloch’s 35 minute set, and their delivery was spot on, benefiting from a decent sound. Complex and intricate progressive tones combine with powerful riffs and breakdowns with Alcest amongst the obvious influences. Well worth checking out.

Whilst Rhod worked his magic at the Bolt Thrower merchandise stall, the unmistakable clatter of Raging Speedhorn (5) filled the Jagermeister stage and area. I'm afraid that I don’t get the ‘horn (sorry!) and their aggressive hard-core sound, with the dual vocals of John Loughlin and Frank Regan fail to inspire. A quick exit was called for.

Back in the PHD stage Icelandic outfit Solstafir (9) provided one of the weekend’s highlights with a 50 minute set which captivated the capacity crowd. A mesmerising delivery included two tracks from their rather bloody good Otta album. Front man Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason is enchanting, every inch the rock star in leather jacket, weaving a spell of light and shade around the audience, capturing your attention with his mere presence, vocals and guitar work. He is ably supported by æþór Maríus "Pjúddi" Sæþórsson who adds plenty of reverb, intricate fretwork and powerful riffs. Concluding the set of five songs with Goddess Of The Ages, Solstafir’s first UK festival performance was a true I was there moment. Beautiful stuff.

Racing back to the Jager stage in time to catch the final strains of Scorpionica, the mighty Orange Goblin (9) hit the stage at 100mph and absolutely destroyed the venue with a blistering set stuffed with more goodies than a Christmas stocking. A mixed set with old favourites like Saruman's Wish nestled comfortably alongside Sabbath Hex and The Devil's Whip from this year’s Back From The Abyss. Man Mountain Ben Ward stop grinning such is the rabid frenzy that greets each track. The guitar work of Joe Hoare sounds incredible, riffs and hooks raining everywhere whilst the driving rhythm section of bassist Martyn Millard and drummer Chris Turner propel all of the songs along at breakneck speed. By the time that Red Tide Rising closes the set, Goblin have the crowd eating from their palms whilst Ward is probably still grinning today. A triumphant performance from one of the best UK bands.

Amongst the legends that are gracing the Leeds halls are American Doom Merchants Saint Vitus (7), who are performing Born Too Late in full. A strong turnout saw the band open with Living Backwards before I Bleed Black demonstrated why these guys are icons of the doom metal scene. However, even with the constant urging of guitarist Dave Chandler and Scott “Wino” Weinrich, it all appears a little dull and attention starts to wander. Saint Vitus went on to play Born Too Late in the second half of their set but by then the dulcet tones of Sunderland’s Wodensthrone had lured us back to the Earache Stage. Arriving half way through their set, this made up for our inability to get to Winterfyllth’s earlier set. Wodensthrone (8) deliver an infectious brand of melodic black metal and they capture the attention of those who weren't attracted to the main arena. We are rewarded with a powerful set mixing tracks from both Loss and 2012’s Curse.

German funeral doom merchants Ahab (8) deliver one of the heaviest sets of the day back in the PHD stage where huge guitar and crushing chords combine with Daniel Droste's evil and guttural vocals which sound like Satan if he’d stepped on a plug. Meanwhile Cannibal Corpse (9) demonstrate their billing as death metal kings with a steam roller of a set in front of a packed out Terrorizer stage, with hundreds queuing to get in throughout their turn. Opener Fucked With A Knife sets the tone for Corpsegrinder and colleagues to lay waste to all around them. Sadistic Embodiment and Icepick Lobotomy from the latest release A Skeletal Domain stands comfortably alongside old school classics such as Hammer Smashed Face.

Due to the capacity of the venue, not everyone can get into see Coventry’s finest Bolt Thrower (10) in their first UK Festival headline set. Those who don’t miss an absolute master class in death metal. Opening with War/Remembrance Karl Willetts and co are in stunning form, laying waste to all in the hall. There is little time to draw breath as the band grind out classic after classic, Anti-Tank, This Time It’s War and an absolutely pulverising No Guts … No Glory with Barry Thomson and Gavin Ward powering on the crushing riffs whilst Jo Bench adds a third guitar such is the thunderous delivery of her bass which welds with the blistering drumming of Martin Kearns. And then it arrived; The Killchain sets everyone in the arena bat-shit crazy, heads banging and pits galore. Willetts grins and leave the stage before the band return for a double salvo of At First Light and When Cannons Fade before a final hammer to the head with Silent Demise which leaves the audience battered, bruised and enjoyably damaged. Incredible stuff and as the crowd leaves, the smiles are everywhere. The stuff of legends. Roll on next year.

Obituary: Inked In Blood (Relapse Records)

The ninth studio release from Florida death metal titans Obituary, Inked In Blood pulls no punches. Colossal riffs destroy from the start, pounding bass lines and skull pounding drumming leave your innards contorted whilst the vocals of the legend John Tardy snarl and fight their way into your brain. This is one aggressively heavy album but don’t let that put you off. Although rightly masters of the Death Metal scene, Obituary deliver on a different level to their peers Cannibal Corpse, and whilst the pace is there in spades they also deliver some tracks with less speed and more power. Within A Dying Breed, for example, is as heavy as they come, but levels you with the most enormous riffs and groove. The double prong guitar of new guitarist Kenny Andrews and rhythm guitar man Trevor Peres provide both groove and frenetic fret board action. On Minds Of The World the all-out death metal assault morphs into a more evenly paced and totally crushing tune. What interested me with this release is how catchy and memorable the riffs are. Even when the band are going full out, with the battery of Donald Tardy’s drumming hitting you solidly in the abdomen, the songs are excellently crafted with Andrews solos peeling off at regular intervals. Frank Tardy’s voice is an acquired taste, plenty of roaring, growling and guttural snarls but fits the band’s sound perfectly. Opener Centuries Of Lies demonstrates this, allowing him to extend the full repertoire in two and a bit minutes. Thirty years since Obituary first started making their mark in the world of heavy metal, Inked In Blood is a blistering release, proving that the old school still deliver and do it better than any of the young pretenders. In a year of excellent releases, this stands comfortably amongst the leaders. Powerful, pulverising and pounding, Inked in Blood is a release you really need to listen to. 9/10

Winterfyllth: The Divination Of Antiquity (Candlelight Records)

I have to admit that the underground black metal that these Mancunians bring has passed me by for several years. However, a 40 minute set at BOA, ironically as the heavens opened, changed all that and their fourth release is a thunderous affair. Now I'm not the world’s biggest black metal fan, finding much of it a little too similar and the unintelligible vocals often just amuse me. However, what I do appreciate is the technical talent of some of the top purveyors of the genre, and Winterfyllth are right up there. The title track opens the album, six and half minutes of blistering speed and blasting drumming complete with Chris Naughton’s death growls. The track does change tempo throughout, although rarely dropping below the speed limit until half way where a quick breather is taken before the band plunge headlong back into the powerful driving delivery. Simon Lucas’ drumming is phenomenal, blistering hand and foot work propelling the track towards the crescendo. For a band that look like a gathering of dentists, Winterfyllth make a quite awesome noise, once again proving that you should never go by appearances. Whisper Of The Elements provides even more evidence that these guys are a cut above the average black metal band with changes of tempo and mood throughout whilst regularly returning to the blasting delivery that you expect. How Simon Lucas drums at this speed throughout the album is beyond me but I've seen him do it live so I know it isn't fabricated. Naughton and Mark Wood provide delicate and subtle edits to each track along with the pounding riffs whilst bassist Nick Wallwork combines with Lucas to man the engine room that allows the guitars to do their thing. Whilst the album remains very true to expectations, each track contains little nuances that deviate from each other. Warrior Herd for example has them pounding rhythm section but huge melody and hooks, whilst The World Ahead, at a mere 3:26 starts with some fragile acoustic work, calm and atmospheric amongst the chaos around it. A beautiful track and a completely different piece of work. Another quite brilliant piece of work from one of England’s most underrated bands. 9/10

Xerath: III (Candlelight Records)

Another album, yet more superlatives. The third full release by British extreme metallers Xerath. Apparently named after some video game character (is this right? I’m an old man. I don’t do this stuff) [Mr H is correct League Of Legends fans - Matt], the band were formed in 2007 and have won a number of accolades for their music. I've got their first two releases, but III is a much more complete work. Opener 2053 contains elements of thrash, progressive and extreme metal, with the influence of Devin Townsend, Meshuggah, Opeth and Dream Theater all evident. Indeed, the Hevy Devy influence flows throughout the album which in my book is no bad thing. III also has lashings of symphonic metal, which combines with the other influences to produce a real fusion. Autonomous has huge riffs, string sections and keyboards combining with Richard Thompson’s excellent vocal delivery, at times Howard Jones, at times oh so Devin. This is a real groove ridden head banger of a track. As the album ebbs and flows, I found myself reflecting on the quality of the compositions. It’s a bit like someone has done the most perverse mash up of many of my favourite bands. Bleed This Body Clean would convince all but the most hardened DT fan that it wasn't the master on the vocals, such is Thompson’s combined melodic and growling vocal delivery. Huge symphonic riffs splatter all over the track, and combine with the powerhouse duo of drummer Michael Pitman and bassist Christopher Clark. Demigod Doctrine has a quite delicious collaboration of strings, power chords and blast beats with massive Devin sounding vocals merging into the complexity of the overall track. I Hunt For The Weak builds into a massive head banger of track, combining many of the previous elements with a pounding rhythm section, soaring strings and growling vocals which fit perfectly. The Chaos Reign swirls and dips, with the division of death growls and clean vocals supported by close harmonies working perfectly. Throughout the album there is some excellent guitar work from Conor McGouran. Veil Part 1 is soaring metal track that would be excellent for the soundtrack to a movie set in space as it climbs and builds. This is an album crafted to the highest quality, heavy enough to keep the extreme metal fans happy whilst the relatively unique combination of symphonic and almost standard metal really works. A work of absolute quality and well worth a listen when you can. 9/10

*Unfortunately I missed these guys at Damnation due to the confusion over the Bolt Thrower merchandise. I would really love to see how this works live*

Machine Head: Bloodstone And Diamonds (Nuclear Blast)

When Adam Duce left Machine Head in somewhat acrimonious circumstances at the turn of the year, questions about the future of MFH were asked by many. For a band that had released THE album of the 2000s in The Blackening, this seemed a little bizarre. Okay, we all know that Robb Flynn controls the band pretty intensely, but was there ever a doubt that MFH would return with a decent slab of metal? I don’t think so. The pressure that the band was under after The Blackening was immense. They toured their asses off on that album, hitting the UK a number of times and possibly suffered from over-exposure although I will state here that I have never seen a bad Machine Head show and indeed in the last ten years have spent more time pitting to this band than any other. The follow up release Unto The Locust in the autumn of 2011 was a decent offering with some great songs on it. However, there appeared to be a bit of a backlash to the band, possibly due to the decision to offer them the 2012 Saturday night headline slot at BOA, something which wasn't well received by some of the more extreme patrons of the festival. I have to admit I had my doubts and although I watched the show, it didn't grasp me by the bollocks like before. However, word from the front that night was that MFH were back on form. The last time we saw them on these shores was their arena tour later that year with the desperately awful Bring Me The Horizon in support, a choice that certainly impacted on ticket sales and led to the NIA where I saw them far from capacity. Still, they put on a decent show, and it is in the live arena where MFH live or die.

So what about Bloodstone And Diamonds? Well, it is a very good record, no doubt about it. Filled with the usual angst that fuels Flynn’s inner rage, the album has a greater number of songs on it than a normal MFH release; 12 in total. Is there a format to a Machine Head record? I suppose there is. A few fast thrashers, for example Killers & Kings, a lengthy epic that builds in the middle of the album, this time it is Sail Into The Black and a few weighty slabs of metal that get the head moving. Opener Now We Die is a stomping tune, huge hooks, string sections, catchy chorus and the obvious opener for their forthcoming UK shows. Flynn’s vocals are unmistakable, snarly and aggressive, spitting the words out with real venom and feeling. Killers & Kings is possibly the most instantly accessible track on the album, Dave McClain’s powerful drumming combining with new boy Jared MacEachern to form as cohesive a unit as McClain and Duce did. Ghosts That Haunt My Bones has a riff and a half in it, Flynn’s vocal calm and measured to start before it descends into classic Machine Head fare, elements of Descend The Shades Of Night combining with the power of Bulldozer, Phil Demmel and Flynn using their excellent guitar work to full effect. Night Of The Long Knives climbs from an atmospheric start into an absolute balls out gallop with McClain’s drumming quite incredible. This will cause some carnage in the pit. (Lucky I’ve got a sick note!) Sail Into The Black combines the intro tapes of Grand Magus and Dimmu Borgir, acoustic guitar and some piano dripping through whilst Flynn eulogises in the way only he can. The track stands alongside classics such as Descend The Shades Of Night and Darkness Within and will no doubt be the pacer track in the middle of their set. It then builds with MacEachern’s bass pounding before McClain uses blast beats as the track charges towards a massive crescendo.

Halfway point in the album and not a dud so far. Eyes Of The Dead continues where Sail Into The Black left off, an overture of doom before the dual soloing of Flynn and Demmel rip your eyes out. I think that Demmel in particular is a massively underrated guitarist and his work here is exceptional, peeling off the licks for fun, ripping through the track and cutting the listener across the throat. Although it is almost old school thrash, this track, like most on the album have numerous changes of direction and enormous dollops of old school MFH groove. Halfway through, and Flynn briefly turns into Dave Mustaine, all guttural and grimace before it kicks off again with rampaging solos and 100mph drumming. Beneath The Silt has a slower feel to it, with even bigger riffs and a true heavy metal feel. Andy Sneap’s mixing is of the usual high quality throughout the album. Another seven minute plus track follows in the shape of In Comes The Flood, string section and choral vocals layering the introduction before the slicing guitar work synonymous with MFH cuts across. The weakest track on the album follows, with Damage Inside a cathartic rambling construct which adds little. Indeed, it’s about here that the album starts to slow in pace and direction. Sure, it’s been a tough time for MFH of late and Flynn in particular carries spectacular amounts of baggage but there are times when you can’t help thinking that he brings some of the shit on himself. Game Over gets the show back on the road with some blistering thrash before instrumental Imaginal Cells leads to final track Take Me Through The Fire, an anthemic roller coaster of a track which combines some classic MFH thrashing to bring the album to a slightly overdue end.

Machine Head are still a vital part of today’s metal scene. Whether this album will put them back into The Blackening territory is questionable; they've public ally stated they are avoiding festivals next year to focus on their own gigs which I think is a good move. An intense Machine Head gig is one of the most incredible sights in metal, and for a band who have 20 years + under the belt, still damn fine going. Machine Fucking Head. Indeed. 8/10

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