Musipedia Of Metal

Lordi, The Scene Club Swansea

Myself and Brett left Cardiff at 7 ready for a slightly later arrival than normal. Both us have never seen Lordi live, despite my love of them since Get Heavy and Brett's penchant for anything the slightest bit ostentatious and grizzly (mainly GWAR). So we were both a little excited, however we became less so when we arrived at the venue and saw the enormous queue that stretched around the block, meaning the show was starting late (little did we know).

First up was Silver Dust (7) a bunch of Victorian Steampunk vampires playing industrial metal. They definitely had the look, but the music was a little lackluster and after a few songs, the throbbing bass riffs all sounded a bit samey, still the capacity crowd lapped up every minute of it. Myself and Captain Wales debunked to the pub next door for a pint and waited for the second band of the evening. The second band were Shiraz Lane (6), I didn't have too much to say in my review of their debut album earlier this year and on this bill they were the obvious odd band out. A glam tinged hard rock band complete with pretty boy, high voiced singer, part Skid Row, part Steel Panther (but without the humour) replete with big hair, posturing and the twirling scarves. They did very little for me on record and live they were about the same, although the frontman's vocals are less annoying live (due to the fact you couldn't hardly hear them)

As the pretty boys wrapped up we moved nearer the stage and then we waited... and waited... and waited. The crowd rapidly began turning nasty calling the band out, finally an hour after Shiraz Lane had left the stage, KISS's God Of Thunder blasted out of the speakers and with that the mighty Skeletor introduced us to the Finnish Mon-Stars who kicked the set off with Let's Go Slaughter He-Man (I Wanna Be The Beast-Man In The Master's Of The Universe) as Ox and Amen cranked out the riffs the timing faux-par was all but forgotten as the crowd bounced along to one of the band's most recent songs (one of three from their new record).

After the first song we got the explanation for the wait, a dodgy curry the culprit, Mr Lordi the victim, rookie error made and apology accepted, it was then time to dive into the metallic Babez For Breakfast with Mr Lordi prowling the stage and snarling the lyrics with his gritty vocals and was inciting the fans to pump their fists, throw their horns, clap and scream like a demonic ring master, he had everyone under his spell as they cranked out The Riff (an ode to the basis of all great rock songs). Despite this being a tour in support of their latest album, most of the setlist came from their debut record Get Heavy, they even played deep cuts like Hellbender Turbulence which if I'm honest showed it's age with it's simplicity.

So here's where things get a bit weird, for a band already late they kept in all the solo spots, now some like Ox's bass solo were actually quite good as they featured schlock horror theatrical elements but most including the drum and keyboard solo were superfluous and added very little, they were however mercifully short and we got back on track with nasty Bite It Like A Bulldog which had Mana bashing away with power. Then for the old school fans in the crowd the inclusion of Icon Of Dominance proved to be a big hit Hella's keys leading the charge as Mr Lordi crooned. Despite their rock credentials and sheer force live, they have always been a band that can slow the pace with a horror-themed ballad and It Snows In Hell/Children Of The Night medley displayed this skill well getting the near-sold out crowd singing along with every line.

Down With The Devil served as the change the set needed, from here it was time for the more well known songs in the bands catalogue, we got Blood Red Sandman, Hard Rock Hallelujah (their Eurovision winners song), Devil Is A Loser, Who's Your Daddy (possibly the most misogynistic song imaginable, yet sung with gusto by the corset wearing ladies in the front row) and then the closed out as usual with the awesome Would You Love A Monsterman? With a glut of anthemic songs and a heavy as hell delivery and a great visual show featuring Nun disemboweling, Priest defiling and the still impressive demon wings, Lordi (8) lived up to my expectations and then some, next time though try a pre-gig sandwich or something yeah?

Mono, Alcest & Sinistro, The Globe, Cardiff

A highly anticipated evening of atmospheric music hit The Globe as Alcest & Mono brought their co-headlining tour to the Welsh capital.

There was no support act advertised on the poster for this show so it was a pleasant surprise when I arrived at The Globe to find a band on stage that was neither Alcest or Mono. Kicking off the proceedings were Portugeuse band Sinistro (6). Sinistro played a mix of doom/sludge metal and post-rock combining dreamy atmospheric passages with dense pulverising riffs. The band gave a confident performance but failed to exude much energy or stage presence which also resulted in a half-hearted response from the audience.

Next up were for me the main attraction of the evening the mighty Alcest (10). They also appeared to me the main attraction for the majority of the audience as they came onstage to rapturous applause and cheers. Alcest's blend of atmospheric black metal, post-rock, shoegaze and dream pop was executed perfectly with songs from the newest release Kodama sitting comfortably alongside older songs such as Autre Temps and Écailles de lune Part 1 and receiving a highly positive response from the audience, as the set progressed it was the absolutely beautiful performance of Délivrance brought it to a stunning close.

The final band of the evening were Japanese post-rock masters Mono (6). The audience had thinned out very slightly by the time Mono hit the stage but those that remained responded very enthusiastically to the performance. Mono played an enjoyable if rather repetitive set. All songs followed the same pattern of a soft and quiet intro which slowly built up and gathered steam, kept building in intensity before reaching a deafening crescendo and a very abrupt end. After several songs following this same pattern I unfortunately found my interest waning. Sadly due to an extremely early start the next day I had to leave the show early but what I managed to see of Mono's set was enjoyable, just not very enthralling.

Delain, Tramshed Cardiff 17 November 2016

A cold rainy night in Cardiff but a reasonably sized crowd inside the Tramshed was already enjoying Canadian outfit Kobra And The Lotus (6) when I arrived. Their generic wail does little for me but they were enjoyable enough. Full credit to vocalist Kobra Paige who gives it everything and a decent reception from the crowd. Plus points for Kobra’s tolerance of a rather drunk fan at the mercy stand later in the evening.

The band many had clearly come to see arrived with an impressive intro before blasting into opener Passing Through from the rather good The Storm Within. Evergrey (9) rarely come to the U.K. and as Tom. S. Englund, frontman and guitarist of the band later noted, this was the first time they had ever been in Wales. With their dark, misery ridden themes this was never going to be a party knees up but Englund’s dry Swedish humour hit the spot exactly. Live the band are crushingly heavy in parts, the twin guitar attack of Englund and Henrike Danhage pleasantly soothed at times by Rikard Zander’s keyboards. A shortish set focused on songs from the most recent albums including three from 2014’s Hymns For The Broken. Polished, technically superb and with a crystal clear sound, Evergrey were quite fantastic.

Disappointingly the crowd thinned substantially for headliners Delain (9) but the Dutch outfit didn't care spite the gaping holes in the crowd. Front woman Charlotte Wessels has improved over the years, her stage persona full of confidence and her voice quite beautiful. With a set that focused largely on this year’s fine Moonbathers release, seven tracks in total, the band cranked it up to 11 and hit Cardiff hard. The last night on a energy sapping tour of 28 dates across Europe, band found their adrenaline and were excellent.

Guitarists Timo Somers and the latest recruit Merel Becktold swapped sides at random, drummer Ruben Israel held the beat and the finest named bassist in rock, Otto Schimmelpennicick Van Der Ojie laid the rampaging bass lines and occasional death vocals (which in my opinion do nothing to enhance the songs). At the back of the stage, proud Martijn Westerholt stood over his keyboards. As the original member and creator of the band, he must be proud. As they got into their stride, the crowd engaged more and more and although it got progressively smaller, the noise levels increased and by the time We are the Others hit it was rocking.

A rare opportunity to see some of the lesser known bands in metal in our backyard. An excellent evening and just a shame that there weren't more there to enjoy it.

Pretty Maids: Kingmaker (Frontiers)

Danish rockers Pretty Maids have been kicking out the jams since 1981 and since then the only two constants have been founder members Ronnie Atkins (vocals) and Ken Hammer (guitar), it's this songwriting partnership that has seen the band still going even after all these years, now they may not be a household name to some (except in Japan where they seem to be revered) but longevity is something not be sniffed at in the cut throat music industry. As with all bands that are experienced there are parts of their career that shine and there are parts that are best left be, happily since 2010's Pandemonium Pretty Maids have been in a bit of a purple patch making some of the strongest, toughest and heaviest songs ever.

Kingmaker is their 15th album and sees Ken Hammer once again peeling off some heavyweight riffage on the opening two tracks When God Took A Day Off and the title track, these are real head kickers, with some excellent shredding and a powerful rhythm section guiding the musical backing it allows Ronnie to snarl viciously. The entire record is bolstered by Jacob Hansen's (Volbeat) production, it makes the entire record sound vibrant and heightens the piercing clarity of Hammer's guitar and the nuances of Atkin's expressive vocals.

Many will see Pretty Maids as an AOR styled band but this record may change that opinion as much of this record is menacing with distorted riffs and an aggressive streak see Bullseye, on the other hand there are of course some lighter melodic touches on the flirty Heaven's Little Devil and of course a mega power ballad in the shape of Last beauty On Earth where Atkins' croons like a natural balladeer. Kingmaker sees Pretty Maids still in playing top quality melodic metal. 8/10

Devilment: II - The Mephisto Waltzes (Nuclear Blast)

Devilment are notably the band stated by Daniel Finch back in 2011, they struggled to find a vocalist until Finch's friend Dani Filth agreed to do some guest vocals and eventually becoming the full time vocalist and sticking around for the debut album. In interim however Finch has left the group, leaving Filth as the sole 'original' member, this means that this second album can be seen as the reinvention of the band. I'll get this out of the way now, I've never been a fan of Filth's vocals, well one part of them in particular, I like his growls, roars and screams but I can't stand the high-pitched screeching he uses, I realise that it's a skill it just grates like nails on a chalkboard, especially live, it was a distraction when we saw Devilment live at Hammerfest and it's always been the major reason that even though I do like Cradle Of Filth I can never play there stuff for too long.

So with this in mind I pushed play on the second album from Dani's now 'other' band with a hint of trepidation, as the record kicks off Judasstein has the squeals but thankfully they don't appear very often and do add to the duality the song. From here the record improves well on Hitchcock Blonde which is a thumping rocker with the schlock horror tendencies and sees Filth using just his scarred main vocal, he works in conjunction with keyboardist Lauren Francis very well on Full Dark, No Stars which is the record's most dramatic piece with the soaring female vocals in juxtaposition with Filth's guttural grunts. II: The Mephisto Waltzes is a strong metal album, full of tasty extreme metal riffage, drum barrages and symphonic styling, its more concise and there is much better quality control than on it's predecessor and where Filth uses is brutal lower register the record is great, I just still can't get past the screeches. 7/10

Enbound: The Blackened Heart (Inner Wound)

Finally a new Enbound album! Who are Enbound? I hear you cry. Well they are a Swedish power metal band that play hook filled, fist punching, music played with a musical dexterity and a symphonic sensibility. Their debut record And She Says Gold was a triumph of furious riffs matched by waves of glorious keys and massive harmonies (even a stonking cover of Beat It) so I was anticipating that their second album would live up to expectations if not exceed them. Joyously it does and then some, more concise than it's predecessor at 10 tracks it's 40 minutes of classy power metal with a shine that comes from frontman Lee Hunter's smooth as silk vocals that some may recognise as the singer of modern AOR masters Work Of Art.

Here once again he is on top form with emotionally charged vocals that display his vocal range, he also provides some additional keys on the melodic Holy Grail. More than ably supporting Hunter's is the clean, crisp guitar work of Marvin Flowberg and the intricate bass of Swede (although Symphony X's Mike LePond plays the bass solo on Feel My Flame) everything on this record though is orchestrated and directed by the band's producer/lyricist/songwriter/drummer/keyboardist/vocalist (on They Don't Really Know) Mike Cameron Force who is really the architect of Enbound. What he has both designed and helped to construct is a very solid slab of bouncy power metal, yes it's standard fair in a shiny candy wrapper but that's not reason not to suck it and see. 7/10

Opeth: An Evening Of Sorcery, Damnation and Deliverance, SSE Wembley Arena

When Opeth announced a one-off November gig at Wembley Arena several months ago, it was touch and go whether we went. The price tag of over £50 plus the trek to London on a late autumnal dark day wasn’t the most attractive but Matt and I decided to take the punt. By 11:00pm on 19 November we were so happy we had. Wembley is reasonably straightforward to access from South Wales without the ball-ache of having to dip into Central London and we were there with a couple of hours to spare. Straight in at doors and having picked up the customary special event shirt we headed to the much vaunted sold out standing area.

First surprise and the only disappointment of the evening. The promoters had obviously underestimated the interest and had plumped for a “half size” event. Yes, the stage had been moved half way up the cavernous venue to cut the capacity in half. Yes, it became intimate but it appeared a strange move and considering the apparent demand on social media for standing tickets clearly a potentially missed opportunity to make a bit more cash and gain wider exposure for the band. Mikael Akerfeldt commented on it during the Opeth set, and not in the complimentary manner either.

Two weeks earlier we had seen Anathema perform a quite amazing set at The Globe, a 350-capacity venue in Cardiff. It was understandable that the band were apprehensive yet obviously delighted to be the support act for the evening. The band go back a long way with Opeth and I’d seen Anathema support the Swedes at Nottingham Rock City over five years ago. Despite the obvious nerves that appear to initially impact on Danny Cavanagh, Anathema (8) were on fire from the start and as the crowd swelled and became more engaged so the band visibly relaxed. Opening with Thin Air, Danny, brother Vincent and the rest of the group soon got the temperature rising and as the ever-emotional Untouchable Pt I allowed Lee Douglas to demonstrate her amazing voice the inevitable lump in the throat arrived.

A wry smile directed in my direction by Danny (I think in recognition of my Anathema hoodie) reassured me that he was finally enjoying himself. The band have honed their live skills recently and it showed with a flawless A Simple Mistake before the completely remodelled Distant Satellites got more heads nodding and the applause cascading around the venue. In a truncated set, obviously, many of the favourites can’t be played but Anathema chose a set list that really played to their strengths. A Natural Disaster is one of their most beautiful songs and this version was perfect, with Wembley Arena lit up with the mobile phone lights that has become synonymous with this song. Lee’s haunting closing vocal had the Arena holding its collective breath.

Usual set closer Fragile Dreams followed with the crowd by now fully participating before the band took the brave step to close with one of their new tracks, yet unrecorded but aired on the recent tour. Having only heard it once before I can’t be sure but we thought it was Springfield. It sounded even better than first listen. The band left the stage to a huge ovation, and I hope rightfully gained a few more fans in the process. They deserve it.

Opeth (10) don’t need any introduction. The band has grafted blood, sweat and tears to get to this place in their 25+ year career and they really went for it. The lighting for the evening took the visuals to another level, with many an appreciative gasp from the crowd as the evening progressed. A back screen which enhanced the mood was impressive too and the wider space on the stage allowed the frontmen to move around with more freedom, although Martin Mendes remained in his customary position throughout the evening.

A crystal-clear sound was an even bigger bonus. Given the complexity of Opeth's songs, the opportunity to hear their often crushingly heavy tracks with a ‘big’ sound was so welcome. The delivery was perfect. Opening with Sorceress, which interestingly elicited a massive cheer from a crowd obviously well acquainted with the new release, Opeth were just blistering. An unbelievable set list combined old favourites with newer material, although only The Wilde Flowers made the cut from the new release alongside the title track. I’ve reviewed Opeth several times before and it is hard to maintain the superlatives without sounding even more of a fan boy than I am.

However, polished and professional just aren’t sufficient. This is a band who make everything look incredibly easy despite the fact their music is intricate and complex. Multiple time changes, tempos and variations make even the simplest tunes interesting. Let’s just say that this was a band at the top of their game. Alongside Martin Mendes, drummer Martin Axenrot makes the drumming look stupidly easy whilst keyboardist Joakim Svalberg has given the band an extras dimension with his harmonies on the backing vocals a brilliant addition. His keyboard playing isn’t shabby either. That leaves the guitar work of Fredrik Akesson and of course, Mikael Akerfeldt. Just amazing. Akerfeldt’s vocal prowess allows him to switch between delicate clean vocals and brutal death growls in an instant.

So what was in the set list? Well, it played out like a fan boy’s wish list. After Sorceress, the monstrous duo of Ghost Of Perdition and a welcome return for Demon Of The Fall from My Arms, Your Hearse kept the old school happy. It was crushingly heavy all the way for the first set, except for the calmer parts of Face Of Melinda from Still Life and a blistering Drapery Falls, the only inclusion from Blackwater Park. Cusp Of Eternity from 2014’s Pale Communion, Heir Apparent from Watershed and Ghost Reveries’Grand Conjuration closed set one with the foundations of the venue shaking such is the heaviness of these tracks. Having already played for an hour and a half, the final hour was the Damnation and Deliverance set.

A beautiful contrast of acoustic (ish) tracks from Damnation, four in total that allowed the arena to brace for the brutal finale. Opening with Windowpane, the band whistled through the rarely played Death Whispered A Lullaby, In My Time Of Need and the Eastern flavoured Closure, all of the tracks flawlessly executed. The big finale hit hard, with several pits opening up in very strange places around the floor. Master's Apprentice was immense with the heaviness maintained with track two from DeliveranceBy The Pain I See In Others making only its third ever outing. It was stunning and a privilege to be present.

Of course, if you’ve seen Opeth in recent years you’ll know that the finale is often Deliverance, a blinding 13 minute epic. And so it was tonight. Heavy as fuck, intricate and just pure essence of a band who deserve all the plaudits they get. As the band took their final applause it was time to reflect on THE GIG of 2016. Absolutely brilliant and well worth the appalling weather on the drive back to South Wales.

Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons: Self Titled EP (Motörhead Music)

The long-time Motörhead legend has not sat idly by since the passing of his Captain, almost a year ago. Changing the name of his band to the Bastard Sons (from the All-Star Band - Ed) may not have gone down well with Mrs Campbell, but it probably serves the band well. Their non-stop touring has honed their skills and this five track EP is a groove fest of high quality rock ‘n’ roll with the bluesy undertones that Campbell’s guitar playing always added to the Motörhead sound. It’s party rock, well-crafted with Neil Starr’s dirty vocals spot on.

Lighter than much of his previous work, the stomp of Spiders, the American sleaze of Take Aim and opener Big Mouth all demand you to move your feet and bang that head. Phil’s three lads are a tight unit, Dane and Tyler laying down the rhythm whilst Todd adds to the old man’s superb guitar work with his own axe. No Turning Back has the pace of the Motörhead of old but moves away from being a straight forward replica in any way whilst the acoustic closer Life In Space demonstrates a much gentler side to a man renowned for turning everything up to 11. Life in an old dog for definite. I like this a lot. 8/10

Rik Emmett & Resolution 9: RES 9 (Provogue Records)

In the guitar world, Rik Emmett is an absolute legend. One of the founders of power trio Triumph, who he left in 1988, his discography is impressive with a variety of styles from rock to flamenco and all stations in between. RES 9 is his latest release and very eclectic it is too. Predominantly blues based, with guest appearances from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson and Dream Theater’s James LaBrie, it’s a relaxing listen with some stunning guitar work from the main man.

Some of the tracks are ghastly, namely the hideous My Cathedral but the blues soaked The Ghost Of Shadow Town and the brilliant funk infused End Of The Line (which features a storming performance from LaBrie and Lifeson’s dazzling guitar) make the god bothering palatable. The bonus track sees Emmett reunited with Triumph band mates Gil Moore and Mike Levine for the first time since 1987. Grand Parade is a mellow tune, and you can take your pick about whether it is the softer side of former glories or a just a bit gut churning. Very much an album for the muso and diehard fan. 6/10

Robert Pehrsson Humbucker: Long Way To The Light (High Roller)

Robert Pehrsson is a Swedish guitarist, singer and song writer who has been in a multitude of bands since he started recording in the late 1980s. His history includes thrash and death metal but that is very much history. Long Way To The Light is a solo release which sits very much in the genre of ‘classic rock’ (which appears to have become a thing now). With a sound that contains elements of Thin Lizzy, Pat Benatar and even a bit of The Cars, its very much aimed at the AOR market. It does it very well, combining some excellent guitar work with melody and harmony. It’s a bit cheesy at times but overall a perfectly listenable inoffensive release. 7/10

Ulcerate: Shrines Of Paralysis (Relapse Records)

Ulcerate are one of those bands that I have heard nothing but universal praise for but for some reason I have just never got round to checking them out. Now is the time to remedy this with the release of their fifth album Shrines Of Paralysis. Ulcerate play a unique variant of technical death metal. Unlike the deluge of masturbatory guitar widdling that plagues most technical death metal bands today Ulcerate's focus is on atmosphere kind of sounding like a cross between Gorguts and Neurosis.

From the moment you hit play you are plunged headfirst into a swirling abyss of chaos and bombarded by a whirlwind of dissonant guitar riffs and disgustingly guttural vocals all held together by some incredibly complex drumming. There are moments where the eye of the storm passes over and the music takes a calm yet atmospheric turn which allow you to take a breath before the storm whips you back up and throws you back into the pandemonium. It is difficult to pick any stand out tracks from the album as Shrines Of Paralysis works better when listened to as an entire album instead of cherry picking certain tracks.

The album flows so perfectly that at times I did not even know the track had changed. It can be an endurance test to listen to the nearly hour long album in one sitting though. This is not music for the faint of heart or mind. Shrines Of Paralysis is a masterclass in modern death metal and the only minor criticisms I have would be is that the length of the album is slightly excessive and could be reduced a small amount and it can be a bit repetitive throughout but overall this is essential listening for any fans of extreme metal. I will definitely be checking out the Ulcerate back catalogue. 8/10

The Von Deer Skulls: The Rest Is Silence (Wraith Productions)

The Von Deer Skulls are a French based band who play an interesting mix of doom metal with prog and post-rock influences and some avant-garde leanings. It's a sometimes overwhelming listen but the band just about pull it off on their latest release The Rest Is Silence. Instruments such as bow and bagpipe are combined with guitars, bass and drums to create a twisting maze of doom-laden riffs and atmospheric post-rock passages whilst the heavily accented vocals of frontman Peter range from throaty spoken word passages, gravelly cleans to savage screams.

Some songs have a very psychedelic feel to them albeit drowned in darkness with the highlights include the more riff-driven Twilight Of Innocence and Tabula Rasa. This is an enjoyable if rather disjointed album. There is so much going on throughout that it is difficult to consume it all in one sitting but fans of experimental metal should find much to love about this album. 7/10

Skyliner: Condition Black (Limb Music)

Skyliner are a Florida-based progressive power metal band and Condition Black is their second album. Progressive power metal is a genre awash with a million Dream Theater soundalike clones which is where Condition Black is pleasing as it's influences seem to come more from the thrash influenced U.S. power metal scene and also from some modern day technical death metal bands. It's a refreshing change but unfortunately what lets this album down is the distinctly average songwriting.

There is much fat that could be trimmed from this album with way too many pointless instrumental interludes and a lot of aimless meandering on some of the lengthier songs. The songs that really work on here are the shorter more direct ones such as the impressive title track and my personal highlight the energetic Starseeker. Performance wise frontman and guitarist Jason Becker is the standout with his nicely varied vocals ranging from a mid to high range very reminiscent of Warrel Dane to death metal growls which thankfully are not overused as they do not really fit in with the music. Condition Black is not a bad album by any means but with a reduced running time and more focused songwriting this could have been brilliant. 6/10

Kentucky Headhunters: On Safari (Plowboy Records)

Any band whose opening track is called Beaver Creek Mansion should automatically receive a 10 rating. Kentucky Headhunters roots sit all the way back in 1968 when brothers Richard and Fred Young started Itchy Brother in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. Kentucky Headhunters become a thing in 1986 with lead guitarist Greg Martin on board. Debut album Pickin’ On Nashville in 1989 was widely acclaimed. The current line up is completed by Doug Phelps, lead vocals since 1995 and bass since 2008.

On Safari is a mixture of country, blues and rock with a metal edge. Tracks like Deep South Blues Again, I Am The Hunter and Lowdown Memphis Town Blues all flow with soul and passion, with some typically free flowing guitar work beloved of the Southern rock style. It makes you want to grab a cold one and stomp that foot on the porch. It's not all brilliant mind, with some of the more religious themes a little hard to stomach.

God Loves A Rolling Stone is not a homage to Jagger and co, but an evangelical tinged Jebus hymn which I could do without. This is probably unsurprising given the band's side projects include a gospel rock album (Martin was part of The Mighty Messiahs) Still, when the band do let go, the music is mighty fine and Phelps voice sits comfortably with the band’s southern swagger. 7/10

Herman Frank: The Devil Rides Out (AFM)

Guitarist Herman Frank is probably best known for his work with German legends Accept. Having left the band after 1983’s Balls To The Wall, he forged a career with Victory as well as producing numerous bands including Saxon. A return to Accept for Blood Of The Nations, Stalingrad and Blind Rage saw him leave the band again in December 2014.

It won't be a surprise to discover that his third solo release, The Devil Rides Out sticks pretty rigidly to the formula of the aforementioned metal outfits. Blistering solos, thunderous drumming and average lyrics are all firmly in place for a pretty formulaic release which ticks all the heavy metal boxes. Thunder Of Madness may be the stand out track with its ferocious speed and aggressive power.

Part of the difficultly is vocalist Rick Altzi, mouthpiece of several other bands including Masterplan, At Vance and Frequency, whose gritty gnarly voice just grates a little as the album progresses. On the plus side, Frank’s fretwork skills are stunning, shredding for fun with a sharpness that’ll cut you. Bonus track Forever is the obligatory power ballad and adds nothing. Average heavy metal by numbers. 6/10

Demon: Cemetery Junction (Spaced Out)

When I was 13 years old I was fixated by an album called The Plague by Demon. A family holiday in the Isle Of Man was made tolerable because of that album, on cassette, which spent the entire trip on a loop on my Sony Walkman. I was vaguely aware that the band had already released their two most highly rated albums, Night Of The Demon in 1981 and The Unexpected Guest the following year.

I don't even know why I loved The Plague so much as it really hasn't stood the test of time very well. After 1985’s British Standard Approved interest waned and it was with some surprise that Cemetery Junction appeared recently. It transpires that the band has maintained momentum since reforming in 2001, with three albums and an appreciative audience still out there to welcome them. I bet the Germans bloody love them.

With a pretty stable line up in place, the band knit around original vocalist Dave Hill. Drummer Neil Ogden has been on board since 2002, guitarist Dave Cotterill since 2007 whilst bassist Ray Walmsley has previously played guitar for many years. Ken Wayne’s keyboards and Paul Hume’s drums complete the line up.

Unfortunately Cemetery Junction isn't very good. Opener Are You Just Like Me is okay, but second track Life In Berlin stinks. Musically the band are incredibly competent but it's just so pedestrian and rooted in 1986. This is the kind of stuff Magnum churned out around the Vigilante era (shudders - Ed). Turn On The Magic, The Best Is Yet To Come (if only) and Queen Of Hollywood are all Synth heavy average rock with Hill’s slightly strained vocal style possibly the only thing connecting the band with their past.

By the time you get to Thin Disguise it's pretty desperate stuff. The title track doesn't make it any better but I can see this lot going down a storm at Hard Rock Hell or some other nostalgia drenched festival. I'm astounded the band are still plugging away and full kudos to them for that. It's just a shame that the atmospheric intent never quite translates to top class tunes. 5/10

Tiebreaker: Death Tunes (Karisma Records)

Tiebreaker play Norwegian rock ‘n’ roll. Death Tunes is their second full release, following on from 2014’s We Come From The Mountains. With a mix of influences including a healthy dose of Pearl Jam, this is a pretty decent album full of Melody and power. Thomas E. Karlsen’s vocals are gritty and powerful, with his performance on Cannonball reminiscent of Chris Cornell in his prime. If you like guitar driven rock with a melancholic edge combined with the raw passion of early garage rock then check this release out.7/10

Maschine: Naturalis (InsideOut)

Pipes, Beards, Real Ale and Spectacles at the ready folks it's prog time and I mean 'proper' prog not this modern stuff, think the jazz influenced-likes of King Crimson, ELP, Genesis (with Gabriel and Hackett) and if you want to be recent Steven Wilson. Luke Machin is the band leader/vocalist and most importantly guitarist of Maschine and much like Robert Fripp in King Crimson, Maschine is his way of expressing himself totally. Machin has guested in other bands but none have been as traditionally progressively minded and defiantly non conformist as Maschine.

Along with the band leader, the rest of the band are all virtuosos at their respective instruments, behind everything changing the pace and playing with a hell of a lot of power but also nuanced spatial awareness that let's the longer songs breathe, is drummer James Stewart. Thickening Machin's guitar sound are the heavy riffs of Elliot Fuller who maintains the groove with bassist Daniel Mashal who's bass work is thick, funky and adds soul to what can sometimes be a stale, cerebral genre, just check out Resistance and Megacyma for a full display of his ability.

Finally rounding out the the band is Marie-Eve de Gaultier who adds the colour to these pieces with her soaring, honeyed vocal matching well with Machin's lower more spoken style as she also provides the keys, organs and flute to really make this record an eclectic piece. Building upon the ideas of their debut record and focusing them into a more cohesive, accessible but still unflinchingly complex unit, with an album dealing with man's devastating encounters with nature (something actually happening outside of MoM towers at the time of this review). Naturalis is a sublime record and it puts Maschine at the forefront of the new prog resurrection. 9/10

Apollo: Waterdevils (Escape)

Many will be familiar with vocalist Apollo Papathanasio the Swedish (from Greek descent), singer is the current vocalist of Spiritual Beggars and is probably most well known as the frontman of Greek power metal band Firewind, he was the singer during their breakthrough and most successful period from Allegiance onward. Now however he has taken a break from contributing to other peoples music and has focused on creating his own record under his own name.

In what is a sharp contrast to the Firewind days Waterdevils is hard rock album with touches of classic rock and AOR defined by big choruses and chunky riffs, Apollo's vocals take centre stage as he really unleashes his full range emotive and triumphant he is a great singer with a unique delivery. Revolution For The Brave has nods to Spiritual Beggars with organ stabs powering the song, while I Need Rock N Roll wouldn't sound out of place on a KISS album.

There are various influences shining through on this record giving a rock jukebox feel, but the title of the record belays it's nature, Waterdevils are "a weather phenomenon. It's a small, weak whirlwind over water that's (sic) pretty rare. You never know where you'll see it or if you'll see it again" this record acts a tribute to the artists that Apollo has grown up with but also to the musicians from King Diamond, Gamma Ray, Arch Enemy, Grand Magus, MasterPlan, that contribute to the record. Will we see it again? I can't say but for now Waterdevils is a great accompaniment to the rest of Apollo's achievements. 7/10

Baleful Creed: S/T (Self Released)

Straight out of Belfast with fist full of riffs and a belly full of groove Baleful Creed are a band with a sound born in NOLA and created with help Mr Jack Daniels this is fuzzy stoner rock that has some psych vibes, low slung heaviness but also shovel loads of melody from the dual guitar interplay of Fin Finlay and John Allen weaving in and out of each other creating a thick seam of riffage as Stephen Fleming and Mark Stewart are the rock solid backroom driving the title track like a truck rolling down the highway, with nods to Sabbath (Thorazine), some Alice In Chains (Autumn Leaves), Fireball Ministry (especially in the vocals) and even the now finished Black Spiders.

This is guitar heavy stoner rock that relies on huge grooves, some trippy sounds, touches of rumbling doom and desert rock like blissed out passages, Crazy Man is a great demonstration of this with it's slow burning build and chord heavy chorus. I've been dealing with a lot of US and Greek stoner rock recently and happily it's nice see that bands this side of the pond can wade in with a strong collection of stoner rock riffs like this a great full length for those that love their music with double shot of bourbon and tonne of grit. 7/10

Dark Tranquility: Atoma (Century Media)

Melodic death metal legends Dark Tranquility, godfathers of the “Gothenburg scene” return with their 11th album and it’s a solid affair. Fusing Mikael Stanne’s traditional death growls with some rather tidy clean vocals Atoma contains a mix of all out brutality with many calmer and melodic passages. It is the first album without rhythm guitarist Martin Henriksson who left in March 2016 after 26 years with the band.

New bassist Anders Iwers makes his debut on this follow up to 2013’s Construct. Much emphasis is placed on the song composition with the synth work of Martin Brandstrom providing a nice counterfoil to the frantic drumming of Anders Jivarp and the scorching guitar work of Niklas Sundin. Tracks such as Neutrality, Forward Momentum and Force Of Hand provide all the evidence you need that the Swedes are still a major force in the melodic death metal arena. 7/10

Graham Bonnet Band: The Book (Frontiers)

Born in Skegness in 1947, Graham Bonnet still possesses on of the finest and most powerful voices in rock. The Book is a new album with 11 freshly recorded tracks by The Graham Bonnet Band along with rerecorded versions of 16 ‘classics’. For a man whose first hit was way back in 1968 with The Marbles (Only One Woman, written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees pop pickers), his longevity can only be admired. However, I have long taken umbrage with the word ‘legend’ that he has been labelled with.

On the plus side, he provided Rainbow and Ritchie Blackmore with fresh impetus and two hit singles in 1980. All Night Long and Since You’ve Been Gone have long sat in the classic rock file, although both are lyrically creepy. His sole album with Rainbow Down To Earth also contained two real solid other tunes, Lost In Hollywood and the stomping Eyes Of The World. His time with Michael Schenker in MSG was slightly less impressive. One album, the rather weak Assault Attack and one gig in Sheffield where he appeared pissed and with his cock out. Yes, legendary for all the wrong reasons. Alcatrazz contained more guitar virtuosos than he had a right to expect, with Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai and three albums failed to produce much unless you happen to be Japanese where the former crooner is idolised like CP3O at an Ewok Convention.

So, let’s get CD 2 out of the way first. A list of 16 reworked classics which includes the four tracks from his stay with Mr Blackmore, albeit devoid of the man in black’s bluesy Fender Stratocaster magic. A few from Bonnet’s sole MSG outing including Assault Attack, Desert Song and the pop-influenced Dancer, all of which suffer without metal Mickey’s guitar work. I had cause to put on the original Assault Attack track just to refresh my memory and it was so much better than this version. Still, Bonnet’s vocals hold up well to the original and if you get the opportunity check out the You Tube recording of Bonnet singing this with Schenker at this year’s Sweden Rocks. In fact, it’s his solo stuff that works best here with a blistering version of Night Games, which is still a brilliant tune; pop rock at its best.

The re-workings of his time with Alcatrazz and Imperllitteri, well, yeah, they are okay. It’s better fare on CD1, which has the original compositions. A throwback to the pomp of his Rainbow days, there is some good hidden amongst the 11 on offer. Of course, it’s a matter of taste, but Bonnet’s vocals performance is impressive. The classic rock vibe is really in evidence with Jimmy Waldo’s keyboards duelling with Conrad Pesinato’s fine guitar work in much the same way Blackmore did with Don Airey in those halcyon days of the first Monsters Of Rock. Opener Into The Night is a storming track, fluid and fast. Rider powers away, full of melody and pomp whilst The Book is a genuine rocker. I’ve never really liked Bonnet, his suited image and apparent self-importance always made me feel uneasy. Credit where credit is due, The Book is a very decent melodic rock release, full of the classic rock feel of the 1980s but with a modern angle. It really demonstrates that the man can still sing and write good tunes. Much better than I was expecting. 7/10

Scattered Hamlet: Swamp Rebel Machine (Buck Moon Productions)

No pretence with this lot. It’s balls out dirty whisky soaked blues hard rock with a red neck stomp. Hell, the band list a whole slab of bands who would have you breaking the speed limit if they popped up on shuffle and Scattered Hamlet nestle in there, nicely situated alongside the likes of Texas Hippie Coalition and Hogjaw. These boys play hard and if you like your music powered by Skynyrd, Hatchet, Clutch and Sabbath with a serving of New Orleans sludge then this is just for you. It’s not subtle, it’s not sweet but it does the fucking job. Grab a beer, get your cowboy hat and jump aboard the Swamp Rebel Machine. It’s one hell of a ride. 8/10

Planet Of Zeus & Welcome Back Delta, Exchange, Bristol

A Saturday night in Bristol can always be hit and miss, mainly due to the traffic situation, however with a pretty smooth ride into the city we managed to arrive 15 minutes before show time ready for a night of gargantuan riffs. Many of those in attendance would have first seen Welcome Back Delta and Planet Of Zeus supporting Clutch and by the numerous Clutch T-Shirts (and one Clutch hat) you can tell that POZ and WBD made an impact. It also gives away the sounds of both bands, this is groove-laden, riff heavy stoner rock with both bands taking the riffs and giving them a good seeing too. There was supposed to be a thrid band Baron greenback on the bill but they apparently pulled out of the show so at 7:30 Welcome Back Delta took to the stage.

What was immediately striking about Welcome Back Delta (7), other than the additional Clutch shirt of frontman Joe Kelly was the extremely natty Xmas jumper worn by guitarist Rob Duncan (In November no less), we found out later this was due to a work enforced jumper day. (Still it's fucking November). WBD are four very affable chaps, they thoroughly enjoy what they do and don't take themselves too seriously, the stage banter was abound from the off as all four of them sparked off each other and we were let in on the joke, special kudos to bassist Phil Davies who did seem to be dying of Man-Flu but continued to bring the low-down grooves for tracks such as Jeremy's Iron and the colossal Thrones.

Playing most of the tracks off their most recent effort, Preacher brought a Clutch-like swagger while Dadgerous ramped up the heavy. Halfway through the set they got slinky as four white boys from the Cotswolds played the blues (their words not mine) and towards the end they filled the set with more riffage and bluesy, heavy rock. WBD were an excellent opener, getting the heads nodding and feet tapping ready for the Greek style stoner rock to come.

With small change over the Greek four piece took to the stage, possibly the most Hellenic looking band I've seen, they clearly have an attraction to their fellow countrymen as they pulled in a lot of the Greek rockers from around Bristol and Cardiff. As the room filled with both enthusiasm and the use of Greek as a language increased with the band kicking off with the anthemic Loyal To The Pack the title track of their most recent album, which saw them gain a lot of recognition in the UK.

While it wasn't a sold out crowd much like the venues in their native country the response of the crowd for every song was rapturous, the pace rarely dropped as Babis' wild eyed, shouted delivery set them apart from their support, Planet Of Zeus (8) have a gritty, Southern metal swagger with songs about "rock an roll" as Babis put it, but they also have the more melodic, psych sounds of the stoner scene (I've talked about the Greek stoner scene before), think Sabbath jamming with Skynyrd as Danko Jones cuts in and you've got it.

As Babis (rhythm guitar), J.V (bass) and Skye (drums) lay down the thick riffage, Yog contributes the simmering leads. The hairy, bearded bastards on stage were the mirror image of the majority of the crowd, this is probably why they have a devoted following they seem like an everyman band just plugging in and playing with cuts such as Sky High Heels, Your Love Makes Me Want To Hurt Myself, The Great Dandolos, Little Deceiver just small snippets of full impact set that allowed the riffs to flow over you.

As the set wound up there was no drop in ferocity or enthusiasm the band had the crowd clapping, shouting and jumping right up until the final chord, then at 9:50 as quickly as they entered the stage they exited leaving the crowd shouting for more. Little gigs like this make doing this worthwhile, just over 2 hours of fat, thick heavy rock with admittedly small but responsive crowd making the band play at 110% "Efcharisto Poli!"

Lazuli: The Fleece, Bristol

Last year the overwhelming highlight of an otherwise bloated performance from Fish at the O2 Academy was the support band, French outfit Lazuli, whose unique progressive rock fused with Eastern influences was quite fantastic. Their modest reaction to a massive ovation was quite humbling.

Roll forward almost a year and Lazuli (10) are back in Bristol, at one of our favourite venues, The Fleece. This was a gig we’d been looking forward to for some time and it proved to be ever so worthwhile. A sparse crowd of around 70 people allowed for plenty of space on the floor but that didn’t faze the Frenchmen who took the stage just before 8.30pm. Over the next two hours the band treated the audience to a masterful demonstration in pace, power and passion. Lazuli’s strengths are numerous, but a huge factor in their appeal is the eclectic sound. At times heavy and hard, often delicate and precise and always superbly performed, the band have few peers and deserved a much larger audience.

Opening with the beautiful Le Temps Est La Rage from their recent Nos Ames Saoules, Lazuli played a magnificently paced set which combined tracks from their latest album with older material, including several from 2014’s brilliant Tant Que L’herbe Est Grasse. With the diminutive Dominique Leonetti the focal point as vocalist and guitarist, the band demonstrated their skills throughout. Guitarist Gederic Byar was exceptional, his guitar work intricate. To Dominique’s right his brother Claude whose self-designed Léòde is still an instrument of mystery but boy can he play it. Behind the front three, drummer Vincent Barnavol whose percussion was a thing of beauty whilst keyboard and French horn player Romain Thorel added layers onto an already stunning sound.

The band appeared to be delighted to be playing live, with broad smiles and much laughter. Dominique apologised for his faltering English, something that there was no need to do at any stage. He read out some introductory pieces from a sheet of A4, taking the opportunity to demonstrate a wicked sense of humour. What also impressed was the crowd response which was first class. There may have been few of us there but the thunderous applause after each song demonstrated that there is an appetite for much more. Lazuli closed their set with two pieces of magic. An enthralling drum versus keyboard duel between Vincent and Romain before the band joined forces for their magical marimba finale, complete with a snippet of Heroes in the middle..

As the applause rang out around The Fleece I reflected on the similarities and differences between Lazuli and the incredible performance I’d witnessed by Opeth at Wembley the week before. Two bands who follow their own musical path, regardless of pressure. Both humble and modest in approach and performance, both musically magical and enchanting despite at times being poles apart in content. Sometimes live music lifts you to places where you cannot otherwise reach. This was another of those evenings.

Alter Bridge, Volbeat, Gojira, Like A Storm - Motorpoint Arena Cardiff

With the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena deciding to open doors at 5, it meant Nic, Dan and I got into the arena in time to catch the end of Like A Storm's (6) final song Love The Way You Hate Me. Pretty decent fare, and a band I'd probably check out another time.

However, when French Metal titans Gojira (9) take the stage, it's a whole other level, their brutal riffs and earthquake-inducing bass threatening to tear apart our quaint little arena. Starting with Toxic Garbage Island and L'Enfant Sauvage before treating the crowd to a triple whammy of heavy hitters from Magma, including the awesome Silvera. As the band close with fan favourite Vacuity, it's evident that many minds have been well and truly blown.

Volbeat (8) are another flavour altogether, tearing straight into The Devil's Bleeding Crown, their rockabilly inspired heavy metal sound causing an infectious wave of dancing and headbanging through the entire arena. Fan (and personal) favourite Lola Montez also elicits a similar reaction. Other noteworthy moments include a quick cover of Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire followed by Sad Man's Tongue and one of Volbeat's heaviest songs, Evelyn, where the vicious growls of Barney Green way of Napalm Death were adequately performed by Michael Poulsen who's voice is both powerful and soulful, the northern twang in most songs fitting perfectly with the Rockabilly vibe.

After an announcement that tonight's performance is being recorded for a live CD, Alter Bridge (8) take to the stage to tremendous applause, opening with The Writing On The Wall from this year's The Last Hero, following it up with Come To Life. The band give a good show, their performance including songs from throughout their career, from the aforementioned The Last Hero to debut album One Day Remains. Frontman Myles Kennedy has a brilliant stage presence, constantly engaging the audience and the man admittedly has a great voice, although it's not to my personal taste.

He's backed up vocally by guitarsmith Mark Tremonti, who even takes centre stage for Waters Rising. Tremonti's voice is excellent, and even when he isn't singing, his guitar work is brilliant. The band's sound is tight, with Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall keeping the rhythm on drums and bass respectively. Overall, an enjoyable night with some brilliant music.

Civil War: The Last Measure (Napalm Records)

Civil War is a power metal band formed by ex-members of Sabaton and 'The Last Full Measure' is their third album. Much like Sabaton, Civil War play melodic power metal with a military theme (This is the third record based upon the a trilogy of books about the American Civil Wars by Jeff Shaara- Literature Ed) but Civil War's sound is more rooted in classic heavy metal and traditional power metal. Keyboards are still prevalent but more scaled back with more emphasis on the guitars and the wonderful melodic yet weathered vocals provided by the mighty Nils Patrik Johansson (of Astral Doors and Wuthering Heights fame).

Civil War play it fairly safe on the songwriting front with the majority of the tunes on here either being a speedy power metal number or a mid paced heavy metal anthem with big anthemic choruses galore. A few songs take a more symphonic approach which gives the album a bit of variety and lets a lot of the songs stand apart from each other. Although the songwriting approach is little uninspired you cannot fault tracks such as the insanely catchy Savannah, the absolutely ripping Gladiator and the folky curveball of Tombstone.

Civil War continue to step out from under the shadow of Sabaton and become recognised as their own band. The Last Full Measure is a further step down that path. It's not a perfect album as a few songs could have been cut and the running time reduced a little but it is a great anthemic power metal album. 7/10

Deathspell Omega: The Synarchy Of Molten Bones (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

After a four year absence Deathspell Omega return with another dose of their unique brand of black metal. Their previous release the EP Drought was a more experimental release but with The Synarchy Of Molten Bones Deathspell Omega return to their previously established sound at times taking it to further realms of extremity. Each of the four tracks seems to outdo the previous in terms of intensity and extremity with dissonant guitars, mind bending chord changes all barely held together by some of the most inhumanely intense drumming.

The vocals sit somewhere between screaming and growling and sound truly hellish. With only four tracks and a running time of under 30 minutes, The Synarchy Of Molten Bones is over way too quickly but at least in this respect it doesn't outstay its welcome. Deathspell Omega are one of the few black metal bands around today whose music sounds intimidating and at times genuinely deranged. The Synarchy Of Molten Bones is absolutely essential listening for those who like their extreme metal terrifying, off-kilter and teetering on the edge of sanity. 8/10

Starkill: Shadow Sleep (Prosthetic Records)

I've stated in a previous review that a lot of modern mainstream metal fails to impress and leaves me feeling cold. Unfortunately Starkill are not an exception to that rule. Shadow Sleep is album number three for Starkill and is a 21st century take on melodic death metal sounding a bit like a cross between Soilwork, Children Of Bodom and Trivium. Chugging, groove laden yet melodic guitar riffs are mixed with symphonic keyboards, pedestrian drumming and the harsh and clean vocals of frontman Parker Jameson. There are some nice moments during the album and everything is very well played.

The backing and co-vocals by Sarah Lynn Collier add a dramatic and epic edge and lift songs such as the title track, Cloudless and Piece Of Paradise. There is some very nice lead guitar playing throughout the album as well. Unfortunately it all sounds so clean, polished and clinical that very little of this album sticks with you by the time it has come to an end. Shadow Sleep isn't a bad album but neither is it a good one. Despite enthusiastic performances from all involved it is just a very generic and forgettable album. 5/10

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow: Memories In Rock: Live in Germany 2016 (Eagle Rock)

When the man in black announced he was returning to his rock roots for three dates in June this year, it was unsurprising that tickets shifted quickly. After all, this was Ritchie Blackmore, formerly of the parish of Deep Purple and Rainbow, two legendary bands in the history of rock.

Recorded at the two German dates that the band played, Memories In Rock is a memento for those who were quick enough to get tickets. It’s a high-quality recording of a guitarist who can still cut it with the best, whose legendary status is assured and who clearly does what he wants. And why the fuck not? However, despite the best efforts of Lords Of The Black frontman Ronnie Romero, it’s the vocals that are the Achilles heel on this release. That’s not Romero’s fault. He’s just singing songs which were originally performed by Ian Gillan, David Coverdale, Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner. Some of the greatest rock vocalists of all time.

Opening with the classic Over The Rainbow the band launch into the first of six Deep Purple songs, the always blistering Highway Star. The band are tight, the rhythm section of bassist Bob Nouveau and drummer David Keith providing the platform for Blackmore to remind everyone just how bloody good he still is. All the tracks remain true to their original format with the keyboards of Jens Johanssen superb, bringing the sounds of the late Jon Lord and Don Airey back to life again. Blackmore’s duels with Johanssen a highlight of this release.

The set list is a real greatest hits package, with the odd curved ball. Spotlight Kid for example is not one of the more well-known Rainbow songs but it gets an outing here although Romero struggles with it somewhat. As the set progresses, the surprise is really the amount of Purple songs that feature. Given that Deep Purple are regularly touring, the crowd may well have expected to hear more Rainbow. Thankfully, only one Bonnet era song is here, the classic Since You’ve Been Gone with the set heavily focused on the Dio era, including a magnificent Stargazer and 16th Century Green Sleeves. Numerous medleys also feature, occasionally bloated and over indulgent but at times brilliant; a fantastic segue into Beethoven’s Ninth during Difficult To Cure case in point.

The problem with many live albums is that they rarely capture the full flavour of the event. The crowd response isn’t an issue on this album with the German crowds in Loreley and Bissingen enthusiastic from the start. However, given the classic rock crowd that this would have pulled in the UK, I’m happy to listen to it on CD in the comfort of my own home. If you were there I’m sure it is magical. However, as the recording ends on Black Night and Smoke On The Water, I’m left wondering where’s my copy of Made In Japan? 7/10

In Flames: Battle (Nuclear Blast)

Alongside Dark Tranquility and At The Gates, In Flames are considered originators of the “Gothenburg Sound” which merged mainstream metal with the heavier elements of death metal. Battle is their 12th studio release and follows on from 2014’s Siren Charms. It opens well with Drained and The End both characteristic of their usual sound, dual guitars, the combination of growling and clean vocals from Anders Friden and harmonies on the chorus.

My problem with In Flames is that their sound remains instantly identifiable but totally unremarkable, release after releases. If you are not a devotee of the band, then In Flames are of limited interest. Technically Battle is excellent, with the use of keyboards and programming extending their moves into the “alternative metal” sound (whatever the hell that is). The Gothic tinged atmosphere adds an edge to Wallflower and Save Me and anthems like The Truth are solid. It’s by no means a bad album. Just a bit more of the same from a band that are one of the dullest I’ve ever seen live. 6/10

Blazon Stone: War Of The Roses (Stormspell Records)

War Of The Roses is the third release from Blazon Stone, side project of Cederick Forsberg, a multi-instrumentalist from Sweden. Named after the 6th album by Running Wild, War Of The Roses is a quality power/speed metal release full of tales from history and war. Forsberg plays the guitar, bass and drums on this and the two previous releases whilst [brother?] Erik provides some timeless power metal vocals and new keyboardist Jan adds some layers to provide breadth and depth. It’s very good power metal with a heavy feel. Tracks like Black Dawn Of The Crossroads and Lusitania really gallop along in traditional style. Forsberg’s playing is exceptional, with the instrumental Welcome To The Village allowing him to cut loose with some prominent Iron Maiden style guitar interplay. 8/10

Witchery: In His Infernal Majesty's Service (Century Music)

Hail Satan! Now I've got that out of the way I can get down to reviewing what is Witchery's sixth album and sees them once again with a new vocalist as Angus Norder replaces Legion who was behind the mic on the previous record. Witchery was formed in 1997 by The Haunted co-founder Patrik Jensen who along with Richard Corpse and Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, Mercyful Fate) are still the main triumvirate of the band.

It's their three guitars that drive the blackened thrash metal of this and previous releases, it's frantic, Satanic and incendiary bringing to mind the occult driven thrash/speed metal of Mercyful Fate and Venom. Lavey-athan (Google the Church Of Satanism folks) starts with a roar from the bowels of the beast himself and bludgeons from the outset, Zoroast adds more classic thrash sounds with the dual guitars adding some clean Cali thrashing to the sound as Netherworld Emperor has a chunky industrially-tinged stomp and a great lead break, things get faster with black metal fuelled on The Burning Of Salem.

It's a heavyweight album that does what Witchery have always done, bring the hymns of Satan to the masses, if Black metal is a little too wild and thrash a little too tame Witchery may fill that void, equal parts classic and modern this is a nasty little treat for anyone that bows to the beast incarnate. 7/10

Bölzer: Hero (Iron Bonehead Productions)

Now we come to underground heroes Bölzer who hail from Switzerland, they play black/death metal that is furious and at times oppressive but also imbued with a sense of hope. Bölzer translates loosely to 'smasher' or 'bulldozer' and it's an accurate description of the band's it bludgeons you with it's animalistic force, what's more impressive about the sheer volume and noise on this record is that the band is comprised of two members, KzR takes the guitars and shouting while HzR has the drumming down to a fine art, frighteningly fast on the faster passages but equally can be deft and sparse.

It's the progressive nature of this record that's to it's benefit, the songs don't outstay their welcome and have enough changing time signatures to keep the interest and also makes it much more spectacular that these songs are performed by just two men. You can mention Opeth in terms of soundalikes but also there are touches of fellow Swiss band Celtic Frost with the death metal blending with the black metal soundscapes.

KzR's guitar work is also relentless the riffs come at light speed washing over the percussive backing with just sheer force, his vocals meanwhile are very varied moving between scarred barking and a booming shout. Hero is a very good album and will be enough to bring Bölzer into the wider metal sphere, disconcerting, oppressive and also musically intense, Bölzer are ready to take on the established names in metal and shake things up. 7/10

Avant Guardian; Metamorphosis (Self Released)

Californian band Avant Guardian are not the beret wearing version of German band Blind Guardian they are in fact a progressive metal band with elements of power metal but mainly their sound sits in the same kind of sound as Pagan's Mind or Seventh Wonder. For a band that have only been in existence since 2009 it's great to hear a band that are so technically solid after such little time, the guitars and keys merge with brilliance from the outset, the melodic leads of Will and Ivan weave in and out and are underpinned by the technical drumming and intricate bass playing of Denny and Luis, but the superior playing is all very par for the course.

Classical influences abound, the symphonic elements of this record come from Ryan's keys which are actually the major contributor of the record giving the band a nod to Stratovarius. Now for all the skilled musicianship on this album there is a fatal flaw, the vocals of Collin are not particularly good, he doesn't have much of a range and it detracts a little from the music, with another singer this could break through the countless other prog/power metal acts out there but at the moment no matter how talented they are the vocals dampen anything even when the female vocals come in on Stockholm Syndrome they are slightly off.

It sounds like I'm being overly harsh but trust me I have heard countless prog metal acts and no matter how brilliant the musicianship is without a vocalist to bring the correct emotion it can just break down into musical nerdery. 5/10

Sacred Gate: Countdown To Armageddon (Metal On Metal Records)

They're back, a band that I have an affinity with despite many not knowing who they are, Countdown To Armageddon is Sacred Gate's third album of traditional power metal, however it is unfortunately the bands last album, as they split up shortly after recording the record, this is a great shame as yes it's standard fayre but they do bring a lot to the table. Think twin guitars, relentless drumming and passionate vocals and you are in the right ball park, much like Swedes Sabaton Sacred Gate deal with the themes of war but they are more adult, more serious sounding, Manowar would be proud as this is crunch driven true metal, so if you don't like it you know where to leave.

You could throw around names such as Accept or Helloween and you'd hear them in Sacred Gate's sound but equally there is a heaving load of Maiden especially on opener Angel Of Darkness which slows into a Harris-like chug in the middle, Legions Of The North takes from Priest even dabbling in skyscraping vocals and some grunts, this record sees them with a new vocalist who although good I prefer his predecessor. It's all very Anglo-Germanic in its sound as the Teutonic speed metal fuses with the NWOBHM for what is an excellent slice of proper heavy metal, as classic as it get's, a fitting tribute to the band's legacy, they have 3 solid records of heavy metal anthems and personally it's a shame they are no longer a going concern. 8/10

Tower: Tower (The End Records)

As we've probably noted numerous times the rise of new bands that draw heavily from the late 70's scene where hard rock became heavy metal, this saw the rise of thrash in the USA but earlier still it was the birthing of the NWOBHM. There are literally hundreds of bands that are trying to reinvent and re-popularise this sound, if I were to list them it would number 100's so Tower from New York City have a steep mountain to climb as they have come late to the party, however they bring a lot of talent to the table, much like Thin Lizzy (Bad Reputation), Scorpions (Lovedrive) and Priest (Stained Class), they avoid the follies of the NWOBHM by taking from hard rock of the 70's and just making it quicker and adding an extra guitars. Looking at the band tells you all you need to know, tight bellbottoms, denim cuts, beards, waist length hair and a raven haired frontwoman decked out in velour, leather and tassles.

Yep it's all here musically too there are axe harmonies, bass gallops and wild vocals from frontwoman Sarabeth who has killer husky hard rock vocal that's displayed when she sneers, croons and bellows over the big riffs of James and Zak who duel and harmonise like Robertson & Gorham or Downing & Tipton at their best while the rock n roll element is held down by the backroom of Philippe's bass and Justin's drums. The whole record rocks, grooving and riffing as Sarabeth really gets you believing the rock n roll gospel they are spreading, her voice is full of conviction and it bewitches converting you to their cause as soon as the first track ends. Tower is a great debut, classy, polished and with enough of their own charm to elevate them above many of the bands doing similar, put it on turn it up and rock out like it's '78! 8/10

Damaj: The Wrath Of The Tide (Self Released)

Damaj are a Scottish heavy metal band and this their first EP it has an old school vibe, there's no glossy production or simmering ballads, just heavy metal like it was back in its early years of the American scene concentrating more on groove than outright speed. Much like Sanctuary or Annihilator the rhythms changes and progressive bent of The Wrath Of The Tide makes Damaj not just another thrash copyist, they are a very interesting prospect indeed. Dual guitars intertwining and a colossal rhythm section of David Douglas and Scot Macleod make for loud listening while the vocals of Daniel Stewart are clean and have hint of the Het although they need refining. It's the instrumentation that make this record, the solos of James Haggart are sublime and the riffs get the fist pumping and the head banging throughout. This is a great first shot from Damaj four songs that show what they can do, the four Scots in this band have hooked on to a sound that is rare, heavy but hooky and they deliver it well, I await the full length. 7/10

Burning Point: The Blaze (AFM Records)

Finland's Burning Point return with their seventh album of power metal goodness The Blaze which is also their first full original album with vocalist Nitte Valo (formerly of Battle Beast) with previous album Burning Point being a mix of new and re-recorded songs. You pretty much know what you are going to get with a power metal album so you have to judge an album's worth on songwriting and performances. Thankfully both are on top form. Burning Point play a more melodic brand of power metal with huge singalong choruses and hooks that will bore into your subconscious for weeks.

The standout star of the album is frontwoman Nitte Valo who absolutely dominates with her aggressively edged yet soaring vocals. There is also plenty of guitar wizardry on display throughout the album and the eighties sounding synths give this album an old school feel. Burning Point won't win any awards for originality with The Blaze but balls to originality when you get power metal at this level of greatness. Stand outs include Master Them All, Lost In Your Thoughts and The King Is Dead, Long Live The King. 8/10

Lucifer's Friend: Too Late To Hate (Cherry Red Records)

Among a stream of high profile comebacks and reunions another legendary band has returned and put out their first new album in a very long time except many rock and metal fans will have never heard of this band. Time for a bit of a history lesson...

Lucifer's Friend formed in Hamburg, Germany and released their debut album way back in 1970 playing an early form of heavy metal. They released another seven albums throughout the 70's and early 80's dabbling in other genres such as psychedelic rock, progressive rock, jazz fusion, funk rock and AOR before calling it quits in 1982. A couple of members released an album under the name Lucifer's Friend II in 1994 but this did not last until a proper reunion in 2014.

Too Late To Hate is the first proper Lucifer's Friend in 35 years. Three of the original members play on this album - vocalist John Lawton (who also sang for Uriah Heep - Ed), guitarist Peter Hesslein and bassist Dieter Horns and they are joined by keyboardist Jogi Wichmann and drummer Stephan Eggert. So after a 35 year between album gap is Too Late To Hate any good? Well Lucifer's Friend seem to pick up where they left off playing a mix of hard rock and AOR reminiscent of the early 80's albeit with a 21st century sounding production. You get a mix of straight up hard rockers such as opener Demolition Man (Thankfully not a Sting cover - Ed) and Tell Me Why to the bluesy This Time and the ballad-esque When Children Cry. Performance wise the band sound fantastic.

John Lawton's voice sounds fantastic for a guy aged 70 whilst Peter Hesslein belts out some fantastic guitar riffs carried by the impressive keyboard playing of Jogi Wichmann. After a 35 year wait 'Too Late To Hate' is an enjoyable album with some great catchy rocking tunes. Not a groundbreaking album by any means and will probably sound fairly dated to any younger rockers but classic rock fans will lap this up.7/10

Chronos: Pallid Reflection (Self Released)

Chronos are a four piece melodic death metal band hailing from Bath and Pallid Reflection is their debut album independently released on Bandcamp. Chronos are at the thrashier end of the melodic death metal spectrum but also add a progressive metal influence. The material on this album sounds like a cross between Scar Symmetry, At The Gates and Opeth especially on the tracks such as Emerald Soul and Shadow Of The Sun which sound very influenced by the Swedish prog metal masters. Other highlights include the aggressive opener Blood River and the Spanish guitar influenced Shiver.

The vocals of frontman James Rideout alternate between death metal growls and clean vocals slightly reminiscent of Christian Älvestam (ex-Scar Symmetry and Solution .45) and Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth). The guitar playing is aggressive yet melodic with some great solos. The bass guitar and the drums provide a solid backbone to the songs. The main criticism of the album is the songs are generally far too long without enough interesting ideas to sustain the song length.

The main tracks that suffer from this are the bloated two parts of Thuribles Veil. Chronos also seem to lack their own distinct identity sometimes sounding all too alike the bands that influence them. That being said Pallid Reflection is a very strong debut album by a very talented band. 7/10

Sixx AM: Prayers For The Blessed Vol 2 (Universal)

Back in May I reviewed Prayers For The Damned Vol 1, album number four from Sixx AM, giving it a 6/10. I stated at the time that it was probably the most accessible of the band’s four releases. Prayers For The Blessed Vol 2 follows swiftly on the heels of that release and it’s not bad. The compositions remain focused on the rock radio fare which we’ve come to expect. Vocalist James Michael possesses a decent set of pipes and with tracks like The Devil’s Coming and Wolf At Your Door he really lets rip.

The former track is a fine rip snorter of a track with some chunky riffs and sweet guitar work courtesy of DJ Ashba whilst That’s Gonna Leave A Scar thunders along with a melodic hard rock edge. Once again Nikki Sixx and co have drawn up some anthemic tunes which will get the fists pumping. Generic but perfectly listenable. 7/10

Sirenia: Dim Days Of Dolor (Napalm Records)

The Norwegian symphonic metallers have been around the block a few times since their formation in 2001 and return with their 8th full release and the first with new vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan. She replaces Ailyn Gilmenez who had been with the band for eight years. For Zoldan this is a step up, having been a member of the Sirenian choir for 13 years. Her classically trained mezzo soprano fits the band’s sound perfectly and she is of course no stranger to the metal scene having been a big part of Trail Of Tears’ Existensia and Turisas’ Battle Metal in 2004. Meanwhile the engine of Sirenia Morten Veland remains the composer and instrumentalist for all this album.

With fewer harsh vocals from Veland than in previous releases and a limited input from the choir in comparison to before, the focus is very much on Zoldan’s vocals and she doesn’t disappoint with a commanding performance. The title track allows her to demonstrate her calibre and she hits some stunningly high notes with apparent ease. The 12th Hour does see Veland’s gruff tones contrast with Zoldan’s delicate yet powerful delivery and the backing from the choir adds atmosphere to a busy track. It’s a little too similar in parts but symphonic metal is often like that. Worth a listen 7/10

Superjoint: Caught Up In The Gears Of Application (Housecors Records)

Formerly Superjoint Ritual but now just Superjoint for legal reasons, the filthy beast that is Philip Anselmo crashes back with the band’s first album since 2003’s A Lethal Dose Of American Hatred. Caught Up In The Gears Of Application is pretty much as you’d expect with an outfit that contains Anselmo associates Jimmy Bower, Kevin Bond, Jose Maneul Gonzalez and Stephen Taylor. It’s brutal, it’s dirty and it’s full of sludgy punk attitude. The hardcore edge, Anselmo’s guttural snarling shouted vocals and some quite disgustingly crushing riffs leave little to the imagination. Titles such as Sociopathic Herd Delusion and Rigging The Fight are full force anger. Listen with caution. 6/10

Haddock: Captain Wolfe’s Journey (Self Released)

I kid you not. Possibly the worst named band in the history of fish based rock, Haddock are a four-piece fuzz balled stoner outfit from Sweden. This five-track release is dirty, scruffy and very competent. Merging The Sword, Graveyard, High on Fire as well as the desert howlings of Kyuss, Captain Wolfe’s Journey continues very much in the vein of the stoner rock format, with crashing cymbals, rampaging riffs and distorted guitar work. If you like the stoner sound then this will be a pleasant addition to your collection. It’s nothing new and won’t win any awards but this is a genre which isn’t really about originality. 6/10

Bigfoot, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff

Maybe we've just been spoilt in recent weeks with our gigs. Maybe the sun and beer back in July messed with our judgement and maybe we got caught up in the social media frenzy. All I know is that this gig was a crushingly underwhelming evening.

Arriving in time to catch most of The Boom Sons (6) set, the three piece from The Rhondda grooved away with their fuzzy hard rock sound. Performing to 12 people is unlikely to be the most inspirational event of your life but the diminutive Vanessa Morgan, grappling with a giant bass guitar didn't worry with a solid vocal performance. Playing a range of tracks from their debut release Weird is the New Black there was some welcome variation in their style although set closer Move Your Deriere reverted to type to close the set. Whilst the band were okay, their inter song manner was pretty chaotic. Something to work on but a bit of promise.

Most of Bigfoot’s traveling entourage slowly wandered into the room for main support from the dirty ‘Port Everyday Heroes (7). These boys had played the Friday night at Steelhouse and earned some positive reaction. The crowd had swelled to around 35 by now, although we later realised this was mainly due to the band's friends and family. In fact, there were probably fewer than 10 non-associated punters in the room. Everyday Heroes are South Wales’ Answer to Northern Ireland’s Trucker Diablo, full of Black Stone Cherry, Nickleback and the like. Led by the towering Luke Phillips who shoulders both lead vocals and lead guitar duties the band are competent if a little routine. Their supporters certainly increased both volume and temperature but their set went on about four songs too long; there's only so much BSC lite I can take.

Back in the summer we had been sufficiently impressed by the headliners to purchase advance tickets for this event. Social media suggested that it was heading for a sell out. With a large percentage of the crowd having left after Everyday Heroes but bolstered by their own supporters, this was clearly a load of bollocks. With possibly 30-40 people in the room Bigfoot (5) hit the stage in confident manner, riffs wailing but Antony Ellis’s vocals way down in the mix. This continued for the next four songs by which time some of the audience including their “supporters” had resorted to chatting and taking selfies. Bigfoot’s songs were bland, repetitive and thoroughly uninspiring. Maybe it was the sound which once again influenced the opinion, but I was expecting much better. Sadly, by 10.50pm we'd had sufficient Bigfoot for one year and headed out.

So what did we learn? Don't believe the hype. There was plenty of room and this was nowhere near capacity. If you are the main band, sort your sound out. It was fine for the two before you. Fuel is still a crap venue for live music. And finally, reaching a wider audience still relies on spreading music. Some EPs on your merchandise stand would have been welcomed.

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