Musipedia Of Metal

The NWOBHM was a time the revolutionised British metal as well as the springboard for Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Def Leppard, however for every band that 'made it' there were many that didn't, however nostalgia is a powerful thing and Cardiff NWOBHM legends Persian Risk have come back with not only a new album but also a date in the town where they were formed. We also got a special treat with a special guest appearance by founding Guitarist Phil Campbell who is currently Lemmy's axeman. But more on that later:

Switchblade Overdrive

As we descended into the bowels of Bogiez we were introduced to Switchblade Overdrive who stormed the stage with some heavy metal fury. The ploughed through some heavy Metallica style metal with lots of grit but not really a lot of power. Yes they played very well, and the singer had a strong voice but their sound didn't really have enough oomph. Still they were a good warm up for the main event and any band that has the balls to cover Maiden must know how good they are (only really Triaxis can get away with it) with a little bit more power to their sound Switchblade Overdrive will go far. 7/10

Persian Risk

So this was it, as Bogiez filled out with those that have been there since the beginning, some of whom were ex-roadies and 'true' fans. So those of us that have never seen the band were waiting with anticipation. After the band came on stage to a hero’s welcome we knew we had nothing to fear as from the opening track Hang On the band proceeded to blow Bogiez away, the guitar of Howie G brought that classic sounding NWOBHM riffs, throughout and the bass and drums of Wayne Banks and Tim Brown brought the thunder with their galloping rhythms and even a solo for both respectively. The band stormed through their set with aplomb led ably by frontman Carl Sentence who has an amazing voice and is the brainchild of the reunion due to his long-term residency as the bands singer, he has very powerful voice that is up there with Biff, Rob and Bruce. Taking most of their tracks from their second album released last year they have written some hard rocking material that got the big crowd pumping their fists and shouting along with every line! The set came to a close with a killer cover of Dio's Stand Up And Shout and Persian Risk left the admittedly partisan audience wanting more, and they weren't left waiting too long. After a brief confab at the side of the stage Mr Campbell came back on with the band and they kicked into two of the tracks that he wrote in his time with the band which got the faithful full of beans and rocking like it was 1980! A great end to a great set, this was a triumphant return from the band that will forever be part of Welsh rock history, come back soon guys! 9/10

Motorhead: Aftershock (UDR)

21 albums into their career and you know kind of what to expect with Motorhead and that is hyper-speed rock and roll and that is what you get on Aftershock from the opening bars of Heartbreaker through the heavy blues of Lost Woman Blues and End Of Time which does a good job of ripping off the Ace Of Spades! As usual Mikkey Dee continually smashes the hell out of his drums on every track as Phil riffs and solo's like a man possessed and Lemmy himself beats up his bass and sounds in fine fettle as he growls every line, now as I said most of the album is your normal Motorhead fireworks but the band do mix I up a bit on this album with the almost psychedelic Dust And Glass which features Lemmy singing (!?) and has a hell of a guitar solo from Phil but as you relax your head is again smashed by Going To Mexico (which conjures up images of Lemmy in a sombrero). After 21 albums and nearly 50 years Motorhead are still one of the most distinguishable bands in rock and metal, yes they have had a few duff albums (Lemmy will admit that) but since 2004's Inferno the band have hit somewhat of a purple patch, yes they will always sound like Motorhead but that's part of the appeal, no nonsense rock n roll played with more gusto than bands a third of their age! Aftershock is yet another quality addition to the Motorhead catalogue. 8/10

Fleshgod Apocalypse: Labyrinth (Nuclear Blast)

Italian's Fleshgod Apocalypse are now onto their third album and from the opening track Kingborn you can see why the band are being hailed as one of the leaders in their genre. The band have some massive classical piano runs, operatic backing vocals from soprano Veronica Bordacchini that wouldn't seem out of place in a Puccini opera but they counteract this with light-speed wall of sound riffage, some chain gun blast beating, face melting soloing and growls that come straight from the bowels of hell! The album is based on the legend of the labyrinth of Knossos and is conceptually played out like and opera, could this be the first tech-metal opera? Anyway as I said the playing is simply amazing, the drums of Francesco Paoli could level a building and are up their Mario Duplantier in terms of pure gut churning brutality, the dual guitar attack of Christiano Trionfera and Tommaso Riccardi is breath taking in places full of laser guided ferocity and precision, enhanced by Riccardi's vocals demonic vocals, which he shares with bassist Paolo Rossi. The band's real power comes from their orchestral backing which is present throughout and swells the band’s sound to something more than your normal technical death metal fodder, they are a musical tour-de-force and through the 11 tracks on this album you are taken on a journey with no let-up that leaves you gasping for air at the end and that's exactly what an album should do. There is a lot to absorb on first listen but after you have been aurally abused a few times you realise that this album is nothing short of amazing. 10/10

Red Fang: Whales And Leeches (Relapse)

Red Fang are now on their third album and they still are treading the same down and dirty stoner furrow they have been in since their debut. They are very reminiscent of touring buddies Mastodon with some heavy down tuned bass from Aaron Beam, fuzzy guitars from Bryan Giles and David Sullivan as well as some powerhouse drumming from John Sherman who tries to rattle your brain cells. The band have the great line between shit kicking punk-metal on Blood Like Cream and No Hope and head melting stoner rock on Dawn Rising and Failure the band are very like Mastodon in terms of presentation they even have the dual vocal with both Beam and Giles contributing shouts and howls to the album, however the band also have elements of The Sword on tracks like Behind The Light.This is yet another good album from Red Fang who have really stepped up their came in terms of song-writing the arrangements are in places complex and in others straight to the point jugular, a good album. 7/10

Steven Wilson, Colston Hall, Bristol

After a pre gig steak dinner (and of course a couple of pints) we made our way tot he still visually striking Colston Hall for a night that promised to be interesting. I've followed Wilson since he was in Porcupine Tree and I genuinely believe that The Raven That Refused To Sing is probably his finest work and I'm sure he thinks that too. As we entered the hall, we were told that show will begin at 8 and finish promptly at 10:10, a nice 2 hour set from Wilson and his all-star band. As we took our seat we were greeted by the projected footage of a street, with cars moving around people walking back and forth that as the time went on all got a bit eerie as a busker appeared and proceeded to smoke and stand around before finally tuning the guitar and setting up just as Wilson himself came onto the stage with an acoustic guitar and proceed join in with the man in the video as part of a string rendition of PT's Trains which is one of my favourite tracks so a good start, then as the band came on stage they moved into Luminol which was the first excuse for the band to show off their chops, they are truly a stunning group of musicians, the drums of Chad Wackerman are amazing, merging power and technique (what else would you expect from a Zappa alumni), the keys of Adam Holzman added jazz, blues, prog and massive Hammond driven atmosphere to every track and were a major part of the sound, as was the bass of Nick Beggs (yes him from Kajagoogoo) who's meticulous bass playing was a marvel especially his Chapman stick slap playing on Holy Drinker. Guthrie Govan as usual was mesmerising on the guitar, he is one of the best guitarists not only in Britain but possibly in the world, his solos were jaw dropping and he worked well as tandem with Wilson. Last but not least was the sax and flutes of Theo Travis added a new dimension to the sound which harks back to King Crimson and even Jethro Tull in places. Wilson himself was bag of energy jumping around in the instrumental breaks, moving between guitar, bass and his keyboard set up, I was quite surprised how many times Wilson didn't have an instrument considering how solo his records have been in the past.

After the 15 minute opening the shorter Postcard followed introduced by Wilson's self-depreciating humour where he mentioned that we would be hearing some new material later in the night, however first was The Holy Drinker and the dreamy but ominous Drive Home. More Wilson banter followed this near 20 minutes of music as he introduced the new song which we were told was 15 minutes long and not finished but it was pretty good and bodes well for the new album (expected this year). This was the end of part one of the set, as the audience caught their breath a sheet fell in front of the stage and onto it was the intro video for The Watchmaker (cue an exodus for the toilets, for most of the audience your hardened reviewer excluded) The band then came back and plunged straight into song itself which brings me to my only criticism, during this song the lights and video footage was used to great effect, however when the screen was down the video was obscured by the retina scorching lights which for me was major downer as I wanted to see the visuals and the light show but I found that the one was more prominent than the other. Ok so mini moan over and back to the show we had Index and Sectarian and the curtain fell again for the final furlong. Harmony Korine followed (Steven Wilson's hipster moment) before an edited (to 15 minutes) version of Raider II and The Raven That Refused To Sing brought the main set to a melancholic but strangely euphoric end.

Another break another chance to regroup and then the final return, the end came with one of his earliest solo tracks and the closest thing he has to a hit in the PT classic Radioactive Toy which brought the house down. That was it, it was over an amazing ride through the multi-faceted sound of one of the most talented performers in British music and this was a musical experience that left you in awe of what was unfolding in front of you. Half way through the set Wilson encouraged the crowd to cheer a bit louder, Steven this wasn't because we weren't enjoying the show it was because you and your band managed to silence an audience with your music. Well done you sir! 10/10

Alter Bridge, Shinedown, Halestorm Motorpoint Arena Cardiff

Into Cardiff's major venue (apparently) for a night of modern American metal, this was as well attended gig especially by members of the Musipedia who were out in force. After a small wait it was time to get going:

Halestorm

First out were Halestorm who immediately burst into their feminist anthem Love Bites (But So Do I) which is all power riffage and snarled vocals from the very visually appealing Ms Lzzy Hale, (leather hot pants is a look many singers can't pull off) who has a more raw voice live than usual especially on Mz. Hyde and Freak Like Me, next was a drum solo which went into a cover of Priest's Dissident Aggressor which to be honest was not needed but then the set finished strongly with I Miss The Misery and the mega ballad Here's To Us. The set was over quickly with five tracks of the bands greatest hits getting everyone ready for what was to come. 7/10

Shinedown

So Shinedown were up next and things started well with their big rocker Devour which started things off in muscular style and then...a break...the band went off stage and a intro tape played which totally killed any momentum and led into Sound Of Madness which I will admit is a great song and was then followed by...another intro tape...this started to get worrying as it seemed to be a running theme, the next two songs both had long taped intros which did nothing for the set at all, neither by the way did the long rambling speeches about faith and humanity, the only things they did do was annoy me to hell as they took up the space for more (rockier) songs. Still weirdly the crowd seemed to go nuts for every song, maybe it’s just me then. The band came back with Diamond Eyes (Boom Lay Boom Lay Boom) which again is a great song but was followed by too much faffing about and every song was marred by frontman Brent's use of backing tapes to increase the range of his voice, in some places it did sound like listening to a CD rather than a live show. Another two ballads including the massively over played Second Chance came in quick succession and then the part where I physically left the venue, this was during their cover of Skynryd's Simple Man which is awful mainly due to the fact that I've seen the same song done 100 times better by the band that wrote it in the same venue. Finally came Bully which ended the disjointed set, yes the songs are good in places and if they had had a similar set to Halestorm where they just came out and played we could have forgiven the taped vocal help but with the breaks and their reliance on ballads it meant that for me it was a very frustrating set to watch. 4/10

Alter Bridge

After the dejection I had after Shinedown Alter Bridge needed to blow me away, luckily they are fucking Alter Bridge and all doom and gloom disappeared with the opening thrash riffage of Addicted To Pain which was quickly followed by White Knuckles this was one-two punch that managed to stagger the crowd before Come To Life and Before Tomorrow Comes brought the uplifting euphoria. These first four songs show everything that Alter bridge is about with Scott Phillips and Brian Marshall holding down the bottom end, the guitar god Tremonti riffed like hell and soloed like a demon and was backed ably by the rhythm guitar of Myles Kennedy who also shone on the mic with his velvet voice. The set was drawn mainly from the last three albums with Brand New Start, Cry Of Achilles (which is modern classic in the making) and then the haunting Ghost Of Days Gone By which moved into one of my favourites Ties That Bind and then Tremonti took the lead vocals on the heavy Waters Rising which had its live debut tonight. The band have little crowd interaction they just shut up and play something that Shinedown failed to realise. The band took a small break where they told us that the next song was put back in the set due to fan demand and with that the opening blast of Metalingus filledthe arena and was met with a roar from the members of the WWE Universe that were in attendance! With the metal blast out of the way next it was time to open up and feel with the majestic Blackbird causing a mass sing along which moved into an acoustic version of Watch Over You which was a duet between Myles and Lzzy and signalled the end of the main set with the euphoric Rise Today and Open Your Eyes. The lights went down and we waited the band arrived again and the trippy Slip Into The Void kicked off the encore which was brought to a close with Isolation which is probably the best track on ABIII. This was a great set filled with the right amount of light and shade and it showed why Alter Bridge are one of the best bands around. It's just a shame so many left after Shinedown's woeful performance; I do sometimes think it may be me...9/10

Mouths Of Metal is a new feature that that features am interview with band. First up is Venrez who you may have seen being reviewed on this blog. Here's what the guys had to say:

Please introduce yourself to our readers. Who are Venrez?

The band consists of lead singer Ven, backing vocalist & guitar player Jason Womack, formerly the basses for Julliette Lewis and The Licks, guitarist Alex Kane, formerly of LSD(Life, Sex & Death) front man for Anti Product, Bassist Michael Bradford, childhood friend of Womack, and drummer Ed Davis, formerly of Julliette Lewis and The Licks as well. Ven writes the lyrics, Jason writes the music and produces the albums.

What are you about as a band - what makes you guys tick?

Taking responsibility for delivering a message by lyrics that not only talk about life experience, stories to learn from but taking a shot at government and corporate greed. We live to be on the road and putting it out there live for the fans.

Please tell us about your latest album 'American Illusion'. It's interesting to read that this is very much a natural, organic album as opposed to thriving on technology. How was the recording process for you as individuals and as a band? Did you enjoy it?

Although we do use Pro Tools HD in our studio, we are a bit of a throw back to the 70's in regards to the fact we record our music live. There is no copy pasting going on and our live shows will back up our recordings. American Illusion was the first album we recorded with our own gear. We recorded it over a 4 month period at our leisure and it was a very relaxed and positive process.

I like the fact that you guys are hard rock but there's subtle grunge and stoner vibes going on. Was this deliberate or something that happened naturally?

Well Jason writes the music and was born in the late 70's. So there is a big influence there, along with The Jesus and Mary Chain and the bands where also influenced by them. The Venrez sound is all natural. We don't do anything that is not real. The fans seem to really get that, and I am convinced that is why we have been a band that has had the fortune to be successful in a world where it is next to impossible for a new rock band to make it.

You've recently played shows with Slash featuring Alter Bridge's Myles Kennedy. How did those shows go for Venrez, did you have much time to hang out with Slash and Myles?

The Slash tour was amazing. The venues were all sold out for every show and we were received the best by his fans of any previous tour we have done. Slash hung out with us a bit after the Park City, Utah show. He is a very cool guy and amazed me at how fresh he is after a show when he just kills it up there for 2 hours night after night. We hung out a bit with Myles before the last show in Las Vegas. He is also an amazing artist and person. Before the last song of their set every show, he put a shout out to the opening bands. I have never seen that before ever. The gig was streamed live all over the world so the bands really took it up a few notches. We just went to another level that show and I just cannot wait to get back up on stage with the boys on this tour in November to continue what began on the last Slash show.

Unforeseen has been released as a music video. Are there any plans for new videos - Silver and Gold would be an interesting choice perhaps?

Well we did make two music videos from the album. "Sanctity" is the second video and it will release on October 25th. It was directed by Nicholas Cage's brother, Christopher Coppola. He is a dear friend of mine and when he first heard the record he really identified with the lyrics. I think our fans will love it. Silver & Gold is a song I wrote after I saw the film "300". It's about ancient wars, babies thrown over the cliff upon birth if they do not meet the warrior status and the horror of war in those times. It's one of the band's favourite songs and a music video of it would be very cool but also it would demand a very high budget to make the right video for the song.

Venrez heads out on a European tour with Buckcherry and Hardcore Superstar in November. Are there any places you're looking forward to playing and anywhere you haven't played yet?

We always look forward to returning to the UK and Italy where we have been a few times before, and are well received. We get to play Germany, Switzerland, Austria and N. Ireland for the first time.

Ven. You're quoted as being the Howard Stern of rock n' roll. How did this come about and have you and Howard met?

I look very similar to him with the curly hair and sunglasses i wear, due to extreme light sensitivity to my eyes. It's my look and has been my look for many years. I have never tried to look like him. But i have been mistaken for him for years now and since the TV show, its really ramped up quite a bit. I have gotten used to it, but clearly would prefer to be recognized for myself not him. We have never met but i do admire his talent, and the hard work for years he did to get to where he now is.

What does the future hold for Venrez, are there plans for future releases and new tours in 2014?

American Illusion just released on July 30th of this year. So we plan to tour well into 2014 behind the album. We have recorded several demos of new songs and will record another album sometime next year.

Thanks for your time guys, all the best for the upcoming Buckcherry tour.

Paul casts his critical eye over Space Rock marvels Ozric Tentacles;

Ozric Tentacles – The Globe 27 October

Several weeks ago my boss, who is partial to a bit of space rock amongst his hugely eclectic musical tastes asked if I fancied going to see Ozric Tentacles. I have to admit that, although I had an idea of who this band was, it was hell of a long time since I could honestly say I’d heard any of their stuff. My hazy recollections were of Hawkind without words. Hey, I love Hawkwind so without hesitation I agreed and the night was suddenly upon us. A quick stop in the Andrew Buchan bar was very pleasant and a must for any real ale fans. I know I’m digressing but I don’t care. Two pints from the Rhymney Brewery for under a fiver. Result!

Forked Tongue

Anyway, we arrived at the Globe in time to catch Forked Tongue giving it a right good go. A cross between Skindred, Rage Against The Machine with massive space rock and reggae influences, they definitely had a hard core groove to their sound. Unfortunately they suffered from being the opening act and had to work hard to impress the hardy souls who had ventured out in ‘the storm’. I’m not particularly familiar with the terminology that describes this type of music; fusion I suppose is the best description. Full of energy, vocalist Pezmo gave his all and by the end of their set, more and more of the audience were starting to cut a shape or two as the groove driven by the drums and bass section of Vinny and Greg became quite infectious. A brave cover of Feur Frei, yes, sung in German, ended their set to a decent ovation. 7/10

I’m going to skip over the next act, as Israeli techno delivered by one man and his apple is just not my thing and move on to the main act.

Ozric Tentacles

Ozric Tentacles for the uninitiated were touring as part of their 30th Formed in Somerset in 1983, the band have released over 25 albums and amassed a hardcore following. The group have sold over a million albums worldwide, and are driven forward by the only constant band member, guitarist and keyboardist Ed Wynne. However, the band is no longer based in Wurzel country, having settled in Colorado many years ago. Now, I have to admit, that I know very few of their songs by name, which is probably unsurprising considering that they are totally instrumental so I won’t try to impress you (or not) by trying. Suffice to say that The Ozrics got straight down to business and proceeded to drive out and hour and a half of space rock combined with funk, jazz fusion, dub and reggae. The band is pushed forward by bassist Brandi Wynne who combined superbly with new recruit Balázs Szende and percussionist Paul Hankin with thumping basslines throughout. For those of you old enough think Gong and you won’t be far away. Swirling keyboards from Silas Wynne, son of Ed (and whose biog on the band’s web page included olives and hummus amongst his favourite foods – you get the picture) all added to the psychedelic mixture. You will not be surprised to learn that The Ozrics music contains more time changes than a Cardiff Bus timetable. This combined with complex arrangements and regular key signature changes made it an interesting gig. As well as the progressive rock influences, the music included many electronic elements and effects with dub and techno influences running throughout. This was supported by a huge visual display behind them; a constant changing kaleidoscope as well as flying creatures of all sorts; a bat and pteranodon amongst them. Floating heads and all manner of other hippy induced bollocks raced across the screen, tied perfectly to the music’s tempo. This was a highly professional and tight performance, by a band clearly at the top of their game. If you fancy listening to them, start with Paper Monkeys from 2012 it will give you a pretty clear idea. Overall, this was a cracking night out with superb musicianship on display. A very healthy crowd provided suitable encouragement and the band responded in kind. All in all an excellent bit of entertainment which could be massively enhanced if it was 2am at a festival and you were completely off your tits. 8/10

Paradise Lost, Lacuna Coil and Katatonia – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton

Paul casts his critical eye over a night of doom metal.

A midweek trip to the Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton to celebrate 25 years of Paradise Lost, supported by the Italians Lacuna Coil and Swedish doom merchants Katatonia. Both bands cite Paradise Lost as a major influence although it is worth noting that Katatonia have been around for 20 years and Lacuna Coil celebrate their 18th anniversary next year. One of the major points of interest is the stability in these bands. Katatonia’s core has been intact since 1999 with the last line up changes four years ago, Lacuna Coil have had the same line up since 1998, and four of the five members of Paradise Lost have been in the band since 1988.

Katatonia

Having seen the Swedes on four previous occasions I knew what to expect from these guys. Late last year I saw them twice on their headline tour for the excellent Dead End Kings album at the Islington Academy and The Fleece and both times they were fantastic. With a huge back catalogue there was no shortage of quality. This time however, they had opted to play the whole of their 2003 offering, Viva Emptiness, as a 10th looked very appetising, as this is a very good album. However, like many albums, playing it live can highlight weaker tracks which are masked when listening elsewhere. The band opened with the album closer Inside the City of Glass and proceeded to perform it in reverse order. This was a smart move as it meant a set which built to a climax with fan favourites Ghost of the Sun, Sleeper and Criminals. Highlights included a stunning version of Evidence, the beautiful Omerta and Burn the Remembrance. This band doesn’t do huge posturing or have a massive stage presence, relying very much on the quality of the music to draw the crowd in. And here was the problem for me. Whilst Jonas Renkse’s melancholic delivery was pitch perfect as always, Niklas Sandin’s bass was turned up far too high in the mix, and the crushing vibration combined with Daniel Liljekvist’s exemplary drumming meant that the layered and delicate guitar work of Anders Nytstrom and Per Eriksson was lost for much of the set. This is an essential component of Katatonia’s sound and whilst others in my party didn’t feel the same, for me it detracted somewhat from the performance. Of course, it could have been that this was the first date of this run, and that some of the songs were being performed for the first time (ever in some cases I’m sure) but overall the band didn’t quite do justice to a very good album. However, I still can’t wait to see them again; hopefully
performing the Dethroned and Uncrowned album in its entirety instead. 7/10

Lacuna Coil

I’d only seen Lacuna Coil once before and that was at Sonisphere in 2010 so it with anticipation that I waited for the Italians to take the stage … and they didn’t disappoint. With more room on stage to move around than Katatonia, and substantially more lighting which was used to the full, they opened up with one of four tracks from the excellent Dark Adrenaline album I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow with the dual vocals of Andrea Ferro and Cristina Scabbia combining superbly. One thing I always forget with this band is how damn heavy they are live. Using synthesised backing when necessary, the twin guitars of Cristiano Migliore and Marco Biazzi cut some serious riffage throughout their set. A second track from the latest album Kill The Light followed before a couple of fan favourites from Karmacode and Comalies, Fragments of Truth and Heaven’s a Lie respectively kept the tempo high. The crowd, which had increased substantially by now, reacted very favourably with massive ovations and much fist pumping. Ferro may not be the best vocalist in the world, especially with Scabbia the main focal point of the band (for reasons that escape me), but he has boundless energy; constantly encouraging the crowd and leaping around the stage to good effect. The band’s driving force is bassist and main songwriter Marco Coti Zelati and drummer Cristiano Mozzati, and they kept the engine room ticking over nicely. Swamped was followed by the stunning Senzafine which was sung in Italian and then Without Fear from Karmacode. By now the audience was singing along and the band was having a great time on stage with broad smiles from all. A superb trio to finish, Intoxicated and the rocking Trip The Darkness led to the finale of Spellbound from Shallow Life, and a deserved ovation from the Black Country crowd. Lacuna Coil confirmed that they have finished work on a new album so hopefully a tour will be forthcoming next year. One not to miss. 9/10

Paradise Lost

Time for the headliners. The last time I saw Paradise Lost was in the Great Hall in Cardiff two years ago where their evening was destroyed by the sound gremlins. Vocalist Nick Holmes ended up storming off stage that night after his microphone picked up the transmissions from local cab companies (I kid you not, it was like the scene at the air force base in Spinal Tap). No such problems tonight as the band were on fire and stormed through a ninety minute set which contained a range of classics from their 25 year history and from each of their thirteen albums. Kicking off with Mortals Watch The Day from 1994’s Shades of God, the band were on inspired form throughout. The rhythm section of bassist Steve Edmondson and drummer Adrian Erlandsson anchor the dark and doom laden sound of the band, and stand out particularly with the earlier works when the band were amongst the leading lights of the doom/death genre. They moved straight into So Much Is Lost from Host before Remembrance from Icon gave way to the title track from Gothic, the band’s second album and an all time gothic metal classic. Vocalist Nick Holmes, one of metal’s most underrated front men demonstrated his death metal qualities on this track, which was heavier than an anvil encased in concrete. Holmes has a wickedly dry sense of humour, and used it throughout, generating laughter from the fully engaged crowd. A quick blast from Draconian Times followed with Enchantment, rhythm guitarist Aaron Aedy mouthing the words and generally rocking out, whilst lead guitarist Greg Mackintosh picked out solo after solo. The title tracks from Faith Divides Us and latest release Tragic Idol were followed by Never For The Damned from the underrated In Requiem before a blistering version of Isolate from Symbol Of Life. The first of two tracks from One Second, Say Just Words closed the main set. Throughout the evening Paradise Lost had numerous visual displays on a screen at the rear of the stage, with each track having separate illustrations linked to the relevant album. Clearly a lot of thought had gone into this and it was impressive. The band concluded the evening with a four song encore, all rarities. The encore kicked off with Rotting Misery from 1990’s Lost Paradise, all doom and death growl with possibly the heaviest sound of the night; the floor was shaking. Diehards around the audience beamed with delight as the title track from One Second was followed by The Belief from Icon and the set closer Over The Madness from Paradise Lost. A stunning evening from one of the UK’s most influential yet underrated bands that were on top form. 10/10

Lissie: Back To Forever (Columbia)

Back To Forever is the second album from California's Elizabeth Corrin Maurus and it continues in the same vein as her debut Catching A Tiger she peddles a modern kind of country and folk influenced rock that can only come from out of California. From the opening chords of the shimmering electronica based The Habit however you can tell that Ms Maurus has evolved her sound a bit as she has moved away from the Rumours era Fleetwood Macisms of her debut and stepped more into the Tango In The Night stages with the electronic loops and beats infecting many of the tracks. She seamlessly blends electronic pulse with acoustic strumming and some killer 80's guitar solos especially on the debut single Further Away (Romance Police) which has a killer chorus hook and leads into the paparazzi baiting  Shameless which has a repeating drum loop straight out of New York Hip Hop. Yes Lissie does mix up the sounds on this album but she still maintains the smoky vocals that set her apart from her peers merging Stevie Nicks see Sleepwalking and on the slower songs like the mega ballad They All Want You she has all the (summertime) sadness of Lana Del Rey. The album mellows out in the middle with the more country moments coming through and a defiant live sing-along in the shape of I Don't Want To Go To Work (which has a jarring guitar break in the middle) and even has Springsteen moment on Mountaintop Removal. This is a more mature album than her debut and some tracks to seem slightly out of place but for the most part the experimentation pays off and the album sounds big, bold and confident. Forget your chart nonsense; Lissie is the real deal, authentic musicianship at its purest. 8/10

Exit State: Let's See It All (Rocksector Records)

Roy Bright and his band of modern rockers return for their third album with a new guitarist in tow and Matt Harris puts his stamp all over this record straight from the off. Exit State have always been a band that have intrigued me as they combine some really heavy riffs with Bright's unique vocals that always seem at odds with the music but do seem to work. Their debut album is a very good full on party rock album and their sophomore release Black Veins brought a more adult vibe in terms of lyrical content. If I were to make a comparison I would say they have the same quiet/loud dynamics of The Foo Fighters (whether that's a good or bad thing depends on how much you enjoy Mr Grohl and co) personally I think if they were American and not from Lancashire. Still I digress and back to the album, they have started off the album strangely I think with a brooding track that features some electronic drum loops and heavy riffage before it bursts into the brighter, funkier Sun In My Eyes. This third has maintained the great compositions that the band has always had but it marries them with great production. The punky, voyeuristic title track follows and is followed by a stirring ballad in the shape of The Pain I Demand. As I've said before the band are somewhat of an enigma in the British rock scene as one minute they are poppy and the next heavy as lead, still they translate well and will appeal to a wide crowd with this strong third release. 7/10

The Earls Of Mars: S/T (Candlelight Records)

The Earls Of Mars are on odd one, mixing rock, jazz and psych they are a full on head-trip featuring some percussive mastery from Dave Newman who bashes and crashes like a child in a kitchen, he is aided in his noisemaking by Si McCarthy who plays the doomy upright bass. From the first track Poor Whores Petition the band show their chops with a driving doomy dirge that features some fuzzy riffage from guitarist Harry Armstrong, the band then totally confuse you by diving straight into a 4 minute jazz rock anthem which shows off main-man Dan Hardingham who uses his organ to great effect making The Swinger a swaggering, acid tinged key workout with schizophrenic vocals also from Hardingham. Now I've seen The Earls Of Mars live twice and both times they have freaked me out and on record they are no more coherent, every track differs wildly and they can just as much get stuck in a groove as they can veer off on a tangent. The songs are strange, weird and in places terrifying but mostly very well constructed and perform by a group of talented (if a little mad) musicians, bringing to mind Captain Beefheart in his heyday, especially on The Astronomer Pigs (yes all the songs have very odd names). This is weird music for weird people and though some will hate it beyond anything else those who have opened (or indeed expanded) their mind will take it to their hearts. 7/10

Ravenous: We Are Become Death (Coffee Jingle Records)

Ravenous are a thrash band from Southampton and they have shot out of the blocks with a killer debut. This get started with Abhor and you know where we're going from there with the razor sharp riffs, heavy drum licks, rattling bass lines and some face melting old-school soloing. The band bring to mind modern thrash masters Evile on the opening track and on the pacier tracks like Deathstiny which wouldn't be out of place on Five Serpents Teeth. However they are not all about super-fast riffs they also have huge amount of groove with second track Reverse withits breakdown outro and the heavyweight Suffocate bringing to mind Machine Head especially in the vocal department with Dave Game a dead ringer for Robb Flynn also the band look back to the legends of 'Tallica on the amazing Easter Island (We Are Become Death) which starts off slow before building into a massive arena sized stomper that Lars and co do best and then finally exploding into its finale, Ravenous too must be live killer too with its shout along one word chorus. For a band that are only on their debut record I was surprised how professional it sounds in terms of song writing and production, the songs are tough, heavy, melodic and feature all of the best thrash metal hallmarks, the production is excellent with all of the instruments and vocals given time to breathe. With Evile up in the air in terms of members it might be time for Ravenous to step up to fill the void. A killer debut that rips you limb from limb! 9/10

Touchstone: Oceans Of Time (Hear No Evil)

British progsters Touchstone are on their fourth album now and this one amps up the rock to 11! The band have moved through the motions and have added more layers to their sound on every album. This one is harder edged continuing what they started on their last album The City Sleeps. Things start well with Flux which does just that moving from a propulsive rock opening, into an orchestral middle with a building guitar solo from Adam Hodgson who really shows his talent on this album playing some excellent riffs and solos throughout the record, see the bluesy Contract to show how expressive he can be with his playing. However he is not the only member of the band and all the others are extremely talented bassist Moo provides a steady, proggy, beat to proceedings wrapping his fingers around the bands progressive but also melodic and catchy see the folky Tabula Rasa which lasts for over 7 minutes but wouldn't be out of place on the radio. The album sounds much more grown up with a tougher songs and more hard hitting lyrics, showing that Kim Seviour has developed as both a lyricist and as a vocalist over the four albums, her strong voice fitting perfectly with the band’s music. What I did notice was that founder member Rob Cottingham has less of a role on this album providing fewer lead vocals and using his keys as more of an atmospheric tool than as a lead instrument, see Shadows End which is the continuation of Shadow from the band's debut album, which is followed by a reworking of Solace from the band's sophomore album Wintercoast and has itself a sequel in the shape of Through The Night adding to the bands tendencies for having links between their songs (a prog tradition surely?) Finally the band's Wintercoast storyline develops it's forth chapter with the title track (again a band tradition) and ends the album strongly and has a killer solo. Touchstone have yet again released a record full of powerful modern prog, one that should take them to the top! 8/10

The Graveltones: Don't Wait Down (RSK Entertainment)

The Graveltones impressed me when they supported Rival Sons earlier this year so it was with real anticipation that I awaited their debut. My anticipation paid off this as the album is excellent, part White Stripes, part QOTSA and part John Lee Hooker. The band is made up of Jimmy O who rattles off the fuzzy, garage, blues drenched guitar riffs and screaming solos, while at the same time gives a mad-eyed, howling vocal performance. he is aided and abetted by man mountain Mikey Sorbello who is a demon behind the kit, never have I heard a set of drums played with such technicality and head crushing power, see Dying On Your Feet for sizzling example of the power and the jazzy off-kilter St. Lucia which displays the small percussive touches that sets him apart. This the band The White Stripes always threatened to be but could never achieve, stunning musicianship dabbling with modern soul; see Crime To Be Talkin'which is a duet featuring a Lauren Tate's, Joss Stone like vocals, Hendrix style blues-rock replete with guitar freak-outs and a ferocious live show. The band nod to the past with many of their tracks but after a small tip of the hat they run through their stripped down, garage noise with perfection. This is a killer debut from a band that have big things ahead of them. 9/10

The Dead Daisies: S/T (Self-Released)

The Dead Daisies are a hard rock super group formed by ex-Noiseworks/INXS singer Jon Stevens and former Red Phoenix guitarist, no while their names may not sound familiar they are aided and abetted by guitarist Richard Fortus fresh from his stint with Axel Rose's travelling circus who brings GNR ivory-tinkler Dizzy Reed with him, the rhythm section are Rolling Stones bassman Daryl Jones and Charley Drayton who has played with everyone including The Cult. The band's sound is classic blooze-rock bringing together The Black Crowes Washington is Hard To Handle by another name, as well as Bad Company and Stones thrown in for good measure. The guitars are clean and bright bringing the blues rock riffs and acoustic rhythms. This is a real retro vibe that I last heard on The Temperance Movement album. The songs ring out like a hazy 70's summer record full of bell bottom blues and a lot of hair flowing American rocking. This is a cracker of an album Stevens has a tough, gritty voice that's sounds a lot like Buckcherry's Josh Todd. Phoenix plays a mean guitar, he and Fortus are a hell of team and are aided on Lock 'n' Load by Slash. As a debut album this is a great hark back to a a time when rock ruled the airwaves. 8/10

A special feature length retrospective review by Nick Hewitt

Michael Kiske & Amanda Somerville: Kiske Somerville (Frontier Records)

While rummaging through a local record shop I stumbled upon what I thought could be a little gem of a find that I did not know existed, this album excited me. So, without hesitation I handed over some of my hard earned money in exchange for the first collaborative effort from, in my opinion, two of the finest voice in metal; Michael Kiske and Amanda Somerville. The album opens up nicely with the pacey track Nothing Left To Say. Filled with thumping drums from Martin Schmidt (Atrocity and Leaves Eyes) and a solo from Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear and Bob Catley) that could melt your soul. Dominated by Kiske this track welcomes us into the album well. Next, the two singles released from the album: Silence and If I Had A Wish. Both undoubtedly chosen for their catchy riff, melody and anthem like lyrics. Again Kiske takes the lead for If I Had A Wish, his voice carrying the song majestically with backing from Somerville behind almost ghost like. Silence is more of what I expected from this album, a slower track with both Kiske and Somerville’s voices chiming in together forming a smooth duet, while Karlsson strums along kindly in the background with some epic orchestral strings to finish. Anthem brings on more of the same, this time with a little more power behind it, short, blunt and to the point. This track could almost be perceived as a tête-à-tête between the two vocalists as they alternate at time with some passion.

Next End Of The Road which is a particular favourite of mine; a slow beautiful ballad that opens with a magnificent symphonic backing that carries the song throughout, but the real strength in this track is the way that Kiske and Somerville complement each other, both voices smooth, flawless and at times seem intertwined as one. This track really had me thinking, why did this album not happen sooner?? Don’t Walk Away and A Thousand Suns are up next, both of which are taken right from the hands of power metal itself. Brilliant riffs and solos fall perfectly in line with Somerville who has the dominance in these tracks. These really are the only tracks, which I feel we see the full range and brilliance of these two individuals voices (which I will come on too later). A Thousand Sun’s in particular really starts to showcase what Somerville is capable of, but for me, I know it only the tip of the iceberg. This track and the next to follow definitely have reverberations on late Queensryche and at times a notable Helloween influence (Surprise!)

Coming to the final few tracks Kiske and Somerville offer us a few rocky songs in the form of Rain, One Night Burning and Devil In Her Heart. Rain, a fast paced in your face track that leaves Kiske handling the verses and Somerville taking the lead on the slightly predictable chorus. One Night Burning is another flash of what both voices have to offer when really tested, supported brilliantly by a symphonic base it’s really hard not to appreciate Schmidt’s pounding drums here. Jimmy Kresic (Voodoo Circle) keyboards follow the orchestral symphony with some quick yet soft fingers flowing seamlessly into the third single and penultimate song from the album Second Chance. Another delightful soft ballad we are offered another chance to hear Kiske and Somerville’s voices bended into one, lyrically this is the most pleasing track and seems to hold great emotion for Kiske (maybe reflecting on his religion). Again Karlsson hammers out some fine solo’s here, especially prior to the final chorus. Although short each note rings in your ear as it fades. Finally the bonus track which sums up the album fairly well, outstanding musicianship from the band, loud, thumping and this time… heavy metal Set A Fire culminates in a bruising breakdown to finish with Kiske and Somerville stretching their voices the most they do throughout the entire album, and here lies the problem I have with this album…

Musically this album is up there with some of the best album’s I have heard in a while, the musicianship is second to none. The blend of orchestral symphonies with epic riffs and breakdowns one track to beautiful ballads the next somehow works, as each track slides into another with reasonable ease. Karlsson and Schmidt especially on impressive form throughout. Sadly, what people buy this album for is to hear the voices of Kiske and Somerville unite and make us regret turning the volume up to 11 when we first play the CD, and I just didn’t get that here. Yes their voices in this album are flawless and yes when the come together (for the ballads particularly) they combine perfectly, it just all seems to easy for them… at times, lazy. Kiske and Somerville are at their best when letting everything they have out of their lungs, reaching every note from the highest to the low. During this album we only really have one opportunity to hear this, which to me is a great disappointment. I read recently that album two is on its way early 2014, so I hope for more of the same only this time a lot more oomph! Musically this album is easily 10/10 but for what this album promised and was meant to represent it lets me down a little. 7/10.

Satyricon – Limelight, Belfast

A stroke of pure good fortune found me in Belfast on the same night that Satyricon rolled into town. It would have been rude not to have popped along so after a quick change out of the suit and into something black off I went, joining a healthy queue waiting to get into Belfast’s premier rock venue. My last visit to the Limelight was at the start of the year when Orange Goblin were in town so I knew what to expect. A raised stage is probably the best thing about the venue (after the Guinness obviously) as it affords all packed inside a decent view of the bands.

Kicking off proceedings were Taiwanese metallers Cthonic. I’ve seen this lot before, at BOA last year and they do very little for me I’m afraid. Their stage get up is great, with keyboard player CJ Kao decked out in an outfit that crosses the predator with Corey Taylor’s first Slipknot outfit, lead singer and erhu player Freddy Lim providing the energy and enthusiasm, bassist Doris Yeh the eye candy and a mean rhythm section when linked with drummer and mask wearer Dani Wang. Guitarist Jessie Liu, cut shapes and certainly laid down a couple of decent solos, but much of their music just blends into a wall of noise, albeit with a definite eastern influence. The band played about eight songs, including a couple of tracks from their latest album Bu-Tik. The band were confident with Freddy Lim in particular showing excellent stage presence and engaging in some self-deprecating banter including what appeared genuine excitement that a noodle bar had been found near to the venue. Having done some research on these guys I am loathe to be too critical of them. Freddy Lim being the Amnesty International Ambassador for Taiwan is impressive and they have obviously come from a background where much of what we take for granted is not easy for them. They gained a great reception from the Belfast audience, and a number of people afterwards were commenting on how much they enjoyed them. Energetic and hard-working they definitely are. I just don’t find them that enjoyable. 6/10

After a brief break the opening strains of Voice of Shadows cut through the air, and Satyricon were there, lined up on the stage with backs to the crowd, dry ice billowing through the air. They launched into Hvite Krist Dod from the Shadowthrone album and immediately got the place moving. Although they started out as a black metal band, and to an extent remain so, their music has massive groove to it and head were nodding around the venue as the band got into full flow. Quick audience participation followed with the title track from Now Diabolicalfollowed by the sinister Black Crow On A Tombstone from 2009’s Age of Nero. One of my favourite Satyricon tracks. The band were incredibly tight, with Frost’s drumming unbelievable. He is possibly the most underrated drummer in metal, not to mention one of the scariest looking! Completing the rhythm section was the other full-time member of the band Anders Odden who stayed stage left and drove the band forward. However, the undoubted main man of this band is obviously Satyr. What I hadn’t realised before was how big he is and his frame combined with an imposing style cut an impressive image at the front of the stage. Using his trident microphone stand to great effect, he engaged with the crowd, constantly urging the fist pumping and shouts. A couple of new tracks from the latest self-titled album followed, Our World It Rumbles Tonight and the sinister Nekrohaven with some superb guitar work from Steinar Gundersen ably supported by rhythm guitarist Diogo Bastos. Repined Bastard Nation from 2002’s Volcanowas followed by two other newies, Tro og Kraft and The Infinity Of Time And Space which as Satyr said, is possibly the song that captures everything about Satyricon. Essence of Satyr? The ideal Christmas present? Maybe not. I forget to mention the keyboards of Anders Hunstad, but his role cannot be understated, with his layers of synths subtle but evident in the mix. This band are something special, and as they delved into their back catalogue for the last third of their set I was feeling pretty lucky to have managed to see them on one of only three UK dates. Three tracks from NemesisDivinia, Forhekset, To The Mountains and The Pentagram Burns highlighted the incredible drumming skills of Frost, blast beats powering out whilst Satyr continued to deliver a master class in delivery. This is a band that have been around for 20 years and it shows with the show slick and musicianship of the highest quality. A three track encore of Mother North, Fuel For Hatred and massive favourite K.I.N.G concluded the set before the band lined up on stage for a deserved ovation which lasted over ten minutes. One of my gigs of the year. 10/10

Karnivool & Tesseract, Anson Rooms Bristol

A night of progressive djent style metal was the order of the day in Bristol's little known (to me anyway) Anson rooms. This is part of the University and was essentially a sports hall that can be converted to be a venue when needed. There was no support so we headed to a local pub for food and 'refreshment' and then walked in about 10 minutes after the doors had opened, after a minor debacle with the tickets we finally made our way in to the rectangular room with a hard wood floor and walls. The room looked either to be very new (confirmed by the sign outside as we left) or temporary. Anyway another slight wait so to the bar for some amazing Bristolian beer (something my brothers in ale Nick and Paul missed out on). Then finally it was time:

Tesseract

I've wanted to see this British modern prog crew for a while now but fate has always intervened. However here they were and opened with two tracks from their superb most recent album Altered State. First out of the gate was Of Matter-Proxy and then Of Matter-Retrospect both of which showed off the bands chops with the dual technical guitar play of Acle Kahney and James Monteith who played some intricate but heavy rhythms and leads full of palm muted riffage which is the major style of the genre. They were aided by the thumping 5-string bass of Amos Williams who has the nimblest fingers I've ever seen and when in a groove or breakdown with drummer Jay Postones they are hard to beat. The reason I've wanted to see them though is to see how well new vocalist Ashe O' Hara does in place of Dan Tompkins (one of the best vocalists in this genre), well he holds his own very well especially on the Tompkins songs, with much of the Concealing Fate suite being played. Williams has a great voice very clean and soaring and yes he is a match for Tompkins but he excels on the songs that he has recorded with the band. As far as performance wise the band do very little in terms of movement but with music such as this doesn't need to be visually arresting. The set was well structured and most importantly brilliantly played, technical, heavy and ethereal and as the final chords of Concealing Fate Part 1: Acceptance the already partisan crowd were giving a rapturous applause. 9/10

After that there was a break for many to catch their breath before Australians Karnivool took to the stage and as the crowd filed back into the venue after more 'refreshment'.

Karnivool

So the lights went down again and the band hit the stage. Karnivool I've always heard are an interesting prospect live so it was with lofty expectations that I watched. First round knockout from the Perth based band with The Last Few and A.M War coming right out of the gate with melodic, intricate guitar playing from guitarists Andrew Goddard and Mark Hosking who also adds the keys, samples and xylophone (!) to proceedings. Again like Tesseract the band work as perfect unit with the guitars at the fore providing heaviness and melody, then the bass providing the rhythms and drums leading the complex song structures, drummer Steve Judd is a monster behind the kit! The band went into Themata their biggest hit very early but it roused the crowd after their post break malaise with its chunky nu-metal riffs. With that out of the way the band were free to experiment with the set list and worm their way through all kinds of sounds that encompassed prog, pop, rock, some jazz, electronica, all with intensely agile musicianship and supreme dexterity. They mixed up the set drawing heavily from their latest album Asymmetry andtheir previous effort Sound Awake. Again visuals are not important as the music is the star but special mention to vocalist Ian Kenny who not only has one of the most keenly honed voices I've heard he also slithers around the stage like Bez from the Happy Monday's if he was being shocked by electricity. The set peaked and troughed and by the time they had finished the two song encore the crowd were mesmerised exploding into applause when the band finished. Despite the odd venue the bands did everything they could with the sound available this was night of incredibly modern and progressive music. Whether you call it djent or not both of these bands are at the top of the pile in terms of performance and song craft. 9/10

Ayreon: The Theory Of Everything (InsideOut)

So there I was all ready to crown Steven Wilsons phenomenal record The Raven That Refused To Sing (...And Other Stories) my album of the year when from out of the skies like a bolt from the blue comes The Theory Of Everything from Dutch musician Arjen A. Lucassen and his band Ayreon.

This album really has to be heard to be believed. The Theory Of Everythingis Ayreon’s 8th studio album and really steps up a notch, to summarise it is an exercise in excess, Lucassen performs the majority of the instruments and Ed Warby on the drums complements him perfectly with appearances from Troy Donockley (Nightwish/Mostly Autumn), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Keith Emerson (ELP) and Rick Wakeman (Yes) on the musicians side this is a prog fans wet dream and that’s just discounting the vocals, on that side we have JB (Grand Magus), Sara Squadrani (Ancient Bards), Marco Hietala (Nightwish, Northern Kings, Tarot), John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson) and Christina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) in her career best work. But the real show stoppers are Tommy Karevik (Kamelot) and Michael Mills (Toehinder). At points I was quite literally taken aback by the power of their voices. I had never heard Mills before this but trust I will be seeking him out further if all of his vocal performances are of this calibre. Every singer on this album really brings their A-Game as they each play a role in the story of the album much like actors in a play.

The album centres on the story of The Prodigy (Kaverik) a genius savant used by his Father (Mills) in his work to discover the GUT or The Theory of Everything while his Mother (Scabbia) just wants to protect him. He has his own issues along the way, his Rival (Heitala) is jealous of his genius and his relationship with a Girl (Squadrani), his Psychiatrist (Wetton) wants to put him on an experimental drug to help with his savantism and his Teacher (JB) wants only to mould and help this genius mind. Musically this album defies all definitions. It's at parts folky, parts space opera, parts 70's prog, parts modern prog metal, etc. but the thing is, with all these conflicting styles it never once feels confused or cluttered, all the sections and segues make sense together as a whole. At no point are any of the genre shifts jarring or unnecessary. The best description I can find is its part Progressive Metal album Part Broadway Musical with its grand story and larger than life characters.

You'll notice I haven't put any songs or tracks I would recommend that's because it's difficult to take any of these tracks out of context. The Album truly only has 4 tracks, known as phases and each with at least 10 "parts" that come together to tell a full story. If pushed I would suggest seeking out Progressive Waves (Phase I: Part VII) for the synth work by Rudess and Emerson, Alive! (Phase II: Part X) for the stupendous vocal work and The Breakthrough (Phase IV: Part VI) for sheer head bounciness. This is one of those albums that to really experience it you must listen to the whole thing as one cohesive piece of work; a rare enough trait in most modern albums where the demand for a lead single is paramount. In a world of bands trying to bring back the old days by simply rehashing and repackaging bands from way back when (I'm looking at you A7X), Arjen and Co. demonstrate how to really show tribute and reverence to the old days whilst still bringing in something new.

Oh yes and the total number of parts on The Theory of Everything? 42(!)Well done boys and girls 10/10

Orphaned Land – The Garage, Islington

Following my earlier encounter with Norwegian Black Metallers Satyricon in Belfast next stop was the Garage in Islington for some Arabic influenced metal. Orphaned Land along with three supports for £13 promised a pretty good value for money evening and so it proved to be.

The Mars Chronicles
Opening band from France, The Mars Chronicles arrived to a sparsely populated venue at 7:15 and played a 30 minute set of alternative metal. The band, named after a short science fiction story from the 1950s, have an interesting stage presence with the band decked out completely in white including faces and hair. Formed in 2012, their set consisted of tracks from their first EP. Opening with Constant Show and then plunging into the 8 minute progressive track Abyss, there was certainly energy and enjoyment on stage. Guitarist and vocalist Devy Diadema possesses a decent voice, and supported by guitarist Yann Morvant, bassist Sebastien Ollive and drummer Morgan Berthet, the band are certainly watchable. Musically it is quite hard to put them in a category, but if you forced me I think of bands like Pain of Salvation or Junis. Their sound is complex with aggressive passages followed by periods of melancholic melody. Finishing with Scars Of Age and then Hell Is Born, where they were joined onstage by Yossi from Orphaned Land, the band were musically tight and honed, as you’d expect towards the end of a 40 date tour. 6/10

Khalas

A quick changeover followed and then it was time for Khalas from Palestine. The band are a mix of Arabic and oriental combined with more traditional heavy metal such as Sabbath with a sprinkling of System of a Down thrown in for good measure. Bursting with energy, the band ripped through a thoroughly entertaining set with tracks from their first EP and their latest release, Arabic Rock Orchestra. The next member of Orphaned Land to make a guest appearance during the evening was bassist Uri Zelcha who joined Khalas for a song towards the end of their set. A few of the crowd were clearly Palestinian and were having a great time at the barrier and as the band got into their stride the majority of the audience responded with much dancing and clapping along to their infectious style. Very much worth checking out. 7/10

Klone

Next up were Klone. I last saw Klone supporting Gojira in Cardiff in 2012 and to be honest I couldn’t remember much about them. However, this time I was impressed. Progressive metal is probably the best way to describe them; similar to their countrymen but with a slightly lighter feel although tracks such as The All Seeing Eye have elements of death metal about them. By now the crowd in the Garage had swelled to a couple of hundred and frontman Yann Ligner soon got heads nodding around the room. Guitarists Guillaume Bernard and Mika Moreau were excellent, trading the odd solo and riffing as if their lives depended on it. The band played a mix of tracks including a couple from their 2012 release The Dreamer’s Hideaway which increased in both heaviness and intensity and by the end of the set drummer Florent Marcadet and bassist Jean Etienne Maillard were deep in Gojira territory; yes, there was some Duplantieresque drumming which threatened to move internal organs. The by now customary appearance by a member of Orphaned Land featured lead singer Kobi Farhi who traded vocals with Ligner. A solid performance from a technically excellent band. 8/10

Orphaned Land

And so to the headliners, a band I have wanted to see for some time. Orphaned Land are an Israeli outfit who really fuse a wide range of influences in their music. They combine traditional metal with death, doom and progressive elements as well as Middle Eastern folk and traditional Arabic elements to create some very intricate and interesting music. The band have been in existence since 1991 with three of the members having been there from early on. Lead singer Kobi Farhi is the obvious focus of the band, delivering both clear and death vocals throughout the evening. He is a tall man, clad in Arabic robes and has a very strong on-stage persona. Interacting with the audience throughout, he explained the meanings of many of their songs, emphasising that Orphaned Land are not a religious band. He did talk a little about the conflict in the Middle East, but for the majority of the evening let their stunning music do the talking. The band opened with Through Fire And Water and then the title track from this year’s brilliant All Is One album before Barakah from their last release, The Never Ending Way of ORWarriOR. The band made clever use of some backing tracks to ensure that their complex sounds could be reproduced, including the use female vocals and keyboards that feature heavily on their more recent releases. Long-time guitarist Yossi Sassi played the entire evening with his double neck guitar and bouzouki combo, adding some of the Arabic elements as well as a number of blistering solos in the heavier songs. Bassist Uri Zechla headbanged and beamed all evening whilst combining with drummer Matan Shmuely to hold the band steady as the set progressed. Orphaned Land dipped back into their 2004 release Mabool next with The Kiss Of Babylon before returning to All Is One with The Simple Man and Brother, which Kobi explained was about Palestinians and Israelis living together. The audience was truly international, with Syrians, Israelis and Palestinians making up the majority of the front row. At one point Kobi did list the nations who had fans present in the audience which also included Greeks, Russians and Bulgarians. He missed out Wales but at least we know that we were represented! (As we always do! Editor) The pace didn’t let up and the band continued to plough through the songs with Birth Of The Three from Mabool followed by an assortment of tracks from ORWarriOR and then the Syrian conflict inspired Children from All Is One. The one down side of the evening then arrived in the shape of a rather poor drum solo which as is usually the case was tedious but mercifully short. The band were then joined on stage by members of The Mars Chronicles and encored with Norra El Norra/Ornament Of God before leaving to a huge ovation from the very happy crowd. Overall, a very strong performance from a band that are 20+ years into their music career. 9/10

Defenders of the Faith Tour – Bristol O2 Academy

The Metal Hammer sponsored Defenders of the Faith tour arrived in Bristol with four bands on the bill representing pretty good value for money on paper anyways. Having wisely travelled across the bridge early in the afternoon, we were able to have our customary visit to the Hatchet before getting to the front of the queue for the ridiculously early start, thanks to the Ramshackle nightclub event that was taking place in the same venue later that evening.

Hell
Straight onto the barrier for the main reason for our trip. Hell. Following the quite stunning Human Remains album and the breath taking performance at BOA earlier this year, I really wanted to see the band again. Arriving on stage at the stupidly early time of 6:15pm, the band launched into The Age Of Nefarious, a new track from the hugely anticipated Curse and Chapter album. With Dave Bower delivering his vocals with the usual theatrical aplomb, the band kicked into On Earth As It Is In Hell with audience participation and the twin guitars of Andy Sneap and Kev Bower soaring through the mix. In an extremely short set, Blasphemy And The Master followed, complete with Dave Bower’s self-flagellation antics. This band are getting better all the time with sinister looking bassist Tony Speakman and drummer Tim Bowler content to maintain the momentum whilst Sneap and Kev Bower flank the ever moving frontman Dave Bower. At one point I’m sure I even saw Sneap smile! The band aired another new track, Something Wicked This Way Comes and finished with The Quest to a massive ovation from those who had ventured into the venue early. Hell will hopefully be hitting the road to promote Curse and Chapter next year and I will be waiting with much anticipation for both the album and the opportunity to see them again. 9/10

Bleed From Within

Now it may just be me but with these Metal Hammer tours there is always one band that does very little for me. Tonight it was Glaswegians Bleed From Within. Billed as one of the new generation of UK metal bands, they do absolutely nothing for me. I don’t like this genre at all. BMTH, While She Sleeps etc., all bore me rigid but that’s probably because I am very old and raised on classic rock. I’ll give BFW 7/10 for effort but 1/10 for music. Rubbish.

Carcass

UK Death Metal legends Carcass took to the stage with no fuss and proceeded to deliver 45 minutes of thrash and death metal to an expectant crowd who by now had started to fill the venue. Kicking off with Buried Dreams from Heartwork Singer and bassist Jeff Walker’s growling delivery incited some ferocious pit action. “Don’t make me tell you what to do” he threatened as the band launched into the old school Incarnated Solvent Abuse from their early years. Flanked by original guitarist Bill Steer and new boy Ben Ash, Walker’s bass combined with the hammering drums of Daniel Wilding. This was a 45 minute aural assault. Blasting through three tracks from this year’s bloody good Surgical Steel album, including the ludicrously named Cadaver Pouch Conveyer System, Carcass thrashed the O2 to within an inch of its life. Closing with a medley (Ha-ha!) of Ruptured in Purulence and Heartwork this is a band who have returned in a fitter state then they were when they originally split in 1995. If you like your death metal, get along and see these guys. 8/10

Amon Amarth

Headliners Amon Amarth need little introduction. The Swedish melodic death metallers have been part of the metal landscape for over 20 years and every time I see them they put on a storming show. Alas, no Viking longboat on the set tonight but an impressive array of backdrops opening with the cover to their latest offering, Deceiver Of The Gods. It was from that album that the band choose to kick off proceedings with the powerful Father Of The Wolf. Johan Hegg immediately filling the front of the stage with his imposing frame, head banging like a maniac and swigging from his Viking horn at his side. No respite as the band went straight into the title track from the new album before an old school one in Death In Fire was dispatched. Throughout the show Hegg demonstrated why he is perfectly suited to this band and the type of music they play. His low growl totally fits the speed and thrust of the twin guitar attack of Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg along with the bass of Ted Lundström and the ferocious drumming of Fredrik Andersson. The O2 was by now rather full and the pit was in full swing, especially when Amon dropped in fan favourite after fan favourite. Free Will Sacrifice followed by As Loke Falls, Runes To My Memory followed by Varyags Of Miklagaard. You get the picture I’m sure. It is not only Hegg’s voice that suites this band though. He is brilliant on the microphone and engaged with the crowd, reassuring everyone that despite the early finish “don’t worry, we’ll still be giving you the full set” which they did. True to all my expectations this was another expert demonstration in how to deliver a headline set. Using all of the (admittedly small) stage the band ran around throughout, using just about every pose that is available in the heavy metal manual. But they are also fantastic musicians and damn heavy too. They headed to the encore with Cry Of The Blackbirds, Guardians Of Asgaard, Destroyer Of The Universe and War Of The Gods before a quick break for a well-deserved ovation. The icing on the cake came with the final two songs, Twilight Of The Thunder Gods and everyone’s favourite The Pursuit Of Vikings, complete with crowd participation. It’s not often at a death metal gig you get the entire audience signing “do, do –do, do, do” at the start of a song but it happened here! Once again, Amon Amarth delivered the goods and were worthy headliners of this tour. 9/10

Five Finger Death Punch: The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell Volume 2(Spinefarm)

Part two of the American bruiser’s fourth album and there is no sign of the band letting up and making an AOR album anytime soon. Again Moody roars and croons, Bathory brings some massive riffs and Hook adds the solos, backed by Spencer's drums and Kael's bass licks. So again we see FFDP crating a riotous, angry album full of groove filled American heavy metal. Unlike the first album there are no guests on this second part just the band playing their brand of metal that mixes heaviness but with melody, see semi ballad Weight Beneath My Skin and the euphoric Battle Born (an ode to the road) for the latter and Wrecking Ball (thankfully not Miley Cyrus cover) for the former. This is another strong album that seems to have more of the big hook filled tracks and semi-ballads like Cold that the band are good at rather than the aggressive razor sharp riffage, which is still present but not as prevalent as it was on part 1. Still it's a good album that works in conjunction with Volume 1 to give FFDP more songs to unleash in the live arena where they really excel, it also has quite a good cover of The Animal's House Of The Rising Sun which works quite well. 7/10

Eden's Curse: Symphony Of Sin (AFM)

Four records into their career and its all change in the Eden's Curse camp. They have done the make or break thing of changing their singer, and new boy Serbian Nikola Mijic has a tall order in following the unique vocals of founder member Michael Eden but luckily he is extremely talented and has voice similar to that of Edguy/Avantasia's Tobias Sammet. Mijic has entered the fray after Eden controversially left the melodic metal band stating that it was his creation and his idea and that he was being forced out by co-founder member bassist Paul Logue. But I digress into band politics which is always a bad idea so; I'll just focus on this album instead. What an album it is moving away from the more metallic offerings of their last two albums (the excellent Second Coming and the awesome Trinity respectively) back to the rockier melodic metal of their first album. This may look like a step backwards but as Edguy's Age Of The Joker showed sometimes variety is the spice of life and Eden's Curse have definitely spiced things up on this album. It moves and twists through several shades and genres. Take for example the opening title track, it has driving metallic riff from guitarist Thorsten Kohne, he is aided by the powerful keyboard runs of second new member former Dragonforce/Powerquest keyboardist Steve Williams who take over from the in demand Alessio Del Vecchio. Williams adds his years of experience to the songs with some amazing synths see Break The Silence, orchestrations and piano on the big show stopping ballads like Fallen From Grace which is Whitesnake by another brand. With all the talk of new members it's sometimes easy to forget the powerhouse rhythm section of Logue and drummer Pete Newdeck who keep everything nice and grounded in hard hitting rock. In terms of songwriting Logue has out done himself Evil & Divine sounds like Dio-Rainbow or Deep Purple, to the AOR of Unbreakable where everything goes all Journey. This is yet another sterling effort from Eden's Curse who have definitely come out of their line-up change on the right foot. With Mijic's powerful range and Williams’s keyboard prowess, Eden's Curse can step out of their genre domination into the world beating arena! 9/10

Iron Man: South Of The Earth (Rise Above)

Stop the presses! A former Black Sabbath tribute band release an album of original material that sounds like Sabbath. Really this all you need to know. But in the name of information I suppose I should go on so I will. Formed by Maryland guitarist Alfred Morris III, Iron Man have all the hallmarks of Iommi and his Iron Men, the heaving slabs of doom riffage from Morris III the rumbling bass lines Louis Strachan who is channelling his Geezer Butler perfectly with his lead guitar like bass playing. The drums smash and tumble with equal power and singer "Screaming Mad" Dee Calhoun has voice that is a dead ringer for Grand Magus' JB. South Of The Earth is the bands fifth album with as many line ups (their ex-members list is huge!) yet they show little signs of changing or giving up on their Sabbath vibe yet. Yes as I've said the band sound like Sabbath and from the two opening tracks, the title track and the leaf worshiping Hail To The Haze the band show their intent to be as Sabbath as possible with driving riffage and some killer guitar playing before the doom creep of The Worst And Longest Day will get your head nodding in a smoke filled haze. The album takes a break in the middle with the acoustic Ariel Changed The Sky which is still hailing back to Sabbath and tracks like Planet Caravan or Laguna Sunrise. This album is perfect for doom fans as well as Sabbath worshippers. Spark up, sit down and let them take you on a trip Into The Void. 8/10

Alice In Chains, Ghost & The Walking Papers Newport Centre

Once again we step into the weird world of the Newport Centre, half venue, half swimming pool it is truly a sight to behold as the black t-shirted hordes queued for entry as families frolicked in the pool. Still once inside the oddness was replaced by the familiar sight and smells of a rock venue, albeit one that doubles as a squash court. There was talk of Joey Jordison's band Scar The Martyr being one of the supports but that honour was bestowed upon The Walking Papers.

The Walking Papers

Made up of members of The Missionary Position, Screaming Trees and Guns N Roses The Walking Papers play blues based soulful rock with a slight alternative/punk edge. Bedecked in a suit Jeff Angell played a mean blues guitar and howled his way through tracks off the band’s debut album accompanied by the expert time keeping of Barrett Martin who knows how to smash a drum kit, keys, synths, orchestrations and general madness came from keyboardist Benjamin Anderson and Bassist Duff McKagan added a refined coolness that only someone of his magnitude can bestow by taking a backseat somewhat to Angell's bluesman persona. They were a good start to the night mixing some laid back blues with heavy punkier riffs. There was very little banter as the band locked into a groove that gathered a healthy crowd excited by what they saw as a new band (The Walking Papers' album was not widely released in the UK until this month). Worth checking out on both record and in a live setting The Walking Papers were a good warm up for the rest of the night. 8/10

Back to the bar for a few light refreshments (so long as it's Guinness or Cider) and then we took up our seat again. Yes folk’s seats, history dictates that you should not stand in close quarters to metal fans in a venue that is essentially a sauna...

Ghost

A band always seeming to play the odd one out, Swedes Ghost were next and the crowd gathered as the room filled for their grey mass (somewhere between black and white). Despite all their Satanic lyrics the band are a bit of fun and after the intro and instrumental of Infestissumam the Nameless Ghouls locked in for the retro occult rock set before the Cardinal of Sin himself Papa Emeritus (II?) arrived on stage for the pounding Per Aspera Ad Inferi which moved into Con Clavi Con Dio. The tracks are now ingrained into the bands set list and with the sweet smell of incense (that's INCENSE Newport isn't that bad yet!) wafting through the hall the band showed how heavy they are live in comparison to their albums which are bit lighter. The night of the witch began with of Stand By Him followed by Prime Mover gotthe crowd moving to the Devil's beat before the band did something that I haven't seen them do live yet. Papa began to talk to the crowd like a normal human, this took a little away from their ghostly aurora but it make them a little more accessible as they introduced their cover of Roky Erickson's If You Have Ghosts from their Dave Grohl produced covers E.P. The song fitted the band well and gave a brief break in the proceeding before awesome Year Zero and Ritual led into the sing along quasi-spiritual Monstrance Clock ended the set. This was a short, precise set that took a few risks that ultimately paid off for the band and brought the heavily grunge loving crowd on side, something the band do very well. 8/10

Alice In Chains

I have only seen AIC at a festival and I'll let you in on secret I wasn't that fussed, outside of their hits I didn't recognise much and thought they were a bit boring. However due to my good friend Lee's super fandom I picked up Black Gives Way To Blue and was impressed enough to seek out the back catalogue culminating with this years The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. So I wanted to give them another chance and I'm glad I did. The band came out and went straight into Dirt from the album of the same name, with the opening riff the roof nearly came off the place not only due to the ovation but the sheer power of AIC'c groove. The noise was up there with Gojira in terms of power, the riffs of Cantrell just ripped the crowd a new hole, the bass of Inez was big beefy and fuzzed to hell and drummer Sean Kinney broke every stick he used to abuse his kit. Special kudos too goes to William Duvall who truly is the singer of AIC now not just Layne's replacement he also plays a mean guitar. Speaking of guitar it is only in a love setting you realise Jerry Cantrell's guitar playing is, his riffs are unmistakable and his solos are explosive and to the point. The first five songs of the set went by in a big heavy noisy blast with no let up to catch your breath Again into the modern classic Check My Brain, then the classic Them Bones. The band mixed songs from their early albums with tracks off their latest album, the first of these was Hollow which was followed by my favourite track Man In The Box. The aural assault continued with light and shade mixing the slower more ballad-like songs with the harder rock edged tracks. Phantom Limb was excellent as was No Excuses, Stone and the final track of the main set the seldom played Sludge Factory. A brief break and speculation in which order the encore would come, it was quickly answered with the acoustics brought out for Down In A Hole (cue excited squealing from my right from Lee), the (downward) spiralling song set the tone for the encore perfectly and led into the fan favourites and perennial set closers Would? and the timeless and trippy Rooster which brought the house down! This was a hell of showing from AIC who more than justified their standing as one of the leaders of the Seattle metal scene. Definitely a band that have proved how good they can be live and one I would see again, just maybe at an indoor venue. 10/10

The Darkness, Lostalone & The River 68's, Solus Cardiff

The Darkness were at one time the biggest rock band in the world but drug use, fall outs and general madness led to them splitting but you can't keep a good band down and now they are back with a new album named Hot Cakes.However this tour is a retrospective celebrating the tenth anniversary of their debut Permission To Land by playing the album in full. Still with excitement in the air the first support act came on stage.

The River 68's

The River 68's as a full band are a soulful blues rock band, but in this setting they were playing as an acoustic duo with Craig McGabe and his guitar playing brother Chris stripping their songs back to their roots. Chris' guitar and harmonica was very good and their songs were soulful and sounding like The Black Crowes and Neil Young. The bands power lies in Craig's voice which is staggeringly powerful. I'd love to see them as a full band as they were impressive as a duo. 8/10

Lostalone

Dire, totally dire, a horrible mix up of cocksure indie/pop punk, emo and rubbish songs. The band seemed amateur and confused about what they wanted to sound like. If I never see them again that will be too soon. I'm sorry but it's no from me. 0/10

The Darkness

Finally the moment we had all been waiting for, the PA blasted outThe Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy before another intro introducing the Hawkins brothers killed the momentum, however as The band took to the stage to a rapturous reception they went straight into Makin' Out from the last record before following up with the hard rocking She's Just A Girl Eddie which was an opening salvo that showed that the band had missed a step since reforming, Dan was resolute as the riffmeister extraordinaire peeling off riff after riff, Frank Poullain pulled his four (g?) strings with a dignified precision and Ed Graham silently smashed the hell out of his drum kit. The focus as usual was on Justin who told us early on that his voice was going due to illness, but if it was I couldn't hear it, it was there in full falsetto glory screeching and screaming over the riotous rawk! Hawkins (J) moved between guitar and straight vocals doing his best Freddie when not hindered by the axe. Throughout the band straddled the line between Spinal Tap and Queen merging majesty with mayhem. Is It Just Me? followed before we were welcomed into the dirty world of The Horn and Every Inch Of You. A gap in proceedings and Justin offered £100 pounds to anyone that knew the next song and true to his word when two people down the front he borrowed £100 pounds and gave it to the shouting fans. The song was The Ballad Of The Tollund Man which featured some extremely high vocals from Poullain, who was inaudible until Justin sorted the sound out by shouting at the sound man. The song faded into Street Spirit (Fade Out) ironically. The final song of the main set was the ode to the white stuff One Way Ticket which featured the deliberately worst drum solo of all time! The fans rolled and rocked to the main set but another (slightly long intro) led into the opening to of Black Shuck (that dog don't give a fuck!) before they rolled through the Permission To Land albummass sing-alongs erupted to Get Your Hands Off My Woman, Growing On Me, I Believe In A Thing Called Love and Love Is Only A Feeling. There was jumping, shouting, clapping and fist pumping throughout all led by the ringmaster Justin who was bedecked in a bright pink cat suit. The band tore through Stuck In A Rut, Givin Up and Friday Night before the set piece of Love On The Rocks With No Ice set the place on fire as Justine soloed around the crowd on top of a roadies shoulder before arriving back on stage for the finale of Holding My Own. Thoroughly exhausted both the band and the fans took a break, what more could they play? we asked ourselves but we were quickly answered as the band came back out with their Crimbo garb on for the seasonal hit (it's only November guys!). Still we gleefully sang along and cheered when they ended the set proper. Yes they are like audio marmite but The Darkness are possibly one of the most entertaining live bands this side of Evil Scarecrow merging the sublime and the ridiculous. They are well worth watching and I'm just pleased I saw them on this special tour. 10/10

Katatonia: Dethroned & Uncrowned (2013)

Katatonia's path towards giving up metal completely now seems complete; Dethroned & Uncrowned is an acoustic re-working of their most recent album Dead End Kings. There are little to no electric guitars on this album just acoustics, mellotrons, synths, dulcimer hammers, pianos and orchestral backing throughout. It means that the songs have much more impact in their stripped back form meaning that the band have echoes of Porcupine Tree at their most introspective, bringing huge soundscapes that explode from the stereo but are equally at home when listened to late at night on headphones, drawing you in with their bewitching melodies and Jonas Renske's deep sonorous voice. This is a life affirming album that shows that Katatonia have some excellent songs that translate just as well in this setting as they are on the full electric version of the album, Dead Letters is a highlight as always as is opener The Parting. This is Katatonia casting their net for the future, they do not need to worry about any further experimentation as they have shown that they are quite capable mixing up their style. 9/10

Slave To The System: S/T (2002/2006)

Slave To The System released their debut and so far only album in 2002 before it was re-released with an extra track in 2006. The band are made up by former Queensryche guitarist Kelly Gray and former Queensryche drummer Scott Rockenfield, in a change to their day jobs the album is hard rock mixed with some alternative moments. The band is finished off by members of the alt-rock band Brother Cane composed of bassist Roman Glick and vocalist/guitarist Damon Johnson (Thin Lizzy/Black Star Riders) and guitarist Scott Heard. As I've said the band have hard rock mixed with alternative metal, Stigmata sounds like Velvet Revolver with Johnson doing his best Weiland, before Ruby Wednesday which is very Pearl Jam like into the title track which sounds like Soundgarden and Cruz Out Of Control is Audioslave at their heaviest. As you can see many of these tracks have similarities, most of which are because of Johnsons' Cornell-like vocals. This is a good album full of chunky rock tracks and massive ballads like Abyss.If you like American metal throwing in grunge, hard rock and acoustic balladry then Slave To The System will tick all your boxes. 7/10

Crystal Breed: The Place Unknown (2011)

Crystal Breed are a Prog rock band from Hamburg and that's all you really need to know, they play pure progressive rock full of massive synths and keyboard runs, chunky/melodic guitar passages, driving bass lines and some technical drumming, the band have also got some amazing vocal harmonies from lead vocalist/guitarist Niklas Turmann, keyboardist/vocalist Corvin Bahn and drummer/vocalist Thorsten Harnitz. From the synth driven opening Lies the band spiral out of control into a massive crescendo that immediately changes pace with the acoustic opening to Floating On Waves which brings light and shade with its quiet/soft dynamics, as well as the classical piano middle eight. the band have a similar sound to The Von Hertzen Brothers (which could be why I like it!). The band bring together a lot of elements from prog-legends the title track is part Marillion, part Barclay James Harvest with its country refrain which turns into a heavy as lead breakdown at the end! This is a band with some sublime songs and amazing song-writing, there's Rush, Pink Floyd, Marillion and even the Beatles present on this album and it all works perfectly. This is a bit of a hidden gem for prog fans, an amazing album from a band you may not know too much about. Give it a spin, live with it for a few weeks and you will love it I promise! 9/10

The Winery Dogs: S/T (2013)

The Winery Dogs are a rock trio like no other; the three members are all virtuosos in their own rights and have appeared on hundreds of album between them. The three men in question are tub thumper extraordinaire Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, Transatlantic and every other band under the sun, master of the 4 stings Billy Sheenan ex-DLR and Mr Big and the third part of this trifecta is the perhaps lesser known Ritchie Kotzen who is a solo singer/guitarist and did a stint in Poison. Together they meld to bring some muscular blues based hard rock full of virtuosic flourishes, a drum fill there; We Are One, a bass solo here see Desire for an example and lots of Hendrix-like freak-outs from Kotzen who not only plays a means strings but has the smoothest rock voice this side of Chris Cornell. Things start strong with Elevate which has a euphoric chorus; in fact this word can sum up the album to a tee. Three men playing up lifting rock music that is as life-affirming as it is technical. Portnoy is a genius equally adept to smashing out rock rhythms as he is playing stripped back jazzy refrains. Sheenan plays his bass like a lead guitar contributing funky leads and rumbling rhythm and Kotzen howls and croons while shredding and rocking like a motherf*****! The band get plaintive on I'm No Angel showing their stadium rock leanings are not far away. This is an album full of strong tracks that are both catchy and beautifully played. if you are a fan of any of the contributors work then you will love this and if you're not then really you shouldn't even be reading to here. 9/10

Hell: Curse And Chapter (Nuclear Blast)

The re-activated Hell have returned with their second album and their first of original material. (The first album was made up of songs that had been around since their first incarnation in the 1980's) so could they have as much impact as their debut did? The answer is yes, without changing very much the band have managed to create another album of top quality British heavy metal that draws from the NWOBHM as well as the proto-thrash (seen in guitarist Andy Sneap's original band Sabbat). Sneap and Kev Bower bring the riffs with every song chock full of their breakneck and chunky riffage as well as some massive solos, backed by the percussive onslaught of Tim Bowler and the bass attack of Tony Speakerman see the opening of Deliver Us From Evil, again the band's main piece-de resistance is singer David Bower who's theatrical banshee-like delivery is what separates them from the rest of the NWOBHM worshiping crowd. The opening track Age Of Nefarious has a great riff and rips off the peace and love anthem Age Of Aquarius in the chorus. The riffs fly thick and fast on The Disposer Supreme, the heavy stomp of Darkhangel is next and is the longest and most progressive song on the album Harbinger Of Death is the most NWOBHM song the album full of duelling guitar riffs. The keys come on strongly for the opening of the instrumental Deathsquad which moves into the Macbeth inspired Something Wicked This Way Comes. In this humble reviewers opinion if Hell hadn't faced so much adversity in their early career they could have been as big as Maiden, however they are not resting on their past victories they are pushing forward with some high quality British Heavy Metal. This album is a must for any true metal fan. Go! Buy It! Now! 10/10

Ghost: If You Have Ghost (Universal)

Ghost have slowly but surely taken over the word through word of mouth, great live presence and celebrity endorsement, Phil Anselmo and James Hetfield to name two. This is a covers EP and can be seen as a stop gap between albums, it also serves as a way for Ghost to expand their remit a little tackling songs that are not necessarily of their genre. The album opens with a cover of psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson's If You Have Ghosts which is suited perfectly to Ghost's cod-occult delivery with blasting organs and riffing guitars and Papa's vocodered vocals. This is followed the most evil ABBA have ever sounded as the band storm through the creepy I'm A Marionette. It's here I'll mention the production which is sterling proving once again that Dave Grohl is a man of many talents as he handles the production duties on this EP. Army Of Lovers'Crucified is next and the album is rounded off by an organ drenched, fuzzed guitar version of Depeche Mode's Waiting For The Night. The live version of Secular Haze is not really much of an addition, but this is a nice package for a completest and serves its purpose as a stopgap. 7/10

Switchblade: Heavy Weapons (Killer Metal Records)

Switchblade are metal band from Israel and they play metal that is straight out of the early 80's, the killer riffage, the pounding drums, the retro production and the Dickinson-esque vocals. This is the music Maiden was writing on the first three albums. The band are not reinventing the wheel, but they are carrying on a legacy like Enforcer, Grand Magus and Holy Grail, a legacy of NWOBHM inspired pounding metal full of face melting solos and shout along choruses. All of the band are equally talented with the rhythm section of Sascha Latman (bass) and Moshe "Moshpit" Sabach (drums) anchoring the metallic riffs of guitarist Federico "FedeRock" Taich and the siren-like vocals of Lior "Steinmetal" Stein who sounds uncannily like Bruce Dickinson. Yes the songs are your general metal fodder of fantasy, war (title track), women (Metalista) and leather and the production is authentically 80's e.g. slightly thin but this just makes the band sound more like the real thing. they do shake up their sound a little bit with the instrumental The Lost Kingdom which goes down the power metal route a bit with its synth backing As a debut this is a pretty good one filled with some fist pumping metal anthems, one massive metal ballad (Lost Lovers Unite) and enough old-school nostalgia to bring out the harlequin spandex, bullet belts and white trainers! 8/10

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Mouths Of Metal

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Out Of The Beyond 29

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Reviews: Ayreon (Special contribution from James Dee)

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Another Point Of View: Defenders Of The Faith (Review From Paul)

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The View From The Back Of The Room: Alice In Chains

The View From The Back Of The Room: The Darkness

Out Of The Beyond 30

Reviews: Hell, Ghost, Switchblade