The Quireboys – A Bit Of What You Fancy (Off Yer Rocka Recordings) [Paul Hutchings]
There’s a bit of a push to get this album into the Top Ten. I must admit that chart positions seem to me a relic of a bygone era, probably about 30 years ago in fact! And of course, that’s where A Bit Of What You Fancy originates.
A studio re-recording of the band’s iconic first album, full of that gypsy rock n’ roll that the band made their own. Listening to this album again, it’s difficult to argue with its swagger, attitude and quality. Spike’s smoky, gravel coated vocals and the band’s interplay through both the raucous and gentle have always worked well. Sure, they’ve copied The Faces, The Black Crowes and that whole style but there’s something about The Quireboys that always brings a smile to the face. Their recent appearance at the Steelhouse Festival was the classic example. Watching Spike and co strut their stuff as the sun slowly dropped behind the stage with a beer in hand was just perfect rock n’ roll without any baggage. Those tinkling ivories, the sleazy riffs and music that you can’t help but sway to. It’s a good time album.
There’s not much filler on here either. The anthems of 7 O’Clock, There She Goes and Hey You are well known, but there’s the calmer Don’t Love You Anymore, the fingers down the blackboard of Sex Party and the downright bombast of Long Time Comin’ as well. Ultimately, The Quireboys will either get you reaching for the whisky and a good dance or for the off button. A true marmite band in every sense. The CD for this release features a couple of bonus live tracks, Man On The Loose and Mayfair whilst the vinyl reissue is limited to 750 copies in blue vinyl. One for collectors and serious fans only, but a welcome opportunity to revisit an album that still gets a smile and the foot tapping. 8/10
The second release from the California-based symphonic death and black metal outfit, Colossus is a record that one could spend days exploring and still discover new and wonderful elements. Initially a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Kiera Pietrangelo in 2016, the addition of two studio musicians saw the release of 2017’s The Dark Curse. This morphed into a full band and Colossus sees the first fruits from that alliance. This isn’t a straightforward album. The combination of jagged black metal with death growling roars combined with soaring symphonic and operatic vocals will undoubtedly cause some purists to wrinkle their noses.
A studio re-recording of the band’s iconic first album, full of that gypsy rock n’ roll that the band made their own. Listening to this album again, it’s difficult to argue with its swagger, attitude and quality. Spike’s smoky, gravel coated vocals and the band’s interplay through both the raucous and gentle have always worked well. Sure, they’ve copied The Faces, The Black Crowes and that whole style but there’s something about The Quireboys that always brings a smile to the face. Their recent appearance at the Steelhouse Festival was the classic example. Watching Spike and co strut their stuff as the sun slowly dropped behind the stage with a beer in hand was just perfect rock n’ roll without any baggage. Those tinkling ivories, the sleazy riffs and music that you can’t help but sway to. It’s a good time album.
There’s not much filler on here either. The anthems of 7 O’Clock, There She Goes and Hey You are well known, but there’s the calmer Don’t Love You Anymore, the fingers down the blackboard of Sex Party and the downright bombast of Long Time Comin’ as well. Ultimately, The Quireboys will either get you reaching for the whisky and a good dance or for the off button. A true marmite band in every sense. The CD for this release features a couple of bonus live tracks, Man On The Loose and Mayfair whilst the vinyl reissue is limited to 750 copies in blue vinyl. One for collectors and serious fans only, but a welcome opportunity to revisit an album that still gets a smile and the foot tapping. 8/10
Sodom - Bombenhagel (Steamhammer/SPV) [Matt Bladen]
This Bombenhagel EP is supposed to be a sign of life for Sodom, it's a way to tell their thrash legions that they are still kicking even with all this madness going on. They originally planned a full length record but obviously with the lack of shows was a problem so instead they have brought out this EP. Named after and featuring a re-recorded of their 1987 song Bombenhagel the EP brings the track to life with Sodom's new four piece line up the double axe attack making it more aggressive than ever before, though it still features producer Harris Johns playing a solo. The other two tracks are new ones the first being Coup De Grace a rampaging thrasher written by guitarist Yorck Segatz, highlighting the climate emergency but also showing why Sodom are considered one of the Big 3 of German thrash. They are probably the also the nastiest of this triumvirate the Slayer to Kreator's Metaladeth and Destruction's Anthrax. A showcase of guitarists Yorck Segatz and Frank Blackfire, Coup De Grace is a pit inducing track, Pestiferous Posse though shifts into grooving evil dirges where Tom Angelripper's gnarly bass and drummer Toni Merkel's artillery fire grinds you down. Yeah it's a stopgap release but it doesn't claim to be anything else. With the promise of a new album Sodom are still alive and kicking. 6/10
This Bombenhagel EP is supposed to be a sign of life for Sodom, it's a way to tell their thrash legions that they are still kicking even with all this madness going on. They originally planned a full length record but obviously with the lack of shows was a problem so instead they have brought out this EP. Named after and featuring a re-recorded of their 1987 song Bombenhagel the EP brings the track to life with Sodom's new four piece line up the double axe attack making it more aggressive than ever before, though it still features producer Harris Johns playing a solo. The other two tracks are new ones the first being Coup De Grace a rampaging thrasher written by guitarist Yorck Segatz, highlighting the climate emergency but also showing why Sodom are considered one of the Big 3 of German thrash. They are probably the also the nastiest of this triumvirate the Slayer to Kreator's Metaladeth and Destruction's Anthrax. A showcase of guitarists Yorck Segatz and Frank Blackfire, Coup De Grace is a pit inducing track, Pestiferous Posse though shifts into grooving evil dirges where Tom Angelripper's gnarly bass and drummer Toni Merkel's artillery fire grinds you down. Yeah it's a stopgap release but it doesn't claim to be anything else. With the promise of a new album Sodom are still alive and kicking. 6/10
Arcane Existence – Colossus (Self Released) [Paul Hutchings]
The second release from the California-based symphonic death and black metal outfit, Colossus is a record that one could spend days exploring and still discover new and wonderful elements. Initially a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Kiera Pietrangelo in 2016, the addition of two studio musicians saw the release of 2017’s The Dark Curse. This morphed into a full band and Colossus sees the first fruits from that alliance. This isn’t a straightforward album. The combination of jagged black metal with death growling roars combined with soaring symphonic and operatic vocals will undoubtedly cause some purists to wrinkle their noses.
It’s a definite crossing of genres, linking Nightwish and Epica with the likes of symphonic black legends Dimmu Borgir and the aggressive power of Watain. Thirteen tracks could be off putting but the album clocks in at less than an hour, with the songs rarely straying beyond five minutes apart from a couple of occasions. There are additional theatrical parts which enhance the creativity that is on display here. The atmosphere rarely dips, and for me, the whole combination is cohesive and enjoyable. The intricate and delicate sections, featuring the spiralling orchestral segments carve cleanly through the pummelling riffing and frantic blastbeats to an extent that the album flows in one organic mass rather than as may have been expected, a collection of songs.
Rather than give a blow by blow review of the songs that make up Colossus, I’d recommend you spend plenty of time with this interesting and compelling release. It’s likely to be a real marmite album. Take the plunge and discover something a bit different to the norm. 8/10
Attick Demons - Atlantis: 10th Anniversary Edition (ROAR Rock Of Angels Records) [Matt Bladen]
I was probably a little harsh when I reviewed Attick Demons' last album Daytime Stories...Nightmare Tales. The issue I had was that they are far too similar to Iron Maiden vocally but musically things seem tried to be a bit heavier and thrashier than anything Maiden have ever released. So trying to take my cynical specs off for a bit, I dived into the 10th Anniversary re-release of the Portuguese Maiden's debut full length album Atlantis. It's well much better, yes there's still more Maiden influences that it could be a pastiche, Artur Almeida's dead ringer for Dickinson vocal style ideal for the music, soaring high but with the snarling mids too.
I was probably a little harsh when I reviewed Attick Demons' last album Daytime Stories...Nightmare Tales. The issue I had was that they are far too similar to Iron Maiden vocally but musically things seem tried to be a bit heavier and thrashier than anything Maiden have ever released. So trying to take my cynical specs off for a bit, I dived into the 10th Anniversary re-release of the Portuguese Maiden's debut full length album Atlantis. It's well much better, yes there's still more Maiden influences that it could be a pastiche, Artur Almeida's dead ringer for Dickinson vocal style ideal for the music, soaring high but with the snarling mids too.
Atlantis is more like those classic Iron Maiden albums of the 80's, brimming with NWOBHM sounds from the galloping drive of A Flame Of Eternal Knowledge to the mini-epics City Of The Golden Gates and Sacrifice, it's full of historical themed tracks about mythical civilisations, much like in the Powerslave and Seventh Son records. As with their recent album there are some other influences of power and thrash metal but they are less pronounced letting the dual axe attack and powerful bass do the work on tracks such as Riding The Storm.
To up their metal credentials this album also features Paul Di'Anno (before everyone realised he's a bit of twat) and ex-Manowar man Ross The Boss and was mastered by Andy LaRoque, but this isn't a remastered version so it's pretty much exactly as the original release however now available on vinyl and with 5 acoustic versions added as well. Atlantis I feel is a better record than their most recent effort as it has a bit more of an edge, the band young and hungry to play the music of their heroes. If you've got the original then only the acoustic tracks would make you rebuy it. But for new Attick Demons fans it's great to revisit where it all began. 7/10