ALBUM REVIEW: Michael Catton – Point Of No Return


 

Ace vocalist/songwriter Michael Catton’s first solo collection Point Of No Return (Mighty Music) sounds like a “Best of the Eighties” tribute album, while effectively showcasing the considerable talents of the man himself and all involved.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Green Lung – This Heathen Land


 

For lovers of classic British metal with a bewitching, devilish twist – you know who you are, walking ancient ways, creatures of habit, oceans of time – I recommend a deep, deep exploration of the nostalgic but still brand-new and thoroughly splendid This Heathen Land (Nuclear Blast Records).Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Chris Shiflett – Lost At Sea


 

Much-admired, rightly and properly-acclaimed Foo Fighters guitarist/songwriter Chris Shiflett delivers his latest solo album, Lost At Sea (Snakefarm Records), and proves yet again, experience can count for so, so much.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Nytt Land – Torem


Nytt Land rip the balls off a Siberian tiger (no wild animals were injured for the purposes of this review) with the adventurously ambient, spirited and spiritual Torem (Napalm Records). Elemental, wild and ancient. Throat singing, Finno-Ugric languages. The kind of old-world wisdom the new world craves.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Starbenders – Take Back The Night


 

Life is a cabaret, old chums, with the scintillating Take Back The Night (Sumerian Records). A power-packed, credulity-stretching showcase of strong, strong pop-rock songwriting and arranging courtesy of Starbenders; this album is full of punky attitude and thrusting ambition.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Soen – Memorial


 

“Niiiiiice”, says Louis Balfour – you know, the jazz critic in The Fast Show comedy sketches. Well, Soen’s Memorial (Silver Lining Music) is niiiiiice – a decidedly serious sandwich full of delights, earworms, and all-around expertise.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Neal Morse – The Dreamer – Joseph: Part One


 

This latest release from Neal Morse certainly doesn’t lack ambition – a prog rock opera, the sixteen tracks run for an hour plus, and this is only the first part of his musical version of the Biblical tale of Joseph, the coat of many colours, dude.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Godthrymm – Distortions


 

And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Blank canvas. Blank page. No words. Then came … Poetry. Psalms. Hymns. The power and the glory. OMG – Oh My Godthrymm! This is the one, my good brothers – one for the ages, one for the rampages, the spillages, the courageous.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Nita Strauss – The Call Of The Void


 

She came, she saw, she conquered. “VIC-TOR-IOUS.” The Call Of The Void (Sumerian Records) is two albums in one – a superior instrumental guitar album, full of class and charisma, setting off sparks of shredded steel and nickel – and an above average, rock/blues rock/modern metal album, with one foot in the past and two eyes looking to the future, graced by some fine guest stars, including Alice Cooper, David Draiman, and Anders Friden.

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