Just a couple of songs into No More Hollywood Endings (Nuclear Blast), the new album by Finnish Power Metal act Battle Beast, and it’s already becoming evident that something is a little different this time. Not in a bad way; the songs are still hook-laden monsters that will take forever to leave your head, the musicianship is reliably outstanding, and singer Noora Louhimo‘s voice is still as strident and muscular as ever as she turns in one of her best performances to date.Continue reading
Ghost Cult caught up with the guys from The Three Tremors before their show in New York City. Hanging out at the Gramercy Ale House, We chatted with Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Dio Disciples, Spirits of Fire), Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin (Jag Panzer, Satan’s Host, Titan Force), and Sean “The Hell Destroyer” Peck (Cage, Denner/Shermann, Death Dealer). About how the project came together. We also touched on topics like Power Metal and Heavy Metal making a resurgence in America, pop fans versus metal fans, the cover art of Marc Sasso, Spotify versus fans buy physical merch and much more! The Three Tremors debut album is out now via Steel Cartel Records. Check out the interview with these legendary and distinct metal voices and personalities! Interview by Keefy, with videography by Omar Cordy for OJC Photography.
Many believed the end was nigh for Washington act Queensrÿche when the legendary Power/Prog Metallers fired their iconic vocalist Geoff Tate back in 2012. However, more than happy to prove those people wrong, the recruitment of former Crimson Glory vocalist Todd La Torre has seen the band release some of their strongest material for quite some time.Continue reading
The bombastic operatic Metal of Avantasia continues apace with their eighth album Moonglow (Nuclear Blast), and just in case you were in any doubt it opens with a nigh on ten minute slice of pomp that would not sound out of place on Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell 2 (MCA/Virgin). The conceptual nature and fantastical sound of previous album Ghostlights is expanded upon here, helped by the ample time Tobias Sammet was given when making it.Continue reading
Since leaving Battle Beast in rather acrimonious circumstances in 2015, Beast In Black guitarist and songwriter Anton Kabanen has done everything possible to challenge his former, more established bandmates, and with 2017s debut album Berserker (Nuclear Blast), he succeeded in no uncertain terms. With the two acts releasing stellar albums within a few months of each other, it would appear that Helsinki is definitely big enough for both bands, and that any bad blood that may remain between them is at least being channeled competitively into something creative and positive.Continue reading
With a name inspired by – no, not the Def Leppard power ballad or the hickey Accept were screaming for – Halestorm’s ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’ is the all-female Japanese Metal band Lovebites. If you like your Metal relentless, big, bombastic and with one foot in the eighties then you have come to the right place, Clockwork Immortality (JPU Records) is their second album in their short three-year life and it is not for the timid.Continue reading
Melodic Power Metallers Amaranthe have shared a new music video for their track ‘Dream’, from their recent album Helix, out now via Spinefarm Records. ‘The ‘Dream’ video was created by Jens De Vos of Belgium’s Panda Productions. Watch the clip now. Continue reading
Well, I can’t think of a better way to open a new year of music than with a review of German Metalcore band covering Rap songs. That band is Callejon and the album is called Hartgeld Im Club (Century Media) and this could easily go down as one of the most polarizing releases of the year.Continue reading
Finish heavy metallers Battle Beast will release their new album No More Hollywood Endings, this March 22nd, 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. The eleven featured songs were recorded by keyboardist Janne Björkroth, Viktor Gullichsen and guitarist Joona Björkroth at JKB Studio; the record was also produced and mixed by Janne. Last but no least, the cover artwork was created by Jan Yrlund (Korpiklaani, Manowar etc.). The band will release the album head of their already announced six-week tour with Arion. More details and new music coming soon!Continue reading
Minimal waffle, maximum music – I’m very aware that there is too much music and not enough time! I’ve had close to 1,000 albums pass through my inbox this year alone (I’ve probably only been able to listen to about a third of them), and what I’m presenting are my favourite albums of 2018, the albums that I’ve connected most with, that matter most to me, one way or another.
Hope you find something new to get into… Continue reading