Despite what their 1980s influenced, Bay Area sound might lead you to believe, Angelus Apatrida are a modern Thrash band hailing from Spain. Recorded at their home studio in Albacete, Cabaret De La Guillotine (Century Media) is their sixth album, their debut seeing the light of day twelve years ago, and is a continuation of their sociopolitical charged Thrash awash with tasty riffs and plenty of solos.Continue reading
After their self-titled, four-track EP back in 2016 comes the release of Eclipse (Marshall), the debut album from Devonshire three piece Reigning Days. Brooding riffs and big centerpiece choruses their style of rock is deeply rooted in Royal Blood, Biffy Clyro, and Queens of the Stone Age, and as such, they have been getting some love from the UK mainstream press.Continue reading
Starting out life as alternative rockers Feline in 1995, renaming as Ultraviolet after getting dropped by EMI in 1998, and finally forming as a heavier outfit in 2000, we have Die So Fluid. Fusing alternative rock and metal together towards one melancholic whole, Die So Fluid’s latest studio album One Bullet From Paradise (Strataville) is their fifth and comes after a traumatic time for the three-piece. Drummer Al Fletcher passed away two years ago after contracting pneumonia followed by sepsis, Georgina ‘Grog’ Lisee (vocals and bass) and Drew Richards (guitar) decided to soldier on with the help of Justin Bennett on drums. Continue reading
Off the back of their brilliant new album A Deeper Cut (Earache), British rockers The Temperance Movement embarked on a UK and Europe wide tour. The last date of the UK leg was at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, which was dutifully packed to the rafters with a wide range of expectant fans. The support act on the night was the Florida based, brother and sister band Thomas Wynn and The Believers. Continue reading
Rock is in good health, with a glut of bluesy and classic rock acts cropping up over the last decade – Black Star Riders, Blues Pills, Rival Sons, The Temperance Movement and Tax The Heat to name but a few. So how does a band stand out from the crowd?
For Tax The Heat the answer is to evolve and change by listening to themselves. Continue reading
With guest appearance levels worth of Slash’s self-titled solo début album in 2010, and Santana’s 1999 smash hit Supernatural, comes the Michael Schenker Fest album Resurrection (Nuclear Blast). The German guitar maestro’s latest project is a star-studded who’s who from his career, including Gary Barden, Graham Bonnet, and Robin McAuley – the three original MSG singers as well as fellow MSG cohorts Steve Mann (guitars, keyboards), Ted McKenna (drums) and Chris Glen (bass). Not forgetting the Temple of Rock trio Doogie White, Wayne Findlay and Michael Voss-Schon, on vocals, guitars, and production duties respectively, and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett. Continue reading
It has been a tumultuous few years for Scottish rockers The Temperance Movement. Founding member and guitarist Lucas Potashnick quit before the release of 2016’s White Bear, with drummer Damon Wilson following his lead soon after. Not to mention lead singer Phil Campbell nearly succumbing to his alcohol and drugs problems again during their American tour. So with replacement members secured, Matt White and Simon Lea on guitar and drums respectively, and long-term producer Sam Miller in place comes their third album A Deeper Cut (Earache) – a genuinely cathartic release of energetic, blues-based rock.Continue reading
German Classic Rock fanatics Voodoo Circle’s fifth album Raised on Rock (AFM) is the debut outing for new singer Herbie Langhans, after the departure of David Readman two years ago. Langhan’s bluesy timbre fits in seamlessly to Voodoo Circle’s retro-flavoured rock, which is straight out of well-thumbed pages of Whitesnake, Deep Purple, Rainbow and Led Zeppelin.Continue reading
After the sad passing of Lemmy and calling an end to the inimitable juggernaut that was Motörhead, guitarist Phil Campbell stuck to his strengths and in 2016 formed Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons. As the name alludes, Phil kept it in the family and enlisted his sons Todd, Dane, and Tyla on guitar, drums and bass respectively alongside lead singer Neil Starr (Attack! Attack!). After last year’s eponymous EP, Age of Absurdity (Nuclear Blast) is their debut studio album and it successfully combines Rock song-craft with rich, Heavy Metal production. Continue reading
Named after a character from David Lynch’s hit TV show Twin Peaks and hailing from Bergen, Norway are Audrey Horne. Blackout (Nuclear Blast), their first album in four years, follows on from the previous record Pure Heavy (Napalm) in its happy embracing of classic rock and metal influences, much like contemporaries Black Star Riders and Deadlord. A far cry from the Marilyn Manson and Alice in Chains friendly, jagged grunge of their 2005 debut No Hay Banda (Candlelight); Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Pat Benatar are now the primary reference points.Continue reading