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View Article  Interview with JOHN AXELROD

Classical rock is a nascent ...   more »

View Article  Backstage Hero interview with Planet Rock's breakfast DJ Paul Anthony

How did you become involved in the music business?

 

I started my career as a Pontins Bluecoat in Blackpool at the age of 16. That was really my apprenticeship into the world of entertainment, plus as a Blue all the girls wanted to bed you!

 

What was your ...   more »

View Article  SPOCK’S BEARD ‘The X-Tour Live’

SPOCK’S BEARD ‘The X-Tour Live’ Music Theories Recordings/Mascot

 

Recorded live at the Downey Civic Centre in September 2010 this live release will make the swansong of Nick D’Virgilio who left the band last year. They play all of the ‘X’ album on disc one save for ‘Their Names Escape ...   more »

View Article  VADER – “WELCOME TO THE MORBID REICH”

VADER – “WELCOME TO THE MORBID REICH”
NUCLEAR BLAST (2011)

Metal Church - The Present Wasteland

There is a fine line between persistence and stubbornness, a line walked by guitarist/vocalist Piotr “Peter” Wiwczarek, leader and founding member of the Polish Death Metal institution Vader, since first forming the band way back in 1983. The amiable frontman ...   more »

View Article  ORPHANED LAND (Yiossi Sassi) INTERVIEW
Orphaned Land is a band that is famous for its unique blend of Oriental sounding Metal and the high energy performances that they have been giving ever since they first came together as a band twenty years ago. In view of the recent release of their quite impressive DVD “The ...   more »
View Article  NAPALM DEATH (Mark “Barney” Greenway) INTERVIEW
2011 has been quite a fulfilling year in terms of impressive album releases and good quality live shows and as someone who grew up supporting the extreme Metal scene I could not think of a better way to end it other than attending a Napalm Death gig at the legendary ...   more »
View Article  DIABOLOS DUST – “RUINS OF MANKIND”

DIABOLOS DUST – “RUINS OF MANKIND”
MASSACRE RECORDS (2011)

Metal Church - The Present Wasteland
The music industry has changed dramatically over the years when it comes to finding and supporting young talent. Back in the 80s, all a band had to do was to record a demo, post it to as many labels as possible ...   more »

View Article  ORPHANED LAND Gig Review

ORPHANED LAND Gig Review
Support: ARTWEG / ARKAN
London / Borderline, Tuesday 22nd of November 2011

Review by Yiannis (John) Stefanis

The story of the Israeli Prog/Folk Metal outfit Orphaned Land is not that of an average band. Apart from the fact that they both hail from and operate in ...   more »

View Article  THE DEVIL’S BLOOD – “THE THOUSANDFOLD EPICENTRE”

THE DEVIL’S BLOOD – “THE THOUSANDFOLD EPICENTRE”
VAN RECORDS (2011)

Metal Church - The Present Wasteland

Two years ago, during one of my numerous pilgrimages to beautiful Germany whilst visiting a very dear friend of mine, I was introduced to the sounds of an album entitled “The Time Of No Time Evermore” – the debut heavy ...   more »

View Article  LOCK UP (Anton Reisenegger) INTERVIEW
Anton Reisenegger is one of the most pleasant people you can ever wish to meet in the music industry. When not recording albums with either Criminal or Pentagram (Chile), his ‘own’ musical projects, Anton handles guitar duties for the Grind legends Lock Up who earlier in 2011 released their latest ...   more »
View Article  MY DYING BRIDE – “THE BARGHEST O’WHITBY”
Metal Church - The Present Wasteland

Yorkshire-based Doomsters My Dying Bride have never been the kind of band which shies away from experimentation. Clear evidence can be found in any of the band’s recordings including “Evinta” - a collection of fourteen compositions which was released earlier this year and which saw the band presenting riffs and ...   more »
View Article  GORGOROTH (Pest & Infernus) INTERVIEW
It is very rare for me to find myself in the situation that I have to do an interview with a band for an album that I have not yet listened to but in the case of Gorgoroth the circumstances were pretty special, as the album in question is a ...   more »
View Article  THE DEVIL’S BLOOD (Selim Lemouchi) INTERVIEW
 There are only a handful of albums that managed to create such a massive impression on me as “The Thousandfold Epicentre”, the second studio album of the Dutch Occult Rockers The Devil’s Blood, so grabbing the opportunity of doing an interview with the band was a no brainer. When I ...   more »
View Article  THE QUILL (Mags, Christian, Jolle & Robert) INTERVIEW
When my good friend Mike asked me to arrange an interview with the members of a band called The Quill, I did so without having listen to a single note of their latest album “Full Circle” – an album that I came to truly love as it is a classic ...   more »
View Article  HOUSE OF SHAKIRA - HoS
Five years on since their last album 'Retoxed' House Of Shakira are back. The band's line-up has changed radically as well with former Mind's Eye vocalist Andreas Novak joining the band, along with Basse Blyberg and Martin Larsson on bass and drums. These new members join the guitar duo of ...   more »
View Article  SKARLETT RIOT - Villain
Hailing from that most rocking of towns, Scunthorpe, Skarlett Riot will shortly be unleashing their second EP to their ever expanding fan base. The female fronted four piece play melodic hard rock in the vein of Paramore and Halestorm. They have gained a lot of exposure over the last year ...   more »
View Article  FIREFALLDOWN - These Wounds
Firefalldown are a trio from London who have been treading the boards for a few years now. This is the band’s latest single which will be the title track from their forthcoming album.

Soundwise the three piece blend a bit of the Chili Peppers with a smattering of nu metal ...   more »
View Article  VENOM - Fallen Angels

Venom, now there is a name from the past. My earliest encounter with Cronos and co was way back on the early 80
s Channel 4 rock programme ECT playing Too Loud For The Crowd, happy days.

The band have been through a lot ...   more »
View Article  VAN HALEN - Tattoo
So Van Halen are (finally!) back with a new album 'A Different Kind Of Truth' due in early February (7th in the US) and this song, 'Tattoo' is the lead single. It is very much a family affair with Wolfgang Van Halen on bass with the master showman David Lee ...   more »
View Article  FORMER - The Kids Deserve Cable
Former hail from the home of country music, Nashville, but there is little of that city’s musical heritage evident in this the band’s second album. The band are billed as pop/rock and quote Cheap Trick, The Wildhearts and Elvis Costello as influences.

Their sound though owes more to Feeder than ...   more »
View Article  DARKER HALF - Desensitized
Darker Half are a heavy metal band from the land down under, Sydney to be exact, but their influences are most definitely from the northern hemisphere. The band owe a lot to early Maiden more than anything else with a raw metal sound, twin guitar delivery and screaming vocals. Just ...   more »
View Article  TARJA TURUNEN & HARUS - In Concert Live A Sibelius Hall
Tarja Turunen, as most people will no doubt know, was front women of Nightwish, a heavy metal band with major classical overtones. Tarja’s vocal delivery has always been very much in an operatic style, which was perfect for the majestic sound of Nightwish and on this DVD and CD package ...   more »
View Article  ALWAYS THE QUIET ONES - Freak Show
Another new EP, this time from Liverpudlian Quintet Always The Quiet Ones. The band formed in 2010 and have so far gathered a good size following and landed a few tasty support slots with the likes of Deaf Havana and Turbogeist.

Sound wise the obvious influences on the band have ...   more »
View Article  IN A PLACE OF HOPE - S/T
Southampton based 5 piece ‘In Place Of Hope’ are another new band entering the realm of hardcore metal, much in the vein of Parkway Drive. This is a self titled 3 track EP which is a gloriously noisy affair. The EP was recorded with Justin Hill of Sikth, which if ...   more »
View Article  ISOLATED ATOMS - Illuminate
Isolated Atoms hark back to a time when indie rock was all low slung basses and dodgy angular hair cuts. Billed as an‘electro rock’ outfit they borrow heavily from Joy Division/ New Order and The Cure to name but two, but a whole raft of 80‘s names could be added ...   more »
View Article  Rising Star - Josh Taerk

Josh Taerk has recently released a very accomplished album 'Never Look Back' and he recently played a couple of UK dates back in November. Defintely an artist to look out for in the coming months and years...

1. What are you currently up to?

I’m always writing new songs, I ...   more »

View Article  10 Q's with TREVOR JONES

Trevor Jones releases his new album 'Ghost Of Song' in March and it is highly recommended, as is his blog which you can access here


1.    What are you currently up to?

As well as lining up the release of ‘Ghost of Song’ for early March, I’m working on ...   more »

View Article  STRAYLINGS ‘Entertainment On Foreign Grounds’

The band released a debut EP in 2011 which received rave reviews and they release this, their full debut album in March. The Straylings are a duo consisting of vocalist Dana Zeera and guitarist Oliver Drake.

 

An album of definite interest to those who enjoy PJ Harvey and the ...   more »

View Article  10 Q's with ED HALE

1. What are you currently up to?

a.       Currently up to our necks is what we’re up to! Total madness. But a very cool kind. Semi-controlled madness. Just a lot of incredible things happening right now all at the same time. It’s a thrill and a rush for sure. But it ...   more »

View Article  BEGGARS & THIEVES - We Are The Broken Hearted

One of a number of excellent melodic ...   more »

View Article  JOHN DU CANN - The Many Side Of John Du Cann
Angel Air have done a sterling job over the past few years bringing rare, previously unreleased and out of print titles in John Du Cann's catalogue to the shelves again and this collection forms a good overview of the man's career, or maybe a good starting point should you be ...   more »
View Article  VIRGIN STEELE - Age Of Consent
In bemoaning the fact this album got overlooked upon initial release, vocalist David DeFeis explains his decision to remaster and revisit this album again.  A late 80s release it marked the band's fourth full length discs and in places certainly features some grand ideas that see rough edges smoothed by ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with BIG LIFE's STEVE NEWMAN & MARK THOMPSON-SMITH

Hiya gents… What are Big Life currently up to? (recording, gigs, plans etc.)

Steve : “Hi Jason…. Alright? I’m currently in the studio recording the follow up to “The Art Of Balance”, the last Newman album. I’m hoping to get this out in the late summer. And, I am also ...   more »

View Article  SYMPHONY X interview - Jason Rullo

When the American Progressive/Heavy Metal quintet Symphony X first released the amazing “Paradise Lost” back in 2007 I was one of those people who felt that the New Jersey outfit had pretty much reached the pinnacle of their creativity. Three years later the band decided to prove us all wrong ...   more »

View Article  DARK TRANQUILITY interview - Mikael Stanne
Mikael Stanne has a reputation of being not only one of the best frontment in Death Metal but also one of the kindest and most accommodating people in the music business – something that I eventually had to find out for myself, especially seeing as I have been supporting Dark ...   more »
View Article  Backstage Hero - Joe Geesin

Joe Geesin contributes to 'Record Collector' and GRTR! plus compiles sleevenotes for various CD's and has a famous dad...

How did you become involved in the music business?

It was kind of natural - with my dad so involved, I grew up with it, even though I took a completely ...   more »

View Article  TEODOR TUFF - Soliloquy
This is the second album from the Norwegian metal crew Teodor Tuff. Their debut album was released back in 2009 which dented the Norwegian charts and led to support slots with Whitesnake and Deep Purple. Due to a number of line up changes, following this the band were forced to ...   more »
View Article  TRUCKER DIABLO - The Devil Rhythm
Trucker Diablo look like they should be from the American deep south, all beards, baseball caps and Mack Trucks, but they actually hail from the closer shores of Ireland. The band formed in 2008 and have garnered a lot of acclaim through hard work and self promotion ultimately leading to ...   more »
View Article  RED, WHITE & BLUES - Shine
This is the debut album from Red, White & Blues who you may not have heard of yet…I say yet as you will soon, believe me.

The band features Myke Gray from Skin/ Jagged Edge on guitar, Matti Alfonzetti from Jagged Edge on bass and vocals and Che Leon Beresford ...   more »
View Article  LILLIAN AXE - XI: The Days Before Tomorrow

Lillian Axe are back with a new album and another change in the vocalist department - step forward Brian C Jones who replaces Ronnie Munroe (the former Metal Church vocalist). They are also on a new label and in AFM Records they are sure to get more coverage than their ...   more »

View Article  MOLLO/MARTIN - The Third Cage

Guitarist Mollo Martin (check out the two Voodoo Hill albums he did with Glenn Hughes) and vocalist Tony Martin (Black Sabbath/Empire) return with their third Cage album, the last one was released way back in 2002.

   more »
View Article  PAIN OF SALVATION (Daniel Gildenlow) INTERVIEW
The ability to embrace change is an important quality for any Prog-orientated band to have, especially so if that band happens to be as brave and musically diverse as the Swedish powerhouse Pain Of Salvation. When I arranged to do an interview with founding member and mastermind Daniel Gildenlow, I ...   more »
View Article  NICKELBACK - Here And Now

The Marmite band of rock - you either love or hate them - return with their first new album since 2008 and overall it is another good album. Nickelback are so big now they only do live interviews and don't do magazine or online interviews, although I would imagine much ...   more »
View Article  ATKINS/MAY PROJECT - Serpent's Kiss
This album is the result of a collaboration between original Judas Priest vocalist Al Atkins and noted guitarist Paul May who has featured on around 50 albums to date mostly within the realms of Christian rock.

The album opens with
The Shallowing which is a solid chunk of ...   more »
View Article  INQUISITOR - The Quantum Theory Of Id
I read through the accompanying blurb with this album before I played it and the following words jumped out at me, Lithuanian Avant-Garde Black Metal, words to strike fear in to most mortals but in the name of professionalism and curiosity it went straight in my CD ...   more »
View Article  BURN THE SUNSET - Home
Burn The Sunset are a young melodic hardcore band that hail from Stirling in Scotland just a few miles away from me although I was oblivious to their existence until this, their debut album Home, arrived on my doormat. The five piece master in hard and heavy ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with WHITE WIDDOW

Hello Jules (White Widdow), loving the new album, which if anything, is better than the debut, which is no mean feat!

“Thanks very much Jason!! We are really happy with the new album.”

What are you currently up to?

“Well, we’ve just finished up a two month long tour to ...   more »

View Article  JONES - Ghost Of Song
Jones is the solo album of Trevor Jones who is joined by the duo Miracle Mile. He has already garnered rave reviews for his previous work and going by the ten songs on here he is going to do it again. The overall feel is one of quiet reflection - ...   more »
View Article  THIN LIZZY - At The BBC
The BBC, between its various music radio shows, Top Of The Pops and the Old Grey Whistle Test, could really ...   more »
View Article  ROYAL HUNT - Show Me How To Live

Royal Hunt are back after their last album ‘X’ seemed to disappear without trace but now they are back on ...   more »

View Article  MARK SPIRO - It's A Beautiful Life

Mark Spiro returns with his first new album since 2005's 'Mighty Blue Ocean'. He is most probably known more for ...   more »

View Article  ROY WOOD - Music Book
A two CD set compiled by Roy Wood, although a quick warning that if you are after the original hits ...   more »
View Article  YOU ME AT SIX - Sinners Never Sleep
You Me At Six is personally one of my favorite bands and as this is their third album, I was ...   more »
View Article  PATSY MATHESON 'Stories of Angels & Guitars'

Former Waking the Witch member Patsy Matheson returns with her new album, her first in nearly four years. Mind you ...   more »

View Article  ARENA 'The Seventh Degree Of Seperation'
Arena are back with their first album since the excellent 'Pepper's Ghost' back in 2005. Since then John Jowitt has ...   more »
View Article  EVERGREY 'A Decade And A Half'
Evergrey reach fifteen years as a band, although only Tom S Englund remains as the sole original member and in 2010 all but Englund and keyboard player Rikard Zander quit the band.    more »
View Article  10 Q's with SEAN HETHERINGTON of Intense

We catch-up with Intense vocalist Sean Hetherington as the band unleaseh their new album 'The Shape Of Rage'...

1. What ...   more »

View Article  Interview with of JOHN AXELROD of Classical Rock
John Axelrod gives us the lowdown on the new touring band Classical Rock...

How did the idea for Classical Rock ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with PATSY MATHESON
Patsy Matheson is about to release her new album 'Stories of Angels & Guitars' backed by an extensive UK tour in early 2012   more »
View Article  THE DUNWELLS - Blind Sighted By Faith
After hearing their excellent single 'I Could Be King' (which kicks of their debut album in style) the Dunwells follow this up with a superb debut album. They have just been announced as one of one HMV's Next Big Things for 2012 as well. Often bands and artists can have ...   more »
View Article  Backstage Hero - TIM JONES (Record Collector)

How did you become involved in the music business?

I applied to an ad in The Guardian for an Editorial ...   more »

View Article  AWAKE - Forever More
U.K. progressive metal act Awake return after a four-year hiatus to produce their second album, “Forever More”. The album features ...   more »
View Article  Boguslaw Balcerak’s Crylord – Blood of the prophets
Yes, strange as it may sound, Boguslaw Balcerak is his real name. He is a Pole who is the mastermind ...   more »
View Article  RAMIN - S/T


Ramin Karimloo may not be your normal GRTR! fare as he has made his name in a series of West End shows including 'Les Miserables' and 'Love Never Dies'. This is his debut album, a mix of self-penned tunes, musical numbers and a few covers.

'Show Me Light' and 'Coming ...   more »
View Article  URIAH HEEP + SNAKECHARMER gig review
URIAH HEEP + SNAKECHARMER Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Thursday 8th December 2011

Snakecharmer as the name suggests feature some former Whitesnake ...   more »
View Article  Machine Head/ Bring Me The Horizon/ Devil Driver gig review
SECC, Glasgow
 
Machine Head must have more Air Miles than any other band on the planet. After their seemingly endless three year tour in support of ‘The Blackening’ album you could have forgiven the band if they had disappeared on an 18 month hiatus to recover and record, but ...   more »
View Article  THE BUCKINGHAMS - Time & Charges/Portraits
Two albums on one CD, and album numbers 2 and 3 for this late 60s Sunshine Pop band. Formed in Chicago, Illinois, USA in the mid 60s, they mixed west coast/psychedelia with bubblegum pop, beat and orchestration. Releasing albums in 1967 alone, they were one of the most listened to ...   more »
View Article  SKIN - S/T
An aptly timed reissue for this classic hard rock album, given the band’s recent reformation and appearance at High Voltage earlier this year.

Originally released in 1994, when many British rock bands had been killed by the abomination called grunge, the band’s eponymous debut was produced by Keith Olsen and ...   more »
View Article  ORION THE HUNTER - S/T
A Boston offshoot, this band featured guitarist Barry Goudreau, and future Bostoner Fran Cosmo on lead vocals. Brad Delp even provided backing vocals. Drummer Michael DeRosier was ex Heart which also helped cement the sound, so think Boston, Heart, Journey and Triumph.

The tracks are fairly typical 1984 melodic rock, ...   more »
View Article  DAMIAN WILSON- I Thought The World Was Listening 1997-2011
Damian Wilson is currently the vocalist in the rather good Threshold and has in the past worked with Rick Wakeman, ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with PATRIK JOHANSSON of ASTRAL DOORS
We catch-up with Astral Doors vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson as the band release a new album 'Jerusalem'...

1. What are ...   more »
View Article  FATE - Ghosts From The Past
One of the few bands of note to have emerged from Denmark, Fate made a distinctly mixed comeback in 2006 ...   more »
View Article  COWBOY JUNKIES - Sing In My Meadow
Formed in 1985 “Sing In My Meadow“ is the 15th studio album from Canada’s Cowboy Junkies, and the third in ...   more »
View Article  Rising Stars - THIS IS FREEDOM
This Is Freedom’s debut EP ‘Welcome Home’ has been a work in progress since early 2010 and as it gets ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with JOE VANA of MECCA
Joe Vana of Mecca fills us in on the band's eagerly awaited second album...

1. What are you currently up ...   more »
View Article  HARD STUFF - Bulletproof/Bolex Dementia
Angel Air continue their mining of the recently deceased John Du Cann's catalogue with two discs, originally released on Purple ...   more »
View Article  VOYAGER - The Meaning Of I
Album number four from this rather good progressive metal band. Not sure why this band have never made a bigger impact as all their albums are of a high standard. They do have a few line-up changes though as sole original member Danny Estrin has added guitarist Scott Kay to ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with GLYDER
Glyder are back with a new line-up and a new album, 'Backroads To Byzantium'. Here we catch up with band ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with STEVE NEWMAN
Steve Newman and his band Newman have just released an excellent new album ’Under Southern Skies’. Over to Steve… ...   more »
View Article  10 Q's with Chandler Mogel of OUTLOUD
Chandler Mogel of Outloud gives us the lowdown on their new album ’Love Catastrophe’ and more…

What are you currently ...   more »
View Article  10 QUESTIONS: SERPENTINE
Serpentine’s Gareth Vanstone (Bass) fields the questions...    more »
View Article  10 Q's with ROBIN GEORGE
Robin George together with his LovePower and Peace band have just released an excellent album on Angel Air. All the ...   more »
View Article  Rising Stars - EARTHPRAYER

What are you currently up to?

We've got gigs every weekend this month so we're in the studio rehearsing and ...   more »

View Article  10Q's with JOSEPH WILLIAMS and PETER FRIEDSTEDT
Jospeh Williams and Peter Friedstedt have just released a great AOR album on AOR Heaven. Here Peter gives us the ...   more »