Big Iron D - Madness Album Review By Rainer Kerber Big Iron D were founded in 2011. Asked what probably means the "D" in the band name, there was no answer yet. So, everyone who likes, can come up with their own interpretation. Like many other bands, Big Iron D started as
CD REVIEWS
Shadowpath – Rumours Of A Coming Dawn Album Review
Shadowpath - Rumours Of A Coming Dawn Album Review By Rainer Kerber The Swiss band Shadowpath has a long and varied history. Keyboarder Philiip Bohny and guitarist Benjamin Zumbühl founded the rock band Spellbound in 2005. Because of arty differences, however, it came to a split a few months later. In the
Revolt! Kryptos, Black Adder – Live Review
Revolt! Kryptos, Black Adder Live Review By Rainer Kerber Venue: Bambi galore, Hamburg-Billstedt Date: June 28th, 2019 "Revolt!" This is the name of a series of events at the Bambi galore, a small club in the basement vault of the Kulturpalast Hamburg-Billstedt. Metal bands of different styles can present their music here. The headliner
Classical gems: Rose Tattoo Album Review
Classical gems: Rose Tattoo Album Review By Rainer Kerber Rose Tattoo are one of the longest serving Rock'n'Roll bands in the world. Since 1976 they are on the road with some interruptions and various line changes. In the band's current lineup, none of the founding members can be found. The only constant
Hate ‘Auric Gates of Veles’ Album Review
Hate ‘Auric Gates of Veles’ Album Review By Adam McCann Metal Blade Records/Blackened Death Metal Sadly, some bands have careers that extend well beyond their stadium-filling peers and never receive the recognition they truly deserve. Poland’s Hate are one such band, after beginning their career playing pretty generic death metal, the band evolved
Haunt ‘If Icarus Could Fly’ Album Review
Haunt ‘If Icarus Could Fly’ Album Review By Adam McCann Shadow Kingdom Records/Heavy Metal Over recent years, there has been a significant increase in bands playing traditional heavy metal. Formed as a side project by Beastmaker mainstay Trevor William Church, Haunt appeared back in 2017 and instantly hit the ground running with their
Diamond Head ‘The Coffin Train’ Album Review
Diamond Head ‘The Coffin Train’ Album Review By Adam McCann Silver Lining Music/Heavy Metal In 2016, Diamond Head returned to the forefront of heavy metal, not only had they delivered one of the best albums of that year with their self-titled album; but it can be heavily debated that they also delivered the
Crazy Lixx ‘Forever Wild’ Album Review
Crazy Lixx ‘Forever Wild’ Album Review By Adam McCann Frontiers Records/Hard Rock/Glam Metal/Sleaze It is possible to smell the liquor on the horizon every few years when Crazy Lixx roll out of Sweden bringing their good time, party rock n’ roll to the world. This year has the band triumphantly returning to the
Savage Messiah – ‘Demons’ Album Review
Savage Messiah - ‘Demons’ Album Review By Adam McCann Century Media Records/Thrash/Power Metal When Savage Messiah delivered their rather bland ‘Hands of Fate’ album back in 2017, it was debated that the UK band’s run of decent albums had come to rather abrupt end. Therefore, when it was announced that ‘Demons’, their latest
Darkthrone – ‘Old Star’ Album Review
Darkthrone - ‘Old Star’ Album Review By Adam McCann Peaceville Records/Black Metal Every so often, a band delivers an album which completely blindsides the listener. This occurred in 2016 when Darkthrone unleashed their ‘Arctic Thunder’ album; a huge leap away from the crust punk of the previous albums, ‘Arctic Thunder’ returned to the
The Rods – ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ Album Review
The Rods - ‘Brotherhood Of Metal’ Album Review By Adam McCann Steamhammer/SPV Records/Heavy Metal Since The Rods returned in 2010 and delivered their comeback album ‘Vengeance’, the New Yorkers have been relatively quiet, give or take the 2015 reissue of ‘Hollywood’ from 1986. Like a bolt out of the blue, the band announced
Holocaust – Elder Gods Album Review
Holocaust - Elder Gods Album Review By Adam McCann Sleaszy Rider Records/NWOBHM/Progressive Metal The second half of this decade has seen somewhat of a resurgence in NWOBHM bands not just reappearing on the music radar as nostalgia acts, but also delivering albums of their career. Bands like Satan, Diamond Head and Tygers of
Dreams in Fragments – Reflections Of A Nightmare Album Review
Dreams in Fragments - Reflections Of A Nightmare Album Review By Rainer Kerber From our little neighbor Switzerland has already come a lot of excellent metal bands. Now, another Swiss band sets out on to conquer the hearts of fans. Dreams in Fragments come from the small tranquil community Wangen near Olten
Amon Amarth – ‘Berserker’ Album Review
Amon Amarth - ‘Berserker’ Album Review By Adam McCann Metal Blade Records/Melodic Death Metal Amon Amarth have always delivered strong melodic death metal albums, with many of these holding special places in the hearts of their fans. In 2016, the band released the seminal ‘Jomsviking’, an album which would bring them mainstream attention;
Xentrix – ‘Bury The Pain’ Album Review
Xentrix - ‘Bury The Pain’ Album Review By Adam McCann Listenable Records/Thrash Metal During the late 80’s and early 90’s, the early days of the Bay Area were long gone, major label signings and a generic thrash sound had been common and was starting to wane but releases such as ‘Shattered Existence’ and
Grand Magus – ‘Wolf God’ Album Review
Grand Magus - ‘Wolf God’ Album Review By AdamMcCann Nuclear Blast Records/Heavy Metal It is always a good sign when every few years, Grand Magus summon their bannermen with the band ready to ride forth and release ‘Wolf God’, their latest album of Norse tales, swords and blizzards. Now, although the bands previous album
Arch/Matheos – ‘Winter Ethereal’ Album Review
Arch/Matheos - ‘Winter Ethereal’ Album Review By Adam McCann Metal Blade Records/Progressive Metal When it was announced that John Arch and Jim Matheos were once again working together to follow up their superb 2011 album ‘Sympathetic Resonance’, the world of progressive metal was buzzing with excitement. But, when Arch and Matheos announced that
Astral Doors – ‘Worship Or Die Album Review
Astral Doors - ‘Worship Or Die Album Review By Adam McCann Metalville Records/Heavy Metal When vocalist Nils Patrik Johansson stepped down as vocalist of Civil War in 2016, it promised a return to form for Astral Doors, Johansson was now able to fully concentrate on just one band, but unfortunately the subsequent album
Usurper – ‘Lords Of The Permafrost’ Album Review
Usurper - ‘Lords Of The Permafrost’ Album Review By Adam McCann Soulseller Records/Black-Thrash Metal Usurper have always played their way, taking classic thrash metal and forcing it violently upon first wave black metal to make a sound that is truly empowering. Trailblazing across the United States with powerful albums such as ‘Diabolosis…’ and
Tatius Wolff ‘The Relapse’ Album Review
Tatius Wolff ‘The Relapse’ Album Review By Adam McCann Independent Release/Alternative Metal Tatius Wolff is the project and brainchild of former Oblique Visions guitarist Stephen Borg. Following his departure from Oblique Visions, Borg stepped away from music for seventeen years before getting back in the saddle releasing the single ‘Thumbscrews’ in 2017. This