GMR Music All star band KRUX boosts members like Leif Edling (CANDLEMASS) on bass, Mats Levén (ex YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, FIREWIND) on vocals, and Fredrik Åkesson (OPETH, ex TALISMAN). And of cause Jörgen sandstorm, guitars (ex GRAVE, ex. ENTOMBED), drummer Peter Stjärnvind (ex ENTOMBED) and Carl Westholm, keys , who featured on a.o. CANDLEMASS and ABSTRAKT…
Frontiers/BAM ROYAL HUNT was founded by Danish-Georgian multi-instrumentalist Andre Andersen in 1989. Numerous personnel changes have been a trade mark for the band, but also highlight albums like “Moving Target” and “Paradox”. Their peak period 1995 through to 1997 are sort of back now, with the strong voice D.C. Cooper and keyboardist Andre working together…
Frontiers/BAM 1989 oddballs BEGGARS & THIEVES rose to fame as they were signed to Atlantic records after only a demo (albeit produced by Desmond Child) and five gigs. Their debut was released in December 1990 and both chartered, and was critically acclaimed. They were never a hair band, but more of a classic rock band….
Escape/Sound Pollution Californian band TALON emerged from VOXEN, who sort of made it when their track “Sacrifice” was included in the Dustin Hoffman movie Outbreak. Their self titled debut was released by Frontiers in 2002, and this is their fourth outing. Previous vocalist Chandler Mogul brought them closer to AOR, and apparently left (for the…
Massacre/Sound Pollution Australia´s ELM STREET debuts with an album that will be recognized by al fans of classic metal. Eight years after their conception ELM STREET takes their IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH and GRIM REAPER influenced metal to the retailer´s. Live they have played with Australia´s finest e.g. BLACK MAJESTY and THE ANGELS. Amusingly…
Massacre/Sound Pollution German metalcore veterans HATE SQUAD release their sixth album in 18 years. The band continues to mix thrash and death with hardcore, in various doses. Since their formation they have played estivals like the Dynamo, With Full Force etc, sharing the stage with bands like DEATH, KREATOR, MACHINE HEAD, and VENOM, to name…
Massacre/Sound Pollution MY BLACK LIGHT was formed in 2008 by keyboardist/vocalist Rodolfo Coda Bertetto and vocalist Monica Primo. They started out with covers to get things going, and via music contests they began recording this album in 2010. Did all the planning and carefulness pay off? If there is one thing I´ll remember about MY…
Market Square/Border Gull Records may not have a ring these days, but they were an interesting indie company in the seventies. If I say that JUDAS PRIEST was on their roster things might clear up. In 1972 vocalist/keyboards/synth etc man Ken Elliott hooked up with drummer/percussionist/xylophonist etc. Kieran O ´Connor. Their aim was to form…
Roadrunner/Warner RUSH is a time machine! Few bands have been around for so long in intact form. Save one drummer change in 1974, the band has always been around Geddy Lee, bass/vocals, Alex Lifeson, guitars and Neil Peart, drums. Their influence on a wide variety of bands, from virtuosos like DREAM THEATER to METALLICA, has…
Limb/Sound Pollution New York guitarist Jack Starr first rose to fame with VIRGIN STEELE. But his spell with them was not to last for more than two albums, the self titled debut and “Guardians of the Flame”. Jack stuck to his guns releasing a solo album plus four more under the BURNING STARR moniker between…
Music Buy Mail/Sound Pollution 1992 marked the start of CAGE, in the heyday of grunge. But the band now release album number six, proving everybody wrong. CAGE hovers in the classic age of metal sound-wise, but both the NWOBHM and more modern touches are incorporated. Today the band consists of vocalist Sean “The Hell Destroyer”…
Lion/Warner Italians MASTERCASTLE seems to become hotter by the day. They debuted in 2009 with the neoclassical “The Phoenix”, returned with the more straightforward “Last Desire” and now they apparently aim to combine the two with their third outing. The driving force behind the band seems to be guitarist Pier Gonella, bass player Steve Vawamas…