Angel Air/Border Super groups are not a newly coined phenomenon. 1976 saw the rise of WIDOWMAKER, a band with plenty of rock pedigree. The lineup sported Steve Ellis on lead vocals, previously of LOVE AFFAIR and a solo career and guitarist Ariel Bender (real name Luther Grosvenor) of SPOOKY TOOTH, MOTT THE HOOPLE and STEALERS…
Magna Carta/Border A band consisting of a progressive metal band´s vocalist, a renowned blues rock guitarist and a former drummer of a latter day American progressive rock band, would that suite anyone? Why not, as it is dUg Pinnick, Eric Gales and Thomas Pridgen who are at work. All members seem to have had their…
Frontiers/BAM German chart success PINK CREAM 69 returns with their eleventh album, not counting EPs and live outings. Founded in 1987 the band still has guitarist Alfred Koffler in its ranks, and bass player/producer Denis Ward has been along almost as long. The rest of the band are vocalist extraordinaire David Readman, guitarist since 2007…
Pure Steel Records/Sound Pollution Sicilian band STEEL RAISER first showed themselves in 2008 with their debut “Race of Steel” in 2008. They have an obvious love of classic powerful heavy metal, and the info sheet mentions JUDAS PRIEST´s “Painkiller”. Vocalist Alfonso Giordano is described as a mix of Rob Halford, Udo Dirkschneider and David Wayne…
Angel Air/Border On April 6 1995 WISHBONE ASH played the Rock Heroes Festival in Geneva. Their performance was captured for posterity and is now re-released with a Flash Player track of opener “The King Will Come”. When ubiquitous guitarist/vocalist Andy Powell greeted the audience with “… We´re of cause WISHBONE ASH…” it has a doubtful…
High Roller Records/Playground Ljungby´s finest SCREAMER has been around since 2009, and here is their second outing on vinyl and CD. The concept is retro, and according to the info sheet heavily based on IRON MAIDEN, ACCEPT and JUDAS PRIEST. 2011 saw their debut “Adrenaline Distractions” and 2012 was a year of touring with fellow…
High Roller Records/Playground Växjö band WITCHGRAVE follow up on their first outing, the mini album “The Devil´s Night”. These satanic metal merchants have dedicated themselves to the NWOBHM they say, especially the likes of VENOM, HELL and ANGEL WITCH. Just a few years ago no one spoke of Dave Halliday (R.I.P.) et al, which caught…
High Roller Records/Sound Pollution DEEP MACHINE may not have the same ring to their name as some of their peers from the halcyon day of the NWOBHM. Since their formation in 1979 they have featured the likes of Dave DuFort, Kevin Heybourne, John Wiggins, Ricky Bruce and even Roger Marsden in their ranks. Don´t know…
Pure Underground Records/Sound Pollution Returning with a vengeance from as short spell with SACRED HEART guitarist Byron Nemeth returned to the spotlight with this album. Some twenty years on this album gets a full-blown (albeit limited to 333 copies) re-release on vinyl in a gatefold. The info speaks of charm, dreamy, straight forward and unique,…
Massacre/Sound Pollution German pagan metal godfathers ADORNED BROOD returns with their eight albums since 1996. Since their beginning in 1993 the band seems to have matured and developed, plus toured a lot since 2010 and “Hammerfeste”. Surely a gig in Sao Paolo in December must have been an artist bonus as cold as this winter…
Massacre/Sound Pollution The second album by strangely southern sounding band from Germany offers both surprises and letdowns. DIRT has been around since 2008, and says that they play sludge and doom with a strong addition of blues and southern rock. How´s that for a change? Can they marry the new religion with the old landed…
Frontiers/BAM TEN formed about 20 years ago, as vocalist GARY HUGHES was preparing a new solo album and had a big song surplus. 1996 saw their album debut with “X” and now they also have 10 albums to celebrate. There has been a lot of member changes, as celebrities like Don Airey, Vinny Burns, Ged…