Category Cd Reviews

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”The return of the spectacular spinning songbook” is a live album recorded in May at two shows in Los Angeles. Unlike most albums, the setlist wasn’t planned in advance – in fact the setlist was only chosen during the show. Elvis and his band play a few songs before picking an audience member out to come on stage and spin a large wheel which is marked up with dozens of song titles. The song title at the top when the wheel stops spinning is the one that gets played next – with the audience member getting to sit on stage as the song is played. This takes audience participation to new levels, and is a great idea. Elvis Costello has done this before – hence the ”return of” in the title – he used the idea 25 years ago (so its long overdue for a return).

The Return Of The Spectacular Spinni...

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Frontiers/BAM

Norwegian rock´s most fashionable beauty ISSA releases her second album. The follow-up to her debut “Sign of Angels” sees her trying song-writing together with the Martin Brothers (VEGA, HOUSE OF LORDS). The debut lacked something I have a hard time defining, will that illusive “it” be here , extracted by ISSA and Daniel Flores?

This time around the opener is first class. “Looking for Love” has a slight keyboard intro, a forceful yet melodic refrain and promises more. The rest of the album never in fact reaches that level again. There is an aspiration to create a big US sound, and they often makes the most of songs that are not upto the Martin brother´s normal standards. The echoes of WHITESNAKE and POISON are nice twists, but it also shows the flaws in comparison...

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MDD/Sound Pollution

Germany´s MOURNING CARESS first reared its head in 1998. On board from the start were almost the same line up as today; vocalist Gerrit Mohr, guitarists Florian Erhart and Benedikt Bjarnasson, bass man Daniel Busche and drummer Dominik Schluter. The original guitarists have both left, and the replacements are Florian Albers and Wolfgang Sander. Two demo EPs and two full-length albums have been the result of their activities, and apparently a lot of hardship with lack of backing and bad luck. So, are they worth buying?

MOURNING CARESS are a cross-over band, a mix of the old ways and the latest trends. “A Matter of Time” opens in fine fashion, lots of drive, a catchy melody and almost the voice to suit the material...

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Soulseller/Sound Pollution

DEVIL was formed in 2009, pledging allegiance to the likes of BLACK SABBATH and WITCHFINDER GENERAL. The demo “Magister Mundi Xum” did nothing to harm their chances. The info sheet decribes this album as a joyful trip to hell, not bad for a bluesy, doomy, heavy metal album.

Opener “The Welcome” provides a feeling last known by BLACK WIDOW, or DEMON´s “The Observation”. DEVIL hits right off with the WITCHFINDER GENERAL blueprint “Break the Curse”, and the more original “Blood Is Boiling”. The feeling of past times is there, as is the occult touches of a few Hammer movies. The album is mostly filled with ok music, but not as excellent or as void-filling as the next doom torchbearer should be...

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Atom Records/Cargo

Austria´s CORNERSTONE is in the business of 80´s pop/rock with lots of AOR, big guitars and big refrains. Formed in 1998 by bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Michael Wachelhofer and his brother guitarist/vocalist Steve, the band started out playing covers. The band soon tried their wings, resulting in a near collapse until vocalist Hanna Wachter came along in 2004. The new line up recorded their debut “Head Over Heels”. Many changes seem to have occurred before today´s line up of the founding brothers, drummer and percussionist Mike Pawlowitsch and vocalist Patricia Hillinger came to be. Press and and radio seem to favor CORNERSTONE, this sounds interesting…

In my world CORNERSTONE are a middle-of-the-road band...

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Rock´n´Growl Records/Digital

ROUGH ANGEL rings no bells to me. These recordings were released in 1993, exclusively to promoters and the record industry. Vocalist Csaba Zvekan has remastered the recordings to be a first digital release of Rock´n´Growl. Back in 1993 the material must have been like a violin player in a punk band, will they send shivers down our spines in 2011?

The info claims the music to be like lava, and the opener “Standing by Mirrors” is perhaps lavalike to fans of JUDAS PRIEST or VIRGIN STEELE. But the music also has an element of glue, oddly under-produced and with the typical American fascination for heaviness over melody. Second track “Desire” proves my point, adding only a dimension of running on empty non-OZZY BLACK SABBATH to the mix...

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Debemur Morti/Sound Pollution

The strictly preaching REX MUNDI inflict divine fury on mankind. They are purveyors of raw and pure black metal, bringing forward alleged lost wisdom of creation. The band members; Metatron, commander of legions and proclamations of faith, Seraphiel, unearthly presentations, Nahanael. Minister to the lost, and Chamiel, uncoverer of secrets and shadows really seems hell-bent on what they do. Convince me!

The demonic atmosphere of “J´Imagine (Be-Reshit)” is creepy, it is all very theatric. But as their hypnotic theatrics transform into the most churning black metal, quite a lot of the ancient wisdom is lost. They may throw in some clear vocals and loud praying but the baseline is not to be saved...

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Debemur Morti/Sound Pollution

NUNFUCKRITUAL sounds like a name conceived while inebriated, and why not? Behind the name stands Espen T. Hangård of ALTAAR, vocals, effects and keyboards, guitarist Teloch of MAYHEM, Andreas Jonsson on drums (TYRANT) and NUCLEAR ASSAULT bass man Dan Lilker. Extreme metal is on the menue, of cause, and blasphemy galore. The conception of the album has taken its toll, the first steps being taken back in 2006. Nothing much is said about the band´s future, if there is one with all members being in demand elsewhere, but here goes…

First out is “Theotokos”, heavy and d r a g g e d out opener with many effects. It may drag forever on but it is also very occult. Attila Csihar guests on the worst drag of them all, “Komodo Dragon”...

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Frontiers/BAM

There is a lot of talk about the Scandinavian melodic rock scene at the moment and it will to expire after this release. The modestly named THE MAGNIFICENT is the joint venture of guitarist/producer Torsti Spoof of LEVERAGE and vocalist Michel Eriksen of Norway´s most promising act CIRCUS MAXIMUS. The song writing department also has a lot of BROTHER FIRETRIBE, CIRCUS MAXIMUS and URBAN TALE injected and the backing band are; drummer Rolf PIlve, bass player Sami Norbacka, keyboard player Jukka Karinen and backing vocalist Antony Parviainen. A couple of guests from their respective bands are there too of cause. Is it a bnad, is it a project, is it promising at all? I press play…

The reflection of a spandex clad WHITESNAKE is there in opener “Holding On to Your Love”...

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Music Buy Mail/Sound Pollution

The band name VAIN brings a smile to my face. I remember their cocky debut as if it way yesterday. The single “Bite the Bullet” was a fine slab of sleazy hair metal with tons of attitude. Then they disappeared off my radar for years. VAIN has actually released six albums since then, but the efforts made in the grunge years must have been well of the post at the time. In 2005 original guitarists Jamie Scott and Davey West plus bass player Ashley Mitchell returned. Original drummer Tom Rickard also returned, only to depart again and be replaced with Louie Senor. So they are back in action and almost with the entire original line-up. I expect nothing but hits now!

Aw well, sometimes wishes don´t come true...