Posted in Cd Reviews

Highlight Kenosis are a Romanian band formed in 2008, who have now relocated to Germany. This is their second album, and it was recorded in Sweden at the Blueflame studios in Uppsala.

The album opens with ”Ouverture in D minor” which starts with some voices speaking over some gentle music and then moves into a lovely piece of classical music. A nice start to the album

From here on the album gets down to business with some great catchy guitar-driven songs, many of which remind me of Krypteria.

”Outro…With Angels” reminds me of the theme from the old TV series, Twin Peaks. It’s an absolutely beautiful song and is the highlight of the album for me.

There’s a definite prog feel to the album, but at the same time its still firmly in the rock/metal camp with some really catchy stuff...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Syd Arthur are a psychadelic/progresssive rock band from Canterbury. If that seems like a strange description then I can only say that it’s a good fit to their music, which has a very unusual sound. There are definite Prog rock influences here, but also psychedelic and folk influences, which all blends together to form a quite gentle but complex sound.

This is certainly a difficult album to review as it does sound so different to most other bands and it’s hard to describe the music as it’s so rich and diverse. The vocals are quite high pitched which isn’t a style I’m usually a fan of but I have to admit that it does work well here...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Tonight’s entertainment at the Garage was ”Spinefarm night” – a gig by three bands signed to Spinefarm records, Amaranthe, Soen and Dynazty. The gig was advertised as an Amaranthe show with the other two bands not being announced till a few weeks before the gig, so inevitably the majority of the crowd were Amaranthe fans, with plenty of their T-shirts being worn.

The night kicked off with Swedish band Dynazty. By the time they came on stage at 8pm the venue was already busy and the temperatures inside were climbing rapidly (well that’s what happens when you have a busy venue on one of our few hot sunny summer days). Right from the start they made a great impression with the crowd and really impressed a lot of people with their brand of rock...

Posted in Press Releases

GRAMMY-NOMINATED rockers Shadows Fall have confirmed that their seventh studio album, ‘Fire From The Sky’, will be released internationally on August 13th 2012 via Spinefarm Records; the Massachusetts outfit’s last studio outing, ‘Retribution’, was also issued over here on the Spinefarm label (2009).

Recorded at Zing Studios in late 2011, ‘Fire From The Sky’ reunites Shadows Fall with long-time friend, producer/engineer & Killswitch Engage/Times Of Grace guitarist, Adam Dutkiewicz, whose previous production credits include both Devil Wears Prada & All That Remains. The album was mixed by Brian Virtue and features some of the band’s most complex and melodic material in years, including two brand new bonus recordings plus two exclusive live tracks.

Says vocalist Brian Fair: ...

Posted in Press Releases

ENSIFERUM, THE highly visual troupe who’ve long been a market leader when it comes to stirring, armour-plated anthems, will have their fifth studio album released through the Spinefarm label on August 27th 2012.

Titled ‘Unsung Heroes’ and produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, Sentenced, Apocalyptica, etc.), this is the hour-plus follow-up to 2009’s ‘From Afar’, and sees the Finnish five-piece – founded in 1995 – pushing their signature sound to bold new heights of drama and excess.

A cinematic experience from first note to last , ‘Unsung Heroes’ takes the listener on a journey of genuine light & shade, with the 16 minute-plus ‘Passion Proof Power’ showing that when it comes to the epic statement, Ensiferum are very much in the front-line, swords at the ready.

“We’ve tri...

Posted in Press Releases

PRIMAL ROCK REBELLION – the outfit featuring Iron Maiden guitarist & songwriter Adrian Smith and one-time SikTh front-man Mikee Goodman – have released brand new single, ‘No Friendly Neighbour’, on Spinefarm Records…

Produced by Smith & Goodman and mixed by Simon Hanhart, ‘No Friendly Neighbour’ is taken from the debut Primal Rock Rebellion album, ‘Awoken Broken’, released on February 27th 2012, also through Spinefarm.

Nominated in the ‘Best New Band’ category at this year’s Metal Hammer ‘Golden Gods Awards’, Primal Rock Rebellion is clear proof that stepping outside of your comfort zone can reap spectacular rewards, with ‘No Friendly Neighbour’ the full-tilt result of two very different minds meeting somewhere in the middle!

As with the video for previous ...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Escape/Sound Pollution

Let´s put in reverse and return to 1983. Tom Galley conjured up a couple of transcendental stories backed by the record label Bronze. The finalized product, the self-titled album, appeared in 1985. Nothing much you may say, but the project engaged such luminaries as Glenn Hughes (ex. DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTY COMMUNION), Cozy Powell (RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE etc. (R.I.P.), Don Airey of just about every major band, Neil Murray, likewise, and the elite force tag was there. The second outing, “Phenomena II – Dream Runner” came out in 1987, and was also well-received. Slight musical changes had taken place, but there was new breed like Ray Gillen (BADLANDS, BLACK SABBATH (R.I...

Posted in Cd Reviews

SPV/Playground

In 1990 ZENO was collapsing and bassist Ule W. Ritgen hooked up with vocalist Tommy Heart (ex. V2) aimed high together with guitarists Helge Engelke and Andy Malacek plus drummer C.C. Behrens. Signed by WEA they debuted with their self-titled prima opus in 1991. The resy may be said to be history, eleven albums and especially wealthy sales in Japan it seems. Today Andy Malacek is out of the band since the turn of the century, otherwise the lineup seems stable. The band hibernated around 2002, but returned in 2006, and seems to have a lot of mileage in them yet.

To capture a career of around 15 active years the band has chosen a massive 32 tracks for their best of. What the “… and More” stands for is up to the listener it seems...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Mike Paradine/Digital Only iTunes, Amazon etc

How often do you get a genuine product in your hand with close to a 100 % heart and soul? Ask yourself that question with Eurovision Song Contest prone bands, manager tricks and doctored live albums. Then have a listen to MIKE PARADINE GROUP! Mike who? Let´s not be bigoted. Mike is an all in all Bayonne New Jersey product who barely escaped cancer in his teens, hence the subject/title of the album. His cronies are mostly Michael Clayton Moore on vocals and Dave “Ghost” Manheim, who handles vocals, guitars, bass and keys. More guitars comes courtesy of “Kilroy”, sometimes Mike sings to, and, an eyebrow raiser, Richard Holmgren of WOLF!

From the humble beginnings of a barely ok opener in the shape of “Venom and Piss”, the group accelera...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Universal records are releasing three Sandy Denny solo albums (Rendezvous, Sandy & Like an old fashioned waltz) as part of their collection of Deluxe edition reissues. As we’ve come to expect from these Deluxe Editions, they’re packed full of extra material.

These new editions also coincide with a UK tour entitled “The Lady: A Homage to Sandy Denny” which will present an evening of classic songs by Sandy featuring Joan Wasser (aka Joan As Police Woman), Maddy Prior, Jerry Donahue, Dave Swarbrick, Green Gartside, PP Arnold and Thea Gilmore.

”Rendezvous” was released in May 1977, less than a year before Sandy Denny’s death in April 1978...