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Cyclone Empire/Sound Pollution

Hailing back to 1994 (as TERMINAL GRIP) PAGANIZER are slowly moving towards their 20th Anniversary. They might even hit 20 with their tenth album since this is their 8th. No fussing about with trends or infusions of other genres they wave the banner of old school death metal. Main man vocalist/guitarist Rogga Johansson is active in no less than eight bands. Here he is backed by lead guitarist Andreas Carlsson, bass player Anders Brisheim and drummer Jocke Ringdahl. Here comes “the blast of the undeniable death-machine” the info says, but is the fire still there?

A better title than “Total Lovecraftian Armageddon” will not be conceived! The opener is a bit pale though, the effort of hatching the title seems to have taken its toll...

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Napalm/Sound Pollution

FORLORN was formed in 1990, and eventually morphed into ISOLE in 2003 to avoid mix-ups with another band. The reborn band released three albums in two years, with the debut “Forevermore” in 2006 and both “The Beyond” and “Throne of Void” in 2008. Moving to Napalm Records they released “Silent Ruins” in 2009, and a successor in the same apocalyptic vein was promised. “Born from Shadows” is here now, the future of Swedish doom is saved…or?

Opener “The Lake” has a familiar ring to its title (KING DIAMOND anyone?) but the style is not quite that of ISOLE in the past. I miss the near CANDLEMASS pace of yesteryear is replaced by a more arty approach...

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”Under the grey banner” is the latest album from Swedish symphonic power metal band, Dragonland. It’s been a long wait for their fans with their last album (Astronomy)having been released. The new album is a concept album relating to mythology and fantasy.

In the words of Olof Mörck: ”After ’Astronomy’, we knew we needed to explore our music further not to risk becoming a band that releases music every year cast in the same mold, so the idea from the beginning was: what would it be like with a metal album based in fantasy that respects the literary genre, that actually tries to be mature and that enriches said fantasy world with inspiration from millenias of human mythology? To make a neoclassical album filled with overly bombastic clichés of steel clad warriors was out of the question...

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Grand Illusion are a Swedish band that were originally called ”Promotion” in the late 80’s and 90’s before splitting up. They then reformed and changed the name to Grand Illusion. Since then they have released six albums including this one, Prince of Paupers.

On this latest album, ”Prince of Paupers” the band have a number of very special guests joining them – Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Spinal Tap, Ringo Starr), Steve Lukather (Toto), Jay Graydon (Airplay, Manhattan Transfer, Air Supply) and Tim Pierce (Rick Springfield, Micheal Jackson, Phil Collins). With all that talent involved then expectations are high, and when you listen to the album then you wont be disappointed.

After their last album, ”Brand new world” got a good reception the band didn’t waste any time getting to work ...

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Escape/Sound Pollution

CHRIS OUSEY is the voice sprung from MONROE, Jason Bonham´s band VIRGINIA WOLF, HEARTLAND and his solo work of cause. He did sell a load of albums in the 80´s/90´s but we´re talking about 2011 now. As of late Chris has been busy with 10 releases with HEARTLAND but as time occurred this was a good way of spending it. Spending time with a band consisting of no other than guitarists Mike Slamer (who also produced) and Tommy Denander (ALICE COOPER, RADIO ACTIVE etc.), classic bass player Neil Murray (WHITESNAKE, GARY MOORE) and drummer Gregg Bisonette of DAVID LEE ROTH and RINGO STARR fame, surely must pay off.

And it has. Opener and single cut “Mother of Invention” has an eighties movie score feel. Everything clicks and the result is a blow to most in the genre...

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Roadruner/Warner

So MEGADETH has reached thirteen. Band leader Dave Mustaine still remains, almost always accompanied by Dave Ellefson on bass, who has returned to the fold in 2010 for the “Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour” and stays on. The rest of the band is drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick. 22 musicians have been involved officially over the years, not bad. But anyway, with the current nostalgia of the Big 4 tour and general thrash resurgence, how well does MEGADETH fit in almost 30 years after their humble beginnings…and do they finally push off METALLICA at the top?

Welcome to as always...

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Deathstars släpper sin första samlingsskiva och får till en bra blandning av materialet. Det finns tre skivor att välja bland, och nästan alla mina favoriter finns med. Skönt att se att ”Synthetic Generation” från 2003 är ordentligt representerad.

Man kan fråga sig om inte samlingsskivan har spelat ut sin roll i dagens musikkonsumtion, när alla skivor finns lättillgängliga på Spotify och iTunes. Så vad göra för att sälja skivor? Slänga in ett par nya låtar förstås!

”Death is wasted on the dead” och ”Metal” låter som Deathstars brukar låta. Förstnämnda har en subtil synth-slinga som går som en röd tråd genom låten. Whiplasher Bernadotte sjunger hotfullt i versen och får ta till sin mest kraftfulla röst i refrängen...

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Tracer are a rock band from Australia. If you’re already thinking they’ll sound like ACDC, Airbourne and Rose Tattoo, Australia’s best known rock exports then you’re completely wrong I’m afraid. Tracer blend 90’s stoner rock with 70s hard rock to produce some great music. The band formed in 2004 after the collapse of The Brown Brothers. Tracer is a three-piece band but they produce as big a sound as any four or five piece band

Comments on a few of the tracks..

The album opens with ”Too much”, a great hard rock song. The vocals in this song remind me very strongly of The Cult’s Ian Astbury. This is a really good track and is one of my favourites on the album.

”The Bitch” has more of a stoner rock feel to it.

”Louder than this” has a real blues feel to it, and builds to a stomping rhyt...

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Massacre/Sound Pollution

ARVEN are a five-piece predominantly female band from Germany. They play epic melodic folky something. Not sure if metal is the right denotation here, since their drummer and some occasional guitar riffs are the main harder ingredients. They want to be compared to BLIND GUARDIAN, SONATA ARCTICA or EPICA, or even LEAVES EYES. The latter with less metal is probably the best comparison since Carina Hanselmann possesses a fine voice.

They open with the title track, which is a fine effort with a violin riff and a compelling opening. The refrain works but the metal is not a 100%. “On Flaming Wings” sports a fine metal riff but also reveals the automatic limitations of an operatic voice, the ability to sound heavy is somewhat limited...

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Ett öppet brev till Metallica;

”Världens största Metalband! Vad var det som hände? Blev ni alldeles för självsäkra efter Black Album? Vi kunde förlåta er för Load och Reload där ni helt ändrade om erat sound. Vi kunde även förlåta er när ni släppte St. Anger där ni äntligen hade funnit en ny energi men slopat alla gitarrsolon då ni tyckte att det höll på att dö ut!? Med Death Magnetic gav ni era trogna fans ett nytt hopp och ni visade än en gång vilka som är störst. Så varför denna spark i magen? Märker ni inte att förtroendet för er dalar? Det är nog dags för er att sluta göra nya skivor och koncentrera er på det som ni gör bäst, nämligen att åka runt i världen och spela skiten ur stora folkmassor. 80-talet har aldrig varit så långt borta som nu...