Posted in Cd Reviews

Orianthi may be best known to many people as lead guitarist in the current lineup of Alice Cooper’s band, but this Australian musician is far more than just another guitarist. As well as being an incredibly talented guitarist who has worked with Michael Jackson, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Alice Cooper, she also has a solo career where she not only plays guitar but also sings. Her latest solo album is ’Heaven in this hell’ and it could well be her best work yet. Actually forget that – after listening to the album a large number of times it’s clear this is definitely her best work yet.

For this, her third album she’s worked with former Eurythmics star Dave Stewart, who has produced the album as well as working with her to create the songs.

Brief comments on a few tracks..

’How do you s...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Sjunde upplagan för den populära inomhusfestivalen i Umeå.

Jag måste erkänna att jag var riktigt orolig inför årets House of metal (HoM). En rätt så smal line-up med mycket death, black och trash-metal. Vi var många som var tveksamma, vissa skulle bara gå en dag eller köpa biljett för att stödja festivalen. Hade jag inte jobbat på HoM så hade jag nog inte köpt biljett heller. Det gäller att fylla golven och sälja biljetter för att överleva. Dessutom blev det problem! Dagen innan meddelade KATATONIA att de var tvungen att avboka sin spelning pga sjukdom. Spekulationerna blev många och arrangörerna fick slita för att ordna ett backup band. Det löste sig riktigt bra och evighets-deatharna ENTOMBED fyllde luckan och det var många som var lyckliga över det!

Fredag
Ner...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Escape Music/Sound Pollution

RAGE OF ANGELS is a bit mythical, as I find preciously little about their first three albums and double live farewell “Never Say Goodbye”. But Ex. TEN TYKETTO touring member keyboard player Ged Rylands probably knows the story as he has feature on all albums. After a ten year hiatus for family reasons after TEN Ged has returned. Apart from Ged the band consists of vocalist David Reed Watson, additional guitars are done by Martin Kronlund, bass by Michael Carlsson and drums by Pera Johansson.

The main point of the album seems to be the many guests. On the vocal side we have Matti Alfonzetti (JAGGED EDGE, IMPERA), Harry Hess (HAREM SCAREM, solo), Robert Hart (BAD COMPANY), Danny Vaughn (TYKETTO, solo), Ralph Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, solo)...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

Fabulous but born 25 years too late Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande releases yet another album that is not brand new material. Some of the material is simply enhanced with symphonic parts, others have been remixed to make more room for the orchestral parts. Apparently JORN has strived to chose 14 songs which he felt deserves another chance or perhaps were bonus tracks in some territories. There are two DIO-related songs on offer as always, both “Rock´n`Roll Children” off “Sacred Heart” or the title track off BLACK SABBATH´s “”The Mob Rules”. The lineup of the band seems untouched, and the orchestral arrangements were made by Lasse Jensen.

Opener “I Came to Rock” has been given a pompous opening, but apart from the vocal performance there is little of interest...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Det är fullt hus och vad passar inte bättre än att riva av nya partydängan C´mon Take On Me. Det är så Hardcore Superstar vill presentera sig. Som en gigantisk festmaskin!

Den nya turnén med start i KB bygger på nya och dagsfärska plattan C´mon Take On Me och det är som Jocke säger, premiärnerver när de nya låtarna skulle spelas live för första gången. Men som de gjorde det! De nya låtarna, utan att ha hunnit lyssna på dem tidigare, satt som ett flertal örfilar. Man var helt illröd i ansiktet av blod som forsade runt i kroppen efter att slaviskt hoppat med i låtarna. One More Minute bygger upp aggressiviteten och Jocke går bananas mitt i kaoset. Det är grymt upptempo och låten är lätt fastsvetsad i setlisten framöver...

Posted in Press Releases

Don’t want to struggle with pitching your tent, finding your way to the festival, buying breakfast? Or perhaps you want to sleep in your caravan or bring your motorcycle to the festival? Then now is the time to react!
We have made it easier for you to visit Roskilde Festival.

Besides our regular and fantastic campsite, we offer special areas for those who want to bring their caravan or MC, those who want a pre-pitched tent or to pre-book an area for their camp.

If you are traveling from afar, we also offer you transport options that bring you right to the Roskilde entrance. In this way you can start the party already when leaving home.

To get access to these areas or transportation offers, you need to buy an add-on to your regular Roskilde-ticket. Add-on tickets are available from today.

Posted in Cd Reviews

Massacre/Sound Pollution

TAINTED NATION is a new acquaintance to me, but Messrs. Pete Newdeck, vocals (!), Ian Nash, guitars, Pontus Egberg, bass, and Mark Cross, drums, sure are not. Pete has been/is the drummer in bands like GRIM REAPER, PAUL DI`ANNO, and of cause EDEN`S CURSE, Ian is most known for GRIM REAPER, Pontus is in THE POODLES and Mark Cross is/has been involved in HELLOWEEN, MARCO MENDOZA and FIREWIND. Strangely enough this seasoned stew has a go at modern rock, and with a touch of AOR?!

I have seen Pete live a few times, but never heard him sing lead. He is a bit of a surprise here, and he does it with a pinch of OZZY back in the eighties in his voice. The first five tracks we´re on the most positive side...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Escape Music/Sound Pollution

EDGE is an overused word in the hard rock etc. business. But in this case I´ll make an exception. EDGE hails from Karlskoga in Sweden, and started life as a project. Jonas Forss, vocals, guitars, keyboards, and Tobias Andersson (SHADOWLAND, SEVEN WISHES), keyboards, guitars, shared musical dreams and had spent a lot of time in bands together. When they had 12 songs recorded they needed enforcements and called upon bass player Torbjörn Brogren (HEADS OR TALES), and drummer Olle Rodehn of SHADOWLAND. A short time later they were approached by quite a few record companies, the info says, and chose Escape. So, how good are they?

This album is like a time travel...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

Swedish rather successful band CRASHDIET formed in 2005, and soon became part of the so called new wave of sleaze. They are said to have gained their record contract by impressing the record company staff drinking outside a liquor store. Their first album “Rest in Sleaze” was augmented by a commercial on Swedish TV, but the joy came to a halt as first vocalist Dave Lepard committed suicide in early 2006, and the band declared their end. But in 2007 they re-emerged with new vocalist H. Olliver Twisted (RECKLESS LOVE). He left in 2008 and was replaced by Simon Cruz in 2009. Albeit this commotion the band has released four albums including this one.

This album is a roller coaster. There is bang on sleaze like “Cocaine Cowboys” and the potential hit “Anarchy”...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Steamhammer/SPV/Playground

Let’s move backwards to the latter half of the eighties. Not one thing Rolf “Rock´n´Rolf” Kasparek did was wrong in the eyes of me and my friends. His looks, his vocals, his songwriting, nothing was other than cool. Back to 2013, and a change of scenery. After a farewell gig at Wacken RUNNING WILD was alas no more. The final album “Rogues on Vogue” (2005) was not to my liking and gone were the aiding heroes of old, like Majk Moti, Axel Morgan, Jens Becker etc. But the heritage was still there, untouchable, mighty and eternal. Then in 2012 Rolf resurrects RUNNING WILD, with a rather ok album emerging. Now Rolf and cohort guitarist Peter J...