Posted in Cd Reviews

Escape Music/Sound Pollution

IMPERA rings no bells, but the name has a lot to it. The musicians in the band/project are J.K. Impera, drums (BRUCE KULIC, GRAHAM BONNET), Tommy Denander, guitars (TOTO, PAUL STANLEY, ALICE COOPER, etc), Matti Alfonzetti, vocals (JAGGED EDGE, ROAD TO RUIN etc), and Mats Vassfjord, bass (VINNIE VINCENT, JOHN CORABI etc). Loads of routine and musicianship, and also loads of classic hard rock with bits of AOR according to the info.

Opener “Turn My Heart to Stone” is effective without being the very best song on offer. Melody and routine makes things go along smoothly. I personally prefer the more forceful “Kiss of Death”, which would have been an even better opening – but so far so good...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

KIX were in your face Rock´n´Roll with more attitude than most back in their heyday. Founded back in 1978 they released their self-titled first album in 1981, but better things were still to come. More albums followed; “Cool Kids” in 1983, “Midnight Dynamite” in 1985 and in 1988, things really moved. “Blow My Fuse” went platinum and the ballad “Don´t Close Your Eyes” paved the way for the band. The follow-up “Hot Wire” came in 1991, and they cut a live album “KIX live, on tour in Holland. The rise of grunge was a hard blow for the band, and they threw in the towel in 1995 after their final effort “Show Business”. Or so we thought...

Posted in Cd Reviews

M&O Music

UNCHAINED has been in existence since 2010, and feature guitarist Jonathan Ranache as well as drummer Olivier Gavelle from KRAGENS. Together with Thibaud Vuille, guitars, Pierre Jourdan Gassin, vocals (ex KRAGENS) and GORGON bassist Joel Forneris they aim at delivering classic and melodic metal paired with growls.

The chosen song style is both a blessing and a curse, as they lose some edge, but still they remain really heavy. Opener “Infernal Death Machine” is quite atmospheric, as well as melodic and forceful. The rest of the record is actually quite bland. They have all the groves they need, as well as two classy guitarists with riffs spraying from their ears. But the growling is almost ripping them apart...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Cyclone Empire/Sound Pollution

Swedish underground heroes PUTERAEON returns with their second offering. Andy LaRoque has mixed and mastered and expectations are generally high, not least due to a few prestigious gigs. The band has only been around since 2008, the debut “The Esoteric Order” soon followed, and old school death metal is the aim here. PAGANIZER´s Rogga Johansson is a guest and general darkness and evil is promised.

I must confess to having great expectations on this one. Opener “The Great Epidemic of 1846” is not quite the smack in the face I was hoping for. And the hairs on my forearms don´t rise to “Children of Dagon” either. But the grooves are there and get more in place as “The Azathoth Cycle” unfolds. The names are mostly culled from H.P...

Posted in Cd Reviews

„I thought I fell into someone else’s dream” -plays Aerosmith in their brand new studio album. And anyway, they had more than right with it..

Nowadays, the real rock n’roll lives again. It’s like, time-travelling, or dreaming in real. At least for me. A kind of lovely- naturally in a rock ’roll meaning-, to see rise again up the old legends, our rock icons. KISS takes a tour again, nobody cares their age.. Mike Tramp is better than ever, and Ozzy still gives us the unsophisticated Ozzy feeling, although he is in a grandfather time.. I could just write the list endlessly.. So, thanks God!

And now, Steven Taylor comes out with this awesome track collection? What else is it, if not one of the best dream of all, who live life in music? Must tell, I was always wondering, and pretty...

Posted in Press Releases

Swedish Industrial Metal overlords PAIN return to the UK for a headline tour in 2013!

Following their recent well-received support slot with labelmates Nightwish, PAIN , headed up by the never sleeping, creative genius, Peter Tägtgren (producer of the likes of DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM and SABATON) will be embarking on a headline tour of the UK. Support comes from Neosis!

The band’s brand new live DVD/Blu-Ray, ‘We Come In Peace’, is out via Nuclear Blast on November 19th ’12. You can check out a live clip of the song ’Dirty Woman’, recorded at the ’Masters of Rock’ Festival 2012 here:

Posted in Press Releases

The silver eagle has finally landed for audiences worldwide!

After enjoying a limited “Fan Club Only” UK release, Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie, Saxon’s wonderfully unfiltered and intimate account of their ascent to the upper echelons of heavy metal, will finally enjoy an international release this December. The double-disc set features the soon-to-be-celebrated story of Saxon, while the second disc is packed with bonus features including a full-length performance (on St. George’s Day) from April 23rd, 2008...

Posted in Press Releases

Blackmore’s Night – The Beginning“ is a documentation about the early period of a musical legend.

In the lavish velvet-box you will find the first two Blackmore‘s Night albums “Shadow Of The Moon“ and “Under A Violet Moon“ as well as rare video footage of their early tours “Live In Germany 1997-1998“ and “Under A Violet Moon – Castle Tour 2000“. Available for the first time on DVD and only in the “The Beginning“ box.

The footage from various concerts from the “Shadow Of The Moon“ and “Under A Violet Moon“ tours is enriched by interviews with Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night, as well as backstage footage, rehearsal footage and medieval fight shows...

Posted in Press Releases

Never tired of the road, Saxon announce the UK leg of their Sacrifice World Tour in support of the upcoming album of the same name. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal legends will play 9 dates in April 2013 and they can’t wait to share their new material on stage. Tickets go onsale at 9.00am on Friday 2nd November – full details below.

Throughout the years, Saxon have been touring relentlessly and earning an excellent reputation for the quality and energy of their performances. This is documented in their ‘Heavy Metal Thunder – The Movie’, which is released on 7th December. As UK fans await ‘Sacrifice’ with the same anticipation reserved for Saxon’s previous work, they know the spring shows will be – as always – a treat not to be missed.

Biff Byford says “People have bee...

Posted in Press Releases

LEGENDARY GERMAN ROCKERS CONFIRM THE RELEASE OF NEW STUDIO ALBUM, ‘STRAIGHT OUT OF HELL’, FOR JANUARY 21st 2013 VIA SPINEFARM RECORDS + ONE-OFF UK HEADLINE SHOW AT THE LONDON FORUM ON APRIL 16th!

THE FOLLOW-UP to their 2010 ‘7 Sinners’ release, ‘Straight Out Of Hell’ is the latest studio album to be issued beneath the celebrated Helloween banner – a banner first unfurled back in 1985.

Set for release via Spinefarm Records on January 21st 2013, ‘Straight Out Of Hell’ has been produced by Charlie Bauerfeind, who also worked on ‘7 Sinners’, and sees the five musicians maintaining a rawer edge throughout, working quickly in the studio (MiSueno Studio in Tenerife) and delivering 13 brand new compositions that, in the words of founding member, guitarist Michael Weikath, will “kick ...