Posted in Cd Reviews

Chris Helme first rose to fame as the front man of John Squire’s post Stone Roses band ‘The Seahorses’. His latest solo album, ”The Rookery” was recorded in just 9 days at The Rookery, a country hideaway nestled in the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales. That’s an impressive feat – 9 days is very little time to record a full album, but that shows his experience.

”Pickled ginger” is an unsual track. Opening with the what sounds like a double bass being tuned, it then moves into the main part of the track. There’s some lovely gentle guitar and what sounds like woodwind instruments (but these days may be keyboards amde to sound like that), and the track gently meanders along. It’s a beautiful track but it is very different to the rest of the album and as such feels out of place.

”Longway...

Posted in Interviews

I spoke to Orianthi at Bloodstock in between her solo acoustic set and her performing with Alice Cooper.

Festivalphoto: You played on the Jaegermeister acoustic stage here at Bloodstock earlier this afternoon. How did you enjoy that?

Orianthi: It was fun. I was really happy that people showed up. I really like playing with a band and rocking out, but when you play acoustic it’s the bare bones of the song, it’s like how you’ve written the song, so it’s almost like you’re sitting up there naked. It feels a little weird at first but people dig it when they hear a song thats broken down like that so it was fun, it was different, and tonight I get to rock out with the band, cover myself in blood and have a good time.

Festivalphoto: That looked to be a very expensive guitar you were playing to...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Under eftermiddagen och kvällen har band av varierande kvalitet framträtt på scenen vid Trollsjön i Eslöv där Helldorado Rockfest arrangeras för första gången. Som namnet antyder har tonvikten lagts på rock och då företrädesvis den typ av partymusik som inbjuder till höftsväng och allsång. Två band sticker ut i programmet. Det ena är gamla punkgänget ”The Bristles” från Landskrona och det andra är dödsmetallarna ”The Forsaken”. Det här är deras första Sverigespelning sedan 2005 och det är få i den här publiken som vet vad de kan förvänta sig när de ska gå på som kvällens sista band. Klockan har passerat elva och hobbyrockarna som hetsat upp sig till föregående bands AC/DC-covers och som skrålande halsar öl är roliga att studera. Jag och mitt sällskap slår vad...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

Canucks TRIUMPH had levels of success in their native country and in the States that was rather unheard of in Scandinavia. Formed in 1975, the power trio of Rik Emmett, guitar and lead vocals, Mike Levine, bass, and Gil Moore, drums and lead vocals, found success in only about three years time. They went from humble beginnings to filling giant arenas, not to mention their famed gig at the US Festival 1983. From the late seventies until the early nineties they secured gold and platinum sales of their releases, scoring hit singles like “A World of Fantasy”, “Magic Power” and “Somebody´s Out There” in the process. But there was tension in the ranks, with Rik on one side, and Mike and Gil on the other concerning the bands direction...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

ECLIPSE feels like the band of melodic man of the moment Erik Mårtensson, but that is probably not the whole story. The band was formed in 1999 actually, and has released four albums to date. The first already back in 2001, “The Truth and A Little More”, which was followed by “Second to None” (2004), and their big break, “Are You Ready to Rock” in 2008. This leads us to the present day, and their new album “Bleed and Scream”. The band consists of Erik on vocals, guitars, and bass, co-writer Magnus Henriksson, lead guitars, Robban Bäck, drums, and Johan Berlin, synthesizers.

Opener “Wake Me Up” is a good way to start, and it seems that most that Erik touches turns to gold these days...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

PLAYER rings no bells for me, but the band has quite a history. This EP contains their best remembered songs, of which their major hit from 1976, “Baby Come Back”, has been re-recorded.

The original lineup of guitarist/lead vocalist Peter Beckett, guitarist JC Crowley, Bass player Ron Moss, and drummer John Friesen were in a flow as they got signed by RSO (home of the BEEGEES) and were taken aboard as special guests of ERIC CLAPTON on his American tour of 1978. Four albums were the result of their active touring years. Moss left and can be seen in the daytime TV-horror “The Bold and the Beautiful”, JC got into country music, and Beckett wrote songs for other artists and movie scores, as well as a stint with LITTLE RIVER BAND, and a solo album, “Beckett”...

Posted in Interviews

I spoke to Sami Hinkka from Ensiferum between bands at this years Bloodstock festival to talk about their new album, Unsung heroes, and their tour plans.

Festivalphoto: Your new album, Unsung Heroes, is due out in a couple of weeks time. How long does it take from starting to write to it being ready to release?

Sami: Well we are a really slow band when it comes to composing. On the new album, in ”Pohjola”, there’s a chorus melody I introduced to Markus in 2005...

Posted in Press Releases

JETTBLACK
UK ROCKERS LAUNCH BRAND NEW VIDEO FOR ‘PRISON OF LOVE’…

JETTBLACK unleash their brand new video for ‘Prison Of Love’; this is the second single from the quartet’s latest studio album, ‘Raining Rock’, issued through the Spinefarm label.

Jettblack guitarist, vocalist and qualified fine artist Will Stapleton, says… “…this is something different, but still fun; a touch more mature, perhaps, than ‘Raining Rock’, as we felt that approach would better reflect the song.

“When we came up with the concept, I sketched out the story line which then became the backbone of the finished clip...

Posted in Press Releases

‘A LIGHT SHINES’ The EP, OUT SEPTEMBER 3RD NEW tracklisting announced below
***plus*** CHECK OUT LIVE FOOTAGE FROM LAST WEEK’S SHOWCASE

As previously announced EMI Label Services release ‘A Light Shines’, Sacred Mother Tongue’s brand new EP on September 3rd. This is their debut release on EMI Label Services and precedes their second album, ‘Out Of The Darkness’, which will be released early next year.

To celebrate the release of the EP the band have announced a one-off date at Islington Academy 2 on 10th September.

The EP tracklisting has changed slightly to include another brand new track ‘Bleeding Out’, which will also feature on the album ‘Out Of The Darkness’ when it is unveiled in early 2013...

Posted in Press Releases

FROM THE BOGS OF AUGHISKA has been confirmed to support legendary American Experimental Noise artist Boyd Rice (NON / Death In June) for his exclusive German show in Dresden, November 24th.
Hailing from the harsh coastline of the West of Ireland, FTBOA delivers a unique take on the Dark Ambient genre which is heavily inspired by a bleak environment and Ireland’s colourful history and culture.
FTBOA’s self titled and critically acclaimed debut album, which came out in 2010 via Lone Vigil Recordings, saw them play with acts like Ulver, Altar Of Plagues and William Bennet (Whitehouse/ Cut Hands)...