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,…
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…
Frontiers/BAM Danish/Swedish/American band ROYAL HUNT has been through so many changes. Founded by eternal keyboard player Andre Andersen in 1989 they have conceived eleven studio albums, four live albums and no less than six best of releases, primarily in Japan though. Vocalists like Henrik Brockmann, John West and Mark Boals have been in the fold,…
If you havent heard anything by Amaranthe yet then a quick glance at a photo of the band might give the impression that this is a typical female fronted band, but nothing could be further from the truth. Amaranthe are unique in having three lead vocalists – two lead singers doing clean vocals – one…
In May 2010 the world of Hard Rock / Heavy Metal lost one of its most talented stars, with the passing of Ronnie James Dio. During his career he sang for Rainbow and Black Sabbath, as well as his own eponymous band (Dio). With his incredible vocal range he sang some of the real classic…
London band Turbogeist are releasing a 5 track EP in March, and will be following it later in the year with their debut album. Musically this EP is quite tricky to pin down. There’s a good helping of rock, a strong punk influence, some metal – a really good mix in other words. The EP…
Manchester band The Goddamn Electric formed in January 2010, and released their debut EP in late 2011. Now at the start of 2013 they are releasing their debut album – Snake Bite. The band are named after the Pantera song of the same name, and the album is either intended to sound wild, or it’s…
Angel Air/Border Super groups are not a newly coined phenomenon. 1976 saw the rise of WIDOWMAKER, a band with plenty of rock pedigree. The lineup sported Steve Ellis on lead vocals, previously of LOVE AFFAIR and a solo career and guitarist Ariel Bender (real name Luther Grosvenor) of SPOOKY TOOTH, MOTT THE HOOPLE and STEALERS…
Magna Carta/Border A band consisting of a progressive metal band´s vocalist, a renowned blues rock guitarist and a former drummer of a latter day American progressive rock band, would that suite anyone? Why not, as it is dUg Pinnick, Eric Gales and Thomas Pridgen who are at work. All members seem to have had their…
Frontiers/BAM German chart success PINK CREAM 69 returns with their eleventh album, not counting EPs and live outings. Founded in 1987 the band still has guitarist Alfred Koffler in its ranks, and bass player/producer Denis Ward has been along almost as long. The rest of the band are vocalist extraordinaire David Readman, guitarist since 2007…
Pure Steel Records/Sound Pollution Sicilian band STEEL RAISER first showed themselves in 2008 with their debut “Race of Steel” in 2008. They have an obvious love of classic powerful heavy metal, and the info sheet mentions JUDAS PRIEST´s “Painkiller”. Vocalist Alfonso Giordano is described as a mix of Rob Halford, Udo Dirkschneider and David Wayne…
Angel Air/Border On April 6 1995 WISHBONE ASH played the Rock Heroes Festival in Geneva. Their performance was captured for posterity and is now re-released with a Flash Player track of opener “The King Will Come”. When ubiquitous guitarist/vocalist Andy Powell greeted the audience with “… We´re of cause WISHBONE ASH…” it has a doubtful…