SAVATAGE -

Hall Of The Mountain King/Handful Of Rain/Ghost In The Ruins/Poets and Madmen
(Ear Music - 2011)

In case you’re wondering, Savatage did re-release more than just four parts of their twelve -strong back catalogue. The Floridian melodic metal king’s earliest entry of this latest selection, 'Hall Of The Mountain King', become one of their immediate benchmarks.

# Starting off on a stuttery note 24 hrs ago’ although firing off with a promising metal lick is a complex catastrophe of rhythm and Jon over-mixing vocal octaves and the chorus we wait for comes out bland and hookless. After this one major blip, ’Beyond The Doors of The Dark’ rocks along at Iron Maiden -schooled speed doing back the justice that the chuggish and slightly bluesier ‘Legions of the Damned’ caps off behind. 'Strange Wings', a traditional Savatage bruiser brings the best chorus thus far in, paired end-on-end with an unusually maintained, upper-pitch solo bend from Jon.

The middle sect of the album was always guaranteed to be confusing as ‘Prelude To Madness’ embodies an instrumental metal rendition of the classic with which the album shares name before the title cut follows, another classic Savvers standard that opens with sizzling Vai-like lead on entering and old-school groove the rest of the way out. 'The Price You Pay', brought us back to typical sweet Savatage metal as we know it while ‘White Witch’ was one of their convincing attempts at thrash, accented in a true Exodus sound of its time, both deeply soaked in traditional Oliva bends. Bravely affording a second instrumental again the album moves on from that to, of course closing cruncher ‘Devastation’, a bruising trad metal rocker that reeks far more of Britishness than its own Stateside composing.

Corking acoustic versions of 'Castles Burning' and 'Somewhere in Time' showcase Jon’s talents as not only a singer but also fine acoustic guitar operator, adding flavour to the top of a largely fine album we have been once again reminded of.

9/10

‘Handful Of Rain’ was an absolute new beginning even though for mixed reasons - anyone new to their music via this release would have been blameless for thinking they’d landed a different band who’d also poached the name.

The first album since Criss Oliva sadly departed for the big guitar shop in the sky, Zak Steven’s arrival brought a heavier and distinctively darker makeover wit his not-unlike-Metallica range. Explaining as much, Kriss’s brother remained within the ranks though swapped strings for ivories, allowing Testament departee Alex Skolnick to steal the reins. The tunes nonetheless remained to high standard along with being near-unrecognisably different but old Savatage soon peeps its way through the window. Opener 'Taunting Cobras' and the title number are thrashy-edged metal numbers that demonstrated the bands new central nucleus were here for business. Eight minute long ‘Chance’ is a typical Savs epic, the new formation trying out the band’s long running operatic tendencies to a fairly commendable outcome.. Thry still did ballads well if you were worried, ‘Staring Into The Sun’ driving into a recurring Dio like grind then pulling back for the next quiet verse line again.

Opening with an oh-so Skolnick slide line, 'Castles Burning' echoes deeply of his old group coming in strong with that fifth track that ends with a pounding finale played indeed far more Bay Area than Florida. Jon had to be given chance to show he still sat within the ranks , ‘Visions’ a short instrumental allowing his additional talents on piano an open door to gleam through. Taking them nearly into Toto mode’, ‘Watching You Fall’ alternates between a summery string line, and power-coated chorus attack and back again - easily the album’s smartest composition. 'Nothing’s Going On' seems the case itself with the rickety prog metal workout that follows, the only difficult listen of this disc, though you can’t help but enjoy the final vocal bend by Zak, going into the rideout, dragging traditional Tage back in by its heyday heels for a minute's glimpse.

‘Symmetry’ sounds promising with its building melody and bridge but the chorus ends blunt and disappointingly misconstructed - the ‘dying hard….’ part would have done a great job by itself. Jon holds helm for also lengthy closer 'Alone you Breathe' a power ballad that some might say plays at an overstretched length but holds a grandiose air over the album, as if it were still a to-be expected sign-out. Strong after such difficult time, Savatage proved the pieces were there for the picking-up and thy placed an every bit as might machine of a band together as previously. Acoustic bonuses ‘Summer’s Rain’ and ‘Believe’ once again reflect the past days with a swish new dynamic.

8/10

‘Ghost In The Ruins' (A Tribute to Criss Oliva), the band’s second live disc is what it says in its co-title. Commemorating the talents of Jon’s late and legendary brother, more than a year after his passing. This 1995 release was , to pacify the newly mislead, culled from live action across the ages as opposed to all within a single night on the stage, though in Iron Maiden fashion, they dissolve each track together giving it the feel of one. Paying - importantly - tribute to the hero, Criss Oliva’s claim to fame was easy to fathom out in his playing style, adjusting the solos as they were performed, to include astonishing varieties of techniques and could leave people hearing an almost half-different tune each time but at least it was always him. Shredding as majestically through 'City Beneath The Surface', ‘Legions’, ‘Strange Wings’, ‘Gutter Ballet’, ‘Of Rage and War’, ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’ and ‘Sirens’ all Savatage tunes are strongly played as they are on record with Jon never failing to force the roof almost off any venue they set foot in.

’24 Hours Ago’, one of my least favourite studio moments from the Savs legacy sounds much more wholesome in the live arena, Criss’s outstretched widdling livening it up from its stop-go stagger. Frankly only eleven full length songs may be a bit short from an outfit usually in the habit of delivering two-hour slots nightly, come the late eighties so that’s probably why an additional live cut ‘Devastation’ also adds its way onto the tracklist this time. Jon also grabs his acoustic to revisit ‘Stare Into The Sun’ though a thirteenth electric cut from the good old Criss Oliva days wouldn’t have gone amiss in its place.
Either way, the guy still probably appreciates being remembered, making ‘Ghost..’ an essential again if you missed out last time.

9/10

‘Poets and Madmen’ is frankly not my particular favourite Savatage release but it still scored big with followers. Largely so because of Zak Stevens relinquishing Jon the mike, there still however shows cracks of some desperation to delve into the glory days in too much a carbon copy fashion. It is not a bad album by my own opinion though beginning with ’Stay we Me’ which goes from a haunting piano-based verse to a clumsily dragged chorus rhythm doesn’t give m the greatest of turn ons until the wistful solo arrives late in the tune. ‘There in The Silence’ is back where its at for the Savs or perhaps Sabs, as those Ronnie vibes come volleying in. The blandly operatic 'Commissar' is my next skip-through, listenable but treads its water at five and a half minutes. Momentum regained once more, 'I Seek Power' is a catchy modern ballad catching Jon Oliva still at his vocal best while it continues into short but spirited rocker 'Drive' - tunes lasting three minutes haven’t been that heard of on the Savatage line since the Sirens days.

Songs lasting ten minutes are more understandable, 'Morphine Child' being an effective reply of the entire 'Streets' and 'Gutter Ballet’ albums in a single tune, to hear. We love it, oh yes and despite some cheesy moments in the middle eight, it is one of their best, as is ‘The Rumour’ comprising of some grooves that spread over the entire tune itself to consume the chorus. Guitarists Chris Cafffery and the legendary Al Pitrelli give I some plentiful grinds, driving the chorus on its own old-school metal wheels to a fine acoustic close. ‘Man in the Mirror’, thankfully not a Jacko cover is though as catchy, with a fairly Megadeth-like hook, ‘Surrender’ then attacking Anthrax style but leads into a disappointingly flat chorus, stumbling over the stuttery rhythm line that lies underneath.

Another weak point of the record over with, ’Awaken’ hits back with one of these classy one word choruses that allows Jon to exercise his mouthular muscles, creating a great live singalong feed. Despite the solo being way too short and undignified, it is one of my favourites form this list. Piano-led ballad, ’Back to A Reason’ is one more respectable outing from the fantastically talented frontman, and hopefully a recommended live inclusion on their next return. Routine acoustic extras, ’Tonight He Grins Again’ and 'Sleep' pass over me afterward - excellently played but seem tame by comparison. As said, not the most memorable chapter of the Savatage story, it remained a fairly worthwhile signout and the tunes promise to be terrifyingly stronger onstage than on plastic.

Where Savatages destiny lies, here eleven years on no one can quite be sure but Jon Oliva is a man never to believe in resting, so til that time we…shan’t, shall we kids?

7.5/10

by Dave Attrill

NET: www.ear-music.net

Skinny Molly - No Good Deed...
(Moss Rose Records - 2008)

The debut album from the Southern Rock band fronted by Mike Estes (an ex-guitarist of Lynyrd Skynrd) who also plays mandolin that I've wanted to get my ears around for a couple of years.

Seen the band live a couple of times at Sheffield's Boardwalk but now it's brilliant to hear the CD of nine great cookin' numbers that come to us via the 3 States that are Tennessee, Florida and Ohio. The quartet is completed by Kurt Piertro on drums & percussion; Luke Bradshaw on bass and Chris Walker also on guitar to complete the line-up. Highlights include the dixie brilliance that are the opener 'Better Than I Should' with its strong melody and chrous; the bluesy ballad 'Just Me'; the cool titled 'Whiskey, Cocaine and Blues' with it's dirty slow guitar riff and the closing 'Miss Fortune'.

Good sounds of the South. Looking forward to the new album.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stretch - That's The Way The Wind Blows - A Collection
(Repetoire - 2011)

The Rockin' Blues dudes from the 70's who had that good olenow famous funky pub rock song 'Why Did You Do It?' are featured on a 20 track compilation with a bonus EP as well.

There are some amazing cuts on here from a band who once blew Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow off stage with their fine form of R'N'B - hearing this it's little wonder why - who out me in mind of Led Zep, the Stones at the rootsiest and Humble Pie. You just can't argue with this when you hear songs like 'Fixin' to Die with some excellent slide work and gutsy vocals; the full of percusssion funk of 'Miss Jones'; the Ronnie Wood like guitar work found on ' Showbiz Blues' and the Wings-like 'Miss Dizzy'; the rather famous rocker that LA Guns covered that is 'Rock And Roll Hoochie-Coo'. Then there's ballsy Humble Pie meets Nazareth like 'If The Cap Fits' and the outstanding title track of the compilation 'That's The Way The Wind Blows'. The best number though has got to be the closing light, spacey ballad 'Slip Away'.

Well worth checking out with even an alternate mix of 'Why Did You Do It?' on the bones E.P.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHOOT THE BREEZE - Nomadism - The Sonny Terrence Brentwood Story… Final Chapters
(S/R - 2011)

Another outfit trying to jump on the ‘tommy’ bandwagon, Norway’s Shoot The breeze have actually split their epic tale across more than one album and we appear to have landed down with the last instead here.

Set coincidentally in the sixties, you wouldn’t tell it immediately to be a conceptual piece on just listening alone as these four boys set their tale of rock n’ roll and tragedy to hard-driving, no messing, melodic hard rock. Twin guitars and strapping upper tempo rhythms dominate as do choruses and catchy hook repeats both vocally and in the solos alike.

Definetely no groove-ophobics, these guys know how to lock into a line then leave it smouldering with the vibrations. ‘Bad Blood and Beef’, ‘Redrocks Longest Tale’, ‘Gutterfly’, ‘Scale Of C’ and ‘Contrapazzo’ are powerful hard rock numbers fully of class and crunch with all the popular hair metal elements added.

Excellent stuff from the Scandinvavian shores once again.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Danger Danger, Dokken, Bon Jovi & Ratt.

NET: www.myspace.com/rockwithshootthebreeeze

Sickstring Outlaws - S/T Sampler
(S/R - 2011)

It's funny who you get chatting away if you walk into the Raibow around 12.00 midday in mid November - there's always a musician and a character or two kicking around.

On this occasion I got talking away to a dude who had a cool baseball cap that just happened to be the name of the band he was in from San Diego, California called 'Sick String Outlaws' so gave me this 'ere CD to check out. I was blown away by it - good ole country music with plenty of banjo on it with tunes about listening to artists like getting stoned, writing cool songs and having a good time with your friends. There's a killer tribute to Johnny Cash called 'Johnny Drank Black'. This is rootsy county bluegrass with masses of southerness at its finest.

I urge everyone to check out these guys.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Recommended if you like: David Allen Coe, Merle Haggard, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Johnny Cash.

Net: http://www.thesickstringoutlaws.com & http://www.myspace.com/sickstringoutlaws

SOMA DARK - Begin
(Casket Records - 2011)

Although the north-western sect of our great nation is known largely for its AOR associations in recent years, its contributions over to the heavier side of our home grown produce stand undisputed, Kill II This and Dearly Beheaded amongst the best of names.

Stand forward, Soma Dark if you will, another potential English metal monster in the box, and boy does this one need some seriously large nails to keep locked down from escaping. These Mancunian lads muscle and maraud their way through ten highly primed cuts of melodic contemporary metal in a set cleverly separated into its four parts. Thrashing their way through opening duo ‘Passengers of Time’ and ‘Lies Behind’ they become dispensers of pure headbang juice, bopping and bashing in a very Beheaded-esque way themselves, abeit along with some even more catchier choruses one is already chanting along before the first play is done. Taking on a softer direction, ‘Mauna Kea’, and ‘Breathe’ are deeper slower numbers with plenty of mellow angst set to smoothly waving chord lines that crack back into position only at the particularly needed time.

Quite abruptly, the guys switch straight across to the side marked hardcore for a couple of gritty outings, ‘Faultline’ and ‘Resolute’ blending in a major proportion of new metal influence into the style as well but sufficient street attitude gets in well on the latter, creating a genuinely Biohazard-schooled bruiser. Neither mode seems any difficulty for vocalist Michael Hardman as he adapts back and forth between the brutally rasp and laid back refrains of ’A Tone Set For The Lace Skyline’.

‘Forsaken and Falling’ concludes the segment with the heaviest number of the album and a powerful classic hardcore hook. ‘2505’ and ‘Sundowns Last Rise’ close things off for good on a smoothish prog metal note in near absolute contrast, boasting great multi dimensional movement by guitairsts Arun Kamath and Stuart Armriding and an ounce or two of Seattle topping on the end of the last track. ‘Begin’ is the beginning of many great things to strike the metal core of mother earth with very hard for this lively UK act whom ‘promising’ can‘t even begin to describe.

Rarely do we get a modern metal act on the isle with the ambition and the potential that soma Dark have planted the seeds to grow and these lads kept a full watering can on standby very early.

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Pantera, Machine Head, Fear Factory, Metallica, In Flames, Agnostic Front & Korn.

NET: www.myspace.com/somadark

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Net: www.soulsign.us

STRATOVARIUS - Intermission
(Ear Music - 2011)

Stratovarius like to release something at least once a year when they can, even if it's an odds and sods package.

Or craftily re-release an old one. Ha, gotcha there! ‘Intermission was first subject to the light of day ten years beforehand but the Finnish metal giants seemed under the impression some may have just missed out so heres to trying not to miss again. Seventeen tracks instead of fifteen this time, the rarities are more huge rollicking slabs of symphonic metal, varying from studio titbits like ‘Falling into Fantasy’, ‘The Curtains Are Falling’, ‘Keep the Flame’, ‘What Can I say’, ‘When The Night Meets The Day’ and ‘It’s A Mystery’ to live meltouts of Strats classic ’Hunting High and Low’ and Rainbow’s ‘I Surrender’ plus the worthy demos of ‘Freedom‘ and ‘Neon Light Child‘, ending proceedings..

Never the lads to let the pedals up, Messers Kotipelto and Tollki inject each and every their all into these as much as they do into their regular album material and the solos are amongst TT’s might best while Kot’ does Rob Halford’s efforts awaited justice on their punchy rendition of ’Bloodstone’. Not to neglect the other men, Jens Johansen is equally in there with the fully maintained finesse you’d expect of a chap who supplied the ivories for Yngwie Malmsteen many moons ago, his authentically-produced performance on ‘Kill the King’ rendering one’s neglect to catch this disc on the previous occasion ever more regrettable. Well you have it now.. or should have.

A Stratters fan essential - excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE : Rhapsody, Helloween, Queensryche & Dream Theater.

NET: www.stratovarius.com

SU-TA-GAR - Ametsak Piltatzen
(Jo Ta Ke/Ekoizpenak - 2011)

Another band already long in the graft at it before we got wind, Basque boys Su-Ta-Gar are seemingly obvious craftsmen at their chosen field.. That of course being heavy metal.

Which they do very well and with flagrant pilfering of their influences along to a sometimes, almost alternative beat. Uttering their anger and angst in four languages, including French and English, the old fashioned rhythms and guitar hooks steal the show even when as lot of them are as I said stolen themselves.

Lead guitarist Aitor Gorosabel loves to ladel on the classy speed solo vibe like a well simmered soup itself while spitting out his husky vocal assault that still entertains even without being able to understand the language. Adding some swish AOR interludes in the middle of a few later tracks , its sounds occasionally cut and glued but the attitude is all there and these boys belt home an impressive lump of traditional metal fury with the trimmings.

Sufficient to indicate a few Basque-et cases may be loose on the scene.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Iron Maiden, Metallica & Nirvana.

NET: www.myspace.com/sutagar

SAVATAGE -

Sirens/Power Of the Night/Gutter Ballet/Streets (A Rock Opera)
(Ear Music - 2011)

Kerrang and Rock sound would be lining up at the door to give albums from metal’s heyday a jolly good ol’ hiding the moment they set foot through the letterbox. We fine chappies at Metalliville HQ meanwhile are already down on our knees to Jon Oliva and the lads for gifting people another chance to hear these much seasoned old metal gems once again. Debut album ‘Sirens’ was a commendable entry shot into the eighties metal market back in its 1983 heyday and it's NWOBHM -matched production along with their upbeat metal approach would look to have been a likely inspiration for Californian thrash goliaths Megadeth Testament and Exodus.

Capturing some very Mustaine-ish soloing moves through ‘Holocaust’, ‘I Believe’ and ‘Rage’, the inevitable glam sound dissolved in by halfway with ‘On The Run‘ and ’Twisted Little Sister’’ while the rest sounded audaciously closer to Dee’s army themselves, especially ‘Living For The Night’. As a bonus treat for twenty-eight years of patience, you get the whole ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’ platter on the end. Not quite the anti-climax you dread, their original 7-track spinner delivers unexpectedly gritty material with the same primal prowess and stompy tempos as their earliest full-lengthers to ensue.

9/10

‘Power of the Night’ would be above blatantly ridiculed as a title in today’s musical climate if not re-pronounced ’Power Of The Sh*te’ by aforementioned trendy-schmendy Brit metal rags with no ear for true rock n ’roll. The Savvers only serious liberty taken here is the dangerous similarity to Def Lep’s ’Wasted’ on the titular opening number though as a fan of both this and the Sheffield act’s early classic it is fully forgiven.

Belty straight-ahead metal is however the foundation as set for all the nine tunes that follow while the shredding guitars of Jon’s legendary brother, the late, very great Criss Oliva stirred a cement guaranteed to set faster than Blue Circle could ever dream up. Still yet acquainted with doing the epic thang at this stage in their tender young age, most tracks range from 2-3-4 minutes of album space apiece with ferociously fast and short cuts like ’Washed Out’, ’Skull Session’ and ’Stuck On You’ feeling longer even when they fly past.

Excellent live versions of ’City Beneath The Surface’ and ’Hounds’ make up for that in the bonus track department this time, this particular rendition of the latter also appeared once before on a Metal Forces sampler way-y-y back in 1992.

9/10

Gutter Ballet’ which saw the ‘Tage by now working under Paul O’Neill’s production helm was where their musical versatility experienced its real daybreak as explained by Jon on the sleeves liner notes. No longer required to specialise in purist-pandering traditional metal styles throughout, Florida’s finest flexed all muscles and the variations in sound that resulted was genuinely merited route to the spotlight. 'Of Rage And War', ‘Gutter….’, ’When The Crowds Are Gone’ and ’She’s In Love’ are immediately seen to be their own song, the frontman also reminds us of how they group the songs by type to compare tempo in the studio though some tunes being a mix of more than two of these become confusing.

'Hounds' is and always be my personal Savatage favourite with its legendary high-speed exit demonstrating Criss’s mental-fretting finesse the way he is still remembered for after these many years, while two decent instrumentals showcase both brothers integral talents , Jon also the band’s pianist duetting very sweetly against the strings. Departing through that subject, bonus acoustic runs of 'Alone You Breathe' and 'Handful Of Rain' have a gritty blues sensation about them, that you can ’t begin to ignore. Rver one of their defining moments in their fourteen-strong discography, 'Gutter Ballet' is one to grab without fail this time if you kneel deep in the shame of not having already done.

9.5/10

Sucker as I am for concept albums, ‘Streets’ was a struggle for me to lap up. Whilst the band, now down to a four-piece again continued to exercise their educated tread across diverse waters , Savatage had considerably slowed their tempo by this time but also, sadly their instantness too. The rock opera storyline, echoing pleasantly of The Who’s ‘Tommy’ as would WASP’s astounding Crimson Idol a year later was barely above the only thing serving to maintain my interest as the album certainly dragged its seventy minutes.

Certainly not missing on decent numbers ‘Jesus Saves’ was already an instant hitter before I heard the full long-player but until now few other tracks, really tempted me to touch the repeat. However, two decade on, there is an appreciable freshness to this classic with ‘Sammy and Tex’, 'Tonight He Grins Again', Strange Reality’, 'Can You Hear Me Now', 'Ghost in The Ruins' and ‘If I Go Away’ catching on strangely bigger than before. Solos still typically strong of Oliva’s standard never took a day out and his brother once again cackles his Cooper-like throat across the lines. More worth a listen now than before the deadly escapades of DT Jesus are no longer the only thing keeping my ears open.

7.5/10

All Reviews by Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Gamma Ray, Overkill, AC/DC, Megadeth, Dokken & Black Sabbath.

NET: www.savatage.com www.ear-music.net
*Ten further album re-issues from this series also available - contact above site addresses for more info.

Solsikk - S/T
(Femme Metal Records - 2011)

Female fronted band from the UK who have a very much generic metal sound a lot of the time - think System Of A Down and the like with a girl on vocals with a ton of chug a chug and what sounds like triggered drumming.

Well the 1st 4 songs are rather uninteresting from 'Relish In Nervous Delights' through to 'Freefall' but the ballad 'Cut A Little Deeper' is in a different league altogether proving that they do have something passionate and heartfelt to give as Tairri B like stuff does get damn tedious when it's on a collision course with Lacuna Coil and Machine Head like sounds. 'Volatile Territory' does have some killer Priest like guitar work and then some but they let themselves down by trying to be way too commercially generic in other parts of the song.

Wish they'd kick the down-tuned nu-metalness as it's overdone and unoriginal as they've got a lot of talent here but it's not being channelled which blurs them in with more bands of the same nature that are as boring and tuneless.

Shame.

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Stretch - Unfinished Business
(Repetoire Records - 2011)

The reformed 70's combo of vocalist Elmer Gantry and Guitarist Kirby Gregory give us an album of blues covers that you've heard too many times already.

A lot of it are songs you'd hear by the average old men covers band like 'Live The Life I Love'; 'Need Your Love So Bad' and 'I've Got My Mojo Working' so it's killer to hear an excellent rendition of 'Down In The Bottom' or 'See That My GravenIs Kept Clean' or a remake of their 'Why Did You Do It' - so that's who originally did this song.

Ok but not essential unless you are a blues completist of the highest order.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

Styx - Regeneration Volume 1 & 2
(Eagle Records - 2011)

Without getting all smart about things, this is simply a load of re-recordings of Styx's best songs and a couple of Damn Yankee classics spread out onto 2 discs - hence Volume 1 & Volume 2.

The production is stellar and crystal clear as we are in the digital age and the guys sound as good as they did way back then - utterly faultless with storming singing and effortless precision musicianship all round. Highlights include the remakes of 'The Grand Illusion'; 'Lorelei'; 'Come Sail Away'; Renegade' and 'Too Much Time On My Hands' - not to mention an incredible version of Damn Yankee's 'High Enough' - one the best hair metal ballads ever! Also worth getting for the brand new number 'Difference In The World'.

Well needed by all AOR and Rock Fans Worldwide.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shift – Watch It Burn
(S/R - 2011)

Shift add together heavy music and not-so-heavy music to create a unique album.

Their guitar riffs go well with the more melodic sounds that they produce. As this is only the bands second EP, there is definitely room for improvement, but it’s a very good EP nonetheless!

The band used the media to build up a strong fanbase, who are ready for a live show. Including two covers, this EP looks set to gain Shift even more fans throughout their quest to dominate the music industry.

7/10

By Sam Hutchinson

IVAN SMIRNOV - Privet Earth
(S/R - 2011)

No relation to any heir of a popular Vodka firm, this Mr Smirnov is a talented young chappie from Moscow called Ivan.

Second mistake to avoid is being put off by the pics of him sporting his guitar in that sinisterly familiar eighties way - although a hot property on his six-string he does not resort to sometimes pretentious euro-metal or epic instrumentals to showcase his abilities. Conniseurs will call him a traitor for dishing out alternative -spangled punk metal to peddle his noises but Ivan Smirnov is one diverse young gent who tries it all out between ‘A Phuken Angel’, ‘On & Off’, ‘She Dreams Big’, ‘Take It To Mars’, ‘Ice Orkestra’, ‘Rebelz’ and ‘Big City’ amongst his other impressive samples.

Mr S’s pipes come out in clean sound with Soul, funk, pop, prog, AOR, metal and hard rock all sit their place round the table, taking their equal throw in support. With enough already there to clarify how this guy came by a Grammy nomination or two this year , the two singles - ‘Saddest Boy In The World’ and ‘Sunshine Never Cries’ which saw him towards the accolade also feature within.

A recommended look at a largely deserving new star in action. Smirnov served on extra rocks!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Foo Fighters, Queen & David Bowie.

NET: http://www.smirnovmusic.com/Music.html

SPLIT SOFA - The Gathering
(S/R - 2011)

Another name of those who have been hovering on my never -unmoving musical lips since 2000-and-something, East Midlanders Split Sofa will be seeing me making noises aplenty between them from tonight onwards.

This brand of seventies- strung psychedelic sweetness has been aching for me to meet it ear-on a long time. I will make no lies of the fact they have toyed with every major household name’s sound within the quintessential reaches of the genre but the authenticity of mainman Lewie Docksey’s style is a massive treat fro the retro-desperate. Adding the guy’s excellent Floyd-esque keyboard harmonisations to the fantastic electric/acoustic duels of messsrs Nicklin and Gilman, the whole shebang stops by the line marked consistent from track one to ten.

Lewie, a massively talented multi-instrumentalist himself, includes in the parcel, his own gravely husk that would front many a thousand bands of the era, his rich, sometime Lennon-like voice spelling the words ‘astounding live performer’ right across his chest. In ‘Circles’, ‘U Will C Me’, ‘I’m Following’, ‘Take Me There’, ‘So Long Ago’ and especially ‘Shadowman’ you will hear a fistful of choruses you think you’ll recognise but then after three or four plays of this beauty you will indeed be rightful to claim that accolade.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Grateful Dead, Spock’s Beard, Pink Floyd & Porcupine Tree.

NET: www.myspace.com/splitsofa www.splitsofa.co.uk

S.Y.F.T. – New Beginning
(S/R - 2011)

The album starts with a deafening scream from lead vocalist, Sean Ingalls.

He explodes into vocals and adds various screams throughout the album. With heavy backing music, the album stays as intense as ever all the way through. The Seattle boys certainly know how to play music! New Beginning is an album to keep you awake on a long night, because you won’t want to fall asleep while listening to this.

Killer!

9/10

By Sam Hutchinson

SECRET ILLUSION - Illusion
(Rising Records - 2011)

Greece’s Secret illusion have been in demand by way of a debut album for the entire four years since formation.

The wait over and very so worth it, ‘Illusion’ performs just that, conjuring up creatively exquisite melodic metal that at only nine songs is below enough for this type of stuff. Fluttery keyboards place their pristine melodies along well-disciplined guitars that wait til their own turn to start. Although comparably pedestrian stuff, the deep-voiced range of their frontman, cast more in the mould of a modern day Geoff Tate supplies the outermost attraction and an AOR feel you immediately pick up on listening in.

'Silent Voices', 'Hold On Forever', 'Beauty Of A Lie', 'Light On Your Way', 'Endless Flight' and 'Serenity' house every preferable element and leave little else out without passing it once over at least. Fabulously written and played, 'Illusion' is the first of hopefully many from another Mediterranean talent machine whirring on its lights.

Excellent.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Last Tribe, Artension & Helloween.

NET: www.myspace.com/secretillusionband

SKILLER - Follow The Siren (EP)
(S/R – 2011)

More Nordic metal magic afoot, Skiller are, well, pretty skilled at what they do and straight away get attention for reasons right and…well, ok if it’s what you wish to hear.

Angry hatecore laid atop lush symphonic metal keyboards and melodic chorus hooks are always sweet ear candy flavour to me especially put together in one bag. Shame indeed that there’s only three tracks full today as I’m roped up by the peppery speed guitar lines, specifically of middle number ’The Crowning’ and the substance is again big in numbers.

Just a case of asking… more please.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.Skiller.se

ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION - Flesh
(S/R - 2011)

They’re from Bristol but don’t drink cider unless its been possibly spiked. Then again, these five young men must have been confused as to what actually did come in the can as I am about what their music on this debut mini-album intends to do for them.

Clumsy prog-beat alternative, a couple of so-so-scream core laden outings and two damn decent numbers. After struggling my way through the dreary title track that just never wants to take off, 'Ales From the Crypt' is a bouncy rock n' roller of a number which is worth half a dozen repeat itself before I eventually move on to the rest.

'Safe and Sound' and 'Innocent' seem tailored to please Bring Me the Horizon fans who pass it by, the latter becoming tolerable after second listen. 'Last Words Of A Bent Cop’ come over as a cross between 'Ales' itself and these two, kicking up a near-Motorhead -esque anarchy metal racket that shit’s the momentum up a few notches at the final advisable moment.

Snake with a definite bite but the tongue likely forked at too crooked an angle to effectively apply the poison.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SUBVERSION - What We Are Entitled (Single)
(Rising Records - 2011)

Noisy as f**k Brits Subversion handily remind a few heathens who foolishly ignored the advent of their debut album with one of its mightiest, most brutal cuts.

‘WWAE’ with initials that sound like a wrestling contest brawl with all the best of metal’s elements as do all the other cuts on ’Lest we Forget’ and let you enjoy a hook or two amidst it.

Disappointing only in there being no second tune to follow, (thanks bl**din' loads, Rising peeps) these Suvvern geezers are sure of letting no one down as this cut destroys and devours all the way to the repeat button.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

ALSO RECOMMENDED: SUBVERSION - Lest We Forget (Subversion Records)
*See review further back up page for this album.

Seks – Harder ThanYou
(Hard As A Rock Music – 2011)

A Norwegian based kinda Glammy/Arena rock styled band who are in their early and mid 20’s.

This is an album which has its ups and its downs. Upside is that is has a handful of great songs such as the opener ‘Rich Girl’; ‘On The Inside’; the ballad ‘Hangin’ On’; the humourous ‘I Wanna Be Your Bitch’ & ‘Get Out Now’. It’s just that his vocal sound gets on your nerves of frontman Rock Hart get a bit annoying especially when he wails really girly.

OK but not essential listening.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

SMALLTOWN NOBODIES - 20 More Steps
(S/R - 2011)

Probably called so because nobody knows quite what to categorize them as, Smalltown Nobodies step across the stones marked prog, thrash, metal and industrial with legs defiantly spread, completely fearless of the daunting chasm underneath.

Not that they look young enough to be trying their hand at any bar one of those four, these Dutch chaps do indeed do a marvellous job of musical creativity. ‘20 More Steps’, ‘Drowning’, ‘This City’, ‘So Called Friends’, ‘How It Feels’, ‘Ugly’ & Once The Faith Is Broken’ and a crushing cover of Faith No More’s ’Ashes to Ashes’ are the eight, stood strongest amongst ten tunes amalgamating the soulful deep throat of Lain Barbier with might twin guitars of recent Metallica mouldings, which also run off ecstatic solos to compliment each piece.

Taking on board their additional electronic stylings, that sound placed in for the sake of diversity STN are a strongly wholesome band with big ambitions and even bigger potential stage prowess.

Fabulous!

9/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.smalltownnobodies.com www.myspace.com/570452860

Spike - Gods Hotel
(Floating World – 2011)

A heavier side of Spike that was done after the Quireboys originally split up. Recorded in LA with Alex Kane (of Anti-Product) on some guitar and other peeps from that neck of the woods too such as Ted Hutt (Guitar), Dominique Davalos (Bass/Vocals) and Doni Gray (Drums/Percussion).

It’s a heavier side of Spike that many aren’t used to hearing – as opposed to his retro Faces/Stones thang you expect from that famous band he fronts. There’s touch of scary, surfy pschobillness on ‘Beauty Queen’; some laid-back reggae grooving on ‘Mercy Or Metal’ and not much like the original cover of ‘Fool For A Pretty Face’.

Or what about some Beatley likeness in ‘Dead Without You’ ( a la Lennon & Harrison in solo mode). Then there’s the mad vibed Pistol/GNR rocker ‘Chiva’; the fun-time ‘Hesitation Blues’ and the excellent closing ballad ‘You’re Gonna Die’.

One hell of an inspiring album showing what else Spike’s capable of.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo - Quid Pro Quo
(Fouth Chord Records – 2011)

An album that we’ve expected for a bit since this was the name of the Tour late last year.

It opens up with a really promising number called ‘Two Way Traffic’ that remind me of a cross between the Quo, Motorhead & Hawkwind – the heaviest I’ve heard them in a while and then up comes ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll ‘n’ You’ that’s very old school (think 77/78) but with keyboards thrown in – the one that was never off Radio 2 in May/June.

Love the catchy ‘Leave A Light On’ & the dark lyrics with the chirpy frantic guitar solo in ‘Frozen Hero’. Good to hear Andy Bown’s harp playing in ‘It’s All About You’ and then best of all is a remake and partly re-written version ‘In The Army Now’ done in 2010.

Also included is an extra CD that makes up for it a bit that has classic hits live from Amsterdam and Australia from 2010 – which is stated next to each of the 10 songs that include ‘Down Down’; ‘Ice In The Sun’ and the younger ‘Beginning Of The End’.

Not their best but it's a decent enough effort.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHEAR - In Solitude
(S/R - 2011)

’In solitude’ is the debut EP from Finnish six piece sensation Shear.. And they sound darn quite sensational to me right from the start.

Their female fronted melodic metal is easy to taste all ingredients within right into the opening title track. ’Scorched’ leaves a little more with their power metal prowess to discover, where front woman Alex’s beautifully operatic lines come to recognition while the remaining two tunes explore a continued progressive thrash direction but all is pleasantly done and wonderfully clean.

Creative and hugely enjoyable equally in guitars and keys as well as voice, this is one of most technical without pretence to have come to me for quite a while, no one here trying too hard to be better than what they are although these six musicians are evidently as talented as it gets, to start.. More gold lies discovered at the end of the Scandinavian rainbow.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Kamelot, Edguy, Evanescence, Mostly Autumn, Gamma Ray, Dream Theater
NET: www.myspace.com/shearofficial

SILVERJET - En route (EP)
(S/R - 2011)

The long in coming/forthcoming third album from Silverjet finally yields its first berries from a still not yet ripened tree, but these three taste sweet of their old fashioned v southern flavour.

‘Machine’ is an excellently ballsy hard rocker with an opening lick dodgily alike to The Almighty’s ‘Takin’ Hold’. The most unlikely direction I’ve ever known Dave Kerr to take, ‘What it Takes’ is an awesome tour de grunge of a groover with a smooth upbeat main progression the chorus just rides like a wave. ‘Take My Pills' is also a familiar inclusion from the last couple of live sets I’ve attended and the closest arced to their very early days.

Four impressively cool acoustic cuts make up the remaineder of seven-tracker, one each from their previous three releases plus unreleased newie ’The Answer’. ’Won’t See Me Bleedin’ is particularly gutsy with Dave’s re-laid vocal lines living up to their original bite every bit…. (like they wouldn’t). Can’t wait for the album.. and for those others of you equally impatient SJ faithful, let's just hope this one will keep you quiet for a week or two til then.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Guns N‘ Roses, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith & Faces.
NET: www.myspace.com/silverjet

SKINDRED - Union Black
(BMG - 2011)

First time I believe Metalliville’s received a disc from ex-Dub War man Benji’s present-day rap metal juggernaut (2nd time actually as Tony Watson reviewed the last one).

The first impressions I hear in opener ‘Warning’ are that he may want to put his Limp Bizkit cds away in the loft for a bit… just listen to that chorus - omg!. Still off on a high though plagiaristic plain, the following ten numbers take the welsh outfit right to the max of their musical prowess. ‘Cult Dem’, ‘Doom Rif’, ’Living a Lie’, ‘Own Ya‘, ‘Make Your Mark‘, ‘Get it Now‘ and ‘’Death to Spies‘ are the anthems of a man so insane you are instantly sent behind the bed for cover yet want to worship the ground he stomps, screams and slams himself from wall to walk on at the same time.

Aggressive melodic and often both the two at one time this band blend their reggae and their rock 'n’roll faultlessly with big punchy pop-like chorus lines you could get in hundreds of other commercial rock genres yet remain brutal mode the rest of every tune. Terrifying, but not terrible, Skindred not so much skin but mercilessly flay on the bone with this latest album. Modern-day UK metal at its finest.

Buy!

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Dub War, Stuck Mojo, Limp Bizkit, Boy Count, Biohazard, Strapping young Lad & White Zombie.
NET: www.skindred.net www.myspace.com/skindred

THE 16 DEADLY IMPROVS - The Triumph of The…
(Rosemont Recordings - 2011)

The Sixteen Deadly Improvs are six very talented sounding chappies from sunny old California state who house a huge pedigree of prog and classic rock names on their influence roster and boy they strive to make most of them at least half proud.

Having as many as sixteen tracks on the list itself allows for a balanced of all that’s in their store, and they share it out like everyone listening seems after something different from their spectrum. For every vocal number there’s an instrumental, for every intriguing guitar arrangement, threes a tastily flute or keyboard melody hiding behind to impress with all heads focused on substance even though it does occasionally slip to just aimless noise as all instruments clash at the edge.

‘Spirit or Matter’, ‘Torpedo’, ‘Invincible Pole Fighters’, ‘Into Another time’, ‘Gargantua’, ‘Sand Palm’, ‘Dear Me’, ‘You’d Make A Lot Of Money’, ‘Death To Disco’ and ‘The Burrowers Beneath’ won't gain them the greatest area of commercial musical ground but on their own merit matches them up with the mightier pillars holding up the prog temple.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree, Dream Theater, Rush & Jethro Tull.
NET: www.myspace.com/thesixteendeadlyimprovs

SOWN AMONG THORNS - Journey Of A Life
(Dual Nature Records - 2011)

You wonder.. How does a vocal/keyboard only act qualify for its place in the pages of a hard rock ‘zine? Well it happened before and it deserves to happen again - at least for Sworn Among Thorns.

The US-based duo’s sweet AOR/alternative amalgam is largely delectable even with no guitars (I do lie, there is the occasional piece of rhythm/lead where seems legitimate for good measure) and serves up some wonderful keyboard anthems from messrs Lapchon and Fratelli. The Christian-themed concept is fully evident in the titles list but ’What Will You Be’, ’, ’Hurry Up & Wait’, ’’Someone Else’, ‘But I Can Praise‘, ’Don’t Take My Light Away’, ’Biblical Blues’ and ’Just A Prayer Away’ are allowed to be enjoyed as lush melodic rock tunes whatever ones own beliefs dictate.

Frankly, Michael Lapchon hasn’t got the most exemplary set of pipes I’ve heard put to use but stands notable for his vocal clarity - thee is not one word you’ll fail to decipher throughout the whole twelve numbers. Put together with co-conspirator Nick Fratelli, they form an undisputedly talented musical team on the ol ‘ tinklers. Songwriting done to perfection, ‘J.O.A.L’ is worth at least half one good listen before judging.

Great.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Toto, Pink Floyd & Steely Dan
NET: www.sownamongthorns.com

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

STREETKIND - Ocean Grown

(S/R - 2011)

Grown thankfully on this side of the ocean, this young combo deal in a pleasantly chirpy brand of pop/ska/new wave fused noise that probably offend metalheads no end but for the non-purists will give you plenty to bounce up and down to on your bedroom chair unit l it breaks.

Letting no boundaries go uncrossed, there’s a welcome rap element in between sweetly melodic hooks that also enjoy a Latin overtone, notably opener ‘ole’. Potential hits loom throughout in other favourites like ‘This Is Love’, ‘Lay It On Me’, and ‘Alt Diggin’, although the momentum is hampered in between by a brace of three tracks that go uncomfortably into boy band territory and almost begin to damage my faith levels.

‘Heat Rises’ finally set the wheels back on course just in time but its almost a struggle if you’ve not been put off al little by now. If you are partial to a good ol’ blast of UB40 with added rock balls, for six of these nine tunes, this comes especially for you. Streetkind if not a little too just street occasionally, this band are hugely tipped for greatness if they keep up albums more dominant style.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED (Except tracks 6-8) IF YOU LIKE: UB40

SNAFU - S/T
(Repetoire - 2010)

Their debut that came out in 1973 - a classic early 70's band that featured Micky Moody on guitar who was later to be in the 1st incarnation of Whitesnake, but let's not jump the gun.

These guys were a funky outfit who also deleved into country aspects because that's basically what they were into and managed to get signed on what they dug doing and got a deal with Vertigo and this 8 tracker has really got some beauties such as the opening funkyness of 'Long Gone'; the gospel edged rocker 'That's The Song'; a cover of the soulful 'Drowning In The Sea Of Love'; the autobiographical 'Goodbye U.S.A' (something I can always identify with) and the countriness of 'Morning, Morning' (feat. Micky on Mandolin) and 'Country Nest'.

Wish you got bands like this now - sounds perfect to me!

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Status Quo - Under The Influence

(Edel/ear Music - 2011)

A really together album from the Quo that originally got released in 99, but now it's out as a deluxe copy with bonus numbers. Cool thing is, is that I got all the other albums, bar this one so I was rather impressed when this landed in the mailbox.

It has everything you'd want from this nearly 50 year old band - yes it really is getting to 5 decades of the UK Rock Legends. Man, I love the Quo and have done since '78 and there's some real gems on here such as the opening 'twenty Wild Horses'; 'Shine On' that reminds of a slower version of 'Creepin' Up On You' and the fast 'n' rockin' 'Making Waves'.

Then there's the beautiful and loving acoustic ballad 'Blessed Are The Meek'; the coutried up version of Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away' with some excellent guitar pickin' on there. Then there's the excellent bonus numbers like the 2 great covers of 'Sea Cruise' and 'I Knew The Bride' and a live version of the opening number from Antwerp in 1999.

Anotherr fine Quo album.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SAUL - Embrace The Rain
(S/R - 2010)

Not an unforseen shock decision by ex Gun n’ Roses man Slash to use his natural name on the front of a release for a change, this Iowa trio are quite a pleasing combination of most styles he’s peddled out elsewhere since 1995.

For fans of Velvet Revolver in particular the grunge/hard rock fusions of 'Atrocious Ra', 'Intimacy' and 'Take It From Me' will be appetising and their whole sound, whilst precariously below par with originality, is tastily solid. Punchy guitar drives and a gravely Stayley -schooled throat from Blake Bedsaul add to favourable a reception these five tunes will earn them.

Worth trying.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Metallica & Bush
NET: www.myspace.com/saul_music

SCRATCHED MATINEE - Notes From The Incurable
(S/R - 2010)

Although an unknown band name the principal founder’s is an instantly familiar one. Chris Francis, former lead shredder for Manc AOR goliaths, Ten resurfaces with a new project that will surprise or shock fans of his earlier catalogue of musical wonder-stuffs or both.

For the latest thirteen songs he has created Chris takes a clipping of every hedge round the musical lawn and planted them to create his own pretty sounding shrubs. Metal, blues, 60's, grunge, industrial and the inevitable very hard rock edge all come up in their equal cut of the action substantiating tunes like ‘The Scarlet Ice’, ‘Those Long Winter Evenings’, ‘Horror Show’, ‘New Moon Monday’, 'Mother Medicine', ‘Ward 19’ and 'Mr Spencer’ to a delightful hilt.

The unmistakable Francis solo sound is still about, make on mistake , his own retro twist taking advantage of having his own machine to drive and he proves to have been benefiting from listening to his Tom Jones collection before writing. Its not unusual, well maybe again it is but ‘N.F.T.I.’ is unusually great for it and with an impressive Kroeger -like delivery from Phil Pilsworth, Chris’ career continues to mount a high rung.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Queen ,Nickelback, Bush, Beatles & Madness.

NET: www.myspace.com/scratchdmatinee

SKIN TRADE - The Heretic
(S/R - 2010)

LA Rockers, Skin Trade might have been mistaken as having originated from that good ol’ town up the road beginning ‘S’ and ending ‘e’ with the sound they have.

It’s nonethelesss very refreshing and pleasing to pick up on the style of pure grunge again a couple of decades down the line. Eclipsing a brace of other diverse titbits into their sound, ST run off eleven tasty slices from the musical sausage. Based around the three-chord thang as expected, the hooks and instant-ness of their tunes is constant from start to end with fast flying choruses and no endless solos if practically any at all.

With ehoes of Stone temple Pilots and also the Stooges sounding amidst their cheerful noise, these guys will be great fun live for everything including their music.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nirvana, Alice In Chains & Soundgarden

NET: www.myspace.com/skintrade

SUBVERSION - Lest We Forget
(Subversion Records - 2010)

A band who impressed me ten months ago with their ‘Treason ‘EP Brit extreme metal innovators Subversion look to have been very busy fulfilling their promise as their debut long-player finally makes it to my door, packed with a whopping fifteen.

Their angry deathcore noise transpired to be an unexpected helping of ear candy when I listened to them last time , and it so continues without disappointment. Heavy with hammer -verses- skull degrees of intensity , the melodic chorus breaks make themselves a mainstay of Subversion’s sound, as do hooks plus there’s even a vaguely Celtic turn to one or two parts. ’The City I Here’, ’’into The City’, ’Butchered’, ’To Gain Your Gain’, ’In Order To Live’, ’What We Are Entitled’, along with personal favourites ’Bypass’ and the title track are powerful and strong tunes for more than basic reasons , also needing to mention nice keyboard touches from Chaz Barnes -when audible- and the provocative war theme of the lyric.

Ad-libbing actual sound footage from our fellas on the frontline pays dividends for the dramatic concept of the disc and the solo at the entry to ’Treason’ itself is circumstantially majestic in its harmony with a victorious overtone. Totally upholding and surpassing the expectations laid in my last review of their work, Subversion come on strong on their first full-length spinner, supplying their live set with more than the menace and power it requires. Incredible and inventive ’LWF’ is an example for formative death acts to follow instead of letting themselves become dragged down that other deathly hole.

(Anybody notice I said ‘death’ twice there?)

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Killswitch Engage, Fear Factory, Strapping Young Lad, Messuggah & Black Sabbath.

SAMANDRIEL - Awakening
(S/R - 2010)

As the girl-fronted metal overload of late continues to seduce us, I try hard to ignore the fact that you can have too much of a good thing. In fact, sod all that - this band are beautifully schooled in their melodic metal craft and give you everything you want from the scene and all the more surprising, they’re not Polish or Scandinavian even but Canadian.

Strongly operatic and boldly enriched in the essences of progression, the Alberta five-piece are led by the powerfully sweet-pitched tones of Doneka Reid who must have spent all of her previous lives in a school choir to have brought it up to the stunning octave-roving range topping the swish instrumental mix throughout this six-tracker. Messrs Jankovic and Black bring it on with solidly smooth performances on strings and keys apiece and create a stunningly accessible feel that doesn’t allow one to feel like skipping any of the longer tracks.

Fabulous music from another Canadian machine, Awakening is just what the hard orck scene is doing over there, not that it ever laid totally dormant.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Nightwish, Anathema & Stratovarious
NET: myspace.com/samandriel

Ritchie Sambora - Shark Frenzy
(Retro World/Floating World Records - 2010)

Way back before Bon Jovi came to be Bruce Foster discovered an unknown guitarist called Ritchie Sambora and to cut a long story short a band called Shark Frenzy was created. Here for the 1st time you get volumes 1 and 2 of that band and I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised with how good this band was - they ought to reform in fact.

There are elements of different bands here such as 'Come Saturday Night' (Hanoi Rocks & Cheap Trick), 'Law Of the Jungle (Humble Pie), 'Southern Belle' (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Platinum Heros (The Beatles), 'I'll Play The Fool (Meatloaf & Smokie) - you get the picture - various styles of rock ranging from Southern Rock right throught to New Wave.

Brilliant to hear one of the 1st ever Ritchie Sambora songs where he takes care of lead vocals also on the rocker entitled 'A Good Life'. Other great songs include the 12-bar 'Til The Walls Come Down' and a brilliant cover of The Beatles 'Golden Slumbers'. Kinda makes me wonder why this band didn't make it - probably because record companies couldn't label them into a particular genre and pigeonhole them.

Well worth hearing how it all began for the future Bon Jovi Guitarist.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SEARCHING FOR CALM - Celestial Greetings
(Mystic Production - 2010)

Polish alt rock experimentalists Searching for Calm appear dangerously multi dimensional in what they get up to. With opening track ’Screens’ they proceed to tease me at first with a hardcore noise before going into a pleasant prog rock sound and we are immensely stewed as to what is to follow for the rest of the disc space.

A Police like thread weaves its loom through the earlier numbers, especially, ‘Follow’ and ’ Transformation’ plus ballad ‘Celestial’ and this provides the more comfortable part of the record. Other areas see the sound adapting back to the earlier forecast aggro-metal format which is not all that bad either, but some rather shaky examples, especially the badly sung mess that is ‘Airs and Graces’, a number I feel is a little out of place amongst this platter.

The lattter three tunes drag their feet a considerable iota but the impressive experimental guitars hold the substance there and the overall vibe from the disc is positive. Sounding good but capable of being put together, Searching for Calm are at least doing a lot of that.

Not bad, boys.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: myspace.com/searchingforcalm

Smoking Bird - Survivors
(Osopho Productions - 2010)

Great country rock sounding dudes with elements of The Rolling Stones & The Georgia Satellites in there and more laid backness as well. Coming from Spain, they've actually been at it since 1997 and originally called Junk whose vocalist reminds me of Davey Vain of Vain.

This latest release of theres features 8 cookin' songs with highlights including the well vocal harmonied 'Everybody Knows'; the beautiful piano and echoing guitar leading 'What We Really Need is' and the official closer 'Survivors' that's got some really nice acoustic guitar work on it.

Good, tight 'n' together band.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

STRATOVARIUS -Infinite (Special Edition)
(Armoury Records - 2010)

By rights a ‘Blast From The Past’ item, Stradivarius’s significant masterpiece is never undeserving of a second round of recognition once more Obviously a kind of tenth anniversary re-release, this double-disc version of the Finish melodic metallers first incendiary lp is an important opportunity for those with the excuse of ever being able to find it on their HMV shelves.

From the moment ‘Hunting High and Low’ steams into action with that first majestic chorus the standards are weighed and set to be judged by. ‘Millenium‘, ‘Phoenix‘, ‘Million Light Years Away’ and ’Why Are We Here?’ should’ve, by all perceivable rights been as huge as ‘I Want Out’ or ‘Run to the Hills’. These twelve numbers marked their scorch on the floor not only not only because of incendiary performances from guitarist Timo Tolkki and ex-Yngwie key-ster Jens Johnansson but also because they have hooks in all of their songs which vocal tornado Timo Kotipelto proceeds to do above justice to.

Promisingly produced demos of ’Hunting..’ and ’Millienium are included amongst the bonuses, the four freebies also made up by live versions of ’Phoenix’ and ’Infinity’ from one of the countless European tours Scandinavian metal’s most hardest working sons never seem to see the end of. A generously reincarnated gift for those still after the greatest tasting sounds symphonic metal has to offer.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Helloween, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody, Dragon Force, Magnum, Primal Fear, Dream Theater, Judas Priest & Saga.

SWORN - S/T (E.P.)
(S/R - 2010)

French foursome Sworn hide their four-track mini album behind some interesting Salvador Dali-esque doodles on the sleeve artwork, also forecasting an unorthodox sound to come within.

Kicking off the first number with a powerful old school thrash riff, they turn out to be more of a prog vehicle, yet maintain the thrash prowess. Unusually for the style its strong Cobain vibes in the vocal department but there is no interference on the scope between this and their prettily strummed solo lines. The purists will approves of most elements , especially with the tunes being quite on the long side as well but the whole collection is mostly fun for the connoisseur.

Commendable offering from another undiscovered name, I swear this lot are worth a listen.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Dream Theater, Threshold, Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree & Nirvana.
NET: myspace.com/swornfr

SYMPHONY CULT - Rewind to Fast Forward
(Copro - 2010)

Riding the plethora of new girl-fronted acts, London’s Symphony Cult are plucked from amongst the finest of the current new crop.

Diving in with energy from the press of play to the final note, riffs, chorus and treble laden angst workouts waste no time in coming and send you straight into another track before you even think to stop listening. Putting the common three, punk, metal and hard rock all into the modern musical shamrock, the leaves grow fast from seeds well watered seeds such as ’You’, ’This Devastation’, ’Breaking Free’, ’Under the Lights’ ’The Riddle’, ’Speak’ and ’Goodbye and Goodnight. Like many fantastic versatile female voices we are graced with nowadays Charlotte Lubbock unleashes her harmonies with that loveably universal range typically suited as much to a Goth outfit as to a hard rock or alt act.

One would have to regard that twin guitarists John and Barney steal their half of the show with tight rigid lines and progressions still allowing for flow with the mood direction of each tune, and putting an impressive job on the sliding as well. Three years in the coming, Symphony Cult’s debut LP justifies all its manic anticipations with a brutal performance right across the board, hopefully another one across the boards will be a possibility before long.

Fantastic - a Cult classic and potentially more than, our beloved island has finally done it again.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Evanescence, Alter Bridge, Anathema, Doro & Lita Ford

NET: myspace.com/symphonycult

Joe Satriani - Black Swans And Wormhole Wizards
(Sony Music - 2010)

11 slabs of instrumental music brilliance from satch that start with the church bells of the rockin' 'Premonition' and end on the funky space-age groove of 'God Is Crying'.

In between these you get hightlights on the album include the epic positivieness of 'Pyrric Victoira'; the bluesy at times like 'Littleworth Lane'; the excellent, pumping 'Wormhole Wizards' with the opening mysterious orchestration and the amazing balladeering 'Wind In The Trees'. Every track is beautifully crafted and produced to say the least.

You really got to be in the right mood for an album by Joe so pour yourself a few drinks, switch off the light and chill out to some top-notch axe warming tones and knockout rifferey. It really makes you wonder where all these amazing tunes come from at times.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Scarlet Viper - Roll The Dice (Single)
(S/R - 2010)

From Italy, we get a decent enough hard rock sleazy sounding single with the only drawback being the vocals which are a bit too throaty and got fully glam enough to make a big impact. They kinda remind me of 'Dear Superstar'.

Could be a good support band by the sounds of their material - if memory serves me right they've played with one of our locals, Silverjet.

File under - could get well known in time.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

Senes - De-Evolution Of Theory
(Global Music - 2010)

The 1st instrumental album on the the label. He goes by the name of Steve Senes and is pretty damn good I have to say - close to the Satriani kinda league without all the mad space-age sounds going off.

Plenty of guitar highlights here include excellent opener 'The Swami' with its killer wailing notation; the beautiful acoustic 'Ruth'; the madcap 'Cop Show' that get's all funky on us; the ballsy rocker that is 'Facecheck'; the sliding away cooly sounding 'High & Mighty' that reminds me of Satch and such icons. Then there's the acoustic likable 'Angel' and gorgious closer 'The Afterglow'.

A promising artist indeed.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Skin - Breaking The Silence
(S/R - 2010)

Comeback and final album from one of the finest hard rock bands of the UK - Skin.

It's an incredle strong album with 'Stronger' saying it all (with it's gospel like harmonies) because it's 'Good To Be Back'. There's a gorgious ballad in 'When I'm With You'; the hard-hitting 'Trigger Inside'; the gospelling powerful ballad 'Redemption' and the excellent epic powerful rocking closer 'Born To Rock 'N' Roll. It's brilliantly well recorded and Myke and the guys have done themselves proud on each and every single song here.

Pity they aren't gonna be here on a long term basis as this album is outstanding.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SMELL MY PILLOW - Off Switch
(Kwall Records - 2010)

As a writer for Metalliville, one is used of course to friendly people grilling me on bands I have written up on in recent times. A question I am usually happy to answer; however when the band’s name happens to be Smell The Pillow…. boy am I going to have trouble.

As you expect from the name, they sound…well, unique, serving up a indie/prog sounding infusion that is in most places good but on first play goes totally over my head. Hunting out the hooks, the subsequent listen sends up a few gems amongst ‘Free‘, ‘Debbie‘, , ’Katelyn’, ‘Walkin’ Tall‘, ’Urban Decay package’ and’ ’Kissing The Ground’ even if they are a bit long in coming.

The electro -peppered vocal production is an addition one over necessary for diversity’s sake and I’ve heard better vocalists in my time, the strains very much cellar on at least a third of the numbers. Still ’Off Switch’ is no switch off - SMP smell of promise rustling amongst the feathers.

Pretty impressive.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: smellmypillow.com

Superhorrorf*ck - Livingdeadstars
(Street Symphonies Records - 2010)

Great rock 'n' roll band who allegedly were a band called Morphin and on the way to a gig, the car crashed into a tree and the bodies dissapeared - lol - whatever. Anyway the tale goes that these zombies did the gig and the rest is history so to speak.

Overall this is your Italian equivalent of Wednesday 13 or Murderdolls basing their songs on horror, sickness, sex and the macabre. It's entertaining and pack 11 songs in to just over 35 minutes including a cover of Kate Perry's 'Hot N Cold'; a cool song called 'Holy Zombie' about Jesus Christ - oh the Bible thumpers will love this - lol; then there's the multi-riffin' excellence of 'Welcome To My F***k Show' or the rappy wild rockin' punkish closer 'The Texas Chainsaw Ranger'.

Come to the UK - you guys kick ass!!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SWEET JAMES - Multitrack Drifting (EP)
(S/R - 2010)

A Canadian band - where have you guys been hiding? A country I was inundated with bands from almost a decade ago have been relatively quiet in Metalliville circles lately.

Though still a loyal spinner of all discs with the names Honeymoon Suite, Von Groove (or that other chap called Bryan) on the sleeve, its always …welcome of them to bring something as exciting but different to the table and these …. lads don’t let me down. Filling up their tanks with fuel dated 1970, they deliver a smooth retro/alternative conglomeration that is constantly infectious for all five cuts, most notably Skynrd -accented rock n’ rollers ‘The Wanderer’ and ’Movin‘ On’.

You don’t seem to see it coming at all , listening to opening numbers ‘Better for The Crime’ and ‘Get on Something Good’ with their totally contrastable prog /indie feel and begin to wonder if there are two different bands with same name playing this album. At least we know one thing, they’re great. Both ways.

Classify and original together this is a great slab of summertime music despite the fact I’m reviewing it during a wintry January day.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Eagles, Blackfoot, Lynryd Skynyrd, ELO, Steely Dan & Faces.

NET: myspace.com/sweetjames www.sweeetjames.ca

THE SINS - The Undone
(SINister Records/TSM - 2010)

Some bands do come across the best of solutions to quarrelling over styles or sitting on a fence between bandwagon jumping and being your own thing completely.

The answer as always, do the whole bloody lot of ‘em…. The styles that is, not the principles, Seattle’s The Sins have done more or less that ever since their incarnation in 2001. This being their third album means we have missed out on some serious treats fro m their first tow as they guys are superb. Attacking every available corner of the rock n’ roll spectrum, including that style itself, literally, plus throwing a violin into it for interesting measure there’s little this manic fivesome are afraid to explore and these twelve tracks are going to rub it right into the faces of the shallow of you.

From Motorhead-spurred punk metal opener ‘El Guitarro’ through Misssion-like ‘Abigail‘, ’Stone Goes Cold, fantastic prog ballad ’Chi Chi’ and the near -glam chorus vocals of ’No Tomorrow’ to soulful acoustic fare like ‘Don‘t You Cry‘ and ’Western’ blueser ’Sin Town’ there is plenty for everyone to peck at without the pretentiousness needle going even halfway. ’Wrapped’ annoys a little with its vaguely over used distortion line but the excellent rapid-fire rhyming couplets on the vocal part make it one of my clearest favourites.

Extremely short on sticky moments, only ’Arms of Devoria’ and ‘Tonight’ get vaguely stuck in the dirt but the rest fly past and get individually noticed. ‘The Undone’ is my first and sweet tastes of an incredibly diverse, talented and wholesome rock band who carve a niche deeper than a breadknife through treacle.

Brilliant stuff - it should be a sin not to check out this one.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Eeerm…. List is too long to fit ,- just try ‘em , it’ll be worth it.

NET: myspace.com/thesins thesinsband.com reverbation.com/thesins

Stray - Valhalla
(Angel Air - 2010)

Del Bronhams awesome blues rockin' trios latest release and it's damn good too.

Highlights include the blazing opener hard rocking reminiscent of Humble Pie 'Move A Mountain'; the murderous power ballad almost military like at times that goes by the title of '1600 Pennsylvania Avenue' and the plodding funkyish (reminding me of Saxon) 'Skin' about being the same really but just different skin.

Then there's the funky 'Double Six'; 'Sing (The Song)' and 'Ghostwriter' that has elements of that famous Blue Oyster Cult number as well then atmospherics of the Pink Floyd (both of which flow and revolved taking it in turns throughout the song); the souly and bluesy 'Rainy Day Blues' and the alomost late 60's like Beatley closer 'You'

Cracking album well worth checking and seeing Stray play songs off live.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sweetkiss Momma - Revival Rock
(Sonic Boom Records - 2010)

Decent earthy rock band from Puyallup, Washington that remind me of younger guys on a southern trip and more.

It's totally retro throughout the album - no wonder that that album's titled 'Revival Rock'. Highlights include 'Son Of the Mountain'; the exquisite 'Mercy Love' that has a bit of 'Sweet Home Alabama' riffage and much more in it; 'Rocket Ride' - not be confused with the Kiss number - lol.

Then there's 'Strange Fire' that reminds me of Lynyrd Skynyrd's'Tuesday's Gone'; 'Sugar In The Raw' that comes complete with vocoder and elements of The Steve Miller Band; the Crowesy meet a certain Bad Company ballad 'Good God Woman' and the closing Allmansy vibed 'To Help A Man' that has so much dixie sweetness to it.

F*ck*n' Excellent.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SHELLCASE - Dead Memories
(Monzoo Music/Universal - 2010)

Not that we’re sure if their name is a softer version of headcase, the musical approach of this trio is somewhat along such lines - but believe me when I say do not approach these guys without the balls to handle them.

Shellcase belt out a fearsome twelve shot volley of battering punk metal -oriented ammunition fused on a 50:50 rate between grunge and nu-metal’s better end and hit it home with testosterone-propelled fists. While a decent player, frontman Dave Varlet’s riffing is not always that unfamiliar with a lot of big names of the previous 15 years scene coming to mind but the mix is strong fare, wrapping around his anguished creening like high-quality cling wrap.

If you want to take a bad day at the office out on your bedroom .. but not yourself, play ’Faith’, ’F**ked Up’, ’Lobotomy’, ’’Cold’, ’Scars’, ’Pain’ or ‘Crash landing’ and ‘Fatigue’ if for easing it off in a more mellow demeanour - these guys have music for either mood. Either way, Europe’s best contemporary-rock offering of 2010 has just come crashing through your roof and should be made to stay till played; this album is jammed with strong tunes while weak on… well weak moments and pushes you into each next song with its driving chord lines.

Excellent stuff, boys, we hope to see you hit UK’s stages plenty a time in coming years - please don’t become a dead memory yourselves before you have the chance.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Therapy, Nickelback & Linkin Park

NET: Myspace.com/shellcase

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Snatch Magnet – Screw, Nut & Bolt
(S/R – 2010)

What do you get if you mix The Police, U2 with Iron Maiden and an array other influences plus wild metal? Snatch Magnet – that’s what.

An effective, well engineered and supreme class of musicians here who hail from Hollywood, CA. Their vocal harmonies are exceptional and it appears obvious they have individually put the work in an awful lot. Highlights include ‘MultiGirl’ that sounds like The Edge from U2 guested on it with a newer outfit or the Maidenesque titled funnily enough ‘Call Of The Maiden’. Then there’s early Def Leppard meets The Policeness of ‘Games’ or the intriguing building closer ‘Hybrid’.

Looking forward to catching these guys live sometime.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SPIRIT OF THE DEAD - S/T
(White Elephant Records - 2010)

Norwegian foursome Spirit Of The Dead could have been easy to get into as many bands of their nationality usually are, but they frankly, aren’t.

A laid back pop/prog hybrid, their debut seven -tune selection lacks quite noticeably on the hook front and is wrecked by over piled electro-fuzz on parts ad in cases sends full tracks totally under the surface. Some impressive arrangements save it from complete doom but the excruciating chorus distortion used on the fifth number is a particularly unforgivable sin. What looked at first to be a stimulating taste leaves a very cloudy palate.

Pity.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

Power Metal that reminds me of Mr. Malmsteen & Helloween combined.

The band don’t really need much introduction at all (so I’ll keep it short and sweet – since Tony reviewed the album earlier this year.Highlights include the opening ‘Deep Unknown’, ‘Blind’; ‘Emancipation Suite parts 1 and 2 and ends with the old English folk style of ‘When Mountains Fall’ that I can imagine Ritchie Blackmore taking a liking to these days.

Top Ranking Band of the Genre – be it a bit on the serious side or not.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sasquatch - Sasquatch III
(Smallstone Recordings – 2010)

Sasquatch were formed in Los Angeles in 2001 with a very distinctive style of stoner rock.

On the outskirt of things Sasquatch sound like Monster Magnet with their psychedelic style rock, which gives the listener a full blow rock pleasure. Oh and by the way a guest appearance from Ed Mundell on track 2 ‘Take Me away’

III is a 10 track CD full of the deep hard heavy stuff we all like as ‘Get Out Of Here’ starts rattling the tired bones of an old man. As the CD boulders its way through ‘Complicated’, ‘Walkin’ shoes’, the subtle ‘New Disguise’ and ‘Burning Bridges’ deep down you know we have something special with the taste of success.

If Monster Magnet is your mix then Sasquatch is the finished warm cake.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Sawol - Through Soil and Skin
(Bullroser Records – 2010)

Sawol started as a solo project, but Pekka realised there was more to the slow atmospheric music he was creating.

Sawol are on the verge of Godflesh mixed with Black Sabbath and Opeth. Through Soil and Skin is a 9 track collection of beep, hard pounding, solid metal music. As ‘Furor’ hit the airwaves, Sawol have hit you in the face so hard, only the bright light can lift you and take you to another dimension.

As Through Soil and Skin trudges its way through the CD, Sawol get harder and heavier with every passing second. This atmospheric feel you receive is only the beginning of this epic journey as Sawol engulfs you in their presence.

A very dark and mysterious collection of tunes.

Marvellous.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Serial Obsession - Shotgun Opera

(S/R – 2010)

Serial Obsession have released a full length CD after great press reports from their self-released EP ‘Sexy But Useless’.

Serial Obsession are a mixture of Cheap Trick and Velvet Revolver so you know from the start we have the old school guitar riffs and melodies. Shotgun Opera is a 10 track CD with a disappointing 37 minutes of good solid rock music. As the Cd winds its way through ‘All the way’ to ‘Edge of The Blade’ and to finish with ‘So Cold’ you can’t help but feel there is something missing. Not sure what it is but the excitement is lost slightly.

These guys are talented and play a good tune, which leaves the CD in a very listenable state, but that’s as far as it goes. Unlike Velvet Revolver the passion has been lost but the enthusiasm still remains.

7/10

By Tony Watson

SHOT - S/T
(TSM- 2010)

Not to be confused with nu-metal types Snot, (did these guys have to print their name in lower case), Shot are a five-piece hard rock outfit from Noo Yoik city with an album already under their belt which while turning out to be only five-tunes strong, provides a sweetening example of what they are up to.

Imagine Hanoi rocks, GNR, Sex Pistols and Goo Goo Dolls, - plus another band with ‘Dolls’ in their name - and any disappointment is swept instantly aside. Dirtier than twenty-year old laundry, ’Don’t Come Round Here’, ’Bodies in The Trunk’ and ’In The Streets’ are menacing ieces of sleaze rock and ’Axegrinder’, ideally re-named Axl- grinder is about as close as law allows to the Gunners ’Lies/Appetite’ era.

Bolshy solo fills all the way through some tunes make up the infectiousness elements, close behind the hooks, kicking just about every available backside in the house. Excellent stuff from another hot unknown act hopefully to make bigger waves over the future.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Skanska Mord - The Last Supper
(Smallstone Recordings – 2010)

Unlike most stoner rock bands Skanska Mord are so laid back they are horizontal. Skanska Mord from Sweden formed in 2006 from a breakdown of bands Half Man and Mothercake.

You know what to expect with a stoner rock band, but these guys have added a small laid back and relaxed vibe to the slow deep riffs that are on the verge of early Deep Purple, Ian Gillan with a hint of Soundgarden.

The Last supper as my partner described is like being at a last supper, there is more excitement in a morgue. No real disrespect to this 10 track collaboration, but the slow laid back production is a little too much for everyday listening. As we are filled with the doom and gloom of ‘Under The Volcano’ which rolls into ‘Things are quiet out there’, ‘Doghouse’ and ‘Daybreak’ all you feel like doing is getting a splif out and passing it around the room to help you sink back into the sofa of psychedelic relaxation.

I feel this CD is one for an evening of friends dining and chatting away with a glass of fine wine as it quietly plays in the back ground, without it becoming part of the evening entertainment.

6/10

By Tony Watson

Solace - A.D.
(Small Stone Recordings – 2010)

A small surprise from Small Stone Recordings, unlike previous releases, Solace from New Jersey have generated a fast tempo stoner rock style.

A.D. is a 9 track CD and 59 minutes of fast up tempo beats, dark deep riffs and pounding drums as we enter a world of new stoner rock. Like Monster Magnet, Solace have an excitement, passion and enthusiasm about them as they produce a sound that gets you off your ass.

A.D. hits the ears with ‘The Disillusioned Prophet’ which then transpires into ‘The Immortal, The Dead and The Nothing’ which both exceed 6 minutes of rock pleasure. The only track that is under 5 minutes is ‘The Skull of the Head of a Man’ at a mere 2.47 minutes and you will know why, as the track is played with such speed and force, it makes me wonder if these guys are a metal band.

Solace have a firm base, pace and style to go with it and maybe the next episode will bring another delightful twist

8/10

By Tony Watson

Svolk - Svolk
(Tuba Records – 2009)

Svolk are from Norway with a very distinctive solid rock sound.

As they like to call it Svolk are the first Bear Metal band from the depths of the eastern Norwegian forest.

The self-title CD is 9 track collaboration of solid, fast and furious rock and metal with an entertaining value to go with it. As ‘52’ hits the airwaves you know this big bear isn’t going to stop for nothing as it tears its way through ‘This is it’, ‘Anchor’, ‘Sweet Agony’ to finish with a blood bath of pure pleasure of ‘Dead:30’.

A very exciting band and one with a lot of energy that will come across in their live performances.

9/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sahara Steel – S/T
(Perris Records – 2010)

Young dudes from the United States with one hell of a high ended vocalist who rips the roof off big style in the good old style of Mike from Steelheart!

Highlights include the opening ‘Fatal Heartbreaker’; ‘Booze, Tattoos & Rock ‘n’ Roll’; ‘Man On The Run’ & ‘Push Comes To Shove’. These guys sound dead set for a big support slot on an arena tour or something that calibre because they have definitely got the confidence in the quality of the perfomance and songs over.

They may be unknowns at the mo but by the sounds of this I don’t that will be a long lasting occasion. Proper Hard Rockin indeed.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SNAKESTORM - Choose Your Finger
(Kabuki Records - 2010)

Sweden. Not literally an anagram for great metal bands but nonetheless always treated as one, as ever.

Another sweet seed from the Scandinavian rock poppy, SnakeStorm storm out and coil round you in an indeed viper like grip. Straight ahead rock is a crime to many young metalheads today but SS couldn’t give a flying eff, their finger is well chosen - I think it’s the middle one - with their intense punk meets hard rock attack.

Brought to the barrel by J Meiton’s Lemmy-voiced spit, ’D.T.P.’ , ’Clean Cuts And Leather’, ’The Calling’, ’Black Saints’, ’Swallowed’ and ’Partners In Crime’ are the rock n’ roll produce of a band taking less shit than a toilet blocked by hardened cement. Awesome thrash- meets garage punk guitar fusions alongside their impressive vocalists classy barking assault gives this album its recommendation on a plate. More Nordic without the charm but plenty of the chop.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Motorhead, AC/DC, Metallica, The Clash, The Almighty & Black Sabbath.

NET: myspace.com/snakestorm

Snew – We Do What We Want
(Maman Music – 2010)

Brand new band that are purely in the style of Airbourne, AC/DC, Broken Teeth, Rhinobucket & Cherry St – classic riffing and sqwaky rocking vocals.

They hail from Hollywood and the album is a pure no brainer of rock 'n' rolling brilliance with plenty of highlights throughout that include the titled track ‘We Do What We Want’; ‘Private Stash’; ‘Power Pack’ & ‘Shinebox’.

Wanna good time – this is a perfect way to start.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

SORA - Desire And Truth
(Avenue Of Allies - 2010)

Erol Sora, the chappie who lends his name to the outfit is a Canadian born, UK-bred guitarist /vocalist …. and a bloody good one at that. Brought up on British rock of his seventies youth, he saved all the sweet bits to shape into the perfectly crisp cut melodic rock sound you finally hear in 2010.

Through guitar -driven AOR of ’Taste of Rock ’n Roll’, ’The Storm Has Just Begun’, and ’When You’re Gone’ , ’Diamonds In The Wind’ to more old fashioned foot in the air fodder like ’Rock and Roll Dog’ and ’Stop Messin Around’ this fella leaves no one out. Those grooves are ready to get everyone dancing ad though featuring some very familiar sounding licks it’s the fu of the thing that counts here. Great rollicky solos and decent Meniketti -esque pipes from Mr Sora compound into a lethal mixture than fires off the sparks then sends the bangs flying.

Awesome work from Erol throughout what as it happens is his second album, this must mean we have undiscovered treasure from this talent to dig out .

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Survivor, Whitesnake, Y&T, Led Zeppelin & Giant.

NET: www.erolsora.com
myspace.com/erolsora

SPARKLING BOMBS - Spray Paint Prayers
(Nicotine Records - 2010)

Glitter punk is a scene that has bored me almost more often than entertained me, with only an elite minority of outfits actually coming on stronger with a sound to remember them by.

One outfit guaranteed a place in that small but happier fraction has to be this French fivesome. Not quite at either the Faster pussycat or Fratellis end of the equation, these guys - and one girl - sit in the middle line and send any train not only pulling frantically on the brakes but flying backwards halfway down the line.

The colourful, mid-paced glam pop you get from ‘ Beauty Hides The Lies’, ‘Birthday’, ‘Spattered Spider’, ‘Down’, ‘50s Fallen Heroes’, ‘G.O.N.E.’ and ‘Motown Junk’ is a golden departure from the tedious 200mph pop/punk with slightly glammed up vocal I get tricked into hearing time and time again.

If you seek to hear a genuine slice of sleaze infested rock n’ roll crafted for the 21st century, the infectious hooks and incessant melodies and pace of the ten tunes on this second album (What, you telling me I’ve missed one already?) are almost as good as first stop as your last.

Let’s give these Sparkling young talents a chance before they end up Bombing, for there are plenty other bands of this genre I wish did instead.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Tokyo Dragons, Towers of London, The Darkness, Hanoi Rocks

NET: www.sparklingbombs.com myspace.com/sparklingbombs

STAIRWAY - Interregnum
(S/R – 2010)

Veteran Brit trio Stairway are another of the umpteen classic rock outfits who many on this isle appear to have been denied the liberty of listening to, due to ignorance by certain mainstream rock rags, one beginning ‘K’ coming to mind as usual.

Stairway, now on their fifth elpee are consistent from start to end, serving traditional 70’s British hard rock on a plate and enjoying every second of it as we do along with them. ’The Suffering Servant’, ’I’m Calling’, Born To Die‘, ‘New Life‘, ‘Enter The Light‘. and ’The Battle’s Over’ feature timelessly built hooks and solos from messrs Leslie and Jennens respectively and inject an overall flavour that smacks brilliantly of defunct UK old-schoolers Demon and Dirty Deeds.

Strong if not exactly complex song arrangements keep up the interest factor right across the span and the disc on substantial repeat plays before the review is finally completed. Excellent stuff from another outfit that we deserve to hear a lot sooner that we do.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Rainbow, UFO, Deep Purple & Demon.

NET: myspace.com/stairway

STARFIRE - Eye Of The Storm
(S/R - 2010)

It’s time for one of those bands that you just don’t know what to call- apart from their name.

Starfire are fronted by veteran US guitarist/singer Dairennn Lombard can’t in any way be called metal and barely touch on ’rock’ for that matter but for what they are, at least to the open minded, I could say ’good’. ’Distance’ would pass as something off a seventies romantic movie but it gives you a good first taste of Daireenn’s clean soulful range, and also pleasant piano talents. ’Thinking bout you ’ ‘Waiting’ and the title song continue as the like and though rarely do we review an album with this many guitarless entries these guys come through with some promising progressive vibes.

Very little conventional electric hard rock stringage is involved in the remainder of the nine tunes either, ‘Open’, ’No One But You’, and the Van Halen-like ’I’m On My Way’ being the only ones but the sweet acoustic funk lines we enjoy in ’In The End’ and ’Genie’ make them personal favourites in their full right. Messrs Lombard, Pajer, James and Paulson are a strongly innovative team, whatever you make of their style, and swipe their kudos very much from that as they do form their talent and material itself.

’Different with a capital ’D’ they may be, these chaps are worth a try.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Rush, ELO, Pink Floyd & Kings X.

NET: www.starfire.com myspace.com/starfiretheband

Stray – New Dawn/Alive & Giggin’
(Angel Air – 2010)

A 2 CD set from Del Bronham’s power rockin’ trio that is made of the man himself on lead vocals & guitar, Phil McKee on drums and vocals and Dusty Miller on bass and vocals.

Highlights of ‘New Dawn’ include the opening intro ‘Dawn Rising’ that puts you in mind of a Celtic battle that’s about to begin; the bluesy rock of ‘No Future’; ‘Maybe You Want Me, light Quo-like ‘Further To Fall’; ‘Rock Steady’ with the cool use of the vocoder and the gorgious acoustic ‘I Want More’ with plenty of percussion.

As the title of the 2nd cd suggests it’s a concert where Stray were recorded live at The Robin Hood R&B Club, Brierely Hill West Midlands, England on 21st August 1996 with great cuts including ‘Leave It Down To Us’; ‘Take A Life’; ‘I Believe It’; ‘Buying Time’ and the closing epic ‘All In Your Mind’.

Check ‘em out at a venue you – I will nest time they hit my local.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SadDolls - About Darkness…
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Once in a while the world is blessed by a band that just sweeps you off your feet. SadDolls enter the dark and mysterious depths of Goth metal, similar to Type O Negative, The Fields of Nephilim but slightly heavier.

With a more brutal Goth style, SadDolls have laid down a platform for a new wave of music with their heavy riffs, electronic interludes and deep drum beats. From the intro of ‘Space Loneliness’, SadDolls open up their miserable lives to the public with ‘Bleed All I Can’, ‘Misery’ and ‘Life Equals Zero’.

As the 12 track CD produces more misery and sadness to our lives, ‘Don’t say Goodbye’ throws us down to the bottom of the pit with a very emotional and depressing thump.

This CD is one of the best I have heard for a long time. I hope this hasn’t put a smile on their faces.

10/10

By Tony Watson

Sedona - Golden Valley
(Avenue of Allies Music – 2010)

Sedona have the sound of 80’s California but with a full on French attack from the mid 90’s. This is the first time Golden Valley has ever been released internationally including bonus tracks from the original recording.

Golden Valley is a journey into good rock music with a touch of that country feel that will relax any tired muscle after a hard day at work.

This 12 track CD engulfs the air with pleasant vibes and rocking sounds with a lazy French attitude. As the CD starts with Magic Dream, and surfs into Surfing State of mind, you know exactly what you are in for and as long as you have that in mind, you won’t go wrong.

A very pleasing 49 minutes.

8/10

By Tony Watson

7 Months - In Time
(Active Mind Productions – 2009)

On first reflection I wouldn’t have said 7 Months were a band from LA due to their prog rock style. In Time is a 70’s fiasco of YES, Genesis, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Rush but with a 2000 twist.

7 Months are an extremely complex of musical talent of rock and jazz with a soft undertone of progressive metal that sets a new style of commercial rock.

In Time is a 10 track accolade of things that have gone before. Throughout the 55 minutes I struggled to get to terms with the complexity of the sound and the intense feel to the whole production. It’s good to have people who are talented and play their instruments, but occasionally there come to a point where their skills get in the way, which causes a chaos of sound.

Unlike the early prog rock or even the modern rock music, 7 Months fail to produce something new and exciting, which is a dam shame. Due to all the musical content of the tracks with the same style and tone I struggled to find the tracks that stood out.

5/10

By Tony Watson

Skindred - Shark Bites and Dog Fights
(Bieler Bros/Atlantic – 2009)

Skindred are one of those bands that you hear in the club, go home, sleep off the beer and wake up the next day forgetting what the hell you did last night. Which is a damn shame? They aren’t a band that get the publicity they deserve, and ‘Shark Bites and Dog Fights’ is one of those CD’s.

Skindred have released a classic of a CD, with their metal/reggae/punk/alternative style, is this the confusion for most simple minded people? I don’t know! But what I can comment on is the brilliance of this compact CD.

‘Shark Bites and Dog Fights’ is playful, energetic and joyful. With tracks that are straight to the point, no messing about and there to be enjoyed by all. As ‘Stand For Something’ gets your ass on to the dance floor ‘You Can’t Stop It’ does exactly what is says on the tin as you then are spun into an Eddie Grants ‘Electric Avenue’, which is one of the best cover versions I have ever heard. And if that doesn’t get you up, you must be dead.

Skindred have probably released their best CD to date and the energy throughout will only leave you wanting more.

10/10

By Tony Watson

SONIQ THEATER - Unknown Realities
(TSM - 2010)

Why is it that great surprises are so good at the habit of being spoilt, these days?

While a veteran of ten albums, Alfred Mueller should know that any use of the word ‘Theater ‘ on his band name will give away the game especially for the new generation of young proggies after a first try. With this in the air, my first taste of his long-running one-man show Soniq Theater melts pleasantly in the mouth.

Performing a verse-chorus-verse tune on a keyboard as opposed to vocally is something very few can ever pray to carry off but Alfred is clearly a master of the art, with harmonies than most half -decent vocalists level up to, and he even creates hooks too on quite few of the eleven cuts. Not exactly a one-trick pony of his trade, his guitar work is as strongly polished with decent bends and Vai/Yngwie-esque moments aplenty, though not as overwrought and playing its portion without blanketing the remaining instruments.

While the synth effect becomes uncomfortably boy-band like on one track, it is rendered a superficial blot on his copy book by the overall consistence of the disc, - some of the astounding workouts he pulls off on his ivories will have any people called Sherinian or Rudess running for cover.

Unknown reality from an unknown genius.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

NET: www.soniqtheater.de

SorrowfulAngels - Ship In Your Trip (EP)
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Greek gothic rock band with a Sisters of Mercy, Paradise Lost and The Mission feel.

SorrowfulAngels have generated a new style of goth/rock genre with a dark mystical overtone and powerful undertones.

Ship In Your Trip is a 10 track collection of fresh new music that engulfs the darker side of goth, which is not only catchy but also an absolute pleasure to listen to. The dark feel has you caught in a magical mystical venture as ‘Denial’, ‘Red Sunrise’ and ‘A Long Stay’ takes over your mind.

Although the EP is released as a 5 track, the presence it has placed is an arms wide open welcome for the rest to enter.

8/10

By Tony Watson

Spitfire - Die Fighting
(Emotion Art Music – 2009)

Greek metal band that have been around since the middle eighties, but have only released 4 albums, with the latest ‘Die Fighting’ riding a storm into the UK.

Spitfire are a solid rock/metal band with precise vocals, steady drums and bass and tons of guitar solos, licks and flicks.This style of metal is the old Judas Priest and Metal Church that comes across load and clear as ‘The King of a Mountain’ pounds its way through the thick fog of the 90’s to land on your lap with an energetic big wig head bang performance.

The 13 track CD has some delightful tracks such as ‘Die Fighting’, ‘Macedonia’ and ‘Danger in the World’, but there are also ballads such as ‘Icarus’ and a live acoustic track to finish the CD off quite nicely.

Unfortunately the CD fails to reach out to the masses due to the lack of power that Judas Priest and Metal Church have.

5/10

By Tony Watson

Steelgar - Xenocide
(Pegada Brutal – 2010)

Exodus, Testament and Overkill watch out Steelgar have hit these shores with their 80’s style thrash/speed metal and plan to take on the world.

Xenocide is a 10 track solid thrash CD from start to finish as they churn out the power chords and furious riffs. As soon as ‘Injected’ hits the ears a sudden flash back to the 80’s big wigs, leather bike jackets, Hitec Hitops and skin tight jeans come into view with a pungent smell of sweat, bear and bike oil.

Steelgar start well with the speed and thrash but as the CD continues, it’s like the speed slows down slightly which is a bit of a shame, but overall you can’t knock the songs of ‘Retaliator’, ‘Raiders of the Sand’ and ‘Thrashing Knights’.

A blast from the past but a disappointment for today as the excitement disappears.

7/10

By Tony Watson

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Quennsryche, Magnum, Journey, Helloween

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Surefire – S/T
(Newkirk Records – 2009)

Surefire are from Brooklyn, New York United States, who have released a self titled debut CD with a Beatles, Oasis and Black Crowes sort of feel.

This melodic rock band embraces the world of rock with open arms of love and hope that gives the whole CD a pleasant feel with an ora of pure white.

As the CD glides through its 10 tracks as you get a sense of a warm feeling as tracks such as ‘Stone Fox’, ‘Hold On To The Feeling’ and ‘By My Side’ wraps you up in a warm blanket of unforgettable tunes.

As a debut CD, Surfire have released a masterpiece.

9/10

By Tony Watson

Sun Gods In Exile - Black Light, White Lines
(Small Stone Records – 2009)

Sun Gods in Exile formed in 2008 gathering a multitude of followers with their mellow stoner rock style music before the elease of Black Light, White Lines.

This four piece band release their energy in their music as they would play a live performance, creating a raw un-interfered style production.

Black Light, White Lines has a different energy to the styles of stoner rock that’s on the market at the moment, with its tamer approach. The CD is not full of hard heavy beats, but is full of good classic rock style influences.

Although some people may put them in the stoner rock category, I would personally give a good solid rock feel as you venture through the world of ‘Eye for an Eye’, ‘Heaven Help us all’ and ‘The Gripper’ to name a few.

Unfortunately it’s nothing new and nothing exciting jumps out and bites you in the balls.

5/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
Pantera, Machine Head, Slayer, Exodus, Dark Angel, Sepultura, Testament, Metallica

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Seasons Lost - After the Storm
(Silverwolf Productions – 2009)

After the storm is a good solid debut rock CD from Seasons Lost, who are a five piece band formed in 2005 Fort Lauderdale Florida.

We have the subtle tones of Stained, the darkness of Alice in Chains and the enthusiasm of Breaking Point. This 10 track CD floats from track to track expressing the passion and the love of rock music Seasons Lost has to offer, as the grab the listener in a solid state moment and then release them back into the real world with a feather like drop.

After the Storm is full of passion that is felt throughout each track as they progress from 'To hell and back', 'Confession' and 'The Big Empty' to finish with 'Predanatural' and 'Grave Shift' that finishes off a very thought out and intriguing CD.

I'm not saying Seasons Lost are a here now gone tomorrow band as I do expect several more CD coming our way, with a progression to go with it.

8/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sound Storm - Twilight Opera
(Rising Records – 2009)

This debut CD from Sound Storm has a operatic feel with a majestic overtone released within a power metal blanket.

Musical wise this CD has the power, the punch and the aggression to entice any power metal fan but the vocals have something of a operatic feel that needs a bit of time to get use too. As the CD is titled Twilight Opera, that is what you get. Imagine Phantom of the Opera meets power metal and there you have Sound Storm.

I would say an acquired taste is needed here with an open mind to alternative metal as the 11 tracks rattles through its progressive theme to tell its story to the world of good, evil and true love.

Sorry to say the true love for this CD did not pull my heart strings, which leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

4/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

Sycronomica - Sycroscope
(Silverwolf Productions – 2009)

Death metal has returned with a violent blast that puts Cradle of Filth to shame. Sycronomica rage their way through the realm of death to enlighten the cold dark earth with a sophisticated, melodic and complex death metal. As the world dies around us Sycronomica enters our doom and gloom with such force, the world can only surrender to their wants and needs.

Sycroscope grabs your balls so hard that your vocal screams can only be heard by dogs as this 9 track epic drags us into a world of pain and pleasure as they rip their way through 'Kaleidoscope', 'Realm of Dust and Ashes', 'The Call' and 'Embers' to name a few. The vocal growls are so cold, the shiver down your spine stays with you forever, the complicated guitar riffs churn your blood as the pounding drums stop the heart with a curse of no return.

Unlike most death metal bands Sycronomica bring in a touch of classical, progressive, atmospheric and technical influences that stands them out from the rest. Forget about Gorgoroth and Cradle of Filth, Sycronomica is the way forward.

8/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Although this is a three track EP, Surfaces have developed a technical death metal/thrashy style that is very entertaining to listen too.

They rate themselves in the same league as Meshuggah, Textures, BTBAM and Suicide Silence. With their deep sound, grunge guitars, cruel and evil vocals and their jackhammer drums. It’s a shame I have only 3 tracks ‘Voices and Lies’, ‘This Broken Black’ and ‘Icy Trails’ as I wanted more.

Keep it up lads.

9/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SINNOCENCE - Scar Obscura
(SPV - 2009)

Sinnocence are a four –piece from Northern Ireland and have a sound I’ve not failed to come across about 100,000 times previously (from four-pieces from North America) but their melodic metalcore sound is fun by the time you’re about 3 tracks in.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Enjoyable to listen to but I do feel they will be boring after a few listens but at this moment I am quite enjoying the party feel.

7/10

By Tony Watson

Very dark and heavy… keep it up.

7/10

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

SPANK - Get Bent
(S/R - 2009)

Oh come on, this is getting silly. Were it not for my rockular expertise, I would have assumed this North Carolina quartet’s moniker advertised some corny sleaze-punk wannabes hiding beyond the bushes, and the equally risque title hardly helps.

Yet on commencing my exploration of the musical content, I find oneself pleasantly surprised to discover some rather delightful melodic rock greeting me out of the speakers. The opening two numbers, ‘Turkey Leg’ and ‘Gravity’ are good enough for starters but ‘Back To Me’ is where it takes off. A strongly Scandinavian–edged sound .....oh yeah...fires away down the track, ‘Breathing’, ‘Terrified’ and ‘In Time’ the three other hook-fuelled rockers that follow closely behind. Kept alive by luscious guitar lines and great blues licks, the twin lead vocals of their two six-stringers provide a welcome Nelson element and, into the bargain, ballad ‘Hard To Understand’ brings the brothers themselves to mind.

Maintaining regard fro the requirements of diversity, Space’ is a mid –paced sludger with prog metal feel, and the lads close with punk feel on ‘Step Out Of Line’ . Why this album, the Charlotte outfit’s second, spans only a measly 33 minutes, 47 seconds tests me as it is to most extents quite a beaut. A practically unknown force in the UK< Spank nonetheless have something here that will certainly give melodic rock doubters six of the best but I myself will turn that ‘6’ upside down for a more accurate rating.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE:
MotleyCrue, Every Mother‘s Nightmare, Poison, LA Guns, Danger Danger, Enuff Z’nuff, Ratt.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Ex-members of The Darkness who have now have a band that sounds nothing much like the last outing at all – this is a real mixed bag of styles – making each song stand out with its own merit alone.

On this here album they comprise of Richie Edwards (Lead Vocals/Guitar); Toby McFarlaine (Bass/Backing Vocals); Dan Hawkins (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals) & Ed Graham (Drums) - since then though ex-Bush Drummer Robin Goodridge is now the full-time stickman.

Every single song is f*ck*n’ outstanding and there’s little wonder why it got nomiated as one of the best Rock Albums at Classic Rock Awards in 2008. Theres Rock ‘n’ Thrash in the opening ‘Burn The Witch’; the literally, haunting acoustic ‘Magdalen Street’ with harmonious beautiful backing vocals; the AC/DC like legendary tour story taled addictive ‘I’m With The Band’ with a killer solo from Dan & the positiveness of ‘Start Of Something’.

Then there’s the Status Quo like rocker ‘Making It Hard’; the autobiographical ‘Wasting Time’ about working it up in rock ‘n’ roll no matter what the odds are with a wonderful musical and vocal arrangement – well they do do it everynight or the dry-mouthed, oh sh*t we’ve missed last orders tonightness of the excellent closer ‘Oh Where ‘O My Beero’ that’s a political stand about pub opening times.

A tremendously amazing album that will be played again and again – I think this will go down as a Classic Album in years to come.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Tony Watson

4/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

6/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Tony Watson

-100/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Dave Attrill

SQEALER - The Circle Shuts
(AFM - 2008)

Encounter a German metal label and you’re about twice more than likely to find a truckload of national acts on its roster. That’s not to say quantity gets the upper hand over quality on AFM’s turf, and Teutonic thrash vets Sqealer are around to peddle strictly the latter of those two.

Formerly sporting ‘A.D.’ on the end of their moniker, the change of sound that comes with it is really one of sorts back to the classic edge from their heyday, but not a total throwback in itself. New vocalist Norbert Vornam, who fills the shoes stepped out of by ex-Grip Inc man Gus Chambers has a kind of Joey Belladonna-meets-Chuck Billy throat to fill in the top layer above those tow placed firmly in position already by the considerably diverse work of their two guitarists.

Messrs Schiel and Doring’s CD cases haven’t missed out totally on some current-day content - there’s a lot of the contemporary thrash scene to be heard in most of these songs, on top of the nostalgia elements. Less old school -purified than label mates Tankard they may be, but Squealer also have a well-conditioned engine on which to run, with no black smoke coming out the back quite yet.

Good stuff.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Evile, Anthrax

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

S-Core - Gust of Rage
(Drakkar Records/Sony BMG -2008)

A Hardcore, speed power, thrash metal band from Eastern France, yes that’s right from eastern France, no realy! Yes, this surprised me, I fact I will say it again, these guys are from FRANCE.

I must admit not much with regards metal music comes out of France but this has come as a bit of a shock. The power generated within their music is clearly displayed throughout the CD. A solid thrash feel that isn’t new but has a different edge to it. I would say they maybe nearly on the same verge as Bloodbath with a mixture of Machinehead but without the years of experience.

As you delve through ‘Greaser One’, ‘Requiem for a dying race’, ‘Buried’ and ‘Pangenesis’, the solid stable sound stays throughout with no massive alteration to their concept.

As this is nothing new, I do believe they will get a good following within Europe and I do wish them all the best for the future.

7/10

By Tony Watson

4/10

By Tony Watson

9/10

By Tony Watson

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - 1978: Live In Boston
(Fuel 2000 Records - 2008)

Within the inlay card the first sentence ended with the words ‘are a dying breed’, I am sorry to say when this was recorded in the Christmas period of 1978 I think they were already dead.

The sound is old-fashioned R&B (rhythm & blues), with the typical uptown rock and roll. If you are a big fan of early Springsteen, then you will probably enjoy this, but if you were more in tune with the times, then I would give this one a miss.

Overall this bored me and it drained the life and soul out of my party.

2/10

The 2 is for the production.

By Tony Watson

10/10

By Tony Watson

Stonewall Noise Orchestra - Constants In An Ever Changing Universe
(The Unit Music Co. - 2008)

This second release (Debut for the UK) from the Swedish hard rockers have released a powerful, melodic and double guitar riffed CD with a vocalist that sound like Chris Cornell. This band bought back memories of Soundgarden, Monster Magnet and Black Sabbath but also have the influence Audioslave, Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry.

With band like Soundgarden, Monster Magnet and Tool being their main influences you know exactly what you are getting, a deep stoner rock grunge style that accompanies the vocals if they were a match made in heaven.

From ‘Skyscraper moment’ to ‘The Inventor’ through ‘Clone Baby’ to end with ‘Unknown of Me’ the power and enthusiasm of this band isn’t lost, which generates a fresh feel to every track.

If someone played this to you without mentioning the band name, I would guess you would say it’s Soundgarden and the scary thing is that I think this is where Soundgarden were heading.

If you feel like something new to listen too, then I would say this is the CD to get, I don’t believe this CD will ever be put on the shelf to rot.

Brilliant.

10/10

By Tony Watson

2/10

By Tony Watson

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Tony Watson

5/10

By Tony Watson

7/10

By Dave Attrill

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Overall as much of a Sepultura and Slayer fan that I am, it’s just not working for me but I do believe they could end up with a good solid fan base around the Scottish highlands where they bellow out there hatred for the world.

6/10

By Tony Watson

Tony Harnell seemed to have disappeared from the radar following his departure from the reformed TNT. Was he giving Westworld or Morning Wood another go, albeit on a more full-time scale?

While the Norwegian legends forged on with another Tony at the mike (Ex-Shy man Mr Mills, that being) all is not lost for the big T.H. as he teamed up with one of Europe’s top melodic metal six-stringers, Primal Fear man Magnus Karlsson, and the satisfying result this latest venute,, namely Starbreaker.

Sounding not unlike the Westies themselves, the guy has moved forward and injected a more progressive feel into the mould this time round with a lot of these keyboard lines setting the vibe for the whole disc.

’End Of Alone’, ’Evaporate’, ’Unknown Superstar’, ’Hide’, ’Beautiful Distaster’, ’Hello Are You Listennig’ and ’Day belongs To Us’ between them should house enough to please fans of any of Tony’s past acts even though his still impressive voice sees to that as it is. Not TNT itself but could blow a few away.

Nice one Tone.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
TNT, Helloween, Edguy

Stonelake - Uncharted Souls
(Unlimited Music Production - 2008)

A brilliant Swedish quarted who have a sound that meshes in elements of Guns 'N' Roses, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with a vocalist in Peter Grundstrom who can sound very similar at times to all three of those bands frontmen.

I completely relish in this band because I've not heard a band who can pull this off and pull this off well without sounding tedious and strained to the point of stocking filler. Every one of these numbers is well worth lending your ears to several times over. The sound quality is rather poor and mushy but I'll let them off for that somewhat due to the musical and vocal quality exceeding it.

Highlights include the opening title track 'Uncharted Souls'; '(Tonight) You're Beyond The Shadows'; the Piesty Painkiller-like 'Higher'; 'Eyes Of The World' and the gutsy Hard Edged AOR'ness of 'White Flame'.

Check them out.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

SWORN AMONGST - And So It Begins
(Rising Records - 2008)

After all the not-exactly-poor press that young Brit Metal hotties Sworn Amongst have earned and enjoyed from umpteen other British rags it comes our turn to decipher the reason for their appeal. Clues in the title (track) as the few likely cynics are sent scrambling for cover the very moment that ‘A.S.I.B.’ itself rages its way into the ring and a melodic sustained lead along the span of the intro pleasantly surprises into listening with both lobes pinned further ajar.

Only lacking experimental abilities where one or two song titles are concerned - ‘Unleash The Power’ and ‘Lord Of War’ are two of my favourite cuts as well, - they try plenty of moves that fellow national newies Evile didn’t dare to.

Frighteningly mainstream and in one or two cases almost AOR-ish vocal lines duel with guitars that prefer to be more Iron Maiden and Annihilator than Slayer or Pantera but their frontman’s Anselmo-like range keeps the match with the advertised description of their sound safely honest. Rarely a downer within the 55 minutes, these ten lumps of pure molten old-school metal magma guarantee a lethal injury when thrown.

You put your head in the way purely at your own risk here.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SACRED MOTHER TONGUE - Two Thousand-Eight Hundred (Single)

(Transcend Records -2008)

 Noisy Northampton youngsters Sacred Mother Tongue have already paved in their reputation as an act to be reckoned with over the preceding two years and support slots for Evile, another of our proudest national metal scoops of recent times has inevitably helped things.

Sounding like typal scream-core metal on first entry, it is superbly subtle for the larger remainder of the cut with the flowing chorus harmony taking me along first time.  With the performance of newly acquired guitarist Andy James -  who says you’re not allowed solos in modern metal now.

These lads are put on a higher step from most of the rest, and only the debut album itself remains to take them to the uppermost rung.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

ST. DEAMON - In Shadows Lost From the Brave
(Frontiers Records - 2008)

St Deamon are a four-piece power metal act from Sweden - ‘come off it, Dave I know a German band when I hear one’ you probably all argue right now.

Justly so with the product within being a near amalgam of every outfit to have involved people called Scheepers, Hansen or Kusch, past and present - yes, that little band beginning with ‘H’ included. Three quarters of S.D are familair names, with messrs Noberg and Milianowicz having been the rhythm section for fellow Swedes, the also Metalliville-approved Dionysus while vocalist Jan Thore Grefstad’s name has popped up on a project with TNT’s Ronnie Le Tekro in the past.

Poor old Toya Johansson is however no less important as his classy and more than a little Malmsteen-schooled guitar work makes the following three-quarter-hour we are graced with, the monster it turns out to be. One oddity in application here, is that it’s the first half that the chequered area of their material falls within, this time, with ‘In Shadows....., ‘My Heart’ and ‘No Man’s Land’ being the only three of the first six that bite me by the first chorus without need of a repeat play. The surviving trio, opener ‘My Judas’, ‘The Burden’ and Manowar-esquely titled ‘Ride Forever’ still later become fun after another listen, while the final five are where it’s at, even if one or two of the numbers are ballads.

‘’Black Symphony’, ‘Deamons’, ‘The Brave Never Bleeds’, ‘My Sorrow’ and ‘Run For Your Life’ are the full meat and potatoes of what melodic power metal should be, even if they astonish many with their absence of epics - 5 minutes 14 being the longest anything lasts this time. Quality, not quantity is stringently what these lads preach in and on a live set, these four chaps will rule. Zero to find for the seeker of originality, may be that usual one minor bone to pick but one I can safely throw in the direction of a hungry canine to enjoy, while I enjoy this album once again.

A very Saintly effort, indeed.

9.5/10

By Dave Attrill

VERY RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Hellow.....you-know-effin-well-who, Gamma Ray, Last Tribe, Stratovarius, Primal Fear, Royal Hunt, Jorn

ALSO RECOMMENDED - (See reviews also on site)
LEVERAGE Blind Fire (Frontiers)
RIDE THE SKY New Protection (Nuclear Blast)

5.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

SUDDYN GRAVITY - Gravity
(S/R – 2007)

Why the effin ‘ H are the most interesting new bands to dock at Planet Metal’s bays nearly always the same ones who give us one measly song on which to decide their initial merits, eh?

Sudden Gravity, it is muchly hoped, have a catalogue of others at least as good as this, as ‘Gravity’ is despite its title, product of a clearly less than down-to-earth act. Goth-Pop is the closest I can draw the line at here with a strong eighties flavour both on the outside and in the centre.

This power ballad-structured tune is a blinding song but two or three on the disc would have helped, even if just to make sure.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SAMAEL - Solar Soul
(Nuclear Blast - 2007)

Glad to find them still round after all these years, Samael haven’t let up in the time since I last heard from them about a decade back, their respectable ranking in the doom metal genre keeping unflinchingly intact.

Here’s another disc that will probably ensure that stays the case, as ‘Solar Soul’ brings us another helping of their dark but overall commercial extreme metal that also has potentially as much appeal to Metallica fans and perhaps a White Zombie follower or two, a top the gothic body of their sound that keeps things otherwise done by the book for their scene once again. ‘Solar...’, ‘Slavocracy, ‘Western Ground’, ‘On The Rise’ and ‘Suspended Time’ fall amongst the good ones and although no live dates seem planned in the UK, there’s time to get used to some of these impressively constructed numbers that rely on straight rhythms instead of messy death metal string mingling.

It’s worth having anything at all from these lads nowadays if just to prove bands like this still exist even though the album has been out a few months.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Tony Watson

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

SUBLIMINAL FEAR - Uncoloured World Dying
(Burning Star - 2007)

Intense melodic death metal is what Italy’s Subliminal Fear are billed as brining us. Intense, yep, but the directionless thrash racket that accounts for opening cut ‘Insane Archetype’ lumbers past, almost bereft of any tunefulness.

As I see that the remaining eight vary mostly between 5 and 8 minutes in length rather than the 2-3 we are more accustomed to, something strange happens. ‘Destroy My Ruins’ is a much more accesible number with singer Carmine showing us his nice pipes for the job, and fro the remaining three quarters of the disc, it’s a chequered platter, just marginally listing towards the more favourable element.

‘The Silence That Remains’, ‘Leave Our Eyes In The Burning Sky’, ‘I’ve Lost My Control’ and the epic closing title cut have substance even if not always instant – it’s just a shome the others don’t quite stay in the same mould, and just go over my head.

Still, the guitar work’s nice, boys.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

6/10

By Dave Attrill

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

JAKE STIGERS AND THE VELVET ROOTS - Do You Feel High

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDEDIFYOU LIKE
Sep…..you-know-who (‘Beneath The Remains’ era), Skinlab, Machine Head,
Killswitch Engage

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Dream Theater, Vanden Plas, Threshold, Enchant, Last Tribe, Royal Hunt

SILENTREE - Tree Of Silence

Very corny title lads, not that the music’s exactly silent though, is it. Italian four-piece ‘Silent Tree’ delight in dealing in a brand of old-school thrash that sadly only receives praise from devoted metal fanzine but from Kerrang, oodles of scathing ridicule accompanying a one-K rating.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SITE www.silentree.it

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Signs for the Romagna quartet are good from the start, as opener ‘But Evil Lives Again’ launches with a surprising as you might think it, Iron Maiden assault- then you know you are in for some serious leather-clad aggression, but the time two more numbers are done. These lads may more-than-likely count the Cro-mags amongst their inspirations, the format is almost identical as they layer the aggro-punk and thrash essentialities repeatedly through, so that you take both in with every bite, but tunes like ‘Nightmare’, ‘Revenge Of The Swampthing’, ‘The Cage’, ‘Growing Fire’, ‘A Place In Hell’ and ‘Swallowed’ bear bigger teeth themselves. I understand we’re not the only source of positive press for this disc, but Showstrip look set to Silence a few more critics in their life.

A Monster itself.

8/10

By Dave Attill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Sick of It All, Motorhead

9.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

7/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

667/10

By Death8699 (MethylinInfo@aol.com)

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE - Pantera, In Flames, Iron Monkey

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

5/10 – 10/10 to you if you make it all the way through.

By Glenn Milligan

Sweet Seduction – New Demo
(S/R – 2006)

Carries on from where the last one left off – this time the production is extremely professional – nice one lads – more in your face than before. Songwise this is a lot stronger and they ooze more confidence on here like on ‘Down in the City’ or ‘Sweet Seduction’.

See ‘em somewhere at a UK venue near you or beyond.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Dave Attrill

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

WEBSITES www.sanctorum.co.uk www.myspace.com/sanctorum

7/10

By Dave Attrill

SKID ROW - Revolutions Per Minute
(SPV - 2006)

New Jersey legends Skid Row received a surprisingly warm welcome on their return three years ago, by their (remaining) fans… the ones who remained after hearing disappointing comeback album ‘Thickskin’ that being. I must admit, after having heard it myself though, I found it was at least listenable and there were one or two decent numbers on offer.

Anyway, here they try again and just about do it this time as ‘Revolutions’ is about as close to their Seb Bach era sound as they’re going to get it. You’d be thinking largely ‘Subhuman Race’ at first but a punkier sounding ‘Slave…’ era noise also come to the conscience and they are more melodic again now. Johnny Sollinger makes himself more at home, his range creeping close to that of his Canadian predecessor and in synchrony, the guitar work actually sounds like that of messrs Hill and Sabo once more…. Thank f***.

The songs are shorter nowadays, with the twelve here amounting to about thirty-five minutes between them, but getting better again as this once great band begin to (re-)find their feet. Hooks at no shortage, ‘Revolutions Per Minute’ may still fall a way short of satisfying those waiting for another ’18 and Life’ or ‘Rattlesnake Shake’ but they are once more starting to steer in the right direction.

Recommended for anyone prepared to give them a second chance, but still worth trying, if a new fan, The Row have hit the Skids of late but are now just about comfortably back on the road.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

6.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8/10

By Dave Attrill

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

This is an album that Neal can be proud of making and one that I urge people to purchase.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Shrine Of The Monkey - S/T

(Self-Released Demo - 2005/2006)

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

4/10

By Dave Attrill

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

SITE www.slavetothesystem.com

7.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

The odd bit of diversity of course does little if no damage to the surface, hence Sandalinas sees fit to add a bit of funk and Prog into the odd space and chorus here and there over the area of the album, but this is a strong and virtually flawless release nonetheless with hooks and solos both doubling as selling points. If you can find it on sale anywhere in the UK, buy!!!

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Dio, Magnum, Ten

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Dave Attrill

ALSO (HIGHLY) RECOMMENDED
LAST TRIBE Witchdance (Frontiers 2002)
POWERQUEST Neverworld (Frontiers/Now and Then 2004)

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Basing it round mostly straight-ahead structures, they combine every precious element of Threshold, Enchant, Saga and Dream you-know-who into their formulas and burn the combustion off into a sweet smell that fills the musical air. The guitar work does sound a little borrowed here and there even if equally well tutored but some things in life you are allowed to enjoy more than your share of.

Catchy in both vocal and instrumental perspectives, I think I'm actually tempted to call them, though I'd prefer it if they'd kindly provide the number this time.

8.5/10

By Dave Attrill

I've reviewed about five (dozen?) live slots and an Ep by this lot all in the last six months and for all my troubles I finally get to assess their first full lengther. Several, Several tunes are already established live favourites of mine, 'Deuce', 'Ode To Spike', 'Face To Face' and 'Over The Hill' amongst them but many of these ten slabs of southern rawk n' roll splendour prove Sheffield's current retro-rock kings' credibility with the scene well earned.

Elsewhere on the map, 'Like A Fool', 'Honour…', 'Hangin' On' and 'Get Me Up' parade their Stones/Black Crowes-and-beyond inspirations all the way round town, and should stop a fair ol' amount of traffic en route. More or less specialising in rough n' ready rhythms, the realistic guitar sound that propels them, crafted precisely by messrs Kerr and Mewse carries a subliminal message that reads 'It's 1965 again, folks' and you will begin just to wonder how old these lads were exactly, when they first started pinching their dads' lps.

Pleasant stuff all round and with impressive vocal performances from Dave, 'H.A.T.' is quite an incendiary introduction to one of Steel City's most promising hard rock acts of late, and one with the possible potential to play D*f L*pp**d at their own game. Why they only want eight quid per copy of this nice little disc baffles me a tad.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

7.5

By Dave Attrill

6.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Southern Rock All-Stars - Trouble's Comin' Live !
(Tazer Records - 2004)

It's Southern and it rocks with a band made up of ex-members of Molly Hatchett; Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blackfoot who play some of their best gritz live and then some! Pure rebellious arousery on 2 Cd's and recorded at various gigs around the USA that has been 4 years in the making.

The band are absolutely loving it throughout, not to mention their fans and friends. And before you ask, no there are no overdubs or additional sound added to the album - it's been cut straight from the stage to the CD.

How can you argue with Molly Hatchett numbers like 'Gator Country'; 'Whiskey Man' and 'Flirtin' with Disaster' or versions of Blackfoot's epic 'Highway Song' and 'Stars/Run and Hide' plus covers like 'Train Train' and 'Wishing Well' (as done by Blackfoot); Mountain's 'Mississippi Queen'; 'Morning Dew' by Tim Rose that has a U2 'Where the streets have no name feel' to it'.

There's literally so much on here to choose from with other faves being the tribute to Shorty Medlocke, where you hear the man himself singing and playing the banjo - it's moving material indeed amd especially so is The Allman Brother's 'Dreams (I'll never see)'.

This set proves that the south has well and truly risen.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Their take of 'That Smell' burns brilliantly and very like the original and even the accent nearly convinces you that these guys come from a deep part of Florida. It's nice to hear the backing vocals on 'Simple Man' as they get it spot on. 'I know a little' is played well but the female backing vocals just don't like sound like southern belles enough.

Overall it's good and no doubt exceptional in concert.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

A name that I vaguely remember hearing beforehand, Slow Roosevelt's debut album (that is right, by the way?) unfortunately bears a title that describes about half of its content. Rarely to be too harsh without due cause, they do have meaning expressed in their material but their deal in shriek-laden metalcore is too borderline owing chiefly to a shortage of hooks or any memorable elements for that fact.

If a Third-rate Rage Against The Machine or Downset mixed with some of Boy Sets Fire's infrequent weak moments to avoid a total lack of direction, is your perfect cup of tea, enjoy. For those less informed of the scene, leave this one on the shelf and look elsewhere because Slow Roosevelt didn't brew quite enough bags in their pot.

Sad.

5/10

By Dave Attrill

80's Glam sleaze from Denmark that as the bio sez, is like a cross of The Four Horsemen, Circus of Power and Junkyard - you better believe it.

Not afraid to keep their accents despite odd this sounds on cd as you don't get that high octane vocal style associated with this music but gravely baritone instead. A lot of it is rather corny lyrically especially the Status Quo like 'Live it Up'. 'Down 'n' Dirty' is a pretty cool number though and so is the cracking 'Fall' - just a pity about those awful backing vocals.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

True survivors in rock music's most criminally ridiculed genre today, Canadian prog legends Saga still manage to steer successfully clear of the machine printing the 'has been' and 'underdog' labels after these 25 years.

'Keep It Real' is one example showing Dream Theater in particular who the envelope containing the style royalties should be addressed to. Ironically, Michael Sadler's voice, fro any new Saga-tarians reading, reads clear as a lower-strung LaBrie but the Theater frontman, also Canadian quite coincidentally, stuffs this chap's range by many degrees. That's not to say this veteran Toronto quintet underperform, far from it, matey. With a new drummer, Christian Simpson in the firm, Saga continue to bring the milk to the doorstep on a daily basis.

Living on the side of the fence favouring straight forward verse-chorus principles, 'Network' delivers ten pretty-damn fine tunes, all differentiable yet almost all fitted with hooks amidst Ian Crichton's short but sweet solo breaks. 'If I were you', 'Don't look Now', 'Live At Five' and 'Back Where We Started' complete the album's better half, the latter taking quite an 80's electro/New Romantic leaning, an affordable act of diversity at this stage in their stretch. Another great chapter in this wait for it. Sag... (Shut It!!!).

9/10

By Dave Attrill

I picked this up immediately after enjoying their 30-minute debut set at the Boardwalk and on the volume of that performance expected quite high things. No disappointments then as the three numbers all deliver the goods in ways big and small and I know even more where their collective heart lies musically. This is somewhere between Black Crowes, GNR, Jellyfish, The Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd, veering from one closer to others on each of these catch little tunes.

Guitarist Dave doubles as lead singer for the time and quite truthfully though he's put down his own vocal abilities in the past, I didn't notice too much fault in his performance especially as his love of southern rock n' roll has probably motivated him at least a little part of the way with this venture. Formed in late '02, the band take their name from one of the instruments in Dave's prized guitar collection and has quite a prized song collection to churn out with them too.

Seriously - even though Dave's a mate of mine - these three tracks, all immediately impressive themselves, are only the introduction to another promising Steel City outfit who deserve a chance after the less than smoothly-running times some may be aware they've had over the last year or so.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

He's got loads to offer has Jeff, he's the frontman of 'Talisman' and that band's guitarist 'Howie Simon' appears on this solo outing too as well as 'Neal Schon' of Journey.

As the bio says, he is the vocalist of melodic hard rock as well as being a very confident, enthusiastic performer - and those who've seen him will completely agree - me being one of the many. This album does Jeff justice and far outdoes his previous release 'Prism'. It may sound lazy to simply say it's a masterpiece but it is just that.

You've got the brilliant melodic vocal harmonies in 'Soul Devine' that's like a look back at Extreme (that band that featured Gary Cherone on vocals). The song 'Drowning is a rocking bolt from the blue where the exquisite vocal harmonies ring out as amazing as ever. A splendid ballad ins found in the relationship breakdown of 'If this is the end' but you don't get too long to feel down as the title track 'Lost in the translation' blasts you up to the moon again.; same with 'Doin' Time' and 'High Time' that have all the necessary ingredients to be pumpin' thumpin' Soto standards. I am sure that 'On my own' is a follow-up to 'Is this the end?' - so has Jeff just split with his other half or something because 'Find our Way' is another inclination to where his head could be at the moment. The closer, 'Sacred Eyes' is an acoustic beauty that is reminiscent of Extreme's 'Hole Hearted' that again has those mesmerising harmonies.

This album is a pure X factor for melodic rock and Jeff is rightfully receiving the credit and appreciation he deserves.

10/10

By Glenn Milligan

Good ole fun partyness that matches in the gutsy filth of AC/DC with the sleazey hipness of Kiss, not to mention having a frontman who has the Gene-like voice on many occasions with 'Woman in a fast car' being a class example.

The single itself is an anthem, the tell-it-how-it-is and stand up for your rights of 'Never turn your back on rock 'n' roll' as well as the full-on 'Mister Saturday Night' or the tribute to the best cut-off denim shorts wearing beauty in the USA 'Dasie May', from 'The Dukes of Hazzard'. Another great track is 'Dee Dee Dominator' - just can't think what that's about.

Basically land anywhere on this album and you'll scuse the pun, come across a nice slab of erotic gratification.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

With an approving couple of listens to 'The Panic' on a recent 1-track sampler, I was expecting fireworks from metal hotshots Strata on this much discussed debut. Thankfully, most of this material ignited on lighting the fuse with next to no damp squibs in the display today. That said they still sound too much like many of the other respected names on the roster but they do have their own moments even if rather too few of them.

The guitar work is none too idle and some distinctive grooves support the gutsy BoySetsFire-esque vocal melodies. That and not exactly a major shortage of hooks plays to their favour, even more so when these tunes hit the stages but in the long run, I can only see them as Drowning Pool's cute little brother who bites.

Still worth checking out, before you get worried.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Cheesy OTT metal band that blend daft Manowar like lyrics with the power of Anthrax and come off like Spinal Tap trying to make out they are serious - yeah right!!

It really is a bombastic comedy album if ever there was such a thing with a song called 'Sexual Abuse' coming complete with female porno wailing, a cover of The Trogg's 'Wild Thing' (you make my d*ck swing!!); 'Hey Joe' and a send up of 'God Bless America' or the silly 'Evil Elvis' all you can do is laugh.

Tongue in cheek throughout from a bunch of Arizonians who resemble Kiss, King Diamond and then some.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

He's out on his own again like he was in '78 - welcome to 'The Demon's' second solo album which is worth the buy alone to see all the scantily clad hotties pictured with him on the cover.

The Jewish dark lord burns us up with a cover of The Prodigy's 'Firestarter' that even features 'Gizz Butt' on the guitar - it's got as much atmosphere as the original - if not more - it's like the song was written for him.

There's compositions with Bob Dylan and the late Frank Zappa and let me tell you that there are plenty of rock genres covered here and it ain't like a Kiss album with Gene doing all the vocals (although 'Sick and dirty love' could fit snugly on one of his day-job releases). He's not lost his sick, twisted, arrogant touch either - check out the title track 'ASSHOLE' for a major example. Nice bit of kiddie singing on 'Now that you're god' and the poppy humorous 'If I had a gun' suits his nature too.

Is it a coincidence that this album has 13 tracks - well it appears to be a lucky number for Gene. Like to see his do them live some time.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan

And onto yet another of those interesting little names with little of great substance to support its cause, we go, this turning out to be just another four minutes of nu-metal by numbers. Coming straight after reviewing the EP by fellow newcomers Brody, it's practically another of their tunes but lacking the same quality hook. Don't get me wrong, it's only one track we're talking here, but they probably have plenty of better ones that I've so far missed. There's always next time lads.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Typical crashing, ten a penny US Rock band that you'd expect to hear on the 'Buffy the Vampire' TV series. This song is melodic and bawling with a bashing big chorus that's got the title of the song in it. Like the fact that it's got a banjo in it.

Artists like Bush, Seether and Nickleback can look out because Seven Wiser are on their trail. They are perfect fodder for an update teen film.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

4 London based glam rockers who are simply tryin' to bring back rock 'n' roll despite what else the British media says is big because they are probably being payed to plug it.

Made up of T3 (Keyboards/Guitar); Vile Gilez (Percussion); Stevie Lee (Lead Guitar); Lord Zion (Vocals/Guitar) and Vikki Spit (Bass) they are a band who sure as hell show you what you are missing out on throughout with cuts like 'Trust your instinct' and 'Not dead yet'.

No doubt they'll be travellin' up north to see us soon. F*ck commerciality, get into a band like 'Spit like this.'

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

The name rang alarms at first but thankfully false ones as Hungary's Stereochrist sound nothing at all whatsoever like the Welsh Britpop act of a name not too different. After my first taste of Hungarian decibels in the shape of Attila Csihar's 'Best Of..' failed to impress, I was still not without reason to exercise a little caution.

These boys cut short my worries with their deep grinding' and also slightly progressive brand of stoner metal which should especially appeal to those who appreciated recent offerings such as Hidden Hand's 'Divine Propaganda' disc. Strong melodies and stabbing grooves are only on occasion slightly ruined by the sometime indecipherably manic vocal style but it is more or less 38 minutes of raw rock n' roll for its own enjoyment.

Do try it.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Monster Magnet, Corrosion of Conformity, Floodgate, Cathedral

A band who should have got signed but sadly got ignored. They featured the bassist of the orginal Tuff line-up, Jaime Fonte' as well as the drummer from the Big Bang Babies. Their vocalist, Joey Martell has made this album available for the 1st time and good on him too as this is Hollywood glam in the vein of The Bullet Boys, Black 'n' Blue and Tora Tora.

Get your ears round some unsophisticated soundz like the explicit 'In you or on you'; 'Legs up High' and 'Hollywood Angel' to name but a few.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan

When sleaze fans heard 'Sinn' on the 'Hollywood Hairspray II' with their bashing 'Stepsister' they wanted more of 'em so Tom Mathers of Perris Records sorted it. I guarantee that you won't be grumbling either with what he's packed together on this cd collection.

A main highlight is their stab at Poison's 'Look what the cat dragged in' (that they must have played during the various gigs along the LA Sunset Strip. Other highlights include 'Freak' about wearing your friends mums clothes; 'Science Girl' about what to do with a particular girl who wears tight red pants; the cowbellesque cock-rock of 'Outlaw' and 'Sexy Sweet' and the Pretty Boy Floydy 'Almost 16'.

If there's any more of this bands material around, I've got to hear it!! Be sure to buy it if you love the early sounds of Motley Crue, Faster Pussycat and Poison

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Now the last band who gave their album this title disintegrated but I just can't see that happening to Skew Siskin who are fired up and ready for action on a different label with a new drummer.

The ballsy Motorhead hit is still there (like the track 'We Hate') and the sound appears to be more high-ended than the previous album 'Spend the night' in '99. Their way is still heavy AC/DC riffage with a Girlschool attitude like on 'Shake Me' that's rather 'Let there be rock' and has Lemmy on backing vocals. There's plenty of good ole 'wham bam thank you mam' with songs like 'Lips'; 'White Trash' and '2 much 4 U' and 'The Goddess'. 'War and Peace Song' sees 'Siskin ket serious on us and 'Strike me blind' and a Bryan Adams'y styled song has been thrown in too - this being the closer 'Torn Apart'.

A cracking album by a crackingly good band - do I smell a headline tour on its way?

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

A band who house one of the strongest Rock vocalists of the 80's - this being Mike Majevic. The opener 'We all die young' will be instantly recognisable - well that's if you have seen the film, 'Rockstar' (the song appears in the audition segment of the film).

It's overall a strong album with the funky tracks like 'Live to die' and the moderately tempo'd 'Take a little time' with its killer chorus but I can't help feeling that they are simply trying to emulate Led Zeppelin because Mike sounds so much like Percy Plant especially in 'The Ahh Song'; 'Electric Chair' and 'Shangrila' instead of proving what they can achieve as a more original composition - if all the numbers were as good as the opener then the album would stand up next to AC/DC's 'Highway to Hell' but it wasn't to be.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

This vehicle for Steelhouse Lane/Streets guitarist Mike Slamer and former Kansas/Sign bassist Billy Greer was one of the scene's big talking points with their debut three years back. Ballsy melodic rock of the sort that keeps the scene alive n' pounding in todays fashion controlled rock n' roll world, the disc immediately made them their fair share of fans and obviously one disc didn't seem enough. So these two jolly chappies got together and scratched their heads once more, hence another masterwork was created.

From the very off, you know again where they are both coming from, with Slamer's distinctive guitar sound, fresh from his main day project dominating the structures of all the tunes, coupled with Greer's quite impressively Hess-like vocal contributions. Quite a surprisingly varied album in styles at most times, but rarely stooping from expectations, 'Sun Will Rise', 'You Cross The Line', 'Sin City', 'It Should Have Been You' and 'Run' keep the wheels going round at full throttle, and if they are billed on the slot for this year's Gods fest, I hope at least three or four of those aforementioned are included on the set list.

Another fine showing from two of AOR's revered figures. Now Mike, about that next St**lh***e L**e album.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE
Steelhouse Lane, Harem Sacrem, Winger, Giant and definitely Seventh Key's first album.

They've impressed with a couple of the releases they sent us to scrutinise but we appear to have run into problems here. Whatever this is, it's different, it's unusual and it's only interesting for a couple of numbers. Coming on like some Jethro Tull wannabe trying to mix various other elements, mostly folk and medieval into the style, and removing the electric guitars in the process.

France's Still Volk carry it off adequately enough but the songs do very little before long and there is about that in it for me and more definitely for anyone who is not a fan of the works of Mr Anderson and his cohorts. No points get knocked off for singing in the band's native language, and they have zero problems with the performance of duties involving their respective instruments, but they could have tried, in many ways to make some of these numbers a bit more memorable because they are quite frankly flat as a car tyre on a nailbed.

If you want to give this disc a go, be my guest but I can't see many followers of the rock n' roll scene finding a great amount of appeal in this material. Disappointing.

3.5/10

By Dave Attrill

The European continent's Latin quarter has always been a keen contributor to the goth/doom metal fraternity. Latest arrivals, Italians 'Sun Of Weakness' maintain this repute with this promising quintet of interesting tunes that not only look to My Dying Bride and Anathema amongst more expected influences but a fair bit of Paradise lost and surprisingly enough Dream Theater vibe also traceable.

Quite progressive itself in areas, a vague mixture of symphonic elements might not be too bad an idea to protect this act's material from likely accusations of sameiness. Still without a deal at present, there is enough here to convince several labels and I hope one of them has the manners to give Sun Of Weakness their chance.

7/10

By Dave Attrill

Andy Sartori is an unknown shredder type neo-classical guitarist whose influences include Johan Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and Nicolo Paganini (who also happen to be Yngwie Malmsteen's main influences) plus Yngwie himself and Rainbow. Isn't the name similar to Yngwie's band as well - Rising Force !!! - Surely it's a p*ss-take calling your band 'Andy's Force'.

It's very Malmsteen styled (but he uses different tunings or keys according to my mate Alex Kotziamanis). If you like wailing, high-end vocal power metal then this is right up your street like the opener of the four tracker, 'Castle of lost souls' or 'One Distant heart' with its plodding melodic riff and widdly guitar solo.

It's ok and no doubt he'll do well in parts of Europe and Japan.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan

The solo album from the ex-Seb Bach band, now of Mountain bassist, Ritchie Scarlett who's got a real throaty, elaborate kinda Peter Criss meets Ace Frehley sorta voice.

This is positive American Rock 'n' Roll that features a host of stars including his head honcho boss, Leslie West (of Mountain) on the drivin' 'Who's to blame'; Ace Frehley on the leaving the gang and getting married and going borin' joe public on the CD opener 'Johnny's in love' and Too Far Gone' about a chick who grew up listening to the New York Dolls, The Sex Pistols and Nirvana. There's even King X's lead guitarist 'Ty Tybor' on the rockin' 'Tin Soldiers' about recalling your childhood that has backing vocals in the Smokie style (70's Rock band from Bradford, UK).

Ritchie pays tribute to that dead, blonde stone in 'The Ghost of Brian Jones' who will haunt Mick, Keith, Anita and Andrew forever!! It's a wee bit creepy but oh so true and I like the touch off adding a few Stones riffs in there too - I'll you work out which ones they are when you get hold of the album yourselves.

Enuff Znuff fans will delight in Ritchie's cover of 'Fly High Michelle' and Bowie lovers will no doubt dig his version of 'Moonage Daydream'.

It's a very enjoyable album and it grabs you after a couple of listens.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

A two disk set retrospective of the forever-disappearing UFO/MSG guitarist, Michael Schenker. 2 dozen ditties that include live versions of classics such as 'Doctor Doctor'; 'Armed and Ready' and 'Lights Out' which certainly need no introduction at all plus other lesser-known songs as well. Instrumentals are included here like the beautiful acoustic 'Reflection of my soul' and the electric 'Open Gate'.

I can't help wondering if this collection was simply stocking filler for the festive period for his many fans in Europe or a contractual obligation for the record company. That said, when you get a knockout version of the cover of Mott The Hooples 'All the way from Memphis' and many other enjoyable rockin' numbers - you tend not to care either way.

Next stop - with Michael Schenker, who the f*ck can tell? - Even his band members can't answer that one!!

8/10

By Glenn Milligan

Not to be confused with the other similarly monikered US metal sensations, these four San Diego twentysomethings are however of a noticeably similar pedigree but steeped further into diversity. Every one of these fifteen songs is immediately distinguishable from its fourteen fellow occupants of disc, and about as many different styles are evident.

Imagine the guitar work of Metallica, Corrosion of Conformity, Trouble, Pantera and Machine Head and vocals that seem to do the rounds between Devin Townsend, Phil Anselmo, Rob Zombie, Dave Wyndorf. and all between. On looking at the bands dossier do I find out why - it's possibly something to do with the fact that guitarists Brian Clark and Casey Barmakian and bassist Daniel Camara all take turns behind the mike, just annoyingly, I don't know which chap's voice is which, but it is well laid out with the structures of the tunes. Head mashingly heavy and at the bulk of times melodic, Shadow Drop may to some just be another US metal act but another decent US metal act, if no one minds.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

Well they are back, well some of the band anyway - for better, for worse. It's like a different band now and new vocalist, Johnny Solinger sounds nothing like Seb Bach. Musically it's more current and has more in common with artists like Nickleback, Alice in Chains and Staind than what made them big in the 1st place and I can't see the original fan-base warming to it very well - you never know, I could be wring but I don't think I will be.

'Ghost' is a nice track and comes across like a groovin' slice of the Spitfire signed band 'Four Star Mary'. It's just that the material doesn't sit comfortable together and you feel on edge listening to it. The new speeded up pop-punked slammin' version of 'I remember you' is a complete insult to the original in my opinion and the vocals are a complete travesty.

I await Seb Bach's new album with pleasure. I smell a reunion somewhere down the line.

5/10

By Glenn Milligan

'W.W.B.B' is, believe it or not the second album from noisy Americans Swarm Of The Lotus. Yes, what happened to the first one then, what's that like, etc , etc, you all whine. Well to save you much hass', on examination of the musical content herein, we're probably listening to either a slightly better or slightly not as good version of it right now.

Typically samey metalcore that offers next to nothing new apart from an on-occasions vaguely distinguishable guitar channel but other than that, it's another anti-climax lurking under such a promisingly interesting name. Fun for the fans and I was one myself once but it quite largely for reasons like this that I gradually drifted from the genre.

5.5/10

By Dave Attrill

European sophisticated symphonic metal of all things serious. Sanity are a tight quintet that'll please fans of artists like Yngwie Malmsteen and Helloween etc plus the many old-school metal bands about.

They are long songs to say the least like the epic 'Together as one' or the live tracks such as 'Lonely at the world' that starts off like an acoustic slice of Metallica.

Vocally it's very on-the-ball and very church choir like at that.

7/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Nothing abominable at all, of course, about this fellow's playing and writing directions, the rest of his tunes are scrumptious eighties West Coast melodic rock (yes they were mostly recorded in that actual period) and are in vogue with about 75% of the acts on Escape's roster.

With Cameos from Jeff Paris and also Michael Jackson guitarist Jennifer
Batten along the way, a man of many gifts delivers what he regards as one to his
fans here but we'll let him off for forgetting the wrapping paper. Great guitar
work throughout, Michael, but putting all of those aforementioned 'pop' styled
numbers in one solid lump in the middle, thus cutting up the rest of the album
like that was a bit ill-advised.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Thankfully only six, this time but even then what happens? We only seem to qualify for the first minute or so of each number, which denies me of the chance to hear further in for any faintly possible surprises lurking about. Another point gone for that and my hopes of escape from the pain of having to have dished out anything less than three for the first time in Metalliville history sadly dashed in the process ( well, I at least managed to defend that record for over two years).

Hopefully, we should soon bring someone into the team who's a fan of this sort of stuff, but if you're one yourself, as usual don't let this review deter you.

2/10

By Dave Attrill

A four piece from the UK who are like a mish-mash of Pantera (vocal style), Metallica (grove and vibe) and Black Label Society (guitar harmonics).

They are perfect for the hard heavy old school fans and the brutal nu-metal-heads (the new kids who love a lot of the newer sounds) alike.

Best numbers are the hard-hitting 'Threadbare' and the bursting 'n' fast 'Postrend Generation.

6/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Only just prior to stating my opinions on this, the Swiss rockers' fourth album, did I read with some disgust the slating inflicted on it by the 'Powerplay' mag in which the bulk of Richard Blundell's consternation centered on power ballad 'I Will be There'. Now wait a minute, let's hear it ourselves, first….. mm, well it is a predictable enough number as its title warns….

However, sod it, the only thing that makes me feel sick here is the attitude of said so-called 'critic' who thinks that the flaws of one track dominantly necessitate a 3/10
review. Benefit of the doubt for Shakra is due and more to the point, 'Rising'
f***in' rocks in all its clichéd, predictable, etc 80's glory. You should know that when the hooks are sharp enough, the worn traditions burying them in you bear little concern. Built round lead guitarist Thom Blunier's fret-friendly workouts, new singer Mark Fox's Joe Elliot/Klaus Leissmann-esque rasp and some sharply-produced poundings from Roger Tanner's kit, this line of fist-inducing hard rock keeps most of the scene's fans in the mood for more, staying melodic all the way whilst kicking hard at the time.

'Now Or Never', 'Done me Wrong', 'Too Good For Me', 'Rising High', 'My Life-My World', 'Sign In The Sky', 'Fight The Fire' and 'Anything' are all classic slabs of good ol' fashioned guitar abusing, tailored for an audience still in existence today, unbelievable as it seems. In summary, you can digest this quite easily as the most solid elements of Dokken, Bonfire and Talisman all rolled into one lovely lump. Y' see, no matter how many times it's been done and dumped (in some cases) before, this stuff still, at plenty times of the day, deserves a good review.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

I can't be too harsh - the last four of the thirteen tunes spread their wings, but after the bygone bulk of the disc seldom left me in fits of over-excitement, these seemed to almost go totally over my head. Nothing bad but devoted fans of the scene are more likely to stick another two marks on this review.

6.5/10

By Dave Attrill

Music that'll have you been for more. It's crushin' and wailin' stonerish 70's retro-rocker. Twelve songs fitted into 55 minutes that'll blast your tabs like 'Escaping the fools' and 'Wonderful World'.

It's a cd that's got plenty of crunching fazed guitar especially during 'Angel of Betrayal' and 'Save your soul'. There's a bluesy cut that's in the style of T-Rex's '20th Century Boy' called 'In dark rivers'. You can take yourself off into the Rhodes organ journey of the Zeppy No Quarter'ish 'Mantra' as well.

Recommended.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

The only downside is that some of the more contemporary moments do come across as having no point to them, although they aren't prominent enough to spoil what is a fresh sound with plenty of hook-lines.

9/10

By Steve Windle

They got the title right anyway. 14 songs that are as miserable as sin from a band that are huge and it beats me why - maybe it's got something to do with the fact that they were brought into the limelight by Limp Bizkit's, Fred Durst.

It's all so average - not that they can't play or anything but it's like listening to 3rd rate Alice in Chains on downers without a guitar solo in sight. The vocals aren't exactly exciting either - a load of moaning, whining talk throughout although there are nice harmonies on occasions.

The stand-out tracks are the 'Fill me up' and the single, 'Price to pay' but there's too much filler and too little highlight that greys your day and gets in the way.

4.5/10

By Glenn Milligan

An instrumental album by a man who idolises Malmsteen (especially on 'The Haunting') and Blackmore which overtly comes out in his work - in fact he's even covered the Rainbow interpretation of The Yardbirds 'Still I'm Sad'.

Joe jumps into the blues with the wailin' 'Big Bad Groove' that has a self-said 'Hendrix' vibe as does 'Tear it up' that also happens to very Satriani as well. He also gets all classical on us when he delights with 'Porta No. 1 in A minor' by Bach.

Like Malmsteen (who incidentally hates the term shred - "You shred carrots!", said Yngwie in a guitar magazine a few years back) this guy Joe is a master at it too.

8.5/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

Strange name. Strange sound. A not at all uncommon equation in rock n' roll circles, Sir Hedgehog are today's offenders. Not though, that any particular crime has been committed on their account as I took a liking to this album from the off. Again, a case of letters that can't be all posted into a particular box, their style mixes many, taking in Metallica's latest guitar sound, lashings of both contemporary and old school metal arrangements, and supports a voice that wouldn't sound too alien in a European symphonic metal act doing well at the moment.

Surprising as you may find it, it is Canada from whence this lot come, where once Mr D. Townsend is said nation's no1 metal experimentalist but nothing is there to prevent another keen act from spreading their wings albeit on a saner scale. I won't name any particular numbers here as the strong majority of them should sink in first time round, so my advice to interested metal fans is by all means, try it and buy it - they deserve a chance, if we give them one.

8/10

By Dave Attrill

And I'm afraid one man sinks (back in his chair, yawning) after listening to all nine minutes or so of this heard-it-all-before-and-much-better indie drivel. While I don't mind bands of this type, I don't like all bands of this type either.

Although a just about memorable chorus helps the title track slightly further up the steps, the whole thing does next to sod all for me, the 'can't sing' feeling I get occasionally on listening to this chap's voice only serves to exacerbate matters. This stuff does have its fans across the world but I'm afraid I'm not one. A case of all pop and no circumstance.

3/10

By Dave Attrill

With Brian 'Wind It Up' McDonald having only just shifted seats to melodic rock's hottest new label, fellow MTM exile Mark Spiro has also sniffed an aroma of appeal in the Artenzia cologne, too. And the appeal in the legendary Mr S. should smell as sweet. The man whose previous pennings have helped Giant, Bad English and Heart amongst numerous, on their routes likes to cater for this own musical needs too, you know. 'K.O.T.C' is prime-order AOR that swings through styles - as most acts on this label seem obliged to do - and while a few numbers lean too much on the pop end of the musical panel for one's comfort, at times almost bringing those dreaded words 'boy band' to conscience, the general bulk of the disc rocks.

'Always' is American-made AOR to die for and at four minutes and five seconds long, just not long enough. 'Crows', 'Julia', the Bob Catley-esque vocal hook of 'Saving Grace', 'One Horse Town' and the Street Talk-ish subtlety of 'It's All About You' serve the same justice to the album's cause. A bit take-or-leave on a few tracks, Mark Spiro's singing/songwriting talent remains unflawed and a chap who deserves a slot at the Gods as much as most who've played it over the last four years, demonstrates just why through most of this material.

A man who continues to make his Mark on the musical scene in permanent ink.

7.5/10

By Dave Attrill

STAIND - Price To Play (1-track sampler)
(Flip Records - 2003)

As my finger made contact with the play button following insertion of this disc, I was expecting some monotonous nu-metal dirge, all the more reason I was glad this was only a one-track promo. How more wrong could I have been. 'Price' is a superb song with a powerfully dominant chorus hook, hitting high notes to addictive effect. I've heard very little other of this group's material but if it's mostly this good, I wouldn't mind.

9/10

By Dave Attrill

Back with his second solo attack, Derek Sherinian gives us 'Black Utopia' that again features Zakk Wylde who duets alongside 'Yngwie Malmsteen' - in fact Yngwie starts it off with a small slice of 'Fury' - well Derek did play all the black and White keys on the Attack album didn't he!!

The album is full of exceptional music and highlights include the Miami Vicey 'Starcycle'; the crunching 'Nightmare/Cinema' and the title track itself 'Black Utopia' and loads of others that you'll discover when you get your dannys on it.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

After seeing Jeff with Talisman on 24th May, 2003 at The Gods (Penningtons) I was real pleased when this fell out of the envelope. This set is the ultimate and includes a mass of different material from his 20 year career and packs in as much as he possibly can. Opening up with Queen's 'Let me entertain you' that he covered for a recent tribute album it's a bunch of songs that just continues to explode with an energetic dynamite filled brilliance.

The Yngwie Malmsteen fans are rewarded with a medley of 'I'm a viking' and 'I see the light tonight'; a segment of the soul filled 'Crazy' by Seal that Talisman covered and best of the bunch, the monster that is 'Stand up and shout' from the panned by the critics but hailed by the Metalheads film 'Rockstar' - the parody of Tim 'Ripper' Owens joining Judas Priest.

Pontus Norgren also joins Jeff for a song which they'd only rehearsed that afternoon - now that's professionalism (but to find out which one, you'll have to buy the CD and/or DVD).

An absolute must for JSS fans everywhere.

9/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

London's answer to Hanoi Rocks 'Michael Monroe' who has extremely similar on-stage presence, style and attitude.

'Don't blame me' is full on sleazy, punching punk rock which is damn lively I can tell ya. The other two tracks are vibed up to f*ck as well, these being the driving snare spittin' 'Kickin' in the dirt' and the party riffin' singalonger 'King of Fools' that I can see fans waling into the early hours of the morning surrounded by a few caseloads of beer.

Can't wait to hear a full length album.

8/10

By Glenn Milligan, BA Hons CS

First fruit of the contract comes in the shape of this half-cast offering that is partly a new album and partly old gems from their heyday revamped for what interest (I hope) still lies around for them in 2003 AD. I must state that the new-look 'We Have Arrived' immediately registers as superior to the original and is the first time I've rushed back to the 'repeat' button for a further spin of this cut. Not being that much of an expert on th