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Author Andy Barker

I guess I got into Metal by accident at 7 years old when I was given my brother's old record player with ONE record. His mates had told him that Black Sabbath sounded just like Status Quo...he didn't agree so Black Sabbath's debut was that one record. I never looked back. Got a battered old 4 piece drumkit when I was Ten years old and by 14 I had vowed to make my fortune as a Rock Star.
The next fifteen years included a few years as the drummer in Holosade, plus stints in Company Of Wolves, Dominion, Diamond Dogs and Intense, eventually dispelling that ambition, so I ended up running a specialist Metal CD/Record/T-Shirt shop in York for 7 years. £40 grand a year in rent for a shop in York means I am now solely an online trader...
I still turn up every now and again playing drums, bass or guitar in the odd band, be it live or in the studio, because once you have been a musician...or a drummer...it's difficult to stop that creative urge.
When I write a review I remember what it was like to read a review of something I had been a creative part of. My opinion is just my opinion, and I try to be constructive. I believe that if a musician has taken the time to record his or her ideas then it has merit to someone and deserves respect. Music is all about personal taste, and if someone has taken the time to create it, the least I can do is take the time to listen.

Xandria – Theater Of Dimensions (Napalm)

No easing our way into a new year with a nice easy run-of-the-mill Power Metal album then? Nope, not for me, I get to put into words the next chapter in a band’s career, who I’ve seen gradually over their… Continue Reading →

Beyond The Black – Lost In Forever (UDR Music)

Well this is a first for me, getting to review an album that featured in my Ave Noctum Top 20…the year AFTER it appeared in it! Truth is, a mate of mine put me on to this band (Thanks again… Continue Reading →

Luciferian Light Orchestra – Black (Svart)

The name threw me first of all – a satanic Electric Light Orchestra perhaps? A Jeff Lynne-alike doing Metal versions of ‘Mr Blue Sky’ or ‘The Diary Of Horace Wimp’? Actually that might be quite interesting…but no, it’s not ELO… Continue Reading →

Nightmare – Dead Sun (AFM)

Some bands from “back in the day” have a habit of drawing on past glories, relying on their name and back catalogue to keep interest in the band alive. The NWOBHM era is a bugger for it to be honest,… Continue Reading →

The Doomsday Kingdom – Never Machine (Nuclear Blast)

Leif Edling has been a very busy chap recently. As Candlemass fans hope for new material other than just an EP from the new Leven-fronted Candlemass Mk XVIII (or something like…), Edling has busied himself with Avatarium – culminating in… Continue Reading →

Diabulus In Musica – Dirge For The Archons (Napalm)

In Symphonic Metal circles it’s hard to find a more diverse and all encompassing band than Diabulus In Musica and this Spanish band look set to cram even more in with their 4th album sporting the come-and-buy-me title of “Dirge… Continue Reading →

Sirenia – Dark Days Of Dolor (Napalm)

So whatever the reasons were, Sirenia main-man Morten Veland decided it was time to bring in a new vocalist in the form of Emmanuelle Zoldan after 8 years and 4 albums with Ailyn (it sounds like she’s had a tough… Continue Reading →

Civil War – The Last Full Measure (Napalm Records)

It’s the third album from Sabaton refugees Civil War (What? At least I didn’t call them “Sabaton 2.0”, “Sabaton Lite” or “Diet Sabaton” as I’ve seen them referred to by other, harsher reviewers!). So let’s get that out of the… Continue Reading →

Tygers Of Pan Tang – S/T (Mighty Music)

I wonder how many Tygers reviews in the last 20 years have started with the reviewer banging on about their past glories and how much they liked their early 80’s NWOBHM albums (my fave is “Spellbound” just for the record…)…. Continue Reading →

Eden’s Curse – Cardinal (AFM)

Cards on the table – I’ve never really been a particular fan of Eden’s Curse. There’s just so many albums to hear every year that I was of the opinion I’d investigated their first two but the just weren’t my… Continue Reading →

Deep Sun – Race Against Time (S/R)

It’s always nice to stumble across a new band, even more so when it’s a band of the quality of Deep Sun who somehow are unsigned and really do deserve a proper record deal. What we have here is high-end… Continue Reading →

Hanging Garden – Hereafter (Lifeforce)

Well, this new EP is a bit of fun…OK, maybe not “fun”, that’s too up-beat for a Dark Gothic Doom Metal band named Hanging Garden…so let’s plump for engaging shall we? Last year’s “Blackout/Whiteout” opus was released only last year… Continue Reading →

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