Author Andy Barker
Finland. Female Singer. Well Executed Symphonic Metal. 7.5/10 – Andy Barker What? You want more than that? Surely that’s all you need to know. Well, OK, I guess the pub can wait a little longer and I suppose that the… Continue Reading →
When a mate of mine heard the last Borknagar album, his first comment to me was “Well, that’s Vintersorg buggered then”. I felt this was a comment with far too many possible connotations…on many levels…and so I asked him… Continue Reading →
There’s no denying the amazing impact and legacy Angela Gossow gave to the Metal world by rising to the challenge and seizing with angry clenched fists the opportunity to front Arch Enemy. She is and was a testament to… Continue Reading →
France’s Nightmare are no strangers to the Metal scene. In the early 80’s they released two commendable albums on Ebony in a NWOBHM (or WOFHM if you prefer…) style as good as anything else on the Yorkshire-based label at… Continue Reading →
Symphonic Metallers Xandria underwent a bit of a change with last year’s “Neverworld’s End”. It wasn’t a major change but for fans of the band it was a change none the less. I loved their debut “Kill The Sun”… Continue Reading →
“Pushing The Envelope”. On the surface a strange phrase, but something I often say that Epica do with their Symphonic Metal genre – so I thought I’d better check exactly what it means; To attempt to extend the current… Continue Reading →
I’ve always found Russian Pagan Folk band Arkona an interesting and intriguing listen, but when funds are tight there was always another band that won my hard-earned. Then I realized I might be doing them a disservice because I really… Continue Reading →
A Vinyl promo! Fabulous! I’m easily bribed – you have my attention! I guess if it’s a vinyl promo I should be expecting something retro? But it’s a different kind of retro than the Doom-style cover would hint at. It’s… Continue Reading →
American Speed Metal (fast and furious, usually with some form of sporadic high pitched vocal, double-kick drums flying all over the place, frenetic riffing, but stopping just short of Thrash) was one of the 80’s Metal styles that never… Continue Reading →
I reckon Nuclear Blast think they’ve found a band who have inhabited a small gap in the Metal market – it is their job after all, but they might just be right. It’s probably a sound that only a… Continue Reading →
Winger? On Ave Noctum??? What’s the world coming to? Actually I thought something very similar when I heard their largely overlooked “Pull” album back in 1993. Reportedly feeling annoyed and misrepresented by Beavis and Butthead’s portrayal of the band as… Continue Reading →
Speaking with my British Metal Musician and Fan’s hat on (available from all good retailers kids…), it’s slightly irksome that the UK has given little to the Metal World of major influence since the early 80’s. It’s OK, it’s fine,… Continue Reading →