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.
There’s been changes afoot since Swedish Metal band Lancer’s 3rd album “Mastery” emerged back in 2017, as you would probably expect with a gap of six years. The band’s Heavy/Power Metal delivery now has a new powerhouse engine in the… Continue Reading →
It was over 20 years ago that I heard a certain album called “Wishmaster” by a then little known band called Nightwish. Thinking back, that was my first experience of Symphonic Metal with an operatic female singer, something a wave… Continue Reading →
After four more than solid Power Metal albums, Germany’s Winterstorm have finally attracted the attention of a label worthy of their talents. In their new home at AFM the band are sounding more concise, more mature, more diverse and more… Continue Reading →
The term Progressive Metal can mean different things in our music, but with Ocean’s Edge we are talking about the classic Progressive Metal style initiated by the likes of Dream Theater, Fates Warning etc, then taken forward towards the Millennium… Continue Reading →
I was fortunate enough to review Eleine’s previous offering “Dancing In Hell” for these very pages back in 2020. Anyone who’s read that review or are indeed already familiar with these Swedish Metallers will know that Eleine are not your… Continue Reading →
I’ve been known to mention that many Italian Symphonic Power Metal bands throughout the years have a tendency towards the theatrical and the flamboyant when I’m reviewing those kind of bands. Yes, it was a style that Rhapsody (of Fire)… Continue Reading →
I still think of Swedish Metallers Bloodbound as a relatively new band, quite wrongly as this is their tenth album since their debut emerged back in 2005. So, no, not a new band at all, but the band did have… Continue Reading →
Italian Progressive Symphonic Metal band Degrees Of Truth seem determined to take full advantage of their new home on Scarlet Records. After two previous albums (one in 2016 and another in 2019), they’ve re-energised themselves with a new vocalist and… Continue Reading →
Maybe it’s only with hindsight that you begin to understand how a band was always on the right path, but certain things needed to fall into place for them to realise their full potential. Take Danish Progressive Power Metal Pyramaze… Continue Reading →
With a pedigree the length of Jag Panzer’s, it’s hard to know what to say that hasn’t already been said about this iconic Metal band. It’s also difficult to write anything to grab someone’s interest when over the years people… Continue Reading →
For those who are unfamiliar with Fifth Angel, a brief history goes along the lines of; Released a rather excellent debut in 1986, for once living up to its hype, it could easily sit alongside releases by Queensryche and Crimson… Continue Reading →
Just two weeks ago I reviewed the impressive new offering from American/Greek Metal band Prydain featuring a certain Bob Katsionis on bass and additional guitars, a fortnight later the multi-instrumentalist turns up here on the keyboards for Italian Melodic Power… Continue Reading →