Category Cd Reviews

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Magic Circle Music/Playground Music

12 studio albums on, MANOWAR are still at war, not far away from their warrior looks and still ageing. This album has already been out, as a Hammer Edition, which Joey Demaio, bass, explains with the fact that many movies have two versions, and that MANOWAR are no different. As a surprise, they have written two songs as homage to Ennio Morricone and the Sylvester Stallone movie The Expendables. Nuff said, since you all know what to expect, let´s check this eagerly awaited disc out.

The title track opens the disc, as it should be, and in doing so proves itself to be a surefire hit...

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Steve Hackett’s latest album is a follow up to 1996’s ”Genesis revisited” (I’m sure you’d never have guessed that from the title would you). The album is going back to Genesis in the 70’s and taking some of those songs and remaking them. Recording new versions of songs is like remaking or updating a classic film – the results can be fantastic or they can bitterly disappoint fans. George Lucas updated the Star Wars films and divided opinions strongly, and caused controversy by doing so. Re-recording much loved classic songs has the potential to upset fans who are so used to the originals, but equally there is the potential to delight fans and fulfll the artists vision...

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In March 2012 Seth Lakeman played with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Plymouth Pavilions. This five track EP features recordings from that show. The songs chosen are some of his best known songs and are taken from four of his albums including his current album, ”Tales from the Barrel House”.

It’s an interesting combination – Seth Lakemans folky songs with an orchestra, and one I wasn’t sure how it would work, but it really has worked extremely well. The vocals are still the centre of attention, but the orchestra really adds a very rich full sound behind the vocals which really works well and at no point overpowers the vocals. Having heard how well this has turned out I can imagine Seth Lakeman wanting to work with an orchestra again in the future.

An excellent EP that’s definitely re...

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”The Nine” is the second album from Canadian metallers Harm. Originally released in Europe late in 2009, the album is being re-released to reach a wider audience. The band formed in 2003 and released their debut album in 2008

This is one of those albums that is quite hard to describe. It’s a metal album but there are definite grunge influences here too as well as more modern groove metal influences. The album has a lot of variety which shows lots of different influences (Tool and Queens of the stone ages for instance). Vocally it ranges from clean singing to a more screaming style.

I can imagine these songs sounding pretty damn impressive live – they sound great here on the album, but deserve to be played at deafeningly loud volume to get the most out of them.

An impressive album that...

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Trail of Murder are from Bollnas in Sweden – a small town that is already home to a number of bands including Tad Morose and Morgana Lefay. When singer Urban Breed left Tad Morose in 2005 he and former band mate Daniel Olsson formed Trail of Murder. They were joined by Morgana Lefay drummer Pelle Akerlind. The three then wrote and recorded the band’s debut album – ”Shades of art” before recruiting two new members on guitar and bass to complete the lineup.

So first of all, what are they like musically? Well think Europe or Kamelot with a load of melodic rock bands thrown into the mix and the result is Trail of Murder – Melodic rock/metal with catchy songs, great hooks and just great to listen to...

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Doro’s new album is finally here, and her fans will be extremely happy. Over the years, first with Warlock and since then as Doro, she has released a steady stream of albums with consistently hight quality and featuring a mix of rock anthems and ballads. Her last album (Fear no evil) came out in early 2009, shortly after she celebrated 25 years of rock, and now in her 29th year of making music, ”Raise your fist” is here. It’s her first album for new label Nuclear Blast.

Brief comments on a few of the tracks…

”Raise your fist in the air” is another classic Doro rock anthem and is the first single to be taken from the album – I can’t wait to hear this one played live.

”It still hurts” is a ballad, and a duet with Lemmy...

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of The Jam’s last studio album, Universal are releasing a super deluxe edition of the album packed full of extras.

It’s available in two variants – the 2 CD deluxe edition version which features the original album, the singles and B sides and a disc of demos and alternate tracks; and a Super deluxe edition which contains four discs. The first two are the same as in the deluxe edition, the third is Live at Wembley (Dec. 3rd 1982), and the fourth disc is a DVD with footage from Top of the pops, a Danish TV show, live footage and some promo videos.
The super deluxe version also includes an outer box in original striped bag style cover – ‘The Jam – A Gift’, a Hardback 72-page, full-colour book including new interviews with Paul Weller, a new es...

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I’m embarrassed to say that that I’ve been listening and loving the music, called ska, right now, cause I heard the name Baked A La Ska just a week ago. They refer to themselves as the “heavy heavy sound” of Manchester, a super charged 11-headed ska monster on a rampage through the dance floors of the UK, leaving a trail of skanked out bodies in their wake. Being guilty for starting this band is their keyboardist – Mr. John Ellis. The lead singers are three and again I’ll quote – “an un-holy trio of singers: Frank “The Skank”, Tommy Robot and Kuntri Ranks” as they call themselves. As they are mixing the sounds of harmonica, keyboards, alto/baritone and tenor/soprano saxes, trombone, double bass, guitars and drums, no one can deny their music is quite the eclectic one...

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Limb Music/Sound Pollution

Italian symphonic epic power metal band FOGALORD began life in 2008, as band leader Dany Ali was looking for ways to display his creative output. Dany first went professional with SYNTPHONIA SUPREMA, and cut two albums with them, before beginning on a concept album of the history of his home town. Will this be more waltz-paced Teutonic metal in Italian cloak?

There are four intros or maybe more since two of them are over two minutes long. They improve as the album progresses. But opening intro “Follow the Fog” is a pompous display of Tolkien influences, coupling with Italian history and probably Wagner. And the first vocal track, “At the Gates of the Silent Storm” doesn´t really convince me. Neither does the 0.27 long “Black Era”...

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Infernö Records/Underground Power

TRAZORVYRE was formed in 2008 by Chris Calavrias, lead guitars, and James Murray, rhythm guitars, and the aim was clearly to write and perform heavy metal as if the 80´s had never ended. They first recruited drummer Nick Oakes, a bassist, and vocalist 7-Chylde. A five track EP soon materialized, and was soon re-released as a cassette single by Infernö Records. This is for fans of IRON MAIDEN, EXCITER, JUDAS PRIEST, ENFORCER and CAULDRON the info says…

Oddly enough one of the least engaging songs is the first on offer, not very eighties! There is a sing-along vibe, in thrashy speedy heavy metal fashion, but “The Conjuror (Shaman´s Wrath)” doesn´t quite ignite. Neither does “Another Dimension of Hell” nor “Wind Caller”. Monday at work is present here...