Monthly Archives juni 2011

Posted in Cd Reviews

If you ask most rock fans in the UK to list all the Greek rock bands they know, the chances are that in almost all cases, the list will contain just one band – Firewind. Well there are other rock bands from Greece worth checking out, and Outloud are one of them.

Formed in 2004, the band released their debut album (We’ll rock you to hell and back again) in 2008. ”Love Catastrophe” is their second album and is produced by Tommy Hansen (who has worked with bands including TNT and Helloween), and Bob Katsionis. Some of you may recognise the name of Bob Katsionis – as well as being a member of Outloud (playing Keyboards and guitar), he is also a member of Firewind.

”We came to rock” starts with a sound familiar to older listeners – the crackle of a stylus settling on a vinyl album, before a ...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Frontiers/BAM

Once spearheading the NWOBHM movement in Sheffield DEF LEPPARD chose a more commercial path around 1982/83. The ensuing album, “Pyromania” secured their success as much as the hiatus following drummer Rick Allen´s car crash and loss of an arm cost them betwixt 1984-87. Those years also included three massive years in the studio creating another success, “Hysteria”. Another massive set back was the suicide of guitarist Steve Clark in 1991. Since 1992 the band has consisted of Joe Elliott, vocals, guitarists Phil Collen and Viv Campbell (ex. SWEET SAVAGE, ex. DIO, RIVERDOGS), bass man Rick Savage, and one-armed drummer Rick Allen. This disc has also been sort of delayed, being the first ever live outing from the band.

The most part of the album is made up of songs from...

Posted in Gig/Festival Reviews

Tjugo minuter innan Mayhem ska stå på scen ösregnar det över industriområdet där Copenhell huserar och det får gärna fortsätta, tänker jag. Mayhem i solsken rimmar illa men när de inledande tonerna till ”Pagan Fears”ljuder över asfaltplanen skiner den ändå på oss. Danskar har aldrig haft något hett kärleksförhållande till black så när världens största band i genren visar upp sig är det bara att utan tjafs promenera längst fram till kravvallstaketet där jag med tindrande ögon och värme i hjärtat skådar och hör mina husgudar. Atilla är som vanligt demonisk. Han spänner ögonen i oss och trollar med sina stämband i ”My Death”, ”Crystalized Pain in Deconstruction” och ”Buried by Time and Dust”...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Liljegren Records/Sound Pollution

Swedish band REINXEED hails from Boden, and is centered round guitarist/vocalist Tommy ReinXeed. Since 2002 they have been in the business of Adventure metal, there´s new one, all about legends and stories with a twist of heavenly hope. Inspiration comes from GARY MOORE, ANGRA and ROBBIE VALENTINE, a.o. This is album number three, the so called difficult one, let´s see how REINXEED fares.

The opener and title track is a fine example of good arrangements and nice choruses. It´s very Swedish in spite of the influences cited. The album is either somewhere in the vicinity of EUROPE, or a mix of SONATA ARCTICA and STRATOVARIUS...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Avenue of Allies/Sound Pollution

ALYSON AVENUE makes a comeback after losing lead singer Anette Olzon to NIGHTWISH in 2007. Remeaining members song writer and keyboard player Niclas Olsson, guitarist Tony Rothla, guitarist/bass player Thomas Löyskä and drummer Fredrik Eriksson have not only kept the band going, they also recruited a phenomenal replacement in Arabella Vitanc. Half a dozen guests wer invited, notably ex-vocalist Anette, the well-travelled Michael Bormann (ex. JADED HEART, BISS), guitarists Mats Edström (SHIVA), Rob Marcello (DANGER DANGER), plus keyboard player Fredrik Bergh of STRRET TALK. The band may have a history since 1989, found their shape with Anette around the turn of the millennium and are in for a new and interesting chapter.

The first half of the album is ...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Pulverised/Sound Pollution

Greek death metal vehicle NECRONOVOROUS debuts with foul and sickening death metal, is that flattering? Doomy overtones and firm roots in the early nineties are promised. The blurred artwork may bring on connotations if days gone, but what about the music?

With a guitarist/vocalist called Archfiend DevilPig my expectations lower. The info recommends this album to fans of AUTPSY, ASPHYX and DEATH, the latter sounds intriguing. The rest of the guys in the band are apparently known as Shiteater, drums, Grave Defiler, bass, and Soul Extractor, lead guitar. There is actually hope for this fiendish and messy lot...

Posted in Cd Reviews

”Livin’ my dream” is the new album from Swedish glam/sleeze rockers Bai Bang. The bands last album, 2009’s ”Are you ready” was nominated as the best glam/sleeze album at the Swedish metal awards and was also voted as the ”Best all round party anthem album of the year” in the Australian magazine, The Rockpit. As a result, the new album has a lot to live up to. Happily I can report that the album exceeds expectations.

”Livin’ my dream” is the bands seventh album (sixth if you exclude the 2006 ”best of” album). The band were active from the late 1980’s through till 2001 when they released the ”Attitude” album. This was followed by several years of quiet before they started touring again in 2007 and released ”Are you ready” in 2009.

Comments on a few of the tracks..

The album gets off to...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Mongrel are an American female fronted punk band from the Boston (Massachusetts) area.

Founded in 2003, Mongrel has toured extensively, playing with bands such as FEAR, Blitzkid, Trashlight Vision, Michale Graves, and shared stages with the MISFITS, GWAR, Korn, Otep, Prong, Wednesday13, Luchagors, Fu Manchu, Psychostick, Dizzy Reed (Gn’R), Piggy D (Rob Zombie) and many more.
To date they have released one full album (2006’s ”Fear, lies & propaganda”), and three EP’s – ”Revenge” (2009), ”The new breed of old school” (2010), and their current release, ”Declaration” (2011).

”Start the riot” kicks off the EP with lots of power, great music and lyrics. Really thats how the whole EP goes – great music and lyrics with lots of attitude.

”Declamation” is a great EP...

Posted in Cd Reviews

”Quid Pro Quo” is the latest album from British rockers Status Quo. In an unusual move, the album is only available via Tesco. The album has been released as a double album – disc one being the new album, and disc 2 being an ”official live bootleg” – i.e. a live album.

There is nothing in the new album that will surprise Status Quo fans – after over 40 years, the band has a tried and tested formula which they stick to – ”if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it”. Its a good album, but I’m not sure that any of the tracks are likely to become classics.

The live disc is great – it includes some of the bands classic hits including ”Caroline”, ”Rockin all over the world” and ”whatever you want”, along with other tracks that regularly make up their live setlist.

The inclusion of the live disc ma...

Posted in Cd Reviews

Crescendolls are a Swedish three-piece band that describe themselves as a ”riff-party band” – not a term I’ve heard before I must admit.

The album was recorded live – something many bands have moved away from these days, but it certainly seems to have worked well here – and it gives you the confidence that the band can reproduce the album in a live concert, whereas many bands these days rely so heavily on samples and backing tracks that they struggle to make the material sound good live without backing tracks to help them.

There’s a real 1970’s rock feeling to this EP – which certainly isnt a bad thing. Some great guitar riffs combine with great tunes and good vocals to make a very good EP...