Due to the late arrival of a couple of the bands, soundcheck was started late, and was then delayed by a few minor technical problems including discovering that one of the amp heads was not just amplifying the guitar, it was also broadcasting what sounded like a German radio station – bizarre. As a result the doors opened late. This turned out not to be a problem as the audience wasnt exactly large – in fact the bands outnumbered the paying customers. Kobra and the lotus singer, Brittany described it as a ”band show” – where you’re basically just playing to the other bands. I suspect poor promotion was to blame as the rest of the tour had good audience sizes.
Given the poor turnout you could understand if some of the bands just went through the motions, but that wasnt the case – all th...
Monthly Archives juli 2011
Lion Music/Warner
We´ve all seen the pictures and heard about the situation in Japan. Some people decide to act on it and give a helping hand. LARS ERIC MATTSSON has gathered the finest his Lion Music rooster has to offer for this 2CD, the revenue from which goes straight to the affected in Japan via the Japanese Red Cross. Newly written and never before released tracks from 27 artists/bands, crowned by a special guitar extravaganza called “Embrace the Sun”. The latter features Lars Eric, Borislav Mitic, Milan Polak, Dave Martone, Franck Ribiere (DOUBLE HEART PROJECT), Simone Fiorletta (NO GRAVITY), Francisco Fareri and Daniel Palmqvist of MURDER OF MY SWEET.
There are so many tracks on offer here, something for everyone I believe...
Read MoreMDD/Sound Pollution
Russian band MANIC DEPRESSION has been around since 1999, and supported the likes of DESTRUCTION on tour. Their moshing music is described as thrash to the bone, dwelling on subjects like politics and war. Well, how heavy can these Russians get?
Aw, well, opener “Nightmareality” is thrash in the true sense of the world, with force and a fine refrain. An worthy opener of character, in short. “Afterlife” spoils me with Old School US thrash in the vein of VIO-LENCE, but the third track, “Evil in Disguise” seems strangely anemic in comparison. But that is the only unpleasant surprise on the album. They are really convincing in songs like the glorious rifferama of “Global Collapse” and the mixed thrash of “Phobia”...
Read MoreKobra and the lotus are an up and coming Canadian band that is currently touring the UK. The band are being chased by major record labels, so if you haven’t heard anything by them before then its only a matter of time before you do – this band is going to be big !
Festivalphoto caught up with the band before their show at the Man on the moon, Cambridge and spoke to singer Brittany Paige.
Festivalphoto: When did the band form and how?
Brittany: The band started I guess back in 2008 was when Kobra and the Lotus started, but the project began when I searched for people to play with basically and that was 2006 I believe. I put out an Ad looking for two guitar players, and I found Chris and our original guitar player Matt online...
Read MoreEscape/Border
Canadian vocalist ROB MORATTI has an ongoing varied career. He started out with his own band MORETTI in the late nineties, went on to front FINAL FRONTIER and headed straight for the spotlight when in 2008 he replaced Michael Sadler as front man of SAGA. He has now left them to focus on his solo career. With on the venture are; guitarists Reb Beach (WINGER/WHITESNAKE) and Christian Wolff (also keyboards), seasoned bass player Tony Franklin (BLUE MURDER/THE FIRM), drummer Brian Doerner (ex HELIX, SAGA), and keyboardist Fredrik Bergh.
For some reason I am never quite satisfied with opening tracks these days it Is true that people don´t hang around in record stores to get an impression these days, but I still like openers to be the best on offer...
Read MoreLion/Warner
Dutch progressive shooting stars SUN CAGED release their awaited third album. The info sheet says that it´s their most diverse effort yet. Formed by ex LEMUR VOICE guitar player Marc Coenen and drummer Dennis Leeflang in 1999 the band seems to be moving places. They debuted in 2003 with their self titled album, and followed it up in 2007 with “Artemisia”. Coming from highly experimental sounds, they are now an up and coming progressive band with influences from DREAM THEATER to IRON MAIDEN. The album delves in stories and circumstances that can be extracted and into universal and relatable feelings and ideas, and with some eastern philosophy thrown in for good measures. Is this going to be yet another fine progressive album filled with intricate music for driven musicians?
Read MoreMassacre/Sound Pollution
German/Italian vehicle LOVE.MIGHT.KILL debuts with their classically tinged debut. Boosting members like FIREWIND/ULI JON ROTH/METALIUM drummer Michael Ehré and excellent vocalist Jan Manenti plus the ex. CROSSROADS guitar duo Christian Stöver and Stefan Ellerhorst the band do their take on fans of DIO and JUDAS PRIEST. Not an easy task, but an area that needs an addition or two these days. Are this lot of the right caliber?
The odd and the well-known goes side by side in opener “Tomorrow Never Comes”. There is some ZAKK WYLDE in the riff, in all oddity, as well as a good refrain. There are actually better openers around, but it is not a bad choice...
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