Album Reviews

It’s a great barometer regarding the quality of an album when even after multiple listens, you can still discover something new each time. Take ‘Black Soul Vendetta’ from Midlands-based rockers Devilfire for instance, were the short, foreboding piano strikes on ‘Chasing The Pain’ always there? Ditto the gorgeous, layered melodic …

After quite a major personnel upheaval with guitarist, Dorian Sorriaux leaving for pastures new, and bassist/co-founder Zack Anderson moving from four to six strings, Blues Pills had a ready-made get-out-jail-free card if required. Thankfully, it’s not needed and it goes back to the bottom of the pile, for ‘Holy Moly!’ …

Listening to the self-titled debut EP from The Georgia Thunderbolts is somewhat akin to popping on that old, favourite sweater after a hard day at work, or warming yourself with a piping hot bowl of soup on a cold day. In other words: comfort. Hailing from Rome, Georgia, the young …

Like many people, I surround myself with music that mirrors my mood and emotions. Out for a run? Get a bit of a beat going. Chilling out cooking? Happy, bouncy music to sing along to. On a long drive? Something loud and powerful. You get the picture. So, when I …

No sleeping on the high seas for this band! Following some personnel changes since their last album, Oceans of Slumber have ridden their good ship to navigate the waves of what the world has recently thrown at us and delivered a leviathan of an eponymous album. Dobber Beverley, the backbone …

The artists formerly known as Black Coffee return as South Of Eden. New name, same high-quality rock ‘n’ roll. If you enjoyed them as Black Coffee, then you will sure as hell dig them as South Of Eden. Vocalist Ehab Omran still possesses the same killer, high-end vocals featured on …

Having teased the taste buds with acoustic EP ‘Wayward Flyers Volume 1’, Canadian duo Crown Lands go one better and deliver the entree with the release of their self-titled debut album. You might be familiar with the strapline quoting Crown Lands Kevin Comeau (guitar/bass/keyboards) as saying; “We joke around, what …

When it came to naming his forthcoming second solo album, Chicago-born, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer JD Simo went for the self-titled approach. A self-titled album this far into a career usually means making  a statement (Lamb Of God springs to mind), or it could just mean that Simo …

American formed, multi-national metallers Kamelot are really spoiling their fanbase with the release of the lavish live bundle; ‘I Am The Empire: Live From The 013’. Recorded at the legendary 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands, it features four discs in total, 2CD, 1DVD, as well as the option to go hi-def …

Eschewing the concept album path that both previous albums ‘Feathers & Flesh’ and ‘Avatar Country’ ventured down, the rapidly rising Swedish Metal outfit Avatar opted for a more traditional approach on studio album number eight; ‘Hunter Gatherer’. Ten individual tracks, no concept, same mission though: to blow the minds of …