Don Broco - Priorities (Album Review)
Finding bands who are quality live and on disc is often more difficult than you'd think. Don Broco are a force to be reckoned with in a live capacity, and though there was nothing wrong with their previous releases - their new record 'Priorities' is set to catapult their on-disc quality to dizzying heights. Taking more time and paying more attention to the intricacies of their work has paid off, big time.
Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Thursday, 16 August 2012
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Last Of A Dyin' Breed (Single Review)
It's a tired cliché to describe an ageing rock & roll band as survivors, but if that label belongs to anyone it's Lynyrd Skynyrd. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1964 the subsequent decades have seen the southern rock stalwarts experience wonderful highs courtesy of timeless anthems like 'Sweet Home Alabama' and 'Free Bird', as well as an earth shattering low that almost destroyed them. Back in 1977, following the release of their ironically titled 'Street Survivors' album, founding member, lead singer and voice of a generation Ronnie Van Zant was killed on tour when the band's plane crashed in a forest in Gillsburg, Mississippi after running out of fuel. Guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister and backing singer Cassie along with members of their road crew and airline staff also died on impact. The rest of the band somehow pulled through, albeit in a damaged state – both physically and mentally. After a ten year hiatus they regrouped in 1987 with Ronnie's brother Johnny Van Zant taking over on lead vocals. Since then ill health has claimed every member of the original line up with only guitarist Gary Rossington left to fly the flag. Through triumph, tragedy and countless tribulations the spirit of their music has endured. So it's fair to say 'Last of A Dyin' Breed', the title track and lead single from their thirteenth studio album, is easily the most aptly named record of the year thus far.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 16 August 2012
Eclipse - Bleed And Scream (Single Review)
If you thought arena ready rock music with stratosphere straddling choruses and kick ass guitar pyrotechnics was wiped out decades ago you'd be mistaken. That wonderfully cheesy, chest beating genre is still thriving, albeit estranged from popular culture and subsequently free of the watered down wannabes who'd polluted the scene by the tail end of the over indulgent, hedonistic 1980's. Whilst no longer swimming in the commercial mainstream that made global superstars of Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Def leppard and Whitesnake, the music lives on courtesy of a younger generation of bands raised on the classics of yesteryear. Particularly in Scandinavia, where it appears the last two decades of music never really happened. Groups such as Work Of Art, H.E.AT, Grand Design, Brother Firetribe, Crazy Lixx and W.E.T have all delivered fantastic records jam packed with loud guitars and soaring melodies, crafting classically styled, hard hitting AOR with razor sharp contemporary production values. No band epitomises that better than Swedish four-piece Eclipse, whose 2008 release 'Are You Ready To Rock' was hailed as an absolute tour de force. They've taken their time to craft follow-up album 'Bleed And Scream', but if this title track and lead single is anything to go by it'll be an absolute monster.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Six Organs Of Admittance - Ascent (Album Review)
Sometimes the biggest problem with a record is its identity, or perhaps lack of. There are artists who are desperate to showcase their diverse, almost schizophrenic musical personalities over the course of just one album, and some can pull it off. Others crash and burn.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Zeus - Busting Visions (Album Review)
Starting in 2009, this psychedelic rock quartet began as the backing band of ex Broken Social Scene guitarist, turned solo artist, Jason Collete. Following up their 2010 debut 'Say Us', 'Busting Visions' is a love letter to most fondly remembered styles 60’s and 70s pop culture.
Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Katatonia - Dead End Kings (Album Review)
It has to be said that Katatonia are a pretty special band. In a metal world that is massively oversaturated with bands seemingly determined to avoid breaking the mould, the Swedish dark metallers have created a sound that is definitively their own over the course of albums such as 2003’s 'Viva Emptiness' and 2009’s acclaimed 'Night is the New Day'. However, even the most original of sounds can start to wear thin if repeated too often, and, for some, 'Dead End Kings' may become the tipping point at which that comes true of Katatonia.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 13 August 2012
Bloc Party - Four (Album Review)
The Geek (Matt Tong, drums), the Gay (Kele Okereke, lead vocals and guitar), the Goth (Russell Lissack, lead guitar) and Gordon Moakes (bass and vocals, has no discernable features beginning with G) will later this month release the new album ‘Four’.
Written by: Luke Bailey | Date: Monday, 13 August 2012
Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Ryan O'Shaughnessy (Album Review)
People may doubt that televised singing competitions bring anything credible to the table, but occasionally, when a rare gem like Dublin teenager Ryan O’Shaughnessy is washed ashore; it makes all the frightful drivel and car-crash filler almost worthwhile.
Written by: Chloe Scannapieco | Date: Friday, 10 August 2012
While She Sleeps - This Is The Six (Album Review)
While She Sleeps might just be the UK’s fastest rising metal band. Their mini-album, 'The North Stands for Nothing', turned up out of what seemed like nowhere for most fans, but made one hell of an impression and, as such, 'This is the Six' arrives in the midst of heavy expectation.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 10 August 2012
Post War Glamour Girls - Tragic Loss; He Had Such a Lovely House (EP Review)
Bristling like the offended persona of a mildly hammered Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Leeds based Post War Glamour Girls take the bruising post-punk of Australia’s greatest son and play it not so much with pent-up aggression as world weary frustration. Despair takes the lead here more than any other emotional state and, predictably, the preferred medium is embittered post-punk.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 09 August 2012
The Unwinding Hours - Afterlives (Album Review)
There may be some listeners out there that found The Unwinding Hours’ self-titled debut record a disappointment...but they are likely to be few and far between. Released two and a half years ago now, that record took the stupendously emotive art rock template laid down by Aereogramme (the former band of The Unwinding Hours members Craig Beaton and Iain Cook) and gave it fresh and exciting new life. Now the prophetically titled 'Afterlives' takes things to yet another glorious new plain.
The Candlepark Stars - Take Care And Safe Home (Album Review)
All things have their beginnings, big or small. Equally important are conclusions, and there is no feeling that can really replace the experience of heading home at the end of a journey. The Candlepark Stars has created an album that can be seen as trying to capture this concluding phase, the sixth and latest addition to its music overall discography. In particular, 'Take Care And Safe Home' can be seen as the third and final act of a 3-album arc that continues the themes from the artist's previous two records, in the words of the man behind the wheel Kerry Muzzey.
Written by: Jonathan Lin | Date: Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Damn Robot! - Jasurp (Album Review)
It is somewhere around the middle of this album's second track 'Close The Door' that you should find yourself being swept up in the scintillating inventiveness that is 'Jasurp', the latest release from Hampshire duo Damn Robot!
Written by: Patrick Gormley | Date: Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Conor Maynard - Contrast (Album Review)
19-year-old Connor Maynard only released his debut single 'Can't Say No' back in March and now two singles later, Conor Maynard released his debut album 'Contrast'.
Written by: Lara Rainsforth | Date: Monday, 06 August 2012
The Chevin - Blue Eyes (Single Review)
Maybe you haven't heard of the band The Chevin, well up until yesterday neither had I. But now I can tell you that they are a rock four piece from North Yorkshire; between the inspiringly beautifully bare rolling moors which feature in the video for their new single 'Blue Eyes' and no less romantically, Leeds (well maybe it's little less romantic).
Written by: Luke Bailey | Date: Friday, 03 August 2012
Hold Your Horse Is - Frimley (Album Review)
Awesomely named, and with an awesome background (drummer Chris Rouse used to tech for post-hardcore legends Reuben), Hold Your Horse Is have finally managed to get a full-length album out. Named after the hometown of two-thirds of their membership, 'Frimley' captures their trademark combination of noise rock and sheeny Foo-Fighters esque superhero anthems better than anything they have done to date.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 03 August 2012
Sucioperro - Fused (Album Review)
Eighteen months ago Sucioperro were preparing to unleash their third album, the instantly memorable and wonderfully melodic 'The Heart String & How to Pull It'. Now they bring 'Fused' to the table...and it honestly could not be much more different. Where 'Heart String' was immediate and often gentle 'Fused' is, by and large, a pummelling half hour journey into darkness.
Gun - Breaking The Silence (Album Review)
Let's not beat about the bush, this is the most unexpected and surprisingly superb comeback album of the year. No messing. No hyperbole.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 01 August 2012
Pure Love - Handsome Devil's Club (Single Review)
Almost predictably, Frank Carter's first project since Gallows is not a hardcore project. At all. 'Handsome Devils Club' sounds surprisingly accomplished considering it is influenced by The Smiths in both name and sound (Hear 'Handsome Devil' by the famous Mancunian band).
Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 01 August 2012
Nachtmystium - Silencing Machine (Album Review)
You know, sometimes I feel that modern metal really doesn’t have enough balls. Too many of the bands trumpeted in the mainstream metal media are limp, lifeless recreations of what has already been done much better, and, for want of a better turn of phrase, much heavier; and yes, Bullet for My Valentine I am looking at you.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 30 July 2012
