SABIENDASRestored To Life Bret Hard (2013)Rating: 7/10 There’s nothing like a bit of old school death metal to chew on after dinner. Sabiendas are a German band who has been prowling the sewers since their 2007 demo, which resulted in a nifty little EP in 2009 called Buried Alive. Restored To Life boasts nine sturdy […]
KROKUSDirty Dynamite Sony Music (2013)Rating: 7/10 It’s hard to believe that Krokus continues to put out new music, nearly 40 years after their formation in 1975. The Swiss metal outfit made steady headway in sales and critical acclaim throughout the 80s with their AC/DC-inspired adrenaline and blues-fused rock, and Dirty Dynamite is the band’s 17th […]
GREAT WHITE30 Years – Live From The Sunset Strip Frontiers (2013)Rating: 8/10 Southern California Blues rock veterans Great White have seen their ups and downs. From the heights of fame to the years of lawsuits following a pyrotechnics incident in 2003 at The Station in Rhode Island that killed 100 people, Great White has seen […]
FREE FALLPower & Volume Nuclear Blast (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 I have to admit that Nuclear Blast has really been surprising me lately with bands like Bullet, Black Star Riders, Free Fall, Graveyard, Witchcraft and Orchid. It’s almost a label-driven revival of 70s hard rock, a glorious time when bands sounded very much the same and yet […]
RAGE OF ANGELSDreamworld Escape Music (2013)Rating: 8/10 Now, you know you’re onto a winner when an album features so many cool, yet criminally underrated hard rock stars, such as Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn, Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess and an absolute truck load of others. Rage Of Angels is the brainchild of original Ten keyboard player Ged […]
MORTILLERYOrigin Of Extinction Napalm (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 I knew very little about Canada’s Mortillery, having missed out on their 2011 debut platter Murder Death Kill, but I must admit that as soon as I heard the injection of Slayer’s classic ‘Raining Blood’ riff (from 1986’s Reign In Blood) within the opening track ‘Battle Earth’ of their […]
SCALPELSorrow And Skin Sevared (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 So, straight from the bowels of Boston, Massachusetts come death / grindcore lunatics Scalpel (cool name!) with their agitated and yet accessible brand of extreme metal where, for me, the guitars are the king of all. Scalpel – formed in 2008 – have finally gotten round to recording and […]
SHAI HULUDReach Beyond The Sun Metal Blade (2013)Rating: 9/10 Shai Hulud is in some ways a remnant from one of music’s most creative periods. The 1990s found the DIY ethic of punk rock and hardcore in full swing, and fans were creating their own labels. Revelation Records was one of the best labels to come […]
KING LOSES CROWNYou Can’t Escape EP Minus Head (2013)Rating: 7.5/10 San Francisco, California’s King Loses Crown make their debut with the You Can’t Escape EP. Formed by Kent Carter (vocals / bass / synths) and Michael Cobra (vocals / guitars), the band came together over their mutual love of anthemic punk rock and electronic dance […]
RAVEN BLACK NIGHTBarbarian Winter Metal Blade (2013)Rating: 6/10 Raven Black Night formed near the dawn of the new millennium in Adelaide, Australia (home of giants like the legendary late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott and the critically acclaimed Virgin Black). After releasing their debut album, Choose The Dark, in 2005 the band toured heavily including festival […]
