(7/10) The fact that Finland is the home base for many interesting metal bands is well known. One of these bands is Outlaw, hailing from a city with a rather difficult name: Lappeenranta. Singer Lee Anvel and bassist John Kaiser started the band which grew to a five-piece. Guitars are handled by Jimmy Slashburner and... Continue Reading →
CD review SHELTON/CHASTAIN ‘Edge of Sanity – ’88 Demo Session’
(10/10) There are releases that are beyond any score or rating. The value of these kinds of releases is far more than what can be summed up to a rate. ‘Edge of Sanity – 88’ Demo Session’ is such an album. The true value of ‘Edge of Sanity – ’88 Demo Session’ is the fact... Continue Reading →
CD review VULCAIN ‘Vinyle’
(7/10) It was in 1981 when the Puzio brothers founded a band they named Vulcain. Already one year later the band premiered with 'Rock'n'Roll Secours' and became one of the most constant outfits in French metal and hard rock. Also an eleven years time-out couldn't kill the rock'n'roll spirit. After a split-up in 1998 the... Continue Reading →
HEIR APPARENT’s Terry Gorle & Will Shaw talk about ‘The View From Below’
October 15th is the day when prog metal veterans Heir Apparent will release their highly anticipated third studio album, 'The View from Below'. Fans of excellent US metal and acclaimed progressive metal were hungry for this release and what was a dream for decades became real. MHMB contacted Terry Gorle and Will Shaw to get... Continue Reading →
CD review DARKNESS ‘First Class Violence’
(8/10) German thrashers Darkness belong to the second wave of German thrash metal bands. The band debuted in 1987 with the ‘Death Squad’ album, which was rough piece of work. Two more records followed before the Darkness called it an end, with musicians parting ways. It was in 2004, when some members of the Darkness... Continue Reading →
New METAL CHURCH album in December
West coast metal veterans Metal Church will release their 12th full length studio album ’Damned If You Do’ via Rat Pak Records on December 7, 2018 and will also be available in Europe via Nuclear Blast and Japan via KING Records. The latest release is the follow up to their highly successful 2016 album ‘XI’,... Continue Reading →
CD review DC4 ‘Atomic Highway’
(8/10) In an almost clandestine way, DC4 released their fourth full-length album ‘Atomic Highway’. DC4, that's almost family business if you will. It’s the three Duncan brothers, Jeff, Matt and Shawn, together with former Dio guitarist Rowan Robertson. The successor of the 2011 album ‘Electric Ministry’ sneaked into the stores mid-September and is available in... Continue Reading →
CD review HEIR APPARENT ‘The View From Below’
(10/10) Seldomly it happens that what you wish to happen also becomes real. It seems to stay a dream that never unfolds its beauty. One of these things is a new album of no less than Seattle-based prog metal legends of Heir Apparent. The quintet from the Amercian West Coast had two awesome releases during... Continue Reading →
Classics: RUFFIANS ‘Ruffians’
With this classic, we go back in time even further than with the latest 'Classics' posts. The Delorean brings us back to 1985. In a phase when metal gained momentum and many bands pushed into the market, it was Ruffians from San Francisco that unveiled a brilliant six-track album. Simply entitled 'Ruffians' the debut EP of... Continue Reading →
Classics: MORTAL SIN ‘Mayhemic Destruction’
Who can remember Mortal Sin? The quintet from Sydney, Australia isn't top of mind of everybody, but the ones of you that started their metallic journey in the 80's are familiar with this five-piece powerhouse from down under. Mortal Sin started in 1985 and was described as the 'Australian Metallica'. This gave already a clear idea... Continue Reading →
CD review BRAINSTORM “Midnight Ghost’
(8/10) September 2018 is an important month when it comes to heavy metal music, hailing from the greater Heidenheim area. The German city in the south of Germany is the hometown of two metal acts that are well-known in metal. Undertow will release their new album “Reap the Storm’ on September 21st and it’s know... Continue Reading →
CD review HAMMER KING ‘Poseidon Will Carry Us Home’
(8/10) Even though Kaiserslautern, Germany has no geographical connection to the sea, it’s Hammer King that got inspired by the ocean. The band, consisting out some Ivory Night members, is fronted by former Ross The Boss singer Titan Fox V. In contrary to the assumption of a Manowar copycat and in contrary to the debut, Joey... Continue Reading →
CD review MAYAN ‘Dhyana”
(9/10) Dutch powerhouse MaYan is back with a new longplayer. It’s not that the band released many records over the last years, but it’s the quality of each of the albums that’s stunning. After having debuted in 2011 with ‘Quaterpast’ the band unveiled their next strike with ‘Antagonise’ in 2014. Both records were critically acclaimed... Continue Reading →
CD review STRATOVARIUS ‘ENIGMA: Intermission 2’
(8/10) I guess that most of you are familiar with Stratovarius' 'Intermission' album from 2001. The record was a compilation that mainly featured live recordings, B-sides and bonus tracks of the Finnish powerhouse. 17 years later, Stratovarius reveals a new album and it's called 'Enigma: Intermission 2'. As with part one, also volume 2 comprises... Continue Reading →
CD review ACE MAFIA ‘Ace Mafia’
(8/10) Ace Mafia is a hard rock band, hailing from the UK. The band was founded by Geos Letona and it was now less the current Judas Priest axeman Richie Faulkner that played with Ace Mafia for several years. In March 2010 the band’s debut ‘Vicious Circle’ was released, supported by some live shows. Faulkner... Continue Reading →









