(8/10) Jacksonville, Florida is the homebase of Artizan, a US metal powerhouse that has its fourth longplayer in the pipeline. 'Demon Rider' follows the 2015 release 'The Furthest Reaches' and features, in the standard version, 5 songs. A limited version includes, next to the 5 songs, the title track with no less than Jag Panzer's... Continue Reading →
CD review REDEMPTION ‘Long Night’s Journey Into Day’
(9/10) One of the bands that constantly delivered excellent music over the last few years was prog metal powerhouse Redemption. The band is the brainchild of guitarist Nick van Dyk and debut in 2003 with their self-titled first album. After some years with InsideOut the band released the first album for Metal Blade in 2016.... Continue Reading →
CD review MICHAEL ROMEO ‘War of the Worlds // Pt. 1’
(9/10) There's some radio silence when it comes to New Jesey-based prog metal band Symphony X that released their latest album 'Underworld' in 2015. Between then and now some of the band members focussed on other bands and projects, like singer Russell Allen that released 'We the People' with Adrenaline Mob. Bass player Mike LePond... Continue Reading →
Metal Blade re-issues KING DIAMOND classics
Metal Blade Records started in early summer a re-release series of King Diamond classics. From 'Fatal Portrait' to 'Abigail II - The Revenge', vinyl versions have been launched already or will see the light of day within the coming weeks. The re-issues are done as an exclusive edition on 180gr. vinyl and come as pic... Continue Reading →
CD review CRYSTAL VIPER ‘At the Edge of Time’ – EP
(7/10) Crystal Viper is the brainchild of Polish singer Marta Gabriel who started the band back in 2003. After some first studio albums it was some health issues that stopped Gabriel from working with Crystal Viper for some time. The singer returned with her traditional metal outfit in 2017, releasing with 'Queen of the Witches'... Continue Reading →
DVD/CD review ‘Live at WACKEN 2017 – 28 Years Louder Than Hell’
(*/10) To warm-up for the 2018 edition of the legendary Wacken festival Silver Lining Music launches a DVD/CD package entitled 'Live at Wacken 2017 - 28 Years Louder Than Hell'. The comprehensive DVD version features 45 songs of the 2017 Wacken festival, mixed by Cameron Webb (Motörhead, Megadeth, NOFX) and mastered by Andrew Alekej (Motörhead,... Continue Reading →
CD review ARMORY ‘The Search’
(7/10) Gothenburg-based Armory is a metal powerhouse that grew out of the ashes of a band called Resurrector. The guys debut with an album entitled ‘World Peace … Cosmic War’ and now it’s time for second strike of Swedish speed metal. ‘The Search’, that’s the title of Armory’s sophomore record, features an eleven songs-comprising tracklist,... Continue Reading →
PRIMAL FEAR announces new album and tour dates for Europe
German metal veterans Primal Fear announced a new album entitled 'Apocalypse'. The longplayer will be released on August 10th and is album number eleven of Ralf Scheepers, Mat Sinner and Co. . Two songs have been unveiled already. HERE you can listen to 'King of Madness' and HERE comes 'Hounds of Justice'. Tracklist: Apocalypse New... Continue Reading →
MICHAEL ROMEO presents ‘Djinn’
Symphony X guitarist Michael Romeo will launch his solo debut 'War of the Worlds / Pt. 1' on July 27th and 'Djinn' is one song, coming from the tracklist of this longplayer. The tune got a video that can be watched HERE.
Jim Bacchi and Dirk Kennedy talk about HITTMAN, the KIT show and a new album
Over the last few months some activity at the Hittman camp was noticeable. The band played an highly acclaimed show at the Keep It True Festival in Germany, new songs have been played there and the debut has been re-issued by No Remorse Records. Enough reasons to reach out to Jim Bacchi and Dirk Kennedy... Continue Reading →
BRAINSTORM launches ‘Midnight Ghost’ in September
German power metal pioneers Brainstorm launches their 12th longplayer, 'Midnight Ghost', on September 28th.
CD review STORMWITCH ‘Bound to the Witch’
(7/10) Stormwitch is a band name most of you should be familiar with. The glorious early longplayers, such as 'Tales of Terror' and 'Walpurgis Night', were underground highlights in the mid 80's. These records made Stormwitch to 'the masters of black romantic' and it was this band that brought Gerstetten, their home-village, for the first... Continue Reading →
CD review BATTLEROAR ‘Codex Epicus’
(8/10) Four years have gone by since Greece epic metal powerhouse Battleroar unveiled their latest longplayer. ‘Blood of Legends’ has been released in 2014 and it’s ‘Codex Epicus’ that marks the return of the band, hailing from Athens. As with the earlier records also the newest one comprises of epic power metal that finds its... Continue Reading →
CD review BLOODLOST ‘Diary of Death’
(7/10) Switzerland is known for some good rock and hard rock bands as well as their striking extreme metal scene with bands like Celtic Frost, Messiah and Triptycon in forefront. It’s not that many thrash metal bands that could gain a widened popularity beyond Swiss borders. The legendary prog thrashers Drifter have been one of... Continue Reading →
CD review LADY CATMAN ‘Eyes Wide Open’
(8/10) Some of you might have heard of Lady Catman already but I assume that the most of you aren’t familiar with the name/band/project. Lady Catman is a project of guitarist, producer and songwriter Cathleen , known from her contribution to some Die Apokalyptischen Reiter records. This time Lady Catman worked on a solo album,... Continue Reading →









