aAnd? - aAlbum? (CD Review)

01.Some Shit!
02.Innit!
03.This Is Why We Have No Female Shotput Champions!
04.Last Place In The Sack Race!
05.I’m A Mighty Pirate Prepare To Die
06.Dogs!
07.This Little Piggy
08.If You See Me Run!
09.What Is Wrong With Your Face?!
10.I Pity The Fowl!
11.Girls!
12.Tours, Whores and Closed Bus Doors!
13.Proclivity For The Purple Velvet!
14.Last Of The Summer Swine!
15.Makin' Bacon!

Dan (Vocals/Guitar)
Pip (Drums/Vocals)
Lewis (Bass)

Si Genaro (Guest Vocals & Harmonica on This Little Piggy)

Bournemouth band formed in 2011 the purpose of which was to write the heaviest music they could think of to impress girls, tax reasons and get free beer.
Dan and Pip had previously played together in 'HFM' in 2002 and in 2004 Pip and Lewis had been part of the band 'Animosity'.
All three of them got together just as Pip was leaving the band Al.B.Damned.

They dress in B&W body suits and masks and have a fearsome reputation for anarchic live performances.
Last july their song 'Girls!' appeared on the "Devils Rejects" covermount cd with Metal Hammer magazine.

Screaming vocals and blast beats seems to be the order of the day and 'Some Shit!' delivers a powerful punch to the head, its unrelenting speed and agressive attitude crash through the speakers like a tank in a poppy field.

'Innit!' starts with a weird sound and some laughter before smashing once again the senses into oblivian, a dual vocal of screams and death grunts blend with the relentless onslaught of instruments.

More weirdness with the intro for a serious and moving song that deals with one of the great modern issues of our time, that being - 'This Is Why We Have No Female Shotput Champions!'
Well im only kidding its another headfucker of a song that also has a donkey and a yodel thrown in!
The song flows straight into 'Last Place In The Sack Race!' the pace remaining the same.

Then we come to 'I Am A Mighty Pirate Prepare To Die', this one has a different feel to start with reminicent of Primus, sure the song soon moves to a heavy drum driven piece, but there is a strange almost hypnotic rhythm running throughout, throw in some different vocal elements and a few samples and you have a very intresting and stand out song.

After 'Dogs!' with its Meshuggah like beat, things just get weird...

'This Little Piggy' where do you start? 'Dig the fucking evil groove' are the opening words followed by harmonica and whistling over a thrash metal guitar riff and drum pedal driven drum beats, i'll keep going because there is some melodic high pitched vocal harmony thrown in as well.
This could be the start of a death/blues hybrid as yet heard of in the world of heavy metal OR some sort of mental breakdown from the band members accidentley recorded and put on the album in an attempt at a type of shock therapy, either way it just has to be heard to be believed and then played again just to confirm your original suspicions!

What follows are two homages to classic Grindcore, the first is 16 seconds with 'If You See Me Run' and then 33 seconds of 'What Is Wrong With Your Face', two excellent short blast of power.

Melodic guitar riffery? Well fortunatly Mr.T saves the day with 'Pity The Fowl' another off the wall avant-garde tune (wait did i say tune?) this is more madness with screaming and full on metal assault interrupted by the A Team legend and them some farm noises!

Next is 'Girls!' a song some of you may already have heard if you got that Metal Hammer CD last year, but for those who have not then this one starts with some samples of an orgasmic lady (probably from Pip's own personal collection of filthy dvd's!), the samples in fact run throughout this monster of a song, distorted guitarwork and furious drumming all held together by solid basswork.

As to be expected with any typical modern metal album we come to the ballad, thank fuck this is not typical and the song 'Tours, Whores and Closed Bus Doors!' is not a ballad, but hey i got you worried for a second there didn't i?

Gotta love a song that starts with chainsaws and screams, but 'Proclivity For The Purple Velvet!' does not follow the rules and turns out to be a strange cover of 'We could have been anything' from the Bugsy Malone film!!! Oh plus an added death grunt at the end!

You know by this point my brain is totally fucked, this is just some stupid shit, im trying to write a review and keep laughing and banging my head, so now im listening to the intro for last of the summer wine on harmonica for the 'Last Of The Summer Swine' song that im just waiting for to explode into another wall of sound and it does, there are a few timing changes in the mix that make this one part thrash and part hardcore.

Finally we end with a short story called 'Makin Bacon!' no music just a story about picking up girls told by Country Joe who has a pet fish, so electric music for mind and body and a clue as to the state of mind of the band?

Like a strange mix of early 'Johnny Truant', 'The Locust' and early british Grindcore this is one of those debut albums that makes you sit up and listen, then run to a nice quiet place and calm down.
A brilliant and very well concieved album drawing on numerous influences designed to entertain on all levels.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Lawnmower Deth, The Locust, Meshuggah, Anal Cunt, Johnny Truant, Napalm Death

FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/aandofficial

Tanzwut - Eselsmesse (CD Review)

01.Intro
02.Asinum Chorum
03.Der Eselskönig
04.Saturnalia
05.Lux Hodie
06.Rhoslese
07.Unsere Nacht
08.Siria
09.Gregis Pastor Tityrus
10.Par Deus
11.Orientis Partibus
12.Briesel Occultum
13.Zieh Mit Mir

Mike "Teufel" Paulenz (Bagpipe/Vocals)
Der Zwilling (Bass/Bagpipe)
Thrymr (Bagpipe/Shawm)
Pyro (Bagpipe/Shawm)
Shumon (Percussion/Keyboards)
Oually (Percussion/Key Drum/Electronic Drums/Riesentara/Keyboard)
Martin Ukrasvan (Guitar/Bagpipe/Tromba Marina)
Rene (Guitar)

German band formed by Teufel in the mid 1990's. starting life as a ska/punk industrial metal band, having felt he had done all he could in that field he put togtehr a new line up featuring members of Corvus Corax in 2011 to add medieval instruments to his original hybrid and created a new sound.

Oh dear, i was expecting huge things from this, the idea of Medieval rock music is one that few have attempted but up to now those who have have created intresting music, Meads Of Asphodel, Rondellus and Circulus spring to mind, but sorry this album is just endless bagpipes over the same beat, track after track, bordering on a dirge at times, there seems to be no thought behind it or even use of other instruments, the idea of a mix of industrial rock and dance music mixed with medieval tunes coild have been an oppertunity to create something outstanding.This almost seems pointless.

Okay so 'Unsere Nacht' is more acid folk, a great duet with an unnamed female vocalist, the song is well put together and makes use of other instruments and'Orientis Partibus' has a little more in the mix, but not much.

A huge dissapointment!

Rating 3/10
For fans of : Bagpipe music

Black Anvil - Hail Death (CD Review)

01.Still Reborn
02.Redemption Through Blood
03.Eventide
04.Seven Stars Unseen
05.G.N.O.N.
06.Until The End
07.My Hate Is Pure
08.N
09.Next Level Black
10.Under The Rose

Paul Delaney (Bass/Vocals)
Raeph Glicken (Drums)
Gary Bennett (Guitar)
Sos  (Guitar)

Guest vocals on 'My Hate Is Pure' By Big John.

Black Anvil are an American black metal band from New York City, formed in 2007 with Paul Delaney, Gary Bennett and Raeph Glicken.
Taking their name from Black Babbath and Judas Priests 'Between The Hammer & The Anvil' from Painkiller.

They soon became rising stars of the New York Black Metal scene and went on to release two well recieved albums.
Last year they were joined by Sos on Guitar and toured with Watain before returning to the studio.
In the words of Paul, "This is a darker, deeper record than our previous releases and a natural progression down the chosen path. Musically, and lyrically… we will take our form to the next level".

Opening with the 9 minute epic 'Still Reborn', the spanish acoustic guitar intro fades out allowing the metal to flow through and i do mean flow, it has a superb rhythm to it, as the song progresses the drums become ever more furious, the deathly growl of Delaneys vocals remind me of Satyricons style.
In places there is an almost rock n roll feel to the way the instruments work together.
Have to say the lyrics are well written as well, not your usual Black Metal hail satan stuff.

'Redemption Through Blood' keeps the pace, the vocals are balanced with a clean backing vocal, song gets quite doomy in places when it slows down.

After 'Eventide' we get another longer song called 'Seven Stars Unseen' kind of reminds me of a blackened version of Megadeths 'In My Darkest Hour', its slow tempo thrash chords blend with the Black Metal vibe to create another great song.

'G.N.O.N' also has an old school thrash metal feel, not sure what it stands for mind you but the lyric is again very well written and even thought provoking - "When the fence corrodes, Which fate will you decide, Graveyards now are temples, To those who wish to die".

Very melodic guitar opening for 'Until The End' then some awesome phased guitar kicks in, the pace is slow almost anthemic with some lovely backing harmonys, very gothic in feel and even a sitar type sound created on the guitar.A stand out track!

'My Hate Is Pure' features a guest vocal from Big John from "Fantom Warior", its an agressive full on attack on the senses, but with sensitive backing vocals.
The mix of the song is very good especially when the drums and guitar are brought forward on their own.

The simply titled 'N' is an atmospheric mid tempo piece, full of multi tracked vocal and doom driven powercords.

The last song, Next Level Black', is another huge epic at 11 minutes, very doomy and dare i say Psychedelic to star with some some spaced out vocals mixing into the death growls, the song seems to bounce along at quite a pace, around 8 minutes in comes this quiter bit with some nice chorus guitarwork, then moves into a thrash element and more great guitar playing.

There is one more song added as a bonus track which is a cover of the Kiss song 'Under The Rose' originally on their concept album 'Music From The Elder'.
Its a solid version and delivered with a clean vocal which was a nice surprise.

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of : Satyricon, Waitain, Darkthrone, Cathedral, Akercocke

UDO - Steelhammer Live From Moscow (CD Review)

CD 1
01.Intro
02.Steelhammer
03.King Of Mean
04.Future Land
05.Cry Of A Nation
06.Trip To Nowhere
07.They Want War
08.Never Cross My Way
09.Stranger
10.Stay True
11.In The Darkness
12.Azrael

CD 2
01.No Limits
02.Mean Machine
03.Burning Heat
04.Metal Heart
05.Devil’s Bite
06.Go Back To Hell
07.Timebomb
08.Holy
09.Metal Heart

Udo Dirkschneider (vocals)
Andrey Smirnov (Guitar)
Kasperi Heikkinen (Guitar)
Fitty Wienhold (Bass)
Francesco Jovino (Drums)

Superb live dvd/cd set celebrating yet another huge tour from one of Germanys greatest heavy metal vocalists of all time.
A real treat for fans, the sound is excellent and as always with live recordings its where metal belongs - Live!

A short press release from the record company:

Russia has a special meaning for Udo Dirkschneider and his band U.D.O.. They were one of the very first international artists to tour the huge country of Russia - and their fans are still very thankful until this day. So recording a LIVE DVD to highlight the “Steelhammer” tour was an opportunity the band didn’t want to miss. It is the first LIVE release of U.D.O.’s new line-up which easily convinced fans and critics alike on recent festivals and headlining gigs. The band comes up with an exceptional setlist, including many classics that haven’t been played for a long time, fan favorites and tracks from the recent success album “Steelhammer”. U.D.O. once again prove why they are hailed as one of the best European live bands. “Steelhammer - Live From Moscow” will be available as DVD/2CD, Bluray/2CD and triple-Vinyl in Russian national colors (tricolor).

Rating 8/10
For Fans Of : Accept, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Grave Digger

Serpentine Path - Emanations (CD Review)

01.Essence Of Heresy
02.House Of Worship
03.Treacherous Waters
04.Claws
05.Disfigured Colossus
06.Systematic Extinction
07.Torment

Tim Bagshaw (Guitar)
Stephen Flam (Guitar)
Jay Newman (Bass)
Darren Verni (Drums)
Ryan Lipynsky (Vocals/Guitar/Synth)

Formed after the demise of 'Unearthly Trance' in 2011 by bassist Jay Newman, drummer Darren Verni and vocalist Ryan Lipynsky, they then recruited guitarist Tim Bagshaw (ex-Ramesses, ex-Electric Wizard) to complete the lineup.
Their crushing, self-titled debut full-length was referred to as "thudding death-doom that will have genre enthusiasts rolling their stoned skulls in graveyard genuflection" by Revolver, and "a contender for doom album of the year" by Decibel.

Now officially augmented by new second guitarist Stephen Flam, the mastermind behind NYC doom/death legends, Winter, this new album is described as their "most demoralizing and anguish-filled slow-motion chaos yet".

We are presented with seven slabs of slow and painful sludge doom, downtuned to perfection with an evil growling vocal.
What surprised me was the length of the songs ranging from 4 to 8 minutes, i was expecting huge 10 minute pieces.

Its hard to pick a fave track as its a genre i like, yet essentially all the songs sound the same (in a good way!).

You either like this stuff or dont, if you do then this is well produced music from musicians who are veterans of the genre.

Rating 8/10
For Fans Of : Electric Wizard, Sunn 0))), Earth, Boris, Primitive Man

Nightmare - The Aftermath (CD Review)

01.The Aftermath (Intro)
02.Bringers Of A No Man’s Land
03.Forbidden Tribe
04.Necromancer
05.Invoking Demons
06.I Am Immortal
07.Digital DNA
08.Ghost In The Mirror
09.The Bridge Is Burning
10.Mission For Good
11.Alone In The Distance

Jo Amore (Vocals)
Franck Milleliri (Guitar)
Matt Asselberghs (Guitar)
Yves Campion (Bass)
David Amore (Drums)

French band Nightmare were formed in 1979 and became known when opened for Def Leppard at the Alpexpo of Grenoble in 1983,in front of an audience of more than 4000. They signed for the label Ebony Records, which published the album Waiting for the Twilight.  Nightmare replaced singer Christophe Houpert with Jean-Marie Boix to record their second album Power of the Universe. Shortly after, the band terminated its partnership with Ebony Records and the album was reissued in France by Dream Records. Their new label was soon subjected to financial difficulties, which delayed the release of an LP the band was working on. In addition, Jean-Marie Boix was forced to leave the band because of health problems,he was replaced by Scottish singer Tom Jackson (ex- Praying Mantis), hoping that his vocal qualities and his mastery of the English language could help the success of Nightmare on the other side of the Channel.

This incarnation of Nightmare produced a demo with two songs and did a few shows in France and England, with moderate success. However, dissension between the musicians about the musical direction for the band, whose music was veering toward AOR,led to disbandment in 1987, closing for more than a decade the career of Nightmare.
In 1999 they reformed with a revised line-up.Jo Amore, former drummer, took the singer position and left the sticks to his younger brother, David.

The band signed a contract with Adipocere Records and released the mini-album Astral Deliverance, recorded in tribute to Jean-Marie Boix deceased w had recentley passed away.
They released the double-live album Live Deliverance, recorded at the reunion concert held on 30 October 1999 at the Summum of Grenoble, noted as the first double-live album ever made by a French metal band. In 2000, Nightmare performed at the festival of Artifacts in Strasbourg and at the prestigious Wacken Open Air Festival.

At the end of the year, Nightmare formalized their collaboration with Napalm Records and in June 2001 began recording the album Cosmovision at Soundsuite Studio, changing their music to melodic power metal.
The famous French guitarist Patrick Rondat made a guest appearance on the first song "Spirit of the Sunset". The band then left for a short tour with Saxon.

At the end of the tour, Alex Hilbert replaced at the guitar Jean Stripolli, who left the band along with keyboardist Stephane Rabilloud. The following year, Nightmare flew to the United States to participate to the Metal Meltdown Festival, which included in the roster Manowar and Saxon. Back in Europe, they opened for Blind Guardian on the dates of Lyon and Paris and were featured in several festivals, including again the Wacken Open Air.

In 2003, Nightmare returned to Soundsuite Studio to record the concept album Silent Room and started the year 2004 with a European tour supporting After Forever and Dark Moor.At the end of the year, Nicolas De Dominicis, historical member of Nightmare, left the band and was replaced by guitarist Franck Milleliri.
A contract was signed with Regain Records for the album The Dominion Gate, recorded again at Soundsuite Studio with Terje Refnes. A long tour followed in 2006, supporting After Forever, as in the previous one.In August 2008, Alex Hilbert decided to leave the group for "personal reasons" after 6 years of service.He was permanently replaced by JC Jess.

In September 2009 Nightmare released their seventh album, Insurrection, with AFM Records. This album, heavier and more direct than its predecessors, earned the group many good reviews from press and fans. On 31 October 2009 the band held a concert for their 30th anniversary at the Edmond Vigne Hall in Grenoble, where the group originated. The concert was filmed for a DVD released in 2011.The group participated to the 2010 edition of the Wacken Open Air Festival and toured in South America the same year.

The spoken intro (Female voice, dont know who) and a very symphonic backing leads us into 'Bringer Of A No Mans Land', trading typical mid 80's power infused euro heavy metal with a Dio-esque vocal delivery.Have to say that this reminds me of u.s nu-metallers Disturbed.

Keeping the power going with 'Forbidden Tribe' punctuated by some furious double pedal work, this one sticks with a symponic metal sound, huge chorus with backing vocals, powerchords, drum driven and some nice bass fills.

Picking up speed for 'Neuromancer', the main thing you get from this is that you have a superb vocal talent backed by a frantic drummer, it drives the music along.

A touch of Heaven & Hell lurking in 'Invoking Demons', its one of those big "epic" mid tempo numbers, Its one of those head nodding songs that gets stuck in your head.

You know 'I Am Immortal' is just a keyboard away from Dimmu Borgir style symphonic Black Metal, there is some orchestration in the mix, but i dont know by whom (have a word with your pr guy at AFM, the info given is so basic!!!).

Some weird vocal effects on 'Digital DNA' and a few other strange elements thrown in to make this seemingly mainstream metal song stand out.

Moving into technical thrash territory, 'Ghost In The Mirror' has a touch of Kamelot with Shagrath, another hard driving classic from this great album.

'The Bridge Is Burning' is a slow burner, was not too sure to start with but as it goes along it seems to build, some nice piano playing and a stunning little guitar solo help make this one quite a stand out track in the end.

Love the evil voice effect thrown in to make 'Mission For God' a dark edged rocker.
Its another drum driven song, this stuff will be amazing live!

Finally more double pedal work mixed with solid riffs with 'Alone In The Distance', the blend of melody, style, agression all works to perfection.

Wow nothing short of amazing, this is one helluva album, you should own it!

Rating 10/10

For fans Of : Dio, Black Sabbath (Tony Martin era), Kamelot, Judas Priest, Therion

Kemakil - The Shard (EP Review)

01.The Shard
02.Times Up!
03.Dead Wagon
04.Great Minds Destroy
05.Prejudice

Rob Durrant (Guitar/Vocals)
Chris Stockdale (Guitar)
Tim Franklin (Bass)
Aaron Boast (Drums)

Suffolk thrashers formed back in 1988 by Rob and Chris, however it wasn't until 2007 that a solid line up was put together and an album's worth of material was recorded at Rob's house and became the demo 'Gondolas On The Styx'.

In 2008 Aaron and Haydn Morgans joined and after successful shows in Ipswich and London, the 'Blood Removal Machines' EP was recorded at Punch Studios in 2009.

For the next 2 years the band gigged throughout the UK playing support to bands like Virus, Shrapnel, Savage Messiah and Bonded By Blood.

2012 Haydn leaves the band but is featured on the self titled album released in June 2013. recorded at HVR Studios just outside Ipswich, his replacement is Tim from 'Fallen Humanity'.

Recorded earlier this year comes the first Ep from the new line up and is available as a free download.

No intros just straight into the action! 'The Shard' for some reason reminds me of Celtic Frost in the early days, its full on thrash, high speed stuff, but some dark elements lurk.

The pace slows a little for 'Times Up!', very solid timing changes and a vocal that is punctuated note for note by the drums.
Half way through the agression kicks in followed by a screaming guitar solo, the timing style reminiscent of glory days Slayer.

More frantic drumming greets 'Dead Wagon' complete with another great "shout it out loud muthafucker!' vocal.

The last 2 'Great Minds Destroy' and 'Prejudice' form a 5 minute instrumental work out, i counted at least 7 different timing changes ranging from powerchords to almost blues all wrapped in a thrash patched leather jacket!
Theres something for everybody here (except vocals).

Quite a surprisng little ep of well thought out music, with a nice raw feel, proving that when it comes to thrash we can still produce real original quality.

Rating 9/10
For Fans Of : Elimination, Mutant, Evile, Bonded By Blood, Municipal Waste

FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/KEMAKIL

GET THE EP HERE : http://kemakil.bandcamp.com