'77 - 21st CENTURY ROCK (Cd Review)

01.Gimme Rock N Roll
02.Hardworking Liar
03.Big Smoker Pig
04.Shake It Up
05.Wicked Girl
06.Your Game's Over
07.Less Talk (Lets Rock)
08.Let The Children Hear Rock & Roll
09.Double Tongued Woman
10.21st Century Rock


Armand Valeta (Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
LG Valeta (Lead Guitar)
J.T. Dolphin (Drums)
Raw (Bass)

Guest:
Alber Alone (Backing Vocals)

'77 are a Spanish band who have recently based themselves in London and have non stopped gigged since they arrived, building up a solid fanbase and wowing everybody with their amazing and highly energetic live performances.

What we have here is ten slabs of pure old school Ac/Dc worship, this is Bon Scott era circa 1977, hence their name.

There is no point in pulling out a song to review here, because if you love ac/Dc then you love this band.They have managed to retain such originality despite sounding so much like Bon and his crew, yet songs like "Your Game's Over" could be off High Voltage.

Look simply put this is just fucking awesome, go see them live and get a copy of the cd from them.

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Ac/Dc (Bon Scott), Airbourne, Rose Tattoo

STU

ARKONA - GOI RODE GOI (Cd Review)

01.Goi Rode Goi

02.Yarilo

03.Nevidal

04.Na Moey Zemle

05.Pritcha

06.V Tsepiakh Drevney Tainy

07.Tropoiu Nevedannoi

08.Liki Bessmertnykh Bogov

09.kolo Navi

10.Korochun

11.Pamiat

12.Kupalets

13.Arkona

14.Nebo Hmurde, Tuchi Mrachniye

Masha Scream Arhipova (Vocals)

Sergej Lazar (Guitars)

Ruslan Kniaz (Bass)

Vlad Artist (Drums)

Allow me to introduce to you Arkona, a Russian band who were formed in 2002 by members of local pagan community "Vyatichi"with the intent of creating music that reflected their individual philosophy and musical taste.

Emerging from the Russian underground they made their high profile debut at the
"Yazycheskaya Rus'" festival.By the summer of 2003, ARKONA was ready to record their debut, but disinterest in the band by some of its members saw the band disappear from the scene as quickly as it had arrived.

Eventually they recorded their debut album "Vozrozhdenie” in March 2004.

The album’s release placed them as a contending force back on the scene and with a
new line up return to the circuit in 2005.

The next album "Vo Slavu Velikim” saw a change in musical direction dropping the use of
synthesized sounds, replacing them with authentic folk instruments.

As such, the list of guest musicians grew considerably including the renowned folk musician Vladimir Cherepovskiy as well as members of Svarga and Alkonost.

More albums followed as did european tours at a major festival appearence at the 2008
Ragnarok Festival.

Back at home, they decided not to take a break but to immediately begin working on
their 5th album.

In order to top their previous effort, the band aimed to create a very unique album eventually usuing over 40 musicians and a full-fledged chorus and a string quintet for the first time in their career.

The centrepiece to this album is the 15-minute saga 'Na Moey Zemle' which relates the
adventures of a Slav in European countries. This epic features the voices of members of
'Manegarm', 'Menhir' , and 'Heidevolk'.

Starting with some fantastic harmony vocal and with strings, pipes and chorus it moves into this wonderful drum driven symphonic piece like Turisas jamming with Tristania, Rammstein and Dimmu Borgir, it is awesome!

The next stand out song is 'Tropoiu Nevedannoi'mixing as it does medieval instruments, melody and full on black metal assault, the superb vocal delivey is, as throughout the whole album, sung in Russian,which is difficult to get your head around, but then i sing along to Rammstein so i and you will get used to it.

'Korochun' is a great traditional instrumental,could be from the soundtrack of the Dark Crystal which then leads into this really up beat sing-a-long called 'Pamiat'.

The final song is a big 10 minute ballad, again it is the traditional instrumentation that lifts this way above the average, and in the middle of the song it switches to an ambient soundtrack of birdsong and a flowing river, its weird because its strangley relaxing and i found myself being drawn in, because i sort of jumped when this flute came playfully through the speakers and it plays out to the end.

This is a stunning album, superb production and the quality of musicianship is unquestionable, it's one of those albums where word like "epic" just aint enough!

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Turisas, Tyr, Korpiklaani, Clannad, Tristania, Skyclad

EL SCHLONG - THE BADDIES ARE COMING (Cd Review)

01.The Baddies Are Coming

02.Bungface

03.The Room

04.Composting

05.The Cow Jumped Over The Moon

06.Swing accident

07.Arthur R Nevilleson-Robertson-Brown

08.Harbour Cone

Jordan Tredray (Drums/Vocals)

Nick Baldwin (Bass/Fx/Vocals)

Leah Hinton (Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals)

Guest:

Dave Kempton (Trumpet)

It is difficult to place this New Zealand band in any one genre, having been based here for nearly two years and playing on the mainly metal scene, they have built up a cult following, yet they are pretty unique musically and go far beyond metal.

For want of a description i would suggest that if the Bonzo Dog Band were a black metal band then they might sound like this!

So throwing caution to the wind i hit play........
'The Baddies Are Coming' starts with a full on metal riff then goes into this nice happy tune, then more metal, its rhythmic and awesome, superb guitar playing and death metal vocal.

'Bungface' is fairly generic death metal, but with great breakdowns.

Some quite dark and disturbing lyrics accompany 'The Room', "There's no escape from this nightmare of boarded up windows" the music is outstanding, just brillianly composed and executed.

'Composting' is a song about, well, compost, it screams like a satanic metal song but its about gardening!

Were comic legend Spike Milligan to have written one of his funny poems about a cow and set it to avante garde rock then 'The Cow Jumped Over The Moon' would be the result.It has a gothic tone about it like an old Siouxie & Banshees track.

'Swing Accident' has Leah sounding like Angela Gossow over a brooding powerchord heavy song, but then of course we get a weird nice jazzy bit thrown in for good measure.

The next song is a long masterpiece about a man and his slippers !Nothing short of genius writing wise and musically this is a quintessential El Schlong song in that it has all the different musical elements in one place.

We come to the last song which i think is about climbing a hill or something like that.

Again such wonderful lyrics and great music and some remarkable trumpet playing.

Rating 10/10

For fans of : Primus, Mr Bungle, Frank Zappa, Isis, System Of A Down

STU

HIROSHAMOUR - ONE (Cd Review)

01.Fever

02.Critical Mass

03.The Puppeteer

04.Suicide Bomber

05.Manji

06.Sweet Tooth

07.Orpheus

08.Sacrifice

09.Untitled

Phil Honey-Jones (Guitar/Piano/Vocals)

Tjay Tarantino (Bass)

Adam Lewis (Drums)

As its Tjay from Blood Island Raiders and he told me this was psychedelic i was expecting a sort of 'Magic Muscle' type sound, how wrong was i.

This is a complex mix of goth and industrial influences together with stoner and psychedelic music, but in many ways is more than all this.

Track one starts off with a jazzy rhythm which flows throughout the song just sounds like something Black Rebel Motorcycle Club might have knocked out a few years back.

'Critical Mass' is a much better piece, sure its Led Zeppelins 'Dazed & Confused', but it has great guitar work and some pretty outstanding bass and drums as well, no vocal to get in the way of the mood.

After a short instrumentle we come to 'Suicide Bomber' an almost techno rock piece very Bauhaus and very good, this is followed by yet another instrumentle which is just percussion.

'Sweet Tooth' bugs me, because it reminds of some old song and i cant remember what!

Its quite slow and "nice" could be from a late seventies Pink Floyd album.

After yet another short instrumentle we hit 'Sacrifice' a song that seems to meld together so many influences that id be here listing them for 10 minutes!

All in all this is top notch musicianship, great vocals and thousands of ideas all expertly put together to create one helluva cd!

Oh and the untitled track is yet another short instrumentle.

Rating 8/10

For fans of : Bauhaus, Can, (Early)Tangerine Dream, (Early) Black Sabbath, Japan, Pink Floyd

STU

I.C.O.N - NEW BORN LIE (Cd Review)

01.Cold Divide

02.Inside The Out

03.Seven Second Warning

04.Ultraviolet

05.Messiah Complex

06.Shotgun Karma

07.Prizefighter

08.New Born Lie

Mark Sagar (Vocals)

Scott Knowles (Guitar)

James Henderson (Drums)

Ross Adams (Bass)

Note : Adams does not play bass on this cd.

Jason Shuttleworth (Bass)

Roy Bright (Backing Vocals)

Formed around 2005, the Burnley based band set about creating classic british heavy metal.
Right from the outset this just screams class, its full on metal in the 'Down' style.

Its not till we get to 'Ultraviolet' that we get a rest, and this is a slow moody metal mutha! that reminds me of Danzig's 'Cant Sleep' and ends with some great acoustic guitar.

Next up its a return to the metal onslaught and some more outstanding guitarwork and some cracking lyrics, "are we all martyrs to a cause we dont see" good stuff.

'Prizefighter' has to be the stand out song here, it just has it all from big vocal delivery, a catchy as fuck chorus, when you hear this you'll be screaming "Step Up Step Up" at the top of your voice.

Outstanding bass line, drums and more of that great guitarwork, its metal, its got a doom like middle bit, and more metal at the end!!!!!!

The last song also continues with a doomier feel, and it has a real good riff holding it together.

Rating 9/10

For fans of : Blood Island Raiders, Black Label Society, Black Sabbath, Down, Cathedral

STU

GENERATION GRAVEYARD, NEMHAIN, MALLORY KNOX Live At The Scala 18.09.09 (Gig Review)

GENERATION GRAVEYARD
NEMHAIN
MALLORY KNOX

The Scala, Kings Cross 18.09.09

The other bands on the bill.

Okay i missed Imma completly, when feral were on i was talking buisness and only came back in time to catch the last song truth is lies and heard singer martin singing lady gaga over the riff! (or was i drunk??) and as for richard christ, well come on please give me some credit!

MALLORY KNOX

Came in half way through their set and i must say they looked at home on such a big stage, another good performance carried with style from frontwoman Kit and her solid band.

Really just need that ep to come out so more people get to hear their stuff!

NEMHAIN

First time they played the scala Adrian was in Mexico with Brujeria, so at last he gets to play and behind the special nemhain branded kit as well!

Despite being (rock n roll) plagued by sound problems they absolutly hammered there way through a fast, furious and chaotic set, sam and lakis were pacing and at times running from side to side, i have never seen lisa move so much and on more than one occasion seemed to almost want to jump into the crowd.

Amber attacked the vocals like never before whilst adrian tried his best to break the drums by hitting them so hard!


We were treated to another new song tonight, as well as the classics like 'Heroin Child' and 'Speed Queen'.

Ultimatley its the cover of 'Die Die My Darling' thats still sends the audience wild, but then they have made it their own!

GENERATION GRAVEYARD

Kicked off with 'Murder Rock N Roll' and then it was a masterclass in organised chaos, they really do explode on stage with every member contributing energy even at half past two in the morning.

That vocalist Max had a throat infection did not show at all and he screamed and sang his dark soul out to the gathered masses.

Generation Graveyard are a fun band who put everything into their performance, it makes them exciting to watch and with great musicians a pleasure to listen too.

MALLORY KNOX

NEMHAIN

GENERATION GRAVEYARD

HOSTILE DAWN, 9BLIND, STAND UP GUY, I.C.O.N, DUSTEROID Live At The Gaff 18.09.09 (Gig Review)

HOSTILE DAWN
9BLIND
STAND UP GUY
I.C.O.N
DUSTEROID

The Gaff, Holloway Road 18.09.09

DUSTEROID
Awesome doom/stoner rock of the finest order!
The power that comes through from this trio is stunning, just think Cathedral/St.Vitus and blam you have it.

Some brilliant guitar solos mix with intricate bass playing and some great Keith Moon style drumming.

I.C.O.N
Returning for a second time to london and this time armed with their debut album as well.
The northern metallers put on a headline show great riffs and soaring vocals, this is NWOTM at its finest, this nods back with respect to the glory days of heavy metal when frontmen flicked the horns and took their music to the audience.
These guys deliver 100% pure metal entertainment with some amazing songs that get the crowd going, guitarist scott not content with the stage takes his headbanging riffage right into the audience.

STAND UP GUY
Irish band who have been making headways on the mainland with a mini tour, ended up in the gaff and blew the roof off with their unique take on metal.
They pulled off a 40 minute set with ease and won over the whole audience, there was great melody in their songs and some awesome metal moments.

9BLIND
Wow were these guys on form tonight, a much more aggressive set than the last time i saw them
and bassist joe seemed somewhat possessed and kept jumping into the audience.
Its a good mixture of metalcore influence and well constructed rock songs, hey any vocalist who wears a Doors t-shirt is alright in my books !

HOSTILE DAWN
Heavy fucking metal with a capital "B" for beer.
The lads know how to have fun and joke in between songs, they are infectious, the music is in your face hardcore metal with shouty vocals and the quality is uncompromising.
They are masters of their craft and perform to high standard not normally associated with this genre.

STU

DUSTEROID

I.C.O.N

STAND UP GUY

9BLIND

HOSTILE DAWN