Tag Archives: hard rock

The Lords of Altamont – Album Review

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The Lords of Altamont – To Hell With Tomorrow, The Lords Are Now!

Heavy Psyche Sounds Records

Release date: 17/03/2023

Running time: 35 minutes

Review by Alun Jones

9.5/10

Ladies and gentlemen, I am excited!  Why am I excited, you ask?  Because I freakin’ love this album by the Lords of Altamont, that’s why!  Here we have ten unrelenting tracks (plus a bonus) of fast and furious rock’n’roll, created by a gang of motorbikin’ miscreants on their own highway to hell.  It’s leather, denim, roaring hogs and cheap booze fuelled rock the way that it should be.

Now you may know I’m a tad dubious about live albums.  Often times, live records are fumbled contract fillers or a shoddy cash in.  Well, you can relax here, pilgrim – “To Hell With Tomorrow, The Lords Are Now!” is a live in the studio release with pristine sound.  It doesn’t lack the crowd atmos, but it does more than over achieve by being a rowdy collection of tunes performed as if the band are in the room, right there with you.

If you’re new to the Lords of Altamont, you can expect an explosion of gritty rock’n’roll instilled with the sound of garage rock, Detroit punk and 60’s R&B.  So hang on tight as The Lords tear through filthy, feel good tracks like “Going Nowhere Fast”, “Velvet” and “Going Downtown”.  Sing along with the wind in your face to “I Said Hey” and shake your booty to “7th Day” – all of these infectious tracks will hit their mark. 

This album works as a great introduction to the band and their two decades plus history, in a no nonsense, no holds barred presentation.  Like a forgotten B-movie soundtrack from 1969, “To Hell With Tomorrow…” is one for all the rebels and wild ones out there.  Park up, step inside the truck stop and let yourself go. 

The Lords are now!      

Find The Lords of Altamont on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Slumbering Sun – The Ever-Living Fire Album Review

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Slumbering Sun – The Ever-Living Fire

Self-released / Us/Them Group

Release date: 24/02/2023

Running time: 45 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

Yeah, yeah – I know!  Just keep quiet and probably no one will notice.  Ok, this review should’ve been written weeks ago, but if you just keep schtum and play along, I might just get away with it, OK?  OK??!!  Right, they’re coming – remember the plan!

Hello there, ladies and gentlemen!  Yes ‘tis I, your humble scribe, with another review of a new (ahem) album that I’m sure will tantalise your aural orifices.  This time, a piece of musical majesty entitled “The Ever-Living Fire”, by a superb group of musicians known as Slumbering Sun.  Comprised of members of Destroyer of Light, Monte Luna and Temptress, the pedigree is certainly top notch.

Musically, Slumbering Sun offer a collection of melodic, progressive doom that drags numerous styles into its bubbling cauldron of influences. 

Opening song ‘Morgenröte‘ starts with an ethereal blend of female vocal, guitar and violin, conjuring the sort of misty morning amongst druidic stones that I might encounter on the mystical isle of Anglesey in Wales.  Two and half minutes in, and a huge megalithic guitar erupts into the proceedings, and over the course of the remaining 10 minutes the band are more like an orchestra than a typical rock band – passages ebb and flow, heavy and light, revisiting themes on their journey.

Track 2, ‘Liminal Bridges’, commences with a mellow intro, before the song explodes into a shinier, brighter – dare I say, uplifting? – vibe.  It’s like Thin Lizzy composed a mega Sabbath epic and decided to hurtle off into the forest with it.  ‘Love in a Fallen World’ reverts to a more sombre feel again, but features a great guitar melody and builds slowly and satisfactorily.

‘Dream Snake’ is my personal highlight of the record: unsurprisingly, as it’s the most Sabbath of all the tunes here (even down to the Ozzy-like vocals).  Finally, there’s just over 9 minutes of lumbering, doom laden exploration on the title track, which manages to cover massive prog metal sections and a huge “na na na” backing vocal. 

Track by track then, that’s your overview of “The Ever-Living Fire” by Slumbering Sun.  The band certainly don’t aim low, throwing in a varied collection of sounds and ideas from classic doom to Celtic folk.  I mean, they’re from the southern states of the USA, they’ve probably never been to Llandudno!  The album is hugely creative, but it is somewhat dense – it’ll take a few listens to appreciate.  Magical stuff when it falls into place, though.

You can find Slumbering Sun on Bandcamp and Instagram.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Desert Storm – Death Rattle Album Review

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Desert Storm – Death Rattle

APF Records

Release date: 31/03/2023

Running time: 48 mins

Review by: Alun Jones

9.9/10

Make no mistake: a new album from Oxford riff titans Desert Storm should be marked on your calendar with gleeful anticipation.  Three years ago, when I reviewed their release du jour “Omens” for the mighty Ever Metal, I proclaimed that here was a home-grown band who could really step up to national consciousness.  I threw my horned Viking helmet in the ring then, and I’m standing by that statement now.

If you want dirty, big, caveman stoner rock then you’ll find it on lead bruiser ‘Master of None’.  If you crave sludge-ridden creations that still have groove in full force, it’s here on ‘Druid’s Heath’ and ‘Insomniac’.  Thudding, slow paced doom?  You’ll need to hear ‘Self Deprecation’.  Most importantly, if you want heavy music that’s progressive, daring and unafraid to explore whatever sonic vistas can be conjured, you’ll find that too – and plenty of it.    

What impresses most of all with “Death Rattle” is how much further Desert Storm are willing to go to really push the boundaries.  Every song is intricately crafted with multiple sections and features for different instruments and sounds.  The molten fury is tempered with instrumental passages that are – well, beautiful.  ‘Bad Trip’ is the best, but by no means only example: warm, mellow passages that build to shattering crescendos. 

I’ve never given a ten out of ten review ever for Ever Metal, because I’m a miserable old bastard.  Still haven’t been quite that generous.  But “Death Rattle” almost persuaded me to go to the max.  It’s really that fucking good.  The musicianship, the creativity, the execution: all brilliantly awe-inspiring.  And it gets better with each listen! 

“Death Rattle” has been created by Desert Storm, and released by APF Records.  Listen to it, live with it, explore it.  One of the best albums of the year, no doubt.

Desert Storm are all over the Infernal Web, check ’em out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and the wonderful Ever Metal.

Grande Fox – Album Review

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Grande Fox – Empty Nest

Self-released

Release date: 19/2/2023

Running time: 41 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

Thessaloniki, Greece: the home of Grande Fox, a psychedelic heavy stoner rock band – who have presented us with this, their fourth released project “Empty Nest”.  The band have been in existence for ten years, though they’re a new find for this listener.  I was intrigued to see what sort of feast these Titans would bring to the table.

Yes, the music on offer here is essentially stoner rock, as evidenced best by the Kyuss meets Clutch thunder of ‘Backstab’ and ‘Route 99’.  There’s some swirly psychedelia on display in the calmer moments of ‘Brutal Colors’, whilst final track ‘Birth of an Embryo’ has a doomy, Pantera feel.  The highlight of the album is ‘Hangman’, which features a folky blues element – the description might not entice readers, but believe me – it’s magnificent in its Dionysian glory.

So, there’s plenty of experimentations in this album, which for the most part works very well.  The only exceptions being vocals that move close to rap on ‘Rottenness of Youth’ and the riff of ‘Golden Ratio’ resembling Audioslave’s ‘Cochise’ too closely.  Now I love me some Rage Against the Machine, but sometimes these explorations veer too near Nu Metal for my tastes.

Running at around 41 minutes, the only promo copy I had of the album was a YouTube video, which made it difficult to keep track of which song was which.  However, despite my minor criticisms, I found “Empty Nest” to be an enjoyable and intricately crafted album.  Grande Fox are certainly ones to keep an eye on: they impress with their heroics enough here that one day they could be sitting on top of Mount Olympus themselves.  Yamas!   

Check out Grande Fox online, on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify and YouTube.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.    

Stöner – Boogie to Baja Album Review

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Stöner – Boogie to Baja

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 24/02/2023

Running time: 27 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

You need to ask yourself: is this review late?  Or have I, the humble author of this review, chosen to emulate the gonzo journalism style of Hunter S Thompson?  And by that I mean, get so baked listening to this latest EP from Stöner that I lost all track of time in a psychedelic swirl, handing in the assignment a month late?  Or did the dog eat my review?  Only you can be the judge.  And the Ever Metal editors of course, who may decide to hand me my marching orders.

Let’s ignore all that and have a little chat about this release, shall we?  Gather ye round!

In a perfect example of a band name doing exactly what it says on the tin, Stöner are essentially a stoner rock supergroup comprising of Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu, solo), Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, QOTSA, Mondo Generator) and Ryan Güt (Brant’s drummer).  As a band, they take the desert rock template and steer it off into the ultimate version of this style.

As a result, the head bending riff of ‘Stoner Theme (Baja Version)’ and the grooving rumble of ‘Night Tripper vs No Brainer’ slouch comfortably alongside a punkier ‘It Ain’t Free’.  All the influences and intricacies of desert rock are succinctly demonstrated with a clanging garage rock cover of ‘City Kids’ (Pink Fairies/Motörhead); through to ‘Boogie to Baja’: a ten-minute driving rocker that reeks of desert parties, never ending skies and lamentable substance abuse.

‘Boogie to Baja’ is the highlight of this set, but the whole EP a great primer for the band Stöner and the varied music they create.  Almost an Idiot’s Guide as to what to expect for the uninitiated, it’s also inventive and addictive for the aficionado.  I ordered the vinyl copy and I’ve already played it to death.  That’s how late this review is.  But don’t you be late: go check out ‘Boogie to Baja’ now.

PS: I don’t own a dog.  

PPS: Would’ve finished this review sooner, if not for adding all the umlauts.

Check out the band website here. Or visit them on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Heavy Psych Sounds can be found online, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al in association with the mighty Ever Metal.

Scrap Metal Vol. 2 – Album Review

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Various Artists – Scrap Metal Vol 2

RidingEasy Records

Release date: 10/02/2023

Running time: 41 mins

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

All hail the return of the forgotten kings!  Yes, it’s another instalment of long lost and forgotten classics with the second “Scrap Metal” collection from RidingEasy Records!  Much like their Brown Acid series, which compiles obscure late 60’s/early 70’s psych hard rock, here we’re delving into the murky depths of early 80’s metal.  This is the realm of studded belts, band patch covered denim jackets and of course, mullets: prepare to ROCK!

We begin with ‘Running for the Line’ by JJ’s Powerhouse – a lightning-fast ripper that reminded me of Judas Priest playing a cover of Budgie’s ‘Breadfan’.  It’s a great, energetic start to the proceedings.  Next is Storm Queen, with another fast-paced attack in ‘Raising the Roof’.  Furious fun from this Welsh power house.

‘It’s a Crime’ declare Jameson Raid, and it is indeed a crime that these Brummie bruisers didn’t achieve more in rock’n’roll.  A.R.C. have a punk’n’roll edge that makes their song ‘Homemade Wine’ something to savour, it’s the rawest track here so far.  Metropolis hail from San Jose, and their track ‘The Raven’ has a dark, mid eighties thrash sound and killer intro riff.

Staying with the USA, Prowler from San Diego offer up ‘Temporary Insanity’ – more mid-eighties thrash infused metal that recalls early Anthrax.  Following that, Christian Steel deliver ‘Need Your Love’ – a fairly cliched, but still fun, banger.  If these guys are Christians, I’ll bet their church group won’t be impressed with what they’d like to do to a lady (outside of matrimony too, I suspect).  ‘Sidewinder’ is one of the best tracks gathered here, a punchy rocker from Black Rose.      

‘Star Trippin’’ is by Dark Age.  Dark Age are apparently a band of youngsters: the guitarist was jut 12, and his brother on vocals two years younger when this song was written.  It’s fun, but very strange listening to the helium high-pitched voices.  It’s like Alvin & The Chipmunks playing Crue covers.  Finally, we have Sorcery with their mystical Zep-a-thon ‘Whales’.  Crazy title for a crazy tune.  There’s a mellow hippyish intro, which is obliterated by the crushing mega riff which powers the song along.  Over the top magnificence.

From NWOBHM inspired tracks, to proto thrash and full-on goof ball metal ragers, Scrap Metal Vol 2 has plenty of variety.  Maybe not so much depth, but it’s not for want of trying with some of these bands.  At the end of the day, all of these songs are fun and it’s great to know they’ve been rescued from oblivion.  Now, raise those horns and roar!

Check out RidingEasy Records online, on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This review is presented by Platinum Al in partnership with Ever Metal.

Worselder – Album Review

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Worselder – Red Shift

Ellie Promotion/Seasons of Mist Distribution

Release date: 17/02/2023

Running time: 45 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

January is over.  Yet the cold still lingers, steel grey skies still shroud us.  The iron glow on the horizon promises more snow.  We stumble like children through the deep snow drifts of the French Pyrenees, our bodily extremities feeling icy cold.  We are here in search of Worselder, metal warriors who hail from these parts… 

Here we have “Red Shift”, the latest endeavour from the mighty Worselder.  It’s their first LP since “Paradigms Lost” in 2017, no thanks to the delay caused by the bloody pandemic.  They’re back in full-on, skull crushing style here, though – picking up where they left off with the well-received success of the last album.

Part power metal, part thrash, with a bit of old school trad metal, Worselder’s music is aggressive and direct, no superfluous cheese.  Opening tracks ‘Para Bellum’ and ‘Point of Divergence’ are furious metal with chugging riffs and fast pace.  It’s infectious, head banging stuff.  There’s a ferocious metalcore attack embedded in there too, particularly on ‘Pillars of Smoke’.

It nearly goes wrong on ‘Absurd Heroes’, where a truly ugly slap bass stinks things up in the intro.  It’s only a minor setback though – ‘Atheist’ kicks the doors down with a killer riff and ‘The Exoteric Verses’ melds a haunting atmosphere with a death metal chant along.  ‘Insurgents (Part 1)’ is a smart instrumental and good change of pace, leading to the frenzy of ‘Insurgents (Part 2)’.  All wrapped up with the epic ‘Ascent to Rebirth’, it’s a solid effort.  

The production is top notch and the musicians are excellent, without being over indulgent or obvious with their playing.  Worselder are a far more formidable band than I had initially expected, and “Red Shift” is a pleasant surprise.

Find out more about Worselder on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Singles Night at the Virtual Hot Tub #31

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Gather ye round, Hot Tubbers! Tis time once again to dip our toes into the warm waters and enjoy another Singles Night.

What am I babbling about? Regular readers will know that Platinum Al likes to spend an evening playing through my collection of 7″ singles, both sides, one after the other. I have a large unplayed pile of 45 rpm records that need spinning, so sometimes I like to blitz through ’em, accompanied with a few drinks (or several).

Why? Because it makes a fun evening! You never know what’s crept in to the “play me” pile: old or new, good or bad. And when the night is over, these discs can be safely added to my collection.

Let’s check out what I played this time:

  1. Boney M. – “I’m Born Again” / “Bahama Mama”
  2. Sounds EP: The Perfect Disaster – “55 Miles” / “Mega City Four – “What We’ve Got” / Cerebral Fix – “Eternal Winter” / Killdozer – “New Pants & Shirt” / Pussy Galore – “SM57”
  3. Men Without Hats – “The Safety Dance” / “Security”
  4. Third World – “Now That We’ve Found Love” / “Night Heat”
  5. Bomb the Bass – “Beat Dis” / “Beat Dis (Dub)”
  6. Phil Collins – “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” / Mike Rutherford – “Making a Big Mistake”
  7. Hale & Pace and the Stonkers – “The Stonk” / Victoria Wood – “The Smile Song”
  8. Bob Geldof – “Love or Something” / “Out of Order”
  9. The Whispers – “And the Beat Goes On” / “Can You Do The Boogie”
  10. Queen – “It’s a Hard Life” / “Is This the World We Created…?”
  11. Bob Marley & The Wailers – “Jamming” / “Punky Reggae Party”
  12. Sweet – “The Six Teens” / “Burn On The Flame”
  13. Belinda Carlisle – “La Luna” / “Whatever It Takes”
  14. Baccara – “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” / “Cara Mia”
  15. The Stranglers – “Bear Cage” / “Sha Sha a Go Go”
  16. Bucks Fizz – “One of Those Nights” / “Always Thinking of You”
  17. Rod Stewart – “How Long” / “Jealous”
  18. Ghost – “Kiss the Go-Goat” / “Mary On a Cross”
  19. The Beach Boys – “Darlin'” / “Here Today”
  20. ZZ Top – “Gimme All Your Lovin'” / “If I could Only Flag Her Down”

A mixed bag, as always – with a few left overs from my “100 singles for a fiver” car boot sale purchase. But this is what Singles Night is all about – you take the rough with the smooth, learn to appreciate stuff that you might’ve previously written off.

There are a couple of stinkers in that list, but surprisingly the Comic Relief single ” The Stonk” isn’t one of them. Daft it may be, but it features Brian May, Tony Iommi, Dave Gilmour, Cozy Powell and Roger Taylor in a Quo-esque rock boogie that I quite enjoyed.

I love the Boney M. single, as the B-side reminds me of being on holiday in Greece. “Safety Dance” is brilliant, Bomb The Bass is class, and I even enjoyed the Phil Collins song!

Obvious highlights in this set came from Queen, Bob Marley, Sweet, The Stranglers, Beach Boys and ZZ Top. Always wanted to hear that Bob Marley B-side, as he name checks several punk bands such as The Damned, The Jam and The Clash.

I was a surprisingly cool dad, thanks to the Ghost single (coloured vinyl, nice). Apparently the B-side is a social media craze, so my daughter was impressed!

Great tunes, fun times exploring music – that’s Singles Night. More soon!

Torso – Album Review

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TORSO – A Crash Course in Terror

APF Records

Release date: 27/01/2023

Running time: 30 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

9.5/10

BLEEAUURRRGH!!!  It’s a jump scare to wake anyone out of hibernation, running for safety behind the sofa.  What a way to start the year!  APF records present “A Crash Course in Terror”, the debut album from TORSO.  Formed from the smouldering corpse of Possessor by that band’s Graham Bywater (frontman/guitarist), TORSO skulk in a murky Grindhouse nightmare.

Are you sitting comfortably?  Then we’ll begin.  ‘Heads Start to Roll’ introduces the album with a John Carpenter-esque, menacing, keyboard-led theme which immediately unsettles the listener.  Then the chainsaw guitars cut through, the song erupts, and the listener is dragged along by the scalp in a ferociously paced fairground ride from hell. 

The retro, electro keyboard themes dotted throughout help to set this album apart in its own fuzzy VHS world.  Spooky instrumentals like ‘Pranks’, ‘Depth Charge’ and ‘Death TV’ add a dread atmosphere, part prog and part video nasty soundtrack.

‘Sinking Spell’ is like The Melvins rocking out to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre back projection.  The lo-fi, raw sound of the heavier numbers keeps everything within the TORSO world: ‘Precious Blood’ could be a punked up hybrid of Angel Witch and Electric Wizard.  Finally, the epic ‘Circuit Breaker Breaker’ has a B-movie, doom metal fury that sounds as if the final survivor is running for their life from a vicious psycho killer.

My only complaint with this album is that at just 30 minutes, it’s a little short – I’d have loved another 5 minutes of mayhem.  But at least “A Crash Course in Terror” is to the point.  That’s much preferable to yet another 80 minute Metallica album – I haven’t finished listening to all the songs on their last record yet…

“A Crash Course in Terror” by TORSO.  A fantastic, gruesome recording and a perfect start to the year.  Can 2023 get any better?

Check out Torso on Instagram, Spotify and YouTube.

APF record scan be found on Facebook, Bandcamp, Twitter and their own website.

This review brought to you by the combined might of Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Vis Mystica – Album Review

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Vis Mystica – Celestial Wisdom

Dark Star Records/Asher Media Relations

Release date: 2nd December 2022

Running time: 24 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

7.5/10

Confession time: I don’t actually like Power Metal.  Widdly and flashy guitars; superfluous keyboards washing over everything; histrionic, high-pitched vocals – no thanks.  I mean, I can dig Iron Maiden and Judas Priest – do they count?  But otherwise, this particular metal sub-genre is not for me.

Vis Mystica are a Power Metal band.  But they’re a Star Wars themed Power Metal band, and no one is more steeped in Star Wars lore than me. No one.  You know the cantina scene in Episode IV?  I can name all the aliens in that scene, what planet they’re from, and what they’re doing there.  I’ve collected the action figures since 1978.  I can beat anyone – anyone – at Original Trilogy Trivial Pursuit.  Ask my other half, I’ve ruined a couple of dinner parties playing that game.

It’s not a huge claim to fame, but Star Wars fandom is all I have to offer in life.

So, let’s put my knowledge to use.  To be fair, musically “Celestial Wisdom” is far better than I feared.  The widdly guitars and pointless keyboards are present, but the music is fast and furious like a T-16 race in Beggar’s Canyon.  The vocals are solid and not overly dramatic, not Gungan-level annoying at all.  In fact, the first two tracks, ‘Whispering Winds of Fate’ and ‘Legacy of the Builders’ had me headbanging along like a Wookiee on a runaway Bantha.

Everything was going well till Track 4, ‘Lux Et Veritas’, when xylophone style plinky-plonk noises threatened to sink things faster than a proton torpedo in a two-metre-wide exhaust port.  It all suddenly sounds like Christmas music.  Thrashy, hyper-space speed guitars on ‘Beyond the Gates of Fury’ engage the nav-computer and manage to steer us back on course, thankfully.

Without a lyric sheet, it’s kind of hard to tell how much actual Star Wars nerd obscurities are present within these songs.  There are no lightsaber or R2 unit samples to add context, so I found the theme lacking a bit.  “Celestial Wisdom” is based around the Knights of the Old Republic comics/video games – alas, not my area of expertise – rather than the movies, so I may not have the wisdom I need to fully judge.  

Whilst Power Metal may not be my usual cup of blue milk, I’ve got to give credit to the musicianship and imagination of Vis Mystica for this endeavour.  The world needs more of this sort of thing.  It’s far more fun than I thought it would be: genuine fans of the Power Metal genre will probably get a lot out of it.  A bit more Star Wars next time, though, please lads?  I can help with the reference material if you like.

May the Force be with you!

Check out Vis Mystica on Facebook, Bandcamp, YouTube and Instagram.

This review has been proudly presented by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.