There I was, just casually chilling between sets at McLeans in Pentre, when Frank – AKA Victim of Damp – said to me: “Hey Al, you should check this band out. They’re a Spanish Metal band, and they’re really good.” Frank sent me a link, and I gave said Spanish Metal band a listen. They’re called ILEX, and the album is called “Mutatio”, and he wasn’t wrong, to be fair.
“Mutatio” was actually written and worked on beginning some years ago, and eventually released back in April 2024. Even though it’s not a new release, I figured it was worth a review. What we have here is some fine thrash metal, with plenty of groove and some gargled Death vocals, with a nice experimental edge to set it off.
We start with some fine acoustic guitar on ‘Ardet Nec Consumitur’. a moody piece which erupts into the furious death-thrash of ‘F.P.T.S’. This track is fast, with a brutal chugging riff and growled vocals. Next is ‘Changing the Archetype’, where Ilex play with some contrasting tempos and sections. As we listen through the album, they’ve obviously challenged themselves to create progressive, expansive soundscapes and channel different styles.
‘Iceberg’ then begins with a slow, melodic intro: it’s an extended, progressive piece that really starts to evolve the sound. The aggressive metal in this track diverges brilliantly from the excellent, mellow middle section. The crunchier, ruthless riffs of tracks like ‘Rubble Survivor’ manage to comfortably nestle next to the spooky sound of instrumental ‘Omnia Mutantor, Nihil Interit’, as well as the bouncy groove of ‘Eyes of the Messiah’.
There’s the old school Metallica/Testament Thrash of ‘Cambrian Explosion’, but one of the highlights of the album is ‘The Pilgrimage’. Here the vocals are cleaner. but it’s the almost NWOBHM gallop of the track that really captures the groove here. Nice Purple style skronky organ at the end, too!
The production on “Mutatio” is really impressive, everything sounds clear but also has plenty of guts. The real success though is the mix of genres that Ilex are comfortable in exploring, whether that be Hardcore/Crossover, trad Thrash, Death or Groove metal – as well as the exquisite delicate moments. “Mutatio” has been maturing for a while, it’s well worth seeking out and dusting off.
Just as per last year, I compiled my Top 10 Rock & Metal albums for Ever Metal, which was published on the site. Now you lucky devils over here at the Virtual Hot Tub get to take a look too!
Absolutely ridiculous, that’s what it’s been like trying to pick just 10 albums to make my “Best of the Year” list. There’s been a ton of great music in 2023. Here’s my attempt to pick out my favourites:
Sludgy, Grungy, Stoner Metal from Huddersfield, this album features Trouble’s Kyle Thomas on a couple of tracks adding even more class to a solid record.
Folk Metal, flute infused Occult Rock that sounds both ancient and modern at the same time, we waited a long time but this album will cast a spell on you.
I was one of many waiting anxiously for the third Green Lung album, and it didn’t disappoint. Exquisite Occult Rock that’s doomy and hook filled, Green Lung have exploded with this record.
Three years ago, Desert Storm were number 2 in my 2020 Top 10, after a little band called AC/DC. This year they deservedly take the top spot, with a massive album that I’m still enjoying months later, up against some stiff competition.
Plus some honourable mentions:
Baroness, who’s latest album “Stone” probably would’ve made the top 10 if I’d listened to it sooner.
The Damned – their “Darkedelic” album may not be for all of Ever Metal’s audience, but it’s bloody great all the same.
Metallica – that “72 Seasons” thing was good but too long. Nice try.
Keep coming back to Ever Metal and Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub for all the best rock reviews!
Yes, I’m on Instagram too. And I did that thing where you can get a snapshot of your most “liked” Insta posts of the year. To be honest, my engagement on that social media platform is plummeting, but I still decided to check out the stats. It’s a bit of a trend for me, this year, looking into the numbers.
Usually my Instagram posts are pics of vinyl from my collection, or beer (I’ve got a massive backlog of beer photos I haven’t posted yet). Other than that, you might get to see some skateboards, Star Wars toys or other action figures, comics and so on.
In the image below you’ll see the Top 9 images.
For your information, here’s a breakdown of what those images are. Top left is most popular, bottom right is least.
Glamour model and Page 3 Legend, Tracey Coleman, in a bunny girl outfit. I posted this at Easter. It was the most popular photo (though I didn’t take it, obviously).
Racquel Welch: posted after she sadly passed away in 2023. One of my idols.
Cliff Burton Reaction Figure: action figure of the legendary Metallica bass player.
Bryn Celli Ddu: a photo of this awe inspiring, ancient burial site on Anglesey, Wales.
Spud: our new cat, Spud.
Me in a Barbie box, pretending to be a doll.
My latest tattoo: the tiger head.
Robinson’s Trooper Beer, in an appropriate glass, with a copy of Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast” LP on viinyl.
Headgirl 10″ picture disc: Record Store Day reissue of the classic Motorhead/Girlschool collaboration.
I posted dozens of other images in 2023, but those ones were the most popular from the thirty or so people who bother to interact with me on there.
Thanks for sharing these moments with me. If you like, you can follow me on Instagram: platinum_al.official.
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?
2022 was a fantastic year for new music. Bands that are old favourites, and new discoveries, made my musical journey through the year a great one. Of course, reviewing albums for my compadres at Ever Metal helped in my explorations – a gig that I’m very happy and proud to continue.
I was prompted to compile this list of my Top 10 Rock and Metal albums of the year by Ever Metal. This list has already appeared on that site, but why not share it at the Virtual Hot Tub too?
So here we go, the official 2022 countdown:
10. Brant Bjork – “Bougainvillea Suite”
A laidback, trippy journey through Brant Bjork’s sixties record collection. Ideal for summer evenings.
It’s Brant Bjork again, here with Nick Oliveri in their stoner rock super group. Does exactly what you’d expect, and features one of the best album covers I’ve seen in a long while.
It’s Clutch, what can you say? Clutch are legendary and they always come up with the goods. This latest feels slightly darker than previous releases, but has all the required Clutch-ness necessary.
A worthy triumph at the top of my 2022 chart. An album that has it all: heavy riffs, powerful playing, melody and invention – it’s an experience that the listener can truly immerse themselves in.
Not long after I compiled this Top 10, I received a package in the post. It was a vinyl copy of the “This Sceptred Veil” album, which was a nice surprise. What made it even more special, was an excerpt from my Ever Metal review appearing on the hype sticker plastered to the front! I was super stoked to see this – hope my words help shift a few copies of this superb record!
The coverHype sticker
Honourable mentions this year for quality releases from Ghost (should’ve been a Top !0 entry?); plus my old chums The Cult and Red Hot Chili Peppers (both continuing to release great music after all this time); amongst many others.
There’s lots of more new music to look forward to in 2023. The fun thing is, I don’t even know what some of them will be yet…
Stay tuned to Ever Metal and Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot tub for the reviews that mattter!
One of my favourite types of night in: a random stack of 7 inch vinyl, and a big old crate of booze. I’ve not held a Singles Night at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub for a little while, so allow me to put that right.
You see, I’ve got a load of 7″ singles that I haven’t listened to yet. They come from various sources, though most are second hand. So I play ’em through, A side then B side, and enjoy the sonic delights. Accompanied with a tipple of two.
Here’s the latest batch:
Mudhoney – “Warning” / Meat Puppets – “One of These Days”
Cockney Rejects – “The Greatest Cockney Rip Off” / “Hate of the City”
Metallica – “The Unforgiven” / “Killing Time”
The Shipbuilders – “Silk Road” / “La Fee Verte”
Huey Lewis & The News – “Stuck With You” / “Don’t Ever Tell Me That You Love Me”
The Archies – “Sugar, Sugar” / “Melody Hill”
Boney M – “Painter Man” / “He Was a Steppenwolf”
Twiggy – “Falling Angel” / “Virginia (And the Circus Side Show)”
Eurythmics – “Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty Four)” / “I Did it Just the Same”
From Metallica to the Smurfs, there’s a right old mixture in that playlist. A nice wide coverage of genres from pop, disco, ska, prog rock, punk and – wonder of wonders – even some opera. Not to mention all the various subgenres on the list (Goth? Post punk? New Wave? Make your own conclusions).
Another fine evening of music, I can recommend a Singles Night for the variety and fun. Dig out your old singles collection and have a knees up!
Well, here we are then. The debut album from Bradford based sonic butchers, Son of Boar. And yes, I am quite excited about this release. There are long lost civilisations existing in the South American jungle that, despite having no contact with the outside world, are aware that your pal, Platinum Al, has been desperate to hear this cacophonous compendium for some time.
So, is it any good? Well yeah, obviously. But just what kind of good I shall reveal.
There are five tracks on this eponymous release, across which Son of Boar attempt to cover as much ground as possible. Yes, this is Stoner Doom – it is heavy, it has groove, it has a windswept musical vista that is both fierce and welcoming.
I’ve already reviewed first track, “Stoned Wail”, when it was released as a single a while ago. This mix is punchier though, and still satisfying regardless of any familiarity. The calm wash of ocean waves accompanies a benign introduction; until, just over two minutes in, the full electric muscle of the band is released. SOB hit their groove and plough relentlessly on, whilst vocalist Luke roars about some sweet girl called Mary. I don’t know who Mary is, but she seems like a nice, compassionate lady.
The slow sludge of song number one is contrasted by “All in Your Head”, where SOB pick up the pace and gallop home with a Kyuss covering Maiden flourish. Great rhythm work from Gaz (bass) and Luke D (drums). “Satanic Panic” then devolves brilliantly into the sort of the Corrosion of Conformity style Sabbath worship that enthralled James Hetfield. Powerful, even graceful, but remorseless.
“Snakes and Daggers” reminds me of Motorhead played too slow (33rpm not 45, for the fossils out there). Here the pace varies, with a great, almost psychedelic melodic swash emerging like a surprise visit from a long-lost drinking buddy. Then your old pal gets stinking drunk and kicks off in the taxi rank, and you’re desperately clutching your kebab in puzzlement. What?
You should listen to “Cities of the Deadeyed Priestess” just because it’s a genius song title. It also has some bizarro samples that I need to investigate. Musically, this is another brutal head crusher: meat and potatoes riffs and fine melodic hues courtesy of guitarists Lyndon and Adam.
And there you have it: five songs, one debut album. A fine band; they’re awesome live, have the best t-shirt designs I’ve seen in donkeys and are creating a real sense of cult-like, underground authenticity that is addictive. If I could afford to buy a copy of this album for everyone reading this review, I would. Even that weirdo at the back.
And Son of Boar have only just begun their journey…
In February last year, I interviewed Chester based punk/grunge band Ryuko at Pentre Fest. Due to numerous unavoidable issues – not least this blasted pandemic – the piece was unfinished till recently. Not long ago, this post finally appeared on Ever Metal, and I thought I’d republish it here too. Enjoy!
“Grandpa, what’s a gig?”
“Well son, a gig was what we used to call a band playing live music, in front of an audience.”
“What, people watching musicians play their instruments? Crazy!”
“I know it seems like a strange idea to you youngsters, but it used to be a fantastic experience. Actually being able to gather with friends and strangers to enjoy hearing music. It was another world.”
That’s what the situation seems like right now: no gigs, no gatherings for entertainment – the old days sometimes feel like a lifetime ago. At least it seemed a whole different world back in February 2020, before the pandemic, when I caught up with Chester based band Ryuko at Pentre Fest.
The three piece – comprising The Bobfather (guitars/vocals), Captain Andy (bass) and MattMan (drums) were something of an anomaly at the metal-centric Pentre Fest. Not that Ryuko don’t rock out, but their brand of punky, alternative rock was a little different from the other bands on show. I found their style of honest, yet far from pretentious rock’n’roll refreshing and it added a vital tone to the proceedings.
Post gig, I caught up with the band to pose some questions and contemplate the meaning of life.
First off, the cliched yet crucial discussion on influences:
Bob: It’s weird, ‘cos we’ve got influences from all over. If you listen to one of our sets, it has stages: it starts off punky, then it goes alternative rock. Then it goes a little metal/grungy, then back to punk at the end.
Matt: Drop D then back to punk! I’m a huge fan of Motorhead and Metallica, the list goes on, so me being the drummer, I was always doing these thrash beats. To go from that to stepping into this, this was more fun to me. I really enjoy myself when I’m behind the kit with these guys.
Bob: When I write the songs, I listen to quite a broad variety of music, so I think that becomes apparent in my songs. I don’t like to write the same song twice. As far as when I started out, I would say when I was a teenager, I first started listening to Nirvana, Carter USM. I also drew influences from a lot of electro – The Prodigy and stuff like that – so sometimes I’d try and work out how to play dance songs on a guitar. And then that would give me the influence to write more interesting songs. I like to try and fuse a bunch of different genres together, make it more interesting.
Andy: I listen to a lot of Neil Young, I think he’s a very diverse artist. He’s done folk, he’s also done electric stuff.
How do you promote yourselves?
Matt: I’m more into social media than these guys are. We’re promoting ourselves on Facebook, we’re gonna make a new YouTube account. That’s kind of going up and down at the moment…
Bob: We don’t know how to work it!
Where does the name Ryuko come from?
Bob: I’m really into anime and all things Japanese, Japanese music… At the time I was watching an anime called Kill la Kill. The main character is called Ryuko Matoi and I just thought it was a really cool name. Some really fun facts: Ryuko is one of the least popular names in Japan. It basically means “rebirth”, start over. So I thought, we’re starting again, it’s a really cool name.
Andy: Well it’s not a cool name in Japan, is it?
Bob: It’s cool to me! I think it’s cool!
Andy: I do wish we’d chosen a name that’s easier to spell and pronounce.
Bob: People can never say it.
Your cover of the Madness classic “Baggy Trousers” tonight was a surprising choice, but great!
Matt: We decided to spruce that up to make it ours. The original is completely different to how I play it, I add extra little bits just to make it more funky.
Do you feel you’ve got the right band dynamic between the three of you?
Bob: We’re pretty good as we are. More people add more complications cos you’ve got to think – are they free; do they drive, are they going to be available…
Matt: I’ve got a son, he’s 9, we discuss upcoming gigs before we agree to it. If I’ve got my son and he comes along with us, if he’s allowed in the venue we play – he’s got his little ear defenders, he just sits in the corner and watches us or plays his game.
Bob: I’ve got three jobs…
Sounds like a positive environment to work in.
It’s got to be positive, if it’s not it just doesn’t work. If no-one’s happy, nothing gets done.
So, what’s next? What are your plans?
Bob: World domination! One step at a time…
Andy: We’ve been working on re-doing our EP, we’ve been recording on and off. Recording, playing as many gigs as we can.
And there you have it: an enjoyable chat with the gentlemen of Ryuko. Make sure you check them out live, as and when we can return to the experience of live music. If grungy, punky alt rock with some metallic crunch is your thing, then Ryuko will be just the antidote you need in these dreary times.
With apologies to Ryuko, who have waited months for this interview to see the light of day.
Check out Ryuko on Bandcamp and Facebook. Plus you can follow this link to listen to the interview on YouTube – yes, you can admire my fantastic interviewing skills for real!
Best years of my life? 15/16 years old, skateboarding all day and hanging around with my friends. It was the late 1980s, and the days of the 180 Boneless, No Comply and learning to Ollie. Back when kickflips were the raddest trick in the car park – except we called them “Ollie kickflips” back then.
This was also the time when I started to really veer off the obvious track as far as music was concerned. Skate videos and Thrasher magazine began to open up a whole new world of music. Sometimes these bands would enter the mainstream a couple of years later; sometimes they never did.
I remember hearing a great song on a Vision video. I had no idea what the song was called, but worked out from the credits that it was most likely performed by the Descendents. I recorded the song onto cassette off the TV as there was no other way to hear it. A few months later, on a skate buying trip to Manchester, I stumbled across a record shop that stocked a few records by the band. I had to buy one: taking a gamble on “All” as it featured a song called “Coolidge”, which fitted the lyrics of the track I loved. I was so stoked when I got home, played the vinyl and heard the song I was hoping for! Great album, all in all.
This practice of researching and hunting became a big feature of my relationship with music ever since.
Skating all day, then listening to music in the evening was a big part of my teenage years. This playlist is designed to reflect those days: music I enjoyed back then and became the soundtrack to that time.
Some songs featured in skate videos (McRad, Odd Man Out). Some were checked out after I saw them advertised or reviewed in Thrasher (The Cult, Misfits). Others were just part of the current soundscape, and are forever linked with those halcyon days.
Here’s the playlist I made, split into a two CD format:
Part 1
McRad – “Weakness”
Odd Man Out – “Four Thirty One”
Descendents – “Coolidge”
Sex Pistols – “Holidays in the Sun”
Devo – “That’s Good”
Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
Motorhead – “Killed by Death”
Faith No More – “We Care a Lot”
Misfits – “Astro Zombies”
Hard-Ons – “Don’t Wanna See You Cry”
The Stupids – “Skid Row”
Beastie Boys – “She’s On It”
Circle Jerks – “Wild in the Streets”
Spermbirds – “Something to Prove”
Dead Kennedys – “California Uber Alles”
Suicidal Tendencies – “Possessed to Skate”
Generation X – “One Hundred Punks”
Part 2
The Cult – “Wildflower”
The Damned – “Love Song”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground”
Fishbone – “Freddie’s Dead”
Iggy Pop – “Cold Metal”
GBH – “Too Much”
Mudhoney – “Sweet Young Thing Ain’t Sweet No More”
Ramones – “I Just Wanna Have Something To Do”
The Stranglers – “Peaches”
Bad Brains – “Soul Craft”
Gang Green – “Church of Fun”
Metallica – “The Thing That Should Not Be”
Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Purple Haze”
Rolling Stones – “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Jesus Jones – “Never Enough”
The Skids – “Into the Valley”
Fugazi – “Blueprint”
Some of the above tracks I owned on vinyl or cassette back in the day; some I found in later years. There are still plenty of other bands from skate videos that I either still haven’t tracked down, or as I didn’t own them at the time I’ve omitted for now.
Instead, this is a basic playlist to represent my late 80s skateboarding days, boiled down to the bare essentials. I hope you enjoy and these bring back some memories.
And this sin’t an exhaustive list: how Anthrax and Run DMC didn’t get included is baffling. Maybe I can expand with some more for a Part 2…
Here’s my recent review of the new Gama Bomb album, which appeared on the Ever Metal website. Reproduced here with permission; enjoy!
Gama Bomb – Speed Between the Lines
AFM Records
Release date: 12/10/2018
Running time: 35.07
Review by: Alun Jones
8/10
Hello and welcome to Thrash School. For today’s lesson, you will need:
Skin tight jeans (preferably with ripped knees)
Faded Acid Reign t-shirt
Studded leather belt and 1x studded leather wrist band
White hi-top leather Converse
Black leather jacket (denim vest over jacket optional)
Baseball cap with “NOT” written under the peak
Because today we will be listening to the new album by Gama Bomb, entitled “Speed Between the Lines”.
These merry metallers have an uncanny ability to rewind the cassette of time to a simpler age. It’s like grunge never happened. Instead, we get twelve face-lacerating tunes that rush by in uncompromising fashion. This is thrash metal, kids, buckle up for the ride.
Eighties thrash was often pre-occupied with party bum-out vibes like nuclear destruction. Apparently, it’s a post-Cold War world though, so these boys don’t wallow in misery for too long. Not that they don’t have a social conscience: witness the admirable stab at the current political climate in “Alt Reich”.
But they’re just as happy dedicating an ode to Kurt Russell, which is perfectly justified in my opinion. Kurt is, of course, an icon of twentieth century popular culture. Not convinced? Go watch The Thing and Big Trouble in Little China and you can thank me later.
Back to the music. Although diversity isn’t Gama Bomb’s strong point – Master of Puppets this ain’t – the listener is rewarded with a dozen tracks that speed by relentlessly. The musicianship is amazing, with blitzkrieg lead guitar all over the place.
The occasional change of pace would add some additional colour, but you can’t fault the commitment and enthusiasm of this band. This album is the full package with cool themes and some of the best song titles I’ve heard in a long time (666teen? Give them an award NOW). The music is intense and exciting in equal measure, bringing to mind classic Overkill, Anthrax and Nuclear Assault.
So dig out your old Variflex skateboard and ask your big brother’s mate to buy you a two litre bottle of cider from the Co-op. With Gama Bomb you can party like it’s 1987. This history lesson is over.
Platinum Al's Virtual Hot Tub 