Author: Steve Earles
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BOOK REVIEW: Uncovering Stranger Things
Essays on Eighties Nostalgia, Cynicism and Innocence in the Series Edited by Kevin J. Wetmore, Jr The success of ‘Stranger Things’ comes as no surprise. The 80s are far enough in the past to seem distant enough for comment yet near enough to feel fresh in the mind. This is a superb collection of 23 new…
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Sleep – The Sciences
With the length of time that has elapsed since Sleep released Jerusalem, it would be logical to think that with the passage of time, Sleep’s ability to forge earth-crushing riffs might have diminished. But no, The Sciences can stand beside Holy Mountain and the aforementioned Jerusalem. It is, in the best possible way, exactly what you’d…
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Various Artists – Contract In Blood: A History of UK Thrash Metal boxset
This is a superb collection of music to provide the soundtrack to Ian Glasper’s fine book of the same name which I feel is one of the best music books ever written – Contract In Blood: A History of UK Thrash Metal. This is a most comprehensive selection of music with no less than 83…
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Contract In Blood: A History of UK Thrash Metal (book review)
The hard part of reviewing a book as good, as well-written, unique and badly needed as Ian Glasper’s never-to-be surpassed Contract In Blood: A History of UK Thrash Metal is keeping the review to a respectable length (the temptation to write one as long as the book is immense). Anyone who writes about music appreciates…
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Witch Mountain – Witch Mountain
The three previous albums from Witch Mountain – Cauldron of the Wild, South of Salem, Mobile of Angels – are truly superb. This is the first Witch Mountain album with Kayla Dixon on vocals. She has an incredible voice, powerful, heartfelt. The songs are excellent. This is timeless music, made for all the right reasons. Billy Anderson…
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Myth and Magic in Heavy Metal Music
This book scores major kudos by having Cronos of the mighty and highly influential Venom on the cover. It’s a fine idea to explore the influences on the themes of heavy metal and Robert McParland does this with great aplomb. It’s nice to read such well-written work. It would have been nice if a well-known metal…
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AxMinister – The Crucible of Sin
AxMinister have arisen like vengeful wraiths from the frozen tundra of Ontario to save the metal world from trends! Founded in 1999, this power-trio are metal for life, and it shows. The Crucible of Sin is a great thrash/traditional metal album, showing strong influences from Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica to full effect. The production is…
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Corrosion of Conformity – No Cross, No Crown
After two albums with the classic three-piece line-up of Woody Weatherman on guitars and vocals, Mike Dean on bass and vocals, and Reed Mullin on drums, Corrosion of Conformity have reunited with legendary vocalist/guitarist Pepper Keenan! Instantly we are back in Deliverance territory with strong, heavy and sincere songs. COC’s music comes from the heart,…
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Fu Manchu – Clone of the Universe
In an ever-changing universe, one thing that is pleasingly consistent is a new Fu Manchu album; it is as though this album was always with us, like some 70s stoner artifact. Fuzzy riff and grooves abound, and tracks like “Slower Than Light,” “Don’t Panic,” and the title track will please long-term Fu-fans. Interestingly though, the final…
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Megaliths, dinosaurs and flying boats (book reviews by Steve Earles)
Spirits in Stone: The Secrets of Megalithic America Written by Glenn Kreisberg Forward by Graham Hancock We traditionally associate megalithic stone structures with places like Ireland (Newgrange). France (Carnac), and England (Stonehenge), yet there are in actuality hundreds of megalithic stone structures in North America. That they exist is in no doubt, but what is their…