Author: Steve Earles
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Albert Bell’s Sancro Sanctus: Ad Aeternum and Deus Volt
Metal-On-Metal is the perfect label for Albert Bell’s excellent Sacro Sanctus, both sharing a love and commitment for properly crafted heavy metal. Metal needs to a physical reality whether that be cassette, CD or vinyl. A download is like a so-called ‘Facebook Friend’: quite unreal! There is also a shared commitment to the importance of…
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Striker – Striker
When a band releases an eponymous album it’s a statement of intent, a sign of confidence, everything being as it should be. For make no mistake, Striker are a special band. As the old Metal Gods ascend to Valhalla, new gods will arise. This is Striker’s fifth album and it’s just timeless. Not retro, not…
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Book reviews by Steve Earles: detective fiction
Akin To Murder: An Inspector Faro Mystery by Alanna Knight Published by Alison and Busby When the author has received an MBE for services to literature and has been endorsed by no less a personage than Ian Rankin, you know you are dealing with a special writer. This novel is set in Victorian Edinburgh. Having…
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Book reviews: naval history
Who’s Who In Nelson’s Navy: Two Hundred Heroes by Nicholas Tracy Published by Chatham Publishing This is a superb book. Beautifully written and presented, it tells the tale of two hundred officers of Nelson’s Navy, who fought against the French. Under Nelson the political divisions in the Royal Navy began to change for the officer class,…
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Book reviews: World War I – history, military, politics
Irishmen In The Great War: Reports From The Front 1915 by Tom Burnell Published by Pen & Sword Military For many years, for a variety of reason, the subject of Ireland’s involvement in the Great War was a taboo subject in Ireland. Tom Burnell is an expert on this subject, a former soldier and Research…
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Book reviews: history and mythology
Castle Builders: Approaches to Castle Design and Construction in the Middle Ages by Malcolm Hislop Published by Pen & Sword Archaeology Castles are always a popular subject; witness Dan Snow’s excellent ‘Battle Castle’s TV series and book as proof. This is an excellent book on castles for both the enthusiast and the casual reader alike.…
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Hellbound Year End 2016: Steve Earles
Hellbound’s End of Year Wrap Up Begins: Part 1 Well, hell’s bells – 2016 was a hellride of a year, wasn’t it?! As the New Year comes creeping in with trepidation, the individual members of Team Hellbound take a look back at our favourites of the year, give our personal thoughts on the state of heavy metal…
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Solitude – Reach For The Sky
Japanese metallers Solitude are Toru Nishida (bass), Akira Sugiuchi (vocals), Takamasa “MAD” Ohuchi (drums) and Shingo Ida (guitars). This is Solitude’s third album following 2009’s Brave The Storm and 2001’s Virtual Image (all released in Japan on the splendidly named Spiritual Beast label). Reach For the Sky was mixed by Magnus Sedenberg who previously worked with the…
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Book reviews: film & TV
Hollywood Presents Jules Verne: The Father of Science Fiction on Screen by Brain Taves (Published by University Press of Kentucky) It is fair to say that Jules Verne’s work is very cinematic and this finely written book certainly proves it. Verne’s work is full of adventure and in these dark times we need that more…
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Red Cain – Red Cain
Firstly, let me praise Red Cain for their commitment to music as a physical entity; the CD bears a most amazing cover by Peter Mohrbacher which would put many a major label band to shame. It just cries out to be released on vinyl so all its intricate details can be seen in all their…