Author: Steve Earles
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Helloween – My God-Given Right
There is indeed no happy medium with Euro-metal, either it is very good or very bad. Thankfully, on this album, Helloween are very good. Musically, we have some great Iron Maiden-esque songs. One thing that sets Helloween apart from so many metal bands is there sense of humour ( “Dr. Stein” anyone?), which is still…
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Leave The Living – Pacifist
There is a big Pantera-shaped hole in the metal scene. The question is, what band has the chops to fill it? On the strength of Pacifist, it could well be Leave The Living! That all important groove of Pantera is there, coupled with the raging intensity of At The Gates circa Slaughter of the Soul.…
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Satyricon – Live At The Opera
“… on September 8, 2013 Satyricon shared the stage with the Norwegian Opera Choir in Oslo – a monumental extravaganza that has been captured on DVD and two bonus CDs…” Satyricon had previously done a version of ‘To The Mountains’ with the Royal Norwegian Opera Chorus. From this grew the idea of doing an entire show.…
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Venom – From The Very Depths
Venom have always been weighted down by a very metal millstone: that of their own legacy. The classic Mantas, Cronos, Abaddon line-up is the one everyone thinks of when Venom is mentioned. Since that era, Venom have been all over the place, with various line-ups, none of them achieving any great success. The Welcome To…
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Unleashed – Dawn Of The Nine
As I write this review I am looking out over the mighty River Shannon where, centuries ago, the Vikings sailed their long ships to establish the still-thriving city of Limerick. As an Irishman, the Vikings are a big part of my cultural heritage and one I am very proud of. Vikings still strike a chord…
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Kataklysm – Of Gods and Ghosts
There is much speculation about what groove-metal band could fill the gap left by the sad demise of Pantera. On the strength of the splendidly titled Of Gods and Ghosts, Kataklysm could well be it. Good song-writing matched with top-notch playing prevails. Above all, there is muscle and melody, and that is what gives Kataklysm…
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Cradle of Filth – Hammer of the Witches
Hammer of the Witches has the best Cradle of Filth cover since that of Cruelty and the Beast, which featured the lovely Luisa Morando as Elizabeth Bathory (where is she now?). The new artwork is very much in the vein (if you’ll pardon the pun!) of such Hammer Films classics like Twins of Evil and…
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Valkyrie – Shadows
Well, kudos for the name for a start! Opening with ‘Mountain Stomp’, Valkyrie nail their colours to the mast. This fine tune is somewhat reminiscent of Thin Lizzy’ circa ‘Emerald’. ‘Golden Age’ could well refer to the period of time they take musical influence from – here we find them drawing on the spirit of…
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Patrick Macnee (February 6, 1922- June 25, 2015) – An Appreciation
This is an appreciation, not an obituary, because Patrick Macnee (February 6, 1922- June 25, 2015) led a life worth living, a life full of light, one such as only being so near to death, as he was in World War 2, can give you. A few weeks ago I wrote about the passing of…
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Galley Beggar – Silence and Tears
Rise Above Records make an ideal home for Galley Beggar. They are not a metal band, but there is much here for any adventurously minded metal fan to love. To be honest, the Rise Above logo tells you all you need to know. For most people, one significant musical act in their life would be…