At one point or another, English-American metallers Alcatrazz have counted Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai amongst their ranks. This post-hiatus line-up is less well-endowed with ‘name players’, but it doesn’t seem to have forced the …READ MORE
If ever there was a band worthy of being described as “real triers”, Attaxe were it. Looking at their history, there’s something spookily symmetrical about them that reflects the tribulations of genre stablemates such as …READ MORE
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, a maxim that applies equally well to sleeve art. It’s worth bearing in mind for anyone tempted to glance at Pinnacle Point’s new album. Part …READ MORE
Sometimes it’s difficult to believe that albums like this once occupied the musical mainstream. Millennials might find this a comical proposition, but those of us who sat through ‘brat pack’ movies in the 80s will …READ MORE
Heavy Metal has long cultivated a sense of belonging to something greater than the sum of its parts. No matter where its fans are to be found, the lure of heavy riffs, beer and bikes …READ MORE
The story of progressive rock can be summarised as 5 years of increasingly bloated triumph, followed by a damn good thrashing with the bovver boy boots of punk. Some say they had it coming, others …READ MORE
“He just won’t die” screams vocalist Matt Engel, as Torchlight Parade bludgeon their way through another number. Alas, it’s a sentiment that soon becomes a hostage to fortune, as the St Louis-based four-piece offer little …READ MORE
In these days of a thousand sub-genres (the arrival of Belgian jazz-opera interpretive dance metal cannot be far away), it ought to be easy to find interesting, authentic new music. Alas, in many cases, it …READ MORE
It’s possible to get a false impression of the history of Welsh music. Contrary to myth it’s not just populated by opera singers and white-soul boys. There’s also a noble lineage of rock bands that …READ MORE
It’s now over 40 years since bands like Rainbow were at the top of their game. Sanding the coarse edges from earlier influences, their fusion of Metal and symphonic styles saw big returns even as …READ MORE