Articles by Dan Whittle

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Dan Whittle

Daniel was a reviewer here at Metal Express Radio. He's been a music fan since his mother introduced him to the piano at the age of 5. That she introduced him is no real guide to whether he could play it, "as anyone who had the misfortune to hear my hamfisted plonking would readily testify," says Dan. Abandoning his nascent career as a pianist, he turned, instead, to listening to as many albums as he could lay his hands on. The first, halting steps, were of the novelty record variety; but gradually he found his niche. After a brief, abortive flirtation with indie, he heard Clutching at Straws by Marillion and that was it. These days his tastes are on the catholic side, but whiling away a few hours listening to ambitious guitar music (especially of the progressive variety) is still amongst his favorite activities. Oh, and if anyone's wondering, he did learn the piano and the guitar in the end...
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EDENBRIDGE – Dynamind

November 5, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

One feature of sympho that’s bound to raise the ire of parts of the metal community is the epic stylings that often accompany it. I mean, don’t these bands know that keyboards and classical hooks …READ MORE

FREAKS AND CLOWNS – Freaks and Clowns

October 27, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

People for whom metal is a confection of denim, leather and cod-operatic vocals could do worse than listen to this album. In fact, Freaks and Clowns’ eponymous effort is so crammed with trad-metal ticks that …READ MORE

GLASYA – Heaven’s Demise

August 4, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

Back when Goliaths like Deep Purple, Rainbow and Yes bestrode the scene, rock music made tentative attempts to bring classical flourishes to an otherwise blues-based form. Bands tried to break down the barriers between the …READ MORE

LORDI – Recordead Live – Sextourcism in Z7

July 29, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

It’s singularly difficult to resist beginning this review without writing “Oh Lordy it’s Lordi – a sentiment that will not be lost on anyone who remembers their breakthrough performance at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. …READ MORE

WITCHWOOD – Handful of Stars [Reissue]

July 19, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

In the time-honoured tradition of rock music eating its own tail, along comes Witchwood with a collection of tunes that could have been mined from the same ore as early Jethro Tull. The reason this …READ MORE

DEATH SS – Rock ‘N’ Roll Armageddon

July 8, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

If the contents of this album were anything less shouty than a Trump rally (they’re not), the record company could rest assured that the accompanying puff piece would make up for the lack of volume. …READ MORE

VEIL OF DECEPTION – Dissident Voices

June 27, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

An interesting amalgam of heavy rock, stoner sounds and groove metal, Veil of Deception’s willingness to employ different textures brings a dynamic intelligence to their work. On this, their third album, they’ve put together a …READ MORE

MOONLIGHT HAZE – De Rerum Natura

June 16, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

To the uninitiated, an alliance between operatic vocals and crunching guitars sounds an uneasy mix. But even the most cursory glance at the history of music reveals a succession of composers pushing at the boundaries …READ MORE

DIVINER – Realms of Time

June 12, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

It’s a truth, almost universally acknowledged, that bands who operate within the well-defined confines of Heavy Metal are sometimes reluctant to move beyond its parameters. And so it is that Diviner’s latest effort, Realms of …READ MORE

DIAMOND HEAD – The Coffin Train

June 5, 2019 Dan Whittle 0

Cited by Metallica and Megadeth as a formative influence, Stourbridge 5-piece Diamond Head have endured a topsy-turvy career. Their Lightning to the Nations album showcased the sound of a band who, while aware of the …READ MORE