Firebrand Magazine Issue 24 - September

Issue 24 – September 2014

firebrandrr.co.uk www.facebook.com/Firebrandmag *All content and layout are copyright of Firebrand Magazine. Any attempt to distribute Firebrand Magazine to another site for purposes of download is strictly prohibited. All Firebrand Magazines are property of Firebrand. *

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As some of you might have noticed our illustrious leader is currently on his holidays and spreading the latest line of Tassel Lord fashion wear over in Venice. Rumours of Venice starting to sink under the enormous weight of the extra tassells that are on display over there seem to be premature at this moment in time but rest assured we will be the first to let you know should that happen.

In line with the revamp of the rise of the tassels both a Facebook page and a twitter account have been set up to meet this rising demand so to keep up to date with all things Tassell related we urge you to like/follow these pages (although you might want to give the Rick Astley penned national anthem a miss!).

In all seriousness though two years has literally flown by since this magazine was first launched and having being part of this from the start I can honestly say that both this magazine and its sister magazine (Firebrand After Dark) have continued to go from strength to strength which is due to the hard work and dedication of our reviews team and all of the people in the back ground and without them this magazine would not exist so in the immortal words of AC/DC 'For those about to rock we salute you'.

Issue 24 is unleashed.

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TEN - More 'Albion' Album Details Revealed And New Website Online

Turbogeist Announced As Main Support To Black Spiders On Uk Tour This December

British melodic hard rock giants TEN to unveil the European track listing for the new album 'Albion', officially released on the 21st November, 2014 via Rocktopia Records/Cargo Records.

Limited advance copies of 'Albion' will actually be available to buy at their UK Firefest performance, October 24th and at the album pre-listening party on October 23rd at The Royal Suite, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nottingham. 'Albion' is the first of two new albums that TEN will release through Rocktopia Records, with second album due for release first half of 2015.

TEN are also proud to announce the launch of their new updated official website www.tenofficial.com. In celebration of their stunning new album ‘Albion‘ they are launching an all new social media compatible site. It comes complete with links to all the TEN Fan Sites around the world.

The new website will be the Mother site, providing up to date news and links translated into every language imaginable, including Greek, Spanish, Italian and Japanese.

London-based punk rockers Turbogeist will join the UK’s very own ‘masters of the meaty riff’ Black Spiders on a 6-date UK tour. The bill is rounded off by rabble-rousing rockers Rival States, who will open proceedings.

In addition to this, plans for Turbogeist to play a headline show at Dingwalls, Camden, on Hallows Eve (October 31st) have been revealed; with a full line-up of 6 bands and 3 DJs, the night is set to be a real bone-shaker!

Be prepared for chilling performances from the following acts:Turbogeist Phobophobes Skinny Girl Diet PROM Bin Juice (DJ) Will Skillz (DJ) Wolf Alice (DJ) Turbogiest's debut album, and follow up to their ‘Ancient Secrets’ EP, is expected early next year via Spinefarm Records. In the meantime. check out their latest single/video for ‘Comatose’

Billy Idol talks about Steve Stevens and his new album Kings and Queens of the Underground in this 2nd Episode of footage New Zodiac album 'Sonic Child' cracks the German Top 50 ‘Sonic Child’, the third release in three years from German psychedelic bluesy rockers Zodiac, was praised for "tak(ing) the best of groups like The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, and Nick Cave & The Badseeds and blend(ing) those unique and disparate sounds into one unified and cohesive aural experience!" (101.5 The Fox). Further dignifying their sucess, the album has made its way onto the Germany album charts with a debut at #47!

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Recorded at Megaphon Tonstudios with Martin Meinschafer (Long Distance Calling), "Sonic Child" depicts the band's love for music in its purest form not only throughout its audio samplings, but visually detailed in the captivating artwork by Sebastian Jerke (Audrey Horne). Take a listen and watch the below new lyric video for the touchingly wispy track "Sad Song" below!

Wilson, and can't wait to see where they will guide TesseracT in this new chapter of the band. Very excited!"

Over the course of the last six years, TesseracT have been at the forefront of flourishing part of the ever-evolving metal scene. Originally formed as a studio project by guitarist Acle Kahney, TesseracT immediately eschewed all well-established notions of what metal should sound like and swiftly became a unique and daring entity. Acle had recruited a line-up worthy of his groundbreaking compositions and the band embarked upon a quest to inject some originality and excitement back into an often myopic and lazy British metal scene. The longstanding line up of drummer Jay Postones, guitarist James Monteith, bassist Amos Williams have recently welcomed back vocalist Dan Tompkins, whose first show back with the band was on the main stage at this year’s UK Sonisphere Festival.

TesseracT’s debut album ‘One’ in 2011, featuring Dan Tompkins on vocals, received widespread critical acclaim, not least due to the The Shrine Announce Giveaway for the London album’s staggering six-part centrepiece ‘Concealing Show Fate’, which brilliantly showcased the band’s News from The Shrine: pioneering sonic approach and unstoppable arsenal We are running a special giveaway for the show at of off-kilter riffs, soaring melodies and disorientating the 100 club, London on 10th October. atmospherics. The primarily acoustic ‘Perspective’ Any ticket buyers will be entered into a draw to EP emerged in May 2012 to an effusive response win this handcrafted one of a kind skateboard deck from critics and fans alike and shortly after, their created especially by upcoming designer Matt status as progressive metal’s most fascinating new Wilkins. creative force was very publicly celebrated when The winner will be announced live at the show.

TesseracT picked up the Best New Band trophy at See you there London!

2012’s inaugural Progressive Music Awards in London. Not wasting any time the band released their second album ‘Altered State’ in early 2013 again to worldwide media acclaim.

The band have already found a new creative energy having reunited with Singer Dan Tompkins and have already written half of their third album, the follow up to ‘Altered State’ and is slated for a 2015 release Fan’s can experience the band’s thrilling live shows across Europe from today as they begin an extensive tour with co-headliners Animals As Leaders http://tesseractband.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/tesseractband /

Tesseract Sign To Kscope Kscope is thrilled to announce that, the UK’s masters of modern progressive heaviness, TesseracT are joining the Kscope family.

Amos Williams TesseracT bass player comments on the signing ."Really looking forward to discovering the possibilities of working with such a creative label. We admire everything Kscope's done with bands like Anathema, Katatonia and Steven

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Our man Stephen Brophy got speaking to guitarist Ice Dale of Norwegian Rockers Audrey Horne. Their awesome brand new album 'Pure Heavy' is out on Napalm Records on the 29th 10 Firebrand Magazine September.

It's only been a year and a half since the release of 'Youngblood', is there any specific reason to bring the next album out so quickly, or are the creative juices just flowing right now?

Yes they are indeed! We spent a lot of time writing 'Youngblood' so we talked about back in the days when all the bands released a new album every year and that it still should be possible to do so!

We got a new bandmember in Espen Lien after the 'Audrey Horne' album and we wanted to become more of a band unit when it came to the songwriting too. Before, me and Thomas usually wrote the songs at home and then worked with Toschie on the vocals and we didn't practice the songs before the arrangements were done and we were going in the studio to record them. We wanted to get everybody more involved and get more of their personalties in the music. Espen also writes songs and we felt that it was natural to let him in on it too. We decided to try and see what happened. In the beginning it was difficult. Especially for me I think since I've always had a lot of control of the writing process. Now suddenly everybody in the band had opinions of everything and we tried out every idea that anyone had so it was kind of a chaos really. It took months before things started to go anywhere but we just didn't want to give up. We really wanted it to work out and we were sure that if we just gave it some time we would end up getting a much better band and that the songs would be a lot better and more honest too! It was a great feeling when it first started to work out and we made every idea better on each rehearsal instead of just tearing every idea apart cause we disagreed on everything, haha. From that moment the songs and ideas just kept coming and the time we felt that we had an album we still wanted to keep writing. So we did..Right after 'Youngblood' was recorded we started to write new songs and kept doing it in between gigs and touring. We still feel the same after recording this album so we will just keep going and hopefully record a new album late next year!

bigger sound, and Jørgen, the producer, did that very well we think. I think he had a lot of fun doing the album too. He is an old heavy metal dude and guitar player and he said that it was great to do a lot of old production stuff that is really not allowed anymore. I think he made a perfect combination of the spirit and feeling of a classic heavy metal album and an updated modern sound which was exactly what we wanted from the start.

Audrey Horne may not be a household name to everyone, how difficult do you think it is to get your name out there in the modern music scene?

Its both easier and more difficult than it was like 20 years ago I think, yeah, I know.

Of course its easier to get your name out since you can reach out to everybody in the whole world through the internet and social media these days, but then again, so can everyone else, so the competition for the attention is way harder. Back in the day you could only read about new bands in the magazines once a week or month, and if you got a record deal and the label believed in you, you pretty much had a good chance of getting your name and music spread. It was either that, or tour like crazy to build up a fanbase. Today there's concerts every day in the bigger cities and people can't afford or have the time to check out every band that comes around.

I believe though that if you are good enough, work hard enough and stick to what you believe in and do, you will still make it in the end!

A lot of people say we will never see a new really big rock/metal band again like the old ones.

That's bullshit..there will still come new bands that will blow our minds and do stuff we didn't think was possible. It just might not happen as often as before.

People will always go to concerts if they know they will experience something spectacular.

Having witnessed you guys live, and it was amazing, what have you got lined up touring wise for the new Album? Beyond the December dates 'Youngblood' was for me one of the albums of are you planning on returning to the UK next year?

2013, what can we expect from Pure Heavy, is it Absolutely! We will try to focus more on the UK along the same style/sound? market on this album and we are working on trying Its kind of the same but different haha. It’s still the to get a good support tour there. I really think that same kind of style with the heavy riffs, twin guitars would be the best way to reach out to more people and catchy melodies. It was written and recorded in and get new fans! The UK has been a bit difficult for the same vain as 'Youngblood' and in the same us and I don't know why since the music and style we studio. We also recorded this album live in the studio play has a great tradition there. A lot of the bands and recorded everything in 10 days which is the we love, and are inspired by, are from the UK. I hope you guys still like your heavy metal and hopefully will fastest I have ever done an album. We worked on one song at the time until we didn't have more ideas do well and open up some doors for Audrey Horne or thought we needed to add more stuff and moved there, ha! on to the next one. It was so intense that when we were done, none of us really knew what we had done Will we see a Live Album at any stage? and if the songs were really finished. When we Yes, hopefully soon! We have talked about it for listened back to the whole album at the end it years now so its definitely the time for it! sounded great so that was a big relief, haha. We Don't be surprised if it happens early next year or wanted a more produced album this time and a little something.

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Does this feel like the best/most stable and productive version of Audrey Horne?

Absolutely! When Espen joined the band all the pieces came together and we felt like a complete band again for the first time since we started out.

We also found out that we didn't need the keyboards anymore, and we started to write without it and it worked out great! We still use some keyboards on the records but only on some parts in the production phase. We have really found our sound and style now and it works fantastic both personally and musically.

We are all very happy in the band at the moment and we love to travel together, play live shows and write music together. I think we have always been a good band but never close to where we are now.

Hopefully we will just keep getting better at what we do because we are very inspired at the moment!

other guys. They all got day jobs, but except for that, I don't think they got too much spare time either.

Espen changes cars a lot haha. He likes the old classic cars, but he still changes them every year or so and sometimes he buys back the one he had before etc..so I guess you can call that his hobby, haha.

What do you think of the resurgence of Vinyl, and have you noticed more people ordering or requesting your albums on vinyl?

I think it’s great and it shows that people are still appreciating music in a physical format.

It would be very sad if that would disappear in the future. In know I am from the last generation here where all of us grew up buying albums and half the fun was to open the cover and read the lyrics, the facts of the recording/production and look at the pictures.

How do you manage to get recording and touring All of that is of course available on the internet done with various members of the band involved in now but still. Its something special to have a vinyl, cassette or CD and take it out from the wall and put other projects, is scheduling a problem? it on!

No, we are pretty used to it so we are good in Yes we definitely notice that more and more planning ahead. None of the bands tour like 8 people want vinyls and its awesome!! months a year anyway so it's usually me who gets pretty busy and sometimes jump straight from tour to tour.

If you could play any venue in the World, irrelevant Outside of music, do you guys get time to have any of size, where would it be and why?

Think I would say the Orange stage at Roskilde hobbies/other interests? festival. I always went to that festival as a kid and I I play in several bands, own a studio and also teach always said to myself that one day I will play there music production so barely got time to sleep haha. with my band too! So hope that happens. Wembley No, I like to watch movies to relax or take some would be great too. walks or just hang out in a bar with friends if I get some time off. Its more or less the same with the

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Sponsored by

Interviewed by Phil Schofield 14

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Power progressive metal band Alogia realise music that rocks. Their albums are recorded in Serbian language but the raw music translates into any culture.

Formed in 2000 by guitar virtuoso brothers Miroslav and Srđan Branković they have an impressive catalogue of several albums to date, with the new album Elegia Balcanica due for release at the end of September.

I caught up with frontman Nikola Mijić to discuss the music and balkanic bands current prospects.

Congratulations Nikola on winning Firebrands band of the month competition with Alogia & they have a new album coming out very shortly is that right?

Yeh that’s right, thank you for the kind words it’s our newest album which is called Elegia Balcanica which is our newest album so everyone who loves Alogia & Expedition Delta’s music they are going to be enjoying it in Serbian language unfortunately yet.

Yes not in 2014 but 2015

Now you’re a very, very busy man because for those readers who may not be aware you also play with the Hungarian band Dreyelands.

Yes that’s true I’m the lead singer also do a little bit of arranging and do some composing for the band Also you’re the lead vocalist with Edens Curse that I’m sure a lot of people are familiar with.

Yes that’s right I joined back in 2013, actually it was We were discussing before the broadcast that 2014 but the period of accepting me as the singer very subject about recording albums in your native was one year. tongue as appose to a lot of bands who decide For those who may not be aware & I certainly that sometimes they will go for recording in wasn’t your first gig performing live was at English, do you find this decision is going to be Nottingham Rock City at Firefest? better for the band overall?

Yes that’s right , that was the first gig that we did Well as far as language & the barriers which this language can give Alogia, the problem is maybe that together because we only did sessions on the internet through skype singing the tracks sending we’ve made the album in Serbian and that would have to be transcribed and morph into English.All the them back & forth so the first gig live was Firefest rhythm parts and all the lyric and singing parts would and that was great. have to be adjusted for English and that’s the hardest part of the job because we did it back with the first album and it wasn’t that good.

It possibly could have been done much better because some of our friends did it translating from Serbian to English but maybe if we had translated better then maybe some people would have been listening to Alogia and our first album, so who knows maybe next time when we decide to do it, it maybe be a lot better than the first time.

It’s would give us a much bigger benefit and help to play in other areas of Europe. This first time when we played in Rome the audience accepted we sang in Serbian but some people did ask if we would consider making an English Alogia album.

So is it possible that maybe a future album may be recorded completely in English? Is that what you looking at doing?

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How do you find that doing the internet recording with bands because that’s becoming quite common now.

You listen to artists say on labels like Frontiers records now such as collaborations like LSM & Find Me & the recordings are put together over the net with the musicians putting their own tracks, vocals guitars or whatever from all over the world. How do you find that way of recording?

Well, it’s interesting to be collaborating with musicians over the internet as actually that makes us free to do whatever we want, especially me, as I living in Serbia it has limitations on travel as I can’t travel to the UK just like that.

Having to go through procedures just to get a visa , it costs too much and we had this nightmare with visas for Edens Curse having to apply three times for it. So Paul (Logue) said in the end I like you a lot , your voice & everything but its becoming too expensive, so with the internet recording finally I didn’t have to be in London or Germany or Spain wherever.

play? If you had the opportunity where you could go anywhere?

Would there be anywhere that you’d like to experience?

I think every kid who plays metal has kind of place he’d like to play like Donington, or Japan...places like Download festival or huge festival with huge crowds, cos its kind of an interesting thing with the crowds that even when you start playing your music if a few people down in the crowd resonate to your music you can still grab them and start to build the energy and those few people move the other guys .

Can I ask you about the new album that’s due out at the end of September, how would you say that rating amongst the albums that you ‘ve done before, how does this compare? What kind of style would you say this has & are you happy with the results that you have got?

This album was recorded in a way that we wanted to make a metal album but I had started working in a school & had little time to make any recordings, So I couldn’t go to the studio and talk with Srdan about So what would you say the scene is like in Serbia? I the recordings or the songs how he’d like the structures. know you play a lot all over Europe, & you’ve just been in Italy. Whats the music scene like especially It was more like just send me something, he’d say that’s great then send it back & forth, But when I in your homeland?

Well…….. the scene In Serbia, how can you describe listen to the album now I feel I could have done it much better, but then musicians are always like that, it. Well people have got lazy, a lot of kids are trying but the problem is that we have radio stations ,that, otherwise then they’d make like one album and stop right there ! without naming them, say they promote rock and heavy metal music but actually they take money from What’s your favourite track off the album? the government and promise to promote festivals Well if you’ve heard the album Galija is my favourite but when it comes to payment they are out of track. Its powerful heavy metal, it’s a very fast song money!

That’s the way it functions, it’s the main prob- about brotherhood, metal brotherhood and I think lem here, we’ve done so many gigs for radio stations that when this album comes out its gonna be a great but the equipment they provided was poor. So that big bang ! the situation for bands here in Serbia right now. But Before I leave the conversation here I asked some any band that is stubborn and sticks at it, they can of our radio listeners to send in an interview promote themselves on You Tube which is free. question that they would like to ask you?

Would you say the internet helps out alot of the up Ok , so why not …. and coming bands as obviously without it the internet and you tube it would be difficult to find So I have a couple of questions here from a Mr Paul Logue (Edens Curse) out about say Alogia or other bands?

Yeh, that’s true but you do still have to have a little HAHAHA OK ? push from the media in the country you come from cos if we didn’t have say radio Belgrade 202 , the His first question he wants me to ask you is why first national TV plus other stations we wouldn’t be are you so bad at tennis? were we are right now. We did play some live conOh yeh….haha good question well I’m not that bad at certs in front of thirty thousand people & those are tennis actually but I had a bad day last time when we opportunities that not too many bands can say they played so or maybe he was too lucky! played and felt the roar of that size of a crowd.

Its crazy how we just played In Rome nad I So he’s a good tennis player or you’re not very don’t know how its happened .We never intended to good? play wider than the Balkans from Croatia, Slovenia, I guess that he was lucky, luckier than ever, we are Bulgaria native countries with the understanding of both great tennis players but the next match is the Slavic language. gonna show who’s best.

So are there any places that you would like to

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Oh so theres gonna be a rematch? a clash of the titans?

Yeh theres gonna be a rematch to show who’s the better player.

Fantastic story , thanks for sharing that, All it remains for me to say is a big thank you from all a Firebrand rock radio for taking time out of you busy schedule & congratulation to all the rest of the guys from Alogia in winning the band of the So the second question and I thought he’s on a roll month. here but he asked me to ask you, how come you’re Thank you very much Philip , thank you for the time a person who’s able to sleep with the hair drier and for the opportunity to share some of the Alogia on?? history to the listeners who may have not heard the Ah yes that’s the story about when I arrived to stay band or how we’d evolved. So I appreciate it & to all with Paul at his house for the album recording & the readers to keep listening to good rock metal actually I was so tired so I had just washed my hair & music and believe in it. asked if I could borrow a dryer to dry my hair.

Then after a while his partner Pam started Fans and media can connect with Alogia and speculating saying unbelievable, I don’t think he’s experience their music by clicking over to http:// gone to sleep with the hairdryer on has he? So she www.youtube.com/alogiatube and https:// asked Paul to check and he found me asleep on the www.facebook.com/alogia.official bed with the hairdryer on!

But that has a bit of history, as when I was a kid I lived in the centre of my hometown & there were these street cleaners with a big van to wash the streets that made a deep sound so at night we always got helped to sleep with this sound. So this hairdryer sound kind of reminds me of that. So it’s inevitable that when I hear that sound within five minutes im asleep

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Get A New Gaggle Of Gifts With Green Man Gaming One of the world’s biggest experts in digital games retail Green Man Gaming is getting ready to warmly welcome a new wave of customers with a host of FREE gaming gifts! There's also a treat for those savvy customers who pre-purchase from a selection of most anticipated titles this month including Alien Isolation, Borderlands The Pre-Sequel, or The Evil Within.

Every new user who signs up to Green Man Gaming from today will receive our bigger and better WELCOME PACK* which now comprises of the following goodies: 6 FREE gifts Gun Monkeys Kung Fu Strike the Warriors Rise Kung Fu Strike the Warriors Rise Master Level DLC OnLive Games Bundle 7 day trial Nosgoth Veteran Pack The Journey Down Chapter One PLUS get a 23% voucher off any PC game from Green Man Gaming's catalogue of over 5500 titles!

There’s a special treat waiting for existing Green

Man Gaming account holders too, as they can ALSO get the Welcome Pack, including the additional 23% discount voucher, when they pre-purchase any of the following PC titles: Alien Isolation (Digital Deluxe Edition) Alien Isolation (Nostromo Edition) FFXIII NBA 2K 15 Civilization Beyond Earth Borderlands The Pre-Sequel F1 2014 The Evil Within *The Welcome Pack is delivered as a 100% code - it takes the cost of the titles included down to £0.

Delivery of the Welcome Pack can take up to 72hrs from point of registration. The Welcome Pack code will end 10th Nov 16:00UTC 2014.

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West, the massive new strategy masterpiece, confirmed for 2014!

“No amphibious attack in history has approached this one in size. Along miles of coastline there were hundreds of vessels and small boats afloat and

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ant-like files of advancing troops ashore” (Dwight D. Eisenhower – Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe) July 1943 – The German war machine is jammed. On the Eastern Front the Soviets are progressing relentlessly, and Rommel had to retreat and finally leave North Africa. But to make the Axis capitulate, the Allied forces have to turn up the heat on the Western Front. Even if the German army has been weakened after 4 years of ruthless combat, its soldiers are battle-hardened veterans and its commanders are building almost impenetrable defensive lines in Italy. The time for launching massive seaborne and airborne operations has come; the Western Front is re-opened!

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West 1943-45 is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made. Starting with the Summer 1943 invasions of Sicily and Italy and proceeding through the invasions of France and the drive into Germany, War in the Westbrings the players all the Allied campaigns in Western Europe and the capability to re-fight the Western Front according to their plan.

The game features 3 main campaigns and 7 smaller scenarios for a comprehensive coverage of the combats in Western Europe between July 1943 and mid 1945: 1943 Campaign - 109 turns 1944 Campaign (May Start) – 64 turns 1944 Campaign (D-Day Start) – 62 turns Air Campaign – 4 turns Operation Husky – 7 turns Salerno to Rome 43-44 (starting with Operation Avalanche)– 42 turns/multiplayer only Battleground Italy – 95 turns Breakout and Pursuit (starting with Operation Cobra) – 11 turns Westwall (starting with Operation Market Garden) – 12 turns Bulge to the Rhine (starting with The Battle of the Bulge) –12 turns Based on the War in the East engine, that the Gary Grigsby’s team has been polishing and improving for years, War in the West will blow the minds of fans of historical simulations with its incredible level of detail and realism.

We have the pleasure to unveil that the game will be released in early December 2014! So watch out for more details and get ready for the release!

Get more information on Gary Grigsby's War West from the official product page.

“Amazing Frog?” has made its way onto Steam Greenlight. Originally released in 2013 as an OUYA launch title, Amazing Frog shot to the top of the charts becoming the most downloaded game on the micro console and gained support from the likes of PewDiePie, Game Grumps and Smosh.

Amazing Frog? is the original parkour open world physics sandbox game. Players are encouraged to make their own fun with a buffet of bonkers physics either alone or with friends as a farting frog. Fire crossbows, remotely control a pigeon on a skateboard, rebound off bouncy castles, fight to be crowned ‘King of Swindon’ and fire yourself out of cannons. Explore amazing environments like Swindon town centre, a zombie frog infested sewer, The Swindon Space Program’s underground laboratory and the Moon Space station.

Gaz Bushell, Founder of Fayju said “We were really surprised by the huge amount of support we got from the players and fans when we first launched Amazing Frog? last year. We have spent the last year growing and improving the game based on community feedback, but the main thing that we always get asked is “When is the game coming to Steam?” So here it is. Amazing Frog? has crashed its way onto Greenlight.”

“The steam version will not just be a port of the current version either. We are remastering the whole game making it bigger and better. We want to add tonnes of new content like a metropolis environment, bigger weapons, new single and multiplayer modes and more weird & wacky items.

We need your help though to make this happen, so please go to our Greenlight page and vote yes. The world needs more Amazing Frogs!”

You can find the Amazing Frog? Steam Greenlight page here:http://steamcommunity.com/ sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=296245989 Have a look at Amazing Frog? community and gameplay videos here:https://www.youtube.com/ fayjugames For more information about the Steam version: http://www.fayju.com/blog/2014/10/amazingfrog-on-steam-greenlight/ Nomad Games Celebrate Talisman Digital Edition Expansion With A Sale Across All Products

To celebrate the imminent release of the Dungeon Expansion, Nomad Games is offering up to 50% discount on all its Talisman digital range on Steam, the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Players who haven’t yet joined in the fun of Talisman on PC and mobile devices will be able to “Amazing Frog?” crashes its way onto Steam pick it up at a special discounted price. The offer runs Greenlight for one week from Saturday 4th October until OUYA’s best-selling game of all time makes its way to Monday 13th October! Players who already have the steam. Amazing Frog? Crashes, explodes and farts game will be able to get expansions at a reduced its way onto Steam Greenlight Micro indie studio price and players with multiple platforms will see Fayju’s number one charting OUYA exclusive game

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this as an affordable way to own multiple copies. A new expansion ‘The Dungeon’ will add a new corner to the board and will be available in the coming weeks. For those who like to support the developers directly, the offer is also available on Nomad Games own site: http://www.talisman-game.com/talismande/

Remnants of Isolation awarded $10,000 grand prize in 2014 Indie Game Maker Contest

Over 800 game entries in the month of June alone 11 prize packages offering cash, coverage and consultation.

Eight judges including Ed Greenwood (The Forgotten Realm), Kimberley Weigend (Frag Dolls) and Eric Tam (Humble Bundle) Pac-Man And The Ghostly Adventures 2 Available Hosted by RPG Maker in partnership with Humble Now! Bundle. A few handy 2014 Indie Game Maker Contest Leading video game publisher and developer Bandai links: Namco Games UK have released PAC-MAN™ and the Winners | Prizes | Judges | Guidelines Ghostly Adventures 2 for the Xbox 360 games and The creative RPG Remnants of Isolation has been entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 awarded the grand prize in the 2014 Indie Game Maker computer entertainment system, Wii U™ system and Contest, bagging the three creators $10,000, a Nintendo 3DS™ system. featured spot on the Humble Store, support from the Following the colorful characters and world of RPG Maker team and more. the PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures animated Entrants were allowed the month of June to series, PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures 2 will develop a complete game for submission in either RPG feature Pac, Spiral and Cylindria in an all-new storyline or non-RPG categories. Over 800 games were judged as they defend PacWorld from the ghoulish army of on presentation, gameplay and fun factor by a team of Lord Betrayus. Players will be able to explore the lands six regular and two celebrity judges. of PacWorld far beyond the bustling streets of The 11 prize packages offered everything from a Pacopolis and the Netherworld through the depths of $10,000 grand prize to development support from the the ocean floor and into space.

RPG Maker team and even publishing support on Steam In order to defeat the havoc-causing ghosts, Pac from Degica. Smaller rewards included interview will need to do what he does best… EAT! Chomping opportunities, credit for the RPG Maker Web Store and down on the various Power Berries will give Pac a much more. needed boost to fight back against his enemies. Utilizing the many types of Power Berries from the Tree of Life, The winners and judges are as follows: Pac will be able to transform into many different and Grand Prize exciting versions of himself, including enhanced versions Remnants of Isolation by Red_Nova of returning powers such as Fire Pac and Ice Pac and RPG epic new transformations including the gigantic 1st: Antagonist by Nivlac PacZilla. Pac will also be able to pilot one of many 2nd: Last Word by Merlandese vehicles seen in the show including the Lemon Rocket 3rd: Cope Island by zDS and Pacerchini, to help his cause to save the world.

Celebrity Choice: Last Word by Merlandese “We’re really pleased to be launching the second Humble Choice: The Vendor by Galenmereth instalment of this successful title within a year of its Non-RPG predecessor. Our world famous yellow mascot makes a 1st: Daemon Detective: Gaiden by Yai chomping return with bigger, badder lands to explore 2nd: Oh! Ko! by mostly useless and more friends to join him in his adventures. We’re 3rd: Little Briar Rose by Flame sure that kids and parents alike will benefit from more of Celebrity Choice: Goats on a Bridge by Cabygon the same quality gameplay as before, plus more!” said Humble Choice: Exeunt Omnes by Adam Hasvers Lee Kirton, Marketing & PR Director for Bandai Namco Most Shared Games UK. Purrkour by Emergency Squid Studios Cylindria and Spiral also join in for the action, Most Buzzed allowing players to take control of the Pac’s friends in Ars Harmonia by youarebritish special fast-paced on-rails levels. The two best friends Celebrity Judges will also be able to assist Pac with a helping hand when Ed Greenwood (Creator of The Forgotten Realms) players find themselves in tough situations.

Kimberley Weigend (Content creator for Frag Dolls) To view the latest trailer, please visit YouTube Humble Bundle Judges here: http://youtu.be/krOsfqWAMcY Eric Tam (Business and Legal Affairs Counsel) PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures 2 is Andy Oxfeld (Software Engineer) available now across UK. For more information RPG Maker Team about PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures 2, please Archeia (Artist/Developer) visit http://www.BandaiNamcoGames.co.uk, http:// Deckiller (Assistant Administrator) www.PacIsBack.eu, and http://www.facebook.com/ Liberty (Developer) PacIsBack.

Touchfuzzy (Web Community Manager)

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Suzi Quatro - The Girl From Detroit City Record Label: Cherry Red Records

9/10

Released: 20 October 2014

Highlight of the album: Love And War Website: www.suziquatro.com Reviewer: Phil Kane

The owner of a cracking voice and nifty line in skin tight leather cat suits, Suzi Quatro offered the UK’s teenyboppers a safer alternative to the far more dangerous sexual overdrive of The Runaways. In ‘73 she seemed to come out of nowhere and a generation of little boys discovered their weeners had other properties other than being just rather inaccurate urine aiming devices. Yer mum may not have approved, but dad certainly did.

into MOR mawkishness and BBC R2 friendly rock ‘n’ roll schmaltz.

Made up of demos and unreleased material, the last disc best reflects Quatro's talent, (though she wastes Jeff Beck’s on a rather pedestrian take on the Eagles ‘Desperado’) and is where the proper gems languish.

She dances nimbly from doo wop, the boogie knees up of Stone The Crows and Vinegar Joe, through smooth jazz and eighties beeping electronica to misty eyed Quatro has been batting away in the music scene since MOR balladry; she even flirts with Springsteen’s big sky 1964, joining her first band with her big sister after Americana. It is here you are most likely to find tracks seeing The Beatles on the telly, but it wasn't until she waiting for someone to give them the big bollocks was discovered by Mickie Most, who brought her to production job they deserve. I've picked out D4’s 'Love England in ’71 and introduced her to the Nicky Chinn And War' as the overall highlight because even as a and Mike Chapman partnership that she hit the big raw unfinished demi ballad demo, it cries out for a time. The rest is history. With a 55 million record sales proper heavy rock/metal make over. tally, Suzi Quatro is now regarded as the most successful female performer to come out of seventies Is it essential? Possibly, but only to Quatro completists, glam, a shining light that many prominent lady rockers though chances are they have most of this stuff would follow. anyway. For the rest of us, it’s a mildly interesting window into a bygone age that, were it not for the Cherry Red Records has put together this 4 CD box massive legacy market that's building up a head of set (originally it was going to be six) to celebrate steam at the moment, would otherwise be left to fill the Quatro's 50th year in the music business. 'The Girl nostalgia radio shows of Sara Cox, Paul Gambaccini From Detroit City' has 82 tracks chronologically and Elaine Page. Queen of Rock 'n' Roll she may be, but anthologising her career to date, including songs by this will probably leave a lot of today's young rockers her first band Pleasure Seekers, and comes complete cold, at best wishing she had turned it up, if only once. with up-to-date liner notes, album and poster artwork and photographs.

The first three discs are basically made up of her big singles and cherry picked album tracks interspersed with the occasional B side, German rarity and the specially written title track. The opening four numbers of CD1 are sixties pop tryouts. Some claim a sort of garage rock thing going on but to be honest they skirt closer to the gritty soul of Motown and the raw r ‘n’b pop grumbling of early stones. In themselves unremarkable, but you can already hear that belting voice is developing as she tries things on for size; a perfect overture for what is to come. Then we get to track five and 'Can The Can', and all of a sudden the proper stuff kicks in where she went all rocking biker chic, mixing a natty line of Humble Pie's and Sweet’s more chart savvy boogie, Pussycat’s and Smokie's rolling country heartbreak and Showaddywaddy's happy clappy rock ‘n’ roll vibe. Where Quo and Slade turned the 12 bar shuffle into a snotty soundtrack for the working man, Quatro used it to wave the flag of female emancipation, dipping into country, electronic and musicals as well. Discs 2 and 3 chart a similar musical trajectory to her hero Presley's; the TOTP early years of disc one giving way to the graceful glide

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In Faith - There’s A Storm Coming Record Label: Rocktopia Records

9/10

Released: 24 October 2014

Highlight of the album: A Million Ways Website: www.infaithofficial.com Reviewer: Stephen Brophy

In Faith are a new Melodic Rock band from the UK featuring the very well known Pete Newdeck on drums (Tainted Nation, Newman, Eden's Curse), Tony Marshall on guitar ( Contagious, Vaughn ) and Pete Godfrey on vocals and this new project is launching on Rocktopia Records (the label run by Kieran Dargan and Bruce Mee, the organisers of Firefest). The question here may be where has Pete Godfrey been hiding his silky smooth voice for all this time, this is classic British AOR.

cracking solo from Chris Green (Rubicon Cross, Furyon), the good guitar work is right through the album from not only Tony, but special guests Brooke St James (Tyketto) on "Where I Wanna Be" and Pat Heath (ex Furyon) on "Radio", and of course everything is backed up by the always excellent drum sound of Pete Newdeck. There's a lot to like here, and the more you listen the more you take in. "All Or Nothing" has a slightly harder and heavier edge to it which is great and like mentioned helps to keep everything fresh.

Kicking the album off with "Radio" the tone is quickly set, the track itself has a bit of a Harem Scarem feel to it, which can never be a bad thing in my book, it's a booming energetic rocker that lifts your ears up straight away, cracking start, and it doesn't stop there "Does It Feel Like Love" is a wonderful ballad, which like all great songs is more than just a jumble of words and music, we are taken on a journey, the music ebbs and flows around the song itself. Pete Godfrey's vocals are excellent here as they are throughout the whole album, as are the backing vocals that tie everything together nicely. Next up we get a track that was used as the Anthem for Firefest X in 2013 "Church Of Rock 'N Roll" which sadly for me doesn't work so well on the album, it's not that it's a bad track, don't get me wrong, but maybe it doesn't fit in as well with the others and that always has an issue with how an album flows for me.

But WOW what a way to finish an album off, the last four tracks are just so strong, starting with "In Flames" which I could see being a crowd pleaser at a live show, and it has that anthemic quality to it. "A Million Ways" is a stunning track for me, it's the one that hits me straight away and it's one of a couple of tracks that just keep drawing me back, yes it is a ballad but it shows off Pete's vocals really well and it's put together really well, gets my foot tapping and I'm pretty sure I know the lyrics already, love the solo too, one of those songs you don't mind leaving on repeat for a while. Coming up straight after it is "Leave Me Now" a terrific slice of pop with a hard rock edge, at this point I think Pete could probably sing anything, the theme's of love and life are nothing unusual, but not every album you hear has songs of the quality that In Faith have produced on There's A Storm Coming. To round things off a crunching rocker in "Bitter End" which rumbles along nicely and gets softened in places with the backing vocals, another cracker and a great way to finish the album.

But we are soon back on track with "Where I Wanna Be", another classic sounding AOR track that would fit in perfectly on any of the best releases of the last 10 years, and again I just think it's a shame that we haven't had more output like this with Pete Godfrey on vocals, but happy that the guys have put this together and that the quality is so high across the board, hardly a surprise with the people involved both in front of and behind soundboard. Over recent times Pete Newdeck's talents behind the mixing desk have been in high demand, and it was an obvious choice to get him to work his magic on this album and then the Mastering was done by none other than Harry Hess of Harem Scarem, and this is just as polished as you would expect from the assembled team.

Overall this is a really top notch debut from a project I hope will not only continue to create new music but will hopefully get out there and Tour this album, I think people will want to hear it. Either way check out In Faith's debut, it doesn't disappoint at all.

"Addicted", "If That's What Love Means" and "All Or Nothing" provide a nice variety of tracks throughout the mid section of the album, changing pace and style, but all good songs in their own right, with "if That's What Love Means" being another good ballad and as is the way with everything presented in this package we don't have a big rash of songs that just sound the same, which is nice and refreshing. "Addicted" is more of pacey rocker with some excellent guitar work and a

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Swedish Hitz Goes Metal (ReinXeed) - Vol. 2 Record Label: Doolittle Group

7/10

Released: 21 August 2014

Highlight of the album: Dancing Queen (has to be, dunit?)

Website: www.swedish-hitz.com Reviewer: Phil Kane

This has to be the ultimate uplifting metal mash up party album. Mixing dance floor fillers with slightly homogenized symphonic metal grunt may not seem a particularly palatable pairing but it works, if in a metalized X Factor karaoke sort of way; out Eurovisoning Eurovision even. The Swedes loved the original ‘Swedish Hitz Goes Metal’ compilation, it doing well enough for the boys to do a second volume, which I suppose says more about their pop culture than anything else. Japan loved it too, which doesn't say much at all. The rock/pop mashup is not a new idea, but what the band do, they do well, demonstrating a good ear for what works whilst not messing about too much with the general feel of the stuff.

at times. This is so cheesily tongue in cheek it completely outflanks pap and takes sheer brilliance from the rear. Oh, the metal evangelists will gnash their teeth, the FADers'll absolutely fucking loath it, and the brainless disco trolls will just not get it at all. Yet when yer at the next Chrimbo do or after wedding party and despite your bullet belt regalia, death head rings, tatts and long hair you've managed to get dancing ‘n’ chatting with the hottest chick in the place, y’know, the one with the come hither eyes topping off a natty little black number, this album will chance see her knickers come down faster than the wrath of God (sexist? Oh yes, but c'mon ladies, y'all know what I'm talking about). Actually there is one quibble (apart from the import price of £45!); being as the band has leant The back bone of the covers are Abba songs (‘Dancing so heavily on Abba, where's 'Eagle' and 'Arrival'? Now, Queen’, ‘Voulez-Vous’, ‘Does Your Mother Know’... you'll they’re two tracks begging for a right proper metallic know the rest), with others from Meja (‘All About The work out.

Money’), Loreen (‘Euphoria’), Da Buzz (‘Alive’, and nope, never heard of them either), Robyn (‘Don’t Stop The ‘Swedish Hitz Goes Metal Vol.2’ is not going to set the Music’) and The Cardigans (‘My Favourite Game’, and metal world alight, but dragging it kicking and who are probably doing backflips at the idea). Some you screaming onto the dance floor will not cause any may even remember but probably won’t. All are done in harm either. In fact, a jolly good dose of Scandi pop an ersatz power metal style that doesn't stray at all shoved up its bloated self important flatulent arse from the prescriptive groove. It's pompous of course, would probably do it the world of good, at least it’d give but it has enough end of pier happy puppy humour to the dry knickered housewife the chance to hear avoid crushing the pure pop sensibilities, exposing the something a bit 'dangerous' in her otherwise drab song writing roots on which the likes of Conny Bloom existence. To philosophise would be utterly pointless, and Joey Tempest cut their teeth, knoworimeen guv? it’s not an album to contemplate yer navel to, but as It’s pure dance heaven given some metal poke that brainless life affirming fun while yer applying the slap perfectly illustrates how adaptable metal can be when before heading out on the pull, it's bang on the button. it has the bollocks to try and how good pop songwriters As an indicator to the future of popularist heavy metal, were, especially the Benny/Bjorn partnership. however, it's fucking terrifying.

Any complaints? Na; total waste of time, though Tommy Johansson's vocal does get a bit over heated

So, strictly for party value only...

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Soldierfield - Catharsis Record Label: Metalbox Recordings

8/10 Released: 17 November 2014

Highlight of the album: Cut The Ties Website: www.soldierfieldband.co.uk Reviewer: Rob Birtley

Soldierfield are Manchester based and formed in late 2011 intent on following their own take on Metal and thus setting themselves apart from the contemporary Metal scene. Their debut EP ‘Bury The Ones We Love’ came out in 2012. Catharsis is their first studio album produced by Steve Wray (BLAZE, Rise To Addiction) who was behind the desk for the EP.

drumming lighter and more intricate but still pacey.

‘New Religion’ has the vibe of a roughed edge Avenged Sevenfold. The vocal is angst ridden and gripping. The title track ‘Catharsis’ is stripped back to the point of being acoustic. It consists of just the voice of Leigh Oates in soulful and mellow mode and six string guitar with a treatment that Steve Howe would have been proud of. The vocal has the lilt of some quieter track The band consist of Leigh Oates(Order Of Voices, Rise Asia as does the guitar backdrop. ‘Cut The Ties’ opens To Addiction) – Vocals, Andy Trott(Rise To Addiction, with the sound of waves lapping on a distant shore and BLAZE) – Guitars, Steve Wray(Rise To Addiction, seagulls it also takes the pace down a tad. The vibe BLAZE) – Guitar, Wayne Banks – Bass and Jeff Singer being somewhere between a ballad and a melodic (Paradise Lost, Kill II This, China Beach, BLAZE) – heartstrings tugger of a Rocker right down to the vocal Drums. Amongst their influences they list Order Of easing out via a megaphone and the sound of distant Voices, Rise To Addiction. Their sound well take the rain. This track is the most radio friendly and stylings and complexities of multiple sub genres of straightforward track on the album. It also has the Metal, Prog and Rock to conjure tracks which manage best guitar solo thrown in. to sound familiar and yet are new, fresh, and unpredictable, showcasing the band’s blend of melody, Going back over my notes on each track the words harmony and hooks over an end of day’s soundtrack melodic, hook laden, powerful, multi-layered and varied fuelled by fine vocals, turbo charged guitars and occur again and again. This is an album that chops and apocalyptic drums. changes. Not one track can be said to be typical of the album and yet the voice of the band as a whole rings The album opens with the ‘The Light’. This track starts true throughout. It keeps you off balance and engaged slowly and then winds up to delivers some huge chunky at the same time and is above all different. That said I guitar riffs and thunderous drumming. The band still have the sense that the overall sound is not the creates a dense sense of foreboding at the same time finished article and the band are still journeying to that piling on the pressure like the Spanish Inquisition with a final destination and may not arrive there for an album victim on the rack. An atmospheric opener if ever there or two. All of this taken into account I would say if you was one. ‘Beautiful Lie’ opens more quickly. It bristles like a variety of Metal and want to hear something real and crackles with energy and urgency almost Thrashy merit and definite progression you should check and certainly relentless and has echoes of Megadeth Catharsis out. and Metallica. Once again the drum/bass combo drives the track along at a rate of knots aided and abetted by chunky distorted guitar. Next up is ‘The Only War’. This track has a Proggy aspect a bit like the darkest moments of Queensryche. This is amplified in the guitar riff not as refined as the American Metal Maestros but almost as gripping.

‘Burn Bright’ is a similar mix once again it has a Prog edge, driven drumming but still manages a hook laden melody. ‘Monochrome’ is more black and white and back to a full tilt at Metal. The set-up well reminds you of parts of early Sabbath. ‘Ghosts’ restlessly switches tempo. It’s one of the more melodic tracks on the album including complex vocal harmony in the chorus. The guitar is not so heavy and blocked out and the

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Mr Big - ...The Stories We Could Tell Record Label: Frontiers Records

9/10

Released: 29 September 2014

Highlight of the album: Gotta Love This Ride Website: http://www.mrbigsite.com/ Reviewer: Stephen Brophy

It's been three years since the release of What If..... an album that I really enjoyed, and since then the members of Mr.Big have been keeping themselves pretty busy, with Billy Sheehan playing bass with the excellent Winery Dogs, Paul Gilbert releasing a couple of solo albums and his many other projects, Eric Martin has been working with Avantasia, live dates with them and solo and also with the Legends Of Rock project, and as has sadly been confirmed recently Pat Thorpey has been battling against Parkinson's Disease and we all wish him every success with the continuing fight.

for them caused many people to just ignore what else they've had to offer over the years, and that's a huge shame, as they cover all the bases and continue to deliver very high quality hard rock, and in reality are one of the most talented bands out there. Switching back to a ballad "The Man Who Has Everything" is just another classy song, they continue to have the ability to pen fine music and in years gone by I think this song would have done some very decent business. Have to say the album just flies along, already half way through in the blink of an eye and track number seven "Monster In Me" is again a recognisable Mr.Big sound, not a bad song at all, but not one of the top album tracks either.

So what's new with the band musically, well to my ears ...The Stories We Could Tell follows on nicely from Slightly out of center comes "What If We Were New" What If..., there's excellent which is more of a Southern Rock musicianship as we would of style, and works quite nicely, dropping course expect and also a really the pace back a little again good mix in the thirteen tracks "EastWest" which actually seems to on offer. The whole show kicks fit in perfectly, the song has a bit of off in brilliant style with "Gotta an old school feel to it, Gilbert Love This Ride" which is just a manages to effortlessly raise it above classic rock song, plenty of grit the norm with some fine work, as in this one, and just like when always, and Eric Martin's ability to you watch the band live each of switch between styles without the band members input draws blinking is once again impressive, your gaze/ear. It's got the lot, "The Light Of Day" is back to the rock killer guitar work all over it from 'n roll power, running freely, the ebb Gilbert, thunderous bass and flow of an album is something I rumbling along from Sheehan always place great importance too, and of course Eric Marin and this is shown perfectly when we directing affairs leading us on move back to a classic ballad "Just our travels, this is a ballsy, Let Your Heart Decide" proves just bluesy rock 'n roll track that how good Mr.Big are as a band when would easily wake you out of a it comes to creating powerful slumber, great song. heartfelt songs, it's another peach of a track, and will live in the memory "I Forgot To Breathe" keeps the for a long time to come, it reminds pace high and the volume up, me in some ways of "Just Take My another rocker and I think we can safely say Mr.Big are Heart" from the Lean To It album. on cracking form already. It's one of those songs that you like the more you play it.

On the home stretch now and "It's Always About That Girl" and "Cinderella Smile" keep everything running The pace ease's slightly with "Fragile" but this is along smoothly before the album is closed off with the immediately recognisable as a Mr.Big song, and a excellent title track "The Stories We Could Tell" which damn fine one at that, Eric is on top form here, an punctures here and there with whatever instrument excellent solo in the middle of the track and beat that fits the timing, the solo in the middle is outstanding, just keeps going, I'm sure this will be a fan favourite as and the song is a fitting end to what is somewhat of an time goes on, what a nicely crafted song. Next up we upping of the stakes from What If... and that's great to are straight back to the rockin' with "Satisfied" the see, this isn't a band resting on it's laurels, just playing groove of guitar running all over is infectious along with the hits, they are creating new music that is relevant in the so solid bass and drum rhythm's holding it all 2014 but still retains the character to please long together. Mr.Big haven't always been everyone's cup of term fans. tea, but I've always believed that a certain massive hit

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Firebrand Magazine

Superfecta - Primal Instinct Record Label: Sky-Rocket Records

8/10 Released: October 2014

Highlight of the album: Pendulum Website: www.superfectarocks.com Reviewer: Phil Kane

If there's one thing that rock of any genre needs, its power and lots of it. Unfortunately, a lot of bands equate power with volume, but the Superfecta boys know different. They understand the principle of strong words softly spoken, proving the point by opting to open ' Primal Instinct' with the subtly layered thump of ‘She's A Star’, an appropriately sleazy overture to an album of urbane atmospheric modern metal with hints of an early hours inner city Gothique; dark, lonely, edgy.

all. The tribal title track could give a few of our heavier brethren a damn good run for their money. The back room boys keep it all in the groove like a brick in a swinging bucket. The riffs, taking the occasional sneaky glance over their shoulders at Zeppelin, wouldn't disgrace an Alter Bridge album. The vocal effortlessly matches the moods, from lo fi croon to belting boogie strut. It's subtle, but it’s all there, giving the album some not inconsiderable bollocks. So the general groove is heavy, though not just metallic and not so With debut ‘Primal Instinct’, Londoners Superfecta do much that you end up wishing the band would lighten to the syrupy heavy American alt of AIC and Pearl Jam up, the boys happy to get down and party when they’re what The Temperance Movement have done to the so inclined. 'Primal Instinct' is an album of understated grunting back woods soul of Black Crowes and Dan variety within its self imposed, albeit loosely bound, Baird’s hic country jive (though admittedly, the grunge straight jacket that makes you wonder just Satellites did it pre-emptively to Quo’s tired 12 bar, but what else this band has lurking under its bonnet. that’s another story entirely). The band take the very solid but road weary engine of heavy duty grunge This lot have been doing their thing around London Americana and pump a fucking huge dose of Brit since 2011, gigging, perfecting their sound, issuing an upbeat grit into its carbs, producing an effect not EP to test the waters along the way, but despite the dissimilar to that of shoving a load of nitrous oxide up albums maturity there is a bit of over exuberance the business end of yer tired old ‘53 Chevy coupé. about 'Primal Instinct'; these boys obviously had a huge ‘Emotional Miracle’ and ‘Paradox’ boogify the Foo itch that needed scratching. There’s a rashness that Fighters groove like only the Brits know how and the gives the album a wallop which hopefully won't dissipate scampering 'Pendulum' is just a good old fashioned out now the album’s done, the band not thinking too much ‘n’ out boogie rocker; the west coast groove of ‘To Live about what they are doing and blow any opportunities Again’ and the subdued, bass heavy melancholia of ‘Primal Instinct’ should offer. To be honest, Superfecta 'Driven' acting as the album’s effective counterpoints. are in the wrong place; here in good old Blighty, this The soloing throughout is exemplary, with some great sort of quality stuff is almost taken for granted, rock ‘n’ roll snaps and shimmies reminiscent of Baby certainly expected, but there’s just enough of a Stafford and dare I say, Paul Kossoff, letting notes hang different angle to quite possibly see the band go where many would have shoved a bucket full of shred, stratospheric in the States, a sound that certainly the driving 'Fallen Angel' for instance. The rhythm wouldn't have difficulty filling enormodromes over guitar, not yer usual grunge zip saw buzz, swings its there. hips like a beefed up Bolan at his most fiery; you could argue there is even a whiff of the Young bros about it

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Angels Or Kings - Kings Of Nowhere Record Label: AOR Heaven

9/10

Released: 24 October 2014

Highlight of the album: Real Life Website: www.angelsorkings.com Reviewer: Rob Birtley

We all know in the business we call Rock and Roll sometimes being in the right place at the right time is just as important as being talented. We also know that sometimes persistence pays off in the end. Let me take you back to Manchester 1988 a promising bunch of guys formed a band called A.O.K (Angels or Kings) and made quite a stir playing the local hotspots on Oxford road before graduating to open for the likes of Dare and Danger Danger. Sometimes called “the poor man’s FM”, they were far more than that and ultimately it was the quality of songs that set them apart from a number of promising unsigned acts, some ultimately doomed to a life of obscurity with the onset of Grunge. Move forward a number of years and a chance meeting of two of the original members at a Firefest after show led to talk of reunion which finally led to the band reforming and recruiting a new singer then entering and winning the Firefest Unsigned Band competition and gaining a spot on the bill at the final Firefest.

Angels or Kings now consist of Rob Naylor – bass, Steve Kenny – guitars, keyboards, Baz Jackson – vocals and Tony Bell – guitars. Their style can best be described as Melodic Rock/ A.O.R with a hardened razor sharp edge. You will detect influences of FM, Harem Scarem and even Aussie Blues Rocker Jimmy Barnes amongst others all blended in an original way and all loud and proud of a late 80’s heritage.

heard in a Survivor song but you just can’t say which one. It has a backline bass and drums that power the song along reminds you of Bad English. There is an extra feeling in the vocal a bit like Baz has been gargling with gravel as he digs deep into every syllable of the lyric. It’s fair to say this is the love lost song that all memorable A.O.R albums seem to have. Real Life is Epic. The start well a Bluesy acoustic guitar then akin to Bad Company in their quieter moments. The tempo builds as the rest of the band let loose and to me this track has the feel of the Bad Company fronted by Brian Howe on the 1990 Holy Water album. Yes it’s that good. Track 8 throws in another curve ball. Suddenly A.O.K hurls you into another genre. It’s like a lost track off the seminal album Freight Train Heart from Aussie Blues Rocker Jimmy Barnes. Not in the vocal so much but in the rhythm and piano line just the whole feel and really tugs at the heart strings in the same way. Track 11 takes you up another street of late 80’s A.O.R. Right from the keyboard opening more than a bit like Loves Walk In this track has the band Rocking it 5150 Van Halen style in no small measure. Do have to say my favourite Van Halen was the Red Rocker era and this track reminds me of it.

Finally Kings of Nowhere is an album that is defined by a number of classic Hard Rock influences from the late 80’s skilfully blended together with up to the minute production. The Cherry on top of this particular cake is a singer whose voice is as distinctive as it is powerful, The album opens with Any Other Girl. It opens with a who adds a cutting edge to the songs many bands just keyboard line that has Foreigner in its D.N.A. This track don’t have. DJ Paul Nicholls a long-time friend of does remind me of FM to a degree but the guitar work guitarist Tony Bell and who has been aware of A.O.K for here and throughout the album has a ring of another a long time summed it up nicely. “After 30 years Tony Lancastrian six stringer Vinnie Burns about it. The Bell and this Superb band pull it out of the fire.” Like a result well more like The Ladder another band fronted fine wine or single malt Kings of Nowhere has been

by Steve Overland, harder Rocking and less Predictable worth the wait. than FM. Vocals from Baz Jackson are bound to draw comparison to Harry Hess with a touch more bite and British edge. This track is a statement, it tells you what the band is all about and leaves you in no doubt they intend to Rock your socks off. Track 3 is Ice Turn to Rain. I first heard this track during the heats of the Firefest competition and it was this song that brought the band to my attention it towered over the tracks of the other entries. The opening keyboard you’ll think you’ve

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Firebrand Magazine

Audrey Horne - Pure Heavy Record Label: Napalm Records

9/10 Released: 26 September 2014

Highlight of the album: Out Of The City Website: www.audreyhornemusic.com Reviewer: Stephen Brophy

With Youngblood being one of my favourite albums of 2013, and Audrey Horne being easily one of the best live bands I'd seen last year I was definitely eagerly awaiting the release of a follow up, which I honestly wasn't expecting to be released so soon. For the uninitiated Audrey Horne are a Norwegian Rock Band initially started by Toschie along with members of much heavier bands like Enslaved (Ice Dale and Herbrand Larsen), SAHG (Thomas Tofthagen) and Gorgoroth (Tom Cato Visnes) and have steadily evolved into the stable band we have today, still retaining Toschie, Thomas Tofthagen (guitar), Ice Dale (guitar), Kjetil Greve (drums) and Espen Lien (bass).

Pure Heavy still contains a lot of the influences the band hold dear, there's certainly some Thin Lizzy in there on tracks like "Out Of The City" and Iron Maiden on ""Volcano Girl" but I think there's more of an Audrey Horne about this album, and again they've produced some magic here, this is just a classy album, with some huge stand out tracks. This is a Rock 'N' Roll album, there's nothing amazingly fancy about it, but everything is done to a really high standard, and it gets you to sit up and take notice, the more you listen the more you appreciate it. "Wolf In My Heart" is the opening track and it's got plenty of layers to peel away at while at the same time getting the head nodding and feet tapping, as always there's excellent guitar work on this album, from start to finish from Ice Dale and Thomas Tofthagen, it's a trademark of the band and something you can really appreciate when you see them live. What's weird about Audrey Horne is that their underlying music often harks back to a bygone era but at the same time there's always a spark and a freshness of something really new when Toschie puts the vocals on top, it's a really hard thing to achieve and I applaud then always. Next up we get "Holy Roller" which does exactly what it says on the tin, rolls and rocks along with a great tone, just listen to the guitars again, you can just close your eyes and let this wash over you.

The aforementioned "Out Of The City" has such a massive hook it's crazy, first time you hear the song it's in your head and keeps bouncing around, the twin guitar assault is just classy and although it's a familiar sound it's as crisp and clear as can be. If you get the chance check out the accompanying video for this track, it's very funny and well made. This is a massively addictive track for me though, I find when it finishes that it could have gone on another few minutes and in truth it's essentially a pop track with a rock underbelly, killer track in my opinion. "Volcano Girl" straight off

sounds to me like Audrey Horne right from the opening chords, and it rumbles along a nice rocker that just keeps running. Pulled right out of the 70's the start of "Tales From The Crypt" and it's one of the more understated tracks on the album, but still decent, it's followed by "Diamond" which is the bit I get lost at a little, it really is more of an intro, it's only ninety seconds long, it's acoustic, there's nothing wrong with the piece itself, but just seems a bit out of place, but hey "Into The Wild" brings us right back into the world of Audrey Horne, and "Gravity" just a bloody cracking rock song again the guitars are wonderful and the song itself is like two separate parts with buzzing guitars and marrying that with an almost classic rock vocal, and I don't mean to harp on about it, but again it's fresh and vibrant.

"High And Dry" is another cracking song, it's definitely one I see being a fan favourite, a raging slab of hard rock, everyone's a star on this track, you can clearly pick out the guitar, drums , bass and of course another strong vocal performance from Toschie, each element doing it's own thing and coming together as a great tune, which can really also be said of the penultimate track "Waiting For The Night" is another in the same style, but maybe a little light lyrically, but hey it's a party night ;-) Last up to round off the album is a slow burning track "Boy Wonder" but as with everything else here, there's a certain amount of style to it, and it works quite well.

Honestly on first listen to this album I was thinking, no it's not as good as Youngblood, but wow, now that I've had a good chance to run through it a lot of times I have come to the conclusion that of course it's not Youngblood, and this is a band that are evolving as they go along, Pure Heavy is a damn fine album and one I know will be high up in the albums I rate highly at the end of 2014, it's not likely to be a huge commercial release, but that doesn't mean that this band doesn't deserve to continue to rise up the ladder and expand their fanbase, if they are a band you don't know much about then do yourself a favour and check them out.

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Audio Porn - Midnight Confessions Record Label: JK Records

7/10

Released: 17 September 2014

Highlight of the album: Sin Website: www.audiopornmusic.com Reviewer: Phil Kane

There have already been complaints about the cover, a graphically ham fisted commentary on us all; a piece of contemporary art that makes a point the fragile pc mob have missed, but it tells you all you need to know about this album, summing it up perfectly. Though ‘Midnight Confessions’ has the instant accessibility of Bon Jovi, you can forget about the romantics of Tommy and Gina’s fight because it's all they've got. This album prowls the darker, less savoury side of the American dream. More Sin City than Sunset Strip, these songs are for the corrupt, the broken hearted, the crooked cops, sex vamps and desperate vigilantes, the hopeless search for redemption. the by-the-hour hotels rooms, pimps and lost dreams. It sure as hell doesn't mess about with the nudge nudge wink wink innuendo of Steel Panther or the drug addled naughty little boy nonsense of da Crüe. This is so low down ‘n’ dirty you can smell the jizz.

about the bands own material that it isn't overshadowed by it. This album screams for a convertible and the city streets on a hot summer’s night, but a convertible and the city streets on a hot summer’s night out of a Frank Miller graphic nightmare, not the goofy nirvana of ‘Friends’. The melodies might be radio friendly, but the subject matter certainly isn't.

Canadians Audio Porn are predominantly an eighties throw back, yet be under no illusions, rather than copy what's gone before they at least make an effort to inject their stuff with some 21st century cynical nous, and pretty much get it right which is no mean feat. Its certainly melodic rock, but melodic rock that’s mean and dirty and nasty as hell.

Audio Porn’s sound is heavier, more modern than the classic BJ, no keyboards for instance, but the song structures and melodies are quite similar, the riffs not that far removed from Sambora at his most aggressive; the easy choruses, the hooks, and the vocal possessing that typically plaintive New Jersey stridency, it’s all there. Yet the subject matter is far darker, more sexually deviant, meaner; 'Working It Out', ‘This Ain't Paradise’, ‘Steeple’ and ‘Sin’ all perfectly summing their sound up, beefy grumbling melodic hard rock Americana that would rather prod a switch blade under yer ribs than throw you a knowing wink. So don't let the Bon Jovi reference put you off, the counterpoint between that and the albums gritty, seedier groove is quite effective, ‘Freak Like You’ channelling Skid Row sees to that. Surprisingly, the cover of Aerosmith's ‘Lord Of The Thighs’ doesn't quite cut it for some reason, though much kudos to Jeff Westlake’s soloing for not treading on Perry’s toes, but you'd think it would've been made for an album of modern sleaze such as this. It says a lot

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Virgil & The Accelerators - Army Of Three Record Label: Mystic Records

8/10

Released: 6 October 2014

Highlight of the album: Through The Night Website: http://www.vataband.com/ Reviewer: Stephen Brophy

Having a virtuoso guitar player can be a really good thing or a really bad thing for a band, with Virgil & The Accelerators it's a bit of both, it generally means that the spotlight is shone brightly in the face of Virgil McMahon, the (Lead guitars), while his his brother Gabriel (Drums) and Jack Alexander Timmis (Bass) can go about their craft with a bit more comfort. Army Of Three is the follow up to the very successful and critically acclaimed The Radium which was released in 2011. The new album has Chris Tsangardies (Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest) on Production duties, and a band that continues to make a really strong name for themselves.

a slow track with a hard edge, flows along nicely and displays a slightly different skillset, to be honest I think Virgil could pretty much play any style if he wanted, but he seems to be most at home crunching and wailing, be it rock or blues no matter, he's a class act, that's not to say his colleagues aren't on top form here either, these three guys are like a machine, all driving in the same direction. "Give It Up" is a pretty standard blues rock track, but still good, just doesn't poke it's head above good, and "Through The Night" slows the pace a little again and damn it's a fine song, slightly different to what else is on offer here, but it's a really well crafted song, and not surprising at all there's some beautiful guitar playing on this one, a certain The album starts off with "Take Me Higher" which sees tranquillity and beauty that's not always shown by rock the guys in potent form, the skins being beaten hard, artists nowadays no matter what genre they play. such a solid bass line running through and Virgil dancing all over the fretboard and everything I hear Next up "It Burns" sadly doesn't do too much for me, here just reinforces the fact that I have to see these can't quite put my finger on it, but lacking something, guys live, I think the songs on this album are going to this is followed up with "Stand Up" which I don't know be killer live. At times I do find it difficult to stick these why but reminds me a lot of KISS, but hey I'm a KISS guys into a box of a genre and that's a good thing here, fan so for me at least it's no bad thing, but it's a little they aren't confused, they mix classic rock with blues different and rocks along well enough. The album is rock so easily it's scary. Next up is the lead off track rounded off with "Anymore" and "Free" the former from the album "Blow To The Head" which is a cracking being an excellent storytale of a song, filled with a tinge song, lots of solo work to keep anyone happy, it's a of sorrow, and the guitar tone is wonderful too, all adds track that could easily fit into times gone by, but to a little bit of drama in the track, very classy. The doesn't sound dated at the same time. later and closing track "Free" is a beast of a song, it moves up and down, side to side and rocks and rolls "All Night Long" is a full on blues rock song, it's where it's way all through with a bluesy feel, great stuff, just the band seem to feel most at home, powering over seven minutes of pure class. through, well it is what they are a power trio, a booming riff, and a classic sound, and Virgils vocals are In places this could be thought of as more of a Rock spot on, personally I don't think he's the best singer out album than a Blues Rock album, but who cares it's there but he has something different in the tone of his great music with a lot of passion, definitely a band on voice that adds a little something to the music. There's the rise, they are improving all the time, get out their no letup from start to finish with this one, nice. For the and support them, I can't wait to catch them live. first time the pace drops a little with "Love Aggression",

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Crazy Lixx - Crazy Lixx Record Label: Frontiers Records

9/10 Released: 2 November 2014

Highlight of the album: All Looks, No Hooks Website: http://www.crazylixx.com/ Reviewer: Stephen Brophy

Crazy Lixx in my opinion have been very unlucky not to have had the same kind of press as tome of the other bands in the Swedish invasion of recent years, alongside their peers such as Crashdiet, H.E.A.T., Sister, Hardcore Superstar etc.... But if you listen to this band they have steadily developed, and created some excellent albums along the way with 2010's New Religion being a favourite of mine, but whatever the reasons I rarely see them being pushed in the rock media in the same way, so will their new self titled album push them forward in peoples minds, lets hope so.

Crazy Lixx are a band that don't mess very much with what they do, but they do it bloody well, sleaze rock that has already had a hard rock edge, The band has been pretty stable over it's twelve year history, loosing Vic Zino to Hardcore Superstar when he left to replace Thomas Silver as their guitarist after Crazy Lixx's debut album Loud Minority and also having parted company with Luke Rivano more recently after 2010's Riot Avenue album. But the style of music hasn't changed all that much over time, it has become more crisp and polished, and matured, but they certainly haven't lost the sleaziness which is most important. It is pretty obvious from the first riff that this album is going to be a thrill ride, "Hell Raising Women" blasts away in typical fashion, it goes with the name, hell raising, great start to the album. "Sound Of The Loud Minority" is just an excellent rock song, five minutes of powerful, melodic rock with the usual high standard of vocals from Danny Rexon, ably helped out by the band on backing vocals.

This song can definitely come to be the Crazy Lixx anthem, and a fitting one too, some nice guitars in here too, can definitely see a crowd belting this one out with them live.

"Outlaw" and "Girls Of The 80's" keep the energy high, well to be honest the bands energy is never in question, they have a great positive energy from start to finish, and the eleven tracks on offer on Crazy Lixx just fly by, the more you listen to these tracks the more they start to stick in your head, "Outlaw" being a rock track again with a bit of an anthem type feel to it, but "Girls Of The 80's" is a killer track, one of those you find difficult to get out of your head when the album is done, one of my standouts here. Next up is "I Missed The Mark" they do come thick and fast on Crazy Lixx, blink and we have moved on without you, it's another cracking song, the band have managed to keep the energy high through a number of songs that don't all sound the same, not always an easy task, this is a bit of a master class, much like Crashdiet's last album The Savage Playground marked a step up in class from them,

there's definitely many signs on this album that Crazy Lixx have stepped up to the plate, just take a listen to "All Looks, No Hooks" what a great rockin' piece of melodic rock, and I can't get it out of my head for ages each time I listen to the album. Great work, it may be no coincidence that both Crazy Lixx and Crashdiet are now on Frontiers Records, I think the partnership will benefit them greatly.

As much as I enjoy "Ain't No Rest In Rock N' Roll" it reminds me too much of Airbourne, and therefore AC/ DC, but it certainly gets the feet tapping, and some classic guitars in the mix here. "Call To Action" is a very modern sounding rock song, with Andy Dawson and Edd Liam doing a great job on guitars, as they do throughout the album, in fact it's time to give a shout out to the whole band, the guys seem to have really pulled together here, everything sounds great, as is testament on the opening to "Heroes Are Forever", maybe Crazy Lixx are finally hitting their prime, it's really hard to find a bad track on this album, it could be argued that a couple of them are a little generic, but I think they get lifted by the energy and power of Danny, this is going to be another favourite live. Sadly we are now approaching the end of what's been an excellent album to review, came a little bit out of leftfield for me this month but delighted I've managed to hear it early, this is going to be getting many many more plays, "Psycho City" is just a balls out rock tune, which again is lifted a little with excellent backing vocals. The last track on the album is "Wrecking Ball Crew" which is such an apt way to end this album, because they have been a Wrecking Ball here, the album gets a European release in the first week of November, it's would be a shame if you are a fan of sleaze rock or melodic rock to overlook this, amongst all of the excellent recent releases this is high up on the list, Crazy Lixx will be in the UK in March at HRH AOR 3, can't wait to see them.

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Skyscraper - Elevation Record Label: Ghost Dancer Music/Cargo Records

9/10 Released: 8 September 2014

Highlight of the album: Sweet Little Sister Website: www.skyscraperofficial.com Reviewer: Rob Birtley

One of the consequences of the rise of the internet and our digital world is the trend for music making across national boundaries. No longer do bands have to be in one place to make music. Some bands only get together to rehearse before a tour and whole albums are put together when parts of each track are united by a producer in another country. Yes I’m talking about the increase in ‘Projects’. It does mean that musicians can be recording with a number of bands at once and the album ‘Elevation’ is a result of such collaboration.

Tor Talle’s best guitar work. The next track is Everybody Cries Sometimes. There a slight echo on the vocal giving Lee Small’s voice a distancing effect and adding to the emotion this is definitely the Torch Song/ Lost Love track on the album. Meant to tug at heart strings and delivers tears by the bucket load. Walk Through Fire is one of my favourite songs on the album. Everything comes together on this track, quality guitar riffs, built on a solid foundation of bass and percussion with a catchy melody, topped off by a stunning vocal, basically everything you could wish for in Skyscraper consists of Lee Small - Vocals (Shy, Iconic a classic rock song. Sweet Little sister is a Melodic Eye), Tor Talle - Guitars and keyboards (Northern Light, Hard Rocker tinged with Blues which is reinforced with Joe Lynn Turner), Dave Boyce - Bass (Airrace, Lee’s vocal. It maintains another-worldliness and yet Quireboys) with Guest Musicians Imre Daun - Drums keeps up the pace throughout. Tor Talle’s guitar riff on (Salute), Bruce Gaitsch - Acoustic guitars (Madonna, it is the heaviest and most accomplished of the entire Richard Marx, Chicago). Their sound is Melodic AOR album. It is also my standout track on Elevation.

Rock with a definite 70’s Hard Rock edge. The one thing that immediately sets Skyscraper apart is the To conclude Elevation in many ways reminds me of outstanding voice Lee Small. Think a young and soulful another work of art the Bayeux Tapestry having many Glenn Hughes with the warmth and passion of an early exquisite imagines of sound woven into it. But like the David Coverdale and you have an idea. Not that I tapestry itself there is one panel your attention is ignoring the rest of the band. Tor Talle is a fine Rock constantly drawn back to time and time again and Player and Dave Boyce fleshes out the bass lines in fine that’s the image of King Harold regardless of all the style. The overall sound well neatly fitting between Bad other scenes. The central panel of Elevation is without English and White Snake (1987) combined with the question the superb voice of Lee Small and his vocals cut and thrust of Jagged Edge. soar imperiously over all the fine music in a transfixing way like the tableaux of the dying king in the other Sail Away opens proceedings. Right from the first note national treasure. Also another little known fact about it tells you the bands intention. Each song is an the tapestry is that a number of panels are thought to infectious ear worm burrowing into brain with be missing one of them said to show the crowning of ludicrously hooky vocal harmonies and setting up home King William. It is fair to say that the coronation of Lee there. It starts slowly, Lee Small’s vocal takes me right as one of the top Melodic voices in Rock is just a back to Glenn Hughes circa Black Sabbath and matter of time. That said Elevation is a Fine album Seventh Star with all the quality of No Stranger to Love which I can heartily recommend to all lovers of Classic off that album. The tempo quickens and you know this AOR. is not just your run of the mill AOR you are listening to.

Like every song on the album the voice of Small is the main feature the playing well it’s restrained almost simplistic but it just seems to showcase the vocal and give greater depth and feel to the songs as a whole.

Monday morning opens with a musical prelude that is a hybrid of FM and Bad English, a nice guitar intro leading into a slightly more upbeat number and is the first song off the album to be given the video treatment. Not say there isn’t a breadth to this album.

It has its fair share of Strong Rockers as well Like Fay Wray. It’s a song well into FM territory and reveals once again Lee’s full range soulful voice in the tradition of great Glenn Hughes. Keyboards open in Across the barricades to leave us a sweeping and melodic track it’s the Roller Coaster ride track on the album so keep your hands in the car and let’s hope you meet the minimum height requirement. It also features some of

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Firebrand Magazine

Joe Bonamassa - Different Shades Of Blue Record Label: Provogue Records

9/10

Released: 22 September 2014

Highlight of the album: Never Give Me All Your Love Website: www.jbonamassa.com Reviewer: Rob Birtley

A child prodigy, Bonamassa was playing Stevie Ray Vaughan riffs from the early age of seven and by the time he was ten, had caught B.B. King’s ear. After first hearing him play, King said, ‘This kid's potential is unbelievable. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface. He's one of a kind.’ By age 14 he was in his first band and all though American he is hugely influenced by the British Blues Rock movement of the Seventies. Amongst his influences he states Paul Kossoff, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, and Eric Clapton. Now aged 37 it’s fair to say Joe is not just one of the Greatest living Blues players but as his work with Black Country Communion illustrated he is one of the Greatest living guitar players period and Yes he can sing as well.

‘Different Shade of Blue’ is his follow up to the highly successful solo album of 2012 ‘Driving Towards the Daylight’ it contains 10 original tracks co-written in Nashville with Jonathan Cain, James House, Jerry Flowers and Jeffrey Steele plus a reworking of a Jimi Hendrix piece, Hey Baby (New Rising Sun). The man behind the mixing desk is once again the ‘Master Knob Twiddler’ Kevin Shirley. His band consists of Joe Bonamassa: Guitar, Vocals, Michael Rhodes and Carmine Rojas: Bass, Aton Figg: Drums and Reese Wynans: Keyboards.

half expect Paul Rodgers to sing the vocal but Joe does a sterling job in his own inimitable way. ‘I gave everything up for You, ‘cept The Blue’ is another rapid fire shuffle this time sounding like a reborn Stevie Ray Vaughn including some honkey-tonk piano from Wynans. The title track ‘Different Shade of Blue’ brings to mind some of the superior mid tempo Eric Clapton ballads. As does the deft light touch on the guitar and sound being fleshed out by an atmospheric Hammond backdrop this is really an outstanding piece of work and almost my favourite track on the album. ‘Get back my Tomorrow’ is another huge slab of British based 70’s Blues Rock with a number of influences that gel with an almost Country flavour.

To conclude with ‘Different Shade of Blue’ Joe Bonamassa produces a standout Blues Rock anthology with many shades and influences. You won't find any dramatic studio trickery on this release. What you get is a live-in-the-studio compilation of exceptional musicianship that any guitar addict will be able to appreciate, fine singing and a backing line up that more than holds its end up. As always Kevin Shirley does a fine job on production the whole piece is far more satisfying than the recent Bernie Marsden album ‘Shine’ that Joe also played on. So if you liked that treat yourself and your ears to a ‘Different Shade of Blue’.

The album opens with a version of the Jimi Hendrix studio jam ‘Hey Baby’ which don’t get me wrong is more than listenable but I do find it a bit out of context to the other original material. The track has a Led Zeppelin feel running through most noticeably the guitar riff its built upon and the keyboard playing. ‘Love Ain’t a Love Song’ has its own Funkadelic Brass driven groove and a soulful feel from first note till last.

‘Living on the Moon’ is a high energy shuffle once again using a brass backline. ‘Never give all your Heart’ opens with a guitar intro and riff right out of the Paul Kossoff play book and piano playing reminiscent of late Free early Bad Company as is the track as a whole, it’s such an evocative piece of work you

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Firebrand Magazine

These Curious Thoughts - Inventing Dr.Sunderland and His Traveling Hospital Record Label: Viaduct Records

6/10

Released: 4 August 2014

Highlight of the album: Backpack Full Of Tears Website: http://www.thesecuriousthoughts.com/ Reviewer: Phil Kane

Someone wrote how deep and profound this album is; the concept behind "Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Travelling Hospital" apparently concerning the journey of the psychiatrist Dr Sutherland in a quest to cleanse people's souls, using their exorcised demons (mental illnesses) to crew his ship, damned for eternity to row his travelling hospital across the seas of psychosis.

Yes, quite, but in an interview Jamie Radford (Lyrics & Inspiration) said, "The lyrics are usually fairly nonsensical, captured phrases from newspapers, cod-philosophy and things that sound cool… I come up with a few ideas then we I have enough for a song I stitch them together and email them to Sean (Music & Vocals)… He then adds the magic and meaning…"

You’ve gotta laugh sometimes, eh?

Beatles, throwing in Mariachi horns, all very wistful, dreamy, there are no rattling drums, no shredding, no metallic histrionics. It’s certainly not a jarring experience. The occasional bucolic inference creeps in too, as on ‘Jupiter’s Baby’. Then it comes full circle back to the sixties thing with tail end Charlie ‘Sacrifice’.

Basically a studio based duo, they have built the album via emails bopped from one side of the Atlantic to the other, Sean Dunlop in Detroit, US and Jim Radford in London, UK. It makes for an almost immersive and fascinating experiment in transatlantic collaborative song writing and composition. The duo like to peg themselves as alt rock, others have pegged them as prog, but neither tag really fits. ‘Inventing Dr Sutherland…’ just sounds very retro, enough to be almost unique, so retro that you wonder if it’s a very For ‘Inventing Dr. Sutherland and His Travelling clever conceit or just a skilful pastiche that looks way Hospital’ Sean has seemingly raided deep into the alt back to rock’s embryonic years when it was still finding rock scene of sixties psychadelia and the soft rock its feet, too retro to be considered inventive, too hinterlands of the early seventies, nicking influences familiar to be experimental. So, profound or nonsense, from The Beatles to Caravan (emphasizing the it’s your spot, but whichever it is the album shows that madness with manic sound bites), the concept heavier with a bit of imagination interesting sonic shapes can than the construct, the production suitably muted. In still be drawn by mixing tired and outdated routines fact this album rather cleverly takes the listener on a from a naive age that many would love to remember, journey of its own beginning with the sort of mild but can only yearn for with misty eyed nostalgia and swinging sixties pop rock that used to grace the rose tinted specs. soundtracks of those old insipid man-about-town movies, y’know, the ones with the oil lamp special These Curious Thoughts have several albums knocking effects and the dancing girls doing The Swim, about, and whilst ‘Inventing Dr Sutherland and His particularly ‘Diagnosis’ and ‘The Dark Room’. As the Travelling Hospital’ makes for interesting mellow album progresses it takes on a more seventies soft listening, it won’t make you want to explore any of their rock acoustic feel as in ‘Choking On Walls’, becoming earlier work. Unless, of course, you are a sixties very relaxed, typified by ‘Backpack Full Of Tears’ and discophile with a yearning for days mercifully long gone, ‘Choking On Walls’. ‘An Ocean Song’ even touches on that is. embryonic prog. The whole thing riffs on Sergeant Pepper’s era

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Airbourne October 26 The SSE Hydro 27 Sheffield Motorpoint Arena 28 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 30 Birmingham LG Arena 31 Manchester Phones 4U Arena Alestorm October 09 Birmingham O2 Academy 14 Liverpool O2 Academy 15 Dublin Voodoo Lounge 16 Cork Cyprus Avenue 17 Belfast Mandela Hall 18 Aberdeen The Garage 19 Glasgow The Arches 21 Manchester Academy 2 24 London Electric Ballroom 26 Cardiff Globe Arch Enemy December 16 Birmingham The Institute 18 London The Forum Behemoth December 09 London The Forum 10 Glasgow O2 ABC 11 Cublin The Cademy 12 Birmingham O2 Academy 13 Manchester Academy Bernie Torme October 17 York Fibbers Black Star Riders March 2015 05 Glasgow O2 ABC 06 Glasgow O2 ABC 07 Newcastle O2 Academy 10 Nottingham Rock City 11 Cambridge Corn Exchange 14 Wolverhampton Civic Hall Counting Crows November 01 Birmingham O2 Academy 02 Glasgow O2 Academy 04 Newcastle O2 Academy 05 Leeds O2 Academy 07 Manchester O2 Apollo 08 Leicester De Montfort Hall 10 London Roundhouse

Deathstars November 02 Bristol Thekla 03 Manchester Academy 3 04 Glasgow Cathouse 06 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 07 London The Garage Fish December 19 Liverpool O2 Academy 20 Sheffield City Hall Genesis October 21 Ipswich Regent Theatre 22 Brighton Centre 24 Nottingham Royal Concert Hall 25 Glasgow Clyde Auditorium 26 York Barbican 28 Southend Cliffs Pavilion 29 Southampton02 Guildhall 30 Cardiff St David’s Hall November 01 London Eventim Apollo 02 Salford The Lowry 03 Guildford Glive 04 Birmingham Symphony Hall Goatwhore November 17 Brighton Audio 18 Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach 19 Glasgow Cathouse 20 Dublin Voodoo Lounge 21 Manchester Sound Control 22 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 23 London Garage Kamelot March 2015 13 Pwllheli Hammerfest VII Kerrang! Tour 2015 February 06 Norwich Nick Rayns LCR UEA 07 Leeds O2 Academy 09 Southampton O2 Guildhall 10 BristolO2 Academy 13 Cardiff University Students Union 14 Manchester Academy 15 Newcastle O2 Academy 16 Glasgow O2 Academy 18 Liverpool O2 Academy

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Hard Rock Hell 13-16 November Diamond Head, Electric Mary, Vardis, Bonafide and many more 19 Birmingham O2 Academy Kobra And The Lotus September 24 Liverpool O2 Academy 30 Nottingham Rock City October 01 Oxford O2 Academy 02 St Albans Horn05 Birmingham O2 Academy 08 London Barfly Camden Machine Head December 06 London Roundhouse 07 London Roundhouse 09 Portsmouth Guildhall 10 Bristol O2 Academy 11 Plymouth Pavilions 13 Glasgow O2 Academy 14 Leeds O2 Academy 16 Manchester O2 Apollo 17 Nottingham Rock City Madness December 04 Nottingham Capital FM Arena 05 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 06 Brighton The Brighton Centre 08 Plymouth Pavillions 09 Bournemouth International Centre 11 Leeds First Direct Arena

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Rock Diabetes 11-12 October Diamond Head, Jaguar, Skreamer, Salem and many more Mostly Autumn October 10 Holmfirth Picturedrome 17 Great Yarmouth Legends Of Rock Festival December 04 Norwich Arts Centre 05 Manchester Academy 3 06 Bilston Robin 2 07 Glasgow Renfrew Ferry 12 Hull Fruit 13 Rotherham Montgomery Hall 14 Milton Keynes The Stables 15 Southampton The Brook Mr Big October 17 London Koko Motorhead November 04 Manchester O2 Apollo 06 Birmingham NIA 08 London SSE Arena Opeth October 10 Bristol O2 Academy 11 London Roundhouse 12 Nottingham Rock City 14 Glasgow O2 ABC 15 Manchester Academy 16 Birmingham The Institute Orange Goblin October 30 Dublin The Button Factory 31 Belfast The Limelight 2

Ranger October 17 London The Dome Rival Sons December 08 Portsmouth Pyramid Centre 09 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 10 London The Forum 11 Manchester The Ritz 13 Sheffield Leadmill 14 Glasgow O2 ABC 15 Newcastle O2 Academy 16 Norwich UEA Sabaton December 06 Dublin The Academy 07 Belfast The Limelight 08 Manchester The Ritz 09 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms January 12 London The Forum Saxon November 30 Bristol Academy December 01 Bournemouth Academy 02 Nottingham Rock City 04 Manchester Ritz 05 Dublin Academy 06 Belfast Limelight/ Mandela Hall 07 Glasgow ABC 09 Newcastle Academy 10 Leeds Academy 11 Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall 12 Oxford Academy 13 London Shepherd's Bush Empire Seether November 16 Birmingham Institute 18 Glasgow 02 ABC 19 Manchester Ritz 20 London Forum Skid Row October 20 Edinburgh Liquid Room 25 Buckley Tivoli

The Temperance Movement November 16 Bristol O2 Academy 17 Manchester The Ritz 20 Birmingham The Institute 21 London The Forum December 02 Glasgow Venue TBC Turbogeist December 03 Exeter Cavern 04 London The Garage 05 Bristol Thekla 06 Sheffield Winter Rock Fest 07 Manchester Academy 3 08 Glasgow Cathouse Vallenfyre October 20 Wolverhampton Slade Rooms 21 London The Dome

Breakout Festival 2014 27 September Skindred, Funeral For A Friend, The Blackout and many more

Status Quo December 06 Liverpool Exho Arena 16 Cardiff Motorpoint Arena The Dirty Youth October 08 Manchester Academy 3 14 Bristol Thekla 16 London The Garage 17 Birmingham Temple, The Institue

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