Fucked Up - David Comes To Life

Fucked Up - David Comes To Life
Always ones to confound expectations, these Canadian prog punkers followed up the disappointing 'The Chemistry Of Common Life' with this concept album which tells the story of a factory worker called David and a doomed love affair he has.

Queen Of Hearts takes a punk rock backbeat and overlays it with psych pop guitar lines while Pink Eyes bellows away with simmering rage. The female backing vocals even add a Juliana Hatfield '90s indie vibe to the mix. The Other Shoe has a similar stylistic mix with Skids style punk meeting '90s American indie whilst the vocals add a hardcore edge. Elsewhere, I Was There is swinging Fugazi-ish art core whilst the swirling sound effects give it a spacey feel.

Turn The Season is Gaslight Anthem's blue collar rock gone hardcore whilst  the Gaslight style guitar licks make A Slanted Tone very memorable. That Gaslight Anthem influence runs throughout much of the album which is surprising. Running On Nothing even has a country twang to it.

Ship Of Fools is more typical Fucked Up with that classic old school punk tempo and tone stretched to breaking point. A Little Death has a killer chorus while Remember My Name's obtuse chords give it a Fugazi-esque late '90s emo feel.

This album is a lot more melodic than previous releases although this melody comes largely from the guitar lines. It is essentially American radio rock filtered through Black Flag. The lyrics are excellent as always and really add to what is, overall, an ambitious and dazzling piece of art.

Lightning Bolt - Earthly Delights

Lightning Bolt - Earthly Delights
The opener, Sound Guardians, really sets the tone for this album. It's a heavy wall of swirling, psychedelic, fuzzy as hell bass guitar punctuated by the chaotic, freeform drumming of Brian Chippendale. It is exciting and inventive, and this continues throughout the whole record.

Nation Of Boar is a meaty biker rock riff fighting its way through layers of swirling noise and clattering percussion. Colossus starts like one of Nirvana's more maudlin numbers before the whole thing is fed through Earth's backline and piloted to the sun by Dave Wyndorf. The Sublime Freak is wild Acoustic Ladyland style post jazz pushed into overdrive with a huge amount of distortion. Rain On Lake I'm Swimming In is the craziest hoedown you've ever heard while S.O.S. is a much gentler form of weirdness.

This album is crazy and that is a large part of its appeal. They say there's a fine line between genius and madness and this band straddles the two camps fairly comfortably. The whole album comes across like a deranged Big Business. Excellent.

Double Dealer - Deride At The Top

Double Dealer - Deride At The Top
This is a side project featuring members of Japanese bands, Concerto Moon and Saber Tiger (no, me neither!). This is melodic metal somewhere between power metal and hard rock.

The first three tracks, My Straight Shout Squeezed My Soul, Draw The Curtain and the title track, are high octane tracks which sound like a cross between Coverdale era Purple and Savatage. It's a really good start with some top notch playing and reasonable yet distinctive vocals. Vocalist, Takenori Shimoyama, wails away throughout the record like Ian Gillan with a body part (choose one!) trapped in heavy machinery. I don't mind them but can see why people would dislike them.

The rapid fire and theatrical Petal In The Palace has a hint of King Diamond about it and features some great prog tinged keyboards in the middle eight. Cosmos Filled is slower, chugging metal with keyboards and a solo Ozzy vibe. Love Is Not An Indulgence features some lightening fast fret wizardry. Moon Beyond The Glass is '70s hard rock, think UFO meets Uriah Heep.

It does, however, have a tendency to be rather overblown. The ballad, If Fate Includes All The Love, is hideous. Imagine a cross between one of the tracks at the end credits of a Studio Ghibli movie and Celine Dion performed by Kiss at their most pompous. Lay My Hand On My Heart is the longest track and it is prog metal similar to Time Machine, although in the softer passages it comes dangerously close to being overwrought and bloated. The Pain is a mixture of Liberace's pomp, Meatloaf's theatricality and Joachim Cans' melodic metal nous and I'm as torn on this track as I am on those references. Oh well, I guess two out of three ain't bad!

This album is front loaded, with the best tracks coming in the first five numbers but overall, this is still pretty decent.

Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things

Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things
This Brighton band love to confound expectations. The band name makes them sound Japanese but they play krautrock and sound Gallic accented.

Ankle Injuries sets the tone. Persistent krautrock with a funky bassline and an insistent 'Fujiya Miyagi' refrain, it's Neu meets Hot Chip. In fact, Neu's influence is all over this album as illustrated by Cassettesingle's electronic, motorik drive.

There is an icy coolness to this album. Collarbone has an Ian Brown funky cool whilst the title track is all new wave attitude. Hell, imagine Hard Fi if they were good or credible and you've got Photocopier.

The title track and Suckerpunch have a nonchalant Blockheads feel. In One Ear & Out The Other is really good being one part Hot Chip, one part Sunshine Underground punk funk, one part '70s disco funk. The album closer, Cylinders, is the slowest track here, early '80s new wave with a Casio fragility. A really good album.

Omni Trio - The Haunted Science

Omni Trio - The Haunted Science
This is intelligent drum 'n' bass from 1996, which was roughly the point where the genre moved from the clubs to swanky wine bars.

Astral Phase is centred around a smoky, jazzy bass line. Nu Birth Of Cool (Rogue Unit Mix) is all twinkling keys, deep dub bass, metallic sounding drums and futuristic sound effects, which wouldn't sound out of place on Goldie's genre defining 'Timeless'. Haunted Kind starts off with beautiful, delicate piano before morphing into mellow, string laden trip hop. Trippin' On Broken Beats (Carlito Mix) has some smooth sax which gives it a late night feel.

This starts off pretty cool but soon becomes background music, which is part of the problem when dance music forgets the dancefloor. The bonus tracks further illustrate this as they are alternative and extended versions of some of the album tracks, which I like more as they are more dance orientated. This album gets more interesting the further it edges away from muzak, which, unfortunately, isn't always often enough.

LL Cool J - Mr Smith

LL Cool J - Mr Smith
Commercial hip hop can be a minefield. On the one hand, acts can try too hard to be popular, overdo the melodies and end up saccharine sweet or, on the other hand, acts that are already successful can try too hard to prove that they're 'street' and this thuggishness can come across as fake and inauthentic. This record was pretty popular back in the '90s and is a mixture of the two styles. This isn't a complete disaster because one of the styles is actually done rather well. LL's smooth flow is more suited to sweet and sexy rather than explicit sex and violence.

Make It Hot is soulful, commercial hip hop with a bit of a Will Smith vibe but is better than that sounds. Hip Hop, with its female harmonised chorus, has a SWV vibe. The slinky, Spanish flavoured Hey Lover is like a sweet '90s update of 'I Need Love' and is really good. Doin It is much dirtier but doesn't cross the line and gets away with it due to LL's cheeky charm. Loungin' is back in '90s female R'N'B territory.

LL does some of the harder edged material pretty well. Life As... has a more aggressive gangster edge and LL's vocals have a Flavor Flav feel here ('Cold Lampin' With The Cool J' anyone?). The thugged up I Shot Ya has a Naughty By Nature feel with its sparse piano and beats.

However, not all of the material works as well. Hollis To Hollywood is Warren G style West Coast G Funk but overdoes the explicit imagery. No Airplay goes overboard on the macho posturing with both graphic sex and violence yet cops out by bleeping out the profanities. I fail to see the point.

This has more hits than misses but the good stuff is decent at best which makes this not bad overall.

Live Review

Extreme - Glasgow O2 Academy (5/7/14)

This shouldn't be a fair review at all. You see, I'm very vocal about my hatred for Extreme yet I have seen them live once before and have to concede that they weren't that bad. They played Donington in 1994 alongside Pantera, Sepultura and Biohazard, and I have to admit that I was looking forward to throwing piss at them because that's what you did with shit festival acts back then. However, their performance was such that I dropped my urine filled container and watched the rest of their set in the company of warm, overpriced beer.

Fast forward twenty years and I'm watching them again, this time as a treat for my wife, who is a big fan. She was excited as this tour marked the 25th anniversary of the Pornograffitti album and they would be playing the album in full. I had no bottle of piss this time around but I was no more enthusiastic about seeing them again.

It is all the more surprising then that Decadence Dance is such a powerful opener, and it is immediately apparent that they are much rockier than they are on record. The band are tight and Loud, Gary Cherone sounds great and the vocal harmonies are excellent. Li'l Jack Horny has a swaggering groove and, unlike its studio counterpart, it has balls. Get The Funk Out is performed with energy and Nuno's guitar solo is blistering. He Man Woman Hater has a good groove while Nuno's show off piece, Flight Of The Wounded Bumblebee (a riff on Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight Of The Bumblebee') is flashy yet excellent. Song For Love is a great feel good ballad.

However, it isn't all good. When I'm President's rock/rap/country hybrid is still horrendous whilst When I First Kissed You, the lounge track on Pornografitti, is flat and lifeless.

Some of the more successful numbers are aided by the interaction with the crowd. More Than Words is sung by the entire crowd and even an old curmudgeon like me can't help but be moved. The band also have great fun with a Cajun flavoured Hole Hearted which the crowd get enthusiastic about .

The encore features some of their other hits. The aggressive riffing of Play With Me is particularly impressive.

I still don't like their studio output but I have to admit that they are a pretty decent live act and I enjoyed this more than I expected.

Peanut Butter Wolf - My Vinyl Weighs A Ton

Peanut Butter Wolf - My Vinyl Weighs A Ton
No wonder his vinyl weighs a ton because Peanut Butter Wolf sounds like a crate digger extraordinaire, mining hundreds of samples from his vast collection.

PBW is the head honcho of Stones Throw Records. I remember when this came out, it was the hip hop record everyone was talking about. Wolf handles the beats while various others spit the rhymes and scratch.

This is indie hip hop with retro beats and samples, and a dry and smoky production. Fans of early Jurassic 5 and Edan will find much to like here.

In Your Area has a cool Gangstarr feel. Casio has DJ Babu from Dilated Peoples scratching up a storm on an old school flavoured b boy track. Hold Up is harder edged, like the first Wu Tang album. Keep On Rockin' It is cool, old school hip hop with some sparse, one note piano and a slow, electro tinged beat, very 'Licensed To Ill'. Mobbin is driving, gangster rap with a laid back, indie credibility.

There are a number of vocalists on show here. Styles Crew Flow Beats is an excellent crew cut featuring El P and Quasimoto among others. Rasco's hard edged, aggressive flow on Run The Line contrasts well with the '70s soul vibes whilst Interruptions is the most forward thinking track here with Antipop style, futuristic cut up beats and Zest's charismatic, fast talking, robotic vocals. Although the vocalists vary, the flow is good throughout, apart from Quasimoto's puerile, high pitched Eminem crap but, then again, I've never liked Quasi's shtick.

The DJ Format style crate digging, allied with J5 style innovation and Premo beats is good but I probably appreciate this more than I like it because, clocking in at 65 minutes, this is probably a little too long.

The Black Crowes - Three Snakes And One Charm

The Black Crowes - Three Snakes And One Charm
After home runs on their first three albums, the question was whether that run would come to an end here. At one time, I thought so but these slow burning country rock songs take a number of plays to reveal their charms.

Good Friday is fantastic, with the harmonica, slide guitar and picked banjo making this mournful country rock of the highest order. Girl From A Pawnshop finishes with a gospel flavoured climax whilst (Only) Halfway To Everywhere's horns even add a '20s speakeasy touch. The horns also give Let Me Share The Ride an old fashioned rock and roll vibe, like the Stones in their RNB days.

There is a more psychedelic influence to this album compared to their earlier releases. Under A Mountain's chorus has a hypnotic, psyche rock quality while One Mirror Too Many has an eastern influenced, '60s psychedelic pop feel.

This is a very good album if you have the patience.

Live Review

Quicksand - Camden Electric Ballroom, London (12/6/14)
Tonight has brought all the old faces from the hardcore scene out, some of whom I haven't seen in over ten years. After the initial excited hellos and smalltalk, you run out of things to say because you realise that you've moved on and the years apart mean that you don't have that much in common anymore.

The relationship with Quicksand is similar although the problem is more down to the band rather than the audience. The old songs still have the same ability to excite and inspire but it is clear that the band themselves have moved on and they aren't the same band anymore.

The band open with Omission. The band seem fairly tight but the sound balance is odd. The bass is dense but the guitars sound oddly hollow and tinny, and the vocals seem far too relaxed. Walter's vocals are often languid and off key (his singing is closer to the style he used in Rival Schools) which derails numbers such as Freezing Process, sapping them of energy. The building is a lot bigger than expected which doesn't help either as the sound struggles to fill it.

It isn't all bad however. Head To Wall is more powerful and Walter's vocals are more aggressive which makes a difference although Sergio's backing vocals on the chorus are hideous. Fazer creeps malevolently before exploding into a bulldozing chorus. An excellent Unfulfilled is driving and powerful. This is closer to the Quicksand I remember.

Surprisingly, the Manic Compression material fares much better than the earlier material. It's solid, dense and heavy as showcased on the brooding chugging of Delusional or the heavy and anthemic Thorn In My Side.

I think I have been spoilt by seeing the band a couple of times in their nineties heyday. I know lots of people who enjoyed the show, but I found myself comparing it to those old shows and, unfortunately, tonights show doesn't come close to capturing the magic that I know this band can conjure.

Closet Monster - Killed The Radio Star

Closet Monster- Killed The Radio Star
This politically minded Canadian band from the early part of the millennium, played fast punk rock laced with strong harmonies and melodies.

The first track, Battle Cry For A Better World, is fast punk rock with yobbish singalongs but with some great melody running through it, giving it a Kid Dynamite meets The Explosion feel. The Great Mall Explosion, with its brattish lead vocals, nails the poppier side of the first Kid Dynamite album. The Anti-Racist Singalong with its 'na na na na na' vocal lines, has a Dickies feel.

A lot of these songs are really good in isolation but the general lack of variety means that this album does get a little tiring and loses some of its impact, although the piano led Get Up Kids balladry of Melody's Song is a welcome respite.

The message is key for music like this, and is almost as important as the music. Some of the liner notes and lyrics are good. I particularly like 'Music is art, Ideas come from inspiration, Information creates awareness' which can be found in the inlay while The Great Mall Explosion's lyrics about the selling out of punk rock are good. However, the inlay also states 'the scent of revolution is in the air' (no, it isn't) which possibly explains why too many of the lyrics are in your face and idealistic. These lyrics would have been right up my street when I was in my twenties but now I'm in my forties, I'm not so sure as my ideals have changed. The music's appeal has waned similarly too, I suppose.

Live Review

Nine Inch Nails & Cold Cave - Capital FM Arena, Nottingham & Phones 4 U Arena, Manchester (24/5/14 & 25/5/14)
I'm going to combine the reviews of the two shows rather than review them individually. I didn't see all of the first show as I'd made arrangements to meet up with some friends.

Cold Cave are much tighter than the last time I saw them live. On the one hand, their gothic tinged, electronic new wave has much in common with the headliner's early indebtedness to Depeche Mode but on the other hand, Nine Inch Nails draw a rock/metal crowd who appreciate heavier fare. They may be arguably the wrong band for the crowd but the reception they receive is warm. There are hints of Japan, Blancmange, Human League and even the fucking Lightning Seeds at various points in their set. Wes Eisold's deep and melancholic vocals obviously have an Ian Curtis influence but there are touches of David Sylvian and Phil Oakey about them too and overall, it reminds me of Sylvian fronting Visage. Good stuff.

Nine Inch Nails play a different set each night but they are immense on each occasion. They are much heavier than on record, with the guitars set to kill, and yet the sound is still crystal clear.

An urgent March Of The Pigs is crushing and rousing at the same time, and only sounds more urgent in Manchester. Terrible Lie is amazing. Reptile is crushing, monolithic Terminator doom. It isn't all pummelling however. All Time Low has a cool '80s Bowie vibe whilst Sanctified is given a dark '80s pop makeover. Piggy also offers a slight respite although it's Lynchian feel is still intense.

The light show is amazing too, bludgeoning the visual senses just as the music is destroying the aural senses. The visuals accompanying Disappointed are incredible and elevate the electronic pop into something otherworldly.

There are so many high points during each set. Copy Of A Copy is a driving, pulsating floor filler. Gave Up suffers from a disjointed start but recovers to pulverize. Closer is awesome and moves directly into a snippet of Down In It. The industrialised electronica of Come Back Haunted is apocalyptic while the two stepping industrial metal mayhem of Wish slays. The Hand That Feeds is NIN at their most commercial and it's a real crowd pleaser. The crowd erupts for Head Like A Hole and it's pretty joyous watching thousands of people singing along in unison. A sparse and powerful Hurt, which closes the Manchester show, is devastating.

Both shows are excellent but Nottingham was probably the better show as they played a much heavier set which was both surprising and incredible.

Bonfire - Fireworks

Bonfire - Fireworks
This 1987 album was the second full length from these veteran German rockers.

The opener, Ready 4 Reaction, is an uptempo Scorpions-esque rocker with a tasty Judas Priest style twin guitar attack, all lightened with keyboards and a catchy chorus. The keyboards are the main problem with this record as they really date the album. They make the 'Raise Your Fist...' era Alice Cooper meets Europe melodic rock of Never Mind cheesier than it should be. Sweet Obsession and Cold Days are catchy but have way too much AOR keyboards parping all over them, which is a shame because the Kane Roberts styled guitar work on these tracks is really good.

This record references a lot of quality '80s rock. Rock Me Now is a cracking, fist pumping tune, again reminiscent of 'Raise Your Fist...' while Sleeping All Alone is an excellent slice of '80s arena rock with a fantastic harmonised chorus. You Make Me Feel could almost be one of the Scorp's killer ballads. American Nights is super catchy hard rock which could have featured in any number of Brat Pack movies (this track makes me want to watch the Rob Lowe film, 'Youngblood'). Don't Get Me Wrong has a 'Headless Children' era WASP feel. The vocal similarities of vocalist Claus Lessmann and Blackie Lawless are most apparent here.

This is a solid album from a solid band but it has dated somewhat.

Various Artists - The Ourselves

Various Artists - The Ourselves
This takes me back. Back to the days when you relied on fanzines to discover bands and new releases. When you had to scour mail order lists and distros at shows to find that record you'd been searching ages for. When being a music fan required effort. I stocked this record on the distro I used to run, after reading about it and writing to the guy who put it out.

This is a live compilation from 1997, featuring largely metallic hardcore bands. Each band contributes a few songs each. The sound quality varies from band to band but generally is pretty raw.

Endeavor are heavy and chaotic whilst the vocals verge on unhinged at times. The strength of their songwriting shines through though, especially on the classic Kill Traitors. Coercion are chaotic and messy, and they are let down by the cookie monster vocals. The Converge tracks are as raw as they come but they are rippling with an energy rarely seen at their live shows (it's no secret that I don't rate them live). A Farewell Note To This City sounds much more Sabbathian than it does on record thanks to Jacob Bannon's Ozzy-esque wail. The sound for Fall Silent is poor and wafer thin, meaning that only Levi 's high pitched screams and a bassy wall of riffs remain. This derails the recording completely, which is a shame as I always liked that band. Coalesce's tracks are chaotic and rampaging but the sound quality is terrible. The sound for Disembodied is much better. In fact, it's the best quality sound here. The vocals are buried in the mix a little but all the other instruments can be clearly heard, meaning that their slower, chunky, evil sounding metal is very powerful. Still I Rise are stylistically different to all the other bands on the album. The rocking, female fronted emo of their first track, Dead Ends, reminds me a little of Month Of Birthdays. Really good. Their second track, Happy Endings, is jazzier and a little more experimental but isn't anywhere near as good.

This release is as DIY as it gets (the card cover for my copy is cut out of another album - a kids album featuring songs from the Wizard Of Oz from what I can make out). Despite its sonic failings, I like this. It reminds me of a time when music seemed so exciting. There were plans to put out a further volume. I'm not sure if they ever did but I would be keen to hear it if they did.

Tyketto - Shine

Tyketto - Shine
Tyketto are probably best known for the song, 'Forever Young', a classic melodic rock song with a humongous chorus but this album sounds like a different band.

The opener, Jamie, is a good rootsy number which mixes acoustic and electric guitar. Rawthigh is groove laden rock with an Electric Boys feel. The gospel tinged Radio Mary with its female backing vocals has a 'Southern Harmony...' era Black Crowes feel and is a very good track. High is like a rockier Kula Shaker but better than that sounds.

One of the strengths of this album is the quality of the ballads. Get Me There is a killer ballad a la Mr Big which sounds like it could have been a massive hit in another timeline. The positive, love overcomes all message certainly had the potential to touch armed forces personnel away from their families. The Ballad Of Ruby is The Black Crowes covering a Bon Jovi or 'Trash' era Alice Cooper ballad. I Won't Cry is a monster ballad which sounds like Bon Jovi and Journey getting together and jamming out 'Purple Rain'.

It isn't all great however. Let It Go's pilfering of 'She Sells Sanctuary's riff is a little too blatant, although the remainder of the song is Georgia Satellites style good time rock 'n' roll. Long Cold Winter is plodding, predictable George Thorogood style blues rock but overall, this is much better than I remember.

Danzig - Mother

Danzig - Mother
The lead track on this four track single is a retooling of the track originally found on the first Danzig album. It's a fantastic, anthemic hard rock song with a 'Don't Fear The Reaper' feel and a momentous, towering, charismatic vocal performance from Glenn Danzig. There is also a live version taken from the 'Thrall - Demonsweatlive' album which has lots of crowd noise, but it sounds like a studio version with the crowd noises added on in the studio afterwards. If you already have the studio version, you don't really need this.

The live version of How The Gods Kill, on the other hand, is brilliant. Delicate, clean guitar passages give way to doomy heavy metal filled with squealing guitars while Danzig's vocals add a dramatic, gothic touch. When Death Had No Name is typical Danzig, slow and heavy metal played at a plodding pace before picking up towards the end with a great, uptempo metallic passage with an excellent jagged riff which gives it a 'Ride The Lightning' era Metallica meets early trouble vibe.

Live Review

Prince & 3rdEyeGirl - Manchester, Phones 4 U Arena (17/5/14)
Prince can be notoriously hit and miss live. One night he'll play a greatest hits set and the next night he might play a two hour long funk jam. Tonight leans mainly towards the former whilst still having touches of the latter.

The show opens with a glorious heavy funk rock version of Lets Go Crazy, which features some great guitar solos, both from Prince himself and fellow guitarist, Donna Grantis. A great start.

All the individual members of 3rdEyeGirl are very good musicians and as a unit, they're a very tight band, not afraid to play around with the classics and deliver renditions different to their studio counterparts. Take Me With U, for example, is transformed into a straight up rock song while the verse of Little Red Corvette is a smooth soul ballad and all the better for it. The uptempo chorus sounds a little lightweight in comparison.

U Got The Look is excellent while Musicology is deliciously funky and full of swagger. Kiss is awesome, much funkier than on record and it really gets the crowd on their feet while When Doves Cry is incredible tribal, electronic pop.

This band is equally adept at playing funk, pop, blues and rock. In their hands, even weaker tracks such as Like I Love My Guitar have much more power live.

With such a vast back catalogue, Prince makes every effort to play as many tracks as he can in the allotted time so some songs aren't played in full. The one chorus and verse that we get of I Would Die 4 U is amazing. The midway point of the set is turned into an '80s megamix, complete with percussive mixing which turns the arena into one big party.

An extended intro to Purple Rain gives the great man a break before he appears to perform a brilliant smooth soul version of the track before the powerhouse guitar solo reminds us all what a great rock song it's always been. Astounding. Controversy keeps the good vibe going. 1999 is another crowd favourite but the sound strangely drifts in and out during the track.

Nothing Compares 2 U is spine-tingling and emotional, and this heralds a medley of slower tracks. We even get a couple of verses of Beautiful Ones (but not the climax unfortunately). The pacing of the set isn't perfect and this emotionally draining sequence saps the energy from the crowd. What they need is for Prince to play something upbeat to raise the energy levels back up. It takes a few songs before a dense and funky version of 'Play That Funky Music' recovers the good feeling. This is a minor criticism however of what was otherwise an excellent Show.

Heaven 'N' Hell - Sleeping With Angels

Heaven 'N' Hell - Sleeping With Angels
This isn't the band that Dio era Sabbath became. In fact, I know very little about this Finnish band. They were (I use past tense as I presume they have split up) a strange rock/glam/power metal hybrid mixing driving 'Appetite For Destruction' riffs, glammy vocals with a touch of Ratt's Stephen Pearcy and Hammerfall's anthemic heavy metal.

Turn Me Around has a great chorus while the chorus of Two Lonely Souls is even better being huge and melodic. Take My Hand has a Primal Fear feel. Another Man has terrible, cheesy lyrics but is punchy enough to overcome this handicap. Almost Done has a heavy, industrialised glam metal feel like 'Violent New Breed' era Shotgun Messiah while the closing track, Paid All The Dues, is the heaviest track here and verges on Crowbar or Down territory.

The lyrics are basic and clichéd, centred on love and sex, but the choruses are big and catchy. The vocals are an acquired taste and sometimes become irritating such as on A Cry For Help. This was in a pile of cds I was going to get rid of but this is better than I remembered.

Overkill - Necroshine

Overkill - Necroshine
I've loved this New Jersey thrash institution ever since a schoolfriend introduced me to them when I was seventeen.This album was released in 1999, which was in the middle of a fairly uninspired period for the band. This isn't pure unadulterated thrash metal. This is the sound of a band stretching their wings and taking on more influences without selling out.

The title track mixes unhinged thrash with a stoner metal stomp. 80 Cycles has a heavy Corrosion Of Conformity vibe, with a 'Vote With A Bullet' influenced verse and a 'Deliverance' style southern metal chorus. Forked Tongue Kiss is uptempo and aggressive with an industrialized Ministry riff and blackened vocals. I Am Fear is very 'Cowboys From Hell' but Bobby 'Blitz' Ellsworth's vocals mean it is still undeniably Overkill, whilst some off key singing makes My December oddly memorable. Black Line has a tribal, almost viking metal verse and a memorable chorus. Revelation even has hair metal backing vocals. There is only Dead Man which seems tired and uninspired.

This album is a little slower than previous releases, but with solid, well defined riffs. The overall vibe is kinda Floodgate meets Pantera. This showed that the band were still capable of producing good albums.

J Church - Camels, Spilled Corona And The Sound Of Mariachi Bands

J Church - Camels, Spilled Corona And The Sound Of Mariachi Bands
This San Francisco indie punk band were prolific, and this is a collection of tracks previously released on seven inch, splits and comps.

This reminds me of Jawbreaker or Leatherface, only without the passion of those bands, and with much whinier vocals. Commodity's off key vocals are particularly off putting. They also mar a reasonable version of REM's 'Rockville'.

The REM references don't end there. Kathi and Girl In A Magazine have an early REM gone punk feel, as does Had It Right which is one of the strongest tracks on the album.

November is a breezy, melodic tune. Misery is the quickest and best track here, really good Snuff style poppy punk but overall, this is pretty pedestrian and uninspiring.

Friendly Fires - Pala

Friendly Fires - Pala
This indie pop band crib unashamedly from the 80s but it's good, less obvious '80s influences such as on Live Those Days Tonight which is Propaganda style tribal pop with one eye on the dancefloor. Running Away has a delicious Imagination style funk bassline while Hurting has a mammoth '80s soul pop chorus (a hint of Jaki Graham perhaps?).

It isn't completely made up of retro influences however. Blue Cassette takes the joyous pop of 'Kiss Of Life' and imbues it with a Daft Punk retro-futuristic electronic edge. The title track is a late night electronic slow burner whilst the excellent Show Me Lights is more of their signature uplifting pop.

Despite the retro touches, this still sounds modern and vital, thanks to the pristine production. The falsetto vocals also give this an individual touch. This may be safe, nice boy indie but it is done ever so well.

The Black Crowes - High As The Moon

The Black Crowes - High As The Moon
This is a four track live recording from Houston in 1993 featuring some of the band's best known songs. The Black Crowes were one of the most shit kicking rock ''n' roll bands on the planet at the time.

Remedy is classic, soulful rock 'n' roll and this recording has an extended breakdown in the middle. This may be a bit much for some but I think it has a certain charm. Jealous Again has some great honky tonk piano. Sting Me is a Stonesy rocker full of swagger and attitude, with a great bassline underpinning it all. Thorn In My Pride is mellow country soul, again with an extended jam in the middle. It's these jams which differentiate these recordings from the studio versions. They're not amazing but these versions do have extra energy compared to the originals.

Chris Robinson's vocals are a little off key in places but the female backing vocals are excellent and add a gospel feel to the whole thing. The sound quality is really good. The songs are very strong but even if you own the original versions, this is still worth getting.

In Solitude - The World, The Flesh, The Devil

In Solitude - The World, The Flesh, The Devil
This is the second album from this occult metal band from Uppsala, Sweden (home of Watain). At first glance, this would appear to be pure Mercyful Fate worship, but this driving trad metal with a dark mystical edge has more to it than that. There are touches of Iron Maiden throughout whilst Demons has a fist pumping NWOBHM vibe with a spacey middle section.

Serpents Are Rising has a great chorus, with the vocal harmonies giving it a spiritual, ritualistic feel. The guitar work in the instrumental break, and throughout the album, is superb. On Burning Paths has the feel of a satanic Judas Priest, kinda like a darker cross between 'Breaking The Law' and 'One Shot At Glory'. To Her Darkness has some fairly simple riffs but the  overall effect is stunning.

The album has a 70s feel to it in places, giving it a slight Ghost feel, although this is more down to the atmosphere than anything else. The darkness projected sounds credible and believable, partially due to the vocals. Niklas Lindstrom's vocals are deeper and darker than King Diamond's high pitched wail, and the vocals keep this grounded in the realms of the truly terrifying.

An excellent album with no weak tracks whatsoever.

Mariachi El Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx

Mariachi El Bronx- Mariachi El Bronx
The Bronx have never convinced me. They are ostensibly a hardcore band, but they have never struck me as being particularly authentic. They are hardcore for the Kerrang! and Rock Sound crowd. This is their alter ego, the same band playing mariachi flavoured acoustic rock and this is the first album as MEB (they have a habit of releasing self titled albums). This sounds much more credible to me but what do I know about mariachi music.

At its best, as on Cell Mates and Quinceniera, this is glorious, uplifting and emotional. My Love is the simplest song here with a gentle strummed guitar and accordion, but it is effective. Holy is both romantic and dangerous. The excellent Silver Or Lead is dramatic and sounds like it could be the soundtrack to some border town showdown while Despretador and Clown Powder stumble along like a drunken uncle at a wedding.

The arrangements bring Sufjan Stevens' 'Illinoise' album to mind and despite the subject matter of outlaws and desperados, this is a beautiful and emotionally affecting album. The musical style also highlights how good the band are as songwriters and musicians, and how strong singer Matt Loughthran's vocals are. This is a very good album.

Graham Coxon - A+E

Graham Coxon A+E
Graham Coxon was always the most credible member of Blur. Damon Albarn got all the plaudits and fame whilst Alex James was cooler, but Graham was the most believable. This is his solo album from 2012.

Advice is all stop-start, spiky post-punk guitars and robotic vocals. It is probably too stop-starty though as it struggles to gain any momentum. City Hall is more successful, built on an electronic, metronomic krautrock pulse. What'll It Take is lo-fi Hot Chip with one eye on the dancefloor whilst being firmly stuck in the bedroom. It does outstay its welcome slightly though as the last minute is far too repetitive. Meet And Drink And Pollinate is shambolic, shuffling indietronica reminiscent of the first Metronomy album. The Truth features some neat dark and heavy guitar work while the low slung Knife In The Cast is like 90s grunge/slacker's gloomiest moments (think Nirvana's 'Something In The Way' or maybe Pavement's 'Stop Breathin'').

Seven Naked Valleys is Blur meets Pavement. It's ponderous but possesses a certain charm. This sums up the album as a whole because for all of the missteps, it remains likeable. All the tracks have the shadow of Blur looming over them, mainly in the vocal lines and melodies. The occasional use of horns also gives the album a sometime X Ray Spex feel. Overall, not bad.

The Propagumghis - The Rise And Fall Of Nothing At All

The Propagumghis - The Rise And Fall Of Nothing At All
This UK 'meat free ska-core' band were around during the late '90s and early 2000s. This cd collects together various EPs and split releases along with some unreleased tracks.

The first two tracks are fierce, straight ahead punk tracks. The singer, Lee, has a classic punk rock voice, gruff with an aggressive edge like an angry Dicky Barrett. Barrett's band, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, are a point of reference here also (although I'm thinking their earlier material rather than the commercial, major label material) while the punk bits have a Capdown feel.

Red Reminders mixes fast punk with jaunty, bouncy ska. Moral Highground has a great memorable riff from the tight horn section. Label, Designate & Grade is the sunniest sounding track while Diluted is uptempo and dynamic. Today has it all; punk energy, bouncy, soulful ska and even some Clash style cod reggae.

There's an authenticity about their sound. The punk sounds angry and energetic, like it's been honed in dives up and down the country. There's a northern soul edge to parts of this, and the horns are punchy and memorable. The ska parts make me want to dance and, more importantly, don't sound cheesy.

I used to love this and would go and watch these guys play live all the time, but thought that time would have aged this badly. I suppose this isn't helped by the fact that I'm not the biggest ska punk fan, but this is still excellent.

CIV - Choices Made

CIV - Choices Made
I was a little too late to catch Gorilla Biscuits the first time around but CIV came around at exactly the right time for me and they were the perfect band, mixing a hard edge with a pop sensibility. They were a great band for someone new to the hardcore scene.

This is a four track single. The lead track is melodic punk with an anthemic, oi flavoured, us against the world chorus. It's like Gorilla Biscuits more melodic moments meets Sham 69 with a bit of a polish.

The remaining tracks are live tracks recorded at the Camden Underworld in late '95. The sound quality is reasonable. Trust Slips Through Your Hands is a short, tough and spiteful blast of New York hardcore which still has a slim streak of melody running through it. Civ does the classic hardcore vocalist's trick of passing the mic out to the crowd and, unfortunately, this robs Can't Wait One Minute More of most of its melody. Don't Got To Prove It is a fully electric version and proves to be a pretty good yobbish punk tune. This isn't essential but the 'Set Your Goals' album, where the original versions of these songs can be found, certainly is.

Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim

Sigur Ros - Hvarf/Heim
This is the double album accompaniment to the Heima movie. The first disc, Hvarf, contains re-recorded versions of songs which would have spanned their history to this point. The second disc, Heim, is a collection of live tracks from 2006 and 2007.

Salka, the first track on Hvarf, is delicate post rock with choral overtones and an extremely clean sound. Hjomalind sees the band venturing more into stadium rock territory, with a slight Radiohead influence. I Gaer is epic, mixing the light, airy and magical with the dark and powerful. It makes great use of light and shade. Hafsol starts off moodily with bowed guitar before climaxing joyously and gloriously. This disc is more stripped back than some of their other albums but it is no less cinematic. Sigur Ros prove here that they are still masters of evoking moods, imagery and emotions.

As always, Jonsi's vocals are distinct and unusual but his ethereal falsetto provides much of this emotion.

The Heim disc is beautiful. Samskeyti and Agaetis Byrjun are gorgeous piano led tracks whilst the string laden Staralfur is similarly beautiful and romantic. The recordings on this disc are closer in sound to the epic 'Takk' which would have been their most recent studio album at this time. This is another winner from this amazingly consistent band.

Rancid - Indestructible

Rancid - Indestructible
There is a lot to digest here. Nineteen tracks of punk rock, which also takes in various related sub-genres and is over sooner than you would think.

The title track is hard nosed punk rock with roughly hewn yet melodic vocals. Fall Back Down, with its use of organ, is much warmer sounding and is topped off with an amazingly catchy and positive chorus. Rancid are at their best on this album when adding melody such as on the brilliantly anthemic Born Frustrated (which also features some excellent bass work courtesy of Matt Freeman) or Memphis, which is skanking, stuttering ska punk with hip hop influenced vocals on the verse and boasts a killer chorus.

A lot of the tracks have a summery feel such as Red Hot Moon's fun Caribbean tinged ska, Stand Your Ground's cool surf punk and the aforementioned Fall Back Down and Memphis. This is tops down, shirts off punk rock.

Some of the best songs are when the lead vocals aren't sung by Tim Armstrong. Tim's overdone mockney vocals are divisive, and I can't decide if they're annoying and fake or if they provide character.

Out Of Control is explosive and slightly chaotic protest punk. Arrested In Shanghai is much gentler, with a shambolic punk John Cougar Mellencamp feel. Travis Bickle is Murder City Devils style murderpunk which is a welcome step forward as it is different to the usual Clash and ska influences. The terrific Ghost Band is a Pogues style thrashabout while the uptempo punk rock of Ivory Coast also has a slight celtic influence.

It isn't all good however. David Courtney is a straight forward, aggressive punk rocker while Django is a spaghetti western informed aggressive punk rock song but both are rather tiresome.

There is some filler but overall this is a good but not great album. There are a number of great songs but Out Come The Wolves this ain't.

The Briefs - Steal Yer Heart

The Briefs - Steal Yer Heart
These punk rock revivalists look and sound like they've come straight out of 1977.

The opener, Genital General, is poppy and bratty in equal measures, sounding like the Buzzcocks with robotic vocals and some one note rock 'n' roll piano. The brilliant Move Too Slow is a quick paced, bouncy number. Getting Hit On At The Bank exudes coolness. Stuck On You is excellent, driving and insistent while the use of horns gives it a slight X Ray Spex feel. Can't Get Through has an odd, alternative edge reminiscent of early B52s or They Might Be Giants. My Girl (Wants To Be A Zombie) is 100mph oi punk. Forty And Above is great, punky, alternative rock with a touch of The Only Ones' 'Another Girl, Another Planet' whilst the chorus to Razorblade Heart is pure punk perfection.

There are telling lyrics in Normal Jerks. 'So what, I don't care what you do, At least I know I'll never ever be, A normal jerk like you'. These guys revel in their outsider status yet they are accessible mainly down to the strength of the choruses as these pop nuggets are more infectious than herpes. A cracking album.

Unearthly Trance - Electrocution

Unearthly Trance - Electrocution
The cover of this album is cool, a black and white drawing of a bird of prey sat atop the earth with forked lightning illuminating the sky. This screams that it is going to be my kind of record.

Unearthly Trance were a blackened doom band from New York featuring Ryan Lipynsky (AKA Killusion of Thralldom and later of The Howling Wind) on guitar and vocals.

The opener, Chaos Star, is mid-paced proto-black metal with a heavy bottom end, kinda latter day Darkthrone meets Pilgrim. God Is A Beast is firmly in doom territory, with an epic middle section which has the feel of a much heavier version of the climax of Kyuss' 'Supa Scoopa & Mighty Scoop' whilst the track finishes with rapidly descending doom. The Dust Will Never Settle is speedy black metal with meaty riffs a la Goatwhore which morphs into a doomy waltz. The crushing Diseased features some nifty basswork while the sludgy Religious Slaves is firmly in Thou territory. The Scum Is In Orbit is part early Earth fronted by John Garcia, part viking black 'n' roll. Distant Roads Overgrown is fist pumping and almost anthemic.

As you can probably tell, although this is primarily blackened doom, there are hints of numerous related sub-genres; sludge, drone, stoner rock, post metal and southern fried rock, all of which is amplified for maximum heaviness. A really good, crushing album.

Alcest - Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde

Alcest - Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde
I first discovered this amazing French band on this, their debut album. Mainman, Neige has a black metal background, being a sometime member of Peste Noire. This is immediately apparent but there is much more to them than a blackened history as they balance light and shade beautifully.

The opener, Printemps Emerande, is slowburning, thoughtful, shoegazing indie rock with beautiful melodies and great dynamics yet blackened, grimy guitars sit malevolently in the background, not overshadowing the tunefulness but providing a darker edge all the same. There is some blasting here too but overall, it's more indie rock than anything else.

The title track is devastatingly beautiful, coming across like a slightly more metallized Sigur Ros. Les Iris starts off in slow, snaking ambient black territory but with alluring, fragile vocals. It has some icy blasting in the instrumental bridge whilst the climax of the track is glorious. Ciel Errant starts with some gentle strumming before switching to sunny indie rock with muscle, the dynamics giving it an almost Mogwai-esque power. Tir Nan Og features delicate piano and strings and has an epic, pastoral feel.

All the songs are lengthy and progressive, and the filthy guitar tone which features throughout adds an extra, darker dimension. Basically, this album has it all, beauty and power. Fucking stunning.

I love the cover of this too. A green tinged photo of a little girl holding what looks like a straw as though it's a recorder. It's a great image which is both innocent and enigmatic.

This record is pretty much perfect.

Alcest - Ecailles De Lune

Alcest - Ecailles De Lune
The first few seconds of this album really throws me, as the beginning of the opener, Ecailles De Lune Part I, is a dead ringer for Supertramp. This anomaly doesn't last long, and normal service is resumed when the track blazes to life with dynamic, shoegazing post rock and it climaxes with some superb melodic blasting.

This album features much more metal than their previous album, Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde. Ecailles De Lune Part II is fast, harsh black metal with streaks of melody running through it. This track also has a powerful, brooding bridge whilst the ending is beautiful, hypnotic indie rock with a huge emotional pull. The different styles mix together very well.

Taken in isolation, the main riff of Percoes De Lumiere could come across as plodding indie rock but the blackened vocals elevate it to something much more dynamic and interesting. Solar Song has a real power and gorgeous vocal harmonies.

The vocals overall, may not be the strongest but they are fragile and affecting, whilst the guitar work is subtle and provides much of the melody. The songs are lengthy and progressive but are equipped with worthwhile climaxes.

This album is probably not the best starting point for newcomers as there is a blackened edge to much of this compared to their other releases, but if you're open minded about that then you will find some beautiful songs here.

Various Artists - William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet Volume 2

Various Artists - William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet Volume 2
This collection of music from the Baz Luhrmann movie features mainly musical score. Most of the pop songs are featured on Volume 1.

O Verona is bombastic, dramatic, operatic and as the title suggests, takes its cues from 'O Fortuna' by Orff. Gas Station Scene soundtracks a Montague and Capulet face off and starts with a dusty, desert feel before moving to a dramatic action score and ending in Morricone spaghetti western territory.

A few tracks start out in one genre before morphing into something else. Kim Mazelle's Young Hearts, Run Free starts as house music before becoming a camp latin carnival. Quindon Tarver's version of When Doves Cry starts off ghostly and choral before it is overtaken by breakbeats. I approve. Fight Scene begins as a delicate string laden piece before descending into West Side Story musical combat.

The instrumental version of the love theme, Kissing You, is achingly romantic and as beautiful as you'd expect. Slow Movement has it all; tenderness, passion, positivity, urgency, darkness and blind panic. Excellent.

A few of the major themes recur throughout the album. A Challenge repeats the dusty, Mexican stand off theme from the earlier Gas Station Scene. The tribal, heart-pounding Escape From Mantua, which incorporates fragments of O Verona, is exhilarating.

Tybalt Arrives, featuring The Butthole Surfers and The Dust Brothers is an industrialized stomp while the music soundtracking Mercutio's Death is an epic, orchestral piece which must have influenced John Williams' classic 'Duel Of The Fates' (this album pre-dates the Star Wars prequels by a few years).

This is an album which sets the scene and tells the tale well, mixing beauty and romance with action and drama. It is a long album however and, regardless of the quality on show, my attention does wane a little towards the end.

We Are Scientists - With Love And Squalor

We Are Scientists - With Love And Squalor
The first track, Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt, is a real statement of intent. Upbeat, danceable indie rock with angular guitars, a booty shaking rhythm section and a thrilling, galloping instrumental middle eight. The lyrics of 'I won't tell anybody, If you want to use my body, Go for it' have an air of desperation about them and mark the band out as underdogs, which really works. This is cool music played by nerdy losers.

Callbacks is the most aggressive track, obtuse yet with a solid pop chorus and a Gang Of Four gone rockabilly vibe. Can't Lose is college rock with a funky twist. The terrific Textbooks has shimmering shoegaze guitars, Les Savy Fav's art rock basslines and 80s goth vocals. The biggest comparison, however, is Franz Ferdinand's angular pop. It's A Hit is Franz cool during the verse and urgent pop during the killer chorus, all propelled by some dynamic drumming.

The best songs (Cash Cow and The Great Escape) have one foot on the dancefloor and one foot in indie cool, whilst still having one eye on the pop charts. A great record.

The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
The follow up to their breakthrough album, Elephant, is a logical sequel. It's commercial yet still has a hard enough edge to remain credible. The opener, Blue Orchid, exemplifies this. It's upbeat and built upon a huge, catchy riff but the guitar sound is immense, a massive wall of fuzz. My Doorbell is in a similar vein, built on a cool piano riff and topped with a quirky refrain which will stay in your head for days. Little Ghost is an offbeat, folky jaunt with lots of character. In fact, all these songs have character.

The excellent Take, Take, Take with its retro references is an intense, mini epic which builds brilliantly.

This album basically takes the blues as a template, feeds it through garage rock amps and twists it into accessible, contemporary pop music.

Live Review

Overkill - Manchester, Sound Control (17/3/14)
I've waited over twenty years to see these New Jersey thrashers, so I was looking forward to this. It isn't the greatest of starts however, as the sound mix isn't quite right and neither the guitars or vocals seem loud enough. Wrecking Crew soon raises the excitement levels with its spiky punk  energy. The sound quality is variable throughout the set. Hammerhead, for example, sounds spectacular whilst a high octane, thunderous Coma becomes a muddy mess.

Some of the newer material, such as Electric Rattlesnake and the powerful Ironbound, fares particularly well as it is more groove orientated, and it's much easier to pick out their well defined riffs than some of the older thrashier material. The set spans over thirty years but is mainly centred around pre-1992 material. Whilst the set isn't perfect, it does showcase how many great songs Overkill have written over the years. Hello From The Gutter is a true thrashterpiece, and it is played with ferocious energy. The slower Manowarisms of In Union We Stand sound amazing, an anthemic, heroic call to arms. Regular set closer, Elimination, is excellent too.

Encore, the doomy, weighty Horrorscope, absolutely crushes. Fuck You rather predictably closes the show, but in a shambolic and riotous manner. Overall, a good show rather than a great one.

Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation

Municipal Waste - Hazardous Mutation
This was the Waste's debut for Earache following the excellent Waste 'Em All album. The excellent Deathripper opens the album, and is dynamic, punchy thrash laced with a hardcore energy.

The playing is tight throughout but the highlight is Dave Witte's powerhouse drumming. Overall, the sound is DRI meets Sacred Reich, although the powerful production makes it sound contemporary.

The opening riff to The Thrashin' Of The Christ is incredible - an intense, slow, mechanical chug that absolutely slays. Nailed Casket's guitar work on the verse has an early Iced Earth feel while Terror Shark's cheeky referencing of Accept is terrific fun.

Fun is a key part of Municipal Waste and this album is a blast but importantly, this is less goofy and gimmicky than subsequent albums. This record blasts by in twenty six minutes, not outstaying its welcome. This is overall, one of the better thrash revival albums.

Buried At Sea - Ghost

Buried At Sea - Ghost
This record consists of one thirty minute long track. It's on Neurot Recordings. And Sanford Parker (Minsk, Twilight, Corrections House) is involved. You already know what this is going to sound like. Slow and heavy.

This starts off slow and hypnotic. Heavy and repetitive, like The Ocean meets Monolithe, yet shot through with some melodic guitar lines. The track then meanders a little with a slow chugging guitar backed by funereal drumming, but slowly gathers momentum until it becomes mesmerising. It has a staring at the sun quality to it. This passage collapses upon itself into silence and is followed by a moment or two which will have you looking at your stereo and wondering if it's broken.

The piece explodes back into life with seriously heavy space rock which is topped off with tortured, anguished vocals. This is followed by the most progressive and dynamic passage of the whole track. There are a number of hypnotic Om style parts and a number of crushing Neurosis bits, whilst the closing riff is pure evil, satanic doom.

The whole piece has a spacey feel thanks to the number of theramin sounding sci fi noises which float over the top of the riffs and tie all the individual parts together to make a coherent whole. This does lose my attention at various points but, generally, this is a solid doom release.

Katatonia - Tonight's Decision

Katatonia - Tonight's Decision
How can gloomy metal sound so uplifting? Gloomy metal is probably a little unfair as a lot of the material is upbeat with strong melodies, but Jonas Renkse's downbeat vocals always carry an air of melancholy. The flipside of this is that it lends the material a certain depth and maturity.

This album cemented the move from death/doom to a more gothic metal sound. The songs here all follow a similar pattern; heavy, driving metal with a downbeat edge and huge anthemic choruses. This is difficult to review because it's hard to say much more than that. That's not to say this is bad. On the contrary, this is a classic with many of these tracks still being live staples.

The wistful, haunting This Punishment deviates from the formula and as a result has a greater impact. A Darkness Coming is delicate yet brooding whilst Black Session is epic with huge sounding guitars.

This album's main strength are the choruses and In Death, A Song and Right Into The Bliss have very strong refrains. No Good Can Come Of This has mechanical, precise riffing and a massively catchy chorus. Strained's chorus of 'I'd like to try and live my life again, I'd like to see where I was going wrong' highlights how they can make miserable lyrics seem joyous and positive. An excellent album.

O Children - Apnea

O Children - Apnea
This London band play dark indie rock on this, their second album.

The opener, Holy Wood, is built on tribal drumming and reminds me of The Editors. Toni O'Kandi's vocals define the band's sound. His rich evocative baritone is reminiscent of Ian Curtis, Nick Cave and The Editors' Tom Smith and those bands are the obvious reference points.

The Realest has a Joy Division-esque post punk verse before moving to a more melodic chorus. Red Like Fire sees the band in post rock territory with a moody verse and a noisy Pixies style chorus. Oceanside is a slinky little number with Johnny Marr style guitar work, which wouldn't sound out of place on the latest Nick Cave album. The excellent I Know You Love Me also has a Nick Cave feel but with a touch of Echo & The Bunnymen thrown in.

H8 City ventures into dark electronic pop with an ever so slight OMD feel. Swim's twisted, off-kilter blues is a dead ringer at points in the verses for the long lost Quarterstick band, Kepone, which is a very, very good thing. The anthemic chorus then returns to The Editors dark stadium rock.

Occasionally, this album ventures into Placebo territory such as OR Cruiser, but generally this is very good.

Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin

Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
This American band are pretty consistent on record but it is nothing compared to their riotous live shows. This is their fifth studio album, from 2010.

The opener, Appetites, is spiky, energetic art punk, kinda Public Image meets Sparta. Tim Harrington's vocals sound more robotic than usual, giving him a John Lydon or Jello Biafra edge. Consequently, quite a lot of the album has more of a PiL or Dead Kennedys feel than usual. Sparta are another frequent reference point on this album.

Sleepless In Silver Lake has a more traditional LSF sound with its persistent, throbbing bass providing the backbone to moderately paced American post-punk. It does, however, sound rather lethargic. Let's Get Out Of Here is uptempo, anthemic and much more like it.

After a number of albums where they have developed a signature sound, it's the tracks which offer something different which are the most interesting, such as Lips N' Stuff's more melodic sound or Poltergeist's glacial, Joy Division feel. The excellent High And Unhinged is discordant and playful, with a great chorus. Dear Crutches is a college rock heartbreaker with a They Might Be Giants meets The Cure feel.

Overall, this isn't Les Savy Fav's best album but it is still a good, solid release.

Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain

Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain
This was my introduction to the Purple One, and this is such a good place to start.

Lets Go Crazy is a great opener. It's uptempo pop with both keyboards and guitars featuring heavily yet neither dominates the other. Take Me With U encapsulates the appeal of Purple Rain, the movie. Breathlessly romantic yet edgy, sweet but still sexy , and a little dangerous to boot.

The Beautiful Ones is probably my favourite song ever. It starts as a gentle plea to a lover to choose Prince over another. It builds and builds, gradually ratcheting up the tension as he becomes more and more desperate, until it reaches a crescendo with Prince screaming his ultimatum. In the movie, the band come on stage for a show, play this one song and then leave. Given the intense performance, this would be the greatest gig of all time.

Computer Blue includes a superb instrumental break featuring some great guitar work. Darling Nikki's musical whimsy is in stark contrast to the lyrics, a filthy tale of sex, masturbation and bondage which ruffled some feathers when it was released. When Doves Cry is a stone cold classic. Epic pop with an electronic edge which sounded very futuristic when it was originally released in 1984 and still sounds contemporary now.

'I'm not a woman, I'm not a man, I am something that you'll never understand' are telling lyrics in I Would Die 4 U and go some way to explaining part of Prince's appeal here - his mystique. He has the ability to be feminine, masculine or androgynous at any given moment. Consequently, the music can be hard, soft or mysterious when required.

Baby I'm A Star is Hi NRG, high camp pop music. The album closes with the title track which is the most mature track here. It's epic, mournful rock music, the sadness accentuated by the use of strings.

This is arguably Prince's finest album. This is arguably the greatest soundtrack of all time. One thing that is not in doubt, however, is the album's brilliance.

Judas Priest - Angel Of Retribution

Judas Priest - Angel Of Retribution
This was Priest's first album with Rob Halford back on vocals and it needed to make a big statement. The first moments of opener, Judas Rising, do exactly that with the 'Victim Of Changes' style intro giving way to a pulsating, chestbeating riff topped off with a ball bursting scream that only Halford can deliver. It's everything I love about the Priest distilled into one song. Pure metal perfection.

Deal With The Devil is a quick, straight ahead number reminiscent of 'Freewheel Burning' which features some solid riffing. Revolution has a commercial industrial feel, sounding like Stabbing Westward covering 'United', but it just doesn't work. The album moves immediately from the weakest track to the strongest in Worth Fighting For. It has a fantastic chorus with a mature, reflective edge, and wouldn't sound out of place on 'British Steel'. High praise indeed.

Demonizer is an aggressive metal tune which nestles somewhere between 'Painkiller' and Fight, and it features some excellent double kick drumming from Scott Travis. Angel is a killer ballad. Stately and graceful, it's a welcome change of pace and a different kind of ballad to what Priest have tried in the past.

Hellrider is thunderous. The pinch harmonics and Halford's trademark screams probably mean mean the track is the closest relation to 'Painkiller's title track. That is a good thing. Eulogy is a chilling, reflective track which references previous songs and albums in its lyrics and feels like it could almost be the band's epitaph.

The closing track, Loch Ness, is a ridiculous. In a good way. It has a very cheesy chorus but is extremely catchy. Imagine a full blown concept album condensed into a single song and you're getting close. This track divides opinion among fans because it is so laughable but I like it. Proof that a good chorus can rescue virtually any song.

Overall, this album is what it needed to be and proves that Priest can still cut it. It is a return to form with nods to past glories, and  a few new tricks and surprises thrown in.

Carcass - Necroticism-Descanting The Insalubrious

Carcass - Necroticism-Descanting The Insalubrious
This is the point where Carcass cemented their evolution from goregrind to death metal but it's so much more than that. This is a seminal moment in extreme metal.

This is both aggressive and technical. Progressive but still incisive. The guitars sound razor sharp and the vocals are less guttural than the majority of death metal bands in the early nineties were. All of which gave (and still gives) them an instantly recognisable sound.

The almost two step drumbeat which introduces Corporeal Jigsaw Quandary is joyous and guaranteed to make me move, and it is soon joined by an equally impressive riff. Incarnated Solvent Abuse is a banger built on an absolutely rocking riff. In fact, the whole album has a rocking feel.

The riffs are the most important component of this album as it's the memorable riffs which make this album accessible, rather than the shards of melody which occasionally puncture the darkness.

Carneous Cacoffiny starts as a monolithic, doom driven beast before exploding into life and that is one of the strengths of the album, its variety. Moods change and tempos shift frequently.

I once described death metal as all speed and no substance but this album (along with 'Heartwork' and the Death albums) changed that perception. Even the gore filled lyrics have a certain mature poetry to them.

Starkweather - This Sheltering Night

Starkweather - This Sheltering Night
I remember hearing the Starkweather track 'Shroud' in the mid '90s and being blown away. They were one of the bands who pioneered metalcore, but it was other bands like Converge, Endeavor and Coalesce which made the scene so exciting. None of the other tracks grabbed my attention in the same way. The first track here, Epiphany, continues this trend. It's instantly familiar, a slow and brooding track which builds in intensity but ultimately fails to deliver a satisfactory pay off, although midway through there some nice jazzy flourishes. This makes it interesting rather than exciting.

Rennie Resmini's distinctive, atonal vocals will divide opinion but I personally think they add an injection of character which would otherwise be lacking.

Stylistically, this is slow and grinding metal, reminiscent of Overcast although they're nowhere near as good. One of the main problems here is that the pace is generally too slow so it can be rather boring. When the tempo picks up a little, such as the beginning of Bustvari, it makes a big difference as it becomes less of a dirge. One Among Vermin is a highpoint as it has some great melodic leads and climaxes in a wonderfully chaotic fashion. The soundscape interludes provided by additional artists, including Oktopus from Dalek, add very little.

This isn't disappointing because this band have always disappointed me and, consequently, my expectations have been lowered somewhat. It is nowhere near good enough, however, to inspire me to change my opinion of them.

Megadeth - Th1rt3en

Megadeth - Th1rt3en
As a teenager, I worshipped Megadeth and the 'Rust In Peace' album in particular. I lost faith with them when they released 'Countdown To Extinction' as the pristine, technical speed metal of the former gave way to the more commercial modern metal of the latter. This is the first album of theirs that I've bought since then.

Opener, Sudden Death, excites me as it is a triumphant recollection of former glories, reminding me of both 'Take No Prisoners' with its blistering lead guitar work, and 'Five Magicks' with its galloping verses which trade vocal lines and guitar solos. It's a truly excellent opener. Public Enemy No. 1 is even better, the spiritual heir to the classic Hangar 18. The guitar work on this, and throughout the album, is exceptional. Whose Life (Is It Anyways) is a driving, heads down, straightforward thrasher with a memorable, stomping chorus.

They can't keep this pace up however, and We The People sees a slower, groove metal approach. Guns, Drugs & Money follows a similar path but is much more successful because it's built on a good riff and a catchy chorus. Never Dead is fast and furious with tight, technical riffing and some fine drumming from Shawn Drover.

There's a difference between reliving former glories and ripping them off wholesale, and New World Order, crosses the line, sounding like a carbon copy of 'Five Magicks'. What's the point? Fast Lane is 'High Speed Dirt' for the 21st Century, although I'm not sure anyone wanted or needed that. Black Swan sees the 'Deth at their most melodic with a really strong chorus.

Every Megadeth album has one or two fillers and this is no exception. Deadly Nightshade is one example, and it bizarrely sounds like a metalized version of Weezer's 'Hash Pipe'.

Is this a return to the glory years? No, there are slightly too many fillers but there are enough glimpses of brilliance to make me want to listen to this again.

And None Of Them Knew They Were Robots - Demo

And None Of Them Knew They Were Robots - Demo
This long forgotten band from Leeds were part of the burgeoning UK emo scene around the turn of the century.

The first song on this three track demo, Division Formed Thus, is really good. Complex, emotional rock which is heavily indebted to scene contemporaries, Spy Versus Spy, although some at the time thought too much so. This lengthy, almost progressive track is intense and builds to a great climax.

Instrument is a much more rocking number, like Understand or a less dense sounding Fugazi. Another strong track. The final track, Addresses For Christmas, is the weakest song here.. The song highlights a large Sigur Ros influence (this was really apparent when they played live) but is rather laboured, and is passable at best. In places, they come across as restrained and too cool for school but when they let loose, there is a hint of chaos and this is when they're at their most interesting.

Overall, this is a decent listen and a good bit of nostalgia if you were a part of that scene.

ZZ Top - Tres Hombres

ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
If you've only ever seen or heard ZZ Top's cheesy eighties' excesses then it's easy to scoff, but the Top of the seventies were a completely different animal. They were a bad ass, shit kicking, blues rock band.

The opener, Waitin' For The Bus, sets the tone with its swaggering blues rock loaded with attitude. Jesus Just Left Chicago has a slightly mellower vibe but it still absolutely swings. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers is as rabble rousing as its title suggests, although it's more hard rock than blues.

Master Of Sparks adds a touch of mystery to the mix and would probably appeal to fans of modern bands such as Witchcraft. Hot, Blue And Righteous is a soulful ballad, imagine The Eagles covering Otis Redding's 'I've Been Loving You Too Long'. Good stuff. Move Me On Down The Line is a Who style rocker. Precious And Grace is a heavy blues funk number with a great lead riff. The instrumental bridge almost has a contemporary Mastodon or Baroness feel to it. La Grange is even better, a classic bluesy boogie whilst Have You Heard has an uplifting, soulful, gospel tinged chorus.

This album is more than a collection of great riffs and beats. These tracks tell tales, fantastical tales of prostitutes, high speed hi-jinx and scary ex-con ladies if the liner notes are to be believed.

This reissue comes with three live tracks which are a little raw but still crackle with energy. The live version of La Grange is particularly excellent with some blistering playing.

Forget 'Eliminator'. Forget 'Gimme All Your Lovin''. Forget 'Legs' and 'Sharp Dressed Man'. Forget the car. Even forget the beards. This is classic rock music which deserves to be rediscovered, especially considering the current vogue for retro rock.

Jurassic 5 - Jurassic 5

Jurassic 5 - Jurassic 5
This was a breath of fresh air when it was first released in 1998. This six man crew was a welcome injection of positivity when it seemed that hip hop was becoming mired in machismo, violence and negativity.

In The Flesh is a great opener. It has a flat sounding snare beat which rides a neat, jazzy guitar lick, and a memorable group rapped chorus. Each MC takes turns to rap, four distinct voices, all with a great flow. MC Chali 2Na is their trump card. His deep bass voice marks him out as different, and he comes across like a B Boy Paul Robeson. Jayou follows the same pattern vocally, but is much more danceable with a funky beat and a jazzy flute sample.

Lesson 6: The Lecture showcases DJs Cut Chemist and Nu Mark's skills and they are considerable. It mixes chemistry lectures with spoken word lessons in DJing and is very innovative, frequently shifting in styles and tempo, and making use of some great scratching and samples which are played at different speeds.

Concrete Schoolyard is probably the most well known track here. Like most of the tracks, it sounds retro (as opposed to old school) with its Motown style piano. If hip hop had emerged in the '60s, this is how it may have sounded. Action Satisfaction has a funky blaxploitation style bassline whilst Without A Doubt is the most modern sounding track with its contemporary, for the time, gangster-esque beat (think Scarface or Ice T).

A few of the tracks are reprised as short intervals which is unnecessary but this is still a fine album. Listening to albums like this makes me despair for modern hip hop which, to these ears, has a much poorer lyrical flow and is musically uninspired and over produced.

Minus The Bear - Menos El Oso

Minus The Bear - Memos El Osos
The first track here, The Game Needed Me, is fabulous. It's mature indie rock with warped riffs and complex time signatures, sounding like Jimmy Eat World playing Meshuggah. Dave Knudson's guitar playing on this track, and throughout the album, is sublime. The guitar work is still quirky and technical but it is less gimmicky than on their debut, Highly Refined Pirates.

Drilling is a great driving rock song with a delicate math pop touch. El Torrente is a dream of a song with its delicate, dreamy, meditative indie rock. Pachuca Sunrise is where both styles converge, mature American indie rock on the verse and quirky, technical pop on the chorus.

The first album was initially a blast but time hasn't been as kind to it, especially as more and more bands have taken their blueprint and run with it (see Foals). This album is the complete opposite as it gets better and better with each play.

Overall, how would I describe the sound on this, their second album? Math rock? Complex indie rock? Emo pop? It's probably all of these and more. I think this is Minus The Bear's most complete album. All of the songs feel fully formed rather than their previous record's Dillinger Escape Plan gone pop, which was essentially a showy collection of collection of riffs and guitar licks.

Rocket From The Crypt - Scream Dracula Scream

Rocket From The Crypt - Scream Dracula Scream
There was a point, in 1995, when Rocket From The Crypt seemed like the most exciting band on the planet. This was undoubtedly their commercial peak, but it was arguably their creative zenith too.

The rousing Middle sets the tone immediately. The yob vocals are irresistible and I defy anyone to listen to this and not feel the urge to punch the air and scream their lungs out. This short but sweet opener leads to Born In '69, a blistering, swaggering, soulful punk 'n' roll tune. Rock club favourite, On A Rope, is built on a gloriously simple, repetitive riff. Young Livers is muscled up rock and roll meets soul revue.

Drop Out is the strongest song here, a brooding track built on a monster groove. When vocalist Speedo yells 'drop out' during the chorus, the intensity is off the charts. Used is the perfect come down following such power, being much gentler and more soulful. Heater Hands features a grinding riff while the horns lurk malevolently in the background, waiting for the chorus. Misbeaten is '60s pop with a neat surf guitar solo. Come See, Come Saw is a cracking attitude filled stomper which comes across like an adrenalised version of 'Get Ready' by The Temptations.

Overall, this album oozes attitude and is utterly infectious.

Barn Owl - Lost In The Glare

Barn Owl - Lost In The Glare
Normally, when I'm writing a review, I'll look at tracks separately but individual critiques are irrelevant for albums such as these. This album needs to be considered as a whole.

This is sprawling Americana influenced drone reminiscent of latter day Earth. On the whole, this is gentle and meditative, conjuring images of long, unforgiving days followed by cold, dark nights, all unfolding along mile upon mile of a dusty, barren terrain. The Darkest Night Since 1683 breaks from this and ventures into SunnO))) territory, which is a welcome detour. Closing track, Devotion II, is a mixture of both styles.

This is a good album to put on and lose yourself in.

808 State - Lopez

808 State - Lopez
This is a five track single featuring five different versions of the song first featured on the Don Solaris album. The original is a laid back ambient track with an oriental feel which reminds me a little of Jean Michel Jarre's eastern themed work. The Brian Eno re-imagining is very similar to the original with a very slight rhythmic tweak.

The Propellerheads' Hard On mix is the main selling point here, as they were flavour of the month when this was released. Driven by a monster bassline and featuring some neat Squire-esque guitar work, it has the feel of a souped up 'Fools Gold'. This version also highlights how good James Dean Bradfield's vocals are.

The No Regret mix by 808 takes the original and adds breakbeats to it while the Unregrettable mix, again by the band themselves, harks back to their rave origins.

Overall, a couple of the remixes are superfluous but the Propellerheads' remix is really good.

Dan Reed Network - Slam

Dan Reed Network - Slam
Dan Reed was on the cover of the first Kerrang! I ever bought, alongside touring partner, Jon Bon Jovi. Big things were expected for him and his Network but it never quite happened for them. They weren't heavy enough for the, then fashionable, funk metal scene yet they were too funky and multicultural for mainstream rock, so they never quite fitted in. The title track has a good, funky groove but it also highlights the album's main weakness as the guitars sound overly synthesized. This also makes the album sound more pop than rock. Indeed, some of the album has touches of Ultravox whilst All My Lovin', great song though it is, does remind me a little of Paul Young. Hardly, the reference points you'd expect from a hard rock band and, consequently, they were probably too light for the majority of rockers. The album has a dated feel to it but the songwriting is strong enough to still make it listenable.

Dan's strength has always been ballads and some of his finest moments are here. Lover is a particular high point, the hit that never was. Stronger Than Steel is a ballad which has a killer chorus, although the version here is much longer than it should be and I much prefer the shorter, stripped back, acoustic version which appeared on the Mix It Up compilation.

Doin' The Love Thing sounds like a slightly heavier Prince. I'm Lonely, Please Stay has a summery feel, the type of track you could imagine playing in an eighties teen movie. The closing number, Seven Sisters Road, shows how the quality varies across the album as it comes across like a poor man's Extreme, which is about as bad as I can imagine.

Overall, there are some weak tracks but there are also some real gems too. An album to listen to selectively.

The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium

The Mars Volta - De-Loused In The Comatorium
AKA what Cedric and Omar did next. This was the first album from Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez' post-At The Drive In outfit and expectations were high considering how highly regarded their previous band was.

Things start off gently with Son Et Lumiere, a short ambient track which basically serves as an introduction to lead single, Inertiatic ESP. It's a chaotic, rhythmically pulsing beast of a track which explodes with energy. Its 'now I'm lost' refrain is glorious. This sets the tone for the rest of the album. We're in chaotic yet accessible art punk territory here, although it has more in common with the rawer In Casino Out than the pristine and slick Relationship Of Command. There are some nice jazzy touches throughout the record, although this style was explored more on subsequent albums.

The excellent Darkship Of Lanterns features intricate guitar work and a salsa groove. Take The Veil Cerpin Text is the closest they get to replicating Relationship Of Command. It isn't all frantic however, as the slow and moody Televators provides a welcome change of pace.

The bonus track, Ambuletz, is a weak, lo fi experimental track, although this is the only misstep on a very good album.

The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

How do you follow an album like Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde? That album means a lot to me as it is a brilliant album which proved to be my gateway to hip hop. The opener, Bullshit, answers this question emphatically. It's instantly familiar, laid back, West Coast hip hop with some jazzy keys and percussion which make it sound like the spiritual brother of For Better Or Worse from the debut.

They're not the most lyrically dexterous rappers but they have a very good flow and the interplay between the four vocalists is fantastic.

Runnin' is one of the great hip hop singles of the '90s. It has a summery feel which is partly down to the latin flavoured guitar work. The chorus is wonderfully melodic, and the track is topped off with a sublime sax break. I always imagined that it would sound great pumping out of a sound system on some idyllic Caribbean island. If I'd have gone on holiday at all during the '90s (I didn't), this would have been my ideal soundtrack. She Said is another superb track. It's a blunted, late night scorcher with a hint of sexiness. It's essentially a love song for stoners. Something's That Means Somethin' is gloriously funky whereas Devil Music has a woozy G Funk vibe.

This is probably technically better than the debut but, conversely, I don't like it as much. It lacks Bizarre Ride's humour and charm and is less consistent. This is still excellent however, and the best tracks here rival anything on that debut.

Weezer - Undone-The Sweater Song

Weezer - Undone-The Sweater Song
This takes me back to the days of Radio 1's Evening Session with Jo Wiley and Steve Lamacq when I would hear great new songs every night and then try and hunt them down in local record stores. I bought this four track single after hearing it on the show.

The lead track is offbeat, American college rock although the 'pull this thread as I walk away, watch me unravel, I'll soon be naked' chorus turns it into a losers anthem which is probably why I was drawn to it in the first place. It works on multiple levels. On one hand, it's quirky and dumb but on the other hand, it's heartbreaking and vulnerable.

Mykel & Carli, with its use of harmonica, has a mid-west American vibe to it. Susanne is the big tune here. It has a killer, swinging chorus with devastating harmonies. This was the soundtrack to the unrequited loves of my past. This sums up what Weezer, at their best, mean to me. Anthemic yet heart-rending rock which makes you want to sing your heart out and cry your eyes out simultaneously.

Candlemass - Candlemass

Candlemass - Candlemass
Comeback albums rarely have finer statements of intent than the rampaging opener, Black Dwarf. It's uptempo, traditional heavy metal with awesome dense riffing. This is all I wanted the Candlemass comeback to be and more. The epic Seven Silver Keys follows with its slower, more familiar doom. Assassin Of The Light is a great mixture of the two styles, equal parts hulking doom and fist pumping metal.

Messiah's vocals soar throughout the album, adding drama. He isn't the band's greatest ever singer but he is probably their most charismatic, and that charisma mixed with Leif Edling's monster riffs create magic. It's just a shame that this particular line up wasn't able to record any further material as Messiah left the band shortly after this album's release.

The Man Who Fell From The Sky is a fine instrumental with some great, textured guitar work. Born In A Tank is another neck wrecking headbanger which rides a mammoth 'Children Of The Grave' style groove. The verse of Spellbreaker has an eastern feel which reminds me a little of Rainbow's 'Stargazer' before leading to an absolutely crushing chorus.

This is classic doom at its finest yet it is more than just a 'genre' album as this is a record which could easily appeal to a wider metal audience.

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
This is the moment where Anathema completed their transition from doom to progressive rock. Betraying their heavy past, this record shows a light touch though, thanks partly to Steven Wilson's production which is crystal clear yet still sounds natural and organic. Wilson's own band, Porcupine Tree circa 'Deadwing', are one of the most notable points of reference here.

Opener, Thin Air, is dynamic and melodic with a mature sound. Summernight Horizon has a heavier djent feel but is counterbalanced by some great female backing vocals. The vocals are really strong throughout but special mention must be made of the female vocals which are used much more than on previous releases. The excellent Everything is another good example of this with the duel female/male vocal interplay.

Dreaming is a wonderful ballad whilst Universal is a string laden slower number which has a slight George Harrison feel. A lot of the album does veer very close to full on ballad territory but has just about enough change of pace and dynamics to avoid being too one dimensional and boring.

This isn't the most immediate record. It takes few listens to reveal its depth but persevere and you will be rewarded with an elegant and classy record.

Kiss - Hide Your Heart

Kiss - Hide Your Heart
1989 was not a vintage year for Kiss. Still unmasked, they released the Hot In The Shade album which was disappointing, both artistically and commercially. It did have its moments however, as this three track single demonstrates as all the tracks here featured on that album.

Hide Your Heart is a Paul song which has a co-writing credit for Desmond Child so you know it's going to be a either catchy rocker or a tearjerking ballad. It's the former and it's a cheesy tale of a love triangle between Johnny, Rosa and Tito. The lyrics are utterly ridiculous. Lines like "Rosa had a lover on the shady side of town, Tito, he was king of the streets" and "Tito looked for Johnny with a vengeance that of God" are ludicrous and smirk enducing yet are delivered so charismatically by Paul Stanley that they become anthemic. The chorus is the real ace though, a huge hook-filled beast which overcomes any lyrical shortcomings.

Betrayed, a Gene song, is a good uptempo, driving rocker which is probably the best track here. Boomerang is the fastest track here. Full of bass runs and guitar leads, this sounds like it could be at home on a Joe Satriani album. Unfortunately, the flashy technique comes at the expense of songwriting.

Overall, an enjoyable enough listen but but certainly not the place to start for a Kiss newcomer.

Live Review

Alcest, Hexvessel & The Fauns - Islington Assembly Rooms (1/2/14)
The Islington Assembly Rooms is a stunning Grade II listed, art deco building and the venue certainly adds to the feeling that the night's show could be a real event, given that it is the only show Alcest are playing in the UK in support of the recently released Shelter album.

Openers, The Fauns add to the anticipation with an impressive set of early Lush-style indie rock. The shimmering guitars and ethereal vocals mesh well with the My Bloody Valentine dynamics and manages to get a few heads nodding.

Hexvessel are a completely different proposition. It is obvious from the outset that Kvohst is on fine form, his voice rich and charismatic. The sound is fantastic throughout the set with every drawn out note sounding crystal clear. Tunnel At The End Of The Light opens and the maudlin neo-folk is immediately captivating. It also shows off the frontman's higher range which is also impressive. The set starts off concisely but gradually becomes more expansive as the band's metallic power begins to surface. The heavier and more sprawling Hexvessel's downbeat psychedelia becomes, the crowd reaction grows accordingly. A couple of jams could possibly be a couple of minutes shorter but it doesn't stop them from being mesmerising. Woman Of Salem closes the set powerfully and triumphantly.

Alcest are the main attraction, however, and they step on stage to a heroes welcome. The set is a good mixture of new and old material. The sunny indie rock of the newer tracks fit in well alongside the blackened shoegaze of the older material but they all have a mesmeric power. The sound is good but not great. The drums occasionally drown out the vocals during some of the more delicate moments. The sound also loses definition during the sole moment where they go into all out blasting mode. These are, however, minor gripes. Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde is a highlight as it is played with a tribal intensity thanks to the percussive drumming.

After ninety minutes, the band put down their instruments and leave the stage with their soaring vocal harmonies still reverberating round the venue, and the roars of adulation this draws from the crowd proves that this show can only be considered a triumph.

Raging Slab - Raging Slab

Raging Slab - Raging Slab
As a teenager, I was desperate to get hold of this album as I'd read reviews which described it as Lynrd Skynrd meets Metallica which I thought sounded awesome.

It took me many years to find this record and, initially, I was disappointed because that description isn't really accurate. Only two tracks fit that description. Get Off My Jollies welds southern rock and thrash together rather than blending them seamlessly. It still works but thrash passage, rock passage, thrash passage is a little predictable and less inspired than it should be. Dig A Hole, on the other hand, is the perfect synthesis of the two genres and is easily the best track here.

The remainder of the record is muscular southern rock. Joyride is full of groove and swagger. Waiting For The Poison has a honky tonk feel to it. The excellent Geronimo is the closest they get to straight up Skynrd worship while Love Comes Close is a dreamy ballad.

This album wasn't hard or heavy enough for my younger self to appreciate but it has grown on me over the years. A fine album.

Diamanda Galas - Malediction and Prayer

A nice easy one to start off with!

Diamanda Galas - Malediction and Prayer
This is a stripped back solo live recording featuring just piano and vocals. If that sounds like a pleasant, easy listen then you are sorely mistaken. Diamanda Galas is a classically trained avant garde vocalist renowned for her range and politics.

The Thrill Is Gone is terrifying as she showcases her multi-octave range, delicate during the verse before transforming into a force of nature, howling and shrieking like a banshee. Abel Et Cain shows off her amazing vibrato. Her vocal gymnastics outdo the majority of diva vocalists yet the sometimes harsh and challenging sounds she creates will alienate most listeners. However, Diamanda's vocals suit the downbeat material very well. Hers is the voice of political dissent and doomed love. In short, it is the voice of struggle.

Given the piano and vocals format, most of the songs are standard blues but twisted and manipulated by the vocals into something much more experimental. Insane Asylum is the most extreme example of this. The vocals mangle the track beyond all recognition into something very challenging to listen to. Penultimate track, I'm Gonna Live The Life, is the most positive and uplifting track here, mainly due to the inspirational lyrics. The whole collection is suitably topped off with a straight rendition of one of the bleakest songs ever, Gloomy Sunday.

This is a worthwhile album although, admittedly, it won't be to everyone's taste so approach with caution. However, one question remains. Does this recording adequately capture the magic of a Diamanda Galas live performance? Probably not.

Introduction

My name is Gareth although most of my friends call me Bolly. I'm forty years old and happily married. I live in Stretford, Manchester.

I've loved music ever since I was five years old. 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' by Elton John & Kiki Dee was the first track I remember falling in love with and since then I've listened to everything from pop to punk, rock to hip hop, drum and bass to indie and everything in between. Heavy music is my bread and butter though.

This obsession with music has led me to amass lots of cds. Thousands of the fuckers. They're everywhere! In my bedroom. On shelves. In my wardrobe. In boxes. In cases. In my recipe book cupboard. My wife thinks I've got too many and she's right. I don't even know what I've got. Some I listen to regularly but there's some I haven't listened to in years. There's some I don't even like and probably should have got rid of by now. But how do I make sense of all the music I own? How do I find order in all of this chaos? I was looking for a project or hobby to keep me interested anyway so my idea is to catalogue all of my collection. A mere list would not be enough, however. I think I will only be satisfied when every single cd has been fully reviewed. This blog will eventually contain a review of every cd I own. That may never happen given the rate at which I accumulate music but that's the dream anyway.

I will just digress for a moment to explain the title of this blog. Originally, I was thinking of calling it Ordo Ab Chao which is latin for order from chaos which aptly describes what I am looking for. However, this has connections with the freemasons which I thought I'd avoid. Instead, I've decided on Ordo Ad Chao which roughly translates as order to chaos (I am aware that the phrase isn't grammatically correct) which is a bit more mischievous and probably sums me up better (my wife thinks I'm a walking disaster). Plus, it's also the title of a Mayhem album which is another good reason in my book.

I think a few ground rules need to be set though. Firstly, I will review proper releases only so no free compilations (just as well because I have far too many of them!). Promos and singles are acceptable though. Secondly, physical releases only so no downloads. Also, no vinyl or cassette releases although, to be honest, I don't own much of either anymore. I think I need to do this regularly to make it worthwhile. I know what I'm like. I'll be enthusiastic for a while and then there's always the danger that I will lose interest or life will get in the way. It also needs to be regular enough to keep potential readers interested so my aim is that I'll put a new review up every three days or so. Next, I suppose I'd best manage peoples expectations. If you're looking for biting criticism then you probably won't find it here. After all, this is my own collection and most of it, I own for a reason. Sure, there'll be some shit in there or, more likely, albums which haven't dated well but most of the reviews are likely to be positive. I won't give marks out of ten either because it should be clear in a decent review, how good a release is without the need to award marks. I may also post some other pieces, from time to time as and when I feel like it.

As a starting point, I'll run down my top 10 albums of 2013 so you know what I like at the moment. If it's not what you like, Don't worry. It probably isn't representative of my entire collection anyway.

1. Carcass - Surgical Steel: Stunning comeback from the UK death metal legends. Sounds like it could be a long lost album recorded between Necroticism and Heartwork, combining the gore fuelled technicality of the former with the melodic power of the latter.

2. Ihsahn - Das Seelenbrechen: Fifth solo album from former Emperor frontman. This is black metal at its freshest and most exciting. Listening to this makes you feel like you're listening to the future of extreme metal.

3. Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse: Great Scottish indie rock. Simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming. Sounds like it could have been released during Chemikal Underground's glory days.

4. Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer - Child Ballads: A selection of traditional folk ballads. These songs will haunt you for weeks.

5. Cult of Luna - Vertikal: It's safe to say these guys have come a long way from the days when they were considered Isis rip-offs. This is a concept album based upon the visuals of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Weighty post metal but not excessively heavy thanks to some melodic touches. The use of electronics adds that little sprinkling of genius.

6. Spiritual Beggars - Earth Blues: Terrific retro rock from this band featuring Arch Enemy's Mike Amott. Brings to mind the Glenn Hughes/David Coverdale era Deep Purple.

7. Wardruna - Yggdrasil: Ancient sounding folk music fashioned using traditional Norse instruments. Dark and atmospheric but given the black metal history of some of the members, that isn't unexpected.

8. John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts: A definite change of style here as the ex-Czars frontman moves away from the mid-western rock of his previous album to darker electronic territory. Hugely evocative lyrics too.

9. Horisont - Time Warriors: More retro rock here, although these guys sound like they could have played the Ruskin Arms in 1979, right at the point where heavy rock met NWOBHM. There's a terrific energy about this and, unlike most other bands of this ilk, this sounds authentic.

10. Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus: Ambient electronic music which absolutely crushes. Progressive and experimental. Heavier than most doom bands and more original than any math rock act.

I hope this hasn't put you off reading this blog in future. It may not always be everyone's cup of tea but I like reading or talking about music, even music I don't like or know little about. I still find it interesting and there is always the chance I may learn something or discover some band or track which blows my mind or changes my life which is ultimately what I'm constantly searching for. Hopefully, you may find the same here.