Ravenheart Music: Album Reviews

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SKARLETT RIOT..'VILLAINS'

(Self Release) Reviewed 17th February 2012

I can hear it now..."Do You Wanna Rock, Do You Wanna F*****g Rock", and then Skarlett Riot hit the stage. This band are quite a dab hand at the touring mallarky, but as yet, I have not seen them live myself. That is going to have to be addressed I am sure. I reviewed not too long ago, their debut EP, and I was mightily impressed, and this 4 track EP 'Villain' continues where the previous EP left off. We have some great hard rocking tunes from this 4 piece Lincolnshire based combo, and I am just a little puzzled why they are not signed by one of the bigger labels, which confirms to me the sad state of the UK music business, thanks to Simon Cowell and the like. Opener 'Party Hard' will have you doing just that as it pounds out of your speakers, while the pace never slackens with next up 'Read My Lips'. 'You're The Enemy' and the title track brings the EP to an explosive end, and will have you reaching for the replay button. This is pounding hard rock at it's finest with stax of melody, totally amazing stuff from a band so so young. Check out their facebook here and buy this immediately..9/10 (Dave)

SOLSTICIO..'WINTER SOLSTICE' EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 14th February 2012

Solsticio fronted by Caro who also takes care of keyboards, hail from Argentina and offer up on this EP, three tracks of tasty Gothic Metal. This EP so happens to be a taster for their full length album, that should appear later this year. 'Free' opens proceedings with an orchestral feel to things, and shows the direction this band is travelling. Quite a catchy chorus in-fact with some tasty keys. Next one up 'Lost Souls' reminds me a little of Evanescence, while the closer 'The Mummer's Dance' is a cover by the Canadian singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt. This is not a bad effort from this band, and it has me looking forward to the full length album later in the year. Check them out here - this is a good effort..8/10 (Dave)

SHEAR..'BREAKING THE STILLNESS'

(Lifeforce Records) Reviewed 30th January 2012

Finland do it again, what do the Scandinavians put in their water? You have seen a lot of female fronted metal bands over the past few years. While most of them tend to drift into a gothic like direction with angelic female voices, SHEAR and especially the voice of Alexa Leroux is different from the competitors in the sometimes all too similar sounding bands of the genre! Hailing from Helsinki, this sextet is finding its own path by bringing you a fresh approach to a sound in between melodic metal, symphonic power and classical rock. We have 10 superb tracks on 'Breaking The Stillness', which is the band's debut. The obligatory power ballad is there, 'Stillness' is still a powerful number however, but brings a little calm to proceedings, great guitar solo too. The album showcases well arranged and dramatic songs, with catchy hooklines that many listeners will find very enjoyable. Each track offers it's own distinct feel, with great all round musicanship coupled with the superb vocals from Alexa. Anybody who loves heavy guitars compliments of Mikael Grönroos and Lauri Koskenniemi, great keyboard atmospheres from Lari Sorvo and the catchy vocals courtesy of Alexa of course, then they will love this! Well recommended when it gets released on March 26th. 8.75/10 (Dave)

THE VAL..'BACK'

(Self Released) Reviewed 24th January 2012

The Val fronted by German lass Gabrielle de Val Koenzen is based in Spain, and on this release they give us twelve tracks of amazing Melodic Rock/AOR, that I am sure would have caused a total storm in the 80s. Indeed, I feel that even now, there is a lot on offer here that could see the band crossing over into the mainstream. The Val first put in an appearance in the 90s in-fact, when they was known as Ying-Yang. But that band split and the band members went their different ways. However, in 2010 the band got together again, they are now known as The Val, and the album 'Back' represents the fact that the band are back and seemingly firing on all four cylinders. This is a powerful and inspiring recording, and reminds me of Heart amongst other bands of that ilk. Indeed opener 'Kiss In a Dragon Night' does have that Heart feel about it, and will appeal to fans of that style of music. The whole album actually follows a similar path offering up a mix of mid tempo and laid back Melodic Rock and is very good. Looking on the band's Facebook page (click here), they list amongst their likes, Toto, Boston, Chicago and Fleetwood Mac amongst others. That I think will give you a good idea where this band is heading. Highly recommended...8.75/10 (Dave)

SCARLETH..'BREAK THE SILENCE'

(Copro Records) Reviewed 19th January 2012

This Ukrainian band completed this album back in 2010 and then spent a year searching for record company, but unlike many bands who give up and give their album away, Scarleth persevered and their determination was rewarded by a contract with British label Copro Records. Meanwhile, artist Vyacheslav Smishko spent 16 months creating the glorious booklet art, so an enormous amount of time, effort and dedication has gone into the release of this CD. Their music has loads of influences from power and gothic metal together with heavy and melodic rock, but it falls into two loose camps. Openers 'Broken World' and 'Child of the Forest' head towards French light galloping slightly speedy metal, à la Fairyland/Wildpath/Kerion, less symphonic but still with loads of great keyboards by Sergey Kovtun. They then take the tempo down a touch for the four central multifaceted but cohesive epics that are more gothic and Therion esque in nature, mixed with some heavy and melodic rock, the menacing 'Crazy Fever', the superb 'Shadows Fade Away' that sways between beautiful lighter verses and more powerful choruses, the gorgeous 'Black Tears' and the mighty 'The Abyss' that builds and builds. These leave plenty of room for some wonderful instrumental passages featuring Sergey's rhapsodic rippling piano and spooky pipe organ, Victor Morozov's terrific and highly varied metal and rock guitar work, and Alexey Belikov's fluid skilled bass playing that is a real feature throughout the album. It's all powered along by Sergey Frolov's drums and supported by a most professional production job by Victor Morozov. They return to the more speedy sound with the catchy 'World Depends on You', the shortest track on the album, then comes the exotic eastern flavoured 'Flaming Angel', before ending with another epic 'You'll Never Die' that brings the two strands together. Sultry singer Julia Elyashova puts in a sterling performance with her strong expressive clear voice, the mike has since been taken over by Olga Marenich, and I must make special mention of the most excellent and very poetic lyrics that are very thought provoking, “Desperate Days that linger so slowly, One day without end I'll find my way to life, Keen scorching anguish is the fate of the lonely, Doomed to live on the edge of a knife” (Black Tears). A most enjoyable and easy to listen to album with loads of hummable tunes for anyone who likes power and gothic metal or heavy and melodic rock. Their website is scarleth.com.ua/, it's available at Copro's store Copro's store and other top shops, a well deserved, hard earned 8.75/10 (Phil)

THE MARY MAJOR..'GRINDING TEETH, GUARD DOWN'

(TMM/Rambo/Sony Music/Ravenheart Music) Reviewed 18th January 2012

The Mary Major rose from the ashes of the well known Napalm band Beseech, and here we have their second album of Melodic Hard Rock to grace our death decks. And the band has adopted the " if it ain't broke why fix it" solution for this album. This is 11 tracks of totally awesome pumping melodic hard rock, with Erik Molarin and Lotta Höglin once again sharing vocal duties. Each track is a standout track in it's own right and merits, although I have after listening to the album a few times, find myself favouring tracks like 'Without Sequel', 'First Impression' and 'End of Society'. But like I said, the whole album is outstanding and will not disappoint. I am not going to hide the fact that Lotta is a fave musician of mine from her Beseech days, but having met all of The Mary Major, they are such totally cool people. 'Grinding teeth, guard down' is released by The Mary Major’s own label, TMM Productions and has been recorded entirely in their own studio. For this release TMM is working with Rambo/Sony Music in the Nordic countries and Ravenheart Music in Europe. Highly recommended...9/10 (Dave)

TYLEAN..'FORMALDEHYDE' EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 16th January 2012

London based Tylean is a name I have been familiar with for some while, but I have never really been graced with any of her music. This lass who originally hails from the USA, composes and performs musical pieces intended to recreate emotions and experiences. Tylean's main tools being her voice and piano, although she does sometimes use and exploit the cello. This rather awesome EP is a breath of fresh air, and showcases what an awesome voice this girl has. To be honest, the kind of voice that can and should grace any Broadway stage. 'Love Always Dies' kicks this little platter off, a rather haunting intro with chimes that sets the atmosphere rather nicely, before Tylean's music and vocals take over. A song about lost love and romance, which I am sure many of us can relate to. 'The Dark The Blue and The Grey' is a solemn and broody piece, whilst a Jazzy, bluesy feel creeps into the music with the number 'Big Hearts'. 'Amputation of a Heart' closes this EP, and is a gripping, chilling number and one of the best on this EP. To sum up, this will take a bit of getting used to, but basically we have great vocals, great musicianship and Tylean is well worth checking out. Her website is HERE...8/10 (Dave)

JANEY SUMMER..'TIME WILL TELL' (2 track single)

(Self Release) Reviewed 14th January 2012

I can say quite simply that Janey Summer has an awesome voice and deserves big things. This lass from the SW of England sure does rock. I reviewed an album of hers back in Sept 2008 - 'Along The Way' scored a cool 9/10, and I quoted in that review that Janey "has a voice to die for". 'Time Will Tell' is a two track single that also features the track 'On My Own Again' and this girl seems to have moved forward leaps and bounds. It is of no surprise to also learn that this single is picking up internet radio airplay, because quite simply, the track (as is 'On My Own Again') is totally awesome. 'Time Will Tell' features a cool instrumental intro, before Janey's totally mind blowing vocals carries the number into total dreamland. 'On My Own Again' harks back to the 70's and is a Hard Rocker's wet dream! It is difficult to score what is just a two track cd, but this is good, very good!! Effectively, this is powerful melodic hard from Janey (and her band!), so check her out here.

SCANDELION..'THE GARDEN OF LIES'

(Self Release) Reviewed 30th December 2011

The Canary Islands does not really portray itself as the mecca of all things rock and metal, but there is one band who hail from these islands, that looks set to cause a stir within the rock and metal fraternity. Scandelion is not the name of a big cat that roams the snowy wastelands of Sweden, but so happens to be a band from Gran Canaria. The band name actually relates to the ruins of a Greek fortress on Jerusalem's coast, while the music on offer is typical Beauty and the Beast fare, and bloomin' good it is too. The vocal duties being handled by Sonia Hernández who manages the soprano parts and Jorge Afonso, who handles both keyboards and male vocals. The record itself is a couple of minutes short of the 40 minute mark, but there are no fillers within the keyboard driven nine tracks we have here, with Sonia's vocals making their mark from the off. There is one track that grabbed my attention. I am familiar with the Italian language although I cannot speak it, and the rather beautiful number 'Angelo Nero' so happens to be sung in Italian, great stuff from this Spanish Band, with clean male vocals popping up on this one too. 'Butterfly Agony' is another number that can be put onto the awesome pile, a song of beauty, with the b&b vocals complimenting each other really well. 'Swan's Lament' rocks out a little more, and carries on the momentum that the earlier numbers have set up. The title track with it's progressive leanings, offers a fitting end to this very good record, and I am sure we will be hearing more from this band in due course. Check them out at their Facebook. This is a grower and is well recommended..9/10 (Dave)

TWINKLE and the SLUTS..'SLUTTIER THAN THOU'

(Self Release) Reviewed 19th December 2011

The name Twinkle and the Sluts would not suggest a melodic Gothic band or a band that would play the kinda music that would satisfy the Journey or Boston fan. However, if you think Rock with a Punk attitude (Brit Style), then you would be on the right track. This EP brings us four tracks, with the aforementioned attitude. With titles like 'Shut Your Dirty Mouth' and 'Coffin Nail', it is obvious the path this band is treading. Twinkle and the Sluts offer the UK music scene a future while at the same time sticking a big middle finger up at the X-Factor Society, that seems to be single handedly ruining our music business. I love this little EP, and while there is a vibrant brashness here with this release, melody is never too far away - 'Narcissism' being one song that to my ears would do very well on the radio. I myself have been waiting a wee while to catch this band live, and I have now just seen them play twice in a week. I was not disappointed either time, and this CD does not disappoint either. Check their Facebook out here, 8.5/10 (Dave)

TIMESAILOR..'ONCE UPON A TIME'

(Self Release) Reviewed 15th December 2011

This band from Ankora, Turkey, have roots going back to 2001 as the band Apoplexy, but due to the number of bands going by that name they changed to the far more appropriate, as we shall see, Timesailor. They are captained by a dual male/female vocal attack of Bulutay Güneş, who reminds me a lot of Nick Barrett mixed with James LaBrie, and delectable Damla Özdemir and her gorgeous semi operatic voice, who also plays the violin. Musically, when you mix Bulatay and lovely Yasemin Türkyılmaz's ornate prog keyboards with Damla and composer Burak Kahraman's powerful guitars you a cross between Pendraggon and Lunatica that also recalls Roswell 6 and Ayreon. The main course of this musical feast is the eight song, 27 minute rock opera 'Dreamwalker', written by Bulatay, which tells the tale of a Goddess, sung by Damla, who gives the gift of time-travel to a man, naturally played by Bulatay, as an experiment to discover mankind's ability to use such an ability wisely. He is able to travel through time in his dreams and live moments of his past and future life, but how will he use, or abuse, his power? The eight concise songs are beautifully crafted and constructed, cruising seamlessly between lighter and heavier passages, full of wonderful melodies, great instrumentation, and a hint of eastern promise. This is such a joy to listen to that time flies, it's so catchy, varied, expertly performed and superbly sung, with excellent professional production with a crystal clear faultless sound by Güney Özsan, the keys player with Dreamtone/Neverland. After the main meal they serve up another four tasty songs as dessert that also follow the time and dream theme, including the awesome 'Flow', the powerful ballad 'The Voice Within' which showcases how perfectly the two voices harmonise together, and the bonus track is 'Sonbahar', recorded last year and the only song in Turkish. Burak uses a diverse range of styles from Spanish acoustic to fleet fingered metal leads, Yasemin can really tickle her ivories with lots of super synth sounds, and they are supported by Bahadır and Ozan's top notch rhythm section, even when they push the boat out on the couple of instrumentals they are terrific and packed with interest, there's no aimless noodling. This is heartily recommended for all prog rock/metal crews as well as anyone who enjoys highly melodic rock/metal. Time waits for no man, so chart a course to here, a nautically timeless 9.5/10 (Phil)

SCOOLCRAFT..'YOUR MIND' (Single)

(Arcane Records) Reviewed 2nd December 2011

Well known for her voice in the band Mary and The Black Lamb, Lindz Riot is taking the reins yet again in her first ever solo effort 'Schoolcraft'. Native to Canada, the classically trained vocalist and pianist draws new inspiration from nature, fantasy, trip hop beats and symphonic orchestration. All this while keeping the simplicity of piano driven pop ballads. I have a two track single (digital only release) that I am reviewing here. The single itself' 'Your Mind', is an awesome and beautiful piano led ballad, while 'Where You Go' develops a little bit of electronica in to the mix, in what is another cool and exquisite number. It is rather difficult to score just two tracks, but let's just say this release is simply divine and stunning! (Dave)

THE BLACK BELLES..'THE BLACK BELLES'

(Third Man Records) Reviewed 25th November 2011

These bewitching Belles were discovered by Jack White deep in the witching woods of Nashville and signed to his label Third Man Records. In a world dominated by bright pop colours, these Belles in Black cut a striking and startling black and white image, part a grown up Wednesday Adams, part Meninblack, not the film but those mysterious UFO agents with pale expressionless faces wearing fedora hats and lipstick. Their list of hobbies include blood and guts, serial killers, shark attacks, the occult, tarot, seances, stealing, cheating, vandalism, making boys cry and general mischief, gulp, while close contact with singer, guitarist and composer Olivia Jean can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches and vertigo with the advice not to drive or operate heavy machinery within 48 hours of contact, you have been warned! These dark deadly damsels stir in their cauldron The Stranglers, The B-52's, The Damned, Boris Picket and the Crypt-Kickers, gothic, surf and garage rock, and a pinch of bubblegum pop and 60's R&B. Full of Olivia's twanging clanging growling guitars, Ruby Rogers's grunting booming bass, Shelby Lynne's tub thumping drums, and Lil'Boo's grumbling rumbling synth and cheesy organ. It's anarchic, mischievous, quirky and slightly batty, but with an ear for a great pop tune and Olivia sounding like Susanna Hoff's evil sister. Typically unconventionally they open with a waltz, 'Leave You With A Letter', the only other album I can think of that opens with a waltz is Meninblack by The Stranglers, spooky eh? Talking of those men in black, off kilter angular rock songs like the 'In A Cage', 'Wishing Well', and 'Not Tonight' with its Dave Greenfield esque rolling organ motif remind me of those masters of menace. Catchy nifty numbers like 'The Wrong Door', 'Breathing Down My Neck', and 'Howling At The Moon' carve towards new wave surf rock, with the terrific 'Honkey Tonk Horror' combining the two styles in a Damned type way. I mentioned their penchant for making boys cry, well, 'The Tease' is likely to turn gents into gibbering wrecks. It is all rounded off by one of Jack White's stripped back vibrant production jobs that suits the music perfectly. My only quibble is it's brevity at just 30 minutes, I'm surprised they missed off' 'What Can I Do?', their excellent single from last year (video on Female Voices blog). My advice? Play it twice! In these days of formulaic pop and alt-rock where everyone looks and sounds the same, it's so exciting to find something so distinctive and fresh with a touch of the dangerous dark side. It's all splendidly presented in a suitably spooky digipak with some wonderful illustrations by Nashville artist Justin O'Neal, this is their Coven, a bewitching 9 /10. (Philinblack)

SYPHERION..'FLAMES OF THE IMMORTAL HEART'

(AE Distro) Reviewed 22nd Nov 2011

Symphonic progressive metal band Sypherion were created by virtuoso Spanish guitarist Fabio Di Angelo in 2008, and they feature the superb soft operatic vocals of lovely Ruth Garlet. This seems to be an album of two distinct halves, one I would attribute to Fabio, the other to Ruth. The opening very impressive instrumental 'The Battle of Thermopylae' appropriately sounds like the soundtrack to a sword and sandles epic as this was the famous land and sea battle fought between the King Leonidas's Spartans and Xerxes's Persians in 480BC that features in the film '300' (and 'Meet the Spartans'!). The next three songs appear to be Fabio's, they follow this epic historical theme and are far heavier and more Kamelot esque prog metal. The thundering 'God of War' is sung by Manu Esteve from the band Hardreams who reminds me of Mats Levén, featuring some scintillating shredding by Fabio and keys man Jesús Espejo, then the stomping Egyptian flavoured 'Visions of the Soul' sung by Ruth that flows seamlessly into a splendid baroque ending, followed by the rampaging 'Flames of Osiris' sung by both of them using a weird distorted vocal processing effect. Ruth and her keyboards then take over for the final trio, 'Immortal Dreams', 'Pieces Of My Heart' and 'Inside my Sorrow ' are all awesome, Nightwish/Tarja esque, catchy, melodic, rocking and ultra commercial symphonic pop-metal numbers that show off her superb voice and Fabio's ear for a great tune. The orchestrations throughout are most excellent and sound very realistic, and the pristine production is suitably mighty and crystal clear (perhaps the snare is a bit overcooked). This reminds me of the good old days of vinyl when you often had shorter more accessible numbers on one side, with a more adventurous concept epic on the other. Although it seems short, and I could do with at least another of Ruth's numbers to balance it out, it does weigh in at a perfectly respectable 38 minutes. If you love prog and symphonic metal then you will have the best of both worlds in one package, and in Ruth they have a potential major star, 'Immortal Dreams' would be a perfect video showcase. It is available now on all digital download platforms, and their website is here, an impressive 8.75/10 (Phil)

THIS WICKED TONGUE..'CARRY THIS'

(Self Released) Reviewed 20th November 2011

I reviewed a six track EP from this band back in April (doesn't time fly), and I went on record then as saying that THIS WICKED TONGUE is dragging rock music into the 21st century by its short and curlies. How right that is too. Three tracks on this their latest mega rockin' EP from this Worcester (UK) based band, fronted by Tina V, who seem to smoothly blend alternative rock music with metal, as if they have been doing it for years. Opener 'Carry This' has a kinda The Cure feel in the guitars department, while second track in '22' takes a more progressive direction together with distorted vocals. Last number, the catchy 'Creature' reminds me a little of a heavier Nirvana. This band is amazing and I am sure will be going places. Check them out at their Facebook, and this is worthy of an 8.5/10 (Dave)

TOUCHSTONE..'THE CITY SLEEPS'

(SPV STEAMHAMMER) Reviewed 9th November 2011

Since my review of their last album 'Wintercoast' this band from the SW of England have steadily risen earning them a deal with SPV's Steamhammer label for the release of this new opus, their 3rd album. They were formed in 2003 by keys man and vocalist Rob Cottingham and guitarist Adam Hodgson, and the key ingredient came when vocalist Kim Seviour joined the fray. They have refined and developed their unique brand of progressive melodic rock/metal, taking a broad selection of British music into their oeuvre, including Asia, Rainbow, Pendragon, Yes, Kino, Mostly Autumn, Threshold, and The Police. They can inject into their songs mellifluous mellowness, eruptions of heavy rocking, bouts of metal riffing and shredding, periods of pure prog, bursts of pop, and passages of glorious melodic rock. Kim has a unique dispassionate style with very little vibrato, and she is joined by Rob's wonderful warm vocals that owe something to Justin Hayward and one of my favorite singers, John Mitchel. After the powerful prog opener 'Corridors' the songs fall into three very loose categories, melodic prog songs 'Horizons' and 'Half Moon', heavy rockers 'These Walls' and 'Throw Them to the Sky', and the three multi-part epics. These are 'When Shadows Fall', which is the sequel to 'Shadow' off their debut album, the title track 'The City Sleeps' which is the sequel to 'Wintercoast' off their last, with narration by actress Anna-Marie Wayne, daughter of Jeff Wayne (of War of the Worlds fame), and the eccentric 'Good Boy Psycho'. The real highlight is the wonderful and very commercial ballad 'Sleeping Giants' which could get massive radio play. There is so much music it can be bewildering at first, it takes a few listens for it all to bed down. However, I do feel they over complicate sometimes, 'When Shadows Fall' has some fantastic parts that I would have preferred to have been built into individual songs so that they shone in isolation. Musicianship from all the band is a real tour de force, but without any aimless noodling, including loads of ripping guitar work by Adam and soaring synths from Rob, all immaculately produced. Prog fans will of course absolutely adore this album, but there is plenty here for melodic and heavy rock fans to love as well, so it's an album with real crossover potential. Their city never sleeps at at this location, a highly recommended 9/10 (Phil)

SAKARA..'BLOOD and STONE'

(Ravenheart Music) Reviewed 8th November 2011

After a journey through several bands and styles of music lovely Laura 'Saraka' Marshall from Hereford in England, armed with a collection of songs and a clear vision, met producer Stephen Clark in May of this year and embarked on making her début solo album. Stephen is a highly experienced musician who has developed a style of music that sounds like a gothic Peter Gabriel under the stage name 'ThinMan', as well as performing acoustic rock and winning awards for his work as a composer, arranger and producer. In return for his help, Sakara is also collaborating with Stephen on a new ThinMan album. Her name is inspired by the vast ancient Saqqara burial ground in Egypt, the resting place of around 16 kings, and following on from the ancient Egyptian belief in reincarnation, this represents for her the desire to continually reinvent and grow as a person and artist. They worked hard to get it finished by All Hallows' Eve, the day that the spirit and physical world are at their closest, as it has special significance to album's theme. The music echoes Sakara's forays into gothic rock, metal, and industrial mixed with Stephen's various influences producing an amalgam that is elusive to describe, my impressions float around Siouxsie and the Banshees, Kate Bush, Lahannya, and Caamora, with an mystical eastern vibe that befits her name. Sakara has an outstanding versatile voice that ranges from pop to rock to high semi operatic to low gothic, quite extraordinary, while Stephen lays down painstakingly constructed layers of guitars, synths, samples, atmospheric effects and custom built rhythms and tribal beats. Opening with the strutting groove of the melodic gothic rock 'Bleed' we move onto the stomping, thundering, fearsome and ferocious 'Rise' with Stephen wailing his guitar like Jimmy Hendrix. 'Join You' starts as gentle twinkling piano arpeggios and builds and builds into an almighty crescendo, then the Madonna/William Orbit esque electronic rock of 'By My Side' full of bubbling sequencers which would be ideal for radio play. In contrast 'She of the Throne' is deep, menacing and marching, followed by the tribal dramatic 'Ishtar', who was the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war and sex, it is said by some that love causes war. 'Earth Song' appropriately is Celtic/Aboriginal in nature and almost Clannad in texture, with Sakara using a beautiful high semi-operatic voice, followed by the gothic rock '2 Wolves' with lots of howling wolves. She picks it up again with last two, the rocking driving 'Soul Loss' and the funky punky 'Kunoichi', in which Sakara uses a deep gothic voice, it is hard to believe it is the same person who sang 'Earth Song'. The Kunoichi were female Ninjas who used their womanly wiles and cunning to get close to the enemy. The sound is excellent as you would expect, but there's perhaps a touch too much reverb on the voice. A highly commercial record that shows enormous dedication to her art which will appeal to all gothic fans as well as people who enjoy finely crafted intelligent rock. She awaits your pleasure at her website here, a mystical 9/10 (Phil)

SKARLETT RIOT..EP

(Self Released) Reviewed 1st November 2011

Skarlett Riot released this 4 track EP last year, and although I have known about this band for a while now, I have only just got around to obtaining this EP and reviewing it. Fronted by Skarlett (Chloe), they are a 4 piece touring rock combo from the North Lincolnshire area, who blend uptempo hard rock music with extremely catchy hooks and infectious melodies. And catchy hooks are well apparent on this little platter, just listen to the track 'Never Believe It'. Next up 'The Answer' is one of the best hard rock tracks I will hear in a while too, and I would put good money on this track being a live favourite! Skarlett's vocals are clear and powerful and there is no reason why this band should not be going places. There is some new material due in 2012 and on this showing, I cannot wait. Check out their Facebook here. Good stuff... 8.75/10 (Dave)

TRILLIUM..'ALLOY'

(Frontiers) Reviewed 20th October 2011

Amanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter who since 1999 has resided and worked mainly in Germany and the Netherlands. She is a vocal coach best known for her collaborations with various European metal bands (Avantasia, Epica, Kamelot, After Forever). For Amanda, TRILLIUM is something new, exciting and very diverse, and it is her "little baby". Musically, the band is a hybrid of mainly mid paced Melodic Rock and Metal - it's riffy, has a heavy hand instrumentally and is quite different from anything Amanda has ever worked on so far. The album also features Jorn Lande on a very special duet with Amanda on the power ballad 'Scream It', with it's awesome string intro. 'Machine Gun' and 'Coward' offer up a catchy opening salvo, and this melodic style continues through the rather awesome 12 tracks on offer, with 'Mistaken', 'Justifiable Casualty' and the bonus 'Love Is An Illusion' being fave tracks of mine, on an album that overall is very good! There are one or two slower numbers here ('Slow It Down' is one) that suit Amanda's vocal style to a tee, but by and large with this release, think Annie Lennox, Doro, Rob Zombie and Sade thrown into a blender and whipped into a frothy concoction. That gives quite an interesting and rather eclectic mix to say the least, especially when I even detected a little bit of a Freddy Mercury Queen vocal style within the track 'Purge'. This record is recommended and as a consequence is worth a punt of anyone's money when it gets released on November 4th! 8.75/10 (Dave)

THE PRETTY RECKLESS..'LIGHT ME UP'

(Interscope) Reviewed 11th October 2011

The Pretty Reckless is an American rock band from New York. This their debut album was released on August 30, 2010 in the UK, and I have only just got around to reviewing it. We have here 10 tracks of simple but catchy rock music, songs that will stick in your head and not go away. Just listen to the title track and the tracks 'Just Tonight' and 'Miss Nothing' to see what I am getting at. Front lady, actress and model Taylor Momsen, who is just 18 puts in a sterling performance on this album with her sexy but cracking smokey vocal style. I admit to being a bit unsure about this release before I got my grubby paws on a copy, but now I have, it is an absolute corker. Good stuff and well recommended! 8.5/10 (Dave)

THE SHIVER..'THE ACOUSTIC EXPERIENCE' EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 11th October 2011

Italian Band The Shiver has been known to Ravenheart Music for somewhile now. Fronted by Faith, their brand of Alternative Rock and Metal goes down a storm, and they have quite a following here in the UK. This little offering is a three track EP, featuring tracks from the 'A New Horizon' LP. 'Through This Cold Water', 'In Obscurity' and 'The Fragile Sound' are in-fact given the unplugged treatment and I love it! And not only do The Shiver produce some awesome music, unplugged or otherwise, they are such great people too. Check this out by clicking here, download it free and legal, and then enjoy with a glass of Italian wine - great stuff....8.5/10 (Dave)

SCARLET CANARY..'BIRDS OF PREY' EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 9th October 2011

Female fronted Hard Rock is what Colarado band Scarlet Canary offer us. Starting as a Three Days Grace Cover Band, the band has now set their heights on making it big with their own material, and on this showing why not? 'Noise Complaint' and 'Metrognome' are tracks that make you sit up and listen. The natural crystal clear and inoffensive vocals of Hannah Haze reminding me a little of the vocals of Christina from the Charlottesville band In Tenebris, who disbanded in 2007. Seven hard rockers that I have here on this little platter and not a ballad in sight. This is a cool release and there is no reason why Scarlet Canary should not use this record as a launch pad to bigger things. Check them out at their Facebook...8/10 (Dave)

SEPTEMBER RAIN..'STARE'

(Self Release) Reviewed 5th October 2011

Back in April, I reviewed a two track promo by this band from Ipswich. They now have sent me their latest offering, and it is interesting to see how this band has progressed over the last few months. This is just one track, so this will be just a mini review. 'Stare' is a good Alternative Rocker, and compared to the promo I reviewed in April, I find this specific track has perhaps a little more commercial appeal than their earlier stuff. This band has potential, and I am sure if they were based in the USA with their possible Paramore comparisons, there would be a lot of interest in this music. In the UK, yep, given the right promotion, this band will get noticed, although I think gigging and gigging hard, and selling merchandise will be the way forward for this band over here. Watch this space!

THE STORM..'REBEL AGAINST YOURSELF'

(Universal Denmark) Reviewed 16th Sept 2011

The Storm must be one of Denmark's hottest female fronted acts at the moment, and this, their third full length release serves to confirm this. It is just rather unfortunate that the Danes seem to want to keep their hottest properties to themselves, and not share it with anybody. We had the same problem with Cryoshell, their album was simply amazing, but no one outside of their native Denmark could get the album. Like the Cryoshell cd (that Aimee eventually obtained for me), I had to go to enormous lengths to get a copy of 'Rebel Against Yourself', but I did, and here is the review. This latest effort from The Storm takes a more poppier route, but that does not mean to say that they have sold out. We have a very catchy pop/rock record here in-fact, kicking off with which is really a lighter waving power ballad, 'Save The World (You Couldn't)'. Getting things underway with a ballad may seem a little strange, although the song does build up into an electro style rocker towards the end. Anyway, ballad or not, The Storm pull it off. Further awesome as hell numbers follow including the hideously catchy single 'Lost In The Fire' and the follow up track 'Everything Hurts'. There is nothing on this release which I dislike, okay the metal heads out there may turn their noses up at it, but to be honest, The Storm has pulled it off again. Good highly infectious stuff and highly recommended if you can get your hands on a copy....9/10 (Dave)

SILENT OPERA..'IMMORTAL BEAUTY'

(Ravenheart Music) Reviewed 12th Sept 2011

Back in the far mists of dragon time, Lady Victoria, at the peak of her powers but fearful of growing old, stole a sacred lily and created an elixir that gave her the gift of immortal beauty, saving just one drop for someone she found worthy. The gods were angered and cursed her, anyone she fell in love with would perish. After many years of seeking gratification she met a charming young man named Rain who shared her lust for life's pleasures, thus she gave him the last drop of the potion and he too became eternal. Although forbidden to become lovers by the curse, they trod the ages enjoying the fruits of their desires, but their one true passion was music. In their quest to find kindred spirits they encountered the handsome young knight Sir Alexandre, who is half man, half ice, then a mysterious stranger called Shadow, and so, sayeth the legend, Silent Opera was born. Fittingly their music is ageless symphonic metal, traversing the terrain between the rhapsodic romance of Mother Earth/Silent Force era Within Temptation, the dynamic drama of Nightwish and the theatrical thrill of Phantom of the Opera. Equally dramatic is the unique voice of Lady Victoria, imagine if you will Cher after taking opera lessons, she is a singer born in symphonic metal heaven. Appropriately the lyrics are steeped in lore and fable, with a suggestion of bodice ripper, in 'Always With You' Lady Victoria seductively swoons “Our flesh entwines, Our souls touch in this hot breath, No inhibitions, Only wild instinct”, phew, it's getting warm in here. This song is a Kamelot esque epic duet with producer Michele Guaitoli from the power metal band Overtures who is a highly trained and qualified singer, musician and engineer, and his skills shine in the superb sound that he has achieved. Rains shows that equally adept with the guitar and keyboards, powering the music along with his riffage and solos as well as supplying the suitably grand orchestrations, spine tingling pipe organ and rippling piano. They never let up in the quality, whether it's the more gothic 'Mask Manor' and 'Hidden Lies' or those with a touch of power metal like 'Chapter 7' and 'Selene', or the towering ballad 'Farewell'. A particular favourite is the rousing 'Morningstar', featuring a guitar solo by Michele's Overtures band-mate Marco Falanga, and another highlight is 'Lilium' (video on Female Voices blog) which tells the tale of the lily. I love albums that end with an epic, and they certainly don't disappoint with their immense nine minute signature tune 'The Silent Opera'. This is classic symphonic metal with a timeless beauty that will enchant all who treasure this most enthralling of genres. Their website lies beyond the fields we know in the land of the Ravenhearted at www.silentopera.it, a legendary 9/10 (Phil)

SILENT NIGHTMARE..'AWAKENING'

(Self Release) Reviewed 3rd August 2011

Here we have the début release from this American symphonic trio which is either a long EP or a short LP depending on whether you are a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person. They are fronted by tantalising Tara Duhan who has an authentic operatic voice à la the Finnish diva with the extra J, Tarja, and their music falls somewhere between her solo output and that other band she used to be in. However American bands tend to have an essence of traditional heavy metal in their music, such as the bluesy touch to the guitar solos, which differentiates them from their European counterparts. They awaken with 'Changing' which has a start so sudden it made me fall out of bed, a dramatic folk tinged song that alternates between vocal verses and a rousing guitar motif, in fact the guitar sound reminds me of bagpipes. 'Sleep' is suitably entitled as it sways and waltzes with a spiralling guitar solo by Aleks Jectic, and then they pick up the pace with the lively bouncing 'Nightmare' followed by the towering Nightwish esque ballad 'The Key' and the catchy rocking 'The Piper'. They are the first band I can think of who have been brave enough to attempt a Within Temptation song, in this case 'Angels', which becomes more operatic and heavier, more Nightwish than WT. The bonus track is a piano and voice version of 'The Key' which when stripped of it's backing becomes almost like a madrigal. The production by Dan Clark makes it all sound most professional, and should mention Tim Aujo's excellent drumming before I have to get a crash cymbal surgically removed. A highly promising opening gambit by this trio that well work getting out of bed for, it's easily available from CD Baby and their Facebook is here, an awakening 8.5/10 (Phil)

SACRAMENTO..'WEIGHT OF SIN'

(Mechanix Records) Reviewed 12th July 2011

Sacramento were founded in 2009 by composer, guitarist and producer Alejandro Espinosa. The name has nothing to do with California, it is simply the Spanish for sacrament, the band are in fact Chilean. The first thing that strikes you is the cover art conceived by Alejandro which depicts the album's title, a man performs mortification of the flesh (self flagellation) to free his body from 'the weight of sin', a practice carried out in some extreme Catholic sects like the Opus Dei made famous, or infamous, in the Da Vinci Code, and yes, they really do exist. However they are not a Christian band like HB, although there is profoundly deep meaning to the deep meaningful lyrics (in English) that are inspired by the human condition. Stunning Laura Vargas has a superb rich powerful soaring voice that is a sort of cross between Sharon Den Adel and Cristina Scabbia in style supported by occasional anguished roars from Alejandro, but this is no growl fest. Their music comprises humongous suped up Lacuna Coil esque gothic metal, a touch of Evanescence alt-metal, and a dash of fellow Chileans Edenial prog metal. After a trio of immense openers with lashings of dynamic diverse guitar work and towering spiralling refrains comes the awesome 'Purple' with its twinkling piano. The pulverising 'Everything to Waste' is followed by the atmospheric interlude 'Falling Apart' which leads into the moody, melancholic, moving ballad 'Save Me My Son' which features just voice and flanged/chorused/reverb guitar arpeggios. There's another trio of terrific tracks before we reach the driving rocking closer 'Take Me Away'. You also get a media file of the video for the song 'Fallecer' taken from their EP released a couple of years ago (on the Female Voices blog). The sound, production and musicianship is ultra professional so converts to gothic and alternative metal will certainly not beat themselves up for purchasing this excellent record from CD Baby. Whip along to their Facebook here for more info, a far from sinful 8.75/10 (Phil)

THE RAIN I BLEED..'NARCISSIST'

(Twilight) Reviewed 4th July 2011

I have reviewed two excellent albums by Staphis Cassios's Karmic Link that feature gorgeous Mina Giannopoulou, one gothic metal the other more prog. Now she presents her own compositions on this her own band's début album. Their immense sounds hovers around Delain type gothic, After Forever/early Epica style semi symphonic (but no growling thankfully), a hint of prog metal, and a touch of Evanescence alt-metal. Accordingly Mina has a superb versatile multi-faceted voice that veers from expressive to rock to semi to full operatic depending on the mood of the music, sometimes in the same breath, reminding me of singers like Floors Jansen mixed with a touch of Simone Simons. This is a highly distinctive collection of songs that sweep from powerful verses to soaring choruses to quieter interludes to instrumental passages to synth/piano motifs making each one a varied and fascinating listening experience. They range from the mighty moving 'Nocturne' to the swaying almost Within Temptation'ish' 'Eternally' to the eastern flavoured proggier 'The Water Turns to Ice' to the catchy chugging 'Tearful Eyes' to the waltzing 'Lullaby' with Mina's lovely piano, a notable feature throughout the album. This gives the album the 'ooh I like this one' factor aided by a top notch production job by Chris 'Rektor' Ntaskas and mixing by Scar Symmetry’s Jonas Kjellgren in Sweden. Jeff Loomis from Evermore, one of the world's top guitarists, makes a guest appearance on awesome opener 'The Utter Me' with a terrific shredding guitar solo. This is classic highly professional top quality gothic metal with symphonic flourishes, their Facebook is here, a most impressive 8.75/10 (Phil)

STREAM OF PASSION..'DARKER DAYS'

(Napalm Records) Reviewed 19th June 2011

The Dutch formation's third full length studio release, 'Darker Days', catapults the band from insider tip to one of the trailblazers of the gothic metal genre. The band revolving around Marcela Bovio exudes a self-assurance and maturity that spills over into the new tracks. And seeing how this band has progressed since their debut has been a real pleasure. The songs here are majestic musical gems that as a whole, deliver an unbelievably complex and sensuous end result. Metal guitars, beautiful melodies and symphonic arrangements build the foundation for Marcela's soulful vocals. This sweeping blend makes songs like 'Lost', the melodic and rather lovely 'Collide', and 'This Moment' offer passionate statements of romantic intensity. And I do love the simplicity of 'Spark'. Furthermore, the crystal-clear and impressive production adds the finishing touch to this well-rounded masterpiece. It very much seems that 'Darker Days' is another Gothic Metal winner from the House of Naplam that will appeal to all lovers of the genre. 9/10 (Dave)

THE TRAVELLERS..'A JOURNEY INTO THE SUN WITHIN'

(Metal Minds) Reviewed 18th June 2011

Polish musician Wojtek Szadkowski from the prog groups Satellite and Collage created the band Strawberry Fields a couple of years ago with beautiful singer Robin. This was an atmospheric pop project as befits their title, for fans of bands like Portishead and Goldfrapp. This new venture with Robin on vocals is again suitably titled as it takes us on a journey into uncharted musical waters between Karnataka and Jon Anderson, especially his contributions to the Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe album released in 1989. It has Jon's ear for gorgeous pop melodies, penchant for sing song chants, and love of ethnic rhythms and sounds. Robin sings an octave higher than before which takes her into the same register as Jon, and Wojtek's delightful synth sounds are reminiscent of Vangelis. Grzegorz's Steve Howe esque guitars add a subtle power to this dreamy, atmospheric, enchanting and at times breathtakingly beautiful music that has enough variation and dynamics to keep it absorbing, and certainly not soporific. You get six lengthy tracks of pure listening pleasure that takes you to a sea of tranquillity, but thankfully no where near Topographic Oceans. The drum programming is an object lesson on how to use drum machines, complementing and driving the music perfectly but never intrusive, and again I am reminded of Bill Bruford and his gigantic acoustic and electric drum kit that was the size of Belgium. Unusually the bass was played on synthesizers by Krzysiek giving a smooth rich almost fretless like underbelly. Metal Mind have hit us with a double wammy with this album and the superb Neranature release I reviewed a short while ago. If you love the lighter side of Yes or any of Jon Anderson's solo work then this is highly recommended, so book an excursion to their travel agents at their Facebook, a scenic 9/10 (Phil)

SHIELD OF WINGS..'SOLARIUM' EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 17th June 2011

Based out of the Chicagoland area, Shield of Wings is a symphonic metal band comprised of four members – Grace Méridan, James Gregor, Patrick Eulitz and Jeff Olsem. Over the years, the band lineup has changed, developing it's own unique methods of writing, musical direction, and style. And this style is now showcased very well in this their debut EP. And the style? good old Symphonic Metal that would take Europe by storm. Reference points for this release would be Epica and Nightwish, with vocals being shared between main vocalist Grace Méridan and harsh vox by James Gregor. There are barnstorming numbers such as 'Essence and the Moon' 'War and Rapture' and 'Carnival Mirror' to sink your teeth into, with indeed not a bad number in sight amongst the six on offer. This is epic bombastic Symphonic Metal that is sure worth checking out. Find the band at their Facebook site to see what I am talking about. Cool...8.75/10 (Dave)

THE SPRITUAL BAT..'CRUEL MACHINE'

(Danse Macabre) Reviewed 17th June 2011

Italians The Spiritual Bat are a proudly old skool gothic rock band whose origins go way back to 1992 as Spiritual Bats, this is the second album in their new incarnation following on from 2008's Through the Shadows. They are now a duo of Dario Passamonti on instruments and Rosetta Garri on Siouxsie Sioux style vocals and drum arrangements (she joined the original band as a drummer). Influences are the great gothic bands of the 80's, The Cure, The Mission, Sisters of Mercy and Roman Jugg era Damned, with that classic sound of shimmering flanged guitars, throbbing bass, tribal drums and spooky synths. This is music to sink your fangs into over a nice pint of blood after taking your werewolf for howl in the moonlight. Creeping into their creepy crypt you unearth a host of straight for the jugular rockers such as title track 'Cruel Machine' and the catchy 'Chance', as well as songs like the tortured 'Tormented Body', the other worldly 'Other Side', the fatally deathly 'Crucifixion' and the venomous 'Lament For the Poisoned Mother'. If you cherish the sound of classic gothic rock descend their batpole to their batcave, a blood curdling batscore of 8.5/10. (Batreview by BatPhil)

SAINTS OF RUIN..'GLAMPYRE'

(Echozone/Sony) Reviewed 5th June 2011

The Saints of Ruin fronted by Ruby Ruin closely follow up their debut full length release of last year with this little Gothic/Rock masterpiece, filled with stories of Love, Death, Vampires and the Beauty and Darkness of our lives. A very perfect setting for a quiet Sunday evening in to review this little beauty :) I have been following this band since their conception, and justice was done when European label Echozone signed them to their rosta. Glampyre is another interesting release offering 9 cracking numbers, and to be honest, I think through their two full releases and one EP, they have yet to produce a track that could be classed as distinctly under par. Tracks here that ultimately caught my attention were the opening title track 'Glampyre', 'Rain' (The Cult cover), the Psychedelic sounding 'Love Dies', the epic 'Slow Poison' and the revamped 'Labyrinth' from their 2008 EP. However, I must say all the music on this platter is good! Saints Of Ruin Rock the Apocalypse with a great gothic sound and therefore I do recommend this release to fans of the genre. Pop along to CDBaby to check it out, whilst they will rock my apocalypse with a 9/10 (Dave).

STORM CORPORATION..'A QUIET BELIEF IN ANGELS'

(Self Release) Reviewed 3rd June 2011

Storm Corporation were founded in the town of Preston in the north west of England during the summer of 2009. They have taken a distinctive British approach to their melodic metal which is imbued with spirit of Led Zep and classic British heavy rock and the energy of NWOBHM, creating a unique hybrid. The first thing that strikes you is how professional this outfit appear, with top quality videos, production, and musicianship, quite simply they ooze class. Then you have to add the outstanding rock vocals of leading lady Georgia Howson to the boardroom. The forecast warns you to baton down the hatches for a tornado of fast and furious razor sharp riffing with enough wind power to fuel Blackpool illuminations, but never at the expense of a cracking song, perfect examples being the storming 'Dreamless' (video on Female Voices blog) and the funky groovy hurricane they kick up on the tempestuous 'Deathwish'. I would like to see them develop the more diverse musical elements that occasionally shine through, like on the epic closing title track 'A Quiet Belief in Angels', that would make their next album something very special indeed. The outstanding classic building ballad 'Never Far' commemorates Sophie Lancaster who died as a result of an unprovoked attack by a gang simply because they were wearing gothic clothes, with the foundation founded in her name campaigning to ensure that people belonging to alternative cultures are protected by the law from acts of hatred and violence, rid society of prejudice, and increase understanding, their website is www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/. Friends of mine have been seriously attacked just because they have long hair and a leather jackets, and I myself once had to make a fast getaway, but these cases never get the police, media and political attention created by race attacks, a situation that must change. Although slightly brief at 33 minutes, for some baffling reason they giving away this little beauty free of charge so you can't complain, just head to their Facebook for more info, a storming 8.5/10 (Phil)

SHOOT THE DEAD..'DON'T STOP DANCING' (single)

(Indie Release) Reviewed 24th May 2011

Shoot The Dead, fronted by Andi Berthiaume is an exciting new prospect from the south coast of England, Brighton to be precise. What this two track single offers is a dose of dance infused and rather catchy hook laden tunes. This is only a two track offering, so there is not a lot I can say except look them up at their facebook site. I will not give this a mark out of ten as it is only a single, but anybody into this style of music, what I will say is please do check this out! Cool!! (Dave)

THE ROYAL GHOST..'THE ROYAL GHOST'

(Promo)

The Royal Ghost is a full 29 song Rock Opera written by Swede Teddy Jonassen with a large cast of singers, musicians and a full orchestra, the Dalasinfoniettan. The basic story is that in an old castle a ghost and a princess become friends to everyone's despair, causing a revolt of the people against the ghosts, and it is intended to draw parallels with the many problems we face in today's world. I have the nine track promo CD, the rest of the songs will be recorded this summer for release in the new year, but it has been performed in its entirety several times, with a very impressive stage production. The promo is intended to showcase the diversity and quality of the opera and to garner support for the full release. Reference points include Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman, his dad Rick Wakeman, Jeff Wayne, Alan Parsons, Mike Batt, Trans Siberian, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. There are six singers including Andreas Eklund from House of Shakira as The Ghost, Mio Jager as the Princess and Emilia Feldt from the Royal Opera in Stockholm as The Queen. 'The Commander' and 'I Am Your Nightmare' are galloping orchestral rock while 'The Future Is There For You' featuring Emilia is a delightful classical ballad beautifully sung. The next song 'Same Old Rock 'n' Roll' is a complete change, a bluesy rock 'n' roller that sounds like it came out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. 'Forever Mine' is a rock ballad sung by the King played by Jonas Antesten, followed by the accordion laced Les Misérables esque number 'Running Out of Time' sung by Lasse Gidbo who sounds like a more restrained Damian Wilson. Mio who sings 'I'm Alive' has been compared to Kate Bush, and musically it is in the same ballpark but with extra opera and classical. 17 year old pop singer Sofia Nystand delightfully sings the gentle 'Lullaby' that erupts into a ripping guitar solo by Roland Forsman, and we end with the driving rocker 'Under Your' Bed'. I cannot wait to hear the full release and I hope that it gets the world wide distribution it deserves, as well as some performances outside Sweden, they put on quite a show. For all the latest news visit their Facebook page , this is a very exciting and highly ambitious project, 8.75/10 (Phil)

THEATRE OF TRAGEDY..'LAST CURTAIN CALL'

(AFM Records) Reviewed 4th May 2011

It is always sad when a band who has played a significant part in refining a genre call it a day, and it is even sadder when one of those bands so happen in this case to be one of my faves. I have been into TOT since their early days, have seen them flirt with various sub genres of the female fronted genre, and by and large still maintain a loyal fan base to boot. So to celebrate the ending of a musical phenomenum, this CD (16 tracks) and DVD (18 tracks and 94 minutes) will soon be released. The tracks span the whole career of TOT featuring cuts like 'And When He Falleth' from 'Velvet Darkness They Fear', 'Image' from the album 'Musique' and 'Frozen' from their last record 'Forever Is The World'. The DVD by the way featuring the additional tracks 'Lorelei' and 'Cassandra', both from the album 'Aegis'. Nell who was not the band's vocalist in the earlier days, performs her little heart out, as do all members of the band in this excellently put together package. I can whole heartedly recommend this release when it appears on the 20th May to fans of Theatre of Tragedy, and to those who are simply curious. It is never too late to get into a band, even when they have called it a day. Lovely stuff...9/10 (Dave)

THE GIFT..'EXPLODE'

(La Folie) Reviewed 30th April 2011

Portuguese band The Gift have a long and illustrious history stretching back to the mid 90's, but despite singing in English and being very successful in their homeland, this album has already spent a couple of weeks at number 1 in the Portuguese charts, they have had surprisingly little success abroad, although they have been on MTV and toured extensively abroad, making some headway in the USA, and their American management company Girlie Action look after the likes of Tori Amos, Antony and the Johnsons and Morrissey. Added to that, this first album for five years has been produced by Englishman Ken Nelson whose previous clients include Coldplay, Gomez and Paolo Nutini, (which reminds me, I need some new shoes). The theme of the album is an explosion of colours with all it's connotations, “Trust the name Explode, Trust the colours of the rainbows” ('Made For You'). You are going to ask me what they sound like, you do like to ask some tough ones don't you, well then, NBC called them “purveyors of psychedelic synth-pop” and their Myspace says “Radiohead, meets Beck, meets Bjork, meets Portishead”. I would also throw Tears For Fears, The Beatles, Brian Wilson, Coldplay, Muse, HAL, OMD, Jellyfish and even Pink Floyd into their kaleidoscope, in short they take pigments from art rock and pop's most colourful bands to create their own unique palette. Vivacious lead singer Sónia Tavares has quite a deep distinctive voice that harmonises perfectly with that of Nuno Gonçalves with loads of terrific harmonies. They paint a wide spectrum of sounds, effects and textures upon each song's canvass, some are more conventional like the catchy 'RGB' and driving 'Race Is Long', while others are more unusual such as the quirky 'Mermaids Songs', the delightful 'Primavera' and the dreamy 'Aquatica'. The polymorphous centrepiece 'The Singles' is about a guy trying to write a hit song and it goes through a variety of hues before ending with the wonderful line 'Stop it now, I just did a twelve minute song” and they duly do – suddenly! Other highlights include the sublime ballad 'Suit Of Many Colours' and the upbeat anthemic 'My Sun' (live video on Female Voices Blog). It all comes packaged in a beautiful digibook with fantastic photos taken at the Holi Festival of Colours held in that most vibrant of cites Delhi, with the band looking like Jack 'The Dripper' Pollock living paintings, it is great to see a band paying as much attention to the visuals as the music. Anyone who enjoys intelligent art rock and pop will want to hang this masterpiece upon their walls, their gallery is here, a technicolored 9/10 (Phil)

THIS WICKED TONGUE..EP

(Self Release) Reviewed 21st April 2011

This Wicked Tongue is a UK band that not only are they based not to far from Ravenheart Towers, they are causing a stir here on local radio, more especially their singer Tina V. Basically, we have a band here playing loud, contemporary rock music, and making an absolutely no holds barred approach whilst doing it. From the storming opener (excuse pun) 'The Storm in the Hourglass', the catchy 'Damn It', the pulsating 'Glance at a Buddhist Wristwatch' (love the title) and 'Fools Rush In', mixing accoustic and in yer face guitars, this band sure is going places. And let's not forget the song 'Home Thoughts From Abroad'. It was written by and was a hit for Clifford T Ward, who died 10 years ago from MS, and some time ago was voted one of the best love songs ever by Radio 2 listeners. The original was a delicate piano and vocal piece, whereas the band has now turned it into a full on rock song. On the record overall, the seductive nature of Tina V's vocals have won me over, and will many more no doubt in due course. This band is dragging rock music by the short and curlies into the 21st Century and they should do well and I recommend checking out their reverbnation site. 8.25/10 (Dave)

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