4 min read
Metal

Tarja – Frisson Noir Review

A Dark, Powerful and Fearlessly Heavy Masterpiece from the Queen of Symphonic Metal Review By Glen Parkes There are very few artists in the world of metal who can command attention quite like Tarja Turunen. For more than two decades, her unmistakable voice has been a defining force within symphonic metal, blending [more…]

4 min read
Metal

Warning – Rituals of Shame Review

Review Glen Parkes The Long-Awaited Return Of Doom’s Most Emotionally Devastating Voice “There are doom metal albums that crush you with weight. Rituals of Shame destroys you with feeling.” For twenty years, the shadow cast by Watching from a Distance has loomed large across the doom metal landscape. Revered as one of [more…]

3 min read
Metal

SHADOWBORNE – HEAVEN’S FALLING ALBUM REVIEW

REVIEWER – GRAEME WRIGHT The Power Metal field is a crowded one and it’s tough for bands to attract the attention they deserve at times. Shadowborne are a Swedish female fronted band and all the expected tropes are there – fantasy based lyrics, uplifting battle hymns, dark and moody interludes, huge riffs [more…]

2 min read
Metal

Acid Reign – ‘Daze Of The Week’

Thrash Metal Back On Black Records Release Date – May 15th 2026 It’s been seven long years since Harrogate’s Acid Reign gave us a new record. Still keeping the flame burning is sole original, singer H along with his erstwhile bass playing companion since 2015 Pete Dee. Hard to believe that a [more…]

3 min read
Metal

Solemnity – ‘Opus Barbaricum’

Heavy Horror Metal Solemnity Music/Hofa Release date – May 15th 2026 Well, here’s a thing. A one man Power Metal army – Sven The Axe sings, plays and writes everything on this having taken the solo reins last year. It’s no exaggeration to say Sven has thrown the kitchen sink into this [more…]

2 min read
Metal

Toxic Shock – ‘Future Is Calling’

Crossover/Thrash This Charming Man Records Released – April 3rd 2026 Review By Smudge Smith Do not confuse this Toxic Shock with the four others knocking about. This bunch of hardcore thrashers come from Belgium and have been around since 2010, and this is their third full length album. They don’t hang about [more…]

5 min read
Live Reviews Metal

Skillet Start UK Tour in Brixton

Words by Dave Martin Photos by Dave and Emma Martin/Faversham Photography Skillet returned to London for the first gig of their European headline tour accompanied by French alternative rock band Storm Orchestra. In their first visit since they supported Black Stone Cherry, the Tennessee based four-piece packed out the iconic Brixton academy. [more…]