I was one of the lucky when I was able to attend Y&T’s concert at the Biebob last year, where they played the complete Earthshaker record, in celebration of its thirtieth release. I also remember to this day when that record was released. It’s one of those records that, although dating from my youth, still regularly is played, and seems to have lost nothing of its freshness.
Give Em Blood is a fairly young band that only started in 2009, and playing single shows since 2010. A year later they released their first split EP in 2011 through BDHW records and started touring that very same year. And for those that never heard of them, these guys play metal core.
The story of Tankard is an exceptional one. It was around 1982 when they came into life, but it wasn't until 1986 when their first album was recorded. The band was somewhat of a pioneer, they were spearheading a wave of German thrash bands who became successful worldwide (Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, …).
I remember when way back in 1982 one of my friends bought a copy of the first Tank album ‘Filth Hounds Of Hades’, and how it created quite some kick. This was almost raw energy, poured into a musical equivalent. However this didn’t mean that I became a great fan of this band, but they had some good tunes.
This is the fourth album for French band Spheric Universe Experience. I have no idea what their previous albums sounded like, but apparently their sound was more situated in the progressive metal genre.
And although there are still some prog elements there, they seem to have been reduced to a strict minimum. No intricate keyboard parts are to be found, as a matter of fact keyboards are even spares and between. However the album is not bad, since the guitar parts are very good.
Redline is a band that hails from Birmingham, UK, that judging upon its sound, seems to have it’s roots in NWOBHM. They were founded in 2006 and so far have released a few demos and one record- under own management. This is the archetype of music that in the eighties would have been highly popular. These days however I’m not quite sure. Yet it would be a shame if this band would go by unnoticed. They produce a cracking sound.
Norway’s Ragnarok do exist for quite a long time and I’ve always liked their sweet lullabies (the interested or curious ones might check out the review of early 2010’s Collectors Of The King, posted on March 27th 2010). Since their former label, Regain Records, was put on hold, Jontho and his crew needed to find another intelligent entity to release upcoming stuff, and of course Agonia were a worthy, and winning candidate. All together: hurray!
Paragon is a speed and power metal band from Hamburg, Germany and was founded by guitarist Martin Christian (who in many of the band's album booklets is written as Martin Wöbcke when it comes to songwriting-credits). After releasing some demo tapes and a mini-CD, they were able to release an album in 1994, the debut World Of Sin.
Based in the South of England, represented by Skratch The Surface PR and Management, Nya takes it steps onto the scene. For those who never heard about them (like me), Nya is a melodic hard rock band fronted by the effervescent Anezka Piska.
Upon hearing the first notes of this album, it was immediately clear that this was not an US band. In fact these guys come form Belfast, Northern Ireland. This is actually their second album, and if their first was similar to this one, it must have been a good album.
