rock/metal
New Music: Whoop-Szo release the post-metal of Mirror North
Guelph, Ontario. Maybe not quite internationally recognized as a musical hotbed, but in Canada it is well known as a centre for the non-conventional. Enter Whoop-Szo. Even for Guelph this quartet is a little out there. Uncompromising, they make the music that they want to make — it’s what they believe in. Their latest, “Mirror …
News: Fish retirement, tour, final album and remasters
It was a sad moment when Fish announced the plans for his retirement back in January. Having been a fixture of the progressive rock scene since rising to prominence in the early 80s as the talismanic vocalist of Marillion, he evolved into an eye-catching and unique frontman, penning the lyrics to the band’s best known …
See: Nordic Giants reveal video for Rapture
If you’ve ever seen mysterious duo Nordic Giants, you’ll be well aware that film plays an important part in their shows, as they often soundtrack live a selection of short films with their visceral, almost entirely instrumental ambient/post-rock. Ahead of their debut album, A Séance Of Dark Delusions, released through Kscope on May 4th, the …
Live Review: Lower Than Atlantis / We Are The Ocean / PVRIS – Manchester Academy 2, 14.04.2015
Openers Pvris brought a barrage of synth infected pop-rock tracks from their debut album White Noise (2014). Ironically starting out with Smoke, which quite literally was the only thing that clouded over the bands performance. “Can you cut the smoke? We’re not that cool” vocalist Lyndsey Gunnulfsen stated however the intensity of the smoke didn’t …
Not Forgotten: Jethro Tull – Benefit
For some reason Jethro Tull are never spoken of in the same hushed tones of awe as Led Zeppelin or King Crimson. Or Deep Purple and Yes. Or Wishbone Ash… Quite why that is may be down to the fact that their style was very difficult to pigeon hole and emulate, therefore no one has …
See: Graham Parker & The Rumour release video for Railroad Spikes
Graham Parker and the Rumour’s second post-reunion album, Mystery Glue, is due out May 18th. The Rumour was pre-punk singer-songwriter Graham Parker’s backing band from 1975 to 1980, consisting of Andrew Bodnar, Bob Andrews, Brinsley Schwarz, Martin Belmont, and Stephen Goulding. Brinsley Schwartz alone is noteworthy as one of Britain’s best power pop/pub rock guitarists. …
Meet: Circa Survive’s Brendan Ekstrom ahead of their UK tour
Circa Survive, aka Anthony Green (vocals), Colin Frangicetto (guitar), Brendan Ekstrom (guitar), Nick Beard (bass), Steve Clifford (drums), have been making waves since their ambitious debut album Juturna, recorded before they had ever played a shows. The record, released in 2005, showed them to be brilliant musicians, inventive songwriters, and able to pass effortlessly through …
Live Review: Pierce The Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, Issues – Leeds O2 Academy, 3.4.15
Both Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens boast enthusiastic fanbases to say the least, the tour was sold out months in advance, tickets were even being sold for more than four times the amount of their original price in the few weeks leading up to the shows and the queue for the show in …
Live Review: Young Guns, Liverpool Arts Club, 6.4.15
On the final date of this leg of the Young Guns headline tour, Blitz Kids say their goodbyes as the main and only support band. Their set is a well-chosen collaboration of the biggest choruses in their back catalogue- and being a band who know how to write a big chorus, they have A LOT. …
Not Forgotten – Mott the Hoople – Mott
Having established themselves in the late 60s as Dylan and Stones infused rockers, Mott the Hoople spent the next few years with a reputation of a storming live act whose studio material failed to capture the magic they routinely produced on stage. After four albums for Island Records in which they explored hard rock, country …