This is a site where I post reviews of CDs, DVDs, LPs, and concerts. I have been writing music reviews on and off since 1984. I ran a heavy metal fanzine from 1984-1988 called Metal Madness and have been a staff writer for Aural Innovations for many years. I have also contributed to Chrohinga Well (RIP), Bad Acid (RIP), Lowcut (RIP), Roadburn and a number of other zines as well. I recently moved to Portugal so please request the new address and do not send any music to Denmark anymore. Tak..
The Honey Pot starts things off with Shinning Diamonds. The
band wrote this song specifically for the FdM May concert in Glastonbury. It is
a very happy song about going to a show and features some really nice female
vocals. The lead synthesizer solo (minimoog like) was short but nice.Fun song.IPAR offer up something totally different with a bongo jam called Half
Space. IT is more focused on an in your face guitar soloing over the bongo
groove for more or less the length of the track, except when the vocals kick
in. Another rare 7”, with only 80 copies being made and first available at the
FdM gig on May 12th, 2018 in Glastonbury. Grab it.
Mouth is a 3 piece German band and a bit different from
other groups released on this great label. The album features 8 songs, of which
3 are instrumentals and was recorded between 2012-2015. Floating (reprise)
starts things off with an organ based track with a bit of complimenting sitar
and a bit of singing. This was apparently the hidden track on the last album and
now a bridge to this new one. Madbeth is a short 2.5min more rocking track with
a sort of in your face vocal and strange dissonance to it. (hear it below).
Homagotomago
is an instrumental tribute to CAN and starts slowly and hypnotically with some
cool guitar as the track evolves of the 9mins. I wish it had changed a bit more
though as the guitar line is only a small varation on the same sound throughout.
The drums do get more and more intense. Reversed is a more organ driven track
again with a highly pressed vocal. It is an interesting style but the use of
the backing vocals was very cool in another strange track. Sunrise is another
longer instrumental track with a steady drum and organ to start and then the
guitar line kicks in and takes the lead. There are two guitars on this track. One
of my fave tracks on the record. Distance is more organ driven but kicks into
an almost like Swedish inspired prog part later and vocals you might find on a
YES record. Did not expect this. Check out the video.
O.T.B. Field is a cool track
with a nice wah guitar workout in this more uptempo track. Sunset is another
instrumental and ends this quite diverse collection of songs. Not sure what to
think if this band actually… Check em out for yourself. It is released on vinyl in
500 copies (blue and green) and 1000 digipacks CDs.
The Hazytones are a band from Montreal, Canada playing rock
and roll with a dark edge. The band is lead by bass player Frederic, who also
recorded and mixed the record. The CD/LP features 9 tracks in a bit under
40mins and starts off with Light of the Day.This is a mid paced track with a good groove, melody and some nice
changes. Great guitar riff. Guitarist and singer, Mick, reminds me a lot of
Gabriel from Black Rainbows at times. Fool’s Paradise kicks things into high
gear with a faster pace. This track reminds me a bit of Beastmaker! A darker
riff and a bit doomy when it slows down and be careful what you wish for
(sounds a bit like James Hetfield!). The layered vocals and melodies really
good but I wish there was a longer guitar solo.Free from your Spell has a really cool guitar solo with a nice effect and
a more occultish feel to it. Marked by the Devil is another mid-paced with a
vocal that reminds me of James Hetfield. The music is not really like Metallica
at all though. A very moody track, dark and foreboding but not doom. Children
of the Universe is a 4 min track with a great hook. Day of the Dead starts
slowly with and a totally different style of vocal to start, mixed a bit back
in the mix, as the drums are more in the front to start until the main heavy
riff kicks in at 1min. It goes back and forth from light to dark and contains
some interesting lyrics. Kill to Survive speeds things up and really rocks out
with a longer and melodic guitar solo. One of the few long ones.Living on the Edge is one of the slowest
tracks and sounds a bit like a dark Alice Cooper track (see official video below).Moonstuck ends the record and has a bit more
of a stoner rock flavor on this excellent track.If you are fans of Black Rainbows,
Beastmaker, Uncle Acid you will quite like these guys.Great energy and some excellent songs.
This is going to be a very rare item as only 90 are
being made and will be available at the FdM gig on May 12th, 2018 in
Glastonbury. This 7” features two cover songs done in the style that only Tir
na nOg can do!Columbine is very much a
classic folk song with abit of jig thrown in. I love the dark mood and the way
the jews harp is used on this song. Excellent stuff. Hall of Mirrors is a cover
song by Sweeney’s Men from 1969. I have never heard the original. A beautiful
Scottish- English folk song, like you might expect to hear in an old pub in the
countryside on a cold night in front of the fire with large mugs of ale!
Excellent.
This is the first ever rerelease of a very strange and
bizzare album from Switzerland. It was originally released in boxsets and sold
in art galleries in 1973. Only 150 were pressed. This material was recorded by
a group of jazz and avant garde musicians in 1972 including Christian
Oestreicher, Jean-François Boillat, Blaise Catalá and Jerry Chardonnens. The
original album features 8 tracks and starts with a piano and ocean sound piece
that is very slow track. Goutte de sang en Feu is another weird one with the
band having a bit of a rock and roll surf jam with a barking rooster in the
background and some saxophone and violin. Hard Rock Ouverture has some dripping
water, as the drums slowly get louder and the band noodles away in the
background. The intensity builds but in a weird jazzy way and not at all hard
rock.Strange title for this mostly
exploring jazz rock track. Ailleurs is a short dual guitar piece that you feel
like will go into a cool jam but ends at under 2mins. 7 Contre 4 features some
more guitar exploration and starts slowly. Le Voyage Spreper starts with some
crowd at a gallery or something and a more jazzy funky piece starts to evolve.
Nebel/Leben is a longer almost 7 min piece with some interesting interactions
with the keyboards and guitar. I like the mood on this one with some really
avant exploration. Mémoire Pulvéisée
ends the normal record with a weird art collage of different sounds and
instruments. As for the bonus tracks, The Playwriter’s Drift is a 7 min jam
focusing on the sax and a uptempo rhythm. Roots Eater (take 1) is slightly
funky track that you can hear they were trying to work out some ideas. My guitar
is driving me Mad is 17mins of musical exploration not as interesting as I had
hoped. I love you Sugar Beef is a very short piece of violin solo take from a
jam. The bonus trackson the CD end with another longer version of Hard Rock
Ouverture.
The CD version includes 5
previously unreleased tracks from the recording sessions including the 17min
jam called My guitar is driving me Mad! The digital download code gets you and
additional 4 more tracks. Over 70mins of music!
