Today is Evergrey mainman Tom Englund's birthday and the mood is celebratory. In truth, the band have a lot to be happy about as their most recent album 'Theories of Emptiness' continues to gather critical and public acclaim and with newly installed drummer Simen Sandnes having brought some Norwegian freshness to the outfit they're full of cocksure energy.
The Captain is, as ever, in a jovial frame of mind, “It’s a nice posh venue tonight! Better than the shithole around the corner!” he observes before adding, sneeringly “Last time there I went to the toilet and got a face full of flies!” Disregarding further discussion upon lavatorial comparisons with other venues in the city Sensible is absolutely spot on.
It’s night three of four for this run of shows at the Sanctuary Theatre in East Belfast, but thankfully it’s not as wild as last night – weather wise that is – Storm Darragh rocked through the province overnight and many of those present this evening have battled delays, cancellations, and the occasional roadblock to attend this special, intimate performance.
It's a cold, wet night in Bedfordshire but it's also a Friday and with South Coast blues rockers Brave Rival providing the soundtrack there's a party going on.
On December 8, 2024, Combichrist took the stage at Da Bar in Milwaukee for a unique performance that promised something special: an "old school set" that paid homage to the band's industrial dance roots.
Somewhat akin to Aerosmith’s rag doll metaphor Midland’s AOR/Prog rockers Magnum epitomise the transient nature of the music industry and those, all too often, fleeting glimpses of success. Criminally underrated throughout the majority of their career Magnum’s stock never truly realised the truest value it should have done.
For over three weeks Scandinavian prog-metallers Vola’s November-long European has snaked its way across the continent and tonight their wagons roll into Bristol.
Rock City, Nottingham, is no stranger to hosting musical heavyweights, and tonight it seemed ready to roar, as I approached this great venue, the queue was already snaking up Talbot rd.
Stabbing Westward delivered an electrifying performance at Chicago's Bottom Lounge on November 30, 2024, showcasing their signature industrial rock sound in a packed venue.
It’s been too long since MPM Tog Manny Manson and myself have headed to the iconic Rock City in Nottingham together, primarily due to work and family commitments.
Let’s be honest, if you’re writing reviews of live music, the chances are, you like live music. Otherwise what an absolute waste of your time? Why such a bold statement as an opener? Well, as one who likes live music, one simply can not be impartial and independent when…
Wolverhampton! Had once again prepared for a night of unstoppable rock 'n' roll energy as, tonight The Damn Truth are set to play KK’s Steel Mill once again, only this time they were headliners; and on their undercard, the sensational Ashley Sherlock Band were in support!
This is arguably the biggest metal gig on the Irish calendar for this year, its most definitely the biggest thrash gig of the year with all 3 bands being as legendary as they are, they bring out fan of all ages, the old school grey haired or no haired metal head mixing seamlessly with the young moshers.
There’s strong competition among the country’s metal fans tonight with Anthrax/Kreator/Testament dragging many off to Dublin. However the healthy attendance in the Limelight tonight doesn’t reflect that at all. It’s been five years since Baroness last rolled into town, then inadvertently headlining at the Ulster Hall, as Volbeat managed half a song before technical difficulties forced them to abandon stage.
It’s vile out there, a truly meteorologically ‘meh’ is being whipped right up as Storm Bert wreaks havoc sweeping across the UK. The second named storm of the season has brought a sudden cessation to the cold snap but brought with it some particularly unpleasant winds and, at times, monsoon-like rain.
When it comes to thrash metal, there are a few bands whose names are synonymous with the genre's legacy. Testament, Kreator, and Anthrax are three of the most iconic acts in thrash history, each having their unique mark on the genre's evolution while remaining at the forefront of heavy music for decades.