PIAS

This DVD, goes way back to when I was still running around in short pants, in other words, it’s from another century.  To be exact, this recording goes back to 1973.

Assisted by a score of big names in our music genre, like Michael Sweet (Stryper), Jeff Pilson (Dokken), Tony Martin (Black Sabbath) and a whole list of other artists, this is the first solo album by Veronica Freeman, frontwoman of heavy metalband Benedictum.

Jim Peterik,the driving force behind Survivor and The Ides Of March has in the past collaborated with a score of vocalist, who in the beginning were relatively unknown, but later became big stars.

To name but a few of them : Jimi Jamison, Toby Hitchcock  and Dave Bickler.

For this album he teamed up with Marc Scherer, who also lives in Chicago, and despite being a long time musician, was up to know unknown, his main occupation being a jeweler.

When I played this album for the first time, similarities between this band’s music and Sonata Arctica where something I immediately remarked.  And this should not sound as a wonder, since the brain between this was none other than Jani Liimatainen, one of the founding members of Sonata Arctica.

Four years after the release of their previous album ‘Iconoclast’, the Americans are finally back with a new album, their ninth studio album so far, and what’s more, still in the same line-up they had 20 years ago. Indeed the drummer Jason Rullo is finally back, after suffering heart failure in 2013.

The album was recorded in ‘the Dungeon’, Micheal Romeo’s own studio, who’s also the chief writer and guitarist of the band.

This band surely does not need any introduction anymore. It’s them who made the whole Black Metal scene more accessible to an ignorant audience, with both positive and negative aspects in consequence. My personal opinion – no, I won’t go deeper into this subject. Let’s say that, despite the catchiness and commercial aspects, this band created a handful of acceptable compositions in mean time, especially during the earlier years. Lots of pulp too, unfortunately, but – no, I promised myself to censure…

Jean Beauvois is probably best known for his work with Crown Of Thorns, but he also played in Voodoo X and even in the Plasmatics, a punkband that was fronted by Wendy O. Williams.  Besides that he has also some solo work, as well as playing, producing and writing for and with countless other artists.

Line up :

Olof Wikstrand – Vocals / Guitars

Jonas Wikstrand - Drums

Joseph Tholl - Guitars

Tobias Lindkvist - Bass

Hailing from Arvika, Sweden, Enforcer play a brand of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal with an injection of punk. Founded in 2004, Enforcer describe themselves as being devotees of “real metal”. They've since gathered four albums under their belt, with their new album 'From Beyond' continuing down the path created by 2013's 'Death By Fire'.

Right form the opening track, this album hits you like a sledgehammer if you ask me.  Not only is it bristling with energy, but it’s also melodious, catchy, anthemic, bombastic, progressive…you name it, and it’s probably got it.

My guess is, lots of visitors of this website weren’t even born when this band started out. After all, Uriah Heep have been around for over 4 decades, and should be named as one of the founding fathers of our beloved music genre, together with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. And after all these years, the Heep still continue bringing out new albums, and relentlessly touring the earth.