PIAS

Line up :

Ricky Warwick - Vocals

Scott Gorham - Guitars

Damon Johnson - Guitars

Robbie Crane - Bass

Jimmy DeGrasso – Drums

What is the result when you join Russel Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mobb) and Mat Sinner (Sinner, Primal Fear,…) ?  A highly explosive, volatile cocktail that brings us a fantastic metal album.  To complete the lineup, there’s Randy Black on drums, and Alex Beyrodt on guitar but also Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Voodoo Circle) on guitars, and finally Roland Grapow (ex Hellowe

What do you get when you combine the vocals of Michael Sweet of Christian hard rockers Stryper, and the guitar of George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob) ?  A fantastic sounding combination.  Add James Lomenzo (ex Megadeth, White Lion, Black Label Society) and finally Brian Tichy (ex Whitesnake) on drums.

Pat Travers is a Canadian born guitar virtuoso, who was rather famous some thirty odd years ago, having had success with his 1977 ‘Makin’ Magic’ album and also with his 1980 ‘Crash and Burn’ album.  So it’s no shame if you’ve never heard of him if you were born in the nineties or later, since he went out of the spotlights.

But the guy made a comeback in 2012, with a new band lineup, except for drummer Sandy Gennaro who returned behind the skins.

Already 4th album of the Norwegian rockers, for those who already  know the band you know what to expect, for the rest of you….

Zodiac’s first introduced themselves to me at 2014’s Hellfest,  the band just grabbed my attention to such an extent that I decided that I needed to find out more about them. First thing I found out that these guy’s are from Germany and not as I expected from one of the Southern states from the US of A. Secondly the band released 3 albums in the timespan of about 2 years… Thirdly  they  covered Cortez the killer from Neil Young without losing the essence and vibe of the original…  Back to Sonic Child know….

The Order of Israfel are yet another 2014 release with musical roots planted in the occult seventies early eighties with more than a mere hint towards the first gods of doom & gloom (also known as Black SABBATH.)  It would however not be correct to describe  THE ORDER OF ISRAFEL as just another clone of the mighty SABBATH, no sir.  The Order of Israfel does have in there line up enough experience from other bands in the doom metal genre to ensure that it’s not  all just copy and paste.

I have to admit that I have never been that crazy about Abysmal Dawn, but throughout the years the evolution wasn’t but in a positive direction. I made a review for all former albums (From Ashes, 2006 – actually it was the 2012’s re-release that I reviewed; posted within the second Relapse-special on July 23^rd 2012 / Programmed To Consume, 2008; apparently this review isn’t available anymore / Leveling The Plane Of Existence, 2011 – see update February 18^th 2011).

Long live Rock’n’Roll, and long live Harem Scarem. I was very sad when the split of the band was announced in 2008, and rejoiced when it was announced that the reunited band would be headlining the 20130 Firefest festival in Nottingham UK, and even more so when it was announced they were recording three new tracks for the re-issue of ‘Mood Swings (II)’, an album which I’ve only recently bought by the way.

I had not heard of this German act before, but I do not think I missed anything at all. Apparently they did release seven albums before… With Zombieland, this act around singer Alex Wohnhaas brings fifty minutes of extremely catchy (after ten seconds you can sing each song along) Industrial Metal / Electro Rock with some radio-play poppiness. Gloomy and groovy, then again more integer and emotional, with the mandatory ballads included… Only once in a while, Megaherz open less trendy registers, but it can’t save the damage…