Golem Dance Cult – ‘Legend Of The Bleeding Heart’ (Self Release)

Golem Dance Cult – ‘Legend Of The Bleeding Heart’ (Self Release)

Following their EP ‘Grotesque Radio’ in 2021 Golem Dance Cult are back with their debut long player. Coursing through its experimental black heart of Gothic Electro post-punk n pop, this due of Laur, and Charles have pulled in the services of some like-minded fellow musicians to add depth and flavour to their already assorted box of tricks. Adding riffs and tricks to create a sprawling collection of diverse tunes of twisted Goth pop. From the opening twitches and samples of ‘Prologue: Kill The Radio Brat’ you hit the twisted distorted thump of the bass thing before being whisked off on a siren synth entitled ‘Dalek Rhetoric’. The journey takes you around a bleak dark Bauhaus/Daniel Ash like city that doesn’t sleep and everything you touch bursts into song or a pulsating rhythm – Dark, Noisy and twisted rhythms – I like it especially when it can be heard at volume several streets away.

The album moves in mysterious ways lurching from darkened corners of your mind with a tick here or a stray riff there. ‘Schadenfreude Addict’ is like Heaven 17 if they were a resurected Zombie surviving on a steady diet of Phil Oakey and MManson if he went pop and not metal.

‘Carpe Noctem’ has a rolling riff whilst ‘Ghost of Las Vegas’ is bleak and laid back whilst ’21st Century Dogs’ bubbled with mischief. The album is fairly space even with the synths and sampling its the big dark guitar chords or mermering basslines that make it dark and different sure there are influences like Joy Division and Numan which make it accessable but the pop meets dark Goth is where the gold lies not an easy feat marrying the various genres that can be abrasive but when it works its glorious and I find myself visiting this album and opening a door on any particular song to find something drawing me in be it strange creepy bird whistsles or broken guitar riffs over shuffling backbeats on ‘Dark Breakers’ or the fractured stomp of ‘Going Warpath’ its all good.

‘She/He My Kryptonite’ is like a MDMA enduced Cramps attack put through the mixer and spat out. They do hit pop paydirt on the darkend ‘Feels Like Tuesday (Deja Vu)’ and the Cello is spine tingling – most excellent. Topped off and drawn to a close with the charming ‘Demi-Monde’ with its dreamy melody its a great way to sign off a really impressive album of darkened tones that will impress anyone with a blackened heart and a twisted pop desire. Go check em out – after dark of course.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Skids – ‘Destination Dusseldorf’ (Last Night From Glasgow)

The Skids – ‘Destination Dusseldorf’ (Last Night From Glasgow)

Destination Dusseldorf is the brand new studio album from Scotland’s legendary Skids. The band note Europe as an ongoing inspiration for the new LP; “from the beauty of the Renaissance to the savagery of many wars, the highs and lows have been there as an ongoing and ever-evolving influence. This new album follows in the footsteps of ‘Days In Europa’ as a celebration of friendship and shared experiences.” Boy, what a celebration it is. The whole album is an absolute triumph from the opening chord to the final crescendo there is clearly a lot of love, respect, craft and quality bled into the grooves of Destination Dusseldorf’.

Right from the off and the opening few bars you get the confident vibe oft opener ‘Open Your Eyes’ it’s a confident opener that like a ray of morning sunshine screaming through the curtains from Jobson’s vocal its a stomping thumping slice of Rock n Roll. The rolling drum beat and dirty riff it’s exactly what you want to hear the Skids doing. It’s a wide open broad brush stroke in vivid technicolour. It thumps straight into ‘Tidal Wave’ from the gushing opening riff and gang vocals its seconds out round two. It’s sunshine Rock n Roll, chest-beating and I have a feeling the band know they’re onto something and the trademark Celtic chimes on the guitar are kept on the down low which is great in my book and helps brand Skids.

After a cracking opening salvo, ‘Don’t Stop’ turns up the heat further with Jobson howling out the lyrics like a man who knows he’s performing some of the finest work of his career as the outwardly looking vocalist delivers knockout song after knockout song.

The title track keeps the overall vibe of the record ticking over nicely with a laid back slice of post-punk new wave. The band collaborated with some impressive artists from Youth and Hugh Cornwall to fellow Scottish artist Martin Metcalfe – who were all happy to lend a hand on various tracks not because they were being paid but because of their respect and love for the music.

‘How To Be Free’ opens with a big power chord and smoulders as it meanders through the first verse to the big chorus its not an in-your-face anthem but it has one foot on the wedge and one fist raised in an anthemic way its a rockin album that deserves to be heard and the louder the better especially on tracks like this.

‘Destination Dusseldorf’ is a body of work that is confident and epic in equal measures and easily some of the band’s best songs to date. Throughout a pretty impressive career, they have made records with a certain amount of filler but this one has none of what you might call album cuts or filler tracks, it’s lean and fit and once you indulge yourself you’ll have to agree. I was expecting a solid record but was really pleased when it exceeded my expectations and then some. Buy this record it’s a summer sizzler.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Primevals – ‘The Dividing Line’ (Heavy Medication Records/Ghost Highway Records/Triple Wide Records)

The Primevals – ‘The Dividing Line’ (Heavy Medication Records/Ghost Highway Records/Triple Wide Records)

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Glasgow’s garage-rockers The Primevals, ‘so we’re excited to be releasing their 12th album “The Dividing Line” in conjunction with Ghost Highway Recordings (Spain) and the band’s own Triple Wide imprint.’The Dividing Line’ is the band’s twelfth album believe it or not. With their soulful traditionally bluesy garage rock style ‘The Drop’ oozes class sounding like a cool North of the Border Lords Of Altamont without the Leather jackets and long hair this is the work of a gritty Glasgow gang and it is a very decent opener.

The harmonica honking ‘Sonic Pathway’ with its organ stabs and smouldering feedback is a howling good time giving the fantastic Fuzztones a run for their farfisa money. I must admit this is my first foray into the bands material and most enjoyable it is too. God knows how I’ve never crossed paths with them before now but its better late than never right? Right! I do wonder how even as an avid underground hipster I’ve not heard them before seeing as the Garage Rock scene in the UK isn’t exactly huge.

The recording is crystal clear and gives the band the space to show us what they’ve got ‘Drifting Away’ has more than a melodic kissing cousin to ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ on the verses but I like the ragged glory of the riff and the keyboard swirl on the pre-chorus. I’m sure some of the bands I’ve already associated them with are influences and the excellent ‘Don’t Cry’ is an uptempo rocker with some cool guitar breaks and confident stomp, much the same mantra for most of the album to be fair. Of course, these guys know what they’re doing and they are more than capable of turning in some cool tunes throughout even when they kick back like ‘High Street’ its engaging and theres a warmth about the songwriting.

The ultra fuzzed ‘WTFHTU’ is a wheeze from that speaker bothering bass to the organ whirling layer its a top tune and I can imagine a lot of fun live. Things get dark on ‘Sucking On Nothing Sweet’ with its Doors like intro before heading uptown its got a driving tempo and a decent arrangement.

‘The Dividing Line’ shows there’s still plenty of Rock and Roll left in this old dog and be it uptempo ‘Grit And Grime’ or signing this album off with a couple o frockers mixed withtheir more soulful garage style The Primevals do Rock and Roll really well and although they’re not here to reinvent the wheel this bad boy rolls nicely. Check em out Brothers And Sisters you might just dig their sound and get onto the right side of the dividing line.

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Author: Dom Daley

Nigel Planer – Interview Exclusive

Nigel Planer – Interview Exclusive

People of a certain age know Nigel Planer as Neil from the iconic tv series The Young Ones, and Den Denis from Bad News. His list of roles in Comic Strip Presents is also impressive. As well as a host of film and TV roles way too many to list here. Check out this video exclusive interview with Kenny.

Kenny sat down and shot the breeze with Nigel Planer on the eve of his latest book launch ‘Jeremiah Bourne In Time’ Nigel played the famed Hammersmith Odeon and Donnington Monsters Of Rock, not something many people have done especially when it was the iconic festival pre Download. Neil, Neil orange peel is a character etched into the brains and memories of any kid of the 80s so without further delay – You can hit that link and head over to the youtube channel and sit down and enjoy Kennys chat with the one and only Nigel Planer. (Make sure you pour a large drink it’s a long one.)

Hit that link –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7gpyD-S65Y

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The Circus Hearts -‘A Stitch or Two…’ (Self-Released)

The Circus Hearts -‘A Stitch or Two…’ (Self-Released)

Classic rock n roll transcends time by distilling heart and passion into the soul that connects us with others in some collective unconscious pool of emotion, which can range from exuberance to the darkness of heartbreak. Whether we grew up listening to the likes of the Faces and the Rolling Stones or the Dogs D’amour and Quireboys or checking out this new mini album by the Circus Hearts, these are not just songs but the sonic blood that drives us. The Circus Hearts have sprinkled a couple of singles out over the past few years which are also included here on one of the finest albums you will hear this year.  

I have been lucky enough to spend about a month with these songs, which immediately grabbed me but have become even more contagious over repeated listens. Opening song ‘This Old Coat’ comes ringing in on the guitar and a sprinkling of piano which sets the stage perfectly with Joe Anzuena’s vocals on the verse immediately making a statement that this is going to be special. In the past, I have thought this musical approach isn’t doing anything revolutionary new, but I now lean a little bit more towards the other end as not nearly enough music is being made in this style anymore. ‘Family Tree’ roars out of the speaker with a hint of Exile/ Sticky Fingers era Stones. Like the opening track, this one packs another stellar hook in the chorus.

The album is self-produced and mixed perfectly. Sean Flynn’s guitar jumps out of the speakers while the rhythm section of Jojo Buerklin (drums) and Chris Herninko (bass) carries each song to new heights. Each song also employs the use of piano/ keys which also shine in the mix. Wrapping up the first half of the album is a splendid cover of the Faces’ ‘Had Me a Real Good Time.’ Covering such a song can end up going spectacularly bad, but there are no reasons for worry here. Anzuena’s vocals are magical throughout the song as he hits the notes perfectly and gives them a hint of grit when needed.

Flipping the wax over leads to another embarrassment of musical riches. ‘Baby Bye Bye’ should grab listeners who appreciate catchy guitar riffs, female backing vocals, and sax work. This style would have fit seamlessly on the Black Crowes’ ‘Shake Your Money Maker’ or the first couple Quireboys’ albums. At no point in this album is there any dip in quality. Follow-up song ‘Annie C’mon’ continues in a similar vain and contains some killer sax work by Bobby Michaels. I would be perfectly content to isolate the sax in the song and just listen to it because of how well it is done.

Closing song ‘Circus Hearts” has become my favorite amongst favorites here as it slows the tempo a bit with a nice piano intro. The slower tempo allows Anzuena’s vocals to shine again as we vicariously feel life on the road moving from town to town. Lyrically, the Circus Hearts establish their own identity as well with familiar subject matter avoiding the typical cliches. Much as the Faces cover closed side 1 as the longer epic, this final song goes past the 5-minute mark as it continues to build. This is not a power ballad though if that is what you are thinking. This is just a slower rock song that exudes emotion.

At the end of the album, the biggest disappointment is that there are only 6 songs here. It leaves you longing for more songs, so the only logical solution is to either flip the vinyl over to start again or let the digital files circle back around for another play. The Circus Hearts have channeled a magic elixir here and hopefully have more in store for us in the future. If you like any of the bands I have mentioned or needing a fix of rock n roll, I urge you to stop reading and go pick up the vinyl before it is too late and you have to settle for just a download of one of the best releases of 2023 whose timelessness will mean you are adding this to your favorite playlists moving forward.   

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Author: Gerald Stansbury

Motorhead – ‘Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007’ (BMG)

Motorhead – ‘Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 2007’ (BMG)

Motorhead at a jazz festival? Really? Yes, really! In all fairness, the Montreux Jazz Festival is renowned for its diversity and inclusiveness, everyone from Deep Purple to ZZ Top have graced the hallowed Auditorium Stravinski stage over the years. Motorhead always crossed genres throughout their illustrious career, from punk to metal and everything in between, Lemmy would pop up in the most random of places from milk commercials to movies. It feels like the most natural thing in the world knowing that Motorhead brought their uncompromising, ear bleeding show to a jazz festival!

This lovely live recording of that very show was recorded on the band’s ‘Kiss of Death’ tour and features the most dynamic line up of the band (in my opinion) with the Welsh wizard Phil Campbell on Guitar and Mikkey Dee on drums. The track listing is a career spanning one with all eras of Motorhead (up until that point) being showcased to deafening effect.

 Opening with Snaggletooth, and Lemmy’s famous mantra of ‘We are Motorhead, and we play rock n roll’ it’s easy to see why this line up of the band lasted the longest. They really are as tight as a duck’s backside, to me though, the age-old argument of ‘are Motorhead a heavy metal band?’ with Lemmy always insisting that they were a rock n roll band falls down with the undeniable fact that Mikkey Dee is 100% a metal drummer, and a bloody good one at that!

We get all the favourites of course, Stay Clean, Metropolis, Going to Brazil, Killed by Death, Iron Fist, Ace of Spades, and a ferocious performance of Overkill. For me though, the later material on this live album highlights some of the bands best. In the Name of Tragedy from the Inferno album is an absolute belter and sounds amazing here. We also get the brilliant neck destroying ‘Be My Baby’ from ‘Kiss of Death’ and it’s great to hear ‘I Got Mine’ from ‘Another Perfect Day’ sounding so fresh. We also get a decent cover of Thin Lizzy’s ‘Rosalie’ which works well with Lemmy’s vocal approach. ‘Sacrifice’ with its double bass drum barrage and crunchy riff has always been a favourite of mine and we get a trademark Mikkey Dee drum solo in the middle of the song.

The production is rock solid, the band really are on fire here, and the package is great as usual from the BMG camp. Available on double LP, double CD, and all digital platforms. Live at Montreux Jazz Festival 2007 will be a great addition to any Motorheadbangers collection. Jazz….nice..

Author: Kenny Kendrick

The Mansters – ‘The Lessons In giving Up’ (Loyal Blood Records)

The Mansters – ‘The Lessons In giving Up’ (Loyal Blood Records)

Influenced by the punk and hardcore Norwegians THE MANSTERS have released a demo, three EPs and a full-length album since their inception in 2006.

Now in 2023, seven long years following that self-titled debut album, the five-piece group from Tønsberg are back with a new full-length album titled “The Lessons In Giving Up”, and it’s out on Loyal Blood Records. 


Recorded by Ruben Willem at Caliban Studio Storsjøen, ‘The Lessons In Giving Up’ is a high-octane blood brother to Fellow Northern Europeans The Good The Band And The Zugly. The band manages very nicely to harness that raw aggression of punk with the pummelling fury of hardcore and some speed metal thrown in for good measure. It’s been a style for decades now and trying to perfect it is hard many have tried and failed with some of the finest exponents of this style currently being Clowns from Australia and TGTBATZ.

Eight songs are on offer here kicking off with the frantic ‘Welcome To Hell’ with its pounding tempo and uncompromising style its a blinding opener and I love the stabs before the solo enters the frey like a chinook helicopter blade slashing and slicing. But hold onto yur strides kids because ‘Panic Boy’ turns up the pace and is off like a freakin rocket.

The bass grunt on ‘Underdogs’ gives you time to take a sharp intake of breathe before we speed off again in a flurry of drums bass and guitar. It’s a short but oh so sweet records with some variety – its not all thrash til you die they’re not savages for Gods sake. ‘Walls’ is a slower beast but is prowling round your speakers like some pissed off grisley bear weating to pounce. The melody on ‘Walls’ is an earworm you welcome. ‘Give Up’ is a frantic melodic slice of punk and again I love that bass sound they’ve hit on as it punches its way to your attention- ‘Give Up’ is a beast.

The final three offerings follow a pettern – pound – pound and pound again as the listener submits and throws themselves around to some mighty fine punk rock hardcore crossover. If you’re looking for some blood pumping top notch harn n heavy punk rock then The Mansters are your band. Get on it and give them some love and tell em the RPM boys sent you. They’re waiting

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Jesus Chrüsler Supercar – ‘Rising EP’ (Majestic Mountain Records)

Jesus Chrüsler Supercar – ‘Rising EP’ (Majestic Mountain Records)

The Swedish Death ’n’ Roll machine known as JESUS CHRÜSLER SUPERCAR race at full throttle on this here EP

Led by the axe-swinging frontman Robban Bergeskans, the Stockholm rockers consisting of drum machine Nicke Forsberg and former Refused guitarist Pär Jaktholm continue to plough a dark and heavy furrow one that exudes power and a passion for hard rockin’ tunes. They have a mammoth groove on the opener ‘God Hates Us All’ no it’s not a Slayer cover (but if it was it would be awesome) Death’n’Roll slowly marches towards you with its unfeasibly heavy sound its more a pounding stomp than anything else as it reaches its guitar solo it’s blood curdling and bone crushing and heavy as hell.

Four years following the release of their critically aclaimed album “Lücifer”, the Swedes now return with a 4 track EP titled “Rising”.  Produced by Nico Elgstrand and Jesus Chrüsler Supercar, it sounds fucking massive.

The second track enters on some howling feedback before the gates of Hellare opened and out they ride on a groovy and powerful Death ’n’ Roll song ‘Suck In The Dust’ is chaotic and heavy as ten anvils bleeding Rock no make that ROCK! I’d imagine this live would really be something that could fell forests not trees as their gasoline soaked Motörhead and Discharge sound is a monster.

‘When you are dead’ is like the best slasher movie song never to make it onto celluloid. Grinding and grooving they nail it again. Leaving only ‘The Killer’ (of course they had a song called The Killer) to take this sucker home with the EP’s finest track saved til last. More uptempo it’s like a doom-laden Motochrist song with a great vocal shouting out the lyrics over the huge riff and a direction they should do more of. Now let’s have that devastating album to follow this bad boy up. Still The best name in Hard Rock bar none no go – Get some!

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Author: Dom Daley

The Hard-Ons – ‘Ripper 23’ (Golden Robot Records)

The Hard-Ons – ‘Ripper 23’ (Golden Robot Records)

Peter ‘Blackie’ Black, Ray Ahn, Murray Ruse and Tim Rogers, otherwise known as The Hard-Ons from out of that there Australia where every creature wants to kill you.

If you’ve never heard of them this is album #14, off the back of their most recent release, 2021’s ‘I’m Sorry Sir, That Riff’s Been Taken’ the Hard-Ons have been busy constructing this beast from all the parts of music they dwell in down there punk/rock/metal/thrash/pop its all there.

From the punky attack of the records first single ‘Apartment For Two’ to the big riffage of ‘In Falls Everything’, the record is packed to the gills with big hooks and a unrelenting power but its wrapped up in melody and a great production.

Renowned for their pop-infused punk meets metal to rock, that goofy oz tongue-in-cheek humour, The Hard-Ons are the original Australian punks that kicked down the door for the likes of Amyl, The Chats and others to walk through. Their influence should not be underestimated globally. 

‘Ripper 23′ is the band fucking with you and having the best of times doing it. Marking an ode to the actual Ripper compilation albums from the 70s (if you know, you know) in the UK we had the Top Of The Pops albums with a page three stunner on every record in various stages of undress be it across a greasy chopper or just coming out of the sea all wet and bothered (of Course) sexist? Um!?, everything old is cool and retro is in vogue, Hell it’s 2023 anything goes and The Hard-Ons know that.

‘Apartment For Two’ is punk as fuck and a riotous opener that Hard-Ons do as good as anyone else in the genre. Next up, ‘Three Separate Light Bulb Moments’ is a riot in audio from the frantic thrash but as you settle down for the full attack it’s done. ‘Going It Alone’ is a wonderful pop song like when Husker Du offer up stonking melodic indie rock or the Lemonheads cut loose on a Buffalo Tom tune. Hang on ‘Sheets Are A Shroud’ is rockin’ with the best of them. A crisp clean riff that sounds sharp as fuck which only paves the way for ‘Chopping Block’ as it gallops through the record like a stallion. Hang on ‘Grandiose’ is heavy as an anvil and about to explode at any second then the gang vocals join in. The record then changes tracks with a DC riff pounding its way as those who are about to rock do just that, its six-packs of beer and a foot on the monitor wedge – let Rock and Rock hard! Big, big balls!

‘Ripper 23′ always sounds like it has a good time through every song, be it hard rock or frantic punk. ‘Makes Me Sick’ cleanses you with some firework punk rock where the guitars sizzle and spit, while ‘Sling Shot’ gallops like a metal riff fest, with hushed vocals to counter the riff before a killer guitar solo that Brian May would be proud of cuts through a frantic flurry of drums.

And closing out this record, the upbeat ‘Letterbox’ is like a Blag Dahlia wet dream with folky harmonies fucking with you before kissing you goodbye with the bluesy throb of ‘Ordinary Things’ with its pianos, and melody it grows into some epic pop-rock blow out.

The Hard-Ons do whatever the Hard-Ons want to do and again they achieve the impossible cross overs with ease and make anything and everything possible. What and where they go next who knows, whatever it is it’ll be quality and you will love it. Get Ripper 23 you wont regret it at all. 

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Author: Dom Daley

Two For Tuesday

Two For Tuesday
JESSE MALIN  |  photo by Vivian Wang

A re-recorded version of the song ‘TKO’ from ‘The Fine Art Of Self Destruction’, the 2003 debut album by New York based singer songwriter Jesse Malin is available Here. It is the final one of three re-recordings that have not already been included as part of that record’s recent 20th Anniversary reissue. Reimagined and re-recorded with his longtime band, the song was produced by Derek Cruz and engineered by Geoff Sanoff, who also worked on Malin’s ‘Sunset Kids’ (2019) and ‘Sad And Beautiful World’ (2021) albums.

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Second out round two and this Tuesday its Random Hand who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, and to mark this they have announced a new self-titled album, due September 29th via Bomber Music and released this video ‘Lifejacket’. You can pre order the album Here