Tokyo Blade – ‘Fury’ (Cherry Red Records)

Tokyo Blade – ‘Fury’ (Cherry Red Records)

There were many bands that got tagged with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal label back in the early eighties. Some of those bands embraced it, Saxon, Iron Maiden, Angel Witch, Samson etc, and some hated being lumped in with it, Def Leppard being the most obvious example. Even bands like Budgie, Judas Priest and Motorhead who had been around long before the NWOBHM moniker was thought up by Sounds magazine, were getting pulled into the whole NWOBHM movement. Of course, Budgie and Priest were nothing to do with it, but it was easy to see why they got caught up in it. Budgie’s Power Supply album was by far their most heavy metal sounding album and was released in 1980. Priest had released their breakthrough album British Steel in 1980 as well. It can be argued that Motorhead were indeed a NWOBHM band though because their seminal albums Overkill and Bomber were released in 1979 just as the NWOBHM got started, and their most successful period started in 1980 with the ‘Ace of Spades‘ album. Anyway, I digress!

Tokyo Blade were forged in the fires of the NWOBHM and released their first self-titled album in 1983. By this time the wind in the sails of the NWOBHM had started to die down. The album is a full-blown classic in my eyes with songs like ‘Powergame’ and ‘Break the Chains‘, it’s just heavy metal personified. The band suffered with many line up changes but continued to release material until the late nineties.

The current line-up of Andy Boulton (Lead guitar), John Wiggins (Rhythm guitar), Alan Marsh (Vocals), Andy Wrighton (Bass) and Steve Piece (Drums) have been together since 2016 and recorded the albums ‘Unbroken’ (2018) and ‘Dark Revolution’ (2020). Their latest release ‘Fury’ was written and recorded in lockdown with Andy Boulton utilising his home studio to record the album.

The end result sounds great with a powerful mix. There is some fantastic traditional heavy metal on offer here with solid performances and some well-written songs. The opening track ‘Man in a Box’ highlights the vocal abilities of Alan Marsh and is polished with some guitar wizardry from Boulton. ‘Blood Red Night’ has an epic feel to it, ‘I am Unbroken’ is a full-on chugger with some tasty drumming from Piece holding the track together. The album flows well but my only real criticism is that is overly long with fifteen tracks.

The album has both a foot in the past and one very much in the present. A solid metal album that deserves to be listened to. There’s plenty on offer here for old and new fans alike. The cover art is fantastic too, let’s not forget that Tokyo Blade had utilised the Samurai on their artwork long before Iron Maiden’s Senjutsu! The album is released via Cherry Red Records in Jan 22.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Murder Van – ‘Crooked Smiles’ EP

Murder Van – ‘Crooked Smiles’ EP

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia Murder Van hit all the criteria that their hilarious bio leads us to expect. Old school thrash riffs, a hint of doom, raw production values and some tight ass drumming. The only thing that I don’t want from a thrash band is a death metal style vocal, when I think of thrash vocalists, I want to hear a clean vocal al la Joey Belladonna or Coburn Pharr. Saying that, Sepultura are one of my favourite thrash bands and they certainly incorporate the death metal growl. Maybe I’m just talking bollocks…Ha ha.

 That’s not say that there isn’t plenty to love about their latest release Crooked Smiles. The four track EP (I’ve never been a fan of EPs, either build up enough songs for a full-length LP, or just put out a single), the only EPs I’ve really connected with are the fantastic first release from Queensryche back in 83 and maybe the Alice In Chains acoustic EPs.

Opening track Clawing the Casket tells us exactly what Murder Van (Great name!) are all about, fast riffing, breakneck drumming and shouty vocals get your head banging from the off. I really do like the production here, it gives us that old school thrash feel, the drums actually sound like drums, I’m not a fan of the whole digital recording thing. This EP sounds like an analogue recording, I may be wrong on that though. The other stand out track is Factor X with it’s moody and almost pretty opening, this doesn’t last long though and we are soon back in full on metal mode.

Well performed and recorded, Crooked Smiles is an enjoyable jump into the mosh pit, I can smell the sweat and beer from here.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Anti – Mortem – ‘Anti Mortem’ (Romo Music Group)

Anti – Mortem – ‘Anti Mortem’ (Romo Music Group)

US rockers Anti – Mortem consist of members of Texas Hippie Coalition and Sign of Lies. This self-titled EP marks eight years since their last release of a bunch of singles. Here we have eight tracks full of spit and venom, and the sound is very much entrenched in the White Zombie, Corrosion of Conformity and Prong of the 90s. Crunchy riffs, screaming vocals and stabbing double bass drum flurries are very much the staple here. The bands logo doesn’t really sit with their sound though. I expected more of a Black Stone Cherry kind of vibe, but they are certainly not of that ilk.

The songs are short, tight, and straight to the point. With song titles like ‘STFU (Shut the Fuck Up)’, ‘Yeah Right’ and ‘Money’, Anti – Mortem attempt to address some of modern society’s issues and the lyrics are on point with their current themes.

An enjoyable listen with some interesting dynamics, the production values are great, the EP sounds relevant and old school at the same time. Check em out!

Author: Kenny Kendrick

Motorhead – ‘Everything Louder Forever’ (BMG)

Motorhead – ‘Everything Louder Forever’ (BMG)

What comes to mind for you when you think of Motorhead? For me the name conjures up all sorts of images and sounds. Greasy, loud, metal, punk, rock n roll, warpig, ugly, Rickenbacker bass guitars, plane shaped lighting rigs, Jack Daniels, warts, the Young Ones, huge double bass drum kits, bullet belts, Strongbow and absolute coolness defined. The worldwide cultural importance of Motorhead as a brand is probably stronger than ever with celebrities being papped wearing Motorhead shirts, and every metal band of any stature stating Motorhead as a huge influence. Metallica’s Lars Ulrich was the head of Motorhead’s fan club back in the 80s. I can guarantee that if you go to any metal gig you will see the immortal image of the warpig (or snaggletooth as it’s also known), on a shirt, battle vest or inked on a body.

Motorhead are one of my favourite bands ever, (I even have a Motorhead tattoo). The band have been a mainstay throughout my life, they first battered my senses as a thirteen-year-old flicking through my mate’s older brothers record collection and finding Ace of Spades. After spinning that particular black circle, I was hooked and did my best to digest as much of their music as possible. My go to album at that time was a compilation – No Remorse, which contains one of my all time favourite Motorhead songs Killed by Death, a fuckin’ barnstormer that stills sounds amazing today.

Bringing us right up to date and we have been given another Motorhead compilation album – Everything Louder Forever. As we all know there have been countless Motorhead compilations thrown out there over the years, the quality ranging from poor to pretty good. I have to say that Everything Louder Forever is the most comprehensive to date covering every incarnation of the band. They are all here in their deafening glory, of course you get the standards – Ace of Spades, Overkill, Bomber, Orgasmatron, The Chase is Better than the Catch, Iron Fist, Killed by Death.

 You also get bangers like Burner, I am the Sword, Brotherhood of Man, Overnight Sensation, We Are Motorhead, and the heart felt 1916, Lemmy’s lyrics were always a highlight for me and always felt he was underrated as a lyricist. Their throwaway cover of the Sex Pistols God Save the Queen didn’t need to be here, and there are a few tracks that really should have been included such as – Metropolis, We Are the Road Crew and Damage Case, but I guess there’s always going to be tracks missing that people love when you have a back catalogue as extensive as Motorhead’s.

That being said, this is a fantastic compilation and a great place to start if you’ve never been exposed to the wondrous world of the Motorheadbanger. 42 tracks spread over a Deluxe 4LP foldout edition plus 2LP and 2CD formats.

They were Motorhead and they played Rock N Roll!! Thanks for the music guys.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Armored Saint – ‘Symbol of Salvation Live’ (Metal Blade records)

Armored Saint – ‘Symbol of Salvation Live’ (Metal Blade records)

Formed in 1982, LA metallers Armored Saint have been well respected and revered by fans and peers alike throughout their colourful and sometimes tragic career. Vocalist John Bush was given the opportunity to sing for Metallica after the release of their debut Kill ‘Em All as James Hetfield wasn’t confident enough as a singer and wanted to concentrate on guitar duties. We all know how that story ended, but I’ve often wondered how that collaboration would have sounded. Bush left Armored Saint in the 90s to join Anthrax after Joey Belladonna exited and that was effectively the end of Armored Saint until they reformed in 1999.

Their fourth album ‘Symbol of Salvation’ was released in 1991, this was the first album featuring guitarist Jeff Duncan after original member Dave Prichard died from leukemia before the recording of the album. Prichard had demoed a lot of the material that would end up on SOS and one of his guitar solos was used on the track Tainted Past.  The album would go on to be well received and remains a fan favourite.

To celebrate the thirtieth birthday of ‘Symbol of Salvation’ we have been given a fantastic live recording and DVD of the album played in its entirety. Recorded in 2018 at New York’s Gramercy theatre, it captures the band in full flight. Bush sounds incredible (as always) and the band consisting of bassist Joey Vera, guitar duo Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan and Gonzo Sandoval on drums put in a fantastic performance. The album benefits from a punchy and clear mix and the album is available in various eye-catching formats. You can choose from a 2 CD/DVD digipak autographed by the band or a gatefold double vinyl ‘splatter’ LP. The vinyl version features demos from the 1989 writing of the album by Dave Prichard.

This is a great live album that really showcases one of metals most underrated bands that really should have crept up the ladder of success further than they did. Bassist Joey Vera sums up the album as follows – “All we’ve ever wanted was to make our own music, to take joy and take pride in doing it. The fact that we also have very loyal fans who continue to support what we do is the best icing on this cake. I try to look at our records as objectively as possible, and when I can do that, I’m very proud that this record is a huge part of the band’s legacy, and I am extremely humbled that I’m a part of that.”

 

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

 

Iron Maiden – ‘Senjutsu’ (PLG UK Frontline)

Iron Maiden – ‘Senjutsu’ (PLG UK Frontline)

Iron Maiden are one of THOSE bands that need no introduction. I was a huge Maiden fan as a teenager but anything after 92’s Fear of the Dark album has left me mostly cold. I never listened to the Blaze Bayley era albums and only got interested again when the band got the classic line up back.  Don’t get me wrong, there have been some great moments after the 1999 reunion with vocalist Bruce Dickinson and guitarist Adrian Smith, such as the underrated A Matter of Life and Death album. I freely admit to having great admiration for the band for constantly releasing new material while keeping the fans of the glory days happy in a live setting by celebrating their most iconic moments on stage. On to the matter at hand; Senjutsu is Maiden’s seventeenth studio album and has again been produced by long term knob twiddler Kevin Shirley and co-produced by bassist and Maiden head honcho Steve Harris.

Maiden are a bit like many of the classic rock/metal bands still around and releasing new material, you kinda know what you’re gonna get. Epic overly long songs? Check. Riffs with a Celtic feel? Check. Widdly guitar solos? Check. Their formula works well though and there are a few surprising moments on this latest opus. Lead single ‘The Writing on the Wall’ is a marked departure from their usual style and it’s the stand out track for that very reason. I have to say that I’m not a fan of Shirley’s production on any of the Maiden albums he’s worked on. The mix is always muddy and dull and doesn’t reflect the bands power as a live act. On this latest effort however, Harris’s bass thunders through the speakers and Nicko McBrain’s drums are more prominent than usual which makes for a more interesting listen.

I think the main reason why I have struggled to connect with the most recent Maiden material is Bruce Dickinson’s voice. I fully understand that after having throat cancer his voice would never be the same, now it just grates on me and I really struggle to listen to it. The musicianship of the rest of the band is still great and even though I’ve never been a fan of Janick Gers, he plays a blinder on ‘Senjutsu’.  There are no real barnstorming tracks on offer here, most of the songs plod along at a mid-paced tempo and take a few listens to get under your skin.

The album opens with the title track and it has an almost hypnotic feel with McBrain’s tribal drumming and its chugging riff. Other stand-out moments include Stratego which is the most energetic song on the album with its familiar galloping feel. ‘Lost in a Lost World’ is another slow burner and the epic ‘The Parchment’ which clocks in at 12:39 and goes off in a variety of directions. It has to be said, for a band who are all in their sixties to be releasing any new material at all is a feat in itself. This isn’t the Iron Maiden of old by any stretch of the imagination and it takes time and effort to appreciate what’s being done here. Harris has always been open about his prog influences and that becomes more apparent with every new Maiden album. The songwriting credits are mostly penned by Harris with Smith/Dickinson, Harris/Gers and Smith/Harris splitting the rest.

One more thing to mention is the artwork by Mark Wilkinson which is spectacular. The samurai sword wielding Eddie really is fantastic. Yet again Maiden come up trumps with the packaging of the album. It’s available in the following formats – Standard 2CD digipak, deluxe 2CD book, deluxe heavyweight 180G triple black vinyl, special edition triple silver & black marble vinyl, special edition triple red & black marble vinyl and a super deluxe boxset featuring CD, Blu-Ray and exclusive memorabilia!

If you’re a Maiden fan you’ll probably enjoy the album for what it is. It’s an Iron Maiden album that will no doubt please the hordes of Maiden fans all over the world, for me it’s a reasonably enjoyable listen with some great stand out moments with ‘The Writing on the Wall’ being the unexpected highlight. Put it on, make yourself a cuppa, grab a couple of rounds of toast and take it all in. Up the irons!

 

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (40th Anniversary Edition)’ (Sanctuary Records/BMG)

Motörhead – ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith (40th Anniversary Edition)’ (Sanctuary Records/BMG)

You never forget your first encounter with Motorhead. I vividly remember mine; I was around 12 years old and I had been regularly raiding my mate’s older brother’s vinyl collection. I had already been turned into a metalhead after blasting his copy of UFO’s classic live album ‘Strangers in the Night’ over and over and had my Dio virginity taken by Rainbow’s ‘Rising’ and his pristine copy of ‘Holy Diver’. I was flicking through to see what else would grab my attention when I came across his copy of ‘Ace of Spades’. I assumed they must be some sort of mad Mexican bandits judging by the cover with Lemmy and the boys resplendent with bullet belts, guns, and cowboy hats in the hot desert. (I was gutted when I found out years later that the photo was taken in High Barnet, London). Anyway, I feverishly took the LP out of its sleeve and put it on my mother’s crap hi-fi system. The opening bars of the title track was enough to have the speakers flapping, the neighbours complaining and this teenage scribe’s metal morphosis was complete.

 

This time in Motorhead’s history was to prove to be their most successful, ‘Ace of Spades’ reached number four on the UK album chart, and the ensuing ‘Ace Up Your Sleeve’ tour was their most lucrative to date, taking Bronze label-mates Girlschool out with them as support. This tour was documented in the loudest possible way with the release in 1981 of one of the best live albums ever recorded: ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’. Confusingly, the album wasn’t recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon as many people think but was made up from material recorded at the Newcastle City Hall and the Leeds Queen’s Hall in 1981. The album’s title came from a mural painted on one of the band’s tour trucks. It was the band’s only number one in the UK and showcased a band at the peak of their deafening powers. The line-up of Lemmy, ‘Fast’ Eddie Clarke, and Phil ‘Philthy Animal’ Taylor is the most revered for good reason, the chemistry on stage is palpable and every track is performed as if their lives depended on it. It literally rips out of the speakers. I loved it as a spotty teenager, and I love it even more now.

 

 

This 40th-anniversary release of ‘No Sleep’ is hot on the heels of last year’s fantastic ‘Ace of Spades’ anniversary release. There’s so much here for Motorheadbangers to get their teeth into with the deluxe editions. You can choose from a remastered double CD or triple LP set, both come with bonus tracks, soundcheck recordings, and the previously unreleased Newcastle City Hall concert in its entirety. You also get hard books with the story of the album and brand-new photos, posters, a tour pass, and loads of other goodies.

 

 

There’s also the option of a four-CD box set with all three concerts that make up ‘No Sleep’ here in all their eardrum demolishing glory. Seventy-one tracks in total! The new remaster sounds incredible and you get all the thunderous bass runs, amphetamine-induced double kick drum mania, and full-throttle guitar riffs in crystal clear sound. The soundcheck recordings are a delight to behold, make sure you check them out!

40 years is a long time, give this reissue all the attention it deserves, turn it up as loud as you possibly can (fuck the neighbours), pour yourself a JD and Coke, and plunge yourself (Motor) headfirst into the audible delight that is ‘No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith’. It’s what Lemmy and the boys would have wanted. We all miss you. RIP.

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Flotsam & Jetsam – ‘Blood in the Water’ (AFM Records)

Flotsam & Jetsam – ‘Blood in the Water’ (AFM Records)

Phoenix thrash legends Flotsam & Jetsam return with their fourteenth studio album Blood in the Water, and what a barnstormer it is. The band has been around a long time, they were initially formed back in 1981 under different guises before settling on the Flotsam & Jetsam moniker in 1984. There have been many line-up changes in the band over the years, the one that most metal fans will be aware of is former bassist Jason Newsted leaving to replace Cliff Burton in Metallica. F & J enjoyed moderate success in the mid to late 80s with albums such as the classics, Doomsday for the Deceiver (the only album ever to get a 6K review in Kerrang!) and No Place for Disgrace, and they went on to build up a strong following as a live act. The band never really transcended any higher unfortunately but continued to record and tour.

 

This latest record continues hot on the heels of their 2019 release The End of Chaos the line-up is largely unchanged apart from new bass player Bill Bodily. The sound of the band has evolved into a more prog metal sound over the years, that said, there are some moments of sheer thrash brilliance on this album. The first single and video to be released from the album Burn the Sky features some blistering riffs and astounding drumming from legendary drummer Ken K Mary (one of my all-time favourite drummers). Vocalist AK Knutson still hits those high notes with ease and the guitar duo of Steve Conley and Michael Gilbert shred insanely.

 

More highlights include the frenetic Brace for Impact, Too Many Lives with its Painkiller era Judas Priest feel, and the superb Grey Dragon with more insane musicianship and full-on metal lyrics about a ‘metal creature flying through the air’. You really can feel that the band has channeled all their anger, frustration, and unspent energy from the last twelve months or so that has rendered most musicians helpless and unable to do the thing they love most.

 

A fantastic album that shows that aggressive metal written and played well is very much alive and thrashing!

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

Sweet Oblivion Featuring Geoff Tate – ‘Relentless’ (Frontiers)

Sweet Oblivion Featuring Geoff Tate – ‘Relentless’ (Frontiers)

Sweet Oblivion is a project that was put together by Frontiers Music guru Serafino Perugino around two years ago to give veteran metal vocalist Geoff Tate another musical outlet. The self-titled debut album was written, performed (apart from vocals) and produced by DGM guitarist Simone Mularoni and was well received in metal circles. This time around another Italian metal legend Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, Archon Angel) has taken the reigns. Tate has been much more involved with the song writing on this latest effort and there is plenty here that fans of classic Queensryche (and classic metal in general) can sink their teeth into.

The idea is simple but effective, give Tate a vessel that echoes his early work with Queensryche. Let’s be honest here, anyone who is going to listen to this is a fan of the Ryche and they want to hear Tate in a familiar setting. Tate has one of those “Marmite” voices (I happen to love his voice) but I know plenty of people that aren’t fans.

His legacy is a strong one though, Queensryche were a multi-platinum selling band at their peak and they have influenced many with their “Thinking Man’s Metal”.  This project isn’t all about nostalgia though, there are some other musical influences at play here. There are elements of classical music as well as crunching riffs and European power metal. Tate sounds fantastic throughout the album and seems to have a new vigour to his voice. This is easily up there with his best vocal performances since the Empire album back in 1990.

The album has a similar direction to the debut and the change of producer/song writer doesn’t seem to hinder the material at all. Tracks like the single Strong Pressure, Remember Me, Let It Be and the fantastic Aria with Tate singing in Italian all hit the target. They are well crafted and performed, and the band who include Lonobile on guitar, Michele Sanna on drums, Luigi Andreone on bass and Antonio Agate on keyboards can quite easily be overlooked due to the emphasis being on Tate. Of course, without Tate there would probably be no Sweet Oblivion, even so, the band should get some well-deserved kudos.

Strong songs, great production and fantastic artwork makes the package a desirable one. Tate is back on top form, and the Sweet Oblivion name may even see the day when they won’t need the Featuring Geoff Tate tag.

Buy Sweet OBlivion Here

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Author: Kenny Kendrick

 

 

 

 

Suzi Quatro – ‘The Devil in Me’ (Steamhammer Records)

Suzi Quatro – ‘The Devil in Me’ (Steamhammer Records)

I stumbled across the documentary ‘Suzi Q’ on TV back last year and I was amazed how much I didn’t know about the legendary Queen of rock, Suzi Quatro. Of course, I knew the classic songs from the 70s, ‘Devil Gate Drive’, ‘Can the Can’ and ‘48 Crash’, who doesn’t? The image of Quatro in a leather cat suit with a Fender bass that’s bigger than her slung low, is an image that’s ingrained into my mind (as well as many young, and not so young males). I also knew about the rasping voice and that scream that’s instantly recognisable. What I didn’t realise was how revered she is in the music world, with peers such as Debbie Harry, Joan Jett and Alice Cooper clambering over each other to sing her praises. As the Runaways Cherie Currie says, “If people have overlooked her, that’s their fault.”

She has inspired generations of her own gender to pick up an instrument as well as being completely aware of her sexuality and she has used that to her advantage in the best possible way over the years. It’s testament to her talent and determination that she’s still releasing material today and her latest effort ‘The Devil in Me’ hints back to her roots in Detroit, you can hear everything that makes the motor city such a great music town, from the Stooges, the MC5, the blues legend John Lee Hooker as well as the monstrous pop factory Tamla Motown in the twelve tracks that make up the album. While this isn’t as good as Alice Cooper’s own recently released homage to the motor city, ‘Detroit Stories’, there are some fine moments to be heard here.

This is Quatro’s seventeenth studio record and it’s been written and produced by Suzi and her son Richard Tuckey. There are nods to the glory days of the 70s with the title track, starting with some blaring feedback and a crunchy riff and plenty of those trademark screams, it’s a great opener with some fantastic honky tonk piano and harmonicas pushing the song along nicely.  ‘Hey Queenie’ utilises my favourite drum, the cowbell to great effect with a funky feel and a fist pumping chorus to boot.

‘Betty Who?’ Grooves along nicely with more tasteful guitar licks and some soul style backing vocals. Another catchy chorus here with some great bass playing by Quatro. It’s not all great though, ‘You Can’t Dream It’ is a bit throw away with a lacklustre performance and Christmas song ‘My Heart and Soul’ won’t be popping up on one of those NOW That’s the Best Christmas Album in the World….Ever compilations any time soon. Things pick up again for Get Outta Jail with its chain gang vocals adding character to the song. ‘Do Ya Dance’ is another mid paced funky number with loads going on. Things quickly go downhill again; however, ‘Isolation Blues’ is very predictable and not really what we want to hear from Quatro.

‘I Sold My Soul Today’ is an up-tempo rocker that would sound great in a car chase scene in a Hollywood blockbuster, Love’s Gone Bad is another throw away track that doesn’t really go anywhere. ‘In the Dark’ is a sultry number with some nice saxophone playing (I love a sax solo). The album closes with some good old greasy rock ‘n’ roll with ‘Motor City Riders’, this is where Quatro sounds most comfortable, and the best tracks on the album all have this kind of feel. This is more like it!  She can certainly kick out the jams with the best of them. Her chapter in rock ‘n’ roll is a very important one, and we all need to remember how tough it must have been for Suzi to carve out a career for herself back in the 70s. All hail Suzi Q!

 

Buy ‘The Devil In Me’ Here

Author: Kenny Kendrick