Midnight – ‘Let There Be Witchery’ (Metal Blade Records)

Midnight – ‘Let There Be Witchery’ (Metal Blade Records)

“Unfiltered, savage and animalistic.” That’s how Midnight main-man Athenar describes his second long player for Metal Blade Records (his fifth studio record overall), and I for one, think he’s hit the (nine inch) nail bang on the head with that description, because ‘Let There Be Witchery’ is indeed, a total beast of a record.

From the blistering opener ‘Telepathic Nightmare’ (which sounds like Discharge jamming with Hellhammer) through to closer (and perhaps one of the album’s most “commercial?” tracks) ‘Szex Witchery’, what you get is a set of songs that are, without question, Midnight’s strongest to date. You can forget the comments I made when reviewing their last album – ‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ – for RPM that Midnight might be about to do a Ghost and break through to the mainstream, because the ten tracks contained here are a massive middle finger to anything even remotely resembling compromise.

Working once again with producer Noah Buchanan (who had worked on ‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’) is perhaps Athenar’s master stroke this time around, largely because when saying he wanted his new record to “sound like a cross between ‘Raw Power’ and ‘Apocalyptic Raids’,” the pushback he got from the man behind the desk was “those records already exist, let’s make it sound like Midnight.” This advice proving to be very wise indeed as tracks like ‘Nocturnal Molestation’ and ‘Snake Obsession’ simply ooze Midnight malevolence. Likewise, ‘Villainy Wretched Villainy and (the superb) ‘In Sinful Secrecy’ plough a now familiar Midnight groove in the same way Motorhead did through much of their back catalogue. Well, if it ain’t broke, eh? 

Elsewhere, ‘Let There Be Sodomy’, ‘More Torment’, ‘Nocturnal Molestation’, ‘Frothing Foulness’ and (the hypnotic) ‘Devil Virgin’ all sound like they have been taken straight from a Black Metal giallo movie soundtrack, albeit one that’s playing out in Athenar’s (hooded) head. There really is no let up as the (one man) band who pride themselves on producing music to start fights to turn in one metal suckerpunch after another, making the experience of listening to ‘Let There Be Witchery’ not unlike being constantly coshed around the side of the head with an aural battering ram.

“I always want it to be loud and nasty,” admits Athenar. “That kinda thing never gets old with me. How funny will that look to see me at age 77 – if I reach that point – sitting on the porch blasting Hellhammer?” Well, with ‘Let There Be Witchery’ it’s a job very well done indeed, as this 55 year old is listening to this and feeling like I’ve just discovered Venom all over again back in my early teens.

There are not many bands out there right now as brutally honest as Midnight, and ‘Let There Be Witchery’ really is the boot in the bollocks the metal world needs in 2022.

11 out of 10. Absolutely essential!!!!!!

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Author: Johnny ‘Satans Little Helper’ Hayward

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Bad Actors – ‘Black Static’ (Sioux Records)

Bad Actors – ‘Black Static’ (Sioux Records)

Bad Actors released their album on Sioux Records who have previously released the excellent albums last year from Richard Bacchus and The Yowl who both made my best of albums for 2021. Bad Actors was supposed to come out a while back and what with covid etc the can got kicked down the line and delays with one thing or another means it’s only now getting a vinyl release but it’s limited so don’t snooze.

So what do they sound like? well, it’s a Rock and Roll record in the time-honored traditions of The Heartbreakers and Joneses but the vocals have much in common with The Humpers.

Hell, it’s a loud sloppy old-school punk Rock n Roll record. It’s buzzing with energy from the first note of ‘Steal Your Heart’ to the final refrain of ‘Cold Mercy’. Ten tracks of really good noise.  When you hear influences like The Candy Snatchers and Humpers then you know it’s got to walk the walk as well as talk the talk.

‘Eyes On Top’ is a scuzzy slow rumbling rocker with low-fi vocals delivered with a bit of menace that meanders to the chorus where you get hushed piano tinkling the time-honored stooges one finger fuck you honky tonk whilst the guitars just kick out the jams like the Nomads. There’s tub-thumping into a Heartbreakers slog on ‘Anthem’ of course it’s called Anthem why wouldn’t it be? Imagine you’re in a beer stained club, it’s late you’ve had one beer too many and someone hands you a large glass of Jager shots and then the dry ice hits you and the speakers crank out some ear-shattering bad boy boogie and ‘Backfire’ creeps out of the speakers and you can’t help but get involved well ‘Black Static’ does that and some.

‘Pale Rider Dark Horse’ sounds live in the studio with a cool lick on the intro before the whole band kicks up a shitstorm much like Chelsea Smiles. These cats can Roll with their Rock and its powerful stuff. It’s got attitude aplenty and they have a fantastic sleazy sound its like a muscle car with plenty of grunt and a middle digit in your face but once you familiarise yourself with it then you will be the best of friends.

Man there’s even time to wind up some psychedelic riff-a-rama on ‘Who Knows Why’ but once it gets going it’s top drawer stuff. ‘Off My Head’ is sleazy power pop at its finest mashing up old school 50-60s pop with Punk attitude and rounded off with handclaps and boogie piano. What’s not to like? Man as we head into the final fling of this record we get some Detroit-like riffs on ‘Sister Slowdown’ that will rival anything out of Sweden – honestly. The pace is taken down for the final fling as ‘Cold Mercy’ is sinister menacing Rock n Roll.

So when I say these are limited to 300 pieces on white vinyl don’t waste time – if the postage from further afield than the USA is your problem I suggest you check out their other releases and pick them up and discover a new label that supplies the most excellent punk rock and roll records.

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Author: Dom Daley

The Drin – ‘Engines Sing for the Pale Moon’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

The Drin – ‘Engines Sing for the Pale Moon’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Imagine Joy Division forming and releasing a record in 2022 with the primitive Bauhaus bass thump and cymbal snap on the hypnotic ‘Guillotine Blade’ Vocals like a tape recorder memo to self part spoken part sung in hushed tones whilst industry hammers away on some Dub tip. It’s dark, unnerving, cold and painting a hundred portraits in my mind ‘Down Her Cheek A Pearly Tear’ is like a primitive Bunnymen explosion mixing up some post-punk from the clashing acoustic chords to the drum rolls all building to the chaotic end – great stuff indeed.

‘Sense Of Occasion’ is like cold concrete written in Black & White playing out in a laid-back Dub echoing chamber never breaking out of the almost horizontal rhythm it sounds huge when turned up as the dry bass line rattles of the painted walls.

originally released as a limited cassette via Future Shock I’m glad Drunken Sailor pressed it on vinyl and it came across my horizon otherwise I’d never have had the pleasure. It’s dark and cold and intimidating and uneasy at times but in a way, all of that makes for a warm comforting record as well which is a strange juxtaposition and one that could really fuck with you but ultimately the song will win you over. ‘Fate In Disguise’ is as bleak as anything Joy Division ever recorded.

‘For The Tsarina’ had it been released forty years ago would have seen these guys compete with McCulloch and the likes of the Teardrop Explodes for column inches in melody maker and sounds and had Ian Brown sang on the closing track ‘The Creek At Sundown’ people would be raving about it. Nine tracks of modern, retro post-punk

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Author: Dom Daley

Pack Rat – ‘Glad To Be Forgotten’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Pack Rat – ‘Glad To Be Forgotten’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

The driving keyboard is what will get you in the end. Insanely catchy as the songs drive on mowing down everything in its wake. It’s like hypnosis through punk rock. ‘A Casual Death’ is anything but. Christ pre-pandemic (remember that?) there was a band out of Vancouver called The Corner Boys and they released one fantastic album then split. Another great record was Chain Whips well since Covid drummer/songwriter Patrick McEachnie has stayed as active as possible using his time to great effect by picking up a guitar and playing. Basically, he made an excellent record all on his own, and if you were paying any attention to his other releases you will know. Those who do just simply know what to expect, sure, of course, this is fucking right up there flat out excellent.

‘Coming After You’ is rapid and right to the point. Making a racket and finger-wagging and full of menace. The title track is a tub-thumping cross between some bedroom homage to the UK Subs and Tubeway Army it’s the synth that’s humming away throughout as the guitars sound like a twenty-year-old Tascam four-track at best only adds to the intensity and manic feel.

‘Two Sides Of Your Heart’ is akin to Chubby And The Gang in some ways – just thrashing away around a hypnotic melody and a blitzkrieg keyboard solo that is a face melter. The record isn’t hanging around either bopping til it drops with songs around the one and a half to two minutes long. Kick-off turn in an awesome melody – kick the listener in the tits then fuck off. Jobs a good un- Next!

When the tempo is turned down a shade (‘I’m No Sustitute’) it’s a killer with a twisted melody and that fuzzed-up synth. It’s not new at all, it’s not big or clever and it’s nothing to write home about if you’re after a polished modern production. Its infectious, banger after banger – twisted melodies layered upon thrashing guitars and monotonous melodies playing with your head. You know you like it but you haven’t the foggiest why? Is it the ripping pace? The Melodies? the mindless pogotastic beat? is it the Ramones love in of ‘Lost Cause’ and ‘Stay Away From Me’ reminding you what it was like to fall in love with punk rock? Of course, it’s all of it. A top tune is a top tune no matter what style it’s done in.

Hell, that was a blast! Ten songs in twenty-something minutes – perfect punk rock for the masses. Now how do we get to the masses? People need a face full of this DIY bad boy as soon as possible. Quality record – just buy it!

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Author: Dom Daley

Killing Joke – ‘Lord Of Chaos’ EP and live dates

Killing Joke – ‘Lord Of Chaos’ EP and live dates

AS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK HITS 100 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT, THE ORIGINAL KJ LINE-UP ANNOUNCES THE:

‘LORD OF CHAOS’ EP

FIRST NEW MATERIAL IN 7 YEARS

KILLING JOKE confirms that all hope is probably lost (or at least missing) with their first new studio material in over seven years…

Enter the ‘LORD of CHAOS’ EP – two brand new recordings, plus two re-workings of songs from the confrontational UK band’s last studio album, ‘Pylon’ (2015).

“I’ve never known anything like the time we are living in now; not since the Cuban Missile crisis but now in comparison we have multiple flashpoints. Lord of Chaos is about complex systems failure when technology overloads and A.I. misreads the enemies intentions.” – Dr Jaz Coleman. 

To support and celebrate the arrival of new music, Killing Joke are set to undertake their first UK run in over three years, 2022’s Honour The Fire tour.

This11 date tour will start with a just-announced intimate warm-up show at the Frog & Fiddle in Cheltenham on Sunday, March 27th; it will conclude in London at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on Saturday, April 9th which is being filmed.

Killing Joke is very much music as ritual – raw, uncompromising and precisely-targeted lyrically; and Dr Jaz Coleman, Geordie, Youth, and Big Paul, founding fathers of the group and an ongoing influence on both alternative music and (counter) culture in general, show absolutely no signs of mellowing. 

With collective nostrils flared and righteous anger carried torch-high, The Fourcontinue to take their music of resistance to fresh levels.

Consider yourself warned.

* * * * 

The full list of ‘Honour The Fire’ UK 2022 shows.

The Imbeciles are supporting on all dates (except Cheltenham) and Brix Smith is the special guest in London.

March 2022

27th    Sun         Cheltenham     Frog & Fiddle 

28th       Mon        Cardiff        Tramshed

29th        Tue        Nottingham    Rock City

31st    Thu        Bristol        O2 Academy 

April 2022

1st    Fri        Liverpool    O2 Academy

2nd     Sat        Birmingham    O2 Institute 

4thMon        Manchester    Albert Hall

5thTue        Newcastle    Boiler Shop

6thWed        Glasgow    Barrowland

8thFri        Leeds        O2 Academy 

9th      Sat        London    Eventim Apollo Hammersmith 

Tickets available from www.myticket.co.uk.

* * * * 

The ‘Lord of Chaos’ EP will be available on CD, digital and three vinyl formats on 25th March.

Tracks 1 & 2 – Produced by Killing Joke andMixed by Tom Dalgety – set the tone for the band’s next studio album, currently being worked on in Prague.

Meanwhile, Tracks 3 & 4 give a fresh spin to numbers from the ‘Pylon’ album – ‘Big Buzz’ having been Re-mixed by Dalgety and Nick Evans, and ‘Delete’ getting the full Dub treatment courtesy of KJ’s Youth, who has a longstanding reputation in thisarea.

To purchase/stream the ‘Lord of Chaos’ EP go Here

FOR MORE INFORMATION

w/ https://www.killingjoke.co.uk/

f/ https://www.facebook.com/killingjokeofficial/

Urge Overkill – ‘Oui’ (Omnivore Recordings)

Urge Overkill – ‘Oui’ (Omnivore Recordings)

Chicago’s Urge Overkill has been away a while in fact it’s a decade since we really heard anything from the pair but they’re about to put that to rights with the much-anticipated release of ‘Oui’ and its magnificent artwork. To be fair as soon as the needle dropped the artwork became a big part of the record and a painting certainly does paint a thousand words because this record is a beast.

Unfairly remembered by many as that band who did the cover of ‘ Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon’ but those who know simply know. They were much more than that (great tune and working of it as it was) the Grunge striding Rock of ‘Saturation’ was excellent (still is) and then ‘Exit The Dragon’ which saw the band call it a day for a while but with a varied catalogue of albums UO are a welcome return and its refreshing to hear a guitar album that’s just that – no tricks or gimmicks just great tunes recorded well and released in a timely undelayed fashion. Some might say a more mature-sounding band in 2022 but who cares, elder statesmen, survivers, rockers. It’s all good in my book and refreshing to hear a band just kick out the jams at their own pace in their own style.

Well, it’s been a while but Nash Kato and King Roeser are back in the groove with ‘Oui’, and what a return it is. Guitars are turned up and the pair sound right on it, enthused and full of energy ‘Oui’ is loud and focussed. There is a weird But here. The record does kick off in controversial style with a cover this time of the classic Wham! song ‘Freedom’ . Sure they give it the UO treatment and twist it to fit their style of old-school Radio friendly rock but I do wonder is it needed here? I’m not convinced (personally) but I’m happy to let it grow on me, besides it just sounds great to have a new UO record. Sure, it’s a great song – boundless energy and played with a cheeky playful smile but to open your first album in over a decade? Brave and controversial.

‘Necessary Evil’ is understated with cool hooks on the chorus with a finely distorted guitar chugging away under some smart licks and the vocals weave really well together to make for a great song. The tempo is maintained through the rockin’ ‘Follow My Shadow’.   ‘How Sweet the Light’ has got a touch of the Who about it from the drum rolls to the building verses with some great drumming. ‘Forgiven’ has got an all-American riff that has been well worn by the likes of Mellencamp when he wanted a ‘Leg Up’ it’s a driving rhythm and the slightly croaky vocals work really well as the Blues are chased away.

It sounds like the band is enjoying writing and playing – there is no pretense or experimental moments just solid rock n roll   Past Urge records always had at least one song where the band got silly or experimental.  Here, it’s surprisingly focused.  I do get the impression that this is a record that will continue to grow on me and moments where a fill changes the groove or tempo will jump out and prelong the journey which always makes for a slow-burning album that gets better with age.  

Hopefully, ‘Oui’ will do well and people will lap it up and it won’t be another decade before we get another Urge Overkill record to champion.

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Author: Dom Daley

Primal Scream – ‘Live At Levitation’ (Reverberation Appreciation)

Primal Scream – ‘Live At Levitation’ (Reverberation Appreciation)

Primal Scream’s ability to mix indie pop/Rock and dance broke down musical boundaries and opened all sides to what could be done in the ’90s, helping to push dance and techno into the rock mainstream.

Recorded in 2015 at Levitation in front of underground rock fans from around the world, the LP marks the next release in The Reverberation Appreciation Society’s Live at LEVITATION series, which captures key moments in rock

This Primal Scream set shows the band’s undeniable creativity and unique place in music, combining psychedelic garage rock, kaleidoscopic pop, and acid house to create a sound that’s simultaneously of its time and ahead of it. But ask me if it’s as good as the band’s ‘Live In Japan’ album then the answer is no. This is one disc whereas Japan is a double album that includes some right crossover bangers that this album doesn’t include as well as their awesome take on The Heartbreakers ‘Born To Lose’.

Known for their explosive live sets, the recordings show why Primal Scream are at their best live and around this time they were on fire and to be fair this recording does a great job in capturing that moment and the fact that the production is less polished or rather still has the soundboard feel makes for better energy. Belting through tracks off of 1991’s ‘Screamadelica’, ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’, and the heavily electro-influenced favorite ‘XTRMNTR’. Making it a bloody good show and mixing up the techno with some raw electric guitars is excellent and pretty much essential for any collector of Primal Scream.


Over the past three and a half decades, Primal Scream has embraced everything from psychedelic pop to degenerate rock’n’roll; euphoric rave to industrial gloom. They’ve survived drug oblivion, personal loss when their beloved guitarist Robert “Throb” Young passed and captured the mood of the nation several times over. Throughout it all, they have always sounded like Primal Scream.

Exclusive versions are being pressed for the annual Ten Bands One Cause charity initiative, launching around National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, and benefitting Red Door Community where no one faces cancer alone.

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Author: Dom Daley

Rainy Days & Mondays

Rainy Days & Mondays

If you were wondering if Mikkey Dee was keeping up his chops then worry no more because footage of one of our favourite Scandi rocking bands The Drippers teamed up with Mikkey to knock out a pretty impressive run through the epic ‘Iron Fist’

“Gently Towards The Light” is taken from Beechwoods latest album ‘Sleep Without Dreaming’ out on Alive Naturalsound and Sub Rosa Records and reviewed this week on rpm

Also coming this week is a review of the brand new MÄRVEL album “Graces Came With Malice”, released on The Sign Records

The Loveless – ‘Wild In The Streets’ (Cadiz Records)

The Loveless – ‘Wild In The Streets’ (Cadiz Records)

It’s been a long while getting here probably due to Covid and the shortage of raw vinyl but the wait is over. Marc Almond is the subversive pop star better known for fronting synth giants Soft Cell as well as being the tortured torch singer, and as of now, he’s the frontman for Britain’s best garage rock band. Ok, ok so they might be primarily a covers band, but it’s a bloody good one, featuring former Sigue Sigue Sputnik man Neal X on guitar and Iggy Pop’s rhythm section Ben Ellis and Mat Hector.

Almond never shied away from his punk rock and garage rock roots to be fair a lot of new romantics spilled out of the punk era and the Bowie/Pop/Reed fan clubs. X being Almond’s go-to foil for many a live tour and album and X having played with Stiv Bators before he passed away is some serious credit in the rock n roll bank account. After last year’s limited edition CD run featuring covers, it seems the band has spent lockdown honing their skills and crafting another bunch of seriously good covers of classic garage rock n roll.

Splashed onto 10″ of wax this time around they tackle some Alice Cooper with a sleazy ‘Is It My Body’ as well as taking on The Dolls ‘Pills’ and roping in the talent of Glen Matlock to help kick out the jams.

It would have been nice to maybe extend the release to include a vinyl version of that first CD-only album but all good things to those who wait or ask nicely – Pretty Please! The band are seriously rocking on these tunes and I’d love to hear what they could do with some more original stompers not that I’m complaining but one out of eight is a start. OF the covers obviously, Glam Rockers and Garage aficionados will nod their approval for the quality of the interpretations of these tunes and bravo for picking some lesser-known deep cuts rather than trotting out already popular well-known tunes.

‘Wild In The Streets’ is a suitably trashy rocker so they’ve proven they have the chemistry to do a full record of original and having shown their epic array of influences on these first two releases I’d be well up for hearing it. Let’s be fair they own ‘Is It My Body’ and their twist of The Kinks ‘I’m Not Like Everybody Else’ is rather splendid.

It’s a no-brainer kids, The Loveless need some love from our turntables and with these Eight tracks we’ll be ‘Wild In The Streets’ as we wind back the clock and get seriously down with some loud garage Rock and Roll.

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Author: Dom Daley

Fast Eddy – ‘Take A Look’ (Spaghetty Town Records/Boulevard Trash Records/ Dragstrip Records)

Fast Eddy – ‘Take A Look’ (Spaghetty Town Records/Boulevard Trash Records/ Dragstrip Records)

Denver’s Fast Eddy releases their sophomore album, and with a- dare I say it, more mature record (in as much as they are wiser in the songwriting department and have the recording and sound they want nailed!) 

From the moment the needle drops it’s a smoldering intro, no snotty kids making noise but one that says turn it up mother fucker Fast Eddy’s in the room. ‘Take A Look (The track is a slow burner) The title track grooves out of the speakers with a cooool guitar riff. 

Next up ‘Milwaukee’ is a supremely confident track that should be a radio hit for sure. With a cool backbeat, it’s a foot-stomper with a groove and you just want to move with that tambourine it first appears on the group’s “Toofer” 7” EP also released Spaghetty Town, in 2018. Complete with Thin-Lizzy Esque guitar duties shared between Morris and fellow six-stringer Lisandro Gutierrez, the track is the yin and yang of leading a full-tilt rock n’ roll lifestyle.

This being the first physical album Fast Eddy have released, the band have left noting in reserve and dished up a belter with songs like ‘Kill City’ (not to be confused with the Iggy classic) uptempo and rocking out with some cool riffing and good melodies helping rock out with some cool backing vocals straight out of the Hanoi Rock handbook. 

The album took three recording sessions to Atlanta from 2018-2021, even in the midst of a global pandemic. Thanks to the assistance of Dan Dixon and Biters Tuk Smith, these 10 tracks are far louder and more contagious than anything found at your familiar super-spreader. 

‘Dead Eyes’ is a radio-friendly slice of power pop with some great choppy guitar work. Adding another string to their impressive bow on the laid-back ‘Help Me’ that builds slowly like a bit of 70s glam mixed with some post-punk like Elvis and his attractions. They can still tear it up with the punchy ‘Hurricane Alley’ then they turn it up with a right ripper, ‘Lost’. It’s got some snotty punk rockin attitude mixed with Chuck Berrys rock n roll and a hint of an over-the-top Mott The Hoople for good measure. You can tell the band’s influences reach far and wide and whatever bleeds through is just left to keep on bleeding if the song needs it. An album that keeps on giving and one that with the right level of investment will reward play after play.

‘Game Of Love’ has touches of pomp rock and exaggerated larger-than-life thoughts with some glittery stack heels and huge flowing shirt sleeves but mixed with some tight leather trousers and a smoldering cigarette with a warm glass of single malt. The bridge is huge like Edwardian playhouse knees up or written after daydreaming about Oliver Twist dancing through the streets of sleazy London a few hundred years ago.

Before they sign off that Thin Lizzy dual guitar work is present on the upbeat handclapping ‘Frankie Died’ another tune that could and should be a huge hit. which only leaves the post-punk new wave-like ‘Sunflower’ yet another twist proving that the band won’t be pigeonholed into any particular Genre and just do Fast Eddy a little bit of this and more of that mixed together and poured out onto the turntable making a really impressive album that you really should invest in.

  Available in North America from Spaghetty Town Records and Boulevard Trash.  In Europe, on Dragstrip Riot Records Hell these cats released Killer HEarts last year as well so what are you waiting for?.

Author: Dom Daley