2009 saw the original release of this Goth debut now on CD in digipack with bonus cuts galore, expanded to a whopping sixteen tracks, the original album plus six extras. A project originally put together by Fields Of The Nephilim pair Tony Pettitt and Stephen Carey, they always wanted the female vocals on there, so the unmistakable style of Julianne Regan was a no-brainer, and the main album has lost none of its instant fix appeal. There are also the very talented vocals of Monica Richards and Amandine Ferrari, who add gravitas to the project.
I guess making an album different from the day job is always the aim here, and it works from the artwork to the delivery of the music. The Eden House is a winner. The atmospheric opener is ‘To Believe In Something’, with its subtle, understated riff, big beats and strings on top of those layered vocals, is a chiming, haunting introduction. Then the haunting trip-hop beats of ‘All My Love’. The album doesn’t break into a sweat, rather satisfying music for music’s sake and creates a wall of sound that soothes the savage beast.
The layers of strings and hushed tones create a completely relaxed listen, and I’d almost forgotten how bloody good this album is as a complete work. ‘Iron The Soul’ briefly breaks the pace with added chaos and volume before settling back into the hypnotic groove. The album builds as a complete work to the closing epic of ‘Sin’ with Amandine Ferrari taking the vocals for the almost seven-minute epic.
The bonus disc opens with the excitement of ‘Freakshow’ with its throbbing bassline and vocal courtesy of Candia McKormack. Of the six bonus cuts on offer, you have the dark majesty of ‘Burn’ with some soaring vocals from Amandine.
It isn’t all serious Gothness here and the humour is illustrated on the sleeve with a quote from Spike Milligan and a succinct announcement courtesy of Derek and Clive which made me chuckle as ‘Killer’ twitched through my speakers before my reaquantance was complete with a full throttle version of ‘To Believe In Something’ going out as we came in. All in all, a very nice package and welcome listen to some Goth royalty on top of their game. It might be in the mid-thirties outside, but in here it’s dark and as cold as a castle’s cellar. almost perfect.
Moron’s Morons, my favourite Polish punk n roll pioneers, live in Kyoto. Not something I thought I’d ever have to get my head around, but why the fuck not, eh? Moron’s Morons kick up a shit storm at the best of times in their studio recordings, so checking out this extended album of raw as fuck live tunes was a no-brainer for me and boy, do these cats kick out the jams.
Sounding like it’s taken from the desk with zero overdubs and zero fucks given, Moron’s Morons know exactly how to rock n roll. With a sleazy bubblegum chewing DNA channelling Thunders and all that good LES punk rock Morons’ imported it to deepest darkest Poland and injected it into their veins and poured it out onto the grooves of their records. How can you not love a song called ‘Possessed To Fuck’ that is the sound of a runaway train piling through anything and everything like the bastard sons of Lemmy’s Murder One amp chained to a monster PA. These Japanese kids are having a ball listening to this rumble through their ears.
There are eleven tracks of Thunder and hellfire. The bad boy boogie of ‘You Put The Hot In Psychotic’ is almost out of control twelve bar played with passion and speed but holding on by a thread with a ton of swagger. In half an hour, they have the goods to convince any self-respecting punk n rolla that they have more than a handful of tunes to pull this off, the real deal in flight, just listen to the attitude of ‘White Brothel Creepers’ coming on like the amphetamine sons of Hanoi at the Marquee. ‘Let’s Get Hurt’ drops the boot before they sign off with ‘Fuelled By Hate’, and their work here is done. A blistering half hour of the finest rock n roll you can get in your ears and all from the comfort of your stereo. Get involved, these punks deserve it. More please guys
Rockaway Records is proud to announce the release of the title track from The DeRellas’ storming new album ‘Trust Me This is Going to Hurt’.
This is Going to Hurt is a dark, glamorous, rock n roll edge-of-your-seat ride into manic obsession. When Love Goes Wrong.. And Lust Goes Wrong.. A new video lands with the release. Shot on location in London and Brighton, it captures the band in a red light, no brakes style. Think glam rock meets 60s noir..
This is Going to Hurt is available as a track on The DeRellas new album ‘Trust Me This is Going to Hurt’ on CD and vinyl. The single can also be downloaded from all major platforms, including www.derellas.com, Bandcamp, iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.
Upcoming Live shows 25 July – Rockaway Beach at the Hope & Anchor, London 10 August – Rebellion Festival, Blackpool 30 August – Unity Festival, Corby
Followed by a string of gigs across the UK and Europe
Blacklist Union are back with their latest single, ‘Up In Smoke,’ which follows hot on the heels of previous single ‘Mississippi Moonhound.’ This new anthemic track is a blend of Stone Temple Pilots’, and Guns N’ Roses’. ‘Up In Smoke’ is the second single from their upcoming sixth studio album, ‘Slay the Dragon’, set for release in September.
Tony West, the main man of Blacklist Union, explains that “‘Up In Smoke’ is about living in the moment… which is really hard to do. Not hanging onto your past and your trauma. Staying in the moment. I tell my kids that it’s the present, because if you can stay in the moment, it’s a gift.”
West was raised in the Bronx, immersed in Ramones, Bad Brains, and the New York hardcore scene, before heading to Los Angeles as a teenage runaway with just $20. Initially collaborating with guitarist Todd Youth (known for Murphy’s Law and Danzig) and Malfunkshun, Tony decided to pursue his own musical direction in 2005, leading to the formation of Blacklist Union. The lasting friendship between Tony and Todd resulted in co-writing the 2015 Blacklist Union album Back To Momo. Following Todd’s passing, Tony traveled to the jungles of Peru for transformative ayahuasca journeys in the Amazon, which helped him heal and prepare for the next era of his music — a process he describes as releasing layers of trauma, heartache, and sorrow.
Blacklist Union have built a reputation for explosive live performances. Last year they toured with punk legends Dead Boys, and this year they are headlining CrüeFest Hollywood at the Whisky A Go-Go on July 12th. Their performance at CrüeFest 2024 was described as, “exhilarating… a first-rate rock show.” Operating at the peak of their creative powers, Blacklist Union continues to deliver powerful, unforgettable rock experiences that resonate with fans and critics alike.
As we arrive in the labyrinth of fields that surround the picture book castle we enter the Blackweir Field only to be greeted by Police sniffer dogs, tight security checks and a ball of fire in the sky beating down on the throng of metal heads gathered today to Mosh, Circle pit and Row to the delights of some of the globes finest exponents of Metal.
First up are Anthrax a band I’ve not seen live since they supported Metallica on the Master Of Puppets about a mile away in St David’s Hall and that was and seems like a lifetime ago, and is to my show buddies, for they weren’t even a twinkle in the eye as they say. Anyway They stride onto the vast stage greeted like long lost brothers and proceed to get ‘Caught In The Mosh’ now I was quite looking forward to seeing and hearing what Joey and Scott and the gang had to offer but had I gone for a piss or joined the lengthy merch queue I’d have sworn they didn’t even play. Four fuckin songs! Honestly. I’m not sure they had time to break into a sweat, let alone get the audience going.
Anyway, they did a job. Scott Ian walked in circles, and Joey Belladonna climbed down to the crowd. Then they waved goodbye, and to cap it off, there was no ‘Madhouse’! Imagine that? Gutted, but the sun was still beating down, so all was not lost.
Next up are the Scandi Warriors and exponents of Viking Metal. Yup, it is a thing, and they have drinking horns to prove it. All men do indeed play on ten but it was way to hot for bearskin leg warmers and capes so its just a few stolen Priest and Maiden Riffs a pair of huge inflatable Vikings watching over them Thors hammer, a toast to the Gods of Metal plenty of Skol a magic refilling drinking horn strapped to the singers waist plenty of very macho growling songs about Valhalla, Loki, but the highlight was thousands of adoring metal heads getting down on the floor in the pit for a rowing pit which is a sight to behold and one that isn’t lost on the band who seem to appreciate the adoration they are getting from large sections of this audience.
I am reliably informed that front man usually battles with a serpent with Thor’s hammer, but tonight settled for slamming it onto the stage instead in front of the impressive drum riser, Viking helmet complete with two video screens that reminded me to phone home to make sure I’d switched off the fireplace. Whilst they might not be my cup of tea, they were entertaining and worth seeing a least once before we head off to Asgard for a Skol or two.
And so the night is suitably warmed up for the entry of the kings of brutal thrash, the one and only Slayer. After a video montage, the band take the stage to the familiar strains of grown men screaming Slayeeeeeeeeeeeer! At the top of their lungs whilst frothing at the mouth and waving their horns in the air.
‘South Of Heaven’ signalled the next 90 minutes of mayhem that was (truth be told) a fuckin hoot! ‘Repentless’, ‘Disciple’,’Jihad’ and ‘Die By The Sword’ followed each other out of the trps like their asees were collectively on fire, sure, there were mistakes the timing of the duel guitar noodlings were at times loose but for me that’s what makes them the masters of this genre. The energy is relentless, never mind relentless, and the no chundering on between songs only helps with the hypnotic nature of the mighty Slayer. See, an hour of this is driving fans nuts as circle pits break out left right and centre, people loose their minds as a fight breaks out punches are thrown beer is thrown and people manage to reign (in Blood) it in as common sense resumes and were all one big happy family again because this shit is a tinderbox ready to explode.
The backdrops are impressive as are the flaming upside-down crosses, but the overriding experience is always the music. It might be looser these days but Slayer are on fire Tom prowls around grinning like a Cheshire cat (how Satan permits him to smile so much nobody knows) it shouldn’t be right but the spectacle is awesome and a part time band has no right to be this good but Slayer are no ordinary band and the fact that they’ve hardly played for half a decade matters not for they are head and shoulders the best most evil band anywhere on the planet.
Being old school, I loved ‘Chemical Warfare’ and the fact ‘Spirit In Black’ was in the set for the first time in almost a decade was awesome. The first time Tom spoke was to introduce his love song ‘Dead Skin Mask’, with its haunting backdrop, kind of made it one of the highlights from the show. Oh and a guy in a wheelchair crowdsurfing (who says Metal isn’t all inclusive) and Elmo crowsurfing (I shit you not).
Hell, it was encore time already the previous hour, and some had flown by, and Slayer had delivered an exceptional performance. It only left ‘Raining Blood’, ‘Black Magic,’ and the show stopper ‘Angel Of Death’ and the thousands in attendance went home happy. The ticketshafter fiasco of price reductions were forgotten, Anthrax short set was laughed off for the reason we were all brought together was for the most evil angry pissed off band on the planet to set fire to ninety plus minutes of mayhem and anger in the best possible way delivering a near perfect set, I say near perfect because I was expecting ‘Payback’ to be in the set but it wasn’t so until next time it was almost as good as it could possibly have been they are still unrivaled in this genre and still the angriest most hypnotic and evil of the lot and long may it continue. See you in the circle pit. Slayeeeeeeeeeeeeer forever! Hail, suntan, sorry Satan!
Somewhere back in the mists of time, Tamworth terrors Wolfsbane were one of the bright young hopes of a burgeoning UK rock scene. Along with the likes of The Dogs D’amour, The Quireboys and The Almighty, they graced the covers of the UK music magazines and were destined for big things. With a fierce live reputation and a dedicated fanbase affectionately known as ‘The Howling Mad Shitheads’, it seemed Blaze Bayley and the boys could not fail; then they signed to Def American Records, the label run by the legendary Rick Rubin, mastermind behind The Beastie Boys and others. A producer who had turned around the careers of Slayer, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Cult to name but a few. But somehow, he managed to zap all the live energy from Wolfsbane’s debut album ‘Live Fast, Die Fast’.
While they redeemed themselves on the following Brendan O’Brien produced mini album ‘All Hells Breaking Loose…’, sadly the stars never aligned for the band, Blaze jumped ship for Iron Maiden and the rest as they say, is history.
Now, some 40-odd years later, Wolfsbane plan to right the wrongs and have completely re-recorded that debut album in full.
I always thought of Wolfsbane as the British Van Halen. My first introduction was their Friday Rock Show session, Blaze sounded like Roth and Jase Edwards had the guitar histrionics to match Eddie Van Halen, the live feel of those songs matched the energy of the Californian legends. Maybe if Dave & Eddie had started their days on a council estate a few miles from Birmingham, they too would’ve sounded just like Wolfsbane. In 2025 this re-imagined ‘Live Fast, Die Fast’ sounds raw, tight and exciting. With the same running order and the song structures staying faithful to the original recording, what stands out most is the production.
With that familiar hammer-on intro, ‘Manhunt’ fills the speakers like an old, lost friend. Is it faster? It sounds fast! The main change here is the drum sound, while the original was snare-heavy and polished, the drums overpowering and in your face, here the instruments all gel as they should. Next up, ‘Shakin’ sounds great, real ‘live in the studio’ vibes here. It’s the song that remains the most Van Halen-like to me. A classic tune given the sound it so rightly deserves.
With face-melting guitars and a killer hook, ‘Killing Machine’ was a live favourite back in the day, and it still holds up. ‘Fell Out Of Heaven’, again, has Roth vibes in the vocal department and another killer chorus, yet in my mind I still prefer the Friday Rock Show version.
Elsewhere, the live energy is captured magnificently by Jase Edwards’ stellar production, even the big MTV single ‘I Like It Hot’, with its sheen removed, is still as commercially pop-tastic as I remember. My only gripe would be the token ballad ‘Tears Of A Fool’, which would have been all well and good if they were The Dogs D’amour, but it didn’t fit the feel of the album in 1989, and it still doesn’t in 2025. Maybe they shoulda banged on ‘Paint The Town Red, instead.
While this re-recorded version of ‘Live Fast, Die Fast’ is unfinished business for the band, and is steeped in nostalgia, the songs stand the test of time and remind those who were there what a great band Wolfsbane were back in the late 80’s.
‘Live Fast, Die Fast’ remains a testament to the fact that not all the most exciting bands came from the Sunset Strip back in the late 80’s, some came from the Midlands too. Do yourself a favour and get reacquainted with a lost gem.
SAXON ANNOUNCE CANCELLATION OF 10 SUMMER SHOWS & FESTIVAL APPEARANCES WHILE SINGER BIFF BYFORD UNDERGOES EMERGENCY PROCEDURE
Heavy Metal legends Saxon are sorry to announce the immediate cancellation of 10 Summer shows and Festival appearances while singer Biff Byford undergoes an emergency procedure.
The recovery period for the operation will sadly mean the immediate cancellation/postponement of 10 shows across a six-week period. As a result, the band will regretfully now not be performing at the below scheduled shows including their much anticipated upcoming performances at Wacken Open Air, Pol’And’ Rock, Summer Breeze, Ekenäs, Area 53 and Öland Rock Festivals.
A spokesperson for Saxon’s management company said: “Saxon were so looking forward to performing at all the below Summer festivals and events, but the health and wellbeing of the band obviously has to come first. It goes without saying that all in Saxon are gutted that they will be unable to perform but look forward to hopefully being back on stage in time to play both Trutnoff Open Air Festival in Czech Republic on August 23rd and Neuborn Open Air on August 29th. The band are also very much looking forward to their upcoming tours of both Spain, France and the UK later this year too.”
Saxon will still be performing as planned at Rockharz Festival in Ballenstedt in Germany on July 2nd.
Saxon are sorry for any inconvenience caused to fans and ask for everyone’s patience and understanding at this time. The band are currently working with all the promoters of the above events to see as to whether any of these shows and appearances can be rescheduled.
Area 53 Festival in Leoben (Austria) has already confirmed that the band will now be appearing at their 2026 edition instead. More details to follow.
The 3 club shows in Sweden on July 24th (Ekilstuna), 26th (Linköping) and 27th (Gävle) have all sadly been cancelled with immediate effect. Tickets buyers should contact their point of purchase for a full refund.
Details of any other rescheduled shows will be announced on Saxon’s website in due course.
Don’t be fooled by the ambient intro ‘Are You Enjoying The Peaceful Skies’ because the roof is about to cave in. ‘Dead On The Way Home’ is a sonic kick to the jaw in just over half a minute. Christ, the song finished before I could type the title out. It’s swift, loud, to the point and bursting with energy. We’re off.
Brazil’s fiercest new punk rock export comes to the UK with their debut self-titled album, with the familiar machine pounding of Jamie Oliver on tub thumping and boy does he tub thump. Formed in 2019 by frontwoman Thami and guitarist Raf Oliver, Fantazmaz found their raw, unrelenting sound with the addition of bassist Chokito and former U.K. Subs drummer. They manage to mix blistering punk energy with a fearless presence; they sound like a band in a hurry, but to where Gawd only knows.
This record was recorded in two days, I’m reliably informed, and it sounds like it – not in a bad way, but the sound of a band who are raring to go and bursting to get out there and cause some trouble, where I think these songs will really come to life.
Rage and fury is one way to describe what follows over the ensuing ten songs, with one as ferocious as the last ‘You Owe Me A Fortune’ is rabid where ‘Distortion’ has a big Bass rumble and frantic fret flurries its as much about the energy they have created as it is about the songs because to be fair they aren’t over egged it is a lean mean war machine. They do reflect on global issues with lyrics such as those on the excellent ‘Does God Know Misery’; the melody is an earworm, and the guitar work is killing it.
This is proving to be a fresh lick of paint on a scene that is so overcrowded, but the music contained within is on fire and will grab your attention; rather, it will demand your attention.
‘Scars Of Downtown’ dissects the loneliness of metropolis and inner city London living, ‘Corporate Behave’ rages whilst looking at the nodding dogs with some post DKs guitar tricks thrown in for good measure. Hell, we’ve almost got to the finale, and it seems like it’s only just started. The thick production offers a real beefy sound that adds weight to the energy this record manages to own from the first to the last, with raging solos attempting to break out all over the place but being fought back by the solid rhythm section, none better than on the thrashing ‘Warheads’.
To close off, we have some weird trip hop beats melting on ‘Just Before Hell Comes Around’ just to fuck with your head before saying adios. A fine album, debut album to be exact, from Fantazmaz, a band I think we’ll be hearing about more and more in 2025.
It’s been a while, best part of a decade, since I last clapped eyes on the brothers Reid in Cardiff across town in the second room of the Uni, and the time before that it was this very same venue but tonight was a one-off and not part of a tour, but something of a warm-up for the band’s appearance in Milton Keynes the following night at the Forever Now festival (at the time of writing I believe the stage at MK was beset with tech difficulties so its something of a relief to get this one in). The dry ice rolls across the stage like only a few other bands, such as the sisters of Mercy or the Bunnymen, engulfing the room to that of a post apocalyptic wasteland with just a dimly lit red mist as the band stride on stage to begin what was to amount to a pretty epic and mightily impressive set from Kilbride’s finest.
‘JAMCOD’ kicked off proceedings and Jim proceeded to remove his customary leather jacket due to it being one of the hottest days of the year and in a venue that seemed bereft of oxygen and even the gentlest of breezes but this didn’t stop the band smashing through songs like there was no tomorrow with merely silhoueted shadows on the stage with William swaying in front of his customary Orange wall of amplifiers as Jim holds onto his mic and stand like he’d fall over if it wasn’t there. The sound is clear and throbbing to the huge chords in the break before the second verse. Superb start as we were all hoping to OD on JAMC.
Like a fine wine, The Brothers Reid have matured and aged well sure they’re not the same band who kicked off all those years ago with a fire in their bellies and without a care in the world just a love of Garage rock n roll, art and creating some dark, bleak yet light and warm music that has most defiantly stood the test of time ably assisted currently by Mark, Scott and Justin. If anything, songs off the first album and EP (‘Psycho Candy’) have aged superbly well, but that’s for later in the set. The band’s most recent offering, ‘Glasgow Eyes’, is well represented, as is my personal favourite album, ‘Darklands’. To be fair, the set list is well designed and delivered impeccably, building to a glorious crescendo on the encore.
I’m presuming Jim is enjoying himself because he’s loosened up by removing the jacket, and the rest of the band sound amazing and right on it. ‘Head On’ was like a rabid barking dog, and from the awesome ‘Sidewalking’, it was glorious and possibly the best I’ve ever heard them. Connie from the support band Borrowed Atlas joined the band on stage for ‘Sometimes Always’ and a majestic ‘Just Like Honey’.
For the encore, it was a hat-trick of the impeccable guitar pop of ‘Darklands’, followed by ‘Taste Of Cindy’, and to bring a halt to proceedings and leave nobody in any doubt that they are still the masters of their craft and nobody has done the shoegazing pop noise better. Even when they left the field for hiatuses, their shoes couldn’t be filled and ‘Reverence’ was the perfect full stop to a pretty spectacular warm-up. It seems mad to think on this evidence, they even need to warm up. This was a blazing show of noisy guitar pop perfection. They can be as arrogant as they like, they always maintained how damn good they are and on this evidence it seems time has proven them right. Stunning performance. So until next time gents, nos da.
Suzi Moon seems to have been around for ages and has achieved some mightily impressive releases thus far. From Civet through Turbulent Hearts and into her solo career, Suzi has achieved a lot for a fiercely independent artist. From those aforementioned bands to the split with Billy from Black Halos, it was about time that her spell with Turbulent Hearts got the treatment it thoroughly deserved. ‘All Out’ sets out to achieve just that and maybe balance the scales by putting together a pretty comprehensive collection spread over two lovely slabs of vinyl.
the journey shes been on has been followed by RPM having reviewed Civet and Turbulent Hearts live and on CD as well as her recent escapadeses as a solo artist shes matured into a very impressive songwriter and awesome performer leaving nothing on the stage her performances were always captivating but the music was also the thing that drives her. Turbulent Hearts deserves this double LPand it’s an essential chapter in the journey to where we are now.
After starting off as a young teenager, Suzi spent years touring in the Long Beach punk band Civet (alongside her older sister Liza Graves) before stepping up to the center stage mic with Turbulent Hearts in 2014. She’d been writing her own songs since the age of 13, and she was ready.
The band made their mark in the mid- to late-2010s, and after they parted ways, Suzi moved on to the garage psych combo LA Machina and ultimately, recording under her own name. Across the four sides of All Out, the band’s entire recorded output – 4 EPs and change over the course of 7 years – is collected in one place for the first time for fans old and new to enjoy.
Aided by the rhythm section of bassist Mark Johnson and drummer Jay Skowronek, Turbulent Hearts had the chops in the studio and on stage, letting Suzi take centre stage was right, and she shone brightest there, delivering the songs. Suzi admits it was a prolific period, and the quality of the output will stand the test of time, no question about it. Something of a rite of passage, if you like, to get to where she is now.
From the rampant gallop of ‘Panic’ through the measured groove of ‘Never Getting Over You’, Suzi can rage with the best of em but also has an eye on crafting pop melodies that have mass appeal. Choruses and hooks a plenty take ‘Cryin’ or ‘Redwood Nights’ for contrast, but a songwriter who knows what it takes.
Hell, punks can cut loose on ‘On My Own’ and ‘Hangin Around’ but it’s not all crash, bang wallop of course. ‘Notice Me’ coulda, shoulda and all that. To be fair, the spread of material is excellent and an album I highly recommend, not just for completists but for people who love Rock n roll with sweat, snot and a heap of cool. Get yourself the complete Turbulent Hearts in one fell swoop; you won’t regret it. Buy It!
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