The Chats – ‘Get Fucked’ (Bargain Bin Records)

The Chats – ‘Get Fucked’ (Bargain Bin Records)

Coming across like a down-under Devitto era Buzzcocks meets AC/DC old Skool the Chats do anything other than getting Fucked on this their second offering of Aussie punk rock.

‘GET FUCKED’ opens with ‘6L GTR’, a takedown of a speed-crazed status-symbol driver – a critique piqued when Eamon spotted the titular license plate in an airport carpark. It’s an album that shows the band’s maturity from the off on this here 13 high-velocity punk tracks. To be fair they’ve hardly matured and started writing prog whilst playing a flute one-legged on a toadstool. This bad boy rips from start to finish, as they’d say down under. Lyrically it covers topics from panic attacks, junkies, prison breaks, the price of smokes, surf mafia, and being drunk in every pub in Brisbane amongst other heady big ticket topics.

There’s a rumor that Opener ‘6L GTR’ saw Eamon Sandwith nick a bit of Dave Lee Roth which was taken out of the tune after management got a knockback from Diamond Dave but hey ho them is the breaks they should have just done it and send double D the V sign with a sue us if you want letter. The non-PC album title came from a brainstorming session (imagine that one folks?) where Matt Boggis said imagine how funny it would be if kids go to the record store and ask for Get Fucked from the salesperson. Yeah pretty funny slinging it on yer Christmas list from your nan to pick up. But hey this isn’t Roxy Music or Genesis or some high-brow prog This is working-class Aussie punk rock yer Fuckers!

Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah, thirteen songs. The first single and album opener down The Chats have got sharper and tighter that’s for sure and all that touring has paid off for sure. Most of the album is your usual Australian HC one and a half minutes of rage then boom! but there are a couple of tracks that tickle the four-minute mark which in itself is almost Maiden-esque pro in length rather than Ron Jeremy Length in the puns and goofiness stakes. so good on ’em for that.

‘Struck By Lightening’ is a warning to take cover in storms maybe go inside and put this on the earbuds – thundering along with a rapid verse with sloppy doo wap backing vocals and a cautionary tale. the solo is majestic to be fair as the song hammers along. ‘Boggo Breakout’ is punk as fuck from the vacant riff to the snotty vocals it’s another banger and benefits from volume and multiple plays. ‘Southport Superman’ is just a heads-down race to the finish line in true punk as fuck style. ‘Panic Attack’ is more restrained from the intro with a military slap on the snare and pluck on the bass before Josh joins in with his Shelly meets Diggle meets the Undertones wall of punk rock guitars lifts the song up.

The first of the long songs is the excellent ‘ The Price Of Smokes’ which is about the economic cost of living stuff where the band thrust the cost of living to the forefront. It’s a cool bass and drum intro where they lock in and take this baby to the bridge then drop her off gently. An excellent song that asks the important questions of the day. Sidestep from the heads down crank it up that had preceded it, (See I said The Chats had moved on and matured). Oh hang on ‘Dead On Site’ is a razor-sharp riff delivering exactly what The Chats fans are clamoring for. Punchy, full throttle, punk rock mixed with some fine Angus Young inspired old school solos – magical stuff!

‘Paid Late’ is a fine slice of Smash and Grab punk rock before the let’s go to the pub banger that is ‘I’ve Been Drunk In Every Pub In Brisbane’. If I’m honest this album has added elements of Rock and old-school hard rock, even when they speed up proceedings it’s a great crossover full of energy and street punk rock n roll. Their no longer on Smoko their running the gaff. There’s no acoustic ballad but there’s lots of loud guitars. I think one of my favourite tracks is ‘Emperor Of The Beach’ with its cock sure riff that tips the hat to the daddy of tone Steve Jones and is a thumper of a track. The band signs off this second album with the punky ‘Getting Better’ and so they are. God bless these noisy cunts from down under for they’ve taught this old dog a few tricks on this album and tightened up the loose ends of the debut and thrown in a few curve balls but above all delivered a fantastic record that I’m thoroughly enjoying

Buy Here

Website

Author: Dom Daley

Grand Theft Audio – ‘Pass Me The Conch’ (Technical Foul)

Grand Theft Audio – ‘Pass Me The Conch’ (Technical Foul)

The small consolation fans of The Wildhearts can take from their favourite band being such a volatile unit, is I suppose, the amount of fantastic music the resulting side projects have produced every time a member leaves or, as is the case right now, the band goes on an extended hiatus.

Honeycrack, The Yo-Yo’s, The Jellys, Jackdaw4, Mutation, Silver Ginger 5, Sorry & The Sinatras, the list of quality just goes on and on.

There is one band however, that rose from the ashes the first time The Wildhearts crashed and burned that completely passed me by at the time, and that band is Grand Theft Audio.

I’m not exactly sure why this was, as formed around the creative nucleus of Wildhearts drummer Ritch Battersby, producer Ralph Jezzard and Realtv and Vive Finito frontman Jay Butler, the band quickly signed to London Records for their debut album ‘Blame Everyone’ and then found themselves pretty much everywhere, touring the world whilst also featuring on various movie and video game soundtracks. Then, almost as quickly as they burst onto the scene they were gone, as their label dissolved and the band fell apart.

Its two decades on from that implosion with Ritch and Jay now back in the ring with their second album ‘Pass Me The Conch’ that I first get to hear them, and praise the Gods (of Rock) that I’ve finally discovered them.

Effortlessly merging elements of electronica with balls out arena rock Grand Theft Audio sound like a whirlwind of positivity in a world that once again seems to love wallowing in the negative. Inspiring tracks like the gothic ‘Ruin Your Youth’, the anthemic ’Bad Instinct’, and the monstrous ‘Bury The Day’ take the bottom end thrust of The Wildhearts and give it a 21st Century twist, full to bursting point with melody and catchier than Covid-19 in a world that is now seemingly devoid of any conscience for its continued spread.

Elsewhere, there’s the pop-tastic rock/rap lead single ‘The Gods of Rock’ that has me thinking of Manson at his finest (that’s Marilyn not Charlie) and album opener ‘Scrub Up’ could very easily have been a long-lost GUN track written at the height of their 90s MTV fame.

It’s the darker and more reflective electronic tracks like ‘Trevor’ and ‘The Load’ that are the flipside of the Grand Theft Audio dynamic, and for me, this is where they stand apart from being just another rock band.  It’s exhilarating and genre smashing stuff!  

‘Pass Me The Conch’ is Grand Theft Audio’s statement of intent, its them taking control of their musical destiny and throughout the record’s ten tracks it sounds like they are loving every second of it.

Released on the 2nd of September with a twelve date tour starting a week later to help promote the release of the record, Grand Theft Audio will be sharing stages across the UK with CJ Wildheart and Scott Sorry and some might even be so bold as to say that a world without The Wildhearts is actually a musically much richer place to live in. ‘Pass Me The Conch’ is a leader not a follower- check it out!

Website / Instagram / Bandcamp

Buy Here

Author: Johnny Hayward

The Mission – The Crescent, York – Tuesday 2nd August 2022

The Mission – The Crescent, York – Tuesday 2nd August 2022

There was a moment during ‘Tower Of Strength’ tonight when I took the time to look around the packed room. Confetti stuck to my sweat-drenched skin, flanked by girls on guys shoulders, there was a sea of hands in the air, smiling and singing along to one of their favourite songs. Nobody had a mobile phone out and everyone was lost in the moment, and I thought to myself …this, this is what live music is all about. This is what I have loved my entire adult life. And this sort of energy, this camaraderie at a live gig is what keeps me coming back for more.

This is the first of 3 warm up shows by The Mission in preparation for their European tour, and it will be the last dates the band play in the UK for the foreseeable future. There is no support and The Mission will play 2 sets. To my knowledge, the band have never played York before, they probably won’t again. It has been sold out for months. This could be a night to remember.

It is hot in The Crescent before the band even take to the stage at 8pm, and by the time they finish the first set of deep cuts and curiosities, I can only describe it as being akin to having a sauna, fully clothed with 250 of your best friends!

Engulfed in a cloud of dry ice, the opening ‘Black Cat Bone’ from their 2013 opus ‘The Brightest Light’, is an atmospheric, slow-burner that builds nicely. Dressed head to foot in black, the band skulk the stage as you would expect. The tribal beats of new boy Alex Baum sound powerful and Wayne Hussey’s 12 string sounds loud, way loud! The live mix ain’t the greatest it has to be said, but that’s what you get for standing a few feet from the stage and the PA, I guess! Wayne is certainly struggling with the sound, but it seems to sort itself out after a few songs.

Some great and some may say, unexpected tunes follow. The Beatles ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ sounds ace and that riff to ‘Evangeline’ is pure joy that lights the place up, a set highlight for me. The enigmatic frontman takes center stage, gesticulating to his enraptured fanbase as they sing the chorus back to him.

They mix up the old and new nicely. ‘Tyranny Of Secrets’, ‘Swoon’ and ‘Grotesque’ follow in quick succession, followed by old classics ‘And The Dance Goes On’ and ‘Into The Blue’. ‘Swan Song’ ends an hour set that dare I say it, was a bit mid-paced and lacked any big ‘hits’. But there is more to come.

A half hour break and then the band return for Set 2. This is more of a greatest hits set, consisting of the songs they will be playing on the imminent European tour. Opening with ‘Beyond the Pale’ immediately sets the scene for how a gig should be. The energy levels are off the scale, in complete contrast to the first set, where it seemed the crowd were hesitant to go for it. No such problem now, as fists punch the air in unison to the anthemic chorus and a circle pit of sorts forms sending arms and legs flailing into the unsuspecting masses.

The ebb & flow of this set seems perfect. Classics such as ‘Serpent’s Kiss’, ‘Garden Of Delight’ and a magnificent ‘Severina’ keep the energy levels high, the crowd are in fine voice and the sweat is literally dripping from every pore.

The gentle ballad ‘Butterfly On A Wheel is a welcome respite from the goth-tinged anthems and gives the more energetic amongst us a breather and a chance to get a drink. Wayne sips from a bottle of red and gets us to sing the chorus to him as he surveys the scene and smiles.

And then there’s confetti in the air… boom! ‘Wasteland’, hello my old friend! A heartbeat of a bassline from Craig Adams, effect-ridden guitars from Hussey & Simon Hinkler and that anthemic chorus. The song is jammed out with harmonics and feedback, as the frontman takes us on an extended trip, before bringing the hook back in again for a crescendo. Magnificent stuff.

Reinvigorated with its recent re-recording and release as a charity single, I guess ‘Tower Of Strength’ still stands tall as one of Wayne Hussey’s finest moments. Certainly, in this live setting it has the power to unite and enthrall in equal measures. The message in the lyrics is something we can all relate to during recent events and it stands tall as a testament to that more than anything.

They end the second set with ‘Deliverance’. I mean, c’mon, what a tune! If you aren’t making shapes with your hands through that verse and punching the air for the chorus, then what sort of a music fan are you anyway? Wayne keeps the chorus refrain going as Alex beats that bass drum, the guitarist and bassist exit stage left, leaving all eyes and ears on their band leader ending the song.

Shit, I need a drink of water and a change of t shirt, but they ain’t done yet. An encore is in order, and Wayne removes his 12 string for the first time tonight, takes to the mic and apologises for any mistakes they may make as they haven’t played the quite fitting ‘Heat’ for a long time. ‘Hungry As The Hunter’ follows and sees the band gift one last hurrah for a 2-set treat that no other show will provide on this run.

Combining the energy and bombast of an arena show, the atmosphere and intimacy of a small club show and the heat of a thousand suns, The Mission delivered a one-off performance I will remember for years to come. My ears are ringing, my clothes are drenched and my faith in live music is fully restored. If you are still under the illusion that goth rock is dreary and miserable, go see The Mission live and prepare to get the cobwebs blown away for good.

Facebook / Website

Author: Ben Hughes

BOUND FOR HELL: ON THE SUNSET STRIP BOX SET

BOUND FOR HELL: ON THE SUNSET STRIP BOX SET

PRE-ORDER THE OCTOBER 28 COLLECTION HERE; LISTEN TO MAX HAVOC’S “BOUND FOR HELL” NOW

“The Sunset Strip sang an irresistible siren song to young metalheads, the stretch from Tower Records west to Geffen Records headquarters. The Rainbow and Gazzarri’s were ground zero, both inside and on the sidewalks out front.” – Katherine Turman from Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip

Numero Group, the frequently GRAMMY-nominated,  Chicago-based label known for crafting expertly-researched collections featuring rarities, out-of-print and often forgotten musical sub-genres and artists, shine a spotlight on the halcyon days of early ‘80s Los Angeles glam metal with Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip.

A deep dive into the world of AquaNet and eyeliner, the 21-songs, spread across 2LPs, transport listeners, with music critic and co-author of Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal, Katherine Turman, providing the road map via a 144-page, full color book. Amidst those pages, the story of how the scene unfurled, and eventually imploded, is told via first-hand testimonials, photos, and show flyers.

Artists featured include scene heavyweights Armored Saint, Black ‘N Blue and Lizzy Borden, alongside long lost tracks from Reddi Killowatt, Angeles, Max Havoc, SIN, and Romeo. Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip also pays particular attention to the female musicians who challenged the testosterone-laden world of the Strip, with entries and recollections from Lisa Baker, Jaded Lady, Leather Angel, Hellion, and Bitch. “We were not pop girls, we really loved the aggression and the passion of hard rock music,” explains Leather Angel and Jaded Lady’s Terry O’Leary. “As a band, and especially as an all-girl band, you know, we came to conquer.”

A stream of Max Havoc’s “Bound For Hell”, a local band formed in 1981 by Pat McKeon, and at one time included Quiet Riot’s Carlos Cavazo and W.A.S.P.’s Tony Richards, is streaming now. The track comes from the band’s long out-of-print, self-titled album.

“The infamous Sunset Strip glam metal scene of the ‘80s is one that’s been covered excessively, and for a good reason. But usually, the analysis goes too far past bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, Quiet Riot, etc.,” explains Adam Luksetich, producer, and researcher behind the collection. “Our goal with Bound For Hell was to narrow in on the equally impressive independent or unsigned bands that thrived in that same scene but in most cases, never benefited from the major label feeding frenzy. With a bounty of unseen photos, pages and pages of flyers, and detailed liner notes, these bands get more time in the spotlight.”

The Numero Group will also be releasing several digital-only bonuses leading up to the physical release, dubbed the Bound For Hell digital series, the label previously released L.A. Rock’s single “Cocaine” and Stormer’s eight-song Claremont Village Demos in upcoming weeks.

Pre-orders, for both Bound For Hell: On The Sunset Strip box set (2LPs and the accompanying book), as well as the Sheer Savage edition featuring a CD wallet with 12-panel, double-sided poster, without the book, are available now: https://numerogroup.com/products/on-the-sunset-strip. The Numero Group website will have an exclusive color vinyl edition of the LP-based set, limited to 500 copies, which will include a bonus cassette featuring five additional tracks from Black ‘N Blue, Lisa Baker, Stormer, Odin and Leather Angel.

Puzzle Tree – ‘Every Broken Floor’ (Self Released)

Puzzle Tree – ‘Every Broken Floor’ (Self Released)

One thing that comes from even just the first listen of this eagerly awaited debut album is that you really feel like you are listening to something special.

Hailing from the Rhondda valley, Puzzle Tree are a quintet specialising in a brand of rock that manages to mix a whole host of genres ranging from Prog, Symphonic and Alternative rock and metal that sounds familiar yet fresh all at the same time.

From the opening track ‘Embers’ and its stop start riffage to the angelic vocals of Rachel Thomas, the song opens the album in such a way that you can not help be drawn into the lush melodies followed by the ultimate riff and glorious fluid soloing.

As mentioned above the sound of the album is absolutely crystal clear and fantastic. The second track ‘Oceans’ opens yet again with another killer cutting riff and you honestly feel that you shouldn’t be listening to something great as this easily surpasses anything that each of the band have previously done before.

If you are fans of Welsh heavy rock, then the line-up should be of no surprise to you. Featuring the likes of Matthew Alexander Powell on vocals and guitar, Matt John on guitars, keys and vocals, Jamie Roberts on bass and the powerhouse drummer Rhys Jones.

The collective wealth each member brings to the band is evident from the first note. 

For example, in the third song ‘The Burning Lands’, one second the lush vocals of Rachel leads into a glorious guitar solo from the formidable duo of John and Powell.

Every Broken Floor is clearly the work of a band that knows exactly what they are doing and they do so in a fashion that isn’t bragging but confident of how good they really are as a unit.

For me, the stand out songs are ‘Hollow’ and the single ‘Fearless’.

With the album being self recorded and produced by Powell and Lee Howells and mixed by Howells – you know that it will sound the best it ever could be.

This is an album that begs to be played loud and one can only imagine what these songs sound like in a live setting and I for one can not wait to see and hear the full Puzzle Tree experience

Buy Here

Author: Dave Prince

Sami Yaffa – ‘The Road Bends’ with Tommi Lumatta (Rare Bird Books)

Sami Yaffa – ‘The Road Bends’ with Tommi Lumatta (Rare Bird Books)

Sami Yaffa should be a household name.  Some of the bands he’s played with should be household names, and some of the records he’s made should be in every self-respecting music lover’s collection.  Sami Yaffa is a Bass guitar-playing Legend. 

I know the term legend gets banded about willy nilly and people refer to players who should be nowhere near the word but there are some artists who are the absolute embodiment of Rock and Roll and worthy of the word legend. From his humble beginnings and his love of music from many genres through his time as the bass player in Hanoi Rocks through his dalliances with Joan Jett, Demolition 23, New York Dolls, Jetboy, Hellacopters and most recently old sparring partner Michael Monroe who to be fair have been a going concern for the best part of a decade and most recently his solo album that wiped the floor with everything released last year Sami Yaffa is a Rock and Roll Icon as far as I’m concerned and now the fucker is a published author with magic in his pen and a wonderfully engaging style that shines like his personality from his humble beginnings right up until 2016. 

Mysterious yet open.  Up for a party yet shy, charming and seemingly always living life with a smile and a jour de Vivre that has seen him through some horrendous challenges yet the guy rolls with the punches and pulls through stronger and more determined.  Yaffa must be a fucker to be around with such qualities most mortals can only dream about achieving and boy has he got a story to tell.

The book opens with his humble beginnings as he sets the scene of how his formative years set him in good stead for what was to come. Yaffa’s style is engaging and you feel like you’re in the passenger seat for the ride there’s a flow to his story that’s engaging and throughly captivating, especially for a fan of his work.  The stories aren’t bogged down with detail but the sense of adventure and ability to roll with the punches shines through and his unwavering love of music no matter what genre is always about how it affects your heart and soul.

I’m always a bit miffed when I speak to musicians who claim to not listen to music or keep an interest in what’s happening around them nor seemingly give a shit about their own music once it’s been put in the can.  Yaffa is like a sponge and his modesty shines like a star when working with others every day is a school day and striving to be better is never a bad thing.  I’ve lived my whole youth and adult life with Sami’s music and whatever he gets involved with usually turns out to be something I need to be listening to be it his punk roots, the reincarnation of the Dolls, his roots music through Mad Juana, Jetboy, Joan Jett to Hanoi Rocks (the best band ever) to his debut solo album in 2021 He’s also a documentary maker his skills make you sick if he didn’t have such a warm smile.

As a teenager, Hanoi rocks dished up everything I loved about music and Sami was a vital part of the story and his input was a huge part of the sound. He talks fondly about the band, especially some of the trips they had but he never shys away from being honest and how they fell apart or at least how his time was done and how being in the band was affecting his health physically and mentally.  Sure they were flawed and it was their imperfections that were a big part of why people loved them so much even if their story is tragic and a well-trodden path reading Sami’s take is captivating and heartbreaking.  Apart from the pretty shambolic Sherrif McCoy book, it’s the first English worded inside track from any member of the band. But seeing it all laid out in front of you as big a part as Hanoi was there is so much more to Sami’s legacy than one band. I particularly loved reading about his chaotic time working with Steve Stevens which then led to the Demolition 23. period and the band that grew for that record.

I love reading biographies and autobiographies and the master of this genre is Alvin Gibbs another bass player whose career overlaps with Yaffa’s on several levels as far as players go, I’d probably have them both at the pinnacle of style in playing and approach to music as well as both playing on some of my favourite records and had Sami not been so loyal he might have had the Iggy gig and Alvin’s legacy would have been a little lighter than it is, sliding doors and all that.

I don’t was to give any spoilers except to say I laughed out loud at some of the stories and drifted off into what could have been with others but throughout the book it is a real page-turner, heartfelt, warm, insightful, honest and engaging – exactly what you’d want from the writer and another excellent addition is that excerpts of the book come on a 12-inch record to accompany where Sami reads excerpts from the book.  I love it all and if there’s one book you need to check out this year then it’s this, absolutely fantastic – makes you piggin sick. Hopefully, it won’t be so long before we get the second volume where Sami brings us up to date and spills the beans on what he did from 2016 to right here right now! Brilliant

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Liquids – ‘Life Is Pain Idiot’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Liquids – ‘Life Is Pain Idiot’ (Drunken Sailor Records)

Liquids recorded this album with the help of Erik Nervous. Then Erik mixed, mastered and released it via his label Nail Biter Records. It is distributed by Drunken Sailor Records (for the UK) and Australia’s finest Computer Human Records. In the United States the record is available from Violent Pest Records and is limited colour pressing. That should be all the background you need when investigating this album.

Ok Ok maybe not all the info you need to make an informed choice but its like the seal of quality. Liquids’ Mat Williams seemed like one of those creative punk rockers who was going to release what he wrote and as often as the weeds grow in my yard. Prolific is another word you could useif you kept your ear to the ground but don’t take your eye off social media or you’ll miss a release. Two albums (one a double) and a whole lot besides were pumped out of Indiana between 2015-18. You know the drill hardcore, Ramones pop, A splash of Devo, and more but that gives you the gist. I guess I’d align with Alex Wonk for quality of output maybe even more prolific Then it went quiet. then after several years of nowt, it was a new album last year this fucker but this has some added junk in the trunk and on vinyl. Twenty-seven tracks to be precise. Sure it’s Lo-Fi it’s not going to be high fidelity half-speed remastering but to be fair most of the songs only last under a minute with a couple barely stretching out over two FFS! Hell, how did I miss this even as a digital release it’s got a cover of Meat Loaf ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ that is almost prog length reaching out over three minutes although I’m sure Meat would have liked this version much better than his bloated anthem. It reminds me of The Briefs goofing around, Genius? Hell Yeah!

Some of the jerking rhythms are like a sped-up Undertones ‘Nobody Likes You’ is like a fucked-up Scooby Doo tune The Briefs meets NomeansNo at times and some of these songs are so rapid that even some speed metal bands would bow down with respect. ‘Life Of Oi’ is a pair of 18-holers moon stomping all about the place. The covers don’t end there as ‘Strutter’ is taken to school and given a proper punk rock makeover even Gene would raise an eyebrow for. The four bonus tracks are also all killer and no filler. A hot mess of an album that I can’t recommend highly enough. It’s punk rock baby but not of this earth what a top top record! Buy it!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

R-Fest Tickets for NHS Workers

R-Fest Tickets for NHS Workers

REBELLION FESTIVAL PRESENTS R-FEST

A NEW OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN FRONT OF BLACKPOOL TOWER TO TAKE PLACE AUGUST 4-7, 2022, IN ADDITION TO REBELLION AT THE WINTER GARDENS

R-FEST OFFERING FREE TICKETS TO NHS WORKERS!

Rebellion Festival, the largest punk and alternative festival in the world, is returning in 2022 even bigger and better with the launch of new outdoor event R-FEST – the festival within a festival.

Taking place this coming 4th to 7th of August 2022, in addition to Rebellion Festival at its annual home the Winter Gardens, R-FEST will be located slap bang in front of Blackpool Tower on the promenade, directly down from the Winter Gardens.

Although the country and government might have stopped clapping for the NHS, R-Fest want to show their gratitude for everything they did during the pandemic and continue to do, by offering one hundred tickets per day to the wonderful NHS workers.

If you’re an NHS key worker and fancy coming along for a day of music, food and sunshine all you’ll need to do is visit the Winter Gardens box office on Victoria Street, Blackpool this Wednesday 3rd August (12pm – 9pm) and show your NHS ID card to receive a free ticket for the R-Fest day of your choosing.

T&Cs apply: only one ticket per NHS ID can be given for free, though you may be able to purchase additional tickets from the box office. Up to 100 tickets available for each day of the festival – Thursday 4th to Sunday 7th August.

Note: this is a goodwill promotion and as such refunds cannot be issued for existing ticket holders.

The full line-up for R-Fest is.

THURSDAY 4th AUGUST: Levellers, Hawkwind, Misty in Roots, Dreadzone, Ferocious Dog, Beans on Toast, Millie Manders and the Shut Up

FRIDAY 5th AUGUST: The Stranglers, The Undertones, The Skids, From the Jam, Toyah, Jilted John, The Vapors

SATURDAY 6th AUGUST: Gary Numan, Peter Hook & the Light, Pop Will Eat Itself, Spear of Destiny, The Wedding Present, Primitives, Pete Bentham & the Dinner Ladies

SUNDAY 7th AUGUST: Squeeze, Billy Bragg, Tom Robinson Band, Hollie Cook, Buzzcocks, Altered Images, I, Doris

R-FEST will quickly establish itself as the North West’s premier music festival and Rebellion Festival look forward to welcoming many fans that could be experiencing one of their events for the first time. We’re sure they will be welcomed by the Rebellion Family and soon realise why Blackpool is such a special place for our summer gatherings.

R-FEST is a standalone festival and day tickets are available at £50 per day. However, if you are a REBELLION weekend or REBELLION day ticket holder your ticket will get into R-FEST Free Of Charge!

R-FEST is all ages and there is re-entry available.

Rebellion Festival also looks forward to hosting the best punk from around the world in 2022 with the likes of Sham 69, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Cock Sparrer and Stiff Little Fingers confirmed to play the Winter Gardens August 4th-7th 2022.

Tickets for Saturday R-FEST are available HERE:

Rebellion Day & Weekend Tickets gets you in to R-FEST and the Winter Gardens full festival and are on sale HERE:

Head to www.rebellionfestivals.com/r-fest for all info and tickets.  

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’ (Insideout)

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – ‘XI: Bleed Here Now’ (Insideout)

In an age of playlists where music has seemingly become a throwaway, background commodity to the multi-faceted lives of many, a 70 plus minute prog rock odyssey, recorded on a long-discarded format favoured by 70’s rock giants, seems as out of time and out of place as a Commodore 64 in 2022. But Texas based alt rock legends …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead have never been ones to buckle and follow trends, preferring to experiment and do what the fuck they like, regardless of what is going on around them.

2020 should have seen the core duo of Conrad Keely and Jason Reece touring latest album ‘X: The Godless Void And Other Stories’ with a brand-new 5-piece line up, but Covid had other ideas. Following months of doing nothing, Keely decided to write a new album, and the band retreated to a rehearsal studio/barn in their native Austin, Texas with their new 6-piece line up, to do things on their own terms with no interference or pressure to deliver. They set up 2 drum kits, 3 guitar stations and a bank of keyboards to record an album in quadrophonic surround sound. The fruits of their labour is their 11th studio album and it is called ‘Bleed Here Now’.

Inspired by ‘Behind The Music’ and ‘Classic Album’ documentaries featuring their favourite 70’s artists, …Trail Of The Dead have crafted a 22 track, 73-minute rock album that features multi-layered vocals, swathes of cinematic strings and organs, cleverly thought-out arrangements and melodies aplenty.

Following a couple of trademark atmospheric intros that set the scene, first song proper ‘Field Songs’ is a euphoric offering of guitar and piano. Both upbeat and melodic, it harks back to classic TOD material. ‘Penny Candle’ with its bombastic drums and effect-ridden guitars, carries the melodic feel through and seems the perfect backdrop for Conrad’s wailing alt rock vocals.

‘No Confidence’ is a full-on rock monster, riding on a Zep-like riff and a killer rhythm. Energetic and invigorating in equal parts, it brings to mind ‘Worlds Apart’ to my ears. The odd wavering, vocal effect gives it an unnerving feel that may have you checking your speakers to make sure they are not broken. The ensuing tribal gang vocal section takes us out of classic rock, further afield than alt rock, yet with our feet firmly planted in …Trail Of Dead territory.

The segues do what it says on the tin and bleed into one another, giving the feel of one whole body of music, a trip if you will, into the mind of Keely and Reece during the pandemic days and months. From the subtle and dreamy, to the cinematic and the in your face, it certainly piques the interest and keeps the listener coming back for more.

The fast and furious ‘Kill Everyone’ could be the only lead vocal cameo this time around from Jason Reece. It may only last 1 minute and 22 seconds, but it showcases the frenetic live punk energy the band are capable of.

Yet, ‘Bleed Here Now’ certainly seems more like Conrad’s baby this time around. With multi-layered, dreamy vocals and mournful piano chords ‘Golden Sail’ is a proggy, space rock odyssey. The breakdown and the ensuing, galloping space rock mid-section is as trippy as you like. Every listen brings new, trance like noises that hypnotize, enrapture and take the listener to another realm.

This brings us to the 11-minute album centerpiece ‘Taken By The Hand’. A fuzzy wall of guitars contrasts nicely with Conrad’s wailing vocals and stark use of space in the verses, before the guitars crank things up again. Guitar solos wail, before another time change that gives way to the tribal beats of 2 kits in unison that battle with layered, effect-ridden guitars, building and creating drama in the most epic of ways.

The influence of the likes of Rush and Yes are prevalent on the likes of ‘Protest Streets’. Chanting vocals befitting a monastery of monks, a folky, acoustic outro featuring female vocals that travel the Enya/Kate Bush trail. This leads us nicely to the duet with Amanda Palmer that is ‘Millenium Actress’. The juxtaposition of the two lead vocals works well over the orchestral instrumentation, as the song builds over regimental drums and soaring strings.

In 900 words I can only really scratch the surface of this album. The proof is in the pudding so to speak, but from the opening ‘Our Epic Attempts’ to the closing epilogue of ‘Calm As The Valley’, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead certainly take the listener on a journey like no other.

As immersive as it is refreshing, ‘Bleed Here Now’ is a grandiose, 73-minute rock masterpiece that gives more with each listen. But you have to give it the time it deserves to reap the rewards. As much thought and effort has gone into the sequencing as it has the writing and recording of the music. It plays out as one piece of music, one whole body of work, the many segues leaving you unsure where one track ends and another begins. Like a book, it becomes an exciting aural adventure with many twists and turns through its cleverly designed arrangements and glorious musical interludes.

As powerful as their first three albums and more ambitious than mid-career highlights such as ‘Worlds Apart’ and ‘Tao Of The Dead’, ‘Bleed Here Now’ is Conrad Keely’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, his ‘Melancholy & The Infinite Sadness’, and it could turn out to be …Trail Of The Dead’s finest moment.

Buy Here

Author: Ben Hughes

Iselder – ‘Shattered’ (Marwolaeth Records)

Iselder – ‘Shattered’ (Marwolaeth Records)

They’ll be celebrating in the streets of Llansanfrith or something like that but one man band Iselder or should that read Golfid has seen fit to release his debut EP mini album call it what you wish again this summer and to be fair it’s a welcome addition to my collection of acrid Black Celtic Metal.

I first came across Iselder when I heard ‘Metel Du Gwir’ during lockdown and was fascinated by his bilingual approach to the Black Metal genre. Sure, it’s not for everyone but it will appeal to those who love a bit of blackest Metal and those who have a passing interest in Wales for me being interested in both it was a no-brainer. So, I applied the corpse paint went down into the basement, and supped from the chalice as Beelzebub was summoned by some bone crunchingly loud Black Fucking Metal.

The album kicks off with a bleak Sabbath-inspired low end of ‘08.54’ where Golfid explains he is not a terrorist but I’m already in as he dabbles in the darker side of independence and for the next five minutes this indy-inspired blackness washes over me. ‘Freedom’ it’s a no-brainer lyrically as the solid thumping pounding song rides off into the sunset.

The songs pretty much hover around the four-minute mark and whilst Golfid has the bestial growl – it’s not the cookie monster of a lot of the scenes indecipherable which serves his lyrical imagery well, especially on the previously mentioned ‘Metal Du Gwir’ album. The titles are in welsh but the lyrics aren’t which in itself is interesting. It’s the early Mayhem slay on the heavily distorted guitar riffs that twist and turn. The pace might well be slightly one-dimensional but it doesn’t detract from the songs.

‘Butchers Apron’ lays out his feelings on the lie of the land in the UK and if you weren’t aware that there was indeed a Black Metal scene here in Wales you can now rectify that. It’s a fine line to treat when dealing with Black Metal and its politics and sure this is a heavily political artist we’re dealing with. Pride in where you come from is one thing and Iselder lays his cards on the table on album closer ‘Cymru Am Byth’ Whilst I can’t see him taking the stage at the World Cup or being involved with the Countries song for the World Cup and there are no ‘Yma Oh Hyd’ songs here I like what Iselder do and its another fine addition to a scene that needed representing from these shores.

We have a wonderful history every bit as mysterious as the Norwegians who rule this scene and when Golfid gets a band together I’m windmilling down the street of Llansanfrith and punching the air to ‘Fe godwn ni eto’ and the whole of this Red, White and Green Black Metal Massacre. Di Yawn Iselder

Get it Here