Mad About Rock

This is said to be the most prestigious award ceremony of Metal! And this is not the first time I have been lucky enough to attend the Metal Hammer Awards, as I won also back in 2004 (you can only attend if you win tickets), with Finnish band, HIM headlining, with support from Killswitch Engage and Akercoke. So 7 years later here I am again... I arrived at the O2 arena around an hour before the doors were due to open. In amongst the queue were the odd few zombies (as that was this year’s metal hammer awards theme!) So that certainly made the waiting a lot more interesting spotting all the gory and weird costumes! A little after 6pm the doors open and I enter the IndigO part of the 02 where the awards are taking place. A nice little section of the venue, that feels quite intimate without being too small, and is probably the most organised and tidy venue I have been to and for tonight’s occasion the lights set around the room were green, giving everyone a green tinge p...

Here There Be Monsters are a Brighton based Groove Metal/Hardcore band that formed in 2007. I had the pleasure of seeing the band live myself last year, and they put on a great and energetic show, so I’m looking forward to seeing them again at the Hydrant in Brighton on the 4 th of August 2011, supporting a band I have been a big fan of for a few years now..Exit Ten who are playing at Sonisphere! I asked frontman, Anthony Giles about this exciting upcoming gig, live shows and future plans… How does it feel to be supporting a band like Exit Ten? Are you a big fan of the band yourself? I am stoked to be doing this gig. Its a bit of a departure from the scene we are normally thrown in with, which tends to be of the more death metal and thrash/hardcore style, but we are really happy to be branching out and playing with some new bands. Personally, I love the melody that Exit Ten bring to a heavy backdrop of rhythms and guitars, it reminds me of some class bands I grew up list...

This band/project is fronted by our very own Alan Sutheran (presenter of 20 Minutes Of Arc show on Basement Sound Radio). Alan sings, plays guitar and just about every other instrument heard on the album, with the occasional exception..he also wrote and produced practically everything too..a man of many talents is our Alan!..Of course he had some help in the form members, Aaron Foy (Lead Guitar), Doug Sutheran (Drums), and Lee Potts features on some tracks also, helping with production and synth/drums in parts! This album contains 9 varied and interesting tracks, including a superb cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here", which is a must hear! The other songs are all originals.."Time goes by" starts with a strange, spacey futuristic intro, which quickly goes into a clean optomistic sound and has a classic rock feel to it with a hint of blues..the guitar solo is great and has a really nice tone to it, nicely produced! "Times Extreme" opens wi...

Melodic Metalcore 6 piece from Birmingham, comprised of, Jay Smith (Vocals), Dave Plimmer (Bass), Tom Knight (Growls), Rob Bonnell (Guitar), Sam Nathaniel (Guitar) and Josh Hill (Drums) with an age range of 17-23..you wouldn't know that they were so young judging by their creative mature sound..it just proves how talented these guys are! The band are planning to record full album in January 2011 and to tour in March/April with planned dates in Nottingham, Stoke, Brighton, London, Manchester and Edinburgh. And are also looking to get on the bill of as many festivals as they can..this band is very determined and ambitious which will most definitely pay off, as they are a mighty metal act and have all the key ingredients to succeed and I for one can't wait to see them live! Their 6 Track EP, titled, "Our Enemies Leave Roses". which is also the name of the title track, has a great balance of menacing screams and melodic singing, and a nice breakdown, which sho...

Calatrilloz is a theatrical operatic gothic rock band from London. They have a very unusual and interesting name, which comes with a bizarre ‘story’.. it is a name of a circus family, protagonist of a tale created by Brazilian, Mr Z, who after singing classical opera for many years decided to create a new musical project, but instead of starting with the conventional method of song writing, he created a story that would inspire his music..This idea had brilliant results and led to a mix of different genres, including Gothic, Rock, Jazz, Theatrical Opera and Circus vibes...with his strange musical concoction he headed to London where luckily he found the rest of Calatrilloz.. Arthur (Bass), Dan (Guitar), Luca (Drums) and Maya (Violin). I personally was thrilled to come across this band as I love the whole concept, image and unique twist on their music and that fact that they incorporate theatrical drama. It is a weird and wonderful combination, that works perfectly and ...

This is a progressive metal band from Finland..Scandinavia is well known for delivering great music, especially within the metal genre..and this band certainly is no exception!.. For a debut EP I must say I'm very impressed with the depth and creativity of all six songs!.."The Podium" is insane with weird effects that add to the complexity of the track as well as having great melodic technical riffs and mighty screaming! “A Failing Entity” is a particular highlight in my opinion, largely due to the extreme changes and is perhaps one of the most distinctive tracks, excluding the short dramatic and atmospheric instrumental tracks. "Flawed Equilibrium" opens with a beautiful intro and features interesting futuristic sounds, which fits the band and title/theme of the song well..very intelligible metal..its hard to find a 'flaw' on the EP!..Also quite ironically and probably deliberately done..the song is nicely balanced going from beautiful and c...

This is a debut release from a young female fronted rock act from Telford, Midlands UK. And bearing that in mind, I must say, this 4 piece should be very proud of what they have achieved!... The opening title track, “Stranded” sets the scene for the rest of the EP! A good one to open with. It has all the key elements for a radio friendly rock track, which is always a good sign! Good lyrics, dual vocals and cracking riffs and beats! This is a strong song with a lot of passion!..Something this bands has heaps off! “Behind Enemy Lines” shows off Naomi's vocals the most out of all tracks. I great fast paced song, with a damn catchy chorus and rocking riffs! I think this along with "Stranded" are the essential tracks to hear! “Save Me” is a heart felt song full of alot of emotion. It has beautiful acoustic guitar riffs and chords that compliment the vocals. A very well written song overall! And the more I listen the more its fast becoming my favourite song on the EP! “...