RAMzine 28 | Kissing Candice, I Am Pariah, Six From The 80's

ock & metal
ISSUE #28 WWW.RAMZINE.CO.UK

06
An interview with
Kissing Candice
Taking a mix of influences
such as industrial,
nu metal, glam and
of course a lot of pop
culture!
Jay Brown
Assistant Editor
assitant.editor@ramzine.co.uk
KEEP
THE
FAITH
We aren’t out of the
woods just yet, but it
seems there is some
light at the end of
the tunnel. 2020 is
almost in the record
books and will remain
infamous forever, its
impact on music has
been devastating but
the tenacity and sheer
determination shown
by so many bands
regardless of whether
they’re superstars or
struggling DIY outfits,
all have pulled together
and found ways to
keep doing what they
do. It’s an inspiring
show of grit, I’m sure
you will agree. Credit
also to the fans, digging
deep to support artists
everywhere, either by
attending online shows
or picking up merch,
keep the faith, and stay
safe.
10
RAMzine Classic
We take a look back at Moontan
by Golden Earing!
2

ock & metal
WWW.RAMZINE.CO.UK
MASS TESTING
SAID TO COME
INTO PLACE
FOR 2021
FESTIVALS
14
An interview with I Am
Pariah
“The pandemic gave us a
brilliant example of something
we would want to change”.
Well, wasn’t 2020 a
Victoria Purcell roller coaster! You can’t
Editor
go out and all venues
vicky@ramzine.co.uk are closed. Venues are
open, but you can’t sing or dance. Everything
is closed again. Venues can now open again
but only if serving a substantial meal with any
alcohol because apparently the virus does a
u-turn in midair when it sees a plate of fish and
chips. You just couldn’t have made this stuff up!
However, with all that has been said and done
there is the distant glimmer of hope that we will
be back at gigs and festivals in 2021. Of course,
we would like nothing more, but the industry
now hangs in the balance as the government
decide what measures will keep mass crowds
safe from an outbreak of covid at an event. The
first rapid testing programme was officially
announced in November which sees a person
tested within 15-minutes. It is said that this along
with temperature checks and track and trace
could allow fans entry into a festival/ large scale
gig, providing you have no signs of the virus.
Do you think mass rapid testing will work for
festivals such as Download and Bloodstock?
Tweet us! @ram_zine with your thoughts.
Lindsay Teske
Assistant Editor
assitant.editor@ramzine.co.uk
SUPPORT
INDEPENDENT
ARTISTS
Obviously, this year’s
events have put a massive
dent in the creative
economy - but, that
makes it all the more
imperative to fiercely
stand in the corner of
independent artists in
2021. Should guidelines
allow for small venues to
open back up soon, head
down to your local and
check out who’s there. Do
some digging & download
what catches your
ear. If you’re able/ interested,
consider buying
merch from a band who
could use the support. At
large, the music industry
tends to only support
artists who have a requisite
amount of perceived
symbolic capital. So,
with that being said: you,
our dear reader, are an
integral component in
keeping the vital sector
of new &/or independent
artists alive.
Neale McGeever
Senior Contributor
neale@ramzine.co.uk
An entertainment
writer from the North
East. I’m also big in to
movies & video games.
Ashley Crowson
Senior Contributor
ash@ramzine.co.uk
Guitarist, photographer,
geek, gamer, full
on metalhead and
allround barfly.
3

To say that Rammstein frontman, Till Lindemann,
has done something unexpected is like saying
the grass is green. So we are glad to bring you the
news Lindemann has announced the release his
second book for National Geographic. Yet again
collaborating with musician Joe Kelly, this book
is entitled Amazonas: Reise Zum Rio Javari (Amazon:
Journey To The Rio Javari). As you may have
guessed this is the German language. The cover
of the book shows Lindermann and Kelly holding
an anaconda. “I couldn’t stop myself from having
photos taken with the snake. I love snakes. Joey
finds them scary...” Lindermann says in the book.
The book is now available to order now.
Own your own versions of Coheed and Cambria
Kilgannon as they come to life in action figure form.
Vocalist Claudio Sanchez is the mastermind behind
The Amory Wars comic books, which are linked
with the bands music. The action figures are currently
available for pre-order on the bands website.
Sanchez commented, “Lights, ra, Action… Figures!
I’m very happy to announce the release of our
collaboration with NECA [action figure manufacturer]
in bringing The Amory Wars line to life. As a
child, toys played an integral role in the foundation
of who I am now as a storyteller and the excitement
never fades when I get to take this step with any of
my creations.”
4

Status Quo’s John ‘Rhino’ Edwards has released
a new single to raise funds for Stagehand – the
original live production welfare and benevolent
fund. The money raised from Rhino’s single will go
towards some of those ignored by the Government
in these challenging times .
John states in the song that “the policies aren’t
working, as the figures indicate. But don’t dwell
on things, old boy. It’s super smashing great” as he
gives an ‘up-yours’ hand gesture aimed at the government.
Buy ‘Super Smashing Great’ here: https://
li.sten.to/9ulSUsI
Donate directly to the fund here:
www.stagehand.org.uk
If you have listened to even one song by Finnish
folk-metal fun guys Korpiklaani – you know they like
a drop of drink now and then. Evident in tracks like
‘Vodka’, ‘Tequila’ and ‘Jagermeister’. So it only makes
sense they have a go at releasing their own tipple.
This is Finnish spruce flavoured craft vodka, distilled
by Pyynikin who also made their official lager.
The vodka was launched the same day as their live
stream from the Pyynkin distillery. Simply known as
Korpiklaani Vodka, this is a premium grain vodka
distilled using what is known as ‘the purest water in
the world’. The spruce gives the authentic Finnish
flavour that fits well with Korpiklaani’s music and
spirit.
5

Interview
by Neale McGeever
Kissing Candice have been making
a name for themselves for
almost a decade now. Taking a
mix of influences such as industrial, nu
metal, glam and of course a lot of pop
culture – the Long Island masked men
have gained a passionate fanbase.
Following the premiere of their latest
horror-inspired video, ‘Tapeworm’,
we caught up with bassist Mike ‘Grip’
Grippo, and guitarist / vocalist Tom
‘Dreamer’ Sciro to talk about their
upcoming album, juggalos, masks, and
if they will ever tour the UK.
How the devil are you? How are you
finding this pandemic and lockdown?
Grip: Honestly, not as bad as I could
be. Just using this time to find new
ways to be creative and try to save
as much money as possible for the
release of our upcoming album!
Using the time off from touring to be a
normal person and work a standard
full-time job (it even has benefits).
Dreamer: Hangin in. Just trying to stay
sane.
Do you feel this will change people’s
pattern’s for listening to new music
and discovering bands?
Dreamer: I would definitely think so,
but I’ll leave that to grip ‘cuz he’s the
algorithm master lol.
Grip: I definitely think it will. It is
changing the way bands do their own
thing. They have to find different ways
to adapt to survive, especially if their
sole income was touring. I think this
will trickle down to the fans and they
will also have to adapt to the new
ways bands are releasing music. I
think everything will be much more
digital than it used to be (it was headed
this way already).
You have released your storming
new track and video ‘Tapeworm’
recently. Is this a taster for the new
album?
Dreamer: I still believe that grassroots
stuff is alive and well, but on a much
smaller level. Online stuff is the standard
now though.
Grip: Yep! This is the first taste of the
album. The album doesn’t include
the previously released singles Magic
Show or Crash and Burn. Those were
just released by us to stay active and
try to figure out what our next move
was while we kept giving our fans
something to listen to and watch!
Dreamer: It’s 100% a taste of what’s to
come. Just the tip of the iceberg and
one of many variations of flavors.
Is online exposure key in this day
and age?
Grip: Absolutely. Especially now. If
you don’t have an amazing online
presence and interaction with your
fans you’re just sitting in a lake doing
nothing.
I have to ask: how did you get to play
Gathering Of The Juggalos (Insane
Clown Posse’s annual fan festival featuring
rock and rap artists) so many
times, do you feel that your music is of
that niche?
Grip: Well, supposedly Violent J (ICP
rapper) saw our videos and was a
big fan of both the visuals and music
we were releasing. We were invited
to play 3 years in a row and it was
such a great honor! We will forever be
grateful to the Psychopathic Records
team and ICP for letting us perform!
I feel our music has its own niche,
which can kind of fall into other niches.
While we aren’t a Juggalo band we
do absolutely love Juggalos and the
community of family and open-mindedness
that the mainstream media
often ignores. They’re a great group
of accepting people and I have made
MANY friends at the past Gatherings
we have played. They’re so fun. We’ll
stay the whole time and I’ll just run
around unmasked and be part of the
festival as a fan!
6

Dreamer: Three times. It was something
we never planned on, but absolutely
love that happened. They are
extremely passionate fans and beyond
loyal.
Note: a ‘juggalo’ is the affectionate
name given to passionate fans of
Insane Clown Posse, similar to MCRmy
or KISS Army.
This leads me to the question: when
are you coming to the UK? (or
would you like to?)
Grip: When? No clue whatsoever.
Would like to? 5 minutes ago.
Dreamer: ASAP.
Of course, your image and stage
presence is very important to you,
where do you find inspiration for your
performances?
Grip: In anything that’s weird. I’m personally
inspired by the performances
of insane bands like Marilyn Manson
and Nine Inch Nails that I grew up
watching over and over.
Dreamer: Mike Patton, Rob Zombie Al
Jourgenson.
Would you ever ‘retire’ the masks?
Grip: Not until we are good looking
enough to perform without them.
Dreamer: We have definitely kicked
that idea around a few times, but it’s
become synonymous with the band
at this point. Who knows? If we did
away with it, we might be like KISS
without the makeup.
We heard something about a Five
Year Anniversary release of your first
full-length album, BLIND UNTIL WE
BURN?
Grip: It’s been five years since we
released our debut full-length album
Blind Until We Burn! What people
don’t know is that there were a lot of
changes made to the original release.
Songs had samples removed, the
artwork was changed, and a track was
cut. To celebrate the 5 year anniversary
we are releasing it as originally
7

intended (to a VERY SELECT few fans).
We are doing a run of 100 vinyl pressings
and 50 cassettes! This version
will never be released digitally or via
CD. It can be purchased in our official
store at www.kissingcandice.com
What advice would you give to anyone
wanting to start a band when
this craziness is over?
Grip: Use the internet, take advantage
of technology! This pandemic
has spurred so many different forms
of communication to emerge. Take
advantage of that and collaborate with
a random guy from social media on
the other side of the world! Bands no
longer need to be central to one location.
It’s all about the music right now.
Dreamer: Be yourself, that will always
get people’s attention more than anything.
What is the ultimate goal of Kissing
Candice?
Grip: A sponsorship by my favorite
water brand… Just kidding (not really).
We would love to be able to do this for
a living and be able to maintain some
sort of comfortable life where we can
focus solely on the band.
Dreamer: I’d love to have the band
grow to the arena level.
So what’s next on the horizon for
Kissing Candice and for you all as
individuals?
Grip: Expect another taste of the upcoming
album! As far as me personally,
I will continue to type nonstop
behind my laptop screen until everyone
has seen and heard us.
Dreamer: New music, new masks,
new, nü.
Lastly, if you could form a band of
all horror movie characters, who
would be in it and would play what?
(I will also allow comic book characters)
Grip: Taking a loophole here with
your parentheses. It would be a band
of all Ewok’s from the Star Wars
universe and they would all play the
Stormtrooper helmets played at the
end of Return of the Jedi.
Dreamer: The entire puppet cast of
puppet master, playing big band.
You can stream the new track ‘Tapeworm’
via YouTube and Spotify now,
plus you can order records and merch
on their website.
9

CLASSIC
GOLDEN
EARRING
- MOONTAN
-
By Tom Dixon
For a band that scored a number
one hit (in the Netherlands)
in 1967 with the poppy and
comically named ‘Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-
Di-Gi-Dong’ it as a surprise to many
that they evolved into such a powerful,
excellent rock band. Perhaps, equally
surprising is that the 1973 lineup of
George Kooymans (guitar), Barry Hay
(vocals, flute) Rinus Gerritson (bass,
keys) and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums)
are still together today. It’s in that same
year with the same lineup who recorded
the anthem that graces every
rock compilation ever, the superlative
‘Radar Love’. The album that birthed
that single, Moontan, was so much
more and although successful, it is
one of the often-overlooked classics
of the 70s and beyond that deserves
the reverence that’s afforded to other
classics of any period. The band is still
together today and released an album
modestly titled ‘Tits an’ Ass’ that out in
2012 and a live album as recently as
2015. A good starting point to hear a
cross-section of all of their output (including
the ludicrously catchy ‘Dong’)
is the 4CD/DVD 50 Years Anniversary
Album from 2015.
Back in 1965, Golden Earring was
known as The Golden Earrings (from a
song by British instrumental band, The
Hunters) and had quite a few hits in
their homeland in the pop vein but, as
the personnel changed they dropped
the ‘The’ and the ’s’ and began making
much heavier records.
The album is a delicious mix of rock:
heavy, progressive and psychedelic all
feature in the forty minute, five song
masterpiece. Kicking off with ‘Radar
Love’ we get the unedited six minute
pause version and every second
sounds as good as the chopped for
radio single. After this auspicious
start, things just get better, ‘Candy’s
Going Bad’ has a wah’d guitar intro
with neat keyboard flourishes that develops
into a sad, cinematic tale with
superb instrumentation and a class
guitar solo from Kooymans that
is bursting with originality.
Then, in a typical Golden
moment, the middle section
changes tempo and
brings a touch of drama
via the piano and clever,
subtle drums with phased
vocal effects sounding way better
than that description. The epic and I
do mean epic – ‘Vanilla Queen’ is next
with hypnotic synth and bass starting
it all off. The lyrics also provide
the album title as well building the
tension along with the backing music
(not sure what “sterile dignity” is but it
sound good). The acoustic interlude is
neat and then leads to another sharply
observed electric solo before we
revisit the main melody. The strange
middle has car sound effects as well
as spoken words courtesy of the sultry
tones of Marilyn Monroe before a repetitive
and damnable catch riff takes
us to the fade. This is so complex, it
needs to be heard in all its glory to
appreciate the depth and scope that
words cannot describe… listen to
the bass alone for example, then the
drums etc. Next up is ‘Big Tree, Blue
Sea’ that catches immediately with the
nifty riff before the flute adds colour
(no, not a Tull sound anything alike)
to more remarkable instrumentation…
listen to the simple chord play behind
the first verse for example. Even the
synthesiser solo fits and leads nicely
into the tempo change and a classical
yet entrancing flute section but with
a cracking bass line. Barry’s flute
then has a multi-tracked solo (that
could have been Colin Towns if he
hadn’t been doing it with Gillan ten
years later. The riff returns for the full
electric denouement, delicious from
start to end. Ending with ‘Are You
Receiving Me’ we get another
nine minute plus epic, agent
start with wah’d guitar chords
but then a more urgent drum and
bass pattern kick in and we’re off
into psychedelia with some serious
added weight and invention. The
wonderfully named Bertus Borgers
adds some suitable saxiness as the
song keeps on building beautifully.
The tempo change is heralded by just
the bass playing a simple riff, soon
joined by some neat cymbal work and
a subtle chorded section, with added
flute. Wind and strings combine for an
illuminating middle section before the
guitar takes over with some blindingly
good playing and the climax of the
returning chorus wraps this package
up so damn neatly.
It is virtually impossible to convey
the sweeping majesty of this genuine
classic with just words, if you haven’t
heard it, you need to listen (and I do
mean listen) to it to fully ‘get’ what
these guys do. If you have, then listen
again to all of its glorious complexity
and revel in the pictures the music
paints.
10

By Tom Dixon
In this ongoing series, once again I have chosen some less than obvious artists. The 80s saw the
rise of NWOBHM with Iron Maiden leading the way, then Van Halen, Dio-era Sabbath, the rise of
‘hair metal’, seminal albums such as British Steel and Back In Black etc. Those we are all familiar
with so let’s explore some of the less familiar highlights from the 80s.
1
2
3
4
5
6
WHITE SPIRIT
White Spirit may be known as the band where Janick Jers began his career, but when I saw them as support
to Gillan at Middlesbrough Town Hall in 1980 they displayed an uncanny ability for fiery rock with
a bit of prog, and just happened to have a flamboyant guitar player. Their sole album (before Janick went
first to join Gillan and then Iron Maiden) was self-titled and, apart from the slightly overblown ‘Fool For
The Gods’ held some great guitar/key led rock - try ‘High Upon High’ for a hint at what could have been for
this young Hartlepudlian band.
HANDSOME BEASTS
Handsome Beasts are still going, however back in 1981 when they released their debut Beastiality, they
were classed as NWOBHM. This is only partially true as they were more of an extension of 70s hard rock
than pure new wave. The album is noted for its execrable cover (a very large man and very large pig in
a pen) and some decidedly iffy lyrics by today’s politically correct standards. Take the track ‘Sweeties’
which is a brilliant, raw rock record that. If you listen closely the track is not condoning but warning of
the man in the dirty raincoat carrying a bag of sweeties; either way, this is an album of damn good rock.
RED RIDER
Red Rider were a Canadian band that should have enjoyed way more success than they did. They only
appeared on my radar courtesy of the great Tommy Vance whose Rock Show on Radio 1 was the only real
place to hear new music in those pre-Internet days. Their 1981 album, As Far As Siam was pure mature
rock. Leadoff track ‘Lunatic Fringe’ was Tommy’s choice and remains my favourite to this day, although the
country skiffle of ‘Thru The Curtain’ is still irresistible.
PICTURE
Picture were and indeed still are a Dutch band that promised much with their European heavy rock that,
particularly on their third album from ‘82, Diamond Dreamer, hinted at a sort of refined NWOBHM. They
toured with AC/DC but never quite hit the big time. That album and its title track along with the rather
tasty ‘Nighthunter’ are well worth seeking out.
MAMMOTH
Mammoth are another band that failed to hit the big time even with the inimitable John McCoy on bass
and the dulcet tones of vocalist Nicky Moore. This album is high-quality melodic rock with a blueish tinge,
although the track that played to the band name and girth of all the members, ‘Fatman’, is heavier and has
a Bernie Torme guitar solo to boot..
KINGDOM COME
Kingdom Come reached our ears in 1988 with their self-titled debut and they certainly generated a bit of
controversy as they were accused of being a Led Zep clone - does that story ring any bells from recent
times? This band (nothing to do with Arthur Brown) did indeed have some similarities, mainly the voice
and phrasing of vocalist Lenny Wolf. However, a closer listen to the album reveals a band with very
much has their own identity and sound that rendered persecution unjustified. Listen to the rousing ‘Get
It On’ or the sublime ‘Living Out Of Touch’ to hear the evidence for yourself.
As always, there are many more I could have included (1,249 according to my iTunes) and it was
difficult to choose just six. I hope these bring new artists to your playlists and you enjoy the little-heard
side of an interesting decade.
11

12

By Ash Crowson

Interview by Victoria Purcell
We caught up with metal
band I Am Pariah of Stoke
on Trent, as they release
their new EP Charm Before The Storm.
The EP was written prior to the current
world pandemic and like many
other bands I Am Pariah were forced
to make alternative arrangements.
How is the band currently doing?
We are doing fine all things considered.
We are trying to make the best
of a bad situation and drive forward,
albeit slower than we’d like. We are
currently working with the restrictions
to keep the ball rolling by passing
demos around digital platforms. Some
weeks are tougher than others, as we
cannot have that band rehearsal outlet
you sometimes need after a stressful
week, and definitive planning is out
the window for us. We are in the government’s
hands; as is everybody else.
But what we can say is – we have big,
overarching plans.
It’s been a strange year for most
people, with the music and arts industries
hugely impacted. How did
things impact you?
The first (and biggest) impact was
the closure of music venues, which
has drastically affected us getting our
name around the circuit. Prior to the
first lockdown we were very active
and had many things to look forward
to on the horizon. I think we can speak
for all musicians when we say that it
has been a crippling blow to the arts.
The breaks went on initially, as like
everyone else we were in a kind of ‘adjustment’
to the new way of life. I don’t
think even now nearly a year on we’ve
fully managed to find our feet, due to
the constant switching of pandemic
rules.
What have you learnt from 2020?
That despite what obstacles are
thrown at us, a motivated band will
find a way to progress. We went from
perfecting our craft into a routine of
over analysing our art, a fine line to
say the least – if you’re a perfectionist
you will know what we mean. As
much as we would have said that pre
lockdown we were ‘aware’ or ‘not getting
lost in the moment’, 2020 hit and it
just showed us that life is a flash in the
pan, existence is temporary – make
the most of it.
You’ve just released new EP Charm
Before The Storm what is meant by
the title?
It represents the naive feelings you get
before shit hits the fan. It can be put
into many contexts but ultimately it is
something we fail to see until it’s too
late, a sort of dark hindsight.
You recently released your video
for ‘Sicko’ from the new EP, talk us
through the meaning behind this
track?
‘Sicko’ is a stigmatic term for a mentally
ill person that is defined by society
as sadistic. It interested us because
people are fascinated with serial
killers, but rarely take the time to read
up, or discover why they become the
way they are – there is a very fine line
between mad and bad. Act 1 of the
song is a tale of an individual that was
met from birth with rare, yet unfortunate
circumstances – which conditioned
a monster. In act 2 of the song,
narcissism turns to delusion, and our
sociopath believes he is a god.
What do you think should change
about the modern world?
We think everyone in the world could
answer this question to an extent.
There’s so much to this question that
we could probably sit here and write
you an essay, so we’ll pick one thing.
14

I think the pandemic gave us a
brilliant example of something we
would want to change. The pandemic
showed us that some people take our
‘first world’ for granted. A lot of people
put their lives on the line to protect
and serve us, while others refused to
isolate because they needed their beer
with mates on a Friday – you know, the
type of people that would try and cannibalise
you first on a desert island.
We all love a beer lads, please keep it
in your pants for just a few months.
Tell us about your favourite local
venue?
If you’re ever in Stoke on Trent then
get yourself down to either venue and
you won’t be disappointed!
What is the one message that above
all you would like to share with
people?
Live your best life, do what makes you
happy, support unsigned bands and
keep your friends close (and enemies
closer). You only get one shot at this.
Who were your favourite bands
growing up, and are they still your
favourites right now?
As a band we have numerous influences,
many that we have followed
for years. The main man for us is
the prince of darkness himself, Ozzy
Osbourne. Nothing can stop him,
with decades of riffs to back him up.
He is a true inspiration to the rock/
metal scene. We are also avid fans of
Killswitch Engage, Avenged Sevenfold
& Marilyn Manson.
In Stoke on Trent we have The Sugarmill
and The Underground, both
amazing venues! The promoters at
both venues are always very supportive
of local bands and help give us that
platform and opportunity to support
big international bands when they
are in Stoke as part of their tours. Both
venues have given us amazing opportunities
to open up for the likes of Light
The Torch and upcoming UK Band
Phoxjaw which we are so thankful for.
Charm Before The Storm is out now!
15

The Rolling Stones did it, Cream
did it, and if we accept that Led
Zeppelin were major contributors
to forging a path for the many and
varied sub-genres of rock music, then
their first three albums bear witness
to the importance of it; Zep I had four
tracks, Zep II had three, Zep III had
two and Zep IV had one. I am talking
about the blues and how it influenced
nearly every band we revere today
and how their cover versions reveal so
much of the history, importance, and
development in rock.
Of course, music is such a complex
medium it could never be that straightforward;
a number of bands that also
made major contributions were led
by classical music as well as traditional
music from countries around the
world.
To really appreciate the vital role
blues has played, I would recommend
you research as I did, the foundation
of the blues and how it developed into
electric blues, rock and roll, and then
eventually, rock and heavy rock.
I went as far back as the field recordings
of Alan Lomax who traveled the
US recording the songs and traditional
music of the time. The blues had
already begun to develop as guitars be
more accessible and was performed
on the ubiquitous ‘back porch’. With
the birth of the electric guitar, things
began to take on a personality
..
..
ARTISTS WHO PAVED
THE WAY FOR
ROCK!
ARTISTS WHO PAVED
THE WAY FOR
ROCK!
of their own. Many of these early
recordings demand perseverance
when listening as the quality and
vocal nuances are sometimes hard
work. For example, Memphis Minnie’s
‘When The Levee Breaks’ and Lead
Belly’s ‘Gallis Pole’, more recognised as
‘Gallows Pole’ nowadays. However, that
perseverance will be repaid massively
and lead you to a whole world of
stunning playing and groundbreaking
arrangements that can still be heard
in today’s music. But don’t stop there:
for every blues pioneer that has been
covered by more recent rock bands,
there are at least another ten awaiting
discovery. Also, the blues isn’t always
about hardship, it is packed with humour
(single, double and even triple
entendres abound) and there are
more euphemisms for genitalia that
you can shake a stick at!
I could list dozens of these seminal
artists: the genius of Robert Johnson,
the guitar-toting Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
the slide genius of Son House who, in
my humble opinion recorded one of
the finest blues songs ever…’Pearline’,
is simply perfection. Or look for Willie
Dixon (no relation!) compositions as
he wrote a multitude of great songs
for other artists…’Little Red Rooster’,
‘Spoonful’, ‘I Can’t Quit You Babe’ to tie
in with my introduction are three of
over five hundred he wrote.
Don’t forget to look for artists who are
neglected by writers everywhere:
Lil Johnson and the wonderfully
smutty ‘Press My Button’, Weaver and
Beasley for guitar brilliance with the
added cleverness of humour in instrumentals…
’Bottleneck Blues’ springs to
mind.
After soaking up the stunning originality
of these pioneers you can then
move onto how they were adopted by
many British bands who then took the
music back to America and reintroduced
the blues to a willing audience:
the “British Blues Boom” as it be
known saw the Stones, The Animals
(‘House of the Rising Sun’ was first
recorded in 1933 by Clarence Ashley
and Gwen Foster), the Yardbirds (the
version that Jimmy Page did with
them of ‘Dazed and Confused’ is even
better than the better-known one!)
and Fleetwood Mac’s early albums
were packed with delicious covers of
great blues songs. From the great Rory
Gallagher to today’s blues maestro, Joe
Bonamassa, they all regularly cover,
and pay tribute to, the blues in all its
hues and keep its heritage alive.
If you aren’t familiar with these legends
of yore, do yourself a favour and
(literally) sound them out: there are a
multitude of blues compilations which
are a cheap way of beginning what,
for me, be a far-reaching, fascinating
and rewarding project that continues
to this day.
Article by Tom Dixon.
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17

SOILWORK
A WHISP OF THE ATLANTIC
RIVERSIDE
LOST’N’FOUND
MY DYING BRIDE
EVINTA MMXX
Soilwork is a strange one to pinpoint
combining elements of melodic death,
groove metal, and in some cases a bit
of metalcore. A Whisp of The Atlantic
is a good showcase of this, even the
slightly goth-y title track is a departure
from what we usually expect from the
Swedish five-piece. This EP might be
a preview of things to come not just
for Soilwork but for metal as a lot of
different elements are incorporated.
Something for other bands to take note
of. The release date is 4th December
2020.
Review by Neale McGeever
Previously available only as a limited
edition fan club release, ‘live’ in
Tilburg’ is an album which shows
Polish Progmeisters Riverside at their
absolute best, featuring outstanding
performances of some of their classic
tracks up to this time, notably ‘Panic
Room,’ ‘The same River,’ ‘The depth of
self-delusion’ and the lengthy ‘Escalator
Shrine’. There’s also a degree of
poignancy attached as this was the
last tour with guitar man Piotr Grudzinski,
and his playing here is a fitting
way to remember him.
Review by Laurence Todd
Feels weird that 1990 was 30 years
ago. My Dying Bride was merely a
‘new’ band back then. To mark their
30th birthday we get a vinyl remastering
of their 2011 magnum opus
‘Evinta’ on red /black vinyl. Clear to
see this has aged very well in less than
a decade. On one hand, this is a very
slow burner for doom/ atmospheric
metalheads only, the other hand - this
is somewhat of a misunderstood
masterpiece. The new version of ‘The
Cry Of Mankind’ is certainly worth the
wait too.
by Neale McGeever
I AM PARIAH
CHARM BEFORE THE STORM
Signified rage powers through this
deeply cathartic EP. I Am Pariah
crave to dislodge the modern world
from its perch on opening track ‘Kill
The Modern World’ with hooks and
rousing vocals enforcing a wonderful,
but brooding, edge. Technical guitar
trickery and a chorus worthy of widespread
praise burns through on ‘Suck
It Up’, which is a raucous crescendo
on Charm Before The Storm. This EP is
unapologetic and timely as the world
tries to mend.
Review by Mark McConville
18

VANDEN PLAS
THE GHOST XPERIMENT
Last year we had the first part of The Ghost
Xperiment from Vanden Plas, now the second
is here with the sub-title, Illumination.
There are guests aplenty as they weigh in
with the pounding ‘World Is Falling Down’
and the proggy and excellent ‘Under The
Horizon’. The thirteen-minute epic, ‘The
Ouroboros’ sees hero, Gideon Grace face
his ghosts to a slow piano intro and a
virtuoso vocal and guitar experience. If you
like your metal heavy and progressive then
Vanden Plas delivers once again.
Review by Tom Dixon
BEYOND EXTINCTION
FATAL FLAWS OF HUMANKIND
This skilled British squadron delivers
a strong and vigorous slab of raw,
gut-piercing death metal with a dark
and unsettling vibe to it. There’s a
palpable sense of youthful energy and
enthusiasm to these four atmospheric
compositions and the young musicians
who clearly know what it means to craft
dynamic tunes containing vicious riffs
and delightfully sinister twists. There’s
nothing too original or innovative, but
the EP provides a thoroughly enjoyable
experience nonetheless. This lethal entity
possesses both promise and potential.
Review by Jens Nepper
EGO KILL TALENT
THE DANCE BETWEEN
Ego Kill Talent source energy from
their highly charged music. Those
pounding instrumentals and vocals all
interweave to create an atmospheric
surge. On opening track, ‘Deliverance’,
soft vocals rise and the guitars come
into play and those sombre lyrics. ‘Sin
And Saints’ ends the EP, but it doesn’t
lack quality, it lets it evolve. Throughout
this track, the rhythm ascends and
vocals become an abrasive addition.
Ego Kill Talent delivers with The
Dance Between, and they’re a band to
consider wholeheartedly.
Review by Mark McConville
HATEBREED
WEIGHT OF THE FALSE SELF
Weight Of the False Self sees the
Connecticut bruisers return with their
eighth studio release. Brimming with
aggression and positivity, this year of
despair has pushed their abilities to
write monstrous beasts further than
before. From the leads of ‘Cling to Life’,
thrashy vibes of ‘Dig Your Way Out’,
the album delivers. Granted for those
not fans, it might seem almost Sesame
Street-esque in lyrics of the title track,
but for Hatebreed fans, Weight Of the
False Self has shaped up to be their
strongest work yet.
Review by Ash Crowson
19

SCULPTOR
UNTOLD SECRETS
CROSTPATHS
MUTATED
CRO-MAGS
2020
Melodic death metal that oozes class
and professionalism is offered here on
Untold Secrets. These 11 stately tracks
contain plenty of interesting textures
and nuances. Boasting numerous
wicked hooks, a solid drive, clever
arrangements, and gorgeous melodies
- a highly potent debut record and a
most satisfying listen. Fans of Swedish
melodic death metal in particular
definitely ought to take note here, as
Sculptor have crafted an impressive
album that is up there with some of
the genre’s most memorable ones.
Review by Jens Nepper
Crostpaths have just released their
new 4-track EP titled Mutated - for fans
of Hollywood Undead and Papa Roach
as they blend a mix of metalcore, rap,
electro breakdowns. Vocalist Ritchie
Murray Jack flawlessly sums it up
stating “sonically, it’s all action, but lyrically
the songs reflect a rollercoaster
of emotions that many will be familiar
with (especially now): anger, sorrow
and stubborn defiance.” This EP is
strong it has the power and oomph
behind it to be played on a big stage -
fingers crossed for 2021!
Review by Victoria Purcell
Cro-Mags’ latest EP, 2020, is a blunt and
abrasive crossover thrash offering that is
exactly 20 minutes and 20 seconds long
and acts as a solid continuation of their
latest album. 2020 never outstays its
welcome but feels like it has some tracks
that were only included to get this EP to
the very specific run time but these tracks
are over fairly quickly and the other tracks
accurately encompass the mood of 2020:
aggressive and chaotic. For fans of Black
Flag, Agnostic Front and Suicidal Tendencies.
2020 will be released 11th December
2020.
Review by Dale Unsworth
MAJESTICA
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Oh dear, another bleedin’ Christmas album?
Well, not exactly; symphonic metallers
Majestica have set the Dickens story to a
powerful and very heavy soundtrack. A
multitude of guests add voice to the characters
while the orchestral, metal compositions avoid
too many cloying yuletide cliches. ‘Ghost Of
Marley’ is one highlight, it’s recognisable but
seriously metallic. ‘Joy Of Christmas’ is a bit
Lloyd-Webber but still strong. ‘A Majestic
Christmas Theme’ orchestrally plays with
carol melodies. Some should be heard all year
round; some reserved for December.
Review by Tom Dixon
20

HUNTED BY ELEPHANTS
CARRY ON
Since their lauded 2019 debut, the band have
built upon their 70’s hard rock base and now
deliver ten powerful tracks that show that
influences whilst simultaneously remaining
original. The brilliant track ‘The Weapon’ may
start like acoustic Whitesnake but heavies up
nicely, like riffy Tygers of Pan Tang. ‘Wiseman’,
‘Electric,’ and best of all, ‘Believe in Something’
showcases a bluesy influence nicely. Hunted
by Elephants are a talented band that share the
balance of clear production to bring together a
fine album that deserves being heard - and not
just for 70’s lovers.
Review by Tom Dixon
NIGHTBLADE
IGNORANCE IS BLISS
DAN REED
LIFTOFF
MOLLO RILLA
VIVA EL CAMINO
Nightblade’s Ignorance Is Bliss arrives
right in time for Christmas. A skeleton
cover with a Mad Max-style car gives
a clue to 70’s/80’s based heavy rock
treat in store. The single ‘Steering
Wheel’ is a great listen for riff-based
melodies, and ‘Never Take For Granted’
makes for a seriously heartfelt
ballad. This is rounded off with ‘Stop’
which compares favourably to many
heavy rock single successes from the
80’s. Ten tracks, an hour of enjoyable
rock…what’s not to like?
Review by Tom Dixon
On his fifth solo album Dan Reed is in
tune with the world again stating that
the album “addresses frustration with
the human race’s adversity to embracing
truth and wisdom during these
divide times…” The music is as diverse
as the messages therein, with highlights
from the hour and a half being ‘Back To
Earth’ with its acoustic/electric lilt, the
tasty instrumental ‘Docking Sequence,’
and the laid back and lyrical ‘Deeper
Than Our Fear’. This is Dan at his enigmatic
best: mixed styles, but all class.
Review by Tom Dixon
Upon reading that Mollo Rilla combines
elements of Latin, rockabilly, surf, hip
hop, and disco curiosity had struck -
you can hear all of these elements on
Viva El Camino but, ultimately this is a
rock n roll album. Marco Ciofani spills
out heaps of his personality from his
vocals alone which are quirky in some
places. If you want to hear something a
bit different, then I highly recommend
Mollo Rilla. A good starter song is the
new single ‘Night Fang’, which you can
watch the video for now.
Review by Victoria Purcell
21

CLUTCH
THE WEATHERMAKER
VAULT SERIES VOL. I
As Clutch once sang, ‘What You See is What
You Get’, and you know full well it is a treat
every time. Throughout the year we have
been given the pleasure of cover tracks and
re-worked classics from the catalogue of
these fine Earth Rockers, and just as what
would be Clutchmas to gearheads comes
up, they’re setting those works loose on the
world! A must for any collector, the Weathermaker
Vault Series won’t leave your playlist
anytime soon.
Review by Ash Crowson
SONIC TABOO
SONIC TABOO
BLACKMORE’S NIGHT
HERE WE COME A-CAROLING
ELLES BAILEY
AIN’T NOTHING BUT
New York instrumental trio Sonic
Taboo’s self-titled debut album is a
fascinating mix of cleverly composed,
short pieces that travel across the
genres: ‘Valley Of Dolls’ is catchy rock,
‘Emotional Haze’ is heavy psych,
‘Black Chopper’ has a 70’s feel but
the Metallica ballad like ‘When The
Silence’ has more layers than flaky
pastry! This is one instrument album
that you will never tire of: the variation
is immense and the band doesn’t
try to be too clever…they’re just good
songs without words.
Review by Tom Dixon
Legendary rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
and his minstrel’s give us their
unique take on a few well-loved Xmas
carols. All four of the songs chosen
here are performed free from electric
backing, featuring mainly acoustic
guitar, recorder and, on ‘Little town of
Bethlehem,’ a low key church organ.
‘Silent Night’ is given a small choir
backing with the orchestration kept
to a minimum, and Candice, Ritchie’s
wife, sings all four carols in a delightful
celebration of Xmas. Out December
4th, 2020.
Review by Laurence Todd
Recorded during live streams while
covid prevents her performing live,
the delectable Elles Bailey graces us
with sixteen covers that showcase her
superb vocals. They can sooth, arouse
or sting as necessary, but always captivate.
Half are from the ‘Lyrics’ show,
and the rest are from the ‘Blues’ show.
Most of the tracks are from true originals
(not the more ‘famous’) - listen
to ‘Ain’t No Love…’, ‘When The Levee
Breaks’, ‘Spoonful,’ or even the Paul Simon’s
‘Fifty Ways…’ and wonder at her
voice and the skilful duo backing.
Review by Tom Dixon
22

BABYTEETH
KNOCK YOURSELF OUT
DAWNWALKER
AGES
DANIEL TOMPKINS
RUINS
A far cry from the typical Plaid’N’ Seattle
grunge bands, Babyteeth have a
unique sound that beautifully binds together
hard-hitting tracks with a powerful
Britpop/rock vocal tones lead by
frontwoman Camilla Roholm. Songs
such as ‘Cut it’ and ‘Look Like Death’
are punchy and rebellious, with less of
an angry riot grrrl vibe, and more of a
modern androgynous influence from
90s alternative rock. Babyteeth prove
they can chew up and spit out anything,
with an incredibly sultry cover
of Ariana Grande- ‘God Is A Woman’.
Review by Sophie Wegner
London based six-piece, Dawnwalker
emerge from the sea mists with their
second album, Ages. Imagine a 70’s concept
album as a five-part suite with neat
interludes - ‘The Wheel’ starts Crimson-ish
then suddenly shifts into Doom. ‘Ancient
Sands’ is intermittently Doom with melodic
woven around. ‘Burning World’ is
Doomy Prog with a bit of Sabbath riffiness
and is irresistible for it. A difficult one to
sum up, but it has a depth and sense of
experimentation that should appeal to
Opeth and Tool fans alike. Ages will be
Self-Released on 4th December 2020.
Review by Tom Dixon
Here’s a curiosity Daniel Tompkins’
solo debut has undergone a reworking
as Castles becomes Ruins. The TesseracT
man has darkened it, renamed
the tracks (the lyrics are the same)
and increased its weight. A few guests
add additional colour… Trivium’s Matt
Heafy for example, so treat this as a
brand new release. Opener ‘Wounded
Wings’ shows that he makes his
own way without bias. ‘Tyrant’ is my
pick… catchy! Trivium fans will look
to the rapid-fire ‘The Gift’. A melodic,
thoughtful and worthwhile album.
Review by Tom Dixon
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
NEW EMPIRE, VOL. 2
Back in the day these guys were ahead of
the game with metal/rock inspired rap over
homemade beats. Now they blend in much
like the current ‘emo-rap’ movement that the
youngsters are in to so much nowadays. New
Empire, Vol.2 starts this way with ‘Medicate’, a
great way to tie-in your legacy and applying
it to new styles. Yet it becomes clear that this
doesn’t seem to be Undead’s motive on this
album, there are some surprises with some
interesting collaborations: ‘IDOL’ features Tech
N9ne and ‘Heart Of A Champion’ features
Jacoby of Papa Roach.
Review by Neale McGeever
23

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF
THE SOORD SESSIONS VOL 4
Bruce Soord, for the uninitiated, is the
guitarist, singer, and main creative
driving force behind the Pineapple
Thief, one of the more interesting and
innovative prog rock bands around.
This isn’t the first time he’s stepped
outside of the band to make an album.
In 2015 he released All This Will Be
Yours, to critical acclaim. The songs
here were from a solo acoustic live
performance, the fourth he’d performed,
which was streamed during
the summer, released now on vinyl,
and while solo albums from band
members don’t always have the
desired effect (many screaming ‘ego
trip’) these ones work well.
On this mini-album, Soord performs a
number of songs by the Thief, several
of which the band haven’t performed
live for a number of years. Using only
an acoustic guitar, with the occasional
assistance of an electric guitar, played
also by Soord using a looper pedal to
allow him to jam with himself. There
are two tracks from the band’s last
studio album, Versions of the Truth
(2020). ‘Demons’ is a ‘warts and all’
inclusion, with Soord forgetting the
intro and starting again… twice, and
then forgetting the second line, before
finally telling us “I’ve
got Demons, you
should know, you put
them in me” – with the
electric guitar break
giving added impetus
to the arrangement.
Title track ‘Versions
of the Truth,’ is a song
about two people who
remember the same
thing very differently,
an interesting take on
the album release.
The slightly melancholic
‘All This Will Be Yours,’ inspired by
the birth of his third child, has the feel
of a Riverside tune and begins with
Soord attempting to create a groove
with a Shaker, with a delightful electric
guitar interlude further into the song.
From the album, All The Wars, he
performs admirable acoustic versions
of ‘Someone Get Me Out Of Here’ and
‘Last Man Standing,’ with the latter
seeing Soord rock things up on electric
towards the end. The Thief are often
compared to Porcupine Tree, and
this comes to mind on ‘Bond,’ from the
Magnolia album, as it has the imprint
of Steven Wilson.
Bruce Soord deserves credit for
attempting to keep his band’s name in
the frame during lockdown. Like many
other bands, a major tour was deferred
to 2021 and his stripped-down
versions of some of the lesser-known
Pineapple Thief songs work well. If this
venture is successful, maybe an acoustic
section is something he’ll incorporate
into a gig at some point.
Review by Laurence Todd
24

MORGAN ROSE
CONTROLLED CHAOS
Sevendust drummer, Morgan Rose,
is about to join the select few drummers
that have released a decent solo
album: Roger Taylor and Cozy Powell
spring immediately to mind and Cozy
couldn’t sing! (His first solo, Over The
Top, stated on the original vinyl cover
“lyric sheet enclosed”, I remember
opening it to find just a blank sheet of
card which made sense when all of
the tracks were instrumentals!) Anyway,
Morgan joins those ranks with
a very strong and worthy EP called
Controlled Chaos. Along with fellow
Sevendust member, Clint Lowery on
guitar and Jason Christopher (Corey
Taylor and Prong) on bass he has
delivered six tracks of surprising diversity
that showcase his strong vocal
range and compositions.
Even the 26-second ‘Intro’ with atmosphere
building keys is worthwhile
before the assault of a great riff brings
in ‘The Answer’; which is the heaviest
here but the rest don’t disappoint.
‘Faster Man’ is, ironically, slower and
the keyboard work over a brilliant
drum pattern is rather good with the
multi tracked vocal showing how
good Morgan is behind the microphone
too. ‘Clarity’ has to have the
word “anthem” attached as the chorus
as it’s just that. After a neat drum/
guitar build up the vocals, rightly, take
centre stage and are nigh on choral in
their intensity. I am right with Morgan
on the message behind ‘Come Alive’…
”internet toxicity” he calls it and the
moral is delivered with aggression
and ethereal vocals, love it! Final track,
‘Exhale’ addresses his time in hospital
last year and, with high register vocals,
piano, orchestration and (shock,
horror) no drums you can sense his
initial fears and the eventual redemption
– it may be a surprise but it is a
work of immense scope and emotion
that deserves a listen.
This may not be Sevendust, but it’s a
powerful and effective set of songs that
will entertain fans of most genres.
Review by Tom Dixon
PHOTO: TRAVIS SHINN
25