This week we had The Tribute Section, The Time Tunnel and our Featured Band Of The Week was US goth band, Cruel Velvet. Three hours of the best in Rock, Metal, Goth and Alternative music \m/

Here is the podcast:

And here is the playlist:

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Testament – Electric Crown – from the album The Ritual released on 15/05/1992
• Judas Priest – Ram It Down – from the album Ram It Down released on 17/05/1988
• Audioslave – Cochise – for Chris Cornell who passed away five years ago on 18/05/2017
• Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart – for Ian Curtis who passed away 42 years on 18/05/1980
• Paul Di’anno’s Killers – Marshall Lockjaw – for Paul Di’anno who was 64 on 17th May
• Five Finger Death Punch – Under And Over It (American Capitalist – 2011)
• Space Vacation – Bro Hammer (Heart Attack – 2012)
• Ektomorf – Fear Me (Reborn – 2021)
• Shinedown – Planet Zero (Planet Zero – 01/07/2022)
• Extrema – Borders Of Fire (Headbanging Forever – 2019)
• Cruel Velvet – I’ve Been Twenty One For Twenty One Hundred Years (released 11/03/2022)
• Behemoth – Ov My Herculean Exile (Opus Contra Natvram – 16/12/2022)
• Ozzy Osbourne – Miracle Man (No Rest For The Wicked – 1988)
• Falling In Reverse – Popular Monster (Popular Monster – 2019)
• Triumph – Tears In The Rain (The Sport Of Kings – 1986)
• Tremonti – If Not For You (Marching In Time – 2021)
• Ashborn – If The Walls Could Speak (Awakening – 2019)
• Annihilator – Dressed Up For Evil (Ballistic, Sadistic – 2020)
• August Burns Red – Defender (Guardians – 2020)
• Mushroomhead – The Flood (A Wonderful Life – 2020)
• Cruel Velvet – 2,142,100 Years (Cruel Velvet – 2022)
• Slash – Wicked Stone (World On Fire – 2014)
• Torn Fabriks – Respect (Mind Consumption – 2021)
• My Chemical Romance – The Foundations Of Decay (new single released 12/05/2022)
• Gothminister – Devil (Gothic Electronic Anthems – 2003)
• Candlemass – Clearsight (King Of The Grey Islands – 2007)
• The 69 Eyes – Never Say Die (Angels – 2007)
• Manowar – King Of Kings (Gods Of War – 2007)
• Rage Against The Machine – Know Your Enemy (Rage Against The Machine – 1992)
• Sad Dolls – Sex In Church (Blood Of A Kind – 2017)
• Korn – Worst Is On Its Way (Requiem – 2022)
• Feinstein – Live To Ride, Ride To Live (Third Wish – 2004)
• Cruel Velvet – Angelus (new single due to be released on 24/06/2022. From the album In Home In Hell and an exclusive for The Metal Asylum)
• Onslaught – Destroyer Of Worlds (Killing Peace – 2007)
• Metallica – Wherever I May Roam (The Black Album – 1991)
• Lord Of The Lost – The Gospel Of Judas (Priest – 2021)

Show aired on Sunday 22nd May 2022

Three hours of THE best in rock, metal, goth and alternative! This week we had The Tribute Section plus The Time Tunnel. Give it a listen! There’s something for everyone \m/

Here is the podcast:

And here is the playlist:

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Murderdolls – Die My Bride – for Joey Jordison who would have been 47 on 26th April
• Ace Frehley – Rip It Out – for the Spaceman who was 71 on 27th April
• Live – I Alone – from the album Throwing Copper which was released 28 years ago on 26/04/1994
• Autograph – Turn Up The Radio – for bassist Randy Rand who died on 27/04/1994
• Amon Amarth – The Pursuit Of Vikings – for singer Johann Hegg who was 49 on 29th April
• Pain – Call Me (Coming Home – 2016)
• Hollywood Undead – Wild In These Streets (the new single from the American Rap Rock band)
• Evanescence – Everybody’s Fool (Fallen – 2003)
• Breaking Benjamin – So Cold (We Are Not Alone – 2004)
• Sandness – Saturday Night’s Alright (Enter Please – 2020)
• Sacrilege – The Court Of The Insane (The Court Of The Insane – 2019)
• Three Days Grace – I Am Machine (Human – 2015)
• Motorhead – The Game (bonus track on Hammered – 2002)
• Mono Inc – Out In The Fields (Together Till The End – 2017)
• Papa Roach – Face Everything And Rise (F.E.A.R – 2015)
• Motley Crue – Afraid (Generation Swine – 1997)
• Alice In Chains – Man In The Box (Facelift – 1990)
• Judas Priest – Delivering The Goods (Killing Machine/Hell Bent For Leather – 1979)
• Ted Nugent – Snakecharmer (State Of Shock – 1979)
• Rainbow – Eyes Of The World (Down To Earth – 1979)
• Sacrilege – Welcome To The Dragon’s Den (Six6Six – 2015)
• The Offspring – Dividing By Zero (Days Go By – 2012)
• Cut The Act – Pistolwhipped (The Lies We Believe – 2020)
• The Wildhearts – Let Em Go (Renaissance Men – 2019)
• Mason – Cross This Path (Impervious – 2017)
• Ozzy Osbourne – Slow Down (Bark At The Moon – 1983)
• Deimos Rising – The Stamen’s Eye (Devoured And Eaten – 2021)
• One Minute Silence – I Wear My Skin (One Lie Fits All – 2003)
• Apocalyptica – Not Strong Enough (7th Symphony – 2010)
• Eradicator – Jackals To Chains (Influence Denied – 2021)
• Sacrilege – I Can Hear The Silence (from the upcoming live CD and DVD)
• Machinehead – Supercharger (Supercharger – 2009)
• Fury – Hell Of A Night (Born To Sin – 2022)
• Highly Suspect – My Name Is Human (The Boy Who Died Wolf – 2016)
• Death Angel – Succubus (The Dream Calls For Blood – 2013)
• Skid Row – Get The Fuck Out (Slave To The Grind – 1991)
• Mr Big – Colorado Bulldog (Bump Ahead – 1993)
• Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol (Tragic Idol – 2012)
• Marilyn Manson – Coma White (Mechanical Animals – 1998)

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on 01/05/2022

I first heard of Firewind when they were supporting Dragonforce on the Inhuman Rampage tour. As usual with support bands I had never heard of I spent most of their set in the bar and only caught the last few songs, one being Breaking the Silence from the Allegiance album. Ok, probably not one of their best songs (although I loved it) but it was enough to get me hooked and want to find out more about them. Which is why, soon after the gig I went out and bought said album.

I became a huge fan but over the years, as my interest in power metal waned, they have fallen off my radar. So, when the new album dropped into the Ever Metal inbox, I knew I had to check them out and see what, if anything, had changed.

It’s been five years since the Greek melodic power metallers released their critically acclaimed album “Few Against Many” but main man Gus G hasn’t been taking a break. He has released not one, but two solo albums, toured worldwide in support of both and has hit the road once again with Ozzy Osbourne, whose band member he had been since 2009. The rest of the band have been just as busy, each releasing solo stuff too.

If this album could be summed up in one sentence that sentence would be…..”This is the grand re-birth of Firewind.”

Now with new frontman Henne Basse (ex-Metallium, ex-Brainstorm, Sons of Season) who replaces Apollo Papathanasio (Spiritual Beggars), he is no newcomer to the band having toured with them on the 2007 Allegiance tour. As has been said of the new vocalist: “this rich, classic rock referencing vocals are the perfect foil for the wealth of material the band have been working on and he brings a re-invigorated power to the fold”. He puts in a gritty performance with a tough, hard edge and seemingly makes the euro-power inspired (some call them cheesy) songs heavy and sincere and his voice in throatier, deeper, almost growling.

So what of the album? This is the first time the band have used an outside producer, Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Pink Cream 69), who not only engineered, mixed and mastered the album but also co-wrote it with Gus G and the album is a “return to the highly infectious, catchy and anthemic origins of the band.” Which, in my opinion, is a very good thing.

Their first concept album it “has to do with ancient Greek history and more specifically the Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis in 480BC during the second Persian invasion of Greece. In Thermopylae the vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (three of which were days of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history’s most famous last stands,” says Gus G.

It is unrelenting, inescapable, powerful, intense, straightforward, colossal and energetic…..everything a good power metal album should be, with just enough cheese that most people will be able to stomach.

One thing that does stand out on this album is the high level of individual instrumental skills. The guitars and keyboard duel fantastically with each other and the guitarwork of Gus G is simply outstanding as he rips into one solo after another. He always impresses with his guitar prowess and it is clear he is one of the best shredders around.

The album is a rollercoaster which energetically transports you between the realms of traditional heavy metal, epic hard rock and melodic power/speed metal, a journey full of pulsating keyboards, thumping riffs and euphoric choruses.

The album is solidly written and shows Gus at the peak of his writing form. He says, “the songs were written in a much slower pace this time, as it’s the longest break we ever took between albums. So we took our time writing this and concentrated on keeping ideas that were really strong.”

And it shows. Opening with the recently released single “Hands of Time”, a stonker of a track, there is not a bad song on this album. “Lady of 1,000 Sorrows” is the albums power ballad and is followed by the instrumental, title-track “Immortals” but one of the stand out tracks for me was “Ode to Leonidis.” With its spoken word intro that reeks of Manowar, it is magnificently pompous and heavy but able to catch the listener’s attention. It really is a true power metal track.

Some people are describing this as a comeback album and if that is what it is meant to be, then it’s an awesome one and the more I listen to it the better it becomes.

This is an immense return to form of a band that, for me, had probably the greatest contribution to the power metal genre, and really is a must for ANY power metal fan.

TRACKLISTING:
1. Hands of Time
2. We Defy
3. Ode to Leonidas
4. Back On the Throne
5. Live and Die By the Sword
6. Wars of Ages
7. Lady of 1000 Sorrows
8. Immortals
9. Warriors and Saints
10. Rise from the Ashes

LINE-UP:
Gus G. – Guitars
Petros Christo – Bass
Bob Katsionis – Keyboards
Jo Nunez – Drums
Henning Basse – Vocals

Originally posted to Ever Metal

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Dawn Smith, The Metal Asylum and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to do adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

I first come across the band Custard during my dj’ing days when their album “Infested by Anger” hit the inbox of the station I was working for at the time. If I am totally honest I never really paid them much attention, playing a few tracks on my show, before resigning them to the huge library of music stored away on my laptop.

If only I knew then just what I was missing out on.

Originally formed in Herne, Germany in 1987 by Chris Klapper, they were a phenomenon in teutonic metal and soon achieved “world famous” status but it was limited to their hometown and they failed to break out to a wider audience.

After years of line-up changes, 2007 was a massive change for them, as they had a brand new line up along with a fresh record deal. Now ten years later, 2017 sees the release of their sixth studio album “A Realm of Tales”

With tracks such as “Snow White”, “The Pied Piper” and “Arabian Nights” the album is heavily based on the stories of Hans Christian Anderson and The Brothers Grimm, many traditional fairy tales originating in Germany. The lyrics are fantastic, retelling the well-known stories with the bands own little twist and the songs are full of catchy riffs and headbanging rhythms.

Playing old school heavy metal tunes, Custard have always made more of their song writing, power and melodies and this has resulted in a great album of epic proportions. Vocalist Olli Strasser is fantastic and hits all the notes that he needs to, making him a superb power metal singer. He could quite easily be compared to other power metal vocalists such as James Rivera of Helstar, Andy Deris of Helloween, Ralph Scheppers of Primal Fear and even to Rob Halford of Judas Priest.

I don’t think there is a bad song on the album, but then, for those of you who know me, would know I am a big power metal fan. Some people would think this album is a bit cheesy but what harm is a bit of cheese every now and then? I have read other reviews of this album, some of which loved it and others which hated it, but as I think with much of the power metal genre, you either like it or you don’t. And, if nothing else, credence must be paid to them for their song writing alone, not to mention their musicianship and production.

I think this will appeal to fans of bands from Helloween to Judas Priest and anything in between and is a must for any metal power metal fan.

I, for one, am going to go back and check out the album that was previously sent to me and then anything else they have done. I would love to see this album performed live, the stage show could be spectacular, so I guess I will have to keep my eyes out for any tour dates that may be coming up!!

TRACKLISTING:
01. Icy Stare
02. Queen of Snow
03. The Pied Piper
04. Arabian Nights
05. Snow White
06. Snow Away
07. The Little Match Girl
08. Daughter of The Sea
09. Witch Hunter
10. Sign of Evil
11. Bluebeard
12. Forged in Fantasy

LINE-UP:
Stefan Klempnauer – Guitars
Chris Klapper – Drums
Carsten Reichart – Guitars
Oliver Strasser – Vocals
Markus Berghammer – Bass

Originally posted to Ever Metal

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Dawn Smith, The Metal Asylum and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to do adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities

SHARE THIS:

Here is the playlist for the show which aired on Sunday 26th September 2021

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Cannibal Corpse – Addicted To Vaginal Skin – celebrating the 29th anniversary of the album Tomb Of The Mutilated which was released on 22/09/1992
• Whitesnake – Still Of The Night – for singer David Coverdale who turned 70 on 22nd September
• Riot – Restless Breed – for Rhett Forrester who would have been 65 on 22nd September
• Pantera – Floods – for our friend David Pankhurst whose birthday was 23rd September
• Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love – for drummer John Bonham who died 41 years ago on 25/09/1980
• Status Quo – Rockin’ All Over the World – for bassist Alan Lancaster whose death was announced on 26/09/2021
• Trivium – Beyond Oblivion (The Sin And The Sentence – 2017)
• Deaf Rat – Hail To The End Of Days (Ban The Light – 2019)
• This Tragic Day – See The Sky Again (This Tragic Day – 2012)
• The Bronx Casket Co – Everything I Got (Hellectric – 2005)
• Fozzy – Judas (Judas – 2017)
• Nirvana – Lounge Act (Nevermind – 1991)
• Deathpoint – Condemned To Suffer (Sinister – 2013)
• Blue Oyster Cult – Veteran Of The Psychic Wars (Fire Of Unknown Origin – 1981)
• Annihilator – Wrapped (Feast – 2013)
• Five Finger Death Punch – War Is The Answer (War Is The Answer – 2009)
• Firewind – Rising Fire (Firewind – 2020)
• Rhodium – Delirio (Sea Of The Dead – 2019)
• Kruor – In The Summoning (Nightmares – 2014)
• Deserted Fear – Shattering The Soil (Kingdom Of Worms – 2014)
• Evocation – Angel Of Torment (Dead Calm Chaos – 2008)
• Gin Annie – Devil In Me (single released January 2021)
• Bane Of Bedlam – This Scourge (Congenital – 2017)
• Alice Cooper – Trash (Trash – 1989)
• Savage – Waking The Dead (Sons Of Malice – 2012)
• Guano Apes – Open Your Eyes (Proud Like A God – 1997)
• Ace Frehley – New York Groove (Ace Frehley – 1978)
• Beyond Fear – Scream Machine (Beyond Fear – 2006)
• Devastation Device – Alert At Night (Nation Of Extinction – 2011)
• Evergrey – Broken Wings (Torn – 2008)
• Malfeitor – Psychosis (Dum Morior Orior – 2012)
• Kult Of The Skull God – Judas Is My Priest (The Great Magini – 2020)
• Saliva – Your Disease (Every Six Seconds – 2001)
• Metallica – Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (Master of Puppets – 1986)

Aired On Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 26th September 2021

Here is the podcast for the show that aired on Sunday 26th September 2021. Three hours of awesome metal tunes with regular features The Tribute Section and The Death Metal Dungeon \m/ Enjoy!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 26th September 2021

Here is the playlist for the show aired on Sunday 19th September 2021

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Judas Priest – Screaming For Vengeance – for Metal Devastation Radio Supporter Ritchie Randall, also from the band Gravehuffer, whose birthday was 17/09/2021
• Rush – Working Man – for the late Neil Peart whose birthday was on 12th September
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets – for main man Dave Mustaine who turned 60 on 13/09/2021
• T-Rex – New York City – for Marc Bolan who passed away 44 years ago on 16/09/1977
• Jimi Hendrix – The Wind Cries Mary – for the legendary guitarist who passed away on 18/09/1970
• W.A.S.P – Forever Free – for Martin Wake as it comes up to the anniversary of his friend’s passing.
• Troyen – Come On (second single from their forthcoming album Falling Off The Edge Of Forever which will be released late September 2021)
• Green Jelly – Three Little Pigs (Cereal Killer – 1992)
• Halford – Saviour (Resurrection – 2000)
• Wrapped In Shadows – Coping Mechanism
• Catalyst Crime – Condemn Me To Chaos (Catalyst Crime – 2021)
• King Diamond – Eye Of The Witch (The Eye – 1990)
• Axewound – Collide (Vultures – 2012)
• Machines On Blast – Reject The Faith (Black Market Happiness – 2020)
• The Vampirettes – Poison (new single)
• Aborted – Coronary Reconstruction (Coronary Reconstruction – 2010)
• Dream Evil – Bang Your Head (In The Night – 2010)
• Death Angel – Relentless Revolution (Relentless Retibution – 2010)
• Mammoth Mammoth – Lookin’ Down The Barrel (Volume IV – Hammered Again – 2015)
• Bodyguerra – Believe (from their upcoming album Fire And Soul)
• Black Sabbath – Heaven In Black (Tyr – 1990)
• Children Of Bodom – Lobodomy (Blooddrunk – 2008)
• Black Roze – Not Your Whore (Anymore) (new single)
• Corey Taylor – Holier Than Thou (The Metallica Blacklist – 2021)
• Dissorted – Persecutor (The Final Divide – 2019)
• Ctrl Alt Delete – Witty banter (from the EP 3 Finger Salute which was released earlier this year)
• W.A.S.P – Let It Roar (Unholy Terror – 2001)
• These Are They – The Sins Of My Brothers (Disposing Of Betrayers – 2010)
• Cannibal Corpse – Force Fed Broken Glass (The Bleeding – 1994)
• Obituary – Infected (Cause Of Death – 1990)
• Diviner – Out In The Abyss (Fallen Empires – 2015)
• Shy – Reflections (Once Bitten…Twice..-1983)
• Bitches Sin – Ain’t Life A Bitch (Definitive Invaders – 1986)
• It Lives – Overkill (From The Underground And Below – 1997)
• Black Sabbath – Electric Funeral (Paranoid – 1970)

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on 19/09/2021

Here is the podcast for the show that aired on Sunday 19th September 2021. Three hours of awesome metal tunes, with regular features The Tribute Section, The Time Tunnel and The Death Metal Dungeon. Enjoy \m/

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on 19/09/2021

Here is the playlist for our Maidens of Metal Special

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Iced Earth – When The Eagle Cries – for all those who lost their lives in the 9/11 atrocities
• Queen – Ogre Battle – for the late, great Freddie Mercury who would have been 75 on 5th September
• Pink Floyd – Time – for Roger Waters who was 78 on 6th September
• Kiss – Strutter – from Kiss Alive that was released 46 years ago on 10/09/1975
• Slipknot – Sulfur – for Jay Weinberg who was 31 on 8th September
• The Agonist – In Vertigo (Orphans – 2019)
• Doro – She’s Like Thunder (Classic Diamonds – 2004)
• Unleash The Archers – Soulbound (Abyss – 2020)
• Arch Enemy – Nemesis (Doomsday Machine – 2005)
• Pat Benatar – All Fired Up (Wide Awake In Dreamland – 1988)
• Halestorm – Apocalyptic (Into The Wild Life – 2015)
• Benedictum – Shell Shock (Seasons Of Tragedy – 2008)
• Jinjer – Sit, Stay, Roll Over (King of Everything – 20016)
• The Runaways – Cherry Bomb (The Runaways – 1976)
• Kobra And The Lotus – 50 Shades Of Evil (Kobra And The Lotus – 2012)
• Vixen – Love Is A Killer (Rev It Up – 1990)
• Butcher Babies – Yorktown (Yorktown – 2021)
• Nervosa – Surrounded By Serpents (Agony – 2016)
• Delain – Burning Bridges (Apocalypse And Chill – 2020)
• Lacuna Coil – Heaven’s A Lie (Comalies – 2002)
• Battle Beast – Black Ninja (Battle Beast – 2013)
• Rock Goddess – Satisfied Then Crucified (Rock Goddess – 1983)
• Huntress – Spell Eater (Spell Eater – 2012)
• Six Hour Sundown – Jekyll And Hyde (Jekyll And Hyde – 2011)
• Hellion – Dark Side (Hordes Of Witchery – 2017)
• Battlelore – Starlight Kingdom (Sword’s Song – 2003)
• Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know (Jagged Little Pill – 1995)
• Plasmatics – Black Leather Monster (New Hope For The Wretched – 2001)
• White Skull – Time For Glory (Public Glory, Secret Agony – 2000)
• Joan Jett – I Hate Myself For Loving You (Up Your Alley – 1988)
• Ruby The Hatchet – Vast Acid (Valley Of The Snake – 2015)
• The Pretty Reckless – Just Tonight (Light Me Up – 2010)
• Lee Aaron – Metal Queen (Metal Queen – 1984)
• Girlschool – Race With The Devil (Demolition – 1980)
• Chastain – Secrets Creeping (We Bleed Metal 17 – 2017)
• L7 – Pretend We’re Dead (Bricks Are Heavy – 1992)
• Nightwish – Ghost Love Score (Live At Wacken – 2013)

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 12th September 2021