I don’t tend to hand out 10 out of 10’s when I am reviewing all that often and there have only been a handful since I first started. Many albums make it to 9 but, for me, an album must have just that little something extra to push it to a 10!

This album certainly has that!

The Three Tremors harnesses three of Earth’s mightiest and relentless voices in heavy metal together as one, producing “one of the all-time great power metal albums” as said by Knac.com

So, who are these three magnificent voices? Well, they are, none other, than Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Dio’s Disciples), Sean “The Hell Destroyer” Peck (Cage, Denner & Shermann, Death Dealer) and Harry “The Tyrant” Conklin (Jag Panzer, Satan’s Host, Titan Force) and already being massive fans of a lot of their previous bands, I knew I was going to enjoy this one.

The band also features a group of mighty metal veterans from San Diego, the talents of guitarist Dave “Conan” Garcia, with Casey “The Sentinel” Trask as second guitarist and bassist Alex Pickard and drummer Sean Elg completing the line-up.

Sean and Tim originally met in San Diego when Sean’s band Cage opened for Judas Priest on the Jugulator tour and when Sean wanted to resurrect a 2018 version of a vision he had from long ago, Tim agreed straight away, and Harry quickly joined next.

Says Sean: “it took a long time to put together, create the right songs, and get it properly arranged, but the results are beyond my wildest expectations. I think the fans are really going to freak out on what we have done with this record, and live it’s going to be almighty, I assure you!”

So, what of the album? Well, according to the press notes it is “12 new tracks that depict monumental stories of time honoured heavy metal themes!” and the artwork has been designed by renowned artist Marc Sasso (Dio, Halford, Adrenaline Mob, Death Dealer, Cage) to “showcase an apocalyptic battle between demonic hyper-wolves and The Three Tremors, who marched into an underworld overshadowed by evil forces only armed with bullets powered by heavy metal sorcery to reclaim the dystopian lands.”

In essence, this is a power metal album, with a huge chunk of traditional and heavy metal thrown in, and what an album!

Mixing together three of metal’s finest vocalists into one mighty sonic power might have seemed a bit of a risky move. How would they work together? Would one overpower the others? Would they all fight for supremacy?

The answer was a resounding success. All three singers feature on every track and they all work so well together. One minute you think you are listening to Judas Priest, the next Cage or Death Dealer. The multiple vocalists give the songs depth, almost bringing them to life. There are no egos with the singers either. Each one is a fantastic singer in his own right, the breadth of each of their history’s testament to that, but one voice is not trying to fight to be above the others and each singer is on par with the rest.

But a band wouldn’t be a band without the musicians. Based on the Cage line-up, these guys are immense. The two guitarists play well together, and with riffs and solos galore, they are easily the hidden gems of the band. The rhythm section of the bass and drums are tight, and they do their job to perfection, although the drumming is insane at times!!

For a group of musicians who have really only been together for such a short period of time, they shouldn’t be as good as they are!! Bands that have been together for longer do not sound as polished and finished as these guys do!

I said at the start of this review that to get a 10 from me a band needed that little bit extra, and I think what gives this album that oomph is the experience the band members have. But, please, do not take my word for it. Go and get yourself a copy of this awesome album and see for yourself. If you are not blown away by it, then I will eat my hat!

I can’t wait for these guys to tour and once they do, I hope they venture to this side of the Atlantic!

“Three times louder than a sonic boom, three fingers on the hand of doom.”

TRACK LISTING:

1. Invaders From The Sky

2. Bullets For The Damned

3. When The Last Scream Fades

4. Wrath Of Asgard

5. The Cause

6. King Of The Monsters

7. The Pit Shows No Mercy

8. Sonic Suicide

9. Fly Or Die

10. Lust Of The Blade

11. Speed To Burn

12. The Three Tremors (bonus track)

FIrst published on Ever Metal

Being a reviewer, I have learnt, is not just about picking the bands that you think you will like, giving them a listen and popping an 8 or 9 out of 10 at the top of a review. It’s about taking a step out of your comfort zone and listening to some bands that you may not have normally listened to and really listening to the musicianship. If you can appreciate this in something that is “not your thing” then you are halfway there.

Now, stepping out of my comfort zone would be reviewing a black or death metal band or, in this case, a progressive rock band. In recent times, I have come to appreciate progressive metal genre more than I used to but the idea of progressive rock (and yes there is a difference) is still a bit daunting to me.

I have never been a big fan of bands such as Pink Floyd, Yes or Rush (sacrilege some might say but that’s just the way I am!) as they were never heavy enough really for me. Progressive metal, on the other hand, features the heaviness that I like, hence why my love for the genre has grown. So, when a prog rock band appeared on the reviews to do list I thought why not?

So, let me give you a bit of background on The Paradox Twin. They are a quartet from Reading in Berkshire, formed sometime in 2012 and are fronted by main songwriter Danny Sorrell. “The Importance Of Mr Bedlam” is their debut album. The band were named unsigned artist of the year in 2014, under the former name of Formby, and were nominated for the best video in the Progress Music Awards in 2018.

The band consists of Danny on guitars/keyboards and vocals, Leland Freeman on guitars, Diane Fox on bass and Rob McGregor on drums.

This is an album of just 7 tracks, ranging from 6 to 10 minutes long each, and the lyrical content can be linked to various alien conspiracy theories (again, not my thing, but each to their own!) Danny explains that he is “influenced and inspired by the conspiracy theories and the idea that humans on earth are being controlled by extra-terrestrial beings.” Seems a good subject, then, to base a piece of progressive rock on and “other ideas on the topics of other worldly seers are gradually unveiled throughout this fine piece of progressive work.”

The album features subliminal messages and samples of speeches from the likes of Lloyd Pye, who was renowned for his theories on extra-terrestrial beings, can be heard throughout the album in which he claims that aliens do exist.

The album was produced by John Mitchell, who also features as a special guest along with Kim Seviour, keeping up the White Star Records cross-collaboration ethos. The artwork was created by Paul Tippett of Vitamin P, who has also done artwork for the likes of Kino, Lonely Robot, Black Star Liner, Kepler Ten, Europe and more.

Danny says he is a fan of the works of Steve Wilson, Opeth and My Dying Bride and the “poetic artistry that comes with these bands,” but he tries not to listen to other music during the song writing process, fully immersing himself, so as not to have too many obvious influences creeping into the band’s sound. Now, that’s dedication!

One of the things I could never get my head around with progressive music is the use of keyboards/piano, but I can see from this album, which features them a lot, I can see why they are used. Combining electro synths with rock gives the album soul and emotion throughout yet gives the band the chance and ability to “rock it up” when they want to.

Danny has a very unique voice, both gruff and melodic at the same time, adding to the atmospheric vibe to the album. Although I could hear a tinge of James Labrie to his voice, there isn’t really anyone else that he sounds like, and being one for distinctive vocals, this only added to the appeal for me.

The guitar solos are haunting yet melodic and sometimes heavy (just how I like them!) and the rhythm section holds it all together superbly. I seem to be able to pick bass lines up a lot more since my son started playing and Diane is a fantastic bassist.

This is the sort of album that I could imagine listening to in a darkened room, the volume turned up loud and really chilling out. I can hear elements of Dream Theater and Porcupine Tree but the band these guys remind me the most of is Cosmograf and their fantastic album “The Man Left In Space.”

There has obviously been a lot of hard work, tears and sweat gone into producing this album as this definitely does not sound like the work of a newly established band. These guys (and gal) sound like they have been doing this for years and have been building up to this, the greatest album they have ever written!

This is a fantastic debut from a very talented group of people (and this is from a thrash girl!) but as with all great debut’s, the question is will they be able to keep it up!? I for one, and as a non-prog fan, certainly hope so! They could undoubtedly give some of the more established progressive rock bands a run for their money……and probably win!!

TRACKLISTING:

1. The Mir

2. The Importance Of Mr Bedlam

3. Cycles

4. Earthbound

5. Moonblood

6. Planeta

7. Gravity Time Dilation

First published on Ever Metal

Release in 2014 on UKEM Records, The Day the Dead Returned, is the debut album from Stamford based, UK band, Morti Viventi. Literally translated their name means “living dead” and the whole album is a tribute to all things zombie.

On being given this album, I was immediately filled with dread and tried to put off listening to it. This initial reaction, without hearing a single note, was due to one thing, the band’s logo. That scrawly writing, that no matter what way round you turned the paper, you still can’t read, indicated one thing to me…black metal and not being a big black metal fan, I thought I would hate it.

The first few riffs of the opening song blasted through the speakers and I absolutely loved what I heard, however, with an introduction of nearly a minute, I had to wait for the vocals that I was sure would ruin it all again.

But, with more than a hint of Chuck Billy in his voice, the singer totally nailed it. 

Morti Viventi are a thrash band and a damn good one at that!

But the more astonishing thing of all is the fact that they are not actually a band. Morti Viventi is just Adrian (Aidy) J Heathershaw, one man who had the vision of having his own band and after belonging to several bands which dissolved, he took it on himself to produce a record that was 99% performed by him.

And what an album, what a debut!

He takes the part of all instruments, except for a guitar solo in the last song “Thrash or Die” and does a superb job of them all. With riffs upon riffs and stunning drum work, topped with a voice to rival any of the top four thrash bands, he has created a VERY, HEAVY album.

A mixture of Testament, Slayer and with just a trace of Lordi, not such a bad thing if you ask me, this is probably one of the best thrash albums of the year. At only 46 minutes, and just  seven tracks, long, it is high intensity, full out thrash from start to finish.

The stand out song for me is track 4, “Maniac – Face the Shape” but there really is not a bad song on the album, except maybe for track 6, “The Arrival”, which, although is not inherently bad, it is an instrumental and I tend not to favour instrumentals.

The album warrants an 8, all by itself, but doing this great album as a one man band, deserves a little extra credit which is why I have given it a 9. The title of the last song “Thrash or Die” completely sums up the whole feel of this album and if you like your thrash, then this is an album for you.

First published on Ever Metal

Here is the playlist for the One Year Anniversary of The Metal Asylum’s return to MDR show. It was also The Metal Priestess’s birthday and 8 years since the first EVER Metal Asylum aired on Biker Rock Radio! \m/

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Slim Whitman – Happy Anniversary
• Death – Sacred Serenity – marking the 26th anniversary of the album Symbolic which was released on 21/03/1995
• Hatriot – Your Worst Enemy – for Steve “Zetro” Souza who was 57 on 24/03/2021
• Pantera – I’m Broken – from the album Far Beyond Driven which celebrated 27 years on 22/03 – released in 1994
• Slayer – Hell Awaits – from the band’s 2nd studio album Hell Awaits which turned 36 years old this week
• Montrose – Good Rockin’ Tonight – for Martin Jarvis, MDR supporter, whose birthday was on 26/03/2021
• Autograph – Turn Up The Radio (Sign In Please – 1984)
• Marrok – Lord Of Fire (Midnight Carnival – 2011)
• Images of Eden – Fight The Good Fight (Angel Born – 2021)
• Anthrax – Armed and Dangerous (Spreading The Disease – 1985)
• Judas Priest – Locked In (Turbo – 1996)
• Accept – Pandemic (Blood of The Nations – 2010)
• Slaughter – Fly To The Angels (Stick It To Ya – 1990)
• Trojan – Ice House (Chasing The Storm – 1985)
• Motley Crue – Kickstart My Heart (Dr Feelgood – 1989)
• Traitor – Lords of Lust (Venomizer – 2015)
• Counting The Killers – Whispered Torment (new single from their EP released 28/03/2021)
• Sinister Realm – World of Evil (World of Evil – 2013)
• Diamond Lane – All Rebels Welcome (World Without Heroes – 2011)
• Unleashed – Media Whore (Warrior – 1997)
• Grave – Sorrow Filled Moon (Hating Life – 1996)
• Debauchery – Genocider Overkill (Germany’s Next Death Metal – 2011)
• Fist – Dog Soldier (Back With A Vengeance – 2002)
• Mudvayne – Dig (Kill, I Oughta – 1997)
• Mastadon – Blood and Thunder (Leviathan – 2004)
• Clawfinger – Biggest and The Best (Clawfinger – 1997)
• Firehouse – Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool (Hold Your Fire – 1992)
• Nightmare – Necropolis (Cosmovision – 2001)
• Scar The Martyr – Dark Ages (Scar The Martyr – 2013)
• Shadowbane – Under Bleeding Skies (Facing The Fallout – 2015)
• Slipknot – Duality (Vol. 3 – Subliminal Verses – 2004)
• Queensryche – I Don’t Believe In Love (Operation: Mindcrime – 1988)
• Ace Frehley – Rip It Out (Ace Frehley – 1978)
• National Suicide – Nobody’s Coming (Anotheround – 2016)
• Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol (Tragic Idol – 2012)
• W.A.S.P – Fistful of Dollars (The Last Command – 1985)
• Static X – Cold (Machine – 2001)
• Queen – Brighton Rock (Sheer Heart Attack – 1974)

Aired on Metal Devastation radio on Sunday 28th March 2021

This week marked the one year anniversary of The Metal Asylum’s return to MDR so we hope we put together a show worthy of this. It was also The Metal Priestess’s birthday and 8 years since the first EVER Metal Asylum aired on Biker Rock Radio! ENJOY!!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 28th March 2021

Here is the podcast for the show aired on Sunday 21st March 2021. Enjoy!!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 21st March 2021

Here is the playlist for The Metal Asylum show that aired on Sunday 21st March 2021. We hope you enjoyed listening to these tunes!

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Kiss – Flamin’ Youth – celebrating the 45th anniversary of the album Destroyer which was released on 15/03/1976. 19th March also saw the 46th anniversary of the album Dressed To Kill
• Thin Lizzy – Cold Sweat – for Scott Gorham who turned 70 on 17/03/2021
• Alice In Chains – Rooster – for Jerry Cantrell who turned 55 on 18/03/2021
• Lord Dying – Descend Into External (Summon The Faithless – 2013)
• Annihilator – Creeping Again (Suicide Society – 2015)
• Linkin Park – Crawling (Hybrid Theory – 2000)
• Cloven Hoof – Crack The Whip (Cloven Hoof – 1984)
• Armored Saint – The Pillar (Revelation – 2000)
• Horroscope – Different View (Wrong Side Of The Road – 1999)
• Dokken – Tooth And Nail (Tooth And Nail – 1984)
• Stick To Your Guns – Left You Behind (Disobedient – 2015)
• Savage Messiah – The Fateful Dark (The Fateful Dark – 2014)
• From Dark – The Hard Goodbye (The Illusion Of Colour – 2009)
• Hellcannon – Sacrifice By Fire (Infected With Violence – 2014)
• Laced In Lust – I’m Alone (First Bite – February 2021)
• Pantera – Shedding Skin (Far Beyond Driven – 1994)
• Teramaze – The Unseen (Tears To Dust – 1998)
• Elixir – Pandora’s Box (The Son Of Odin – 1986)
• Gruesome – Closed Casket (Savage Land – 2015)
• Pungent Stench – The Convent Of Sin (Masters Of Moral, Servants Of Sin)
• Miseo – Uberzucht Und Untergang (Lunatic Confessions – 2014)
• Alice Cooper – Pick Up The Bones (Brutal Planet – 2000)
• Blitzkrieg – We’ll Rock Forever (Absolute Power – 2002)
• Denner & Sherman – Seven Skulls (Satan’s Tomb – 2015)
• Death Angel – Detonate (The Dream Calls For Blood – 2013)
• Apocalyptica – I Don’t Care (World’s Collide – 2007)
• Grave Digger – Into The War (Ballads Of A Hangman – 2009)
• Epica – Never Enough (The Divine Conspiracy – 2007)
• Sweet Savage – Savior (I Am Not) (Regeneration – 2013)
• Gojira – Born For One Thing (Fortitude – to be released on 30/04/2021)
• Raven – Run Silent, Run Deep (All For One – 1983)
• Sepultura – Roots Bloody Roots (Roots – 1996)
• Five Finger Death Punch – Under And Over It (American Capitalist – 2011)
• Lizzy Borden – Rod Of Iron (Terror Rising – 1984)
• Trixter – Not Like All The Rest (Human Era – 2015)
• Edguy – Matrix (Rocket Ride – 2006)
• Vicious Rumors – Sonic Rebellion (Warball – 2006)
• Ozzy Osbourne – Suicide Solution – featuring the late, great Randy Rhoads who died in a plane crash on 19/03/1982 – he was just 25 years old!

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 21st March 2021

Here is the playlist for the show that aired on Sunday 7th March 2021

• Tommy Vance Intro – host of the Friday Night Rock Show that aired at 10pm to midnight every Friday from November 1978 to April 1993, Tommy Vane, died on 06/03/2005, three days after suffering a stroke
• The Who – Pinball Wizard – for Roger Daltrey who turned 77 on 01/03/2021
• Rory Gallagher – I Don’t Know Where I’m Going – Rory would have been 73 on 02/03/2021
• Testament – Return To Serenity – for Demonize Debz and Grumpz who celebrated their 4th wedding anniversary on 03/03/2021
• The Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up – 04/03/2021 marked the 2nd anniversary of Keith Flint’s death
• Pink Floyd – Welcome To The Machine – for Dave Gilmour who turned 75 on 06/03/2021
• Enuff Z’nuff – New Thing (Enuff Z’nuff – 1989)
• Vain – Who’s Watching You (No Respect – 1989)
• Shotgun Alley – Nitro-Dan (Damnation – 2012)
• Running Wild – Premonition (Resilient – 2013)
• Ted Nugent – Snake Charmer (State Of Shock – 1979)
• Tool – Stinkfist (Aenima – 1996)
• Alice In Chains – Would? (Dirt – 1992)
• Dope – Die MF Die (Life – 2001)
• Butcher Babies – Yorktown (Yorktown – released 12th February 2021)
• Architects – Black Lungs (For Those What Wish To Exist – released 26th February 2021)
• American Head Charge – Just So You Know (The War of Art – 2001)
• Baron Rojo – Vampiros y Banqueros (Obstinato – 1989)
• Nuclear – Full Hatred Response (Ten Broken Codes – 2008)
• Rogue Male – Unemployment (First Visit – 1985)
• Saliva – Click Click Boom (Every Six Seconds – 2001)
• Execration – Return To The Void (Return To The Void – 2017)
• Corpsegod – Clown World (2019)
• Orphanage – Victim Of Fear (Oblivion – 1995)
• Hpolocaust – Mortal Mother (Hypnosis Of Birds – 1992)
• Malakyte – Resonance Cascade (Human Resonance – 2013)
• Sinner – Like A Rock (Crash And Burn – 2008)
• Those Damn Crows – Don’t Give A Damn (Murder And The Motive – 2018)
• Warbeast – Stalker (Krush The Enemy – 2010)
• Halestorm – I Miss The Misery (The Strange Case Of….. – 2012)
• Monster Magnet – Negasonic Teenage Warhead (S.F.W. – 1994)
• Onslaught – Children Of The Sand (V I – 2013)
• Fear Factory – Linchpin (Digimortal – 2001)
• Trivium – Dying In Your Arms (Ascendance – 2005)
• Betrayal – Running On Empty (The People’s Fallacy – 2008)
• Halford – Made In Hell (Resurrection – 2000)
• Dragster – Here Comes The Weekend (NWOBHM The Very Best Of Dragster)
• Parkway Drive – Carrion (Horizons – 2007)
• Bullet For My Valentine – Your Betrayal (Fever – 2010)
• Down – Stone The Crow (NOLA – 1995)
• Metallica – Damage, Inc (Master Of Puppets – 1986) This monster of an album turned 35 years old on 03/03/2021

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 7th March 2021

This week we had three hours of the best metal tunes. And this week the Death Metal Dungeon was baaaack! (and all three songs stayed in the playlist and didn’t disappear as they were about to be played!!)

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 7th March 2021

Here is the playlist for our show that celebrated the best of the albums turning 40(!!) in 2021

• Seven Witches – Metal Asylum
• Budgie – Panzer Division Destroyed – for John Thomas who would have been 69 on 21/02/2021
• Rainbow – Can’t Happen Here (Difficult To Cure ) for Rachel who’s birthday was on 23/02/2021
• Pantera – By Demons Be Driven – from Vulgar Display of Power which turned 29 on 25/02/2021
• Led Zeppelin – Good Times, Bad Times – for John Bonham who would have been 73 on 25th February
• Opeth – Harvest – to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Blackwater Park
• Van Halen – Unchained (Fair Warning)
• ZZ Top – Tube Snake Boogie (El Loco)
• Ozzy Osbourne – Flying High Again (Diary of A Mad Man)
• Black Sabbath – The Sign of The Southern Cross (Mob Rules)
• Triumph – Fight The Good Fight (Allied Forces)
• Blue Oyster Cult – Veteran of The Psychic Wars (Fire of Unknown Origin)
• Riot – Outlaw (Fire Down Below)
• Tygers of Pan Tang – Hellbound (Spellbound)
• Demon – Night of The Demon (Night of The Demon)
• Joan Jett – I Love Rock N Roll (I Love Rock N Roll)
• Venom – Welcome To Hell (Welcome To Hell)
• Thin Lizzy – Angel of Death (Renegade)
• Graham Bonnet – Night Games (Line Up)
• Dokken – Breaking The Chains (Breaking The Chains)
• Iron Maiden – Wrathchild (Killers) for Adrian Smith who was 64 on 27/02/2021
• Judas Priest – Hot Rockin’ (Point of Entry)
• Michael Schenker Group – On and On (MSG)
• Y&T – Rescue Me (Earthshaker)
• Krokus – Easy Rocker (Hardware)
• Raven – Hell Patrol (Rock Until You Drop)
• Blackfoot – Good Morning (Marauder)
• Heliz – Breaking Loose (White Lace and Black Leather)
• Whitesnake – Don’t Break My Heart Again (Come An’ Get It)
• UFO – Lonely Heart (The Wild, The Willing, The Innocent)
• Anvil – School Love (Hard N Heavy)
• Saxon – Rough And Ready (Denim and Leather)
• More – Lord of Twilight (Warhead)
• Kiss – Mr Blackwell (The Elder)
• Kix – Atomic Bombs (Kix)
• Bullet – Execution (Execution)
• Loudness – Loudness (The Birthday Eve)
• Def Leppard – Let It Go (High N Dry
• AC/DC – For Those About To Rock (For Those About To Rock)

Aired on Metal Devastation Radio on Sunday 28th February 2021