Covering not just the Ozzy period of Sabbath, but also the times when Ozzy wasn’t there which produced marvelous music, the Dio years were outstanding, and the Tony Martin era produced some superb and sadly underrated music. A splendid read!

Another edition of thought-provoking book reviews from our Irish based correspondent Steve Earles. Please enjoy!

Two fine books to review this month.

A beautiful full-colour, hardcover affair, this perfect-bound 270-plus page coffee table piece is as extravagant and captivating as it is compelling, informative and exciting. From essays by the authors/cameramen to reflective contributions from genre mainstays including Robb Flynn, Alex Skolnick and Gary Holt, there’s an inescapable air of enthusiasm, adoration and importance to Murder In The Front Row.

Overall, a fine, well-researched read, worth getting for the amazing story of Slayer’s support slot with the mighty Venom, which brings new meaning to the phrase ‘taking the piss’!

I won’t ruin this wonderful rollercoaster ride through the history of rock with spoilers, but man! I will say it’s like the reader suddenly enters a time machine and travels back to through the history of rock and metal, and finds it’s both better and worse than they ever believed. And of course, everyone from Yul Brynner, Ozzy, David Coverdale (which is as it should be!) to Tony Iommi turns up!

Metalion is one of the greatest books about metal ever produced.

Oh, I loved reviewing this book, it was like a time machine back to a golden age, one that importantly still continues, as Motorhead are still as awesome as ever.