Heaven & Hell: The Devil You Know
While Heaven & Hell has proved itself as formidable of a live act now as it was first time around in 1981, The Devil You Know is a decent album but unfortunately it isn’t as great as it possibly could have been.
Reviews – Audio
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder: Living For Death, Destroying The Rest
Contrary to their name, the bizarre album cover and the somewhat disturbing images of the quartet in the liner notes, Rumpelstilskin Grinder is a serious band – perhaps too serious.
Serpent Throne: The Battle Of Old Crow
These guys bring the rock and announce themselves with killer riffs and well placed guitar solos. Tracks like “Snakecharmer” and “Rock Formation” are calibrated for maximum epic impact, true journeys in heaviness that end up on the mountaintop where rock gods dwell and mystic visions abound.
Suffocation: Blood Oath
New York State’s Suffocation don’t waste any time on their latest release, Blood Oath. From the moment it bursts out of the starting gate, the album lumbers along with the death metal/ grindcore sound that has become a trademark of the band.
Amesoeurs: Amesoeurs
Amesoeurs claims that it grapples with the modern world in its music. On the preceding EP, this was a persuasive assertion. If Amesoeurs still chooses to hold itself up as a sonic social critic, then this album can only be taken as criticism if it is approached as parody.
Steel Assassin: War Of The Eight Saints
Chances are that unless you followed Metal Blade’s Metal Massacre compilations back in the mid-eighties you may have never heard Steel Assassin.
Astra: The Weirding
Originally forming in San Diego, California during 2001 under the moniker Silver Sunshine, this progressive rock changed their musical style from psychedelic pop to progressive rock in 2008 and also decided a name change was in order too, settling on the new name of Astra. However, Do not be mistake Astra with the Italian progressive metal band that also goes by the same name.
Hellsaw: Cold
Hellsaw’s Cold is an album that starts out much stronger than it ends.
Ted Nugent: Motor City Mayhem
This ain’t no Double Live Gonzo, but America’s weirdest right-wing redneck rocker celebrates his 6000th concert at home in Detroit, Michigan. Ted Nugent, you are a freak.
Birds of Prey: The Hellpreacher
Erik Larson (Alabama Thunderpussy), Bo Leslie (The Last Van Zant), Summer Welch (Baroness), Ben Hogg (Beaten Back To Pure) and Dave Witte (Municipal Waste) come together to create concept album, The Hellpreacher.