Saxon - Into The Labyrinth (2009)

Saw the old crooners supporting Motorhead in '08 and they upstaged the warty ones. 'Into...' is typical Saxon, but then again, it's not..this is a far more assured and revitalised band, tighter as a unit, more polished in sound, 'Live To Rock' sounds corny but lacks the predictable cheese they've come out with over the years and 'Demon Sweeney Todd' takes no prisoners with its rumble, Biff is on the best form of his life, as he was on stage. 'Valley Of The Kings' brings to mind Helloween in their majestic heyday, the track has a European feel about it, a real anthem full of synths and magic and 'Crime Of Passion' you'd never recognise as Saxon, amazing guitar work, heavy in its assault, Biff rasping through the lyrics like a man possessed. Seriously, give this newer, more muscular Saxon a chance, it seems they've finally shed their old skin and moved on to new heights. 'Voice' is a flame flickering metal vision in black, and 'Hellcat' storms the stage, 'Into The Labyrinth' will have you forgetting just how many times over the years the band have mentioned steel, warriors, fire, denim, leather and hell, and having you lusting for them as if they'd only recently hit the scene. Long live Saxon.

7/10

Judas Priest - British Steel (1980)

Halford and company still hell-bent on that formula of which at times smokes, other times chokes. Opening rattler 'Rapid Fire', 'the stomping 'Metal Gods', the alleged classic 'Breaking The Law' and fizzing 'Grinder' make this one of Priest's finest records. The jury is still out on some of Halford's torturous episodes, 'United' sounds like an irritating football anthem, although in the UK there were many such tracks that would've suited football stadiums. Thankfully, no ballads on offer, Priest attempt to go for the throat but leave no wounds, instead slight bruises where others would have punctured the jugular. I'm still not phased by their seemingly legendary status, but in certain cuts, i.e. 'Living After Midnight', and those mentioned, can see why they attracted a brutally faithful army of fans. I'd certainly put them above Kiss, but then I hear 'Red, White & Blue' and almost forgive Kiss for their gaudy glam...but maybe it's just the attempted teachings of Satan that enable Priest to sit amongst my records, but never find a place in my heart.

7/10

Tesla - Forever More (2008)

As soon as the title cut kicks in with it's Enuff Z Nuff styled lazy hook, you know you're in for another Tesla ride, one of refreshing, good time rock that seeks quality over image., but the band excel almost immediately on the lush 'I Wanna Live', the band already pouring out a big chorus which resembles Buckcherry at their finest yet with a smoother edge. There's nothing really raw about Tesla, but there doesn't need to be, this is simply cool, energetic and simple hard rock. Imagine if Mr Big were any good, or Enuff Z Nuff without the sugar, although the Beatles mellotrone bump of 'So What' reeks of Enuff Z Nuff in their prime up to the rolling riffs. 'Forever More' is another of those effortlessly illuminated rock albums, a rare thing certainly in today's scene and often considered more of an accidental thing back in the late '80s and early '90s when bands such as Saigon Kick and Kik Tracee were mere cult acts, but acts who should've rocked the world and every stadium in it. I guess there was always a fine line for some bands between bombastic rock anthems and an overdose of hair metal cheese, but the mid-section of 'Forever More' would never have been recorded by a majority of the hair metal acts. Sure, for a handful of tracks Tesla decided to put away the big guitars and take a seat on the sunshine bathed porch, but the tracks they reel out are simply beautiful, 'Fallin' Apart' is simply gorgeous and builds to a chorus you feel you've heard before, but want more of, and 'All Of Me' is a glam rock stomp that comes unexpected and backed with a heavy groove. You could pick any cut out from the record and find it difficult not to find yourself swept away by the melodies and so, instead of waffling on about the whiskey drool of 'Pvt. Ledbetter' or heavy strut of 'The Game', I suggest you go and buy this, and every other Tesla record and have yourself a good time rockin' party.

9/10

Kreator - Extreme Aggression (1989)

It was always a good thing that Kreator never became part of the thrash 'big four' - Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica, who, for me, have all become rather embarrassing bands as opposed to the far cooler set of bands who just loitered in the shadows but forever produced high quality metal in the thrash zone, these bands being Kreator, Celtic Frost, Voivod, Coroner et al. 'Extreme..' was certainly a step away from the early outing's, image wise anyway, but the sound is as caustic and nihilistic as ever, Petrozza's vocals bordering on black metal extremity, the riffs a furious buzz and the drums speeding by with grey velocity. Another vastly underrated band, yet with a huge cult following, Kreator have always remained consistent even as they polished their sound up for later efforts, but metal always rewards those who stick to their guns, even if the struggle is far greater than those who became more commercial sounding. 'Love Us Or Hate Us' is a violent thrash anthem, early Slayer hidden somewhere in the riffage, the complexities of 'Some Pain Will Last' a brutal reminder of the abilities and staying power of one of Europe's greatest extreme metal acts. The cover alone a statement of the band as modest in their image, yet so brutal in their profession.

7.5/10

Wolf - Evil Star (2004)

Prince may have wanted to party like it was 1999, but fuck that, Wolf rock like it's 1985. The Swedish acts second album, this is pure heavy metal dredged from the days of old and yet still sounding as fresh...as something old!!! Wolf are no holds barred heavy metal in the Judas Priest, Iron Maiden blah blah mould, certainly more dynamic than Maiden, firing on all cylinders with tales of dark magic, evil fantasy and leather-clad women writhing in damp dungeons. There have been so many bands after the millennium attempting to recreate the true spirit of metal, and many of these acts have either come across as missing the point or simply too cheesy to pull it off, but Wolf are just fantastic at what they do. Listen to the vocals on 'The Avenger', a banshee mutation of Bruce Dickinson and the mighty Ozzy, and the riffs pour in from the cavities, filling the room with rusty abandon. Wolf give you every reason to feel like you're back in your bedroom, lights down low, candles aglow, denim jacket over the chair, your mum scared to go in your room for fear of heavy metal reprisal. 'Devil Moon' excites like Dio circa 'Dream Evil', a slow, pondering number, 'Black Wing Rider' is pure Priest. Hey, what more do you want me to say, it sounds old, so buy it.

7.5/10

Buckcherry - Black Butterfly (2008)

After the ballsy and rewarding experience that was '15', Buckcherry return with a slightly predictable yet still crotch-thrusting record. By this time you realise that in their rock 'n' roll stubbornness, Buckcherry have become a tad formulaic, but then again, this is something one must become accustomed too within the genre. Rock 'n' roll has always been about the sex, the drugs and the music, not bands attempting to re-invent music, so once again the band rely on a set of riffs possibly stolen from AC/DC, Josh Todd's pretty basic twang, the occasional obscene lyric, and a few dreamy ballads, nothing new...but it's whether it still works remains the burning question. Of the twelve cuts on offer, we can draw comparison's with '15' on many of these, 'Too Drunk...' is the album's 'Crazy Bitch', although slightly less spiky but with a killer riff on the chorus, 'Dreams' enlightens us, taking an Enuff Z Nuff quality with its breeziness. You can always expect a few no thrills, almost basic but solid rockers from Buckcherry, 'Talk To Me' is a prime example and 'Dont Go Away' is one of those scarf waving, lighter holding heart breakers. So, it is typical Buckcherry, at times rousing, always rocking, but possibly reaching out for something more. However, as American rock goes, it's pretty good, always striving hard to raise the bar..and to fill the bars, but 'Black Butterfly' just lacks the mood shifts of '15'.

7.5/10

The Obsessed - Lunar Womb (1991)

The Obsessed, along with St Vitus (hell, they do feature the same singer!), Trouble and a handful of others, took the sincere darkness of Sabbath and tried to make it their own. Although Sabbath were never to be equalled, it was just great hearing these veterans churning out their brand of doom 'n' roll, licking their lips at Motorhead and greasy punk, as well as creating black holes of chaos. Idiots call this type of music 'stoner rock' nowadays, but that's a bullshit tag, this is black rock 'n' roll, heavy riffs, Wino at the helm, steering this aged ship into even oilier waters. You can hear the bass reverberate through the rafters, no thrills in a way, just pure garage doom, and that's all you want, after all, Cathedral have already done the imagery to death, we don't needs heaps of phantasmagoria poured upon our very souls. Sabbath grew their immense machine from the West Midlands smoked landscapes, bands such as The Obsessed have spewed out their leather drool from the grim backstreets and gutter bars of the US. Nothing fake here, just bone crunching metal that doesn't want to boogie, cos' all it wants is rain and misery.

7/10

Cynic - Traced In Air (2008)

Well, it's been a long, long time since the masterful 'Focus' record took death metal to new extremes, a polished vortex of complexity that left the listener stunned and bewildered by its freshness and technical brilliance. Although the reunion caused a great stir, in no way is this the Cynic of 1993, despite the wonderful intrigue, the unknown journey of their sound and the vortex they create. Vocally, it rarely touches upon death metal, not that the debut album was a total death metal album, but this time the progressive nature sees the band discover some startling melodies, but structures bereft of extremity as such. 'Integral Birth' sees a background deathly growl, but somehow Cynic even make the vocal attack a complexity, a sweeping, breezy wisp accompanied by jerking, jazzy, awkward, flipping, tossing and spinning musicianship that will simply blow you away. A majority of death metallers may find this album all too mellow, like I said, only on rare occasions to the band care to venture into the more extreme edges of 'Focus', instead they cast out an intricate web of soaring yet uncatchable solo's, drums which flutters and flicker beyond the ear, and a vocal swoon which'll have you believing a computer must be behind the mic. 'Traced In Air', just like Atheist's 'Elements' is always compelling but so distant and alien you can only giggle at its mesmerising ability to drag you along without effort but leave you standing agog as it deserts you in the middle of some crystal galaxy. 'King Of Those Who Know' is a beautiful odyssey which even in its greatness attempts at a death metal backing vocal, just couldn't be death metal due to its vast layers and trickling soundscapes. I can't go on about the wonders of Cynic, they are simply a very much acquired taste, forget the likes of Dream Theatre, this is a true trip into the unknown with a band who've never been part of any kind of framework but always admired for their elusive genius. I never thought extreme metal could be this seductive.

9/10

Judas Priest - Hell Bent For Leather (1979)

You have to give these kind of bands credit, let's face it, they were releasing a record back then almost every year, so the output is pretty consistent even I'm not licking the leather arses of Priest, but 'Hell Bent...' is one of the bands finest records, 'Delivering The Goods' takes no prisoners and Halford shatters glass as he wails through 'Rock Forever', but then I'm finding myself cringing at the glam plod cheese of 'Evening Star', I'm sorry, I just don't get this weak, crotch grabbing bag of garbage although am immediately relieved to be rescued by the title track, but I'm still detecting something so camp beyond the mask of metal, maybe it's the lyrics or just Halford's oh so serious but corny vocal attack, and 'Take On The World', complete with it's Queen meets Gary Glitter chorus has a similar effect. By this time I'm heading for the exit but will keep flicking through reluctantly in case I happen to find a smouldering gem, but I dunno, were priest ever a gargantuan force within metal ? Have their records paled to meagre piles of dog shit over the years or is it just the cd age taking its toll, making these once waxed wonders mere tinny odes. I'm just struggling to get a grip of Priest, too many up's and down's, 'Before The Dawn' actually lifts me as a ballad, 'Evil Fantasies' drops me like a lead balloon...and that's just the way Priest are gonna affect me, and I'm gonna have to just deal with the fact that we ain't ever gonna have a relationship!

6.5/10

Helmet - Meantime (1992)

Riff absorbed, angry, sweaty and aggressive...not really metal despite its weight, 'Meantime' emerged around the time I lost heart with metal, grunge was on the up, and all I had left as my saviour was Faith No More's 'Angel Dust'. Helmet, a bruising bunch of New Yorker's attempted to give metal another life although their street-based hardcore groove was simply too grey to digest despite its frustrated menace. The title cut is a real slab of anxiety, 'Give It' borders on a Sabbath trip with its surfed up riffage to ride on and Page Hamilton's vocals are often smooth but always furious, but is it enough in a dying world ? Not really. I'm lumping this in with Rollins Band as muscular and confrontational but lacking the imagery of metal's rich past, in all, something akin to headbutting a pavement. Sure, if enough passiona nd angst is put into it, the fury may take away the pain, but this battering ram of sludgecore leaves me without feeling, and that's not the kind of result I want from a band.

5/10

Helstar - Nosferatu (1989)

Dodgy band name, one of those acts you'd probably ignore in the bargain bins for fear of total cheapness, but you'd actually be missing a small gem, Helstar play brash metal bordering on techno speed. Cracking, sizzling vocals from James Rivera, tight and cutting musicianship, this soars like a toxic mix of Death Angel, Coroner,Whiplash and Helloween, very much grounded in the '80s I guess but so sincere in its assault. Each track in its high velocity kinda whizzes by with familiarity, fist pounding power thrash on 'Harkers Tale', whereas 'Perseverance...' beings like something from Mordred's 'Fools Game' with its groovy twiddling and 'Benediction' is pretty much no thrills riffage, and there's a lot of that on offer. 'Nosferatu' is the bands third album, and sure, you could live without it, by why, when you can spend forty minutes or so thrashing away in the dark. Enjoyable and upbeat.

6.5/10

Nevermore - Nevermore (1995)

Despite a large cult following, Nevermore have never really attracted the fan base or praise they deserve, maybe it's down to their balls to the wall metal attack which emerged as metal became drowned by the puerile grunge slop, but as cool metallers Sanctuary faded, warbler Warrel Dane assembled this bunch of merry men to rip holes in the ozone. Nevermore reek of that Candlemass wonder, and yet they aren't in any way, shape or form doom metal. Nevermore can rattle out enough precision and speed to at times challenge Slayer and Megadeth, but they aren't anywhere near thrash metal, and their brand of heavy rock cuts deeper than any Judas Priest record, and yet Nevermore aren't strictly for the leather-clad headbangers, but who cares...just enjoy this band and their career, for it's one of solid union, that embraces all Gothic and metallion. If it's dark ballads you want, look no further than 'The Sanity Assassin', or if you prefer your metal complex, harsh and with icy glare, then 'Sea Of Possibilities' will take you to a place once inhabited by so many technical acts who've befuddled in their quest for alienation. In Warrel Dane we have one of metal's finest voices, a preacher of sermon, his sombre banter one to gather and fuse the harshest of storms. Musically, well...it's multi-layered, big sounding, beefy and yet pure riff laden metal, at times as cold as the pure driven snow, and always as black as the crow which perches on the stark trees, Nevermore have big black leather wings, and don't seem to care who is listening, because you'll still hear it anyway.

7.5/10