Release date: 19 Apr 2019 Nick Johnston   I first heard of Nick Johnston from a suggested YouTube video of his entire "Remarkably Human" album. The artwork image stood out to me and I was in the mood for new music and I left it on in the background. I ended up listening to it few times through and then going and buying his entire 4 CD biography, a ticket to see him live and the guitar tab for the RH album. Quite simply, I was hooked. As a preface to talking about the new album I'll briefly go over the development as I see it from the previous 4. The first to albums are a wide spread of styles where Nick is still exploring and developing his sound. By the third album 'Atomic Mind' the sound is more refined but still has the odd wild track. It is only at album number 4 where 'Remarkably Human' has a continuous theme and what is now a style that you can distinguish quite clearly as Nick Johnston. You can always tell his playing on the previou

Yngwie Malmsteen. I have been a big fan ever since I first heard the 'Odyssey' record as a young teenage boy just getting into guitar music. I was drawn to the arrogance of just having a picture of yourself as an album cover as the guitar player in the band as I always saw music as a band effort at that time. If you're a guitar player you will know who Yngwie is and you will most likely have your own strong opinion about him. One thing that not an opinion whether you like his playing or not is that he is/was an innovator on the instrument. He has an iconic sound you can spot a mile off and I personally, enjoy it a lot.  The new album. "Blue lightning" is being advertised as a blues album but I would use that term very loosely talking about this collection of music. Whilst you would think covers of Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton would be straight up blues he has chosen the more hard rocking songs from these artists alongside ZZ Top, Deep Purple, The Rolling Ston

I haven't posted for a while mostly because I've been obsessed with old albums I've discovered and this is not what this blog is about for me. It's about promoting what is new because despite the cries that rock and metal are dead. It's just not true. I'm going to share with you my top five releases from this year that I heavily recommend. I know the year isn't technically over yet but if something new comes in I'll let you know No.1 Judas Priest's 'Firepower' is the definition of heavy metal from the legends that created it. A well deserved top spot. No.2 Doomsday Outlaw take the second spot with 'Hard Times'. Only on their second album they have delivered a belter and hopefully have a lot more where this came from. No.3 Album number 3 comes from local (to me) stoner groove metallers Witch Tripper. 'I, of the storm' is another second album that see's the band reach a new level and one that should defin

Release date : Oct 19th Track Listing: 01 Neon Lights 02 Who Are You 03 Breathe It In 04 Better Way To Be 05 Your Colours 06 Too Close Delayed Departure are a 5 piece alternative rock band from Farnborough. I first came across this band with the single 'Ocean' from the last E.P release 'Consequences'. It was a track that I loved and was patiently waiting to hear what this next collection of tracks was going to be like. The recommendation is that they are for fans of You Me At Six, Mallory Knox & Deaf Havana. I couldn't tell you what any of those sound like but if it's true I'll have to check them out as well. The comparison I would loosely draw is with InMe at least from the instrumental section of the band. We're off to a good start with the first song and lead single for the E.P 'Neon Lights'. It opens up with quite a bouncy guitar riff with a layer of atmospheric lead that leads into more uptempo verse. The chorus sees v

Released : 21 Sept 2018 Long Branch Records Track Listing: 1. Animals 2. Party Monster 3. Soul & Chemicals - Studio Session 4. Tunnel vision - Studio Session Whilst perusing through my emails checking out what's new, I came onto this band and it hit me straight away. This is a band I'm going to love. I've not heard of them before and now I'm disappointed that hadn't. Siamese are a Danish, what I might describe as a 'pop metal' band. The email says 'soulful metal' and their Spotify bio says 'RnB core'. These are all correct to some degree. It is a rare mix of metal instrumentation with pure pop melodies and vocals. This won't be to everyone's taste but sits very well with me. They remind me of one of my favourite but now disbanded groups Forever Never. The first track is the new single 'Animals'. With its overlaid synth and low syncopated guitar chugging it's a very modern metal sound with a very tigh

Release date - 14.6.18 Record Label - Independent  Track Listing  1. Bloodbath 2. Natural Downer 3. Lately 4. Break Ground The Full Bug are a hard rock band from Tel Aviv, Israel. They responded to my call for new music on twitter and straight away from a 30 second Spotify link I knew it was my type of thing. According to the band's website 'The Full Bug' is slang for 'give it all you've got'. It's a phrase I've never heard before so I learned something new as well. I would say this band are a blend of hard rock/metal/stoner/groove/blues and that sits well with me. The E.P. is a short listen coming in at around 14 mins total. In that short time is does pack quite a big punch. Blood bath, Natural Downer and Lately are all heavy hitters with big drums, big guitar riffs and big rock vocals. I've grouped these three together because there isn't much that separates them style wise. That's not to put them down. The qua