Stand Alone - Never Stand Alone Stand Alone are a hard rock trio from Bradford. The easiest band to compare them to is Stone Broken with a slightly punkier edge. Whilst going through the bands that have been sent to me, I watched the video for the new single 'Never Stand Alone'. I had never heard of them before today and I'm guessing that you hadn't either. I listened to a handful of other bands that had obviously much more money to spend on videos and recording but I found myself going back to Stand Alone and listening a few more times.  I think I'm just a sucker for harmony vocals particularly if it's a minor third. This single has plenty of them and in the second verse there a tasty 3 part harmony that's like magic to my ears. Whilst many bands are going for technicality, intensity or obscurity, Stand Alone are keeping their eye firmly on melody and that's something I like. As I eluded to before it's not the most polished produc...

Release Date - 25.5.18 Record Label - Long Branch Records Track Listing My Favourite Stranger Burn Celebrity Summer Wires Blacklight Shadow Pray to the Creature Vertigo Mouth of the Wolf Pins and Needles Toru's Maze Years I first became aware of Black Orchid Empire catching them support InMe on their most recent tour. I liked them enough to buy the last album 'Archetype' from the merch stand. They told me they have a new one coming out soon and this is it. I'm not going to pretend like I knew what 'Yugen' meant and for those of you that would like to know, it's a Japanese word for 'Subtle yet profound beauty'. I think it's an ambitious title having listened to it a few times but there is a ring a truth to it. Black Orchid Empire are not your typical alt metal band. Whilst bringing the heavy syncopated riffs they never lose sight of melody. Combined with clean almost pop like vocals they tread a fine line that lands them in...

Release Date : 11.5.2018 Record label : Frontiers Track Listing  Hard Times Over and Over Spirit That Made Me Into the Light Bring It on Home Days Since I Saw the Sun Will You Wait Break You Come My Way Were You Ever Mine Too Far Left to Fall Now seems to be a good time for new underground hard rock bands pushing themselves to the forefront of the scene. Doomsday Outlaw are a good example of that. I was told the day after their Debut album 'Suffer More' was released Frontiers got into contact with them to hear it based on a review in Classic Rock magazine. I have a lot of respect for Frontiers because they are willing to takes chances on new music and usually they get it right. This is one of those times where they have. The three singles that were released 'Over and Over', 'Spirit That Made Me' and 'Bring It On Home' all carry on the same style as 'Suffer More' which is a sort of groove blues hard rock with a pinch of co...

  Venue - The Hairy Dog, Derby 7.5.2018 Line up Black Orchid Empire Tigress InMe   It's a bank holiday Monday and it's red hot. After spending the day at work I decide the spend the end of the day in a sweaty venue watching one of my current favourite bands (InMe) and 2 bands I've never heard of before. The first band up is Black Orchid Empire. I admit when they first walked on I thought I was in for some down-tuned screaming metal. What I actually got was a good, clear, and melodic voice with spot on harmonies provided by the bass player. There were still some heavy riffs combined with some non standard time signatures though. I was very impressed and bought a CD and listened to it on the way home. It's good but doesn't do the live show justice. If they come back near me I'll definitely try to see them again. Tigress were next up but I have to say the music was not for me. Don't let that put you off goin...

  Venue - Real Time Live - Chesterfield  4.5.2018 Real time live is a venue I have a lot of love for having played the stage many times and seen many bands perform on it. The stage is big, the lighting is great and the PA sounds fantastic. If you can't sound good in here then you've got no chance. Line up Jizzy Pearl  Doomsday Outlaw Emperors Of The Wasteland First to the stage we have Emperors Of The Wasteland from Derby. The sound that came from the stage right from the beginning was very powerful. All the instruments were very clear and hard hitting. The way hard rock is meant to be. Nick (bass) was very animated on stage doing away with any notion that bass players should be heard and not seen. This in stark contrast to the guitarist who, maybe because of his physical build, reminded me of a doorman at a nightclub. Whilst he wasn't moving around too much it suited the riffs he has playing. No nonsense rock. Al...

Kovax - cobolt Release date - May 7th 2018    Kovax are a noisy/shouty metal band from Leeds launched in 2016. When they sent me the new single to review I was a bit hesitant as I'm very much a fan of the 'album' and not singles as seems to be the trend nowadays. I listened to it a few times anyway and it started to grow on me so I thought I'd say something about it.    It's not a genre of metal that I'm overly familiar with so I can't speak to much of the influences but what came to my mind was Raging Speedhorn/Machine head with a delicate touch of Skindred based on this single. The song is not very long at 2:22 but it packs a massive punch and the riffs sound huge. The chorus is melodic enough and the breakdown at the end will keep anyone that loves a good 'pit' happy. I had a quick listen to the previous album for a bit of context and I can tell you that from almost every angle, 'cobolt' is a massive step forward. The produc...

Venue - Rock City - Nottingham It's Thursday night and you've got work early on Friday. On the one hand you have to be well rested for work to pay your bills. On the other hand there's free metal to had at a good venue near you. I know which one I care about more. The event was arranged as a 30th birthday party for somebody and from being there it looked like everybody had a good time. First up we have Down In One. Local band Down In One are a beer fuelled heavy metal band with a touch of groove. A few songs in and the band have set the bar for the night with chunky riffs and screaming vocals. If you like your metal with big, sweaty, hairy balls and enough girth to leave you needing stitches then this band is for you.  They had the birthday boy up on stage for a requested cover of the Clutch song ' X ray vision'. I'd never heard the song before and it sounded good enough for me to want to check it out so that was a success. They finished with Mad...