Forever Never - I Cant Believe Its Not Metal

(Genre - Hard Rock / Metal Label - Independant)

Track Listing -
01 - You're The Voice (John Farnham)
02 - Who Is It? (Michael Jackson)
03 - Still Of The Night (Whitesnake)
04 - Boombastic (Shaggy)
05 - We Close Our Eyes (Go West)
06 - Future Love Paradise (Seal)


Essex boys, Forever Never offer up an Ep of cover versions, nothing too original there, but they do off up 6 good cover versions, which is something a little different for a covers release.
The Ep starts off with a metalized version of the John Farnham classic (?), You're The Voice, which works very well. The guys keep the song pretty true to the original version, with vocalist Renny Carroll pulling off a pretty good John Farham impression, but this version has been galvanized in metal, the guitars scream high in the mix. A great start!
Next up is a brave choice of covering a Michael Jackson track, Who Is It?, and again the guys pull it off very well, a great laugh.
Next up is Forever Never's reworking of the Whitesnake classic, Still Of the Night. Now personally I would have thought that this should have worked really well, but for some reason, it just doesn't feel right to me. Maybe it’s just that Renny just isn’t a match for the mighty David Coverdale, I don’t know, but it’s the low point of the Ep so far.
What follows is as surprisingly good as it is shocking. A metal version of Shaggy's Boombastic. Now I never thought that I'd live to see the day when I actually enjoyed listening to this song, but here I am singing along a thoroughly loving Forever Never's cover version. It’s a strange world!
The Ep closes out with a pretty standard and uninspired version of Go West's We Close Our Eyes and a brilliant version of Seals Future Love Paradise, which gives Renny a great opportunity to showcase his singing talents.
As a stop gap release to see the band and the fans through to their next full album, this collection of covers is a great little diversion. A fun Ep by a band that are not afraid to enjoy themselves, great.
Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

website - http://www.forevernever.com/

Rating - 8/10

Slag in Cullet - Time To Explode

(Genre - Alternative / Rock / Metal Label - Headroom Records)

Track Listing -
01 - Time To Explode
02 - Blame
03 - My Fire
04 - Rubber Heart
05 - Sick Circus Of Love
06 - Saved My Soul
07 - Those Stripes
08 -Fade Away
09 - In Memories
10 - Cotton rose

Debut full length album from Slag in Cullet, Time To Explode does just that from the opening riffs of the opening title track. There’s enough power here to keep the average metal fan happy, yet also there’s plenty of calmer quirkier moments to keep things interesting for alternative / prog fans.
To be honest after the opening track the album does tend to lose a little of its pace and power, with only Rubber Heart matching the opener's intensity.
After a little while some of the songs start to sound a little repetitive, but enjoyable none the same.
Stand out tracks include, Time To Explode, Rubber Heart, Cotton Rose and Sick Circus Of love.


Website -
http://www.myspace.com/slagincullet

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/slag-in-cullet/58736419320

Rating 8/10

Sworn To Oath - Dont Fuck About EP

(Genre - Metal / Rock Label - Independant)

Tracklisting -
01 - City Of lies
02 - One Split Second
03 - this Is Hell

What the hell?
How can three people make so much noise?
Damn I have only one negative thing to say about this Ep, and that’s that I simply I want MORE TRACKS!!!!!!
Hailing from the Midlands, Sworn to Oath deliver a heavy dirty metal with distorted guitars and bass lines throughout.
The Ep's name really does say it all, Sworn to Oath just Don’t Fuck About, the music is bone crunching heavy and direct with Tom and Dave’s powerhouse vocals holding it all together.
I am really looking forward to hearing the full length album because this Ep's barely been off since I first put it on!!!!!!!!!!!

website -
http://www.facebook.com/#!/sworntooath

http://www.myspace.com/sworntooath
Rating 10/10

Ritual - Ancient Tome

(Genre - Metal / Hard Rock Label - Heaven and Hell Records)

Track listing -

01. Give It To Ya Straight
02. Get Back, Stand Back
03. No Longer Feel
04. Tight
05. Let the Metal Play
06. If I Had Your Love
07. Rock & Roll Demon
08. Claw To the Top
09. Evil In Your Heart
10. Love in the Shadows
11. Friend or Foe
12. Dark Star
13. Rid of the Bitch
14. Sweet Lady
15. Overload
16. Electrified

Ancient Tome is a collection of standout tracks from Ritual, a band that at one point were considered to be New Jerseys most promising band! Unfortunately for whatever reason, Ritual failed to crack mainstream success and grab a hold of that elusive record deal. The band’s sound is definitely melodic metal / hard rock, in the vein of Motley Crue, Quite Riot etc.
The songs displayed here are all of high standards even though there’s nothing here that was ever going to set the world on fire. As an album, Ancient Tome sets itself up very well, there’s a good and varied mix of material and styles here to keep the listener interested. This album will probably find more favor amongst the fans of 80's hard rock / hair metal, although I can see Steel panther fans loving it too!
A good overview of a bands output, a short stroll down memory lane if you will.
Well worth checking out if you remember the band, or are a fan of the genre of music, or even just a fan of 80's hair metal bands.

website -
www.myspace.com/ritualonline
rating - 7/10

Overlord - Back in the Dragons Lair

(Genre - Metal Label - Heaven and Hell Records)

Track listing -


01. X-Rated Man
02. Messiah Comes
03. Distant Orphan
04. (Prelude) Endless Sun
05. Walk Softly
06. Midnite Flight
07. Nice Life
08. The Storm
09. White Witch
10. Desert Door
11. Subterranean Spiral Dance
12. Mind Slide
13. Wings of Stone
14. White Lightning
15. Never Enough
16. Ran Away

Originally formed back in Canada in 1983, Overlord played that’s kind of metal that was rife back then. Galloping guitars and bass lines, like a softer Iron Maiden and generally typical of NWoBHM, with soaring vocals. This album is a re issue of the band’s debut EP and a collection of demos that followed between 1988 and 1993, when the band decided to call it a day. Due to a sudden and unexpected upsurge in interest at the turn of the millennium, mainly from Europe, the band briefly reunited in 2001 but this failed to last and the band swiftly parted once again.
This compilation, a kind of anthology over the bands works, was originally released back in 2003 independently, but this time is re-issued through those wonderful people at Heaven and Hell Records.
After listening to this album a few times I can see why it never quite happened for Overlord. Yes they started off with some great tunes, but as the years went by they seem to have lost their edge, becoming clumsy and repetitive, unfortunate really as you can clearly hear the bands potential on the opening few tracks.
A small glimpse of what might have been, maybe, on a whole a great over view of a band, but really only recommended for existing fans.

Website -
www.myspace.com/overlordcanada

Rating - 7/10

Seventh Calling - Epidemic

(Genre - Metal Label - Heaven and Hell Records)

Track Listing -
01. Test of Time
02. Paid in Blood
03. Rising Against
04. Epidemic
05. Ignite the Fire
06. Death Dealer
07. Fractured
08. Tyrannical Reign
09. Beyond (the Wicked Lies)

U.S metal merchants return with their second album in the form of Epidemic, bringing us their own mix of traditional heavy metal mixed with a little speed and thrash metal for good measure.
Although Seventh Calling have managed to carve out their own sound you can hear similarities with bands like Vicious Rumors and Metal Church, yet they do always maintain their own identity. Song wise, it’s all good here, and it’s great to hear a young band that’s not afraid to play this kind of music, and play it well too. The riffs come fast and furious with a dirty swagger too, and Steve Handel's vocals soar in the same vein to those of the almighty Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and at times even King Diamond (King Diamond / Mercyiful Fate). There’s not a duff track on this album, but a few of the standouts include, 9 minute epic closing track, Beyond (the Wicked Lies), Fractured, Rising Against and Ignite The Fire.
A great album that I can see all metal fans, from Metallica to Iron Maiden, from Slayer to Judas Priest, enjoying a good old fashioned slam in the mosh pit too!

website -
http://www.myspace.com/seventhcalling
Rating 9/10

Demontuary - Of The Fallen Years

(Genre - Black Metal / Death Metal / Metal Label - Heaven and Hell Records)

Track Listing -

01. From the Depths
02. Thou Art the Flame
03. Shores of the Damned
04. Days of Infernal Insanity
05. Spirits of the Dark Waters
06. Outro
07. Infinite Twilight
08. Dawn of the Blackest Sun
09. Writhe in Vengeance
10. For Those Who Died
11. Desolation and War
12. Ancient Gods of Battles Past
13. Journey’s End

Of the Fallen Years, is a collection of rare early material by the American black metal band now known as Demontuary. Unlike so many of the other bands of the same genre from this time, Demontuary skipped the clichéd trappings of overly satanic themes and stripped back productions, in favor of battle themed songs and a well polished and very aggressive sound. These recording were made between 1997 and 1999, and you can hear just how much the bands songwriting and musicianship developed during that period.
The songs are very well structured and although I’m no fan of growly shouty vocals (that come as part and parcel of this genre unfortunately),front man Crom does a pretty good job.
There are some great symphonic metal moments here too, and the keyboards really do add a dimension to the songs, adding a little atmosphere and softening the relentless battering that the band dish out.
This is album is a great collection of tracks , showcasing a band that many may have missed or overlooked, so if you’re a fan of the genre check these guys out, there’s some good stuff on here!
Standout tracks include, Infinite Twighlight and For Those Who Died.

website - http://www.myspace.com/demontuary666
rating - 7/10