Back in the no-internet days, fighting over bands with your fellow metalheads was a usual and super fun activity, considering the little information we had on our disposal. Still, we were eager to enter into intense arguments defending the bands or musicians we had close to our heart. Nowadays, this fun activity has moved to the internet and has mutated into a pitiful badmouthing exchange without any real substance. I am sure that “Storm The Gates” will be subject of such conversations fueling the argument what lineup is closer to VENOM... From day one, I could not care less about this as long as the music ticks my clock and makes me headbang in my mid 40s. On top of this, I (still) get goosebumps writing these words: Ladies and gentlemen, from the very depths of Hell, VENOM!
Doing acoustic takes on well-known songs is tricky business because the new versions cannot compete with the originals, unless the reworked versions bring forth elements that were left unnoticed when all the instruments were plugged in. On top of this, a genuinely good acoustic song needs to have a powerful / expressive voice and strong enough melodies to overcome the lack of distortion, which for many metalheads is a hard pill to swallow. Before hitting the 'play' button with “December Wind” on cue, I already knew it would be something special as I have been following the acoustic doings of Blaze Bayley who knows best that teaming up with Thomas Zwijsen is an already successful recipe. Could this one fall far from the tree that was planted by the previous recordings these gentlemen have released? The answer is a confident ‘no’, and if you allow me, I will lay down the reasons why.
I hadn’t the slightest idea of Sweden’s ALASTOR’s existence, but after recently bumping into one of RidingEasy Records’ press releases regarding the Greek quartet BUS THE UNKNOWN SECRETARY (aka BUS) – ok, that’s a different story – I was excited to discover the magical and mysterious Doom world of ALASTOR. And in in full disclosure, I’m so glad I did. You may already thinking “not another SABBATH-y infused band!” but let me tell you that this is not the case here – well, not exactly at least. So, fasten your seat belt and let’s dive head first into ALASTOR’s debut full length, “Slave To The Grave”. Ready?
If you’d ask me, I would tell you that URIAH HEEP should definitely have been part of the original four, along with BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE and LED ZEPPELIN. They have added yet another element with their sombre melancholy and dynamics to that foundation. Their heritage holds a very consistent high standard and they’ve kept going strong over the years. Live, URIAH HEEP have always blown me away and, especially in recent years, they’ve killed all competition when it comes to vibrant live-performances. And with “Living The Dream”, they’re absolutely on top with the studio recordings as well.