The pandemic has had an effect, and on Mr Slatter it has been to produce a guitar-led album about aliens, spaceships and – because he cannot help himself – murder. From the start we get something that is riff-driven and…
View More Tom Slatter – Escape
Warner Theatre, Washington DC, USA Sunday, 6th March 2022 Prologue It was pretty surreal to be at the Warner Theatre at 7:30pm on a Sunday; it was my first concert since the pandemic began two years ago, and for the…
View More Dream Theater / Arch Echo
The Picton, Porthcawl Saturday, 12th March 2022 Anyone who has seen Franck Carducci and his band play live – in any incarnation – will understand the thrilling sense of exuberance and enthusiasm that they bring to their performances. It’s a…
View More Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad
Far from Hitchin, in the frozen wastes of Orkney, a polymath beavers away. This is where you will find Paul Dews, the mastermind behind How far to Hitchin. Screams and Whispers is the third album released under this moniker, and…
View More How Far To Hitchin – Screams and Whispers
Last year we were teased by Ukrainian band White Ward that a new album was planned for release this year, promised to be more complex and technical, taking the dark and urban jazz elements of Love Exchange Failure and adding…
View More White Ward – Love Exchange Failure
As is probably obvious from the title, 20 Years: Alive and Well celebrates the 20th anniversary of Roz Vitalis, which began as a studio project with electronic elements but has grown into an ever-changing chamber ensemble of talented musicians under…
View More Roz Vitalis – 20 Years: Alive and Well
Imagine: you are looking for a new electrical appliance and after some research at home you arrive at your favourite brand. The choice falls on one of their top appliances. You have prepared yourself well, your choice did not come…
View More Too Bad
Together Again is the second album from Moon Halo, the musical project of vocalist Marc Atkinson and keyboardist Iain Jennings. Marc’s warm and emotive vocals have graced many fine solo releases, along with guest appearance on albums by Lee Abraham,…
View More Moon Halo – Together Again
Arjen Lucassen is an interesting figure, a semi-recluse who has been ploughing his own individual furrow for many years now, dealing primarily in science fiction and fantasy musical works, and often creating albums almost on his own. Except of course…
View More Star One – Revel in Time
Arts Centre, Colchester Tuesday, 22nd February 2022 I had been looking forward to this gig for quite some time, yet my excitement was tempered slightly by waking up on the day to first read that Russian “peacekeepers” had finally made…
View More Nordic Giants / Årabrot