Travels With Nate

Monday night I went along to the Finntroll, TYR & Skalmold event at Epic in Norwich. I’d only ever been to Epic once before, for a TV recording so I had absolutely no idea what to expect from it as a live music venue. When the bands play live, the raised seating at the back is taken away, and the stage is higher up, separated by a barrier as expected but with two massive HD Screens either side of the stage so you can see everything clearly, regardless of where you are in the venue. We thought this was an awesome idea. The beer selection at Epic was, well, pretty much a standard gig venue selection. On keg there was a choice of either Stella Artois, Beck’s Vier or Marstons Smooth along with some bottles and cans of yet more crap. Prices were £3.80 a pint, which hits what I was expecting pretty much. Now, onto the music! Skalmold were up first with their haunting brand of Folk Metal playing such an upsettingly short 30 minute set, mostly comprising of stuff from the...

8 Foot Sativa is a 5 piece heavy metal band from New Zealand and when this album hit my inbox, I thought I knew what to expect as I loved this band years ago. I was expecting pure Nu-Metal, but that's not what I received, and it's definitely not a bad thing. You see, what I've heard from 8 Foot Sativa previously has been quite light. Not exactly chart friendly, lyrically but certainly musically. Again, this is no bad thing. The Shadow Masters brings something new to the table. There's a lot of metalcore in the heaviness of Anatomy of Hate  and Never Abide  with massive crushingness and intense lyrics, yet there are fairly light hearted proggy singalong songs like Shadow Master  and Feeding The Weak . This album is taking a completely different angle, and proving that a band doing something different isn't a bad thing. Lyrically, 8 Foot Sativa were always quite strong and intense but musically and production quality was lacking, and The Shadow Masters  proves j...

Because I could never write anything as awesome as Lisa can, so I'm not even going to tell you about Nekrogoblikon  other that they're from L.A ; I'll let the first part of Lisa's press release do the magic: "Once upon a time there lived a lonely Goblin, confined to a life of solitude and banished by his peers for having a hideous visage. What this goblin wanted more than anything in life was bitches, mountains and mountains of steaming, sweating, thrusting bitches. But that was in a time long passed, when language was more raw and colourful and anyone reading this story in 2013 knows that we can’t say that word, so we’ll proceed onwards by saying the goblin wanted ladies, lots of lovely ladies. One thing the goblin knew, was that to secure the attention of bit…sorry women, he had to become a rock star. Women LOOOOVE rock stars. Having seen that men with similar visages to him such as Rod Stewart, Chad Kroeger, Marilyn Manson and Lars Ulrich could pull so...

Hello again! I have a real treat lined up for you tonight, in the form of a beer interview with Rob Bradley , lead guitarist for one of my favourite bands of this year, Sleeper’s Awake . Shortly after I reviewed their latest album Trancension a couple of weeks ago, Rob added me on Facebook and it turns out that he’s a beer geek. HELL YES! Lisa from Hold Tight PR suggested I do another of my beer interviews which Rob seemed pretty excited about so here it is... But first... stream the album while you read... it's awesome: Beer: What’s the craft beer scene like where you are in Ohio ? Which breweries beers should we fine British folk try to get a hold of? Ohio has an awesome craft beer scene! We are from Columbus and in that city alone there are some really great micro-breweries. My personal favorite is Barley’s . Their Scottish Ale and Centennial IPA are both excellent beers. Sadly they don’t bottle. As for the rest of Ohio, I try and take a trip to an Ohio bre...

The album starts out with a heavy yet groovy stoner rock groove, leading into some soothing yet aggressive vocals. Later on in the song, the music turns quite mesmerising. The Augur is how you start an album correctly. Burdened is up next and starts with vocals leading into melodies that kinda fuck with your head a bit when paired with heavy basslines and almost marching band style drumming. Apparitions is chilled out the whole way through but with the heaviness of the guitars just sticking around in the background. The album continues with this fast and heavy yet slow and melodic progressive stoner groovy ting. It’s great. There’s something for everyone in there! It’s instrumentally skilled, vocally skilled and the lyrics are great. I seriously can’t stop listening to it. The whole album is like if Devin Townsend were to have a three-way with Tool & Mastodon. Contender for album of the year? Hell fucking yes! Sleepers Awake – Transcension is out on 17 th of June, b...

Pistonhead beers are produced in the 'Brutal Brewery Workshop' by Spendrups, Sweden's largest brewery. Just from looking at the can, the image you get is of rock music and that is the correct image to see. Pistonhead Laget was first launched in Sweden in 2010 before making it over to British shores last year via Proof Drinks. Since the launch, Pistonhead has developed quite a following by supporting touring bands, club nights and effective usage of social media as well as being on sale in some well respected music venues. I really like the branding and the idea that it is a rock 'n' roll live music beer. The sugar skull on the can is incredibly eye catching and ties in well with the image of heavy metal so there is no doubt that it will appeal. But what's it like?

Wisdom are a Hungarian Power metal band that formed in 2001. After some promotional records, they released the Wisdom E.P. as an attachment to the Hungarian heavy metal magazine Metal Hammer which put them firmly in the public eye; then, in 2006 they released their first full length album Words of Wisdom . After another E.P. in 2007 entitled At The Gates , some tours and some opening spots for popular bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell, Europe & Helloween, this year they have released their second full length album Judas . Each song that Wisdom writes is based around a famous quote which is a brilliant and unique idea because there is no solid theme or story like with most power metal bands. So, what of the album?

Sanguine are a four-piece female fronted alt-metal rock band from the UK. They were formed by singer & songwriter Tarin Kerrey whilst studying at Exeter University. Since then, they have performed at the Hard Rock Hell Road Trip in Ibiza, Download Festival and have supported Thrash Metal legends Megadeth. I was sure I had heard of Sanguine before I received the press release but I couldn’t work out where. Intrigued by my own confusion, I thought it would only be fair for me to review their self-titled debut album and their live E.P.

  *EDIT* Dripback apparently got a better offer so they've had to pull out - don't worry, thought, we're not cheating you out of bands as Terakai are replacing them. What the fuck are you doing on Saturday 8th of September between 2pm & 10:15pm? Probably the same shit as every Saturday. I have a better idea... You're coming to the Siege of Amida Records & Basick Records all-dayer. I mean, why wouldn't you?

Dew Scented are a Thrash Metal band who are now in their 20 th year of making people headbang. They’ve played a whole host of festivals all over Europe, including Wacken Open Air, Bang Your Head & Summer Breeze and had also embarked on a 16 country world tour with Nile & Melechesh . Now, they bring you their ninth studio album; Icarus . The album opens with a very nice, atmospheric & acoustic intro on Hubris which flows right into some heavy thrash metal while still conveying the atmosphere of the beginning which flows into the shredding guitars and drum build up of Sworn to Obey . Musically this is classic thrash metal all over. It’s fast and heavy but I was shocked when the vocals came in; however, as they are not what I’d expect from a band who describes themselves as thrash metal. The vocals are skilful and somehow fits but they’re leaning more towards deathcore than thrash. Thrown to the Lions starts off with a wonderfully thrashy guitar groove an...

Headspace began innocently enough; as a way for Adam Wakeman ( Rick Wakeman ’s son) – also a member of the legendary OZZY OSBOURNE ’s band – and a close circle of musician friends to reconnect. There were no preconceptions of launching a prog metal band, no visions of grandeur. In fact, there was no clear musical direction at all. It was a case of getting back to the basics of forming a band, calling upon the roots laid down as teenagers, when one made music for the love of doing so. Of course, given those roots, it became clear rather quickly that Headspace was going to be a prog band. “I don’t know who we were kidding,” laughs Wakeman. I mean, really – This is Adam Wakeman along with one of the kings of progressive metal, Damien Wilson – This was always going to turn into prog! Starting off with what sounds like a military helicopter building up to the simple string-plucking of a guitar then a background of faster, heavier chugging guitars and progres...

“Of course… Mr. L Wake up slowly. But don’t move yet. You will need time to recover. And welcome back. My name is Voight-Kampff: I am your hardheaded shrink. My genetic team handled the damaged DNA in your head. You are as good as new (maintenance keeps quality.) I will help you adjust to all things changed. Keep you up to date. Now tell me… the last thing you remember” Mr L. was cryofrozen at the point of clinical death from a terminal illness. He remembers dying and not much else. He is going to need some help adjusting. Luckily he has Voight-Kampff to help! Whenever I hear the name Arjen Anthony Lucassen, I get excited being the lover of progressive metal that I am, and quite rightly so too. The man is an absolute legend of progressive metal. There’s one thing you can guarantee when this man makes music – It’s going to be more of the same yet somewhat different. Whether it’s Ayreon, Star One or him going solo, it’s impossible to not get excited about a new album. ...