Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live (No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll) (4:24)
Hiroshima Mon Amour (4:03)
Jet To Jet (4:55)
General Hospital (4:57)
Starcarr Lane (4:00)
Island In The Sun (4:08)
Kree Nakoorie (6:12)
Big Foot (5:00)
Suffer Me (5:22)
Review: Originally formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, Alcatrazz are one of the pioneering metallic-tinged hard rock acts of the decade of change and cheese. Often noted for once being the musical home of an at-the-time unknown Yngwie Malmsteen who served as lead guitarist for a year, before being replaced by Steve Vai, in the later years, the band have become somewhat comically known for their splitting off into separate factions of the same group, both performing under identical monikers since the release of 2020's Born Innocent with lead vocalist Graham Bonnet embarking on his own version of the band complete with Nevermore mastermind Jeff Loomis, while guitarist Joe Stump, Jimmy Waldo on keys, Gary Shea on bass, and Mark Benquechea on drums have remained united. Released as part of Record Store Day 2025, All Night Long In Japan 2019 originally arrived a year prior to all of this internal conflict, showcasing a series of shows unlike the band had ever done before, featuring two sold out nights at TSUTAYA O-EAST in Tokyo on 28th & 31st May 2019, with night one including their classic debut album No Parole From Rock 'N' Roll performed in its entirety in the intended track sequence the band originally wanted to be released back in 1983, while night two would include Graham Bonnet's Rainbow era 1979 album Down To Earth performed in full by Alcatrazz.
Review: Originally released in 1995 and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Symbolic would serve as the sixth (and originally intended final) full-length from Floridian death metal pioneers Death. Following on from 1993's Individual Thought Patterns, the work has become highly regarded and often perceived as the band's most intricate and culminative display of their tech-death wizardry, largely due to its use of acoustic and clean guitar tones, dissonance, arpeggios, and "Egyptian" style melodies, while mastermind Chuck Schuldiner would reimagine his guttural bellows in a more gritted teeth shout akin to hardcore punk. With lyrics touching upon topics including political corruption, surveillance and class consciousness, the cerebral messaging married to such intricate, progressive, nigh on unsurpassable musicianship would simultaneously feel like a far cry from the gore-obsessed brutality of old, yet the natural route the legendary act would ultimately take their heady vision.
All For Metal (feat Andy Brings, Chuck Billy, DeTraktor, Jeff Waters, Johan Hegg, Mille, Rock'n'Rolf, Ross The Boss, Sabaton, The Ultimate Doro Clan, Tommy Bolan, Warrel Dane) (4:02)
Bastardos (3:48)
If I Can't Have You - No One Will (feat Johan Hegg) (5:08)
Soldiers Of Metal (4:34)
Turn It Up (3:12)
Blood, Sweat And Rock 'n' Roll (4:18)
Don't Break My Heart Again (Whitesnake Cover) (4:10)
Review: Originally released in 1984, No Remorse would serve as a compilation album from London's homegrown metal legends Motorhead, marking the end of their time on Bronze Records. Following the departure of Brian "Robbo" Robertson and drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor after 1983's Another Perfect Day, this would spell the end of the classic trio line-up which had already been shaken by the replacement of "Fast" Eddie Clarke by Robertson following 1982's fan favourite Iron Fist. According to Lemmy, the label were unhappy with his own personnel changes, lacking confidence in a new lineup they hadn't heard themselves, while once they announced news of a greatest hits-style compilation, the gravel-throated vocalist/bassist surmised it as "readying the death knell" for the group, hence his insistence on including new material as well as compiling the tracklist. Marking the first recordings from the next era of Motorhead featuring Lemmy alongside Phil Campbell, Wurzel, and Pete Gill, the band would enter London's Britannia Row Studios for a week in May 1984 to bang out their contributions - 'Snaggletooth', 'Steal Your Face', 'Locomotive', and most notably, 'Killed by Death', while the collection boasts all of their past iterations' essential bangers up until this point such as 'Ace Of Spades', 'Overkill' and '(We Are) The Road Crew'.
Review: Originally released in 2005 and celebrating its 20th anniversary, Ghost Reveries would serve as the eighth full-length from Swedish progressive metal legends Opeth. Following the 2002/2003 two-part project which showcased their most malevolent form on Deliverance and then a resolutely pleasant prog rock opus with Damnation, this follow up sought to rectify one side with the other; coalescing into a masterwork which simultaneously was regarded by longtime fans as a career height, whilst the expanded distribution from signing with major label Roadrunner opened them up to an entire new wave of unsuspecting ears. Marking their first album since 1999's Still Life to not be produced by Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson, instead duties fell to Jens Bogren (Katatonia, At The Gates, Dimmu Borgir) who helped Mikael Akerfeldt and his cohorts to rediscover their death metal origins yet channelled through their more melancholic sensibilities. Boasting some of their most vital pieces from the epic 10-minute opener 'Ghost Of Perdition', to the even lengthier fan favourite 'Reverie/Harlequin Forest', as well as the equally adored 'The Grand Conjuration', the album has long since been held aloft as the perfect modern entry point to the world of Opeth. The project would also be the first to include keyboardist Per Wiberg as a "permanent" member while serving as their final endeavour to feature both drummer Martin Lopez and long-time guitarist Peter Lindgren.
Might Just Wanna Be Your Fool (bonus track) (2:27)
Lady Heroin (Pre edit Rough mix - bonus track) (4:27)
Review: Having recently struck internet-age meme-gold thanks to iconic frontman (and sole original member) Bobby Liebling's iconic, seemingly "drugged out" gaze whilst performing live on stage, there really could be no more ample time for doom metal pioneers Pentagram to be releasing a new album. Returning a full decade on from 2015's Curious Volume, the band's ninth full-length Lightning In A Bottle offers up yet another entirely new revitalised lineup featuring guitarist/producer Tony Reed (Mos Generator, Big Scenic Nowhere), drummer Henry Vasquez (Legions of Doom, Saint Vitus, Blood of the Sun) and bassist Scooter Haslip (Mos Generator, Saltine), while the decades of performing, touring and admitted drug addiction have done little to dilute Liebling's looming presence and powerful vocal cadence. Unmistakeably still Pentagram, complete with heaving grooves and occult charisma, the material doesn't simply rethread past glories, but makes a vital case for the band's inarguable place in the doom metal cosmos, with Liebling balancing his aura with sobering introspection of his own years of opioid abuse on standout cuts such as 'Dull Pain' or the haunting 'Lady Heroin', where he ponders - "Lady Heroin, have I seen the last of you?" We hope so, Bobby, but we hope to see plenty more of you eyeballing fans in the front row whilst getting your macabre groove on.
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