Roy McGrath: Menjunje (2023) McGrath is a saxophonist who grew up in Puerto Rico, and although he is now in America he has kept very close to the musical traditions he grew up with. […]

Siege Of Power: This Is Tomorrow (2023) Back in 2018, four mates got together to have some fun and ending up recording an album just for the hell of it, never expecting anything to come from […]

This Silent Divide: Morning (2023) single I first came across Wellington quartet This Silent Divide a few years ago with their excellent single, “Lucinda”, since when I have followed their car […]

Ruth Angell: Hlywing (2023) I have long worked with Stevie Horton at Iconic Music & Media, and when she sent me this album she said, “here is something really special – and very b […]

Skip Grasso: Becoming (2023) Skip Grasso is well-known in the Baltimore/Washington DC area where his guitar playing has been heard in a wide variety of settings, ranging from […]

Grym Rhymney: This Is What Your Hands Were Made For (2023) I am not sure how many times I have caught up with Auckland metalcore outfit Grym Rhymney, but it has been quite a few. They were originally a four-piece […]

Eric Bell: Remembering [book] (2022) What we have here is a fascinating look into the life of Eric Bell, who will always be remembered for being a founder member of Thin Lizzy. In some ways […]

Lynn John: A Secret Never to be Told [book] (2022) Is there anyone who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? There aren’t that many connected with music, although for years there were theories that Jim […]

Tim Hunter: Captain James Cook's Journeys (2019) This album was originally released in 2019 and designed to mark the 250th anniversary in 2018 of the first of Captain James Cook’s three historic P […]

Ape Shifter: Monkey Business (2023) I first came across guitarist Jeff Aug when he was releasing solo acoustic albums and setting world records for the “most concerts performed in d […]

Stray Dogs: Stray Dogs (2023) single Originally known as Fire For Glory, this pop punk band had been hitting the Auckland circuit for more than a decade, before deciding last year it was […]

The Dave Stryker Trio: Prime (2023) Having been recently touring as the opening act for Steely Dan, Dave Stryker (guitar), Jared Gold (organ) and McClenty Hunter (drums), here deliver the […]

The Eternal Machine: See You Next Wednesday (2021) This 2021 album was the first full album release from the electronic project involving Mark Price (High Spy, Frameshift, Grace) and Phil Heeks (The […]

Factory Of Art: Grasp!!! (1996) Formed in 1990, this German power metal quintet released this their debut album in 1996, with only two of the eight songs having been previously released […]

Factory Of Art: Point Of No Return (1997)The following year the same line-up returned with a 3-track EP, and in some ways it is very much a continuation of where they have been previously, but […]

Factory Of Art: The Tempter (2002) It took until 2002 for Factory of Art to return with their next, and so far last, album, ‘The Tempter’. There had been a reset during this period, with […]

Unwanted Subject: Sons of Savages (2023) single I have caught Unwanted Subject in concert a few times over the last couple of years, and while they have been getting better each time I have seen them, […]

Slipknot: The End, So Far (2022) Here we have the band’s seventh studio album, and their last with Roadrunner after more than 20 years with the label. As is my custom, I had not read a […]

Slipknot: Adderall (2023)This six-track EP was released at the beginning of June, and apparently is the first EP in their history. I am somewhat confused as to why this has been […]

Stryper: The Final Battle (2022) When I came back from university in 1984 I was intrigued to discover that my sister had been seeking out Christian rock music, which soon gained the […]