Venom Inc.: There's Only Black (2022) In 2015, Tony Dolan (vocals, bass) was approached to reform the core line-up which recorded Venom’s 1990 ‘Prime Evil’, which resulted in the legen […]

Husband Material: Raindrop (2023) single Auckland jazz trio Husband Material have their debut album coming out later this year and prior to that they have released this single to give us a taste […]

This Silent Divide: Beautiful Creature (2023) single Here we have the latest single from Wellington-based melodic hard rock quartet This Silent Divide. I really enjoyed their Tall Stories EP, and they […]

Drop Off Point: Bridge City Crew (2023) Back in 1991, bassist Jorge “Hoya Roc” Guerra took over from the legend that is Roger Minet in the Agnostic Front side-project Madball, since when he has […]

Mikey Videotape: The Strangest Dream (2023) Some years back I was asked by AAA Records if I would write the press release for the debut album by a young Auckland-based prog band to which of course […]

Cautionary Tales: No Funeral Blues (2023) single Cautionary Tales are a multi-international band in that they are mostly based in Berlin, as well as Aotearoa and NYC and feature Will Marshall (vocals, […]

Written by Wolves: Misery (2023) single WBW may not have released any new material in 2022 but they are certainly making up for it in 2023 as while “Give ‘em Hell” is still moving up the SMR U […]

Matt Joe Gow & Kerryn Fields: Your Heart Of Gold (2023) single Here we have a brand-new partnership from two artists who have already made names for themselves performing solo, and although they are both proud Kiwis, […]

Aro: Aroā (2023) single It is not often that I plagiarise my own reviews, especially when it was only a few weeks ago that the original review appeared, but here I am going to […]

Emily Rice: Warenoa (2023) single Emily obviously does not have enough on her plate with raising her two-year-old daughter, as with her husband Charles she has released two singles in […]

Five Finger Death Punch: AfterLife (2022) When 5FDP first came out there was lot of noise about them in the scene, and I really enjoyed their first few albums, but I must admit I have somewhat […]

Ricky Warwick: When Patsy Cline Was Crazy (And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues) / Hearts On Trees (2016) In 2015 Ricky Warwick was a very busy man in that not only was he fronting Thin Lizzy, but he also somehow found the time to record and tour the second […]

Spektr: The Art To Disappear (2016) Formed in 2000, this French act (who combine industrial with harsh ambient and Black Metal) have been a duo for most of their career, kl.K. (drums, […]

Tax the Heat: Fed To The Lions (2016) Formed in 2013, it did not take long for this Bristol quartet to come to the attention of Chris Goss (Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age, The Cult) who […]

Usurpress: The Regal Tribe (2016) At the time of recording their third album in 2016 the band were still a quartet of Stefan Pettersson (vocals), Påhl Sundström (guitars), Daniel E […]

Varathron: The Confessional of the Black Penitents (2015) Released at the end of 2015, this seven-track EP from Greek black metal quintet Varathron was released ahead of their sixth full-length album (which did […]

Vivaldi Metal Project: The Four Seasons (2022) The Vivaldi Metal Project is a music creation born from an idea conceived and developed by Italian keyboard player, composer and producer Mistheria (solo […]

Operation Paperclip: On the Streets / Unhoused (2022) The debut album from Operation:Paperclip, a project put together by bassist Bob Madsen, was ‘The Return Of The Stanislaus County Kid’ and was built aro […]

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams: A Very Unusual Head (2022) Bands and albums like this should have no right whatsoever to exist in the current tines when individuality and musicianship no longer seem to be […]

Sleepyard: Head Values (2022) If ever a band was aptly named then this it is this one, as what we have here is music which is designed to send you to the land of nod and should come […]