Author: UberAdmin

Employed To Serve – ‘Eternal Forward Motion’ (Spinefarm/Universal)

Employed To Serve – ‘Eternal Forward Motion’ (Spinefarm/Universal)

Posted by | May 3, 2019 | ,

With ‘I Spend My Days (Wishing Them Away)’ Employed To Serve weren’t just offering up one of this decade’s hardest hitting metal anthems, but firmly establishing themselves as one of Britain’s best up and coming acts. Albums aren’t built on one song alone though, so it didn’t hurt that the rest of ‘The Warmth of A Dying Sun’ was a masterclass in showing just how hard the band could go, the record offering a perfect unison of hardcore and metal that elevated both camps and pushed the baseline of quality for all aspiring British bands higher than they had been in years. Returning with album #3, Employed To Serve’s ‘Eternal Forward Motion’ is almost a mission statement for the band, marking their first release on the international label Spinefarm, but also the next steps towards international acclaim and renown.

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RIP Gregory Gray

RIP Gregory Gray

Posted by | May 2, 2019 | ,

“I am the lucky one who got away, in the gutter with my lemonade.” So sang Mary Cigarettes, fittingly described as “one of the great unsung heroes of Irish rock and pop”, on his track ‘Rocket Science’. Sadly, last week, the 59-year-old Northern Irish singer-songwriter, also known as Gregory Gray, passed away, after a short illness, at his Hertfordshire home. 

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The Damned Things – ‘High Crimes’ (Nuclear Blast)

The Damned Things – ‘High Crimes’ (Nuclear Blast)

Posted by | May 2, 2019 | ,

For those unfamiliar with their background, “supergroup” The Damned Things trace their routes back to the dawn of the decade, when Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman approached Scott Ian – yes, that Scott Ian, the one from Anthrax – and suggested that these two musicians from apparently completely disparate backgrounds use their mutual love of Thin Lizzy to make some rock ‘h’ roll of their own. Recruiting FOB and Anthrax band mates Andy Hurley and Rob Caggiano respectively, alongside Every Time I Die duo of Keith Buckley and Josh Newton they released the surprisingly impressive ‘Ironiclast’ album in 2011, played a handful of festival shows and then went back to their day jobs… until now, as eight years down the road, and with Caggiano and Newton replaced by Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano, they have re-emerged into the sunlight with their second album…

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Bad Religion – ‘Age of Unreason’ (Epitaph Records)

Bad Religion – ‘Age of Unreason’ (Epitaph Records)

Posted by | May 2, 2019 | ,

Godfathers of one of the most recognisable sub-schools of punk rock, Bad Religion’s contribution to melodic hardcore has seen them namechecked by nigh on every major punk band to emerge post-1988. Approaching their fourth decade and onto their 17th record, Bad Religion are still very much in business, proving that even while they might have spawned a legion of imitators and fans, they have never been left in the dust as the decades wear on. ‘Age of Unreason’ stands testament to this; a record which showcases all the hallmarks of what has made Bad Religion popular to this point, whilst ramping up their most melodic elements to produce something which is less seeped in anger or cynicism, but a kind of jaded optimism that draws on the traditional punk spirit of community whilst offering a sense of joyous release.

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