Author: Anders Ekdahl

CALCINED ”Discipline”

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CALCINED ”Discipline” (Great Dane Records) To say that I have a long and twisting relationship with French death metal is to say the least. Ever since I first heard a French death metal band back in the 80s I have been fascinated by how they can sound so different to all the other death metal in the world. Not that they really do so but in my twisted head they still do. CALCINED are a brutal old school death metal band. There are no melodic tendencies to be found anywhere on this album. This is just a total blast of… Continue reading

SONS OF RED VISIONS “RED DEAD/UNDEAD VISION/SON OF A SHOTGUN split”

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SONS OF RED VISIONS “RED DEAD/UNDEAD VISION/SON OF A SHOTGUN split” (Great Dane Records) Split albums can be hard if they are not compiled with some sort of sense for fluidity. You don’t want to have a split album that wanders too far off with bands that are so different that it becomes silly. You don’t want to have a split album with bands that are too close to each other in sound because that makes for a pretty hard to decipher split. What you do want is a split that presents bands with a similar genre but with enough… Continue reading

WARKUNT “Of Ruins And Agony”

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WARKUNT “Of Ruins And Agony” The first thing that hit me as this started to rotate was how much I miss Bolt Thrower. This is death metal in that same heavy style. Bolt Thrower had a groove that was unique to them. Many have tried to replicate it, and many have failed miserably in doing so but WARKUNT have somehow managed to scrape on the surface of that groove. This is heavy death metal with a really nice groove. This is right up alley. If you like Amon Amarth you are gonna like this. And if you like me love… Continue reading

DION BAYMAN “Better Days”

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DION BAYMAN “Better Days” (Art Of Melody Music/Burning Minds Music Group) I am the first to admit that I have no clue about today’s AOR scene. To me AOR is still Journey and Foreigner and those kinda 80s bands. I guess that you in some way can include Bon Jovi in that category too. But whenever I do get to hear a contemporary AOR artist I like what I hear. Like with Cornerstone. Or like with Australian multi-instrumentalist DION BAYMAN. There is something about this album that grips me by my balls and don’t let go. I find myself almost… Continue reading

FIRMO “Rehab”

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FIRMO “Rehab” (Street Symphonies Records/Burning Minds Music Group) This is one of those albums that I have no idea what to think of. In my not so wise mind I would like to label this AOR but that isn’t really the whole truth. Modern rock might be a better label. But in the end this is one of these albums that I give up trying to put in a compartment and just enjoy it. If you like melodic rock/hardrock/AOR you might get as much enjoyment out of this as I have. Because once I stopped looking for a tag and… Continue reading

THE STICKY FINGERS LTD “Point Of View”

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THE STICKY FINGERS LTD “Point Of View” (Sneakout Records/Burning Minds Music Group) To me Sticky Fingers is a rock club in Gothenburg that I have visited on several occasions over the years and will keep coming back to. TNE STICKY FINGERS LTD on the other hand is a band that I am new to. And from what I have seen image wise I kinda expect this to be a sleazy band along the lines of Hardcore Superstar. That is what I am wishing for. Okay, I was wrong. This is much more in the vein of Motley Crue from “Theatre… Continue reading

WATERSHAPE “Perceptions”

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WATERSHAPE “Perceptions” () To say that I know where the progressive bands are coming from is to stretch the truth very far. I have no bloody clue where the original progressive artists got their inspiration from, even though I can guess that some came from classical music. But even though I don’t understand its origin I still enjoy listening to it. Because it does take me on a mind journey that death or black metal, or even classic heavy metal doesn’t. it is a challenge to follow the ups and downs. WATERSHAPE are no exception to this rule. This twists… Continue reading