This american doom-band has an interesting history. Formed as an side-project by Pentagram's Bobby Liebling and Geof O'Keefe and was completed with Randy Palmer as far back as 1973-74 when they also recorded some material which did not get released. They also played together in 1979 and 1986 and again from 2001 and onwards. In 2002 there were some more recordings made but tragedy struck when Randy Palmer died in a caraccident. An album was not released until 2012 including Palmer's recorded guitars... It was a long time coming! 

This music is ultra-heavy, slow heavy metal with nice variation and the cover illustrates the music quite well. Except for two songs the other ones are good metal that gets my foot stomping! If you're into doom metal, this is a must have.

1)Saviour (6,0)

2)Lord of desolation (7,5)

3)Son of darkness (8,0)

4)The plague (7,5)

5)D.E.D. (8,0)

6)Kill you now (8,0)

7)Godless (7,5)

8)Hopeless (6,5)

9)Eternally unhuman (7,5)

Score: 7,28

Craig Junghandel-vocals

Randy Palmer-guitars (1952-2002)

Mike Matthews-bass

Geof O'Keefe-drums

Former Creed members plus singer Myles Kennedy's 2nd attempt at breaking through saw an album full of heavy rock anthems very much in the vein of Creed but much heavier which I like! I love the superheavy riffing, melodic and powerful vocals and the good and modern production that reminds of many american metalbands of the time. On the minusside is that there are too many songs on the album, it feels like listening to the same song all over and over again after a while. Also some songs are too long and repetitive.

The album peaked at nr. 13 in the USA and 37 in the UK. 

1)Ties that bind (8,0)

2)Come to life (7,5)

3)Brand new start (7,5)

4)Buried alive (8,0)

5)Coming home (7,0)

6)Before tomorrow comes (6,5)

7)Rise today (6,5)

8)Blackbird (8,0)

9)One by one (6,5)

10)Watch over you (6,0)

11)Break me down (7,0)

12)White knuckles (7,5)

13)Wayward one (7,0)

Score: 7,15

Myles Kennedy-vocals and guitars (b.1969)

Mark Tremonti-guitars (b.1974)

Brian Marshall-bass (b.1973)

Scott Phillips-drums (b.1973)

This is heavy metal-band Corroded's debutalbum. They hail from Ånge in the middle of Sweden, also hometown of the more known band Takida. This is polished metal of the newer era of american style-metal sounding very similiar to the band Sparzanza who are also from Sweden, but with a more melodic sound than them. There are some very catchy songs here that are easy to rembmber, but always with a nice heaviness. They also feel "alive" and with a youthful attitude (even if the members are not very young...) A quite good album.

1)6 ft.of anger (7,0)

2)Time and again (7,5)

3)King of nothing (7,5)

4)Leave me alone (8,0)

5)Come on in (7,5)

6)Inside you (7,0)

7)Bleed (7,0)

8)Scarred (7,5)

9)Token (7,5)

10)All the voices (7,5)

11)Enigma (7,5)

Score: 7,41

Jens Westin-vocals and guitars

Peter Sjödin-guitars

Fredrik Westin-guitars (b. 1971)

Bjarne Elvsgård-bass

Per Soläng-drums

On this album Manowar continued their Heavy Metal-crusade as usual. It's supermajestic with big choirs, narrated themes between the songs and of course, some good ol' metal. Some good songs and some not so good. Business as usual one can say when it comes to this band. Sadly drummer Scott Columbus died in 2011 meaning this was the last album he contributed on. It is not known what the cause of death was.

1)Overture to the hymn of the immortal warriors. (7,0) Super-majestic orchestra and choir-intro that goes on for 6 minutes!

2)The ascension (-) Intro nr. 2.

3)King of kings (8,0) A good PURE heavy metal-song with double bassdrum tempo.

4)Army of the dead, part I (-) Choir-stuff.

5)Sleipnir (7,0)

6)Loki god of fire (7,5) Heavy!

7)Blood brothers (5,0) Majestic ballad but too cheesy.

8)Overture to Odin (6,0) Another majestic orchestral piece.

9)The blood of Odin (-) Narrated.

10)Sons of Odin (7,5)

11)Glory majesty unity (-) Narrated.

12)Gods of war (7,0) Majestic marching song.

13)Army of the dead, part II (-) Choir.

14)Odin (5,5) Slow and boring.

15)Hymn of the immortal warriors (6,5)

Score: 6,70

Eric Adams-vocals (b.1954)

Karl Logan-guitars and keyboards (b.1965)

Joey DeMaio-bass and keyboards (b.1954)

Scott Columbus-drums (1956-2011)

Very very influenced by the 1970's, Witchcraft from Örebro, Sweden followed up their debutalbum with this one, developing thier simple Black Sabbath-riffing, cowbell-hitting and screaming guitars-hardrock. Superb riffing and very good songs but the vocals are way too clear and without power. Pentagram seem to be a big influence. The same year Witchcraft toured with Corrosion Of Confirmity. In 2006 drummer Jonas Arnesén left the band and was replaced by original drummer Jens Henriksson. He later quit once again and was replaced by Abramis Brama-drummer Fredrik Jansson before the next album was recorded.

1)Chlyde of fire (6,5) Nice song and great guitarplaying but terrible clear vocals and pathetic and cliché-lyrics.

2)If wishes were horses (8,0) Great riff. The vocals suits better in this one.

3)Mr.Haze (7,5)

4)Wooden cross (I can't wake the dead) (8,0)

5)Queen of bees (8,0) Very heavy and slow.

6)Merlin's daughter (8,0) Good 1.30 long instrumental.

7)I see a man (9,0) Very simple music but oh so good!

8)Gorrow evoker (7,5)

9)You suffer (8,5) Short and intense.

10)Attention! (7,0) Includes a cover of a Pentragram-song (When the screams come) as a hidden track.

11)When the screams come (8,0) Pentagram-cover.

Score: 7,82

Magnus Pelander-vocals and guitars

John Boyles-guitars

Ola Henriksson-bass

Jonas Arnesén-drums

This is the 13th album from Magnum and it's unmistakebly Magnum but the albums from these years are so much alike eachother and so are the songs on this album. It's as melodic as ever and here and there there is some progressiveness but it dissappears in the too melodic mess. The drumsound is too rough. The cover promises much but the album don't live up to it. But it's never bad though! Tony Clarking is too much of an good songwriter for that. Not an album I would care too listen to very much. It reached nr. 70 on the british charts and nr. 60 in Germany. For this album Magnum took in sessionplayer Jimmy Copley on drums. He has recorded with Tony Iommi, Paul Rodgers, Pretenders, Tears For Fears and many more.

1)When we were younger (8,0)

2)Eyes wide open (6,5)

3)Like brothers we stand (7,0)

4)Out of the shadows (7,5)

5)Dragons are real (7,5)

6)Inside your head (6,5)

7)Be strong (6,5)

8)Thank you for the day (7,0)

9)Your lies (7,0)

10)Desperate times (6,5)

11)You'll never sleep (7,5)

Score: 7,05

Bob Catley-vocals (b.1947)

Tony Clarkin-guitars (b.1946)

Al Barrow-bass (b.1968)

Jimmy Copley-drums (b.1953)

Mark Stanway-keyboards (b.1954)

This Swedish hardcore band has never spoken to me even though they had a long career. That is until I saw them at the Getaway Rock Festival i Gävle in 2012! What a totally wild, crazy and tremendous show that was, although it was on a big un-intimate stage, and I got me a new favourite band in just a few songs time! The absolute power, aggression and of course live-sound of the 2000's made me want to jump into the moshpit and let all aggressions go. But hey, I'm 41 years old, stop it!

But damn it, I want to jump like some crazy idiot when I hear this record because it crushes from beginning to end and most importantly, there are some really good songs on it. Those who know say that they have returned to their roots with this album, that they have abonded their more metallic influences they have had on their previous albums. I'm glad. Buy it.

Raised Fist was formed in the industrial city of Luleå in northern Sweden in 1993 and this is their 5th album and the last album was released in 2006.

1)Friends and traitors (7,5)

2)They can't keep us down (8,5)

3)Wounds (7,0)

4)Afraid (8,5)

5)Slipping into coma (8,0)

6)City of cold (7,5)

7)Volcano is me (7,5)

8)Disbelief (7,0)

9)My last day (7,5)

10)I have to pretend (8,0)

11)Words and phrases (7,0)

12)Keeping it to yourself (8,0)

13)Never negotiate (9,5)

14)Out (5,0)

Score: 7,61

Alle (Alexander Rajkovic) -vocals

Daniel (Daniel Holmerg) -guitars

Marco (Marco Eronen) -guitars

Josse (Andreas Johansson) -bass

Matte (Matte Modin) -drums

This hardrock/southern rock band from Edmonton, Kentucky started out in 2001 and began recording in "The Kentucky Headhunter's" old studio, in which they had used since 1968. Singer Robertson and drummer Young has known eachother since the age of 5. This album is their debut and from the beginning they focus on heavy riffing, strong whiskey-vocals, blistering guitar solos and melodic songs with an attitude perfectly suited for live performances, and that I can say because I saw them at the Getaway Rock Festival i Gävle, Sweden in 2012. Not a foot or head were still for a second! They have also been related to Southern Rock and, yes maybe that's not all wrong but more so this is a band of bone crushing riffs and party rock'n'roll of the new age. It's a really good album that I can highly recommend! Reese Wynans from Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble is guesting on two songs. Cool since SRV is one of my favorite artists all time.

1)Rain wizard (7,5)

2)Backwoods gold (7,5)

3)Lonely train (7,5)

4)Maybe someday (8,0)

5)When the weight comes down (8,5)

6)Crosstown woman (7,5)

7)Shooting star (8,0)

8)Hell and high water (7,5)

9)Shapes of things (6,5)

10)Violator girl (8,5)

11)Tired of the rain (8,0)

12)Drive (7,0)

13)Rollin' on (7,0)

Score: 7,62

Chris Robertson-vocals and guitars (b.1985)

Ben Wells-guitars

Jon Lawhon-bass

John Fred Young-drums

+

Reese Wynans-organ on 11. and 13.