Exoterik @ Revolution, Bradford - 12th November
The Shadows Of Wrong @ The Head, Bradford - 31st December
Exoterik @ The French Horn Worksop, Midlands - 15th December
Exoterik @ Gasworks, Bradford - 3rd January 08
Brand New Paradise Lost Album 'In Requiem' Out Now!
Breaking Benjamin's Bassist Mark James has begun a new venture into the world of clothing,
Ke'kuhn .
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1)
Following the success of Alter Bridges debut Album "One day remains" was never going to be easy. Such was the critical acclaim of the aforementioned album that it had fans packing themselves into modest arenas. And although their first tour of the UK was a modicum of success, it was the second tour of the UK where the band gained such a high reputation for providing a thrilling live experience. So with the first effort being so well received could Blackbird re-produce that same quality and excitement or even better it.
Well appetites have been whet with the single "Rise today", a rock song that is typical of Alter Bridge as it epitomizes their trademark melodies and sing-along choruses. And there is still enough of the classic Alter Bridge sound that fans have accustomed to on Blackbird to keep them happy. Songs such as the previously mentioned "Rise today", "Brand new start" and "Before tomorrow comes" proving this. However the band has clearly taken a new aggressive approach in some of their writing. This has incorporated itself in a greater use of riffs and an altogether heavier sound.
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Click Here For The New Video 'Raise Today
2)
Finger Eleven's career shifted suddenly and significantly when their 2003 emo-hit "One Thing" turned the band's career on its axis. At that point, they went from being known as 'the boys from Burlington who used to call themselves the Rainbow Butt Monkeys' to a group whose anthemic slow rock song went Platinum in Canada and Gold in America. So how does a band respond after its widespread fame is the result of just one song? In the case of Them Vs. You Vs. Me, Finger Eleven have consciously stayed away from anything remotely resembling "One Thing" and put the focus on the straight-ahead alt-rock formula that they've consistently excelled at. There are certain old-school rock influences that bleed clearly through their music, from Rush-isms in the form of frenetic time changes ("Sense of a Spark") to "Talking to the Walls" and "Lost My Way" which evoke Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. Frontman Scott Anderson's voice is impressive throughout, but when he sings ballads, especially "Window Song" and "Easy Life," something enables him to appeal to a whole different audience than traditional alt-rock fans. There is no 'one thing' on this disc that will allow them to reach the heights of their self-titled CD, just a consistency that will provide longtime fans reason to appreciate the band even more.
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Click Here To Watch The 'Paralyzer' Video
3)
Having commemorated their tenth anniversary with a year-plus run commencing with In Your Honor (a double album the New York Times called an "unexpected magnum opus"), sold out rock arena shows and a toned down intimate theater trek, and a headlining gig at London's Hyde Park for a crowd of 85,000, the question looms larger than any in the Foo Fighters' career to date: What do they do for an encore?!? The answer comes in the form of "The Pretender," the first single from the band's sixth studio album Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, out on Roswell/RCA. Produced by Gil Norton, who last worked with the band on 1997's double-platinum The Colour and The Shape (recently reissued in deluxe 10th anniversary form), Dave Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarist Chris Shiflett have crafted a 12-track milestone that showcases and reconciles the band's every strength and sensibility in the most complex and confident Foo Fighters album to date.
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Click Here To Watch 'The Pretender ' Video
4)
I have to say that, honestly, I loved this album from the first listen. Beginning with an intro and the first single, "Diary Of Jane," fans of "We Are Not Alone" will be sucked in by the dark nature of the songs. Most of the material here is amongst Breaking Benjamin's heaviest, save for the obligatory ballad, "Here We Are." Frontman Ben Burley's voice has changed up a bit from the sound we are used to. Instead of mumbling or yelling the majority of the vocal parts, he has comfortably settled into a great singing voice, which makes these songs sound even better than much of what the band has recorded in the past. Old school fans will appreciate the inclusion of "Topless" here, but the true standout would have to be the dramatic "Dance With The Devil."
"Phobia" is an easy listen, in that it showcases a great band at their best and that each song is just as strong as the one before it. Honestly, there is not one bad thing I can say about this album. All fans of Breaking Benjamin, past, present or future, will find plenty to dig here. If you don't like this album, there is simply something wrong with you.
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Click Here To Watch The 'Breath' Video
5)
Although it is their sixth studio album,Dark Passion Play marks the beginning of a new era for Finnish symphonic metal masters Nightwish. With new vocalist Annette Olzon onboard, Nightwish returns with their most accessible material to date. Firmly rooted in their trademark symphonic sounds featuring elaborate keyboard and guitar parts blended seamlessly with intricate string and choir sections, Olzon's vocals have more pop sensibility as they are far less operatic than those of her predecessor. This is perfectly exemplified in the vocal melodies in Amaranth, Eva and the scorching duet with bassist Marco Hietala titled Bye Bye Beautiful. Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) not only wrote all the lyrics and all but two songs on the album, but also helmed the project as one of the producers along with T.C. Kinnunen and Mikko Karmila, who also mixed the album. Dark Passion Play has already made history as Finland's most expensive recording project to date with massive string sections and choirs and it is clearly evident in the impeccable production. Nightwish have taken the symphonic elements of their prior works and infused them with a new voice to create a sound representative of the album title: dark, playful and, most of all, passionate.
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6)
Loaded with lyrics about nightmares, pain, isolation and broken relationships, One X, the sophomore effort from Three Days Grace should be a downright bummer of a ride. Instead, the listener manages to find uplift lurking beneath the weighty lyrics as the quartet churns out a series of anthemic, crunch-chord songs. The band moves from arena-ready light metal with "It's All Over" to the sex groove of "Animal I Have Become," before plunging the listener into full-on chaotic heaviness during the anti-alienation anthem "Riot" and easing us into the atmospheric future hit "Get Out Alive." Throughout, TDG remains true to its core alt-metal sound. While that sound has been called unimaginative and unoriginal and at times does feel a little too familiar, the material on One X is never less than convincing and it packs a serious and stinging rock 'n' roll punch track after track.
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Click Here To Watch The 'Never Too Late' Video
7)
After conquering the rest of the world with chart-topping albums and sold-out tours, Finland's HIM (His Infernal Majesty) won over the States with its 2005 U.S. debut, the Top 20 charting Dark Light. Venus Doom, produced by Tim Palmer (The Cure, U2 and HIM's Dark Light), elevates the band's summer-of-love-gone-goth to even greater heights. Two years ago, HIM had 45,000 MySpace friends. Today it has 400,000 and growing. We are all doomed.
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Click Here To Watch The 'Kiss Of Dawn' Video
8)
2007 five disc (four CDs + DVD) set,, the first ever career-spanning Megadeth boxset ever!. Warchest is packed with over six hours of music including 33 previously unreleased tracks plus a full live CD and full live DVD! The boxset comes housed in unique "vac-u-form" package with a 36 page booklet containing photos, liner notes and full discography. Capitol.
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