Pick Your Rock and Metal

Thursday, September 24, 2009

URGENT! Wanna be an extra in a rock video

The Answer want you! Yes you! The band are filming a video at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast today from noon until 5pm. If you can make your way along they need faces old and new to turn up.

So, if unlike me you're not stuck in work head down and you could see yer bake plastered on Scuzz and Kerrang TV alongside Cormac and crew.

UPDATE: if you can only get along for a while they are auditioning for future filming

Tragedy averted

Tragedy has been averted...the demise of Triggerman has not taken place. Instead the 'Derry's best are to take a break before returning in the new year. All hail, may the attendants at Valhalla raise a glass etc!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Wolfsbane appeal

Quick appeal! Lensman Simon is looking to get hold of Wolfsbane (pre-Blaze Maiden) CDs. Any ideas where he can get hold of them without paying extortionate prices on ebay?

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Hard rocking progressive blues space rock

The first time Belfastmetalheadsreunited caught Hunger's Mother live we unfairly compared them to what was then a burgeoning hard blues/classic rock scene (that was four plus years ago, when Classic Rock magazine's sales were just beginning to rise). Guitarist Neill McIlfatrick rightly upbraided us, pointing out that the band aimed for much, much more.

With the release of the long awaited 'Spies of Torr' album it is clear that Hunger's Mother are deploying a varied and innovative take in a sea of sameness. Regular readers know we despise the genre labels lazy music hacks bestow on bands - but for one we can apply a label: Hunger's Mother fall firmly within the genre 'Hard rocking progressive blues space rock'.

Spies of Torr opens up with the celtic tinged Killing Sphere, doffing a cap to the legacy of Lizzy and Horslips. It concludes with Time Travel Volunteers, a sprawling nine minute progtastic journey through relativity (yep, that would be the theory of relativity and Stephen Hawking's assertion that while you cannot travel at the speed of light, theoretically you can travel faster using worm holes....shit, almost forgot it was a metal blog not a physics paper!).

And therein lies the joy within Spies of Torr. Classic rock vibes and Rush style prog merge seamlessly. Neal Calderwood's production lends a space to the production, allowing drums, bass, guitar and vocals to breathe.

Some may see it all as a touch retro, but they forget the roots that forged the hard rock and metal of today. Hunger's Mother provide a bang up-to-date take on the late 60s proto metal scene that saw Iron Butterfly and Cream blaze a trail. They are the north Irish bastard sons of the Woodstock generation - the Woodstock that saw Alvin Lee, Joe Cocker, The Who and Hendrix share a blissed out blitzed out stage with hippies, rockers and too much LSD.

After the celtic blitz of Killing Sphere, Spies of Torr manages to capture that road trip vibe from the US that we can never enjoy on this small isle through the strains and twists of Empty Love.

Outta Control kicks off with a riff classic rockers across the land would die for, with political lyrics and a chilled out mid-section that revvs up again with a bass sound reminiscent of Geezer Butler's NIB intro.

Mama Told Me's plaintive strains are harmony dredged from the Bayou with more than a splash of irony and humour amidst the minor key.

Hunger's Mother have had a long road to see this platter given the airing it deserves. Some might be put off by the weird celtic imagery that pervades their cover art and liner material. Heathens!

Spies of Torr is a diverse recording in the best sense of the word, with excellent muscianship backing up ever stronger songs.

www.msypace.com/hungersmother

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Aussie rock back for more!

Airbourne are set to make their third visit to Belfast when they play the Mandella Hall on 12th February next year....hell yeah!

Thursday, September 03, 2009

September's RockD listings

Below are the rocKD September listings. All gigs take place in The Limelight, Doors for all shows are 5pm, and admission is £3.50.

  • Saturday 5th September. Niyah Sky + Nasa Assassin + Stoned Messiah
  • Saturday 12th September. September Cross + Trucker Diablo + Common Bred Trigger
  • Saturday 19th September. Gacys Threads + By Any Means + Hero In Error
  • Saturday 26th September. Stand-Up Guy + Shardborne + Cursed Sun
And...September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day...arrr, be any of ye scurvy dogs ready to cover an Alestorm song and swig a grog of ye old rum? Errr, perhaps not!

Time for a little GMT

No, you didn't read that wrong - it's not a G 'n' T like the drink that metal should avoid...rather it's GMT, Robin Guy, John McCoy and Bernie Torme.

GMT's only Irish date is at the Diamond Rock Club on 28th November.

Torme is one of the men that stand guilty of  trapping me into this glorious and unfeasibly wonderful world of rock and metal.

The Irish guitarist captured me on his three albums with Ian Gillan. Glory Road, Mr Universe and Future Shock - some slagged off his use of feedback as being Hendrix clone like but in truth his histrionics propelled Gillan's trad rock to a new level.

Had the pleasure of seeing Bernie Torme's Electric Gypsies at the Ulster Hall (supporting Budgie!) and Bernie played like a demon.

His career has seen him swing the axe with the likes of Dee Snider, Clive Burr and - famously - he played with Ozzy in the dark days after Randy Rhoads tragic death.

GMT have laid down two fantastic platters since the trio got together, and maximum credit to the Diamond Rock club for snagging this date...

Ahh bugger! More expense in October...it's Opeth this time!

Ahh bugger - it can be overwhelming how much good hard rock and metal is coming to Belfast...the latest joyous news is that Opeth will be playing the Spring and Airbrake on 12th October. Tickets are on sale now, for the paltry sum of twenty five pounds...

October already boasts....
Residual Effect/Gacy's Threads/The Lobotomies - 2nd - Spring and Airbrake
Y&T/Stormzone - 5th - Spring & Airbrake
Duff McKagan's Loaded - 7th - Spring & Airbrake
Black Stone Cherry - 11th - Spring & Airbrake
Insect Warfare 12th - The Menagerie
Anal C*nt (sans the terminally ill Chopper Read) - 15th - The Limelight
Tigertailz - 17th - Diamond Bar
Amon Amarth/Evile/Entombed - 23rd - Spring & Airbrake
Isis - 24th - Black Box
Biffy Clyro - 28th - St George's Market
Mael Mordhu (plus 11 other acts - 31st - Rosetta


Bloody hell!!!