News, Tours and Other Random Gubbins

It's a hectic old life, isn't it? Loads of stuff going on and very little time to write about it. So here's a little snippet of what you can look forward to in the very near future:

Sheffield's own Tramlines festival has been and gone. I'll be writing something interesting about that once the pounding headache subsides.

Grammatics are splitting up!? But they are releasing a "farewell" EP with the unfinished album material, so we'll have to look out for that.

Avenged Sevenfold's new album, Nightmare, has landed on our doormat and is being played repeatedly by 23inertia.

Doozr has been rewiring his brain with Focus.

Arcade Fire's latest album, The Suburbs, is out on Monday!

Midnattsol have announced that recording and mastering of their third album is complete. Not long till we get a fresh taste of Nordic folk metal.

Within Temptation have announced a tour in the new year to support the new album. Our tickets are already bought and paid for.

Aside from that, we have loads of gigs lined up, including Opinicus, Lacuna Coil, The Birthday Massacre, Mostly Autumn, Magic Numbers and Electric Six. Here's to a musically healthy 2010, part 2!

Spiridion - A Moment Of Clarity

A thought has occurred to me recently. Perhaps Tool have transcended band status, and have in fact become a sub-genre all of their own. The number of bands who use a deep, rumbling bassline and whispered lyrics who sound like Tool but are not Tool is increasing by the day, or so it seems (not forgetting A Perfect Circle, of course, who don't sound like Tool but are Tool). But thankfully it is not all without merit.

I first heard Spiridion's debut album on a one week only preview on the band's website. I noted how Tooly they were, and decided to plump for the album. I'm all for supporting new bands and quite like the idea of giving money directly to the cause, so I shunned iTunes and gave Amazon the heave-ho. Direct purchase via Google Checkout and onto my mat dropped A Moment Of Clarity. No comments on my need for moments of clarity, ta.

In truth, while they do indeed sport a 10,000 Days era Tooly sound, it would be unfair to categorise them as a Tool wannabe. They remind me of three bands, in fact; Sanctorum, Lostprophets and Drought. The last of these I picked up in the $5 sale on CD-Baby and remind me, oddly enough, of Tool.

Spiridion's sound is a crunchy, raw sort of music. Like eating a dry Shredded Wheat. Your brain is fighting all the while to convince you that it's like swallowing a dried up loofah, but you still love it. And get annoyed when the box is empty.

This review may be a little early because I haven't had time to properly digest (ho ho) the music, but I can tell from the off it's going to be played quite a bit. It's got a dreamy, shoe-gazery quality that makes it ideal for sleepy drunken evenings or long, boring train journeys.

There are plenty of nice little touches to embellish the tracks. Noodly, twiddly guitar and synths and heavy drums brought to the front of the mix mean that the beat doesn't let up, and the use of random percussion gives the whole thing a more ominous feel than a straight up guitar/drum combo. The tracks are alternately dark and broody, and harsh and angry, switching neatly back and forth with chugging solos filling the gaps to keep the head nodding.

A Moment Of Clarity is a great debut album. I hope to hear more from this band. It'll be interesting to see if they can take the formula and spin it out in their own direction, adding more of themselves into an already technically accomplished mix.

And now I'm going to resume my task of watching the countryside go by the train window, and digesting some dry Shredded Wheat. Lovely!

Pain Of Salvation - Road Salt One

Sometimes I listen to an album, and it's good. Sometimes, it's amazing. And just sometimes an album comes along that completely takes me by surprise at it's sheer brilliance. Road Salt One is one such album.


By all accounts, fans of Pain Of Salvation are mixed in their opinions. For some, it's a stunning foray into a whole new genre, but for others it's just a disappointing failure to live up to their previous style. Having never heard any of their back catalogue I am, thankfully, free to judge the album on it's merits. And it has them in buckets.

From the very first bars of No Way it's obvious that this is a blues rock inspired album. Certainly not what I expected and for a moment it put me off a little. Within the space of half a track, though, I was hooked.

As a concept album, Road Salt One succeeds in many ways, but maybe not in the way other concept albums do. It's definitely a song based album, with each new track taking on a whole new sound, ranging from the hard hitting blues ballad at the outset, and veering through country, folk, hard rock and even a strange, cacophonous carnival sound that, despite sounding like it will be terrible, suits the lyrical content perfectly. The songs are short and to the point, leaving no time to become complacent. Each one packs a punch and leaves you reeling.

The concept itself is a trip through the circumstances that alter and drive the course of all our lives. The characters portrayed throughout the album are each on the brink of a life changing event. Either a decision must be made or an situation must be dealt with. Although not explicit, an underlying narrative seems to drive the album and the interactions of the characters affect each other as the album progresses. Films like Magnolia and Crash spring to mind, each about choices and consequences, actions and intentions.

But the beauty of this album is not in the narrative. It's treated as a framework to support some of the most poignant, beautiful songs ever released on a metal label. The raw, distorted sound gives a distinctly retro feel and conjures images of dusty 70s recording studios. Daniel Gildenlöw's vocal brings such a variety of emotion to each and every track that it's hard not to be moved.

There are some common themes threaded through the songs and permeating the problems and issues affecting so many people's lives. Sexuality is prominent, and has entire songs delving into the hidden pains associated with life as flawed, sexual beings. Loneliness, self-discovery and the hiding of true feelings also feature prominently. In some songs, such as Sleeping With The Stars, hidden agendas are painfully evident. In others, such as Linoleum and No Way, the breaking down of bravado to reveal the torment within is beautifully handled.

As the underlying narrative progresses, there are occasional breaks into introspective songs all referencing the common theme of "the road". It could be considered cliché, but it's been handled so well and so carefully that it has the impact it really deserves. But by avoiding the common faux angst that so many bands bawl out, Road Salt One instead draws its inspiration from those personal feelings that are shared among us all, but are so rarely discussed. Many of these tracks have a personal impact for me because, in all honesty, I don't remember ever hearing a track tackling the issues that this album takes in and portrays with such raw emotion.

The imagery is what makes the songs so instantly memorable. Being catapulted from the hazy, muggy memories of a drunken evening to the seedy, filthy underside of neon lit cities and then back to the quiet suburban home ripped apart by hidden pain, a different picture springs instantly to mind for every song. And where some song writers may give the listener an out by giving closure, no such luxury exists here. Each image is only a snapshot of the situation presented, and the hoping, yearning, desperate longing for a resolution is left heavy in the listeners mind as each song draws to a close.

Road Salt One is a superb mixture of great music, sublime production and emotive song writing. It doesn't just tug the heartstrings. It rips them out of your chest and leaves you hanging on for more.

Soundclash @ The Theatre Saturday 17th July 2010

We've been to lots of different venues over the years for gigs but on Saturday night, the venue was something else entirely.  Abbeydale Picture House was originally opened in 1920 and was a popular venue for film screenings and live performances until the mid 1970's.  It had a number of different occupants after this until 1991.  It then stood empty until 2003 when Friends of Abbeydale Picture House were formed.  Since then lots of work has been carried out to restore the building to it's former glory.  Hosting events such as last nights gig has helped them raise money and the profile of the building.

On entering the picture house you instantly smell a musty, old building smell.  The architecture is an ornate classical style on the whole although areas such as the bar are clearly awaiting some TLC.  The toilets are a case in point, with their pull flushes, lack of plaster, dangerously low ceilings and door frames (Doozr ended up with 2 bumps on the head).  The bar staff on the evening were very welcoming and friendly, though, and offered a good selection of drinks at really reasonable prices.  We were offered a bottle of wine which we found strange - how do you drink a bottle of wine at a gig?

After purchasing the drinks we headed towards what sounded like a band playing.  The first band Scoundrel were on stage having just started their half hour set.  The offer of a bottle of wine then became clear.  Where would have been velvet and mahogany theatre seating were a collection of chairs and tables.  We snagged ourselves a table in the middle, near the back and wished we'd taken the bar staff up on their offer.

Scoundrel are a 5 piece rock/funk band from Sheffield.  They played some very catchy pop rock tunes but were hampered by what appeared to be a terrible sound system.  It was hard to hear lead singer Megan Rae over the music and makes it hard to write a proper review.  They have definitely got potential though and a number of the tunes I was tapping my feet to.

Feelix were the next band and not what I was expecting at all.  I've seen flyers for Feelix around the city and assumed it was the name of some trashy club night rather than a collection of talented Sheffield musicians.  Sadly without their bassist, Feelix launched into a stunning set of chilled out almost acoustic tracks.  The lead singer, Kat Eaton was clearly confident, genuinely lovely and a little bonkers, talking with the audience and band like she was a pro.  The percussionist managed to get through the set playing half a drum kit, a stick, a dumbell and a box.  Doozr and I were so impressed that once they'd gone off stage we popped to the merc stand to purchase their two EP's.


**Top tip for bands who bring merchandise to sell at a gig.  Bring someone to mind the table with the items you are selling and don't just leave them there unattended.  It took us 20 minutes to find a band member to pay and in the meantime the rest of the pile were seemingly taken without any payment at all.

Next on stage was the tallest man I've ever seen.  Neil McSweeney, a Sheffield singer/songwriter playing progressive folk rock that was completely breathtaking.  His voice is deep and soulful, his music washes over you and completely draws you in, and he's pretty too.  During one section only Neil and the accordion/keyboard player were required and so the others stepped off stage for a short while.  The guitarist returned with a satsuma and proceeded to sit on the stage on a cushion and eat it.  How 'metal' is that?  It almost beats Alan Reed jumping off the stage to get a round in for the rest of Pallas during an instrumental section, or Damian Wilson drinking tea while performing with Threshold.  All of which have been witnessed by Doozr at gigs in the past.

We were so impressed that, once again, we wandered about outside looking for band members so that we could purchase their albums.  We ended up giving the cash to the guy organising the gig on the promise of passing it on.

Finally, Dead Like Harry took to the stage.  They have clearly been working on new stuff as their familiar tracks were intermingled with unfamiliar ones throughout.  They must also have had in influx of cash for musical instruments as Robin was sporting a very fancy new electric double bass and Alice had a new pink tambourine, of which I very much approved.

As ever the band didn't disappoint and we were all singing along and rocking from side to side like loons.  Sadly Dead Like Harry's set was slightly ruined for me by rude and ignorant people who have no place being at such an event.  (23inertia gets onto soapbox).  There is nothing worse than a group of people standing somewhere nearby blatantly ignoring the hard work of the artist on stage while talking and laughing loudly throughout.  Especially when the lobby is only a few feet away.  It not only disrespects the efforts of the (very likely unpaid) artist on stage but it also disrespects the audience most of whom have paid out their hard earned cash to support a band and listen to their music.  I wish more bands dealt with this situation like ex-Mostly Autumn lead singer Heather Findlay who literally stopped singing and demanded that the people at the bar be quiet because they were putting her off and making it impossible for everyone else to enjoy the band's hard work.

That aside, Soundclash @ The Theatre was an excellent night out.  It was lovely to sit around a table with friends, drink, talk, listen to excellent local music and do all of this in a beautiful building.  We will certainly be supporting Abbeydale Picture House and will be keeping our eyes out for other events we can go to - buildings such as this need to be restored, they need to be brought back to life and what better way than as a community venue for performing arts, visual media, theatre, live music and cinema.

Sheffield has so much musical talent.  I love Sheffield.

Avenged Sevenfold's new video ... Nightmare.

Thanks to Metal Hammer here is the new video by Avenged Sevenfold.  Can't get enough of this band at the moment!

Metal Hammer » Blog Archive » Avenged Sevenfold ‘Nightmare’ Video

Northern Kings - Reborn and Rethroned

When I read about Northern Kings on Last.fm I was flabbergasted.  A finnish symphonic metal cover supergroup made up of 4 supreme metal front men: Jarkko Ahola (Teräsbetoni), Marco Hietala (Nightwish and Tarot), Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) and Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto (Charon).  To be honest it sounded too good to not investigate further.  A quick search in Spotify and I was listening to their 2007 debut album Reborn.

As already established frontmen of very successful metal bands what else could Northern Kings possible come up with but pop classics of the 70's, 80's and 90's transformed into symphonic, almost theatrical, metal versions?

Reborn is indeed an odd collection of tracks at first glance.  It really shouldn't work but it does and it does it so well.  We Don't Need Another Hero, Sledgehammer, In the Air Tonight and Hello are all tracks that literally left me open mouthed.  All magically mixed to sound just like the original while not sounding anything like it at all.

In 2008 they released Rethroned, another mental selection of the finest pop offerings from the last 30 years.  Kiss From a Rose, Nothing Compares 2 U, My Way, Take on Me and Killer are particularly impressive.  I feel I have to mention the I Should Be So Lucky cover which really didn't work for me at all.  Shame really because there is video evidence somewhere in my family archive of me covering the same song aged 11.  I would have loved to have been blown away by their version.

They are working on new material, but no announcements have been made about a release in the near future.  I really can't wait to see what pop classics will appear on another album if they do decide to release one.  I am hoping for a more impressive Kylie cover, perhaps some Take That and without a doubt they need to do a Madonna track.

I read a review recently which described Northern Kings perfectly in just 2 words.  I really couldn't summarise them any better - “Karaoke Metal”.  But please bear in mind that it's not just any Karaoke Metal – it's the finest Karaoke Metal I am sure you will ever hear.

Wellbeing Day 2010 - The Sheffield Round Walk

Yesterday I went for a walk … and not just any walk.  The Sheffield Round Walk is a 14 mile walk through the parks, woodland and countryside of South West Sheffield.  It starts in Endcliffe Park and heads off through Whiteley Woods, Mayfield and Porter Valley, Ringinglow, Whirlow and Ecclesall Woods, Ladies Spring Wood, Beauchief and Chancet Wood, Graves Park, Gleadless Valley, Meersbook Park and Brincliffe Edge Woods before returning to Endcliffe Park.

What was all this in aid of I hear you ask?  Bizarrely, my work holds an annual Staff Wellbeing and Health Day.  Many activities are organised ranging from circus training to tea drinking and cake decorating.  You pick an event.  You go to it.  No work for the day.  Bonus.

I chose the walk because I haven't walked a great deal this year, I fancied seeing what Sheffield's parks and woodlands had to offer and the weather looked to be very promising.  The only concern was that I have been suffering with lower back pain for some time now.  I have been seeing a wonderful Chiropractor of late who has made my back feel a lot better, however I was a little apprehensive and ensured my back was heavily strapped before I headed to the meeting point.

We met at Endcliffe Park cafe at 9am.  Once we'd all had a cup of tea and taken a register we headed off towards Whiteley Woods.  The weather, as predicted was stunning and I soon regretted wearing trousers instead of shorts.  

The team leader was a brisk walker and I found myself near the back of the group.  Luckily there were some others who walked at a similar pace to myself and we became our own group.  The scenery was stunning and combined with the very warm weather, made for some excellent photo opportunities.

What I found so fascinating about the walk was the change from woodland or park to a main and busy road such as Abbeydale Road and then back into a beautiful woodland.  It is so obvious how Sheffield has become know as one of the greenest cities in Europe.  At times you would never have known how close to the city centre you really were.

The first half of the walk is pretty flat with some inclines that are manageable for anyone of reasonable fitness.  When you reach Ladies Spring Wood however, this is a different matter.  There is a very long and steep incline up towards Park Bank and Chancet Woods.  Very steep.  There are steps carved into the hillside, but at the pace we were walking in a bid to keep up with the main group, it almost killed a few of us.  This was the point where my hips gave up and I started to struggle with every step that I took.

Luckily, we stopped for lunch soon after and sat ourselves down next to Beauchief Abbey.  Here I ate my pre-packed cheese sandwiches and banana. :D  The group leader said we were just over half way at this point.  Wow, 7 and a half miles in 3 hours.  I really couldn't believe it had been 3 hours, let alone how far we'd come.

After an all too short lunch break we carried on and headed towards Graves Park.  Graves Park is a massive park with an animal farm and very handy cafe.  We insisted we stop here for cup of tea and a proper sit down.  Most enjoyable cuppa I think I have ever had.  Another group from work were at the park having a 'sports day'.  It looked more like a sunbathe and a picnic if you ask me, but they were having fun and gave us a wave as we passed them by on our way towards Meersbrook Park.

The view from Meersbrook Park was amazing.  You could see so much of the city and I recognised the view from a famous 1990's movie filmed in the city, The Full Monty.   My hip at this point was becoming more and more painful and I soon  realised that the breakaway group were long since gone and we were on our own for the remaining few miles.

Originally the walk finished in Graves Park but in order to make it a complete circuit they connected Graves Park and Endcliffe Park with a route along the main roads.  It made that last section a little boring, but it also meant I could put my head down and really crack on through the pain without missing out on a view.  I possibly should have stopped at this point - caught a bus or called a taxi, but I'd come so far and was not about to give up so close to the finish line.

Seeing the Hunters Bar roundabout was like a mirage.  I couldn't believe we were so close to the finish and I was still going.  We headed into Endcliffe Park and towards the cafe.  We had already decided to celebrate with an ice cream when we got there.  Yet another group from work were having a 'sports day' and had chosen Endcliffe Park to hold it.  Again it looked more like a picnic and a sunbathe but they welcomed us back from our walk very warmly and offered us a drink and a sit down on their blankets.

The walk took 6 and a quarter hours and we covered 14 miles of Sheffield's finest parks and woodlands.  The weather was beautiful and spending time with colleagues I've barely spoken to before was lovely.  The walk was brilliant and a smashing way to spend a working day.

My body is still in shock if I am honest.  My hips have completely seized up and my legs throb.  I dived straight into a cold bath when I got home.  I could barely bend by that point so I required the help of Doozr to just get in and out of the bath.

No matter what the pain today, the sense of achievement is overwhelming.  This time last year I was over weight and battling to loose 3 stone, I couldn't have walked up my driveway without stopping for a breather.  Yesterday, I walked 14 miles in just over 6 hours.

Whether Wellbeing Day will happen next year remains to be seen.  With all the budget cuts in education I don't know if the college will be able to afford to close for a day just so the staff can have some fun.  It would be a shame though.  Being paid to go out and do something you love during work time is such a privilege and one that everyone on the walk was grateful for.

Wii Balances Busy Bodies

Life always seems to be so busy.  I'm a single mum with a 3 year old daughter, live 100 miles away from my family and hold down a full time job (and write for TME).  An online degree in E-Communications was yet another commitment I had made for my time.  So, how was I going to lose weight and get fit as well?

I have tried home exercise DVDs before and found them uninspiring.  I bought a Nintendo Wii in 2008 and in May 2009 I thought I'd give Wii Fit a try.  Of course, you can't lose weight by exercise alone, so I signed up for WeightWatchers online as well.

By getting up earlier and exercising in the morning, while my daughter was still asleep, I was able to spend half an hour on the Wii each day.  After that I'd feel more awake than I'd ever felt before.  I found that not only was I losing weight and having fun, but I was also getting on better with work as well.  At the beginning of the plan I also tried to fit half an hour into an evening.  As I have got closer to my target I have reduced this to every other day.

The great thing about Wii Fit is the variety of games and exercises that are available.  With the release of Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort there is even more to try!

The four main exercise groups are: Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics and Balance Games.  Wii Fit Plus also includes a section called Training Plus.  As I wanted to lose a lot of weight I concentrated on Aerobics.  I also used the Balance Games and Training Plus to exercise while entertaining my daughter or when friends were over.

No matter what you want to achieve there will be a combination of exercises to suit.  My personal favourites are Rhythm Boxing, Hula Hoop, Step, Running, Rhythm Parade and Perfect 10.

Wii Fit  tracks weight loss and BMI; something I found particularly motivating.  By using Wii Fit and following the WeightWatchers diet I have lost a total of 41lbs and reduced my BMI from 33 to 26.  I would still like to lose a further 12lbs.

A Nintendo Wii console costs between ￡150 and ￡200.  The original Wii Fit game costs around ￡60 and Wii Fit Plus costs around ￡80.  Both games include the Wii Balance Board.

With Wii Fit I have managed to find time to enjoy exercising, have fun with friends and family and improve my general health and fitness levels.  All in my own living room whilst studying, working, writing and being a mum.

Doozr's Half-Time Review

It's been a busy old year, musically speaking. 24 album purchases in 6 months, of which 14 were released in 2010. And of course, there are numerous artists and albums that I've heard but not bought. With this wealth of new musical greatness, I thought I'd break from tradition and produce my personal "best of" list for the first half of 2010 rather than waiting until New Year. So without further ado, here are my top 5 albums of 2010, part 1.

Dark Tranquillity - We Are The Void

I think this one goes without saying. My review of the album has been criticised for being less of a review, and more an outpouring of praise for this amazing album. I plead guilty, your honour.

65DaysOfStatic - We Were Exploding Anyway

One to work to. Whether writing code, mowing the lawn or writing blog posts, this post-rock/dance infusion is both motivating and enthusing. It's a fair departure from previous albums, but all the better for it.

Tarot - Gravity Of Light

This is my new driving album. Doesn't matter where I'm going or what sort of traffic I'm stuck in, this album makes it all the more bearable. Wind down the windows, turn up the volume, and use the steering wheel as your drum kit.

Martriden - Encounter The Monolith

Surprise of the year comes from Martriden. I first heard about this album on Invisible Oranges, and bought it on a whim. It's brilliant, and definitely one to put on headphones and listen to properly. Like so many death/black metal albums, the joy is in the subtle details that you might miss if you just had it on as background noise.

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

A latecomer, having only been released very recently, but instantly a "best of" candidate. I've lost track of how many times I've listened to this album, and when I do it feels so very familiar. It's like I've never not known it.

Of course, lists should always be 10 items long. I've only listed my "top five" so that, come Christmas, I'll have a "top ten". But just in case the second half of the year fails to live up to the promise of the first, here are five honourable mentions.

Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs

I picked this one up from Amazon's MP3 shop after spotting them in my last.fm recommendations. A bit more commercial than the likes of Dark Tranquillity, and with a vocal leaning toward Black Metal, but still some brilliant tracks.

Dream Theater - Octavarium

Prog rock meets heavy metal. It's heavy, it's twiddly, it's definitely prog. This is what you'd hear if Montgomery Hall in Wath held 10,000 people.

The Engines Of Armageddon - Self Titled

Probably the best stoner-thrash-prog-doom-groove metal band in the world.

Avenged Sevenfold - Self Titled

Another one of those random Twitter followers that I thought I'd check out. Ostensibly metal-core, but with heavy metal, hard rock and many other influences. This album changes genre faster than I change underpants. A bit thrash, a bit heavy, a bit stoner, and just a bit good.

The Courteeners - Falcon

What's this? Not metal? Well no. I do like a fair old variety of music, and that does include a bit of radio friendly indie. I surprised myself by liking them so much, but like them I do and this is a bloody good album. A guilty pleasure indeed.