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  • Live Review: Ash – Norwich

    Live Review: Ash – Norwich

    17th February 2025
    Support: Bag of Cans

    Words & Photos:     Tom Atkin

    It’s a lovely return to Epic Studios tonight for the much anticipated return of some local greats and world famous rock legends. With it being a mid-week show, plus very cold and drizzly, the sold out venue seems to have a pretty sparse queue. That soon changed though, with said queue pretty quickly extending along the side of the building, along with the pre show VIP bar filling up nicely. That’s a nice touch from the venue, whilst it is a decent sized VIP area, it doesn’t take too long for said attendees to get through security before General Attendance can enter. 

    Following suit of several other gigs of late, a live DJ is the first “support” act. Generally it seems as though this is a great method of getting crowds in the mood early on with the crowd filling out very quickly to the sounds of some nostalgic hits from around the time that Ash really made it big. There are punters from all ages singing along and already creating a brilliant atmosphere for the night.

    First band tonight is local legends Bag of Cans who enter the stage dressed as Henry Hoovers. This starts their performance incredibly well with people already happy to see them. By now Epic Studios is filled front to back, with a large amount of people here to see them specifically as well.

    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin

    They bring a very raw indie feel but with a lot of humour thrown in too. ‘Hair Of The Dog‘ brings an initial vocal track that feels like it would be right at home on a record from The Streets. Listening to the lyrics, they feel very relatable with a bit of a mental breakdown in towards the end. This gets the crowd laughing, but at the same time seems like it would hit home for some.

    Whilst they do like a bit of banter, this does not effect their performance one bit, if anything it makes them more relatable to the crowd. Everyone seems to be enjoying every single song, even ‘Spin Cycle’ a song about a washing machine…

    Whilst they did seem to bring a lot of their own crowd of fans tonight, I am pretty certain, gauging by the reactions of people in the audience, that they have gained a fair few more, all smiling and a large percentage dancing as well.

    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin

    Main event tonight are a band that has been going now for thirty years, a band that appeals to a vast collective of people juding by this evenings crowd.

    Ash‘s tenure on the circuit has featured the same core members, and only an additional musicians here and there over their timeline. Recently Tim Wheeler has said that during the COVID times, the band got together to practice and it felt like they had got their love for it back. For many, tonight’s performance will be able to prove that.

    This tour is in support of their latest release ‘Ad Astra’, So naturally the set opened with the albums instrumental intro ‘Zarathustra‘ with guest trumpet from George Baker of Bag of Cans. Hitting straight in to the extremely catchy ‘Fun People‘. Straight away the atmosphere that had already been created during the night, is hitting a new peak, with their fans already singing along before Tim Wheeler takes control of the vocals.

    Tim, Mark Hamilton and Rick McMurray look to be having the time of their life, they genuinely look like a band that are fresh in to the live music scene with how much enjoyment they are getting from performing to these 900-odd adoring fans. They make quips, engage with the crowd and just in general put on an absolutely flawless rock show. 

    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin

    It is not very often that you go to a show and the feel of it stays consistent throughout the whole night, there is no shift in mood between the different era’s of Ash which they touch on through the set. Their most popular hit ‘Burn Baby Burn‘ with its legendary synthy intro combined with iconic riff, gets just as much of a reaction as the acoustic song from their latest album, ‘My Favourite Ghost‘, which definitely brings the tempo down a fair amount. 

    With it being a two band bill, Ash have time for a mammoth nineteen songs, stretching all the way back to their first album with ‘Angel Interceptor‘ and ‘Oh Yeah‘, even throwing in their curveball cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump In The Line‘, whilst changing the genre of the song and making it fit their sound so unbelievably well that you would be forgiven for thinking it is one their own. 

    This new era of Ash, is very much welcomed by both the fans and the band alike. Seeing a band that has been going for so long still looking as though they are loving every moment is refreshing. With their touring cycle including a stop off at Download in early June they are definitely doing something right!

    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
    Full Gallery Here

    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin

    For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

    The post Live Review: Ash – Norwich appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

  • Scratch One Grub Track By Track Run Down of New Album ‘One’

    Scratch One Grub Track By Track Run Down of New Album ‘One’

    Welsh metallers SCRATCH ONE GRUB continue their surge with the release of their explosive  debut album, One, out Friday 27th February. We exclusively checked in with band and asked them to give us a track by track breakdown of the album:

    Swamp Scum
    Kicking the listener in the teeth and the album off at the same time is the death and thrash metal track Swamp Scum. This song unleashes hell itself with aggressive tempos, crushing riffs, blast beats, and throat-wrenching vocals.

    Skip your morning coffee and blast this one instead for an even better energizer to start the day!

    Vagabond
    No time for breaks just yet, as Vagabond keeps the energy high and takes you on a journey by one crushing riff at a time!

    Lyrically, the song explores themes of abandonment and betrayal by those who are morally obliged to care for and guide us.

    GTFP
    What does this stand for? Listen to the lyrics and find out! A drop in tempo paves the way for nothing but groovy, hard-hitting riffs and pounding drums, though at times, the drumming ventures into seriously technical territory.

    In GTFP, the vocals move seamlessly from rap-style verses to a soaring, powerful chorus that drives home the story within the lyrics. And what story is that, you ask? Inspired by modern Valleys folklore (with just a touch of truth), it tells the tale of a man who commits an unforgivable act in pursuit of financial gain.

    DISCLAIMER: We take no responsibility for what happens to you during the outro. Mosh at your own peril!

    Absolution
    A break from the sonic chaos, this track delivers a melodically epic and emotional piece that takes you somewhere only possible in dreams.

    It is accompanied by synth and orchestral arrangements that elevate the sense of sorrow, adding depth and atmosphere.

    The lyrical content explores themes such as the fragility of time and the journey of moving on, both physically and mentally, to places unknown, for better or worse.

    Bad Habit
    Time to pick things back up with this one!

    Bad Habit is made for those who love to move, sing, and experience the natural high of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins all at once.

    With synth layers inspired by rave music, heavy and catchy rock-like riffs, and rap/spoken-word-style verses, the song builds up to an incredibly infectious chorus. These vocal hooks are designed to stick, they’ll be echoing in your head for days.

    Think of it as a superpower: a song so catchy, you can play it in your mind without needing a single device.

     

    #1
    A tribute to an idol of some of the members of Scratch One Grub. Some may consider this track to bear similarities to existing music and that was entirely intentional. It was crafted as a way to honour what our idol created and stood for.

    That being said, the song still carries the unmistakable fingerprints of S1G, infused with incredible intensity, aggression, and attitude. This is, once again, our way of expressing gratitude to our fallen idol.

    You may be questioning who we are referring to. The answer lies in the lyrics and the sound of the music: “Echo through eternity, never gone. Never a dead memory, we are one.”

    Ysbryd 
    Translated from Welsh, the word “Ysbryd” means “Ghost” or “Spirit.” What began as a simple acoustic piece with just two parts—verse and chorus—has evolved into a symphonic, formidable surge of sonic energy.

    Lyrically, the track explores themes of death, guilt, and open-ended interpretations, allowing listeners to find their own meaning. Some of the lyrics are spoken in Welsh, a deliberate choice by S1G to honour their heritage and express their deep connection to their homeland.

    While the song contains moments of softness and emotional depth, don’t get too comfortable, as this is also one of the heaviest pieces in the band’s catalogue to date.

    Planet Killer
    The closing track for the album, which may as well should be the closing track for humanity itself. Why? Because that is exactly what Planet Killer is all about. With WWII potentially on the horizon, S1G have taken the liberty of composing something with a great level of horror and fear.

    Dark lyrical themes based on the concept, simple yet heavy riffs tuned down to A, with synth/orchestral elements to emphasise the eternal despair. It is safe to say that this one isn’t for the faint of heart.

    Additionally, some consider this to be the most progressive track in terms of composition. The song moves from one idea to another, then to another, almost like five songs rolled into one. Don’t let that discourage you, as it never compromises the listener’s engagement!”

    For more on the band, see:

    Scratch One Grub Track By Track Run Down of New Album ‘One’

    For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

    The post Scratch One Grub Track By Track Run Down of New Album ‘One’ appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

  • Live Review: Arm’s Length – Leeds

    Live Review: Arm’s Length – Project House, Leeds

    13th February 2026
    Support: Koyo, Ben Quad, Shoreline

    Words & Photos: Martin Hingley

    Ontario punk-pop outfit Arm’s Length bring their There’s A Whole World… tour to Project House in Leeds for an evening of sing-along anthems and bouncing riffs.

    Getting the evening up and running are German melodic punk outfit Shoreline, who really set the tone for the night with incredibly catchy tunes that get the crowd in the mood for a solid night of punk-pop. Opening with Needles, Shoreline keep things up-tempo and get the crowd singing along to their short but sweet songs. Moving swiftly through their set, vocalist Hansol Seung displays the band’s gratitude to the punters who’ve come down early to catch them. Seung’s vocals are clean while packing plenty of punch, allowing the rest of the band to complement him musically.

    As the set progresses, they play a few newer tracks in support of their upcoming release Is This The Low Point Or The Moment After, also announcing they’ll be back in Leeds later in the year. Closing with Bent/Broken, they receive an incredible reception, rounding off a fun, energetic, and impactful opening performance.

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Up next are Ben Quad, who take their name from the Star Wars pod-racing character and continue the pop-punk goodness this evening. Rather unusually, lead guitarist Edgar Viveros stands front and centre despite not having a vocal role, the reason for which becomes obvious the moment they start playing. Constantly jumping around the stage, he puts on a show of his own, and his melodic riffs are out of this world, perfectly showcasing what Ben Quad are all about. Combined with lead vocalist Sam Wegrzynski’s more abrasive, screamy vocal style, it’s easy to see why the crowd are so engaged. Throw in some fun crowd interactions and it’s a recipe for success! Ben Quad deliver a lively, energetic set that brings exactly the kind of wholesome chaos you want on a Friday night in Leeds.

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Koyo are fast becoming fan favourites on the pop-punk scene, and tonight gives them another opportunity to prove exactly why. Having only been in the UK last year supporting Four Year Strong, it’s clear they’ve built a strong connection with British audiences. From the moment they step on stage, lead vocalist Joey Chiaramonte barely stands still, bouncing around in true pop-punk fashion.

    Driven by the band members’ hardcore influences, Koyo deliver a slightly heavier take on the genre, something the audience fully embraces with multiple crowd surfers making their way over the barrier throughout the set. With a new release slated for later this year, fans are treated to unreleased material in the form of What I’m Worth before the band close with a sensational performance of Ten Digits Away.

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Tonight’s headliners, Canadian rockers Arm’s Length, arrive on stage slightly later than planned due to a minor technical issue with an on-stage amplifier, but it does nothing to dampen the atmosphere. The reception they receive from the packed-out crowd is nothing short of incredible, louder than some bands who’ve been around far longer. From the very first to the final word of the set, the audience act like an extra band member, singing back every lyric delivered by Allen Steinberg. Spread across the front of the stage, the rest of the band are all smiles as they effortlessly work through fan favourites from Funny Face to Overture, clearly savouring every second of performing tonight.

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    As the set continues, Jeremy Whyte applies his deft touch to the band’s intricate, irregular riffs, this a key part of what makes Arm’s Length’s sound feel so unique. Before breaking into Dirge, Steinberg jokes with the crowd about staying in time or risking throwing him off when they start singing along.

    With a flawlessness few bands can match, Arm’s Length capture the hearts and minds of everyone in the room as they tear through a set largely built around material from There’s A Whole World Out There. It’s a performance full of wholesomeness and class that suggests a very bright future ahead. Having only discovered them recently myself, I already can’t wait to see them again, hopefully on an even bigger stage, bringing their melodic pop-punk stylings to an even wider audience.

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Full Gallery Here!

    Photo credits: Martin Hingley

    For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZOR’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

    The post Live Review: Arm’s Length – Leeds appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

  • Live Gallery: Arm’s Length – Leeds

    Live Gallery: Arm’s Length – Project House, Leeds

    13th February 2025
    Support: Koyo, Ben Quad, Shireline

    Photos: Martin Hingley

    We look back at the epic Arm’s Length show through the eyes of our photographer Martin Hingley!

    Arm’s Length

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Koyo

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Ben Quad

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Live Gallery: Asleep At The Helm – Sheffield
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Live Gallery: Asleep At The Helm – Sheffield
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography

    Shoreline

    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Photo Credit: Martin Hingley Photography
    Live Gallery: Asleep At The Helm – Sheffield
    Live Gallery: Asleep At The Helm – Sheffield
    Check out our review of the show here!

    All photo credits: Martin Hingley Photography

    For all the latest news, reviews, interviews across the heavy metal spectrum follow THE RAZORS’S EDGE on facebook, twitter and instagram.

    The post Live Gallery: Arm’s Length – Leeds appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

  • “It was just women and bottles of Jack Daniel’s everywhere.” The story of the Next Big Thing whose career was killed by a soppy power ballad

    Heavy Pettin toured with Ozzy and Mötley Crüe. Then their entry for 1987’s Eurovision misfired and killed their career, and they’ve regretted it ever since. But now they’re back and gunning for glory

  • PRIMAL FEAR – Κυκλοφορούν το single “One” ενόψει της Ευρωπαϊκής και Νοτιοαμερικανικής περιοδείας τους

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  • Review: Sylosis – The New Flesh (GC)

    Sylosis – The New Flesh (Nuclear Blast)


    The rise of Sylosis from sweaty little clubs in the Reading metal scene to one of the most promising bands in the whole of the UK and now to be a leading light of the metal scene full stop has really been something special to witness, they have freshness about their sound and are always innovating and evolving. They are back and following on from 2024’s EP The Path they have a new album The New Flesh.

    Beneath The Surface     is just everything want you want it to be, its full of the sort of confidence and swagger that only a band at the very top of their game can have, it has a monstrous groove that is infectious, it thrashes and explodes at every interval and the switches of tempo are neck-breakingly furious every time and it just makes for an unbelievable start to this album.

    Erased is next and offers a more tactical approach to sonic violence, the absolute rage and spite that is involved in every stab of the guitars and the drums is vitriolic and cathartic and then the way the melodic section bounce off the pure savageness in an amazing juxtaposition of styles which shows a masterful songwriting ability and just wait until you hear the end section of this track, if you fail to bang your head clean off your shoulders then you may be clinically dead! 

    All Glory, No Valour has all the modern thrash hallmarks, with the crisp and shredding guitars playing off each other and a vicious pace with some thunderous drumming, the whole track is just pummelling and has a vital energy running through its veins and the guitar solos are just utter perfection, a completely barnstormingly brilliant track. 

    On Lacerations there is a slight switch up tempo wise there are slower more menacing sections but also there are plenty of bruising thrashy sections, we also get vocal performance that mixes the harsh and melodic verses which give this a more melodic feel to things, the closest I can get to summing it up is I think that this is what I imagine everyone wishes Trivium actually sounded like?! 

    Mirror Mirror reminds me of a prime Slipknot, like when they were just banging out hit song after hit song and even if you didn’t like them you couldn’t help but enjoy their sound, this is just that and the bounce in the track, the vocals styling and patterns it’s just a moshpit fuelling beast of a track, its simple, it’s to the point and it’s just a bloody good listen all round. 

    Spared From The Guillotine gets us back to the signature sound that make Sylosis such a force, the speed and energy is there in spades and the fury emanating from this track is just wonderfully executed and then they sprinkle in some pitch harmonics in for good measure to give it a nostalgic feeling but not dating it at all, it’s all executed in a perfect storm of extreme violence which keep you hooked all the way through.

    Then we get the utterly triumphant Adorn My Throne which comes in with another slower pace but when it gets going the epicness that is packed in just explodes everywhere, the riffs are sharp, chugging and powerful with another wonderful solo to add to the epic feel and then the music that backs it up is chunky and the wonderfully dark and the vocals cover everything in a layer of menace that makes it another vital listen. 

    Into the final third of the album and title track The New Flesh gives us a little melodic death metal flourish before more energetic and powerful thrash takes over, it obviously has a more modern day take to the genre and mixes more savage grooves into the song that just keep coming an giving you a new surprise at every turn and with it begin the title track you can feel the extra importance of the track as it perfectly sums up their sound in just over 4 minutes!!

    Once they have finished defining themselves, they then throw a spanner into the works on Everywhere At Once in a very Pantera-eqse Cemetery Gates-y type of way, it’s all gorgeous acoustics and softness and then comes the big epic singalong verses this feels like a complete 360 and while its not at all expected it is very welcome as it shows a completely different side to their sound and shows there isn’t really much they can’t turn their hand too if they wanted.

    Circle Of Swords follows and its back to business as usual with a track the stomps and crashes into being, there is no subtlety here and no room for emotion or any of that nonsense, its just a full force, balls to the wall rager, they do give you a little breather midway but it doesn’t last long before the galloping riffs are back, the drums are just breathtakingly good as always and the whole track is just a complete win for heavy music.

    You almost don’t want Seeds In The River to be the last track but alas nothing lasts forever and all you want is for this to really go out with a bang and thankfully it does all the recognizable power and precision is on show and so is the full force brutality that has made this album stand out so much, it’s a perfect ending to a an unbelievably brilliant album.

    Wow, it is only February and I can safely say that this album is going to take some serious beating this year, yes, I’m already going there!! It seriously defies any expectations you may have had going in and obliterates everything you may have expected, there was literally not 1 single nano-second on this record that I didn’t completely love! Every note hit, every vocal was on point, there was nothing I could find to pick fault with and that’s usually my strong point! 

    I expected a good record of course, but what I got was almost beyond description despite me writing more than 1000 words to describe it, I could have probably written twice the amount and still not be able to explain just how good it is! Please, if you do one thing this weekend make it your business to listen to The New Flesh and once you have listened to it again, listen again and so on until you understand what a truly special record you are listening to. 

    If this doesn’t catapult Sylosis into the major leagues of metal and have them playing arenas there is truly no justice in this world. Absolute perfection. 10/10

  • Miles Davis – Bags Groove

    Miles Davis – Bags Groove Eines der Alben im Jazzbereich, das nicht so ganz die Anerkennung bekommt, die es eigentlich verdient hätte. Aufgenommen in New

  • “It makes me very optimistic for a release at some point this year…” Marilllion update fans on progress on the new album

    Marillion are currently working on a follow-up to 2022’s An Hour Before It’s Dark album

  • Great new prog you need to hear from Neal Morse Band, I Built The Sky, worriedaboutsatan and more in Prog’s new Tracks Of The Week

    Cool new proggy sounds you need to hear from Pothaums, Oli Duerden, Wildernesses and more in this week’s Tracks Of The Week