Ricky Warwick – Fire & Vengeance (Earache) You may think that Ricky Warwick has enough on his plate fronting Black Star Riders and the reactivated The Almighty, but he’s still got time to write, record, and tour solo records, alongside his band The Fighting Hearts.
Warwick’s solo output has always leaned on his Northern Irish roots, honest blue collar rock n roll, Celtic balladry and emotions that are worn on the sleeve as he uses that brilliant voice to tell stories of resilience.
This new album sees Warwick in a fighting mood, he’s says it’s about rock n roll “its power to bring people together, to make us dance and connect with one another.” The
Fire & Vengeance alluding to the conflict and division that seems ever present, but with this record Ricky just wants unity and some rebellion through big riffs, bigger vocals and maybe some help from his friends.
Of course these aren’t just ordinary friends but some high profile members of the rockeratti as Fire & Vengeance features Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake / The Dead Daisies), Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke) and Darren Holden (The High Kings), dropping in across these ten tracks.
The tracks do what you want them to. From some Rolling Stones balladry on
When The King Falls, choppy funk on
Seek Zen Destroy and country in
Sweet County Down. While
The Angels’ Share takes from the Celtic history as
Last Chance To Dance brings the apocalypse party to
Fire & Vengeance, which stands as another quality record from this rock n roll troubadour.
8/10Tygers Of Pan Tang – Electrifyed (Mighty Music)One of the original founders of the NWOBHM scene Tygers Of Pan Tang founder Robb Weir (guitar) is still the cornerstone of his band long after their 80’s heyday.
Over the years they, like many bands from those early days, have shifted more towards melodic rock, in Tygers case into some glam rock due to the vocals of Jack Meille but always retain the riffs of their early years.
With
Electrifyed, their 14th album they have the mantra of “the heavier, the better” paying stylistic homage to their beginnings when the NWOBHM was raw, rabid and loud, taking a lot of inspiration from their debut album
Wild Cat.
It’s a record turns up the aggression, the guitars of Weir and new boy John Foottit are more distorted and a bit meatier when doling out those classic heavy metal riffs from the scene they were such a big part of, with the injection of new blood letting the classic merge with the contemporary.
Bassist Huw Holding and drummer Craig Ellis guide the grooves, from mid-pace rockers, through glam struts and faster workouts
Electrifyed is Tygers Of Pan Tang, throwing it back but with the creative intelligence of a band that have been doing it for a long time but haven’t really let up since reforming in 1999.
Electrifyed is the sound of these Tygers with a nastier bite, having built a scene, they are cementing their reputation.
8/10KingCrown – Moonfall (Rockshots Records)Formed by Nightmare men and brothers Jo (vocals) and David (drums) Amore, KingCrown are more indebted to the European power metal scene rather than NWOBHM/thrash sound of Nightmare.
Obviously as they share a drummer and a vocalist there are comparisons to be made but KingCrown is more melodic and progressive, with sci-fi lyrics, based on the dystopian futures where A.I, machine dominance and isolation leads to the fall of mankind, sung with emotional depth by Jo Amore’s gritty delivery.
Driven by the harmonic guitarwork of Ced Legger and Bob Sailba, on All United, while the changing momentum comes from Seb Chabot’s bass and David Amore’s drumming on Rise Of The Machines. The ambitious songwriting led two a three month recording process that makes this record feel organic and direct but the use of electronics and industrial atmospheres lend themselves to this dystopian world building.
Produced by the band and mixed/mastered by Simone Mularoni, this record hits hard and with pace from the triumphant Priestisms of We Are KingCrown as Lost Horizons must be inspired by the band of the same name, as it brings cinematic epic metal while Back To The 80’s shows a lighter less serious side of the band while giving broader appeal.
On Moonfall, KingCrown continue to deliver high quality melodic metal. 7/10
Aethoria – Fool’s Gold (Self Released)
Suffolk alternative rockers Aethoria have been making waves on the UK rock scene for a while.
Recently they opened Stonedead festival and showed off their skill and talent as band, so I was expecting a debut record that was bursting with experience and I can say Fool’s Gold doesn’t sound like an album made by a band formed very recently, May 2025 to be factually correct.
It’s got all the power and hooks of a band with a lot of experience and by a lot, I mean on Quiet Ground Aethoria channel the riff alt rock of the early 2000’s. Huge riffs/solos, strong drums and excellent vocals are all part of what Aethoria do on their debut album, combining previously released singles with new material.
As I said Aethoria have a that 2000’s style with a lot of the anthemic choruses from Flyleaf on More Time and the title track, the punch of Paramore punk on Popcorn and they take on the darker atmospheres of Evanescence on Eden.
Fool’s Gold brings a lot of glittering with dense rock beneath it, just like it’s namesake. Watch out for Aethoria. 7/10
