Words by: Belinda Quick Photos by: Missy Smiley Special thanks to Destroy All Lines “We must earn life once it has been awarded us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation. So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us… it can revitalize us amidst it all” […]
The word legend is an oft-overused term. However, it is no misnomer when describing former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno. On what would have been his 68th birthday weekend, the much-loved vocalist, who passed away in October 2024, was the subject of a posthumous celebration at the birthplace of Iron Maiden, the Cart & Horses. The evening featured two stalwarts of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene in Airforce and MORE.
This celebration was not just about the mighty Di’Anno, though. Former Iron Maiden frontman Paul Mario Day was also celebrated at the same event.
MORE, who were fronted by Paul Mario Day between 1980 and 1982, hit the stage first and the packed crowd were treated to a masterclass of headthrashing, footstomping Heavy Metal.
MORE
Killer On The Prowl opened proceedings with a thundering bassline emanating from Baz Nicholl’s Musicman bass and a rather nifty bit of fretwork from Peter Welsh. Next up was the title track of their first album, Warhead. Again, that thunderous bass really stood out alongside some really aggressive but tight drumming from Steve Rix.
The driving, heads down, horns up, Road Rocket followed, with another great solo from Welsh. It has to be said, the vocals were magnificent. Not a breath was wasted nor a note dropped by singer Mike Freeland.
MORE – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
Another track from the Warhead album featured next. With the smoke machine bellowing, Soldier fired up. This was then followed by Spirit Of War and then Scream, from their new album, Destructor. Freeland paid tribute to Paul Mario Day, which was, of course, warmly received by a highly appreciative audience.
Obsession and the album title track, Destructor, followed, with the former of the two really cranking up the tempo with lots of audience interaction.
Traitors Gate and Way Of The World followed before their 1981 single We Are The Band kicked in. In what was a real throwback to the golden age of NWOBHM, Freeland batted those vocals out of the pub and Welsh, yet again, was on point with his guitaring. He sounded vibrant, urgent and compelling. You could not take your eyes off of what the axeman was doing.
MORE – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
Then it came, the honourable nod toward Paul Di’Anno. As expected, the crowd went wild and really appreciated the outpouring of love toward Di’Anno from the band before the final track of MORE’s set, Atomic Rock, rocked up. This solid, slamming rocker of a song featured a brilliant guitar solo written by another former Maiden man, Paul Todd.
Welsh, Nicholls, Freeland and Rix really do know how to put on a great show and deserve a lot more recognition. To put it bluntly, we want MORE!
Airforce
In a world of chaos, there are four constants in life which never deviate. Births, deaths, taxes and Airforce putting on a great show.
Starting proceedings was that old faithful, Fight Among The Shadows. Straight from the “get-go”, Lino goes into “beast-mode” with his vocal range and power. With Die For You following up, again, the Airforce frontman hits notes that nobody has any right to hit.
Tony Hatton was superb on the bass as always, locking in with Doug Sampson’s drums tighter than a snug pair of budgie smugglers.
Airforce – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
Audience interaction was the name of the game, and Son Of The Damned was no exception as the crowd bounced back and forth with Lino before audience favourite Life Turns To Dust fired up. With Chop Pitman’s understated, laconic style, this track showcased just how good a guitarist he is.
Lino then took the opportunity to talk affectionately about Paul Di’Anno, including a brief nod to his final South American tour, where he joined Airforce in Medellin and Bogota.
Then the opening to The Reaper blasts out of the monitors. Pitman’s fretwork is so on point. He is more reliable than an atomic clock. As for the solo with pinched harmonics and little dives, awesome. Another crowd favourite, The Fury, from the Acts Of Madness album, followed and yet again, Lino’s soaring vocals defy belief and medical science. How the singer reaches some of those notes is a mystery. He makes Freddie Mercury sound like Silent Bob.
Airforce – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
My own personal favourite fired up with the familiar sound of an air raid siren. The “rat-tat-tat” of Sampson’s drums, an almost Celtic opening riff, and Tony Hatton’s hand sliding up the bass’s fretboard, it can only mean one thing. Heroes.
A rare instrumental from the boys was obliterated as Lino bunked off school for a quick pint of Trooper.
The pace slowed down slightly as Lost Forever fired up, with its gentle but dark undertones. This was tempered by the tenth track in Airforce’s set, Fight. The opening riff flying from Pitman’s Brian Moore guitar and the driving rhythm section made this another crowd-pleaser. The crowd were going mad, shouting Lino, Lino, Lino, as the vocalist lapped up the adulation.
Airforce – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
Then came yet another fan’s favourite. Sniper was one of the tracks recorded by Airforce with Paul Di’Anno featuring on vocals. The slow galloping bass, the chants of “hey, hey, hey”, and the “dirty” guitar intro are positively guttural. It really is amazing how Pitman gets such a huge sound from his guitar and rig.
Then it came. Possibly the longest hold of a single note from a vocalist that I have ever heard, it seemed to go on forever. In fact, you could have made a cup of tea and boiled two eggs by the time that final note had ended.
Westworld then followed, before Lino spoke about something special occurring at the end of the final number. Another huge crowd-pleaser then lit up the audience. Band Of Brothers, with its gorgeous staccato fretwork and solid as rock rhythm section, got the packed house jumping around and moshing like they were 18-year-olds.
Airforce – Cart & Horses, London – 16 May 2026. Photo: Dennis De Loor
Then both Pauls were honoured with a lovely tribute before the final number, Finest Hour, kicked off. “Fight fire with fire” was the chant and everybody joined in.
Then came the surprise. A special video created for Airforce’s version of Strange World was shown on the big screen at the Cart & Horses. The video, produced by Lee Heffron, is visually stunning, and the band look amazing.
All in all, it was an amazing evening, full of emotion. It was also wonderful to see the venue completely packed with people all wishing to do one thing. To pay tribute to the two Pauls.
Live Review: John 5 – The Underworld, Camden, London
14th May 2025 Support: Dan Byrne
Words & Photos: Tom Atkin
A night of guitar royalty is gracing The Underworld in Camden, the legendary venue that always has a certain charm.
Having blitzed it down to London through no end of traffic, the venue is was pretty much full by the time the show starts. This early turn out does not go un noticed by John 5’s warmup act Dan Byrne, a man that is incredibly humble and thankful for all the people that arrived early enough to give him a welcoming reception.
He gave as good as he received, putting on an incredible showcase of his music. Throughout every song there was a consistent sense of what these songs meant to him as he gave it his all as if it was his own headline show.
This was definitely a great pick of artist to open the night, the amount of passion in the music is incredible, the on stage chemistry between band members, all of it gave the feeling of a group of people that had been touring for decades, not years.
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Now onto John 5, a guitarist that is so incredibly varied as his CV includes Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Motley Crue and even Dolly Parton. Not many guitarists can list that variety. He arrived on the stage adjourned in his signature white and black face paint and huge alien like sunglasses.
For those that haven’t seen/listened to much of his solo stuff a little bit of fore knowledge, John 5 does not sing, his guitar basically sings for him. He has a drummer on stage with him, and some rhythm sections recorded. Atop this he shreds on guitar for over an hour.
The skill that is on display here is absolutely incredible, to be able to hold the attention of a packed out Underworld for that long is quite a feat in its own right considering this place is used to pits taking up the floor.
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Now you would be forgiven for thinking that the whole of John 5’s catalogue is hardcore solos and music that is more akin to his full time musical positions, however ‘Howdy’ disproves this immediately. This sounds like it should be played on a banjo in the middle of a desert town.
The vast majority of the songs stick to being a showcase of so many different guitar techniques all of which he perfectly masters. The noises that he pulls from a guitar are insane, yet it looks like a breeze for him, not in an arrogant way, but he knows how to make the noises.
There were a few covers thrown in as well, of course the iconic version of ‘Sweet Dreams‘, ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and ‘How High The Moon‘. The crowd were also treated to a fair few John 5 and the Creatures songs. Whilst technically these are covers, they were written by him originally so they slot in perfectly with the theme of the night.
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
It was only roughly an hour and ten minutes start to finish, but when you take in to account the shear variety and talent, it is an incredible show. All rounded out with something that many were not expecting, a medley of Motley Crue songs, which included Nikki Sixx’s tech on bass guitar.
It is rare to come across a performer that is able to excel and keep every hooked throughout a whole show, but John 5 is one of them. A much welcomed returned to the UK after I believe ten years away in a solo form.
Reliquia – In Theory And Practice (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
A relatively new face on the UK metal scene Reliquia bring gloomy gothic metal out of Manchester. They’ve been slowly building a following around the UK with melancholic singles that found their way on to a collection on 2025 and numerous shows with some of the saddest and maudlin bands around on the UK scene.
These rituals of misery have sculpted the songs on their debut album In Theory And Practice, a record of dark atmospheres, flashes of unbridled rage and philosophical musings that collide into six musical journeys, telling their own stories as they unfurl their gothic majesty. They’re a band with a number of comparisons to the big boys and girls in their field but they embrace these comparisons with very strong material.
From the growled death doom of Caesar Bejewelled, we move to the cleaner tones of Temple Terrace, both have the hefty chug of Paradise Lost balancing clean/harsh vocals intertwined with some mournful keys, Gregg Neville the architect of both, the synths adding some My Dying Bride ambience over the intricate guitar playing of Tobias Gray and George Kal, distorted riffs combined with melodic leads.
In the engine room Karim Nahser’s drumming has a surgical bite to it, in the snare especially while the bass too plays a big role in the overall mood, played on the record by Andy Lindley. The production of Joe Clayton (Ba’al, Conjurer) and Ben McEwan, giving the album a crystalline dissonance where the mood is dark and dreary but the resonance of the instrumentals and vocals is affecting.
Away from the marching chug, they spread their broken wings into goth/post rock moodiness as Crestfallen and the grooving Bone And Shale both shout about the influences of goth icons Fields Of The Nephilim and Sisters Of Mercy, the latter creeping like a Andrew Eldritch night terror.
An Interlude leads to the climax, Give combining all the dark, tragic lyricism of Reliquia with their dark and light of their melodic maladies. In Theory And Practice is a strong first effort from Reliquia. 8/10
The Flatliners – Cold World (Dine Alone Records/Rise Records) [Spike]
The Flatliners have finally stopped running. For a band that built its reputation on the high-velocity, heart-attack pulse of the Ontario punk scene, Cold World represents a total atmospheric reset. It’s the sound of the lights being dimmed and the humidity being sucked out of the room. As someone who has spent decades watching genres mutate from the front row, I find this kind of evolution far more interesting than a band trying to recreate their 2007 velocity. This is a record of mid-tempo grit and dark-edged melodies that understands that you don’t need a hundred miles per hour to be heavy.
Things start with Stolen Valour, and the shift in reality is total. There is a “cold,” mechanical precision to the guitars that sits right in the pocket of 80s post-punk, draped over a rhythm section that feels more like a heartbeat than a drum kit. Chris Cresswell’s vocals have aged into a pained, articulate rasp, there’s a narrative weight to his delivery that reminds me of the more literate end of the shoegaze spectrum. It’s not “shouting”; it’s a documented account of survival in a world that’s becoming increasingly distant.
What makes Cold World such a compelling listen is the layering. Tracks like Good, You? and Inner Peace possess a shimmering, reverb-drenched quality that rewards a decent set of speakers. The production avoids the high-gloss traps of modern pop-punk, opting instead for a dirty, honest sound where the strings groan and the feedback feels like it’s actually in the room with you. It’s a sophisticated bit of engineering that allows the melody to survive the distortion.
The heart of the record is found in the middle stretch. Whyte Light and Into Annihilation are sprawling, cinematic monuments to the band’s current state of mind. Into Annihilation, in particular, is a four-minute masterclass in sustained tension, moving through movements of brooding restraint before eventually snapping into a cathartic, melodic roar. It’s an honest, unvarnished bit of songwriting that suggests the band has finally stopped trying to be the “next big thing” and started defining their own landscape.
The back half, Pulpit, Gush And Burn doubles down on the attrition. There is a “North Atlantic” grit to the rhythm section here, a jagged, resilient energy that refuses to sound like a polite radio export. By the time we reach the final, melodic sigh of United In Spite, the lore of Cold World is complete. It isn’t a “fun” punk record, but it’s a vital one.
The Flatliners haven’t just made another album; they’ve created a climate. It’s a heavy, shimmering triumph of tone over trend, proving that sometimes the most powerful noise is the one that forces you to face the cold. I’ll be listening to this a lot in the future. It is a record for when the world feels just a bit too much. 8/10
IATT – Etheric Realms Of The Night (Black Lion Records) [Matt Bladen]
Fan of disgustingly complex extreme metal where the standard black/death offerings are shaken up with Latin, jazz fusion, folk music, blues and classical making for a sound that is about as progressive as you can get? Great then put down that Wintersun record and dive into some IATT an American band who have been doing this since 2008.
This music features big concepts and dense narratives, letting them do what they want with their music, experimenting with as many genres and styles as they want. More so on this new album which deal with dream realms and the subconscious, these explorations of worlds confined to a heavy sleep, mean that they can evolve their style again with this new record.
The whole album backed by cinematic orchestrations as if a metal band has fallen into a soundtrack for a Chris Nolan film. In fact IATT have leaned into filmmaking themselves for this album with a series of music videos with a linked narrative that tell the story of the record, giving you a full audio/visual experience, and lifting IATT’s commitment to their craft that little bit higher than some of their contemporaries.
Etheric Realms Of The Night is a massively cinematic album from these American veterans, binding their intense extreme metal with virtuoso musicianship and multiple colliding ideas. 8/10 Abuser – Blood Marks (Xtreem Music) [Spike]
If you’re going to name your band Abuser and title the debut Blood Marks, you aren’t exactly planning a quiet night in. Hailing from Wroclaw, Poland, this lot have spent the last few years sharpening a very specific kind of blade, one that owes its edge to the Teutonic thrash royalty of the 80s. I’ve lived through the original rise of Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction, and I’ve seen countless bands try to replicate that frantic, borderline-out-of-control energy. Most fail because they try to make it too tidy. Abuser succeeds because they let the gears grind.
What’s most impressive here is the persistence. Abuser formed back in 2018 and dropped a well-received demo in 2019, but a debut album didn’t just appear overnight. It’s taken years of lineup changes and presumably a fair amount of grit to get this project to the finish line in 2026. That seven-year gap since their first recording has clearly been spent wisely; this isn’t the sound of a band rushing to meet a trend, but rather a unit that has spent over half a decade internalizing the “shock and awe” of the early pioneers.
The record opens with Cry Of The Innocent, and within thirty seconds, the intent is unmistakable. This is high-velocity, teeth-grinding thrash that refuses to offer a single moment of “experimental” reprieve. Paweł Dominiak’s vocals carry that raw, snarled vitriol that reminded me immediately of Mille Petrozza in the mid-80s, a voice that sounds like it’s being forced through a throat full of rusted wire.
The rhythmic weight is what keeps Blood Marks from becoming a blur. Tracks like Suspended In Torture and Painbringer possess a primal fire, with guitar solos from Dominiak and Albert Matuszny that feel like flailing barbed wire, chaotic, sharp, and genuinely dangerous. I’ve been listening to this in the car over the last few days, and Lethal Obsession and the title track have a way of making you realize you’re doing ninety in a sixty without noticing. The production, handled with a solid “no-frills” honesty by Xtreem Music, allows Jakub Klimkiewicz’s domineering drum work to act as a physical heartbeat for the record.
The closer, Witnessing Madness, provides a breathless race to the finish line that sums up the band’s ethos. It’s a jagged, uncompromising bit of survivalism that proves the old school of thrash still has a hell of a lot of life left in it. It took them a while to get here, but Abuser have finally bottled that original lightning. It’s a masterstroke of mayhem that was well worth the wait. 8/10
There is a groundswell of opinion that UK rockers Jayler are the next big thing in rock music. I was certainly impressed by them at Steelhouse Festival in 2025 when they opened Saturday’s proceedings.
Yes, the Zeppelin thing is more a blue whale than an elephant in the room, from the attire of James Bartholomew through to much of their sound, but they brought a confident swagger to Steelhouse, which woke campers from their stupor. Nearly a year after that, the quartet will release their debut record, Voices Unheard.
Jayler have a huge year lined up, hopping onto a World Tour with Deep Purple, as well as shows with Sammy Hagar in the UK, providing those do not get changed for even more intimacy.
Huge stuff for this young band, and kudos to them for that.
Jayler release Voices Unheard on 29 May 2026 via Silver Lining Music
Whilst the live show sound is one thing, on record, Jayler’s debut is disappointing. Voices Unheard really does little to lift the spirits. Their PR may say there is a nod to the DNA of Zeppelin and Queen, but it is more of a giant headbutt, and as such, it is bland and unoriginal in virtually every aspect.
Such is the demand for nostalgia and legacy that it is highly likely that Voices Unheard will become a huge hit. People are lazy, new music does not challenge anymore, and songs such as Riverboat Queen and Bittersweet are examples of a band who are only a letter or two from completing the word plagiarism.
The songs are neatly composed, nicely produced to give a vintage feel, and pave the way for upbeat anthems in the live arena. Yet there is a blueprint that is being followed here, a predictable and safe route to the generic and the routine.
Down Below could not be more Zeppelin if it had Robert Plant on it, the bluesy swagger repeated by a million bands over the years. Similarly, Hate To See It End serves up chords that a thousand pub bands play every weekend.
Need Your Love shares the same style that so many have shared before. This could be anyone. Pick a band that sits in the New Wave Of British Classic Rock. The list is endless.
I am fully expecting to be in the firing line on this one. The Jayler fan club is intense, fiercely loyal, and I get that. But I want music to hit hard, to stir something that excites, or emotes, has me smiling or in tears, and this did nothing.
Yes, it is stomping enough, but the overall feel from this album is a band who are already churning out songs that match what their audience want rather than what they want to make.
Jayler – Stonedead Festival – Friday 22 August 2025. Photo: Paul Hutchings/MetalTalk
Take The Getaway. A singalong chorus, some throwaway lead guitar and a groove that Dan Byrne would be proud of. It is all very radio-friendly crowd-pleaser music.
When they do try to deviate from the anthem, they do not get it right. Bittersweet is not only another trip to the past, but it does not really work that well either. There is little contemporary here, and if I want to listen to bands from the golden age of rock, then that is where I will go.
It is understandable that this album will earn plaudits from many. I am sure it will feature in those classic rock top ten lists come December. And if unimaginative and stereotypical is what you want, then Voices Unheard is in your bag.
Greta Van Fleet and Rival Sons have done it better. The latter have moved into a league apart.
With Voices Unheard, I have no doubt that Jayler will power onto their next step in world conquest. I wish them luck. It is just not for me.
Jayler release Voices Unheard on 29 May 2026 via Silver Lining Music. Pre-orders are available from lnk.to/JAYLERVoicesUnheard. Album release shows and signing sessions have been announced. Tickets and dates are available from jayler.co.uk/tour-dates.
Elevate Records announces the release of ‘Facing The Mirror‘, the first single by Silver Horses taken from their upcoming album ‘Weird Tales‘, out 13th June 2026. A fast, hard-hitting hard rock track perfectly balanced between the echoes of classic ’70s rock and a thoroughly contemporary edge. ‘Facing The Mirror‘ is the ideal calling card for […]
Jared James Nichols is excited to announce a new run of UK release events in support of his upcoming fourth studio album, ‘Louder Than Fate‘, out June 5th, 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl, alongside a series of European dates supporting legendary rock icon George Thorogood. Fresh off a string of intimate album launch appearances, Nichols […]
New York-based metal/progressive slam quintet Torturous Inception premiere a new single and lyric video named “Do What You Will Then Die”, streaming via YouTube and Spotify for you below. The track is taken from their upcoming new album "Life’s Worth", which will be out in stores August 28, 2026.
Read More/Discuss on Metal Underground.com
Words by: Belinda Quick Photos by: Missy Smiley Special thanks to Destroy All Lines “We must earn life once it has been awarded us. Life asks for rewards back because it has favored us with animation. So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us… it can revitalize us amidst it all” […]
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
Photo Credit: Tom Atkin
