Headshot Music Issue 7 August 18th 2020 Industrial - Metal - Electronic - Alternative
Headshot Music Issue 7: Index Propaganda / News : Pages 4 to 7 Reviews : Pages 8 to 19 Bedsore - Hypnagogic Hallucinations Black Angel - Kiss Of Death Clan of Xymox - Spider on the Wall Fleetburner - Fleetburner Front - Antichrist Militia Homicide - Left For Dead Ice - The Ice Age Lord Orots - Conquering The Infinite Void Nagaarum - Covid Diaries Ravened - From The Depths Seventh - Vacarme The Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain I’m very sorry the magazine is a day late. I’ve worked out that surviving on just 3 hours sleep a night, caused by either a heatwave or severe storms isn’t good for me
Propaganda FIGHT AND BREED the new track from the new SPANKTHENUN album, The Bunker Tapes Vol I, out on September 11... drops this weekend on two of your favourite streaming shows. Sunday, Dj Sco� Durand - Dark Indulgence Industrial Mixshow premieres the album version mixed by #EBM legend Claus Larsen AE on his weekly show #DarkIndulgence Then... on Monday Communion A�er Dark will premiere the John R. Mirland remix of Fight and Breed exclusively on their weekly show. It is a double dose of darkness, teaming up to bring you brand new SPANKTHENUN first. All proceeds from the pre-order of the new album The Bunker Tapes Vol I will be donated to Claus Larsen as an effort to cover the ongoing medical costs for the love of his life, Kurt. You can pre-order via Bandcamp, and if you want to pay extra, that will also go to Claus and Kurt. h�ps://spankthenun.bandcamp.com Bloodstock 2021 Update The mighty MERCYFUL FATE will now headline the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday, with Dimmu Borgir arriving as special guests! The King Diamond-fronted, seminal black metal icons, MERCYFUL FATE reformed in 2019 a�er a lengthy hiatus. They were due to play their first shows in over 20 years this summer but with everything on hold in 2020, we’re excited we can now welcome them to the 2021 BLOODSTOCK bill, in a UK exclusive performance! DIMMU BORGIR step into the coveted Saturday special guest slot. Having been forced to cancel their slot in 2019 due to illness, we’re thrilled the Norwegian symphonic black metallers can make up for it in 2021. #BOA21 standard weekend and the NEW, 6 month, deposit scheme �ckets are available NOW from bloodstock.see�ckets.com
KING DIAMOND gets the Rocksaws jigsaw puzzle treatment Zee Produc�ons will release the classic ‘Abigail’ cover, as 500 piece jigsaws, in October 2020, on Zee Produc�ons imprint Rock Saws. The iconic arts of some of Rock's most influen�al and highly regarded albums is presented in puzzle form for the first �me ever. All puzzles come in a vinyl box set sized box, perfect to fit alongside a vinyl record collec�on. ‘Abigail’ is available on October 9, 2020 as 500 Piece puzzles. Rocksaws 500 piece puzzle range (390MM X 390MM) are packaged in 12 X 12 Boxes, perfectly sized to sit alongside your vinyl collec�on! OUT on November 6, 2020 Napalm Death - Scum Napalm Death - Utopia Banished ReMission Interna�onal - TOS2020 This amazing release is available on: Digital download - release date 28th August 12” gold coloured vinyl and CD - release date 2nd October Wayne has collaborated with some great friends and musicians including : Andy Rourke, Billy Duffy, Budgie, Evi Vine, Gary Numan, James Alexander Graham, Jay Aston, Julianne Regan, Kevin Haskins, Kirk Brandon, Lol Tolhurst, Mar�n Gore, Michael Aston, Michael Ciravolo, Midge Ure, Miles Hunt, Rachel Goswell, Richard Fortus, Robin Finck, Steve Clarke, Tim Palmer, Trentemøller. FromWayne Hussey: “When Covid-19 hit I started receiving messages asking ‘why don’t you re-issue Tower Of Strength for the front line workers?’ The song had apparently been adopted as an anthem by some NHS workers, and it got me thinking that I would like to contribute something to the greater cause at this unprecedented �me and the only thing I could really contribute is music. So in conjunc�on with my good friend Michael Ciravolo, I came up with the idea of recording a new version of Tower Of Strength for charity by enlis�ng the help of musician friends and acquaintances. Tower Of Strength was first released by The Mission as a single in 1988 and then again in 1994. It charted twice in the UK top 40 and has proved to be probably our biggest song and the one we generally close our shows with. It is anthemic. I wondered if recording a more well known song might have a greater reach but neither Michael or I could come up with any sugges�ons that seemed to fit lyrically without ge�ng too corny. So Tower Of Strength it was then.” For full details and all pre-order informa�on please visit the TOS2020 website: www.themissionukband.com
I was lucky enough to see Pete Way live a number of the �mes over the years, with both UFO and Waysted… with him and Mar�n Birch passing in such a short space of �me, it’s a very sad �me for Metal Iconic bass player Pete Way founder of UFO, Waysted and, la�erly, The Pete Way Band has died. He sustained life threatening injuries in an accident two months ago but fought hard un�l finally succumbing to those injuries at 11.35am on August 14th. His wife, Jenny, was at his side. Pete Way was a much loved and highly regarded figure among rock fans, cri�cs and fellowmusicians alike. Best known for his work with UFO, Pete’s energe�c live performances were at the heart of His melodic bass lines underpinned the catalogue of enduring rock classics upon which UFO’s reputa�on and legacy were founded. Pete’s post UFO work included collabora�ng with “Fast” Eddie Clarke fromMotörhead - the two pu�ng together Fastway with Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley and bassist for his long �me friend, Ozzy Osbourne. He then put together his own band Waysted. Pete’s keen ear for song arrangements have also seen him serve as producer for popular hard rock acts such as Twisted Sister and the Cockney Rejects. Pete had recently finished a solo album, “Walking On The Edge” with producer Mike Clink (Guns n Roses “Appe�te For Destruc�on” amongst many more.) He had a biography published “A Fast Ride Out Of Here” in 2017 and an album “Amphetamine” which is currently out on Cargo Records. Pete is survived by two daughters, Zowie and Charlo�e and his younger brother, Neill. Legendary producer and engineer Mar�n Birch passed away on August 9th not been reported, as of yet. , he was aged 71. His cause of death has As a teenager, Mar�n produced nearly all of my favourite albums from the era, including Mob Rules and Heaven and Hell, for Black Sabbath and most of Maiden’s best work, the Dio era of Rainbow as well as Whitesnake’s early work. He was also the engineer on some of Deep Purple’s best work, including In Rock, Machine Head and Burn
Mondays on Sine FM 9pm UK Time: Classic Rock and Metal Hour with Steve Thomas-Green Featuring the likes of Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Dio, Accept etc... through to Southern Rock to Pink Floyd, The Doors, Neil Young 10pm UK Time: The Dark Side of Metal with Demoniac A mix of old and new from the latest underground Death Metal and Black Metal releases through to the likes of Bathory, Root and Emperor Special Shows on Monday August 24th As suggested by Demoniac, we are pu�ng together a 2 hour selec�on of our favourite vocalists From 9pm it’ll be the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson And from 10pm, Alan Averill, ICS Vortex and Mikael Åkerfeldt Tune in on 102.6 FM across Doncaster or listen worldwide online via h�ps://www.sinefm.com/
Bedsore - Hypnagogic Hallucina�ons (20 Buck Spin) Review by Steve Thomas-Green With a name like Bedsore, I was expec�ng some filthy form of Grind. But my ini�al thoughts were way off the mark. I guess this is Death Metal meets horror movie soundtrack. A mix of psychedelic keyboards, a la Goblin and classic Italian horror movies, and an unusual bedfellow in Death Metal. Before we get to the Death Metal, we work our way through a keyboard led intro and then melodic lead guitars, before the brain ra�ling drums kick in, as do Jacopo Gianmaria Pepe’s rasping vocals. But to be honest, I’m not sure if the styles all work, but the varying �me changes and differing styles make for a very unconven�onal album, so it’s a hard one to judge. Going back to the horror movie theory, the album does have a very theatrical feel to it. So at �mes it feels like a lone figure on stage, then all hell breaks loose and carnage ensues. There’s a lot of light and shade, ebbing and flowing etc… I guess Progressive is the get out of jail term to use. As far as the performance goes, this is top notch… especially the guitar work. There’s just a lot to get your head around, which makes for a slightly more difficult listen. I mean, s�cking a song called, Cauliflower Growth right next to Disembowelment Of The Souls (Tabanidae) and then Brains On The Tarmac, you can immediately tell this doesn’t follow any conven�onal rules. Cauliflower Growth is a perfect example of how this album “works”. The track, which features a guest performance by Giorgio Trombino (Assump�on / Haemophagus) begins as full on 90s Death Metal, then the intensity falls away for something altogether disharmonic, before dropping into minimalist tranquillity… you just cannot predict which direc�on the music will take. I can’t deny that it’s an album I’ve struggled with. But one hand I can say it’s hard going, but on the other, I have to admire Bedsore for taking on such a task, on this, their debut album. So a tough listen for some, very rewarding for others. h�ps://www.facebook.com/bedsoredeath
Black Angel - Kiss Of Death (Self Release) Review by Steve Thomas-Green I don’t knowMa� Vowles, the man behind Black Angel, but as I hurtle towards my mid-50s, I’d say he is of a similar age, judging by his taste in music and interac�on with some of the best Goth bands of the 80s. This album takes me right back to 1985, the year I saw The Cult on their Love tour, and the album, as a whole sounds like a mix of The Cult, The Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim etc… The opener, Kiss of Death, is musically like The Cult circa their Dream�me debut, maybe with a Patricia Morrison bass line and the vocals, I think, remind me of Gene Loves Jezebel, with an injec�on of Ofra Haza style female vocals (a style also used on Want For More) Ma� doesn’t try and hide his influences and I love the trip down memory lane this takes me on. And because he’s a producer, it means that this sounds pris�ne… so the fact that this sounds like a lot of 80s bands is counter-balanced by the fact it sounds so bloody good. I mean, even the intro to Animal sounds like Moonchild… but I genuinely don’t mind, to these ba�ered ears, this is amazing. The biggest difference on this album is the double tracked vocals. They definitely give the album a different edge compared to a lot of the original Goth bands. I men�oned that the vocals on the �tle track reminded me of Gene Loves Jezebel… but I’m not sure if that comparison is correct. The style is familiar, but it’s also different enough for this style of music to give it a fresh edge, in amongst a lot of well-known sounds. It’s quite simple, if you like any of the bands I’ve men�oned in this review, you’ll love this album. This album has captured a moment in �me and transported it 35 years into the future and it’s as good as anything from that era… albeit with the help of some very good influences. h�ps://www.facebook.com/blkangelmusic/
Clan of Xymox - Spider on the Wall (Trisol) Reviewed by Sam Thomas About a thousand years ago, when gigs were s�ll live and social distancing wasn’t even a thing, I saw Clan of Xymox live at what was then the Carling Academy in Islington. They’re one of those bands who, once heard, are never completely forgo�en. So fast forward to 2020, and whilst the rest of the world has changed beyond measure, Clan of Xymox are s�ll producing ear wormingly catchy synth pop / dark Gothic mix. Which is not to say that they haven’t evolved and changed: of course they have. Changes in personnel, moving to another country and just life in general have seen to that. What we have now is a perfectly polished slice of extreme darkness, precise like a knife cut and ready to slash and slice. Ronny Moorings is the ever-present figurehead of the band, and he has steered them into some very dark and turbulent waters. The opening track, “She” is beau�ful, reminding me of Visage with its opening bars. But this isn’t a retrospec�ve: the bang up to date “Black Mirror” is a scathing trea�se on the life of social media junkies and their “disease”. Maybe I just love it because I don’t have thousands of followers on Facebook (or whatever the latest thing is…) It’s very refreshing to hear a new release from a band who’ve been around for a while, haven’t compromised their ar�s�c vision and are s�ll crea�ng relevant music. Even be�er than it should be dark, Gothic (in the best sense as opposed to just Goth) and highly intelligent. In these current uncertain �mes, the world could certainly do with more music of this quality. h�ps://www.facebook.com/clanofxymox.official/
Fleetburner - Fleetburner (Butler Records) review by Sam Thomas Fleetburner (the project) is the brainchild of Dutch guitarist and songwriter Kevin Storm. The musicians taking part include some very well-known names from the world of metal, and some lesser known names from other genres. First of all, this is a concept album: one person (Kevin Storm) has had the idea, and then brought it to life with musicians that have worked under his direc�on. Nothing wrong with that: Alan Parsons did much the same, as (more recently) did Ayreon. It’s a bit like building Stonehenge, really, you just have to convince a lot of other people of the concept and then just get them all to work together to produce a work of unparalleled excellence. It’s a bit like building Stonehenge, really, you just have to convince a lot of other people of the concept and then just get them all to work together to produce a work of unparalleled excellence. So, what’s the concept? Well, it’s all about the Fleetburner. And that’s where the cracks begin to show. What’s a Fleetburner? Uh, well, it’s a concept. A concept of what? Uh, well, dunno. Burning stuff? Boats? Lots of boats? The album cover is a nondescript piece of grey rock with (probably) sea, and pictures released along with the singles show boats in various stages of decay. The tracks have nau�cal �tles: “Open Water”, “Below the Waves” and so forth but there’s no coherent story there. OK, now none of this would ma�er if the albumwas brilliant in its own right. If the tracks were all amazing nobody would care. So let’s put all the above aside, and look at the music, without men�oning the “c” word again. The most interes�ng thing about the music is the range of musicians involved (in every sense). One of the only two female vocalists that I can enjoy listening to, Madder Mortem’s Agnete M Kirkevaag, is one of the guest ar�sts on the album. Her powerful vocals are a delight as always. The main male vocalist is Ken Simerly, who is not a name that I know. A bit of research offered up a couple of Country tracks, with a pleasant enough vocal style: I’d actually be interested in hearing more from him. Veli-Ma� Kananen from Finland’s Kalmah is not someone I really knowmuch about, but he has some very pre�y keyboards (the tracks seem to mostly start with a strong keyboard element), so I shall be playing more of him in future. There are contribu�ons from Christopher Amo� and Peter Iwers to represent Swedish dark metal. So, pre�y much a tour of Scandinavia! I think I’ve skirted around the issue enough now. I don’t much like this. The music just isn’t good enough or original enough for me. It’s not the fault of the individual performers, it’s the material itself. There’s just not a lot there: it’s all a bit lite-metal and just doesn’t linger in the memory. If you’re going to have an album like this, which will not achieve its full poten�al without understanding on the part of the listener, then the least that you can do is have words which can be heard. Much of the �me the (not par�cularly exci�ng or interes�ng) music drowns out the vocals. I’d love to explore the idea of “how will you navigate the wild currents of your mind” because that sounds intriguing, but much of the rest of the track (The Beach) is difficult to make out. Then again, some of the lyrics are a bit strained as well: “the ship will reach the desired con�nent” just does not flow! This has apparently taken two years to produce, which is mind-boggling. It’s sad really that so many musicians of such ability could have been involved in something which just doesn’t work. It’s very unfortunate that one of the main things I can say about this is that I won’t remember anything about it by the end of next week. www.facebook.com/fleetburner
Front - An�christ Mili�a (Iron Bonehead) Review by Steve Thomas-Green Finland’s Front had a video removed from a supposedly Metal website recently, because the band are “sketchy”… and that was the only reason given. I hate the PC brigade’s intrusion into Metal… If I wanted safe music, I’d listen to whatever shit is in the charts… Front have imagery which some might take offence to. Skulls, bullets belts, iron crosses, tanks etc… plus references to war… But when you’re singing about war and sound like a cross between Motörhead, Marduk and Slayer, what the fuck do people expect? There’s a tribute to Lemmy on this EP, en�tled Iron Front and that should tell you where the hearts of this band lie. The song itself sounds like a gnarly mix of Iron Fist and Overkill, especially the drumming. And if that’s the music you like, forget the crap the media write (I know I’m part of that brigade, but I’m a music fan rather than a corporate idiot worrying about offending people) then you’ll love Front. This, like Motörhead, is no frills Rock N Roll… the band just blast through the six songs without any fanfare… and quite o�en, that’s exactly what I want to listen to. Ok, this is a lot darker than the music Lemmy created, but the bea�ng heart is the same. And when people shy away frommusic that is themed around war, do the same people refuse to watch the news each day, because that’s what I see almost everyday on my tv. h�ps://www.facebook.com/legionfront/
Homicide - Le� For Dead (Self-Release) Review by Steve Thomas-Green Montreal Thrashers, Homicide are back, 25 years a�er their last album, Malice and Forethought. And 25 years away obviously hasn’t mellowed them… thankfully. Now, this is one of those albums that at the beginning, be it that the music and vocals don’t quite gel, or maybe things are a bit too simplis�c, it just fits into the “ok” category. And a�er that, I don’t know if it’s my ears adjus�ng to their sound, or maybe the album does genuinely get be�er… but things, as I’ve already indicated, do get remarkably be�er. Not that I dislike the first couple of tracks, they just don’t blowme away. The tough guy / vitriolic start of track 3, the �tle track, signals the start of the improvement, especially with the metronomic riffing and the more intense vocals. Personally, I would have started the albumwith this track… as it sort of takes me back to Machine Head’s Burn My Eyes and it feels like an album opener… like a statement of intent. That’s followed by Enemy of the State whose beginning sounds like Suicidal Tendencies, circa We Call This Mutha Revenge and to a lesser degree, You Can't Bring Me Down, before morphing into some classic, dandruff shaking Thrash. The album isn’t perfect, but it has a lot of classic touches and it does hark back to the 80s, which is fine by me. So there’s a lot to like here and I hope the band can build from this, as their reforma�on is showing some of the youngsters how things should be done. h�ps://www.facebook.com/homicidemontreal/
Ice - The Ice Age (RidingEasy) Review by Steve Thomas-Green My music addic�on began at a very early age. My parents had an old Philips reel to reel tape deck and there were a load of old chart shows, hosted by Alan “Fluff” Freeman on tape… and I used to play those for hours I men�on this because this albumwas recorded back in 1970, probably around the �me my lifelong addic�on was forming… and since then, The Ice Age has mainly been gathering dust as it was never officially released, bar a couple of tracks as a single in 1972. The band, Ice, split up just a�er recording the album, which explains why it’s never been released. And that’s a shame, as this could really have done well for the band, had they go�en the right breaks… but it’s something we’ll never know. Broadly speaking, this reminds me of a load of bands from the late 60s and early 70s, from The Doors, The Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Grand Funk Railroad, Crosby S�lls Nash and Young etc… and man, this is a truly great find. The majority of the album is Rock, but it does occasionally slip over into a more Pop orientated direc�on, with 3 O’clock In The Morning sounding like a cross between The Turtles (Happy Together) and a calming vibe that Eddie Vedder would be proud of. From the very first listen this felt like it had been part of collec�on since I was a kid. It seamlessly fits in with the music that helped shaped my taste in Rock Music. And a lot of the tracks sound like (lost) classics, even though I’ve only played them half a dozen �mes. I host a Classic Rock and Metal radio show, and this will definitely be ge�ng some airplay over the coming weeks… I would love to go into more detail about the album, but my publica�on deadline is upon me… but suffice to say, I can thoroughly recommend this album. It is genuinely a lost classic… maybe one day someone can invent a �me machine to take the members of Ice back to 1970, so they can really see what their futures could have been like. h�ps://www.facebook.com/IceBandFromIndy/ ridingeasyrecs.com
Lord Orots - Conquering The Infinite Void (Onism Produc�ons) Review by Steve Thomas-Green Ok, there’s not a lot of foreplay to this review… because the album is ruined by horrible �nny produc�on. So no big build up, just to disappoint you at the end… But apart from that, I really like this album… so let’s go back to the start. Lord Orots are from the Basque Country and musically, it’s Dragon Synth meets atmospheric Black Metal. So kind of like a plinky plonky version of Summoning… if you get my dri�. And I have to say, were it not for the produc�on, which has the treble set at 11 and the bass at zero, I’d be raving about this. (Although the sound is decent on the last track, The Lord Rises From His Throne). Sound issues aside, it’s pre�y easy on the ear. Loads of very melodic, sweeping music (guitars and piano) and sporadic Black Metal vocals and it dri�s off in a wonderfully dreamy direc�on. And as far as the music goes, there are no complaints to be made at all. I could be in the minority here and there could be loads of hooded figures, running around the woods of the world, playing this and worshipping Satan likes it’s the greatest thing since church burning was re-introduced into Norway in the 1990s…. But the rest of us, who’ve invested in decent speakers and like a bit of oomph behind their music, will be shaking their heads in disappointment. www.facebook.com/lordorots h�ps://onism.produc�ons
Nagaarum - Covid Diaries (Aesthe�c Death) Review by Steve Thomas-Green As the �tle suggests, this albumwas recorded during the current pandemic, a �me when Hungary’s Nagaarumwas planning a bit of down�me. The tracks were recorded over �me and released as the pandemic progressed, and if, like me, you missed them, you can now get them altogether on this album, which has just been released by Aesthe�c Death. So you know the subject of the album, but the style is a bit harder to pin down. Doom is the over-riding feel of the album, without being a full-on Doom album. My 1st impressions were of Hawkwind circa, The Wizard Blew His Horn, which came out in 1975… I’m also reminded of some of the talky bits that have li�ered Pink Floyds output. In fact, it does feel a li�le bit like a story, which obviously makes sense, but in turn, that reminded me of The Wall. Elsewhere, it’s very atmospheric dark ambience, which gives you the feeling of being lost in a sea of fog, a fewmoments of madness, opera�c female vocals… the mel�ng pot goes on and on. If I had to sum up this album in one word, it would be “intriguing”. As I’ve been short of �me, I’ve not played the album as many �mes as I would have liked. But I love how the album progresses and then culminates in the near 18 minute epic of Liquid Tomorrow, which has the aura of a Dystopian Rock Opera… which definitely doesn’t have a happy ending. If you want a boring paint by numbers album, then this isn’t for you. If you want something challenging and intelligent, then step right up…. h�ps://www.aesthe�cdeath.com/releases.php?mode=singleitem&albumid=4737 h�ps://www.facebook.com/nagaarumband
Ravened - From The Depths (Jono Music) Review by Steve Thomas-Green ravened: to swallow or eat greedily Or in the case of this young Swedish band, they greedily eat up a load of influences. Ravened may only be a young band, but they come from good stock with parents and uncles playing in bands such as Hellfuelled as well as Narnia, and other Chris�an bands… now, as an Atheist, I am always wary of bands that base themselves around religion. But there’s no indica�on that Ravened are following a similar path. Their chosen (musical) style is a modern take on bands such as Pantera and Lamb of God… and I’d also throw The Haunted into the mix as well, as opener The Path, reminds me of Hate Song… so it’s mainly heads-down Metal, with clean crisp guitars and a healthy dollop of angry vocals. I have also seen the band listed as Metalcore… but to me that’s a mix of Metal and Hardcore, and this leans more towards Thrash than Hardcore. But however you decide to label them, they are a band with talent, with a very good grasp of how to write a song, create moods, adjust the tempo etc… But I’m guessing that most of the band grew up in a band environment and learnt the basics at a very young age… plus the Swedes are generally good musicians to begin with… so none of the talent on display comes as much of a surprise. So an extremely posi�ve start to their careers, but they do need to write music that’s slightly more memorable. On a personal note, I’d like them to follow the direc�on of False Conjunc�on, which is just burs�ng with energy and ideas. But I’m sure the improvements will come with experience and �me. Definitely ones to watch. h�ps://www.facebook.com/ravenedofficial/
Seventh - Vacarme (Self Release) Review by Steve Thomas-Green My knowledge of Black Metal in general, isn’t great, my knowledge of Black Metal bands from North America is even worse. Although I do like what I hear and I appreciate the style differences between bands from, say, the frozen North of Europe and the snowy outposts of North America, such as Quebec. The biggest “trend” difference, for want of a be�er word, is the drumming style. Bands from the US and Canada seem to have a more controlled style, which flips from blas�ng to a more conven�onal drumming style. And that’s also the case here. The drums of Alex "Blaireau" Bernatchez really propel this forward on the more intense moments and they also keep things steady when the pace slows down. Seventh fall into the category of Atmospheric Black Metal. So some�mes the drop in pace melds into an acous�c passage, but at other �mes, the intensity is s�ll there, despite the lack of pace. Where they excel though, is when they are all guns blazing, snarling vocals, blas�ng drums etc… But whether the band are in full flow or keeping things under control, they are masters of everything they do. From the level of musicianship, right through to the produc�on, this is a jawdropping experience and it’s easy to see why the band are confident enough to make vinyl versions of this album. Before I end the review and tell you how to obtain the album, maybe it’s through choice, but it is so hard to believe that this is a self-release. The old way of labels signing any band with a pulse is well and truly over. But some�mes a band are head and shoulders above the compe��on, and I think that’s the case here. And in these cases, one of the bigger labels should really make an investment and take a chance on an up and coming band. Anyway, the digital and cd versions of this album are out now. But if you visit the bands Bandcamp page, there are a number of vinyl op�ons available to pre-order www.facebook.com/seventhcanada/ h�ps://seventhcanada.bandcamp.com/album/vacarme-2
The Psychedelic Furs - Made of Rain (Cooking Vinyl) Review by Steve Thomas-Green Wow, this is such a tough review to write. The first new album from The Psychedelic Furs since 1991. I fell in love with the band 40 years ago, on their debut album. I own the first 5 albums, but by the �me 1987’s Midnight to Midnight came out, my interest had waned. I’ve not even heard the two albums that came out a�er MtM. So, a lot of �me has passed since they last recorded an album, people and �mes change, as has technology. So I have gone into this albumwith a very open mind. My favourites songs from the past are probably Alice’s House, Love My Way, President Gas and maybe India, from their debut… and I don’t expect anything similar to appear on here. I’m probably about 60/40 on what I like and dislike. The 1st two tracks, The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll and the single, Don't Believe, are both very strong. The melodies are similar, comparing them to the old material and Richard Butler, s�ll sounds amazing… although there is a slight roughness to his once velvet lined voice. The only (minor) problem I have with this album, is that there’s not a lot of middle ground. I found myself either liking the song, like You'll Be Mine… which has a bit of a Peter Gabriel feel to it, or ha�ng it. Like the very limp, Ash Wednesday, which I can only describe as a direc�onless. I’d say that the only song that takes me back to the 80s is Hide The Medicine. It just has that classic Psychedelic Furs hook and it sits very nicely amongst their older material. And I think I’m glad that this doesn’t really sound like the band in their heyday. It keeps what they’ve created here relevant and the album isn’t just a nostalgia trip, or a blatant cash in, for re�rement money (as some bands do). Made of Rain feels like an album that the band enjoyed making. There are so many small nuances and textures, a lot of work has obviously gone into the making of the album… and hopefully, in �me, some of the songs that I don’t par�cularly like now, will begin to grow on me. A nice addi�on to my Furs collec�on and an album I’m sure I’ll enjoy for years to come… as well as re-discovering their back catalogue on a more regular basis. h�ps://thepsychedelicfurs.com/ h�ps://www.facebook.com/psychedelicfurs/
Back Issues If you’ve missed out on any Issues of Headshot Music, you can view them online here: Issue 6: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-music-issue-6 Issue 5: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-magazine-issue-5 Issue 4: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-music---issue-4 Issue 3: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-music-issue-3 Issue 2: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-music-issue-2 Issue 1: h�ps://publizr.com/headshotmusic/headshot-music-issue-1
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