Review by Marcy Bell - Photo by Amarildo

Belladonna are back in the UK after their previous exhibitions in London as headliner at Erotica 2007 and at The Fly in 2008. Their Rock Noir takes them to the intimate venue of Upstairs at The Garage in London supported by Birdeatsbaby and Maleficent. There’s a kind of curiosity to watch live the five guys from the romantic Rome. The gig starts with Dani’s guitar intro and the opening honour goes to “Alchemical Romance”, also the first track on “The Noir Album”, Belladonna’s new work. Luana is leading the stage perfectly with her uniform and the typical red roses on her microphone. The “Pyromantic, mysterotique, visionoir” tale of Belladonna is acclaimed by the crowd, a mixed of Italian, British and European fans and friends, the well-know Belladonna Family. The power of Belladonna music is already high with Dani outstanding riffs on guitar, Alex heaviness on drums, Tam authority on bass, Alice sweetness on piano and Luana seductive voice and manners. It’s time for William Blake’s poem “The Tyger” that introduces “Love Me Till I Die” anand the dream goes on with “Beyond the Realms Reason”. Luana takes her hat off and shows all her sensuality ‘cause “Lust Never Sleeps” arouses the crowd. The beat is faster and the audience enjoys the show. The intimate moment with “My Golden Dawn” is a private affair between Luana and Alice, a duo that leave the crowd breathless and with shivers on their spines. Then Belladonna are back heavy with “Till Death Do Us a Part”, the first single out in the UK, also played by Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden singer) in his radio show.The stage is still hot and Luana drop her jacket ‘cause t’s time for four songs drawn from “Metaphysical Attraction”, Belladonna debut album. The first one entered in the Grammy Award Ballot in 2008 and it’s “Foreverland”. Luana dedicates the song to a special guest in the audience: Mr Michal Nyman, a true inspiration for the whole band. Then “Mystical Elysian Love”, “Resurrect My Soul” and the peak raises the top with “Black Swan”, the other Grammy nominated song. Belladonna leave the scene with the dreamily “Phoenix Rising”, a potential hit single contained in “The Noir Album”. The audience would like an encore and the band is back on stage with “Password to Heaven” that really closes the overwhelming Londoner gig. A special mention to the down to Hearth behaviour of the five guys form Rome that after the show enjoyed their time with fans and friends signing autographs and shooting pictures with them.

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Interview by Connie Bach

Diva Suicide’s flavor is a constructed system of layers. It kind of reminds me of chocolate-covered pretzels, with the hard, solid guitar at its core.The layer of synthesized elements and sweet, emotional lyrics adds the “chocolate” in the equation. I feel I’m hearing undertones that call up the alternative music of the early nineties when I listen to “Scars”, Diva Suicide’s debut release.

Hello, Xs.

In the past, you mentioned you are interested in animal rights activism. Do you intend to use your musical career to promote animal rights activism and how?

Yeah absolutely - I think it’s really important that bands support these causes. Music unites and makes people think. The more we are, the stronger and more able to change things. I’m delighted to see bands like London After Midnight and Undercover Slut promoting animal rights.

How has working in a home studio influenced the type of music and the relationships between band members?

Working in a home studio has its good and its bad things. On one hand, soundwise you can’t have 100% the final product you’d like to but of course it’s more comfortable to record there as you spend lots of hours so it feels like being home and you’ve got more time to experiment new solutions.

Sometimes it can be really hard work but at the end of the day it’s worth it cos’ the band is my life and even if we have to fight against lots of problems and sometimes some idiot we always get around and do what we wanna do at the end.

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Label : SPV/Steamhammer Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Fans of symphonic Prog rock and metal have got a band that they can really sink their teeth into. They are Touchstone from the U.K. and they have just released their 4th full-length album titled, “The City Sleeps”. Touchstone is no doubt influenced by many of the great prog bands of seventies, but they add enough modern touches to make them relevant in 2011 and beyond. “The City Sleeps” is chock full of progressive, musically involved epic numbers combined with solid metal guitar riffs. Touchstone is fronted by the duel male/female vocals of Kim Seviour and Rob Cottingham. The pair makes a nice duo and the vocals are split pretty evenly. The opening track “Corridors” is a cool opener that displays the bands polished prog metal sound. The next track is the excellent 10-minutes of pure, epic prog nirvana, “When Shadows Fall”. “These Walls” and “Throw Them to the Sky” are next and they are both shorter songs with enormous mainstream potential (in my opinion). In particular, “Throw Them to the Sky” is my favorite song and one that is a good starting point for anyone interested in checking out Touchstone. In addition to some solid vocals, great songwriting and melodic songs, there is also plenty of dazzling keyboard work courtesy of Rob Cottingham throughout. Other highlights include: “Sleeping Giants” (another excellent, melodic track), “Horizons” and the 11-minute “The City Sleeps”. While Touchstone can be considered a prog band, without a doubt, they are not bound by the limitations of the genre. Sure they have those long epic numbers that are often associated with prog music, but they also know and understand the value of a good 3-5 minute song that really grabs the listener. But at the end of the day, Touchstone is a prog band, and a damn good one at that.

Rating - 87/100

Tracklist

1. Corridors
2. When Shadows Fall
3. These Walls
4. Throw Them to the Sky
5. Sleeping Giants
6. Good Boy Psycho
7. Horizons
8. Half Moon Meadow
9. The City Sleeps
10. Corridors Epiphany
11. Throw Them to the Sky (Radio Edit)

Line Up

• Kim Seviour – Lead Vocals
• Rob Cottingham – Lead, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Drum Programming & SFX
• Adam Hodgson – Guitars
• Andre P. Moorghen – Bass & Backing Vocals
• Henry William Rogers – Drums

Links

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Label : SPV/Steamhammer Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Fans of symphonic Prog rock and metal have got a band that they can really sink their teeth into. They are Touchstone from the U.K. and they have just released their 4th full-length album titled, “The City Sleeps”. Touchstone is no doubt influenced by many of the great prog bands of seventies, but they add enough modern touches to make them relevant in 2011 and beyond. “The City Sleeps” is chock full of progressive, musically involved epic numbers combined with solid metal guitar riffs. Touchstone is fronted by the duel male/female vocals of Kim Seviour and Rob Cottingham. The pair makes a nice duo and the vocals are split pretty evenly. The opening track “Corridors” is a cool opener that displays the bands polished prog metal sound. The next track is the excellent 10-minutes of pure, epic prog nirvana, “When Shadows Fall”. “These Walls” and “Throw Them to the Sky” are next and they are both shorter songs with enormous mainstream potential (in my opinion). In particular, “Throw Them to the Sky” is my favorite song and one that is a good starting point for anyone interested in checking out Touchstone. In addition to some solid vocals, great songwriting and melodic songs, there is also plenty of dazzling keyboard work courtesy of Rob Cottingham throughout. Other highlights include: “Sleeping Giants” (another excellent, melodic track), “Horizons” and the 11-minute “The City Sleeps”. While Touchstone can be considered a prog band, without a doubt, they are not bound by the limitations of the genre. Sure they have those long epic numbers that are often associated with prog music, but they also know and understand the value of a good 3-5 minute song that really grabs the listener. But at the end of the day, Touchstone is a prog band, and a damn good one at that.

Rating - 87/100

Tracklist

1. Corridors
2. When Shadows Fall
3. These Walls
4. Throw Them to the Sky
5. Sleeping Giants
6. Good Boy Psycho
7. Horizons
8. Half Moon Meadow
9. The City Sleeps
10. Corridors Epiphany
11. Throw Them to the Sky (Radio Edit)

Line Up

• Kim Seviour – Lead Vocals
• Rob Cottingham – Lead, Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Drum Programming & SFX
• Adam Hodgson – Guitars
• Andre P. Moorghen – Bass & Backing Vocals
• Henry William Rogers – Drums

Links

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Label : Femme Metal Records

Review by Tony Cannella

After releasing a demo in 2007 and an EP (“Volatile Territory”) in 2009, the UK.’s Groove-Metal band Solsikk returns with their ferocious full-length debut, simply titled “Solsikk”. I have to admit that I first became a big fan of Solsikk when I first heard their demo; it is hard to believe that it’s been four years since then, and now their debut full-length is finally unleashed upon an unsuspecting metal world. Throughout the 10-song 42-minute debut, you can hear re-recorded versions of songs that already appeared on their demo and “Volatile Territory” EP. These new versions of those songs are helped out by better production and even more power than the original versions. The opening track “Relish in Nervous Delights” gets things off to a frenzied start. The following track “Viridescere” brings forth even more intensity as vocalist Vykki Turner spits out the vocals in rapid fire succession. Solsikk also filmed a video for this track. “Keep Pushing Me” and “Freefall” two songs that can previously be heard on their first demo are next. “Cut a Little Deeper” is a cool ballad that gives the listener a chance to catch their breath, before the band launches into the aggressive “Your Blistering Tongue”, which has always been my favorite song from Solsikk. Other highlights include: “Razored Cell”, “Volatile Territory” and “Bloodlust”. It is good to finally hear a full-length from Solsikk. After the impressive initial demo and EP, the band has really delivered here. The band delivers an album worth of unrelenting guitar riffs and a perfect balance of melody and aggression.

Rating - 88/100

Tracklist

1. Relish in Nervous Delights
2. Viridescere
3. Keep Pushing Me
4. Freefall
5. Cut a Little Deeper
6. Your Blistering Tongue
7. Needles and Pins
8. Razored Cell
9. Volatile Territory
10. Bloodlust

Line Up

• Vykki Turner – Vocals
• Chris Webb – Guitar
• Mark Mulcaster – Bass
• Matt C. – Drums

Links

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Label : Listenable Records

Review by Tony Cannella

England’s Sarah Jezebel Deva is a true veteran in the world of metal. Her journey started in the 90s as the female vocalist for Black Metallers Cradle of Filth and saw her participate in various other projects. Now, her journey continues with the release of her second solo album “The Corruption of Mercy”. After a brief symphonic intro, the opening song “No Paragon of Virtue” blasts through the speakers with breakneck like intensity. The duo of “The World Won’t Hold Your Hand” and “A Matter of Convenience” are next and there is simply no letting up. The hauntingly orchestral next track, “Silence Please” is a bit of a change of pace and quickly became a huge highlight. One thing that is apparent to full effect is the fact that Sarah Jezebel Deva is one excellent vocalist. The grindingly powerful “Zombie” is next and another highlight. The pretty piano ballad “Pretty With Effects” follows. Some other highlights that can be found on this 43-minute disc are: “Sirens”, “The Eyes That Lie” and “The Corruption of Mercy”. That’s pretty much the whole album. Sarah Jezebel Deva is sure to give each song its own feel, which helps to give “The Corruption of Mercy” a diverse vibe. I really liked her first solo album, “A Sign of Sublime” but I love “The Corruption of Mercy”. This is SJD firing on all cylinders, her voice sounds great, the writing is superb and the band is excellent. All the way around, “The Corruption of Mercy” is a satisfying sophomore effort from this underrated talent.

Rating - 95/100

Tracklist

1. No Paragon of Virtue
2. The World Won’t Hold Your Hand
3. A Matter of Convenience
4. Silence Please
5. Zombie
6. Pretty With Effects
7. What Lies Before You
8. Sirens
9. The Eyes That Lie
10. The Corruption of Mercy

Line Up

• Sarah Jezebel Deva – Vocals
• Dan Abela – Guitar
• Jonny Gray – Guitar
• Ablaz – Bass
• Jamie Abela – Drums

Links

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