Count Beetle have been knocking out dark, weird folk for two and a half decades. And yes we know that ‘weird folk’ is an actual genre –… Read more “COUNT BEETLE on playing the Dark Folk of the Ozarks…”
Author: oldmansmettle
UNSUNG HEROES: The firepower of Algy Ward’s TANK – a shell by shell review.
Straddling first wave punk and NWOBHM like the boss he is, Algy Ward confounded the press and scene police in the 80s with his pre-crossover project TANK,… Read more “UNSUNG HEROES: The firepower of Algy Ward’s TANK – a shell by shell review.”
Neil Purdy of LUNA’S CALL on new progressive-death album ‘VOID’.
Luna’s Call are down as early Opeth meets Dream Theatre, a combination that could go in all sorts of directions, so it is with some curiosity that… Read more “Neil Purdy of LUNA’S CALL on new progressive-death album ‘VOID’.”
Jon of SEVEN CROWNS on UK 80s Punk, US 80s Hardcore, touring the world, Mexican cartels, collaborating with Stig, and living in a town with the wrong sort of hippies.
UK punk band Seven Crowns sound like a cross between Poison Idea, Cosmic Psychos and GBH, which is a pretty good spread when you think about it,… Read more “Jon of SEVEN CROWNS on UK 80s Punk, US 80s Hardcore, touring the world, Mexican cartels, collaborating with Stig, and living in a town with the wrong sort of hippies.”
MARTA GABRIEL of CRYSTAL VIPER on new album THE CULT, songwriting tips, Poland’s Catholic Regime, and singing as high as King Diamond….
CRYSTAL VIPER released their eight album The Cult last week, and as the last one, 2019’s Tales of Fire and Ice was a bold move into symphonic… Read more “MARTA GABRIEL of CRYSTAL VIPER on new album THE CULT, songwriting tips, Poland’s Catholic Regime, and singing as high as King Diamond….”
VOID ( The Unsearchable ) on their new dystopian album THE HOLLOW MAN, sampling Marlon Brando, the broken social contract between man and God, and how six heads are better than one…
VOID features guitarist Matt Jarman, who played with Dødheimsgard at their London show in December 2020, that OMM reviewed here. Now, if you’re going to be a… Read more “VOID ( The Unsearchable ) on their new dystopian album THE HOLLOW MAN, sampling Marlon Brando, the broken social contract between man and God, and how six heads are better than one…”
ALKERDEEL on new release SLONK, Trappist ales, classic Volvos, taking care of your vinyl, and the dark Belgian psyche…
Alkerdeel have just released ‘Slonk’; dark, earthy black metal with mid-paced doomy passages and faster sections that just don’t want to stop – it might remind you… Read more “ALKERDEEL on new release SLONK, Trappist ales, classic Volvos, taking care of your vinyl, and the dark Belgian psyche…”
HuNGRY WöLF of Russia talk new black-thrash-crust release ‘Forgotten Frozen Lands’ and a longing for Scandinavia…
Wartooth got on the phone to me about this band a couple of days ago, urging me to check them out, and after listening to their new… Read more “HuNGRY WöLF of Russia talk new black-thrash-crust release ‘Forgotten Frozen Lands’ and a longing for Scandinavia…”
Jim Brooks of UK’82 punk band THE EJECTED on the old days, the Young Tribes of England, his new book ‘WHEN I’M DEAD AND GONE’, and what his parents really think of his band….
‘Big Jim’ Brooks formed the Ejected in 1980, and the band released three great EPs, and two albums, the first of which, A Touch Of Class, I… Read more “Jim Brooks of UK’82 punk band THE EJECTED on the old days, the Young Tribes of England, his new book ‘WHEN I’M DEAD AND GONE’, and what his parents really think of his band….”
Tucker Thomasson of THRONE OF IRON on new album ‘Adventure One’, beating depression by lifting weights, rolling die and Bringing Heavy Metal to the (D’n’D) World.
Grimslath heads to Phandelver, Indiana with his D20s and prestidigitation cantrips to try and make some sense of the curiously popular D’n’D metal genre with the admirably… Read more “Tucker Thomasson of THRONE OF IRON on new album ‘Adventure One’, beating depression by lifting weights, rolling die and Bringing Heavy Metal to the (D’n’D) World.”
RICK FISHER of MANILLA ROAD on recording those early albums, huge tom-toms, life outside music, RIDDLEMASTER and the Mark Shelton Tribute show, Bluegrass, Outlaw-Country, and why the hippies were right after all….
Rick Fisher is the Manilla Road drummer on the first three albums – Invasion, Metal and Crystal Logic ( as well as the later-released Dreams of Eschaton… Read more “RICK FISHER of MANILLA ROAD on recording those early albums, huge tom-toms, life outside music, RIDDLEMASTER and the Mark Shelton Tribute show, Bluegrass, Outlaw-Country, and why the hippies were right after all….”
Jürgen Bartsch of BETHLEHEM on the re-release of 1998’s classic S.U.i.Z.i.D, new songwriting secrets, healthy living…and his favourite CHARGED G.B.H song.
Are you feeling depressed during lockdown 2021? Missing human interaction at all? Wait….no? Maybe you are even starting to enjoy it? And perhaps even hoping it lasts… Read more “Jürgen Bartsch of BETHLEHEM on the re-release of 1998’s classic S.U.i.Z.i.D, new songwriting secrets, healthy living…and his favourite CHARGED G.B.H song.”
Jason Roach of ICE HOWL on new album Cadence of the Cursed, home recording setups, and which side he’s on in SKYRIM.
Grimslath fast-travels to Indiana for a socially distanced and sober chat with Jason of open-world-game NWOTHM metal act ICE HOWL. So, ready your weapons and enchantments, Nords….it’s… Read more “Jason Roach of ICE HOWL on new album Cadence of the Cursed, home recording setups, and which side he’s on in SKYRIM.”
GEORGE FLETCHER and STIG MILLER talk post-AMEBIX band ZYGOTE
Continuing our exploration of the 1980s English West Country punk scene we are honoured to have both Stig Miller and George Fletcher here for a chat about… Read more “GEORGE FLETCHER and STIG MILLER talk post-AMEBIX band ZYGOTE”
BRIDGET WISHART ( HAWKWIND ) talks iconic 80s festival punk band THE HIPPY SLAGS!
Bridget Wishart sang for the Hippy Slags from 1987-1990, before joining Hawkwind. ‘Who…’, you say? Yes the Hippy Slags, a group of youths from Bath in Somerset… Read more “BRIDGET WISHART ( HAWKWIND ) talks iconic 80s festival punk band THE HIPPY SLAGS!”
Steve Waddell of ‘OATH Sc’ talks new release ‘Computer Warrior’, DIY recording, and how the future of noisy guitar music is still looking good.
Featuring members of TANTRUM and HAUNT, OATH Sc might have just have just knocked out its best release yet. OMM guest writer GRIMSLATH treks to the highlands… Read more “Steve Waddell of ‘OATH Sc’ talks new release ‘Computer Warrior’, DIY recording, and how the future of noisy guitar music is still looking good.”
Mina Walkure of KRAMP talks new album Gods of Death, reviving the truth of 80s heavy metal, Genghis Khan, and how some countries should just stop with all the kissing…
With an EP out in 2016, and an LP out just days ago, Spanish Traditional Heavy Metal band KRAMP have a clear artistic vision, and strong, catchy… Read more “Mina Walkure of KRAMP talks new album Gods of Death, reviving the truth of 80s heavy metal, Genghis Khan, and how some countries should just stop with all the kissing…”
YURY ARKADIN of CONVIVIAL HERMIT fanzine lets loose on obscure black metal, ambient, folk, nationalism, blasphemy, and what that bastard George Bush did to USPS.
Anyone who has dabbled in the more cerebral end of metal that borders the many other extreme genres will know of Yury and his long-running and widely-read… Read more “YURY ARKADIN of CONVIVIAL HERMIT fanzine lets loose on obscure black metal, ambient, folk, nationalism, blasphemy, and what that bastard George Bush did to USPS.”
LITURGY – Origin of the Alimonies
Sounding like a compositional cross between Philip Glass’ Koyaanisqatsi and Benjamin Britten’s Turn of the Screw, with Berio-like flute etudes, bits of Dodheimsgard, Oranssi Pazuzu, and black… Read more “LITURGY – Origin of the Alimonies”
Mark Sutcliffe of TRESPASS talks NWOBHM, Isolation in Sudbury, Tommy Vance, Maida Vale….and Esperanto.
TRESPASS are a NWOBHM band from way back in 1979 who knocked out the great single ‘One of These Days‘ the following year, before going on to… Read more “Mark Sutcliffe of TRESPASS talks NWOBHM, Isolation in Sudbury, Tommy Vance, Maida Vale….and Esperanto.”
Old Man's Mettle 