Rambling Man's Reviews

Swedish Punk band Diamonds and Guns  released their latest single "Cheers To Us", an ode to friendship, which came out last month. The band formed in September 2018 and spent a year performing a handful of gigs due to a home demo, which started with the booking company UNDERGROUND. The band consist of Lead Vocalist Victor Ekvall, Lead guitarist Pontus Åberg, bassist Kim Johansson and the newest recruit drummer Thomas Norstedt. The band's brand of punk/punk rock 'n' roll brings a newfound attitude and charm to the genre. The band's name is a tribute to those West Coast influences. " Cheers To Us"  is charming and upbeat in the style of The Pogues . As soon as the first chords are struck, The listener is invited to bask in the memories and singalong. The strong melodies supplement a rhythm section that feels like a lockup in a smoky bar somewhere. Words By Anselm Anderson "Cheer To Us"  is available to stream via all major platforms. Diamond...

  South African/German singer/songwriter, Storm returns with "Say It To My Face", the hard-hitting follow up to "Part of the Plan", due for release on June 25th. the track features Ex-Delain guitarist Timo Somers. Storm is a dual nationality singer, born in South Africa, who has been making waves with her songs that focus on topics such as self-harm and animal abuse. Storm moved to the US to start recording and writing to help launch her career. "Say It To My Face" looks at standing up to bullies and manipulators that talk behind your back. The track inhibits symphonic and alternative roots through its' harmonic guitar intro and breakdowns, as Storm delivers another powerful performance over a gritty guitar riff and thunderous drums. The singer continues to shine with maturity as her voice grows through each song. Storm has the commercial appeal in her presence to be able to get these topics heard. Words by Anselm Anderson Say It to My Face” will be ...

  Edinburgh-based Psychedelic/Indie rockers Ghost Dance Collective have released their eagerly-anticipated second studio effort Dream Yourself Into the Real World, the follow up to the self-titled debut sees the band continue to blend 60's psychedelia, indie and pop music to create a retro feel. The Scotsmen achieved the honour of #2 on the top 5 Neo-Psych bands list, voted by judges in the Scottish New Music Chart , due to the success of that aforementioned debut album. Ghost Dance Collective also have the unenviable task of recording all their material in analogue, as a homage to their Summer of Love idols. The magical journey through this real world begins with the mesmerising "Tears In Her Eyes", Vocalist Liam Payne's tender vocals are accompanied by delicate keyboards and electric acoustic guitars. Next up is the slow tempo "Mean That Much To Me", an indie folk song with pop overtones. The jangle- sound is reminiscent of 60's guitar acts. The band...

  Canadian Southern Rock outfit Floral Park have just released their sophomore effort Meet In The Middle  this past Friday. The six-track EP is a follow up to last year's Look At The Moon. The band wrote, produced and recorded this out of 75 readily available songs recorded during last year's lockdown. They formed in 2019 in Newmarket, Ontario and soon caught the eyes of Maple Sports and Entertainment, following the release of their debut. They spent the pandemic creating music for up to four releases this year. Meet In The Middle is the first of these with its blend of blues, hard rock and roots to create a return to the good ol' day of rock 'n' roll. The opener "Bless My Soul" is a feel-good roots-rock song with boogie riffs and uplifting vocals that sets the mood for the remainder. "Sticky Sweet" follows with stripped back vocals and acoustics, which leaves this EP feeling appropriate for the summer weather. "Do It Again (40 days and 40 n...

Massachusets-based singer/songwriter and violinist Hannah Schzde has released the inspiring "Shine" The Mexican-born singer is renowned for writing songs about life and social issues through the celebration of dance and Latin Music. Schzde has performed in ensembles and on her own at some of Boston's prestigious venues such as The Middle East, Sally O’Briens, Once, The Canopy Room, Makeshift Boston, Oberon and The Sinclair. "  In 2018, Hannah released “Ni Una Más” as the lead single off her self-titled solo project in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the battle against gender-based violence and discrimination. October of 2020 saw the arrival of “Will Let You", a story about a Mexican woman living in New York. "Shine" is her latest single that sees Hannah's delicate and smooth vocals sing over carefully plucked Ukulele and violin to leave a skip in your step. The dreamy atmospherics tell a story about nature to help us forget about all th...

Taiwanese Extreme Metallers' Cthonic release a special live album Cthonic: Megaport 2021 via Spinefarm Records today (May 19th). The band made history with its first post-covid 19 performance in a country that proved successful in its battle against the turgid disease. The Megaport festival was held over two days in March that took place in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Cthonic formed in 2006 by singer Freddy Lim before he departed to take a seat in the Taiwanese Parliament. The band were joined on this tour by Audrey Tang , the group's biggest fan, who happens to be the Digital Minister in the Taiwan government. Cthonic combine modern symphonic black metal with traditional Taiwanese folk music. They are renowned for writing lyrics about folklore, mythology and enka, using instruments like Hena, Zhing and Pgaku flute. The show begins to thunderous applause as the ominous sounds of drums and string arrangements greet them. The orchestral version of "Tekao" settles any nerves ...

Swedish glam rockers' Velvet Insane has released a new single "Backstreet Liberace", taken from the upcoming album Rock 'N' Roll Glitter Suit. This new track sees the Scandinavian Three-piece teaming up with Dregen and Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters, Lucifer etc) "Backstreet Liberace" is a fun throwback to the '70s with sweet pop harmonies, accompanied by boogie riffs and scintillating piano keys. The feelgood vibes will lead fans humming the chorus in unison with the affable frontmen The band comments: "We feel very proud about this song and that it breathes and swaggers like it was made in London in 1973, but with the modern sound of today. Smooth pop harmonies pumped up by heavy drums and barbed wire guitars, and with a chorus that hits you right where it hurts. On top of it all, we got Dregen and Nicke Andersson from The Hellacopters to jump in the back seat, giving us a helping hand in our purpose to keep rock ‘n’ roll alive. It can...

Classic Rock guitarist/singer-songwriter Mark. C.Daniel hails from Connecticut. He has been touring for twelve years, supporting established acts such as Alter Bridge, Pearl Jam, Buckcherry and John Mayer. Daniel released his debut EP "New Truth" in 2018. I had the opportunity to speak with this rising star about music, touring, and his band.  Could you introduce yourself to the readers? Hello, my name is Mark C. Daniel and I am a Rock Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter. Thank you for reading this interview. How would you describe your sound? Equal parts Classic Rock/Guitar Rock and 90’s Alternative w. a Blues Swagger. How did you get into the music industry ?  Playing, Writing and Networking. I genuinely like people and look for every opportunity to talk with them Who were your influences getting into music?   A s a kid, initially Classic Metal.. that love developed into Classic Rock, the ’90s, Blues and Jazz. I love music and try to pull it in from all directions.  I unde...

  Italian Sleaze/hard rockers' Speedstroke released this third studio effort,  Scene of the Crime  in November last year via Burning Minds/Street Symphonies Group record label. The album was mixed by Marco Paradisi and lead guitarist D.B at Boat Studio in Bologna, Italy and mastered by Grammy award-winning Giovanni Versari (Muse) at La Maesta mastering. The band first formed in 2010, leaping onto the world stage with their involvement on the Reborn in Sleaze  tribute album to the late Crashdiet guitarist Dave Leopard. Since then, Speedstroke has released two albums in the form of their 2013 Self-titled effort, followed by the 2016 sophomore release Fury.  The band have enjoyed tremendous success touring throughout Italy and beyond with support slots to established acts like Hardcore Superstar, Steel Panther, Phil Campbell and Kissin' Dynamite . Scene Of The Crime tells the story of the band and their influences. It is 11 tracks of raucous rock, mayhem and de...

Uprising young Country artist Bailey James has released her latest track  Over You.  The fifth   release of the year looks at the difficulties of a breakup. The track was written by Bailey herself, alongside Nolan Neal, Jeremy Bussey and Smith Curry. Bailey James is a promising 17-year-old with over 245,000 fans across her social media platforms. She is also a member of the all-female supergroup The Highway Women.   Over You is a rousing country hit with a strong message from the singer. James is a tenacious vocalist with no regrets, as she powers over meaty riffs and jazz-piano keys. The tempo builds, as James exclaims "I don't need another lover, to get under, to get over you! Overall, Bailey James showcases her talents during her adolescent years with powerful vocals and intricate songwriting for hitmaking Over You is available now via all major streaming platforms Spotify, Apple, Deezer etc SOCIAL MEDIA https://www.baileyjamesgang.com/ http://www.faceboo...

Artwork: Ryan.T.Hancock Danish heavyweights Terminalist is gearing up for the release of their debut effort The Great Acceleration this Friday (May 7th) via Indisciplinarian. The self-coined "Hyperthrashers" consist of vocalist/guitarist  Emil Hansen, bassis t Kalle Tihonen, drummer Frederik Amris , and fellow guitarist Morten.R.Brunn. The Great Acceleration is a five-track EP based on the thesis of French philosopher Paul Virilio (1932-2018), whose dromology theory on speed was the invention of the ship was the invention of the shipwreck, The band's brand of the 1980s thrash metal and progressive tendencies hope to convey this concept. The album was recorded and produced by Lasse Ballade ( Konvent, Alkymist e tc) at Ballade Studio s in Copenhagen last summer. mastered by V, Santura ( Triptykon ) at Woodshed Studios i n Germany. The opener " Relentless Alteration" is a turbocharged assault of neck-breaking riffage, dramatic breakdowns, and progressive instrumen...

  English country-pop singer/songwriter Twinnie- Lee Moore, professionally known as Twinnie, has released an exclusive reimagined version of her critically-acclaimed debut album Hollywood Gypsy . The singer, best known as portraying the character Porsche Mcqueen in the British soap opera,  Hollyoaks,  has brought to life five tracks in her image to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the debut. The effort has been produced for Bandcamp as a new experience for fans to enjoy. The album was named  BBC Radio 2 "Album of The Week", following its chart peak at #1 in the UK iTunes Country Chart and a nine-week consecutive run in the UK Country Top 20 charts. The piano-laden "Better When I'm Drunk" is a harrowing and personal reflection on the singer, delivered in a longing and sorrowful pain that appeals to the listener. A fine string arrangement amplifies this mood. "I Love You Now Change" is an uptempo love song with a drum machine, The song's cool ...

  Stockholm-based mathcore act Ad Meliora released their five-track debut EP The Void, The Time, The Path  last month. The band, derived from a Latin phrase meaning "Towards Better Things", consists of vocalist Paolo Alabau, Sergio Ortiz (guitars, vocals) bassist Abby Suarez, and drummer Ioan Ebbasta. They formed in 2019 with members originating from Italy, Spain, and the Canary Islands. The band's combination of odd time signatures, angular melodies, and blazing guitars create a unique sound to enjoy. The opener "Escaping Forward" starts things off with a bang. The uptempo feel is amplified by groove-orientated riffs and an erratic edge. The howling vocals feel like Alabau is singing with a statement of intent. The catchy "Hour Of Z" arrives with aggressive fuzzy guitars. impassioned vocals and hook-laden choruses that stoke up memories of early 2000s metal bands. The Spanish-speaking "Gigante Roja" is a heart-wrenching ballad steeped full o...