Rambling Man's Reviews

Photo Credit: Anabel D'Flur Edited by Anselm Anderson World-renowned Horror Rocker  WEDNESDAY 1 3 returns with the second single "In Misery", taken from his new full-length album , Mid Death Crisis , released on April 25, 2025, via N apalm Records.  Currently touring across North America on his "There's No Such Thing As Monsters" tour, celebrating 20 years of Transylvania 90210, the follow-up to acclaimed,latest single "When The Devil Commands”, "In Misery" blends goth-punk and sleaze metal with heavy genre influences.   WEDNESDAY 13 comments about "In Misery": "There are too many love songs out there about people confessing their love to one another. I wanted to do the exact opposite, and confess the misery of being in a bad relationship. Hopelessly, madly in misery with someone. I see it every day, people miserable together. I see it almost as much as I see people happily together. Some people enjoy misery, and this song is a...

  Words by Anselm Anderson  Decrepit Youths  is the latest band to gain popularity in the UK. This Newcastle-based quartet of rap metal musicians released their three-track debut EP, "Love Psycho Kill Machine", last week as an independent project. Formed in 2023, they quickly gained widespread airplay on BBC Radio One as part of the channel's Introducing series. The band features a dynamic vocal partnership between David Stoker and Connor Pattison, accompanied by bassist Tim Gambles and drummer Thomas Lee. They now offer a preview of their high-octane, aggressive sound. The group isn’t shy about tackling themes such as drug and alcohol use, as highlighted in the opening track "Love Psycho Kill Machine." This song is a burst of rapid rap verses layered over gritty guitars and distorted monologues, evoking the chaos of a very messy night out. Photo courtesy of San PR The chaotic and dysfunctional sound continues with "Black Dove," which features a combi...

    Bournefest 2025  have announced the full Lineup for their upcoming Festival on Saturday, October 18th in Sittingbourne, Kent.  Bournefest has welcomed some of the best in Blues, Rock & Roots for the past six years since 2019.  Rockin' Roots Events presents the festival with a declaration "for another sensational lineup of National and International Acts", according to the supplementary press release  Promoter of Rockin Roots Events,  Mark Matthews c omments on the event : “I am massively looking forward to hosting Bournefest 2025. Bournefest stands each year as a prominent fixture on our calendar for The Bourne Music Club . Each year delivering a lineup of exceptional national and international talent. This October marks 10 years since I started promoting live music, and we are celebrating the occasion with an absolutely awesome schedule of events. Bournefest 2025 will feature a compelling lineup of quality talent. Some of the acts announced i...

  Words by Anselm Anderson If Cradle of Filth were to write love songs, "The Screaming of Valkyries" may be the closest they will get. The Dark overlords of the Death Metal underworld return with their fourteenth studio effort, released via Napalm Records today. The quintet collaborates again on their follow-up to 2021's "Existence is Futile" by revisiting old ghosts from the past and blending them with a modern sound. This nine-track mini-album is a chance to see the direction Cradle of Filth aims for in the future. The combination of traditional heavy metal styles with blackened thrash, symphonic elements, and gothic influences demonstrates that the band still has plenty of creativity left in the engine. Dani Filth brings his iconic screams and growls over atmospheric tracks like a demonic storyteller sitting down to regale old tales of witches, ghosts and demons. The intense dual guitar work from guitarists Ashok and Donny Burbage heightens the aggression of ...

 The legendary guitaris t Joe Satriani and Colorado-based artis t David Bonvillain have joined up on a collaborative project to create their third charity guitar. The duo continued the trend they began in 2023 when they donated to Children’s Hospital San Francisco and their second to Guitars4Vets last year.  This year this charity piece is their most impressive to date. The guitar is a new Ibanez JS2480 that was refinished by Joe and David over several weeks.  The guitar took over 40 hours to finish - this guitar features a striking glow-in-the-dark base, layered with a stunning white galaxy design in fluorescent acrylics. Hand-painted by Joe, both the front and back showcase his artistic touch, all sealed under a durable urethane clear coat. The original sustainer was replaced with a black driver/neck pickup, and the guitar has been set up with Stringjoy 9 s for optimal playability. All original Ibanez paperwork and a certificate of authenticity are included ...

  Photo Credit courtesy of Sound of Silence.  Words by Anselm Anderson French Quintet Pledge The Silence emerges on the metal scene with the tenacious EP"Guilty as Charged", released via Sound of Silence. Formed in 2005, The Parisians blend thrash metal with raw hardcore elements and aggressive metal. The "Guilty as Charged" production values highlight these styles through emotion and intensity. Each riff culminates in a volatile climax, featuring harsh vocals and poetic monologues interspersed throughout the 23-minute duration. The songs combine deeply emotional subjects like social anxieties and depression with politically motivated ones, enhancing the aggressive nature of the release. The monologues bring stability to an otherwise hectic mini-album. "Guilty as Charged" opens with an intro that transitions into the intense track "Burn the Flag," featuring powerful lyrics and sharp riffs that hit the listener like a sledgehammer to the stomach...