Author: Fraggle

Born in the 80s, grew up with the 90s and confused by the millennial generation, I am Peter, more commonly known as Fraggle (long story, don't ask, details are a little hazy!) With a degree in biochemistry, an ever growing guitar collection and a job handling medication, things are far different to how I expected them to have turned out, but the one thing which hasn't changed is how important music is in my life—it is one of my main passions, be it playing it, listening to it or attending it and experiencing it in the live setting (the way it is meant to be). Blessed with a 'proper punk/metal spirit' (quote from Kailas), you will often encounter me at gigs or festivals with a beer firmly clutched in one hand and shirt in the other... Or these days, a pen and notepad too, maybe a camera if needed.

The Mystery of Roll: The Great Momentum (Edenbridge)

Lots of momentum, sure. But will the wheels fall off Edenbridge?...

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Triple Threat. Actually, Double Threat. But Still Threatening! (Annihilator)

Blistering solos and overwhelming speed/thrash grooves, even on acoustic dreadnoughts...

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Among the Ruins (Altar of Betelgeuze)

Stoner and Death metal combine (and combine well) on the Altar of Betelgeuze...

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Babymetal Live at Wembley – The Unlikely but Apt Encapsulation of 2016

Turbulent, divisive and very hotly debated - Babymetal very aptly encapsulate 2016 in their Live at Wembley release...

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Make Yours a Melodic Death: Atoma (Dark Tranquility)

Screams, shouts and growls. Dark Tranquility get expressive on Atoma...

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Looking for Answers. Finding them. Solas (The Answer)

New approaches from The Answer result in a fresh and fascinating hard rock album...

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A Refined and Technical Stitch Up: Autopsy (Coroner)

Reanimating the corpse of a tech metal troupe who should have been HUGE...

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Killer Cocktail: Incoming Death (Asphyx)

Fusing doom and death, and even a touch of thrash, Asphyx get the balance spot-on...

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Sleep Not Before the Winter’s Gate (Insomnium)

Epic and ambitious melodic death metal from Finland's Insomnium...

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Astral Tweaks: Transcendence (Devin Townsend Project)

Never one to keep things simple, Devin Townsend returns to the Project with characteristically symphonic grandeur...

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Stone(r)s of the Desert Age (Truckfighters)

Five albums in, stoner-rock trio Truckfighters bring the desert to your living room...

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Act V: Hymns With The Devil In Confessional (The Dear Hunter)

Running at full tilt to catch up with The Dear Hunter's epic multi-part rock opera series...

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Live at Wacken 2015, 26 Years, Louder Than Hell

Stiff necks and bleeding ears at a small village in Schleswig-Holstein. ...

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Valley of the Windmill (Circa)

Clean and powerful, perhaps a touch long-winded? Circa's windmill pumps out the green wattage....

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Sludge in the Sparkplugs? (The Company Corvette)

Is Doom, Groove and Stoner metal too rich a mix for this Corvette's carburettor? Review...

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Getting Under the Bonnet of Dot (Karmakanic)

Tweaking your prog rock pistons, Karnakanic release Dot. Review...

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Renew Your Metalcore Memories (Dead Label)

Review of Dead Label's metalcore album Throne of Bones...

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Flights of Fancy, Theories of Flight (Fates Warning)

At times technical, at others self-indulgent, Theories of Flight is indeed progressive metal. Review...

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Beyond the Big Four. Unheralded but Solid Thrash (Flotsam & Jestsam)

Will it float, or should we jettison it? Flotsam & Jetsam dish up the thrash....

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A Most Dramatic of Comas: The Theater Equation (Ayreon)

Ayreon's staging of The Human Equation is anything but comatose...

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Technical Brutality for (nearly) a Gravenous Hour (Katalepsy)

Blasting their way to the top of the Death Metal scene, Russia's Katalepsy release album number two. Review...

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Nordic Death By Triple Guitar (In Mourning)

Swedish triple-guitar death metal troupe In Mourning get melodic on Afterglow....

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Avast Load of Salty Shanty (Dread Crew of Oddwood)

Dead men tell no tales, but the Dread Crew of Oddwood take no prisoners with Lawful Evil ...

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Tightly controlled musical chaos: Retrogore (Aborted)

Aborted prove that the sicker the theme, the more intense the impact...

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Experimental Doom, Post Hardcore, and What Sounds Like Dustbin Lids (Birushanah)

Japanese post-hardcore experimental brilliance this may be, but please stop banging those hubcaps. Birushanah reviewed...

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Bang. Zoom. Crazy… Hello (Cheap Trick)

Classic infectious rock from Cheap Trick - the band Japanese metallers know as The American Beatles...

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Rearrange the Deck Chairs and PLAY ON! Titanic Mass (Dynazty)

Dynazty's technically-profuse Melodic Scandinavian Metal album is as huge as you'd expect. It even has a power ballad....

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Stoner Riffing from Sunrise to Sundown (Spiritual Beggars)

Hammond organ, heavy riffs and stoner haze - Sunrise to Sundown is what death metallers do to relax...

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Tight in the Corners, Fast on the Straights: Cradle the Rage (Toseland)

Toseland's second album offers no major surprises, but is all the better for that. Review...

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Didgeri-Doom? Traversing the Psych-Prog Youniverse (Ethereal Riffian)

Trippy, doomy, and laden with riffs, Voice of the Universe veers from melodic to hypnotic with alarming ease. Album review...

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