Back in February 2023, Ukranian punk band Death Pill released their debut album. It was – and remains – absolutely terrific. It’s short playing time and sharp sound meant there was little room for filler and no time for boredom to set in. In short, it was an instant classic, and in terms of modern hardcore, up there with the best work by Natterers.
Author Archives: Real Gone
CORNERS OF SANCTUARY – Taking Cover EP
Formed in 2011 with a desire to delve into the sounds of “classic heavy metal”, Philadelphia’s Corners of Sanctuary very much stick to tradition when it comes to their brand of rock. Like Aussie metallers LORD, CoS occupy a space where the big hair and the leather trouser reigns; a musical spectrum where solos are closer to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest than any more “modern” acts you’d care to name. For all of that, though, their sound is often impressive; a riff-heavy machine that’s not just a celebration of the past, but proof that classic metal lives on. By sticking to their guns in championing a very traditional approach, they’ve shared stages with Saxon, Blaze Bayley, and Anvil. And, somehow, they’ve also shared bills with Enuff Z’Nuff and – bizarrely – Green Jelly. Their strong held belief that metal will never die obviously works for them.
Watch the new animated video from Tulipomania
At the end of September 2023, experimental band Tulipomania released ‘You Had To Be There’, a single very much destined to split opinion. For those who missed it, it has the potential to be one of the year’s most interesting single releases.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #20
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. For this twentieth selection, we bring you some light electronica with a souful feel, some sprawling prog rock, a brilliant cover tune, and more besides. As always, we make no apologies for the broad range of styles featured, and we hope you find something to enjoy.
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ELECTRIC SIX – Turquoise
It’s unbelievable to think that ‘Turquoise’ is Electric Six’s nineteenth studio album [or twentieth, if you count the ‘Streets of Gold’ covers collection, which the band don’t seem to, since it wasn’t even mentioned at the gigs played in the month of release, and nothing played from it], but Dick Valentine and his revolving cast of disco-rock oddballs have been cranking out albums year after year. Not that the record buying public or the press have always noticed. What’s more, the bulk of ‘Turquoise’ is great. It isn’t the sound of a veteran band phoning in their musical spoils. It isn’t hacked out product from a band all too readily dismissed as a cheap novelty. Yes, it’s trashy, but always in the best possible way.