In 2022, electronic musician John Andrew Paris – aka Paris Music Corp. – released his self-titled album. Marking a return to recording after a five year hiatus, the fourteen track record was pleasingly varied, taking in beat-heavy, almost danceable works (‘Whiteout’) to artier sounding tracks adorned with great bass sounds (the Mick Karn influenced ‘Light Speed’ and the vaguely shoegaze like ‘Witch Harvest’), to pure ambient fare (‘New Blue Norther’, ‘The Original Orb’). It may have drawn from a lot of different sources, but it was to the musician’s credit that it never lacked direction. By then presenting his audience with a twelve minute epic in 2023 (the soundtrack for ‘Spectral Wind’), it was clear that Paris had so many more ideas up his sleeve and so much more to give.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
VARIOUS ARTISTS – It’s A Wicked Cool Christmas!
Love it or hate it, Christmas music is big business – especially in the US, where it seems that almost every great artist has recorded something festive for posterity. Apparently, if you’re a country artist, recording a Christmas album is the law. The amount of time and money invested in festive tunes is huge, and that becomes rather bewildering when you consider that the music basically has a shelf life of four or five weeks a year.
Watch: Asylum Road share new video for ‘Mirror Of Oblivion’
Blending elements of groove metal and melodic hardcore, with influences from Machine Head and Sevendust, Irish band Asylum Road delivered some absolutely massive riffs on their brilliant EP ‘The Fear’ in 2024. A couple of the vocals might have split opinion with their genuinely abrasive approach, but from a musical standpoint – and looking at the material in terms of tightly played, classic metal, without sounding at all dated – the material was first rate.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #135 (FESTIVE EDITION)
For this visit to the Singles Bar, everything has taken on a distinctly festive theme. We bring you eight Xmas recordings from different artists and genres – ranging from the well known to the genuinely cult – which hopefully will enrich your holiday time playlists for years to come. A much loved rock band offer a new cover tune; there’s a brilliantly ugly electronica themed Elvis tribute, and ‘Santa Baby’ as you’ve probably never heard it before. There’s also a touch of Americana, some great pop, and a nod to the mighty Slade along the way. We hope there’s something here for everyone who loves Christmas music… Pour yourself another eggnog and dive in!
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WEFT – The Splintered Oar
The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Charlie Anderson, Weft’s album ‘The Splintered Oar’ isn’t a record that’s easily categorised. Across five fairly lengthy, mostly instrumental numbers, the Panopticon violinist takes in elements of folk metal, melodic black metal, dark folk, prog metal and even an element of alternative country to create a musical journey that’s full of twists. It is a record that won’t be loved by a mass audience, but it’s ultimately one that feels very rewarding in terms of depth and variety.