In 2012, London-based metal band Monument released their debut EP ‘Rock The Night!’. While it was highly prised in some quarters for its old school approach, most of their material relied far too heavily on riffs and other musical motifs borrowed from the formative years of Iron Maiden. This didn’t disguise the amount of musical talent within the band, but it was just a shame they didn’t use those talents a little more productively. Featuring ex-Monument guitarist David del Cid, this self-released debut full-length from Neuronspoiler makes up for that. Their promotional photos may show a band who aren’t taking their image too seriously, but the seriousness and intensity with which they approach their music is a different matter entirely. ‘Emergence’ is, perhaps, the release ‘Rock The Night!’ should have been.
Street Dogs: Upcoming European live dates
US punks Street Dogs are heading across the Atlantic this summer for a short run of European dates. In addition to a few festivals, the trip includes a date at the intimate London venue the Underworld in Camden.
All confirmed dates can be viewed below.
ERIC CLAPTON – Old Sock
Following Eric Clapton’s 1992 appearance on ‘MTV Unplugged’, in terms of inspiration, his recorded output floundered for two decades. While three albums of blues covers (one made up of standards, two of Robert Johnson numbers) are full of enjoyable moments, the rest of his post- ‘Unplugged’ work hardly ever hints at any former glories. At best (as with parts of 2001’s ‘Reptile’), these albums represent a once-fiery musician drifting into late middle age with wishy-washy results, while at worst (1998’s ‘Pilgrim’ and 2010’s ‘Clapton’), the albums are full of easy listening material which the younger Clapton possibly wouldn’t have given the time of day. On his pompously packaged eponymous release of 2010, the clean and sober Eric Clapton had a fixation with 30s and 40s jazz standards and – in comparison to his much younger self – had largely become a musical irrelevance. A somewhat legendary irrelevance, perhaps, but fact is, ‘Clapton’ (the album) presented very little that would interest anyone but the most died in the wool fan…and even some of those found the record to be often forgettable.
TANYA DONELLY – Lovesongs For Underdogs
Best known as frontwoman for Belly and sometime member of Throwing Muses, this first solo outing by Tanya Donelly is everything you’d expect. Issued on 4AD records in 1997, ‘Lovesongs For Underdogs’ does not always sound like great departure from previous work with Belly; but while not greatly different, it manages to pull together the soft sounds of that band’s ‘Star’ and rockier parts of ‘King’ on one release. In that respect, it could be viewed as Donelly’s most “complete” record.
Escape The Fate unveil new video clip (NSFW)
US hard rockers Escape The Fate have unveiled a new video clip for their track ‘Ungrateful’, which can now be viewed below. (Not safe for work)