Reviews by Simon Milburn

Limp Bizkit

Gold Cobra

By Simon Milburn | 30 August, 2011

A little more mature overall but still Bizkit to the core

I’m sure when Limp Bizkit disappeared from the face of the music world a few years ago, there were just as many boos as there was cheers. Then again, it’s quite poss...

Illdisposed

There is Light

By Simon Milburn | 30 August, 2011

Another Illdisposed album… but it’s not for me.

When Danish death metal act Illdisposed unleashed 1-800 Vindication back in 2004, it grabbed my attention. It just a tad different to your typical death metal but by the time...

Poison

Double Dose of Poison: Ultimate Hits

By Simon Milburn | 29 August, 2011

Overdose? No, this one’s a little on the weak side.

Ok, so who remembers the golden era of glam metal? Poodle hair, more make up than your sister on prom night, and tighter pants to boot? Yeah, you know what I’m sayin&rsquo...

S.O.S.

I Owe You Nothing

By Simon Milburn | 29 August, 2011

Big names make an even bigger noise

Supergroups. Love ‘em or hate ‘em? It depends I guess. We’ve seen pop supergroups, rock supergroups, metal supergroups and the like. Well now, we’ve got a hardcore supergroup ...

Asking Alexandria

Stand Up and Scream

By Simon Milburn | 28 August, 2011

Definitely standing out in a very big crowd

Bands like Bring Me the Horizon, The Devil Wears Prada and The Faceless all fit in the same style for mine – metalcore. And whilst the cream rises to the surface and the dead weights si...

Various

New Noise Attack

By Simon Milburn | 28 August, 2011

What better way to find out what’s new and hot?

Sampler releases are fun and serve a good purpose, even for reviewers that have access to just about everything anyways. Long standing extreme metal label Earache Records are no str...

Iwrestledabearonce

Ruining it for Everybody

By Simon Milburn | 18 August, 2011

What better way to find out what’s new and hot?

Perhaps the emergence of a band like Iwrestledabearonce is the biggest indicator of the generation gap for me right now. I grew up with the late 80s thrash movement. I grew up with ...

Unearth

Darkness in the Light

By Simon Milburn | 18 August, 2011

This light still shines even if it doesn’t flicker

With Unearth, they have gone from strength to strength since hitting us all hard with their excellent sophomore effort in 2004’s The Oncoming Storm. This quintet from Easte...

We Are the Damned

Holy Beast

By Simon Milburn | 17 August, 2011

… more like savage beast!

So, Portugal’s We Are the Damned are supposedly death’n’roll if you believe what you read. Hmmmm. I’m definitely not convinced. For me, death’n’roll is latter day Ent...

Falloch

Where Distant Spirits Remain

By Simon Milburn | 09 August, 2011

Scottish duo deliver a melancholic metal masterpiece

I remember, and I know I’m showing my age here, when metal was just loud and obnoxious. But over the years, I’ve seen many different genres spawn and evolve, just as I&rs...

Decapitated

Carnival is Forever

By Simon Milburn | 09 August, 2011

Have faith and do not judge this book by its cover!

You could look at the latest tech death metal offering from Poland’s Decapitated in one of two ways. Is it a comeback album or not? I truly think the answer to that is both yes ...

Caliban

Coverfield

By Simon Milburn | 06 August, 2011

Win some, lose some in this mixed bunch

Caliban are a band that I must admit I never saw a lot in. As much as I hate to hear someone say that metal ‘all sounds the same’, I got to admit that is exactly how I feel when it co...

Deadlock

Bizarro World

By Simon Milburn | 25 July, 2011

What a perfect title for this one…

We’ve seen bands push the envelope in many directions within the metal genre over the years. Some work, some fail, some rate as gimmicks. I don’t know if anyone could have expected ...

Arch Enemy

Khaos Legions

By Simon Milburn | 25 July, 2011

Very little chaos and too much blandness

It’s just about that time for another Arch Enemy album and low and behold, just as you think it, sure enough one appears. Now, I find that these guys will forever polarise fans as either J...

Autopsy

Macabre Eternal

By Simon Milburn | 13 July, 2011

Now THIS is a true return

Y’know, whilst I understand the need for musicians to evolve, I also take comfort in those who chose their path and walk it. On one side we have the likes of The Haunted, Metallica, Anthrax et al, and th...

Lemmy

Lemmy (DVD)

By Simon Milburn | 24 June, 2011

God gets the royal doco treatment

Over the years, there have been many, many films about God but never one quite like this. Of course, Lemmy – the iconic legend of heavy metal – is God but has never been captured o...

Foo Fighters

Wasting Light

By Simon Milburn | 11 June, 2011

Welcome back, Dave!

You know, it only seems like yesterday that I heard of Dave Grohl’s new band post Nirvana called the Foo Fighters. I also remember the hype behind the first single being aired and being blown away by the power...

Linkin Park

A Thousand Suns+Live in Madrid (CD/DVD Re-issue)

By Simon Milburn | 11 June, 2011

Yeah, but… does it deserve a reissue?

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already seen my review of Linkin Park’s most recent long player – 2010’s A Thousand Suns. Whilst it is a review, it&rsqu...

Morbid Angel

Illud Divinum Insanus

By Simon Milburn | 07 June, 2011

Overhyped, overdue and mostly underwhelming

I’ve been a Morbid Angel fan since Altars of Madness came out in 1989. I’m not trying to brag or show some kind of elitism or what no;. I’m just giving you some perspective....

Trap Them

Darker Handcraft

By Simon Milburn | 22 May, 2011

This one will tear you apart!

As a sometimes guitarist with 20+ years under my belt and a metal fan for even longer, it wouldn’t be unusual to state that I’m always intrigued by guitar tones. Straight away, Metallica’...