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RIP The Prince Of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne 1948-2025

I was in two minds whether or not I should even write anything. I mean, it’s not like I knew the man personally. However, the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I needed to say something. Ozzy Osbourne was such a cultural touchstone of my life. He was ever present, be it in music, TV or Film; the man felt like he was everywhere. I guess I just wanted my chance to say goodbye to a man that shaped my life, even indirectly. I was a kid, maybe 10 or 11, when I first came across a band called Black Sabbath on my Dad’s computer; along with names like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Dio. I heard the crazy man with a worbled voice singing over dark-infected blues music, and I knew that I wanted nothing more than to listen to this type of music forever. It led me into the weird world of heavy metal. Not just a genre, but a culture, one that accepted me, a culture where I found my friends and a world I felt at home. It wasn’t just in the world of music when I heard Ozzy. The Osbournes w...
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Gig Report: Rock The Castle 2025 @ Cardiff Castle 19/07/25

This was such a special day for me. When I first saw the lineup on the poster, my teenage nostalgic brain went into overdrive. An entire day of Welsh rock and metal music in the confines of a medieval castle in one of the biggest cities in the UK. Sign me the feck up! I was immediately drawn in by the name of The Blackout and Funeral For A Friend . Two bands that I’ve spent a little too many hours with in my life. Between the years of 2010 and 2016, I must have seen both of them over 10 times live in concert. Both have always been super consistent over the years. I think it would be difficult for them to put on a bad show. Then, if we look down the rest of the poster, we have names that have certainly stuck their claim in the cultural zeitgeist. I think what makes this even more special is the sheer fact that all of the bands on the poster come from Wales. The Welsh rock and metal scene has always been one to stand in awe at. I think, over the years, Wales has produced some of the mos...

Interview with Konstantinos Stavrou of Still Dusk

Still Dusk have been gaining a lot of traction lately as they burn up the Greek underground rock scene. After COVID, the band have been pushing forward with full steam. Following their debut EP, Graden , they've been hard at work on the full debut album. With the release of the single "Insidious" and their album, Chronicles of Dystopia , set to release in June, I had the opportunity to ask their bassist and vocalist, Konstantinos Stavrou , some questions to gain insight into the workings of one of Greece's fastest-rising stars. What are some of the lessons you took from working your EP, Garden, that you’re taking into the album Chronicles of Dystopia? -Well, this time we were well prepared. We spent some time in preproduction, so we could see if any ideas didn't sound well and fix everything before hitting the studio. There were also no distractions this time. Besides David Prudent, the owner of Made in Hell studio, there was only the person recording in the roo...

Interview with Efi and Alex of Euphrosyne

In March, I reviewed the debut album, Morus, from the Greek black metal band Euphrosyne. I found it to be a deeply emotional experience. I’ve been working my way through the Greek underground metal world, and I think Euphrosyne could be well on their way to becoming a mainstay fixture of the black metal world. Over the weekend, I got the opportunity to sit down and chat with Vocalist, Efi Eva and guitarist, Alex Despotidis, about the new album and the Greek metal world. This was a fun conversation as the pair talked about the connection with their fans, their influences and the hardships of being a band in 2025. Mick: So, yeah, the album, Morus, came out at the end of March. How have you felt like the fan reaction to the new album has been? Efi: Well, I think it's been great. Actually, it was more positive than we thought that it could be and we're very happy about that. Maybe the whole concept of the album isn't so cheerful, but I think the fans accepted that. Mick: Yeah,...