Mick Birchall Reviews

Sometimes a great band just sneaks up on you and slaps you in the face! The Night Flight Orchestra, have 100% fully captivated me. Formed in 2007 by Björn Strid and David Andersson while they were touring in the USA with their band Soilwork, they have managed to create something fresh yet at the same time fantastically nostalgic. Something that feels classic from its first moments. Admittedly, diving in four albums in, yeah, I'm a little late to the party on this one but better late than never. Their fourth album, Sometimes The World Ain't Enough, is a glorious pick n' mix of hard rock, progressive rock and in some way....  old school funk. I was just so taken back by a refreshing change of pace. Their sound is a so tight and well constructed it just put a big old smile on my face. The album is a nice fresh take on old rock staples and feels bright and colourful. The verses are these weird, interwoven melodies, whereas the choruses are big, over the top 80's style h...

After really enjoying the new album from Master Sword . I take some time to chat with them about their music, gaming and mixing the two worlds. Also you can read my review of the album, Shadow And Steel here - ( REVIEW ). Could you tell me a little about your band? Matt: Master Sword was formed in 2013 to create inspired, original rock/metal themed around The Legend of Zelda video game series. We just hit the 5 year mark and are going stronger than ever with the release of our first full album 'Shadow and Steel'! What do you think drew you to playing and writing music in the first place? Matt: I think most serious musicians just hear a calling. I realised pretty young that it was the music in games like Ocarina of Time which really pulled me into these imaginary worlds. Combine that with a strong love for rock music and voila! Shawn: I always enjoyed creative outlets, but mostly, it was a way to rebel against my parents, who at the time, had very negat...

When I first heard of, Master Sword I was incredibility excited. I was randomly web surfing and I saw the words "The Legend of Zelda inspired metal band". I thought to myself, I like metal music and I adore The Legend of Zelda series so this was a match made in heaven for me, and I'm sure that's the case for a lot of us metal and gaming fans. So I picked up a copy of their new album, Shadow and Steel and I was really happy with what I heard. Not only was it filled to the brim with all sorts of power metal goodness. The lyrical content is actually quite excellent, making reference to the gaming series here and there but also I feel it's vague enough that you don't need to know of the Zelda franchise to enjoy it. Taking familiar themes and melodies from the games and turning them into really nice riffs and licks, it makes for very grandiose and interesting song-writing and I felt that it was well implemented into the songs. There are a lot of parts that I ...

If you were reading my reviews last year you will know that I adored the previous album from,  NateWantsToBattle , Sandcastle Kingdoms. It was a great effort and I even ended up putting it on my best of 2017 list. Ever since, Nate himself has been full force with his music career, playing shows and recording new music, announcing that he had a new album in the works. Fast-forward to now and his new album, Paid In Exposure is out and... I have mixed feelings about it. After listening to it a few times, I'm slowly getting more into it. Yet, after enjoying Sandcastle Kingdoms almost instantly, it's a little disappointing that the follow-up isn't as gratifying. Although, it's not without its merits and there some genuinely good songs on here. I will say that the production on the album is good. Everything is solid and tight, so the songs sound decent and the performances are well done, with the vocal performance standing out really well. Although at times there'...

There are some singers that truly catch you off-guard. I have to say when first heard Marcela Bovio, I was captivated. She has such a remarkable voice and her work with the band Stream of Passion is excellent. After they split up in 2016, Marcela has been really busy. From joining up with Anneke van Giersbergen in her projects, The Gentle Storm & Vuur, to releasing her solo album, Unprecedented . It's fair to say that she has kept herself pretty busy. I caught up with Marcela and got an update on what she is currently working on. Her new album, working with MaYaN and keeping in touch with her community of fans.  What are you working on right now and what are your plans going forward? I’m working on quite a few things! I’m getting ready to release my second solo album later this year; it’s going to be titled “Through Your Eyes”, and it comprises 11 songs that I wrote all based on stories by different people. I’m also working with the metal band MaYaN, as we’r...

In my opinion, Orange Goblin are one of the most underrated bands from the UK and every album they bring out is very consistent. They're just one of those bands that never slow down and it feels like they've always been around to me. They have a great way of expressing themselves and create some of the best riffs of any rock band around. There are just so many subtleties to the music that make it so enjoyable upon repeat listens. As you can imagine the prospect of a new album is something that would interest me. The Wolf Bites Back , is their ninth album and once again they have maintained that level of quality that spans all of their records. This album has that fire to it and has kept my interest upon various replays. From the first track "Sons of Salem" the album shows more of that brilliant musicianship that we have always seen in Orange Goblin. The pure energy that they produce is amazing, the production on the album really sounds great, with a excellent bal...

You know what? I love doing this, I love discovering new music and bringing it to peoples attention. When you find music so grounded, music that is so passionate, I feel like it's something that I have to talk about. Waiting for Wednesday are a country duo from Bradford, UK consisting of singer-songwriters Laura Shackleton and Anna Watkins. I have taken a bit of time now to listen to them and I have to say, I like what I'm hearing so far. Their music is so emotionally charged and really well put together. Their new EP, Routes , is a fabulous example of making something that is so simple sound so much larger than life. Their lyrics are poignant and their music is passionately played. The duo truly take you through a soulful journey on this EP. Their earnest and warm vocals really meld well together, creating beautiful and endearing harmonies. The melodies are weaved together in such a way that I instantly loved it. Just these beautiful songs with so much passion thrown in....

What an absolutely wonderful time. I wasn’t going to do a review of this show initially and really, I just went for the pleasure of it. However, I find myself wanting to talk about it a bit. I’ve been into Curse of Lono since I bought their debut album Severed last year and I’ve wanted to see them live ever since. Yet, circumstance got in the way last time. So when they announced new tour dates for the UK and that they were hitting up Manchester, I really wanted to go. So I bought my ticket and headed on down to the show. I was very eager to hear what they sounded like live. The supports for the show were the Scottish songstress, Kerri Watt and Manchester's own bluegrass cowgirl, Izzie Walsh. I always enjoy getting down early for the supports because you never know what hidden gems you’re going to find. To be honest, this is the reason I want to write about it, not enough people are talking about any of these artists. Kerri Watt Kerri took to the stage and with...

Original Site Posting: 27-Mar-2018 I have to admit, I was really late to the Escape The Fate party. When I say that I mean, this is the first full album I have actually listened to from them. I don’t know maybe they just past me by, or maybe I wasn’t into that scene of music and I didn’t roll with that crowd. They just never came across as a band I had to listen to. The singles I heard on Kerrang were fine but never enough for me to want to go out and actually buy an album from them. However, I have recently had the chance recently to listen to their new album, I Am Human and colour me impressed this album was really damn good. I mean I am slapping myself for not getting into their music sooner. So you can trust me when I say that this album is a really good jumping on point if you have never heard them before. The album is bursting with energy and simplistic but effective melodies. The lyrics are really good as well. Also the album has some incredible hooks. For some of the songs l...

Original Site Posting: 19-Mar-2018 The first time I got a glimpse of, Boss Caine I was completely taken off guard. The music is so passionate and the melodies grab you in the best of ways. As soon as I heard him play live, supporting Shooter Jennings, I immediately bought all of the music that was available and ever since I have been waiting for new music. So I guess you can call me somewhat of a fan. Finally after what has felt like a long wait, we now have the new album Loved by Trouble, Troubled by Love and it is excellent. For me it boils down everything in the the essence of country music. The emotion on display that really sells this album. Boss Caine is able to deliver an album that tells stories of joy and sorrow, levity and depression and it’s all bundled in a wonderful package. I have been looking forward to this album for the longest of time so I was really excited to get my hands on these songs. The album opens on a high note with the fun tune Champagne which has a real...

Original Site Posting: 28-Feb-2018 Photo by Kirsten Hel A cold Friday night in Manchester put me in the mood to go check out a good old fashioned doom metal gig. There were three fantastic bands playing the Gorilla in Manchester. Paradise Lost are one of those bands for me. I wouldn’t call myself a massive fan but boy do I enjoy myself every single time I have the opportunity to see them live. They always manage to excite and deliver on a great show. Opening up the show were prog-doom band, King Goat and Swedish Goth-metal band Outshine. A stellar line up to say the least. The crowd were in and Gorilla was packed full of people making for an excellent atmosphere waiting for the show to begin. The doors opened and closed early only running to 10pm which I actually liked, none of the bands felt rushed and all of the sets felt like they were given enough time to shine. Opening up the show were Brighton based prog-doom metal rockers, King Goat. Their set was filled with a lot of at...

Original Site Posting: 16-Jan-2018 I’ll admit I wasn’t a big of Don Broco up until about year and a bit ago, when I saw them support Bring Me The Horizon. Something about that night changed my mind about them. After that I heard them in a whole new way. I think I always saw them as a rip off of so many bands that came before them, because of that I wasn’t willing to give them a chance. Now, when I heard that there is going to be a new album, I’m thrilled for new music. The new album though Technology has me eating my own words. These guys have really grown as artists and I appreciate that every band has growing pains but it feels like Don Broco are coming into their own and this album is the proof. With cleverly woven riffs and grooves mixed with social commentary and lyrical imagery. This album should be considered a milestone in their career. It was presented to me as “the band filtering their charismatic 80s pop-infected rock, through far-flung genres of metal, funk and elect...

Original Site Posting: 10-Feb-2018 The best feeling in the world is discovering an artist that just speaks to you in a whole new way. I listen to a lot of new things all of the time and when I found out about Sally Caitlin (Now known as CAii), I was immediately captivated by her voice and her music sounds really nice. She has been writing music since she was 15 and has just gotten better with time. She takes her influences and molds the sound to fit her style. With every song you can truly feel the passion that she presents as she uses her music to tell her stories of drama and angst. I’ve been listening to her music a lot lately and had the chance to speak with her when she performed live at the Fac251 in Manchester. Could you tell us a bit about your music and how it all comes together? I would say the genre is electronic-pop and I write all of my own songs. I tend to write about my own experiences. The songs I make are always about me and any sort of drama in my life, and if ther...

Original Site Posting: 11-Jan-2018 In this job I discover new bands and artists all of the time. With so much being thrown my way, sometimes it can be hard for just one to really catch my ears in the right way. Lately, I have been rekindling my love for country and southern rock music. The genre was a pretty big part of my childhood and the tones and sounds from the traditional instrumentation can always bring me right back to that time in my life. So imagine my delight when I found out the Hard Rock Hell were putting on C.R.O.W.S Festival (Country, Rock, Outlaw, Western & Southern). A weekend dedicated to outlaw country and southern style rock music. I browsed through the line up of familiar and new names. This is where I found out about The Outlaw Orchestra. Their music rang through my ears and immediately captured my attention. Although their production was a little, low budget and choppy here and there, the writing and musicianship was solid and I enjoyed what I heard. It’s ol...

Original Site Posting: 22-Jan-2018 I will admit, it’s really nice to see such a high profile name come to my neck of the woods. The Citadel in St Helens welcomes the odd nice surprise and it’s a great venue to deliver talent like this. It’s big enough to make the sound feel huge, yet small enough to make a night feel special and intimate. It’s a nice night out to say the least. On a cold night, St Helens welcomed American blues singer, Sari Schorr and her backing band (Ash Wilson on Guitar, Matt Beable on Bass, Roy Martin on Drums and Bob Fridzema on keys and synth). Oh and what a night it was. I had an absolute blast, the music was great and the atmosphere was sublime. Sari made the whole night a real delight by creating a pleasant mood that rang throughout the venue. She seem like the kind of woman who loves a good night out and I think the St Helens audience created that for her. As the evening unfurled the music got better and everybody got more and more into the mood of ...