Mick Birchall Reviews

As I dive deeper into my journey of heavy metal from Greece, I’m finding new bands coming out of the woodwork. I think at this point these bands are finding me rather than me seeking them out. It seems like the universe is just gift-wrapping them to me. This brings me to today’s subject, the band known as Countown . Their music was recommended to me by a friend and I was immediately intrigued. Fierce and intense nu-metal that feels like it was transported from the 2000s to the modern day. To formally introduce you to the band, they hail from Athens and their music is 100% sung in Greek, which gave this reviewer an extra challenge when it came to reviewing their music. They’ve been around for a hot minute forming over 12 years ago, and they have become somewhat of a critically acclaimed darling in the Greek metal scene. With fiery lyrics and an in-your-face attitude, they’re not to be slept on. This new album from them Χαιρεκακία (translated to Schadenfreude) is something I’ve been wai...

Björn Strid is an icon of the rock and metal world. His work in metal bands like Soilwork and Act Of Denial is incredible. However, he also fronts the AOR band, The Night Flight Orchestra . On the day of the release of their new album, Give Us The Moon , I sat down with Björn. We discussed this new record, the first album recorded and released since the passing of guitarist, David Andersson and the challenges in making a new record without him. He also tells stories that inspired songs for the new record and more. Mick: The new album, Give Us The Moon , is out today and I've already published my review . I think it's great. Could you tell us a bit about the production and the mentality going into this album? Björn: Yeah, I mean, a lot of things happened. We had to go through the grieving of the passing of our guitarist, David Andersson . So we needed time to grieve and then, you know, regroup and try to find the joy in the music again try to turn that into something empowerin...

Well, it’s been over two months since I’ve been to a gig, so I felt it was about time I got back to my spiritual home of Manchester. I think I’ve been to the Manchester Academy so much in my years, I should be paying for rent. I feel like I’ve spent more time here than in most jobs I’ve had. This evening took me to the downstairs Club Academy . A great small club venue that gives artists space to breathe and the crowd more than enough room to sprawl out. I would usually describe the atmosphere as loose and carefree. Though this night there was an element of anticipation in the air for what was to come. Three great bands were about to take to the stage and you could tell that the crowd were more than ready. Headlining this evening were returning titans of the rock world, coming from the great nation of Sweden, H.E.A.T . It’s been a long time coming and Manchester was ready for their return to the city. That’s not all, you got a real bang for your money this evening, with two great suppo...

Well, it’s been a few years since I’ve talked about The Night Flight Orchestra on this blog. In all honesty, it’s been a few years since I paid attention. However, I got this album fly past my desk and I knew I had to listen to it. I’m so glad I did, as this one is an absolute certified banger of an album. Give Us The Moon is an exciting record that glistens with punchy production and sharp songwriting. It’s one of those albums that I’d feel comfortable recommending to anyone who even has a passing interest in music. It’s an album that will grab the attention of any listener, from your hardcore audiophiles to the casual, whose only experience with music is what goes on the car radio. This album will captivate you as instantly as it did for me. All of this is from a group of talented, versatile musicians who understand that the point of music is to invigorate the soul. Led by the charismatic vocalist, Björn Strid (most notably from the band Soilwork ), The Night Flight Orchestra has...