The Miserable Metal Mind Podcast

If ever there was an evening that personified the phrase ‘Bitter Sweet’ then this would be pretty close to the top, if not the peak itself. The penultimate gig of the short UK tour celebrating the genius of Tony Clarkin: founder, guitarist, songwriter, producer, etc. of his lifelong project, Magnum. A melodic hard rock band from Birmingham, formed sometime in the early 1970’s (even Tony himself wasn’t 100% sure exactly when).  The fact that this run of gigs has happened at all is astonishing, as Tony’s cohort for the entire 50 years plus of the existence of the band, the ever-youthful Bob Catley, announced in a heartfelt post last year that his heart was broken, and that it would be impossible to continue with his mate. Well thankfully after a tour with power metal supergroup Avantasia, Bob’s Magnum heart was healed somewhat, and he decided to put together this tribute tour to give Tony the send-off he deserved.  I’ve been to many gigs at KK’s Steel Mill, and this was the most...

An early start for Rich at Camden's Underworld. Dubbed the Motocultor Festival, five acts meant the first outfit were hitting the stage by 6:15pm.  First up were Skin on Flesh , a rock outfit started in the 2020 pandemic in Berlin by bassist Michiel Sybers and vocalist Laura  Jiménez   who blended in a kind of post punk/punk feel. There were plenty of foot tapping moments and hooky choruses. The delivery was a little bit sloppy but in a good way that benefitted the type of music, but any stop/starts were nailed to perfection. The songs didn't sound the same which is always a bit of a trap when playing this genre, and intros to tracks differed, some starting with just the bass, as in the second track and a guitar vocal intro too.  There were some harmonious dual guitar and intricate parts which I wasn't really expecting in this type of music, although they occasionally got lost in the mix. Jiménez had a good presence and pogoed about the diminutive stage, trying ...

Ever since their 2017 comeback and signing to Frontier Records, Italian progressive power metal titans Labyrinth have been going from strength to strength with some of the finest material in the history of the band.  Forming in the early 1990’s, Labyrinth are seen as one of the leaders of the Italian power metal movement with a lengthy discography and many acclaimed albums. With their tenth album In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye, Labyrinth seem to have taken things up a notch. Taking influence from the current state of affairs in the world circus, In The Vanishing Echoes Of Goodbye  sees the band sounding angrier and heavier than ever before whilst still retaining the vibrant and catchy hooks and melodies that are the band’s trademark.  From the start, the increased levels of aggression can be heard in the riffs and the storming pace and rhythm of songs such as opener Welcome Twilight , the storming Accept The Changes  and Heading For Nowhere . The more tende...

Hailing from the West Coast of Scotland, Ayrshire's The Breathing Method offer up their debut album After Everything Else , citing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Korn, Therapy, Stone Sour and Helmet  among their influences  and some of these really show through over these 11 songs.  Opening with an inspirational quote on the reasons for being in a band, Hope for a Better Day  starts the album, and the Nirvana influence is very much in evidence. I felt the music was a little simplistic, slightly disjointed as the rhythm is quite stop/go, but as an opener it’s not a bad start.  The lyrics are the real strength of this album, covering themes like the mundane banality of modern life, the highs and lows of everyday routine, personal battles against anxiety and depression of daily existence, which is evident through some of the the song titles ( Demons, Secrets, Unbearable, Inside Darkness and Disappointed )  The Grunge theme runs through most of the tracks on offer, w...

A chilly Tuesday evening isn't warmed by a late start to the opening of doors, some 20-minutes after advertised.  Openers Kami No Ikari (Wrath of the gods in Japanese), take the stage just after 6pm with a small number in the venue. It is the first time here for the unsigned Parisienne Deathcore outfit, who independently released their full-length debut See You in Hell (Jigoku de Aimashou) l ast year, although they have been going since 2020. They launch into an energetic six-song set, including Interitus and Theophobia. Vocalist Amarino Barros is an enigmatic front man, unconcerned with the lack of an audience and plays to the diminutive crowd as if it were a stadium, at one point getting down into the photo pit to greet the crowd.  Some crunchy guitar moments from Rodolphe Brouat and Silvère Escande, as well as one playing fast tremolo picking over the other’s heavy power chord riffs, whilst Brice Baillache provides a solid low end, locked into Yohann Dieu’s drums. As ex...