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April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
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February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
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• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
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January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

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Big Band Firecracker: Welcome To ...

Heavy Metal Rock

3.5/5.0

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Unsigned/Self-released
Released: 22.02.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.02.2019

Big Bang Firecracker is the solo project of journeyman guitarist Kieron Berry who played with such obscure UK acts as Razorwire, Pain Control, and Extreme O.D. After a musical hiatus, Berry got opportunity to support Chris Holmes and W.A.S.P. on 2017 tour. Rubbing musical shoulders with the metal legend inspired Berry to start writing music again. The result is Big Bang Firecracker and his first album Welcome To The Slaughterhouse, where he plays guitar and sings.

Kieron Berry

Mostly Berry and BBF play hard and heavy metal rock with strong riffs, a thick rumbling rhythm section, and more than a few inspired and soaring solos from the guitarist. As for his vocals, the verdict is still out. Suffice to say, he sings clean and melodic, yet forceful and foreboding. As for the songs, they're as advertised, hard and heavy rockers that essentially turn on Berry's guitar lines, riffs leading eventually to a slick guitar solo. Sometimes Berry can mix things up like the light and lingering guitar line that starts and continues within All Thriller No Filler, an otherwise heavy number with a fine bass line as well. Similar is the title track which basically fools you with the light electric guitar and piano start, before dropping into fast paced heavy rock with his technical shredding. More fast hard and heavy tracks come with Immortalized and Witch Proof, sounding more like power metal rock with a tough groove underneath. Of course, more shredding ensues in both songs. All in all, if you dig guitar-forward heavy metal rock, you just might enjoy guitarist Kieron Berry's Big Bang Firecracker and debut album Welcome To The Slaughterhouse. Berry's got some fine skills in both songwriting and shredding. Check him out and give him your support.

Frenzy: Blind Justice

Traditional Heavy Metal

5.0/5.0

Born from the ashes of another Spanish band, Steel Horse, Frenzy was started by bass player Angel Munoz and vocalist Anthony Stephen in 2015. Combining their love ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

If you dig guitar-forward heavy metal rock, you just might enjoy guitarist Kieron Berry's Big Bang Firecracker and debut album Welcome To The Slaughterhouse. Check him out and give him your support.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]