CD

Welsh born Aussie slide guitarist Gwyn Ashton has played hundreds of gigs all over Europe and built a strong career since basing himself in the UK. 'Prohibition' is his fourth solo album release and features the venerable Sensational Alex Harvey Band and Michael Schenker rhythm section comprising Chris Glen (Bass) and Ted McKenna (drums), as well as current Deep Purple keyboardist Don Airey.

British Blues ace Ansley Lister has been steadily building a successful career for several years now, and is one of the key members of a new generation of UK blues guitarists. With hundreds of live shows under his belt and five previous albums to his name, the advance publicity on this album was that Ashley was making a real stylistic departure from the more straight ahead blues of his earlier albums.

I have looked forward to Alter Bridge’s second release ‘Blackbird’ with some relish and on first listen I was not disappointed. Whether the content was actually any good or not didn’t really matter on first listen, all that mattered was that I got to hear a first class four piece Rock band – such a rare commodity these days. Off the top of your head, think of ten such bands that are present and fresh… so you’re stuck on three then!

Symphony X – Paradise Lost

Myself and Owen from AOG have always maintained that Symphony X were a ‘Fully Evolved’ band right from their conception. They sat around a table and agreed that their musical vision shall be just like it still is today – fully evolved, over dramatic, brutally sonic, technically perfect, mythically enlightened, progressive metal leaning towards an epic battle scenario. I imagine that if Zeus owns an i-pod, then Symphony X will command his ‘My Favourites’ playlist.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating this album along with many other fans of the instrumental metal genre. Those who have seen Andy at music shows will know that his ability to play technically extreme material with an incredible tone and superior authority can be somewhat mind-boggling. Judging by the gathering crowds around any stand Andy was playing at during the LGS, it would seem that I’m not alone in being impressed.