// author archive

John Skibeat

John Skibeat has written 178 posts for Sonic Dice

Album Review: The Paddingtons

By John Skibeat ⋅ November 12, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Album: No Mundane Options]
[Label: Mama Bear Records]

The Paddingtons divide their time between the US and the UK, living and gigging in both countries. It has resulted in them adding to their fan base at such an enormous rate that they are planning on doing more gigs (and possibly song-writing) in the US in 2009. This […]

EP Review: Tom Gabel

By John Skibeat ⋅ November 4, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[EP: Heart Burns]
[Label: Sire Records]

Raw and feisty, politically-driven music is the currency that Tom Gabel, the Against Me! frontman, deals in. For this debut solo EP he’s dragged in plenty of friends with Billy Bush and Butch Vig helping out with production, whilst Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music) and Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio) pitch in […]

Demo Review: Blackout

By John Skibeat ⋅ November 4, 2008 ⋅ 6 comments

[Region: South-East England]
[Label: Unsigned]

Blackout are a band who in their own words are “smeared across the south-east of England”; from Amersham, via Wycombe and Uxbridge to Hayes. They revel in the fact that they smoke, drink, are overweight and care little about what clothes or what hairstyle they sport; too be honest it’s just the […]

Single Review Shorts: 20-31 October

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 31, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Artist: Smith 6079]
[Single: Ghosts]
[Label: Unsigned]

A tacky Halloween release won’t save Smith 6079’s ‘Ghosts’ from obscurity. This is an odd mixture of marching drums - think MCR’s ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ - and plenty of laboured “La-La-La’s”. With only a drifting guitar riff and a rough, smoky vocal (bringing to mind those old has-been rock […]

Album Review: Unearth

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 29, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Album: The March]
[Label: Metal Blade]

Unearth have roots stretching back 10 years so this new album marks quite the occasion for the Massachussets metalheads. They have chosen this moment to focus on the idea of evil versus hope. Vocalist Trevor Phipps decribes it as telling the tale of either “a march of power and greed or […]

Album Review: Bison B.C.

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 29, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Album: Quiet Earth]
[Label: Metal Blade]

Bison B.C., four Canadians hailing from East Vancouver in British Columbia, have a MySpace profile that suggests they are a combination of thrash and blues. Well, judging by debut album ‘Quiet Earth’ their music certainly has a passing connection to both genres but on first listen they appear to share a […]

Gig Review: Atreyu + Story Of The Year + As I Lay Dying + MUCC + Horse The Band

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 29, 2008 ⋅ One comment

[Venue: UEA, Norwich]
[Date: 17 October 2008]

There’s something inherently tacky about a quality tour line-up coupled with a ridiculously aggressive sponsor. Tonight the UEA is awash with material endorsing the consumption of a certain energy drink. They come in the form of vast plastic banners and spinning lights beamed onto each wall, aswell as the usual […]

Album Review: Dorp

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 27, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Album: Humans Being]
[Label: Caned & Able Records]

Dorp are the strange interloper at the popular teen party. All about them sit kids adorned in various shades of tacky, luminous colouring, swigging generic lager and talking mindless drivel. Dorp is the kid, all in black, with the can of exotic brew telling interesting stories. The most interesting, […]

Gig Review: Dragonforce + Turisas

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 24, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Venue: UEA, Norwich]
[Date: 5 October 2008]

It’s pretty packed tonight so a choice has to be made. With the venue laid out like it is (kind of like a wide raised platform with a square-sided sunken pit in it’s centre), the decision is whether to be one of the few with a clear view, one of […]

Album Review: Sylosis

By John Skibeat ⋅ October 24, 2008 ⋅ Post a comment

[Album: Conclusion Of An Age]
[Label: Nuclear Blast]

When I heard Sylosis had signed for Nuclear Blast so soon after releasing their mini-album ‘The Supreme Oppressor‘ (Feb 2008) on the In At The Deep End label I was expecting at least a 2009 release date to get their shit together. Consequently, I actually approached this new album, […]

« Previous  

Radio Dice

News Twitter | (RSS)

News | (RSS)

Close
Powered by ShareThis