Iron Claw: Scotland's "Lost Pioneers of Heavy Metal" Releases New Single 'Final Hours'

Capping off a year that found Scotland's Iron Claw being hailed as the Rock n’ Roll comeback story of the Decade, Iron Claw has roared back to build upon the momentum and notoriety gained in 2011.

From 1969 to 1974 Scottish Heavy Rock band Iron Claw plowed across theUK, blasting out relentlessly heavy doom-laden, heavy blues rock. In and out of the recording studios, the band never officially released an album, but the bulk of their recorded output finally saw the light of day in 2009, released as a self-titled CD by Rockadrome. 35 years had passed since their last recording, but it was as if time had stood still. 2009 found a hungry audience, salivating at the heavy riffs and earthshaking rock that was Iron Claw. Stunned by the overwhelming response, the lads of Iron Claw started talking and soon, the band had reformed to work on new material. The buzz began to build.

Rightly hailed as one of the silent legends, the pioneers of British Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, with their Ripple Music debut, A Different Game, Iron Claw proved that their role in Rock History shall never go unspoken again. A hard biting, bluesy album found the band re-energized and vibrant on their first ever official releases.

After separating with vocalist Gordon Brown, Iron Claw conducted an extensive, nationwide search to find their new lead singer, Dumphries native, Gary Hair, then immediately ducked into the studio to put their new vocal chords to work. Now, having emerged fully refreshed, revitalized and a bit meaner, Iron Claw are ready to unleash their new single, "Final Hour" onto a rock-loving world. As bassist Alex Wilson puts it, Gary brings a "heavier direction to the band, more hard rock energy and passion. This should mark a return to an even heavier, rockier Iron Claw sound." A sound befitting of a band that has rightly become legendary among underground metal fans.



Links:
Iron Claw

Enforcer: Photos from Club Europa, Brooklyn, NY 9-18-09 (NWOBHM)

Swedish traditional-metal/NOWBHM-influenced band Enforcer made their first trek through the US this Summer as part of the North American Nightmare tour. The band played Club Europa last month with Cauldron (Earache), Black Anvil and At War.

Don't make the same mistake that I did and forget to wear earplugs - Enforcer is loud and vocalist Olof Wikstrand has one h*ll of a metal scream.



Enforcer started about three years ago but the band didn't hit my radar until their song "Mistress of Hell" was included on Earache's Heavy Metal Killers compilation that came out earlier this year.



Enforcer is a young band but they have managed to capture the melodic power of the early 80's metal bands and sound like a cross between early Iron Maiden and Motley Crue. The band released their debut album Into the Night about a year ago on Heavy Artillery Records and are currently back in the studio to record a follow-up. There is a new track, "Roll the Dice", streaming on the band's MySpace profile.

Amplify - Rehearsal Studio Interview, Brooklyn, NY 1-18-08

Amplify is a NYC-based alt-metal band made up of longtime music-scene vets. Members have worked with a range of musicians from Peter Gabriel to Fahrenheit 451 and are able to leverage these diverse influences to create Amplify's sound. The band's sound falls somewhere between prog-rock and the hard rock sounds of some of the 80's/90's metal bands (Soundgarden and 'Use Your Illusion'-era Guns N' Roses are the immediate comparisons).

The band released its debut CD, Beneath the Beauty Lies...Heaven to Burn, earlier this year and are starting play some shows around town in support of this disc.

Last month, I had the opportunity to sit in on one of the band's practice session and film some live video and an interview with Bobbie Rae (vocals) and Joe Rodriguez (guitars).

Here is the interview and the live footage will follow in the next few days.



Amplify has a couple upcoming shows:

March 6, 2008 9:00PM @ Fat Baby, NYC
March 14, 2008 10:30PM CD RELEASE SHOW @ The Cutting Room NYC
April 17, 2008 8:00PM @ Luna Lounge Brooklyn

Links:
Amplify's MySpace Page
Amplify's Website

Long Island's Car Bomb Sign to Relapse and are Playing @ Lit Lounge in January

A few months back, Car Bomb announced that they had signed to Relapse Records. Their upcoming LP/CD Centralia is now available for pre-order and the band is playing a show at the Lit Lounge on Monday, Jan 1st. Also on the bill are Throwing Shrapnel (from MA) and Asra. Tickets are $6.00.

Joe Lynn Turner (x-Rainbow and Deep Purple) Performing Live on Manhattan Cable Access Tonight (Dec. 17)

Joe Lynn Turner (best known as vocalist for both Rainbow and Deep Purple) makes a rare "appearance" in the area with a live broadcast on Manhattan cable access tonight at 2AM. This show was taped Thursday night in Staten Island as part of the New York Rocks TV series and will be broadcast on Time Warner Channel 56.

I understand Joe lives in Queens but he plays very infrequently in the area so be sure to catch this rare appearance. (As Brooklyn cable doesn't carry New York Rocks, please drop me an email if anyone records this show to DVD)

Joe's latest CD Sunstorm was just released in the US on Locomotive Records. Joe also announced that he is entering the studio this week to record a follow up to Sunstorm.

Twisted Sister Oh Come All Ye Faithful Video Online

Twisted Sister has posted an animated and live video online for their cover of Oh Come All Ye Faithful (set to the tune We're Not Gonna Take It). These videos have to be some of the funniest that I have seen in a while. This disc looks like a great collection of Xmas remakes and it includes one new song Heavy Metal Christmas. This is supposed to be the band's final release before calling it quits next year.

The band's Twisted Christmas tour starts tomorrow. Unfortunately, there are no dates in NYC on the schedule and the closest show is at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville on Dec. 22.

Tour dates are:

December
1 - The Myth in Minneapolis, MN
2 - Best Buy (in-store) in Maplewood, MN
5 - Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada
7 - House Of Blues in Chicago, IL
9 - Pepsi Roadhouse in Burgettstown, PA
12 - House Of Blues in Los Angeles, CA
14 - House Of Blues in Anaheim, CA
17 - Hard Rock in Orlando, FL
21 - Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD
22 - Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ
23 - The House of Blues in Atlantic City, NJ