"This is the end...."

After 7 years this is post 137 and the last. With the imminent demise of Google+ I have no idea what happens with these blogs - Do they survive as archives, fade from view, I don't know....

To be honest I never thought I would publish 2 end of year best of list but to reach 7 was a definite surprise!

It's been fun and it's always great to look back at early reviews and wonder how wrong I got some

But it seems appropriate at the end of the year to bring Steve H Reviews to a close... Thanks to anyone who ever read one of these pages and I will bid you farewell

Drum roll and welcome to my seventh (and probably final) end of year list....

In alphabetical order, the top ten are:

• Author & Punisher - Beastland
• Bryde - Like an Island
• Crippled Black Phoenix - Great Escape
• Fish - A Parley with Angels (EP)
• Gwenno - Le Kov
• Happy Axe - Dream Punching
• Midas Fall - Evaporate
• A Perfect Circle - Eat the Elephant
• Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody Soundtrack
• Ann Wilson - Immortal

Also there were a few great stand alone singles including Marilyn Manson's take on the Lost Boys classic, Cry Little Sister, Juniper by Myrkur and finally On the Subject of Breathing by the brilliant Bryde.

There is a new Doro album out - It's a double album.

There are tracks called All for Metal, Metal is my Alcohol and Soldier of Metal.

There is a track dedicated to Lemmy.

There is a Whitesnake cover and a Motorhead cover.

You don't need any more information than this to tell you how fantastic it is...… Except perhaps this image:

Did a bit of dabbling on Pledge music and bought the new album from Dogs D'Amour...I think it's only Tyla left from the original Dogs but it was worth investigating In Vino Veritas

First thing you notice on opener 111 is this is a much more focussed and muscular version of the Dogs. Guitars to the fore throughout. It's not till the 4th track Bottle of Red and its sax and alcohol references that it feels nostalgic.

Tyla is sounding deeper of voice but still has a way with words and a good tune

There is also a covers album featuring the obvious (Stones and Small Faces) plus a few interesting cuts - The Cars, Best Friends Girl anyone? There is also a joyous romp through Summertime Blues but as with most cover albums it's fun but inconsequential

I really didn't need the whole Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack album but it was necessary to hear the greatest live set there is...  Let's examine the evidence of that Live Aid gig:

You start with the first two and a half minutes of one of the greatest songs ever (Bohemian Rhapsody) and then just as you reach the operatic section you segue into the fairlight keyboards of Radio Ga Ga and indulge in the most momentous synchronised hand clapping of all time

Then you get a bit of a singalong with Freddie before Hammer to Fall rocks out

(The album misses out Crazy Little Thing Called Love and the short burst of We Will Rock You for some reason....)

Finally you top off the set with the ultimate triumphant closing number -We Are Champions

That is how you do a gig and that is why Queen were and are the greatest band ever

You should never really drunkenly order vinyl just because it looks cool but sometimes you get lucky.

I had never heard of Author & Punisher but the new album was on blue and silver limited edition splatter vinyl and on Relapse Records so it had to be alright...





This guy builds his own drone machines to create music and it's a cross between the Downward Spiral and Demanufacture by Fear Factory.

This may just be one of the great pieces of art masquerading as music.....

In Death It Ends have released a 'live' album from Pendleshire Polytechnic in 1979 - As the band didn't exist then , have never played lived and I'm fairly sure the Polytechnic is not real this is fascinating idea.

The whole album is one continuous track, sort of like a bootleg, the first 4 minutes are the sound of a band tuning up, then the crowd cheers as the band walk on and away we go.

The setlist is a sort of greatest hits (assuming the band had hits) and are slightly different arrangements to the studio versions

There are between track introductions and background crowd noises in the quiet parts but all of it is fake... The CD comes with ticket stub, flyer and poster to complete the package.

The whole concept is utterly brilliant and as such is actually one of the great albums of all time