Andy Barker

United Kingdom

Contributor at Freelance

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Articles

The Foreshadowing - New Wave Order (Lifeforce Records)

Nov 13, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

A dark, rain soaked landscape stretches forebodingly into the hazy distance. The grey clouds hang heavy over the mists of dank depression, a smog of broken dreams and lost hope. The perfect landscape for a soundtrack of melancholic Gothic Doom Metal. However, The Foreshadowing hail from Lazio in Italy -a place synonymous with the sun-baked ruins of Rome.
Nick Hern Books | About Andy Barker

Nov 12, 2024 | nickhernbooks.co.uk | Andy Barker |Brian Cooley |Beth Wood

Andy Barker is a certified performance coach, trainer and author with diverse work experience in the arts and corporate senior management. He has worked in the music industry, the film industry, the world of theatre, videogames, and learning and development. Highlights include working with Jim Henson's Muppets and with Andrew Lloyd Webber's numerous West End productions.
Inner Wish - Ash Of Eternal Flame (Reigning Phoenix Music)

Nov 7, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

It’s exactly twenty years since I first heard an album by Greek Metal band Innerwish. At the time I was impressed with the maturity that the band displayed in the professional melodic metal within what was just their second release and their first on LMP. A second for that label followed a couple of years later which kept the momentum flowing and another on a different label in 2010.
Darrkh...It Is! (Hammerheart Records) ⋆ Ave Noctum

Oct 25, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

German Metal band Aiwaz (not to be confused with the Italian Death Metal band from years ago…who knew there would be two Aiwaz’s?) are quite a unique entity in their way. They are the living, breathing epitome of melancholy, which is of course nothing unique, but here it’s delivered with melody, passion, gloom and…well, as a useful example, the record company draw comparisons to Queensryche, Solitude Aeturnus, Marillion, Ghost and My Dying Bride.
Veonity - The Final Element (Scarlet Records)

Oct 17, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

Six albums in and Swedish Power Metallers Veonity are still evolving, both musically and personally. Guitarist Anders Sköld has decided to take a step away from lead vocal duties this time around to concentrate on just being one half of a very talented twin guitar assault with bandmate Samuel Lundström. Along with bassist Kristoffer Lidre and drummer Joel Kollberg, this quartet achieved five very impressive albums over the past ten years, keeping a stable line-up throughout.
Ensiferum - Winter Storm (Metal Blade)

Oct 16, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

Well, I clearly wasn’t the only one who enjoyed Ensiferum’s slight change in approach with 2020’s excellent “Thalassic”. It topped Finland’s album chart, reached number 3 in Germany’s, and went top ten in Switzerland, Canada and even the USA. So, with two huge world tours behind them since the pandemic you could forgive the band for the lengthy wait before unleashing their follow-up “Winter Storm”.
Dragony - Hic Svnt Dracones (Steamhammer)

Oct 9, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

Dragony. It’s a name leaving little to ponder about the musical direction of this Austrian Metal band. Hmm…could it be Brutal Death Metal? Post-Black Metal? Dark Ambient? Or maybe, just maybe, could it be…Symphonic Power Metal? You betcha flowing cape and silly hat it is! Unapologetic, uplifting, bombastic and unrelentingly catchy, “Hic Svnt Dracones” is everything you think it would be when you glimpse that cover artwork.
Krilloan - Return Of The Heralds (Scarlet Records)

Sep 19, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

Relatively new to the scene, Power Metal crusaders Krilloan waste no time in unleashing their second instalment of unapologetic, bombastic, galloping Power Metal. With as much Metal subtlety as a house brick, standing on another house brick, surrounded by more house bricks, all wearing “We Are House Bricks, Deal With It” T-Shirts, their debut “Emperor Rising” was an unyielding, joyous hurtle through the faster realms of fantastical Power Metal and it’s follow-up.
Blood and Angels' Tears (Scarlet) ⋆ Ave Noctum

Sep 17, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

Anyone who knows anything about Italian Progressive Power Metal will be familiar with Vision Divine. This is their ninth album, spread out since their debut back in 1999 which featured their first in an impressive trio of vocalists to have adorned their music. For those unfamiliar, the debut featured ex-Rhapsody Of Fire and current Angra singer Fabio Lione, who left after two albums to be ably replaced by Secret Sphere frontman Michele Luppi.
Wintersun - Time II (Nuclear Blast)

Aug 28, 2024 | avenoctum.com | Andy Barker

One thing Wintersun are not is predictable. Having released “Time I” way back in 2012, main-man Jari Mäenpää (songwriting, vocals, guitars, keyboards etc etc) chose to follow it five years later with the alternatively conceptually themed “The Forest Seasons”. But surely “Time I” was always going to have a second part though wasn’t it?