All customer reviews by Graham R.
Posted on: 20 Mar 2015
A Stunning EMP Exclusive For Blind Guardian Fans
Not many bands do long-sleeved t-shirts these days -they were much more common twenty years ago but nowadays they seem to have been superseded by hoodies. Blind Guardian (along with a few others, such as Nightwish) are a notable exception. I bought this beautiful shirt for my girlfriend who is a huge fan of this band and is always complaining that she doesn't have any long-sleeved t-shirts whilst I have loads (all over twenty years old!) She loves both the front design of the hooded "Blind Guardian" figure beneath their logo and surrounded by fire and the back print of a figure drinking fire. I took advantage of both a discount voucher and the free shipping available to Backstage Club members to get this great shirt for the price of a t-shirt. Well done EMP (again!)
Posted on: 20 Mar 2015
Join The Coven!
This is a truly excellent debut album by a fairly new band from West Virginia, USA who describe themselves as "dark occult rock". That's a pretty good starting point for a bunch of bearded bikers playing satanic blues songs. They themselves namecheck Black Sabbath (of course), Pentagram, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and I would add Iron Butterfly, Steppenwolf, Blue Cheer, Mountain, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Blackfoot. So you get the picture now: classic hard rock, heavy blues and psychedelic doom with an occasional Southern / trucker / biker feel. And sometimes they manage this all within the same song! For all their lyrical imagery, name, logos, etc., this is an accomplished collection of good, catchy songs with driving riffs, great hooks, a distinctive ("clean") singing voice and radio-friendly rock merged with interesting arrangements. This CD actually combines their re-recorded debut album with a further seven bonus tracks from earlier demos. Standout tracks: "Cosmic Communion", "Children Of The Sun" and my personal fave, "The Grave". EMP currently have all 17 tracks at an absolute bargain price so you should snap this one up while you have the chance. Brimstone Coven are in the studio now finishing their second full-length album -until then, this CD is a very good introduction to an unique band.
Posted on: 1 Feb 2015
Battlelore's Epic Masterpiece
The sixth and hopefully not the final album from Battlelore, "Doombound" is about Tolkien's character, Turin Turambar ("Master Of Fate"), itself based on part of the Finnish mythological poem, "Kalevala". The 11 tracks, including one song in Finnish and an instrumental, are both a return-to-their-roots and a showcase of their maturing talents. This beautiful digi-pack edition includes a bonus DVD with 11 tracks from their earlier albums recorded live in 2008 and 2009, four promo video clips, a rather lengthy tour diary from 2007 and photo galleries. All that anyone could ever want and more. Actually, what we want now is for them to reform / end their "hiatus" and return with a new album and tour. Until then, this is as good as it gets!
Posted on: 1 Feb 2015
Primo Value!
This is the 2010 "Re-Armed" edition of the second Sabaton album -although it was the first to be released, back in 2005 ("Metalizer" finally being released only in 2007). This edition is re-mastered and re-packaged with new photos and liner notes and also includes six previously unreleased bonus tracks, including two live recordings and a cover version of Twisted Sister's classic "The Beast". Altogether, this is a both an excellent album and includes enough extras (both the bonus tracks and the new liner notes) to make it worth buying again if you already have the original release. "Panzer Battalion" and "Wolfpack" are both live favourites but it's the title track which remains Sabaton's "anthem", probably their best known and most loved song. If you don't have this album already, treat yourself to this tasty little package now! Altogether now: "From the gates of Hell... "
Posted on: 15 Jan 2015
Hoods Up With Sabaton
This awesome hoody is from Nuclear Blast (Sabaton's record label), so it's officially sanctioned merch -the only sort that EMP sell, of course. Top quality print front and back on a warm and well made zip-up hoody. The front design is the eagle from the front of the album cover The back has an "S" emblem from the band at the centre of a similar winged crest. All in all, this is a really bold design. I took advantage of a limited term sale price combined with a discount voucher and free shipping as a Backstage Club member to get the hoody cheaper as an Xmas prezzie for the missus and bought her a Sabaton album with the money I saved. Recommended to all true metal Sabaton fans!
Posted on: 11 Jan 2015
Horns Ablaze For Amon Amarth And EMP!
Another great t-shirt from Amon Amarth and exclusive to EMP too. The front design has the band's iconic logo, a Viking helmet, stylized eagle's wings and crossed drinking horns against a background of Nordic beasts entwining. On the back is Mjolnir (no introduction required!) surrounded by a circular runic inscription which in fact says "Amon Amarth" four times. All in all it's an excellent design for any Viking -be the first on your longship with this t-shirt!
Posted on: 11 Jan 2015
Only Madmen Wouldn't Buy This Album!
Jon Oliva has done a beautiful job of overseeing the re-mastering and re-packaging of Savatage's considerable back catalogue. Each album has been sensitively handled with the addition of bonus material for fans and collectors alike. This classic album is now expanded to include acoustic versions of "Tonight He Grins Again" and "Sleep". Beautiful. The new liner notes in the lyric booklet were written by Jon Oliva specifically for this series of re-issues (in 2011) and sheds a lot of light on the writing and recording processes, what the songs mean to the artist and the whole career development of the band. If you buy all 14 CDs in this series of re-issues, the spines of the digi-packs line up together on the shelf to spell out "Savatage" in red on black (quite a nifty idea). Best of all, EMP have this album at a fantastically low price, so you'd have to be mad not to buy it -even if you already have the album in another version, it's worth it just for the bonus tracks and the new packaging and liner notes. Full marks to Jon Oliva and to EMP!
Posted on: 7 Jan 2015
Five Stars Shining On This Crazy Prism
This is an official licensed design, designed and made in the USA. If you look for it on other sites (no names here!) you will find it only as an expensive import -so EMP's price is fantastic for what you get. And what you get is a gorgeous full-colour print on an equally far out all-over batik print t-shirt. I love the way the prism design from the iconic album covered is echoed by the batik back print. I took advantage of one of EMP's periodic promotions together with a discount voucher which I had for subscribing to their newsletter (plus free shipping as a Backstage Club member -highly recommended to all) and got this for myself with the money I saved getting my missus a stack of Sabaton and Amon Amarth merch for Crimble, so everyone's a winner. However you get it, this is an absolutely ace t-shirt for any tye-dyed in the wool old hippy Pink Floyd fan and a bargain via EMP. Full marks!
Posted on: 6 Jan 2015
Carolus Rules!
Sabaton always produce class merchandise for each album or tour (and some excellent limited editions for particular festivals, countries, gigs, etc.) -and this is no exception. The official t-shirt for their epic "Carolus Rex" album in 2012, this has the album's front cover design on the front of the t-shirt and on the back is a large Sabaton "S" logo on top of the Swedish royal flags, lions and medal. All in all, this is a beautiful t-shirt for any Sabaton fan.
Posted on: 21 Dec 2014
Little Box O'Heaven
Whitesnake have an enviable back catalogue and this set has, for most people, the best of it all in one handy box. This 8-disc set has the first 5 studio albums ("Trouble", "Lovehunter", "Ready And Willing", "Come An' Get It" and "Saints And Sinners"), the classic live album, "Live.... In The Heart Of The City" and the rare "Live At Hammersmith" album and "Snakebite" EP (originally a 12" single with four tracks). Each album comes in a card sleeve that reproduces the original LP sleeve and there is also a booklet with the lyrics. There are no extras or bonus tracks but, as these are often just live recordings and there are already two excellent live albums included, this is actually a good thing as it doesn't detract from the listener's ability to select and enjoy the albums as they originally appeared. The outer box is a little hard to open and get at the CD's inside but this is a minor gripe. EMP have this whole beautiful set available at a great price and I took advantage of one of their periodic special offers to get more stuff with it effectively for free -plus free postage as a Backstage Club member. Whitesnake and EMP -what's not to love?!!