Vincerai!

On a day when I am wracked with pain and fatigue, I could not help but be moved to tears as I followed Luciano Pavarotti's funeral on Italian television. The great tenor died on Thursday aged 71 after a long vicious battle against cancer.

His family stated that like all he did in life, he proudly battled like a lion, only succumbing when the terrible disease claimed his senses.

So who was Pavarotti to me...a hardened rocker who revelled in harsh metallic beats? That is why many of you will not understand ever the frame of mind of us rockers. We bask in musical melodies, whatever they may be. The great tenor brought to us common people the complexity of opera in a simple package, bearing the words EMOTION , HUMILITY and LOVE.

He may not have been the greatest to those in the know (or pretend to know), but to me he was the tenor who mingled with rock legends and pop stars to bring opera to the masses.

Ciao Luciano...ci mancherai!

E vincerai'!

NO COMMENT!

Time to load up our gear again!

Here we go again with another gig, this time at the ALLEY ROCK BAR in Paceville. Straight to the heart of entertainment in Malta, we will be bringing our heavy sound to the diversity of students from every corner of the globe, apart from the local fan base!

Entrance is FREE, and of course our debut album THY FEEBLE SOUL is on there too!

Keep METAL! ... and be safe!

What a rocking time we had!

A big round of applause to all those of you who made the short trip down to Marsaxlokk for the 3rd Rock Festival. It was awesome playing alongside great Maltese performers such as BNI , X-Vandals , and of course the hugely popular Angelcrypt.

We enjoyed our time on stage and hope you enjoyed the show that all of us managed to put on.

A huge thank you goes to the Local Council of M'xlokk which always find time, patience and money to sponsor this show year in year out. Mr.Remiggio Cassar...we can never thank you enough for your incessant effort, time, and devotion to the cause of promoting local talent. How I wish that other councils were as generous!

Maybe this year, in which ironically we had the best sound and lighting, we were a bit unlucky with the happening of at least another two big shows, which split rock lovers. But it never rains unless it pours, so they say. But it is better to have more than less , no?

What? We were paid to play? We were paid to Rock our hearts out? Well, cheers then Mr.Cassar! You've made our day!

PS. On a very positive note, we were amazed to look out onto the stall where our merchandise was on sale, to see our new album fly 'off the shelves', right after our performance. This is nothing short of amazing, and gives us great heart. To cap it all, we were then hunted down to autograph the CD Sleeve. I can tell you that we really really appreciated your purchase.

A very humble Thank You from us all!

A mad place to live in!

So. Saturday we will probably see a repeat of what happened last year.

That is, the audience will be having fun rocking away to the music... but as soon as the magic hour strikes eleven, we will have to pack up our amps and guitars...and make our way home. Unless as organisers we want to spend the rest of the night locked up in the local chink!

So isn't 11 o'clock a decent time to pack it in? Hell no!

The fact is that here in Malta, our local 'festas', (with all the blood and sorrow they bring with them) are allowed to continue past that hour, well into the wee hours of the morning!

That's justice for you.

Okay, got that off my chest. After the summer holidays have ground Malta practically to a halt, this week sees the last of the stragglers coming back to restart work next week. My vacation only lasted 5 days, but at least it has been quiet here in the office. With maybe just a bit more of liberty!

Keep Rocking!

Have your feeble soul rocked.

So here it is finally! The week we will fine-tune our music and set-list for the forthcoming festival in Marsaxlokk.

All is in order for us Stillborn, BNI, Angelcrypt and X-Vandals to rock the hell out of the sleepy seaside town. Xlukkajri prepare your ear-drums for a veritable rock feast.

Over here at Stillborn we are in a really good mood and raring to kick-ass. As if the release of our debut album ( Thy Feeble Soul ... ) wasn't enough, we are also in the process of writing new material for a second album. (I hope I can afford it!). Three new tracks from the next album will be making it to the concert, and we sincerely hope that you like them! Our new tracks take the music to a bare stripped-down essential, with more melodies and flowing solos. They are absofuckinglutely awesome.


So come on down to the quayside and enjoy a free night of rocking! Just offer us a nice cold beer and queue up to buy our album! We will be doing a signing session after the gig! At just 10Euros, you can hardly go wrong! Overseas orders are also accepted!

Keep safe..and keep METAL!

\m/

Long time not blogging

Haven't blogged for some time, so here is a little post to show that I am still around. Well the heat here in Malta is searing, with high humidity levels..it is so hot it is incredible. I absolutely hate going out in daylight!

On a positive note, last Friday I was at the Farsons Beer Festival in TaQali, where once again our favourites, namely 'FIRE', contributed to nearly an hour's worth or beautiful classic metal! What surprised me most was the introduction of a new cover, that of Ozzy's 'I never wanna stop' from the new album...and I must say it totally rocked me away. As did all the other songs too...

Following Fire there was Frenzy Mono, who have somehow managed to put me off. I think they are great musicians and players, but their song-writing leaves me cold. Sorry guys. Unfortunately we were not in time with our application to play,so we hope to reserve our place from well beforehand next year.

Meanwhile , head over to www.stillbornmalta.com for updates on our festival on the 25th of August. BE THERE!

Hail Anette Olzon

The long wait is finally over. After unceremoniously offloading one of the best singers in the industry (Tarja Turunen), Nightwish have announced not only the new vocalist, but also have done it with a beautiful song dedicated to children everywhere. Anette Olzon is a new breath of fresh air. Just listen to the single and you will get the idea. Soft , melodic vocals introduce this singer from a hugely popular band that surely knows no limits. So make a wish, and it will be so!

And listening to the other 3 samples on the Nightwish web-site, it is clear to see that despite three years having passed since 'Once', the power is still there. God I can't wait until September!

Meanwhile, the single EVA is available from NuclearBlast records. All proceeds are going to aiding children in third world countries. Don't you even dare try to download it illegally!

I belong...

Two days now since the Champions League cup final has been done and dusted. And after Milan ran out deserved winners, a couple of scenes caught my eye. One was the salute that the Milan players gave to the Liverpool warriors as they made their way up the steps to collect the silver medal from 'Le Roi', my favourite Juve player ever...Michel Platini.

The second one brought tears to my eyes. Young, handsome, immensely rich and popular everywhere... and the first thing he does after winning not only this prestigious competition, but also the top scorer award? He gets down on his knees and prays. Thanking God for his love. Now that is what I call a man with guts and sense. Hail mighty Kaka'...may God's light shine on you through your years.

Bah...and I'm not even a Milan fan. But then...honour to the victors.

So many music, so many emotions

So, a spate of new albums, and a surprise! Let's start off with Dreamtheater's offering. In my buddy Raphael's own words , Systematic Chaos leaves you BREATHLESS! A hugely melodic album with DT's famous progressive style. Words just dry up in the face of the onslaught by this huge band. A very good album, maybe let down a little bit by too many changes in rhythm in a track. And while that is the whole point of progressive metal, it is a bit tiring to listen to.

Another album I have been waiting for is from Vision of Atlantis. Trinity comes a good three years after Castaway, in my humble opinion,one of the best albums in metal, EVER! Period! So, how does Trinity fare up? Well, I am a bit mixed up here. I desperately want to like this album, but it is so different from their previous offering that I don't know what to make of it. I think I will give this some time to settle before making a decision. Usually an album that takes time to settle on your ears becomes a favourite one, let's hope that this is the case!


So! On with the next album...OZZY OZZY OZZY OZZY OZZY..ok,ok enough. you got my point. The Prince of Darkness is back with his new album 'Black Rain'. GO OUT AND BUY IT! NOW DAMMIT! This is a STONKER of an album. So different from the last album, and so refreshingly different. I don't think I can write an unbiased review here. Why? I have always loved Ozzy. Always. Ever since hearing Paranoid I have been addicted to his voice. The riffing of Zakk Wylde is nothing short of stupendous and his playing here reaches peaks I thought he had already reached. Ah...but does he have a ballad in there? The hell he does! 'Here For You' is an arena lighters-on song. But what about the rest? Nothing much to say except that the whole album is magnificent. Far better than 'Down to Earth'. Trust me. You'll love this one. I have naughtily downloaded the promo from the net on this album. But I have already ordered mine from play.com..2 copies...yes 2 copies...

So what's the surprise? Raphael was by round my house on Thursday when he mentioned a band called called Angtoria, who have an album called 'God has a plan for us all.' (2006)

I am actually wiping away my tears as I write about this album. I am going out on a limb here ok? THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS I HAVE EVER HEARD. This is amazing stuff. Their debut album no less. This is up with 'Castaway' , 'Once' and 'Heart of Everything', to be stuck on my mp3 player forever.

The lyrics are dark, brooding and sometimes scary, with all the pent-up emotions of the song-writers etched on their sleeve. The music is flowing, melodic, orchestral and convey the meaning of the lyrics magnificently. This is obscenely beautiful and moving. The vocals are in-fucking-credible. Deeply, deeply moving!

This is an album that is not to be missed. Thank you Raphael. You have made my day today. I have been playing this album solid for two whole days now!

Once again, I am proud to be called a metalhead!

Keep metal! \m/

Scorpions album out!

Some time after I have listened to the RUSH album endlessly, another surprise springs forth in the shape of the mighty SCORPIONS..and what a humdinger of an album this is! Simply brilliant! Great growling guitar licks and riffs, brilliant vocal tunes, drumming and bass-work. But what really distinguishes the Scorps from other bands is their song-writing. Jesus Jesus what an album. I thought that the last effort, Unbreakable was great... but this is something else!!! Get this at once!

And Joy of Joys, the masters of progressive (after RUSH) , the absolutely fantastic DREAMTHEATER have just released their new album for 2007. Systematic Chaos is the title, and obviously I have put an order.. can't wait till I get it! Knowing the Dream, it will be massive, although I felt that with Octavarium, they could go no higher. What an album that was!

On the Stillborn front, all is err.....still...changes to the line-up seem imminent again, just as we have practiced relentlessly and getting ready to go live again... any pianists reading this? We simply cannot delay the album any more though, and it seems that as soon as we have the cds we will go ahead and launch.

Keep Metal \m/

Snakes and Arrows

Hurrah! Snakes and Arrows, the new album from RUSH, is finally here and thumping on my home stereo system. And what an album this is. Straight from the catchy 'Far Cry' right through 'The Main Monkey Business' and on to 'The Way the wind blows', this is an album that you will stick in your player and glue the drawer!

For three guys to make such an awesome sound is nothing short of amazing. Rush have always had a strong song-writing tradition, and their instrumental hits are really grand. Who can't remember YYZ and La Villa Strangiato? Well in this album we have 'The Main Monkey Business' which is simply awesome.

So for the moment I am savouring the music before writing a more in-depth review. Let's see how long the good feeling lasts.

Meanwhile I have heard that Rush will be touring the UK in October...now that's a thought to ponder.

RUSH RULE!

Kicked out again...

It's been a bitter sweet match result for me. First of all, I am NOT a Man.Utd. fan.... far from it. First and foremost I am a Juventus supporter, with Spurs coming a distant second place. But in all honesty I wanted United to win the tie against Milan yesterday for financial reasons. You see, back in August last year I placed a small 10Euro bet on United winning the Premier AND the Champions League. Damn...would have made a really nice return on my investment at that early stage.

So before the match last night, my footballing buddies Jonathan and Joseph were banging on my front door. As usual we had our usual popcorn, snacks, pizza, and of course wine... all cholesterol free of course...ahem... anyway, I guess the snacks didn't go down a treat this week as there was still a half-bottle of wine left as the guys made their way home. So I just did it justice...mmmmm.

There was obviously a lot of ribbing going on at work this morning, all in good nature obviously... or was it? I dare not tangle with Joseph. He's built like Schwarzenneger in his prime!

Until next time...keep safe

and KEEP METAL!

Requiem for a dream

Sunday today, so it is time for a rest for my poor tired back from all the rigours of the past week. Why have I named this post 'Requiem for a dream?'...simple actually.

Me, Raphael and Jade were doing some band practice yesterday when Jade started to play this beautiful haunting theme on her synth. It didn't take Raphael too long to start playing some heavy riffs alongside. After a few moments to suss out the the chords for the song, we started jamming along with Jade, and produced this little gem that I have linked to :here: (the file is 2.4Mb) .

Fortunately I had my trusty HP PDA with me, and I recorded it on to the device. I didn't think it would sound this nice, but it is just right. Still a garage recording obviously, but free from distortion.

You know what? This little number could make a nice four minute filler in our set. So simple, just three chords really, and so moving and satisfying to play. It is taken from the film bearing the same name as the title, on the evil of drugs and what harm they cause. I saw the movie lately. It is so shocking and ultimately believable. So sad . . . my advice? Steer clear of drugs.

Drugs are for mugs!

Keep safe and keep metal \m/

The wait is over...

At long last the wait is over. We have in our grubby little hands the creation that has meant so many sleepless nights, empty pockets and endless sacrifices for the Stillborn team. So much work and dedication have gone into creating this little masterpiece. Sales from this album will help us gear towards recording a new second CD. We have so much material waiting to burst forth that it is incredible to think what a long journey the music has to travel...but as long as the path that it follows leads to your heart...that's all that matters.

If your dreams are strong enough, then truly nothing can stand in your way!

Keep Safe

\m/

GO FINLAND!

Leave me alone! That is the winning track from the land of HEAVY METAL! Take a look at the winning song from Finland. This is an Evanescence type song, with powerful voice delivery and impressive guitar work. How can we have otherwise from the country that gave us Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and many more metal bands? This is a hit in my humble opinion.Olivia? Hold on to your butt! In my opinion we won't even make the final.

HEAVY METAL RULES!

Yep..well worth the asking price

Well of course I had tried my new BC Rich at home, but to tell the truth, nothing beats a balls-to-the-wall heavy session in a small garage to appreciate the real wall of sound that this guitar emits. Jesus wept! I had to keep the amplifier down to a bare minimum so as not to have my ears scorched by the deep booming emanating from the pickups. So yes, it was well worth the price. Now if we can only start to write new material. I know we have it in us!

On an even more positive note, regarding my very bad health issues, things seem to be moving on quite well. The reason? New medication in the form of VERY expensive injections, along with methotrexate pills, are enabling me to be myself again. Yes, I am back...but I am also totally new. This is an incredibly moving moment for me and my family, who has had to suffer from the consequences of my illness. The damage has been unfortunately done, but the medication will help to not only soothe the pain, but even slowly build on the damaged joint I have. In all probability, I will have to take these (self-administered) injections until the day I close my eyes forever...but hey...who knows when that moment will be?

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!

Barely 5 days have passed since it was sent out from the nice guys (grovel grovel) at thomann.de and my nice new shiny BC Rich is already hanging from its post next to my Fender replica baby. What a sight for sore eyes they make as I gaze at their splendour! And what incredible value for a highly crafted instrument. Dreamy chrome fittings and solid black glossy paint adorn a simple but beautiful slightly arched-top bass guitar. The pic below shows it on the right, next to my trusty Skylark.

Okay, so what about the sound? Hell it is already loud by itself, let alone plugged into an amplifier. And the playability...wow..that's why a well-crafted instrument will always bring out the best of you. With trepidation I tried it out to the beautiful bass-line of 'Sultans of Swing' , and . . . . and it plays beautifully!!!

I actually wasn't home when the guitar arrived by van. My crafty wife and kids didn't say anything to me as I headed to the computer room and let out a scream of delight as I saw the huge tightly packed box next to the sofa! So thanks to the guys at www.thomann.de for their fast delivery and amazing prices. Give them a try! Extremely helpful guys...Full Marks!

New Guitar on the way!

Well, I'm as proud as punch...I'm gonna be a parent again..well actually to a guitar! Hehe. I just happened to be on a German website www.thomann.de when I noticed this gleaming BC Rich Eagle Platinum going for a song. Just 148 Euros was the asking price for this black beauty, quite a lot down from the RRP of 650 Euros. What could I do but buy it? So now I am waiting eagerly for the mailman to call me to collect it! I can't imagine my local postie dropping this monster through the letter box.

Visions of Atlantis album pushed to May 25th

Well yesterday, wonder of wonders , fans of VoA got a mail from Thomas, (drummer of VoA) with a link to download audio samples of the band's new offering, 'Trinity'. After the news that Nicole had departed, I was a bit wary of what I was about to hear, but new vocalist Melissa made up for any fears I might have had.


Me and my daughter really enjoyed 'Castaway' , the band's previous offering, and we are really really waiting for the album with great trepidation. After hearing the sample tracks, I can say that the wait will be even more interminable. This is going to be good, really good. I left feedback to Thomas on their website and he replied back immediately, scarcely within 7 minutes. Now that is what I call honest to goodness availability.

So yes, although the album release has been pushed back to 25th May, the samples will do to whet our appetite. Thanks Thomas, and VoA...meanwhile we will just have to listen to Castaway again and again..but that's not a bad thing after all...Castaway has been one of my top three albums ever since it was released. 'Lost' still gives me the shivers after all these years.