Well, that year ended faster than Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Congratulations to the lad on winning the Formula One title, incidentally. So much has occurred over the past twelve months that it is hard to know where to begin. So I am going to start with the MetalTalk team, and what an awesome bunch they are.
The patience and fortitude of Steve Ritchie and Ian Sutherland exemplify the stoicism and never-say-die attitude in keeping this publication running. Add them to the literary talents of Paul Monkhouse, Sara Harding, Liz Medhurst and Brian Boyle, along with every other writer at MetalTalk, and you have a winning team.
It also has to be mentioned that none of what we do would have been possible without the legendary leadership of Steve Göldby, who tragically passed away this year.
I think it is appropriate to pay homage to some of those that we lost in 2025, legends such as Ozzy Osborne, Brian Wilson, Jeff Buckler, Marianne Faithfull, Les Binks, Rick Derringer, George Kooymans, Mike Peters, Mani and David Johansen, who all tragically passed away this year.
Also, on the back of the tragic death of Paul Di’Anno late last year, Iron Maiden lost another former vocalist in Paul Mario Day. There were, of course, many others who left us in 2025, but they all have something in common. They left us with the eternal joy of the music that they produced, a rich tapestry of audiological genius that will mean that they will live on for eternity. To the fallen, we salute you.
From a music perspective, my year really started on 13 December 2024 in Sarajevo and will end on 16 December 2025 at the Cart & Horses in Stratford. So without further ado, I shall tickle your eyeballs and let your mind run riot as I engage in writing and discussing a heady melange of rock and Metal, whilst luxuriating in a bubble bath armed with a bottle of wine, a rubber ducky and Tank’s This Means War, blaring out of my earphones. Move over Dalton Trumbo.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to attend an abundance of gigs over the last year. It is extraordinarily difficult to narrow it down to one gig. It is a little like trying to pick a favourite child. Do I choose the highly emotional and very personal Paul Di’Anno tribute gig featuring the mighty Airforce, who absolutely tore up the stage at The Underworld, ably supported by Kiss tribute band, Snog and Iron Maiden tribute legends Hi-On Maiden. It is close, but no cigar.
Do I then pick a gig that I attended but did not actually review? Arguably the greatest Heavy Metal band of all time, the one and only Iron Maiden, at the London Stadium, featuring the wonderful Halestorm and The Raven Age on the bill? Nope, I am afraid not. I think, for me, it is a very real case of “tales of the unexpected” and going on an adventure to Sarajevo with Metal Heart, which was so different and so special.
The Metal Heart gig, which took place at Cinema Sloga in Sarajevo, stands out because of the story behind the gig, the rotation of incredible musicians performing at the gig and the audience themselves.
With this gig marking the 30th anniversary of the legendary Skunkworks performance, which took place in a besieged Sarajevo, the significance of this particular event cannot be understated. The music was fabulous, featuring rock and Metal classics from Metallica to Whitesnake. It was pure perfection, and it featured Chris Dale, who actually played bass with Skunkworks at the gig 30 years ago and somebody I feel privileged enough to call one of my closest friends. It also featured the original support act, an amazing Bosnian group called GNU.
This gig was not just about over three hours of great music. It was not just about the fantastic performance of every musician there, either. It was about the audience, the smile on their faces, the investment in the gig on a very personal level. This was one of the greatest musical events I have ever attended, so this has to be my ultimate stand-out gig.
When it comes to albums and EPs, I have selected five that tickled my fancy in no specific order.
My first offering is Acts Of Madness by Airforce. Now, they may not be the biggest act in the world of Metal, but when they unleash an album, it is always a corker, and this is an album recorded in the true spirit of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. It is definitely worth parting with some coin of the realm for.
Next up is a rather spiffing debut album from Balkan metallers, Power Surge, called Shadows Warning. If you love your Metal loud, frenetic and steeped in the traditions of Early Iron Maiden and Metallica, then this will kick your arse. Bigtime. It’s ruddy excellent, so check it out, or Mistress Whippy will give you a jolly good thrashing.
Everyone’s favourite Butcher Baby Carla Harvey is front and centre with a wonderful EP, The Violent Hour. Featuring the talents of John 5, Zakk Wylde, Brandon Yeagley and Carla’s husband, Charlie Benante, this really is very different to anything Harvey has done before. I believe that this album really is a precursor to great things.
Now, hands up, who does not like Tank? Good, nobody has raised their hands, I can put my Samurai Sword back in its sheath. The Live In Texas EP is a cracking offering. Recorded in Houston, Texas, at the Hells Heroes Festival on 15 March 2024 and released in February 2025, this EP features five tracks from their first three albums. Tank are the epitome of everything that is great in a live band. They are great musicians, they are fun, they stay true to their NWOBHM roots, and they are bloody nice guys. Go on, check this EP out.
My final offering for your delectation is Bruce Dickinson’s More Balls To Picasso, a reimagining of Dickinson’s Balls To Picasso, first released on 3 June 1994. Following his debut solo album, Tattooed Millionaire, and his departure from Iron Maiden, it took three attempts to get the original album off the ground.
With the first attempt considered too Maiden-esque and the second attempt too much of a departure from his signature sound, it eventually hit the shelves and the airwaves. Three decades later, Grammy-winning producer Brendan Duffy got his hands on the album, sprinkled some of his magic dust on the original recording and turned it into a wide-angled masterpiece. It’s big….no, IT’S ENORMOUS. The reimagining of this album is an absolute masterclass in both musicianship and engineering. Make sure you get the opportunity to listen to this thing of beauty.
Now, I have to say that I think that the two most memorable moments of my year both involved Iron Maiden. The first was having the privilege of joining my very close friend, bass playing legend as well as MetalTalk writer Chris Dale, on a trip to Bremen in Germany to see the Metal icons, before joining the band at their hotel and engaging in a good couple of hours conversation with Bruce Dickinson and his lovely wife Leana.
The second was a far more sombre yet memorable occasion, as I attended the premiere of Wes Orshoski’s documentary about former Maiden frontman Paul Di’Anno. This was very emotional for me, as Paul was also a close friend. However, Wes did Paul proud and produced a work of art. You can read the review of Di’Anno: Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer, here.
Right, enough of this maudling nonsense. There will be a plethora of positives in 2026. The new album from Neuronspoiler will be coming out, and I have no doubt it will be every bit as good as their single release, Crimson Tales, last month.
Then, there is Jethro Tull. Now that is going to be a real treat. I saw them a couple of years ago at the Glasshouse in Gateshead, and they were quite frankly, magnificent. With Ian Anderson prancing around on the stage with his flute like a 25-year-old, it could be argued that he was the inspiration for Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Grey. I am sure there must be a painting of him in his loft, slowly ageing as Anderson regenerates to his youthful past.
Then it’s the big one – Knebworth, Maiden, The Darkness, The Almighty, Airbourne and The Hu. What’s not to love in that lineup? It is going to be massive, and I am really proud to be part of the team covering this event for MetalTalk.
Of course, there will be many other events and releases taking place, too many to mention, and MetalTalk will be there. With all this smorgasbord of goodness going on within the rock and Metal scene, hopefully, as the year progresses, I can help take some of the workload off of MetalTalk editor and literary legend Steve Ritchie.
So, as I lay here lying on my bed, sweet voices going through my head (gratuitous Maiden reference there) I would like to wish all of the artists that we have covered, all of the staff at MetalTalk Towers and all of our amazing readers a very merry Christmas and holiday season and wish you all the very best for the coming year.
As for me? I shall be celebrating with a nice bottle of meths and a bag of Quavers. Chin chin.
