Album Review – Mad Max / Stories Of Destiny (2026)

These German Heavy Metal veterans are celebrating 45 years on the road with their sixteenth studio album, reflecting their long history while opening a new chapter in their career.

Founded in Münster, Germany in the distant year of 1981 by guitarist, songwriter and leader Jürgen Breforth, Mad Max have been a constant name in the European Heavy Metal and Hard Rock scene for more than four decades, always showcasing their powerful guitar driven sound, strong melodies and classic Hard Rock attitude. Now in 2026 the band formed of the aforementioned Jürgen Breforth on the guitar alongside vocalist Alan Clark (known to many fans from Dark Heart), guitarist Wilfried Schneider, bassist Thomas Hoffmann, and drummer Uwe Starck is celebrating 45 years on the road with their sixteenth studio album, titled Stories Of Destiny, following up on their 2022 opus Wings of Time. Built around songs that Jürgen had the honor to co-write with respected names from the rock and metal world, including Sascha Gerstner of Helloween, David Readman of Pink Cream 69, Andreas Broon of The Sister of Mercy, and Michael Voss, known from his work with Michael Schenker, the album showcases the unmistakable Mad Max style from start to finish, an absolute delight for all fans of their old school style.

Jürgen and Wilfried ignite their rockin’ machine in Silver, a very melodic tune that will work brilliantly if played live, and then we have the first of the two previously unreleased Mad Max songs from 1991, Weapons Of Love, where Thomas and Uwe make the earth tremble, offering pure 80’s Hard Rock to our metallic hearts. Keep You Alive is a mid-tempo tune that takes some time to take off, although Uwe keeps the rhythm flowing behind his drums, followed by Far Behind, an amazing Hard Rock extravaganza by the band with Alan kicking some serious ass on vocals. The newly recorded version of Piece Of Candy, based on the very first guitar riff Jürgen ever wrote for Mad Max in 1981, is now performed as a duet between Alan and guest Andreas Baesler (their original vocalist, back after 45 years), and it will certainly inspire you to bang your head nonstop at a rock pub.

‘Til The End Of Time, the second unreleased song from 1981, keeps the album at a high level of electricity with its 80’s inspired sonority, with their guitars breathing Hard Rock magic; whereas in Bullet, just like a Rock N’ Roll bullet, the music will penetrate inside your mind with Alan stealing the spotlight with his soaring vocal lines. Mad Gone Blind is another song tailored to be played live, with Jürgen and Wilfried being in absolute sync from start to finish; whereas She Was Mine continues from where the previous song left off, again showcasing the striking combination of Alan’s classic vocals and Uwe’s hammering beats. It’s then time to slow things down and deliver the introspective, emotional ballad Wings Of Freedom, or in other words, simply raise your lighters together with Mad Max; and closing the album we face Dulces Falsos, their first song ever recorded with Spanish lyrics, serving as a tribute to the band’s fans in Latin America, a no shenanigans Heavy Metal and Hard Rock feast for lovers of the golden years of heavy music.

Not only that, the visual world of Stories Of Destiny also connects to the Mad Max comics created by Mexican comic artist Maestro Arturo Said, telling the story of the band from its founding days in 1981 through the 80’s and up to their first shows in Colombia in 2023, making the album both a musical and visual celebration of the band’s legacy. You can get more information about such an important band in the world of heavy music via Facebook and Instagram, stream their music on any platform like Spotify, and purchase Stories Of Destiny by clicking HERE. Reflecting the band’s long history while opening a new chapter in their career, therefore creating a direct link between their earliest days and their present, Stories Of Destiny points to a bright future ahead of them, always loyal to the foundations of our good old Rock N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: Silver, Far Behind and Bullet.

Worst moments of the album: Keep You Alive.

Released in 2026 ROAR! Rock of Angels Records

Track listing
1. Silver 4:10
2. Weapons Of Love 3:23
3. Keep You Alive 4:02
4. Far Behind 4:37
5. Piece Of Candy 3:22
6. ‘Til The End Of Time 4:29
7. Bullet 4:51
8. Mad Gone Blind 3:48
9. She Was Mine 4:42
10. Wings Of Freedom 4:31
11. Dulces Falsos 3:22

Band members
Alan Clark – vocals
Jürgen Breforth – guitar
Wilfried Schneider – guitar
Thomas Hoffmann – bass
Uwe Starck – drums

Guest musician
Andreas Baesler – vocals on “Piece of Candy” and “Dulces Falsos”

Album Review – Alunah / Strange Machine (2022)

Welcome to the “Strange Machine” driven by this unstoppable Hard Rock and Doom Metal entity, showcasing the band in their most diverse yet focused light.

Hailing from Sabbath City, the unstoppable Hard Rock/Doom Metal entity Alunah continues to tread their own path in 2022 with a fantastic new album, titled Strange Machine, following up on their critically acclaimed 2019 opus Violet Hour. Written and rehearsed during the pandemic whilst overcoming numerous personal struggles, recorded at the famous Foel Studio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Mariano Peccinetti, the album shows frontwoman Siân Greenaway, guitarist Matt Noble, bassist Daniel Burchmore and drummer Jake Mason in their most diverse yet focused light, overflowing with groove, blues, psychedelia and ferocity, therefore welcoming us all to the “Strange Machine” driven by such distinguished band.

And you better get ready for a wicked voyage to the sound of the title-track Strange Machine, with Jake taking the lead with his Doom Metal beats while Siân is absolutely mesmerizing on vocals, all spiced up by the razor-edged riffs by Matt. Let’s keep banging our heads to the rumbling bass by Daniel in Over The Hills, another lesson in Hard Rock and Doom Metal by the quartet that sounds and feels dense and captivating from start to finish; whereas it’s time for over six minutes of somber, melancholic passages and sounds in the form of Fade Into Fantasy, with Siân once again taking our hearts by storm with her deep, stunning vocals, followed by Broken Stone, another enfolding tune that starts in a tribal manner to the beats by Jake and the low-tuned, metallic bass by Daniel, while Matt delivers fiery Black Sabbath-inspired riffs from his axe. And in Psychedelic Expressway the name of the song says it all, bringing forward a romantic, thrilling fusion of Doom Metal with Psychedelic Rock for our vulgar delectation where all band members are on fire until the very end.

Featuring guest guitars from Shane Wesley of Crowbar, Alunah present the heavy and dirty The Earth Spins, a good composition that keeps the album at a high level of energy, while putting the pedal to the metal Siân and the boys are going to kick your ass mercilessly in Silver, showcasing those electrifying riffs we all love so much in Doom and Stoner Metal. Put differently, there’s not a single second of boredom throughout the entire song; it’s thunderous heavy music at its finest. And we face more of the raw bass lines by Daniel in Teaching Carnal Sins, who makes a fantastic duo with Matt and his old school riffage, flowing smoothly and darkly until the last second and consequently keeping us hypnotized by the band’s flawless performance. Lastly, the closing tune Dead Woman Walking is just as groovy and enfolding as the rest of the album, with Matt offering Siân all she needs to shine on vocals once again, generating a sensational conclusion to the album.

As usual, you can get to know Siân and the boys better by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming more of their intense, somber and melodic creations on Spotify. In addition, in order to show your true support and admiration for Alunah, you should grab a copy of Strange Machine from the Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ BandCamp page or webstore really soon, adding another fantastic item to your devilish collection. Alunah are taking a huge step forward in their career with Strange Machine, solidifying their sound, shaping up their own style, and as a consequence cementing their name in the history of British Doom Metal. Welcome to the Strange Machine, and let’s keep raising our horns to Alunah in the name of doom.

Best moments of the album: Broken Stone, Silver and Dead Woman Walking.

Worst moments of the album: The Earth Spins.

Released in 2022 Heavy Psych Sounds Records

Track listing
1. Strange Machine 5:00
2. Over The Hills 3:55
3. Fade Into Fantasy 6:15
4. Broken Stone 5:16
5. Psychedelic Expressway 4:14
6. The Earth Spins 5:09
7. Silver 3:37
8. Teaching Carnal Sins 5:02
9. Dead Woman Walking 3:56

Band members
Siân Greenaway – vocals
Matt Noble – guitar
Daniel Burchmore – bass
Jake Mason – drums

Guest musician
Shane Wesley – guitars on “The Earth Spins”