Submit your Record Store to the worldwide BraveWords Record Store list

Have you ever had the experience of walking into a record store? Posters all over the walls. Music blaring. Racks of vinyl and CDs. You are on the hunt for a new release or looking for that lost treasure. 

There is always something new or strange to discover. Taking vinyl albums, Compact Discs, Music Cassettes, VHS tapes or DVD's into your own hands gives a first look and feel for a release. It's very different compared to looking music up online. Just turn around a actual record and you know what I'm talking about. Share the experience with a friend and you can start talking about releases quickly.

Often there is a chance of having a listen to new releases through headphones directly at the store and if you purchase something free magazines or other goodies maybe added by the shopkeeper.   

Record stores are a rare breed these days. BraveWords.com wants to help fans around the worldwide find record stores. 

Keep the spirit of Record Stores alive by submitting them to the Record Store list.

Do you own or work at a record store that sells rock and metal albums? BraveWords.com is assembling a list of record stores around the world for fans to use. They will put this list online for all fans.

Note: Only store name, address and URL will posted. Phone number, email address and contact name will not be shared online.

To take part, find the BraveWords Record Store Submission Form here:     

https://forms.gle/Gnm3JkxCAR9bgx4J7

Please take the chance to help Record Stores survive in these hard times.

CD Review: Factory Of Art - Back To Life (Progressive Power Metal, 2024)

 The new Factory Of Art album is a surprise to me in any way it could be.

Finally a brand new Factory Of Art album has been released.

Brand new songs by a band that has been inactive for a long time? I was a bit unsure what to expect.

But it's already the first track called "Abysses" that calms my mind down. A decent fast track with a lot of progressive splitters that ignites a light in my mind.  It feels a bit long towards the end.

The midtempo of "Burning Wings" continues the heavy trademarks of the band and enriches them with keyboard elements that run through the whole song. It's a solid track.

"Blessing in Disguise" sets a dark mood and majestic sound. Not my favorite. It's not a bad song but feels a bit long and I think other tunes of the album are far better.

The band sounds better when they keep it more on a heavy and direct note. That's why I prefer songs like "Silent Room" or "Face Behind The Mask". They simply keep me closer to the stereo system and give me a  bigger positive push.  Most of all the least one with it's many various vocal variations stand out of the ten tracks. 

Happily the band never stresses the listener with too long songs or too stretched instrumental sections. That why I like them so much - it all remains compact and well listenable.

The longer tracks deserve to be longer and towards the end of the record the duration is cut shorter. It's good to hear that the band has the ability to come to a end at the proper moments. When it's over - it's over. 

"Decadence" for example is a bright and fast track but at the same remains so good because everything's arranged to the proper moments so it remains exciting to listen. Hold on 'till the songs end - it's well worth it.

Listening to the sound it's for sure a modern production. I've chosen to listen on less high volume because more details came through for me this way.  

I would encourage listener of heavier progressive metal music to purchase this album. It's not available for streaming with the exception of the video of "Blessing In Disguise".

Beside the songs it's the fine artwork and the colored vinyl in gatefold packaging that deserve the record to be added to your collection. 

With prices ranging from 15 Euro for the CD up to 30 bucks for the double vinyl I think it's still not too expensive. It's available directly by the band's own webshop.

SpiteFuel release slightly dark-toned single

Sometimes snippets circulate early letting you guess about the quality of a upcoming release. SpiteFuel did the same for the "Sleeping with wolves" release and combined it with a show announcement at the Live Factory in Adelsheim, Germany that will take place on the upcoming weekend (03. December 2016).

The cool thing is that the trailer only gave few cuts out to the listener so not much was given out too soon. Anyway I liked it this way and the fact that the band not only invited to their upcoming performance but also mentioned the other bands on the billing, too. Such a treat is not to be found often these days.

Anyway right now we're given the full title track of the "Sleeping with wolves" single. I can only recommend to listen to this one, it's a burner for all those loving melodic but also heavy and slightly dark metal music. It's great to hear the band kept the focus on developing a unique style with a positive basic tone but not forgetting the real world and working parts of how it's like to live on today's planet earth in with the sound. Just listen to the heavier and slower riffing in the verses and the massive variations on the vocals to find out what I'm talking about.


The 3 track Single contains with the title track for the first time a taste for their new album, which will be titled "Second To None" and will be released in spring.

As a bonus, this 3-song single contains a bombastic, orchestral soundtrack version of the titletrack, arranged exclusively by Arkadius Antonik (SuidAkra, Realms Of Odoric), as well a re-recording of "Never Surrender“.

The cover of the "Sleeping with wolves" single. Cover artwork by Fabian Schwarz with additional work by Travis Smith, (c) by SpiteFuel, used with kind permission

The single is available as a fine tradtional packed Compact Disc in the MDD mailorder and at the liveshows of the band. In addition you can get it as download with some bonus content (Cover, booklet and CD tray graphics as well as the "Never surrender" videoclip in MP4 format) for only 2 Euro on the Bandcamp page of SpiteFuel.to shorten the waiting time on the album . No matter which format you prefer, tracks 2 and 3 are always single exclusive songs.

Maybe this is also a nice idea as a christmas or St. Nicholas gift? Remember that Bandcamp offers the gift option directly at each product page - it's easy to find directly underneath the "Buy now" button.

Make sure to check SpiteFuels Facebook page to keep track of upcoming shows and the next steps 'till the album release in spring 2017.