JAY Z - MAGNA CARTA HOLY GRAIL

Weighing in with 12 number 1 solo albums, over 55 million overall sales, a whopping $250 million net worth according to Forbes and the most beautiful celebrity wife in the world;
Jay Z ultimately has it all. It's no surprise that his talent still shines in his last release: "Magna Carta... Holy Grail".

The double platinum 2013 album was a massive success. It peaked at number 1 in both the UK Top 40 Albums and US Billboard 200 selling 528,000 copies in the first week. The record was arguably one of the hottest albums of the year. Featuring a heavy arsenal of guests such as Justin Timberlake, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean, Nas and Pharrell it leaves Magna Carta standing as a heavyweight release. 

The albums instrumentals are trap infused, dub bass, synthetic FX looped, experimental art. Much like Picasso would except with paint, Jay Z bends and breaks the surface, redefining sounds in order to create his personal visual vision.

Take the first track as a perfect example. Holy Grail starts in the style of a ballad with Justin Timberlake taking the lead. The instrumental is piano based and the strong vocals are sung in a melancholic melody. The chorus then kicks off an unexpected loop of 808s and synths. Jay leads the verses here on and features a Nirvana reference, singing lyrics from Smells Like Teen Spirit. Had Kurt Cobain been alive to hear this, I'm sure that he would approve even simply due to his love for freedom of expression and his creativity. This song is a masterpiece.

Tom Ford was carried as one of three singles from the album and is a personal favourite of mine. The track's deep bass will have your speakers pounding like a Haymaker. The song carries two unique sounds that really stick this track out there for me. The first is hard to put words to. It can only be described as a hip-hop xylophone beat in a large tin room with echoing acoustics. The second is a choppy, morphing 8-bit arcade style synth. They fit the song perfectly.

Oceans is another highlight from Magna Carta.  Frank Ocean's voice is soothing to the ear as he sings his piece with perfection. His voice sounds both elegant and beautiful. Jay executes his bars with style and uses intriguing wordsmanship. It may not be a club smasher but it deserves a place on every playlist across the country for personal admiration of the songs beauty.

Further highlights from the album are F.U.T.W, Crown, Heaven, Part II (On The Run) which features his beautiful other half Beyoncé and the more personal JAY Z Blue. 

Magna Carta Holy Grail is a wonder from start to finish and certainly deserves a place on any hip-hop fans shelf. For those who are open to expanding their musical tastes, this should be an album you try. Jay Z has produced a masterful album of art that needs exhibited to the masses.

You can purchase Magna Carta Holy Grail right here!

Until next time folks, i'm heading to Somewhereinamerica.

What did you think of the album? Let me know in the comments.

SLIPKNOT - .5: THE GRAY CHAPTER

After 6 years of no fresh material and hearbreak, pain and misery due to the loss of valued band members, the last thing you'd expect is a crunching new album to be released from out of nowhere. 2014 came as a breath of fresh air to Slipknot fans with their new album: ".5: The Gray Chapter"

Named after the deceased former bassist Paul Gray, the album pays homage to one of Slipknot's most exceptional members. Following the departure of Slipknot's drummer Joey Jordison too, it was intriguing what would come of this album. Despite Joey's cut off and Paul's death, Slipknot have leapt through rings of fire with their new material. It's raw, it's ruthless and it feels like Iowa has came back to town; this time bigger, badder, better.

Riffs crash upon your ears from start to finish, making sure they leave their mark. The melodic fillers that you find within songs such as Killpop hold still a dark, doomy essence. Also, it feels very adamant to mention that Slipknot's new drummer provides unbelievable skills keeping listeners perked up and attentive to the sound of blastbeats, extraordinary double bass rolls and signature drum fills. 

Corey Taylor's voice has not lost its touch over the course of time, sounding just as good and just as murderous as ever. The vocals on this are killer. If you don't end up being convicted of either GBH, attempted murder, murder itself or manslaughter after tuning in to this, you're either not listening close enough or you're just not feeling the album enough. Either way, you're not doing it right.

.5: The Gray Chapter hosts an array of many new fiery tracks such as The Devil In I, Lech, Nomadic, Custer and The Negative One. Please bare in mind; these are only personal highlights. There is not one song that I heard that I would ever in my wildest dreams think about skipping. Doing so would be a crime and should be punishable by death. 

Slipknot have done Maggots across the nation proud with .5: The Gray Chapter and remain on top of their A-Game. This album is what the Ruthless Aggression is to WWE. Iowa remains as the definitive Attitude Era. Corey and the pack have pulled off yet another smash hit album. 

You can purchase Slipknot's new album .5: The Gray Chapter right here!

You can purchase tickets to their upcoming tour with Korn titled "Prepare For Hell" right here.

Until next time folks, stay (Sic).

What did you think of the new album? Did you love it? Hate it? Are you moshing? Whatever you have to say, say it in the comments.

ENTER SHIKARI - THE LAST GARRISON

Last night on the Wednesday 22nd October edition of Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, it was set out to be a big night for Enter Shikari. Quoted right now as the "Hottest Record In The World", Zane was given the honour of playing the world premier debut of Enter Shikari's new single: "The Last Garrison".

The post-hardcore experimental electronic quintet from  St Albans, Hertfordshire last released a series of three singles creating a three track EP named after one of the tracks called Rat Race in November 2013. The Last Garrison is the first single to be released by Enter Shikari from their forthcoming album The Mindsweep which is set to be released on the 19th of January 2015.

Focusing much more on their electronic sound now, Enter Shikari's new single is much more radio friendly all the while still carrying that unique sound that you expect from them. The heavy sweeps are key to producing classic Shikari and the heavy experimental hardcore influenced parts of the song that we do have are loud, in your face, drum and bass, metallic dubby breakdown bliss. Rou's voice sounds good as ever and his yelling never cease to please. It's very relieving that Enter have kept to their roots despite their new musical taste.

The Garrison is catchy and holds its own with the new poppy, upbeat vibes that shine throughout the verses. The drum and bass influence is very appealing and energetic having you cranking up the volume and maxing out your speakers. 

Being only the first release from The Mindsweep, The Garrison has me wetting myself in anticipation for hopefully one or two more singles from the album before the release early next year. Enter Shikari are totally on point and the direction they're taking holds promise for excellence. 

You can watch the video for The Garrison right below:

Until next time folks, see you on the other side.

What did you think of Enter Shikari's latest single? Let me know in the comments section!

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS - UNRAVELLING

What started out as just a four piece band from Edinburgh performing their first gig back in 2003 at their schools 'battle of the bands' , which they won by the way, quickly elevated and became so much more for the Scottish indie rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks. 

"Unravelling" to many is a mature, coming of age album that shows a completely different side to a band who have been looking to grow into the more developed act that they are now. Not only is the album an example of great success to most, but it's a spanner in the works for fans of their old sound because of their now more sophisticated style of playing which leaves old indie kids wondering; what ever happened to the boys who recorded These Four Walls back in 2009? As a longtime fan of WWPJ, I myself prefer older tracks such as It's Thunder and It's Lightening and Quiet Little Voices as opposed to the more trend fitting, radio friendly songs being recorded now.

As we all know, the cycle of fashion and the cycle of music and so on all end up being regurgitated and finding themselves back in the eyes of a newer generation every so often. the 80s and 90s are clashing across the nation right now with a fresh wave of youths experimenting and dabbling with bits and pieces from both eras. Something that seems to be very in is the old sound of electro pop. This is something I noticed We Were Promised Jetpacks buying into almost instantly when first listening to the album. Not only did I feel this way but I also felt that they were playing into the hands of experimenting with a more soft indie grunge sound at times. This is indie for the hipsters of indie.

Safety In Numbers fades in with a keyboard loop that sounds like a Motorola ringtone. Very much a friendly reminder of Depeche Mode. The vocals sound like a Scottish fusion of trying to be Brandon Flowers and Alex Turner whilst unfortunately not living up to the aforementioned artists. Besides these criticisms, the song is actually enjoyable. The instrumental picks up while the singing stays monotone which adds both good contrast and an ease to enjoy the backing track and singing separately, focusing on the song for it's musical depth rather than just hearing a stramash of instruments and lyrics being flung at you all the while being underproduced like you hear from many good artists with potential these days.

Peaks And Troughs are where it's at for me on the new album. It's that old key sound that I love to hear. The bassline and guitar carries a good partnership keeping it calm before the storm that awakes not long after the halfway point of the song. The volume feels louder, the piano is soothing yet able to build a climatic atmosphere and finally when we hear the melodic riffs and rumbling drum fills, we know we are at the peak of an exceptional track. This is a number to indulge yourself in.

I Keep It Composed somewhat reminds me of One From The Road from Arctic Monkeys' AM. The song sounds like it could pass as a hit from bands such as Kings Of Leon. The bassline is funky, the drumbeat is hypnotic and the guitars trendy indie overdrive makes for good listening. Not the old We Were Promised Jetpacks but a nice mature sound.

For fans who have been around We Were Promised Jetpacks for at least a good few years, this will be a hit or miss situation. Much like Marmite, you will either love it or hate it. There are definitely some peak tracks on Unravelling such as the mentioned Peaks And Troughs, Peace Sign,  Bright Minds and Moral Compass.

There's enough material that I enjoy to rate this a confident must have yet there's still a feeling of discontent due to what feels like a true to their word band with moral values selling out. Bands do need to progress and mature, that much is true. However, it sometimes does come as shock horror when a band with a good sound change almost completely. Go ahead and give it a listen, see if you agree.

You can purchase Unravelling by We Were Promised Jetpacks right here!
You can find all releases on the FatCat Records store!

Find this review also over at Backstage Pass! (I guest blog for them!)

Until next time folks, to infinity and beyond!

What did you think of Unravelling? Did you either love it or hate it? Do you hold an opinion on the album? Whatever it may be, post it in the comments!

HAVE HEART - SONGS TO SCREAM AT THE SUN

Boston's always been renowned for having an untouchable hardcore scene boasting bands such as Bane, Converge, Defeater, Slapshot, In My Eyes, Righteous Jams, SS Decontrol, Negative FX, DYS and Ten Yard Fight. Most notably, they have also had one of, if not THE most successful straight edge scenes ever. The Boston bands have always had a unique, original sound which would segregate them from just the average bunch and show their worth to a music scene that's dependent on real, true artists with a punch that could flat out stop a heart. Mentioning the heart, that reminds me of another Boston powerhouse: Have Heart.

Very good melodic hardcore for me comes very few and far between. With Have Heart, you're given nothing less than perfectness. A forefront in the resurgent Boston scene, the band came together in 2002. In 2003, they released their debut demo which perked up the ears of Think Fast! Records who would go on to sign them for their release of What Counts (Which you can purchase here) in 2004. This was the band's first EP. Like many legendary hardcore bands, Have Heart found themselves being signed to the prestigious Bridge 9 in 2006. That same year they would go on to release The Things We Carry, the bands first full length. The band would then go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore bands of the current time with their July 8th 2008 release: "Songs To Scream At The Sun".

Vocalist Patrick Flynn says that "Songs to Scream At The Sun is the coming of age story. It's about the growing process of a young kid shaking the chains of selfishness, but it's everything about what you lose and gain in that process of growing up." These words echo truth as you listen to the album. Full of painstaking and heartbreaking lyrics, you can feel the reality of the tracks as Pat racks his angst filled throat to provide an insightful experience for the listener. 

We start off by hearing The Same Son, a melodic introductory track that provides an atmospherical benefit to the album before hitting us in the face with Bostons. The riffs are in your face, the drums pound your ears and the band show us what they're all about and what kind of band they are with this release. Melodic yet raw, emotions are everywhere with this one. The song provides a look into the eyes of a who grew up in Boston in a tough neighbourhood with no support coming from his alcoholic father. "so I could be the boy you couldn't be, have the father you didn't get to see, have the youth you did not get to live or feel the love this world forgot to give."  Lyrics such as these stamp this with a real sense of what a tough life is, making this stand out even more. Hardcore is where songs like this belong. I love it.

Pave Heart starts fast and boosts the tempo up as Have Heart unleash their energy and anger. Although there may be melodic tones, the riffs certainly still sound heavy underneath the roaring of drums. Like the aforementioned track, the energy is again kept at a peak for the most of the first half of On The Bird In The Cage. This is one for the heartbreaks. It's all about loving someone enough to walk away if you're truly not good for that person. It's something close to many's hearts and Pat's take on this is truly beautiful. Words like "because I fucking need you like air I fucking breathe" speak volumes and should certainly feel relatable to anybody who has ever been in love. 

The speed is taken down a notch again as a lower tempo melody is played at the start of Brotherly Love. I can almost feel the aching as the lyrics come belting through my speakers. A true pain can be heard from start to finish. Musically, it's out of this world. Mood wise, it's a killer. Next up comes the ever so great and well loved No Roses, No Skies. It's loud and brash, it's fast and it'll have you jumping off your couch. This song is a classic. It's packed with heart and it's not hard to tell. It really tells you that the image being sold to females across the nation is a farce and that women are beautiful in their own right without product and should stand up knowing they are strong without a man and worthy of the great joys that this world can grant. This is a highlight of the album and a track which peaks in their discography.

The Taste Of The Floor is only a minute long and although it may be short, it's far from being just a filler on the album in my opinion. It's crunching hardcore and it packs some heat. The aggression of the cymbals crashing and drum rolls and the vocals towards the end leave you wanting more out of this track before it fades out and transitions literally perfectly into the filler which is Reflections. The drums are focused on mostly whilst guitars lie underneath striking long chords. It doesn't have much purpose but it could work as an atmospherical extended outro to it's predecessor which would certainly be better as a longer track.

"October leaves on Massachusetts' trees." is the memorable opening line of Hard Bark on The Family Tree. This is my favourite track on the album. It varies in pace and switches it up between it's more crossover punky and melodic hardcore sound which does the song the world of favours. The words are powerful and the instrumental is phenomenal. To understand my strong feelings on this track you have to go and listen to this, right now. The Same Sun wraps up the album with excellent execution and style. It's heavy enough to make you want to cause a storm in the room but melodic enough to keep the head on it. It's balance keeps the energy on a hairline which works well in this occasion. A fantastic piece and an ending track which sets the standards for any other melodic hardcore bands and hardcore bands in general.

The album doesn't have one song that I'll ever skip. There's nothing I'd change except for maybe taking out the unnecessary filler and extending The Taste Of The Floor but asides this, Songs To Scream At The Sun is a masterpiece. Own this and you'll understand exactly why Have Heart deserve all the credit they get.

You can purchase Have Heart merchandise and musical releases from the Bridge 9 online store!

Until next time folks, you stay classy San Diego.

What did you think of Songs To Scream At The Sun? Fly your views into the comments section and discuss with me your thoughts on the band and the album!

CHAMPION - TIME SLIPS AWAY

They're loud, they're fast and they've got a lot to shout about. Seattle based straight edge legends Champion have made a point of being heard since 1999 when they first released their Demo tape. 3  extended plays (one being a split with Betrayed released in 2006 through Rivalry Records which you can purchase from this link) and two albums later and Champion made their mark as one of the worlds leading straight edge bands of new wave hardcore. 

After their 1999 Demo and first EP in 2000, Come Out Swinging, which was released by Phyte Records and Platinum Recordings, Champion found themselves moving on to the legendary Bridge 9 with their 2002 EP, Count Our Numbers. The band cemented their place with Bridge 9, staying with them until their heartbreaking disbanding in 2006. Through the well established record label, they released the well known full length, Promises Kept.

On the 19th of April 2005, we found ourselves with the compilation album: "Time Slips Away". The album features their two Bridge 9 EPs. Some fans may prefer having the compilation instead of two EPs like myself, other fans may even just like to have it as part of their distro, and then you get those who'll just want Champion everything. I dig that. 

Time Slips Away starts with The Decline. the intro is long and climax building before finally hitting us with two memorable chords where we find ourselves singing along and two stepping almost straight after. The vocals are strong and the lyrics about selling out and breaking edge are powerful and backed with ruthless aggression. Throughout the song you'll find yourself picking up change, moshing hard and slamming yourself into your bedroom wardrobes.

The uplifting Fourth Of July is straight up original hardcore sounding just as good as the first time it came round in the 80's. The lyrics show coming of age, strength in wisdom and promote living positively. It's simply youth crew gold. This makes me want to X up and shout the lines at the next pedestrian who passes me.

The album titled track Time Slips Away is yet again another burst of energy and passion. It's melodic tone underneath the grizzly riffs, frequent chugs and double kick drum is beautiful. You can feel the pain in the voice of Jim Hesketh as he desperately aches to either relieve the old days and take time back or just break the shackles and feel rid of past guilt and regrets. This track captivates me, standing out of from the rest. A definite highlight.

Songs such as One Sixteen, Is Anybody There?, A Thank You Note and One To Two all share somewhat repetitive qualities. It's very much generic youth crew hardcore but Champion do not ever let the speed and energy slow down, keeping you going even through the fillers.

Harrison And Broadway is another highlight of the album for me. Sure, it's the same old Champion for most of the part but I feel that this track is very unique in the second half and towards closing. The track is very melodic throughout whilst staying raw and punky. Out of nowhere about a minute and a half through, we start to hear repetitive snare rolls which slide in to a melodic, metallic hardcore, slowed down breakdown. It's more purely for listen than moshing. This out of the ordinary section makes the song for me.

I urge all hardcore and punk fans to listen to Champion immediately. Listen to every song closely on this as Time Slips Away is an essential for your collection and you ought to be learning the words to each of the songs on the album. If you're a fan and you haven't already, you should be ashamed. 

Champion and bands alike are the reason why I am proud to be straight edge. Youth Crew Hardcore is killer.

You can purchase Champion's releases and merchandise directly from the Bridge 9 Store.

You can also purchase

Until next time folks, keep moshing hard.

What did you think of Time Slips Away? Did you enjoy it? Did you not? Are you a fan of Champion? Let me know your opinions in the comments!

GYM CLASS HEROES - AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN

In 1999, who was to know that one of the most catchy, popular bands of the century would be coming round the corner? Nobody could predict that the next big alternative hip-hop act were coming. Gym Class Heroes dropped Hed Candy and from there on, the world was their oyster.

Gym Class Heroes boast a discography of two demos, two extended plays and five albums where one of which holds proudly a gold certificate from the Recording Industry Association of America. That album is the third and critically acclaimed 2006 release: "As Cruel As School Children". It was produced by the Chicago based Fall Out Boy's frontman Patrick Stump and charted at a peak of 35 on the US Billboard 200 and 8 on the US Top Rap Albums Billboard, making this is one of Gym Class Heroes' pinnacle albums, showing them as a force to be reckoned with. 

The beauty of this album is that instrumentally, it's a real live band. This is a credit to GCH in general. They're a "hip-hop" BAND. I hyphen this because I feel that you cannot simply define them to just the one genre. They are most certainly a hip-hop act but with funk, rock, pop and even sometimes reggae fusion. I also feel that they are tailored more towards the punk audience with Travie McCoy being very much involved with the hardcore scene from his teen years. This is backed up with their countless sets at Vans Warped Tour.

From the instant you begin listening to As Cruel As School Kids, you're in good hands starting off with The Queen And I. This is one of my all time favourite GCH songs. It's fast tempo, it's catchy, it's attitude driven and it's Travie telling us a story in a unique manner. It's all about Travie falling in love with an alcoholic whom he calls The Queen. This fantastic number found itself making it into Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 which used the track's instrumental. We can all agree that if your band makes it into a Tony Hawk Game, it's an honour. 

Shoot Down The Stars takes the speed down a notch, giving you the chance to just rock your head along to the beat. The bassline is rocky whilst the piano chords are very soothing. The drum beat is very simple yet stylish and fits in perfectly. The rapping to singing works an absolute treat for this track.

Another banger from the album comes up next: New Friend Request. The story of Travie meeting a female through a friend whom he becomes obsessively in love with over MySpace is very easy to relate to in the 21st century where everything is done over social media now. This is a hip-hop killer. The punchlines are witty, the hook is memorable, the flow is natural and the band make a backing track that's on point. Everything goes hand in hand.

"See here's the thing.. We have to take our clothes off!" This very memorable line brings us into the club goldie Clothes Off!! It's an ideal jam for both private bedroom happenings and night out singalongs with your friends. Patrick Stump features on the track giving us some cracking vocals for the chorus. It's upbeat and sexy and not too unlike the lyrics, it makes you want to have a good time.

The Sloppy Love Jingle Parts One to Three are all hilarious and make you re-think having one too many on a night in the pub. Travie? If you're reading this, I totally feel for you. Here's a tip guys: don't go home with a MySpace Mistress. She'll just leave you a note telling you lose the number oh and P.S?  "The sex was whack."

Viva La White Girl comes across like another bedroom session jam and believe me, listening to it at first it's a very seducing track to place in your playlist for your ladyfriend. I thought so at first too. That's before I listened closer and realised that it's all about cocaine. Come on guys. Writing love ballads about drugs just isn't cool. You're better than that.

7 Weeks speaks to all musicians I feel. It's all about life on tour.. The highs and the lows. I feel like the hardcore punk scene can really relate to this track regardless of the chilled out hip-hop vibe. It's very punky lyrically in terms of living on the road and coping with life. Excellent guest vocals were provided from the fantastic William Beckett from the former The Academy Is...

For me, there's not one bad track on this album. My all time favourite Gym Class Heroes track features on this album at Track 14: Cupid's Chokehold/ Breakfast In America. This version is the radio remix. The song also features on the 2005 album: The Papercut Chronicles, which you should also check out. Cupid's Chokehold is an oldie but goldie. Patrick Stump yet again features on the hook which, for the record, you'll be singing over and over again for days. This song will have you jamming, have you belting your voice out everywhere from the shower to the street and have your ears killing because you'll want it up full volume on your earphones. If that ain't love then I don't know what love is.

Gym Class Heroes killed it for me on As Cruel As School Children. For me, the album's great. Every song is different, catchy and easy to listen to. Trust me, give this album a chance because if you really have an open mind about music and like me, you enjoy both punk and hip-hop, chances are you'll adore this. Go on, give it a spin.

You can find Gym Class Heroes at this link right here!

You can also purchase GCH merchandise and albums at the Fueled By Ramen store.

To check out Travie McCoy's solo works, click this!

To buy Travie McCoy's merchandise and album, check out this link.

Until next time folks, catch me at the crib on Biters Block downtown, Plagiarism's Paradise.

What did you think of Gym Class Heroes' album? Did you like it? Did you not? Are you yet to hear it? Whatever your opinion may be, let me know the truth in the comments!

xEDGE DAY WAGAMAMA DATE NIGHT REVIEWx

Hola amigos,

I'm sorry that this isn't a published post ON Edge Day but may I just say a belated Happy National Edge Day to all of my Straight Edge friends! I hope you all had a fantastic day because me and my mrs certainly had a ball. We were too busy having lots of fun eating nice food, watching Have Heart's last show, listening to Project X and generally having a great time that I totally forgot to post this Edge Day Special! Again, sorry! Keep your smiles on your faces all Edge Day Weekend!

I'm a bit of a grubber. I love my food. I love going out to nice, fancy places and getting a meal. I'd heard great words about but hadn't ever been to Wagamama before today! What an intriguing night it was. 

The restaurant has a very sleek, clean look to it's cornered away horizontal sign on West George Street in Glasgow City Centre. When you enter, you are greeted by top friendly staff who welcome you with open arms and lovely smiles. The manners of the staff are of high standard and their staff-customer conversation is very much on point. This stays consistent throughout the night and Wagamama certainly do not let the side down. Paulina served me and my beautiful partner and her level of service was exceptional. We could not have been more delighted. 

As a rookie, I obviously had absolutely no clue what to order, how to order and so on. Thankfully, with both the help of Abbey and Paulina, I managed to successfully read the menu and make the best choice. We ordered an iced coffee, a glass bottle of Coca-Cola and two Chicken Katsu Curries, mines with extra sauce. The drinks were brought out almost instantly and the food followed on in under 10 or so minutes which we couldn't have been more pleased about as both of our tummies were going like the clappers.

 The food was piping hot and looked elegant. It was served beautifully. The sticky white rice was placed on top, molded perfectly. The rich curry sauce drizzled down the top and the sides. The chicken breast was deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect or how it would taste but it did not disappoint me. It was fantastic. The whole dish was out of this world. We were given a side of dressed mixed leaves and red pickles along with our curries which was also delightful.

Plates were scurried away, dessert menus were given and before you know it, we had two sweet new plates sitting waiting to be devoured in front of us. 

My partner had the real fruit cherry ice lolly. It was mouth watering to gloat at and 
even better to taste. The real cherry in the lolly was to die for and the ice lolly itself was scrumptious. I purchased the three cake selection and to compliment them I asked for vanilla pod ice cream. I chose the three cake selection because I am a bit greedy and can't decide on one thing ever so I feel the need to have everything. When it came to the cakes, this was the only suitable option for me. The three I got were passion fruit cheesecake, white chocolate ginger cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake. The passion fruit cheesecake was absolutely delightful and had a lovely tangy kick to it. The passion fruit sauce left an after taste that was like tasting heaven. In terms of love and food, I don't think I had ever experienced what true love tasted like before I tried the white chocolate ginger cheesecake. Not only do I love white chocolate but I absolutely adore cheesecake and the ginger went down a treat. This was a genius combination. The toffee sauce drizzled over it was a gift from the gods. This was truly the highlight of my meal. A chocolate fudge cake is always a favourite too and so I was excited to try theirs. I was not let down, it was great! The chocolate was gooey, the cake was moist and I could really taste the fudge for a change. 

We finished the evening with free green tea which was also a first for me. I am so glad to have tried it because I think I have found a new favourite hot drink! The marble cup was also very cute. It came with no handles so you had to cup the glass. I really liked this because it was unique and it felt oriental and genuine.

Edge Day was an absolute treat and this meal made for the most perfect, pleasant day ever. I left feeling satisfied and stuffed, something I don't always feel from restaurants. I felt completely at home, relaxed and was in good hands for the duration of my night. The meal came to approximately £31 which for two people is totally justified for the meal and service we received. Wagamama went over and beyond the call of duty for us. I have no complaints whatsoever and I could not have been happier with my Wagamama experience. I will be back very soon! I'm so excited to return and try new and exciting dishes next time! I will also be glad to grab myself some free green tea again.

Credits are due to my wonderful partner AbbeyLauren for her delightful photography! You can find her over at her blog: A Girl Called Glasgow!

For an extensive look at Wagamama, you can check them out over at their website!
I know some of you may only want to see the menu too so you can check that out from here.

Until next time folks, Stay Edge! (Unless you're not, just stay rad!) 

Have any of you been to Wagamama? Love it? Hate it? Yet to try it? Let me know in the comments section below!

TWIN ATLANTIC - GREAT DIVIDE

In recent years, they've played Vans Warped Tour aswell as touring with the likes of Blink 182,The All-American Rejects and Thirty Seconds To Mars. Finally, the Glaswegian alt-rockers Twin Atlantic grace us with a new and might I mention, absolutely cracking album.

In terms of new material, the world hasn't heard anything from Twin since their critically acclaimed 2011 release Free, the album which really gave them a platform and proved their worth. "Great Divide", which was released on August 18th, really elevates Twin Atlantic and more than definitely lives up to their previous releases. The four Glaswegian boys can give themselves a pat on the back for this one. 

Great Divide starts off strong with The Ones That I Love. I begin to wonder whether or not I'm listening to Sam McTrusty singing or Marti Pellow as I light candles to a song which very much reminds me of Wet Wet Wet with the slow lovey dovey piano chords and soft pop ballad vocals.

Right after, we're brought back to reality with the lead single Heart And Soul. Back in March, Zane Low premiered this as the "Hottest Record In The World" on Radio 1. This, I can definitely back. The boys bring us real attitude driven rock with vocals that pack a Glasgow Kiss. As soon as the chorus kicks in, you can start to imagine audiences worldwide filling stadiums with their voices echoing the words back to Twin. This is modern arena rock at it's best.

Sam and the gang certainly bring a stadium presence to this album as they continue to give us nothing less than their best with the likes of Hold On, Fall Into The Party, I Am An Animal and Actions That Echo. Each of these tracks bringing us that unique pop-alt rock sound that Twin provide. As I listen, I can imagine a sea of Scots singing each song back to the boys at the likes of T In The Park

As well as their pop-alternative rock sound, Twin show that they like to experiment with their sound and try to expand their horizon on this album. Cell Mate is very much a blend of stadium rock meets grunge. Think Bon Jovi meets Nirvana. The Kurt Cobain inspired lyrics are sung very accordingly but sadly don't pack the same angst that Kurt would have gave us. Nevertheless, the song is very catchy but it would definitely suit a more heavier tone if they would just venture deeper into experimenting with their sound.

My favourite track from this album is Be A Kid. I'm a sucker for the slow ones. This fills my boots with a specific sound I love. The instrumental sounds Snow Patrol and Coldplay inspired, the lyrics very endearing and solemn. It is definitely a stand out highlight for Twin Atlantic and certainly defines a much maturer side to the Glasgow boys. There's something very comforting about listening to Sam belt his heart out to melancholic lines about nostalgia and innocent wishes.

Great Divide has been one of my most favourite listens of 2014. Twin Atlantic do both themselves and Scotland proud with this album, giving us an exceptional album that can be played time and time again. The boys have certainly raised the bar since Free and it leaves only high hopes for their future.

You can buy Twin Atlantic's new album Great Divide from Amazon, iTunes, Red Bull Records and their own official online store!

Until next time folks, keep rocking!

What did you think of it? Did you enjoy it? Find it as good as I did or maybe not so much? Whatever your opinion, leave it in the comment section below!