Sometimes the process of reckoning and reasoning @ RockmusicRaider is unfathomable. No rhyme nor reason seems to be apparent when it comes to record selection for the ever-important review list. The one that decides – sometimes on a whim – who’s gonna get on the blog.
Then we sometimes enigmatically decide to cover older records first, before the new ones get a chance. Or we go for very old ones to boot; a Scorpions review just saw the light of day lately for instance. ‘Cause stubborn RMR does not listen to pop lore pundits, telling us to only cover same-year records. Or the world will stop and you will drop off. … Got hooked? Raid this some more...
I had a complaint. It all centered around the lack of folk on the RockmusicRaider blog. A sentiment that the RMR deck crew heartily supported by the way. The zine got a pretty tough metallic shine over the last months – growls, corpse paint and all. And this is just dandy of course, no contest. But our credo also leans towards the more folksy aspects of the music multiverse. 
Sometimes it just takes simple rock to put a smile on your face. And one would think that we have seen it all when it comes to rock’n’roll. But you still find them out there; the artists that manage to squeeze their trade a bit more and get something original and tasty out to their fan base. 
Monumental change took place within the confines of Eluveitie. Anna Murphy and her entourage (or faction, as evil tongues have it) left the band in 2016 seemingly in protest. And that meant long-time drummer Merlin Sutter and guitarist Ivo Henzi left with her to found Cellar Darling. Or – as the lore goes – Merlin got left first and the others chose to follow suit.