Quick plays: EZOO, KAI HANSEN & FRIENDS

June 19th, 2017 by jason

EZOO Feeding the Beast earMUSIC [Release date 02.06.17]

Graham Bonnet has been very busy of late with his own Graham Bonnet Band releasing a studio and live album and now this, Ezoo which features guitarist Dario Mollo (Voodoo Hill/Tony Martin). The pair first hooked up in 2o01 touring playing Rainbow tunes and they recorded three Rainbow songs in 2007 which lay in wait as both musicians were busy with other projects. Now in 2017 they are releasing two of those Rainbow songs, plus some recently recorded new material.

The two Rainbow classics, ‘Eyes Of The World’ and ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’, are more metal in their sound and indeed Dario Mollo has a real widdly guitar fest on ‘Eyes Of The World’.

The title track does outstay its welcome at over eleven minutes and ‘Colder Than Cool’ sounds like a filler. Other than that it is a pretty decent set of hard rock tunes (‘Motorbike’ in particular is a beast of a tune) topped with the heavy guitar of Dario Mollo, a talented guitarist and good to have him working with a name vocalist like Graham Bonnet, who has lost none of his vocal power. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

KAI HANSEN & FRIENDS Thank You Wacken earMUSIC [Release date 23.06.17]

Gamma Ray’s Kai Hansen released his debut solo album last summer and before its release he played a set at Wacken. Brave move considering most of the set was new songs of the then yet to be released album ‘XXX’. For this Wacken show Kai Hansen’s band was Alex Dietz (Heaven Shall Burn) on bass, Michael Ehre (Gamma Ray) on drums, Corvin Bahn (Crystal Breed) on keyboards, Eike Freese (Dark Age) on guitar, plus two backing singers – Frank Beck (Gamma Ray) and Clementine Delauney (Visions of Atlantis).

It is a good set list, kicking off with a couple of classics in ‘Born Free’ and ‘Ride The Sky’, before Kai Hansen introduces the new songs kicking off with ‘The Contract Song’. With its barbed lyric and metal guitars set to stun, just shows Kai Hansen has lost none of his talent in penning power metal classics. ‘Fire And Ice’ and ‘Enemies Of Fun’ are two other highlights from the ‘XXX’ album.

Big treat for Helloween fans is former vocalist Michael Kiske joining the band for a couple of Helloween classics, namely ‘I Want Out’ and ‘Future World’. The crowd’s reaction is a fine sight to behold!

Perfect audio and visual partner (the DVD has the same set list as the CD) to the ‘XXX’ album. Power metal is in safe hands with Kai Hansen and his friends that’s for sure. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)