Frontiers Music [Release date : 15.05.26]

There can be few more explosive opening tracks than Von Groove’s ‘Once Is Not Enough’ from their self titled debut, 1992.

30 years later : they’ve got the band back together – Michael Shotton, Mathew Gerrard and the man with one name, M’laden. None of the tracks on their new album, Born To Rock, equal the dynamism on display that day, we would have been surprised if they did, but the music’s taut, high pressure hard rock still cuts it.

The title song’s tongue in cheek lyrics are a breath of fresh in a time when “rock stars” take themselves so seriously. That said, the song is faithful to its roots, so you can stamp your feet, bang your head, and play amazing solos on your air guitar while you listen. You can’t lose.

Clearly influenced by European power metal, lyrically and musically, the declamatory ‘Fearless’ and ‘Champion’ are something of a surprise. Very ‘Maiden, very ‘Priest “we are invincible,we rise above it all, we are the defenders, we are eagles in the sky, never to die, we are Fearless”. Both will resonate with genre aficionados.

‘Adrenaline’ and ‘Angela’ switch horses in midstream, from glammy hard rock with a thumping beat and a shout it out chorus, to stripped back, Seattle style rock, with big, stretched out chords, heavy on the bass, moody, economical and friction free.
A surprise around every corner.

Another pairing, ‘Undefeated’ and ‘Do It All Again’ share an admiration for Def Leppard. The first is maybe inclined to shape its own identity a little more, but the second worships at the altar of anthemic rock, as created on Hysteria by Mutt. Addictive.

On the album’s standout track, ‘Heart Of Forgiveness’ you can hear all of the collateral accumulated by Von Groove over the past 30 years being invested in the present.

It’s a powerful, chest beating rock song, sounding authoritative, offering clemency to the past only after staring it down. It’s a fine sentiment, delivered with the kind of conviction that only hard earned experience can justify. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 27 April 2026

SELF-DECEPTION Don’t Belong (Napalm Records)
THE DEVIL WEARS NADA Elephant In The Room (Eonian Records)
blacktoothed Monsters (Arising Empire)
BANKS ARCADE Severance (Arising Empire)
SULLY ERNA & BILLY MORRISON Becoming (TLG/Zoid)
SWEET GORILLA Give Them What They Want (5000 Records)
EMILY WOLFE Lips (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 27 April 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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