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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2027
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2027)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : HARMONY IN MY HEAD – The Music That Inspired The Genius Of Brian Wilson
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Album review : ASIA – Indigo
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Quick play reviews: CHRISTOPHER GORDON, AVRAK
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Album review: THE PINEAPPLE THIEF – Far And Wide
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Album review: PURE REASON REVOLUTION – Terrifying Angels
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Album review : NEAL MORSE & THE RESONANCE – River Of Light
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Latest Gig Reviews
GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
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Author Archives: brianmc
Album review: BLOODBOUND – Creatures Of The Dark Realm
AFM Records [release date: 28.05.21] When Bloodbound’s principal songwriters, Fredrik Bergh and Tomas Olsson rerouted their musical artistry from the AOR of Street Talk to the land of Power Metal, they brought the underlying principles of hooky melodic rock with … Continue reading
Album review: VARIOUS ARTISTS – Beyond The Pale Horizon, The British Progressive Sounds of 1972 (3 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 28.05.21] Respected music critics have often expressed the opinion that Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry never wrote a better set of lyrics than he did for ‘Virginia Plain’, the band’s first hit single. Medium.com’s Phil Adams described … Continue reading
Album review: KIK TRACEE – No Rules and Field Trip (2 CDs)
Bad Reputation [release date 14.05.21] Kik Tracee were one of the fallen in 1992′s Grunge assault on the Sunset Strip/Glam/Bandana/Sleaze (delete as appropriate) Rock’n’roll supremacy. A young band, clearly “inspired” by Guns’n’Roses, you can hear they had something to offer, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bad Reputation, Dana Strum, expanded version, Filed Trip, glam rock, Guns'n'Roses, Kik Tracee, No Rules, Poison, review, Slaughter
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Album review: LOU GRAMM – Questions And Answers (3CD Atlantic Years Anthology, 1987-89)
Cherry Red [Release date 28.05.21] As with most rock bands, the singer and guitarist driving force is a dynamic that ultimately shudders to a halt, at least on a temporary basis: Steven Tyler/ Joe Perry. Mick Jagger/ Keith Richards. Robert … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, anthology, AOR, Dann Huff, Foreigner, Giant, Lou Gramm, melodic rock, Mick Jones, Nils Lofgren, Peter Wolf, Question And Answer, review
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Album review: SUNBOMB – Evil And Divine
Frontiers [Release date 15.05.21] An outsider may see Sunbomb as the completion of Michael Sweet’s journey to the darkside. A restlessly talented musician finally freeing himself from the strictures of Christian Rock, crossing into the world of the Sunset Strip’s … Continue reading
Album review: SONIC HAVEN – Vagabond
Frontiers Music [Release date 07.05.21] Sonic Haven is Herbie Langhan’s band. He of Firewind, Avantasia and others fame. He’s produced it, Sacha Paeth has mixed it and old Radiant chum, Carsen Stepanowicz plays guitar. So, with three vastly experienced artists … Continue reading
Album review: FALSE MEMORIES – The Last Night Of Fall
Frontiers [Release date 07.05.21] Guitarist, Francesco Savino founded False Memories in 2015, but it was only when he recruited vocalist, Rossella Moscatelli in 2018 that the band’s career gained some momentum. Subsequently, they were one of a mere handful of … Continue reading
Album review: THE COSMIC TRIP ADVISORS – Wrong Again Albert (2 CDs)
Bad Reputation France [Release date 09.04.21] Here’s an interesting tale to tell. Rock band, The Cosmic Trip Advisors fly from native Scotland to a “fancy ass” studio in Sweden to record an album, to be done in double quick time. … Continue reading
Album review: TRENTE – Aveugle & Sourd
Bad Reputation [Release date 02.04.21] Bringing new meaning to the saying “Les Trente Glorieuses”, unmistakeably French rock band, Trente, treat us to a reductive fusion of pop and rock, with Aveugle & Sourd (blind and deaf). Stating the obvious perhaps, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Aveugle & Sourd, Bad Reputation France, bonus track, Danny Vaughn, review, Trente, Tyketto
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Album review: FLESH & BLOOD – Blues For Daze (remaster w/ 2 bonus)
Bad Reputation France [Release date 05.03.21] Something of a Melodic Rock Supergroup, Flesh & Blood was put together in the early nineties by Touch/Drive She Said’s talented songwriter and producer, Mark Mangold. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn and Al (TSO/Savatage) Pitrelli were … Continue reading
Album review: STINGRAY (Remaster with bonus track)
Bad Reputation France [Release date 05.03.21] Enterprising French label, Bad Reputation, has been bringing some excellent new material to our attention recently. But for now we’ll focus on some classic blasts from the past, beginning with criminally overlooked South African … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, AOR, Bad Reputation, Boston, melodic rock, REO Speedwagon, review, South Africa, Stingray, Styx
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Album review: TEMPLE BALLS – Pyromide
Frontiers [Release date 16.03.21] Despite the diabolically bad band name, Temple Balls’ popularity and reputation continue to grow. Produced by Jonah (HEAT) Tee, Pyromide is their third album. Their high energy melodic rock songs have a bright, brash ebullience. But … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Frontiers, H.E.A.T., Jonah Tee, melodic rock, Pyromide, review, Temple Balls
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Album review: VARIOUS – Riding The Rock Machine
Grapefruit/Cherry Red [Release date 23.03.21] Riding The Rock Machine is a supremely enjoyable, 60 track slice of cultural history. The UK’s pop and rock legacy should be considered a National Treasure, to be protected and promoted. Grapefruit/ Cherry Red are … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 10CC, 60 tracks, boxset, Cherry Red, ELO, Family, Foghat, Foreigner, Free, Grapefruit, Nazareth, Procol Harum, review, Riding The Rock Machine, Seventies Classic Rock, THE WHO, Thin Lizzy, Uriah Heep
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Album review: SWEET OBLIVION (feat Geoff Tate) – Relentless
Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] Another Italian job. The Sweet Oblivion (feat Geoff Tate) debut was co-written by Tate and DGM guitarist/producer, Simone Mularoni. Relentless is the follow up, and it’s been been co-written and produced by another multi-talented Italian … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Aldo Lonobile, Frontiers Music, GEOFF TATE, hard rock, heavy metal, Queensryche, review, Sweet Oblivion
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Album review: MARTY FRIEDMAN – Tokyo Jukebox 3
Mascot Records/The Players Club [Release date 16.03.21] Still mining a rich seam of J-pop, guitarist Marty (Megadeth) Friedman is now on his third Tokyo Jukebox album of instrumentals. The J-Pop genre is ubiquitous in Japan, the country Friedman has called … Continue reading
Album review: THE END MACHINE – Phase 2
Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] This second The End Machine album, Phase 2, does what it would’ve said if it had been in a tin. And it says it emphatically, loudly, subtly in places and outright aggressively in others. It’s … Continue reading
Album review: SCREAMACHINE – Screamachine
Frontiers [Release date 09.03.21] Screamachine comprises five experienced metallers, all of whom deserve a mention, but most notably, vocalist Valerio Caricchio and guitarists, Alex Mele and Paulo Campitelli, all of whom are veterans of the Italian/European Heavy Metal scene. The … Continue reading
Album review: ARION – Vultures Die Alone
AFM [release date: 9.04.21] Over the 10 years since their debut, Arion have swapped teenage Eurovision notoriety for cutting edge symphonic rock. Like other Power Metal bands, their music is emphatic, and heavy on the drama. They know how to … Continue reading
Album review: SUNSTORM – Afterlife
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] Gone are the days of the Joe Lynn Turner fronted Sunstorm. Gone are the days when the band’s songs were written by Diane Warren, Desmond Child, Bob Halligan jnr, The Martin (Vega) Brothers and other … Continue reading
Album review: THE ALMIGHTY – Welcome To Defiance (7 CD Boxset)
HNE / Cherry Red Records [release date 26.03.21] Glasgow band, The Almighty, was formed in 1988 and revolved around Ricky Warwick on guitar and vocals. (He now does the same job for the Black Star Riders.) Such was the band’s … Continue reading
Album review: METALITE – A Virtual World
AFM Records [release date 26.03.21] Coming soon to a Melodic Metal dancefloor near you, Metalite and their third album, A Virtual World. Afficionados will already know the band incorporate elements of trance and electronica into their streamlined melodic metal variant. … Continue reading
Album review: SECRET SPHERE – Lifeblood
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] If Italy’s Secret Sphere aren’t the EU’s Power Metal poster boys, then they should be. They are a relatively unsung band who’ve battled through multiple line up changes, and come up smelling of roses every … Continue reading
Album review: SPIRIT – Son Of America (3CD reissue/remaster)
Cherry Red Records [Release date 26.03.21] Californian band, Spirit, blossomed in the fertile fields of psychedelic rock. A year after forming in 1967, the year of “The Summer Of Love”, they released their self titled debut, on Ode Records (now … Continue reading
Album review: RONNIE ATKINS – One Shot
Frontiers Records [release date 12.03.21] Ronnie Atkins, founding member of Denmark’s Pretty Maids, bows out with his one and only solo album, One Shot. Ronnie has recently been diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer. So the album title is … Continue reading
Album review: TURBULENCE – Frontal
Frontiers Records [Release date 12.03.21] Lebanese Progressive Rock/Metal band, Turbulence, are crossing a few boundaries with their provocatively titled Frontiers debut, Frontal. It is a defiantly bold attempt to incorporate the music of the wider world into their work. Something … Continue reading
