Category Archives: Albums of the Month

Albums of the Month as selected by GRTR! Reviewers and published in our monthly newsletter

News: Albums of the Month (July – September 2025)

Posted on October 24, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation. We try and pick out a cross-section of albums that reflect the range of genres reviewed at the website. The star rating … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 2025, albums of the month, Americana, August, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, July, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock, roots, September | Leave a comment

Album review: THREE DAYS GRACE – Alienation

Posted on September 20, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

RCA Records [Release date 22.08.25] The main recent development for Three Days Grace is the return of original vocalist Adam Gontier who now shares duties with Matt Walst (who replaced him in 2013). Formed in the late 1990s in Ontario, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alienation, alternative rock, nu-metal, review, Three Days Grace | Leave a comment

Album review: FIRST TIME FLYERS – Bound To Break

Posted on September 10, 2025 by jason

Website [Release date 12.09.25] This is their debut album – get out of here, you gotta be kidding me!!! Seriously, the maturity of the songwriting, the palpable chemistry of the four artists, the harmonies, all seem way beyond a debut … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bound to Break, country, country pop, First Time Flyers, Lady A, pop, review, The Wandering Hearts | Leave a comment

Album review : THE SWITCH – No Way Out

Posted on September 6, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 12.08.25] It’s in some way inspiring to hear a band embracing the past wholeheartedly. Pretty well everywhere you scratch the paint on No Way Out, you’ll find the 1980s underneath. The Switch was formed by identical twin … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged Bobby John, Cruzh, Denis Butabi Borg, James Martin, melodic rock, Nitrate, review, The Switch, Tom Martin, Vega | Leave a comment

Album review: GLENN HUGHES – Chosen

Posted on August 21, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

Frontiers [Release date: 05.09.25] It’s been nearly a decade since Glenn Hughes’ last solo album. But he’s no slouch. He’s contributed to any number of albums by other artists not least Black Country Communion (BCC). This does beg the question: … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Black Country Communion, Chosen, classic rock, Deep Purple, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, review, Trapeze | Leave a comment

Album review: FM- Brotherhood

Posted on August 20, 2025 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 05.09.25) You can set your watch by the fact that FM will release a new album every other year since 2018, no mean feat considering they seem to be perpetually on tour. Given that the live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Brotherhood, FM, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, Steve Overland | Leave a comment

Album review: WALTER TROUT – Sign Of The Times

Posted on August 3, 2025 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 05.09.25] Walter Trout’s ‘Sign of the Times’ is an uncompromising rock album with a bluesy heart and insightful lyrics penned by himself and his partner Marie Trout. It’s an album rich in story telling, unflinching social observation … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, guitar, John Avila, Marie Trout, Michael Leasure, Neil Young, review, Sign of the Times, Teddy Andreadis, Walter Troout | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2025)

Posted on June 28, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 2025, albums of the month, April, blues rock, classic rock, folk rock, June, May, melodic rock, Progressive Rock | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (January – March 2025)

Posted on April 4, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 2025, albums of the month, classic rock, February, hard rock, January, March, melodic rock, R&B, singer songwriter, soul | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (August – December 2024)

Posted on December 7, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

Get Ready to ROCK! Albums of the Month (October-December 2024)

A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation MARY COUGHLAN Repeat Rewind (Strange Brew) … it is everything you might expect from a vocalist who has a rare ability to … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (July – September 2024)

Posted on October 30, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation KALANDRA A Frame Of Mind (By Norse Music) Turn on the heat, settle down with your favourite tipple, and let ‘A Frame … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged 2024, albums of the month, Augst, Austin Gold, Brave Rival, classic rock, Jon Anderson, July, Kalandra, Lazarus Heights, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, Scarlet Rebels, September | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2024)

Posted on August 4, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

ATLANTIC Another World (Escape Music) This summer’s AOR album has arrived! Lush keys, harmonies, plenty of lovestruck lyrical themes, soaring guitar solos and the vocals of Mark Grimmett, who adds that extra bit of class to the whole musical proceedings. … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged 2024, albums of the month, AOR, April, Atlantic, Big Big Train, Black Country Communion, blues rock, heavy rock, June, May, melodic rock, Nestor, Progressive Rock, rock, Son Of Man, These Wicked Rivers | Leave a comment

News: Albums Of The Month (January – March 2024)

Posted on May 8, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

MYRATH Karma (earMUSIC) They have big songs and even bigger ideas on how to present them live and are not short on confidence in their collective abilities, and rightly so. ‘Karma’ will only serve to further the Myrath cause … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged 2024, albums of the month, blues rock, February, heavy rock, Jack J. Hutchinson, January, Magnum, March, Medicine Head, melodic rock, Myrath, pop rock, progressive metal, rock, South Of Salem, Walter Trout | Leave a comment

News: Albums Of The Month (October – December 2023)

Posted on January 8, 2024 by GRTR! HQ

HANFORD FLYOVER Source (Fruits De Mer Records) There are several bands operating in the psych/blues rock space and female fronted such as Dead Feathers and Blues Pills, and even label mate Crystal Jacqueline. But Hanford Flyover are less late sixties Jefferson … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged 2023, albums of the month, Ann Wilson, blues rock, Care of Night, December, Hanford Flyover, instrumental, melodic rock, November, October, prog, progressive, Robin Trower, rock, Sari Schorr, Trevor Rabin, Tripsitter, Will Pike | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (July – September 2023)

Posted on October 19, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

ALBANY DOWN Born In The Ashes (indie) Seven years is surely too long between releases, but whatever the reasons, this excellent album deserves to build some momentum and push Albany Down towards enduring and wide-spread success. **** Review by Dave Atkinson … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, August 2023, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, July 2023, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, September 2023 | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)

Posted on July 10, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

WINGER Seven (Frontiers) Winger are a great group of musicians and they write great songs. And ‘Seven’ matches up to their very best work. ***** Review by David Randall HOUSE OF SHAKIRA XIT (Frontiers) No question, XIT is a perfect pop … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, Albums of the Year...to date, NEWS | Tagged albums, April 2023, classic rock, hard rock, heavy rock, instrumental, June 2023, May 2023, melodic rock, pop rock, review | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (January – March 2023)

Posted on April 6, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

URIAH HEEP Chaos & Colour (Silver Lining Music) Heep join a select bunch of veteran bands (including close contemporaries Deep Purple) who are sounding as good as ever. Indeed classic heavy rock does not come much better than this. **** … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, Albums of the Year...to date, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged albums, classic rock, Cross Country Driver, February 2023, Floor Jansen, hard rock, heavy rock, January 2023, Katatonia, March 2023, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, Robin McAuley, The Cold Stares, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (October – December 2022)

Posted on December 8, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

DYNAZTY Final Advent (AFM Records) What it does is incrementally fine tune the sound that’s now established as their MO. Their epic, keyboard driven symphonic/melodic metal just bursts with energy and invention, pushing them streets ahead of every other band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, ALTER BRIDGE, Austin Gold, classic rock, December 2022, Dynazty, Generation Radio, Gun, hard rock, heavy rock, melodic rock, November 2022, October 2022, Progressive Rock, review, Threshold | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (July 2022 – September 2022)

Posted on September 29, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

CATS IN SPACE Kickstart The Sun (Harmony Factory) The ambitious production of chief songwriter Greg Hart and Ian Caple does justice to the songs and the overall impression is that the sound is noticeably tougher than previous releases with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, August 2022, blues rock, Cats In Space, classic rock, Dim Gray, H.E.A.T., hard rock, heavy rock, July 2022, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, September 2022, Snowy White, The Dead Daisies, White Spirit | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April 2022 – June 2022)

Posted on August 3, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

DARE Road To Eden (Legend Records) Though it would be unreasonable to expect a full return to their original style, this nice blend of classic and newer Dare is a perfect representation of where they are in 2022, setting them … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (January 2022 – March 2022)

Posted on March 17, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

LIFESIGNS Altitude (Lifesigns Music) Fans of the likes of Marillion, Genesis and Camel will find much to enjoy here – fans of the more challenging end of the prog spectrum should probably look elsewhere. ***** Review by Alan Jones SAXON … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, blues rock, classic rock, Eric Gales, February 2022, Find Me, Ghost, heavy rock, January 2022, Lifesigns, March 2022, Marillion, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, Saxon | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (October 2021 – December 2021)

Posted on December 9, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Albums of the Month (October-December 2021)

DEEP PURPLE Turning To Crime (earMUSIC) While the production is big, solid and bright, there’s also a live-in-the-studio feel, like it was recorded quickly and spontaneously. Listen with open ears and the album shows the band on great form, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged Afterlight, albums, blues rock, Burntfield, classic rock, December 2021, Deep Purple, Eclipse, Leverage, melodic rock, November 2021, October 2021, Progressive Rock, review, singer, songwriter, Thea Gilmore, Thorbjorn Risager | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (July 2021 – September 2021)

Posted on September 29, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Albums of the Month (July-September 2021)

EDGE OF PARADISE The Universe (Frontiers) It’s passionate, articulate symphonic metal, occasionally conducting lightning raids onto hard rock terrain… ****1/2 Review by Brian McGowan AMANDA LEHMANN Innocence And Illusion (indie) Lehmann is not afraid to explore different moods on this … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged albums, Amanda Lehmann., August 2021, blues rock, classic rock, Edge Of Paradise, heavy rock, Iron Maiden, July 2021, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock, review, September 2021, Steve Hackett, symphonic metal, the Petal Falls, Tommy Castro | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April 2021 – June 2021)

Posted on July 11, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

SMITH KOTZEN (BMG) Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) and Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr Big, Winery Dogs) have pitted their combined guitaring and songwriting skills to fashion nine tracks of pure unadulterated hard rock heaven. ****1/2 Review by David Randall THE DUST … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, alt rock, April 2021, classic rock, hard rock, Ian McNabb, indie rock, June 2021, May 2021, metal, review, Smith Kotzen, symphonic metal, The Dust Coda, The John Williams Syndicate, Timo Tolkki's Avalon, Trucker Diablo | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (January 2021 – March 2021)

Posted on April 5, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Albums of the Month (January-March 2021)

THUNDER All the Right Noises (BMG) Thunder fans will love this album as it touches all the band’s key strengths – memorable songs, party rockers, ballads, lyrics to make you think and above all, well-crafted hard rock tunes. An Album … Continue reading →