Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: AYREON UNIVERSE – The Best of Ayreon Live

Posted on March 26, 2018 by jason

Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group [30.03.18] Ayreon are masterminded by Arjen Anthony Lucassen, who prefers to create music in the studio rather than appear live and the announcement that Ayreon would play two shows in September 2017 (their first official … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Anneke van Giersbergen, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Ayreon, Ayreon Universe, Blind Guardian, Damian Wilson, Floor Jansen, Kamelot, Nightwish, prog metal, space metal, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Album review: ANGRA – Ømni

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Davoski

earMUSIC [Release date: 16.02.18] Despite releasing eight albums since 1991, Brazilian band Angra’s symphonic/prog metal is a new sonic experience for me. Ninth album ‘Ømni’ is for the most part a pretty impressive outing within the genre. The album holds … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, ANGRA, Brazilian metal, power metal, prog metal, review, symphonic metal, Ømni | Leave a comment

Album review: GREYBEARDS – For The Wilder Minds

Posted on March 24, 2018 by jason

Attitude Recordings [Release date 04.05.18] Sweden seems to export rock bands these days like China exports plastic shit – at least for now until Trump’s trade war kicks in – but is every one a Volvo? On the evidence of these … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Attitude Records, Bonafide, For The Wilder Minds, Greybeards, hard rock, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Sweden, The Cult | Leave a comment

Album review: BULLET – Dust To Gold

Posted on March 24, 2018 by jason

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 20.04.18] This is the sixth album from Swedish rockers Bullet and it really depends on your bag….if you’re into Accept-cloned, dandruff-shifting riff and roll, then “Dust To Gold” (and probably the other five) are for you. Not a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bullet, Dust To Gold, hard rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ROSS THE BOSS – By Blood Sworn

Posted on March 24, 2018 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 20.04.18] Ross the Boss has already laid out a pretty legendary career. From his time with The Dictators to Manowar to Dick Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom to his most recent group DeathDealer, Ross has recorded some pretty significant … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album, By Blood Sworn, DeathDealer, Dick Manitoba's Wild Kingdom, guitarist, Manowar, metal, punk, review, Ross the Boss, The Dictators | Leave a comment

Album review: UNIVERSE INFINITY – Rock Is Alive

Posted on March 21, 2018 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 13.04.18] Universe Infinity started out as Universe and released one album back in the 80′s before splitting-up. Fast forward to today, they added Infinity to their name and recruited former House Of Shakira vocalist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andreas Eklund, House Of Shakira, melodic rock, review, rock, Rock Is Alive, Universe Infinity | Leave a comment

Album review: AMERICAN TEARS – Hard Core

Posted on March 21, 2018 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 23.04.18] American Tears first surfaced in 1974 and were a power trio focussed around the keyboards of Mark Mangold,who is the sole remaining original member on this album, and indeed the only musician playing all the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rock Stars | Tagged album, American Tears, AOR, Drive She Said, Hard Core, interview, Mark Mangold, melodic, melodic rock, pomp, progressive, review, rock, the Sign, Touch | Leave a comment

Album review: ATOMIC ROOSTER – Sleeping For Years (The Studio Recordings 1970-1974)

Posted on March 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 01.12.17] Now that pretty much every noteworthy heritage release has been reissued individually on CD, labels have turned to a secondary repackaging concept: the box set (or clamshell), that conventionally takes in a selection of albums from … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Atomic Rooster, box set, Chris Farlowe, Death Walks Behind You, In Hearing Of, John DuCann, Nice And Greasy, Peter French, review, Sleeping For Years (The Studio Recordings 1970-1974), Vincent Crane | Leave a comment

Album review: SAXON – 10 Years Of Denim And Leather Live 1990/The CD Hoard (reissues)

Posted on March 19, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Edsel [Release date 27.10.17*, 16.03.18**] Saxon seem to be enjoying a resurgence even more impressive than their 2007-2010 revival. With a remarkably relevant new album ‘Thunderbolt’ and a raft of reissues and box sets, we can at least luxuriate in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 10 Years of Denim And Leather Live 1990, album, Biff Byford, box set, heavy metal, heavy rock, live, review, Saxon, The CD Hoard | Leave a comment

Album review: RICK SPRINGFIELD- The Snake King

Posted on March 19, 2018 by andynathan

Release Date 26.01.18 You have to admire Rick Springfield’s determination to keep pushing himself explore new musical avenues. A year away from 70, and over 35 years since his commercial heyday, he has followed the country influenced ‘Rocket Science’, with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, melodic rock, Rick Springfield, The Snake King, Tim Pierce | Leave a comment

Album review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Memories In Rock II

Posted on March 18, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Minstrel Hall [Release date 06.04.18] 2-CD/DVD In 2017 Ritchie Blackmore returned with his harder rock hat on to a series of arena shows in the UK. Evidently buoyed up by the successful summer sojourn a year before and no doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Deep Purple, DVD, hard rock, interview, live, Memories In Rock II, review, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Ronnie Romero, uk | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ESP 2.0, ROAMER, UNRULY CHILD

Posted on March 17, 2018 by jason

ESP 2.0 22 Layers Of Sunlight [Release date 20.04.18] www.suncreative.com ESP released a very enjoyable prog rock album in 2016′s ‘Invisible Din’ and now they are back with a revamped line-up. Composer/producer/guitarist Tony Lowe and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, alt rock, alternative, Big Country, Esp 2.0, Layers Of Sunlight, Marcie Free, melodic, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Roamer, rock, Tony Lowe, Unhinged: Live From Milan, Unruly Child, What The Hell | Leave a comment

Album review: BETH HART – Live From New York: Front And Center (CD/DVD)

Posted on March 16, 2018 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 13.04.18] Beth Hart’s ‘Live From New York: Front And Center’ (sic) is her first live album for 13 years, and it’s essentially an update of a career that has taken off like a rocket in the last … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged ballads, beth Hart, blues, CD, DVD, Jon Nichols, live album, Live From New York - Front And Centre, piano, review, rock, Sonny Landreth, vocals | Leave a comment

Album review: DUKES OF THE ORIENT

Posted on March 16, 2018 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 23.02.18] Dukes Of The Orient is centred around vocalist/bassist John Payne and keyboards player Erik Norlander, however they have their origins in Asia featuring John Payne. In that guise John Payne has worked with guitarists Guthrie Govan, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Asia, Dukes of the Orient, Erik Norlander, GPS, John Payne, melodic, prog, review, rock | Leave a comment

Quick plays: BIRDS OF CHICAGO, IAN SHERWOOD

Posted on March 15, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

BIRDS OF CHICAGO Love In Wartime JT Nero (JT & The Clouds frontman Jeremy Lindsay) and Allison Russell (Po’ Girl) first combined their talents on the 2011 JT Nero-branded Mountains/Forests album – an album of Americana that lacked a commercial … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, Allison Russell, Americana, Birds Of Chicago, Bring The Light, folk, Ian Sherwood, Jeremy Lindsay, JT & The Clouds, Love In Wartime, Po' Girl, review, roots, singer, soft rock, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDER – Stage (CD/DVD/Bluray)

Posted on March 15, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

earMUSIC [Release date 23.03.18] At Thunder rapidly approach their 30th anniversary, Stage – a live set from the band’s 2017 Rip It Up tour (available in 2CD + Bluray, 3 LP, 2 CD +DVD, Bluray, DVD, and various signed Limited … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged album, Bluray, Cardiff, Chris Childs, Danny Bowes, DVD, Harry James, live, Luke Morley, Lynn Jackamann, review, rock, Stage, Thunder | Leave a comment

Album review: MARILLION – Unplugged At The Walls/Tumbling Down The Years

Posted on March 15, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

earMUSIC [Release date 23.03.18] Live albums three and four in this set of bi-monthly releases find our intrepid heroes in a restaurant in Oswestry in 1988, and once again at the 2009 Marillion Weekend convention in Port Zelande, Holland. Unplugged … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 1988, 2009, album, Holland, live, Marillion, Netherlands, Oswestry, Port Zelande, review, rock, Tumbling Down The Years, Unplugged At The Walls | Leave a comment

Album review: JIMI HENDRIX – Both Sides Of The Sky

Posted on March 15, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Sony Legacy [Release date 09.03.18] Here we go again. And maybe for the final time as veteran engineer Eddie Kramer has indicated that the studio well is now dry and only live gigs are being readied for future release. This … Continue reading →

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Album review: KIM WILDE – Here Come The Aliens

Posted on March 15, 2018 by jason

Wildeflower Records [Release date 16.03.18] This is Kim Wilde’s first full UK album release since 1992 and 2018 also sees her first full UK tour in nearly thirty years. She also had a pop at the Christmas number 1 battle with an anti-Christmas … Continue reading →

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Album review: KINO – Radio Voltaire

Posted on March 13, 2018 by jason

Inside Out [Release date 23.03.18] John Mitchell has often said in past interviews that there may be a second Kino album to follow the excellent ‘Picture’ album released back in 2005, however it never seemed that imminent until earlier this year … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Craig Blundell, Inside Out, It Bites, John Beck, John Mitchell, Kino, Lonely Robot, Marillion, melodic, Pete Trewavas, prog, Radio Voltaire, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: BURN – Ice Age

Posted on March 13, 2018 by jason

Melodic Rock Records [Release date 28.02.18] Burn released their third album ‘Global Warning’ back in 2007 (and in a nod to that album the opening instrumental on this album is titled ’Global Warning’), followed by an appearance at Firefest the following … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Burn, Chris Green, hard rock, Ice Age, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Steve Newman, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review: BERNARD ALLISON – Let It Go

Posted on March 12, 2018 by petefeenstra

Ruf [Release date: 02.02.18] Bernard Allison’s return to Ruf Records after 12 years finds him in a mellow, reflective mood. He’s ditched the horns and keyboard to focus on the rhythmic quality of a song-driven album. As a result, he … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bernard Allison, blues, Brook Benton, George Benson, Grover Washington Jnr., guitar, Jim Gaines, Jose Ned James, Let It Go, Luther Allison, Mel London, review | Leave a comment

Album review: SAXON – Reissues (Saxon, Wheels Of Steel, Strong Arm Of The Law)

Posted on March 12, 2018 by jason

BMG [Release date 30.03.18] Bastions of British Heavy Metal, Saxon formed in the late 70s and were at the forefront of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, alongside Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Samson and Girlschool et al. And while … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, classic rock, metal, NWOBHM, reissue, review, rock. Biff Byford, Saxon, Strong Arm Of The Law, Wheels Of Steel | Leave a comment

Quick plays: SHINE NOIR, GEORGE ST.CLAIR

Posted on March 10, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

SHINE NOIR – s/t Alternative rock, from Germany, anyone? Formed when Anne wanted to record a few of her singer-songwriter songs, the guys who owned the studio – Olli (guitars) and No (drums) decided to add their own metal and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alt rock, alternative, Ballads Of Captivity and Freedom, country, George St.Clair, review, rock, Shine Noir, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: SIMON KENT – In Another Life

Posted on March 10, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

ReprinT [Release date 04.05.18] Originally slated for release 12 months ago, and with the lead single ‘Never Stop Believing’ released as long ago as February 2016, Portsmouth singer songwriter Simon Kent’s follow up to his 2014 sophomore album Dreams And … Continue reading →