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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)
Cherry Red/Sanctuary [release date : 27.05.22] Raven, the legendary heavy metal band from England’s industrial North East, have the perfect resume. They have recorded for six different labels (and never been without one) including major and major-ish imprints like Atlantic, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged 4 CDs, albums, Atlantic Records, boxset, Brute Force, John Gallagher, John Tucker, Lead Weight, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Megaforce, Metallica, Motorhead, Neat Records, NWOBHM, Proto Thrash, Sasso Marconi, SPV
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Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994
Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.05.22] The clamour for reissues of the first 3 Strangeways albums rose to fever pitch in the late 90s, as AOR made an attempt to get back on its feet. All 3 had been received with … Continue reading
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Tagged album, And The Horse, AOR, Bonaire, Complete Recordings Volume 1 1985-1994, Hangdog Records, Hard RoxX, Ian Stewart, John Lee, John Punter, Kevin Elson, melodic rock, Mike Shipley, Native Sons, review, Strangeways, Terry Brock, Walk Into The Fire
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Album review: LAZARUS DREAM – Lifeline
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 17.06.22] Second album from Lazarus Dream, which was put together by vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Shulz (Evidence One, Domain, Devoid) and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Scarlett, Winterland). Drummer Markus Kullmann (Sinner, Glenn Hughes), percussionist Thomas Rieder, … Continue reading
Album review: JAMES LABRIE – Beautiful Shade Of Grey
InsideOut Music [Release date 20.05.22] The latest solo offering from James LaBrie stems from his involvement on the Eden’s Curse track “No Holy Man’ (a real highlight on their 2011 album ‘Trinity’) and a subsequent support slot for the band … Continue reading
Album review: LEE ROGERS – Gameblood
Zenith Café/Membran [Release date 13.05.22] This is Carrickfergus based Lee Rogers long awaited second album (his debut album, ‘Clocks’, was released way back in 2006). Produced by Gareth Dunlop (who also plays guitar, piano, synth and percussion on the album), … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, Foy Vance, Gameblood, Lee Rogers, pop, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER – Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck
Crazy Moose Records [Release date 30.04.22] Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer are a folk duo who have been writing and performing since 2012. Karen is originally from Stuttgart, however, her southern German accent is already tinged with a ‘Staffordshire oatcake … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Auf Wiedersehen Me Duck, folk, Joan Baez, Karen Pfeiffer, Paul Walker, Potteries, review, traditional
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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Social Fake
Firestreak Media [Release date 25.03.22] This is Winter In Eden’s fourth studio album and you may well be thinking: “I’ve never heard of them before”. You’re not alone. Although to be fair we were aware of their previous release ‘Court … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, progressive, review, rock, Social Fake, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, Winter In Eden
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Album review: BRIDEAR – Aegis Of Athena
Setsuzoku Records [Release date 13.05.22] All girl band, Bridear, from Fukuoka, Japan has created a global fanbase since its inception in 2014. Aegis of Athena is its third album. The band’s skilful merge of Melodic Metal and J-Pop might not … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Amaranthe. Operatic, Epica, Evanescence, heavy metal, J-Pop, melodic metal, progrock, review, rock, symphonic metal, Within Temptation
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Album review : SKILLS – Different Worlds
Frontiers Music [Release date: 13.05.22] Skills … “Supergroups” often deflate our expectations pretty quickly. Good to to be able to say that this bunch of seasoned professionals – Brad (Night Ranger) Gillis, David (Giant) Huff, Billy (Mr Big) Sheehan plus … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Billy Sheehan, Brad Gillis, David Huff, Electric Mob, Frontiers, Giant, melodic rock, Mr Big, NightRanger, Renan Zonta, review
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Album review: KENTUCKY RUCKUS – Space Is A Place
Website [Release date 29.04.22] Kentucky Ruckus, as their name suggests, hail from Kentucky featuring the Reed brothers – guitarist Kelly and drummer – vocalist Matt Red Moore and bassist Mack Keiffer. The album was recorded and engineered by Tom Tapley … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Kentucky Ruckus, review, rock, southern rock, Space Is A Place
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Album review: LETTUCE – Unify
Round Hill Records [Release date 03.06.22] I have to again confess a weakness for jazz funk and fusion. And when I sometimes wrestle with the possible ignominy of such a statement on a rock-oriented website I recognise that it probably … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Bootsy Collins, funk, fusion, intsrumental, jazz funk, Lettuce, review, Unify
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Album review: GRAHAM BONNET BAND – Day Out In Nowhere
Frontiers Music [Release date 13.05.22] Bonnet’s back catalogue gets frequent outings via the world’s ever popular reissue/ remaster labels. So it’s good to hear some new material from him and this “elegant, late career outfit”, The Graham Bonnet Band. He’s … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Alcatrazz, Conrad Pesinato, Graham Bonnet, melodic hard rock, metal, MSG, Rainbow, review
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Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Complicated
Frontiers [Release date 06.05.22] Like his last solo album, 2020′s ‘Wide Awake (In My Dreamland)’, Jeff Scott Soto has teamed up with Frontiers ‘go to’ songwriter/musician Alessandro Del Vecchio. Del Vecchio also adds keys, bass and backing vocals, being joined … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Complicated, Frontiers, hard rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Journey, melodic rock, review, rock, Sons Of Apollo, Talisman, WET
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Album review: THE BIG DEAL – First Bite
Frontiers Music [Release date: 06.05.22] The Big Deal is a Serbian Melodic Rock band, an offshoot of highly successful Progrockers, Alogia. Husband and wife team, Srdjan and Nevena Brankovic are the band’s centrepoint, handling guitar, production, songwriting and vocals. Nevena … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Alogia, Ana Nikolic, AOR, FM Radio, melodic rock, pop, progrock, review, Serbia, Srdjan and Nevena Brankovic
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Album review: STARCHASER – Starchaser
Frontiers Music [Release date: 06.05.22] If you have an insatiable appetite for the genre, this meat and 2 veg power metal album from new band, Starchaser might provide reasonable, short term sustenance. It began life as a Kenneth (Tad Morose) … Continue reading
Album review: JANI LIIMATEINAN – My Father’s Son
Frontiers [Release date: 06.05.22] “Solo” album from Sonata Arctica/ Insomnium/ Dark Element guitar man/ composer, Jani Liimateinen. Considering that he’s put this album together with a host of guest vocalists, the finished article is a strongly cohesive whole, with barely … Continue reading
Album review: LOVERBOY – Wildside (Remaster)
Rock Candy Records [release date: 25.03.22] Loverboy’s fifth studio album, again produced by the maestro, Bruce Fairbairn (RIP), has been remastered and reissued recently by Rock Candy Records. When Fairbairn, Bob Rock and Mike Fraser are handling production, engineering and … Continue reading
Album review: TERRA NOVA – Ring That Bell
Lion Music [Release date 27.05.22] Terra Nova have been around since 1992, so it is fitting that thirty years after forming they are back with their first new album since 2018’s ‘Raise Your Voice’. Their 1997 offering ‘Livin’ It Up’ … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, hard rock, Journey, melodic rock, review, Ring That Bell, rock, Terra Nova
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Album review: FOZZY – Boombox
Mascot Records [Release date 06.05.22] Fozzy have been present on the rock scene for over two decades and their pedigree is clearly demonstrated on this latest album – it’s a master class in pure Rock ‘n’ Roll! Fozzy have had … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Boombox, Chris Jericho, Fozzy, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, melodic metal, metal, review, Rich Ward, rock
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Album review: FORTUNE- Level Ground
Frontiers Records (Release Date 08.04.22) After it took 24 years to follow up their self-titled debut album and cult AOR classic, Fortune’s third album follows after a relatively brief three year interval. However while 2019’s ‘Fortune II’ included a number … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Fortune, Larry Greene, melodic rock, Richard Fortune, Steve Porcaro
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Album review: LILLIAN AXE – Psalms For Eternity (3 CD set)
Global Rock [Release date 6.04.22] This month, Lillian Axe release a 3 CD retrospective on Global Rock, SFM’s brand spanking new Rock and Metal label, grandly called Psalms For Eternity. It’s been curated by mainman, guitarist and songwriter, Steve Blaze, … Continue reading
Album review: MICK WHITE – Something’s Got To Give
Enghardt Media/The Metal Society [29.04.22] Now here’s a blast from the past. I first encountered vocalist Mick White in the late 80s when he was working with Paul Samson, and later when he fronted First Strike (that Just Another Night album … Continue reading
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Tagged album, First Strike, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Mick White, NWOBHM, review, Samson, Something's Got To Give
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Album review: ICON – Icon (Remaster)
Rock Candy Records [release date: 18.03.22] Icon’s debut album from 1984 has recently been remastered by leading UK Reissue label, Rock Candy Records. The fact that the band’s set list in those early days included material by Deep Purple and … Continue reading
Album review: FORGET-ME-NOT featuring Jane Gould – S/T
AOR Boulevard Records (Release date 15.04.22) Former Iconic Eye singer Jane Gould has assembled some impressive collaborations for her Forget-Me- Not project with the help of some key movers and shakers in the melodic rock world. Songwriters include the likes … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Jane Gould, melodic rock, Steve Newman
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Album review: BILLY MACKENZIE – Satellite Life Recordings 1995-96, 3 CD Set
Cherry Red Records [Release date: 23.04.22] Billy MacKenzie died in 1997, aged 39. Beyond the band he founded with Alan Rankine, The Associates, he recorded a handful of solo albums, but many of the songs in those studio sessions didn’t … Continue reading
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Tagged 3 CD set, Alan Rankine, albums, Roxy Music, Steve Aungle, The Associates
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