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Album review: THE HARA – The Fallout
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Album review : ANDREW GOLD – Lonely Boy – The Asylum Years Anthology (6 CDs + DVD)
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Album review: VARIOUS – With A Little Help From My Friends, A Tribute To Matt Long
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Album review : MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP – Bad Boys, The MSG Story 1987-92 (4 CD boxset)
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Album review: THUNDER- Live (expanded and remastered reissue)
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Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – Woodcut
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Category Archives: ALL POSTS
Will WALLNER / Vivien VAIN
www.wallnervain.com (Ed’s note: this CD will be re-issued by Metal Mind in the autumn) This guitarist and vocalist duo have produced a fine rock album, plenty of polished shred, and more name guests than the Queen’s garden party. The keyboard … Continue reading
RED JASPER re-issues
Action Replay 3.5/5 Anagramary 3.5/5 Angel Air 2012 Red Jasper were an English prog rock band who released several acclaimed yet low key albums in the late 80s and early 90s, and they are getting a decent reissue campaign here. … Continue reading
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Tagged Angel Air, Red Jasper
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BLONDIE – Live
Eagle Records 2012 This live CD was recorded back in 1999 in the Town Hall in New York, the band’s first hometown gig in 17 years. The album contains 17 tracks covering Blondie’s career from their early days through to … Continue reading
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Tagged Blondie, Debbie Harry, live
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OF MICE & MEN – The Flood
(Re-Issued) Rise Records 2012 The Flood was originally released on June 14th 2011 and was re-released July 24th 2012, featuring 4 new songs. Selling over 13,000 copies in its first week, it’s already clear that The Flood was a very … Continue reading
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Tagged Of Mice & Men, The Flood
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PAUL McCARTNEY – Ram
Deluxe Box Edition reissue (Hear Music) 2012 Originally released in 1971, “Ram” was the only album credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney and was the second solo album he released between quitting The Beatles and forming Wings. The album … Continue reading
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Tagged Paul McCartney, RAM
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FATAL SMILE – 21st Century Freaks
GMR 2012 “21st Century Freaks” is the 4th album from Fatal Smile and is good old European metal- heavy yet melodic and with big choruses thrown in. Produced by the band’s guitarist Mr Y and engineered by drummer Philthy, Fatal … Continue reading
CRUCIFIED BARBARA – The Midnight Chase
GMR 2012 Crucified Barbara is Sweden’s, if not music in generals, premier female metal band. The four-piece has been together since 1998 and have just released 3rd album “The Midnight Chase”. Pretty much picking up where its predecessor, 2009’s “Til … Continue reading
GOTTHARD – “FIREBIRTH”
GOTTHARD – “FIREBIRTH” NUCLEAR BLAST (2012) Losing a fellow band member and a dear friend is an unbelieveably difficult situation for any musician to deal with, especially when this person happens to be as inspiring as Gotthard’s frontman Steve Lee. … Continue reading
SONATA ARCTICA – “STONES GROW HER NAME”
SONATA ARCTICA – “STONES GROW HER NAME” NUCLEAR BLAST (2012) It is not unheard of for me to be unaware of the works of high-profile popular bands…in fact, the more popular a band becomes with the mainstream music press, the … Continue reading
MUNICIPAL WASTE – “THE FATAL FEAST”
MUNICIPAL WASTE – “THE FATAL FEAST” NUCLEAR BLAST (2012) Pick up any extreme music related magazine, check out any Metal blog or Internet site and chances are that you will come across a piece of information that’s related to the … Continue reading
NACHTMYSTIUM – “SILENCING MACHINE”
NACHTMYSTIUM – “SILENCING MACHINE” CENTURY MEDIA (2012) Nachtmystium is a US based Black Metal quintet whose name has been popping up quite often in the music media, unfortunatelly not always for all the right reasons. Their decision to release their … Continue reading
QUICK PLAYS: High Spirits, Fear Report, Bewilderland, Bones & Comfort
High Spirits – Another Night High Roller Records Album covers can be deceiving at times. Looking at the cover of Another Night I was fully expecting an 80’s hair metal cheesefest but High Spirits are a bit harder edged than … Continue reading
NEKROFEIST – Without Reserve Or Regret
Self Release 2012 I recently reviewed Nekrofeist’s debut EP which had been kicking around for a couple of years in their native Australia and awarded it 4/5 as it contained some rather good classic thrash. The band got in touch … Continue reading
RINGO STARR & HIS ALL STARR BAND – The Anthology…So Far 1989-2000
(3CD) Eagle Rock 2012 This is a re-issue of the original 2001 release that featured songs from ‘Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band’ (1990), ‘Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live From Montreux’ (1993) and ‘Ringo Starr … Continue reading
DORO – Under My Skin: A Fine Collection Of Doro Classics
(2CD) AFM Records www.afm-records.de Doro Pesch is a true metal legend who has given her all for her fans and music (a telling interview I read with her said how she gave up any idea of raising a family as … Continue reading
Singles Bar: NEKROFEIST, GHXST, WAR DRUM, SHATTERED DESTINY, GRIZZLY BEAR
Nekrofeist – Nekrofeist EP (Self Release) There appears to be a fair bit of Australian rock and metal hitting our shores at the moment. This EP is the latest to come in to my hands and is the best one … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged GHXST, Grizzly Bear, NEKROFEIST, SHATTERED DESTINY, WAR DRUM
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FLYING COLORS – S/T
Ear Music/Edel A supergroup consisting of drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple/Dixie Dreggs), bassist Dave LaRue (Steve Morse/Dixie Dreggs), Neal Morse (Transatlantic/ex-Spock’s Beard) on keyboards/vocals and lead vocalist/guitarist Casey McPherson. The album was produced by the … Continue reading
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Tagged ELO, Flying Colors, Mike Portnoy, Muse, Neal Morse, Queen, Steve Morse
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Albums of the year…to date
Saga – 20/20 (Ear Music/Edel) Michael Sadler returns as the band release one of their finest albums to date. Jeff Scott Soto- Damage Control (Frontiers) Back with a more straight ahead melodic hard rock album. Flying Colors – S/T (Ear … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Year...to date, ALL POSTS
Tagged Arjen Lucassen, Asia, Blackberry Smoke, Casablanca, D A D, Estrella, Europe, Flying Colors, Freedom Call, Headspace, House Of Shakira, Jack Blades, Jamie Hartman, Jeff Scott Soto, LA Guns, Michael Thompson Band, Saga, Shinedown, Slash, Styx
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THE SWEET – New York Connection
www.thesweet.com The Sweet – the version fronted by original guitarist Andy Scott – return with an album of covers. The current line-up consists of the aforementioned Scott joined by Pete Lincoln (vocals/bass), Tony O’Hora (guitar/keys/vocals) and Bruce Bisland (drums/vocals). Yes … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Scott, Dead Or Alive, New York Connection, Russ Ballard, The Sweet
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Singles Bar: THE LOOK, FANTASY RAINBOW, THE BOY ROYALS, MORTDELAMER, DREAMSTEALER
The Look – Let It Go (Beat Town Records) Apparently the Look had a hit in 1981, namely ‘I am the Beat’ and DJ Chris Evans is a fan. Now they are back with this new song which isn’t too … Continue reading
TARJA – Act I
Ear Music/Edel 2012 (Double CD) www.tarja-act1.com Former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen releases her first solo live album (there is also a companion DVD and BluRay releases). I will admit I am not the biggest fan of her voice but freed … Continue reading
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Tagged Act I, Nightwish, Tarja
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Rock Candy Roundup: Johnny Van Zant, Lionheart, Fastway, Paris
Johnny VAN ZANT Round Two ***1/2 The Last Of The Wild Ones **** Youngest of the Van Zant family, Johnny follows an enormous legacy in Ronnie (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (38 Special). These solo albums (sometimes credited to The Johnny … Continue reading
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Tagged Fastway, Johnny Van Zant, Lionheart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motorhead, Paris, Rock Candy, UFO
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FM re-issues
Indiscreet **** Tough It Out **** Rock Candy Records Two classic AOR albums, where the band’s name sums up the sound perfectly. Formed by the former Samson rhythm section of drummer Pete Jupp and bassist Merv Goldsworthy, a few line-up … Continue reading
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Tagged FM, Rock Candy, Steve Overland
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VISION DIVINE – Destination Set To Nowhere
Ear Music/Edel 2012 Formed in Italy in 1998, this progressive power metal band release their seventh studio album with plenty of power and melody, Rhapsody’s Fabio Lione providing vocals with power, range and an operatic touch. From the outset the … Continue reading
RED JASPER – A Midsummer Night’s Dream/The Winter’s Tale
Angel Air 2012 www.angelair.co.uk The words ‘British’ and ‘quintessentially’ spring to mind listening to this eccentric brace of early 90’s releases from a former agitprop punk folk act that contrarily transmogrified itself into a progressive rock band. Seemingly in awe … Continue reading
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Tagged prog rock, Red Jasper
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