Tag Archives: album review

Album review: SCREAMACHINE – Screamachine

Posted on April 6, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album review, DGM, Firewind, Frontiers, Herbie Langhans, power metal, Rossini, Scream Machine, Simone Mularoni, Stormlord, Traditional Heavy Metal | Leave a comment

Album review: ARION – Vultures Die Alone

Posted on April 2, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album review, Arion, AVANTASIA, Kamelot, power metal, Stratovarius, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: SUNSTORM – Afterlife

Posted on March 26, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Afterlife, album review, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Frontiers Records, Joe Lynn Turner, melodic rock, Rainbow, Ronnie Romero, Sunstorm | Leave a comment

Album review: SECRET SPHERE – Lifeblood

Posted on March 21, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album review, Aldo Lenobile, Frontiers Records, Lifeblood, power metal, progressive metal, Roberto Messina, Secret Sphere, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Album review: SPIRIT – Son Of America (3CD reissue/remaster)

Posted on March 19, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 3 CD Boxset, album review, Byrds, Cherry Red Records, Flying Burrito Brothers, Jay Ferguson, Randy California, remastered, Son Of America, Spirit, Summer of Love | Leave a comment

Album review: RONNIE ATKINS – One Shot

Posted on March 14, 2021 by brianmc

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, AOR, Denmark, Frontiers Records, melodic rock, One Shot, Pretty Maids, Ronnie Atkins, scandinavian rock, solo album | Leave a comment

Album review: ORDEN OGAN – Final Days

Posted on March 7, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 12.03.21] Orden Ogan might not be the band on everyone’s lips when Progressive or Power Metal is the subject of conversation. But they should be. And if their last album, Gunmen, didn’t put them there, Final … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album review, concept, Final Days, Orden Ogan, power metal, progressive metal | Leave a comment

Album review: SLAMMIN GLADYS – Two

Posted on March 4, 2021 by brianmc

JIB Machine Records [release date 12.02.21] In a reversal of conventional wisdom, Slammin Gladys have gone for the “2 years to write our first album”, and “20 years to write the second” approach. Proteges of Jani (Warrant) Lane, they recorded … Continue reading →

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Album review: ADAM DOUGLAS – Better Angels

Posted on March 1, 2021 by brianmc

Sonnet Music [release date 05.02.21] I first heard Adam Douglas about five or so years ago singing ‘A Change is Gonna Come’ a la Sam Cooke / Otis Redding on a TV game show. Now that’s some song to tackle, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adam Douglas, album review, Americana, Better Angels, blues, country, Michael Bolton, Norway, Ray LaMontagne, rock, soul | Leave a comment

Album review: 3.2 – Third Impression

Posted on February 27, 2021 by brianmc

Pete Feenstra chatted to Robert Berry for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in May 2021. Frontiers Records [Release date 12.02.21] This is the end. Second and final album from 3.2. The success of the first collaboration between Robert Berry, Keith … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 3.2, album review, Alliance, ELP, Frontiers Records, interview, Keith Emerson, Progressive Rock, radio, Robert Berry, The Nice, Third Impression | Leave a comment

Album review: WAYSTED – Vices

Posted on February 26, 2021 by brianmc

Rock Candy Records [Release date 12.02.21] In 1983, after an enduring love affair with UFO, a brief flirtation with Ozzy, and a frustrated liaison with Fastway, bass player extraordinaire Pete Way founded Waysted. Around him, he assembled a shit hot … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album review, Fastway, Ozzy, Pete Way, remaster, Rock Candy Records, sleaze rock, UFO, Vices, Waysted | Leave a comment

Album review: WORLD GOES ROUND – S/T

Posted on January 23, 2021 by brianmc

Viper Records [Release date 22.01.21] It was 30 years ago today that World Goes Round recorded their one and only album (Ed: we might be a year or two out). This supremely talented array of artists, whose names (almost) always … Continue reading →

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Album review: CATFISH – Exile – Live In Lockdown

Posted on January 18, 2021 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 01.12.20] With their first gig in 5 months, with no rehearsals, a new drummer in Kev Hickman and just their own frisson to feed the adrenalin for a live stream, Catfish join the ranks of bands … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adam Pyke, album review, blues, Catfish, Exile-Live In Lockdown, grunge, guitar, Joe Bonamassa, Kev Hickman, live album, Matt Long, Paul Long, rock, The Hoax | Leave a comment

Album review: DUKE ROBILLARD & FRIENDS – Blues Bash

Posted on December 21, 2020 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra interviewed Duke Robillard for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 13 December 2020. Stony Plain Records [Release date 20.11.20] You don’t need to have paid your blues dues for 50 years or more to be able to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album review, Blues Bash, Chris Cote, Doug James, Duke Robillard, Duke Robillard & Friends, Greg Piccolo, guitar, interview, jazz, Jimmy Vaughan, Jump, lefty bates, Mark Hummel, Michelle ‘Evil Gal’ Wilson, R&B, Rich Lataille, swing, T-Bone Walker | Leave a comment

Album review: GARY FLETCHER – River Keeps Flowing

Posted on January 3, 2020 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted with Gary Fletcher for his show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 22 March 2020. Repertoire records [Release date 13.12.19] Gary Fletcher’s ‘River Keeps Flowing’ is all about mood, feel and a musical aesthetic that … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND – Down To The River

Posted on August 1, 2019 by petefeenstra

BMG [Release 28.06.19] The Allman Betts Band don’t so much reinvent the wheel as relive subliminal snapshots of the band’s musical antecedents. They formed on the 50th anniversary of the first Allman Brothers gig and brought with them a weight … Continue reading →

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Album review: INA FORSMAN – Been Meaning To Tell You

Posted on June 25, 2019 by petefeenstra

Ruf [Release date 25.01.19] ‘Been Meaning To Tell You’ is a challenging cross genre album that suggests Ina Forsman will be a musical force to be reckoned with. The low key vocal and piano intro to the opening ‘Be My … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Been Meaning To Tell You, blues, Chris Maresh, Eartha Kitt, Finnish, funk, Ina Forsman, Kaz kazanoff, Laura Chavez, pop, R&B, Red Young, Samantha Fish, soul, vocals | Leave a comment

Album review: FAT COPS – s/t

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Davoski

Absolute [release date: 01.03.19] It’s hard to work out whether this Fat Cops ensemble is a serious project, or whether a bunch of blokes with other, loftier careers have simply got together to have a bit of a blast. Maybe … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Al Murray, album review, Chris Deerin, Fat Cops, indie, pop, psychedelic, review, rock, The Wee Besoms | Leave a comment

Album review: DEVIL’S HAND featuring SLAMER/FREEMAN – s/t

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Davoski

Frontiers Music [Release date: 07.12.18] Mike Slamer has been a respected rock session musician, writer and producer for decades, although his profile is still relatively low. He is perhaps best known for forming bands with Kansas members, firstly Steve Walsh … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Andrew Freeman, AOR, Devil's Hand, Last In Line, melodic rock, Mike Slamer, Streets | Leave a comment

Album review: AYREON – Into The Electric Castle

Posted on October 11, 2018 by petefeenstra

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 26.10.18] Aside from being the 20th anniversary of its release and a long overdue vinyl release, the most significant thing about the Arjen Lucassen’s remixed and re-mastered 1998 Ayreon project, is the way it successfully … Continue reading →

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Album review: AARON KEYLOCK – Cut Against The Grain

Posted on January 26, 2017 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 20.01.17] This is a good time to be Aaron Keylock. He’s an impossibly young veteran of the rock/blues genre, who has graduated through the ranks old school style, while dipping into blues, indie and rock along the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aaron Keylock, album review, blues, Cut Against the Grain, Fabrizio Grossi, Johnny Winter, Mick Taylor, rock, Rolling Stones, Rory Gallagher, slide guitar, Supersonic Blues Machine | Leave a comment

Album review: DOUG ABRAHAM – Better Late Than…

Posted on June 1, 2016 by petefeenstra

BBM [Release date 27.10.15] Doug Abraham is a fine Liverpudlian singer-songwriter and confident guitarist who has a solid background in instrumental music and funk rock, though this album goes well beyond those genres. The title of the album ‘Better Late … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Bob Dylan, David Hadley-Ray, Doug Abraham, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, guitar, Paddy Milner, Pete Brown, singer, songwriter, Ten Years After, Tom Waits, Wayne Proctor | Leave a comment

Album review: SEVEN SHOTS FROM SOBER – Songs From Stephen Ave

Posted on December 29, 2015 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 29.09.15] Named after a pedestrian mall in their native Calgary, ‘Songs From Stephen Ave’, is a smoking album from a Canadian powerhouse trio. With a name like Seven Songs From Sober, you’d expect nothing less than … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Ben Comeau, Brian Gibbs, Canadian Rock, Chris Ferguson, Dan Baird, hard rock, Judas Priest, Lemmy, Mark Rossie, metal, Motorhead, Seven Shots From Sober, Songs From Stephen Ave, southern rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ANDREAS VOCKRODT – Adventures In Foggyland

Posted on August 28, 2015 by petefeenstra

7music (Membran) [Release date 13.03.15] From his opening shred on ‘21 is Only Half The Truth’, through several shifting rhythm patterns, an ever present melodic undertow and the gnawing riff conclusion of ‘Transition To Reality’, its obvious that German guitarist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Andreas Vockrodt, Gary Moore, guitar, instrumental, King Crimson, metal, rock, Roland Hrastinksi, Stefan Muller, Van Halen | Leave a comment

Quick plays: IAN TOOMEY, DATURA4, DAVID COURTNEY, SKINAGE

Posted on August 5, 2015 by jason

IAN TOOMEY – Ascension Metal Nation [Released 04.09.15] Ian Toomey is the guitarist in Bitches Sin, a band that formed way back in 1980 and reunited back in 2008. This is his solo album, aided by legendary producer Chris Tsangarides, … Continue reading →