Tag Archives: album

Album review: BLACK DIAMOND – Last Man Standing

BLACK DIAMOND – Last Man Standing

On Parole Productions [Release date – out now] When listening to this album one thing springs to mind – Iron Maiden. The band have an obvious love of Eddie and pay homage to Britain’s finest throughout the album. Where ‘homage’ … Continue reading

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Quick plays: DREGEN, BENEDICTUM, AXEL RUDI PELL, BROKEN ARROW, NASHVILLE PUSSY

Dregen

DREGEN – S/t (Spinefarm)   Swedish guitarist Dregen has lent his sleazy punk metal touches to Backyard Babies and The Hellacopters (an original member of both) as well Supershit666 and more recently Michael Monroe, appearing on the acclaimed Horns And … Continue reading

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Album review: DON AIREY – Keyed Up

Don Airey - Keyed Up

Interview edit: Don Airey 19 January 2014 The full interview will be broadcast on Sunday 2 February at 18:00 Mascot  [Release date 17.02.14] Virtuoso and legendary keyboard player (and all round nice guy) Don has played with pretty much everyone … Continue reading

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Album review: RAINBOW – The Singles Box Set 1975–1986

Rainbow - The Singles Box Set 1975-1986

Universal (19 CD set) [Release date 2.02.14] Those lovely guys at Universal have really gone to town (again) here – and a set that will be beyond most fans’ needs (or price range); but the extravagance here matches the marvel … Continue reading

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Album review: FOREIGNER – I Want To Know What Love Is – The Ballads

Foreigner - The Ballads

earMUSIC [Release date 03.02.14] You can’t help thinking this ballads collection is something of a cash-in in advance of the band’s spring tour with Europe and FM.  There are no new tracks but newcomers may be interested in the note-perfect … Continue reading

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Album review: SILENT FORCE – Rising From Ashes

Silent Force - Rising From The Ashes

AFM Records [Released 27.01.14] Alex Beyrodt is a busy man. Early in 2013 we had a Whitesnake orientated release from Voodoo Circle and then there is the imminent release of the new Primal Fear album Delivering The Black. In between … Continue reading

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Album Review: FREQUENCY DRIFT – Over

Frequency Drift

Gentle Art Of Music  [Release Date: 14.02.14] Frequency Drift have been at the zenith of Europe’s purveyors of melancholic progressive rock for a few years now – their previous two releases, ‘Ghosts’ (2011) and ‘Laid To Rest’ (2012) were both … Continue reading

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Album review: THE PECKHAM COWBOYS -10 Tales From The Gin Palace

THE PECKHAM COWBOYS -10 Tales From The Gin Palace

Cargo Records [Release date 14.02.14] “10 Tales From The Gin Palace” is the second album from South London’s The Peckham Cowboys and as the title would suggest, the album contains 10 tracks of sleazy, debauched, catchy rock n roll and … Continue reading

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Album review: CASABLANCA – Riding A Black Swan

Casablanca - Riding A Black Swan

Gain/Sony Music [out now] American/Swedish band Casablanca have just released their sophomore album “Riding A Black Swan” and just 8 days into 2014 I would be surprised if I am not still listening to this on repeat at the end … Continue reading

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Album review: HAIL OF BULLETS – III: The Rommel Chronicles

Metal Blade – Out Now. Being both a huge Metal fan and a passionate historian with a particular fascination for all things WWII meant that I was hooked immediately back in 2006 on the old-school Death Metal quintet Hail Of … Continue reading

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Album review – RED DRAGON CARTEL – Red Dragon Cartel

Red Dragon Cartel

      Frontiers Records [Release date 24.01.14] One of the most instantly recognisable riffs in rock is the opening bars of ‘Bark At The Moon’ from Ozzy but the magic fingers on the fret board belonged to one Jake … Continue reading

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Album review: BEN GRANFELT – Melodic Relief

Ben Granfelt - Melodic Relief

Supersounds Music [Release date 02.11.12] Ben Granfelt used to partner Andy Powell in Wishbone Ash and it’s no surprise that fellow Finn (and former bandmate in Gringos Locos) Muddy Manninen and Powell contribute to one track, ‘New 7’.  It may … Continue reading

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DVD review: TED NUGENT – Ultralive Ballisticrock

Ted Nugent - Ultralive Ballisticrock (DVD)

Frontiers – Out Now. Theodore Anthony Nugent is a man who has, of late, managed to find himself in the spotlight for reasons that have more to do with his staunch conservative political views, rather than his musical abilities. There … Continue reading

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Album Review: UNIFIED PAST – Spots

Unified Past

      Melodic Revolution Records – [Release Date: 11.06.13] I usually find that, as a general rule of thumb, the more verbose the press release, the worse the accompanying piece of work is – the old ‘empty vessels make … Continue reading

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Album review: ASOMVEL – Knuckle Duster

Bad Omen Records – Out Now. Ask anyone in the music business what the two basic elements for achieving commercial success are (apart from talent, obviously), and you are bound to hear among the answers ‘good timing’ and ‘luck’. These, … Continue reading

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Album review: BRUCE BOUILLET – The Order Of Control

Bruce Bouillet - The Order Of Control

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 21.01.14] Instrumental guitar albums are a “difficult” genre to do well.  At GRTR! Towers we are subjected to all manner of offerings; most are over-indulgent, unoriginal and badly produced.  Bruce Bouillet may hold more of … Continue reading

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Quick plays: HAPPYNESS, THE DAVID LIBERTY BAND, DIRTY THRILLS, UNCLE SID, JOE COCKER

The David Liberty Band

HAPPYNESS – Happyness EP Weird Smiling [Release date 06.01.14] Three-piece band from south London consisting of Johnny Allan, Benji Compston and Ashley Cooper. This is their self-produced debut EP and they certainly pack a lot if instrumentation in for a … Continue reading

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Album review: JAY FERGUSON – Reissues

Jay Ferguson - reissues

Edsel Records [Release date 02.12.13] 2-CD From a personal point of view, these three albums from the late-seventies are perhaps best recalled from their place in the racks of many a vinyl seller at record fairs.  I don’t really remember … Continue reading

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Album review: JOSH TAERK – Josh

Josh Taerk - Josh

Absolute [Release date 14.10.13] The latest release by young Canadian singer/songwriter Josh Taerk is something of a throwback.  Even his mop of curls shouts ‘1980s’, although I’m guessing it’s not a perm! The opening number – ‘I’ll Live For You’ … Continue reading

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Album review: NEW DANCE ORCHESTRA – Electronica (feat. Geoff Downes/Anne-Marie Helder)

New Dance Orchestra - Electronica (feat. Geoff Downes/Anne-Marie Helder)

NDO Records [Release date 04.11.13] This is an intriguing release from the highly-talented Geoffrey Downes, or Geoff Downes as you know him, erstwhile keyboard tinkler from Asia and Yes.  New Dance Orchestra is an ongoing project but to my knowledge … Continue reading

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Album review: ANXTRON – Brainstorm

Anxtron - Brainstorm

Self-release www.anxtron.com I guarantee if you heard this album playing in the background of your local wine bar, you’d find it strangely addictive as you got progressively inebriated.  That’s not being disrespectful to Anxtron, it could be the perfect antidote … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: THE DEEP END, PERFECT CRIME, RUSTED

The Deep End

THE DEEP END – Cop This Bad Reputation [Release date – 15.12.13]) Think Australian rock and no doubt AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and latterly Airbourne spring to mind. The Deep End take elements of all three and blend them into one … Continue reading

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Album review: THE DEAD DAISIES – The Dead Daisies

The Dead Daisies

Spitfire Music [Release date – out now] The Dead Daisies career is, ironically, blooming at the moment. The lead single from the album ‘Lock ‘N’ Load’ featuring Slash on guitar is all over the rock radio stations and the band … Continue reading

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Album review: FALLING RED – Empire Of The Damned

Falling Red

Self Release [Release date – 27.01.14] There can’t have been many rock bands from Carlisle over the years but Falling Red may be about to put the town firmly on the rock map. Over the last 6 years the band … Continue reading

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Album review: CRYSTAL VIPER – Possession

Crystal Viper - Possession

AFM Records www.afmrecords.de With an album cover looking like a tacky horror movie or a bad King Diamond album from the 1980’s the preconceptions start before I’ve even listened to this new release from Polish metal band Crystal Viper. Crystal … Continue reading

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