Tag Archives: album

Album Review: ERIC JOHNSON – Up Close Another Look

Eric Johnson - Up Close Another Look

Mascot Records [Release date 01.04.13] Whilst I have always been aware of Eric Johnson and his influence on a whole raft of modern guitarists I have never really investigated his music.  ‘Up Close – Another Look’ should change all that.  … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL RAYMOND PROJECT – Terms & Conditions Apply

Paul Raymond - Terms & Conditions Apply

Hear No Evil Recordings [Release date 28.01.13] Paul Raymond may be best known as the quiet one in UFO and perhaps surprisingly this is his sixth solo outing.  ’Terms & Conditions Apply’ will appeal to UFO fans, but more broadly … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Album review: UNITOPIA – Covered Mirror Vol.1

Bird’s Robe Records – (Release date 31.10.12] Covered Mirror – or to give it its full title ‘Covered Mirror Vol.1 Smooth As Silk’ is Adelaide proggers Unitopia’s paean to some of the tracks that have influenced the band over the … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: AORIA – The Constant

Version Studio Records, 2012 There must be something in the water in Sweden at the moment. Following in the (rather large) footprints of progressive metal contemporaries, Katatonia and their magnificent ‘Night Is The New Day’ and ‘Dead End Kings’ albums, … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

MY SOLILOQUY – The Interpreter

www.mysoliloquy.net (Released 18.02.13) This album has been in the works for the past couple of years and is the brainchild of Threshold’s Pete Morten (he also had a brief spell fronting the now defunct Power Quest). Pete Morten has written, … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News: CODE OF SILENCE RELEASE DEBUT VIDEO

British Melodic Metal band CODE OF SILENCE, fronted by Brazilian vocalist Gus Monsanto (Timo Tolkki’s Revolution Renaissance, Adagio, Symbolica, Lord Of Mushrooms), and young virtuoso guitar player Ben Randall (Power Quest), have released their debut promo video for the track … Continue reading

Posted in Album News, NEWS, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

VALENCE – Sleepwalker

VALENCE - Sleepwalker

Valence is a four piece instrumental progressive rock band from New York and ‘Sleepwalker’ is their first forayinto the studio – a fact that reveals itself as the album progresses. ‘Sleepwalker’ is a 34 minute epic conveniently broken up into … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE UNION – The World Is Yours

The Union - 'The World Is Yours' sleeev artwork

        Payola (Released March 4th) The Union – Thunder’s Luke Morley and Peter Shoulder of Winterville – return with their third album in as many years. Listening to the guitar playing of Luke Morley (you can see … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

LOGIC MESS – Element Of The Grid

Logic Mess - Element Of The Grid

Another band from the modern home of Progressive Rock Nirvana – Poland - Logic Mess have previously released an album under the name of Crystal Lake. Just why they felt Logic Mess was a better name I’ve no idea. Actually, ‘Element … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

TOYZ – The Infinite Road

Toyz -  The Infinite Road

Every so often a disc shows up that looks just the same as a million others – classic prog-rock cover, picture of the band looking completely normal, track-list titles that would sit on any other album; ‘Departure’, ‘Face The Mirror’, … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

HENRIK FREISCHLADER – House In The Woods

Henrik Freischlader - House In The Woods

Cable Car CCR0311-39 If ‘House in The Woods’ isn’t quite a fully conceptualised album title, then Henrik Freischlader’s sense of introspection and ongoing search for a retreat offers a resonant statement of his current mindset. The funky, smoking grooves and … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

STEVE LUKATHER – Transition

Steve Lukather - Transition

Mascot Records (Release date 21.01.13) There is a lot to like about ‘Transition’ from the production quality, the sincerity, to the musicianship.  The lyrical themes are again based on Luke’s recent musical and personal rejuvenation and in truth the album … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

DBA (Geoff Downes/Chris Braide) – Pictures Of You

DBA - Pictures Of You

X2X Records DBA is a collaboration of Geoff Downes (Asia, Yes) and Chris Braide (producer for Lana Del Rey and David Guetta amongst others).  If it owes something to the duo’s overt pop sensibilites as evidenced by Downes with The … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: ROYAL HUNT – 20th Anniversary: Special Edition

ROYAL HUNT – 20th Anniversary: Special Edition

Frontiers[Release date 23.11.22] Denmark – home of Hans Christian Andersen, Lego, those rather nice pastries, motor-mouth Lars Ulrich and of course…Royal Hunt. The title says it all really – this is a celebration of the last 20 years of Royal … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SNAKECHARMER – Snakecharmer

Snakecharmer

(Frontiers Records) Release date 21.01.13 It’s unusual when a ‘superband’ is greater than its constituent parts.  But, if anything, Micky Moody and Neil Murray have created a wonderful vehicle – at last – for Chris Ousey (Heartland, Virginia Wolf ).  His … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

LEVELLERS – Reissues

Levellers - Levelling The Land

(Edsel Records) The Levellers are one of the most enduring and, it must be said, likeable bands to have been around for the past twenty-five years. Their blend of anarchic punk anthems aligned to touching folk sensitivity has been a … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ATKINS/MAY PROJECT – Valley Of Shadows

Atkins May Project - Valley Of Shadows

(Gonzo Multimedia) Al Atkins is a founder member of Judas Priest – writing ‘Victim Of Changes’ – although he left the band to make way for Rob Halford in 1973 .  He has also written a very informative autobiography of his … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AOR (Frederic Slama) – L.A.Temptation

AOR - L.A. Temptation

(AOR Heaven) There’s no doubt that AOR has been enjoying a revival in recent years, epitomised perhaps by the revival of the band FM, a dedicated UK-based print magazine, and a forthcoming UK festival.  And of course Firefest goes from … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

MERMAID KISS – Another Country

Mermaid Kiss - Another Country

www.mermaidkiss.co.uk This, the third album under the Mermaid Kiss name, is tinged with a bit of sadness.  Founder member Evelyn Downing has decided to hang up her microphone.  But she does immerse herself in her final album with the band; writing, … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Album review: THE MENTULLS – Time Flies

The Mentulls - Time Flies

www.thementulls.com There’s already a buzz surrounding this Yorkshire teen outfit mainly because of their young age and the fact they sound like a band twice their age. And it’s true to say that on ‘Time Flies’ their third album (!!!), … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

QUIET RIOT – Reissues

QUIET RIOT – Metal Health/Condition Critical Rock Candy Records Formed in the early 70s, Quiet Riot featured guitarist Randy Rhodes, and the band split when Rhodes joined Ozzy Osbourne. Reforming in the early 80s, Metal Health would be the band’s … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

T & N – Slave To The Empire

T & N - Slave To The Empire

earMUSIC 0208329ERE Okay, is it a tribute album or isn’t it?  T & N would have you believe this offering should stand up in its own right.  Dokken alumni George Lynch, Jeff Pilson and ‘Wild’ Mick Brown have assembled seven … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVE & MONEY – The Devil’s Debt

Love & Money - The Devil

Vertical VERTCD096 Twenty years on, can Love & Money still cut it?  Their re-grouping at the start of 2011 for a couple of Scottish gigs and tentative UK dates last autumn suggested a resounding ‘yes’. To hear that the band … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

STRING DRIVEN THING – The Machine That Cried

String Driven Thing - The Machinbe That Cried

(Esoteric) Signing to act-breakers Charisma should have assured better fortune for this electric violin-driven four-piece but in the notes of Esoteric’s reissue guitarist Chris Adams, band co-founder with wife Pauline, grumbles over the label’s preoccupation with Genesis as neglectful of … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FOCUS – X

Focus - X

Eastworld Recordings (2012) One of the great rejuvenations of recent years has been the Thijs van Leer version of Focus, things seemed to click with the arrival – in 2006 – of original drummer Pierre van der Linden and they’ve … Continue reading

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment