Tag Archives: AOR

News: BON JOVI, AVATAR, THE HARA (September 2025)

Rick Wakeman - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 9 May 2014

Aerosmith and Yungblud have teamed up for a new song entitled ‘My Only Angel’. It is the band’s first music in over a decade. They release an five song EP ‘One More Time’ on November 21 which features ‘My Only Angel’, … Continue reading

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Album review: FM- Brotherhood

FM-Brotherhood

Frontiers Records (Release Date 05.09.25) You can set your watch by the fact that FM will release a new album every other year since 2018, no mean feat considering they seem to be perpetually on tour. Given that the live … Continue reading

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Album review: ROULETTE – Go!

ROULETTE- Go!

Black Lodge Records [Release Date 25.07.25] Swedish melodic rockers Roulette have had a chequered history- around since the eighties, they never got as far as releasing an album till 2008. It was another eleven years before a very well received … Continue reading

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Gig review: TEN – Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent, 9 August 2025

TEN - Leo

Back in the mid-nineties, when melodic rock was at its lowest ebb, Ten were one of the first shoots of hope as a thriving underground scene emerged and I was a huge fan. They were the great white hope of … Continue reading

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Album review : UFO – Misdemeanour Live At The Oxford Apollo 1985 (CD+DVD)

UFO 150 Live Oxford

Cherry Red [Release date : 22.08.25] The early eighties were a turbulent time for UFO. Judging by the band’s poorly received Making Contact album in 1982, it looked like they were a spent force. Members left, most notably, Pete Way … Continue reading

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Gig review: MALMO MELODIC – Plan B, Malmo, Sweden, 25-27 July 2025

MALMO MELODIC- Plan B, Malmo, Sweden, 25-27 July 2025

Last year’s inaugural ‘Malmo Melodic’ was such a success that it was swiftly clear that a 2025 version would build the brand further. The line-up was stronger, and Johan Nylen and his team from Wind Up Productions brought into the … Continue reading

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Album review: FIRST LIGHT – Elemental

FIRST LIGHT- Elemental

Pride and Joy Music [Release Date 25.07.25] There are not enough British AOR bands around, so it is always a pleasure when one arrives with some pedigree. First Light released an EP a couple of years ago and, on top … Continue reading

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News: BAD COMPANY, TRIVIUM, DAVID GILMOUR (August 2025)

AFI will release a new album, ‘Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…’, on October 3 via Run For Cover Records. Alcatrazz release ‘Prior Convictions’, an album of re-recorded songs plus two new songs, in November through BraveWords Records. The band plan to release … Continue reading

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Album review: STYX- Circling From Above

STYX- Circling From Above

Alpha Dog 2T/UMe (Release Date 18.07.25) While many ‘heritage’ classic rock acts on both sides of the pond have chosen to give up on writing new material and rely on their legacy catalogue, in recent years Styx have proved a … Continue reading

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Album review : LAGUNA – The Ghost Of Katrina

LAGUNA 150 Ghost cover

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] A choir and a spoken word intro, in Spanish, introduces us to Mexico’s rock festival junkies, Laguna. And that’s the thing about putting the miles in. You learn what works and what doesn’t. Then … Continue reading

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News: FM, STEVE PORCARO, FOREIGNER (July 2025)

FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

The Acacia Strain will release a new album, ‘You Are Safe From God Here’, on October 24 via Rise Records. All Time Low release their new album ‘Everyone’s Talking!’ on October 17 through their own label, Basement Noise Records. Alter Bridge release their … Continue reading

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Album review: ALIEN – When Yesterday Comes Around

ALIEN- When Yesterday Comes Around

Pride and Joy Music (Release Date 21.03.25) Its nearly five years since Alien’s last album, ‘Into The Future’, an attempt at a heavier sound that was a major disappointment – reviewing for GRTR! my verdict was ‘the experiment with a … Continue reading

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Album review : AFTER THE FIRE – Bright Lights 1974-1982

AFTER 150 THE FIRE Bright cover

Cherry Red [Release date 20.06.25] Bright Lights indeed. After The Fire were (and still are) a British band who formed in 1972, who went on to release five albums between 1978 – 1982. CD1: Signs Of Change (1978) CD2: Early … Continue reading

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Album review: WHITE WIDDOW – Reissues

wwiddow

Pride & Joy Classix [Release date 27.06.25] White Widdow were formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2008 and centred around the Millis brothers Jules (vocals) & Xavier (keyboards) with guitarist Enzo Almanzi. They have released five studio albums to date, with … Continue reading

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Album review: HEARTS ON FIRE – Signs & Wonders

Hearts On Fire

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 25.07.25] Seven years after their debut album, 2018’s ‘Call Of Destiny’, Hearts On Fire are back and have a new vocalist, non-other than Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring of Fire, Royal Hunt and many, … Continue reading

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News: STYX, JOHN FOGERTY, RISE AGAINST (June 2025)

BAD COMPANY - Manchester Arena, 24 October 2016

Airbourne released a new song, ‘Gutsy’, on June 6 – their first new music in six years. Amorphis their new studio album ‘Borderland’ on September 26 via Reigning Phoenix. Asia have signed with Frontiers and plan to release a live … Continue reading

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Album review: CARL BALDASSARRE – Retroduction

CARL BALDASSARRE - Retroduction

www.carlbaldassrremusic.com [Release date: 16.05.25] ‘Retroduction’ is the first of a planned series of four album releases – each offering a different slant and flavour from guitarist, composer and producer Carl Baldassarre. Baldassarre released the well-received ‘Grand Boulevard’ project in 2023, … Continue reading

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News: ACCEPT, SAVATAGE, JOE BONAMASSA (May 2025)

Halestorm - DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL, Donington Park, Leicestershire, 14-15 June 2019

Accept plan to record a new album next year – the band’s 50th anniversary – with producer Chris ‘Zeuss’ Harris. Bryan Adams releases his new album ‘Roll with the Punches’ on August 29. Alcatrazz have signed with Bravewords Records with … Continue reading

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Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – The Garage, London, 28 March 2025

ROMEO'S DAUGHTER- The Garage, London, 28 March 2025

They may not have the most prolific touring schedule, but within the first three months of the year, Romeo’s Daughter have already played London twice. The first was a rare acoustic gig in January at the Jazz Cafe (which, with … Continue reading

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News: HOLLOW SOULS, BTO, LEMMY (April 2025)

Hollow Souls (Kris Barras, Phoebe Jane, and Josiah J Manning)

A-Z release their second album ‘A2Z2′ on June 6 via Metal Blade Records. The band features drummer Mark Zonder (Fates Warning) and former Fates Warning vocalist Ray Alder. Babymetal have signed to Capitol Records, which will release the group’s new album, ‘Metal Forth’, … Continue reading

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Album review: WISHBONE ASH – At The BBC 1970 – 1988

Wishbone Ash Live at The BBC 1970-88

Pete Feenstra chatted to Martin Turner with tracks from the new box set ‘At The BBC’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.  First broadcast Sunday 30 March. Madfish [Release Date: 28.03.25] The Wishbone Ash At The BBC 1970 -88 box … Continue reading

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Album review : CARE OF NIGHT – Live At The Sweden Rock Festival

CARE 150 OF NIGHT Live image

Frontiers Music [Release date: 28.03.25] With three highly rated Melodic Rock albums under their belt, Sweden’s Care Of Night were a welcome act at their home country’s annual Rock Festival last year. Along with others on Frontiers melodic rock roster, … Continue reading

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Album review : STREETLIGHT – Night Vision

STREETLIGHT - Night Vision

Frontiers Music [Release date : 14.03.25] After an artfully conceived AOR debut in 2024, Streetlight’s trajectory remains on an upward curve. And, to no one’s surprise, pretty well everywhere you scratch the paint on Night Vision, you’ll find the 1980s … Continue reading

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News: BILLY IDOL, RUSS BALLARD, PINK FLOYD (March 2025)

LYNYRD SKYNYRD- SSE Arena, Wembley, London- 29 June 2019

Russ Ballard releases a double album entitled ‘Songs From The Warehouse/The Hits Rewired’, out on April 18 via Frontiers. The first CD contains new songs, while the second CD includes brand new recordings of famous hits he either penned or … Continue reading

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Gig review: FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

FM’s busy touring schedule took on a fresh twist when they announced an acoustic tour for the first part of 2025. it was not a totally new venture for them, indeed in the early nineties they released a successful live … Continue reading

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