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Tag Archives: hard rock
Album review: W.A.S.P. – s/t
Madfish [Release date 21.05.26] Record label Madfish have been working some of the early W.A.S.P. catalogue, including The Savage 7 CD boxset. Here is the band’s 1984 debut and in line with all the other Madfish releases I’ve encountered, it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes, hard rock, metal, re-issue, review, self-titled, sleaze, W.A.S.P
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Album review : VON GROOVE – Born To Rock
Frontiers Music [Release date : 15.05.26] There can be few more explosive opening tracks than Von Groove’s ‘Once Is Not Enough’ from their self titled debut, 1992. 30 years later : they’ve got the band back together – Michael Shotton, … Continue reading
Single review: PARKER BARROW – Blinded
Blinded is taken from Parker Barrow’s forthcoming album Hold The Mash, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were listening to a new Stones single with the opening riff, as guitarist Alex Bender says the riff was given life as … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Blinded, blues, blues rock, hard rock, Hold the Mash, Parker Barrow, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, single
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Album review : DEGREED – Curtain Calls
Frontiers [Release date 24.04.26] Eighth full length album from respected Swedish Hard Rock band, Degreed…Robin Eriksson, Mats Eriksson, Mikael Blanc and Daniel Johansson. Their sound is impossible to categorise. Is it toughened up AOR, melodic hard rock, metallised hard rock … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR, Curtain Calls, Degreed, Frontiers Music, hard rock, Mats Eriksson, review, Robin Eriksson, Swedish
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Album review : URIAH HEEP – Beautiful Dream, The Recordings 1975-77 (4CDs)
Cherry Red [Release date 24.04.26] Return To Fantasy (1975) High And Mighty (1976) Firefly (1977) Innocent Victim (1977) Cherry Red’s latest Uriah Heep boxset, Beautiful Dream, is essentially a follow up to their Shadow And The Wind set released last … Continue reading
Album review: XTASY – Phoenix
Art of Melody Music / Burning Minds Music Groups [Release date 10.04.26] Now here’s a thing. Melodic rock that’s not from Scandinavia! Spain’s Xtasy formed in 2011 and have been building a following in their home country and in Continental … Continue reading
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Tagged album, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Phoenix, review, Xtasy
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Album review: MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP – Live & Ready 1980-1984
Chrysalis Records [Release date 03.04.26] Guitar legend Michael Schenker has had a largely wonderful career, with his own band as well as with both Scorpions and UFO. And of his eponymous band, the 1980 to 1984 period is widely considered … Continue reading
Feature: GRTR! Greats – BETH HART
Photo: Manuela Langotsch Beth Hart’s place in the GRTR! Greats series was sealed a long time ago by her heartfelt songwriting, emotionally charged voice and musical excellence spanning a 18 plus album career backed by non stop touring. Her vibrato … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, GRTR! GREATS, GRTR! Greats (All Posts), INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, beth Hart, blues, blues rock, classic rock, feature, hard rock, interview, retrospective, review, singer, songwriter
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Album review: WARRANT – Belly To Belly Vol.1
Deko Entertainment [Release date 15.04.26] Warrant’s fifth album ‘Belly to Belly, Vol. 1′ has been remastered and repackaged and is being re-released in April, and for the first time will also be released on vinyl. Originally released in 1996 it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Belly To Belly Vol.1, hard rock, melodic rock, review, Warrant
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Album review: AEROSMITH (Deluxe expanded edition)
Universal Music Group [Release date 20.03.26] One of the USA’s rock bands, Aerosmith have released 15 studio albums, and sold 150 million records world-wide. And their blend of rock, blues, glam and pop has been very influential too. With roots … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 3-CD, Aerosmith, album, blues rock, delux, expanded, hard rock, Joe Perry, live, remix, review, Steven Tyler
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Album review: CASEY MAUNDER – Smash Down Jericho
Website [Release date 20.03.26] Album number three from Casey Maunder and pleased to report that he carries on with his high standards of penning catchy, melodic hard rock. Of the ten songs on here, only ‘Paint’ has been released ahead … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Casey Maunder, hard rock, melodic rock, review, rock, Smash Down Jericho
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Album review: RAINBOW – Temple Of The King 1975/76
Edsel/Demon Music Group [Release date 27.03.26] Originally touted as Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow were formed by Deep Purple guitarist Blackmore. In late 1974, Blackmore had wanted to record a cover of Quatermass’ Black Sheep Of The Family, and did so as … Continue reading
Album review: ROBIN TROWER – Live!
Chrysalis [Release date: 03.04.26] Guitarist Robin Trower made himself as a guitarist, originally with Procol Harum, before forging a successful solo career. Most will (or should) know his classic second album, Bridge Of Sighs, which was remastered and expanded last … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, blues rock, classic rock, guitarist, hard rock, live, Procul Harum, review, Robin Trower, rock
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Gig review: SMITH KOTZEN – Bristol Academy, 20 February 2026
It’s a band and promoters nightmare. Towards the end of a relatively short UK tour the special guests Kris Barras Band had to pull out due to Kris’ throat infection. Shame as I was looking forward to seeing Barras live … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 20 February 2026, Adrian Smith, Bristol Academy, classic rock, gig, hard rock, Iron Maiden, review, Richie Kotzen, Smith Kotzen, Winery Dogs
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Album review : BLACK SWAN – Paralyzed
Frontiers Music [Release date : 27.02.26] Four years after Black Swan’s second album, Generation Mind, comes Paralyzed, with the four horsemen, Robin McAuley, Reb Beach, Jeff Pilson and Matt Starr riding quickly into view. So called “supergroups”, of which this … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Black Swan, Frontiers Music, hard rock, Jeff Pilson, Matt Starr, Paralyzed, Reb Beach, review, Robin McAuley
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Album review : WILD HORSES – Standing Our Ground (6 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 13.02.26] The two Wild Horses’ studio albums were arguably the last gasp of seventies’ hard rock before it went under. Glaswegian forces of nature, Brian Robertson and Jimmy Bain, guitar and bass (and vocals), had jumped … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged boxset, Brian Robertson, hard rock, Jimmy Bain, Phil Lynott, Rainbow, review, Thin Lizzie, Wild Horses
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Album review: DENNIS CHURCHILL-DRIES – Crazy Is This Life
AOR Blvd Records [Release date 30.01.26] Former White Sister and Tattoo Rodeo vocalist Dennis Churchill-Dries is back with another album packed full of classy melodic rock. He’s joined by Steve Newman on guitar and keys, along with Newman drummer Rob … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, AOR Blvd Records, Dennis Churchill Dries, hard rock, melodic rock, review, rock, Steve Newman, Tattoo Rodeo, White Sister
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Album review: GOTTHARD – More Stereo Crush
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 13.03.26] Gotthard released ‘Stereo Crush’ last year and now have a follow on eight-track EP. Five songs are previously unreleased from the ‘Stereo Crush’ sessions, ‘Mayday’ had only been available as a video, and there … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Gotthard, hard rock, KROKUS, Marc Storace, melodic hard rock, More Stereo Crush, review
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Album review : MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP – Bad Boys, The MSG Story 1987-92 (4 CD boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 30.01.26] Axeman Michael Schenker’s considerable CV has been well documented over the years and it’s clearly delineated in these liner notes. Brief version: between 1972 and 1984 he cycled through The Scorpions, UFO and MSG Version … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Cherry Red, Frank Filipetti, hard rock, Michael Schenker, MSG, Perfect Timing, review, Robin McAuley, Save Yourself, Scorpions, UFO
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Album review: BASTION ROSE – Traces Of Gold
Epictronic [Release date 07.11.25] ‘Traces Of Gold’ is essentially a mini-album clocking in at barely 30 minutes. But great things come in small packages. The album is a meaty riff-fest with little gristle. Great melodies abound too and it would … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Bastion Rose, hard rock, heavy rock, review, Traces Of Gold
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Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, December 27 2025
It is those no-man’s lands days between Christmas and New Year in 2025 and the Punchdrunk Saints have bravely decided to host their second ever gig after their debut in London’s 100 Club. Tonight’s gig at Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden … Continue reading
Single review: THE MOTHERZ – Sweat
Facebook With a name like The Motherz you’re not going to expect Abba are you. And how right you would be. To me they sound like the illegitimate offspring of Metallica and The Stooges. They claim to draw their influences … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged classic rock, hard rock, metal, Motherz, review, single, Sweat
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EP review: AXMINSTER – Mad Hatters
Website [Release date 25.07.25] Axminster first started out in 1983 – then known as Axminster Molly – and they were indeed named after the carpet/rug manufacturer based in the UK town of the same name! Only vocalist/guitarist Steve Sera remains … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Axminster, EP, hard rock, Mad Hatters, melodic hard rock, review, rock
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Album review : LYNCH MOB – Dancing With The Devil
Frontiers [Release date 28.11.25] Now white haired and bearded, Septuagenarian Lynch had said a few years back that he would soon be retiring the Lynch Mob name, due to its racist connotations. And so, Dancing With The Devil, the second … Continue reading
Album review: GHOST – Skeleta
Loma Vista Recordings [Release date 25.04.25] Album number six from Ghost, produced by Gene Walker, who is actually Ghost main man Tobias Forge, as said Gene Walker name is a pun on the Swedish word gengångare i.e ghost, zombie. Interesting variety … Continue reading
