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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: MARIACHI EL BRONX – Mariachi El Bronx IV
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Album review : JON ANDERSON – Survival And Other Stories / Earth Mother Earth (2 CDs / remasters)
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Album review: MYRATH – Wilderness Of Mirrors
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Album review: MASSIVE WAGONS – Live At The Great Hall
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Album review: JAMIE WILLIAMS AND THE ROOTS COLLECTIVE – In The Moment
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Album review: JOE HICKS – Before It Gets Dark
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 14 March 2026
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Gig review: A VERY SPECIAL EVENING OF MOTT THE HOOPLE – Riverside Studios, London, 27 February 2026
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Gig review: EMERALD MOON – Le Marquee, Peyrignac, Dordogne, SW France, 7 March 2026
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Gig review: MILKFEST, Indigo2, London, 1 March 2026
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GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
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Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
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Tag Archives: hard rock
EP review: MADRE SUN – The Speed of Light
Facebook [Release date24.07.20] Madre Son was formed by brothers Eduardo (bass, vocals) and Matt Cavina (guitar), along with guitarist Tyson Schenker (son of Michael). They are joined on the EP by drummer Flipi Stipp. They certainly have rock pedigree and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, hard rock, melodic, Michael Schenker, modern rock, review, rock, The Speed of Light, Tyson Schenker
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Album review: AMERICAN TEARS – Free Angel Express
Deko Entertainment [Release date 23.10.20] Since Mark Mangold brought back American Tears in 2018 they are now onto this, their third album – the sixth in the band’s history. This latest, ‘Free Angel Express’ features Alex Landenburg (Stratovarius, Kamelot, Rhapsody) … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, American Tears, Dave Brubeck, Free Angel Express, hard rock, Jazz rock, Mark Mangold, pomp rock, prog rock, review, rock, Touch
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Film review: PHIL LYNOTT – Songs For While I’m Away
Break Out/ Eagle Rock Productions [Release Date 30.10.20] Autumn 2020 is one of those times when the Thin Lizzy legacy is getting one of its periodic dusting downs. Alongside a bumper budget compilation and a 6 CD box set of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, FILM REVIEWS
Tagged DVD, film, hard rock, Phil Lynott, review, Songs For While I'm Away, Thin Lizzy
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…DON DOKKEN – Up From The Ashes
Geffen Records (1990) At the turn of the 1980′s there was a last hurrah for the genre that had sometimes been called glam metal, or more specifically hair metal. Bolstered by albums such as Whitesnake (1987) and Winger (1988) the … Continue reading
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged album, Billy White, Don Dokken, feature, hair metal, hard rock, interview, John Norum, melodic, review, Up From The Ashes
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Album review: TRAGIK – Faith Healer
Rock Company [Release date 03.11.20] Album number nine from Tragik by my reckoning? It is another band that features the musician that never sleeps – Phil Vincent. With Tragik he handles vocals, bass and keyboards on the album. Tragik also … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Faith Healer, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Phil Vincent, review, Tragik
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News: Albums of the Month (July 2020 – September 2020)
MAGENTA Masters Of Illusion (Tiger Moth) It turns back the years without ever being ‘retro’ and I would suggest is comfortably the best Magenta album since Home. Masters Of Illusion – The Musical, anyone? ***** (Pete Whalley) WALTER TROUT Ordinary … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged 20/20, albums of the month, AOR, Arctic Rain, August, blues, blues rock, classic rock, Deep Purple, hard rock, July, Kat Riggins, Legacy Pilots, Magenta, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, September, Walter Trout
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EP review: GALLOWS CIRCUS – II
Facebook [Release date 25.09.20] Kent based Gallows Circus are a relatively new band, having formed in 2016. The line-up consist of vocalist Ian Day, bassist Richard Tunbridge, guitarist Ben Attwood and drummer Steve Kitchener. Six songs on the EP, although … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues rock, EP, Gallows Circus, hard rock, new wave classic rock, review, rock
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Album review: SLADE – Come On Feel The Hitz: The Best Of Slade
BMG [Release date 25.09.20] You have to love Slade – one of Britain’s finest hit makers during the 70s and were strongly associated with the glam rock and hard rock scenes. But with a unique frontman (and one of the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, best of, BMG, classic rock, Come On Feel The Hitz, glam rock, hard rock, Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, review, rock, Slade
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Album review: TRAPEZE – The Box Sets
Cherry Red [Release date 18.09.20] The talented trio at the core of Trapeze, Mel Galley, Glenn Hughes and Dave Holland, progressively elevated the band’s unique brand of hard/funk rock, constantly overhauling their own template during that lineup’s short lifespan (1970-73). … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 70's rock, box sets, classic rock, Dave Holland, funk rock, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, Mel Galley, review, rock, Trapeze
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Album review: SOUTH OF SALEM – The Sinner Takes It All
Indie [Release date 25.09.20] South Of Salem hail from Bournemouth, consisting of vocalist Joey, guitarist Fish and Kodi, bassist Dee and drummer Pip. You can get some idea of the band’s music with the choice of producer Scott Atkins, who … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, debut, gothic, hard rock, horror metal, melodic, metal, review, South Of Salem, The Sinner Takes It All
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Album review: JOHN NORUM – Total Control, Face The Truth, Another Destination (reissues)
Rock Candy Records Remasters [Release date 07.08.20] It’s always about timing, isn’t it? John Norum left Europe on the cusp of the band’s breakthrough in 1986. He was legally obliged to fulfil a 3 album contract with the label. These … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Another Destination, Europe, Face The Truth, Glenn Hughes, guitaritst, hard rock, John Norum, Kelly Keeling, re-issue, review, rock, Rock Candy, Solo, Total Control
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Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – The Victoria, Swindon, Thursday 27 August 2020
So it’s Thursday 27 August and the wind down to a long weekend, what better way to get in the mood than to see live music – yes real, live, raw, rock in an amazing venue, the Victoria in Old … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Bryan Adams, Fall From Ruin, gig, hard rock, live, melodic, modern rock, review, rock, Swindon, the Darker My Horizon
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Album review: MAD MAX – Stormchild Rising
SPV Records [Release date 21.08.20] The undoubted star of Mad Max’s umpteenth album is Michael Voss’s guitar. It provides blistering solos and fine textural detail, often in the space of a single track. That’s nothing new, but it might be … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Mad Max, melodic, Michael Voss, review, rock, SPV, Stormchild Warning
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Album review: TRISHULA – Time Waits For No Man
AOR Heaven [Release date 25.09.20] British melodic rock band Trishula is the brainchild of guitarist Neil Fraser (Rage Of Angels, Ten), accompanied by vocalist Jason Morgan. This is album number two, hot on the heels of last year’s very enjoyable … Continue reading
Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – 45th Anniversary Live In London
Frontiers Records [Release date 07.08.20] In 2017, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Blue Oyster Cult’s debut release, a string of dates across Europe – festivals, stand alone headline gigs – was put in place, culminating in this concert at … Continue reading
Album review: LIONHEART – The Reality Of Miracles
Metalville Records [Release date 31.07.20] Lionheart’s second album since returning in 2016 and big expectations from this reviewer as their 2017 release ‘Second Nature’ was a classy piece of melodic hard rock. Lionheart have done it again, quite possibly pipping … Continue reading
Album review: ALCATRAZZ – Born Innocent
Silver Lining [Release date 31.07.20] There’s still heavy traffic on the rock’n’roll road back from obscurity, with Alcatrazz among an elite few jockeying for position in the fast lane. The band threatened to break through several times in the eighties, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alcatrazz, Born Innocent, Graham Bonnet, hard rock, Joe Stump, melodic, Rainbow, review, rock
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Album review: READ OUT LOUD – Read Out Loud
Facebook Read Out Loud is formed around guitarist Tim Read (ex-Chrome Molly, Demon). He is joined by two current members of Demon – guitarist Paul Hume (although he plays bass on the album, as well as producing it) and drummer … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Chrome Molly, classic rock, debut, DEMON, FM, guitarist, hard rock, interview, Jem Davis, Neil Ogden, Paul Hume, Read Out Loud, review, Tim Read
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Album review: DEEP PURPLE – Whoosh!
Ear Music [Release date 07.08.20] Classic rock legends Deep Purple remain a star on the highway, heading towards the next decade with studio album number 21. Long gone are the lengthier tracks, but the band’s ability to find a groove … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues rock, classic rock, Deep Purple, Don Airey, EarMusic, hard rock, Ian Gillan, melodic, review, rock, Steve Morse, Whoosh
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Album review: GLENN HUGHES – Official Bootleg Box Set Volume 3, 1995-2010
Cherry Red Records [Release date 31.07.20] 6-CD set A trove of previously unreleased Glenn Hughes’ live material – 19 CDs’ worth – has been released by Cherry Red Records over the last two years. Calling them “Official Bootlegs” has an … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 1995-2010, album, box set, Deep Purple, funk, gigs, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, heavy rock, live, Official Bootleg Box Set Volume 3, review, Trapeze
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Album review: TONY MITCHELL – Church Of A Restless Soul
AOR Heaven [Release date 28.08.20] Vocalist Tony Mitchell fronted Kiss Of The Gypsy, who were signed to Atlantic back in early 90’s, since then he has performed with the likes of Rick Wakeman and Alice Cooper. In 2018 he released … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (April 2020 – June 2020)
KATATONIA City Burials Peaceville Records …what we are dealing with here is a flawless piece of work one that both critics and fans of the band will refer to as a classic in years to come. Brilliant just brilliant! ***** … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged 20/20, albums of the month, April, Bad Touch, blues, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, House of Lords, jazz funk, June, Katatonia, Lettuce, May, melodic rock, Myrath, Ronan Furlong, singer songwriter
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Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Iheart Radio Theater NYC 2012
Frontiers [Release date 08.05.20] An invited audience of 200 lucky fans saw Blue Oyster Cult live on stage at the IHeart Radio Theater in New York in 2012. The event noisily celebrated the band’s 40th year together, expertly recorded by … Continue reading
Album review: THUNDERMOTHER – Heat Wave
AFM Records [Release date 31.07.20] Heat Wave – Thundermother’s fourth album – finds the no frills, all-female, Swedish, rock ‘n’ raunchers still in line-up transition. With all bar founder member/guitarist/songwriter Filippa Nässil quitting the band after touring their 2015 sophomore … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Heat Wave, review, Sweden, Thundermother
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Quick plays: ELECTRIC MOB, CHESTER KAMEN AND THE LOVES, DOHNY JEP
ELECTRIC MOB Discharge Frontiers [Release date 12.06.20] Another band making their debut, this time Brazil’s Electric Mob who feature vocalist Renan Zonta. He appeared on The Voice performing such classic rock songs as Sweet Child ‘O Mine and Highway To … Continue reading
