Tag Archives: hard rock

Album review: ERIC CHURCH – The Outsiders

Posted on June 20, 2020 by jason

Snakefarm Records [Release date 12.06.20] Church’s edgy, non conformist image smacks of authenticity, and when you hear songs like ‘The Outsider’ and ‘Devil Devil’ you wonder how long his love affair with the genre’s conventions will last. These are songs … Continue reading →

Feature: Gigs of the Millennium – Steve Tilston, Argent, Camel, The Tubes

Posted on June 9, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall surveys a near-20 year period, reflecting on what constitutes a great gig… What makes a good gig? It can often be the events surrounding it – a pre-gig meal or drink for example - your fellow gig-goer(s), the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, Gigs of the Millennium | Tagged Argent, Camel, classic rock, Dan Reed Network, David Gilmour, Europe, feature, gig, hard rock, Jeff Scott Soto, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, review, Saxon, singer songwriter, Steve Lukather, Steve Tilston, The Tubes, Winger | Leave a comment

Album review: PHIL VINCENT – Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Posted on May 31, 2020 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 10.06.20] Solo album number 22(!) from Phil Vincent, who tends to indulge his love of melodic hard rock and the Beatles more on his solo efforts. The album runs the spectrum of melodic rock, from the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged album, D'Ercole, hard rock, interview, Legion, melodic metal, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock, The Beatles, Yesterday Today Tomorrow | Leave a comment

Album review: BLIND RIVER – Made Of Dirt

Posted on May 27, 2020 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 25.05.20] The New Wave of Classic Rock is a movement that has captured both old fans and new alike, its concentration on hard rock and heavy metal that’s full of power and melody says much about desire … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Blind River, hard rock, Made of Dirt, melodic, New Wave of Classic Rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

EP review: SVEN GALI, HANNAH WICKLUND

Posted on May 23, 2020 by jason

RFL Records [Release date 12.06.20] Sven Gali started out in the late 80’s as a covers band before releasing their self-titled debut in 1992, which earned them a gold disc in their native Canada. Sadly grunge appeared to spell an … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged 3, acoustic, alt rock, EP, grunge, Hannah Wicklund, hard rock, review, roots, singer, songwriter, Sven Gali, The Inbetween | Leave a comment

Album review: FIREWIND – Firewind

Posted on May 13, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

AFM Records [Release date 15.05.20] Although the main attraction of Firewind is their frontman Gus G, maybe their Achilles heel over the years has been the regularly changing line-up. This time round, the band have another new singer – Herbie … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Firewind, Gus G, hard rock, Herbie Langhans, power metal, review | 1 Comment

Feature: Bands that time forgot – BAD COMPANY (1986-1996)

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

For most, Bad Company conjures up the classic seventies line-up fronted by Paul Rodgers and with Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell. The eponymous and classic first album yielded a handful of airplay and chart hits and set the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Bands that time forgot, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 1986-1996, AOR, Bad Company, Brian Howe, classic rock, Dave 'Bucket' Colwell, feature, hard rock, interview, melodic rock, Mick Ralphs, review, Robert Hart, Simon Kirke | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – 21 GUNS – Nothing’s Real

Posted on May 5, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Z Records [1997] The 1990s was a hard time for melodic hard rock bands feeling the chill wind from Seattle. Joey Tempest from the band Europe told me that they also succumbed to the prevailing trend, and that when visiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged 21 Guns, album, feature, hard rock, interview, melodic, Mike Sturgis, Nothing's Real, Phenomena II, review, Scott Gorham, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – HUGHES THRALL

Posted on April 21, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Epic [1982] Often cited by musos as a favourite album, ‘Hughes/Thrall’ was released in 1982. By all accounts Glenn Hughes (bass and vocals in MK III and IV Deep Purple) ‘stole’ guitarist Pat Thrall after seeing him play with Pat … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, Hughes Thrall, Pat Thrall, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – ELEKTRADRIVE – Living 4

Posted on April 17, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Valery Records (2009) Elektradrive is one of the more significant Hard Rock/AOR bands to emerge from Italy. At the very start, in 1983, the name of the band was Overdrive and they had a four-piece line up without keyboards; after … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, AOR, Elektradrive, hard rock, Italian, Italy, Living 4, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – SHADOW KING

Posted on April 15, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Atlantic (1991) Shadow King was Lou Gramm’s first foray in a band format since his departure from Foreigner in April 1991. The charismatic vocalist had been working on songs with Bruce Turgon for a third solo album and these developed … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, Bruce Turgon, Foreigner, hard rock, Lou Gramm, review, Shadow King, Vivian Campbell | Leave a comment

Album review: GOTTHARD – #13

Posted on April 14, 2020 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 13.03.20] Back in the early 90’s I went to see a new local band whilst in Switzerland, and very good they were too. That band was Gotthard, and here we are nearly thirty years later and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged #13, album, classic rock, Def Leppard, Gotthard, hard rock, melodic rock, review, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Album review: CAPTAIN BLACKBEARD – Sonic Forces

Posted on April 12, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 24.04.20] Swedish band Captain Blackbeard released their fourth album, ‘Struck By Lightning’ in 2018 with then new singer Liv Hansson on MelodicRock Records. It was produced Jona Tee (keyboardist in H.e.a.t.) and it was a pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR Heaven, Brother Firetribe, Captain Blackbird, H.E.A.T., hard rock, melodic rock, review, Sonic Forces | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to DEMON

Posted on April 9, 2020 by jason

Jason Ritchie highlights the recording history of NWOBHM band Demon Formed in Stoke back in the NWOBHM the band initially lived up to their name with singer Dave Hill rising up from coffins on stage, along with lots of devil references … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged classic rock, Dave Hill, DEMON, feature, hard rock, heavy metal, introduction, melodic rock, NWOBHM, prog rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BONFIRE – Fistful Of Fire

Posted on April 7, 2020 by jason

AFM Records (Released 03/04/20) Worried that we’ve grown weary of the ten rock songs and a ballad format, Bonfire throw in a few (3 in fact) short instrumentals to punctuate the band’s well established sonic signature, on this, their 17th … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, album, Bonfire, Fistful Of Fire, hard rock, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to COZY POWELL

Posted on April 6, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Joe Geesin recalls Cozy Powell’s long career, the key albums, and a friendship with one of rock’s finest drummers Colin Flooks, better known as Cozy Powell, was a renowned rock drummer who, like many, lived like he played – hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Black Sabbath, classic rock, Cozy Powell, discography, drummer, drums, feature, hard rock, introduction, Rainbow, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Album review: KHYMERA – Master Of Illusions

Posted on April 3, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] Album number five from Khymera, who started out as an alliance between Italian producer & musician Daniele Liverani and then Kansas singer Steve Walsh. Khymera has since developed into a regular musical project when bassist and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dennis Ward, Eric Ragno, Frontiers, hard rock, Journey, Khymera, Magnum, Master Of Illusion, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: JOE SATRIANI – Shapeshifting

Posted on April 1, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sony Music [Release date 10.04.20] We’ve always commented on the energy displayed by Satriani not least sustained during a two hour live show. Recent albums have been pretty convincing too. That energy permeates this latest offering and will surely translate … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, heavy rock, instrumental, Joe Satriani, metal, review, Shapeshifting | Leave a comment

Album review: LEGION – Redemption

Posted on April 1, 2020 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 18.03.20] Amazingly this is Legion’s eleventh studio album since forming back in 2010. The band’s line-up has also stayed pretty consistent with vocalist Phil Vincent and guitarist Vince O’Regan joined by bassist Gavin Cooper, drummer Any … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, Legion, melodic metal, metal, Phil Vincent, Redemption, review, Vince O'Regan | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to BLUE OYSTER CULT

Posted on March 31, 2020 by jason

Jason Ritchie picks out some of the key albums from the heavy metal masters Formed from the late 60’s band Soft White Underbelly, Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) are often dubbed ‘the thinking man’s heavy metal band’. But for me they … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Albert Bouchard, An Introduction, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, Call Collect, Classic Albums, classic rock, Eric Bloom, feature, hard rock, heavy metal, melodic rock | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to MAGNUM

Posted on March 31, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall has followed Magnum since the 1990s when they consolidated their earlier successes. They split in 1995, subsequently re-generating in 2001. Since that time they have gone from strength to strength, maintaining a consistency across several albums and touring … Continue reading →

Posted in Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Bob Catley, Dennis Ward, feature, hard rock, interview, Lee Morris, Magnum, Mark Stanway, melodic rock, pomp rock, Rick Benton, Tony Clarkin | Leave a comment

Feature: What NAZARETH mean to me…

Posted on March 30, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Nazareth - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 1 - Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 25 July 2015

Joe Geesin revisits one of his favourite bands – Nazareth – and discusses the impact they made on his musical interests and signposting their recommended albums. The long enduring Scottish rockers Nazareth have been around since the late 60s (and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, What a Band/Artist means to me... | Tagged albums, Dan McCafferty, hard rock, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, review, Rodney Matthews | Leave a comment

Album review: RATT – The Atlantic Years 1984-1990

Posted on March 22, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red Records [Release date 27.02.20] The Atlantic Years were indeed Ratt’s best years. This boxset is a compelling, 5 CD picture of a Glam Rock band constantly on the rise, before the breakup and the fall. There’s a dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 80's metal, Beau Hill, box set, Desmond Child, glam metal, hair metal, hard rock, Ratt, review, Stephen Pearcy, The Atlantic Years 1984-1990 | Leave a comment

Album review: HAREM SCAREM – Change The World

Posted on March 14, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] It’s not unreasonable to claim that Harem Scarem spearheaded the Melodic Rock movement’s rejuvenation in the mid nineties. 1993′s “Mood Swings”, the band’s second album, gave thousands of fans a liferaft to cling onto when the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Change The World, hard rock, Harem Scarem, Harry Hess, melodic rock, Pete Lesperance, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Heaven Forbid

Posted on March 9, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] Blue Oyster Cult originally released ‘Heaven Forbid’ in 1998 on the CMC label, so it never got a widespread release and the band had left the label by their next album. Although there are no bonus … Continue reading →