DREGEN – S/t (Spinefarm)

Swedish guitarist Dregen has lent his sleazy punk metal touches to Backyard Babies and The Hellacopters (an original member of both) as well Supershit666 and more recently Michael Monroe, appearing on the acclaimed Horns And Halos opus. This is his first solo album in 25 years and is recorded with Par Wilksten, and a number of musicians including Nicke Ander and guests Karl Rockfist (Michael Monroe), Sami Yaffa (Hanoi Rocks) and John Calabrese.

Dregen handles all vocals and guitars with aplomb opener “Divisions Of Me” kicks ass from the outset, while the single “Just Like That” is catchy. “Flat Tyre On A Muddy” is a stomping part acoustic blues number. “Pink Hearse” is punchy and quite fuzzy too, and has some tribal drums in the background. “6-10” is quite funky, in a catchy way, and there’s a touch of Frehley era Kiss mixed with the Ramones to “Mojo’s Gone”.

Throughout, the album mixes metal, rock, sleaze and blues to various levels, and a punky edge to some tracks adds an energetic dimension.

If you like a sleazy touch to your rock’n’roll, you’ll love this. ****

Review by Joe Geesin

BENEDICTUM Obey (Frontiers www.frontiers.it)

“Obey” is the 3^rd album from San Diego’s Benedictum – 12 tracks of melodically strong, yet sonically aggressive rock that will appeal to fans of the heavier end of things, with the raw aggression of the vocals from Veronica Freeman and the tough, gritty musicianship forming a good match.

Foreigner’s Jeff Pilson is again in the producers chair, as he was with 2005’s debut album “Uncreation”, and a sterling job he has done in capturing the power and dynamic within the band- a good example of this being “Fractured” with its rapid fire rhythm and wailing vocal.

Although “Obey” is on the heavier side throughout, slower track “Cry” is the kind of track that you could imagine Doro singing. Other highlights include “Scream”, ”Evil That We Do”, “Crossing Over”, “Die To Love You” and “Apex Nation”.

Overall “Obey” has an honest feel that I would imagine the band can easily replicate live. ***1/2

Review by Nikk Gunns

AXEL RUDI PELL – Into The Storm (SPV)

Axel Rudi Pell has released a series of albums which like, say, AC/DC you pretty much know what to expect and there won’t be many, if any musical surprises. That’s not to say it isn’t enjoyable and his many fans will lap up this new release.

The album has a real Rainbow feel at times, none more so than on ‘Burning Chains’, where Pell lays down some Blackmore inspired solos and the Rainbow connection is made stronger with that band’s former drummer Bobby Rondinelli playing on this album.

‘Long Way To Go’ is a good, catchy hard rock tune and they make a decent fist of Neil Young’s ‘Hey Hey My My’ turning it into a power ballad! The ten minute epic title track just about keeps the listener’s interest although prog metal bands like Symphony X do this sort of song much, much better.

His fans will enjoy this, not sure it will win many new ones though. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

BROKEN ARROW – Feel The Arrow

www.brokenarrow-band.com

Interesting one this as Broken Arrow started out as an 80′s glam metal covers band and they hail from Slovenia, a nation not yet known for many rock bands. That could be about to change as this is an enjoyable album, as the band have a good vocalist in Matjaz Predanic and a good line in harmonies on the choruses. Admittedly their lyrics can stray into cliched territory although Steel Panther would be proud to have penned some of the lyrics!

‘Tonight We Rock ‘N’ Roll’ has an instantly catchy chorus and ‘Have A Little Love’ is a top notch melodic hard rock song. They try a little fun on ‘Give Me Your Love Tonight’ complete with bar room piano riffs and their 80′s rock influences shine through on ‘Hit The Streets’ driven by a very 80′s synth riff, cracking stuff.

Good fun to listen to and a musical ‘pick me up’. Enjoyable debut album and a band to keep an eye on. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

NASHVILLE PUSSY – Up The Dosage

SPV www.spv.de

The band has been going since 1996 playing their brand psychobilly mixed with southern rock. As their name suggests a lot of their songs revolve around the female of the species like ‘Rub It To Death’ or the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle ‘Before The Drugs Wear Off’.

They have a good line in humour too with the hard rockin’ ‘The South’s Too Fat To Rise Again’, complete with the classic line ‘Now we’re having heart attacks from trying to wipe our ass’.

It’s all played at a breakneck speed – ‘Pillbilly’ sounds like the US offspring of Motorhead – with a few diversions like the country rock of ‘Hooray For Cocaine, Hooray For Tennessee’, which is great fun.

Good, honest, no frills hard rock with a punk edge.

***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

PHASE II PHASE – Origin

www.facebook.com/phaseIIphase

Spanish melodic rock band hailing from Madrid whose debut album came out late last year. They have certainly been listening to lots of 80′s keyboard led hard rock, as each song on here has a strong keyboard riff. The vocals are just about passable, lacking that emotion you need for melodic rock songs that are often based around relationships as many of the songs on here are. A couple of guest vocalists pop up on ‘Living It Up’, one of the album’s strongest tunes along with opener ‘Yesterday’s Lie’ that has an instant chorus. Full marks for effort but sadly the vocals and lack of some memorable hooks let the album down.

**1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 24 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 26 November 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)