Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: LIV KRISTINE – Enter My Religion (bonus tracks)

Posted on May 26, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
LIV KRISTINE - Enter My Religion (bonus tracks)

Allegro Talent Media [Release date 19.08.22] There are several female singers associated with significant bands in the symphonic metal/rock genre who have failed to really capture a wider audience outside of the band format.  The one exception might be Tarja. … Continue reading →

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Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)

Posted on May 24, 2022 by brianmc
raven___rock_until_y_d0gjZ-720x720

Cherry Red/Sanctuary [release date : 27.05.22] Raven, the legendary heavy metal band from England’s industrial North East, have the perfect resume. They have recorded for six different labels (and never been without one) including major and major-ish imprints like Atlantic, … Continue reading →

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Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994

Posted on May 22, 2022 by brianmc
strangeways___comple_rhq7i

Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.05.22] The clamour for reissues of the first 3 Strangeways albums rose to fever pitch in the late 90s, as AOR made an attempt to get back on its feet. All 3 had been received with … Continue reading →

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Album review: LAZARUS DREAM – Lifeline

Posted on May 22, 2022 by jason
LAZARUS DREAM - Lifeline

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 17.06.22] Second album from Lazarus Dream, which was put together by vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Shulz (Evidence One, Domain, Devoid) and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Scarlett, Winterland). Drummer Markus Kullmann (Sinner, Glenn Hughes), percussionist Thomas Rieder, … Continue reading →

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Album review: JAMES LABRIE – Beautiful Shade Of Grey

Posted on May 22, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
JAMES LABRIE - Beautiful Shade Of Grey

InsideOut Music [Release date 20.05.22] The latest solo offering from James LaBrie stems from his involvement on the Eden’s Curse track “No Holy Man’ (a real highlight on their 2011 album ‘Trinity’) and a subsequent support slot for the band … Continue reading →

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Album review: LEE ROGERS – Gameblood

Posted on May 21, 2022 by jason
LEE ROGERS - Gameblood

Zenith Café/Membran [Release date 13.05.22] This is Carrickfergus based Lee Rogers long awaited second album (his debut album, ‘Clocks’, was released way back in 2006). Produced by Gareth Dunlop (who also plays guitar, piano, synth and percussion on the album), … Continue reading →

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Album review: PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER – Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck

Posted on May 19, 2022 by jason
PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER – Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck

Crazy Moose Records [Release date 30.04.22] Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer are a folk duo who have been writing and performing since 2012. Karen is originally from Stuttgart, however, her southern German accent is already tinged with a ‘Staffordshire oatcake … Continue reading →

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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Social Fake

Posted on May 17, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
WINTER IN EDEN - Social Fake

Firestreak Media [Release date 25.03.22] This is Winter In Eden’s fourth studio album and you may well be thinking: “I’ve never heard of them before”.  You’re not alone.  Although to be fair we were aware of their previous release ‘Court … Continue reading →

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Album review: BRIDEAR – Aegis Of Athena

Posted on May 16, 2022 by brianmc
Bridear-Aegis-of-Athena

Setsuzoku Records [Release date 13.05.22] All girl band, Bridear, from Fukuoka, Japan has created a global fanbase since its inception in 2014. Aegis of Athena is its third album. The band’s skilful merge of Melodic Metal and J-Pop might not … Continue reading →

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Album review : SKILLS – Different Worlds

Posted on May 14, 2022 by brianmc
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Frontiers Music [Release date: 13.05.22] Skills … “Supergroups” often deflate our expectations pretty quickly. Good to to be able to say that this bunch of seasoned professionals – Brad (Night Ranger) Gillis, David (Giant) Huff, Billy (Mr Big) Sheehan plus … Continue reading →

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Album review: KENTUCKY RUCKUS – Space Is A Place

Posted on May 13, 2022 by jason
KENTUCKY RUCKUS – Space Is A Place

Website [Release date 29.04.22] Kentucky Ruckus, as their name suggests, hail from Kentucky featuring the Reed brothers – guitarist Kelly and drummer – vocalist Matt Red Moore and bassist Mack Keiffer. The album was recorded and engineered by Tom Tapley … Continue reading →

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Album review: LETTUCE – Unify

Posted on May 13, 2022 by GRTR! HQ
LETTUCE - Unify

Round Hill Records [Release date 03.06.22] I have to again confess a weakness for jazz funk and fusion.  And when I sometimes wrestle with the possible ignominy of such a statement on a rock-oriented website I recognise that it probably … Continue reading →

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Album review: GRAHAM BONNET BAND – Day Out In Nowhere

Posted on May 12, 2022 by brianmc
graham bonnet band day out

Frontiers Music [Release date 13.05.22] Bonnet’s back catalogue gets frequent outings via the world’s ever popular reissue/ remaster labels. So it’s good to hear some new material from him and this “elegant, late career outfit”, The Graham Bonnet Band. He’s … Continue reading →

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Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Complicated

Posted on May 11, 2022 by jason
JEFF SCOTT SOTO - Complicated

Frontiers [Release date 06.05.22] Like his last solo album, 2020′s ‘Wide Awake (In My Dreamland)’, Jeff Scott Soto has teamed up with Frontiers ‘go to’ songwriter/musician Alessandro Del Vecchio. Del Vecchio also adds keys, bass and backing vocals, being joined … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE BIG DEAL – First Bite

Posted on May 9, 2022 by brianmc
the big deal

Frontiers Music [Release date: 06.05.22] The Big Deal is a Serbian Melodic Rock band, an offshoot of highly successful Progrockers, Alogia. Husband and wife team, Srdjan and Nevena Brankovic are the band’s centrepoint, handling guitar, production, songwriting and vocals. Nevena … Continue reading →

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Album review: STARCHASER – Starchaser

Posted on May 8, 2022 by brianmc
starchaser

Frontiers Music [Release date: 06.05.22] If you have an insatiable appetite for the genre, this meat and 2 veg power metal album from new band, Starchaser might provide reasonable, short term sustenance. It began life as a Kenneth (Tad Morose) … Continue reading →

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Album review: JANI LIIMATEINAN – My Father’s Son

Posted on May 7, 2022 by brianmc
jani liimateinan

Frontiers [Release date: 06.05.22] “Solo” album from Sonata Arctica/ Insomnium/ Dark Element guitar man/ composer, Jani Liimateinen. Considering that he’s put this album together with a host of guest vocalists, the finished article is a strongly cohesive whole, with barely … Continue reading →

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Album review: LOVERBOY – Wildside (Remaster)

Posted on May 6, 2022 by brianmc
loverboy wildside

Rock Candy Records [release date: 25.03.22] Loverboy’s fifth studio album, again produced by the maestro, Bruce Fairbairn (RIP), has been remastered and reissued recently by Rock Candy Records. When Fairbairn, Bob Rock and Mike Fraser are handling production, engineering and … Continue reading →

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Album review: TERRA NOVA – Ring That Bell

Posted on May 6, 2022 by jason
TERRA NOVA – Ring That Bell

Lion Music [Release date 27.05.22] Terra Nova have been around since 1992, so it is fitting that thirty years after forming they are back with their first new album since 2018’s ‘Raise Your Voice’. Their 1997 offering ‘Livin’ It Up’ … Continue reading →

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Album review: FOZZY – Boombox

Posted on May 6, 2022 by jason
FOZZY - Boombox

Mascot Records [Release date 06.05.22] Fozzy have been present on the rock scene for over two decades and their pedigree is clearly demonstrated on this latest album – it’s a master class in pure Rock ‘n’ Roll! Fozzy have had … Continue reading →

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Album review: FORTUNE- Level Ground

Posted on May 4, 2022 by andynathan
FORTUNE- Level Ground

Frontiers Records (Release Date 08.04.22) After it took 24 years to follow up their self-titled debut album and cult AOR classic, Fortune’s third album follows after a relatively brief three year interval. However while 2019’s ‘Fortune II’ included a number … Continue reading →

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Album review: LILLIAN AXE – Psalms For Eternity (3 CD set)

Posted on May 3, 2022 by brianmc
Lillian-Axe-Cover

Global Rock [release date 6.04.22] This month, Lillian Axe release a 3 CD retrospective on Global Rock, SFM’s brand spanking new Rock and Metal label, grandly called Psalms For Eternity. It’s been curated by mainman, guitarist and songwriter, Steve Blaze, … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICK WHITE – Something’s Got To Give

Posted on May 3, 2022 by jason
MICK WHITE - Something's Got To Give

Enghardt Media/The Metal Society [29.04.22] Now here’s a blast from the past. I first encountered vocalist Mick White in the late 80s when he was working with Paul Samson, and later when he fronted First Strike (that Just Another Night album … Continue reading →

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Album review: ICON – Icon (Remaster)

Posted on May 1, 2022 by brianmc
icon1

Rock Candy Records [release date: 18.03.22] Icon’s debut album from 1984 has recently been remastered by leading UK Reissue label, Rock Candy Records. The fact that the band’s set list in those early days included material by Deep Purple and … Continue reading →

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Album review: FORGET-ME-NOT featuring Jane Gould – S/T

Posted on April 29, 2022 by andynathan
Forget- Me-Not

AOR Boulevard Records (Release date 15.04.22) Former Iconic Eye singer Jane Gould has assembled some impressive collaborations for her Forget-Me- Not project with the help of some key movers and shakers in the melodic rock world. Songwriters include the likes … Continue reading →

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