Author Archives: brianmc

Album review : ENBOUND – Set It Free (w/bonus CD)

Posted on February 28, 2025 by brianmc

Embrace The Fear [Release date : 21.02.25] 2025’s Set it Free is Enbound’s third album, a follow up to Blackened, if an album 9 years later can be described as a “follow up”. Nice (if expensive) piece of marketing here… … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged And She Says Gold, Blackened, Dynazty, Enbound, melodic metal, Mike Cameron Force, review, Tobias Jonsson | Leave a comment

Album review : VISION OF DISORDER – Vision of Disorder / Imprint (2 CD Deluxe Digipak)

Posted on February 24, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 28.02.25] The early nineties was a strange time for Heavy Metal. US band, Vision Of Disorder emerged from a morass of subgenres and splinter groups, all following different paths, all pursuing different objectives, mostly with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Cherry Red, Dave Sardy, Doom Metal, Hardcore, Hendrix, Imprint, metal, Rammstein, review, Vision Of Disorder, VOD | Leave a comment

Album review : PERFECT PLAN – Heart Of A Lion

Posted on February 23, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 28.02.25] With his fourth Perfect Plan album, Kent Hilli has truly deciphered the AOR code. Heart Of A Lion is a superb, beautifully crafted melodic rock recording, mixing keys and guitars in varying measures, creating … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Brother Firetribe, Frontiers, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Perfect Plan, review, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review : THE MOVE – Message From The Country (Remaster/bonus tracks)

Posted on February 22, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 28.02.25] 1971: The Move record and release their final album, Message From The Country. The band is now Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan. All accomplished musicians. All skilled, imaginative songwriters. They are about … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Bev Bevan, bonus tracks, ELO, Jeff Lyne, Message From The Country, remaster, review, Roy Wood, The Move | Leave a comment

Album review : HUMBLE PIE – Hallelujah 1973-1983 (5 CD Boxset)

Posted on February 21, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 28.02.25] CD1 : Onto Victory (1980) CD2 : Go For The Throat (1981) CD3 : Pyramid Eye Chatanooga (live 1982) CD4 : Annie’s Club Cincinatti (live 1983) CD5 : Live At Winterland (1973) Initially comprising … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged blues, Greg Ridley, Humble Pie, Iain McGonigal, Jerry Shirley, Peter Frampton, review, rock, soul, Steve Marriott, Uncut Magazine | Leave a comment

Album review : ROBIN MCAULEY – Soulbound

Posted on February 20, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Released Date : 28.02.25] Third solo album on Frontiers from the much travelled rock singer Robin McAuley. His travels have all been well documented online. The worth repeating bits: He bookended his three album stint with Schenker in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aldo Lonobile, Black Swan, Dave Wilson, Far Corporation, Frontiers, review, Robin McAuley, Schenker, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review : BARREN CROSS – Atomic Arena/State Of Control (2 CD Deluxe Digipak)

Posted on February 14, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 21.02.25] The second and third albums released by Christian Metal heroes, Barren Cross, are now together for the first time, remastered and reissued by Cherry Red, with ‘2 bonus tracks’ added. Atomic Arena (1988) State Of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Atomic Arena, Barren Cross, Christian metal, Evangelism, Marcus Moberg, Mike Lee, review, State Of Control, Stryper | Leave a comment

Album review : MANTRIC MOMENTUM – Alienized

Posted on February 10, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 14.02.25] It’s all in the family with Mantric Momentum. Second album from cousins and close friends Terje (Pyramaze) Haroy on vocals, and Christer (Crossnail) Haroy on everything else. The band idea took 6 years to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alienized, Christer Haroy, Crossnail, Frontiers, Jacob Hansen, Magnus Karlsson, Mantric Momentum, melodic metal, Pyramaze, review, Terje Haroy | Leave a comment

Album review : MUD – The Rak Years 1973-75 (3 albums on 2 CDs)

Posted on February 9, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 14.02.25] There can be no doubt that Mud grabbed tight hold of the glam pop template, and tongue firmly in cheek, reshaped it in their own likeness. After several years of unsuccessful releases, the band, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Buddy Holly, Chinn & Chapman, compilation, Dave Mount, Eddie Cochran, Les Gray, Mickie Most, Mud, Ray Stiles, review, Rob Davis, The Rak Years 1973-75 | Leave a comment

Album review : CRAZY LIXX – Thrill Of The Bite

Posted on February 8, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 14.02.25] Ninth album from Swedish Hard Rock band, Crazy Lixx, founded by singer / producer/ writer, Danny Rexon. Hard to believe they’ve been around since 2002. The opening three tracks ignite a full album’s worth … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Crazy Lixx, Danny Rexon, Frontiers Music, pop metal, review, Thrill Of The Bite | Leave a comment

Album review : THUNDERMOTHER – Dirty & Divine

Posted on February 1, 2025 by brianmc

Sweden’s Thundermother are back… female founded, hard nosed hard rock, with added cowbells. Now that guitarist/ band founder, Filippa Nasil has brought in new members, vocalist Linnea Vikström Egg and drummer, Joan Massing, the band are truly plugged into the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Dirty, Divine, Fillipa Nasil, Heart, Joan Massing, Linnea Vikstrom Egg, review, rock, Runaways, Thundermother | Leave a comment

Album review : THE MAGIC FOREST – More Pastoral Psychedelia and Funky Folk 1968-75

Posted on January 29, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 31.01.25] When you come across a music genre called “Pastoral Psychedelia and Funky Folk” you just know it emanates from 1967, and the “Summer Of Love”. The years that followed witnessed the rise of hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Bill Nelson, Cherry Red, Clifford T Ward, Fat Mattress, Funky Folk, Keith West, Pastoral Psychedelia, review, Shelagh McDonald, The Magic Forest, Tim Rose | Leave a comment

Album review : WRATH – Children Of The Wicked (3 CD set)

Posted on January 28, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 31/01/25] You’d need a degree in modern sciences to play with Chicago USA band, Wrath. Such is the technically demanding nature of their thrash metal sound. The cover depicts a fresh face bunch of lads who, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Aerosmith, Cherry Red, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Overkill, review, Ronnie Montrose, Testament, thrash metal, Wrath | Leave a comment

Album review : THE FERRYMEN – Iron Will

Posted on January 23, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 24.1.25] This new Ferrymen album should make some solid advance sales on the basis of Stan W Decker’s front cover artwork alone. Take a look. Classy. Ronnie Romero, Magnus Karlson and Mike Terrana are back … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Frontiers, hard rock, Magnus Karlsson, metal, Mike Terrana, review, Ronnie Romero, the Ferrymen | Leave a comment

Album review : FAT MATTRESS – How Can I Live ? Complete Recordings (3 CD Boxset)

Posted on January 23, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 24.01.25] Two years in the career of an artist is only a moment in time. That’s how long English Rock Band, Fat Mattress lasted. During those years (1969-70) the band wrote and recorded three albums. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, boxset, Fat Mattress, folk, Jimi Hendrix, Love, Noel Redding, psychedelia, review, The Byrds | Leave a comment

Album review : BONFIRE – Higher Ground

Posted on January 21, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 24.01.25] 18th studio album from Bonfire. First on Frontiers. Nowadays, the band is founder/leader, Hans Ziller, with Dyan Mair on vocals; Ronnie Parks and Fabio Alessandrini form a solid rhythm section and Frank Pane twins up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bonfire, Claus Lessmann, Der Rauber, Frank Pane, Hans Ziller, Higher Ground, melodic hard rock, review, Ronnie Parks | Leave a comment

Album review : TIGERTAILZ – For A Few Dollarz More

Posted on January 20, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 24.1.25] It didn’t take long for the Glam Rock genre, kicked off by Bolan and Bowie, to be appropriated by American bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Cinderella and others. On the US west coast in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Ace Finchum, Bezerk, boxset, Chris Tsangarides, For A Few Dollarz More, Glamrock, Jay, Kim Hooker, Motley Crue, Pepsi Tate, review, Shoot To Kill, Stevi Jaimz, Tigertailz, Wales, Young And Crazy | Leave a comment

Album review : AVATARIUM – Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead

Posted on January 19, 2025 by brianmc

AVATARIUM 150-between-you-god-the-devil-and-the-dead

AFM Records [Release date : 24.01.25] If anyone is going to have the inside information on the darkside of metal, it’s a psychosocial counsellor. And if anyone’s able to bring the genre’s competing emotions to life, it’s Avatarium’s vocalist / … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Avatarium, Between You, Candlemass, Doom Metal, Evergrey, God, Hard Rock. Our Lady peace, Jennie-Ann Smith, Marcus Jidell, Psychosocial, review, Stockholm, The Devil and The Dead | Leave a comment

Album review : LANDFALL – Wide Open Sky

Posted on January 12, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.25] Third album from Brazilian melodic hard rock band, Landfall, founded by Felipe Souzza and Marcelo Gelbcke in 2014, and fronted nowadays by noted vocalist, Gui Oliver. It’s unquestionably an album of two halves. The band’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Brazil, Felipe Souza, Giu Oliver, hard rock, Landfall, Marcello Gelbcke, review, Wide Open Sky | Leave a comment

Album review : WILDNESS – Avenger

Posted on January 10, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.25] By the numbers – fourth album from Swedish Melodic hard rock band, Wildness, third with “new” vocalist, Erik Forsberg, and second on the Frontiers label. The band was formed by drummer, Erik Modin in 2014, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Avenger, Erik Forsberg, Erik Modin, melodic hard rock, review, Swedish, Wildness | Leave a comment

Album review : THE BIG DEAL – Electrified

Posted on January 9, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.24] The Big Deal are one of the many bands that Frontiers’ A&R man, Alessandro Del Vecchio has nurtured over the years. All of them have benefited in some way from his presence . . . … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alessandro Delvecchio, Amaranthe, Ana Nekolic, Anders Wikstrom, HEAT, Jonah Tee, Nevena Brankovitch, Nightwish, review, Ronnie Romero, Serbia, Shadow Gallery, Srdjan Brankovitch, The Big Deal, Treat | Leave a comment

Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Time Is The Fire

Posted on January 8, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 17.01.25] The Cherry Red reach has increased dramatically in recent years, and Tokyo Blades’ latest album, Time Is The Fire will be getting a considerable PR push around the 17/1/25 release date. True heavy metal … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Alan Marsh, album, Andy Boulton, Andy Wrighton and John Wiggins, Black Sabbath. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, heavy metal, NWOBHM, review, Steve Pierce, Tokyo Blade | Leave a comment

Album review : THE HAMBURG REPERTOIRE, 2 CDs

Posted on January 3, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 10.01.25] It’s no exaggeration to say that popular culture in the UK – music, fashion, sexual mores, religion – experienced a revolution of mind, body and soul in the sixties. On of the prime … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Hamburg Repertoire, Isley Brothers, Little Richard, Merseybeat, Motown, review, The Beatles | Leave a comment

Album review: WITHIN SILENCE – The Eclipse Of Worlds

Posted on December 13, 2024 by brianmc

Ulterium Records [Release date : 06.12.24] On their third album now, Slovakian Power Metal band, Within Silence have reached the point where their grasp is the equal of an ambitious reach. From the moment the opening track, ‘Land Of Light’ … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Iron Maiden, Martin Klein, power metal, review, Richard Germanus, Slovakia, Stratovarius, The Eclipse Of Worlds, Ulterium Records, Within Silence | Leave a comment

Album review : STATUS QUO – Driving To Glory

Posted on December 12, 2024 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 06.12.24] You’ve really got to hand it to whoever guides Status Quo through the pop and rock music jungle. Brilliantly marketed, with ads that hit all the right notes in the right places, Quo’s latest … Continue reading →