Author Archives: brianmc

Single review: BROTHERS OF METAL – Berserkir

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 02.12.22] With 3 vocalists, 3 guitarists, bass, drums and anvil (!), you’re bound to have a BIG sound. And the Swedish Power Metal band who brought us the highly successful Emblas Saga (2020), The Brothers of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged Gladiator, Maximus, medieval, Norwegian Royalty, Odin, power metal, review, single | Leave a comment

Single review: ALL FOR METAL – Born In Valhalla

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 02.12.22] The All For Metal warriors claim to have been “born in Valhalla”. We’re slightly sceptical so have referred this to a Fact Checking Website. We’ll let you know. Meantime the the band have released a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged All For Metal, heavy metal, review, single, Vikings | Leave a comment

Album review: ROB MORATTI – Epical

Posted on December 2, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Quite a line up Rob Moratti’s put together here. Tony (Blue Murder) Franklin, Joel (Whitesnake) Hoekstra, Pete (James Christian/ Robin McAuley) Alpenborg, Fredrik (Bloodbound) Bergh, with Steve (Tyketto/ Journey) Augeri on backing vocals. Moratti has been … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alias, AOR, Bloodbound, Blue Murder, Brother Firetribe, Eclipse, Fredrik Bergh, James Christian, Joel Hoekstra, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Robin McAuley, Starship, Steve Augeri, Steve Perry, Survivor, Tony Franlin, Tyketto, Whitesnake, Work Of Art | Leave a comment

Album review : SCREAM MAKER – Bloodking

Posted on December 1, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date 9.12.22] Third album from Polish Metal band, Scream Maker. Bloodking begins where 2016′s Backs Against The World left off. This is a band who’ve spent much of their pre and post pandemic time on tour (Europe and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Accept, album, Black Label Society, heavy metal, Judas Priest, Primal Fear, Queensryche, review, Saxon | Leave a comment

Album review: LANDFALL – Elevate

Posted on November 29, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 9.12.22] Much more assured second album from Landfall, the Brazilian band led by Eric Martin soundalike, Gui Oliver. And boy does it sound good, graced with melodic, tightly constructed songs, great playing, a lean, taut production, no … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Blue Tears, Elevate, Eric Martin, Frontiers, Gui Oliver, Journey, Landfall, Mayank, melodic rock, Mr Big, review | Leave a comment

Album review : AUTOGRAPH – Beyond

Posted on November 26, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [Release date 18.11.22] We all want to love this album because it’s Autograph. Even though they’re one-hit-wonders, and even though bassman Randy Rand is/was the only remaining original member. (Rand took part in the recording sessions, but died … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Autograph, Beyond, Def Leppard, eighties, Jimi Bell, Marc Wieland, melodic rock, Our Lady Peace, Randy Rand, review, Simon Daniels, Steve Plunkett, The Beatles | Leave a comment

EP review : RONNIE ATKINS – Symphomaniac

Posted on November 25, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [release date 18.11.22] There is yet to be an “orchestral” album of rock songs that outdoes Wang Chung’s Orchesography, but this EP from Ronnie Atkins gets close. In fairness, this is Symphonic Rock in all its bombastic splendour. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Danish National Concert Choir, EP, orchestral, review | Leave a comment

Album review: WIND OF CHANGE – Progressive Sounds Of 1973 (4 CD Boxset)

Posted on November 23, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 25.11.22] The logistics: Wind of Change comprises 4 CDs, 5 hours of music and 49 tracks. No doubt many will look at compilations like this one and think you just cannot maintain the quality level over … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 4 CDs, Al Stewart, album, boxset, Camel, Caravan, ELO, ELP, Family, Hawkwind, John Martyn, Jon Anderson, Kevin Parrish, Manfred Mann, Procol Harum, Progressive Rock, review, Roy Dyke, Tony Kaye, Traffic, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: KIDS ON THE STREET, UK POWER POP AND NEW WAVE 1977-81 (3 CD Boxset)

Posted on November 21, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [release date: 25.11.22] Kids On The Street is a great title for this 3 CD, 77 track compilation, emphasising the uncomplicated vitality of that era’s popular music. The better informed will know it’s from The Stiffs’ song of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alex Chilton, Big Star, boxset, eighties, Elvis Costello, Jellyfish, New Wave, review, seventies, The Damned, The Motors, The Records, The Ruts, The Searchers, The Skids, The Stranglers, UK power pop, XTC | Leave a comment

Album review: SARO COSENTINO – The Road To Now

Posted on November 17, 2022 by brianmc

Cat Sounds Music [Release date 18.11.22] If only we knew just how much musical talent flies below the mainstream radar. You look at the line up on this, Saro Cosentino’s third “solo” album, and you find, amongst others, Gavin Harrison, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, David Rhodes, Disney, Gavin Harrison, Karen Eden, King Crimson, Michael McDonald, Pete Hammill, Peter Gabriel, Porcupine Tree, review, Saro Cosentino, The Road To Now, Tim Bowness, Trey Gunn, Van Der Graff Generator | Leave a comment

Album review: ARC OF LIFE – Don’t Look Down

Posted on November 13, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.11.22] Arc Of Life is a Progrock supergroup, arguably. In order of fame : Jon (Yes) Davison, Billy (Yes/ World Trade) Sherwood, Jay (Unruly Child) Schellen, Dave (Sound Of Contact) Kerzner and Jimmy (Air Supply/ Circa) Haun. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Air Supply, album, AOR, Arc Of Life, Billy Sherwood, Circa, Dave Kerzner, Don't Look Down, Frontiers, Jay Schellen, Jimmy Haun, Jon Davison, melodic rock, Mr Mister, progrock, review, Sound Of Contact, Third Matinee, Unruly Child, World Stage, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: ENUFF Z’NUFF – Finer Than Sin

Posted on November 12, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] If there’s any band that just keeps on keeping on, it’s Enuff Z’Nuff. The band has undergone enough line up changes to fill a Wikipedia page, yet the man who started it all, Chip Z’Nuff is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Beatles, Cheap Trick, Chip Z'nuff, Enuff Z'Nuff, Finer Than Sin, Frontiers, hard rock, psychedelic pop, review, Strawberry Fields | Leave a comment

Album review: ABOUT US – About Us

Posted on November 10, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 11.11.22] It’s a pleasure to welcome a band from the Asian continent, About Us, to the world of AOR and Melodic Rock (despite the album’s Proggy cover). They are a well established, award winning band in their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Asia, Blue Tears, Bon Jovi, Danger Danger, Dark Horse, Eclipse, India, melodic rock, review, Unruly Child, Wigelius | Leave a comment

Album review: RING OF FIRE – Gravity

Posted on November 9, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] Spend an hour with Ring Of Fire’s new album, Gravity, and you’re sure to find the music impossible to nail down. It’s a moving target. A neo-classical, Prog/Power Metal sub genre, or maybe that’s a a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Aldo Lonobile, Artension, Johnny Cash, Malmsteen, Mark Boals, neoclassical metal, power metal, prog metal, review, Secret Sphere, Shining Black, TSO, Vitali Kuprij | Leave a comment

Album review: RISING STEEL – Beyond The Gates Of Hell

Posted on November 6, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.11.22] Third album from French traditional (ish) metal band, Rising Steel, who still exist in the last century (in a good way). From their amusingly phallic name, to the way they deploy every rushing, thrashing riff that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Annihilator, Beyond The Gates Of Hell, Black Sabbath, Diamond Head, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, NWOBHM, review, Rising Steel, Thrash | Leave a comment

Album review: MANTRIC MOMENTUM – Trial by Fire

Posted on November 3, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] It’s a little off putting that Mantric Momentum’s Melodic Metal debut album, Trial By Fire, shares its title with numerous releases of the same name. From Henry Jackman’s movie music to Journey’s tenth studio album to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Christer Haroy, Divided Mutitude, Frontiers, Magnus Karlsson, melodic metal, Pyramaze, review, Terje Haroy | Leave a comment

Album review: FEMME FATALE – Femme Fatale (2022 remaster)

Posted on October 31, 2022 by brianmc

Rock Candy Records [Release date: 07.10.22] Femme Fatale’s self titled 1988 album was co produced by Rick Neigher and David Cole, who together wrote the opening track and single release, ‘Waiting For The Big One’, the band’s only Billboard Top … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged AC/DC, album, Alias, David Cole, Femme Fatale, Janet Gardner, Lorraine Lewis, remaster, review, Richard Marx, Rick Neigher, Vixen | Leave a comment

Album review: IAN HUNTER – Overnight Angels

Posted on October 30, 2022 by brianmc

Rock Candy Records [release date: 07.10.22] Ahhh… the sweet smell of excess. In 1977, Ian Hunter’s third solo effort came off the back of two albums that were critical successes, but commercial failures. Clearly built on strong foundations, Overnight Angels … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chicken Shack, Earl Slick, Foreigner, Mott, review, rock, Roy Thomas Baker | Leave a comment

Album review: BANG TANGO – Psycho Cafe (2022 Remaster)

Posted on October 29, 2022 by brianmc

Rock Candy Records [release date: 07.10.22] It might be exaggeration to describe Bang Tango’s music as a radically different take on Hair Metal, but it was certainly its own man. The band, Joe Leste on vocals, Kyle Stevens and founder, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Axl Rose, Billboard, glam rock, hair metal, Howard Benson, Joe Leste, Mark Knight, review, Rock Candy Records, TOM KEIFER | Leave a comment

Album review: DANGER DANGER – Screw It (2022 Remaster)

Posted on October 28, 2022 by brianmc

Rock Candy Records [Release date: 07.10.22] Somebody lost the “best before 1989” label when Danger Danger were recording Screw It (1991), the follow up to their gold album debut. The sexist album cover; the impossible to misinterpret, double entendre song … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Bon Jovi, Cinderlla, Danger Danger, Erwin Musper, Melodic Glam Rock, MTV, Poison, remaster, Scorpions, Screw It, Van Halen | Leave a comment

Album review: JULIE DRISCOLL – 1969 (remaster)

Posted on October 27, 2022 by brianmc

JulieDriscoll_1969_ECLEC-2815-min-scaled

Cherry Red [Release date: 28.10.22] From the beginning of her career in the sixties, singer Julie Driscoll had worked with the Brian Auger Trinity. And indeed she fronted that band when she scored two UK Chart hits in 1968, covers … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 1969, album, Blood Sweat and Tears, Brian Auger Trinity, Chicago Transit Authority, Donovan, Dylan, folk, Grace Slick, jazz, Julie Driscoll, Keith Tippett, remaster, review, rock, Soft Machine | Leave a comment

Album review: CACTUS – Evil Is Going On (The Atco Albums 1970-72, 8 CDs)

Posted on October 24, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 28.10.22] Quite some Cactus boxset. Cherry Red have repackaged all of the Blues Rock legends’ releases into a sturdy 8 CD box. It contains the 4 studio albums recorded 1972-74, and 4 albums’ worth of live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged .38 Special, album review, Bill DeYoung, Black Oak Arakansas, blues rock, Carmen Appice, Chicago, Eddie Kramer, Jim McCarty, Kiss, Little Richard, live, Mose Allison, Rusty Day, Stones, studio, Ted Nugent, Tim Bogert, Vanilla Fudge, Willie Dixon | Leave a comment

Album review: CLIMB ABOARD MY ROUNDABOUT (British Toytown Sounds, 1967-1974)

Posted on October 21, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 28.10.22] The British Toytown Pop Sound of the late sixties was not a genre with staying power, but it was fun while it lasted. The very nature of its aesthetic – vaguely humorous songs describing mythical … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 10CC, 3 CDs, album, Bowie, Captain Beefheart, clamshell, ELO, Godley and Creme, Jeffy Lyne, Peter Frampton, pop, Roy Wood, sixties, Slade, Spencer Davis, Toytown | Leave a comment

Album review: STRYPER – The Final Battle

Posted on October 20, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 21.10.22] Stryper are a talented, durable, outspoken band, and well before their gradual drift from AOR to Hard Rock to Heavy Metal they were strongly influenced by what they observed around them, and accordingly expressed their beliefs … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, AOR, classic metal, hard rock, Michael Sweet, old school metal, Oz Fox, review, Robert Sweet | Leave a comment

Album review: IRON ALLIES – Blood In Blood Out

Posted on October 19, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 21.10.02] Iron Allies is a band with an impressive Metal heritage. It’s Herman (Accept/ Victory/ Moondoc) Frank’s new band, and if ever an artist invokes the genre it is he. He’s brought in another well known … Continue reading →