Author Archives: brianmc

Album review: JELLYFISH – When These Memories Fade (boxset 7″ singles)

Posted on September 22, 2022 by brianmc

Newland+ [Release date: 30.09.22] This boxset of 7×7” Jellyfish singles is truly a step back in time to when vinyl was king. An A side and a B side. On the A side was the song the label wanted radio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alby Galutin, Andy Sturmer, Badfinger, Beach Boys, boxset, Brian Wilson, Eric Dover, Imperial Drag, Jack Joseph Puig, Jason Falkner, Roger Manning, singles, The 5th Dimension, The Association, The Beatles, The Grays Queen, the Lickerish Quartet, The Turtles, Tim Smith, Vinyl | Leave a comment

Album review: IMPELLITTERI – Wake The Beast (3 CD anthology)

Posted on September 21, 2022 by brianmc

Global Rock Records [Release date: 30.09.22] New kids on the block, Global Rock Records have recently licensed Impellitteri’s total back catalogue. That is quite a coup for a non-major label. This 3 CD anthology, Wake The Beast, curated by Chris … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged 3CDs, Accept, album, anthology, Chris Impellitteri, Dokken, Graham Bonnet, heavy metal, Michael Wagener, neoclassical, review, Rob Rock, Skid Row | Leave a comment

Album review: STATUS QUO – Quo’ing In, The Best Of The Noughties (2CDs/3CDs)

Posted on September 19, 2022 by brianmc

earMusic [Release date 16.09.22] Quo’ing In… is a compilation album from one of rock’n’roll’s great survivors, Status Quo. It looks back on the band’s recordings released since the year 2000, embellishing the material selected with up to date studio rerecordings, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 3 CDs, album, boogie, classic rock, Francis Rossi, live, pop rock, Quo'ing In, review, rock 'n' roll, Status Quo, The Best of the Noughties | Leave a comment

Album review: GINEVRA – We Belong To The Stars

Posted on September 11, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 16.09.22] Ginevra is a kind of Europa League supergroup. Not exactly Champions League status. Not yet anyway. Kristian Fhyr, vocalist/ songwriter with Seventh Crystal was the instigator, and with the label’s help, the rest of the band… … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Eclipse, HEAT, Jimmy Jay, Kristian Fhyr, Magnus Karlsson, Magnus Ulfstadt, melodic metal, melodic rock, Nordic Union, review, Seventh Crystal, Survivor, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review: HOUSE OF LORDS – Saints And Sinners

Posted on September 9, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 16.09.22] On this, their 11th studio album, House Of Lords deliver aggressive, in your face melodic rock. The music comes out of its corner swinging, ready for the fight. James Christian now has Mark (Touch, Drive She … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, BJ Zampa, Drive She Said, eighties, Frontiers, James Christian, Jimi Bell, Mark Mangold, melodic hard rock, review, Touch | Leave a comment

Album review: EDENBRIDGE – Shangri La

Posted on September 6, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date: 16.09.22] Edenbridge’s Sabine Edelsbacher has such an expressive voice. It flows, taking its time, making its mark. Her clear, classy enunciation adds an element of sophistication to every note she sings. Band leader, Arne “Lanvall” Stockhammer, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Arne Lanvall Stockhammer, Eric Maternsson, review, Sabine Edelbacher, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ALLEN OLZON – Army Of Dreamers

Posted on September 4, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 09.09.22] The Russell Allen, Anette Olzon, Magnus Karlsson triumvirate mined a rich seam of melodic metal on their well received Allen Olzon debut, Separate Worlds, in 2020. Individually, they are accomplished musical artists… primarily, Olzon fronted Nightwish … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anette Olzon, Hans Zimmer, Magnus Karlsson, melodic metal, review, Russell Allen | Leave a comment

Album review: TABOO – Taboo

Posted on September 2, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.09.22] Taboo is an interesting marriage of the old and the new… Pretty Maids’ guitarist and guiding light, Ken Hammer and H.E.R.O’s singer, writer, producer Steffan Stjerne. Sony recording artist, H.E.R.O is “Big in Japan”, racking up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, contemporary rock pop metal, HERO, Jacob Hansen, Japan, Ken Hammer, Linkin Park, Panic At The Disco!, Pretty Maids, review, Steffan Stjerne | Leave a comment

Album review: IRON SAVIOR – Reforged Ironbound Volume 2

Posted on August 31, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 26.08.22] You could argue that Piet Sielck and Kai (Gamma Ray) Hansen kick started the entire Power Metal genre in Europe when the former Helloween bandmates formed Iron Savior in 1996. That was then. More recently, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Accept, album, Gamma Ray, Helloween, IRON SAVIOR, Kai Hansen, Piet Sielck, power metal, review, Running Wild, Teutonic Metal | Leave a comment

Album review: DYNAZTY – Final Advent

Posted on August 28, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date: 26.08.22] Guided by Love Magnusson and Nils Molin, the band’s influential guitarist and vocalist respectively, Dynazty successfully transitioned from melodic rock to symphonic rock several albums ago, with 2018′s Firesign getting the target “formula” just right. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Dark Delight, Firesign, Love Magnusson, melodic metal, Nils Molin, review, symphonic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: LILLIAN AXE – From Womb To Tomb

Posted on August 19, 2022 by brianmc

Global Rock [Release date : 19.08.22] There’s a thin line between pretension and serious minded rock’n’roll. Lillian Axe do a high wire balancing act on this, their first album for ten years, titled From Womb To Tomb. Mainman, songwriter, guitarist, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, arrangements, hard rock, heavy metal, melody, MTV, review, Saigon Kick, Steve Blaze, symbolism, Trance metal | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHN SLOMAN – Two Rivers

Posted on August 14, 2022 by brianmc

Red Steel Music [Release date: 12.08.22] John Sloman’s ninth solo album is a tale of two cities. His life has been a neverending musical quest to find success and certitude. All the time torn between his hometown of Cardiff, where … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged blues, Captain Beefheart, Cardiff, Frank Zappa, gospel, groove, John Sloman, London, Memphis, psychedelic, review, rock, Todd Rundgren | Leave a comment

Album review: SUNSTORM – Brothers In Arms

Posted on August 9, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 12.08.22] All that accumulated weight from the Joe Lynn Turner era has been thrown overboard, and Version 2 of the new, invigorated Sunstorm is writing and performing with confidence and skill. Ronnie Romero remains from Version 2′s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Doro, hard rock, Joe Lynn Turner, Luca Princiotta, metal, review, Ronnie Romero, Simone Mulanari, Sunstorm | Leave a comment

Album review: HYDRA – Point Break

Posted on August 8, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 12.08.22] Hydra is a project put together by rock’n’roll impresario, Daniel Flores, built around the songs of Swedish wunderkind, Henrik Hedstrom. Flores has brought in another highly talented musician, Andy Kravljaca, to sing and add lead and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andy Kravljaca, AOR, Christopher Cross, Daniel Flores, Henrik Hedstrom, Hydra, melodic rock, review, soft rock, Toto | Leave a comment

Album review: LITTLE TEXAS – 4 Classic Albums on 2 CDs

Posted on August 6, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 12.08.22] In the nineties, Little Texas were country rock’s most famous unknown band. Unknown outside of the USA perhaps, but a multi platinum selling band in their home territory through that decade. This 2 CD set … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, Bruce Hornsby, country rock, Dan Huff, Desert Rose band, Eagles, retrospective, review | Leave a comment

Album review: RESTLESS SPIRITS – Second To None

Posted on August 4, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 12.08.22] Restless Spirits’ guitarist Tony (Lords Of Black) Hernando’s melodic rock project gains some momentum here, with 4 outstanding singers. 3 of them, Chez Kane, Kent Hilli and Renan Zonta are on the verge of wider recognition. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Axel Rudi Pell, Chez Kane, Giant, Hardline, Johnny Gioeli, Journey, Kent Hilli, Lou Gramm, melodic rock, metal, Neal Schon, pop, Renan Zonta, review, Tony Hernando | Leave a comment

Album review: NORDIC UNION – Animalistic

Posted on August 3, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 12.08.22] Nordic Union, as every melodic rock fan will know, is a musical marriage of two talented people. Songwriter, producer and guitarist, Erik (Eclipse, WET) Martensson, and vocalist, Ronnie (Pretty Maids) Atkins. Atkins’ advanced form of lung cancer, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Eclipse, Erik Martensson, melodic hard rock, Pretty Maids, review, Ronnie Atkins, WET | Leave a comment

Album review: MONTROSE – I Got The Fire (6 CD Boxset)

Posted on July 28, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red/HNE Recordings [Release date: 29.07.22] If you’re looking for comprehensive CD coverage of Montrose’s journey through the seventies, look no further. That might sound like a PR man’s tagline, but it’s reflective of reality. This boxset consists of: CD1: … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bill Church, Bob James, boxset, Deep Purple, Denny Carmassi, Free, hard rock, Jump On It, Led Zeppelin, review, Ronnie Montrose, Sammy Hagar, Warner Bros | Leave a comment

Album review: WAYSTED : Heroes Die Young – Waysted Volume 2 (5 CD boxset)

Posted on July 26, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red/HNE [Release date 29.07.22] Waysted reformed early in the new millenium, just to prove that the world hadn’t ended. This 5 CD boxset chronicles the band’s releases from when they kick started their career in 2000, to the date … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, boxset, Chris George, Danny Vaughn, Glasgow, hard rock, Pete Way, review, The Barfly, UFO | Leave a comment

Album review: SILENT RUNNING – Follow The Light

Posted on July 25, 2022 by brianmc

Door Records [Release date: 22.07.22] Northern Ireland’s Silent Running convincingly transitioned from Punk to Hard Rock in the eighties, and enjoyed moderate success, scoring support tours with Simple Minds, Talk Talk and Robert Palmer. Albums on EMI and Atlantic Records … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Atlantic Records, EMI Records, melodic hard rock, Northern Ireland, punk, review, Robert Palmer, Simple Minds, Talk Talk | Leave a comment

Album review: LESSMANN VOSS – Rock Is Our Religion

Posted on July 24, 2022 by brianmc

Atomic Fire Records [Release date: 22.07.22] This Lessmann Voss, Rock Is Our Religion album would be easy to write off because it seems so out of time. Bonfire’s Claus Lessmann and Mad Max’s Michael Voss are clearly not keen to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bonfire, Claus Lessmann, eighties, FM Radio, Mad Max, melodic rock, Michael Voss, review | Leave a comment

Album review: UFO – High Stakes And Dangerous Men / Lights Out In Tokyo (2 CD set)

Posted on July 20, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 22/07/22] UFO’s Lights Out (1977) had been a huge album for the band in Japan. So when they toured the High Stakes And Dangerous Men album there in 1992, they would include a Lights Out set. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, Clive Edwards, hard rock, Japan, Lawrence Archer, live, Pete Way, Phil Mogg, review, studio, Tokyo | Leave a comment

Album review: TAZ TAYLOR BAND – Nocturnal

Posted on July 17, 2022 by brianmc

Global Rock [Release date 15.07.22] Taz Taylor’s classic hard rock never stands still – it’s always in motion, on the move, heading somewhere. Maybe that’s a holdover from his time driving 18 wheelers across the USA for a living, before … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Beatles, Chandler Mogul, classic hard rock, David Reece, Doogie White, Graham Bonnet, Guns'n'Roses, Mark Boals, review, Slash, White album | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHN STEEL – Distorted Reality

Posted on July 14, 2022 by brianmc

Global Rock [Release date: 15.07.22] This 3 album/double CD set from Ivan Stalev (John Steel) is quite a coup for SFM’s new metal/rock spinoff label, Global Rock. Effectively, the package backs up the release of Steel’s new album, Distorted Reality, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Alcatrazz, Blaze Bailey, David Readman, Doogie White, heavy metal, Iron Maiden, NWOBHN, Rainbow, Saxon, Tank | Leave a comment

Album review: THE UK SUBS – Yellow Leader

Posted on July 7, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [release date 8.07.22] And they said it wouldn’t last… back in print for the first time in 7 years, The UK Subs 25th studio release gets a coloured vinyl makeover. Yellow Leader 2022 is an 18 track double … Continue reading →