-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
-
Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
-
Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
-
Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
-
Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
-
Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
-
Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
-
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: brianmc
Album review: GODLEY and CREME – Frabjous Days, The Secret World Of, 1967-69
Cherry Red/Grapefruit [Release date: 10.06.22] Kevin Godley and Lol Creme didn’t know what they were doing. Well, that’s not strictly true. To be accurate : There’s a thrill in not knowing what you’re doing but aiming high anyway and that, … Continue reading
Album review: GRACE – Hope
Frontiers Music [Release date 10.06.22] Under the Grace moniker, Hope is an album put together by twenty year music biz veteran, Isra Ramos, and it’s a genre hopping blast. Ramos has toured to support Europe, Nightwish, The Scorpions, Angra and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ANGRA, Eletcronic, Europe, Isra Ramos, metal, Nightwish, pop, Queen, review, Robby Valentine, rock, Scorpions, symphonic, T-Ride
Leave a comment
Album review: SEVENTH WONDER – The Testament
Frontiers [Release date: 10.06.22] Sixth album from Swedish Prog Metal band Seventh Wonder, for whom life began at the turn of the century. The band is full of virtuoso musicians. Guitarist Johan Liefvendal and bassist, Andreas Blomqvist are the driving … Continue reading
Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged 4 CDs, albums, Atlantic Records, boxset, Brute Force, John Gallagher, John Tucker, Lead Weight, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Megaforce, Metallica, Motorhead, Neat Records, NWOBHM, Proto Thrash, Sasso Marconi, SPV
Leave a comment
Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, And The Horse, AOR, Bonaire, Complete Recordings Volume 1 1985-1994, Hangdog Records, Hard RoxX, Ian Stewart, John Lee, John Punter, Kevin Elson, melodic rock, Mike Shipley, Native Sons, review, Strangeways, Terry Brock, Walk Into The Fire
Leave a comment
Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amaranthe. Operatic, Epica, Evanescence, heavy metal, J-Pop, melodic metal, progrock, review, rock, symphonic metal, Within Temptation
Leave a comment
Album review : SKILLS – Different Worlds
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Billy Sheehan, Brad Gillis, David Huff, Electric Mob, Frontiers, Giant, melodic rock, Mr Big, NightRanger, Renan Zonta, review
Leave a comment
Album review: GRAHAM BONNET BAND – Day Out In Nowhere
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alcatrazz, Conrad Pesinato, Graham Bonnet, melodic hard rock, metal, MSG, Rainbow, review
Leave a comment
Album review: THE BIG DEAL – First Bite
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Alogia, Ana Nikolic, AOR, FM Radio, melodic rock, pop, progrock, review, Serbia, Srdjan and Nevena Brankovic
Leave a comment
Album review: STARCHASER – 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
Album review: JANI LIIMATEINAN – My Father’s Son
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
Album review: LOVERBOY – Wildside (Remaster)
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
Album review: LILLIAN AXE – Psalms For Eternity (3 CD set)
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
Album review: ICON – Icon (Remaster)
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
Album review: BILLY MACKENZIE – Satellite Life Recordings 1995-96, 3 CD Set
Cherry Red Records [Release date: 23.04.22] Billy MacKenzie died in 1997, aged 39. Beyond the band he founded with Alan Rankine, The Associates, he recorded a handful of solo albums, but many of the songs in those studio sessions didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 3 CD set, Alan Rankine, albums, Roxy Music, Steve Aungle, The Associates
Leave a comment
Album review: NAZARETH – Surviving The Law
Frontiers [Release date: 15.04.22] Most music reviewers weren’t born when Nazareth started up, and few bands are still rocking as hard, to enthusiastic acclaim, 54 years later. Surviving The Law is the band’s second album with Carl Sentance on vocals. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Carl Sentance, Chicken Shack, grunge, Jimmy Murrison, John Mayall, Lee Agnew, Pete Agnew, review, Roy Wood, Wizard
Leave a comment
Album review: BLACK SWAN – Generation Mind
Frontiers [Release date 08.04.22] Black Swan follow up 2020′s Shake The World with the much more confident, cohesive, Generation Mind. Robin McAuley, Reb Beach, Matt Starr and Jeff Pilson form a formidable collective. Each transforming his own success and experience … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Frontiers, Jeff Pilson, Matt Starr, melodic hard rock, Reb Beach, review, Robin McAuley
Leave a comment
Album review: FRANKIE MILLER – Falling In Love and Easy Money (Remasters w/bonus tracks)
Rock Candy Records [release date 18.03.22] 1980 now, and Frankie Miller’s label are looking for another hit song like ‘Darlin’, from his 1978 long player, Falling In Love. And so, knowing there’s no substitute for throwing money at it, they … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, Allan Taylor, blues rock, country rock, Darlin, Frankie Miller, pop, review, Ronnie Milsap, Troy Seals
Leave a comment
Album review: RONNIE ROMERO – Raised On Radio
Frontiers [Release date: 15.04.22] Ronnie Romero’s taken an opportunity that not many singers get. Given the chance to record an album of covers, he’s deep dived into his favourite back catalogues and emerged with some unsung classics in his hands. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bad Company, cover versions, Covers, Dylan, Elf, Foreigner, Grand Funk, Kansas, Led Zeppelin, melodic rock, Queen, review, Ronnie Romero, Russ Ballard, Survivor
Leave a comment
Album review – SEMBLANT – Vermillion Eclipse
Frontiers [release date: 15.04.22] Semblant’s second album on the Frontiers label sees this Brazilian Melodic (Death) Metal band confidently cement its leading position in the “one to watch” category. The “Death” description is misleading, and only gets used in the … Continue reading
Album review: FIRST SIGNAL – Closer To The Edge
Frontiers [Release date 08.04.22] First Signal started life as a collaboration between Harry (Harem Scarem) Hess and Denis (Pink Cream 69) Ward. Two big names in the melodic rock genre. This is the third album since without Ward. Daniel Flores … Continue reading
Album review: TREAT – The Endgame
Frontiers [Release date: 08.04.22] Here’s Treat again. The Endgame, produced by the talented Peter Mansson, is the band’s fourth album since their rebirth in 2006. In the world of second and third generation melodic rock, only Harem Scarem, Leverage and … Continue reading
Album review: TNT – Tell No Tales and Intuition (Remasters)
Rock Candy Records [Release date: 25.03.22] In 1984 TNT were a tight, solid rock band, populated by gifted musicians, all looking for a sound that would define them. They had just broken through with second album, Knights Of The New … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bjorn Nessjo, melodic rock, remaster, review, Ronni Le Tekro, Stage Dolls, Stryper, TNT, Tony Harnell
Leave a comment
Album review: RONNI LE TEKRO – Bigfoot TV
Tekro Music / Rough Trade [Release date: 18.03.22] Fast approaching 60, Oslo born guitarist, Ronni Le Tekro, ex TNT, is not for slowing down. He’s guested on some interesting albums of late, but Bigfoot TV is his first solo outing … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Beatles, blues, Ian Dury, Le Tekro, Pink Floyd, protest song, psychedelic pop, review, sixties, Terje Rypdal, Thin Lizzy, TNT, Traffic
Leave a comment
Album review: HARRY CHAPIN – Story Book, The Elektra Albums, 1972-78 (6 CDs)
Cherry Red/Strawberry [release date 25.03.22] Heads and Tales (1972) Sniper And Other Love Songs (1972) Short Stories (1973) Verities and Balderdash (1974) Portrait Gallery (1975) Greatest Stories Live (1976) On The Road To Kingdom Come (1976) Dance Band On The … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, boxset, Columbia, documentary, Elektra, Harry Chapin, review, The Oscars
Leave a comment
