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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review : GRAHAM BONNET – Lost In Hollywood Again (Live)
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JIM PETERIK AND WORLD STAGE – River of Song – The Power Of Duets, Volume 1
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Album review: HENGE – Journey to Voltus B
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Album review : JIMI JAMISON – 1998 Live Hits
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Album review: DEWOLFF – Fuego!
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Album review : KEITH WEST – Cross That Bridge, The Anthology 1965-99 (2 CDs)
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Latest Gig Reviews
GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: brianmc
Album review: JOSH TURNER – King Size Manger
Spinefarm Records [release date 08.10.21] On his latest album, King Size Manger, Josh Turner has put his own self penned/co-written material up against famous 19th century Christmas Carols like ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’, ‘The First Nowell’ and ‘Silent … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Christmas, Church, Classic Carols, Country Music, review
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Album review: ALCATRAZZ – The Best Of and Live In The USA (2 CD set)
Store For Music [Release date: 08.10.21] It’s not the first time this Best Of Alcatrazz collection has been available in CD form, so the additional CD of live material is very welcome. Winnowing down Alcatrazz’s “best songs” from three eighties’ … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, best of, Danny Johnson, Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo, live, Lizzy Border, Malmsteen, Michael Kiske, review, Tomorrows Outlook, Vai
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Album review: SPIRIT – Sunrise And Salvation, The Mercury Era Anthology (Remasters, 8 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [release date: 08.10.21] Accidentally or on purpose, Spirit managed to avoid true success, giving the firm impression that if their career ever got anywhere near the glittering shop window of fame, they put the pedal to the metal, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, boxset, Dylan, Hendrix, Jay Ferguson, live, Mick Skidmore, Randy California, review, seventies, sixties, Spirit, studio, unreleased, Zappa
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Album review: PAUL McDONALD – Modern Hearts
Vacancy Records [release date 01.10.21] Alabama native and American Idol finalist, Paul McDonald was voted through to the Hollywood “play off” by no less than Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson. It was a mark of the man. Where … Continue reading
Album review: KASIM SULTON – 2021
Deko Entertainment [Release date 17.09.21] If you were Kasim Sulton and had played bass and sung backing vocals on Meat Loaf’s 50 million selling Bat Out Of Hell, and had been an integral part of Todd Rundgren’s Utopia during ten … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bat Out Of Hell, Fountains of Wayne, Kasim Sulton, Meatloaf, review, Todd Rundgren, Utopia, Weezer
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Album review: CARAVAN – It’s None Of Your Business
On Sunday 10 October 2021 Pete Feenstra chatted to Pye Hastings for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. Madfish Music [Release date 8.10.21] Masters of the snappy album title, Caravan are yet another English Progressive Rock institution. For a band who … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, Canterbury, Caravan, interview, Progressive Rock, Pye Hastings, review
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Album review: YES – The Quest
Inside Out Music [Release date: 01.10.21] Yes are a British institution. As much woven into the fabric of UK culture as many other artistic endeavours. An omnipresent rock band with a constantly changing line up, currently: Davison, Howe, Sherwood, Downes … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alan White, album, Asia, Billy Sherwood, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, prog, review, Steve Howe, World Trade
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Album review: MY GLASS WORLD – Still Life With Machine Gun
Luxury Noise [release date: 24.09.21] Everything Absent Or Distorted was a (now defunct) “sprawling, American, Indie Rock Ensemble”. They recorded their song ‘Still Life With Machine Gun’ in 2006. 15 years later, My Glass World have recorded their own song … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Elvis Costello, Jamie Telford, lockdown, NICK LOWE, Ocean Vuong, review, Sean Reed, The Jam
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Album review: PARADOX – Heresy II, End Of A Legend
AFM Records [Release date: 24.09.21] German giants of Thrash, Paradox are well known within the genre. They have a sizeable coterie of discerning fans who’ve followed them since the band’s inception in 1986. Had their chosen genre been say, power … Continue reading
Album review: SAVATAGE – Sirens and Dungeons Are Calling (remasters)
ear-MUSIC [release date 3.09.21] We’re cranking the machine way back to 1982, and Savatage’s twin debuts, Sirens and Dungeons Are Calling, both independently released. The band, Jon and Criss Oliva, Keith Collins and Steve Wacholz recorded and mixed all the … Continue reading
Album review: LEAVES EYES – The Last Viking, Midsummer Version
AFM Records [release date: 17.09.21] Leaves Eyes’ latest release, The Last Viking, Midsummer Version, is a multi media concept album, a high impact audiovisual story. The “Last Viking” was Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hardrada (Harald the Hard … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 1066, AFM Records, album, Audiovisual, Celtic, DVD, England, folk metal, Harold Hardrada, Norway, review, symphonic rock, YouTube
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Album review: BONNIE TYLER – The East West Years 1995-98 (3 CDs)
Cherry Red [release date: 17.09.21] Bonnie Tyler’s two most famous songs, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ (1983) and ‘It’s A Heartache’ (1977) are among the best selling singles of all time, with combined sales of over 12 million. She’s enjoyed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alan Parsons, album, Andy Hill, Bonnie Tyler, Chris Thompson, David Foster, Eric Troey, Frankie Miller, Franz Gruber, Glen Burtnik, Harold Faltermyer, Jim Steinman. Humberto Gattica, Jimmy Smyth, Kasim Sulton, pop, review, rock
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Album review: EDGE OF PARADISE – The Unknown
Frontiers Music [Release date 17.09.21] Edge Of Paradise is a duo made up of Armenian/ Russian/ American singer, “the female Robin McAuley”, Margarita Monet, and American guitarist and songwriter, Dave Bates. The Unknown is their fourth album, and second on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Dave Bates, Edge Of Paradise, Frontiers, Howard Benson, Margarita Monet, Mike Plotnikoff, review, Symphonic Rock Metal, Unknown
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Album review: IAN PARRY’s ROCK EMPORIUM – Brute Force
Metal Mind [release date 14.07.21] Singer/songwriter, Ian Parry has always been master of his own destiny, moving from project to project and label to label over the course of his 30 year career. He counts Hammerhead, Elegy, Ayreon and Vengeance … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Allan Sorensen, Ayreon, Elegy, Hammerhead, Ian Parry, Kris Gildenlow, Lucas Sillito, Metal Mind, Neo Classical, Patrick Johansen, Patrick Rondat, review, Rock Emporium, symphonic metal, Vengeance
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Album review: BRAINSTORM – Wall Of Skulls
AFM Records [release date 17.09.21] Judging by this new release, Brainstorm turned the pandemic related lockdown to good advantage, in writing and recording Wall Of Skulls. It’s no more than an incremental step up from last album, Midnight Ghost, but … Continue reading
Album review: GAMMA RAY – 30 Years Live Anniversary
Ear Music/Edel [Release date 10.09.21] In 2020, it looked like this could become the new normal. A live gig without an audience. Kai Hansen’s Gamma Ray know what it is to play live…they’ve been doing it for 30 years. It becomes … Continue reading
Album review: AL ROSS & THE PLANETS – Blue Crystal
Wienerworld Music [Release date 10.09.21] Al Ross & The Planets’ “stylistically diverse” (it sez ere) second album, Blue Crystal, had a difficult birth. As well as being handicapped by the pandemic’s side effects of lockdown and quarantine, this international band … Continue reading
Album review: BETWEEN WORLDS (feat Ronny Munroe) – Between Worlds
Frontiers [release date: 10.09.21] Ronny Munroe, Alessandro Del Vecchio (Frontiers’ inhouse producer / writer / arranger) and Pete Alpenberg, now aka Between Worlds, have brought in the heavy artillery for this, their self titled debut. After ten years fronting Metal … Continue reading
Album review: ANETTE OLZON – Strong
Frontiers Records [release date 10.09.21] A Symphonic Rock album for the ABBA generation, Anette (Dark Element/ Nightwish) Olzon’s collaboration with maestro, Magnus Karlsson, titled Strong, is huge, confident and full of heartstopping hooks. It has a lovely gloss to it… … Continue reading
Album review: VANDENBERG – The Complete Atco Recordings 1982-2004 (4 CD Boxset w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red [release date 27.08.21] Vandenberg (1982) Heading For A Storm (1983) Alibi (1985) Demos and Live (2004) Emerging unbloodied and unbowed from the golden age of AOR, Vandenberg’s 3 albums (now remastered) embody all that was good and all … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, Alibi, bonus tracks, boxset, Coverdale, demos, Heading For A Storm, Japp Eggermont, Kolodner, live, melodic hard rock, review, Vandenberg, Whitesnake
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Album review: LYNCH MOB – The Elektra Years 1990-92 (2 CDs w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red [Release date 27.08.21] A 2 CD Lynch Mob package. Wicked Sensation (1990) and Lynch Mob (1992). All that’s missing is the “best before 1989” label. And that problem undermined any notion of commercial success. Either one of these … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, Dokken, George Lynch, Lynch Mob, Mick Brown, Oni Logan, review, Robert Mason, Wicked Sensation
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Album review: ORANGE GOBLIN – Healing Through Fire (2CDs w/bonus tracks)
Cherry Red Records [Release date 20.08.21] This expanded Orange Goblin compilation centres on their 2007 Disaster Album, Healing Through Fire. Only a Heavy Metal band could take The Great Fire Of London and the Great Plague as the theme for its … Continue reading
Album review: BRENT WINDLER – New Morning Howl
Goldstar Records [release date 27.08.21] New Morning Howl is the debut album from Kansas City singer/songwriter, Brent Windler. Big things are expected of this exceptionally talented artist. There’s definitely a touch of Paul Simon about Windler, in the way that … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Brent Windler, Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, Jellyfish, New Morning Howl, pop, review
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Single review: MANIMAL – Armageddon and The Inevitable End
AFM Records [Release date 06.08.21] ‘Armageddon‘ is the title track and third “single” release from forthcoming new album from Sweden’s Manimal. As the song title suggests, this video version has lots of footage of global warfare, nuclear of course, clearly … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged AFM Records, Armageddon, Manimal, melodic metal, power metal, review, singles
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Single review: PARADOX – Mountains And Caves
AFM Records [release date 13.08.21] German giants of Thrash, Paradox are well known within the genre. They have a sizeable coterie of discerning fans who’ve followed them since the band’s inception, in 1986. Had their chosen genre been say, melodic … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Charlie Steinhauer, Heresy II, new album, Paradox, review, single, thrash metal
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