Author Archives: brianmc

Album review : V/A – American Power Pop 1980-89 (3-CD Boxset)

Posted on July 12, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 18.07.25] Almost 80 tracks over 3 CDs…the third and final volume of Eighties’ American Power Pop will be released on the Cherry Red label later this month. Once again it’s a treasure trove of material. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1980-89, album, American Power Pop, box set, Cheap Trick, Eric Carmen, Marshall Crenshaw, power pop, review, Rick Springfield, The Bangles, The Go-Gos, The Rubinoos, Utopia | Leave a comment

Album review : DEGREED – The Leftovers

Posted on July 10, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 18.07.25] Only a year after their last full length studio album, Public Address, Degreed now release The Leftovers, a 9 track EP. The title is self explanatory, but there’s a negative connotation there, hinting that these tracks … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alexi Laiho, American AOR, Degreed, Johnny Hates Jazz, melodic rock, Public Address, review, synthwave | Leave a comment

Album review – DOUBLE VISION – S/T

Posted on July 8, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] For many years, Double Vision were a Foreigner covers band, as the band name might suggest. They’ve now been given the opportunity by the Frontiers’ label to make their own way. It’s fronted by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chandler Mogel, Double Vision, Foreigner, Frontiers Music, melodic rock, Mick Jones, review | Leave a comment

Album review : LAGUNA – The Ghost Of Katrina

Posted on July 6, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] A choir and a spoken word intro, in Spanish, introduces us to Mexico’s rock festival junkies, Laguna. And that’s the thing about putting the miles in. You learn what works and what doesn’t. Then … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Bon Jovi, Frontiers Music, Jimmy Westerlund, Laguna, melodic rock, Mexico, One Desire, review | Leave a comment

Album review : ETERNAL IDOL – Behind A Vision

Posted on July 4, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] Eternal Idol have had a brand refresh. Behind A Vision is a more considered album, incomparably better written and better acted out than Renaissance (2020), the band’s second and most recent album. And again, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Behind A Vision, Eternal Idol, Fabio Leone, Frontiers Music, Nick Savio, Progressive Rock, review, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Album review : GIRLSCHOOL – Running Wild – Live in London 1984 (CD & DVD)

Posted on July 3, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 11.07.25] We’ve said it before (and will no doubt say it again), Girlschool experienced their share of heartache… label let downs, revolving door membership issues, conflicting views on musical direction and the struggles to sustain … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Camden Palace, Criss Bonacci, Denise Dufort, Gil Weston, GIRLSCHOOL, Jackie Bodimead, Kim McAuliffe, London, Play Dirty, pop metal, review, Running Wild | Leave a comment

Album review : JACK BRUCE – Harmony Row (Expanded 2 CD : 2 Blu-ray Boxset edition)

Posted on June 27, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 27.06.25] Glasgow boy Jack Bruce was brought up on Harmony Row, a mile long stretch of tenements in Govan, on the south bank of the Clyde. They’re gone now of course, as is Bruce, god … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Blu-ray, Chris Spedding, Cream, Glasgow, Govan, Harmony Row, Jack Bruce, John Marshall, Pete Brown, review, Stephen W Taylor, Surround Sound | Leave a comment

Album review : LYNYRD SKYNYRD – Celebrating 50 Years: Live At The Ryman (CD & DVD)

Posted on June 24, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 27.06.25] “Celebrating 50 Years – Live At The Ryman”, a live album and DVD capturing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s historic 50th-anniversary concert at Nashville’s legendary venue in 2022 is due out on 27 June. The fact that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Cassie Gaines, Free Bird, Gary Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nashville, review, southern rock, Sweet Home Alabama | Leave a comment

Album review : VENOM – Blackened Priests (3 CD Boxset)

Posted on June 23, 2025 by brianmc

Dissonance [Release date 27.06.25] CD1: Prime Evil 1989 CD2: Temple Of Ice 1991 (plus EP Tear Your Soul) CD3: Waste Land 1992 Formed in England’s industrial North East in 1979, there was none heavier, none more extreme and indeed none … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Abaddon, Al Barnes, Atomcraft, Black Metal, Mantas, North Shields, Prime Evil, review, Temple Of Ice, Tony Dolan, Venom, Waste Lands | Leave a comment

Album review : AFTER THE FIRE – Bright Lights 1974-1982

Posted on June 22, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 20.06.25] Bright Lights indeed. After The Fire were (and still are) a British band who formed in 1972, who went on to release five albums between 1978 – 1982. CD1: Signs Of Change (1978) CD2: Early … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Reissues | Tagged After The Fire, AOR, Billboard Charts, boxset, Bright Lights, ELP, Genesis, New Wave, progrock, review | Leave a comment

Album review : SIGNUM REGIS – Eyes Of Power (2025 remix/remaster)

Posted on June 21, 2025 by brianmc

Beyond The Storm Productions [07.06.25] Eyes Of Power is a 2010 album recorded by the Slovak Power Metal band, Signum Regis, recently remixed and remastered. It’s the third from a 13 album back catalogue to undergo a retooling job. Again, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Beyond The Storm Records, Goran Edman, Persians, power metal, review, Romans, Ronnie Konig, Signum Regis, Slovak | Leave a comment

Album review : INSANIA – The Great Apocalypse

Posted on June 16, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 13.06.25] Naming your album The Great Apocalypse leaves Insania with a lot to live up to. Still, there’s nothing wrong with ambition, naked or otherwise. It’s an interesting album, advertised as power metal. In fact the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Frontiers Music, Helloween, Insania, Iron Maiden, melodic metal, Niklas Dahlin, power metal, review, speed metal, The Great Apocalypse | Leave a comment

Album review : LEVERAGE – Gravity

Posted on June 15, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 20.06.25] When we reviewed Leverage’s 2021 album, Above The Beyond, we said: “It’s perhaps best described as heavy rock with stunning melodies and a penchant for unconventional song structures, and indeed, challenging lyrical themes.” It would … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Blue Murder, Finnish, Frontiers, GRAVITY, heavy rock, Kimmo Blom, Leverage, Magnum, Paulo Ribaldini, review, Tuomas Hekkinen | Leave a comment

Album review : FAIRYLAND – The Story Remains

Posted on June 14, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 13.06.25] The Story Remains is the fifth album from Fairyland, the best French Symphonic Metal band since Manigance. The death of founder Phillipe Giordana in 2022 – in the middle of writing and recording the new … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Archie Caine, Fairyland, Frontiers, Manigance, Osyrhianta, Phillipe Giordana, review, symphonic rock, The Story Remains, Willdric Lieven | Leave a comment

Album review : INGLORIOUS – V

Posted on June 13, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 06.06.25] Inglorious’s unimaginatively titled fifth album sees bassman Colin Parkinson and singer Nathan James back together. (They resolved their differences over a pint, where else?) Joining them in this new iteration of the band are guitarist, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Colin Parkinson, Cradle Of Filth, Frontiers Music, hard rock, Henry Rogers, Inglorious, Nathan James, review, Richard Shaw, V | Leave a comment

Album review : GORGUTS – Considered Dead / Erosion Of Sanity (2CDs w/bonus tracks)

Posted on June 8, 2025 by brianmc

GORGUTS 150 Considered Dead and Erosion cover

Cherry Red [Release date : 13.06.25] Got to hand it to Cherry Red. Few labels are resurrecting the past glories of Metal like they are. Most who do aim for mainstream stuff, bands in the public eye, in the media. But … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Cherry Red, Considered Dead, Erosion of Sanity, Gorguts, Luc Lemay, Quebec, review, Technical Death Metal | Leave a comment

Album review : RENAISSANCE – Running Hard – The Albums 1974-76 (4 CDs)

Posted on May 28, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 30.05.25] This 4 CD Renaissance boxset comprises: CD1 : Turn Of The Cards (1974) CD2 : Scheherazade And Other Stories (1975) CD3 : Live At Carnegie Hall Part 1 (1976) CD3 : Live At Carnegie Hall … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Annie Haslam, box set, Brill Building, Carnegie Hall, Cherry Red, classical, John Tout, orchestral rock, progressive, Renaissance, review, Richard Gottehrer, rock, Scheherazade, Turn Of The Cards | Leave a comment

Album review : THE SPEAKER WARS – s/t

Posted on May 25, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 23.05.25] Writer/producer, Stan Lynch and singer/musician, Jon Christopher Davis crossed paths several years ago in Nashville. Songwriters both, they discovered an emotional connection, subsequently writing a bunch of songs together. This would eventually manifest itself as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Frontiers Music, Jon Christopher Davis, Nashville, review, Speaker Wars, Stan Lynch, Tom Petty | Leave a comment

Album review : RONNIE ROMERO – Live At Rock Imperium Festival (CD+DVD)

Posted on May 20, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 23.05.25] Ronnie Romero’s merge of heavyweight hard rock and high powered melodic metal may well have been built on Dio’s lasting legacy, but as time as progressed he’s clearly found his own metier. And in performing … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Cartagena, Imperium Festival, Jose Rubio, Judas Priest, Rainbow, review, Ronnie James Dio, Ronnie Romero, Spain, Sunstorm, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Album review : THE FLOWERPOT MEN – Midsummer Dreaming, An Anthology 1967-70

Posted on May 19, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 23.05.25] English musicians/songwriters/singers, John Carter and Ken Lewis achieved limited success in the sixties, scoring two top ten hits as the Ivy League, in 1965 and 66. Meanwhile, aside from breeding an anti consumerist counterculture, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Brian Wilson, Counterculture, Flowerpot Men, Ivy League, John Carter, Ken Lewis, Past Imperfect, Peace, psychedelia, review, Summer of Love, Tony Burrows | Leave a comment

Album review : YOUNG AND WILD – A Decade of American Glam Metal 1982-92

Posted on May 17, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date : 23.05.25] The Eighties in the USA: some rock bands rode the Glam Metal wave, propelled by MTV’s insatiable appetite for the genre’s hypnotic theatrics (and, let’s face it, some really great songs). They discarded the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1982 to 1992, American Glam Metal, BANG TANGO, Bullet Boys, Cinderella, Kiss, Poison, Ratt, review, Saigon Kick, White Lion, Winger | Leave a comment

Album review : DON FELDER – The Vault – 50 Years Of Music

Posted on May 16, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 23.05.25] Don Felder enjoyed two six year stints as a member of The Eagles. The second ended in 2001. His vocal presence was limited. He was a prolific songwriter, though Don Henley and Glen Frey … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged David Paich, Don Felder, Don Henley, Glen Frey, Harold Faltermeyer, Lenny Castro, review, Steve Lukather, The Eagles | Leave a comment

Album review : STATUS QUO – Live! (Super Deluxe 8 CD Edition)

Posted on May 12, 2025 by brianmc

earMusic [Release date : 16.05.24] You’ve really got to hand it to whoever guides Status Quo through the pop and rock music jungle, carefully mining their back catalogue. Brilliantly marketed, with ads that hit all the right notes in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1977, Chuck Berry, Francis Rossi, Glasgow, Glasgow Apollo, live, review, Rolling Stones Mobile Studio, Status Quo, THE DOORS | Leave a comment

Album review : GIANT – Stand And Deliver

Posted on May 11, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date: 16.05.24] This is the Kent Hilli, Jimmy (One Desire) Westerlund version of Giant, along with original members, David Huff and Mike Brignardello. The signature sound of any band is provided by its vocalist, closely followed by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Coverdale, Dann Huff, Giant, Jimmy Westerlund, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, One Nation, review | Leave a comment

Album review : ART NATION – Re-Revolution

Posted on May 10, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 16.05.25] Sweden’s Art Nation are getting considerable push from the Frontiers Music label. This month we get a replay of their first rodeo, Revolution (2015), coming hard on the heels of last month’s impressive new album, … Continue reading →