Author Archives: brianmc

Album review : ROBIN MCAULEY – Soulbound

ROBIN McxAULEY - Soulbound

Frontiers Music [Released Date : 28.02.25] Third solo album on Frontiers from the much travelled rock singer Robin McAuley.  His travels have all been well documented online. The worth repeating bits: He bookended his three album stint with Schenker in … Continue reading

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Album review : BARREN CROSS – Atomic Arena/State Of Control (2 CD Deluxe Digipak)

BARREN CROSS – Atomic Arena/State Of Control

Cherry Red [Release date 21.02.25] The second and third albums released by Christian Metal heroes, Barren Cross, are now together for the first time, remastered and reissued by Cherry Red, with ‘2 bonus tracks’ added. Atomic Arena (1988) State Of … Continue reading

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Album review : MANTRIC MOMENTUM – Alienized

MANTRIC MOMENTUM – Alienized

Frontiers Music [Release date : 14.02.25] It’s all in the family with Mantric Momentum. Second album from cousins and close friends Terje (Pyramaze) Haroy on vocals, and Christer (Crossnail) Haroy on everything else. The band idea took 6 years to … Continue reading

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Album review : MUD – The Rak Years 1973-75 (3 albums on 2 CDs)

MUD – The Rak Years 1973-75

Cherry Red [Release date : 14.02.25] There can be no doubt that Mud grabbed tight hold of the glam pop template, and tongue firmly in cheek, reshaped it in their own likeness. After several years of unsuccessful releases, the band, … Continue reading

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Album review : CRAZY LIXX – Thrill Of The Bite

CRAZY LIXX – Thrill Of The Bite

Frontiers Music [Release date : 14.02.25] Ninth album from Swedish Hard Rock band, Crazy Lixx, founded by singer / producer/ writer, Danny Rexon. Hard to believe they’ve been around since 2002. The opening three tracks ignite a full album’s worth … Continue reading

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Album review : THUNDERMOTHER – Dirty & Divine

THUNDERMOTHER - Dirty & Divine

Sweden’s Thundermother are back… female founded, hard nosed hard rock, with added cowbells. Now that guitarist/ band founder, Filippa Nasil has brought in new members, vocalist Linnea Vikström Egg and drummer, Joan Massing, the band are truly plugged into the … Continue reading

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Album review : THE MAGIC FOREST – More Pastoral Psychedelia and Funky Folk 1968-75

THE MAGIC FOREST – More Pastoral Psychedelia and Funky Folk 1968-75

Cherry Red [Release date : 31.01.25] When you come across a music genre called “Pastoral Psychedelia and Funky Folk” you just know it emanates from 1967, and the “Summer Of Love”. The years that followed witnessed the rise of hard … Continue reading

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Album review : WRATH – Children Of The Wicked (3 CD set)

WRATH – Children Of The Wicked (3 CD set)

Cherry Red [Release date 31/01/25] You’d need a degree in modern sciences to play with Chicago USA band, Wrath. Such is the technically demanding nature of their thrash metal sound. The cover depicts a fresh face bunch of lads who, … Continue reading

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Album review : THE FERRYMEN – Iron Will

THE FERRYMEN – Iron Will

Frontiers Music [Release date : 24.1.25] This new Ferrymen album should make some solid advance sales on the basis of Stan W Decker’s front cover artwork alone. Take a look. Classy. Ronnie Romero, Magnus Karlson and Mike Terrana are back … Continue reading

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Album review : FAT MATTRESS – How Can I Live ? Complete Recordings (3 CD Boxset)

FAT MATTRESS – How Can I Live ? Complete Recordings (3 CD Boxset)

Cherry Red [Release date : 24.01.25] Two years in the career of an artist is only a moment in time.  That’s how long English Rock Band, Fat Mattress lasted.  During those years (1969-70) the band wrote and recorded three albums. … Continue reading

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Album review : BONFIRE – Higher Ground

BONFIRE – Higher Ground

Frontiers [Release date : 24.01.25] 18th studio album from Bonfire. First on Frontiers. Nowadays, the band is founder/leader, Hans Ziller, with Dyan Mair on vocals; Ronnie Parks and Fabio Alessandrini form a solid rhythm section and Frank Pane twins up … Continue reading

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Album review : TIGERTAILZ – For A Few Dollarz More

TIGERTAILZ – For A Few Dollarz More

Cherry Red [Release date 24.1.25] It didn’t take long for the Glam Rock genre, kicked off by Bolan and Bowie, to be appropriated by American bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Cinderella and others. On the US west coast in the … Continue reading

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Album review : AVATARIUM – Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead

AVATARIUM – Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead

AFM Records [Release date : 24.01.25] If anyone is going to have the inside information on the darkside of metal, it’s a psychosocial counsellor. And if anyone’s able to bring the genre’s competing emotions to life, it’s Avatarium’s vocalist / … Continue reading

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Album review : LANDFALL – Wide Open Sky

LANDFALL – Wide Open Sky

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.25] Third album from Brazilian melodic hard rock band, Landfall, founded by Felipe Souzza and Marcelo Gelbcke in 2014, and fronted nowadays by noted vocalist, Gui Oliver. It’s unquestionably an album of two halves. The band’s … Continue reading

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Album review : WILDNESS – Avenger

WILDNESS – Avenger

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.25] By the numbers – fourth album from Swedish Melodic hard rock band, Wildness, third with “new” vocalist, Erik Forsberg, and second on the Frontiers label. The band was formed by drummer, Erik Modin in 2014, … Continue reading

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Album review : THE BIG DEAL – Electrified

THE BIG DEAL – Electrified

Frontiers [Release date : 17.01.24] The Big Deal are one of the many bands that Frontiers’ A&R man, Alessandro Del Vecchio has nurtured over the years.  All of them have benefited in some way from his presence . . . … Continue reading

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Album review : TOKYO BLADE – Time Is The Fire

TOKYO BLADE – Time Is The Fire

Cherry Red [Release date : 17.01.25] The Cherry Red reach has increased dramatically in recent years, and Tokyo Blades’ latest album, Time Is The Fire will be getting a considerable PR push around the 17/1/25 release date. True heavy metal … Continue reading

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Album review : THE HAMBURG REPERTOIRE, 2 CDs

THE HAMBURG REPERTOIRE

  Cherry Red [Release date : 10.01.25] It’s no exaggeration to say that popular culture in the UK – music, fashion, sexual mores, religion – experienced a revolution of mind, body and soul in the sixties. On of the prime … Continue reading

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Album review: WITHIN SILENCE – The Eclipse Of Worlds

WITHIN SILENCE – The Eclipse Of Worlds

Ulterium Records [Release date : 06.12.24] On their third album now, Slovakian Power Metal band, Within Silence have reached the point where their grasp is the equal of an ambitious reach. From the moment the opening track, ‘Land Of Light’ … Continue reading

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Album review : STATUS QUO – Driving To Glory

STATUS QUO – Driving To Glory

Cherry Red [Release date : 06.12.24] You’ve really got to hand it to whoever guides Status Quo through the pop and rock music jungle. Brilliantly marketed, with ads that hit all the right notes in the right places, Quo’s latest … Continue reading

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Album review : BLUE OYSTER CULT – Live In NYC Third Night (2 CD+DVD Deluxe Ed)

BLUE OYSTER CULT – Live In NYC Third Night (2 CD+DVD Deluxe Ed)

Frontiers Music [Release date : 13.12.24] The third time’s the charm. In 2022, Donald (Buck Dharma) Roeser and Eric Bloom, plus “new boys”, Richie (Band Geeks/Jon Anderson) Castellano, Danny Miranda and Jules Radino celebrated their 50th Anniversary as the Blue … Continue reading

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Album review : STORACE – Live And Let Live (plus bonus live CD)

STORACE – Live And Let Live

Frontiers [Release date : 13.12.24] Marc Storace’s Live and Let Live is an album born in the depths of the Covid pandemic. Skipping through the “singer meets musician, they swap ideas” part of the plot, the album was eventually recorded … Continue reading

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Album review : ILLUSION FORCE – Halfana

ILLUSION FORCE – Halfana

Frontiers [Release date : 13.12.24] Five year veterans of the Japanese rock/metal scene, Illusion Force have now been recognised by Frontiers’ Music as indeed, a force to be reckoned with worldwide. They cite Dragonforce and Helloween as being among their … Continue reading

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Album review : LAZY DAYS – The British Progressive Sounds of 1975 (3-CD set)

LAZY DAYS – The British Progressive Sounds of 1975 (3-CD set)

Cherry Red [Release date : 06.12.24] 1975: all around the UK, a huge variety of rock and pop genres, sub genres, splinter groups and so forth were fighting it out for recognition, and ultimately, sales. The summer of love was … Continue reading

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Album review: BRAZEN ABBOT : Eye Of The Storm and Bad Religion

BRAZEN ABBOT - Eye Of The Storm and Bad Religion

Frontiers [Release date : 13.12.24] Prior to his Rock Opera project, Nostradamus (2001), classically trained Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist, Nikolo Kotzev had founded Brazen Abbot. The band’s second and third releases, Eye Of The Storm (1996) and Bad Religion (1997), have now … Continue reading

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