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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2027
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2027)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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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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Author Archives: jason
Album review: BITE THE BULLET – Black & White
Escape Music [Release date 27.11.20] Bite The Bullet were originally formed in 1986 by singer songwriter Mick Benton and drummer Graham Cowling (who are also the only two musicians on this album) and they released their debut album in 1989. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bite The Bullet, Black & White, Escape Music, melodic rock, Mr Mister, pop rock, review, The Outfield
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Album review: IRON MASK – Master Of Masters
AFM Records [Release date 05.12.20] For those who live and work outside Power Metal territory, bands like Iron Mask sound much like every other Power Metal band. When you’re on the inside though, perspective comes easy. Different musical styles readily … Continue reading
Album review: THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND – Live At The Nassau Coliseum, May 4 1979
Floating World Singer, songwriter, guitarist and violinist Charlie Daniels, who sadly left us last year, was a pioneer in that he brought together country, blues, bluegrass, rhythm’n’blues and southern rock. A kind of centre point, it’s not until you listen … Continue reading
Album review: SORCERESS OF SIN – Mirrored Revenge
Bandcamp [Release date 27.11.20] Sorceress Of Sin formed in 2020 in Cambridge, based around vocalist/lyricist Lisa Skinner and her husband, drummer Paul Skinner. By day they run a post office but after hours they go all power metal! Joining them … Continue reading
Album review: CREYE – II
Frontiers [Release date 22.01.21] Second album from Creye, a Swedish band founded by Andreas Gullstrand, now fronted by new vocalist, August Rauer. Sweden has been the lightning rod for AOR and melodic rock since the eighties, delivering up aspiring band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Andreas Gullstrand, AOR, August Rauer, Creye, Frontiers, II, melodic rock, review
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Album review: PHANTOM ELITE – Titanium
Frontiers Records (Release date 22/01/21) On their second album now, Phantom Elite grew from the seeds of an HDK tour band, embracing Progressive Rock, Contemporary Metal and Symphonic Rock, evolving into what we see today. Fronted by Marina (Avantasia) La … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amanda Somerville, Frontiers, HDK, Marina La Torraca, melodic metal, metal, Phantom Elite, prog metal, review, Titanium
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Album review: WIG WAM – Never Say Die
Frontiers Records [Release date 22.01.21] Much of today’s melodic rock’n’roll has degenerated into pro-tooled, prefabricated, flatpack assembly blandness. So it’s a genuine joy to hear Wigwam’s Never Say Die, their first release since reforming in 2020. It’s a relentless powerhouse … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Frontiers, glam metal, glam rock, hard rock, Never Say Die, review, rock, Wigwam
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Album review: THE GALILEO 7 – Decayed
Bandcamp Medway’s finest, fronted by Allan Crockford (ex-Prisoners), mark their tenth anniversary as a band with a limited edition album containing studio recordings of some of their favourite cover versions that have featured in their live set over the years. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Allan Crockford, Bandcamp, Covers, Decayed, Galileo 7, indie, interview, pop, pop rock, Prisoners, review
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Quick plays: AUTUMN’S CHILD, ALABAMA SLIM, LONELY THE BRAVE
AUTUMN’S CHILD Angel’s Gate AOR Heaven [Release date 26.02.21] Mikael Erlandsson used to release albums like clockwork (every January) with Last Autumn’s Dream and now his new band Autumn’s Child are back with album number two, a year after the … Continue reading
Album review: JAMIE’S GUNS – Jamie’s Guns
I picked this album up as Jamie’s Guns had shared it on NWOCR Facebook group, I had a half listen while I was working, to the initial track “Whiplash”, stopped what I was doing, immediately played the album in its … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bruce Springsteen, debut, Gaslight Anthem, Jamie's Guns, melodic, modern rock, review, rock
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EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 2
Stranger Danger [Release date 15.01.21] The Lickerish Quartet return with their second four song EP. The band comprise ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr, Tim Smith and Eric Dover and like the much missed Jellyfish, they carry on that band’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, indie pop, indie rock, Jellyfish, melodic, pop rock, power pop, review, the Lickerish Quartet, Threesome Vol 2
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Album review: VOODOO CIRCLE – Locked & Loaded
AFM Records [Release date 15.01.21] Locked & Loaded is Voodoo Circle’s love letter to Led Zeppelin and Whitesnake. We should all be delighted that Alex Beyrodt got the band back together again. The classic line up, we mean. The team … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AFM Records, album, Alex Beydrot, David Readman, hard rock, heavy metal, Locked & Loaded, review, rock, VOODOO CIRCLE
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Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Live albums
Frontiers Records [Release date 04.12.20] Even when hearing familiar Blue Oyster Cult material performed live, you are reminded of just how different they are to all in their peer group. These two live recordings are densely packed with reasons that … Continue reading
News: FOO FIGHTERS, RAINBREAKERS, KISS, JOHN SYKES (January 2021)
Foo Fighters have released a new song ‘No Son Of Mine’ taken from their upcoming album ‘Medicine at Midnight’, out February 5 on Roswell Records/Columbia Records. John Sykes (ex-Blue Murder, Whitesnake) released a new song ‘Dawning Of A Brand New … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions
Tagged blues, EP, folk, Foo Fighters, gigs, John Sykes, Kiss, metal, New releases, news, Rainbreakers, rock, singles, tour dates
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Album review: EDENBRIDGE – The Chronicles of Eden Part 2
SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 15.01.21] Second best of from symphonic metal band Edenbridge, with this volume drawn from their studio albums 5-10. Edenbridge, who have been around now for over twenty years, revolve around original members vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher and songwriter/multi-instrumentalist … Continue reading
EP review: OBSESA – Let In The Light
OBSESA [Release date 26.12.20] Obsesa formed in 2017 in Bury St Edmunds (Vocals/Guitar: Jason Smith, Guitar: Adam Ingram, Bass: Matt Cooper, Drums: Pete Hutchins) have come out swinging and bludgeoning on their debut ep ‘Let In The Light’. Three tracks … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Doom Metal, EP, Let In The Light, metal, Metallica, Obsesa, review, speed metal, Thrash
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Album review: THE RODS – Expanded Remasters
In The Raw, The Rods Live, Let Them Eat Metal Rock Candy’s remastered & reissued programme often serves to bring a deserving band (and album) to a new audience. The Rods are the perfect example. Their eighties’ albums were in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, classic metal, David “The Rock” Feinstein, hard rock, live, metal, reissue, review, Rock Candy, the Rods
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Album review: HUMBLE PIE – The Atlanta Years
Store For Music [Release date 11.12.20] Steve Marriott is best remembered in the UK as the front man for the Small Faces . Also rememberd by many as Britain’s best blue eyed soul singer, and not least for his songwriting … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged blues rock, classic rock, concerts, Humble Pie, live, re-issue, review, rock, Small Faces, soul, Steve Marriott, The Atlanta Years
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EP review: COLLATERAL – Acoustic Covers Lockdown
Website [Release date 25.12.20] 2020 should have been Collateral’s breakthrough year on the back of a well-received album from both fans and critics alike, and tour plans laid. That was before the pandemic laid waste to all of that. However, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged acoustic, Aerosmith, Angelo Tristan, Bon Jovi, classic songs, Collateral, Covers, Def Leppard, EP, Leonard Cohen, review, rock
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Album review: LEGS DIAMOND – Expanded Remasters
Rock Candy Records [Release date 04.12.20] Legs Diamond has ceased trading and then later reopened for business several times since its inception in 1975, and is still gigging to this day. Enterprising UK label, Rock Candy Records remastered and reissued … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Expanded Remasters, hard rock, Legs Diamond, melodic rock, re-issues, review, Rick Sandford, Rock Candy
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Album review: THE SWEET – Isolation Boulevard
Website [Release date 18.12.20] First recordings by the revamped Sweet line-up that sees original member guitarist Andy Scott and long serving drummer Bruce Bisland joined by bassist/backing vocalist Lee Small (Phenomena, Shy, Lionsheart) and vocalist Paul Manzi (Cats In Space, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Digital only, Reissues
Tagged album, Andy Scott, classic rock, glam rock, Isolation Boulevard, Lee Small, Paul Manzi, pop rock, review, rock, The Sweet
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Album review: OCEAN HILLS – Santa Monica
AFM Records [Release date 27.11.20] Ocean Hills is the brain child of vocalist Zoli Teglas (ex-Ignite), having taken 30 years’ worth of experience in the music business to launch this project with some very talented, accomplished musicians - Peter Lukacs (guitars), Daniel Szebenyi … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Kiss, melodic, Ocean Hills, review, rock, Santa Monica, Zoli Teglas
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Quick plays: MARIOS POLITIS, SILENT SKIES, MOTHER ROAD
MARIOS POLITIS This Is My Story Alcyone Records [Release date 10.11.20] Marios Politis is a composer, singer and guitarist from Athens, Greece who has released an album of meaningful and thoughtful songs. The lyrics focus on introspection and personal experiences … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, alt rock, cinematic, Evergrey, hard rock, indie, Keith Slack, Marios Politis, melodic, Mother Road, review, Silent Skies, Tom S Englund, Vikram Shankar
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Album review: THE WILDHEARTS – 30 Year Itch
Round Records [Release date 04.12.20] My initial thought when I looked at this album was, I feel old! How can it have been 30 years since the Wildhearts exploded onto the music scene?? Returning to the classic Wildhearts line up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 30 Year Itch, album, Ginger, melodic, punk, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, the Wildhearts
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EP review: HATS OFF GENTLEMEN IT’S ADEQUATE – Feeling Great
Bandcamp [Release date 18.12.20] One of the better things during 2020 have been to see the rise in interest and acclaim for the progressive duo Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate are Malcolm Galloway and Mark … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged album, EP, Feeling Great, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, melodic, prog rock, progressive, review
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