Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: LITTLE STEVEN – Soulfire

Posted on May 23, 2017 by jason

Wicked Cool/Big Machine/UMe [Release date 19.05.17] It has been awhile since Little Steven’s (Steven Van Zandt) last album, 1999′s ‘Born Again Savage’, although he has been busy touring with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, along with TV appearances including … Continue reading →

Album review: RAVEN – Reissues

Posted on May 23, 2017 by jason

Dissonance Productions [Release date 02.06.17] Formed in the mid 70s by brothers John and Mark Gallagher, initially with twin guitars and progressive rock leanings, Settling as a threesome, with drummer Rob Wacko Hunter, Raven were an integral part of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, All For One, Live At The Inferno, metal, Metallica, NWOBHM, RAVEN, reissues, review, Rock Until You Drop | Leave a comment

Album review: CRAZY LIXX – Ruff Justice

Posted on May 23, 2017 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 21.04.17] For over a decade now Swedes Crazy Lixx have been proving a youthful take on the glam and sleaze bands that dominated the airwaves and MTV in the second half of the eighties. I’d always … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Chrisse Olsson, Crazy Lixx, Danny Rexon, Jens Lundgren, melodic rock, Ruff Justice | Leave a comment

Album review: NIGHT DEMON – Darkness Remains

Posted on May 22, 2017 by Davoski

Steamhammer/SPV [Release date 21.04.17] I thought about writing this review without referencing either of the terms ‘retro metal’ or ‘NWOBHM’. However, after giving this an honest spin through a couple of times, that proved impossible. So closely do Night Demon … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Darkness Remains, Iron Maiden, Night Demon, NWOBHM, retro metal, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BIG WOLF BAND – A Rebel’s Story

Posted on May 20, 2017 by petefeenstra

Big Wolf Records [Release date 15.5.17] In this age of instant downloads, there’s something reassuring about a Brummy blues-rock band with well crafted songs, deep grooves, tight arrangements and inspired playing fuelled by plenty of passion. Big Wolf Band come … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Rebel's Story, Albert Collins, album, Bad Company, Big Wolf Band, Birmingham, Blacktop Deluxe, blues, Brothers Groove, Cream, Deano Bass, Emma Jonson, funk, Gary Moore, Jonathan Earp, Mad Hat Studios, Magnum, Mark V Stuart, Mick jeynes, Paul Kossoff, Peter Green, Rebecca Downs, review, rock, Sheena Sear, Slowburner, Steve Ajao Blues Giants, Steve Gibbons, Tim Jones, Vincent Flatts Final Drive Final Drive | Leave a comment

Album review: FRANKIE OLIVER – Here I Am

Posted on May 19, 2017 by jason

Good Deeds Music [Release date 09.06.17] www.frankieolivermusic.com Frankie Oliver actually recorded his debut album ‘Looking For The Twist’ in 1997 (with the Sly & Robbie rhythm section), however due to various reasons it never really took off and he instead … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Frankie Oliver, Here I Am, mellow, melodic, Paul Carrack, review, Simply Red, soul | Leave a comment

Album review: COCO MONTOYA – Hard Truth

Posted on May 17, 2017 by petefeenstra

Alligator Records [Release date 24.03.17] Coco Montoya’s ‘Hard Truth’ is a career highlight for Coco Montoya. It’s an object lesson in old school dynamics and an album glued together by an essential flow. It’s given a contemporary sheen by drummer … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged Albert Collins, album, Alligator Records, Allman Brothers, Billy Watts, blues, Bob Glaub, Coco Montoya, Dave Steen, Deb Ryder, funk, Hard Truth, John Porter, Johnny Lee Schell, Lee Roy Parnell, Mike Finnigan, review, rock, Ronnie Earl, soul, Teresa James, Terry Wilson, Tony Braunagel, Warren Haynes | Leave a comment

Album review: MIKE ANDERSEN – Devil Is Back

Posted on May 17, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Nordic Music Society [Release date 02.06.17] With six self-produced albums under his belt, Danish singer songwriter Mike Andersen’s latest release Devil Is Back sees him bring in an external producer – drummer Mads Michelsen from Danish band Gnags – and … Continue reading →

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Album review: DEEP PURPLE – inFinite

Posted on May 16, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

earMUSIC [Release date 07.04.17] 2013′s ‘Now What?!’ found Deep Purple in rude good form and backed up by a well received UK tour. With more UK dates in November 2017, inFinite doesn’t quite match the sheer audacity of that album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, Deep Purple, Don Airey, hard rock, heavy rock, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, inFinite, progressive, review, Roger Glover, Steve Morse | Leave a comment

Quick plays: LOVED ONES, DAVEY DODDS

Posted on May 16, 2017 by jason

LOVED ONES Harness Blood Records [Release date 05.05.17] Loved Ones are on ‘that difficult second album’, or so the theory goes, however this band have no qualms on that score as they have a plethora of musical ideas to share … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged albums, alt rock, Davey Dodds, DC Cooper, Fire In The Radio, folk, Last Giant, Loved Ones, New Air, pop punk, prog, prog metal, Quick Play, Red Jasper, reviews, rock, Royal Hunt, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Album review: HUNTER & THE BEAR – Paper Heart

Posted on May 16, 2017 by jason

[Release date 12.05.17] Hunter & the Bear I first heard via Spotify, which may not be overly loved by some musicians, however it did its job as Hunter & the Bear were recommended as I liked Tax The Heat and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, anthems, Hunter & the Bear, Paper Heart, pop rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Quick plays: UNDERHILL ROSE, STEVE MAYONE

Posted on May 16, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

UNDERHILL ROSE Live [Release date 30.06.17] Recorded in North Carolina in September 2016, Live finds Underhill Rose Eleanor Underhill (vocals/banjo/harmonica), Molly Rose Reed (vocals/guitar) and Salley Williamson (vocals and upright bass) delivering a stripped back ‘best of’ set culled from … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged acoustic, album, Americana, Christopher Rayson, Gary Spehar, I Hold Gravity, It's Been Going On, live, review, roots, Sideways Rain, singer, songwriter, Steve Mayone, Underhill Rose | Leave a comment

Album review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Amber Galactic

Posted on May 15, 2017 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 19.05.17] There are a good number of bands paying homage to the classic 70′s and 80′s hard rock/AOR/pop sound, with Brother Firetribe (another band who’s members are drawn from heavier sounding bands) and Cats In Space being … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amber Galactic, AOR, Arch Enemy, disco, Night Flight Orchestra, pop, review, rock, Soilwork, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review: TYGERS OF PAN TANG – The MCA Years

Posted on May 15, 2017 by jason

Caroline International [Release date 19.12.16] 5-CD box set Formed in the north east of England in the late-70s, Tygers Of Pan Tang were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and achieved moderate success, including the minor hit … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, box set, John Sykes, metal, NWOBHM, reissue, review, Rob Weir, rock, the MCA Years, Tygers Of Pan Tang | Leave a comment

Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Legendary Years

Posted on May 14, 2017 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 26.05.17] After a lot of turmoil, and a number of recent line-up changes, the new look Rhapsody Of Fire lay their cards on the table with their new album, which sees the new line-up rerecord a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album, Alex Staropoli, Christopher Lee, Fabio Lione, Legendary Years, Luca Turilli, metal, power metal, review, RHAPSODY OF FIRE | Leave a comment

Album review: DANZIG – Black Laden Crown

Posted on May 14, 2017 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 26.05.17] My history with Glenn Danzig as a solo artist has been kinda iffy. I loved his stuff with The Misfits and Samhain, and the first three solo Danzig albums are stunningly brilliant. The fourth had … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album, Danzig, metal, review, the Black Laden Crown, The Misfits, Tommy Victor | Leave a comment

Album review: DANNY BRYANT – BIG, Live in Europe

Posted on May 11, 2017 by petefeenstra

Jazzhaus Records [Release date 21.04.17] There’s huge vacuum to be filled when you leap from a power trio to a nine piece big band. Apart from the statistical logistics, there’s the intricacy of the arrangements, the need for a big … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Albert Collins, album, BIG: Live In Europe, Danny Bryant, David Madison, guitar, live, review, Richard Hammerton, Steve Watts, Walter Trout | Leave a comment

Album review: LABYRINTH – Architecture of a God

Posted on May 11, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 21.04.17] Labyrinth seemed to have disappeared off the scene follwoing 2010′s ‘Return to Heaven Denied Pt. II: A Midnight’, however they added vocalist Mark Boals to the line-up in 2014. Then last year a reunion of founding members Olaf … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Architecture of a God, Labyrinth, metal, power metal, progressive, review | Leave a comment

Album review: HANOI ROCKS – Reissues

Posted on May 9, 2017 by jason

HANOI ROCKS Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks/Oriental Beat/All Those Wasted Years (Dissonance Productions) Finish band Hanoi Rocks are a glam sleaze metal band largely responsible for an influence that directed the 80s metal scene. Formed in 1979 and recording … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged All Those Wasted Years, Andy McCoy, Bangkok Shocks, Classic Albums, classic rock, glam, Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe, Oriental Beat, reissues, rock, Saigon Shakes, sleaze | Leave a comment

Quick plays: JAGUAR, GIRLSCHOOL, SAMSON

Posted on May 9, 2017 by jason

JAGUAR Power Games (Dissonance Productions) Jaguar were one of the fastest and most underrated bands in the NWoBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) movement, and along with Raven would have a huge impact on the forthcoming speed metal and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Bruce Dickinson, classic rock, Demolition, GIRLSCHOOL, Hit And Run, Jaguar, Live at Reading 1981, metal, NWOBHM, Power Games, review, Samson, Screaming Blue Murder, Shock Tactics, Survivors | Leave a comment

Album review: NAD SYLVAN – The Bride Said No

Posted on May 9, 2017 by jason

Inside Out [Release date 26.05.17] ‘Bride Said No’ is the second part of Nad Sylvan’s ‘vampirate’ trilogy and a follow-up to 2015′s ‘Courting The Widow’. Nad Sylvan is best known for fronting Steve Hackett’s band, who guests on this album, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged album, Guthrie Govan, Inside Out, interview, Jonas Reingold, melodic, Nad Sylvan, Nick D’Virgilio, prog rock, review, rock, Roine Stolt, Steve Hackett, The Bride Said No, Tony Levin | Leave a comment

Album review: JOE BONAMASSA – Live At The Carnegie Hall, An Acoustic Evening

Posted on May 9, 2017 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 23.06.17] Joe Bonamassa’s ‘Live at Carnegie Hall – An Acoustic Evening’ is a successful mid-career sleight of hand. It’s a live acoustic album that recycles mostly familiar material while keeping the career juggernaut moving forward. Being Bonamassa, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, Carnegie Hall, cello, Danny Kortchmar, guitar, Jethro Tull, Joe Bonamassa, live, Live At The Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening, Neil Young, percussion, Reese Wynans, Tina Guo | Leave a comment

Album review: HONEYJACK – 8 Track

Posted on May 8, 2017 by jason

www.honeyjackband.com Honeyjack are a duo of Mark Summerlin (vocals/guitars) and T.J. Scarlett (guitars). Mark Summerlin has been the guitarist and musical director for Seal and he was planning this to be a solo album, that was until he hooked up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged .38 Special, 8 Track, album, AOR, Honeyjack, interview, Mark Summerlin, melodic, review, Rising Stars, rock, Seal, southern rock, TJ Scarlett | Leave a comment

Album review: URIAH HEEP Reissues (Look At Yourself, Demons And Wizards, The Magician’s Birthday)

Posted on May 8, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

BMG [Release date 31.03.17] As we opined when reviewing the first tranche of Heep reissues, we would question the merits of adding a second disc with the “alternative” album version as reimagined by Heep fan and collector Robert Corich under … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, classic rock, Demons And Wizards, expanded, heavy rock, Ken Hensley, Look At Yourself, Mick Box, prog, progressive, reissue, remastered, review, The Magician's Birthday, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Album review: EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER – Reissues (Works Vol.1 & 2, Love Beach)

Posted on May 7, 2017 by jason

BMG [Release date 26.05/17] Formed in 1970, Emerson, Lake & Palmer were one of the first progressive rock supergroups, and certainly one of the most successful. Keyboard player, pianist and keen advocate of the Moog Keith Emerson had previously played with … Continue reading →