Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: THE FLOWER KINGS – Desolation Rose

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Yiannis

Inside Out – Out Now. It was almost a year ago that I was granted a thoroughly delightful and highly entertaining interview with Roine Stolt during which I openly questioned his priorities by stating that having a band like The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Desolation Rose, prog, progressive, review, rock, Roine Stolt, The Flower Kings | Leave a comment

Album review: SUNS OF STONE – Suns Of Stone

Posted on October 25, 2013 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release Date: 24.05.13] Ottawa’s Suns of Stone are a classic rock band with bluesy influences. They cross over from Bad Company at their best to The Black Crows, with occasional Purple influences that extend beyond the familiar title … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aerosmith, Alan Charlton, Alex Scott, Andrew Erlandson, Bad Company, Canadian Rock, Chicken Foot, Jimmy King, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ozzy Osbourne, Rush, Sammy Hagar, Suns Of Stone, The Black Crowes | 1 Comment

Album review: AOR – The Secrets Of LA

Posted on October 25, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

AOR Heaven [Release date 02.12.13] Having reviewed – somewhat disparingly I know (A slamming of Slama?) – Frederic Slama’s last offering (LA Temptation) and those of his protégées Chasing Violets – could this latest album redeem the “veteran” LA-based French-born … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Chasing Violets, Frederic Slama, Goran Edman, Jeff Scott Soto, melodic rock, Michael Voss, review, Robin Beck, The Secrets Of LA, Voices Of Rock | Leave a comment

Album review: STRYPER – No More Hell To Pay

Posted on October 25, 2013 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.11.13] Stryper were never one of my favourite Christian rock bands back in the days when I would seek out the new releases by Petra, Bloodgood, White Heart, X-Sinner and White Cross. The glammed up “guys” (from … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Christian rock, No More Hell To Pay, review, Stryper, white metal | Leave a comment

Album Review: RON SAYER JR. & CHARLOTTE JOYCE – Hard To Please

Posted on October 25, 2013 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release Date: 16.09.13] If ever there was an album that highlighted the way Euro blues artist are discriminated against by their American counterparts this is it. Had this album been recorded by an Austin band or indeed cut … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged blues, Charlotte Joyce, funk, Hard To Please, Oli Brown, review, Ron Sayer Jr., Tony McPhee, Wayne Proctor | Leave a comment

Quick Plays: ANTLERED MAN, WINDRUNNERS, PATRIOT REBEL, DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE

Posted on October 24, 2013 by david.wilson

ANTLERED MAN – The Devil Is Them New Heavy Sounds (Release date – out now) This is the second album from the London quartet Antlered Man. The four piece released their debut album last year to great reviews and toured … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, ANTLERED MAN, CD, DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE, EP, metal, PATRIOT REBEL, prog metal, review, rock, The Devil Is Them, The King And The Bishop, Two Worlds, Undead, WINDRUNNERS | Leave a comment

Album Review: NIK TURNER – Space Gypsy

Posted on October 24, 2013 by petefeenstra

Cleopatra Records [Release Date:04/11/13] Surprise, surprise! After a bewildering number of recent projects, Hawkwind founder member Nik Turner has gone back to his space rocking best. He may currently be busy touring the US with his ‘Space Ritual’ show, but … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chris Lietz, Die Krupps, Hawkwind, Iron Butterfly, Jeff Piccinini, Jurgen Engler, Nicky Garratt, Nik Turner, Pink Floyd, Simon House, Space Gypsy, space rock, Steve Hillage | Leave a comment

Album Review: TEXAS CANNONBALLS – Texas Cannonballs

Posted on October 24, 2013 by petefeenstra

Rock ‘n Roll Saves [Release Date: 2013] ‘Texas Cannonballs’ is both the name of a band and an album that rocks out with pounding, dirt in the tracks grooves. From the opening rumbustious ‘Fly Away’ to the laid back Stones … Continue reading →

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Album Review: DARK DESIGN – Prey For The Future

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Yiannis

Heaven And Hell Records – Out Now. Young bands are the lifeblood of any music scene and innovations in recording technology have only seen their numbers grow in recent years. Sadly, easy access to said technology does not always guarantee … Continue reading →

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Album review: JONO – Requiem

Posted on October 23, 2013 by jason

www.jontheband.se Another great musical discovery from Sweden. Jono are centred around vocalist Johan Norrby who is joined by Within Temptation guitarist Stefan Hellebald and drummer Nicka Hellenberg, who appeared on the last Within Temptation album. Completing the line-up are Johan … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Freddie Mercury, Jono, pomp rock, Queen, Requiem, review, Stefan Hellebald, Swedish, symphonic metal, Within Temptation | 1 Comment

Album Review: JEFF HEALEY BAND – Live From NYC

Posted on October 23, 2013 by alanjones

Eagle Rock [Release Date: 14.10.13] It’s beginning to look like every time Jeff Healey walked onto a stage that someone, somewhere was recording the event for posterity. In the last four years alone there’s been ‘Songs From The Road’, ‘Live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1988, album, blues, guitar, guitarist, Jeff Healey, Jeff Healey Band, Live From NYC, review, rock | Leave a comment

Quick Plays: BLACK SUCCUBI, KILLER BEE, STUNTMAN MIKE, HELHORSE

Posted on October 22, 2013 by david.wilson

BLACK SUCCUBI – Eye Of The Beholder Gateway Music (Release Date – out now) These Danish rockers have been together since 2005 and have undergone a number of line-up changes in their time together. This is the band’s second album … Continue reading →

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ELECTRO-NOMICON – Unleashing The Shadows

Posted on October 22, 2013 by david.wilson

No Remorse Records (Release date – out now) To many lovers of rock the passing of the great Ronnie James Dio was a sad day. The man had a unique power, strength and depth to his voice … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, CD, Electro-Nomicon, metal, review, rock, Ronnie James Dio, Unleashing The Shadows | Leave a comment

Album Review: TIDES FROM NEBULA – Eternal Movement

Posted on October 21, 2013 by alanjones

Longbranch Records [Release Date: 07.10.13] I was beginning to think that I was getting to know everything there was to know about Polish progressive rock and its (somewhat understated) importance in the contemporary progressive rock landscape. Bands … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anathema, art rock, Eternal Movement, Poland, progressive, review, Tides From Nebula | Leave a comment

Album review: EYEVORY – Euphobia

Posted on October 21, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 06.05.13] Rob Reed might think that with Magenta’s latest offering that he’s produced a prog album with a capital P. But Bremen based Evevory’s debut long player shows that in prog terms, Teutonic build quality exceeds that of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Euphobia, Eyevory, German, Germany, melodic, pop, prog, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: IRON MASK – Fifth Son Of Winterdom

Posted on October 21, 2013 by jason

AFM Records www.afmrecords.de Iron Mask are another new band on me though Fifth Son of Winterdoom is their fifth studio release following on from Revenge Is My Name (2002), Hordes of the Brave (2005), Shadow of the Red Baron (2010) … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, album review, Fifth Son Of Winterdom, Iron Mask, metal, power metal | Leave a comment

Quick plays: BLACK RAINBOWS, NEVER TRUST, TIM GRIMM, JADED HEART

Posted on October 20, 2013 by jason

BLACK RAINBOWS – Holy Moon (EP) Heavy Psych Sounds Something in the Italian water as they not only produce a series of fine melodic rock/AOR bands but now have some rather good stoner/psych rock bands including this band Black Rainbows. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged Americana, AOR, BLACK RAINBOWS, EP, Fastball Music, High Bar Gang, Holy Moon, Italian, Italy, Jaded Heart, Lost And Undone, MASTERPLAN, melodic metal, metal, Morning Light, Never Trust, roots, Tim Grimm, Turning Point | Comments Off

Album review: TEARS FOR FEARS – The Hurting (30th anniversary edition)

Posted on October 19, 2013 by jason

Universal (3CD/DVD set) A real treat for Tears For Fears fans as this four disc set contains a DVD of the band’s 1984 show at the Hammersmith Odean; the original album; a disc of BBC sessions and a disc of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 30th anniversary, 80s, album, classic album, Curt Smith, electronic, pop, review, rock, Roland Orzabal, Tears For Fears, The Hurting | Leave a comment

Album Review: THE BLOCKHEADS – Same Horse Different Jockey

Posted on October 18, 2013 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release Date: 23.11.13] It’s 36 years since The Blockheads first hit the road to stardom and 13 years since Ian Dury died. And on the evidence of this album, the band appears to be far better positioned … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chaz Jankel, Derek Hussey, funk, Gilad Atzmon, Ian Dury, John Turnbull, Micky Gallagher, Norman Watt-Roy, review, rock, Same Horse Different Jockey, soul, The Blockheads | Leave a comment

Album Review: P-A-U-L LAMB & THE DETROIT BREAKDOWN – Ready Fire Aim

Posted on October 18, 2013 by petefeenstra

E E Records [Release Date: 04.11.13] P-A-U-L Lamb & The Detroit Breakdown certainly live up to their name. Given their prickly urban rock, funk, soul and bluesy tinged style, they fit perfectly into the city’s musical landscape. Their songs are heartfelt, uncompromising … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Captain Beefheart, Detroit, funk, Jason Charboneau, Jim Morrison, Joey Spina, Layla Hall, P-A-U-L Lamb & The Detroit Breakdown, Paul Ulysses Lamb, Ready Fire Aim, review, rock, Shaw Taylor, soul | Leave a comment

Album Review: STONEY CURTIS BAND – Halo Of Dark Matter

Posted on October 17, 2013 by petefeenstra

Blues Bureau [Release Date: 08.10.13] Everything in rock-blues guitarist Stoney Curtis’s world appears to be lyrically refracted through a gloomy lens, or as his album title suggests, a ‘Halo Of Dark Matter’. But it’s also a guitar album that positively … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Barry Barnes, blues, Faces, Halo Of Dark Matter, Jeff Tortora, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Lardie, Mike Varney, Psychedelic Rock, Roy Buchanan, Stoney Curtis, Stoney Curtis Band | Leave a comment

Album Review: RPWL – A Show Beyond Man And Time

Posted on October 16, 2013 by alanjones

Metal Mind [Release Date: 07.10.13] My review of German neo-progressive RPWL’s 2012 album ‘Beyond Man And Time’ earned itself a five star review for its stellar musicianship and outstanding instrumental composition and songwriting – although I did cast doubt on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Show Beyond Man And Time, album, Germany, prog, Progressive Rock, Ray Wilson, review, RPWL | Leave a comment

Album Review: GROOVE-A-MATICS – Keep It Clean

Posted on October 16, 2013 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release Date: 02.09.13] Newcastle’s Groove-A-Matics wear their musical influences on their sleeve. The band’s name is writ large on the opening groove of ‘Way Of The World’, which could easily fit into an early Fab-T Birds album. Impressive … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Barry Race, Blues Burgalars, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Groove-A-Matics, John Morgan, Johnny Whitehill, Keep It Clean, Mick Cantwell, Paul Lamb & the Kingsnakes, Peter Green, review | Leave a comment

Album Review: CHURCH OF VOID – Dead Rising

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Yiannis

Svart Records – Out Now. Debut albums from young and up-and-coming bands are released pretty much on a daily basis but, judging from many positive past experiences, it is mainly those which carry the seal of approval of the independent … Continue reading →

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Album Review: STEVEN WILSON – Drive Home

Posted on October 15, 2013 by alanjones

Kscope [Release Date: 21.10.13] What a busy boy Steven Wilson is these days. Fresh from the release earlier this year of his third solo album ‘The Raven That Refused To Sing’, the release of the fourth Blackfield album and his … Continue reading →