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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review: D’ERCOLE – Mass Formation
Rock Company Records [Release date 03.03.23] Back again with album number nine from D’Ercole who feature Damian D’Ercole (bass, guitars), Phil Vincent (vocals, guitars, keys) and B.F. D’Ercole (drums). They are a prolific bunch, although that is no surprise as … Continue reading
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Tagged album, D'Ercole, hard rock, Mass Formation, melodic hard rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock, Rock Company Records
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Album review : DEICIDE – Bible Bashers (3 CD Retrospective)
Dissonance/Cherry Red [Release date: 24.02.23] The first of the 3 CDs in this Deicide set, InsinerateHymn (fabulous title), was the band’s fifth album, released in 2000. The band, led by bassist/ writer/ singer, Glen Benton, had made their not inconsiderable … Continue reading
Album review: CREYE – Weightless
Frontiers [Release date 17.02.23] After a commercially unsuccessful debut album, it was the addition of August Rauer as vocalist in 2018 that kick started Creye’s career as a melodic rock band. On the downside, Weightless, their third album, is filled … Continue reading
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Tagged album, August Rauer, Creye, Eclipse, Eurorock, HEAT, melodic rock, review, Weightless, Work Of Art
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Album review: WILL POUND & JENN BUTTERWORTH – Volume 1
Bandcamp [Release date 24.02.23] Two of the finest instrumentalists in traditional music combine to produce an album full of musical wonders. Jenn Butterworth won the 2019 Scots Trad Music Awards Musician of the Year accolade while Will Pound has been … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, classical, folk, harmonica, instrumental, Jenn Butterworth, review, traditional music, Volume 1, Will Pound
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Album review: TEENAGE GLAMPAGE – 80 Glambusters From The Seventies (4CD boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 17.02.23] Glamrock stamped its imprint on the UK Pop scene in the Seventies, and perhaps overstayed its welcome. But while it reigned supreme, it produced countless unforgettable pop songs. This 4 CD anthology, Teenage Glampage, begins … Continue reading
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Tagged 80 Glambusters, Barron Knights, Barry Blue, Bay City Roller, Bill Martin, boxset, Cozy Powell, Don Fardon, Glamrock, Hush, Mott the Hoople, Mud, Mungo Jerry, Phil Coulter, review, seventies, Slik, Suzi Quatro, T.Rex, Teenage Glampage, The Sweet, Wizzard
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Album review : FIRST SIGNAL – Face Your Fears
Frontiers [Release date 17.02.23] Harry (Harem Scarem) Hess teams up this time with producer/writer, Michele Guiatoli, who has recently impressed us with his guitar and mixing desk skills on the Issa album, Lights Of Japan. The last First Signal album … Continue reading
Album review: MIKE KENEALLY – The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat
Exowax Recordings [Release date 24.02.23] Mike Keneally played keyboard and guitar with Zappa. More recently he’s provided similar support to Satriani. But on his latest solo album it’s the Zappa irreverence that comes out on the opening track ‘Logos’ which … Continue reading
Album review – KHYMERA – Hold Your Ground
Frontiers [Release date 10.02.23] Texas native, bassman and vocalist, Dennis (Pink Cream 69/Unisonic/Place Vendome/Sunstorm) Ward, transformed into a full blown front man with Khymera earlier this millennium. The band membership is inclined to fluidity, but Ward has assembled a fine … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Dennis Ward, Eric Ragno, Hold Your Ground, Khymera, melodic rock, Pink Cream 69, review, Unisonic
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Album review: ROBIN MCAULEY – Alive
Frontiers Records [Release date 17.02.23] Robin’s last album ‘Standing On The Edge’ was my top album of 2021 so this new release has a lot to live up to. However, with Robin you know that quality is assured and with … Continue reading
Album review: LOVEBITES – Judgement Day
JPU Records [Release date 24.02.23] I first became aware of Lovebites a few years back when they opened for Dragonforce. Not knowing the band’s musical leanings, I was very surprised that night at their blend of power and thrash metal … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Asami, Dragonforce, Haruna, Japan, JPU Records, Judgement day, Lovebites, Medori, metal, Myaki, power, review, rock, Steve Harris, symphonic, Thrash
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Album review: THE HAYLEY GRIFFITHS BAND – Melanie
Posh & Rock Records [Release date 20.01.23] We first came across Hayley Griffiths when she fronted Karnataka for a time, including one studio album in 2015. Her departure (with others) from that band was apparently acrimonious but she has dusted … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Karnataka, Melanie, metal, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Hayley Griffiths Band
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Album review: T3NORS – Naked Soul
Frontiers [Release date: 10.02.23] So much of Frontiers’ melodic rock finds itself impervious to outside influences. There are few AOR albums from the label that have successfully taken on contemporary musical mores. The truth is – we all claim to … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Blanc Faces, Giant, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Naked Soul, Perfect Plan, Pride of Lions, review, Robbie LeBlanc, T3NORS, Toby Hitchcock
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Album review: WIG WAM – Out Of The Dark
Frontiers [Release date 10.02.23] Hard to believe Wig Wam began strutting their Glam/Classic Rock stuff two decades ago.Their flirtation with Eurovision is well documented, but the band’s post 2014 downtime gap is not. What we do know is that the … Continue reading
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Tagged album, comeback, Eurovision, glam rock, metal, Out Of The Dark, review, Wig Wam
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Album review: MOTORHEAD – Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC
Silver Lining Music [Release date 24.02.23] “If the guys wanted to prove a point with this record then they have achieved that goal and then some. ‘Aftershock’ was a great album but with ‘Bad Magic’ Lemmy, Phil and Mikkey have … Continue reading
Album review: BRIAN TARQUIN & HEAVY FRIENDS – Brothers In Arms
BHP Music/Guitar Trax Records [Release date 03.02.23] Yes I wasn’t too kind to guitarist Mike Campese when reviewing his album ‘Reset’. But you only have to listen to Brian Tarquin’s latest offering to understand how a guitar based album should … Continue reading
Album review: UFO – No Heavy Petting (Remaster)
Chrysalis Records [Release date 20.01.23] Re-issues and re-masters are two-a-penny and often there’s marginal benefit in penning a review, much less making an actual purchase. This album was previously remastered in 2007. I have, though, been impressed with the series … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, CD, classic rock, hard rock, Michael Schenker, No Heavy Petting, Phil Mogg, remaster, review, UFO
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Album review: PROGedia – Dioscuri
R&S Records [Release date: 24.03.23 - Digital 24.04.23 - Physical] If you want a great groove to start the New Year, head this way. Fed Conti is an Italian producer and multi instrumentalist and his latest project is quite wonderful. … Continue reading
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Tagged album, beats, Dioscuri, electronica, Fed Conti, funk, PROGedia, review, rock, trip hop
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Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night
Escape Music [Release date 17.02.23] Gabrielle de Val has been involved in the rock scene since 1987 when she created the band Yin-Yang, which would later be called D’Val. They never recorded a full album, however, fast forward to 2010 … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Gabrielle de Val, hard rock, Kiss In A Dragon Night, Mark Boals, melodic rock, Mike Oldfield, review
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Album review: WHAT A GROOVY DAY – The British Sunshine Pop Sound, 1967-72 (3 CD boxset)
Cherry Red/ Grapefruit [Release date 27.02.23] Sunshine Pop – a worldwide phenomenon, though most popular in the USA and the UK – predated the age of psychedelia only by a matter of months. Legendary but hitless sixties UK band, Tony … Continue reading
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Tagged 3 CD set, boxset, review, Sunshine Pop, The seventies, The Sixties
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Album review: MIKE CAMPESE – Reset
www.mikecampese.com [Release date 11.11.22] I’m sorry but Mike Campese exhibits all the worst aspects of “guitar virtuoso”. Guitarists may well acknowledge his technical mastery (and he has featured in several big guitar mags) but for the average listener this is … Continue reading
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Tagged album, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Mike Campese, Neo Classical, Reset, review
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Album review: CERI JUSTICE – Walk In Shadow
www.cerijustice.rocks [Release date 15.04.22] Here at GRTR! it doesn’t really matter that we are reviewing an album nearly 12 months old. If it comes to our attention belatedly and is meritorious, we do it. It was Pete Feenstra playing a … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Ceri Justice, classic rock, Justified, pop, pop rock, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter
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Album review: KATATONIA – Sky Void Of Stars
Napalm Records [Release date: 20.01.23] Ever since Swedish behemoths Katatonia de-coupled themselves from the doom-metal train to oblivion with the ‘Night Is The New Day’ album way back in 2009, they have been the flag-bearers of a genre best described … Continue reading
Album review: RONNIE ROMERO – Raised On Heavy Radio
Frontiers Records [Release date: 27.01.23] Second “Raised On…” album from Ronnie (Rainbow, Lords Of Black, The Ferry Men) Romero. Recording cover versions of your favourite songs must be a temptation that’s impossible to resist. Many singers/bands have done it. Few … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Bad Company, Chris Caffery, Foreigner, Gus G, heavy metal, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, melodic rock, Nozuma Wakei, Rainbow, Raised On Heavy Radio, review, Roland Grapow, Ronnie Romero, Steve Perry, Survivor
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Album review: JARROD DICKENSON – Big Talk
Website [Release date 03.02.23] After a major label deal-gone-bad and Covid complications left him with a life-long medical condition, Jarrod Dickenson comes out fighting with ‘Big Talk’, an album full of classy melodies and lyrics. The album features Jano Rix (The … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, Big Talk, country, Jarrod Dickenson, review, rock, singer songwriter
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Album review : CROWNE – Operation Phoenix
Frontiers [elease date: 27.01.23] Second album from Crowne, a high end assembly made up of members of H.E.A.T., Art Nation, Europe, The Poodles and Dynazty. Respectively, Jona Tee, Alexander Strandell, John Leven, Christial Lundqvist and Love Magnusson. The debut didn’t … Continue reading
