Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: RUST N’ RAGE – One For The Road

Posted on March 11, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.03.22] The label debut from young Finnish band, Rust N’ Rage. The label claims that Rust N’ Rage’s influences are Dokken, ‘Crue and ‘Priest, but in fact they’ve taken their lead from second or third generation European … Continue reading →

Album review: FIND ME – Lightning In A Bottle

Posted on March 10, 2022 by brianmc

FIND-ME-lightning-in-a-bottle-COVER_600x600

Frontiers [Release date: 11.03.22] Find Me is Robbie LaBlanc, a rock vocalist who enjoys iconic status, and Daniel Flores (and his band) who’s on the same path, if not the same trajectory. The duo have been breathing new life into … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Daniel Flores, eighties, Frank Stallone, Frontiers, Mark Free, melodic rock, pomp rock, review, Robbie Blanc, Signal, Staying Alive movie, Vince DiCola | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK VALLEY MOON – Songs From The Black Valley

Posted on March 9, 2022 by jason

Otitis Media Records [Release date 25.02.22] Black Valley Moon was formed in 2019 by guitarist Sam Williams (Down By Law) and started as an instrumental surf band, however, during the recent global pandemic they added vocalist Ray Vega. The band … Continue reading →

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Album review: EDGE OF FOREVER – Days Of Future Past (Remasters, 3 CD set)

Posted on March 9, 2022 by brianmc

EDGE-OF-FOREVER-the-days-of-future-past-COVER

Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] Frontiers’ golden boy, Alessandro Del Vecchio, formed Edge Of Forever in 2004. The label has now released the band’s back catalogue in a 3 CD, remastered set, titled Days Of Future Past, with a bonus track … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 3 CD set, album, Alessandro Delvecchio, Another Paradise, AOR, Bob Harris, Bobby Barth, Edge Of Forever, Feeding the Flame, Let The Demon Rock'n'Roll, melodic metal, melodic rock, remasters, review | Leave a comment

Album review: GHOST – Impera

Posted on March 8, 2022 by david.wilson

Loma Vista Recordings [Release date 11.03.22] Papa and the Nameless Ghouls are back with album number 5. The last album, Prequelle, took us back to the time of the Plague, but here we join Ghost in more modern times. The concept … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best of 2022 | Tagged album, Bon Jovi, Call Me Little Sunshine, Ghost, heavy metal, Hunters Moon, IMPERA, Loma Vista Recordings, Meloria, nameless ghouls, Papa, review, rock, Runaway, Tobias Forge | Leave a comment

Album review: ANDY IRVINE & PAUL BRADY

Posted on March 8, 2022 by jason

Compass Records [Release date 04.03.22] Andy Irvine/Paul Brady is an album recorded by Andy Irvine and Paul Brady when they formed a duo, after Planxty broke up for the first time in 1975. For this recording they were joined by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Andy Irvine, classic album, Donal Lunny, folk, Paul Brady, Planxty, re-issue, review, the Bothy Band | Leave a comment

Quick plays: PAUL TASKER, BLACK LAKES, D’ERCOLE

Posted on March 6, 2022 by jason

PAUL TASKER Tierra Quemada Yellowroom Records [Release date 01.04.22] Paul Tasker is now releasing his second instrumental album, best known for being co-songwriter with Doghouse Roses and a previous member of the Willard Grant Conspiracy. The album’s title translates to … Continue reading →

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Album review: HOUSE OF SHAKIRA – Lint XXV

Posted on March 6, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 11.02.22] Well, this is interesting… two richly textured remasters of House Of Shakira’s 1997 album, Lint. It is a most unusual approach. To celebrate the album’s 25th Anniversary, the first disc is a remastered version of the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andreas Eklund, Damn Yankees, Lint, melodic rock, Mikael Eriksson, review, Styx, Tommy Shaw, XXV | Leave a comment

Album review: THE JAMES OLIVER BAND – Live At The Earl Haig Club

Posted on March 4, 2022 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 01.03.22] Released on St David’s Day the 1st of March, The James Oliver Band’s ‘Live At The Earl Haig Club’ (Cardiff) is as close as you will get to an old school live album. This all … Continue reading →

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Album review: BANGALORE CHOIR – All Or Nothing, The Complete Studio Albums (3 CD Set)

Posted on March 3, 2022 by brianmc

Global Rock [Release date: 11.03.22] This 3 disc set from Bangalore Choir is outstandingly well compiled. It’s the first release from Store For Music’s new imprint, Global Rock. As well as the band’s career albums, On Target (1992), Cadence (2010) … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 3 CDs, Accept, album review, Andy Susemihl, Bangalore Choir, boxset, Complete Collection, Curt Cuomo, David Reece, Harry Parress, Max Norman, melodic hard rock, Steve Plunkett | Leave a comment

EP review: MICK PINI / AUDIO54 – Pastoral

Posted on March 1, 2022 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date: 28.02.22] There’s nothing like a creative surge of energy to bring fresh reward. And so it that blues veteran Mick Pini revels in his new found collaboration with indie producer Craig Marshall (aka Audio 54), to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Digital only, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Albert Collins, Audio 54, blues, Craig Marshall, EP, Freddie King, funk, King Curtis, Mick Pini, Muscle Shoals, pastoral, Peter Green, psychedelia, review, Robert Cray, Steve Winwood, Traffic | Leave a comment

Album review: JACOB BRYANT – Bar Stool Preacher

Posted on March 1, 2022 by brianmc

Snakefarm Records [Release date o4.03.22] Bar Stool Preacher is a well known phrase in country music, but still a clever one, and it’s apt – it sums up the songs on this pretty fine album. Jacob Bryant is a road … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Country Music, Grand Old Opry, Jacob Bryant, Luke Combs, review | Leave a comment

Album review: SABATON – The War To End All Wars

Posted on February 28, 2022 by david.wilson

Nuclear Blast [Release date 04.03.22] With the last Sabaton album, The Great War, the band led us through some of main events of the First World War and gave the listener an overview of the hell that was both unleashed … Continue reading →

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Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Vengeance Is Mine

Posted on February 28, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date: 25.02.22] Sixth album from Power Metal band, Serious Black. Their reputation for international membership has continued throughout a 7 years and counting career. German founding member, Roland (Helloween) Grapow bailed early on. US vocalist Urban (Tad … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bob Katsionis, Dominic Sebastian, Mario Lochert, Nikola Mijic, power metal, review, Roland Grapow, Serious Black | Leave a comment

Album review: PAPA GEORGE – These Wheels

Posted on February 28, 2022 by petefeenstra

Papa George chatted to Pete Feenstra for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, first broadcast 27 February 2022. Bandcamp [Release date 30.08.21] ‘These Wheels’ is Papa George’s first album for 15 years – an eternity in today’s digital download generation – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, blues, Dan Clarke, Darby Todd, Doyle Bramhall II, funk, Ian Hunt, interview, Jeremy Spencer, Jess Hayes, Papa George, Pete Stroud, review, Robert Cray, Robin Trower, rock, Taxi, These Wheels, Val Cowell, Zoot Money, ZZ Top | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHN ILLSLEY – VIII

Posted on February 27, 2022 by brianmc

100% Records [Release date 04.03.22] VIII is ex Dire Straits founding member John Ilsley’s eighth solo album. The singing bass player’s voice is rough hewn. His grainy, been-round-the-block-a-few times, half spoken, half sung vocal style is a perfect fit for … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE RODS – Metal Will Never Die (The Official Bootleg Boxset)

Posted on February 24, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 25.02.22] Metal Will Never Die is an understandable assertion from The Rods, a band who’ve survived multiple assaults on their place in the genre’s popularity over the last 40 years. The band, a trio, consisted of … Continue reading →

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Album review: SPIRITS OF FIRE – Embrace The Unknown

Posted on February 22, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.02.22] Classic Metal band, Spirits Of Fire release their second album, Embrace The Unknown. The band was formed from scratch in 2017 by Chris (Savatage) Caffery, Steve (Testament) DeGiorgio, and Mark (Fates Warning) Zonder with the estimable … Continue reading →

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Album review: BIRD IN THE BELLY – After The City

Posted on February 22, 2022 by jason

GF*M Records [Release date 25.02.22] Bird in the Belly return with their third record ‘After the City’. A concept record based around the novel ‘After London; or Wild England’ by Richard Jefferies, is an early example of post-apocalyptic fiction first … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged After London, After The City, album, Bird In The Belly, concept album, folk, folk noir, progressive, review, Richard Jefferies | Leave a comment

Album review: THE DAVEY JOHNSTONE BAND – Deeper Than My Roots

Posted on February 20, 2022 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Davey Johnstone for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 13 February 2022. Spirit Of Unicorn Music/Cherry Red [Release date: 04.02.22] 49 years after his ‘Smiling Face’ debut album, Elton John’s guitarist Davey Johnstone is back … Continue reading →

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Album review: ZADRA – Guiding Star

Posted on February 20, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 18.02.22] Guitarist/songwriter/vocalist, August Zadra’s main claim to fame is his lengthy tenure as Dennis DeYoung’s sideman, touring and recording with him since 2010. Guiding Star is his first “solo” album. A considerable weight of talent and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR. Denis DeYoung, August Zadra, Jan Åkesson, Jeff Scott Soto, Jimmy Leahy, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Styx, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Album review : MECCA – 20 Years (3 CD reissue w/bonus tracks)

Posted on February 18, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 18.02.22] Mecca’s 20 Years bundles the band’s 3 albums, released over the last two decades, into an attractive package of original recordings, now remastered, with 5 bonus tracks spread across the 3 CDs. The self titled debut … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, David Hungate, FERGIE FREDERIKSEN, Frontiers, Jim Peterik, Joe Vana, Mecca, melodic rock, review, Shannon Forest, Tim Akers, Tommy Denander, Toto, WestcoastSurvivor | Leave a comment

Album review: MANIC SINNERS – King Of The Badlands

Posted on February 17, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.02.22] Manic Sinners are Frontiers’ first signing from Romania. They are a talented, hard rocking trio of multi-instrumentalists who’ve borrowed heavily from the past, (who hasn’t?). If you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best. They’ve picked … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – Fascination

Posted on February 17, 2022 by jason

Metropolis Records [Release date 18.02.22] Have you ever craved the thick tones of electric guitars over synths in a dark, electronic cocktail of gothic delightfulness? The Birthday Massacre might just be the thing you are missing. Unless of course, like … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, darkwave, Fascination, goth, melodic, metal, review, synth rock, the Birthday Massacre | Leave a comment

Album review: SEAN TAYLOR – The Beat Goes On

Posted on February 17, 2022 by jason

www.seantaylorsongs.com [Release date 14.01.22] Sean Taylor said he has made a deliberate attempt to accentuate a positive message of enjoying life through arts, love, music, things that bring people together. He sings “lose yourself in music, feel every note that … Continue reading →