Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review : BLUE OYSTER CULT – 50th Anniversary Live : Second Night (2CDs+DVD)

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Frontiers [Release date : 09.08.24] BOC’s 1972 album, Tyranny And Mutation (their second), continues to get 4 and 5 star reviews in the mainstream music media in its many reissued forms… special vinyl editions, special Japanese releases, 1990 and 2001 … Continue reading

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Album review : MISTER MISERY – III

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AFM Records [Release date : 02.08.24] Looking like a reimagined Kiss in a Gothic horror movie, Mister Misery’s dress and music sense could not be more theatrical. Nor could it fit the music any better, and vice versa. On III, … Continue reading

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Album review : PRODUCERS – self titled (5 CD Boxset)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] To call them a Supergroup would be a cliché. This collection of musicians transcends tired headlines. Chris Braide, Trevor Horn, Steve Lipson, Lol Creme and Ash Soan need no introduction to tuned in music … Continue reading

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Album review : TORME – The Bernie Torme Archives 1985-93 (5 CDs)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] A second volume of remastered material taken from Bernie Torme’s extraordinary career. He was a guitarist and a songwriter whose personality and positivity affected everyone he worked with. A musician with “lightning in his … Continue reading

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Album review: FALCON TRAILS – Coming Home

Falcon Trails - Coming Home

Metalville Records [Release date 19.07.24] Having a lifelong love of all things VW Campervan, the cover alone was enough to pique this reviewer’s interest! Falcon Trails features vocalist Lee Small (Sweet, Lionheart, Phenomena), composer/lyricist and mutli-instrumentalist Mika Grönholm (who released a couple of … Continue reading

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Album review : THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS – Rise Above It All

The Georgia Thunderbolts - Rise Above It All

Mascot [Release date : 23.08.24] The Georgia Thunderbolts are an unapologetic retro band with a Southern rock meets early 70’s British blues-rock feel, which will hold wide appeal for heritage rock fans. ‘Rise Above It All’ is a suitably titled … Continue reading

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Album review : THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE – Timescape (2 CDs)

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Brave Words [Release date : 19.07.24] There’s drummers and there’s Chris Slade. Rock royalty. A musician who knows no boundaries. One who fits seamlessly into most any genre. His CV includes 6 years with Asia, 5 years with AC/DC and … Continue reading

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Album review: STEVIE JONES & THE WILDFIRES – Getting There

STEVIE JONES & THE WILDFIRES - Getting There

Website [Release date 16.08.24] Stevie Jones (vocals, acoustic guitar) is joined by the three piece Wildfires – Alfie Dabrowski (guitar), Bob Dabrowski (bass) & Dave Carter (drums) – for album number three under this name. They are joined by special guests … Continue reading

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Album review : UNCLE SLAM – Will Work For Food and When God Dies (2 CD Reissue)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 26.07.24] Uncle Slam’s roots grew and blossomed in the fertile ground of Punk and Thrash, California style, in the late 80s, taking shape initially in the form of Suicidal Tendencies. Then splintering off into various … Continue reading

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Album review: TUK SMITH & THE RESTLESS HEARTS – Rogue To Redemption

tuk smith and the restless hearts rogue to redemption

Gypsy Rose Records [Release date 30.08.24] Second album by Tuk Smith & the Restless Hearts, who are fronted by ex-Biters frontman Tuk Smith. Produced by Tuk and mixed by Chris Dugan (Green Day, Iggy Pop, U2), the album was written over the last three years … Continue reading

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Album review: ELLES BAILEY– Beneath The Neon Glow

Elles Bailey-Enjoy The Ride

Cooking Vinyl [Release date 09.08.24] Elles Bailey represents different things to different people. She schooled in roots, rock, blues and Americana. And it’s the latter genre along with her openness to song writing collaborations which gives ‘Beneath The Neon Glow’ … Continue reading

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Album review : JOHN MILES – The Albums 1983 – 1993 (3 CDs)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] Behind the John Miles’ name and his launchpad hit single ‘Music (Was My First Love)’ in 1976, there lay a musician whose full-on career in music can barely be crammed into a Wikipedia page. … Continue reading

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Album review: KISSIN’ DYNAMITE – Back With A Bang

KISSIN' DYNAMITE - Back With A Bang

Napalm Records [Release date: 05.07.24] German rockers Kissin’ Dynamite have been pounding away since 2006 but their current mission statement is simple: Bring Back Stadium Rock. ‘Back With A Bang’ supports their strategy with a series of hard rock anthems … Continue reading

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Album review : PAUL DI’ANNO’S WARHORSE

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BraveWords Records [Release date : 19.07.24] The music here serves as a fully realised reminder of the gifts that vocalist Paul Di’Anno has displayed numerous times, originally with Iron Maiden, and then anything he’s been involved with since. Despite (or … Continue reading

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Album review: NEKTAR – Mission To Mars

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Deko [Release date 30.06.24] And so Nektar are back with another new line-up, but without keyboard player Klaus Henttatch, the last mainstay of the band since the passing of Roye Albighton. Sadly drummer and founder member Ron Howden also passed … Continue reading

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Album review : NIKOLO KOTZEV – Nostradamus, The Rock Opera – studio album version and Live In Sofia version

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Frontiers [Release date : 19.07.24] Writing and producing Nostradamus, the Rock Opera, was a hugely ambitious undertaking and took its architect, Nikolo (Brazen Abbot) Kotzev, 3 years to complete. Released in 2001, it sold 50,000 worldwide. A significant achievement for … Continue reading

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Album review : CAN’T SEEM TO COME DOWN – The American Sounds of 1968

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Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] In 1968, the comedown from 1967’s “Summer Of Love” quickly dissipated, leading directly into a year of inventive, eclectic rock music, often groundbreaking, frequently influential. That’s reflected in the 3 CDs of Cherry Red/Grapefruit’s … Continue reading

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Album review: DAVID BOWIE – David Bowie

David Bowie

Deram [Release date 26.07.24] The late David Bowie had a long, successful and influential career, and most will (or should) be familiar with the bulk of his catalogue. Finally finding his ‘sound’, a groove, at the turn of the 70s, … Continue reading

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Album review : PALACE – Reckless Heart

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Frontiers [Release date : 12.07.24] Michael Palace has long since proved that his classy debut, Master Of The Universe, was too good to be a fluke. On Reckless Heart, his fifth album, he continues to display his considerable gifts as … Continue reading

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Album review : MR. BIG – Ten

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Frontiers [Release date: 12.07.24] Holding the world in their hands, Mr Big say goodbye to the late Pat Torpey, the band’s drummer, who lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018. And after 35 years of flying highs and way … Continue reading

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Album review: ORDEN OGAN – The Order of Fear

Orden Ogan - Order of Fear

Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 05.07.24] Album number eight by the power metal veterans Orden Ogan (well, they have been around since 1997 under the Orden Ogan name!) and their first for their new record label, Reigning Phoenix Music. Mainman Sebastian “Seeb” … Continue reading

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Album review : KRYPTOS – Decimator

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AFM Records [Release date : 05.07.24] On their magnificent seventh album now, Indian heavy metal band, Kryptos still have their eyes on the prize. It’s always tantalisingly out of reach for most bands. Few ever get their hands on it. … Continue reading

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Album review : THE BYRON BAND – On The Rocks… Again, 3CD Box Set

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Cherry Red [Release date : 28.06.24] CD1: On The Rocks (1981) CD2: Demos recorded for unreleased second album (1982) CD3: Rehearsal Recording (1981), plus Live In Liverpool (1980) The title of the Byron Band’s debut album, On The Rocks, is … Continue reading

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Album review: CIRCULINE – C.O.R.E.

CIRCULINE - C.O.R.E.

Inner Nova Music [Release date 20.09.24] There’s nothing quite like a bit of old school schmoozing. Circuline have, let’s say, a certain maturity of years (their bassist Shelby excluded) and – therefore – a maturity of outlook. Old timers like … Continue reading

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Album review : CHATEAUX – Spirit Of The Chateau (3 CD Reissue)

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Cherry Red [Release date : 21.06.24] CD1: Chained And Desperate (1983) CD2: Firepower (1984) CD3: Highly Strung (1985) Led by guitarist, Tim Broughton, English metal band Chateau signed to Ebony Records, a NWOBHM startup label, in 1981. The band (previously … Continue reading

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