Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: MAHOGANY FROG – Senna

      Moonjune Records Mahogany Frog is an exciting, challenging, hard hitting, innovative and progressive Canadian band. They draw from the same progressive, electronic and symphonic arc as Erik Norlander’s Rocket Scientists, but much like their gate fold art … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE NEW BLACK – III: Cut Loose

AFM This is the German band’s third release (slight hint in the title!) – not that I’ve heard either of their earlier releases though.  Their self titled debut appeared in 2009 with follow up “II – Better in Black” released … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: URIAH HEEP, SAMSON, SIR REG

SAMSON – Head On Lemon / Cherry Red A real NWoBHM classic here, Samson’s second album and the first to feature vocalist Bruce Bruce, aka Bruce Dickinson. Samson issued what is widely considered one of the first NWoBHM LPs in … Continue reading →

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Album Review – SIN/ CITY – Th13teen

    Myskull Records (Release Date – Out Now) If you look Sin/ City up the metal dictionary it would no doubt say ‘See AC/DC’. This German outfit have been kicking out AC/DC style blues rock for many years and … Continue reading →

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Album review: DEREK DAVIS – Re Volt

        Apocalyse Records Former BabylonA.D. vocalist Derek Davis describes his music as ‘Balls out heavy rock with some revolutionary angst’, and it’s hard to argue with his sentiments, though you do wonder just what he’s angry about. … Continue reading →

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Album review: SWAMP TRAIN – Premium Selection

        Swamp Train [Release date 30.03.13 ] Swamp Train take their name from their own brand of down-home rhythms. Armed with cigar box guitars, washboard and harps they impressively carve out their own take on the blues. … Continue reading →

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Album review: BARNEY BENTALL – Flesh & Bone

Barney Bentall - Flesh & Bone

Three independent and seven studio albums into a career that kicked off in 1978, it’s a wonder that the name Barney Bentall – a Vancouver based singer songwriter – has never registered on the GRTR! radar. Those with an encyclopaedic … Continue reading →

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Album review: DE LA CRUZ – Street Level

Frontiers www.frontiers.it De La Cruz are yet another one of Frontier’s more recent signings that has seen them releasing albums by similar minded bands such as Crash Dïet and Crazy Lixx. Image yourself in Los Angeles, the Sunset Strip back … Continue reading →

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Album review: JO HARMAN – Dirt On My Tongue

Chief [Release date 12.03.13] Jo Harman is a ‘singer’s singer’. Everything about this album is tied up with her evocative phrasing, pristine diction and a husky voice that swamps the lyrics in honey. ‘Dirt On My Tongue’ is a surprisingly … Continue reading →

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Album review: JOE BONAMASSA – An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House

        Provogue 2-CD set/2-DVD/Bluray [Monday 25.03.13] ‘An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House’ finds Joe Bonamassa playing to his strengths in an unplugged mode. Together with a carefully chosen multi instrumental quintet, his playing is eloquent, … Continue reading →

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Album review: BIG COUNTRY – The Journey

      Cherry Red (Released 15th April) This marks a major step in Big Country’s history as it is the first studio album not to feature the late Stuart Adamson and the recording debut of the Alarm’s Mike Peters … Continue reading →

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Album review: NO BRAGGING RIGHTS – Cycles

      Good Fight (Release date – 28.03.13) Southern Californian five piece, No Bragging Rights, have been around since 2006 and this is album number two. The band master in hardcore punk with a metal edge coupled with vitriolic … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: STRYPER, PAPER AEROPLANES

STRYPER – The Second Coming         Frontiers www.frontiers.it Stryper are having second wind with two studio albums since they returned back in 2003 (plus a covers album) and they are currently working on a new album for … Continue reading →

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Album review: ELEANOR McEVOY – If You Leave

Eleanor McEvoy - If You Leave

Mosco [Release date 15.04.13] I’ve suggested in the past that I’d be happy to listen to Eleanor McEvoy sing the telephone directory – her soft lilting brogue is simply that addictive. Looking for my latest ‘fix’, even I was concerned … Continue reading →

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Album review: ONWARD CHARIOTS – This Is My Confession

Ben Morss sure knows his stuff when it comes to music, and with his band, Onward Chariots, he shows off his immense knowledge in the form of the indie extravaganza “This Is My Confession”. It’s hard to get into the … Continue reading →

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Album review: RAVEN BLACK NIGHT – Barbarian Winter

Metal Blade – Out Now. I am sure that most of you would have gathered by now that 70s and 80s Rock/Metal music is definitely back in fashion. I mean, all you really have to do is to have a … Continue reading →

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Album review: ORCHID – Wizard Of War

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. If, as I really hope, you are frequent visitors of our album reviews page you will remember that back in January, I was quite generous when rating “Heretic” – the four track E.P of the … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE BIG TEUTONIC FOUR – The Big Teutonic Four E.P

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. Ask a hundred Thrashers to name the most important Thrash Metal bands in the world and you are guaranteed to have the vast majority say, “That has to be the Big Four” referring, of course, … Continue reading →

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Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – English Electric – Part Two

        GEP www.bigbigtrain.com Following hot on the heels of ‘English Electric – Part One’ Big Big Train release the second part and this has high expectations, as its predecessor was runner-up in the ‘Prog’ magazine’s ‘Reader’s Poll’, … Continue reading →

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Album review: ALVIN LEE – The Best Of

      Repertoire Records (2012) This album has been brought into sharp focus by the sad loss of Alvin Lee. The Woodstock guitar hero seemed to be more affected than most by the prevailing sweep of punk and new … Continue reading →

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Album review: CORB LUND – Cabin Fever

        New West Records This album slipped through the net but roots fans should still check it out. Canadian country singer Corb Lund’s ‘Cabin Fever’ is a left field album with a difference.  It’s is full of … Continue reading →

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Album review: MAN THE MACHETES – Idiokrati

Indie Recordings – Out Now. Indie Recordings in a Norwegian Label with an eye for all things unusual and unique-sounding. Want me to throw a few names at you? How about Borknagar, Vreid, Cult Of Luna and Wardruna– all bands … Continue reading →

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Album Review: SPIN DOCTORS – If The River Was Whiskey

      Ruf Records [06.05.13] Given the Spin Doctors penchant for funky rhythms and their early 90’s Hendrix meets Parliament style jamming, the idea of a blues album isn’t necessarily as incredulous as it might sound. The band paid … Continue reading →

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Album review: BLACK – Wonderful Life

        Universal (Released 15th April 2013) Black’s ‘Wonderful Life’ was originally released back in 1987 (this reissue is the CD version that had fifteen songs, the vinyl version only featured ten songs) and of course the title … Continue reading →

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Quick Plays: ROCKY SHADE’S WILDSIDE RIOT, CYANIDE 4

ROCKY SHADE’S WILDSIDE RIOT  – No Second Take Livewire/Cargo Formed in 2010 by former Wrathchild UK front man Rocky Shades, Wildside Riot are best described as a having a hard rock sound somewhere between the light end of NWOBHM and … Continue reading →

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