Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: ROBIN MCAULEY – Standing On The Edge

Posted on April 20, 2021 by david.wilson

Frontiers [Release date 07.05.21] Robin McAuley has been very busy of late. Following on from his return stint with Michael Schenker he then went on to front the Black Swan project, joining Jeff Pilson and Reb Beach, who released the excellent ‘Shake The World’ … Continue reading →

Album review: BLACK SPIDERS – Black Spiders

Posted on April 20, 2021 by david.wilson

Cargo Records [Release date 26.03.21] Get those middle fingers raised and hail the return of the mighty Black Spiders! The band are back with most of the original line up in place and they are rocking as hard as ever. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Black Sabbath, Black Spiders, CD, Doom, FUBS!, metal, Pete Spiby, review, rock, Tiger Si, Wyatt Wendalls | Leave a comment

Album review: MOTORHEAD – Louder Than Noise… Live In Berlin

Posted on April 20, 2021 by david.wilson

Silver Lining Music [Release date 23.04.21] High on my list of memorable gigs is a night spent with Motorhead at Newcastle City Hall back in November 2012. Motorhead were on top form that night and when you add in a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 2012, Ace Of Spades, album, Anthrax, Berlin, Lemmy, live, Louder Than Noise, metal, Mikkey Dee, Motorhead, Newcastle, Overkill, Phil Campbell, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: TRENTE – Aveugle & Sourd

Posted on April 20, 2021 by brianmc

Bad Reputation [Release date 02.04.21] Bringing new meaning to the saying “Les Trente Glorieuses”, unmistakeably French rock band, Trente, treat us to a reductive fusion of pop and rock, with Aveugle & Sourd (blind and deaf). Stating the obvious perhaps, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Aveugle & Sourd, Bad Reputation France, bonus track, Danny Vaughn, review, Trente, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review: FLESH & BLOOD – Blues For Daze (remaster w/ 2 bonus)

Posted on April 19, 2021 by brianmc

Bad Reputation France [Release date 05.03.21] Something of a Melodic Rock Supergroup, Flesh & Blood was put together in the early nineties by Touch/Drive She Said’s talented songwriter and producer, Mark Mangold. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn and Al (TSO/Savatage) Pitrelli were … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Al Pitrelli, album, Blues For Daze, blues rock, bonus tracks, Danny Vaughn, Drive She Said, Flesh & Blood, Mark Mangold, remaster, review, Savatage, Touch, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review: ED COSENS – Fortunes Favour

Posted on April 18, 2021 by jason

Distiller Records [Release date 09.04.21] Ed Cosens is the guitarist and one of the main songwriters in the Reverend and the Makers (one of the band’s former members Dave Sanderson appears on this album), a band who have been around … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 60s pop, album, Ed Cosens, Fortunes Favour, melodic, pop, Reverend and the Makers, review, Richard Hawley, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: STINGRAY (Remaster with bonus track)

Posted on April 18, 2021 by brianmc

Bad Reputation France [Release date 05.03.21] Enterprising French label, Bad Reputation, has been bringing some excellent new material to our attention recently. But for now we’ll focus on some classic blasts from the past, beginning with criminally overlooked South African … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, Bad Reputation, Boston, melodic rock, REO Speedwagon, review, South Africa, Stingray, Styx | Leave a comment

Album review: TEMPLE BALLS – Pyromide

Posted on April 16, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 16.03.21] Despite the diabolically bad band name, Temple Balls’ popularity and reputation continue to grow. Produced by Jonah (HEAT) Tee, Pyromide is their third album. Their high energy melodic rock songs have a bright, brash ebullience. But … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Frontiers, H.E.A.T., Jonah Tee, melodic rock, Pyromide, review, Temple Balls | Leave a comment

Album review: VARIOUS – Riding The Rock Machine

Posted on April 16, 2021 by brianmc

Grapefruit/Cherry Red [Release date 23.03.21] Riding The Rock Machine is a supremely enjoyable, 60 track slice of cultural history. The UK’s pop and rock legacy should be considered a National Treasure, to be protected and promoted. Grapefruit/ Cherry Red are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 10CC, 60 tracks, boxset, Cherry Red, ELO, Family, Foghat, Foreigner, Free, Grapefruit, Nazareth, Procol Harum, review, Riding The Rock Machine, Seventies Classic Rock, THE WHO, Thin Lizzy, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Album review: ROBBIE LaBLANC – Double Trouble

Posted on April 14, 2021 by andynathan

Escape Music (Release date 16.04.21) Robbie LaBlanc is not only one of the melodic rock world’s most admired singers, but increasingly its most prolific. It’s only a few months since I reviewed the East Temple Avenue album he lent his … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, Robbie LaBlanc, Steve Overland, Tommy Denander | Leave a comment

Album review: FM – Tough It Out Live

Posted on April 13, 2021 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 09.04.21) It already seems a long time ago but one of the gig highlights of the winter before the pandemic struck was the Big-Three-O tour in which FM, together with Dan Reed Network and Gun, celebrated … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, FM, live album, melodic rock, Steve Overland, Tough It Out | Leave a comment

Album review: SWEET OBLIVION (feat Geoff Tate) – Relentless

Posted on April 13, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] Another Italian job. The Sweet Oblivion (feat Geoff Tate) debut was co-written by Tate and DGM guitarist/producer, Simone Mularoni. Relentless is the follow up, and it’s been been co-written and produced by another multi-talented Italian … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Aldo Lonobile, Frontiers Music, GEOFF TATE, hard rock, heavy metal, Queensryche, review, Sweet Oblivion | Leave a comment

Album review: GILBY CLARKE – The Gospel Truth

Posted on April 12, 2021 by jason

Golden Robot Records [Release date 23.04.21] Later this month Gilby Clarke releases his fifth studio album “The Gospel Truth”, his first new solo album since 2001’s “Swag” and it is a welcome return. He has kept himself busy since leaving … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Gilby Clarke, Golden Robot Records, guitarist, Guns 'N' Roses, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, sleaze, Solo, The Gospel Truth | Leave a comment

Album review: MARTY FRIEDMAN – Tokyo Jukebox 3

Posted on April 12, 2021 by brianmc

Mascot Records/The Players Club [Release date 16.03.21] Still mining a rich seam of J-pop, guitarist Marty (Megadeth) Friedman is now on his third Tokyo Jukebox album of instrumentals. The J-Pop genre is ubiquitous in Japan, the country Friedman has called … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, J-pop instrumentals, Japan, Marty Friedman, Mascot records, Megadeth, Tokyo Jukebox | Leave a comment

Album review: THE TREATMENT – Waiting for Good Luck

Posted on April 11, 2021 by jason

Frontier Records [Release date 09.04.21] “Waiting For Good Luck” is the fifth album from well-established British rockers, The Treatment and I have to say I think this is their best to date. This is simply a classic rock album with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Frontiers, hard rock, Laurie Mansworth, New Wave of Classic Rock, review, rock, The Treatment, Waiting for Good Luck | Leave a comment

Album review: THE END MACHINE – Phase 2

Posted on April 11, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] This second The End Machine album, Phase 2, does what it would’ve said if it had been in a tin. And it says it emphatically, loudly, subtly in places and outright aggressively in others. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Dokken, End Machine, Frontiers Records, George Lynch, Jeff Pilson, Lynch Mob, melodic hard rock, Mick Brown, Pete Brown, Robert Mason | Leave a comment

Album review: AMY SPEACE & THE ORPHAN BRIGADE – There Used To Be Horses Here

Posted on April 10, 2021 by jason

Proper Records [Release date 30.04.21] This is a very personal album from Amy Speace as she looks back on a twelve-month span between her son’s first birthday and the loss of her father. The album’s lyrical themes cover childhood memories, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Amy Speace, folk, melodic, review, singer songwriter, the Orphan Brigade, There Used To Be Horses Here | Leave a comment

Album review: MARY STOKES BAND featuring SARAH MICHELLE – Comin’ Home

Posted on April 10, 2021 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 03.12.20] Mary Stokes Band’s ‘Comin’ Home’ is for the most part a live off the floor ‘warts and all’ album culled from 2 rehearsals with a couple of additional studio cuts. Mary Stokes is an enduring … Continue reading →

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Album review: MASON HILL – Against The Wall

Posted on April 10, 2021 by jason

7Hz Porductions [Release date 05.03.21] Mason Hill have had a proper rock ‘n’ roll rollercoaster ride to get to this point of releasing their debut album, some six years after first forming. They signed to a label, left said label, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Against The Wall, album, debut, Mason Hill, modern rock, Nickelback, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THE PALACE GUARD – All Night Long: An Anthology 1965-1966

Posted on April 9, 2021 by jason

Omnivore Recordings [Release date 21.5.21] Garage rockers The Palace Guard may not have enjoyed the success of fellow Hawthorne natives The Beach Boys, but their entire recorded repertoire is now celebrated with this superbly remastered and restored compilation. They released … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, All Night Long, An Anthology 1965-1966, garage rock, review, rock, the Palace Guard | Leave a comment

Album review: THE L.A. MAYBE – Dirty Damn Tricks

Posted on April 9, 2021 by jason

Facebook [Release date 26.03.21] The L.A Maybe are a 6-piece band that originate in the Carolinas. They are a band that take inspiration from just about everything and everywhere, but I’m gonna go with Guns n Roses, AC/DC, The Black … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE GHOST OF LEMORA – Love Can Be Murder

Posted on April 7, 2021 by jason

Resurrection Records [Release date 12.02.21] Originally formed in London in 2001, The Ghost of Lemora have released two studio albums and a couple of EPs. This new album has been in the works for a number of years being delayed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, gothic, Love Can Be Murder, melodic, progressive, review, rock, the Ghost of Lemora | Leave a comment

Album review: SCREAMACHINE – Screamachine

Posted on April 6, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 09.03.21] Screamachine comprises five experienced metallers, all of whom deserve a mention, but most notably, vocalist Valerio Caricchio and guitarists, Alex Mele and Paulo Campitelli, all of whom are veterans of the Italian/European Heavy Metal scene. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album review, DGM, Firewind, Frontiers, Herbie Langhans, power metal, Rossini, Scream Machine, Simone Mularoni, Stormlord, Traditional Heavy Metal | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (January 2021 – March 2021)

Posted on April 5, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Albums of the Month (January-March 2021)

THUNDER All the Right Noises (BMG) Thunder fans will love this album as it touches all the band’s key strengths – memorable songs, party rockers, ballads, lyrics to make you think and above all, well-crafted hard rock tunes. An Album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged albums, Anneke van Giersbergen. Troy Redfern, AOR, Ben Randall, blues rock, February 2021, guitar, hard rock, instrumental, January 2021, March 2021, Progressive Rock, review, Scardust, singer songwriter, Thunder, Touch | Leave a comment

Album review: EL COLOSSO – Forgotten Ancestors

Posted on April 5, 2021 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 17.12.20] This independent release containing 7 tracks is the follow up to El Colosso’s debut Album, ‘Pathways’, which was released in 2017. El Colosso are a Melbourne based heavy rock band, comprising Benny James Pertzel (Dirty York … Continue reading →