Tag Archives: hard rock

Feature: Albums that time forgot – SHADOW KING

Posted on April 15, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Atlantic (1991) Shadow King was Lou Gramm’s first foray in a band format since his departure from Foreigner in April 1991. The charismatic vocalist had been working on songs with Bruce Turgon for a third solo album and these developed … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, Bruce Turgon, Foreigner, hard rock, Lou Gramm, review, Shadow King, Vivian Campbell | Leave a comment

Album review: GOTTHARD – #13

Posted on April 14, 2020 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 13.03.20] Back in the early 90’s I went to see a new local band whilst in Switzerland, and very good they were too. That band was Gotthard, and here we are nearly thirty years later and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged #13, album, classic rock, Def Leppard, Gotthard, hard rock, melodic rock, review, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Album review: CAPTAIN BLACKBEARD – Sonic Forces

Posted on April 12, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 24.04.20] Swedish band Captain Blackbeard released their fourth album, ‘Struck By Lightning’ in 2018 with then new singer Liv Hansson on MelodicRock Records. It was produced Jona Tee (keyboardist in H.e.a.t.) and it was a pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR Heaven, Brother Firetribe, Captain Blackbird, H.E.A.T., hard rock, melodic rock, review, Sonic Forces | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to DEMON

Posted on April 9, 2020 by jason

Jason Ritchie highlights the recording history of NWOBHM band Demon Formed in Stoke back in the NWOBHM the band initially lived up to their name with singer Dave Hill rising up from coffins on stage, along with lots of devil references … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged classic rock, Dave Hill, DEMON, feature, hard rock, heavy metal, introduction, melodic rock, NWOBHM, prog rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BONFIRE – Fistful Of Fire

Posted on April 7, 2020 by jason

AFM Records (Released 03/04/20) Worried that we’ve grown weary of the ten rock songs and a ballad format, Bonfire throw in a few (3 in fact) short instrumentals to punctuate the band’s well established sonic signature, on this, their 17th … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, album, Bonfire, Fistful Of Fire, hard rock, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to COZY POWELL

Posted on April 6, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Joe Geesin recalls Cozy Powell’s long career, the key albums, and a friendship with one of rock’s finest drummers Colin Flooks, better known as Cozy Powell, was a renowned rock drummer who, like many, lived like he played – hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Black Sabbath, classic rock, Cozy Powell, discography, drummer, drums, feature, hard rock, introduction, Rainbow, Whitesnake | Leave a comment

Album review: KHYMERA – Master Of Illusions

Posted on April 3, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] Album number five from Khymera, who started out as an alliance between Italian producer & musician Daniele Liverani and then Kansas singer Steve Walsh. Khymera has since developed into a regular musical project when bassist and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dennis Ward, Eric Ragno, Frontiers, hard rock, Journey, Khymera, Magnum, Master Of Illusion, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: JOE SATRIANI – Shapeshifting

Posted on April 1, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sony Music [Release date 10.04.20] We’ve always commented on the energy displayed by Satriani not least sustained during a two hour live show. Recent albums have been pretty convincing too. That energy permeates this latest offering and will surely translate … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, heavy rock, instrumental, Joe Satriani, metal, review, Shapeshifting | Leave a comment

Album review: LEGION – Redemption

Posted on April 1, 2020 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 18.03.20] Amazingly this is Legion’s eleventh studio album since forming back in 2010. The band’s line-up has also stayed pretty consistent with vocalist Phil Vincent and guitarist Vince O’Regan joined by bassist Gavin Cooper, drummer Any … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, Legion, melodic metal, metal, Phil Vincent, Redemption, review, Vince O'Regan | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to BLUE OYSTER CULT

Posted on March 31, 2020 by jason

Jason Ritchie picks out some of the key albums from the heavy metal masters Formed from the late 60’s band Soft White Underbelly, Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) are often dubbed ‘the thinking man’s heavy metal band’. But for me they … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Albert Bouchard, An Introduction, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, Call Collect, Classic Albums, classic rock, Eric Bloom, feature, hard rock, heavy metal, melodic rock | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to MAGNUM

Posted on March 31, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

David Randall has followed Magnum since the 1990s when they consolidated their earlier successes. They split in 1995, subsequently re-generating in 2001. Since that time they have gone from strength to strength, maintaining a consistency across several albums and touring … Continue reading →

Posted in Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Bob Catley, Dennis Ward, feature, hard rock, interview, Lee Morris, Magnum, Mark Stanway, melodic rock, pomp rock, Rick Benton, Tony Clarkin | Leave a comment

Feature: What NAZARETH mean to me…

Posted on March 30, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Nazareth - STEELHOUSE FESTIVAL Day 1 - Ebbw Vale, South Wales, 25 July 2015

Joe Geesin revisits one of his favourite bands – Nazareth – and discusses the impact they made on his musical interests and signposting their recommended albums. The long enduring Scottish rockers Nazareth have been around since the late 60s (and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, FEATURES, What a Band/Artist means to me... | Tagged albums, Dan McCafferty, hard rock, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, review, Rodney Matthews | Leave a comment

Album review: RATT – The Atlantic Years 1984-1990

Posted on March 22, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red Records [Release date 27.02.20] The Atlantic Years were indeed Ratt’s best years. This boxset is a compelling, 5 CD picture of a Glam Rock band constantly on the rise, before the breakup and the fall. There’s a dozen … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 80's metal, Beau Hill, box set, Desmond Child, glam metal, hair metal, hard rock, Ratt, review, Stephen Pearcy, The Atlantic Years 1984-1990 | Leave a comment

Album review: HAREM SCAREM – Change The World

Posted on March 14, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] It’s not unreasonable to claim that Harem Scarem spearheaded the Melodic Rock movement’s rejuvenation in the mid nineties. 1993′s “Mood Swings”, the band’s second album, gave thousands of fans a liferaft to cling onto when the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Change The World, hard rock, Harem Scarem, Harry Hess, melodic rock, Pete Lesperance, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Heaven Forbid

Posted on March 9, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 06.03.20] Blue Oyster Cult originally released ‘Heaven Forbid’ in 1998 on the CMC label, so it never got a widespread release and the band had left the label by their next album. Although there are no bonus … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album. Eric Bloom, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic rock, Frontiers, hard rock, Heaven Forbid, re-issue, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: SHAKRA – Mad World

Posted on March 8, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 28.02.20] “Mad World” is Shakra’s 12th studio album, and it’s a lot like the previous 11. That’s a relief. Thomas Muster’s and Thom Blunier’s economic riffs continue to drive the music, and along with prodigal son, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AC/DC, AFM Records, album, hard rock, KROKUS, Mad World, review, rock, Shakra | Leave a comment

Album review: NEWMAN – Ignition

Posted on March 4, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 27.03.20] Steve Newman formed the band Newman way back in 1997, with the last Newman album ‘Aerial’ released in 2017. Since then he’s been busy writing songs with the likes of Toby Hitchcock, joined the band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, hard rock, Ignition, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Steve Newman, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK SWAN – Shake The World

Posted on February 25, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 14.02.20] You have to say (again) that Frontiers knows how to put a band together, in this case Black Swan. Here are four musicians – Robin McAuley, Jeff Pilson, Reb Beach and Matt Starr – whose well … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Black Swan, Dokken, Frontiers, hard rock, Jeff Pilson, Matt Starr, melodic rock, Mr Big, MSG, Reb Beach, review, Robin McAuley, Shake The World | Leave a comment

Album review: JESSE DAMON – Damon’s Rage

Posted on February 16, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 28.02.20] Jesse Damon will be best remembered by many 80s rock fans as he was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Silent Rage. Silent Rage rose to fame in 1989 when signed by Gene … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS | Tagged album, AOR Heaven, Gene Simmons, hard rock, Jesse Damon, melodic rock, Paul Sabu, review, SILENT RAGE | Leave a comment

Album review: DIRTY SHIRLEY – s/t

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Davoski

Frontiers Music [release date: 20.01.20] Yep. George Lynch has pretty much nailed this. Dirty Shirley is a rich and classy hard rock album that holds the ‘80’s/early ‘90’s template tight to its chest, but offers enough twists and turns to keep … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dino Jelusic, Dirty Shirley, Dokken, George Lynch, guitarist, hard rock, Lynch Mob, review | Leave a comment

Album review: SYTERIA – Reflection

Posted on February 15, 2020 by jason

Cargo Records [Release date 21.02.20] Based in Yorkshire, Syteria were formed by guitarist Jackie “Jax” Chambers, lead guitarist of legends Girlschool. And are often seen gigging during Girlschool downtime, our blond bombshell Jax is a busy girl. Since 2015 they’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, fuzz rock, GIRLSCHOOL, hard rock, Jackie “Jax” Chambers, Julia Vocal, Reflection, review, rock, Syteria | Leave a comment

Album review: SUPERSUCKERS – Play That Rock n Roll

Posted on February 15, 2020 by jason

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 07.02.20] It’s got touches of country, it’s got a bit of blues, it’s got rock n roll- but most importantly it’s got attitude, swagger and riffs a plenty. It is “Play That Rock n Roll” and it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Eddie Spaghetti, hard rock, Michael Monroe, Motorhead, Play That Rock n Roll, Ramones, review, rock 'n' roll, SPV, Supersuckers | Leave a comment

Album review: HEAT – II

Posted on February 9, 2020 by jason

earMUSIC [Release date 21.02.20] That difficult sixth album? Should that have been HEAT 2.0? The motive behind the title is not clear, even when reading explanation from the band. When a band uses its name in the album title this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Ear Music, Erik Gronwall, hard rock, HEAT, II, melodic rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Hard Rock Live In Cleveland 2014

Posted on February 1, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 24.01.20] “Hard Rock Live In Cleveland 2014” is Blue Oyster Cult’s sixth live album. Not many in a 50 year career. Maybe that’s why it’s a sumptious, 2 CD + DVD affair, housed in a sturdy gatefold … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic rock, DVD, Eric Bloom, Frontiers, hard rock, Hard Rock Live In Cleveland 2014, live, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: DECARLO – Lightning Strikes Twice

Posted on January 30, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 24.01.20] DeCarlo are Tommy DeCarlo (who has been a member of Boston since 2008) and co-founder (and son) Tommy DeCarlo Jr., along with drummer Dan Hitz. The songs have been written over a number of years, the … Continue reading →