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Album review: ALBERT CASTIGLIA – Grits & Glory
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Album review : NINA ANTONIA AND THE LUNAR MOTHS – Dropping Like Butterflies
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Album review – PALLAS – The Midas Touch Boxset (8CDs+DVD)
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Album review: THE WESTERN FRONT – Eureka
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Album review: HARD-FI – Sweating Someone Else’s Fever
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Album review : BURNING ROPE – Dissolution
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GRTR! Greats
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Tag Archives: hard rock
Album review : MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP – Bad Boys, The MSG Story 1987-92 (4 CD boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 30.01.26] Axeman Michael Schenker’s considerable CV has been well documented over the years and it’s clearly delineated in these liner notes. Brief version: between 1972 and 1984 he cycled through The Scorpions, UFO and MSG Version … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Cherry Red, Frank Filipetti, hard rock, Michael Schenker, MSG, Perfect Timing, review, Robin McAuley, Save Yourself, Scorpions, UFO
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Album review: BASTION ROSE – Traces Of Gold
Epictronic [Release date 07.11.25] ‘Traces Of Gold’ is essentially a mini-album clocking in at barely 30 minutes. But great things come in small packages. The album is a meaty riff-fest with little gristle. Great melodies abound too and it would … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bastion Rose, hard rock, heavy rock, review, Traces Of Gold
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Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, December 27 2025
It is those no-man’s lands days between Christmas and New Year in 2025 and the Punchdrunk Saints have bravely decided to host their second ever gig after their debut in London’s 100 Club. Tonight’s gig at Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden … Continue reading
Single review: THE MOTHERZ – Sweat
Facebook With a name like The Motherz you’re not going to expect Abba are you. And how right you would be. To me they sound like the illegitimate offspring of Metallica and The Stooges. They claim to draw their influences … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged classic rock, hard rock, metal, Motherz, review, single, Sweat
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EP review: AXMINSTER – Mad Hatters
Website [Release date 25.07.25] Axminster first started out in 1983 – then known as Axminster Molly – and they were indeed named after the carpet/rug manufacturer based in the UK town of the same name! Only vocalist/guitarist Steve Sera remains … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Axminster, EP, hard rock, Mad Hatters, melodic hard rock, review, rock
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Album review : LYNCH MOB – Dancing With The Devil
Frontiers [Release date 28.11.25] Now white haired and bearded, Septuagenarian Lynch had said a few years back that he would soon be retiring the Lynch Mob name, due to its racist connotations. And so, Dancing With The Devil, the second … Continue reading
Album review: GHOST – Skeleta
Loma Vista Recordings [Release date 25.04.25] Album number six from Ghost, produced by Gene Walker, who is actually Ghost main man Tobias Forge, as said Gene Walker name is a pun on the Swedish word gengångare i.e ghost, zombie. Interesting variety … Continue reading
Album review : STRYPER – The Greatest Gift Of All
Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] The Greatest Gift Of All is Stryper’s 16th studio album. The line up remains Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox and Perry Richardson, solid for 8 years now. When we reviewed their last two … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Christmas, classic metal, festive, Frontiers Music, Gene Krupa, hard rock, Michael Sweet, review, Silent Night, Stryper
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Single review: THE COMMONERS – Just Watch Me
The Commoners, a Canadian band from Toronto, lay their southern style rock on us in big layers with this brand new single Just Watch Me. An engaging guitar riff brings the song to life courtesy of Ross Hayes Citrullo, who … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, blues rock, hard rock, Just Watch Me, review, rock, single, the Commoners
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Album review: D’ERCOLE – Reactance Theory
Rock Company [Release date 05.11.25] It’s album number eleven from D’Ercole and lost count of the number of albums featuring the talented & never seemingly out of the studio Phil Vincent! Joining him are the D’Ercole stalwarts – drummer B.F. D’Ercole, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, D'Ercole, hard rock, melodic hard rock, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, Reactance Theory, review, rock, Vince O'Regan
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News: Albums of the Month (July – September 2025)
A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation. We try and pick out a cross-section of albums that reflect the range of genres reviewed at the website. The star rating … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged 2025, albums of the month, Americana, August, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, July, melodic rock, metal, Progressive Rock, roots, September
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Gig review: GLENN HUGHES – Bristol O2 Academy, 14 October 2025
“Fuck politics. Music is the healer”. And there speaketh the Voice of Rock. But first, Sophie Lloyd who lent her support on this UK leg of the European tour. From what I can gather she doesn’t mind flaunting her body … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Black Country Communion, Bristol, classic rock, Deep Purple, gig, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, heavy rock, O2 Academy, review, Sophie Lloyd, Trapeze
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Album review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – S/t
Cadiz Records [Release date 24.10.25] In 2023 The Cockney Rejects’ guitarist and founder, Micky Geggus, after much soul searching, decided to leave the band that he created in 1979. Along with original Rejects’ bassist, Vinny Riordan, Mick decided to embark … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Cockney Rejects, Dennis Stratton, hard rock, Leader of the Down, Punchdrunk Saints, punk, review, rock
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Album review: STRAPPS – Bound For Glory (Complete Recordings 1976-1979)
Cherry Red Records [Release date: 19.09.25] Strapps were a late 70s band with a wonderful straight ahead rock sound, and a raunchy (some said misogynistic) image. They formed in 1975 when former Episode 6 and Quatermass drummer Mick Underwood teamed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Bound For Glory, box set, Complete Recordings 1976-1979, funk, Gillan, hard rock, Mick Underwood, review, rock, Strapps
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Album review: BLACKLIST UNION – Slay The Dragon
BLU Records [Release date 12.09.25] Los Angeles based Blacklist Union are a band I highly recommend checking out if you haven’t before now, and they are about to release their 6th album “Slay The Dragon”. Having highly rated the band’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blacklist Union, Guns 'N' Roses, hard rock, review, rock, Slay the Dragon, The Cult
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Album review: DEEP PURPLE – Rapture Of The Deep (20th Anniversary Edition)
earMusic [Release date 05.09.25] Released in October 2005, Deep Purple’s 18th studio album gets a well deserved reissue. This wonderful album was the 2nd to feature pianist Don Airey and 4th with guitarist Steve Morse. Many still imagine this album … Continue reading
Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
Compiled by Jason Ritchie Please check artist and venue websites for latest information. Your release not listed? Contact us! To search quickly within this page (“Find In Page”): Press Ctrl+F (on Windows PC, Chromebook, or Linux system), or Command+F (on … Continue reading
Feature: GRTR! Greats – GLENN HUGHES
Photo: David Randall Glenn Hughes has long been referred to as the Voice of Rock. That certainly is true but he could also be described as the “Master of Rock”. His first major band was the much-loved Trapeze, he then … Continue reading
Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
Compiled by Jason Ritchie To search quickly within this page (“Find In Page”): Press Ctrl+F (on Windows PC, Chromebook, or Linux system), or Command+F (on a Mac) on the keyboard. The “F” stands for “Find,” and it works in every … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS, Pure Metal/News, Upcoming (Tours & Releases)
Tagged 2025, album, blues rock, Bluray, CD, classic rock, DVD, hard rock, heavy rock, melodic rock, metal, New releases, Progressive Rock, reissue, singer songwriter
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Album review: GLENN HUGHES – Chosen
Frontiers [Release date: 05.09.25] It’s been nearly a decade since Glenn Hughes’ last solo album. But he’s no slouch. He’s contributed to any number of albums by other artists not least Black Country Communion (BCC). This does beg the question: … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Black Country Communion, Chosen, classic rock, Deep Purple, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, review, Trapeze
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EP review: FANGSLINGER – We Are the Night
Website [Release date 29.07.25] Who doesn’t like a bit of gothic blues rock with a Western setting sung & performed by three vampires? Fangslinger are FangSlinger on vocals, BloodRose on vocals, harmonica & percussion and HangMan on guitar & vocals. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, country, EP, Fangslinger, hard rock, metal, review, rock, We Are The Night, Western
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Album review : UFO – Misdemeanour Live At The Oxford Apollo 1985 (CD+DVD)
Cherry Red [Release date : 22.08.25] The early eighties were a turbulent time for UFO. Judging by the band’s poorly received Making Contact album in 1982, it looked like they were a spent force. Members left, most notably, Pete Way … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AOR, CD and DVD, eighties, hard rock, Misdemeanour Live, Oxford Apollo, Phil Mogg, review, Tommy McLendon
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Album review : YESTERDAY & TODAY – S/T and Struck Down (Remasters)
Rock Candy Records [Release date 18.07.25] 1972 : In the days before they abbreviated to Y&T, they called themselves Yesterday & Today, after the Beatles’ latest US album release of the time, allegedly. The band line up got shuffled a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Cream, Dave Meniketti, hard rock, review, Rock Candy Records, Struck Down, UFO, Y&T, Yesterday & Today
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Single review: BLACKLIST UNION – Up In Smoke
BLU Records “Up In Smoke” is the new single from Blacklist Union, and I like it. A lot. With a driving rhythm section, great guitar work and some almost hypnotic vocals (and one of the coolest videos you will see … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Blacklist Union, hard rock, review, rock, single, Up In Smoke
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Album review: HEARTS ON FIRE – Signs & Wonders
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 25.07.25] Seven years after their debut album, 2018’s ‘Call Of Destiny’, Hearts On Fire are back and have a new vocalist, non-other than Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring of Fire, Royal Hunt and many, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Eric Ragno, hard rock, Hearts On Fire, Mark Boals, melodic rock, Pride & Joy Music, review, Signs & Wonders
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