Tag Archives: hard rock

Album review: GREYBEARDS – For The Wilder Minds

Posted on March 24, 2018 by jason

Attitude Recordings [Release date 04.05.18] Sweden seems to export rock bands these days like China exports plastic shit – at least for now until Trump’s trade war kicks in – but is every one a Volvo? On the evidence of these … Continue reading →

Album review: BULLET – Dust To Gold

Posted on March 24, 2018 by jason

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 20.04.18] This is the sixth album from Swedish rockers Bullet and it really depends on your bag….if you’re into Accept-cloned, dandruff-shifting riff and roll, then “Dust To Gold” (and probably the other five) are for you. Not a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bullet, Dust To Gold, hard rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Saturday 10 March 2018 (Day 3)

Posted on March 19, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Skid Row - HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Saturday 10 March 2018

With Night Ranger polishing off Friday with such aplomb the omens were good for the Saturday, which on paper had a stronger line up. When arriving on site on Thursday I found out that The Quireboys were to stand in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 10 March 2018, AOR, Blood Red Saints, Dare, festival, gig, hard rock, HRH AOR, Joan ov Arc, melodic rock, Midnite City, Pwllheli, Quireboys, review, Skid Row, Wales | Leave a comment

Album review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Memories In Rock II

Posted on March 18, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Minstrel Hall [Release date 06.04.18] 2-CD/DVD In 2017 Ritchie Blackmore returned with his harder rock hat on to a series of arena shows in the UK. Evidently buoyed up by the successful summer sojourn a year before and no doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Deep Purple, DVD, hard rock, interview, live, Memories In Rock II, review, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Ronnie Romero, uk | Leave a comment

Gig review: SKID ROW/NIGHT RANGER – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 12 March 2018

Posted on March 16, 2018 by andynathan

SKID ROW - Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 12 March 2018

Co-headline tours make business sense, especially when the bands concerned have flown over from the USA: in Skid Row’s case this double header was part of an extensive UK tour, with Night Ranger’s briefer stop over focused around a headline … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 March 2018, Bad Touch, gig, glam rock, hard rock, London, melodic rock, Night Ranger, review, Shepherd's Bush Empire, Skid Row, Toseland | Leave a comment

Album review: BURN – Ice Age

Posted on March 13, 2018 by jason

Melodic Rock Records [Release date 28.02.18] Burn released their third album ‘Global Warning’ back in 2007 (and in a nod to that album the opening instrumental on this album is titled ’Global Warning’), followed by an appearance at Firefest the following … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Burn, Chris Green, hard rock, Ice Age, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Steve Newman, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDERMOTHER – s/t

Posted on March 1, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Despotz Records [Release date 23.02.18] Some all-female, Swedish, rock ‘n’ raunch, anyone? What hot blooded male’s interest could possibly not be piqued by such an invitation? Shame on you, in these overly politically correct times. With all bar founder member/guitarist/songwriter … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, review, Sweden, Thundermother | Leave a comment

Quick plays: THE ZIPPERS, MATTHEW FISHER, CHRISTINA MARTIN, DARLING WEST

Posted on March 1, 2018 by jason

THE ZIPPERS Angel Air [Release date 09.03.18] Back in the late 80′s it seemed the major record companies signed up any band with long hair and guitars, only for them to record an album and then never get it released. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, Reissues | Tagged albums, Americana, Angel Air, Christina Martin, country, Darling West, Fleetwood Mac, hard rock, Matthew Fisher, Procul Harum, review, rock, the Zippers | Leave a comment

Gig review: STONE BROKEN – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 24 February 2018

Posted on February 28, 2018 by andynathan

One of the healthiest factors in the current music scene is that, alongside long-established and recently reformed names, a whole new generation of classic rock bands are coming through and growing in popularity. Indeed one of the fastest-growing Facebook groups … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Bad Flowers, blues rock, Chris Davis, gig, hard rock, Jared James Nichols, Kieron Conroy, review, Rich Moss, Robin Haycock, Stone Broken | Leave a comment

Album review: VOODOO CIRCLE – Raised On Rock

Posted on February 23, 2018 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 09.02.18] Inspired by the likes of Rainbow and Deep Purple, Germany’s Voodoo Circle have been delivering melodic hard rock for a decade now. Recently, Voodoo Circle underwent a metamorphosis that both of those aforementioned bands have had … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, album, Alex Beyrodt, hard rock, melodic, Rainbow, Raised On Rock, review, rock, VOODOO CIRCLE | Leave a comment

Album review: DEAD CITY RUINS – Never Say Die

Posted on February 19, 2018 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 13.04.18] Now here’s something of a novelty, a rock band from Australia who actually don’t sound like AC/DC – meet Dead City Ruins from Melbourne and their third offering Never Say Die. Built on very solid … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Budgie, Dead City Ruins, Glenn Hughes, hard rock, Never Say Die, review, rock, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Gig review: JOANOVARC, HELL’S GAZELLES, KILLIT, BLACK WHISKEY – Giants Of Rock, Minehead, 26-29 January 2018

Posted on January 29, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

KILLIT - Giants Of Rock, Minehead, 26-29 January 2018

A spotlight on some of the upcoming bands that graced the Giants of Rock stages in 2018… Dubbed the ‘new queens of rock’ JoanovArc immediately impressed with an energetic and high-quality performance. Big drums, powerful bass, nice heavy guitar and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 26-29 January 2018, Black Whiskey, blues rock, Giants Of Rock, gig, hard rock, Hell's Gazelles, Joanovarc, Killit, Minehead, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: OPERATION: MINDCRIME (Geoff Tate) – Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, 14 January 2018

Posted on January 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

OPERATION: MINDCRIME - Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, 14 January 2018

I won’t bore you with the details of the acrimonious Queensryche break up and fall out that followed, but in summary after a court case in 2012/14 Geoff Tate is the only person that can perform the classic Operation Mindcrime … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 14 January 2018, GEOFF TATE, gig, hard rock, Muni Arts Centre, Operation: Mindcrime, Pontypridd, progressive metal, Queensryche, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BLOOD RED SAINTS – Love Hate Conspiracies

Posted on January 10, 2018 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.01.18] Blood Red Saints return with their second album and joining the original trio of Pete Godfrey (vocals), Rob Naylor (bass) and Lee Revill (guitars) are guitarist Neil Hibbs (ex-Shy) and Andy Chemney on drums. There are a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Blood Red Saints, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, hard rock, Love Hate Conspiracies, melodic, Paul Laine, review | Leave a comment

Album review: BILLION DOLLAR BABIES – First Ever Live Show Flint 1977

Posted on January 9, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Gonzo Multimedia [Release date 17.11.17] The ill-fated Billion Dollar Babies project is something of a holy grail amongst acolytes of the original Alice Cooper band. And there are many, myself included. The last time this recording hit the streets was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alice Cooper, Billion Dollar Babies, Dennis Dunaway, First Ever Live Show Flint 1977, hard rock, Michael Bruce, Neal Smith, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION – Hammersmith Apollo, 4 January 2018

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Davoski

About time. Over six years on from their last shows, Black Country Communion were hitting the boards again. Just when we thought it was all over, the band put on a brace of shows full of zest and rediscovered comradeship … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 4 January 2018, Black Country Communion, Deep Purple, Derek Sherinian, gig, Glenn Hughes, Hammersmith Apollo, hard rock, Jason Bonham, Joe Bonamassa, review | Leave a comment

Album review: HEAVEN & EARTH – Hard To Kill

Posted on January 4, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Quarto Valley Records [Release date 13.10.17] It would be cruel to say that ‘Heaven & Earth’ is Rainbow-by-numbers but, cripes, bandleader – UK-born Stuart Smith - looks like Ritchie (check the CD booklet!!) and apparently was mentored by him. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, Hard To Kill, Heaven & Earth, Kenny Aronoff, Lynn Sorensen, Rainbow, review, Ritchie Blackmore, Stuart Smith, Ty Baillie | Leave a comment

Album review: AUDREY HORNE – Blackout

Posted on January 1, 2018 by jason

Napalm Records [Release date 12.01.17] Norwegian hard rockers Audrey Horne return with their sixth album and first in three years since 2014′s ‘Pure Heavy’. Now that album and its predecessor, ‘Youngblood’ had some real first pumping anthems, however ‘Blackout’ lacks … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AUDREY HORNE, Blackout, classic rock, hard rock, Iron Maiden, Norwegian, review, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Album review: SKID ROW – Skid/34 Hours (reissues)

Posted on December 7, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

BGO [Release date: 21.07.17] 2 on 1 CD “I remember Paris in ‘49” … five words guaranteed to cue the leery lads of the night to grab and clinch their squeezes for that last, up close smooch in the smoke … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 34 Hours, album, blues rock, Gary Moore, hard rock, Phil Lynott, review, Skid, Skid Row, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Gig review: BRIAN DOWNEY’S ALIVE AND DANGEROUS – Nells Jazz and Blues, West Kensington, 25 November 2017

Posted on December 1, 2017 by andynathan

If Philip Lynott was the creative force and public image of Thin Lizzy and their twin lead guitars their defining musical sound, Brian Downey was the rock on which the band was based. His understated but effective drumming style was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Alive and Dangerous, Brian Downey, classic rock, Federal Charm, gig, hard rock, Live and Dangerous, review, rock, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Album review: SANTA CRUZ – Bad Blood Rising

Posted on November 28, 2017 by jason

M-Theory Audio [Release date 10.11.17] Finnish band Santa Cruz have just released 3rd album “Bad Blood Rising” which, with its heavy yet melodic sleaze, builds nicely on its earlier predecessors whilst encompassing a more modern edge. Opening track “Young Blood … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bad Blood Rising, hard rock, review, rock, Sanat Cruz, sleaze | Leave a comment

Album review: BABYLON A.D. – Revelation Highway

Posted on November 26, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 10.11.17] Frontiers have released some outstanding albums this year and new album “Revelation Highway” from San Francisco’s Babylon A.D. is right up there amongst the best of these. Nearly 30 years since the band first formed they … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Babylon A.D., Frontiers, hard rock, Revelation Highway, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review – DEEP PURPLE – Hydro, Glasgow, 22 November 2017

Posted on November 25, 2017 by david.wilson

On the 22nd June 1985 I made a very long trip south, on the oldest bus known to man to stand in a flooded field near Stevenage, to witness the return of Deep Purple mark 2 at Knebworth. It was a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 22 November 2017, blues, Cats In Space, classic rock, Deep Purple, Don Airey, Europe, gig, Glasgow, hard rock, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, Joey Tempest, John Norum, pop rock, review, Roger Glover, Steve Morse, The Hydro | 1 Comment

Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Retribution

Posted on November 23, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 10.11.17] You do wonder at times when Jeff Scott Soto (JSS) finds time to rest, as he is involved in the recently released album from Sons Of Apollo, he has his more metal edged Soto band, there … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, hard rock, Howie Simon, Jeff Scott Soto, melodic, Retribution, review, rock, Sons Of Apollo, Soto | Leave a comment

Album review: VON HERTZEN BROTHERS – War Is Over

Posted on November 21, 2017 by petefeenstra

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 03.11.17] ‘War Is Over’ isn’t so much a concept album as a dramatic prog rock album with associated musical influences, ranging from classic, hard and symphonic rock, to more poppy and synth influences. There’s plenty … Continue reading →