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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
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Tag Archives: hard rock
Album review: RUFFYUNZ – Ruffyunz II
Hyperspace Records [Release date 23.09.22] The second album from a veritable “superband” conglomerate featuring Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath, Rainbow, drums) and Randy Pratt (Cactus, The Lizards, bass) with Ed Terry on vocals and JZ Barrell (guitars) They are joined by … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bobby Rondinelli, classic rock, Dave Meniketti, Don Airey, funk, hard rock, Joel Hoekstra, Pat Thrall, Randy Pratt, review, Ruffyunz, Ruffyunz II, Tracy G
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Album review: THE COLD STARES – Voices
Mascot Records [Release date 10.03.23] This album comprising of 13 tracks was recorded almost entirely over the course of just two days with producer/engineer/mixer Mark Needham (Taj Mahal, The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Walk the Moon, Fleetwood Mac), the album stands … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues rock, hard rock, review, rock, The Cold Stares, Voices
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Album review: ICARUS FALLS – Hollow
Facebook [Release date 03.03.23] Icarus Falls hail from West Sussex in the UK, consisting of Doug Hay (vocals), Harvey Wigg (guitar, vocals), Lawrence Trousdale-Smith (guitar), Vinnie Denton (bass) and Josh Harris (drums). As well as having the pandemic hit their … Continue reading
Album review: D’ERCOLE – Mass Formation
Rock Company Records [Release date 03.03.23] Back again with album number nine from D’Ercole who feature Damian D’Ercole (bass, guitars), Phil Vincent (vocals, guitars, keys) and B.F. D’Ercole (drums). They are a prolific bunch, although that is no surprise as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, D'Ercole, hard rock, Mass Formation, melodic hard rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock, Rock Company Records
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Album review: BRIAN TARQUIN & HEAVY FRIENDS – Brothers In Arms
BHP Music/Guitar Trax Records [Release date 03.02.23] Yes I wasn’t too kind to guitarist Mike Campese when reviewing his album ‘Reset’. But you only have to listen to Brian Tarquin’s latest offering to understand how a guitar based album should … Continue reading
Album review: UFO – No Heavy Petting (Remaster)
Chrysalis Records [Release date 20.01.23] Re-issues and re-masters are two-a-penny and often there’s marginal benefit in penning a review, much less making an actual purchase. This album was previously remastered in 2007. I have, though, been impressed with the series … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, CD, classic rock, hard rock, Michael Schenker, No Heavy Petting, Phil Mogg, remaster, review, UFO
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Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night
Escape Music [Release date 17.02.23] Gabrielle de Val has been involved in the rock scene since 1987 when she created the band Yin-Yang, which would later be called D’Val. They never recorded a full album, however, fast forward to 2010 … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Gabrielle de Val, hard rock, Kiss In A Dragon Night, Mark Boals, melodic rock, Mike Oldfield, review
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Album review: MIKE CAMPESE – Reset
www.mikecampese.com [Release date 11.11.22] I’m sorry but Mike Campese exhibits all the worst aspects of “guitar virtuoso”. Guitarists may well acknowledge his technical mastery (and he has featured in several big guitar mags) but for the average listener this is … Continue reading
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Tagged album, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Mike Campese, Neo Classical, Reset, review
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Album review: CHRIS ROSANDER – The Monster Inside
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 17.02.23] Chris Rosander released his debut album ‘King Of Hearts’ in 2020 on the now defunct AOR Heaven. As the pandemic put paid to any live plans, Chris Rosander started work on making more … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Chris Rosander, hard rock, melodic rock, Perfect Plan, review, rock, The Monster Inside, Toto
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Album review: CASEY MAUNDER – Until Your Heart Stops Beating
Website Once again the musical hand of fate plays a blinder as Casey Maunder sent his debut album in for possible review and boy is it a good one! Casey plays all the guitars, vocals, bass, keys and wrote all … Continue reading
Feature: GRTR!@20 – The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – THE DARKNESS (January 2023)
The band that put the fun back into rock… Photo: Darren Griffiths Launching our anniversary series in January 2023, a band whose rise we followed from 2003 when they released their debut album ‘Permission To Land’. A year later the … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness
Tagged album, classic rock, festival, gig, glam rock, hard rock, interview, Justin Hawkins, review, The Darkness
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Album review: AUTUMN’S CHILD – Starflower
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 20.01.23] Autumn’s Child return with their fourth album ‘Starflower’, the second one released by Pride & Joy Music. The band still features Michael Erlandsson on vocals, keyboards & guitars, Pontus Åkesson on lead guitar, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Autumn's Dream, hard rock, melodic rock, Michael Erlandsson, Queen, review, Starflower, Styx, theatrical
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Album review: DOKKEN – The Elektra Albums 1983-1987
BMG [Release date 27.01.23] Formed in the late 70s by vocalist and guitarist Don Dokken, the band Dokken shot to fame in the 80s, with their very enjoyable (and successful) blend of hard rock, glam and AOR. BMG continue their … Continue reading
Album review: BARNABAS SKY – What Comes To Light
Pride & Glory [Release date 20.01.23] The all-star rock project Barnabas Sky, led by guitarist and songwriter Markus Pfeffer (Lazarus Dream, Winterland), is back a year later with album number two. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn and Silent Rage’s Jesse Damon are … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (October – December 2022)
DYNAZTY Final Advent (AFM Records) What it does is incrementally fine tune the sound that’s now established as their MO. Their epic, keyboard driven symphonic/melodic metal just bursts with energy and invention, pushing them streets ahead of every other band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS
Tagged albums, ALTER BRIDGE, Austin Gold, classic rock, December 2022, Dynazty, Generation Radio, Gun, hard rock, heavy rock, melodic rock, November 2022, October 2022, Progressive Rock, review, Threshold
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Quick plays: STAR CIRCUS, THE ROADS
STAR CIRCUS Seperate Sides Diamond Formation Music [Release date 02.12.22] Star Circus is the brainchild of Dave Winkler (Bordello Rose, Renegade Playboys, Trophies of Man). After a detour playing guitar and touring as a hired gun for acts such as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Boston, Gary Pihl, hard rock, melodic rock, Mick Devine, review, rock, Simple Man, Star Circus, Styx, the Roads
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Album review: LEE AARON – Elevate
Metalville [Release date 25.11.22] We’ve been impressed with the last few offerings from Canadian songstress (and one-time Metal Queen) Lee Aaron. Over the past few years she’s been reasserting her role in female fronted hard rock. after going through a … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Elevate, hard rock, Lee Aaron, review
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Album review: JOHN NORUM – Gone To Stay
GAIN [Release date 28.10.22] In the absence of a Europe album (last sighted 2017) we have at least a new album from the band’s guitarist. Norum’s last solo outing in 2010 was called ‘Play Yard Blues’. But as I said … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Europe, Gone To Stay, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, heavy rock, John Norum, review
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Album review: ENUFF Z’NUFF – Finer Than Sin
Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] If there’s any band that just keeps on keeping on, it’s Enuff Z’Nuff. The band has undergone enough line up changes to fill a Wikipedia page, yet the man who started it all, Chip Z’Nuff is … Continue reading
Album review: JERUSALEM – Jerusalem
Talking Elephant Records [28.10.22] The one and only album by Jerusalem was originally released back in 1971 on Deram Records. It has since been released on a number of unofficial and bootleg editions before this official CD release on Talking … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 70's rock, album, classic rock, Deep Purple, hard rock, Ian Gillan, Jerusalem, re-issue, review, rock
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Album review: VOODOO RAMBLE – Can’t Write A Pop Song (When You’ve Got The Blues)
Thoroughbred Music [Release date 10.22] In our reflections on two decades of rock it is a truism that out there are some wonderful bands and musicians who, for whatever reason, never hit critical mass. This is usually down to a … Continue reading
Album review: ALTER BRIDGE – Pawns & Kings
Napalm (Release date: 14.10.22) In an unpredictable world of turbulence and chaos, it is reassuring to know that Alter Bridge bring regular and dependable quality. As Autumn rolls around every third year, a new studio album from this heavy mob … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, album review, ALTER BRIDGE, hard rock, Mark Tremonti, metal, Myles Kennedy, Pawns and Kings, review, rock
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EP review: THE HOWLING TIDES – Blue Moon
Website [Release date 18.11.22] The Howling Tides are made up of Rob Baynes (lead vocals/guitar), Hayden Kirk (guitar/backing vocals), Adam Brewell (bass/backing vocals) and Steven ‘Herbie’ Herbert (drums). They’ve built their reputation and momentum with a series of releases and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Blue Moon, EP, hard rock, review, rock, the Howling Tides
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Album review: VINNIE MOORE – Double Exposure
David Randall chatted to Vinnie Moore about his career with tracks from his solo albums. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio on 4 December 2022. Mind’s Eye Music [Release date 08.11.22] We were mightily impressed with Vinnie Moore’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, blues rock, classic rock, Double Exposure, guitar, hard rock, instrumental, review, UFO, Vinnie Moore
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Gig review: QUARANTUNE ROCKS 2022, The Victoria Bikers Pub, Coalville 21 & 22 October 2022
A group of rock music fans who supported each other during Lockdown gathered at the Victoria Bikers Pub, Coalville on 21-22 October, for Quarantune Rocks 2022, a weekend of live music supporting new rock bands and small music venues. “For … Continue reading
