-
-
-
If you can't find what you're looking for - or wish to refine your search to include only references to the key search term - try putting inverted commas around the search term e.g. "Steve Lukather" or "Black Star Riders"
For example if you enter Black Star Riders the results will include all instances of "Black" "Star" and "Riders". The search will also be slower.
-
Our star rating
***** Out of this world
**** Pretty damn fine
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan of the artist or genre
** Instant bargain bin fodder
* Ugly, just ugly
Switch site
-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
-
Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2025
-
Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
-
Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
-
Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
-
Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
-
Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2025)
-
Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
-
-
Latest Album Reviews
-
Latest Gig Reviews
-
GRTR! Greats
-
Featured Album Reviews
-
Features
-
Interviews
-
Single & EP Reviews
-
DVD Reviews
-
Book Reviews
-
News
-
Quick Categories
Categories (All)
Tag Archives: melodic rock
Album review : ZELBO – In My Dreams

Frontiers [Release date 10.12.21] Melodic Rock/AOR band, Zelbo is named for keyboard player and founding member, Dag Selboskar. This relatively unknown Norwegian musician in fact has quite a pedigree. He debuted with the legendary Da Vinci. His DV bandmate, Bjorn … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bjorn Boge, Da Vinci, Dag Selboskar, Frontiers Records, In My Dreams, Ken Ingwersen, melodic rock, review, soft rock, Street Legal
Leave a comment
Album review: BITE THE BULLET – End of the Line

Escape Music [Release date 22.01.22] Bite the Bullet trace their origins back to 1986 and still feature the original duo of Mick Benton (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards) and Graham Cowling (Drums). They released a strong comeback album, ‘Black and White’, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bite The Bullet, End Of The Line, Escape Music, FM, hard rock, melodic rock, Mr Mister, review
Leave a comment
Album review: ORLEANS – New Star Shining

Sunset Blvd Records [Release date 22.10.21] The 2021 Christmas offering from Orleans is something of a welcome surprise. The band have existed in some shape or form since their glory days in the late 1970s on the Asylum label, although … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Christmas, classic rock, festive, melodic rock, New Star Shining, Orleans, Xmas
Leave a comment
Quick plays: TAYLOR YOUNG BAND, AUTUMN’S CHILD

TAYLOR YOUNG BAND Mercury Transit Handrawn Records [Release date 08.10.21] Taylor Young drummed for the likes of The O’s, Young Heart Attack and Polyphonic Spree. Now he takes on the role of band leader and is joined by guitarist, vocalist … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (October 2021 – December 2021)

DEEP PURPLE Turning To Crime (earMUSIC) While the production is big, solid and bright, there’s also a live-in-the-studio feel, like it was recorded quickly and spontaneously. Listen with open ears and the album shows the band on great form, and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Afterlight, albums, blues rock, Burntfield, classic rock, December 2021, Deep Purple, Eclipse, Leverage, melodic rock, November 2021, October 2021, Progressive Rock, review, singer, songwriter, Thea Gilmore, Thorbjorn Risager
Leave a comment
Album review: CAP OUTRUN – High On Deception

Frontiers [release date 10.12.21] Swedish rock band, Cap Outrun’s debut album integrates Progrock with Melodic Rock. A bold mix of nostalgia and modernism. One of the prime reasons for Progrock’s popularity is the music’s illusion of improvisation. You’re not quite … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chandler Mogen, Denis DeYoung, Lou Gramm, melodic rock, progrock, review, Steely Dan, Toto, Von Hertzen Brothers
Leave a comment
News: The Best of 2021 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year

2021 has been another horrendous year for live music, largely silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. In August, live events in the UK started cautiously with several festivals and, with restrictions lifting for smaller venues, some semblance of live music returned … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2021
Tagged albums, Best of 2021, blues rock, breakthrough acts, classic rock, hard rock, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, reissues, singer songwriter
Leave a comment
Album review: JIM PETERIK & WORLD STAGE – Tigress – Women Who Rock the World

Frontiers Records (Release date 05.11.21) Jim Peterik’s World Stage project, whether live or in the studio, is characterised by the Survivor founder using the widest array of musical chums to sing his songs. ‘Tigress’ (what is it with his obsession … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Cathy Richardson, Chez Kane, Chloe Lowery, Janet Gardner, Jim Peterik, melodic rock, Survivor, World Stage
Leave a comment
Album review: GROUNDBREAKER – Soul to Soul

Frontiers Records (Release date 12.11.21) Groundbreaker’s debut album was a Frontiers Records project to reunite Steve Overland with the pure AOR sound of early FM. That was a collaboration with Work of Art’s Robert Sall, but the latter is not … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, AOR, FM, Groundbreaker, melodic rock, Steve Overland, Sven Larsson
Leave a comment
Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to GIANT

Giant are rightly revered in melodic rock circles, another of those bands who for a short period at the turn of the 1980s delivered two of the finest albums in the genre. The band formed in 1987 after the two … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES
Tagged Dan Huff, feature, Giant, hard rock, melodic rock, review
Leave a comment
Album review: TRAGIK – Ultima Ratio

Rock Company [Release date 10.11.21] By my reckoning this is album number eleven by Tragik, who still feature Damian D’Ercole (Guitars, Percussion), Dirk Phillips (Drums, Keyboards) and Phil Vincent (Vocals, Bass, Keyboards). ‘Hunter’ and ‘Wet Dog’ (contender for Worst Song … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: MEMORIA AVENUE – Memoria Avenue

Frontiers [Release date 05.11.21] Debut album from Memoria Avenue, a collaboration between talented writer/ guitarist/ Producer, Tor Talle, and up and coming vocalist, and fellow Norwegian, Jan Le Brandt. A polished production and neatly tailored arrangements define the early part … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Frontiers, James Reyne, Jan Le Brandt, melodic rock, Memoria Avenue, review, Tor Talle
Leave a comment
Album review: TONY MITCHELL – Hot Endless Summer Nights

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.11.21] Nearly two years on, Tony Mitchell releases his third album as he goes full on 80s AOR. Tony Mitchell spent several months travelling coast to coast taking in the sights, sounds & overall American culture … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, hard rock, Hot Endless Summer Nights, Kiss Of The Gypsy, melodic rock, review, rock, Tony Mitchell
Leave a comment
Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – The Duets Collection Vol. 1

Frontiers [Release date 08.10.21] The pandemic and resulting lockdowns certainly had musicians thinking about ways to carry on with their musical passion. One such artist Jeff Scott Soto wanted to do a retrospective ‘best of’ from the many bands and … Continue reading
Album review: FANS OF THE DARK – Fans Of The Dark

Frontiers [Release date: 05.11.21] Fans Of The Dark are a new Melodic Rock band formed by songwriter / drummer, Freddie Allen, the driving force behind AOR legends-in-the-making, Houston. He’s brought in Alex Falk on vocals, with guitarist, Oscar Bromvall and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Fans of the Dark, Frontiers, Hollywood, Houston, melodic rock, Movies, Norway, Oscar Wilde, review, Tor Talle
Leave a comment
Album review: HEARTLAND – Into The Future

Escape Music [Release date 15.10.21] I assumed Chris Ousey had kicked the long career of Heartland on the head with their last album of new material coming back in 2007. However, after his time with Snakecharmer and also fronting Kingdom … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Ousey, Heartland, Into The Future, melodic rock, Mike Slamer, review
Leave a comment
Album review: ECLIPSE – Wired

Frontiers Records [Release date 08.10.21] Eclipse have been on one the hottest streaks in melodic rock of recent years- even last year’s stop-gap live album ‘Viva la Victouria’ being a reminder of quite how many anthems they have written. And … Continue reading
Album review: LOVERBOY – Loverboy and Get Lucky (Remasters)

Rock Candy Records [release date 24.09.21] Selling 6 million between them, Loverboy’s self titled debut (1980) and follow up, Get Lucky (1981), have now had the treatment from Rock Candy Records. Forty years of remastering evolution has brought us to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bob Rock, Bruce Fairbairn, Canada, Get Lucky, Loverboy, melodic rock, remasters, review, Rock Candy Records
Leave a comment
Gig review: VEGA – Camden Underworld, London, 9 October 2021

Vega are one of those bands with a lot of lost time to make up as live music resumes. Since the beginning of the pandemic one of the UK’s premier melodic rockers have recorded not one but two albums, with … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Billy Taylor, Dan Byrne, gig, Hazel Jade Rogers, James Martin, Joanovarc, melodic rock, Nick Workman, Pete Newdeck, Revival Black, Shelley Walker, Tom Martin, Vega
Leave a comment
Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Garage, Highbury, London, 2 October 2021

I will freely admit that Cats in Space are one of my very favourite bands to have emerged in the past few years. Their sound is unashamedly inspired by the second half of the seventies but the combination of lush … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Andy Stewart, Cats In Space, Damien Edwards, Dean Howard, gig, Greg Hart, Jack Stiles, Jeff Brown, melodic rock, Pete Lance, soft rock, Vambo
Leave a comment






