Tag Archives: melodic rock

Single reviews: ROXY AND THE LOCKHEARTS, BIG TALL SHADOWS

Posted on September 2, 2025 by jason

Now there’s a bit of a backstory here… whilst both bands will be judged as single entities, these guys have in fact worked together before as the mighty King Voodoo whilst they disbanded and have gone their separate ways musically. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Biffy Clyro, Big Tall Shadows, debut, Def Leppard, King Voodoo, melodic rock, review, rock, Roxy and the Lockhearts, singles | Leave a comment

News: BON JOVI, AVATAR, THE HARA (September 2025)

Posted on August 29, 2025 by jason

Aerosmith and Yungblud have teamed up for a new song entitled ‘My Only Angel’. It is the band’s first music in over a decade. They release an five song EP ‘One More Time’ on November 21 which features ‘My Only Angel’, … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, AOR, Avatar, blues, Bon Jovi, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, the Hara, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review: FM- Brotherhood

Posted on August 20, 2025 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 05.09.25) You can set your watch by the fact that FM will release a new album every other year since 2018, no mean feat considering they seem to be perpetually on tour. Given that the live … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Brotherhood, FM, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, Steve Overland | Leave a comment

Album review: ROULETTE – Go!

Posted on August 17, 2025 by andynathan

Black Lodge Records [Release Date 25.07.25] Swedish melodic rockers Roulette have had a chequered history- around since the eighties, they never got as far as releasing an album till 2008. It was another eleven years before a very well received … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Go!, melodic rock, review, Roulette, Thomas Lundgren | Leave a comment

Gig review: TEN – Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent, 9 August 2025

Posted on August 15, 2025 by andynathan

Back in the mid-nineties, when melodic rock was at its lowest ebb, Ten were one of the first shoots of hope as a thriving underground scene emerged and I was a huge fan. They were the great white hope of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Dann Rosingana, Darrell Treece-Birch, Gary Hughes, gig, Leo’s Red Lion, melodic rock, Steve Grocott, TEN | Leave a comment

Gig review: MALMO MELODIC – Plan B, Malmo, Sweden, 25-27 July 2025

Posted on August 7, 2025 by andynathan

Last year’s inaugural ‘Malmo Melodic’ was such a success that it was swiftly clear that a 2025 version would build the brand further. The line-up was stronger, and Johan Nylen and his team from Wind Up Productions brought into the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Animalyze, AOR, Arctic Rain, Arkado, Bad Habit, Brother Firetribe, Care of Night, Crazy Lixx, Cruzh, Daytona, Degreed, festival, FM, gig, House Of Shakira, Kissin’ Dynamite, Malmo Melodic, melodic rock, Nick Workman, Nitrate, Pittman Cole, Rian, Seventh Crystal, State of Salazar, Treat, Violet | Leave a comment

Album review: FIRST LIGHT – Elemental

Posted on July 31, 2025 by andynathan

Pride and Joy Music [Release Date 25.07.25] There are not enough British AOR bands around, so it is always a pleasure when one arrives with some pedigree. First Light released an EP a couple of years ago and, on top … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Carl Sharples, Dave Hardman, First Light, melodic rock, Phil Manchester, Warren Passaro | Leave a comment

News: BAD COMPANY, TRIVIUM, DAVID GILMOUR (August 2025)

Posted on July 29, 2025 by jason

AFI will release a new album, ‘Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…’, on October 3 via Run For Cover Records. Alcatrazz release ‘Prior Convictions’, an album of re-recorded songs plus two new songs, in November through BraveWords Records. The band plan to release … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Exhibitions, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, AOR, Bad Company, blues, David Gilmour, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates, Trivium | Leave a comment

Album review: STAR CIRCUS – From The Wreckage

Posted on July 25, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

Renaissance Records [Release date 13.06.25] There’s a big debate going on about the use of AI and whether it compromises modern music making and musicians. After a lifetime of exposure to classic rock I for one am receptive. Time and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, From The Wreckage, melodic rock, review, Star Circus | Leave a comment

Album review : HONEYMOON SUITE – Wake Me When The Sun Goes Down

Posted on July 15, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 25.07.25] Words to live your life by. As one who frequently mainlines on the band’s uncut 2006 Anthology, Feel It Again, a new Honeymoon Suite album is cause for celebration. Previous album, Alive was the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alive, Clifton Hill, Covid, Derry Grehan, Desmond Child, Honeymoon Suite, Johnny Dee, melodic rock, Mike Krompass, Mutt Lange, review | Leave a comment

Album review: STYX- Circling From Above

Posted on July 10, 2025 by andynathan

Alpha Dog 2T/UMe (Release Date 18.07.25) While many ‘heritage’ classic rock acts on both sides of the pond have chosen to give up on writing new material and rely on their legacy catalogue, in recent years Styx have proved a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, James 'JY' Young, Lawrence Gowan, melodic rock, pomp rock, Styx, Tommy Shaw, Will Evankovich | Leave a comment

Album review : DEGREED – The Leftovers

Posted on July 10, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 18.07.25] Only a year after their last full length studio album, Public Address, Degreed now release The Leftovers, a 9 track EP. The title is self explanatory, but there’s a negative connotation there, hinting that these tracks … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alexi Laiho, American AOR, Degreed, Johnny Hates Jazz, melodic rock, Public Address, review, synthwave | Leave a comment

Album review – DOUBLE VISION – S/T

Posted on July 8, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] For many years, Double Vision were a Foreigner covers band, as the band name might suggest. They’ve now been given the opportunity by the Frontiers’ label to make their own way. It’s fronted by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chandler Mogel, Double Vision, Foreigner, Frontiers Music, melodic rock, Mick Jones, review | Leave a comment

Album review : LAGUNA – The Ghost Of Katrina

Posted on July 6, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 11.07.25] A choir and a spoken word intro, in Spanish, introduces us to Mexico’s rock festival junkies, Laguna. And that’s the thing about putting the miles in. You learn what works and what doesn’t. Then … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Bon Jovi, Frontiers Music, Jimmy Westerlund, Laguna, melodic rock, Mexico, One Desire, review | Leave a comment

News: FM, STEVE PORCARO, FOREIGNER (July 2025)

Posted on July 5, 2025 by jason

FM- Chelmsford Social Club, Chelmsford, Essex, 21 February 2025

The Acacia Strain will release a new album, ‘You Are Safe From God Here’, on October 24 via Rise Records. All Time Low release their new album ‘Everyone’s Talking!’ on October 17 through their own label, Basement Noise Records. Alter Bridge release their … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, AOR, blues, FM, folk, Foreigner, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, Steve Porcaro, tour dates | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2025)

Posted on June 28, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

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 ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 2025, albums of the month, April, blues rock, classic rock, folk rock, June, May, melodic rock, Progressive Rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ALIEN – When Yesterday Comes Around

Posted on June 25, 2025 by andynathan

Pride and Joy Music (Release Date 21.03.25) Its nearly five years since Alien’s last album, ‘Into The Future’, an attempt at a heavier sound that was a major disappointment – reviewing for GRTR! my verdict was ‘the experiment with a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alien, AOR, Jim Jidhed, melodic rock, Tony Borg | Leave a comment

Album review: WHITE WIDDOW – Reissues

Posted on June 17, 2025 by jason

Pride & Joy Classix [Release date 27.06.25] White Widdow were formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2008 and centred around the Millis brothers Jules (vocals) & Xavier (keyboards) with guitarist Enzo Almanzi. They have released five studio albums to date, with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, Crossfire, melodic rock, pomp rock, Pride & Joy Music, reissues, review, Serenade, White Widdow | Leave a comment

Album review: HEARTS ON FIRE – Signs & Wonders

Posted on June 14, 2025 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Gig review: ELECTRIC BOYS – Water Rats, London, 10 June 2025

Posted on June 13, 2025 by andynathan

Sweden’s Electric Boys must be among the most Anglophile of bands as they constantly seem to be on tour here. They were last in London only last November playing the Camden Club, and I missed that, but have always enjoyed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ben Marsden, Conny Bloom, Electric Boys, funk rock, gig, melodic rock, Slim Martin, The Spangles | Leave a comment

Album review: MARIO VAYNE – The Moment

Posted on June 12, 2025 by jason

Facebook [Release date 23.05.25] I’ll get straight to the point, new album “The Moment” by Australia’s Mario Vayne is my favourite release of 2025 so far. I’d heard debut single “Rock n Roll Day” on Planet Rock and it’s Def Leppard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Def Leppard, Enuff Z Nuff, hard rock, Mario Vayne, melodic rock, review, rock, The Moment | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Acoustic Couch, Bracknell, 31 May 2025

Posted on June 1, 2025 by jason

Coming out of gig retirement (well apart from the excellent folk gigs at Harwell Village Hall) for a rather fine night for hard rock. Second time at The Acoustic Couch, which sadly is nearing its end as a live venue due … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 31 May 2025, Acoustic Couch, Bracknell, gig, melodic rock, Revenant, review, rock. hard rock, southern rock, the Darker My Horizon | Leave a comment

News: STYX, JOHN FOGERTY, RISE AGAINST (June 2025)

Posted on May 29, 2025 by jason

BAD COMPANY - Manchester Arena, 24 October 2016

Airbourne released a new song, ‘Gutsy’, on June 6 – their first new music in six years. Amorphis their new studio album ‘Borderland’ on September 26 via Reigning Phoenix. Asia have signed with Frontiers and plan to release a live … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, Listening Post, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, AOR, blues, folk, gigs, John Fogerty, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Rise Against, special editions, Styx, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review: TRAGIK – Crescendo

Posted on May 27, 2025 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 28.05.25] Tragik are back with album number thirteen and their first in two years, which is some gap for them, although Phil Vincent has been busy with his other musical projects. Joining him are Vince O’Regan, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, BTO, Crescendo, hard rock, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock, Tragik | Leave a comment

Gig review: MAYHEM ROCK FESTIVAL- 229 Club, London, 16 May 2025

Posted on May 24, 2025 by andynathan

The first ever Mayhem Festival was a showcase for the 21st century generation of Swedish glam bands, both new and with a longer pedigree. The format was that the three co- headliners would all play sets of equal length, though … Continue reading →