Tag Archives: melodic rock

Album review : FIRST SIGNAL – Face Your Fears

Posted on February 19, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 17.02.23] Harry (Harem Scarem) Hess teams up this time with producer/writer, Michele Guiatoli, who has recently impressed us with his guitar and mixing desk skills on the Issa album, Lights Of Japan. The last First Signal album … Continue reading →

Album review – KHYMERA – Hold Your Ground

Posted on February 17, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 10.02.23] Texas native, bassman and vocalist, Dennis (Pink Cream 69/Unisonic/Place Vendome/Sunstorm) Ward, transformed into a full blown front man with Khymera earlier this millennium. The band membership is inclined to fluidity, but Ward has assembled a fine … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dennis Ward, Eric Ragno, Hold Your Ground, Khymera, melodic rock, Pink Cream 69, review, Unisonic | Leave a comment

Album review: T3NORS – Naked Soul

Posted on February 15, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 10.02.23] So much of Frontiers’ melodic rock finds itself impervious to outside influences. There are few AOR albums from the label that have successfully taken on contemporary musical mores. The truth is – we all claim to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Blanc Faces, Giant, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Naked Soul, Perfect Plan, Pride of Lions, review, Robbie LeBlanc, T3NORS, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night

Posted on February 7, 2023 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: RONNIE ROMERO – Raised On Heavy Radio

Posted on February 3, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [Release date: 27.01.23] Second “Raised On…” album from Ronnie (Rainbow, Lords Of Black, The Ferry Men) Romero. Recording cover versions of your favourite songs must be a temptation that’s impossible to resist. Many singers/bands have done it. Few … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Bad Company, Chris Caffery, Foreigner, Gus G, heavy metal, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, melodic rock, Nozuma Wakei, Rainbow, Raised On Heavy Radio, review, Roland Grapow, Ronnie Romero, Steve Perry, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review : CROWNE – Operation Phoenix

Posted on February 2, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [elease date: 27.01.23] Second album from Crowne, a high end assembly made up of members of H.E.A.T., Art Nation, Europe, The Poodles and Dynazty. Respectively, Jona Tee, Alexander Strandell, John Leven, Christial Lundqvist and Love Magnusson. The debut didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alexander Strandell, Art Nation, Christian Lundvqist, Crowne, Dynazty, Europe, HEAT, John Leven, Jona Tee, Love Magnussen, melodic rock, Operation Phoenix, review, The Poodles | Leave a comment

Album review: ARCTIC RAIN – Unity

Posted on January 31, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 27.01.23] Arctic Rain’s declamatory melodic rock will remind you of several expert practitioners of the genre. From the Bon Jovi-esque ‘One World’, intense, in your face, with a fleeting sense of melody, and the title track, ‘Unity’, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Arctic Rain, Bon Jovi, Frontiers, Graham Bonnet, Harem Scarem, melodic rock, Mr Big, review, Tobias Jonson, Unity | Leave a comment

Gig review: DIRTY HONEY – The Garage, London, 24 January 2023

Posted on January 30, 2023 by andynathan

Many American bands are choosing to skip Europe and the UK with the rising cost of touring. And the cost of living crisis and the sheer volume of gigs as the industry tries to make up for the time lost … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged classic rock, Dirty Honey, gig, Jaydon Bean, John Notto, Justin Smolian, Marc LaBelle, melodic rock | Leave a comment

Album review: CHRIS ROSANDER – The Monster Inside

Posted on January 22, 2023 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: CASEY MAUNDER – Until Your Heart Stops Beating

Posted on January 21, 2023 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged album, Casey Maunder, hard rock, melodic rock, Noddy Holder, review, rock, Slade, Stereophonics, Until Your Heart Stops Beating | Leave a comment

Album review: ISSA – Lights Of Japan

Posted on January 20, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 20.01.23] Issa Oversveen is married to James Martin, ex of Vega. With his brother Tom, he’s written the bulk of the material here. And you can tell. Even with the best efforts of guitarist Simone Mularoni and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Delvecchio, Issa, James Martin, Lights Of Japan, melodic rock, Michele Guaitola, review, Simone Mulinari, symphonic rock, Tom Martin, Vega, Visions Of Atlantis | Leave a comment

Album review: TEN – Something Wicked This Way Comes

Posted on January 17, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 20.01.23] Here’s another Ten album title that will again appeal to the literati or the cinephiles among the band’s fans. It’s their sixteenth studio release since 1996. Ever present founder/ writer/ singer, Gary Hughes has gathered a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR. Pomp Rock, Dennis Ward, Gary Hughes, Gollum, Khymera, Liaison, Macbeth, melodic rock, MOR, Pink Cream 69, review, Rick Springfield, Something Wicked This Way Comes, TEN | Leave a comment

Album review: AUTUMN’S CHILD – Starflower

Posted on December 23, 2022 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE NEW ROSES – Camden Underworld, London, 1 December 2022

Posted on December 22, 2022 by andynathan

It’s been a case of making up for lost time for German rockers The New Roses. I’d been highly impressed by their headline London show at this same venue in late 2018 and the following year’s ‘Nothing But Wild’ was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 1 December 2022, Camden Underworld, Dizzy Daniels, gig, London, melodic rock, the New Roses, Timmy Rough | Leave a comment

Single reviews: LITTLE LORE, BROTHER FIRETRIBE, KING CUJO

Posted on December 20, 2022 by jason

LITTLE LORE Birds ‘Birds’ is the latest single from Little Lore, the alter-ego of London-based Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy. She is joined on this song by Oli Deakin who adds the instrumental backing. Little Lore: “I wrote ‘Birds’ at a friend’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged alt rock, Brother Firetribe, folk, King Cujo, Little Lore, melodic rock, review, rock, singer songwriter, singles | Leave a comment

Album review: BARNABAS SKY – What Comes To Light

Posted on December 18, 2022 by jason

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 →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Barnabus Sky, Dan Reed, Danny Vaughn, Doogie White, hard rock, Lazarus Dream, Markus Pfeffer, melodic metal, melodic rock, review, What Comes To Light | Leave a comment

Gig review: DANNY VAUGHN – The Grace, London, 4 December 2022

Posted on December 18, 2022 by andynathan

Danny Vaughn was one of those troubadours who made lockdown life more bearable for rock fans with his ‘Vaughnsday’ on line acoustic performances from his living room. The pandemic had interrupted his usual busy schedule, whether solo, with Tyketto or … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 4 December 2022, acoustic, Danny Vaughn, gig, London, melodic rock, The Grace, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Album review : NEVENA – Nevena

Posted on December 14, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] After contributing to the Big Deal album earlier this year, with several other female singers, Nevena strikes out now as a solo performer. Her debut walks a high wire between modern pop and melodic rock, as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Big Deal, Contemporary pop, country rock, Frontiers, Heart, melodic rock, Mike Palace, Pat Benatar, review, Serbia | Leave a comment

Album review: PERFECT PLAN- Brace for Impact

Posted on December 11, 2022 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (release date 14.10.22) Of the multitude of Scandinavian melodic rock bands to emerge in recent years, Perfect Plan have been one of the best. Indeed their second album ‘Time for a Miracle’ was my album of 2020. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Perfect Plan | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (October – December 2022)

Posted on December 8, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: TOMMY DECARLO – Dancing In The Moonlight

Posted on December 4, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Tommy DeCarlo, the singer who joined Boston in 2007, after being discovered on MySpace by Tom Scholz, is now on his second “solo” album for Frontiers. The current iteration of his studio band includes, on guitar, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Delvecchio, Black Crowes, Bon Jovi, Boston, Dancing In The Moonlight, David Julien, Denis DeYoung, George Clinton, GooGoo Dolls, Marti Jepsen Andersen, melodic rock, review, Styx, Tom Scholz, Tommy Decarlo, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Album review: ROB MORATTI – Epical

Posted on December 2, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Quite a line up Rob Moratti’s put together here. Tony (Blue Murder) Franklin, Joel (Whitesnake) Hoekstra, Pete (James Christian/ Robin McAuley) Alpenborg, Fredrik (Bloodbound) Bergh, with Steve (Tyketto/ Journey) Augeri on backing vocals. Moratti has been … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alias, AOR, Bloodbound, Blue Murder, Brother Firetribe, Eclipse, Fredrik Bergh, James Christian, Joel Hoekstra, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Robin McAuley, Starship, Steve Augeri, Steve Perry, Survivor, Tony Franlin, Tyketto, Whitesnake, Work Of Art | Leave a comment

Album review: LANDFALL – Elevate

Posted on November 29, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 9.12.22] Much more assured second album from Landfall, the Brazilian band led by Eric Martin soundalike, Gui Oliver. And boy does it sound good, graced with melodic, tightly constructed songs, great playing, a lean, taut production, no … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Blue Tears, Elevate, Eric Martin, Frontiers, Gui Oliver, Journey, Landfall, Mayank, melodic rock, Mr Big, review | Leave a comment

Quick plays: STAR CIRCUS, THE ROADS

Posted on November 27, 2022 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review : AUTOGRAPH – Beyond

Posted on November 26, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [Release date 18.11.22] We all want to love this album because it’s Autograph. Even though they’re one-hit-wonders, and even though bassman Randy Rand is/was the only remaining original member. (Rand took part in the recording sessions, but died … Continue reading →