Tag Archives: melodic

Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Dirty Rockers, Dudley, Saturday 24 October 2020

TDMH Dudley 1

Rock lives, music lives but only if we support it – our small music venues are on there knees trying to survive and actually attending this gig, nearly broke this rock chick’s heart for a number of reasons….. I have … Continue reading

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EP review: MADRE SUN – The Speed of Light

MADRE SUN – The Speed of Light

Facebook [Release date24.07.20] Madre Son was formed by brothers Eduardo (bass, vocals) and Matt Cavina (guitar), along with guitarist Tyson Schenker (son of Michael). They are joined on the EP by drummer Flipi Stipp. They certainly have rock pedigree and … Continue reading

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Album review: STARDUST – Highway To Heartbreak

STARDUST – Highway To Heartbreak

Frontiers [Release date 09.10.20] Debut album from (very) talented newcomers, Stardust. In the world inhabited by melodic rock fans, very good pastiches of Eighties’ AOR get the utmost respect. The era’s distinctively polished, precision calibrated, hook heavy hard rock is … Continue reading

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Album review: MARK BOALS & RING OF FIRE – All The Best!

MARK BOALS & RING OF FIRE – All The Best!

Frontiers [Release date 09.10.20] Yngwie Malmsteen has introduced many fine vocalists to rock and metal fans including Jeff Scott Soto and Mark Boals, who sang on the classic ‘Trilogy’ album. Since then he has worked with many bands and artists … Continue reading

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Album review: TOMI MALM – Coming Home

TOMI MALM – Coming Home

Website [Release date 16.10.20] “Coming Home” is the second album from Finland’s classically trained writer/ producer/ musician, Tomi Malm. Three years after his highly successful “Walking On Air” album, he again recruits some of the best in the Westcoast Rock … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot…DON DOKKEN – Up From The Ashes

DON DOKKEN - Up From The Ashes

Geffen Records (1990) At the turn of the 1980′s there was a last hurrah for the genre that had sometimes been called glam metal, or more specifically hair metal.  Bolstered by albums such as Whitesnake (1987) and Winger (1988) the … Continue reading

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Album review: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – Live Around The World

QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT - Live Around the World

EMI [Release date 02.10.20] Live Around The World presents a compilation of concert highlights captured the world over personally selected by Taylor, May and Lambert from over 200 shows they have performed and it is also the first release under … Continue reading

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Album review: THE EXPLORERS CLUB – To Sing And Be Born Again

THE EXPLORERS CLUB - To Sing And Be Born Again

Goldstar Records [Release date 16.10.20] This covers’ album, simultaneously released with “The Explorers Club”, is a mixture of the obscure and the enduring. The picks self evidently come from an era that embraced bubblegum pop and sublime pop artistry at … Continue reading

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Album review: EXPLORERS CLUB – The Explorers Club

EXPLORERS CLUB - The Explorers Club

Goldstar Records [Release date 16.10.20] Less a revolving door band, more a fluid musical construct, The Explorer’s Club’s single constant is founder, Jason Brewer. This is his fourth album in 12 years, not exactly prolific, but when you spend most … Continue reading

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Quick plays: OGD, DAYS BETWEEN STATIONS, SUN KING RISING

OGD - The Big Game

OGD The Big Game Bandcamp [Release date 25.08.20] The Big Game is the debut release from OGD who feature Derek Olivero (guitars, lead vocals), Bobby Gavin (drums), and Dave DeRanieri (bass). OGD recorded the album with legendary drummer Jerry Marotta … Continue reading

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Album review: DARWIN – Darwin 2: A Frozen War

DARWIN - Darwin 2 A Frozen War

Indie [Release date 06.11.20] A follow-up to 2018’s highly enjoyable ‘Origin Of Species’ and this latest album certainly proved challenging for the band, as they explain – “The writing for the album continued as we wrapped ‘Origin of Species’ in … Continue reading

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Album review: TODD RUNDGREN – A Wizard A True Star, Live

TODD RUNDGREN – A Wizard A True Star, Live

Cleopatra Records, USA [Release date 25.09.20] Eleven Years ago this month, Todd Rundgren and his band, suitably garbed in white “coat’n’tails” played “A Wizard, A True Star” in its entirety, at the Akron Ohio Civic Theatre, one of the last … Continue reading

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Album review: STRYPER – Even The Devil Believes

STRYPER – Even The Devil Believes

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Stryper’s 13th studio album, “Even The Devil Believes” follows hard the heels of “God Damn Evil” (their fourth on Frontiers). When you’re hot you’re hot. Vocalist/Guitarist/producer, Michael Sweet lets loose a high pitched howl as he … Continue reading

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Album review: SIMON COLLINS – Becoming Human

SIMON COLLINS - Becoming Human

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Fourth solo album by Simon Collins and his first since leaving Sound Of Contact, on whose 2013 debut album ‘Dimensionaut’ he handled lead vocals. Simon Collins played drums and keys on this album, along with vocals. … Continue reading

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Album review: THE LAST DINOSAUR – Wholeness

The Last Dinosaur - Wholeness

Indie [Release date 23.10.20] Music can move us in so many ways, filtering through our lives in both the subtle and the obvious. It can seem to be that ever-present soundtrack to our days, a faintly heard radio, the background … Continue reading

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Album review: BIG COUNTRY – Out Beyond The River, The Compulsion Years Anthology

BIG COUNTRY – Out Beyond The River, The Compulsion Years Anthology

Cherry Red [Release date 25.09.20] The late great Stuart Adamson and his band, Big Country, made an indelible musical mark on UK popular culture. Their history is well documented. This anthology focuses on a very narrow, but hugely fertile period … Continue reading

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Album review: FORNDOM – Fapir

FORNDOM – Fapir

Nordvis Produktion [Release date 03.04.20] A new genre has been created: Viking Chill-out and Forndom is the King. Skillfully mixing the best of Icelandic bands like Sigur Ros along with traditional Scandinavian folk, this Swedish artist brings a stunning world … Continue reading

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Single reviews: CONSTANT FOLLOWER, ARCADIAN TEMPLE

CONSTANT FOLLOWER - Set Aside Some Time

CONSTANT FOLLOWER – Set Aside Some Time Sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you’ll stumble across a band that will truly make your heart swell and your life better. Constant Follower are one such band. Changing greys to multi coloured pastel … Continue reading

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Album review: SOUTH OF SALEM – The Sinner Takes It All

SOUTH OF SALEM – The Sinner Takes It All

Indie [Release date 25.09.20] South Of Salem hail from Bournemouth, consisting of vocalist Joey, guitarist Fish and Kodi, bassist Dee and drummer Pip. You can get some idea of the band’s music with the choice of producer Scott Atkins, who … Continue reading

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Album review: AYREON – Transitus

AYREON - Transitus

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 25.09.20] Ayreon’s latest album comes complete with the book and vinyl offerings accompanied by a 28 page graphic novel illustrated by Felix Vega. It’ll see Arjen Lucassen, Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer, tackle … Continue reading

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Album review: NEAL MORSE – Sola Gratia

NEAL MORSE - Sola Gratia

Inside Out [Release date 11.09.20] Neal Morse hardly seems to be out of the studio, with a covers collection released in the summer under the Morse Portnoy George handle, and last year he released the ambitious double album ‘Jesus Christ: … Continue reading

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Album review: THE PETAL FALLS – Workin’ All Night Workin’ All Day

THE PETAL FALLS - Workin' All Night Workin' All Day

Rock Avenue Records [Release date 31.07.20] This is my new favourite album of 2020, by UK band, The Petal Falls “Workin’ All Night Workin’ All Day” and if the impressive production is anything to go by, this band most certainly has … Continue reading

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Album review: ROACHFORD – Twice In A Lifetime

ROACHFORD - Twice In A Lifetime

BMG [Release date 11.09.20] Anyone who can stay the distance in the fickle UK music business deserves considerable recognition and with 32 years under his belt, Andrew Roachford MBE is due his flowers. Originally operating as a band, “Roachford” achieved … Continue reading

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Album review: KISS THE GUN – We See You

KISS THE GUN - We See You

KTG Records [Release Date 04.09.20] Kiss The Gun’s 2017 debut, “Nightmares” readily labelled them as ‘one to watch’. Much of the credit went to charismatic Georgian vocalist, Nadin Zakharian. She’s gone now, and has been replaced by Brit, Abigail Austin. … Continue reading

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Feature: Albums that time forgot … CODE OF SILENCE – Dark Skies Over Babylon

CODE OF SILENCE - Dark Skies Over Babylon

Mausoleum Records (Europe) Rubicon (Japan) (2013) Described by GRTR! reviewer Alan Jones as ‘a truly genre-bending tour de force, which, whilst having melodic metal at its heart, makes frequent forays into the diverse worlds of progressive rock, heavy metal, shred … Continue reading

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