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Tag Archives: melodic
Feature: Albums that time forgot…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
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged album, Billy White, Don Dokken, feature, hair metal, hard rock, interview, John Norum, melodic, review, Up From The Ashes
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adam Lambert, album, Brian May, classic rock, Freddie Mercury, Live Around The World, melodic, Queen, review, rock, Roger Taylor
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Album review: 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
Album review: 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
Quick plays: OGD, DAYS BETWEEN STATIONS, SUN KING RISING
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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Americana, Billy Sherwood, blues, Days Between Stations, Delta Tales, Giants, melodic, OGD, power metal, prog rock, progressive, Quick Plays, review, rock, Sun King Rising, The Big Game, Them, thrash metal, Yes
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Frozen War, album, Billy Sheenan, DarWin, Darwin 2, Greg Howe, Guthrie Govan, melodic, progressive, review, SF, Simon Phillips
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged A Wizard A True Star, CD, Cleopatra Records, DVD, live, melodic, review, rock, soul, Todd Rundgren
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Even The Devil Believes, melodic, melodic metal, metal, Michael Sweet, review, Stryper, white metal
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Becoming Human, electronica, Frontiers, melodic, Phil Collins, prog rock, progressive, review, Simon Collins, Sound Of Contact
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, indie, Jamie Cameron, melodic, review, the Last Dinosaur, Wholeness
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Album review: 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
Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, chill, Fapir, folk, Forndom, melodic, review, rock, Viking
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Single reviews: CONSTANT FOLLOWER, ARCADIAN TEMPLE
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
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Arcadian Temple, Constant Follower, folk, melodic, metal, NWOBHM, review, rock, singles
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, debut, gothic, hard rock, horror metal, melodic, metal, review, South Of Salem, The Sinner Takes It All
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Arjen Lucassen, Ayreon, concept album, Dee Snider, Epica, Kamelot, melodic, Music Theory Recordings, porg metal, review, rock, theatrical, Transitus, Twisted Sister
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Inside Out, melodic, Mike Portnoy, Neal Morse, Neal Morse Band, prog rock, progressive, review, rock, Sola Gratia, theatrical
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Album review: 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
Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, funk, melodic, pop, review, Roachford, Solo, soul, Twice In A Lifetime
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Abigail Austin, AOR. album, Kiss The Gun, melodic, review, rock, We See You
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Feature: Albums that time forgot … 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
Album review: VARIOUS – Girls Go Power Pop!
Big Beat/Ace [Release date 28.08.20] Ace (via their Big Beat imprint) follow 2019’s impressive “Come On Let’s Go” power pop collection with a new 25 tracker. This time, compiler Dave Burke varies the theme by focussing on female-fronted acts. As … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Ace Records, album, Girls Go Power Pop!, Go-Gos, melodic, pop rock, power pop, review, The Bangles, The Runaways, various
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Album review: ROY WOOD AND WIZZARD – Mainstreet/Eddy &The Falcons
Main Street Cherry Red Records [Release date 28.08.20] Two years later, apparently stifled by the “hit machine” expectations that weighed upon him, Wood wrote, recorded and released “Main Street”. It was his first real attempt to climb off the pop … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged albums, avnat garde, Eddy and The Falcons, ELO, jazz, Mainstreet, melodic, pop, pop rock, re-issue, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Roy Wood, The Move, Wizzard
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Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – The Victoria, Swindon, Thursday 27 August 2020
So it’s Thursday 27 August and the wind down to a long weekend, what better way to get in the mood than to see live music – yes real, live, raw, rock in an amazing venue, the Victoria in Old … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Bryan Adams, Fall From Ruin, gig, hard rock, live, melodic, modern rock, review, rock, Swindon, the Darker My Horizon
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Quick plays: RURA, JOSHUA BURNELL, GYPSY PISTOLEROS
RURA Live at the Old Fruitmarket [Release date 11.09.20] Rura releases this live album to celebrate the band’s tenth anniversary, recorded in February this year at the Celtic Connections festival, just before live shows stopped due to the pandemic. Their … Continue reading
Album review: MAD MAX – Stormchild Rising
SPV Records [Release date 21.08.20] The undoubted star of Mad Max’s umpteenth album is Michael Voss’s guitar. It provides blistering solos and fine textural detail, often in the space of a single track. That’s nothing new, but it might be … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Mad Max, melodic, Michael Voss, review, rock, SPV, Stormchild Warning
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