Tag Archives: review

Album review: MIKE KENEALLY – The Thing That Knowledge Can’t Eat

Posted on February 19, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Exowax Recordings [Release date 24.02.23] Mike Keneally played keyboard and guitar with Zappa. More recently he’s provided similar support to Satriani. But on his latest solo album it’s the Zappa irreverence that comes out on the opening track ‘Logos’ which … 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: ROBIN MCAULEY – Alive

Posted on February 16, 2023 by david.wilson

Frontiers Records [Release date 17.02.23] Robin’s last album ‘Standing On The Edge’ was my top album of 2021 so this new release has a lot to live up to. However, with Robin you know that quality is assured and with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Alive, Frontier Records, Grand Prix, Michael Schenker, MSG, Raiding the Rock Vault, review, Robin McAuley, Standing On The Edge | Leave a comment

Album review: LOVEBITES – Judgement Day

Posted on February 16, 2023 by david.wilson

JPU Records [Release date 24.02.23] I first became aware of Lovebites a few years back when they opened for Dragonforce. Not knowing the band’s musical leanings, I was very surprised that night at their blend of power and thrash metal … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Asami, Dragonforce, Haruna, Japan, JPU Records, Judgement day, Lovebites, Medori, metal, Myaki, power, review, rock, Steve Harris, symphonic, Thrash | Leave a comment

Album review: THE HAYLEY GRIFFITHS BAND – Melanie

Posted on February 16, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Posh & Rock Records [Release date 20.01.23] We first came across Hayley Griffiths when she fronted Karnataka for a time, including one studio album in 2015. Her departure (with others) from that band was apparently acrimonious but she has dusted … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Karnataka, Melanie, metal, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Hayley Griffiths Band | Leave a comment

Gig review: ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – Powerhaus, London, 11 February 2023

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Davoski

My first visit to the renamed Dingwalls since it changed name and ownership in 2020. The venue was near its 500-berth capacity for Robert Jon & The Wreck who have sold out a good few dates on this tour. First … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 11 February 2023, blues, Camden, gig, gospel, live, Powerhaus, review, Robert Jon & The Wreck, southern rock | 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: WIG WAM – Out Of The Dark

Posted on February 14, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 10.02.23] Hard to believe Wig Wam began strutting their Glam/Classic Rock stuff two decades ago.Their flirtation with Eurovision is well documented, but the band’s post 2014 downtime gap is not. What we do know is that the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, comeback, Eurovision, glam rock, metal, Out Of The Dark, review, Wig Wam | Leave a comment

Album review: MOTORHEAD – Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC

Posted on February 12, 2023 by david.wilson

Silver Lining Music [Release date 24.02.23] “If the guys wanted to prove a point with this record then they have achieved that goal and then some. ‘Aftershock’ was a great album but with ‘Bad Magic’ Lemmy, Phil and Mikkey have … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Ace Of Spades, album, Bad Magic, CD, David Bowie, Heroes, Lemmy, live, Mikkey Dee, Motorhead, Mt Fuji Festival, Overkill, Phil Campbell, review, Rolling Stones, Seriously Bad Magic, Sympathy For The Devil | Leave a comment

EP review: SEAMUS FOLEY – Into The Night

Posted on February 12, 2023 by jason

Website [Release date 24.02.23] Séamus Foley releases a six song EP and as Séamus explains, “This EP came about after I recorded the single (of the same name) remotely during lockdown. I realised I wanted to further explore these ways of recording, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Americana, blues, country, EP, folk, Into The Night, melodic, review, Seamus Foley | Leave a comment

Album review: BRIAN TARQUIN & HEAVY FRIENDS – Brothers In Arms

Posted on February 11, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

BHP Music/Guitar Trax Records [Release date 03.02.23] Yes I wasn’t too kind to guitarist Mike Campese when reviewing his album ‘Reset’. But you only have to listen to Brian Tarquin’s latest offering to understand how a guitar based album should … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alex De Rosso, Brian Tarquin, Brothers In Arms, Bumblefoot Thal, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Heavy Friends, Joe Satriani, Johannes Welk, review, Vinnie Moore | Leave a comment

Album review: UFO – No Heavy Petting (Remaster)

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Davoski

Chrysalis Records [Release date 20.01.23] Re-issues and re-masters are two-a-penny and often there’s marginal benefit in penning a review, much less making an actual purchase. This album was previously remastered in 2007. I have, though, been impressed with the series … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, CD, classic rock, hard rock, Michael Schenker, No Heavy Petting, Phil Mogg, remaster, review, UFO | Leave a comment

Album review: PROGedia – Dioscuri

Posted on February 7, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

R&S Records [Release date: 24.03.23 - Digital 24.04.23 - Physical] If you want a great groove to start the New Year, head this way. Fed Conti is an Italian producer and multi instrumentalist and his latest project is quite wonderful. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, beats, Dioscuri, electronica, Fed Conti, funk, PROGedia, review, rock, trip hop | 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

Single review: LETITIA GEORGE – Don’t Stop Me From Loving You

Posted on February 6, 2023 by petefeenstra

Jig-Saw Music Ltd [Release date 19.12.22] ‘Don’t Stop Me From Loving You’ is the kind of climactic outing that might have appealed to Dusty Springfield all those years ago and if nothing else confirms the durability of a soulful ballad. And yet … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged ballad, country, Don't Stop Me From Loving You, Dusty Springfield, Letitia George, review, rock, single, soul, vocal | Leave a comment

Album review: WHAT A GROOVY DAY – The British Sunshine Pop Sound, 1967-72 (3 CD boxset)

Posted on February 5, 2023 by brianmc

Sunshine-Pop-front-cover-jpeg-min-150x150

Cherry Red/ Grapefruit [Release date 27.02.23] Sunshine Pop – a worldwide phenomenon, though most popular in the USA and the UK – predated the age of psychedelia only by a matter of months. Legendary but hitless sixties UK band, Tony … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 3 CD set, boxset, review, Sunshine Pop, The seventies, The Sixties | Leave a comment

Album review: MIKE CAMPESE – Reset

Posted on February 4, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

www.mikecampese.com [Release date 11.11.22] I’m sorry but Mike Campese exhibits all the worst aspects of “guitar virtuoso”. Guitarists may well acknowledge his technical mastery (and he has featured in several big guitar mags) but for the average listener this is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Mike Campese, Neo Classical, Reset, review | Leave a comment

Album review: CERI JUSTICE – Walk In Shadow

Posted on February 4, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

www.cerijustice.rocks [Release date 15.04.22] Here at GRTR! it doesn’t really matter that we are reviewing an album nearly 12 months old. If it comes to our attention belatedly and is meritorious, we do it. It was Pete Feenstra playing a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Ceri Justice, classic rock, Justified, pop, pop rock, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: KATATONIA – Sky Void Of Stars

Posted on February 3, 2023 by alanjones

Napalm Records [Release date: 20.01.23] Ever since Swedish behemoths Katatonia de-coupled themselves from the doom-metal train to oblivion with the ‘Night Is The New Day’ album way back in 2009, they have been the flag-bearers of a genre best described … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Anders Nystrom, Jonas Renkse, Katatonia, progressive metal, review, Sky Void Of Stars | 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: JARROD DICKENSON – Big Talk

Posted on February 3, 2023 by jason

Website [Release date 03.02.23] After a major label deal-gone-bad and Covid complications left him with a life-long medical condition, Jarrod Dickenson comes out fighting with ‘Big Talk’, an album full of classy melodies and lyrics. The album features Jano Rix (The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Big Talk, country, Jarrod Dickenson, review, rock, singer songwriter | 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: DOCKER’S GUILD – The Mystic Technocracy Season 2: The Age Of Entropy

Posted on February 2, 2023 by jason

Website Docker’s Guild is a massive progressive metal space opera which will unfold through five “seasons” and four “books” for a total of nine albums. It is masterminded by producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Douglas R. Docker. Joining him on this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, concept album, Docker’s Guild, Douglas Docker, melodic metal, prog metal, progressive, review, The Mystic Technocracy Season 2: The Age Of Entropy | Leave a comment

Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – CHANTEL McGREGOR (February 2023)

Posted on February 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Chantel’s down to earth Yorkshire lass delivery has endeared her to fans as much as her musicianship… Photo: David Randall Yorkshire singer/songwriter/guitarist Chantel McGregor first came to our attention in May 2010 when Pete Feenstra reviewed her debut London gig … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GRTR!@20, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness | Tagged album, blues rock, Chantel McGregor, classic rock, feature, guitar, guitarist, interview, review | 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 →