Tag Archives: review

Album review: SPIRITS OF FIRE – Embrace The Unknown

Posted on February 22, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.02.22] Classic Metal band, Spirits Of Fire release their second album, Embrace The Unknown. The band was formed from scratch in 2017 by Chris (Savatage) Caffery, Steve (Testament) DeGiorgio, and Mark (Fates Warning) Zonder with the estimable … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts) | Tagged album, Aldo Lonobile, ANGRA, Chris Caffrey, Classic Heavy Metal, Fabio Lione, Fates Warning, review, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, Roy Z, Savatage, Secret Sphere, Spirits Of Fire, Testament, Tim Ripper Owns | Leave a comment

Album review: BIRD IN THE BELLY – After The City

Posted on February 22, 2022 by jason

GF*M Records [Release date 25.02.22] Bird in the Belly return with their third record ‘After the City’. A concept record based around the novel ‘After London; or Wild England’ by Richard Jefferies, is an early example of post-apocalyptic fiction first … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged After London, After The City, album, Bird In The Belly, concept album, folk, folk noir, progressive, review, Richard Jefferies | Leave a comment

Album review: THE DAVEY JOHNSTONE BAND – Deeper Than My Roots

Posted on February 20, 2022 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Davey Johnstone for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 13 February 2022. Spirit Of Unicorn Music/Cherry Red [Release date: 04.02.22] 49 years after his ‘Smiling Face’ debut album, Elton John’s guitarist Davey Johnstone is back … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, blues, Bob Birch, Charlie Johnstone, Davey Johnstone, Deeper Than My Roots, Eliot Johnstone, Elton John, funk, interview, Jesse Johnstone, John Lennon, Juliet Johnstone, Latino, Neil Young, Pink Floyd folk, review, rock, Roy Orbison, Tam Johnstone, The Beatles | Leave a comment

Album review: ZADRA – Guiding Star

Posted on February 20, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 18.02.22] Guitarist/songwriter/vocalist, August Zadra’s main claim to fame is his lengthy tenure as Dennis DeYoung’s sideman, touring and recording with him since 2010. Guiding Star is his first “solo” album. A considerable weight of talent and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR. Denis DeYoung, August Zadra, Jan Åkesson, Jeff Scott Soto, Jimmy Leahy, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Styx, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Album review : MECCA – 20 Years (3 CD reissue w/bonus tracks)

Posted on February 18, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 18.02.22] Mecca’s 20 Years bundles the band’s 3 albums, released over the last two decades, into an attractive package of original recordings, now remastered, with 5 bonus tracks spread across the 3 CDs. The self titled debut … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, David Hungate, FERGIE FREDERIKSEN, Frontiers, Jim Peterik, Joe Vana, Mecca, melodic rock, review, Shannon Forest, Tim Akers, Tommy Denander, Toto, WestcoastSurvivor | Leave a comment

Album review: MANIC SINNERS – King Of The Badlands

Posted on February 17, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.02.22] Manic Sinners are Frontiers’ first signing from Romania. They are a talented, hard rocking trio of multi-instrumentalists who’ve borrowed heavily from the past, (who hasn’t?). If you’re going to borrow, borrow from the best. They’ve picked … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Blue Murder, David Coverdale, Dio, Dokken, Frontiers, hard rock, Lynch Mob, Manic Sinners, melodic rock, review, Romania, Von Groove | Leave a comment

Album review: THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – Fascination

Posted on February 17, 2022 by jason

Metropolis Records [Release date 18.02.22] Have you ever craved the thick tones of electric guitars over synths in a dark, electronic cocktail of gothic delightfulness? The Birthday Massacre might just be the thing you are missing. Unless of course, like … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, darkwave, Fascination, goth, melodic, metal, review, synth rock, the Birthday Massacre | Leave a comment

Album review: SEAN TAYLOR – The Beat Goes On

Posted on February 17, 2022 by jason

www.seantaylorsongs.com [Release date 14.01.22] Sean Taylor said he has made a deliberate attempt to accentuate a positive message of enjoying life through arts, love, music, things that bring people together. He sings “lose yourself in music, feel every note that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, jazz, melodic, pop, review, Sean Taylor, singer songwriter, The Beat Goes On | Leave a comment

Album review: JACK J. HUTCHINSON – The Hammer Falls

Posted on February 17, 2022 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Jack J Hutchinson for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 20 February 2022 Earache Records (Release date 04.02.22) Hard rocker Jack J. Hutchinson tells us: “We’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this record.” … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, blues, classic rock, Jack J. Hutchinson, Josh Norton Cox, Josiah J. Manning, Lazarus Michaelides, Led Zeppelin, metal, Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne, Pink Floyd, prog, review, Rush, The Hammer Falls | Leave a comment

Album review: VAST CONDUIT – Always Be There

Posted on February 17, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

Vast Music Conduit [Release date 16.02.22] I have to admit I’ve never really been into the American prog rockers Enchant but – after hearing this – I think I should. The band flourished in the neo-prog decade of the 1990s. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Always Be There, Bill Jenkins, Enchant, fusion, jazz fusion, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Thought Chamber, Vast Conduit | Leave a comment

Gig review: CHANTEL McGREGOR & AYNSLEY LISTER – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 6 February 2022

Posted on February 15, 2022 by jason

Chantel McGregor - RAMBLIN' MAN FESTIVAL - Day 3 - Mote Park, Maidstone - 21 July 2019

Original co-headliner, Finnish guitarist Erja Lyytinen, was unable to travel due to Covid restrictions. Fortunately, Chantel McGregor could call upon an old friend, Aynsley Lister, to join her for three nights of her tour, the last of which was at … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 06 February 2022, AYNSLEY LISTER, blues, blues rock, Chantel McGregor, gig, guitarists, Milton Keynes, review, rock, The Stables | Leave a comment

Album review: ALAN PARSONS – One Note Symphony (Live In Tel Aviv)

Posted on February 13, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 11.02.22] This was Alan Parsons and his travelling band’s fourth time gigging in Israel, enjoying the huge honour of appearing with the highly regarded Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Frontiers signed Parsons 4 years ago, releasing his “solo” album, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alan Parsons, album, David Minasian, Frontiers, IM3 Global, Israel, Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Jason Mraz, Jeff Kollman, live, Lou Gramm, Paul Dukas, PJ Olsen, review, Schuman, Tel Aviv, Tom Brooks, Trinity Houston | Leave a comment

Album review: TRICK OR TREAT – Creepy Symphonies

Posted on February 13, 2022 by jason

Scarlet Records [Release date 01.04.22] ‘Creepy Symphonies’ is the seventh studio album from Trick Or Treat, who always entertain with their music. Like Freedom Call, Trick Or Treat like to think of their music as happy metal. Vocalist Alle Conti … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Alle Conti, Creepy Symphonies, melodic metal, metal, power metal, review, Scarlet Records, Trick Or Treat, Twilight Force | Leave a comment

Album review: KRIS BARRAS BAND – Death Valley Paradise

Posted on February 13, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

Mascot [Release date 04.03.22] Kris Barras was voted Breakthrough Act in our 2021 poll and the last couple of years have seen him – like many artists – maintaining his profile largely due to livestreaming. But it’s also given him … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alt metal, Death Valley Paradise, heavy rock, Kris Barras Band, review | Leave a comment

Album review: MARILLION – An Hour Before It’s Dark

Posted on February 12, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

Intact/earMUSIC [Release date 04.03.22] CD+DVD Digipak / CD Digipak / Jewelbox CD / Blu-ray Softbox / 2LP Gatefold / Ltd. Coloured 2LP (Orange) The past two years of pandemic has understandably pervaded album releases, the most extreme outcome is a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2022 | Tagged album, An Hour Before It's Dark, Ian Mosley, Marillion, Mark Kelly, Pete Trewavas, progressive, review, rock, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery | Leave a comment

Album review: GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES – Hail To The Heroes

Posted on February 12, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 11.02.22] Highly derivative hard rock/metal from Bengaluru, India band, Girish And The Chronicles. They are now on their third album, and first on Frontiers. The album’s title, ‘Hail To The Heroes’ suggests a bunch of declamatory stadium … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, BlacknBlue, Coverdale, Frontiers, Girish, Hard Rock and Metal, India, Quiet Riot, review, Rough Cutt | Leave a comment

Album review: CITY OF LIGHTS – Before The Sun Sets

Posted on February 11, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] Debut album from City Of Lights – Brit guitarist/writer Neil Austin and Greek vocalist Manos Fatsis (Hideaway). They are joined in the studio by members of Creye, Degreed and Art Nation. It’s clear that a passionate … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Art Nation, Before The Sun Sets, City Of Lights, Creye, Degreed, Fatsis, Frontiers, melodic rock, Neil Austin, review | Leave a comment

Book review: DONT WORRY ‘BOUT THE BEAR (From the Blues to Jazz, Rock & Roll and Black Sabbath) by Jim Simpson with Ron Simpson

Posted on February 11, 2022 by petefeenstra

Brewin Books [Publication date 22.06.2019] Jim Simpson’s ‘Don’t Worry ‘Bout The Bear’ – the title comes from a Doctor Ross song written for the author– is a down to earth account of his 60 plus years in the music business, … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged Bakerloo, Big Bear Records, Black Sabbath, blues, book, Buddy Guy, Champion Jack Dupree, Doctor Ross, Don Arden, Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear, Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear - From the Blues to Jazz, Humphrey Lyttleton, Jasper Carrott, jazz, Jazz Rag, Jesse Fuller, Jim Simpson, Locomotive, Miles Davis, prog, review, rock, Rock & Roll and Black Sabbath, Ron Simpson, ska, Tea & Symphony, Val Wiseman | Leave a comment

Album review : DEGREED – Are You Ready

Posted on February 9, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] Are You Ready is Degreed’s sixth album, and their first on Frontiers. Robin Erikkson, Mats Erikkson, Mikael Blanc and Daniel Johansson have come a long long way in six albums. Their focus is clearly on the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Brother Firetribe, Degreed, eighties, Frontiers, Harem Scarem, Leverage, melodic rock, Queen, review, Robin Erikssen, Wigelius | Leave a comment

EP review: LORDS OF RUIN – Ruin Within

Posted on February 7, 2022 by jason

Website [Release 24.01.22; streaming services from 14.02.22] Metal band, Lords of Ruin have released their long-awaited debut EP, following the inevitable Covid delays to production and release, which have affected so many up-and-coming bands. It literally stalled them in their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged EP, heavy metal, Lords of Ruin, metal, review, Ruin Within | Leave a comment

Single review: SKINNY KNOWLEDGE – I Wonder

Posted on February 6, 2022 by jason

Facebook [Release date 25.02.22] Bournemouth based rockers, Skinny Knowledge follow up on their awesome debut album, ‘Don’t Turn Out the Lights’ with a new single, ‘I Wonder’. The single continues the band’s own brand of high energy, alternative rock that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged hard rock, I Wonder, NWOCR, review, rock, single, Skinny Knowledge | Leave a comment

Album review: JACK FRANCIS – Jack Francis

Posted on February 6, 2022 by brianmc

Good Deeds Music [Release date: 04.02.22] In introducing his remarkably lean and confident debut album, Jack Francis manages to namecheck Bruce Springsteen, and without realising it, Paul McCartney. There are echoes of ‘Yesterday’ in his story that the song, ‘Helena’, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, BBC radio, blues, Bruce Springsteen, country rock, Good Deeds Music, Jack Francis, Paul McCartney, review | Leave a comment

Album review: POCO – One Night In Nashville

Posted on February 5, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 28.01.22] This 2004 live recording is one of the last to feature original members Rusty Young, Richie Furay, and George Grantham together with Paul Cotton who joined the band for their third album in 1971 replacing … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, country rock, live, One Night In Nashville, Paul Cotton, Poco, review, Richie Furay, Rusty Young | Leave a comment

Album review : BRIX SMITH and MARTY WILLSON-PIPER – Lost Angeles

Posted on February 5, 2022 by brianmc

Cadiz Music [Release date: 17.o1.22] This one has an interesting story behind it. Brix Smith was originally named after The Clash standard, Guns of Brixton, which is pretty cool. In the 90’s she went to a gig in her native … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Brix Smith, John Peel, Manic Street Preachers, Mark E. Smith, Marty Willson-Piper, Oasis, Pulp, review, The Clash, The Fall, The Ramones | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHNNY COPPIN – River Of Dreams

Posted on February 5, 2022 by jason

Red Sky Records [Release date 25.02.22] Johnny Coppin is a singer songwriter who was a member of Decameron back in the 1970′s and has released over a dozen solo albums to date. He has toured as part of a duo … Continue reading →