Grand Illusion - Brand New World (AOR Heaven)
Grand Illusion's new release opens with that same controlled explosion of melodic rock guitar energy as did the band's Code album with Sherwood Ball.
'Never Find Her Alone' is a surefire attention grabber with a tentative, expository verse that suddenly ramps up into a vertiginous chorus with a razor sharp hook.
And what you remember quickly with 'Brand New World' is what you so easily forgot - that Peter Sundell is a remarkable vocalist.
If Zeno was to make another album and Heart and Flexig were to be unavailable, Sundell is the man.
It never quite scales that peak again, but Anders Rydholm's contoured hooks, compact production and expansive guitarwork ensure that Sundell and fellow vocalist, per Svensson have plenty to get their teeth into.
Tim Pierce, Mike Slamer and Gregg Bissonette all make guest appearances. Another guarantee of quality.
Mills - Decader (Maybe Records)
In the capable, careworn hands of drummer turned frontman, Richie Mills, post grunge hard rock is alive and well.
'Decader' is a surprisingly well crafted slice of contemporary hard rock.
What's so appealing is the fact that the music's hard surface frequently hides a soft center. On tracks like 'Hello Mellow' and 'Remember Me' the sound of the classic rock counterculture - clanging guitars and clattering rhythms - counterpoint cracking melodies and big, sweetly baited hooks.
Mills own production is inventive and imaginative, and given this is a hard rock album, he is nimble and fleet of foot at the mixing desk.
That approach is clearly to the benefit of tracks like 'Who's Your Friend' and 'Homebound', particularly the latter, where a slamming riff and an indestructible groove get the space to flex and soar.
A British version of the Foo Fighters is maybe not what the world is waiting for, but if nothing else, with 'Decader', Mills will make people sit up and take notice.
Wheels Of Fire - Hollywood Rocks (Ave of Allies)
Sanitised update on the attitudinal melodic rock prevalent in eighties' LA.
Importantly, Davide (aka Dave Rox) Barbiero and his band - guided by mentor, Michele Luppi - have focused on the feelgood, fist pumping, melodic rock elements.
This debut is heavily populated with larger than life choruses, catchy hooks and lyrics that document a hedonistic lifestyle. All moving to the rhythm of a loudly pulsing heartbeat.
Luppi contributes grand piano to 'I Can't Live My Life' and 'Love Nest', and perhaps unsurprisingly, it is those two tracks that stand head and shoulders above the others. The latter, an epic, eight minute ballad, aims squarely at a Jovi-esque intensity - with a touch of G'n'R's "November Rain" - and gets close. A genuine album standout.
Damage Control - Raw (AngelAir Records)
Superlatives are always thrown around when the names of Robin George, Pete Way and Chris Slade are mentioned. The first just edged out by Vivian Campbell for the Def Leppard gig, the second the influential, larger than life bassist with Waysted and UFO, and the third, acclaimed as the best musician in AC/DC by Angus himself.
This new AngelAir release, 'Raw' sees the trio rerecord the 200x self titled Damage Control album, the one with Spike from The Quireboys on vocals.
The title is something of a giveaway. The original album's polished veneer has been sanded down, exposing the hard, grainy rock'n'roll that always lay beneath.
A few tracks have been subtracted and a few added.
The sleeve notes tell us that this is how George and Way always wanted it to sound.
It's powerful stuff, primal almost - you can almost see the smoke and the steam rising - but it's the cleverly crafted songwriting that impresses you first.
In a classy collection of quality songs, the title track 'Damage Control' is a standout. It's got a raw, bluesy vibe, an irresistible momentum and a fabulously melodic hook.
'One Step Closer' burns white hot and the way in which the choruses of 'Savage Songs' and 'Alice' just dive in and drill down is jawdroppingly cool.
Brian Kahanek - One True Thing (Independent)
Brian Kahanek is a talented guitarist who collects riffs, motifs and tones from all over the place, turning eclecticism into an art form on 'One True Thing'.
He also sings. But he lacks a distinctive voice and the album flattens out during those moments.
No matter, Kahanek has had worldwide success with the meteoric rise of his instrumental piece "Gemini" on the video game, "Guitar Hero II".
There's maybe nothing quite to rival that among the rock, blues and country based sounds here, but in picking up on the classic guitar music of the past, Kahanek makes them all sound fresh, vital and contemporary.
'Dreamland' and 'Starlight' are the picks, combining earthy tones with fragile melodies. These are instrumentals with depth and clarity as well as imagination.
And at a minimum, they confirm our suspicion that a full on instrumental album is what we need.
Marizane - Stage One (Vibrophone Recordings)
This 5 track CD is an awesome recreation of seventies popular music.
That was the era where the line between rock and pop was blurred to the extent that nobody really knew the difference, or cared.
Every band likes to be know for its own, individual sound, but there's no mistaking Marizane's love for Bowie's seminal 'Hunky Dory' and 'Ziggy Stardust' creative period, right down to the Ronson-esque guitarwork here, especially on 'The Devil's Address'.
The seventies' thing is further underlined by the fact that 3 of the tracks have been produced by legendary Bowie producer, Tony Visconti. Though ironically, it was Ken Scott who produced the two albums mentioned.
Marizane is essentially Todd Jaeger and Debbie Shair, with second guitarist, Jeff Kluesner filling out the sounds between Jaeger's vocals, bass, guitar and theremin (Brian Wilson, eat your heart out) and Shair's fabulous keyboard work.
These strong songs - 'Alien Christ', 'The Devils' Address' and 'Preternatural Baby' - are brought vividly to life by Visconti's lush production. Textured, detailed and sonically crisp and clear.
The remaining 2 tracks, produced by the band, are rockier, edgier and don't work quite so well.
Still, all things are relative, and with the right breaks, this is clearly a band to watch.
Core - Sentimental Disco (Diesel II Music)
If you'll forgive the bad metaphor, when you lose your vocalist, it can sound a silent death knell for your band.
Austrian rock band Paradise Now opened for both The Rolling Stones and U2 before losing their vocalist due to those 'ole' "musical differences".
Down but not out, the remaining three members - the core of the band - kept going.
In practical and cathartic terms, it meant reinventing their sound, and that's developed into a concept (and a challenge) with each new album release.
'Sentimental Disco' takes bits and pieces from the Nu rock and Stoner sludge of their previous two albums, then mixes in hard rock and pop tunes to cement all these elements together.
The result is a set that consistently catches the band in full flight, hammering out a confidently personal hybrid of alt.rock and alt.pop with an impressive intensity and a flair for a good tune.
'Empty Handed', 'Ready' and the title track are the picks.
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