Raygun Rebels plays Rock N' roll much alike the demised Hellacopters. When Hellacopters transformed into a stadium act and secured a major label deal the music became polished. Raygun Rebels doesn't have a major label deal but the music is polished Rock N Roll. It backfires since the music lacks edge and rawness. The song I Want You has the chorus line "You're dirty nasty - you are a slut" and such a song needs to be greasy and not wrapped up in a really good production that suits corporate rock bands like Kings of Leon.
 
This is simple straight forward Rock N' Roll based on 50's Chuck Berry riffs, which rarely fails. It brings you a good time but there is nothing to the music that makes you get up from the chair and play air guitar.
 
Not bad but an average release from Raygun Rebels.

Style:

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Michael - Tuesday, August 9, 2011



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The title track opens the EP with thunder and lightning immediately showing new sides of Heaven's Basement. It's a harder and more modern direction compared to the Blues Rock on the previous EP. However, by the chorus you lighten up again. Heaven's Basement hasn't lost the ability to write a catchy refrain and melody line.
 
There have been changes in the Heaven's Basement camp. Richie Heavens sadly decided to leave the band and new front figure is Aaron Buchanan. Richie Heavens' voice was rooted in the 70's style, while Buchanan has a modern expression to his voice. I cannot make up my mind whether I like it or not. While his vocals are strong they have a tendency to drown with all other singers sounding alike. On the moody Let Me Out of Here you really sense that Buchanan's pipes sound great but the tone doesn't really stand out.
 
The Long Goodbye is again build on a great melody line, riff and a catchy chorus. Paranoia has its moments but it is archived along with Leeches under the category "average". The best song is Gulit Trips and Sins. Crank it up! Just like Unbreakable we are treated with a delicious chorus
 
The production on the EP is superb. Heaven's Basement can fall in many categories playing on same bill as some of the today's hottest rock bands.
 
If you asked me a year ago I would assure you that these were the contenders. Now I am a bit unsure. The EP has 7 songs and a total playing time of 26 minutes playing time. It is time for a full album that can convince everybody!
 
Songs:
Unbreakable
Gulit Trips and Sins
The Long Goodbye
Close Encounters
Paranoia
Let me Out of Here
Leeches
 

Style: Modern Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Monday, August 8, 2011



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On "Wild America" Tora Tora singer Anthony Corder sounded a lot like Tesla's Jeff Keith. Corder sounds the same on this recording but the music is bluesier leaning more towards Black Crowes.
 
"Wild America" has been an overlook gem - "Revolution Day" is a forgotten gem. Thanks to the band and FNA Records "Revolution Day " finally is here. This CD is the outcome of a recording session done right after the "Wild America tour".  Tora Tora locked themselves up in a rehearsal space near the Memphis airport and it sure was productive.
 
The album was supposed to be the follow up to "Wild America" and it shows a band that has progressed and moved away from the debut developing into a tight musical unit. The mature songwriting suits the style of Tora Tora and "Revolution Day" is 12 consistent songs without any hits.
 
"Revolution Day" is a splendid bluesy hard rock record. Of course the year 1994 was a bad year for everyone not wearing flannel shirts, so sadly this recording got shelved. It is worth discovering since it sounds good today and definitely worth checking out for fans of Tesla and Black Crowes.
 
"Revolution Day" is a timeless "good- time" Rock record.
 
 
 
Tracks:
01 Intro Revolution Day
02 Mississippi Voodoo Child
03 Candle And The Stone
04 Blues Come Home To You
05 Time And The Tide
06 Shelter From The Rain
07 Living A World Away
08 Rescue Me
09 Little Texas
10 Memphis Soul
11 Me And You
12 Out Of The Storm
 

Style: Blues Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Monday, August 8, 2011



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While waiting for the next Erotics studio album were are treated to six previously unreleased tracks to kill the waiting time. These songs were recorded between 1996 & 2001.
 
The Erotics is a band that has progressed a lot since the beginning finally finding their own niche with the album "21 st. Century S.O.B.". The 2 tracks Kicked in the Teeth and Down in Flames from 1996 are the weakest since Erotics sounds like a band still struggling for identity.
 
Girls on Drugs is an up-tempo Erotics Gutter punk Sleaze rock song. Luft Waffe Bop is Ramones meeting Stray Cats. The track doesn't fit on any of their albums, but that is the charm of an rarities album leaving room for obscure songs.
 
"Rarities and Reacharounds" closes with Born in the USA. The song takes the melody of Springsteen's classic with Mike Trash adding his own lyrics. The song was recorded only a handful of days after the 9/11 attack and Trash adapted his lyrics to the new world order after the World Trade Center attack. The Erotics certainly made a new national anthem that deserved to heard in the US, but Springsteen's management put an end to it. With the recent events in Norway the song got to me and my patriotism. Trash's lyrics got under my skin and I always raise my fists for the chorus.
 
"Rarities & Reacharounds" is strictly limited to 100 hand numbered copies so order your copy at http://bigzeemusic.bigcartel.com/
 
6 tracks 16 minutes 31 seconds

Style: Erotics

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Michael - Friday, August 5, 2011



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Black Veil Brides played this years Sweden Rock festival. A few people told me they were great and I was bummed that I missed the opportunity to check 'em out.
 
A promotional copy of their latest CD "Set the World on Fire" landed on my desk to great pleasure and anticipation.
 
Let's get straight to the point. The CD is a major disappointment. This is modern metal played by youngsters dressed up as Mötley Crüe Shout at the Devil/Theater of Pain era.  The guitar player is talented, but his choice of Malmsteen notes becomes very boring.
 
The material is mediocre with Set the World on Fire as the best song. While several bands are struggling I find it hard to understand that Black Veil Brides is signed to major label Universal.
 
All in all this you take a singer that sounds like most US modern rock singers and adds European true metal music to it.
This is a second-rate CD without any highlights. I certainly don't get the buzz!

Style: Below average modern Hard Rock/Metal

Rating: 3.5/10

Posted by Michael - Friday, August 5, 2011



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When cranking up opening tune All Nite Long you might be fooled that this is a Tesla demo since singer Jefrey Harr sounds like a young Jeff Keith and the 2-guitar attack from TNA doesn't deviate much from the early Tesla records.
 
TNA plays guitar driven sleaze rock with lots of attitude.  They have a street feel to it like Sven Gali and Skid Row, but basically the music is based on bluesy Hard Rock values. The material is good. The following songs are the prime cuts: the groovy Bump and Grind, the bluesy I'm Already Gone, the hook-laden Dirty Love, the kick ass All Nite Long and the excellent ballad It's Over
 
It has all been heard before but TNA certainly isn't worse than many of the bands that cut deals in the late 80's. The guitarists play some blistering solos (Hard Way and I'm Already Gone). Singer Jefrey Harr is a diamond in the rough.  He sounds amazing throughout the entire album
 
Again Eonian Records underlines that they are the best retro label in the world.
 
 
1. All Nite Long
2. Bump & Grind
3. Dirty Love
4. Don't Fade Away
5. Don't Look Back
6. Hard Way
7. I'm Already Gone
8. It's Over
9. Just Another Day
10. It Don't Come Easy
11. Take A Walk
12. You Cried Wolf
 
 

Style: Heavy Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Thursday, August 4, 2011



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One Word Review: Purriffic

Favorite Songs: Blue Turk, School's Out, Luney Tune, Alma Mater, Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets

There is something distinctly cool about this album and it took me by surprise. I was instantly suaved by the theatrical atmosphere and the multi-layered instrumentation. The songs put a clear image in my mind by means of small but inspired touches, be it Vincent's colorful voice, lyrics underlining numerous humorous references, Dunaway's outstanding bass playing or of all things, a tuba. It's hard to put emphasis on just one thing since the album is very varied and has a sense of fun and experimentation all over it. The sound and execution is in several places, naturally, totally oldschool but it works, even in this day and age, because it has a strong sense of place.
 
The beauty of this loose concept album is that it takes me back to a certain state of mind, a place of innocence and wide-eyed wonder. 

Style: Multi-flavored Rock

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Thursday, July 28, 2011



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Human Zoo's third album opens with an overly familiar guitar riff, reinforced by a strident, overly familiar keyboard. What follows is an overly familiar verse, bridge, chorus blueprint, underpinned by call and response vocals, building to a crescendo of thumping chords and full blooded harmonies. It's a well worn - some might say threadbare - formula. One that has been skilfully used, time and time again, by European bands like Fair Warning, Zeno, Gotthard, Hush and others.
 
An understanding of rocket science is not required to appreciate that, for a formula that's worn thin with use, the secret to making it work for you still is to write great songs, otherwise your music just won't stand out.
And that's where Human Zoo's music falls down. It's inconsistent, patchy. Some good songs interspersed with the mediocre, and even a polished, dressy production, often bombastic, (very) occasionally finely wrought, doesn't paper over the songwriting clichés.
 
On the upside, 'Everything Changes' is an evocative melodic rock song, in the vein of John Waite. 'Gimme Your Time' and 'Fall In Love' aspire to the greatness of Treat, while the obligatory ballad, 'Hold & Care' passes muster, despite excruciating lyrics, and is the only track where an otherwise overused saxophone really works.
 
No doubt, fans will like 'Eyes Of A Stranger', but others will not be convinced.

Style: Melodic Rock

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Brian - Thursday, July 21, 2011



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A craftily constructed assemblage of progressive and symphonic metal, leavened with liberal helpings of hard rock.
Welsh wonders, Lost In Thought prove themselves as much by what they leave out as by what they put in on this, their impressive debut album, 'Opus Arise'.
The band's apparent refusal to indulge in hardcore vocals or pretend that this is dangerous, cutting edge stuff has the desired affect.
All that pretentious baggage has been deposited in Lost Property, waiting for other, less talented bands to claim. LIT begin their journey burdened only by streamlined heavy metal, athletic, graceful, yet still filled with lean, mean rifferama, in a mannered, fleet of foot Queensryche / Kamelot like way.
It maybe lacks visceral emotional impact, but that's more than made up by the band's artful, knowingly sophisticated songs.
The punchy, driving 'Seek To Find', the sweetly balladic 'New Times Awaken', beautifully orchestrated, memorably melodic, and 'Lost In Thoughts' - equally dependent on resounding crashes of piano chords as it is on strident riffs - are the picks.
 
A fine debut and a band to watch.

Style: Prog/Symphonic Rock

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Brian - Sunday, July 17, 2011



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Terraplane will probably go down in the history books as the band that provided three members for Thunder. Terraplane became a learning curve and luckily Danny Bowes, Luke Morley and Harry James learned their lesson, so they could perfect their music in Thunder.
 
Terraplane only released 2 albums before disbanding in 1988. The debut "Black and White" was released in 1985 on major label Epic with a follow up "Moving Target" in 1987.  "The Singles Collection" is the most comprehensive Terraplane release, since it contains every A and B side issued by the band.
 
Luke Morley has penned all songs and Terraplane was a great education for him. The song material is decent but certainly mediocre compared to Luke Morley's contribution in Thunder. The highlight is Beginning of the End. Danny Bowes has some great pipes, but the main flaw in Terraplane's music is that they never sounded 100 authentic or put in other words: Terraplane rarely sounded 100 percent like themselves. Especially the songs from "Moving Target" sounds like the record company and producer decided the direction for the band.
 
 "The Singles Collection" is wide-ranging even though the material to choose from is limited. Sitting through both discs is for fans only since we are treated to 4 versions of We Will Survive. However, there are many tracks and different versions that appears on CD for the first time so that justifies this release and its worth checking out for Thunder fans.
 
 
Tracklist: Disc one
I Survive / Gimme The Money / I Can't Live Without Your Love / Beginning Of The End / Let The Wheels Go Round / I Survive (New Version) / All Night And Day (Live) / I'm The One (Live) / When You' Re Hot (Live) / I Survive (You C Factor Mix) / When You're Hot / Tough Kind Of Life / If You Could See Yourself / Talking To Myself / Get Your Face Out Of My Dream
 
Tracklist Disc two:
If That's What It Takes / Living After Dark / Drugs / If That's What It Takes (19th Nervous break-Dance Mix) / Good Thing Going / A Night Of Madness / The Good Life / Good Thing Going (Extended Version Admiral Mix) / Moving Target / When I Sleep Alone / I Survive (Live) / I Can't Live Without Your Love (Live) / River Deep Mountain High (Live)
 

Style: Pop-Rock

Rating: 666/10

Posted by Michael - Friday, July 15, 2011



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The title "Raw - Live" pretty much describes this CD. It contains raw straight ahead rock driven by Torme's guitar playing.
 
The members of GMT should ring a bell to most rock fans:  Bernie Torme on vocals and guitar, John McCoy on drums and Robin Guy on drums. McCoy and Torme were both in Gillan and we are treated to No Easy Way from the Gillan days
 
These seasoned musicians really know how to make it groove. Even though they are a 3 piece only GMT makes lots of Rock N Roll noise and especially Bernie Torme inventive guitar playing is a thrill. The album highlight is "Can't Beat Rock n Roll".
 
GMT has 2 studio album under their belt "Bitter and Twisted" and "Evil Twin". Those 2 albums are the foundation for this excellent live album recorded at GMT's 2010 UK club tour. I certainly need to find those albums.
 
"Raw" is no frills plain old fashioned Rock N Roll played with heart and soul. I am blown away by Torme's playing and the tight musicianship. I am hooked and just ordered the Desperado album. Now I need to discover more GMT, Gillan and Bernie Torme's solo albums.
 
Tracklist:
   1. Meantime                
   2. Rawroar               
   3. Cannonball               
   4. Bullet In The Brain               
   5. Wheel Of Fortune               
   6. Perfumed Garden   
   7. Can't Beat Rock n Roll               
   8. Bitter And Twisted               
   9. Longer Than Tomorrow               
 10. No Easy Way               
 11. Fire               
 

Style: RAWK

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Michael - Thursday, July 14, 2011



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The Store for Music has released a "new" Michael Schenker covers album titled "By Invitation only". The album is identical with "Heavy Hitters" from 2005 with addition of 3 new tracks.
 

The 3 new tracks include Iron Maiden Run to the Hills, which sees Schenker reunite with Robin McAuley handling the vocals. The second track is the highlight off the disc because it is a re-recording of McAuley Schenker Group's Save Yourself. Robin McAuley still sounds great and the pairing of McAuley and Schenker is Schenker's finest moment after leaving UFO. The Rush song Finding My Way gets lots of groove with Sebastian Bach laying down solid vocals and Schenker matching the technical brilliance of Alex Lifeson.
 

It is always good to hear Mark Slaughter's voice on I'm Not Talking. Schenker is a fabulous guitarist and even though there is plenty of lead playing Schenker doesn't leave a memorable or characteristic mark on most songs. Former MSG singer Gary Barden also delivers a rather weak vocal for Gary Moore's Out in the Fields. The Pink Floyd cover with Tommy Shaw also fails to impress.
 

No one can point a finger at the performances, because the line-up features some great names in Rock that play flawless (Rudy Sarzo, Jeff Pilson, Sebastian Bach, Vinnie Appice, Aynsley Dunbar etc.). Most songs are performed with the cruise control bottom pushed and therefore this tribute will be soon be forgotten just like "Heavy Hitters". Several of these classic songs scream out for improvising and inspired playing instead of flawless note for note transcriptions.
 

The 3 new tracks are definitely the highlights of the disc.

Style: Covers

Rating: 5.5/10

Posted by Michael - Wednesday, July 6, 2011



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One of the most famous living guitarists Jimmy Page is stated as artist for the newly released album "Playin' Up a Storm"....... it is misleading. The album contains 14 songs pre-Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page only plays on 6 tracks.
 
"Playin' up a Storm" is recorded in the late sixties when Page did lots of sessions. For Led Zeppelin completists the album is interesting because John Paul Jones plays bass on all tracks. However, the music has nothing to do with the style this web-zine represents. This is plain 60's Blues Rock.
 
It is not bad and singer Keith De Groot has a great voice. However,  there is nothing on this recording that indicates that Jimmy Page was about to be the most inventive player of the 70's and a true guitar legend.
 

Tracklisting:
 1 Lovin' Up A Storm
 2 Everything I Do Is Wrong    
 3 Think It Over     
 4 Boll Weevil Song    
 5 Livin' Lovin' Wreck    
 6 One Long Kiss    
 7 Dixie Fried    
 8 Down the Line     
 9 Fabulous    
 10 Breathless    
 11 Rave On    
 12 Lonely Weekend    
 13 Burn Up    
 14 Everyday 
 

Style: 60's Rock n' Roll

Rating: 666/10

Posted by Michael - Wednesday, July 6, 2011



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BTL (not BLT) arrive in a blitz of roman numerals, encouraging an immediate v out of x for originality.
But what of the music?
'Chapter III - Stories' is a dozen, stand alone vignettes, where the "Labyrinth" is life and lots of fairly obvious questions, masquerading as a profound examination of humanity, get asked.
 
Musically, it's an odd mixture of melodic rock, progrock and symphonic metal. Strangely, despite that sounding like an appealing cocktail, the music is fairly bland and uneventful, lacking the vision and variation required to engage and to hold our attention. Tracks like 'Oceans Apart', 'The Darkest Place' and 'Saturation Point' all run into each other like they didn't notice the lights had changed.
 
That said, mainman Geert Fieuw  - writer, guitarist, keyboardist, producer - writes a decent song, with some hooky melodies flowing by along the way. 'Hidden Agenda' and 'The Peter Principle' show real promise. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes and hands at the studio mixing desk would shed a fresh perspective on his material.

Style: Melodic Prog

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, June 17, 2011



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One word review: Resurgence

Favorite Songs: Beat The Bastards, The Abyss, Blood Of The Nations, Teutonic Terror, Time Machine, No Shelter

Accept returned in 2010 with this superb slap of heavy metal. There is a definite old school vibe to the music, just as there should be. New singer Mark Tornillo is the ace in the sleeve. He has an excellent, raw voice that fits the music. I adore the Jon Oliva vibe his voice has, when he goes all out. The "I don't think so" line in The Abyss can't be anything but a homage to Jon Oliva and Savatage. It perfectly captures that special atmosphere. Andy Sneap has produced a fantastic sounding record, heavy, with plenty of power. Most importantly the music has the feel of a band that is alive and inspired. Especially the first four songs are killers.

Style: Heavy Metal

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Steen - Sunday, May 29, 2011



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One word review: Imaginative

Favorite Songs: Rebellion, Silver Maiden, Flight of Torek, Serendipity

Revisiting this Metal Opera 7 years after its initial release has been a great pleasure. I have mostly listened to Rebellion since I reviewed the album, as that song was a personal favorite, but sitting down and listening to the whole album again, any hesitations I had, about it not enduring the test of time, were put to shame. I quickly rediscovered how enjoyable and surprisingly complex the music is. Glenn Hughes is still the standout vocalist, among many greats. Even if it falters slightly towards the end, this is an outstanding concept album, done right. If you missed it first time around, I recommend you to seek it out and if you're a complete Aina fanatic, be sure to read my interview with Amanda Somerville. I am still patiently awaiting the sequel.

Style: Far-reaching Symphonic Heavy Metal

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Sunday, May 29, 2011



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One word review: Mumbled

Favorite Song: Awaken the Swarm
 
This is obviously the completely wrong place to begin with Agent Steel but it is the only album I have of theirs. I remember buying it because of its cool title. Omega Conspiracy is their first album after an 11 year hiatus and the first with new vocalist Bruce Hall. Musically this is pretty solid speedy thrash metal with a tendency towards conspiracy and U.F.O. themed lyrics. But the frantic speed and some very nice guitar work can't overshadow the fact that Bruce Hall does not deliver the best vocal performance. He is all over the place and though his voice has a strong tone in several passages (Example: "Revealing all their darkest crimes" during Destroy The hush), overall his performance is too uneven and mumbled.
 
There are moments where a special atmosphere is hit but after more than 10 listens, I still struggle to remember any specific song, and that is not exactly a good sign. Bruce recently left the band and original vocalist and band founder John Cyriis rejoined. They are playing at Sweden Rock in June, so that is obviously a great opportunity to get a new introduction to the band.
 
There is something strangely attracting about the band but it is not flourishing here and I remain unmoved.

Style: Thrash/Speed/UFO metal

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Steen - Sunday, May 29, 2011



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During the last 2 years, Swedish AOR band, Eye have morphed into Swedish AOR band, Osukaru, named for the band's mainman, Oz Osukaru, writer, guitarist and  producer.
 
The Eye EP, '2 Hearts' was sensational. We said that they had "taken a battered, dog eared but well defined snapshot of eighties' AOR and restored it to its former glory, using 21st century technology and lots of enthusiasm".
In particular, we said that the "immense" title track had "all the pace, panache and urgency of great AOR".
 
Arguably, with 'Never Too Late', Osukaru the band seek to recreate the sublime AOR moments grasped by their predecessors. 
But the material on that stunningly ambitious debut is rarely matched here.
 
There's clearly a structured, targeted attempt to create a more sophisticated version of the Eye stuff with 'Drive by Your Love' and the harder edged 'City Lights', but lacking the anchor of a well defined direction, both meander somewhat adrift in generic eighties' AOR hell.
That said, the title track mounts an auspicious assault on your emotions, looking to scale the same melodic rock heights as did '2 Hearts' without actually getting there.
Good try though.
And 'Whatever It Takes', written by new keyboard player, Kristoffer Von Wachenfeldt, is a brightly burning AOR song of unerring simplicity, uncomplicated sentiment and grown up tone, and is maybe the surprise winner here.
 
What we need is a full album of material. Coming soon I hear. 

Style: AOR/Melodic Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Thursday, May 12, 2011



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Notable mostly for the fact that Joe Lynn Turner handles the vocals here, 'Sense Of Time' is a long time ambition realised for highly regarded Norwegian session guitarist Jan Holberg, little known outside his native land.
 
Holberg clearly is a songwriter of talent. His sinuous tunes snake through this debut release, elegantly embracing AOR, Westcoast, Pop and Funk lite.
But while Holberg's songs are tastefully melodic, they are often slight, unassuming and occasionally modest to a fault. To the extent it takes Turner's distinctive, energised vocals, full of warmth and depth, to raise their profile to a suitably satisfactory level.
 
The title track is the pick, with just enough of an upward gearshift on the bridge to carry the song into a satisfyingly catchy chorus.
Not far behind : The Westcoast strum and latin rhythms of 'Mesmerised'; The simple, sixties' pop sensibilities of 'Sorry', despite the clunky lyrics; 'The Meadow's sexy sax and punchy brass, and 'Invincible's Magnum like progressive poprock.
 
Elsewhere and just a bit too often, even with Turner at the mic, well crafted songs like 'Heart Of Summer', and 'Vision Of Lust' fail to launch simply because Holberg hasn't put enough in the tank.
 
Nothing an experienced producer couldn't fix.

Style: AOR/Westcoast

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Thursday, May 5, 2011



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Velvet Revolver is on hiatus. Slash already released his solo album last year and after a short stint with Jane's Addiction Duff's regrouped his gang "Loaded" for a third release.
 
The latest Loaded album "Sick" was a perfect example of Loaded at their best. "Sick" was packed with fun rock songs with lots of attitude and melody. With that in mind "The Taking" is a minor disappointment since it's a tad weaker than "Sick". "The Taking" is a dark album much like the debut album "Dark Days".
 
Duff's vocals sound better when he is doing his Johnny Thunders impression on the fast rock songs. The album opens with two songs that seem to go nowhere. There are moments on opener Lords of Abaddon but the overall impression is Seattle grunge rock anno 1991.
 
The first single Dead Skin follows the style on "Sick" and it's an excellent tune. Duff McKagan never sells out and it is obvious that this is the album that he wanted to make. Duff has such a strong charisma that transfers into the songs. However the main reason why "The Taking" doesn't hit bulls-eye is that Duff is up-beat punk not a depressed grunge rocker.
 
Easier Lying is another great moment along with Cocaine, but overall "The Taking" is a moody album that lacks the New York Dolls edge that Duff is famous for.
 
Duff McKagan live is still a hot ticket and I will be up-front rocking out to Loaded at this year's Sweden Rock festival.
 
CD Track List:
 01. Lords Of Abaddon
 02. Executioner's Song
 03. Dead Skin
 04. We Win
 05. Easier Lying
 06. She's An Anchor
 07. Wrecking Ball
 08. King Of The World
 09. Cocaine
 10. Your Name
 11. Follow Me To Hell

Style: Rock

Rating: 5.5/10

Posted by Michael - Wednesday, May 4, 2011



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My God, this will take you back to the days when bands like Deep Purple and Rainbow ruled the hard rock airwaves and gigged relentlessly.
Demon's Eye started life as a DP tribute band, and developed an affinity for the music to the extent that an album of original songs, in the style of their role models, seemed a natural progression.
Such is the quality of the songs that they tempted Doogie White to handle vocals and that speaks volumes.
 
White is clearly at home here - sharp and powerful - capturing the dark and brooding moments just as well as the soaring hard rock hooks.
Kellar's pinging bass and Schneider's walloping drums demonstrate they fully realise that a well oiled engine room is the key to recreating Purple's dramatic, inventive, cultivated adult rock, adding their own flamboyant rock signature to belters like 'Sins Of The Father' and 'Ain't Nothing Better'.
 
Purple ran through the seventies and eighties shoulder to shoulder with Progrock, occasionally jostling with that genre for the best or most interesting musical developments.  'The Best Of Times', a Coverdale/King Crimson hybrid and the mock Floydian 'Evil Comes This Way' show that Demon's Eye's keen sense of awareness didn't stop at pastiching the obvious.
 
Recommended.

Style: Classic Rock

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Brian - Saturday, April 23, 2011



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This is Manuel Seoane's second album with his band, Burning Kingdom.
The move from a major label to a minor tells its own story and it's not just a matter of fashion.
Seoane's brand of melodic rock is highly derivative, aping bands like Dokken and White Lion in all their strutting, hard rock, last century splendour. It's passionate and well constructed, and some slinky instrumental moments provide splashes of welcome colour to a generally monochrome musical palette.
 
In my book, the quality of the songwriting always dictates the strength of the album. Musicianship, performance and production are important. It's clear that huge energy and skill have gone into all three here, and it's that sheer enthusiasm that carries the album, despite a paucity of really strong songs.
 
That said, 'Shot In The Dark' and 'I've Got A Feeling' are the picks.
The first benefits from a more modest production, with a sleek keyboard undercurrent and a simple, urgent riff complementing a robust melody. The second is a perfect pastiche of eighties' "call and response" feelgood melodic rock. Whether that was deliberate I don't know, but it works.
 
'Down To The Road' won't win any prizes but I'm convinced we haven't heard the last of Senor Seoane.

Style: MHR

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Brian - Saturday, April 23, 2011



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One Word Review: Foreverish
 
Favorite Songs: Sins of Idealism, Eccentric, Two Sides, Life's Vortex
 
Released in 2004 Invisible Circles was the third full length album from After Forever, a concept album dealing with the darker aspects of a relationship gone wrong and its far reaching consequences. This is their crowning achievement so far. A well conceived concept, detailed and realized in a moving and exhilarating way due to some truly magnificent songs and several soaring moments.
 
The band's confidence shines through and results in ultra tight musical base. The music is like a sea of raging emotions, upon which, Floor's soprano and Sander's growling unleash every one of them with so much force, that I often feel the need to sit back and go... "wow!". Both put on magnificent performances and go all out. For the first time I feel Sander Gommans vocals fit the music perfectly. His voice has evolved in a deeper, darker direction since the debut. Floor's voice is still stunning and she hits some really chilling notes throughout the album. An example is the "That's all you can see" line of Sins of Idealism.

The lyrics are well written and the artwork and booklet add to the emotional impact. Overall a fantastic achievement even if the album falls prey to The Narrator's Curse.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, April 9, 2011



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One word review: Transition
 
Favorite Songs: Glorifying Means, My Choice
 
This mini album is the beginning of the After Forever Mark 2 line up, without Mark... (Jansen, songwriter and a founding member of the band). With Exordium comes several changes. There is less atmosphere in the music, but it has added complexity and is more in your face. The lyrics also seem to be shifting focus from inside out to outside looking in.
 
Glorifying Means stands out with a brilliant interaction between Sander and Floor. When the vocals shift from growls to soprano the effect is hair raising and very powerful. A supremely excellent song. Sander's growls have become deeper and are rather overpowering, a very good sign.
 
The two cover songs, of Iron Maiden and Randy Crawford respectively, prove very interesting adaptions and After Forever put their own mark on both of them.
 
After Forever may have lost part of their personality but emerge from this mini album as a tighter more focused band. 
 
Exordium comes with a bonus DVD, which shows the video for My Choice, the band members goofing around during the recording and a few other attractions. Overall good value for money.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, April 9, 2011



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A year on from it's original major label release (Universal), China's 'Light Up The Dark', gets picked up and pushed by a minor. All very perverse.
Yes, another legendary name among European rock aficionados gets thrust back into hard rock radar range.
This new recording gives you the distinct impression of arena rock having come of age, as written and performed by experienced craftsmen. Yes, simmering below the surface, there remains an underlying urge to punch the air and shout it loud. But maturity and the wisdom it brings encouraged them ultimately to embrace a more satisfying path.
And what an accomplished affair it is.
The songs are muscular, but sleek; the melodies tuneful but sturdy; the playing tough but full of tender moments. There's an elegance running through this music.
On songs like 'Hey Yo', and 'Deadly Sweet' you can see a rich weave of contemporary guitar driven melodic rock threading its way through the album.
'Gates of Heaven' and 'Stay' are the blue collar songs of open spaces, of heartache and of human frailty.
That's not to say tracks like 'Girl On My Screen' and 'On My Way' don't clang and clatter with barely suppressed energy, but it's the classic hard rock of the freewheeling 'Lonely Rider' and 'Right Here Right Now' - given a contemporary guitar spin - that really get under your skin.
Recommended.

Style: Melodic hard Rock

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Brian - Sunday, March 20, 2011



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'Live on I5' is the follow-up to Soundgarden's celebrated 2010 reunion.
It's an album of road recordings taken from their tour along the USA's I5 back in 1996. In fact, their first proper release for several years and their first ever live album.
 
Our view of the world changed in the nineties and naturally, inevitably, so did the musical culture.
17 tracks, and no matter that Soundgarden were in the vanguard of grunge juggernauts that eventually crushed the eighties' melodic rock bandwagon, there's no denying the overwhelming bass note thunder, the nineties' paranoia, the cold, earthy chords and melodic, hard rock crescendos that litter this "greatest hits live" ensemble. 
Much of 'Live on I 5' flirts with Led Zeppelin and Cream greatness. A thrilling flood of amped up guitar power threatening to engulf a raucous audience, or rather, several raucous audiences.
In 1996, the band was cresting an immense wave of popularity. Thousands of new fans and converts rushed to see a seminal rock band at the peak of their power.
Kim Thayil's loose knit, thick cut riffage leads and everyone else follows.
Chris Cornell stamps his roaring frontman authority all over biggies, 'Spoonman', 'Outshined' and 'Ty Cobb'.
That said, Ben Shepherd's spookily plaintive, Beatle-esque 'Head Down' from the 'Superunknown' album and closers 'Black Hole Sun' and 'Jesus Christ Pose' catch the band in full flight, intensifying rather than just regurgitating the studio versions.
 
Like Soundgarden or not, there's no denying their impact.
New album due out soon.

Style: Contemporary Rock

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Brian - Sunday, March 20, 2011



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Always more of a rock band than metal practitioners, Praying Mantis's inception during the NWOBHM heyday always seemed to me like bad timing.
Consequently theirs career path was a difficult one, taking them down cul-de-sacs and dead ends.
In this, their 30^th Anniversary year, they've released 'Metalmorphosis', a perfectly chosen repertoire that embraces the birth of a band, in the form of a 5 track EP of re-recorded songs from the debut album and before.
There are the pre album singles, 'Praying Mantis' and 'Captured City', and there are
'Children Of The Earth', 'Lovers To The Grave' and 'Panic In The Streets', taken from the debut, 'Time Tells No Lies'.
Indeed it does not, and these tracks stand up well.
Wisely, the band have chosen not to indulge in selfish reinterpretation, but to use today's studio technology to release the primitive power inherent in those original recordings.
Current vocalist, Mike Freeland fits the songs like a glove, and the band's glorious mix of axe solos, earnest lyrics, driving rhythms and soaring choruses still seems extraordinarily rich, even by today's standards.
Here's to the next 30 years.

Style: Classic Rock

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Brian - Thursday, March 17, 2011



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Hailing from Australia and not to be confused with the Swedish band Baby Jane. The Australian Baby Jane has just released their debut album "Are You Listening".
 
Baby Jane plays modern Hard Rock with references back to the 80's. Baby Jane got Michael Wagener to mix the album. Wagener was responsible for several platinum albums in the late 80's.  
 
The music of Baby Jane is straightforward. The songs are driven by crunchy guitars and singer Andy Smith is an absolute pleasure throughout the album.
 
The last part of the record is the strongest. The riffs are original and the music grooves. The music possesses power and the crispy guitars and soaring vocals drags you immediately.
 
Baby Jane needs to work a bit more on the choruses, which often are one-liners repeated. Otherwise Baby Jane is a serious contender to becoming future Rock stars that certainly do well outside Australia.
 
Baby Jane has the ammunition to make it big: great tone, great singer, groove and great songs. Michael Wagener's mix suits the music and it is interesting to see what work Wagener could do on their second album.
 
Recommendable songs: Twenty Too Many, Four Rusted Egos and Are You Listening
 
Baby Jane is a flower about to blossom. They still need to progress but songs the 3 aforementioned ranks among the best songs of 2011.

Style: Hard Rock

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Michael - Wednesday, March 16, 2011



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Hailing from my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, Achren are very much rising stars on the UK metal scene. Having won the Metal To The Masses competition that earned them a place on the UK's Bloodstock bill last year and then places at Wacken and Metal Camp this year, the future is looking very bright for the purveyors of "Blood Metal".
 
I have been listing to their 2006 EP a fair bit over the past week. Clocking in at 15 minutes of bludgeoning blackened death metal, it gives a good indication as to why the band are poised to storm Europe this summer in a blaze of blood, beards and Buckfast.
 
First song Impaled is now a live favourite and has a strange, off kilter rhythm to the drumming that grabs the attention. Singer Scott Anderson's vocals are also very arresting, switching from low death growls to blood-curdling black metal shrieks with merciless vigour.
 
Shock and Awe begins with some necro black metal blasting before developing another grooving rhythm. What's impressive about the way Achren construct their music is the amount of varying riffs and tempo changes they cram into their songs. It's not done in any sort of wanky prog fashion but executed in such a way that it carries across the band's intense desire to simply rock as hard as they possibly fucking can.
 
And nowhere do they show this better than on closer Bastards (On the Gallows Or Bastards On the Rack). A torrent of screeched vocals and tremolo guitar work awaits you as the song pulverises the soul for it's short but memorable three and a half minutes.

All in all a well produced and thoroughly excellent EP which whets the appetite for the bands first full length.

Style: Blood Metal (Blackened Death)

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Stuart - Monday, March 14, 2011



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There are several famous groups made up of brothers: Chris and Rich Robinson from Black Crowes, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, The Gioeli brothers from Hardline. .the list goes on and now Germany presents the Fuxx brothers from Dienazzty.
 
Sleaze metal and Germany are two things that are rarely combined. Even though Germany is a huge country the scene is dominated by traditional heavy metal artists. The only German band playing Glam/Sleaze is Shameless, but they got lots of help overseas.
 
So basically expectations are low when you get a CD from a German sleaze band. However, Dienazzty deserves lots of credit. The 4 track EP is well-produced, well played and the material is good. Musically it's Sleaze/Hard Rock but with a flavour of Horror metal. 
 
Singer Dennis Fuxx delivers his best primal scream "Deliver this" on the up-tempo Spectaculum d' Nazzty.
 
The highlight is the horror story about Link The Buttler. The melody drives you and Dienazzty should make a video for this entertaining story.
 
The EP closes with The Marshall - a classic tune that was aired at Sweden Rock festival 2008, when singer Dennis Fuxx blessed us with his company. The song doesn't disappoint - A good up-tempo tune.
 
The CD is recorded in 2008 with a 3 piece line-up. Dienazzty 2010 features a brand new line up with brothers Fuxx as the driving force.
 
"Say the unsayable, play the unplayable"
 
Against all odds this is pretty good stuff. Check it out yourself at http://www.myspace.com/dienazzty

Style: Sleaze metal

Rating: 666/10

Posted by Michael - Monday, March 14, 2011



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The pedigree of the band should have guaranteed success, but the fickle finger of fate moved on, and Natural Gas broke up after a year and an album.
Joey (Badfinger) Molland, Jerry (Humble Pie) Shirley, Mark (Uriah Heep) Clark and Peter (Sutherland Brothers) Wood recorded and released this outstandingly good eponymous debut in 1976, with producer Felix (Mountain) Pappalardi.
 
What the album has in abundance is good songs.
While Pete Ham and Tom Evans were the writing forces behind Badfinger, Joey Molland proves himself to be a considerable talent. He penned most of the songs here, collaborating both with Clark and Shirley.
'Once Again, A Love Song', 'I Believe In Love' and 'Christmas Song' all hint at the clear sighted, effortlessly propulsive power pop prototypes recorded by Molland's previous band, while the thudding bass pulse, scratchy guitars and Hammond Organ drive of 'The Right Time' and 'St Louis Blues' owe something to the hard rock boogie of Clark's and Shirley's previous employment.
 
It's also great to note that this reissue label's remastering job is absolutely superb, putting the previous Renaissance reissue to shame.
It's like seeing a grainy, black and white movie in HiDef colour.
Recommended.

Style: classic pop/rock

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Brian - Sunday, March 13, 2011



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This band just get better and better.
George Dolivo's distinctive vocals snake through the dry, shimmering guitar driven heat, stoked up by ex Kix man Bryan Forsyth's tautly economic riffs and the rhythms section's metronomic, bass heavy beat.
Same old same old. Tried and tested. Trusted and true.
 
If anything, the songwriting has improved, album by album, since Forsyth joined the band back in 2001.
'Who's Got Mine' stitches together a bunch of tough, leathery tunes, shaped to fit the band's blue collar lyrical aesthetic, weaving through shifting layers of melody, embellished by carefully weighted lead guitar work, usually culminating in a refreshingly compact chorus.
The first three tracks - 'Message In My Bottle', 'Lifetime' and 'Back To Nowhere' are among the best (and most accessible) the band have written. Raw, passionate, driving, memorably melodic. Songs with humour, pathos and a satisfying lyrical payoff. "I'm going back to nowhere, I hope they take me in".
 
That said, there's barely a dip across these 11 tracks. A cool, industry minimum 38 minute blast of sandblasted melodic rock, with the band's Oz influences showing their big, bold, schoolboy face on the hard rockin' 'Chase The Case', and 'Hollywood And Wine' providing an altogether more adult resonance.
 
Their best yet, no danger.

Style: Hard Rock

Rating: 8.5/10

Posted by Brian - Sunday, March 13, 2011



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This was the second single of the Decipher album with the always trusted opening song in focus. Offering some value for money, this is a single version of the song and it differs from the album version in this version being a solo performance by Floor. It gives the song a brighter edge but I actually miss the dark tension Sander Gommans voice gives the album version. Still quite interesting.
 
For The Time Being is a previously unreleased song and must be a leftover from the album. A good song with several interesting passages. As the song evolves through its aggressive- and then full blown choir phase it has built momentum and peaks quite well.
 
Imperfect Tenses is obviously a song which the band experimented a lot with since it is included here in its third version. This is the orchestral version, which is interesting since it gives the song a special frail atmosphere and works quite well.

Another After Forever single worth picking up.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, March 5, 2011



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Emphasis was the first single of Decipher and my favorite song of the album, so good choice. The interesting stuff comes with the Queen cover Who Wants To Live Forever, an Ayreon co-operation with Damian Wilson on guest vocals and a previously unreleased version of Imperfect Tenses, also starring Damian on guest vocals.
 
Who Wants To Live Forever is a bold choice for a Queen cover but I guess any Queen cover is. Freddie Mercury made the original version unforgettable and infused it with a special kind of magic, which is not completely captured by this cover. Subtlety and dynamics are the keywords of the original and this cover looses some momentum by turning up right away and having the orchestration so far in front. When the climax comes it is too shrill. That said, it is still a most excellent cover and a direct comparison is unfair since nothing matches Freddie Mercury's way of handling a Queen song.
 
Imperfect Tenses has a different vibe compared to the album version since Damian's voice is less of a contrast to Floor compared to the tenor, Rein Kolpa, on the album version. Interesting duet and overall a single worth picking up.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, March 5, 2011



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Black Spiders has been hailed as the new hope in British Rock. The band has released a few EPs and finally their debut album hits the streets. Are Black Spiders the savors of British Rock N Roll? Probably not, but their debut album "Sons of the North" contains 10 straight ahead rock songs that makes you throw your fist in the air. 
 
The highlight is Kiss Tried to Kill Me. The contagious riff is alike Strutter. The lyrics are humorous and by that song you could be fooled to think that Black Spiders were the new Darkness. However, Kiss Tried to Kill Me is not representative for the album even though it's a killer song. The other 9 songs are 70s inspired raw Rock N'Roll wrapped up in a great production.  
 
Black Spiders has written some good melodies and has a strong singer in Peter Spiby. If you like old-school Rock with an updated sound Black Spiders is worth checking out. 
  
Recommendable tracks: Just Like a Woman, Kiss Tried to Kill Me and Mans Ruin
 
 

Style: Old school Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Tuesday, March 1, 2011



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Ever since Red Star Rebels and Jack Viper decided to call it a day Sleaze bands from England has been as rare as Bret Michaels without make-up. 
 
King Lizard is a welcomed addition to the UK scene. Their debut album "Viva La Decadence" is partly produced by Chris Tsangarides who was responsible for some vital records in the early 80s.  
 
King Lizard adds a punk thrash flavor to Sleaze metal. The band is constantly in-your-face. The listener is only allowed a breather on the ballads Never Be Mine and Not for Me. The two ballads follow each other and King Lizard fooled me into beliving it was 1989 again. Singer Flash Roxx Sawyer's high pitch voice and primal screams set the mood for the record. Niro Knox's guitar pedals are probably the same Kerry King uses since the guitar sound is thrashy and distorted. 
  
This is sweat dripping Rock. King Lizard sounds a bit harder than the average sleaze band and the attitude is in-your-face.  
                                                                                                
"Viva La Decadence" is cocky and rocking. It is a debut and as most debut albums it has a few flaws, but it will be very exciting to follow King Lizard in the future.  
 
I'm hooked
 
 

Style: Thrash Glam

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Tuesday, March 1, 2011



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Even though I am not an obsessed AOR fan I get very curious when a young Swedish band gets honored AOR band of the year by Classic Rock magazine. Houston is a two man project by Freddie Allen and Hampus Hank Erix. The young lads are helped out by veteran guitarist Tommy Denander and various seasoned Swedish musicians. Earlier in 2010 the self titled album was released in Sweden but coincidental with the Classic Rock Magazine praise the album gets a European/UK release by Spinefarm Records. 
 
With the critical acclaim I had high hopes and Houston only partly lives up to the expectations. The album open very strongly with Pride and album highlight Truth Slips. The songs are catchy but the albums looses pace at the end. Houston's debut offers several catchy tunes to please the incarnated AOR fans. Survivor fans will probably love One Chance while Give me Back my Heart, She's a Mystery and Misery will excite most AOR fans.  
 
Houston sounds like vintage AOR. It is hard to dislike the band because this is 80's AOR made in 2010. Read full review by Brian
 

Style: AOR

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Michael - Tuesday, March 1, 2011



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Danish Truck Rockers Supercharger is back with the follow up to the brilliant debut "Handgrenade Blues". The style is similar to the debut - straight forward Rock N' Roll. The band has worked with Anders Ringman, which is known as 50 percent of the successful producer/songwriter team Platform.  I expected a more commercial sound, but the band still has a garage edge. Yet Redemption song - a duet with Mia Coldheart from Crucified Barbara - sounds like a radio hit.
  
The album is a high explosive cocktail of Rock N'Roll spiced with piano and harmonica. The music is energized and Supercharger comes up with some great riffs. Singer Mikkel Neperus drives the band with his vigorous vocals.
  
Supercharger has the swagger of Motorhead, energy of Hellacopters and the groove of Metallica's Load/Reload albums. The album is a grower and the Danes sounds ready to invade the European venues.
 

Style: Duracell Rock N'Roll

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Michael - Tuesday, March 1, 2011



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One Word Review: Dew
 
Favorite Songs: Emphasis, Intrinsic, Thy Pledge of Allegiance #1, Imperfect Tenses, Monolith of Doubt.
 
Decipher was After Forever's sophomore album and it is clear that they have improved in every way since the debut. The songwriting is sharper, resulting several memorable songs. Emphasis is on heavy riffs and tight musicianship and the various passages of songs fit together in a more convincing way.
 
The music has evolved in a slightly heavier direction since the debut but there is still room for slower passages where the beauty core of After Forever shines. Floor Jansen's voice is still stunning. Compared to the debut she sings with a stronger voice, showing more confidence and more control. A song like Thy Pledge of Allegiance #1 shows how the interaction between Floor Jansen (soprano) and Sander Gommans (growls) has improved as well. On the other hand, Thy Pledge of Allegiance #2 shows that the band has still to perfect the balance. Monolith of doubt is another example where the vocal interaction between the two really works as Sander's voice roams in the background as an ominous sign of warning. Mark Jansen's screams still don't do anything good for my overall impression. Things like the duet on Imperfect Tenses, the heaviness of Emphasis, the chorus melody of Intrinsic and the atmosphere created by Sander's voice in Monolith of Doubt are standout moments for me.
 
Decipher shows the band stepping out of the shadows of any of their influences and creating their own identity. Atmospheric, melancholic, symphonic, heavy. Great stuff.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Steen - Sunday, February 27, 2011



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Favorite Songs: Runnin' Wild, Diamond In The Rough, Blackjack, Girls In Black, Cheap Wine And Cheaper Women.

Airbourne sounds almost exactly like countrymen AC/DC, and while the music isn't that original, it is highly effective! Running Wild is an album full of classic riffs and dirty Rock 'N' Roll attitude - people who absolutely avoid clichés will hate it, just like traditionalist guys/gals who prefer their Rock the old fashioned way will eat it up.

The titletrack has something special, it is just dripping with that Rock 'N' Roll attitude, centered on a crunchy, tension building riff and screaming vocals - a simple recipe with a tasty result!

The album offers one kind of music - party songs to drink, bang that head and have a good time to. And that is great, and with a very high song quality, we are in for an entertaining ride, that you can take again and again. However, if you like variation, you should look elsewhere.

A great album when you are in the mood for some rocking fun, nothing more, but definitely nothing less either!



Style: Rock 'n' Roll.

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Nina - Saturday, February 5, 2011



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The story of Scottish born, ex Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes is a familiar one.
And it's a story recorded in song.
Of course, no matter how familiar, everybody's story is unique.
The badly titled 'Rage & Ruin' is a soundtrack to Barnes's recovery and redemption. A look back at the mistakes and a celebration of survival.
Anyone expecting raw, ragged edged hard rock and driving blues will be disappointed. Anyone who can appreciate honesty, warmth and shades of nostalgia from a careworn voice on a bunch of carefully crafted tunes will love this.
Longtime producer, Don Gehman's deft touch and tasteful upgrade serves the songs well.
On an album of singularly great tracks, perhaps a few jostle to the front.
'Can't Do It Again' rocks, and strikes a dozen chords en route to a neat lyrical payoff. On the album's outstanding ballad, 'Stupid Heart', Barnes pours his heart out, eloquently branding himself a fool in love and on closer 'Largs Pier Hotel', he movingly and amusingly remembers how it all began.
Once you get past the expectations generated by the album's title, this is truly an outstanding recording.
It's clear that Barnes never lost his integrity. 'Rage & Ruin' proves he never lost his game.

Style: classic rock

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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At first I though new vocalist, soprano Jannine Pusch knew as much about performing progressive rock songs as she did about the offside rule.
 
After listening to the whole album, I ate humble pie.
 
A large chunk of Central Park's second album is a fascinating collection of accessible progressive rock that coalesces around Pusch's resonating singing tone, much of it in the vein of Yes and King Crimson. But on the half spoken verses of openers, 'Free Fall' and 'White Princess' - both plodders - she sounds uncomfortable, forced and at times, and heavily accented on what are often poor lyrics.
If the songs had been written to Pusch's strengths throughout, this would have been a real contender.
 
It was a real surprise then to find that by the albums fifth track, 'Vision', which is actually the first "movement" of a three part suite, titled 'Vision Of Cassandra', the band hit their impressive stride.
It plays like a movie soundtrack. Crashes, bangs, portentous voiceovers, choirs and swells of programmed sound swirl in and out of focus. But It might be a bit po faced for all but progrock fans.
The two closing tracks that follow the Suite, 'Paths Of Mercy' and 'The Last Tear' maintain the band's intriguing invention and tight plotting and are arguably the album's standout tracks.
 
'Reflected' is clearly an unconventional album, even by progressive rock standards, but the usual traps of over complicated arrangements and clinical execution are astutely avoided.
And it's a real grower.
Interesting.

Style: Progressive Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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The Driving Conditions are full blown graduates of Oz's old school rock which counts AC/DC, The Angels and Rose Tattoo among its illustrious alumni.
They make no apology for the formula, and neither they should.
 
Like those established bands
'Eat You Alive', 'Str8 2 Hell' and 'Be Mine' are pub rock, strip joint, meat'n'potatoes hard rock, where the unembellished riff - a primal force that drives raw, knowing, often tongue in cheek vocals - is king.
But also like those established bands, DC elevate the music to art form, where the apparent simplicity of battle hardened songs actually takes years of graft, treading the boards and checking out audience response.
 
A glance at the track list might see you write the band off as clichéd at best, dinosaurs at worst. But behind songs like 'Daddy's Girl', 'Crazy Bitch' and 'Striptease' there's an extremely talented band who seem to be spinning gold out of grime.
One to watch.

Style: hard rock

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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Erstwhile Ten guitarist, Chris Francis, proves himself here to be an outstandingly good songwriter, arranger and producer as well as an axeman of some repute.
What he isn't good at is mixing.
So often, when this music should be great, it's an unholy mess, thanks to a diabolically bad mix. One that frequently drowns out the vocals in a bedlam of axework.
'Notes From The Incurable' is a rock opera of sorts. A themed series of tracks tackling subjects such as psychosis, warfare, murder, depression and triumph.
The music is often well orchestrated, exciting and visceral, imaginatively arranged, vigorously delivered but never slips the chains of a bad mix.
Islands of relative calm in an ocean of cacophony are: 'Those Lost Winter Evenings', where the vocals just about break surface long enough to do a quality song justice; 'Mr.Spencer' too benefits from us being able to Phil Philsworth's voice - melancholic pop in the vein of Ezuff Znuff, Queen and The Fab Four.
 
Somewhere in 'Notes.' there is a great album, desperate to be freed from the grasp of a messy mix.
One day . . .

Style: rock opera

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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When Alcatrazz - Graham Bonnet, Yngwie Malmsteen, Gary Shea and Jimmy Waldo, both ex New England, and Jan (Alice Cooper) Uvena' - toured their debut album, 'No Parole From Rock'N'Roll' in Japan in 1984, the tumultuous Tokyo gig (at the Nakano Sun Plaza) was recorded for posterity.
The result was 'Live Sentence', now reissued by the rising UK label, Store For Music.
 
The real appeal of live performance - rawness, realism and dependence on real talent - is undermined to a large degree by an unequal mix and a less than top notch vocal performance from Graham Bonnet.
These detractors could have holed the DVD below the waterline, but a couple of key factors kept the whole thing afloat.
One, the inclusion of high profile songs from Bonnet's past. Namely Rainbow's 'Since You've Been Gone'; 'Night Games' from his acclaimed 'Line Up' solo album, and 'All Night Long', a lesser known Rainbow song, but high calibre just the same.
Two, Malmsteen's shredding in general, and his 2 instrumentals in particular, 'Coming Bach' and 'Evil Eye', both of which he was later to record with his own band, Rising Force.
 
'Live Sentence's limitations suggest that it is therefore best approached as an important piece of a bigger picture, and not as a stand alone release.

Style: Melodic Rock

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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The mesmeric title track opens an album of modern alt rock immersed in eighties new wave.
'Regeneration' is cleancut, uncluttered, yet filled with shuffling beats, big guitars and muscular melodies. Tide cleverly set that against a cinematic expanse of electronica, recalling a wealth of genre pioneers like Bowie and Icehouse (Adieu), and elsewhere suggesting bandwagon jumpers like The Cult and Simple Minds joining U2 on one of their Berlin recording sessions (You, Best Friend). 
 
Continuing in the vein of : If you're gonna borrow, then borrow from the best, 'All The Things' was plainly written after listening to the Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and if Chinn & Chapman had burst onto the music scene in the eighties, The Sweet would have sounded like Tide does on 'Love Train'. 
It's hard to imagine just where this band will draw a fanbase from, as they don't fit readily into any pigeonhole, but there's no question that what they do, they do extremely well.

Style:

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Tuesday, February 1, 2011



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One Word Review: Dawn
 
Favorite Songs: Leaden Legacy, Semblance of Confusion, Follow in the Cry, Yield To Temptation

On their 2000 debut album the Dutch band After Forever experiment with the marriage of female soprano and deathly growls to good effect. Prison of Desire shows signs of being a debut. Some tempo changes and melodies feel awkward while others work better. Leaden Legacy is an example of a song where a radical shift in tempo in the last part diminishes the impact of the slow and intensely built up atmosphere. Through the album the music moves back and forth from beautiful and atmospheric to heavy and angry and these two opposite expressions keep the album varied but some glue is missing to make the whole experience soar.
 
Floor Jansen has a stunning voice. I could listen to her sing all day. The growls and screams by Sander Gommans and Mark Jansen respectively, not so much. Combined, however, the different vocal deliveries does give the album a special mix of melancholy and sadness. I've had a long love/hate relationship with the "oh so evil" growling singers. Some of them I find unintentionally funny while others, those who really have the voice to pull this off, make a grand impression (Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt comes to mind). Sander Gommans resides in the better half most of the time and delivers the goods in a way that is convincing but Mark Jansens screams never feel quite right, fortunately they are few and far between.
 
Overall a promising debut with songs that often shine but have failed to make a lasting impression.

Style: Soprano Metal

Rating: 5.5/10

Posted by Steen - Monday, January 17, 2011



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Despite the forgettable band name and the clichéd album title, this really is a find.
PF are an all Italian band, blessed with a wonderful vocalist and a bunch of outstanding musicians and songwriters.
Vocalist Ordine's nasal, high pitched twang falls into the vocal space between James Labrie and Joe Leste. His voice, warm and unhurried, conveys a real sense of drama without resorting to the strident intensity employed by much less talented singers.
The songs straddle an AOR/Progrock midline, combining both genres with surefooted conviction and, reflecting the 2 years it took to record, the music is rich in fine, textural detail and wiry, sturdy tunes. And admirably, it shows appropriate respect to classic AOR and indeed Progrock, without resorting to plagiarism.
'A Better Place' and 'Believe' are rock songs to die for.
Highly Recommended.
 

Style: Progressive AOR

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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Let's start with the problems, and work back from there.
One, on 'Atmosphere', Hal Marabel's emphatic production accentuates all the key melodic moments to the point of heavy handedness. Two, his focus on creating a solid sonic punch has - to some extent at least - squeezed life out of the music.
On outstandingly well written songs like 'The Heat Of The Night' and 'Words Are Not Enough', we know we should be moved, but we aren't.
We can appreciate how the songs are put together. The focused, melodic verse, the anticipatory bridge, the vertiginous chorus, triumphantly wielding a massive hook, all interlocking to create an adrenalin pumping listening experience. But curiously, they don't.
Instead, they have you diving for cover, searching vainly for something less intense,
waving a white flag, praying that the music doesn't pummel you into submission.
 
The real disappointment is the fact this hides some great, really well written songs, that in the hands of a producer with a lighter touch, someone from the less-is-more school, would have turned this album into January's contender for Album of 2011 award (if there was one. There should be.)
Shame.

Style: melodic Rock

Rating: 5/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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Malta's Fire show just enough invention and imagination across an bunch of foot stomping melodic rock songs to turn our heads and attract our attention.
Considering this is the band's first album (from 2006, now re-released) the music is richly textured, the sound polished and the songwriting strong.
 
The 12 tracks are peppered with colourful evocations of classic rock. Maybe it's the Hammond organ that forms the basis of the band's sound, or maybe it's the conventionally structured songs and sturdy hooks.
There's a hint of Heep's Prog melodic rock (Get Out Of My Way) and a huge slab Stonesy, good time rock'n'roll (Taste This) to prove the point.
That said, there's enough of an identity here to provide a promising future to a talented band.
One to watch.Unequivocally.

Style: Melodic rock

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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Third album 'Immersion' yielded this extremely accessible single from Oz Rock/Dance/Metal innovators, Pendulum.
After a less than inspired second album, with this track (and indeed, album) they've ripped out the best elements of all 3 genres and nailed them together in an exciting, pacy, melodic, zeitgeist capturing slice of techno rock - one that is well worth investigation by rock, metal and dance fans alike.(Full album review to follow shortly).

Style: rock/dance/metal

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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Pump obviously enjoy writing a good rock song, which explains why they've written the same one 12 times on 'Sonic Extasy' (and they can't spell either).
This, the band's third album, is packed out with bland, homogenised imitations of eighties US hard rock greats like Skid Row and Dokken. Only the highly derivative 'Low Life In The Fast Lane' and 'Don't Get Mad Get Even' attempt to shake off the stifling air of predictability that surrounds this album, and that's being extremely generous.

Style: melodic hard rock

Rating: 3/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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Sweden's Cellout have clearly been weaned on Limp Bizkit, Slipknot and Mudvayne with their metal heavy diet leavened with the occasional slice of Korn.
 
'Superstar Protype' opens with 3 hulking, but carefully harmonised and very tuneful  bruisers - 'Dark days', 'All My Demons' and 'The Gift'  - delivered like consecutive body blows, before the mood shifts transparently into 'Flooded', a commercially inclined slab of balladic metal .
 
'Breathe' and 'Fake' are textbook nu metal - both are packed to the rafters with muscle flexing musicianship and piledriving rhythms - strong songs both, delivered with shouty, precision machined industry, but perhaps lacking the melodic inventiveness of the first 4 tracks.
Elsewhere, the band spend their time chasing the groove or surrendering to their thrash temptations.
Fortunately, there's enough good stuff on show to encourage us to anticipate album number 2.

Style: Nu Metal

Rating: 6/10

Posted by Brian - Friday, January 14, 2011



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One word review: Allegiant

Favorite songs: Second Sight, In nomine., The Stringless Violin, Sanctus Ignis

Quick Review: A highly promising debut from this French band playing Symphonic neo-classical heavy metal with some progressive and power tendencies. The band excels in capturing a grand atmosphere and the music is technically very impressive, especially guitarist and main songwriter Stéphan Forté lays down some outstanding work. The music has lots of orchestration, is varied and often changes pace and atmosphere through the songs but the instrumental sections still drag on at times and make me lose focus. I think it is mostly due to the dull drum sound since both guitar and keyboard provide some interesting rides. There is huge potential here and most ideas work well. There is a cohesion to the album and it works as a concept album based on religious themes. I'm not sure why I never continued following Adagio. They seem to have slipped through the cracks.

Style: Symphonic Neo-Classical Heavy Metal

Rating: 6.5/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Resolute

Favorite songs: Aiming High, Russian Roulette, Monsterman, Heaven is hell

Quick Review: Some of the fun from Balls To The Wall is gone but replaced by more mature sounding songs. A natural progression. Udo's voice works best when he goes all-out screaming at the top of his lungs, which is 90% of the time. Excellent guitarwork, strong melodies and a forceful approach makes this , and Accept in general, a fine cocktail. Now I just have to get hold of the rest of their albums. Altogether almost as strong as BTTW even if it's lacking the "hits".

Style: Heavy Metal

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Ooomph!

Favorite songs: Balls To The Wall, Turn Me On, Fight it Back, Losing more than you've ever had.

Quick Review: A classic which sounds occasionally dated but holds up remarkably well. Udo's powerful croak runs wild in an unrestrained and rampant way that is both enjoyable but also sporadically flaky. There's a joyful innocence to the album, the lighthearted and sometimes quite hilarious lyrics included, but it also lacks some depth. When it works it's brilliant though. A song like Turn me on has an intense and powerful build up, perfectly released in its chorus. The guitar riffs are mean enough to overshadow any shortcomings and nearly every song is strong enough to still make an impression today.

Style: Heavy Metal

Rating: 7.5/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Enduring

Favorite Songs: Money Talks, The Razor's Edge, Fire Your Guns, Are You Ready and last but certainly not least... Thunderstruck!  

Quick Review: I bought this album on tape back in the early nineties so this remastered edition has been a nice trip down memory lane. Thunder, Fire, Money and Razor open the album in an explosive, forceful, melodic and intense way respectively. With Mistress the album takes a slide but the trilogy of Ready, Balls, Love puts the album back on the rise. Another great album where a handful of classics are served with much vigor.
Similar for all three 2003 remasters are interesting liner notes, especially for Back In Black and fine digipack wrapping.

Style: Rock n'Roll

Rating: 7/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Honorable

Favorite songs: Let Me Put My Love Into You, Shoot To Thrill, You Shook Me All Night Long, Hells Bells, Back In Black, Have a Drink on Me.

Quick Review: The first AC/DC album with Brian Johnson on vocals and quite different from Highway to Hell. Hearing the two albums back to back a comparison is inevitable. There's less infectious energy in the vocals and a certain loss of charm. This is compensated for by intensity and sheer power.
The songs are well thought out, include a handful of classics and are all played with great enthusiasm and skill. I currently prefer the high energy and infectious charm of "the highway" but it is a close race and Back in Black ends up as being just as exceptional, only in a different and slightly darker way.

Style: Rock n'Roll

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Compelling

Favorite songs: Highway to Hell, Touch Too Much, Walk All Over You, Night Prowler, Girls Got Rhythm.

Quick Review: The album has a prevailing amount of party rockers delivered with great energy and enthusiasm. There is an infectious groove to the album and after a few listens I was hooked and coming back for more. Something about this album just works.
Bon Scott sings his heart out, is in total control and shows no fear. He is all heart and brings a touch of magic into the album. Sadly the last AC/DC album with Bon Scott. My first but certainly not last of that era.

Style: Rock n'Roll

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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One word review: Fantabulous

Favorite songs: God's Driftwood, Abydos, Far Away From Heaven, You Broken The Sun, Radio Earth, Silence, Wildflowersky, A boy named Fly.

Quick Review: Maybe the most mental album title ever? Fortunately the album lives up to its title and brings an original and challenging 70 minutes of music. It's a wonderful album that is equally progressive, melodic and spellbinding. Andy Kuntz's vocal performance is enticing to say the least and brings emotional depth to the complex concept. Even though the songs are connected, each has its own identity and is an important brick in the, often musical-like, experience. Not surprising since the album is based on Andy's stage play, with him contributing lyrics, direction and vocal melodies while most of the music has been written by Michael Krauss and Stefan Glass, who is also responsible for the formidable and lively production which only adds to the wonder.

Style: Progressive Metal

Rating: 8/10

Posted by Steen - Saturday, January 8, 2011



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