Release date : May 10th 2019 Whitesnake fans are often divided between which era of the snake is the best. Some prefer the more old school bluesy approach of the early days but to me that's too close to the deep purple sound compared to what would eventually become what is to me the 'signature' sound. That is the John Sykes / Steve Vai big hair '1987' and 'slip of the tongue' era. What keeps Whitesnake consistent are the powerhouse vocals of the legendary David Coverdale. In his prime he was one of the best vocalists in rock music as far as I'm concerned. Years of screaming like the rock god he is has taken it's toll on the old vocal chords though because in recent years at live shows you can hear that the high scream is more a metal roar and you can sometimes hear the struggle to reach where he should be. That's if I had to criticise. I think it's forgivable given his career. Another thing worth noting is the whoever is...

Release date: 19 Apr 2019 Nick Johnston   I first heard of Nick Johnston from a suggested YouTube video of his entire "Remarkably Human" album. The artwork image stood out to me and I was in the mood for new music and I left it on in the background. I ended up listening to it few times through and then going and buying his entire 4 CD biography, a ticket to see him live and the guitar tab for the RH album. Quite simply, I was hooked. As a preface to talking about the new album I'll briefly go over the development as I see it from the previous 4. The first to albums are a wide spread of styles where Nick is still exploring and developing his sound. By the third album 'Atomic Mind' the sound is more refined but still has the odd wild track. It is only at album number 4 where 'Remarkably Human' has a continuous theme and what is now a style that you can distinguish quite clearly as Nick Johnston. You can always tell his playing on the previou...

Yngwie Malmsteen. I have been a big fan ever since I first heard the 'Odyssey' record as a young teenage boy just getting into guitar music. I was drawn to the arrogance of just having a picture of yourself as an album cover as the guitar player in the band as I always saw music as a band effort at that time. If you're a guitar player you will know who Yngwie is and you will most likely have your own strong opinion about him. One thing that not an opinion whether you like his playing or not is that he is/was an innovator on the instrument. He has an iconic sound you can spot a mile off and I personally, enjoy it a lot.  The new album. "Blue lightning" is being advertised as a blues album but I would use that term very loosely talking about this collection of music. Whilst you would think covers of Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton would be straight up blues he has chosen the more hard rocking songs from these artists alongside ZZ Top, Deep Purple, The Rolling Ston...

Release date : Oct 19th Track Listing: 01 Neon Lights 02 Who Are You 03 Breathe It In 04 Better Way To Be 05 Your Colours 06 Too Close Delayed Departure are a 5 piece alternative rock band from Farnborough. I first came across this band with the single 'Ocean' from the last E.P release 'Consequences'. It was a track that I loved and was patiently waiting to hear what this next collection of tracks was going to be like. The recommendation is that they are for fans of You Me At Six, Mallory Knox & Deaf Havana. I couldn't tell you what any of those sound like but if it's true I'll have to check them out as well. The comparison I would loosely draw is with InMe at least from the instrumental section of the band. We're off to a good start with the first song and lead single for the E.P 'Neon Lights'. It opens up with quite a bouncy guitar riff with a layer of atmospheric lead that leads into more uptempo verse. The chorus sees v...

Release date - 14.6.18 Record Label - Independent  Track Listing  1. Bloodbath 2. Natural Downer 3. Lately 4. Break Ground The Full Bug are a hard rock band from Tel Aviv, Israel. They responded to my call for new music on twitter and straight away from a 30 second Spotify link I knew it was my type of thing. According to the band's website 'The Full Bug' is slang for 'give it all you've got'. It's a phrase I've never heard before so I learned something new as well. I would say this band are a blend of hard rock/metal/stoner/groove/blues and that sits well with me. The E.P. is a short listen coming in at around 14 mins total. In that short time is does pack quite a big punch. Blood bath, Natural Downer and Lately are all heavy hitters with big drums, big guitar riffs and big rock vocals. I've grouped these three together because there isn't much that separates them style wise. That's not to put them down. The qua...

Release date - 10.8.18  Record Label - Frontiers Music SRL Track Listing 1. Apocalypse 2. New Rise 3. The Ritual 4. King Of Madness 5. Blood, Sweat, & Fear 6. Supernova 7. Hail To The Fear 8. Hounds Of Justice 9. The Beast 10. Eye Of The Storm 11. Cannonball 12. Fight Against Evil (Bonus Track – Deluxe Version) 13. Into The Fire (Bonus Track – Deluxe Version) 14. My War Is Over (Bonus Track – Deluxe Version) It's been a while since I posted a review. Partly because I've been listening to different genres of music that don't fit this blog. Partly because I've been in the mood to listen to old music and the albums I've already reviewed. Another reason is not much has stood out to me recently to feel like I need to tell you about. That was until today. Primal Fear have been going for 21 years and it was only today I have given them the time of day. I heard the song 'The Ritual' on Down the Front podcast #86 and in the first 1...

  Release date - 27th July 2018 Track listing 1. Dust Atlas 2. The Lady & the Devil 3. Mountain of Gold 4. The March Towards The Sun Urne (pronounced 'urn') are a brand new band featuring members from Hang the Bastard who I had  never heard of. I did a quick bit of research and I am not a fan of what I heard. What I am a fan of though is this new release 'The Mountains of Gold'. It may only be 4 track but they all clock in at around 5/6 minutes each so you get a good little metal session with it. I would say this band are for fans of Hatebreed, Slayer and Megadeth. It's production is super tight and crisp. The kind you might associate with Andy Sneap. I know for some in the metal community this is frowned upon as they much prefer a more raw sound but I love it. First track 'Dust Atlas' takes 2 minutes before you hear any vocals and in that time you are assaulted with riffs. Hardcore riffs, thrash riffs, doom riffs, black met...

Released - June 8th © 2018 Napalm Records Handels GmbH Track listing 1. Bringer Of War 2. From The Sky 3. A Dying Machine 4. Trust 5. Throw Them To The Lions 6. Make It Hurt 7. Traipse 8. The First The Last 9. A Lot Like Sin 10. The Day When Legions Burned 11. As The Silence Becomes Me 12. Take You With Me 13. Desolation 14. Found Mark Tremonti is a guitarist I've followed since the end of Creed (wasn't a massive fan of that). His work with Alter Bridge and his previous solo albums though have all been worthy of well more than a passing listen. His skills on the guitar improve with every release and in the case of the Tremonti albums, so have his vocals. After a slightly disappointing release from his Alter Bridge colleague earlier in the year I was quietly confident that the next Tremonti release (this one) would not let me down. Largely I'd say it hasn't. The steady increase in quality from his previous 3 albums reaching what appear...

Release Date - 25.5.18 Record Label - Long Branch Records Track Listing My Favourite Stranger Burn Celebrity Summer Wires Blacklight Shadow Pray to the Creature Vertigo Mouth of the Wolf Pins and Needles Toru's Maze Years I first became aware of Black Orchid Empire catching them support InMe on their most recent tour. I liked them enough to buy the last album 'Archetype' from the merch stand. They told me they have a new one coming out soon and this is it. I'm not going to pretend like I knew what 'Yugen' meant and for those of you that would like to know, it's a Japanese word for 'Subtle yet profound beauty'. I think it's an ambitious title having listened to it a few times but there is a ring a truth to it. Black Orchid Empire are not your typical alt metal band. Whilst bringing the heavy syncopated riffs they never lose sight of melody. Combined with clean almost pop like vocals they tread a fine line that lands them in...

Release Date : 11.5.2018 Record label : Frontiers Track Listing  Hard Times Over and Over Spirit That Made Me Into the Light Bring It on Home Days Since I Saw the Sun Will You Wait Break You Come My Way Were You Ever Mine Too Far Left to Fall Now seems to be a good time for new underground hard rock bands pushing themselves to the forefront of the scene. Doomsday Outlaw are a good example of that. I was told the day after their Debut album 'Suffer More' was released Frontiers got into contact with them to hear it based on a review in Classic Rock magazine. I have a lot of respect for Frontiers because they are willing to takes chances on new music and usually they get it right. This is one of those times where they have. The three singles that were released 'Over and Over', 'Spirit That Made Me' and 'Bring It On Home' all carry on the same style as 'Suffer More' which is a sort of groove blues hard rock with a pinch of co...

Released - 30.3.2018 Track Listing: 1. Black Magic 2. Too Much Of A Good Thing 3. Killed By Love 4. In It For The Money 5. Golden Days 6. Playing Tricks On Me 7. Make The Best Of What You Got 8. Follow Your Heart 9. Do You Love Me Enough 10. Stronger 11. Love Is The Law   32 years after FM unleashed their debut album 'Indiscreet' they hit us with their latest release 'Atomic Generation'. In the scheme of things I'm late to the FM party after hearing about them when Planet Rock had 'Crosstown Train' on the playlist in 2013. Since then I've listened to the entire back catalogue and have seen them live 3 times so I've got some reference to talk about this release. It has the same general feel as the last 3 albums but with a bit more different influences on show. for those whose don't know the FM sound, it's like Def Leppard and Journey's less popular brother. Whilst they don't have anywhere the level of fame as those t...

Release Date - April 14th 2018 Track Listing 1. White Lines 2. State Of Mind 3. I Of The Storm 4. Poonstar 5. Roll The Dice 6. Hell Bound 7. High In The Sun 8. Cut Me Loose 9. The Road, It Hurts  I'm fairly new to Witch Tripper having only heard their first self titled album a few months ago. It was at an event where my band shared to the bill with them that I first saw them. Based on that performance I had to see them again. I did. I wrote a review of it here . A selection of songs from this release were played at said gig and I now have to good fortune to be able to tell you what I think of the whole thing weeks before it's release.  In a comparison to the first album the production is noticeably improved. It's less raw with a thicker and deeper guitar tone. Their self professed style is 'Stoner/Groove Rock and Roll' and largely I would agree with that based on the first album. This second album takes that and adds what I would call more tradit...

 Released - 9th March 2018 Track listing 1. Year Of The Tiger 2. The Great Beyond 3. Blind Faith 4. Devil On The Wall 5. Ghost Of Shangri La 6. Turning Stones 7. Haunted By Design 8. Mother 9. Nothing But A Name 10. Love Can Only Heal 11. Songbird 12. One Fine Day I've followed Myles Kennedy from the beginning with the first Alter Bridge album right through to his second complete Slash album. I have a lot of time and respect for him and think his voice is one of the best in modern rock/metal music. His first solo outing with 'Year of the tiger' takes a rather drastic turn of style from all the previous albums he has appeared on by stripping back the distorted guitars and going for a much more acoustic feel and a wide range of styles within that framework. The versatility of this man knows no bounds. What I will say is that this album is a grower. There aren't any obvious stand out 'hits' for me. Had it been anyone else after first listen I pro...

Released - March 2nd 2018 via Spinefarm Records Track Listing Worth Fighting For Let Me See It All Heartbeat Away Home Follow Me I Believe Doesn't Matter Anyone Just A Memory Other Side Of Me The Only Thing I Need

Released - 9 March 2018 Track listing Firepower Lightning Strike Evil Never Dies Never the Heroes Necromancer Children of the Sun Guardians Rising from Ruins Flame Thrower Spectre Traitors Gate No Surrender Lone Wolf Sea of Red