Album Reviews

The greatest selection of albums, reviewed and rated

Ace Frehley – Anomaly (Deluxe edition)

Ace Frehley’s fifth solo album, Anomaly, was released in 2009. It’s now being reissued. The album has been remastered for this reissue, and comes wth three bonus tracks. One of these has been released previously but not on CD (it was an itunes exclusive bonus track) while the other two …

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King creature – Volume one

We keep hearing that rock is dead, and maybe the days of it being a way for bands to make lots of money are over, but rock is most certainly not dead – just look how many great young bands there are around as proof. One such band is King …

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Ten years after – The albums 1967 – 1974

To mark the 50th anniversary of the release of the first Ten Years After album in 1967, Chrysalis records are releasing a very special box set – “The albums 1967 – 1974”. As the name suggests it includes the nine albums released in that time period, and it also contains …

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Arch Enemy – Will To Power.

After witnessing a crushing set by them last month at Bloodstock Open Air Festival, expectations were high when I came to review Will To Power, the tenth studio album from Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy. Since joining the band in 2014, lead vocalist Alissa White-Gluz has made them …

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Walter Trout – We’re All In This Together

Walter Trout’s We’re All In This Together really should have one of those health warning stickers attached to its front because this is an album consisting of 14 tracks clearly engineered to blow your mind! Why? Well not only are all of the cuts exquisitely produced by Eric Corne and …

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Gamma Ray – Alive ’95 (2017)

2017 is definitely a goood year for fans of Kai Hansen. Earlier this year we had the release of two live albums – Unisonic’s “Live at Wacken” and Kai Hansen and friends “Thank you Wacken”. We’ve also got another release from Kai Hansen due for release at the end of …

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Gamma Ray – Land of the free (2017)

2017 is proving to be a goood year for fans of Kai Hansen. Earlier this year we had the release of two live albums – Unisonic’s “Live at Wacken” and Kai Hansen and friends “Thank you Wacken”. Now we have another release from Kai Hansen. In this case it’s a …

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Motorhead – Under Cover

Released via Motorhead Music on September 1st 2017, Under Cover, as the title suggests is a studio album of cover songs from  Motorhead. A few of these tracks are previously available on earlier albums but with this release they are all together and features a previously unheard song. All eleven …

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Epica – The Solace System

Epica fans who loved the last album (The holographic principle) are in for a treat as Epica release “The solace system”. It’s a six track EP made up of songs that were recorded as part of the Holographic Principle sessions but which didn’t make it onto the album. Does this …

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Black Country Communion – BCC IV

When the news broke last year that Black Country Communion were back together and working on a new album, the fans were definitely happy. It’s not surprising really – Black Country Communion are a band packed with talent – Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian. As a …

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H.E.A.T – Into the great unknown

It feels like far more than three years since H.E.A.T last released an album but that’s just a sign of how good they are that their absence has been so noticeable. The fact that the band haven’t played a live show for 2 years has also made the wait feel …

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Gizmodrome – Gizmodrome

Gizmodrome will be a new name to you but some of the members are extremely well known. To start with you have the drummer from The Police – Stewart Copeland , who also does most of the lead vocals for Gizmodrome. On bass you have Level 42’s mark King. Rounding …

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Jonny Lang – Signs

When Jonny Lang’s first album for four years, Signs, dropped through the door the immediate thought was: “Blessed!” This proved a more than accurate reaction. Signs is an album of contrast, light and texture with a pulsating, nerve shredding opening five numbers finally cooling and growing mellower and more heartfelt …

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Triggerfinger – Colossus

Belgian rockers Triggerfinger have been making waves across Europe recently in support of Muse; a trait they hope to hammer home with the release of Colossus, the Lier originated band’s sixth – and arguably most diverse – album. If you’re expecting more of the same from this constantly evolving act …

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Wintersun – The Forest Seasons

The Forest Seasons is the new studio concept album from Helsinki based Wintersun.  Scandinavian epic metal on a grand scale. Wintersun are Jari Mäenpää (Vocals, Guitar), Teemu Mäntysaari (Guitar), Jukka Koskinen (Bass), Kai Hahto (Drums). No one could ever accuse Wintersun of being prolific in their output having produced only three studio albums since 2004.  Various reasons contributing …

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Unleash The Archers – Apex

Apex is the new concept album from Canadian power metal outfit Unleash The Archers which was released on 2nd June through Napalm records.  The album tells the story of the Immortal having been woken up from his mountain home and feeling excited to see the world again after a thousand years.  But who …

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Shaman’s Harvest – Red Hands, Black Deeds

Oh my, what a second album Shaman’s Harvest have delivered in Red Hands, Black Deeds. An absolute powerhouse collection comprising of twelve songs that demand cranking up as loud as the ears can stand. Even the “quieter”, more considered numbers such as the opening title track and  A Longer View …

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