Tag Archives: album review

2025 is here, with the doors being kicked down by Slovenian skullcrushers SRD,unleashing their third studio album Vragvmesiton. It doesn’t seem like six years since I saw them lay waste to the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival. Coming onstage to a load of dry ice while lecterns …

The album kicks off in rollicking style, with the fast-paced title track, Light ‘Em Up. It’s a melodic, fist-punching anthem, and a statement of intent. So, straight away, you know what you’re going to get. Mind you, unless you’ve been holidaying in the outer Crab Nebula, you already know that …

The Hot Damn return with all guns blazing with a brand new single ‘Can You Hear Me Now?’ It’s taken from their upcoming debut album Dancing On The Milky Way, released via Fat Earth Records on Friday, September 27th 2024. The single delivers a powerful message as they’re raising awareness …

The Commoners release Restless, their third studio album on Gypsy Soul Records on Friday, 5th July as the Toronto, Canada based band fire out nine songs with aplomb, covering many musical bases which drew me in after just one listen! Album opener ‘Shake You Off’ will have you watching out …

Welcome back to Swansea, South Wales rockers Scarlet Rebels, as they have just released and unleashed their new studio album Where The Colours Meet, via Earache Records on August 16th 2024 and on the same day, celebrated its release by playing it in the intimate setting at the Bunkhouse in …

It’s here! The time has finally arrived as UK Blues Awarded Nominated Rockers Brave Rival announce their brand-new, 12 track, passion filled, sophomore, self released studio album, Fight Or Flight on August 16th, 2024. It’s definitely value for money, clocking in at near the fifty minute mark, opening up with …

A good few years ago it seemed like Black Country Communion were no more after the “big fallout” – that would have been a huge shame.  Fortunately they kissed and made up and the result was the cracking IV.  Fast forward another seven years (their longest gap between albums) and …

Following the release of The Fire Cosmic (2021) and Wings of Salvation (2022). Invocation is 11 tracks of wonder-inducing guitar solos, slide riffs and sultry blues-rock, featuring the singles The Fever, Getaway, The Strange, The Calling, and the latest single “Van Helsing”. Set for release by RED7 Records on Friday 17th May 2024, you can order …

Welcome back Demon, as they unleash a brand new studio album and celebrate their 45th anniversary with the aptly titled Invincible on May 17th 2024 via Frontiers Music s.r.l Formed in Leek, Staffordshire in 1979 by Dave Hill and Mal Spooner, they made their mark early on with three solid …

Welcome back NWOBHM stalwarts, Praying Mantis! Formed in London 1973 by the Troy brothers Tino and Chris, they have just released their thirteenth studio album Defiance via Frontiers Music, containing eleven tracks of the highest quality! Album opener, ‘From The Start’, brims with confidence, delivering with aplomb, four minutes of …

Welcome back London based Jack J Hutchinson, starting 2024 immensely with the release of his brand new studio album Battles, via Earache Digital Distribution on February 9th. Ten triumphant songs are on the musical menu, kicking off the album with ‘Constellations’, a hairy headbanger to open up with neck aching …

As sophomore albums go, this is one of the most impressive I’ve heard for quite some time as Derby based These Wicked Rivers unleash the aptly titled Force Of Nature, via Fat Earth Records on March 1st 2024. These ten songs will send them to the next level with ease, …

I had planned on reviewing the ‘Here Comes The Rain’ album before Christmas but unfortunately the Planetmosh website went down, returning at the end of January, so in a way it’s given me a chance to take in the loss of Tony Clarkin, guitarist, songwriter and producer of Magnum for …

Stop! It’s hammer time as Lancashire, UK based Damnation’s Hammer unleash their latest studio album Into The Silent Nebula, but it’s definitely not silent, following their debut album Disciples Of The Hex in May 2013 and Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres in February 2019. Released via Massacre Records and featuring stunning …

Belfast’s powerful 3 piece Haint Deliver a hefty 5 tracks of great music If you like your music heavy, progressive, with lots of melodies, and yet still doomy and dark, then Haint and their new EP is made for you. Gifting us 5 tracks and just over 26 minutes of …

Belfast once turned out the Titanic, now we have the equally titanic new band Solothurn Originating from Belfast, Solothurn are a new band comprised from several other Northern Irish bands, and an ex member of Nick Olivieri’s Mondo Generator. Describing themselves as “Alt-Metal” and citing influences such as Alice in …

Bernie Marsden (Bernard John Marsden), born May 7th 1951 – August 24th 2023 will be sadly missed, but leaves us with his recently released, final studio album Working Man, via Conquest Music, with the great man self producing it. The album consists of twelve brand new Bernie Marsden penned tracks. …

For sheer power and precision, you can’t go wrong with a power trio, point proven by Cream, my personal favourite of the genre, and fortunately for myself, have been asked to review ‘Heavenly Cream – An Acoustic Tribute To Cream’, to be released on Friday, November 3rd, 2023 via Quarto …

This is close to being one of my favourite live albums of all time as Night Ranger celebrate their 40th anniversary with ‘40 Years And A Night With Contemporary Youth Orchestra’, due for release on October 20th 2023 via Frontiers Music SRL on CD/Vinyl (inc. ltd editions), DVD, Blu-Ray and …