O'REGAN - Polymorphic Tragedy (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Blues Rock / Melodic Rock

Label - Z Records.

Track listing:

01 - Unchain The Night
02 - Polymorphic Tragedy
03 - Welcome To The Real World
04 - Falling Sky
05 - Gabrielle
06 - All Of My Love
07 - Trial By Fire
08 - Long Way To Go
09 - Destiny
10 - Masquerade
11 - You Don't Know

One of the hardest working musicians from the melodic hard rock UK scene, Vince O'REGAN releases his third solo album "Polymorphic Tragedy". Again the guitarist has called some talented colleagues to contribute to the record published by Z Records. Vince O'Regan is an experienced British guitarist, who was  recently part of Legion - now disbanded but with a 'final album' to be released soon - and Coda (with Paul Sabu), but also he was also the co-founder of 90s cult melodic rock group Pulse and has been previously involved in bands such as Kooga (another cult AOR outift) and acclaimed Irish rockers No Sweat.Vince's big break came in the year 2000 when he was inducted into Magnum vocalist Bob Catley's band for the co-headlining tour with Ten.
Once again with the help of the great Eric Ragno contributing with keyboards and arrangements, this new O'Regan album features a raft of highly respected Melodic Hard Rock singers and friends. On the rhythm section there's Coda's band mates, the always reliable EJ Curse (bass) and Andy Pierce (drums).
But what makes this really interesting - apart from the good songs - are the lead vocalists, including Nick Workman (Vega), the always underrated and terrific Keith St. John (George Lynch, Burning Rain), Paul Sabu, long time friend Phil Vincent, and Danny Veras (Veras).
"Polymorphic Tragedy" blends together the style of O'Regan's two previous solo albums: the first one was pretty edgy melodic hard rock, the second album being much more in the AOR vein.
We have here the groovy 'Unchain The Night', 'Welcome To The Real World', the bouncy 'Trial By Fire', 'Masquerade', all strong melodic hard rockers. Title track 'Polymorphic Tragedy' is the heaviest track on the record (and one of the best) bordering hard rock. But all this is balanced by the  cool AOR numbers such as the really good 'Falling Sky' (very nice harmonies and clean guitars), the pumping 'Long Way To Go', the ultra-catchy and my favourite 'Destiny'  with plenty of keyboards, and the fine ballad 'Gabrielle' with its 'American' feel.
"Polymorphic Tragedy" is the most complete, varied, and I'd say, best O'Regan album to date. You have seriously well written & arranged songs here, very well played and performed by stupendous vocalists.


Highly Recommended

Rating: 9/10

Scream Arena - Scream Arena (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label -                  .

Track listing:

01 - Born Ready

02 - The Price Of Love

03 - Racing To The End Of Night

04 - House Of Pain

05 - Heartbreak Hotel

06 - Another Night In London Town

07 - Knave Of Hearts

08 - Forever

09 - Goodnight L.A.

10 - Somewhere

11 - Queen Of Dreams

Scream Arena are a British based band and here they are releasing their debut full length album, which coincidentally has been produced by US Aor legend Paul Sabu!
First up, we have to mention the production. The band have opted to really indulge in the lower end of the frequency spectrum, not in a gothic or dark wave fashion just, well just as in a a damn bleak, dark, gloomy hard rock fashion! Here Scream Areana have possibly created a whole new genre in the form of Lo-fi dark industrial rock.
Musically the craziest thing about Scream Areana is that of the sound from Scream Arena is the lead singer, around which revolves the entire sound setting.
It is evident that Andy Paul owns a powerful set of pipes and he is able reach high registers, but here he sings with a somber tone, husky, malign... it's the kind of vocals that thirty years ago would have been classified as demoniacal. All accented, of course, by the (on purpose) gloomy production and mix.
There are some great melodic rock tracks here, so dont let the initial reaction to the production put you off, stick with it and by tracks two and three you will be sold, I swear! Some interesting arrangements really do set these guys apart from the pack! Hell there is even an Iron maiden esq track in album closer Quen Of Dreams!
"Scream Arena" are also a band not afraid to speak their mind, with frontman Andy Paul noting on the press release: "We are so tired of Smiths retreads and rewatered workings of The Clash being sold to us as the future of rock music. Scream Arena is a response to both the fey indie bands masquerading as 'rock bands' in Britain and the studied off the shelf misery of so many metal bands championed by the fashion conscious”.
One of the most interesting albums I have had the pleasure of listening too in quite a while.

One thing is for sure: Scream Arena is not your typical Hard Rock band. They are trying something different here, not much in the songwriting department (traditional structures / patterns) but in a new sonic approach.
Listen and decide by yourself.

Rating 7/10