RIVAL SONS - Head Down (2012)

Genre - Classic Hard Rock / Blues / Retro Rock
Label - Earache Records

Track listing:

01 - Keep On Swinging
02 - Wild Animal
03 - You Want To
04 - Until The Sun Comes
05 - Run From Revelation
06 - Jordan
07 - All The Way
08 - The Heist
09 - Three Fingers
10 - Nava
11 - Manifest Destiny (Pt. 1)
12 - Manifest Destiny (Pt. 2)
13 - True

"The Long Beach, California, quartet RIVAL SONS made a big splash in 2011 with their breakthrough album 'Pressure & Time'. It put the rest of the retro-rock scene on notice: rehash the past all you want, but we're the future. And with their brand new album "Head Down", they're here to prove it.
Precious few revivalists possess that old black magic to set them apart. But to a fusion of the Classic Hard Rock and progressive blues of the seventies, genuine soul and a gutsy groove, Rival Sons add the real X Factor: great, great songs.

Such an obvious ingredient, but it's truly unbelievable just how many others miss it.
Recorded in Nashville with Grammy-nominated producer Dave Cobb and Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell, "Head Down" takes the band's electrifying blend of Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, Free, Deep Purple, The Doors and a dozen others to exhilarating new heights.
Kick the door in, take no prisoners, ask no questions, play it loud; as plans go, it's hard to fault.
Opener "Keep On Swinging" pretty much sums it up: big, bold, swaggering and totally badass, it sets the tone for an album which raises the bar across the board.
The breezy "Wild Animal" and "Until the Sun Comes" contrast nicely with the raunchiness of "All The Way" and "Three Fingers", themselves preludes to the sheer girth of "You Want To" – which recalls Zep at their raucous best – and the mighty "Manifest Destiny Pt. 1", a shadowy, smouldering epic that broods like a black hole.
Although the required ballads aren't the group's strong suit, both "Jordan" and "True" are carried off with confidence and without resorting to slush or schmaltz. Actually, these are superb slow tunes.
Both as performers and songwriters Rival Sons have upped their game, and "Head Down" puts them well ahead of the pack.
It takes a degree of skill to make music that ticks all the Classic Rock boxes without sounding like a shameless exercise in nostalgia, but despite impeccable retro credentials, Rival Sons are doggedly establishing themselves as a vital force for the modern age, too.
A more adventurous beast than the previous album, "Head Down" is a riotous carnival of classic-saluting riffs, sunkissed psychedelia and irresistible hooks, with the band's soul, funk and blues influences thrust joyously to the fore.
"Head Down" honours half a century of Classic (Hard) Rock with reverence, respect and the realisation that this music's still happening, right now.
Remarkable."

"Head Down" is a truly remarkable album and its unbelievable that its only the bands sophmore release as it shows such a depth of maturity in both the playing and songwriting that you could be forgiven for thinking that these guys had been at it since the 70's!


Rating - 10/10

Babylon Fire - Dark Horizons (2012)

Genre - Heavy Metal
Label - Rocksector Records

Track listing:

01. The Clarion Call
02. Darkness Draws Me In
03. Blood In Blood Out
04. Stripped Away
05. Demonocracy
06. Shattered Crown
07. Gates To Oblivion
08. Wrath Of The Fallen
09. Cycle Of Addiction
10. Within The Mouth Of Madness
11. Rise Through Babylon
12. I Still Remember

Released on 12th November through Rocksector Records, Dark Horizons is the debut full length release from Manchester based four piece heavy metal band Babylon Fire. Dark Horizons contains twelve solid tracks which showcase the bands talent and diversity as songwriters. having to adapt to being a four piece following the departure of former guitarist Will Reece the band have honed both their sound and their songs to bring us a very solid debut. From the opening riffs of The Clarion Call the quality is never in doubt, and the intensity never really lets up throughout the entire duration of the album. in fact the tempo doesn't really ease off until track four, Stripped Away, which is a great little rocker, a little more commercial than the onslaught and intensity of the three previous tracks.Demonocracy continues to mix things up a little, the intensity returns but its mixed some melodic guitar sections and some great melodies. Shattered Crown is pretty much a great traditional heavy metal track which leads nicely into a great little instrumental, The Gates Of Oblivion. Gates....sets up the mighty Wrath Of the Fallen, which is probably my favourite track on the album. Here we see the intensity return, but its tempered with plenty of melody, a truly great song. The intensity continues with Cycle Of Addiction, which is a great metal / rock song. Within The Mouth Of Madness sees the intensity continue, a great track some great lyrics and its Charlie Manson intro. Penultimate track Rise Through Babylon, sees the tempo mixed up a little, a great song. The album closes out with I Still Remember, an epic song.
Its hard to believe that this album is the bands debut, it really does sound so accomplished as though the guys have been at this game for years!
To be honest Dark Horizons is a really strong debut album from a very promision British band. Proof that the British Rock and Metal scene is truly alive, and has a great home on Rocksector Records!

Rating - 9/10

Absolva - Flames Of Justice (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Metal / Modern Metal
Label - Rocksector Records

Track listing:

01. Flames Of Justice
02. Hundred Years
03. Code Red
04. It Is What It Is
05. Breathe
06. State Of Grace
07. From Beyond The Light
08. Free
09. Love To Hate
10. Only When Its Over
11. Empires

Absolva are a Manchester based Classic Metal band born from the ashes (?) of the promising Fury Uk. As well as featuring Chris Appleton (Guitar and vocals) and Martin McNee (Drums) from Fury Uk, Absolva also features the talents of Tom Atkinson (Lead Guitars and backing vocals) of Vice fame and Dan Bate (Bass and backing vocals) of Point Black Fury fame. Theses guys are tight! Solid songs, with amazingly tight performances combined with an excellent production makes Flames Of Justice one of the best metal albums that I have heard in years, and I honestly mean that!

The twin guitar attack is reminiscent of the genre's legends such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, but Chris and Tom take their slant to an all new level, the riffs are brutal at times, heavy yet melodic, and every lick seems to be so perfectly placed, nothing ever sounds contrived, just a natural flowing sound that just develops and flows along with each song.

This album has everything that a great metal album should have, brutal grinding tracks suck as It IS What It Is, duelling guitar lead tracks suck as on Breathe, great rocking along up tempo tracks such as title track Flames Of Justice, short sweet acoustic segments like State Of Grace and epic songs like Free and Only When Its Over, stompers like Beyond The Light, as I said everything a great metal album should have!.

This album is proof positive that Absolva are a seriously talented band with all the potential of becoming the new kings of the metal scene. They could well be the rightful heirs to the crowns of legendary bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest! Yes they really are that god damn good!

Flames of Justice is released on 5th November through Rocksector Records and you guys really should check it out!

Rating - 10/10

Catch Absolva on tour on the following dates:

Oct 27th  - Machester (UK) Radcliffe Civic
Nov 2nd  - Newcastle (UK) Trillians
Nov 3rd  - Grimsby (UK) Yardbirds
Nov 4th   - Bristol (UK) The Croft
Nov 7th   - Sheffield (UK) Corporation
Nov 9th   - London (UK) Underworld
Nov 10th - Birmingham (UK) Asylum 2
Nov 11th - Southamptom (UK) Talking Heads
Nov 15th - Ipswich (UK) The Railway
Nov 16th - Herdorf (Germany) Rattenloch
Nov 17th -  TBC (Belguim)
Nov 18th - Roeselare (Belgium) De Verlichte Geest
Nov 30th - Belfast (N.Ireland) Voodoo
Dec 1st    - Strabane (N.Ireland) Diceys
Dec 2nd   - Dublin (Ireland) The Pint

Zen Motel - We Want Your Blood (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Punk / Pop / Alternative / Modern Rock
Label - Under Dog Records (Independent)

Track listing:

01 - Superhuman Colosseum
02 - The Pit
03 - Kill Your Radio (Feat CJ and Si Fricker)
04 - Trust Your Instincts
05 - Death Rock City (Feat CJ)
06 - Cut And Run
07 - Bone Deep In Trouble (Feat CJ)
08 - Curse Of the Girlfiend (Feat Si Fricker)
09 - I Will End This
10 - House Of The Dying Sun

Formed back in 2003, Zen Motel release their third studio album in the form of We Want your Blood. Coming hot on the heals of the awesome Cranked Ep released earlier this year.
I bloody love this album, a worthy follow up to Cranked and the bands previous two albums!
Ten tracks, clocking in at just under half an hour, of angst driven hard rock with some great melodies.
Opening with the mighty Superhuman Colosseum, a weighty peice that delcares that they have given up giving in before crashing into the The Pit which first saw the light of day on the Cranked EP, still an awesome track, full of energy and angst. Kill Your Radio is up next, a slighty more commercial song that features CJ from the Wildhearts as a guest on guitars and vocals (the first of three tracks to do so!) as well as Si Fricker. This is a great song that debuted via the internet last year, but still sounds great in its finished form. Trust Your Leader follows, again a typical Zen Motel song, filled with twists and turns, another great addition to the back catalogue.
Death Rock City follows, again featuring CJ on vocals and guitars. Here the guys turn the tempo upa little, yet this song still has a very commercial feel to it, a great song that should be a huge hit, again a song that debuted a year or so ago via the internet. Cut and Run is up next, a little more atmospheric to my ears, yet retaining all the punk angst and rock elements. A great song.
Next up is the last of the three songs to feature CJ, Bone Deep In Trouble, a song that takes the album off on a little tangent with its acoustic guitars and almost country feel, this really is a great song!
Curse of The |Girlfiend follows, again a song that originally saw the light of day a year or so ago via the internet, darker and moodier than its predecessors, great fun and has a great video too!
The albums penultimate track comes in the form of I Will End This, a song that sees the tempo pick back up together with some some great lyrics and riffs. House Of The Dying Sun closes out the album, a slower more epic track but more importantly,another great song song rounding off a great album!
There is so much energy and diversity presented on this album that it truly showcases the bands abilities as both song writers and performers!
We Want Your Blood gives us six songs that we havent heard before ( and four that have been available for a while in some form), and is possibly a little too short forin my opinion, but still I absolutely bloody love it!

We Want Your Blood is another great album by a blood great British band that your really do need to check out. Lets just hope that we dont have to wait as long for album number four! Now where are those tour dates?

Rating - 10/10
Website - www.ZenMotel.Co.UK

Romantic Rebel - Romantic Rebel EP (2012)

Genre - Melodic Rock / Hard Rock
Label - Independant

Track listing:

01 - Waste My Mind

02 - Dirty Love Song
03 - On My Own
04 - Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (Rainbow cover)

"ROMANTIC REBEL is a new Chicago based Hard Rock band presenting their self titled debut EP recently recorded.

The trio is fronted by pinup model Cherri Bomb, whom apart from wearing sexy black fishnets and furious red lipstick, owns a killer voice to boot.

At first glance I was expecting some kind of modern rock in these four tracks, but Romantic Rebel surprises us with late '80s sounding female fronted styled Hard Rock.
Cherri Bomb's vocals spreads tons of personality and solid pipes over the meaty and sustained guitars delivered by Alex Vincent. This guy has a thunderous sound reminding me of Billy Duffy's work on The Cult's albums at the tail end of the eighties.
Romantic Rebel could recall more recent acts such a Halestorm as well, but their musical approach is much more classic metal / hard rock in style.
First track "Waste My Mind" is driven by a melting six-string riff and a contagious refrain, followed by "Dirty Love Song", which is the most modern oriented track in the EP and is the bands chosen single / video.
"On My Own" adds some acoustics and nice tempo changes but the song has a heavy electric riff too, including wah wah and a mix sounding quite vintage.
For the end, Romantic Rebel blows a stronghold take on Rainbow's "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll". I can't remember any other female fronted act covering this tune, but the band does justice to this classic tune with an incendiary version.

Romantic Rebel is a more than promising Female Fronted Hard Rock trio in a genre where doesn't abound bands playing this style with a sound firmly planted in the late '80s.
Cherri Bomb certainly can sing (and she's got the looks) while Alex Vincent fills the music with hot chops and a solid-rock sound. Production is really good - recorded & mixed by Steve Weeder (Michael Thompson's 'Future Past', Styx) - with a vintage feel in places, balanced with an updated vibe.
Late eighties / early nineties Female Fronted Hard Rock fans will embrace this EP with open arms.
Let's wait for a full length release to see if Romantic Rebel is able to jump into the major league. They have the potential."

Promising stuff.

Rating - 7/10

Lovebite - Lock 'N' Load (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Glam / Sleaze / Metal
Label - Independant

Track listing -

01 - No Turning Back
02 - Sin City
03 - Breakin' The Rules
04 - Love/Hate
05 - Hey Baby
06 - Gonna Love You Anyway
07 - Lock 'N' Load
08 - Queen Of Hearts
09 - Can't Fight Your Love
10 - Striptease
11 - Mr. Lonely
12 - Too Much Is Never Enough

Where do I start?
Lovebite, (love the name by the way!), are a Birmingham (Midlands, UK) band that claim they are destined to be one of the hottest glam-metal bands to arrive on the UK scene, and to be fair I have to disagree. I feel that that particular statement sells the band short, as there is so much to these guys than being just a glam band. Sure, Lovebite's music is '80s Melodic Hard Rock influenced, not only in style / songwriting, but also in the way that they pull it off sonically. The guitars are loud and we have gang vocals all over, all wrapped with an intense and dynamic rhythm section, complete with cowbell and all.Yes there you can hear the influence of the genre legends such as Motley Crue, Skid Row or L.A Guns all over the place, but the songs are also more melodic and polished with infleneces such as Firehouse and Danger Danger clearly there to be heard.
A perfect example being Breakin' The Rules, a song that could quite easily be coming right off of Firehouse's debut in the way its composed and arranged.
With vocalist Johnny Sparks coming across as a blend of a young Vince Neil and Mike Tramp and the riffs coming loud and fast this album really does take me back, yet despite the clear 80's influence on the bands sound, the production brings that same said sound band upto date, leaving us with a great contempory sounding album.
For a band that have only been together for a relativly short time these guys show a helluva lot of promise.

Great debut, very highly reconmended!

Rating - 10/10
Website - http://lovebiteofficial.com

Tygers of Pan Tang - Ambush (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Melodic Rock / NWoBHM Label -
Label - Rocksector Records
Track listing:

01 - Keeping Me Alive
02 - These Eyes
03 - One Of A Kind
04 - Rock & Roll Dream
05 - She
06 - Man on Fire
07 - Play to Win
08 - Burning Desire
09 - Hey Suzie!
10 - Mr. Indespensable
11 - Speed

Its been a long time since these guys released their debut album "Wild Cat" back in 1980, a period of thirty two years that has seen them disband and reform twice and release countless classic NWoBHM master peices. Its a sad fact that Tygers of Pan Tang are criminaly overlooked by the majority of fans of the NWoBHM era, with the likes of Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head, Praying Mantis and Def Leppard taking the spot light, leaving some truly great songs undiscovered.

Ambush is the second full length release from Tygers... since they reformed for the second time back in 2001 and is a solid album to be fair. Founding member, Robb Weir (Guitars) is joined by Jacopo Meille (Vocals), Dean Robertson (Guitars), Gavin Gray (Bass) and Craig Ellis (Drums & Percussion) for this outting, and together witha strong clear production and some great songs they turn in a brilliant performance, with Ambush reinforcing the point that Tygers.... really do deserve your attention, and are still relevent and capable of putting out some great music after all these years.

The album seems to be the perfect ballance of Classic Melodic Rock and NWoBHM, with Jacopo's vocals dancing tantalisingly over the top of some great rock riffs. As I have already said the songs are strong, full of life and energy with great riffs and some awesome hooks taboot.
The first five songs have a more melodic leaning where as the rest are definetly more in NWoBHM vein, creating a solid and diverse album!

Stand out tracks for me have to include the opening track, Keeping Me Alive, Play To Win (which is a pure NWoBHM classic!), Burning Desire and Hey Suzie, a song that not only ressurects the character ftom the bands debut single but also has a feel very reminiscent of their debut album Wild Cat.

A Great album for a veteren band that is well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10