BERNIE MARSDEN - Shine (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Blues Rock / Melodic Rock

Label -

Track listing:

01. Linin' Track

02. Wedding Day

03. Walk Away

04. Kinda Wish She Would

05. Ladyfriend

06. Trouble

07. Who Do We Think We Are?

08. Bad Blood

09. Shine

10. Dragonfly

11. You Better Run

12. Hoxie Rollin' Time

13. Nw8

### The following review is not my work but I couldn't agree more so I reproduce it here. All credit to the original author ###

Ex Whitesnake guitarist BERNIE MARSDEN new album "Shine" to be released next August 18, explores a wide ranging musical horizon including a cleverly updated bluesy, slick AOR, kick ass boogie, riff driven and twin guitar rock, a steaming bluesy shuffle and a book-ended instrumental.
By his own admission "Shine" includes some stockpiled material, but it’s subtly shaped, polished and nicely sequenced by his former Alaska band member turned producer Rob Kass.

Recorded in studio 3 in Abbey Road (where the Beatles cut ‘Revolver’), "Shine" sparkles with confident songs, sumptuous guitar tones, potent harmonies, magisterial playing and Bernie’s best ever lead vocals.
Producer Rob Kass strikes the prefect balance between the album’s song driven focus and the possibilities that an array of guests – including David Coverdale, Jimmy Copley, Ian Paice, Don Airey Cherry Lee Mewis, Joe Bonamassa and Mark Feltham – and a big studio offers him.
"Shine" is a coherent album that plays to Bernie’s strengths. He’s always been a consummate guitarist and a prodigious songwriter, but a combination of different vocals textures injects the steely arrangements with style and gusto.

Listen for example, to the airy, west coast vocal sweep of Danny Kirwan’s "Dragonfly" – included here as an ode to Peter Green – and the standout title track. The Cream style vocal harmonies are underpinned by Ian Paice’s pounding stick work and topped by Don Airey’s keyboard riffs and Bonamassa’s scintillating solo. All the elements coalesce seamlessly as if building to a naturally defining moment on the track.
But this is such a well paced album that the final four tracks find their sequential place as part of an integral whole, before coming to rest on Bernie’s acoustic instrumental outro.

"Shine" opens with a sledgehammer groove of Leadbelly’s "Linin’ Track" which mirrors the song’s lyrical muscularity, while the hot picking on "Wedding Day" has a lively feel, as part of an enveloping production.
The kick ass boogie and ZZ Top influenced "Kinda Wish She Would" is effectively a counterweight as Bernie’s slightly distorted vocal gives the track an extra bit of edge on a riff driven rocker with huge radio potential.

My absolute favourite is the AOR, keyboard led "Walk Away" (awesome Don Airey) with its '80s keyboard motif, uplifting hook and catchy chorus. It's a sister track to the eco message and vocal tour de force "Who Do We Think We Are", a mid-tempo melodic rocker full of magic.

The guests all make their mark, as Mark Feltham’s lyrical harp line colours the extended groove of "Ladyfriend", as it smolders, sparkles and envelops you.
It sets things up nicely for the percussive reworking of "Trouble" predicated on David Coverdale guttural phrasing. Bernie has never been reticent to explore his back catalogue and he’s rarely bettered himself than on this blast from the past.
Cherry Lee Mewis adds gritty vocal contrast on the laid back blues-rocker "Bad Blood" and just when you think the whole album has run its course on the hook laden "You Better Run", Bernie launches himself into a dirt tone wah-wah inflected Americana shuffle "Hoxie Rollin’ Time", which is surely destined to become a live favourite.

Shine" is a career high for Bernie Marsden. 

It’s an album glued together by his own deeply embedded imprint of harmony driven songs with significant hooks and burning solos. It’s almost as if he’s successfully pursued his own mission statement of cutting a definitive solo album. It may have taken him 40 odd years but it’s been worth the wait.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating - 9/10

The Players

Bernie Marsden - Guitars, Vocals

Ian Paice - Drums

Don Airey - Keyboards 

Joe Bonamassa - Guitar

David Coverdale - Vocals

Jimmy Copley - Drums

Mark Feltham - Vocals, Harmonica

thanks to Pete Feenstra

HOLLYWOOD MONSTERS - Big Trouble (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock

Label - Mausoleum Records

Track listing:

01 -  Another Day In Grey - Pt. 1

02 -  Move On

03 -  Big Trouble

04 -  The Only Way

05 -  The Cage

06 -  The Ocean

07 -  Oh Boy!

08 -  Underground

09 -  Village Of The Damned

10 -  Song For A Fool

11 -  Fuck You All (bonus track)

Featuring some of the most renowned Classic Hard Rock artists in the lineup, HOLLYWOOD MONSTERS is the creation of French guitarist and composer Stéphane 'Steph' Honde who, after considerable success in his native country, has made California his home since 2012.

He's been busy these last two years writing music for his new project and this first album entitled "Big Trouble", just released by Mausoleum Records.

Honde has been able to garner the help of some legendary musicians including bass player Tim Bogert (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, et al), keyboard player Don Airey (Deep Purple, Whitesnake, et al), and drummer Vinnie Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath, et al). Early Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di'Anno, with whom Honde also toured with, adds vocals on the bonus track "F*ck You All". 

It's all quite impressive, but what's inside?

The answer would be mostly traditional hard rock with a strong melodic foundation, with Honde's guitar work front and centre. The title cut is a good example of how the elements blend: intense riffs, good melody, catchy refrain, and a concise sweaty solo in the mix. 

Hollywood Monsters go for groove with a metallic edge within "Underground", then "Village of the Damned" (co-written by Appice, could be the heaviest song here, sounding like a cross between a Whitesnake and Black Sabbath song with Honde ripping off a nice solo at the end.

All is balanced by more melodic rock oriented numbers like the semi-ballad "The Only Way" where Honde vocals turn a bit Coverdale-esque, the really nice acoustic "The Ocean" embellished with classical strings, and the bluesy & sweet "Oh Boy!".

One of the highlights is "Song For A Fool", a slow mover and burner, especially in the drum line and Honde's six string work. Maybe you'll think that the solo is a guitar solo, but it's not! It's actually Tim Bogert playing the best bass chorus ever!

The aforementioned "F*ck You All" ends the disc in hard rockin', fun way with nasty lyrics and the tack vocals of Paul Di'Anno.

What I liked about Hollywood Monsters, apart from the solid songs, is the intention of 'Steph' Honde to avoid the rehash of the style and mannerism of the classic rock acts who inspired him.

With Airey or Appice at hand it's hard not to be tempted to write and arrange a song akin Deep Purple or Dio, but Honde and the guys sound authentic and really personal.

"Big Trouble" is an album of varied and creative classic hard & melodic rock songs that will keep your interested. In fact, it's better (and more original) than many classic acts recent efforts

Very Recommended.

Rating - 9/10

Schubert In Rock - Schubert In Rock (2013) Review

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Label -

Track listing:

01. Second King Of Darkness (feat. Tony Martin)
02. Heavy Metal Party (feat. Biff Byford)
03. Cavalry Of Evil (feat. Joe Lynn Turner)
04. Ready For The Action (feat. Marc Storace)
05. Good Morning Sir (feat. Doogie White)
06. Lady Of The Tower (feat. Doogie White-Joe Lynn Turner)
07. Black Jack Billy (feat. Joe Lynn Turner)
08. Young Free And Deadly (feat. Tony Martin)
09. Don On Fire (feat. Don Airey)
10. Stairway To Hell (feat. Doogie White)
11. Three Horned Dragon (feat. Biff Byford)
12. Perfect Body (feat. Marc Storace)
13. Davi (feat. Doogie White)
14. Holy Ground (feat. Bernie Marsden)

Schubert In Rock: A fusion of great Rock-musicians recording an album with Klaus Schubert from Austria. featuring a fantastic line up that includes: Klaus Schubert (Guitars) Bernie Marsden (Guitar) Nail Murray (Bass) Don Airey (Keyboard, Hammond) Vocals: Joe Lynn Turner (ex. Deep Purple, Rainbow) Tony Martin (ex.Black Sabbath) Doogie White (ex.Rainbow) Biff Byford (Saxon) Marc Storace (Krokus)

Ok so with such a prestigious gathering of rock music's top musicians you would expect this album to be something a little special, and it is. The musicianship is Divine,as you would expect from such a line up, buts so cohesive, almost as though these guys had been playing together in the same band for the last twenty years. The songs are solid and some of the vocal performances are simply awesome, from Tony Martin on "Young, Free and Deadly" to Biff Byford on "Heavy metal Party" to Doogie White on "Stairway To Hell" and the albums most standout track, "Davi"

"Schubert In Rock" is a great classic hard rock album that displays the talents of all those involved very well.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10