Hell's Gazelles - Take Your Medicine (2018)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Self Release

Track listing:

1. Give Me Something

2. Stone Cold

3. Out Of Time

4. Take Your Medicine

5. She Devil

Hell's Gazelles is a hard rock band from Oxford, UK. are preparing to release their brand new ep 'Take Your Medicine' this July (27th)

The EP was recorded and produced by Chris D'Adda (Wayward Sons, Toseland) at Vale Studios and mixed / mastered by Neil Kennedy (Creeper, Milk Teeth) at The Ranch Production House, 'Take Your Medicine' features five high-energy slabs of modern hard rock goodness tinged with metal influences! 

With support slots for the likes of Black Moth, The Treatment, Desert Storm plus playing Bloodstock Open Air, HRH Roadtrip and more, the band have been building a healthy reputation on the live circuit, and in 'Take Your Medicine' deliver an EP that builds upon the strengths of their previous debut, showcasing their maturing song writing abilities perfectly. Here we clearly have  four guys who love great Rock music, delivering mega riffs, huge hooks and some soaring Halford /  Dickinson-esq vocals courtesy of lead singer Cole Bryant. 

The EP opens up with 'Give Me Something', a relatively up-tempo modern rocker that really sets the scene for what is about to follow, with Cole Bryant showcasing his vocal acrobatics early on. 
Next up was have 'Stone Cold' (for which the band have produced a lyric video) which has a slightly more classic rock feel to it. Still the nice big riffs and modern rock sound, but the song seems to follow a more classic rock style, which a ok with me. 
'Out Of Time' is up next, slowing the tempo very slightly but continuing the high quality delivered on its two preceding tracks. The EP's title track is up next. 'Take Your Medicine', once again falling back on to a more classic rock style, not as heavy as its preceding tracks but picking the tempo back up a little, and you can just imagine this going over a storm live with the crowd chanting the chorus!
The Ep closes out with the rather excellent 'She Devil' with its hypnotic riff.

If I had to try and describe the sound of Hell's Gazelles, I would have to say Modern Rock with a strong Classic Rock and NWoBHM influence (especially in the vocal department!), which proves to a great mix.

"Encapsulating the energised, thought provoking and wild delivery of 'Take Your Medicine'; the EP artwork (by Very Metal Art) features the maniacal scientist 'Dr. Strangechild'."

Well worth checking out!!

Rating: 8/10

Hell's Gazelles are:

Cole Bryant - Vocals

Nath Digman - Guitar

Rik Ridemark - Bass 

Luke Evans - Drums

Catch the guys live on the following dates:

7 July - Swansea, Seven Sins Festival (w/ Skam, Those Damn Crows and more)

8 July - Quarrydowns, Amplified Festival (w/ Therapy, Xentrix and more)

20 July - Oxford, The Bullingdon (EP launch show)

25 Aug - Royston, Reaperfest (w/ Falling Red and more)

Sixx:A.M - Prayers For The Blessed Vol.2 (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / modern Rock

Label - Eleven Seven Music

Track listing:

01. Barbarians (Prayers For The Blessed)
02. We Will Not Go Quietly
03. Wolf At Your Door
04. Maybe It's Time
05. The Devil's Coming
06. Catacombs
07. That's Gonna Leave A Scar
08. Without You
09. Suffocate
10. Riot In My Head
11. Helicopters

SIXX: A.M. bassist Nikki Sixx along with guitarist DJ Ashba and vocalist James Michael release the second half of their 2-part blazing hard rock albums, Prayers For The Blessed Vol.2.
“Vol. 1, Prayers For The Damned” and “Vol. 2, Prayers For The Blessed” were both written and recorded at the same time, they are companion pieces carefully structured to kick the bands own sound print upstairs to its fullest tilt and it brings the demand to the fans of Nikki Sixx.
You can not ask for much more hard rock swagger from the heart and soul to the fans than this. Sixx et al deliver. Coming off their 2015 tour Nikki Sixx had stated that being onstage really influenced the way they connect and write, and you can really hear the effects throughout the two albums, having a much more solid consistent and band sound to them than the bands previous releases.

This monster album kicks off with “Barbarians (Prayers for the Blessed)” a fist pumping anthemic track that sets the tone for the rest; big vocals and a blistering lead really make this track stand out. “We Will Not Go Quietly” is next up. There is more of a groove on this one. It hits hard, but the melody continues to be the focus.
Stepping into the grooving motion of “That's Gonna Leave A Scar” to the 'rockpertic' show of “Maybe It's Time” showcases the diversity that lives and breathes deep within the talents of Nikki Sixx.
“Wolf At My Door” has some dirt and grit breathed in, while the heartfelt ballad “Maybe It's Time” strikes the emotive. Guitarist Ashba really delivers his skills on “Catacombs” and the hardest rock sound to come from the album falls on track, “The Devils Coming.” Opening acoustically “Suffocate” leads to a hailing crunch when the chorus kicks in.

The songs are brilliant, the production is excellent, bringing the best out of each song, and the band are performing at the peak of the talents, Go and buy it now. Simply A Must

Rating: 10/10

Magic Eight Ball - Richest Men In The Dolls House (Live) (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Power pop / modern Rock

Label - Magic Cat Records

Track listing:

01. Once Again

02. See You Next Tuesday

03. What Happened In '92

04. It's Not For Me To Say

05. Come Get Your Kicks

06. Red Hair Wrapped Around Her Neck

07. Perils Of Honesty (Acoustic)

08. Russian Ballet (Русский балет) (Acoustic)

09. Eyes Of A Fool (Acoustic)

Richest Men In The Dolls House was recorded live at The Dolls House, Abertillery, Wales on 18th/19th June 2016 (1-6) and 3rd July 2016 (7-9) Magic Eight Ball release a short live album (27 minutes long) that captures the bands raw energy and passion perfectly. There's no studio touch ups here, its truly wart's n all, capturing the band as they perform a live set and featuring three new tracks from their latest studio release, Richest Men In The Graveyard, along side a clutch of more established Magic Eight Ball classics. Now I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of live albums, usually the sound quality and or mix is terrible and you can barely recognise the band yet alone the songs they are playing, but this album is different. Its captures the essence of the songs perfectly, and comes across like a very good t.v. or radio broadcast, although the two live acoustic tracks do come across much, much better!
Well worth checking out!

Rating: 8/10

Zen Motel - We Want Your Blood (Remixed and Remastered!) (2016)

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

Track listing:

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

Zen Motel have re-issued their 2012 album, We Want Your Blood! in a remixed and re-mastered form!

Now I thought the original release of this album was pretty darn awesome, but the remixing and re-mastering efforts of band leader Lee Potter really do make this re-issue something special. Everything sounds that much clearer, giving the songs that sharper more crystalline edge.

We Want Your Blood gives us Ten tracks, clocking in at just under half an hour, of angst driven hard rock with some great melodies. The following review follows the albums original track running order, which has been re-jigged a little for the re-issue, but I find myself putting them back in their original order!
Opening with the mighty Superhuman Colosseum, a weighty peice that declares 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 slightly 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 up a 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 great lyrics and riffs. House Of The Dying Sun closes out the album, a slower more epic track but more importantly,another great 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!

This really is a fantastic remix and re-mastering of what was already a great album!

Plus its currently being offered as a pay what you think its worth deal here. so no excuses!

Very Highly Recommended!

Rating: 10/10

SIXX A.M. - Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock

Label - Eleven Seven Music (Warner)

Track listing:

01 - Rise
02 - You Have Come To The Right Place
03 - I'm Sick
04 - Prayers For The Damned
05 - Better Man
06 - Can't Stop
07 - When We Were Gods
08 - Belly Of The Beast
09 - Everything Went To Hell
10 - The Last Time (My Heart Will Hit The Ground)
11 - Rise Of The Melancholy Empire

Again this album has been out about a month or so, but again what an album it is. Now Sixx:A.M. are a strange beast for me. I found their debut, The Heroine Diaries to be okay, a few really good tracks but nothing that really held my attention. Then we had the acoustic mini album 7, which I thought was amazing. That was followed by the album that really did catch my attention, This Is Gonna Hurt, an album that really blew me away. But I then found its follow up, Modern Vintage, once again didn't really ,match up to its predecessor and struggled to hold my attention. Therefore I felt a little trepidation as I faced listening to the bands latest offering, Prayers For The Damned Vol.1, But I needn't have worried, its a cracking album, and quite possibly the most rounded and fulfilling album that the band have released to date!
Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 represents the band most complete and ambitious work. They have been together for seven years and the sound gets tighter and tighter, with the album including some of the heavier songs this band ever released, musically and lyrically, but also darn catchy rocking melodies.
There simply is not a bad track on this album! The opener "Rise", also chosen to be the first single, is an ultra cool rocker with a heavy guitar riff and a murderous groove.  The title song is a mid pace one, a tune with a kind of a sad vibe, "Belly of the Beast" has nothing to do with the Anthrax song, having the same title. Instead of, Sixx:A.M. create a song that belongs to the craziest ones on this long player. It is a dark creepy number, that is simply brilliant. "Better Man" isn't really the ballad you might expect, instead a great rocker built upon the acoustic guitars, seriously this song is huge!
"Everything Went to Hell" a mighty  rocker of a track built around a great riff. The final song on the album "The Rise of the Melancholy Empire" is an anthem of defiance, of overcoming adversity, saying ‘fuck you’ and with a promise to return.

Prayers For The Damned Vol.1 is the best album Sixx:A.M. have produced to date and very, very highly recommended!

Rating: 10/10

Red Sun Rising - Polyester Zeal (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Modern Rock / Alternative

Label -  Razor And Tie Records/Sbme

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Push
02 - Amnesia
03 - The Otherside
04 - My Muse
05 - Emotionless
06 - Blister
07 - Worlds Away
08 - Unnatural
09 - Awake
10 - Bliss
11 - Imitation

Red Sun Rising hail from Ohio (USA) and formed when long time friends, vocalist Mike Protich and guitarist Ryan Williams. Guitarist Tyler Valendza, bassist Ricky Miller, and drummer Pat Gerasia  decided to form a band. They quickly made a name for themselves with their tight live performances and well-crafted song writing. Their debut "Polyester Zeal" is a modern rock album, but with some refreshing twists and originality, unlike so many coming out of the USA today.
Produced by powerhouse producer extraordinaire, Bob Marlette (Black Sabbath, Sebastian Bach), Red Sun Rising’s debut release "Polyester Zeal" is not so much breaking new ground  "as it is re-imagining the past with an eye on nuance and an ear for melody."
Debut single 'The Otherside' offers a glimpse of the band’s melodic and anthemic sound, a good introduction to the band, and yet quite possibly the weakest song on the album!
The album’s opener, 'Push', is an aggressive and addictive kick-start to proceedings. The next track 'Amnesia' come across as a good mix of Alice And Chains and Cheap Trick! Huge melodies combine with strong and driving rhythms to create a retro vibe that culminates with an infectious chorus. Protich’s delivery is outstanding and blends perfectly with Miller’s strong backing vocals. In fact that is probably the best way in which to describe the entire album, huge melodies and driving rhythms.
With "Polyester Zeal" Red Sun Rising manage to successfully blend the best parts of seventies and nineties era rock music through the band’s own modern approach to song writing, something that pay's big dividends on songs like the darkly emotive 'My Muse' and the gritty acoustic swing of 'Emotionless'.
 "Polyester Zeal" is one of the most exciting debut albums that US Rock has experienced in recent years.

Well Worth Checking Out

Rating - 9/10

Venrez - Children Of The Drones (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock / Progressive / Alternative

Label - Monarch Music Group / Stampede Press UK

 

Track listing

 

01 - Hang The Predator

02 - Children Of The Drones

03 - Devils Due

04 - Salvation

05 - Mist Of Mercy

06 - Deep

07 - 20th Reason

08 - Reflection

09 - Spin The Top

10 - Sacred Blood

L.A. based rockers, Venrez are back with their third release, ‘Children Of The Drones’. Ven – vocals Jason Womack – guitars Nico D’Arnese – bass Ed Davis – drums. This time around the band serves up a sonic rock sound that seems them really going for the throat.
The album opens up with the atmospheric and moody mid tempo Hang The Predator before bursting into life with the albums rocking title track. Devils Due manages to somehow combine elements of the two previous tracks, with the vocal effects and up tempo riffs. Salvation is yet another fine rocking track that maintains the albums pace whilst twisting and turning through many tempo changes during its course.
Mist of Mercy slows things down a little with its acoustic driven intro and almost psychedelic feel. A great song that for some reason reminds me of US doom rockers Troubles more mellow moments.
Deep is up next and sees the guys return to the heavier groove of the Hang The Predator. Another great song.
20th reason follows, and this one is a rather nice mid-tempo melodic rocker. Reflection is up next, another great slow melodic rocker that twists and turns through tempo changes and various guitar atmospherics.
Spin The Top has more of a crunchy grinding riff, great song that really sets up the albums closer, Sacred Blood, which is great epic track in the style of the great rock albums of yesteryear.
The albums production is awesome throughout and really allows the songs to shine.
With Children Of The Drones, Venrez serve up melodic songs that have a real substance to them, along with some real attitude and maturity. This is a truly great album that deserves plenty of exposure!
Highly Recommended

Rating - 10/10

Badger - Time Will Tell

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Self Released / Pledge Music

 

Track listing:

 

01 - Whatever Happened 2 Us

02 - Inside Out

03 - Lie Behind My Eyes

04 - Losing Faith

05 - When It Rains

06 - Time Will Tell

07 - Freak Me Out

08 - Suicidal Sunday

09 - Lost And Found

10 - Into The Light

11 - C'mon C'mon

Time Will Tell is the debut album from Extreme bassist Pat Badger, (hence the Badger moniker / title!) and its a pretty impressive affair.
"With all due respect to Pat Badger he’s really pushing his own personal boundaries here and putting himself out there in a way that he’s never done before in the past. Having never really been able to break through the Cherone / Bettencourt song writing stronghold that was Extreme, Pat has enlisted the help of songwriter/producer extraordinaire Bleu in order to produce this, his first solo album, though the Pledge Music platform. As you might expect from a Badger/Bleu collaboration the songs here are rocky, poppy, melodic and very, very catchy."
An important thing to note here is that Pat is singing lead vocals for the first time here, and I have to say that he puts in a pretty damn impressive performance. In fact, if you compare this album with Gary Cherone’s ‘Van Halen III’ and you’ll find that this underdog wins single every time!
With a sound that brings to mind Sixx A:M's more melodic rockers this album doesn't have a bad track on it. Opening with the powerhouse duo of Whatever Happened 2 Us and Inside Out, before slowing things down slightly with Lie Behind My Eyes, things get off to a great start.
Losing Faith is a great piano led ballad, whilst When It Rains proves to be a tricky little track. With a string section that almost fools you into thinking that this is going to be the third ballad in a row before kicking into a mid tempo-ed little rocker of a track.
Title track time will tell is up next and whilst proving to be a nice little melodic rocker it seems to lack some of the magic and energy of its predecessors. The same can be said of Freak Me Out, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this song, it just seems to lack that certain little umpth that the albums earlier tracks have. Things pick up again with Suicidal Sunday, which is a darker moodier track, a great little rock track.
Lost And Found is almost a full blown Extreme studio reunion, featuring Gary Cherone and  Kevin Figueiredo and proves to be another great little mid paced rocker.
Into The Light is a beautiful little acoustic guitar track that leads nicely into the albums closer, C'mon C'mon, which in itself is a great track and see's the album returning to the form that was set by its opening couple of tracks.

A great debut effort, and a solid album even if it does seem to loose some energy in the second half.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 8/10

Treason Kings - Your Suit EP (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / Modern Rock

Label - Self released

Track listing:

01 - Your Suit

02 - Unless You'll Be

New on the scene, Treason Kings are turning heads with their alternative rock sound that manages to mix Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains with Biffy Clyro whilst putting their own stamp on things it with their own unique twist.
Hailing from Leeds, Treason Kings are a 4 piece alternative rock band who live together in a crumbling terrace house, generating riff heavy wall-of-sound chaos in their basement just bands did back in the good old days!
Title track ‘Your Suit’ is a tip of the hat to stoner rock/grunge influences, and is an example of what happens when both guitarist greet their fuzz pedals with open arms. The Sound Garden / Pearl Jam and Sabbath influences really shine through on this track, whilst it almost maintains a prog rock feel to it as the same time. 'Unless You’ll Be’ is a faster paced assault on the speakers, filled with the energy and rawness the band has become known for on the live circuit.
The band are already making waves in all the right places.  ("‘A sound that could dominate the world!") media and industry are taking note of Treason Kings, with the BBC’s Alan Raw championing the band. He first saw the band at their sold-out hometown launch show held and grabbed them for an impromptu interview straight after their set. This subsequently led to a live interview and numerous plays on his BBC Introducing radio show.
Most recently, singer/songwriter/producer Toby Jepson (Little Angels, The Virginmarys, The Answer, Saxon, Toseland, The Brew) has confirmed his involvement with the band for an upcoming new ep/mini album release:
 "Treason Kings to me represents all that's great about British music; inventive, passionate, thoughtful and with that certain quirk that sets them apart from others. Above all, the songs are killer, and that really is the most important thing. I'm delighted to be involved in the bands development, working with the lads is a joy, it's great to witness the birth of a band that really does have something to say, and who say it in such a unique fashion" - Toby Jepson

'Your Suit/Unless You'll Be' is released 25th July 2014.


Rating 9/10

Catch Treason Kings live on tour:

27th July - SHEFFIELD - Tramlines Festival (The Redhouse)

2nd August - LEEDS - Flannel Fest - Temple of Boom

24th August - GRAVESEND - Rock Fest (Leos at The Red Lion)

29th August - HULL - Sunkfest - Sunk Island

13th September - WAKEFIELD - Long Division Festival

26th September - LEEDS - Oxjam Festival - Fox & Newt

The Pretty Reckless - Going to Hell (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative / Modern Rock / Female Vocals
Label - Cooking Vinyl

Track listing: -

01. Follow Me Down
02. Going To Hell
03. Heaven Knows
04. House On A Hill
05. Sweet Things
06. Dear Sister
07. Absolution
08. Blame Me
09. Burn
10. Why'd You Bring A Shotgun To The Party
11. Fucked Up World
12. Waiting For A Friend
13. Going To Hell (Live Acoustic)
14. Sweet Things (Acoustic)

Its been a long wait since 2010's debut album Light Me Up from The Pretty Reckless, the awesome band fronted by Taylor Momsen, the  child prodigy, actress, model and singer songwriter / musician, but the wait is finally over as the band return with their sophmore effort, Going To Hell.
Going To Hell showcases just how much The Pretty Reckless have developed over the past few years,It goes without saying that Taylor Momsen can sing but here the music is more complex and in a lot of cases heavier than on their debut album. Going To Hell allows the rest of the band get more of the spotlight with some goods guitar solos and pretty decent drumming, which can only be a good thing. The songs are really strong too, especially,  House on the Hill, Follow me Down, Sweet Things, Heaven Knows and Going to Hell.
Going To Hell proves that The Pretty Reckless are a real band, serious about what they do, and not just the side project of some celebrity actress.

This album is really worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10

Red Dragon Cartel - Red Dragon Cartel (Japanese Edition) (2014) Review

Genre - Hard Rock / Melodic Rock / Modern Rock
Label - Frontiers Records

Track listing:

01 - Deceived

02 - Shout It Out
03 - Feeder (feat. Robin Zander)
04 - Fall From The Sky ~ Seagull
05 - Wasted (feat. Paul DiAnno)
06 - Slave
07 - Big Mouth (feat. Maria Brink)
08 - War Machine
09 - Redeem Me (feat. Sass Jordan)
10 - Exquisite Tenderness
11 - Feeder (Acoustic Version) [Japanese bonus track]

Guitar legend Jake E. Lee, the man behind Badlands and one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most famous albums, Bark At The Moon, is back after almost two decades out of the spotlight with his new band RED DRAGON CARTEL, and their self-titled debut to be released by Frontiers Records.

Clearly standing out from his countless contemporaries, Jake E. Lee first rose to international prominence as Ozzy Osbourne's sideman during the raucous '80s hard rock movement. Lee's signature guitar work and songwriting contributions on such million-selling albums as Bark At The Moon and The Ultimate Sin helped further to cement Osbourne's credibility during that decade, while Lee, himself, soared into the stratosphere as rock's latest guitar hero.
Following his tenure with Ozzy, Lee went on to create arguably his best and most compelling music in the late '80s and early '90s with the short-lived hard blues based outfit Badlands with short term former Black Sabbath vocalist ray Gillan. In recent years, the reclusive icon has resurfaced only occasionally appearing on various tribute records and solo releases.
In 2014, the famed guitarist returns with his new project, Red Dragon Cartel.
Recorded at the Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas, the self-titled debut from Red Dragon Cartel was produced by Lee and bassist Ronnie Mancuso (Beggars and Thieves), then mixed and mastered by Kevin Churko (Hinder, Ozzy). The band is completed with front man Darren James Smith and drummer Jonas Fairley.
However, the recording session was also gifted with some guest talent including singers Paul Di’Anno (ex-Iron Maiden), Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, as well as females Sass Jordan and Maria Brink (In This Moment), and Five Finger Death Punch’s Jeremy Spencer adding vocals.
And how do Red Dragon Cartel sound?
Simply put, pretty damn fine!
Red Dragon Cartel's sound is generally straight up melodic heavy rock with a modern tone, The music being driven by Lee's wall of riffage and wicked guitar solos. Additionally, underneath all this is some serious groove getting your toe tapping, while you're banging your head.
Perhaps the only Ozzy-like track on the disc is opener and lead single "Deceived" (a highlight), which possesses a no-holds-barred Bark At The Moon melodic energy. You really could imagine Ozzy singing the lead on this one! Paired together with "Shout It Out", these two hooky, guitar-driven groove monsters make for a powerful pair of openers. Plus Shout It Out has a real modern singalong feel to it that just makes it irresistible.
But even if the album revolves around Jake E. Lee’s endless talent, this is no guitarists solo album and it proves interesting to see how each of the guest artists are able to somehow slice off a bit of the Lee pie to showcase their wares. For instance, Zander on the track "Feeder" shines with an almost psychedelic feel and Maria Brink provides a Joan Jett-like moment that is a nice change up on "Big Mouth".
Haunting and melodic, "Fall From The Sky" is another stand-out, as is the bona fide pedal-to-the (old school) metal nugget "Wasted" featuring first Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno.
"Fall From the Sky" is fantastic ballad with superb instrumentation, centred on a strummed guitar pattern while vocalist Smith shines and gives his most passionate performance.
Another power point, "War Machine", lies stylistically somewhere between classic Black Sabbath and modern metal. Additionally, Sass Jordan's guest vocal on "Redeem Me" helps it to stand out from the rest of the hard-hitting pack as a straight-up and gritty blues rocker - one that's fabulously reminiscent of Badlands.
However, Lee's most vicious and enticing riffs (possibly) ever are heard on "Slave", which is another highlight here. You can hear a terrific palm muted fast picked riff that blends into an atmospheric verse before slamming into a fist-pumping shout along chorus.
Red Dragon Cartel's self-titled debut record is an impressive amalgam of Lee’s past output mixed with a modern spin. Blues inspired killer riff driven hard rock with melodic vocals is still the blueprint that Jake Lee works too. Great musicianship, asce production and some cracking songs!

Very Highly Recommended.


Rating - 9/10

Pavic - Is War The Answer? (2014) Review

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01 - Is War the Answer?

02 - In Your Eyes
03 - Song for the Rain
04 - Your Own Misery
05 - Notorious
06 - Every Time I Die
07 - Strong Enough
08 - Welcome to My World
09 - Free Fall
10 - Once Again

#### This is Not My Review but I simply couldnt have put it any better therefore I have reproduced it here! All credit to the orignal reviewer and publisher! ####

Marko PAVIC and his self-named band from Italy released two interesting Hard Rock albums during the last decade, both quite well received but failed to make them an established act.

After some turmoils in the line-up and the departure of vocalist Chris Catena in 2010, PAVIC was put on hiatus but in early 2013 the band was revived with a new drummer and a new lead singer but mostly, a new dynamic, improved sound which is moving into a more straight and contemporary direction, as it's heard on they new CD "Is War The Answer?"
Since the first seconds of the opening, title track, you can hear the musical change: edgy, post-grunge Americanized modern hard rock with an anthemic feel, a quite promising start to this disc which introduces us to the very accessible and decent vocals of the heavily tattooed Joe Calabro.
Calabro is the perfect candidate for helping the band to uplift themselves with some vocals inflexions that can recall James Michael James (SIXX AM) or Chris Cornell (Soudgarden). The fresh, updated sound of Pavic is enhanced with some sharp riffing by Marko perfectly placed in a sound canvas courtesy of Rick Beato (Furyon) who engineered and mixed the whole recording at Black Dog Sound Studios, USA.
"In Your Eyes" flows in similar style, hard rocking Americana and, again, comes out on top, while "Free Fall" rocks with in a modern style with synths in the background and raspy vocals / melodic chorus upon a staccato riffage.
The ballad "Song For The Rain", although a tad modern radio friendly, is a stormer of a song which I'd rather listen too than half of the usual duff that gets played time over and again so it's another tick in the box.

"Your Own Misery" and "Strong Enough" stomps it up again with good mix between energetic down tuned guitars and more progressive elements. The faster they play, they more fluid they become – this is obviously where the band feels more comfortable and it's a winning combination that they've struck upon.
You want a band to take chances every now and again – sometimes it works, sometimes it's something the band will forever regret – so to stick Duran Duran's "Notorious" slap bang in the middle of this disc is a gamble. For me, this unexpected cover song is one of the highlights of the CD, the guitar work is highly skilled and the solo spot by Marko Pavik is short but impressive, something in coherency all along the disc.
On their new album "Is War The Answer?" Pavic tries to blend classic hard rock melodies with American mainstream, modern rock radio anthemic tunes, and they succeed for the most part.
I don't believe they will break up the charts with this 'new style', but this fresh CD it's a more than interesting recording fusing the best of both worlds, something appealing for many listeners. The production of Rick Beato is polished and powerful, really well balanced and with a crisp output.
"Is War The Answer?" is also worth to investigate for those curious minds who ask themselves how the Modern American Rock is digested in Europe, made and crafted by an European band.

Recommended.
 

Rating 8/10

JAMES LaBRIE - I Will Not Break EP (2014) Review

Genre - Heavy metal / Hard Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01 - I Will Not Break

02 - Unraveling (Digipack bonus track)
03 - Why (Digipack bonus track)
04 - Coming Home (Alternate Mix)
05 - Jekyll Or Hyde (Original demo - Japanese bonus track)
06 - Just Watch Me (Original demo - Japanese bonus track)
07 - I Tried (Jason Miller Remix)
08 - Over The Edge (Mutrix Remix)
09 - Euphoric (NeonGenesis Remix)

######     NOT MY WORDS BUT I AM IN TOTAL AGREEMENT  #######

(All credit to the original author)

 

"Monster singer JAMES LaBRIE has been a bit of a workhorse lately, with Dream Theater's eponymous album and his solo disc ‘Impermanent Resonance’ both having hit shelves in 2013. Now, he's set to release a nine-song digital EP entitled "I Will Not Break" on January 6 in Europe and January 14 in North America via InsideOut Music.
While the opening title track is the album version taken from James last solo album, the rest of the EP boasts a number of gems and unheard remixes that fans will surely love to get their hands on.
"Unraveling" and "Why" were exclusive Digipack bonus tracks from the physical release of ‘Impermanent Resonance’.
"Coming Home" features an alternate mix and the original demo versions of "Jekyll or Hyde" and "Just Watch Me" were all featured as bonus tracks on the Japanese release of LaBrie's 2010 CD ‘Static Impulse’.
Things get a real turn since track 7, as three songs also from James' previous album, "I Tried", "Over the Edge" and "Euphoric" have undergone the re-mixing process courtesy of US based electro DJ's Jason Miller, Multrix and NeonGenesis respectively.

Each artist put a unique electronica spin on their track, which will offer a fresh and interesting interpretation of songs we've all come to know and love.

Really good material."

Well worth checking out

Rating - 8/10

Kill For Eden - Kill For Eden (2013)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01 - Kerosene (Radio Mix)

02 - Untouchables

03 - Beige

04 - Stalemate

05 - The Evil That Men Do

06 - Living On Mars

07 - Fate Insists

08 - Ned

09 - Over And Over

10 - Slip Away

11 - Little Wizard

12 - Alone With My Demons

13 - The Truth

14 - Kerosene

### The following review is not my own but I agree totally! ###

KILL FOR EDEN is a new UK-based band but formed by a truly international line-up from Lyla D’Souza (Sydney), Andrea Basiola (Italy) and Londoner Dave Garfield Bown, along with Mike McGuinness on bass and drummer 

Wally Miroshnikov, together they have infused all their influences to produce an awe inspiring self-titled debut release.

Built on massive melodies and huge hooks coupled with charismatic choruses, Kill For Eden's energetic style blends the hard rockin' groove of The Cult circa Sonic Temple with the Rock&pop sensibility of Blondie. Chuck in a rocking Pat Benatar and you can see where the healthy references come from.

What I liked about Kill For Eden at first place is their uncompromising delivery. They're releasing this debut by themselves, and they do what they want in their own way.

The music business is quite brutal most the time, with the only fast track options generally open to those who have no self worth and little talent willing to sell their souls and other parts of their bodies to a suit sucking on a big fat cigar. Any band with original ideas practising in back rooms has a mountain to climb, and a shed load of luck and hard graft are basic starting points before there is any chance of hitting the ‘big’ time.

Sadly, history shows that if you are a female fronted rock band you can multiply that factor again by a whole lot more and the intensity and need for that special quality to stand out and be different is magnified ten fold. Just check the band list for your favourite festival this summer and how many of them have a female leading the front line?

As I said it’s brutal people, but real exceptional talent and innovative use of the grey matter will find a following, well you would hope so anyway.

Kill For Eden could just be one of those exceptional bands, as they have the talent in abundance, and in Lyla D’Souza they also have a front woman who not only looks the part but has a voice that stands out from the crowd of pretenders. Her technical and emotional range adds depth to all the material here and confidently tackles top end hard rock, power rock, intimate rock&pop and all shades in between – sometimes in the same track.

It’s not all just about the vocals, though. Basioli’s lead guitar muscles into the limelight plenty, and the rhythm six-string work together with the dynamic bass/drum interplay drive these tunes into a great feeling.

The album starts via the most immediate track called "Kerosene (Radio Mix)" with an ear pleasing driving guitar riff and a rumbling bass line upon which the powerful vocals of Lyla D’Souza rise strongly, and here in lies the special unique selling point that Kill For Eden have in their repertoire. This version has been re-worked with an obvious commercial intention, as the original (placed at the end) is more rough and sharp. Both work to me.

The heavy funk groove and vibe continues on "Untouchables" with a big chorus and rhythmic guitar work whilst "Beige" further continues this positive trend. "Over and Over" is also built for the airwaves with its catchiness.

Don’t be fooled though. There is some heavier and more challenging material here too.

"Living On Mars" features a skuzzy, gutteral riff before the chorus lifts the track and a change of pace injects a shot of adrenaline. "Ned" chucks out a mean growl and weaves a narrative about Australia’s most famous outlaw.

"The Evil That Men Do" is amongst the strongest tracks with an insistent, nagging guitar and keyboard riff that rises into a powerhouse chorus. D’Souza goes for the jugular and stays on the right side of the tuneful/shouty divide at the business end.

"Slip Away" for me is a radio hit single in waiting, with a modern but at the same time classic rock melody full of groove and titillating amp-valvular guitars, providing a demonstration of all that is good about Kill for Eden in a one tremendous song.

The stomping hard rocker "The Truth" takes a look back to late seventies Heart, "Alone With My Demons" adds some bluesy spice, and "Little Wizard" brings the good ol' 'American' The Cult to the table, just with female lungs.

There also a couple of tasty ballads that showcase Lyla's vocal gymnastics. "Stalemate" is perhaps a touch formulaic, but "Fate Insists" pulls out all the dramatic stops.

Kill For Eden is one of the most genuine, impressive female fronted rock bands appeared in a long time.

However the consistency in their debut is not just in D’Souza’s powerhouse vocals but also in the quality of song structure and musicianship. The rhythm section creates a groovy foundation where the complete guitar work dynamically change gear all the time with the vocal arrangements controlling the intensity and delivery, resulting in some memorable killer songs.

Kill For Eden achieve something which, to my mind, is pretty hard to find; they manage to hide some scorching guitar-based hard rock within an extremely radio-friendly format, a feat not seen too-often these days. The majority of the tracks are around 4 minutes long and fit everything they need to in that time with nothing left on the side lines.

Production, handled by guitarists Basiola and band mastermind Dave Garfield could be much more polished, but I prefer this crunching delivery for this type of material than the overwashed sound a major label would have ordered. They go indie, and I like this way, remaining in the radio-friendly category without compromising the guitar-driven awesomeness that makes them stand out.

Good things are surely just around the corner for this lot, meanwhile their debut is strongly recommended.

Rating 9/10

Kill For Eden are:

Lyla D'Souza – Vocals

Dave Garfield Bown – Guitar

Andrea Basiola – Guitar

Mike McGuinness – Bass

Wally Miroshnikov – Drums

Rob Taggart – Keyboards

Voodoo Six - Songs To Invade Countries Too (2013)

Genre - Hard Rock / Modern Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01. Falling Knives
02. All That Glitters
03. Lead Me On
04. Sink Or Swim
05. You Don't Know
06. Your Way
07. Sharp Sand
08. Stop
09. Brick Wall
10. Waiting In Line
11. Higher Ground

Songs To Invade Countries Too is Voodoo Six's third album and the follow up to 2011's excelent Falling Knives Ep. Inspired by classic British traditional bluesy Hard Rock and boasting the raw energy of '70s / '80s bands with modern stylings thrown in, Voodoo Six make for one helluva band!.

Songs To Invade Countries Too, opens up with the hard rocking stomper "Fallen Knives" a song that is driven along by a catchy groove and distinctive bass line. Then the guitar that joins in drags you into the album as soon as it starts, you have no choice but to continue to listen. One thing that you instantly notice is just how well crafted these songs are. There seems to be a lot of depth and thought involved within the song structures in this album, and you can hear the band trying to expand their traditional territories giving you pleasant surprises throughout.
This become even more evident on third track "Lead Me On" which is a quite elaborated ballad / midtempo tune complete with strings subtly meandering away in the background. Lots of sweet guitar sounds coming from both guitarists with a simple, catchy chorus and nice phrasing from Purdie. The song ends with a nice cello on pair with clean guitars.
"Sink Or Swim" rocks again in a traditional way, but then in "You Don't Know" Voodoo Six go for a more heavy funky groove which is very catchy and surely a future live favorite. The intro of "Your Way" starts with a slightly southern feel but soon changes into a different kind of animal. This one has a lot of angry gravely vocals, nice flowing heavy riffs, thunderous drumming and a meaty guitar solo to boot.
"Sharp Sand" is another clattering mini-anthem, that was debuted on 2011's EP, a song that gallops into the room on the twin guitar attack of Matt Pearce and Chris Jones, and in Joe Lazarus the band clearly have a warhorse of a drummer whose style perfectly suits this bruising style of hard rock.

"Stop" is one of the more interesting tracks in this recording. It starts with a lot of heavy bass and funky groove (Tony Newton is a noteworthy bass player who adds extra weight to the album) mixed with classic rocking riffs which almost seem a bit jazzy in places. The bridge had gentle backing ooooh vocals which to me was a nice little element to throw in. There is bits and pieces mixed into this album that shows V6's intentions to evolve musically.
The song immediately after, titled "Brick Wall", is another highlight. A classic bluesy hard rocker where all the musicians get carried away through a really live vibe. Another muscular rocker featuring driving guitars and solid drums with a strong seventies feel to the proceedings.
The album finishes in a pedal-to-the-metal fashion with "Higher Ground", a simple yet huge hard rock stomper sporting a smokin' solo. Purdie mesmerises with his raucous vocals and although he does make it seem effortless, it's clear a lot of effort was put in creating this recording and it does show.

With Songs To Invade Countries Too, Voodoo Six show how they have become a mature Hard Rock monster, capable of  delivering a bunch of groovy, punchy, unstoppable rockin' tunes with a traditional feeling whilst still managing to obtain a modern sound that allows it to fit in with the 21st century's rock and metal scene.




Very Highly Recommended.

Rating 10/10




.

New Device - Here We Stand (2013)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Modern Rock
Label -

Track listing -

01 - Here We Stand
02 - Away From Here
03 - New York
04 - On Your Knees
05 - Do Or Die
06 - Another Life
07 - Feel The Wrath
08 - Save Your Life
09 - Waiting For A Deadman
10 - Wreckage Of Me
11 - End Of Hope

NEW DEVICE are a Hard Rock band from South East England, UK. The band was formed in London in October 2007. Their first album "Takin' Over" was released in 2009 which they now follow up with their second album "Here We Stand.” The best way to describe the band's style is that it is strongly rooted within the limits of classic 80s Hard Rock / Metal, influenced by bands such as AEROSMITH, SKID ROW and GUNS 'N' ROSES. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying that the band sound like the above legends, by no means are they attempting to copy an established format, No, they have a modern sound that combines their influences into their own dynamic sound thats filled with a raw energy. Infact there is a youthful energy within their performance on every song on offer here, twinned together with a solid and proffessional execution and a dynamic production. the album is full of variety, from the catchy, "On Your Knees", to the vigourous "Waiting For A Deadman" and "Feel The Wrath." There are quieter more subtle moments too such as "End Of Hope" and "Wreckage Of Me".
All in all a very solid album that is well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10

Exit State - Let's See It All (2013)

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Alternative / Modern Rock
Label - Rocksector Records

Track listing:

01 - Pull The Thread
02 - Sun In My Eyes
03 - Let's See It All
04 - The Pain I Demand
05 - Sugarcoat
06 - Lenny
07 - Die Zombie
08 - Elastic
09 - Save Us From Ourselves
10 - This Part Of Me
11 - Crystalline

 Exit State return with their third album in the form of Let's See It All, the worthy follow up to 2011's Black Veins. Jam packed with fresh, punchy catchy riffs and hooks to die for, Let's See It All may very well be the album that see's these UK rockers break through into the big leagues. This album contains eleleven cracking songs, executed to perfection. The vocal's from Rob Bright are truly outstanding, at times reminding me a little of former Voodoo Johnson vocalist, Kevin Bayliss, with some great lyrics throughout. The band are tight and intricate at times, but never at the expense of loosing sight of what the song is all about.As I said all eleven tracks are really strong and showcase just how much the band have grown as song writers since 2010's debut Death Of A Rockstar.
The albums production really is top notch, and wellto be honest this really is a cracking album that should appeal to fans of all types of loud music be it hard rock, heavy metal, alternative, indie, punk or modern rock.
Let's See It All really is a shining example of just how a modern rock album should sound.
A future classic? Could very well be!

Rating 10/10

Left For Red - Vol 002 - Mercy Flight EP (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Modern Rock / Alternative
Label - Self Released / Independant

Track listing -

01 - Kneel before You Die
02 - Mercy Flight
03 - My Obsession

"Left For Red are a Four Piece Heavy Metal band formed in 2009 with members of Groove Sadistic, ShakeDown and Viable Truth. Left For Red have a wide range of influences from Pantera, Deftones, Tool, Rush, Alter Bridge and Strapping Young Lad to name a few. LFR's sound is a mixture of Punk, Metal and Pop which makes you want to dance, sing and beat the crap out of the person next to you." Well that is what their press says and to be fair I cant really find a reason to disagree. For me Left For Red deliver that perfect blend of hard rock and all out metal. Riffs galore, a vocalist that can sing as well as roar his way through a song, and well talent in abundance.  Are the songs any good? Well considering that these guys haven't been together all that long the songs are bloody great. Despite having to record on a tight budget, this EP being self financed, Left For Red, judging by the evidence on this EP alone, can hold their own with any band out there, and I really can see big things in their future, especially in the USA. Could Left For Red be the best metal band to come out of the midlands since the mighty Black Sabbath, I think they show the potential to be just that!

So come on guys, get behind a great young British band

Rating - 10/10