The Ferrymen - The Ferrymen (2017)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Frontiers Music s.r.l

Track listing:

01. End Of The Road
02. Ferryman
03. Fool You All
04. Still Standing Up
05. Cry Wolf
06. One Heart
07. Darkest Hour
08. How The Story Ends
09. Enter Your Dream
10. Eyes On The Sky
11. Eternal Night
12. Welcome To My Show
JAPAN BONUS TRACK:
13. One Heart (Acoustic Version)

The Ferrymen are a new project featuring guitarist Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear), vocalist Ronnie Romero (Lords Of Black, Ritchie Blackmores Rainbow) and drummer Mike Terrana (Tarja, Axel Rudi Pell, Vision Divine). The songs for "The Ferrymen" were written by Karlsson in Sweden during the Summer of 2016, and apparently as soon as Romero heard the songs through their shared label he immediately wanting to become a part of the project. Mike Terrana coming on board just finalised the project.
Musically, you can expect maximum melodic stuff fusing the song writing and epic structures of the great Allen / Lande records (for which Magnus Karlsson was the main architect of the first three widely praised releases) with the Ronnie James Dio-esque vocal approach of Romero. (The main reason that he was recently selected by the legendary Ritchie Blackmore to front his latest incarnation of Richie Blackmore's Rainbow!)
The album kicks off with ‘End Of The Road,’ a fast-paced, classic melodic metal track with strong punchy riffs and vocals. The second track on the album, ‘Ferryman,’ has an anthemnic, stadium rock feel that crowds all over the globe will go wild for.
Then the softer ‘One Heart’ makes a nice change in dynamic to the album, and gives a fresh feel to the sound.  ‘The Darkest Hour,’ is an absolutely brilliant song, beginning with a  clock-like ticking that breaks into a fantastic drum section before Romero’s vocals to take over.
A beautiful keyboard introduction opens ‘Eternal Night,’ making for another of the standout tracks on the album, as it has a wonderful melodic and nostalgic feel which will undoubtedly remind you of listening to old Classic Rock albums from the good old days.
"The Ferrymen" is pure classic melodic metal / hard rock, and right up the street of any fan of the genre. There is no doubting the sheer talent of these three guys, with a stunning execution of each instrument performed plus a vibrant production.

Very very highly recommended!!

Rating: 10/10

Primal Fear - Delivering the Black (Japanese Edition) (2014) Review

Genre - Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Label - Frontier Records / Soulfood

Track listing:

01 - King For A Day

02 - Rebel Faction
03 - When Death Comes Knocking
04 - Alive & On Fire
05 - Delivering The Black
06 - Road To Asylum
07 - One Night In December
08 - Never Pray For Justice
09 - Born With A Broken Heart
10 - Inseminoid
11 - Man Without Shadow (Bonus Track)
12 - When Death Comes Knocking (Single Edit) (Bonus Track)
13 - Born With A Broken Heart (Edit Version) (Bonus Track)

German metallers PRIMAL FEAR return with their 10th slab of metal, in the form of new album "Delivering The Black" to be released by Frontiers Records / Soulfood.

Bassist and co-founder Mat Sinner handles the production duties and delivers what is easily one of the band's most explosive records to date. Guitarists Magnus Karlsson and Alex Beyrodt are in simply phenomenal form, with sharp, resonating riffs and melodic spiraling solos throughout the entire album!
The production has been helped immensely by the the pairing of Jacob Hansen at the mixing with Achim Köhler mastering which along with the watchful of Mat Sinner overseeing the entire process as producer, has made this new album from Primal Fear somewhat more bombastic than ever.
Generally,  the bands traditional sound has been magnificently maintained by Jacob Hansen - though a contemporary edge has been added, especially the modernized guitar sound, which really stands out on "Delivering The Black".
The album kicks off in blazing style with a barrage of crisp riffage and chugging rhythms on the album opener, “King for a Day”. Sinner's bass and Randy Black's drums are like a locomotive while the dual guitar leads soar and ensnare the listener. An anthemic hooky chorus and Scheeper's gritty vocal delivery seal the deal.
A dramatic intro sets the tone for “Rebel Faction” which quickly turns into a speedball of rapid-fire double bass and speed-riffing that will rattle teeth and vibrate bones.
This leads us into the album's debut single, “When Death Comes Knocking”: a blasting melodious piece which begins with an acoustic intro and a mid-tempo riff. Built for arenas, this beast has a massive feel to it and an undercurrent of Arabian nuances, particularly in the bridge. Scheepers’ performance gives the song an epic melodic feel.
The title cut as well as “Road to Asylum” are speeding juggernauts of pounding razor riffs and rhythms. Infectious melodies make them among the record's most memorable tracks.
The tolling of the bell and cawing birds lead into an emotive piano melody on the intro to the album's near ten-minute cinematic piece, “One Night in December”, which is, if I have it right in mind, the longest song Primal Fear ever released. The track has a sumptuous sound and orchestral elements, and a lot of variations and arching melodies which makes it really special.
You almost could say that a fierce album like this also needs a ballad. Sometimes these ballads are overloaded with cliche... but not in the case of Primal Fear. "Born with a Broken Heart" is a great song, an emotional ballad featuring Leaves Eyes' female vocalist Liv Kristine doing some fine backing vocals. Scheepers hits a poignant mark with his inspired delivery, and once again the guitars dance and spirit the song to new heights.
Closing out the album proper is the battering-ram rampage that is “Inseminoid”, propelled by Black's lightening quick feet and more fancy-fret axe-work by Beyrodt and Karlsson.
We then have the three bonus tracks, two edits of pre-existing album tracks and "Man Without Shadow", a great melodic rocker, that although a great track, doesn't really fit anywhere within the constraints of the album proper, and it is therefore understandable that it is used as a bonus track. Still a great song though!
"Delivering The Black" is easily Primal Fear's best all-around album in years, a really true return to form, packed with every bombastic element a metal / hard rock fan could hope for, "Delivering The Black" not only delivers - as the name suggests, it propels you into the centre of the arena, leather clad and head-banging.

A must have for any metal fan!

Rating - 10/10

Voodoo Circle - More Than One Way Home

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Eighties Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01. Graveyard City
02. Tears in the Rain
03. Heart of Babylon
04. Cry for Love
05. Alissa
06. The Ghost in your Heart
07. Bane of My Existence
08. More than One Way home
09. The Killer In You
10. The Saint and the Sinner
11. Victim of Love
12. Open Your Eyes
13. Shape Of Things To Come (bonus Track)
14. Castles Burn (bonus Track)



More Than One Way Home is quite possibly the best Whitesnake album that Whitesnake never made! More Than One Way Home is Voodoo Circles third album and could well be a long lost Whitesnake album from the late eighties. The song titles alone paint a picture of the era add to that the fact that vocalist David Readman sounds more like David Coverdale than David Coverdale sounds like David Coverdale these days you really do get the picture!
Opening track "Graveyard City" together with "Bane Of My Existence" have crunchy hard rockn' riffing that introduces a flavour of Dio into the mix, albeit still with that Whitesnake influence. Elsewhere, "The Ghost In Your Heart" does have a bit of Blackmore/Purple vibe to it, but once again it's the eighties incarnation circa ‘Perfect Strangers’ that springs to mind, and in fact sections of this sound dangerously close to that album's title track.
Finally, "Open Your Eyes" and one of the bonuses in this Limited Edition called "Castles Burn" rock out properly with the vibe of classic Rainbow, while the other bonus "Shape Of Things To Come" recalls Black Sabbath Tony Martin era.
The album is finely produced and expertly performed by the talented Alex Beyrodt, David Readman and all the musicians involved.

In short Voodoo Circle have delivered the kind of polished rock album that used to set the world on fire. Today, well its not going to set the world on fire but it has certainly rekindled the flames in this old rockers heart!

Very Highly Recommended.

Rating 10/10




Voodoo Circle are:
Alex Beyrodt (PRIMAL FEAR, SINNER) - Guitar
David Readman (PINK CREAM 69) - Vocals
Mat Sinner (SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR) - Bass
Markus Kullmann (DEZPERADOZ) - Drums
Zlatko Kresic (LIQUID HOME) - Keyboards