Archive for category: International Releases

Trucker Diablo – The Devil Rhythm
/ November 16, 2011 11:54 am

Trucker Diablo – The Devil Rhythm

In 25 words or less: “This band needs to be heard, so listen, share, talk, tell everyone about Trucker Diablo…” Loud, crunchy, fast riff driven, bass heavy, gang vocal laden, classic rock and roll is pretty much how you could describe Trucker Diablo. Did I mention they’re from Northern Ireland? No? Well you’d have no idea when listening to them [...]

Captain Black Beard – Self Titled
/ November 16, 2011 10:25 am

Captain Black Beard – Self Titled

In 25 words or less: Melodic Kick Ass Rock I love it when a band you’ve never heard of makes an album this good. This to me is what I’m listening to now with the debut album from our newest ‘Best Thing You’ve Never Heard’ Captain Black Beard from Sweden (of course, I mean does any bad rock music come [...]

The Gloria Story – Shades Of White
/ November 10, 2011 10:26 am

The Gloria Story – Shades Of White

In 25 words or less: Shades Of White is easily one of the most enjoyable albums I have heard all year With a swag of influences that firmly rest in the era of 70’s glam and rock & roll both visually and musically, it has to be stated right up front that Shades Of White is easily one of the [...]

Megadeth – TH1RT3EN
/ November 9, 2011 3:22 pm

Megadeth – TH1RT3EN

In 25 words or less: “It’s a heavy, at times classic sounding metal album and one I’ll be happy to listen to again” Im not sure if I’ll be berated for this but my favourite Megadeth album is ‘Countdown To Extinction’. So when I heard this new album from Dave and the boys was somewhat similar to that awesome album [...]

Sandness – Life Without Control (EP)
/ November 9, 2011 2:58 pm

Sandness – Life Without Control (EP)

One of the most personally rewarding aspects of May The Rock Be With You, at least for me personally is typified by unearthing a band such as young Italian sleaze rockers, Sandness. Having first heard about them through the number 1 sleaze authority here in Australia, Glam Junkie’s Sleaze Ball (make sure you join up the Facebook page), Sandness are [...]

Adept – Death Dealers
/ November 9, 2011 12:16 pm

Adept – Death Dealers

Whilst having grown up as a teenager in the late 80’s on a staple of traditional hard rock and heavy metal, I am by no means a one-trick pony when it comes to music, with my musical listening, likes and knowledge being incredibly eclectic.  So what then does that statement have to do with Death Dealers, the second album from [...]

Opeth – Heritage
/ November 4, 2011 8:11 am

Opeth – Heritage

In 25 words or less: A prog, jazz, blues, psychedelic, metal vibe delivered in a great slab called Heritage From the opening piano intro I truly didn’t know what to expect with this new release from Opeth but as that faded out and directly in to the next track I could finally get a gist for what I was in [...]

Mastodon – The Hunter
/ November 4, 2011 8:05 am

Mastodon – The Hunter

In 25 words or less: A great album that is not too heavy, not too light, it’s just right. The new album from mastodon is pretty damn good. There, I said it. This is an album full of chunky riffs and catchy heavy songs. This album is their first since 2009′s ‘Crack The Skye’ and continues to show the growth [...]

Hardcore Superstar – The Party Ain’t Over Til We Say So….
/ November 3, 2011 12:00 pm

Hardcore Superstar – The Party Ain’t Over Til We Say So….

Having existed for well over a decade now, when it comes to the Swedish “sleaze” scene, few bands are bigger than Gothenburg natives, Hardcore Superstar, who have blazed the trail since the year 2000 for the cavalcade of bands that have since followed.  With the prospect of a new studio album not likely to be released until April 2013, Hardcore [...]

Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
/ November 2, 2011 12:55 pm

Reckless Love – Animal Attraction

In 25 words or less: Insert disc, press play and prepare yourself for about 45 minutes of the best damn feel good hard rock anthems heard this side of the 80’s… Finnish rockers Reckless Love return with their second album Animal Attraction that is bound to get the hard rock world talking, just as did their debut album. The dance [...]

Wednesday 13 – Calling All Corpses
/ November 2, 2011 12:10 pm

Wednesday 13 – Calling All Corpses

In 25 words or less:  Catchy as hell shout out choruses and tongue in cheek lyrics, horror inspired song titles against a backdrop of infectious hard rock riffs are the order of the day throughout the albums 11 songs… Wednesday 13 must surely be one of the most prolific music artists on the planet, having released an album (eg. Wednesday [...]

Puddle Of Mudd – Re:(disc)overed
/ November 2, 2011 12:05 pm

Puddle Of Mudd – Re:(disc)overed

In 25 words or less:  ”A highly enjoyable album, featuring a collection of timeless songs that are no doubt as intrinsic to many of our own musical upbringings, as they are the members of Puddle of Mudd.”  Cover albums, tribute albums, whatever you may want to refer to them as, are always an interesting proposition and there never usually seems [...]

Brand New Sin – United State
/ November 2, 2011 11:51 am

Brand New Sin – United State

In 25 words or less: It’s a real honest, moody and raw brand of rock that Brand New Sin deliver and the key to enjoy the album is to pick your own mood when you are likely to best enjoy… United State sees American based Brand New Sin deliver their fifth album.  If you are reading this and are from [...]

Skindred – Union Black
/ November 2, 2011 10:30 am

Skindred – Union Black

In 25 words or less:  “Only your own ears can determine whether they like a concoction of reggae, nu-metal, dub step, metal, hard rock, beats and rhymes” Since 1998, the Welsh based Skindred have been bringing it with their genre defining, well actually, let’s say genre creating, blend of reggae and metal that they themselves refer to as “ragga metal”.  [...]

Zebrahead – Get Nice
/ November 2, 2011 8:39 am

Zebrahead – Get Nice

In 25 words or less: The band name check Aquanet, Motley Crue, Dokken, Slaughter, Stryper, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, L.A Guns and Bon Jovi in “She Don’t Wanna Rock”…instant winner! With a history thus far spanning fifteen years and now nine albums, Zebrahead have certainly been one of the mainstays of pop punk and in 2011 with an uprising of [...]

Hyro Da Hero – Birth. School. Work. Death
/ November 1, 2011 2:02 pm

Hyro Da Hero – Birth. School. Work. Death

Hyro Da Hero, now here is an interesting musical proposition to match an equally intriguing name.  Fusing rap and hip hop with rock isn’t exactly something new, but as the Houston native, but now L.A based Hyro Da Hero will tell you “no one has done it like this. It’s raw, and it’s real.”  Adding some real rock credibility and [...]

Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn Of Events
/ November 1, 2011 9:16 am

Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn Of Events

In 25 words or less: Amazing playing, amazing songs, something to get lost in… Ok. Now forgive me for saying this but I know of Dream Theater but I can honestly say I’ve never listened to any Dream Theater before. I know, stop mocking me, it’s not nice, so forgive me if I can’t compare to previous releases.  This being [...]

New Found Glory – Radiosurgery
/ October 19, 2011 9:56 am

New Found Glory – Radiosurgery

In 25 words or less: ”Pop punks not dead”…this album proves it! With a history thus far spanning fourteen years and now seven albums, New Found Glory have certainly been one of the mainstays of pop punk and in 2011 with an uprising of young challengers to the pop punk throne, New Found Glory have hit back with 12 songs and [...]

Acey Slade – Inside The Reptile House
/ October 18, 2011 2:30 pm

Acey Slade – Inside The Reptile House

Back in 2010, Acey Slade, formerly of Murderdolls, Dope & Trashlight Vision fame and now current Joan Jett bass player, unleashed upon the world The Dark Party.  Cleverly bringing together and stretching the boundaries between both the rock and electronic genres, Acey himself described the release as ‘a non-hard rock album, for hard rock people’.  For me personally, The Dark [...]

The Devil Wears Prada – Dead Throne
/ October 15, 2011 4:33 pm

The Devil Wears Prada – Dead Throne

In 25 words or less: ” If you like heavy, I mean really heavy music then you need to already have Dead Throne in your collection.” Wow. Not really knowing what to expect going in to this new album by The Devil Wears Prada I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a nice soothing dose of the fucking heaviest [...]

The City Calls – A Spark To Ignite
/ October 10, 2011 10:14 pm

The City Calls – A Spark To Ignite

To sum it up.  When The City Calls, you answer… The Power Pop Punk Rock genre or however you want to categorize it is one that is and always has been based on fun catchy music, look at bands like Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, Boys Like Girls and Paramore just to name a few.  Obviously it works and [...]

Staind – Self Titled
/ October 9, 2011 9:31 pm

Staind – Self Titled

In 25 words or less: This was not the Staind album I was expecting at all.  This is heavy, and a welcome to return to the Staind of old! I guess the first song ‘Eyes Wide Open’ is exactly that, it opened mine, I love this.  If that’s anything to go by then we’re in for a treat.  Aaron Lewis [...]

Machine Head – Unto The Locust
/ October 9, 2011 7:59 pm

Machine Head – Unto The Locust

For Machine Head to follow up what has previously been referred to as a masterpiece in ‘The Blackening’ was going to be a tough call, turns out it really wasn’t that much of a tough call as I’d be happy to proclaim that ‘Unto The Locust’ is up there if not on par with The Blackening, yeah, I said it.  [...]

Gotthard – Homegrown: Alive In Lugano
/ September 29, 2011 5:52 pm

Gotthard – Homegrown: Alive In Lugano

In 25 words or less: For me, there is no singer I love to hear sing a “ballad” more than Steve Lee Gotthard may not exactly be a massively well known entity outside of their native Switzerland, but that sure isn’t a reflection of their exceptional musical quality.  When it comes to delivering classic hard rock, very few have done [...]

Sabaton – World War Live, Battle Of The Baltic Sea
/ September 29, 2011 5:11 pm

Sabaton – World War Live, Battle Of The Baltic Sea

In 25 words or less: Being the “Sabaton Cruise”, it was a night purely about the magic between the band and a 2,000 strong crowd.  OK, so I may not have been at this particular performance that is the primary feature on World War Live – Battle Of The Baltic Sea…but I have seen Sabaton perform live in the flesh in [...]

Work Of Art – In Progress
/ September 23, 2011 4:48 pm

Work Of Art – In Progress

In 25 words or less: “My ears have been listening to music for around 30 years and know what they like and they tell me that this is pretty damn close to musical perfection…” Here’s a thought to ponder that really has no relevance to the CD I am about to review….but then again, maybe it does?  Should the length [...]

Mötley Crüe – A Visual History 1983 – 2005
/ September 23, 2011 11:34 am

Mötley Crüe – A Visual History 1983 – 2005

Whilst The Dirt may be regarded as the definitive Mötley Crüe companion piece, aside from their music of course, Mötley Crüe – A Visual History 1983 – 2005 by legendary rock photographer Neil Zlozower is no less essential, portraying in pictures what The Dirt portrayed in words.  Well in saying that, not EVERYTHING from The Dirt is portrayed in pictures, [...]

House Of Lords – Big Money
/ September 22, 2011 3:54 pm

House Of Lords – Big Money

In 25 words or less: “Everything about this album is pure class, not that I really expected anything less from one of the greatest within the kingdom of melodic rock…” Despite being in existence for over 20 years now, I must say it took me by surprise a little that House of Lords latest release Big Money is now their [...]

Riverdogs – World Gone Mad
/ September 22, 2011 12:33 pm

Riverdogs – World Gone Mad

In 25 words or less: “The soulful vocals of Lamothe as always are a real highlight and still really define that Riverdogs sound, as does the storytelling nature of the lyrics…” For those of you not yet acquainted with the Riverdogs, then first lets have a brief history lesson.  Going way back to 1990, current Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell (previously [...]

Chris Antblad – Century
/ September 22, 2011 8:39 am

Chris Antblad – Century

In 25 words or less: Antblad delivers song after song of highly accessible rock, filled with endless hooks, melodies, vocal harmonies and a lead vocal performance that is a real highlight. With labels such as Melodic Rock Records and the tenacity and dedication of people such as label head honcho Andrew McNiece, it’s certainly a great time to be a fan [...]