In 25 words or less: “Expect Twelve Foot Ninja’s Silent Machine to be one of the most talked about albums over the coming months in Australian music.” Melbourne’s Twelve Foot Ninja are not a band to do things by halves.  In the lead up to the release of this, their debut album Silent Machine, the band have embarked on a campaign they […]

In Summary: “If you’ve never seen The Trews before I implore you to do so at your earliest convenience as this is one of the best rock bands I’ve seen play in a long, long time.” The small crowd on a Thursday night in Newtown have gathered to see Canadian rockers The Trews on this their fourth visit to Australia […]

In 25 words or less: Melodic power metal at it’s finest from one of Australia’s premiere metal bands. Australia has some truly world class metal bands that more than hold their own on the world wide stages  Just on four fingers, you have Voyager from Perth, Lord from Sydney and Melbourne’s duo of Eyefear and Black Majesty.  Whilst Voyager have […]

Certainly no “strangers” to us here at May The Rock Be With You, we’ve been patiently awaiting the full length album release Persona Non Grata from these Sydney rockers for a little while now.  Having seen them earlier this year supporting the like of The Darkness and Calling All Cars, Strangers deliver a brand of rock that is devoid of […]

Originating from parts unknown, we introduce you to Khaos.  So when I say parts unknown, well Khaos represents one of those musical collaborations made possible with the advent of modern technology these days – four people in four cities, come together to make one album, well in this case, a 5 track EP.  Khaos consists of Chandler Mogel, who I […]

In Summary: “I’ve already played ‘Diamond Days’ through a number of times and it’s an album that I will happily continue to listen to…” It’s always a daunting task for any member of a band to step out and go solo, especially when taking the vocal lead, but even more so when you’re the co-founder and drummer in one of […]

Where I liken to where All Time Low are at here in 2012 is very similar to where a couple of my all time favourite three word pop punk bands have recently been at…those being New Found Glory and Bowling For Soup.  You see sometimes these bands are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.  Feel compelled to […]

After 5 years away from Australian shores, Matchbox Twenty are currently making their way around the country on what is surprisingly their sixth Australian tour.  Well it’s surprising to me, as I’m well and truly a Matchbox Twenty fan, but this was to be the first time I had seem the perform live.  Supporting them throughout these Aussie shows are […]

What I’m about to say, probably makes this review pretty pointless, but I reckon that if Bowling For Soup was to release an album full of farts, spoken word poop jokes, or barks courtesy of the bands unofficial 5th member, Sherman the dog, I would still proclaim it to be the greatest thing ever released.  Thinking about it, BFS have […]

Well f$%k me swinging, if you will pardon my French, where the friggin’ hell did these guys come from?  Ok, matter of factly Hotel Diablo are from Hollywood, but hitting you smack between the eyes with a blazing red album cover, these guys have delivered one hell of a killer hard rock record from seemingly out of nowhere.  But if […]

A band with which I was not previously familiar previously, Two Gallants return after a five year hiatus with their aptly titled fourth album, The Bloom and the Blight.  Friends since they were five (maybe that’s their first meeting on the album cover?), the San Francisco natives Adam Stephens (guitar and vocals) and Tyson Vogel (drums and vocals) have obviously […]

In 25 words or less: I’ve listened to Epicloud now well over 10 times and I’m still completely overwhelmed with each listen, but I keep coming back for more, finding more and enjoying it more. Devin Townsend, when I first heard him on the Steve Vai album Sex & Religion, to me it was a godlike musical pairing and I’ve played that album […]

In 25 words or less: With summer on the horizon and a sun drenched film clip to match, While We’re Young just screams summer anthem. By no means a stranger to the Australian Country Music scene, Newcastle born and bred Morgan Evans looks set to finally capitalise on his musical journey over the past five years, with new EP While […]

Calling Impera a “supergroup” may be taking things just a little too far, but for those with their ears and eyes firmly entrenched in the European hard rock scene, that you can rightfully dispute.  Impera is the brainchild of drummer J.K Impera (Bruce Kulick, Graham Bonnet and John Corabi), on vocals there’s Matti Alfonzetti (Jagged Edge, solo), guitarist Tommy Denander […]

In 25 words or less: To me this is a fresh but classic rock sounding album and I dig it. It is so awesome to hear this kind of sound coming from Australia, to me this is a fresh but classic rock sounding album and I dig it.  Redcoats out of Melbourne have released this, their debut self-titled album today […]

In summary: “Well done Anberlin, you’ve made one heck of a record.” Reviewing albums on first listen is always like flirting with disaster, what if it’s no good, but by no good what if it turns out to be a ‘grower’ and I’m not doing it justice by only reviewing it off the first listen?  These are the things to […]

“So as much as it’s been fourteen years away from Australia for the band, it’s been fourteen years of waiting by a lot of this eager crowd who loved every second of tonight’s show and I can tell you one thing it won’t be another fourteen before they’re back.” Sydney band ‘Ashes’ who won their place opening the night tonight […]

“Tonight sums up what this band is all about, they’re metal, they’re bringing it back and if this crowd and those around the world have their way, it won’t be going away again in a hurry.” So, I’m pretty sure that the wigs outnumbered the real long haired males tonight but regardless, the fact that people have come in droves […]

In what seems like, but isn’t really a quick turnaround from 2010 release Chasing The Grail, Fozzy hit us with new album, Sin and Bones.  Whilst technically the bands fifth album, it’s their third of solely original material.  Upon the first spin, I couldn’t help but notice that Sin and Bones was considerably more diverse and less heavier than Chasing […]

In 25 words of less: Praise the lord for people such as Chris Robinson who make albums for those of us who still enjoy the complete listening and visual experience. They say never judge a book by it’s cover right?  Well in this instance, on new album The Magic Door, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood deliver everything you would expect from […]

Muse is one of those bands that are hard to categorise.  Simple as that and you know they are… are they rock?  Are they opera?  Are they electro?  Yeah, I know right?  So I’m calling Muse a new genre of music called Electrockera.  Here was have ‘The 2nd Law’ which is the their sixth as a band, each previous have […]

In summary – “If you think you know Grinspoon, you probably don’t. This new album is fresh, it’s rockin’ and it’s relevant.” When you’ve been a band for seventeen years, it must be tough to keep yourself motivated, to come up with something fresh, yes many bands go through the ‘what do I want to be today?’ phase, but Australian […]

I remember seeing The Script back in 2008 when they came to Sydney on a promo tour in support of their debut album, playing in a small club to an attentive yet small crowd, just seeing them then you knew these guys had it. Now four years on and two albums and a couple of visits back since the debut […]

When it comes to releases on Italian label Frontiers Records, nothing really surprises anymore.  So when I heard the winds blowing news of a live KIX CDC/DVD to be released in 2012 and a brand new studio release in 2013, despite the fact that the band haven’t had any recorded output since essentially 1995, I didn’t even batter an eyelid.  […]

When you are talking hard rock bands of the 80’s, Dokken are right up there in the highest echelon with songs such as Dream Warriors, Lightning Strikes Again, Just Got Lucky, The Hunter, Unchain The Night undeniable classic anthems.  But that was then and 2012 is now with the Don Dokken led version releasing Dokken’s 11th studio album Broken Bones.  […]

The Swedish band with one of the more delightfully named frontmen in rock ‘Hell Hofer’ hit us with their now fourth album and first for monster German label, Nuclear Blast.  If you are familiar with Bullet from past outputs such as previous release Highway Pirates or Bite The Bullet then I’m sure you will have already decided whether you love […]

In 25 words of less: “I think The Dollyrots has just become my favourite “pop” album of 2012!” I always like to give credit, where credit is due and when it comes to The Dollyrots, I have to thank Bowling For Soup for putting me onto The Dollyrots as a result of their mutual association over the years touring together […]

In 25 words – “By Blood, By Heart definitely propels Less Than 4 to be amongst the leaders of the new generation of Swedish sleaze.” So here’s a quick quiz for you, what number is Less Than 4?  Well if you said 3, then you are correct and the relevance of this is that these cocky young whipper snappers from […]

Following hot on the heels of their EP release earlier this year, Melbourne four piece The Hiding return with a two track single/EP titled Lonely Diaries.  The bands first EP delivered an anthemic, textured style of pop rock and for fans of The Hiding, as I certainly am, you will be pleased to know that style hasn’t changed.  Lantern Lights […]

In summary: Say what you will about Hanson, but if you’re prepared to dismiss them simply for being Hanson then that’s fine, but you have just missed out on an amazing night of great songs, musicianship and harmonies. Standing outside The Enmore Theatre in Sydney tonight and watching the crowd enter was fun for me, as the predominantly female audience […]