Category: Reviews

Zebrahead – Get Nice

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 […]

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Hyro Da Hero – Birth. School. Work. Death

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 […]

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Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn Of Events

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 […]

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New Found Glory – Radiosurgery

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 […]

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Acey Slade – Inside The Reptile House

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 […]

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Lo! – Look and Behold

Lo! – Look and Behold

In 25 words or less: I couldn’t help but be mentally transported into some form of violent assault, where every guitar riff is just another slow and powerful bash to the head with a baseball bat. Lo! (yes there is a ! after the name, it’s not a typing error) originate from Sydney, Australia.  Just as does their music, Lo! have […]

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Shannon Noll / Tim Chaisson – The Basement, Sydney – October 14

Shannon Noll / Tim Chaisson – The Basement, Sydney – October 14

Today was the day that Shannon Noll releases his fourth album ‘A Million Suns’ and to celebrate this he is doing a run of what he’s calling preview shows in support of it.  He couldn’t have picked a better venue than that of The Basement in Sydney which tonight was packed to see Mr Noll.  More on him shortly… Supporting […]

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The Devil Wears Prada – Dead Throne

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 […]

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New Empire – Symmetry

New Empire – Symmetry

In 25 words or less: “These guys need to get this heard, everywhere.” I love hearing about new bands that aren’t so new. In this case New Empire, see their name even tells me they’re new. But I digress. Symmetry is the bands newly released second album and wow! These guys need to get this heard, everywhere. This album has […]

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The City Calls – A Spark To Ignite

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 […]

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Staind – Self Titled

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 […]

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Machine Head – Unto The Locust

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.  […]

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Simple Plan – The Enmore Theatre – October 1

Simple Plan – The Enmore Theatre – October 1

Canadian pop punk rockers Simple Plan always put on a fun show, and tonight’s SOLD OUT gig at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney was no exception but more on them later… The first of two supports, Sydney’s ‘New Empire’ got the crowd warmed up with their amazingly friendly rock music and within seconds of opening with hopefully the next single  […]

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Panic! At The Disco – Take 40 Live Lounge

Panic! At The Disco – Take 40 Live Lounge

It was a cool Tuesday evening when Panic! At The Disco and couple of hundred of their closest friends filled the Take 40 Live Lounge in Sydney to warm everyone up and give us a special night of acoustic spins on some of their biggest hits which was a complete turn around from two days earlier at their full blown […]

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Gotthard – Homegrown: Alive In Lugano

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 […]

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Sabaton – World War Live, Battle Of The Baltic Sea

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 […]

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Eskimo Joe – The Enmore Theatre – September 24

Eskimo Joe – The Enmore Theatre – September 24

Now I’ve never seen Eskimo Joe before so I was hoping from everything I’d ever heard about them being a great live band was true, guess there was only one way for me to find out and that was to head to The Enmore on a rainy Saturday night in Sydney and check out these boys from WA… Opening band […]

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Work Of Art – In Progress

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 […]

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Poison – Native Tongue

Poison – Native Tongue

With Bret Michaels in Australia this week for his tour with Motley Crue, what better time than now to give a little expose’ on Poison’s 1993 release Native Tongue, which was the band’s fourth album.  With previous effort Flesh and Blood heralding the introduction of a more serious side to the bands music and lyrical content, that album still sold […]

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Motley Crue – Self Titled – ‘MC94’

Motley Crue – Self Titled – ‘MC94’

Seriously, how good is this album! If there’s one thing that is hard to do in the music business it’s replace a singer in a band and have it work.  For many bands the singer is the pivotal reason why people like your band in the first place.  It works on very rare occurrences, Van Halen (the first time) and […]

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Mötley Crüe – A Visual History 1983 – 2005

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, […]

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House Of Lords – Big Money

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 […]

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Riverdogs – World Gone Mad

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 […]

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Chris Antblad – Century

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 […]

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Spitfire Rain – Gonna Get Better (EP)

Spitfire Rain – Gonna Get Better (EP)

  In 25 words: Radio friendly rock, but with a bit of attitude, a shot of personality and uniqueness and a ballsy Australian rock sound loaded with pop sensibilities. For Melbourne’s rock dynamos Spitfire Rain, the journey to get to this EP release certainly hasn’t been an easy one or a quick one, but the important thing, here it is and […]

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Toby Hitchcock – Mercury’s Down

Toby Hitchcock – Mercury’s Down

In 25 words or less: 12 songs of thunderous, intense and uplifting melodic rock. Toby Hitchchcock – now not exactly a household name to you, our fine readers, but to some of our more learned faithfull, you will be aware of Toby’s work fronting Pride of Lions, the band assembled by Survivor founding member, Jim Peterik.  Possessing a truly killer […]

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Xorigin – State Of The Art

Xorigin – State Of The Art

In 25 words or less: All the songs are a winner and anyone with a love for AOR would be hard pressed to not enjoy this release from start to finish. In listening to this CD, whilst I didn’t have any prior connection with Xorigin, I immediately felt an overwhelming sense of sympathy for the band.  Why, you ask?  Well […]

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Warrant – Dog Eat Dog

Warrant – Dog Eat Dog

On August 11 2011 the music world lost what I feel was one of its greatest talents.  Like Warrant or not, Jani Lane was one of the best out there back in the day and it is a shame that he has left us, but what he has left us with is a legacy.  Amazing songs, ones that should be […]

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White Widdow – Serenade

White Widdow – Serenade

In 25 words of less:  Unashamedly 80’s inspired melodic rock anthems with more keys than a locksmith, destined to further affirm the international standing of my fellow Aussies. Releasing two studio albums in 12 months is not an easy task, no matter who you are, but combine that with the much hyped “second album syndrome” and you could be destined […]

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Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You

Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You

In 25 words or less: “They’re not going to get any new fans from it, but their core fanbase will  be stoked to hear what they’ve come up with.” ‘I’m With You’ is the first Chili Peppers album since ‘Stadium Arcadium’ in 2006 and although I’ve never been a huge RHCP fan I have to give them credit as they […]

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