Monthly Archive: March 2018

38 SPECIAL / REMASTER / SHM-CD

38 SPECIAL – Strength In Numbers [Japan SHM-CD remastered] (2018)

Yeah, Japan did it again: all the best 38 SPECIAL albums finally have been remastered, a 2017 fresh sonic treatment using the original US analog master tapes and pressed on high quality SHM-CD. It’s all done in wonderful cardboard sleeve mini LP replica, which also faithfully replicates the OBI design of the Japanese first pressing LP.
And now we have here in exclusive “Strength In Numbers“, perhaps my favorite album from the band, originally appeared in 1986.
Simply put, 38 SPECIAL goes AOR.
By the mid-Eighties, 38 SPECIAL fully embraced the 1985-86 AOR sound typical from the era to polish to the extreme their melodic bluesy songs. For that matter, what you needed to do? Easy; call the best in the business.
They got master Keith Olsen (Whitesnake, Heart, Journey) to produce, expert songwriter Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams, Aerosmith, Kiss) to co-write (and also play some drums) and top notch session musicians like Mike Porcaro (Toto)…

KEN HENSLEY / URIAH HEEP

KEN HENSLEY – Rare & Timeless (2018)

Personally prepared by himself, legendary KEN HENSLEY is releasing today March 30th his new CD “Rare & Timeless“, a selected collection of his work over the last decades featuring a bunch of rare and previously unreleased tracks, plus 2 brand new songs and one new re-recording, exclusively for this album. Hensley’s name will forever be associated with Uriah Heep, with...

STRAY BULLETS

STRAY BULLETS – Shut Up (2018)

Mixing ’80s American sleazy hard rock and hair metal, “Shut Up” is the international debut from Italians STRAY BULLETS. Forming in Verona in 2007, Stray Bullets recorded threes years after a self-managed album but only locally distributed. Since then, Stray Bullets have seen some line-up changes and shifted their musical focus more in the sleazy vein than previously.And I like...

EROTIC PSYCHO

EROTIC PSYCHO – The Lost Boyz (2018)

After one EP distributed both in Europe and America, sleazy hard rockers EROTIC PSYCHO are releasing their full length debut “The Lost Boyz“. Although based in Spain, Erotic Psycho seems escaped from the late ’80s LA Sunset Strip. The music of EROTIC PSYCHO reminds you of all that era, they have not invented anything here, and they don’t need to....

ODYSSEY DESPERADO

ODYSSEY DESPERADO – Don’t Miss The Sunset (2018)

ODYSSEY DESPERADO will release “Don’t Miss The Sunset”, their debut with Lions Pride Music, tomorrow March 30th , 2018. The project started by Greek musician Odysseas Karapolitis in 2014, got ready its debut CD produced by multi-talented producer Bob Katsionis (Outloud, Firewind), featuring the legendary Paul Laine (ex- Danger Danger) on backing vocals. The whole album smells late 80’s melodic...

17 CRASH

17 CRASH – Hit The Prey (2018)

“Hit The Prey” is the name of the new CD from Italian hard rockers 17 CRASH coming out next March 30th through rock label Volcano Records.Formed in 2011, according to their Bio 17 CRASH owes its characteristic sound to the glamorous glammy ’80s American scene.However “Hit The Prey” – mixed and mastered by experienced Simone Mularoni (Lione/Conti) at Domination Studio with...

JADED HEART

JADED HEART – Devil’s Gift [Ltd. Digipak +2] (2018)

German / Swedish rocking combo JADED HEART are ready to release their new album “Devil’s Gift” on March 30 via Massacre Records, with this Limited Digipak including two exclusive bonus tracks.The album was produced by the band and once again mixed & mastered by the band’s long time friend Erik Martensson (W.E.T., Eclipse, Nordic Union). Indeed , you can hear...

AYREON

AYREON – Ayreon Universe ; Best Of Ayreon Live (2018)

AYREON Universe ; The Best of Ayreon Live, alternatively known as simply Ayreon Universe, is an upcoming live album and DVD / Blu-ray by Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s progressive rock / metal rock opera project Ayreon, to be released on March 30, 2018.Unlike Ayreon’s first live album The Theater Equation, which was a stage performance of the album The Human Equation,...

LITA FORD

LITA FORD – Living Like A Runaway [Ltd. Edition Digipak + iTunes bonus track]

LITA FORD, founding member and guitarist of The Runaways, one of the first all-girl rock groups who broke out into the scene, after many years returned to full form with “Living Like A Runaway“, in this requested Limited Edition digipak, including 2 bonus tracks. After a long hiatus (14 years), Lita finally released the very disappointing ‘Wicked Wonderland’ in 2009. Written...

SLY BOOTS

SLY BOOTS – Bad News Walkin’ (CD version)

Thanks to massive globalization and a decreasing cost to professionally silver-press audio CD’s, it’s incredible the large amount of bands that find the opportunity to show – at least several years after created – their art. One of these that really worth to re-discover are the York, Pennsylvania based melodic hard rockers SLY BOOTS with their album “Bad News Walkin‘”....

BLACKTHORNE / GRAHAM BONNET BAND / REMASTER

BLACKTHORNE II – Don’t Kill The Thrill (previously unreleased + bonus CD) (2016)

Alongside the reissue of all Graham Bonnet official albums, Hear No Evil / Cherry Red Records also released the band he was involved with, as BLACKTHORNE. This campaign included “Blackthorne II : Don’t Kill The Thrill“, the previously unreleased BLACKTHORNE album.The band, a super group formed by Graham Bonnet (Rainbow / Alcatrazz), Bob Kulick (Balance, Kiss), Jimmy Waldo (New England...

ASIA / JOHN WETTON

JOHN WETTON – New York Minute (CD version)

Legendary JOHN WETTON, best known for his work with Asia, UK and King Crimson, passed away last January. But the talented Englishman left a great musical legacy, and one of his latest albums, “New York Minute” (recorded with The Les Paul Trio as back up band) almost silently released, was requested by one of you. As a singer, bassist and...

WONDERLAND

WONDERLAND – Seven Wonders And Four Little Miracles (2017/2018)

It took more than a decade for Swedes WONDERLAND to finally record their full debut “Seven Wonders And Four Little Miracles“, but well worth the wait. Listening to the album is like a reunion with an old good friend you’ve not seen for years. I’m talking about the time – the ’80s – when Progressive Rock fused with AOR and...

DOUG ALDRICH / THE DEAD DAISIES / WHITESNAKE

DOUG ALDRICH – Alter Ego [reissue] (2016)

After the stupendous new The Dead Daisies album featured yesterday, one of you asked for guitarist’s DOUG ALDRICH solo album “Alter Ego” recently reissued after many years out of print.If there is one guitarist that has a legacy you couldn’t falter, it’s Doug Aldrich. From the early days of melodic hard rock in Lion, to Hurricane, Bad Moon Rising, Burning...

Y&T

Y&T – Live At The Mystic [2-CD full retail]

American hard rockers Y&T released some time ago a very special live recording via Frontiers Music; “Live At The Mystic“. This double CD was recorded at one of the most popular venues that Y&T play every year; The Mystic Theatre in Petaluma, California.This album represented the very first release with bassist Brad Lang who before permanently joining the band, subbed...