Monthly Archive: November 2020

FICTION SYXX

FICTION SYXX – Talk · Dark · Secrets [2020 reissue]

“Tall Dark Secrets” is the debut album from FICTION SYXX – the band formed by songwriter and vocalist Mark Allan Lanoue (Chasing Karma, Biloxi) released by MelodicRock Records in 2017, now being reissued 2020 for a proper re-vamp.
The band is completed with multi-talented musicians in JK Northrup (King Kobra), Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), Eric Ragno (Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet) and the extraordinaire Rory Faciane (one of the most requested session drummer around) plus stellar Melodic Rock guests such as Jimi Bell (House Of Lords), Bill Leverty (Firehouse), Steve Brown (Trixter), Lee Small (SHY, Lionheart) and more.
Musically this a classy mix melodic rock…

FICTION SYXX

FICTION SYXX – The Alternate Me [2020 reissue]

After a successful debut album in 2017, FICTION SYXX released their last album “The Alternate Me” last year, now being reissued 2020 for a proper re-vamp.
Founded by musicians with years of experience namely vocalist Mark Allen Lanoue (Biloxi, Chasing Karma), JK Northrup (XYZ, King Kobra), and Eric Ragno (Joe Lynn Turner, Graham Bonnet), and with players such as Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder) on bass, FICTION SYXX’s aim for melodic rock with a modern sound.
Opener ‘My Darkest Hour’ is the perfect picture of what the band wants to propose: power bubbling from Ragno’s keys, hooky guitars and strong vocal from Lanoue.
‘Monster In The Mist’ is even better, JK’s production being…

EAST TEMPLE AVENUE

EAST TEMPLE AVENUE – Both Sides Of Midnight (2020)

In 2017, guitarist, songwriter and producer Darren Phillips hosted a melodic rock radio show in his native homeland of Australia. Throughout the lifetime of the show, Darren conversed with many artists from across the melodic rock world and inevitably the conversation turned to songwriting and collaboration. These conversations spawned the awesome “Volume One” of The Darren Phillips Project and an ongoing friendship & collaboration between all involved.
In 2018 Phillips approached bass player Dennis Butabi Borg (CRUZH), lead guitarist Philip Lindstrand (FIND ME, ARKADO) and drummer Herman Furin (WORK OF ART) with the idea of doing an entire album together and actually forming a studio band.
For Phillips, having previously worked with Robbie LaBlanc (FIND ME, BLANC FACES) on two other occasions, the American was the first and only choice. Fortunately, LaBlanc agreed and the line-up of new band baptized EAST TEMPLE AVENUE was complete.
Their debut “Both Sides Of Midnight” to be released by AOR Heaven Records, is one of the best Melodic Rock releases of the year.

ALICE COOPER / BILLION DOLLAR BABIES / REMASTER

BILLION DOLLAR BABIES (Alice Cooper Band) – Battle Axe [HNE 3xCD Complete Edition Remastered] (2020)

Hear No Evil / Cherry Red are releasing tomorrow the most complete BILLION DOLLAR BABIES‘ album “Battle Axe” ever; fully remastered and with 2 extra discs.
Following Muscle Of Love in 1974, the original ALICE COOPER BAND took a break to consider solo projects outside of the band. The plan had been for the original Alice Cooper band to regroup and record in 1977, but by this time the name of the band had become very much synonymous with it’s lead singer – Vincent Furnier – who now had very much morphed into Alice as far as the public were concerned. The “solo” Alice record Welcome to My Nightmare had firmly separated Alice Cooper the singer from Alice Cooper the band.
Rather than abandon the intended album, drummer Neal Smith, guitarist Michael Bruce and bassist Dennis Dunaway joined forces with lead guitarist Mike Marconi and Alice Cooper keyboard player Bob Dolin, and signing to Polydor records, fashioned the abandoned Alice Cooper band album into ”Battle Axe”, calling themselves BILLION DOLLAR BABIES, a very deliberate nod to their previous incarnation.
The original album has now been augmented with a whole disc of pre-production demos, including non-album tracks ‘I Don’t Know Babe’, ‘Wallow Through This Madness’, ‘Only One Will Walk Away’ and ‘High Heels Hollywood’. The Billion Dollar Babies only played four live shows before disbanding, but thankfully someone was around to record the very first of these shows, in Flint, Michigan on 6th July 1977, put on CD3.

DREAM THEATER

DREAM THEATER – Distant Memories Live in London [Bonus Track Edition] (2020)

Progressive metal legends DREAM THEATER will release tomorrow ”Distant Memories — Live in London”, a live record which features the band performing the venerated 1999 album, Metropolis Part 2 — Scenes From a Memory, in its entirety, alongside other hits..
Earlier in 2020, before the touring industry was shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic, Dream Theater embarked on a special tour to commemorate the historic release and its two-decade milestone.
This concert was captured at the Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK, last February, and the band performance is amazing.

AMAHIRU

AMAHIRU – Amahiru (2020)

AMAHIRU, the musical collaboration between Frédéric Leclercq (ex-DRAGONFORCE) and and Japanese female guitarist Saki (MARY’S BLOOD), will release its self-titled debut album on November 27 via earMUSIC in Europe and the U.S. and and Ward Records in Japan.
Frédéric and Saki’s friendship started in 2015 when MARY’S BLOOD opened for DRAGONFORCE in Hong Kong. They got along very quickly and it didn’t take long until they came up with the idea to collaborate on a musical project.
Coen Jansen from EPICA contributed keyboards, then comes Mike Heller, who has been known as a super drummer of FEAR FACTORY and RAVEN. Then Archie Wilson was invited to join the group. This powerhouse vocalist from the U.K. may be less known than other musicians involved in this band, but obviously he became the key to AMAHIRU’s music.
This varied, groovy, modern sounding classic melodic metal / hard rock with a touch of progressive, always melodic and interesting.

CATS IN SPACE

CATS IN SPACE – Atlantis (2020)

There’s a new CATS IN SPACE album out this Friday titled “Atlantis“, and I know I will have a fun weekend. Nine months in the making, it is set to cause tidal waves around the globe with a sound still ‘very Cats’ but this time the ‘Rock claws’ are out.
In a year which has seen much upheaval in the world, the band have also undergone some changes whilst buried deep beneath the ocean recording their new opus. Joining the Cats onboard is none other than the star of Jeff Wayne’s ‘War of the Worlds’, the amazing Damien Edwards, whose incredible vocal range has brought another dimension to the unique sounds of the band.
CATS IN SPACE have reached the absolute superstardom in Pomp-rock / Classic AOR / Melodic Rock with this new album, easily beating any release in the genre in recent time.

JADED HEART

JADED HEART – Stand Your Ground (2020)

JADED HEART started their career in 1994 as an AOR/Melodic Rock band. As the years went by and band members shifted, Jaded Heart began refining just who they wanted to be, evolving into a melodic metal band with a hard rock groove.
On November 27, 2020 the German act will release album number 14, ”Stand Your Ground”, presenting a couple of ‘firsts‘ for the band: “Stand Your Ground” is the first Jaded Heart album without keyboards and also their first album to have its lyrics penned by and outside songwriter.
And all that works… “Stand Your Ground” is a hot, rocking, driving kick ass record full of fire.

DIAMOND HEAD

DIAMOND HEAD – Lightning To The Nations 2020

DIAMOND HEAD‘s first album — aka the ‘White Album’ or ‘Lightning to the Nations’ — is somewhat like the Ark of the Covenant of classic traditional metal. By unlocking its New Wave of British Heavy Metal secrets, one will discover most all the connecting points between the genre’s ’70s originators and the ensuing ’80s hordes — arguably even more so than via IRON MAIDEN.
And, like Maiden’s brilliantly roughshod eponymous debut of 1980, Diamond Head’s masterpiece was anything but a marvel of recording technology, but rather a living, breathing, electrifying studio performance financed by the band itself on a shoestring budget
Well, this month founder and guitarist, Brian Tatler returns with DIAMOND HEAD 2.0 for a 40th anniversary re-recording of this iconic album: “Lightning To The Nations 2020”, including covers of famous songs / bands.
And the results are simply Great…
Highly Recommended

RICHIE KOTZEN

RICHIE KOTZEN & GREG HOWE – Tilt [Japan mini LP Remastered Limited Release] Out Of Print

Here’s another not-so-typical request, but we love shred instrumental albums as well: RICHIE KOTZEN & GREG HOWE first collaboration “Tilt“. Released in the mid-Nineties, the album became hard to find since then.
This Japanese reissue from the past decade – the only ever done as far we know – sounds fantastic. Not only has been remastered, but although it isn’t specified, it has been remixed too. Just listen to the rhythm section tracks; if you are familiar with this album this is immediately noticeable since the opening song.
While into the original release drums have a ‘fusion’ feel, on this Japanese version snare & bass both sound much more ‘rocking’.
Anyway, what hasn’t changed is the awesome guitar work from these two monsters; Howe always on the left stereo channel, and Kotzen on the right.
Great stuff, out of print
Only at 0dayrox

DALBELLO

DALBELLO – She [UK Reissue / Repress]

This request doesn’t exactly match the music featured at 0dayrox, but it’s a pleasure to fulfill, simply because it’s pure ’80s: DALBELLO‘s fifth 1987 album “She“. The LP never was remastered, however this reissue sounds way better (and bigger) after the comparison with the original Eighties CD press.
This talented Canadian musician Lisa Dalbello graced countless albums / recordings with his back-up vocals / songwriting skills, but had a strong solo career as well.
“She” is pure ’80s, from songwriting to production; hi-tech / synth-pop, yet with substance.
I must admit that at the time when “She” was originally released I was into more AOR / hard rock stuff, however the name Lisa Dalbello resonated of reading it into many album’s credits. Additionally, QUEENSRYCHE covered her song ‘Gonna Get Close To You’ on their classic LP ‘Rage For Order’ [1986], and it blow me away.
So immediately I went on a hunt some Lisa Dalbello music, and oh, yeah, that’s right, we didn’t have Internet, social media and definitely no Wikipedia. Anyway, when I finally got my hands on…

BRITNY FOX / RARE ALBUMS / UNRELEASED

BRITNY FOX – Gudbuy T’ Dean [1989 FM broadcast / only at Britny Fox Records] *EXCLUSIVE*

Now we are presenting a collectors item to complete your BRITNY FOX discography: “Gudbuy T’ Dean“, an Official Fan Club only release. The only place to get this was Britny Fox’s website or at shows.
‘Gudbuy T’ Dean’ – named after the song ‘Gudbuy T’ Jane’ from Britny Fox’s first album – refers to one of the last shows featuring original vocalist Dizzy Dean Davidson.
This is a recording of a 1989 FM broadcast while thew band was promoting their second album. This tape never was released on any format except this limited BF Records CD. This is the only BF live recording available featuring Dizzy Dean Davidson.
The sound quality is pretty good, and as a curiosity, the broadcast ended before they could play their biggest hit at the time; ‘Girlschool’.
Only at 0dayrox

REMASTER / TRIXTER

TRIXTER – New Audio Machine +1 [Remastered 2020]

Remastered by the great Maor Appelbaum, TRIXTER founder Steve Brown is reissuing the band’s album “New Audio Machine” including a bonus track. Originally released on Frontiers Music back in 2012, the album has has been out of print for few years by now with used copies being sold for over U$D 150.
So Steve Brown, who owns the tapes, decided to re-vamp this very good album and make it available again via his label Brownstone Music with an improved, remastered sound.
After 20 years since their last proper, full length studio release, TRIXTER awakened with this….

REMASTER / SHM-CD / THIN LIZZY

THIN LIZZY – Fighting [Rock Candy remastered / Japan Edition 2xSHM-CD] *EXCLUSIVE*

Continuing with THIN LIZZY‘s discography – requested by many of you regarding which we consider the best sound quality CD pressings – here’s the kickin’ n’ punchy “Fighting“, the fifth studio album by the Irish legends.
Many of the recent THIN LIZZY reissue / remasters were handled by Rock Candy Records headquarters, and ”Fighting” is one of them, a deluxe edition including an extra disc of worthwhile bonuses. The remaster by resident Andy Pearce (assisted by Matt Wortham for the 24-bit cut) is excellent, and on this Japanese edition on SHM-CD feels even better.
After the newly reformed THIN LIZZY with a brash…

STEVEN WILSON

STEVEN WILSON – 12 Things I Forgot (2020)

”The Future Bites” is the upcoming sixth studio album by British STEVEN WILSON initially set for release on 12 June 2020, but later pushed back to 29 January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the marketing and production related to the album.
However, Wilson is releasing today “12 Things I Forgot“, and advance from the album pressed on a limited collectors vinyl.
Co-produced by Wilson and David Kosten, the record deals with “two recurring themes” of Wilson’s musical output, identity and technology, with a….