Monthly Archive: March 2022

DARE

DARE – Road To Eden (2022)

UK melodic rock / AOR band DARE are set to return with their highly anticipated 10th studio album ”Road To Eden”, their first in six years, released by Legend Records on Friday 1st April 2022. Produced by lead singer / songwriter Darren Wharton (ex-Thin Lizzy) at his studio the majestic mountains of North Wales, the new album has a harder rock edge than previous albums, whilst still retaining the atmospheric sound and anthemic melodies that has become the band’s signature trademark.
With ”Road To Eden” Dare have produced a quite stunning new CD that stands out a in a catalogue of very good albums as their best for many years. It is chock full of beautifully anthemic AOR melodies but with a rockier edge than a lot of their more recent material…

ALDO NOVA

ALDO NOVA – The Life and Times of Eddie Gage (2022)

Multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and ’80s AOR hero ALDO NOVA has set April 1 as the release date for the first chapter of his larger-than-life rock opera, a 10-song first album titled “The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage“.
The iconic Montreal maverick — who has spent more than four decades in music with dozens of classic songs and hundreds of shows — is proud to present the first part of “The Life And Times Of Eddie Gage”, perhaps his more complex piece of work to date.
It tells the story of Eddie Gage, a prodigious ingénue who breaks into the music industry only to be preyed upon by a nefarious suit Andy Christos, manipulated by a corporate overlord M.F. Stophalis, and tempted by a succubus Rati Ayida. Drugs, alcohol, and excess plunge him into despair until he realizes redemption on his own terms.
Musically the album is a mix of high-energy rockers packed with Aldo’s passionate vocals and thunderous guitar work with melodic atmospheric slow numbers. The album is a showcase as well to appreciate how good rock guitar player Nova is…

ANDY TIMMONS

ANDY TIMMONS – Electric Truth (2022)

Electric guitar extraordinaire ANDY TIMMONS is about to release a new, Josh Smith-produced album titled ”Electric Truth”. When Smith invited Andy to his recording studio, Timmons jumped at the chance to make a new album outside of his comfort zone. He really loved the bands Smith puts together so they decided that Timmons would just come out to L.A. as the ‘artist,’ and Smith would produce and put the studio band together.
Of course the session musicians are top notch, and this benefited Timmons to record of the best albums from his career. He of course delighted us in the past as guitarist / songwriter for Danger Danger, and since went solo his musical path turned more classic rock oriented.
Well, ”Electric Truth” should be Timmons most catchiest album with a funky/earthy feel to it and plenty of melody. And it certainly rocks as well…

WOLF (Swe)

WOLF – Shadowland (2022)

Since formed almost three decades ago, Swedes WOLF have been praised their love for classic metal, and carved out quite a respectable career in that time. They’ve got eight albums and multiple tours under their belts, and never deviated to modern trends.
Their upcoming new record “Shadowland” is an exemplary demonstration of traditional melodic metal: hese guys are dyed-in-the-wool old school metalheads of the denim and leather variety. It’s upbeat, crunchy and a lot of fun, but it also sounds like something your dad plays on the school run in the hope it impresses your mates.
These are songs with crystal-clear guitar solos, great melodies and a singer who’s more air-raid siren than man. From the opening riff to the closing moments of the album, ”Shadowland” is proper ‘dad metal’. You’ll cringe as your old man shouts “this rocks” while blasting it in a traffic jam.
WOLF are proud flag-wavers for traditional metal; DIO, SAXON, PRAYING MANTIS, ACCEPT, etc, and this is a really good old-fashioned, beer-drinking, hell-raising metal album that could have been recorded in the ’80s…

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – Unlimited Love (2022)

Finally happened; the moment we’ve all been waiting for — well, at least those of us who are still at all invested in the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS in 2022. ”Unlimited Love”, the first album RHCP have made with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s is out this week.
There have been plenty of line up variations in RHCP’s history, and other crucial guitarists — the early-days imprint and tragic loss of Hillel Slovak; and with talented Dave Navarro.
But everyone knows there is a core, iconic RHCP line-up, the one with which they’ve made most of their best music: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and… John Frusciante, a musician which give the band a unique sound…

PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS

PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS – Only Passing Through [Bonus Track Edition] (2022)

PATTERN-SEEKING ANIMALS boasts the talents of current and former Spock’s Beard members Ted Leonard, Jimmy Keegan and Dave Meros in addition to long-time contributing songwriter-producer John Boegehold. And what started as a side project now developed in a fascinating full band, with the group ready to release their third studio album in three years, “Only Passing Through“.
This new record is an outstanding Prog Rock statement delivering strong and infectious melodies, powerful dynamics and complex song structures to die for.
The crazy thing is that the band excels in three general approaches to song structure: the under-5 minute concise hook-laden rock&pop songs, the 6 – 9 minute mini-epics and finally, the more extended pieces which can run anywhere from 10 – 17 minutes.
“Only Passing Through” has something for everyone, from stylized rock&pop fans to demanding progressive aficionados. This Limited CD edition in eco-friendly digipak adds two bonus tracks…

TRICK OR TREAT

TRICK OR TREAT – Creepy Symphonies (2022)

Italian melodic metal band TRICK OR TREAT are back with a brand-new release called “Creepy Symphonies“. The classic movie & comic monsters are back and, guess what? Now they are more scared than us… This twisted parallel dimension is depicted on the album in true Trick Or Treat fashion, addressing topics like environmental issues, cyber-bullying and social media addiction with a unique uplifting twist.
Musically this is pure Trick Or Treat; it’s the hard ‘n heavy / melodic metal / accessible power the band has been famous for that sometimes reminds a lot of Helloween. It’s joyful, entertaining catchy metal with powerful clean vocals / choruses, polished guitar work, and stunning production sound…

BERNIE MARSDEN / CHICK CHURCHILL / COZY POWELL / REMASTER

CHICK CHURCHILL (feat. Cozy Powell, Bernie Marsden) – You & Me [remastered reissue]

This one is for old-school rockers, lovers of the Seventies sound when rock music was immediate, from the guts, when artists as soon got the songs written, as soon entered into the studio.
“You & Me” is the 1973 album from British musician CHICK CHURCHILL, which included among the session musicians the great Cozy Powell on drums, future Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, Supertramp leader Roger Hodgson on bass & guitar, and other talented musicians.
Real name Michael George Churchill wasn’t unknown at the time of this recording: a classically-trained pianist best-known as on/off keyboard man with Ten Years After, possibly the archetypal British blues/rock band, featuring Alvin Lee’s lightning-fast guitar work.
Musically “You & Me” goes from hard rock to pop-rock to progressive, all with melody and interesting arrangements. An unfairly forgotten gem from the British early Seventies scene which needed a CD edition, done by a Swedish label…

COBRA SPELL

COBRA SPELL – Anthems Of The Night (2022)

International combo COBRA SPELL – 3 woman, 2 men from Netherlands / Italy / France – are releasing their new album “Anthems Of The Night“, and musically it’s true to the definition by themselves; ”We are a Heavy Rock band stuck in the ’80s”. Just take a look at the album cover…
Cobra Spell is the brainchild of guitarist Sonia Anubis (Crypta, ex-Burning Witches) and Sebastian Silva, both founding the band as an outlet for the passion for 80s metal. Since Silva left the band, Cobra Spell is very much driven by Sonia who, together with band mates Angelina Vehera, Alexx Panza (Hitten), Léonard Cakolli and Esmée van Sinderen, recorded the songs which are – by the way – pure ’80s US melodic metal / glam metal anthems.
If you put a any cut from this album on an ’80s throwback flick, people would be shocked I’m sure to hear that the track was from 2022 and not 1986. The homage is bang on the money throughout…

PLACE CALLED RAGE / REMASTER

PLACE CALLED RAGE – Place Called Rage (Escape Music Digitally Remastered) HQ

Super-group known as PLACE CALLED RAGE was formed way back in 1995 to record an album representing the Long Island (NY) rock n’ roll sound. From California to the Jersey shore, even Seattle had their own sound, but no one band ever represented one of the greatest musical hot spots of the world; Long Island has always been the go to place for great musicians.
Along came 4 top guys; great six-string scorcher Al Pitrelli, (Alice Cooper, Asia, Danger Danger), vocalist Tommy Farese (Trans Siberian Orchestra, Rondinelli), bass player Danny Miranda (Blue Oyster Cult, Queen) and Chuck Bonfante on drums from great melodic rockers Saraya. They got as well a little help from some friends such as refined keyboard player Mark Mangold of Touch / Drive She Said fame.
This album is pure US bluesy Hard Rock with the groove of Badlands and the melody of Tyketto, performed with class.
“Place Called Rage” was released privately only In Japan, in limited quantities. These songs have never been performed live anywhere as well, as was a one-time collaboration on a project that was never meant to be.
Fortunately, after all these years of cult status, “Place Called Rage” has been officially released for the first time, remastered with a 24-bit processing…

85 REWIND

85 REWIND – Magic Hour (2022)

85 REWIND is a brand new synthwave / rock band from Germany, which style is a bodacious mix of electric guitar driven rock with synths / keyboards plenty of catchy melodies / harmonic vocals with powerful meanings that will take you back to the time of your childhood heroes.
Their debut album is titled “Magic Hour“, and since the cover artwork you know the ’80s culture is all over this band’s style. It’s a poster replicating Eighties movies / series promo banners, even it says ‘Season One’. And indeed the album works like a TV series full season as the songs tell a story as a whole.
“Magic Hour” is not just an album, this is a season with a storyline that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The year is 1985 – when Miami Vice was on TV, Back to the Future opened in cinemas and the Nintendo Entertainment System was launched, all great memories from our past, while the music from then still sounds like the future, somehow.
Musically, 85 REWIND isn’t just synthwave, this is a real rock band with electric guitar, real drums, and vocals on all songs. Watch the video below…

TRACI TREXX MIDNITE BLUES

TRACI TREXX MIDNITE BLUES – Blood, Death & Tequila (2022)

TRACI TREXX MIDNITE BLUES is the new band of Swedish glam rockers Vanity BLVD guitarist Traci Trexx, who in its debut album ”Blood, Death & Tequila” takes the lead vocal duties as well. While Vanity BLVD is known for its glittery ’80s glammy hard rock, for his own band Trexx wanted a more classic bluesy hard rock style with a sound and style mixing elements of Mountain, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Winery Dogs, etc.
To get a lively ’70s lively feel Trexx ain for a power-trio sound, so the band is completed with Anna Skoglund (ex Vanity BLVD) on bass and Tommy Viklund on drums.
Produced by Jonas Kjellgren, one of Sweden’s finest specialists in that matter, ”Blood, Death & Tequila” delivers a very cool mix of classic bluesy hard rock, arena rock and southern in a new fresh modern way.
Traci Trexx not only is a very good guitar player, he proves to be a capable singer too and he and his band have captured on ”Blood, Death & Tequila” the sound and atmosphere of the classic hard rock power-trio…

MARCIE FREE / MARK FREE

MARK FREE – The Denver Days (1987 / Unreleased) AOR Moon Collector’s Japan CD *0dayrox Exclusive*

You asked for it, you got it. Many of you requested the songs the great MARK FREE recorded with Denver based band Arrival between 1986-87 after leaving King Kobra and before forming Signal. While these songs were released by Retrospect Records some time ago, the sound quality isn’t the best.
This “MARK FREE – The Denver Days” CD release was done by Japanese bootleg label AOR Moon Collector’s and the sound quality is pretty awesome, taken from a first generation DAT
Additionally, there’s 2 unreleased, never appeared anywhere songs.
Free’s performance here is mesmerizing, sending chills to your spine in every verse…
Superb ’80s AOR stuff…

AXE / REMASTER

AXE – The Albums 1979-1983 [4xCD Box Set + bonus tracks] (2022)

They toured with the best – from Iron Maiden to Scorpions to KISS to Mötley Crüe – at the height of those bands’ popularity, electrifying stadium-sized audiences with the fierce determination and fiery spirit of a rock & roll underdog. Signed to MCA Records, they built a cult following on the strength of their superb studio albums, beginning with the classic 1979 self-titled album.
They are AXE and although they seem to fly under the radar of mainstream audiences, the band continues to be rediscovered by new generations of classic rock fans.
Now 2022, this deluxe 4CD box set “The Albums 1979-1983” seeks to re-introduce the band to young music fans, collecting the ‘79 debut ‘Axe’ and the subsequent albums they released before a long 13-year hiatus. Those LP’s include the slickly produced ‘Living On The Edge’ (1980), the 1982 album ‘Offering’ (including a bonus live recording from its tour) that spawned the band’s best-known song “Rock ‘N’ Roll Party In The Streets” , and 1983’s ‘Nemesis’, which was the last to be released with founding guitarist Michael Osborne who was tragically killed in a car accident shortly following the album’s release.
A Limited Edition Box Set only available on physical format…

REMASTER / USA

USA – USA ’82 (Digitally Remastered)

As requested, here’s the 1982’s self-titled album from the short-lived band named USA. A rarity from the legendary Philly World Records label, the LP has become something of a collector’s item in melodic hard rock circles around the globe.
USA features talented lead vocalist Larry Baud, whom went on to front the incredible AOR bands NETWORK and RED DAWN with keyboardist David Rosenthal. The music is a mix of early ’80s Pomp AOR with radio-ready pop-rock melodies and choruses, just the way we like it. There’s some TRILLION, PREVIEW, ROADMASTER, NEW ENGLAND, etc here.
Produced by renowned Philadelphia based Michael Forte & Bruce Weeden, this obscure, hard to find full length album is finally available in the digital domain for the first time, newly remastered…