Monthly Archive: November 2024

DIRTY PASSION is a Swedish Malmö based rock band formed in 2006 by members Emil Ekbladh (vocals), Christopher Olsson (guitar), Bjorn Wilander (bass), and Markus Winberg (drums). The group released a couple of promo singles and toured with – and played support act to – bands like Saxon, Y&T and Towers of London and in early 2010 they supported Faster Pussycat and Enuff Z’Nuff for a month long European tour, playing 22 concerts in seven different countries.
In October 2010 the band signed a record deal with an independent label to release their debut album “Different Tomorrow“, requested by one of you.
Emil Ekbladh: “The album was mixed and processed using a lot of analogue equipment, which gives the recordings a great warmth and presence. Each instrument feels more alive. No one does this anymore, now that almost everything is digital. We’re really proud of the result and I’m sure fans of classic hard rock will love the album”.
Dirty Passion describe their music as classic melodic hard rock, heavily influenced by the old school bands from the 1980’s. We must agree; the sound of Dirty Passion is in this range, musically they have pointers towards bands as Y&T, Europe, April Wine and the like.
But also a contemporary Scandi influence is evident as they remind of bands like Amaze Me or Dreamhunter…

There is definitely something in the water over in Gothenburg, Sweden, that encourages the creation of good music. Masterminded by well-respected keyboardist Jeppe Lund, STRATOSPHERE blends elements of neoclassical style together with a huge dose of classy melodic hard rock to come up with a tight and polished sound that is sure to impress anyone who likes this genre.
Fronted by the familiar and distinctive voice of Goran Edman (Malmsteen, Street Talk, John Norum), on their album “Fire Flight” Stratosphere makes classically influenced metal that is not overly pretentious or highbrow and is easily accessible to the casual listener. The music from start to finish is dominated by vocals, guitar and keyboards over a big rhythm section, and each song is well crafted and performed.
The engineering is crisp and clear giving the entire album a pristine and unified sound no matter the intensity or musical arrangement…

In addition to his various solo releases, singer / songwriter Mikael Erlandsson will be best known to melodic rock listeners for his involvement with Last Autumn’s Dream. However Erlandsson is always involved in many projects, one of these named SALUTE, where he performs alongside guitarist / producer Martin Kronlund and Gypsy Rose drummer Imre Daun.
After their promising debut ‘Toy Soldier’, “Heart Of The Machine” is SALUTE’s second release and its eleven songs, as you’d expect, are heavily influenced by late ’80s / early 90s melodic hard rock. One of the inmediate notice when you play ‘on’ is the improvement in the production department. The album sounds big, bright, shiny ‘stereo’, and perfectly mixed.
“Higher” opens with a pounding riff undercut by a slab of keyboards, creating a sound that’s unmistakably Scandinavian. Anchored by a rock-solid bass line, it’s an opening number which instantly shows the power behind pairing of Erlandsson and Kronlund. Erlandsson’s vocals are assured and Kronlund’s solo work is equally confident…

Multifaceted artist, MICHAEL BORMANN is a busy man. Best known as founding and long time member of Germany’s melodic hard rock band JADED HEART, the singer / songwriter still maintained involvement in countless projects (CHARADE, ZENO, BISS, THE RAIN) as musician, producer, engineer, songwriter… everything.
As requested, here’s “Different“, a solo album released by AOR Heaven Records. It isn’t an arbitrary title, as Bormann explores different classic rock ways, always melodic. Except a few contributions (Marco Grasshoff of Rage, Eric Ragno), Michael did everything on this recording, a true ‘solo’ album.
The opening track “Life Is A Miracle” starts off with a knockout punch that has a beat that will be burnt into your memory. This is one of those tracks that you can be anywhere in the world and you will hear that beat in the back of your mind and start to chant. A good starter…

And here’s another request fulfilled: TWO FIRES third album “Burning Bright” in its American version.
From the understandably Journey-esque ’90s ‘super group’ The Storm, rose Two Fires, featuring singer Kevin Chalfant and guitarist Josh Ramos. They chucked out two wonderful albums during the past decade, and some years they were back for another go with “Burning Bright”, which unsurprisingly… sounds rather like Journey.
The album was released by Frontiers Records, however, in US / Canada & South America was exclusively licenced to Clique Records, due to an arrangement by Kevin Chalfant.
This ‘American’ CD version (pretty hard to find now) features a special artwork and a slightly different mix – more Americanized indeed.
The difference with the European release is really, really subtle, but enough to turn this version a collectors item…

Another album from the Frontiers Music reissue series of some of their early releases now deleted is the Jeff Scott Soto fronted TALISMAN album “Cats and Dogs“, one of their strongest efforts.
Album opener ‘Skin On Skin’ is the picture perfect from the characteristic of the entire album, since the song contains a great guitar riff followed closely by Marcel Jacob’s deep bass lines and Soto’s soaring vocals, changing pace when the chorus kicks in. Like all the material here, it’s focused on the melodies in favor of the technical playing.
The album uses the first 3 songs – followers ‘Break It Down’ and ‘In Make Believe’, the more melodic of the bunch – to warm up the listener, and the rest of the CD is pure Melodic Hard Rock heaven.

In June 2021, classic rockers RIVAL SONS delivered two live performances from Catalina Island, California. They were originally streamed to fans at home across the world, many of whom were still in lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the time the band stated: “We’ve all been through so much this past year and a half. We have longed to be on the road playing for you. As you know, we launched our label Sacred Tongue Recordings and have been re-releasing our early material. We felt that revisiting these first two records in a live, prestigious setting was the best way to give them the first-class treatment that our humble beginnings couldn’t provide.”
Now, for the first time, these performances will be released. ”Pair Of Aces: Live from Catalina Island (PART 1)” is available now. ”Pair Of Aces: Live from Catalina Island (PART 2)” will be released on December 13.
Frontman Jay Buchanan comments: “To finally release both performances feels good. When we recorded these the band was neck deep in what was to become the Darkfighter / Lightbringer 2-disc collection so breaking away from all of that heavy lifting to go blow some dust off of our origin story felt amazing.”
”Pair Of Aces: Live from Catalina Island (PART 1)” is a raw, unfiltered glimpse at a band raging against the isolation of the times, performing live their very first, 2009 indie debut album entirely. And rocks…

SWEET recently released the stunning new album Full Circle, and to keep the streak alive, “Isolation Boulevard” will follow at the end of November, 2024.
The glam / hard rock legend had the ‘Still Got the Rock tour’ underway when the pandemic put a stop sign in front of the tour bus. In order not to slow down, the band re-recorded 12 classics. Andy Scott and Bruce Bisland, along with the ‘new’ guys Paul Manzi (CATS IN SPACE) and Lee Small (LIONHEART, SHY), used the time between lockdowns to get the job done.
The result of their efforts will hit the shelves these days and is titled “Isolation Boulevard”, which reflects the circumstances under which the album was produced in a good way. While Sweet released the album by themselves in 2020, it was much sought-after, difficult to obtain. Now Metalville Records is properly releasing “Isolation Boulevard” wolrd-wide.
“Isolation Boulevard” is a re-recording of the band’s great classics, and as we are facing re-recordings, there is a lot of extra power in songs like the thunderous “Action” or the timeless “Fox on the Run”. There’s also ”New York Groove” – we love this song – and believe us, this new version kills, even better than Ace Frehley’s. This track worth the album alone…

KIM SIXX, from Aarhus, Denmark, was one of the most remarkable female fronted Heavy Metal underground acts from the ’80s. Unfortunately the band’s career was cut short because the singer / frontwoman Kim ‘Power Baby’ Sixx (real name Lone Kim Jensen) suffered a deadly accident.
KIM SIXX performed in various countries and festivals between 1984 -1985, only releasing an extremely sought after vinyl 7” single (“Warrior / Bang Your Head”), and a couple of cassettes / well recorded demos.
While there’s some bootlegs floating the net, it was about time for the music of cult band KIM SIXX to be officially released on CD after all those years. Thanks to Sonic Age Records whom get in touch with the co-founder and guitar player of the band – Hans D. Olsen – now KIM SIXX music out via Sonic Age Records ‘Cult Metal Classics‘ series.
Titled “Sixx Are The Metal Five (40th Anniversary Edition)“, the CD includes all the band’s recordings, mostly demos but professionally taped and with fine sound quality. The disc was published at the end of past year, actually on sale 2024.
Musically, KIM SIXX were first half of the ’80s European melodic metal blended with hard rock, with a sound mixing the Scandinavian and German styles from the era.
We never heard about KIM SIXX before, and “Sixx Are The Metal Five (40th Anniversary Edition)” is a really nice, cool discovery of band with enormous potential…

FRONTM3N are Peter Howarth, Mick Wilson and Pete Lincoln – known respectively as lead vocalists of THE HOLLIES, 10cc and THE SWEET, three great friends perform the classic hits of these iconic bands with three guitars and three amazing voices.
Since seven years ago, FRONTM3N showcases the exceptional combined talents of three superb musicians performing in the intimate atmosphere of an exclusive acoustic concert, filled with music, stories and humor. And they have released 3 albums so far.
Recent triumphs include touring extensively in Germany and Scandinavia to sellout crowds and performing live in front of millions from the Brandenburg Gate on the German ZDF Network’s New Year’s Eve Welcome 2018 TV show. Their Live In Berlin DVD spent 8 weeks on the German Music DVD top 30, peaking at #2, and achieved the #1 position in Amazon’s Music DVD chart.
Now FRONTM3N are releasing their new album “Guitars & Harmonies” – the perfect title for the music on offer. With a pristine sound, perfect pitch vocals, and melodic guitars, these tracks are pure delight for fans of acoustic rock. Howarth, Wilson & Lincoln alternate lead vocals, and when the songs call for it, 3-part harmonies.
Fans of Eagles, Nelson, MTV unplugged era, will find a lot of fun with FRONTM3N…

Canadian Melodic Rock powerhouse combo FATAL VISION are ready to release of their much-anticipated third studio album, ”Three Times Lucky”, due out on November 22, 2024, via Art of Melody Music, a division of Burning Minds Music Group. The album comes on the heels of the band’s critically acclaimed sophomore release Twice, which cemented the band’s resurgence after a 30-year hiatus.
”Three Times Lucky” deliver everything fans have come to love about Fatal Vision: soaring vocals, powerful guitar riffs, and massive, hook-filled choruses. Produced by Simon Marwood, Juan Miguel Gomez Montant, and expert producer JK Northrup (King Kobra, XYZ), the album builds on Fatal Vision’s signature melodic rock sound, while pushing the boundaries with interesting arrangements on these new anthems.
Fatal Vision has once again teamed up with some of the most iconic names in melodic rock for ”Three Times Lucky” including Paul Laine (Danger Danger, The Defiants), Harry Hess (Harem Scarem), Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Talisman), Mark LaFrance (Mötley Crüe, Loverboy), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Edge of Forever), Michael Shotton (Von Groove), and JK Northrup on backing vocals.
Additionally, Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger) delivers an electrifying guitar solo on the track “Girl In My Dreams,” bringing his signature flair to the album, and the Kaska Orchestra from Kyiv, Ukraine, adds a powerful orchestral arrangement to the emotionally charged track “Endless Emotions,” taking the album’s sound to epic new heights…

In the late 70s / early 80s, legendary drummer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist HIRSH GARDNER and his band New England dazzled record buyers and audiences alike with their own innovative mix of supreme pomp AOR / melodic rock. Supporting KISS on the 1979 Dynasty Tour, New England’s first release, “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya” broke into Billboard’s revered Top 40.
Throughout the intervening years Hirsh has produced countless artists as well as achieving critical acclaim and rewards from his musical peers with “Producer of the Year” accolades along the way.
His new album ”Third Time’s A Charm”, due out on November 22 through Deko Entertainment, is split into two very different parts. ‘Side 1‘ is all original material that builds on the ideas that Hirsh laid down on his previous solo releases, and ‘side 2‘ is brand new recordings of classic New England songs that brings the material kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
Wait until you hear the new version of “Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya” (watch below), or “Holding Out On Me” featuring all New England members as well as guests Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses), and talented Chris Laney, who also co-wrote and co-produced the album.
Production is very good – of course the drum sound is excellent – Hirsh singing is convincing, classic-style, the band rocks, and the songs – new & old – are very stong n’ rockin’…

Two decades ago, Robb Weir, TYGERS OF PAN TANG founder and keeper of the flame, was at a crossroads. He had tried to keep the Tygers alive with differing line-ups but now he was in the position of seeing his hopes dissolve completely as the band were unable to find just the right vocalist. Enter Jack Meille, possessor of a set of pipes that could not only do justice to the Tygers‘ back catalogue but crucially, create the hard rock melodies essential to the band’s sound for the future.
In 2008, TYGERS OF PAN TANG returned into action with their full studio album ‘Animal Instinct‘, the first with new vocalist Meille, a celebrated comeback to the band’s roaring ’80s sound. The original material contained on Animal Instinct sees the band retaining all the classic elements of their sound yet these songs also come across as remarkably fresh and current as well. It’s almost as if Meille gave these guys a firm kick to their asses because there is definitely a rejuvenated feeling permeating throughout.
There was always something about that original release though that bothered the band: the sleeve. It was felt that it didn’t do the band justice. Step in Andy Pilkington, responsible for the last two Tygers albums’ covers. He was asked to create a cover that would sit happily alongside the quality seen in other Tygers‘ album sleeves.
They also felt that the sound required a new mix and called upon the services of trusted friend and producer Marco Angioni to add the necessary sheen to an already fine-sounding album. A bonus track, “Don’t Say Rock’n’Roll Is Gonna Die” has also been added to the re-issue…

Mötley Crüe is celebrating the 35 anniversary of their most commercially successful album, the #1 Billboard Top 200 and 6X PLATINUM-certified 1989’s ”Dr. Feelgood”. The reissue features a remastered version of the original album, as well as rare demos and live tracks on separate CDs and vinyl (depending on which one you buy).
With five massive hit singles – “Kickstart My Heart,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away),” “Without You,” and “Same Ol’ Situation (S.O.S.).” – that kept radio and MTV request lines busy, the Dr. Feelgood World Tour saw Motley Crue on the road and in the air on their own private jet for over two years.
First single, “Dr. Feelgood,” with its instantly memorable opening, catchy chorus and gritty music video set the tone by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Originally a Top 30 hit upon release, “Kickstart My Heart,” went on to become Motley Crue’s most popular landmark track.
This Digipak CD features limited edition, reimagined cover art and newly remastered audio…

Ready for a one-way trip to California? That’s where LAST TEMPTATION will take you with its new line-up! Led by guitarist Peter Scheithauer, this Last Temptation outfit is a French heavy rock band that has been making some good old fashioned noise since its formation in 2019. It is now Loup Malevil (Sabotage) who adds his powerful, melodic and charismatic voice to the mix, infusing the music with raw energy.
They are supported by the talented drummer Fabio Alessandrini, with a groove that’ll keep you going. With proved skills with Annihilator, he solidifies the band’s rhythm section, laying the foundation for their explosive sound.
The current personnel energy and dynamics merge with the power of American hard rock of the 70s and 80s in their upcoming new album “Heart Starter“, out via Metalville Records. A sweating heavy rock 10-tracker, at the crossroads of Aerosmith and Van Halen, with lots of harmonies…