KILLER INSTINCT by Black Star Riders
(Nuclear Blast Records)
So, the first time around The Black Star Riders let all hell break loose with their debut release. Ricky Warwick - Vocals/Guitar Scott Gorham - Guitars Damon Johnson - Guitars Robbie Crane - Bass and Jimmy DeGrasso - Drums are back with their highly anticipated sophomore release, 'Killer Instinct'. While I loved their debut, the new material on this album, in my opinion, song wise, is much stronger. 'Killer Instinct' delivers a vibrant high octane sound of a band that has truly found its own identity. Rock of the highest order. Once you press play and the opening riff of the title track the boys have your undivided attention. The up tempo, "Bullet Blues" and "Soldiertown", are guaranteed to pump up your adrenaline. Two songs that have that Thin Lizzy stamp all over them big-time! The touching "Blindsided", is truly haunting number. Other personal favorites, "Through The Motions", "Sex, Guns & Gasoline" and "You Little Liar". 'Killer Instinct' is a brilliant album with a depth of song writing craft shown by Ricky Warwick and Damon Johnson throughout. There isn't a weak song on the album and yes it does sound like what Thin Lizzy would sound like in the 21st century, but that's a complement and not a knock to the enjoyment that is listening to some damn good tunes! The Lizzy influence is always going to be present with Scott Gorham presence, how could there not be. 'Killer Instinct' is an album that Thin Lizzy at the height of their powers would have been proud of, great songs, great guitars, great vocals, just brilliant. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/ All Access Magazine
II by Hobosexual
(Independent Release)
Seattle rock duo known as Hobosexual are back with their sophomore release, 'II'. While the name of the band may throw you off, make no mistake this duo serve up a premium blend of rock music. Ben Harwood: Guitars/Vocals and Jeff Silva: Drums/Spirit Guide. Hobosexual are a mixture of go for the throat vocals, ferocious drumming and guitars that provides intricate detail as well as a rumble of sonic rock ecstasy. The sound is a result of a lineage that stretches from present day heroes AC/DC to the influential T-Rex, and all the way back to early blues pioneers... yet this huge wall of sound emerges from just two members. 12 tracks total all are cool, rocking, unique and catchy..." Switchblade Suburbia", ace..."Ghettoblaster "...amazing, " Sex Destroyer "...great song...not one dud, all killer, no filler. This album is just a cut above, with lyrics reminiscent of the bizarre, violent pictures conjured by the words of Coheed & Cambria, mixed with execution that pairs fuzzy, vintage sound with a very modern stylistic approach. Fans of any of the aforementioned bands would likely enjoy this one. Hobosexual are a crushing rock combo, plain and simple. It's hard to believe that this is a duo with only aguitar and a drum set. Needless to say, I'm very impressed with Hobosexual and they are helping bring rock back to its glory days! -Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society All Access Magazine
HUMAN by Three Day Grace
(Sony Music)
Multi-platinum selling and award-winning recording Canadian rockers, Three Day Grace are back with their latest studio release 'Human'. Matt Walst (vocals, guitar), Barry Stock (guitar), Brad Walst (bass), and Neil Sanderson (drums). The new album starts off with a terrific set of three songs, the title track, "Painkiller" and "Fallen Angel", but then the good songs are a bit more spread out. Tracks like, "I Am Machine", "So What", the moving, "Car Crash" and "Nothing’s Fair In Love And War", are very melodic with some really great style changes, great guitar work and percussion, as well as an excellent bass line. It seems like the lads are trying to please all music fans with this record, by having their original sound that the band's fans all have come to love, and bringing in a new fan base. This, again, is exactly what I expect and love from any radio-rock band, and it's far better than hearing the same lyrics over and over on every song. Overall, while most of it isn't classic material like their classic debut outing, 'Human' still is a breath of fresh air in the radio-rock realm. Three Days Grace are far from the best rock band on earth, but it's the accessibility of their music that makes them so enjoyable. And, 'Human' is no different. Whether you're feeling happy, angry, or sad there's a song that these lads can serve up that you can crank up and sing along and bang your heads to. If you're a fan of Three Days Grace, there shouldn't be a question of whether or not to get this album. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
CHILDREN OF THE DRONES by Venrez
(Monarch Music Group)
L.A. based rockers, Venrez are back with their third release, 'Children Of The Drones'. Ven - vocals Jason Womack - guitars Nico D'Arnese - bass Ed Davis - drums. This time around the band serves up a sonic rock sound that goes for the throat. The most striking components for me, initially, are the pulsing, off-center arrangements of many of the tracks, suggesting a concept album built off of a palpitating heart monitor. Also notable are the thick textures and synths, which mesh with Jason Womack's solid guitar delivery. There is something for everyone who likes any form of rock music on here. From the opening, "Hang The Predator", that opens the album in rocking fashion. Stimulating and aggressive it perfectly sets up the table of the mind blowing audio experience that awaits. The title track along with, "Devil's Due", "Salvation" and "Mist Of Mercy" are relentless and are great examples of how the band's sound has evolved. The grooves that the band serve up are melodic with songs that have substance and swagger. 'Children Of The Drones' is another solid rock album, and one that will not disappoint fans of the previous Venrez releases. If only US rock radio would allow this band some airtime over here. There's way too much crap on the radio and not nearly enough wham-bam rock that'll melt butter or steel equally. Welcome to "The New Age Of Rock Music". - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
ROCK 'N 'ROLL IS ALIVE by The Jokers
( Nineteenth Century)
The sophomore release, 'Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive' from UK rockers, The Jokers is a stunningly executed recording by a British rock band who are damn good! Hooking up with producer, Andy Macpherson (Eric Clapton, The Who, Barclay James Harvest, The Buzzcocks etc). The Jokers are powered by, Wane Parry – Vocals, Paul Hurst – Guitar, Simon Hurst – Bass and Chris Poole – Drums. The lads serve up a sound is rich in the roots of classic rock and bring it to the 21st Century. "Silver City", has a very AC/DC feel with a nod to Rose Tattoo. The title track hits you right between the eyes straight away. Paul Hurst shines on the instrumental, "Blood Of Ox. seguing into "Night Driver" and "Let It Rock that are both immense. "Find My Way Home", finds the band summoning their inner Free meets Bad Company vibe. "Skyline" has that Leppardish strut. The bottom line: Once you press play, you won't pause or skip tracks. If you like good solid rock n roll with an old school feel; The Jokers deliver the goods. 'Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive' picks up where the band's debut, 'Big Rock & Roll Show' left off and grabs you by the scruff of your neck & rocks you til you drop. The Jokers are stadium material in my opinion and this is headbanging hard rock music make no mistake. They sound as if they have been doing this for years - keep up the good work lads. If your air guitar doesn't get a twanging then I despair. LONG LIVE ROCK 'N' ROLL! Highly recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society /All Access Magazine
The Dedicated Rocker Society
by "The Rocker" Rowan
AC/DC played the 2015 Grammy’s with one original member. Now that Megadeth are a duo, who do you think should fill the other spots? The great Graham Bonnet is still going strong, but can the man with the legendary vocal style still hold up? Only his new band will tell, if not, he’s going to release some tracks from his personal arsenal of 70’s songs called, 'Private I, The Archives: Vol. One'. To our surprise, Autograph are back with a new song and singer. Handling vocals is non-other than former 1RKO, Jailhouse front man Simon Daniels. Looks like Jeff Tremaine of Jackass fame will be involved with the Motley Crue bio-pic The Dirt, based on the book written by the band. Can’t wait for casting. RIP California Breed, let’s see if the voice Glenn Hughes can put together another supergroup. Can’t wait for Metal Blade to release the 1988-1996 era King’s X re-issues with loads of goodies. Sorry to hear that Bruce Dickinson has mouth cancer BUT good news is they caught it early! Can you believe it’s the 30th anniversary of Iron Maiden’s Powerslave album? Try not to miss, “The Missing Link Tour” that contains smart heavy rockers; Mastodon, Clutch and Graveyard. British actor Phil Davis will be directing a short film about Steve Marriott (Small Faces/Humble Pie) called Midnight Of My Life set in 1985 which is 6 years before his untimely death. Look for a 6CD/DVD Rainbow anthology called A Light InThe Black. It has A LOT of cool stuff on it. Has anyone heard about the 3 day celebration in L.A. to celebrate the 5 th anniversary of RJDio? These here are fighting words, Terrance M. Butler was arrested after getting into a barroom brawl at the Corkscrew Ranch at the Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, CA, my question? What was Black Sabbath’s lyricist/bass player doing in Death Valley? The legendary RAINBOW BAR & GRILL located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California, turns 43 on April 12th. Come out to the fourth annual Party In The Parking Lot with outdoor stage performances by Stephen Pearcy of Ratt, Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses, Lee Ving of Fear, Little Caesar, and many more to be announced. Those Swiss rockers Krokus are going to tour the U.S. for the first time in 25 years! Dave Abbruzzese, who drummed with Pearl Jam from 1991-94 was arrested in Denton , Texas on drug charges. Scorpions drummer James Kottak did time in a Dubai jail and rehab in 2014 and is now back beating the skins for the German legends on their 50 th Anniversary tour. Good luck and well wishes to Jim Cregan, who has co-wrote and played guitar for Rod Stewart for nearly 40 years, he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Of course Jim produced the magnificent debut from The Quireboys called A Bit Of What You Fancy. Speaking of, The Quireboys are gearing up for the release of their ninth studio album on March 30th, an ambitious 4CD deluxe edition package called 'St Cecilia And The Gypsy Soul'. Sad news on the passing of keyboardist Mats Olausson who has played with the likes of; Yngwie Malmsteen, Kamelot, Talisman, Ark, John Norum and the first two albums from the great Swedish band Eclipse.Well that’s enough for February. - The Rocker Rowan
PERSPECTIVE by Jace Pawlak
(Marble Sky Music)
Singer/songwriter, Jace Pawlak returns with his third outing , 'Perspective', a album laced with a great mix of melodic hard rock and acoustic gems. If Jace Pawlak' s name may sound familiar, he's penned songs for FarCry and Tango Down'. 'Perceptive' definitely has more of a melodic rock flavor , a few songs stand out more than the others. The album alternates between upbeat rock tunes and heart wrenching ballads, but these songs all have great lyrics, very catchy choruses, super musicianship. "Cry", kicks the album off in great melodic fashion. If your cup of tea is melodic rock, this song will satisfy your thirst. The same thing can be said for tracks like, "What if We Were Wrong", and "Jodi' s Just Running". Then there is the jazz influenced number, "Don't Talk To Me". Yes, Pawlak's songs are good and some great, but what I find impressive is his voice. The album is just solid from start to finish with NO FILLER. 'Perspective' showcases Jace Pawlak' s truly amazing talent as a singer/songwriter. Coupled with great production and great musicians I can honestly say there is not a second rate song on this release. .Whilst nothing earth shattering nor likely to win any awards,the album rocks along at a great pace and a testament to the fact that melodic rock music is still alive and well, even from a younger generation! - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
VENOM by Impellitteri
(Frontier Records)
He's back! Guitar hero Chris Impellitteri returns with his highly anticipated new release, 'Venom', This is the band's 10th studio album and first original album since 2009. Chris Impellitteri – Lead Guitar Rob Rock – Lead Vocals James Pulli – Bass Jon Dette – Drums. The new album cuts through the fog and delivers a mixture of bone-crushing rockers,faster than ever solos,while remaining melodic and catchy. 'Venom' features superior power tracks such as "Empire Of Lies", "We Own The Night", "Nightmare" and my personal favorite, "Face The Enemy". The album also includes two bonus tracks, "Rock Through The Night" and "Reach for the Sky". Rob Rock is his usual best on this release and Chris' guitar playing is top notch too. It is the consistency of the songs themselves that wanes a bit. It would be fair to say that 'Venom' manages to gather everything that is great about this band and Chris Impellitteri . If you like gritty, thick riffs, absolutely shredding solos and awesome passionate vocals then you'd do good to get this album. 'Venom' is a must have for every Heavy-metal fan, and especially every Impellitteri fan.- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/ All Access Magazine
WAR OF KINGS by Europe
( UDR Music )
Europe return with their 10th studio release, 'War Of Kings'. Recorded at the brand new PanGaia Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, produced by Dave Cobb (Rival Sons) and engineered by John Netti. Joey Tempest – lead vocals, acoustic & rhythm guitar, keyboards John Norum – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals, John Leven – bass, backing vocals, Mic Michaeli – keyboards, piano, backing vocals, rhythm guitar and Ian Haugland – drums, percussion, backing vocals. 'War Of Kings' opens with the title track and clearly sates its intent for the whole album. It simply rocks and takes no prisoners. This continues with the excellent track, "Hole In My Pocket". A hard hitting chunky riff in the verse leading to a melodic chorus. Other tracks guaranteed to get your blood pumping are, "Nothin’ To Ya", the Deep Purple vibe of, "California 405" and "Days Of Rock N Roll". Hats off to Dave Cobb (Rival Sons/California Breed) for an excellent job in the production department. The song writing on 'War Of Kings' is excellent, the lyrics are well crafted and full of emotion and soul, as is Joey's Vocal performance. John Norum's guitar playing, as always. The thing that impresses me with this band is their ability to evolve with each album they release, and give the listener something that is genuinely different to the last offering. So many bands churn out album after album using the same tired old formula, but not these guys! 'War Of Kings ' is a pure rock album with a lot of soul thrown in, expertly performed by one of the best, and most underated rock bands out there today. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
LIVE AT ROCKFIELD by Buck & Evans
(Tru-B-Dor Records)
As I listened to ,'Live At Rockfield', the live three song Ep from Welsh rock and soul band, Buck & Evans the sense I got was that I was listening to something that Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company might have evolved into. The Ep features three premium blues based songs that just bleed rock and soul. " Ain't No Moonlight", "Impossible" and "Screaming". Each track bringing it's own bluesy swagger. While I mentioned, Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company, this is not some copy-cat fraud. The band is comprised of, Chris Buck - Guitars / Vocals, Sally Ann Evans - Vocals / Keyboards, Dominic Hill - Bass Guitar and Bob Richards - Drums / Vocals. Sally Ann Evans is incredible! Blessed with a soulful voice that is raw and as sweet as honey. The band is a tight that sound amazing. 'Live At Rockfield' is just a glimpse or a precursor of greater things to come from Buck & Evans. Fans of blues rock will not be disappointed, but this album should have broad, cross genre appeal. It's just great music. It's smoky and passionate yet aggressive with a killer groove. 'Live At Rockfield' by Buck & Evans is quite simply one of the best recordings I've heard this year. Highly recommend to literally everyone. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/ All Access Magazine
HEROES AND VILLAINS by FM
(Frontier Records)
The highly anticipated new release from AOR giants FM comes in the form of 'Heroes And Villains', the band's ninth studio release. FM is, Steve Overland - lead vocals, guitar, Merv Goldsworthy - bass, backing vocals , Pete Jupp - drums, backing vocals , Jem Davis – keyboards, backing vocals, Jim Kirkpatrick - lead guitar, backing vocals. I've been a fan of Steve Overland going back to the band's 'Indiscreet' album. The new album is loaded with great songs, catchy summer sounding choruses and fantastic production. Steve Overland's voice is as soulful and powerful as ever, and it would be remiss not to mention Jim Kirkpatrick's outstanding lead guitar. Some of his solo work has to be heard to be believed, and fits the songs like white on rice. From opening, Digging Up The Dirt", to AOR gems like, "You're The Best Thing About Me" and "Life Is A Highway". The album also has it share of power ballads such as "Call On Me" and "Walking With Angels". As far as to compare to the band's previous releases, 'Heroes And Villains' would sit perfectly between 'Indiscreet' and 'Tough It Out', which I think says a lot. It is a very enjoyable collection of songs, somewhat retro in flavor and should be enjoyed as such. 'Heroes And Villains' has to be, in my opinion, one of FM's strongest releases, it shows how much the band's sound has evolved compared to their earlier recordings. FM have to be one of the most under-rated bands out there, and why they haven't had the recognition they deserve just blows me away! Awesome job Gents! - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/ All Access Magazine
RISE ABOVE THE NOISE by Trucker Diablo
(Independent Release)
Irish rockers, Trucker Diablo are back with their latest release, 'Rise Above The Noise'. Tom Harte : Vocals, Guitar, Simon Haddock : Vocals, Guitar, Jim McGurk: Bass and Terry Crawford : Drums. There is something about a band that can still make the Rock N' Roll music that we enjoy this late in the game. Where many bands are looking for softer sides, or are going to sell out in order to get their product through, Trucker Diablo sticks to what they want to write and sing, and it shows. From start to finish, 'Rise Above The Noise' rocks and rolls through the emotional songs to the get up and fight songs there really isn't a weak spot on the album. Trucker Daiblocontinues to refine their modern southern flavored rock sound, bringing on a heavy hand while still remaining melodic. There isn't really any weak moments here,most of the tracks have a groove of their own but combine catchy sing along choruses as reflected by strong tracks like "Fight Life", "Party Like They Started The End Of The World", the melodic gem, "Somebody Save Me", that has radio hit written all over it. While tracks like the supercharged movers, "We Stand Strong" and "Girl in a Photograph" are guaranteed to get your blood pumping in no time flat! The album contains its fair share of ballads in the form of "Where Angels Fly", "Take Me to the River" and the album closing "Don't Cry". Overall, 'Rise Above The Noise' is a strong mature album from a band who have now perfected their craft of making really catchy meaningful rock songs. So far, 'Rise Above The Noise' is easily one of the best rock album released this year. Trucker Diablo is a band who could easily be a major name in hard rock in years to come. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
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