ONE FOR THE ROAD by King Company
(Frontier Records)
Finnish rockers King Company breakout out onto the rock music scene with their powerful debut release, 'One For The Road'. The band is comprised of, Pasi Rantanen (vocals), Antti Wirman (guitar), Jari Pailamo (keyboards), Time Schleifer (bass) and Mirka Rantanen (drums). The Band's debut album is simply an incredible slab of melodic hard rock. It's has all the elements that any rock music fan could want. The band's biggest influences come from iconic rock bands such as Deep Purple, Rainbow and Whitesnake, but also from other great acts like Europe, Mr Big, Lynch Mob, and Dokken. From Antti Wirman's slamming guitar hooks to Pasi Rantanen's raspy (but powerful) voice, what can you say about this guy, absolutely powerhouse singing, to that upbeat tempo that makes this album impossible to listen to while sitting still. You just have to get up and move when a songs like, "One For The Road","Shinning", "Wheels Of No Return" and "Coming Back To Life" come on. Even the laid back number, "No Man's Land" is impressive enough to keep you from hitting the skip button. King Company is a rock band that hits all of the right notes in terms of what listeners of this genre want to hear. The edge here is that this sounds fresh, energized. They are amazing musicians and manage to put their own stamp on the sound for today. Their debut offering will put smile on your face while giving you a chill going up and down your spine with the pure rock and roll greatness that is King Company. If high energy in your face melodic hard rock is your thing, then your so gonna love, 'One For The Road'. An impressive debut indeed.
- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
CRY OF DAWN Feat. Goran Edman by Cry of Dawn
(Frontier Records)
Veteran singer Göran Edman returns with his highly anticipated new project Cry Of Dawn. The new project also features, Michael Palace - Guitars and bass, Sören Kronqvist - Keyboards and Daniel Flores - Drums and keyboards. This is the album Göran Edman fans have been waiting for. His unique vocal style has been embraced by numerous genres including neoclassic metal, progressive rock and AOR just to name a few. His vocals can be found on records from John Norum, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brazen Abbot, Glory among others. Göran Edman does a simply flawless job of delivering everything a melodic record needs: power, melody, and soaring energy. The production is solid and sounds open enough to let things breath. Edman gets to indulge his love of the heartfelt ballad but also gets to unleash his roar on a number of tunes and the upbeat nature of many of the tracks really keeps this from being a rather easily dismissed wimpfest. Highlights include, "Chance", "Listen To Me," "When Right Is Wrong", "Building Towers" and "Hands Around My Heart" but the whole album is solid. Overall, Cry Of Dawn's debut is pure melodic rock gold. It has that vintage AOR/arena rock feel, and every aspect from the songwriting to the musicianship to the vocals to the production is absolutely top notch. This is a must-have melodic rock album any way you look at it. If you like melodic rock - old, new, European, American, whatever - do yourself a favor and pick up this album. Hats off to Göran Edman and the band for an outstanding job!
- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE by Palace
(Frontier Records)
In a year when it seems like a lot of 80s Hard Rock bands are on the comeback trail (Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Dokken, Journey, Tesla, and Great White), Palace is a band who wasn't around during that era, but is heavily influenced by that era, may have put out one the best melodic hard rock this year. So, who are Palace? The band was founded by lead singer and guitarist Michael Palace. The lineup is rounded out by Rick Digorio on guitar, Marcus Johansson on drums and Soufian Ma'Aoui on bass. Heavily influenced by 80's imagery and sounds, Palace delivers massive arena rock with a modern touch! AOR fans of all ages will find much to love among the eleven hard rocking tracks on "Master Of The Universe". There is excellent songwriting, singing, and musicianship. As far as the music is concerned, it's well balanced. Meaning, there's enough crunch to not over power the melody and enough keyboards to add depth. From the pulsating opening track "Master Of The Universe" to the driving "Man Behind The Gun", to the heartfelt "Rules Of The Game" to the smooth laden groove of, "Stranger's Eyes". Every song has that vintage AOR/arena rock feel. Palace delivers truly unforgettable slice of melodic hard rock here. The musicianship is outstanding; strong guitars, rhythmic drums, throbbing bass, and soaring smooth vocals. Sound quality, engineering, and mixing for this album are all on point. The production quality for this album is really top-notch! 'Master Of The Universe' by Palace is pure melodic rock gold. This one is easy to recommend. If you like melodic rock at all, you NEED this album in your collection. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
ALIEN ARCHITECT by Another Lost Year
(Emp Label Group)
Charlotte, North Carolina's Another Lost Year are back with their sophomore release, 'Alien Architect'. Having impressed me with their 2012 debut, 'Better Days', I was curious to hear what the band would be the second time around. So how does it hold up to their debut? Rather good, actually! There are a few mainstream bands who manage to still hold my attention and Another Lost Year is at the very top of that list. The new album is a welcome return to great, catchy and infectious melodies, hooks and riffs. While I still need to give this album more time to fully digest, my early favorites are "Bastard Sons (featuring Jose Urquiza from 3 Years Hollow), "Trigger Finger", "Run The Tank Out" and the lead off single, "Wolves". For a sophomore release this is a very strong and solid effort. I could easily see just about every song on this disk making it to radio airplay. They are all very radio-friendly. And normally, too much radio-friendliness and catchiness would turn me away. But not here. In addition to the powerful hooks, these songs have a deep groove that grabs me and keeps me listening. So I can't fault the music, at all. The lyrics are very good as well. However, it seems that each song is lyrically written with a few very nice and meaningful lines. Then, those nice lines are repeated over and over. Nothing wrong with a bit of repetition, and some of the best songs ever written are very repetitive. However, I would have loved to see the band expand a bit more on the intriguing ideas they began to present in each song. I get the feeling they are very capable of it, and could have given the songs a bit more depth than they already have. If they keep making records like this, Another Lost Year is going to be around for a long, long time! This is a very tight, talented band.- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
BULLETPROOF by Tango Down
(Kivel Records)
Powerhouse rockers Tango Down are back with their latest release, 'Bulletproof'. Chas West (Tribe Of Gypsies/ Resurrection Kings) on vocals who replaces David Reece. Scott Miller on guitar, Axel Gessner on bass and Keith Michaels on drums. The album for that matter demonstrates great song-writing as well as intense performances and it is this combination that makes for a lasting listening experience. Chas West delivers a powerful vocal performance. Scott Miller's guitar riffs are in your face while the rhythm section of bassist Axel Gessner and Keith Michaels drumming intensifies the overall performance. The album is full of powerhouse tracks that keep your interest throughout. There are not any obvious filler tracks that you immediately want to skip over. "Punching Bag", "Give Me A Reason" the balls out rocking title track and the arena anthem, "When We're Young" are my current favorites, but all the songs are rock solid. These songs are the type that will be stuck in your head long after listening to them. The bottom line, if you are a long time Tango Down fan. 'Bulletproof' will rock your socks off big time! It's just a tremendous album all around. This is one of those rare albums where the band gets everything right. If you are new and checking out Tango Down for the first time this is a great place to start.- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
THREE DAYS TO COME BACK by Handful Of Rain
(Independent Release)
Hailing from Spain, melodic hard rock act Handful Of Rain are out to make a lasting impression with their debut release, 'Three Days To Come Jack's. From out of the blue, this band manages to entertain on many levels. The band is comprised of, David Requejado on vocals, Niko Delrin on guitar, Dave Lago on guitar. The instrumental textures on this recording run the gamut from classic rock to melodic hard rock and the song styles are almost as diverse. Catchy hooks abound, and lots of maturity exhibited for a new band. Brilliant with changes in timing and tempo that will surprise and leave you smiling.... whilst mercilessly banging your head of course. Highlights include, "Saints & Sinners", "Break The Chains", "Find A Way" and "Tears In The Rain". Handful Of Rain is one of those bands that really illustrates how bad modern rock radio really is. In a perfect Rock Radio World tracks from this album would be on regular rotation, and known by so many more of the faithful. If bands like Handful Of Rain could find a way to tour the US opening for some more well known bands I think many people would take a liking to them. Unfortunately, there bands that just don't get the opportunities here that they used, which is a shame because people can't like what they don't hear or don't know about. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
POLYMORPHIC TRAGEDY by O' Reagan
(Z Records)
Guitarist extraordinaire, Vince O' Reagan returns with third release, 'Polymorphic Tragedy'. A rock solid effort, Vince O' Reagan is so melodic in his playing that he reminds me of Vinny Burns (who I am a big fan of as well!), the songs on this recording just flow! Most of the vocals on this effort are courtesy of Keith St. John (Burning Rain), along with Paul Sabu and Phil Vincent who all do an awesome job. Sure, Vince O' Reagan might indulge in the occasional inclination towards shredding, but when the songs are this full of excellent licks and riffs, all is easily forgiven. Overall, ''Polymorphic Tragedy' is chock block full of the great melodic hard rock that it likely cannot be all consumed in just one sitting (it takes at least one repeat listen to absorb the whole thing.) I appreciate a player who doesn't bore me. All of the tracks are well written. Highlights include, "Unchain Me Tonight", "Welcome To The Real World", "Long Way to Go" and "Masquerade". If you love great, grooving, melodic hard-rock songs that make you crank your stereo all the way up and drive too fast, this recording is definitely worth checking out. Just be warned: Vince O Reagan and the band is not responsible for any legal ramifications you may suffer for the lead foot you'll experience if you listen to 'Polymorphic Tragedy' while driving!
- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
NO B by Jane Lee Hooker
(Ruf Records)
New York City based Blues rockers Jane Lee Hooker pull no punches and hold nothing back on their powerful debut release, 'No B'. Powerful, raw and rockin are just a few words which sum up a powerhouse of an album. Don't buy anything else until this is in your collection. You won't be disappointed as the intensity of the music will just floor you. Yes its raw but that's the beauty of this recording. The band is comprised of, Dana 'Danger' Athens (vocals), Melissa , High Top (guitar), Tina 'T Bone' Gorin (guitar) and Hail Mary Z (bass) and 'Cool Whip' Houston (drums). These ladies are not rookies when it comes to the rock and roll game. Between the five members, they have decades of experience playing, recording, and touring both nationally and internationally. Individually, they have played for thousands of fans while sharing bills with the likes of Motörhead, MC5, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Deep Purple. What these ladies bring to table is a swagger and attitude serving up their own take on classic Blues standards including Muddy Waters' "Champagne And Reefer", Willie Dixon's "Shake For Me" and Albert King's "The Hunter". Amongst the classics, the band also dishes out an original song, "In The Valley". I have to say, listening to this album it's obvious they love playing together. For me, Jane Lee Hooker is the type of band that would play live giving 100 percent from start to finish regardless if they were playing to twenty people or a thousand. If you want pure, intense and unbridled energy to get your adrenaline up every time, you have to check this album out. The bottom line here is quite simple really, 'No B' by Jane Lee Hooker rocks like a m**********r!
- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
BLACK WATER by Cattarse
(Independent Release)
While Cattarse's sound, like a lot of these retro/stoner type bands, involves a great deal of old school Black Sabbath worship, this Brazilian rock trio reaches back to some of the more obscure sounds of the early ‘70s hard rock scene, like Sir Lord Baltimore, Blue Cheer, and High Tide. Founded in 2008, by brothers Igor van der Laan (guitar/vocals) and Yuri van der Laan (Bass). The band's nine song debut release, 'Black Water' is heavy, fuzzy and has a great groove and a nice sense of melody. Heavy riffs and grooving rhythms dominate. This album is the one that truly sounds like it could actually have been released back in 1970. A solid listen front to back. Highlights include, “Walking on Glass,” “Mr. Grimm”, “Meet me in the Darkness ”, "Fire in the Hole" and the title track. Each song is like an epic mini jam session but in an easily digestible run time so you can't really get bored with any of the songs and they each have their unique riffs and nuances. This is the type of music which makes me picture me playing my old turntable cranked to full volume and pissing off the neighbors. Tough to find new bands these days who are original, but can evoke the way back machine into the early 70's hard rock vibe without being mere copycats and sounding cliche. Cattarse serve up a lean, filler-free album. This band is the real deal. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
AGAINST THE GRAIN by Iron Bridge Band
(Messej Media and Publishing)
Iron Bridge Band have certainly taken their music to the next level with their sophomore release, 'Against The Grain' which has everything a music fan could wish for. Comprised of Chandler Mogel (vocals), Stephen Jude Walsh (guitar), Amy Anderson (vocals, percussion) Lanie Suky (bass) and Scott Suky (drums). These truly gifted musician serve up twelve brilliant original tracks. A fusion of different styles of contemporary rock music which includes elements of southern rock, folk pop all stirred up nicely with passion and pure musical talent. This is such a strong and diverse album I am not quite sure where to begin? How about giving you a quick low down on the five amazing talents that make up Iron Bridge Band; Chandler Mogel is a vocalist with a terrific range that ranges from soaring high to swooping low tones. The soulful and passionate vocal delivery of Amy Anderson is mesmerizing. In Stephen Jude Walsh the band have a genuine six string Svengali awesome guitarist. Lanie Suky on bass and Scott Suky on drums form a massively powerful rhythm section. As for the music, picking out highlights is tough the all round quality is that good. Every track is strong and pulls its own weight. Personal favorites, "A Little Too High", "Black Sheep's Son", "American Boss", the groove laden moving, "Backwood's Charm" and the Poco meets Firefall vibe of "Wilderness". This is feel good, addictive, crank the volume and rock out in your living room music! The quality of this album from beginning to end is absolutely first-rate. It warms me to know that this caliber of music is still being written, performed and enjoyed. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
APOLLO UNDER FIRE by Apollo Under Fire
(EMP Label Group)
The debut release for rock band Apollo Under Fire is not just a semi- acoustic rock album. It is a spiraling, melodromatic wave of beautifully orchestrated music. Apollo Under Fire is, Donald Carpenter (SubmerseD, Eye Empire) - vocals , Peter Klett ((Candlebox, Lotus Crush) - guitar , Jimmy Kwong (SoulSwitch) - guitar, Stu Cox- bass and Tom Costanza (Llamabeats) - drums. This band is very talented at making very good, very complex sounds that can be listened to over and over again. It's soothing aspect that blends beautifully. To write good lyrics that's one thing, to write a acoustic blend of bass, guitar, and drums that's another, but to put all that together that is impressive. Every song on this album has an amazing flow of musical talent, and lyrics that are deep that even you can feel them within yourself. Album highlights include the lead off track, "Gotta Believe", "Wings", "Refuse", the groove laden mover, "One Track Mind" and the album closing, "Sweet Freedom". You'll need to listen with an entirely new set of ears the lyrics are such a vital component. But you will sit in awe with the canvas the band unveils. A very impressive debut indeed. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
MAKE SOME NOISE by The Dead Daisies
(SPV Records)
The Dead Daisies are back with album number three, 'Make Some Noise". Just like self titled debut and their sophomore effort, 'Revolucion', it's a full on rocker of a recording from start to finish. John Corabi (vocals, guitar), newest member, Doug Aldrich (guitar), David Lowy (guitar), Marco Mendoza (bass, backing vocals) and Brian Tichy (drums). 'Make Some Noise' is a powerhouse album on all counts incredibly groove laden rockers that are catchy topped by Marti Frederiksen's solid production. Every song on is top notch. John Corabi's voice sounds better than ever, the musicianship and fluency is great, and the songs are varied without losing any punch. Favorite tracks include, "Long Way To Go", "Song And A Prayer", the title track, a smoking cover of the Credence Clearwater Revival classic, "Fortunate Son" and "All The Same". Hats off to Doug Aldrich and David Lowy for an extraordinary job in the guitar department. Exhibiting great chemistry. I have to admit, I was stoked to hear that Doug Aldrich joined the band. What a truly amazing talent. His guitar playing gives this recording that extra shot of adrenaline. Marco Mendoza's bass playing is on point and Brian Tichy's drumming sounds awesome providing the band with a rock solid foundation. Overall, 'Make Some Noise', is a premium blend of hard rock. I have no doubt it will go down as one the best rock album of this year. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society
