CD REVIEW: KEEP ON ROCKIN' (A RETROSPECTIVE ANTHOLOGY) by Rockicks

KEEP ON ROCKIN' (A RETROSPECTIVE ANTHOLOGY) by Rockicks
(Grooveyard Records)

When one thinks of the guitar sound of the 70's, band's like Mountain, Cream and Budgie come to mind. One band that flew under the radar was Rockicks. The band was comprised ofJerry Zubal, on guitar, harmonica and vocals, Brian Naughton on guitar and vocals, Sammy Pate Jr. on bass and vocals and Rick Altschuler on drums. They may not have been as popular as heavy hitters of that era, but the band could serve up the six string riffage with the best of them. 'Keep On Rockin' (A Retrospective Anthology) is a great representation of how awesome this band truly was. A two disc set loaded with 29 scorching guitar driven rockers that will get your adrenaline pumping in no time flat! Highlighted by rockers like, "Shakin'", "Rock N' Roll Band", "Reach For The Sky", "Do Or Die", "Hard To Handle" and "Get The Lead Out". To my ears it sounds like they're live recordings without the audience noise, which adds a certain power to them that I love. This set truly harnesses the highlights of a band should have been huge. Kudos go out to Grooveyard Records for putting out this great set together and introducing a great band to a new generation of guitar fanatics as well as bringing back great memories to those of us that experienced the golden era of "Guitar Rock". All in all, 'Keep On Rockin' (A Retrospective Anthology)', is a in your face guitar riff loaded set of classic guitar rock that fans of the genre should definitely have in their collection.  - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: MOTHER by Electric Mary

MOTHER by Electric Mary
(Listenable Records)

Veteran Aussie rockers are back with their fourth studio release, 'Mother', and just like the band's previous outings, this is a album that grabs you by the collar and demands you to turn up the volume knob up as far as you can. Your car's speaker system will be tested, believe me. In your face
hard guitar rock fronted by stadium-rocker vocals and played with an unusual depth of character and soul.  Electric Mary is comprised of, Rusty Brown on lead vocals, Peter Robinson on guitar and vocals, Brett Wood on guitar and vocals. Alex Raunjak on bass and Spyder on drums. These guys know where their strengths lie and how to use each member's immense talent to their ultimate advantage. Hats off to Rusty Brown who once again delivers vocals with a fiery-fueled purpose while the dual guitar pyrotechnics of Robinson and Wood are simply superb with Raunjak and Spyder providing the band with its rock solid foundation.  The quality of the songs and the song writing are spot on! You can play it straight from beginning to end without wanting to skip anything. My favorites are  "Gimme Love", "Hold Onto What You Got", "The Way You Make Me Feel" and the lead off single, "Woman". Truly a breath of fresh air in the boiled-down, almost-dead, pure hard rock genre. This is a ass-kickin’, gutsy, bluesy infused hard rock album for music lovers who want to experience pure rock ecstasy. Put simply, Electric Mary are the real thing, and they rock like a Mother!  - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: 4 SHOTS, Ep by Collateral

4 SHOTS, Ep by Collateral
(Roulette Media)

If first impressions are everything, then the four song Ep, '4 Shots' from the UK based quartet known as Collateral, will definitely leave a lasting one. Comprised of, Angelo Tristan on vocals, Jack Bentley Smith on bass along with Todd Winger on guitar and Ben Atkinson on drums, these four rockers bring a  rock and roll vibe that energetic and addicting. The blend of electric and acoustic guitars blend perfectly together. Angelo Tristan's vocals are very dynamic and the rest of the band is on fire! As far as sound comparison goes, for me, take a dash of present day Bon Jovi with The Eagles with a modern day melodic rock flavor. Make no mistake though, Collateral bring their own flavor and it taste oh so good!The Ep opens with "Going With The Wind", giving you a glimpse of how good and tight this band truly is. It also sets the table for the rest three other strong tracks, "Angels Crying", "Just Waiting For You" and the lead off single, "Midnight Queen". This recording is a precursor of greater things from a band that plan to be sticking around for quite sometime. I for one will be looking forward to watching these guys grow and continue to deliver fantastic tunes. - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: BURIAL GROUND by HereAfter

BURIAL GROUND by HereAfter
(Tin Idol Production))

With a hard rock sound laced with progressive overtones, the debut outing, 'Burial Grounds' from Honolulu, Hawaii based rockers, HereAfter, is a recording any rock music fan will want to experience. The band is comprised of, Ethan Foxx on vocals and keyboards, Jimmy Caterine on guitars and keyboards, Darren Soliven on bass and Gerard K. Gonsalves on drums. Together this group of talented musicians have created a really powerful sound, not exactly "heavy" but just powerful in the sense that the guitar and the vocals greatly impacted me. You have to hear this recording at maximum volume to really appreciate it, it gets you right in that "fight/I wont take sh#t from you mood." There's also the variety of song structure for each track, with most of the tracks being different from the others. Highlighted by tracks like, "Human Condition Critical", "the riff intense, "Everybody's Broken", "Rebel Spirit", and "War Machine". As a fan of rock music, I dig being introduced to newer bands with a great sound and feel to them. HereAfter is one such band. Great lyrics, great music. HereAfter are the real deal and definitely worth checking out. - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: REVOLUTION HIGHWAY by Revolution Highway

REVOLUTION HIGHWAY  by Revolution Highway
(Grooveyard Records)

First impressions are lasting ones and the self titled debut release from Revolution Highway is one that will definitely leave a lasting one! Comprised of,  David Fefolt (Fifth Angel/Masi) on vocals, guitar savant, Stavros Papadopoulos (Super Vintage/Universal Hippies) on guitars and the solid rhythm section of bassist John Christopoulos and drummer Chris "Rock Machine" Lagios. Revolution Highway serve up a heavy dose of Blues infused rock that will get your adrenaline pumping in no time flat! This is a band that knows what us rock music fans want and they deliver the goods ten fold! From the six string rattlesnake rocker "Renegade" that opens the album to other smoking numbers like, "Young And Wild", "Streets  Of Hollywood", "I Need Your Love"  and "Lose You Again". Huge riffs, heavy bass, loud drums, killer vocals and just great songs. This is as good a recording as any that you will experience. The bottom end is fantastic throughout the mix, Stavros Papadopoulos' guitar work is stellar and shows why this guy is a six string samurai of the highest order. Last, but not least are David Fefolt's vocals. He simply reels you in with a swagger and attitude that doesn't let go. The bottom line here is Revolution Highway is a great band and warrants a listen by any rock music fan. You'llf ind yourself wanting to listen to this album over and over again. - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: OUTLAW SON by Jerome Mazza

OUTLAW SON by Jerome Mazza
(Escape Music)

Singer, Jerome Mazza's (Angelica/Pinnacle Point) highly anticipated debut release, 'Outlaw Son', will have your undivided attention once you hit play. The songwriting is outstanding and the message is clear. This release has an edge to it with solid guitar work, but it is still sprinkled with moments of driving keys and of course the blessed and powerful vocals of Jerome Mazza.  Backing him up are a group of seasoned musicians, Tommy Denander (guitar, keyboards) Steve Overland (backing vocals), Brian Anthony (bass) and Chris Metzger (drums). There are a fine bunch of songs that will hook you from beginning to end. I am amazed at the quality and consistency in the song writing and the production. Highlights include, "Neverland", "The Dark Side", "The Last Goodbye", "Undercover Love", "Calm Before The Storm" and the adrenaline pumping title track. It is music as it's meant to be; moving, telling stories that stir up your emotions and take you on a journey. The bottom line here isi f you like Jerome's work with Pinnacle Point or his work with Steve Walsh, this debut outing is a must. A album that is perfectly produced and a pleasure to listen to, start to finish. Thank you Jerome! - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society

CD REVIEW: RESILIENT HEART by REECE

RESILIENT HEART by REECE
(Mighty Music)

'Resilient Heart' the latest release from veteran rock vocalist, David Reece (Accept/Bonfire) is a sledgehammer that hits you smack in the face once you hit play!  Providing David with the musical firepower are a group of gifted and seasoned players, guitarist,  Marco Angioni and Martin J. Andersen, Malte Frederik Burkert on bass and drummer, Sigurd J. Jensen. Together serving up a combination of hard rock songs laced with melodic overtones that sound oh so good and beg to be cranked to maximum volume and making for one hell of a listening experience! A mix of great guitar work and powerful vocals and great songs with high quality arrangements and melodies. From rockers like "Anytime At All", "Wicked City Blues", "Karma" to crunching hard rockers like "Perfect Apocalypse" and "Live Before You Die". Overall, 'Resilient Heart' is an album that is made up of great rock songs and impressive performance by all involved. And great sounding production. Just like what David Reece has done in past projects, he's come up with a winner! Hands down one of the best Rock albums this year! - Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society