S/T (Ep) by Crobot
(Wind-Up Records)
What a great introduction to rock band that have a promising future! Rockers and Rollers, I give you Crobot from Pottsville, PA. Brandon Yeagley - Lead Vocals, Harp, Bishop - Guitar, Vocals, Jake Figueroa - Bass and Paul Figueroa - Drums. These gents dish out a hard sound that is beyond power, it is an experience. They bring back a time when a band, any hard rock band, put out an album and it instantly becomes a classic. The band's self titled four song Ep, is loaded with huge guitar riffs, heavy bass, loud drums, killer vocals and just great songs. From the opening, "Legend Of The Spacdborne Killer" the band hold nothing back and unleash sonic hard rock fury! The next track, "Nowhere To Hide" is supercharged rocker guaranteed make your skip a beat! On, "Le Mano De Lucifer", the song starts off with a slow lazy swagger that morphs into a all out ball buster. The band saves the best for last with the no holds bar rocker, "Skull Of Geronimo", a song in my opinion, you can't play loud enough! If you like bands that deliver the goods with the full package, then Crobot is one band you have check out. Tap into the groove, run with the devil, turn on to the Crobot experience! File this one alongside the latest releases from Corrosion Of Conformity, Kyng and Down as proof positive that old school heavy rock is still being made and still a hell of a lot of fun to rock out to! If you’re a fan of any of those bands, be sure to check out what Crobot has to offer. This is as good a record as any that you will find these days. Keep em' comin'! - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
See It First! Crobot Premieres Live 'Legend of the Spaceborne Killer"
https://music.yahoo.com/blogs/the-new-now/see-it-first--crobot-premieres-live--legend-of-the-spaceborne-killer-134949999.html
GROWING YOUNG (Ep) by Dirty Thrills
(Independent Release)
Dirty Thrills' debut Ep, 'Growing Young' is a good reminder of what rock and roll is all about. It's loud, it's catchy and it's not forced or overshadowed by overly complex lyrics or arrangements. The band is comprised of Louis James (Lead Vocals), Jack Fawdry (Guitar), Aaron Plows (Bass) and Steve Corrigan (Drums) The straightforward, purist rock music and choruses on the band's four song Ep are hard not to admire, whether or not you're a fan of classic or Southern rock. Dirty Thrills are an amazing, up-and-coming London-based Rock ‘n’ Roll quartet. Fronted by the son of Moody Blues singer Nicky James. The Dirty Thrills are single-handedly bringing back 100% real rock n roll, while leaving a contemporary mark. The band's sound is a mix of Southern rock, with a more neo-classic rock vibe, adopting a tough, Stonesy swagger. Dirty Thrills manages to play on the most rewarding traits of classic rock while still sounding modern. The Ep kicks off in full force with "Shivers" the catchiest and most accessible song, which is part blues rock grind, part New York glam. The title track, "Growing Young" and "You're In Trouble Now" are another highlights, combining a hard-edged backdrop with an upbeat chorus. Lead singer Louis James's soulful voice is perfect for the type of down-and-dirty, back-to-basics rock showcased on these tracks. It is just as suited to the power slow grind of "Drunken Words", which provides a refreshing change of pace. The entire band's chemistry is apparent, as its members work together perfectly to create a sound that is dynamic and tight, making Dirty Thrills a refreshing alternative to often self-obsessed popular and indie rock music of today. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
In The Works with ANDREW HUNT of BUFFALO SUMMER
Interview by The Dedicated Rocker Society
A year ago Buffalo Summer broke out onto the music scene with their powerful self-titled debut album. The band from South Wales, Buffalo Summer formed three years ago. A lot has happened since the band’s inception. With an insatiable appetite and desire to make their mark, the band's released self- titled album was met with critical acclaim in the national music press.
The Summer of 2013 was certainly a busy one for the band. Touring all over Europe sharing the stage with the likes of, The Graveltones, Monster Truck and recently with Skid Row and Buckcherry. The band are currently in the midst of working on their highly anticipated sophomore album. So, what could we expect? When will the new album be released? Buffalo Summer's singer/frontman, Andrew Hunt had the answers and here is what he kindly shared with us.
Q: What's the title of the new album?
ANDREW HUNT: We've literally just come out of the studio. We have a few album names we are debating over at the moment but nothing that's made us thing "that's the one." As soon as we've got it in the bag we will let the world know :)
Q: What can we, your fans, expect to hear from the new album? Can you give us some song titles?
AH: The new album is definitely a progression on from the self-titled debut album. We've spent the last couple of years on the road which has made the band an even tighter unit. Plus we've had all that time rehearsing and jamming together when we've been home. So the new songs are locked right into the groove. When we made the first album we literally just got the band together as friends, wrote and recorded some songs without thinking about it too much. This time we've spent a lot of time demoing the songs, living with them and then going back and forth and re-hashing them til they've sounded right. We've actually road tested a lot of the songs too so many of our European fans have had a taste of where we are going musically. It's not a vast departure from the debut album but I think this time we've hopefully created a solid body of work with well written songs full of groove and hooks. We can all play a little better, sing a little better. Some of the songs which are definitely gonna make the album are "Bird On A Wire"; "Money"; "As High As The Pines"; "Priscilla" and a very new one we wrote just before going to the studio called "Into Your Head".
Q: This last year has been quite a very busy and productive year for Buffalo Summer. What were some of the lessons learned, good or bad, from that experience?
AH: We've spent the majority of the last year on the road. So we are pretty efficient at touring on a minimal budget. Although we've always managed to make things work somehow so that we can get out to Europe and play for the fans who've treated us very well.
We've met some great people on the road. Other bands aswell as fans and that's one of the highlights of being a touring band. We had three weeks in Germany with Aussie band, The Graveltones. A Great bunch of guys. Monster Truck too from Canada were an amazing band. We had a such a good time on the road with the boys. Salt of the earth kind of guys :)
Then we've toured with Skid Row and Buckcherry recently. All super nice guys and really looked after us on the road. Watching the likes of those guys also helps you as an artist to keep pushing your own boundaries and refine your craft.
The only bad things really are things like driving to Spain and breaking down and missing your first show of the tour in Barcelona. Those sorts of things are in the lap of the Gods and it happens to all bands. You just have to try and stay positive Nd keep forging ahead when things like that are out of your hands.
Q: When can we expect the new album to be released?
AH: We are currently speaking to a few different labels about releasing the next record. We didn't want to jump in and sign the first thing that came along as that can be a dangerous game to play. It's got to be the right deal for us as a band. We'll go with the label that's gonna have the most belief in what we do. It's the size of the label for us... It's the people that run it. So the answer to your question we don't know exactly right now. A rough guess would be during the winter months though :)
Q: Any chances of doing any shows in America? (Particularly Los Angeles)..
AH: America is definitely on our "to do" list. It's a place we want to be. Part of securing the right deal for us will be the willingness to help us tour America. We had an opportunity to go Stateside recently but it wasn't financially viable for us to do so right now. With the right guys on board though I'm pretty sure we'll be in LA next year.
For more info on Buffalo Summer, please visit:
http://buffalosummer.net/
BATTLES by Charm City Devils
(The End Records)
Baltimore-based hard rock outfit, Charm City Devils are back with their third album, 'Battles'' and just like they have with their previous recordings, these boys tear it up! The band is comprised of, John Allen (lead vocals), Anthony Arambula (bass), Jason Heiser (drums), Nick Kay and Victor Karrera (guitars). The Charm City Devils deliver that great classic hardrock sound that draws from AC/DC and Aerosmith as well as Motley Crue and Guns n' Roses and Bring it into the 21st Century. Blasting out of the blocks with, "Tear It Apart"and following it up with the bump and grind swagger with, "Crucify" from there on its an all out blitzkrieg of rocking proportion with fuel injected rockers like, "Shots", "Everyday", "Want" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down". Other highlights are; "Lying To Myself" and the album closer, "Let It Go". 'Battles' is the sort of album you can throw on in the background when some friends come over to party or crank it up when you are rocking down the highway. Musically everything is louder than everything else, the percussive attack is strong and everything is bright and shiny with plenty of melodies and hooks to have you shamelessly nodding your head to. The powerful vocals of John Allen standout, it's the old story of the difference between a great singer and a great frontman. On the evidence of this release he is probably in the latter category. You wouldn't know it from the inane stuff that gets played on mainstream rock radio, but this is a great time to be a rock n' roll fan. Charm City Devils are flying the hard rock flag that was dropped when grunge took over, and they're doing it with great swagger and energy. If you like your rock music loaded with attitude and just sounds better the louder you turn up the volume, you'll want to get your hands on 'Battles' by Charm City Devils, five All American rockers serving up rock music that will not only fill your ears or the room, but an arena. The Charm City Devils aren't your dad's or your big brother's rock 'n' roll band. They're yours! - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
S/T by Rik Priem's Prime
(Avenue Of Allies)
Bursting onto the melodic rock scene is Rik Priem's Prime a powerhouse project from Belgium and Germany featuring guitarist, Rik Preim. Some of you may recognize Rik Priem from his stint in the AOR project Frozen Rain. For his debut outing, Preim hooks up with that band's lead vocalist, the veteran, Carsten 'Lizard' Schultz to create his own project Rik Priem's Prime creating their own identity while creating a powerful recording in the process. Rounding out the band are, Vincent De Laat (bass), Geert Margodt (keyboard) and Ramy Ali (drums). The music served up here is a blast to the face of energy from the opening, "Sunset Over Agartha" to the melodic power metal vibe of, "Babylon Rising". Songs like, "The Future Is Now", "Hungry Heart", "Flirting With An Alien" and "In With The Freaks" are instant melodic rock gems with an edge. Strong vocals, pounding drums, catchy keyboards, and ripping guitars throughout. Also worth noting is the production- crisp, loud, in your face. If you like melodic rock music, this album is worth checking out. Hard rock fans should love this. Metal fans should too. AOR purists may need oxygen after hearing it, but they'll probably love it as well. It's just that good. Rik Priem''s debut outing is a strong one. Fans of any of the bands like Last Tribe, Jorn, TNT, and Shy, will definitely want to check out Rik Priem's Prime. They are definitely another high quality melodic hard rock band that is worth watching in the future. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
NEXT STOP by Sonic Station
(Avenue Of Allies)
'Next Stop' is the highly anticipated sophomore release album from Sweden's Sonic Station. Johan Boding (vocals), Marika Willstedt (vocals) Alexander Kronbrink (guitar, keyboards, programming, backing vocals), Jonathan Fritzén (keyboards), Erik Metall (bass) and Thorleif Robertsson (drums). 'Next Stop' was recorded between February and November 2013, with Alexander playing guitar and synthesizers and taking over the production duties and handling the mix. Sonic Station give melodic rock fans exactly what they're craving for, with songs that stick in the ears from the second they come on. Highlights: "Amelia", "Catch Me If You Can", "Where Are You Now?", "Half of My Heart" and "Love Clash". The album also features violinist Conny Lindgren who wrote and performed, the violin arrangements for the three ballads "Fool For Your Love", "Broken Man" and "Hide And Seek". The album shows musicians exhibiting great chemistry working together in a very natural way, presenting a sound which - still encompassing different influences - is now defined and definitely btheir own. There's not a lot of real rock punch to be found, but the melodies are so infectious and the vocals so smooth and the production so pristine that you hardly notice. 'Next Stop' is just an solid AOR album from top to bottom, full of captivating and uplifting songs. The music is probably as close as you're going to get to the awesome sound that Toto owned back in the late eighties. 'Next Stop' comes highly recommended to fans of intense melodic rock. Take one part Toto DNA and mix with crystal clear production and memorable melodies and you get Sonic Station. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
RED MOON RISING by Perfect View
(Avenue Of Allies)
Italy's Perfect View returns with their sophomore release, 'Red Moon Rising'. Max Ordine (vocals), Francesco Cataldo (guitar, backing vocals), Pier Mazzini (keyboard, backing vocals), Frank Paulis (bass, backing vocals) and Luca Ferraresi (drums, backing vocals). The band combine the best elements of music giants like "Journey", "Toto" and "Styx" subsequently crafting an admirable collection of melodic rock tunes; each song has clearly defined personality while the performances support the compositions to the greatest extent. For that matter you can expect to find groove laden tempos, keyboard harmonies, piano melodies even guitar shredding, depending on the requirements of each track. Highlights: "By My Side",with Michele Luppi (Secret Sphere, Los Angeles, ex-Vision Divine) on background and harmony vocals. "Room 14", and "Slave to Empire", featuring Giacomo Gigantelli (Danger Zone) on background vocals. For the rock ballads lovers out there the band offer up, "I Will Remember". The band also serve up their take on Toto's "Home of the Brave". This is a superb recording filled with very high energy songs that make you want to drive very fast! Not one moment on 'Red Moon Rising' is wasted. Your ears will smile with listening glee. And your brain will recall a time when all music was made to be remembered. Bottom line; this is a must-have melodic rock album any way you look at it. - Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society/All Access Magazine
