MARILLION: "A Sunday Night Above The Rain"

Rating: Live
Label: earMUSIC/Edel 2014
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

There's been plenty of Marillion live album as of lately (special fan clubs editions, etc, etc.) and "A Sunday Night Above The Rain" is the latest to appear on our radar. Recorded in The Netherlands, Europe on March 10, 2013 at the Marillion Weekend at Center Parcs in Port Zélande, this 2CD version might just attract the fans enough to splash the cash. Recorded during the "Sounds That Can't Be Made" tour, the band perform all the tracks from their latest album plus five other songs from the past.

I normally tend to shy away from acts who simply refuse to play their early hits and albums. Especially since it's their roots, history, as well as the main reason to why they can continue to release albums as of today. The live version of "Gaza" is however thought worthy as it clearly points towards a couple of issues that simply won't go away no matter what. "Waiting To Happen" is haunting rock with your progressive touch and "H" sings his heart out to the lucky few at the front of the audience.

"This Strange Engine" is another fan favourite as it brings down a roar from the back of the crowd. The sound is crystal clear and they may be popular still, but there's probably never going to be another golden era such as the Fish fronted (Sil)Marillion. They do however perform "Garden Party" at the end of the show. ... And they've certainly managed to move on from the early days with some excellent releases over the years. I still believe they need to build a bridge between the two though. Also available on DVD and Blu-Ray. Recommended.
www.marillion.com

NEOPERA: "Destined Ways"

Rating: RR
Label: earMUSIC/Edel 2014
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Gamma Ray bassist Dirk Schlachter and Dark Age guitarist Jorn Schubert are jumping on the Gothic/classical bandwagon. Ten years after the rest of the pack and it's sadly just too little and too late. Nina Jiers's soprano voice is classical trained but leaves you rather cold in the long run. Thorsten Schuck baritone is different to say the least and obviously there's the very deranged cookie monster growls going on in the background.

There's hardly anything that distinguish this record from so many others in the same genre and style during the past 14 years or so. The orchestration is pretty mechanical and computerized and there's not a single shred of space nor the much needed sense of human touch. It's nearly as naff as the band's moniker may suggest and I seriously doubt that opera fans would appreciate the gimmick? "Last Pantomime" is a great bombastic tune with Schuck at the centre of attention and you can find a couple of other decent songs inclined towards the concept of symphonic rock.

Final verdict: It lacks however a proper spark in the dark and it's frankly just another display of 50 shades of grey (and no, not the worst book ever in the history of mankind).

Ted NUGENT: "Shut Up & Jam"

Rating: RR
Label: Frontiers 2014
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Ted Nugent and his political view is according to most folks everything bad/wrong with America. The music on the other hand is a completely different issue. He does not force feed the listener too much b.s. (lyric-wise) and it's merely the hint of screaming eagles, Semper Fi, believing in America and the utter surprise line of 'I got a dream like Martin Luther King'. Really? Just like the King? What about the lazy welfare recipients part and did we even mention the subhuman mongrel happening. Ouch.

The music: Did he ever record the great album? The only song I know most people would think of as classic is "Cat Scratch Fever" and Lemmy & Motörhead did it better for that matter. This is surely not the man who is reputedly the loudest mouth and guitar maniac since the birth of rock n roll. This is a bunch of throwaway blues rockers that sounds like a shady practice session which turned into poor man's Chuck Berry on speed. It's so been there, done that, and not even a track like Cat Scratch Fever could have saved this from being below average. It's the sort of compositions that any second rate blues bar act could provide in their sleep.
And we're strictly speaking about the music. Always about the music.

The instrumental piece, "Throttledown", the best track here and you wish they could all be without the silly lyrics and vocals. Sammy Hagar guest appears on "She's Gone" and Ted's already gone and the same goes for yours truly. Dire, drivel, droll, doodle, ditty. Done.
www.tednugent.com

KICK: "Memoirs"

Rating: RRR(R)

Label: Escape Music 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

”Memoirs” is the fourth album from KICK. They released a trio of rather good albums back in the nineties and early 00’ies. Signed to Maiden’s Steve Harris’ label, especially their debut created a major buzz. Despite the quality of their output, they didn’t become the stars they deserved to be. For some reason, possibly fooled by the title, I thought that this was a compilation of demos or something and didn’t really hold it in high priority. Oh well…

KICK 2014 is basically the Jones brothers Mikey and Chris. More precisely, Mikey has played, sang and recorded everything on the album, while Chris is responsible for the remastering. Nick Workman, the original Kick frontman on their three previous albums is nowadays busy fronting VEGA, so the brothers decided to go for it and resurrect the Kick monicker.

The absence of Workman is probably the most noticeable difference to ”old” Kick. Mikey Jones is an okay singer but no match to Workman, I’m afraid. His voice reminds me a bit of Stephen Pearcy, Joe Elliott and Alice Cooper, only somewhat smoother. He excels in songwriting though, and there’s plenty of enjoyable melodic rock material on this album.

The sound of the album is quite good, clear and balanced. We’re talking about modern melodic rock, although there are some keyboard sounds that strangely remind me of 1983 ”futuristic” sounds!

The iTunes version of the album contains 14 songs, but I’ve got only the 11 tracks of ”regular” version here. Out of them, my favorites are ”Thrill Seeking Junkie”, ”Radio” and the balladic, slightly Def Leppardish ”Round & Round” and ”Never Lost That Feeling”. I can’t say that I’m crazy about ”Come Back” with its’ annoying, over-repeated hook or the monotonous ”Urban Refugee” though. In fact, if the snippets on iTunes are anything to go by, all three ”bonus tracks” sound better. That’s why the fourth R is in parentheses - I’d say there’s a 10- or 11-track album worth the 4R rating to be made out of the 14 tracks, it’s just not this regular release.

http://www.kickuk.com

Kristy MAJORS and THE THRILL KILLS: "s/t"

Rating: RR

Label: Diy Records 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Now here’s a hot topic album that has been waiting to be reviewed… Ex-guitarist of Glam legends Pretty Boy Floyd has put together a new band called Kristy Majors and The Thrill Kills and recorded a new album. Only it appears that it isn’t actually that new… most of the songs were already recorded by a band called Suckerpunch on their 1996 album! Not that they get any credit for them. Surreal.

As for the music on the album… whether it’s stolen or not, all I know is that it doesn’t really work for me. Majors pretty much recorded the album by himself, with only another PBF Kari Kane playing the drums. It’s basically very basic punk rock that owes a lot to the Sex Pistols. It’s raw, it’s angry and it’s rough… Majors takes over the vocalist spot too, and credit where credit’s due, his attitude-filled vocals suit these songs. They don’t require a lot of range or melodic sensibility anyway.

You’ll probably spot a few riffs that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on PBF’s ”Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz”, but at the same time you’ll probably notice that PBF had much better choruses than The Thrill Kills.

In the end, the drama surrounding this album is far more interesting than the album itself. I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of it, but now that I’ve gotten this review out of the way, I’m sure that I won’t be playing these tunes anytime soon.

http://www.kristymajors.com

HOUSTON: ”Relaunch II”

Rating: RRRR

Label: Livewire/Cargo Records 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Swedish AORsters Houston are back with a new line-up and a new album. As you might know, the band was initially just two guys, vocalist Hank Erix and drummer Freddy Allen, but now it’s a six-piece band with Erix as the only original member. Well, keyboard player Ricky Delin has been involved from the beginning, but he wasn’t a band member in the early days.

”Relaunch II” isn’t a full-blown new album of original Houston music. 6 out of its’ 10 tracks are cover versions, following the theme of the first ”Relaunch” EP/mini-album released a couple of years ago. Some of the cover choices are quite surprising but interesting.

The album starts with a couple of cult AOR tracks, John Farnham’s ”Justice For One” and John O’Banion’s ”Love Is Blind”, which has also been covered by Uriah Heep. Good songs and good versions, the band hasn’t tried to ”modernize” them, both still sound like vintage 80’ies tracks.

”Counting Stars” by One Republic gets the Houston treatment next. I’m only vaguely familiar with the original so I can’t really say whether Houston’s version is better or worse - the track really doesn’t move me in one way or another. Kind of dull. It’s a Duet with Victor Lundberg, by the way.

Next the band takes on one of my favorite Rick Springfield songs, ”Souls” from his classic ”Living In Oz” album. The Houston version is very good, but somehow it lacks the intensity of the original. Still, a good job.

”Don’t Look Back” is one of the four new Houston originals, and a very good track it is too. There are traces of Survivor’s two ”Rocky” songs in it, but who’s complaining - not me anyways.

What’s next? Yehaaw! Bro-Country! Yep, Houston cover Florida Georgia Line’s ”Cruise”, a song that sounds like it’s all chorus and not much else. It’s a bit of a departure but somehow I kinda like it. Hank Erix sounds quite comfortable singing country, and the harmonies are excellent.

For the Lady GaGa cover (yes, you read it right), Houston enlist the talents of Lizette Von Panajott to duet with Hank.  Kinda like the previous track, the chorus is repeated again and again… I had to check out the original and I have to say that Houston’s version is far better. The track sounds like it was recorded by humans, nowhere near as robotic and tweaked as the Lady Gaga ft. R. Kelly version. Not one of my favorites though.

The last three songs are Houston originals, and they are good! ”Our Love” is an instant AOR hit with a massive chorus, while ”Downtown” is a nice, suitably lightweight summertime anthem. The last song ”Standing On The Moon” is a keyboard-driven, ethereal ballad that reminds me of Dan Reed Network. I can’t say why, it just does.


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David A. SAYLOR: ”Strength Of One”

Rating: RRR
Label: AOR Blvd Records 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Although David A. Saylor started out in the business way back in the eighties and released his first solo album in 1991, the last couple of years have brought him to the limelight in the melodic rock world. First the eighties’ demos of his old band PUSH UK were polished and released as the ”Strange World” album, then he released a solo album called ”City Of Angels”, soon followed by a mini-album ”Kiss Of Judas”. Last year he was announced as the new vocalist of Greek AOR band WILD ROSE and recorded an album with them.

I have to admit that I haven’t heard any of the releases mentioned above, but that might have to be corrected as ”Strength Of One” is a decent slice of soft rock and David himself is a very fine vocalist. Musically we’re talking about AOR along the lines of early FM, John Parr with touches of westcoast and pop. A couple of the tracks are covers: there’s a version of 2AM’s ”Now You’re Leaving” and ”Why Does Our Love Have To End” is a SHY song that’s been only released on their ”Let The Hammer Fall” demo/outtake collection. The rest of them are Saylor originals, with a few resurrected from his first album and given a rockier feel here. All of the songs are nice enough, although at times a bit too poppy for my taste. Saylor’s great raspy vocals do rescue some of the lighter tracks from being too sugary. Personal favorites include ”Beaten Black & Blue”, ”Caught In The Middle” and the two aforementioned covers. Now I really got to check out that Wild Rose album…

AHOLA: ”Tug Of War”

Rating: RRR
Label: Playground 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Jarkko Ahola, best known as the vocalist of Teräsbetoni and one of the singers of Northern Kings, is back with the second effort from his own band AHOLA. I quite liked their first album ”Stoneface” (2012), and while ”Tug Of War” doesn’t stray too far from the same path, something seems to be missing. The album sounds good, J. Ahola sings like the vocal god he is and the band grooves, so I guess it’s the songs… Many of them are perfectly decent hard rock tracks but the hooks aren’t quite as sharp as on the first album.

If you’re only familiar with Jarkko’s work with Teräsbetoni, be advised that even though there are touches of ”heroic metal” here, Ahola is a different beast. Interestingly, I am constantly reminded of one J. Tempest and Europe, because at times J. Ahola sounds uncannily like young Joey. Somehow I also find similarities to the latest Europe album ”Bag Of Bones” on some songs.

The most Teräsbetoni-like song on the album is easily ”Still Metal”, which has a stomping beat and a shout-along chorus with a ”manly” choirs. Elsewhere you’ll get your basic Accadacca riff rock (”Rock’n Roll”), Zeppelin/Whitesnake-influences (”Dog”), Black Sabbathesque riffs (”Road Of Creation”)… My favorites are ”The End Of The Line”, ”Tug Of War” and ”The Will You Always Had”, which do have rather sharp hooks. Listen carefully…

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EUPHORIA AUDIO - "s/t"

RATING: RRR

Label: Ninelives

Review By: Alan Holloway

Euphoria Audio have been batting around for a few years here in the UK, and September finally see the release of this, their debut album. A year and a half ago Classic rock stuck them in the same sentence as Bon Jovi, U2 and Def Leppard, so I was intrigued to see what they were actually like, because most bands have a quote like that from somehere…

There’s a nice clarity and cleanliness to Euphoria Audio’s sound, even if their name sounds like a second hand hi fi shop. Their sound is less Def Leppard or Bon Jovi, and more Creed, Nickelback and Shinedown. It’s tuneful, earnest and less exciting than it could be, designed for stadiums and lighter waving audiences. Matt Shirty has the perfect sort of voice, all angst and anguish, and keeps the music alive throughout. It’s the sort of stuff that you can easily enjoy whilst it’s on, but for the life out of me I can’t hum a tune after listening to it ten times.

Euphoria Audio may be the next big thing for teens, but I just found it very hard to really get into them. There’s no denying the talent here, and they do make a pleasing sound from track one to track eleven, but they may find it hard to get their heads above the crowd of other bands making almost exactly the same type of music. 

Official Site 

KARL JOHNSON – "New Beginning"

Rating: RRRR

Label: Self Release

Review By: Alan Holloway

You probably don’t know Karl Johnson, ex lead singer and writer for Spin, but he’s been plotting away in his shed at the bottom of the garden for a while now, preparing to take any part of the world that’ll have him by storm. Much like fellow one man band Phil Vincent, Karl does just about everything on this, his first solo album, and is planning to release several more.

So is the UK’s version of Phil Vincent worth your time? I have to say that he certainly is, with this full length debut coming in at a wallet friendly £4.99 to download from his official site (link at the bottom of the review). Although he has recorded heavier music for a future release, ‘New Beginning’ is definitely aimed at the melodic market, grabbing melodies and influences from classic AOR, modern pop rock and even a bit of West Coast, with the laid back but still groovy ‘Ordinary’. Vocally, he has a fine voice, and the whole thing is very well balanced considering it was all done by the man himself. It’s not really a guitar heavy album, although there are some nice little solos – it’s all about the melody and choruses, which is fine by me.

It’s always nice to find a new artist who has the discipline to put out an album with no weak tracks, and Karl sensibly keeps himself down to eleven tracks rather than loading up with more ‘just because I can’, as some do. The standout track for me is the upbeat, ludicrously catchy ‘Brightest Star’, although there’s certainly plenty of competition elsewhere. Overall, it’s reasonably laid back but with a coiled spring like energy bubbling away beneath the surface. Definitely a name to check out, especially at the nice price, Karl Johnson deserves a few minutes of your time. 

 Official Website

UNISONIC – “Light Of Dawn”

RATING: RRRR

Label: EARMUSIC/EDEL

Review By: Alan Holloway

The phrase ‘Dream Team’ is often bandied about, and in music it applies to the likes of Jagger and Richards, Daltrey and Towsend or May and Mercury. In the rock world it is totally just to apply it to Hansen and Kiske, a couple of lads who made my life a lot more exciting back when they were in Helloween, even if it was only for two albums.

So is it godo to have them back together for their second Unisonic album? Hell, yeah! The first thing that grabs you about ‘Light Of Dawn’ is, unsurprisingly, Michael Kiske’s vocals, which are as powerful and soaring as they ever were. Many, many other singers have taken their lead from his groundbreaking style, but none has quite managed to match the superior tone of Kiske in full flight. Listening to ‘For The Kingdom’ transports me back to my teenage years again, swimming in the sheer melody and power, broken up only by a widdle-tastic solo from Kai Hansen. It’s one of several tracks that could have walked off of either of Helloween’s ‘Keeper…’ albums, and this is definitely a Good Thing.

‘Not Gonna Take Anymore’ is a more cumbersome track that comes across like something from one of the ‘Avantasia’ albums. It’s a bit of a fists in the air track, with a pounding drum beat and orchestral keyboards that bring to mind Kiske’s Avantasia appearances. There’s also ‘Blood’, a power ballad that doesn’t really do it for me, except when Hansen lets rip.  On the whole, ‘Light Of Dawn’ is an upbeat album that will have fans of classic power metal falling over themselves to get a copy. Personally, I feel that the slower tracks can trip up the momentum built up by the faster ones, but this doesn’t alter the fact that this is an album with a hell of a lot to enjoy within.

Official Site 

MOTHER ROAD: "Drive"

Rating: RRR
Label: AOR Heaven 2014
Review by Rich Dillon

Drive is the first full length issue from Mother Road, a band named after the iconic US highway, Route #66.  Smacked in the face with a very southern hard rock sound on the opening track, “The Sun Will Rise Again”, by track two, “Feather in Your Hat”, I couldn’t help but make comparisons to bands like The Black Crowes.  This album simply oozes a seventies blues rock feel throughout and the band is the work of collaborations between American vocalist Keith Slack and German guitarist Chris Lyne.  Joining these two are drummer Zacky Tsoukas and bassist Frank Binke along with Hammond organist Alessandro Del Vecchio who has lent his talents to such outfits as Hardline, Silent Force and Eden’s Curse among others.

“These Shoes” screams of Deep Purple and Whitesnake all in one to me while “Dangerous Highway” could easily fit in on one of today’s classic rock radio playlists.  “Poor Boy (Long Way Out)” and my personal top two picks of the album “Dirty Little Secret” and “Still Rainin’” keep things moving along nicely.  Things wrap up with “On My Way”, a slower pace acoustic track rising into an electric bluesy delight before finishing acoustically.  For me the album improved as it went along and is a good solid choice for fans of bands like Bad Company, Deep Purple, Whitesnake or just the 70’s blues rock genre in general.

https://www.facebook.com/themotherroad

http://www.motherroad-band.com/Mother_Road/Home.html

DEAD END HEROES: "Roadkill"

Rating: RRRR
Label: AOR Heaven 2014
Review by Rich Dillon

Never having heard of Dead End Heroes previously, I cued it up for a spin.  It grabbed me right away on the first track, “Roadkill” and followed suit throughout all eleven tracks, every one well over four minutes in length.  It’s hard to put a finger on a direct comparison for these guys, but the straight forward hard rock is a great listen start to finish.  It’s not all “in your face” punches as “Cry For The Moon” slows the pace slightly but still very rocking while “Stormfront”’s seven minute opus is very Deep Purple-ish thanks to the Hammond organ.  Some standout cuts for me are:  “Dead End Heroes”, “Feed The Flames”, “Hands Off The Wheel” and “Gambler’s Crusade” but really there’s something for everyone on this album.

With no real low points contained herein Dead End Heroes are changing the definition of roadkill!  Usually it’s something (dead animal on the road) kicked to the side and forgotten about….don’t do that with this release!

Claiming to be formed by accident, Dead End Heroes is the brainchild of drummer Daniel Voegeli, who originally started this project off as a solo recording.  Once guitarist/producer Rolf Munkes became involved it wasn’t long before vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Schulz was enlisted bringing bassist Paul Logue along for the ride.  Schulz and Logue had played together previously on LaValle’s 2013 effort, Dear Sanity, which made my top picks from that year.  Hammond organist Holger Seeger completed the roster that Voegeli had assembled and Dead End Heroes was unleashed, accident or fate I ask?  Some things were just meant to be!

http://www.deadendheroes.com/

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ACACIA AVENUE: Cold

Rating: RRRR
Label: AOR Heaven 2014
Review by Rich Dillon

The term Acacia Avenue is actually a cliché in British culture, a metaphor for an average middle class suburban street. Receiving this album by a band of that same name immediately harkens me back to Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast album and, of course, the song “22 Acacia Avenue”. I wondered if this would simply be a clone of that iconic British band, as if we needed another of that ilk. Happy to report that this band, called Acacia Avenue, is not cut from the Iron Maiden cloth.

This band who issued their initial effort in 2010 is back now with Cold and perhaps “band” is not the correct term. It seems more of a one-man show with Danish creator Torben Enevoldsen handling the writing, guitars, bass, keyboards and some background vocals! Aside from the roster of guest vocalists, a new/different voice on each track, the only other musician credited is drummer Dennis Hansen. The vocal guests read as follows: Rob Moratti, Steve Newman, Album Ljungqvist, Mikael Roupe, Torben Lysholm, Peter Sundell and Nicklas Sonne. The music is very melodic hard rock/AOR sounding with some selections being a little more “poppy” than others and had my interest piqued from the opener of “Time”. Two of my top picks of the effort are both Steve Newman sung selections, “Time” and “Angelina” which features a catchy vocal chorus. Others worth mentioning are: “You and I” (Mikael Roupe), “Love Will Survive” (Rob Moratti), “Calling Out” (Nicklas Sonne) and “Freedom From Doubt” (Peter Sundell).

The Tubes cover, “Out of the Business” featuring Mikael Roupe’s vocal talents is another stand out track, actually I’d venture to say that there’s not a bad composition in the lot!
I’ll be searching for the self titled debut immediately!
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NIGHT BY NIGHT: ”NXN”

Rating: RRRRR
Label: Sun Hill Production 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Night By Night is just what the melodic rock scene needs. A young, hungry band that doesn’t sound like they’re merely recycling old Journey or Bon Jovi songs, yet they don’t sound like they’re trying hard to be ”current”. They just happen to have great melodies, sharp guitar riffs and stunning harmonies. Romesh Dodangoda, who’s previously worked with Bullet For My Valentine, has produced the album and given it a perfectly balanced sound between "then and now". These songs song contemporary, but they wouldn’t sound out of place next to 80’is hard rock classics like Def Leppard, Dokken or indeed the two aforementioned bands. Did I mention that the band looks like rock stars too? Well they do.

Some of the highlights of this fine album include ”Can’t Walk Away”, the AOR-friendly, balladic ”Everywhere Tonight” and ”A Thousand Lies”, which has a touch of Bullet For My Valentine in it. BFMV at their most melodic best, mind you. And it’s just a touch.

My favorite track at the moment takes a pet peeve of mine, strangles it and hands it back to me in a highly attractive package. I’m talking about ”holding on” - just when I was ready to say that the world does not need yet another melodic rock song called ”Hold On” or ”Holdin’ On”, Night By Night come up with a song called ”Holding Onto Holding On” and it’s friggin’ awesome! Hooks, melodies, interesting axemanship, great vocals… the song’s got all that and more. I still think that to release song called ”Hold On” in 2014 is at least a felony, but these guys turn it up to eleven and get away with it!

I’ve been wondering whether I should give this the full R’s, as it’s something I don’t do lightly, but what the heck! I think these guys have figured something out, and they might just be the band that will draw younger fans to the genre. Check them out, and TELL EVERYBODY!

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Michael BORMANN: ”Love Is Magic - The Best Of Ballads”

Rating: RRR
Label: RMB Records 2014
Review by Kimmo Toivonen

”The Travelling Singer” Michael Bormann is possibly one of the busiest guys in the scene. His name pops up on a regular basis, when bands announce their new singer or producer. It seems like he joins at least three bands a year, yet still finds time to produce a few albums in between other commitments. Somehow it feels that the most stable thing in his life seems to be his solo career, which he resurrects every now and then.

Bormann’s solo albums have been of varying quality, but one thing has remained the same - he’s always known how to write and perform a ”tearjerker”. This compilation features ballads from his solo albums but also newly recorded versions of ballads originally recorded by Jaded Heart, Rain and a couple of previously unreleased songs. 15 songs in total, some value for money even if you’ve got most of his stuff already. That said, you’ll have to be a pretty hardcore ballad fan to enjoy fifteen of them back to back! I can’t say that I am, and therefore this album doesn’t work really for me. Some of these ballads are among my favorite Bormann-sung tracks (”I Wanna Hear Your Voice”, ”Love Is Magic”), but then there are the others which are nice but frankly not particularly exciting… It’s quality stuff all the same, so if you already like Bormann or are a huge fan of hard rock ballads in general, you should check this out.

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