Exactly one year out from their critically and fan acclaimed second album Heaven & Heartbreak, Australian melodic hard rockers THE RADIO SUN return with their new album Outside Looking In.
MelodicRock Records is once again thrilled to work with THE RADIO SUN for the release of their brilliant third album on September 30.
The boys continue where they left off, with vocal harmonies, soaring guitar solos and catchy choruses once again dominating.
Ex-Danger Danger vocalist Paul Laine lends a hand with production duties and also features on the song Wink and Smile with a dual lead vocal alongside lead vocalist Jason Old.
Guitarist Stevie Janevski was also buzzed to have Brett Garsed of John Farnham and Nelson fame play a guest solo on the track Falling For you.
The first single 'Switch Off The World Tonight' reminds us of classic Damn Yankees with its catchy intro and feel-good chorus. And here it is right now, making its worldwide debut!
Outside Looking In showcases a progression from the band's debut album Wrong Things Right and the critically acclaimed Heaven Or Heartbreak. There's a good balance of uptempo songs with some superb ballads that sees the band throwback to bands like Firehouse and Trixter along with a good dose of Jani Laine/Warrant school of song writing.
The band is rounded out with the thunderous rhythm section of Robbie Erdmanis on bass and Ben Wignall on drums...guys that are no slouches in the vocal dept. either, filling the album with those now trademark harmonies!
The Radio Sun will be launching the new album worldwide with upcoming dates scheduled in Australia, USA, UK and Japan.
Things are definitely looking up for the boys from down under!
Outside Looking In will be released worldwide by MelodicRock Records/Cargo Distribution September 30.
A limited Special Edition CD version will be available direct from MRR/MelodicRock.com featuring two exclusive bonus tracks.
AnderSteinMusic will release the album in Japan on the same day with two different exclusive bonus tracks.
For the dedicated fan, there will be one further option – an Outside looking In Fanpack, which will consist of the MRR Limited Special Edition CD plus an Outside Looking In Tshirt. This will be limited to 100 units only and available for pre-order this coming Monday.
The Celtic AOR legend that is Dare rides again! Darren Wharton’s majestic band return with studio album number 7, Sacred Ground, their first set of new material in 7 long years.
There’s always a lot riding on a Dare release, as they aren’t the fastest band around when it comes to delivering new albums. And speaking frankly, the two albums preceding this – Arc Of The Dawn and Beneath The Shining Water – while offering a taste of what we all love about this band, still managed to come up a little short when thinking back to the band’s unsurpassable classic debut Out Of The Silence.
That album remains an iconic release and one of the best AOR albums of all time.
So what does Dare 2016 mean for fans? Well, the return of the masterful Vinny Burns on guitar is certainly a stroke of brilliance. And he makes his presence immediately known, with Sacred Ground awash with precision soloing and a stronger guitar footprint than the last few albums.
While the tempo remains circumspect, Vinny’s guitar takes the songs to the next level, delivering the rock edge that fans have wanted. Yes, tempo is far more ‘up’ than recent work and like past Dare albums, it does take several listens to get to know the tunes. The similar pacing makes it a little harder to separate the songs initially, but as always with Dare, it is all about mood.
And no one does mood better than Darren Wharton and Vinny Burns.
And I have to say, I have a huge appreciation for Darren’s vocals. He IS British AOR for me.
In essence, this is a wonderful album that takes a step back from the Celtic influences of recent times and a huge step back towards straight ahead moody AOR, with songs that could quite comfortably fit on Calm Before The Storm and even a few that wouldn’t be out of place on Out Of The Silence.
There are no fillers here – 11 great tracks of keyboard and guitar framed music – but there are a few tracks I’d especially like to single out.
The opening number Home is everything I love about Dare. Strength is a nice mid-tempo AOR track with some sublime playing from Vinny Burns and another killer vocal from Darren.
Days Of Summer is the most rocking thing I have heard from Dare since the band returned in 1998.
The almost ‘happy’ On My Own features a good pace and another shining guitar solo.
All Our Brass Was Gold is a really nice mid-tempo ballad with orchestration lurking in the background.
Like The First Time is another schooling on how to do mood and melody together and the closer Along The Heather is classic Celtic Dare, but in a more uptempo wrapper.
What’s not to like? This is a great comeback for the band and a most refreshing welcome home for Vinny Burns, who adds immeasurable class and power to these songs.
And major props to Darren Wharton for the flawless production and crystal clear mix on Sacred Ground. There are many many layers to this album and such a great production is what makes it fun to discover each one.
Frontiers Music Srl proudly announces the release date of KEE MARCELLO's new studio album 'Scaling Up' on October 14th.
With 'Scaling Up', Kee Marcello is using his past as a springboard to take a giant leap into the future! With the new music firmly grounded in the songwriting tradition that made him a multi-platinum rock star in the first place, Kee explores the boundaries of melodic hard rock with a contemporary performance that nods to his past and employs sizzling production. This is an album all his fans will have to pick their jaws up off the floor after hearing!
Kee Marcello is a unique artist in the hard rock genre. He has never stopped evolving and growing as both a writer and a guitarist and the new album illustrates how much he has managed to raise the bar yet again with both his guitar playing, singing and writing.
Conceived and recorded in the winter and spring of 2016, "Scaling Up" encompasses all the influences and genres in which the Swedish musician has been involved in since the start of his career. Besides the obvious resemblances to Europe's classic sound, Kee also gives a nod to his past in Easy Action. Speaking of Europe (particularly the 'Prisoners in Paradise' era), Kee took two officially unreleased songs, 'Wild Child' and 'Don't Know How To Love No More', and re-arranged and re-recorded them from scratch. Beyond those two tracks, you can hear a touch of sleaze and more classic hard rock on songs like 'Fix Me', 'Blow by Blow', and 'Soldier Down'.
Kee Marcello says: 'The whole idea of 'Scaling Up' is to, very respectfully, use the music of my past as a canvas to paint a picture of where I stand today and what I aim for in the future as a guitarist/singer/writer. I think we've got the balance of now and then just right, and it's performed by the best group of musicians I've ever had the honor of playing with!"
Kee Marcello is one of the most renowned guitarists from Scandinavia and has an amazing history to his name. He's best known as the guitarist - from 1986 to 1992 - of one Sweden's biggest musical exports, Europe. In the late '80s and early '90s, Europe were one of the biggest rock bands in the world. They sold over 30 million albums, landed at #1 on sales charts in 26 countries and shared the biggest stages with acts like Metallica, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. Kee is now also enjoying a new wave of success as a TV persona in Sweden, as well as being involved in other musical projects.
Look out for Kee Marcello playing in a town near you soon! Confirmed tour dates below, with more to be added soon!
'Scaling Up' tracklisting:
1. Black Hole Star
2. On The Radio
3. Don't Miss You Much
4. Fix Me
5. Wild Child
6. Finger On The Trigger
7. Soldier Down
8. Scandinavia
9. Good Men Gone Bad
10. Scaling Up
11. Don't Know How To Love No More
12. Blow By Blow
Kee Marcello: Guitars/Vocals/Keys
Ken Sandin: Bass
Darby Todd: Drums
Special guests:
Mattias Eklundh - guitar solo on 'Good Men Gone Bad'
Michele Luppi - keyboards on 'Wild Child'
Produced and arranged by Kee Marcello
Mixed by Tobias Lindell
22 September - Birmingham, UK - The Robin 2
23 September - Glasgow, UK - Audio Club
24 September - Cardiff, UK - Fuel Rock Club
1 October - Linkoping, Saab Arena*
7 October - Karlstad, Lofbergs Arena*
8 October - Voxjo, Vida Arena*
14 October - G'teborg, Scandinavium*
15 October - Helsingborg Arena*
21 October - Stockholm, Globe Arena*
22 October - Sandviken, Garansson Arena*
28 October - Malmo Arena*
29 October - Karlskrona, ABB Arena*
*Rock Of 80's Arena Tour (featuring Kee Marcello, Thomas Vikstrom, Joacim Cans & More)
So Q5 return for album number 3, a mere 31 years since the cult classic When The Mirror Cracks first appeared.
The Seattle rockers reformed for Sweden Rock Fest a few years back and decided to try and keep things going, with 3 original members joined by a new drummer and second guitarist.
The band’s sophomore album saw them gain a cult following with its more keyboard infused melodic rock, a definite change of pace from the rawer 4-chord rock n roll of Steel The Light.
So which Q5 do we have in 2016? I’d best describe this album as a mix of the heavier AC/DC style of Steel The Light and something new. There really isn’t anything here that finds influence from When The Mirror Cracks. Personally I find that a shame, as it’s the album I clearly preferred by the guys.
The reality is that New World Order is an ok album for what it is – a raw, dirty, rock n roll album with gravelly vocals and a riffing guitar dominated sound – but is that what Q5 fans were awaiting?
It’s definitely a classic rock album – there’s some Uriah Heep, some AC/DC, some NWOBHM influences – it’s pretty easy to get the picture.
There are some ok song, but not enough to make it an essential purchase. They are all pretty simple bar-room boogie hard rockers, a couple of double time shufflers and a couple of slower moments too.
I’m not warming to this album though. The songs are very basic and very raw production doesn’t give the music a lift that might have helped. I’m not feeing the vocals and I’m not feeling the overall vibe either. To be honest, it’s not a band recognizable from the past. It’s a new take on an old name.
This is a strange one. Not known for their high profile, the Italian rockers still managed to find themselves on Frontiers to release the sequel to 2012’s Rabbits' Hill, Pt. 1.
Trick Or Treat deliver their 4th and most accomplished album here, but it’s still not something that’s going to have universal appeal.
For example, the album kicks off with a triple speed kick-drum driven frenzy, only to give up that momentum for a 2.5 minute acoustic renaissance piece that might seem more at home on a Blackmore’s Night record.
Then it’s a fast moving melodic rocker with a good serve of powerhouse drumming and big vocals from the somewhat accented delivery of Alessandro Conti. The guy can sing, no doubt.
And if you’re questioning the album title, let me confirm that the lyrics are indeed a concept piece about our fluffy little friends with the cute big ears.
It’s different alright!
Elsewhere in the album we have a fast moving anthem Efrafa; a nice melodic ballad Never Say Goodbye (featuring duet vocalist Sara Squadrani); a double time melodic hard rocker The Great Escape; the metal menace of They Must Die (not the bunnies….no!); and an 11 minute operatic epic called The Showdown. Closing the album is an over the top farewell to the furry ones called Last Breath. Very dramatic stuff.
The band is clearly growing in stature and this album has a solid production base for the eclectic songs featured. The lyrical content is a little bizarre, but musically, it’s all business. Fans of European melodic metal and hard rock should investigate.
I’m not a fan of Yes. Never have been. Well maybe parts of 90125 and Big Generator, but otherwise no. Just not my thing. However, you cannot fault the musicianship or the song writing credibility of a band that has delivered for fans for over 40 years.
Circa is formed by current Yes member Alan White (drums), former Yes member Tony Kaye (Hammond, keyboards), current Yes member Billy Sherwood (bass, vocals), and guitarist Jimmy Haun, who played on the Yes album Union.
So match that information with the fact the album features just 4 songs and you should know exactly what you’re getting here.
Some quite brilliant instrumentation and some very Yes friendly higher pitch vocals layered over heavily progressive and innovative rock music.
The shortest track is 7 minutes and the longest is 18.
Ok, so it’s not my thing and it clearly is an album that will only appeal to progressive rock fans and Yes devotees, so my opinion isn’t going to mean much in the scheme of things.
What I can say is that it’s recorded nicely. Production is solid and the album is mixed with a nice balance of vocals and instrumentation with a musical bed that’s pretty light, certainly not a hard rock affair.
This review is more or less to advise the curious as to what’s on offer here and keep AOR and hard rock fans away from it. Yes alumni – you guys should eat this up if you have the time to devote to getting to know the inner workings of the songs.
All any Crazy Lixx fan needs to know about this album is – does it sound any good?
Yes it does. Of course it does! Crazy Lixx kick ass!
And here on this career covering live album are 13 hard hitting tracks of glorious Scandi-melodic hard rock.
Does the live set cover everything? No, probably not. There’s always a song here or there some fan wished included, but for the most part the guys cover their bases.
The anthems Rock In A Hard Place, Lock Up Your Daughter, Sound Of The Loud Minority, Riot Avenue, Girls Of The 80s and the closing 21 Til I Die are all there and performed with great energy and enthusiasm.
It’s good stuff! Nuff said. If you’re a Crazy Lixx fan, you need this. Simple. A nice, raw, energetic live recording of a band that knows what they are doing!
In the past year, theatrical rocker Madame Mayhem has won over the North American metal press. Case in point, her most recent album, ‘Now You Know,’ being included on Loudwire's top 10 video picks, and having received rave reviews from BraveWords, Loudwire, New Noise Magazine, Revolver Magazine, and more.
Soon, the UK and Europe are about to experience the unforgettable music of Madame Mayhem - as ‘Now You Know’ will be released on Friday, August 26th via Metalville.
And as it turns out, the European rock press is already feeling Madame Mayhem’s presence, as a marketing onslaught is already underway, with ads placed in such publications as Metal Hammer Magazine Germany, Rock It Magazine Germany, Sweden Rock Magazine, Aardschok Magazine, and This Is Rock Magazine Spain.
‘Now You Know’ features a powerhouse team of rock talent including Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, Winery Dogs), who produced and played on the album, Ray Luzier (KoRn, KXM), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ex-Guns N’ Roses), Russ Parrish (“Satchel” from Steel Panther), and Corey Lowery (Saint Asonia). Thus far, the album has been supported with live dates alongside such respected/renowned artists as Doro and Mushroomhead. To experience what the buzz is all about, check out the official video clip for the song "Monster" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyIiJW5YJnE
“I am excited to find out the reaction of my music in Europe,” explains the singer. “I know my sound and style will be a perfect fit overseas! I have always been a fan of international locations - as well as European rock and metal - and I am confident that the international market will become entranced by my music the same way North America has.”
The Manhattan-born Madame Mayhem has collaborated with notable rock talents including Grammy winner Mark Hudson, Earl Slick (David Bowie, John Lennon), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio), Elliot Easton (The Cars, Blondie), John Moyer (Disturbed), and more. Madame Mayhem’s endorsements include Samson, ACS Custom, Ultimate Support, Wornstar, and TC-Helicon, with more to come.
Brace yourself Europe, you are in for the unmistakable metallic assault of Madame Mayhem!
