The second Joel Hoekstra’s 13 album does everything a sophomore album is supposed to do. It has improved upon every aspect of the debut, which itself was already a great record. But this is even better and the pleasing aspect is it delivers improvements in all departments.

Better production, better songs, better guitar work, all delivered in a more cohesive package.

The band featured on Running Games is sensational. The great Russell Allen is the only featured vocalist, which gives the record that band feel, more so than the guest vocalists scattered across the debut. Joining in the fun is Tony Franklin (bass), Vinny Appice (drums), and Derek Sherinian (keyboards). Jeff Scott Soto lends a helping hand with background vocals.

Running Games is a heavier record, yet more melodic and more accessible thanks to some very commercial songs and Russell Allen’s perfectly attuned vocals.

To say Joel is an accomplished guitarist is an understatement, but it is still nice to hear him doing exactly what he wants in his own project, writing music and lyrics and controlling every aspect of the sound. It is clearly a labor of love, as we all know the label wouldn’t be covering all costs involved.

So Joel should be very proud of the results. There’s a nice balance between the heavy and the melody and between the pace of various tracks. 13 tracks and over an hour of music flies by in no time at all as the flow is never allowed to drag at any point.

A top class hard rock record that will further entrench Joel as one of the scene’s most respectable and reliable musicians.

Wig Wam in 2021 is exactly what I pictured after announcing their welcomed return. At times delivering mixed results in the last few years of their first run at fame.

Older, more mature and pretty much perfectly aware of what the name means to fans and what is expected of them, Wig Wam deliver on Never Say Die.

A little heavier, a little more contemporary (darker) and a little more straight ahead, this album is chock full of big anthems, big guitars and big attitude.

I hate 90 second intros and I’m still not completely sold on the second full track Hypnotized, nor the late in the album instrumental Northbound, but everywhere else I’m hypnotized!

The band have seldom sounded so good – the powerhouse approach works, and the big budget sound certainly ensures all songs are presented in their best light.

Kreek was first formed in the summer of 2019 after Bigfoot parted ways with frontman Antony Ellis, who went on to form this new group.

I personally found the Bigfoot debut to be fairly likable and a solid album. Unfortunately for Ellis, Kreek doesn’t carry the warmth or appeal of Bigfoot over to the new band.

In fact, one of the weakest aspects of the Kreek debut are the lead vocals of Ellis. His tone and delivery just aren’t what they were in Bigfoot.

Also missing are the songs. I honestly can’t find a lasting appeal with any of these songs and now reviewed, probably won’t revisit this album ever again.

Its not melodic rock. Its not quite hard rock. Its not quite sleaze and it’s not straight-ahead rock. I think it lacks personality and the quality of songs are just not there.

Production is average, songs are average and the vocals are very average.

Credit where credit is due, this is one of Frontiers Records best project ideas and the fact that the guys are delivering album number 4 shows that it has worked.

And in delivering their forth studio album, the W.E.T guys deliver another powerhouse statement. This is another classic for the genre and features 11 brilliant songs that lay a fresh path for the band without going outside the parameters of what we loved about the first three records.

‘Retransmission’ is melodic hard rock perfection from start to finish. From the glorious Big Boys Don’t Cry to the closing stadium knockout One Final Kiss. The album has a more direct, straightforward approach and is more guitar driven than its predecessors, changes you might think put the sound firmly into Eclipse territory, but no, W.E.T retains its own personality and there are still plenty of Robert Sall delivered keys underneath the layers and Jeff Scott Soto is a joy to listen to.

There are moments where you think this is Eclipse, but the JSS stamp quickly reminds you what you’re listening to. Erik Martensson is of course the chief architect and he has built another impressive 11 track structure here.

There’s two songs that could be described as ballads – but they’re more anthemic AOR songs (Got To Be About Love and What Are You Waiting For) – and the rest are all hands in the air singalong hard rockers with a crunch only matched by the sheer gloriousness of the harmonies.

Not only are there several moments that rival the best songs W.E.T have delivered to date, but there’s a few places where you think, wow, that’s a fresh take for these guys (such as the bombastic rhythm of How Far To Babylon).

And just when you think it just can’t get any bigger or better you get a song like You Better Believe It.

A perfect melodic hard rock record. Sharp production, blindingly good songs, huge vocals and even bigger harmonies and there’s 11 tracks of this where the pace barely take a breath and the quality doesn’t let up for a second.

Perfect.