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.

Aussie hard rockers Wicked Smile released their debut EP earlier this year. It’s a CD and digital release, so check your regular outlets for availability. For a release that’s only 4 tracks long, the guys make a real impact with this EP. 4 toe tapping, head banging, melodic hard rockers, with a classic era feel, yet a contemporary production courtesy of Paul Laine.

The band features the powerhouse vocals of Danny Cecati (ex-Pegazus & Eyefear), who delivers a raspy and at times gruff vocal, that ultimately turns melodic come chorus time. He really makes a big impact on this material. Guitarist Stevie Janevski (The Radio Sun & ex-Black Majesty) gets to really crank things up for the first time in a long while and he sounds ‘electrified’ on these 4 songs. Super heavy for The Radio Sun fans, but very comfortably at home for those that know Steve from the Black Majesty days.

Dave Graham joins Steve on guitars, with Glen Cav on bass and Jason Tyro on drums making up the very capable rhythm section.

Purchase on CD: https://store21429008.ecwid.com

It may only be an EP, but everything really comes together or Wicked Smile on this release. I’m left wanting more, with the 4 tracks all making their own mark. Outstanding start, hoping for a full-length album in the near future.

Eclipse are unquestionably one of the greatest and most consistent bands of the modern hard rock era. Now we get a new live CD/DVD, a happy accident after the guys set up recording and filming of a hometown gig themselves. It turned out so well the band offered it to their label, who were wise to act upon it immediately.

The set is really well recorded (and filmed) and sees the guys at the top of their game as far as performance, stage craft and energy in delivering these songs.

Viva La VicTOURia takes in the band’s performance in Gothenburg, Sweden on December 21, 2019 and covers 18 tracks as well as 3 songs from the Quarantine Live broadcast earlier this year, the studio version of their cover of Driving One Of Your Cars and 2 recent acoustic bonus tracks.

That makes for a 2CD 24 song set plus a DVD and if that doesn’t convince you this is a mandatory purchase, then nothing will. Absolutely essential!

Legacy Swedish AOR act Alien deliver their seventh studio album here, the first to see them turn their traditional style on its head in an attempt to reach a new crowd.

So Alien have ‘gone metal’ here, albeit metal with a strong melodic edge and the unmistakable voice of Jim Jidhed reminding us of their true AOR origins.

I’ve seen some very mixed fan responses to this and my initial reaction was very negative. However, despite an absolutely horrendous production (yes, that issue again and a pretty consistent theme of the last 3 Alien albums), there are some great songs on here to enjoy.

I do think the guys are having a bet both ways, with the album split between the new hard rock sound and several lighter AOR songs that could have come from any previous album.

It’s a hard call – do you fully embrace a new sound with all the risks that entails, or do you try and do something different and mix in the old sound to try and keep old fans happy.

Hard to make a cohesive album with two different styles and I think that’s what holds this album back. Not to mention that Jim really struggles vocally on some of the heavier numbers, especially the painful to listen to What Are We Fighting For and Into The Future.

Of the ‘metal’ songs I really like the opening salvo of You Still Burn and Night Of Fire, the band don’t sound any better than they do on these two tracks.

On the other hand, ‘classic’ Alien can be heard with the more keyboard friendly Time Is Right, Freedom Wind and Fallin Way Down.

It’s a mixed album with mixed results and yes, mixed feelings. I think I’ll probably pick a few tunes here and there for separate playlists, but as a start to finish album, there’s something not quite right about ‘metal’ Alien and the production/mix is very muddy to say the least.