Category Cd Reviews

Rage of Angels: Dreamworld

Escape Music/Sound Pollution

RAGE OF ANGELS is a bit mythical, as I find preciously little about their first three albums and double live farewell “Never Say Goodbye”. But Ex. TEN TYKETTO touring member keyboard player Ged Rylands probably knows the story as he has feature on all albums. After a ten year hiatus for family reasons after TEN Ged has returned. Apart from Ged the band consists of vocalist David Reed Watson, additional guitars are done by Martin Kronlund, bass by Michael Carlsson and drums by Pera Johansson.

The main point of the album seems to be the many guests. On the vocal side we have Matti Alfonzetti (JAGGED EDGE, IMPERA), Harry Hess (HAREM SCAREM, solo), Robert Hart (BAD COMPANY), Danny Vaughn (TYKETTO, solo), Ralph Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR, solo)...

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Jorn: Symphonic

Frontiers/BAM

Fabulous but born 25 years too late Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande releases yet another album that is not brand new material. Some of the material is simply enhanced with symphonic parts, others have been remixed to make more room for the orchestral parts. Apparently JORN has strived to chose 14 songs which he felt deserves another chance or perhaps were bonus tracks in some territories. There are two DIO-related songs on offer as always, both “Rock´n`Roll Children” off “Sacred Heart” or the title track off BLACK SABBATH´s “”The Mob Rules”. The lineup of the band seems untouched, and the orchestral arrangements were made by Lasse Jensen.

Opener “I Came to Rock” has been given a pompous opening, but apart from the vocal performance there is little of interest...

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Tainted Nation: F.E.A.R.

Massacre/Sound Pollution

TAINTED NATION is a new acquaintance to me, but Messrs. Pete Newdeck, vocals (!), Ian Nash, guitars, Pontus Egberg, bass, and Mark Cross, drums, sure are not. Pete has been/is the drummer in bands like GRIM REAPER, PAUL DI`ANNO, and of cause EDEN`S CURSE, Ian is most known for GRIM REAPER, Pontus is in THE POODLES and Mark Cross is/has been involved in HELLOWEEN, MARCO MENDOZA and FIREWIND. Strangely enough this seasoned stew has a go at modern rock, and with a touch of AOR?!

I have seen Pete live a few times, but never heard him sing lead. He is a bit of a surprise here, and he does it with a pinch of OZZY back in the eighties in his voice. The first five tracks we´re on the most positive side...

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Edge: Heaven Knows

Escape Music/Sound Pollution

EDGE is an overused word in the hard rock etc. business. But in this case I´ll make an exception. EDGE hails from Karlskoga in Sweden, and started life as a project. Jonas Forss, vocals, guitars, keyboards, and Tobias Andersson (SHADOWLAND, SEVEN WISHES), keyboards, guitars, shared musical dreams and had spent a lot of time in bands together. When they had 12 songs recorded they needed enforcements and called upon bass player Torbjörn Brogren (HEADS OR TALES), and drummer Olle Rodehn of SHADOWLAND. A short time later they were approached by quite a few record companies, the info says, and chose Escape. So, how good are they?

This album is like a time travel...

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Crashdiet: The Savage Playground

Frontiers/BAM

Swedish rather successful band CRASHDIET formed in 2005, and soon became part of the so called new wave of sleaze. They are said to have gained their record contract by impressing the record company staff drinking outside a liquor store. Their first album “Rest in Sleaze” was augmented by a commercial on Swedish TV, but the joy came to a halt as first vocalist Dave Lepard committed suicide in early 2006, and the band declared their end. But in 2007 they re-emerged with new vocalist H. Olliver Twisted (RECKLESS LOVE). He left in 2008 and was replaced by Simon Cruz in 2009. Albeit this commotion the band has released four albums including this one.

This album is a roller coaster. There is bang on sleaze like “Cocaine Cowboys” and the potential hit “Anarchy”...

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Giant X: I

Steamhammer/SPV/Playground

Let’s move backwards to the latter half of the eighties. Not one thing Rolf “Rock´n´Rolf” Kasparek did was wrong in the eyes of me and my friends. His looks, his vocals, his songwriting, nothing was other than cool. Back to 2013, and a change of scenery. After a farewell gig at Wacken RUNNING WILD was alas no more. The final album “Rogues on Vogue” (2005) was not to my liking and gone were the aiding heroes of old, like Majk Moti, Axel Morgan, Jens Becker etc. But the heritage was still there, untouchable, mighty and eternal. Then in 2012 Rolf resurrects RUNNING WILD, with a rather ok album emerging. Now Rolf and cohort guitarist Peter J...

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Royal Hunt: 20th Anniversary – Special Edition

Frontiers/BAM

Danish/Swedish/American band ROYAL HUNT has been through so many changes. Founded by eternal keyboard player Andre Andersen in 1989 they have conceived eleven studio albums, four live albums and no less than six best of releases, primarily in Japan though. Vocalists like Henrik Brockmann, John West and Mark Boals have been in the fold, but only D.C Cooper have prevailed and returned. All in all nine musicians other than the present lineup of D.C Cooper, Andre Andersen, Jonas Larsen, guitars, Andreas Passmark, bass, and drummer Allan Sörensen have contributed. Many say that their peak was around “Moving Target” and “Paradox”, i.e. the mid nineties, while many want to forget all about their oddity “X” from 2010. What will this album represent?

To my surprise they ...

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Amaranthe – The Nexus

If you havent heard anything by Amaranthe yet then a quick glance at a photo of the band might give the impression that this is a typical female fronted band, but nothing could be further from the truth. Amaranthe are unique in having three lead vocalists – two lead singers doing clean vocals – one male and one female, with another male singer doing the screams and growls. This gives Amaranthe a richer sound than most female fronted bands where they have a single female vocalist doing clean vocals and a male vocalist for the growls.
Musically Amaranthe are fairly unusual as their music is a blend of power metal, death metal and pop which sounds like a strange mix but it works amazingly well and the result is a very radio-friendly form of metal...

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Dio – Dream Evil (Deluxe edition)

In May 2010 the world of Hard Rock / Heavy Metal lost one of its most talented stars, with the passing of Ronnie James Dio. During his career he sang for Rainbow and Black Sabbath, as well as his own eponymous band (Dio). With his incredible vocal range he sang some of the real classic songs in rock and metal.

Several of his albums were re-released last year in Deluxe Edition form (‘Holy Diver’, ‘Sacred Heart’ and ‘Last in Line’), and now it’s the turn of ’Dream Evil’. As with the other Dio Deluxe editions, it comes with an expanded booklet with notes by Malcolm Dome and is endorsed by Ronnie’s widow Wendy.

As well as a re-mastered version of the original album, like the other Deluxe editions, this one features a bonus CD with extra material...

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Turbogeist – Ancient secrets

London band Turbogeist are releasing a 5 track EP in March, and will be following it later in the year with their debut album. Musically this EP is quite tricky to pin down. There’s a good helping of rock, a strong punk influence, some metal – a really good mix in other words.

The EP features 4 Turbogeist songs as well as a cover of The Wipers song ’Up Front’. It’s a short EP, with a running time of less than fourteen minutes, but that’s down to most of the songs being between 2 and 3 minutes long. The short songs help give the EP a fast punk feel with songs following on quickly from each other. It’s more of an old-school punk sound than a modern pop-punk sound, and that suits me just fine – I think the EP sounds great.

The band’s website and facebook page list the band members by fir...

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