V0id - 'Keep Fighting' Album Review

Following their previous albums Ballads For Beauties And Beasts and Zer0, Welsh classic rock band V0iD are back with their third album ‘Keep Fighting’. Produced by Tim Hammill, who has worked with Lemmy, GirlSchool and Ronnie James Dio, the album is released this summer alongside a string of live dates throughout the UK and Europe.

Based on its title as a theme; third album ‘Keep Fighting’ sees the band work though personnel changes, and gain inspiration from various stories of human endurance: A close friend of the band who battled against leukaemia for ten years whilst raising over 25k for charity, a fan in Holland who suffered a brain tumour, taking strength from V0iD’s music whilst in recovery, and their own drummer Gary Doyle, who had major knee surgery followed by a long period of rehab and physiotherapy, not knowing whether he’d be able to drum again.

I’ve not heard any of their previous output, but, straight out of the blocks ‘Keep Fighting' has this marching drum vibe, and I must admit that its not normally my cup of tea, but the V0id lads seem to have a knack of drawing you in, such is the quality of the hooks coupled with instantly hummable choruses.

To be fair V0id have the corking ‘Let Me In’ as the lead single, but the fact is, most of these songs on offer could be picked as future nuggets. From the soaring ‘In The End’, the powerful balled ‘Forever Girl’ to the anthemic ‘For The Soul’, and haunting melody of ‘Starting Again’. ‘How Come’ to a point sounds very much like Tyketto. The gem for me is the first single (of many) ‘Let Me In’. It reminds me of a very unknown (?) rock band from the 80s called Diving For Pearls. Unless you’re a DFP band member or a lover of Klassik 80s AOR then you’ll never get the reference. All I can tell you is that its high praise indeed!

V0id are more pop-rock than out and out rock, but I think its firmly set in the musical realm of FM friendly music that lots of people can enjoy, and not just bitter old rockers with a narrow mind to anything other than metal. V0id seem like they are a guilty pleasure, but not to me. I'll stick my head above the parapet, V0id are a new fave band and definitely underrated, and very talented indeed.

As I said previously, I’d not heard their previous 2 albums, but I’ll be putting that right immediately. V0id are going places, and its only one direction, up!

Da Iawn!

85/100

Tracklisting

Keep Fighting

Not The One

Forever’s Yesterday

In The End

Forever Girl

Where Have You Been

Let Me In

For The Soul

Starting Again

How Come

Say My Name

Little Things

Practice Run

Newman - 'The Elegance Machine' Album Review

Newman – The Elegance Machine

Now, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I never really got into Mr Newman (F’narr) or the band Newman. A small oversight on my part which was rectified a few years back writing for another website whereby an actual CD fell thru the letterbox and I was completely transfixed. It wasn’t a Newman album per se, but a quite cracking side project with Mark Thompson-Smith called 'Big Life'. I managed to catch part of them (Newman) live at the ill-fated Z Roxx fest a couple of years ago. My points of Newman reference are as about as obscure and as rare as rocking horse shit. I apologise to Mr Newman for this glaring omission in my record collection. Fast rewind a couple of years back and ‘Siren’ was one of my fave albums of that year.

Back to the present and Newman have blown me away (again!) with this new album, 'The Elegance Machine'. Albums nowadays are recorded on a Trevor Eve (Shoestring!), but Steve has the knack of turning out these albums on a big production scale that big record companies would struggle to replicate. Not only that, the bloke knows how to get a striking album cover drawn up that looks like its been completed way beyond its budget.

Steve has gone for the ‘if it aint broke’ skool of rock – Rob McEwen (drummer for the last 8 Newman albums returns), and brings in a couple of mates, Mark Thompson-Smith of afore-mentioned 'Big Life' who contributed BVs to  ‘Illuminate’, ‘Send Us Salvation’ and ‘Pretender Surrender’; and Geoff Wootton for BVs on ‘The Suit’, ‘One Good Reason’, and ‘Halo’.

Steve and the band in happier days!

If anything, 'The Elegance Machine' builds on Siren and is a more hard-edged affair, and that is certainly a big plus. Opener, ‘The Suit (Skyscraper)’ comes out of the starting blocks quicker than Usain Bolt after a dodgy curry. Once past the irritable synth opening, title track 'The Elegance Machine' puts Newman back on the rails with its Newman (™) pulsating riff, sonic backing vocals, and instantly sing-along chorus. It’s the type of riff that Whitesnake have been looking for the last 10 years. ‘Don’t Stay Lonely’ has a Journey-esque chorus, and wears its 80s influence firmly and proudly on its sleeve. You can’t sing the words ‘Don’t Stay Lonely without thinking Steve Perry!

Steve goes into the loft for one his bezzie mates (Mark Thompson-Smith), dusts him down, sticks him on charge and lets him loose on the fast paced rocker, with ‘Illuminate’ being the pick of the 3 that MT-S appears on. ‘Confess' is standard fare, but even Newman’s standard is still better than some other bands can muster. 'Halo', in contrast is like a kick to the nuts in comparison, and Geoff Wootton is brought in for some BVs. It will bring comparisons to U2 as the tone is very ‘The Edge’ (why the fuck Mr & Mrs. Edge called him ‘The’ is beyond me!). It will surely be a staple in the live set, due to its uplifting and crowd participant chorus. ‘Prayer For Apollo’ is what it says, a space themed track about Apollo 13. Steve’s not one to generally go for the ‘cock-rock’ school of songwriting, he’s far too intelligent a writer. This is shown on ‘She Walks In Silence’, a song about domestic violence.

Such is his output; both Steve and the band that bears his name should be a household name. I know he is in certain homes (especially a Spurs loving one in S.Wales), but nowhere near enough.

All I can say is that existing Newman fans will be salivating at this, and if there’s any justice, he should pick up a new set of devotees along the way.

Cracking stuff and highly recommended

YOU CAN PRE ORDER THE ALBUM HERE - www.newmansound.com

90/100

Newman is (for this release)

Steve Newman – pretty much everything (Vocals, guitar, and keyboards)

Rob McEwan – Drums

Geoff Wootton – BVs on The Suit, One Good Reason & Halo

Mark Thompson-Smith – BVs on Illuminate, Send Us Salvation & Pretender Surrender

Newman live is

Steve Newman

Pete Newdeck – Drums

Shaun Bessant – Guitar, Vox

Paul Boyle – Keys, Vox

Dave Bartlett – Bass, Vox

Tracklisting

The Suit (Skyscraper)

The Elegance Machine

Don’t Stay Lonely

Illuminate

Confess

Halo

Prayer For Apollo

She Walki In Silence

One Good Reason

Pretender Surrender

Send Us Salvation

Scars

Screaming Eagles - 'Stand Up And Be Counted' Album Review

I must admit, it took me a while to get my mitts of the Screaming Eagles debut. Not so sure why it took me so long, but it immediately became like seeing a long lost friend. Everything felt familiar and comfortable, in a great way of course.

The Northern Irish foursome recently achieved international recognition from Sony Music Pictures in Los Angeles, who after signing a licensing agreement with the band, featured their first single release “Rock N’ Roll Soul” on the Hit US TV Show - Justified, Season 6 Episode 1, starring Timothy Olyphant and airing to an audience of more than 4 million viewers in the US.

 

Screaming Eagles have shared bills with the likes of Airbourne, UFO, Black Star Riders and The Answer, at various festivals such as Giants Of Rock, The Great British Rock N Blues Festival, Hard Rock Hell and their biker edition in Ibiza.

To kick-start the next chapter of the Screaming Eagles, the band will be releasing a multi track EP, titled ‘Save Me’ with bonus material including a cover of Australian rock classic “Good Times” featuring guest vocals from Pontus Snibb of Bonafide as well as some live material recorded at Hard Rock Hell, 2 years ago.

The 7 track ‘Save Me’ EP will be released digitally and worldwide on 24th June; with an exclusive new video shot in their home country to back it up.

The new album ‘Stand Up and Be Counted’ contains ten tracks of blistering rock n roll, recorded in the band's home country, Northern Ireland during March/April 2015.

All the Screaming Eagles hallmarks are there from the off – DC/Airbourne style classic rock with a Punch! There’s no need to be able to be a Malmsteen and play 150 notes a second when you can be as effective and hard hitting as this. Ready For The Fall is as close to Airbourne as you will ever get. Its not a bad thing by any means – its in yer face, right to the point high voltage rock n roll done extremely well. If Bon Scott had a baby with Joel O’Keefe then Chris Fry would be the said adopted offspring. Strike that – if AC/DC gangbanged Airbourne then Screaming Eagles would be the bastard offspring of such a dalliance. ‘Save Me’ takes off on very similar note. An air raid siren gives the game away to what is approaching, riffs of seismic proportions coupled with fire and brimstone. ‘Stand Up And Be Counter has all the air guitar knobs set to 11 for those of you wanting to join in at home (why can’t bands give away free air guitars and wigs with cds?). ‘Bow Down To The Blues does what it says on the tin, old skool blues-rock with a modern edge. ‘Chase You Down sees the SE’s throwing in a bit of funk. ’Breaking All The Rules’ makes for a refreshing refrain. Part country rock, then exploding into this delightful meaty riff.

A few bands are looking to step into AC/DC’s soon vacant shoes. Few are doing it as good as Screaming Eagles. Chris Fry’s (or shout that be fries) voice shines like a beacon in the darkest of nights.

If you love the debut then this is a no brainer of gargantuan proportions. It’s a step up from ‘From The Flames’. Screaming Eagles deserve greater things and 'SUABC' will get them their deserved rewards. Give this a while and they will be on the long road to rock stardom.

Score 88/100

Facebook – www.facebook.com/screamingeaglesrock
Twitter – @screagle83
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Kelly Keeling - Mind Radio Album review

Well-known to melodic rock aficionados, Keeling has a decent pedigree with namely Baton Rouge, Heaven & Earth, TSO, work with Schenker, Norum etc, and Blue Murder on his extensive CV.  All in all, he has appeared or written songs on 60 albums! His excellent Red Zone Rider album was one of the highlights of 2014. 2015 sees him shacked up in the Frontier stable with the Frontiers ‘go-to’ guy, Alessandro Del Vecchio

Mind Radio gets off to a great start with the energetic up-tempo ‘This Love Is Our Paradise’ and the pacey  ‘Isolated Man’.  The decent pace continues thru the first half of Mind Radio with ‘Sunshine Over Me’ the best of the bunch. Once the second half hits its more music by numbers and sees a dip in quality, which is unusual considering the talents of Keeling and Del Vecchio. God only knows what the fuck they were thinking of with the god-awful Monkey House, a whiney, mess of a song.

Red Zone Rider is an album that I turn back to frequently, but sadly Mind Radio isn’t one to have repeated listens beyond 3 or 4 tracks

Score 65/100

Dimino - Old Habits Die Hard Album Review

Out of all the five Frontiers releases planned for this week, the Dimino album was the one that I wanted to hear the most. Most people who will be drawn to the Frontiers roster will know of Frank Diminos past glory and pedigree with glam rockers Angel. Yes you remember them, the ones Gene Simmons plucked from obscurity, and dropped them back into obscurity when they failed to ignite on five albums. Perhaps it was the androgynous white outfits, or maybe just that they were overhyped and not that good!

As all good Frontier bands projects, this one is no different. Pick a singer from the past (check), put him with some other old musicians (check), and hopefully some of the cream will rise to the top? Involved in Dimino are Oz Fox (Stryper), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), Ricky Medlocke (Blackfoot, Lynyrd Skynyrd), and former Angel band mates Punky Meadows and Barry Brandt.

First thing to not is that Frank sounds good. Great even. Even better is the fact that he has gone for his own thing and not done like others have and tried to recreate the past he had with Angel. ‘Old Habits Die Hard’ is a straight 6, out and out powerhouse rock album.

‘Never Again’ roars out of the blocks like Usain Bolt wearing a meat unitard being chased by a rabid hoard of zombies.  ‘Mad As hell’, ‘Rockin’ In The City’ and ‘The Quest’ just powers along with a sense of power and purpose; all have great riffs and soaring soloing.  ‘I Cant Stop Loving You’ sees Dimino in great vocal form. He probably, (strike that), definitely sounds better than his Angel days. ‘Tears Will Fall’ is in a similar soaring vein, and sounds like a song that Dokken could have written in the days when they were great! Top it all off with ‘Sweet Sensation’, and OHDH is a very surprising and welcome addition to the Frontiers label

It’s a mystery why he hasn’t been plying his trade globally these past years as he is a man right on top of his game. I’ve hyped up a few Frontiers releases this year, but if you have to buy one, make it this one! If there’s to be a 3^rd Frontiers fest next year, Dimino surely must be on it!

Score 85/100

 Frank DiMino: Lead Vocals
Justin Avery: Organ, Background Vocals
John Miceli: Drums
Oz Fox / Paul Crook / Jeff Labansky / Punky Meadows / Jeff Duncan / Eddie Ojeda / Dylan DiMino / Rickey Medlocke: Guitars
Danny Miranda / Paul Crook: Bass

Released 3/7/15 

The V - Now Or Never Album Review

Veronica Freeman the front woman of Benedictum and Dio wannabe moves out of her comfort zone to do a solo album for the Frontiers label. To say Frontiers have thrown the kitchen sink at this is an understatement. Either that, or Ms. Freeman has a blackmail (little black) book of decent proportions (see and I didn’t mention her boobies at all!). She has gathered a rather impressive array of talent from the rock-pool! Band mates Pete Wells, Aric Avina and Rikard Stjernquist (Benedictum), Michael Sweet (Stryper), Garry Bordonaro (The Rods), Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner, T&N), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Tony Martin (Sabbath), Jerry Dixon (Warrant) and many, many more!

Her music with Benedictum started out as a novelty for me as they did excellent Dio covers. Now Or Never is a decent departure from the more metal vocals of Benedictum and proves that Freeman has a decent singing voice on her when not forcing the issue. The album kicks off with a few above average songs, with opener ‘Again’ showing the talents of Freeman and Michael Sweet, advertising the modern, harder edge of Sweets talents on guitar and production. ‘Roller Coaster’ jumps out of the blocks like a classic Kiss song, think Strutter or Deuce. ‘L.O.V.E.’ and ‘Ready To Run’ have their musical roots firmly planted in the 80s. There are a couple of duets worth a mention here. Firstly ‘Kiss My Lips’ with Leather Leone of Chastain (with both sounding very similar in style) and showing that the vocal similarity blends well. The second duet ‘King For A Day’ with Tony Martin shows he has lost none of his power and is as good as his Sabbath days.

All in all ‘Now or Never’; proves to be a decent album, and one I suspect that will top the Frontiers sales come the end of the year such is the pull across the metal fraternity for Ms. Freeman. It’s not far removed from her Benedictum stuff, but she is given more chance to shine. I’m expecting greater things should no2 be on the cards.

Score 75/100

 Veronica Freeman – Lead vocals
Leather Leone – Duet vocals  “Kiss my Lips”
Tony Martin- Duet vocals “King for a Day”
Meliesa McDonell- additional vocals “Star Shine” & Acoustic guitars
Derek Kerswill- drums
Jeff Pilson, Mel Brown, Garry Bordonaro, Aric Avina, John O’Boyle & Mike Lepond- Bass
Pete Wells, Michael Sweet ,Peter Tentindo, Jimmy Durkin, Mick Tucker, Jordan Ziff, Michael Harris  – Guitars

Produced by John Herrera
except for:
King for a Day (produced by Kenny Lewis)
Love Should be to Blame & Again (produced by Michael Sweet)

Released 3/7/15

Room Experience - ST Album review

There seems to be a small but very dedicated band of Italian musicians that seem Hell-bent on trying to inject life into Melodic Rock and keep the AOR torch burning bright. The guy behind Room Experience (I’ve heard of worse names, but not that many!) , a certain Gianluca Firmo, who is a keyboard player and songwriter, accumulated over 100 songs and decided that it was time to get some of them professionally recorded.

So apart from approaching that bloke who runs a well known Melodic rock label, what do you do? Well back in 2013 Gianluca probably typed ‘Italian AOR’ into Google, and about 6 names appeared – most of them have had significant input in the recording and production of this album. Initially he approached Davide Barbieri (Charming Grace), and Pierpaolo Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville) asking them to produce the album. A singer was needed to give the songs the voice they deserves, so in came the British vocalist of PC69 and Voodoo Circle, the excellent David Readman. He (David) was introduced to Gianluca by the Italian AOR ‘go to’ guy, Alessandro Del Vecchio

Gaps were filled with a multitude of melodic rocks finest – Amos Monti (Shining Line, Lionville, Charming Grace), Steve De Biasi (Charming Grace), being the core foundation, with the likes of Sven Larsson, Ivan Gonzalez, Stefano Zeni, and more joining the Room Experience family

So what do we have? Ill tell you what we have – Room Experience is a melodic rock lovers aural feast.  The keyboards are place at the forefront of Room Experience, and so they should be. Many bases are covered here, from punchy AOR (Shock Me, One Way Out) , to Westcoast ballads(The Only Truth, Only Goodnight), to more radio friendly power and riff based rockers such as the driving with the top down ‘Not Yet Time For A Lullaby’. David Readman gives his all in these songs  and doesn’t appear just a man brought in on a pay cheque to do music by numbers. Because of this the songs have a substance and are believable. Gianluca deserves his time at the front and does so for most of the last song Only Goodnight, before Readman wades in and struts his stuff to take it up a notch on the grandiose scale. But wait……let the song run through and there’s a bonus hidden track to savour.

Good things come to those who wait. For Gianluca, his collection of songs written over two decades, has been a long time coming, but for him in particular the long wait has been a worthwhile one.

If you have a love of tinkly, parpy keyboards, soaring and polished choruses, with a bit of parmeggiano reggiano sprinkled like fairy dust over the whole proceedings then Room Experience is definitely for you.

P.S. A bonus edition exists (probably sold out by now) that includes ‘Only Goodnight’ sung by Readman, and a couple of bonus tracks

SCORE 85/100

ROOM EXPERIENCE is:

David Readman (Pink Cream 69, Voodoo Circle) - Lead & Backing Vocals


Gianluca Firmo - Keyboards, Backing Vocals & Lead Vocals on "Only Goodnight"


Davide "Dave Rox" Barbieri (Wheels Of Fire, Charming Grace) - Keyboards, Acoustic & Electric Piano, Acoustic & Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals


Pierpaolo "Zorro11" Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville) - Drums & Percussion

Amos Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville) - Bass


Steve De Biasi (Gunshy, Charming Grace) - Guitars

But that’s not all... Making special guest appearances are:

Alessandro Del Vecchio (Revolution Saints, L.R.S, Three Lions, Shining Line) - Hammond on “Rainbow In The Rain"


Ivan Gonzalez (Secret, 91 Suite) - Guitars on "Another Day Without You", "No Sign of Summer" & "Tomorrow’s Came"

Sven Larsson (Street Talk, Fergie Frederiksen, Lionville, Charming Grace) - Guitars on "The Only Truth"


Stefano Zeni (Wheels Of Fire, Charming Grace) - Guitars on "Queen Of Every Heart"


Boris Matakovic (Human Zoo, Charming Grace) - Sax on "Tomorrows Came"

Elena Aurë (Charming Grace) - Backing Vocals on "Rainbow in the Rain" & "Tomorrows Came"

ROOM EXPERIENCE released their debut album “Room Experience” via MelodicRock

Records/Cargo Distribution on May 22