Alcatrazz

I'll be the first to openly admit my

feelings for Hard Rock mastermi- nders Alcatrazz. Having procured No Parole From Rock 'n' Roll (1983), I found myself 'in love' with their trademark blend of gritty vocals and razor-sharp fretwork. Thus, gems à la 'Island In The Sun' and 'Jet To Jet' became my mantra. Although I lost touch with them circa Dangerous Games (1986), my admiration for their Yngwie Malmsteen-led yore are intact via imports and re-issues. Fortunately, thirty-four (!) years after what was to be their final studio release, the group has returned with the stellar comeback off-er Born Innocent (2020).Read More

U.D.O.

Let's face it; in a time when Metal is re-defining it-self, battles from our 'Old Guard' have become of importance. An example of this is the wirken of former Accept front-man Udo Dirkschneider. Having already helmed a series of true Metal classics, the rasp vocalist issued a series of solo efforts that solidfied his reputation as a truly ferocious cogency. Thankfully, this is still accurate with the highly-anticipated release of the mighty We Are One, his newest, and perhaps most ambitous audio (i.e., Symphonic Orchestration) offering(s) to date. But this question still remains: are you, and everyone else, all ready?Read More

Dokken

When the 'classic' line-up of Hard Rock legends Dokken embarked upon a tour of Japan, aficionados of the Tooth And Nail (1984) era questioned the futures of the group. The resulting live release Return To The East Live 2016 was all but guaranteed to lead to a full-blown reunion. But Lynch and Pilson moved on and the group soon re-convened for a series of highly-successful club tours. Fortunately, with the release of The Lost Songs: 1978-1981 (2020), the group has returned to again remind us all of their prowess.Read More

L.A. Guns

Like it or not, line-up turmoil have often been a 'necessary evil' amid the history of the Glam and Hair Metal sub-genre. However, few groups have successfully endured as much as Los Angeles-born veterans L.A. Guns. Accordingly, when Steve Riley (drums) and Kelly Nickels (bass) re-united in early 2019, it was a 'noteworthy' moment. Recently, Riley, always a man of many words and interesting stories, was kind enough to speak with us regarding, among many other things, the introduction of new frontman Kurt Frohlich.Read More

Immortal

Just when it appeared my increasingly-damaged psyche had been graced with every noteworthy variation of the 'tried and true' Vinyl Re-Issue formulation, a release that actually piqués my interest emerges. My lingering obsessions with the singularly ingenious Black Crowes and Krokus deluxe vinyl treatments not fully withstanding, the impacts of such artists have typically fallen well short of their expectations. Not surprisingly, you can only imagine our pure listening satisfaction with the highly-anticipated release of the Immortal jewels Sons Of Northern Darkness. Read More

Iron Maiden

When NWOBHM masters Iron Maiden released Dance Of Death (1999), their reputation was already legendary. Led by the infectious single 'Rainmaker', it would soon reinforce their post-reunion mettle. Adorned via cover art courtesy of the often acclaimed David Patchett (Cathedral), it was the group's first release to be Produced by Kevin Shirley (Dream Theater) Now, with this stunning vinyl variation upon us all, they once again appear truly destined to carry on with the prototypical, genre-defining Classic Heavy Metal so many 'purists' already know and love. Read More

Lindsay Schoolcraft

At this point, my obsession with Cradle Of Filth has been 'well documented'. Not surprisingly, those feelings extend to their keyboardist. Accordingly, once I'd discovered Lindsay Schoolcraft as a solo artist, I became a truly dedicated fan of her oft-distinctive tonality. Now with the release of the brilliant Martyr, the Ontario-born multi-octave vocalist is destined--or so it would seem--for a long and fruitful career that, believe it or not, manages to encompass elements from several Classical and Black Metal sub-genres. Hear More

Pyramids On Mars

I'll be the the first to admit my life-long love of instrumental guitarists. Although the 'collective catalogs' of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai once left me enthralled, I ultimately found myself searching for a fresher alternative. Fortunately, this is truly the case with Pyramids On Mars maestro Kevin Estrella. Now with their latest Extraterrestrial-dictated release Edge Of The Black, Estrella has once again resolidified his reputation as a genuine and sincere creative force not to be ignored amid the Instrumental Prog Rock genre. Hear More