Reviews

Label: DeramRelease date: June 1, 1967Production: Mike VernonAlbum length: 37.07 minGenre: Psychadelic Pop / Singer / SongwritterRating: 7.0/10 In 1967, with the British psychedelic scene at its peak, a talented twenty-year-old kid…

As it has every year for the past 15 years, this year's pulse of musical experimentation has crawled into the world, courtesy of the alternative rock project »Klubski Maraton«.

Here it is at last. After many, many years. The lost studio debut of V.I.A. Ofenziva.

With "Blackstar," David Bowie left his followers a masterpiece as his final farewell, one that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of his incredibly rich, many-layered artistic career.

»Punk Enough?« has a telling title, but you'll have to find the answer yourself. Koromač are definitely an interesting band for anyone drawn to musical bizarreness.

In a solid 45 minutes, Septicflesh deliver yet another album packed with intriguing twists, darkness, beauty and pomp. It's without a doubt the most original use of an orchestra out there, one that stays true to extreme music and doesn't…

What have tireless general Bito (NčOdNč) and his crew cooked up for us this time? »Kočevje špila – Zastonj« is yet another fresh snapshot of the current music scene, rounding up the Kočevje region for 2015.

"The album 'Punk Enough?' puts its eclecticism front and center, and it's a record that catches the band at an evolutionary moment, right in the middle of a stylistic transition."

"Slapping Jean “Django” Reinhardt's name on any moment of the album would make sense, though Collori deserves congratulations for putting together a record without a single cover, which among similar gypsy swing albums is more the exception…

»Hot Club Piran« has its eyes firmly on the gypsy swing tradition, and Collori and his crew tackle the nine originals by the axiom "less is more", serving up substance with restraint rather than showing off.

The band's inspiration is nowhere near running dry, and "Rulebreaker" is yet another quintessential Primal Fear album, one that stands shoulder to shoulder with its two excellent predecessors, "Unbreakable" and "Delivering the Black."

"Now O'Clock" keeps the shine of an experimental-progressive rock one-of-a-kind, and with this new album Toxine hold on to their pedigree as absolute musical oddballs of the Slovenian scene.

"El Kachon don't surprise anymore with »Permanently Lubricated Nuts«. With the new album they're cementing their recognizable spot on the Slovenian music landscape."

All in all, on their studio debut the band cooks up songs in a bristling, trendy hard rock vein that more than once shamelessly wrestles with metal's destructive power.

On their new album, the band keeps carrying the torch for the visionary musical direction already laid out on their excellent studio debut »In The Bush« (2013).

Jernej Jung has gathered his years of work on a double retrospective CD, spanning his time in various bands (Helioni, Mladi levi, Delial, Jugoslavija) and his roles as singer, excellent composer and arranger, instrumentalist, producer and…

It's precisely the goofy streak, first and foremost thanks to the lucid lyrics and the way they're delivered, that sets the band apart from the "slit-your-wrists" concept of many alternative rock outfits in Slovenia and beyond.

The fourth album from Kamnik's sonic terrorists Nikki Louder brings enough freshness that you can hear a real swerve away from what you'd roughly expect from the band.

Noair are a young Slovenian indie rock outfit from Koper, building on the legacy of alternative rock. Musically, though, they're soft and mellifluous, they get stuck in your ear fast, and they carry a faint, distant pop sentiment.

From Ashes are a modern groove thrash metal outfit from Slovenia, risen from the ashes of Almost Rage. "Dying Embers" is packed with excellent playing, the songs are tightly arranged, and the finer details are dialed in just right. These…

"Stara šula remain their own story. They go at it with serious authenticity, garage-raw and live. Feelingful, passionate and as heartfelt as it gets"

Elabanda are a seasoned band from Ajdovščina who craft a homegrown tangle of rock'n'roll and musical playfulness, authentically crossed with the folk heritage of the place they come from.

Stara šula are back with a second album after their 2012 studio debut. Once again they stick to the tried-and-true formula of garage-stripped rock'n'roll, stuffed with the holy rage of punk bite.

Since Andrej Fon's basic visionary premise remains musical adventurism that knows no frames or limits, meaning it fits no genre template and deftly cruises outside all of them, calling it musical eccentricity in the spirit of rock in…

»Prepovedani sadovi« is the second studio album, on which the lads from Frankolovo keep showing off their musical face with boldness, confidence and ambition, picking up where their debut "V napačnem letu" (2012) left off.

The album has a pleasant, warm sound and lovely "organic" arrangements, but within those very same arrangements it plays things extremely safe. It's basically a proper acoustic album carved out in an "unplugged" version. The band could have…

With »Hyperdrive«, Knight Area have once again shown how to make uncompromising neo-progressive rock with smartly constructed arrangements and an epic atmosphere.

»Ultra« is »Infra«'s younger brother, and he's once again taken his first steps with flying colors.

Grizl are a relatively new outfit from the Krško-Brežice area, but also a crew of seasoned musicians. »17 mečev« swears by the legacy of old-school rock'n'roll and hard rock, which, given the general shortage of such bands on home turf, is…

All in all, "Nedaleč stran" is a well-made, prettily packaged pop product from head to toe, one that's first and foremost out to win the favor of the radio airwaves.

A quartet with a clear, well-developed musical vision and a platform of experience, channeling that vision into a compact form of thirteen tracks with real musical substance. It's fair to say that »On Nesebat Pas Dans L'Espoir Du Succés« is…

The unplugged variation proved to be a successful experiment, and the band decided to repeat the experience on February 22, 2014, at the MIKK club in Murska Sobota. So, on home turf. In a new, more intimate version.

Jacuzzy Krall, "Jakob Krall" to his friends, is yet another hugely gifted musical-poetic visionary, and he's laying out his artistic mission with the studio debut "Jacuzzy Krall".

»Obsessed« is a convincing opening move from the band, and it's fair to say their next releases will deliver even more catchy metal trash while deepening their own musical catalog.

Smaal Tokk is a gangsta rapper from the Slovenian Littoral, an insatiable blabbermouth, a lecturer in the language of rhythmic poetry. »Unotisto« is his studio debut, with a whopping 16 tracks, quite a few of them being a few-seconds-long…

The rock directness of its predecessor has been replaced entirely by a subtly seductive story built on experimenting with electronics. The »Black Album« keeps on surprising. The band has basically created the polar opposite of…

Fans of a melodic approach to progressive rock have gained a new, highly ambitious and talented band in Section IV, who have made a surprisingly good debut with »Superhuman« and will definitely have to be reckoned with going forward.

»European Journey« is a thrilling live document that landed at exactly the right time: nine years have passed since Threshold's last live album »Surface to Stage« (2006), and in that time a lot has happened and quite a bit of new, mostly…

If you've only known the Zappa family through father Frank, Dweezil invites you to get to know the younger forces in their musical world.

»KaLIVEoscope« serves up the ultimate prog orgy for everyone who loves hearing twenty-plus-minute concept epics played live by four masters of their instruments, and Leonard's contribution deserves a shout too, especially on the…

With a bit more experience and a few minor tweaks, especially on the vocal front, Osta Love, who have crafted an excellent record with "The Isle of Dogs", full of deep moments and quality production, could soon stand shoulder to shoulder…

The Necrotic Manifesto shouldn't let fans down, because it's got everything you'd expect from Aborted.

Anareta has brought something death metal lacks almost like water in a desert – innovation and freshness – and Horrendous are not a band you can sum up as a miserable sum of bands from the past.

»Ride the Tiger« is closer to an EP in length, with the alternate version of »Love Under Fire« bringing it to barely over half an hour of music, so this is a historical release that will only delight the most devoted fans of both music…

With "Alone in the Universe," Jeff Lynne has made an easy-on-the-ear album that stays faithful to the classic ELO legacy and is built to please most of the fans, which was exactly the point.

Colin Bass isn't going to rattle many Camel fans with »At Wild End«, even though in terms of arrangement, lyrics and instrumentation it's a thoroughly decent effort that says exactly what he wanted it to say.

»Solidarity – Live in Konin« is a must-have for every Galahad fan, a brilliant live portrait of the band and their work that gives their thirtieth anniversary the send-off it deserves.

Swallow the Sun's most sprawling album, running over two and a half hours, isn't something you can wolf down like a McDonald's burger. It's more of a hearty Sunday dinner.

»A Spark In The Aether« would have earned the title of masterpiece if it didn't suffer from The Tangent's chronic disease: Tillison's dreadful singing, which pretty much wrecks the whole listening experience.

»Another Life« will most likely go unnoticed among the heap of excellent prog rock albums released in 2015 by some of the genre's bigger names, even though John has pulled off a brilliant record that can stand shoulder to shoulder with some…

Stylistically, "At Peace" is easily the furthest removed from the sonic legacy Jade Warrior had built up until then, which stood on a far more progressive and artistic footing.

When Dismember hung it up too early, they left a gap in Swedish death metal. Stockholm's Lik decided to fill it, and with their debut Mass Funeral Evocation they've done way more than just that.

Within the Ruins seem to have taken their main inspiration from that annoying sound when a CD skips in the player, and then cleverly built on it.

Satan are a classic name in the world's heavy metal pantheon. After storming back onto the scene in 2013 with the phenomenal »Life Sentence«, the new album »Atom by Atom« keeps that outstanding inspiration burning.

"»Transcience« is a rare double LP that gathers some of the most vivid moments of Steven's career between 2002 and 2015."

»Transcience« is a pretty unnecessary double LP that will only interest Wilson's most devoted followers, since apart from the freshly re-recorded version of »Lazarus« it brings nothing new to the table.

Yes were at the peak of their artistic powers in 1972, the year they dropped not one but two masterpieces, »Fragile« and »Close to the Edge«, which makes this a stunning live document with special emotional value for…

Wolfheart's Shadow World serves up melodic death metal that's either been forgotten or never existed in the first place.

»Like It Is: Yes at the Mesa Arts Center« is the best the »Heaven & Earth« lineup of Yes ever managed to deliver on stage.

With »Better Late Than Never«, Anderson and Ponty have made a listenable but unexciting and thoroughly uninspired live record that will only make the most devoted fans of their solo careers happy.

With Bloom, Caligula's Horse have once again shown their potential and what makes the Australian scene special. Blending alternative and progressive rock makes sense for this band and looks promising too, even if it's not exactly…

On their debut EP, Once Was Never take you on a stroll through the dark, where amid the crashing waves the only hope and shelter from the horrors is the flickering light of a lighthouse...

The new album from a combo of excellent, seasoned musicians who are steeped in the legacy of old-school rock'n'roll and cut their teeth in bands including Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Rainbow, Cactus, Riot and Masterplan.

Label: Century Media RecordsProduction: Chris "Zeuss" HarrisRelease date: October 2, 2015Album length: 64.23 minGenre: Art Metal Queensryche are back with their second studio album since the band's shipwreck during the messy split…

Queensryche's new album delivers an even more exciting continuation of the story told on its predecessor. It's noticeably more progressive and varied in ideas, which makes it unmistakably more challenging in terms of musical artistry.

It seems Tate's musical formula, the one he'd been wedging into Queensryche's sound for years and which took enormous flak especially in the years after the Queensryche album »Promised Land«, finally really clicks.

Judging by how quickly Kotzen has been churning out studio albums in recent years, it's clear his creativity has by no means dried up, including when it comes to writing material for the new The Winery Dogs album.

With »Dying To Live«, Joel Hoekstra passes his exam as a composer, arranger and producer with flying colors, proving he can credibly write classic rock songs too, the kind where vocals are a must.

Reborn Stryper, armed with an excellent new studio manifesto in "Fallen", brimming with fresh creativity and the idea-packed variety of the band's trademark catalog, refuse to ease up and refuse to give in.

Anyone who's kept an eye on Nad Sylvan's musical activities in recent years won't be overly surprised that "Courting The Widow" sounds like some never-released Genesis album from somewhere between 1971 and 1977.

Shadows Of The Dying Sun is polished, diverse, and wonderfully unpredictable. It's proof of maturity, and it could just as well be a turning point for what comes next, with openness at its core.

The album »Waterfall« remains Mollo's manifesto of deep devotion to the classic rock bands that founded hard rock in the seventies. The legendary Glenn Hughes adds a special touch with another outstanding vocal performance.

»Battering Ram« is the band's studio creative constant! A true Saxon album from head to toe. No more, no less.

A charming sail toward the moon!

Fans of the British school of AOR and melodic rock, as well as fans of artists connected in one way or another with the name Mike Slamer (Slamer, Seventh Key, Steelhouse Lane), will be more than thrilled with this one.

The new songs on "Golgotha" hold on to the punch and energy that defined many, if not most, of the band's past albums.

The virtuoso orgy that is "Culture Clash Live!" is a real concert treat for anyone who at least occasionally enjoys witty, instrumental jazz fusion, spiced with the odd outburst of absurd humor and 'heavy' guitar passages.

The limited Christmas edition »Chile For The Time Of Year« boasts a killer selection of live performances, courtesy of 'Britain's best-kept musical secret'.

This is a reissue of a historic Gamma Ray concert that, until now, was only available on a VHS tape originally released in 1990! A must-have for any true power metal fan!

»Uprooted« is a solid collection of some of the most interesting pieces from the catalog so far of a relatively young but supremely ambitious prog band that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Monarchy is proof that technical death metal is far from played out. Add a little imagination and suddenly there's loads of room to maneuver, and Rivers Of Nihil made good use of it. The album is brutal, technical, dark and packed with…

A predictable format of “harmless” alternative rock tunes, ruled over by a polished knack for arrangements and the convincing chemistry this quartet builds through its playing and interpretation.

"In a healthy musical climate, »Ujemi val« could be a nice addition to the Slovenian middle-of-the-road music scene, though on our turf it unfortunately doesn't yet have a well-defined character of its own."

The thirteenth album from the Danish symphonic rockers, titled »Devil's Dozen«, brings nothing that would shake up the well-worn path the Earth takes on its tour around the Sun along the ecliptic. Predictable, tried-and-tested goods,…

Here's another album from the one-of-a-kind master of the six-string bible, George Lynch, and his devilishly good crew. More than excellent, of course!

»The Elegance Machine« is an extremely good studio album overall. It can't quite boast the sheer competence of its predecessor »Sirens«, but most of the songs keep the typical AOR swagger of the British scene, with a recognizable pinch of…

»Rattle That Lock« is hard proof that Gilmour has finally, musically too, been caught up by a respectable old age, which radiates through most of this rather sleepy, monotonous album with only a few truly inspired moments.

The second compilation from one of the best-known and most recognizable rock bands in Slovenia.

»V bližini ljudi« keeps the signature traits of its predecessor "Trinajst", along with the recognizable musical vision the band has held onto in its new era. With a bolder, more rock-driven stamp, it cranks out even more noise!

»Eternal« isn't as dark an album as its excellent predecessor »Nemesis«. It keeps all of its predecessor's qualities and the band's signature sound and style, and the completely reborn group is writing and making new music for new times…

Purposeful Porpoise is a brand-new, concept-driven supergroup that most prog rock fans will surely welcome with open arms. With their debut »The Water Games« they've made a masterpiece of enviable proportions and one of the most…

Anyone who's into a punchier take on prog rock with a hint of arena rock flavor will have a blast listening to »King For a Day«, even though the album as a whole doesn't mark any evolutionary leap for the band to a higher artistic level.

"Tres Caballeros" is without a doubt one of the instrumental peaks of progressive rock in 2015, and it's a record that anyone who swears by the best and most sought-after music virtuosos on the planet will enjoy without limits.

»The Bridge« will appeal mainly to fans of orchestral and operetta music, while it's hard to imagine it winning over anyone else, apart from the odd die-hard Queen devotee who'll revel in the rich vocal harmonies and Joe Payne's operetta…

Goblin Rebirth have made a brilliant debut that easily brings to life the concept of a little demonic creature born to punish a crumbling humanity, while successfully blending the classic Goblin sound with some fresh and welcome modern…

"»Four of a Kind« is a classic Goblin album that keeps the magnificent »Roller« legacy alive and carries it forward, so you can safely rank it right now among the highlights of their long and turbulent career. "

»Four of a Kind« is a classic Goblin album that keeps the glorious »Roller« legacy alive and carries it forward, so you can safely rank it right up there with the highlights of their long and turbulent career.

With »Beyond The Realms of Euphoria«, another neo-prog triumph, Galahad have matched the greatness of its predecessor »Battle Scars« and racked up two excellent studio efforts in a single year, which is a seriously rare feat to see and hear…

Cranking out albums rarely pays off. With Kataklysm, you can feel it all over the place, from the lack of real ideas to the obsessive trend-chasing.

Haken fans, who have been multiplying in recent years thanks to ever more ambitious and experimental releases, will find the wait for the next studio album, which clearly won't arrive before 2016, much easier with the »Restoration« EP.