Reviews

After the lull of 2013, 2014 brings us just the next chapter in the story of good music on Valu 202. Part six. No hip hop and no singer-songwriters, but still a vivid and fascinating snapshot of what's been catching the ears of Vala 202's…

Čedahuči, a new Slovenian multi-member folk (rock) outfit that turned heads in 2013 with the impressive EP »Čedahuči«, carried that creative spark into 2014 and managed to pull together enough original material for a first full-length…

Five tight tracks steeped in organic folk melos, the EP "Čedahuči" offers a direct look at the band's songwriting and lyrical talent, even though they've only just taken their first steps in the studio.

At a time when progressive rock had hit the peak of its popularity, Van Der Graaf Generator were still at the height of their creative powers. "Still Life" was one of the creative high points of the classic VDGG lineup.

With The Satanist, Behemoth have clearly taken a step back, which may suit old-school fans better, but by copying the patterns of established black metal bands, Behemoth are losing their identity.

Let's hope this stunningly beautiful album of polished songs, each one sharply defined in its artistry, doesn't also spell the end of the band, and that its release isn't just a posthumous tribute to its creator Klemen Koman.

Power Station 33 1/3 is a pompous, colorful and immensely fun album from seasoned funk rock masters.

Son of Aurelius' second album is a pretty provocative piece of work that has probably let a lot of people down, but it's also an outstanding achievement that proves a truly unique album can still be made today.

The central focus of this spectacle was the presentation of Sponza's original songs, dressed in a fresh outfit of new arrangements brought to them by the versatile musical genius Primož Grašič.

Same babe deliver messages that paint a vivid picture of the misery and glitz of everyday reality. This is a story about castrated men and female dominas. Slovenian-style! Fun, but bitter at the same time!

Celinka brings every last corner of Slovenia together in one stunning, colorful musical bouquet. In the label's seven years it has bloomed in full force, and that bloom just keeps going and going.

When Brencl (Banda) Cuts Loose!

"A four-piece outfit with, as of today (and I hope I'm counting right), two studio albums under their belt played a show on March 22, 2014, at Rimska ulica 2 in Ljubljana, in the Salon za Eno glasbo. At the end of this November, that show…

Another batshit alternative rock trio is coming out of Slovenia's Styria corner. Nina Bulatovix is exactly the wake-up call for anyone looking for the real meaning of that magical genre tag, "alternative".

Rodoljubac, a one-of-a-kind rock act from the Soča Valley, put out a more than solid, inspired EP full of authentic punk and rock'n'roll invasion. Let's hope a new studio album follows in the not-too-distant future.

Lynch Mob's third EP in a row, with six new songs, a cover and the fully remastered »Sound Mountain Sessions« EP, proves that the excellent album "Smoke And Mirrors" was no flash in the pan.

A new, utterly fascinating live document from a collective of prog metal masters!

The album “džeZZva” is a one-of-a-kind, endlessly fascinating piece of work where everything clicks in a beautiful symbiotic relationship of big musical tolerance, fueled by the layered (you could even say complex) musical sensibility,…

The album »džeZZva« is a one-of-a-kind, endlessly fascinating piece of work, where everything clicks in a gorgeous symbiosis of huge musical tolerance, fueled by the layered musical sensibility, breadth and vision of four musicians.

The »Prognoza« EP is the first studio document from Neon, a band that's chasing a ticket to the Slovenian mainstream by drawing its inspiration from renowned alternative rock and pop acts.

"Karma Reset" is a record packed with strong alternative rock material, seasoned with highly vibrant moods and an infectious musical streak. Definitely a nice piece of work that shows plenty of commitment from the band.

It's a live document, titled that way because at two consecutive shows in the middle of New Jersey, Foreigner played a set with a few more songs from their famous album »4« (1981) than they usually do.

»Thirteen« is one of the finest and best melodic hard rock releases this year. Harem Scarem are back in the best possible form!

A crew of seasoned musicians isn't serving up anything new, just circling through the classic hard rock waters (Rainbow, Deep Purple, Turner solo, "Martin era" Black Sabbath) that they know and handle best.

No retreat for AC/DC!

With »Spartacus«, Triumvirat managed to craft the defining album of their career, one of the high points of the German prog rock scene of the seventies, even though the music itself, especially in terms of atmosphere, has little to do with…

A successful fusion of Teutonic heavy metal and Teutonic thrash gives Panzer a dossier of distinctive hallmarks all their own, so let's hope this super-metal trio sticks around and puts out another album like this down the road.

The year was 1974. On March 8, to be exact, a bunch of exceptional characters showed themselves to the world again with Queen II. The band? Queen. After the hugely promising and, let's say, different Queen I, along came another record that…

»Albion« is an outstandingly fine piece of work all round and a real treat for the band's faithful. It can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with its older studio siblings, no beating around the bush, and the guitars now "bite" even harder…

"Blood In, Blood Out" is an ambitious record, and its arrangements are at times downright overstretched, so the stronger parts of the songs end up lying low and don't hit as hard as they could.

The "Away" EP is beautifully weighed down with a touch of virtuosity and arrangement tightness, written into the duo's bold knack for constant musical tangibility. A bold and beautiful start to the Vagabunda story.

This year's drought of melodic rock releases from the British Isles is actually being rescued by Nigel Bailey, who pulled his studio debut together just before the year ran out.

Album »Tearing Down the Walls« is, no beating around the bush, a record that suggests H.E.A.T. have hit the peak of their creative powers. It's one of the best melodic rock releases of the year.

With The Flesh Prevails, Fallujah have taken such a step that they're now even harder to pin down to a (sub)genre. It's undoubtedly extremism marked by technicality, chaos, powerful atmosphere, unconventionality and progressiveness.

AOR revivalism has never sounded so sinfully sweet and so close to the spirit of the eighties. The perfect package of AOR brilliance inherited from the best the eighties had to offer, served up for a new era! Perfection!

Stylistically, the new album sticks to the vision laid out by its predecessor "What If..." (2011), doesn't necessarily chase a hit, builds on "feel," and even though there are too many songs on it, it's pure musical manna for the true Mr.…

"The Great Divide" isn't a masterpiece, but it still brings some welcome, refreshing and positive changes to Enchant's trademark sound.

With »The Man In The Bowler Hat«, Stackridge created one of the most inspired moments of a career that (temporarily) came to an end in the late seventies.

Fans shouldn't be disappointed, since it delivers everything you'd expect from the band. The only problem is a lack of imagination in the songwriting, which leaves too many tracks sounding alike.

This time, with Noctiferia, we're stepping into an era of (apparent?) peace. An era of loud, convincing upgrades to the sound of both Slovenska morbida and Death Culture.

Thrash is proof that Sarcasm, even if their joints creak a bit when the weather turns bad, are still a thrash beast in enviable shape!

With their eighth album, Machine Head proved they're nowhere near running out of steam. They've still got plenty of imagination when it comes to songwriting, it just gets a bit stuck here and there, which shows in the odd filler.

Sanctuary have proven with their come-back record that they haven't lost their charm. Only this time around, they'll probably hit closer to home for those who miss Nevermore than for Sanctuary fans.

Darkest Hour's eighth studio album is without a doubt the band's most commercial release, but it's also remarkably polished and varied. You could say Darkest Hour have burned themselves out, but without looking back, it would seem like the…

Alen Brentini is a guitar hero from Rijeka. His new studio album is easily his most ambitious work to date, the point where the seasoned musician reaches the peak of his creative zenith.

»The Endless River«, the most anticipated album of 2014 among countless music fans, is a fitting farewell from one of the greatest rock bands of all time and a worthy tribute to the late Richard Wright.

"“Tellurian” is basically a jazzed-up, metalized upgrade of the artistry on the band's debut. Soen build on their recognizable stylistic sound, which can be traced back to the final era of Lopez's time in Opeth. "

The first part of the »Radio Gnome« trilogy was one of three peaks of Allen's eccentric genius within the Gong family, who were then at the height of their creative powers and managed to push their cult status to the extreme in an era when…

With their fifth studio album, ŠKM Banda prove once again that they're one of those Slovenian bands that can boast a distinctly artistic voice, completely one of a kind and fiercely self-made.

On »Tellurian«, the band has loosened up the arrangements even further and beefed up the progressive streak of their experimental, exploratory side, which was already clearly audible and front and center on their studio debut.

PFM's debut gem "Storia Di Un Minuto" is one of the cornerstones of Italy's rich prog rock scene, and it sounds every bit as impressive today as it did decades ago, when the genre was still young.

A big comeback for the legends of the Scandinavian hard rock school!

With their new album, Simple Minds prove that the evolution of their style and sound is far from over, that they're still brimming with fresh creative ideas, and that they have no time for the pathetic "riding on past glory" routine.

»Elogia Balcanica« is the album on which Alogia head back to the home turf they know and master best: progressive metal. It's a record with a truly unique musical dossier.

»Unleash the Fire« is a genuinely excellent, classically built heavy metal album that doesn't just justify the continuation, it also fills us with serious hope for the future.

A solid, carefully measured and good-looking hard rock record that brings no "excesses" of experimentation, but deftly recycles and translates the form of hard rock's pioneers into its own musical dossier.

With At War With Reality we got exactly what we secretly hoped for but were really afraid we wouldn't get. One of the strongest contenders for album of the year!

After a stroll through the gloomy halls of sickness last time out, Dickless Tracy now spew up eleven servings of primal death metal filth!

»Out of Control« is a bold studio debut. It shows off the ambition and talent of a young heavy metal band from the Goriška region, devoted to reviving the pioneering days of old-school heavy metal.

After 25 years together and 9 albums, Novembers Doom can still surprise. This is a band that won't stick to the same playbook as so many metal bands today. They'll try something new, and that keeps their music fresh.

»Čista jeba« is a new document that confirms the great artistic maturity of a band full of experience, and its firm stride along the lines of a well-crafted musical vision. With it, Mi2 once again reach the power of great expressive…

»R-Kive« deserves some credit for innovation, as it's the first Genesis 'best of' collection that, alongside classics from more than four decades of music-making, also includes a solid cross-section of the solo careers of the…

On his debut, this sensitive artist and singer-songwriter packs a vividly colorful musical conglomerate of 11 tracks, full of polished authorial charisma and originality, and a true imprint of emotion and passion.

Timo Tolkki is the one tipping the scales: his musical outlook brings a hugely important change and just the right refresh to the project's otherwise well-defined musical groove.

What the seductive, fatal Audrey Horne is to Twin Peaks, the Norwegians are to modern hard rock and heavy metal.

This year's "Klubski Maraton 14" CD gives you a look at six bands, each contributing two original tracks to the compilation. And once again, there's no shortage of interesting stuff.

»Men Who Climb Mountains« is a good album, but no more than that. For a band with this kind of reputation and mileage it lands a little below the usual expectations, though Pendragon have clearly left their most artistically daring days…

With its mix of ballads, blues rock and outrageous virtuosity, the new album Influence also speaks to the listener about what we're all chasing: enjoying life.

Even though Asia played their entire debut studio album at this show, a first in the band's career, this document reveals some flaws, especially in the vocals and vocal harmonies.

25 years after their debut »The Race Is On««, the original members of Dalton have gotten back together to release its follow-up "Pit Stop" and credibly open a new chapter in their career.

21 modern classics from the more mature era in the musical evolution of the godfather of the mod revival and music legend Paul Weller.

With the most accomplished studio effort of their career so far, Vega step up to the front line of the best melodic rock bands of the new era.

"Interlude" is the moment in a musician's career when Cullum got to shake off the "shackles" of writing his own material and relax into the studio, backed by a crew of brilliant jazz-schooled masters.

With "Listen" (the title rightly hints at a creative push toward even more radio-friendly material), the band continues its sonic and stylistic evolution.

»Handwritten« did hint at possible expressive cues for a stylistic shift, but »Get Hurt« fully realizes them. This transition goes hand in hand with a strongly personal, confessional note running through the album's messages.

Bryan's takes on a handful of rock evergreens on »Tracks Of My Years« are a fine tribute to some of his favorite musical influences, and they sound different enough in his hands that this isn't just another set of note-perfect emulations of…

Plain and straight, no beating around the bush: "Rising from the Ashes" is one of the best heavy rock / heavy metal releases to come out this year.

As long as Chris Jericho enjoys being a musician more than being a wrestler, Fozzy will keep cranking out solid stuff like »Do You Wanna Start a War«, which is a surprisingly varied album by their usual standards.

Picture an "updated" version of the band's classic 1987 live document from the peak of their popularity, »Live in the City of Lights«, upgraded for the new times.

With »Anthems to the Dead«, Absolva join the top tier of the new-wave invasion of heavy metal revival bands that have been popping up like mushrooms after rain over the last few years!

With »The Unravelling«, a gorgeous sonic showcase of experimental insight and dramatic eclecticism, Knifeworld have proven there's still hope for the modern British psychedelic rock scene, which has been on the brink of extinction more than…

Hozier's debut will delight anyone who loves modern soul and blues with an indie-rock stamp and a taste for heartfelt, emotionally expressive vocals.

The Breeze - An Appreciation of J.J. Cale started out as a standalone project, but it quickly grew into a broader musical adventure that points to Cale's legacy with fairly faithful takes on his songs.

Author: Rok Klemše Artist: Entombed A.D.Label: Century MediaRelease: year_monthLength: 51:12Rating: 3.5/5 Back to the Front couldn't be a more fitting title for the new album from Swedish death metal veterans Entombed. Not just because…

With »Crysis«, Modest Midget have proven that their critically well-received debut was no flash in the pan on the way to becoming one of the most interesting names in modern progressive rock. Their latest is another hugely entertaining,…

Peter Rodney "Biff" Byford, the great elder statesman of metal and frontman of NWOBHM legends Saxon, has dived into a brand-new musical project. It's a theatrical, vampiric heavy metal album inspired by the sci-fi horror story "Scintilla".

Chicago's Rise Against stick to radio-friendly rock anthems on their new album, drifting further and further from the raw punk rock sound that defined the early days of the band.

The heaviest and darkest album of Jaded Heart's career. And? Excellent once again!

Open the dossier on the Bay Area thrash metal pioneers, with the likes of Heathen, Forbidden, Exodus and Testament up front, and you'll quickly find common ground with what "Demo" offers and the musical vision of Classified.

Longtime King Crimson devotees, who are what this double release is really meant for, will be richly rewarded by "The Elements of King Crimson." This two-disc set of rarities packs in loads of previously unreleased goodies from every…

»I'm Not Your Suicide« is a close relative of the Stryper discography, so Stryper devotees will snap it up in no time. So will fans of Michael's wonderful singing, which is laid bare here in all its glory!

The Joy of Motion is yet another outstanding release in the career of Animals as Leaders, standing out for its variety, its quirkiness and its unexpected twists.

A 30-track haul from the German metal veterans' 30th anniversary, dragged by Rage out of dusty archives, is a must for fans of the band, taking them through chapters of the band's history that have never been opened before.

Starchild may not be bringing a musical revolution, but they're bringing a band to the scene that you can't possibly shove into the revivalism bin. This is a group that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best-known names of the 1980s…

If Def Leppard have let down plenty of their fans over the past two decades through artistic stagnation, Grand Design bring a fresh band-aid for those wounded hearts with their new album.

»Redemption« is far more than just an excellent new studio album from Saracen. It's packed with medieval mystery and was well worth the three-year wait! It's got everything the band has spoiled us with in the past

The band keeps growing with its fifth album overall. It's no musical revolution, but it does bring a fresh fistful of dynamite in the form of catchy recycled metal treats, lifted straight from the old-school metal junk drawer.

"EEPS" is yet another thoroughly honest, authentic peek into the fascinating world of one of the most accomplished musicians of our time and place on this planet!

This is an album that every fan of the unexpected, yet sweet shock artistry in the music universe simply has to check out. Especially fans of the sounds of All Shall Parish, Devil You Know, but also Freak Kitchen, Sylosys, Animal As…

With »For The Journey,« Threshold have once again made a top-shelf album that will go down among the best progressive rock and prog metal records of 2014, and they've managed to find real consistency within their latest lineup too.