Reviews

With the stylistically varied gem "Guitar Noir," the maestro Hackett stepped into the nineties in the most convincing way possible, once again reshaping his sonic identity with a dose of distinctly darker ambient essence than in years past.

Over 50 minutes of the noblest school of primal Teutonic metal, “the German way,” that'll have your carotid arteries ready to burst. Accept fans absolutely have to check this one out. You'll fall for it instantly and irreversibly.

Label: Metal HeavenRelease date: 22.06.2012Production: Herman FrankAlbum length: 53.58 minGenre: Heavy Metal Herman Frank is the legendary German guitarist who's burned into all our memories as one half of the hard-to-separate guitar…

Fusion Point is a band that works best live, where the musicians can show off their chops through improvisation. Since their music is at least partly built on punch, intimacy is exactly what they need.

A big »YES« for the new EP. It's worth checking out, and fans of the band will be rewarded most of all by the two bonus tracks that won't come out anywhere else (maybe on some live release down the road). The rest of us can at least partly…

»Return to Eden« is a triumphant return of one of the finest new wave bands of the eighties, in their classic lineup, and through the performances of their beloved classics they sound like they haven't aged a bit in thirty years.

»New Blood« is a far more inspired and sensible experiment than its dull predecessor »Scratch My Back«, since most of the orchestrally reworked versions of Gabriel's chosen classics come off remarkably well and in some cases even match the…

With their debut, Phi have definitely earned some attention, at least in their native Austria if not further afield. Despite a certain derivativeness, they keep a distinct voice of their own next to Wilson's band, and they pull it off with…

There are only two good reasons to buy this live release, marked by weak production and the relatively stage-bound reserve of the individual instrumentalists: Ted Leonard's successful debut as lead singer of the 'Beardsmen' and Neal Morse…

It Bites have simply been unstoppable in recent years, especially when it comes to turning out superb releases that win over old and new fans alike without breaking a sweat. The live DVD/CD »It Happened One Night« easily ranks among their…

Artist: Battlestations Battlestations' entrance into the postmodern, self-searching music commune with their debut is flawless. Charismatic, mysterious, sudden, and yet unbelievably humble. Blitzkrieg without the ammo. Winning people over…

»Cor Cordium« is a quintessential, thoroughly 'pretty' Glass Hammer album with an old-school symphonic prog rock charge, and in its pomposity it could hardly be any more 'Yes-like' (among other things, it sports a cover by Tom Kuhn that…

»The X Tour – Live« is a quality live album and a fitting farewell to Nick D'Virgilio, captured at the moment when the Spock's Beard lineup under his vocal leadership, riding high on the masterpiece »X«, was at its creative peak and seemed…

»In The Present« is a very solid live document on which Yes, 'beauty flaw' in the vocals and all, impress with their more-or-less lived-in takes on cult standards from the 'golden years'.

»A Life Within A Day« is a superb achievement, and from start to finish you can feel that Mr. Hackett and Mr. Squire, despite the respectable number of years behind them, are still virtuosos and songwriting wizards without equal, who…

With »Banks Of Eden« the Flower Kings have made yet another cracking album with a clear focus, one that will thrill every longtime follower. Sure, it doesn't bring anything earth-shattering to their musical vocabulary, but it's…

»Storm Corrosion« is a post-apocalyptic ambient requiem, born from the ashes of pagan bacchanalia, the kind only two musicians of the caliber of Messrs. Wilson and Åkerfeldt could conjure up together.

»For Girls Who Grow Plump In The Night« is an epic triumph of subtle compositional polish, improvisational spontaneity, majestic ambient shading and unbridled English humor, courtesy of one of the greatest progressive rock bands of all…

Mr. Crane surely wouldn't have been proud of »Headline News« had he still been alive today, but with a low production budget, a trio of guitar 'hired guns' who got their job done as fast as humanly possible, and his own vocal contribution,…

Credit to The Beach Boys for making a new studio album that doesn't bring anything new to the table but is interesting enough for the most devoted fans to embrace.

Na »Atomic Rooster« se je pripetila še ena zvočna mutacija, ko je že odpisana kultna skupina vstala od mrtvih in ustvarila presenetljivo soliden težko rockerski album s pomočjo katerega so osvojili srca številnih ljubiteljev NWOBHM scene.…

Even though »Nice 'n' Greasy« is far from a bad album on the technical side, with the virtuosity of the individual players at an outstanding level throughout and Farlowe reigning supreme with a brilliant vocal performance, it's anything but…

»Made in England« is anything but a classic Atomic Rooster album: thanks above all to Farlowe's untamed, 'erotomaniac' vocals, it's a total swerve into funk and soul and a farewell to the hard-hitting progressive rock that made the band…

»In Hearing of« is among the best moments in Atomic Rooster's career, despite yet another shake-up in the sound department that kept them from ever settling on a signature style. That was a good thing in one way, since their fans never knew…

The dark epic "Death Walks Behind You" is the most complete statement in the whole saga of this cult British rock outfit and prog rock classic. It's an album that's still essential listening for anyone who loves the mighty sound of the…

Atomic Rooster's debut was a fitting start and a good sign of where this cult band, equally important for the development of progressive rock and heavy rock, would hang out stylistically for most of its career, a band forever marked by…

»Home« was a temporary retreat into homespun rhythm and blues territory, with Procol Harum clipping the wings of their symphonic arrangements a bit. It was an artistic step back, but the end result was still thrilling enough that the album…

"Seventh Sojourn" is a masterpiece from top to bottom and perhaps even the most polished achievement by the prog rock legends since "Days Of Future Passed" (1967). The majestic orchestral arrangements never sounded better on any other The…

»Clockwork Angels« is the new Rush masterpiece we've been waiting more than twenty years for, and right now the top contender for best progressive rock album of 2012. Greased with every trick in the book, the inseparable trio has made a…

The "ALT" project is the ultimate improvisational switch-off, made first and foremost for the longtime fans of this legendary progressive rock trio. They've always had a soft spot for this kind of totally unpredictable sonic experiment from…

Fairport Convention's debut was a colorful collection of more or less successful folk and folk rock standards with very few originals, but every take on the American originals was solid at the very least, and the first signs that a key band…

The Strawbs' debut was a thoroughly solid start to the long and successful career of these eternal prog folk rock innovators, but it was still relatively far from the depth and polish of their best work, once they finally discovered the…

»A Salty Dog« is one of the finest achievements in the long, stormy saga of these indestructible prog rock pioneers, who made most of their greatest masterpieces early in their career.

»Every Good Boy Deserves Favour«, another superb studio achievement packed with all the beloved trademarks of this legendary band, cemented The Moody Blues' status as eternal innovators and champions of melodic symphonic prog rock.

"Fairport Convention's debut was a colorful grab bag of more or less successful folk and folk rock standards with precious few originals, but every take on the American source material was at least solid, and the first signs that a key band…

End of Time is more than an interesting release – like everything about this otherwise mysterious band, it's worth your attention. It's an unconventional approach to music, and certainly the driving force of true, non-recycled…

»Onward« is another superb follow-up to the excellent »Blood Of The Earth« and more proof that the eternal cosmic warriors Hawkwind are musically and conceptually more relevant in the 21st century than at any point since the end of the…

With »Internal Exile«, which sadly never brought him the commercial success it deserved, Fish delivered yet another album early in his solo career, one whose powerful, confessional atmosphere always leaves a strong mark on the listener, and…

»Keeping the Nite Light Burning« was a fascinating acoustic experiment that tested how far a handful of Magnum classics could stretch sonically, and a fine tribute to their golden era between 1982 and 1992, when they reached for the stars…

After Zeitgeist, hope was dead. Now the eighth record, a sign of infinity, stirs up hope for a better tomorrow, even though Corgan alone calls the shots in this universe.

The first live album in the story of these Chicago arena rock giants is still a real treat for every fan, packed with brilliant versions of long-running classics, while the band glows with live energy all night long, and you can feel it in…

Artist: Mount Eerie Clear Moon, a work of art in every respect, is a reason to spend every single moment of your life in the company of eternal beauty. In the company of Clear Moon. In the company of Mount Eerie. | Clear Moon is, in its…

The new album from Sweden's Eclipse won't make your mechanoreceptors bleed, but you'll definitely be screaming along to it, unleashed, for quite a while. Especially if you're a full-blooded AOR fan. It's one of the best releases of the year…

"Kilroy Was Here" is, without a shred of doubt and in all its conceptual absurdity, the most entertaining experiment in the story of the legendary Chicago arena rockers, who used it to perform a ritual suicide of pretentiousness and vanish…

"All Things Considered" is Jesse Adams' studio debut, brimming with confessional freshness, as he subtly melts genre barriers together, and guitar virtuoso Grega Habič adds a special touch of magic!

The new Sabaton album has no standout moments, but it hits a lot harder and hungrier than its predecessor "Coat Of Arms", so it'll end up far better received in the medium run! Sonically, "Carolus Rex" is a perfectly produced piece of work.

Artist: Azazello Preobrazhenie puts Azazello in a great light, especially given how relentlessly they keep knocking on the door of the global prog scene. | Preobrazhenie once again shows Azazello as a great-sounding band, which only fuels…

With its schizophrenic nature and its digging around in dead blues roots with a busted compass in hand, "Never Say Die" was the herald of the classic Black Sabbath lineup's farewell.

"Even though nearly every Sabbath traditionalist still turns their back on it today, anyone whose musical horizons stretch beyond strict heavy metal boundaries can appreciate its experimental nature and rare brilliant moments. As a whole…

With their self-titled debut, Black Sabbath pulled off a bona fide revolution: while fooling around with the blues, they stumbled onto a whole new form of rock music that critics of the day dubbed heavy metal, which makes this one of the…

The Icelanders' new album Valtari isn't about preserving the band's unique musical style and its shifts from record to record. Instead, it plunges Sigur Rós into a thick haze of ambient formaldehyde.

This live document and farewell from Triumph proves the trio's incredible stage chemistry. Not for a second does it feel like the band just crawled out of years of hibernation and inactivity. It sounds like they've been tearing up stages…

With their self-titled debut, Black Sabbath pulled off a genuine revolution: while tinkering with the blues, they unexpectedly stumbled onto a whole new form of rock music, which the critics of the day dubbed heavy metal, making this one of…

»Paranoid« is, in every respect, the most important album by Birmingham's heavy rock giants and a masterpiece of heavy metal in its embryonic form, the record that finally shot them into the stratosphere of the most exciting bands of the…

With this record, Katarina Juvančič and Dejan Lapanja add another magnificent and, by the standards of singular authorial voice, brilliant piece of work to the Slovenian singer-songwriter scene. You can call it an artistic peak on the spot,…

"'Paranoid' is, in every respect, the most important album by the heavy rock giants from Birmingham and a masterpiece of heavy metal in its embryonic form, the one that finally shot them into the stratosphere of the most exciting bands of…

"»Master of Reality« is still one of the most influential heavy rock albums ever, playing a hugely important role in the development of the heavy metal scene, especially the doom metal and stoner rock/metal subgenres, and with its dark,…

»Master of Reality« is still one of the most influential hard rock albums ever. It played a huge role in shaping the heavy metal scene, especially the doom metal and stoner rock/metal subgenres, and with its dark, brooding…

"On their fourth studio outing, Black Sabbath hit a new level of maturity and made yet another classic heavy rock gem that, on top of the usual 'doom & gloom' punch and 'chasing the devil's tail', positively brims with unbridled…

On their fourth studio outing, Black Sabbath hit a new level of maturity and cooked up yet another classic heavy rock gem that, on top of the usual 'doom & gloom' punch and 'chasing the devil's tail' swagger, positively brims with…

The Shaman is back with the album fans of his unique guitar technique and distinctive musical language had to wait quite a long time for, and he's delivered a top-notch Latin rock fusion achievement.

The adventurous masterpiece »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath« is the most artistically accomplished achievement of the Ozzy era. It finally crowned the legendary heavy metal forefathers from Birmingham as the most important heavy rock…

"Nieuniknione" is a mature step up from the band's 2007 debut. With the new album, Zero Procent have nailed down their own musical turf, a distinctive mix of alternative rock, funk, pop, even classic rock.

"The adventurous masterpiece »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath« is the most artistically accomplished achievement of the Ozzy era. It finally crowned the legendary heavy metal forefathers from Birmingham as the most important heavy rock band of the…

"»Sabotage« is a heavy rock masterpiece with a strong experimental streak and yet another gorgeous document of the golden era of musical innovation, when Black Sabbath were at the peak of their creative powers."

»Sabotage« is a heavy rock masterpiece with a strong experimental streak, and one more gorgeous document of the golden age of musical innovation, when Black Sabbath were standing at the peak of their creative powers.

The new album from sleaze rock stallions Million Dollar Reload makes zero effort to hide the hard-ons it gives you, digs deeper into the groove of their studio debut, and if the Scandinavians have Crazy Lixx, the Northern Irish now have…

»20/20« is a classic Saga album in every sense of the word, built to please the band's longtime devotees. These art rock giants keep wowing us with highly artistic records that never run short of innovative moments.

“Inside My Head”, which doesn't hide an abundance of ballads in its track selection (Marx was always at his most expressive in those), is, as already mentioned, a compilation double CD, whose main purpose, from the label Frontiers Records,…

"The fact that “Technical Ecstasy” is cherished by music gourmets of a very special kind is also underlined by a neat tidbit: one of the levels in the popular 1995 video game 'Rise Of the Triads' carried this album's title, while “Dirty…

»Technical Ecstasy« may not be a classic 'doom & gloom' Black Sabbath album by most fans' standards. Even so, it's one of their sonically deepest records, one where the creative chemistry between the four original members burned one…

»Paradise Theater« was the peak of Styx's golden era, when the members of this legendary band were practically unstoppable at forging monumental albums and arena rock still called the shots at the top of the radio charts one last time.

The Cult are heading into the second decade of the new millennium with their heads held high.

With its aloofness, subtlety and artistic approach, the album Little Broken Hearts once again places Norah Jones among a handful of timeless artists.

"XXX" is a solid effort, one with which Asia have marked the thirtieth anniversary of their existence and of their legendary self-titled debut, successfully and with an eye on the future.

With this one, the band has delivered its most dynamic album to date, with wildly varied lead arrangements and moods that ebb and flow. It confirms a remarkable gift for combining lasting punch with a knack for engineering contagious…

The debut from young band Wigelius doesn't hide its creators' talents. Let's hope that down the line those talents get paired with a lot less of the mold-following that the once-key AOR/melodic rock acts set in stone.

The debut "Poglej" is a collection of songs that are easy to get into, with a clear character and enough art-rock originality to grab your attention. When it comes to melody, Neomi are an exceptionally strong band, and far from banal or…

"The debut »Poglej« is a collection of easygoing songs with such a clear streak of originality that it'll grab your attention whether you like it or not. "

This is a dynamic, fresh-sounding album from a new band, and it deserves special attention from fans of hard-edged metal aggression, the erotic pull of biting atmospheres, rock-solid vocal dominance and a mildly progressive complexion, all…

While other veterans mark big anniversaries with best-of compilations, SOIA would rather hit the studio and re-record a whole set of essential HC. Shortcuts are for pussies, after all!

»The Gathering« is a must for every Magnum devotee, because it's not just a run-of-the-mill retrospective of one of the most exciting art/melodic rock bands of the last three decades. It's a proper treasure chest, and there's something…

What does 20 years of grinding, bleeding and unbridled rage sound like? Pro-Pain show you in vivid detail on a compilation marking their remarkable and often overlooked two decades of NYHC existence.

"Po Viharju..." treads cautiously down the well-worn path of generic, established molds. Papir give off the same familiar pop deodorant, and with the urge to please others winning out, they mostly play the evil stepmother to their own…

On the hunt for heaviness, the new Jorn album holds back a bit this time and leans harder into the retro sound of old-school rock. In rock terms, it's even the "easiest" Jorn album since the debut "Starlight" (2001).

After the less decisive "Leaving The End Open", "Danger Zone" is the point where the band's melodic rock groove is finally convincingly nailed down, and let's hope Hardline keep it up and deepen their musical artistry from here.

All things considered, when it comes to consistency, »Leaving The End Open« is a step forward for Hardline compared to its predecessor »II«. As long as it's a step forward, right?

The outstanding fourth record from Texas's alternative lawmen serves up the intellectual alternative edge we got used to with Mars Volta, but Fair To Midland has a pair of its own and geysers of brilliant intellect, and they don't need to…

»Nine« is a great album. It carries everything we demand from the Circus Maximus name. It deepens the maturity of a band that has delivered the most contrasting album of its career, steeped in just the right dose of catchy melodic songcraft…

»Future Past« is an outstanding musical document, laid down on tape in flawless fashion, and with it Michael Thompson remains the master of that magical "west coast AOR" touch.

Is it their best work? No, that title still belongs to America's Least Wanted, but Stairway To Hell is one hell of a record.

After this album, too, Max Navarro will have to keep hunting for the right cue to give his music more kick in the crotch, as well as some useful stiffness. In the sea of new releases, there are simply too many good albums by other hard rock…

After Transgalaktika, it's time for a soul-merging trip across the plains of a thousand dreamy cities, with vocals gently woven into the whole. An impressive third record that's worth every second of your time here at home.

With »Konec sveta vedno pride nenapovedano«, Boštjan Narat has climbed to an even higher level of his own personal brand of preaching, cementing his place as one of the most prominent figures on the modern Slovenian singer-songwriter scene.

Label: Pivec Release year: 2012Production: Blaž Celarec & Matevž KolencAlbum length: 44.36 minGenre: Singer / Songwritter Boštjan Narat is definitely a one-of-a-kind figure among Slovenia's singer-songwriters. The guy who once…

The old tomcat is out exploring again!

Don't Think is an imperative that embodies the spirit of the age and the society we live in. Let's give up the organic so we can be, if only for a moment, happier than we are: that's the code championed by British duo Chemical Brothers.

Eppur si muove could easily be the title of the debut from Slovenian duo It's Everyone Else. Just as I was slowly giving up on the Slovenian music scene's lack of originality, when everything I heard felt like a recycled version of…

With his singer-songwriter debut, Boštjan Narat has carved out a clearly recognizable spot under the free artistic-creative sun of the valley of Šentflorjan, putting him shoulder to shoulder with the finest names in our country, each of…

Label: PivecYear of release: 2010Production: Blaž CelarecAlbum length: 33.13 minGenre: Singer / Songwritter Boštjan Narat, leader and founder of the tireless Slovenian folk devotees Katalena, joins the ranks of Slovenia's finest…