Reviews

»Ammonia Avenue« is a more than worthy successor to the legendary »Eye in the Sky«. It cemented The Alan Parsons Project once and for all among the most accomplished and successful rock acts of the eighties.

The Language Of Thought Hypothesis are a band for whom Slovenia is simply too small. Their debut This Endless State Of Mind proves it.

After spinning the band's twentieth studio album, the final feeling stays the same. A good album, zero changes. Just louder and more cranked up than its predecessor "Motorizer". What you see and hear is what you get

From the depths of a deeply wounded soul, yearning for one last ray of sunshine before the sun sets on the human era. With their new album, homegrown The Tide pave their own road of indie rock artistry, a polished style and a clear vision.

"Novnos" leaves the old-school rock craft of the past behind and heads into trendy indie rock territory. With this album the band opens a new chapter in its evolution, and still manages to keep all of its distinctive character.

Matej Sušnik shakes nine aces out of his sleeve and deals them out across his solo debut, The Ace of Bass.

Guerrilla musicians from Ljubljana serve up a shot of outstanding music and offer a clear alternative for how to survive, and outlive, the regime of madness in music today! Mr. VonTone are the next big thing!

A prosaic name, pretty worn out, and an average dose of metal – those are the basic credentials of the debut from a Spanish, pardon: Catalan band that may or may not stick in your memory ...

"Sides" was a surprisingly successful experiment in crossing symphonic prog rock with the rock trends of the late seventies, but it didn't bring the legendary Ant the commercial success he was after.

"The Latest" confirms that Cheap Trick are back in classic form. Its predecessor "Rockford" (2006) already hinted at it. Here Cheap Trick keep the rock power at a high level, craftily dosed with seductive melody.

Dark Sphere travel to the mystical constellation of the Serpent Bearer with their first proper studio album.

A way in and a way out of superstition. Fate, like an apparition of old spells, spills over into the revelation of a mystery. Beyond the body, at the center, which is Spirit. In the twilight of the idols.

Techno and metal fuse the pop way. The result is a mainstream-friendly mush of melody and noise that will satisfy every fan of Incubus, Emil Bulls and our own Game Over.

Want to stand out and never, ever blend into the crowd? Then the debut from Deca Debilane is the perfect send-off for you, and their imagery is your new religion!

New Generation is one of the best AOR debuts to come out this year. The Brazilians draw on the Journey legacy, and Frontiers Records, as usual in cases like this, are never going to sit on their hands.

Brilliant musical inspiration that easily slots into this year's top tier! Elegant eclecticism shakes hands with brutal psychedelia and outstanding jazz technicality. The result is "cool"!

Quality, listenable and toxically addictive – all that and more is One Eon, the new album from Croatian – no, worldwide – Father. The wait has definitely paid off!

"A Touch Of Heaven" is a band-aid for everyone missing a new album from British AOR crew Shy, and for those of you who know that Tony Mills' voice is still wasted potential in TNT.

"Sedma simfonija" brings nothing new to Apocalyptica's sound, but the ten tracks still add up to a strong, cohesive whole that will have you hitting replay.

"Tiger Suit" is a blend of everything: new moves, and those familiar adventures that could've fit on the previous two albums too. It's even more natural, warm, compact and a better match for KT's voice. A step forward.

On "Unlocking the Cage," Arena neatly squeeze the first five years of their existence into fifty minutes. The album showcases their most subtle side and is a must for every fan of the band.

With "In the Wake of Evolution," Kaipa have put out yet another album to please their longtime devotees, but once again it sticks to all their well-worn songwriting formulas and, as such, brings nothing thrilling or new.

"Mr. Fantasy" is one of the greatest debut albums in rock history. It was a huge part of how Steve Winwood became a household name worldwide, and it still ranks among the best things this legendary band ever did.

What do you get when you cross passionate social protest with a bulldozer? FIRST F**KING BLOOD!!!

Matching Mole's debut stands among the Canterbury classics, packing in every trademark of this one-of-a-kind musical movement: a crafty fusion of rock, symphonic and jazz, experimentation with the brakes off, and a tickling sense of humor.

The new live album from an AOR band that has sold over 50 million records in its career is proof of the kind of stage invincibility, unique charisma and character that only the biggest names in the business ever reach.

The indie rock production, with its crunchy, smeared guitars, keeps this album from being pegged as an AOR/melodic rock record. Strangeways are playing rock again, but sadly not the kind they do best.

"A Classic Case" is an album aimed first and foremost at the band's die-hard fans and at collectors of everything these indestructible folk prog rock forefathers have put out.

It's shock therapy: a fusion of trance-metal racket, tribal rhythmic rumbling and biting shouts that pushes the listener to switch off the rational brain. It'll be interesting to see how far the band dares to go from here.

On their debut, Dalkhu show how to serve up primal, uncompromising, raw black metal. Ave Imperator!

"Gifts from Enola" may not be groundbreaking, but it ranks pretty high in today's post-rock world.

The essence of the Procol Harum debut could most easily be boiled down to a single sentence - "A Whiter Shade of Pale". This pioneering album, carried on the wings of a huge hit, is without doubt one of the best debuts in rock history.

Worlds Collide is a wonderfully pleasant surprise for every nostalgic soul still dreaming of bygone days, when melodic polish and production perfection were virtues worth chasing. AOR "par excellence"!

"The World" is one of the most important albums in the career of cult British neo-prog rockers Pendragon, a triumphant return to ambitious neo-prog standards after the rather botched flirtation with pop on "Kowtow" (1988).

Three years after their self-titled debut Breed, the Norwegian fans and sworn worshippers of Pantera's sound are back with a new, more polished and outrageously tasty album – Another War.

Danish peers of Illdisposed have followed up their maxi single Have You Ever with a debut album that'll go down a treat with all the Disturbed fans, and with everyone else, let's be honest, a bit less so ...

Third album in five years, third bullseye! "The Showdown" is another one-of-a-kind blend of melodic perfection, atmospheric bombast, arrangement dynamics and vocal brilliance from some of the finest voices around.

The most serious and reserved member of Genesis got his solo career off to a flying start, and right out of the gate he made the best album of that career.

A less inspired, more cautious record, hinting that the guitarist swap has left a gap where charisma and expressive charm used to be. A good album, but nothing special. The faithful will still be happy with it.

"7 Sinners" is proof that the inventors of European power metal, Helloween, don't always have to stick to the adjective "happy". A black album and one of the heaviest in the band's career. "Heavy heavy Helloween!"

Austria does death metal too? Worth a listen, but nothing earth-shattering judging by the Privilege Of Approval EP ...

"Interestingly, the album can actually be described really quickly. One sentence would say it all – it's Pink Floyd with the singer of the legendary Genesis, Peter Gabriel."

"The Black Light Bacchanalia" takes a bold new evolutionary step, giving us Virgin Steele's most ambitious career effort yet when it comes to varied compositions and musical experimentation.

"In Camera" is one of Hammill's darkest and, for that very reason, best solo records, with such a hellish atmosphere that walking on hot coals feels like child's play.

One swallow doesn't make a spring, but this time the evidence for a French spring just keeps piling up! As we Draw's debut, Lines Breaking Circles, has every ace it needs to go toe-to-toe with the big American league players.

In an age when nothing surprises us anymore, the French hit the nail right on the head and leave us stunned with just three tracks. Does it really take so little to make your jaw hit the floor? Absolutely!

Toil, sweat and torment, but under thick layers of noise and seeming chaos you still get the climax of perfect music in the end ...

Where Futility started building and The Hinderers added to it, The Concealers from last year promised an apparent conclusion and a peak. Daath have now gone and taken yet another step forward!

»Inner Firmaments Decay« continues the tradition of excellent albums from Dan Britton's projects, which deserve nothing but praise.

Even though it's well known that Meat Loaf has pretty much run out of steam after a long career, in 2010 we fans still expect more from him than what he gave us on "Hang Cool Teddy Bear."

After six years of work, Israel's Orphaned Land have finally released their long-awaited concept album The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR at the start of the year.

»Oylmpia« is an incredibly ambitious record in every respect, and it'll win over fans of Ferry's solo career and Roxy Music devotees alike from the very first listen.

Somewhere between "Take That" and "Take That," Robbie Williams happened.

From surgical procedures to beautiful melodics.

A meditation of melody and cosmic binary, caught in a trance, opens the door to the subconscious. Transgalaktika, the second record from Maribor ambient crew Coma Stereo, burns itself into your core, and it's a keeper!

"Ulitmate Pet Shop Boys" collects the career-best moments of one of the most successful acts in pure electronic pop that the British Isles ever gave to the history of mainstream musical entertainment.

Birds and Buldings have created a timeless album that will surely be listened to by generations to come and will serve as a model for quite a few musicians and bands.

Airbourne follow the formula of their debut on the second album: fast, punchy and anthemic. Sadly, they may have gone into "No Guts. No Glory." a bit too headlong.

"Baby Snakes" nails the essence of Frank's 1977 backing band, led by the incorrigible drumming "devil" Terry Bozzio.

Welcome to a new outfit of ease and artistic relaxation. A new era has dawned: the era of the band "DMP II". Ahead of us is an indie rock band with fresh creative outlooks and new challenges in musical experimentation

If not earlier, then at least this year My Ruin deserve full recognition for an outstanding studio record, their sixth. Tairrie B. has moved away from alternative metal and the shallow concepts of music.

Yep. Even in 2010, AOR albums that are pure, absolute perfection are still being made. If you had to pick one album as the blueprint for the ideal AOR mold for the new millennium, it would without a doubt be "Diamond Blue".

A flawless hard rock album with a modern sound and a perfectly shaped reach of melodic brilliance. The purity of masterful craft that only the biggest and most seasoned in the game can pull off!

"Obsured By Clouds" admittedly isn't among the best achievements in the story of this legendary band, most of which went down in rock history in golden letters, but it's still a hugely interesting, if not outright excellent, soundtrack.

From alternative to bizarre.

Label: EMI RecordsRelease date: 2. 6. 1972Production: Pink FloydAlbum length: 40.08 minGenre: Progressive Rock/Psychadelic RockRating: 8.0/10 "Obsured by Clouds" is one of those Pink Floyd albums that doesn't come up all that often…

The fourth studio album from the Quebecois extremists cuts deeper and sharper on Cursed than anything before it. Evolution is possible! Darwin is confirmed in metal too!

Label: Epic RecordsRelease date: 05.10.2010Production: Mike Fraser & Joe SatrianiAlbum length: 53.12 minGenre: Instrumental Rock / Art RockRating: 8.5 / 10 What's left for the founding father of modern guitar rock, the one and…

British thrashers Evile have made a huge leap in quality with their second album, and they've painted Infected Nations in the gray of unspeakable Lovecraftian horror.

If you take the record as a mild revitalization of Sting's career, you'll definitely miss the point, since the man is everywhere already and loves exploring new musical paths.

The end of days is coming, and with it a savior who will cleanse the world of all evil and hatred. But ATLJ have shown up too, and they'll save us from boredom and depression.

Too long a title? Definitely. A different approach to music? Absolutely.

The tenth anniversary of Klubski maraton, captured on a digital sound carrier. Curious listeners get plenty of material to chew on, while the purists might find Klubski maraton 2010 a bit of a tough nut to crack.

The devastating impact of the third record from the British standard-bearers of technically refined musical brutality proves once again that Trigger The Bloodshed are one of the key axes of European extreme music.

Brutal, wild, and calculated! That's how you could describe the debut from Scottish deathcore crew Bleed From Within. The first dose of rage was made to flatten you in one go.

We caught the British brutes' debut full-length live in Ljubljana not long ago. On a digital copy it sounds even better!

"Playing the Fool" is a superb live document that captures and presents the essence of a cult band with real flair, a band that, even after all these decades, never stops surprising with radical compositional innovation and instrumental…

Just when it seemed they'd struggle to match their excellent previous album, Spock's Beard went and made "X", one of their most mature records ever, one that stands comfortably next to the best work of the Neal Morse era.

Sound, aesthetic imagery as layers of criticism, and not a single spoken word. On their third flight, Red Sparowes prove that only music can be the universal language of truth and connection!

In the wave of Pain In The Ass, Nove konzerve and Banditi, there's also Zgrešeni primeri, who just can't shake the feeling that they're forcing it as they fire off their "anarcho rock" in a very "WATT-style" way

"Brave" isn't just one of the peaks in this legendary band's career, it's also one of the greatest concept albums of all time, and it signaled a much better era for art rock in general in the second half of the nineties.

After hibernation and a coma-like stretch, nearly breaking up was almost therapeutic for the band. Club grinders Grrizli Madams have now birthed their first proper studio release.

"The Great Prophecy of a Small Man," by the Dutchmen fronted by Israeli-Argentinian Ziblat, simply deserves the title of best debut of the 21st century so far. No two ways about it.

After Elect The Dead, avant-garde rock artist, activist and crowd-mover Serj Tankian is back with his second album. He's stepped out of rock even further and gone full orchestral. Nothing is impossible!

The debut from a Slovenian alt-rock band packs an effective mix of colorful retro rock and current indie sensibilities into just 33 minutes, and shows Eskobars in a light all their own

"Eskobars" is an album of pure alternative rock that, besides the directness this approach demands, knows nothing of hollowness, tried-and-tested formulas of recycled burnout, or any need for pushy, thoughtless blasting."

Two years after the surprising Sezession EP, the Tokyo gentlemen of music return with a new missile of pure sensuality and musical satisfaction. Mouse On The Keys are a band worth studying.

With "Outline", P. Y. Marani introduces himself to listeners in a really creative way, not just as a great guitarist and composer, but as someone with a knack for connecting cultural subgenres.

Split's free-spirited storytellers and poets of rhythm let loose in a new artistic mood on their first live album, stepping out in front of the crowd stripped bare and unplugged, armed with nothing but muscle and vocals

The reissue of "The Sentinel", the 2004 version, ranks among the best achievements of 80s progressive rock and shows exactly what the album should have been when it first came out in 1984.

"Blues for Lazarus" is a pleasant record, and what really sets it apart is Gill's songwriting and piano chops. The vocals sadly drag down the nice tunes, but the excellent saxophones keep things balanced.

Right out of the gate, with their debut "Act Of Hybris", Aperion carved out a recognizable identity of their own in symphonic gothic folk metal and plugged straight into the developed scene. The album is a great foundation for breaking out.

The journey through "God Fried Finger" is long and at times grueling, but it's varied and, even if it doesn't feel that way on first listen, rewarding. Packed with "anti-melodies", it's a "must-hear" for avant-garde fans.

Former members of Tokyo's Nine Days Wonder, once the leading champions of Japanese post-rock and prog, take you on a subtly jazzy trip through Tokyo.

A record that doesn't revolutionize stoner, but still serves up a hearty helping of quality fun and antidepressant grooves.

Fresh Swiss morbidity for every metalhead hungry for unconventional, heavy and avant-garde riffs.

With their fourth album "Talu", Phlox carry on the vision they showed off on the excellent "rebimine + voltimine". They stay uncompromising in their music, yet still playful, witty and incredibly fresh.

After Bruce Dickinson's management put the brakes on the Iron Maiden singer's project with Ayreon genius Arjen Anthony Lucassen, Arjen took the reins himself and invented "space metal"!

"Motorhead" can be read as an honest piece of shorthand capturing the pulse and motion of the zeitgeist of the second half of the '70s. It takes us back to the moment punk sprouted.

"rebimine + voltimine" can easily hold its own against the elite of the golden 1970s. It has more than enough potential for Phlox to write their name right alongside giants like Soft Machine.