Everyone should have at least one Heaven & Earth album in their collection and if not then the question really should be why not? In many respects, they are the archetypal classic rock band that also manages to encompass melodic, AOR and heavy metal without compromising their everyman hard rock persona. Of course, there have..
Inner Stream – Stain The Sea (Frontiers Music)
Inner Stream is a female fronted rock band hailing from Argentina with roots going back to 2008 when singer Inés Vera Ortiz and her brother, Jorge, began putting songs together in Buenos Aires that didn't quite fit the power metal band that they were both in at the time. We then have to fast forward to..
Big City – Testify X (Frontiers Music)
Big City is a band that I haven't come across before but they have been around for something like ten years and have released three albums to date including this new one, Testify X. The band specialises in harder edged melodic rock and have something of Dare, Ten and, of course, Europe plus even elements..
Rian – Twenty-Three (Frontiers Music)
Rian is a Swedish melodic rock band with Twenty-Three being the bands second album following the release of Out Of The Darkness in 2017. It is very much Swedish AOR following the tried and tested American format so you have a great singer, fabulous songs full of great harmonies that are very listener friendly and..
Resurrection Kings – Skygazer (Frontiers Music)
Is it really five years since The Resurrection Kings released their incredible eponymous debut album, a real heavy metal extravaganza that was a pure delight? Initially seen as a project but, thankfully, we now have the band's second release which seamlessly picks up where the debut finished and it is almost as if time has..
L.A. Guns – Cocked And Loaded Live (Frontiers Music)
These days, the first question you have to ask when a new L. A. Guns album pops up is which version of the band it is. Is it the Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis version or is it the Steve Riley version now officially known as Riley's L. A. Guns following a court case to..
Toby Hitchcock – Changes (Frontiers Music)
You only need to see the name of Toby Hitchcock to know that you are in a safe pair of hands and a vocal masterclass is always guaranteed. Hitchcok has built up a solid reputation as a vocalist of renown with Pride Of Lions, the AOR band which was founded by the Survivor guitarist Jim..
Hardline – Heart, Mind And Soul (Frontiers Music)
Another name that needs either minimal or even no introduction is the American melodic rock band Hardline, a truly wonderful AOR band and another that consistently delivers classic hard rocking AOR albums. They hit the ground running in 1991 with a truly stellar line-up including the Gioeli brothers, Neal Schon, Todd Jensen and Deen Castronovo..
Interview – Netta Laurenne of Smackbound and Laurenne/Louhimo
Netta Laurenne & Noora Louhimo. Photo by Robert Frankó RobeDroid Photography Maybe it is a sign of the times. The decline in physical music and the lost art of the first play of a new album and pouring over the details in the insert as part of the ritual. Not just the lyrics or the..
Timo Tolkki’s Avalon – The Enigma Birth (Frontiers Music)
I think you all know the format by now and exactly what to expect from the former Stratovarius guitarist with The Enigma Birth being the fourth part of his crazy but brilliant power metal opera produced under the name of Timo Tolkki's Avalon. Tolkki has hit on a winning formula and the old adage "if..