Saturday 25 August 2012

Fozzy - Sin And Bones (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock
Label - Century Media

Track listing -

01 – Spider In My Mouth
02 – Sandpaper (feat M. Shadows)
03 – Blood Happens
04 – Inside My Head
05 – Sin And Bones
06 – A Passed Life
07 – She’s My Addiction
08 – Shine Forever
09 – Dark Passenger
10 – Storm The Beaches
Bonus Tracks:
11 – Walk Amongst The Dead
12 – Fairies Wear Boots

Fozzy, the hard rock / metal band featuring WWE wrestling superstar Chris Jericho (vocals) and Stuck Mojo's Richard Ward (guitar) return with their fifth studio album and the follow up to 2010's awesome and hugely successful Chasing The Grail. So how does this new album compare?Very well to be honest, Fozzy manage to match if not surpass the quality of Chasing..... without repeating any formula's.
Opening track, Spider In My Mouth has an intro that would fit any Alice Cooper album well, dark and atmospheric, and is somewhat a bit of a misfit on the album, a curve ball, opening the album with a track that no one would have expected!
Next up is Sandpaper, the albums lead single that features M Shadows on vocals with a notably more radio friendly sound, before Blood happens kicks in with its contrasting grinding riffs. The emotional Inside My Head follows before giving way to the riff laden title track, Sin and Bones that has one of those sing along chorus's that the live crowds are going to love.
The Unhurried A Passed Life follows which will either be loved or hated! People who buy the album for the driving Fozzy Rock, have to wait it out a bit - what we have here is a venture into  (slightly over) radio length progressive rock with a haunting metal undertone. Next up is the blues rocker She's My Addiction, which features one Phil Campbell of Motorhead on lead guitar. This track is surely one of the highlights of the album, if not Fozzy's entire recorded output!
Shine Forever is up next, and is probably the closest sounding track to the tracks on the previous album, a powerhouse stomper.
Then we get Dark Passenger, which in my honest opinion is the albums real standout track, its awesome, that's all I can say, I absolutely love this song, a contender for song of the year!
Then we get the albums closing track, the epic Storm The Beeches, a song told from a soldiers point of view that clocks in at just under 12 minutes long. Here Richard Ward has his Iron Maiden moment, and he does it bloody well!
There are two bonus tracks available on some formats, the brutal and grinding Walk Amongst The Dead and the Black Sabbath Cover Fairies Wear Boots which the band perform faithful to the original.

Sin and Bones is a fantastic album and one that I would highly recommend!!

Rating - 10/10


LostAlone - I'm A UFO In This City (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Alternative Rock / EMO
Label - Graphite

Track listing -

01. Obey The Rules You Lose

02. Love Will Eat You Alive
03. Paradox On Earth
04. UFOria (The Dark)
05. Vesuvius
06. Creatures
07. Orchestra Of Breathing
08. Put Pain To Paper
09. Do You Get What You Pray For?
10. We Are The Archaeology Of The Futures Past
11. The Downside Of Heaven Is The Upside Of Hell
12. Sin and Sinners
13. History Romanticises Traitors
14. Escape
15. Dead Man Walking

It's really no often that a band can cite such diverse influences, and then back it up by producing an album within which are discernible notes of all of them. This album is a real treat for anyone who likes rock in any of it's forms, but especially those who like the richly layered vocals and soaring lead-guitar of Queen, or who appreciate a good, solid, ground-stomping riff played on guitar and bass in tandem. "Love Will Eat You Alive" is a finehold honed, highly melodic and masterfully delivered wall-of-sound experience, "Vesusius" is the kind of slow-starting epic that promises much with it's long, suspenseful intro and then bang!
Lostalone have been cited in some quarters as a 21st century Queen, which is a little unfair, as after listening to this cd a couple of times, (and it takes a few listens as there is so much here to sink in!), I think that it would be fairer to say that LostAlone are a 21st century LostAlone, unique in all the good ways! LostAlone's style is very much centred on melody and tight harmonies between the group, and this sets them apart from their peers; no-one else sounds like these guys.
I cant really pick out any standout tracks as all fifteen are really great songs, but some of my favorites are Orchestra of Breathing, We Are The Archaeology Of The Futures Past, The Downside of Heaven..... Dead Man Walking and Love Will Eat You Alive, truly stunning tracks.
These guys are threatening to become massive, so check em out and fall in love with them now before the  rest of the world crashes the party. I can honestly say that I havent been this excited by a band since I first heard the Wildhearts way back in 1992!

You must check this album out!

Rating - 10/10

website - www.lostalone.com


FM - Tough It Out [Rock Candy remaster] (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Melodic Rock / AOR Label - Rock Candy

Track listing -

01 - Tough It Out

02 - Don't Stop
03 - Bad Luck
04 - Someday (You'll Come Running)
05 - Everytime I Think Of You
06 - Burning My Heart Down
07 - The Dream That Died
08 - Obsession
09 - Can You Hear Me Calling?
10 - Does It Feel Like Love?
11 - Feels So Good
12 - Hurt Is Where The Heart Is (bonus track)
13 - This Could Be The Last Time (bonus track)
14 - Someday (You'll Come Running) [Extended Version] (bonus track)
15 - Alibi (bonus track)
16 - Everytime We Touch (bonus track)

FM's debut album, ‘Indiscreet’, set the scene perfectly for the bands follow up.

This was a British band with their eyes set firmly on the American market, playing music equal to, if not superior, than masters of the craft such as Foreigner, Journey and Survivor.
That they had not earned a significant sales foothold was shocking but it only fuelled their resolve to come back out swinging with their sophomore album, the stoically titled "Tough It Out".
This time around they were taking no chances. Arming themselves with new management (REO Speedwagon's representative) a top notch producer in Neil Kernon and topping off their determination by collaborating with some of the best songwriters (including Desmond Child) of the day they constructed an album of serious potential.

Originally issued in 1989, "Tough It Out" takes all the excitement of their first album and infuses it with top class production and an energy that suggested they weren't going to take any prisoners.
Mixed by Nigel Green (Def Leppard), the album contains eleven stunning slices of melodic AOR, including such crowd pleasers as "Don't Stop", "Bad Luck", "Burning My Heart Down" and "Someday (You'll Come Running)".
As always, Steve Overland must be credited for his superlative performance - outstanding vocals that turn quality songs into exploding supernovas of melody and sophistication.
The end result is truly, one of the greatest AOR albums of all time.

This Rock Candy 24-bit remastering from the original source tapes sounds excellent as usual, plus 5 bonus tracks originally appeared as b-sides, including the rare and really hard to find "Everytime We Touch", making this the definitive edition of this classic album.
The rematering is excellent, really giving these AOR classics a new lease of life.

this is a must have for any FM fan, and an essential release for fans of the AOR / Melodic Rock genre's in general.

Rating 9/10







The Darkness - Hot Cakes (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Glam Rock Label -

Track listing -

01. Every Inch Of You
02. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us
03. With A Woman'
04. Keep Me Hangin' On
05. Livin’ Every Day Blind
06. Everybody Have A Good Time
07. She Just A Girl Eddie
08. Forbidden Love
09. Concrete
10. Street Spirit (Fade Out)
11. Love Is Not The Answer
12. I Can't Believe It's Not Love (Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track)
13. Love Is Not The Answer (Acoustic Demo) (Bonus Track)
14. Pat Pong Ladies (Demo Mix) (Bonus Track)
15. Cannonball (feat. Ian Anderson) (Long Version) (Bonus Track)

After initially splitting in 2006 after their excellent second album, Ticket to Hell, to go and form two excellent bands, Justin with his Hot Leg and the other guys with the mighty Stone Gods, the guys decided to reform the band back in 2011 and low and behold here they are with their third studio album.
If you are reading this then you should know what The Darkness are all about musically, Justin's unique vocal style, Dan amazing guitar work, and great songs with at times quirky lyrics.
So how does this new album stand up when compared to its predecessors? Quite well to be honest, granted there may not be many instant classics here, but it does show the guys stretching themselves as songwritters a little more than they have done in the past, which can only be a good thing. If you are already a fan of the band then you are not going to dissappointed with Hot Cakes, if you're not, then this album maybe a littlre more accessable than the previous two as i find Justin to be a little more restrained on here.
Standout tracks for me include, Street Spirit, Forbidden Love, Livin' Every Day Blind, Cannonball, and the semi autobiographical Every Inch Of You.

A welcome return guys, yet I'm still hoping that the already recorded but unreleased second Stone Gods album will eventually see the light of day.

Rating - 9/10
website - http://www.theactualdarkness.com/


Daniel Trigger - Infinite Persistence (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock
Label -

Tracklisting:

01. Sell My Soul
02. Losing My Faith
03. Alone Tonight
04. Rain
05. Take Control
06. Breathe Again
07. Screaming At The Enemy
08. Gemini
09. Synthetic Celebrity
10. One Way Mirror
11. Promised Land
12. Lay It On The Line
13. Pendulum
14. Last Breath

Daniel Trigger is an experienced hard rock artist from the Midlands UK with spells with Full Tilt, Easy and Trigger.
Daniel's vocals come across as a cross somewhere between Steve Lee (Gotthard) and Claus Lessman (Bonfire) and both the songs and the musicianship are top notch. Infinite Persistence really does have songs to suite everyones taste, from rocjers like Sell My Soul and Losing My Faith to out and out AOR like Alone Tonight. To be honest the only thing that lets this album down is the production, which whilst not being terrible does leave the songs lacking a certain amount of power, with a top producer behind it this album could be a real killer, but it just, and only just misses the mark for me.

Still well worth checking out!


Band Line Up:

Daniel Trigger – Lead & backing vocals, bass guitar, keyboards
Sally Trigger – Backing & lead vocals
Jez Trigger – Bass guitar
Adam Bennett – Bass guitar
Dave D’Andrade – Lead & rhythm guitars
Jerry Sadowski – Drums

Rating - 8/10

Website - www.danieltrigger.co.uk




JD & The FDC's - Recognise (2012)


Genre - Hard Rock / Pop / Punk / Powerpop
Label - Delerict Records


Track listing -

01. Recognise 
02. Ujpest Dozsa
03. Mirrors & Wires
04. Burn This City Down 
05. From the Shadows 
06. The Secret
07. No Way Out
08. This Town of Infamy 
09. Never Gonna Stop 
10. Anti-Destination League

Based in the East Midlands in the UK, JD & the FDCs are a rock ‘n' roll band. And then some.… Comprising Panic, Teenage Casket Company, The Dangerfields, Patchwork Grace and DIP alumni, the quartet released their award-winning debut “The FDCCDEP" in August 2010, with Recognise being their debut full length album, and its a stonker!
 Ten yes I said ten great songs, performed by a band that really know what they are doing. Its fun to spot the influences throughout this album, aside from the obvious comparisons to the band members "other" bands, there are also moments reminisent of The Wildhearts, Beastie Boys, Michael Monroe, Green Day, Offspring, Kitty Hudson, well the list goes on.
Any song on this cd could hold its own against any of the major mainstream acts out there today, with the band having an knack for finding a catchy melody, whilst injecting the songs full of life and energy.
This album is full of potential radio friendly hits such as Mirrors & Wires, Recognise, Burn This City Down, The Secret, yet all the while the songs maintain their independant integrity.
A great debut album, showcasing the fact that these guys really could conquer the world!


Check this one out!

Rating 10/10

Website - http://jdandthefdcs.com/