Perpetual Etude - Now Is The Time (CD/LP)

 

Swedish band Perpetual Etude boasts former members of bands like Dionysus, Treasure Land, Air Raid, Nation, Stormwind etc. Musically Perpetual Etude is actually not that far from any of them (except maybe Air Raid). Opening track “I’ve Got The Power” immediately kicks off with a Strat that really sounds like Yngwie Malmsteen, but keeping in mind what Mr Malmsteen has released in the last couple of years, this sounds way more interesting. They are touching on neo-classic metal, but with a big dose of classic melodic metal/hard rock and I’d place them somewhere alongside Alkatrazz. Singer, Kristian Fyhr, is a gem with really powerful vocal cords, high pitch but with a nice raspy edge. Me like!  ”Show Me” reminds me of Graham Bonnet era Rainbow a bit, but with a bit more power under the hood. A strong touch of AOR, but without sounding sleazy. “Straight Through The Heart” starts off with some really nice guitar harmonies from the excellent shredder Magnus Mild and if Yngwie didn’t have a big dose of hybris, he would kill for a song like this. Magnus is also found in mega project Gathering Of Kings, but if I’m honest, I do prefer Perpetual Etude. Not putting GoK down, but they sometimes feel a bit scattered and unfocused while this album has a common thread and high quality all the way, both musically and performance wise. “Once We Were One” again throws in some Yngwie-souding Strat licks and it also flirts with the man musically. It does remind me quite a bit of Europe’s old “Scream Of Anger” (which was written by Marcel Jacob, hence the obvious Yngwie touch). There are similarities, yes, but it does stand on its own legs. This band’s Jens Johansson is Kaspar Dahlqvist who has previously played with prog metal band Treasure Land. On this album he sure shows his skills and there are several really nice keyboard-guitar interplays, such as in the neo-classical “Hell Fire Burn”. As if this wasn’t enough, we also find a guest appearance by former Yngwie (and many more) singer, Göran Edman in the song “Sail Away”. All in all, if you’re into classic hard rock, melodic metal with strong melodies, shredding guitar/keyboard work, solid production and some neo-classical vibes, don’t hesitate!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Black Lodge

King Mountain - Kingdom Of Shadows (CD)

 

One of Greece’s hardest workin men is without a doubt Stavos Papadopulos. Guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, singer, producer, recording engineer, mastering engineer and song writer. His name can be found in relation to bands like Universal Hippies, Hard Driver, Freerock Saints, Super Vintage och Revolution Highway. King Mountain is another one and it rests on the sacred grounds of the hard rocking 70s, with the riff as a word of honor. Stavros is also without a doubt a master in this trade, which he proves again and again. On the album with singer Tania Kikidi, which was released at the same time as this he also delivered a big chunk of great riffs, so I guess his riff account is pretty big. Actually, this album and Tania’s album, aren’t that far apart musically. The biggest difference is in the vocal delivery department, where the vocals here are handled by Stavros himself. If I was to compare this to some contemporary bands, it would probably be The Dead Daisies or Black Country Communion. Hard rock with riffs up front and bluesy vocals to fit the mold. Stavros is a very capable singer who does a great job even if his guitar playing is a few notches better. I truly love his guitar playing, his groove oriented rhythm playing and the bluesy, bleeding solos. King Mountain – check them out!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Grooveyard Records

Tania Kikidi - Rock & Roll Paradise (CD)

 

Greece has presented some good stuff now and then, unfortunately not that often. However, in the last 6-7 years there’s been a bunch of good stuff with a nice 70s vibe coming out with bands like Universal Hippies, King Mountain, Hard Driver, Freerock Saints and Super Vintage. One guy has a finger in each of the pies, guitarist, singer, producer Stavros Papadopoulos. So also here, meaning my expectations are quite high. Tania kicks off the opening track and immediately shows how things are done! Power-rock, hard rock, riff rock – classic hard rock with great melodies, fat guitars and Tania’s rocking voice as the icing on the cake. This starts out really good! “Queen Rider” continues in the same vein. It’s kinda hard to describe the style more than saying it’s 100 % rocking classic and quite timeless hard rock in the same musical territory as classic Dio and Victory, but with Tania’s voice as a new element putting them in a lane of their own. “Freedom Highway” invites you to some serious riffing with a nudge to the old Zep school, but a chorus closer to southern rock. “Night Burner” fills upp the riff account again and this one brings classic 70s bands like Teaze, Moxy and Riot to mind, and a riff that made me think of Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night”. Without going through each and every track on the album I’ll say that the overall quality is high, the song material is quite uniform but still varied enough to make it an interesting album. The fact is that the album rocks my world in every track! If you like classic hard rock with great riffs and a singer with the right rock edge, this album is a must The production, as Stavros’ productions usually is, is dynamic yet fat and powerful with kick ass guitars and drums that sound natural. High scores there as well! 

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Grooveyard Records

Stygian Fair – Equilibrium (CD)

 

Stygian Fair from Umeå, Sweden, made their debut in 2017 with the EP ”Into The Coven” and the year after they released the debut album “Panta Rei”, followed by “Nadir” in 2019. Now they have produced their third album “Equilibrium”. I shall admit I have totally missed out on the band’s previous releases, but after having digested this album, they definitely need to be investigated! The album starts with “The Covenant”. I had my fears this could be some bland power metal, but wrong was I. Sure, you could probably file this under “power metal”, but it has a healthy dose of classic hard rock merged into it and I also got some nice vibes of early Queensrÿche in the opening track. I really like that singer Pontus Åkerlund doesn’t fall into the power metal trap with wailings and high pitch yelling. He has a really solid voice, and his way of singing is more theatrical, almost tale telling with a really nice melodic feel. He kinda made me think of Christian Liljegren of Narnia, but with less vibrato and his own touch. “Gorgon’s Eyes” continues in the same vein while “Into The Light” takes it down to both heavier and softer regions. I almost had a feel of Manilla Road meets Brocas Helm, which is fine in my book. If someone had just played me this album, I would’ve had a hard time determining when it was recorded. It may as well have been the late eighties. “Infinitum et Finis” is also quite theatrical in its sound, with nice melodies and different parts that makes a nice change. It actually made me think of US band Legend (with the album “From The Fjords”). “Dark Angel” picks up the tempo a bit and here are some nice progressive retro vibes going on. Pontus sings really well with a nice feel and powerful voice. Great stuff, indeed! “Father Of Light” takes it down again, and here I kinda got a feel of old US metal band Culprit. The production, by Nils Johansson, is really good with a nice analogue feel to it. Besides Pontus, the band features Anders Hedman on bass, Emil Holmqvist on guitar and P-O Jonsson on drums. The closing title track is a real masterpiece with some really nice changes in tempo and feel. The album contains nine tracks, and I can’t find any weak links. A really even and good album that should attract fans of bands like Manilla Road, Culprit as well as Iron Maiden and vintage Queensrÿche.

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Sonic Age

Fulanno - Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres (LP)

 

Not sure why Argentina of all countries seems to have a really fertile soil for retro/stoner rock, but here you’ll find excellent bands like Mephistofeles and Sahara and also Fulanno. "Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres" was originally released in 2016, but then only in digital format. Now, Helter Skelter (sub-label of Swedish Regain Records) has finally given it a well-deserved vinyl release. This is more of a MLP than a full album, though. Five tracks and around 30 minutes of play time. Opener “En Tu Nombre” is a slow and heavy thing with the fuzz on eleven on the guitar. The sound is very “live in the studio”, which I really like. Very nice dynamics and a big sound. Singer Fila Frutos may not be the new Ronnie james Dio, but he is definitely good enough to carry the songs and I really do like his vocals. The title track is closer to doom than stoner with its slow drums and heavy riff. "Osciloscopio" also fits in the same box and it kinda makes me visualize lava slowly making its way down a mountain. The vocals kinda sails over the wall of guitars, which are really in your face, while the drums have quite a lot of air and reverb. “Hordas” continues in the same vein, if only a few bpm’s faster. The last song "Perfume Póstumo" picks the tempo up a few notches but without leaving the doom zone. A bit morr stuff is happening in this track and I’d place it in the same box as Witchfinder General and Cathedral with some Sabbath overtones (of course). A highly interesting album if you’re into heavy, slow and quite primitive stoner/doom. I really like this release, but their album "Nadie Está A Salvo Del Mal" is a few notches better, but this is a safe buy!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Helter Skelter/Regain

The Sonic Overlords - The Last Days Of Babylon (CD/LP)

 

If you’re a fan of the Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, here’s a band you definitely shouldn’t miss out on! Swedish quartet The Sonic Overlords (who really do their name justice) is fronted by singer Marcus Zachrisson Rubin with Morgan Zocek (Sideburn) on guitar, Daniel Ramirez on bass and Per Soläng (Corroded) behind the drums. The album kicks off with slightly oriental sounding up-tempo rocker “Utopia”, making me think of Rainow meets Black Sabbath, while next track “In My Darkest Room” takes the tempo down to a nice mix of slow Sabbathy doom riffs and melodic vibes. “Fools” picks up the pace again and even if I do see Black Sabbath peeking out behind the corner it does have a nice dose of Sonic Overlords personality. “Lords Of Tomorrow” takes us back down into the basement… even under the basement. Doom of the highest order, in league with Swedish colleagues Sorcerer. A really fat riff with nice melodic vocals. This is great stuff, indeed! “World of Fire” starts off nice and easy to develop into a powerful ballad resting on a heavy foundation. Marcus, who also fronts cover band Ozzy The Coverband, does a great job, and despite the risk of doing so, does not sound like a copy of neither Ozzy, Tony or Dio. He definitely has his own touch which fits this band like a glove. “Sands of Time” is a mid-tempo cruncher which reminds me a bit of Grand Magus on “Iron Will”, but also with some softer parts weaved in. Very nice and dynamic. ”Shine” continues in the same vein, where they take it down with a softer pre-verse, and then flick the power switch and even features a football chorus as a new dimension. “Children of the Night” provides another dose of doom riffing. Detuned, heavy and powerful with Marcus’ voice as a flag bearer on top of the black mountain. One of my favorites on the album! “Eternal Heroes” picks up the tempo and the riffs are mean and suggestive, but the song still has a fateful feeling hanging over it. In the last track, “Past the End of Time” none less than Tony Martin guests on vocals. Maybe not totally surprising, since the song also has a strong vibe of Black Sabbath. The fact is I hardly hear the difference between Tony and Marcus’ vocals (and still I don’t feel Marcus sounds like Tony… figure that one out). I must also say, I really like the production, which is fat and powerful yet quite dynamic.

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: M-Theory

Air Raid – Freedom Ring (CD)

 

No, this is not the Swedish heavy metal band, this the original Air Raid, the 1980s US pomp rock band fronted by Arthur Offen and with Rick Hinkle on guitar. Yes, they are back! Air Raid only made one self-titled album back in 1981, but boy what an album. After some silent years Arthur came back (quite silently, though) with the pomp project Flag, with whom he released three killer albums in the same vein as Air Raid. He then did a solo album under his own name, also in the same vein. All of them well worth checking out if you’re into high quality pomp rock! Well, Now Arthur and Rick have re-united to produce a new Air Raid album. Starting out with a track named Air Raid, they show they are back, and that without missing a beat! Same style and sound, same powerful, guitar oriented powerful pomp rock with great melodies. Arthur still has the voice, slightly aged and matured, but with the same power and attitude. Let Your Freedom Ring continues in the same style, and I must say, what I find a bit intriguing with Air Raid, and that was even on the first album, is that their sound is anything but polished. The drums sound acoustic, the guitar is rough edged, there are even wah solos, which is not every day you hear in this genre, and there are no extra layers of “shimmer”. It sounds like the album could have been recorded live in the studio. I love that! Island Song starts out quite slow and quite heavy, picks up the pace, goes back down, and Arthur makes an almost dystopic vocal delivery. Quite theatrical, and with lots of interesting twists and turns. It is followed by Derby Bay which on the contrary is an up-tempo quite light weight piece to balance it out. A Place In The Northland starts out sounding like an intro to an old movie about knights in shining armor, and the lyrics may even describe that scene. A very theatrical, pompy and orchestral piece, with an almost Phantom of the Opera kind of touch where Arthur is not holding back on the keyboard delivery. Surprisingly short, though. Los Horizon starts out with yet another big and orchestrated keyboard delivery and now we are going down to the dark corners of the theatre, before heading into space (at least lyrically). Another well-arranged and highly interesting opus. I complained about the previous track being short, but here I do get what I ask for, a long and intricate epical opus in six parts with different moods and vibes, from slow and gloomy, to up-tempo and rocking to mid-tempo with some raw edge guitar riffing, to almost chamber style music with acoustic guitar, violin and piano and back into pompy power rock territory. We’re talking a near 20-minute opus here! A masterpiece indeed! The album ends with The Silvering which does feel like a perfect ending song, like a “Goodbye and thanks for all the fish” (sorry couldn’t help it – this did give me a Douglas Adams vibe for some reason). There’s no doubt – Air Raid are back, and they have done a masterful album indeed!

Janne Stark   

Ronnie Atkins – “One Shot” (CD/LP)

It has, on all levels, been an eventful time for Pretty Maids’ singer Ronnie Atkins, this past year. He received a fateful judgement called lung cancer, and us fans wondered if we would ever hear him sing again. Pretty Maids ended up in a winterlike dormancy and it all looked pretty dark. Then, out of nowhere, came a glimmer of light when the soundtrack project At The Movies, featuring three formed Pretty maids members, presented a new song featuring Ronnie on vocals. And, he sounded just like he should! Ronnie has always written music, but all has ended up under the Pretty Maids umbrella, but now it was time to unleash the music under his own flag. Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic had the world in its grasp and to put together a band, rehearse and record, like in the “old” days, was just not possible. Plus, he also had the degree of uncertainty of not knowing if he would be well enough to finish recording, or even to see it released. A feeling I simply can’t fathom. But, with the aid of Pretty Maids colleague Chris Laney and the members of At The Movies the songs were realized. Besides Chris, who has also produced and arranged the album, Ronnie’s former colleagues; drummer Allan Sørensen and keyboard player Morten Sadager also play on the album. The mixing was also handled by a familiar name: Jacob Hansen. The production is first class with a big and dynamic sound. Even though you shouldn’t expect a new Pretty Maids album, this is not that far from Ronnie’s old domain. The de-tuned riffs and heavy songs may not be here, but you feel right at home in the melodic rock areas. Having in mind what Ronnie has gone through, and IS going through, this could have been a very dark and gloomy album. I’ve always loved Ronnie’s quite mostly intricate and meaningful lyrics. On this album there are no meaningless and empty rock ‘n roll and party lyrics. Every song on “One Shot” has some type of meaning, some more clear than others. The betrayal he has felt from people close to him shines through in songs like “Scorpio” and “Subjugate”, the unruly world around us is portrayed in “Picture Yourself”, while songs like “Real”, “I Prohesize” and “One By One” are various part of a type of declaration of life, his life as it is and what he has been going through. The title track declares that this is just what we have in life – “One Shot”. Then there are the declarations of love for his wife, in “Miles Away” and “Frequency Of Love”. What sometimes strikes me as a big paradox, is the way Ronnie takes a happy and hummable chorus and puts some really dark lyrics on it. A prime example would be “Subjugated”, where the happy go lucky melodies carry lyrics about not wanting to be oppressed and subjugated. Brilliant! “Real”, “I Prophesize” and “One By One” are more like different parts of Ronnie’s views on life and “One Shot” says just what it is – we have one shot on the life we lead. Then there are the pure and simple love declarations “Miles Away” and “Frequency Of Love”. The fact that Ronnie is every day fighting his lung cancer cannot be heard in a single phrase or note. His voice is stronger and clearer than ever and the power oozes out of the speakers. Although I said it may not musically be as heavy as in Pretty Maids, it doesn’t mean that this is a pop record. Far from it. In songs like ”Before The Rise Of An Empire”, ”One By One”, ”I Prophesize” and “Scorpio” there are definitely no compromises when it comes to heavy guitars. This is of course blended with the strong melodies. There are also the more lightweight, catchy and almost poppy songs “Picture Yourself”, and not least the opening track “Real” and “Frequency Of Love”. There’s also the powerful semi-ballad with the bombastic chorus, in this case, the title track itself. It may seem impossible to compete against the classic Pretty Maids albums, but after a few spins of “One Shot” I have to admit that it definitely gives the later days Pretty Maids albums a fair run for their money. It also proves, Ronnie has the power and ability to stand on his own legs, and we hope it will be for a foreseeable future. Strong song material, first class production, outstanding vocals and great musicians. 

Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Frontiers

PS: I do have to complain about one thing, though, and this is not on Ronnie, but whoever did and/or approved the layout for the vinyl should be reprimanded for the sloppy work. You can’t just take the text frames from the CD artwork and paste them in without doing a proper layout. While it looks great on the CD, here it looks sloppy, nothing matches, hard to read and follow and simply – cheap, which is not what you expect when you pay big bucks for a vinyl edition. The vinyl master is also an area I need to address. The mastering is slightly muddy and very low in level. I however can’t say if that’s the mastering or just a bad pressing. The vinyl itself was very wobbly and the hole in the middle too small, so it may be a case of bad quality vinyl pressing. Sorry, but this had to be addressed. 

Astraal – Astraal (CD/LP)

Ozium Records has undoubtably a certain knack for finding first rate retro/stoner bands, just like their colleagues at Transubstans. It something of an open grey area between stoner and retro, where the bridge between is often quite wide and you can also find some nuances of doom and sludge and even a drop of classic heavy metal here and there, which shows in the solo section of the opening track “The Watcher” by Swedish debutants Astraal. Astraal is a four-piece consisting of Joel Edvardsson (guitar), Joel Jansson (drums), Emil Haraldsson (vocals/guitar) and Jonathan Holmström (bass). Apart from an annoyingly loud and sharp kick drum and relatively quiet toms, the sound is fat and good! “Man of Nothing” gave me immediate Tony Iommi vibes, even if the song itself wasn’t Black Sabbath material. “Yesterday’s Dream” steamrolls on in the same vein, at times it actually reminds me a bit of Saint Vitus, especially in the way the singer sometimes follows the guitar riffs. Too bad about that annoying kick drum, though. What I like about the songs is that there’s stuff happening. A lot of bands in this genre, find a cool riff and then they just keep sticking to that same riff, with a slight variation here and there, but generally just mowing on. Astraal ad a lot of nice dynamics and they’re not afraid of adding other parts or tempos to mix it up a bit. “Chasing The Sun” takes the tempo down again, into the doom areans. Heavy, slow and with cool Geezer Butler:ish bass playing, but still keeping a good pace. F***ing kick drum!! Really cool and playful chorus! ”Walls Of Whisper” starts off with drums (not sure if I pointed this out before, but those drums don’t sound good at all!), reinforced with a pleasantly distorted bass, and then the guitars barge in! Another doom-oriented track. The album ends with “The River That Runs”, another kinda drony number, however, not doom at all, but more modern sort of ambient metal, a bit like Poison Black meets Paradise Lost. What I do like about it is that they don’t go all goth on it, but the vocals actually lift up the track. A nice debut indeed!

Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Ozium

Void Commander – River (CD/LP)

Not sure why, but Sweden is more or less spitting out high quality retro/stoner rock bands! Sometimes the vocals are the weak link (for me at least), but most bands are damn good and they have a different approach than many of the foreign colleagues. So, add the name Void Commander to that list. The band is a power trio consisting of Linus Olsson on bass and vocals, Bobby Karlsson on guitar, vocals and harmonica and Jimmy Jönsson on drums. The riffs hit you like a brick and the sound is pleasantly analogue sounding with a lot of space and air. The vocals are first rate, both the voice itself and there’s also quite a lot of harmony vocals (which is not that common in this genre). The title track “River Lord” rips the album open with a killer mangling riff, which is suddenly thrown aside by a very odd jazz section which really makes you raise your eyebrows. Next up is “Stoner Eyes”, which is almost more of a doom style song with its slow and heavy driving riffs. Bringing back the early Ozzy vibe of combining doomy guitars with a harmonica solo, too, which is cool! Short but sweet. ”Worship Midnight” enters into a more bluesy vein, which also applies to “AGN”, while “Fucked Up” takes us back to the slower doom/stoner domains with a hi-hat that would have been considered a cymbal had it been opened just a tad bit more. Nice and messy, but they still manage to make it sound tight and organized. Unfortunately, the vocals are bit too shouty at the end, but otherwise fine! “I’m Drowning” starts out a bit carefully in a sort of bluesy southern rock vein, and after an unabashed count-in, the steamroller breaks loose! The dynamic verse does return, so it’s not total mayhem. Great shit! ”Shroom Bloody Shroom” finsihes the album in a classic slow and heavy stoner manner. I almost had some Sabbath vibes here (even without the title). A great album that will spin many times in the Stark residence!

Janne Stark

Label: Ozium

Year: 2021

A.C.T – Heatwave (MCD)

One of my favorite Swedish bands, the minions of prog, A.C.T, have instead of releasing a new album, divided it into Eps. In 2019 we got five new songs on the outstanding “Rebirth” EP, and now, a bit into 2021, they give us six more songs as the EP “Heatwave”. After a short intro, they break the door down with the battering ram entitled “Checked Out” which sounds as much A.C.T as A.C.T can sound. Playful, melodic and proggy. Heavy guitar riffs are mixed with strutty rhythms and Herman’s vocal tale telling. It feels like this song kinda explains the essence of what this band is about. A killer track, indeed! “Brother” continues with more of the same. Pompous, playful, melodic and irresistible. Fantastic! Now the expectations is at a sky high level for some sort of crescendo. But, I’m sorry to say, the next track “Dark Clouds” is a bit of a disappointment in that area. It’s by no means bad (A.C.T. don’t do bad), but it feels very ordinary and almost a bit sleepy in comparison with the first two crushers. Well, the title track “Heatwave” brings it back to normal again. Poppy, playful and fantastic, are the words of honor. These guys eat tempo changes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only band I know that can drop in a waltz and make it sound just natural. This is stellar! The last track, “The Breakup” just adds to the positive vibes, another killer track in the long line of A.C.T killer tracks!   

Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Actworld

Bad Radiator - "BR V" (CD/LP)

 

I don’t know how, but I’ve managed to successfully avoid even hearing about melodic Swedish rockers Bad Radiator, and I discovered them just a few months ago by coincidence. This was with their 2014 album “Shanghai”. A nice discovery I should say. The band has now released their fifth album “BR V”. There was however something familiar about the band’s sound or possibly the name, and after a little bit of research I found out they used to be called Grace and had a mega hit with a song called “Inga kan älska som vi”, theme song for a movie of the same name. The guy who sang that song back then, Krister “Chris Lancelot” Linder is however not in the band now, and the vocals are handled by keyboard player Mikael Lundgren. The other members are Klas Bergvall on guitar, Jan Persson on bass and Roger Hansson on drums. Bad Radiator are nowhere near the poppy Police meets U2 sound of Grace. Bad Radiator has a nice bite to the guitars, classic keyboards and real drums. Only the vocals are a bit reminiscent of the more mainstream vein. The album opens with “Long Way From Home”, a cool semi-heavy thing in the vein of latter days Deep Purple, with the subsequent “Heart Attack” pulling up the tempo a bit adding a bit of AC/DC style guitars, against the very mild vocals. “Coming Home” places itself in the center lane of AOR, while “Came Without A Warning” starts off almost in an 80s synth style, but a distorted guitar enters the room and saves the situation. Another AOR number with a shuffle beat! Klas is a really tasteful lead guitarist who puts some nice icing on the cake where it fits. The title of the song “Rock ‘N Roll” is maybe a bit misleading, since it’s more of a softer AOR/westcoast type song, while “Fake” is more rock ‘n roll – or actually boogie! Sometimes I wish Mikael would just give up a little roar, and maybe a bit more … well, balls, for lack of a better word. If you tell someone to “go to hell”, they should know you actually mean it. Then, on the other hand it’s sort of cool that he keeps it very soft and mild in relation to the heavier music. In “King Of The Lonely” they again enter the aforementioned Deep Purple:esque landscape. In the opening of “Tell Me Why I’m On The Run” you think you’re I for an uptempo rocker, but then Roger drags it down to half tempo and it’s transformed into a cool groovy tune. “I Can’t Take It Anymore” belongs to the same genre as bands like Toto, while the album closer, “the ballad “Falling Leaves”, is probably the closest we get to the old days of Grace, but without the horrible 80s sounds. All in all, a very enjoyable album that should attract fans of classic melodic rock as well as the AOR fans of today.

Janne Stark

Year: 2020

Label: Crazy Feelgood

Band: Bluestone

Title: Deliverance At The Crossroads

Year: 2019

Label: Grooveyard Records

After luring us in with a soft intro, Blindstone kicks the door in with a fat boot in the form of the best heavy riff of the day! Hell yeah!! Guitarist and singer Martin J. Andersen is a true master of heavy, fat and groovy riffs, who never disappoints! There’s an aura of Frank Marino hanging over his style and playing, but firmly anchored with a led sinker. It’s so heavy, groovy and funky you can’t help yourself from getting lost in the swing. Outstandingly great! At times, like in “One Beautiful Tribe” it’s heavy as a steamroller, while tracks like “Groove Nation” leans on a funky groove. A bit of Hendrix meets Marino, with a super fat production. Serious goosebumps! This also applies to Martin’s guitar playing in the bluesy ballad which gives the album its title. “Shouting From The Rooftops” is among the grooviest heavy funk rocker I’ve heard in years! Damn, what a track!! A song that sticks out a bit and brings Martin’s solo album to mind, is the instrumental track “Olympus”, a five minute orgy of brutal guitar riffs and solos. The semi-ballad “Another Day” is also a bit different in its approach. Beatlesque guitars and a surprisingly “modern” chorus. Also the finishing track, “Dove”, breaks new ground. A fantastic acoustic ballad, which is electrified halfway through and makes for a nice finish. Blindstone has never disappointed and if someone would ask which album I would recommend, I’d say – ALL!

Janne Stark

Artist: Stavros Papadopoulos

Title: Spirits On The Rise 

Year: 2020

Label: Grooveyard Records

Greek singer/guitarist/producer/mastering engineer Stavros Papadopoulos is one of the most active persons I know! He releases a never-ending stream of albums by bands like Universal Hippies, King Mountain, Freerock Saints, Super Vintage, Shadowplay Project and now also as solo artist. The common thread for all of Stavros’ bands and projects is the 70s. The riffs, the sound and the style bear clear marks of this glorious decade. So also his new solo album. If you’re into vintage Bad Company with a touch of southern rock, don’t waste any time – check out “Spirits On The Rise”. It’s bluesy, riff oriented with one helluva swagger. On this album, he’s accompanied by bass player John Christopoulos and drummer Chris Lagios, a super tight and steady dou who forms a steady ground for Stavros to strut his riffs on. Even if Stavros is a solid singer, he has added an outstanding instrumental track to the collection. His band Universal Hippes is all instrumental so this tracks lands quite close to those domains. He’s a really skillful guitarist with a technical yet bluesy and emotional style of playing, and even if his vocals may not reach to the same level (then he would be a reincarnation of Ray Gillen), he’s a highly capable singer. A very solid album, indeed!

Janne Stark

Artist: Phil Vincent

Title: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Year: 2020

Label: private

Phil Vincent has a number of releases on his conscience. In 2019-2020 alone he has released a bunch of albums with Tragik, Legion and D’Ercole, and here comes his ninth (!) solo album. If his other bands and projects leans in other directions (not too far, though) his solo album is pure melodic hard rock/AOR. This is really a solo album in all senses. Phil handles vocals, bass, keyboards, rhythm guitars and drums, plus he has produced and mixed the album. The truth is he’s very, very good at all of it! The lead guitars are handled by Vince O’Regan. In songs like “Flying High” and “Pictures” I do hear a bit of classic Asia and even a touch of Electric Light Orchestra. This is by no means mainstream AOR, but nicely arranged and composed melodic rock. My only, and yes, the only, complaint would be I sometimes find the programmed drums a bit annoying. It’s works fine in most of the songs, but in faster tracks like “Voices” it’s too stiff and you lose the swagger. The track itself is a killer that would also have fitted nicely on the latest, and outstanding, Tragik album “Faith Healer”. But, as I said, that’s my only complaint on a really good album. I must also point out that Phil is a kick-ass singer who deserves to be heard!  

Janne Stark

Band: Black Paisley

Title: Rambler

Year: 2020

Label: Black Paisley

Already the first riff of opening track ”Damned” makes you sense a smell of diesel. Straight ahead, uncomplicated, hard driving blues based hard rock ‘n roll. If the season had been right for it, this one would crave on open cab and a motorway. A very nice start on Swedish hard rockers Black Paisley’s third effort. The band features former Electric Boys guitarist Franco Santunione. Stefan Blomqvist handles the other guitar and lead vocals, Jam Emanuelsson plays bass and behind the drums we find Robert Kazari. The album was mixed by Deathwitch/Dundertåget/Imperial State Electric/Humbucker man Robert Pehrsson and it the sound is fat and nice. “Without Us” continues in the same vein, but with a slightly more radio friendly and melodic chorus, which also applies to the next track – “Higher Love”. There’s something familiar with the lead vocals, which I at first couldn’t pin point. Then I realized, he actually reminds me of Y&T’s Dave Meniketti in his med and lower register. A great thing in my book! “Save The Best” keeps the pace up and “Timeless Child” shows no traces of slowing down. All in all this is a great, rocking, power rocker with great melodies I can recommend!

Janne Stark

GUDARS SKYMNING - "Olycksfågel" (CD/LP)

Band: Gudars Skymning

Title: Olycksfågel

Year: 2020

Label: Transubstans

Gudars Skymning (”Dawning of the Gods” or more like ”Holy Shit!!”) is one of the many high quality Swedish retro rock bands. On their seventh album they have however taken a slightly different path. It’s still retro, still fat riffs and still in Swedish, but “Olycksfågel” (a person with bad luck) is a concept album. The songs, at least some of them, are woven together with spoken words. Some tracks are quite theatrical in their approach and the album is highly dynamic. I really like it, I must say. It’s kinda hard to just pop in a listen to ONE song here and there, even if tracks like “Orions Schakaler” stands up for itself, but there’s a flow through the album that gets lost if you just pick bits and pieces. The production is first class with a clear analogue tough, but without sounding lo-fi or artificial 70s. I really like the guitar sound with its quite modest but very effective distortion. Several of the songs also build up in a really nice way, such as “Monoliten vid rikets gränd”, which seamlessly transcends into “Torn av glas” with its heavy and slow riffs. 

Janne Stark

Top 20 of 2020

 So, after much going back and forth I've come up with a top 20 list of 2020. 

Here it goes:

1. Thin Lizzy – "Rock Legends"

- An outstanding compilation featuring well preserved and nicely restored demos and live recordings packed in a beautiful way. FANTASTIC!!!

2. Mephistofeles – "Satan Sex Ceremonies"

- These Argentinian retro porn rockers came in with fists held high and totally knocked me out!

3. Raven – "Metal City"

- Classic UK band Raven is back with a vengeance (not that they have ever vanished). "Metal City" is prbably my favorite Raven album since the debut!

4. Blue Öyster Cult – "The Symbol Remains"

- I must admit I wasn't expecting this AT ALL!! The last time I saw the Cult live, they were actually a little bit tired. This album is anything but "tired". Awesome!!

5. Kansas – "The Absence of Precense"

- Another band with only a few original members, where my expectations weren't sky high, even though I've thoroughly enjoyed their latest releases. This was better than expected! A killer album!

6. Raging Slab – "Sister Slab And The Boogie Coalition – Vol 1"

- Here's a band I've really missed for so long. The reason for this album may be a sad one (these were the last songs Elyse recorded before she passed away of cancer), but the album is a great one!

7. Lucifer – "III"

- Sweden based retro rockers Lucifer does a "third time lucky". Well, they have actually been "lucky" all three times! 

8. Prins Svart – "Under Jord"

- Being a huge fans of their first two albums, at first I was a bit hesitant about the concept of a band like this using different singers. But after a few spins it fits like a glöve! 

9. Dizzy Mizz Lizzy – "Alter Echo"

- This Danish trio totally knocked me off my feet with their debut, and they still do!

10. Wishbone Ash – "Coat of Arms"

- Another "oldie" that still deliver full on! 

11. Shaggy – "Scarecrow"

- An outstanding Swedish/English band that released their first album in the 70s, disappeared and reappeared with a vengeance!

12. Wolftooth – "Valhalla"

- A new acquaintance for me. Outstanding retro rockers!!

13. Baleful Creed – "The Lowdown"

- And the UK delivers! Another "new" band for me. Ordered all their albums and wasn't disappointed - at all!

14. Perfect Plan – "Time For A Miracle"

- Perfect Plan proves Sweden delivers 100 % when it comes to melodic rock!

15. Clutch – "Weathermaker Vault Series Volume 1"

- Well, not a new album per se, but the songs haven't been properly released, it's Clutch and it's great!

16. Tragik – "Faith Healer"

- Ok, so maybe this shouldn't be in here since I play a guest solo. F**k that, this is a great album by the most prolific singer in hard edged melodic rock, Phil Vincent!

17. Future Elephants? – "Humans Passin’ Through"

- These Swedish proggy rockers continue to deliver! Another killer release!

18. Gudars Skymning – "Olycksfågel"

- Swedish retro rockers Gudars Skymning keep on keeping on! 

19. Vessel Of Light - "Last Ride"

- Another kick-ass stoner album!

20. Bonehawk - "Iron Mountain"

- This outstanding album just squeezed in on last place, because I received it in the last minute. Great album!