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!