Moon Dog - Time Is The Fire (LP/CD)

Moon Dog  - Time Is The Fire (LP/CD)

Danish hard rockers Moon Dog finally follows up their debut 7” single with a full album. The single showed much promise, and the album does not disappoint. Opening track “Jaguar” is a cool mix of classic seventies sounding hard rock with a touch of early Styx.  Styx really comes to mind also in the opening choir parts of next track “Beautiful Women”, while the riff part has a heavier vibe, but it changes pace 180 degrees into a soft jazzy vibe which really comes as a surprise. A really quirky and cool track with a ton of different flavors. Singer Fjeder Stavnstrup has a past in hard rockers Hero and he also sings in Glam Gang MooreLizzy, Stuff Upper Lip and previously fronted Queen tribute band Queen of Denmark. “War, The War” continues in a heavier and darker vibe and shows the versatility of the band. “Bitch” takes us on yet another journey. It almost has a hint of old classic melodic quirky rockers City Boy. Here Rikke Holst Johansen handles the lead vocals which gives the album yet another flavor. Cool guitar solo from Fjeder as well. “My Black Soul” starts out like a left over from Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers” with some distorted Hammond from Lars Rahbek, while the chorus has a progressive twist to it. A really cool track, indeed! “Sow A Letter” is another dark and quirky track with some really cool twists and turns, while next track “Escape” is a happier funky melodic rocker that even features a piano solo. I also must say I really like the dynamic, dry and in-your-face mix of the album. Side two of the vinyl finishes with the title track,  another cool and pretty heavy number with a touch of Deep Purple but a bit more soft-progressive, almost a bit Magnum-inspired it sounds like. A killer track to end the album! The CD-version (included with the vinyl) features four more non-vinyl tracks. Really nice looking artwork, great production and mastering and an album I’d highly recommend you to check out!

Country: Denmark

Label: Supersonic CPH

Year: 2025

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

Blindstone - The Seventh Cycle of Eternity (CD)

Danish power trio Blindstone continue their relentless journey in the sign of the mighty riff on this their seventh musical journey. This time around the band has gone through a change in personnel, introducing drummer Sigurd Jønk Jensen, replacing Anders Hvidfeldt. Anders did an outstanding job, but it feels Sigurd is switching the Blindstone drum department up yet another notch. He actually gets to show his skills already in the thundering opening track Dead Man's Blues, a heavy blues rocker, true to the Blindstone trademark. Guitarist/singer Martin J Andersen lets his guitar speak loudly all over the track, riffing, soloing and filling every crack and crevice with a tasteful bit of wah-ornamented guitar magic. Rolling switches into low gear and offers some crude and fat bass riffing from Jesper Bunk. Man, this is one steamroller of a track! Rebel In Black offers some nice dynamics with a cool verse and slow pace riffing. The backbeat bluesy On My Way offers a change in pace and sound with some (I presume) neck pick-up Strat riffing. One thing I actually do feel has changed a bit, is I don't (so far) hear as much Frank Marino influences, apart from Martin's similar vocal range and style. Ok, Looking Back, a beautiful ballad, does have a touch of Marino mixed with Trower, which is top notch in my book. Martin also stays away from the wah in this one and the solos are just out of this world in tone, clarity, feel, presence and tastefulness. Frickin' outstanding! The oddly title By The Suns Of Warvan, You Shall Be Avenged is a cool heavy riff-oriented instrumental with a strong feel of early Satriani. Wish Satch, whom I'm truly a huge fan of, would record a song like this today. Multi-facetted, melodic and un-shredding, still with truly impressive guitar work. Thunder From The North continues with some heavy guitar chugging and a surprisingly hooky and melodic pre-chorus. A great track, indeed! A Love Manifesto continues in the vein of its predecessor, but still with a totally different approach. Heavy, break-filled verse leaving lots of space for highly personal Martin's low-key vocals that fit so well with this type of music. It also offers another dose of killer solos. Stonesnake opens with some busy drumming and continues in a up-tempo boogie:ish vein, suddenly switching down to half speed in the verse. Killer track! Once again the band moves into the grinding, steamroller heavy-as-lead territory with Once You See The Signs. A crusher! Another cool surprise now comes in the form of Hendrix penned Power of Soul, a heavy blues rocker that has been given the proper Blindstone treatment. All in all, yet another top notch release from the Danes. Seven albums and not a single let-down. Impressive!

Janne Stark

Label: Grooveyard

Year: 2016

Country: Denmark

ELECTRIC GUITARS – String Fever (CD)

The phrase “Danish dynamite” has somehow mostly been connected to hard rockers Pretty Maids. I would however like to widen that epithet to also include this powerful foursome. String Fever is the second effort from the Danish rockers fronted by guitarists/singers Soren Andersen and Mika Vandborg. Both have released their own, outstanding solo albums, while Soren has also been part of Glenn Hughes band plus Kick The Kangaroo, Mike Tramp etc. The title track opens the album with a groovy Hendrixy melodic rocker mixing cool vintage guitar sounds, loose drums, working bass and cool sassy vocals, ending in a full-on guitar orgy. I really love the production, keeping it fresh but still honouring the late 60s/early 70s in its dynamics and style. White Flag opens with one of the coolest, funkiest riffs I’ve heard all year (2015, that is). Makes me think of a mix of Philip Sayce and Frank Marino with a touch of Lenny Kravitz in his rock mood. Killer track! F***ing LOVE that riff!! Running Out of Time continues the riff mania and keeps the heaviness pounding with its intense and cool rhythm work. Another heavy hitter that just completely knocked me out! Girlfriend hits some others strings, surprisingly poppy and more akin to 70s Cheap Trick (which I happen to like). Day Off continues in a swampy southern early ZZ Top meets Blackberry Smoke vein, while She Wants My Guitar (feat. Ida Corr) draws more towards AC/DC meets The Black Crows with the addition of the vintage talk box effect. A cool hit-oriented rocker! I like the way Electric Guitars blend rough, riffy vintage sounding bluesy rock with quite poppy melodies, without sounding cheesy. The guitar work is totally stunning and the vocal qualities fits the style just perfectly, not too nice, not too, dirty. A killer band and a killer album, indeed!

Janne Stark

Label: Target

Country: Denmark

Year: 2015

Video: https://youtu.be/s26ArfXwPGk

Martin J. Andersen – Six String Renegade (CD)

Martin Andersen may not be a household name, but if you’re a fan of the Danish dynamite band Blindstone – you KNOW who HE is! Martin is an outstanding heavy, bluesy guitarist and an awesome bluesy singer, and now he gets the chance to shine on his own. Here he also plays bass and keyboards, while Klaus Agerbo handles the drums. Well, don’t expect a pop, metal or jazz album. When Martin goes solo, you will make no mistake he is the driving force behind Blindstone. He’s always had a cool funky touch that makes me think of Frank Marino. Well, he keeps on nurturing it here as well, but he also stretches out with some nice instrumentals. One, which I must comment on initially, is the highly surprising “The Trooper”, originally by Iron Maiden. Martin really puts his own spin on this one making it a cool instrumental hard rocker! There is also some more classic bluesy stuff here such as “Dirty Little Angel” and Johnny Winter’s “Stranger”. Another, not as far fetched, cover is “Strange Dreams” by Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush. A perfect fit indeed and a killer version! Despite being perfectly in Martin’s wheelhouse, he does put his own spin on it, especially when it comes to the extra spicy guitar tone. “Never Ending Climb” keeps the heavy, funky vibe going and this one is closer to the house of Blindstone, but it also has a different melodic quality added to it. “Freak Flag Flying” really gets the Hendrix mojo  going and “Funky State Of Mind” is what it sounds like. Funk rock with a nod to the old school of Parliament and Funkadelic. The album ends with the ten minute instrumental guitar orgasm featuring guest benders Michael Denner, Torben Enevoldsen and Soren Andersen. This track really builds up like a movie, starting all cool and melodic with a bit of drama coming in after a while. Halfway in the real guitar drama begins with one solo leading into another. A great album, giving Blindstone fans yet another bite to chew and the opportunity to discover the Danish guitar gems. Highly recommended!

Janne Stark

Country: Denmark

Year: 2015

Label: Grooveyard Records

WHITE TRASH PRESIDENTS – s/t (CD)

If you’re into heavy Swedish sleaze rockers such as Hardcore Superstar, Crazy Lixx and Crashdïet, you simply have to check out the new SweDane unit: White Trash Presidents and I’m sure they will be added to your list. This band’s 8-track debut will hit you like a ton of bricks! With their roots in bands like Starats and Crazy Lixx these four guys takes the best from their previous bands and mix it into something that kicks their background firmly in the ass! “White Trash Presidents” and “One Fuse Left” will hit you like a ton of bricks! The band features former Starrats singer Magnus MP Möller and guitarist Dennis Post, flanked by former Crazy Lixx bassist Loke Rivano and drummer Brion Wekin. “Smack Me Around” is a bit mellower, closer to Enuff Z’nuff, which is ok by me. “Pushin’ Daisies” gets the power machine back in action with its heavy and grinding riffing. Every album needs a ballad, right? Well, I don’t think they do, but when they do they better bring me something that hits me. Well, this one contains two. “Cryin’” starts out pretty cool, but hell does break loose and it becomes a pretty bluesy powerful thing in the end. Nice soloing indeed by Mr Post! “Lovesong” finishes the album and this one is a pretty epic piano ballad with a pretty cool arrangement. I really like this one, indeed! “Lovers & Haters” and “Psycho Dad” also offer the, by now obligatory, punch in the face! The production and sound reminds me quite a bit of Hardcore Superstar, but to be honest White Trash Presidents hit me harder. This is really good stuff!

Janne Stark

Year: 2014
Label: WTP Music (private)

Country: Sweden

Link: www.whitetrashpresidents.com