BLACK STONE CHERRY - "FAMILY TREE" (2018)

BLACK STONE CHERRY - "FAMILY TREE"
(Running time: 52:54 minutes; 13 songs)
("Mascot Records"; 2018; CD):

Hey guys, yes, already the next record-review is here and now aimed at you, yes, and this sort of like again after one more too sweaty and too heated night… hot time, summer in the city, I guess… and here and now you get my record-review on the (brand)new BLACK STONE CHERRY full-length-album titled "FAMILY TREE" released still sort of pretty recently this year in 2018 via "MASCOT RECORDS" on a beautiful desgined digi-pak CD (and pretty much also on LP I would guess). I discovered them sort of just last year or two years ago or so with their phenomenal 2016 full-length-album masterpiece "KENTUCKY" and so I was more than only a bit curious when I finally got aware of that "FAMILY TREE" was released and, oh hell yeahr, that huge curiosity of me, myself, and I was far more than justified because with "FAMILY TREE" BLACK STONE CHERRY in 2018 absolutely remained on the fantastic and incredible high level of skills and qualities they have reached and conquered with "KENTUCKY" and they even enriched and varied it all even more. Compared to/with "KENTUCKY" the first impression that you get from/of "FAMILY TREE" is that it's far more colourful and that it shines in a by far more warm(er) light (at least that was my first impression) and this first impression only grows stronger when you then finally listening to it. A real monster, a true beast of an album with a very huge own identity, filled with huge and big valuable loads of nutrious fresh ideas and that's massively bubbling over with life. The Classic Rock and/or Vintage Rock influences grew very big this time and are massively enriched with very strong (also sometimes tribalistic arranged) Soul marks and cultivated with very strong and damn cool and very present Gospel inspired (or so it seems to me) passages that give the songs and the whole album not only a very special and damn own and unique character and identity but also a pretty different and with that also a very colourful and soulful timbre and all is melted together by phenomenal songwriting full of exciting twists and turns and filled with tons of ironclad-like grapping moments and filled with very diverse arrangements and an in general highly multi-layered and multi-facetted compositorial approach of writing and delivering songs with a very 'rousing mind-set' and filled to the maximum with high octane energy and marked by very strong and alive-lively dynamics as well as the incredible huge ability to write and create with each and every song a through'n'through damn hymn and each as exciting, grapping, rousing, touching, and interesting as the other, oh boy, fantastic, and all done'n'delivered by masterly skilled musicians (as well as songwriters). All is marked by highly charismatic lead vocals, highly diverse and really bright and loud singing guitars, a warm and yet perwful and loud walkin'n'talkin' bass, really powerful punching drumming, and all is enriched by very intense and atmospheric backing choirs and brilliant keyboard and organ parts, various horns, and a breath-taking percussion section. It's just absolutely larger than life and damn groundbreaking and just a damn rich and a highly diverse total masterpiece of an album, one of the strongest of and in and for 2018 for sure, with a totally unique character so that any band comparisions are at the end of the day sort of nonsense, yes, but if you really need some other names then you can loosely find BLACK STONE CHERRY's "FAMILY TREE"  standing on a very independently position somewhere between LYNYRD SKYNYRD, the BLUES PILLS, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, and BRAND NEW SIN as well as we all probably won't get an album like "FAMILY TREE" that soon again with bringing Alterantive/Modern Rock and Classic/Vintage Rock so perfectly and easy flowing together so that fans of for example NICKELBACK will love it as well as also fans of for example LED ZEPPELIN will also love it anyhow, too. Nothing but an incredible fantastic and an absoultely outstanding album, an amazing one, yes, that's it what BLACK STONE CHERRY's "FAMILY TREE" is and all is then at the end of the day made round by great lyrics, a gorgeous artwork, and a perfect warm and earthy production-sound. This is 'highliest' recommended to any fan of true and real and just amazing and outstanding Rock/Rock &  Roll music outta there and if you are in that target-group you should know what you have to do by now and right now, point and fact.

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.blackstonecherry.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BLACK STONE CHERRY - "SOUTHERN FRIED FRIDAY NIGHT" (2018, "FAMILY TREE")

MAGNUM - "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" (2018)

MAGNUM - "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY"
(Running time: 66:51 minutes; 11 songs; Bonus CD: 24:39 minutes; 4 songs)
("SPV"/"Steamhammer"; 2018; Double CD):

Hey folks, yes, time to get back to work again up here and so I now do and so here now comes my review on the (brand)new 2018 masterpiece that the British AOR legends MAGNUM (titled "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY") released at the 19th of January of 2018 via "SPV"/"Steamhammer" and I have the (limited?) Double CD that I bought recently when it was released this January and that so is up now for being reviewed here by me for you. Back in 2015 MAGNUM took me by storm with their fantastic "SACRED BLOOD, 'DIVINE' LIES" longplayer (my review on it I finally did last summer up here) and so I was very hungry and curious for their new album to finally see the light of the day and enthusiastically I cheered up loudly when it finally was to be found in/on the shelves of the local record/media store here where I live and I took it promptly with me. And what shall I say, MAGNUM's "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" conquered me massively and 'overwhelmingly' and this even more than "SACRED BLOOD, 'DIVINE' LIES", yes, even more. "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" is filled to the max packed up full from start to finish with larger than life monsters of songs that will manifest and establish an overwhelming and exciting grip on you and won't let loose of you again even when the nearly 67 minutes are over and the goosepimples run down your neck and back without an end so that you can't do anything different then just simply press the 'play-button' one more time again- and again and again and again... This is fantastic and in all and every ways and manners highest skilled and highly authentic as well as 'engagingly' sympathic AOR (or name it Melodic Rock, Classic Rock, Hard Rock or Heavy Rock, what-ever term suits your gusto better) in absolute perfection filled with an incredible hugh amount of manifold biggest and mightiest honest and heartfelt emotions, full of rousing passion and bursting with life due to a bright shining heavily beguiling soul that breathes life and fresh-alive/lively air into the whole album so that it 'formally' comes fiery hopping out of the speakers sheer exploding (be)for life and it completely takes over with an adorably fresh and high amount of highly dynamic energy so that it will nothing else but take you by storm and maybe even as much as it took and conquered me. The brilliant songwriting that this fine gentlemen and highest skilled formidable musicians in 'persona-union' that form MAGNUM deliver us here on "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" is just mindblowing and breathtaking and so incredible rich and multi-faceted, multi-layered and highly diverse, packed up full of/with an amazing amount of awesome fresh ideas and exciting and grapping twists'n'turns all along the ride, while at the same time and over the whole time being so massively stunning and intense and highly atmospheric as well as full of gifted melodies and unobstrusive and yet so even more 'conquering triumphantly' hymnal/anthemic catchyness, yes, it will leave your mouth wide open, your eyes shining, and your ears sounding and clinging for/of joy, yes, and the instrumentation as well as the variety of 'musical influences' (for example enrich gifted Folk arrangements and great slightly Medieval melody lines as well as a ton of dreamlike fantasy impressions the brandnew MAGNUM compositions here on "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" heavily and massively and even more than before) is just stunning and so wide'n'broad and all is at the same time so perfectly flowing and highest skilled 'inter-woven' into the AOR music that it only furthermore prevents your mouth from closing again. Something that also definitely needs to be mentioned here explicit and precise are the just sheer fantastic and heavily rousing pace arrangements and the almighty forceful rhythm structures that mark all the songs and the whole album in a just sheer fantastic way'n'manner. That's perfect, nothing else, period. 'Instrumentation-wise' the biggest trademarks are surely (at least so in my book) the highest gifted and incredible soulful, passionate, heartfelt, and playful, rich, varying, and diverse as well as above all else highly characteristic guitar work, the mighty and powerful vocals with a very own and strong character of their very own, as well as the fantastic paino/organ/keyboard arrangements, yes, and this is all 'just' absolutely amazing and totally fantastic. The powerful and precise, tight and yet also very diverse, playful, and nicely and refreshing 'airy-loose' rhythm section is the perfect and much needed backbone of it all. Ah, yes, and the title-track also offers first class guest vocals by no one else than AVANTASIA's very own Tobias Sammet, yes, just that you know it. Fantastic, thoughtful and throughtprovoking, expressive and interesting lyrics, a drop-dead gorgeous artwork (I'm totally in love with it), and a very warm and natural, round and yet still nicely heavy production sound then round it all (perfectly) up. My personal favorites? Ha, the whole album, period. (Even the absolutely amazing larger than life and incredible powerful "STORM BABY" is my total love affair up here on MAGNUM's "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY".) The Bonus CD features a bunch of fantastic older MAGNUM opus' in a formidable live quality and is a very welcome nice bonus goody. Even we now have just reached March of 2018 I am pretty sure that you will definitely find MAGNUM's "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" in my 2018 top ten list, and so I think I've said it all and I can now only leave you with my highest and honest recommendation(s) and so in my book every fan of honest and passionate Rock music simply needs to call this giant of an album his/her very own and so you better get it way earlier than any later in case you still don't have it. A masterpiece of one of a kind. Cheers.
(10 of 10 Points)
www.magnumonline.co.uk/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

MAGNUM - "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY" (2018, "LOST ON THE ROAD TO ETERNITY")

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - "GRIMMEST HITS" (2018)

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - "GRIMMEST HITS"
(Running time: 55:56 minutes; 12 songs)
("Spinefarm Records"; 2018; CD):

At the 19th of January of 2018 Zakk Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY releasesed their newest and also already 10th full-length-album via "SPINEFARM RECORDS" titled "GRIMMEST HITS" and here and now you finally get my record-review on it. I always thought that the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY does sound like a bastard out of OZZY OSBOURNE (surely also especially vocal-wise), CORROSION OF CONFORMITY (think about their "DELIVERANCE" period), LYNYRD SKYNYRD (for the huge guitar driven Southern Rock taste), and a bit of DOWN, BRAND NEW SIN and also aslight bit PANTERA (due to that very special grooving guitars with that singing 'southern flair'), and then all mixed through with some good dirty 1970's and also a bit 1980's inspired Classic Rock or Vinatge Rock with some very slight Blues notes in it and here and there some old/early ALICE IN CHAINS reminiscences and all served very self-contained, yes, and that's exactly the way how their "GRIMMEST HITS" rock and groove in a really heavy and (sort of) 'down-tuned' but still and nowadays first-and-foremost always very smooth and also nicely melodic way out of the speakers. And while I sit here and having listened to BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "GRIMMEST HITS" for nearly countless times since last month (I bought it right when it was finally released) and again listen to it one more time and probably for many more times to come, yes, Ireally haven't that much to say and with what I have said so far and with what I'm going to say adding to it with the next three or four sentences it will be all what I have to say to/about it and not because this would be anyhow anything like a weak album or anything like 'unspectacular' or what the hell else ever, nah, it's just... I really damn like this album a lot but beside saying this and pointing out that this very one here will be probably one of the heaviest and deepest but yet all the time also one of the smoothest and one of the most soul- and playful and also one of the most hymnal (in a pretty much absoultely clichee-free way) albums in Hard Rock we all will experience being released in 2018 I haven't that much more to say simply because BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "GRIMMEST HITS" simply completly speaks for its own and this in its own tongue'n'tone. But maybe you now already all that you have to know? Maybe there's no need to 'extend' this very one here and now? In this particular case here I feel so. And so let me close this review with pointing out that the songwriting is very intense and atmospheric and filled with so much honest emotions and being 'music-wise' extremly playful and also soulful that you will nothing but sink deep and deeper into this fabulous songs; with pointing out that the damn charismatic heartfelt vocals really shine bright, the guitar work is one of the very best you will ever experience, the (hammond) organ adds a lot of special flavour to it all, and the rhythm section is a just very damn massive and decent force; and with pointing out that this album will give you goosepimples again and again. If there would be maybe only one or two a bit 'faster paced' songs to shake it one or two times maybe a little bit up then my rating would maybe be even a bit better... but after I especially love the ballads "THE ONLY WORDS", "THE DAY THAT HEAVEN HAD GONE AWAY" and "NOTHING LEFT TO SAY" I am maybe also not so sure about that after all... how-ever, strong lyrics, a fantastic (and also sort of pretty ironical or humouristic) artwork, and a perfect warm, dirty, earthy, and heavy production sound round it all finally up. Nothing left to say, if I would be you, I would make sure to get my hands on a copy of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "GRIMMEST HITS" (finally) as soon as possible.

(8,5 of 10 points)

http://blacklabelsociety.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - "THE ONLY WORDS" (2018, "GRIMMEST HITS")

DEEP PUPRLE - "INFINITE" (2017)

DEEP PURPLE - "INFINITE"
(Running time: 45:43 minutes; 10 songs)
("E.A.R. Music"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, back at work again and this means here comes the next dose for you, my so far right now and right here newest record review is aiming straight at and coming direct for you, yes, and this time it is all about the 2017 full length album of/by the almighty DEEP PURPLE and it carries the title "INFINITE" and was released back at the 7th of April (of) this very year of 2017. "INFINITE" is the 20th full length studio album that DEEP PURPLE created and unleashed at us in their 50 years of existence spanning carreer, and if you ask me this is very, very impressive and also something that we today probably will not so soon if ever will experience again when a band like DEEP PURPLE finally leaves us and by looking at the age of the bandmembers that's nothing 'unrealistic' and also it's heavily rumoured and more or less for all what I got also stated by the band itself that the current tour and "INFINTE" will be their 'farewell-affair'. I first experienced DEEP PURPLE early as a child thankfully through my father who listened to them a lot and especially their larger than life "MADE IN JAPAN" made an everlasting impact on me. And then on a personal level or from a personal point of view also and especially "PERFECT STRANGERS" climbed somehow somewhat to the highest peak of my personal top favorites list. Anyhow, and now we're in 2017 and DEEP PURPLE delivered us "INFINTE" and I finally get it done to come up with my review on it for you, hell yeahr, finally!!! This is a fantastic mixture out of the pretty interwoven DEEP PURPLE 1970's Classic Rock mixed with their more straight Hard Rock/Heavy Rock era of the 1980's with a somewhat pretty cool chilled mood to it all like they established it maybe especially over the course of their precursor albums to/of "INFINITE" and also with some strong classical Rock & Roll impressions to it all and it is delivered so incredible fresh, dynamic, energetic, and with so much power and force and also with so many fresh ideas and cool surprises as well as truly exciting twists and turns along the whole ride that it simply leaves you sort of breathless and with your mouth wide open, yes, listen for example to the absolutely amazing and awesome dramatic growing and intertwined with a lot of great melodies and harmony lines and somewhat oriental aligned "THE SURPRISING" or the phenomenal smooth and cool rocking "JOHNNY'S BAND" that's nothing else or less than a pure Rock & Roll anthem or the fantastic "HIP BOOTS" that's practically Old School Rockabilly the unique DEEP PURPLE way or the absolutely smashing heavy groover "ON TOP OF THE WORLD" with its surely larger than life rousig and  upbuilding tension-arc or the forceful and yet so incredible sensitive and emotional as well as melodic and beside the airy cool yet forceful smashing rhythm structures also with a breathtaking lead and solo work shining "BIRDS OF PREY" or the majestic rockin' Blues hymn "ROADHOUSE BLUES" that DEEP PURPLE do cover from THE DOORS with its special extra in form of the amazing harmonica, yes, to just a name a few examples of the high quality and the absolutely fresh, exciting, grapping and varying arrangements and songwriting in general of "INFINITE" as a whole and each song in its glorious shining uniqueness as well. Beside the varying and diverse and yet tight and to the point delivered songwriting, all done by outstanding musicians, prepare yourself also for a fantastic and absolutely unique guitar work that excel in the glorious rhythm work with exceling arrangements and structures and grooves as well as with fantastic leads and singing solos, too; also prepare yourself for some of the most charismatic and brilliant, unique and best and strongest vocals ever, that mark the songs really heavily; make also sure that you are prepared for one of the best hammond organ, keyboard, and organ performances you propably ever listened to and will ever listen to; also prepare yourself for a walking and talking bass playing of absoultely one of a kind; and also prepare yourself for one of the most smooth and coolest, diverse and precise to the point done and delivered high skilled drumming that packs the final meat on the backbone of DEEP PURPLE's "INFINTE". My personal favorites on DEEP PURPLE's "INFINTE" are "ONE NIGHT IN VEGAS", "HIP BOOTS", "THE SURPRISING", "JOHNNY'S BAND", "BIRDS OF PREY", "ON TOP OF THE WORLD", and the THE DOORS cover "ROADHOUSE BLUES", oh yes, but to be honest I could easily anyhow name you the whole album and each and any song on it because here everything is simply absoulte purest platinum. "INFINTE" is finally made round in a sort of a perfect way with fantastic reflected and also self-aware lyrics, a pure beauty of an amazing artwork (that also comes with a nice little cool "IN ROCK" reference), and a warm and earthy, organic and yet also very heavy production sound, yes, so that here with "INFINTE" you really get the complete package and also definitely one of the very best albums of'n'in'n'for the year of 2017. So, yes, this is one of the 'highliest' recommendations of/by me you get, will get, and already got this year, yes, and so make sure that DEEP PURPLE's "INFINTE" finds its place in your record collection, point and fact. DEEP PURPLE will definitely and desperately be missed 'when they leave the stage' one day... anyhow, make sure to have and enjoy "INFINTE" and all the rest time will tell.

(10 of 10 Points)

http://www.deeppurple.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

DEEP PURPLE - "JOHNNY'S BAND" (2017, "INFINITE")

ELOY - "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" (2017)

ELOY - "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE"
(Running time: 62:23 minutes; 13 songs)
("Artist Station" & "Soulfood"; 2017; CD):

Hey folks, yes, it's me again, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, again the next dose is coming for you. Hm, and now something very different and anyhow unique and maybe also especially for this very blog here something pretty to very new I have in store for you, surely, because here and now comes my record review on the current new 2017 full length album of/by the german Progressive (and maybe also Classic) Rock legends ELOY coming from the city of Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony, the german federal state I live in and this sort of just a hour or a-hour-and-a-half away from Hanover, (en)titled "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" and it was released at the 25th of August this very year of 2017 via "ARTIST STATION" and "SOULFOOD", and yes, I will (once again) try my best to do somehow justice to this album... and this will anyhow anyway be an incredible damn hard job, a very damn hard try to do so, that I can already tell you by now. But, yes and anyhow, let's go one more time again: I never knew of ELOY, why the bloody hell ever, before I finally saw this album at my local record store... despite the fact that they are more or less 'constantly-existingly-around' since 1969 and despite the fact that they released quite a few albums since then and also despite the fact that they come from sort of 'around the corner' from where I live... but anyhow, yes, because now in 2017 this finally changed. The artwork, yes, the album, yes, the complete package appealed to me and spoke to me and I was curious what this might be right from the beginning. When I first saw it I didn't took it with me because I was in a hurry and had no time to do a little listening-session with it in the store. The second time I finally had the time and did so promptly and... it was pretty much right from the get-go very clear to me that this is an album and that this is music that demands time and effort of/from you and that this is nothing to discover properly not even a single bit while or when listening to it over shitty headphones in your local record store with far too many people running around you, definitely not, and so it was also right from the get-go very clear to me that I would definitely desperately need to take this little shining silver disc home with me, for sure, and so I did. This was sort of a week after ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" was released some few months ago still pretty recently this year of 2017, hm, and since then it is for all the right and justified reasons on heavy rotation here on'n'in my stereo, yes, and since then I also ask myself how the hell do I a review on it that does justice to this breathtaking and phenomenal rich'n'diverse and and just fascinating and totally larger than life masterpiece of an Album that it definitely is... and still I have not a single clou, nah, at least not a proper one... but with that review being now long, long overdue and with 2017 aiming more and more straight and direct towards its end I finally decided to not longer shy away from it, yes, and so now here comes my honest attempt and my honest try to a anyhow proper review on ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE", yes, and so where do I now finally find the starting point to do so... ah, okay... maybe here: This is incredible skilled and varying, diverse and demanding (and this in all positive senses and meanings of this word or term) Progressive Rock strongly dominated by organs and keyboards and this without any annoying 'cheesy and corny kitsch' and massively enriched with medieval folklore instrumentation and parts and also offering surprising elements like- for example- a (children's) choir that add a lot of 'qualitatively weight' to the music of ELOY here on "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE". It's all very high skilled and diverse, varying done, yes, Progressive Rock with a very special and unique character and that also adds quite a bit of Classic Rock heavyness and marks to it all and this especially in the guitar departement. Also very, hm, yes, outstanding and pretty unique (maybe especially in the Progressive Rock context) and maybe even more convincingly are the widescreen and massive arrangements and the interleaved rhytmic structures of the songs that heavily (and I mean really heavily) mark the music on/of ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" and they even outshine the (anyhow also fascinating and exciting, grapping) solo work that's also a very prominent and outstanding ingredient and this of the highest quality here on this very album. Also the female lead singing voice of Alice Merton (you may know her the Mainstream charts storming hit "ROOTS" from this year or so) is an incredible superb enrichment and adds so stunningly massive lot to the songs, yes, it's just a complete and total "Wow!!!"-factor cultivating it all even more. This is absolutely unique music, incredible soul- and playful, coming from the heart, speaking out of the soul, with a clear and conscious skilled mind, and absolutely timeless like we're not so often able to experience it still today, for sure, and it is also extremly esthetic (and this in all positive sense), yes, this is surely 'true art'. And also, of course, expect tons of just breathtaking guitars, absolutely amazing vocals, and a fascinating work of the high skilled rhythm section, beside all the other outstanding great elements and ingredients of ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" that I already mentioned above before (at least I tried to do so). And that this guys are phenomenal musicians I also mention here but only for the record, yes, because this should be clear anyhow anyway. I think (or at least I do hope so) that to the phenomenal arranged and composed, highly diverse and much varying, 'proggy'n'complicated' and yet still absolutely amazing flowing and all the time comprehensible songwriting I also said quite a bit to quite a lot above and what the pretty unique focus of it all is and what dominates and shines perhaps the most and all this, yes, so please read above so that I don't have to repeat myself here and now so that this anyhow 'large monster' of a review grows not anyhow too big after all... okay, let us for a moment here and now act so like this wouldn't be the case already, yes... Because to repeat myself would maybe also prevent me from also praising the lyrical and in general the artistic approach and concept of ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE", and this would suck, yes, definitely, because this album is the first of a two albums (and also a book) spanning storytelling of the lifestory and the timeline of the events of the historical as well as mystical and anyhow inspirational and sort of 'enlightening' figure and person that is or maybe better that was Jean D'Arc, the Virgin of Orleans. And this is done absolutely amazing and also 'outstandingly-awesome' with a lot of fantastic done elements that reminiscent a lot of audiobooks and the stylistic devices that are used there for the storytelling and here on "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" ELOY really succesful and in a massively impressive way manage to work this all beautifully flowing into their music, oh yes, and this is absolutely magnificent and enchanting on a larger than life level and scale. The gorgeous artwork is a perfect match to this all, as well as the warm and natural, organic and yet clear production sound. After this is a concept album I definitely won't name you my favorites and this simply because it wouldn't make any sense after all, yes, because do yourself the favour and listen to ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" in its whole shining and beautiful, nearly magical glory and this repeatedly, yes, make sure to do so and this best again and again, for sure, period. Okay, so far I think... ah, I could go on and on talking about and praising ELOY's "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE"... damn it... but, okay, I think I anyhow sort of definitely need to have to come finally to a close of/with this very review here and now, hm, and so just let me say that I won't name you no anyhow comparable bands and albums because there are absoultely none that come to my mind that strong and especially unique is this album, point and fact, maybe just a very, very, very little bit the intense and atmospheric 'soundscapes' that ELOY create again and again here on "THE VISION, THE SWORD AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" are very, very slightly here and there reminiscent of or somehow comparable to PINK FLOYD, hm, maybe, but I'm not so sure about it after all. Anyhow, my last words here and now are that this very one here is one of the biggest or hugest surprises that I discovered this very year of 2017 and I can only massively, strongly, and highly recommend this to any of you open minded Rock lovers out there, yes, one of the definite very best and also most unique albums of this year of 2017, without a doubt, so just go and get it if you still shouldn't have it, why-ever, and this best instantly, period; and I'm looking enthusiastically forward to ELOY releasing "THE VISION, THE SWORD, AND THE PYRE - PART TWO" finally soon in 2018.

(10 of 10 points)

http://eloy-legacy.com/eloy2.php (-the link to the homepage of the band)

Official 2017 album teaser: ELOY - "THE SWORD, THE VISION AND THE PYRE - PART ONE" (2017)

DANKO JONES - "WILD CAT" (2017)

DANKO JONES - "WILD CAT"
(Running time: 38:35 minutes; 11 songs)
("AFM Records"; 2017; CD):

Next round already coming up, oh yes, trust your eyes... even if we will see if I will get it done before bedtime needs to finally begin tonight. And after all this harsh hard'n'heavy stuff taking the lead lately up here I felt like it is finally really about time that some good old Rock & Roll blasts on through again up here, oh damn fuckin' hell yeah, and so now here comes my review on DANKO JONES' 2017 album "WILD CAT" for you. DANKO JONES were before "WILD CAT" mostly under my radar so far... and thinking about it today I have really no clue why the bloody hell ever...!!! Always knew a handful of songs, hm, always liked them, yes, and especially when partying hard on through the nights, hell yeahr, but somehow never really cared that much more... and then "MY LITTLE ROCK & ROLL" was played on my favorite radio station and it was instantly clear to me that I definitely would need to have that "WILD CAT" with me at home, yes, and so it happened. This is high energy Rock & Roll on full octane levels with a very special flavor to it all and with a strong own identity that is maybe best to be described as first class modern & alternative (hard) Classic Rock with a nice and cool fresh somehow modern approach to it. Forceful guitars with a very own and unique tone delivering impressively exciting and grapping rhythm arrangements and just stunningly beautiful shining leads and singing solos, all done heavy, yes, melodic, diverse, and full of skills, oh yes, and marking the single songs as well as the whole album as well as DANKO JONES' music in general in a just very strong way and this for all the right'n'good reasons. Then we have the stunningly charismatic snotty and nasty yet very melodic and powerful lead vocals, fantastic, at the right moments supported by some few loud back up chantings, yes, as the next strongest marking element of DANKO JONES' "WILD CAT". The very present and just absolutely to the point played, very diverse and stunningly heavy pushing rhythm section finally gives the songs the needed final punch and drive, yes, so that this turns out to be pure Kick Ass Rock & Roll and this the first class way. Grapping songwriting, exciting ideas and fresh twists-and-turns all the way, high energy levels and rousing dynamics, yes, it's all here what I want (and need) from my up-to-date and still somewhat classical Rock & Roll, hell yeahr, and DANKO JONES deliver definitely with "WILD CAT" and this in a totally conquering way. Very cool lyrics, a perfect to the title and the music matching artwork, and a forceful smashin'n'kickin' production sound then round this all up in a sort of perfect way. My personal favorites are "I GOTTA ROCK", "MY LITTLE ROCK & ROLL", "GOING OUT TONIGHT" (the über-hit), "YOU ARE MY WOMAN", "DO THIS EVERY NIGHT", "SHE LIKES IT", and "REVOLUTION (BUT THEN WE MAKE LOVE)", yes, so start your listening sessions with this monster-anthems... yes, this would be my damn fucking recommendation... but don't make the mistake to think that the other not mentioned songs would be anyhow bad or weak, oh no, because also this ones damn fucking rock in a total kick-ass-way anyhow anyway. What shall I say more here and now, not much... just... yes... if you still don't have it and if you are into Rock & Roll and Rock then simply finally make sure that DANKO JONES' "WILD CAT" finally finds its way to you and then it's time to set your town alight. Cheers, fellas!!!

(9 of 10 points)

http://www.dankojones.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

DANKO JONES - "REVOLUTION (BUT THEN WE MAKE LOVE)" (2017, "WILD CAT")

BLUES PILLS - "LADY IN GOLD" (2016)

BLUES PILLS - "LADY IN GOLD"
(Running time: 40:08 minutes; 10 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2016; CD):

God damn it, July and August were very good months up here and then in September only one post saw the light of day up here. No, this blog wasn't already dead again and it's still very well and alive it was just a very busy month - very, very busy. But okay, enough of the whining and now back into the action and so back on track again with a new record-review up here and this time on the 2016 full-length-album "LADY IN GOLD" of/by the mighty BLUES PILLS. The 'highflyers' of the last years and pretty much sort of one of the 'kickstarters' of the whole current Classic Rock hype. After I am totally into this whole Rock/Hard Rock/Heavy Rock/Classic Rock thing then and now that's all more than fine with me. This is the follow up release to/of their (I think so) self-titled 2014 album (back then also released via "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS"), and so here we have "LADY IN GOLD" and it finally made its way up here on this very blog. Okay, enough of the small-talking-stuff and so now finally to some precise looks on and listens to the "LADY IN GOLD". The BLUES PILLS deliver us here ten (back then) new songs of their heavily by Blues fueled and strongly by 1970's (Hard) Rock influenced Classic Rock or maybe better Vintage Rock that (this time) also offers a lot of Soul, some Psychedelic (Rock) notes, and even some few Gospel marks and impressions in it and all done very, very fresh and alive-lively, denying every and any lame and stale retro crap bullshit any chance of taking any ground; and that's damn fucking good. The BLUES PILLS bring fantastic and heartfelt, soulful and playful, very sensitive (yet in the right moments ass kicking) and melodic/symphonic, multi-layered, and diverse guitars to the table, backed up by a breath-taking tight, precise, yet 'airy' and versatile rhythm section, and a bunch of 'other instruments' (xylophone, piano, organ, mellotron) to cultivate and enrich and round it all up in a very nice and delicious way. And above all there thrown the larger than life and stand alone lead vocals by/of the in every sense and way stunning Elin Larson, here and there supported by 'goosepimples-giving' (Gospel) choirs. Add to this a high skilled and very rich and diverse songwriting full of several emotions, moods, fresh and surprising moments, and just great twists and turns and an intense tension-building and you'll pretty much know what a great album is coming here for/at you. Okay, any favorite songs to list here makes no sense, because the whole album is just purest Gold if not platinum. A fantastic artwork, cool lyrics, and a first class earthy and dirty yet transparent and especially full and warm production sound we get on top of it all. Okay, this is, I think so, a pretty short review, especially for 'my usual standards', anyway, I've said all what there is or was to say, I can only highest recommend BLUES PILLS' "LADY IN GOLD" to any fan of fresh, sympathic, authentic. honest, real, and just damn-close-to-brilliant and just bright and golden shining (Classic/Vintage) Rock music. So, in case you really should have missed out so far on this masterpiece, why the bloody hell ever, you should really change this, finally, as damn fucking soon as fucking bloody possible, yes, because this is an outstanding masterpiece pretty close to perfect. So go out and get it, and now cheers and good night.

(9 of 10 points)

http://www.bluespills.eu/ (-the link to the homepage of the band, so check it out)

BLUES PILLS - "LITTLE BOY PREACHER" /live\ (2016, "LADY IN GOLD")

DEF LEPPARD - "DEF LEPPARD" (2015)

DEF LEPPARD - "DEF LEPPARD"
(Running time: 54:33 minutes; 14 songs)
("Bludgeon Riffola Ltd." & "Edel Germany GmbH"; 2015; CD):

Hi folks, I'm finally (or so) one more time back @ it again, doing some new stuff up here, heading into the final week of the (if you want so) solely (or more or less solely) Rock and Metal month up here, and we will do this with this review on the 2015 self-titled full length album by the british grandmasters of Rock, yes, no one else than the (al)mighty DEF LEPPARD. When this album came out back then two years ago in 2015 I've read a lot of very enthusiastic reviews saying that this is sort of a comeback for this fine gentlemen with stating that DEF LEPPARD released with "DEF LEPPARD" their best album since/in 28 years, their best since their immortal and larger than life classic "HYSTERIA". Hm, I won't go into this simply because back then when "HYSTERIA" first came out I was like six years old or so and so anyhow I don't think I would be the or just a right one to judge this, no, but what I can judge and what I will say is simply that DEF LEPPARD's "DEF LEPPARD" was and damn sure still fucking is one damn amazing hell of an album; and I'm pretty sure it will continue to be and stay exactly this for many, many years to come, point and fact. DEF LEPPARD celebrate on this one highest skilled, playful and colourful, very passioante and heartfelt, honest and just really big AOR on one damn incredible high level of quality with totally unexpected youthful-fresh energy and all is highly dynamic and filled to the max with varying and diverse arranegments rich on varaitions and high on adrenaline, this is truly nothing but absolutely top notch first class Melodic Rock with a lot of Pop Appeal and some slight Hard Rock impressions in it all with a classic but yet very youthful and fresh approach to it all. All is filled with a very multi-layered and just rich guitar work that excels with just amazing melody lines and sensitive leads and just very symphonic solos as well as a totally overwhelming and just massively conquering soulful rhythmic work; and for sure the guitars are the most marking trademark on/of "DEF LEPPARD" and they just shine in an incredible bright light and are full of emotions and just a through and through heartfelt authenticity, creating many larger than life moments again and again. Then there is a just "stunningly" cool and nicely present absolutely high skilled bass work that manages to commute "brilliantly" between clever and laid back restraint on the one side and sheer force and cool "walking" grooves that mark the songs strongly on the other side. The very sensitive and yet still nicely with some power delivered keyboard playing enriches the songs in a very strong way, like the powerful "punching" drumming creates the right loadable foundament of the songs to be build further on with a lot of tension created through an impressive strong compositorial work. The melodic, clear, and yet with a lot of force delivered lead vocals, that are also joining forces with some nice backings here and there, then finally put the crown on it all. All is delivered by high skilled musicians on a very high level of musical quality and this all via one hell of an outstanding songwriting that rouses a lot of tension, that is filled with grapping and exciting moments and surprises all along the ride (like for example the smart tribute to Psychedelia in form of the masterpiece track titled "SEA OF LOVE"), and with just a lot of awesome arrangements. This is an exciting ride from start to to finish, and it is one outstanding piece of just really great and impressive masterpiece Rock music, and it is also fantastic how hymnal and anthemic this whole album is and this all combined with a very cool attitude and an intense and emotional (and this means "emotional-diverse", but all the time honest and real) atmosphere, and from (powerful) ballads to just cool and hard rockin' and harder groovin' Rockers we get here it all. Strong and intersting, pretty often also strongly "uplifting" lyrics, a transparent and clean, yet still warm and nicely powerful production sound, and a first class artwork we finally get on top of it all as well. My personal favorites are "LET'S GO", "DANGEROUS", "MAN ENOUGH" (sort of the coolest walking bass I've listened to in a long while), "WE BELONG" (incredible beautiful), "INVINCIBLE" (my absolute personal favorite), "SEA OF LOVE", "ENERGIZED" ('the-name-is-programm') "ALL TIME HIGH", "FOREVER YOUNG", and "LAST DANCE", so maybe start your journey to discover DEF LEPPARD's self-titled "DEF LEPPARD" masterpiece, but be sure that the not mentioned songs are definitely no weak stuff. Only "BLIND FAITH" and I don't really come together, hm, but however... What I also really like, no, not like but honestly love is the fact that this album is incredible powerful and lifts you up in a massive way while listening to it; and so, yes, it's no wonder that it's one of my current favorites respectively (to say it better and more precise) currently in my current Situation one more time again one of my favorites. So, okay, I think so far I've said it all what there was to say, so yes, DEF LEPPARD's "DEF LEPPARD" I can only highly recommend to you if you are into AOR, Rock and/or (still very melodic) Hard Rock and so if you really still don't know it then make sure to change this best right now. An amazing album, still today, point and fact.

(9 of 10 points)

http://www.defleppard.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

DEF LEPPARD - "INVINCIBLE" /my.personal.favorite-and.it.gives.me.especially.currently.a.lot.of.power.all.the.time\ (2015, "DEF LEPPARD")

MAGNUM - "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES" (2015)

MAGNUM - "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES"
(Running time: 54:26 minutes; 10 songs)
("Steamhammer"/"SPV"; 2015; CD+DVD limited version):

Next one's coming in and we'll remain a little bit in the year 2015 with this record review being again a record review on a 2015 album and here and now we will have a closer look on the 2015 MAGNUM album "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES", the 19th regular full length album by this British Grandmasters of Rock/Hard Rock music (live and compilation albums not counted here and now) in a now 45 years spanning career, and it's also for all what I know their current regular full length album to date with having released since then just a "THE BALLADS" or so titled compilation album more or less recently this year, I guess. I knew MAGNUM before this one, to be honest, not really at all (I know, shame on me), some of their "hits" (I guess) were known to me but beside this bunch of songs not much else. When I then read two years ago a lot of very interesting and positive reviews on "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES" I got curious and when I finally saw it in the local media store I grabbed it, bought it and took it with me, and it convinced me pretty much right from the start. This is just damn fresh and intersting, exciting and from start to finish grapping, very heavy and yet symphonic-melodic Hard Rock of the premium kind and with some nice strong Rock/AOR marks in it all, and it is also very self-contained/independently done with a huge own identity and a pretty unique own character, with big bombastic elements/arrangements and all delivered with overwhelming playfulness. The songwriting is pretty diverse and all the time high skilled, covering a wide area or stretch/distance of truly wide emotions, tones/tonings, and moods, not to talk about all the majestic changes of the paces and in the rhythmic architecture and the arrangements of the songs as well as in the dramaturgy of the strong tension building and atmospehric close songs. This is really high skilled stuff the premium way and it's a really grapping album, very intense and it really stands out even still today with already being two years old now. It's an exciting musical roller coaster ride and a, if you want so, pure "joyride" for sure with a lot of little, huge surprises in it all. Gorgeous, diverse, sensitive and melodic yet stunningly heavy guitars mark and carry the songs in combination with the fantastic piano/keyboard playing and the bright shining melodic and still pretty heavy or maybe better strong done clear lead vocals with that charismatic tone to it, and the fantastic tight, precise, diverse, and to the point played rhythm section is then backing everything up in a beefy and bulky way and is so giving the songs the/their final heavy punch, and all done highest skilled. First class expressive lyrics, a brilliant and gorgeous artwork, and a warm yet bonedry and heavy production sound are then rounding everything just beautifully up. My personal favorites are the title track and opener "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES", "PRINCESS IN RAGS (THE CULT)", "AFRAID OF THE NIGHT", "A FORGOTTEN CONVERSATION", "QUIET RHAPSODY", and "DON'T CRY BABY" and that are purest gems you simply need to know, period. And in my book the only really weak or at least weaker song is the personally for me just too corny ballad "YOUR DREAMS WON'T DIE" that I skip more or less always, but that's at the end just a matter of personal taste and says pretty much nothing about the musical quality of this particular song. So, with all this said, with "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES" the mighty MAGNUM delivered us one hell of a great album and to every Rock/Hard Rock fan out there I can only highly recommend it and this also still today with now being already two years old. The bonus DVD is also pretty nice stuff and offers us also three strong bonus songs that are more than worth listening. Okay, so I guess you know what you should do now in case you still don't have  or know it. So, yes, with having said everything I am signing out for today and so I wish you all a nice saturday, enjoy your weekend, I'll try it as well... and you read from me again more or less soon or so. Bye.

(9 of 10 points)

http://www.magnumonline.co.uk/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

MAGNUM - "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES" (2015, "SACRED BLOOD 'DIVINE' LIES")