After spending a long time away from his childhood state of Montana, Tim Montana decided to return to create his awaited fifth album, Savage (Music Knox Records / BBR / BMG Nashville), inspired by his previous life there, and the state itself. In interviews, Montana has said that Savage was an attempt at being lyrically “brutally honest”. For an artist whose words were already quite poignant, this next level up could be the thing that pushes him to whole new horizons when it comes to his music, but will this new writing process and inspiration become fruitful for Montana?Continue reading
Tag Archives: Arena Rock
ALBUM REVIEW: Nestor – Teenage Rebel
Do you yearn for the eighties? Do you wish the world and its music had never changed since the decade of miners’ strikes, shoulder pads, and synths? Well, the Nestor are the band for you, and they have just released their second album Teenage Rebel on Napalm Records. Formed in 1989 but going on hiatus and not releasing their debut Kids in a Ghost Town until 2021, Teenage Rebel mashes together Glam Metal, AOR, and everything eighties Rock had to offer into one cheesy-as-hell time capsule.
ALBUM REVIEW: Night Laser – Call Me What You Want
As a surprise to literally nobody familiar with them, it’s all change once again for German glam act Night Laser. Four full-length studio releases with four different line-ups, the only two constants within the band are founding members singer Benno Hankers and his brother, bassist Robert. Also, having presented as both a trio and a quartet since their inception in 2014, the band has grown with another member for this current iteration, switching up to become a five-piece for latest album, Call Me What You Want (Steamhammer/SPV).Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Michael Catton – Point Of No Return
Ace vocalist/songwriter Michael Catton’s first solo collection Point Of No Return (Mighty Music) sounds like a “Best of the Eighties” tribute album, while effectively showcasing the considerable talents of the man himself and all involved.
ALBUM REVIEW: Within Temptation – Bleed Out
More so than many records, the eighth full length studio release from symphonic metal act Within Temptation serves as a perfect snapshot of current times. A combination of the ongoing recovery process from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the way that modern presentations of popular music consistently change and mutate, by the time Bleed Out (Force Music Recordings) finds its way into your grubby little paws, seven of its eleven songs will already have been released into the world of Spotify and YouTube.
REVIEWS ROUND-UP: ft. Magnolia Park – Atreyu – In This Moment – Hollow Front
Magnolia Park – Halloween Mixtape II (Epitaph Records)
Less is more, right? It’s a mantra I’ve often referred to in reviews, even if Yngwie would never agree. Nor, so it seems, would Magnolia Park. Seventeen tracks, nine collabs, six hundred and sixty six musical deviations taking in emo, pop-punk, nu-metal, hip-hop, cartoon horror pop and more is testament to the fact that the quintet may be on to something with their embracing of musical diversity.
ALBUM REVIEW: Asking Alexandria – Where Do We Go From Here
Sometimes an album can be considered on its own merit, or with just a passing reference to the context it exists within. For others, they can, indeed, should, be linked to a “run” or an arc of albums within a period of a band’s career. And for some, it is worth going back to the beginning to truly see the big picture of what and why a specific album is.
ALBUM REVIEW: Hundred Reasons – Glorious Sunset
Prior to last October, nobody could have foreseen a full comeback from the hit act Hundred Reasons, let alone it to be accompanied by their first album release in fifteen years. Nonetheless, the day has finally arrived, when the band responsible for some of the big rock hits of the early noughties have released some brand new music. The only big question leaving the fans wondering – has the ship sailed on the band, or are Hundred Reasons back to create more of those hits?
ALBUM REVIEW: Parkway Drive – Darker Still
It’s the age-old debate that has probably led to more physical altercations than any other: should [insert band name] continue churning out similar-sounding material, or are they better off taking risks and testing the waters? Oftentimes, at least in personal encounters, the consensus seems to be: that if a band changes anything about their sound, it’s to their detriment and immediately alienates a specific pocket of fans.Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Pistols At Dawn – Ascension
Hot on the heels of last year’s four-track EP Nocturnal Youth, comes Pistols At Dawn’s latest album Ascension (JFL Entertainment). The Atlanta-based quintet’s sound is alternative-influenced hard rock, and their newest one Ascension is a promising if patchy, display of heavy grooves and soaring choruses with a brooding atmosphere. Continue reading