Author: barnstoneworthutd

Rock music lover from the age of 4 thanks to my dad. I migrated to the classic rock bands of the 70 (Rainbow, Rush, Lizzy, Purple etc) before discovering melodic rock and hair metal in the 80s and beyond. Also partial to a bit of prog

Scarlet Rebels – ‘See Through Blue’ Album Review

Few bands get better with each and every album. Scarlet Rebels are one such animal. If you thought you liked the debut…sit down and strap yourself in for a helluva ride!

Review by Paul Chesworth

Wayne Doyle, frontman with Welsh rockers Scarlet Rebels, was watching TV in the middle of the pandemic when he found his anger rising. Some faceless British politician – he can’t remember which one, mainly because they mostly look the same – was shamelessly taking credit for footballer Marcus Rashford’s successful campaign to reinstate free school meals for children during those difficult times.
“This guy was basically hijacking something someone else had done,” says Wayne, the ire still evident in his voice. “I was watching these politicians coming on the news every day, trotting out absolute bullshit and using the world’s downturn to make a profit for themselves. And no one from the other side was calling them out in it. Politics is so corrupt. It needs a kick up the arse.”

This state of affairs inspired the title track of the Llanelli five-piece’s stellar new album, ‘See Through Blue’. Bands nowadays are not really allowed to have a ‘voice’ when it comes to politics these past few years. But it has been the case for many a year, attacks against the establishment, dictators, politicians, etc. Sticking it to ‘The Man’ has been part and parcel going back to the foundations on which rock was built – The Blues. It is refreshing to see a band stick two fingers up to the Tories in 2022. I sense a kindred spirit.

The Band Scarlet Rebels shot for EarAche Records

‘I’m Alive’ is snappy and to the point, and its a decent opener, but ‘Storm’ is magic. It reminds be of a now defunct but also brilliant band called Sons Of Icarus. ‘Storm’ is as catchy as Omicron (too soon?), or catchier than a baseball clove dipped in superglue. ‘These Days’ sounds on the surface like its a nice little pop ditty, but dig beneath the surface and it’s a darker narrative – social media, the (current) Government not feeding school kids, and BLM. Mr Doyle has a message and its a barbed one with feeling and meaning, wrapped in nice pleasant riff. ‘London Story’ tells a story of a love that’s lost, a modern Romeo and Juliet, only Wayneo lives to tell the tale. It a song with a bit more oomph. ‘I Can Sleep Now’ is a belting song. It is moody and brooding to start but slowly it builds the tension into a completely different animal. By the time you get to the bridge a crescendo awaits from the twin guitars and Doyles very emotive vocals. I reckon that this is probably the best song of their career. Really, it is.

‘I Can’t Say’ opens with a choppy riff and quickly becomes a raucous pop song, but then again, what isn’t in this album, SR are a band destined for major radio play. ‘Take It’ on the surface sounds like another pleasant song, but has a much darker meaning once you delve deeper. To top it off it comes with a belting guitar solo. ‘Leave A Light On’ is a part acoustic (not a ballad) with some proper soul searching lyrics. The bloke is getting a hug next time I see him. It’s a lovely song that will speak volumes and strike a chord to many a SR fan. Wayne sings ‘Just who I am and what I’ve become, this empty vessel that sings a few songs’. You are so much more than that.

‘We’re Going Nowhere’ is a straight up rock song and as usual the chorus is instantly singable. ‘Everything Changed’ is all about the bass and drums, but again it’s also fuelled by another stonking chorus. Finally its the title track ‘See Through Blue” and Im sticking my neck out here but I think Wayne’s not a fan of Boris! Me neither. Bands have also had a voice when it comes to railroading against the ‘Establishment’, and none more so here. Probably two years after this song was written, nothing has changed and STB is still 100% on the button. ‘Do as I say, not as I do’. Fuck, it is like it was only written last week!!! It is probably even more apt in this current clusterfuck of a Tory government. A leopard definitely doesn’t change its spots

There is good reason why Earache teamed up with Scarlet Rebels, and that reason is ‘See Through Blue’. Its early January 2022, and I can honestly say that STB is going to be one of my albums of the year

Its a rare these days for bands to get better with each and every album. OK this is only No.2, but if you include the V0id output then my comment is confirmation that SR are onto something. Scarlet Rebels are the best band you haven’t heard of…….yet! The way Boris is going there’s enough fuel for the fire of another couple of albums worth of material.

I urge you to give Scarlet Rebels ’See Through Blue’ a listen and support a cracking British rock band. I’ve enjoyed the ride so far and I honestly cannot wait to see where it takes them over the next couple of years.

Scarlet Rebels –
Wayne Doyle – Vocals, Guitar
Chris Jones – Lead Guitar
Josh Townshend – Guitar
Wayne ‘Pricey’ Esmonde – Bass
Gary Doyle – Drums

Tracklisting
I’m Alive
Storm
London Story
These Days
Take You Home
I Can Sleep Now
I Can’t Say
Take It
Leave A Light On
We’re Going Nowhere
Everything Changed
See Through Blue

Links –

Album pre-order: https://earache.com/scarletrebels
http://scarletrebels.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb_chrUcU1G7VFXiPQi3rLA
https://www.facebook.com/scarletrebels
https://twitter.com/scarletrebels
https://www.instagram.com/scarletrebelsofficial
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1gVWbJsabbAcgkD24oEVR9
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/scarlet-rebels/1466928458

Needle In The Groove’s Top 10 Albums of 2021

My top 10 albums of 2021.

Well grapple fans (an up to date reference for the kids!), here we are at the dying embers of 2021 and thinking at the same time last year we were all predicting we would all be back to normal, everyone fully vaccinated and living like to the full. Well thanks to Covid-19 mutating like, well Covid-19, here we are a year down the line, all pretty much locked up as we were last Christmas. Gigs opened up for a couple of months and I snuck in 3 before the UK government made it pretty much impossible to go see a gig from Boxing Day onwards.


Thankfully bands didn’t let this affect them and it was a very strong year for releases. Most of the bands on this list were albums purchased in 2021, so there will not be a review on the site for further details. Where there is a review I will attach a link. It’s far from me to criticise, so if you have brought an album out in 2021, well done to you all.


It was also good to hear only yesterday that vinyl sales were up in the UK, with them making up 23% of all sales, which is 14 years of continuous growth, and CDs seeing the lowest number of sales since 1984, just one year after they were introduced to the UK. This increase is probably down to two factors – Adele and Abba. I don’t think my haul of over 200 albums bought in 2021 made a dent in the numbers.


I’m sure vinyl sales would be a lot higher were it not for manufacturing issues, PVC shortages and the fact that demand is outstripping supply by 2:1. If you have a spare couple of million lying down the back of the sofa, build a vinyl pressing plant. You can’t fail. For some reason, probably because they were part of a ‘bundle’, over 190,000 tapes were sold in 2021, their biggest selling year since 2003. When compared to the streaming monsters however, its bugger all as the likes of Spotify, Amazon, Deezer etc etc had an 81% share of the market.

Anyway onto my top 10 albums of 2021……

10. Lifesigns – Altitude

I was new to the Lifesigns party in 2021 but even from the first listen I was hooked. Its a really great album, and John Young is now a firmly established name in the Chesworth household.

9. The Dead Daisies – Holy Ground

The Dead Daisies were good, then they became excellent. Why? Well Glenn bloody Hughes only went and joined them. The ‘voice of rock’ added his Glenn Hughes-ness to TDD and the result is the fab. The man is the Tinkerbell of rock, adding a drop of fairydust to take TDD up a notch above anything they had done before this point

8. Thunder – All the Right Noises

Considering I was at their last ever gig a few years back, Thunder’s return and resurgence has been a great one, with ATRN sitting nicely near the summit of Thunders best works. It’s that good.

7. Dirty Honey – ST

Dirty Honey hit the ground running with their cracking EP. Their debut album picks up where the EP left off. Self produced and financed, they want to take care of their own destiny. In Mark LaBelle they have a singer who can challenge some of the greats. 70s rock is alive and well. (Fun fact – their single from the EP ‘When. I’m Gone’ was the first ever single from an unsigned band to top the Billboard Rock Chart). My only gripe is the album is too short! I’ve had longer shits.

6. The Night Flight Orchestra – Aeromantic II

If your idea of melodic rock heaven is parpy keyboards and songs that sound like they were written and performed in the 1980s, then look no further. TNFO make every song sound like it was written for the Rocky film franchise and 80s B movies when the likes of Paul Sabu, Lion and Stan Bush were regular contributors.

5. Myles Kennedy – The Ides Of March

This is the album I waited 11 years for. Myles’s debut was good and all, but with TIOM he came out of the blocks like a stabbed rat. More power and welly, and in the title track, he has a song that is a close second to ABs Blackbird. ‘The Ides Of March’ track is completely all over the place. No wonder he hardly plays it live, but when he does…..its a thing to behold.

4. Leprous – Aphelion

Leprous is another bands that I came to the party late with. Having heard ‘Pitfalls’ first, I was smitten. With ‘Aphelion’, the feeling was identical. I can see why fans are not too hot when comparing the 5 albums before ‘Pitfalls’ to the latter two new ones, but for me ‘Aphelion’ is a brilliant album. OK its all about Einar Solberg and he clearly holds the keys to the castle, but the performances of all the guys is something to behold. They are brilliant, and they bloody well know it.

3. Plush – ST

I’ve been a fan of Moriah Formica’s ever since she appeared on a Michael Sweet album back in 2016. She is a very talented singer/songwriter and when someone of her age can tackle Ann Wilson songs with ease, you know they are special. She is surrounded with some amazing talent in Plush – Brook Colucci, Ashley Suppa, and Bella Perron. Considering they were all under 21 when the album dropped in October, the results are stunning. A band so young shouldn’t be this good with their first album.

2. Iron Maiden – Senjutsu

OK its another dinosaur of a band up at the sharp end of the poll for the second year running. After a 6 year gap Iron Maiden didn’t need to ever make an album again. But they did, and its a belter. OK, its no ‘Powerslave’ or ‘Piece Of Mind’. Its about as diverse as Steve Harris and Iron Maiden get, and that is a good thing indeed

  1. Nestor – Kids In A Ghost Town

This album simply ticked all the boxes for me – great gongs, great vocals, set in the 80s and some of the best videos this side of Van Halen and David Lee Roth. A lot of bands try to recreate the 80s heydays but few succeed. Lets face it, some of the lyrics are corny, but they are delivered in a style and knowing nod to the past that you are just swept along for the ride. The sign of a good album is one you can’t stop playing, and with KIAGT its hardly been off rotation. They even roped in Sam Fox for the best ballad I’ve heard in a number of years, ’Tomorrow’. I can’t wait for album No.2

Groundbreaker – ‘Soul To Soul’ Album review

If you liked the debut, you’ll absolutely love ‘Soul To Soul’. Quality AOR from Groundbreaker and Overland

Buy here – https://www.frontiers.shop/search?sSearch=groundbreaker

By Paul Chesworth

Unless you’re a fan of melodic rock/AOR, then you won’t be aware of one of the hardest working men in British rock music, one Steve Overland. Outside of FM, he has a CV that few can muster – The Ladder, Shadowman, Ozone, Lonerider, and his own project, simply called Overland. Not including all the albums he has guest appeared on, sings with The Staz Band, and has done shed loads of tribute songs, AND sang the theme to Galaxy Rangers! Phew. Known to his bandmates and supporters of FM as ‘the voice’ its a title that is very aptly bestowed, given we are in a world where platitudes are handed out like sweets.

‘Soul To Soul’ is a grand title for Overlands blues/soul vocal stylings. The debut included Robert Sall (Work Of Art) and Alessandro Del Vecchio (production). Sall has gone, joining this time on the songwriting side and is Stefano Lionetti (Lionville), Pete Alpenborg (Arctic Rain), Jan Akesson (Infinite & Devine), and Kristian Fyhr (Seventh Crystal). The line up includes Sven Larsson (ex-Street Talk) on guitars, Nalley Pahlsson (Therion) on bass, Herman Furin (Work Of Art) on drums, and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keyboards.

On to the stuff that matters. The music. The appetite was well and truly whetted back in August when the video for ‘Standing On The Edge Of A Broken Dream’ dropped. Its massive slice of pure and polished AOR. Its somewhat akin to FMs debut and the more recent efforts by bands like W.E.T, WOA, and Perfect Plan. An opener wouldn’t be an Overland special without the obligatory ‘whoa-ohs’™️. ‘Soul To Soul’ opens with a lovely parpy keyboard, and sees Overland hitting notes that I didn’t think possible from him. Its also worth mentioning Sven Larsson’s sterling guitar work. There’s a couple of obligatory ballads in ‘Captain Of Our Love’ and ‘Fighting For Our Love’ and because of Overland they are elevated and could appear corny had anyone else tackled them, such is the gravitas he brings to the table.

It’s on the polished, and punchy numbers that Groundbreaker truly shine. ‘Evermore’ picks up the tempo and has a good chorus. Its as close to FM as Groundbreaker gets. Overland himself gets to shine by playing lead guitar on Wild World. It borders into fm-radio territory and that’s not a bad thing to say by any means. ‘Carrie’ (not that one, or the other one) ups the ante, and Larsson wrings the neck off of his guitar. It’s a cracking little song. ‘It Don’t Get Better Than This’ has great harmonies and reminds me of The Storm. ‘Theres No Tomorrow’ keyboard sound is straight out of the iSPY book of Michael Bolton songs (that’s a reference few will get unless you’re over 50!). It’s a great song and my fave of the bunch. ‘When Lightning Strikes’ has a great melody and nice layered harmonies with now obligatory searing Larsson guitar solo. Its formulaic, but it’s one hell of a formula. ‘’Til The End Of Time’ is solid enough, but it’s on the final song ‘Leap Of Faith’ where it is a prime example of Overlands ‘cream on top of the milk’ analogy. It’s a fine song to end a mighty fine album.

If you love your pure AOR in bands like Signal, Bad English, Alias, LeRoux and Unruly Child, then look no further than ‘Soul To Soul’ It may not break into many peoples top 10s but it certainly will do on mine come December

Anything Michael Bolton can do, so can Overland, only sometimes a lot better but without Bolton’s bank balance. The man should be a household name. Well you are in our house son.

I liked the debut, but this one comes with knobs on!

9/10

Tracklisting –
Standing On The Edge Of A Broken Dream
Soul To Soul
Captain Of Our Love
Evermore
Wild World
Carrie
Fighting For Love
It Don’t Get Better Than This
There’s No Tomorrow
When Lightning Strikes
Til The End Of Time
Leap Of Faith

Plush – ‘Plush’ Album Review

Stunning debut album from Plush. I thought it was going to be good, but I didn’t know how f*cking good!!

Review by Paul Chesworth

Buy here – https://amzn.to/3AWIEJP

Released 29th October 2021

I first came across Moriah Formica (not that way you perv), a couple of few years back when she duetted on a Michael Sweet solo album, ‘One Sided War’. Back in 2016 I predicted great things for her even back then. I’ve kept a distant eye on her career and have been hotly anticipating this debut Plush album after seeing some of the covers they have been releasing. My appetite was completely whetted when they posted their ‘shit-hot’ version of Alter Bridge’s ‘Isolation’.

‘Plush’ is composed of four talented women, under 21, whose accomplishments and talent eclipse their age. This female rock force is fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Moriah Formica. Drummer Brooke Colucci, guitarist Bella Perron and bassist Ashley Suppa round out the lineup.

When I said hotly anticipating, I thought it would be a good debut, but I wasn’t expecting it to be THIS. FUCKING. GOOD. If anyone was thinking fluffy girly metal, then you couldn’t be more wrong. After stating recently that Nestor’s debut was one of the best I’ve heard in a long time, along comes Plush with an equally superb debut album.

‘Opening with “Athena” Plush ready do set their stall out early. It has a really heavy, dirty riff from Bella Perron that Mark Tremonti would be proud of punches you like Bruce Lee only wearing an iron glove. Harmonies are a-plenty, and the rhythm of Brooke Colucci and the pulsating bass of Ashley Suppa drive this on to stand head and shoulders in the pack. Throw in Moriah Formica’s stunning vocal range and it make for one sumptuous recipe. Think Ann Wilson or Kelly Clarkson singing for Alter Bridge and you will get where I’m coming from. “Champion” “Found A Way” and “Hate” are more melodic, but still pack a hefty punch. Perron has a great guitar tone and Formica’s vocals are crystal clear.

“Sober” is a powerful anthem, moving from acoustic to electric and is an emotional ride digging into the lyrical content. “Better Off Alone” is a song where Formica is wearing her emotions on her sleeve, and if auto-biographic, has drawn on some life affirming decisions. Bella Perron earns her weight in salt with her guitar playing. “Sorry” is nicely paced, branding from stripped down to a strong phrasing of ‘Sorry’ for each line of its chorus. “Why Do I Even Try” uses Formica’s instrument (her voice) and interplays with Bella Perron guitar licks. The Princess of Pound (Colucci) and Suppa are up front and centre on the dynamic “Bring Me Down”. “Don’t Say That” is the true ballad on the album, and shows that Plush have a lot of strings to their bow. If this was the late 80s, Plush would be sitting on a Top 10 Billboard song, and playing arenas within weeks of its release.

“Will To Win” matches ‘Athena’ for its heavy riff and these songs sit really well in Plush’s wheelhouse. All 4 are on top form here, and Formica’s vocals shine. This is a nice composition and Perron lays down some understated riffs. I just with she was given more slack to let rip with her talent. It’s only on closing track “Walk Away” where she has anywhere near an extended solo. Moriah wails ’I’m gonna walk away, walk away from all the pain’ and you know she means it. At 13 songs and 50 minutes it flew by. There’s not a duff song on here and that is something else.

Plush have clearly done their homework. In Formica they have a singer songwriter that is a shining light in modern metal now, and hopefully for years to come. It easy to over sing when you have an instrument like Formica’s voice. She knows when to be subtle, when to let loose and when to emote. Add the undoubted quality to Colucci, Suppa and Perron, and its delicious. The four women complement each other perfectly to become Plush. They have avoided the pitfalls to be a ‘saccharine-coated-look-great-but-no-substance’ band and come out all guns blazing. If they are doing this now, then I cannot wait for what’s to come in the future.

To write and perform an album that is so contemporary, mature, and with a wink to the past, with all band members at a (relatively) young age is remarkable. Ok maybe not remarkable as I’ve seen their videos leading up to this release so it shouldn’t be a total surprise. They have lived up to my expectations, and gone way beyond it. ‘Plush’ is a simply marvellous album. Look out boys, the girls are here to kick your asses!

I haven’t been this excited about a band since I found Rival Sons, Alter Bridge and Coheed And Cambria. Plush sit in great company

For fans of Alter Bridge, Shinedown, Red Sun Rising

Score – 9/10

Plush are –
Moriah Formica – Vocals & Guitar
Bella Perron – Guitar
Brooke Colucci – Drums
Ashley Suppa – Bass

Tracklisting –
Athena
Champion
Hate
Found A Way
I Don’t Care
Sober
Better Off Alone
Sorry
Why Do I Even Try
Bring Me Down
Don’t Say That
Will Not Win
Walk Away

Wicked Smile – ‘Wait For The Night’ Review

Wicked Smile hit the ground running with their powerful debut. Fans of 80s stalwarts such as Dio, Skid Row, Maiden and Sabbath can find something to enjoy here

By Paul Chesworth

Australian heavy rockers Wicked Smile will release their debut full length album titled ‘Wait for the Night’ on September 24th. Oct 15th in the UK.

Wicked Smile are all about bringing back fist pumping heavy rock to the forefront with a collection of ten ‘killer songs’. The forthcoming album is produced by Paul Laine (The Defiants) and mastered by Bruno Ravel (The Defiants/Danger Danger).


Guitarist Stevie Janevski goes on to say, “last year was all about giving the world a ‘taste’ of what we’re about. We’re a five-piece kick ass heavy rock band and I think we made our presence known with the release of our Delirium sampler EP”.

Wicked Smile is fronted by charismatic powerhouse lead vocalist Danny Cecati (ex Pegazus & Eyefear) with Stevie Janevski (The Radio Sun, ex Black Majesty & Cyclone Tracy) and Dave Graham (ex In Malice’s Wake) on guitars, Glen Cav (ex Virtue) on bass and Jason Tyro on drums.

I won’t dwell on the EP songs from last year as all are included here. (see link to my EP review at the bottom of this paragraph) What WS have done is capitalise on the success of the EP and gone full steam ahead and put the album out a year after the EP. WS set their stall out early with the powerful ‘Date With The Devil’. Its full on 80s metal, very guitar heavy and Cecati sounding great. ‘Daze Of Delirium has a cracking chorus and is as soft as WS get to Steves other outfit The Radio Sun. ‘Don’t Wait For Me’ shows that balladic side to WS and Cecati and sounds a different vocalist completely.It has its obligatory searing guitar solo to appease the faithful. ‘Sign Of Times’ is a more doom laden vibe, which is quite Tony Martin era-Sabbath, which for me is praise in itself. ‘Last Goodbye’ has an opening riff that transports me to Bark At The Moon era Ozzy. The title track ‘Wait For The Night’ is the strongest on the album by a mile, it will certainly please fans of bands like Maiden and Halloween and Cecati’s vocals soar throughout the song. The twin guitars of Janevski and Graham definitely need a mention here as they shred the arse off each other.

EP Review – https://needle-in-the-groove.com/2020/06/07/wicked-smile-delerium-ep-review/

It’s on songs like ‘Killer At Large’ ‘Date With The Devil’, and ‘Wait For The Night’ where they really hit the mark. Theres a variety of styles and influences coming into play as they show on the melodic ‘Daze….’ I understand this melodic rock style based on previous bands. But its the heavier, metal songs that stand out for me, and with that in mind I’m already looking forward to that difficult No2 album!

8/10

Date With The Devil
Wait For The Night
We Fall
Sign Of Times
Daze Of Delirium
Killer At Large
Last Goodbye
Loves Got A Hold On You
Don’t wait For Me
Stronger

Nestor – ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’ Review

Many have tried to recreate the glory days of 80s melodic rock/hair metal and few have succeeded. Nestor have nailed it with ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’. Its bloody marvellous!

I’ve been reviewing albums for almost 15 years now, and occasionally an album is sent to me that completely blows me away. Usually its from an unknown band or artist. In this instance the band is called Nestor. Its not just me who knows this fact, with three previously released singles this year and close to a million plays combined for the songs and music videos, the hype is enormous for the upcoming album ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’ which is due to be released on the 22nd October.

I asked Nestor’s vocalist Tobias on the band name as I thought it might be taken from Greek mythology, “Exactly, the name comes from Greek mythology and refers to an elder, a wise old man and all that, but us in the band are all big Tintin fans so the name is taken from Captain Haddock’s butler in the comic books, his name is Nestor and he’s a really cool character, haha!” I thought I’d heard that name before as I used to own about a dozen Tin-Tin books myself. Nestor was formed back in 1989 by five childhood friends in their hometown of Falköping, Sweden. But like most dreams of becoming rock stars, theirs faded away with time – but their friendship remained, as did their love of music. Now over three decades later the members have taken the opportunity to reunite the band! I for one am bloody glad they did as ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’ will sit at the top of the best album list for many a melodic rock fan come the end of this year.

‘One The Run’ is one of the best opening stacks I’ve heard in quite some time. A dainty piano opening before a battering salvo of guitar riff and drums beats you into submission. The accompanying video is a true homage to 80-s vidz and would happily sit in the soundtrack to Turbo Kid. You have to check out the stripped back piano version on YouTube which is absolutely brilliant. I immediately fell in love with the tone and warmth of Tobias Gustavsson’s vocals.

Even a song with a corny lyric like ‘she’s got eyes like Demi Moore and a body like Sharon Stone….she’s a perfect 10!’ can’t detract from the quality. It still hits the mark. Samantha Fox proves to be an inspired choice for the duet ‘Tomorrow’. As I’ve got older I steered away from ballads but this one is an absolute knockout.

Apart from the aforementioned songs the other nuggets are the glorious anthem ‘1989’; ‘It Ain’t Me’ has the orchestration that could put in on a Bond movie; the galloping title track ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’; the chorus of ‘Stone Cold Eyes’ elevates a good song into a great one; and ‘These Days’ would have been a big hit in any year beginning with ‘Nineteen-Eighty-Something’.

Melodic Rock/AOR is the poor relation of probably every musical genre on the scene today. It wasn’t that popular when it was popular! That said, those like me that love it have been hit with many a pretender these last 30 years who promised much and faded away or just didn’t deliver. These guys are the real deal. I hardly give away top marks for an album (13 times in 14 years), and this gets top marks. Everyone gets credit – the keyboards are high in the mix, guitar solos are shredding, harmonies are to die for, a wonderful combination, and the vocals are crisp, warm and clean.

In 2021 Nestor’s ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’ will be as coveted as Red Rackhams Treasure.

10/10

Tracklisting –
Fanfare For The Reliable Rebel (Intro)
On The Run
Kids In A Ghost Town
Stone Cold Eyes
Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore)
These Days
Tomorrow (Feat. Samantha Fox)
We Are Not OK
Firesign
1989
It Ain’t Me

Nestor Are –
Jonny Wemmenstedt (guitar)
Mattias Carlsson (drums)
Tobias Gustavsson (vocals)
Marcus Åblad (bass)
Martin Frejinger (keyboards)

http://instagram.com/nestor_theband
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Leprous – ‘Aphelion’ Album Review

Leprous – Aphelion

If Leprous was a party, I arrived that late, I got there after the parents arrived home to find their house trashed. I had never heard of them until I was sent their last album (Pitfalls) to review. But what was to be an inspired decision by me (and Leprous) was an album that was totally different to most of what Ive been listening to for the last 40+ years and it just blew me away. Few bands and albums have done this since I started reviewing back in 2007. I went out and bought the back catalogue, few bands make me do this. They were more metal over the albums predating Pitfalls, but like Opeth a chance has occurred, and for me it is an inspired change.

In fact they are a band I never thought possible that I would ever listen to, a fact that my wife pointed to one day asking me why I was listening to ‘this’ ( a song from Pitfalls that randomly popped up in the car). I said that it was just ‘wonderful’, I couldn’t explain fully, I just muttered ‘its wonderful’ and we left it at that.

So here we are mid/pre/post (delete as appropriate) Covid 19 and we have the follow up to Pitfall, Aphelion. Aphelion is the point in the Earths orbits that is farthest from the Sun, which in 2021 was Monday 5th July. Enough fact learning people, let’s get into the detail.

The first three singles have been Castaway Angels, a 6 minute effort that glides by and sees Leprous throw the kitchen sink at it. If Leprous could get a tune out of a kitchen sink, I’m sure they would use it as a viable instrument! Baard Kolstad’s drumming is sublime and Einar Solberg’s vocals are simply to die for. It’s a piece that just flies by and you can only reply appreciate the band for what they are by watching the video and absorbing yourself in the song. Running low is the other single and is quite dramatic, one minute groggy, then the chorus of ‘Its a miracle, miracle, miracle…’ being an ear worm of the highest order, but also very, pop and also cinematic. In face their songs would certainly elevate any pice of cinema that they could become attached to. The third single ‘The Silent Revelation’ is a huge piece and encompasses Leprous. Its the best song on the album and I would direct any future Leprous virgin to dive in with this track. Its heavy, nuanced and Solberg’s falsetto take it up a level,  finishing with a choral falsetto!

‘Out Of Here’ is more subdued but is no less enthralling thanks to Solbergs vocals, until we get to the mid section where the bridge ramps up the heaviness. ‘Silhouette’ has a strong synth opening before introducing strings to complement the synths. ‘All The Moments’ kicks off with Kolstads drumming at the forefront. It’s (almost) a slow burn, but when it steps up to the plate is does so in dramatic fashion. ‘Have You Ever?’ is one of the softer songs, but still packs a punch one you dive in to the quality musicianship.  ‘The Shadow Side’ is about coming to terms with yourself and being yourself. It is dramatic and ends with s searing guitar solo. ‘On Hold’ is an almost 8 minute epic where it is essentially ‘The Einar Show’. Insecurities, doubt, and identity are at the heart of this and its felt through Solberg’s delivery. ‘Nighttime Disguise’ is the last song and arrives quickly. Its the heaviest song by far. Its as close to convention rock as these guys get, with date I say it, crooning before the obligatory falsetto. I cracking end to a cracking album. The vinyl and Mediabook CD contain two extra tracks, a live version of ‘Acquired taste’ and ‘A Prophecy To Trust’ 

Gill is right. its a band I would never have entertained before at any point in my music listening life, but I think I jumped in at the correct time with Pitfalls, because Aphelion has taken this band up another lever which I didn’t think was possible. 

Its hard for me to label Leprous, which is good because I hate labels! It is a sound that is ephereal, expanding, almost heavenly, and is neither rock, nor prog, or anything else. Its just simply…..Leprous.

The best way I can describe Aphelion, it feels like a best of album, and that in itself is remarkable. Its music that is delicate, balanced, sways from pop to rock, sometimes in the same sentence and just sweeps the listener away and is one of the finest albums of 2021

9/10

Tracklisting –

Running Low

Out Of Here

Silhouette

All The Moments

Have You Ever?

The Silent Revolution

The Shadow Side

On Hold

Castaway Angels

Nighttime Disguise

The band

Einar Solberg – Vocals/Keys

Simen Børven – Bass

Robin Ognedal – Guitars

Baard Kolstad – Drums

Tor Oddmund Suhrle – Guitars

NWOCR – Volume One

NWOCR – Volume 1. Exceptional talent of Classic Rock bands. Whats not to like. Buy this CD, then buy the albums from the bands you like

Whats in a name? I have never been a fan of labelling bands into pigeonholes. Steven Wilson hates being banded around as ‘Prog’ is a prime example. I’ve had some right doozies over the years appearing in a press release which I am not going give further promotion here, as some are bollux.


What I do like is ‘Rock’ music, you know…. the proper stuff, not Rock as the mainstream call it when you hear ROCK WEEK on X-Factor. I like anything from Anthrax to Zebra, ACDC to ZZ Top and shit loads in between. Theres no ‘New Wave’ really, but its how you perceive Classic Rock to be. For me, I’m a bloke of a certain age and grew up at the right time for ‘Classic Rock’ – bands such as Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Rush and Lizzy. When NWOBHM was termed I was about 12 and a lot of those NWOBHM bands I would today call Classic Rock – Saxon, Maiden, Diamond Head, Leppard etc. Its music played in certain style or attitude and the feeling you derive from listening to it.

That said, I totally get what the guys at NWOCR are doing, and ANYTHING that promotes great bands, and great music, whether they are new, new-ish, or been around for a few years and lumping them into one category isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

So, this is hopefully the first of NWOCRs version of ‘Now Thats What I call Music’, which back in the day ran to about 3,456,821 volumes

Across 2 CDs there are 42 of some of the finest bands you’ve heard, and haven’t heard of, but you will soon want to be stalking them across all forms of social media.

There are bands on here who for me are ahead of the curve of the rest of the bands on offer, such as Mason Hill, Scarlet Rebels, Hollowstar, These Wicked Rivers, Sons Of Liberty, Revival Black, SKAM, Collateral, Phil Campbell, Blackwater Conspiracy, and Thundermother, and its their songs that stand out for me. It could be because I have seen most of these live so far and have bought their music, so I’m partly down the road with them already and I am already a fan.

That said, out of the remainder, there’s a few new names on my list that I want to hear a lot more of – Elles Bailey who reminds me of Susan Tedeschi, Rews, and Bastette, probably because I do have a thing for female vocalists, also The New Roses and Ashen Reach.

There are only a couple of songs that don’t agree with me, but I’ll leave that up to you, the listener to decide as not everything can hit the mark 100% of the time.

As a Volume 1, this is a great starting point for all of these bands. There’s some banging music on offer, and I hope like me that once you hear some of these bands for the first time or if you’ve heard them before, that you’ll go out and support their music, buy an album and some merchandise direct from these bands, because you have all these bands jockeying for position, and it is a bloody tough time for them even before Covid set in.

I can see the TV appeal….’for every CD bought, NWOCR donates £2 to all the artists on this CD. Your £2 will keep one band member in beer for approximately 15 minutes, so please text 69627 (NWOCR) immediately’.


If you were an avid gig goer, pre-Covid, use that money to buy this CD first, and then the bands albums, you know it makes sense! And I guarantee you’ll feel a lot better for it.

Sunbomb – ‘Evil And Divine’ Review

Sunbomb – Evil and Divine

Sunbomb is a new Frontiers alliance between L.A.Guns Tracii Guns, and Stryper’s Michael Sweet. The project was leaked March 19 by Guns and described the project as “the metal record I would have made when I was 17 years old.” Also when appearing on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk that ‘the Sunbomb record is really kind of like (L.A. Guns 2019 album) ‘The Devil You Know’ times three”

I follow Mr Sweet on Twitter and he’s a ‘non’ friend on FB. he is always engaging and honest about his work and considered the recent Stryper albums as some of their best work if not the best, and I am somewhat in agreement. Although I think some Stryper fans could lose their shit over a title like ‘Evil and Devine’, when some fans have criticised the recent Stryper album ‘God Damn Evil’. Some people are idiots, but that’s religion (and idiots) in a microcosm. I think that this Sunbomb album is somewhere near to what I think the next Stryper album will be like as Sweet has stated he loves the heavier side of their output

Anyway titles aside, I think Sweet is a perfect foil for Guns. His vocals still kick ass and proves to be a belting choice for ‘EaD’. By ‘eck, it is an inspired choice. Sunbomb have Bill and Tedited it back to the roots of metal and NWOBHM and raided the likes of Iommi’s discarded riff drawer, and Rob Halfords tightest pants as Sweet sings higher on this one album than he has done over his last half a dozen albums

‘Evil and Divine’, is trying to be classic metal, and that in itself is great. Its ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’, homage to 70s and 80s metal from the birth of Metal in the Sabbath doom sounding ‘Take Me Away’, and all the way to 80s Priest/Maiden with the galloping ‘No Tomorrows’. ‘Life’ sets out their stall in the first 30 seconds and the threat level remains at ‘heavy’ for most of the album. There’s some Divine songs on offer here with the likes of the title track, ‘They Fought’ and ‘Better End’, and an Evil one in ‘Been Said And Done’ as it is a bit of a downer compared to the higher energy of the rest. All in all its a decent album, that will be picked up by fans of the two guys, but I doubt it will pick up a bunch of new fans.

Personally I like Sweets heavier vocals, but whoever produced and mixed the album needs a swift kick in the nuts. I’m going with the drummer as the drum mix is quite prominent to the point where I can hear Sweet, but cannot always work out his phrasing and is somewhat subdued when you consider the effort the guy is putting in, the vocals should be crystal clear and are far from it. On a scale of Frontiers speed dial projects, from Resurrection Kings to Revolution Saints, it sits somewhere in the middle. It could have been so much better

At least it gives me some hope for the next Stryper album being a metal nugget

6/10

Tracii Guns – Guitars
Michael Sweet – Vocals
Adam Hamilton – Drums
Mitch Davis – Bass
Johnny Martin – Bass on ‘We Fought’

Tracklisting-
Life
Take Me Away
Better End
No Tomorrows
Born To Win
Evil And Devine
Been Said And DoneStronger Than Before
Story Of The Blind
World Gone Wrong
They Fought