I believe this is the third CD of WESTWORLD, the band formed around former TNT lead singer Tony Harnell, and believe me when I say that the new CD of WESTWORLD, 'Cyberdreams', is the best stuff Tony has done since the TNT Classic 'Knights of the new thunder'. He released a lot of average albums with TNT and with MORNING WOOD (except that fantastic record 'Knights…' with TNT), and also his vocal performances were not outstanding (except on the superb melodic rocker "10,000 lovers"), but on this new WESTWORLD album Tony shines like never before, making this CD one of the best albums Tony ever sang on! The album has a fantastic big sound and the 10 included songs are from a very high level. This is the kind of record you put on and enjoy until the very last seconds. The album starts with the great progressive melodic rocker "Cyberdreams" that sounds like a calmer version of BALANCE OF POWER.

Up next is the fun uptempo melodic rocker "When I come home" and reminds me of SHY. The following 2 songs are personal favourites of mine, namely the great midtempo melodic rocker "How good it feels" (lovely chorus) and the superb catchy uptempo AOR rocker "A million miles" with some of the best lead vocals I've heard in a long time! Next up is the good semi melodic rocker "What if?". In the same style are the songs "Misery loves company", "Righteous one" and "I can't run", all 3 pretty good. Remaining songs are the calmer ballad "Look to see" that has a clear JOURNEY reference, and closing track "Neon knights", a nice 80s type of uptempo melodic heavy rocker not unlike early TNT and PICTURE. Concluded I can only say that this is the album of Tony I have been waiting for, and he now has proved he can sing on a sensational record. The first 2 WESTWORLD records were pretty nice, but this new CD is definitely one of the highlights as it offers some of the best melodic rock at the moment!

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The new CD of PHIL NARO is a clear 80s type of Canadian styled AOR in the style of CONEY HATCH, completely with catchy hooks, melodic vocal lines and singable memorable choruses. I totally love this CD, and it offers some of the best songs PHIL NARO ever recorded! Phil got help from songwriters like Jeff Northrup, Ernie Gold, Johnny Angel and a guy called Steve Major, who also happens to play a lot of guitar and keys on the whole CD.

Most interesting fact is of course the help Phil got from aforementioned ERNIE GOLD, who some of you might know as keyboardplayer for the band PREVIEW, with whom he released an AOR Classic in the early 1980s. Now he finally has returned to the scene and what a comeback he has made, because he (co-) wrote 5 songs on the new PHIL NARO, and without any doubts, these tracks are also the best songs on the CD! I am talking about "Hot for you" (great classy 80s hookladen fun uptempo melodic rocker a la CONEY HATCH), "Heartbreak in the night" (superb classy 80s AOR with lots of catchy hooks), "Find my way back to you" (another catchy uptempo melodic rocker), "You and me" (hello 80s AOR, just listen to that damn catchy chorus with triple-harmonyvocals) and "Love is a game" (midtempo melodic rocker, bit weak chorus, so the only weaker of the 5 songs Ernie co-wrote).

Of course I also need to mention that Phil Naro's vocals are very good on the whole album, but it is striking that especially the 5 songs Ernie Gold from PREVIEW co-wrote are the highlights on this disc. Still, the rest is also good melodic rock, like "Bad boys", "Spiritual revolution" and "Make my money". Actually this CD has two faces, but I think it contains enough quality melodic rock to give it a recommendation. Especially recommended if you're into stuff like SANTERS, CONEY HATCH, TRIUMPH…

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Z RECORDS has done some great releases the past few months, but unfortunately this new album of the duo featuring the American lead singer TED POLEY (DANGER DANGER) and the German guitarist Gerhard Pichler is not really a good album. The music is poppy AOR, or melodic poprock and just sounds a bit dull at times. I am not saying it's a bad record, but I miss some really strong moments like both men proved on the great MELODICA record or Ted did on the DANGER DANGER albums. This CD has it's moments every now and then, such as the catchy semi AOR rocker "I love you" and the semi-AOR Ballads "How many nights" and "Better off dead". However, songs like "Elton John", "Let me out", "Darkest hour" and also closing track "Don't spread your life" (which reminds me a bit too much of NIGHT RANGER's "Don't start thinking I'm alone tonight") are not really convincing. The album is only interesting for die-hard AOR/Melodic Rockfans. I rather recommend other Z releases like SHY, PHIL NARO or the fantastic WESTWORLD.

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

FINAL FRONTIER is a new project between lead singer Rob Moratti (MORATTI) and guitarist/bassist/keyboard-player Mladen Haze (VON GROOVE). Together they have released a very strong album that combines pure 80s AOR and fun melodic rock filled with catchy hooks and memorable singable choruses that feature superb melodic harmonyvocals reminiscent of late 1970s STYX. From the start until the very end, this is the way classy AOR should sound like. Imagine the perfect mix between early HAREM SCAREM, VON GROOVE, AUTOGRAPH and STYX, then you're pretty close to FINAL FRONTIER's incredible melodic rocksound.

The CD has a very big production and between the 11 included tracks, we can find ourselves a lot of highlights. My favourite tracks are "Restless heart" (fantastic high class 80s hookladen catchy AOR like early HAREM SCAREM meets early BON JOVI), "The power" (fun catchy uptempo AOR/Melodic Rock with a guest appearance by Pete Lesperance from HAREM SCAREM), "Show your love" (classy AOR), "Forever's a heartbeat away" (HIGH CLASS AOR with beautiful multiple-harmonyvocals in the chorus, very much like STYX), "Hello and goodbye" (great semi AOR ballad a la DEF LEPPARD) and closing track "The last to know" (super catchy uptempo melodic rocker with harmonyvocals all over the place!).

It becomes clear that this CD is a total must if you want to hear catchy pure 80s AOR/Melodic Rock with good strong hooks and melodic lead and harmonyvocals, while the songs with their memorable choruses stick in your memory after hearing it only once. Definitely one of the better releases of Z RECORDS this year, together with SHY and WESTWORLD.

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Finish AOR heroes URBAN TALE is back with the follow-up to last year's AOR Classic debut. After a few spins, I noticed that the band has musically not changed much, still classic AOR a la 80s JOURNEY, but on the other hand, I miss the sensational songs like we could hear all throughout their debut. The debut featured such AOR monsters like "King of hearts", "The devil in me", "One day" and "Doris Day", while none of the 12 included songs on 'Signs of times' reaches that high level. Nevertheless, the CD contains plenty good high quality AOR with of course brilliant lead vocals of singer Kimmo Blom.

The best songs can be found during the middle of the CD, with as true highlights "Son of a gun" (great uptempo AOR), "Open your heart" (good AOR with catchy hooks) and "Captain of clouds" (great semi AOR ballad a la SURVIVOR) and also one of my favourite tracks has got to be the punchy opener "Starship of giants" (great uptempo 80s AOR). There are also a few songs that didn't do anything for me, such as the poprocker "Hello light!" or the modern rock influenced "Monsters". I also must inform you that the songs are all pretty good, but the choruses aren't as catchy as on the band's debut CD, and that's a pity. Maybe the band went too soon back into the studio to record a follow-up, so a follow-up to this CD should take 2 or 3 years at least I think. Although the high quality of their debut isn't reached anywhere on the new disc, it's still a good playable AOR record that will find it's way easily to the hearts of the fans of the old JOURNEY.

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

In 1992 UNRULY CHILD released a Classic AOR album, and ever since demos and various albums have been released (recently the 2nd UNRULY CHILD album on FRONTIERS) that circulated throughout the world. Now in the year 2003, UNRULY CHILD is going to release a complete new CD, with a new lead singer (Philip Bardowell, formerly MAGDALEN, great lead singer by the way who reminds me of LOU GRAMM) and 11 new tracks. Unfortunately the high level of their classic AOR debut isn't reached on this new record. In contrary, it has nothing to do with the original UNRULY CHILD music, because the new album is a groovy Melodic Hardrockalbum with some Psychedelic influences here and there.

The album has a very raw sound, unlike their polished debut from 10 years ago, and the songs are just nice to hear, but nowhere sensational. It sounds like a mixture between HAREM SCAREM, HARDLINE, a modern FOREIGNER and TALISMAN. It's definitely not a bad record, but you can't find any songs on this record that are as good as for example "Is it over", "When love is gone", "Let's talk about love", "Lay down your arms" etc. from their debut CD. But like I said, there are still some good songs on the CD, such as "Bring me home" (nice melodic rockballad), "Kings of tragedy" (great intro with very nice harmonyvocals, song itself is uptempo melodic hardrock like LION'S SHARE meets TALISMAN), the semi-ballads "Shades of love" and "Something" and the uptempo rockers "Falling" and "All around me" (both sounding like a mix between FOREIGNER and HAREM SCAREM). Don't expect anything sensational as their debut, and also be aware that this record has nothing to do with AOR, but if you enjoy modern day melodic rock then this might wet your appetite!

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

MASTERPLAN is the new band of lead singer Jorn Lande (ex-MALMSTEEN, ARK, MILLENIUM) and guitarist Roland Grapow (ex-HELLOWEEN), so I am not sure if this is a project or a band. Anyway, next month they will release their full-length debut CD, and in the meantime, 'Enlighten me' is a preview promo CD-single. The CD-single contains 5 tracks, the single and album version of "Enlighten me", a LED ZEPPELIN cover, a bonustrack which will not appear on the full-length CD release ("Through thick and thin") and finally, one of the new songs that will appear on the upcoming CD, the song "Kind hearted light". Musically MASTERPLAN is playing high quality melodic Progressive Metal that sounds like a mix between VANDENPLAS and AT VANCE. Especially the titletrack of this CD-single, "Enlighten me", is a very impressive song with a stunning catchy chorus. The uptempo melodic heavy rocker "Kind hearted light" has some great keys at the start, while the song itself reminds me of AT VANCE. The other song, "Through thick and thin" is another great song, but this is more semi melodic rock in the style of WHITESNAKE. The other song is the LED ZEPPELIN cover "Black dog", which is nicely done, but not as interesting as the 3 other tracks. This preview shows that we can look forward to yet another great new German release in the world of melodic heavy rock/prog metal… More info on them at: http://www.master-plan.net

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

I recently received a package from the Polish label METAL MIND PRODUCTIONS, and when I found myself checking the info on the CDs, I saw most of their releases were Dark/Black/Death/Gothic-Metal releases so not really interesting for us. But then I stumbled on DELIGHT, and their CD 'Eternity' sounded FANTASTIC! Wow, I never expected that a Polish band could sound that sensational. This DELIGHT is playing very impressive high quality Prog/Power Metal with lovely female lead vocals (singer is called Paulina Maslanka), reminding me of LANA LANE, NIGHTWISH, WITHIN TEMPTATION, AFTER FOREVER, so there's a slight Gothic influence here and there. Trust me however that this is one of the best kept secrets from East Europe!

This band could easily become as popular as aforementioned bands. The CD contains 7 tracks, and not only all of them are sensational, but also the HUGE production is making this album a true winner for everyone who likes female fronted melodic Prog/Power Metal from a high level. The best songs are "The hand", "Stained glass", "Requiem", "Whale's lungs" (semi-ballad a la WITHIN TEMPTATION), "I promise" (fast uptempo Power Metal), "Outhereness" (great Prog Metal a la LANA LANE) and "Wieczny final". This album took me by surprise, and the fact that 'Eternity' is already the third CD of DELIGHT is making them a true undiscovered gem from Poland. Let's hope they soon will get more attention from the rest of Europe, because this DELIGHT is a total must if you like LANA LANE, NIGHTWISH… More info at: http://www.delight.z.pl

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

This is the first time I heard something of a band called MOONLIGHT, a Polish Art/ProgRockband that already released 7 albums. Anyway, the band is really playing an own kind of Art/Prog that reveals influences from all sorts of musicstyles (Gothic, Jazz and Industrial). I am not really impressed with the band's songs, although the band has a very good female lead singer Maja Konarska, who proves she can definitely sing very well. Unfortunately a lot of songs are too experimental to make it really interesting for the fans of the styles we discuss on our pages. However, some songs deserve some attention here, such as the semi-Gothic/Prog Metal songs "Luna 2", "Body dialogue" and the 13-minutes counting "Asuu". The band's diversity in styles can be heard in songs like "Ronaa" (Prog Metal meets Industrial), "Meren-re" (very calm Jazzy Pop) and "To see yourself" (accapella piano-ballad). If you ever heard of MOONLIGHT, you know what to expect, but further I can only give it a recommendation if you want to hear very experimental Prog Rock/Metal.

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

What shall I say about this CD! The band AIRBONE, with Beau Hill on guitar, keys and vocals, released a superb AOR Classic in the year 1979. Although the band recorded a 2nd album, it was never released and soon after their label dropped the band, everyone went their own way. Now more than 20 years later, the SONGHAUS MUSIC/REWIND RECORDS label has released a full-length CD with 15 'new' unreleased tracks from AIRBONE that have been on the shelves since the early 1980s. Of course the sound quality of some of the songs is not that good as a regular CD, but for a dedicated AIRBORNE fan, this CD will be a welcome to their collection. I have to say that none of the 15 tracks reach the high level of their same titled debut from 1979. Nevertheless, the album contains some great AOR tunes, such as "Stranger", "Bored with Russia", "Miss directed" (pure PRISM), "Broken English" and closing track "Get it while you can" (beautiful harmonyvocals, great 70s POMPROCK a la STYX, ROADMASTER…). In general speaking, this CD is a must for every AIRBORNE fan, but if you never heard of this project-band that only made 1 LP in the late 1970s, then I must recommend you to first buy that debut LP, which REWIND RECORDS re-issued some time ago. If you like that record, then you can go for this one.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Honduras comes TAROT, and their latest CD is a very good high quality Latin-AOR record. The only pity is that there are not that many rockers on the album, because most of the 11 included tracks are (semi) AOR ballads, but nevertheless, what we get to hear is very impressive at times. The CD starts with the uptempo poprocker "Al tercer dia de sol", but the real highlights are up next with 3 great songs. The 2 lovely semi AOR ballads "Espacio entre los Dos" and "Libres como el viento" and the great uptempo AOR rocker "Lo que Paso". These 3 last mentioned songs are the best songs of the whole CD and show how good TAROT is able to sound. Nevertheless, the rest of the CD also has some nice moments here and there, such as the semi AOR ballads "Trapecista de Adobe y Neon", "Y las memoricias quedaron" and "Esa mujer es Mia". This album is recommended if you're into typical latin AOR (CODA, LA FASE, TERCER ACTO, ALIANZA, ALIADOS, ORO, DHAMM, TALISMAN PANAMA, CARTOON…). More info at: http://www.indyrock.es/tarot.htm

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Texas comes MAXFIELD PARISH, a good typical 80s type of Melodic Hardrockband. They remind me of bands like HURRICANE, ROUGH CUTT, KEEL and a bit of WASP. Their CD has some great songs, although I must inform you that the production and sound quality is typical for an independent band, so don't expect a big sound like you hear on the major label releases. However, what remains is a good deal of 10 melodic hardrocksongs, of which the best tracks are "Faith" (pure 80s uptempo melodic hardrock), "Fire and rain" (strong semi melodic rockballad) and "Dominatrix" (good uptempo melodic hardrock). Despite the typical independent sound, this band is recommended if you're into bands like HURRICANE, ROUGH CUTT, HERICANE ALICE, KEEL… More info at: http://www.maxfieldparish.com , while you can e-mail them at: maxfieldparish@hotmail.com

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

UNRULY CHILD released a classic AOR/Melodic Rockalbum 10 years ago and ever since there have been demos and CDRs available that featured unreleased songs of UNRULY CHILD recorded between 1992 and 1994. Now FRONTIERS RECORDS has released the ultimate demos collection of UNRULY CHILD, making this CD a real addition to own if you're a fan of the band's first CD. Although the band released a 2nd album (with new lead singer Kelly Hansen), the high level of their debut was never reached. Also the various demos that were originally intended to be on the 2nd CD of UNRULY CHILD are not as good as the first UNRULY CHILD album. I also need to add here that a couple of the demos were also released on the MARCIE FREE release on Long Island Records back in the mid 1990s. But if we look at this CD with only the first CD of UNRULY CHILD in the back of our minds, then this is an interesting record, because it's great to hear unreleased demo songs like "Forever", "Undefeated", "The man inside" and "True love" and different versions of Classic AOR tunes like "To be your everything", "Rock me down nasty", "Lay down your arms", "Is it over" (beautiful) and "Let's talk about love". It's all on this disc, 16 tracks of the band that never got the attention it deserved, but with this new CD the memory remains. As a bonus, a DVD is included and the video footage on that disc is pretty interesting, as it shows the band in the studio and also features the band live on stage performing 3 UNRULY CHILD tunes. In general, this is a priority release for the fans of MARK FREE and UNRULY CHILD.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Canadian rockers HAREM SCAREM have released many CDs the past 10 years, but until this date my favourite album is still their superb CLASSIC AOR debut from 1991. This album contains everything you want to hear in a pure AOR record, while all the other albums saw the band experimenting more and more. The result of all these various styles can be heard on another Live CD of the band, namely 'Live at the Gods 2002', a show recorded during the Gods of AOR festival in 2002. That festival was the celebration of NOW AND THEN that exists now for 10 years, and HAREM SCAREM is the first band to release both a CD and DVD version of their Gods performance. I haven't been able to see the DVD yet, but this live CD gives you a good idea how good the band sounded that night. Although not all tracks will appear to the AOR fans, the band gave a great show to the enthusiastic audience. Highlights of the show were "Change comes around", "Killing me", "Hard to love", "How long", "Honestly" (very nice sung-along by the audience) and "No justice". This CD is clearly a must have for all HAREM SCAREM fans, although the DVD will be more interesting I think…

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

In the past I reviewed a band called FOREVER, but they came out of Germany. This FOREVER hails from Sydney, and then you must not think of Australia, because apparently there's also a place called Sydney in Canada. Yes, this FOREVER is a Canadian band and for instance they play AOR/Melodic Rock, but not in the style of HONEYMOON SUITE, which does happen too often with bands from Canada. FOREVER is quite sensational, because they sound very melodic, their CD has a very impressive big sound and more importantly, the songs are very strong and the lead singer (Derek Johnson) has a great voice (a bit reminding me of Peter De Wint from MYSTERY/AFFAIR). The music sounds a lot like CITA and AXE, so there you have a good idea of the sound of FOREVER. What strikes me is the fact that the band has 2 keyboardplayers in their line-up, which is quite unique for a band nowadays (in the past the Canadian band WRABIT featured 2 keyboardists as well).

Like I said the music is not straight-ahead AOR, but more a mixture of AOR, 80s Melodic Rock, Progressive Rock/Metal and some tiny modern poprock influences, although most songs on the CD are very AOR based, but not your typical straight-ahead AOR (if you know what I mean). Anyway, take it from me, this FOREVER is a great band. The highlights on the CD are "Forever" (great AOR song a la AXE), "Without your love" (lovely very strong AOR ballad, excellent vocals/harmonyvocals, kinda like CITA's song "Changes"), "Tears of stone" (fantastic progressive AOR/Melodic Rock, like CITA meets DREAM THEATER), "Here with me" (great catchy semi AOR ballad, with very strong chorus), "After all" (good AOR/Melodic Rock a la CITA, with nice guitarsolo) and finally, the wonderful AOR ballad "Living a dream" (beautiful chorus). This CD is a recommended piece to check out if you're a fan of high class AOR/Melodic Rock (a la AXE, CITA). More info at: http://www.forever-music.com and e-mail them at: jaybedford@auracom.com

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The American band DESEPTION consists of 2 members, drummer/vocalist Michael King and guitarist/keyboardplayer Bill Carter. Musically they play 80s type of AOR, somewhat in the style of QWEST, ROKBOX, TORINO, RIO, TANDYM, HONEYMOON SUITE, LOVERBOY… Although the music is quite good, the production and sound quality is typical for an independent record, and that's a pity, because with a high level production this CD would be fit for MTM or one of the other European AOR labels. Nevertheless, this is still a good independent AOR record and with a total of 15 tracks, a CD with a long playing length. The best songs on 'Shadows of the sun' are the uptempo AOR rockers "Signal in the noise" (like early HAYWIRE, NIGHT RANGER, HONEYMOON SUITE, only a few levels lower), "Losing the heart" (THE OUTFIELD meets JOURNEY, with nice keyboardwork), "Learn how to love" and "The storm" (catchy pure 80s AOR chorus), although my favourite tracks are definitely "So alone" (pure 80s AOR, catchy, not unlike LE ROUX and JOURNEY) and "Love is real"
(strong midtempo AOR). The band also offers a couple of throwaway melodic rockers a la TORINO, RIO, AUTOGRAPH, such as "I'm runnin'", "Individuality", "It's a deception", "Find another" and "Masters of the night". Well, this CD has a bunch of good AOR rockers, and some less interesting melodic rockers, but apart from a weaker sound quality, I still think the conclusion is that DESEPTION is a reasonable AOR band, so die-hard AOR fans may check out their site at: http://www.deseption.com

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

AWAKE is a band from Groningen, Holland and their mini-CD sounds pretty good. Especially the first 2 songs are quite convincing. Both "End of a star" and "Don't stop" are great uptempo melodic heavy rockers with some 80s IRON MAIDEN/QUEENSRYCHE influences. The other 2 songs are not that good, because "Gone" is just a nice semi-ballad, while closing track "Open eyes" is an experimental hi-tech metal song that is really nothing special. Interesting note is that on the first song of the CD there's a guest appearance by a great female lead singer called Tamara Feddema, who sings even better than the band's own lead singer/keyboardplayer Johan Faber. Anyway, those first 2 songs show what AWAKE is best capable of, good clean straightforward 80s type of melodic metal with a strong chorus. AWAKE is one of many young new Metalbands to bring back real Metal into the Dutch scene. I must not forget to mention that I really enjoyed the videoclip of the song "Don't stop", which is also featured on this demo CD, great job, very professional and already aired on Dutch TV a couple of times! More info on AWAKE at: http://www.surf.to/awake and e-mail them at: take_awake@hotmail.com

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Some time ago I reviewed a demo CDR of this British band, and I knew back then already that their first full-length CD would turn out to be a big sounding high class record. And indeed, 'Wings of forever' is a fantastic sensational high class melodic Power Metal record that can easily compete with any of the European (German, Swedish and Italian) bands, such as RHAPSODY, FREEDOM CALL, LABYRINTH… There are 10 tracks on the CD, and the fantastic production was done by Karl Groom from THRESHOLD. Most of the songs are fast uptempo but very melodic and catchy Power Metal pieces in the best European tradition. POWER QUEST is one of the very first UK bands to play this style, and they do it very well. Highlights on the CD are the fast uptempo melodic Power Metal tracks "Far away" (lovely intro with the harmonyvocals, and a very catchy song), "Power Quest (Part 1)" (great catchy almost AORish chorus, song itself has a pure German Metalsound), "Beyond the stars" and "Follow your heart" and finally, the beautiful AOR/Melodic Rockballad "Immortal plains" that reminds me a bit of TEN. Conclusion is simple, because every true Power Metal fan must own this CD, so get your copy a.s.a.p.!

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

CELESTY is one of many new Finish bands to follow the footsteps created by bands like SONATA ARCTICA and STRATOVARIUS. That means that they play fast melodic power metal and I must admit that the band's debut CD 'Reign of elements' sounds very professional. Although the album is not as good as the 2 aforementioned bands, still this CELESTY deserves a chance between the big Power Metalscene currently spreading out throughout Europe. Their first CD sounds really good, although some variation in tempo wouldn't hurt next time. On the other hand, the fans of pure fast melodic power metal will totally love this CD, as from the start until the end, the album continues in the same style. If you like one song, you'll love them all! Songs like "Charge", "Revenge" (with solo by SONATA ARCTICA member Jani Liimatainen), "Lost in deliverance" and "Battle of Oblivion" are all fast Power Metal pieces. Only on the closing track "Kingdom" the tempo is hold back, as this is a ballad. Fans of SONATA ARCTICA, LABYRINTH, STRATOVARIUS… can easily buy the debut CD of CELESTY!

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

TIME CURVE SYMMETRY comes out of Paris, France and they play high quality melodic Progressive Metal. The guitarsound has some influences from 80s IRON MAIDEN, while the music is your typical Prog Metal like we have heard a lot of times already, but TIME CURVE SYMMETRY is doing it very well, so for a dedicated prog Metal this is an interesting band to check out. Especially the first song on their latest 3-track CD (still playing length of 28 minutes) is stunning. This is the lovely high quality melodic Prog Metal piece "Memories from Chronos keep" with it's many tempo changes. Unfortunately the other 2 songs are less interesting, because both "Strange animals" and :The flying leaf" introduce aggressive vocals, and that's really a pity because on the first song you can hear that lead singer David Scheurer has a great melodic voice, while on the other 2 songs he sings very aggressive. I really hope on a future release he will focus on the melodic vocals, and forget about the aggressive vocal lines, because theyb don't work in TIME CURVE SYMMETRY's songs. I still give the band 8 points, because the sound is huge and that opening track is a must for every fan of Prog Metal, nevertheless the other 2 songs are not really convincing. Anyway, check out their site at: http://tcs.free.fr where you can order their CD. E-mail them at: canadave@ifrance.com

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

LEBOCAT comes out of San Jose, California, USA and their new CD features some very well-known guest musicians, namely ERIC MARTIN (MR. BIG lead singer and solo-artist) and ROBERT BERRY (known for projects like 3, HUSH and his solo-records). With such names mentioned as guest musicians on a record, I have high hopes. And happily, this is a very nice record with plenty of highlights. Musically it's a mixture of Melodic Rock and Poprock, very 80s inspired. The band reminds me of RIGGS (not many people know this band probably), the American STRANGER and most of all, the DR.
ROCK AND THE WILD BUNCH (a project related to HAREM SCAREM), so the fun 80s Rock of the band has a sense of humorous touch, especially in the vocals. I am not too enthusiastic about the vocals of singer/drummer Joey Cimino. Although he's not a bad singer, he also isn't a high quality lead singer like for example Robert Berry or Eric Martin. I had rather heard guitarist Jonathan Reyes singing more tracks like he did very well on 1 song called "Wild and free".

Anyway, the music is quite nice to hear, which is simple basic 80s uptempo melodic (pop/hard) rock with catchy choruses. Highlights are "It's love", "Looking for love", "No time", "One on one", "Runnin' from your love", "You and me" (pure 1982 melodic poprock like SAMMY HAGAR meets STRANGER) and "Wild and free" (great strong melodic heavy rocker like Y AND T). Not everything sounds crystal clear on the CD, but looking back after a few spins, I can conclude that LEBOCAT is a real good 80s type of rockband. Highly recommended if you own the debut CD of STRANGER from 1982 and would like to hear something similar to that classic record (remember "Jackie's so bad"?). More info on LEBOCAT at: http://www.lebocatrock.com and e-mail them at: suecimino@attbi.com

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

EVERGLOW is probably the first Power Metal band from Belgium. I can easily say they are also quite good in what they are doing, because this 6-piece band has released a good quality Power Metal record entitled 'A new life'. The band has a female lead singer, and that's something I need to say something more about, because instrumental everything sounds perfect, but vocally EVERGLOW is not so strong. Lead singer Cindy Baert is not a singer like LANA LANE for example, because her voice is just not strong enough for the music of EVERGLOW, which is fast and melodic at the same time. The only song
everything works perfect is the uptempo prog/power piece "A new life", a great song with good vocals. The first 4 songs are not really working that well for Cindy, because her voice sometimes is pushed back by the instruments. The bonustrack "Golden lion" is clearly influenced by RHAPSODY and BLIND GUARDIAN, but is still also quite nice and shows a better singing Cindy. I think the future will tell us more about what EVERGLOW is capable doing. For now, check out their site at: http://www.everglow.be and e-mail them at: cindy.baert@skynet.be

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The man behind this project is of course John Angelina, a singer/songwriter from Germany. His CD 'High on fidelity' has some really nice artwork, but musically it's not that sensational. The music featured on the disc is quality music, but very soft 'moody' dark pop/prog/rock, not unlike PINK FLOYD. The highlight of the CD can be found towards the end, in the shape of the 19 minutes counting epic prog song "Patmos". The rest of the CD is very slow and dark, but also quite experimental. Only recommended to fans of PINK FLOYD, whom will probably like this album a lot. More info at: http://www.amen-music.com

Rating: - (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Canada comes UNCLE SID, a new creative Hard Rock band that features FRANKY DEE, of whom we reviewed a good AOR album some years ago. Now he has a new band and this 2-track demo CD is a short preview of things to come in 2003. The band is playing typical 80s melodic Hard Rock with a raw edge, not unlike a mix between Y AND T, VAN HALEN, AC/DC and the better sounds of MOTLEY CRUE. The vocals are quite strong and the CD has a big sound, "Frenzy" and "Out rock the clock" are both uptempo classic hard rock songs. The future will learn us more about UNCLE SID, a good Canadian band playing Classic Hard Rock in the tradition of APRIL WINE, VAN HALEN, Y AND T etc. More info at: http://www.unclesid.com and e-mail them at: info@unclesid.com

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

After seeing so many well-known musicians on one CD, I was hoping for a sensational album, but after listening a couple of times to the new CD of PAUL SHORTINO I was not completely satisfied. Among others, people like guitarist Howard Leese (HEART), bassist Chuck Wright (HOUSE OF LORDS), guitarist Brad Gillis (NIGHT RANGER) and drummer John Homan (MAGNITUDE 9) make their appearance on 'Sacred place'. The CD has of course a big sound, and both instrumental and Paul's lead vocals are from a very high level. The problem is the songmaterial, becuse none of the 12 included tracks is sensational. The music is a mixture of Bluesy Hardrock and Groovy Rock with some Jazz/Blues and even Gospel influences ("Be there") here and there…

Again I have nothing against Paul Shortino, because I like all his albums a lot, but what I miss on this disc are the uptempo rockers like he used to make them with ROUGH CUTT. Those were the glory days, although also his solo-CDs contained some great material. Unfortunately with this new album, Paul Shortino is focusing on a wider audience than his normal Hardrockfans. The result is a nice Bluesy Rockaffair with as only real highlight closing track "Angel", a good semi melodic rocker in the style of late FM. However, this CD is actually only recommended to the fans of Paul. I hope a future CD will see Paul returning to his roots, which is straightforward uptempo melodic hardrock. More info on the CD at: http://www.musicworks1.com

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

KAMELOT returns with another great release, maybe their best effort to date. 'Epica' is a high class CD that will please all fans of quality Progressive/Power Metal, especially those who are into STRATOVARIUS, ROYAL HUNT… Everything sounds perfect on the album, from the lead vocals of former CONCEPTION singer Roy Khan to the guitarsound of Thomas Youngblood. The production by Sascha Paeth and Miro is of course from an exceptional high level, and then the songs, well, they are really superb most of the time. Highlights include the fast uptempo melodic Power Metal pieces "Center of the universe", "Descent of the archangel, "Farewell" (lovely! Best song!), "A feast for the vain", "Lost and damned" and "111 ways to Epica".

Also worth mentioning is the beautiful melodic rockballad "Wander", a song with an impressive melodic chorus that will stick in your memory after hearing it only once! There's also some great pure Prog Metal on the CD, such as "The edge of paradise" (a la old CONCEPTION) and the midtempo "The mourning after". I also must not forget to mention some of the guest musicians, such as LUCA TURILLI, IAN PARRY (ELEGY) and singers of bands like HEAVENS GATE, 7TH AVENUE etc. are doing backing vocals. Besides all the excellent music that we can hear on 'Epica', the lyrics tell us a story based on a book by Goethe. So the conclusion is simple, buy the new KAMELOT CD when it's released on the 13th of January 2003!

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Amsterdam comes the new band ASCENSION THEORY, and now most of you might think I am talking about the Dutch city, but this Amsterdam is a place in New York. So ASCENSION THEORY is an American band and they play high quality melodic Prog/Power Metal that reminds me of KAMELOT and AZTEC JADE. The reference to AZTEC JADE is easily made, because the band features 2 members of that excellent band, namely keyboardplayer Tim Becker and guitarist/vocalist Leon Ozug. This ASCENSION THEORY is a sort of side-project and gladly it's as good as AZTEC JADE, and musically not too far away. It's a combination of grand synth orchestration and bombastic keyboardwork by Tim Becker and the searing guitar work and excellent lead vocals by Leon Ozug. Together they have managed to make a full-length CD that will please all fans of classical Prog/Power (a la KAMELOT, AZTEC JADE, ROYAL HUNT, ARTENSION).

The production is also very impressive, so I can only say to the European labels to discuss the possibilities of releasing this 'gem' over here. The lyrics tell us an epic science fiction story of a man's quest for peace and his personal transformation. There are 9 tracks on the CD, and my favourites are the lovely melodic Prog Metal pieces "Warriors", "Eridani", "Speaker" (Cinemasound with the massive Synths/Keys), "Pieces", "Enemies" and "Regeneration". There's also a guest appearance by a female singer called Jodi St. John, who has a great voice and sings on the calmer ballad "Lovers". This album is not only a total must for fans of AZTEC JADE, but also every Prog/Power Metal fan needs to hear this excellent CD. More info at: http://www.AscensionTheory.com and e-mail them at: tbecker@classm.net

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Finland comes yet another sensational band. They are called HUMAN TEMPLE and like one would not expect, they don't play Power Metal a la STRATOVARIUS, SONATA ARCTICA, NIGHTWISH… This band is playing pure 80s AOR and sound a little like their countrymen of URBAN TALE, although I also heard clear similarities to early FM, SHY and even HARLAN CAGE. The demo they sent me contains 4 tracks and I have to say it sounds very good and professional for an independent band. The first 2 songs ("Walk between the shadows" and "My global mind") are both great uptempo AOR rockers like FM, AVIATOR, SHY, TREAT… "Desert rain", is a very nice AOR ballad, while bonustrack "On a night like this" is lovely midtempo AOR a la HARLAN CAGE. The band has a very good singer (Janne Hurme), the songs are quite sensational and the production is fair enough for a demo recording act, in other words, check this band out if you like high quality AOR music at: http://www.humantemple.com and e-mail them at: info@humantemple.com

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

This ALLIANCE is another band from Finland, but not really unknown, because in the past I reviewed a demo of them, so anyone out there who reads everything written on our site know what to expect from this band. Those who don't know this ALLIANCE, I can inform you that their new CD 'Sleep with one eye open' is a good 2-track melodic hardrockalbum. The first song "Sleep with one eye open" is a great uptempo melodic rocker, while the other track "No apologies" is a nice 80s influenced uptempo melodic metal piece with some MAIDENish guitarwork. ALLIANCE from Finland is a good band, and I look forward to see a full-length release somewhere in the near future. In the meantime, check out their site at: http://www.alliancefinland.com and e-mail them at: allianceweb@w3.to

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

It has been a long time ago, but APRIL WINE has returned to the scene with a full new studio CD entitled 'Back to the manson'. Another interesting note is the fact that the band again features original members MYLES GOODWYN on vocals, guitars and keys, and BRIAN GREENWAY on guitar, along with Jim Clench on bass and Jerry Mercer on drums. The previous album dates back to 1994, so it was really time to do a new album. The Canadian rockers have come up with a good melodic poprockalbum that is not the return to their classic 70s albumrocksound, but more reminding me of the early 1980s when APRIL WINE struggled with their sound, be it Hardrock or poppy Rockmusic. So the new album fits somewhere between Hardrock, Poprock, Popmusic and AOR!

Although not the whole CD is strong, there are still plenty of nice songs to check out, especially if you're a dedicated APRIL WINE fan. Highlights on 'Back to the mansion' are the midtempo melodic (pop)rockers "Holiday", "I'll give you that" and "Looking for a place" and the AOR ballads "Won't walk that road no more" and "Paradise". References to 80s LOVERBOY and THE OUTFIELD can easily be made on nice uptempo melodic poprockers such as "Won't go there" and "Talk to me". On the other hand we can also find some fillers on the CD, such as the Popsongs "Wish I could sing", "Falling down" and "I am a rock" (PAUL SIMON cover). This is not the album people have waited for since the 1970s, when the band made some great Classic Rockalbums such as 'First glance', 'Stand back', 'Harder…faster' etc., but nevertheless it's a decent APRIL WINE album. Recommended to the fans of the band! The album has been released on Goodwyn's own label Civilian Records, more info at: http://www.civilianrecords.ca

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

NAUGHTY WHISPER is an Italian band and they play 80s Glam/Partyrock in the style of POISON, TIGERTAILZ, WRATHCHILD UK, MOTLEY CRUE, LIXX, TEAZE etc. They do it quite nice, although the lead vocals are a bit too raw and not without an accent. Nevertheless, the CRUE fan will like songs "Fast love", "All I want" and "Crazy rebel" a lot, because they are pure 80s Glamrock. Closing track "In my heart" is the best song, a good melodic rockballad with a catchy chorus and reminding me a lot of typical 80s German Hardrockballads (!). Anyway, only recommended to fans of CRUE! Check out NAUGHTY WHISPER at: http://www.naughtywhisper.com and e-mail them at: info@naughtywhisper.com

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Nashville comes TERRY LEE BOLTON (not related to Michael or Ron), and the title of his CD gives you a good idea of what not to expect from the Country Mecca of the world. This is not a countryalbum, but TERRY LEE BOLTON is making music that fits somewhere between quirky Poprock and Blues/Southern Rock. Best songs on this well-produced CD are the uptempo rocker "I've been livin'" (a la LANCE KELTNER) and the slowtempo AOR rocker "The night is over". This is mainly a Rockalbum that has not much to do with AOR or Melodic Rock in general, but may attract fans of early 80s quirky Poprock. Check out for yourself at: http://www.terryleebolton.com and e-mail him at: TLBROCKS@HOTMAIL.COM

Rating: 6,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

TITANIC JOHNSON is a Californian band that is making a mixture of Bluesy Melodic Rock, Westcoast Pop, Midwestern Rock and AOR, ending up sounding not unlike 38 SPECIAL and THE OUTLAWS. The vocals of lead singer Dean Stivason are very raw, and so is the music every now and then. The CD contains 12 tracks, and contains besides uninteresting Blues ("Taste yourself", "Where's the justice" and "Lay them down") and Popsongs ("Maximum love", "Havin' a time" and "Did you"), also a few very good AOR songs. These are "I'm bad" (great uptempo melodic rocker with an early 80s midwestern US approach, very much like STRANGER 1982), "Love shine" (good midtempo AOR with good melodic vocals) and "Late nights" (definitely the best song, a fantastic high class late 70s midtempo AOR song a la DAKOTA, LE ROUX, 707, with perfect keys, vocals and harmonyvocals mixed into a classy AOR sound). If the band would make more songs a la "Late nights" next time, then they could become one of the leaders in today's AOR genre, but for now, only one song does that on their first CD. However, the future might bring more interesting stuff from TITANIC JOHNSON, in the meantime check out their site at: http://www.titanicjohnson.com

Rating: 6/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

This American band featured former STRYPER drummer Robert Sweet. I believe it was a once-only project, because the CD-single from 2000 I received contains only 1 song and no further info or whatsoever. Anyway, the song is called "Summoned to the court", a good quality melodic Progressive Metal song. Check out their site for more info at: http://www.valediction.com and e-mail at: info@valediction.com

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Out of Arizona, USA comes FIRE ALLEY, a good quality Rockband that combines elements of all sorts of 70 Rockstyles (Bluesrock, Melodic Hardrock and Pomprock). The band sounds like a mixture between BAD COMPANY, BOSTON, URIAH HEEP and STYX, combining good melodic lead and harmony vocals with a Bluesy Hardrock sound. No straight-forward uptempo rockers can be found on this disc, it's more slowtempo with a Bluesy and Groovy riff here and there, while never forgetting a catchy melody in each and every song. Highlights on the CD are "Call On Me" (calmer AOR ballad), "Thick and Thin" (typical 80s melodic rockballad), "Reaching for You" (good slowtempo 70s rocker with a great catchy chorus a la BOSTON meets HEEP), "Dear Child" (lovely high class Pomp Melodic Rocker like ANGEL meets STYX, yet without a big keyboard sound) and "Lost in Yesterday" (another great 70s melodic rocker). There's also some more clear Bluesrock orientated material on the album, such as "Wait" and "Winner Takes It All", but in general this is a recommended 70s orientated Rockalbum. Interesting for fans of bands like REO SPEEDWAGON, HEAD EAST, early FOREIGNER, BOSTON, URIAH HEEP, ANGEL, BAD COMPANY… More info at: http://www.firealley.com and e-mail them at: jaxxon@firealley.com

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Although the production of this CD isn't that good, still C2K has released a good melodic rockalbum. C2K consists of multi-instrumentalist Steve Dunch, who does almost everything on his own, and lead singer Joe Albanese. The CDR he sent me contains 6 tracks, of which opener "Goodbye to the innocence" is definitely the best song, as this is a great catchy 80s type of uptempo melodic rock. It's a pity there aren't anymore tracks in this style on the album, because then it would have been a more interesting record. Nevertheless, there are still some more good tunes to check out, such as the semi melodic rocker "Mother Maude" and the semi melodic rockballads "Second time around" and "Wish you well". More info on C2K at: http://www.shaboda.20m.com and e-mail at: shaboda@directed-tech.com

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

MR. EGO comes out of Brazil, and 'Strangers' is their latest CD release, a 4-track mini-album. The album has a very good sound quality, and also musically it sounds pretty good. MR. EGO is playing melodic Power Metal with a slight ANGRA influence. Songs like "Strangers", "From dusk until dawn" and "Alone 2K" are good examples of this typical Brazilian Power Metal style. The best song however is closing track "Heart on fire", a great semi-ballad with a very nice keyboardsolo. MR. EGO is another good new Brazilian band, check 'em out at: http://www.mrego.com.br and e-mail them at: mrego@mrego.com.br

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The Japanese multi-instrumentalist KELLY SIMONZ is back with a complete new CD release on the Finish label LION MUSIC. With the 2 previous albums still fresh in the memory, I must say after hearing Kelly's new album, 'The rule of right' is probably his best release so far. The album is filled with high quality typical Swedish Melodic Metal with of course clear YNGWIE MALMSTEEN influences, not only in the guitarsound, but also the songs sound a lot like Yngwie's records. Nevertheless, it's amazing that Kelly does almost everything on his own, and besides, also is a very good lead singer. Despite 6 instrumental tracks, the CD offers some really sensational Melodic Metaltracks.

Especially the start of the CD is very impressive, with the uptempo melodic metal songs "Destiny" (pure MALMSTEEN) and "The rule of right", and the 'classical' semi melodic rockballads "Till the end of time" (nice keyboardwork as well) and "Still" (2002 version). The other 3 vocal tracks are the good Progressive Metal songs "King of the castle" (2002 version, with classical break) and "Time of revelation" and finally, the best song of the whole CD, "Now your turn". This song is fantastic very fast catchy uptempo Power Metal with a stunning chorus and basically, a very impressive sound that grabs you from the first time you hear it!

So, this CD is highly recommended to all fans of high quality Scandi Melodic Metal! I hope Kelly comes to Holland now, as earlier in 2002 he had to cancel a gig in Holland, because headliners Hughes/Turner project decided to skip Holland at the last minute, shame on them, because I would love to see this Japanese man live on stage! Anyway, buy the man's new CD a.s.a.p. is my advise!

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The Finish guitarist ELIAS VILIANEN has released a great high quality instrumental melodic hardrockalbum. Although LION MUSIC has been releasing on and off instrumental records, this new one of the talented Elias is definitely one of the true gems in this genre. His CD 'Taking the leads' is filled with 12 great instrumental melodic hardrocksongs from a very high level and this time it's nothing like MALMSTEEN, but Elias has an own style, although it sounds like an instrumental version of a Melodic Hardrockband at times. Highlights are the uptempo rockers "Evil rock", "The axemaster", "Northern breeze" (very impressive), "Beyond twilight" and "Passion for glory". This CD is highly recommended to the fans of instrumental straight-ahead 80s inspired melodic hardrock!

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

TABOO VOODOO is a new project of guitarist Cyril Archard and drummer MIKE TERRANA (RAGE, MALMSTEEN). The first album 'Something's cookin' is of course a high quality record, like one would expect with such talented musicians on 1 record! The music is all-instrumental and the start is very impressive with the uptempo Progressive/Symphonic AOR/Melodic Rocker "Print of time". It's a pity the rest of the CD is more experimental and goes more and more into Fusion/Progressive Rock instead of the straight-ahead approach of the first song. Still, songs like "Say what", "Full cycle" and especially "Sorcery" are making this CD a winner for the fan of instrumental Progressive Rock. Above all, highly recommended to the fans of both guitarist Cyril Archard and drummer Mike Terrana.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Bassist Randy Coven is best known as a member of HOLY MOTHER, and more recently he toured with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. 'Witch way' is his first solo-CD and basically, it's a very calm instrumental fusion/jazzy (slightly progressive) pop/rock affair that sounds like a mix between TOTO (without the vocals) and SANTANA. Songs like "Tree 2" and "Darklight" are perfect to use as background music for a 70s TV-show, and also a pure TOTO song like "Funk you" is quite nice to listen to, but the average rock/metal fan can't do much with this release, although I can not say that this is a bad release. It's just one of those release which is only interesting for a selected group of people, namely fans of instrumental fusion music.

Rating: 7/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The Swedish band REPTILIAN released a great debut CD last year, entitled 'Castle of yesterday'. Now they are back with a hot new release titled 'Thunderblaze'. The album sounds better than their first album, not only the production, but also some of the songs are stronger. Just like their debut, also this CD is very diverse in styles. There's some fantastic fast uptempo melodic Power Metal on the album, such as opener "Thunderblaze", "The conqueror" and "Bullet speed". On the other hand, there's also some great pure Melodic Rock to be heard, like the catchy uptempo "Chains of love" (a la JADED HEART, with very melodic harmonyvocals) and the midtempo "Raging storms". In between you'll also get some good melodic heavy rock/metal in the shape of "Vengeance or dark" and "Watching hell from above". The only weaker songs on the new REPTILIAN CD are the modern heavy rocker "In my zombie sleep", the groovy midtempo Partyrocker "Madman City" and the Metalsong "Retribution". Concluded, this is a recommended CD for every fan of Melodic Hardrock/Metal!

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

I haven't got any info on this release, but I believe it's a new Swedish project with Pete Sandberg as lead singer. The music on their first CD is typical Swedish Melodic (Power) Metal in the style of MALMSTEEN, NARNIA… The beginning of the CD shows no mercy and we get to hear 3 great fast uptempo melodic power metal pieces entitled "Line of fire", "Judas call" (very catchy with a RHAPSODY chorus) and "Holy graal". Then things slow down on the great semi melodic rockballad "Pronce of darkness", which is followed by the instrumental "Anthem". Up next are two fast power metal pieces again in the shape of "Falling angel" and "Endless slaughter". The melodic heavy rocker "Sleep with the devil" follows and is very MALMSTEEN orientated. Closing track "Edge of the world" is a nice uptempo melodic metal tune, but not one of the strongest songs on the CD. It's a pity the CD has a playing length of only 35 minutes, because with a few more songs the rating would have been higher probably. Nevertheless, this is a recommended CD to fans of typical Swedish Melodic Metal.

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

This (Hollywood settled) Californian band is a total must if you enjoy the releases of labels such as MELODIC MAYHEM RECORDS, KIVEL RECORDS, Z RECORDS, PERRIS RECORDS… D-ZIRE is a great band combining melodic hardrock and Glam/Partyrock with a strong 80s approach. They sound like a mix between CRUE, FIREHOUSE, POISON, TRIXTER and Y AND T. There are 16 tracks (!) on the CD, and I have to say that it all sounds very professional and at times, quite impressive. 'The awakening' is definitely a high quality CD that seriously kicks ass! Highlights are "Do or die" (good uptempo melodic hardrock a la Y AND T), "Chance on love" (FIREHOUSE meets CRUE), "Games" (8 minutes counting uptempo melodic hardrocksong), "Amanda Mae" (catchy melodic rocker) and the semi melodic rockballad "Don't look back" (in the style of POISON circa 'Flesh and blood'). This band is playing a style that was very popular in the late 1980s/early 1990s in the USA when bands like SLAUGHTER, FIREHOUSE, NELSON, TRIXTER etc. ruled the charts and I must say that D-ZIRE is doing a great job convincing me this type of catchy hardrock is still alive. Believe me that D-ZIRE doesn't sound dated at all, this is a strong melodic hardrock/partyrockalbum and is highly recommended to fans of mentioned bands. More info on D-ZIRE can be found at: http://www.d-zire2rebel.com and buy a copy at: www.perrisrecords.com , while you can e-mail them at: trichards100@earthlink.net

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Does anyone remember the band JULLIET? This American band released a great CD in the early 1990s and now they are back! Their new CD is titled 'Passion' and is musically filled with pure 80s Melodic Rock. Notable members of the band are vocalist/guitarist/keyboardplayer Kenny McGee and drummer Frankie Banali (QUIET RIOT, WASP). Although the album contains only 9 tracks and so the playing length is rather short, the tracks included are all very sensational, so this CD is definitely worth your money. The melodic (hard) rock of JULLIET sounds like a mix between HEAVEN'S EDGE, DOKKEN, RATT and a tiny bit of POISON. The band is at their best during the catchy uptempo melodic rockers, such as "Love hungry man", "Lost and lonely", "Any time you want me", "Still, I'm dreaming" (with AOR keys at start) and "She's so shy" (catchy harmonyvocals). Also pretty good are the semi melodic rocker "Mind over matter" (with a very 80s sound, especially the keyboardwork and hook halfway the song) and the big late 80s melodic rockballad "Baby blue". The only weaker songs are the simple Party/Glamrocksong "Boys will be boys" (like RATT) and "I'm no angel" (very much like POISON circa 'Flesh and blood'). So, if you want to hear good high quality pure 80s Melodic Hardrock, then look no further, because this JULLIET is bringing some of the best melodic hardrock on 1 awesome CD!

Rating: 8,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

The band JULLIET just released it's follow-up to their debut from a decade ago, and at the same time on the same label, leader of that band, KENNY MCGEE, has also released his new solo-CD. I believe it's his third solo-CD, and songwise it's not as strong as JULLIET's CD. The music on KENNY MCGEE's new CD is a mixture of Melodic Hardrock and Sleaze/Party/Glamrock, not unlike SKIW ROW and LA GUNS. Good examples of this sound are rockers like "Don't ya worry", "Christine", "Rosie Red", "Not about love" and "Miss Virginia", all simple and also a bit average Partyrockers. Much better are melodic rockballads like "Can't say goodbye" and "It ain't over", but without any doubts, the absolute highlight of the album is the fantastic catchy early 90s type of mainstream melodic rocker "Baby Jane" that reminds me of SLAUGHTER in their heydays. However, for the most part, this CD is recommended if you dig TESLA, SKID ROW, LA GUNS… I think JULLIET has released a better CD than Kenny's solo-CD, but that's my opinion, and therefore the melodic rockfans should decide which one they prefer…

Rating: 7,5/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

MINDSET 7 is a new American band playing very modern melodic pop/rock. I am afraid they are not interesting for the regular melodic rockfans, because their debut CD 'Blur' is more appealing to fans of the Nu-Breed Rocksound of bands like CREED, LIFEHOUSE, GOO GOO DOLLS, MATCHBOX 20, LIVE… It's not a bad record and fans of mentioned bands will definitely love it, but there's nothing interesting on this record for the fans of 'real' melodic rock.

Rating: 6/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)

Formerly known as DIRTY DEEDS, British rockers DEEDS have released their third CD 'Blown' on the German label ULFTONE MUSIC. The CD has a big sound, and I can easy add here that this is a quality CD. The album contains good straight-ahead melodic heavy rock in the style of VICTORY, SHAKRA, PINK CREAM 69… Highlights include "Fragments of a man", "Meet your maker", "River run dry" and the best song of the whole CD, "Valley of the kings" (great midtempo melodic hardrock, somewhat like RONDINELLI, RAINBOW, HUGHES TURNER PROJECT…). Not all songs are convincing, because songs like "Fire at will" and "Burning away" are quite weak. On the other hand, if we look and listen a couple times to the whole CD, it becomes clear that this DEEDS record is a quality record that will please all fans of guitar-orientated melodic heavy rock!

Rating: 8/10 (Review by Gabor Kleinbloesem)