ALBUM REVIEWS
If you’re looking for aggregated album reviews from our seasoned music specialists, including our own score offering at a glance how the album fared, this is the right destination for you. Album reviews certainly still matter to artists, writers, and publicists, as they are the ones dealing with them every day, but does the average listener still pay attention? Well, we sincerely hope you do… Dive in!
Since exploding onto the LA rock scene in 2014, and immediately becoming a significant chapter in the Book of Alice Cooper, Nita Strauss (yes, like…
No quarter offered, none given. Conflict and schism have been frequent companions to rock and metal bands since time immemorial, but such occasions often present…
Hey, they weren’t kidding with this title! There are many versions of extreme that have cropped up in the metal realm over the decades, but…
Storms, rivers and the promise of peace drive the lyrical themes on Gov’t Mule’s 12th album. Just as the ocean is comprised of water from…
Man and beast unite to overcome all. The mystique of heavy metal’s early days has enjoyed a rather massive renaissance over the past decade or…
Negativity distilled to its fundamental form. The tail end of the 2010s saw some interesting developments in the metal world, perhaps most notably in the…
Coming hot off the heels of playing to packed arenas opening for Journey, Steve Lukather continues to wrestle with the legal and perceptual problems that…
A new, more impressive mountain of sound emerges. The 2020s may well be remembered as the decade that was put on hold for a couple…
Considering that drummer Martin Utby and guitarist/bassist/vocalist Simon Bergseth vowed to start a band over two decades ago (when they were children), it’s surprising that…
Looking for a fresh new discovery in the world of prog? Although “Helix” is their fourth album, chances are good that the vast majority of…
Because four T’s would be excessive. As the prime movers that brought the metal genre into prominence approach their golden years, the inevitable question of…
As the leader of one of the most progressive bands out today, Einar Solberg has long held the potential for an impactful solo album. Indeed,…
The union of fantasy and comedy prevail once again. Sudden and drastic changes in membership have been the death of many a band, and those…
I love so much of Ray Alder’s work that I sometimes doubt I’m qualified to critique it. But a quick listen of damn near anything…
A new pastor leads the metal masses to salvation. When it comes to longevity, few can boast the degree of tenacity and dedication that has…
Let’s get one thing straight. Extreme II, aka “Pornograffitti”, is one of the best rock records since 1990, hands-down. “Extreme III (Sides to Every Story)”…
The cover photo says much about the album and artists. Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton are decked out in ‘50s leather and hair – they…
Godsticks’ prior album, 2020’s “Inescapable,” found the celebrated English ensemble successfully introducing more inviting arrangements and welcoming melodies into their dynamic brand of heavy prog…
Why? Why in God’s name is this necessary? I mean, coming on the heels of “Impera” — which I rated the top album of 2022…
No nonsense thrash that shows no mercy. The unrelenting beast that is thrash could be likened to the Greek myth of the hydra, for if…
Part throwback, part modern, all classic metal! The world at large will no doubt continue to be dumbfounded at how every prediction of metal’s oncoming…
Wonders never cease. Left for dead as a recording entity after the abysmal “Heaven & Earth” in 2014, progressive rock patriarchs Yes returned in 2021…
So color me skeptical. That’s what I thought when I first heard about the Neal Schon album. I mean, face it: a gathering of current…
Savage, all too savage. With a history now spanning more than 30 years, the early 90s offshoot of heavy and thrash metal that has come…
After devoting an entire musical career to exploring global pagan lore with impressive results, Italian metal band Elvenking began to be subtly besieged by a…
Once upon a time, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull mused lyrically about being “too old to rock and roll, and too young to die.” Don’t…
After the death of five, the sixth would rise. The dissolution of a lineup can prove devastating for any band, and the particular eventuality of…
Where rock and metal collide. While still a new player in the American music scene, New York natives and old school metal adherents Tanith have…
The Mars Volta are back with their new album titled “Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon”, a collection of 12 reworked acoustic tracks from their…
Joe Bonamassa at Red Rocks has become a bit of a staple of my summer concert schedule. I’ve been fortunate to see the long-running bluesman…
The Wrecking Crew scorches all in its path. For a band that has been trudging the dank swamps of metal’s thrashing edge for as long…
“72 Seasons” is finally here. What does it bring? Well, I think is a another worthy catalog entry for arguably the biggest metal band in…
A less trodden trail is blazed. With well over a decade in the rear view since what has been dubbed the New Wave of Traditional…
It’s been roughly seven years since Chilean progressive rock sextet Aisles released their highly acclaimed fourth LP: 2016’s expansive and conceptual “Hawaii.” In that time,…
With a growing extraversion and drive to innovate becoming increasingly apparent across the extreme metal world, it is no great shock that a band that…
Launching a debut solo album can often be an exercise in patience and tenacity. All the more reason that Matt Dorsey must be feeling triumphant…
