After many years of silence from the band, we get the second studio album of the reunion era. The highly acclaimed 2016 release "Too Late To Hate" was the long awaited album the fans had been asking for... and now LUCIFER'S FRIEND bring us "Black Moon". "Black Moon" features three founding members of the band...Peter Hesslein, Dieter Horns and John Lawton (e4x- URIAH HEEP) with Stephan Eggert laying down the drum tracks. 10 new tracks all written by Hesslein / Lawton and classic rock fans should know what to expect - a nice stack of 70s flavored hard rock in the vein of URIAH HEEP meets DEEP PURPLE and John Lawton's voice still sounds great after all those years !

listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEXIwiJVNxA

Formed in 2014, the acclaimed supergroup featuring Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson, quickly established themselves as one of the most emphatic and exciting live acts on tour today. With "Space Between", the band harnesses the depth of their artistic experiences and seminal collaborative sound with Hagar's prolific writing vein to produce an album that builds and explodes, song after song, around the concepts of money, greed, enlightenment and truth. The music draws on the band's substantial careers independently and collaboratively, presenting a veteran band still at the peak of their game.

watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB3kegIoo_8

„Flesh & Blood“, the thirteenth release comes with thirteen brand-new tracks, the first ones since “Forevermore“ (2011). Frontman David Coverdale still is top class, at least in the studio, and has gathered superb players around him as usual. WHITESNAKE fully delivers even after 40+ years. Bluesy, powerful hard rock which will stay. Without question, the highlight is the fantastic “Heart Of Stone“.

MARTIN STARK

watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKMwGzOmtsE

DARK BLUE INC. is the brainchild of Bonfire and Sainted Sinner guitarist Frank Pane. Pane has secured the presence of talented cats here; Göran Edman at the mic, bass player Hal Patino known from his days with King Diamond and Pretty Maids, and Andrea Vergori (Wheels Of Fire) on keyboards. Pane is an incredibly skilled and multifaceted guitarist, and his compositions / arrangements, far from ordinary. You see only 8 songs in track list, but each are like 3 songs into one, superbly constructed. Read this; at places, "Linked To Life" bring to mind Crimson Glory, then Bonfire, then Axel Rudi Pell. then Steve Stevens solo albums, then Deep Purple, then Queensryche... oh my. And all these work, believe me.

watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzn_mmP9LKQ

An overlooked little gem, "Total Stranger" originally appeared in 1997, not the best era for this sweet type of timeless melodic rock. Simply titled "Total Stranger", this is one of the finest albums in the genre from the second half of the Nineties. But these Canadians didn't care about trends and created this lovely melodic rock / AOR album inspired by the classic sounds. Fronted by Al Langlade - who always reminded me of Paul Laine and his time in Danger Danger - "Total Stranger" is full of hooks, melodies and synths in the vein of Von Groove, Harem Scarem, Tyketto, etc. This reissue features a new cover art and an additional bonus track and is simply a must have for every serious AOR- and melodic rock lover.

listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc2INfjQODU

DOGFACE, lead by Martin Kronlund (g, GYPSY ROSE), have recently called it a day and this record is a best of with the best songs of their three releases. Rooted deeply in the seventies sound-wise and with vocalist Mats Levén (ex CANDLEMASS, FATAL FORCE) being a great factor, DOGFACE are very reminiscent of RAINBOW or DEEP PURPLE. The Swedes have got a remarkable legacy as especially songs like “A Single Reason“ or “Footsteps On The Moon“ easily prove.

MARTIN STARK

listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUhj2vBINGI