Once again a new project out of the Frontiers rooster. This time it is Terry Brook (v, GIANT, STRANGEWAYS), Robert Berry (v/b, ALLIANCE), Gary Phil (g, BOSTON) ans Mike Starr (d, MR.BIG). The result is obvious. You get great stuff that will certainly appeal to fans of keyboard-driven VAN HALEN up to those digging STRANGEWAYS for sure. Especially the duel vocals of Brock and Berry make this record a true highlight of the genre.

MARTIN STARK

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnLNLCKNIi4

"Gothica" is the darkest album to date but also a quite versatile piece of work of British outfit TEN. On tracks like e.g. "Dracula", "Jekyll & Hyde" or "Traveller" (Time Machine) it offers a ride through world literature. Epic tunes, partly complex but never overly detailed songs with the majestic voice of Gary Hughes are all over the place. Check out the almost cinematic "Man For All Seasons" or the futuristic "Traveller".

MARTIN STARK

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqCgx08JAxs

RIVERDOGS are finally back and with (almost) all original members. The band of Rob Lamothe (v) and Vivian Campell (g, Def Leppard) can easily catch up with their legendary debut album from 1990. Let alone the opener "American Dream" shine or the bluesy "Something Inside" as well as the outgoing "Searching For A Sign" convince you. "California" is timeless and beautifully relaxed rock or hard rock with excellent guitars, amazing vocals and a distinctive production.

MARTIN STARK

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k4ODdznGGo

A live album covering all periods of the Englishman's career, ranging from RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ, MSG to IMPELLITIERI. Even though the sound might have been a bit refurbished, fans will certainly dig this piece of work covering all of his past. Recorded in 2016 at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milano, Italy, the GRAHAM BONNET BAND delivers and shows the younger generation how to play hard rock.

MARTINN STARK

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEDTbRZCrtc

The sixth ORDEN OGAN output is by far the best in many respects. Countless metal anthems full of melody ("Gunman" or "Fields Of Sorrow") and offering lots of exciting details ("Finis Coronat Opus") even after twenty spins. Huge choirs, great guitars as well as superb songwriting are to be found. A powerful, pristine production adds a certain extra. Surely a candidate for the album of the year in that very genre of melodic power metal.

MARTIN STARK

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPm46Qgyn24

When you think about the LA rock scene from the mid eighties there were a lot of winners (Guns N'Roses, Poison, Motley Crue) and a heck of a lot of losers. Take Jet Boy for instance, one of the most revered acts on the scene who, through no fault of their own, were lost to obscurity yet attracted a devoted and passionate fan following. In late 1986 they signed a deal with Elektra Records, but once the record was completed disaster struck when Elektra reshaped their roster and cast the band adrift. MCA Records snapped up the band issuing 'Feel The Shake' in 1988. Informed by the sounds of the Stones, The CULT, Guns 'N' Roses and Hanoi Rocks, the record failed commercially. Rock Candy re-issue, dig. remastered.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MGT4Pew9Pc

When Canadian chanteuse Alannah Myles issued her debut album in 1989 few expected it to attain a level of success that would elevate her to international acclaim and see her become one of the biggest selling female artists of the era. Her debut album,produced by fellow Canadian David Tyson, is a record that mined the lucrative space between all out hard rock and considered pop. On this record, we are left in no doubt as to Alannah's vocal credentials. Raspy, sultry and uniquely distinctive her voice permeated a work that had immediate appeal.The huge international hit single 'Black Velvet' that created her position in the marketplace, helping to propel the album to sales in excess of 6 million units worldwide.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT4d1LQy4es

As we all know, Bad English reflect two parts Journey, two parts The Babys, plus new boy Deen Castronovo on drums. The result, a perfect blend of radio-oriented rock, hard edged and 'cutting up rough' on one side of the blade, while gilt-edged and silky smooth on the other. The impassioned vocals of John Waite proved the perfect counterfoil for the Journey pairing of Schon and Cain. Chuck into the mix Richie Zito's full production plus some minor songwriting contributions from Diane Warren, Mark Spiro, David Roberts, and Martin Page, and you've got an album which most of us AOR fans will already have in the collection in any case. Digitally remastered re-issue from Rock Candy records incl. 2 bonus tracks.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu6pclWsxzs

Between Michael White and Kingdom Come's Lenny Wolf, these two blokes had the Robert Plant doppelganger gig all sewn up between them. So, winding the clock back to 1987, this major label release on Atlantic Records was produced by Mack (Reinhard Mack), the same bloke who worked with Queen and Billy Squier and the album even features a few of Squier's band. The Michael White album shifts appreciably across the hard rock spectrum. Yes, there are Zep oriented tracks, just as there are hard rock tracks which fit the AOR/melodic rock trend as it was back in 1987. Actually, it's been said that the man himself Robert Plant even helped out landing a record deal. Rock Candy re-issue, digitally remastered.

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zrhA1UMINg

Stone Fury was the brainchild of German vocalist Lenny Wolf. From Hamburg originally, and a singer steeped in the tradition of Led Zeppelin, in particular Robert Plant. In 1983, Lenny Wolf moved to Los Angeles, and hooked up with Bruce Gowdy to form Stone Fury. The debut 'Burns Like A Star' (1984) has been unfairly compared by critics to Led Zeppelin. Only in very few moments does it sound like Zep, the rest is a credible melodic rock workout which many of you should investigate further. Tracks like 'Break Down The Walls' and the fantastic 'Don't Tell Me Why' (which could be China Sky) are exceptional, and sound nothing like Zep. Rock Candy re-issue, digitally remastered.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV6VyEPHJgQ

Taped in Tokyo in early 1988, during an eight date Japanese tour, and released later that year, the record received tremendous reviews and featured seriously impressive versions of Dokken classics such as 'Dream Warriors', 'Unchain The Night', 'In My Dreams and 'Just Got Lucky'. George Lynch's guitar playing is off the hook, while the rest of the band lay down the law like men possessed. Look out too for a new studio track 'Walk Away', giving some indication of where the band might have gone had they remained together. This combined talent produced several big selling albums and paved the way for the recording of this their career-defining double live album. Rock Candy re-issue, digitally remastered.

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQodKykZRMM

Here's an album that never saw the light of day, with a big budget and top-notch studio musicians on supply. Wonders never cease to amaze. Don Barnes of course is/was a member of 38 Special, and back in 1989 had this album 'Ride The Storm' ready for a big-label release. This never occurred, and the project remained a mystery ever since, except for those close to the know (i.e. 38 Special, Giant and Toto fans). With the help of producers like Martin Briley and Brian Foraker plus the amazing line-up feat. Mike & Jeff Porcaro, Alan Pasqua, Jesse Harms, Denny Carmassi, Dann Huff and Bill Cuomo you can be sure to get killer AOR stuff in the vein of VAN ZANT, VAN STEPHENSON and 38 SPECIAL. AWESOME!

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW8XKJ0XJNQ

Born in Melbourne (he was once in the same class as Olivia Newton-John), Daryl Braithwaite moved in his teens to Sydney where he abandoned his fitter and turner apprenticeship for music. Braithwaite emerged with Sherbet, the biggest pop band to emerge from Australia at the time with 20 hits between 1971 to 1979. During the 80s Braithwaite enjoyed his biggest solo success. "The Edge" (a #1 hit) and "Rise" yielded hits as ‘As The Days Go By’, ‘One Summer’, "Horses’ and a minor US hit with 1991’s ‘Higher Than Hope’ which he co-wrote. "Forever The Tourist" (2013) contains 8 new tracks after a break of 8 years since his latest studio album "Snapshot" in 2005. After all this years Daryl Braithwaite proves again that he still can write great singer / songwriter stuff with a modern edge.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQjlp5yqcI

As big-time success continued to elude them despite some great albums and singles, they evolved for the times.  1998’s "Big Bang Theory" is the first major step in a more commercial direction.  This meant incorporating popular pop-punk sounds:  short, fast simple melodic songs with minimal soloing.  “Turn Around” is a perfect example of this new direction.  There is a guitar solo, albeit brief.  These qualities don’t have to be a bad thing if they’re done right, and Harem Scarem did them exceptionally well. "BBT" maintained the Harem Scarem momentum.  It delivered three standout must-haves and an album’s worth of good material.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=91PXvitVkqE