by Justin Gaines Staff Writer Every year at the annual ProgPower USA festival, the promoter brings in a “wild card” band that doesn’t necessarily fit the festival’s typical lineup. In 2002 the wild card was Devin Townsend, in 2005 it was Pink Cream 69, and in 2008 it was Mustasch. 2009’s [...]
by Trevor Portz Staff Writer If the late ’90s and early ’00s were all about the ’70s revival (with bands like Nebula, The Hives, and The Datsuns), perhaps it only serves to reason that the ’10s (as they will henceforth be known) will be all about an ’80s revival. With [...]
by Joe Mis Staff Writer Legendary ’80s/’90s hard rock band Cinderella is back together and getting ready for a 2010 assault on Europe. In preparation they’ve dug into the archives and released Live At The Mohegan Sun. Recorded way back in July of 2005 at the Mohegan Sun Casino Resort [...]
by John Kindred Staff Writer Thunderstone returns with a new album and reshuffled lineup. The exodus of vocalist Pasi Rantanen and keyboardist Kari Tornack after releasing ‘07 Evolution 4.0 didn’t deter Thunderstone from forging ahead. Vocalist Tommi “Tuple” Salmela (Tarot) and keyboardist [...]
by John Kindred Staff Writer Instrumental music enthusiasts should happily flock to the Magna Carta label. Just like Shrapnel Records did in the ‘80s (and still does), Magna Carta strives to keep the virtuoso musicianship of high-caliber players alive and well. Their latest “discovery” is [...]
by John Kindred Staff Writer Metal’s original “bad girl” is back! Lita Ford returns with her first studio album since ‘95’s Black. With her husband and writing partner, Jim Gillette (Nitro fame), at her side Ford has left her Caribbean paradise to rock the world again. The combined [...]
by Justin Gaines Staff Writer Njord is the third album from German gothic metal band Leaves’ Eyes. The increasingly successful band was formed from the union (as in marriage) of former Theatre of Tragedy singer Liv Kristine and Atrocity vocalist Alexander Krull. Leaving behind the death, black, [...]
by Justin Gaines Staff Writer Domino/Consequence is the second full-length album from Italian band en DECLIN. The band plays a haunting and emotionally-charged brand of dark progressive rock that brings to mind Anathema, A Perfect Circle and to some extent Katatonia and even Porcupine Tree. There [...]
by Justin Gaines Staff Writer You’re probably wondering why on Earth we’re getting yet another greatest hits collection from Motley Crue. Wasn’t 2003’s Greatest Hits a pretty thorough collection of Crue singles? If not, surely 2005’s 2-disc Red, White and Crue hit all the highlights (and [...]
by Justin Gaines Staff Writer Unspoken is the first full-length album (they issued a pair of EPs under the name Fragment) from Italian dark progressive/gothic metal band Resonance Room. At first listen, it’s tempting to write off Resonance Room as Italy’s answer to Katatonia, and that’s [...]
