Van Arx. There’s a name for ya. Not knowing what to expect at all, I cued up this Perris Records issue. The Stand Together for Rock and Roll album became available back in June. Holy crap! Ripping this off the hop with no pretense, the first sounds emanating from the speakers had me checking to see if it was a KISS “Detroit Rock City” cover. It’s not, but that’s seriously all I can hear right…
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Behold, The Dirty Denims from Eindhoven in The Netherlands. Back in April, Mirjam Sieben reached out to me via email. Given my praises for The Amorettes latest album, she suggested that I may also enjoy The Dirty Denims. She had seen my review on Decibel Geek and included a press kit with their forthcoming album. Reported as part one of the album, it was a six-song EP I suppose with the second installment due out in October. I was a little thrown…
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In the neverending discovery of new bands and music, I present Force Majeure. The band exudes traditional metal, but inflected with some power elements. My first thoughts instantly gravitated to Doro. Why Doro Pesch? The German champion for female fronted metal issued her album Force Majeure in 1989 on the demise of Warlock. The Force Majeure moniker instantly takes me there in my head. Hard to shake that image, but this is totally different. This Force Majeure is a melodic heavy…
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The British Invasion was in full force this week in Toronto as the Saxon/UFO co-headlining tour rolled through. This was a dream bill for me personally. That’s the only way to sum it up. The names of both Saxon and UFO appear in my full sleeve tattoo depicting a guitar case “stickered” with the logos of some fave bands. Both bands have been with me in listening rotations for years upon years. Both bands are…
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In a sea of digital promos, Hexx intrigued me right away. All I’d done is heard the band/album name and seen the cover. Sometimes that sells. Contrary to the phrase, sometimes you should judge a book by the cover. Hexx began life ages ago. Late 1983 in the famous San Francisco Bay Area in fact. Notable as the birthplace of thrash bands Exodus and Testament and indeed many more. Focusing on power metal as their preferred genre,…
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Sometimes rock is just rock. It doesn’t need to fit into an overly dramatized subcategory. And it’s not dead. Not even close. Ireland’s Trucker Diablo is such. They are just rock. Good rock. Hard rock. Rock that’ll have your toes tapping. Or headbanging. Or even up on the dance floor, groovin’. My road to discovery took place back in 2013. Seems like a lifetime ago. The record company imposed upon me a new album. Back then…
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I have a passion. Some would say an addiction. Downright crazy they may say. Even fucked up. Perhaps I do need help. For as many as understand, there are twice that that just don’t get it. I am a hard rock and heavy metal music fan. Let’s go back to addict. It’s not wrong. It makes me happy. More than that, its necessary to get through the day. Perhaps akin to that junkie with the…
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The first ever Hair Metal Heaven Festival in Hull UK has wrapped up its inaugural run. I’m here to give you a brief synopsis from a Canadian who traveled the Atlantic for this first-time event. You may agree or disagree but these are my truthful and honest thoughts as I sit here days after the event has wrapped up. I certainly do not know all of the facts, not the ins and outs. I haven’t even…
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The first ever Hair Metal Heaven Festival in Hull UK has wrapped up its inaugural run. I’m here to give you a brief synopsis from a Canadian who traveled the Atlantic for this first-time event. You may agree or disagree but these are my truthful and honest thoughts as I sit here days after the event has wrapped up. I certainly do not know all of the facts, not the ins and outs. I haven’t even…
Read More
The first ever Hair Metal Heaven Festival in Hull UK has wrapped up its inaugural run. I’m here to give you a brief synopsis from a Canadian who traveled the Atlantic for this first-time event. You may agree or disagree, but these are my truthful and honest thoughts as I sit here days after the event has wrapped up. I certainly do not know all of the facts, not the ins and outs. I haven’t even…
Read More