Huck N Roll

Off you fuck, chief.
Sonja – Loud Arriver [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

Sonja – Loud Arriver [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

“Normally these things we missed are because we didn’t get promo and stumbled upon the album post-release. Not so in the case of Loud Arriver,<,b>Sonja’s debut album. This one sat in the promo bin unnoticed for all of September, and it wasn’t until I read some flattering press about the album that I dove in. Thank god I did because this little gem delivers a delicious knockout punch.” Big (loud) entrance.

Vitskär Süden – The Faceless King Review

Vitskär Süden – The Faceless King Review

“Well, this is certainly a unique release in many ways, and thanks to the bureaucracy of our PDS this one slipped by everyone and right down to me. Meet Vitskär Süden, a progressive/psychedelic/overall trippy band that hails not from some esoteric land as the umlauts in their name might suggest, but rather from Los Angeles, California. These guys have been playing together in some form or other for around twenty years now, but as Vitskär Süden this is their second release. The Faceless King follows up 2020’s well-regarded eponymous debut.” Dungeons and prog kings.

Joe Lynn Turner – Belly of the Beast Review

Joe Lynn Turner – Belly of the Beast Review

“If someone were to ask me for my favorite classic-era vocalist that doesn’t get enough credit, for sure I would say Joe Lynn Turner. I absolutely love his voice, and the three Rainbow albums he sang on are, to me at least, underrated hard rock gems. So it is with great shame I admit that I haven’t listened to a single minute of his post-Rainbow work. Being apparently out of the loop, when I heard Turner was releasing his eleventh (!) solo album this month, I jumped the queue and grabbed it.” Head turner.

O.R.k. – Screamnasium Review

O.R.k. – Screamnasium Review

“These guys create exciting and vital music that cannot be compared to that of Porcupine Tree. There’s a spontaneity here that is rivaled only by Boss Keloid – in fact, that’s a great comparison. O.R.k. may not be as heavy, but the quirkiness and unique delivery is there in spades, and Screamnasium is no exception.” Fewer quills, more thrills.

Teramaze – Flight of the Wounded Review

Teramaze – Flight of the Wounded Review

“Those of you who actually enjoy clean vocals and slickly produced melodic prog metal, read on. You’re probably already familiar with the suddenly prolific Australian prog outfit Teramaze. Flight of the Wounded is their fourth album in about two years, after six in the previous fifteen years. Often bands succumb to the Law of Diminished Recordings™ – does Teramaze suffer this fate?” Set phasers to Teramaze!

Kings of Mercia – Kings of Mercia Review

Kings of Mercia – Kings of Mercia Review

“Here we are for Round 2 of Battle of the Bands. Round 1 took place back on August 12, when Ray Alder and Mark Zonder conspired to release their exceptionally strong A-Z album. Now we’ve got the response from Jim Matheos and Joey Vera, another eponymous debut, by their new band Kings of Mercia.” Fates be warned.

Lugnet – Tales from the Great Beyond Review

Lugnet – Tales from the Great Beyond Review

“Look who’s back! Our favorite crazy uncle band from 2019, Lugnet. The Stockholm boys have made it through the last few years relatively unscathed (perhaps without a haircut) and have put together a follow-up to 2019’s surprisingly strong Nightwalker album. I’ve waxed on in the past about how tiresome it can be to have bands aping the salad days of the 70s or 80s hard rock and metal scenes, but the songwriting is always the key to success – not just in this genre, but music in general.” Lug nuts.

King’s X – Three Sides of One Review

King’s X – Three Sides of One Review

“2022 seems to be a year for bands I was a fan of in their heyday to reunite. A couple months ago we saw the release of the not-amazing-but-not-embarrassing new album from Porcupine Tree, Closure/Continuation. Back in January Jethro Tull released their first album in 19 years. Now this week we see a new album from the venerable melodic prog rockers King’s X. Three Sides of One is the band’s 13th album, and first since 2008’s XV. The trio have a combined age of 195, which is almost the same as Steel and I. That’s old, but age doesn’t bestow nor hinder success; songwriting does. Can Dug Pinnick, Ty Tabor, and Jerry Gaskill still write some great material?” These three Kings.

A-Z – A-Z Review

A-Z – A-Z Review

“The last Fates Warning album, 2020’s tepid Long Day Good Night may have marked the end of the band (pure speculation, frens), but the fellas have not been resting on their laurels. Look at this summer alone: bassist Joey Vera has been touring for Mercyful Fate, and Ray Alder and ex-drummer Mark Zonder are dropping their straight-ahead metal album, A-Z, this week. Next month Jim Matheos does the same with his new band, Kings of Mercia. If you’re a long-time fan like me, this is exciting stuff!” ABCs of Fate.

Oceans of Slumber – Starlight and Ash Review

Oceans of Slumber – Starlight and Ash Review

“Anyone who follows Oceans of Slumber on social media is aware of the stylistic evolution the band has been undertaking. The band, notably leaders Cammie Gilbert and Dobber Beverly, have been hammering on the fact that this new album will not be another progressive doom metal outing. Starlight and Ash is the band’s fifth album; fourth with Gilbert at the helm, and second in a row with the current lineup. The fact that they have all stuck around through the turmoil of the last couple of years and have also all bought into the stylistic shift is a positive thing.” Different tides.