Hard Rock

Lugnet – Tales from the Great Beyond Review

By Huck N Roll on September 7, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 11 comments

“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.

Gone Cosmic – Send for a Warning, the Future’s Calling Review

By Kenstrosity on September 2, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, 20 comments

“One of the cruelest fates to befall any given record that comes across my desk at Angry Metal Guy Judgment Emporium is to be totally forgotten. It happens, more often than I’d like. Gone Cosmic’s last record, Sideways in Time, succumbed to such a fate. It was a good record, with tons of groove and fronted by a passionate, powerful vocalist. But it was only because I caught the Canadian quartet’s upcoming sophomore full-length, Send for a Warning, the Future’s Calling, in the promo bin three years later that I remembered that Gone Cosmic existed.” Sleeping on the cosmos.

Splintered Throne – The Greater Good of Man Review

By Holdeneye on August 26, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 35 comments

“Splintered Throne hails from Portland, Oregon, and while The Greater Good of Man is their third full-length album, it’s something of a fresh start for the band. After founding member and longtime vocalist Brian Garrison left, the band brought celebrated blues singer Lisa Mann into the fold, and it doesn’t take long for her to prove that she’s more than a match for Splintered Throne’s heavy/power/hard rock formula.” Chairkiller.

Mirage – The Sequel Review

By Huck N Roll on July 15, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“A couple of weeks ago I lamented the fact that the band I was reviewing was releasing albums too fast. Thankfully Mirage are here to average things out. The Sequel is the Danish band’s second album, hot on the heels of their 1985 debut, …And the Earth Shall Crumble. Now that’s an album cycle I can get behind! With eight songs spanning forty-two minutes, that’s an average of 1:08 of songwriting per year. A pretty relaxing schedule to be sure.” Suprise reprise.

Mirror Queen – Inviolate Review

By Huck N Roll on June 28, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 17 comments

“Inviolate is NYC band Mirror Queen’s fourth album. I’ve never heard of them, nor of the group they rose out of, Kreisor. Therefore, I have no preconceived notions of what to expect. The group claims to be influenced by Blue Öyster Cult, Hawkwind, and more, so that’s a promising start, and I’m always happy to jump into some retro metal to hear what’s shaking, especially if the band also professes to lean into some psychedelic realms.” Oyster Queens and Hawk Kings.

Big Muff 68 – Swing Metal Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on June 5, 2022 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, 17 comments

“Do you know what a big muff pedal does? Well, if you don’t, it essentially can turn electric guitars into fat fuzzy rock machines. Over the decades, that sound has found a home across all genres that riff, stomp, and tear blues licks a new one. As such, the pedal name lends itself well to the mission of the wacky Norwegian outfit Big Muff 68, who seeks to give us a fresh new genre view with Swing Metal. If you hadn’t guessed yet, that genre is none other than… swing metal!” Tough Muff.

Moon Tooth – Phototroph Review

By Saunders on May 16, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 56 comments

“I wrote a gushing review of New York rockers Moon Tooth’s supercharged 2019 sophomore album Crux, copping some flak amongst the readership in the process. Moon Tooth scratch the modern hard rock meets prog metal itch nicely, and third LP, Phototroph, comes with plenty of anticipation. The heavier rock stylings of their earlier material is smoothed over, squarely placing Moon Tooth in metal adjacent hard rock territory. And listeners not enamored with their previous work, especially Crux, will find nothing here to change their minds. I imagine the Moon Tooth fanbase will continue to swell and their profile rise, however, this will be a divisive effort amongst the AMG community.” Moon bite.

Audrey Horne – Devil’s Bell Review

By Steel Druhm on April 20, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, 55 comments

“Since 2005 Audrey Horne have been showing the world that some of the best American-style rock n’ roll comes from Norway courtesy of black metal and stoner doom musicians. Yeah, I know, go figure, but damn if that’s not how things played out. On the strength of albums like Youngblood and Pure Heavy the band carved out a sizeable niche of hard-rocking good times music with a strong NWoBHM flavor and they’ve been in heavy rotation in my neck of the woods for many a year. They’ve been quiet since 2018’s Blackout, but 2022 sees them return with seventh album, Devil’s Bell.” Bell’s end.

Reckless Love – Turborider Review

By El Cuervo on March 22, 2022 in Reviews, Glam Metal, Hard Rock, Synthwave, 65 comments

“Sometimes you just know when a record is for you. When it rises to the turgid surface of the promo sump using words such as “hair/sleaze/electro,” brazenly marketing itself with outrun pink and a cyborg character. I had absolutely no choice in picking out Reckless Love’s fifth full-length album entitled Turborider, in all its neon resplendence. Finland is not a country known for its excess, color and happiness and yet has somehow produced the most excessive, colorful and happy metal release you’ll hear all year.” Turbo Brother.

Sanhedrin – Lights On Review

By Holdeneye on March 16, 2022 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 86 comments

“I am wholly unfamiliar with Sanhedrin the band aside from remembering that I almost reviewed their 2019 album The Poisoner but ended up not doing so for some reason I can no longer remember. Apparently, the album impressed many, earning Sanhedrin a place on Metal Blade’s roster. This time around, I was bound and determined to not let these New Yorkers slip through my fingers again, so now you get to watch as Judge Holdy hands out his verdict on the band’s third full-length, Lights On. All rise!” Judge not, lest you be judged.