Stuff by Woody
Whitesnake and former Night Ranger guitarist Joel Hoekstra’s new band 13 will release their debut album Dying To Live in October on Frontiers Records. It’s billed as one of the most exciting melodic hard rock albums of the year, I’m a big fan of the guitarist so fingers crossed this album lives up to the things been said about it! It’ll include the tracks ‘Anymore’, ‘Until I left You’, ‘Never Say Never’ and ‘Start Again’. The album features some well known musicians including vocalists Jeff Scott Soto and Russell Allen.
An intriguing Facebook post from guitarist Laurie Mansworth indicates that Airrace will be reforming (again!) for some more live shows! Fans of this cult British AOR act are sure to be very pleased myself included, I caught their headline show at The River Rooms a few years back and also enjoyed them supporting Winger at JB’s around the same time! Here’s hoping Laurie’s post wasn’t a tease!
Another piece of Facebook here former Skin guitarist Myke Gray has stated he will start work on a new album. He knows there will be no money in it and knows it would probably lose him more to release a new album than he gains but he needs to get the music out there!
Another rumour doing the rounds is that UK rockers Burn are recording a new album with a special guest vocalist. The band seemed destined for big things when their last album Global Warning coupled with an appearance at Firefest V was set to propel them into the upper echelons of the melodic rock scene. So keep your eyes peeled for an official announcement from them.
The Murder of My Sweet release official video for ‘The Awakening’ and you can watch it right here. It’s lifted from their soon to be released album Beth Out Of Hell out on Frontiers Records. Enjoy!
Aussie melodic rockers The Radio Sun will release their new album Heaven or Heartbreak in September on MelodicRock Records. The album is again produced by cult AOR legend Paul Laine. The Special edition of this album will feature a bonus disc of much loved AOR classics and It’s worth remembering these guys will be playing at next year’s HRH AOR festival in North Wales. Here’s the first video taken from the album and it’s for the title track, enjoy!
Another Aussie band White Widdow have just released another promo video for the song ‘Just Another Night’ which is from their last album Crossfire which was released late last year. Enjoy it below!
https://youtu.be/9-YJNWPZevk
Queensryche have released a new track ‘Arrow Of Time’ on soundcloud for your listening pleasure follow the link to check it out!
https://soundcloud.com/centurymedia/queensryche-arrow-of-time/s-3aMP6
Maxx Explosion aka the band made up of the House of Lords band bar James Christian have released a new promo video. ‘Crazy Hot’ is taken from their second album Dirty Angels and can be enjoyed below.
Cult German AOR-ster’s Street Talk have just signed a deal with MelodicRock records to re-issue three of their old albums. 2000’s Transition, 2002’s Restoration and 2006’s V will feature new artwork and bonus tracks and are set for release at the end of the summer.
German legends Bonfire may be a very different band nowadays with a drastically different line-up including David Reece on vocals. Their new album came out to mixed reactions, but if you’re still yet to hear it here’s a promo video for the track ‘Remember’ which will allow you to make your own mind up, enjoy!
Swede’s Nubian Rose have just released a second music video from their second album Mental Revolution . Check out the colourful ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ out below.
Blackmore’s Night without doubt divide opinion given the respect and legend status guitarist Ritchie Blackmore receives the style of his latest opus with wife and vocalist Candice Night is not for everyone. Here’s the first official audio video for you to check out, it’s for the song ‘The Other Side’.
and here’s an audio video for ‘Moonlight Shadow’
Also here’s a proper video for the album’s title track ‘All Our Yesterday’s’
Lynch Mob have released another official audio video for the track ‘Jelly Roll’. The Mob’s brand new album Rebel hits the streets on August 21st.
and here’s another official video for the track ‘Testify’.
The Murder of My Sweet have let loose a new audio video for the track ‘Always The Fugitive’. It’s taken from their forthcoming album Beth Out Of Hell due out on August 21st!
NWOBHM legends Praying Mantis also have a new audio video out and new album Legacy out on August 21st! Check out ‘All I See’ below.
Dane’s Royal Hunt have revealed an audio video for the song ‘Until The Day’. They also release their new album Devil’s Dozen on August 21st.
Dario Mollo has teamed up with popular vocalist Glenn Hughes for a new Voodoo Hill album Waterfall. It will be released through Frontiers Records in October. Tracks set to be included are ‘All That Remains’, ‘Rattle Shake Bone’, ‘White Feather’ and ‘Sunflower’. Check out the first official audio video for the song ‘Waterfall’ below.
Here’s a really interesting and funny video from Italians WakeUpCall for their song ‘A Modern Love Song’. Check it out below, it’s amazing what you can do with ‘No Budget’!
There’s no stopping revitalised British rocker’s TEN at the moment as they release a brand new EP. The title track is taken from the band’s latest album ‘Isla De Muerta’ backed up by three new unreleased tracks. So that makes it a must for all TEN diehards the ‘The Dragon and Saint George’ EP will be released on September 4th!
Art Nation formerly known as Wigelius will release their album Revolution in late August via AOR Heaven. This album has strong H.E.A.T flavour to it so should go down a treat in melodic rock circles! Tracks to be included are ‘Start A Fire’, ‘Need You To Understand’, ‘3,000 Beats’ and ‘Here I Am’.
The ever reliable Newman is back with their new album The Elegance Machine which is out on August 28th via AOR Heaven. As with all Newman albums this comes highly recommended! The album will feature tracks like ‘Don’t Stay Lonely’, ‘Halo’, ‘She Walks In Silence’ and the amazing ballad ‘Scars’.
Frontiers Records have signed new Swedish act Cruzh and they are hard at work on an album to be released in 2016. Check out the audio video for ‘Aim For The Head’ for a taste of what to expect, I suspect fans of silky smooth melodic rock are going to really enjoy these guys!
https://youtu.be/YehOYnEQcYQ
Former Queensryche front man Geoff Tate’s new band Operation Mindcrime has released an official video for the track ‘Re-Inventing The Future’. The track is taken from the forthcoming album The Key which is released on September 18th!
Black Country rockers Soley Mourning have just been announced as support for Gilby Clarke’s show at The Robin in Bilston on December 14th!
Swedish legends Talisman have just released a live CD/DVD – ‘Live In Stockholm’ via Sun Hill productions. Tracks amongst the set list are ‘Break Your Chains’, ‘Tears In The Sky’, ‘Mysterious’ and of course ‘I’ll Be Waiting’.
Stryper have released an official audio video for the title track of their forthcoming album Fallen. The album will be released in October on Frontiers Records, but in the meantime check this out!
Modern rockers Stellar Revival will finally release their lost album Love,Lust and Bad Company via Lion’s Pride Music in Europe.
Bon Jovi will release their contractual obligation album Burning Bridges on August 21st. The ‘fan album’ will see a close to the current era of Bon Jovi and the band are currently hard at work on all new album of the new era line-up slated for release in early 2016.
Bassist Nalle Phalsson’s latest band Royal Mess will release their debut album through Melodic Rock Records in September.
Frontiers Records have signed cult Seattle rockers Q5 with a new album slated for release in early 2016.
David ‘Bucket’ Cowell has started a new pledge campaign for his new classic rock/Blues band Bucket’s Rebel Heart. You can check out the former Bad Company axe slingers pledge campaign at http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/bucketsrebelheart
The new album from Veras will be titled Blow, Punch and Strike and it’ll be released worldwide in October on Z Records.
Legion will release their eighth and final album Solace through Z Records in September. It will feature the Keyboard skills of Eric Ragno for the very first time.
Casablanca will release their third album Miskatonic Graffitti on September 25th via Despotz Records. I would never have guessed a band like this would do a concept album, but that’s exactly what they have done. It’s a concept album based on the chuthulu mythology by H.P Lovecraft. Sounds totally bonkers to me, but I’ve enjoyed the bands previous output so still keen to hear what it’s like.
C.O.P will release their debut album State Of Rock through AOR Heaven in September. The band features three members of Grand Illusion so is sure to appeal to fans of the Swedish pomp masters.
So Bryan Adams has a new album Get Up ready for release in October. As with everything Adams related in the past decade I’m sure opinion will be massively divided but you can’t deny this Canadian rocker is still as popular as always. It will feature the following tracks ‘Go Down Rockin’’, ‘Don’t Even Try’, ‘Thunderbolt’ and ‘Yesterday Was Just A Dream’.
Well that’s all the juicy bits of news from the past month; I’ll be back in a month’s time with even more news and gossip from the world of AOR and melodic rock.
