Slauter Xstroyes is a progressive power metal band from Chicago, USA. The band was founded in 1981 when guitarist Paul Kratky (who, at that time, was intentioned to put together a band called Naj) met bassist Brent Sullivan and vocalist John Stewart. Drummer Dave Bonow joined the band, and Slauter Xstroyes released their first album, "Winter Kill", in 1985. The album was considered a masterpiece of prog/power metal from start to finish, but few knew that it would end up being the collector piece it is today. In fact, only 500 copies were released in the area around Chicago. It was around 1987-88 that the band headed into the studio to record their second album “Free the Beast", which was never completed nor released. The band kept on playing in the area near Chicago, and in 1999 "Free The Beast" was finally released. At the moment, the band is working on a new album without the original singer Jonathan Stewart.

Epitaph's best album (actually, many would argue it's their only good album), 1974's Outside the Law, was produced during the German-based, English-fronted quartet's brief sojourn in America, while benefiting from the patronage of tiny independent label Billingsgate Records. Having just lost their deal with mighty Polydor following two nondescript LPs filled with progressive excess, the bandmembers now seemed motivated to edit themselves, and emerged from Chicago's Omega Studios with a far more focused and engaging set of songs, marked by fluid, mid-paced grooves, radio-friendly choruses, and dual-guitar harmonies often backed by acoustic rhythm guitars for added sweetening.

Cliff Richard - британский исполнитель популярной музыки, который одним из первых среди англичан начал исполнять рок-н-ролл. Его называют королём британских чартов по той причине, что он возглавлял таковые 25 раз, а национальный хит-парад синглов - четырнадцать раз (хотя бы по разу в каждое десятилетие его существования).

По сравнению с предыдущим альбомом, Toto, на второй пластинке музыканты представили более «жесткий» материал. Но, композиции получились мрачными, так как незадолго до записи скончалась мама Дэвида Пейча, что оказало влияние на самого клавишника, и в свою очередь, на тексты песен.
Диск был встречен поклонниками хард-рока с большим энтузиазмом, им пришлись по вкусу песни «99», «Mama» и «White Sister», а вот критиками довольно прохладно. Рецензент Уильям Рульманн из Allmusic отметил, что музыканты практически не предприняли никаких попыток найти собственное звучание, а Hydra совершенно не похож на своего предшественника. Композиции, по его мнению, исполнены довольно неплохо, однако они получились недостаточно выразительными, поэтому Toto не смогли закрепить успех, которого они добились благодаря выходу дебютного альбома.

Gillan is the first album by British rock band Gillan, released in September 1978. It was only released in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, but the album sold well in the UK as an import, aided by positive press reviews. The sleeve notes of the original release credit Liam Genocky as playing drums and percussion, while the 1993 release "Gillan – The Japanese Album" instead credits Pete Barnacle.

‘URSA’ is the seventh and latest album from Italy’s atmospheric death/doom metal purveyors, Novembre, and is set for release on 1st April on Peaceville Records on CD and vinyl.
After a period of inactivity since 2007’s ‘The Blue’, which involved the departure of longstanding member Giuseppe Orlando, Novembre returns with a new set of potent and poignant tracks, effortlessly transitioning between soothing, epic, melancholy and intense, from what is one of the originators of the whole atmospheric death/doom scene. Headed by founding member and writer Carmelo Orlando, & with a reinvigorated musical alliance with Massimiliano Pagliuso, the line-up is completed by Fabio Fraschini (previously bassist on the ‘Materia’ album), and David Folchitto on drums. There is also a special guest appearance from Anders Nyström of the Swedish Doom masters KATATONIA, adding his own unique ‘cold’ touch to the album’s single track ‘Annoluce’.

40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row is a compilation album released by Skid Row in 1998, which includes the chart topping singles: "18 and Life", "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild".
The compilation features songs from the first three Skid Row studio albums Skid Row, Slave to the Grind and Subhuman Race. The tracks "Into Another", "My Enemy" and "Breakin' Down" were remixed for this album with more tender, slightly cleaner mixes, presumably so they fit more suitingly with the other tracks. It also included two unreleased tracks, one from the 1988 Skid Row sessions, and one from the 1990-91 Slave To The Grind sessions.

Slave to the Grind - второй студийный альбом группы Skid Row, вышедший 11 июня 1991 года, первый альбомом в жанре хэви-метал, который дебютировал на первой строчке американского журнала Billboard 200.
Вышло две версии альбома: оригинальная и «чистая» (цензурированная). В чистой версии песня «Get the Fuck Out» заменена на более безобидную «Beggar’s Day».
Обложка представляет собой ремейк картины Караваджо «Погребение святой Лючии» (1608), выполненный художником Дэвидом Бъёрком - отцом вокалиста группы Себастьяна Баха.