Since their formation in 1990, WINTERS BANE has consistently created some of the most memorable heavy metal songs ever written. In their first incarnation with present ICED EARTH vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-JUDAS PRIEST, BEYOND FEAR), they released the classic "Heart Of A Killer" album in 1993. A concept piece based on the murderous exploits of one Judge Cohagen, "Heart Of A Killer" is a power metal tour de force, combining the amazing vocals of Owens, with the fret board pyrotechnics of unsung guitar hero Lou St. Paul. On such instant favorites as "The Silhouette" and "Reflections Within,"St. Paul showed that he was a songwriter with few peers, playing great riffs over intelligent, well thought out lyrical essays. In 2000, Century Media Records re-issued "Heart Of A Killer" as a 2-CD set, winning over many new fans who heard the classic WINTERS BANE sound for the first time. After the departure of singer Tim Owens, St. Paul took over the vocal duties, resulting in WINTERS BANE's heaviest work yet, "Girth". "Girth" was an amalgamation of all that makes great heavy metal music: killer riffs, scorching solos, memorable vocals, poignant lyrics, and a tight, imaginative rhythm section. On such soon to be classics "C-4," "Kill Procedure," and "Alexandria,"WINTERS BANE proved that they were still a band to be reckoned with. After many years of searching for a singer with the vocal prowess to equal the talents of the departed Owens, Alexander Koch (ex-SPIRAL TOWER, POWERGOD, SCENES) was recruited as the new voice of WINTERS BANE, far surpassing the band's expectations of what a vocalist could accomplish. Now WINTERS BANE is ready to unleash their next release, Redivivus, a return to the power metal style of "Heart Of A Killer". With the addition of powerhouse drummer Mark Cross (FIREWIND; ex-METALIUM, HELLOWEEN), and bassist Jeff Welch, WINTERS BANE's most potent line-up is now in place, and the band has delivered the best album they've ever written. On such standout songs as "The World," "Spark To Flame," and "Dead Faith," WINTERS BANE display their superior musicianship and song writing ability, staking their rightful claim among metal's elite. "Redivivus" was produced by Curran Murphy (ex-NEVERMORE, ANNIHILATOR) and Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH, HELLOWEEN), with mastering by RD Liapakis (MYSTIC PROPHECY).

Acoustica - четвёртый концертный альбом группы Scorpions, выпущен в мае 2001 года.
В комментариях на DVD Клаус Майне говорит, что это было одним из самых необычных выступлений группы - с женским бэк-вокалом, перкуссионистом, дополнительным гитаристом и Кристианом Колоновитцем (участвовавшим в аранжировке альбома Moment of Glory) за клавишными.

April 76 Hard Rock legendary band representing Japan 1970s, Okinawa gave birth to the "purple", second only 1st album of running an impact to the rock scene in Japan "MURASAKI", 2nd album "IMPACT" (latest work was produced through the month of '35 since its launch in December) the same year! The fusion of Hammond and lock is a feature of the original they were called "Deep Purple in Japan" once, the masters of anime music, Terashima Min? (Earthsea other) and to participate in the strings Arrange what you full of beauty of form.

Amplifier have never been a stagnant band, it's in their policy. Each record represents a separate entity where they develop different ideas, always creating a complex listening experience. Over the past decade, these guys have upped their skills, changed musical directions and even reinvented themselves on the reflective, Porcupine Tree-inspired, Echo Street. In the midst of all these decisions taken, Sel Balamir & Co. have successfully pieced together some admirable, intricate puzzles, culminating with the double LP, The Octopus. Since then, they have started stripping layers and trimming the excess, finally narrowing it all down this time to 45, concise minutes. Their most condensed affair so far, Mystoria, could easily be a prequel to the self-titled debut or a more focused, hook-laden Insider, as each cut is very immediate and packs a lot of energy.

This is the fourth studio release from Also Eden since their debut in 2006. Entitled [Redacted] it carries on stylistically from each of the others being reminiscent of mid-period Genesis and early Marillion. The current line-up being: Rich Harding (vocals), Howard Sinclair (keyboards, vocals), Simon Rogers (guitars, vocals), Graham Lane (bass) and Lee Nicholas (drums). The band also list Andy Davies on additional keyboards. While their sound is clearly influenced by the symphonic genre’s forbearers, four albums on Also Eden have clearly learned to craft a sound that is distinctly their own bearing the familiarities of the past incorporated into a sound that is every bit contemporary. In sum the band sounds like Also Eden.

Although one does sometimes wonder whether there is not something ever-so-slightly self-defeating about CD-single box sets (who wants to get up to change the disc every five minutes?), as artifacts of the digital age, they have few peers. From ABBA to Black Sabbath, these little cases of perfectly reproduced period 45s make a magnificent conversation piece, and Deep Purple's contribution to the canon is one of the best of them all. Eleven discs round up each of the group's singles as issued in the U.K. and Europe between 1968 ("Hush") and 1976 ("You Keep On Moving") and, while there is nothing here that cannot be picked up on a full-length CD, still it is interesting to trace the band's overall development at 45 rpm. Following "Hush" with "Kentucky Woman" and "Emmaretta," after all, was simply the action of a band that had no direction, and not much clue as to what they'd do with one if they found it. "Hallelujah," the first recording to feature new members Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, says little for what Deep Purple would go on to create. But the moment the laser hits "Black Night," you know that this is a group absolutely in control of its destiny, rushing on through "Strange Kind of Woman," "Fireball," "Never Before" and "Woman from Tokyo" without missing a beat. Thereafter, two further singles -- "Might Just Take Your Life" and "You Keep On Moving" -- seem to have been issued more for the sake of having a new 45 out than for any hopes the band entertained of scoring an actual hit. But the former's instrumental B-side "Coronarias Redig" is a joy, while "Moving" itself is one of the group's all-time greatest numbers. With several singles incorporating non-album B-sides, and the picture sleeves featuring some genuinely nostalgic artistic notions, the box set is a joy to both play and behold. And, though you probably won't listen to it all that often, it's a wonderful thing to own, as well. ~ Dave Thompson

X-Drive is another star-studded, rock-oriented project worth taking a look at. Founded by Oregon-based guitarist and songwriter Jeremy Brunner, it’s comprised of Midline/Cure For The Fall drummer Fred Fischer and bassist James Lomenzo, well-known among fans of White Lion and Megadeth. The one to complete the picture is a longtime Montrose singer and part of Burning Rain project, Keith St. John, who handles the vocals. And while X-Drive is not necessarily an exact sum of all its parts music-wise – that is, some Montrose-meets-White-Lion-meets-Megadeth-meets-Midline kind of hybrid – their largely anticipated Get Your Rock On will get the audience’s attention partially due to the rich resume of the majority of musicians involved.

Jason Gray has emerged as a songwriter of extraordinary depth, with a noteworthy ability to convey deep theological truths in engaging three-and-a-half minute songs. The Minnesota native is steadily drawing legions of fans who recognize his ability to connect with listeners on an emotional level, offering not escape or distraction, but healing and hope. His 2012 release, A WAY TO SEE IN THE DARK, was named Album of the Year by critics and garnered three top-five radio singles, including 'Nothing is Wasted', which hit #1 for nine weeks.

30 years on and Jimmy Barnes is still rocking!
This special 30th Anniversary release "30:30 Hindsight" (Liberation Music) revisits some of Barnes’ biggest hits, featuring collaborations with his favourite artists, including Shihad, Jon Stevens, Keith Urban, Bernard Fanning, and Tina Arena.

”Colours of Solitude” is the debut album from rising swedish prog band A Secret River. PROG magazine defined the band’s sound as being ”influenced by both classic progressive rock and the accessible, melodic work of Blackfield or recent Anathema”.

Получив большую популярность в США, группа продолжила выпускать ровные, успешные альбомы. В 1977 году вышел LP ‘Off The Record’. Пластинка попала в чарт 200 лучших альбомов Billboard. С этим альбомом Sweet еще более приблизились к хард-року. В некоторых композициях, таких как ‘Windy City’, можно услышать тяжелые гитарные рифы, достойные Black Sabbath и намекающие на скорый приход эпохи великого heavy metal. Есть на пластинке неожиданный трек ‘Funk It Up’, который звучит как танцевальная музыка - как будто бы Sweet стимулировали появление диско в том числе. В целом музыка на альбоме представляет собой качественный микс тяжелых гитар и небесных синтезаторов. Это буфер между эпохами глэм-рока, hard rock и heavy metal. Настоящая находка для фанатов всех этих стилей.
В 2005 году BMG переиздает первые пять студийных альбомов группы, в том числе пластинку ‘Off The Record’. В издание 2005 года входит восемь бонус-треков, в том числе две альтернативные, ранее не издававшиеся версии ‘She Gimme Lovin’ и ‘Hard Times’.

Второй студийный альбом польского готик-меланхолик-коллектива UNSUN, ведомого гитаристом Маузером (экс-VADER), содержит 10 песен в жанре традиционного готик-метал с женским вокалом. “Clinic For Dolls” (2010) придутся по душе тем, кому нравятся TRISTANIA, WITHIN TEMPTATION или ранние работы LACUNA COIL.

Десятый студийный альбом получил название "MAGNOLIA".
В музыкальном плане новый альбом продолжает выбранную группой линию, он выдержан в духе современного нео-прогрессива под значительным влиянием электронной музыки с несколько утяжеленным звучанием. Второй диск включает в себя два эксклюзивных бонус-трека и четыре акустические версии треков с альбома.

"Bye Bye Lullaby" - второй альбом восходящей симфо-метал сенсации, шведской группы THE MURDER OF MY SWEET, образованной в 2006 году. Название группы было позаимствовано из нуар-фильма MURDER, MY SWEET, 1944 года. "Bye Bye Lullaby" - это микс из современного металла, грувовых хард-роковых мелодий и запоминающегося женского вокала. Мастеринг альбома проходил в Cutting Room (GORGOROTH, CANDLEMASS, GLENN HUGHES), арвторком занимался Felipe Machado (RHAPSODY OF FIRE, BLIND GUARDIAN, IRON SAVIOR), а из приглашенных звезд на альбоме отметились Jesper Strömblad (IN FLAMES), Peter Wichers (SOILWORK) и Fredrik Åkesson (OPETH).