Rocktopia News: Black Country Communion 2 - album artwork unveiled

Rocktopia News: Black Country Communion, the English-American hard rock band featuring the talents of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, blues rock guitarist/vocalist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian, have released the artwork for their much-anticipated second album 2. The album will be released in the UK and Europe on June 13th by Mascot Records and in America on June 14th by J&R Adventures. Read the full article on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/vptc1

Rocktopia News: Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 gets official release

Rocktopia News: The fans demanded it…Whitesnake's Live At Donington 1990 DVD/live double CD set will now be available on June 3 in Europe and June 7 in North America, via Frontiers Records. Since the inception of Whitesnake.com more than ten years ago, this DVD has been the most requested product from fans of the 'Snake. On August 18th, 1990, Whitesnake headlined the legendary Monsters Of Rock at Castle Donington festival (now known as Download). Whitesnake's performance at the festival was one of the most memorable events on the “Liquor & Poker World Tour” that saw the band play sold-out shows to over one million people. http://ping.fm/dyeGb

Rocktopia News: New Queensryche album due this summer

Rocktopia News: QUEENSRYCHE’s first album for new label, Roadrunner Records/Loud & Proud, will be released this summer. The opus, entitled ‘Dedicated to Chaos,’ was recorded in the band’s native Seattle and produced by Kelly Gray. UK fans will get their first taste of the new music when the band are very special guests to Judas Priest on their July tour dates. Frontman and founder Geoff Tate remains the creative nucleus of the band – also featuring Michael Wilton, Eddie Jackson, Scott Rockenfield and Parker Lundgren - which continues to make against-the-grain hard rock. Since their inception over 25 years ago, Queensryche have sold over 20 million albums worldwide and have performed in over 22 countries. http://ping.fm/Z6HGt

Rocktopia: Enbound - 'And She Says Gold' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Dave Scott: Enbound are another creation from the metal making machine that is Sweden at present. The band’s origins date all the way back to 2006 and is the brain child of Mike Cameron Force (drums), former member of Zonata. Sven ‘Swede’ Oden (bass) was also on board from the early days. Their first release was a four track demo in Feb 2008; three tracks from this demo remain with their full debut. Due to personal reasons guitarist Jonathan Nyberg was forced to leave the band in late 2008. He was replaced by Marvin Flowberg (guitars), a Swedish teenage guitar prodigy. Then as the band went into the studio in 2009 to record their debut, original singer Marcus Nygren decided to take a different musical route and left. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/ypCR7

Rocktopia NEWS: The Iron Maidens Make South American Music History

Rocktopia News: The Iron Maidens, the world’s only female tribute to the legendary Iron Maiden, recently completed from their South American tour. They made history by selling 6,000 tickets in the first 12 hours for the Gillmanfest-Barquismetal 2011 Venezuelan Festival - beating previous ticket sales title holders METALLICA who held the record at 5,000 tickets sold in two days. The Iron Maidens also made music history by being the first all female metal band to perform on Venezuelan soil. Finishing off the festival night, The Iron Maidens joined by Tim Ripper Owens (HAIL!, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) on stage for two songs, 'Breaking The Law' and 'Flight Of Icarus'. Read the full article on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/wyojI
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Rocktopia NEWS: Vintage Dio live album in the works

Rocktopia News: A live Dio album entitled Dio Live - We Rock is planned for release by Victor Entertainment. It is made up of recordings from the Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California in October 1983 and at Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in August 1984. The track listing is as follows: 01. Stand Up And Shout - 02. Straight Through The Heart - 03. Shame On The Night - 04. Children Of The Sea - 05. Holy Diver - 06. Stargazer ... read the full article on Rocktopia http://ping.fm/xDDgS

Rocktopia NEWS: Ozzy Osbourne To Appear In Disney Channel's 'Fish Hooks'

Rocktopia News: The Prince Of Darkness to appear on the Disney Channel. Ozzy Osbourne will feature on the Disney Channel animated program 'Fish Hooks', due to air on Friday, April 8. the Price Of Darkness will guest star as an Earth Troll in an episode in which Oscar the fish tries to teach his brother a lesson by disguising himself as the Earth Troll. Read the latest melodic rock news on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/hRrbM

Rocktopia NEWS: Deep Purple To Tour US With Orchestra

Rocktopia News: Legendary rockers Deep Purple are preparing to perform with a symphony orchestra in America this June. The hard rock pioneers plan to perform in almost every major US city, dubbing the tour 'The Songs That Built Rock'. The band are no stranger to working with an orchestra, as they showed on their 1969 album 'Concerto For Group And Orchestra' which was revisited in 1999. Early suggestions are that the band will be avoiding this material in favour of their more recognised songs. Read the full story on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/lZySt

Rocktopia NEWS: New Van Halen album rumours persist

Rocktopia News: VAN HALEN fan site The Van Halen News Desk claim that progress on the alleged new album is going great and the band is starting to mix the new tracks. Speculation also mounts that the album will be released in the autumn with a tour to support it. Van Halen have not made a record since the Gary Cherone fronted Van Halen III, and have not made an album with original vocalist David Lee Roth for 27 years. Read the full story on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/mkkJ3

Rocktopia NEWS: Steven Tyler wants to duet with his daughter

Rocktopia News: Aerosmoth frontman and American Idol star Steven Tyler has been speaking about how he'd like to duet with his leading lady daughter Liv. We sing all the time together. We always talk about doing something together, Liv Tyler told FOX411's Pop Tarts column. Sometimes when he is in the studio he'll say 'come down and sing backup or sing with me on this song.' But I'm usually somewhere else, and our schedules make it so hard to meet up.. Read the full story on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/fa45a

Rocktopia NEWS: Get Chinese Democracy For Just Over A Quid

Rocktopia News: Get Chinese Democracy For Just Over A Quid. Best Buy are currently offering copies of Guns N' Roses' 2008 album for $1.99 – which, in the UK, comes to just over £1. Read the album review in the Rocktopia reviews section. http://ping.fm/DKPqR

Rocktopia NEWS: Sammy Hagar Tops New York Times Best Seller List With Autobiography

Rocktopia News: Ex-Van Halen frontman, solo star and leader of Chickenfoot, Sammy Hagar has done it all in rock, and he describes his experience in his autobiography Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock. Hagar stormed the book charts this time by topping the best seller list in the non-fiction section. Hagar talks about his memorable career with gusto, including his feelings toward Van Halen singer David Lee Roth, whom he replaced. I hated Dave. The guy rubbed me wrong, he writes at one point, before adding, I'm sure I rub all kinds of people wrong, so it's not like I'm putting him down.. Read the article on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/Re7b3

Rocktopia: Malison Rogue - 'Malison Rogue' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Dave Scott: Malison Rogue is a new four piece outfit coming out of Sweden. The band were drawn together from four guys who shared a passion for music especially the 80's heavy and hair metal scenes. They have spent their last five years practising and rehearsing, touring and recording demo tracks. After the years of hard work and defining their sound, the band has finally signed a record deal and has now unleashed their first self titled album. The band consist of Zeb (Sebastian Jansson - vocals), Bjoerkborg (Jonathon Bjorkborg - guitar), Pete Fury (Petter Fura - bass) and Doc (Jens Vestergren - drums). The band has also recently announced the signing of guitarist Mats Johansson as an addition to the live band. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/YZlX7

Rocktopia NEWS: Artists Support Japan attracts big names

Rocktopia News: Artist Support Japan is a brand new fund raising project created by Alan Niven, who managed Guns N Roses and Great White to multi-platinum success. The idea, which began with Graham Thomas, an old friend and former CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi is for artists to record an acoustic song with an iPhone or whatever, something immediate and real and of the moment, and attach a message of support. Once we have enough clips well put them on our You Tube and Facebook sites, and the fans get to see fresh and unusual performances. Well go to business and ask them to donate to the fund. Read the full news on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/MhNTa

Rocktopia NEWS: King Kobra Strikes Out At Cancer

Rocktopia News: A brand new track Monsters And Heroes is out now from hard rockers King Kobra who will donate all the proceeds from its sale to the Ronnie James Dio Cancer Fund. Download the song now at www.carmineappice.net. King Kobra's excellent self titled new album is out on Frontiers Records on April 18th. Appice is now offering rare tracks and impossible to find, out of production albums available as digital downloads directly from www.carmineappice.net. Read the full news on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/Z8R0R

Rocktopia NEWS: Lady Goes GaGa Over Alice

Rocktopia News: Pop legend Lady Gaga claimed I just died and went to hell after meeting equally legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper. Gaga, who claims to be a fan of rock and metal apparently smeared fake blood over her chest in honour of meeting Alice. Alice himself has respect for Gaga, stating: She can sing, write and play piano — she's not just a costume queen ... you can be as outrageous as you want as long as you back it up with the music. There are reports Gaga may guest with Cooper at one of his live shows in the summer. Read the full news on Rocktopia http://ping.fm/5PLbg

Rocktopia NEWS: Headbanger William Shatner to receive award

Rocktopia News: Hollywood star William Shatner will receive the 'Honorary Headbanger Award' at the Revolver Golden Gods show. Best known as Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek, Shatner has also made a name as an author and recording artist, with his records having cult appeal. Shatner has a new album out entitled 'Seeking Major Tom', dealing with a variety of Sci-Fi themes and featuring a plethora of rock stars guesting on the record. Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice and their legendary former guitarist Ritchie Blackmore are taking part, along with Mike Inez from Alice In Chains and Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde, ... read the full news on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/91Dis

Rocktopia NEWS: Bryan Adams to play 'Waking Up The Neighbours' tour

Rocktopia News: Bryan Adams Announces 'Waking Up The Neighbours 20th Anniversary' Tour. Monday 28th March – Live Nation are delighted to announce that Rock superstar Bryan Adams, shall be plugging in once again and hitting the road with a full band this November/December to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of his 3 x platinum selling album 'Waking Up The Neighbours'. Read the full news on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/9aVV7

Rocktopia News: Roxette play first UK show for 17 years

Rocktopia News: ROXETTE TO PLAY FIRST LIVE SHOW IN THE UK FOR 17 YEARS. Monday 28th March – Live Nation are thrilled to announce that legendary pop duo Roxette are to return to the UK for the first time in 17 years to play a very special live show at London’s Wembley Arena on the 15th November. Roxette - Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle – cameout of Sweden in the late 80's. Their game was pop, their mission to conquer the world. With 33 chart-busting singles and total record sales 75 million, it's seems safe to say mission accomplished. http://ping.fm/EGVk3

Rocktopia: Lost In Thought - 'Opus Arise' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Dave Scott: Lost in Thought began life in Wales back in late 2007 when David Gray (guitars) and Simon Pike (bass) got together and began seeking other musicians for a project and band. They soon enlisted the talents of Greg Baker (keyboards) and Chris Billingham (drums) and began composing the music that was to be the sound of Lost In Thought. In 2010 the line up was completed with the addition of vocalist Nate Loosemore. They recorded a demo in 2010 and signed a record deal in March 2011. On 29th April, the band launches their debut album 'Opus Arise' on Inner Wound Recordings. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/OpQow

Rocktopia: The Poodles - 'Performocracy' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Julian Handley: 'Performocracy' a merger of the words performance and democracy meaning 'Rule by Performance', boasting ultra confidence and a self belief, devoid of failure. A very brave title indeed by anyone's standards, but thankfully Sweden's rapidly emerging melodic rock starlets have all the necessary ingredients to serve up an album that can live comfortably with such a bombastic naming. The album's artwork depicting the four band members is intriguing as it looks to shun the previously glam flavoured style, in favour of a rawer more serious image. This would appear to be a conscious effort to appeal to a wider rock spectrum, and one which given the content within, should effortlessly accomplish its objective. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/KPZAQ

Rocktopia - Journey return with new album 'Eclipse'

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of JOURNEY’s forthcoming studio album « Eclipse » in Europe on May 27th 2011. «Eclipse» is Journey’s fifteenth studio album and shows the band at the peak of their creative juices, truly regenerated after the blistering success of their last studio album « Revelation ». Journey will follow the release of « Eclipse », Journey will launch the “Eclipse Tour” which will kick off with a 7 dates arena tour in the UK/Eire, together with Styx and Foreigner and will then hit Germany, Switzerland, Benelux, Scandinavia, France and – for the first time ever – Italy. http://ping.fm/R9X6W

Rocktopia - Live On Stage: Thin Lizzy / The Union - Concert Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine concert review by Phil Ashcroft: Thin Lizzy / The Union - HMV Apollo, Manchester (UK), 15th January 2011. A lot has been made of this new touring line-up of Thin Lizzy, the appointment of Ricky Warwick as lead singer certainly raising a few eyebrows in some quarters, but in my eyes the return of original drummer Brian Downey and, to a lesser extent, keyboard player Darren Wharton, certainly raises the credibility somewhat in comparison to the John Sykes-fronted metal version of the band. Add in guitarist Vivian Campbell – much underused in his role in Def Leppard – alongside guitarist Scott Gorham and in/out bassist Marco Mendoza, and the mix becomes once again half-irish, which is where the roots of the band should surely lie. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/3DZE3
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Rocktopia: King Kobra - 'King Kobra' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Julian Handley: 1984 saw the emergence of 'King Kobra' on the bustling L.A. metal circuit. A band assembled by the legendary drummer Carmine Appice, and consisting of a bunch of relatively unknown musicians, touting their talents on the 'Sunset Strip'. The line up consisted of David Michael – Philips and Mick Sweda on guitar, Johnny Rod on bass and Mark Free on lead vocals. The chemistry of that first inception of the band brought about massive media interest, which almost hit fever pitch upon the release of their 1985 debut album for 'Capitol Records', the excellent 'Ready to Strike', which was swiftly followed by 1986's 'Thrill of a Lifetime'. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/CiOrW

Rocktopia - Live On Stage: Danny Vaughn / VEGA - Concert Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine concert review by Ant Heeks: Danny Vaughn / VEGA - JB's, Dudley (UK) - 10th of December 2010. Tonight's gig could very well be one of the last ever shows at JB's due to it going into administration earlier this year. It's a real shame as it's one of the best venues for Rock music in the whole country, let alone the West Midlands. I've been lucky enough to see some of my favourite bands here over the last few years, with it being a regular date on any tour by the likes of Firehouse, Gotthard, H.E.A.T., Danger Danger, Winger, and of course Danny Vaughn and Tyketto. Hopefully the club can be saved before its doors close forever. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/LeUGw

Rocktopia - Live On Stage: Taste Of Chaos - Concert Review:

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine concert review by Dave Bott: Rockstar Taste Of Chaos, Manchester Central, UK, 12th December 2010. Though the Taste Of Chaos tour has been something of a regular feature during the last few years this is my first 'taste'. Previous line-ups have left me a little cold but as soon as I saw the 4 acts making up this years bill I was sold. The prospect of 3 guaranteed crowd-pleasers (having seen them all before) plus one other band with an excellent live reputation made this a 'must see', especially at such a reasonable price. My only concern was the venue. Manchester Central (formerly GMEX) was originally a railway station and my only previous visit, back in the early 90s to see David Lee Roth, was something of a let down due to the poor sound. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/ERhwE
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Rocktopia - Live On Stage: Black Country Communion - Concert Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine concert review by Phil Ashcroft: Black Country Communion, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, UK, 29th December 2010. Now, individually I'm a fan of all the members of BCC to varying degrees, in fact you can shoot me now because Joe Bonamassa is by far my least favourite of these four musicians. The term supergroup fills me with dread as expectation is usually greater than what the sum of the parts deliver, in fact two years down the line I couldn't name you a single song from the Chickenfoot album even though I'm sure it's entertaining to watch them play. I liked the parts of the BCC album that didn't veer off into extended jams but on the whole I think it's a bit overrated, but like Chickenfoot I expected them to be a great live spectacle. I wasn't wrong! Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/nzYzK
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Rocktopia: Hard Rock Hell IV - Concert / Festival Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine festival / concert review: Hard Rock Hell IV: FM, UFO, Uriah Heep, Airbourne, Skid Row, L.A. Guns, Paul Di'Anno, Helloween, Stratovarious, MSG, Saxon, Blaze Bayley and many more. Full review and exclusive photos on Rocktopia: Sorry if my trusty photographer and I are becoming a bit of a jinx here, but with one of our usual hangouts, JB's in Dudley, having already gone into administration a few weeks ago, the news that Pontins had gone the same way just a week before Hard Rock Hell's 4th annual festival didn't bode well. With the rest of the country seemingly snowbound it was incredible that the North-West of England had experienced hardly any of the cold white stuff, and in fact during our ninety minute drive to North Wales it seemed like that entire area had gotten off lightly ... Read the FULL review! http://ping.fm/pjATg
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Lion Music release new Lars Eric Mattsson album - their 300th record

Marking Lion Music's 300th release, guitar virtuoso / composer Lars Eric Mattsson returns with the ultimate neo-classical experience in which metal and rock guitar, bass and drums meets classical music for the harmoniously rich ‘Aurora Borealis’. This new wholly instrumental 12 track release takes a fresh approach to the blend of guitar and orchestra for a musical experience as uplifting as seeing the wonder of the northern lights, from which the album gets its title. http://ping.fm/oBwhG

Rocktopia - Uriah Heep to release new album on Frontiers

Legendary British Hard Rockers Uriah Heep have signed to Frontiers Records to release their 23rd studio album, ‘Into The Wild’, on April 18th, distributed via Cargo. Produced by Mike Paxman (Status Quo, Asia), ‘Into The Wild’ contains twelve brand new, technically brilliant, heavy organ and guitar driven sophisticated melodic hard rock songs, all packed with the band’s soaring, trademark multi-part harmony vocals. http://ping.fm/8iXjn

Rocktopia: Eloy - 'The Legacy Box' - DVD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine DVD review by Paul Jerome Smith: This (in many ways) quite magnificent double DVD package is a true representation of how influential the efforts of a band's fan base can ultimately become. Not only has this abiding enthusiasm of the friends of the German progressive rock band Eloy led to remastered editions of 'Ra', 'Destination', 'The Tides Return Forever' and 'Chronicles' being made available recently (and including previously unreleased pictures and new liner notes from Frank Bornemann) but also to a band reunion and the release of a new album - 'Visionary'- (the band's first for eleven years, and one that captures so much of their abiding musical legacy) at the beginning of their 40th anniversary year. Read the full review on ROCKTOPIA ... http://ping.fm/8MW1p

Rocktopia: Visions Of Atlantis - 'Delta' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Dave Scott: Visions Of Atlantis were formed back in 2000 coming out of the metal scene from Austria. The idea behind the band was to explore the many myths and stories surrounding the legendary lost world of Atlantis. After an initial demo in 2000, their first album Eternal Endless Infinity came out less than a year later and received plenty of positive critique. After touring with the likes of Lacuna Coil and Nightwish, and the first of many line up changes including the key addition of Mario Plank, the band set to work on their second album. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/hQqmA

Rocktopia: Lemmy - 'Lemmy' - DVD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine DVD Review by Neil Daniels: There has been a spate of rock documentaries recently including the excellent Rush one, but rather than being a history of Lemmy's career this is more of 'a day in the life' type thing. It's fascinating stuff. The movie opens with shots of Los Angeles and then we see Lemmy playing a video game in his dingy apartment. There's even a section of the film where Lemmy takes the viewer around his two bedroom apartment; he says it's cheap and near the Rainbow, the famous rock drinking establishment on the Sunset Strip. Aside from being small and an absolute mess it's filled with Nazi and military memorabilia, books, VHS tapes and DVDs, and lots of Motorhead related stuff. Read the full review on ROCKTOPIA ... http://ping.fm/Yy9Nj

Rocktopia: Serenity - 'Death And Legacy' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Dave Scott: Serenity was formed back in 2001 hailing from Austria. Despite some early line up changes a settled band consisting of Georg Neuhauser (vocals), Thomas Buchberger (guitar), Mario Hirzinger (keys), Simon Holzknecht (bass) and Andreas Schipflinger (drums) was settled upon. The band toured extensively in their early days including a landmark gig opening for the late great Ronnie James Dio in 2004. After an early demo in 2005, the first album 'Words Untold & Dreams Unlived' saw the light in 2007 and received extensive critical acclaim. Following more extensive touring with the likes of Kamelot, the band set about a second album. Read the full review on ROCKTOPIA ... http://ping.fm/QF64t

Rocktopia: Thin Lizzy - 'Jailbreak' / 'Johnny The Fox' / 'Live And Dangerous' (Deluxe Editions) - CD Reviews

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Phil Ashcroft: The legendary Thin Lizzy are the latest band to have their albums re-issued as Deluxe Editions with extra discs crammed with bonus tracks and alternate versions. Whilst some in this series add very little to the legacies of the artists in question (see Rainbow's 'Down To Earth'), at least the people with access to the Lizzy archives have found a few items that even the more dedicated fan may not have. Another big bonus this time out is that the albums have been completely remixed by guitarist Scott Gorham and Thin Lizzy super-fan Joe Elliott at the Def Leppard singer's studio in Ireland. http://ping.fm/BsPnZ

Rocktopia: Pushking - 'The World As We Love It' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by James Gaden: If Sylvester Stallone's film 'The Expendables' boasted the most awesome action film cast ever assembled as the posters claim, then this album must be the classic rock equivalent. That may sound a bold statement, but hold on to your hat, here's the guest list - okay, deep breath... on guitars, Steve Lukather, Joe Bonamassa, Billy Gibbons, Nuno Bettencourt, Keri Kelli, Stevie Salas, Matt Filippini, Steve Stevens and Steve Vai. Wow! But hold on there, for this is not an instrumental album, there's some guest vocalists too. Spanning nineteen tracks, guest vocals come from... another deep breath... Billy Gibbons, Alice Cooper, John Lawton, Paul Stanley, Graham Bonnet, Glenn Hughes, Jeff Scott Soto, Eric Martin, Udo Dirkschneider, Dan McCafferty, Joe Lynn Turner and Jorn Lande. Have I got your attention? http://ping.fm/bFApm
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Rocktopia - Black 'N Blue release new album on Frontiers

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the release of the new album from Portland-based Rockers BLACK ‘N BLUE on May 13th in Europe and May 17th in North America. “Hell Yeah!” is a proud comeback statement for a band that wrote the pages of hard rock history in the 80’s. Black ‘N Blue released four successful and critically-acclaimed albums through Geffen Records: their self-titled debut (1984), “Without Love” (1985), “Nasty Nasty” (1986), and “In Heat” (1987), with the latter two albums produced by the legendary Gene Simmons of KISS. Catalogue sales in the US were in excess of one million units and the band’s original guitar player Tommy Thayer went on to replace Ace Frehley in the current KISS lineup. http://ping.fm/youig

Rocktopia: New York Dolls - 'Dancing Backward In High Heels' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Sue Ashcroft: The legendary godfathers of glam-punk, the New York Dolls, are back with a new album for 2011 – a mere forty years since their inception. 'Dancing Backward in High Heels' is released through Blast Records in the UK on Monday 14th March with release in the rest of Europe on Friday 18th March. The album was recorded in Newcastle following three sold-out shows at The Cluny – a club whose size and general atmosphere has been likened to the legendary CBGB's and allegedly the closest thing we have to it in the UK. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/GmtBX

Rocktopia: Toxic Smile - 'I'm Your Saviour' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: Six years have passed since 'RetroTox Forte', which was the last full length effort from Germany's Toxic Smile. In the mean time the band have released a pair of DVDs and with an EP also seeing the light of day in 2009, however with their mix of seventies prog rock styling and a more riff-based prog metal outlook, the finely honed 'I'm Your Saviour' sees the band back with a bang. The usual prog rock/metal bench marks are reverentially nodded to, with everyone from Yes, Genesis, Spock's Beard and Dream Theater being brought to mind at times, but the maturity and craft of the nine songs that make up this hour long album ensures that 'I'm Your Saviour' never falls into the copyist trap. http://ping.fm/VU5Ky

Rocktopia: InVertigo - 'Next Stop Vertigo' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: It is not often that a debut album really grabs you and gives you a good shake, however that is exactly what German progsters InVertigo have managed to make their first effort 'Next Stop Vertigo' do. Mixing a wide and varied set of progressive influences into a familiar sound without ever slipping into the realms of relying on one or two individual bands for a sound, InVertigo fuse together the likes of Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, RPWL, Genesis and the odd hint of Porcupine Tree to make a sound not quite all of their own, but not far away. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/C0hUd

Rocktopia: Exhibit A - 'Make Mine A Lobster' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: The album title may be a little unusual, but don't be fooled into thinking that Exhibit A are some sort of novelty band, as nothing could be further from the truth. 'Make Mine A Lobster' is the third effort from these UK melodic progsters (although it has been sixteen years since Exhibit A last released an album) and whist its title may not be very serious, the music itself is seriously excellent! With a sound grounded in 80's prog band such as IQ, Pallas, or Arena, although Saga can also be heard from time to time, what Exhibit A have managed to put together here is a collection of gloriously melodic songs that bring a wonderful balance of progressive dexterity, catchy hooks and glorious melodies. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/zQ9xd
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Rocktopia: Hurtsmile - 'Hurtsmile' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Phil Ashcroft: Even if you're not familiar with the name, one listen to the debut album by new US band Hurtsmile shouldn't make it too difficult to guess at least one of the guys involved. Despite the wide variety of sounds and styles on offer, the vocals and songwriting of Extreme's Gary Cherone is unmistakeable and you'd also be forgiven for thinking that this was some post-grunge modern rock album that featured the rest of Extreme as well, such is the musicianship of the band. However, the guitarist peeling off the Nuno/Slash-like riffs is none other than Gary's brother, Mark, and the band is completed by bassist Joe Pessia and drummer Dana Spellman. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/YCQd5

Rocktopia: Pavlov's Dog - 'Echo And Boo' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: Even with David Surkamp releasing a solo album 4 years ago and Pavlov's Dog touring regularly since 2004, I'm not sure that many people envisioned there being another album using this band name. However now twenty years down the line from their last release 'Lost In America' comes 'Echo & Boo'. Surkamp is rejoined by original drummer and the man who put the band together in the early seventies Mike Safron, along with an assembled cast that includes David's wife Sara on guitars, percussion and 'voice', who along with David produced the album. Surkamp's high pitched warbling vocals are still strongly in evidence and I'm sure, just as divisive as they've ever been. http://ping.fm/Dm7Mx

Rocktopia: Steelhouse Lane - 'Metallic Blue' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Phil Ashcroft: With 'Metallic Blue' being one of the label's greatest successes at that point, it wasn't surprising that they wanted more of the same, so Slamer put aside some of his TV and Film work to devote the time to producing something special. Released in 1999, 'Slaves Of The New World' built on the template of the debut and added a few new ideas of it's own. The guitars, production and arrangements were bigger and it had more of a band feel with Slamer and Slack, alongside Chris Lane (guitars), Barron DeWayne (drums) and Alan Hearn (bass), pulling out all the stops to make one of the best melodic rock albums, not only of the era, but of all time ... Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/oWZvj

Rocktopia: Steelhouse Lane - 'Slaves Of The New World' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Phil Ashcroft: The name of guitarist and producer Mike Slamer has always been synonymous with quality, from his beginnings with the UKs City Boy in the 70s, through his subsequent move to the US and work with artists like Streets, Seventh Key, Terry Brock, Chris Thompson and his own project Slamer. One of his very best recording bands was late 90s melodic rockers Steelhouse Lane (named after the street in the Midlands where he used to live), who put out two of the most well-received records of the latter part of that decade. Their two CD's have been disappearing from record shop shelves over the last few years, or to be more accurate it's the shops themselves that have been disappearing ... read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/gFs9q
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Rocktopia: Survivor - 'Caught In The Game' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Phil Ashcroft: Due to the original record label choosing not to let go of their biggest selling album 'Eye Of The Tiger', the next two Survivor releases to get the Rock Candy remaster treatment represent the end of one era and the beginning of another. The classic US bands fourth album, 'Caught In The Game', would end up being their final offering with original singer Dave Bickler, and even though he would eventually return to live work with guitarist Frankie Sullivan's version of the band, as far as the record buying public were concerned this strong collection of tunes would be his swansong. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/tjWgl

Rocktopia: Heartland - 'Travelling Through Time' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Duncan Jamieson: Heartland, if you've been counting, have ten albums under their belts now and so this is as good a time as any to release a retrospective. It's been personally compiled by Escape's executive producer Khalil Turk and you can tell the band hold a special place in the Escape catalogue. 'Heartland III' was effectively the first new album on the label and it was Turk who introduced guitarist Steve Morris to the man with the golden tonsils, Chris Ousey, after original guitarist Gary Sharpe left. It's been a fruitful relationship that's lasted over the last eight albums for one of the UK's premier AOR bands. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/C2MEI

Rocktopia: Various Artists - 'Ventis Secundis, Tene Cursum - This Is Progressive Rock!' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: Translating roughly into 'Go with the flow', 'Ventis Secundis, Tene Cursum' is a collection of progressive rock from the Angel Air catalogue which has been chosen by author and reviewer James McCarraher. As with all compilations of this sort, this sixteen track album, which is subtitled 'This Is Progressive Rock!', covers a wide spectrum of music that is described as prog (although some of it isn't) and not only is a timely reminder of just what an excellent roster Angel Air have amassed, but also how vibrant the many variations of music that make up this genre are. Read the full review on Roocktopia ... http://ping.fm/dPBuE

Rocktopia: Flag - 'Perihelion' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: I receive a number of unsolicited promotional CDs each year, and there are usually a number that go on to really impress. However, none has ever made a greater and more positive impact upon me than this album by Flag - the creation of one of the most melodic and tuneful singers I have had the pleasure to encounter in any sub-genre of rock or metal music: Arthur Offen. Arthur who? I hear many of you ask…and has been asked by music loving colleagues and friends who have visited my house in the last couple of months and been played some of this outstanding release. Read the full review on Rocktopia http://ping.fm/7trGS

Rocktopia: 5BridgeS - 'The Thomas Tracks' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: 'The Thomas Tracks' would appear to be the debut album from Dutch five piece 5bridgeS. The band's web site (http://www.5bridges.nl - from where this album can be obtained) clearly states that the ethos of the band is to build a bridge between classic 70's progressive rock (in this case by classic think Genesis with touches of Yes) and the prog of today. With a few exceptions 5bridgeS live up to that pledge, with this collection of long, bordering on the verge of epic songs being strongly influenced by Gabriel era Genesis, with vocalist Piet Roelofsen actually sounding uncannily like the long departed Genesis frontman. Read the full review on Rocktopia. http://ping.fm/yDtCh

Rocktopia: Pavlov's Dog - 'Live And Unleashed' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Steven Reid: Hot on the heels of their excellent new studio album 'Echo & Boo', (their first for two decades, which is also reviewed this issue) comes the first official live release from Pavlov's Dog. Recorded during the band's 2009 tour, 'Live And Unleashed' is an excellent selection of tracks covering the band's career, as well as main-man David Surkamp's solo output, with songs selected from each of the five Pavlov's Dog studio albums, two from Surkamp's 'Dancing On The Edge Of A Teacup', as well as the song 'Heart Of Mine' which comes from Surkamp's HIFI project with Ian Matthews (Matthews Southern Comfort). http://ping.fm/4ucFe

Rocktopia - Black Stone Cherry to release new record

Roadrunner Records is pleased to announce the third Black Stone Cherry album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, is due out May30, 2011. Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry, comprised of vocalist Chris Robertson, guitarist Ben Wells, bassist Jon Lawhon, and drummer John FredYoung, is a band adept at creating both timeless rock ‘n roll and new, innovative sounds. While the band’s last record, Folklore andSuperstition, was a compelling tribute to brotherhood and history, the new album is the summation of a year in the life of the band—every emotion, triumph, loss, romance, and everything in between—it’s all here on Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. http://ping.fm/xmZmR

Rocktopia - Two additional Dream Theater UK shows

Rocktopia - Two additional Dream Theater UK shows

Rocktopia - Two additional Dream Theater UK shows

High Voltage headliners Dream Theater are pleased to confirm two additional UK shows prior to their Sunday 24thJuly, LONDON Victoria Park performance. http://ping.fm/PAUQG

Rocktopia: Uriah Heep - 'Into The Wild' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by David Scott: Uriah Heep belongs to that plethora of British metal and rock bands that came out in the glory days of the 60s and 70s. With a career that has spanned some 23 albums, ever changing line-ups and multiple sounds, Heep are one of rocks great survivors. The band started out in 1970 with the heavy rocking album 'Very 'eavy ...Very 'umble' but their sound was soon to change. A more progressive rock sound with lyrics buried firmly in the fantasy world and more complex compositions soon followed. Throughout this period the line up change many times and it wasn’t until 1980 that the sound began to revert back to the hard rock sound originally promised. Read the full review on Rocktopia http://ping.fm/OswsX

Rocktopia: Power Quest - 'Blood Alliance' - CD Review

A Rocktopia album review by Julian Handley: ‘Blood Alliance’ is the fifth full CD release from the UK’s premier melodic power metal sextet, ‘Power Quest’, and without doubt it’s their finest offering to date. The opening track, the instrumental ‘Battle Stations’ unleashes itself as a brutal, twisting, barrage of pompous, power metal, galloping through the speakers and setting the trend for the exquisite delights that follow. Next up is the suitably titled ‘Rising Anew‘, which sets off at a frenetic pace with duelling twin guitars going head to head with the incendiary device drumming, wrapped around beautifully layered keyboards, and kept on track with a stabilising bass unit, all of which are complemented by the vocal talents of Chitral “Chitty” Sompala. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/i6QFg
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Rocktopia: Foghat - 'Last Train Home' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: Reverting to something more akin to their Savoy Brown roots, Foghat return with what could basically be described as an all out, hard rockin' blues album, and damn fine it is too. Brimming with big meaty riffs, rollicking rhythms that charge like a bull on heat and a massive bass rumble, 'Last Train Home' is as authentic a rough and ready blues workout as you'll ever want to hear. Charlie Huhn's vocals add to the in your face outlook of the album, and while every aspect of this disc illustrates just how much the band enjoyed putting this collection of songs together ... Read the full review on Rocktopia http://ping.fm/8OpM1

Rocktopia: Alexis - 'Birds Of Prey' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: Pitch Black Records are certainly scouring the world in search of worthy talent, and here we have the brainchild of vocalist Freddy Alexis from Chile whose debut album 'Birds Of Prey' is ably supported by guitarists Julian Jabbaz and Gino Mikanovic plus bassist Alex Cofre and drummer Juan Ulloa. It's an album that features many fine musical moments and some great performances. Unfortunately, it is also an album that is rather a pot pourri stylistically and could, perhaps, have done with a complete rethinking of the track sequencing to allow for a better flow of the music! Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/knaFC

Rocktopia: Pictures Of Pain - 'The Reckoning' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: The metallic newcomers from Norway are very much on the edge of what I believe most readers of this web site seek when buying power metal. There is absolutely no shortage of melody and passion but when it comes wrapped up with the sort of grinding and aggressive riffing and extensive usage of extreme vocal stylings found on 'The Reckoning', then it is likely to be a turn off. Regular readers will know that I have a wide breadth of musical preferences, and this album certainly lies at my metallic limit, but then so did Metallica's 'Master Of Puppets' 25 years ago! Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/MCCl4

Rocktopia: Beto Vazquez Infinity - 'Existence' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: With 'Existence', Argentinian multi-instrumentalist Beto Vazquez and his band Infinity (BVI) have released an ambitious double album that successfully dissects various metal genres. As previously the band is augmented by an extensive cast of additional vocalists and instrumentalists from around the world (a total of twenty on this occasion!) Although there is an over-arching theme to the album, it is not a conceptual work per sé and there is no linked story, each of the nineteen original songs (plus bonus track – a cover of Kerry Livgren's 'To Live For The King') standing alone. http://ping.fm/hG0Oo

Rocktopia: Michael Bormann - 'Different'

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Pilar Sánchez: Born in Duisburg, Germany, Michael Bormann has nowadays one of the most desirable voices on this planet. And believe me, I'm not exaggerating at all. When one writes a CD review, it's pretty common to magnify certain statements, so that the review has a bigger impact. Well, not in this case. I'm about to write about a man that is often chased after to either lend his gifted vocal chords for a particular project or collaborate somehow. Let's explore what's inside 'Different'. This incredible journey starts with the immensely catchy opener, 'Life Is A Miracle'. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/y6lbj

Rocktopia: Forgotten Tales - 'We Shall See The Light' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: It has taken a considerable time for the third album by Quebecois band Forgotten Tales to appear. It was way back in 2004 that their previous album 'All The Sinners' was reviewed by me in Fireworks 19, when I commented that the band had 'produced an album full of conviction, flair and enthusiasm'. In the intervening six years, the band personnel has changed little: Mike Bélanger having replaced previous drummer Cédric Prévost while a second guitarist Marco Lavoie now supplements the band live and has contributed a solo to penultimate track 'Broken Wings'. However, there has been quite a pronounced changed to the focus of the band's music, which has seen a shift away from the symphonic melodic power metal towards more technical, progressive metal. Read the full review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/eWxkD
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Rocktopia: Galderia - 'Rise, Legions Of Free Men' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review: Question: what should a band/project do when their four previous releases available as free downloads fail to make a sufficient mark? The answer presented by the epic power metal quartet from Marseilles in the south of France is to release an MCD of outstanding anthemic music in the vein of bands such as Hammerfall, Stratovarius and Rhapsody Of Fire and have it mastered at Finnvox Studio by Mikka Jussula – so that it also sounds like a million dollars! It is inconceivable that they will be without a label deal for much longer. Read the full album review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/l5Zbw

Rocktopia: Manning - 'Charlestown' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: The melodic progressive rock band Manning – whom it may be recalled is named after frontman Guy Manning (also well-known for his work with Parallel Or Ninety Degrees and The Tangent) – continue to plough a quintessentially and often quirky, folksy 'English sound' on this, their eleventh studio album. And there's absolutely nowt wrong with doing that either when it leads to an album as tasty as this one – and one that resides just below my top 10 albums of 2010 - for it is arguably their strongest and most compelling album to date. Read the full album review on Rocktopia ... http://ping.fm/wUt1W

Rocktopia: Shadyon - 'Mind Control' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: I would like you to contemplate the next sentence for a few seconds before you proceed with reading the rest of this review. Shadyon is a progressive metal band from France. Now, if I had said they were from Norway, for example, I would not have expected you to bat an eyelid. But, France? Well, that's quite a revelation, and for this – the band's second release – to be such a solid and satisfying album is almost a double surprise! Seriously, although France is really not synonymous with producing many metal bands: and certainly not progressive metal bands, those that they have are almost without exception remarkably talented ... http://ping.fm/Zy4ST

Rocktopia: Morild - 'Time To Rest' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: Norwegian melodic progressive rock band Morild has joined a burgeoning number of ambitious bands that have released a double CD set (and in their case with nearly 100 minutes of music) as their debut offering! Formed in Trondheim as a quartet in 2007, Morild comprises Odd-Roar Bakken (guitars and keys), John Anders Troset (vocals), Nils Larsen (bass) and Alexander Rodriguez Salgado (drums), but have been joined on this recording by Mari Haug Lund (flute and backing vocals) and Hans Kristoffersen (electric guitar). http://ping.fm/rs04i

Rocktopia: Signum Regis - 'The Eyes Of Power' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: Signum Regis was founded by the bass player Ronnie König and features journeyman vocalist Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen / John Norum / Glory / Brazen Abbot / Street Talk / Karmakanic / Vindictiv / Stratosphere et al). The other members are guitarists Ado Kaláber and Filip Koluš, keyboard player Ján Tupý and drummer Adrián Ciel. 'The Eyes Of Power' is the band's second album and is conceptually about Roman/Persian relationships in the Middle East in the early Christian era. http://ping.fm/qh9Cz

Rocktopia: Attack! Attack! - 'The Latest Fashion' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mike Newdeck: Formed from the ashes of Dopamine and Adequate Seven, Welsh band Attack! Attack! released their debut to very little fanfare in 2008. It wasn't that it was a poor effort but simply that it was an average one, tapping into the American mainstreams obsession with Fall Out Boy and bands of that ilk. Hardly surprising when you consider that the band was signed to Rock Ridge, an American label. This time round Attack! Attack! (two exclamation marks so that they're not confused with the US band of the same name) have gone up several gears. They still retain the American pop punk slickness but have added a nice hard rock edge in common with other Welsh bands, making 'The Latest Fashion' sound like a credible amalgam of Kids In Glass Houses and Lost Prophets ... http://ping.fm/Cd7Gn
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Rocktopia: Solstice - 'Spirit' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Paul Jerome Smith: This is the first new studio album from the band for many years, and follows the reissue of their earliest studio releases plus live Cropredy set (see reviews in Fireworks 31). It also marks the most stable line up of the entire thirty years since the band's original inception: Andy Glass (remaining founder member and chief song writer: guitars and vocals), Emma Brown (vocals), Steve McDaniel (keyboards), Jenny Newman (violin) and Robin Phillips (bass) all featuring on the Cropredy recording from 1998: at which time ex-Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker was still with the band. Occupying the drum stool now is Pete Hemsley ... http://ping.fm/cDhHI

Rocktopia - Robin George releases charity single

LovePower and Peace, the debut single from the new album by Robin George’s LovePower www.robingeorge.co.uk is released on April 11th ; 11.4.11 in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Featuring Ruby Turner, Jaki Graham and The LovePower Band. The entire proceeds from the single, dedicated to Macmillan Cancer Support , will go directly to this charity to aid their fantastic work and to celebrate their centenary. http://ping.fm/M17k0

Rocktopia - Vain tour dates announced

Vain will hit the road this year on their 'Hot Stage Lights' tour, appearing in Germany, Italy, France, the UK, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Full dates are listed at the link. http://ping.fm/sOVTC

Rocktopia: arK - 'Wild Untamed Imaginings' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: First coming together as far back as 1985, arK were the first progressive port of call for IQ, Arena and Frost* (among others) bassist John Jowitt, and after winning time in the studio through a battle of the bands competition, arK released their debut album 'The Dreams Of Mr Jones' in 1988. Although there were subsequent albums and EPs released on cassette, that debut was the only proper release that arK put out before Jowitt jumped ship for IQ, although the band did continue for a few years, releasing their second full album 'Spiritual Physics' in 1992. Jowitt, vocalist Ant Short, guitarist Peter Wheatley and synth guitar player Steve Harris teamed up again in 2009 with intentions of restarting the band ... http://ping.fm/IYOPD

Rocktopia: Cinder Road - 'Damage Control' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mike Newdeck: This one may have just passed everyone by as a result of Cinder Road being dropped by their record label and following their noses to Japan in support of their new found popularity there. Indeed although the album is available through iTunes and via the band's website, an official label backed release is only currently available in Japan. Miss this album at your peril as it was one of 2010's best offerings, even better than 2007's excellent 'Superhuman'. Produced by Scott Stevens of The Exies, 'Damage Control' has a tougher sound but doesn't skimp on melody; powerful opener 'The Worst Way' and the galloping 'Sex Addict' are hard hitting yet hooky, whilst 'Losing Ground', a soulful power ballad, contrive to illustrate the improved togetherness and songwriting of Mike Ruocco. http://ping.fm/5vD3r
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Rocktopia: Lynam - 'Thank You Good Night!' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mike Newdeck: As a live album, 'Thank You Goodnight!' provides a more than suitable epitaph to the recording career of Birmingham Alabama's Lynam after five studio albums. It's certainly not the greatest live record ever, but it provides a warts and all picture of the band's recording career starting with the debut album 'White Trash Superstar' through 'Life In Reverse' - possibly the bands finest hour-finishing with the band's last studio album 'Tragic City Symphony' - a slick finale where they even got Beau Hill to produce the song 'A Million Ways'. It's hard to see why Lynam never broke the big-time, they rubbed shoulders with the elite, touring with 18 Visions, Hinder and Puddle Of Mudd amongst others ... http://ping.fm/8dc98

Rocktopia: Bleeker Ridge - 'Small Town Dead' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mike Newdeck: Signed to Roadrunner, Bleeker Ridge's debut album is currently only available in Canada but surely that will change and it will be released in the US and Europe such is its quality. Produced by Bob Marlette and featuring a co-write with Theory Of A Deadman's Tyler Connolly and several with L.A songwriter Dave Bassett, who so successfully collaborated with Brent Smith on the excellent Shinedown album 'The Sound of Madness', 'Small Town Dead' is such a mature debut album that it seems unbelievable that the average age of the band is only twenty ... http://ping.fm/xRYq8

Rocktopia: John Waite - 'Rough And Tumble' - Album / CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Ian Johnson: John Waite is one of my all time favourite singers and I have enjoyed most, if not all, of his recorded output for the past thirty years and more, although I will say that his last few country music tinged albums haven't always been what I expected or maybe wanted from the man. So when the new Waite CD 'Rough & Tumble' arrived I wondered just what he had come up with this time. Would it be more of his country stuff or would he have now decided to record an album full of rock for the new decade? Well to tell you the truth you get some of the former but thankfully more of the latter, with the rocky songs edging it, and for that reason I am very pleased indeed. http://ping.fm/Q9hmg

Rocktopia: House Of Heroes - 'Suburba' - Album / CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mike Newdeck: No doubt about it, the fourth album from Columbus Ohio Christian band House Of Heroes was one of the surprises of 2010. After seemingly treading water in the seas of mediocrity peddling pop punk (they originally started as a pop punk band under the moniker 'No Tags') the band changed direction embracing a more eclectic, diverse and progressive sound, culminating in their breakthrough album 'The End Is Not The End'. With 'Suburba' House Of Heroes has taken the whole sound to a new level. http://ping.fm/SPKQP

Rocktopia: Mistheria - 'Dragon Fire' - Album / CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mark Warburton: Keyboard virtuoso Mistheria returns with an all star cast for the neoclassical prog metal offering 'Dragon Fire' released through Lion Music. Home to 13 tracks of full on metal pomposity, this is music crafted around stirring vocal melodies and impassioned first class musicianship. The virtuoso meter of the personnel involved sets a new standard and fans of artists such as Symphony X, Yngwie Malmsteen and Artension will find this a sheer musical delight. The grandiose music on offer has its home within the classical music masters but the metal charge brings 'Dragon Fire' firmly into the present day. http://ping.fm/4ACEu

Rocktopia: Seven Year Riot - 'Seven Year Riot' - Album / CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mike Newdeck: Formerly known as Citizen Erased - after the Muse song of the same name -this Ontario modern hard rock outfit already has one record to its name in the form of 2009's 'Close Your Eyes' e.p albeit under their former guise. The name change ultimately came as a result of the fact that anyone doing an internet search for the band duly came up with Muse rather than the band Citizen Erased itself and the band felt that a rebirth was necessary in order to move forward. http://ping.fm/4Qo6j

Rocktopia: Wake The Light - 'Leave It All Behind' - Album / CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mike Newdeck: With some outstanding releases towards the end of 2010, including the quite sensational debut album from Seven Year Riot, it was always going to be a hard ask to find an outstanding modern rock release in early January 2011. However the debut album from this Tennessee outfit completely bucks the trend, blows off the New Year cobwebs and eases the unpleasant January blues. With a sound that joyously combines latter day Papa Roach ('Misplaced Hero') with debut era Saving Abel style rock ('Best Of Me') and a touch of Cinder Road ('Only'), Wake the Light has all their modern rock bases covered. http://ping.fm/8Wq73

Rocktopia: Holy Rage - 'Holy Rage' - Album / CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mark Warburton: Holy Rage is a new band who have emerged from the Midlands and feature original 'Judas Priest' frontman Al Atkins. Professional singer/songwriter Al formed 'Judas Priest' back in the 70s and sang for them for 4 years before leaving them to be replaced by Rob Halford. Al wrote the classic Priest tunes 'Victim Of Changes', 'Winter', 'Caviar and Meths', 'Never Satisfied' and 'Dreamer Deceiver', which all featured on 'Priests' first two albums 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings of Destiny', of which both albums went gold. If you had chance to sample Al's solo album 'Demon Deceivers' you'll know what a great vocalist Atkins is ... http://ping.fm/5gy1H

Rocktopia: Forgotten Suns - 'Revelations' - Album / CD Review

Forgotten Suns hail from Lisbon in Portugal and consist of founding members Ricardo Falcao (guitar), A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mark Warburton: Miguel Valadares (keyboards) together with Nio Nunes (vocals), JC Samora (drums) and Nuno Correia (bass), and play progressive metal in the vein of early Dream Theater. Revelations is an EP that has turned out to become the home for some lighter tracks taken from the 'Innergy' writing sessions back in the period between late 2006 and early 2007. http://ping.fm/9daSG

Rocktopia: Sully Erna - 'Avalon' - Album / CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Mark Warburton: Sully Erna, best known as singer and main songwriter of acclaimed rock band Godsmack, has branched out from his rock roots this year with his debut solo album, 'Avalon', which has been released through Universal Records. Already a proven commodity as the frontman of one of today's most successful and powerful rock bands, Erna is also a successful producer, multi-instrumentalist and soundtrack creator. It's always interesting to hear what a vocalist from a well-known band can achieve outside of his comfort zone. Up to this point Godsmack have released record after record after record, each full of potential. While their signature sound consists mainly of tribal music mixed with grunge-influenced sounds and Metallica-styled riffs ... http://ping.fm/FZUYW

Rocktopia: 8-is - 'Frame Of Us' - CD / Album Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Mark Warburton: Italy has thrown up some excellent bands in the last two years, with a lot due to their association with mainstay record label Frontiers, while some outfits manage to gain appeal through their own means. One of those is new Rome based band 8-Is. Unusual name it might be, and simplistic too, but these guys live at the town square of Italian AOR, were formed in Rome during the early part of 2009, and were originally called Frame. Singer Marcello Catalano and drummer Franco Casini were the two principal members alongside guitarist Rob Franzo, and while the band took shape, membership of personnel came and went and Franzo exited the band to be replaced by Milone. http://ping.fm/XnJNR

Rocktopia: Manowar - 'Battle Hymns 2011' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Ian Johnson: A long (LONG) time ago, there used to be a radio programme here in the UK called The Friday Night Rock Show, hosted by the late and eternally great Tommy Vance. Each week I would tune in to Tommy's show and listen intently as he played a selection of old and new tracks, and I would avidly take notes of the band's names, hoping to discover acts that I hadn't heard before. Then I would go off in search of those albums the following day at my local record shop (remember when you used to be able to do that?). The reason I tell you all this is because one night in late 1981, Tommy played two songs by an as yet unknown band called Manowar ... http://ping.fm/sYq4O

Rocktopia: Infinity Overture - 'The Infinity Overture' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Ian Johnson: This is the second album by Infinity Overture, which according to the press pack sees them depart from their original sound, which was more symphonic and orchestral, to a more guitar orientated one. Having not heard the bands debut I cannot compare the two, so I will instead concentrate on this new album. Which I will say is an album of influences, by this I mean you can clearly hear the likes of After Forever, Epica (growly male vocals, I bet some of you just stopped reading), and early Within' Temptation in the music of Infinity Overture, yet they still retain their own identity by writing some wonderful music. http://ping.fm/NdSTQ

Rocktopia: 7 Days - 'Into Forever' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Ian Johnson: 7 Days are a Christian (don't let that out you off) melodic metal band, who play a dark, heavy and brooding metal music that is fascinating to listen to. The band is the brainchild of Harmony guitarist Markus Sigfridssonk, who found that some of the songs that he was writing didn't fit in with Harmony or his other band Darkwater, so decided to form another band who could perform the new songs, this band became 7 Days. Joining Markus on this album are a wonderful collection of musicians; Daniel Flores (Minds Eye) on drums, Thomas Vikstrom (Talk Of The Town, Stormwind) on vocals, Kasper Dahlqvist on keyboards, and Andreas Passmark (Narnia, Divinefire) on bass, who work wonderfully together to perform some fantastic melodic metal. http://ping.fm/k24u6

Rocktopia: Overdrive - 'Angelmaker' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Ian Johnson: Billed as a traditional heavy metal band, Overdrive I think do themselves down by calling themselves that. This is because although they are heavy and love to use the double kick drum, they also incorporate a lot of hard rock elements into their music. Elements that help to give them, at times, a whole different sound from your usual trad metal band. The hard rock element can be traced to one of the band members, namely guitarist Janne Stark (Locomotive Breath/Constancia) whose playing, whilst heavy, still has many other facets to it, which only brings out the best in the music of Overdrive. http://ping.fm/5wruZ

Rocktopia: SBB - 'Blue Trance' - CD Reviews

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Gary Marshall: Formed as long ago as 1971 as the Silesian Blues Band, SBB have near legendary status in the Polish music scene, the name change appearing to signal the band's sound morphing from straight ahead Blues to a more Prog/Jazz-lite direction. This album has an eclectic feel as the songs on offer vary in style and most of the vocal tracks are sung in the band's native tongue, which I have to say I didn't find as much of a turn off as I was expecting at the outset. The guitar work of Apostolis Anthimos reminds me of Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd) and elsewhere bands such as The Flower Kings (TFK), Frank Zappa, The Moody Blues and Toto come to mind. http://ping.fm/rdEaM

Rocktopia: Believe - 'World Is Round' - CD Reviews

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Gary Marshall: This is the fourth studio album by Polish neo-Proggers Believe, which is a finely crafted collection of songs, albeit a set that could be considered as a little too mellow for one body of work. That said, there's barely a weak track on offer amongst the ten under consideration (there's eleven on the digipack version) it's just that I'd prefer a bit more variety in the song dynamics as most seem to plough a similar furrow in terms of feel and tempo. For all that this is an album I have enjoyed immensely. http://ping.fm/pAFOx

Rocktopia: The Wildhearts - 'Fishing For Luckies' - CD Review

A Rocktopia / Fireworks Magazine album review by Steven Reid: The trials and tribulations that befell The Wildhearts second album 'Fishing For Luckies' perfectly encapsulate the chaos and lack of managerial direction that so many of the bands mistakes can be put down to. Originally intended as a 1994 fan club only release, (although the songs were meant to be part of a double album with the songs from 'P.H.U.Q.', an idea the record company rejected) 'Fishing For Luckies' saw the band really stretch out into what can almost be described as progressive metal/rock/punk/pop, with four tracks clocking in at over seven minutes and one of the other two being a folked up tip of the hat to life in The North. http://ping.fm/JyY33

Rocktopia: Big Big Train - 'Far Skies Deep Time' - CD Review

A Fireworks Magazine / Rocktopia album review by Gary Marshall: Back in issue 39* I reviewed Big Big Train's album 'The Underfall Yard' in very enthusiastic terms, a view that has been reinforced over time. Well, with 2010 coming to a close it looked as if the year would pass without any new product but fortunately the band have seen fit to put out an EP which is another classy slab of classic English Prog. 'Master Of Time' has me in mind of the material that Genesis put out on their singles and EPs around the time of 'Wind & Wuthering' with David Longdon's voice coming across as an amalgam of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. http://ping.fm/DqMJx