Joe Deninzon has got to be one of the busiest guys in rock music. For over a year, he’s been the violinist for the legendary band Kansas — which is in the midst of an extensive 50th-anniversary tour. But Joe’s other focus is his group Stratospheerius… which melds rock, jazz, classical, and a bit of anything else. Stratospheerius has a new album whi…

After the Mandoki Soulmates‘ 30th Anniversary Tour, the band retreated to singer, songwriter, composer, and drummer Leslie Mandoki‘s studio on Lake Starnberg in Germany to work on a brand-new prog rock album. The result was “A Memory of Our Future,” released worldwide on May 10, 2024. Leslie and his Soulmates have long been revered for their unwave…

The Gavin Evick Band has been riding high on critical acclaim following the recent release of their highly-anticipated new single, “Young, Wild & Free.” Debuting on June 20th, the song has already made a significant radio impact, capturing the attention of music fans with its driving anthemic rock. Frontman and songwriter Gavin Evick has crafted a …

Somewhere between the organic feel of 70s hard rock and the wild technical craze of 80s heavy metal exists a middle ground where true magic resides. This is the realm occupied by Axel Rudi Pell, German virtuoso guitarist, and longtime solo artist, alongside one of the most prolific artists in the business at present. Originally cutting his teeth in…

The Prog/Metal/Rock project Harpazo has been 16 years in the making. Back in 2008, Marc Centanni began taking guitar lessons from former Shadow Gallery axe-man/keyboardist/background singer Gary Wehrkamp. Centanni was something of a writer, and a poet, with an interest in religion. He showed some of his work to Wehrkamp, who was suitably impressed.…

One of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg/Swedish metal scene, along with In Flames and At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity has remained a steady force in the realm of melodic death metal. On August 16th, the band will unveil their 13th studio album, “Endtime Signals”. Building on the success of previous releases such as “Atoma” (2016), which climbe…

For 40 years, Hasse Froberg has been putting out quality music. For 30 of them, he’s been a part of Swedish prog band The Flower Kings. Therefore, 2024 is a banner year for him. And he’s celebrating that with a new album from his band Hasse Froberg and Musical Companion (HFMC). “Eternal Snapshots” is the sixth record by the group, and it is a wonde…

In the realm of hard rock and guitar virtuosity, few names resonate as profoundly as Rik Emmett. Renowned for his masterful fretwork and distinctive vocals, Emmett has left an indelible mark on the music world through his solo career and tenure with the iconic Canadian rock band Triumph. Recently, he unveiled “Diamonds – The Best of the Hard Rock Y…

As the bassist for Armored Saint and Fates Warning, Joey Vera has carved a unique legacy in the genre, spanning decades of uncompromising musicianship and reliable low-end on both these bands. With Armored Saint, he’s been an integral force behind the band’s dynamic blend of power, melody, and raw energy, while his tenure with Fates Warning has see…

Sebastian Bach will release his long-awaited studio album, “Child Within the Man”, on May 10th via Reigning Phoenix Music. With a career that has spanned over 35 years and tens of millions of albums sold, billions of streams, chart-topping songs, and packing arenas/theaters worldwide, Sebastian is back with a vengeance with the release of “Child Wi…

Ihsahn has established himself as the cutting edge of extreme metal creativity for more than three decades, and this seasoned maverick shows no sign of slowing down with his self-titled double album “Ihsahn.” Featuring one album with his renowned black metal finesse, and a complimentary album built upon horror-cinema inspired orchestrals, “Ihsahn” …

On January 26th, 2024, Caligula’s Horse released their long-anticipated sixth studio album “Charcoal Grace,” and just days thereafter embarked on their headlining tour across North America. To enhance the talent onstage for the eager American metal scene, Caligula’s Horse is joined on this tour by supporting act and progressive metal compatriots Ea…

Get ready to embark on a sonic journey with legendary guitarist and composer Scott Henderson as he prepares to release his highly anticipated album, “Karnevel!”, on February 2, 2024. Following the triumph of his previous album, “People Mover,” which clinched the title of the best fusion album of 2019 by Jazz Times Magazine, Scott is back with a mus…

Celebrating twenty years of existence, Baroness released their critically acclaimed sixth album, “Stone”, on September 15, 2023. As discussed in our review (which can be read here), this is one of their most cohesive pieces of work, although there’s plenty of room for experimentation. And obviously, now is the time to promote “Stone”, and showcase …

Europe has recently released its new single, “Hold Your Head Up,” ahead of a 2024 documentary film about the band’s meteoric rise to becoming one of the greatest rock bands in history. The song is a vibrant rocker reminiscent of their early hits and captures Joey Tempest [vocals], John Norum [guitars], John Levén [bass], Mic Michaeli [keyboards], a…

Since forming in 1992, Everclear has enjoyed a lengthy career by any measure, spanning 11 studio releases, including four that have been certified Gold or Platinum, selling over 6 million records, and achieving 12 Top 40 Hit Singles on Mainstream Rock, Alternative, and Adult Top 40 radio, including “Santa Monica,” “Father of Mine,” “I Will Buy You …

Earlier this year, Ihsahn released his latest EP, “Fascination Street Sessions.” The thirteen-minute EP included two original tracks and a cover of Kent’s “Dom Andra,” and featured the vocal talents of Jonas Renske (Katatonia) and Øystein Aadland (Avkrvst). Critics unanimously praised the rich sound, high-quality production, and continued excellenc…

Not many bands can leave a lasting impression and legacy like Black Sabbath have done over the last 50 years. They have been flying the flag for heavy metal throughout their career to legions of fans around the world since their eponymous debut album, “Black Sabbath”, which was released on February 13, 1970. They went on to sell over 46 million alb…

Often wonder and been intrigued by what life is like working, managing or being an artist, a rock star? Traveling to foreign countries, seeing the sights, feeling the energy of live audiences, night after night, and experiencing firsthand the screaming fans? It’s not always glorious or glamorous; in fact, there is more to it than you think. One thi…

In 2018, Kamelot released “The Shadow Theory” to critical acclaim. After five years, Kamelot now returns with their next full-length studio album, “The Awakening,” due out on March 17th via Napalm Records. The album’s lead single “One More Flag in the Ground” has amassed more than 430,000 streams on Spotify and 435,000 views on the official music v…

Multi-platinum rocker Theory Of A Deadman will release their eighth studio album, “Dinosaur”, on March 17th via Roadrunner Records. The track “Dinosaur” is currently at #12 on the Top 10 at U.S. Active Rock Radio and quickly approaching the Top 10. This album marks a return to form stylistically while growing and learning to solidify their place at…

The achievements of rock n’ roll heavyweights The Trews are many and mighty, highlighted by multiple radio hits drawn from seven critically acclaimed studio albums plus several EPs, a pair of live records, and a retrospective. The band’s 2021 release, “Wanderer,” emerged with their fiercest and most accomplished songs to date, taking the band furth…

Polish artist Mariusz Duda is an unstoppable force of musical creation. Although he may best be known for heading the progressive rock and metal outfit Riverside, his career includes a progressive solo project titled Lunatic Soul alongside self-titled electronica work. His perseverance and continued dedication to honing his craft is evident in Rive…

Tarja Turunen has enjoyed a long solo career, one which began in 2007 with her breakout album “My Winter Storm.” More than ten years later, Tarja will release her best-of compilation, titled “Best Of: Living the Dream” on December 2. The album begins with new release “Eye of the Storm,” and is otherwise packed full of fan-favorites like “Until My L…

The combined forces of guitarist Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) and singer Steve Overland (FM) brought us one of the best albums of the year so far. Released on September 23rd, the self-titled debut album of Kings of Mercia counts also with the talents of Simon Phillips (drums) and Joey Vera (bass). Kings of Mercia was born out of writing sessions tha…

August 19th marked the release of the self-titled debut of SiX by SiX. The collaboration between Saga‘s guitarist Ian Crichton, singer, producer and bass player Robert Berry, and Saxon‘s drummer Nigel Glockler will impress the most demanding progressive rock fans out there. Six By Six was born when Robert and Ian started exchanging ideas and sewing…

A lone soldier on the front-lines of creativity, John Mitchell has been at the forefront of forward- thinking and progressive rock for decades now. As a member of such revered prog ensembles as It Bites, Arena, Frost* and his own projects Kino and The Urbane, he has become a uniquely vital contributor to the modern scene, while his credentials as a…

“Beer commercials, car commercials, and Cobra Kai.” I straight up thought that legendary drummer Mark Zonder’s reference point for his new band would have been Toto or Journey. There aren’t really any sonic similarities between them and A-Z, but they all share these very key traits: at their core, they’re expertly-written, hook-saturated pop songs …

John Norum is most famously known around the globe as being the lead guitarist and a founding member of the band Europe. Together they are Sweden’s most prominent rock export selling over 10 million albums worldwide with songs like “The Final Countdown,” “Carrie,” and “Rock the Night.” Recently the song “The Final Countdown” reached 1 billion views…

Derek Sherinian seems determined to make up for the lost time. Having spent nine years working with the super-groups Black Country Communion, PSMS and Sons of Apollo, and touring with Billy Idol, Joe Bonamassa and others, he is now focused on his solo career. 2020 saw the release of “The Phoenix”, Derek‘s first solo record in nine years, which did …

While the pandemic seems like a thing of the past at the moment and many artists are going on extensive tours, there are still albums coming out which were written at the height of Covid-19. That’s the case with Eric Johnson‘s two upcoming releases, “The Book of Making” and “Yesterday Meets Today”. Blue Élan Records will release both albums on July…

Vinny Appice is a metal legend, plain and simple. Having started his career playing with Rick Derringer and with his band Axis, Vinnie rose to fame after joining Black Sabbath on the Heaven and Hell Tour. With Black Sabbath he recorded the follow up album “Mob Rules,” before leaving to become the drummer of Dio‘s solo band. He was a mainstay of Dio…

Released on March 18, 2022, “Postcards from the End of the World” is the sophomore effort of Shining Black. The band was formed as a collaboration between vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ring Of Fire, Royal Hunt) and guitarist Ölaf Thorson (Labyrinth, Vision Divine). Completing the lineup are Oleg Smirnoff on keyboards & piano, Nik Mazzuccon…