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Here we go again as rushonrock features a blast from the past and an even louder blast of the present. 

In the world of metal you don’t get much louder than the mighty Judas Priest – and now we’ve just about forgiven Rob and the boys for missing out the Toon on this year’s Priest Feast tour it’s about time we revisit last year’s concept album and the classic Ram It Down.   Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a New Year but we still can’t help harking back to the past with rushonrock’s regular fix of nostalgia meets new music. This week we focus on the rare talent that is the Robinson brothers and their addictive blend of Southern-styled rock and blues.

Now 2008: Warpaint (Silver Arrow) was seven years in the making but turned out to be the perfect follow-up to the laudable Lions. Building on the new found maturity so evident across that 2001 standard, the Black Crowes moulded a monster record fusing the singalong elements of their chart-busting past with a slow burning country/blues undertone which made for one of the essential listens of last year. Read the rest of this entry »

What better time to celebrate the genius that is genial Joe ‘Satch’ Satriani than when the world’s greatest guitarist is at the centre of a super colossal lawsuit with mega-selling Coldplay? Here we avoid any litigation by looking at 2008’s triumphant Professor Satchafunkilus… and the classic Surfing With The Alien. 

Now 2008: Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion Of Rock (Epic) is Joe Satriani’s outstanding contribution to a classic year for the music we at rushonrock revere. It’s modern day metal-funk which stays true to the trademark Satch style and proves one of the most prolific songwrirters around rarely allows quantity to diminish his quality.

Title track Musterion sets the fret-dancing tone and this is every instrumentalist’s dream. Don’t be alarmed by the brief vocal burst on I Just Wanna Rock – there’s no toe-curling return to the post-Surfing… singing experiment and the lyrical chorus actually enhances a catchy little tune.

But there’s nothing little or particularly catchy about the two epic tracks which close Satriani’s best album in 20 years. Asik Vaysel and Andalusia are ambitious and ambiguous in equal measure but they might just be the best songs this multi-talented muso’s muso has ever written.

If you missed out earlier this year then it’s not too late to tuck this into your nearest and dearest’s stocking. It’s better than a satsuma and is worth more than a bag of chocolate coins. In fact it’s much, much better.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Profetic

…And Then 1987: Surfing With The Alien (Epic) is the only instrumental rock album you really need to own. Packing in so many styles it could give Toni & Guy a run for their money and offering up more variety than a bag of Woolies pic ‘n’ mix this is one of rushonrock’s all-time favourite records.

The fact that it just happens to originate from the year that reinvented rock only serves to enhance the reputation of an album rich in fret-fuelled fantasy. Set it down alongside 1987 standards from GNR, Leppard, Whitesnake and the rest and it more than holds its own. This is magic from the spellbinding digits of Sir Satch.

Highlights? There are 10 – from the opening song and title track to the haunting Always With Me, Always With You. Ice 9 is super cool, Midnight is the perfect soundtrack to quiet darkness and Circles has more edge than, well, The Edge.

Reissued last year to celebrate the record’s 20th anniversary this is the place to start for any Satch virgin. If you’re not kooed within 10 minutes you might as well invest in that digital hearing aid here and now. There are some records which are impossible to fault. This is one.

rushonrock rated: 10/10 Surfing Makes Waves

After getting all over-excited by rock’s new breed this week it’s time to get all blurry eyed and remember an early 90s metal classic featuring the incomparable Ozzy Osbourne. In the post that pitches new versus old, latter day standard against modern day classic, we focus on the Black Country’s most feared crooner.

Now 2007: Black Rain (Epic) is, according to Ozzy Osbourne, the first album he’s ever recorded sober. To date it has clocked up an incredible 500,000-plus sales worldwide after debuting at number three on America’s Billboard charts. But is it really that good?

The answer is yes. Right from the off we recognise the trademark slick production, the Zakk Wylde riffage and the confidence of a partnership which has delivered many of the best metal records in the past two decades. These two are the odd couple of rock but when the sparks fly their relationship brings about some of the classiest tunes you’ll hear.

The first single off Black Rain, the evocative I Don’t Wanna Stop, was released via ozzy.com prior to the record’s full release and as a weapon of mass attraction it fired Osbourne back into the mainstream after six years without a new record. For all the Ozzfests and reality TV shows, the Prince Of Darkness needed to prove he could still wriet songs. This rabid beast of a record proves he can.

Top tracks include Black Rain, Lay Your World On Me and Here For You - any or all of which would sit comfortably on one of Ozzy’s late 80s/early 90s commercial successes. The main man may talk about this record moving into the domain of industrial and thrash metal but to us it’s just plain old heavy metal in the vein of what Ozzy always did best.

If you missed it you missed out.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Os-bourne Winner.

…And Then 1991: No More Tears (Epic) gave us a glimpse of Ozzy the arch marketeer as he bought into the hair metal revolution and released a record of the time without compromising on his classic rock roots.

Produced by Duane Baron and John Purdell, this is the album where Ozzy is successfuly rebranded and totally transformed into an MTV-friendly balladeer. The anthemic Mama I’m Comin’ Home catapulted the Prince Of Darkness into the multi-media big league and proved that even alleged Devil-worshippers have a softer side.

Randy Castillo’s drums are right on the button throughout but the epic title track allows every single member of Osbourne’s hired hands to demonstrate their worth. With writing credits galore from Motorhead’s Lemmy there was always going to be a hard enough edge to keep the metal fans happy but No More Tears is all about Osbourne reaching out to the record buying public at large.

It worked and to date this essential album has gone quadruple platinum. No wonder elements of a true work of rock art are obvious on 2007’s brilliant Black Rain – if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. 

rushonrock rated: 9/10 No More Metal?

Here at rushonrock we love to dig deep into our metal closet and pull out a gem from the past – before comparing it to the current output from one of our favourite late 80s artists. This week we focus on US stars Great White who are back doing what they do best following a tragic recent history.

Now: 2007 Back To The Rhythm (Frontiers) sees frontman Jack Russell remind the rock buying public that just because you’re named after a small dog doesn’t mean you don’t boast the perfect set of pipes. Forget the jibes about barking, growling and yelping – this record reinforces the view of those in the know that Great White deserved more than their second division status at a time when the likes of Cinderella and Poison were tearing through the Billboard Hot 100.

The title track sets the tone for a slick and sleazy album which gets better and better with every fresh listen. Still Hungry isn’t anything to do with Twisted Sister but still establishes itself as a modern rock anthem and Take Me Down is typical Russell as he once again revels in his role as classic rock troubador. The UK bonus track is a belting cover of 30 Days In The Hole and wraps up a heart warming set from one of the most underrated bands in rock.

If you caught Great White at Newcastle’s Carling Academy II this year you’re a canny judge. The set rocked, the old classics were pure gold dust and the tunes showcased from Back To The Rhythm more than held their own against a strong back catalogue. Here’s hoping for more of the same in 2009.  

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Back To The Great

…And Then: 1989 …Twice Shy (Capitol) went top 10 in Great White’s native America and took the band to the brink of superstardom. Featuring the pumped-up production of Alan Niven and Michael Lardie, the natural successor to Once Bitten… is chock full of glossy soft rock anthems perfect for the peak of the hair metal movement.

A competent if unspectacular cover of Ian Hunter’s Once Bitten Twice Shy was always likely to overshadow a batch of brilliant originals but at least that hit gave Russell and co. their way into the big leagues. House Of Broken Love sees the band unleash their full array of songwriting skills and The Angel Song is, to this day, one of the standout lighter-waving standards of an era when big productions and big emotions won the hearts of millions of MTV fans worldwide.

What should have been the springboard for greater commercial success ultimately became a millstone around the neck of these All-American heroes and it’s taken the best part of 20 years for Great White to recover. But without this record you’re missing a vital part of your hair metal history. Expect a reissue sometime soon.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Shy Bairns Get Nowt

It’s time to go back to the future on rushonrock and this week we’re taking a look at the heavier stuff in the shape of Bay Area thrash legends Death Angel. Often overlooked but potentially better than Metallica, these guys really rocked…and still do!

Now…2008: Killing Season (Nuclear Blast) proved there was still plenty of life left in the old thrash beast as Death Angel followed up 2004’s The Art Of Dying with a record which better reflected their talents as purveyors of very loud and yet truly melodic thrash metal.

In a year when Metallica and Trivium would both grab the headlines with thumping new releases, this varied album fell by the wayside and yet it remains one of rushonrock’s records of the year.

Mixing the trademark power of DA’s renowned rhythm section with vocal sections which fully showcase singer Mark Osegueda’s magnificent range, it’s a sensational return to top form. 

Tracks like Lord Of Hate and The Noose grip the listener with their sheer intensity but album closer Resurrection Machine offers the best evidence yet that DA are back in a very big way. It’s classic thrash with an epic feel and stands out as the key track on this landmark release.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Killing Time

…And Then 1990: Act III (Geffen) is often viewed by fans of the thrash genre as inferior to 1988’s Frolic Through The Park and yet it boasts some of the best heavy metal writing you’ll ever come across as Death Angel mature into a genuinely frightening music machine.

The atmopsheric opener Seemingly Endless Time sticks long and hard in the memory but things get bigger, better and more bombastic as the record develops. Max Norman’s production brings the best out of the band and A Room With A View is as good as anything any of DA’s thrash peers produced – Metallica included.

The very term thrash might put off the average rushonrock reader but we don’t care how loud a record is as long as it rocks. And there are enough unique melodies and hummable hooks scattered across Act III to make even the most hardened sceptic sit up and take notice.

If you fancy dipping in then try Veil Of Deception for size. It’s track number three and it is an all encompassing DA song which should have you demanding more. If not then what the hell’s wrong with ya!!!

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Act Of God

It’s that time of the week when we dust off an old classic from our fave late 80s/early 90s era and match it up to the latest release from a red hot artist. And today we go all widdly diddly in search of air guitar heaven…

Now 2008: Perpetual Flame (Rising Force Records) is the return of axe maestro Yngwie Malmsteen and his ever-changing Rising Force roster.

These days Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens is the man behind the mic and he’s actually pretty impressive as he fights for a profile in amongst crazy classical licks and self-centered solos. More of a metal singer than some of the melodic Rising Force crooners from the past, the former Judas Priest man successfully manages to stamp his mark on a rather good record.

It’s fair to say the boy Malmsteen has been in steady decline since his career-defining Odyssey record but in Live To Fight (Another Day) and Priest Of The Unholy there is enough evidence to suggest the fret-burning Swede is back.

If those of you who saw Yngwie on his recent UK tour remain unconvinced then check out Perpetual Flame and it’s possible you’ll fall back in love with everybody’s favourite showman.

So the Rising Force are never going to recreate the Joe Lynn Turner glory days but that was a feisty relationship never meant to last. But if Owens can stay the course longer than his predecessors then this could be the start of a new golden era for malmsteen fans everywhere.

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Force Rises Again

…And Then 1988: Odyssey (Polydor) is the best thing Yngwie ever produced. And he’s spent the last 20 years running away from the fact that he should never have parted company with the singer who complemented his talents better than most.

In former Deep Purple vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, the multi-talented Malmsteen unearthed a singer whose deep melodic tones proved a perfect match for some serious fret-burning action. Heaven Tonight was one of the hair metal anthems of 1988 but there was pure class stamped right across this definitive record.

Dreaming (Tell Me), Deja Vu and Crystal Ball are all outstanding compositions, mixing Turner’s addictive tones with some incredibly technical musicianship. This was a marriage made in rock heaven and Malmsteen was far too quick to walk away when his cohort became disillusioned.

The mind boggles at what this dynamic duo could have produced had they patched things up. As things stand this truly outstanding album remains a monument to a hair metal dream team cruelly ripped apart by creative differences.

rushonrock rated: 10/10 Just Malmazing

Here at rushonrock we have a habit of coming over all nostalgic and this time we just can’t get those Hollywood heroes Motley Crue out of our heads. So sit back and enjoy the post which celebrates the new sounds of old favourites and recalls their 1980s classics.

Now 2008: Saints Of Los Angeles (Motley) is supposed to be a return to form by Vince and the boys but the jury’s out on one of the most cliched and cringeworthy records of the year.

Of course it boasts Motley Crue’s trademark sleaze grinder sound and the vocals are actually 20 times better than you could possibly expect from a frontman who has surely seen better days. But titles like Motherfucker Of The Year and Chicks = Trouble simply serve to make your toes curl and your stomach churn.

Now it’s not as if tunes like Dr Feelgood or Girls, Girls, Girls were designed to get you thinking but the Crue’s latest record is mind-numbingly blatant even by their simplistic standards. Worst of all, on Saints Of Los Angeles it just doesn’t sound like the boys are having fun or, after a tumultuous history and too many reality TV checks, they will ever do.

Like Kiss before them it seems Motley Crue have become a multi-million pound business at the expense of being a good-time rock and roll band. At least they’re releasing new material but if this is the best they can do then maybe they just shouldn’t bother.

rushonrock rated: 4/10 Rock Saints Become Sinners

…And Then 1987: Girls, Girls, Girls (Elektra) sat right at the heart of the hair metal revolution and it’s finer moments ranked alongside anything that new releases by Def Leppard, Whitesnake or Guns ‘N’ Roses could offer.

This party album was released in a vintage year for MTV-friendly rock when big hair and big videos were just as vital as big chords and even bigger choruses. Those who predicted the one-domensional Crue would already have imploded by 1987 were rocked back on their heels as Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and co. produced their most outstanding record to date.

Anthemic songs like the title track and Wild Side are wonderful examples of how, at their creative best, this band could really kick ass. And in the case of uber-ballad You’re All I Need it’s even possible to argue a case for the Crue crafting the odd tune with true emotional depth.

Follow-up Dr Feelgood might have been Girls, Girls, Girls with added polish but the latter is the perfect Motley Crue record. Raw enough to get the adrenaline pumping but packed full of radio-friendly hooks it’s impossible to imagine the four piece ever bettering this heroic effort.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Boys Like Girls

Here we go again and this week it’s only apt that we continue to spread the Scorpions’ feelgood factor in our regular look at our favourite records from the late 80s and early 90s – and their modern-day rivals for our affections.

Now: 2007 Humanity: Hour 1 (BMG) sees a bunch of old blokes with a huge back catalogue prove there’s still a sting in the tail of the Scorpions.

In an age when the concept record is suddenly cool again our favourite Tuetonic terrors get their teeth into 12 typically emotive slabs of melodic rock and leave fans gripped from start to finish.

The Scorpions, of course, have always had a social conscience and whether they’re whistling about the fall of Communism or taking a serious look at our global future they manage to do so with a certain panache. And this outstanding record is chock full of enough hook-laden tunes to ensure there’s no need to buy into the full concept every time.

We Were Born To Fly and You’re Lovin’ Me To Death are deliciously Scorpions as Klaus Meine stands toe-to-toe with fellow veteran crooners David Coverdale and Joe Lynn Turner in the battle for vocal supremacy. This is a record to impress the band’s 70s die-hards, their 80s fanatics and the Johnny-come-latelies of the Wind Of Change-era 90s.

More significantly it proves there is a place for the Scorpions almost a decade into the 21st century – even if an often sobering album suggests that place is going to pot.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Scorp Blimey!

…And Then: 1990 Crazy World (Mercury) is the ballad-packed smash hit record which secured the Scorpions a new global fan base on the back of a classic song with a whistled melody.

Wind Of Change is, to this day, the one song music fans will point to when asked to name a tune by Germany’s biggest-selling rock band. And yet Send Me An Angel, from the same album, is the superior lighter-waving anthem – even if it lacks Klaus Meine’s pursed lips and a political message.

At a time when hair metal ruled, this Keith Olsen-produced opus was up there alongside anything Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Motley Crue or Aerosmith could manage. The ballads aside there were enough formulaic Scorpions rockers to keep the band’s increasingly disbelieving fan base at bay – although there is no doubt this album divided opinion right down the middle.

For those of us who like our production slick, our choruses big and our guitar solos crisp and catchy there’s an argument to say this is the best thing the Scorpions ever did. But it’s no surprise that a band rooted in superior late 70s/early 80s melodic rock was able to rise to the challenge of the MTV generation and lay down their own marker in an era when looks weren’t everything.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Top Of The World

It’s back! The nostalgic arm of rushonrock marries the best of today’s new releases with our favourite albums of yesteryear and this time we dip into the domain of the live album. As a genre the live record is a hit and miss affair but some bands know how to hit the mark – again and again and again…

Now: 2008 Snakes And Arrows Live (Atlantic) is the end-game to Rush’s latest release and world tour which saw Geddy, Neal and Alex take a truly remarkable record across the world. Stopping off in Newcastle en route, and with roasted chickens in tow, the prog rock maestros thrilled hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe with faultless performances night in, night out.

What you get on Snakes And Arrows Live is the band’s Rotterdam show recorded in all its glory and on two CDs there’s enough room to pack in 27 new standards and old classics. Whether The Main Monkey Business floats your boat (and it is rushonrock’s fave new Rush song bar none) or you prefer a Tom Sawyer backed trip down memory lane you’ll find more highlights here than in David Coverdale’s hair circa 1987.

Check out the 2008 version of Subdivisions and you could be excused for thinking you’ve been missing something all these years. Listen to Mission and you might even get down off your high horse and accept Hold Your Fire was a brilliant record after all (we’ve always suspected as much).

It takes a lot for a live album to make us sit up and take notice, let alone play more than once. But Snakes And Arrows Live is the kind of record that has you coming back for more – like that little rock chick you used to know from the Mayfair with the smudged eyeliner and quirky skirts…

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Rush Out And Buy This Now!

…And Then 1989: A Show Of Hands (PolyGram) is the often overlooked live Rush record which, like a good red wine, simply improves with age.

In this day and age of 5.1 sound and high definition it’s difficult to draw a direct comparison between the band’s live records of today and their legacy from the past. Our battered rushonrock copy comes on two slabs of vinyl within a gatefold sleeve so straight away some of Rush’s trademark production quality is lost.

On the flipside there’s a certain atmosphere about this record and the fact that it brings together performances from five cities on both sides of The Pond shouldn’t detract from the listening experience. Rather than settle on one show and take the risk that certain songs could be substandard, a more sensible approach means fans get to hear the best versions of the best songs from the Hold Your Fire tour.

And there are plenty. Again there’s only half as many to choose from as you get with Snakes And Arrows Live but there’s only so much quality you can squeeze onto 20-year-old vinyl. Again you can’t look much further than Subdivisions (recorded in Birmingham, UK) for an obvious highlight but we just love Time Stand Still. It remains a statement of its time for a new generation of Rush fans and sounds suitably awesome belted out live.

Wrapping up the B-side of the second record with Red Sector A and Closer To The Heart brings a brilliant set list to the perfect conclusion. Rush in 2008 might be peerless as production kings but for a raw and more rounded view of the band you simply must buy this record (on vinyl, if you can).

rushonrock rated: 9/10 A Show Of Strength