Whether you want to check out vintage Saxon (pictured) in the shape of expanded editions of three of the band’s often overlooked 80s standards or US Saxon-alikes Keel we slate and rate ‘em right here.

There’s the brilliant Bruce Kulick and his start-studded BK3 album plus a thrilling hair metal throwback as Wig Wam return to take on allcomers.

Frontiers standard-bearers Murder Of My Sweet bid for your listening pelasure and Kerrang! tour headliners All Time Low show their softer side with an acoustic mini album. Enjoy.

Wig Wam – Non Stop Rock N Roll (Frontiers)

Where Steel Panther choose to parody hair metal these guys fly the flag with meaning and this magnificent record deserves its place at the forefront of the genre’s vibrant revival. Every song is soaked in killer riffs, cool-as-fuck choruses and enough spandex to squeeze the life out of your most experienced rocker.

Referencing Europe, Leppard, the Crue and Van Halen before three quarters of Non Stop Rock N Roll is out is some achievement and yet the Wigs manage it with ease. C’Mon Everybody‘s Dr Feelgood-esque rhythm is a winner and Eddie Van Halen would be proud of the licks which kncok All You Wanted into shape.

We’ve always dismissed these Scando pop metal masters as a crazy gimmick due to their silly name and even sillier stunts. But this is brilliant stuff and an absolute must for any fan of late 80s rock excess.

rushonrock rated: 10/10 Wig Wam Thank You Mam

All Time Low – MTV Unplugged (Hopeless Records)

Underwhelmed by the US buzz band’s latest studio offering we weren’t expecting much from this six track acoustic sampler timed to coincide with their headline slot on the latest Kerrang! tour. But (All Time) Low and behold those pretty pop punk boys have gone and blown us away with their softer side and the four piece suddenly look a whole lot more impressive.

Dear Maria, Count Me In is a pretty cool track anyway but stripped down and allowed to breathe it takes on a whole new life. Closing the mini set with this ATL standard is predictable enough but leaves the listener aching for more. Coffee Shop Soundtrack actually sounds better in its acoustic guise than as a full metal racket and soon you start to wonder whether this is the way forward for one of the brightest new bands on the planet.

It’s unlikely the bar stools and tambourine will make an appearance on the Kerrang! tour but perhaps they should. Rock fans deserve the odd lighter moment and that’s why the MTV series should be a big success all over again.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 All Time High

Bruce Kulick – BK3 (Frontiers)

If slick as oil axe work and riffs to cut through steel are your bag then the new solo album by Bruce ‘Kiss’ Kulick is absolutely guaranteed to hit the spot. In fact his collaboration with Toto’s Steve Lukather on the instrumental Between The Lines is just one bloody good reason for buying this record on Monday morning. But there are many more.

Like Heart/Bad Company’s Howard Leese before him, chord cruncher Kulick has invited a number of sstar guests to complement his work on the outstanding BK3. And just like Leese, he’s seen a good album morph into a great one thanks to the input of Gene Simmons, Tobias Sammet, Eric Singer and more.

Simmons takes his Sonic Boon form into the anthemic Ain’t Gonna Die and Sammet joins forces with Singer on I’m The Animal to deliver the perfect post-80s pop metal classic. A joy of a record from start to finish.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Bruce Kool Licks

The Murder Of My Sweet – Divanity (Frontiers)

As far as new bands go this bunch of symph rock wannabes are the next big thing as far as Frontiers are concerned. Sadly a label known for getting it right more often than not has made a Meat Loaf-sized blunder by signing The Murder Of My Sweet.

There’s little doubt singer Angelica Rylin has the face to launch a thousand record sales and her voice is decent enough. But that’s where the positive comments end.

Aping Within Temptation, Evanescence and Nightwish – but never consistently matching the aforementioned bands’ better material – TMOMS clearly have grand visions and a whole lot of ambition. But forgetable tracks like Kiss Of Death and Bleed Me Dry lack the spark to make a lasting impact in an increasingly congested rock opera market. In a word it’s bland. And that’s a bad adjective for any band.

rushonrock rated: 5/10 The Murder Of My Metal

Saxon – Innocence Is No Excuse Expanded Edition (EMI)

This Simon Hanhart-produced slab of reconstructed NWOBHM was the first sign of Saxon’s move towards mainstream rock and manages to marry the best of the band’s early promise with an ambitious approach to cracking the world market. Tracks like the mammoth Back On The Streets and Rock N Roll Gypsy really stand the test of time but one tune stands out above the rest.

Broken Heroes is brilliant stuff and deals with Saxon’s favourite staple subject – war and conflict with a feintly political edge. So that’s the original material remastered but what about the extras? As with all of the Saxon reissues there’s a treasure trove of fan friendly fare with the Back On The Streets 12 inch mix and Hammersmith ’85 concert version proving just how powerful this song really was – and still is.

Twenty-five years on and Innocence Is No Excuse deserves greater respect within the cannon of a truly important British metal band. Revisit and enjoy.

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Unfamiliarity Is No Excuse

Saxon – Rock The Nations Expanded Edition (EMI)

Barnsley’s finest have always been incredibly prolific and at a time when it was pretty common for bands (unless you were Def Leppard) to put out new records at least once a year this patchy effort followed hot on the heels of Innocence…

The titanic title track is pure Biff Byford bombast and hints at a powerful retunr to the band’s NWOBHM roots. In fact the 1986 release jumps from one style to the next and neither builds on the best bits of its predecessor nor breaks new ground.

Waiting For The Night is a neat enough ballad but Party ‘Til You Puke is far from Saxon’s finest moment screaming filler from start to finish. Closer Northern Lady is a rootsy Whitesnake-inspired piece and possibly the pick of the bunch. But of course there’s more and 24 years down the line fans get a three-song blast of the band’s Reading 1996 set plus two tracks recorded in Madrid – including the classic Dallas 1pm and originally featured on the Northern Lady B-side. Now that is worth getting your hands on.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Limited Sax Appeal

Saxon – Destiny Expanded Edition (EMI)

A certain classic rock magazine review states this was something  of a career low point for one of the kings of the NWOBHM. But if you got into rock around the mid 80s and love your hair metal this might very well be the best Saxon record you’ve ever heard.

The band’s most recent efforts might lean more towards their bombastic late 70s birth but there are clear nods towards 1988′s much criticised rebirth. So this might be more Leppard than Maiden but it’s a cracking listen nonetheless.

Opening up with the Christopher Cross classic Ride Like The Wind was a gamble but Biff’s Barnsley growl breathes new life into the track and sets the tone for a smooth and accomplished snapshot of great British rock. I Can’t Wait Anymore is a pleasing enough ballad and, once again, Biff copes with the key changes with admirable ease. SOS and Red Alert might labour the emergency angle but both are powerful metal songs given that late 80s production gloss. If you missed – or dismissed – this first time around don’t make the same mistake twice.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Biff-tastic

Keel – Streets Of Rock N Roll (Frontiers)

In the same week the latest raft of Saxon albums are reissued, Biff Byford-alike Ron Keel returns to the rock scene with a polished reminder of just why his band were the next big thing in America 25 years ago. Recent shows at the likes of Rocklahoma have served to inspire a revival in all things Keel and this competent slice of hard rock suggests this is a band which still has plenty to say in 2010.

Keel’s controlled screech apart, the best thing about this record is the twin guitar jousting of the majestic Marc Ferrari and Bryan Jay. Razor sharp solos and blues-soaked riffs underpin an excellent return to form with the Leppard-Van Halen hybrid title track taking some beating. Ballad Does Anyone Believe is pure rock cheese and yet Devil May Care (But I Don’t) is a blistering soft metal anthem.

Where Keel go from here is anyone’s guess but up and up is our considered bet.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Streets Ahead

Keel – Right To Rock 25th Anniversary Edition (Frontiers)

Produced by Kiss legend Gene Simmons and the fastest-selling A&M Records debut, this lesson in mid 80s pop metal pre-empted a stab at MTV domination and worldwide acclaim.

Keel achieved both, to an extent, but a series of high profile support slots for the likes of Bon Jovi and Motley Crue never led to headline glory of their own. Which is strange – because this wild and willing effort suggests Keel should have been huge.

Perhaps frontman Ron Keel’s husky growl wasn’t quite what the major label bosses and en vogue promoters were looking for in the end but he’s in fine form on Right To Rock, Back To The City and Get Down. There’s a brand new market for Keel’s hard rock heaven in 2010 and who knows? This could be Ron’s biggest year to date. Let’s hope so.

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Keel For This

And 30 years after the UK spawned metal for the masses, Biff Byford is still fronting one of the nation’s best-loved acts as Saxon go from strength to strength.

Out on tour with fellow metal monsters Anvil, it’s time we took a look behind the scenes with one of rock’s finest frontmen.

On your iPod: I’m listening to the Black Spiders’ four track EP. It’s brilliant stuff from a new British band. I’ve also been catching up on some old Rose Tattoo after I discovered their guitarist was diagnosed with liver cancer. There’s a new band I’m into called Pythia – a London version of Nightwish. 

Small Screen Pleasure: When I watch TV it’s mostly films with my kids. I’ve got twin boys and we watch a load of action movies. I’ve just read the new Dan Brown book and I’m looking forward to seeing that on film.

Making a meal of it: Anything Indian.

Drivetime: I’ve got a Volvo C90 right now. It’s a great car.

Ace place: I lived in Tenerife for a month not too long ago and loved it there.

Dream destination: It’s got to be China. We’re trying to go there next year. We’ve been offered a few shows – it’s just working it all out.

Nickname shame: Biff, funnily enough.

In a bumper week for new releases we also check out the newie from trad metal stars 3 Inches Of Blood, bizarre label mates iwrestledabearonce and Chuck Ragan‘s impressive solo offering. Plus there’s the new records by Cain’s Offering and Outloud. Now, what to spend that spare tenner on…

Stryper – Murder By Pride (Frontiers Records)

It’s not the first time we’ve said this about a new record in 2009 but when you’re looking to make a big impression after some time away, why kick things off with the worst of your latest tunes? Compared to the rest of the fantastic retro fare served up by Stryper, opener Eclipse For The Sun is an absolute shocker sounding more amateur punk rock than classy hair metal.

Thankfully things take an immediate turn for the better in the shape of 4 Leaf Clover and Peace Of Mind and, if I Believe is just a little too tacky even for a Christian rock band, it could be hewn from any classic late 80s disc.

Vocalist Michael Sweet’s trademark whine is an acquired taste but for those of us who acquired it back in the days of In God We Trust this is a remarkable return to form. Let’s just pray for more of the same.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Sweet Earns Strypes

The Used – Artwork (Warner Bros.)

Pop or rock, quality or clueless? It’s hard to judge The Used these days as fourth album Artwork only serves to throw the cat amongst the proverbial pigeons.

The heavier, darker moments on this diverse record are definite highlights and maybe Mr McCracken and his buddies have found their long-term future. In harking back to familiar metal-lite melodies and Chesney Hawkes-style cheese, The Used suddenly sound tired and dated.

Opener Blood On My Hands hints at a vibrant record to come but Empty With You is lacking both emotion and a hummable hook. Men Are All The Same is the magic moment and the standard these guys must strive for moving forward.

rushonrock rated: 7/10 Used’s Good

3 Inches Of Blood – Here Waits Thy Doom (Century Media)

Marvelous stuff from the Canadian metal crew who sound like an Iron Maiden tribute band padded out by Judas Priest riffs and Anvil-esque playfulness. If 2007′s Fire Up The Blades was the beginning of something special for the kings of retro rock then Here Waits Thy Doom will go down in history as the defining record of this band’s entire career.

From the off it takes no prisoners – Battles And Brotherhood is a rolicking affair likely to make Turisas jealous and send Saxon fans into a frenzy. From that glorious moment onwards you know you’re in for the heavy metal ride of your life and if your neck’s not aching come the conclusion of the epic Preacher’s Daughter then you’re just not doing it right (head banging, that is).

3 Inches Of Blood deserve to be so much bigger than they are – at least a foot – and this record fulfils years of obvious potential. In the same class as any Maiden record from the mid-80s and a must-buy for all you NWOBHM nuts.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Blood Thirsty

Outloud – Outloud (Frontiers Records)

Think the very best in melodic rock, fused with a touch of old school blues and you have one of the most refreshing new records of the year.

If you’re a big fan of big production and big licks with a nod to the late 80s then you’ll love everything about this remarkably accomplished album. After a couple of cracking tracks it’s clear this is high quality stuff but Tonight confirms it – 20 years ago this would have been a made-for-MTV bona fide chart buster. But then comes the first ballad and This Broken Heart is lighter-waving heaven with its soaring vocals and sensational solo. Phew.

So it might all be a bit dated for rock fans living in the here and now but if you’re a nostalgic sort who demands nothing but the best then this record will satisfy your every need.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Out Of This World 

iwrestledabearonce – It’s All Happening (Century Media)

Maybe it hasn’t helped these US misfits that their record is released on a week chock full of genuine rock highlights or maybe their music really is that bad, after all.

Imagine Bjork trying to make some sort of vocal impression against a backdrop of elctro-fuelled grind and you get some idea (or maybe you don’t) of just how dreadul this album is. Danger In The Manger is supposed to be one of IWABO’s better tunes but if that racket was in any manger near me I’d warn Mary, Joseph et al to steer well clear. 

Maybe we’re old fashioned but we believe music still requires some kind of melody and structure – even Motorhead understand this basic – but this is one horrible mish mash of totally unsuitable styles.

The coffee Revel of this week’s new releases.

rushonrock rated: 3/10 Try Wrestling A Guitar Lesson

Cain’s Offering – Gather The Faithful (Frontiers Records)

Imagine a lighter, less tribal version of 3 Inches Of Blood and you’re part way towards understanding Cain’s Offering with their focus on historical fantasy and attention to polished production values.

Songs like opener My Queen Of Winter and the title track are very clever, artfully arranged and clearly capable of making an impression in the congested symphonic metal market. But they just don’t grab you by the throat and ignite the passion required to stand out form the crowd.

Nothing about this record is bad. But sometimes it’s good to be bad and these guys don’t appear to have an antagonistic bone in their bodies. Nice stuff but since when was metal meant to be nice…

rushonrock rated: 5/10 Average Offering

Chuck Ragan – Gold Country (Side One Dummy)

This is a golden era for emotive singer songwriters and just as Frank Turner’s beginning to make a big noise Stateside along comes Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan to present a stern challenge to the former Million Dead man’s quest for global domination.

Expecting very little from this under-hyped record we cam away believing Gold Country could be the slow burner of 2009. Packed with country rock tradition and proving Ragan’s credentials as an endearing storyteller there’s a clever mix of personal touches and social commentary.

Get ‘Em All Home might have been better placed on Queensryche’s latest, American Soldier, but it’s a strong anti-war anthem all the same. Yet for sheer surprise value check out Chuck’s Done And Done - deep stuff and a more than decent tune. 

rushonrock rated: 8/10 Gold Standard

With lead singer Maria Brink showing her softer side and melodic twists mixed with the band’s early metalcore there has never been a better time to catch up with one of this year’s buzz bands.

They’ll be back to play Download in the summer but rushonrock put drummer Jeff Fabb and guitar god Blake Bunzell on the spot before they headed out of Britain.

rushonrock: The album’s just come out in the UK but the folks back home have had plenty of time to get used to The Dream. What’s the reaction been?

Jeff Fabb: It’s done well. As far as our first week of sales go it doubled in sales compared to Beautiful Tragedy so that was really good.

Blake Bunzell: Playing live gives us a good idea of how it’s gone down and a lot of the fans are coming to shows and singing all of the words. They’re really latching onto it and it’s really awesome to see just how much people are digging the new material.

rushonrock: You clearly weren’t affected buy the dreaded second album syndrome.

JF: The way we got to record the Dream was really great. The producer we hooked up with – Kevin Chirko – is amazing. He did the last Ozzy record. He worked under Mutt Lange for years and a lot of the recording skills and the things they used to do together he does now. There’s a lot of separation with the drums and things and it was just a really cool process. We got to live in his old house and recorded in his old place. We had our own house to live in and a pool outside…

rushonrock: It sounds like a tough life…

JF: It was nice.

BB: Yeah, our first record we were all in one hotel room in Jersey – which I’m not knocking – and it was all very fast.

JF: We had to get up at the crack of dawn and drive this little car to the studio. This way we’d wake up and just be able to relax on site and head straight into work.

BB: We could have a swim and a glass of wine and get back to work. It was just so flexible. Working with Kevin – he was definitely very easy to do a job with. He knew all of our strengths and he brought out the best in us. It was awesome to have a producer who wanted to experiment with so many different things and push the boundaries. He had so many ideas and was willing to try out anything. He became our friend as much as our producer.

rushonrock: The new record is a far more melodic release. Was this a conscious decision or did time allow you to do more second time around?

JF: It was kinda both. It wasn’t as if we thought we needed to write a certain kind of record or do this or that. It was just what evolved at the time. Towards the end of the Beautiful Tragedy tour cycle we were already playing a lot of the new songs live so we were already experimenting with new ways in which we could do things. Maria is an awesome singer and she can sing as well as scream. We were like hey let’s expand on some of that and utilise her talents.

rushonrock: Maria can certainly sing and a lot of people have been surprised at how she’s taken her career forward on the new record.

JF: I suppose it just happened and then when we brought our ideas to Kecvin he just ran with them and everything evolved to become the finished record that is The Dream.

rushorock: So how did Give It A name fit in with your 2009 touring schedule?

JF: We’ve already been out with Mudvayne and Five Finger Death Punch in the USA and now we’re heading off to Japan.

BB: And then we’re heading back to the UK for Download which will be incredible. We’re doing the Faith No More day which will rock and it’s fair to say we can’t wait.

JF: I’m looking forward to Classic Rock Sunday! I just love all that Leppard, Whitesnake, Journey stuff!

rushonrock: Do you get festivals in the US with such a variety of bands spread over three days?

BB: Not really. There’s a few one-offs but nothing at that level or featuring that calibre of act. Download is very special for In This Moment. It’s a pleasure to go back to playing there and that, to me, is one of those festivals that really gets your juices flowing.

JF: In 2007 Download was a huge experience for us. That was the biggest crowd we’d ever played in front of at that time and it was really, really special.

rushonrock: In the UK it’s viewed as the best rock festival of the summer. How’s it viewed worldwide?

JF: I’d say it’s up there in the top two or three on the planet. Everybody I ever talk to only has good things to say about it and everyone’s always very excited and surprised when we tell them we’re playing there. I can’t wait to watch the other bands. That’s the other thing about these festivals it’s just so cool to see all of those bands. It’s exciting enough to be playing but to have a few beers and watch all those big names – it’s a dream come true. We don’t have anywhere we need to be after our set so we’ll be catching all the action.

rushonrock: So who were your influences as kids?

JF: I grew up with Motley Crue, Leppard, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, Pantera – all that stuff. I also listened to some jazz and stuff like that. That’s how it was for me.

BB: I used to listen to whatever my dad was listening to. The Doors, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin – whatever was on in the house. I only just recently got into metal – in the past four or five years – because of the guys in this band. I kinda started getting into it after they recruited me and they started telling me to listen to Maiden or to listen to Whitesnake or Dokken. All these bands I’d never come across suddenly came my way and it was like wow – what have I been missing!

rushonrock: So what are the pros and cons of boasting a beautiful female singer?

JF: I’ll lay down all the positives and Blake can deal with the negatives!

BB: No, I’ll look at the benefits. You can look at the fact that Maria can put In This Moment on many different magazine covers or in many different issues – Playboy being one of them. We have a beautiful frontwoman who can make us more accessible to more people. As a singer she has such a huge range so it means our music can appeal to all sorts of different crowds. She can sing soft melodies and go all the way to screaming.

JF: There are those people still out there who have certain prejudices and preconceptions and it is what it is. We’re just trying to ram it down your throat. Only joking! It’s really surprising in this day and age that there is this kind of prejudice. I never had that view when I was a kid. When Lita Ford released her solo stuff in 80s I was a fan. I was into it. I never looked at it from the point of view that ‘here’s a girl singer, that’s so stupid’. I just liked the music. She was rockin. And she was hot. So that didn’t hurt!

rushonrock: Does it help that the likes of Nightwish and Lacuna Coil are out there, doing well and being accepted for their music rather than as bands with female singers?

JF: Oh yeah. For a generation of fans now women fronting bands is just part of the rock scene. There’s no real cons as far as I’m concerned. We’re just a band and Maria is a girl singer. She rocks. We rock. Or at least I hope we do. That’s pretty much it.

rushonrock: So what does the future hold for ITM?

JF: We’re already talking about ideas for the next record. Blake’s really good at coming up with a lot of cool riffs which we can bounce off. There’s a huge temptation to use Kevin in the production seat again. We love him. He’s the sixth member of the band.

All these questions and more popped into my head during an intense 30-minute set by US metallers In This Moment in front of a sparse Newcastle crowd this week. On a four band bill they were the only act I was interested in and that was due, in no small part, to the fact that vocalist Maria Brink looks as good as she sounds.

That, of course, is the point. If ITM’s small but perfectly formed lead singer couldn’t hold a tune or hit a note there would be little future for a band only just beginning to break into the rock mainstream.

There are only so many gigs a band can play based on image alone – even the enduring Alice Cooper (a man, btw) admits gimmickry can only get you so far. Women in rock might get ahead more quickly (some would argue the exact opposite is true) but their longevity, like that of their male counterparts, lies in an ability to add substance to the style.

Back in the heyday of hair metal when, ironically enough, men often looked more like women than women, examples of hard rocking eye candy were ten a penny. With a blonde perm and tight leather trousers it was easy to bag MTV rotation and glossy photo shoots by the dozen – just ask the likes of Lisa Dominique and Femme Fatale’s Lorraine Lewis. But neither commanded a vocal range to match their wardrobes and the duo swiftly disappeared without trace.

But that’s not to say there was a dearth of quality in amongst an incredible quantity of female rock star wannabes. Ex-Runaways Lita Ford and Joan Jett delivered the full package – as pleasing on the ears as they were on the eyes and their feisty back catalogues easily stand the test of time. Even so it’s impossible to imagine either enjoying such commercial success had they not possessed the most obvious of charms.

These days there is both quality and quantity when it comes to rock bands fronted by female singers and Ms Brink is just one glowing example. Nightwish and Lacuna Coil continue to set standards and neither band is now judged on its singer alone. The music is what defines their success and fusing soaring melodic metal with a female tone has become a recognised tool of the rock trade.

But could both bands be even bigger with men behind the mic? It would be naïve to suggest that prejudices still exist when it comes to judging female artists and for all the PR positives they bring to the table – the glossy covers, fashion shoots, personal appearances etc. – there are still vast swathes of the rock community who look at female vocalists and laugh.

Thanks to the multi-talented Maria and her ilk those opinions appear increasingly outdated. But would I have watched In This Moment had a sweaty bloke with a beard replaced the cute blonde in a pinafore dress. I guess I’ll never know.

We take a look at the music behind the image and give you the lowdown on what could be the rock and metal compilation of the year – Crobar Volume One.

But if that’s not enough then how about introducing some Italian glam metal into your life? If you always had a soft spot for bands like Poison, Ratt, Faster Pussycat and the ilk then you could just learn to love the Romans of Knyght. 

In This Moment – The Dream (Century Media Records)

The man responsible for producing what could be In This Moment’s breakthrough British release is the brains behind recent releases by none other than Britney Spears and Ozzy Osbourne. And whatever you feel about the pop chick gone bad or the rock god gone crazy, then both demand a polished sound befitting their status as musical royalty.

Chief knob twiddler Kevin Churko brings those high standards to The Dream and then some. Anyone familiar with In This Moment’s earlier work, and in particular the raw vocal style of frontwoman Maria Brink, will be blown away by just how cool, contemporary and cutting edge this bulldozer of a record sounds.

This is heavy metal for the 21st century and if you can imagine Iron Maiden crossed with Nightwish and a pinch of Priest or early Accept you’ll get the flavour of this fantastic statement of intent. Tracks like Forever, All For You and Into The Light hint at ITM’s enormous potential. And us lucky Brits get three bonus tracks! Brilliant.

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Maria’s Moment?

Crobar – Volume One (USM Media)

This is a little bit different from your usual rock and metal compilation – first and foremost because it’s bloody good. There are the commercial big hitters like Motorhead (No Class), Alice Cooper (Under My Wheels) and Lynryd Skynyrd (Gimme Back My Bullets) and all three bands are billed on the front of the box. But it’s what lies beneath which makes this two-CD package a must.

Culled from the jukebox of London watering hole and celebrity hangout Crobar, a 28-track collection showcases the likes of Exodus, The Answer, ZZ Top, Sacred Reich and Kyuss and throws them together with bands like Down, Witchcraft and Alice In Chains.

It’s brain-melting stuff but it keeps you on your toes. It’s pretty clear why this is Foo Fighter Dave Grohl’s favourite bar in the world and it could be yours too – even if you never, ever set foot in the place. Expect Volumes two and three to follow very soon…

rushonrock rated: 9/10 Worth Cro-ing About

Knyght – Bet Everything EP (Anko Music)

Italian rock is rolling along quite nicely these days but Knyght aren’t content to stay confined to the rock bars of Rome. This fun-loving five piece have already hot footed it to Munich to cut their first EP with producer Heiko Hinze (Motley Crue, Metal Church) and world domination is their next aim.

Conquering Europe, in the finest traditions of their forefathers, would appear to be a more sensible short term aim although there’s no doubt they could make a decent living in the bars of LA, sounding as they do like the bastasrd sons of Poison, Ratt and Faster Pussycat.

If ambition is Knyght’s buzzword then originality is not. But Hinze’s fine job behind the desk means this glam metal tribute sounds like the rock party soundtrack to 2009. So the faux-US accents tend to grind but tunes like A Million Times and Shut Up are too infectious to ignore. File under ones to watch.

rushonrock rated: 6/10 Good Knyght