Dead Winter Sun by Born Of Fire

Dead Winter Sun is the December 16, 2014 album by Phoenix, Arizona band Born Of Fire on the Pure Steel Records label, consisting of Gordon Tittsworth on vocals, Victor Morell on guitar and keyboards, Bobby Chavez on guitar, Michael Wolff on bass guitar, and Steve Dorssom on drums/percussion.  I was already a big fan of Gordon Tittsworth’s vocals from his work with Image Of Eden, so listening to this album is just as enjoyable.  This ten track album with powerful vocals and heavy guitar riffs features such great tracks as the title track Dead Winter Sun, The Last Goodbye, Spiritual Warfare, Echoes Of The Lost, Tears and so much more.  This album was well written, recorded, produced and performed.  You can purchase this great album from Amazon, Discogs, eBay, Pure Steel Records, and other outlets where CD’s and Vinyl are sold.

Archetype by Black Orchid Empire

Archetype is the November 11, 2016 debut album by London based trio Black Orchid Empire consisting of Paul Visser on guitar and vocals, Dave Ferguson on bass and vocals and Billy Freedom on drums.  Listening to this thirteen track album, I got addicted to this bands sound from the very first track Come In, and continued with such tracks as God Is Awake, This City, Bring Me The Horizon and much more.  I was impressed with the vocals (Paul Visser does a great job of managing to switch between smooth and rough screaming vocals in a relatively short space of time), their solid guitar riffs and their and their musical style as well as how well this debut album was written, recorded and produced.  I am looking forward to hearing more from this amazing band. Please take a listen to this album on Spotify and if you agree with me, you will want to purchase your copy from Amazon, Itunes, and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Towards The Light by Crimson Sun

As I approach the end of 2018 and reached my review goal, for my 1042^nd review, I am proud to go back to August 14, 2015, the date of the release of the amazing album Towards The Light by Kotka, Finland based band Crimson Sun, an female-fronted quintet that plays modern melodic metal with an in your face attitude on the Maple Metal Records label.  This great band consists of Sini Seppälä on vocals, Joni Junnila on guitars, Jukka Jauhiainen on bass, Miikka Hujanen on keyboards and Antti Rantavuo on drums.  After hearing the first track on this album The Storm, I became addicted to this band and enjoyed this album from start to finish with such tracks as Eye Of The Beholder, the title track Towards The Light, Portrait Of A Ghost, Clockwork Heart and much more.  I must hear more from this band and hear everything they have released so far.  This album was well written, recorded and performed.  I strongly recommend that you take a listen to this great album on Spotify, and after you hear this you will want to own your own copy of this album from Amazon, Itunes, Bandcamp and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Discreet Enemy by Poynte

Discreet Enemy is the July 10, 2015 album by Atlanta Georgia rockers Poynte, a five-piece band made up of Kenny Hathorne (vocals), Matt Bryant (guitar), Jake O’Donnell(guitar and vocals), Ben Greener (bass), and Josh Fulcher (drums).  This twelve track album showcases the bands driving guitar riffs, unclean vocals, and heavy drum beats with such tracks as Take Control, Hold On, Aberration, Coping, What Will It Take and so much more.  In addition to an amazing performance, I was impressed with how well this album was written, recorded and produced.  I am looking forward to hearing a whole lot more by this great band. From start to finish, I found each song to be just as infectious as the last, and I never stopped nodding my head. I definitely recommend picking up your own copy of Discreet Enemy over at Poynte’s Bandcamp page, Itunes, Amazon and other outlets.

1962–1966 (also known as “The Red Album”)and 1967–1970 (also known as “The Blue Album”) by The Beatles

This is my first time reviewing two albums at the same time.  The Beatles were broken up for a little more than three years when the 1962–1966 (also known as “The Red Album“)and 1967–1970 (also known as “The Blue Album“) compilations were released  April 2, 1973, on the Apple Records label.  They were merely what they appeared to be: collections of great songs by the greatest band that ever walked the earth.  The albums were initially a reaction against a four-record bootleg compilation called Alpha Omega (which I own in my library) that was sold on TV in 1972. This compilation strung together chronologically, with the Red album starting with 1963’s Love Me Do (the Please Please Me album version) which features such tracks as She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hard Day’s Night, Help, Paperback Writer and much more and Blue album ending with The Long and Winding Road (from 1970’s album Let It Be) and features such tracks as Strawberry Fields Forever, Hey Jude, Back In The U.S.S.R., Let It Be, Something and much more.  These two albums were well compiled, recorded, produced and performed and on vinyl, it is available in two formats, on the standard black vinyl, and for us collectors, on red and blue vinyl. I recommend these two albums for those with limited shelf space and want a decent collection of The Beatles music for their library.  It also available on CD and digital download formats.

 

Phenomena II: Dream Runner by Phenomena

Phenomena II: Dream Runner is the second album by Phenomena, a rock music concept formed by record producer Tom Galley and brother, Whitesnake guitarist Mel Galley released March 17, 2017, on the Wasabi Records label. This definitive edition has received a 2018 remaster and the booklet features new liner notes, including new comments from Tom Galley, along with alternative artwork, rare pictures and features the hit track Did It All For Love, as well as tracks Hearts On Fire, It Must Be Love, Surrender, Jukebox and much more.  This release was well recorded, produced, written, performed and is available from Amazon, Cherry Red Records, Discogs and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Catching Fire by The Symbols

Catching Fire is the latest album by The Symbols, a popular female-fronted blues/funk/rock trio from Fort Collins, Colorado consisting of guitarist Jasco (former guitar player for Grammy-nominated Blinddog Smokin’), vocalist/songwriter/bassist Mer Sal and Nate Brown on drums.  This album is a great combination of soothing vocals and great guitar riffs in a melting pot of blues-rock, urban funk, Motown roots, and soul with such tracks as Good For Me, the title track Catching Fire, Not Enough Love, Walk Beside Me, Our Song and so much more.  I am quite impressed with how well this album was recorded, produced, performed and written.  I am looking forward to hearing future releases from this band as well as their earlier work.  This great album is available from CD Baby, the band’s website and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

 

One Day (A Journal) by Anthony W. Rogers

One Day (A Journal) is the September 7, 2018 album by Anthony W Rogers a unique Appalachian psychedelic homespun music artist who has released three full-length LP’s, this being the third and is released on the Wildflow Media Records label.  Rogers was a member of DC nineties alternative rock bands The Now, Ten Below, and Skatley Crue.  Among the great songs on this twelve track album are I’ll Take The Blame, Half The Picture, In The Water, And When They Ask You, Mash (Reprise)/ Cocks In The Field and much more.  I enjoyed this 60’s psychedelic sound that reminds me of some of the bands I listened to back in high school with great vocals and instrumental backup, as well as being very well written, recorded, produced and performed.  This album is available on Amazon, CD Baby, and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

The Second British Rock Meeting 1972 by Curved Air

The Second British Rock Meeting 1972 is the third volume of the Curved Air Rarities Series by pioneering English progressive rock band Curved Air released October 12, 2018, on the Cherry Red UK Record label.   The line-up for this album was Sonja Kristina on vocals, Darryl Way on violin, keyboards, backing vocals, guitars, drum machine (who I have reviewed three of his solo albums), Francis Monkman on keyboards, guitar, Florian Pilkington-Miksa on drums, and Mike Wedgwood on bass.  This album features such tracks as No-Guitar Blues, Phantasmagoria, The Germersheim Jam / Vivaldi (which clocks at over 30 minutes, something you rarely see on an album) and much more.  This album was well written, recorded, produced and performed and is available from Amazon, Itunes and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Zebra Crossing by Fernando Perdomo

Zebra Crossing is the November 9, 2018 release on Forward Motion Records and fourth full-length album by Fernando Perdomo, guitarist, and bassist of The Dave Kerzner Band and Jakob Dylan’s Echo In The Canyon Band. This great album that was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London and named after the crossing that the Beatles walked across in the Abbey Road album features such great tracks as Find Love (Hold On), Somehow, Crown Of Stars, the title track Zebra Crossing and a cover of one of my favorite Beatles songs of all time While My Guitar Gently Weeps (written by George Harrison) and much more.  I enjoyed this album from start to finish, enjoying his vocal style, songwriting abilities, and his instrumental backup as well as how this album was recorded, produced and performed.  I recommend that you take a listen to this album on Spotify and then purchase this release from Amazon, Itunes, Bandcamp and other outlets where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.