As requested now we have here a rarity: the sole album from American band SHYANNE and their self-titled LP from 1982. The album never was officially reissued on CD, however Retrospect Records did a very limited CDr edition some time ago, audio taken from vinyl.
This ”Shyanne [Remastered reissue]” is released by the band, remastered by themselves. The source is also vinyl (master tapes were lost) but sound quality obtained is very good.
Admittedly, we knew very little about this five piece AOR / Melodic Rock outfit who released this indie LP on Shade Records back in 1982. Lead singer Eric Burgeson would become FOGHAT frontman later.
Hailing from Seattle and originally named ‘Cheyenne’ (the changed name sounds similar but looks more fancy for 1982), SHYANNE offered an interesting variety of musical diversions, which becomes curiously evident even before you spin the record. Of the five members, no less than three handle lead vocal duties throughout the album, offering a real rollercoaster of unexpected twists and turns. Each of the three vocalists offer a very different style, and all of them lend their own talents to blend nicely with the albums’ 10 tracks.
Additionally, 3 members play synthesizers… those lovely analog pieces, so expect a Pompy sound too. At places SHYANNE sounds like LOVERBOY, at others 707 and THE CARS, then SUGARCREEK on the pompy numbers, even REO here and there.
Even when released in 1982, “Shyanne” was a rare piece as only 500 LP were pressed…

Japanese label BELLE ANTIQUE has started a beautiful reissue campaign of early URIAH HEEP albums, pressed on SHM-CD, fully remasted, and adding an extra disc of rarities / previously unreleased material, all presented in a mini-LP format replica.
URIAH HEEP’s third album 1971’s ”Look At Yourself” saw the band step-up to arena size venues and become an international tour de force. Featuring the seminal ‘July Morning’, this album sets firmly in the Heep canon. The original album on SHM-CD 1 has been newly remastered by noted engineer Andy Pearce (Rock Candy Records).
”Look At Yourself” is a definitive 1970s hard rock masterpiece, bridging heavy metal, progressive, and melodic sounds. Featuring the classic lineup’s signature Hammond organ, intense guitar riffs, and David Byron’s theatrical vocals, it is often considered one of URIAH HEEP’s finest albums.
This 2x SHM-CD release is stupendous. If you are new to early Uriah Heep please go to track 3 ‘July Morning’ and listen to that first. Is it a song that became a big anthem during the cold war in Eastern Europe. Vocalist David Byron sings his heart out on it. It was made up from about three separate songs that they couldn’t quite finish, and they basically glued the parts together and became ‘July Morning’ – It is one of Keyboard player and guitarist Ken Hensley’s finest moments.
‘July Morning’ has the same stature as Deep Purple’s ‘Child In Time’ to me, it’s that ‘type of immortal songs’. The album also has classic tracks like ‘Tears In Your Eyes’, ‘Love Machine’ and the title track ‘Look At Yourself’ all of which they always featured in the live set…

‘MelodicRock Classics’ Records just reissued, remastered for the first time ‘Legend In A Loungeroom’, the only solo album from English musician ANDY QUNTA. While the record originally released in 1989 isn’t a ‘melodic rock classic’, its is for sure a ‘cult album’ much sought after by fans of the genre and that polished lite AOR sound from that year.
And the good news are we have a ”Legend In A Loungeroom [2-CD Deluxe Edition remastered]”, yes, a 2-CD Deluxe Edition including a bonus disc of previously unreleased material.
Having worked with top names in the industry as musician or songwriter – Qunta co-wrote the timeless hit ‘You’re The Voice’ made famous by John Farnham, among other well known songs – andy got the chance for his solo LP, and on ‘Legend In A Loungeroom’ he doesn’t disappoints, helped by class session cats like Tim Pierce, Skunk Baxter (Doobie Bros, Steely Dan) on guitar, Denny Fongheiser (Heart, Eric Martin) on drums, Gary Falcone (Jason Scheff, Stan Bush), etc.

FORTRESS emerged from Whittier, California in 2016, carrying the banner of traditional heavy metal. Following an initial EP, the band released their full-length debut through High Roller Records in 2021. To distinguish themselves from other groups sharing the same name, the band now operates under the name Fili Bibiano’s FORTRESS, a nod to founding member Fili Bibiano, who also performs with Intranced.
FORTRESS just released second album “Death Is Your Master” sees Bibiano taking on guitar, bass, and keyboard duties, joined by Joey Mancaruso on drums, and new frontman Juan Aguila on vocals. Aguila steps in as lead vocalist, replacing Chris Nunez, though Nunez’s voice still appears on the track Blackest Night.
“Death Is Your Master” is a terrific mid-80s style melodic metal album with biting guitar work and classy metal vocals. Depite being a guitar virtuoso, Bibiano focuses on rhythm, and while his solos are excellent these aren’t flashy but true metal. There’s a lot of time since we don’t hear a ‘metal guitarist’ like him. And Aguila is a trad metal shouter with fantatic pipes like a young Jeff Scott Soto.
Musically “Death Is Your Master” feels and sound like 1985’s Yngwie w/Jeff Scott Soto, Armored Saint, 1984’s Queensryche, Impellitteri – you know what we mean. Varied, imaginative, yet classy metal stuff!

Few musicians can claim to have been part of one world straddling rock band, never mind two. MICK RALPHS, guitarist and songwriter, not only recorded 7 albums with Mott The Hoople, and 9 with Bad Company – he was on of the founding members.
Lifted from Bad Company’s self titled debut album, his song, ‘Can’t Get Enough’ was the one that broke the U.S. single charts for the band. The album went to sell over 5 million copies.
Few pedigrees can compare. You would have thought this Seventies Hard Rock template would have been the model for his subsequent solo career. But no, the four solo albums that comprise this Hear No Evil / Cherry Red box set spanning the years from 1984 to 2013, see Ralphs clearly looking to plough his own distinct furrow.
”On The Run 1984-2013 [HNE / Cherry Red 4-CD Box Set]” it’s a great compendium to discover a fascinating artist, who unfortunately passed away 2025. There’s previously unreleased material and many bonus tracks.
Bad Company took a break following 1982’s ‘Rough Diamonds’, and after a stint playing alongside David Gilmour on his About Face tour, Mick embarked on a solo career in 1984 with ‘Take This!’ (CD1) which featured bassist Micky Feat and fellow Bad Company founder, drummer Simon Kirke, with a live band that consisted of guitarist Dave “Bucket” Colwell (later to join Ralphs in a reformed Bad Company), Uriah Heep, AC/DC drummer Chris Slade, and Ozzy Osbourne keyboard player Lindsay Bridgewater. The version here is remastered and features 10 bonus tracks…

Norwegian Progressive Metal act COURSE OF FATE is releasing their new album “Behind The Eclipse“, perhaps their heaviest to date but still with numerous progressive twists and turns. Although it is not a concept LP, all songs on “Behind The Eclipse” has a common tread throughout, where the interaction of darkness and light plays the main role.
“Memories” is the intro to an album showcasing refined craftsmanship and powerful sounds. This calm and eerie introduction leads to the title track. Clocking in at 10 minutes, the song is a great way to kick off the album. Powerful riffs, intricate structures and mysterious soundscapes resonate throughout “Behind the Eclipse”.
Next, on “Sky is Falling” a quality melody and some furious guitar riffs create a special atmosphere and showcase the band’s musical style. Course Of Fate connects different facets to create a stellar whole.
“So It Goes” has moments that brings to premind of Queensrÿche, while the powerful “Acolyte” shows influences from bands like Dream Theater. Mentioning all these acts highlights the musical inspirations that Course Of Fate incorporate into their music, while also adding a significant amount of their own identity to the mix…

We featured all HUGO albums, and here’s another one with the singer involved: the RAMOS-HUGO and the album they recorded and released via Frontiers Records, “The Dream“. Josh Ramos is of course the guitarist for Hardline, Two Fires, China Blue, so as expected, this is a Melodic Rock / AOR album rich in melodies.
Sometimes this kind of projects put together by record companies simply don’t glue, this is not the case here, with so much talent and passion they created a strong record for the genre, inspired by the golden era yet with a modern production.
Of couse having pro-session musicians helps a lot: Ramos’ bandmate in China Blue keyboardist Eric Ragno co-writes most of the songs, on drums there’s monster John Macaluso, on bass Jamie Brown (Hardline), while Dennis Ward mixed the whole thing obtaining a vibrant sound.
The CD is out of print and the album isn’t available digitally at stores…

If you enjoyed the STREETS studio debut album posted yesterday, then you need to hear this “King Biscuit Flower Hour presents: STREETS“, an official CD release by King Biscuit Flower Hour own label and distributed by BMG.
Formed by ex Kansas members – excellent vocalist Steve Walsh and bass player Billy Greer – STREETS were singed by Atlantic for a couple of albums. Terrific guitarist Mike Slamer (City Boy, Steelhouse Lane, Seventh Key) joined soon after and with drummer Tim Gehrt (later Joshua, Glenn Hughes) they started working on new songs and arrange others they had written already.
To test waters STREETS began performing promotional gigs, and with Atlantic putting a lot of support in the band, booked a slot in the famous King Biscuit Flower Hour radio show. The radio production recorded this STREETS performance on October 28, 1983, in Pittsburg, PA.
At the time STREETS performed this show their debut LP ‘1st’ wasn’t released yet. The band delivers most of the new songs and other still unreleased, such as Walsh’s ‘Not Alone Anymore’ later recorded by Kansas on the album ‘Power’ (1986).
The songs performed live have a little more edge than the studio versions, Slammer rippin’ the guitar is a pleasure to hear. The sound quality of the recording is first class – these tapes have been re-mixed and re-mastered from the original multi-track masters with every note kept intact for optimum sonic reproduction…

If you are visiting this website you don’t need further explanation: PRIDE OF LIONS is the band fronted by former Survivor guitarist & keyboardist Jim Peterik, and vocalist Toby Hitchcock. Formed in 2003, the group, according to Peterik is “my vision of the best elements of the great melodic rock era of the 80s, updated of course with more modern production sounds”.
For many, the group’s debut, self-titled album “Pride Of Lions” still is their best. As requested, here’s the out of print Japanese edition including 3 bonus tracks.
A young Toby Hitchcock was a real find and capable of making Jim’s songs even better and vibrant. Because yes, Peterik still hasn’t lost anything of his touch. Just listen to the melodies (both on vocals as on guitars) of tracks like ‘It’s Criminal’ or ‘Sound Of Home’ and you will agree. Also the more ballad like stuff like ‘Interrupted Melody’ hits home hard.
This is a must have for any serious lover of Jim Peterik’s earlier work or Melodic Rock fan in general…

PERFECT BEASTS, a Supergroup of musical beasts team up for highly anticipated album, their self-titled “Perfect Beasts“. With John Mitchell on vocals and guitars, Darren Redick on bass, Nick Andrew playing guitars and guitar synths and Steve Hales on drums, their musical pedigree is vast.
John Mitchell needs no introduction; an accomplished guitarist, singer and producer, having been a member of the bands It Bites, Arena, Frost*, Kino, The Urbane, and Asia, as well as the mastermind behind Lonely Robot. He has produced albums for the likes of Alterbridge, Funeral For A Friend and more.
Steve is a versatile drummer, keyboard player and lyricist. Hailing from the Southampton megalopolis, he is a well-known member of the music scene, often performing with Kepler Ten and R2 – A Tribute to Rush. Nick has established a formidable reputation as a virtuoso guitarist, midi guitar pioneer and composer. He has supported artists as diverse as Midge Ure, John Williams (classical guitarist), Guthrie Govan and Napalm Death.
Darren is probably best known for his association with the UK’s national classic rock radio station, Planet Rock, rather than for his bass playing. However, he has been playing with bands around the Southern Counties since 2015, including Asylum Affair and The Lee Aaron Band. He has also performed with two Rush tributes.
John Mitchell is in his early fifties now, and you’d think he’d be starting to slow down a bit with all the various projects that he’s been involved with over the years, but this doesn’t seem to be the case at all, as here’s yet another one. And a very good one.
“Perfect Beasts” is Crossover Prog, melodic, dynamic, with many Rock&pop flourishes and Mitchell’s clean vocals – all song-format and very entertaining. Needless to mention: musicianship is excellent. Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott said; ”This album deserves to be heard!”

The stupendous debut album by STREETS, the band featuring the awesome Steve Walsh (Kansas) and guitar master Mike Slamer (Steelhouse Lane, Seventh Key) has received a brilliant remaster treatment by Rock Candy.
Streets were formed in 1983 by Steve Walsh after his departure from Kansas, who decided to take more control of his musical destiny and was joined by bassist Billy Greer and drummer Tim Gehrt. The final piece of the puzzle was completed by super talented Mike Slamer, a British born former member of City Boy who had relocated to the US in order to seek out new musical opportunities.
The combination of Walsh’s symphonic background mixed with Slamer’s melodic rock sensibilities makes for an engaging combination with Streets, proved on their debut “1st“. Combined with Neil Kernon’s production and engineering talent, the album is a rich and full event. This nine tracker comes bounding in with that typical sound that made the ’80s American Melodic Rock scene so relevant…

Formed 1982 in Wuppertal, North Rine-Westphalia, AXE VICTIMS were an integral part of the original wave of German Metal during the first half of the Eighties. The classic line-up of Frank Fanfare (vocals), Tom Bohn (guitars), Rowland Hag (guitars), Holger George (bass) and Martin Rocco (drums) recorded their debut album »Another Victim« for Belgian label Mausoleum Records in 1983. Work on a follow-up record started immediately but due to problems with the label it never saw the light of day. Up until now…
High Roller Records are finally releasing »Hypnotized«, the long lost second album of Axe Victims. “We went to court with Mausoleum over missing royalty payments for »Another Victim«,” explains drummer Martin Rocco. “The label officially declared bankruptcy, so we recorded the second album at our own expense. However, we weren’t allowed to put it out, as our contract with Mausoleum was still running for almost two years.”
During this period, the members of Axe Victims were all following different projects: guitarist Rowland Hag was asked to help out playing with Steeler, the other guitarist Tom Bohn and drummer Martin Rocco were playing in various cover bands while vocalist Frank Fanfare and bass man Holger George carried on with a post-Axe Victims project Universe.
“I’d say »Hypnotized« was more or less a direct continuation of »Another Victim«,” describes Martin Rocco how he perceived the long lost second Axe Victims album. Read classic early ’80s European metal with that distinctive Germanic sound ala Scorpions / early Accept, but also Vandenverg, Picture, Bronz, Krokus, etc…

”Season Of The Witch” is the debut album from this new Spanish band going by the name of WICKED LEATHER. Punchy traditional heavy metal is the style here with lyrics skewing toward occult and horror topics (“Season of the Witch” being the subtitle of the third installment of the Halloween movie series).
The guitars have a great, crunchy sound and the rhythm section is a driving force to be reckoned with, and uncanny atmosphere is further enhanced by Yamila Martins’ vocals. The nasally tone paired with an unabashedly aggressive delivery, certainly makes for one of the most arcane and intriguing takes on female heavy metal vocals we’ve come across.
Think maybe of early ’80s Judas Priest mixed with Mercyful Fate and female vocals that does not sound like female! On the one hand, Yamila’s voice has a grating quality like nails on a chalkboard, but on the other, it is unique and after a few spins, starts to fit the music in its own way.
Wicked Leather’s songwriting isn’t doing anything unexpected in the realm of trad metal, but their combination of good cruchy rhythm riffs and lead work, along with Martins’ unusual vocals is certainly different…

Cherry Red Records / Spirit Of Unicorn Music are releasing a new version pf YES album ‘Fly From Here – Return Trip’, and expanded 2-CD edition including a new instrumental mix of the album. The set is titled “Fly From Here – The Complete Return Trip“.
YES recorded the original version of ‘Fly From Here’ during breaks in touring in 2010 and 2011, during which they enlisted former Yes frontman Trevor Horn as producer. The original album featured the lead vocals of Benoit David.
The alternative version of the album titled ‘Fly from Here – Return Trip’ features the classic ‘Drama’ era line-up who were reunited in 2018 to create a new version this time featuring all new vocals from Trevor Horn plus new instrumental parts, alongside a more organic mix highlighting Chris Squire’s unique voice and bass contributions as well as additional parts from Steve Howe and Geoff Downes.
‘Fly from Here – Return Trip’ was released on 25 March 2018 during the band’s 50th anniversary tour and includes the six-part title track, the full version of Hour Of Need, and album outtake ‘Don’t Take No for An Answer’.
Now we have “Fly From Here – The Complete Return Trip”, a 2-disc including a new instrumental mix…

AOR BLVD Records of London, England are proud to announce the second solo CD by DENNIS CHURCHILL DRIES titled “Crazy Is This Life“.
Co-produced with Steve Newman (who also play guitar & keyboards), a melodic sea of emotion flows in 13 great songs that reflect over five decades of Dennis’s career and the now (White Sister / Tattoo Rodeo / 12.06 / Solo). No special effects in how Dennis’s vocals are powerful and moving. “Crazy is This Life” is real deal from the soul.
With Steve Newman involved, be sure production & mix is pristine – besides, the album has been mastered in Canada by Harry Hess – but the star here are these really strong songs, mostly melodic hard rockers with substance and some awesome arrangements, plus DENNIS CHURCHILL DRIES unique voice which is still intact and powerful, expressive.
Don’t expect repetitive or formulaic stuff here, as said, all songs are very different, exploring various arrangements and shifts, never forgetting the melodic focus.
Early in the year, one of the 2026 highlight albums already.
HIGHLY Recommended