ALBUM REVIEW: Michael Catton – Point Of No Return


 

Ace vocalist/songwriter Michael Catton’s first solo collection Point Of No Return (Mighty Music) sounds like a “Best of the Eighties” tribute album, while effectively showcasing the considerable talents of the man himself and all involved.

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Ghost – Prequelle


Since the release of their debut album in 2010, Swedish act Ghost has divided the Metal community like no other band has for years. Frequently berated for a seemingly endless list of equally meaningless reasons, you just know the band are laughing themselves stupid underneath their masks each time the latest horde of terminally outraged cynics appear, summoned to their keyboards, as if by magic, whenever the word “Ghost” is mentioned on the internet, to inform the world using block capitals that “they’re just ripping off Blue Öyster Cult and Mercyful Fate”, “they’re not metal”, or “they’re only a gimmick anyway” etc. etc.

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Santa Cruz – Bad Blood Rising


According to common knowledge, Glam Metal died in 1991, somewhere between the releases of Warrant’s Cherry Pie (CBS) and Poison’s Flesh and Blood (Capitol) to Pearl Jam’s Ten (Epic/Sony) and Nirvana’s Nevermind (Geffen). It appears this memo did not make it to Finland, as since their debut album five years ago Santa Cruz have been churning out Hard Tock straight from the pages of Skid Row and Guns n’ Roses, like their equally glammed up compatriots Reckless Love.Bad Blood Rising (M-Theory Audio) is their third album, and the continuation of their modern Glam Metal influenced rock. Continue reading