Tag Archives: hair metal

CONCERT REVIEW: Steel Panther – Moon Fever Live at The Machine Shop

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The holiday season is here and the zany hair metal act Steel Panther is on the road to get you in the festive spirit. The LA glam group is on a short run titled the “On the Prowl Winter Holidaze” tour where they are supporting their latest album, On the Prowl (Republic Records) that came out earlier this year. One of their twelve tour stops includes Michigan’s Vehicle City. Flint is home to the independent and nationally acclaimed music venue, The Machine Shop. This iconic concert hub was an optimal choice to host this racy, yet lovable group of stylishly bold fellas for two nights in a row. Everyone forgot the dreary December cold as they entered the small-sized venue where these fiery, comedic rockers sizzled things up.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Dokken – Heaven Comes Down

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There aren’t many metalheads who haven’t heard of Dokken. Whether it’s due to their huge popularity during the eighties, the constant if occasionally amusing public sniping between frontman Don Dokken and former lead guitarist George Lynch or, most likely because of “Dream Warriors,” the theme song from 1987 horror sequel A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3, Dokken’s name still stands above many.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Def Leppard – Drastic Symphonies

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In their forty-three year (!) recording career, it isn’t unfair to say UK rock stalwarts Def Leppard are known for a pretty steady formula and approach of, in the main, pristine, polished hard rock songs, centred in an eighties sheen. Most of us could recognise a Def Leppard-style song without too much difficulty, and they aren’t (a few deviations – RetroActive, Slang, Taylor Swift, and Ghostly interactions – aside) known for their musical risk-taking or surprises.

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Tom Keifer, Night Ranger, Extreme, Queensrÿche, Quiet Riot, Stryper, and More Booked for Monsters on the Mountain

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This summer is gonna rule so hard with the upcoming Monsters on the Mountain Festival, brought to you once again from the creators of Monsters of Rock Cruise! Taking place this August 19th-21st, 2022 at The Gatlinburg Convention Center the fest is going to have a ton of killer bands from your favorite era of music such as Cinderella’s Tom Keifer, Night Ranger, Extreme, Queensrÿche, Quiet Riot, Stryper, Kix, and Firehouse, plus an array of interactive events and activities for fans! Get ready for photo opportunities with bands, access to the Rock N’ Roll Vendor Market, Rock N’ Roll Art Gallery, and the Outdoor Patio Experience, with more to be announced. The MOTM fest is once again hosted by Eddie Trunk (VH1, SiriusXM), comedians Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine (former hosts of VH1 Classic’s hit TV show, “That Metal Show”), and pioneer rock radio DJ Nikki Blakk. Plus, Eddie Trunk will be broadcasting his SiriusXM show live on Friday (8/19). Three-day packages and individual day tickets on sale now!

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Tesla, Vince Neil of Motley Crüe, Night Ranger, Winger, Kix, Slaughter, Firehouse, and More Booked for Monsters on the Mountain

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Get ready to rock! Brought to you by the minds behind the Monsters of Rock Cruise, Monsters on the Mountain brings together the best names in classic 1980s hard rock and hair metal! Taking place this October 15th-17th at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge (2986 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863) in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, a huge lineup of bands from Tesla, Vince Neil of Motley Crüe, Night Ranger, Winger, Kix, Slaughter, Firehouse, Eclipse, Pat Travers, Bulletboys, Vixen, Kingdom Come, Lynch Mob, Rhino Bucket, Liliac, Native Sons, Gilby Clark, John Corabi, Anthony Corder, Mark Evans, Randy Hansen, and Jeff Scott Soto & Jason Bieler, plus a surprise or two to be announced will perform. Serving as official event hosts are Eddie Trunk (VH1, SiriusXM) and comedians Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine (former hosts of VH1 Classic’s hit TV show, “That Metal Show”). Plus, SiriusXM’s Boneyard and Hair Nation are certain to keep the party going. Tickets are on sale now at the link below!

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CONCERT REVIEW: Sebastian Bach – Kobra and The Lotus Live at the Q Casino

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Let’s face the facts, folks, the music industry has changed drastically in the last 30 years. I firmly believe that change is inevitable and most of the time I embrace change with open arms. The recording process has been completely revolutionized to the point that musicians can produce their own albums right from home on their computers. The problem with having the ability to record and release music so easily is the plethora of music that is flooding the market that just does not stand the test of time. Think of some of the current songs you hear on Fm radio stations, most of them will spin themselves out of rotation and vanish to the isle of forgotten songs within 6 months of their release. Career longevity has become an elusive beast in the music industry, so when an artist who released his first album over thirty years ago is touring and selling out venues, a Skullgurl must pay attention. Of course, I am talking about the original untamed mane rock star, Sebastian Bach.Continue reading →


Spread Eagle – Subway To The Stars

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I love Metal music, my name is Skullgurl Metalchick after all. Full disclosure, I am still a sucker for the music of the Glam Metal days. The sub-genre had many aliases, Hair- Metal, Cock Rock, Bubble Gum Rock, depending on who you ask. The last couple of years there has been a renewed interest in the bands of the era of hair, I call it Nostalgia Rock. The headbangers of the 1980s now have 401ks, disposable incomes and the silent yearning to connect with the carefree days of youth. In all reality, most of these bands, are content to do some festivals and then go back to their own suburban democracy. Then there are bands like Spread Eagle, that did not go gentle into that good night of musical obscurity. Spread Eagle continues to make their music tantalizingly relevant with the release of their newest studio album, Subway To The Stars (Frontiers Srl).Continue reading →


Kissin’ Dynamite – Ecstasy

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At its molten heart, Rock music should be a very simple beating beast indeed. It should inspire and excite, yes, but it doesn’t need complicated rhythms, progressive tendencies, cerebral lyrics, analysis, politics or a whole plethora of interesting and additional ingredients to be successful or do what it sets out to do. And that is to, unequivocally, “Rock”.Continue reading →


Steel Panther – Lower the Bar

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One of the nice things about a band like Steel Panther is that, like a box of chocolates, you always know what you’re gonna get. And with the Panther, you get the chocolate too; vocalist “Michael Starr” dips right in on the opening track of Lower the Bar (Open E), dropping this little nugget of wisdom: “Sometimes the back door is the only way in.”Continue reading →


Serenity – Codex Atlanticus

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Serenity from Austria releases their fifth album Codex Atlanticus via Napalm Records on 29 January 2016. The opening of Codex Atlanticus sounds like a soundtrack for some epic heroic battle. There are lots of violins and ethereal vocalizing. As it moves forward you are swept up in the grandiose music and then it abruptly ends. I halfway expected our hero to come bursting forth, sword in hand to take on the bad guy. But no, then came some really nice piano music and the crushing sound of rock and roll which quickly led to electronica prog. A lot of stuff is happening and ‘Follow Me’ hasn’t even been on for a minute. The vocals kick in and I’m transported to the 90s and Japanese cartoons. I swear, Georg Neuhauser sounds like the go to singer for every awesome Japanese anime series. You want to sing along whilst striking a pose in a mirror.

Neuhauser’s vocals aren’t the only things that are inspiring. The sheer cacophony of composition on Codex Atlanticus is uplifting. From Andreas Schipflinger’s drumming to Jan Vacik on keyboards. Codex Atlanticus may at first sound cheesy, but let yourself go and get lost in the music. It makes you feel good! The lyrics are uplifting and powerful. The more you listen to this album, the better it becomes. For example, ‘Iniquity’ is a song that Iron Maiden wishes they wrote. It’s got great guitars, awesome soloing, epic auxiliary music, and meaningful lyrics without being boring and heavy handed. ‘Iniquity’ is definitely my favourite track on the album!

Codex Atlanticus is multilayered. The compositions are chalk full of twists and turns. ‘My Final Chapter’, for example, starts out with a pagan influenced flute and adds power ballad vocals. It’s an interesting mix. At 2:28 a strong 80s hair metal guitar solo crashes in and uplifts the song. Codex Atlanticus is full of such juxtapositions. Serenity’s Codex Atlanticus is a solid progressive orchestral saga soundtrack album.

6.5/10

 

VICTORIA ANDERSON

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