Bryan Adams was one of the biggest hit makers of the 1980s. Run To You, Cuts Like A Knife, Heaven, Summer Of ’69, In The Heat Of The Night, This Time, and many more songs gave Adams not just big hits but also some cred as a rocker who could write songs that appeal to the masses. He even had one of the biggest hits of the 1990s, which also inspired one of the funniest Family Guy bits of all time.
We all know that his best work was writing War Machine for Kiss, but that is a different story (Down On Your Knees is a banger too). Adams is now back with an arena world tour and a new album, Roll With The Punches, the 16th album for this Canadian with some major staying power.
Unfortunately, like many at this stage in his career, this one does not stand up to the older material. Normally this is forgivable given that it is impossible this far in to be as good as someone like Adams was, but what is not forgivable is the lazy songwriting and cliched tracks that make up Roll With The Punches.
The title track has my Mutt Lange alarms going off, and they are 100% accurate, as that guy was involved in this and multiple other songs on the record, which for me is a hard pass. The title track, while fine, could have been a Def Leppard song and/or a Shania Twain song and you would not have known the difference, and may still not when you hear it.
The title track has my Mutt Lange alarms going off, and they are 100% accurate, as that guy was involved in this and multiple other songs on the record, which for me is a hard pass. The title track, while fine, could have been a Def Leppard song and/or a Shania Twain song and you would not have known the difference, and may still not when you hear it.
This is not a complement. Mutt’s overproduced and same old same old fingers are all over the tracks on Roll With The Punches. The writing was the most basic cliched rhymes a 14-year-old in love could have come up with. Adams was never a Bob Dylan or Bob Pollard, but he was much better and much more inspired than what he came up with on this album.
Overproduced, overdone, and overblown, Roll With The Punches was painful to get through, especially for someone who enjoys the old hits. Go seem him live and get your overpriced beers during the new ones, which is usually unfair but, in this case, appropriate for way more talented than this Bryan Adams. 4/10
The Rods - Wild Dogs Unchained (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]
On Rock N Roll Fever, New York veterans The Rods declare that "heavy metal is rock n roll" however it looks like they themselves have moved down a heavier route with their new album Wild Dogs Unchained. With age the trio of David “Rock” Feinstein (guitar/vocals), Freddy Villano (bass), and Carl Canedy (drums) don't seem to be lightening up, if anything they're getting heavier with tracks such as Tears For The Innocent having a groove that Grand Magus would kill for.
Not that The Rods have ever been a lightweight act, they happily carry the flag of classic heavy metal along with band such as Saxon, Anvil and Raven, never bending to popularity or the changing fashions of the music industry, if you like your grooves huge, your riffs heavy and your choruses anthemic then you're going to love this record.
Some of it may even be familiar as the speedy hot rod rocker Hurricane and the title track are re-imagined versions of classics from The Rods catalogue, given a sonic overhaul courtesy of Chris Collier's mix/master, but the rest of the record is a collection of metal anthems to satisfy long time fans and bring new ones on board. Rock N Roll? Heavy metal? Doesn't matter, play it loud! 7/10
Hunger – Ruler Of The Wolves (Jawbreaker Records) [Simon Black]
It seems I can’t move these days for new bands full of fresh-faced twenty-somethings intent in ripping the world a new arsehole using a musical template that was the new shiny thing when I was a teenager in the 1980’s. This is a dammed fine thing as far as I am concerned…
In a time when the originators are either gone or not far off of it, many of whom haven’t released anything refreshing and original since their long past glory days it’s so encouraging to see youngsters raiding their parents (or indeed grandparents’) record collections as the source of primary influence whilst also trying to capture the energy and zeitgeist of that long gone period.
Overproduced, overdone, and overblown, Roll With The Punches was painful to get through, especially for someone who enjoys the old hits. Go seem him live and get your overpriced beers during the new ones, which is usually unfair but, in this case, appropriate for way more talented than this Bryan Adams. 4/10
The Rods - Wild Dogs Unchained (Massacre Records) [Matt Bladen]
On Rock N Roll Fever, New York veterans The Rods declare that "heavy metal is rock n roll" however it looks like they themselves have moved down a heavier route with their new album Wild Dogs Unchained. With age the trio of David “Rock” Feinstein (guitar/vocals), Freddy Villano (bass), and Carl Canedy (drums) don't seem to be lightening up, if anything they're getting heavier with tracks such as Tears For The Innocent having a groove that Grand Magus would kill for.
Not that The Rods have ever been a lightweight act, they happily carry the flag of classic heavy metal along with band such as Saxon, Anvil and Raven, never bending to popularity or the changing fashions of the music industry, if you like your grooves huge, your riffs heavy and your choruses anthemic then you're going to love this record.
Some of it may even be familiar as the speedy hot rod rocker Hurricane and the title track are re-imagined versions of classics from The Rods catalogue, given a sonic overhaul courtesy of Chris Collier's mix/master, but the rest of the record is a collection of metal anthems to satisfy long time fans and bring new ones on board. Rock N Roll? Heavy metal? Doesn't matter, play it loud! 7/10
Hunger – Ruler Of The Wolves (Jawbreaker Records) [Simon Black]
It seems I can’t move these days for new bands full of fresh-faced twenty-somethings intent in ripping the world a new arsehole using a musical template that was the new shiny thing when I was a teenager in the 1980’s. This is a dammed fine thing as far as I am concerned…
In a time when the originators are either gone or not far off of it, many of whom haven’t released anything refreshing and original since their long past glory days it’s so encouraging to see youngsters raiding their parents (or indeed grandparents’) record collections as the source of primary influence whilst also trying to capture the energy and zeitgeist of that long gone period.
Last week it was all Power and old school Speed Metal, this week it’s a healthy dose of Thrash / Speed crossover that’s clearly traceable to the common NWOBHM ancestor, although the band that immediately springs to mind is early Running Wild, which is no bad thing given no-one outside of Germany ever really got to hear them at the time.
This brisk and brutal little six track EP gets straight down to the point, with the conventional twin axe attack being used to good effect to drive the energy, and with the slightly Lo-Fi production allowing Dizzy D.’s vocals to hog most of the attention in the mix. Whilst mostly opting for the gruff and raw style of voice, he’s nonetheless more than capable of screaming up the octaval range when he needs to (in fact his vocal timbre reminds me of Andi Deris).
This brisk and brutal little six track EP gets straight down to the point, with the conventional twin axe attack being used to good effect to drive the energy, and with the slightly Lo-Fi production allowing Dizzy D.’s vocals to hog most of the attention in the mix. Whilst mostly opting for the gruff and raw style of voice, he’s nonetheless more than capable of screaming up the octaval range when he needs to (in fact his vocal timbre reminds me of Andi Deris).
These songs are very too the point, with a relentless and to the point instrumental opener followed by four piledriving original tracks and topped off with a Stormwith cover. What impresses the most is that for a first outing, this is a band that clearly knows how to write and arrange well. This is raw, energetic, brutally honest and a refreshingly strong opening salvo from this Swedish Underground act who continue to prove to me that the kids are doing all right. 8/10
The Prophecy 23 – Mosh O’Clock (Massacre Records) [Spike]
Alright, you've heard all the talk about "Fresh Metal," now prepare yourself. The Prophecy 23’s Mosh O’clock is the kind of record that makes you want to smash things, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. This isn't just an album; it’s an invitation to a party where the only rules are "don’t stop moving" and "stand up against injustice."
This is a wild mix of thrash, death, and punk that feels both nostalgic and, somehow, completely new. They've taken that signature style and cranked it to eleven, and the fans' involvement in the track selection has made this their most ferocious and fan-focused record yet. From the moment Chill 'Em All kicks in, you know what you're in for.
The Prophecy 23 – Mosh O’Clock (Massacre Records) [Spike]
Alright, you've heard all the talk about "Fresh Metal," now prepare yourself. The Prophecy 23’s Mosh O’clock is the kind of record that makes you want to smash things, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. This isn't just an album; it’s an invitation to a party where the only rules are "don’t stop moving" and "stand up against injustice."
This is a wild mix of thrash, death, and punk that feels both nostalgic and, somehow, completely new. They've taken that signature style and cranked it to eleven, and the fans' involvement in the track selection has made this their most ferocious and fan-focused record yet. From the moment Chill 'Em All kicks in, you know what you're in for.
This is their heaviest, fastest, most aggressive stuff yet. Tracks like Work Eat Sleep Repeat and Welcome To The Blast Beach perfectly capture the relentless, high-energy assault. It’s got that raw, unapologetic edge you crave, but it’s still sharp and clear. Every riff, every beat, every yell is a shot of pure adrenaline directly to the heart. It’s not overproduced, it’s not soft, it’s just a vicious, well-oiled machine.
They’ve got the kind of lyrics that hit hard and true, a mix of standing up for what's right on Fresh Metal Fights Fascism and just embracing the glorious chaos of a good mosh pit on the title track. Mosh O'Clock, is the kind of anthem that will get stuck in your head and make you want to throw down. Their lyrics challenge conventional beliefs and take aim at everything from societal apathy to political corruption.
They’ve got the kind of lyrics that hit hard and true, a mix of standing up for what's right on Fresh Metal Fights Fascism and just embracing the glorious chaos of a good mosh pit on the title track. Mosh O'Clock, is the kind of anthem that will get stuck in your head and make you want to throw down. Their lyrics challenge conventional beliefs and take aim at everything from societal apathy to political corruption.
But it’s not all serious; the album is packed with the signature humour and attitude that makes them unique. These guys aren't just making music; they're creating a community. They're a band that listens to their fans, and you can feel that energy in every single track. This is pure, unadulterated thrash-death-punk fury.
The production is crisp and powerful without sacrificing any of the raw aggression. The drums are a percussive storm, the guitars are brutal and tight, and the vocals are a mix of fierce shouts and growls. The whole thing sounds massive yet maintains the kind of raw edge that shows they haven’t sold out their sound for commercial appeal. This is the kind of record that makes you want to get in the pit and feel the energy coursing through you.
So, if you’re into thrash, death, punk, and a damn good time, you know what time it is. It's Mosh O’clock. A relentless and riotous good time. 8/10
The production is crisp and powerful without sacrificing any of the raw aggression. The drums are a percussive storm, the guitars are brutal and tight, and the vocals are a mix of fierce shouts and growls. The whole thing sounds massive yet maintains the kind of raw edge that shows they haven’t sold out their sound for commercial appeal. This is the kind of record that makes you want to get in the pit and feel the energy coursing through you.
So, if you’re into thrash, death, punk, and a damn good time, you know what time it is. It's Mosh O’clock. A relentless and riotous good time. 8/10
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