Ron Keel is a prolific singer and guitarist with stints in many bands and projects from the 1980’s to present day. The self styled ‘metal cowboy’ has been in Steeler, Keel and Ironhorse as well as many others but Fight Like A Band is the debut album under the moniker Ron Keel Band. The music on Fight Like A Band is far more in a hard rock than a heavy metal vein but displays various styles that fall under the hard rock banner and showcases the versatility of Ron and his band from anthemic rockers such as the title track, 80’s inspired arena rock such as Hearts Gone Wild, fun bluesy rockers such as Girls Like Me and the country leaning Just A Cowboy. There’s a bit of something for everyone here. Fight Like A Band is a nicely paced and varied album whilst not groundbreaking is a fun but unessential piece of American hard rock. 7/10
Pokerface: The Greatest Storm (Self Released) [Pascal]
I suppose I am not very ‘’au fait’’ but had not heard of Pokerface until today. Maybe they are unknown to me but after three recording efforts behind them including Game On a full length from 2017. A Russian trash metal band from Moscow its a female fronted led outfit. They have just released a four track EP called The Greatest Storm. I am going to pass on making comments on the clothing attire and theatrical nicknames such as Lady Owl for the vocals or Doctor (drums) or the more adventurous Ded Moroz to focus on the music itself. The opening track The Greatest Storm with its bass line intro got my attention almost immediately and I was positively shocked to hear clean vocals and all for the better I must say as it does suit this power metal influenced track very well.
Eternal Reflection has a more trashy sound and a more traditional structure and interestingly the vocals support the latter efficiently even though the choruses are a bit predictable. I must say though that the sharp guitaring and staccato rhythm make it an interesting tune. I am not sure what The Song Of My Revenge is doing on this EP, it falls into all the clichés of Eastern European metal and I am afraid and it's no addition of growling that will change my mind. Pain Overdose the last track is actually the strongest one with a blend of melodic hardcore and metal I would have loved if they had pushed the bass line further and made the track a killer tune but they played it safe and that’s disappointing. Overall its a bit disjoint style wise and difficult to think anything else that its still work in progress for Pokerface. Decent from an intent perspective. 5/10
Don Felder: American Rock n’ Roll (BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) [Paul H]
To the uninitiated, Don Felder, still rocking at the age of 71, was guitarist with the Eagles between 1974 – 2001. One of the most brilliant bands to grace the planet, the Eagles were just astonishing and having seen them live a few years ago, I would rank that gig in my top five of all time. Don Felder is a legend. Why? Because he co-wrote Hotel California and it is him duelling with Joe Walsh on one of rock music’s all-time fantastic guitar solos. So, listening to his third solo album, and his first since 2012’s Road To Forever, it feels a shame to write a negative review. Guitar work is as comfortably easy as always, Felder’s fretwork is composed, collected and still red hot. But the songs themselves are as limp as a bag of air freighted lettuce. Tracks such as Falling In Love, Hearts On Fire with its funky groove and horrific opening line “she’s a dirty girl, but she looks so fine”, and She Doesn’t Get It belongs on Felder’s first solo album that came out in 1983. It’s so dated. Time has moved on. Felder’s song writing hasn’t. And that’s all I’m going to say. 5/10
Mechanical God Creation: The New Chapter (The Goatmancer Records) [Liam]
Some beautiful technical death metal from Italy, who could easily be the spiritual successor to Arch Enemy. On their third full-length album so far it’s obvious the band hasn’t slowed down in any way, shape or form as they just assault your eardrums with their reckless intent to destroy. There are a lot of riffs on this record and I could hear an influence of Cannibal Corpse in the guitar work here and there. I can’t really spot a stand out song on the record because it all goes together so flawlessly from the drum work of Carlo Molinara to the vile vocals of Luciana Catananti. This is one of the best tech/death albums released so far this year and if you can find a better one, change my mind. 8/10
Eternal Reflection has a more trashy sound and a more traditional structure and interestingly the vocals support the latter efficiently even though the choruses are a bit predictable. I must say though that the sharp guitaring and staccato rhythm make it an interesting tune. I am not sure what The Song Of My Revenge is doing on this EP, it falls into all the clichés of Eastern European metal and I am afraid and it's no addition of growling that will change my mind. Pain Overdose the last track is actually the strongest one with a blend of melodic hardcore and metal I would have loved if they had pushed the bass line further and made the track a killer tune but they played it safe and that’s disappointing. Overall its a bit disjoint style wise and difficult to think anything else that its still work in progress for Pokerface. Decent from an intent perspective. 5/10
Don Felder: American Rock n’ Roll (BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) [Paul H]
To the uninitiated, Don Felder, still rocking at the age of 71, was guitarist with the Eagles between 1974 – 2001. One of the most brilliant bands to grace the planet, the Eagles were just astonishing and having seen them live a few years ago, I would rank that gig in my top five of all time. Don Felder is a legend. Why? Because he co-wrote Hotel California and it is him duelling with Joe Walsh on one of rock music’s all-time fantastic guitar solos. So, listening to his third solo album, and his first since 2012’s Road To Forever, it feels a shame to write a negative review. Guitar work is as comfortably easy as always, Felder’s fretwork is composed, collected and still red hot. But the songs themselves are as limp as a bag of air freighted lettuce. Tracks such as Falling In Love, Hearts On Fire with its funky groove and horrific opening line “she’s a dirty girl, but she looks so fine”, and She Doesn’t Get It belongs on Felder’s first solo album that came out in 1983. It’s so dated. Time has moved on. Felder’s song writing hasn’t. And that’s all I’m going to say. 5/10
Mechanical God Creation: The New Chapter (The Goatmancer Records) [Liam]
Some beautiful technical death metal from Italy, who could easily be the spiritual successor to Arch Enemy. On their third full-length album so far it’s obvious the band hasn’t slowed down in any way, shape or form as they just assault your eardrums with their reckless intent to destroy. There are a lot of riffs on this record and I could hear an influence of Cannibal Corpse in the guitar work here and there. I can’t really spot a stand out song on the record because it all goes together so flawlessly from the drum work of Carlo Molinara to the vile vocals of Luciana Catananti. This is one of the best tech/death albums released so far this year and if you can find a better one, change my mind. 8/10
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