May 07, 2026

Uriah Heep - Demons & Wizards (1972)

*German first pressing.
Contains 9 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 260 137
 
© 1972-1987 Bronze
This is the album that solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal. From short, sharp rock songs to lengthy, musically dense epics, Demons and Wizards finds Uriah Heep covering all the bases with style and power. The album's approach is set with its lead-off track, "The Wizard": it starts as a simple acoustic tune but soon builds into a stately rocker that surges forth on a Wall of Sound built from thick guitar riffs, churchy organ, and operatic vocal harmonies. Other highlights include "Traveller in Time," a fantasy-themed rocker built on thick wah-wah guitar riffs, and "Circle of Hands," a stately power ballad with a gospel-meets-heavy metal feel to it. Demons and Wizards also produced a notable radio hit for the band in "Easy Livin'," a punchy little rocker whose raging blend of fuzz guitar and swirling organ made it feel like a '70s update of classic '60s garage rockers like the Electric Prunes or Paul Revere & the Raiders. However, the top highlight of the album is the closing medley of "Paradise" and "The Spell": the first part of the medley starts in an acoustic folk mode and slowly adds layers of organ and electric guitar until it becomes a forceful, slow-tempo rocker, while the second half is a punchy, organ-led rocker that includes an instrumental midsection where choral-style harmonies fortify a killer, Pink Floyd-style guitar solo from Ken Hensley. All in all, Demons and Wizards works both as a showcase for Uriah Heep's instrumental firepower and an excellent display of their songwriting skills in a variety of hard rock styles. As a result, it is considered by many fans to be their finest hour and is definitely worth a spin for anyone with an interest in 1970s heavy metal. 
 
 tags: uriah heep, demons and wizards, 1972, flac,

Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday (1972)

*U.K first pressing. 
Contains 8 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CLACD109
 
© 1972-1988 Castle Communcations
After reaching an international level of success with Demons and Wizards, Uriah Heep continued to build their fan base by knocking out another album of prog-like metal before the year's end. The end result, The Magician's Birthday, is not as consistent or cohesive as Demons and Wizards but still offers plenty of highlights. It starts dramatically with "Sunrise," a spooky power ballad that alternates quiet organ-led verses with an emotional chorus and guitar-fuelled instrumental breaks topped off by David Byron's operatic wail. The remainder of the album divides its time between punchy rockers and spacy balladry before climaxing with another prog-inflected epic. Highlights in the rock arena include "Blind Eye," an acoustic-flavored rocker whose galloping pace is firmly anchored by Gary Thain's melodic bassline, and "Sweet Lorraine," a stomping good-time rocker that adds extra texture to its guitar-driven sound with some spacy synthesizer lines. As for the quieter moments, "Rain" is a lovely piano ballad that makes surprising and impressive use of a xylophone in its sound and "Echoes in the Dark" is an eerie mid-tempo song that alternates stark piano-led verses with an emotional chorus cemented by Mick Box's searing guitar leads. There is also another multi-part epic in the title track, a prog-ish piece with fantasy themes. It lacks a strong structure (it feels more like three songs grafted together than a true multi-part composition) and succumbs to a bit of aimless jamming in the middle, but it is redeemed by strong hooks in the opening and a spirited performance from the band on its space rock finale. All in all, The Magician's Birthday never quite hits the consistent heights of Look at Yourself or Demons and Wizards but remains a solid listen for Uriah Heep fans. 
 
tags: uriah heep, the magicians birthday, 1972, flac,

Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom (1973)

*U.K. first pressing. 
Contains 8 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: LLMCD 3016
 
© 1973-1989 Legacy Records
By 1973, Uriah Heep had progressed from an English heavy metal band to a worldwide success. They moved on to a new label (Warner Bros.) and began to explore new styles to flesh out their combination of prog complexity and heavy metal muscle. The band's desire to break new ground is established with the lead-off track, "Dreamer": while it riffs as hard as the band's past rockers, it adds a surprising element of funkiness into the band's sound. The gentle, acoustic guitar-dominated "Circus" is another change of pace that pushes the group's sound in a meditative, folky direction. The group also explores new avenues in the lyrical arena. Instead of the mystical tales that dominated albums like Demons and Wizards, Sweet Freedom offers lyrics designed to appeal to the listener on a personal level: The most stirring example is "Stealin'," a song about the regrets that come with living a self-obsessed life. These sentiments were combined with a stirring, soulful melody that helped make the song a radio favorite. Another highlight in this vein is the title track, a song that combines lyrics about the price of being free with an organ-fuelled, hymn-like melody. Despite these successful experiments, there are a few tracks that weigh the proceedings down: "Seven Stars" takes an exciting riff and runs it into the ground with a repetitive arrangement and "Pilgrim" is an over-the-top stab at an adventure tale that pushes the group's excesses to the level of self-parody. However, Sweet Freedom is likable enough to triumph over these missteps. While it isn't the group's finest record, it remains a solid listen for Uriah Heep fans. 
 
 tags: uriah heep, sweet freedom, 1973, flac,

May 01, 2026

Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself (1971)

*U.S. first pressing. 
Contains 7 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Progressive Rock
Label Number: 814 180-2
 
© 1971-1989 Mercury Records
The third time proved to be the charm for Uriah Heep: on Look at Yourself, the group perfects its fusion of heavy metal power and prog rock majesty, and the result is one of the best albums in the Heep catalog. The gauntlet is thrown down on the title track, a powerful rocker that layers its relentless hard rock attack with ornate vocal harmonies and quicksilver organ runs before climaxing with a tribal-sounding drum jam. The remainder of Look at Yourself presents an effective blend of gutsy guitar rock and organ-fueled prog excursions. In the rock arena, the gems are "Tears in My Eyes," a powerful rocker driven by an almost rockabilly-style riff that stops midway for a surprising vocal harmony break supported by smooth wah-wah guitar, and "Love Machine," a short, punchy slice of hard rock built on an infectious, stomping rhythm. However, the best track on the album is one of the more prog-oriented ones: "July Morning" starts with a pastoral organ riff, then builds into a heavy yet symphonic rock tune that divides its time between gentle acoustic verses and emotional, organ-fueled choruses before climaxing in a monstrous jam dominated by a swirling Moog synthesizer lead. Special note should also be taken of David Byron's vocal performance; his multi-octave, operatic style was no doubt an influence on later metal vocalists like Rob Halford. All in all, Look at Yourself is both one of Uriah Heep's finest, most cohesive albums and a high point of 1970s heavy metal. 
 
tags: uriah heep, look at yourself, 1971, flac,

Uriah Heep - Salisbury (1971)

*European first pressing. 
Contains 6 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 258 295
 
© 1971-1987 Bronze
On their second album, Uriah Heep jettisons the experiments that weighed down Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble and works toward perfecting their blend of heavy metal power and prog rock complexity. Salisbury tips the band's style in the prog direction, containing one side of songs and one side dominated by a lengthy and ornate epic-length composition. Highlights on the song-oriented side include "Bird of Prey," a soaring rocker that blends furious, power chord-fuelled verses with spacy, keyboard-drenched instrumental breaks, and "Lady in Black," a stylishly arranged tune that builds from a folk-styled acoustic tune into a throbbing rocker full of ghostly harmonies and crunching guitar riffs. The big surprise on this side is "The Park," a ballad-style song built on a light blend of acoustic guitars and ethereal keyboards. It has a gentle, appealingly psychedelic feel that is topped off by David Byron's falsetto vocal and some soaring harmonies from Byron and Ken Hensley. However, Salisbury is undone by its title track, the 16-minute track that dominates the album's entire second side: it feels more like a lengthy jam session instead of a prog epic with distinctive and carefully crafted sections. Another problem is that the overly busy brass and woodwind arrangements that have been grafted onto it intrude on the group's sound instead of fleshing it out. All in all, Salisbury is too unfocused for the casual listener but offers enough solid songs for the Uriah Heep completist. Collector's note: The American version of this album had different cover art (the tank on the British edition was replaced by a gruesome image of man tearing out of his own skin) and replaced "Bird of Prey" with a bluesy B-side entitled "Simon the Bullet Freak."
 
 tags: uriah heep, salisbury, 1971, flac,

Various Artists - The Very Best of Rapsody (1998)

*Released in  1998 by  
Warner Special Marketing 
for the German market.
This is a 2 disc set.
Country: Germany
Language: English, German (Deutsch)
Genre: Hip-Hop, R&B
Label Number: 9548-35939-2
 
© 1998 Warner Special Marketing
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: various artists, the very best of rapsody, 1998, flac,

April 27, 2026

Various Artists - International Pop Overthrow Vol. 3 (2000)

*This is a 2 disc set.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Power Pop
Label Number: NL-058
 
© 2000 Not Lame Recordings
The massive, burgeoning power pop scene of the late '90s can be difficult for the neophyte to navigate simply because of the intimidating number of acts. And while there are great finds by the ton, there are just as many duds. For that reason, the International Pop Overthrow series is a fairly good place to start. This installment in the series commemorates the festival's third anniversary and includes a mixture of hits, album tracks, and rarities from bands that appeared at the summer 2000 festival. Unlike the prior two volumes, however, Vol. 3 includes a much better, more immediate mixture of pop music that leaps off the page in ways that the older material did not. It's helped in no small part by the presence of some bigger names, whether it's the excellent, exclusive "California Sex Lawyer" by Fountains of Wayne or Spinning Jennies' anthemic "Tea and Apathy." In fact, some of the best bands of the late-'90s power pop movement, like Supremium, the Rosenbergs, the Andersons, and the Jellybricks, are featured here. In fact, the great Tories are featured with an exclusive track, "All of Our Crimes," credited here to Headset. Yes, there are copious amounts of filler, but this type of broad-reaching compilation is meant to act as a Cliffs Notes of pop releases from the past year. It's an excellent place for listeners to discover new bands that don't make it on the radio, even if they probably should. And, unlike the first two volumes, the compilers have managed to create a great summer mix tape that should draw listeners in rather than intimidate them. 
 
tags: various artists, international pop overthrow vol 3, 2000, flac,

Danny Diablo - Thugcore 4 Life (2007)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hardcore, Hip-Hop
Label Number: NZE 83
 
© 2007 Suburban Noize Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: danny diablo, thugcore 4 life, 2007, flac,

Danny Diablo Vs. The Vendetta - When Worlds Collide (2008)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hardcore, Hip-Hop
Label Number: SLP09-016
 
© 2008 Sliptrick Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: danny diablo, the vendetta, when worlds collide, 2008, flac,

April 24, 2026

The Boys Next Door - Door, Door (1993 Reissue)

*Reissued in 1993 by The Grey Area
This pressing contains 10 tracks total 
and features non-remastered audio.
Country: Australia
Genre: Post Punk
Label Number: DOORCD1
 
© 1979-1993 The Grey Area
If one compares Door, Door to later albums made by these soon-to-be-infamous Aussies -- albums released under the Birthday Party moniker -- it sounds fairly tame and relatively straightforward. But that's not to say there's anything wrong with it. In fact, it's a frantic, edgy, and surprisingly catchy piece of post-punk mayhem; just don't expect anything as original or downright disturbing as "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can" or "Zoo-Music Girl." The album starts out in high gear with "The Nightwatchman," replete with ringing guitar figures, a boppy punk-pop chorus (yes, those are "ooh-ooh-ooh-oohs" you're hearing), and dirty sax lines. Sax pops up on "Brave Exhibitions" as well, providing a meaty partner to the lead guitar on circular, descending scales that bring some weirdness to a straight-up rocker. Things begin to get slightly more strange and troubled as the record plays on: "The Voice" and "Somebody's Watching" are filled with a paranoid mania and creepy, memorable musical phrases that make them two of Door, Door's highlights. (The lead guitar parts in the latter song make it seem as if Rowland Howard spent time listening to Television at the wrong speed.) And "Roman Roman" is a frenzied schoolyard chant that hints at some of the anarchic pandemonium the group could create on-stage. It's impressive how, even at this early stage, Nick Cave was a confident and unique singer, perfectly aware of the strengths and limitations of his voice; although he's not much for range, he knows how to come across in a scary and theatrical manner that perfectly complements the music. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the band's closing, mournful ballad, "Shivers," an unashamedly melodramatic example of post-adolescent anguish. 
 
tags: the boys next door, door door, 1979, 1993, reissue, flac,

Masters of Funk - "IV" (2001)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Hip-Hop
Label Number: CTCR-13155
 
© 2001 Cutting Edge
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 tags: masters of funk, iv, 2001, flac,

Jan Hellriegel - All Grown Up (2009)

Country: New Zealand
Language: English 
Genre: Pop Rock
Label Number: BDR-001
 
© 2009 Blind Date Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: jan hellriegel, all grown up, 2009, flac,

April 23, 2026

Shooting Gallery - Shooting Gallery (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 314 512 184-2
 
© 1992 Mercury
Shooting Gallery was a vehicle for ex-Hanoi Rocks guitarist Andy McCoy. With drummer Paul Garisto (Psychedelic Furs, bassist Dave Tregunna (Lords of the New Church), and rough-hewn belter Billy G. Bang! on vocals, the band's 1992 debut is very much like a Hanoi Rocks album (they even cover that band's "Don't Never Leave Me"). Musically, it's a pretty potent and enjoyable slab of glam/hard rock. The lyrics are mostly throwaway efforts stereotypically dealing with rock & roll excess ("House of Ecstasy," "I Mess Around," "Striptease"). What really sinks Shooting Gallery is a flat-out lack of songs. "Restless" leads things off in fine fashion, but nothing else manages to sustain interest. They also perform an ill-advised version of "Brown Eyed Girl" that too much resembles Poison. A fairly disappointing release, considering how effortlessly (and better) Hanoi Rocks used to cover the same ground.
 
 tags: shooting gallery, shooting gallery album, 1992, flac

Danity Kane - Danity Kane (2006)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Pop
Label Number: 83989-2
 
© 2006 Bad Boy Entertainment
A pop/R&B quintet formed by Sean Combs (aka Diddy) for the Making the Band reality TV show, Danity Kane unveiled its Bad Boy Entertainment debut in late summer of 2006. Leading off with the frenetic, club-ready single "Show Stopper," Dawn, Aubrey, Aundrea, D. Woods, and Shannon easily display enough sensuality and confidence to position themselves for competition in the pop diva big leagues.
 
 tags: danity kane, danity kane album, 2006, flac,

Danity Kane - DK3 (2014)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B, Pop
Label Number: 81012252-2
 
© 2014 Stereotypes Music
 The remaining members of Danity Kane -- Dawn Richard, Shannon Bex, and Aubrey O'Day -- survived the making of their third album, but in-fighting brought about another split, announced two months prior to the release of DK3. Produced primarily by the Stereotypes, who released the album through their vanity label, DK3 is a satisfactory parting statement. Brief and varied, it ranges from simplistic pop ballads to bland party anthems, but the songs that fall between those two extremes -- the Prince-inspired "Secret Lover," the sleek "Roulette," and the battering "All in a Days Work" all more R&B-oriented -- are among the group's best songs. 
 
 tags: danity kane, dk3, 2014, flac,

April 17, 2026

Joanna Dean - Misbehavin' (1988) ☠

*First pressing. 
Contains 9 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 835 272-2
 
 
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1988 Polydor
Throughout music's history, without concerning genres, there have been countless of first timers that went up to be last timers, meaning did a single thing once only to be through with pretty fast and retiring. What happened with Joanna Dean, one of many US female vocalists aiming for the glory in the name of Rock N' Roll, was nearly the same as what I have just described, yet with a small twist in the plot. After her debut solo album, named "Misbehavin'", which was originally released in 1988 via Polydor Records, Dean formed BAD ROMANCE, a Hard Rock band that turned out to be a short lived venture that only released a single album in 1991. Yesterrock Records decided to head back and remaster Dean's debut album in order to let you boys and girls the true feel of Southern / Blues Hard Rock / Rock N' Roll and let you have a piece of the pie of history. One has to remember his / her roots before heading over to the new things barging over and over. Trust that "Misbehavin'" will show at least some of the good old flavour of old school Hard Rock with a lot of attitude.

Following the first tunes of "Misbehavin'", I have to admit that fell for Dean. With her rough and raspy tones in the vocal alley of Janis Joplin, Leather Leone and some of Doro Pesch, there is something sexy about her vocals that drew me even more. On the other hand, her tunes were rather ordinary, even with some great thrills that I found appealing, Dean pretty much reprised herself more than enough with the same kind of riffing and vibes. The music itself appeared general and pretty easy, solid Hard Rock with flakes of Southern Rock / Country music and energies of 70s Rock N' Roll. Let's say that nothing was too demanding over here, just plain fun in the sun, like a something good to have a drive by. Nevertheless, I liked the Bluesy and Rocking sensation following every song and the rough submission Dean's Southern accent, which was strapped onto each tune with love. Without a doubt this chick has quite dominance and it would have been great checking her out performing live. "Burning Rubber" shaped a little as a light Metal song that reminded me some of the great hits of several great American bands, especially with that bombastic opening riffing and thumping. Dean's vocals were divine, just in any track on this release. Near its end there is an attractive riffing that even if it was simple, it was just in time. "Ready For Saturday Night" must have been the album's single back in the day, a winning chip of great quality and I presume in commercialized standards. "Once Is Enough" is the soft spot of the album, a nice delivered ballad with a lot of heart and plenty of pains.

Once again Yesterrock Records did the honors for a rather forgotten artist. I sure hope that the old US scene in the South didn't forget Joanna Dean, because it would be a shame if they did even if artists like Dean spread like flies. This album isn't too special or overly thrilling but it is still good. Solid Hard Rock flavored attributed to a wonderful vocalist.
 
 tags: joanna dean, misbehavin, 1988, flac,

Romeo's Daughter - Romeo's Daughter (1988) ☠

*U.S. first pressing. 
Contains 10 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 1135-2-J
 
 
☠: Selected by Lass
© 1988 Jive Records
 The lineup for the eponymously titled debut album by Romeo's Daughter was Leigh Matty (vocals), Craig Joiner (guitar and vocals), Tony Mitman (keyboards), Ed Poole (bass), and Andy Wells (drums). The album was partly produced by John "Mutt" Lange, the former husband of band manager Olga Lange, who was perhaps more famous for being married to Shania Twain although his production credits also included many other rock bands from Def Leppard to AC/DC. The remainder of the album was produced by John Parr of "St. Elmo's Fire" fame. The first single released from the album was "I Cry Myself to Sleep" which never charted in the U.K. Perhaps the most famous song on the album was "Heaven in the Back Seat" which was used on the soundtrack to Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. The only single to break into the U.S. chart was "Don't Break My Heart" which could only reach a high of 73. Although receiving critical acclaim the album never achieved any success in the U.K. chart, and it also only reached number 191 in the U.S. Despite the lack of chart success, Romeo's Daughter has obviously not gone totally unnoticed. Several songs from the album have been covered by other bands including "Wild Child," that was recorded by Heart on their album Brigade, "Heaven in the Back Seat," which was re-recorded by Eddie Money on his album Right Here, Bonnie Tyler, who included "I Cry Myself to Sleep at Night" on the album Angel Heart, and even Steps, who included "Stay with Me Tonight" retitled as "Stay with Me" on the album Step One. 
 
tags: romeos daughter, romeos daughter album, 1988, flac,

Romeo's Daughter - Delectable (1993)

*U.S. first pressing. 
Contains 10 tracks total. 
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CDMFN 153
 
© 1993 Music For Nations
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
tags: romeos daughter, delectable, 1993, flac,

KingOfTheHill - KingOfTheHill (1991)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP-95827
 
© 1991 SBK Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release.
 
 tags: king of the hill, king of the hill album, self titled, 1991, flac,

April 16, 2026

Sammy Hagar - VOA (1984)

*U.S. first pressing. 
Contains 8 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: 9 24043-2
 
© 1984 Geffen Records
Evidently, being kicked out of Van Halen revitalized Sammy Hagar, since Marching to Mars is among his best solo albums. A lean, tough collection of by-the-books hard-rockers, Marching to Mars stands out because of its immediate sound and Hagar's sense of purpose. He's out to prove himself, to illustrate that he wasn't just Van Halen's mouthpiece or a blowhard. Subtlety still remains a weak point with Hagar, but he's rarely sounded quite as convincing as he does here, tearing through a set of surprisingly well-written songs with such guest artists as Huey Lewis, Slash, Mickey Hart, and Bootsy Collins. There's still a handful of weak moments, but the record is one of his strongest, and with bluesy cuts like "Little White Lie," it's also one of his more ambitious. 
 
 tags: sammy hagar, voa, 1984, flac,

Sammy Hagar - Marching To Mars (1997)

*U.S. first pressing.
Contains 11 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: TRKD-11627
 
© 1997 MCA Records
Evidently, being kicked out of Van Halen revitalized Sammy Hagar, since Marching to Mars is among his best solo albums. A lean, tough collection of by-the-books hard-rockers, Marching to Mars stands out because of its immediate sound and Hagar's sense of purpose. He's out to prove himself, to illustrate that he wasn't just Van Halen's mouthpiece or a blowhard. Subtlety still remains a weak point with Hagar, but he's rarely sounded quite as convincing as he does here, tearing through a set of surprisingly well-written songs with such guest artists as Huey Lewis, Slash, Mickey Hart, and Bootsy Collins. There's still a handful of weak moments, but the record is one of his strongest, and with bluesy cuts like "Little White Lie," it's also one of his more ambitious. 
 
tags: sammy hagar, marching to mars, 1997, flac,

Sammy Hagar & The Waboritas - Red Voodoo (1999)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: TRKD 11872
 
© 1999 MCA Records
When Sammy Hagar's 11 years with Van Halen came to an end, he delivered some of the best solo albums of his career. The rocker's post-Van Halen albums weren't much different from his pre-Van Halen albums of the late '70s and early to mid-'80s -- Hagar was still playing the type of commercial hard rock and arena rock that put him on the map, and he was doing so with a lot of conviction. The Californian was in his early fifties when Red Voodoo came out in 1999, but it hardly sounds like the work of someone who was mellowing with age. Ballsy, in-your-face rockers like "Mas Tequila" (which incorporates Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll, Part 2"), "Don't Fight It (Feel it)," "Shag," and the AC/DC-ish "High and Dry Again" are oozing with confidence -- in fact, it's almost as though Hagar is shaking his fist at the Van Halen brothers and letting them know that he can do quite well without them, thank you. To some proponents of '90s alternative rock, Hagar and other arena rock veterans were anachronistic -- and, to be sure, this CD won't win any awards for being innovative or groundbreaking. Nonetheless, Red Voodoo is among the most passionate, focused, and inspired albums of Hagar's career.
 
 tags: sammy hagar, the waboritas, red voodoo, 1999, flac,