AXTON - “Bad Desire” (Heart Of Steel Records) It looks like the Italian label Heart Of Steel lately is specializing into reissues of long-forgotten gems of the golden era of the ‘80s. So – after reissuing the very well worth debut-albums of Dark Lord and Lyin Rampant, plus the 2nd neverreleased chapter of Serena - the Italian label put its hands on another jewel, the debut-album from Class Metal act, AXTON, originally released - only on vinyl format - in 1990. The band (from Lecco, Italy) was, back then, clearly influenced by the European Melodic Hard Rock scene, and by names like BONFIRE, SCORPIONS & VICTORY. Songs like “Symbol Of My Sex”, “Don’t Break My Heart Again” or “Turnin’ Wheels” are shining examples of the then-called “Class Metal” (have someone used this term since then?), and they show a band that knew how to play powerful riffs and offer to their audience sing-a-long chorus, with a singer who was never trying super-high notes, but he used his very warm voice to give the songs a pleasant and charming sound. To be noticed that the Cd reissue features a completely remastered sound from the original master-tapes and that has been enriched by 7 bonus-tracks featured on the band’s very first professional demo-tape called "Time To Kill" (1987). (Rob “Ezy” Bone) 93
LIZHARD - “Lizhard” (Perris Records) Rock’n’Roll is back, assuming from their opening-track. The “mission” of this four-piece act coming from Italy is clear. So is their attitude and their music: pure 80s-influenced Hard-Rock full of big guitars, solid rhythms & catchy vocals. This is their debut-album, after they spent some years playing as a cover-band, and it’s a really good one. Maybe “originality” would not be the best word to describe their music, yet they have much to offer to all the fans of this “classic” Hard Rock sound. Especially singer Luke Marsilio delivers an hell of a performance in this Cd, his voice recalls the heavenly one of Mr. Joey Tempest, and this already should be enough for all guys into Europe, Dokken, Firehouse and early Warrant to try getting a copy of this cd immediately! A couple of heart-breakin’ ballads and a cover of Eagles’s classic “Life In The Fast Lane” complete the picture. Only the production could have been better but, hey, we can’t have it all. We have a great, young and hungry band… and that’s enough! (Rob “Ezy” Bone) 88
HARMONY - “Chapter II: Aftermath” (Ulterium Records) The Polar Icecaps aren’t being melted by the sun, but by the vibrations caused by the hoards of Swedish bands blasting out Power Metal. This is Harmony’s sophomore album and fans of Darkwater will recognise the names of Bath on vocals, Sigfridsson on guitar and Engbert on drums, as they make up most of that band too. Less progressive than Darkwater, Harmony operate at the catchy melodic end of the power metal spectrum. Bath’s vocals soar majestically and he articulates the lyrics clearer than a bell; definitely one of the genre’s better singers. The guitars and drums thunder along with a pleasing urgency and the keyboards fill out songs with symphonic splurges and old school jamming. All of this is evident on standout track “Rain” which even throws in some nicely stacked vocal harmonies from Bath. The best tracks are racked up at the front of the album; the catchy “Prevail”, the harder “Aftermath” and the brooding “Kingdom”. The band have Christian leanings which aren’t obviously apparent or likely to spoil your fun if you’re not a believer. Heavy yet brimming with melody and well worth checking out if you have a weakness for Power Metal. (Duncan Jamieson) 82
NOIZE MACHINE - “The Jumping Clown” Noize Machine is the new project band headed by talented Italian axeman Dario Mollo and this debut release entitled “The Jumping Clown” won’t miss to satisfy anyone who loves the good combination of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Glenn Hughes and Thin Lizzy elements well fused together and played with a very aggressive and heavy approach. Compositions such as “Ready To Fight”, ”I Like It”, “The Count”, Who Are You” have excellent vocals, melodic hooks, a solid rhythm section with crazy drumming performances, while guitar riffing sounds so heavy and dark. “Stormweather” shows very good particular keyboard parts well combined with guitar lines; “So Far Away” gets a Led Zeppelin and early eighties Deep Purple east flavored verse leading to a very wide breathing beatelesque refrain. “The Jumping Clown” is a Hard Rock release composed and performed with passion, intelligence and technique. Don’t ignore it, it would be a crime! (Fulvio Bordi) 88
NEONDAZE - “Neondaze” Hot on the heels of the likes of the Backyard Babies and the rest of the sleaze driven rock out of Sweden, comes Neondaze, a band that are about to shake the very foundations they stand on when they hit the stages of Europe next year with their infectious guitar driven mix of Glam and Hard Rock. The band are the LA Guns of the new millennium with the likes of vocalist Marcus Lundgren and guitar wiz Lars Boquist behind the band, the foundation is there for a great all guns blazing rock n’ roll band. The album is a high octane riffs filled frenzy from the off with ‘Intoxicated’ getting things underway, with the vocals of Lundgren the feature point of this and most of the other tracks, with Boquist’s fine guitar work a close second. This is good time rock n’ roll Swedish style, with some of the more memorable tracks being ‘Million Miles Away’ and the Girl like ‘Hold Me’, before the sublime ballad ‘Oullbemi Vampire’, which is the bands ‘Ballad Of Jane’ and a song that wraps up a great debut from a band that will surely make waves in 2009. (Barry McMinn) 86
TRAGEDIAN - “Dreamscape” Known as a Power/Speed Metal assemblage, Tragedian have released their full-length album in “Dreamscape”. Although this group is made up of some very talented musicians, this collection seems to get bogged down in its own creation. Unfortunately, nothing inspired, although the production and execution of each musical piece is precise, the songs come across empty, void of emotion and feeling. An ambitious effort, yes, as technically Tragedian are a great Speed Metal band... however, after repeated listenings, “Dreamscape” just comes out short…. (Bruce Atkinson)
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