H.E.A.T-Tearing Down the Walls   ©2014 Gain (earMUSIC)
​I have certainly become a big fan of this band. When looking to bands that carry that traditional hard rock sound of the 80's, you would have to put this band right at the top of the list. Equal amounts of melody and flash make this album a very enjoyable and solid listen from start to finish. After hearing the first single, 'A Shot at Redemption' I was a bit worried. Still not a huge fan of that particular track, but the rest of this album is amazing to say the least. The latest video for 'Mannequin Show' really sold me on picking this up. The video is quite clever and the song was great. Definitely don't miss this one!
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Cole Childers-Aurora   ©2014 Vanity Music Group 
​If you are looking for something a bit more modern that is also pretty solid, check out the latest 6 track album 'Aurora' from Cole Childers. Childers was enlisted in the Navy and returned from a deployment back in 2005. Drawing from life's experiences and his time with the Navy, he writes his music with a little more depth. As mentioned, it leans more modern and has mostly heavier music, but their are some more thought provoking and melodic tracks like 'Addict' and the title track 'Aurora'. This album has 6 very good tracks which is the proper way to release an album. All killer and no filler!
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Edguy-Space Police  ©2014 Nuclear Blast Records
​This band definitely has a unique personality. At times they can be quite metallic in sound. Other times there are humorous moments. Sometimes you even slam those two together for pretty cool results. This latest release has some pretty decent rockers such as 'Sabre & Torch', some retro sounding stuff like 'Love Tyger', and some more melodic music like 'Alone in Myself'. Hell, you even get a cover of the Falco hit 'Rock Me Amadeus' which was done pretty tastefully. Seems there is something for quite a variety of different fans. I quite enjoyed this album and will for some time to come!
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Hollywood Monsters-Big Trouble   ©2014 Mausoleum Records
​Well, this is as classic as it gets. Hollywood Monsters is the brainchild of Stéphane “Steph” Honde. Also on this record are a plethora of big names such as Paul Dianno, Don Airey, Vinnie Appice and Tim Bogert. The album is a very smooth and classic listen which one would expect with the lineup. What makes this album cool  is that it does have that classic sound but also has a bit of a modern edge, maybe more in terms of sound quality and tone. To me the album sounds very veteran as it should considering the quality and tenure of the musicians involved. Pretty good listen start to finish!
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Michael Sweet-I'm Not Your Suicide   ©2014 Big 3 Records
​The latest solo effort from Stryper frontman is more than just another slab of music, it's a personal journey. To take this all in you would do well to grab a copy of Sweet's book 'Honestly: My Life and Stryper Revealed'. Between these 2 offerings you get a real insight into the trials in various forms that Sweet has gone through. The music itself has alot of melodic moments that take the listener on this journey with Sweet. Don't go into this as looking for more Stryper material, go into it and absorb yourself. It's definitely worth your time and the music is very good. Highly recommended release!
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