Theory of a Deadman-Wake Up Call   ©2017  Atlantic Records
​Well, every now and then a band tries things in an experimental fashion and opinions are mixed within the fanbase.  'Wake Up Call' is experimental in the sense that it is much more pop oriented than previous albums. The songs aren't bad if you were to go in and listen on their own merits, but fans of the bands more hard rock sound are probably going to be a bit disappointed in this direction. For me, I think it's all fine, but would probably be more inclined to drop one of the earlier albums into the player. What I think will be more interesting than the direction this time around is where they go next time. I really like this band and would love to see them return to what we normally have received in the form of a solid rock album with plenty of good humor in the mix. If you are a bit more open minded to a change in direction, this may be for you. 
Release Date:  October 27, 2017
The Dark Element-The Dark Element    ©2017  Frontiers Records 
​I will openly admit that I am a big fan of Anette Olzon and was a big fan of the Nightwish era she was involved with. I am really happy that The Dark Element signals her return to a more metal sound than her previous solo work, which was quite good, just a bit softer in tempo. Also bring in the core of Cain's Offering with Jani Liimatainen and this adds one hell of a chemistry. You could make the case that their is quite a bit of Nightwish here, but damn, this songwriting really brought out Olzon's vocals. She really belts it out and at times puts more finesse in it. The flow of this album is very good. I have been through this album quite a bit and there is no filler in my opinion. Everything is worthy of being included in this album. I am hoping very much that this doesn't end up being a one off project. Another favorite album of the year!
Release Date:  November 10, 2017
Revolution Saints-Light in the Dark  ©2017  Frontiers Records
​Second album from the supergroup. The first single and video track I saw was for 'I Wouldn't Change a Thing' which is a great melodic track. After going through this album and maybe expecting this to be the sound of the album, it turned out to be quite a bit heavier overall. This is a very good record which is exactly what I expected as the debut was very good as well. This one seemed to come out in a bit more quiet fashion, but is every bit as good as you would expect if you are familiar with this band.  The song mentioned above is very Journey-esque in sound as one would expect. The heavier stuff never gets really heavy but a bit more punchy in tempo. Overall, there is a good balance and the album's songwriting is very good. Wasn't sure what was going to happen with this band, but they have now offered up a very solid second outing!
Release Date:  October 13, 2017
degreed-degreed   ©2017 Gain Music
​I didn't even know this album was coming until it was right on top of me. Ordered it quick as I loved the bands previous album 'Dead but not Forgotten'. I could not be happier with this new album. This band is for real. The songs are all fairly catchy and memorable. Take a listen to 'Shakedown' or 'Animal' of which both have videos on Youtube and you'll get a feel for what I am talking about. In the melodic hard rock bands of today, this band is definitely one of the better bands that should be making their mark on the genre. What I like about this band is the music always has an upbeat feel to it. It's the kind of music you listen to in good times and it's memorable enough to have you singing it all day. If you are not familiar with degreed, you should be. Search this one out as I feel the band has kicked it up a notch with their self titled new release!
Release Date:  November 10, 2017
Babylon A.D.-Revelation Highway   ©2017  Frontiers Records
​Been listening to Babylon A.D. for a long time now, especially the first two albums. The band have released another good release via Frontiers Records that would probably fit in well with those first two albums.  Now I'll be honest, the first run through this album, I wasn't sure I was all that keen on it. I tend to stick with albums and go with multiple listens, and in this case it paid off. That would put this album into a sleeper category in my opinion. The more you listen, the better it gets. I mention it with the first two albums as a I feel the songwriting approach is much closer to those two than the previous 'American Blitzkrieg' album which was still decent, just different. If you are a fan of this band, you probably should check this one out. I'm guessing that a lot of the bands fans already have. Stick with it and you'll probably dig it quite a bit like I did!
Release Date:  November 10, 2017
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