Alan Ovington's Album Reviews

The year started with a trip back in time for D-A-D with their 40th anniversary, and now they look into the future with their 13th album, "Speed of Darkness". They had written 40 songs since their last album and picked the best 14 for this new double album.

With three strong studio releases, a nationwide tour with King King, and a main stage appearance at Ramblin’ Man Festival, Austin Gold are building a reputation as one of the best live acts around.

Gorilla Riot are a five-piece rock band from Manchester with a dual-guitar sound and multi-part vocal harmonies. They play raucous blues-based rock, combining elements of grunge, stoner, and country to create a full-on high energy sonic experience.

Legendary South African blues rock, country, and Americana singer-songwriter and guitarist, Steve Louw’s highly anticipated third solo album Between Time was released last month.

Jim Peterik & World Stage's new album, 'Roots & Shoots Vol.2', presents Jim’s collaborations with Mike Reno, Jason Scheff, Toby Hitchcock, The Ides of March, Cathy Richardson (Jefferson Starship), and Neil Donnell (of Chicago).

Ritchie Newton is a multi-talented musician, singer, author, and entertainer who refuses to settle for anything less than extraordinary. Celebrating his forty years on stage, and with a passion for music and a dedication to artistic pursuits, he has reworked his "Moments" EP.

Heavy metal will never die. But every now and then, it needs a fresh injection of passion, purity and pomp, just in case. Returning with a new album after a seven years of studio silence, Dream Evil are obviously the right men for the jobs.

The Kentucky four-piece blues rock band Mojo Thunder describe their music as "Southern Alternative". The band's  sophomore album, The Infinite Hope, released at the end of August, demonstrates their southern American working-class ethos and makes it clear that this is a band that will continue to grow and evolve.

From Bowling Green, Kentucky, Kyle Daniel recently released his debut album, Kentucky Gold. With influences ranging from The Allman Brothers Band to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kyle Daniel’s music pays homage to the rich tradition of Southern rock while carving out a fresh, modern sound.

'Ten' is the tenth studio album by Mr Big, released last Friday. It features 11 new original tracks. In a tribute to their late drummer Pat Torpey, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, and bassist Billy Sheehan enlisted the exceptional talents of Nick D'Virgilio on drums for 'Ten'.

The Commoners are on track for another banner year. They recently released their highly anticipated third album 'Restless' which featuring ten tracks that grip your senses and make you groove.

Sunbomb is a musical alliance between two American hard rock and metal legends, namely Tracii Guns and Michael Sweet. Their recently released sophomore album 'Light Up the Sky' was developed as a tribute to the classic heavy metal of the 80s.

With considerable radio play across Europe, Irish rockers Mine Road have just released their long awaited new studio album 'Tomorrow's Sky' and an additional single 'American Dream' which is very reminiscent of Tom Petty. Mine Road come from Dublin, and meld their heavy grooving guitar punch with some high octane vocals  

In an electrifying surge of creativity, the Southern rock band Robert Jon & The Wreck have released their most ambitious project yet, Red Moon Rising.This ground-breaking album is a bold declaration of evolution and rebirth, capturing the essence of the band's transformative years and setting a new course for their musical odyssey.

On Axel Rudi Pell's 22nd studio album ‘Risen Symbol’, the Bochum-based guitarist and songwriter continues to fly the melodic hard rock flag without watering down his style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks. At the same time, he is constantly looking for new influences, exciting inspirations and catchy hooks.

Joanne Shaw Taylor, the chart-topping British blues-rock guitarist, recently released her latest studio album, 'Heavy Soul'. Joanne is recognized for her exceptional guitar skills and powerful songwriting. She continues her ascent in the music world with this new album.

Invocation is the name of the exhilarating and highly anticipated brand-new 11-track album from slide guitar virtuoso Troy Redfern. There are elements of blues, glam, and hard rock but the result is a sound that is unmistakably his own.

Ebba Bergkvist & The Flat Tire Band is a Swedish blues rock band who freely moves between heavy guitar riffs, raw garage rock and heartbreaking blues. With her powerful voice, Ebba Bergkvist mends the bond between the rock of the 70s and our modern soundscape, with the music’s energy as the most essential. 

Following the Ellis Mano Band's European tour last year in support of the critically acclaimed "Luck of the Draw" album, fifteen songs recorded in Germany and Switzerland have now been released on their first live album "Live: Access All Areas".

"Fortuna", the long-awaited studio album from the British Blues rock roots guitarist and vocalist Bex Marshall, is a ten-track blues tapestry that bulges to the edges with addictive hooks and story lines.