FM-Indiscreet 30  ©2016 Frontiers Records
​It's been 30 years of music by the melodic hard rock band FM and the band decided to go back and do a sort of freshen up on the bands debut 'Indiscreet'. I believe the band have done a very good job and the sound of the album is definitely delivered with todays standards. There is also a new track with 'Running On Empty' that fits in really well with the rest of the album. The album is also graced by many bonus tracks including 'Shot In The Dark' which fans of Ozzy will remember from 'The Ultimate Sin'. There is a lot of bang for the buck here. Good to hear this great debut given more life!
Release Date:  November 4, 2016
Metallica-Hardwired ...To Self-Destruct    ©2016 Blackened Recordings 
​First off, thank you for getting the production right on this. This is a huge bang for the buck album here. Three discs total in the deluxe version. I like the intensity of disc 1 best as the pace is a bit more frenzied. Disc 2 has a bit more of the chugging rhythm stuff that we've heard throughout the bands lengthy career. Disc 3 has a few bonus tracks and a bunch of recent live stuff including digging deep into  the bands earlier catalog. I am very happy with this release. I think for the most part the band answered the fans calls. Not a total return to earlier days, but drawing from many parts of the bands era! Essential!
Release Date:  November 18, 2016
Nash B.C-Burning Babylon  ©2016 Rockshots Records
​I love sleeper albums. To me, 'Burning Babylon' is a sleeper album. Upon first preview I didn't really develop an opinion either way, but something told me to stick with it. I went back to it several times and really grew to like this album a lot. The bands sound is fairly raw and punchy and in ways has some modern edge to it. The band hails from Greece and is a trio that have a tightness about them. I also like how the band added a decent mix of melody in these tracks, but never lose sight of intensity. It's all a pretty catchy and headbanging affair. Going to keep an eye on this band down the road. Solid!
Release Date:  December 9, 2016
Three Lane Road-Three Lane Road   ©2016 TLR Records/Vanity Music Group
​Solid ep from this Dallas, Texas based band. Musically the band have an old school approach with there being a good mix of punchy hard rockers and more melodic stuff as well. This ep has a total of 6 tracks that will really have a strong appeal to the fans of traditional hard rockers from the late 80's or early 90's. You could argue that there is a slight modern feel here as well, but make no mistake, this is an old school record. Even if a bit short, what the band offered here is quite consistent and memorable. It's nice to see music still being released in this modern age with such a retro feel to it. Keep it up!
Release Date:  December 3, 2016
Skyline-Nowhere Here   ©2016 RS Music
​Another album I previewed to get a feel for and knew I was going to like it if I stuck with it. 'Nowhere Here' is the band sophomore album. This release will have most appeal to more modern rock fans, but I think in many ways the band could achieve a fair amount of crossover appeal as the music to me is fairly accessible to a wider range of fans than maybe what the band was going for. It's a very smooth album with well crafted songs that stick with you long after the listen is over. I tend to listen to a lot of this type of music these days and really like what Skyline has to offer. Great album!
Release Date:  September 23, 2016
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