Reviews written by Woody
Riverdogs - World Gone Mad
Review By Woody I took a punt on this album even though I was unaware of the band’s sound based on the cult popularity of the band’s 1990 debut...
Newman - Under Southern Skies
Review By Woody Hot on the heels of the critically acclaimed The Art Of Balance Newman waste no time and release their 8th studio album Under Southern Skies. Although...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Infinity - Infinity
Review by Woody Infinity is an album rescued from the unreleased vaults thanks to Andrew McNiece of Melodic Rock Records, who finally let’s loose these songs twenty two years...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Far Cry - Optimisim
Review By Woody After the success of Far Cry’s previous album “High Gear” and subsequent appearance at MelodicRock Fest 2 in Chicago the band plan to capture that momentum...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Airrace - Back To The Start
Review By Woody It’s been a long time coming and now the long awaited second album from Airrace is here, just 27 years after the debut created waves back...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Big Life - Big Life
Review by Woody Big Life are a band put together by long time friends Mark Thompson Smith (Vocals) and Steve Newman (Guitars & Keyboards) and on disc they...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Rob Moratti - Victory
Review by Woody Victory is the debut solo album from former prog rock band Saga vocalist Rob Moratti. The album features Reb Beach on guitar (Winger/Whitesnake), Tony Franklin on...
| Overall rating | 3.0 | |
| Production Quality | 3.0 | |
| Music Quality | 3.0 | |
| Artwork | 3.0 | |
| Value for Money | 3.0 |
Reckless Love - Animal Attraction
Review By Woody Reckless Love exploded onto the melodic rock scene last year and their brand of infectious commercial party rock made them instant favourites with fans! With a...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Magnum - Evolution
Review by Woody What we have here is basically a best of compilation album from Midland melodic rockers Magnum. Tony Clarkin and Co are determined to not be a...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Serpentine - Living & Dying In High Definition
Review by Woody The second album from the Serp’s features Tony Mills (Shy/TNT) on vocals for the last time and this album comes out at a transitional point for the...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Lionville - Lionville
Review by Woody Lionville is a project put together by Italian main man Stefano Lionetti who composes most of the music on the album and plays guitar and also...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Night Ranger - Somewhere in California
Review by Woody Iconic AORsters Night Ranger return with a new album in their 30th anniversary year! Featuring founder members Jack Blades on bass & vocals, Kelly Keagy on...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Shadowman - Watching Over You
Review by Woody Shadowman are something of a super group featuring Steve Overland of FM on Vocals, Steve Morris of Heartland on Guitars and Keyboards with the Thunder rhythm...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Steele - Tricks Up My Sleeve
Review By Woody An album written and recorded in the early 90’s gets released in Japan in the mid 90’s & finally see’s the light of day in 2011!...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Stampede - A Sudden Impulse
Review by Woody I have to admit Stampede is a new name to me and I only discovered the band upon their reformation and consequent live dates. The band...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Shining Line - Shining Line
(Avenue of Allies) Review by Woody Shining Line features a cast of who’s who in the current melodic rock scene who have been gathered for an old school...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Issa - "Sign Of Angels"
Review by Woody Issa is a new name to the world of melodic rock but this Norwegian beauty has been doing the rounds in the background of the music...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
SKIN - "Breaking The Silence"
(Skin) Review by Woody Skin developed a loyal following back in the early 90’s with their blend of good time bluesy hard rock, that devout following was also...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Terry Brock - "Diamond Blue"
Terry Brock - Diamond Blue (Frontiers Records) Review By Woody Diamond Blue is the long awaited second album for popular Melodic Rock singer Terry Brock...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
First Signal - "First Signal"
First Signal - First Signal (Frontiers Records) Review By Woody First Signal is a project put together by Frontiers Records head honcho Serafino Perugino, to showcase...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Stan Bush - "Dream The Dream"
Stan Bush - Dream The Dream (Frontiers Records) Review By Woody Dream the Dream is the 11th studio album from AOR legend Stan Bush, and...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Mark Sweeney - "All In"
Mark Sweeney - All In (Pie Music) Review By Woody Crystal Ball singer Mark Sweeney returns with his second solo album “All In” his follow...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Asia - "Omega"
Asia - Omega (Frontiers Records) Review by Woody The Original line-up of Asia reunited in 2006 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band. This...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Chris Laney - "Only Come Out At Night"
Chris Laney - Only Come Out At Night (Metal Heaven) Review By Woody Chris Laney is a name that I’ve been hearing more and more of...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
Shylock - "Rockbuster"
Shylock - Rockbuster (Metal Heaven) Review By Woody German melodic hard rockers Shylock have been around for quite sometime, with their debut emerging in...
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Production Quality | 4.0 | |
| Music Quality | 4.0 | |
| Artwork | 4.0 | |
| Value for Money | 4.0 |
N.O.W - "Force Of Nature"
N.O.W - Force Of Nature (Escape Music) Review By Woody N.O.W are a new Brazilian band built around driving force and principal songwriter Alec Mendonca, with...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Newman - The Art Of Balance
This is the 7th proper studio album from Newman, not including the “Best Of” - Decade. Newman, which until recently was basically Steve Newman singer, songwriter, multi -instrumentalist and in...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Serpentine - A Touch of Heaven
"A Touch Of Heaven" is the debut album from new British AOR band Serpentine, formed by founder members Gareth David Noon (Keyboards), Gareth Vanstone (Bass) & Chris Gould (Guitars). ...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Tara's Secret - Vertigo
Midlands based rockers Tara’s Secret formed in 2003, and have had a few line-up changes in the rhythm section, but the core of the band founder member Craig Chapman...
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Production Quality | 5.0 | |
| Music Quality | 5.0 | |
| Artwork | 5.0 | |
| Value for Money | 5.0 |
Treat - Coup De Grace
Sweden’s AOR legends Treat return with their first original studio album in 13 years. Treat are a band that have been recommended to me many times given my musical...