NORTHERN DIVISION - Projects Vol. 4,1

NORTHERN DIVISION
" Projects Vol. 4,1 " Demo
( Self - released ) 2011.
EP CD
Heavy metal - FINLAND









Northern Division are quintet, coming out from Helsinki, Finland. They are relatively newer act, also as a band without previous experience, but with evidental forthcoming expectations. They have released in own home studio a Demo, with 6 tracks in. A Finnish youngsters performs own variant of heavy metal as a genre, fullfield with many crossing elements as well. In its songs we can find some hidden thrash traces, also progressive metal includings, and some core details as well. They posses a strong performing energy, and complete materials are full of melodic lines. I couldn' t compare them with any of well-known acts, and they surely did a lotta' efforts that all things get funkcionizes as well.A probably most interesting track from Demo is a song No. 3, entitled " The Serpent".

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.myspace.com/nortdiv/music

GALLEON - In The Wake Of The Moon

GALLEON
" In The Wake Of The Moon "
( Aerodynamic Records ) 2010.
CD - SWEDEN
Progressive/symphonic rock










Galleon isn' t a newer progressive act, coming out from Sweden. They are active since 1985, and first album they have released in 1993 year, entitled " Lynx". A Swedish fellows works as a quartet, and during the years, they have toured around Europe, and released with actuelle one beleive or not, a 9 albums. Galleon are progressive /symphonic rock band, whose orientatoin captures many original detalis and elements, especially in arrangments threathenings.A songs are complexive, done in mid, rarely mid-up tempo.
Some influences coming out from 80's and 70's period, especially from British groups as a IQ, Pallas, Twelfth Night, Genesis and Camel, but Galleon is mainly original act, whose precise and distant playing, as same as colourful authors creations, reflects also a huge experionce of all members from band. " In The Wake Of The Moon" are consists of many inspirative places, and deserve repeatable listenings. I have to add that promotional activities of band's actuelle album in the net are also respectabile, and many webzines and sites have informed about  their actuelle product. " In The Wake Of The Moon" is a recomandable album of Swedish band, equally interesting for older and newer progressive followers.

Rating : 8 , 5 / 10
C / o : www.aerodynamicrecords.com

THE SICKLE - Hung Up To Dry

THE SICKLE
" Hung Up To Dry "
(Secondo Avento Records/New Model Label) 2011.
CD
Power pop / melodic punk rock - ITALY













The Sickle are relatively newer "kids"  in international music arena, and generally a fresh act coming out from Italy. They are trio, and " Hung Up To Dry" is actuelle debut, with 12 tracks in. As a press material announce, Italian fellows are on the field of several performing forms, with strong punk traces and meloding includings as well. Preciselly, I would ratherly separete their evident strong power pop dimension with also evident punk rrock elements. A both genre's forms exsists in its offering, but in unclassical way or in unclassical standardizations. But, that wasn' t a problem at all, or problem for band's members. The Sickle offers a strong melodicity, clear in every corner of each song, and punk rock energy, as same as punk rock " motorization" too. I wouldn't compare Italians, as the case was with some of my foreighn collegues, with any of well-known acts, Californian, or Europian, and The Sickle are mainly an original act, with clear authors views. The last 2 songs were done in accoustical  mood, and in some way are different than others. But, " Humg Up To Dry" is pretty optimistic album, without a weacker places, and this is a  pretty good discographical start for Italian youngsters....

Rating : 7, 5 / 10
C / o : www.thesickle.eu
e-mail : lorynml@gmail.com

DIRTY PASSION - Different Tomorrow

DIRTY PASSION
" Different Tomorrow"
( Denomination Records ) 2010.
CD - SWEDEN
Hard rock/melodic hard rock












Dirty Passion are band coming out of Sweden. They were formed in 2006 year, and they are four piece act faithfull to hard rock tendencies.
" Different Tomorrow" is their debut from previous 2010 year, released for " Denomination Records". A quartet  supported some well -known bands as a Saxon, Faster Pussycat and Enuff Z' nuff, to name a few. They have a brilliant vocalist - Emil Ekbladh in its line-up, and generally they  introduced to the audience as a melodic hard rock act inspired by the 80's and late 70's movement and groups  as well. A songs are done mainly in mid-up tempo, a certain and convinceble vocalization characterize a songs structure, as same as distant band playings in the back. " Different Tomorrow" are consists of equalizing materials, without any typical or leading song, but with materials acceptable for radio usings. This is a promising debut of Sweden fellows, probably more interesting for 80's hard rock fans...

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.dirtypassion.net

STORTREGN - Uncreation

STORTREGN
" Uncreation "
( Great Dane Records ) 2011.
CD - SWITZERLAND
Black/death metal









Stortregn are hailing from Geneva, Switzerland. They are four piece act, formed back in 2005 year. During the previous years, they have some personal changes, but they also released a 1 Demo in 2007,   and EP " Devoured By Oblivion" in 2008 year. " Uncreation" is actuelle product, a full-length with 8  tracks in, released for " Great Dane Records". Stortregn are black/ceath act inspired by Nordic groups, and general  by 90's black metal movement. Their sound also accept evident death metal traces and melodic includings as well. A lyrical approaches touches a themes of humanity desintegrations, human disorders and similiar views. A band has offered a distant performings, in many aspects with brutal and agressive playings, but also with interesting arrangments includings as well. " Uncreation" hides some interesting performing moments, and band has offered mainly equalizing materials. Nothing especially new, but Stortregn manniristically satisfies...

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.stortregn.com

ATOMIC PLAYGROUND - Baal Perazim

ATOMIC PLAYGROUND
" Baal Perazim "
( A Bomb Records ) 2010.
CD - USA
Heavy metal/80's metal














Atomic Playground are relatively newer act, formed back in 2006 year. They are four piece act, hailing fom Orlando, Florida, but members from band are well-experienced musicians, with longest carreare behind. " Baal Perazim" are their debut, released during the November of 2010 year.
We can find 10 tracks here and there, done in so call old school way, with many 80's traces, and similiar variants as well. Musically, we can hear many  influences, taken from succeasful groups as a Manowar, Tora Tora.  or earliest Judas Priest, but band also has offered some own tricks.
A songs are done in raw way, without any calculations, and band also has offered a distant performings . A productionn  reminds on 80's period, but that was finally  a group' s choice. Atomic Playground are coherent team, and their album is mainly recomandable for old school and 80's metal followers

Rating : 7 / 10
C / o : www.atomic-playground.net

SONNY AXELL - Ready

SONNY AXELL
" Ready "
( Self - released ) 2010.
CD - FRANCE
Funk/smooth jazz/soul













Singer, keyborder and songwriter Sonny Axell, born in St. Etienne ( 1982 ), is an interesting artist, whose musical occupation touches groovy tendencies, soulful jazz, funk, soul and similiar variants. During the previous 2010 year, he has released an album entitled " Ready", with 10 tracks in. With relevant production done by himself, certain and enjouable arrangments works, he has introduced as a musician also influental by the USA late 70's and 80's groups and artists, so in his songs we can find many elements nearer to Earth Wind And Fire, Chicago, Steely Dan, or  Crusaders  legacies. But, all of present songs posses a relevant dinamizations, and accepts a standards of our time too. Originality isn' t a middle name of this French artists, but in the other hand all things he did in best possible manner.
His songs are listenable, also acceptable for radio usings. He has also offered  an equalizing materials, recomandable for the followers of funk , whote soul, smooth jazz and similiar genre's tendencies... 

Rating : 7 , 5 / 10
C / o : www.sonnyaxell.com
www.reverbnation.com/sonnyaxell

THE HOMEMADE JAMZ BLUES BAND - The Game

THE HOMEMADE JAMZ BLUES BAND
" The Game "
( Self - released ) 2010.
CD
Blues - USA












The Homemade Jamz Blues Band are one of the youngest USA blues acts nowadays. This is also a family band, consisting of  Ryan Perry, who is response for all guitars and vocals, Kyle Perry who is bassist, their sister  Taya, she's a drummer, and don' t forget a father Renaud Perry who is harmonica player and key author.A group constantly receives recomandations from press and what is also importsant from colegues, and especially legendary B. B. King gaves a credits to band's entire carrear. " The Game" is their third album, consisting of  10 author's tracks, done in convinceble and also " dancable" mood judging by the standards of some previous periods. But Homemade Jamz Blues Band aren' t a retro act, their approach accepts many blues idioms, from delta and southern influences to the  newer standards, where song dinamizations and energy dominates through complete materials. There's no doubt that Homemade Jamz Blues Band are group with modern views, certain performings, and also owners of pretty good songs. Absolutely recomandable and also very listanable...

Rating : 8, 5 / 10
C / o : www.hmjamzbluesband.com