Glen

After a few spins I'd probably agree with Geoff. There's no obvious filler and it's ultra consistent, but doesn't quite have enough killer tunes for it to be up there with Toby Hitchcock.... I'd agree on the consistancy factor..... but find myself prefering WOA's debut a tad more of the new one as the best songs on the debut are just a bit more memorable than th best songs off the 2nd album. -1 I thought that too, but when these songs sink in they are just fabulous. Emelie, eye of the storm, the great fall, Castaway....there are so many brilliant songs. And the production is just awesome.....exactly how an AOR album should sound. Ive still got TH ahead, but its damned close....I think 94% against 91-92%, both pretty special albums. As for WW, Im liking the samples so high hopes thats another stunner too.....end of the year is shaping up nicely. :-)

I thought that was a great one. 4-5 killer tracks is a pretty good return, and the ballads are awesome. Yeah, I liked it too. Actually really surprised me at the time when he was releasing an album every 2 weeks. This one was a real nice one. Nightrain?? Crazy Train more like.............that album is awesome. One of the best things JSS has ever done IMO. sorry guys, this album ain't bad but ain't really great in the upper 90%. I mean, with half winners and the rest are average to good, this is stuck around 75% or 80% top for me, hopefully it grows more. Jeff is a prominent singer indeed, no doubt about it, but if only he collaborates more with other songwriter, this album might be better. For instance, 'Believe In Me' with Neal Schon is a melodic champion or 'High Time' with Gary Schutt is also a winner, but I must admit his sole written ballad, 'If This Is The End', is probably his all-time best ballad. 'Sacred Eyes' is also good one, but many other are hit-and-miss especially with patchy verse / good chorus or vice versa. if i'm not mistaken, this was re-released with five bonus tracks, are they good or filler material? mine is the original 2004 Frontiers slipcase edition with +1 bonus only err, you missed out the 4 best songs, what about the awesomeness of 'Soul Divine', 'Drowning', 'On My Own' & of course the EXCELLENT 'Find Our Way'......it is a crime not to like that song, you know that dont you ;-)) lol. Keep going with it man, cos these songs are infectious....... Oh and one other thing, Howie Simon kicks MF arse on that album...........serious playing.

I thought that was a great one. 4-5 killer tracks is a pretty good return, and the ballads are awesome. Yeah, I liked it too. Actually really surprised me at the time when he was releasing an album every 2 weeks. This one was a real nice one. Nightrain?? Crazy Train more like.............that album is awesome. One of the best things JSS has ever done IMO. sorry guys, this album ain't bad but ain't really great in the upper 90%. I mean, with half winners and the rest are average to good, this is stuck around 75% or 80% top for me, hopefully it grows more. Jeff is a prominent singer indeed, no doubt about it, but if only he collaborates more with other songwriter, this album might be better. For instance, 'Believe In Me' with Neal Schon is a melodic champion or 'High Time' with Gary Schutt is also a winner, but I must admit his sole written ballad, 'If This Is The End', is probably his all-time best ballad. 'Sacred Eyes' is also good one, but many other are hit-and-miss especially with patchy verse / good chorus or vice versa. if i'm not mistaken, this was re-released with five bonus tracks, are they good or filler material? mine is the original 2004 Frontiers slipcase edition with +1 bonus only err, you missed out the 4 best songs, what about the awesomeness of 'Soul Divine', 'Drowning', 'On My Own' & of course the EXCELLENT 'Find Our Way'......it is a crime not to like that song, you know that dont you ;-)) lol. Keep going with it man, cos these songs are infectious.......

Oh and just one more........dont be put off by the intro cos this song rules..........pure Scarem chorus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VosH84mogIA&feature=related

Check out some AOR guys............ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q4NSpb8pro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFPwD2gyggU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKFr7PSa6qc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ign_u5jASfA&feature=related

Work Of Art - Castaway [sensational. nothing else to add]

Work Of Art - In Progress (just gets better and better. Outstanding) Pretty Maids - Pandemonium (a corker from 2010....still love that intro!)

I thought that was a great one. 4-5 killer tracks is a pretty good return, and the ballads are awesome. Yeah, I liked it too. Actually really surprised me at the time when he was releasing an album every 2 weeks. This one was a real nice one. Nightrain?? Crazy Train more like.............that album is awesome. One of the best things JSS has ever done IMO.

Any news yet on who is supporting them at the O2 Islington??

My fav from that album.

killer track.

I love Lion. I really need to pick up their albums, but every copy I come across on eGay, I always fear it might be a boot. And they're usually too expensive. Don't Stop - Bad City That Bad City album has been my favourite discovery this year. I keep expecting to grow tired of it, but the exact opposite happens with each listen. I need to pick this one up, too! get the bonus track 'Love On War' its the best song............

Revisiting 2010 - HEAT - Freedom Rock Terry Brock - Diamond Blue Vega - s/t [3 great AOR albums]

Given I don't really like Steel Panther or WW, and Reckless Love are great but not all their stuff is appealing to me, then after getting physical CD's of WoA and Toby Hitchcock I don't have a lot to look forward to! Strangeways could be good, but the last one was shite and even Brock's "Diamond Blue" album was patchy. Do you honestly think Mecca could be great? I mean, the first one was proper elevator music IMO, right up there with Michael Bolton's Christmas album... my my you are a hard man to please. If there's one album due which I think is gonna be a cop out its HOL.......they just dont appeal anymore. Diamond Blue patchy??! I listened to that album just yesterday and its still pretty great IMO. Maybe one filler?? The rest is just sublime AOR IMO. As for the rest Im only going on what ive read etc...yeah some could be shite, but Brock has gone on record to say that are going back to WITF sound with a big production....so you either believe him or not....WW I think will be great, purely based on the few samples Ive heard it sounds like it will surpass the debut by some way....Mecca II might be shite..I didnt really like the debut that much either, but this is supposed to be step up.... One which I think might be really special is 'The Magnificent'....keep an eye on that one (due Dec I think) as the sample I heard was pretty stunning. Also just read today that Grand Illusion have a new album due in October....now this doesnt excite me one bit, but I know you like them.

Great stuff......Oct 18th cant come soon enough.....will be cranking this in the car on the way up to Firefest!! Marvellous.

Great stuff......Oct 18th cant come soon enough.....will be cranking this in the car on the way up to Firefest!! Marvellous.

Backed. Great album np Gotthard - Dominoe Effect

haha well like i said, to me, 2011 is a strong year, but i tend to lump any genre that i like into the whole top 100 so unlike Geoff who have a different list, i might see a modern disc, heavy metal, thrash, prog or any great disc together with MHR, though of course the list is 80% dominated by MHR/AOR and so far it's actually around 25 albums that i rank above 85%, if Edguy later were stucked in 80%, then it's around #35 (right now i have more than 40 albums above 80%) my highly-rated discs that probably isn't in your list are Within Temptation, Symphony X, Headshot, Big Life, Wicked Jester, Battle Beast, Whitesnake, Tesla, and Blackrain but till the end of year, the list will fluctuates wildly, depends on what comes later, i expect several strong contender in the top 20 such as Reckless Love, Steel Panther, Vega (any info whether this is 2011 or 2012?), Sencelled, Newman, House of Lords, Dream Theater, Anthrax, White Widdow, Megadeth, etc 'Rock of Cashel' has an interesting melodic riffs and that folkish Irish sounding you mentioned, but the verse/chorus is a bit weaker than the rest, though it's still a good track. Couple of 'too long' tracks, maybe an old habit that's carried on from his Avantasia project, I think power/melodic metal without any prog element, should be limited to 5.50 - 6 minutes max, otherwise it will get monotonous and repetitive. interesting release, hopefully it grows more later, i spotted a two versions of this disc, there is a limited 2CD edition but damn it's a digipak, i'll wait couple of months on Amazon till it dropped around 8 or 9 GBP, then it's a buy Yeah the Within Temptation is a keeper - I got the deluxe version off itunes as well which has a couple of bonus tracks. Whitesnake is also good - a grower. Wont be picking up the Tesla or the Wicked Jester - sound didnt do it for me. Would like to hear Symphony X so might check that out on Spotify. Regarding whats to come I agree and am really excited about Reckless Love, Steel Panther and White Widdow. HOL has been pretty hit and miss over the last couple albums....so not too sure about that one. Vega will definitely be 2012 now. Also dont forget the following - Strangeways (think this is set for Oct and s/b great! fingers crossed for this one), Mecca II (heard good things on this one too - supposed to be a cracker!), The Magnificent (AOR project due Dec I think - the sound sample they had on Melrock.com sounded awesome!), Grand Design, Kimball/Jamison......................all have the potential to be great!!

Yep im going Sat/Sun. We'll have to try to hook up for a beer this year. Cheers

is it as shite as the preview looks lol ;-))

Work Of Art - Eye Of The Storm

Toby Hitchcock - Mercurys Down Work Of Art - In Progress Edguy - Age Of The Joker

wowser man, you have 25-35 albums ranked above 85% Realistically so far its about 10-15. Hey ho. Pretty much agree with your summation of this album. Yeah Id say there are about 5 out and out winners here....namely 'Nobodys Hero' , 'Breathe', 'Two Out Of Seven', 'Fire On The Downline' and 'Every Night Without You'.....each is excellent in its own right and any of them could have featured (strongly) on Rocketride. The album starts out with 'Robin Hood' which in true Sammatt style is tongue in cheek, but God damn me if this doesnt kick MAJOR arse from 5 mins, shame they couldnt ditch the spoken word parts cos it could have been awesome. 'Rock Of Cashel' (a castly type tourist attraction in Ireland if anyone's interested) is typically Irish sounding and kind of heart warming, but a bit of a mistake.....so is 'Behind The Gates' which is a bit overlong and not enough going on. But the rest is good to very good......all in all, a very good effort from Edguy and proves that Rocketride wasnt just a one off melodic attempt away from the typical euro power metal.

Excellent album.....definitely back to the 'Rocketride' vibe. Much much better than TS.

well except PC69 and Frontline..........of course ;-)