DEGREED – Public Address

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://degreedmusic.com/ The Swedish hard rock sensation Degreed are back with a follow-up to last year’s near-flawless Are You Ready, and it goes without saying that I had been looking forward to cranking Public Address up real loud in the living room. I shall keep things short here and merely state that…

VYPERA – Race of Time

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/Vyperaofficial Vypera hail from Sweden and dabble in hard rock and heavy metal that harken back to the eighties in terms of sound and style, which is usually a very good thing in my book, but sadly, this sophomore effort of theirs is a bit disappointing in that it lacks those…

Houston – Relaunch III

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/Houstonsweden/ Melodic rock and AOR of the highest order are what this fabulous and utterly talented act from Sweden offers, and while the previous full-length disc named IV was an amazing and expertly crafted opus, this 2023 output of theirs is just as wicked due to its enticing atmosphere, melodic strength,…

ART NATION – Inception

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/artnationswe/ Hard-hitting Swedish rockers Art Nation are back with a brand-new batch of energetic and hook-laden tunes that are stuffed with fist-pumping riffs, big vocal melodies, and punchy choruses. There is nothing radically different nor particularly original to what these guys does compared to many other acts out there, yet they…

TRIBULATION – Hamartia

RELEASE YEAR: 2023 BAND URL: https://www.tribulation.se/ I remember once listening to The Formulas Of Death²⁰¹³ and later The Children Of The Night²⁰¹⁵ (which came out after The Horror²⁰⁰⁹, the debut after 5 years from Tribulation’s conception) and praising the melodic death metal the founders Johannes Andersson (bass, vocals) and Paul Adam “Zaars” Zars (guitars) then…

ENFORCER – Nostalgia

RELEASE YEAR: 2023 BAND URL: https://www.enforcerofficial.com/ There’s a mildly funny personal story connected to this 6th album by the Swedish speed and traditional heavy rock and metal quartet Enforcer. I had heard of them before with the Death By Fire²⁰¹³ album review by a former ET reviewer Matt Coe but had never actually took the…

MAGNUS KARLSSON’S FREE FALL – Hunt the Flame

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/MAGNUSKARLSSONOFFICIAL/ Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear) is undoubtedly a gifted musician and an experienced songwriter with a knack for crafting huge-sounding, epic, and positively bombastic tunes with a symphonic edge to them. This pretty much applies to every band and project of his, not least the interesting Free Fall endeavor whose previous…

ISOLE – Anesidora

RELEASE YEAR: 2023 BAND URL: http://forevermore.se/ Alas, it’s time for the Forlorn to strike again! I am, of course, referring to the original name of the Swedish epic doom metal quartet Isole whose 8th full length was just recently released. Its predecessor, “Dystopia” was better than extra large pepperoni pizza on a Saturday night two…

CREYE – III Weightless

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/creyesweden/ There was a lot to admire and cherish about the previous output by these melodic rockers from Sweden, and it is most satisfying to discover that this latest effort of theirs delivers too and leaves very little to be desired in terms of quality songwriting. A loud, crisp, and bright…

GINEVRA – We Belong to the Stars

RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/GinevraRock/ What a wicked surprise this potent slab of melodic heavy metal/hard rock is. Featuring the talented singer Kristian Fyhr (Seventh Crystal), renowned guitar-slinger Magnus Karlsson (Primal Fear, The Ferrymen), kick-ass bassist Jimmy Jay (H.E.A.T.), and drummer Magnus Ulfstedt (Nordic Union), it is safe to say that these dudes know exactly…

GRAND – Grand

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/grandthebandsweden/ The Swedish outfit named Grand recently released this self-titled offering of theirs via Frontiers Records, and I must say that this is a highly promising debut album that shows potential and hints at even greater things to come. With their roots being firmly planted in melodic rock and AOR, these…

WILDNESS – Resurrection

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/wildnessofficial/ An excellent slab of melodic rock courtesy of the Swedish outfit Wildness is what you and I are going to discuss ever so briefly here, and you know what? I will kick things off by stating that Resurrection is a hugely enjoyable listen and a well-composed collection of tunes that…

PERFECT PLAN – Brace for Impact

RELEASE YEAR: 2022BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/perfectplansweden/ The Swedish purveyors of melodic hard rock and ridiculously catchy AOR are back with an inspired new offering that is pure ear-candy and overflowing with hooks. You know what? This might well be their most well-written and exciting release to date, which is saying something as their past efforts are…

FANS OF THE DARK – Suburbia

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.instagram.com/fansofthedarkband/ Yes, this is just what the good melodic hard rock doctor ordered – a brand-new and crunchy-sounding opus by the lovable Swedish outfit known as Fans of the Dark. While their first offering, i.e. the self-titled opus from 2021, was quite entertaining albeit slightly uneven and lacking in truly amazing…

H.E.A.T – Force Majeure

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.heatsweden.com/ The incredible Swedish hard rockers H.E.A.T parted ways with the amazing singer Erik Grönwall a while ago and then welcomed the return of original vocalist Kenny Leckremo, and what I can tell you about this stadium-sized juggernaut of delicious hooks titled Force Majeure is that it is the band’s finest…

HYDRA – Point Break

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/henrikhydra/ This one nearly got away from my pile of stuff to review, so before that warped brain of mine forgets completely, I should probably write a few short and concise lines about this eleven-track effort, right? Melodic rockers Hydra from Sweden are a relatively new band and also a new…

PALACE – One 4 the Road

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/palacesweden/ Michael Palace is back with another solo album that very much feels like the natural successor to the two previous records, Binary Music and Rock and Roll Radio, which is a good thing, mind you. Crisp, slick, and polished AOR/melodic rock with a hard and sharp edge and some rather…

STARCHASER – Starchaser

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/Starchaserband/ Following a nicely atmospheric introduction, Starchaser’s brand of polished and epic heavy metal explodes right out of the gate, and this melodically strong opus sounds absolutely massive and overflowing with drive and determination. Conceived by guitarist Kenneth Jonsson (ex-Tad Morose) and with a musically gifted line-up in tow, this ensemble…

TREAT – The Endgame

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/treatofficial With their spirited take on all things melodic hard rock, the Swedish act known as Treat is undoubtedly one of the better and most entertaining musical encounters from those shores when it comes to the aforementioned genre. On their latest LP, the infectious vocal melodies and strong hooks are still…

HOUSE OF SHAKIRA – Lint XXV (Remastered Anniversary Edition)

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/HouseofShakira/ Swedish melodic rockers House of Shakira recently released this nicely packaged double disc edition of their debut offering “Lint”, which is turning 25 this year. The booklet contains some interesting liner notes, but more importantly, you get a remastered version of the album as well as an entire disc containing…

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