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November 2024

• Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
• Lionville: Supernatural
• Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
• Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
• Lonerider: Down In The Dust
• Seventh Crystal: Entity
• Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
• Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
• Impellitteri: War Machine
• Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter

October 2024

• Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
• DGM: Endless
• Daytona: Garder la Flamme
• Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
• Frost*: Life In The Wires
• Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
• Fans Of The Dark: Video
• Radioactive: Reset
• House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
• Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire

September 2024

• Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
• Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
• Eclipse: Megalomanium II
• SteelCity: Reverence
• Hydra: ReHydrated
• Heartwind: III
• Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
• Find Me: Nightbound
• The Nail: The Nail
• Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
• Stryper: When We Were Kings
• Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
• Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
• Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly

August 2024

• Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
• Paralydium: Universe Calls
• Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
• Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
• All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
• Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2

[ More Music Reviews ]

Love And War: Edge Of The World

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock

4.0/5.0

Website Facebook
Unsigned/Self-released
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 29.01.2020 | Released: 31.01.2020

While Houston's Love And War was formed in 2000, the roots of the band go back even further. Guitarist John Adams and vocalist Jeff Vandenberghe have been friends and songwriting partners since 1982 and their band Lestat. When they gathered to start writing again, the songs they created encouraged them to form a new band, Love And War, which also features drummer Donnie Bragg and bassist Ray Soliz. They dropped their debut album, Up The Annie, in 2012. Eight years later, Love And War returns with their second long player, Edge Of The World.

Love And War

Now these fellows are no youngsters, and the context of their musical influences and experience dates nearly 40 years ago. So you kinda know what you're going to get. Love And War delivers classic Eighties melodic hard rock, with a definite metal edge, and powered by roaring riffs, feisty solos, pounding drums, rhythmic bass, and assertive, yet clean, vocals.

As for the tunes, Edge Of The World is a rather well-rounded album. You'll hear some fast paced, and catchy, heavy rockers with Start Believing (a favorite), We All Fall Down, Edge Of The World, and Psycho Ride, all of which have Love And War's trademark tough riffage and heavy drumming. With Strange Kind Of Medicine, the band drops in some Texas down and dirty groove, complete with slide guitar (or perhaps a Dobro) and harmonica. Other songs like Final Destination and South Side Johnny seemed simply hard and heavy, without reaching the catchy rock rhythm and groove of something like Start Believing. They're fine, but I couldn't connect with them. Nevertheless, for classic metal-fused melodic hard rock, Love And War's Edge Of The World delivers the goods, and fans of the same should get this album. Recommended.

Wolfpakk: Nature Strikes Back

Melodic Heavy/Power Metal

4.0/5.0

Once more the wolves come a-howlin. The collaborative project of vocalist Mark Sweeney and producer/vocalist Michael Voss, Wolfpakk returns with their fifth studio album ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

For classic metal-fused melodic hard rock, Love And War's Edge Of The World delivers the goods, and fans of the same should get this album. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]