• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

December 2024

• After Lapse: Pathways
• Illusion Force: Halfana
• Powell-Payne: Voilá

November 2024

• Sunstorm: Restless Fight
• Storace: Crossfire
• 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 ]

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal

Rating: 4.5/5.0

www.poodles.se
www.afm-records.de
www.myspace.com/thepoodles
Reviewed by Craig Hartranft

The Poodles debut 'Metal Will Stand Tall' was one of my top ten releases of 2006. They follow up this great release with 'Sweet Trade,' and they continue to pursue excellent melodic hard rock mixed with a sublime dash of metal.

The songs are filled with great melody and fabulous choruses. 'Sweet Trade' begins with a clever number 'Flesh and Bones' that has a mysterious intro which make you wonder what's ahead. And what follows is a tricky melody and a catchy chorus wrapped with an almost pop metal feel recalling the best of 80's melodic rock. When you move onto 'Streets Of Fire' and its heavy rhythm section you know that you are in for some significant musical variety throughout this work. 'Seven Seas' has 'hit single' written all over it. Jakob Samuel excels with dynamic vocals. On both songs, Pontus Norgren really rips it up with some short, but incredible, solos. And this is only the first three songs. Other memorable numbers include 'Thunderball,' a terrific 'balls to the wall' rocker, 'Reach The Sky,' with some subtle Bon Jovi nuances, 'Without You,' a powerful and emotional rocker, and finally, 'Shine,' the only true ballad on the album. It definitely has arena quality sound.

In the end, if you were thrilled and satisfied with 'Metal Will Stand Tall,' then you will love 'Sweet Trade.' Essentially, it's more of the same, and that is a very good thing. The Poodles extend their tireless consistency for melodic rock and metal with 'Sweet Trade.' This is a definite must buy!

In the end, if you were thrilled and satisfied with 'Metal Will Stand Tall,' then you will love 'Sweet Trade.' Essentially, it's more of the same, and that is a very good thing. The Poodles extend their tireless consistency for melodic rock and metal with 'Sweet Trade.'

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]