NOW PLAYING on the MIGHTY WURLINGTZER

January 2012
1) Primal Fear – ‘Unbreakable’ (Frontiers – The Mini-Me Judas Priest deliver the goods… again)
2) Black Country Communion – ‘Live Over Europe’ (Mascot – DVD from their first European tour)
3) Glenn Hughes – ‘Live In Wolverhampton: Official Bootleg’ (Ear Music – Audio-visual feast from a two-nighter at The Robin 2)
4) Wishbone Ash – ‘Elegant Stealth’ (ZYX – Twin-guitar heaven from Andy Powell and company)
5) UFO – ‘Too Hot To Handle: The Very Best Of’ (EMI/Music Club – A well considered double-anthology)
6) Styx – ‘The Grand Illusion’ + ‘Pieces Of Eight – Live’ (Eagle – Their all-time classic albums performed onstage!)
7) Touchstone – ‘The City Sleeps’ (SPV – Female-fronted prog-rock to die for… highly recommended)
8) Harlequin – ‘Love Crimes’ (Rock Candy – Paul Suter likes ‘em… ’nuff said!)
9) Stretch – ‘That’s The Way The Wind Blows’ (Repertoire – First-rate blues-rock from a very fine band indeed)
10) AOR – ‘The Colors Of LA’ (AOR Boulevard – More classy, guest-strewn West Coast sounds from Frédéric Slama)
11) Soen – ‘Cognitive’ (Spinefarm – Ex-Opeth and Testament men go all dreamy on us…)
12) Lee Small – ‘Jamaica Inn’ (Escape Music – The writ from Glenn Hughes is en route presumably, but this is rather splendid)
13) Coastland Ride – ‘On Top Of The World’ (Avenue Of Allies – West Coast-style melodic rock with a Swedish twist)
14) Gregg Rolie – ‘Gringo’ (AOR Heaven Classix – Re-mastered edition of the cult favourite from 1987)
15) Nitrogods – ‘Nitrogods’ (SPV – Whiskey-soaked, ‘Fast’ Eddie-endorsed, Motörhead-esque rawkenrawl)
16) Spock’s Beard – ‘The X Tour – Live’ (Music Theories – Luscious double-disc from a 2010 concert)
17) Hate Gallery – ‘Viva Le Resistance’ (North & South – Noisy metal with a spunky, punky crossover edge)
18) Virgin Steele – ‘Agent Of Consent’ (SPV – Expanded edition of overlooked power-metal gem from 1988)
19) Steve Hogarth & Richard Barbieri – ‘Not The Weapon But The Hand’
(Kscope – A captivating alliance of Marillion’s singer and the Porc Tree keys maestro)
20) The Dark Sinatras – ‘The Dark Sinatras’ (Defectoscope Sounds – Compelling fusion of many different styles)
21) Planet 3 Featuring Jay Graydon – ‘Music From The Planet’ (AOR Heaven Classic – Awesome lost AOR gem from 1992)
22) Bonafide – ‘Fill Your Head With Rock’ (Black Lodge – Boisterous boogie-rawk, Swedish-style)
23) Oceans Of Night – ‘Doman’ (Ambient – Muscular progressive-metal)
24) Anubis Gate – ‘Anubis Gate’ (Nightmare – A winning combination of melody, precision and power)
25) Roachford – ‘Roachford – Deluxe 2CD Edition’/‘Get Ready!’ (Edsel – Where rock, soul and pop collide)

December 2011
1) Strangeways – ‘Where Do We Go From Here? Live At Firefest’ (Transistor Pictures – Heavenly DVD of their rebirth in 2010)
2) Jimi Jamison – ‘Live At Firefest’ (Transistor Pictures – Let’s relive one of the best Firefest performances of all time)
3) Led Zeppelin – ‘The Shepperton Rehearsals, December 5, 2007’ (Double-disc bootleg; no requests please…)
4) Damian Wilson – ‘I Thought The Whole World Was Listening 1997-2011’
(Blacklake – Bewitching anthology of UK-based singer/songwriter’s solo highlights)
5) Anthrax – ‘Worship Music’ (Nuclear Blast – Better late than never!)
6) Red White & Blues – ‘Shine’ (www.theredwhiteandblues.com – Classy hard rock from Myke Gray, Matti Alfonzetti and company)
7) Mitch Malloy – ‘II’ (iTunes – A magnificent return to his AOR roots)
8) Gamma – ‘2’ (Rock Candy – Newly re-mastered overhaul of their best-ever record)
9) Gotthard – ‘Homegrown — Alive In Lugano’ (Nuclear Blast – A fitting tribute to Steve Lee… RIP)
10) More – ‘Warhead’ (Rock Candy – A bona fide NWOBHM gem, complete with bonus track!)
11) Wishbone Ash – ‘Sometime World: An MCA Travelogue’ (Universal – No Ash? Shame on you! Get this…)
12) Journey – ‘Greatest Hits 2’ (Columbia – Even their B-list is awesome!)
13) Motörhead – ‘The World Is Ours – Vol 1’ (Motörhead Music – No comment required)
14) Sabaton – ‘World War Live: The Battle Of The Baltic Sea’ (Nuclear Blast – Three discs of live madness from the warfare-obsessed Swedes)
15) Lamb Of God – ‘Resolution’ (Roadrunner – Thunderous, brutal, magnificent…)
16) Turbowolf – ‘Turbowolf’ (Hassle – Brilliantly demented psychedelic stoner-metal)
17) Royal Hunt – ‘Show Me How To Live’ (Frontiers – Overblown but melodic power metal)
18) Grainne Duffy – ‘Test Of Time’ (GD Records – Like a cross between Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow)
19) Angeline – ‘Disconnected’ (Avenue Of Allies – Hearty, hummable AOR)
20) Jerzey St Band – ‘Breaking Radio Silence’ (Genepool – Accomplished America… from Manchester!)
21) Fate – ‘Ghosts From The Past’ (AOR Heaven – Commedable guitar-driven melodic metal)
22) Tristan Mackay – ‘Out Along The Wire’ (Battered Hat – Classy singer-songwriter fare, with special guest Paul Carrack)
23) Beyond The Bridge – ‘The Old Man And The Spirit’ (Frontiers – They call it: “Symphonic Progressive Metal/Art-Rock Opera”. I call it: “great”)
24) Evergrey – ‘A Decade And A Half’ (SPV – Double-anthology of their best bits)
25) Philipp Fankhauser – ‘Try My Love’ (Funk House Blues Production – How has this guy made 12 albums and remained off my radar?)

November 2011
1) Vain – ‘Enough Rope’ (Jackie Rainbow Records – Their best since the immortal ‘No Respect’!)
2) Arena – ‘The Seventh Degree Of Separation’ (Verglas – A truly wondrous slice of neo-prog)
3) Mecca – ‘Undeniable’ (Frontiers – Well worth the eight-year wait!)
4) The Magnificent – ‘The Magnificent’ (Frontiers – Great songs, amazing vocals… utterly Magnificent!)
5) Skin – ‘Skin’ (Rock Candy – Expanded overhaul of their debut from 1994)
6) Urgent – ‘Thinking Out Loud’ (AOR Heaven Classix – Underground melodic rock gem from 1987)
7) Magnum – ‘Evolution’ (SPV – A précis of their post-reunion career, plus two new songs)
8) Thin Lizzy – ‘At The BBC’ (Universal – Double-disc of unearthed Beeb highlights)
9) Beggars & Thieves – ‘We Are The Brokenhearted’ (Frontiers – Mature, fresh, melodic hard rock)
10) Lodgic – ‘Nomadic Sands’ (Yesterrock – The cult classic from 1985; ‘90125’-era Yes meets go West!)
11) Iced Earth – ‘Dystopia’ (Century Media – Top quality power-metal, and a great new singer!)
12) 9 Chambers – ‘9 Chambers’ (Ear Music – Fantastically anthemic twin-guitar-fuelled stoner-rock)
13) Wolfsbane – ‘Wolfsbane Save The World’ (www.wolfsbanehms.com – Shock, horror… Tamworth terrors return with stonking album)
14) Black Spiders – ‘Volume’ (Dark Riders – A collection of B-sides and EP tracks)
15) Nils Lofgren – ‘Old School’ (Vision Music – With guests including Paul Rodgers and Lou Gramm, this is great!)
16) The Pineapple Thief – ‘Variations On A Dream’ (Kscope – Double-disc re-issue of their album from 2003)
17) Jon Amor Blues Group – ‘Jon Amor Blues Group’ (Six Six – An exhilarating blues-rock romp)
18) Wrathchild – ‘Stakkattacktwo’ (Perris – Not quite what I was expecting, but rather good…)
19) Steel Panther – ‘Balls Out’ (Universal Republic – Still funny… selectively!)
20) Slash featuring Myles Kennedy – ‘Live – Made In Stoke 24/7/11’ (Armoury – Official bootleg from the world tour)
21) Jo Jo Gunne – ‘Jo Jo Gunne’/‘Bite Down Hard’/‘Jumpin’ The Gun’/‘So… Where’s The Show?’ (Edel – Their four albums on two CDs)
22) Morbid Angel – ‘Covenant’/‘Domination’ (Earache – I own them on CD at last… yesssss!)
23) The Jeff Healey Band – ‘Full Circle: The Live Anthology’ (Eagle – Four-disc boxed set, including DVD)
14) Jon Allen – ‘Sweet Defeat’ (Monologue – Pure singer-songwriter excellence…)
25) Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa – ‘Don’t Explain’ (Provogue – A hit ‘n’ miss bag, but worthwhile for the good bits)
26) Stormzone – ‘Zero To Rage’ (SPV – Meat ‘n’ potatoes trad metal, despatched with untold zeal)
27) The Reasoning – ‘Live In The USA: The Bottle Of Gettysburg’ (Comet Music – The band’s set from the ROSfest in May 2011)
28) Glyder – ‘Backroads To Buzantium’ (SPV – The Irish rockers get back on track)
29) Ozric Tentacles – ‘Paper Monkeys’ (Madfish – What a sadly underrated band…)
30) Bill Stewart – ‘On Top Of The World’ (RGF Records – Cool acoustic-based songs, inspiring lyrics)

October 2011
1) Shy – ‘Shy’ (Escape Music – A superb album… Steve Harris, RIP)
2) Megadeth – ‘Th1rt3en’ (Roadrunner – Far superior to ‘Endgame’ to these ears…)
3) Lone Star – ‘Lone Star’/‘Firing On All Six’ (Rock Candy – Chapman and Sloman together; what else do you want!)
4) Nightwish – ‘Imaginaerum’ (Nuclear Blast – Not as immediate as ‘Dark Passion Play’ but still great)
5) It Bites – ‘Map Of The Past’ b/w ‘Wallflower’ (ITMP – Single from album of the same name)
6) House Of Lords – ‘Big Money’ (Frontiers – Inconsistent, but there are some fantastic moments here)
7) Steve Hackett – ‘Beyond The Shrouded Horizon’ (Inside Out – The ex-Genesis star recruits a great cast for his 24th solo album!)
8) Fastway – ‘Eat Dog Eat’ (SPV – Fiery, anthemic blues-rock… just like we remember it!)
9) Grand Illusion – ‘Prince Of Paupers’ (AOR Heaven – First-rate Scandi-melodic rock)
10) The Treatment – ‘This Might Hurt’ (Spinefarm – Expanded and improved version of their debut)
11) TesseracT – ‘One’ (Century Media – Better late than never, count me in… they’re fantastic!)
12) Doogie White – ‘As Yet Untitled’ (Metal Mind – A hugely enjoyable slab of classic hard rock)
13) Deep Purple – ‘With Orchestra, Live At Montreux 2011’ (Eagle – Some comedic Gillan vocal moments;
check out the end of ‘Strange Kind Of Woman’)
14) Tracer – Spaces In Between’ (Cool Green Recordings – You like big, bluesy riffs and hummable choruses? Go buy…)
15) Riverdogs – ‘World Gone Mad’ (Melodic Rock – Rather short but oh so sweet!)
15) Houston – ‘Relaunch’ (Spinefarm – Impressive mini-album of classic AOR covers and self-penned tunes)
17) Gaskin – ‘Beyond Worlds End’ (Buried By Time And Dust – Attractive, weighty slab o’vinyl; contains vintage demos and lives recordings)
18) Black Widow – ‘Sleeping With Demons’ (Smack Management – Corny, madcap devil worship from a cast including
ex-Sabbath singer Tony Martin)
19) Pig Irön – ‘Hitch’ (Sounds Of Caligula – Their best bits bottled on a six-song EP)
20) Stan Bush & Barrage – ‘Stan Bush & Barrage’ (Rock Candy – AOR doesn’t get much better than this…)
21) Cloven Hoof – ‘Dominator’ (EM-Music – Re-mastered re-issue of a lesson in old-school metal bludgeon, first heard in 1987)
22) JoJo – ‘Jojo’ (Yesterrock – Expanded re-issue of underground AOR gem from 1986)
24) You Me At Six – ‘Sinners Never Sleep’ (Virgin – You can’t beat a good bit of power-pop!)
24) Bitches Sin – ‘The Rapture’ (Bitches Sin – Quality, guitar-driven NWOBHM fare from Ian Toomey and company)
25) Jane’s Addiction – ‘The Great Escape Artist’ (Parlophone – They’re not usually my cup of tea, but this is great…)

September 2011
1) Machine Head – ‘Unto The Locust’ (Roadrunner – One of 2011’s definitive metal releases is here!!)
2) The Union – ‘Siren’s Song’ (Payola – Makes their debut look ordinary…)
3) The Doobie Brothers – ‘Toulouse Street’ (Edsel – Re-mastered re-issue of gem from 1972)
4) White Widdow – ‘Serenade’ (AOR Heaven – The fast rising Aussie pomp-rockers excel themselves…)
5) Alice Cooper – ‘Welcome 2 My Nightmare’ (Universal – Don’t let anyone tell you that all sequels are crap!)
6) Newman – ‘Under Southern Skies’ (AOR Heaven – Shiteon & Homo Albion’s loss is melodic rock music’s gain!)
7) Chickenfoot – ‘III’ (Ear Music – A vast improvement upon a so-so debut)
8) Mastodon – ‘The Hunter’ (Warner Bros – These guys never disappoint… and once again they haven’t!)
9) Black Sabbath – ‘Black Bloody Black’ (Kiss The Stone – Bootleg of a gig I witnessed in Boston back in 1992)
10) Fiona – Unbroken’ (Life On The Moon – Her first in 19 years is well worth the wait!)
11) B.E. Taylor Group – ‘Our World’ (Yesterrock – Fabulous re-issue of the cult soft-rock album from 1986)
12) Xorigin – ‘State Of The Art’ (Frontiers – More superlative pure-AOR…)
13) Peter Hammill – ‘Pno, Gtr, Vox’ (Fie! – Typically uncompromising live solo set from the VdGG frontman)
14) Evile – ‘Five Serpent’s Teeth’ (Earache – A huge leap forwards for the Huddersfield thrashers)
15) John Wesley – ‘The Lilypad Suite’ (Madfish Music – Mesmerising solo album from Porcupine Tree collaborator)
16) Jam Tamkin – ‘Alibi’ (Rokoko – Fresh, breezy blues-rock to die for)
17) This Uneven Sky – ‘This Uneven Sky’ (Deepdark – Uncategorizable, uplifting rock from ex-Sam Thunder/AOK members)
18) White Wizzard – ‘Flying Tigers’ (Earache – More stirring, old-school metal!)
19) Yes – ‘Wonderous Stories: The Best Of’ (Rhino – A nicely packaged anthology)
20) Foreigner – ‘Acoustique & More’ (Ear Music – The hits, unplugged…)
21) Serpentine – ‘Living And Dying In High Definition’ (AOR Heaven – Confusingly, their last album with Tony Mills…?)
22) Atomic Rooster – ‘Home To Roost’ (Talking Elephant – Re-issued anthology from 1977… superb stuff!)
23) Gary Moore – ‘Live At Montreux 2010’ (Eagle – Includes three rather good unreleased Celtic-sounding tunes)
24) John Pratt – ‘Turn The Page’ (Bustin’ For Justin Music – Sunshine-soaked examples of West Coast rock)
25) Cosmograf – ‘When Age Has Done Its Duty’ (F2 Music – Quaint neo-prog)
26) Tom Moriarty – ‘Fire In The Doll’s House’ (Driftwood – Soothing, melodic blues-folk)
27) Immram – ‘The Voyage Of The Corvus Corrone’ (Escape Artists Recordings – The ‘semi-legendary, long-lost’ prog album from 1976)
28) Toxic Federation – ‘Distance’ (www.toxicfederation.com – Convincing hard rock from a young Midlands-based band)
29) Linda Ronstadt – ‘The Collection’ (Rhino – This’ll get a few spins on Sunday afternoons…)
30) Saracen – ‘Marilyn’ (Escape Music – Includes memorable duets between Steve Overland and Robin Beck and Issa)

August 2011
1) Dream Theater – ‘A Dramatic Turn Of Events’ (Roadrunner – Life after Portnoy is just fine and dandy, thanks…)
2) Opeth – ‘Heritage’ (Roadrunner – The album to finally convince the growl haters…?)
3) Thin Lizzy – ‘Bad Reputation’/‘Black Rose – A Rock Legend’ (Universal – Works of art)
4) Strangeways – ‘Native Sons’ (Rock Candy – Nurse! New underwear please…)
5) Steven Wilson – ‘Grace For Drowning’ (Kscope – How on earth does he make such great music, so consistently?)
6) REO Speedwagon – ‘Hi Infidelity – 30th Anniversary Edition’ (Legacy – Thirty years old? I don’t believe it!!)
7) Toby Hitchcock – ‘Mercury’s Down’ (Frontiers – Marvellous solo album from the Pride Of Lions frontman)
8) Leslie West – ‘Unusual Suspects’ (Provogue – Mountain guitarist and special guests deliver the goods)
9) The Strand – ‘The Strand’ (Rock Candy – The AOR cult classic from 1980)
10) Europe – ‘Live! At Shepherd’s Bush’/‘Live Look At Eden’ (Ear Music – Mr Tempest, you are spoiling us…)
11) Spider – ‘The Singles Collection 1976-1986’ (Lemon Recordings – Two discs of prime arachnid boogie!)
12) Sebastian Bach – ‘Kicking And Screaming’ (Frontiers – More feisty, air-punching hard rock from the ex-Skid Row mouthpiece)
13) Nazareth – ‘The Naz Box’ (Salvo – Impeccably packaged four-disc anthology)
14) Trivium – ‘In Waves’ (Roadrunner – Back to brutal basics on album number five)
15) Chicago – ‘The Ultimate Collection’ (Rhino – Double-CD anthology from the seasoned soft rockers)
16) Edguy – ‘Age Of The Joker’ (Nuclear Blast – Power metal with a great big smile)
17) Fountains Of Wayne – ‘Sky Full Of Holes’ (Lojinx – US power-poppers continue impressive run of form)
18) Arch/Matheos – ‘Sympathetic Resonance’ (Metal Blade – Fates Warning co-founders reunite to create a prog-metal gem)
19) Anathema – ‘Falling Deeper’ (Kscope – Dreamy, orchestral re-workings of their earlier material)
20) The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – ‘How I Go’ (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner – Assured, emphatic blues-rock)
21) Voodoo X – ‘Vol 1, The Awakening’ (AOR Heaven Classix – Newly re-issued melodic rock gem from 1989)
22) DC4 – ‘Electric Ministry’ (Metal Blade – Balls-out, old school meta-a-a-a-al!)
23) Solstice – ‘Kindred Spirits’ (F2 Music – Bewitching live CD/DVD from the female-fronted proggers)
24) Butch Walker & The Black Widows – ‘The Spade’ (Lojinx – Clever lyrics, hummable hooks and bags of attitude)
25) Powerwolf – ‘Blood Of The Saints’ (Metal Blade – Ridiculous lyrics aside, the music is marvellous)
26) Rise To Remain – ‘City Of Vultures’ (EMI – Tuneful, powerful metal from a UK band to watch out for)
27) Henrik Freischlader – ‘Still Frame Replay’ (Cable Car – Great stuff from the Bonamassa-approved guitarist,
but I could live without the funky bits)
28) Uriah Heep – ‘Official Bootleg Volume Four: Live In Brisbane 2011’ (Ear Music – A great show, well recorded…)
29) Reece Kronlund – Solid’ (AOR Heaven – Powerful but tuneful melodic metal)
30) Average White Band – ‘Live At Montreux 1977’ (Eagle – Er… Scottish funk-rockers playing American music in Switzerland)

July 2011
1) Queen – ‘Queen’/‘Queen II’/‘Sheer Heart Attack’/‘A Night At The Opera’/‘A Day At The Races’
(Island – First wave of the 2011 re-masters… each a musical treasure)
2) Work Of Art – ‘In Progress’ (Frontiers – Pure-AOR of the most wondrously orgasmic kind…)
3) Twisted Sister – ‘Under The Blade’ (Armoury – The classic debut, plus ‘Live At The Reading Festival 1982’ on DVD… sensational!)
4) Bad Company – ‘Live At Wembley’ (Eagle – DVD/CD of a gig that I witnessed last April)
5) Kansas – ‘Vinyl Confessions’/‘Drastic Measures’ (Rock Candy – A pomp-rock re-issue banquet…)
6) Paul Sabu – ‘Call Of The Wild’ (Z – His best bits on one CD)
7) Steve Hackett – ‘Live Rails’ (Inside Out – Double-disc souvenir of Hackett’s last tour)
8) Black Country Communion – ‘2’ (Mascot – Okay, okay, it’s a grower…!)
9) Anvil – ‘Juggernaut Of Justice’ (SPV – A very strong album from Lips and company)
10) Rob Moratti – ‘Victory’ (Escape Music – Pomp-infused crystalline melodic hard rock)
11) Don Airey – ‘All Out’ (Mascot – More from Deep Purple’s keysman and his guests)
12) The Pirates – ‘Shakin’ With The Devil: The Best Of’ (Salvo – Double disc anthology of a much underrated combo)
13) Incredible Hog – ‘Volume 1 + 4’ (Rise Above Relics – Expanded re-issue of cult gem from 1973)
14) Outloud – ‘Love Catastrophe’ (AOR Heaven – A multicultural melodic-metal romp)
15) Mysticity – ‘Ambassadors Of The Hidden Sun’
(Tessilque Musique – Classic hard rock, with guests Doogie White, Derek Sherinian and Bobby Rondinelli)
16) Theory Of A Deadman – ‘The Truth Is…’ (Roadrunner – Anthemic, trailer park rawkk!!)
17) While Heaven Wept – ‘Fear Of Infinity’ (Nuclear Blast – This long-running US act should be **much** better known!!)
18) Wolf – ‘Legions Of Bastards’ (Century Media – Old-school metal of the best kind!)
19) Sean Filkins – ‘War And Peace & Other Short Stories’ (F2 Music – Very encouraging solo debut from Big Big Train frontman)
20) Premonition 13 – ‘13’ (Volcom – More mournful quality from Scott ‘Wino’ Weinrich)
21) J21 – ‘Beyond The Holographic Hail’ (Floating World – Esoteric stuff from Reeves Gabrels, Marco Minnemann abnd various Zappa-ites)
22) Arabia – ‘Welcome To The Freakshow’ (Z – Muscular, melodic and tuneful…)
23) Tom Fuller Band – ‘Ask’ (Redcap – Unpretentious by enjoyable hard rock from down Chicago way)
24) Buddy Whittington – ‘Six String Svengali’ (Manhaton – Another John Mayall protégé who’s doing just fine on his own…)
25) The Cherry People – ‘Whoopin’ & aWhoppin’’ (Angel Air – Archive release featuring Barry Brandt of Angel)

June 2011
1) Airrace – ‘Back To The Start’ (Frontiers – Worth waiting 27 years for? You betcha…)
2) Yes – ‘Fly From Here’ (Frontiers – Their debut with Benoît David should silence the doubters…)
3) Heaven & Hell – ‘Radio City Music Hall – Live!’ (Eagle Vision – RJD RIP!)
4) David Roberts – ‘All Dressed Up’ (Avenue Of Allies – Re-issue of cult classic from 1982...
maybe one of the best West Coast albums ever made)
5) Graveyard – ‘Hisingen Blues’ (Nuclear Blast – 70s doom/stoner rock with a cool garage-like edge)
6) Victory – ‘Victory’ (Yesterrock – Now re-issued, their 1985 debut still rocks!)
7) John Wetton – ‘Raised In Captivity’ (Frontiers – This might take a couple of spins, but it’s great!)
8) Terraplane – ‘The Singles Anthology’ (Lemon Recordings – The Good, the bad and the ugly!)
9) Franke & The Knockouts – ‘Sweetheart – The Best Of’ (Friday Music – The silkiest, career-defining moments of Mr Previte and company)
10) Hell – ‘Human Remains’ (Nuclear Blast – Fantastic, like Sabbat jamming with Savatage!)
11) Williams-Friestedt – ‘Williams-Friestedt’ (AOR Heaven – Superb West Coast-style melodic rock)
12) Arch Enemy – ‘Khaos Legions’ (Century Media – More ear-splitting classic heavy metal)
13) Fortune – ‘Fortune’ (AOR Heaven Classix – The underground cult classic from 1985… prime, pomp-laden AOR!)
14) Home – ‘Home’ (Esoteric – Re-mastered edition of their 1972 cult favourite, featuring Laurie Wisefield and Cliff Williams)
15) Electric Boys – ‘And Them Boys Done Swang’ (Escape Music – Some great songs here…)
16) The Jeff Healey Band – ‘Live At Grossman’s – 1993’ (Eagle – Top quality recording, superb show!!)
17) Virgil & The Accelerators – ‘The Radium’ (Mystic – Encouraging debut album from UK blues starlet)
18) Anaal Nathrakh – ‘Passion’ (Candlelight – Doomsday comes early!)
19) Credo – ‘Against Reason’ (F2 Music – Engaging UK neo-prog… great lyrics!)
20) King Of Hearts – ‘1989’ (Avenue Of Allies – ‘Long-lost’ album from Tommy Funderburk and company)
21) League Of Lights – ‘League Of Lights’ (Symphonic prog-metal from members of Within Temptation, Threshold and Fates Warning)
22) Madelgaire – ‘(Im)Patience’ (Belgian band offers cool neo-prog debut)
23) Freedom call – ‘Live In Helvetia’ (SPV – A banquet of melodic power metal)
24) Pagan’s Mind – ‘Heavenly Ecstasy’ (SPV (Tuneful, melodic prog-metal from Norway)
25) Kamp David – ‘Red Hotel’ (Zube – Quirky, glam-infused rock ‘n’ roll)

May 2011
1) Journey – ‘Eclipse’ (Frontiers – The masters are back. Believe it!)
2) Def Leppard – ‘Mirrorball’ (Bludgeon Riffola – Double-live recording, plus three new studio tracks)
3) Warren Haynes – ‘Man In Motion’ (Provogue – Sublime, soulful blues-rock)
4) Night Ranger – ‘Somewhere In California’ (Frontiers – At last… back to their best!)
5) Status Quo – ‘Quid Pro Quo’ (Ear Music/Edel – Probably the best thing you’ll ever buy at Tesco…)
6) Lionville – ‘Lionville (Avenue Of Allies – Hugely impressive melodic rock from Italy, with international guest stars)
7) The Trews – ‘Hope & Ruin’ (Bumstead Productions – The underrated Canadians hang on in there!)
8) Rival Sons – ‘Pressure & Time’ (Earache – Groovy, fist-punching, hook-laden retro rock)
9) Iron Maiden – ‘From Fear To Eternity: The Best Of 1990-2010’ (EMI – The best bits of the post-Blaze years, spread across two discs)
10) Chantel McGregor – ‘Like No Other’ (Tis Roc Music – She rocks, she plays the blues and… ulp… at times she sounds like Lady Gaga!)
11) After Hours – ‘Against The Grain’ (AOR Heaven – Welcome reunion disc from South Coast melodic rockers)
12) Ken Hensley & Live Fire – ‘Faster’ (Ear Music – Hensley’s still got it… if only a few more people knew!!)
13) Pendragon – ‘Passion’ (Madfish – The neo-proggers adopts a more modern touch)
14) Big Life – ‘Big Life’ (AOR Heaven – Classy, commercial hard rock from the quills of Steve Newman and Mark Thompson-Smith)
15) The Melvins –‘Sugar Daddy Live’ (Ipecac – Big, loud, fuzz-toned, heavy as fuck… fantastic!)
16) Stone Circle – ‘Myth’ (www.myspace.com/stonecirclemetal – Opeth-like progressive death metal)
17) Jeff Paris – ‘Freak Flag’ (AOR Heaven Classix – Re-issue of his album from 1998)
18) Girls With Guitars – ‘Girls With Guitars’ (Ruf – Samantha Fish, Dani Wilde and Cassie Taylor pool forces!)
19) Various Artists – ‘The Best Of Melodic Rock’ (Sony Music Germany – Double-disc collection from Boston, Journey, Toto, Loverboy, etc)
20) The Rods – ‘Vengeance’ (Niji Entertainment – There’s still life in these old-skool metallers)
21) Killing Joke – ‘Absolute Dissent’ (Spinefarm – They remain one of rock music’s most unique and vital bands)
22) Mark Healey – ‘Inside Out’ (Angel Air – Accomplished modern-rock solo album from Badfinger’s bassist)
23) Exhibit A – ‘Make Mine A Lobster’ (Exhibit A Records – Melodious prog-pop, for fans of Talk Talk)
24) Wraptors – ‘Held High’ (Rakamarow – Sounds like three different albums playing at once… bonkers!)
25) Revoker – ‘Revenge For The Ruthless’ (Roadrunner… Alright, they’re Welsh… but with an album this good we’ll let them off!!)

April 2011
1) Manowar – ‘Live At Birmingham Academy 28.3.11’ (Private recording – no requests please…)
2) Black Stone Cherry – ‘Between The Devil And The deep Blue Sea’ (Roadrunner – They just keep on getting better and better)
3) The Zombies – ‘Breathe Out, Breathe In’ (Red House – Quite simply, one of the finest albums of the year…)
4) Robin Trower – ‘The Playful Heart’ (Repertoire – Ol’ fish face is back!)
5) Symphony X – ‘Iconoclast’ (Nuclear Blast – A virtuoso display of classic power metal)
6) Marshall Tucker Band – ‘Greatest Hits’ (Shout Factory – The best bits of the Southern rockers’ extensive catalogue)
7) Richard Marx – ‘Stories To Tell’ (Wrasse – Unplugged ‘best-of’, plus bonus electric tracks)
8) Little Caesar – ‘Little Caesar’/‘Influence’ (IronBird - Re-issue of cult classics from 1990 and ’92)
9) Shadowman – ‘Watching Over You’ (Escape Music – Album number four from Steve Overland’s ‘other’ band)
10) Warrant – ‘Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich’/‘Cherry Pie’/‘Dog Eat Dog’ (IronBird – Three albums on two CDs… well worth owning!)
11) Voodoo Circle – ‘Broken Heart Syndrome’ (AFM – Classic hard rock a la Rainbow, Whitesnake, Dio, Sabbath…)
12) Virgin Steele – ‘Noble Savage – 25th Anniversary Edition’ (SPV – Now spread across two discs with multiple extras)
13) Heather Findlay – ‘The Phoenix Suite’ (Black Sand – Classy five-song solo disc from the former Mostly Autumn frontwoman)
14) Onslaught – ‘Sounds Of Violence’ (AFM – It’s been out ages, I know; better late than never…)
15) Enbound – ‘And She Says Gold’ (Inner Wound – One not to be missed by disciples of melodic power metal)
16) Avantasia – ‘The Flying Opera: Around The World In 20 Days’ (SPV – 2 x DVD + 2 x CD = Unmissable for fans)
17) Pat McManus Band – ‘Walking Through Shadows’ (Bad Reputation – Former Mama’s Boys guitarist still rocking on)
18) Wolfsbane – ‘Did It For The Money’ (www.wolfsbanehms.com – Five-song EP from the Tamworth terrors)
19) Keith Emerson Band Featuring Marc Bonilla – ‘Moscow’ (Edel – Hugely impressive DVD of their 2008 gig)
20) Stryper – ‘The Covering’ (Big 3 – A spiffing covers album from the veteran God-botherers)
21) Stampede – ‘A Sudden Impulse’ (Grind That Axe – NWOBHM band’s first studio album in 28 years!)
22) Legion – ‘Code Of Honour’ (Z Records – No frills, hook-laden hard rock in the Winger vein)
23) Bullet – ‘Highway Pirates’ (Black Lodge – Marauding yet melodic Swedish metal)
24) Kamelot – ‘Poetry For The Poisoned’/‘Live From Wacken – Limited Tour Edition’ (Ear Music – In which Roy Khan goes out in a blaze of glory…)
25) Dawn Trader – ‘Castle’ (From The Ashes – NWOBHM band returns from the dead)

March 2011
1) Rainbow – ‘Rising’/‘Down To Earth’ (Universal – Quintessential re-issues)
2) Whitesnake – ‘Forevermore’ (Frontiers – Fine stuff… surprisingly!)
3) Uriah Heep – ‘Into The Wild’ (Frontiers – Fine stuff… unsurprisingly!)
4) Savatage – ‘Sirens’ & ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’/‘Power Of The Night’/‘Gutter Ballet’/‘Streets – A Rock Opera’
(Edel – The re-issues are underway… celebrate!)
5) Mark Clarke – ‘Moving To The Moon’ (It’s About Music – Top quality solo album from the Heep/Mountain/Colosseum bassist)
6) Michael Monroe – ‘Sensory Overdrive’ (Spinefarm – Rousing, triumphant solo return from former Hanoi frontman)
7) King Kobra – King Kobra’ (Frontiers – The 80s hard rockers reunite with Paul Shortino on vocals)
8) Von Hertzen Brothers – ‘Stars Aligned’ (Universal – Harmonious prog-rock to die for)
9) Joe Bonamassa – ‘Dust Bowl’ (Provogue – How does he stay so prolific yet maintain the quality levels??!!)
10) Woods Of Ypres – ‘Woods 4: The Green Album’ (Earache – Mesmerising, self-mocking, funereal rock… shades of Type O Negative)
11) Children Of Bodom – ‘Relentless Reckless Forever’ (Spinefarm – Yet more marauding metal from the Finnish masters)
12) Blowsight – ‘Dystopia Lane’ (Fastball Music – Daring, dayglo, pop-infused metal… I love it!)
13) Cavalera Conspiracy – ‘Blunt Force Trauma’ (Roadrunner – As close to a classic-era Sepultura album as you’re gonna get)
14) Mastodon – ‘Live At The Aragon’ (Reprise – In-concert CD and DVD set… worth owning if, like me, you’re fan)
15) Tokyo Blade – ‘Thousand Men Strong’ (Fastball Music – Their first studio album in 16 years… rather good!)
16) Roxette – ‘Charm School’ (Capitol – They’re a bit of a guilty pleasure… so sue me!)
17) Thunder – ‘Live – Rough & Ready’ (www.thunderonline.com – Does what it says on the tin!)
18) Brian Robertson – ‘Diamonds And Dirt’ (SPV – A lot more of the former than the latter!)
19) Mike Tramp & The Rock ‘N’ Roll Circuz – ‘Stand Your Ground’ (Edel – He had fun making it, you’ll do likewise as listeners)
20) Paul Young – ‘Chronicles’ (Escape Music – Posthumous solo release from Mike + Mechanics/Sad Café singer)
21) Vicious Rumors – ‘Razorback Killers’ (SPV – The luckless US power-metalheads have still got it)
22) Maiden United – ‘Mind The Acoustic Pieces’ (www.maidenunited.com – Unplugged tribute to the ‘Piece Of Mind’ album)
23) Wally – ‘To The Urban Man’ (www.wallymusic.co.uk – Double-live CD from obscure but worthy reunited UK proggers)
24) Ethers Edge – ‘Return To Type’ (Tangled Cable – Understated but enjoyable prog-rock from Lincolnshire)
25) Uriah Heep – ‘Official Live Bootleg, Volume Three: Live In Kawasaki Japan 2010’ (Edel – Okay, I can’t get enough live Heep, I admit it…)

February 2011
1) Thin Lizzy – ‘Jailbreak’/‘Johnny The Fox’/‘Live And Dangerous’ (Universal – Lavishly expanded re-issues… buy or die)
2) Starcastle – ‘Starcastle’/‘Fountains Of Light’ (Rock Candy – Sheer pomp-rock heaven…)
3) Budgie – ‘Impeccable’ (Noteworthy Productions – Now re-mastered with bonus tracks)
4) Blackfield – ‘Welcome To My DNA’ (Kscope – For me, this band can do no wrong…)
5) Survivor – ‘When Seconds Count’/‘Too Hot To Sleep’ (Rock Candy – The final batch of expanded re-masters)
6) Mr Mister – ‘Pull’ (Little Dume – Their final, long-lost album, inexplicably shelved after completion in 1990)
7) Scheepers – ‘Scheepers’ (A complete Teutonic monster from Primal Fear frontman Ralf)
8) Robin Beck – ‘The Great Escape’ (Her Majesty’s Music Room – Slick, tuneful, very impressive…)
9) The Treatment – ‘This Might Hurt’ (Powerage – A first slab of fiery, commercial rock ‘n’ roll)
10) Blood Ceremony – ‘Living With The Ancients’ (Rise Above – Doom-rock with a Heep-flavoured twist)
11) Lemmy – ‘49% Motherf**ker, 51% Son Of A Bitch’ (Entertainment One – Coming to a DVD shop near you… don’t miss it!)
12) Miss Behaviour – ‘Last Woman Standing’ (Avenue Of Allies – Swedish melodic hard rock par excellence)
13) Eden’s Curse – ‘Trinity’ (AFM – A third album of polished melodic power-metal)
14) Presto Ballet – ‘Invisible Places’ (www.prestoballet.com – Sublime, Yes/Kansas-esque progressive rock)
15) DevilDriver – ‘Beast’ (Roadrunner – Destined to be one of the best metal releases of 2011)
16) Within Temptation – ‘The Unforgiving’ (Roadrunner – The Dutch band successfully embraces a concept theme)
17) Francis Rossi – ‘Live At St Luke’s London’ (Ear Music – Audio and DVD of his tremendous solo gig)
18) Bonfire – ‘Branded’ (LZ Records – Some fillers on offer, but mostly this is great)
19) Gregg Allman – ‘Low Country Blues (Rounder – Blues-rock from the ABB genius!)
20) The Bell-Rays – ‘Black Lightning’ (Fargo – Rock ‘n’ roll; Stax ‘n’ soul – call it what you Goddamn like!)
21) Black Butterfly – ‘Into The Exosphere’ (Exosphere – A cool-sounding mixture of melodic and modern rock)
22) Danny Peyronel – ‘Make The Monkey Dance’ (Angel Air – Engaging, varied solo disc from the ex-HMK/UFO/Tarzen man… first released in ’02)
23) Marillion – ‘Live From Cadogan Hall’ (Ear Music – Double-CD/DVD of their unplugged tour)
24) Time Gallery – ‘Time Gallery’ (EMI Denmark – Re-issue of 1989 debut from these West Coast-obsessed Scandinavians)
25) Desert Storm – ‘Forked Tongues’ (Buried In Smoke – Weighty, stoner-infused metal from a promising Oxford combo)
26) Cauldron – ‘Burning Fortune’ (Earache – Second album from Canadian melodic trad-metalheads)
27) King King, Featuring Alan Nimmo – ‘Take My Head’ (Manhaton – Truly awful name, wonderful blues band)
28) The Jellys – ‘Welcome To Our World’ (MIR – Japanese import blast from the past; pop-rock featuring CJ from the Wildhearts)
29) Coldspell – ‘Out From The Cold’ (Escape Music – Crisp, melodic hard rock with a metallic edge)
30) Shakra – ‘Back On Track’ (AFM – Swiss veterans return with new singer and corker of an album)

January 2011
1) Pallas – ‘XXV’ (Music Theories Recordings – A truly Herculean piece of work)
2) Paul Laine – ‘Stick It In Your Ear’ (AOR Heaven Classix – The 1990 melodic masterpiece, re-mastered by Soul Doctor’s Chris Lyne)
3) Nazareth – ‘’Snaz’ (Salvo – Expanded re-issue of the essential live album from 1981)
4) Stratovarius – ‘Elysium’ (Edel – Their second Tolkki-less album… Timo who??!!)
5) Van der Graaf Generator – ‘A Grounding In Numbers’ (Esoteric – Still making great music as a three-piece)
6) Praying Mantis – ‘Metalmorphosis: The 30th Anniversary EP’ (www.praying-mantis.com – Five vintage-era tracks awarded new update)
7) Steve Miller Band – ‘Fly Like An Eagle – Special Edition’ (Edsel – The 1976 classic now adds bonus tracks, a live DVD and a 5.1 mix)
8) Heart – ‘Night At Sky Church’ (Eagle Vision – Filmed last March and including a guest appearance from Alison Krauss)
9) Prime Suspect – ‘Prime Suspect’ (Frontiers – Power and melody in equal proportions)
10) Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash – ‘Life Begins Tour: Live At The Y Theatre Leicester’ (Dirty Dog – Hugely enjoyable DVD, filmed in March 2010)
11) Greg Lake – ‘Greg Lake’ (Rock Candy – The cult classic from 1981, with Gary Moore on guitar)
12) Robert John Godfrey – ‘Fall Of Hyperion’ (Operation Seraphim – Re-issue of The Enid leader’s solo album from 1974)
13) Klaus Kinski – ‘Skelington Horse’ (Ankst Music – They call it “guilt ridden no-wave post-punk”… I call it barmy)
14) Times Of Grace – ‘The Hymn Of A Broken Man’ (Roadrunner – Kick-ass new project featuring Adam D and Jesse Leach from Killswitch Engage)
15) Ten – ‘Stormwarning’ (Frontiers – It’s taken a bit of a kicking, but I like it!)
16) Sam Hare – ‘Down To The Sea’ (SJH – Earnest, sedate blues-rock)
17) Toby Jepson – ‘Guitar, Bass And Drums, Vol 3’ (Townsend – Delivered two years late, but contains some terrific songs)
18) Lies Of Smiles – ‘Cross & Claw’ (www.liesofsmiles.com – Hard rock in the old school way)
19) Darkest Era – ‘The Last Caress Of Light’ (Metal Blade – A pot pourri of Celtic, doom, pagan, folk and the lightest of black metal signatures)
20) Lyraka – ‘Lyraka, Volume 1’ (Yesterrock – Overblown but strangely satisfying neo-classical hard rock project)
21) Citizen Charlie – ‘Up Yours’ (Rocksector – Joan Jett-influenced, spunky pop-punk)
22) My Jerusalem – ‘Gone For Good’ (One Little Indian – Maudlin, ethereal and completely engrossing)
23) Wanted – ‘Too Hot To Handle’ (Eönion – Exhumed, big-haired cock rock from the late-1980s)
24) Venomin James – ‘Crowe Valley Blues’ (Auburn – Potent, retro-fuelled stoner-sludge from Cleveland)
25) Walk The Wire – ‘Walk The Wire’ (Yesterrock – Expanded re-issue of UK melodic obscurity from 1994)

PLAYLIST 2010
PLAYLIST 2009
PLAYLIST 2008
PLAYLIST 2007
PLAYLIST 2006

The DAVE LING JUKEBOX SELECTION will be changed every month
If there are any albums you think should be included on next month's playlist
please let us know!