DAVE LING - MUSIC JOURNALIST

NOW PLAYING on the MIGHTY WURLINGTZER

June 2008
1) Testament – ‘The Formation Of Damnation’ (Nuclear Blast – A fuggin’ monster!!!)
2) Whitesnake – ‘30th Anniversary Collection’ (EMI – Re-mastered three-disc anthology)
3) Sparks – ‘Exotic Creatures Of The Deep’ (Lil’ Beethoven – These guys are geniuses)
4) Glenn Hughes – ‘First Underground Nuclear Kitchen’ (Frontiers – Funky beyond belief… but grows with repeated listens)
5) The Allman Brothers Band – ‘Seven Turns’/‘Shades Of Two Worlds’
(SPV re-issues – Not the greatest ABB records in the world, but nice to have ’em on CD)
6) Children Of Bodom - ‘Something Wild’/‘Hatebreeder’/‘Tokyo Warhearts’/‘Follow The Reaper’
(Spinefarm re-issues – They have stood the test of time rather well…)
7) Ted Nugent – ‘Sweden Rocks’ (Eagle Vision – Live DVD/CD - Terrific music; awful human being)
8) Marcello-Vestry – ‘Marcello-Vestry’ (NL Distribution – One for fans of Danger Danger)
9) Deborah Bonham – ‘Duchess’ (Atco – First-rate singer/songwriter fare)
10) Cult Of Luna – ‘Eternal Kingdom’ (Earache – Concept album based on a journal by a madman whose wife is killed by an owl)
11) Grand Magus – ‘Iron Will’ (Rise Above – Arguably the best work yet from Sweden’s classic doomsters)
12) Vincent Crane – ‘Close Your Eyes: A Collection 1965-1986’ (Castle Music – Double-disc retrospective of late Atomic Rooster keyboardsman)
13) Jorn – ‘Lonely Are The Brave’ (Frontiers – Whitesnake in Mini-Me form… but rather good)
14) Soul Doctor – ‘That’s Live’ (Metal Heaven – Quality melodic hard rock from Germany)
15) Glenn Hughes – ‘Live In Australia’ (Edel – Unplugged onstage, and at the top of his game)
16) Tony Mills – ‘Vital Designs’ (Phoenix Music – Prog-metal-tinged solo outing from TNT frontman)
17) Mostly Autumn – ‘Glass Shadows’ (Mostly Autumn – A refreshing breeze of subtlety and finesse)
18) Kiuas – ‘The New Dark Age’ (Spinefarm – Bombastic Pagan power metal from Finland)
19) Death Ray – ‘Death Ray’ (Capricorn – Junk shop gem… what a bargain)
20) Ozric Tentacles – ‘Live At The Sunrise Festival’ (Snapper – An open-air freakout comes to your living room)

May 2008
1) Opeth – ‘Watershed’ (Roadrunner – Barring a miracle, this is the album of 2008)
2) Uriah Heep – ‘Wake The Sleeper’ (Universal – So good it’s **almost** worth the wait)
3) Def Leppard – ‘Songs From The Sparkle Lounge’ (Mercury – Believe the reviews; a top-notch return to form)
4) Whitesnake – ‘Good To Be Bad’ (SPV – Way, way better than I’d feared…)
5) Iron Maiden – ‘Somewhere Back In Time: The Best Of, 1980-1989’ (EMI – Nice to have all the classics on one album)
6) Rush – ‘Snakes & Arrows Live’ (Atlantic – Terrific-sounding concert double from the last tour)
7) The Black Crowes – ‘Warpaint’ (Silver Arrow – Nobody does this style of music quite like the Robinsons)
8) Ihsahn – ‘angL’ (Candlelight – Prog-extreme metal genius from Emperor guitarist)
9) Kip Winger – From The Moon To The Sun’ (Frontiers – His solo stuff just gets better and better)
10) Harem Scarem – ‘Raw & Rare’ (Firefest – DVD of the band’s farewell show, plus extras)
11) Porcupine Tree – ‘Lightbulb Sun’ (K Scope – Re-mixed and re-mastered, double-disc edition of 2000 album)
12) Children Of Bodom – ‘Blooddrunk’ (Spinefarm – Delicious fusion of melodic death metal and Scandi-thrash)
13) Asia – ‘Phoenix’ (Frontiers – Inconsistent, but it’s a grower)
14) The Hellacopters – ‘Head Off’ (Psychonaut – What a shame it’s their last… this rocks!)
15) Jack Bruce & Robin Trower – ‘Seven Moons’ (Evangeline – Blues with attitude)
16) Warrior Soul – ‘Live In England’ (Livewire – Wish I’d have been there!)
17) No-Man – ‘Schoolyard Ghosts’ (Kscope – More evocative, ambient prog from Messrs Wilson and Bowness)
18) Tygers Of Pan Tang – ‘Animal Instinct’ (Cargo/Livewire – Great album, except it doesn’t sound like a NWOBHM band!)
19) Firewind – ‘The Premonition’ (Century Media – Shred-tastic melodic metal)
20) Eric Gales – ‘The Story Of My Life’ (Provogue – Fiery, funky, rockin’ blues)
21) Steve Miller Band – ‘Live From Chicago’ (CHM DVD – I’m predisposed towards any band with a song called ‘Fly Like An Eagle’, but this is great!)
22) The Batallion – ‘Stronghold Of Men’ (Dark Essence – Quality Norwegian black-thrash in the vein of Darkthrone)
23) Alliance – ‘Road To Heaven’ (Escape Music – By a long chalk, their best so far…)
24) Slaves To Gravity – ‘Scatter The Crow’ (Gravitas – Anthemic debut from band that cut their teeth as the Ga-Ga’s)
25) Circular Logik – ‘One’ (Artist Service – Hard-driving, hook-laden rock)
26) Dominici – ‘O3 – A Trilogy, Part 3’ (Inside Out – Unsightly ex-Dream Theater singer returns)
27) The Pineapple Thief – ‘Tightly Unwound’ (Kscope – Enticing, acoustic-enhanced prog)
28) Sonata Artica – ‘The Collection’ (Spinefarm – UK edition of ‘best of’)
29) Walter Trout – ‘Outsider’ (Provogue – He’s still got the blues…)
30) Zero Hour – ‘Dark Deceiver’ (Sensory – Densely ominous prog-metal)

April 2008
1) Romeo’s Daughter – ‘Romeo’s Daughter’ (Rock Candy – Expanded re-issue of one of the most underrated British rock albums of all time)
2) Michael Bolton – ‘Everybody’s Crazy’ (Rock Candy – Remember when he had the barnet and rock attitude to match that monstrous vocal talent?)
3) Avantasia – ‘The Scarecrow’ (Nuclear Blast – Star-strewn ‘metal opera’ from Edguy frontman Tobias Sammet)
4) Work Of Art – ‘Artwork’ (Frontiers – Wondrous Toto-esque AOR)
5) The Storys – ‘Town Beyond The Trees’ (Hall Recordings – Somehow they live up to the billing of ‘Swansea’s answer to The Eagles’!)
6) Demians – ‘Building An Empire’ (Inside Out – Mellow, lazily seductive modern prog… approved by Steven Wilson)
7) Steve Lukather – ‘Ever Changing Times’ (Frontiers – Toto’s guitarist/singer in impressive form as solo artist)
8) The Move – ‘Looking On’ (Salvo – Hugely important album from 1970, the band’s first with Jeff Lynne)
9) Lionheart – ‘Hot Tonight’ (Krescendo – Re-issue of cult AOR masterpiece from 1984)
10) Everon – ‘North’ (Mascot – It’s been too long since the last album from this terrific German prog group)
11) In Flames – ‘A Sense Of Purpose’ (Nuclear Blast – Horns aloft! The lead guitars are back!!)
12) Sahg – ‘Sahg II’ (Regain – Love the hard rock of the 70s? You’ll like this…)
13) Brother Firetribe – ‘Heat Full Of Fire’ (Spinefarm – Anthemic, melodic hard rock)
14) Dokken – ‘Lightning Strikes Again’ (Frontiers – C’mon, everyone knows what to expect from the dudes by now…)
15) The Jayhawks – ‘Tomorrow The Green Grass’ (American – Country-rock golden oldie from 1995)
16) X-Sinner – ‘Fire It Up’ (Retroactive – Rollockin’, AC/DC-meets-Def Leppard-style hard rock)
17) Warrel Dane – ‘Praises To The War Machine’ (Century Media – Nevermore singer’s solo debut… classy prog-metal)
18) Ricky Warwick – ‘Love Owes EP’ (Trust Few Music – More quality tunes from Almighty frontman)
19) Shannon – ‘Angel In Disguise’ (www.shannon-rock.com – Authentic-sounding French melodic hard rock)
20) Rocky Athas’ Lightning – ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’ (Amiable, accomplished blues from the Texan guitarist that Thin Lizzy immortalised in ‘Rocky’)

March 2008
1) Diamond Head – ‘Living On… Borrowed Time’/‘Canterbury’ (Metal Mind Productions – Expanded CD editions of masterpieces from 1982 and 1983)
2) Stone Gods – ‘Burn The Witch EP’ (Play It Again Sam – Four songs prove that… ulp!… there’s light after The Darkness)
3) Steve Hillage – ‘Germany 1977’ (Voiceprint DVD – Cosmic stuff, ma-a-a-a-n!)
4) Royal Hunt – ‘Collision Course’ (Frontiers – Exquisite, keyboard-driven melodic hard rock)
5) Rory Gallagher – ‘Stagestruck’ (Capo – Vintage live album from 1980)
6) Caamora – ‘She’ (Metal Mind Productions – Double-disc symphonic-prog opera inspired by H Rider Haggard’s book)
7) Plastic Toys – ‘For Tonight Only’ (Hill Valley – Spiky-topped pop-rock of the highest order)
8) Brainstorm – ‘Downburst’ (Metal Blade – Like melodic power metal? You’ll love this!)
9) Family – ‘The Best Of Family & Friends’ (Angel Air – Always been put off by those Larry The Lamb vocals till now…)
10) Jaded Sun – Gypsy Trip’ (SiAn – Highly contagious barroom rock)
11) Anthony Gomes – ‘Music Is The Medicine’ (Ruf – Funk-infused bluesy hard rock)
12) Space Ritual – ‘Otherworld’ (Esoteric – Surprisingly tasty album from Hawkwind breakaway band)
13) Last Autumn’s Dream – ‘Hunting Shadows’ (Escape Music – Swedish-German combo offer super-hummable pop-rock)
14) Egg – ‘The Metronomical Society’ (Burning Shed – Archive release of psychedelic space-rock… features Steve Hillage)
15) Davey Pattison – ‘Mississippi Nights’/‘Pictures’ (Angel Air – Re-issue of albums from 1999 and 2003… what an amazing voice)
16) Entombed – ‘Clandestine’ (Earache – Expanded re-issue of Swedish band’s second album, from 1991)
17) Rotten Sound – ‘Cycles’ (Spinefarm UK – A far from Rotten burst of Finnish grindcore)
18) Jeff Healey – ‘Mess Of Blues’ (Ruf – The Canadian guitarist’s first blues recordings in eight years)
19) The Gutter Twins – ‘Saturnalia’ (Sub Pop – I’m not a particular fan of Mark Lanegan or Greg Dulli, but this is **really** good)
20) Marcus – ‘Marcus’ (Krescendo – It’s aged a bit since 1976, but not as much as some others of its era)

February 2008
1) Led Zeppelin - ‘Live At The O2 Arena, 10th December 2007’ (Bootleg DVD)
2) Scorpions - ‘A Night To Remember, A Journey Through Time: Live At Wacken Open Air 2006’ (Sony/BMG DVD - Essential for Scorps fans)
3) The Eagles - ‘Long Road Out Of Eden’ (Eagles Recording Company - A trifle over-long perhaps, but houses some blinding songs!)
4) UFO - ‘Phenomenon’/ ‘Force It’/ ‘No Heavy Pettin’’ (EMI - First wave of expanded re-masters)
5) Stackridge - ‘The Forbidden City’ (Angel Air - Irresistibly marvellous double-live album from one of British music’s best-kept secrets)
6) Cavalera Conspiracy - ‘Inflikted’ (Roadrunner - The estranged ex-Sepultura siblings reunite
with monumental consequences - out on March 24th)
7) Spider - ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Gypsies’/‘Rough Justice’ (Krescendo - Expanded re-issues of boogie-tastic releases from 1982 and 1984)
8) Van Der Graaf Generator - ‘Trisector’ (Virgin - And then there were three…)
9) White Lion - ‘Return Of The Pride’ (Frontiers - Mike Tramp is back with a resounding bang)
10) Hellhammer - ‘Demon Entrails’ (Century Media - Ear wax need removing? These are your guys…)
11) Magnum - Wings Of Heaven Live’ (SPV - Their 1988 masterpiece performed onstage… plus other assorted gems)
12) House Of Lords - ‘Come To My Kingdom’ (Frontiers - The nightmare of ‘The Power & The Myth’ is officially pardoned)
13) Wishbone Ash - ‘The Power Of Eternity’ (Talking Elephant - New studio album from Andy Powell and company)
14) Wishbone Ash - ‘Live In Hamburg’ (Talking Elephant - Does what it says on the tin)
15) Bachman-Turner Overdrive - ‘Live!-Live!-Live!’ (Record fair bargain, recording of raucous Detroit show from the mid-80s)
16) Tal Bachman - ‘Tal Bachman’ (Columbia - Back in 1999, Randy’s son proved a chip off the ol’ block with this contagious set of songs)
17) Lizzy Borden - Appointment With Death’ (Metal Blade - Yes, I know it came out last year… I only just got my finished copy!)
18) Porcupine Tree - ‘Nil Recurring’ (Peaceville - Mini-album of material deemed surplus to ‘Fear Of A Blank Planet’)
19) Money - ‘First Investment’ (Rock Candy - Long lost pomp-rock obscurity from 1979)
20) Primordial - ‘To The Nameless Dead’ (Metal Blade - Quality symphonic doom-metal from the Emerald Isle)
21) Black Tide - ‘Light From Above’ (Interscope - Thrill-a-minute debut from a kick-ass Miami youngsters)
22) Big Linda - ‘I Loved You’ (Ursa Major - Stupid name, great retro-rock record!)
23) Death Angel - ‘Killing Season’ (Nuclear Blast - A jarringly heavy audio-sensory assault)
24) Brother Firetribe - ‘Break Out’ (Spinefarm UK - Expanded re-issue of the awfully titled ‘False Metal’)
25) Mother’s Finest - ‘Mother’s Finest’ (Rock Candy - Funk-o-metal masterpiece from 1976)
26) Norther - ‘N’ (Century Media - These guys continue to make great records)
27) Leverage - ‘Blind Fire’ (Frontiers - Finnish melodic power-metal par excellence)
28) Don Airey - ‘A Light In The Sky’ (Mascot - Enjoyable solo album from much-travelled Deep Purple keysman)
29) Samurai - ‘Samurai’ (Esoteric - Re-release of prog obscurity from 1971)
30) Strapps - ‘Live At The Rainbow’ (Angel Air - Unreleased recording of Mick Underwood’s pre-Gillan hard rock band)

January 2008
1) Wishbone Ash - ‘Argus’ (Universal - Expanded edition of 1972 classic; twin-guitar heaven!)
2) Iron Maiden - ‘Live After Death’ (EMI DVD - It’s back at last, with a dazzling array of bolt-on extra features)
3) Krokus - ‘Metal Rendez-vous’ (Ariola - Cheesy headbanging masterpiece from 1980)
4) Stonerider - ‘Three Legs Of Trouble’ (Trustkill - Stunningly good retro-rock from wildly exciting Atlanta quartet)
5) Thin Lizzy - ‘Live And Dangerous’ (Universal DVD - Lizzy perform at the Rainbow Theatre in 1978, with loads of ‘extras’)
6) Benedictum - ‘Seasons Of Tragedy’ (Locomotive - Strong contender for album of 2008… already!)
7) Black Widow - ‘Demons Of The Night Gather To See Black Widow: Live’ (Mystic - Long-lost audio-visual documentary of a show from 1970)
8) Airbourne - Runnin’ Wild’ (Roadrunner - Terrific stompalong boogie in the time-honoured vein of Rose Tattoo, AC/DC and The Angels)
9) The Mars Volta - ‘The Bedlam In Goliath’ (Universal - Sheer deranged genius)
10) Ginger - ‘Market Harbour’ (Round - Yet more effortless quality from Wildhearts leader)
11) Man - ‘Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics’ (Esoteric - Expanded re-issue of 1974 catalogue gem, includes unreleased live recordings)
12) To-Mera - ‘Delusions’ (Candlelight - Top-notch female-fronted prog-metal)
13) Ayreon - ‘01011001’ (Inside Out - Arjen Lucassen again strikes gold with latest guest-strewn project)
14) America - ‘Live In Central Park 1979’ (Eagle Vision - Peter Clifton’s documentary makes it onto DVD at last)
15) Breathing Space - ‘Coming Up For Air’ (Enchanting prog-rock lite from Mostly Autumn members)
16) Man Raze - ‘Surreal’ (Surrealist - Those dance music/Police-inspired bits are ghastly, yet this contains some great moments)
17) Maestoto - ‘Caterwauling’ (Esoteric - Woolly Wolstenholme of Barclay James Harvest offers bleak yet fascinating prog)
18) Fight - ‘K5 - The War Of Words Demos’ (Metal God Entertainment - Some of those songs are way, way better than I remembered!)
19) Days Between Stations - ‘Days Between Stations’ (Bright Orange - Soothing, ambient space-prog)
20) Jonin - ‘The Secret’ (Tribunal - Tuneful debut from North Carolina metalheads)

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!