NOW PLAYING on the MIGHTY WURLINGTZER

December 2009
1) AC/DC – ‘Backtracks’ (Columbia – Essential three-disc boxed set)
2) Neal Morse – ‘So Many Roads’ (Radiant – Lavish triple-live album, containing songs from Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic and Morse’s solo career)
3) White Wizzard – ‘Over The Top’ (Earache – Glorious NWOBHM-derived balls-out lunacy… all the way from California!)
4) Morbid Angel – ‘Blessed Are The Sick’ (Earache – Expanded re-issue of legendary death metal album from 1991)
5) The Devil’s Blood – ‘The Time Of No Time Ever More’ (Van Records – Full-length debut from female-fronted Dutch Satan-worshippers
that mix psychedelia, metal and doom)
6) No-Man – ‘Mixtaped/Returning’ (Kscope – DVD of the band’s Bush Hall gig, plus historical documentary)
7) Scorpions – ‘Amazônia – Live In The Jungle’ (Sony Music DVD – “Turn zee schpotlights on zee… zeeebras??”)
8) Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits’ (Fantasy – Charity shop bargain)
9) Big Big Train – ‘The Underfall Yard’ (English Electric Recordings – Enchanting neo-prog)
10) Gun – ‘Popkiller’ (www.gunofficial.co.uk – Five-track mini-album; the title song stuck in my brain for days on end)
11) Quireboys – ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ (EMI Gold – Re-mastered, expanded edition)
12) Pat McManus Band – ‘2pm’ (Bad Reputation – Second solo album from ex-Mama’s Boy’s guitarist/fiddler…
Some might not dig the vocals but they've got character!)
13) Soul Doctor – ‘Way Back To The Bone’ (Metal Heaven – Excellent… if you can get past the ‘Kashmir’ rip-off that the first track is based upon)
14) Vains Of Jenna – ‘The Art Of Tellin’ Lies’ (RLS – Spunky, hook-laden gutter-rock)
15) Blood Red Throne – ‘Souls Of Damnation’ (Earache – First-rate death-metal)
16) Jeff Scott Soto – ‘One Night In Madrid’ (Frontiers – Just skip through the regrettable ‘Funky Medley’…)
17) Blackwater Creek – ‘Blackwater Creek’ (Frontiers – Kip Winger revives a childhood group disbanded in 1980… and still sounds superb!)
18) Municipal Waste – ‘Massive Aggressive – Earache – Frash ‘till death!)
19) Jeff Healey – ‘Songs From The Road’ (Ruf – Top quality live album from the much-missed Canadian)
20) Steel Panther – ‘Sexy Santa’ (Island – Silly, but fun!)

November 2009
1) FM – ‘Live At The Firefest 24.10.09’ (Private DVD… No requests pls)
2) Kansas – ‘There’s Know Place Like Home’ (Inside Out – DVD of symphonic hometown show, with guests Kerry Livgren and Steve Morse)
3) Europe – ‘Out Of This World’/‘Prisoners In Paradise’ (Iron Bird – Two-on-one from Joey T and company)
4) Ihsahn – ‘After’ (Candlelight – Quite possibly the former Emperor man’s best solo work)
5) Slayer – ‘World Painted Blood’ (American – Better late than never, I guess…)
6) Steve Hackett – ‘Out Of The Tunnel’s Mouth’ (Wolfworks – The album his fans have been dying for him to make for years… with Chris Squire on bass)
7) Mastedon ‘3’ (Frontiers – Ex-Kansas man John Elefante delivers a complete monster)
8) FM – ‘Wildside EP’ (Riff City – Brand new studio track and seven other songs)
9) Spin Gallery – ‘Embrace’ (Frontiers – A sublime modern take on West Coast AOR themes)
10) Hawkwind – ‘Levitation’ (Atomhenge – New three-disc edition, including live show from Lewisham Odeon)
11) Hanoi Rocks – ‘Buried Alive’ (Backstage Alliance – DVD of the band’s final show)
13) Peter Hammill – ‘Thin Air’ (Fie! – Mentally gruelling solo album from Van der Graaf frontman)
14) Rush – ‘Working Men’ (Eagle Vision – Yeah… yet another Rush live DVD)
15) Swallow The Sun – ‘New Moon’ (Spinefarm – Death metal meets symphonic prog… at times stunningly good)
16) New Model Army – ‘Today Is A Good Day’ (Attack Attack – The UK agit-rockers have still got what it takes)
17) Delain – ‘April Rain’ (Roadrunner – Superb female-fronted symphonic metal… how did I overlook their debut??!!)
18) Leverage – ‘Circus Colossus’ (Spinefarm – Top-drawer melodic metal)
19) Freak Kitchen – ‘Land Of The Freaks’ (Thunderstruck Productions – Sensational guitar playing, some fascinating tunes)
20) Various Artists – ‘Progfest ’97’ (Voiceprint – Live tracks from Bigelf, John Wetton, Spock’s Beard, Arena and more)
21) Jupiter One – ‘Sunshower’ (Ryko – A cunningly hooky blend of retro-rock and more indie-influenced moments)
22) The Tangent – ‘Down And Out In Paris And London’ (Inside Out – Endearingly overblown neo-prog)
23) Pagan’s Mind – ‘Live Equation’ (PM – Double-live DVD from the veteran Norwegian prog-metallers)
24) Quicksilver Messenger Service – ‘Live At The Quarter Note Lounge, New Orleans, July 26 1977 (Voiceprint – Exemplary radio broadcast)
25) Creed – ‘Full Circle’ (Wind-Up – Pretty good, I suppose… but gimme Alter Bridge any day of the week…)

October 2009
1) Montrose – ‘Montrose’ (Rock Candy – Still the greatest debut album of all time)
2) Airrace – ‘Shaft Of Light’ (Rock Candy – The fabulous re-mastering job makes it sound like a different record!)
3) Paradise Lost – ‘Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us’ (Century Media – Miserable… melancholy… magnificent)
4) Kiss – ‘Sonic Boom’ (Roadrunner – As enjoyable as ‘Psycho Circus’ was awful)
5) Transatlantic – ‘The Whirlwind’ (Inside Out – Will be far too weighty and complex for some, no complaints from me…)
6) Katatonia – ‘Night Is The New Day’ (Peaceville – The Swedes’ proggiest, most ear-seducing album to date)
7) Foreigner – ‘Can’t Slow Down’ (Rhino – A fulsome addition to Foreigner’s rich catalogue)
8) Daughtry – ‘Leave This Town’ (19/RCA – Chris is loved and loathed in equal amounts; I’m in the former category)
9) Thunder – ‘20 Years And Out!: At The End Of The Road… Live In London 11th July 2009’
(STC Films – DVD of Thunder’s farewell bash, lives up to its grand title)
10) Baroness – ‘Blue Record’ (Relapse – Quite probably their best yet)
11) W.E.T. – ‘W.E.T.’ (Frontiers – Journey-esque AOR from Messrs Soto, Martensson and Sall)
12) Overland – ‘Diamond Dealer’ (Escape Music – Mr Lagercan returns to melodic hard rock roots with his second solo album)
13) My Dying Bride – ‘For Lies I Sire’ (Peaceville – It’s been out for a while, I know, but better late than never…)
14) Uriah Heep – ‘Celebration’ (Edel – 40th anniversary anthology of re-recorded songs, plus two new tracks and DVD from Sweden Rock Festival)
15) Slade – ‘Live At The BBC’ (Salvo – Worth owning for the 1972 concert broadcast alone)
16) The Storys – ‘Town Beyond The Trees – The Special Edition’
(Angel Air – Swoon-inducing country-rock melodies, now accompanied by a live disc)
17) Meat Loaf – ‘Bat Out Of Hell – The Original Tour’ (Eagle Vision DVD – Rockpalast TV gig from Meat’s first tour in June 1978)
18) Skindred – ‘Shark Bites And Dog Bites’ (Bieler Bros – Fearsome Ragga-metal)
19) Living Colour – ‘The Chair In The Doorway’ (Megaforce – Darker, less funky ‘n’ obvious but equally fulfilling)
20) Van der Graaf Generator – ‘Live At The Paradiso, 14.04.07’ (Voiceprint – Double concert set from a great venue)
21) 101 South – ‘No U-Turn’ (AOR Heaven – Slick, summery sounds to combat the current season’s gloom)
22) Horisont – ‘Två Sidor Av Horisonten’ (Crusher – Swedish retro-stoner-rock… highly recommended)
23) Anti-Product – ‘Please Take Your Cash’ (White Devil Music – These guys ‘n’ gals rarely fail to make me smile… this is cartoon-tastic!)
24) Within Temptation – ‘An Acoustic Night At The Theatre’ (Roadrunner – Gothic metallers go the unplugged route)
25) Throttlerod – ‘Pig Charmer’ (Small Stone – Hadn’t heard anything by this band in five years; they still do the business)
26) Hatebreed – ‘Hatebreed – Special Edition’ (Roadrunner – Jamey Jasta and company stretch out a little)
27) Marya Roxx – ‘The 21? EP’ (RAM Music – Gutsy, female-fronted pop-rawk)
28) Brunorock – ‘War Manics’ (7Hard – Slick, confident 80s-influenced hard rock)
29) Suns Gods In Exile – ‘Black Light, White Lines’ (Small Stone – Grimy, Southern-tinged dirtbag-metal)
30) The Hotlines – ‘The Hotlines’ (Devil’s Jukebox – Airy and contagious pop-punk)

September 2009
1) Alice In Chains – ‘Black Gives Way To Blue’ (Incredibly, it lives up to the hype)
2) Winger – ‘Karma’ (Frontiers – A return to form… and then some!!)
3) Cheap Trick – ‘The Latest’ (www.cheaptrickcom – In a word ‘superb’!)
4) Stackridge – ‘Victory For Common Sense’ (Helium – Old-English eccentrics still sounding fabulous)
5) Gotthard – ‘Need To Believe’ (Nuclear Blast – The Swiss band’s ninth album explains why they’ve shifted more than two million units)
6) Black Bonzo – ‘Guillotine Drama’ (B&B – Irresistibly flamboyant progressive hard rock)
7) The Wildhearts – ‘Chutzpah!’ (Backstage Alliance/Cargo – More nuggets of audio delight from Ginger and company)
8) The Used – ‘Artwork’ (Reprise – This is absolutely terrific; the New Wave Of Melodic Emo starts here)
9) Rick Wakeman – ‘The Six Wives Of Henry VIII, Live At Hampton Court Palace’ (Eagle – Self-indulgent insanity… glorious!!)
10) Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘God & Guns’ (Loud & Proud/Roadrunner – A little more country-flavoured than I’d have liked, but unmistakably Skynyrd)
11) Shrinebuilder – ‘Shrinebuilder’ (Neurot – Doom metal album of the year!)
12) Breathing Space – ‘Below The Radar’ (www.breathingspaceband.info – A breathtaking fusion of melodic, prog and silky gothic elements)
13) Five Finger Death Punch – ‘War Is The Answer’ (Spinefarm – Its muscles ripple, but the tunes haven’t been forgotten)
14) Lynch Mob – ‘Smoke And Mirrors’ (Frontiers – Excellent, except for the slight dip in the middle)
15) Days Before Tomorrow – ‘The Sky Is Falling’ (www.daysbeforetomorrow.com – Ron Nevison-produced melodic-prog-prop)
16) The Psychics – ‘The Psychics’ (Krescendo – Tonight, Matthew, we are going to be Led Zeppelin!)
17) Touchstone – ‘Wintercoast’ (www.touchstonemusic.co.uk – Absorbing, female-fronted pomp-metal)
18) Empires Of Eden – ‘Songs Of War And Vengeance’ (Activist Music – Amazing collision of metal, pomp, melodic and high-powered vocals)
19) Burnt By The Sun – ‘Heart Of Darkness’ (Relapse – Hopefully this won’t be, as threatened, the swansong from this killer US extreme band)
20) Steve Vai – ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ (Favored nations – No, of course Mr Vai isn’t remotely wild, but this live disc is very good indeed)
21) Children Of Bodom – ‘Skeletons In The Closet’ (Spinefarm – Covers album from the drunken Finns)
22) West Of Sunset – ‘West Of Sunset’ (Sonet – Re-mastered edition of 1992 album… Smooth, West Coast-style AOR, from Sweden)
23) Reece – ‘Universal Language (Metal Heaven – Spirited solo album from the former Accept, Bangalore Choir, Gypsy Rose frontman)
24) Britton – ‘Rock hard’ (Z – One of those ‘I-don’t remember-it-being-that-good’ re-issues, now an amazing 20 years old!)
25) Grimmstine – ‘Grimmstine’ (Metal Heaven – Classic-sounding melodic metal from ex-Grim Reaper/Onslaught/Lionsheart frontman Steve Grimmett)
26) Culted – ‘Below The Thunders Of The Upper Deep’ (Relapse – Clanking…dark… schizophrenically compelling)
27) Citizen Charlie – ‘Citizen Charlie’ (Drugstore – Feisty but agreeably tuneful pop-punk)
28) Chris Laney – ‘Pure’ (Metal Heaven – Sleazy, hook-laden rawk ‘n’ rawl)
29) Billy Walton Band – ‘Neon City’ (www.billywaltonband.com – Guitar-tastic hard rockin’ blues)
30) Firenote – ‘Firenote’ (IVK Music – Loud, stylish and melodic hard rock from Finland)

August 2009
1) Europe – ‘Last Look At Eden’ (Edel – You like hook-laden, retro-hard rock? This is a masterclass)
2) Megadeth – ‘Endgame’ (Roadrunner – Buy or die if you are a Mustaine fan)
3) Gong – ‘2032’ (G-Wave – Bonkers but brilliant)
4) Angel – ‘Helluva Band’ (Casablanca – Classic album from 1976… RIP, Mickie Jones!)
5) Blackfield – ‘NYC: Live In New York City’ (Kscope – Superb documentation of the band’s last tour)
6) Danger Danger – ‘Revolve’ (Frontiers – US melodic rockers still have fire in their loins)
7) Thunder – ‘Back Street Symphony’/‘Laughing On Judgement Day’ (EMI – Expanded, double-disc re-issues… and what great notes, hahaha!)
8) Robin Trower – What Lies Beneath’ (Freeworld – Class. Sheer class…)
9) Roswell Six – ‘Terra Incognita: Beyond The Horizon’ (ProgRock – Pomp-tastic, featuring members of Dream Theater, Asia, Saga, Kansas and more)
10) Invasion – ‘The Master Alchemist’ (This Is The Music – Mother’s Finest meet Monster Magnet in an Amsterdam hash den)
11) Stryper – ‘Murder By Pride’ (Frontiers – The Yellow And Black Attack goes back to its roots)
12) Masters Of Reality – ‘Pine/Cross Dover’ (Brownstone – I’m still waiting for Chris Goss to make a crap record)
13) Paul Shortino – ‘Chasing My Dream’ (Metal Heaven – A fine comeback from one of my favourite singers)
14) Jack Bruce & Robin Tower – ‘Seven Moons Live’ (Ruf – Missed ‘em on the recent tour? Buy this… now)
15) Jerusalem – ‘Jerusalem’ (Rockadrome – Hard rock obscurity from 1972, produced by Ian Gillan)
16) Lillian Axe – ‘Sad Day On Planet Earth’ (Blistering – It’s a real grower…)
17) Danny Vaughn – ‘The Road Less Travelled’ (Hard Rock House – Tyketto frontman in unplugged live mode… rare, double-disc edition)
18) Esoterica – ‘The Riddle’ (Trak – Oh look, Surrey’s answer to Tool…)
19) Circulus – ‘Thought Becomes Reality’ (Mythical Cake – The welcome return of the eccentric medieval-folk space-rockers)
20) Bloodkin – ‘Baby, They Told Me We Would Rise Again’ (Freeworld – Old–time, spit ‘n’ sawdust Southern rock ‘n’ roll)
21) Scarab – ‘A Soul For A Soul’ (Miskatonik – Bludgeoning ten-inch vinyl EP from reunited NOWOBHM diehards)
22) Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam – ‘Coming Up For Air’ (Blix Street – Languid, soothing blues-rock)
23) Kyle Vincent – ‘Where You Are’ (Song Tree – Deliciously understated, summery pop-rock)
24) Outloud! – ‘We’ll Rock You To hell And Back Again’ (Frontiers – Tongue-in-cheek, fist-in-the-air melodic metal)
25) The Moog – ‘Razzmatazz Orfeum’ (MuSick – A bit of a pop-rock gem)

July 2009
1) Iron Maiden – ‘Flight 666 – The Original Soundtrack’ (EMI – Fabulous audio souvenir of the ‘Somewhere Back In Time’ tour)
2) Twisted Sister – ‘Stay Hungry – 25th Anniversary Edition’ (Rhino – Now includes brand new studio song and selection of outtakes and demos)
3) Whitesnake – ‘Slide It In – 25th Anniversary Edition’ (EMI – Had almost forgotten how good this was)
4) UFO – ‘Official Bootleg Box Set 1975-1982’ (Chrysalis – Six discs and some classic concert performances)
5) The Parlor Mob – ‘And You Were A Crow’ (Roadrunner – **Finally** got hold of it… sheeeesh, this band are amazing!)
6) Michael Schenker Group – ‘Walk The Stage: The Official Bootleg Box Set’ (Chrysalis – Four audio discs and a DVD)
7) Deep Purple – ‘History, Hits & Highlights’ (Eagle Vision DVD – Pull up a chair, folks… this is one to sit down and savour)
8) Kiss – ‘Kissology’ (Eagle Vision DVD - Ditto)
9) The Black Crowes – ‘Warpaint – Live’ (Eagle Vision DVD – Ditto again)
10) Raging Slab – ‘Raging Slab’ (Rock Candy – Wow, this has really stood the test of time!)
11) Voivod – ‘Infini’ (Nuclear Blast – If it’s their swansong, they’ve gone out on a high…)
12) The Soundtrack Of Our Lives – ‘Communion’ (Akashic – Let’s hear it for Sweden's greatest post-psychedelic hard rock punk pop group)
13) Marseille – ‘Four Play’ (www.marseilleonline.co.uk – NWOBHM combo back from the dead after 25 years and five divorces!)
14) DevilDriver – ‘Pray For Villains’ (Roadrunner – The special edition… a real neck-snapper)
15) Gwyn Ashton – ‘Two-Man Blues Army’ (Fab Tone – Edgy, dark and unmissable blues)
16) Anekdoten – ‘Chapters’ (Kscope – Absorbing 19-song anthology from Crimson-flavoured Swedish proggers)
17) Martin Gordon – ‘Time Gentlemen Please’ (Radiant Future – This guy writes amazingly clever and hummable songs)
18) Moonstone Project – ‘Rebel On The Run’ (Blistering – Top-notch, special guest-strewn classic hard rock)
19) Pig Irön – ‘Helvete Ja! Live In Sweden’ (Sounds Of Caligula – Six songs from a trip to Malmö in 2004)
20) Arjen Lucassen’s Guilt Machine – ‘On This Perfect Day’ (The former Ayreon man scales things down, but without losing the magic)
21) Tracie Hunter – ‘Screaming Superego’ (www.traciehunter.com – Some great songs here, and an appealing vibe…)
22) Josh & Co. Limited – ‘Through These Eyes’ (Mostly Autumn – Charming solo debut from MA tunesmith)
23) Lasse Dale – ‘Screaming For Silence’ (Wintersongs – Shredding progressive/power metal, vocals courtesy of the inimitable Tony Mills)
24) Gregg Rolie Band – ‘Rain Dance – Live’ (www.greggrolie.com – Salsa-tastic live disc!)
25) Philip Sayce – ‘Peace Machine’ (Provogue – Slightly Stevie Salas-esque hard blues-rock)

June 2009
1) Def Leppard – ‘Pyromania’ (Universal – Expanded double-disc edition of all-time radio-rock masterpiece)
2) Bigelf – ‘Cheat The Gallows’ (Custard – Not heard them yet? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???!!)
3) Starcastle – ‘Citadel’ (Rock Candy – The US pomp-rock combo’s 1977 pinnacle now sounds better than ever!)
4) Sammy Hagar – ‘Street Machine’ (Rock Candy – Red Rocker given RC’s inimitable makeover treatment… essential)
5) Nazareth – ‘The Anthology’ (Salvo/Union Square – 38 tracks of classic hard rock)
6) The Babys – ‘Head First’ (Rock Candy – Brand new version… minus bonus tracks but with re-mastered sound)
7) Procol Harum – ‘A Salty Dog’ (Salvo/Union Square – Expanded version of the band’s definitive album)
8) The Mars Volta – ‘Octahedron’ (Mercury – Their most listener-friendly so far, but it still has teeth)
9) New York Dolls –‘Cause I Said So’ (Atco – A stellar, Rundgren-produced slice of bubblegum-trash)
10) Sweet – ‘Live! In America’ (www.thesweetband.com – Awesome in-concert release from bassist Steve Priest’s US line-up of the band)
11) Praying Mantis – ‘Sanctuary’ (Frontiers – Their best in many a long year)
12) Nektar – ‘Fortyfied’ (Treacle Music – Anniversary double-live set… amazing!!)
13) Steel Panther – ‘Feel The Steel’ (Island – Hilarious, musically adept, spoof of the Sunset Strip metal scene)
14) Electric Boys – ‘Now Dig This! The Best Of’ (Universal – Forgotten how good they were? So had I!!)
15) Man – ‘Kingdom Of Noise’ (Point – Enduring Welshmen in easy-listening mood)
16) Tribe – ‘Pray For Calm… Need The Chaos’ (SOAL – Rich ‘n’ colourful debut from UK hard rockers)
17) Black Spiders – ‘Cinco Hombres (Diez Cojones)’ (www.theblackspiders.com – Unstoppably groovy four-song EP)
18) Cold Truth – ‘Do Whatcha Do’ (www.coldtruth.net – Awesome, Bad Company-esque melodic blues)
19) Monte Montgomery – ‘Live At The Caravan Of Dreams’ (Provogue – This guy is doing something really interesting with blues-rock)
20) Ricky Warwick – ‘Belfast Confetti’ (DR2 – The Almighty’s mainman finds his feet as a solo artist)
21) Jay Tamkin Band – ‘Sorted’ (Weinerworld – Fiery, accomplished blues)
22) Dirty Looks – ‘Slave To The Machine’ (Perris – Expanded re-issue of album from 1996)
23) Rick Derringer – ‘Knight By The Blues’ (Provogue – Immodestly titled for sure, but no doubting its class)
24) Ilium – ‘Ageless Decay’ (Escape Music – Melodic metal of the best kind!)
25) Tim Burgess – ‘I Believe’ (Play It Again Sam – Solo album from Charlatans singer, features Roger Manning of Jellyfish/Imperial Drag)
26) The Elastic Band – ‘Expansions On Life’ (Grapefruit – Re-issue of psychedelic obscurity from 1970, with The Sweet’s Andy Scott on guitar)
27) John 5 – ‘Remixploitation’ (Mascot – Most remix albums suck, this one slams!)
28) Sons Of Merrick – ‘Tight Nerves And Suavity’ (Sounds Of Caligula – Fearsome sludge, with roughed-up version of Quo’s ‘Big Fat Mama’)
29) Sean Taylor – ‘Calcutta Grove’ (www.seantaylorsongs.com – Raw, organic acoustic rock)
30) Blue October – ‘Approaching Normal’ (Island – Spirited modern/borderline indie-rock)

May 2009
1) Dream Theater – ‘Black Clouds & Silver Linings’ (Roadrunner – Pure genius from prog-metal trailblazers
2) The Sweet – ‘Action: The Sweet Anthology’ (Shout! Factory – Double retrospective from the first band I fell in love with)
3) Emperor – ‘Live At Wacken Open Air 2006’ (Candlelight – DVD recording of a legendary show)
4) Astra – ‘The Weirding’ (Rise Above – Unbelievably good cosmic prog)
5) JD Souther – ‘If The World Was You’ (Rhino – First solo album in 25 years for country-rock icon)
6) Little Feat And Friends – ‘Join The Band’ (Proper – The classics reinterpreted with such guests as Bob Seger, Chris Robinson and Dave Matthews)
7) Fairyland – ‘Score To A New Beginning’ (Napalm – Cringe-inducing name, terrific band)
8) Papa Roach – ‘Metamorphosis’ (Interscope – Muscular, sinewy modern hard rock)
9) OSI – ‘Blood’ (Inside Out – Album #3 from ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Kevin Moore and Fates warning guitarist Jim Matheos)
10) Jason Becker – ‘Collection’ (Shrapnel – Includes new material from this inspirational guy)
11) Chickenfoot – ‘Chickenfoot’ (earMUSIC – Not as stellar as I’d hoped, but…)
12) Theory Of A Deadman – ‘Scars & Souvenirs’ (Roadrunner – Quality modern rock in the Nickelback vein)
13) London Symphony Orchestra & The English Chamber Choir With Guest Soloists – ‘Tommy’
(Repertoire – All-star re-make of The Who classic, first released in 1972)
14) Paul Gilbert & Freddie Nelson – ‘United States’ (Mascot – Flamboyant, high-energy hard rock)
15) Rocky Hill – ‘Rocky Hill’ (Virgin – Hugely underrated 1988 blues-rock romp from ZZ Top bassist Dusty’s brother… RIP, Rocky)
16) Eric Woolfson – ‘Sings The Alan Parsons Project That Never Was’ (Limelight – Does what it says on the tin…)
17) Bear Claw – ‘Slow Speed: Deep Owls’ (Sickroom – Steve Albini-produced bargain basement gem; a guitar-free sludgefest)
18) Stream Of Passion – ‘The Flame Within’ (Napalm – Above-average, female-fronted Gothic metal)
19) Oliver Weer – ‘Get Ready’ (Target – Stirring, muscular hard rock from – ulp! – former X Factor Denmark contestant)
20) Steadlür – ‘Steadlür’ (Roadrunner – Feisty, spiky, US pop-metal)
21) Amoral – ‘Year Of The Suckerpunch’ (Spinefarm – Hot ‘n’ spicy riff-metal from Finland)
22) Hexagram – ‘Rhymes For The Hated’ (Devil’s Own – Hate-filled, Pantera-esque metal from UK-based thrashers)
23) Babe Ruth – ‘Que Pasa’ (Revolver – Back from the dead, with a strong dance-flavoured beat)
24) Taz Taylor Band – ‘Straight Up’ (Escape Music – Tuneful, bluesy-laden hard rock)
25) Jo Webb & The Dirty Hands – ‘Acrobat’ (Clean Feet – Buzzing pop-rock)

April 2009
1) Heaven And Hell – ‘The Devil You Know’ (Roadrunner – A monster! ’Nuff said…)
2) Mastodon – ‘Crack The Skye’ (Reprise – Already a good bet for the Album Of 2009)
3) Black Spiders – Three-song EP (www.myspace.com/theblackspiders – Please welcome... my favourite new band)
4) Saxon – ‘Wheels Of Steel’/‘Strong Arm Of The Law’ (EMI – Expanded re-issues of two classic slabs o’metal)
5) The Steve Hillage Band – ‘Live At The Gong Family Unconvention 2006’ (Voiceprint – Oh, how I wish I’d been there!!!)
6) Camel - ‘Music Inspired By The Snow Goose’/‘Moonmadness’/‘Rain Dances’ (Decca/Universal – Camel’s holy trinity,
now containing various bonus material)
7) The Derek Trucks Band – ‘Already Free’ (Sony – Luxuriant, super-smooth blues-rock)
8) Hawklords – ‘25 Years On’ (Atomhenge – Lavishly expanded re-issue of underrated disc from 1978)
9) Firebird – ‘Grand Union’ (Rise Above – Retro hard rock with a **serious** groove)
10) Beardfish – ‘Sleeping In Traffic: Parts One And Two’ (Inside Out – Play them back-to-back… they’re amazing!)
11) Revolution Renaissance – ‘Age Of Aquarius’ (Scarlet – Ex-Stratovarius mainman Timo Tolkki goes deeper, darker and more sinister)
12) Stratovarius – ‘Polaris’ (Edel – Meanwhile, Strato return with something more positive, cleaner and commercial)
13) Hardline – ‘Leaving The End Open’ (Frontiers – No Neal Schon, but there’s still gas in the tank…)
14) Derek Sherinian – ‘Molecular Heinosity’ (Inside Out – Another of the former Dream Theater keysman’s all-star muso freak-outs)
15) Saga – ‘The Human Condition’ (Inside Out – It’s good, but without Michael Sadler on vocals, it’s ain’t Saga to me…)
16) Satellite – ‘Nostalgia’ (Metal Mind Productions – Splendid, accent-free prog-rock from Poland)
17) Sunstorm Featuring Joe Lynn Turner – ‘House Of Dreams’ (Frontiers – JLT’s run of form continues….)
18) Mr So And So – ‘Sugarstealer’ (www.mrsoandso.com – Thoughtful, uplifting neo-prog from Steve Rothery-approved Brits)
19) Hate Eternal – ‘I, Monarch’ (Earache – Expanded double-disc edition of 2005 death metal blast-feast)
20) Queensrÿche – ‘American Soldier’ (Atco/Rhino – Starts disappointingly and gradually picks up…)
21) Ozric Tentacles – ‘The Yumyum Tree’ (Snapper – Yum yum indeed… this is great!)
22) Cauldron – ‘Chained To The Nite’ (Earache – Titanic stuff, and you’ve gotta love a band with a song that’s called ‘Chained Up In Chains’)
23) Chris Thompson – ‘Timeline’ (Voiceprint – Odds ‘n’ sods collection from ex-Manfred Mann’s Earth band singer)
24) Impellitteri – ‘Wicked Maiden’ (Metal Heaven – Tuneful guitar rock)
25) Impending Doom – ‘The Serpent Servant’ (Facedown – Strong musicianship, deathcore riffs… can they really be Christians?!)

March 2009
1) UFO – ‘No Place To Run’ (EMI – At last… expanded version of the first UFO album I ever bought)
2) The Who – ‘Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970’ (Eagle – Re-mastered version of historic live double-disc)
3) Napalm Death – ‘Time Waits For No Slave’ (Century Media – As if proof were needed, there are none finer in their field)
4) Herman Frank – ‘Loyal To None’ (Metal Heaven – So good that I almost but not quite forgave his dad for bombing my chip shop in the war)
5) Therapy? – ‘Crooked Timber’ (DR2 – Always liked these guys; good to have ‘em back…)
6) Nashville Pussy – ‘From Hell To Texas’ (SPV – A bit hit ‘n’ miss, but when it’s good it’s fantastic…)
7) Stray – ‘Valhalla’ (Stray – See above)
8) Coldspell – ‘Infinite Stargaze’ (Escape Music – Big-riffing but slick and extremely classy Swedish melodic hard rock)
9) Bill Champlin – ‘No Place Left To Fall’ (Zink Music – Classy solo album from Chicago mainstay)
10) Amon Amarth – ‘Twilight Of The Thunder God’ (Metal Blade – Rampaging, bloodthirsty Viking metal)
11) UFO – ‘Impact Live’ (Mischief Music – Three-disc boxed set; shows from 1998 and 1975)
12) Sly And The Family Stone – ‘Fresh’ (Epic – Funk masterpiece from 1973)
13) Imperial Vipers – ‘Broken’ (Eminence – A winning blend of melodic muscle and punk attitude)
14) Procol Harum – ‘In Concert With The Danish National Concert Orchestra & Choir’ (Eagle – Majestic and inspiring)
15) Aynsley Lister – ‘Equilibrium’ (Manhaton – Fresh, vibrant blues-rock)
16) Deathlike Silence – ‘Saturday Night Evil’ (Spinefarm – A fantastic, genre-busting band from Finland)
17) Return To Forever – ‘Returns’ (Eagle – Live album from jazz rockers’ reunion tour; doesn’t work quite so well in the living room)
18) Obscura – ‘Cosmogenesis’ (Relapse – Technical extreme metal, with a prog touch)
19) Vengeance – ‘Soul Collector’ (Metal Heaven – Hard-driving, anthemic, old-school rock)
20) Heartless Bastards – ‘The Mountain’ (Fat Possum – Imagine if the cast of Deliverance made a female-fronted rock album)
21) Sacred Mother Tongue – ‘The Ruin Of Man’ (Transcend – Face-melting British metalcore)
22) Billy Sheehan – ‘Holy Cow!’ (Mascot – A lot more than just a bass-playing masterclass – thankfully!)
23) Place Vendome – ‘Streets Of Fire (Frontiers – Ex-Helloween singer Michael Kiske goes melodic rock!)
24) Parallel Or Ninety Degrees – ‘A Can Of Worms: The Best Of 1996-2001’ (ProgRock – Double-disc anthology, includes unreleased material)
25) Hawkwind – ‘Winter Solstice’ (Hawk – DVD of the band’s performance at the Astoria in December 2005)
26) Wizard – ‘Thor’ (Massacre - The German metalheads’ Nordic obsession continues… with no complaints from me!)
27) Running Still – ‘Losing My Reality’ (East West – Lovingly crafted, super-smooth pop-rock)
28) The Cotton Soeterboek Band – ‘Twisted’ (Caf Fine – An airy, blues-meets-country rock mêlée)
29) Patrick Moraz – ‘Change Of Space’ (TimeWave – Prog, AOR, Latino, ambient influences… this has it all)
30) Kevin Peek – ‘Awakening’ (Voiceprint – Unexpectedly enjoyable solo album from member of Sky)

February 2009
1) Michael Schenker Group – ‘Michael Schenker Group’ (EMI – Expanded re-issue of the immortal debut from 1980)
2) Pink Floyd – ‘Reunited Onstage At Live8, 2.7.05’ (Glad to have this historic performance on DVD at last; thanks Neil…)
3) Thin Lizzy – ‘Still Dangerous’ (VH1 Classic – Philadelphia ’77 released from the vaults… superb!)
4) Steven Wilson – ‘Isurgentes’ (The lavish, limited edition, boxed three-disc edition – sensational!)
5) Million Dollar Reload – ‘Anthems Of A Degeneration’ (Lime – This kicks some serious ass…
no wonder Velvet Revolver are said to be tracking their singer)
6) Sensational Alex Harvey Band – ‘Hot City: The 1974 Unreleased Album (MLP – Essential for SAHB fans)
7) Zombi – ‘Spirit Animal’ (Relapse – Mind-frazzling synth-prog)
8) Heavy Metal Kids – ‘Anvil Chorus’ (Lemon Recordings – Their second album, from 1975, with bonus songs and sleeve notes)
9) The Trews – ‘No Time For Later’ (Edel – Dreadful name… fantastic rock ‘n’ roll band!)
10) Edguy – ‘Tinnitus Sanctus’ (Nuclear Blast – Masterful hard rock-meets-power metal crossover)
11) Ten Years After – ‘Evolution’ (Ten Years After – Remind me again… Alvin who?!)
12) Places Of Power – ‘Now Is The Hour’ (Frontiers - If ‘In Your Wildest Dreams’ ain’t among 2009’s finest melodic rock tunes,
I’ll eat my CPFC season ticket)
13) The Move – ‘The Very Best Of’ (Salvo – Given its age their stuff has aged surprisingly well…)
14) Robin Beck – ‘Trouble Or Nothing’ (Her majesty’s Music Room – 20th anniversary edition; way better than I remembered…)
15) Doro – ‘Fear No Evil’ (AFM – Miss Pesch celebrates a quarter-century in metal the only way she knows how…)
16) Five Finger Death Punch – ‘The Way Of The Fist’ (Spinefarm – Muscular, meaty, melodic… marvellous!)
17) Maelstrom – ‘It Was Predestined’ (Ixmati Media – Bizarre, wonderful fusion of power, thrash, death and prog-metal)
18) Frumpy – ‘Frumpy 2’ (Revisited – Re-issue of long-lost prog-rock gem from 1971)
19) Rogue Male – ‘Nail It’ (RM2K – 22 years after his last album, punk-metalhead Jim Lyttle is back in business)
20) Bad Habit – ‘Above And Beyond’ (AOR Heaven – Swedish melodic hard rock par excellence)
21) Lamb Of God – ‘Wrath’ (Roadrunner – They’re on the Lamb, but they ain’t no sheep…)
22) Robert Berry – ‘The Diving Line’ (Frontiers – A cool mix of melodic rock, pomp and mild prog elements)
23) Evil Masquerade – ‘Fade To Black’ (Escape Music – High quality melodic power metal)
24) Narcosis – ‘Best Served Cold: Discography, 1998-2007’ (Earache – Noisy career overview for defunct grindcore merchants)
25) Oz Knozz – ‘10,000 Days & Nights’ (Ozknozz.com – Intriguing fusing of prog, pomp and melodic rock)

January 2009
1) Deep Purple – ‘Stormbringer’ (EMI – Please be upstanding for the 35th anniversary edition of my all-time favourite Purps album)
2) Van Halen – ‘Live At Hammersmith Odeon, 1.6.78’ (Private concert recording – Pls **do not** ask for copies!)
3) Porcupine Tree – ‘Live At The IndigO2, London, 19.10.08’ (Ditto!)
4) Angel Witch – ‘Live At The Camden Underworld, London, 20.12.08’ (And twice ditto!)
5) Budgie – ‘Never Turn Your Back On A Friend’ (Noteworthy Productions – Their definitive album, from 1973)
6) Joe Bonamassa – ‘The Ballad Of John Henry’ (Provogue – Just watch the meteoric rise continue…)
7) Heaven’s Basement – Six-Song EP (www.heavensbasement.com – How come these young fellas ain’t signed yet??!!)
8) Joanne Shaw Taylor – ‘White Sugar’ (Ruf – This is gorgeous; slinky, authentic, hard-rockin’ blues)
9) Ayreon – ‘Timeline’ (Inside Out – An exhaustive four-disc retrospective… at last!)
10) Rewiring Genesis – ‘A Tribute To The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway’ (ProgRock – Extravagant homage to the Genesis masterwork
from Spock’s Beard’s Nick D’Virgillio)
11) Sepultura – ‘A-Lex’ (SPV – Thrash-tastic concept piece based upon A Clockwork Orange)
12) Shadowkeep – ‘The Hourglass Effect’ (Melissa Records – An accomplished, engaging slab of progressive power metal)
13) Satan – ‘Caught In The Act’ (Metal Mind – Expanded re-issue of NWOBHM gem from 1983)
14) Bubble Puppy – ‘A Gathering Of Promises’ (Charly – Re-issue of 1969 album; terrific, vocal-led psychedelic hard rock)
15) Logan – ‘Cruel Little World’ (Stoneman – Scotland’s answer to Alter Bridge… nice!)
16) DAD – ‘Monster Philosophy’ (3R Entertainment/Cargo – The zany Danes are back)
17) Smooth Reunion – ‘Cleaning Up The Business’ (Zink Music – Yet more highly agreeable West Coast radio-rock unearthed by Zink…)
18) Todd Wolfe & Under The Radar – ‘Borrowed Time’ (Hypertension – Gnarly, satisfying, blues-rock from Sheryl Crow’s guitarist)
19) Lemon Bird – ‘Lemon Bird’ (Yellow Note – Classic retro-rock, Swedish-style)
20) Crack Horse – ‘Crack Horse’ (Dead Famous – Strangely compulsively quirky pop-rock)

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!