by Matman

In 1984 Whitesnake not only released my favorite album of theirs, SLIDE IT IN, but one of my desert island discs.  For me to talk about SLIDE IT IN is me talking about near musical perfection... 10 amazing songs, two very distinct versions featuring different line-ups. 

The story is this... Whitesnake were on the verge of breaking up.  Despite being one of Europe's biggest acts, vocalist David Coverdale was struggling to keep things afloat with virtually no success in the US.  Recently signed to Geffen Records for American releases, Whitesnake recorded SLIDE IT IN with the line-up of Coverdale, drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Colin Hodgkinson, keyboardist John Lord and guitarists Mel Galley and Micky Moody.  The album was released in Europe that January, but before it was released in the US a few months later, Geffen wanted it remixed and 'jazzed' up.  As the band were on tour, Galley and Moody were soon gone being replaced by John Sykes, Lord returned to Deep Purple and Hodgkinson was replaced by a returning Neil Murray.  Both Murray and Sykes added their styles to the album and the US version was a bit more flashy and very radio friendly.    

Both versions of SLIDE IT IN are amazing in their own way and for their own special reasons.  They feature the same songs with a different running order (I prefer the UK version) and each have their own personality... and both are awesome. 

To celebrate this fantastic album, Rhino Records have released SLIDE IT IN - 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, a deluxe 6 CD/1 DVD collection with everything you would want; both versions of the album remastered, outtakes, live versions, demos and my favorite, a remixed 35 year edition.  Some people have been complaining about the remixed 2019 version and although the songs sound a bit different, it is just another amazing new take on 10 classic songs!!! Books... posters... memories!!!!!!

Another pure bonus in the collection is the Monitor Mix versions.  What you are hearing here is the songs being fleshed out with some different lyrics, sometimes no lyrics and a few different arrangements. This is another amazing bonus that just adds to the magic of this amazing album. 

WOW!!!! If you only began your Whitesnake career with WHITESNAKE 1987, you owe it to yourself to discover for me where it all began.  Then discover the rest of the pre-1987 catalog... amazing music and amazing memories!!!!       

Opening Act: 
Record Store Day Release Highlights
Keith Flint of The Prodigy passes
Whitesnake box set details
Guns and Sweet form Sunbomb

Ear Candy: 
Overkill--The Wings of War (2019)
The End Machine (2019)-

Six Degrees of Frankie B.

Top of the Pops:
Billboard Hot Mainstream rock Tracks for the week of 3/21/81

Rockversation: Chris Caffery
Matt spoke with the former Savatage and current TSO guitarist about his new band Spirits of Fire. The band’s self-titled album is out now on Frontiers Music SRL. You can keep up with Chris on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChrisCafferyMusic.

Bonus Track: Anthem--Immortal Bind
From the album Nucleus, which will release on March 29, 2019 on Nuclear Blast. 


Thanks for listening! If you're subscribing on iTunes or Google play, please leave us a review, as it will help spread the word about the show! You can find more news, reviews, and discussion at powerchordspodcast.com. You can also hit us up on twitter at twitter.com/powerchordspod, and email us at powerchordspodcast@gmail.com.

by Matman

Here are three albums worth checking out... and why!  As always thanks to our friends at Golden Robot Records and AFM Records. 
​
Anthem - NUCLEUS
From Japan we have one of the countries longest running and most endearing bands, Anthem.  Celebrating 35 years of amazing music, the band have taken some of their best songs and rerecorded them for the first time with English vocals.  The result is an incredible listen of classic sounding rock that calls upon bands like Rainbow and Dokken... so win-win! To be honest, this one really caught me off guard with its solid vocals, amazing musicianship and well crafted songs.  24 amazing tracks (11 live versions) NUCLEUS has too many amazing moments, from Immortal Binds to Unbroken Sign,  every song has its own charms and moments.  Anthem is Naoto Shibata (Bass), Akio Shimizu (Guitars) Yukio Morikawa (Vocals) and Isamu Tamaru (Drums).  
Matman Rating - 5 out of 5     
NUCLEUS will be released March 29th from Golden Robot Records.    


Herman Frank - FIGHT THE FEAR
WOW!!!! Herman Frank is a fixture in the German rock/metal scene.  As a member of Accept he has played on (and left his mark) on some of their best albums; BALLS TO THE WALL and STALINGRAD) and was a member of the underrated band Victory.  Here on FIGHT THE FEAR, Frank and his band; Rick Altzi (vocals), Andre Hilgers (drums), Michael Müller (bass), Heiko Schröder (guitars) have found a nice middle ground between Frank's two bands.  Sure the album is heavy, but it is an easy listen with a lot of melody and flash.  Until The End, Fear and Sinners are easy to digest tracks that have a lot of Accept in their DNA, but they certainly are their own songs. With Accept it's hard to hear Frank's playing when he is with the amazing wolf Hoffman, but here... it's all Frank... and it's all amazing stuff. 
Matman rating - 4 out of 5   
FIGHT THE FEAR was released on February 8th from AFM Records. 


Bloodbound - RISE OF THE DRAGON EMPIRE
Apparently, I love Swedish Power Metal!!!  A few years back, I didn't even know this stuff existed and now... i'm hooked.  But there has to be certain boxes to check in order for me to get fully in.  The vocals have to soar well above the music!  The music has to be epic; lightning leads, heavy and well placed keyboards.  The music must make me feel cold, not emotionally but temperature... like a bright snowy day.  Bloodbound's eighth (really?, eight albums?) release, RISE OF THE DRAGON EMPIRE is a fun listen that demands your full participation. Patrik J. Selleby (vocals), Tomas Olsson (guitars), Henrik Olsson (guitars), Anders Broman (bass), Fredrik Bergh (keyboards) and Daniel Sjögren (drums) deliver the goods on the title track, Slayer Of Kings and my favorite on the album, Breaking The Beast. Bloodbound have an image that fits their music and appeals to my comic book/theatrical side... and make it all work perfectly. I LOVE THIS ALBUM AND BAND!!!!
Matman rating 5 out of 5
RISE OF THE DRAGON EMPIRE will be released on March 22nd on AFM Records. 

by Matman

There are several bands out there now with roots to the band Dio and legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio. One of them is Last In Line, a band formed by three members of Dio's first and classic line-up; Vivian Campbell, Vinnie Appice and the late Jimmy Bain.  Together with vocalist Andrew Freeman, they released their impressive debut album in 2016, HEAVY CROWN.  The band hit the road and cemented their reputation as a solid live band who were more looking to the future than living in the past. Sadly in 2016, bassist Jimmy Bain passed away. Last month the band released their second album, entitled II.       

One of the first thing you will notice is that the band sounds nothing like they did in Dio in both performances and style. Forging their own identity, guitarist Vivian Campbell still has the flash, but on songs like Gods And Tyrants and Landslide, he still plays with the speed you would expect, but there is more control and substance.  Drummer Vinnie Appice has always played to the music and here, he continues that trend. On Year Of The Gun he has his fills, crashes and rolls but, plays to the song, like everything on the album. 

Vocalist Andrew Freeman has a very unique voice and is not the typical metal singer.  He has a voice that doesn't wail above the songs and try to keep up with the solos, it is melodic, full of body and is quite pleasant to listen to.  On the song, The Unknown, Freeman (in my ears) goes from Kip Winger to Dug Pinnick to an almost grunge feel but you know it's still the same guy.  

The new addition to the band, bassist Phil Soussan adds so much grit to the songs.  Much like he did with his time with Ozzy Osbourne (THE ULTIMATE SIN), his playing adds another level, not just filling in the bottom end, just listen to False Flag.      

The production by Jeff Pilson (Dokken/Foreigner/Dio/T&N) is so spot on you start to think there isn't anything in the music biz he can't do. He lets the band create their own identity but adds some vocal tricks and musical moments that bring the Dokken in... and that is a compliment.  

If you get II and expect to hear Black Sabbath riffs, Def Leppard harmonies or Ozzy style hysterics then you will be very disappointed.  What you will get is some solid heavy guitar rock with a bit of the blues, like Badlands and Lynch Mob, with more nods to Led Zeppelin than Iron Maiden.  The more I listen, the more I LOVE!!!!

MATMAN RATING - 4 OUT OF 5

Last In Line Official Site - For news and tour dates!!!
   

Opening Act: 
Peter Tork passes
Peter Frampton announces farewell tour
First trailer for Motley Crue’s “The Dirt” (https://youtu.be/-NOp5ROn1HE)
Motley Crue Accuse KISS of stealing finale on tour
Doug Aldrich’s Burning Rain drops new single (https://youtu.be/Ha_hJCusKho)

Ear Candy: 
Motley Crue--Dr. Feelgood (1989)
Dream Theater--Distance Over Time (2019)

Six Degrees of Frankie B.

Top of the Pops:
Billboard Top 25 albums from February 18, 1984

Rockversation: Rob Rock
Matt recently spoke with the singer of Impellitteri about the band’s latest studio album, The Nature of the Beast, and his old stomping grounds of Springfield, MA. You call keep up with Rob and the rest of the band at www.impellitteri.net.

Bonus Track: Find Me--True Believer
From Find Me’s brand new album Angels in Blue, out now on Frontiers Music srl. You can grab your copy at http://radi.al/FindMeAngelsInBlue.

Thanks for listening! If you're subscribing on iTunes or Google play, please leave us a review, as it will help spread the word about the show! You can also hit us up on twitter at twitter.com/powerchordspod, and email us at powerchordspodcast@gmail.com.

by Matman

How does Dream Theater follow-up their amazing and quite ambitious last release, THE ASTONISHING?  Exactly the way they plan to on February 22nd. 

Dream Theater has a well deserved reputation for their musicianship but I feel here listeners may now begin to appreciate their skills as songwriters and visionaries.  DISTANCE OVER TIME is nine killer songs (and one bonus track) that has heavy riffs and lightning fast leads that take their already complicated rhythms to a new level of excitement.  

Unearthed Angel, Paralyzed and Barstool Warrior are just three of the tracks that speak to my love of classic progressive rock and old school heavy metal; beautiful melodies that grab you and take you on a journey.  As someone who follows singers more than the musicians, James LaBrie gives me a lot to follow and enjoy in a band that is known for their musicality.  He is a vocalist who can sing the high and the low with perfect balance.  The best song on the album (and possibly their entire career) is the epic, Fall Into The Light.  For seven plus minutes we are treated to an amazing performance with every player getting a chance to be heard... and shine.

Since the beginning of Dream Theater's history, John Petrucci has always been an excellent player but on this album I hear so many players I love; Steve Howe, Robert Fripp, Michael Schenker, Alex Lifeson and Steve Rothery.  Heavy when he needs to be (Room 137) and soulful when it calls for it (Out Of Reach). 

Jordan Rudess (Keyboards), John Myung (Bass), and Mike Mangini (Drums) rund out the band  and all make every note count.  I imagine it must be hard for these guys to keep it all together and not go off on tangents, but they do nothing but serve the song. 

DISTANCE OVER TIME is an album that has so much going on you will need multiple listens to soak it all in.  When I was done with listen #4 I thought, ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2019... so far.   ​

Matman Rating - 5 Out of 5 trips down Prog Memory Lane

DISTANCE OVER TIME, the 11th album from Dream Theater will be released February 22nd via InsideOut Music. 

To find out more, www.dreamtheater.net 

Opening Act: 
Ozzy Hospitalized
Tesla Debuts New Song “Taste Like” https://youtu.be/GCxRVi6vEbA
Sammy Hagar and the Circle new album
New supergroup Spirits of Fire releasing debut on 2/22
Upcoming John Wetton box set

Ear Candy: 
Weezer--The Teal Album (2019)
Quiet Riot--One Night in Milan (2019)

Six Degrees of Frankie B.

Comin Atcha Live:
Stryper 2/1 @ Mohegan Sun

Rockversation: Frankie Banali
Matt recently spoke with the legendary drummer of Quiet Riot about the band’s history, his time in W.A.S.P.,  the new Quiet Riot live album, and much more. You can get One Night in Milan now, and follow Quiet Riot online at www.facebook.com/quietriot.

Bonus Track: Last In Line--Landslide
From the upcoming album II, releasing February 22nd from Frontiers Music s.r.l.

Thanks for listening! If you're subscribing on iTunes or Google play, please leave us a review, as it will help spread the word about the show! You can find more news, reviews, and discussion at powerchordspodcast.com. You can also hit us up on twitter at twitter.com/powerchordspod, and email us at powerchordspodcast@gmail.com.

by Matman

This past weekend, Stryper played three shows, in three days... in three states.  Sure the states are close together but it is a real cool thing to do.  I was able to catch the band at show and state number two... at the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

Once again, Stryper were absolutely amazing!  They hit the stage with the heavy Yawegh and for the next 90 minutes, it never stopped.  Stryper pulled out everything I wanted, I mean what everyone else wanted to hear; All For One, Calling On You and Soldiers Under Command to name jut a few. But, one of the things I have always loved about the band is that they don't rest on their own laurels and just spend time in their history, they mix in a lot of newer songs.  These songs; The Valley, Sorry, Can;t Live Without Your Love and Revelation fir in perfectly with To Hell With The Devil, Free and The Sing Along Song.    

As far as players, Robert Sweet is still one of the best and most underrated drummers in hard rock history.  He went old school playing so the fans could see him and how hard he hits the skins. Oz Fox is the guy who holds it all together; rhythm when its called for and leads when needed. Michael Sweet still possesses one of the best voices out there and his playing is second to none. He also is a great front man who knows how to energize a crowd and really adds so much to the show.  And then there is the new guy, bassist Perry Richardson. Perry is so heavy as a player and his backing vocals bring a whole new dimension to the band on stage. 

And now for the venue... The Wolf Den!  This is one of the best places to see a band.  The sound is perfect and there isn't a bad vantage point at all.  For the 5 times I have seen Stryper live (I know, only 5) the two best were at the Wolf Den.  I go to so many shows there (over 200 by now) and this show was the most packed I've seen it since Mr. Big in 2017.  If you have never gone to a show at the Wolf Den, please join me for one very soon. 

It was great to see some fans of the band who have become good friends of mine! But my big thank you goes to Chris Jensen who caught a Stryper Bible, already has a few and gave it to me... because he is tired of me complaining that I never got one.  Next tine I see any of the guys I will have the Bible so they can throw it to me, then I can say I finally caught one. 

I know I work with Stryper, but please know that if I didn't enjoy the show I would say so or I would just say nothing.  Stryper is one of the best bands to see live, so please if they come to your town, go see them.  You won't be disappointed... just mad you waited so long to see them. 

Enjoy the pix!  One of them has recently broken the internet!!!!              

www.stryper.com

b,y Matman

​In the 1970's  and 80's, live albums were HUGE! For KISS, Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick, the live album gave their careers a serious kick and for RUSH, Iron Maiden and Scorpions... it was a showcase of the rock experience, and a way to get all the hits in one package.  It seems that after a bit of a hiatus, the live album/concert experience is making a comeback and I've got two awesome ones to share, both amazing in their own unique way! 

Up first is the metal band who in 1983 struck gold (and platinum) with their album METAL HEALTH and in 2017 released their 13th studio album, ROAD RAGE. Last year Quiet Riot played the Frontiers Rock Festival last year and the result is a killer album that proves the band still has what it takes to put on an amazing show.  ONE NIGHT IN MILAN (Frontiers SRL) contains 16 songs guaranteed to make you remember why you first loved this band, the amazing catalog! Cum On Feel The Noize, Run For Cover, Party All Night and my favorite, The Wild And The Young all sound amazing and feature longtime members Frankie Banali (drums), Chuck Wright (bass) and Alex Grossi (guitar). On vocals is James Durbin, the American Idol contestant who sings these songs with the passion and fire of the late Kevin Dubrow in his heyday. ONE NIGHT IN MILAN is a celebration of everything good about Quiet Riot who prove here (and on the live DVD/Blue-Ray from the show) that they are at their best onstage, making fans happy.

On the other side of the metal spectrum is Raven, the British trio that for me was my introduction to the world of speed metal!  Playing with power, danger and a sense of humor, Raven release this week their latest, SCREAMING MURDER DEATH FROM ABOVE, LIVE IN AALBORG! from SPV/SteamHammer.  To know Raven is to understand what you will be getting on this live album; controlled chaos with a "what the hell" attitude.   Led by founding members, the brothers Gallagher; Mark (guitar) and John (bass/vocals) and new drummer Mike Heller, Raven attack with an in your face collection of 11 songs covering their incredible history.  From album opener Destroy All Monsters to the closer Crash Bang Wallop, this recording made me remember what a Raven shows was like, despite the fact I haven't seen them live since 1988. 

Two amazing live albums from two bands that are so different in their approach... but the same in what they give to their audiences.    
   
  

by Matman

Listeners of the podcast and people who know me will tell you what a HUGE fan I am of vocalist/ bassist Glenn Hughes!  Since I first heard the Deep Purple classic, Burn and knew what part he sang, I've been a fan.  I loved his work with Hughes/Thrall, his brief stay with Gary Moore, his underrated album with Phenomena and of course... he sang on my favorite Black Sabbath album, SEVENTH STAR. 

Sadly, Hughes missed the chance to capitalize on those works because of heavy drug use that destroyed his reputation and almost killed him.  For me, as moving as his music is, his story of faith, survival and regeneration... becoming the musician and the man he was destined to be. 

Recently, Hughes has had a prolific solo career as well as work with Black Country Communion, California Breed and (for me) the recently discovered Voodoo Hill.  He has also worked in the past with my dear friend, the late John Wetton and my kinda friend, Geoff Downes.  

Last year Hughes and his solo band took part in an incredible tour celebrating the amazing music of Deep Purple with CLASSIC DEEP PURPLE LIVE. Unfortunately I missed his New England appearances last time due to my work promotion and training in Arizona... but the time is already taken off to enjoy this show in Norwalk, CT on April, 24th. 

For dates near you click the link here TOUR DATES and get ready for an incredible evening with the Voice Of Rock himself!!

For more information on Glenn Hughes click here