Danko Jones - Leo Rising
Veröffendlichung: 21.11.2025
Every time someone announces the death of rock ‘n’ roll, Toronto’s most incendiary power trio roll with the punches and keep rocking with maximum commitment to the cause. Danko Jones are a three-piece rock ‘n’ roll band from Toronto. They never sleep. They sweat blood. And they are keeping rock alive by doing it better than anyone else.
On duty since 1996, these unstoppable road-hogs have devoted their lives to rousing the people with blistering, no-bullshit, all-action rock. They have rallied a global army of rock-hungry fans,and blown them away with a steady stream of explosive, anthem-packed albums and an absurd
number of live shows. From early underground smashes like We Sweat Blood and Sleep Is The Enemy, to the band’s recent, triumphant triumvirate of A Rock Supreme (2019), Power Trio (2021) and Electric Sounds (2023), Danko Jones have been a relentless force for rock ‘n’ roll good, both in the studio and on the road. And they have absolutely no intention of stopping.
“You know what? I like the routine of recording, touring, writing, and repeat,” states singer/guitarist, Danko Jones himself. “I can do that till I’m dead! It may sound boring, but it’s so hard for a band to achieve. I don’t take this lightly. Also, it’s a page out of the Motörhead handbook so
it works! Since Electric Sounds we’ve been touring and touring. We managed to play in Mexico and Greece for the first time, and we even played Prince Edward Island, a province in Canada we’d never been to before. Other than that, it’s been a life of gigs and writing more songs to play
more gigs!”
Proving that their time was well-spent, Danko, bassist John Calabrese and drummer Rich Knox have conjured yet another blazing banquet of nourishing rock goodness on their 12th studio record, Leo Rising. 11 songs deep and as sharp and fat-free as it gets, it enters with a bang and
leaves with a swinging van door and a cloud of smoke. Danko Jones’ unerring ability to write righteous sing-along turbo-bangers has never been more apparent.
From the thunderous knucklehead action rock of opener What You Need and the insanely catchy Diamond In The Rough, which features a cameo from living guitar legend Marty Friedman, to the rampaging power-pop of Every Day Is Saturday Night and the post-Pistols roots-punk juggernaut I Love It Louder, the first four songs alone are hot enough to burn a million beards.
“I could give you some pat answers as to our writing process, new inspirations, experimental tangents and all of that,” states Danko, “but the truth is that this is yet another serving of peerless hard rock served via bass, drums, guitar and vocals. No frills, just meat and potato music meant to put a satisfying smile on your face, preferably while the windows are rolled down.”
He isn’t kidding. Leo Rising may just be the most uplifting and inspirational Danko Jones album to date. With songs that take a wry squint into the human relationship miasma, like the positively priapic Hot Fox, and mischievous, sleaze metal throwback Pretty Stuff, and grittier glimpses
of the band’s real-life trials and tribulations via the muscular, motoring Gotta Let It Go and the swaggering, riff-rich I’m Going Blind. Meanwhile,
It’s A Celebration delivers exactly as promised:
fiery, red-blooded rock ‘n’ roll to lift the spirits. Produced to red-hot perfection by esteemed Canadian engineer and long-time collaborator Eric Ratz, Leo Rising is what loud guitars were made for.
“You know the sound every kid makes with their mouth when they play air guitar?” Danko asks.“That’s still the sound I want to put on every album we make. If we can come close to that sound,that’s an album worth releasing. Eric Ratz produced this album and he knows this about me. I have complete faith in the guitar tones he manages to capture. There weren’t any changes in recording. We still did it all apart from one another, like our previous two albums. JC recorded in Finland, Rich flew in from Prince Edward Island to Toronto to record his drums, and I worked with Eric in Toronto on guitars and vocals.”
Never busier, never better and never too loud, Danko Jones are back. Not that they ever went away. Over the last 25 years, they have recorded and toured relentlessly, growing in stature with every gig and drawing in fans from all corners of the rock, punk and metal world. Leo Rising
could be the finest record the trio have ever made, and Danko is inclined to agree, but he remains a rock ‘n’ roll realist when it comes to world domination.
“I don’t care how punk you are, every band secretly thinks about every album they release going double platinum,” notes Danko. “Everyone thinks they’ll be doing a stadium tour, and winning ten Grammys. But we snap back into reality and cross our fingers that people will even just get to hear it, with all the other bands vying for attention these days. Saying ‘I hope people hear it!’ comes before ‘I hope they like it!’ in 2025.”
While still fighting to be heard in a crowded marketplace, Danko Jones are too tough to die and too determined to quit. Leo Rising is another triumph from one of the most consistent bands in the biz. Above all, it showcases the fizzing, electrified chemistry between the three members of this six-legged powerhouse. A stable and harmonious unit since 2013, Danko Jones join forces on stage every night, united in love for riffs, melodies, and a raucous, sweat-drenched good fucking time.
“This is the line-up I wish we had from the start,” Danko concludes. “I’m not just saying that because time has already proven it. First and foremost, we all get along with each other onstage and offstage. The mood is always light and nobody’s ego gets in the way. When it comes to
writing and recording, we are all on the same page and we service the songs, always!”
MEINUNG:
Druckvoll und trocken auf die 12...
So kennt man Danko Jones...SO mag man diese Band.Immer gleich auf den Punkt!Danko Jones-eine Band,die mich weder musikalisch noch anderweitig irgendwie genervt hat.Im Gegenteil:Ich wei0,was ich als Musi-Fan bekomme!Fertig und Aus!
Und hier nun das 12!Album!!!DAS schaffen viele Bands erstmal garnicht!Mal abgesehen von der Regelmäßigkeit,Alben zu veröffendlichen!
Kein dummes Album Intro...Keine 30 Sekunden,wo am Anfang nichts passiert!SO muss das sein.Hier geht´s bei jedem Song gleich zur Sache.OHNE umschweife! Ich höre sleazigen 80er-Glam...alles etwas punkig angehaucht...Power-Pop...Danko Jones haben über all die Alben und vergangenen Jahre verteilt ihre eigene Art gefunden.UND...nicht zu verachten ist die markante Stimme von Danko Jones-Himself!
Und wieder kann ich mir als Hörer gut vorstellen,wie Songs wie zum Beispiel "Every Day Is Saturday Night" bei langen Autofahrten aus den Boxen dröhnt und mir das monotone Fahren verschönern.Ich mag diese Band.Auch,wenn ich sie nicht dauernd in Schleife höre.Es macht mir einfach SPASS,zu lauschen.JEDES der Alben hatte bislang dieses gewisse ETWAS!
Grundsätzlich kann man nichts verkehrt machen,wenn man sich dieses Alben zulegt!MAL WIEDER ein tolles Album!
9 von 10 Punkte
Midnite City - Bite The Bullet
Veröffendlichung: 21.11.2025
Since exploding out onto the scene like a tornado back in 2017, Midnite City have taken on the world, grabbed the tired music scene by the scruff of its neck, injected passion, fun, melody, and colour back into it, and climbed to the top of the tree to be crowned the true kings of Hair Metal.
The band have previously released four critically acclaimed albums with their sophomore album There Goes The Neighbourhood being listed as one the greatest albums in the history of Burrn Magazine in Japan, alongside many other accolades...
Midnite City have since taken their feel good, high energy, electrifying show on tour all over the world, headlining countless tours of the UK, alongside shows all over Europe, America, Brazil, Australia, and two sold out tours of Japan, stunning an ever-growing legion of fans around the globe, known as The Midnite Army.
In November 2025, the band return with their strongest album to date, Bite The Bullet, which ticks every single box fans expect from a Midnite City album. From super poppy, catchy, and hook laden party rock, to melodic rock monsters, to arena sized power ballads, to glam metal anthems laced with attitude and a side order of glam, Bite The Bullet picks up where platinum plus selling bands left off in the late 80s, and no band on the scene currently pulls it off with more authenticity, conviction, style, or swagger, making the band stand out like a shining light in a sea of imitators.
Mixed by Grammy award-winning producer Chris Laney (Europe, Crash Diet, Crazy Lixx etc), Bite The Bullet delivers a sound that is made for the biggest stadiums around the globe, bringing back everything that was so thrilling, energetic, and flamboyant about late 80s Hair Metal in one fell swoop.
Midnite City delivers the goods once again with an album that's made to be cranked up to eleven and played loud!
The party is just getting started...and everyone is invited.
Catch the band on tour in 2025/ 2026.
https://www.facebook.com/midnitecityuk
MEINUNG:
Sleaze,Hair Metal,Glam...wie auch auch immer:Sucht es euch aus!Die 80er lassen Grüßen!
Grundsätzlich mag ich das gehörte Material,weil es mich an eine verrückte Zeit erinnert und wo vieles einfach(er) und vorallem BUNT war!Diese Zeiten sind (leider) schon lange vorbei und werden musikalisch immer wieder in Erinnerung gebracht durch Bands wie Midnite City.Das find ich auch GRUNDSÄTZLICH IMMER Klasse.
Und auch Grundsätzlich macht es diese Band auch gut im Bezug auf das Songmaterial!Aber es bleibt aber auch immer "nur" eine Hommage an eine verrückte Zeit!Aber leider muss ich sagen,das es ein VERSUCH bleibt,diese Zeit zurückzuholen!Mir fehlt da dieses gewisse ETWAS.Musikalisch sind die Jungs RICHTIG gut.Aber irgendwie fehlt mir da was!es touched mich nicht so RICHTIG!Melodien...Ideen...ALLES ist vorhanden.Der Sound des Albums ist ebenfalls gut.Aber das alleine reicht mir nicht aus.
Es ist jetzt nicht so,dass das Album kompletter Mist ist!Ganz bestimmt nicht.Aber wie gesagt:es touched mich nicht.Ich find es gut-aber mehr auch nicht!Es plätschert so vor sich hin!Vielleicht liegt es auch etwas daran,das es mittlerweile so viele Bands WIEDER gibt,die diese "Schiene" fahren...!? Ich mein das garnicht mal böse oder so.Es ist einfach meine persönlich Meinung!Zum AB-UND-Zu-hören ist das hier absolut ok!Aber dann bin ich auch schon raus!
6 von 10 Punkte
Cristiano Filippini’s FLAMES OF HEAVEN - Symphony of the Universe
Veröffendlichung: 14.11.2025
Never change a winning team. Never change a winning formula. Cristiano Filippini’s FLAMES OF HEAVEN strengthens its position among the leading acts of Power Melodic Metal - five years after releasing the critically acclaimed „The Force Within“. Thanks to catchy melodies and brilliant musicianship „Symphony of the Universe“ is the utmost logical follow-up. Spectaculary crafted neoclassical anthems breathing the spirits of an ideally open production with natural sounds. The manga “Saint Seiya” by Masami Kurumada delivered the lyrical inspiration. Shimmering highlights among the twelve songs are „Darkside of Gemini“, „On the Wings of Phoenix“, Midnight Riders“, and „The Power of Stars“.
Here’s a quick glance on the tracks you can look forward to:
01. The Immortal Fire
02. On The Wings Of Phoenix
03. Midnight Riders
04. A Flame From The Sky
05. The Power Of Stars
06. When Love Burns
07. Don't Leave Me Tonight
08. Darkside Of Gemini
09. Eclipse
10. The Archangel's Warcry
11. Tears Of Love And Hate
12. Symphony Of The Universe
13. Constellations
Cover artwork by Stan W. Decker
Pre-save here: https://orcd.co/cffoh-symphony-of-the-universe
Line-up:
Cristiano Filippini - lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards, arrangements, orchestrations
Marco Pastorino - lead and backing vocals
Michele Vioni - lead and rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars
Giorgio Terenziani - bass guitar
Paolo Caridi – drums
More album information: http://news.limb-music.com/cfsfoh-sotu
MEINUNG:
Nett gemachter "Epic Symphonic Power Metal"...
ABER...meißtens klingt das irgendwie nach Schlager!Ich kann mit dem Material so garnichts anfangen.Penetrant eingängig-eingängig mag ich...ABER nicht so!VIELE Parts des Albums widerholen sich so oft...in ähnlicher oder sogar identischer Form.So wirkliche,musikalische Überraschungen kann ich nicht heraushören!Synthesizer/Keyboard ohne Ende-und somit viel zu viel...So auch Solos in rauhen Mengen-schön verteilt und IMMER vorhanden!Zum Glück KEINE nervigen Stimmen oder "nerviges Opern-Gejaule".Wobei ich betonen möchte,das ich NICHTS gegen klaschische Musik habe.Es geht hier NUR und AUSSCHLIEßLICH um diese Scheibe!
Musikalisch sind die Herrschaften schön gut-das möchte ich auch garnicht anzweifeln!ABER die Songs gehen mir schlicht und ergreifend gesagt:Auf die Nerven!
NATÜRLICH...alles wurde musikalisch gut in Szene gesetzt und manchmal gefallen mir auch mal so 10 Sekunden einer Nummer...Aber die Sekunden tauchen vielleicht so 2-3 Mal auf...und dann war es das schon mit einem EVENTUELLEN "Überraschungspart"!
Mir ist das GANZE HIER einfach zu monoton und für meine Ohren zu LANGWEILIG!Da höre ich mir lieber das Rauschen eines Fernsehers an...
5 von 10 Punkte
Pearls & Flames - Spread your wings
Veröffendlichung: 21.11.2025
Pearls & Flames is a Swedish Melodic Rock/Westcoast project that today consists of Markus Nordenberg (lead- and background vocals, additional keyboards) and Sven Larsson (guitars).
The band started in 2019 but made a change in the line-up in June 2025 when earlier member, Tomas Coox, decided to take a step back. The members are all well experienced musicians and through the years they have been or are current involved in playing/singing (in studio or live) with a lot of bands and projects in the scene of melodic rock and hard rock such as Street Talk, Sven Larsson solo, Sapphire Eyes, Fergie Frederiksen solo, Groundbreaker, Overland, Big Price, Lion’s Share, Frèdèric Slama’s AOR and Coastland Ride.
PEARLS & FLAMES is working very closely with well-known Swedish guitarist, songwriter and producer, Tommy Denander (Prisoner, Radioactive, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley, House of Lords, Robin McAuley and many more), former member Tomas Coox (Coastland Ride Live band and Roulette SWE Live band) and former Coastland Ride member, Anders Rybank.
www.facebook.com/pearlsandflames
www.youtube.com/@pearlsflames9720
https://www.facebook.com/pearlsandflames
Discography:
Reliance (2022, AOR Heaven)
Spread Your Wings (2025, Pride & Joy Music)
MEINUNG:
"Spread your wings" ist das zweite Album nach "Reliance" (2022) von Pearls & Flames.
Den Erstling fand ich damals schon garnicht so schlecht.Aber was kann die ZWEITE SCHEIBE?Nun...Eine Menge-um das mal vorweg zu nehmen!
Der Einstieg mit "Spread your wings" beginnt schwungvoll und der ZWEITE Titel "First Love" erinnert mich auch gleich irgendwie an-DAS jetzt mal so zur groben und musikalischen orientierung für den Hörer.ABER KEINE Sorge-man kopiert angesprochene Band nicht,sondern bleibt schon bei seinen eigenen Ideen.Und diese werden schön und auf den Punkt gebracht umgesetzt und bohren sich somit in die Gehörgänge.
Und wenn wir schon bei FOREIGNER waren...Da können wir auch gleich mit Material a´la TOTO weitermachen:"The art of letting go" ist da so ein Song genannter Band!Aber nochmal:Es wird NICHTS "geklaut"!Man orientiert sich daran.Warum auch nicht?Das machen viele andere Künstler auch.Es ist IMMER die Sache,wie ich das ganze verpacke!Denn da gibt es für mich schon Unterschiede.Pearls & Flames setzen das Ganze Thema aber sehr gut um-denn sie klingen trotzdem wie Pearls & Flames!
Die Schweden haben mit diesem Album gut nachgelegt-keine Frage!Der Sound ist gut-tut auch den Ohren gut.Wenig Keyboard...KEIN nerviges gedudel...ALLES wohl dosiert!UND Vocals,die nach Vocals klingen.Diese werden nämlich NICHT "überrissen",sondern klingen RICHTIG gut und angenehm.So,wie das GESAMTE Album!
8 von 10 Punkte
Cheap Trick - All Washed Up
Veröffendlichung: 14.11.2025
Robin Zander (lead singer/guitarist) sagt: "Just one more great album from the best rock band in the world."
Produced by Cheap Trick with longtime associate Julian Raymond and mixed by 5x GRAMMY® Award-winner Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Dave Matthews Band), All Washed Up was recorded at various studios in Nashville and Los Angeles through 2024. The album was heralded this summer by the anthemic first single, “Twelve Gates,” joined by an official animated lyric video streaming now on YouTube. The instantly infectious track was met by praise from such outlets as Ultimate Classic Rock, which hailed it as “a sweet slab of psychedelic guitars, sugary pop-rock hooks and lush, Beatlesque vocal harmonies.” American Songwriter agreed, writing, “The mid-tempo rock song features psychedelic and power-pop elements reminiscent of The Beatles, not surprising for a group that’s always been so heavily and unrepentantly influenced by the Fab Four.”
Tracklisting:
All Washed Up
All Wrong Long Gone
The Riff That Won’t Quit
Bet It All
The Best Thing
Twelve Gates
Bad Blood
Dancing With The Band
Love Gone
A Long Way To Worcester
Wham Boom Bang
One of rock’s hardest working live acts, Cheap Trick will celebrate All Washed Up – as well as their iconic body of work thus far – with a typically busy tour schedule resuming tomorrow, October 11, with a co-headline festival performance at Styx’s Rockin’ in Paradise with Styx & Friends at Miramar Beach, FL’s Seascape Resort Golf Club & Tennis Resort and then traveling into December with headline shows, dates alongside Heart, and more. Additional dates will be announced.
Lynch Mob - Dancing With The Devil
Veröffendlichung: 28.11.2025
Legendary hard rock titans Lynch Mob are set to release their highly anticipated ninth and final full length studio album “Dancing With The Devil” on November 28, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl, marking the final chapter in their storied career.
Pre-Order “Dancing With The Devil” HERE
The album follows the success of their previous effort “Babylon” and showcases elements of classic Lynch Mob with a modern edge, fusing hard rock, blues, and soulful grooves with an unmistakable passion and energy.
“We’ve always been about pushing boundaries and staying true to the fans”, said George Lynch, the band’s legendary guitarist and founding member. “This new album is a reflection of where we are now, both as individuals and as a band. We’ve taken everything we’ve learned over the years and poured it into these songs”.
With “Dancing With The Devil”, legendary guitarist George Lynch and his band Lynch Mob deliver a bold and uncompromising last word, a completion of the musical legacy, closing the curtain on a storied chapter in American hard rock history. This album marks the band’s definitive farewell, following the conclusion of all touring and live activity - a fitting final act from a group whose impact on the genre has been both lasting and influential.
Sonically, “Dancing With The Devil” revisits the classic Lynch Mob sound: a potent mix of blues-based hard rock, razor-sharp guitar work, and soulful vocals, delivered with the swagger and confidence of a band that has nothing left to prove. Fans of the early Wicked Sensation era will find familiar fire here - but with a modern edge that reflects decades of evolution and road-tested chemistry.
Reuniting the same lineup that lit up 2023’s “Babylon” - vocalist Gabriel Colón, bassist Jaron Gulino, drummer Jimmy D’Anda, and Lynch himself - this final studio effort captures the chemistry of a band playing at full force.
Together, they’ve crafted a collection that balances raw intensity with veteran finesse, all under the expert guidance of producer and mixing engineer Chris Collier (known for his work with KXM, Prong, Joel Hoekstra’s 13). Collier’s production brings clarity and punch, allowing the band’s dynamic interplay and Lynch’s signature tone to shine through every track.
As a special bonus for European fans, this edition of the album includes the exclusive track “Somewhere”, not available on the U.S. version - a parting gift to a fanbase that has supported the band throughout their journey.
“Dancing With The Devil” isn’t just another release - it’s a farewell with force, a record that honors the past while asserting the band’s place in rock history one final time. For Lynch Mob, the devil may have had the last dance... but they set the floor on fire.
“Dancing With The Devil” Tracklist:
1. Dancing With The Devil
2. Pictures Of The Dead
3. Saints And Sinners
4. Lift Up Your Soul
5. Love In Denial
6. Machine Bone
7. Follow Me Down
8. Golden Mirror
9. Sea Of Stones
10. The Stranger
11. Somewhere (Bonus Track)
Line Up:
George Lynch – guitars
Gabriel Colon - vocals
Jaron Gulino - bass
Jimmy D’Anda – drums
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TREAT - The Wild Card
Veröffendlichung: 21.11.2025
Swedish melodic rock band Treat are thrilled to release their new studio album, “The Wild Card”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.
The focus track “Endeavour”, along with an official lyric video, are also available now.
Anders Wikström commented: “When things come full circle, there’s a time for reflection, where you are, what you did, and where you’re going from here. It can be love, music or life in general, but it will make you grow”.
Watch the official lyric video for “Endeavour” HERE
Order “The Wild Card” HERE
Swedish melodic rock pioneers Treat are set to make a bold statement in 2025 with the release of their tenth studio album, “The Wild Card”.
Arriving three years after their critically acclaimed 2022 release “The Endgame”, the album continues the band’s legacy of delivering high-energy melodic hard rock with massive hooks, layered harmonies, and stadium-sized anthems.
Guitarist Anders Wikström discussed about how the album came to life: “I set out to write an album that would be a musical timeline for our whole career and it carries the message in each song both musically and lyrically. It takes the band full circle, something that I actually had in mind with our last album “The Endgame” and have now completed”.
“We made this album for us and the fans, and we became better at what we do together with our producer Peter Månsson. This is the first album we’ve made that actually has a story timeline imbedded, subtle but still there, starting from the early 80s up until now, and every song stands on their own in a collection of the best songs we could muster”, he continued.
Wikström concluded: “I’m really proud of “The Wild card”, it’s the strongest collection of songs we’ve put out since a long time, everybody in the band is really showcasing their best ability on this record and worked really hard to make this very special, to make the band’s legacy memorable”.
Formed in Stockholm in the early 1980s, Treat quickly rose to prominence with their blend of melodic hard rock and AOR, sharing the spotlight with fellow Scandinavian acts like Europe and Pretty Maids.
After a decade of success, lineup changes and industry shifts led to a hiatus in the 1990s - but the band returned stronger than ever with their 2006 reunion, ushering in a new era of creative resurgence and fan devotion across Europe, Japan, and beyond.
“The Wild Card” marks their fifth album since the reunion and solidifies the chemistry of their current, long-standing lineup: Robert Ernlund (vocals), Anders Wikström (guitar), Patrick Appelgren (keyboards), Jamie Borger (drums), and Nalley Pahlsson (bass).
The album is once again produced and mixed by Peter Månsson, whose collaboration with the band continues to deliver the polished, punchy sound fans have come to love.
Armed with fresh energy and an unwavering commitment to their roots, Treat are ready to show the world that “The Wild Card” is anything but a gamble - it's a winning hand from a band that’s still at the top of their game.
“The Wild Card” Tracklist:
1. Out With A Bang
2. Rodeo
3. 1985
4. Endeavour
5. Hand On Heart
6. Heaven’s Waiting
7. Back To The Future
8. Mad Honey
9. Adam & Evil
10. Your Majesty
11. Night Brigade
12. In The Blink Of An Eye
13. One Minute To Breathe
Line Up:
Robert Ernlund - Lead Vocals
Anders Wikström - Guitars/Vocals
Jamie Borger - Drums
Patrick Appelgren - Keyboards/Vocals
Nalle Påhlsson - Bass/Vocals
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