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	Sinwell "True Sense" (Point Music,2008) Producer: Sinwell Style: Hard Rock Format: Album Website: www.myspace.com/si... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

German rock band Sinwell formed in 2000 and finished the recordings of their debut already in 2006 but they had to wait for a release on Point Music in January this year. Singer Joschi Hensel's voice reminds a bit of The Cult's Ian Astbury on the opening track "Nowhere man" but not on the rest of the album, his way of singing has too much of that powermetal feel to it which is only fun on 2 or 3 tracks. Sinwell's sound can be described as a mix between Monster Magnet, Bonfire and Kingdom Come. We're talking 70's based hard rock with some heavy metal tendencies, the music is quite melodic but the choruses aren't strong enough to lift the album. It's like wanting strong black coffee and instead getting coffee with too much milk in it, not bad but not that exciting either. Standout tracks are: "Old love" and "True sense"

	Half Past Forever "Take A Chance On Something Beautiful" (Brash Music,2008) Producer: Chris Sligh Style: Alternative Rock Format: Album Website: www.halfpastforeve... Reviewed by: Horacio Garc�a Oliveros

Some time ago, I received the debut album of a South Carolina band named Half Past Forever. Since I watch American Idol as often as I have conversations with the spirit of John Lennon and the Tooth Fairy, I didn�t know at the time that the band was leaded by an ex-finalist of the popular TV Show. However, when I learnt later on who Chris Sligh was, it didn�t surprise me at all, because the man has an excellent voice and a lot of talent. Hopefully, his AI gig will attract some attention to his band, because Half Past Forever surely deserves it. Because �Take a Chance on Something Beautiful� was recorded before the American Idol participation of Sligh, the band didn�t count with a big budget nor with a label at the time (they got signed after the TV thing by Brash Music and re-released the album). Despite this, the production and sound quality of the album is very good, especially considering the "indie" label. The best thing about the lengthy effort �it contains 17 tracks- is its musical variety. You�ll hear hints of Semisonic, Goo Goo Dolls, Jimmy Eat World, Weezer, Switchfoot, and even MuteMath, and you�ll have a wide range of tempos and sounds. My favorite track in the album �it has a five star rating on my Ipod- is �In a moment�. This is a marvelous slow song with strings arrangements and a message about enjoying every minute because suddenly everything could change. The bridge of this song, which is amazing, features the heck of a voice that Chris Sligh has. Another standout tracks are the catchy �Cry Tonight�, the arena sounding �Rise�, �Tunnel Vision�, �Need� and �How Long�. To summarize, �Take a Chance on Something Beautiful� is definitely something to take a chance on.

	Random Eyes "Invisible" (Bullroser,2008) Producer: Style: Metal Format: Album Website: www.myspace.com/ra... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

Finnish metal band Random Eyes 2003 debut had goth influences but they have changed direction on the new album. Perhaps R.E are following the footsteps of Finnish Idol winner Ari Koivunen and his popular 80's metal because the new album is more straight forward Scandi-metal like a mix of Thunderstone, Talisman and Stratovarius and even some powermetal tendencies a la Gamma Ray. The opening track "Deep waters" bring thoughts to the 70's hard rock of Uriah Heep while the following "Living for tomorrow" is a faster song with a singalong chorus. 3rd track out,"Alive" would do justice on a Talisman record - there are in fact a few good songs on "Invisible" but some of the songs soundalike and I get bored. The drum production isn't the best I've heard which is a shame because they lose a little power in their sound. Singer Christian Palin do sound a bit like high pitch king Sonny Larsson of Swedish hardrock band Motherlode.

	Widescreen Mode "Until the end" (Kivi Music Group,2007) Producer: Style: Metal Format: Album Website: www.myspace.com/wi... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

Both singles off Widescreen Mode's debut album "Until the end" has topped the Finnish single charts. "Everlasting bomb" in late 2007 and "Dead inside" in early 2008, the new single "Another day" might go the same destiny because it's just as strong. Imagine a young James Hetfield fronting Nightwish playing new songs by H.I.M and you're gonna get Widescreen Mode. This is bombastic metal made for the big arenas, I can clearly hear the massive "Not alright" filling up a stadium. There's not much to say about this solid album, you better hear it for yourself - I guess most of my metal friends would go for a 4 star rating but I miss that special killer track that I want to hear over and over.

	3 Doors Down "s/t" (Universal,2008) Producer: Johnny K Style: Modern Rock Format: Album Website: www.3doorsdown.com Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

13 million albums sold, that should be enough to put 3 Doors Down on the map of rocknroll for decades to come. Their southern influenced modern rock can never be wrong, they teamed up with producer Johnny K again on their 4th studio album which is self titled. Ex.Puddle of Mudd drummer Greg Upchurch replaced Daniel Adair who joined Nickelback in 2005. The new single "It's not my time" is already a huge hit which is good because it's a rocker and I hope radio in Sweden stops playing their 2002 hit "Here without you" once and for all and instead let all listeners know that there are other songs available with this band. However, the band's tribute to the national guard, "Citizen/soldier" was the first song to be released on the internet, it didn't convince me at all at first but the song grows and now I like it a lot where my thoughts actually goes to Thin Lizzy and their Thunder and lightning album. Opening track "Train" must be the heaviest track so far from 3DD, what a lovely groove! The Best Buy version also contains the bonus tracks "Feel in the water" and "Who are you". This is a safe buy.




	3rd "D-Day" (UK Division,2006) Producer: 3rd Style: NuMetal Format: Album Website: www.myspace.com/3r... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

3rd were born in January 1998 out of Delirio, a well-known Italian thrash metal band from the 90s. After a couple of promo EP's, the band released their first full length "D-Day" in 2006. The title track can be downloaded for free at myspace, it's actually pretty good and it's not alone on this 33 minute long record. The opening track "Empty/Alive" and the single "Unable" are 2 other solid tracks, we're talking numetal the most aggressive way that is influenced by bands like Machine Head, Fear Factory, Soilwork and Mnemic. 3rd is currently writing for their new album and I'm glad they exist because there aren't that many numetal bands from Italy popular outside of their borders.

	I Nine "Heavy Weighs the King" (J,2008) Producer: Brian Howes / Chad Kroeger Style: Modern Pop / Rock Format: Album Website: www.myspace.com/in... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

I Nine is a new popular pop/rock band from South Carolina fronted by young Carmen Keigans. Their debut album "Heavy weighs the king" features the hit singles "Seven days of lonely" and "If this room could move", both produced by the modern rock titans Chad Kroeger and Brian Howes. I think they've got a cool mix of modern country and pop/rock, like combining The Corrs with Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson. The string section makes these songs a little more unique to listen to than being just another Avril clone, there are plenty of hookladen songs on this album where "Alive" stand out as the next possible single contender. I am pretty certain you're gonna hear more from I Nine!

	Your Vegas "A town and two cities" (Universal,2008) Producer: David Bendeth Style: Pop Rock Format: Album Website: www.yourvegasmusic... Reviewed by: Kaj Roth

There are moments in your life when you come across that special album that will follow you for life and everytime you hear a song from it, you get nostalgic and remember exactly what you did when you listened to that album. This latest decade I have endless love for Goo Goo Dolls "Dizzy up the girl", Tal Bachman's debut and Third Eye Blind's "Blue". There are some fantastic pop / rock releases this year but Leeds based Your Vegas has done the best of them all, their debut is like a hits collection taken from a long career but it's not! This 10 track debut album feels like Godzilla against the bands that has influenced YV, I'm thinking of The Killers, Coldplay and U2. I really love the song "Troubled times" from the EP and it's ofcourse included here but on the full length album, it's just another great track because "It makes my heart break", "Birds of paradise", "Your vegas" and "Up until the lights go out" are all smashes in the first degree. Holy smoke, these guys are the Wayne Gretzky's of modern rock / pop.

	Brother Firetribe "Heart Full Of Fire" (Spinefarm,2008) Producer: Style: AOR Format: Album Website: www.brotherfiretri... Reviewed by: Juha Harjula

The Finnish AOR-rockers Brother Firetribe with Nighwish guitarist Emppu Vuorinen are here with their 2nd album and ready to set many AOR hearts on fire. If their debut was brilliant then this new album is even better and it�s filled with outstanding hook-laden soundtrack AOR with fluffy keyboards mixed with riff fantastic guitars and awesome melodies. The album holds 11 high quality tougher AOR-tracks and you won�t find a boring moment on Heart Full Of Fire. Pekke Heino (Leverage) does a great duet on the title track together with the new Nightwish singer Anette Olsson and could fit on a Nighwish album. The also do a fantastic cover of Loverboy's Chasing The Angels. Wildest Dreams is pure magic with pompish keyboards that runs through out the whole song and a catchy chorus that will stay in your head right away. Game They Call Love is awesome with wonderful melodies and strong harmonies with a powerful chorus. If you are looking for some air-keys then check out Heard It On The Radio because the keyboards all over this song and listen to the huge hooklines and the stunning chorus. Best song of the album is Going Out With A Band with dut-dut keyboards and wonderful guitar riffs and a winner to a chorus, a true classic AOR-song. The album ends with the single they released last year called I Am Rock that�s a strong song as well. If you're looking for some quality stuff from Finland then check out Brother Firetribe because they will take you to AOR-Heaven for sure. If you missed their debut album first time then you will get the chance again because it will be released again with some bonus tracks. So get your money ready for some Finnish quality AOR with tons of power. It don�t get much better than this.

	Kiske "Past In Different Ways" (Frontiers,2008) Producer: Style: Acoustic Pop/Rock Format: Album Website: www.michaelkiske.net Reviewed by: Juha Harjula

Former Helloween singer Michael Kiske's new album Past In Different Ways is an acoustic album. Yes he has done a full acoustic album filled with Helloween songs that he has written. The songs are taken from the albums Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1&2, Chameleon and Pink Bubbles Go Ape. There�s one new song called Different Ways that�s pretty boring. He still got the voice and he delivers strong vocals but I think it�s a waste of his talent to sing these laid-back acoustic versions of old Helloween songs and after over 50 minutes it just gets too much and I lose interest even if the production is really good. This is an album for the die-hard fans of Kiske. No, I'm looking forward to hear the new Place Vendome album that will see the light of day later this year.

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	Sinwell "True Sense"
	Half Past Forever "Take A Chance.."
	Random Eyes "Invisible"
	Widescreen Mo.. "Until the end"
	3 Doors Down "s/t"
	3rd "D-Day"
	I Nine "Heavy Weighs .."
	Your Vegas "A town and tw.."
	Brother Firet.. "Heart Full Of.."
	Kiske "Past In Diffe.."
	Edges of Seve.. "Born again ha.."
	Schaeffer "Something wor.."
	esOterica "The Fool"
	Sil Veth "The Elemental"
	Phonovectra "Too Young To .."
	Pendulum "In Silico"
	Aaron English "The Marriage .."
	Hayward Willi.. "Another Sailo.."
	Michael Borma.. "Capture The M.."
	Shane Alexand.. "The Sky Below"

	Uriah Heep "Conquest"
	Izabelle "A Pleasant Fict.."
	Rake "From Darker Day.."
	Space Cadet "Debutante"
	The Jones Gang "Anyday Now"