The third volume in the series of Def Leppard box sets has been confirmed for a June release. A release that was previously hinted by Joe Elliot back in 2020, the new box set will cover the ‘Now’, ‘Songs From The Sparkle Lounge’ and ‘Yeah!’ albums, plus various assorted extras.
Available in both CD and vinyl formats, the release marks the first time all three albums will be available on vinyl, while the bonus materials make various US store exclusives widely available for the first time.
Although the name Atomic Bronco may not be familiar to you, the band creates the kind of sound you think you’ve known for years. Their current single ‘Cruel’ blends acoustic guitars with a light power pop sound, creating the perfect backdrop for a natural vocal. …And then, once you’ve become used to a sound that falls somewhere between the work of Brendan Benson and the vastly underrated Gus Black, the chorus hits with a barrage of fuzz, to drive home that ultimate 90s nostalgia hit.
A new arrival at the Frontiers Records label for 2021, Italy’s False Memories were promoted in their pre-release materials as leaning towards “a gothic, doom metal vibe”. Although the band’s darker tones are something of an interesting move for a label that predominantly deals with melodic metal and a wealth of old school AOR, massive hair and the occasionally misjudged leather trouser, it soon becomes clear that nobody at the label has a clear idea of what “doom metal” actually entails. You won’t find any eight minute epics on this band’s third release ‘The Last Night of Fall’, nor will you find anything dominated by deep, booming voices, or any riffs that could be considered oppressively slow. Occasionally, the band unleash something of an unexpected heaviness – as is the case with album highlight ‘Deep Breath’ – but, in the main, False Memories have a strong relationship with a melody and something of a “safe” feel. In short, for all of the hard sell with a focus on darkness and heaviness, the label have signed their own Nightwish. False Memories can be a little more intense and often more interesting, but they definitely sit more within that musical sphere. For the more adventurous melodic rock fan, such a familiar Euro-goth sound should be enough to warrant a purchase, but this in no way should be considered “doom metal”. Luckily, despite an over familiar sound and the possibility of finding themselves in something of an over saturated market in terms of style, False Memories come armed with some decent songs, and in Rossella Moscalletto they have a very self-assured vocalist.
Over the years, Austrian punks DeeCRACKS have often been a reliable source for good, honest and ragged street punk, but with its combination of straight up punky riffs, nods to 60s surf rock and occasional bursts of something more hardcore, their 2021 release ‘Serious Issues’ could be one of their best LPs to date.
Gunslingers were a band who just instinctively knew how to make a ferocious noise. From their inception through to their split in 2012, the band constantly pushed the boundaries of garage rock, garage punk and no wave/rock in the name of their art.