HEAVY METAL HILL
Single and album reviews from the melodic rock, hard rock, metal, and punk underground.
In This Roundup — 13 Reviews
- Grand — “Guilty Pleasure”SWEDEN · MELODIC ROCK
- Electric Guitars — “High Note”DENMARK · MELODIC ROCK
- Gary John Barden — “Hit the Ground Running”ENGLAND · MELODIC HARD ROCK
- King Zebra — “A Love I’ve Never Known”SWITZERLAND · HARD ROCK
- A Heavy Quiet — “Downsider”INTERNATIONAL · HARD ROCK
- Jersey Calling — “X Americana”USA · PUNK ROCK
- Easy Action — “Dazed”SWEDEN · MELODIC ROCK
- Ian Parry Consortium Project VI — “Legacy of Empires”UK · HEAVY METAL
- Ozzy Osbourne — “Patient Number 9”UK · METAL (ALBUM)
- ISSA — “Pay the Price”NORWAY · METAL
- Over the Edge — “Surrender”USA · MELODIC ROCK
- Triosphere — “Oceans Above, Stars Below”NORWAY · HARD ROCK
- Blue Murder — “Nothin’ But Trouble”UK/USA · HARD ROCK (ALBUM)
SWEDEN •MELODIC ROCK •SINGLE, AUG 21 2026
Swedish Melodic Rockers Grand Ignite a Friday Night Frenzy With Their Sinful Single “Guilty Pleasure”
For those who are getting tired after a long week of work during a long, hot summer, well, there is relief in sight. This much-needed relief is coming out of Stockholm, Sweden, in the form of an infectious melodic rock band named Grand. This sweltering melodic rock band will release its third eleven-track album “Guilty Pleasure” on August 21, 2026.
This sizzling track has a 1980’s vibe with gritty, yet soulful vocals and pulsating melodic rock melodies that sound like a nervous heartbeat. This track is a sinful single about a quiet man who is sitting on the couch after a long week of work. Then, he and his friends decide to run wild on a Friday night without a care in the world. Life is too short to be unhappy.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITESwww.grandtheband.com|facebook.com/grandthebandsweden↑ Back to top
DENMARK •MELODIC ROCK •SINGLE, JUN 12 2026
Danish Rockers Electric Guitars Make a Joyful Noise With Their Inspiring New Single “High Note”
For those who feel as though life drags on during the sweltering summer months, well, have no fear, because a breath of fresh air has arrived out of Denmark in the form of a captivating melodic rock band calling themselves Electric Guitars. This stunningly passionate band will release the riveting new single “High Note” on June 12, 2026. This song is soothing to a tortured soul with its sultry, yet soothing vocals and fluttering melodic rock melodies that sound like the ocean waves gently crashing over a person as they wade through the water with the sun beaming down on them as they wash away the drudgery of an unforgiving society, giving them the strength and courage to keep going.
Electric Guitars is a mesmerizing melodic rock band who definitely will lighten up a dark world with their refreshing ode to optimism.
RECORD LABELwww.mightymusic.dk
BAND WEBSITESwww.electricguitars.dk|facebook.com/ElectricGuitars.DK↑ Back to top
ENGLAND •MELODIC HARD ROCK •ALBUM TRACK, SEP 18 2026
English Rock Vocalist Gary John Barden Lets His Inhibitions Run Wild Throughout His Sweltering Single “Hit the Ground Running”
Is it hot enough yet? Well, apparently not — the heat of summer is continuing to rise with no end in sight. A veteran English rock vocalist named Gary John Barden has his sights set on an exotic and stunningly beautiful woman in his sweltering new single “Hit the Ground Running.” This sizzling track features sultry vocals and scorching melodic hard rock melodies that sound like a lion who found his mate and is anxiously waiting to devour his prey.
This sinful and unapologetic tale of reckless abandon is the third track of a twelve-track album, “Empowered Emotions,” which will be released on September 18, 2026. This album is destined to be an instant classic.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it↑ Back to top
SWITZERLAND •HARD ROCK •SINGLE, JUN 25 2026
Swiss Rockers King Zebra Pour Their Hearts Out in Their Sizzling Single “A Love I’ve Never Known”
For those who are hopeless romantics will be excited to feel the summertime heat still rising in Zurich, Switzerland, in the form of a fiery hard rock band calling themselves King Zebra. This captivating band has thrilled fans across Europe with their sweaty and fist-pumping arena rock anthems, such as their powerful new single “A Love I’ve Never Known,” which was released on June 25, 2026, featuring gritty vocals and explosive hard rock melodies that sound like a restless man’s heart literally pounding out of his chest as he finally has captured the heart of a beautiful woman whom he has loved for an eternity.
King Zebra is a mighty hard rock band who will make rock and roll fans want to make out in the back seat of a car on a steamy summer night.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITESwww.kingzebra.ch|facebook.com/KINGZBRA.band↑ Back to top
INTERNATIONAL •HARD ROCK •SINGLE, JUN 26 2026
Haunting Hard Rock Trio A Heavy Quiet Unleashes Pure Hell With Their Devilish Single “Downsider”
A wave of negativity has choked the life out of Planet Earth. This statement is blatantly revealed in the form of an extremely pessimistic international hard rock trio named A Heavy Quiet. This brooding hard rock trio released their dark single “Downsider” on June 26, 2026, featuring slithering vocals and haunting hard rock melodies that sound like an angry man who has been tripping on acid while trying to escape the chaos that has overtaken the world.
A Heavy Quiet is a little-known band who is anything but quiet. This eerie band is the best medicine for those who feel like outcasts in society and are screaming for attention. The world can be a frightening place to live in at times.
BAND WEBSITEwww.aheavyquiet.com↑ Back to top
WOODBURY, NJ · USA •PUNK ROCK •SINGLE, MAY 30 2025
Punk Rockers Jersey Calling Raise the Proverbial Middle Finger With Their Raucous Single “X Americana”
Well, punk rock fans will stand up and cheer, and the Ramones would be very proud. True punk rock has made a comeback in the form of a loud and obnoxious unsigned band out of Woodbury, New Jersey, named Jersey Calling. This rebellious band will serve as a rallying cry for those who are fed up with this country’s current state of affairs with their abrasive single “X Americana,” which was released on May 30, 2025.
This track is a fiery tale that sounds like angry citizens taking back their country in full force, with screaming vocals and thunderous punk rock melodies that sound like the apocalypse has begun, with honest citizens fighting back against what they view as tyranny destroying the beauty and civility of a nation that was once proud. Now pessimistic and hopeless, they’re looking for the light to shine on The Great Experiment.
BAND WEBSITESjerseycalling.bandcamp.com/track/x-americana|facebook.com/jerseycalling↑ Back to top
SWEDEN •MELODIC ROCK •SINGLE, JUL 29 2026
Swedish Rockers Easy Action Will Open Weary Eyes and Ears With Their Alarming New Single “Dazed”
It is time for the world to wake up to reality before it is too late. This is the sentiment being brought forth by a veteran Swedish melodic rock band named Easy Action, who just signed with Frontiers Music Srl. This electrifying band, which began in the early 1980’s, is giving listeners an intense, yet fearful take on what artificial intelligence has done to humanity with their powerful single “Dazed,”released July 29, 2026, featuring soulful, yet somewhat haunting vocals and explosive melodic rock melodies that sound like a group of innocent people who have taken a seemingly harmless drug to make life easier. Now these seemingly innocent people are engulfed in an endless haze of lies and deception with no end in sight.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITEfacebook.com/EasyActiontheband↑ Back to top
LIVERPOOL, UK •HEAVY METAL •SINGLE & TITLE TRACK, JUN 8 2026
Legendary British Heavy Metal Vocalist Ian Parry Consortium Project VI Frighten Listeners With Their Chilling Single “Legacy of Empires”
A brutal storm out of Liverpool, United Kingdom, is raging on in the form of an angry band named Ian Parry Consortium Project VI. This brutal single, “Legacy of Empires,” was released on June 8, 2026, featuring the mighty roar of a howling operatic vocal range intricately combined with brooding and explosive heavy metal melodies that will send citizens running for their lives as oppressive rulers unleash a relentless wrath of terror that will undoubtedly create fear that will last for an eternity.
This haunting single, which perfectly describes the evil that has become an abscess choking the life out of the human race, is the title track of a ten-track album that will be released on August 14, 2026. It is not for the fainthearted.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITEwww.ianparry.com↑ Back to top
UNITED KINGDOM •METAL •ALBUM, SEP 9 2022
A Dark Tale of Personal Struggle: Ozzy Osbourne Releases His Chilling Album “Patient Number 9”
A chilling breeze is blowing out of the United Kingdom. This chilling breeze is coming from the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne. His latest dreary album, “Patient Number 9,” was released on September 9, 2022, featuring thirteen mind-numbing tracks about trying to cope with years of personal struggles and loneliness, while enlisting the talents of guitar greats Jeff Beck and Zakk Wylde.
The tumultuous journey begins with witches cackling loudly within an anxiety-ridden man’s mind in the haunting track “Patient Number 9”(feat. Jeff Beck). This track features growling vocals and ominous metal melodies that sound like a thunderstorm raging on while an anxiety-ridden man sits alone in a dark room surrounded by alcohol and drugs, along with his dark thoughts. This track is a dark tale about a man who feels trapped by his inner demons and his own version of hell. Meanwhile, the tumultuous journey continues with painful nightmares occurring in the frightening track “Parasite” (feat. Zakk Wylde). This track features howling vocals and eerie metal melodies that sound like a haunted man who is writhing in pain, his skin crawling with insects. This track is a treacherous tale about a once-troubled man reliving his undesirable past in vivid detail — a rough childhood that eventually led to an adult life filled with insanity. Now he is still trying to find out why those who love him decided to stay with him even though he has had a load of problems.
Finally, the tumultuous journey ends with overwhelming sadness growing within a man’s broken heart in the depressing track “Dead and Gone.” This track features slithering vocals and icy metal melodies that sound like church bells tolling loudly through the cold breeze at midnight. This track is a heartbreaking tale about a sad man who feels hopeless and lost. He truly believes that the world will be a better place without him, and that people will move on with their own lives, leaving him to be only a distant memory.
Ozzy Osbourne is one of the living legends of metal music. His brutally honest album “Patient Number 9” truly drives this point home by letting listeners know that life is not always a bowl of cherries.
RECORD LABELEpic Records
ARTIST WEBSITESYouTube|www.ozzy.com|facebook.com/ozzyosbourne↑ Back to top
NORWAY •METAL •SINGLE, JUN 15 2026
Norwegian Metal Goddess ISSA Bares Her Soul Throughout Her Latest Single “Pay the Price”
Emotions are running high out of Norway as a powerful romance suddenly turns into a horrible nightmare. This is the sentiment pouring out of a Norwegian metal band named ISSA. This magnetic trio is fronted by a passionate and captivating singer named Isabell Oversveen. Reminiscent of the 1980’s glamorous metal vibe, the trio’s fiery single “Pay the Price” was released on June 15, 2026, featuring sultry vocals and explosive melodic metal melodies. This track is a heart-wrenching tale about a heartbroken woman trapped in a volatile relationship with a handsome man who is definitely no prince charming — so she is walking along an empty beach, looking for a way out without further misery befalling her.
This heart-wrenching drama is only a bittersweet taste of ISSA’s eleven-track album, “Fire and Ice,”which will be released on August 28, 2026.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITEfacebook.com/issasite↑ Back to top
USA •MELODIC ROCK •SINGLE / REISSUE, AUG 21 2026
Over the Edge Featuring Mickey Thomas Release a Summer Sizzler “Surrender” Feat. Neal Schon
What’s old is new again. For those who love an infectious and exciting rock and roll groove, it will be a pleasure to hear the sizzling new single “Surrender” by a rock project fronted by veteran rock vocalist Mickey Thomas, called Over the Edge. This single is reminiscent of the 1980’s, with its sultry vocals and sweltering melodic rock melodies that sound like a man’s heart beating wildly, dreams of forever racing through his head as he tries to win the heart of a devious woman who loves watching him squirm.
This naughty summer vibe is just a taste of what is a ten-track album, “Over the Edge Special Anniversary Reissue,” which will be released on August 21, 2026. This single is a guilty pleasure for rockers everywhere.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
ARTIST WEBSITEYouTube↑ Back to top
NORWAY •HARD ROCK •SINGLE & TITLE TRACK, JUL 15 2026
Norway’s Triosphere Seeks Emotional Redemption With Their Explosive New Single “Oceans Above, Stars Below”
A feeling of resentment and heartache is oozing out of Norway from an obnoxious hard rock band named Triosphere. This fiery band ignites a storm that sounds like the apocalypse is about to begin with the release of their mind-blowing new single “Oceans Above, Stars Below,” released on July 15, 2026. This raw and abrasive track is a hard rock lover’s delight, with howling vocals and blistering hard rock melodies that will blow the windows out of a building.
This title track is a torturous tale about an angry woman who was treated badly by a seemingly charming man — their supposedly blissful romance turned out to be pure hell. Now the scorned woman is vowing to stop drowning in an ocean of sorrow, looking for a sense of peace in the vast universe. This is a heavy dose of thunder on an earth-shattering twelve-track album that will be released on August 28, 2026.
RECORD LABELwww.frontiers.it
BAND WEBSITESwww.thetrioshere.com|facebook.com/tiosphere↑ Back to top
UK/USA •HARD ROCK •ALBUM, AUG 31 1993
The Final Chapter: Blue Murder Releases Their Scorching Album “Nothin’ But Trouble” — Still Gets a Cold Reception From the Music Industry
After the heartbreaking disappointment of Blue Murder’s raucous self-titled debut album, legendary guitarist John Sykes decided to give his hard-hitting hard rock band another try. So, on August 31, 1993, this raucous hard rock band released their scorching second album, “Nothin’ But Trouble,” featuring eleven emotionally intense tracks that deal with reckless abandon and heartbreak, while adding bassist Marco Mendoza and drummer Tommy Osteen. These additions bring out a darker and more bluesy feel on this amazing album.
The reckless adventure begins with an earthquake occurring in the ominous track “We All Fall Down.”This track features snarling vocals and thunderous hard rock melodies that sound like the earth cracking underneath one’s feet while pulling frightened individuals through a large gaping hole. It’s a frightening tale about how a reckless person has become careless and self-indulgent, accustomed to satisfying their own needs — whether those needs are sex, drugs, or financial superiority. With this self-righteous attitude, the world is spinning out of control and causing chaos. Meanwhile, the chaotic scene gives the reckless adventure more fuel for the rebellious track “Itchycoo Park,” originally sung by the pop rock band Small Faces in the mid-1960’s. This early-1990’s version features soulful vocals and heavy, infectious grooves from a sultry bassline that sounds like a nervous heartbeat — a sensuous tale about a wild man who wants to take his girlfriend to a beautiful park to get high and have the time of their lives without a care in the world.
Now the reckless adventure rolls on, with intense emotional torment growing within a man’s soul in the steamy track “Cry for Love.” This track features howling vocals and sizzling hard rock melodies that sound like a man’s blood boiling as the summertime heat slowly rises — an obnoxious tale about a lonely man howling like a wolf, desperately wanting to get a beautiful woman into his clutches because he feels obliged to meet her inner desires as well as his own.
Finally, the reckless adventure comes to an end with the hope of a new romance coming to a screeching halt in the heartbreaking track “She Knows.” This track features sorrowful vocals and haunting hard rock melodies that sound like a chilling, bitter breeze cutting through a stunned man’s heart — a heart-wrenching tale about a man who had been sneaking around and cheating on his girlfriend for a long time. When she found out, she left him, and the heartbroken man deeply regrets what he has done to the woman he once loved.
Blue Murder was an awesome hard rock band with an obnoxious attitude, featuring the blistering guitar melodies and ear-piercing vocals of John Sykes. The band’s second album, “Nothin’ But Trouble,” should have easily blown away some of the leftover “hair metal” and the incoming “grunge” bands of the era. Sadly, it did not, leaving fans to wonder — oh, what might have been.
RECORD LABELGeffen Records
BAND WEBSITESYouTube playlist|facebook.com/Blue-Murder↑ Back to top
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