Rough Trade Benelux.

Allen/Lande: “The Great Divide” Russell Allen and Jorn Lande team for their fourth partnership with the album “The Great Divide”.

Mr.Big is an American hardrock group formed in LA, California in 1988. Till 2002 the stoped after a farewell tour. But in 2009 they reunite again with the original members from the start in 1988. The current members are Eric Martin – lead vocals (1988–2002, 2009–present), Pat Torpey – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1988–2002, 2009–present), Billy Sheehan – bass guitar, backing vocals (1988–2002, 2009–present), Paul Gilbert – guitar, backing vocals (1988–1997, 2009–present).

“Work Of Art” a young melodic / AOR rockband founded in Sweden in 2008. Current members are : Lars Säfsund – vocals, Robert Säll – guitars, keyboards, Herman Furin – drums.

Stryper an oldschool Christian Heavy Metal / Hard Rock band founded in Orange County, California in 1983. Stryper stands for "Salvation Through Redemption Yielding Peace, Encouragement and Righteousness". The Isaiah 53:5 under their logo is the Bible verse that states "by His stripes we are healed." Current members are: Michael Sweet: Lead vocals, guitar - Oz Fox: Vocals, guitars - Tim Gaines: Bass, vocals - Robert Sweet: drums.

You know, it's amazing how, even in a small country like our own little Belgium, some albums can be laying around in stores for quite a while, before the media pick up on it. This very record came to our editor-in-chief through the help of a friend, whom felt the need to help out the artist somewhat. Well, let's look at what's in store here, shall we?

Now this is a great release, PET THE TEACHER newest release is as far as I am concerned one of the first highlights of 2014. Imagine  MONSTERMAGNET and CLUTCH  deciding to lock themselves up for a few week in a recording studio and the end result might be  something very similar to “The cave & the sunlight”. This Swedish outfit  twist and groove, bump and grind from opener The Cave up to closer The web , and after that..

Adrenaline Rush is a female fronted band, who’s front woman Tave Wanning used to be a part of the Teen-Pop duo Peaches. I don’t know how Peaches sounded, but let’s just say that this girl might have the looks of a peach, but her voice is of another caliber.  Strong, clear, despite her young age (she was born in 1992).

After releasing an EP in 2012, these Swedes now return with a full album.  I guess for anyone who loves AOR music with it’s roots in the eighties, this album could turn out to be a real gem.  To start with the vocalist Marcus Nygren immediately made me think of Bobby Kimball.  The music this band brings sounds a bit like a mix between Toto and Survivor, with maybe a hint of Journey thrown in as well.

All-female band Mortals (Caryn Havlik, Elizabeth Cline and Lesley Wolf) hail from Brooklyn (United States of the New World). Some of you might remember the highly acclaimed Death Ritual EP, self-released in 2012. Now they return with their first full length album for Relapse Records, Cursed To See The Future, which lasts for forty eight minutes. That’s nice, for it consists of six songs only.

Line up :

Nils Patrik Johansson - Vocals

Joachim Nordlund - Guitars

Ulf Lagerström - Bass

Johan Lindstedt - Drums

Jocke Roberg - Keyboard

The seventh album in 12 years, you can call that productive allright. The band was formed in 2002 by the Swedish drummer ‘Johan Lindstedt’ and singer ‘Nils Patrik Johansson’.