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About Dangerdog Music Reviews

Dangerdog Reviews offers reviews of melodic heavy metal, hard rock, melodic hard rock, progressive metal, progressive rock, AOL and their various sub-genres.

The heavy metal and melodic hard rock genre can be difficult to define with no one artist wishing to be pigeon-holed or misrepresented. With that caveat, DMR will review albums from the following categories:

  • Hard Rock
  • Melodic Hard Rock
  • Progressive Rock
  • Alternative/Modern Melodic Rock
  • Glam/Sleaze Rock/Metal
  • Adult/Album Oriented Rock (AOR)
  • Punk Rock

  • Traditional/Classic Heavy Metal
  • Melodic Metal
  • Progressive Metal
  • Power Metal
  • Symphonic/Gothic Metal
  • Thrash/Speed Metal
Some Modern Metal including but not limited to:
  • Melodic Metalcore
  • Groove metal
  • Melodic Death Metal
  • Extreme Progressive Metal
Generally, DMR will NOT review:
  • Nu/Rap Metal
  • Grindcore
  • Deathcore
  • Electronica
  • Ambient Rock/Metal

Submit your album for review.


Here's a short list of Labels and Music Promotion Agencies who submit to Dangerdog Music Reviews:

  • AFM Records
  • Avenue of Allies Records
  • Candlelight USA
  • Century Media
  • Connecting Music
  • Earsplit PR
  • Escape Music
  • Frontiers
  • Inferno Records
  • InsideOut Music
  • Lion Music
  • Nightmare Records
  • Nuclear Blast
  • Perris Records
  • ProgRock Records
  • Pure Steel Records
  • Sound Pollution Media
  • TSM Promotions
  • Ulterium Records

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Dangerdog Music Review Rating System

It's back! The verbose explanation of the Dangerdog Music Reviews 5 point rating system.

5.0 Excellent

A most worthy addition to its genre and the band's catalogue. For established or new bands, this means that they have done at least two things: 1) maintained or exceeded the consistency and professionalism of their previous work in terms of musicianship and craftsmanship and/or 2) have also brought something new and original to the table. It is a dynamic and thrilling album that you would 1) play over and over and, 2) recommend to your friends without hesitation.

4.5 Great

All the elements you would expect in the music genre are found on the album. In addition, there are also strong clues of originality or ground-breaking creativity beyond their previous efforts. This is the most common rating for established bands that have shown consistency and perseverance over the course of their careers.

4.0 Very Good

All the things you would expect of the band in its genre; there is little or no ground-breaking advances, yet they prove once again their proficiency. For new acts: they get it; they understand what they want to do, how to do it, and do it well.

3.5 Above Average

Good effort in its genre; strong hints of creativity and originality; musicianship and craftsmanship shows great promise; worth keeping your eye on and even possibly adding to your album collection, especially if you are a fan of the band or genre.

3.0 Average

Good but seldom breaks new ground in its genre; musicianship and/or song craftsmanship hindered in some significant way; yet with time and effort could advance advance in the genre. But ultimately, after one listen your response would be: 'there is nothing new under the sun.'

2.0 Below Average

Extremely derivative, lacks originality and is probably being done better by another band or artist. Don't waste your money unless you are a diehard fan of the artist or band.

1.0 Verifiable Shit (aka The Chad Frey Award)

Don't know who Chad Frey is? Read my review here.

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Dangerdog Music Reviews crew

Craig Hartranft

Craig HartranftFounder, Managing Editor, Webmaster, Lead Reviewer, and whatever else needs to be done; Husband of Debi and Father of the next great bass player, Ethan Hartranft. Craig loves melodic heavy metal, melodic hard rock, progressive rock and metal and much more.

Ethan Hartranft

Ethan Grant HartranftReviewer. Junior at Ephrata High School: enjoys music, video games, reading, playing electric bass and guitar and busting his Dad's chops about modern rock and metal. Bass player in a band with guitarist Noah Hippensteel.


Miguel Blardony

Ethan Grant HartranftReviewer. Miguel hails from the Philippines, and has written for (the now defunct) Levitan Magazine, a metal ezine based in Costa Rica. (Metal truly is global!) He digs thrash metal first and foremost, and thinks Metellica is the most influential band for his musical tastes.

Reviewers Wanted

Like melodic rock and heavy metal? Do have you have a strong knowledge of genres, bands and history? Do like to write? Do you understand the English language and basic grammar? Do you believe non-fiction writing can and should be creative and engaging? If so, then Dangerdog Music Review is looking for you. If you'd like to write for DMR, then send an inquiry with a brief 'curriculum vitae' of your skills and experience to Craig here.

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Page Links
Album of the Month
Avenged Sevenfold rock heavy metal new music reviews

For several days now, I've been trying to digest Nightmare, the latest from Avenged Sevenfold. Much of the pre-release hype for ... [ Read more ]

It's Only Rock n Roll

I got nasty habits; I take tea at three.
Mick Jagger

Is Billy Idol just doing a bad Elvis pout, or was he born that way?
Freddie Mercury

If there was no Black Sabbath, I could still possibly be a morning newspaper delivery boy.
Lars Ulrich

Reviewers Wanted

Like melodic rock and heavy metal? Do have you have a strong knowledge of genres, bands and history? Do like to write? Do you understand the English language and basic grammar? Do you believe non-fiction writing can and should be creative and engaging? If so, then Dangerdog Music Review is looking for you.

Dangerdog Music Reviews is currently accepting serious inquiries for new review staff. If you'd like to write for DMR, then send an inquiry with a brief 'curriculum vitae' of your skills and experience.

Read Writer's Guidelines here (MS Word document).