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April 2024

• War Grave: War Grave EP
• Six By Six: Beyond Shadowland
• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Pendulum Of Fortune: Return To Eden

Melodic Heavy Rock

3.5/5.0

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El Puerto Records
Released: 08.03.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.03.2019

The brainchild of drummer Bodo Schopf (Michael Schenker Group, The Sweet, Falco, et al), and featuring Pink Cream 69 vocalist David Readman, Pendulum Of Fortune returns with their second album, Return To Eden. The album also finds the band with new and second guitarist Matze Erhard from the band Crime.

Pendulum Of Fortune

Pendulum Of Fortune's music might best be described as melodic hard and heavy rock laced with some blues. While not entirely roots rock, there is definitely a classic Seventies heavy rock vibe coursing through the tunes. And you get a lot of songs, 14 songs over one hour. You may get your money's worth, but I found it a bit much to consume in a single listen. Also, some songs like Skin And Bones, Never Be, and Return To Eden, I simply found tedious with their slow and steady groove.

But Pendulum Of Fortune regained my interest with the smart and catchy rockers Broken Universe, the instrumental Rockanini, and One Of A Kind. That last song has something of a funky Southern rhythm and blues groove and a dash of harmonica. It was my favorite song here. There's a couple of ballads with Don't Make A Fool Out Of Me and Wings Of A Dove, which has a flaming guitar solo. The band also does a cover of ELP's Lucky Man, which is pretty darn good. All in all, with Pendulum Of Fortune's Return To Eden I found myself liking only some songs and not the whole album. Nevertheless, for classic blues infused heavy rock, Pendulum Of Fortune is on target. Check them out and support the band.

Iron Fire: Beyond The Void

Heavy/Power Metal

4.0/5.0

Sometimes known as Denmark's best selling power metal band, Iron Fire returns with their latest and ninth studio album, Beyond The Void. While not quite as prolific as ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

With Pendulum Of Fortune's Return To Eden I found myself liking only some songs and not the whole album. Nevertheless, for classic blues infused heavy rock, Pendulum Of Fortune is on target.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]