It’s to be called Bag Of Bones. There are few other details available right now. It’s being produced by Kevin Shirley and is due out in April.

Find out more at www.europetheband.com

Words: Malcolm Dome

Hawkwind have been an enduring presence on the space rock scene for so long it’s easy to take them for granted. So it takes releases like Parallel Universe A Liberty/U.A. Years Anthology 1970-1974 (EMI) to remind you of their greatness. The title says it all, as this is a three-CD collection of their work during that era, and includes 12 previously unreleased tracks. But the whole feel is of a pioneering band making tremendously exciting and timeless music.

Europe are on a live kick with two essential CD/DVD packages this week Live Look At Eden (earMUSIC) is a 140-page book of photos from the Swedes’ last major tour, which comes with a CD of live material recorded in four different locations, plus a DVD shot at the iTunes Festival last year. Everything about it is quality and style, showing the band in the best possible light. Equally as impressive is slightly less lavish Live At Shepherd’s Bush, London (earMUSIC). This was filmed and recorded at the Empire earlier this year. Again proving Europe are still excellent stage performers.

Henry Parker is an 18-year-old guitar virtuoso. On Fire Burns My Soul Parker shows that he actually can play up a storm, as well as write tunes with a blues-rock swing and just a touch of psychedelia. Find out more at www.henryparkermusic.com

Warren Dean made his money by busking across the country. Now he’s sunk some of that cash into the album Who Is Warren Dean?. The answer is a refreshing, unsullied singer/songwriter who owes something to Bob Dylan, Nick Drake and John Martyn, but also has his own ebullient timbre. Find out more at www.warrendean.net

Jointpop are from Trinidad & Tobago – hardly a hive of rock ‘n’ roll activity, right? But on The Longest Kiss Goodnight (Anarchy On The Ace), they prove to have an individual swing. There’s a hint of punk, some alt. rock tendencies and a flow of pop-rock vibrancy. It’s The Wildhearts with a West Indian passion.

Norwegian black metallers Khold have their 2001 debut Masterpiss Of Pain (Peaceville) reissued. It’s a storm cloud of ominous and dense tirades, and remains their best album to date.

Californians Scarred bring to mind a cross between Solitude Aeturnus and Barren Cross on the pwoer metal themed Haunting Memories. They do this sort of thing with considerable style on the four tracks, which are laced more with an 80s sensibility than anything else. Nothing wrong with that approach when does as convincingly as the foursome do it. Find out more atwww.myspace.com/scarredmetal

Finally, Welsh band Kids In Glass Houses provide something of a shock with In Gold Blood (Roadrunner). If they’ve always appeared a little too emo in the past, now they’ve moved into an area that sounds more like early Manic Street Preachers. There’s definitely a sense here that the band are coming into their own. Raw, powerful and productive, this album points towards an interesting future.

Words: Malcolm Dome

One of the great bands of the past quarter-of-a-century, Queensryche have littered the years with some truly wonderful albums, including Operation: Mindcrime and Empire. Sadly, Dedicated To Chaos (Roadrunner) won’t be joining this elite. To be honest, it’s a huge disappointment. Especially when last album American Soldier (2009) was actually quite impressive. The problem is that the songs all sound half-formed, the production is too sparse and the band perform as if they’re none too sure what to do. Queensryche claim they let the spontaneity flow. Maybe they also needed to be a little more prepared for the studio?

Bai Bang are Swedish, and are the latest in a string of excellent AOR-style bands that particular country seems to be throwing out at an alarmingly furious rate to the rest of the world. At time reminiscent of Crashdiet, at others similar to Europe, on Livin’ My Dream (AOR Heaven) this lot show they can write really memorable tunes and deliver enough sleaze to avoid being too sugary or smooth. Another winner from the SWAOR division (that’s Swedish AOR, by the way).

Airrace should have been big in the 1980s. Now, it’s too late for them to really have mega success. But they keep making good albums. Back To The Start (Frontiers) continues this tradition. Essentially British, it also has an international melodic hard rock flavour. This lot write potent anthems, with Keith Murrell’s vocals proving powerfully provocative and Laurie Mansworth showing on lead guitar why he was once regarded so highly – and still should be.

John Wetton has a history that makes him among the most respected musicians around. The list of bands whom he’s graced down the years goes from King Crimson to Uriah Heep to UK to Asia. Raised In Captivity (Frontiers) shows his pedigree as he calls on mates like Robert Fripp, Eddie Jobson, Tony Kaye, Geoff Downes, Steve Hackett and Mick Box to help him out. Not an immediately vibey album, it improves subtantially after a few plays. While understated, it has class and delivers the rockier area of Wetton’s diversity.

The problem with the soundtrack CD for Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (Reprise) is that you have to wade through some utter rubbish to find the few gems here. Now, if only you could make this an EP, then you could ditch the nonsense and stick with Mastodon (who’ve covered ZZ Top’s Just Got Paid), Black Veil Brides and Goo Goo Dolls. Oh, and perhaps throw in Theory Of A Deadman as a bonus, As it is, you have to pay over the odds for those four isolated, albeit entertaining, moments.

Good to see two more Kansas albums getting the reissue treatment from the estimable Rock Candy label. Both 1982’s Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures (1983) see the band moving away from their more progressive roots and into a more AOR direction. Yet you can still hear the inimitable Kansas style, and vocalist John Elefante (who made his debut on …Confessions) certainly proved a worthy successor to Steve Walsh. Sure, there’s a more Christian strain to some of the lyrics. But that doesn’t detract from two crackers.

Finally, to an excellent book. Def Leppard: The Definitive Visual History (Chronicle) certainly lives up to the title. It follows Def Leppard’s career through the cameras of Ross Halfin, who started shooting the band in their very early days and captured them on stage, off stage and in all sorts of situations and moods. Whilst there are short essays from all of the band (and others), it’s the photos which tell the story – and they do it brilliantly. It’s hard to think there will ever be a better book on Leppard.

WHERE: Oxford O2 Academy

WHEN: Monday, February 21

Still out on the road promoting their acclaimed 2009 album Last Look At Eden, this time around the Swedes are aiming to vary their set a little.

“We’ll be putting in some songs form albums we’ve not featured much for a while,” says vocalist Joey Tempest. “Of course, there will be a chunk included from Last Look At Eden, and we’re aiming to put in a new song as well.”

Europe will be doing  a 90-minute set, but what disappoints Tempest is that they won’t be able to do the number of songs he hoped for.

“Our aim was to do 20-22, but it looks like we’ll have to settle for about16. But what we are gonna do is bring in new, interesting screens and also extra lighting.”

The band – Tempest, guitarist John Norum, keyboard player Mic Michaeli, bassist John Leven and drummer Ian Haugland – will probably do selected festival dates in the summer. And then they’ll be going into the studio to do a new album.

“We’ll be recording by October in Stockholm, with the new record out early in 2012. I think we are now learning to express ourselves beyond being a Swedish band. On the last album all of us found something extra, and I think we’re finally getting a handle on what that ‘something’ is. Finally, we all feel the band are ready to give the biggest acts out there a run for their money.”

Supported by Voodoo Johnson, the rest of the dates on the February tour are:

Tue. 22: Bournemouth O2 Academy

Wed. 23: Bristol O2 Academy

Fri. 25: Manchester Academy 2

Sat. 26: Leeds O2 Academy

Sun. 27: Newcastle O2 Academy

Find out more at www.europetheband.com

The former Thin Lizzy and Motorhead guitarist asked a friend of his, Soren Lindberg, to listen to a bag full of tapes with unreleased material, to see whether there was anything of interest. Swede Lindberg found a whole treasure trove. The result is Diamonds And Dirt, an album featuring guest appearances from members of Europe and Treat, plus former Riverdogs singer Rob Lamothe.

Included on the album are a previously unreleased song Robertson wrote with Phil Lynott, called Blues Boy. There are also version of the Lizzy tracks It’s Only Money and Running Back.

He’s Nik Taylor-Stoakes, formerly with Vallenbrosa. The new line-up will be released in March. It’s called Black Skies Mist and was co-written with Diamond Head guitarist Brian Tatler.

This song will also be included on an EP, due out in the spring.

You can see the band live in February supporting Europe at:

Thu. 17: Glasgow ABC
Fri. 18: Birmingham O2 Academy

Sat. 19: London Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Mon. 21: Oxford O2 Academy

Tue. 22: Bournemouth O2 Academy

Wed. 23: Bristol O2 Academy

Fri. 25: Manchester Academy 2

Sat. 26: Leeds O2 Academy

Sun. 27: Newcastle O2 Academy

Find out more at www.myspace.com/voodoojohnson

The hotly tipped young Brits are playing a sold out date at the Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton on November 11. This is to be streamed at www.goseen.com

The band will be supporting Europe early in 2011 at:

Feb. 17: Glasgow O2 Academy

Feb. 18: Birmingham O2 Academy

Feb. 19: London Shepherds Bush Empire

Feb. 21: Oxford O2 Academy

Feb. 22: Bournemouth O2 Academy

Feb. 23: Bristol O2 Academy

Feb. 25: Manchester Academy 2

Feb. 26: Leeds O2 Academy

Feb. 27: Newcastle O2 Academy

Find out more at www.myspace.com/voodoojohnson

The vocalist will present an hour-long show on Planet Rock from 6pm every Sunday, starting on November 7.

Says Tempest: “Rock music has been a major part of my life, whether I am recording, touring or just listening to it. This time I’m heading into a different kind of studio and get to play the music that I love and that has influenced me over the years”.

The Swedes are dubbing this the Balls ‘N’ Banners tour, with the following shows:

Feb. 17: Glasgow O2 Academy

Feb. 18: Birmingham O2 Academy

Feb. 19: London Shepherds Bush Empire

Feb. 21: Oxford O2 Academy

Feb. 22: Bournemouth O2 Academy

Feb. 23: Bristol O2 Academy

Feb. 25: Manchester Academy 2

Feb. 26: Leeds O2 Academy

Feb. 27: Newcastle O2 Academy

Tickets go sale from 9am on Friday, July 30, when the band play at the Sonisphere Festival.

Find out more at www.europetheband.com

• The Brit band started in 2007, and their line-up is Daniel Leigh (vocals), Gaz Bolan (guitar/vocals), Shane Lee (guitar/vocals), Adam Sextone (bass) and Rozzy Ison (drums).
• They say their influences are Skid Row, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. So no chance of extended keyboard parpings then.
• They released debut album Takin’ Over last year on the Powerage label, to much acclaim.
• Among the bands they’ve supported so far are Bon Jovi, Europe, GUN and Heavens Basement.
• Apart from High Voltage, the band have a load of other gigs lined up:

July 30: St. Albans Horn

Aug. 5: Letchworth Garden City Arena Tavern

Aug. 12: London Canning Town Bridge House 2

Aug. 13: Ware Westmill Festival

Aug. 25: London Gaff

Sept. 14: London Camden Purple Turtle

Sept. 15: Portsmouth Edge Of The Wedge

Sept. 17: Newbury Avenue

Sept. 24: Plymouth Crash Manor

Oct. 8: Stamfod Voodoo Lounge

Oct. 10: London Underworld

• For all the info, go to www.myspace.com/newdevice . To entice you, the band are giving away an MP3 on this site. It’s a cover of Def Leppard’s Photograph.
• For all the High Voltage info, go to www.highvoltagefestival.co.uk