George Lynch - Kill All Control (2011)

A very good record that confirms my belief that Mr lynch - ego and all - is one of metal's finest axe-killers, 'Kill All Control' as far removed as Dokken as it gets, a spellbinding chuggernaut of a record that weighs a bloody ton. There's a lot of people who may scoff at instrumental tracks but 'Kill...' is proof that not all records require a vocalist, although some (especially me) would be pleased to know that ex Brides of Destructuion frontman features on the sublime 'Wicked Witch,' his drool giving the track a laid back and soulful vibe, no wonder Lynch enlisted the guy for his Souls Are We album. Forget the vocals however, Lynch explodes all over the album with his guitar dynamics, 'Son Of Scary' is a truly monstrous instrumental but elsewhere vocally, 'My Enemy' features Robert Mason (of Warrant) in pensive mode, meanwhile Alice In Chains member Jerry Cantrell co-wrote the brooding 'Voices In My Head' on which he features. The track features the album's best riff, a dark, twisted groove that gives the song a Sixx AM feel. Personally, I would've prefered the album without vocals, but you can't please everyone, but 'Kill All Control' is still a mighty slab of a record that showcases Lynch's talents. 7/10

Tuff - What Goes Around Comes Around (1991)

Any fan of hair metal should own this record, even if just for the mighty ballad 'I Hate Kissing You Goodbye,' a more snarling Poison type scarf waver typical of the late '80s - just a shame the band released this record a little too late, and sadder still that vocalist Terry Fox buggered off to apparentyly start an ice skating career. Even so, this is top notch glammed up metal with a cool cover to boot and occasional tracks of note, especially the riff heavy 'Good Guys Wear Black' which is a minor triumph as far as heavy guitars go and those sneering vocals. 'Another Man's Gun' has an arrogant swagger to it, whilst 'Spit Like This' also boasts a rattling riff, some great, unexpected grooves on offer here with a few Poison-esque structures and grooves, but I could listen to this type of hair metal all day. Tuff most certainly neevr made the dizzy heights of Poison and the like, but you only have to listen to the wistful 'Wake Up' to realise the talent. Underrated indeed, much very much appreciated this end. 7.5/10

Britny Fox - Bite Down Hard (1991)

Without doubt Britny Fox's best album, their third, and the first to feature the vocal talents of Tommy Paris, with guest appearances from Zak Wyle. This is a far more driving album than the previous outings, less glam orientated, and more of a ballsy, big attitude rocker with clean production and big anthems. Dizzy Dean was a fantastic singer, with his AC/DC esque rasp, but this time round the band really go for the throat, 'Six Guns Loaded,' 'Liar,' 'Midnight Moses', 'Look My Way,' all high quality metal tracks, reminding me of a cool hot mix between Skid Row, LA Guns, with 'Shot From My Gun' being my fave swaggering cut with its G n' R style shake. The band have gone for a bigger cruch this time round, just a shame this record didn't come out a few years previous, and maybe BF would've bene more popular and the metal world might have bene more aware of their hard rock. 7/10

Stillborn - State Of Disconnection (1992)

Stillborn, what a fab Swedish band they were. One of the only 'doom' bands to not ape Sabbath, and a band who somehow managed to melt together groove metal with their sombre sound. These guys released a clutch of records, including the superb 'Permanent Solution' but 'State...' is my favourite, a smooth sounding, almost lazy, laid back style of doom metal. The best comparison I can give them is Confessor although without the painful vocals and jarring structures, Stillborn instead keep the sound big but almost acsual, with those loose yet occasionally gritty vocals, best experienced on the serpentine writhe of 'The Tension Grows.' Somehow Stillborn fit into early '90s alterno metal, their grooves not too far removed from the mighty Soundgarden, but of course, due to a lack of label backing they simply fizzled out. 'State...' is a fine record that showcases a band with incredible talent and who breathed new life into a clogged genre. 7/10

Amnesia - Unknown Entity (1991)

Hard to believe these guys are from Barnsley in South Yorkshire. This is accomplished Brit thrash, very much in that Slammer vein in that it takes a good Bay Area style crunch but has the ability to combine it with subtles touches, via the dreamy intro to the title track which leads into a thrashy gallop, and the technical groove of 'Epitaph.' Some good stuff on offer, but most certainly this was the wrong time for British thrash bands to be breaking ground, but I'm liking the more melodic vocals on offer here,with 'Perish' and 'One Below Zero' following a more formulaic thrash path. Sadly this was their only offering. 6.5/10

Toxic Shock - Change From Reality (1986)

These German thrashers reek of Kreator, right down to the gritty, gnarly vocal rasp and high speed thrashings, which also border on Slayer. Yes, it's no thrills to some extent, 'Left To Die' hurtles past like a grey blurr, whilst 'United Forces' has more of a mid-tempo chug, but again the Kreator influence bleeds through. This is still a nifty little thrash record though so worth checking out if those dingy bargain bins still exist - although nowadays we call it internet shopping. 6.5/10

Forced Entry - Uncertain Future (1989)

Exceptional technical thrash from the late '80s - Forced Entry may not be familar to many, but this Seattle three piece kicked serious thrash arse. 'Uncertain...' is a chug machine of killer riffs, sneering vocals and pounding structures that often like to sit as a mid tempo bludgeon. No wonder they have a track called 'Bludgeon' !! 'Kaleidoscope Of Pain' has a crossover feel, whilst 'Unrest They Find' builds slowly from an acoustic intro that merges into a heavy assault of riffage. Overkill, Testament, Exodus et al may have dragged thrash into the modern but for many years bands like Forced Entry exisyed in their shadow, plying their trade of truly accomplished thrash. 'Uncertain...' still sounds fresh today,a criminally underrated record - and me thinks Pantera may have ripped a few things from these guys! Forced Entry are a true lesson in riffery. If this isn't in your collection then it should be on your wish list. Thrash in its purest form. 8/10