It’s been eleven years since Journey released their last album, Eclipse in 2011, so now we get Freedom released in July 2022.

Although the songs in this collection are about serious matters, love, romance and abuse, they are performed in such a joyous light that you cannot help but be uplifted by them. Something that is not common in the field of melodic progressive rock.

A triple CD collection under Crimson Records’ Gold label with the best of Ian Hunter, and Ian Hunter related Mott The Hoople songs from 1972-1983, and what a trip it was. Fifty songs clock in at 3 hours and 31 minutes.

Fifty years or more since Thunder’s main songwriter and guitarist, Luke Morley, and singer Danny Bowes met, here they are still at the top of their chosen pile.

Tom Guerra, one of the leading lights in the fantastic Mambo Sons, releases his fifth solo album. It may be a little Sentimental, but Junk it is not!

Fantasy’s ‘Paint a Picture’ is a must-have for any lover of progressive or symphonic rock.

On first listening to Def Leppard’s 12th new studio album, my first reaction was, “Another Def Leppard covers album.” Of course it’s not, as all fifteen songs are originals from the Def Leppard cannon. If you like, it’s a tribute to Def Leppard by Def Leppard.

It’s 2022. It’s summertime. So therefore, we are due some really zany goofy fun from those wonderful people from Anvil, Canada’s great export into the world of heavy metal and thrash metal. In fact, they have been going so long they are now cited as the Godfathers of thrash/heavy metal. Here we stand with a new album, ‘Impact is Imminent.’

Nutz reputations can only be enhanced by this magnificent release. As well as all the music, the CD comes with a 16-page booklet including interviews with the band, unreleased photos, plus a 3,500-word essay.

A quick round up of some of the New Releases in the first few months of 2022. Some Excellent – Some not so much.