Tag: rainbow
2 Rainbow – Live in Germany 1976 (2011)
Eagle Rock Entertainment has reissued one of the finest live releases from Rainbow, Live in Germany in 1976. Arguably, the most powerful of all of the Rainbow lineups, Live in Germany captures Ronnie James Dio, Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Bain, Cozy Powell and Tony Carey at their finest.
Don’t let the few number of tracks in this 2 CD set keep you from picking this up. Live in Germany captures Rainbow in over 90 minutes of hard rock perfection. If you never got the chance to see Rainbow live (like myself), Live in Germany 1976 is a release you will not want to miss.
Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar playing in this concert is absolutely spectacular. You can almost hear the smoke coming off of his guitar strings. The guitar solos that Blackmore plays in this concert have to be heard to believed.
Ronnie James Dio’s vocals have never disappointed me, and his voice is outstanding in this concert.
The audio quality of this reissue is excellent. If you close your eyes, while listening to this, you almost feel like you are back in 1976, with Rainbow bringing the house down with their electric live show.
From Blackmore’s guitar wizardry, to Dio’s amazing vocals, and the outstanding musicianship of Jimmy Bain, Cozy Powell and Tony Carey, Live in Germany 1976 is one Rainbow live offering that is definitely worth catching. I highly recommend it!!
You can pick up Rainbow Live in Germany at this link!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Kill The King (5:25)
2. Mistreated (16:00)
3. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (7:50)
4. Catch The Rainbow (14:50)
CD 2
1. Man On Silver Mountain (13:32)
2. Stargazer (17:10)
3. Still I’m Sad (15:00)
4. Do You Close Your Eyes (9:45)
1 Alex Beyrodt’s Voodoo Circle – Broken Heart Syndrome (2011)
I have four words to describe the new Voodoo Circle album, Broken Heart Syndrome, ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!
2011 has already hosted some pretty good releases. Broken Heart Syndrome is better than all of them. Let me repeat that, BROKEN HEART SYNDROME IS BETTER THAN ALL OF THEM !
This CD is packed with fantastic vocals, stellar guitar work, and songs you will feel the need to play loud.
When Alex Beyrodt mentioned to me that he was working on a new Voodoo Circle album, after a Primal Fear gig in 2010, I had no idea that it would be THIS good.
With Voodoo Circle’s second effort, the band has taken the music in a classic hard rock direction that sounds like a blend of Whitesnake & Rainbow. From the heavy numbers, to the slower bluesy numbers, Alex Beyrodt and company have delivered a batch of tunes that will electrify your auditory cortex into sheer bliss!
I have been praising singer David Readman for years. I have been telling anyone and everyone that would listen to check out his band Pink Cream 69. After hearing Broken Heart Syndrome, the gentlemen in Pink Cream 69 may have to find a new vocalist. This may be the best Readman has ever sounded. His vocals enhance the incredible guitar work of Mr. Beyrodt like no other. There are many bands out there today, where I feel the guitar player and singer, work like a Yin and Yang to each other. I believe Alex Beyrodt has found the perfect vocalist for his band.
Alex Beyrodt has played on some cool releases in the past. His previous work in the bands Silent Force, and Sinner all have music worth investigating. In the case, of Broken Heart Syndrome, Beyrodt may have given career defining performance.
The opening tune “No Solution Blues” sounds like a blend of Sykes era Whitesnake . Alex Beyrodt blows my mind on “King of Your Dreams” where he shows off his skillful Ritchie Blackmore like playing. “Devil’s Daughter” taps into the soulful bluesier side of hard rock. Beyrodt’s playing on “Devil’s Daughter” makes the hair stand up on my arms. This is truly amazing stuff.
“Blind Man” has a really cool 70’s vibe. Beyrodt’s guitar tone on this song sounds very Hendrix like. This is a slow number, but a very impressive tune in it’s own right.
I don’t know how anyone could listen to “Heal My Pain” and not have a smile on their face. This is a short, little upbeat rocker with a great beat, and is kind of catchy too.
“The Heavens are Burning” is another amazing Rainbow inspired number that flat out rocks.
It will take a legendary effort to surpass this music found on Broken Heart Syndrome in 2011. The men who form Voodoo Circle may wear their influences on their sleeves, but when they put together an album as convincing as this one, I could care less.
Don’t miss out on, what I consider to be, the best hard rock record of the year! Highly Recommended!!
You can preview some of the songs from Broken Heart Syndrome at this link.
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. No Solution Blues 
2. King Of Your Dreams
3. Devil’s Daughter
4. This Could Be Paradise
5. Broken Heart Syndrome
6. When Destiny Calls
7. Blind Man
8. Heal My Pain
9. The Heavens Are Burning
10. Don’t Take My Heart
11. I’m In Heaven
12. Wings Of Fury
13. Strangers Lost in Time (Bonus Track)
Voodoo Circle is:
Alex Beyrodt – Guitars
David Readman – Vocals
Mat Sinner – Bass
Markus Kullmann – Drums
Jimmy Kresic – Keyboards
2 Rainbow – Bent Out of Shape (1983)
One of my recent finds in a Baltimore record store was Rainbow’s 1983 release Bent Out of Shape. If you are not familiar with Bent Out of Shape, this is the last Rainbow CD to feature Joe Lynn Turner on vocals, and Roger Glover on bass. This disc produced a couple of the band’s bigger songs, “Street of Dreams” and “Can’t Let You Go”. The initial release only came out on LP and cassette, and was released on CD years later. I have never seen this CD in any of my local stores before, so I was pretty excited to find this disc while in Maryland for the M3 Rock festival. “Street of Dreams” has been one of my favorite Rainbow songs for years. I have had the song on The Very Best of Rainbow CD, for a while, but never had the original release with the song until now.
“Can’t Let You Go” is another killer tune, with its creepy 70’s horror movie pipe organ intro. The album intro “Stranded” is another notable track, with a superb vocal from Joe Lynn Turner.
“Fool For the Night” sounds a lot like a Loverboy tune. I don’t know if Ritchie Blackmore was taking a smoke break when this song was recorded. The guitar work could have easily have been a session player for most of this one. There is a brief guitar solo which is pretty cool, but over all the guitar work blends so much with the keyboards that it sounds more like an 80’s pop/rock tune. This one isn’t one of my favorites, but it is an ok tune.
After hearing “Fire Dance” I wondered if the band was pissed about having to do “Fool For the Night”. On “Fire Dance” it seems that everyone cuts loose. David Rosenthal is no slouch on the keyboards. His playing is superb on “Fire Dance”. Roger Glover shows why his is one of the bass players in the business, and Blackmore’s guitar work is pure magic. I absolutely love this song.
Rainbow gives Joe Lynn Turner a break with the instrumental song “Anybody There”. This is another unappreciated gem that needs to be heard at maximum volume.
I guess it is a sign of the times when Bent Out of Shape was released. “Desperate Heart” kind of sounds like a Survivor tune. Joe Lynn Turner is such an amazing singer, he can an average song, and turn into something great, which he does here. This song sounds like Rainbow as trying to find some mainstream appeal on the radio, but it didn’t work out for them. It is too bad, this song had some potential.
“Street of Dreams” is easily one of the best Rainbow songs ever. This song is as close to perfection as it gets. It is absolute classic! (Check it out in the video below!).
“Drinking With the Devil” should have been another big song for Rainbow. This is a fast tempo rocker that sees Blackmore strut his stuff. I wish I could have seen Rainbow perform this live. This is such a fun tune.
“Snowman” is another instrumental. I must admit, I am not a big fan of instrumental tracks, and two on a ten track CD seems a little excessive to me. Bent Out of Shape could have used another rocker, instead of this song. The CD does end in fine fashion with rockin’ album closer “Make Your Move”.
Although Bent Out of Shape, isn’t the best disc in the Rainbow catalog, the outstanding vocals of Joe Lynn Turner alone make this a disc worth seeking out. “Street of Dreams” is worth the price of admission in my opinion. Chances are you won’t find this in a retail store, but you can get it dirt cheap at this link.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Stranded
2. Can’t Let You Go
3. Fool for the Night
4. Fire Dance
5. Anybody There
6. Desperate Heart
7. Street of Dreams
8. Drinking With the Devil
9. Snowman
10. Make Your Move
Rainbow is:
Ritchie Blackmore – Guitars
Roger Glover – Bass, Percussion
Joe Lynn Turner – Vocals
David Rosenthal – Keyboards
Chuck Burgi – Drums
4 Ronnie James Dio Videos
I can’t believe Ronnie James Dio is gone. He left us way too soon. The video clips below are just a sample of the great music Ronnie left us with.
12 Rest In Peace – Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)
It has been a very slow news weekend in the metal world, so it saddens me to post the following info:
Ronnie James Dio, legendary vocalist for Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell and Dio, has died after a battle with stomach cancer, according to wife Wendy Dio. He was 67 years old.
The heavy metal singer died early this morning. He was being treated at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
A Twitter rumor circulated Saturday night that Dio had died. It caught fire so quickly that his wife had to issue a formal denial.
His wife released a new statement to blabbermouth.net today confirming his death:
Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. [on Sunday] 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away.
Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all.
We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us.
Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss.
Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.
In my opinion, Ronnie James Dio is and always will be one of the greatest singers in the history of heavy metal. His has had some amazing accomplishments with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his solo band DIO. Our condolences and well wishes go out to Wendy Dio, and the entire DIO family, and friends. The metal world lost one of their greatest Icon’s today. Ronnie James Dio will be greatly missed.
3 Video – Rainbow – Stone Cold
Bob from Mojo Radio played Rainbow’s “Stone Cold” for me the other night, and it made me wonder how many people have never heard this song. This is Rainbow with Joe Lynn Turner on vocals. This song is on the ’82 Rainbow classic, Straight Between the Eyes.
Check out the clip below!
6 Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow (Release Year 1975)
Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow is the first disc where Blackmore joined forces with Dio’s Elf band mates to create Rainbow.
This disc starts off with the essential Rainbow track, Man on the Silver Mountain. This track has been a staple in most of Dio’s live shows, and still gets airplay on rock radio stations today.
Man on the Silver Mountain
Self Portrait has an older Deep Purple feel to it. It is an ok track, but nothing ground breaking.
Something about Black Sheep Of The Family reminds me of a late 60’s era Janis Joplin tune. This isn’t the Ronnie James Dio that I am accustomed to hearing in 2007. Once again, it isn’t bad, but not earth shattering either.
Catch the Rainbow is a low tempo number that quite frankly, I find to be a snoozer.
Snake Charmer is a cross between the 60’s style of rock with a southern rock flair. This isn’t a sound that appeals to me.
Ok, after The Temple of the King, I can almost hear the bell bottoms swooshing. I am afraid that Danny Bonaduce is going to haunt my nightmares. I can’t get into this song either.
If You Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll is actually a fun little boogie woogie piano based rock and roll track. This kind of reminds me of a Bob Seger track. It is pretty good.
Sixteenth Century Greensleeves is the only other track on this disc that has that hard rock approach that Dio has been known for. Blackmore’s guitar finally starts to show a little bit of prowess here.
Ritchie Blackmore woke up for the instrumental track, Still I’m Sad which closes this disc. He has some good Purplesque guitar licks here, but the over emphasis of the cowbell kills this track for me too.
Bottom-line, only 2 or 3 cuts off this disc are about all you need. It is an OK listen, especially if you want to hear where Ronnie James Dio came from. Man on the Silver Mountain is certainly essential, but the rest of the tracks on this disc vary quite far from the sound of this song.
This is a CD for the DIO and Blackmore diehards only.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Man On The Silver Mountain
- Self Portrait
- Black Sheep Of The Family
- Catch The Rainbow
- Snake Charmer
- The Temple of The King
- If You Don’t Like Rock ‘n’ Roll
- Sixteenth Century Greensleeves
- Still I’m Sad
Hard Rock Hideout 