YearInReview03

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THE GOOD � (the best)

SAXON �The Saxon Chronicles� (SPV 2 DVD set)
Biff & the boys in their finest hour, well 98 minutes actually. One of the finest Live DVD�s ever made! (10/10)

KROKUS �Rock The Block� (BMG Import)
Swiss rockers KROKUS came storming back after 12 years with definitely - one of the best rock albums for 2003. (9/10)

IRON MAIDEN �Dance Of Death� (EMI)
More dirt under the fingernails than their last but basically the formula�s the same � you know what you�re getting for your money.
(8/10)

TYRANT �Thunder Down Under� (Tyrantula)
Excellent and worthy follow up to their 2001, "Freaks Of Nature" by the Australian band with more of the same obnoxious dirty rock & roll! (9/10)

JANE�S ADDICTION �Strays� (EMI)
One of the surprises of the year. A decade since their last effort, the band have reinvented themselves with an album that delivers a wondrous collection of modern day rock. (9/10)

KISS �Alive 4 Symphony� (Universal 2 DVD set)
This DVD captures the comic book crusaders of rock in their finest element with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra .The product is very good. (9/10)

FIREHOUSE �Prime Time� (Indie)
Back with an album that features all their best elements. Good songs, good production and perfectly crafted pop/metal � the way they used to do. (8/10)

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY   �Blessed Hellride� (Spitfire)
The man does not disappoint with an album of great rock songs that follows on where last years 1919 Eternal left off. Zakk knows how to please his loyal followers. (9/10)


SLAYER �War At The Warfield� (American DVD)
Brutal, intense, aggressive, totally in-your-face � this DVD captures US legend Thrash Metal Kings, SLAYER at their mind numbing best. (7/10)

POWDERFINGER �Vulture Street� (Sony)
Easily the best Australian rock release of the year, Powderfinger deliver the kind of album that is devoured by the masses. (9/10)

THE BAD � (well - not that bad)

QUEENSRYCHE �Tribe� (Sanctuary)
Ex-guitarist Chris De Garmo rejoins his former band mates for this project and it�s actually far better than their last few releases. (6/10)

MIKE TRAMP �More To Life Than This� (Ulftone)
3rd time lucky? Not really - Tramp�s latest offering is good but didn�t have the substance of last year�s model. The title track is the best song on offer. (6/10)

TED NUGENT �Full Bluntal Nugeity� (Spitfire DVD import)
Ted has blazed a trail across the rock & roll wilderness for nearly 3 decades and he still hasn�t lost his passion for in ya face rock or hunting defenceless animals. (6/10)

AUDIOSLAVE (Sony)
The band that surprised a lot of people with a fairly good debut. Not brilliant but definitely a step in the right direction with some pretty good tunes. (5/10)

HARDCORE SUPERSTAR �No Regrets� (Music For Nations)
This highly underrated bands� third release is as good as the previous 2 efforts. Still delivers some great infectious pop, up tempo rock and some damn cool songs. (6/10)

HANOI ROCKS �12 Shots On The Rocks� (Indie)
Possibly the best cohesive, consistent product this band has ever released. A great come-back by Mike Munroe & Andy McCoy with plenty of scintillating, sleazy, dirty rock songs delivered the way they�re supposed to be delivered. (7/10)

BACKYARD BABIES �Stockholm Syndrome� (Indie)
As usual the boys deliver another fine CD that seems to of been ignored by most of the rock press. If ya like ya rock without the bullshit then grab a copy and enjoy this good little record. (7/10)

LYNCH/PILSON �Wicked Underground� (Spitfire)
Ex-Dokken guitarist & bass guitarist show they don�t need old singer Don Dokken to come up with a good record. The claytons Dokken CD for 2003!    (6/10)

AND THE UGLY�! (The disasters!)

METALLICA �St. Anger� (Universal)
Selling out to Nu-Metal is not the way to go and countless long time fans have deserted the band like lemmings. The most disappointing album of the year by far! (2/10)

BRITNY FOX �Springhead Motorshark� (Indie)
Talk about getting it all wrong. After a decade in hibernation you would think that the boys would come back with their old formula that worked so well before. Instead - we get no killer riffs, no killer songs in all honesty a waste of time! (1/10)

BON JOVI �This Left Feels Right� (Universal)
The question really should be � why bother? The original versions of these tunes are imprinted in a generation of loyal fans who made Bon Jovi what they are today. (4/10)

JET �Get Born� (EMI)
Sorry but average and I�m being very kind here best describes this record. A couple of songs have an O.K. groove but the next AC/DC or Stones?! I can think of half a dozen better bands in Australia who given the same push would out sell these bozos in an instant�Next! (4/10)

SKID ROW �Thick Skin� (Independent)
Long gone are the days of Youth Gone Wild and Slave to the Grind etc. With a new singer onboard who does a credible job the music is nothing like the old band. If you�re open minded then check it out � long time fans don�t bother. (5/10)

DEEP PURPLE �Bananas� (EMI)
They may have the Name but they certainly don�t produce great music like they used to. Honestly, they should hang up there guitars and retire gracefully. So very, very sad. (3/10)

The year 2003 was a fairly healthy year as far as hard rock releases were concerned. There was plenty to sink your teeth into and there were definitely alot of product that really excelled. There were some halfway decent product as well and course as always there were some real stinkers as well with the biggest of which belonged to METALLICA with their dismal "St. Anger" album which believe it or not for once all of the staff at KILLAWATTS actually agreed upon!

Below is a quick summary of releases that touched my heart, some were O.K. and some were down right - rubbish.

Thanks to all the staff and a BIG thanks to everyone who logged on. I'm sure 2004 will be even a bigger year with possibly the highlight of the year would have to be new JUDAS PRIEST album and which should be happening by mid year - I for one can hardly wait!!

Mervin Tipping

The Year in Review 2003 by editor Mervin Tipping

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