Articles by: Fred Phillips

Zeal and Ardor – ‘Zeal & Ardor’ (2022)

Zeal and Ardor – ‘Zeal & Ardor’ (2022)

The subversive nature of Zeal & Ardor’s music is sure to be a turn off for some, but for the rest of us, it’s a refreshingly original take.

Aerosmith – ‘1971: The Road Starts Hear’ (2022)

Aerosmith – ‘1971: The Road Starts Hear’ (2022)

It’s refreshing to hear this version of Aerosmith without the glitz and glam that they became known for later on.

HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker’ and Glam Metal: Kiss Me Deadly

HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker’ and Glam Metal: Kiss Me Deadly

‘Peacemaker’ probably would have been fun without the interesting musical choices, but its glam-metal soundtrack makes the HBO Max series so much better.

Trivium, Flotsam & Jetsam, Rob Zombie + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2021 Hard Rock and Metal

Trivium, Flotsam & Jetsam, Rob Zombie + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2021 Hard Rock and Metal

Fred Phillips’ Best of 2021 Hard Rock and Metal also includes Black Label Society, Durbin, Ad Infinitum, Cody Jinks, Unto Others and Iron Maiden, among others.

How ‘The Chosen Few’ Put Judas Priest’s Huge Impact in Perspective

How ‘The Chosen Few’ Put Judas Priest’s Huge Impact in Perspective

This compilation arrived 10 years ago today with few surprises for diehard Judas Priest fans. The intriguing part was who chose which song – and why.

How Savatage’s ‘Streets: A Rock Opera’ Provided a Life-Changing Moment

How Savatage’s ‘Streets: A Rock Opera’ Provided a Life-Changing Moment

A key track from Savatage’s ‘Streets: A Rock Opera,’ released 30 years ago this week, made all the difference in the world for one troubled fan.

Why I Used to Hate Metallica’s ‘Black Album’ (But Don’t Anymore)

Why I Used to Hate Metallica’s ‘Black Album’ (But Don’t Anymore)

The Black Album arrived 30 years ago today, hurtling Metallica into the mainstream. It felt like something sacred had been taken away.

Anti-Mortem / Scattered Hamlet, July 25, 2021: Shows I’ll Never Forget

Anti-Mortem / Scattered Hamlet, July 25, 2021: Shows I’ll Never Forget

Live music was back, Anti-Mortem was back and, for at least a few hours, all was right with the world.

Avatar, Amaranthe, Soilwork + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2020 Hard Rock and Metal

Avatar, Amaranthe, Soilwork + Others: Fred Phillips’ Best of 2020 Hard Rock and Metal

This year has been lousy for a lot of reasons, but as this Best of 2020 list shows, hard rock and heavy metal were not among them.

Durbin, “The Prince of Metal” from ‘The Beast Awakens’ (2020): One Track Mind

Durbin, “The Prince of Metal” from ‘The Beast Awakens’ (2020): One Track Mind

Yes, Durbin came from ‘American Idol’ – and yes, I’m banging my head and throwing horns with a big, stupid grin on my face because it’s glorious.