Tag Archives: stan w. decker

Album Review – Kaasin / The Underworld (2026)

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The underworld is calling us all to the sound of the striking sophomore album by this unstoppable Hard Rock machine from Norway.

Widely respected for his collaborations with internationally renowned artists such as Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) and Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow), Norway-based guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin returns with his Hard Rock project Kaasin, alongside vocalist Jan Thore Grefstad (Saint Deamon, TNT), bassist Ståle Kaasin (Humbucker, 2020Vision), keyboardist Erling Henanger (Magic Pie, Holter) and drummer Per-Morten Bergseth (Jorn, Wig Wam, Course of Fate, Holter), offering us all a new studio album titled The Underworld, the follow-up to their 2021 debut Fired Up. Produced and recorded by Halvor Halvorsen, Jo Henning Kaasin and Ståle Kaasin, mixed by Halvor Halvorsen, and with artwork by Stan W. Decker, the album marks a new chapter for these Norwegian Hard Rock warriors, presenting a darker and more atmospheric sound while remaining firmly rooted in classic Hard Rock traditions built on strong melodies and solid musicianship.

It’s pedal to the metal in the striking Hard Rock feast entitled The Real World, with the melodic vocals by Jan bringing even more electricity to their music, also boosted by Erling’s stylish keys; and the rockin’ guitars by Jo and the rumbling bass by Ståle set the tone in Two Hearts, a mid-tempo Hard Rock song where Jan once again steals the show with his passionate vocals. We Speed at Night reminds me of some old school creations by the mighty Running Wild mixed with classic Hard Rock from the Sunset Strip, and the final result is obviously awesome; followed by Iron Horse, another solid rockin’ tune by those talented Norwegians, with its more delicate moments clashing in great fashion with the powerful vocals by Jan.

There’s still a lot more fuel to burn in The Underworld, starting with Invisible, offering pure Hard Rock and AOR magic blasted by the band, led by Per-Morten’s classic drums, while in Over the Mountain they add hints of Blues Rock to their core sonority. Moreover, Jo and Ståle are in total sync from start to finish, with Jo’s guitar solo sounding fantastic. Arabian Night is definitely inspired by the music by Deep Purple while keeping Kaasin’s own essence intact, with their guitars and keys exhaling epicness, and after the atmospheric interlude The Descent of Souls we face the title-track The Underworld, a Rock N’ Roll steamroller led by Jo’s sharp riffage and Per-Morten’s nonstop beats and fills while Jan keeps delivering his striking vocals until the very end.

The foundation of Kaasin was laid with a clear ambition to create contemporary Hard Rock with a classic spirit and a strong sense of identity, and both Fired Up and The Underworld bring forward exactly that sound and feeling for our absolute delight. The Underworld will certainly help the band go places and reach new heights, and if you want to join their Rock N’ Roll rocket ship you can follow the band on Facebook, staying up to date with their news and live performances, stream their rockin’ tunes on any platform like Spotify, and grab a copy of their incendiary new album from Pride & Joy Music. Having said all that, can you hear the underworld calling us all to the sound of the new album by the mighty Kaasin?

Best moments of the album: The Real World, We Speed at Night and The Underworld.

Worst moments of the album: The Descent of Souls.

Released in 2026 Pride & Joy Music

Track listing
1. The Real World 4:20
2. Two Hearts 3:43
3. We Speed at Night 4:20
4. Iron Horse 5:34
5. Invisible 5:17
6. Over the Mountain 4:57
7. Arabian Night 4:54
8. The Descent of Souls 1:36
9. The Underworld 3:52

Band members
Jan Thore Grefstad – vocals
Jo Henning Kaasin – guitar
Ståle Kaasin – bass
Erling Henanger – keyboards
Per-Morten Bergseth – drums

Album Review – Bad Marilyn / Eye of the Snake (2024)

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The debut album by this talented Swiss Heavy Metal outfit will take you on a journey to a magical world to the sound of its eleven incendiary tracks.

Founded in the summer of 2023 in Wangen an der Aare, Bern, a municipality in the Oberaargau administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, Heavy/Power Metal warriors Bad Marilyn have just unleashed upon us their debut album, titled Eye of the Snake, an album that will transport the listener into a magical metal world. Recorded at Kangaroo Studios, The TrakShak Studio and The Hämst Studio, produced, mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward, co-Produced by Sammy Lasagni and Andri Leonardo, and displaying a classic artwork by Stan-W Decker, Eye of the Snake offers eleven powerful songs thoroughly crafted by the Helvetic formation of Andrea Raffaela on vocals, Sammy Lasagni on guitars, David Craffonara on bass, Andri Leonardo on keyboards, and Armin Schöpfer on drums.

An epic intro quickly evolves into the Power Metal feast I Die Inside, where the whimsical keys by Andri walk hand in hand with the she-wolf roars and soaring vocals by Andrea, whereas Middle-Eastern sounds ignite the also very melodic and headbanging Eye Of The Snake, where Armin pounds his drums nonstop supported by the solid bass lines by David; and leaning towards Melodic Rock and AOR we have Perfect Moment, but of course without forgetting their classic Heavy Metal essence, with the guitars by Sammy sounding striking and harmonious. Retribution is not as exciting as the previous songs and quite confusing at times, albeit the vocals by Andrea are spot-on as usual, but fortunately back to a more direct sonority the band offers our ears the upbeat, melodic Heavy Metal tune Children Of Tomorrow, with Armin dictating the pace with his classic beats and fills. Sammy then takes the lead with his Iron Maiden-inspired riffs in When She’s Gone, a song that blends melody and heaviness in a well-balanced manner.

Their Rock N’ Roll party continues with an overdose of metallic riffs and blast beats titled Revolution, where Andrea delivers a striking vocal performance supported by the fast and thrilling music by her bandmates; and it’s time for a charming power ballad titled Legend Of Salvation, where the power of Armin’s drums is boosted by Andri’s stylish keys. Queen Of Thunder carries an old school name for a song with a strong 80’s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal vibe, keeping the adrenaline flowing in the album while also showcasing more of Andrea’s beautiful vocals, with Andri also kicking some ass with a nice keyboard solo; and they take their heaviness to new heights in Eternal Pain, led by the pounding drums by Armin and the slashing riffage by Sammy, resulting in a thrilling Heavy Metal attack tailored for fans of 80’s heavy music. Last but not least, we’re treated to one final strike of soaring vocals and classic riffs in We Will Rise, putting an incendiary ending to the album.

Eye of the Snake can be appreciated in full on Spotify, but of course you can show your utmost support to Andrea and the boys by purchasing the album from their BandCamp page or webstore, or by cliking HERE, and don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram. This Swiss band definitely knows how to craft fun and vibrant Heavy Metal, taking you as mentioned to a magical world to the sound of their flammable music, and just like a snake I’m sure they’ll strike again soon with another album just as good as their debut offering.

Best moments of the album: I Die Inside, Revolution and Eternal Pain.

Worst moments of the album: Retribution.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. I Die Inside 4:42
2. Eye Of The Snake 4:18
3. Perfect Moment 4:55
4. Retribution 4:22
5. Children Of Tomorrow 3:45
6. When She’s Gone 4:15
7. Revolution 4:00
8. Legend Of Salvation 4:30
9. Queen Of Thunder 4:34
10. Eternal Pain 4:16
11. We Will Rise 5:15

Spotify bonus track
12. Stay Awake 4:34

Band members
Andrea Raffaela – vocals
Sammy Lasagni – guitars
David Craffonara – bass
Andri Leonardo – keyboards, backing vocals
Armin Schöpfer – drums

Album Review – Barnabas Sky / What Comes To Light (2023)

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Combining groovy guitar riffs, catchy choruses and spherical synth sounds, the sophomore album by German multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer offers us all another exciting Hard Rock voyage.

The brainchild of Kaiserslautern, Germany-based multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Winterland, Scarlett, Lazarus Dream), Melodic Hard Rock project Barnabas Sky combines groovy guitar riffs, catchy choruses, distinctive voices of several singers with international reputation, spherical synth sounds and filigree solos to a timeless rock melange way beyond short-lived trends, which is exactly what you’ll get in the project’s sophomore opus, titled What Comes To Light, the follow-up to its 2021 debut Inspirations. Supported by drummer Thomas Rieder and an array of guest vocalists the likes of Jesse Damon (Silent Rage), Doogie White (Rainbow), Dan Reed, Roy Cathey (Coald Sweat), Dirk Kennedy (Hittman), Carsten Lizard Schulz (Evidence One, Domain), Lee Small (Lionheart), Alan Tecchio (Wartchtower) and Danny Vaughn (Tyketto), Markus embellishes the airwaves with his fusion of Hard Rock and AOR, with the beautiful artwork by Stan W. Decker (Powerwolf, Megadeth, Rage, Masterplan) and the mastering by Rolf Munkes (Michael Schenker, Mad Max, Voodoo Circle) at Empire Studios turning the album into a must-listen for fans of Winterland, Tyketto, Silent Rage, Rainbow and Phenomena, among others.

Featuring the talented Danny Vaughn of Tyketto on vocals, the title-track What Comes To Light brings forward a mix of classic Hard Rock taken directly from the 80’s with modern-day Melodic Rock, spiced up by the amazing job done by Markus with his melodious riffs while Thomas brings tons of groove to the music. Then we have We Are Electric, featuring vocalist Lee Small of SHY, Phenomena and Lionheart, a more rhythmic tune where the bass lines by Markus sound metallic and vibrant, offering Lee exactly what he needs to shine on vocals; followed by Till My Dying Days, featuring Roy Cathey of Cold Sweat and The Fifth on vocals, another modern rock creation by Markus showcasing ethereal backing vocals, classy guitars and passionate vocal lines. Then with the one and only Doogie White of Alcatrazz, Rainbow and Malmsteen on vocals, we have Circus Of Delight, where Markus is once again on fire armed with his guitar and bass while Thomas kicks ass as usual on drums. Needless to say, Doogie has an incendiary performance on vocals. And featuring Dan Reed of Dan Reed Network, Take A Ride is a synth-fueled Hard Rock/AOR extravaganza showcasing delicate but powerful vocals by Dan, while Markus once again brings the groove with his bass lines.

A futuristic and thunderous intro gradually evolves into a Rock N’ Roll song titled A Dying Song, featuring guest vocals by Carsten ‘Lizard’ Schulz of Lazarus Dream and Devoid, and despite its solid structure it could have been slightly shorter, though; whereas Deibys Artigas Venegas of Preincarnation kicks ass on vocals in Isolation, where pure 80’s Hard Rock flows from all instruments and of course from Deibys’ vocals, sounding very exciting from start to finish and with Markus being spot-on with his riffs and solos. Then we have Grant Me A Wish From Heaven, with vocals by Jesse Damon of Silent Rage and backing vocals by Paul Sabu, a solid mid-tempo creation by Markus and his henchmen; and get ready to bang your head together with Barnabas Sky in One Or The Other, showcasing guest Alan Tecchio of Watchtower on vocals, sounding electrifying and modern without losing the project’s core essence rooted in the 80’s. Featuring Dirk Kennedy of Hittman on vocals we have Seven Wonders, closing the regular version of the album by offering our ears more of the project’s melodic and thrilling rock music, whereas Lee Small returns in the bonus track No Tomorrow, a very entertaining composition that’s worth the investment in the physical version of the album, with Lee stealing the spotlight with another stylish vocal performance.

Markus Pfeffer and his Barnabas Sky are waiting for you on Facebook with news, more of the project’s classy rock music, and other nice to know details about it, and of course if you want to purchase a copy of What Comes To Light you can find all information you need by clicking HERE. In a nutshell, it’s impressive how Markus was capable of putting together such cohesive and dynamic album even with so many different vocalists as guest musicians. Well, all of those vocalists are extremely talented, which already helped him a lot in shaping up the album to be so powerful and balanced, but there are many out there who wouldn’t have been able to reach the same level of quality, proving how skillful and focused Markus is and, therefore, leaving the gates oh heaven and hell open for Markus and his henchmen to deliver another excellent album of Hard Rock in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: What Comes To Light, Circus Of Delight and Isolation.

Worst moments of the album: A Dying Song.

Released in 2023 Pride & Joy Music

Track listing
1. What Comes To Light 4:53
2. We Are Electric 4:33
3. Till My Dying Days 4:49
4. Circus Of Delight 4:44
5. Take A Ride 4:24
6. A Dying Song 8:04
7. Isolation 5:47
8. Grant Me A Wish From Heaven 4:16
9. One Or The Other 4:22
10. Seven Wonders 6:02

CD bonus track
11. No Tomorrow 4:59

Band members
Markus Pfeffer – guitars, bass, keyboards, synths

Guest musicians
Danny Vaughn – vocals on “What Comes To Light”
Dan Reed – vocals on “Take A Ride”
Doogie White – vocals on “Circus Of Delight”
Jesse Damon – vocals on “Grant Me A Wish From Heaven”
Roy Cathey – vocals on “Till My Dying Days”
Dirk Kennedy – vocals on “Seven Wonders”
Lee Small – vocals on “We Are Electric”
Carsten ‘Lizard’ Schulz – vocals on “A Dying Song”
Alan Tecchio – vocals on “One Or The Other”
Deibys Artigas Venegas – vocals on “Isolation”
Thomas Rieder – drums, percussion
Paul Sabu – backing vocals on “Grant Me A Wish From Heaven”
Stephan Hugo – backing vocals