Last year, on Valentine’s Day 2020, thousands of exhausted and happy rockers were disembarking from the 10th annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise, AKA MORC X. Rock legends had performed for their dedicated fans, and love was all around us.

This year, on Valentine’s Day, not so much. To help you get through, here are 14 “Be My Quarantine Valentine” collectibles for your enjoyment. Cut them out, share them with your sweetie, post them on your fridge, or email them around the world. You’ll find love again, I know. Sha-doobie, sha-doobie, sha-doobie, I know.

Be My Quarantine Valentine first appeared on Game On Media.

2020 has been an atypical year for the music industry. The usual album and tour cycles have been turned on their heads. Some bands chose to hold their albums for when touring starts up again. Some bands found creative ways to release their albums, many with livestreams to go with it. Other bands took the opportunity to record and release unexpected music, and much more of that will be coming in 2021. This year, we really embraced things that were new. That could mean bands that were new to us, famous friends going solo, or EP’s written in direct response to the current world events. Here are our Five Fave: 2020 Rock Albums.

#5 – Bring Me The Horizon – POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR / FEVER 333 – WRONG GENERATION

Bring Me The Horizon and FEVER 333 both produced EP’s this year, reacting in real time to current events. POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR clocks in at 32 minutes. WRONG GENERATION is a tight 18 minutes. Combined, they make a respectable album’s worth of material, so we are recognizing them together. BMTH created the song of the year – pandemic category – with “Parasite Eve”. F333 delivered the song of the year – social justice category – with SUPREMACY. The rest of each EP is full of on-topic desperation and immediacy, with cathartic releases of aggression and anger. Together, they will stand as the soundtrack to 2020.

#4 – Clint Lowery – God Bless The Renegades

Clint Lowery, guitarist / back-up vocalist / songwriter from Sevendust, has worked on several solo projects before, but this is his first proper album. He followed it up with a full band tour, opening for Alter Bridge, one of the best shows of the abbreviated touring year. This album shows all of his passion, thoughtfulness and musical beauty. He even managed to squeeze out another EP, “Grief & Distance”, during the pandemic.

#3 – Adelitas Way- Shine On

Rick DeJesus and Adelitas Way keep pushing ahead and pushing boundaries. With guitarist Tavis Stanley leading the way, and Tre Stafford and Andrew Cushing manning the rhythm section, this band continues to explore what rock and roll is, and they have cranked out a ton of great material over the past few years. “Shine On” is full of empowerment and encouragement, things we all need right now.

#2 – Corey Taylor – CMFT

As if leading two of the most prolific and successful bands, Slipknot and Stone Sour, wasn’t enough, Corey M-F Taylor reached Mark Tremonti status by creating a third incredible band. Corey grabbed his guitar, a piano and several of his closest friends and took a journey through the history of rock and roll, complete with a hip-hop collabo with Tech N9ne. “CMFT” is a brilliant album from a bunch of guys clearly having fun.

#1 – H.E.A.T – H.e.a.t II

H.E.A.T is a bit confusing, but let’s see if we can figure them out. I discovered them on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise, where hair metal bands from the 1980’s performed, but they are a modern act. Their singer has been Erik Grönwall for the past decade, including on this album, yet he has left the group and original vocalist Kenny Leckremo has returned. “H.e.a.t II” is their 6th album, and they labeled it as number 2. I give up. I do call it my favorite rock album of the year. Full of energy, anthemic choruses, killer vocals and shredding guitars.

Five Fave: 2020 Rock Albums first appeared on Game On Media.

Six months into the 2020 global pandemic, and I have literally started dreaming about attending festivals, photographing concerts, and interviewing artists. Music festivals and live concerts have been postponed, rescheduled and canceled, sometimes all three. As the fall events have finally been eliminated, and the winter rock cruises have been pushed into May, I have no idea when I will be lucky enough to cover an actual concert again. In the meantime, GameOn.media presents Fantasy Festival Friday – a fictitious concert performed by 5 bands we wish we could watch live in person, at full volume, with all of our rock family in attendance.

On Fantasy Festival Friday #4, we traveled across the pond to Gothenburg, Sweden, one of the country’s many rock and roll hot spots. There we got to experience the history of Swedish rock music, with amazing sets from Ghost, Avatar, In Flames, Europe and H.E.A.T.

H.E.A.T was the first band up. These guys are one of the newer bands who are continuing in the classic rock tradition. They were formed in 2007 by Jimmy Jay – bass, backing vocals, Jona Tee – keyboards, backing vocals, Don Crash – drums and Dave Dalone – guitars, backing vocals. They were joined in 2010 by charismatic front man Erik Grönwall, who had just won Swedish Idol on the strength of his performances of songs from Skid Row, Kiss, Iron Maiden and Queen. You may recognize him from his 2018 portrayal of Simon Zealotes in the NBC live television concert production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar. Their 2020 release H.E.A.T II is one of the greatest glam metal albums you will ever hear, and really had the crowd moving.

Europe was next up, immediately firing up the crowd with the keyboard intro to mega-hit ‘The Final Countdown’. But they were not close to letting up after that, blasting other hits from the 80’s such as ‘Rock The Night’, ‘Superstitious’ and ‘Carrie’. They are a rare band that still has their original classic lineup, bassist John Levén, keyboardist Mic Michaeli, vocalist Joey Tempest, drummer Ian Haugland and guitarist John Norum. They never relied only on their past, and have continued to record outstanding albums throughout recent years, all worth checking out. Fun Fantasy Festival Fact: both Europe and H.E.A.T are from Upplands Väsby, Sweden.

Hometown heroes In Flames took the stage to a tremendous roar. Originally formed in 1990, the band was (and still is) at the forefront of the Swedish metal community. They released their 13th album just last year, and show no signs of slowing down. Members may have come and gone, but the song remains the same, and the energy has not changed. Led by vocalist Anders Fridén and guitarist Björn Gelotte since 1995, they are now joined by guitarist Niclas Engelin, bassist Bryce Paul and drummer Tanner Wayne.

Fellow Gothenburgers Avatar stepped up the production as night fell and lasers lit up the sky, along with their hypnotic riffs. Guitarists Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, with bassist Henrik Sandelin, form a maelstrom of whipping hair, swirling rhythms and epic poses. Drummer John Alfredsson keeps a low drum profile, allowing him to interact with the crowd as he shifts between mellow and frantic beats. Vocalist Johannes Eckerström is a mesmerizing performer. The band has been kicking ass and pushing boundaries for 2 decades now, and their skills and songwriting continue to soar. They were excited to unleash new tunes from their very recent album Hunter Gatherer. Avatar is a live band that you will want to see over and over. Nobody gives you more quality entertainment.

Ghost is perhaps the only band who could follow what had already been experienced. This act has one of the most unique mythologies ever to be created. They are led by Tobias Forge, who portrays a new version of the demonic anti-Pope Papa Emeritus with each album and tour cycle. The other 7 members of Ghost are simply known as Nameless Ghouls, who all dress in black outfits with silver masks, completely obscuring their identity. Their stage shows are full of religious symbols and beautiful lighting. The band plays with a full sound and intensity, whether the songs are slow or fast. Their style shifts effortlessly between pop, goth, orchestral and metal. The performance is something to behold, and a fitting end to our fantastical journey to the Nordic Empire.

Quarantine Dreams – Fantasy Festival Friday – Ghost – Avatar – In Flames – Europe – H.E.A.T first appeared on Game On Media.

The pandemic that has rocked the world has silenced the music venues, arenas and parks that routinely allow lovers of music to do what they enjoy the most. While many artists have taken to interacting with and performing for their fans online, there is still something missing, which all are desperate to have return.

There are few things in life that provide such a feeling of pure joy as sharing a live music performance. It’s not only the fans that experience the joy; you can see the emotions on the faces of the performers. We are all desperate for the day to come when we can get back to spending time with our friends, feeling the music flow through our bodies, as we dance, mosh and sing along.

The 10th annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise (AKA MORC X) set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on February 8, 2020. The Royal Caribbean ship Independence of the Seas was the home to 50 rock and roll bands, and thousands of their fans, over 5 nights at sea. Here are some expressions of joy captured throughout the journey. We all hope that the 2021 edition of the cruise, starring Alice Cooper, will be a safe and smooth sailing.

The Joy Of Live Music Performance – Monsters Of Rock Cruise 2020 first appeared on Game On Media.

I recently discovered the Swedish rock band H.E.A.T on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise, which primarily features the biggest glam metal acts of the 1980’s. This newer band has that retro sound and attitude and was a perfect fit. Their latest album “H.E.A.T II” is an incredible achievement, reminiscent of Dokken, Asia, Survivor and pre-Slippery Bon Jovi. If Sylvester Stallone had made Rocky V in 1989, this album could have been the soundtrack. The album is their sixth overall, and their fourth with vocalist Erik Magnus Grönwall, who joined in 2010. Erik won Swedish Idol in 2009, and performed on the live televised “Jesus Christ Superstar”. This is no surprise, as he is one of the most vocally talented and engaging frontmen in music. Bassist Jimmy Jay, keyboardist Jona Tee, drummer Don Crash and guitarist Dave Dalone deliver such a tight, energetic sound, and every song is infectious. This album gets better with each listen, and every track is strong. Despite this being their sixth album, they named it “H.E.A.T II” because they produced it themselves, and they consider it to be the start of a new chapter in their career. Let’s hope that they continue to blaze this path they are on. Be sure to get this album, and take advantage of any chance you get to witness them live.

Photos of H.E.A.T performing on the Monsters Of Rock Cruise X in February 2020:

Sweden’s H.E.A.T Brings Back Glam with “H.E.A.T II” Album first appeared on Game On Media.

The holy trinity of guitar gods – George Lynch, Nuno Bettencourt, Reb Beach. The greatest voices in rock – Miljenko Matijevic, Gary Cherone, Kip Winger, CJ Snare, Jeff Keith. Legendary drummers – James Kottak, Brian Tichy, Rick Allen. Guitar clinics, comedy shows, artist Q&A’s, late night karaoke with rock stars. What has all of this and more?

The 10th annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise (AKA MORC X) set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on February 8, 2020. The Royal Caribbean ship Independence of the Seas was the home to 50 rock and roll bands, and thousands of their fans, over 5 nights at sea. The cruise stopped in Belize and Cozumel, Mexico when it was not rocking through the high seas. There were a variety of stages to host the nonstop concerts, including the large 2 level theater, a smaller theater with a large standing area surrounded by tiered seats, a club lounge, and a special pool deck stage rapidly constructed for the event which allowed fans to watch shows from the pool, hot tubs, lounge chairs, pool bar or upper level deck.

The cruise was headlined by Tesla, Krokus, Extreme and Winger, which is enough to make for a great concert right there, but that is never enough for a Monsters Of Rock Cruise. Take a deep breath, because there were 49 bands announced and one special surprise sailaway band that was only revealed when they took the stage as the ship left port. The insane lineup included Atomic Punks, Autograph, Ben Woods, Black N’ Blue, British Lion, Burning Rain, Cold Sweat, D-A-D, Diemonds, Doro, Enuff Z’nuff, Faster Pussycat, Firehouse, H.E.A.T, Hardcore Superstar, Heavens Edge, Heavy Pettin’, Honeymoon Suite, Joel Hoekstra, Keel, Kingdom Come, Kings X, KIX, Lizzy Borden, Lynch Mob, Mac Sabbath, Paradise Kitty, Raven, Richie Kotzen, Ron Keel, Russell Allen, Shiraz Lane, Simon Daniels, Slaughter, Steelheart, Stryper, The Quireboys, Thunder, Tokyo Motor Fist, Tyketto, Vixen, White Trash, Y&T, Jason Beiler, and Cold Gin.

As rock fans from around the globe boarded the ship, found their room, purchased their drink tickets, waited for their luggage and figured out the lay of the ship, the MORC Crew worked feverishly to turn one of the pools into a full sized stage, complete with lightshow and perfect sound. All of the hosts came out to welcome everyone aboard – Eddie Trunk, Nikki Blakk, Luc Carl, Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine and Metal DJ Will. Then the surprise sailaway band took the stage – BulletBoys – featuring their original lineup of Marq Torien, Lonnie Vencent, Mick Sweda and Jimmy D’Anda. From there it was an endless musical orgy of classic guitar metal, unique events, once in a lifetime selfies and shared community.

Every Monster had their own unique experience over the course of the week. On top of close to 100 concerts, MORC X offered photo opportunities with the artists, painting lessons, art exhibits from Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen and Tesla bassist Brian Wheat, dinner with bands, basketball games, surfing contests, costume contests, charity events and guitar raffles. Being a rock cruise, there were special music-themed beers available. Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon hosted a party in the promenade featuring his new Double IPA from Out of Bounds Brewing Company – Heavy Metal Hippie. Not to be outdone, Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris hosted a pub party featuring 2 brews – Trooper Premium British Beer and Sun And Steel Sake Lager.

Most bands played two 1 hour sets during the cruise, sometimes on different stages, sometimes with different setlists, sometimes with special guests. Tesla and Kix are among the greatest live rock and roll bands in history and they never disappoint. Tesla played 2 incredible theater sets, and about half of the songs differed each night. They also brought out Rick Allen, who played along with “Little Suzi” and “Signs” on a drumkit with custom MORC artwork. During the second show, Allen surprised Troy Lucketta during the set by appearing behind him and drumming along. Def Leppard helped introduce the world to Tesla, taking them along on the massive Hysteria In The Round tour in the 80’s, and has had them on numerous summer tours in recent years. It was really special to see the guys interacting and enjoying their time on stage together.

Kix is another cruise veteran who wanted to give their fans something special. Most of their set varied from show to show, with their theater show digging deep into the catalog, pulling out “Kix Are For Kids”, “The Kid”, “The Itch”, “Baby Time Bomb”, “Restless Blood”, and “Rock & Roll Overdose”. They went overboard next, bringing out the co-writer of “Bang Bang (Balls of Fire)” – none other than Kip Winger! What a treat for everyone involved. The joy that comes off the stage during a Kix show can be felt in the audience, and it gets radiated back onto the band and shows on their faces. There is no frontman more entertaining than Steve “Hey Fucker” Whiteman.

Many of the bands were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their best albums, which made for some special shows. 4 of the original members of Kingdom Come recently reunited, with Keith St. John providing vocals and a dynamic stage show. Lynch Mob was celebrating their debut album “Wicked Sensation” and vocalist Oni Logan rejoined George Lynch’s band to play the entire album front to back, with Brian Tichy on drums and Michael Devin on bass. This landmark album remains one of the best in the genre and it was so special to see it performed twice on this voyage. Extreme’s 2nd album “Pornograffitti”, another of the all time classics, also turns 30 this year and the boys from Boston pulled heavily from it. They remain an incredible live band, with perhaps the most raw talent of any band on the ship.

Really the only downside to the whole experience was #fomo – fear of missing out. I managed to photograph 30 of the 50 bands, and catch part of the sets of 5 others, leaving 15 bands missed completely. I heard great things about the peformances of Richie Kotzen, Lizzy Borden and Firehouse and would have loved to witness that. With so much going on, it would be nearly impossible to see every band, and it was important to find some time to eat a good meal once in a while and try to sleep a little bit.

Perhaps the best part of an event such as this is the combination of singing along with every word from one of your favorite bands (Winger, Steelheart), mixed with the experience of seeing a band you have loved for decades for the first time (Krokus, Kingdom Come), and the joy of discovering something new to you. The Monsters Of Rock Cruise introduces fans to newer bands, sometimes featuring familiar faces, sometimes something completely different. We came away from MORC X fascinated by The Quireboys (from London), Burning Rain (with Doug Aldrich and Keith St. John), British Lion (with Steve Harris) and H.E.A.T (from Sweden).

Next year’s celebration will star Alice Cooper. Get all the details on sale dates and lineup announcements at https://monstersofrockcruise.com/

Monsters Of Rock Cruise X – 2020 first appeared on Game On Media.