If you’ve followed along when I did the Jeff Scott Soto Series, you will notice a trend where Jeff can’t say no. If a friend of his asks him to sing on their album, he usually says yes, even when he shouldn’t. Is this project one he should’ve said NO!? Let’s find out.
Guitarist, Dave Deluna, is the namesake behind the D’Luna name. This is his album, his concept, his everything…well, Jeff Scott Soto does contribute to the song writing as well, but this is Dave’s baby. I am not familiar with Dave at all before this album and the only reason I know about it is because of Soto as if you can’t tell from the number of reviews I’ve done on Jeff from the list at the bottom, I’m a big fan.
The rest of the band consists of Philip Bynoe (bass), Dan Meyers (keyboards), Oren Halmut (drums) and occasional guests on certain songs. And if you need to describe the style of music on this album, it would be heavy! Heavy guitars, heavy drums, heavy bass and straight up heavy rock. Throw Jeff in the mix and all should be right with the world…right???
The album definitely starts out strong with the title track “Monster”. Nasty riffs, with an almost Vai-esque style to it (for a brief moment at least). Jeff’s vocals are strong, intense and serious. But there is a cool surprise with this one as it also features King’s X, Dug Pinnick, on vocals with Jeff. The two make a powerful force. The guitar work on this one is solid, no denying that my only complaint is the solo doesn’t match the song really.
Continue reading “D’Luna – ‘Monster’ (2024) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)”
Whitesnake – Into the Light: The Solo Albums – (Saltburn LLC / Rhino Entertainment)
Mr. Big – The Big Finish Live – (Evoxs)
HIM – When Love & Death Embrace: Best of 1997-2003 – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Dug Pinnick – Thingamajigger – (Rat Pak Records)
Halsey – The Great Impersonator – (Columbia Records / Sony Music)
Kelsea Ballerini – Patterns – (Black River Entertainment)
Tears for Fears – Songs for a Nervous Planet – (Concord Records)
Duran Duran – Danse Macabre: De Luxe – (BMG Rights Mgmt) – Physical release as digital came out on October 11th.
311 – Full Bloom – (Skp, Inc.)
Queen – Queen 1 (2024 Mix) – (Hollywood Records)
Motorhead – We Take No Prisoners The Singles 1995-2006 – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
ABBA – The Singles: The First Fifty Years – (Polydor)
Josh Lovelace – Shelters – (Stonycroft Records / Missing Piece Records)
Devin Townsend – PowerNerd – (HevyDevy Records / InsideOutMusic)
Atreyu – The Pronoia Sessions – (Spinefarm Music Group)
Amyl and the Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness – (Virgin Music International)
Bastille – “&” (Ampersand) – (Best Laid Plans Records / Universal Music)
Green Day – American Idiot (20th Anniversary) – (Reprise Records)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Live at Fillmore East, 1969 – (Atlantic Records) 
The Allman Brothers Band – Final Concert 10-28-14 – (Peach Records)
Pixies – The Night the Zombies Came – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Beth Hart – You Still Got Me – (Mascot Label Group / Provogue)
Bryan Ferry – Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023 – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Andrea Bocelli – Duets (30th Anniversary) – (Decca Records / Universal Music)
Frank Sinatra – L.A. is my Lady – (Frank Sinatra Enterprises)
The Oak Ridge Boys – Mama Boys – (Lightning Rod Records)
Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat – (Chrysalis Records / Partisan Records)
Chuck Prophet – Wake the Dead – (Yep Roc Records)
Casandra’s Crossing – Garden of Earthly Delights – (Frontiers Records)
Behemoth – XXX Years Ov Blasphemy – (Nuclear Blast)
Fit for an Autopsy – The Nothing That Is – (Nuclear Blast)
Gaerea – Coma – (Season of Mist)
Trauma Ray – Chameleon – (Dais Records)
Better Lovers – Highly Irresponsible – (Sharptone)
Nitrogods – Valley of the Gods – (Massacre Records / Soulfood Music Distribution)
Miranda And The Beat – Can’t Take It – (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)
League of Distortion – Galvanize – (Napalm Records)
Baldwin – Rally E.P. – (Edgewater Music Group)
Mark Bryan – Popped – (Mark Bryan Music Publishing)
The Effigies – Burned – (Effigies)
Courteeners – Pink Cactus Cafe – (Ignition Records)
Harpyie – Voodoo – (Metalville)
St. Lenox – Ten Modern American Work Songs – (Don Giovanni Records)
Onsloow – Full Speed Anywhere Else – (Tiny Engines)
Beach Weather – Melt – (Last Nite / Arista Records / Sony Music)
Fievel is Glauque – Rong Weicknes – (Fat Possum Records)
Amythyst Kiah – Still + Bright – (Rounder Records / Concord)
Katie Gavin – What A Relief – (Saddest Factory Records)
Pom Pom Squad – Mirror Starts Moving Without Me – (City Slang)
Soccer Mommy – Evergreen – (Loma Vista Recordings / Concord)
Naked Roommate – Pass the Loofah – (Naked Roommate)
One True Pairing – Endless Rain – (Domino Recordings)
Little Moon – Dear Divine – (Joyful Noise Recordings)
Elderbrook – Another Touch – (Mine Recordings)
Lone Justice – Viva Lone Justice – (AFAR)
Ben Folds – Sleigher – (New West Records)
Judas Priest – Reflections: 50 Heavy Metal Years of Music Box Set: I would love to get the big deluxe box set but it is well over $400 and I am sure worth every penny. I might need to sell some things or take out a second mortgage for this one. After just finishing the Judas Priest Review Series on the site, this would be a great way to top it off!! With a giant cherry on top!! Or you can get the one disc greatest hits album if that floats your boat. Either works.
2 Loud 2 Old Music 