Updated 6th October 2003

Pride Of Lions - Elis - Chromium Blitz - Michael Riesenbeck - Perfect World - Wild Horses - The Darkness - The Invisible Music Soundtrack

All reviews by Andrea Bertamino except where noted

Pride Of Lions is the new project by Jim Peterik who wanted to write a new chapter of his World Stage and a talk with Serafino Perugino (the boss of Frontiers Records) suggested him to search an unknown singer and record a brand new album with him. Fate called the name of 25yo Toby Hitchcock and now we are in front of some great AOR/melodic rock songs and a new voice to love, a powerful, melodic and expressive singer.

On this album Jim and Toby are helped by Clem Hayes (bs), Mike Aquino (gt), Christian Cullen (keyb), Ed Breckenfeld (dr) and Hilary Jones (dr).

A short old fashioned and intriguing sound of keyboards introduces us to the strong "It’s Criminal" and this is the song that Toto fans would have been waiting for after "The 7th One" (althought there are passages stolen to Survivor), not those (nice, but...) by Vertigo, performed with viril strenght by Toby and surrounded by everything made popular and musically memorable the US melodic rock in the ‘80s.

Then ther’s "Gone", another pure AOR pearl rich of sounds from Toto and Survivor, and we’re not beyond any clone, but to some fresh airy, emphatic, melodic, catchy music with a splendid refrain.

"Interrupted Melody" is a good romantic and viril slow with intriguing keyboards, and if the verse recalls "Carrie" by just re-formed Europe it’s no obstacle to enjoy. We rock again with uptempo "Sound Of Home" that would have made good appearance on Mecca’s debut, and here I feel some lack of drive in drums (the touch is too light) and few writing indecision in the links between the parts of the song, but the quality is far superior to the best song of Ramos.

"Prideland" is an heartfelt semi-ballad guesting a long Peterik’s solo and offers the chance to the two singers (we cannot forget that also Jim sings) to duet with good results, then we have "Unbreakable" to recover a peculiar songwriting of Survivor and anyway the refrain is quite weak, so the song is below average.

Fortunately "First Time Around The Sun" arrives soon and its rock-fusion like Toto passages makes progressively rise again the cd, rising continued with the faster "Turn To Me" in full and pure ‘80s AOR style. With the epic power ballad "Madness Of Love" we’re at top again, with those melodies to recall the pompous emphasy by and the more melodic vein of Survivor, adding a slice of Jim Steinman, with the necessary electric dose ot Peterik’s guitar.

"Love Is On The Rocks" suonds as a Magnum song performed by a mixed Toto – Survivor line up, a mid tempo once again in pure ‘80s mood with a contagiuos refrain, followed by another slow tune, "Love Is On The Rocks", once again splendid and a video (with some tv passages and Toby’s face in the foreground to satisfy female eyes) would only increase the sales.

Last in line, the pompous "Music And Me" closes with wiseness, energy, flaming solos (ah, old Steve Morse would have been perfect on this one), melody and personality one of the best albums of year 2003.

Now I want to see what will say those writers who glorified Ramos!!!

Ok, only my reccomendation to own absolutely a copy of this great part of stego-AOR!!!

http://www.aprideoflions.com

With female fronted bands in vogue, thanks to Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, and the mediocre Evanescence, the gloomy side of the market place is becoming crowded indeed, with too many bands believing that a female singer and bad poetry shoehorned into melodic shape will suffice for the world to go wild.

The template for the style, both musically and lyrically, is rigid, with bands and fans alike being somewhat puritanical in outlook, whining incessantly if velvet coats do not gather dust, and if lyrics reflect anything other than self-absorbed misery. Even the best of the genre can often confuse mood with dirge and darkness with one emotional shade.

Which brings us neatly to German band Elis, who bring something different to the table. Granted the female singer is on hand. Sabine Dunser can soar with the facility of Nightwish's Tarja Turunen, without the latter's tendency to the overbearing, yet also echoes Kate Bush and Doro at her most tender. The latter quality is evident on the German language songs such as "Sie  Erlasst Mein Herz".

So far so good, yet it is immediately apparent that other influences are at play, as the melodic power metal drama of opener "For such a long time" demonstrates. It's Nightwish meets Kamelot, unexpected and the better for it.

The unexpected plus a just so attention to detail thread through the album, as with bass player Tom Saxer providing deathly vocal drama to the opening of the elegant melody driven, "Where you belong" with it's Kate Bush hook. "Do you believe " is one of the best songs Stratovarius have yet to write, the guitar team of Pete Streit and Jurgen Broger seemingly form the Timo Tollki side of the tracks.

Keyboards, programmed by producer Alexander Krull, are again different from the norm, being designed to life and broaden the musical soundscape as opposed to the usual desire to weigh things down. This idea is evident on another German language song "Engel Der Nach".

"God's Silence" is a gothic Kamelot, and makes one wonder at the prospect of a Sabine Dunser and Roy Khan duet, while "Devil's Temptation" is infectious pop death, and utterly compelling.

Beautifully packaged, this album is enthralling, a treasure chest of delights, and Elis are clearly special.

Andrew Paul

From Nashville, Tennessee, arrives the power trio Chromium Blitz formed by Scott Clarke (vc, gt, dr), Ricardo Galvan (vc, bs) and Jack Browning (gt, keyb) with fourteen songs plus short intro dealing with an old fashioned heavy rock influenced by Ozzy, Montrose, Zebra, Led Zeppelin, Triumph and others, the whole handled with professionality, with no evident cloning.

Having two lead vocalists allows CB to face with good results different sounds and styles, with acid voice of Scott closer to early Ozzy Osbourne gone solist, while Ricardo has a warmer and fatter singing, both working to maximise the chances of "Hardtimes".

The short organ intro "Awakening" announces the Osbournian heavy rock "Contrivance" and "Good Thing", both would have been good on "Diary Of A Madman", while "Live It Free" would have given Zebra a good spin, then it’s up to Ricardo and his performace is the best moment of undecided class metal shots "Read Between The Lines" and "Your Love’s Gone Cold".

"Year Of Black" is really surprising because it offers some very melodic and catchy vocals over a dry and tough base in NWOBHM shape, followed by "Visions", a sweet and dreaming guitar tune introducing the slow song "Til’ The Bitter End" with its southern sounds and mid tempo "Life Is Waiting" that sounds as if Triumph want to emulate Journey, in facts the refrain is very melodic and catchy.

"Breaking The Rules" shakes again the game and offers an unusual as good blend of Ozzy (always circa "Diary Of A Madman"), early Motley Crue and Winger and it’s also the last high standard song, close by average "I Know" and "911/Restless Night".

So "Hardtimes" is a brave and interesting release, maybe with too beef on fire and a sound sometimes too rough for the melodies offered, but an expert producer in the style of Richie Zito or (why not) Jim Peterik wuold exalt the qualities of this trio that hardly might so miss the goal.

Contacts: http://www.chromiumblitz.com

Dutch guitarist/songwriter Michael Riesenbeck has already released in 2001 "Fanfield", a tribute to his most loved band Toto and now he comes with his real eleven-tracks debut cd for which he’s been helped by guests like Kimmo Blom, Tuomo Kovalainen and Timo Pudas from Urban Tale, Eric Ragno (Takara), Bryan Woolley (The Machine), Ed James (several albums under his belt), Tony O'Hora (Praying Mantis), Jeff Pilson (Dokken), Phil Vincent.

The music is the fruit of hundreds hours spent to write, arrange and record, bringing back to new life also songs from demos of his previous band Alibi, and it’s an AOR of nice quality that unfortunately has a not so good sound (especially the drums), a factor that penalizes the potential of many songs featured.

In brackets I name the singer, so let’s start with opener "Hold On Me" (Vincent), a pleasant and cheerful North-European AOR tune followed by struttering "Better Days" (James) recalling the melodies of early Nelson and the joyful feeling of Poison circa "Look What The Cat Dragged In".

A sweet piano/guitar duet introduces "Dreams For Tomorrow" (O'Hora) written for a charity-cd in favour of the victims of last 11th September 2001 and that Now & Then is still undecided about what to do. Anyway the song is a typical ‘80s AOR and owns a very strong refrain, and the same can be told for faster "Call To Glory" (Blom) followe by "Meant To Be" (Lars Safsund), a power ballad with several faster parts.

"Heart Of Stone" (Guilherme Indianwest Oliveira) sounds like early Praying Mantis with its keyboards played by Timo Pudas, and on the same epic line we find "Two Hearts" (O’Hora), while "Telling Lies" (Vincent) recalls a lot Dokken about "Under Lock And Key".

There are also three instrumental tracks, that are "Casualties Of War", "Toto's Giant Journey" (with Kovalainen and Eric Ragno) in whose eight minutes I feel the influence of Dan Huff and degli Styx (for those pompous openings), plus the fine "Shouting Silence" (Pudas and Ragno on keybs).

Well, a classico melodic rock with a lot of beef and the assistance of an expert producer able to furnish a fatter sound would give Michael the chance to jump really high.

Contacts: www.michaelriesenbeck.com

Bah, I’ll never understand why labels and artists use already published songs, possibly quite unknown (so easier to sell as previously unreleased), form (often one-off) projects, instead of giving the artists the best chances to create good new songs. And I’m talking of Khymera, of the welcome Joseph Williams’ come-back masked as Vertigo and of Perfect World that sees almost the same team of Vertigo involved with singer Kelly Hansen (Hurricane, Unruly Child).

The start is for "Here With Me" quite similar to original version featured on Jennifer Paige’s "Positively Somewhere" albums, only guitars are a little harder, and Kelly makes it seem as if it was written for his voice with natural professionality. Then we have "Leaving Lonely" by Paul Alan (another his songs was used by Vertigo just like Angela Ammons here featured with "You’ll Be Gone" and "Someday Soon"), a pop/AOR with a modern touch but Vertical Smile are another thing, and "Just Like A Pill" already brought to success by Pink and not so different from the original version.

Hansen is again good on "I Believe In You", originally on the second album "Tuesday's Child" by Amanda Marshall, whose version is all in all superior. Jennifer Paige and Amanda Marshall are already used respectively with pop semi-ballad "Between You And Me" and the nu-breed pop "Out Of Bounds". There’s space for "Do You Love" by Natalie Imbruglia (from the "White Lilies Island" album) and "I Need You" by Leann Rimes (I like a lot the latter song), while I had no will to investigate and discover who wrote the good rock "Overnight Sensation" and I don’t wanna search when I’ll read the writers (I have a promo version with the only titles), I just do enjoy it!

It’s a pity that one of the best Kelly’s performances is for a bunch of songs that wish to ride the modern rock wave, but it’s not enough to use guitar sounds like Nickelback. I’m sorry for Hansen and the musicians involved who with no doubt have worked with professionality, so that’s the reason of the higher rating you can read above.

http://www.frontiers.it

Z Records has been bringing in some big guns lately, Jani Lane, and Black n' Blue spring to mind, with, one suggests, a two fold intention, namely to widen their market share and to try and restore a reputation that took a mauling earlier this year. Still, a new album by the American branch of the ill-disciplined pony club came as something of a surprise.

The band's 1991 debut, "Bareback", a fine example of timeless blues based hard rock was buried in the Nirvana tidal wave, and to all intents and purposes a fine band exited stage left.

There is little information as to the age of "Dead Ahead" material though the label boss implies it was 1993 vintage with trimmings added over the ensuing decade. It matters little, opener "Can't get by" rolling in like Bad Company jamming with Aerosmith, Rick Steier's guitar lines drawing on the best of Perry and Ralphs,while John Levesque's Rodgers/Hagar with a touch of Tyler voice remains excellent, and begs the question as to he has been heard so little over the last 10 years. A curious state of affairs.

" Ride on" is Aerosmith circa "Rocks" with a nod and a wink at Asphalt Ballet, driven hard by the Jeff Pilson and James Kottak rhythm section, as is the bump, grind, tongue in any cheek " Live it & give it".

"Vancouver Mover" is boys will be boys derring do and a monstrously infectious riff from the underrated Steier, while " What's this thing" is a towering slice of Bad Company raunch and quite frankly should be all over the radio.

"Rebel Road" is a big-well huge- ballad that, while rather good, owes so much to Johnny Van Zant's "Brickyard Road" that one suspects JVZ might wish to administer a whupping to all the suspects involved.

At a guess "When will it end" may be part of the later trimmings, the sound being dirtier, less widescreen, and Levesque's vocals being rawer, as may be the riff and roll of "Never goin' home", while the almost punky rush of "Asphalt Ribbon Fever"  while infectious seems a little out of context.

Whether or not there will be live shows or another album are moot points, but in the meantime "Dead Ahead" is a worthwhile slice of swagger.

http://www.zrecords.net

Andrew Paul

A number one album in the UK with sales approaching 400,000, shows with Robbie Williams, Deep Purple, and mainstream TV shows that would normally never touch a rock band, while they've been featured in printed media from Kerrang to the Daily Telegraph and all points between.

Yet, with such achievement under their belt( glittering naturally) with what is after all a debut, The Darkness attract a whole swathe of negative criticism from much of the audience that should welcome them with open arms. There are complaints that they are not musically special. So what? If being musically special was a requirement whither AC/DC and Gordian Knot would be the biggest band on the planet.

Then there are complaints about singer Justin Hawkins keening falsetto, and rock god posturing. His falsetto is no more of an irritation than Paul Stanley's , and in an age of pc right-on anti-rock stars, a singer who dresses and acts like Freddie Mercury and David Lee Roth's lust child is a blessed relief.

This album is not rocket science, it's blazing AC/DC riffing ( "Black Shuck")  from Hawkins and his twin brother Dan, with a nod and wink at prime time Queen and Thin Lizzy. It's big hooks, it's flash and bloody flamboyant, and any band that combines all that into a song called "Love on the rocks with no ice" is alright by me.

Songs like " Get your hands off my woman" and "Growing on me" are designed for Saturday nights, for feeling good, for forgetting troubles and tribulations, and celebration, and after a musical age of whine and bleat what's wrong with, to coin a phrase, nothing but a good time.

The Darkness are succeeding through hard work, talent, and tapping into what the mainstream public wants from a hard rock band. Congratulate them, and hope this opens the way for other bands with a touch of flash and a desire to entertain with hard rock.

There's one question one must raise, how did they get the Queen's fox of a granddaughter, Zara Philips, to pose for the cover?

Andrew Paul

This is one of the strangest cds I ever listened to, sort of soundtrack for no movie, an eclectic and varied world of music cohordinated by Penny Nation Records with the warm and intense voice of Lydia (Mothers Favorite Child) as common feature of the sung tracks.

As written, within the eleven movements we find different music styles, mainly dealing with jazz and pop ("Mr Darwin", "Damn Alright", "Lake"), but also Brasilian rhythms ("Pramahna"), with an intense use of electronic used with intelligence and skill, but also having almost nothing to spare with the genres usually hosted in my pages.

An ideal soundtrack that until the track 56 (yes, just 56, but from 20 to 55 they are zero seconds slots!) can serve as good background for trips that I never made and never wish to do, or good for who likes to listen to music as a friend messing with other jobs, but is tired of what radios are used to pass.

Please go to their site because it’s really nice!

Contacts: www.pennynation.com