Danger Zone - Shut Up! (Pride & Joy Music) Album Review

Italian hard rock band Danger Zone is out with their 5th album called Shut Up. These 11 new songs are a combination of hard rock, AOR and bits of hair metal and glam rock. These guys are unapologetically 80's in their approach. They borrow from artists like Ratt, Def Leppard and Alice Cooper.

Giacomo Gigantelli sings like he was born on LA's Sunset Strip. Two parts whisky, one part gasoline. The band is truly focused on bombastic guitar hooks, loud drums and lush keyboard sounds. This collection of songs is a wonderful throwback to a better time.

There are several tracks that will get your attention. "I Like It" is an excellent hard rocker, followed immediately by the soaring "Evil" that will instantly stick in your cranium. "I Don't Care" is the most Ratt-like song, with guitarist Roberto Priori channeling the late Robbin Crosby. But this album has some mid-tempo songs that are almost AOR in nature. 

The subtle "Tell Me The Truth" fits this description. Pierre Mazzini's keyboard parts are nice on the ears and add depth to an already convincing melody. "Too Late" has a Foreigner vibe to it, think the Inside Information album. It's a borderline ballad with a middle of the road pace and some sweet vocalizing from Mazzini and Gigantelli. "Run From The Madness" is a 3/4 all out rocker with some orchestral elements and a Priori guitar solo that kicks butt! "I'll Make It Right" had me at the intro. The melody sets up nicely followed by more large hooks, big chorus-y vocals and those warm keyboards. 

To summerize, all eleven tracks have something to offer. The writing is strong. The instrumentation is full and big without being over produced or over compressed. A band like this would be all over the radio in 1986. But we live in a post-melodic rock world. And gems like these are made without much fanfare these days. Do yourself a favor, Shut Up! and get yourself into the Danger Zone. You won't be dissapointed.

Album Rating 9.6/10

Winding Road - Fill My Sails (Pride and Joy Music) - ALBUM REVIEW

Swedes Jan Hedlund and Magnus Akerlund are unknown to American audiences. This is another project released by a great melodic rock record label called Pride & Joy Music. This is old school rock radio material. The hooks on this record are persistent. The lead off track "Close My Eyes In Tokyo" should be on the radio. Where and who is besides the point. To make a song this good with nobody knowing about it, is criminal. "Fill My Sails" also finds a groove between progressive, melodic and west coast. There is plenty of guitar muscle throughout this wonderful record. "I'm Alive" is more a mid-tempo burner that has several great chord mutations. These melodies aren't perfectly predictable. This template holds true on all 11 tracks. The synth laded "Love's Walking Out of Sight" is a true 80's love affair. This is unapologetically catchy. These guys have a knack for this stuff. "Devil's Daughter" even adds an old school sax to an already super bouncy melody that is pure bliss. Other highlights include "Jackie Lee" and the power ballad "When The Lights Go Down". Fans of phase 2 classic rock will love this album. It's ear candy and it's musically uplifting! 

Album Rating 9.4/10

A Never Ending John's Dream - Coming Back To Paradise (Album Review)

A Never Ending John's Dream is one of the most original and persuasive things I've heard in recent years. Progressive melodic rock with memorable hooks and plenty of guitar and keyboard flourishes. A true tour de force!

The album's title track, "Coming Back To Paradise", would be a mega-hit in a better time. The band that hails from Barcelona Spain, borrows slightly from bands like Rush, Asia, Pink Floyd and Saga. But the heart of this band is it's own. The songs carry heavy subject matter that is personal, spiritual and extisential. As if these seriously songs need some proper subject matter. 

"Equilibrium" is a great example of this as it leans heavier and more progressive. David Vidal's guitar work combined with the sweeping keyboard sounds of Xavier Miro are the backbone of this audacious sonic landscape. The rythmn section of Joan M. Heredia (drums and lead vocals) and Paul E. Schuster (bass) round out this powerful band. Other big highlights include "I've Lost My Dreams", "Save Me From Myself" and "Sad Winter". 

But honestly, this is album plays from start to finish as one grand opus. The soaring vocals, the masterful playing, brilliance is all over this. It's like nothing else I've listened to. For that reason, Coming Back To Paradise gets a perfect 10! A must have for your collection in 2024.

Album Rating 10/10

Alicate - Heaven Tonight (Pride & Joy Music) ALBUM REVIEW

Old school rock is dead here in the USA. It's the doom filled dark music that has occupied the landscape since the onslaught of flannel and ripped denim. But in Sweden things are different. There are bands still trying to pick up where 1991 left off. Alicate is one of those bands. I latched onto their work a couple years ago when they released "Butterfly". Rather than trying to ruin a good thing, Alicate continues their efforts to restore real melodic rock to the world. 

Their new album "Heaven Tonight" is a delightful mix of rockers and ballads. "Are You Ready" begins with a dash of Neal Schon-like soloing followed by an Alex Van Halen drum line. It has a similar welcome to the album feel as Van Halen's"Good Enough". The drums are relentless. The hooks are bold. The choruses and BGV's are solid and in the right places. "Under The Gun" sounds like Whitesnake and Guiffria, two bands that Alicate can definitely be compared to. The keyboards accent the gritty guitar riffs. "Heaven Tonight" is a mid-tempo rocker that has a bit of Triumph in it, think Never Surrender or Progressions of Power. 

Vocalist Jonas Erixon emulates all the great singers from a bygone era. He's more David Coverdale than anything else. "Big Time" is another possible hit single with an epic chorus. And the guitar solos are all tasty thowbacks that make you long for the days of big hair and muscle cars. "Ride The Storm" is another majestic ballad combining elements of Vandenberg and Whitesnake, with maybe a touch of Y&T. The melencholy guitars mixed with flute sounding keyboards make for an epic ride. 

"Dreaming" sounds like a rocked up Foreigner song. There are reference points outside these bands you know and love. And again, there is a lot of Whitesnake here from start to finish. "Dangerous" sounds like an outtake from Van Halen's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge with a dash of Night Ranger and Dokken. 

This is an album you can annoy your neighbors with. It's definitely made to be played loud. "Hold On" is another would-be hit single for a top 40 station circa 1989. The bottom line is if you like what Whitesnake was doing at that time, Alicate is a continuation of that with their own spin on it. 

"Count To Ten" would be perfect for an 80's movie soundtrack. Big drums and keyboards married to the subject of "keeping the dream alive". The guitars are front and center. "You're Gone" is an elegant power ballad that soars and emotes with great strength and enengy. A perfect ending to a powerhouse melodic rock collection. This is one for all the fans of 80's rock radio. It will bring you right back there. 

Album rating 9.5/10