Michael Mills Band - Stand Up (Album Review)

Honest, roots driven rock and roll with every single American music flavoring. That is how one might describe the Michael Mills Band. Their first full length album comes out March 20th via Sony/Orchard Music. This is the kind of music that was once prominently played on American mainstream rock stations before the grunge apocalypse and the free music downloads era. Technology has dulled the senses of music fans across genres and has made music like Stand Up seem nostalgic and at the same time revolutionary. I mean, here is a band who can play their instruments proficiently. Thankfully there is a radio underground of sorts that occupies frequencies on the lower end of the FM dial near your local NPR affiliate.

The album comes out of the gate with the title track, "Stand Up". Led by a driving acoustic guitar and an affirmative refrain and chorus, the track is an instant singable, dance floor romp  infused with simple, honest rock and roll sensibilities. Band leader Michael Mills is the lead vocalist who also plays guitar along with band mate Jesse Godoy who handles lead guitar and helps write the songs. Mark Weiss plays the Hammond B3, Scot Campbell mans the bass and Ron Ravicchio keeps the beat behind the drum kit. Track two, "Feel It" oozes with soul, a beautiful slower melody adorned with soothing harmony vocals. "Real Good Thing" is a traditional blues number which showcases some amazing guitar work from Godoy. It's bluesy acoustic slide playing at it's finest. "One More Alone" shifts again to a cool opening back beat coupled with an infectious guitar lick. Mills commands the microphone with his seasoned, confident delivery.

"I'm Not Sorry" is a slow blues burner that again features Godoy, who drains all kinds of emotion from his guitar. Again Mills delivers a show stopping lead vocal. "My New Woman" combines all of the aforementioned elements into a hybrid swampy blues meets southern soul tune that is one of the album's high points. There's even an amazing harmonica break that intermingles with the acoustic slide. "My Baby Drives" continues the perfect run of Americana soaked in slide guitars and harps with Mills singing his butt off even when the instruments go silent.  The blues are clearly the biggest influence on this music but there are pop and rock sensibilities that make these tracks far more listenable than your average mundane blues outing.

"Big Black Car"  reminds me of the classic blues track "Shaky Ground". It has a huge guitar hook, and some soulful vocals and a wonderful saxophone solo. "Love Is Ahead of Me" slows things down. A graceful, soulful track featuring mostly unplugged instruments along with a sunny blend of vocals that seem to rain down from all directions. This album truly has something for everyone. The blues get cranked up again on " I Know", with it's blistering, yet sophisticated clean guitar introduction. The song then settles into a groove where Mills is singing alongside horns and lead guitar fills. Definitely another highlight on this record.

"You Can't Hide" takes a left turn away from a traditional blues sound to a more straight ahead rocker. Kinda like Secret Agent Man finds his blues mojo. "Chasing These Blues" is track number 12 and the band finishes on a rockin' note with guitars blazing. A stubborn guitar riff that eventually breaks into a very creative and complimentary solo. This is jam band terrain for live shows. In fact the whole album is the kind of music that can be recreated for a live audience, the kind of folks who appreciate real music played to near perfection. The Michael Mills Band have recorded some excellent blues based rock and roll for the new decade. Lets hope and pray this the beginning of a revival that inspires others to follow in their footsteps.

Album rating 9.6

Harem Scarem - Change The World (Album Review)

It's really hard to not heap loads of praise onto this Canadian band. They've been at this for over 30 years. And they continue to define the melodic rock genre. There are few bands that continue to evolve without either losing their creative mojo, or exiting the genre altogether. Harem Scarem is almost all by themselves in that designation. Their new album Change The World continues their lonely journey of obscure greatness. The tragedy that more people don't know about this band should be headline news. The creativity between band leaders Harry Hess (Vocals, backing vocals and keyboards) and lead guitarist Peter Lesperance reaches new levels on this new album.

The opening hooks on the record's title track set the stage for what can only be described as a glorious outing brimming with creativity and confidence. Aftershock follows with it's instant groove and Hess's layered vocals, borrowing pages from Def Leppard and Journey, while at the same time devising something new. You can feel the rhythm section throughout this project which is manned by Mike Vassos on bass and Creighton Doane on drums. Some bands would cherish to have a few of these tracks on one album, whereas HS has an entire album filled with them. Pick a song, and it's likely a radio friendly single.

Such is the case on Searching For Meaning. This outfit shuns the melodic rock by numbers approach. Instead, there are gentle shades of pop and modern rock. A great example of this would be on The Death of Me, with it's cranium occupying chorus and it's slightly darker musical refrains. Hess's desperately urgent vocal delivery adds an element of drama without being droning or cliche. Mother of Invention comes closer to a melodic rock power ballad with it's ginormous hook and Hess's soul stirring lyrics. Peter Lesperance adds a perfect guitar solo. No Man's Land departs some from the larger wall of sound for a slightly sparse rocker that fills in off and on with large guitar lines. This music dances on the edge of progressive rock while retaining it's fluent melodic prowess.

In The Unknown just feels like an accessible hit record from any other time period. It's intro set's up a song you can instantly sing and feel. Upon hearing this you might experience a heavy heart as you remember a time when music like this had a home on rock radio. Riot In My Head contains some distinctively progressive guitar leads which buoy a song that sounds like nothing else you've ever heard. Hess typically wrecks the chorus (in a good way) on almost every song which further implants this music into your subconscious. The guitar solo is another delicious add-on. No Me Without You is a Harem Scarem style power ballad. A tune with more air and less guitar but haunting and completely in line with the material on this record. Fire-Gasoline relies on some very creative guitar riffs to get it's point across while its melody takes a hard progressive turn with bursts of drama, but still skirting the dreaded doom rock format. Harry Hess's voice is it's own unique instrument and on it's own it elevates the originality of this music. Swallowed By The Machine concludes this collection of near perfect rock music as a possible warning regarding technology or political ideology or even war.

Harem Scarem started their career at the beginning of the grunge apocalypse and suffered greatly because of it. After 30 years this level of creativity has only been maintained by a handful of bands. Their passion for writing note combinations that have yet to be heard, coupled with lyrical themes that are provocative and complimentary, is nearly unprecedented. It's hard not to love what this band represents. They are not some melodic rock Johnny come lately. They are the encyclopedia Britannica of perfectly executed melodic rock with many challenging twists and turns. And after 30 years this band still deserves a hearing, no matter what the music industry says.

Album rating 9.9

Change The World gets released on March 6th, courtesy of Frontiers Music.

AOR - Heavenly Demos (album review)

French musician Frederic Slama is not a household name here in the United States. But he has a worldwide audience. His passion for adult oriented rock (AOR, in the old days it was called album oriented rock) has resulted in some stunning collaborations over the years. Many of these have gone under the radar but are being brought back to life. Perris Records recently unearthed "Heavenly Demos", a collection of Slama tunes featuring an all star cast of musicians from the golden age of AOR. Fourteen tracks featuring singers like Paul Sabu (Only Child), Jeff Scott Soto (W.E.T., Journey, Sons of Appollo), Sarah and Melissa Fontaine (Chasing Violets), Chris Antblad (Spin Gallery), Phillip Bardowell (Unruly Child) and Goran Edman from Street Talk. 

To go through the history behind this music would take too long. In fact it might be more interesting to come at this as something new and fresh. Think of Slama as a great arranger, writer and assembler of musical talent. Think of AOR as the ultimate project band. And then listen with all your senses. Rather than delve into each track, I will highlight the ones that make this disc worth owning.

Sensation has an instant 80's groove as if it were meant for a movie soundtrack from the era. Great guitar solo and some funky guitar licks featuring vocals from Goran Edman. Journey and Toto fans will really dig The Smartest Girl In LA, sung in part by the amazing Jeff Scott Soto. Soto handles the chorus, the rest of the track is just jamming. Hence this is why the album is called Heavenly Demos. Brittany is another arena rocker with some tasty guitar licks featuring the vocals of Phillip Bardowell. The tune smooths out into an edgy west coast rocker. One Foot In Heaven features the great Tommy Denander on guitar and the vocals of Kevin Chalfant. Again, the demo here just contains the chorus which allows the listener to really dig into the instrumental part of the song.

The Price To Pay features two top notch European vocalists, Hank Erix from the band Houston and Goran Edman from Street Talk. Guitars from Michael Landau. Pure melodic rock bliss. Singer Steve Overland (FM) sounds awesome on Waiting In The Darkness, another singable gem with excellent instrumentation and harmony vocals, likely double tracked from Overland. Vocalist Michael Kisur stars on Last Days In San Francisco, a surprising acoustic/folk tune featuring Frederic Slama on all instruments. Kisur returns for the overtly political Just Forget The American Dream. Provocative lyrics and Slama doing the entire arrangement. It's part west coast and part melodic rock. Smooth west coast vibes are found on The Reflection of My Heart sung by David Chamberland.

This is one of those projects that covers a lot of ground. The demo style production is a nice throwback to the days where the mix was less cluttered and ear friendly. The guest musicians coupled with Frederic Slama's AOR vision of excellence comes through loud and clear. A very solid collection of melodic rock nostalgia for those who cherish the past while living in the present.

Album rating 8.8

Khymera's Master of Illusions (Album Review)

Khymera is another fantastic project band from the Frontiers Record label. The concept has evolved over the years. But the constant force driving the music in recent years is a gentleman by the name of Dennis Ward. Ward has worked with both Pink Cream 69 and the mighty Magnum. Prior to Khymera, Dennis was more of a background vocalist. He's evolved into a formidable singer with a passionate delivery who also handles the bass guitar. The band is ready to release their 5th album and their first effort in nearly 5 years.

The comparisons are easy to make. Def Leppard, Journey, Signal, 707. These are reference points to this music but it doesn't tell the whole story. This is certainly today's modern melodic rock. There are driving guitars, relentless drumming and Ward's potent vocals. Guitarist Michael Klein provides a certain crunchy, locomotive presence that propels these songs to a higher place. Also of note is veteran keyboardist Eric Ragno. He repeatedly demonstrates good taste in where he decorates these songs with varying degrees of classic and modern keyboard sounds. Drums are handled by Pete Newdeck who keeps perfect time with the aforementioned keys and guitars. This is a strong, seamless tandem of professional musicians making memorable and unique melodic rock.

"Walk Away" is the lead off track and first single and it is a fairly upbeat rocker with a smattering of lush vocal touches and Ragno's modern keyboard flourishes.  "The First Time" is firmly rooted in the 80's rock tradition with a slow introduction followed by a more mid-tempo pace. The chorus is peppered with "whoa-o's" that are all well placed. Klein's guitar solo is melodic and fits perfectly. The more Dennis Ward sings, the more you might think Joe Elliott or someone like Joe is lurking in these grooves. The album's title song is infused with some progressive keyboard flourishes and a somewhat airier musical landscape. Khymera clearly has it's own sound. There are other recognizable touch points, but the production straddles a line between pop and progressive.

Another example of this is on the next track, "The Sun Goes Down". Same M.O. but with some new-wave influences. Much of it has to do with the way the guitars and keyboards co-mingle. "Paradise" is a track that opens some doors both musically and lyrically. The lyrics paint a picture of a false paradise where we are ruled by our own limitations. The music starts soft but grows into a rush of guitars and drums layered over some comfortable twists and turns. "The Rhythm of My Life" explores a few more introspective ideas and delivers on the chorus "gotta get back". A flood of Mutt Lange-ish vocals rain down from the musical heavens.

"Follow The Sun" is more straight forward and hard rocking without being muddled or too heavy. It also contains a rather large chorus and some great drumming courtesy of Pete Newdeck. "Father To Son" is a heart wrenching story set over a lush array of acoustic and electric guitars. This is the big slow one on the record. It eventually fills in with bigger guitars and string sounding keyboards. "After All This Time" combines modern keys and a heavy-pop rock melody. More big chorus-y vocals and a tasty guitar solo from Klein. "Victim of Your Love" continues a nearly flawless set of catchy, memorable melodic rock music. Last but not least is the guitar driven "Just Let It Happen" combining harder rock elements with pop arrangements.

Two things about this album. First, these songs will grow on you quickly. Secondly, the arrangements are well thought out musically and don't mirror a specific band to the point of plagiarism. This is the kind of music that should be on the radio, with any one of these songs being isolated to be played next to anything classic in the rock genre. Too many times in the last 20 years, people have been overly dismissive of worthy attempts like this. When in fact they ought to be listening to a band like this along with their old staples. This is another excellent record in the now fairly long Khymera tradition.

Album rating 9.5

Master of Illusions comes out via Frontiers Music on March 6th

The Outlaws Return With Surprisingly Good New Single

Southern Rock Will Never Die is a brand new song by legendary southern rockers, The Outlaws. With just two original members, Lead Vocalist Henry Paul and drummer Monte Yoho, the band is a different animal compared to their Florida guitar army days with the late great Hughie Thomasson at the helm. The history of this band runs right alongside the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special. The Outlaws have managed to rehab the brand name since Hughie went off to be with the Ghost Riders In The Sky.

A few years back the band put out "Legacy Live", a very impressive, high quality recording of the band doing what it has been doing for the last 45 years or so. I ended up purchasing a copy of it and was blown away by the musicianship and the overall sound quality of these classic live recordings. The band has picked up where they left off with their new song which might be their best material since the very under appreciated Diablo Canyon album. In fact this new song is a modern day southern rock anthem featuring a fired up Henry Paul and the twin guitar attack of both Dale Oliver and Steve Grisham.

The band's record label is a German based outfit who value high production value. They also just released the new Molly Hatchet double live CD. It appears that fans in that part of the world value southern rock a tad more than Americans these days. In any event, this is how you keep a brand alive. You do it with great performances and quality recordings. Fans of southern rock can look forward to a new album "Dixie Highway" dropping on February 28th.

Rating 8.7

Treatment - Power Crazy (Album Review)

When I first heard the Treatment I thought someone was playing a practical joke on me. These punky looking dudes from The UK, cranking out power chords like their older brethren from Australia. As I dug deeper I realized it was for real. I had found some truly amazing next-gen power chord perfection. So I am here to testify of the wonder of The Treatment!

Power Crazy is the band's third full length album courtesy of Frontiers Music. There are 12 rather immaculate rock and roll tracks that tap into the primordial ooze that got Angus and Malcolm a record deal 40 something years ago. And if you are thinking there is a downside to this, well I can't think of one. The album title and cover will immediately make you think of Powerage by their Australian proteges, but okay, so what? Wait 'til you hear this stuff.

"Let's Get Dirty" gets the party starting with a rebellious call to the dirty "way of the world" living. Why this isn't all over rock radio everywhere is a criminal offense. "Rising Power" continues the high voltage tirade but the tempo is even faster. There is a touch of vintage punk rock rebellion here. "On The Money" is slightly bluesier and a bit more contained but still rocks. Guitars are managed by both Tagore and Tao Grey, which also reminds me of that other band who used to do it this way before poor Malcolm left this mortal coil.

The rhythm section is manned by Dhani Mansworth (drums) and Rick Newman (bass). These two guys keep the train running at full steam. The Treatment designs every riff to be rock and roll friendly. "Bite Back" is another radio ready call to controlled chaos. Lead Vocalist Tom Rampton is a slightly more polite version of Bon Scott. He handles his role like Rocky Balboa's replacement. "Luck of The Draw" and "Waiting For The Call" are both more slower burning blues-rock anthems align a bit more with the British rock tradition. Whereas "Hang Them High" and "Scar With Her Name" are crisp hard rockers that mix AC/DC and a small dose of Cheap Trick and Aerosmith.

"King of The City" almost needs the chorus of "Oy!" at the beginning. Once the song leaves the station it's a freight train. "Lay It Down" has a rock, then pause intro that hints at "Whole Lotta Rosie". And even though there is a ton of AC/DC in this music, there is also a modest funky, punky undercurrent to all of it. "The Fighting Song" sounds like another radio gem. A great intro, followed by some tasty power chords and great vocals by Tom and crew. "Falling Down" is song 12 and it is far less derivative than the others. I can hear the Beatles and Cheap Trick in a few of the hook lines but with a harder rocking style. Again, no down side to see or hear here!

The crazy thing about Power Crazy is that few people have ever heard it. It was here in 2019 and then it retreated back to the internet for music junkies like myself to unearth. If you enjoy no frills hard rock with a serious nod to AC/DC, this is your ticket to ride.

Album rating 9.8

Album Review: Dream Child's Until Death Do We Meet Again

Okay, so I'm a couple of years too late on this review. Technically about 18 months. This album came and went rather quickly and I had forgotten about it until recently. I decided to go back and give it a good workout. Ronnie James Dio was a one of a kind performer. In fact the only way to be faithful to his memory is by hologram. That's what Dio's widow is up to these days. She's helped design a show for Dio fans who want the experience of seeing her late husband in his prime.

For those of us who might enjoy something more forward looking, the band Dream Child might be the next chapter in the Dio story. Former Dio band members Craig Goldy (guitar), Rudy Sarzo (bass) and Simon Wright (drums) decided to make some classic music that according to Goldy, was no longer being made. He was urged to capture the spirit of bands like Rainbow, Deep Purple and early Whitesnake. The only ingredient missing was a vocalist. Enter Argentinian singer Diego Valdez. Scary but if you get rid of the e and the g in Diego's name, you get Dio. Coincidence? I think not. Wait 'til you hear the guy. While not a replica of Ronnie, his deep swagger works perfectly for this heavy and sometimes dark classic sound.

"Until Death Do We Meet Again" clocks in at almost 70 minutes of music. In the old days that would constitute a double album. This is hard rock played with the kind of confidence that is surely lacking these days. Craig Goldy's guitar immediately conjures up dark and mysterious spirits. But this is not a tribute band. This is forward looking and fresh with Valdez injecting a new enthusiasm. "Under The Wire" locks into a Deep Purple Highway Star groove with the rhythm section laying down a path for Diego as he growls through the opening verses. You could say that Dio is present as well but he's not always in the room. "You Can't Take Me Down" feels very Ozzy to me. Simon Wright's drum sound is mixed for maximum volume. There's even some Physical Graffiti style tempo changes very similar to "Kashmir". The other vibe is Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell". You can check so many classic rock boxes on this thing that you might lose track.

"Game of Shadows" starts with some creepy horror movie sounding vocals. It then breaks into a mid-tempo rocker with Diego growling through a very distinctive refrain. Goldy shreds the lead up to the solo and then takes you for an electrified roller coaster ride. Keyboardist Wayne Findley (MSG) shows up to augment with menacing synth and organ sounds. This is literally perfect music for a slasher movie. But it's not so dark that you can't just sit in awe of it. "It Is What It Is" benefits from some great tempo changes and a guitar riff that will be stuck in your head long after it's gone. More dark and scary but great playing all the way through. "Playing With Fire" has Goldy playing with a fatter guitar tone and Diego singing with a choir of Diegos making some beautiful noise together. The guitar hook is gritty and primal. "Light of The Dark" is a progressive rocker with Findley throwing down all kinds of sounds as Valdez barks over yet another brooding soundscape. Next is "Midnight Song". An instant guitar groove is perfect fodder for Diego as he shouts and hollers above the fray. This music rocks hard but still has enough air in it, allowing the listener to process what they are hearing minus the clutter and compression. There are a lot of great chord changes and solo guitar fills.

The album's title track is an epic progressive hard rock opus. The Sarzo-Wright rhythm section creates a foundation for Goldy and Valdez that recalls both Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. The 70's are showing up in a really constructive way. Kudos to Alessandro Del Vecchio for making this record accessible to the classic rock fan. "Washed Up On The Shore" is something Yes might do if they were a harder rocking outfit. Lots of progressive chord changes and a long instrumental intro leading to the vocal part. One of my favorite tracks on this record for sure. "In A World So Cold" is more crunchy, gritty hard rock with extra vocal harmonies, psychedelic keys and guitars. More of that Physical Graffiti meets Holy Diver sound.

If there ever was a perfectly written song for this band it's "Weird World". It begins with some news headline commentary and gives way to a mix of Gothic and progressive overtones. Diego Valdez is more than capable in any situation and Craig Goldy stretches his playing beyond expectations. This incredible album finally ends with nearly 9 minutes of progressive hard rocking goodness in form of "One Step Beyond The Grave".

The entire band is hitting on all cylinders as if they are just getting the old buggy cranked up to top speed. There isn't a bad track on this record. Quite honestly I wasn't really sure we'd ever hear this kind of music ever again. And at one point Craig Goldly was thinking the same thing. We should all be grateful that this group gave us at least one more glimpse into the progressive hard rock world of the past. This is one bold piece of classic rock treasure.

Album rating 9.8

Waiting For Monday Is Classic Rock Gold! What A Record!

Waiting For Monday is Rudy Cardenas on lead vocals, August Zadra on guitar and vocals, Walter Ino on guitars, keys and vocals, Eric Baines on bass and Joe Travers on drums. Not too long ago they caught the ear of Jeff Scott Soto (Soto, Talisman, Journey, W.E.T.) who apparently referred them to the Frontiers Music record label. Cardenas is originally from Venezuela. Zadra is the touring guitarist for Dennis DeYoung. With talent like this on board, the project was almost guaranteed to be a success. This is melodic rock that borrows heavily from the likes of Styx, Foreigner and Journey but with it's own original vibe. The band will release their debut self titled album on February 14th.  This sounds like the kind of music you heard on rock stations back in the 1980's.

Ear candy abounds starting with the Journey-esque Raised on Radio styled "Until The Dawn".  The keyboard part is right out of Be Good To Yourself. The intro to "End of A Dream" recalls Tesla's Love Song or Just Take My Heart by Mr. Big. It then breaks open into a heartfelt rocker about broken dreams. Zadra straps on an acoustic guitar for "Shattered Lives", a mesmerizing tune that bursts out with big choruses and large easy to sing hooks. There is a real organic quality to this music. You can imagine these tracks performed live, like on the next song, the sentimental power ballad "Found You Now". This is throwback music with new twists and turns.

"Right In Front of You" borrows it's opening hook from Bon Jovi's "She Don't Know Me", but then settles into a less derivative melody while holding on to that familiar keyboard part. This sounds like August Zadra on lead vocals. His stints playing the Tommy Shaw parts in Dennis DeYoung's band have more than prepared him for this moment. "Must Have Been" sounds like an unreleased Steve Perry song. The instrumentation here is SO Journey you might wonder if the actual band might want to steal it. Rudy's vocal chops shine brightly as he attempts to replicate The Voice. "Pick Her Lies" is yet another well written song that starts acoustic and progresses into a powerful mid-tempo rocker with soulful guitar leads. I can almost hear Max Carl (Former .38 Special) singing this one.

"Inside Your Head" is a rocker that mixes Cheap Trick and Styx and is instantly singable. These guys have fully developed songwriting ideas that are completely unique. Many bands would work at it for years before creating this caliber of original music. "Make It Better" is another catchy mid-tempo rocker with a nod toward Jimmy Barnes or John Cafferty. "Love You Forever" is a super soulful ballad that pilfers from the likes of Journey and Michael Bolton. These are songs that will stand the test of time. "One More Round" is your last call song on this collection, although the band offers up an acoustic rendition of "Found You Now" as kind of a bonus track. "One More Round" puts and exclamation point on an already superb group of well constructed songs.

As much as this is a rock album, it's also a pop record in the old tradition. Traditionalists will feel very comfortable putting these songs on a mix CD with their well worn favorites from days gone by. This album is a repeat player. There is nothing but net here. Sweet harmonies, feel good songwriting and top notch musicianship. Waiting For Monday has been well worth the wait.

Album rating is a 9.0

Dirty Shirley Debut Is A Classic Rock Smorgasbord

 A crazy thing continues to happen in places like Croatia. Classic rock. Dino Jelusic fronts a band called Animal Drive and lives in Croatia. Now for those who are geographically challenged, let's just say it's somewhere east of Italy. In truth it doesn't matter. What matters is many great musicians are beginning to emerge from places like Croatia. Dino will remind you of a guy who had a slightly shorter name - namely Dio! With that said, Jelusic has his own snarly, gritty, bluesy sound. Team him up with George Lynch and you get Dirty Shirley. Frontiers Music is on a roll.

The first single "Dirty Blues" is a how-to manual on how to create hard rocking bluesy melodic rock. Not only that, the song is catchy as hell. The band is rounded out by Trevor Roxx on bass and Will Hunt on drums. This record is going to blow you away!

Lynch is in the midst of a creativity boom. These songs brim with originality and dig into the Lynch Mob tradition without being too derivative. "Here Comes The King" is a lengthy guitar rocker with plenty of emphasis on Lynch's intricate guitar excursions. The song goes from warm to hot to warm back to hot again with Dino obliterating the lead vocals with the authority of a vintage Paul Rodgers or Roger Daltrey. He simply commands the mic.

"I Disappear" bubbles under with expectation, bursting out with monster vocals and great interplay from the rhythm section. There's even a Hammond organ back there adding even more depth to the track. As if Deep Purple and Dio had teamed up. Lynch then unloads his guitar into the stratosphere with trippy leads followed by a cacophony of noise. "The Dying" is one of the weirdest tracks (in a good way) on this record. Lynch finds a funky little riff that opens up into a big circus with Jelusic finding the right balance within all these different styles. "Last Man Standing" is a big rocker, with big hooks. It showcases Dino's vocal talents which in all honesty are on par with some of the great vocalists in rock history. "Siren Song" continues the perfect string of memorable hard rockin' tunes with Lynch finding new grooves to groove in. There's got to be a radio station in the world that will throw this into heavy rotation!

"The Voice of A Soul" proves to me that one album shouldn't have this many great songs. A touch of hard rocking Gospel music? I mean c'mon George. He's tapping into all kinds of elements and designing an album for every classic rock fan that ever lived. "Cold" just flat out rocks. It has a hook that will immediately grab you and shake you. "Escalator To Purgatory" definitely references Led Zeppelin and Tesla. The riff is so damn original. And Dino kills this track. The hooks are completely off the hook. "Higher" is another freak out track. George Lynch must have gone through all of his unused great riffs from his long career. This one rocks harder and Jelusic pushes his voice, which is to say he sings normally. He proves over and over again why everyone on the planet is lined up to work with him. "Grand Master" is another weird song with psychedelic acoustic guitars and vocal effects. This seems totally normal considering the album is filled with left turns and creative mojo. Another version of "Higher" (alternative cut) is added to the end. This version has more bass and is a little punchier than the other take. I guess if you liked the first version, you might end up liking this version even more.

In summary, don't underestimate how good this record is. Lynch kills it from start to finish. Dino Jelusic is a force to be reckoned with. The two of them have made a record that completely pillages everything great from the 70's and 80's. The production is clean and clear. The playing is crazy good. This is something you are going to need to hear. Each song is it's own musical country. It's tied together by an amazing vocalist who's paired up with one of the world's most underrated guitarists. You should be very curious about Dirty Shirley. This is not your average "project band".

Album rating 9.3

Edge of Forever's Native Soul Is Another Melodic Rock Gem From The Frontiers Record Label

Edge of Forever is kinda like the Frontiers house band. The group's front man, Alessandro Del Vecchio is becoming a household word even here in the states. If anything Frontiers probably overworks Del Vecchio. His production and writing credits are on literally dozens and dozens of albums the label has put forth. In a way this article is meant as kind of a bit of an apology to Del Vecchio. I have misunderstood much of what he does and after hearing Native Soul and the new Rev Saints album I have gained a whole new level of respect for Alessandro. Carrying a record label on your shoulders can't be an easy task. And with rock music not selling millions of copies, (most people stream everything anyway) it can't be easy to run a record label if you can't reinvest your earnings and hire a songwriting team, or a large production team. Del Vecchio ends up being a jack of all trades and a master of them all. His over exposure is a result of being in demand. He might be spread too thin. Or a new song here might sound a bit a like a song you heard on a record he produced 5 months ago. So when Native Soul came out last month, I pretty much skipped over it. I had already convinced myself that I didn't like it even though I had only spent a few dismissive minutes with it.

As it turns out, this newest effort by Edge of Forever is an excellent hard rocking ride into subjects that are on everyone's minds these days. There are decent sized hooks on this record. But the band actually takes a more progressive approach on many of these songs. I can hear older bands, especially Kansas (Think Monolith, but harder) and Deep Purple and even Winger. And I'll say this, if some of this record sounds a bit derivative it might be due to the fact that this guy has created a signature sound. For better or worse he's created the "Frontiers Sound" and I'll still take his production over many of the minor league melodic rock offerings that are quickly becoming irrelevant. Native Soul ends up being an upper echelon album that gets better with repeated spins.

Del Vecchio is joined by Nik Mazzucconi on bass, Aldo Lonobile on guitar and Marco Di Salvia on drums. This is a powerhouse lineup. The rhythm section sustains Alessandro's passionate vocals. Del Vecchio has only gotten more confident as a singer. He is somewhere between Joe Lynn Turner and Steve Walsh (from Kansas). "Three Rivers" is the acapella introduction that does something unique - it gets your attention! It's actually one of the most creative moments on Native Soul. The song's echoes are heard at the beginning of the album's title track as Del Vecchio sings potent lines about faith, perseverance and overcoming adversity.  Today's melodic rock world has learned a thing or two about songwriting from heroes like Steve Perry and Rik Emmett who both typically wrote powerful, optimistic songs. I actually got a few goosebumps during this song. It rocks hard and has two really scary good chord changes that illicit the right emotion to go with the lyrics. "Promised Land" is a tad airier with Del Vecchio's vocal riding over a melody that gets progressively grittier as the song moves along. Again, the track is surprisingly accessible and would fit nicely on the new Revolution Saints album.

"Carry On" contains some fast chord progressions and relentless drumming. The intro of the song also has a very modern sounding keyboard.  I can hear bits and pieces of "Highway Star" or some other uptempo Deep Purple tune. Meanwhile Del Vecchio is preaching about doing the best we can in the face of trouble. Aldo then breaks out his guitar and does his best Judas Priest (K.K. Downing) impersonation. Aldo Lonobile is a beast on this entire album. "Take Your Time" maintains a high level of intensity airing on the side of progressive hard rock. Lyrically Del Vecchio is telling us to stop and smell the roses, basically slow down and savor the good things. This is fairly cerebral stuff for melodic rock. The pounding melody is briefly interrupted by a note bending guitar solo and a creative psychedelic keyboard solo. A curve ball from the late 1970's.

"Dying Sun" is a bit more derivative in it's approach taking generic parts from the preceding material. Still a worthy guitar solo and fine vocals and lyrics. "Shine" opens quietly with just Del Vecchio and his piano. Things transition into a progressive power ballad with some acoustic guitars and clean, clear piano. "Shine" is certainly one of the stronger and more memorable tracks on Native Soul. "I Made Myself What I Am" is more prog-laden hard rock infused with some classical guitar lines and drum power angst. Again I hear Kansas and Deep Purple but louder. "War" is another spiritual song that pivots between dark and melodic elements. Del Vecchio continues to write as if he's trying to save the world. "Wash Your Sins Away" brings back the modern keyboard introduction which segues into an open, straight forward rocker about repentance and thankfulness. The lighter flavor allows Alessandro to inject some emotion into the performance. And then comes another blistering guitar solo from Aldo. These guys will never be a soft rock band! "Ride With The Wind" finishes this rather exhausting set of songs with a more hard rocking drums and guitar. There are a couple of really moody chord progressions that set a darker, more serious tone.

I'd have to say that this album belongs in the grower category. It would be easy to pass over this material quickly or give it a once through and decide you don't like it. There are so many interesting moments when you'll find yourself getting lost in the guitar work, or intently listening to Del Vecchio's lyrics. Even if you end up not being a fan of this album, the musicianship can't be argued with. These gentleman can play and sing their asses off. The heart of the melodic rock world is Edge of Forever. Alessandro Del Vecchio is in demand because he takes familiar 80's themes  and marries them to classical and progressive elements. Furthermore, there is enormous pressure on Del Vecchio and his record label to properly represent the past while attempting to forge a new path. Give this album a fair shake. The more you listen to this record, the better it will get. These four individuals bring enormous musical chops to this music. At the very least, this is an album for people who admire great musicianship. At the most, it's perfectly constructed melodic rock for a new decade forged by the most sought after producer in the business.

Album rating 9.6

The Revolution Saints Return With The Positive Soaring "Rise"

Revolution Saints return with their third album for Frontiers Records entitled "Rise". And it's another melodic rock oasis in a desert of mediocrity. As the old school rock scene continues to devolve and lose it's identity, bands like the Rev Saints are keeping the torch lit, albeit barely. Lead vocals are again handled by Deen Castronovo and Jack Blades from Night Ranger. Deen is the estranged drummer from the band Journey who's recently found greener pastures with the hard rock collective, The Dead Daisies. "Rise" is a logical continuation of the first two albums with the same emphasis on precise musicianship, soaring vocals and pounding drums. The in house production from Frontiers Music ends up working for The Revs. But admittedly some folks who follow the record label would prefer more outside help both with the production and the songwriting. With that said it appears Serafino Perugino's record label saved their best material for Deen, Jack and guitar whiz Doug Aldrich. Both Doug and Jack ended up helping out with songwriting, and I think that helped with the consistent sound of the album. There are more earth tones and the songs work well with Deen's soaring tenor.

To say the Rev Saints are part of the Journey family tree, would be an accurate statement. However, the drum sound is more rough and tumble and these boys end up making more noise in general. But it's easy to envision a new Journey record sounding like "Rise". There are many radio ready tracks on this album.

The lead single "When The Heartache Is Gone" is a straight out rocker with melodic keyboard flourishes and rich harmony vocals. Deen's vocal performance secures his place as the rightful heir to all things Steve - both Perry and Augeri. "Rise" is about optimism and overcoming adversity. Doug Aldrich toys with his guitar, bending the strings quickly and fluidly. The solo even has some stuff that sounds classical. "Price We Pay" has a nice low key intro that echoes Journey in the post-Perry era. The song is a duet between Jack and Deen and really has hit single potential with Aldrich channeling Neal Schon's soulful style leads.

The album's title track is a bit more of an uptempo headbanger about rising above the challenges of life. Alessandro Del Vecchio provides keyboards for this and other tracks. His main goal throughout the project is to give the sound some torque. The keys make these tunes far more interesting and melodic. "Coming Home" is a perfect example of this. Deen's vocal is gold and the melody really hits its stride on the chorus. This is another song for a rock radio format that values singing in the car.

"Closer" almost sounds like an outtake from the recent Gioeli Castronovo album from two years ago. The production is airy enough to allow the listener in to hear some passionate crystal clear vocals from Deen and some well placed harmonies from the rest of the band. Doug Aldrich lays down a vintage 1989 guitar solo which is icing on the cake. "Higher" is a rocker with both Deen and Jack throwing down some powerhouse vocals. The message and the lyric will recall the Damn Yankees, but the melody is far different from DY's "High Enough". These lyrics continue to be autobiographical for Deen Castronovo and Jack Blades who have both weathered various storms. The good news for everyone else is that it's totally relatable and inspiring.

"Talk To Me" is truly a standout track.  It has an atmospheric beginning which eventually settles into a memorable mid-tempo threesome between Jack, Deen and a sultry female vocalist. The song fades out with Deen holding court above Doug's guitar. The tandem is a great combination. "It's Not The End (It's Just The Beginning)" feels like the perfect next song, or an extension of what "Talk To Me" started to do. The sequence of songs makes perfect sense to me and really is helpful for the listener. So far the production on this record is clean and fairly uncluttered, shattering the notion that the Frontiers team is making everything sound cookie cutter. At times, in the past, this may have been true. At least on this record there is little evidence for that. Alrdrich completely shreds on "Not The End". I could have listened to a 12 minute version of this song.

"Million Miles" is a Journey fan's delight both with Deen's vocal and the guitar-keyboard interaction. Many of these songs would have been well suited for Revelation or Arrival. "Win or Lose" begins with a growl from Aldrich followed by Deen's faithful tenor. Castronovo has evolved into an elite melodic rock vocalist who puts smiles on the faces of people who haven't heard any decent new music lately. The end track, "Eyes of A Child" features a solo Jack Blades vocal and piano by Del Vecchio. It's a really nice song but feels a little out of place on this collection because of how stripped down it is. The strength of the melody and the message ultimately overcomes it's differences with the rest of the album and you'll be glad you heard it. Tommy Shaw co-wrote the song with Blades.

This is certainly a great third album. But make no mistake without Deen and Jack's involvement with this project, it might be another run of the mill melodic rock outing. Yes, the songs are mostly very good. But it comes down to veteran performers delivering the goods song after song. And if you boil it down further, it's the golden voice of the man who could be singing lead for Journey right now - Deen Castronovo. Of course I highly recommend this album for true fans of melodic rock.

Album rating 9.5

Station Returns With Another Amazing Indie Melodic Rock Masterpiece

Station is something of a weird phenomenon. They walk the streets of New York City as a melodic rock band in the year 2020. They play the local club scene, drawing hundreds of hungry rock fans both young and old. Vocalist Pat Kearney has a voice suited for absolutely every hair metal band you've ever heard from the 1980's. His range and singing style are somewhere between Kip Winger, Paul Stanley and the late Jani Lane from Warrant. His soaring style immediately brings back a flood of memories. The days when bands tried to outdo themselves with spellbinding performances and hook laden melodies. Guitarist Chris Lane has graduated from the Jack Black school of rock, churning out original riffs that will move your feet while staying securely lodged in your cerebral cortex. The rhythm section is firmly held in place by Emi Asta (bass) and Tony Baptist (drums).

To say this band is a throwback, would not do it justice. While other new melodic rock bands boast of being old school with a modern flair, Station has no modern flair. This is traditional, guitar driven melodic rock the way it once was. And this reviewer is happy to go back in the DeLorean with them and make history by honoring the past.

Their new album, Stained Glass contains eleven dazzling tracks with zero throwaway moments. If I were an 80's record label, I'd be signing this band yesterday. Their knowledge and respect for bands like Van Halen, Foreigner, Kiss and Warrant is apparent from the first note of their should be radio bound hit "A Matter of Time". Good lord, these boys write guitar parts. Intros, ginormous hooks, intricate solos, and pounding drums. With Kearney leading the party with his "she looks too good" refrain, the band is off to the bar to gawk, stare and coax the young ladies into paying attention. It can't be understated how far apart a song like this is from the crap that dominates mainstream rock radio today. It is possible for one song to completely wear you out and drain your senses to what might happen next. Remember, ten more songs to go!

"Emily" is next and she's a bit more mid-tempo, but easy on the ears and the eyes. The harmony vocals and the guitar solo are again, akin to some missing ingredient we've all forgotten about thanks to the current age we live in. "Never Enough" is a song either Winger or Warrant should have written. A breathtaking intro which goes full big power ballad with Kearney climbing up to really stratospheric altitudes flexing his vocal cords like a man looking for a challenge. "I See You Everywhere" takes it's time setting up a groove between bass, drums and guitar. It's a little grittier and maybe a shade darker than the previous songs. The guitar solo is a note bending treat. "Angel" is a slow album rock power ballad which utilizes some terrific acoustic and electric guitar interplay. The song is almost seven minutes long and would have only worked on 80's mainstream rock stations. A shorter edited version would be perfect for the top 40 of the same time period. The guitar solo is a gift from the guitar gods. Just incredible.

"Nothin' But Love" cranks up the volume again with a relentless groove that captures the rock and holler big chorus era. You can feel Journey, Van Halen and Skid Row all mixed together. "Still Here" is an Extreme-style acoustic rocker perfectly suited for the early 90's. You can hear some Bon Jovi in this one as well. "Burning Out Fast" employs an instantly catch riff both in the main melody and the bridge. The song has hit single written all over it. The guitar work and the production value soars above anything and everything. The acoustic guitars make a return for "I Need You Red".  The vocal arrangements give this track a delicate sense of urgency while maintaining a perfect balance between anticipation and satisfaction.

"Stained Glass" is a Zebra-Zeppelinish acoustic guitar instrumental that stands on it's own musical merits. A truly delightful headphone excursion. This leads into the album's closing salvo, an upbeat, last call for alcohol. "All You Need Is A Heartbeat" finishes things as strong as they began.

If you were wondering where all the hooks went, they are mostly in New York City. This band has a truly remarkable sense of build up and payoff in the song. The guitar solos are complimentary and ear friendly. The singing is urgent and powerful. And there are no catches to it. This takes from the best of the past and melds it into an original sound that feels like it picked up right where the 80's left off. Station might be one of the few bands that can refute the claim that rock is dead.

Album rating 9.7

Black Swan Makes A Big Splash On Their Debut Album

Black Swan is a modern day super group featuring a fine array of great rock musicians from days gone by. Singer Robin McAuley, guitarist Reb Beach, bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer Matt Starr. Each player has a remarkable pedigree and brings strong, confident musicianship to this project which will be released via Frontiers Music on February 14th. McAuley has spent time in Vegas employed as part of Raiding The Rock Vault. He also did a brief stint with the band Survivor a few years back. Robin's voice is remarkably in tact for a guy who recently turned 67. My personal favorite moment for Robin was his performance on the MSG power ballad "Anytime". A song that has been absent from mainstream rock stations for decades now.

Shake The World delivers 11 classic hard rocking tracks that tap the influences of all the musicians involved. This is hard rock that showcases the abilities of each member. Reb Beach scorches his guitar from the opening notes of the album's title track "Shake The World" as McAuley hits the high notes. Next is "Big Disaster", a melodic hard rocker with swagger. By comparison, these boys have certainly tapped into the sound of bands like Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio and early Dokken. After a few spins these tunes sound familiar as if they've always been there. Jeff Pilson and Matt Starr are a powerful rhythm section, creating a solid foundation for Beach and McAuley. You can hear this on the one track that reminds me of Beach's band Winger. It's called "Johnny Came Marching". The guitar break is lengthy and filled with some excellent twists and turns.

"Immortal Souls" clocks in at over 6 minutes and has a more subdued late night, dark road driving feel. It's almost something Ozzy would record. "Make It There" would make for a perfect top 40 ballad if it were 1988. A great melody coupled with some excellent heartfelt lyrics and singing. McAuley's voice has aged well. "She's On To Us" gets back to that slightly funky hard rock groove that these boys seem to enjoy laying down. Gritty, greasy, glammy. For fans of real rock, there appears to be no filler at all on this record. "The Rock That Rolled Away" is another molten slab of blazing guitars and punishing drums. There's even some big choruses that will recall the production style of the late Bruce Fairburn.

Reb Beach shreds the opening to "Long Road To Nowhere" which eventually settles into a very Dio-esque song with a high octane driving melody and beat. "Sacred Place" has Beach imitating the great Neal Schon on the song's intro followed by some plucky melodic syncopation with McAuley's convincing vocals. The lyrics and melody really channel the Scorpions in a good way, and you'd expect Robin McAuley to do that more often than not.

"Unless We Change" plays coy with an orchestral beginning which transitions to another melodic uptempo rocker again showcasing McAuley's boundless vocal energy. "Divided" is the last song on Shake The World. It's piano music bed eventually gives way to searing guitars and and big vocals. A song that could have been a straight up power ballad, but the band threw a nice curve ball in about halfway through.

A perfect way to finish off one of the better start to finish rock albums in recent memory. Robin McAuley's voice is something to behold. The production on this album will give real rock fans hope. The attention to detail and quality songwriting are only eclipsed by the superb playing of everyone involved. This super group is truly super. This might end up being your favorite hard rock album of 2020.

Album rating 9.4