Category Archives: hard rock

PRIDE OF LIONS – Immortal

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‘Immortal’ is the fourth studio album from Pride of Lions, the melodic rock project pairing one-time Survivor keyboard player Jim Peterik and vocalist Toby Hitchcock.  Right from the release of their debut in 2003, the band have received almost constant praise from the melodic rock community – somewhat unsurprising, since Peterik is considered one of AOR’s finest songwriters.

On this 2012 record, Peterik’s ability to write eighties influenced melodies and hooky choruses is, as always, almost unparalleled.  Sadly, however, ‘Immortal’ suffers the same fatal flaw as all of Pride of Lions’ previous works: the listener has to endure the overbearing presence of Toby Hitchcock.  If you love his voice, you’ll love this, but if not, his purely theatrical approach can be very hard to take over prolonged periods.  Hitchcock’s voice is huge, but in many ways, it is just too huge. More suited to live theatre performances than singing on a melodic rock record, in terms of actual ability, he’s almost wasted here.

Across the album’s first three numbers, Petrik and his session guys (including Night Ranger’s Kelly Keagy) pull out all the stops to create rather fine AOR tunes, only to have their efforts dwarfed by Hitchcock’s booming voice at almost every turn.  By the intro of the fourth track ‘Shine On’, Toby’s voice borders on the unbearable.  Backed only with a piano at first, he booms and wails in equal measure, the stripped back music only highlighting his over-performing tendencies even further.  By the time the rest of the band join the arrangement and ‘Shine On’ actually finds a solid footing, various tried and tested melodic rock elements pull together effectively.  There are some great melodies, a strong chorus and a short but well played lead guitar break along the way – everything you’ve come to know (and love) from the AOR subgenre.

‘Everything That Money Can Buy’ takes Pride of Lions’ love of all things huge that step too far, as Hitchcock gets his vocal chops around a particularly nasty tune that sounds like the rock ballad equivalent of something from a Disney musical.  All strings and over-emoting, it takes melodrama to unchartered heights with its levels of pleading and reaching out to the listener.

One of the album’s better tracks ‘If It Doesn’t Kill Me’ has all hallmarks of Survivor’s eighties greatness: an instantly likeable chorus sits atop a superb mid-paced arrangement, over which the staccato lead guitar parts and occasionally stabbed keys (both played by Peterik) are impeccably played.  With a backing vocal fleshing out the chorus, even Hitchcock’s voice approaches something tolerable.

Of greatest interest to long time Survivor fans (and it’s likely those guys making up 90% of Pride Of Lions’ record buyers) is the song ‘Vital Signs’.  As you may expect, the song has roots in Survivor’s 1984 sessions.  Despite various attempts, Peterik never managed to finish the upbeat rocker to a satisfactory level…until now.  Its chorus section hits harder and faster than most of Survivor’s output, but the eighties origins are unmistakable in places.  The bell-like keyboard work during the opening verse has a very welcome eighties tone in particular.  Overall, although it’s a tad bombastic, it’s the absolute high point of this disc.

Toby Hitchcock has been heralded by many as AOR’s wunderkind, but his ability to over sing nearly every note in a purely theatrical way actually works to the detriment of at least half of these songs.  Rather frustratingly, on the flipside, the tunes are often fantastic, bordering on the best standard the genre has to give.  If only Peterik would take those tunes and work with somebody else, they’d be much easier to swallow.  There are hundreds of great rock vocalists out there – most of them would be more sympathetic than Mr. Showtune Foghorn.

September 2012

PLACE CALLED RAGE – Place Called Rage

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Both already well-known faces on the melodic rock circuit, in 1995, guitarist Al Pitrelli (ex-Widowmaker/Asia) and ex-Saraya drummer Chuck Bonfante teamed up with vocalist Tommy Farese and bassist Danny Miranda to create some new music.  The resulting album – recorded in just one week and released under the name Place Called Rage – was subsequently only ever released for the Japanese market.  That is until 2012, when UK label Escape Music picked up the licence and issued a remastered version of the disc, thus making it easily available for European audiences for the very first time.

‘I Know Where You Been’ lays the foundations for the bulk of Place Called Rage’s music.  Pitrelli offers up a meaty riff, mostly of the no-nonsense hard rock variety, while an old-fashioned layer of organ mixed with some bar-room piano and Farese’s strong and slightly raspy vocal delivery leans far more towards a classic brand of blues rock.  The arrival of a pitch perfect solo from Pitrelli mid-way ups the ante somewhat with a selection of noodly notes (again with an accent on bluesy hard rock) making a strong opener, overall.  Better still, ‘One Child’ is delivered with some solid bluesy foundations in a Little Caesar and (middle-period) Whitesnake fashion.  On this particular number, the no-frills production sound is beneficial in bringing out the natural sound of Bonfante’s drums, lending a real energy to the performance.   Those looking for something a little moodier may find enjoyment from ‘What These Eyes Have Seen’.  Again, there are many elements recalling classic seventies rock bands; the riffs are simple and uncompromising while another appearance from the organ just adds to the old-fashioned/classic mood.  Despite being rhythmically sound, it’s the two lead performances which ultimately win out.  On a slower arrangement such as this, Farese really gets the chance to shine vocally with his voice coming across like a raspy Glenn Hughes on occasion, while Pitrelli’s lead work is impeccable – shifting between hard bluesy notes and melodic metal shredding with ease.

Elsewhere, ‘Thunderbox’ celebrates a trashier rock ‘n’ roll sensibility with a simple riff and more organ backing.  As the track progresses, although it never gets any more complex on the surface, close attention should be paid to Miranda’s bass playing; between the unfussy pumping notes, he inserts fluid fills without ever sounding like he’s shoehorned them in for the sake of flashiness. His playing lifts the track above the status of “run-of-the-mill stomper”, even though a few of the lyrics seem destined to bring it crashing back to earth.   Beginning with a classy piano riff (played by Pitrelli, who handles all keyboards on this release), ‘Jenny Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ offers the listener something much softer than most of Place Called Rage’s stock-in-trade sounds.  On this co-write with AOR legend Mark Mangold, the piano, acoustic guitars and a live sounding drum create a simple – yet ultimately very satisfying – base which sounds a touch like the Faces with an early seventies vibe, before moving into something more hard rock based.  For the track’s second half, the realm of the rock ballad looms large, with Place Called Rage just about holding onto their retro-rock roots.  By the time Farese gets into things, it really ought to have been the album’s stand out track, but, in places, his raspy vocal is so overworked it makes difficult listening. [Luckily, recognising this track’s great potential, Pitrelli and Bonfante chose to re-record it with a far superior vocalist a couple of years later].

A true stand out, the band’s eponymously titled tune throws away the more obvious blues-rock chops for something very funky.  While Pitrelli’s main contributions stay as hard as before, bassist Danny Miranda really gets to show off his skills, offering up a truly funky bass riff almost consistently.  The political message within the lyrics comes across as rather heavy handed, but musically this is so good, that can be overlooked just enough for the whole package to remain enjoyable. Another of the album’s best numbers, ‘We’re Not Coming Home’ starts slowly, with a heavily filtered vocal meeting some clean-toned guitar.  By the time it kicks in, the band’s typical sound present, before being pushed a touch farther into a hard rock/funky blues direction.  This slight shift creates one of the album’s strongest arrangements – the kind which again would have suited David Coverdale in the early eighties.  While Pitrelli’s tone is great throughout (and a solo is greater) it is not always the music that is the most striking feature.  Unusually here, it is a few of its lyrics that make an impression, tackling the plight of the Jews during the Second World War…and somehow, they do so without, at the very least, seeming wholly misguided.  [While still not the best politically based lyric writing you’ll ever hear, on this pair or tunes, Place Called Rage achieves the rarity of fusing melodic rock and politics without any huge embarrassment.  The two things don’t always mix: see Gary Barden’s 2011 release for Escape for a howling example of “when rock music and political comment goes horribly wrong”].

Just as quickly as they formed, Place Called Rage subsequently disbanded.  Farese went on to work with Trans Siberian Orchestra and Miranda achieved success with the hugely popular Blue Oyster Cult.  For fans of this Place Called Rage disc, however, Pitrelli and Bonfante’s next move would be of much stronger interest…  After drafting in songwriter keyboard player Mark Mangold full time and hooking up with Tyketto’s vocalist Danny Vaughn, another, even stronger blues-rock band was born.  Taking the name Flesh & Blood, in 1997, that band’s sole release (‘Blues For Daze’) proved to be a logical continuation of the Place Called Rage sound (something truly cemented by including re-recordings of ‘I Know Where You Been’ and ‘Jenny Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’).

Reissuing this album was a smart move on Escape Music’s part, since although ‘Place Called Rage’ isn’t a bonafide classic – or indeed, quite as good as the Flesh & Blood disc – these gritty performances definitely should have been allowed to reach a larger audience the first time around.  For those who enjoyed the Flesh & Blood disc, Place Called Rage (both the band and album) provides an enjoyable companion piece.

August 2012

PRAYER – Danger In The Dark

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Finnish rockers Prayer issued their debut album ‘Wrong Address’ on the Escape Music label in 2005, before subsequently disappearing.  In 2012, the band name was resurrected, but only vocalist/chief songwriter Tapani Tikkanen remained from the band’s previous incarnation.  On this second album ‘Danger In The Dark’ – and with a completely new backing band in tow – Tikkanen reinforces any ideas that he’s the man in charge here, and while his songwriting chops are the kind which ought to please a fair few fans of the melodic rock genre, his vocal style may not be to everyone’s tastes.  Luckily, after a few plays, his slightly accented, warbling vocals take second place to the fact he clearly knows how to pen a good chorus.

Although Prayer have been likened to Canadian giants Saga, you won’t find a great amount of prog influences within the tunes that make up this release; the overall tone is more of the unashamedly pompy variety, offering a bunch of songs which combine reasonable amounts of power and melody.  Yes, the vocals could be a touch more melodic, but if you have a liking for twin guitars and blankets of keyboards, Prayer’s sound could still be strong enough to reel you in.

The melodic punch of the title cut recalls work of many AOR bands from the last gasp of the genre’s classic years (circa 1993), with the bass and keyboards taking a strong lead.  Throughout the number, those keyboards – played by Prayer’s second guitarist Valtteri Tikkanen – are used purely for musical colour, and as such, do a very good job.  Without them, the arrangement would seem somewhat lacking.  While the lead vocals aren’t the most tuneful, a strong chorus ensures Prayer begin on the right foot with a strong opening track. ‘Nobody Loves You’ has a striking intro, making excellent use of a twin lead guitar riff that recurs throughout.  It’s a shame more couldn’t have been made of it, since the moments between are a touch predictable, not moving too far from the blueprint laid down by the first track.  On the plus side, the lead guitar break – full of sweeping notes and a great tone – provides a little more enjoyment.   Although it provides no musical surprises, ‘Never Let Your Dreams Die’ is chockfull of hooky melodic elements, as Prayer ring as much power from a well-crafted chorus as possible and the band deliver another solid tune.  Once again, it’s the work of those guitarists which really makes the song stand up, with their twin riffing and some top-notch solo work.

After an intro where the music briefly takes a back seat, pushing Tapani’s voice to the front (sadly, the weakest element of Prayer’s sound), ‘Find Another Fool’ eventually blossoms into the one of the album’s strongest cuts.  An almost mechanical upbeat pulse replaces Prayer’s oft-favoured mid-paced approach; the guitars ring, the keys move between pompy chords and pure AOR tinkling, while again, the chorus is very strong.  By the time a twin lead guitar break fills the mid-section, it’s obvious that Prayer have a fair amount of talent: it’s just a shame the song couldn’t be tackled by someone with a stronger vocal.  That aside, it’s a great melodic rock track.  Another enjoyable offering, ‘It’s Not The End’, allows the bass more room in the mix, as Mika Pohjola leads a mid-paced, slightly swaggering rock number.  The vocals are a touch more restrained, the keyboards add an extra eighties vibe (always welcome), while the guitars bring a simple (slightly Thin Lizzy-esque) riff, topping things off nicely.  It’s not very complex, but therein lies most of the charm.

Although songs with the word “rock” in their title have the potential of being gut-wrenchingly embarrassing, Prayer manage to come up trumps on the unashamedly cheesy ‘Heart Wants You To Rock’, as they bring their listeners another (slightly different) variant of twin lead guitars and melodic keyboard work.  Without doubt here, the most enjoyable element comes from the track’s intro which is pure Thin Lizzy.  Still, if you’re gonna borrow something, borrow from the best!   Although this album has no obvious standouts, it’s not an album that includes anything truly awful either, but ‘KP’ – with softer sections which feature just vocals and keyboards – is somewhat trying.  Since those sections are designed to come across as the most emotive on this album and Tapani’s voice just isn’t strong enough to stand up with such minimal musical backing, it really lets this track down.  A lack of obvious chorus also works to the negative, making this particular four and a half minute number feel as if it is overlong.

Although not a classic release, ‘Danger In The Dark’ has solid enough foundations.  If you’re the kind of person who sets their expectations high when it comes to melodic rock, this will be an album you’ll likely spin a couple of times and then move on.  If, however – like the chaps at Escape Music – you have a fascination with lesser-known Scandinavian hard rock bands (and there are plenty of people out there over a certain age to which that definitely applies), you’ll probably find more than enough enjoyment here.

July 2012

CHRISTIAN MARTUCCI – Riding The Blinds EP

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You may not think you know Christian Martucci, but the Pennsylvanian multi-instrumentalist has worked with some very well known faces.  Aside from working with Dee Dee Ramone, Martucci’s credits also include work with Slipknot/Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor and a stint with Black President – an all star punk band which has included (at one time or another) Goldfinger’s Charlie Paulson, Bad Religion’s Greg Hetson and Lagwagon’s Dave Raun.

Since “Riding The Blinds” refers to hitching a ride without knowing the destination, it’s a fitting title for this EP – the first outing under his own name – since it opens a new musical chapter in his career; one which explores a different musical route. These four songs – pulling in at just over ten minutes – each shows off some great rock riffing, blending hard rock, glam-ish metal and a touch of punk (in attitude, more than actual sound), all well played and with a huge sense of urgency.  Martucci’s shouty vocal takes a while to really tune into, but it’s very much in keeping with the full-on approach dictated by the songs.

Charging ahead with a direct guitar riff, ‘I Don’t Mind The Faith’ has the most instant of the four cuts, combining a shouty chorus with a forceful growling vocal and some spot on rock ‘n’ roll soloing.  At scarcely two minutes, there is absolutely no padding…and it’s all the better for it.  It is instant, yes, but it doesn’t necessarily make it the strongest offering.  ‘Burial Song’s intro shows a larger degree of sophistication thanks to a dual guitar melody in the intro, while the rhythm second of session drummer Zak St. John  and bassist Carl Raether (of Joey Cape’s Bad Loud) get to tackle a tune with a touch more complexity.  After a few spins, ‘Burial Song’s (slightly) more intricate elements make it the pick of the bunch.

The other two numbers don’t always present any great musical shift, but both have their merits. ‘Snake Oil’s staccato riffing packs a punch, while a particularly carefree solo adds to the general trashiness.  Although maybe Martucci maybe ought to reign his voice in a little, the energy on show is palpable, which alone is just enough for Martucci and his cohorts to carry it off with ease.  With an uncompromising mix of metallic chugging and punky attack, the title cut is like a fist in the face, as Martucci tackles a heavy tune that could be described as sounding like New York Dolls re-imagined by Prong’s Tommy Victor.  The band adopt a similar tight but loose feel as per ‘Faith’, except any rock ‘n’ roll soloing takes a back seat for hard rock posturing, the kind which could have filled many LA hard rock tracks from just the late 80s.  Here, Martucci’s playing style combines flair and anger with great end results.

Short and sharp, ‘Riding The Blinds’ isn’t really an essential listen, but nevertheless, it  comes recommended if you like Duff McKagan’s Loaded, Buckcherry or similar high energy, trashy rock.  If you can tune into Martucci’s gravelly vocal style, you’ll like it even better…

The whole EP is available for free download via the Soundcloud link below.

July 2012

OXYGEN – Final Warning

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Swedish vocalist Tony Niva’s career got off to a slow start.  His first band Zanity recorded a demo which ultimately gathered no interest.  The following year, he collaborated with cult glam metal band Swedish Erotica [a wholly second division band whose 1989 debut contained one bright spark in the rather silly ‘Welcome To Rock ‘n’ Roll City’].   Following brief stints with more local bands with truly bad monikers, by the mid 90s, Niva was fronting his own eponymously titled band, which yielded one full length LP – 1994’s Japanese only release ‘No Capitulation’.  In 2011, Niva (the band) released second album, the appallingly titled ‘Gold From The Future’, a disc which, once again, failed to get a release outside of Japan.

In 2012, Tony reappeared as the frontman of yet another new band, Oxygen.   Oxygen’s debut release ‘Final Warning’ (released in the summer of 2012) may have been touted as a new release, but in fact, is just a repackaged version of ‘Gold From The Future’ aimed at the UK/European market.  Since few people actually heard ‘Gold’ the first time around, such a rebranding isn’t entirely unreasonable, and the Oxygen name fits much better with the album’s recurring environmental themes.

Kicking off with the mid-paced rock of ‘Janitor of Love’ (surely a mistake in translation), the band sound relatively tough – the guitars have a reasonable crunch (at least to begin with), and Niva’s vocals are very assured.  By the track’s end, though, it becomes obvious there’s something that’s not entirely right: the guitars step back and slowly become a mush that’s almost barely audible behind a vocal that’s just far, far, too loud.  Yes, vocalists provide an important role in most rock bands, but here, Niva’s Tony Harnell-esque wailing seems to come at the expense of almost everything else.  If you can make it past that (and stop laughing at the bad title), this track actually makes for a reasonable opener, with melodic hooks and a technically sound guitar solo.   ‘Anything For You’ with its hard, punchy rhythm, augmented by a strong chorus with more harmonies than before continues things in a similar vein, but much better still is ‘When Tomorrow Never Comes’, which, despite plundering a whole world of predictable clichéd sounds, manages to achieve excellent results.  Strong vocals, great chorus and a killer guitar solo push the right buttons, and while (once again) the vocal could do with softening, the band sound like they’re really getting off on what they do.

While those first few tracks show promise (at least in terms of simple melodic rock chops, if not studio engineering and suchlike), it’s not long before Niva’s voice becomes far too overbearing.  With each passing song, he just seems to get louder.  There’s no denying there is power in his delivery, but like TNT’s Tony Harnell or Shy’s Tony Mills [hey, this must be an affliction that affects people called Tony!] he’d sound so much better if he could just reign it in.  ‘Gold From The Future’, in particular, is so vocally over the top, it almost sounds like he taking the piss.  There are some painful high registers here, which when combined with muddy keyboards and a whole world of Scandinavian pomp, doesn’t make for a pleasant listening experience at all.  Similarly, the title cut features Niva going all-out vocally, while he’s backed by various shreddy guitar moments  and despite the band’s best efforts to temper these with a far more AOR-friendly chorus, it’s not enough to stop everything sounding like a dense and forgettable four minutes.

In theory, ‘Final Warning’ has all the makings of a really enjoyable melodic rock disc:  The band clearly know how to pen a melodic chorus and Roger Ljunggren’s lead guitar work is mostly spot on.  However, in reality, that voice is very much a love it/hate it affair. As a result, despite being only just over half an hour long, this disc is very hard to listen to all the way through in one sitting…and for something aimed at the melodic rock crowd, that’s not really ideal.

June 2012