Melodic rock CD of the week: Vince Neil

By Stephen Kasenda

VINCE NEIL “Tattoos & Tequila” (2010)

"Tattoos and Tequila" is the third solo release from Motley Crue's singer, Vince Neil, and this time, he is backed by Slaughter's guitarist, Jeff Blando and bassist Dana Strum, while Zoltan Chaney sits on the drum stool. This is his first solo album in 15 years after the disappointing second release of "Carved In Stone". At first, this didn’t interest me as he only has two original songs on this release while the rest are only covers. But after only a single spin, this is unexpectedly enjoyable, seeing how he revamped many underrated old songs to a party in the style of Motley Crue's peak era.

The first single and title track is a decent effort but maybe his weakest one here. The second single, "Another Bad Day", which was written by Nikki Sixx and Tracii Guns is a fantastic mid-tempo commercial hard rock song, and the greatest song on the album. This song should have been his first single, in my opinion. My best picks here are Sweet's "AC/DC", Sex Pistols' "No Feelings", The Hollies' "Long Cool Woman", CCR's "Who Will Stop The Rain", Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas", and ZZ Top's "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers". The rest are also good and no sign of weak fillers here.

"Tattoos And Tequilas" is a big surprise for me, the production is also excellent, this is just simply brilliant, and much better than Motley Crue's comeback album, "Saints of Los Angeles", which is a very average release. If you like Vince Neil's "Exposed" or Motley Crue's heyday era, this album is pretty much a combination of those two with an updated sound. Fantastic!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Sargant Fury

By Stephen Kasenda

SARGANT FURY “Still Want More” (1991)

I have to admit, the band's name is really a joke, and I thought at first, they're just another average and forgettable band. When I first heard their ballad, "Don't You Know", from an old compilation tape, I had an interest in finding out what kind of band this is and what type of music they play. When I got the chance to hear their debut from start to finish, I was completely surprised, if not shocked, with the energy, rawness, and high quality musicianship on this record. This Hanover-based act played solid melodic hard rock/heavy metal inspired by the American sound of White Lion and Dokken, blended with their hometown's senior bands, Victory and Pink Cream 69.

The twelve tracks present here are mostly uptempo, pretty good if you're looking for an adrenaline pumping album in the traditional heavy metal way. "Still You Want More" has a nice harmonic chorus and mesmerizing tones. In my opinion, this is a big opener and their finest moment. "No. 9" and "Stand Up" are also killer tracks with outstanding solos by the duo Steffan/Grosser. The English singer, Andrew "Mac" Dermott, is also a phenomenal front man, with a strong raspy timbre and a large range - his capability was shining all over the album. "Do You Remember" and "Just One Night" both have an exciting and memorable chorus, and these two songs are the most potential chart-breakers. It's a shame they didn't get the recognition they deserved.

Handled by Tommy Newton from Victory, the production level is very good and the arrangements are massive with no unnecessary fillers at all. This is a forgotten gem you have to buy if you're a fan of big vocal, huge guitars, and melodic composition. A classy debut by a truly great band!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Stryper

By Stephen Kasenda

STRYPER “Murder By Pride” (2009)

I can say that "Murder By Pride" is truly a homage to the fans. Michael Sweet opened up his ears after harsh critics railed on them for the comeback album, "Reborn", for being too modern and quite far from their origins. "Murder By Pride", without leaving the idealism and passion for evolving, ambitiously recreates the classic atmosphere that was told by Sweet as an album with lots of melodies, lots of screams, and lots of guitars. Michael Sweet was responsible for the whole songwriting process and kudos to him for keeping the fire burning.

"Eclipse Of The Son" decently opens the album, a safe uptempo track where I can hear a mix of Stryper's classic vibe with some newer elements. A pretty solid song, but "4 Leaf Clover" is the real mood pumper. This track is heavy and modern but still allows your ears to easily recognize the Stryper's pattern from the rhythm. Up next is Boston's classic, "Peace of Mind", a fun cover track with Tom Scholz contributing some guitars - I like this song. "Alive" is a great power ballad, the title track has a powerful punchy chorus and already became a concert regular, and "I Believe" is a good contemporary track (and probably you'll agree when I say Michael Sweet listened to a lot of Creed when he wrote this song). "Love Is Why" is another sparkling gem and "My Love (I'll Always Show)" is such a beautiful mid-tempo track, closing the album with style. Out of twelve songs, perhaps only "Mercy Over Blame" and "Everything" are decent fillers.

While I don't think "Reborn" is disastrously ugly, "Murder By Pride" is a real contender to be a strong release like "To Hell With The Devil" and "In God With Trust", two that earned the band fame and fortune. Like I said earlier, this is tribute to the long-time fans and I would say their hunger should be fulfilled. I'm just hoping that this isn't their peak yet and Sweet and the gang will continue to deliver ultra high-quality releases in the future. Highly recommended!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Scandal Circus

By Stephen Kasenda

SCANDAL CIRCUS “In the Name of Rock N Roll” (2012)

SCANDAL CIRCUS is another Swedish band that plays a brilliant combination of 80s hard rock and classic heavy metal. A typical formula that many European bands play, but this time they focus more on the straight-forward heavy riffs and rhythm rather than sleazy and naughty hooks or highly melodic arrangement. The title track, 'In The Name of Rock N Roll' is a colossal start, blitzed with meaty riffs and a sing-along chorus, it's no wonder this track became my favorite together with another similar track called 'The Race'.

'In Your Mind' and 'Big Bad Clown' are also magnificent. Up to the fifth track, 'Rock Spirit', it seemed like SCANDAL CIRCUS would keep unleashing their best till I stumbled on the acoustical ballad of 'Dreams', which I think is a bit too average. 'Leaving Town' is the weakest track though, but 'Losing All Control' which has that POISON's 'Talk Dirty To Me' feel is nice and easy, and luckily the last two tracks are also brilliant. 'Society of Evil' is dark, heavy, and loaded with some monstrous rhythm. 'Freakshow' also makes a very nice closer!

The production is great, especially for an indie release. The guitar parts are awesome, Pelle Eliasson should be proud of delivering such magical performances. Overall, a promising band, a good start, and if you dig Scandinavian hard rock, this won't disappoint at all!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Red Dawn

By Stephen Kasenda

RED DAWN “Never Say Surrender” (1993)

Red Dawn was formed in 1992 by former Rainbow keyboardist, David Rosenthal. At that time, Rosenthal sealed a contract with EMI/Toshiba but unfortunately had no band. He held an audition for the project and rumor has it that Mitch Malloy originally fronted the band before his place was permanently filled by Larry Baud. Joined by his fellow drummer from Rainbow, Chuck Burgi, and guitarist Tristan Avakian, Red Dawn released its sole album, "Never Say Surrender" in 1993.

The band's musical style is a mix between 80s AOR such as Survivor, Asia, and Foreigner and the pompous melodic hard rock such as House of Lords or Giant. All of the musicians are highly skillful and Baud's vocals will leave you in amazement. Rosenthal's dominating keyboards lush up the music and Avakian's enthusiastic playing adds to the album's value.

Several big numbers here include the uptempo melodic rock opener, "Flyin' High", with Rosenthal's keyboard standing on the spotlight. A laid-back ballad with a gigantic chorus is "I'll Be There". Midtempo rockers with catchy hooks include "Liar". "Promises" is an awesome heart-melter - like a lost track from Foreigner. "Take These Chains" is their biggest ballad and reminds me of Aerosmith's huge hit, "Angel". The rest is pretty good and probably only "She's On Fire" is a bit repetitive and my least favorite here. The title track is also has a cool AOR groove with the chorus constructed in the style of Van Hagar's "Dreams".

The year 1993 was a tough year for hard rock/glam fans as alternative/grunge spread out like crazy and I remember several albums that stood out high such as Harem Scarem's "Mood Swings", Gotthard's "Dial Hard", or Poison's "Native Tongue", and I honestly think that Red Dawn's "Never Say Surrender" belongs on that list. A truly remarkable album for fans of classic hard/melodic rock and AOR.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.
 

Melodic rock CD of the week: 7th Heaven

By Stephen Kasenda

7th HEAVEN “Pop Media” (2011)

7th Heaven is either too creative or too generous, but it seems every new package they have is always abundant with song numbers. After the record-breaking near 300 songs on their 15-discs boxset, 'Jukebox', and also 18 songs on their previous 'USA/UK' record back in 2008, now they're back again with a full set of 21 songs, convincing us they have no shortage of song ideas.

With no significant change to their formation, 7th Heaven brings us solid melodic hard rock with a modern power pop touch – and still referencing the 80s. As usual with too many songs on a single CD, you'll find it hard to separate which track is which - you'll get mixed up easily, especially since all the tempos and styles are very similar.

If you carefully pick the strongest tracks, I think there are at least 9-10 excellent songs while the rest are spread between fillers and so-so tracks. Among those big numbers are 'Sing' and 'Snapshots In Time At The Speed of Light', a cross of Savage Garden and late-80s Def Leppard; 'Go For A Ride' and 'Dance of A Lifetime' featuring a groovy rhythm and wonderful chorus; 'She Should Have Been An Angel', 'Animals', 'Photographs', 'Should I Stay', and 'Living In A Mystery' are other favorites of mine.

I still consider 'USA/UK' as a better release, but 'Pop Media' won't disappoint the old fans, in fact, 7th Heaven is one of the most consistent bands that keep delivering what their fans really want.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Crash Diet

By Stephen Kasenda

CRASH DIET “Generation Wild” (2010)

Crashdiet is surrounded by tragedy in its genre - their original singer committed suicide and the second replacement singer left to form a rival band. Now, Simon Cruz, the third singer, breathes new life into the band by helping them create a superior album, "Generation Wild", which is on par with their sensational debut. With three singers and three albums, I don't think it's an easy job to survive, but Crashdiet has persevered and I must raise a glass of beer to them.

"Generation Wild" is a rare commodity that combines elements that I love very much - the heaviness of early glam, the naughtiness of sleaze rock, and the big punchy anthems of melodic rock. My most fave tracks here are: "Armageddon", filled with sleaze madness and a huge chorus; the title track, which can be a soundtrack to a rebellious gang; the fiery uptempo track of "Rebel"; the gigantic heavy metal piece of "Down With The Dust"; the commercial melodic hard rock tune, "Chemical"; and the Dokken-fueled "Bound To Fall". I can't find any weak links here, as everything is enjoyable, including the mandatory ballads, "Save Her" and "Beautiful Pain".

Simon Cruz has a strong voice. He's truly a gifted singer and the band sealed a very good deal by recruiting him. This magnificent album upped their game again, and for fans of heavy metal, sleaze, and melodic rock, this is your dream album - a tribute to the late Dave Lepard, and a must buy!

Bottomline: Swingin' high to the top again!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Shake City

By Stephen Kasenda

SHAKE CITY “Shake City” (2009)

Adam Shore was in Warrant before Jani Lane but as Warrant reached new heights, Lane was recruited to replace him. Shore eventually met guitarist Don E. Sachs to finally form Shake City in late 1986. Some songs were written and produced by Tommy Thayer of Black N' Blue and Erik Turner of Warrant, so don’t be surprised if you can find influences from those bands on this record. Touring from club to club, state to state, Shake City was building up a reputation but then fell off the radar in 1992 when the musical climate started to change.

After 17 years in silence, Eonian brings back the fond memories of this band’s wild and wicked days. The typical sound of early 90s glam is all over their songs, such as the great hard rock tunes "One Good Reason", "Betty Blue", and "Game of War" (which was written by Jani Lane), or the party anthems of "Submarine" and "Lust & Love". The interesting bluesy flair on "Get It While It's Hot" and the Enuff Z'Nuff vibe on "Psychedelic Ride" is also lovable. Two superb ballads here are "Sweet Dreams" and "Can't Get Over You" – the other three songs are decent fillers.

The production is average…it's acceptable considering most of the songs are from 20 years ago. But now at last we can listen to the powerful vocals of Adam Shore and the killer guitar lines of Sachs and Blair. If you like Poison, Sweet.F.A, Southgang, or Warrant, this is such a great and enjoyable album to have.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Little Caesar

By Stephen Kasenda

LITTLE CAESAR “American Dream” (2012)

'American Dream' is solid proof of LITTLE CAESAR's persistency in not giving up – to keep creating something raw and idealistic just like they did in the early 90s. Two albums that I think are among those underrated gems of the decade are the eponymous debut and 'Influence'. Blame it on the late arrival to the scene and the emerging wave of grunge, LITTLE CAESAR didn't receive the recognition they deserved back in the day. 

LITTLE CAESAR puts out a clever mix of blues and 80s hard rock. Some part of this album might remind you of AC/DC or perhaps AEROSMITH. Most songs here are comprised of the classic pattern of Verse/Chorus/Verse, the same old formula that's probably started since the 70s, so whether you've heard of this band before or not, the music draws a very familiar and friendly picture. There are several gems here that I think are among their best. 'Only A Memory Away' is a beautiful ballad, 'Is Your Crazy, Gettin' Lazy?' is a brilliant fast-paced track, and 'Dirty Water' sounds very wild west-ish, full of hooks, and extremely catchy.

Other songs felt okay to these ears. There are a couple of bumpy roads on weaker tunes like 'Prisoner of Love' and 'In My Mirror', but other numbers such as 'American Dream', 'Hard Rock Hell', or 'Own Worst Enemy' are nicely composed and guaranteed to keep your toe tapping. I'm also amazed with the clean and crisp production they have here, considering this is a self-financed project. 'American Dream' is definitely a good album in the vein of classic hard rock - for those who are lookin' for the closest follow up to 'Influence', I bet this one is a smart choice.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Bad Habit

By Stephen Kasenda

BAD HABIT “Atmosphere” (2011)

BAD HABIT's arrival to the scene in 1989 was pretty late, but hats off to their persistence and still paving their way back in 1995 through “Revolution”, even though the climate wasn’t really friendly for their music. BAD HABIT survived the millennium and return strong with their sixth studio album, 'Atmosphere'. With quality as high as the debut, it even surpasses their previous achievements and clinches a major victory – I think it is their best album to date.

Bax Fehling and Hal Johnston are the masterminds of BAD HABIT. 'Atmosphere' is not only a record full of harmonies and melodies, but it also contains heart-melting ballads as well as excellent musicianship by the band. Every song has hit potential but there are several personal faves that really shine here. 'In The Heat of The Night' is a real big blast (check out the massive chorus, it is super-fantastic). 'Every Time You Cry' and 'Fantasy' are two huge gems too, 'Save Me' is catchy and addictive, and 'Catch Me When I Fall' is also a show-stealer.

'I Wanna Be The One' and 'Angel of Mine' are slower tunes that could be your girlfriend’s favorites. They're poppish and harmless but elegant and also passionate, especially with a stellar vocal delivery by Bax. For an AOR album, the heaviness level of the rhythm section is quite high and you can hear for yourself how the guitars roar loud and high - if they pump up the tempo much faster, this might leap into melodic metal territory.

A superb release and surprisingly after more than 20 spins in a single year, I find myself still longing for more. This is a perfect 100% for me and a runner-up of 2011, highly recommended for fans of Scandinavian MHR/AOR.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Y & T

By Stephen Kasenda

Y&T “In Rock We Trust” (1984)

Y&T, or also known as Yesterday & Today, reached their first commercial milestone in 1984, after the groundbreaking release of "In Rock We Trust", which shot their name to the surface. This is the band's highest charting and bestselling album, racking up gold status, and becoming the only album that penetrated the Canadian chart. The concept of this album was to polish their hard rock foundation with a glam metal touch popularized in the mid-80s.

In my opinion, the strongest tracks of the album are: "Rock And Roll's Gonna Save The World", an AC/DC-soaked opener with an anthemic and fiery chorus; "I'll Keep On Believin'", a Survivor-like power ballad with a huge sing-along chorus; "Don't Stop Runnin'", an up-tempo stadium-chanting track with a gigantic and memorable chorus; and the passionate ballad, "This Time", which is also a very well written song.

There are several other good tracks such as "Masters and Slaves", "Break Out Tonight!", and "Lipstick And Leather", which has a thick Kiss vibe. The album has a couple of fillers such as "Life,Life,Life" and "She's A Liar", which lessen the total value of the album. However, with a bowl of hot hits, "In Rock We Trust" remains a great piece of history in the band's career and a great pick for fans of hard rock/glam metal.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

 

Melodic rock CD of the week: Babylon Bombs

By Stephen Kasenda

BABYLON BOMBS “Babylon’s Burning” (2010)

“Babylon’s Burning” is the fourth album from the Swedish glam act, Babylon Bombs, and this one caught me by surprise. I suspected their music to be in the modern glam corridor, which I can appreciate, but they blew me away with a solid set of good old commercial sleaze. This album is like a rough mix of Faster Pussycat, Hanoi Rocks, and Trixter. Worked on by Chris Laney, you can always expect a big and satisfying sound in the production department.

“Liberation” didn’t really impress me much as an album starter, but the title track does them a favor. The melodic verse and addictive hooks of that song kept me sitting on the edge of my seat for their next offering. “Resurrection Love” is like a lost Hanoi Rocks from their “Two Steps” era. “Nobody’s Home” is their best creation – a fantastic up-tempo hard rock anthem in the style of classic GNR - Babylon Bombs are at their very best here. The happy vibe of “Angel Eyes”, the great radio friendly ballad “It’s Alright”, and the 70s Aerosmith feel of “Anywhere The Wind Blows” are just marvelous. The rest of the album is just mind-boggling, from the commercial melodic rock of “Winding Road”, the sleazy “Rattle My Bones”, and the anthemic “Goodbye Good Luck”…the whole bunch definitely are diamonds.

Honestly, I haven't heard their previous albums, but will probably check them out soon. “Babylon’s Burning surely will hook you in a minute if you’re into late 80s sleaze metal. Great vocals, explosive guitars, nicely composed songs, and awesome production. I give this a solid nine for a job well done, kudos Bombs!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Eclipse

By Stephen Kasenda

ECLIPSE “Are You Ready To Rock” (2008)

This Stockholm-based melodic rock/metal act fronted by the talented Erik Martensson finally released their third album, "Are You Ready To Rock" in 2008 after their first album with Frontiers Records, "Second To None", four years earlier. The music is a blasting experience, cranking up the quality. Imagine Whitesnake's "1987" mixed with Europe's early heavy metal side and you get a pretty good idea of how they sound.

The first three tracks will drop your jaw - "Breaking My Heart Again" explodes like Whitesnake's "Bad Boys", "Hometown Coming" has a pumped-up tempo and raises the bar with a superb chorus, and "To Mend A Broken Heart" chops in with modern riffs before flying high again with a soaring chorus. "Wylde One" is a strange, sleazy title, but a killer song indeed. "Under The Gun" has a bit of a neoclassical piece at the chorus and is another a great track. "Unbreakable" is much more radio-friendly and my most fave song of the album, perhaps the best tune with an unmistakable perfect chorus. "Million Miles Away" is a huge commercial melodic metal tune with overwhelming riffs - another flawless attempt by the band.

I love this album from start to finish. Beware there is no ballad for the tender hearts. Eclipse values the volume, the distortion, the unmerciful fast tempos, but still retains the balance with enough melodic and commercial ingredients. "Are You Ready To Rock?" is a question raised for those who want to raise their fists and yell "Hell Yeah We Are!" This is one of 2008's highlight records, five stars, no doubt!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Primal Fear

By Stephen Kasenda

PRIMAL FEAR “Unbreakable” (2012)

‘Unbreakable' might be a cliche of power metal, something that you've predicted right from the start when you tore off the CD's seal and put it in the player, but PRIMAL FEAR delivers something here that they're very good at - and what makes this album stand out is the brilliant composition of the songs, which are backed by an extremely tight rhythm section.

After the intro, 'Strike' thrusts in deep with a blistering tempo and incinerating harmonic solos. A perfect song in my book, and two other tracks that are just as strong: 'And There Was Silence', which reminds me of the classic HELLOWEEN, and 'Unbreakable Part 2', a 6-minute metal epic that's also the best part of the second half.

PRIMAL FEAR isn't only about power and speed. I think of them as a cross between JUDAS PRIEST and old HELLOWEEN. There are still plenty of awesome heavy metal tracks such as 'Give Em Hell' with fantastic riffs, the first single, 'Bad Guys Wear Black', which in my opinion is only the fifth best track here, and 'Blaze of Glory'. Ralf Scheepers vocals are still monstrous - check out his take on the last tune, 'Conviction', a brutally beautiful slab of power metal.

It's probably the same old style, and sometimes the term 'consistency' always overlaps with 'monotonous'. If you're looking for something fresh and new, you might not find it here, but if you need something classic done right, this is a solid pick!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Jettblack

By Stephen Kasenda

JETTBLACK “Raining Rock” (2012)

'Raining Rock' is a valiant effort by the British glam hero, JETTBLACK, giving their fans an album full of variety. It is highly riff-oriented, but still accessible while retaining the raw and aggressive feel of the debut. In my first spins, I found that a couple songs just didn't work and perhaps were a little lower in quality compared to most songs on the debut. The title track, for example, made me wonder “is this really the best pick to start the CD? It seems kinda patchy”, but then after several concentrated listens, you'll find it's a galloping and energetic track - a great kicker!

'Prison of Love' is a beautiful commercial track and, together with 'Never Gonna Give It Up', you have the two radio gems of this album with big potential to score a respectable chart position in their home country. I admire the riffs in 'System' and 'Temptation', both are also very good songs, but 'Something About This Girl' and 'Sunshine' are even better. JETTBLACK pull up a nice ballad in 'Black Gold' but I have doubt in 'The Sweet and The Brave'.

If you can grab the limited edition, the bonus track, 'Weapon', is an ultimate track, worth every penny you spent, because it's one of the best tracks here, but all in all, you can't find any bad tracks here and it's a pretty good follow-up to the debut. Maybe I slightly prefer the debut, however I don't see no reason to not own this beast if you dig that album. Amazing stuff!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Van Halen

By Stephen Kasenda

VAN HALEN “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” (1991)

"Standin' on the top of the world, let's give it all we got!" Definitely not an empty chants as Van Halen seized the top of the Billboard charts with "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" in 1991. This record marked the return of Van Halen to their guitar-driven roots and abolished synth sound in their previous albums.

The collaboration with DLR-era producer, Ted Templeman, was a big success, spawning many hits such as the electric-drill enhanced "Poundcake", the glaring piano-rocker "Right Now", and the punchy anthem "Top of The World". Not to forget the explosive "Judgment Day" and the groovy "Runaround" that added lots of value to this album.

While I enjoy many of Van Halen great songs from their Hagar-era albums, in my opinion, “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” is their best moment with Sammy and he's still one of the best singers around to this day. An essential album you should have!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Alfonzetti

By Stephen Kasenda

ALFONZETTI “Here Comes The Night” (2011)

ALFONZETTI's 'Here Comes The Night' is his third solo offering, which came out pretty late in 2011. It steals the attention and I've seen some friends rate this pretty high, even up to their top 10 of that year. I do think this is a great album, but I'm not sure that it's really worth that extremely high rating because despite some killer tracks here such as 'Set Me Free', 'Heartbreaker', 'Don't Listen To Your Heart', and 'Lay Your Love On Me', there are few weaker moments such as 'Why Can't You Love Me', 'Losing You', or 'Rock N Roll Heart'.

This album was handled by only two guys. Matti himself played bass and guitar while singing the whole song and his other friend, Daniel Flores, plays drums and also keys. But to me, it doesn't sound like a one-time project and it still feels like a whole band playing a complete album. Alfonzetti still has that great vocal and I need to underline that the gems of this album are the ballads, so probably not really for those who prefer heavier music, even though you can still find some good uptempo tracks here as well. 'I Will Never Let You Fall' is also a great track.

My biggest complaint is that this album is just way too short. Clocking below 40 minutes, it reminds me of old SLAYER or TESTAMENT album, and I think providing a couple more songs would have been better. I give this a solid 80%, depends on the mood, probably swing as high as 85%. If you love melodic rock and AOR, I think Alfonzetti has done a pretty good job here.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week

By Stephen Kasenda

GOTTHARD “Human Zoo” (2003)

'Human Zoo' is a turning point for hard rock band GOTTHARD. Entering year 2000, the band seems to have convinced themselves to play a more European melodic rock style rather than the AC/DC driven no-frills hard rock. Both sides of GOTTHARD are interesting, as is trying to see them mix the two styles in the set list during their concerts.

This album is a slightly higher step than 'Homerun', and there are three insanely perfect songs here that give me chills when I hear them. 'Have A Little Faith' is a truly wonderful ballad with a beautiful violin that could make a perfect wedding song. 'Top of The World' is a roaring anthemic song and also an incredible gig opener. 'One In A Million' is a brilliant commercial track that I love a lot.

GOTTHARD also seems to focus more on the mid-tempo songs and ballads, even though some heavy rockin' songs like 'Human Zoo' and 'Where I Belong' add colors to the whole album. The mid-paced tunes such as 'Jamie's Not Alone', the acoustical ballad of 'First Time In A Long Time', and the closing song, 'What Can I Do' are other songs that I recommend. The production is also great and overall this one is a pleasant album and I'll gladly rate it a respectable 85%.

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Big Life

By Stephen Kasenda


BIG LIFE “Big Life” (2011)

Big Life, a name that reminds me of Night Ranger's classic release, definitely won't surprise me if their songs have derivative influences from what the Ranger did in the 80s. But to top the cake, Steve Newman uses his tender melodic rock touch and Mark Thompon-Smith enhances the product with his metallic experiences he grabbed by fronting Praying Mantis in the early 90s. If you also have heard the prog/AOR mix of Slamer's "Nowhere Land" and the two classic Giant albums, there are a lot of similarities in style on this record as well.

Going through this album from top to finish for the first time, my initial impression was they have a very unique sound - not your everyday melodic rock. Many songs have unpredictable patterns but the good thing is that every single tune has hit potential. If you prefer their harder side, "Dying Day", "Close To You", "Calling", "Feel Alive", and "Takin' Me Down" are the best picks. If you're curious for the slower parts, "I'll Still Be Here", "Stop In Time", and "Nothing Without You" are ballads carefully crafted for maximum enjoyment. The crème de la crème of this record is the third track, "Better Man". Driven by piano, it has a strong Toto touch - the chorus is a champion, the harmony is utterly brilliant, and it’s simply a superb song!

I didn't expect this album to be that good, but after repetitive listening, this album just gets better and better. I even came to the point that Big Life even surpasses the already-great release of Newman's, "The Art of Balance" last year. It would be a total waste if this project is only a one off shot. For fans of melodic hard rock and AOR, it's an unforgivable crime to pass on this. Bottom line: Bigger than just Big!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.

Melodic rock CD of the week: Destine

By Stephen Kasenda

Destine “Illuminate” (2012)

I'm completely stunned with DESTINE's latest album, 'Illuminate', which really combines enchanting melodic rock with a twist of modern element. The band builds a perfect bridge to accommodate both fans from the 80s and the young generation of the 2000s. The balanced mix of uptempo and energetic tracks with ethereal ballads make 'Illuminate' a strong contender to stay on top of the mind of this genre's fans.

'Four Leaf Clover' is a massive start but 'Stay' kicks the ball even higher. The band sways into slower territory with 'All The People', a beautiful downtempo moment. It’s not really their best offering but I find it quite satisfying. 'Wait Forever' is flawlessly brilliant. I love everything from the splendid intro to the bombastic chorus. 'Thousand Miles' is another ballad pick and I think it's better than 'All The People'.

On the second half, I'm seeing an even better game played by the band. 'Unbreakable' is a solid fast-paced track, 'Best Kept Secret' has a different vibe with a slow start before erupting with an awesome beat, and the last two tracks are definitely winners. The production is also great and some folks might think this band is too young and light for their taste, but sweet melodies are the main attraction here and if you're into that thing, 'Illuminate' is one of the best picks of this year!

Read more of Stephen’s features at MetalMusicArchives.