Sunstorm I suppose is the nucleus of Frontiers records. Created by label boss Serafino Perugino as a vehicle got Joe Lynn Turner, but with JLT now busy with other things.
The AOR project continues with go to Frontiers and just about everyone else's vocalist; Ronnie Romero, the musical direction has changed little it's Journey-like AOR with the post-Dio Rainbow sound also there, of course Romero is fantastic throughout. This is his third with Sunstorm performing with an all star Italian cast featuring members of DGM, Virtual Symmetry, keyboardist Antonio Agate and virtuoso guitarist/producer/songwriter Aldo Lonobile. It's sort of the Frontiers version of The Avengers and they have assembled here for another premium slice of AOR.
Though even with such a well respected keyboard player, Aldo takes centre stage, inspired by a particular style of 80's guitar playing, showcased by their cover of Ozzy's Shot In The Dark where the strings were played by the underrated "bulletproof" Jake E Lee. Restless Fight is another slick entry to the Sunstorm pantheon, if AOR with modern production, powerful vocals and some nifty guitar work is your thing you can do much worse. 7/10
Storace - Crossfire (Frontiers Music Srl)
Storace, well it sounds like AC/DC doesn't it? Screaming Demon is part Acca Dacca, part Accept, well there's a good reason for that. Storace is the solo project of Marc Storace. Founded in 2021 with a debut album, it's the newest musical endeavour from the man who fronted Krokus for the longest time. Combined with drummer Pat Aeby (Krokus) and guitarist Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper/Crossbone Skully) and engineer Olle Romo who mixed, who was engineer for Robert 'Mutt' Lange.
Crossfire is a record that puts the gutsy hard rock of AC/DC or Krokus on Love Thing Stealer and Let's Get Nuts against the melodic rocking of Def Leppard on Rock This City and Sirens where that Lange-like backing vocal sound and 'that' drum sound takes over. I could go into how Back In Black had both of these things as it was produced by Lange, but I won't as Storace manages to balance the blue collar hard rock and melodic rock well which means Crossfire is a decent record but nothing too ground breaking. 7/10
Lionville - Supernatural (Frontiers Music Srl)
Coming from Italy Lionville are a melodic rock band who encompass that late 80's and early 90's rock sound, the likes of Winger, Little Angels, Thunder and Def Leppard are all obvious from the swaggering, acoustically laced riff of Heading For A Hurricane. With Supernatural you can hear that Lionville are a band formed by a guitarist, Stefano Lionetti is the leader of the band, his guitar playing alongside Michele Cusato, is the crux of the band's music, even with ballads such as Gone, there's a muscular riff beneath it. Lionetti has a secret weapon in Lenny Macaluso, former guitarist of Tina Turner and writer of many of some great 80's Power Ballads.
Of course the keys are also prominent, this is AOR/Melodic rock of course, there's some Journey-like stabs on the throbbing anthem Breakaway, the synths and bass in symmetry leading to another explosive solo. Lionville's new album is a rebirth of the band with Alexander Strandell (Art Nation) behind the mic, he's probably one of the best singers in the genre and brings his soulful pipes to this album, be it the faster Nothing Is Over or big ballads such as Unbreakable he's got it covered.
With a new voice in place, Lionville enter their next chapter well, ok Supernatural can be a little saccharine at times but there's lots of quality melodic rock here. 7/10
The AOR project continues with go to Frontiers and just about everyone else's vocalist; Ronnie Romero, the musical direction has changed little it's Journey-like AOR with the post-Dio Rainbow sound also there, of course Romero is fantastic throughout. This is his third with Sunstorm performing with an all star Italian cast featuring members of DGM, Virtual Symmetry, keyboardist Antonio Agate and virtuoso guitarist/producer/songwriter Aldo Lonobile. It's sort of the Frontiers version of The Avengers and they have assembled here for another premium slice of AOR.
Though even with such a well respected keyboard player, Aldo takes centre stage, inspired by a particular style of 80's guitar playing, showcased by their cover of Ozzy's Shot In The Dark where the strings were played by the underrated "bulletproof" Jake E Lee. Restless Fight is another slick entry to the Sunstorm pantheon, if AOR with modern production, powerful vocals and some nifty guitar work is your thing you can do much worse. 7/10
Storace - Crossfire (Frontiers Music Srl)
Storace, well it sounds like AC/DC doesn't it? Screaming Demon is part Acca Dacca, part Accept, well there's a good reason for that. Storace is the solo project of Marc Storace. Founded in 2021 with a debut album, it's the newest musical endeavour from the man who fronted Krokus for the longest time. Combined with drummer Pat Aeby (Krokus) and guitarist Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper/Crossbone Skully) and engineer Olle Romo who mixed, who was engineer for Robert 'Mutt' Lange.
Crossfire is a record that puts the gutsy hard rock of AC/DC or Krokus on Love Thing Stealer and Let's Get Nuts against the melodic rocking of Def Leppard on Rock This City and Sirens where that Lange-like backing vocal sound and 'that' drum sound takes over. I could go into how Back In Black had both of these things as it was produced by Lange, but I won't as Storace manages to balance the blue collar hard rock and melodic rock well which means Crossfire is a decent record but nothing too ground breaking. 7/10
Starchaser - Into The Great Unknown (Frontiers Music Srl)
The Swedes know their way around melodic record. Starchaser are the newest Swedish supergroup to try and make a mark on that burgeoning scene. Formed by former Tad Morose axeman Kenneth Jonsson he's joined by vocalist Ulrich Carlsson (Shaggy, ex-M.ILL.ION), bassist Örjan Josefsson (Cibola Junction), drummer Johan Kulberg (Wolf, Therion, Hammerfall), and keyboardist Kay Backlund (Lions Share, Nils Patrik Johansson, Impera).
This is their second album, with a debut in 2022 and Into The Great Unknown doesn't take any massive evolutionary leaps, preferring to continue where they left off with some muscular, dramatic melodic metal where the guitars are distorted and heavy but the songs also have big hooky choruses (Under The Same Sky) and dramatic orchestral sweeps. There's plenty of talent here, but a lot of this record is quite similar musically meaning that it dips in the middle. With so many Swedish melodic metal bands Starchaser get a bit lost in the lack. 6/10Lionville - Supernatural (Frontiers Music Srl)
Coming from Italy Lionville are a melodic rock band who encompass that late 80's and early 90's rock sound, the likes of Winger, Little Angels, Thunder and Def Leppard are all obvious from the swaggering, acoustically laced riff of Heading For A Hurricane. With Supernatural you can hear that Lionville are a band formed by a guitarist, Stefano Lionetti is the leader of the band, his guitar playing alongside Michele Cusato, is the crux of the band's music, even with ballads such as Gone, there's a muscular riff beneath it. Lionetti has a secret weapon in Lenny Macaluso, former guitarist of Tina Turner and writer of many of some great 80's Power Ballads.
Of course the keys are also prominent, this is AOR/Melodic rock of course, there's some Journey-like stabs on the throbbing anthem Breakaway, the synths and bass in symmetry leading to another explosive solo. Lionville's new album is a rebirth of the band with Alexander Strandell (Art Nation) behind the mic, he's probably one of the best singers in the genre and brings his soulful pipes to this album, be it the faster Nothing Is Over or big ballads such as Unbreakable he's got it covered.
With a new voice in place, Lionville enter their next chapter well, ok Supernatural can be a little saccharine at times but there's lots of quality melodic rock here. 7/10
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