You will be hard pressed to find a much better Melodic Hard Rock album than this one.
It’s remarkable that this album ever saw the light of day as Dennis ‘Fergie’ Frederiksen (ex Toto/Trillion/Le Roux/Mecca) was diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer in June of last year and for most people that would have been that. However, Fergie decided to seek alternative cures and this very Summer announced positive results. He continued to work on his solo album throughout this time and what has now emerged is simply sensational! This is a truly striking album with fabulous songs that have been placed all over it like brightly coloured lights on a Christmas tree!
Opener ‘Angel (Mirror To Your Soul)’ just has this incredible uplifting feel to it with energetic pacing, smooth melodies and a gorgeous honey-coated chorus. The moment it finished it had me reaching for the replay button! ‘Elaine’ follows and what you get from Fergie is an amazing passionate vocal performance atop a mid tempo rock beat with keys aplenty singing about trying to win back a former lover. ‘First To Cry’ has a keyboard led precursor to a glorious chorus with a lovely guitar tone throughout the whole song reminiscent of Signal with Mark Free and then you get ‘Follow Your Heart’, a simply gorgeous Steve Perry era Journey-esque epic ballad. Quite stunning!
This opening quartet will already have you reaching for the payment options on Frontiers’ website even with eight songs still to pass through your ears. The title track ‘Happiness Is The Road’ is a co-write with Jim Peterik and has a very typical Survivor positive uplifting vibe to it whilsts ‘Writing On The Wall’ is a fast paced number with interesting Magnum style keys and a nice tone on the guitar supplied by one Nathan Eshman. ‘The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be’ is a positive ballad of sorts with strong sentiments on a driving beat and again swathed in plenty of keys. Acclaimed keyboard player Eric Ragno (Takara/Vox Tempus/China Blue/Ted Poley/Danny Vaughan/Tony Mills etc) I believe plays the majority of these parts but a certain Mr Dennis Ward is credited with bass plus guitars, keys and background vocals. My guess is during the production process, Ward would have added additional parts where necessary. The production, incidentally, is first rate, but then when has Dennis Ward ever delivered a poor production? He has to be up there amongst the premier class of producers for sure. Dik Bruinenberg is listed as drummer and as I’m. unfamiliar with this guy, I would hazard a guess he’s a German guy that Dennis knows and has been brought in on recommendation.
If I was pressed on standout songs on this album, then it would be a little bit like trying to choose a favourite between your children. The aforementioned song ‘Angel (Mirror To Your Soul’) and ballad ‘Follow Your Heart’ are up there as is 'Love Waits For No One’, a classy mature sounding ode to a lost love, a recurring theme throughout the album. And I would also have to include ‘The One’ which features a nice keyboard refrain, a glorious chorus with multi-layered backing vocals and a fabulous outro guitar solo.
You will be hard pressed to find a much better Melodic Hard Rock album than this one. Toby Hitchcock’s solo offering is running right up with this one but nevertheless, this is a truly mesmerising release from a man who’s been at the top of his profession for many years. As the saying goes: form may be temporary, but class is permanent!
1 Angel (Mirror To Your Soul)
2 Elaine
3 First to Cry
4 Follow Your Heart
5 Happiness Is The Road
6 I Still Believe In Love
7 Lyin' Eyes
8 Love Waits For No One
9 Writing On the Wall
10 Future Ain't What It Used To Be
11 One
12 Saviour
Band Drive, She Said
Info: Excelerator
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Years: 1993
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 161,13 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - All I'm Livin For.
02 - In My Hands (The Healer).
03 - Wherever You Go.
04 - Inside You.
05 - Something At Last.
06 - Let It Ride.
07 - Won't Keep Beggin (Come Away).
08 - Drop The Hammer.
09 - Someone To Run To.
10 - Song And A Prayer.
11 - When Hope Is Burnin'.
12 - Excelerator.
13 - Forty-Second Street.
14 - Newcastle On Tyne.
Band REZ(Resurrection Band)
Info: Reach Of Love
Style: Hard Rock
Years: 1993
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 113,31 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Heart's Desire.
02 - If Your Love Grows Cold.
03 - Numbers.
04 - Sunrise.
05 - Dead To The World.
06 - Reach Of Love.
07 - Land Of Stolen Breath.
08 - Mannequin's Dream.
09 - Empty Hearts.
10 - Thought I'd Never Love Again.
11 - White Lies.
12 - On My Dyin' Bed.
13 - Heart's Desire (Reprise).
Band Pastor Brad
Info: Break Out
Style: Hard Rock / Shred
Years: 2010
Info: 256 kbps
Info: 106 ?b
Info: USA
Tracklist:
What started out as a true solo CD turned in to a very special release with tons of special guest artists !
1. Break Out – featuring Rachel Anne (of Iron Majesty) lead vocals
2. In Your Lovin Arms
3. Turn Up The Light – featuring Ken Tamplin lead vocals
4. Cold Blooded Killer – featuring Norman “Ski” Kiersznowski (of Faith
Factor) lead vocals
5. We Win - featuring Chaz Bond (of Jacob’s Dream) lead vocals
6. I Live – featuring Luke Weber (of The Pastor Brad Band), lead vocals
7. He Loves Me – featuring Les Carlson (of Bloodgood), lead vocals
8. Gethsemene – featuring Rachel Anne (of Iron Majesty), lead vocals
9. Edge Of Midnight
10. Beating The Flesh – featuring Richie Z (of Blind Seven), lead vocals
11. Treasure Life
12. Choose To Love – featuring Richie Z (of Blind Seven), lead vocals, Angel
Zamora, lead guitar
13. Tentacles Of Love – featuring Jim Griffin (of Griffin X) lead guitar
14. I Wanna Be – featuring Dave Merriwether (of Stricken)
Band Melissa Etheridge
Info: Brave And Crazy
Style: Rock
Years: 1989
Info: 320 kbps
Info: 107 mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
1. No Souvenirs
2. Brave And Crazy
3. You Used To Love To Dance
4. The Angels
5. You Can Sleep While I Drive
6. Testify
7. Let Me Go
8. My Back Door
9. Skin Deep
10. Royal Station 4/16
Band Romeo Void
Info: Benefactor / Instincts
Style: New Wave
Years: 2007
Info: 320 kbps
Info: 234 mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
Benefactor 1982
Never Say Never
Wrap It Up
Flashflood
Undercover Kept
Ventilation
Chinatown
Orange
Shake The Hands Of Time
S.O.S
Never Say Never
In The Dark
Present Tense
Not Safe
Instincts 1984
Out On My Own
Just Too Easy
Billy's Birthday
Going To Neon
Six Days And One
A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)
Say No
Your Life Is A Lie
Instincts
In The Dark (Single Version)
Band Alaska
Info: Heart Of The Storm
Style: Melodic Hard Rock
Years: 1984
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 131,14 Mb
Info: UK
Tracklist:
01 - Whiteout.
02 - Don't Say It's Over.
03 - Voices On The Radio.
04 - Susie Blue.
05 - Heart Of The Storm.
06 - Need Your Love.
07 - Can't Let Go.
08 - Other Side Of Midnight.
09 - Headlines.
10 - The Sorcerer.
11 - Coupe De Ville.
12 - Coming Down On Your.
13 - Whiteout (Instrumental).
Band D.O.X.
Info: Defenders Of The Cross
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR / CCM
Years: 1986
Info: CBR 192 kbs
Info: 50,09 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - The Hungering Dark - Light Ship.
02 - Aim For The Heart.
03 - Lighthouse.
04 - Zero To One.
05 - Feel The Fire.
06 - Lonely Without You.
07 - (In My) Dream Of Heaven.
08 - Guiding My Way.
09 - Morningstar.
Band Hawkwind
Info: It Is The Business Of The Future To Be Dangerous
Style: Progressive Rock / Space Rock
Years: 1993
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 150,28 Mb
Info: UK
Tracklist:
01 - It Is The Business Of The Future To Be Dangerous.
02 - Space Is Their (Palestine).
03 - Tibet Is Not China (Part 1).
04 - Tibet Is Not China (Part 2).
05 - Let Barking Dogs Lie.
06 - Wave Upon Wave.
07 - Letting In The Past.
08 - The Camera That Could Lie.
09 - 3 Or 4 Erections In The Course Of A Night.
10 - Techno Tropic Zone Exists.
11 - Gimme Shelter.
12 - Avante.
Band Julie Miller
Info: Broken Things
Style: Christian Rock / Country
Years: 1999
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 114,55 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Ride The Wind To Me.
02 - I Know Why The River Runs.
03 - I Need You.
04 - I Still Cry.
05 - Out In The Rain.
06 - Orphan Train.
07 - Broken Things.
08 - All My Tears.
09 - Two Soldiers.
10 - Maggie.
11 - Strange Lover.
12 - The Speed Of Light.
BandEnergy Strike Info: Extra Formation Style: J Melodic Power Metal Years: 2010 Info: mp3 VBR Info: 65 mb Upload: Depositefiles Info: :Japan All star Japanese metal band featuring members of AZRAEL, GROUND ZERO, AREA51 etc. The band plays excellent melodic power metal like LOUDNESS and this CD so far has only been releasedin Japan, so it's your big chance to grab this title now!!
1.Hunger out
2.Riding on the sky
3.Strike back for your life
4.Under the war
5.Calling
6.Always
7.Thunder force
8.Danger in this game
9.Running to your heart
10.One by one
11.Rise up again
??????
Recording Engineer by Daisuke Takizawa
Mix & Mastering by
Bazooka Studio
Artwork by Katsunori Goto
Layout Design by Shirao
Tracklist
1. Checkmate (5:51)
2. River’s Edge (6:48)
3. If (3:48)
4. The Shelter (7:52)
5. Pillars Of Sand (9:09)
6. October 1917 (3:34)
7. Behind The Curtain (8:46)
8. Aftermath (16:43)
Total time: 62:31
Line-up/Musicians
- Luca Di Gennaro / Keyboards and Programming
- Claudio Casaburi / Bass
- Fabio Manda / Vocals
- Antonio Mocerino / Drums and Percussions
- Antonio Vittozzi / Guitars
Features guest stars like Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie) in “River’s Edge” and Arno Menses (Subsignal, ex Sieges Even) in “Aftermath”
About this release
Produced by Soul Secret and published by Galileo Records, mixed and mastered by Markus Teske and the entire artwork was created by Alexandra V Bach.
Band Marshal Law
Info: Read Em' 'n' Weep
Style: Heavy / Power Metal
Years: 1991
Info: MP3 CBR 192 kbs
Info: 101.44 MB
Info: Canada
Tracklist:
01 - Axefiend.
02 - Lil' Miss Evil.
03 - Hellhound Boogie Part Ii.
04 - Witches' Brew.
05 - Six-Gun Sound.
06 - Ridin' High In The Saddle.
07 - Love 'n' Desire.
08 - Excited.
09 - Shake.
10 - Between Two Hearts.
11 - Cry Of The Wild.
12 - The Ballad Of Dorian Grey.
13 - Somethin' In The Wind.
14 - All Night Rock 'n' Roll Party.
