SHADOW KING – Shadow King [Rock Candy remaster] (2018)

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Put together a future (Bruce Turgon) and an ex- FOREIGNER (Lou Gramm) members, a terrific guitar player (Vivian Campbell, ex DIO and future DEF LEPPARD) and a skilled drummer in Kevin Valentine (sessions for KISS, THE GODZ, GRAHAM BONNET, etc), and you get a fantastic Melodic Rock super-group called SHADOW KING.

Unfortunately SHADOW KING resulted a short-lived band, but enough to have recorded one of the best ’90s albums for the Melodic Hard Rock genre, and one of the best overall in its history.
As requested, here’s Rock Candy Records specialists stupendous remastering job on the band’s sole album “Shadow King“, a must have CD in your collection.

The formation of Shadow King presented a unique and exciting opportunity, the band consisting of a veritable amount of super-hot talent from a number of key musical touch stones.
Vocalist Lou Gramm had propelled FOREIGNER to major success over two decades, whilst guitarist Vivian Campbell had been an integral member of DIO.

The rhythm section of Bruce Turgon (who became FOREIGNER member soon after) and Kevin Valentine had also served in a number of highly respected outfits, apart from the mentioned above including WARRIOR, STEVE STEVENS ATOMIC PLAYBOYS, so the creation of Shadow King was greeted with huge anticipation.

Signed to major label Atlantic Records, home of Foreigner, the quartet were paired with acclaimed producer Keith Olsen (Whitesnake, Heart, Ozzy Osbourne) and recorded in Los Angeles. It was a productive pairing, with the results displaying not only a brace of killer songs, but also a sonic sheen that looked set to propel the band into the Melodic Rock super league. But sadly that was not to be.

According to the group there were dark forces at work within the label attempting to derail the project in an effort to reunite Lou Gramm with Foreigner. Matters were also complicated by guitarist Vivian Campbell being approached by Def Leppard, looking to replace recently deceased guitarist Steve Clark.
All that bad luck combined with the rising tide of grunge taking a firm foothold the band floundered, playing only one highly praised gig in London before falling apart and leaving behind just this superlative, solitary, album.

Check out tracks such as ‘What Would It Take’, ‘Anytime, Anywhere’ and the anthem ‘Once Upon A Time’. All Melodic Rock gems with an AOR feel and ‘that’ magical sound.
“Shadow King” is a terrific album, one of last from the glorious 1989-1991 period of glossy US productions for the genre. Long time out of print and with ridiculous prices at auction sites, now it has been amazingly remastered by Rock Candy.

01 - What Would It Take
02 - Anytime, Anywhere
03 - Once Upon a Time
04 - Don't Even Know I'm Alive
05 - Boy
06 - I Want You
07 - This Heart of Stone
08 - Danger in the Dance of Love
09 - No Man's Land
10 - Russia

Lou Gramm - lead and backing vocals
Bruce Turgon - bass, guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Vivian Campbell - lead and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Kevin Valentine - drums, backing vocals

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