This is yet another one of Frontier’s put together projects so that they can get their love child (Alessandro Del Vechio) gainful employment, this time in the mixing process. I don’t usually go for these projects, but lately the quality has stepped up somewhat.
The band are Robin McAuley on vocals, Reb Beach on guitar, Jeff Pilson on bass, and Matt Starr on drums. The involvement of Beach and Pilson had me sold. Every song is a great slab of melodic hard rock with fat huge riffs and grooves with melody and hooks brimming over. Honestly, there is not a bad song here as everyone brought their A game.
Shake The World starts things rollin’ and we are off to a winner, killer everything, what a great tune. Big Disaster follows and has a different tempo and groove, but is an awesome track with added monster solo from Mr. Beach. Johnny Came Marching ends Side 1, and what a great beginning – although the song does remind me a bit of The Stroke by Billy Squier. Immortal Souls could be my favourite track on the record. It has a superb intro and great melody, and this would make a good choice as a single. It’s the dreaded ballad next with Make It There. She’s On To Us has an almost Native American drum pattern and groove at the intro, before we are back to more familiar territory with the hook.
The Rock That Rolled Away is the most rocking track so far with a great up-tempo groove and great riff. Long Road To Nowhere has a great harmonic intro, and again, we have a killer melody and hook -the great tunes keep a comin’! A lighter vibe and pace next with Scared Place and I could see this being a Dokken track. On to Side 4 we go with Unless We Change, and it’s a great up-tempo rocker. Divided/United closes out the album with a big power ballad. I get the message, but to finish an album with a power ballad is a meh from me. On the whole, a great album but minus a point for the ballads.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
