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Frontiers Records
by Craig Hartranft, 05.14.2012
It's good to have friends in the business. Thanks to the persistence of Frontiers Records, Hardline with vocalist Johnny Gioeli gets another revival in this year's Danger Zone. The album arrives on the 20th anniversary of the seminal album Double Eclipse, which featured Gioeli's brother Joey, but also famous Journey members Neal Schon and Deen Castronovo. Danger Zone's art even commemorates the occasion with a solar eclipse.
This addition of Hardline features Gioeli co-writing with Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge of Forever, Eden's Curse), who also produces and performs on keyboards. Immediately your ears will note that this year's version echoes the past. Dangerdog Zone is simply classic melodic hard rock, filled with big melodies, catchy hooks and chorus, and zippy guitar solos.
Gioeli, who has spent the bulk of his career singing for Alex Rudi Pell, shows his enduring strength and versatility. Here, at times, he sounds like a hard rock torch singer, rather than a metal vocalist. What' I'd Like, Stronger Than Me, Look at You Now, and Please Have Faith in Me are demonstrations of his skill and resilience, and they're some of the best songs here. But both Gioeli and the band can rip it up, getting heavy and rocking hard on Fever Dreams and the immense Show Me Your Love, by example.
Whether Hardline continues, Danger Zone resurrects the band to revitalize it's spin on classic melodic hard rock. It's deja vu all over again. Quite recommended.
Whether Hardline continues, Danger Zone resurrects the band to revitalize it's spin on classic melodic hard rock. It's deja vu all over again.
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