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Walkway: WWIII
Walkway - WWIII CD Album Review

Walkway: WWIII

Melodic Hard Rock
5.0/5.0

Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
Unsigned/Self-released
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 09.08.2017

Have you ever noticed that when a band creates a social media handle, for Facebook or Twitter for example, the formula is "band name" + rocks. Such is the case for Walkway's Twitter handle, @WalkwayRocks. It's a fitting and simple description of Walkway too: they rock. Formed some 10 years ago in the UK, the band has released two albums and toured extensively in support of them, sharing the stage with notable bands such as Status Quo, The Darkness, Black Stone Cherry, and Slade. Pretty much a DIY band, Walkway drops their their third studio album, WWIII, and it rocks.

Walkway Band Photo

Walkway

Essentially, Walkway delivers, in the famous English tradition, classic melodic hard rock with a self-evident metal edge, and then dropped into an AOR wrapper. Twin guitar harmony leads the way, with abundant and ambitious guitar solos following and flowing across the entire album. The sturdy and steady bass and drum section provide rousing rhythm and groove that keeps your toe-tapping and your head banging. Chris Ready is an exceptional vocalist, singing strong and clean, never straining or over extending himself. The vocal harmonies are sweet and swelling and, in songs like, Casey, Kiss Me Hard, Mission Impossible, or Same Old Situation (not the Motley Crue tune, they can have a slight Def Leppard vibe. Or within Holding On To Letting Go, a pleasant ballad and the most mellow song here, there's some serious four part, choral-like, harmony.

That's to say that most every song comes on strong, hard and heavy at times, and rocks hard. Yet because Walkway can twist a riff, sweeten a vocal harmony, or cast a catchy refrain, the songs ooze with AOR accessibility and groove. Notable and fine examples come with Best I Ever Had, Get A Grip, Right Here Right Now, and Casey, perhaps the most AOR catchy song of the bunch. As a bonus, and tribute to late Status Quo singer Rick Parfitt, Walkway covers Rain with Status Quo's John Coghlan handling the skins. Finally, including the three bonus tracks, you get your money's worth of melodic hard rock, 14 songs at nearly an hour. Suffice to say, Walkway's WWIII is a strong album of essential and classic English, arena ready, melodic hard rock. Easily recommended.



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The Bottom Line

Walkway's WWIII is a strong album of essential and classic English, arena ready, melodic hard rock. Easily recommended.

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