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[ More Music Reviews ]

Hardline: Life

Melodic Heavy Metal Rock

4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 10.04.2019 | Released: 26.04.2019

While we haven't heard from Hardline since 2016, one member of the band has had a busy 2018. Founder and vocalist Johnny Gioeli dropped two albums last year, Set The World On Fire with former bandmate Deen Castronovo and his own solo album, One Voice. Now Hardline returns with their sixth and latest album, Life, featuring two new members, guitarist Mario Percudani and drummer Marco Di Slavia.

Hardline

In one sense, Life is merely a continuation of the hard and heavy sound of 2016's Human Nature. Alternatively, I would say this album is even heavier than its predecessor, enough so to call the Hardline sound, melodic heavy metal rock. The riffs are sharper, the leads more blistering, the rhythm section more bold and thundering, and Gioeli, perhaps, even a bit more forceful and raging in his vocal presence. Sure, there are some milder moments to a song, like the softer electric breakdown within Hold On Tight. Mostly, there's kick ass metal rockers like Place To Call Home, Take A Chance, or Chameleon. Even the ballads can be heavy metal tough like the heavier Who Wants To Live Forever and Page Of Your Life, despite their lingering piano lines. Conversely, Hardline can bring the mellow, so to speak, in the ballads This Love and especially My Friend, which turns upon acoustic guitar and vocal harmony. So then, if your like your classic rock a little bolder, a little tougher, Hardline's Life offers you a heaping helping of melodic heavy metal rock. Recommended.

Alchemy: Dyadic

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

The last we heard from Italy's Alchemy was 2016's Never Too Late. Since then the band has been busy, touring in their native Italy and surrounding countries ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

If your like your classic rock a little bolder, a little tougher, Hardline's Life offers you a heaping helping of melodic heavy metal rock. Recommended.

Alphabetical Index

By far, Sweden's Eclipse is one of my favorite bands. Always consistent and always entertaining, Eclipse has been delivering their 21st century version of melodic metal rock since songwriter, producer ... [ Read More ]