• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

April 2024

• Vanden Plas: The Empyrean Equation Of The Long Lost Things
• Praying Mantis: Defiance
• King Zebra: Between The Shadows
• About Us: Take A Piece
• Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

March 2024

• Cruzh: The Jungle Revolution
• Whom Gods Destroy: Insanium
• The Prog Collective: Dark Encounters
• Lords Of Black: Mechanics Of Predacity
• Lipz: Changing The Melody
• The End Machine: The Quantum Phase
• Stargate: Escaping The Illusion
• Turbulence: Binary Dream
• Sonata Arctica: Clear Cold Beyond
• D'Luna: Monster
• Big Big Train: The Likes Of Us
• Benjamin Croft: We Are Here To Help

February 2024

• Traveler: Prequel To Madness
• Lionheart: The Grace Of A Dragonfly
• Honeymoon Suite: Alive
• Durbin: Screaming Steel
• Smoking Snakes: Danger Zone
• Revolution Saints: Against The Winds
• Striker: Ultrapower
• Show N Tell: The Ritual Has Begun
• Robert Hart: Circus Life

January 2024

• Corvus: Immortals
• Caligula's Horse: Charcoal Grace
• Grand: Second To None
• Neal Morse: The Restoration - Joseph - Part Two
• The Rods: Rattle The Cage
• Gotus: Gotus
• Metalite: Expedition One
• Cobrakill: Serpent's Kiss
• Jack Russell & Tracii Guns: Medusa
• Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 1
• The Grandmaster: Black Sun

[ More Music Reviews ]

Waiting For Monday: Waiting For Monday

AOR Melodic Hard Rock

4.5/5.0

Facebook
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 12.02.2020 | Released: 14.02.2020

Hailing from Los Angeles, and discovered by vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, Waiting For Monday was created by vocalist Rudy Cardenas and guitarist August Zadra. While quite sometime ago, if you're a fan of American Idol, you may have some recollection of Cardenas. He lasted to the finals of American Idol season six in 2007. Soto gave Waiting For Monday a push to Frontiers Music, who quickly signed the act. Waiting For Monday drops their self-titled first studio on Valentine's Day.

Waiting For Monday

Musically, and simply said, Waiting For Monday offers the listener classic AOR melodic hard rock. Perhaps, the additional description of guitar-driven rock could be added, because August Zadra is an exceptional guitarist. From his acoustic work to his riff harmony to his thrilling solo, the man excels. Aspiring guitarists could make a clinic out of this album. For his part, Rudy Cardenas is also an exceptional rock singer, singing clean and melodic with immense range, power, and stamina. Not to say that he sounds like Steve Perry, but Cardenas has all those vocal qualities that make for a great singer. Yet, Cardenas' main vocal quality is simply, passion. You can hear it in his timbre. After these things, you'll simply find ambitious, inviting, and highly entertaining melodic rock which also features fine vocal harmony, lush melodies, and plenty of rock rhythm and groove.

So to listen to some songs then. You'll find some straight up melodic hard rock, with the requisite killer guitar solo (or two), with Until The Dawn, End Of A Dream, Pick Her Lies, and the bit heavier Right In Front Of You. With One More Round, the band ramps up the riffs and the tempo for a roaring riff rocker. Waiting For Monday nails the formula for classic anthemic ballads with Shattered Lives, Found You Now, and Must Have Been, by weaving classical piano and acoustic guitar into a rising arrangement. For something different, Waiting For Monday gets their blues groove on for Love You Forever, wherein you also hear the passion of Cardenas' vocal presence. All said, Waiting For Monday's debut album is a significant and satisfying album of AOR melodic hard rock. Something not to be missed. Easily recommended.

Nightfear: Apocalypse

Heavy/Power Metal

4.5/5.0

After two successful albums and numerous tours and festivals in support of them, Nightfear has found time to return to the studio. Now signed to Spain's Fighter Records ... [ 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.

Waiting For Monday's debut album is a significant and satisfying album of AOR melodic hard rock. Something not to be missed. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

Three years have passed since Sweden's Cruzh dropped their second long-player, Tropical Thunder, also introducing their new singer, Alex Waghorn. Now the band returns with The Jungle Revolution ... [ Read More ]