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Lionville: So Close To Heaven
Lionville - So Close To Heaven Album Art

Lionville: So Close To Heaven

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR
5.0/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 09.02.2022 | Released: 15.02.2022

2022 welcomes back Italy's Lionville. If you haven't heard of the band, a short primer is in order. The band was formed 12 years ago songwriter, singer and guitarist Stefano Lionetti with his brother Alessandro. The latter is no longer in the band. So far Lionville has released four studios, most recently on the Frontiers Music label. This partnership has given the little ole band from Genova some international recognition and acceptance by AOR melodic rock fans. Now, Lionville returns with their fifth album,So Close To Heaven.

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Lionville

Once more, Lionville delivers premium quality AOR melodic rock. So much so, if you're old enough, the songs within will easily transport you back to the Eighties when the genre reigned. The Lionville musical formula has not changed and, actually, it's a rather simple plan with the usual musical suspects. They include, in abundance, strong song melody, guitar harmony, clean melodic vocal arrangements, groove (with some gallop at times) from the rhythm section, fine guitar solos, and memorable refrains. All these things are also the substance of AOR accessibility, especially the song melody and groove. These musical themes run deep within this album, certainly within the more upbeat (perhaps heavier) Cross My Heart, The World Is On Fire, Angels Without Wings, and This Time (featuring a duet with Robbie LaBlanc). But in the center of the album the AOR quality rises high with True Believer, We Are One, and Only The Brave. But that last song can have some of that same big beat mentioned earlier. A true arena ballad comes with the anthem, Can't Live Without Your Love. Taking a page from their musical roots, Lionville adds a cover of Richard Marx's Arrow Through My Heart from his highly successful album, Repeat Offender. I think the Lionville version seems heavier than the original, but I'll let my faithful readers be the judge of that. All in all, Lionville's So Close To Heaven is another consistent and entertaining album of AOR melodic rock, an honest and true addition to the venerable genre. Easily recommended.




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The Take Away

All in all, Lionville's So Close To Heaven is another consistent and entertaining album of AOR melodic rock, an honest and true addition to the venerable genre. Easily recommended.

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eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]

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