CONTENTS 04_Mr. Big 06_Moonland Feat. L. Kuurmaa 07_Work of Art 08_Dennis DeYoung 09_Angels or Kings 10_Threshold 12_Reviews 14_Kissin’ Dynamite 15_Grand Design 16_Dalton 17_Vega 19_Stryper 20_Allen / Lande 22_220 Volt Melodic Rock Fanzine The official Frontiers Music magazine Year #10 - Nr. 5 / Issue #64 Editor-in-chief: Elio Bordi Concept, Graphics & Design: Elio Bordi Writers: Bruce E.J. Atkinson, Duncan Jamieson, Barry McMinn, Vitale Nocerino, Rob “Ezy” Bone, Primo Bonali. Headquarters and general contacts: Frontiers Records - Via Gonzaga 18 80125, Napoli - Italy Tel: +39.081.2399340/7753 Fax: +39.081.2399794 E-mail: elio@frontiers.it Website: www.frontiers.it Facebook: facebook.com/frontiersmusicsrl Twitter: twitter.com/FrontiersMusic1 Editor and publisher: Frontiers Records s.r.l. Copyright©2014 Frontiers Records. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Italy.
Band / Album: Mr. Big
Interview with: P. Gilbert and E. Martin
Interview by: Vitale Nocerino
Question: How do you feel about “...The Stories W Could Tell”? Paul Gilbert: The album rocks! Every day, after working in the studio, I would drive home with the new songs in my head. I’m lucky to be one of the first people on earth to hear the new Mr. Big album. You’ll be able to hear it soon as well. Q: You spent a lot of the last years playing around the world. How much does it help to write songs for the new album? Paul Gilbert: The thing that helps me the most to write songs is… the band! When I get together with Eric, Billy, and Pat, the ideas seem to happen very easily. Outside of the band, I get inspiration just from playing the guitar, listening to music, and from teaching the students at my online school. I am always immersed in music. Q: This new album has great production, great lyrics and a torrent of creativity. Is there a sort of secret formula to write Mr Big songs? Paul Gilbert: It’s a combination of all of us. My own formula is… To keep working until it’s good! We also had a great producer on this record… Pat Regan. He’s worked with Deep Purple, Richie Blackmore, and many other rock legends. Q: Is there a particular meaning behind the album title? Autobiographic? Paul Gilbert: We’ve all been rock musicians for many years, and had so many adventures… good, bad, scary, funny, and surprising. Billy is an especially good storyteller. I think he could be a stand-up comedian! Q: Did you have a specific musical direction you wanted to go in for the new songs? Paul Gilbert: Since the album has over 10 songs, there are many different directions that we can go within the album. Mainly, I like to have good vocal melodies, a powerful band performance, and of course some exciting and melodic guitar solos. Vocal harmonies are an important part of Mr. Big’s sound as well, and there are some great harmonies on the album. Q: I know your albums are first of all about music, but do you think that it could be also a method of communicating a message? Paul Gilbert: My primary goal is to play guitar and make good music. I think that good
music sends a fantastic message. It can inspire people, unite people, and just make it easier to get through the day. It helps me, and that’s why I play it. I don’t think “the message” is a really specific one. It’s more general… something like, “Listen to this. It will make you feel better.” Maybe it’s also a message to people to sing along with us, and a message to musicians saying, “You can do this too!” Q: Which are the compositions from the new album that you feel they best represent the spirit of Mr Big in this particular moment? Paul Gilbert: I really like Eric’s song “Fragile.” His singing is perfect. I like the title track, “The Stories We Could Tell.” My guitar turned out really well in that one. And the opening track, “You Gotta Love the Ride” is really heavy and melodic at the same time. But I like everything. They’re all good! Q: Something that comes across pretty much straight away is the energy that you have captured... how do you have reached such a result? Eric Martin: After the lengthy tour of 2011, I was burnt… But a couple months later I was chomping at the bit to cut another record. I don’t like to sit still, I wanted to get together and write. I was gathering up all kinds of ideas and wrote a few things to be prepared when the Paul or the rest of the guys wanted to record again. Well 2 years and a couple months go by and I’m ready as hell. Ironically we get a bit of a late start because of scheduling and what not... So now were under the gun to finish and we hadn’t really started. So it’s a lot of anticipation / pressure / panic and passion put into this record. Q: How do you feel when so many bands talk about you as a great influence? Paul Gilbert: Of course it’s flattering. But at the same time, I think a lot of people don’t really understand me as a musician. I’m often put in the “shred” category. I certainly do play fast sometimes. But my favorite band is The Beatles. I love vocal melodies, and I listen to much more 60s and 70s pop, old blues and jazz, and classical music than I do guitar instrumentals. I love some metal from the 70s and early 80s as well, but most of the bands that cite me as an influence are much heavier than I could ever be. Anyway,
I hope I was helpful to them in some way. Q: What has being in Mr Big meant to you? Paul Gilbert: I used to watch Billy Sheehan play in his band, TALAS, when I was a teenager. I thought he was a great musician, and I was really excited when I had a chance to meet him and jam with him. I also had some Eric Martin solo records, and I really liked his voice, so I excited to play with him too. I didn’t know Pat Torpey, but as soon as we jammed, I loved his drumming. Since those early days, we’ve spent so much time together and made some great music. I’m really fortunate that I could be a part of such good music, with such good success, and with such talented and interesting people. I can’t believe all the things we’ve done… the stories we could tell! Question: We read that Pat Torpey is experiencing some health problems... Can you tell us something about his conditions? Eric Martin: In 2011 when we were on tour Pat told us that he was experiencing a tingling sensation in his right leg and right hand. He was freaking out about it but he played great and I didn’t think more about it. Pat’s always been the strong physical type , the kind of guy that does the 100 sit ups and and push up’s before the show and then plays for 2 and half hours. I thought he was just over worked. It wasn’t until we started to work on this new album in May that I saw that something was different about him. He told me that he had the beginning stages of Parkinson’s disease. I feel really crushed by the whole thing. It’s not something I really should be talking about. Q: What can we expect to see from Mr Big in 2014 under the live aspect? Eric Martin: Well, a sweet little tour… 6 weeks to be exact in Europe and Asia coming up. I wish it was longer but I guess everyone has other commitments. Also I think that long 10 month tour in 2011 took a little toll on everyone. We may play a few in the USA next year but given the fact that Pat Torpey isn’t joining us (Pat gave his blessing to Matt Starr who be drumming on this upcoming adventure) puts a damper on it all. Q: So what are the Mr Big plans for 2014/2015? Eric Martin: Keep the dream alive! MRF | 5
Band / Album: Moonland Feat. L. Kuurmaa
Question: First, congratulations on this new musical adventure… Would it be correct in thinking that you are kind of re-launching your singing career with Moonland? Answer: Well on the international music market yes- but otherwise no. I have been doing music since I remember and some time after Vanilla Ninja I started my own band called “Lenna” which is very successful here in my homeland Estonia. We have given out 2 albums and working on our third one. Q: Knowing your past efforts, with Vanilla Ninja, and now, your involvement with Frontiers Records, and Alessandro Del Vecchio… Are you in a more comfortable and creative place? A: I can’t really compare those twoMoonland and Vanilla Ninja. The situations and the purpose of those projects are totally different. Vanilla Ninja was our band that we started and created from the beginning. Moonland is a project which came to life because of Frontiers Records. They had this idea to do this kind of album with me. Q: Speaking of Mr. Del Vecchio, I have just finished a brief article on “Mother Road”, and in it I referred to Alessandro being in such demand with so many Artists… How 6 | MRF
Interview with: Lenna Kuurmaa
in the world did you get his attention!? A: I don’t know... I am very happy that I did though. I guess we can only thank Frontiers Records. Alessandro is so talented and a great person. I am very happy and thankful he worked with me and produced Moonlands album! Q: This new release, “Moonland”, seems to be the perfect vehicle for your Talents. Obviously a very pleasant experience for you and the assembled musicians you worked with. Did this project bring you together with some that you would not have thought possible in the past? A: Yes sure. I never thought I would give out an album together with an Italian rock label and I never thought I would record an album in Milano. As I told you in the first question-I have been working in Estonia for last several years. This new international project for me is very interesting! Q: If I may, what does Lenna Kuurmaa expect to come out of this project? Are we seeing a brand new band, one that will continue to create and play live? A: We had our first live show in Milano already, this year in May, at the Frontiers Festival. It was a great experience. I do hope
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
we get to play many live shows all over Europe. And maybe also Japan and America… I do hope AOR fans all over the world will find Moonland’s record. Q: “Moonland” is such an exquisite collection of music, did you push your own boundaries during the recording of this record? A: We found a good way together with Ale, we did not have to fight. Q: Are Vanilla Ninja still in business? A: Vanilla Ninja is long time not anymore in business, I guess almost 10 years... Q: How was that time? Did you enjoy? Do you miss the band? A: It was a super crazy time in my life, we were 16 years old when we started with Vanilla Ninja. So you can imagine how different I look at things now (laughs). But I must say it is a time I never want to forget. Vanilla Ninja made me who I am today. It also gave me much belief that everything is possible when you really want! That is so true! Vanilla Ninja was the best thing that could happen to us. At the moment I see that it is good it also ended... Everything has a reason and has its time. Vanilla Ninja’s time was over and it opened new doors.
Band / Album: Work of Art “Framework”
Question: Hi Robert! It has been long time! What have you done during all this time? Answer: I've been busy with the recording and release of the latest WET album and after that of course, writing and recording this latest Work Of Art album. Doesn't really feel like it has been 3 years since our last release, I guess time flies when you're having fun! Q: How difficoult have been working on this new album after the great feedback you had for the previous CDs? A: Personally, I was quite satisfied with the two albums we already made and wasn't necessarily sure I wanted to go ahead and make this third album with all the expectations and pressure that comes with the making of an album. But the other guys really wanted to do it and I realized that this band means a lot not only to me but to all of the guys in the band and equally important, this band means a lot to our fans. So I just had to put on the "working gloves" and write some new songs. Q: What about your concerts activity? A: We try to play as much as we can but really, we're not approached by that many booking agencies so, that's why. Mostly, we are
Interview with: Robert Sall
offered to play at different festival, which I think is really great because it's usually such a nice way of bringing fans and bands together. Also, by now when we're almost in our forties with families and other responsibilities, there are certain gigs we just can't do as we can't afford to lose money. But so far, we haven't had to turn down a lot of gigs because of that so it's all good. Q: What make this album different from the previous one, in your opinion? A: Well, at this point we have built a fan base that are expecting a certain sound from us and we wanted this album to live up to those expectations so really, I think this album is a natural follow up to our two previous records. If anything, we tried to have a little more straight ahead songs with even more catchier choruses than in the past. Q: “Framework” in your own words... A: Uptempo, positive, catchy! Q: What about the production of the album? A: The production, in the traditional meaning of being in charge of the musical direction of the album is mostly me but, when it comes to mixing and making everything sounds good, it's Lars all the way! He doesn't only got a
Interview by: Vitale Nocerino
golden voice, he's got golden ears as well! Q: You have a great ispiration in music and words... A: Well, I try to write the kind of songs I would like to hear myself. Songs that you can get lost in and for a while and get into that "everything is possible" vibe. Which I think it's really a trademark for the whole AOR genre. Q: What makes AOR a so magic kind of music? It seems that every day a new AOR band born. A: I think it is the fact that AOR is so melodic and has that positive energy that a lot of fans seems to appreciate. That and also the fact that it's usually played by real musicians who knows how to write and play so it has that high quality musicianship to it that you doesn't necessarily find in todays popular music. Q: What’s next? A: All of us is really looking forward to the release of this new album. I have really good feeling about it and hopefully, we get the chance to come out and play as many gigs as possible. Can't wait to meet all our fans again because really, without them, this album would have never existed. MRF | 7
Artist / Album: D.DeYoung “Live in LA”
Question: How did the idea to record the Los Angeles show come about? Answer: AXS TV offered us the chance to film an acoustic show for a program called Live From The Grammy Museum. After some discussion we decided to record the rock show instead at the El Rey where they had recently done John Fogerty and also Ringo Starr. Q: What do you remember of that show that evening? A: The enthusiasm of the crowd was wonderful. I have always said that for a rock concert, unlike theater the audience becomes an essential part of the experience. Oh, and no one fell off the front of the stage which is always a good thing. Q: This is the first official live recording of your music under your name. How does that feel? A: Actually in 2004 I performed a concert with a symphony orchestra that was the pilot for Soundstage a PBS television series. The DVD and CD went triple platinum and platinum respectively in Canada and was broadcast over 100 times in the USA. This was a reimagining of the Styx catalogue complete with rock band, choir and a 50 piece sym8 | MRF
Interview with: Dennis DeYoung
phony orchestra. That sound you just heard was Mozart rolling over in his grave. Q: Tell us about the guys in your band? A: My son Matthew called me up late one night and asked me to go to YouTube to view August Zadra singing Renegade in a Styx cover band. He was a perfect fit. Not only could he sing like the original recordings but he could play the lead guitar parts from the Styx songs note for note. After that I hand picked both Jimmy Leahey and Craig Carter to join Tom Sharpe, John Blasucci and my wife to replicate the sound and spirit of Styx. This is a very special group whose joy in performing comes across in this video. Q: How did you choose the setlist? A: For this show it was simple, play the hits. Every song in this show represents the wide ranging style that Styx had forged over it's long career. It contains hit songs spanning 3 decades and five American presidents. It also has Desert Moon a hit from my solo career. Q: What’s been the response from people who have seen you on tour? Do they ever compare you to the current line up with Styx? A: The response has been great by both the
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
fans and the critics. The comments on the various blogs have been uniformly the same, that this is a must see show for all the fans who are interested in hearing all the hits sung by the guy who wrote and sang them. Check the ticket master blog. Q: Are there any songs you perform that you think you wouldn’t be able to perform if you were in Styx with the rest of those guys? A: No. But when Styx reunited in 96 and 97 we did not play any songs from our individual solo careers, so Desert Moon might be left out. Q: How would you feel about getting back with the other guys in Styx? What would prevent that happening? A: A reunion has always been solely in Tommy and James's hands. I have said from the beginning that if it were up to me I would have never been replaced. This is something the fans have wanted from day one. Check my interview with Rolling Stone on this matter. Q: Do you have plans to make new music? A: Frontiers has been kind enough to offer me the chance to make new music and I'm excited by the opportunity.
back when we started in the 80's. We played with some well known bands like Dare and Danger Danger. We decided, like many of the bands playing our type of melodic hard rock, that the time had come to move on and make way for some of the younger bands coming through. Grunge had arrived and record company's weren't signing our style anymore. We called it a day around 1992. Fast forward to 2011 and although there are 4 of the original band still involved Band / Album: Angel or Kings “Kings of Nowhere” we felt that this was a brand Interview with: Tony, Steve, Baz, Rob and Andy new project. All the songs on the album have been Interview by: Primo Bonali written within the last 3 years. This isn't an A.O.K Question: Hi guys! Let’s start with a short histoalbum but we still accept that people will remember ry of the band. I know you're around since 1988, so first question is: why did you wait for 25 long us by that name so we thought Angels Or Kings would be suitably close. So, to answer your quesyears before releasing these incredible tunes? Answer: Thanks for your support, we really appre- tion, we didn't wait 25 years because this is all new! ciate it. We were originally known as simply A.O.K Q: Your album sounds really melodic, and somehow pompous, still rocking hard! Which
are your most important influences, musically talking? Bands like SHY, FM and TEN come to my mind. Definitely British Hard-Rock at its best... A: Our influences are really from bands such as Giant, Bad English, Coney Hatch, Night Ranger. Bands that, although really melodic, they have a harder edge and can rock out. That's what we like, plenty of melody, but rougher around the edges. Q: What do you recall about the UK Hard-Rock scene of the late '80s – early '90s? A: The hard rock scene in the 80's was, for us, a great time. In a band who were all really good mates, our nights out we're something special and we got to play our music as well. Time moves us on though and if you can't make a living from it then you have to make some decisions. We stayed as mates though and live close to each other so getting it back up and running has been a pleasure. Q: Where your monicker, Angels Or Kings, comes from? Any particular meaning behind it? A: We wondered weather we should call the new band A.O.K but although we were entitled to use it we decided that as it was all new and with the addition of Baz Jackson on vocals, then we wouldn't. We did realise that there might be people who remembered us so we came up with Angels Or Kings as a nod to our past but also as a new beginning.
Band / Album: Threshold “For The Journey”
Question: How long have you been working on “For The Journey” album?? Answer: It was probably about nine months, we started after our summer festivals last year and finished mixing sometime around June 2014. Some of the album was written before that but most of the intensive work was done after our tour dates. Q: How was the song writing process for this album, normally it’s the Karl and Richard writing combination, did you divert from the norm for this album? A: It was mostly Karl and me again, I wrote three songs and also co-wrote a further four with Karl. The closing song was written by our newest band member Pete Morten, it's always nice when the others guys do some writing too and Pete wrote a wonderful song. Q: Personally I think this is the best Damian has sounded on a Threshold album, how has he progressed as a vocalist since the debut album? A: I agree with you, he was always a powerful vocalist but his voice now sounds a lot fuller than when he was young. He's 10 | MRF
Interview with: Richard West
also grown as a performer and does a great job fronting the band. It's not uncommon for him to go out into the crowd and meet the fans during a show, even during the big festivals. Q: Again the album one filled with powerful emotive songs, but are there any songs you’re particulary proud of? A: I love our 12 minute track called "The Box", it's a great progressive epic and one of my favourite collaborations with Karl. The music is very emotional and the lyrics tell a good story. I'm also particularly fond of our ballad "Lost In Your Memory". Q: When your putting a Threshold album together do you have to get into a certain frame of mind when it comes to the songwriting or do things just flow when pen is put to paper? A: Things just flowed for writing the 'For The Journey', we wrote it quite soon after our last album 'March of Progress' so we just hit the ground running. 'March of Progress' was more difficult to write because we'd had a few years off doing other stuff. It's better when the gap between albums is shorter.
Interview by: Barry McMinn
Q: The have been labelled as the UK finest Progressive Metal band, does this put any pressure on you to come up with monster album after monster album? A: It reminds us that our standards must remain high, but we don't really feel any pressure. We love what we do so we just keep on doing it. There's always a slight trepidation when the reviews start to come out, but we're glad to see that 'For The Journey' has been well received and we've got some glowing reviews. Q: Also the band have been described as the band Dream Theater should have been, what do you think about this statement? A: That's very flattering! Dream Theater is a great band and I'm sure they don't have any desire to sound more like us. They do their American thing and we do our English thing! Q: The band is embarking on European tour before embarking on the 70,000 Ton of Metal, what can the fans expect from Threshold live? A: Plenty of new songs, plenty of classics, plenty of energy and a really good time!
eviews
R
MR. BIG “...The Stories We Could Tell” (Frontiers Records) Their second album since the original lineup reformed, this is one of those albums that gets better with each listen as the melodies start to lodge in your head. It goes without saying that the musicianship from Mr Big is fantastic but it’s the songs that are the real stars here. Special mention goes to ‘Fragile’ which has a strong chorus and is a perfect blend of pop and rock. “Satisfied”, my personal favourite, is insanely catchy with great group harmonies. “What If We Were New?” is sassier than Aerosmith and there are some good rockier numbers, more reminiscent of their debut such as “The Light Of Day” and “It’s Always About The Girl” which outshine the ballads although they’re wellcrafted too. Eric Martin deserves a special mention as it his increased contribution that has shaped this record. Pat Torpey’s diagnosis with Parkinsons means the making of this disc is even more precious. It’s a classy release that will figure highly in many people’s top ten at the year’s end. (DJ 96/100)
ALLEN / LANDE “The Great Divide” (Frontiers Records) 2014 sees the much anticipated fourth album in the Allen / Lande series, this time with the mighty Timo Tolkki handling the songwriting and production duties. Once again two of the finest metal vocalist around Russell Allen and Jorn Lande take us on metal masterclass under the watchful eye of Tolkki. With the first three albums written and produced by Magnus Karlsson, Tolkki had big shoes to fill, with all three previous albums getting critical acclaim, but fill them he has and more with this new opus. The album gets underway with “Come Dream With Me” and instantly you know this album carries on the Allen / Lande stylings of the previous album, only this time there is a more metal edge to proceedings. The album is ten tracks of pure ear candy, with the likes of “Down From The Mountain”, the excellent “Solid Ground” and the heavier tracks like “The Hymn For The Fallen”, standing up against the mellower “Bittersweet” as some of my favourite tracks off this epic release. This is one of the finest Melodic Metal albums you’ll hear this year and one that takes the series that one step further. (BM 95/100)
WORK OF ART “Framework” (Frontiers Records) Track after track after track of simply glorious classic AOR that is written and recorded so perfectly that the album sounds timeless. It could have been released as easily in 1987 as it is today. Their first two albums were both wonderful, but I can’t help but feel that they have truly found their own unique groove here. Framework is, I think, their most accomplished work to date and their most unique. This album sees the guys turn up the guitars a little and mix the keyboards a little less prominently, but don’t fear, there are several layers of keys in each and every track. That sound is still fundamental to the band’s texture. The album is also a more uptempo and fast moving affair. It rocks along at a positively cracking pace at times, but all the while still remaining 100% AOR. I’ve been thrashing this album for weeks and my enjoyment has not diminished one little bit. It’s glorious! It’s essential. (A. McNeice / MelodicRock.com 99/100)
DENNIS DEYOUNG “Live in Los Angeles” (Frontiers Records) While Styx continue to tour, the man many people consider the voice of Styx is taking the same material out under his own name. Having written more of the material than any other members of Styx, he has every right to do so. It was recorded in March of this year at El Ray Theater, LA. There’s always been a touch of musical schmaltz to De Young’s delivery but his voice is still in excellent shape here and he does the material justice. As for the rest of the band if you closed your eyes you wouldn’t know it wasn’t Styx (even eyes open they look at lot like Styx!). The setlist includes all the classics such as ‘Grand Illusion’, ‘Best Of Times’ and ‘Come Sail Away With Me’ plus a good version of De Young’s solo ‘Desert Moon’. There’s some good humoured banter between songs included (Babe wasn’t originally intended for Styx. It was a gift to Young’s wife to save him from having to buy jewellery!).The tickets for the gig were sold at a mere $5. The audience definitely got their money’s worth and then some! (DJ 90/100)
ANGELS OR KINGS “Kings Of Nowhere” (AOR Heaven)
EVERGREY “Hymns For The Broken” (AFM Records)
BULLET “Storm Of Blades” (Nuclear Blast)
GRAND DESIGN “The Thrill of the Night” (AOR Heaven)
THRESHOLD “For the Journey” (Nuclear Blast)
Following their success on the “Firefest” competition for “unsigned bands” (which will lead the band to open this year's edition), Angels Or Kings, or simply A.O.K., will have his debut-album finally released after no less than... 25 years! In fact, the band has been founded in Manchester, UK, during 1988 (by ex members of acts like Strutz, Circus and Sam Thunder) and has been playing, fighting, rocking and living since then, without unfortunately getting the deserved attention. Now it's the their time and all melodic Rock fans should welcome them with joy and happiness. Their music is what everybody might expect from a band that actually lived the “golden years” in UK; think SHY, STRANGEWAYS and early TEN, with some JOURNEY and BRIGHTON ROCK ("Same Star)" influences, plus some more bluesy-feeling (“Real Life”) thrown into for good measure. Excellent songwriting, good production and a lot of memories; here's what you're gonna buy here. These days there's no better way to spend your hard-earned money. Enjoy the album and catch them live at “FireFest” or at “Hard Rock Hell Fest” in 2015! PB (92/100)
It has been three years since their previous “Glorious Collision” album was released. And many things changed – in the meantime – at the Evergrey-camp: basically the band almost called it quits due to mastermind vocalist/guitarist Tom S. Englund feeling no more inspired, after that Henrik Danhage (guitars), Jonas Ekdahl (drums), and Jari Kainulainen (bass) left on friendly terms. Luckily, former band-mates Henrik Danhage (guitars) and Jonas Ekdahl (drums) joined back the group, so – with new fuel injected – Evergrey is now back to the scene with their ninth studio-album, the aptly-titled “Hymns for The Broken”. And they're here to take no prisoners. The band's Progressive / Symphonic Metal assault is delivered here in their best tradition, the somehow dark yet always breath-taking atmospheres are always there (definitely their trademark) and the powerful vocals of Englund shine as never before. The overall feeling of the album is quite dark and heavy, with many emotional and atmospheric breaks thrown into to create a sort of incredible moviesoundtrack. Awesome work, topnotch production, stellar musical performance. Probably the best Progressive Metal album of the year. PB (90/100)
I'll be clear from the beginning: I LOVE Ac/Dc. And I LOVE Accept. How the hell could I not LOVE also Bullet? I definitely DO! They're a bunch of straight, full-on, pedal-to-the-Metal, rough'n'tumble, R'n'R outlaws and their down and dirty Anthemic Metal Rock is exactly what anyone might need to party hard and drink some cheap wine with cheaper women (oh well... yes, the Airbourne-comparison is not here for a mere coincidence). 11 tracks that will not change the story of the music but that will shake your lazy legs and move your fat ass! No doubts about. They were born for that! As per R'n'R tradition, the band loves to play live and to be on tour, where they spent almost two long years, after the release of the previous successful “Full Pull”. With the new album “Storm Of Blades” recorded in early 2014, Bullet will be again on tour very soon to bring their Metal to the masses. Respect. No frills / all thrills R'n'R: that's what we all need! PB (90/100)
It’s album number three for the Swedish band that wear their Def Leppard influences proudly. The production by lead singer Pelle Saether, still apes Mutt Lange (albeit on a much smaller budget) and tracks like ‘Get Up And Love Someone’, a bit like ‘Run Riot’ and the ‘Love Bites’ style ballad ‘When The Greatest Love Of All Kicks In’are the kind of tracks you wish Def Leppard were still trying to make themselves. However, they’re stepping beyond the Leppard influences on this one and this sees them rock and party a bit more, bringing an almost Bai Bang quality to their music. Wunderkind Erik Mårtensson adds his song writing prowess to the infectious ‘Rawk ‘N’ Roll Heart Attack’ and ‘You’re The Only One’. Tracks like ‘U Got Me Good’, the tougher ‘Who’s Gonna Rawk You Tonite’ and the metal jig of ‘Rip Iddup’ may leave no cliché unturned but are played with such gusto and an obvious love for melodic rock that it’ difficult to resist. DJ (86/100)
In a month that seems to be dominated by the Progressive and Melodic Metal releases, another much anticipated release has to been Threshold’s latest album “For The Journey”. The UK’s finest purveyors of Prog Metal have once again expanded the genre envelope with this new album, with Karl Groom and Richard West having written, eight truly epic pieces, although the main focus for this album has to be the vocals of Damian Wilson, which I have say, are definitely the best he’s put down on any Threshold release to date. The album may only be eight songs long but what the album lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. Groom’s soaring guitars and West’s unmistakeable majestic keyboards bring that trademark Threshold sound alive once more. We have the likes of opener “Watchtower on the Moon”, the epic eleven minutes of “The Box”, the massive “Turned To Dust” and the superb “Autumn Red”, all showing the world how Progressive Metal/Rock should be done. This stands up as one of the bands finest albums in recent years. An album not just “For the Journey”, but for the Progressive trip of a lifetime. BM (98/100)
220 VOLT “Walking In Starlight” (AOR Heaven) Formed in 1979, the band defined the genre with the “Eye To Eye” opus, sadly the band parted way in 1992 only to return in 1997, but world of rock had indulged the Grunge scene and AOR / Melodic Rock and 220 Volts were dropped like stones in the eyes of the world of rock. The band refused to lie down and die and in 2014 220 Volts return with three of the original line up plus vocalist Anders Engberg and are back with a bang with their new album “Walking In Starlight”. A lot of water has passed under the bridge over the years but this new album shows you can’t keep an old dog down, as the band return to show just how good Melodic Hard Rock should be done. The album kicks off in fine style with the title track and straight from the off the Swedes deliver the goods. A soaring guitar opens this one and instantly the 17 years since their last studio album are washed away. But this album isn’t a nostalgia trip, the band are bringing the heat this time round with a much rockier edge as the likes of “System Overload” and modern rocker “Broken Promises”, which drives this album ever forward. It’s obvious Engberg’s vocal style has led to this refreshing change in direction and if you didn’t know the bands history, you’d expect this to be another hot shot new Scandinavian band, such is the class of the album. Definitely one of the treasures of 2014. BM (90/100)
MOONLAND Feat. L. Kuurmaa (Frontiers Records) It must have been a magical moment back in May at the first Frontiers Music Fest! Approaching the stage was none other than Lenna Kuurmaa! Thanks to Frontiers Records and Alessandro Del Vecchio, Lenna Kuurmaa delivers magic time after time with twelve brand new creations! Francesco Marras on guitars, Anna Portalupi on bass, and drummer Alessandro Polifrone create the musical beds that Lenna can weave her vocal tapestry! Of course, Mr. Del Vecchio contributes heavily with a stellar production and arrangements as well as laying down the keyboards, and let us not forget the additional fret work from Bruce Gaitsch. Twelve pieces of melodic rock that float effortlessly through the air “Moonland” seems to be the musical statement harkening back Lenna, and she is about to take on the world. Her voice is strong sultry and gentle at the same time, and dynamic when needed! Her fantastic range is more evident here, than on anything she has recorded in the past. Carrying each and every gem to the listener’s heart! An album that contains twelve distinctive musical rivers. An album of purity, purity of voice, (“Live And Let Go”), compositions that are both subtle and strong and only the way Lenna can deliver! (BA 96/100)
DALTON “Pit Stop” (Frontiers Records) 2014 sees the much anticipated fourth album in the Allen / Lande series, this time with the mighty Timo Tolkki handling the songwriting and production duties. Once again two of the finest metal vocalist around Russell Allen and Jorn Lande take us on metal masterclass under the watchful eye of Tolkki. With the first three albums written and produced by Magnus Karlsson, Tolkki had big shoes to fill, with all three previous albums getting critical acclaim, but fill them he has and more with this new opus. The album gets underway with “Come Dream With Me” and instantly you know this album carries on the Allen / Lande stylings of the previous album, only this time there is a more metal edge to proceedings. The album is ten tracks of pure ear candy, with the likes of “Down From The Mountain”, the excellent “Solid Ground” and the heavier tracks like “The Hymn For The Fallen”, standing up against the mellower “Bittersweet” as some of my favourite tracks off this epic release. This is one of the finest Melodic Metal albums you’ll hear this year and one that takes the series that one step further. (BM 95/100)
STRYPER “Live at the Whysk” (Frontiers Records) This live CD and DVD captures the Christian rockers in the intimate Whiskey in 2013, a venue they first played 30 years ago. The good news is they still sound as potent as they did when they started out. It’s a raw, honest production sound. Their Christian leanings has often seen them misplaced as cheesy lite-rockers but this band are metal with a capital M, heavy yet melodic. That’s no more in evidence than on the first two bruising tracks ‘Legacy’ and ‘Marching Into Battle’ from last years’ well received ‘No More Hell To Pay’ record. Only ‘Always There For You’ crosses (no pun intended) into pop rock territory. It’s still the original four men in black and yellow and that consistency makes for a tight band and there are some good harmony vocals from them too as on ‘Calling On You’. ‘Jesus Is Just Alright’ is the perfect choice of cover song which they add some muscle to. The crowd add their voices to remind you its live and ‘To Hell With The Devil’ and Soldiers Under Command‘’ are appropriate set closers. Still delivering 30 years on, perhaps there’s something to be said for clean living! (DJ 90/100)
VEGA “Stereo Messiah” (Frontiers Records) Celebrating their return to Frontiers, Britain’s premier Rockers, “Vega” release their third in “Stereo Messiah”. A very deep, melodious and soulful effort “Stereo Messiah” simply rocks! These five Brits are certainly disciplined only allowing themselves a fortnight to lay all twelve brand new songs down! And what do we hear? Twelve rollicking journeys that is as much driving as they are melodic! Nick Workman’s vocals are top drawer displaying his far-reaching range ever so effortlessly. The guitar and keyboards are like liquid mercury flowing expressively over the organic rhythms solidly performed by Terry Martin, (bass) and Dan Chantrey, (drums). Throughout “Stereo Messiah” we hear some very succulent riffs from six stringer Marcus Thurston and wave after wave of those Ivory produced notes which awash us marvelously! Thanks to one James Martin! Each musical jewel on this record will thrust Vega’s live performances to epic levels! “Gonna Need Some Love Tonight” will become a staple. Actually, whatever the group decides to perform live from this album will be a genuine highlight of their live set! “Stereo Messiah” is an astounding musical journey a strapping statement from these five musicians from the Angel Isle! (DJ 94/100)
VEGA “What the Hell” (Reissue) (Frontiers Records)
CROBOT “Something Supernaturall” (Nuclear Blast)
SONATA ARCTICA “Ecliptica 15th An. Ed.” (Nuclear Blast)
LORDI “Scare Force One” (AFM Records)
KISSIN’ DYNAMITE “Megalomania” (AFM Records)
WHILE HEAVEN WEPT “Suspended At Aphelion” (Nuclear Blast)
With the band returning to the Frontiers family for the album “Stereo Messiah”, the label have re-issued their second album “What The Hell” with a bonus track. Originally only available in Finland and UK, the album deserves a wider audience and for those you who missed this one first time around, you missed a real treat. Things get underway proper after the instrumental “Audeat Somniare” with “White Knuckle Ride”, a true blue slice of British Melodic Rock with frontman Nick Workman delivering his usual sultry tones, before things take walk on the wild side with the excellent title track “What The Hell”. This is a non-stop Melodic merry-go-round of catchy melodies and great vocals with the ballad “Fade in to The Flames”, the rocking “She Walks Alone” and “Turn It On”, mixing old school Melodic Rock with modern tinges, before rocking things up with “Hands in the Air”. The bonus track “Skin Deep” is worth the price of the album alone. A real touch of class that leaves me wondering why it never made the album first time round. If you loved “Kiss Of Life” then you’re going to love this one. BM (85/100)
So! Where did these four come from! “Something Supernatural” is the debut album of the quartet known as “Crobot”. Yes it is somewhat Super-Natura; in the way that the music herein is a funk fuelled heavy rock-riff driven slice of musical heaven! Here are the lads: (remember their names!) Chris Bishop-guitar and vocals, Brandon Yeagley on lead vocals and harmonica-and a mean one at that! We also have the Figueroa brothers: Jake on bass and Paul on drums. With just one listen you can tell these guys take their jamming seriously! Each song is a musical flight that has been created with heart and soul and performed with blood, sweat, and tears! Now if you want funky riffs with that. “Crobot” has them too! I have read somewhere that music is very healthy for us mere humans and if it lulls you into a trance then so much the better! So with that being said, Dr. Bruce prescribes a daily dose of “Something Supernatural” to cure what ails you. There are eleven tracks on this debut, all with a groove that goes far beyond what we may have heard before. All with an infectious riff, and vocals that absolutely wail! Brandon’s pipes match the power of the other three. “Crobot” are simply a “groove machine”, rocking hard and true, and yeah! “Something Supernatural”. BA (90/100)
Fifteen years ago the world of Power Metal was introduced to Finland’s Sonata Arctica with the release of the debut album “Ecliptica”. Now in 2014, we see the 15th anniversary of the bands breakthrough release and what better way to celebrate than to not only re-release the album, but to re-record it too. With just two original members remaining from that original line-up, Tony Kakko and Tommy Portimo, the band took a break from the worldwide tour in support of their latest studio album “Pariahs Child” to re-record the album. The album was and still is one of the bands finest and this new version shows just how far ahead of the game the Finn’s were with this debut when Power Metal was still in its infancy. The band have remained true to the original release, but with today’s leaps in the recording studio, the songs sound superb. The likes of “My Land” the rampaging “Kingdom For A Heart” (the first digital single) and the shred fury of ‘Picturing The Past’ are revisited and sound even more splendid this time around, and who can forget the stunning “Replica”, which still remains part of the bands live set today. This is one for fans of the band and the genre. If you missed this first time round then you missed a treat, this is Power Metal at its very best. BM (87/100)
In less time than it takes Lordi to put on all of their make-up, the band have released a follow up to last year’s “To Beast Or Not To Beast”. You can’t fault their work ethic. It’s the Finnish Eurovision winners seventh album and the band aren’t about to make any drastic changes of direction. All the Lordi trademarks are here; the bone crunching riffs, the growling vocals and the scream-a-long choruses. Their normal schlock horror lyrics that appeal to your inner adolescent are here splattered in blood and expletives. The lead single “Nailed by the Hammer of Frankenstein”, “Scare Force One” and “Sir, Mr. Presideath, Sir!” are all decent additions to the Lordi catalogue. It’s a fan pleasing record that will get the thumbs (or claws) up from the Lordi Army. Scare Force One remains on course with no signs of turbulence. DJ (84/100)
“Kissin’ Dynamite” are five extraordinary German men that started making music when they were only in their mid-teens. The group’s first album, “Steel Of Swabia” was unleashed to an unsuspecting world in 2008 and since then, they have been turning heads at every move! Brothers Hannes, (Vocals), and Ande, (Guitar) Braun are fused at the musical hip with the equally talented guitarist Jim Muller, bassist Steffen Haile, and Andreas Schnitzer on drums. Everything about these five and their music is beyond anything before. Yes, they are a hard rock-metal group, but like nothing beforehand. Yes their music is huge and so is their image a lot more so than groups that came before. Their songs are catchy and have a great deal of substance in the lyrics, which also shows a great deal of wisdom and maturity-again not to be expected from such a young crew! Their musical senses and their song “smithing” is beyond belief, each composition is textured, profound and commanding. The performances from all five? Flawless, each instrument in perfect harmony. The vocals are astonishing! One cannot say enough of this juggernaut of a group. “Kissin’ Dynamite” ‘s fourth release “Megalomania” is set to explode and take the whole kingdom of Rock with it. We won’t be the same again! Simply amazing!! BM (92/100)
This is exactly what I call “a real progressive approach”. A band that built its career (more than 20 years) operating as an independent artist, self-financing every release and any tour, and that only lately signed with Nuclear Blast in order to reach a more massive audience and to make their albums available to the fans. A style that embraces a lot of different influences, music, forms and genres, from Progressive Metal (Fates Warning, Queensryche) and Rock (Rush, King Crimson) to more extreme stuff (Coroner, Holy Terror), going thru a decidedly neo - romantic structure inspired by the likes of Chopin, Beethoven, Faure. Simply astonishing. And not so easy to describe. Epic with orchestral elements, Progressive and bombastic, “Suspended At Aphelion” sees the band continuing to redefine themselves and includes prestigious guests like FATES WARNING cofounder Victor Arduini and drummer Mark Zonder, esteemed classical guitarist Christopher Ladd and cellist Mark Shuping. PB (88/100)
Band / Album: Lordi “Scare Force One”
Question: “Scare Force One” is a cool title, where did that come from? Answer: Playing around with words is fun in this kind of a way, to create new twisted meanings has always been part of Lordi lyrics. We just get the brainstorm going and usually the best ideas comes up as this one too – by accident. Q: You recorded this album in Lapland. How was the process different than the previous couple records that you recorded in the States? A: It was all different. Environment, producer, spirit, sound, process… But that’s what we wanted – something new. What could have been a better place to let your mind fill with musical ideas, than a cabin in the woods, surrounded by silence and landscapes of the Finnish wild nature. Q: The Lordi trademarks are all there. It’s heavy, anthemic with shock horror lyrics. Which songs do you think will be released as singles and make it to your live set? 14 | MRF
Interview with: Hella
A: The first single, “Nailed by the Hammer of Frankenstein” is already out. A tour will follow in the beginning of 2015, the songs that will definitely be seen live are the first single and the album title song “Scare Force One”. Q: “To Beast Or Not To Beast” only came out last year. What was the motivation to record a follow up so quickly? A: We had so much material existing that we couldn’t wait to put it together and release an album. Why to wait, when everything is done. Q: There was an exhibition recently in Finland about Lordi. Can you tell us more details? A: The exhibition showed for the first time the collection of costumes and masks of old and existing members of Lordi. The characters get an updated look every time there’s a new album, so there’s been quite a few costumes during the years. It also included the personal artwork of Mr. Lordi.
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
Q: What are your music influences? A: I'm probably the only (?!) monster in Lordi's history, who didn't grew up with Kiss - even though I do admire their work and loved the show we saw in Nashville last September! My influences come mostly from metal music, melancholic and melodic. I also enjoy punk, hard rock, jazz, folk, love playing classical piano notes...so what can I say, Im a goth-punk-hippie-rock'n'roll-girl. I cannot name any bands as a favourite, 'cause what I love depends on how I feel, but just some to mention - Amorphis, Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, Children Of Bodom, Behemoth.... It's not an exception if you find me listening for example Amy Winehouse, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Scandinavian Music Group. Q: When touring, do different countries react to you differently? A: There’s obvious differences in the cultures, but all Lordi fans can make the show amazing – no matter where in the world we are.
Band / Album: Grand Design “The Thrill...”
Question: The new album sees you’re sound developing. There’s still a Def Leppard element but there are other sounds on this one. How would you describe how you‘re music has developed? A: The leopard never loses its spots, you know that (haha). For this album we were going for a slightly heavier edge, a bit more rock, slightly heavier guitars, a bit more riffs, but still with the big choruses. We also tried to blend in some more outside influences, which also shows. Q: You’ve got a new drummer. How has that affected the band’s dynamic? A: Well, since the last album there’s actually three new members, myself (guitarist Janne Stark), bass player Mats Vassfjord and drummer Magnus Ulfstedt. We’ve however made quite a few live gigs as a band, which has made the group dynamics come together really well before we went in to record this album. I think that has had a really good effect on the sound and dynamics of the album.
Interview with: Janne Stark
We’re much tighter as a band and it shows. Q: How did you get Erik Mårtensson of Eclipse and WET involved in the writing of the tracks ‘Who Is Gonna Rawk U Right’ and ‘You’re The Only One’ and what was it like working with him? A: Pelle is the main writer of the band and Grand Design is his baby. He has written most of the material, but this time around he wanted to try and work with someone else and get some outside influences as well. Erik is a phenomenal song writer with a great melodic feel and Magnus has played together with Erik in Eclipse etc. I also know him from before and he is such a nice and humble guy so I knew it would be a great match. So, Pelle and Erik got together one day to see what they could come up with and it resulted in two great songs that fit the album really well. Q: Now on your third album, have you noticed your fanbase growing? A: Definitely! It really shows in attendance to our shows and also on the activ-
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
ity on our FaceBook page, which is great. We always try to interact with the fans person to person, so they can always expect a personal answer to their questions etc. Q: Which tracks are you particrally proud of on this disc? A: That’s easy – all of them (haha). It’s actually quite hard to pick any specific tracks. For me personally I’m quite proud of my guitar solos on tracks like Rip Iddup and When The Greatest Love Kicks In, but I also think Pelle’s poduction of the latter is great and music wise I think tracks like Rawk ‘N Roll Heart Attack and 10 Outta 10 kick pretty good butt! Q: Are you going to play any gigs to support the record? A: Yes. We’re having a release party on September 27 in Västerås, Sweden, then we’re off to play Melodic Rock Fest in Chicago the week after. There’s also a UK tour being planned and some more shows in Europe will hopefully be announce pretty soon! MRF | 15
Band / Album: Dalton “Pit Stop”
Question: Of course, “Dalton” is not a new name on the scene… However, how you guys came to this point is a real cool story… Care to tell us about it? Answer: It was when Swedish television producer Sonny Erhaldsson wanted to make a documentary film about Dalton's reunion, 25 years after the debut. That’s how we initially met after all these years. We started shooting the film and our acting, both in front of the camera and in the rehearsals felt so natural - it was like we had been playing together all the time. We got in contact with our old record label and that’s where we met Anders Livag. He was managing the release of the “25th Anniversary Best Of” album containing tracks from the first two albums. Anders is now our manager and has worked very hard in making all this happen! Q: Now, let’s go back to 2012 when you opened for The Scorpions… Was this the decisive event to go totally forward with a re-vitalised “Dalton”? A: It was after the gig we started talking about making a new album. Since the response from the fans was so overwhelming we realized we still had fans left out there 16 | MRF
Interview with: Bo Lindmark
who wanted more from us. Q: Now, with recording this new set of songs, what has been different than with previous “Dalton” releases? A: I guess a big difference is that we all got our own lives beside Dalton, which was noticeable especially when recording when we rarely were in the studio at the same time. With today’s studio technology it’s so much more flexible. Everyone can contribute to the process independently without the others present. However, before entering the studio we did what we always used to do in the 80's – arranged and practiced the songs in the rehearsals prior to entering the studio. Q: Are any of the numbers from the “old days”, or are we hearing brand new songs? A: We started off with a demo from 1990 that was recorded for a 3rd album that never came out. But we also have some newly written songs, where 3-4 of them ended up on “Pit Stop”. Q: Now, it is one thing to come back together to record, and obviously another to take the band back out on the road. So first, is this a complete reunion, in which
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
you are all going forward as “Dalton”? A: Absolutely, there were two things that were important when we decided to get the wheels in motion once more - first, it had to be the 'original band'. And second, we should all give it 100% focus. So here we are! Q: Secondly, as you all have grown through the years, we hear a musical maturity on “Pit Stop”… Do you feel that the band are going down a slightly different road than in the past? A: Since many of the songs are from 1990, a lot of the original Dalton feel is still there. However, as the technology has evolved a lot since then the sound is more up to date, which we DO like. But all in all - what is significant for the 80’s Dalton sound is noticeable – catchy riffs, big choruses, and great keyboard hooks. Q: In closing… It is certainly a pleasant surprise to hear “Dalton” once again! Please leave our readers with some thoughts on what is next for the group… A: We can’t wait to release the album and then to get out and play! To meet the fans THAT once more will be great...
Band / Album: Vega “Stereo Messiah”
Question: I would like to begin with the fact that “Stereo Messiah” was recorded quite intensely and quickly…a no nonsense approach! Any reason for this, or were you all just so full of music that it was bubbling over the top!? Answer: We were really prepared when we went in. We had demoed all of the songs at least twice so we knew what we had to do. Although we wrote “All or nothing” pretty much in the studio on day 1 between drum takes. We had a version of that song the week before we went in the studio but it wasn’t quite there. The night before we went in I came up with the chorus and the guys said “we have to do this”. Q: Of course, your pre-production period must have been just as intense! How long were you guys writing this collection? A: We had been writing these songs for the last couple of years and narrowed it down from over 20 songs down to 17 or 18 and then down to 12. Tears never dry was written before Kiss of Life was released but it took 4 years for us to come back to that song to do it justice. Q: How did “Vega” become involved with Joe Elliott? A: I managed to get myself into a football predictor league which just happens to include half of Def Leppard. Leppard and Joe are my
Interview with: Nick Workman
biggest influence so it was a massive deal for me. Anyway, I came across “10 x Bigger than love” on You-Tube and asked Joe about the song. He replied with its history and in the same email said VEGA should cover it. I think at the time he didn’t thought we wouldn’t do it, but there was no way we weren’t going to! Q: He also sang with you Nick…what was that like? A: AMAZING!!!!! How many people get to sing with their biggest influence and the person they idolise??? I have the vocal track at home on my computer so I think I might have to make it my ringtone. Which will be great until he hears it on the Down n Outz tour in December. It may not go down well haha. Q: Another question in regards to recording “Stereo Messiah”, why did you guys pick Harry Hess for mastering? A: Because Harry has had sex with all of our wives and an apology just wasn’t going to be enough. Also he is really good at it and dirt cheap!! Q: As you and the band prepare for the release of this, your third effort.. Are you preparing to take to the road? A: 100 %. People will be bored of us by the time we are done playing live for this record. We have 14 dates in the UK for
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
November/December, Hard Rock Hell is in the bag for 2015 and more is in the planning stages. Stay tuned. Q: Where do you have you sights on? Of course the UK, are you going to North America as well? A: We would love to but it’s all down to time and money. We can’t afford to just go over there and play some shows. If someone can come up with a deal that works all round then we will be there. Maybe the odd festival would work. But you have to bear in mind that it ain’t cheap flying 6 blokes from England the USA. Q: Going back to the new record, I feel that it is more varied in content. It seems you have reached deeper than on previous releases. Is this a fair observation? A: I think so yes. There is maybe a little more light and shade than What the Hell. But we always try to take things forward with each record and don’t want to keep on repeating ourselves. John Mitchell was awesome and I hope he does the next album too. He offered a lot of idea’s to the whole process and was great to work with and bounce idea’s off. There was no real time limit to the recording. He said “when we are done we can stop”. That took the pressure off but we still did it in 2 weeks. John then mixed on and off over a couple of weeks. MRF | 17
Band / Album: Stryper “Live at the Whisky”
Question: Why do you think now is a good time to release a new live Stryper record? Answer: We have a certain energy level live and we wanted to try to capture this. The Whisky is where we began basically so it made sense to do it there. Q: What kind of demongraphic is coming to see Stryper these days? A: All ages and more people who have never seen Stryper versus people who have! Q: You’re a seriously heavy band live. Since your reformation you’ve received a lot of positive press from the rock press. Do you think people take the band and your music more seriously these days? A: I do. We've worked hard to establish respect and I think the last 10 years have done that. We're all about quality and releasing albums/videos that project that (hopefully). Q: Do you keep up with other Christian rock music? A: Not really. I've always been more of a mainstream guy and therefore I listen to
Interview with: Michael Sweet
mainstream music much more. There is some great Christian music out there but my roots lie in bands like Priest, Maiden & Van Halen. Q: How does your voice hold up to touring these days as you really have to hit some pretty high notes there!? A: I try to take care of it and do the right things. Sometimes that doesn't always work out but in the end, a good clean lifestyle helps... Q: What’s your secret to keeping the original band together? A: We try to talk thing through and be brothers to the end. It's tough at times but we always work things out and this keeps us going. Q: You’ve been involved in a lot of other projects recently. Tell us about your record with George Lynch. A: I always wanted to work with George and recommended him to Serafino. I asked George to be a part of the Sweet & Lynch album and he agreed. It really wasn't difficult and everything fell into place. Q: With the band now into its 30th
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
year, there's a distinct possibility there's 3 generations of Stryper 'families' out there getting set for the release of the new album, have you noticed a real uptake of younger people turning up to Stryper shows in recent years? A: Yes. We see lots of teenagers wearing Stryper shirts at our shows and that an amazing feeling, to know that you've influenced multi-generations!! Q: Over the 30 year history of the band, is there a particular person/moment where someone revealed themselves to be a Stryper fan, which took you totally by surprise? For example, I know the guys in pop punk band Bowling For Soup are constantly wearing Stryper shirts on stage… A: That would be Larry The Cable Guy eh eh... Q: Any chance of coming over to Europe soon? A: Yes! Hopefully very soon and we will keep everyone posted once we know when. MRF | 19
Band / Album: Allen Lande “The Great Divide”
Interview with: Timo Tolkki
Interview by: Barry McMinn
Question: ‘The Great Divide’ is the fourth album but sees a major change with Timo Tolkki as songwriter and producer, what has Timo brought the table to make this album stand out from the three previous albums? Answer: That’s not for me to say really. I think the album is a cool melodic Heavy Metal album. I haven’t heard the 3 previous ones, so I cannot say anything there. Q: Did you prepare any differently for this album than the previous three releases? A: Not really, I never really have a formula to do things. I go with the flow and the same was with this album. Q: When it comes to the vocal parts who decides who sings which parts? A: The producer so in this case it was me. Q: With the three previous albums having such critical acclaim was there any pressure on album number four to carry on the trend? A: A bit. I was very flattered when I was asked to do this. Basically I just wrote the songs without thinking about it too much. Q: Do you see this album as a natural progression for the whole Allen/Lande project? A: It’s not because the music is entirely different genre than the previous ones. Perhaps it’s a new start. Q: The three previous albums were written by Magnus Karlsson, who’s decision was it to go with Timo this time round? A: Serafino asked me to do this. Q: What did Timo bring to the table as regards to the new album, both as a songwriter and producer? A: I think I brought melodic memorable songs with catchy hooks. Q: Looking back over the past three albums and the new one, what are
you favourite stand out tracks and why? A: I like Lady of Winter and the title track the most. Q: If schedules didn’t clash and the planets were aligned would you consider an Allen/Lande tour, because I think this is something all the fans would love to see? A: Definitely. Q: Finally will there be a fifth album? A: If its up to me then YES. Q: Can you please comment all the songs of the album? A: COME DREAM WITH ME: Opening track of the album. Very melodic song with a catchy chorus. Catchy choruses and hooks were a target on this album. The song has a positive message about never to give up your dreams. DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN: Heavy midtempo song with great riff that complements the outstanding vocals of Jorn Lande. Russell Allen And Lande alternate the melody in an interesting way and then swap the choruses. This song is pure metal. IN THE HANDS OF TIME: This double kick quite fast song has a message that basically we are all powerless in the hands of time. Relatively typical Stratovarius song structure with a very cool guitar solo. SOLID GROUND: Midtempo track with some oriental influences and effects. A great guitar sound. The chorus is one of the best if the whole album and again Lande delivers an outstanding vocal performance that complement the melody perfectly. His vocals have raw power that is seldomly heard. LADY OF WINTER: Melodic and balladesque song about a lady who is not able to see that there are always positive sides in evertyhing. So she is forever doomed to dream about the ice and
snow as she roams through the hazy autumn air. Very melodic song with a great chorus. DREAM ABOUT TOMORROW: Another positive kicker. The positive melody alternates between Allen and Lande leaving the listener wanting for more. The chorus is very catchy, almost commercial and the song has very cool guitars and an awesome solo. HYMN TO THE FALLEN: A song that is dedicated to all the people that have died in a war. Great and powerful riff carries the opening and the chorus. The vocal work here is outstanding. This song is heavy and yet it is melodic and you could describe the whole album this way : heavy and melodic Another great solo complements the song. THE GREAT DIVIDE: The title track and my favourite song of the whole album. To me, I have never heard Jorn Lande singing more emotional and powerful way. His vocals in this song are incredibly power and emotional. Song clocks seven minutes and contains some peaceful soloing which complements the vocals even more. Outstanding performance and a great song. REACHING FOR THE STARS: Solo track of Russell Allen. Mid tempo and very melodic verse. Chorus is very powerful and the riff kicks in complementing the lyrics about destiny and how it cannot be escaped. Great and melodic guitar solo completes the track. BITTERSWEET: A ballad that starts with a piano. Its about a person that cannot let go of something that has died long time ago but instead is filled with hatred and negativity. The songs melody and atmosphere contradicts this but it is done on purpose. The song has a very beautiful vocal melody and solo. MRF | 21
Band / Album: 22 Volt “Walking In Starlight” Interview with: Thomas, Anders and Peter
Interview by: Barry McMinn
Barry McMinn: “Walking In Starlight” is the bands first studio album since the “Lethal Illusion” in 1997, what brought about this return to the Melodic Rock fold at this point in the bands career? Thomas: Having been sort of out of action for the last 3-4 years, we wanted to give the band another shot, but needed a great voice to take the songs all the way. We got in contact with Anders, and asked him to join in. We started writing some stuff together, and we all agreed we were on to something good, and here we are. BM: Was all the material for this album written especially for this release or did you revisit some previous unreleased songs? Anders: Some ideas were already there and some came from jamming in the rehearsal room. Most of the songs are sprung from new ideas mixed with some old riffs and lines. BM: The band released the digital single ‘One Good Reason’ last year, what was the reaction from the fans at the first new material from the band in years? Peter: I believe the reaction about our new material was good,cause we played a couple of festivals last year, and from what we heard and saw they all seemed to like it. BM: As far as the album is concerned I think it’s a great release and fits in with the bands previous releases but what do the band as a whole think about the finished album? Anders: We are very proud of this album! It took us approximately 6 months to write and 5-6 months to record (we did it in different sessions). We think the listener will recognise the 220 Volt sound as well as hearing some new vibes in the album. BM: The album saw a couple of guest bassists in Johan Niemann and Lars Ericsson but will the band be seeking a permanent bass player to fill that role? Thomas: Not at the moment. We’re having a good chemistry in the band and everything is working out fine as it is. But you never know, maybe later on. BM: What probably the most asked question are the band taking to the road to promote the new album? Peter : We really hope to be able to start doing shows late this year,but first and foremost we hope to do some big festivals next summer. We will try to create a show which makes both new and old fans satisfied.