CONTENTS 04_Blackmore’s Night 06_Operation: Mindcrime 07_Voodoo Hill 08_21Octayne 09_Threshold 10_C.O.P. 11_Avatarium 12_Reviews 15_Radio Exile 16_Champlin / Williams / Friestedt 18_Graveyard 20_Stryper 22_Joel Hoekstra’s 13 Melodic Rock Fanzine The official Frontiers Music s.r.l. magazine Year #11 - Nr. 5 / Issue #70 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©2015 Frontiers Records. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Italy.
Band: Blackmore’s Night
Interview with: R.Blackmore / C. Night
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
Question: The title All “Our Yesterdays” sounds as a proudly living-in-past attitude. Do you think that the present and the future of the music are not able to give us anything really new? Ritchie Blackmore: It’s hard to give an objective opinion. I hardly ever listen to the music of today. What they play on the radio is nothing I would ever buy or listen to. I have my cds and cassettes and I tune into youtube and listen to bands in Europe that are renaissance type bands. Q: In there any other Blackmore’s Night album you could compare it? How were the songs born? Candice Night: Ritchie always come up with the music, he has many tape recorders around the house with ideas on them collected over time. Then we work out a top line and after that I go into another place to be alone with the song to write the lyrics and see what visuals the music conjure up. RB: This cd took about 2 years to complete on and off. We would go into the studio with 3 or 4 songs and record them over a month, then take a few months away from them and revisit the songs at another time. That gave us space from them to revisit them and hear them fresh to see if anything needed to be added. We did that a number of times over a 2 year period. But each cd like each song has its own identity. We can’t compare each cd as each one is a true representation where we are at that moment time. Q: There are three cover songs on the album: “Moonlight Shadows” (Mike Oldfield), “I Got You Babe” (Sonny & Cher) and “Long Long Time” (Linda Ronstadt). Why did you choose them? Is there a special feeling that tie you to these songs? CN: No tie to them. I Got You Babe is done just for fun and nostalgic purposes. Long Long Time I have always loved. Moonlight Shadow was an inspiration for us from the beginning- even inspiring the original cd title shadow of the moon. But it wasnt till Ritchie tried it in uptempo that we felt it was the right way for us to record our version of it. RB: It’s very different than we do it on
stage. We get these songs from gatherings we do with our friends once a week where we all get together and play acoustic instruments and rediscover songs from yesteryear that we had forgotten. Q: Candice, what has been your source of inspiration for the lyrics, this time around, apart from the Moon? Any Medieval tale, folklore, or historical event like in the past albums? CN: Always, the other side for instance is about the year that we lost many friends that were close to us. Jon Lord, Owain Phyfe, a couple of friends that were fans. Someone Ritchie played with in the 3 musketeers, my best friends husband…and as hard as that year was we spoke to many people who were left behind in this realm. Yet, as they were healing they would be getting messages from the other side to let their other halves know they had gone on. That song is about 1 specific instance where the husband who passed on, had an alarm set on his cell that went off 2 weeks after he died and when his wife went to check what the message was- it said ,"Go outside and look at the blue moon." I thought that was beautiful that he would always be watching over her. "Will o the wisp " is about celtic folklore of lights that make their appearance known and lead you through the forest to change your fate. Q: What kind of contribution do you think you gave to the renaissance of the neo-folk and medieval movement in music and arts? RB: I don’t look at it like I am contributing to anything. I am just playing music I enjoy. Q: Could you talk us how many instruments you played on this album? Is there any new form the last” Dancer And The Moon”? RB: It’s much the same as what I was using on the last record which consists of acoustic and electric guitar, mandola, nyckleharp, hurdy gurdy, mandolin. Q: At the beginning of the Blackmore’s Night adventure, how has been difficult for you to play new and unusual instruments? And to arrange
songs with them? RB: Its very challenging yet very exciting. No because sometimes I will write the song on that instrument and because I am not that familiar with the instrument I will play it differently than I would if Im writing on the guitar. Way back I wrote Gates of Babylon on the cello. I would never have written that on guitar. Q: When you watch videos of the ‘70s or ‘80s Ritchie Blackmore, what do you think of yourself and about your actually way to play? Would you like to travel back in time to change anything? RB: I don’t watch myself in videos. I find that creepy. I would not change anything musically. I might change the venues and how many times we traveled and how many days we were on the road as that tired me out. I would also change the management I had at the time. Q: Have you ever find your “perfect guitar”? RB: I don’t know- probably. I havent reached perfection in guitar playing so I tend to blame the guitar. I have manybut one is always searching for the ultimate guitar which doesn’t really exist. It’s down to the player to make the perfect guitar not the guitar itself. Q: Last April 15th you turned into your 70s. A lot of your colleagues keep on playing hard rock on stage, while you decided to re-invent yourself in a new dimension almost a 20 years ago. Do you think is there a kind of limitage to play rock music? RB: No, I don’t think that. I think it’s how long you can stave off the arthritic factor. If you’re 90, without arthritis, then play on. I get arthritis of the thumb and finger which I have to contend with. I think a lot of other guitarists have the same problem. Basically comes from overuse of the finger and thumb although I play fingerstyle when Jim playing this music and plectrum style when playing hard rock. fingerstyle requires long fingernails. Rock and Roll requires short finger nails. So it can be difficult sometimes going from one to the other. MRF | 5
Artist: Operation: Mindcrime
Here we are with this new amazing concept album “The Key”. First of three parts. What’s the most fascinating part of this format and about using an album to tell a story? Answer: I'm a writer. I write music and also stories. I have several stories in different stages of being production and the story I wrote for this trilogy, starting with, "The Key" has been something I have been working on for the last 2 years. Writing music is where my heart is. Putting the story to music made sense for me. There is emotion in music that I feel I can't quite get with just words. Q: How do you usually work when “building” a concept? Do you write the full storyline first or do you outline a basic plot and then build the story and the details when you go through the songs? A: For this story, I had a basic plot line and I finished the story while walking to Camino De Santiago in Spain. It took a month to complete that walk and I had many hours a day to think and stop and write things down. So in this case I had a very full story written before I started putting it to music. Q: Growing up, which were the concept albums that really affected your 6 | MRF
Interview with: Geoff Tate
tastes and made you want to try it yourself? A: Sgt. Pepper by the Beatles was the first for me, followed by Pink Floyd’s Dark side of the Moon. Then I discovered Yes Close to the Edge and The Lamb Lies down on Broadway by Genisis. All extraordinary albums. Q: It’s interesting that you have a thing for acting. Have you ever thought which of the concept albums you worked on would be the better choice for a movie script? And which actors would you pick for the main roles if you had the chance to sign whoever you want? A: I always wanted to make a movie based on Operation: Mindcrime, the album. I think the story and mystery have really moved a lot of people and it would be great to see it played out with great actors. I think if I had a choice I would go with Jonathan Rhys Meyers to play Nicki, Jennifer Lawrence for Mary and Charles Dance for Dr. X. Q: Are there any movies that you liked to the point of thinking “Wow, wish I wrote the soundtrack for it”? A: Kingdom of Heaven is one of my all time favorites. I love Fight Club of course and Gladiator.
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
Q: How did you get involved with filming The Burningmoore Incident? What kind of experience was it? Is it much different acting on a movie set compared to performing on stage in front of an audience? A: It was really different from performing for an audience because I have done that for years and it comes quite naturally. I took a lot of direction when filming the Burningmore incident. I really enjoyed the process and would love to do more acting. Q: In the early 2000’s there was a lot of buzz about a possible studio project involving you, Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson, basically to have the three greatest metal singers ever on the same record. Were there actually any plans for it? And if so, why didn’t it happen after all? A: It was something that was tossed around and we did sing together one night. We were just never able to get all of our schedules to work together. It was more of a joke really that took wings and I have been asked about it in interviews ever since. I respect Rob and Bruce very much and both have been an inspiration to me. I would love to work with either or both of them.
Artist: Vodoo Hill
Question: It's great to have you back. The new record sounds great. It's over ten years since the last Voodoo Hill record 'Wild Seed Of Mother Earth' was released. What took you so long? A: Thank you very much, I’m really glad that you like the cd. After the release of "Wild Seed of Mother Earth" I've recorded two more albums: "The Jumping Clown" with an Italian band "Noize Machine" and "The Third Cage" with Tony Martin, I produced several albums, some live gigs with "Noize Machine" and a tour with Graham Bonnet. Finally, I built a new house and a new bigger recording studio, quite a busy schedule. During the last two Years I've written and recorded about 35 songs, Serafino of Frontiers called me to see if I wanted to work on a third Voodoo Hill album after all these years, He said Glenn Hughes was available in principle, so the next thing I did was to choose 11 songs which I thought suited the project the best. Q: There's a lot of craft to the songs. How long did the writing process take you? A: Usually the writing process takes very little time, when I decide to write a new song I turn on the recorder and after a couple of hours the song is recorded with a simple programmed drum. The day after I start to fix the arrangement and I
Interview with: Dario Mollo
write a better drum pattern. During this process I improvise a solo and very often I keep it in the final release, Waterfall solo is just a guide solo and it’s been quite a problem to learn it afterwards for the video release. Q: How was the recording process this time? You've got a different rhythm section on this one. A: As usual I play my demo to the musician and I let them all the possible freedom to play what they like. Then I listen the result and I try fix and possibly improve what they have done. For this album I've tried to have a little more interaction with the musicians during the writing process and the only way to achieve this was to work with local musicians like. For example the drummer Riccardo Vruna and the bass player Andrea Maiellano. They are very good young musicians from a band that I have recently produced. The drummer Vladimir Ruzicic Kebac it's another story, he's an amazing professional drummer and producer from Serbia and he played on 3 songs in this album but we have already recorded an entire new album for future releases. Very easy to interact with him via internet, he perfectly understand what the song needs. Q: On previous efforts you took care of everything and Glenn Hughes came in and sang in his inimitable way. This
Interview by: Duncan Jamieson
time he's had a bit more input I believe. Can you elaborate? A: I generally prefer to produce directly the musicians in my studio, it's easier for me to interact with them, it's easier to explain what I need for that particular song and this is what I've done for the backing tracks of this album, but this time Glenn has recorded the vocal parts in his studio in Los Angeles but his involvement in the production it’s been very helpful for me, I’ve sent him all the song premixes and Glenn replied with great advices. Q: Lyrically, with songs like 'All That Remains', 'The Well', 'Karma Go', 'Eldorado' and 'The Last Door' there's an existential quest going on. Would you agree? A: I totally agree with you, I like when the singer takes care of the lyrics writing, they are emotionally involved and you can tell from the feelings of their performances. Very often lyrics are a snapshot of their life during the writing process. Q: You've also got orchestral parts on a couple of songs. How did that come about? A: For me it’s been a great opportunity to work with Dario Patti ‘cos he’s a fantastic orchestral arranger. In some tracks having orchestral parts makes a great difference. MRF | 7
Band: 21 Octayine
Question: For those unfamiliar with the band how did you guys get together? Answer: Alex Landenburg and I met in 2008. We played together in “AXXIS” for a couple of years and we really wanted to form a diverse Rock band. Not a project! A real band. We were looking for a singer for two years and then we found our singer “Hagen Grohe” who just got home from a tour with the “Joe Perry Project”. We loved his voice and when we met, it was just pure magic. Andrew was also a friend of Alex and after a first jam we knew that the band was complete. That was in 2010. Q: With the debut receiving such high acclaim was there any pressure on you to produce the goods with album number two? A: Not really, we were really confident right from the start with the new material. Of course there is also some pressure when your previous album did so well but you don´t think about that during the songwriting process because you put all what you got into the new album. So far, the reviews have also been very good for the new album so we are happy! Q: The band members have very 8 | MRF
Interview with: Marco Wriedt
different backgrounds, how do you feel this has benefited the band? A: It makes it more interesting and diverse. Ever member brings something to the table. It´s really a team effort. A real band as I mentioned before. Three different “DNA´s” that create something unique. But we also have a lot of similarities. There are some bands all of us like. Bands like “Toto or Queen”… So, there is a “red line” but yeah I´m happy that we can create diverse rock music with a lot of colours. I´m not a big fan of records where ten songs sound all the same. An album has to be an exciting adventure with a lot of depth and details you want to hear again and again. That´s our goal for the present and future. Q: Your debut album was released in 2014, so how long after its release was it before you started work on album number two? A: We started the songwriting in august 2014. Three months after the release of “Into The Open”. It took us 12 days to write the music. Hagen wrote the lyrics that, I think, are exceptional end of 2014, early 2015. We started recording the album in February 2015. Q: Has album ‘2.0’ been a more or
Interview by: Barry McMinn
less stressful experience than when you were working on your debut album? A: Not at all. We had so many ideas and the vision of the record was pretty clear. The “2.0” songwriting was a wonderful, smooth experience. Everybody in the band matured a lot. Remember that we wrote “Into The Open” in 2010/2011. There were many new ideas right from the start. Q: I just loved the debut ‘Into The Open’, but how do you compare ‘2.0’ to the debut? A: We didn´t want to copy “Into The Open”. We wanted to progress and go deeper and create more diversity. So this time there is a song like “When you go”, a very melodic, uplifting mainstream rock song we also produced a video for. On the other side you got a song like “Tale of a broken child” that is ten minutes long with a lot of changes and different time signatures. We wanted to create an even more catchy album on one side and on the other side, we wanted to explore more of our musicality. That approach makes the album even more diverse than “Into The Open” but I think if you love “Into The Open”, chances are pretty high that you will also love “2.0”.
Vitale Nocerino: Does “European Journey” contain one recorded show in its entirety or is it composed of various concerts of the last tour? And which shows exactly are featured on the album? Richard West: We recorded a number of shows during the tour to give us a few options once we took the recordings back to the studio. Some nights we recorded the whole band, some nights we recorded only the vocals. So the the overall album was recorded throughout the tour and calling it "European Journey" made perfect sense. VN: In times of diminishing physical album sales, it seems like a pretty bold move to release a double-disc live album. Do you consider »European Journey« kind of a statement pro physical records? RW: Yes, I'd say all of our albums are pro physical record statements. I know there are more downloads these days, but most of our fans still buy our CD's. As an artist it's always nice to produce something you can hold in your hands as well as listen to. VN: When looking back on the past tour that is now preserved in “European Journey”, is there any situation in particular that you remember most positively? RW: Mostly that it's so cool to still be doing this 20 years since our first European tour. Every tour seems more precious now. Also hopefully every year we do it a little better. VN: You‘ve stated that you felt the need to record another live album in order to illustrate where Threshold stand as a band in 2015, for “a lot has changed“ since your last live release. In what way has the band evolved musically over the course of the past decade? RW: We've always tried to keep progressing without losing our roots. One of the major changes is of course the return of our original vocalist Damian Wilson. Mac's death was very sad and a huge loss to us all, we made some wonderful studio albums and live recordings together. But now Damian is back with us so it felt like a good time to document this new chapter of the band's live shows.
Band: C.O.P.
Question: Can you tell us a little about the history of C.O.P. and how you guys got together? Answer: My brother and I have been in different bands together since 1978, groups like Wulcan, Promotion that later on became Grand Illusion. First time we met Ola was when GI where looking after a guitarist for the gods of AOR gig with Grand Illusion, around 2003. Ola got the gig and we all clicked very well both on stage and in private. Ola was since then a member of GI. We have a side project “Hydra project� playing cover gigs together, so we know each other well. Christian bought a home studio in 2012 and started to make songs again. I was there laying vocals on demo for the song Loner, we thought that this could actually be something to continue with, so we contacted Ola to see if he was interested to be a part. Luckily Ola was interested C.O.P was formed, name = Christian, Ola, Peter. Q: The album itself is great mix of melodic Hard Rock and AOR, was that the vision you had from the beginning? 10 | MRF
Interview with: Peter Sundell
A: The Vision was to make melodic straight forward songs, with a solid base, driven guitars, keys in good mix, with a lot of room for the vocals. Q: How long have you been working on the album? A: At first we aimed to make an ep with 5 songs included, these songs took nearly a year, really we took it as it came along, but when we sent the songs to George at Aor Heaven he asked us to make an album instead, from there the time was about 5 months. Q: As regards to the songwriting process, is there a main songwriter or do you all have input? A: Christian has made most songs for the album, Ola made one song, Christian and Ola made in my dreams, I made one song which Christian was a part of. When recording the songs, we have put our individual stamp to them. Q: The world of melodic rock has seen a great influx of new bands from Scandinavia, what is it about that region that brings so many great bands?
Interview by: Barry McMinn
A: Hard question, but it could be that Scandinavians are calm and melodic in there nature. We do have a good system where you can learn instruments in basic school, this makes many people interested in music, it also produces a lot of good musicians, songwriters. Q: I know the band is a trio in the studio, but if you were to take C.O.P. on the road would you bring in other musicians for the live shows? A: Yes we would bring in a Keyboard and bass player. Q: Speaking of live shows, the next question is obvious, is C.O.P. a studio project or are you looking to develop into a full-blown touring band? A: C.O.P is not a project, we are looking for live shows to preform we do love to play live, hopefully we will have the good fortune to come to play in Italy. Q: What does the future hold for C.O.P.? Where do the see the band going from here? A: We have started song writing for the next album and as mentioned above we are looking for live gigs.
Band: Avatarium
Question: I would like to start with a brief history of the group, beginning with the founding members of Leif and Marcus back in 2012… Answer: Leif contacted me in 2013 and asked me if I could help him to record some demos. Being a big fan of Leif’s song writing I gladly said yes. As soon as we started to work in the studio I think we both felt that we enjoyed working together so we started to talk about forming a band. Lars and Carl where both easy choices since we new they were great musicians and luckily for us the said yes. Now we had a great band and a few great songs, the only thing we needed to make everything perfect was an amazing singer. That is usually the biggest challenge. Leif and I talked a lot about different singers and we know a few great ones that were mentioned. We felt that we wanted to find someone with a lot of blues and jazz feel but also able to sing hardrock. One day Leif said “imagine if we found a singer with a kind of “Robert Plant feel” for this heavy music. When he said that I immediately came to think about Jennie-Ann. So I said: “well I know a singer with that kind of approach against music but it is not a guy, it’s a girl”. Leif knew Jennie-Ann but he never heard her sing.
Interview with: Marcus Jidell
We tried her out in the studio and where totally blown away when she sang Moonhorse. When I came home that night I listened to the song maybe 10 times and I new that we where up to something very different and exiting. Since then we have released 1 full length album and 2 EP’s and we have played many big festivals in Europe and toured as special guest for Amorphis. This autumn we release our second full length album and will follow that up with a headline tour in November. Q: Who writes for the band, is it a combination of members, or do you have one main song writer? A: Leif is the main composer but me and Jennie-Ann are usually doing the arrangements. Also we continue to work on the melodies and harmonies that Leif has written so that when the song is finished it sounds quite different from the original version. Also of course Carl and Lars are putting in their feel in the songs. I think that is one of the strong things with Avatarium, the combination of people with different musical backgrounds but with the same feel for how music is supposed to sound and feel. Leif asked me to write some songs for this album since me and Jennie-Ann wrote Deep Well on the last EP but with the
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
production work all over me I didn’t have the time to finish my ideas and Leif has been very creative so there really was no need this time. We have some good ideas for the next album though.. Q: Upon listening to your new album, everyone seems to be in complete sync. Each performance filled with harmonies and played so tightly, some of these tracks must have been recorded ‘live’ off the floor, correct? A: Yes, that’s correct. A lot of rehearsal and live shows is the key to the Avatarium sound. Everybody in the band is also very good at listening to what’s going on in the moment and we all adapt to what the other members do. So when someone is taking a trip somewhere musically the rest of the band follows. We always have that as a mantra that we shall never be to safe and always try to inspire each other to find new ways of playing our music. Every show is supposed to be unique! Q: What are your hopes for this record, and where do you see yourselves, say in a year or so… A: We want the band to become as big as possible since this is our life and passion. I hope that we can take some more steps with this album and continue this great musical adventure for many years. MRF | 11
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OPERATION: MINDCRIME “The Key” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “The Key” is the first of a trilogy from Geoff Tate and his new musical creation “Operation: Mindcrime”. On this first disc, “The Key”, Geoff surrounds himself with equally talented musicians and vocalists. A set of varied Progressive runs tinged with the sharpness of Metal. A “heady” study on the world we live in, its technology, and how we interact with it. Like I say, it is “heady” stuff, but we wouldn’t expect anything less from Mr. Tate. “The Key” is the first book of this extensive musical foray. Geoff takes up the journey from the album that he started this exploration from… One will hear some modern rock elements mixed in with the more traditional, or, standard Hard Rock forms. Progressive in nature, and at times the music gives way to the voices, which give us the message loud and clear. Listening to “The Key” you find yourself drawn in, completely immersed in both the music and vocals, picking out those lyrical messages and story lines. Close your eyes, and a kaleidoscope of sound emerges, keeping you tied in and taking you to musical heights that you haven’t scaled! Operation: Mindcrime “The Key”, this is just the beginning!! BA (95/100)
BLACKMOR’S NIGHT “All Our Yesterdays” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) There are those who will never get over the fact that Ritchie Blackmore doesn't play the same genre defining, incendiary rock style he did with Deep Purple and Rainbow but there are others who have warmed to band's wispy, fairytale charm. This disc, their tenth, will continue to confound the former and delight the latter. The album is made up of several freshly written tunes such as the Mediterranean flavoured titled track, the cheery jig of 'Allan Yn N Fan 'and 'Where Are We Going From Here' which is sung sweetly by Candice Night. There are also a number of covers such as Mike Oldield's 'Moonlight Shadow' that's in keeping with the band's style, a decent stab at Linda Ronstadt's 'Long Long Gone' and a less successful take on the Sonny and Cher classic 'I Got You Babe'. There are a couple of instrumentals; 'A Darker Shade Of Black' (which sounds like the repost to Procol Harem's 'Whiter Shade of Pale') and 'Queen's Lament' a short acoustic piece . Next year Blackmore's going to do some gigs as Rainbow, until then it's the renaissance folk rock fan that this will appease. DJ (90/100)
THRESHOLD “European Journey” (Nuclear Blast)
ROOM EXPERIECE “Room Experience ” (Melodic Rock Records)
PSYCO DRAMA “From Ashes To Wings” (Pride and Joy)
By many considered as the “british Dream Theater”, Threshold's style differs from the US “monsters” one as it's more focused on both, dramatic/dark atmospheres and heavy passages, going more directly “to the point”, without losing very often the main path, if you know what I mean. Their previous two studio-works resulted in a nice success, with especially the latest one providing the centrepiece of the material featured on this new double-set CD, and that will be the subject of several in-its-entirety-based performances during 2016. “European Journey” contains 15 live tracks recorded at different European venues during the 2014 tour. Damian Wilson (who re-united with the band in 2007, following the departure of predecessor Andrew McDermott) is behind the mic and he does an excellent job, with all of the songs here benefitting of his emotional vocals. The good (and up-to-date) production, courtesy of keyboards-player Richard West and guitarist Karl Groom, adds the final touch to the crystal clear own band's sound and makes “European Journey” a must-buy item for the ones who love hi-quality Prog Metal releases. PB (85/100)
Put together by italian keyboardsplayer / songwriter Gianluca Firmo, Room Experience developed into an international band / project when british singer David Readman (Pink Cream 69, Voodoo Circle) had been approached and recruited to sing on this debut-album. A blend of Melodic Rock and 1st class AOR music, with incredible hooks, great arrangements and a good production, handled by international producer Alessandro Del Vecchio (Revolution Saints, Hardline, and many more). With some of the best italian musicians aboard, such as Davide “Dave Rox” Barbieri (Wheels Of Fire, Charming Grace), Pierpaolo “Zorro” Monti (Shining Line, Charming Grace, Lionville), Steve De Biasi and Amos Monti, “Room Experience” is an exciting journey thru' the music we all live and love, with a stunning songwriting exploiting a wide range of Melodic Rock styles and influences, from classic AOR to more up - to - date melodic Hard - Rock. Recommended to anyone who enjoys Lionville, Shining Line and David Readman's amazing voice. Check out the song "Tomorrow Came": it could have been an "instant hit" during the '80s... PB (88/100)
The progressive power metal band from Colorado are back, after a lengthy absence, to deliver a record that continues from where their 1996 debut 'The Illusion' left off ( ignoring the more modern but less satisfactory follow up 'Bent'). Taking their cue from the like of Dream Theatre, Queensryche and Fates Warning the band's sound is a mix of chugging riffs, florid keyboard runs and serious soul searching lyrics from the rather good and very melodic singer Corey Brown, definitely the star of the show here. The songs rely on Hercules Castro's chugging guitar, and longer guitar instrumental sections and decent melodic hooks as on 'Far From Grace'. 'Requiem' has an atmospheric, epic feel and 'A New Day' differs from the norm; starting with tranquil keys, allow Brown's voice to shine, before the those chugging guitars come in. I have to say though those chugging guitars get repetitive over the course of the album, the pace is generally mid paced throughout except on 'Broken Road' when the pace picks up. This coupled with a rather flat production means it's not quite the rise from the ashes it could have been. Nevertheless it's good to have them back making music. DJ (82/100)
STRYPER “Fallen” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “Stryper” show no signs of slowing down, not with their music, nor with their messages of faith! The opener, “Yahweh” sets the tone for the rest of the album. “Fallen”, the album title and the second track on the record continues with the groups’ hard hitting style of Molten Melodic Metal! Being some of the busiest musical artists in the business today, members of Stryper seem to have re-energised themselves! Twelve scorchers that have huge guitars, gigantic riffs and vocals, and a pulsating bed of rhythm that just won’t quit! An album that is truly inspired. With just one listen you can hear the dedication these four have, for their musical craft, as well as for their musical mission. Whether it is with their hard hitting molten metal or, like, “All Over Again”, their energised mid-tempo foray, Michael-Oz-Tim, and Robert deliver the good news with uncompromising music and words. And you will fast find out, the few surprises they have up their collective sleeves! “Stryper”, and ‘Fallen’ –a class all to themselves, truth in music, muscular and precise and only what we have come to expect from these four soldiers! BA (94/100)
JOEL HOEKSTRA’S 13 “Dying to Live” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) “Dying to Live” is the latest album from Whitesnake and former Night Ranger sixstring maestro Joel Hoekstra, and what a great slab of melodic hard rock this truly is. Unlike his previous solo albums under the 13 moniker, he has gone down the more lyrical path with this album and he’s brought in two giants of the rock to deliver the vocal goods in Jeff Scott Soto and Russell Allen, along with Vinnie Appice on drums and Tony Franklin on bass duties, plus a great list of guest musicians. This is a great hard rock opus that kicks some serious ass from the off, take “Say Goodbye To The Sun” with Allen delivering an unmistakable metal edge to the proceedings. The album is jam packed with rock goodies with the likes of “Anymore”, with its more melodic guitar edge, or the massive “Scream”, with Soto doing what he does best on this one. Other highlights for me include the majestic “Changes”, the dark groove filled title track “Dying To Live”, that has a certain Dio era Sabbath feel about it, but to be honest, this is 11 tracks of pure ear-candy. This is an album that you will go back to time and time again. BM (95/100)
ECHOES METAL ALLEGIANCE “Barefoot To The Moon” “Metal Allegiance” (Pride and Joy) (Nuclear Blast)
GENTLEMANS PISTOLS “Hustler’s Row” (Nuclear Blast)
Echoes are Germany’s premier Pink Floyd tribute act, having brought the music of the UK’s progressive giants to the masses for over 20 years. An ambitious undertaking, but they succeeded and “Barefoot to the Moon” is the result. What makes this a sit up and take notice album for melodic rock fans is the fact that Oliver Hartmann is leading the charge both vocally and on the guitars. The album has all the classics “Money”, “Comfortably Numb”, “Welcome to the Machine”, “Shine on Your Crazy Diamond”, “Wish You Were Here” and of course “Another Brick in the Wall”, (which was the first single I ever bought), but this album is remarkable for me as a Pink Floyd fan as they have stripped down a very complex bands sound into acoustic format and still managed to capture the essence of the band. And with this being available in DVD format you can capture a very different vision experience candles instead of a laser show. A string section instead of keyboard sounds. Reduction instead of inflation. In fact the very essence of Pink Floyd in its barest form. BM (80/100)
“Hustler’s Row” exudes high energy rock n’ roll. The twin guitar attack guarantees the listener the feeling to get up and do a little jig while enjoying the rollicking sound scapes that pound out of the speakers! James, again, finds himself behind the Producers’ role and has offered up all the songs. As we happily journey through the music we can hear the maturity of his song writing talents. Of course, the music pulse is kept to the front, with each member playing at the top of their craft! Songs like “Stress and Confusion” are telling signs of this maturity and why it has been four long years since their last album. Each song is played with emotion and perfection! “Hustler’s Row” is also a personal journey, but more than this, it is an album’s worth of Class a Hard & Melodic Rock, with a healthy dose of funk infused blues! Now, the title cut is notably buried within this album, and rightly so, simply because just when you think you have heard the best, there is more! And it just keeps getting better! “Gentlemans Pistols’ Hustler’s Row” will keep you wanting more! BA (90/100)
Super-group projects are ten-apenny these days but this is one that really deserves its supergroup tag. The core band is David Ellefson of Megadeth, Alex Skolnick of Testament and ex-Dream Theatre's Mike Portnoy and they've created a record that's heavier than a diabetic elephant. Having this core of musicians works extremely well as it gives the record a cohesive band sound while some big hitters from the metal world join them on different tracks, creating rich, varied songs and I mean songs, not just a bunch of superstar chums jamming and stroking each other's egos. Lamb Of God's D. Randall Blythe's voice is a force of nature on the blistering opener 'Gift Of Pain'. 'Let Darkness Fall' surprises with a bluesy solo that morphs into acoustic guitars wonderfully. When Testament's Chuck Billy joins for 'Can't Kill The Devil' it comes across less like Testament and more like Metallica. Portney's drumming is, as ever, immense, while Skolnick does a splendid job bouncing off the guest stars. Powerful music, as good as the names involved suggest, and a project that hopefully has a future. BA (88/100)
VOODOO HILL “Waterfall” (Frontiers Music s.r.l.) More than a decade since the last Voodoo Hill record, it comes as a pleasant surprise to have a third disc from Dario Mollo's hard rock project. He's procured the mighty talents of Glen Hughes again and between them they've created a record that keeps good company with their two previous efforts. It has a more mature flavour perhaps and what initially strikes you is Hughes rather restrained vocal performance on'All That Remains'. It's as if on his recent Black Country Communion and California Breed albums he felt the need to show off more to his superstar pals, but here with an old sparing partner he doesn't feel the need to be as histrionic and can concentrate on the song. 'The Well' and 'Evil Thing' have the signature Voodoo groove, 'Eldorado' is pleasingly heavy and 'Waterfall' stands out as the best track; a slow emotive track that starts sparsely with just guitar and voice before the band crashes in creating an epic track with a superlative performance from Hughes. While it might not be doing anything new, it's delivered in such a competent manner by Mollo and Hughes that any hard rock fan should enjoy it. DJ (92/100)
C.O.P. “State of Rock” (AOR Heaven) What do you get when you put together one of the genre’s top singers, a guitar hero and producer extraordinaire and a song writing drummer? I’m talking about Peter Sundell, Ola af Trampe and Christian Sundell, who together make they are Sweden’s C.O.P. This powerhouse trio are about to send sonic waves around the melodic rock world with their new album ‘State of Rock’. Anyone familiar with Grand Illusion will know what these guys are capable of and together on this new album, they are a force to be reckoned with. The album carries on the high quality rock we have come to expect from the Swedes over recent year, great memorable tunes that stay with you for days even after just one listen. I could wax lyrical about this album but this one has to be listened to, to really appreciate its splendour. A few of the many tracks of note have to be the all our rocker ’Nightmare’, the keyboard infused ‘I Want The World to Know’, the groove filled rocker ‘In My Dreams’ and the riff fuelled Broken Heart’. If this is the State of Rock, then long may it continue! BM (90/100)
AVATARIUM “The Girl With the Raven Mask” (Nuclear Blast) Avatarium are about to unleash their second full-length album! “The Girl With the Raven Mask”, is a journey of great depth and majestic moments! From the opening cut one can hear the care and attention given to each piece. It’s great to hear some real recording here, performing live off the floor. These five musicians have gathered to put their best performances to the fore, and one immediately hears this. The siren-like vocals of Jennie-Ann Smith are forceful when needed, poetic and always crystal pure! She, with her bandmates spin musical rivers that richly flow and excite the aural senses! The whole album surrounds the listener with very pleasing musical tapestries. So, be prepared to explore with Leif, Lasse, Marcus, and Carl and of course Jennie-Ann: a musical ocean deep and rich! Bassist Leif Edling wrote most of the songs we hear, and his style of writing is very poetic and fits well with the music created. Whether we are hearing slow and melodic passages or rapid-fire pulsating rivers of sound, the lyrics create their own rhythms, enriching the experience through and through. “The Girl With the Raven Mask”, a majestic effort, bringing this band closer together and bringing us closer to them as well! An album full of power, a record that pushes the envelope and a Master in its class! Three cheers and then some for Avatarium!! BA (92/100)
GRAVEYARD “Innocence & Decadence” (Nuclear Blast) Four very dedicated musicians that create the most tasteful groove infected rock this side of Memphis! Joakim Nilsson’s vocals deliver in a wide reaching range, capturing the heartfelt emotions of every song. His guitar playing reinforces this and meshes perfectly with mate: guitarist Jonatan LaRocca-Ramm. All the heavy grooves swirling around “Innocence & Decadence” are perfectly performed by Axel Sjoberg on drums and bassist Truls Morck. “Innocence & Decadence” continues to drive the unique sounds of this group, whose historical influences are heard front and centre, but with their own signature stamped all over. From the late sixties, with echoes of Jim Morrison and The Doors, to the hard rock n’ blues greats from the seventies and early eighties, “Graveyard” deliver, and deliver with their own style. There is no copying here, just inspirations that drive this group to create timeless magic! Everything just gels, the vocals, those guitars, which grooved out back beat-giving us a dynamic wall of sound. When these four decide to slow it down some, WOW! Are you in for a treat! “Graveyard”, simply a ‘must-have’ group in your music library!! BA (91/100)
RADIO EXILE “Radio Exile” (AOR Heaven) Radio Exile is the self titled debut from a new force in rock world, but with a few names you might recognise. Leading the way on vocals is Chandler Mogul, Charlie Calv on keyboards ,along with the soulful guitars of Jimmy Leahey and the powerhouse rhythm section of Kenny Aaronson and Dave Anthony on bass and drums respectively. Together Radio Exile are bringing a fresh look at all things melodic and hard rock based with this debut. This album is what this genre is all about, great guitars and keyboards united perfect harmony, plus a solid back beat, with the icing on the cake a powerhouse vocalist.The album boasts ten great rocking tracks for any fan of the genre to get their teeth into. Tracks like the bass hungry ‘Soulfire’, the thumping drum filled ‘No Pity on the Highway’, the Queen like ‘Higher Than The Sun’, the classic rock of ‘Down in a Hole’ and the seven minute splendour of ‘A Cross on Stone’. All very different songs all with one common thread, they rock. BM (85/100)
21OCTAYNE “2.0” (AFM Records) Once again Hagen Grohe, Marco Wriedt and Alex Landenburg return with another diverse modern rock album with their long await second release simply entitled ‘2.0’, which includes enough scope to bring in new fans, while retaining enough of the taste of the first album to please their diehard fan base. The band may be without a bass player at the moment, but its Not … All about the bass, about the bass … This is a great follow up to critically acclaimed debut ‘Into The Open’. With the band once again taking a no nonsense approach to their music and bringing in very different elements to make this one of the most diverse albums of the year so far. There are some great rockers on the album from the raucous sleazy rockin of ‘Take Me Away’, the classic rocking of ‘Love’s Just A Heartbreak Away’, as well as some mellow moments that highlight the vocal talent of Grohe, songs like the ballad ‘Lost’. Although the highlight for me has to be the ten minute epic ‘Tale of a Broken Child’, which is where the band show a little progressive edge. All in all, a great second release. BM (87/100)
CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT “CWF” (AOR Heaven) Reprising their collaboration Joseph Williams and Peter Friestedt, who made a lovely record together in 2011, are joined this time by Bill Chapman. This is soft rock heaven. With velvety backing courtesy of Peter Friestedt, the vocals of Joseph Williams and Bill Champlin recall a day when this kind of music was guaranteed to go billboard top 10. Unsurprisingly, this sounds a lot like Toto and Chicago at times. Williams leads on 'Runaway' and 'All that I Want'; tunes that have enough class that you'd swear they were Toto songs if you didn't know better. Champlin is the master of sounding stoic in the face of heartbreak as he proves on 'Still Around'. Chicago would probably sue for plagiarism if it wasn't one of their own singing on the jazzy horn assisted 'Nightfly'. 'Hearts At War' has a terrific pop rock hook at its heart. There's also a great version of Champlin's 'After The Love Has Gone' made famous by Earth, Wind and Fire. The acappella driven 'Rivers Of Fear' surprises and adds variety. Consummate musicianship and performances, evoking the sound of the late 80s make this an essential purchase for west coast AOR fans. DJ (89/100)
Band: Radio Exile
Question: Let’s start at the beginning, how did the band Radio Exile come about? Answer: It’s actually quite funny how this came about, I had run in to Dave whom I have known since we were kids and we have always talked about doing something together but we could never seem to make it work. So I sent him some songs I was working on and asked if he would be up for doing a record and if he knew of any singers, and he was totally up for it and recommended Chandler. So we got together with Chandler and we hit it off right away, so the three of us talked about how we wanted move forward and who we had in mind for guitarists and bass players. I wanted to make sure it was an interesting group of players and not just your typical hard rock guys where we would just churn out this generic sounding record which seems to happen all too often these days. So Jimmy was at the top of our list as he such a versatile player and I knew he could add a lot to this record and fortunately for us he was able to commit. Then Kenny kind of came in accidentally, Chandler ran into him at a show and they started talking and next thing I know I get an email from Chandler saying how would you like Kenny Aaronson on the record, who is going to say no to that right? So I sent Kenny the stuff and he liked it and was able to commit as well. So that is how we wound up with the line-up. Q: How long have you been working on the album? A: It took a little over a year to complete.
Interview with: Charlie Calv
Chandler and I wrote for a while and then we got everyone together to rehearse. At first we just recorded 5 songs to see how we all worked together, and how it would all sound, and it was amazing. So Chandler and I took a couple of more months to finish writing the rest of the record and then we got back in the studio and did the other 5 songs. Then spent a few more months working in the studio finishing up and doing all the mixing. Q: So was the album written before a band was put together or did the two things come hand in hand? A: Between Chandler and me we individually had some song ideas already, but we actually had the line-up together before we really got into the collaborative writing process. Once we had some solid ideas we would send demos to the guys, and then we all got together and rehearsed and headed in the studio. This was done with all of us together, rehearsing and doing the basic tracks. Nobody did their parts in their own home studios or anything like that. We wanted to do it old school with all of us together to capture that excitement. Too many records these days are manufactured and done remotely and you completely miss the point of what making music is all about. Q: There a some great tracks on the album like ‘Soulfire’, ‘No Pity On The Highway’ and the Queen like ‘Higher Than The Sun’ just to name a few, but are there any songs you’re particularly proud of? A: I am pretty thrilled with how they all
Interview by: B. McMinn
came out, each one is unique. I think there is something on here for everybody. Each time I talk with someone they have a different favourite which is cool. I guess ‘A Cross on Stone’ is up there for me, when we were in the studio doing the end section, Jessie, Joe and Amy were just amazing and it was so much fun to watch them. Jessie did that entire end section in just one take, we just said go for it and she just nailed it. Just a great experience. Q: The album mixes a lot of different rock elements, was this just how things turned out or was it planned to make this a diverse album? A: Just turned out that way, we did not put any limitations on what we would write. If it was good song it made the record. The diversity comes from these great musicians, they can play anything and that was the idea. Put all these guys in a room from different musical backgrounds and different generations and see what you come up with. Dave is an amazing percussionist so we took that element and let him bring in that influence, Jimmy can play any style, so you can hear a bit of a country flair on ‘Feels Like Home’, and then he just tears it up on ‘No Pity on the Highway’. Then Kenny comes from whole different background, I mean the guy has played with everyone from the New York Dolls to Bob Dylan, so you get a whole different perspective. I have always been a big Led Zeppelin fan and always liked how each record could be so diverse with different styles, yet it all sounded like Zeppelin, same with a band like Queen. MRF | 15
Band: Champlin Williams Friestedt
Question: How did you write the songs and how much input was there from Joe and Bill? Answer: When it was time to record the album I had around 4-5 songs that I thought was really strong and then Bill added a few of his songs, we both co-wrote with Randy Goodrum and Bill also added a song that Will Champlin wrote. Q: Was it recorded together in the studio or did you file share? A: We did most of the Vocal recording at Bills studio in LA in 2012 than Joseph added some Vocals after the Scandinavian tour we did the same year! After that I spent a lot of time Tracking real drums, adding my guitars and keyboards here in Sweden. Q: How did the recording process work? Talk us through the creation of a typical track... A: Less people have been involved in this record than some I’ve done, and when a lot of the work is done in our home studio it really keeps it vital. It’s easier this way to keep the end result closer to your original idea of what the 16 | MRF
Interview with: Peter Friestedt
album should sound like and I’d do more records like this in the future because it has so much more! We had so much fun doing this record. Q: How important do you think your tour in 2012 was in shaping the sound of the record? A: We actually had already started the recordings before the tour in LA. Q: What are Jo and Bill like to work with? A: It’s a lot of fun working with Bill and Joseph, a lot of jokes and not a dull moment! Q: What do you think you've learned from working with them? A: I hope I’ve adapted some of their pro attitude when it comes to record and perform and watching them work is always an inspiration. Q: Which part of the process do you prefer; the writing, recording or performing the material live? A: I love all of them to be honest! These last years it has been appropriate for me to do a lot of studio work as I have a young son but I´m really looking forward to play material live next
Interview by: D. Jamieson
year. Q: The album has, not surprisingly, echoes of Toto and Chicago. What is it you like so much about the music of those bands and their ilk? A: They are both great bands and Joseph is the lead singer of TOTO, Bill Champlin was the main guy in Chicago for many years so that may be the reason why you hear a resemblance. Q: There are lots of new melodic rock and metal bands but this gentler AOR has fewer new acts. Why do you think that is? A: I have no idea! I just record the kind of music I love and if someone else likes it that makes me very happy. For me it´s more about good or bad music, I don’t care what genre it is. Q: You played a sold out tour in Scandinavia a couple of years ago. Are there any plans to tour elsewhere? A: Yeah it looks like we will go back to Japan next year and hopefully also we get the chance to tour south of Europe next time. That would be lots of fun.
Band: Graveyard
Question: I must say that your new album, “Innocence & Decadence” is an absolute breath of fresh air!... Answer: Thank you, we like it too. How do you do this!? I mean, at times I think I’m listening to music from the Blues / Rock greats of the seventies... And please take that as a complement! What I mean is, you seem to have captured pure interpretations and not copying mind you, as your own signature is present… A: I think the thing is that we even don´t want to sound like a seventies band and we never did. So we don´t try too hard. The influences are there because thats mainly what we listen to but we want to be a contemporary band and bring something new into the music. Q: You and your band mates must be detailers, as the music is meticulously recorded and performed… And the depth, one word: Wow! A: Wow right back at ya. Yes we are very meticulous when writing music but it usually takes a long time to finish a song. Q: As I journey through this record, each song opens up strong sonic vistas, so how long does it take you guys to write such music, and then record 18 | MRF
Interview with: Joakim Nilsson
the material? A: We used more than a year to write the songs but the recording was fast. A total of three five days sessions. During the first five days we recorded ten songs, the spent the rest of the time experimenting on the rest of the songs and also did some retakes. Q: When in the studio, you must work a lot in the good old fashioned analogue fashion, it would surprise me if you have accomplished this sound in a pure digital environment! A: We recorded everything live on tape. I think we could record digital too but we´re more comfortable using tape cause thats what we always done. Q: Now, to your voice, your range is unbelievable… You sound comfortable in whatever manner you choose to deliver. A: Thank you, on this record I could finally try stuff that wasn´t possible on the previous records because everything had to be high pitch and loud all the time. Q: Just listening to the many styles that you play in, your musical influences must be vast… A: Absolutely, we are listening to a lot of different kind of music.
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
Q: One more point I must bring forth… It is very seldom that we hear a band such as Graveyard that can offer up as many sides of Rock music that you guys do, and in doing so still keep a distinct identity… Any comments? A: We always try to have lot of dynamics and variation on the albums and always really concentrating on the songs. Sometimes it feels like when bands find their recipe they stick to it like glue and that tend to get really boring after a while cause everything sounds the same. Q: I certainly hope you are bringing this set of songs to the masses! What are your plans for touring? A: Our first Europe tour on this album starts 26/10 and we are coming to Milan 11/11 i think. Q: Congratulations must also be publically made, so thank-you for such a dynamic Recorded Work, and as I started this line of questions, you and your mates are certainly a breath of fresh air, breathing life in so many styles of pure Rock and Blues… May we continue to receive these musical treasures from you! A: Thank you.
Band: Stryper
Interview with: Michael Sweet
Interview by: Bruce Atkinson
Question: Before we get in to the new album, let’s talk about your involvement with other projects, like your collaboration with George Lynch. Being involved with other high calibre Artists, does this further your inspirations in regards to writing? Answer: Absolutely! I love to write and every opportunity that I have I take it. Working with George was a pleasure and I look forward to doing it again. I would like to think that the well is overflowing. Q: When we look at the members of Stryper, we also see that others have participated in other musical projects, like Oz helping out with Frank Dimino’s album. Again, this must reinforce the creative process you undertake when it comes to setting about recording a new Stryper record… A: I do all of the writing on my own and then show the guys the songs. Stryper has a very particular sound/style and it’s very that we stick to the format. Q: Now, for “Fallen”… The brandnew album from “Stryper”! It seems to me that you have delivered not only a masterful set of recordings, but a very strong statement as well! A: We always try to. The message is just as important as the music to us and we want to inspire and encourage people through it. “Fallen’ may very well be our strongest message to date. Q: As for getting the group back in the studio, did you have a set theme for “Fallen” or did the album progress in the studio? A: I wrote the album in 9 days. It came together very quickly. I seem to work well under pressure these days. Thank God it came together considering the “rush”. As I listen back to the album, it has become my favourite. Q: As we listen to “Fallen”, we are taken to new levels of instrumentation and arrangements… Expanding your sound. Did you bring some musical guests in to help with those passages? A: No guests this time around. Just the four of us. Maybe next time?
Q: I like your version of “After Forever”! You seem to understand what ‘Black Sabbath” was trying to say in that song… A: We chose the song based on the lyrics. These are words that we could have written and very powerful. The song fits perfectly within all the others! Q: What are your expectations towards ‘Fallen’? In the 80s you climbed the charts and sold many records. Your previous album, ‘No More Hell To Pay’, reached good sales figures as well (35 on Billboard I think). Do you think it is still possible for Stryper to reach the same results as 30 years ago? What is, according to you, Stryper’s place in nowadays music scene? A: The music scene is in tough shape and we’ve always been the underdog. With that being said, we’re in a great place right now and the fans have really come out to support the band. It’s all relative but if it were 1986 all over again, I think we’d go even higher on the charts. Q: Today more than ever, a good part of the Metal scene seems entangled with Satan (I think about music types such as Death and Black Metal) although it is only fiction most of the times. So is the Devil taken too seriously or is it still there ready to capture the weakest souls? A: I think the devil exists and that he is certainly not taken seriously enough. There’s a lot of evil in this world and we see it on a daily basis. We continue to shine a light in the dark and inspire people rather than create more angst. Q: Do you think in 2015 there is still a musical scene called "Christian Metal" or what you (and other christian bands) preached in the 80s was not perceived by other groups and artists, making it too elitist and elusive? A: I hate labels. We’re a rock band comprised of Christians, NOT a Christian rock band. Labels limit your potential and separate people. Q: Stryper quit in 1991. Can you please tell us why?
A: We broke up in 1991, due in part to the fact that, for a brief period in our lives, we kind of walked away from God. We made a record called Against the Law and our hearts changed. It became more about the music than the message. We got caught up in the whole scene. We started doing things that we had never done and things that we had always spoke out against, and encouraged people not to do, like getting drunk. We were relying on alcohol to make us happy. We started bringing beer into rehearsals, which we had never had before. We had beer on the bus, which we had never had before. One guy would have one beer and then another and then another. It snowballed into something that we just weren’t and never wanted to be. It got to the point to where I thought we were being hypocrites. We wound up going our separate ways. We would have continued and made another record. We went through that phase and we needed to get away from one an other to renew our minds and restore ourselves. I am very openhearted and I speak freely, even though it might be uncomfortable for some people to read those things, but it helped me to become the man I am today. I learned a lot through it, and from it, we all have. At this very moment we are all in good places in our lives. Q: If I may, “Fallen” may well be Stryper’s strongest effort yet, both musically and lyrically. The messages are clear and strong, and with what is happening all around us... Just in time too! And are you looking at touring the album? A: Most definitely! We plan to tour throughout 2016, worldwide. Q: In closing, I wish you and the rest of the group much success, please leave our readers with a few words of wisdom, thank, you Michael.. A: Thank you all for your continued support and keeping Stryper alive. We plan to be around for a very long time and we couldn’t do it without you. God Bless all of you and we’ll see you on tour in 2016!!! MRF | 21
Band: Joel Hoekstra’s 13
Question: Firstly and foremost congrats on the excellent new album ‘Dying To Live’! A: Thanks so much! I'm very excited to see the positive responses that it's getting! Q: Your previous solo albums have mainly been instrumentals, so why go down the vocal route this time round? A: Over the last 7-8 years the fans that have gotten to know me in Night Ranger, Rock of Ages, Trans Siberian Orchestra and now Whitesnake have been asking for an album like this from me… Just straight ahead melodic hard rock. I've always wanted to do it as well, but I've been incredibly busy. Over the last year or two, I finally managed to get it done! Q: I see you had full control over the album, not only the production side, but also lyrically, as well as the playing. A: Yes, I did all of the writing on it. Lyrics, vocal melodies… The whole thing. It's been a labor of love, but totally worth it. The songs on this album mean a great deal to me. Q: Did this give you the freedom to do the album you wanted? A: Yes, Frontiers has been amazing to 22 | MRF
Interview with: Joel Hoekstra
work with. They have supported me 100% all the way on this and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity to have a worldwide release with this. Hopefully people will give it a listen. Q: The album finds a host of guests including Jeff Scott Soto and Russell Allen on the vocal side, how did these guys get involved in the album? A: I didn't really set out to do a "superband" type of album. It just kind of worked out that way. Tony Franklin and I had just finished working on another project together, so I asked him first. He recommended Vinny Appice. I mean, what a killer rhythm section! Those two sound amazing together. Russell Allen had just signed up to do the Trans Siberian Orchestra tour that I do, so when I checked him out, I knew he had to sing on this. When it came time for backups, I thought I'd call in a favor from my friend Jeff Scott Soto. Even though he's totally over-qualified to be a background singer, he was willing to help me out. Their voices together on some of those tracks are truly special. They are two of THE BEST singers in rock today in my opinion. Jeff sounded so killer that I decided he HAD to sing some lead
Interview by: Barry McMinn
vocals on it as well, so he ended up singing lead on the 2nd half of the album. After I got done laying down my guitars, I decided there was still room for keyboards, so I asked Derek Sherinian if he would play on it. The next thing I knew, I had this ridiculously amazing line-up. I really owe a lot to all of these guys for bringing these songs to life! Q: The album has a harder edge, was this you intention to bring out more of that that side of you musically? A: I would describe the album as Dio'ish at it's heaviest and Foreigner'ish at it's lightest. I just followed my instincts and I'd imagine part of it is writing for the musicians who were helping me out. Q: Is it good for you to have a side project to work on outside your bands? A: Sure! I'm the type of musician who likes to be productive every day. That's how we get better at what we do. David Coverdale is a true musician who understands that and wants the best for his players. He has given this his full blessing as long as I'm ready to rock when Whitesnake needs me and obviously that won't be an issue!