Release Date: April 21 (Jap.) – May 28th (Europe),  2010 Label: Avalon (Jap.), earMusic (Eu.) Producer: Michael Vail Blum   Style: AOR, Melodic Rock, Hard Rock Related bands: Europe, Treat, Toto, Giant

[voto: 3.75]

Intro
Second album for the young Swedish rockers, who deliver another good record.

Best tracks
Who Will Stop The Rain, Beg Beg Beg, Black Night, Shelter, Stay, Everybody Wants To Be Someone

Notes
Unfortunately, a few weeks after that "Freedom Rock" was released in Europe, departure of singer Kenny Leckremo has been made official. He has been an important player for the sound of one of the best bands of the genre that emerged in recent years.
But ... "the show must go on", so the remaining five components are already looking for their new frontman (I would like to see Erik Martensson of Eclipse, who already fronted H.E.A.T at Firefest 2008, replacing Kenny Leckremo who had been hospitalized).
Speaking about the disc, I must start by saying that the self-titled debut album released two years ago was one of the nicest surprises in years, in my opinion. Songs were not that original, sure, but they had the right melodies and the hooks to enter the heads and the hearts of the few but loyal melodic rock fans.
It was not easy, therefore, to perform again at the same level but I can not say they have not tried.
Many are the songs that will fit into my "best of" of 2010, but there are also a few fillers too; it is a crime that a wonderful song like "Tonight" is included only in the Japanese release, when it could have properly replaced a filler (eg. "Danger Road" or "High On Love").
At last, the choice to release "Freedom Rock" in a double CD package accompanied by their debut album (the second edition with "1000 Miles") for the price of a single CD is to reward.
Go out and buy this CD soon!

Band

• Crash: drums
• Kenny Leckremo: vocals
• Eric Rivers: guitar
• Dave Dalone: guitar
• Jona Tee: keyboards
• Jimmy Jay: bass

Tracklist

CD1 "Freedom Rock"

• 01. We're Gonna Make It To The End   (Crash) 4:10
• 02. Black Night (ft. Tobias Sammet)   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:01
• 03. I Can't Look The Other Way   (Jay) 4:14
• 04. Shelter   (Tee) 3:28
• 05. Beg Beg Beg   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:01
• 06. Danger Road   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 2:59
• 07. Stay   (Tee) 3:24
• 08. Everybody Wants To Be Someone (Dalone, Tee) 3:32
• 09. Nobody Loves You (Like I Do)   (Dalone, Leckremo) 2:55
• 10. I Know What It Takes   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:03
• 11. Cast Away   (Rivers, Leckremo) 4:04
• 12. High On Love   (Dalone) 2:27
• 13. Who Will Stop The Rain   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:08

CD2 "H.E.A.T"

• 01. Intro   0:20
• 02. 1000 Miles   (Stenmarck, Jarl) 2:57
• 03. There For You   (H.E.A.T) 3:29
• 04. Never Let Go   (Dalone, Tee) 3:11
• 05. Late Night Lady   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:15
• 06. Keep On Dreaming   (Dalone, Tee) 4:12
• 07. Follow Me   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:08
• 08. Straight For Your Heart   (Dalone, Jay) 3:27
• 09. Cry   (Dalone, Tee) 4:23
• 10. Feel It Again   (Leckremo, Crash) 3:27
• 11. Straight Up   (Dalone, Leckremo, Crash) 4:21
• 12. Bring The Stars   (Dalone, Tee) 3:35
• 13. You're Lying   (Dalone, Tee) 3:18
• 14. Feel The Heat   (Leckremo) 3:56
• 15. 1000 Miles (USA Extended Mix)   (Stenmarck, Jarl) 4:10

Discography

• H.E.A.T (2008 StormVox)
• Freedom Rock + H.E.A.T (2010 earMusic)

Suggested links

• H.E.A.T on myspace
• H.E.A.T Official Site

Release Date: April 21 (Jap.) – May 28th (Europe),  2010 Label: Avalon (Jap.), earMusic (Eu.) Producer: Michael Vail Blum   Style: AOR, Melodic Rock, Hard Rock Related bands: Europe, Treat, Toto, Giant

[voto: 3.75][EN]

Intro
Secondo album per i giovanissimi rocker svedesi, i quali pubblicano un altro buon lavoro.

Best tracks
Who Will Stop The Rain, Beg Beg Beg, Black Night, Shelter, Stay, Everybody Wants To Be Someone

Notes
Purtroppo, a poche settimane dall'uscita europea di questo "Freedom Rock", è stato ufficializzato l'abbandono della band da parte del cantante Kenny Leckremo, sicuramente una pedina importante per il sound di una delle migliori band del genere nate negli ultimi anni.
Ma…"the show must go on", così i restanti cinque componenti sono già alla ricerca del nuovo frontman (ci vedrei bene Erik Martensson degli Eclipse, che già si esibì con gli H.E.A.T al Firefest 2008, loro debutto internazionale, sostituendo all'ultimo un Kenny Leckremo ospedalizzato).
Venendo al disco, devo premettere che l'omonimo debutto di due anni fa è stata una delle più belle sorprese degli ultimi anni, per il sottoscritto. Canzoni certamente non originali ma che possedevano le melodie giuste e il tiro adatto per entrare nella testa e nel cuore dei pochi ma fedelissimi appassionati di melodic rock.
Non era facile, dunque, ripetersi agli stessi livelli ma non posso dire che gli non ci abbiano provato.
Diverse le canzoni che entreranno nel mio "best of" del 2010, però ci sono anche un paio di filler di troppo; peccato poi, che "Tonight" sia uscita solo nella versione giapponese dell'album, avrebbe potuto sostituire degnamente un brano meno riuscito (ad es. "Danger Road" o "High On Love").
Da premiare, infine, la scelta di far uscire "Freedom Rock" in doppio CD accompagnato dall'album di debutto (nella seconda edizione con "1000 Miles") al prezzo di un singolo CD.

Band

• Crash: drums
• Kenny Leckremo: vocals
• Eric Rivers: guitar
• Dave Dalone: guitar
• Jona Tee: keyboards
• Jimmy Jay: bass

Tracklist

CD1 "Freedom Rock"

• 01. We're Gonna Make It To The End   (Crash) 4:10
• 02. Black Night (ft. Tobias Sammet)   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:01
• 03. I Can't Look The Other Way   (Jay) 4:14
• 04. Shelter   (Tee) 3:28
• 05. Beg Beg Beg   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:01
• 06. Danger Road   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 2:59
• 07. Stay   (Tee) 3:24
• 08. Everybody Wants To Be Someone (Dalone, Tee) 3:32
• 09. Nobody Loves You (Like I Do)   (Dalone, Leckremo) 2:55
• 10. I Know What It Takes   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:03
• 11. Cast Away   (Rivers, Leckremo) 4:04
• 12. High On Love   (Dalone) 2:27
• 13. Who Will Stop The Rain   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:08

CD2 "H.E.A.T"

• 01. Intro   0:20
• 02. 1000 Miles   (Stenmarck, Jarl) 2:57
• 03. There For You   (H.E.A.T) 3:29
• 04. Never Let Go   (Dalone, Tee) 3:11
• 05. Late Night Lady   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 3:15
• 06. Keep On Dreaming   (Dalone, Tee) 4:12
• 07. Follow Me   (Dalone, Tee, Leckremo) 4:08
• 08. Straight For Your Heart   (Dalone, Jay) 3:27
• 09. Cry   (Dalone, Tee) 4:23
• 10. Feel It Again   (Leckremo, Crash) 3:27
• 11. Straight Up   (Dalone, Leckremo, Crash) 4:21
• 12. Bring The Stars   (Dalone, Tee) 3:35
• 13. You're Lying   (Dalone, Tee) 3:18
• 14. Feel The Heat   (Leckremo) 3:56
• 15. 1000 Miles (USA Extended Mix)   (Stenmarck, Jarl) 4:10

Discography

• H.E.A.T (2008 StormVox)
• Freedom Rock + H.E.A.T (2010 earMusic)

Suggested links

• H.E.A.T on myspace
• H.E.A.T Official Site

Release Date: July 20, 2009 Label: Powerage Records   Style: Hard Rock Related bands: Skid Row, Guns N'Roses, Taking Dawn, Hinder, Burn Halo

[voto: 3.5][EN]

Intro
Hard rock made in England.

Best tracks
In The Fading Light, On Fire, Seven Nights Seven Bodies, Moth To The Flame

Notes
As soon as I found out who was the special guest for Bon Jovi's concert in London on the night I would have attended, I wanted to learn more about this "new device". This band is composed by five London musicians who, despite their young age, draw liberally on the great hard'n'heavy bands of the past (i.e. Motley Crue, Guns N 'Roses and Skid Row), adding a touch of modernity that makes it more enjoyable to listen to nowadays (in the same vein of bands such as Hinder or Burn Halo).
"Takin' Over", released in 2009, is their debut album and consists of twelve granitic and melodic tracks, led by the 80s oriented riff and especially by the clean and broad vocals of singer Daniel Leigh, excellent both on studio and live as I have witnessed.
The beautiful power ballad "In The Fading Light" and "Moth To The Flame" alternates with faster 80s hair metal styled tracks like "On Fire" and "Seven Nights, Seven Bodies".
New Device are passed at their first attempt, but I think there is still room to improve, maybe trying to make their sound even more younger to be competitive in this genre.

Band

• Daniel Leigh  - vocals
• Gaz Bolan - lead guitars
• Shane Lee - lead guitars
• Andy Saxton - bass
• Rozzy Ison - drums

Tracklist

• 01. Make My Day   3.30
• 02. Never Say Never   3.44
• 03. You've Got It Comin'   3.39
• 04. In The Fading Light   5.01
• 05. On Fire   3.22
• 06. Pedal To The Metal   4.18
• 07. Until The End   3.26
• 08. Moth To The Flame   5.08
• 09. Seven Nights, Seven Bodies   3.13
• 10. Heaven Knows   3.02
• 11. Hope Is Not Enough   3.32
• 12. Takin' Over   3.46

Discography

• Takin' Over (2009 Powerage Records)

Suggested links

• New Device on myspace

Release Date: July 20, 2009 Label: Powerage Records   Style: Hard Rock Related bands: Skid Row, Guns N'Roses, Taking Dawn, Hinder, Burn Halo

[voto: 3.5][EN]

Intro
Hard rock made in England.

Best tracks
In The Fading Light, On Fire, Seven Nights Seven Bodies, Moth To The Flame

Notes
Non appena ho scoperto chi fosse lo special guest del concerto londinese dei Bon Jovi a cui avrei assistito, ho voluto approfondire la conoscenza di questo "nuovo aggeggio". I New Device sono cinque musicisti che, a dispetto della giovane età, prendono a piene mani dalle grandi band hard'n'heavy del passato come Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses e Skid Row aggiungendo quel tocco di modernità che rende tutto più piacevole da ascoltare oggigiorno, alla stregua di band come Burn Halo o Hinder.
"Takin' Over", uscito nel 2009, è il loro album di debutto e si compone di dodici tracce granitiche ma melodiche, in cui a farla da padrone sono i riff 80s oriented e soprattutto la voce pulita ed ampia del cantante Daniel Leigh, bravissimo su disco quanto dal vivo, come ho potuto constatare.
Belle le power ballad "In The Fading Light" e "Moth To The Flame" che si alternano a pezzi più veloci come "On Fire" e "Seven Nights, Seven Bodies" in puro stile 80s hair metal.
Promossi al primo tentativo, credo ci siano comunque margini per un miglioramento dal punto di vista complessivo delle composizioni, dovranno forse cercare di rendere ancora più fresco il loro sound per essere competitivi in questo genere.

Band

• Daniel Leigh  - vocals
• Gaz Bolan - lead guitars
• Shane Lee - lead guitars
• Andy Saxton - bass
• Rozzy Ison - drums

Tracklist

• 01. Make My Day   3.30
• 02. Never Say Never   3.44
• 03. You've Got It Comin'   3.39
• 04. In The Fading Light   5.01
• 05. On Fire   3.22
• 06. Pedal To The Metal   4.18
• 07. Until The End   3.26
• 08. Moth To The Flame   5.08
• 09. Seven Nights, Seven Bodies   3.13
• 10. Heaven Knows   3.02
• 11. Hope Is Not Enough   3.32
• 12. Takin' Over   3.46

Discography

• Takin' Over (2009 Powerage Records)

Suggested links

• New Device on myspace

Release date: January 19, 2010 Label: R.E.D. Distribution (U.S.A.) / Powerage Records (Europe) Producer: Joe Barresi, Pearl, Jay Ruston   Style: Hard Rock, Southern Rock, Rock Blues, Classic Rock Related bands: Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Sass Jordan, Heart

[voto: 4]

Intro
Hard rock corrupted by 70s blues flavor for the band Pearl.

Best tracks
Rock Child, Broken White, Check Out Charlie, My Heart Isn't In It

Notes
Pearl Aday, though unknown to the general public, is surely not unprepared for the world of rock: we are indeed talking about the wife of Scott Ian (guitarist for Anthrax and now also for Pearl) and, at the same time, daughter of Michael Lee Aday, mostly known as Meat Loaf, for which she has toured the world as a backing vocalist for nine years.
In spite of kinship (even if both are not biological), the blonde Pearl is not influenced by the style of any of them.
Since the album cover is easy to guess her love for the 70s and for Janis Joplin (her biological father played drums for Janis Joplin and from her he stole the nickname Pearl for his daughter). So, we are talking about hard blues rock with trace of southern rock (outstanding are the autobiographical "Rock Child" and "Broken White"), sung by a rocker with balls who is not ashamed to show her female side in sweet ballads such as "My Heart Isn’t In It" and "Anything".
Pearl, with her scathing and gritty voice, is rightly the protagonist of the album, but the powerful and precise rhythm section and the two aggressive guitars certainly do not stand in the background.
All together, they create captivating songs that are sure going to be appreciated by anyone who grew up on AC/DC, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith and all the heroes of the '70s.

Band

• Pearl Aday – vocals
• Marcus Blake – bass
• Jim Wilson – guitars
• Scott Ian – guitars
• Eric Leiderman – drums

Tracklist

• 01. Rock Child   4:20
• 02. Nutbush City Limits   3:29
• 03. Broken White   4:35
• 04. Check Out Charlie (ft. Ted Nugent)  3:22
• 05. Mama   4:09
• 06. My Heart Isn't In It   4:48
• 07. Nobody   5:02
• 08. Worth Defending   4:18
• 09. Love Pyre   2:53
• 10. Whore   2:33
• 11. Anything (ft. Jerry Cantrell)  4:18

Discography

• Little Immaculate White Fox (2010 R.E.D. Distribution / Powerage Records)

Suggested links

• Pearl on myspace
• Pearl Official Site

Release date: January 19, 2010 Label: R.E.D. Distribution (U.S.A.) / Powerage Records (Europe) Producer: Joe Barresi, Pearl, Jay Ruston   Style: Hard Rock, Southern Rock, Rock Blues, Classic Rock Related bands: Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Sass Jordan, Heart

[voto: 4][EN]

Intro
Hard rock imbastardito di blues dal sapore 70s per la band di Pearl.

Best tracks
Rock Child, Broken White, Check Out Charlie, My Heart Isn't In It

Notes
Pearl Aday, per quanto sconosciuta al grande pubblico, non è certo una sprovveduta nel mondo del rock: stiamo parlando infatti della moglie di Scott Ian, chitarrista di Anthrax e ora anche di Pearl, e figlia di Michael Lee Aday, noto ai più come Meat Loaf, per il quale, per ben nove anni, ha girato il mondo come corista.
A dispetto delle parentele (anche se entrambe non sono biologiche), la bionda Pearl non è influenzata dallo stile di nessuno di essi.
Fin dalla copertina dell'album è intuibile l'amore per i 70s e per una certa Janis Joplin (per cui il papà biologico della Aday suonò la batteria e da cui rubò il nomignolo Pearl per la figlia). Stiamo parlando quindi di un rock blues con venature sudiste e piuttosto hard (strepitose l'autobiografica "Rock Child" e "Broken White"), cantato da una rocker con le palle ma che non si vergogna di mostrare il lato più femminile in dolci ballad quali "My Heart Isn't In It" e "Anything".
Pearl, con la sua voce graffiante e grintosa, è giustamente la protagonista del disco, ma la sezione ritmica possente e precisa e le due aggressive chitarre non sono certo in secondo piano.
Tutto l'insieme crea canzoni coinvolgenti che saranno sicuramente apprezzate da chiunque sia cresciuto a pane ed AC/DC, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith e tutti gli eroi degli anni '70.

Band

• Pearl Aday – vocals
• Marcus Blake – bass
• Jim Wilson – guitars
• Scott Ian – guitars
• Eric Leiderman – drums

Tracklist

• 01. Rock Child   4:20
• 02. Nutbush City Limits   3:29
• 03. Broken White   4:35
• 04. Check Out Charlie (ft. Ted Nugent)  3:22
• 05. Mama   4:09
• 06. My Heart Isn't In It   4:48
• 07. Nobody   5:02
• 08. Worth Defending   4:18
• 09. Love Pyre   2:53
• 10. Whore   2:33
• 11. Anything (ft. Jerry Cantrell)  4:18

Discography

• Little Immaculate White Fox (2010 R.E.D. Distribution / Powerage Records)

Suggested links

• Pearl on myspace
• Pearl Official Site