Danger Zone-Closer To Heaven

Pride & Joy Music
2016

Formed in 1980 by skilled guitarist Roberto Priori, Danger Zone is a Italian band with three full-length releases to it's name now thanks to the soon-to-be-released (and must-have!) "Closer To Heaven". Arguably one of my all time favorite heavy/power metal turned hard rock/AOR bands, Danger Zone released the exceptional EP, "Victim Of Time", back in 1984* and in the process they easily set themselves apart from the crowd thanks to phenomenal playing and meticulously-crafted material! Having previously covered not only their 2011 album, "Line Of Fire", and 2012's "Undying", but also their 2014 cover of  E.Z.O.'s "Fire Fire" I had high hopes for the forty minute plus "Closer To Heaven". Thankfully Danger Zone's new 11 track album is everything one could hope for and more! Produced by Roberto Priori and Jody Gray at the PriStudio in Bologna, "Closer To Heaven" offers a near-perfect balancing act between melodic rock, melodic hard rock, guitar rock and even pop metal! It's no real secret that these days Danger Zone are more AOR than hard & heavy, but thanks to the (clean and crisp) heavy rock guitar playing of Roberto Priori none of that matters! Danger Zone's third full-length album flies straight at you with one great cut after another! On this Italian band's latest home run recording you'll be greeted by catchy AOR moments AND smoking hot hard rock blazers! That first part would be the album's first half (or if this was a LP then it would be the A side). Tracks 1-5 are AOR done just right! With stellar performances from Danger Zone's other key players (vocalist Giacomo Gigantelli, bassist Matteo Minghetti, and drummer Paolo Palmieri) and guest keyboard contributions from Pier Mazzini (Perfect View) and Michele Luppi (Whitesnake) this four-piece band cashes in all their chips on their chips on these first five cuts! And yet somehow once "I Love Crazy" kicks in all bets are off! Danger Zone shakes things up guitar rock-worthy tracks like "I Love Crazy", "All for You", and "T'night". Meanwhile we find "Human Contact" splitting the difference between classic AOR and slick modern hard rock and it's a thing of absolute beauty! Melodic hard rock fans will appreciate "Not That Lonely" and then there is the aptly-titled "Hard Rock Paradise" which closes things out on the right note. Not that there is a wrong note to be found anywhere among these 11 tracks! Each and every song on "Closer To Heaven" has something truly special to offer all but making this forthcoming LP a must-buy! If I offered a grading scale on my site this one would be a 9 out of 10 as there is nothing here that I don't like!! Had the band thrown in a straight-up metal number (something along the lines of the Judas Priest/Iron Maiden-like stone cold killer material off of "Victim Of Time"!) "Closer To Heaven" would be a 10 out of 10, but that's more a matter of me being super picky as opposed to the unsurpassed talent of this high-class Italian quartet! Due to drop on April 15th, "Closer To Heaven" is a fantastic piece of work from Roberto Priori and company and it should be enthusiastically embraced by new and old fans alike!


 

* If the band is reading this (and I hope they do) could we possibly get a expanded re-release of "Victim Of Time" on CD? Back in 2012 I mentioned how much I wanted to see this classic get it's proper due. What I wrote then still holds true. And that would be the following: "Somehow, some way this EP needs to get a proper re-release in CD form. The whole works should be in order from a re-mastered sound (even though the production is essentially flawless already!) to new art work (since I've always found the cover a bit cheesy), a bio, lyrics, rare photos and maybe even bonus cuts (how about the three demo tapes that followed this?). What is the hold up? If I had the funds myself I'd be knocking down doors to get this EP out to the metal masses!"

STUD-Rust On The Rose

Cranksonic
2014


Due to be released on October 13st, "Rust On The Rose" is the second full-length album from Finnish hard & heavy rockers STUD. First formed way back in 1986, with STUD's first single "Mä Haluun Elää" / "Viimeinen Yö" reported to now be a highly sought-after collector's item(!), the band was initially only active until 1989. Fast-forward to February of 2013 and original members Ari Toivanen (vocals), Mika Kansikas (guitar), Pasi Hietanen (bass, replaced by Matti Jalonen in Feb 2013) and Stenda Kukkonen (drums) decided it was time to pick up where they left off with the ultimate end result being last year's "Out Of The Darkness". Now here it is 2014 and STUD is issuing the follow-up to their 2013 full-length debut album with the the album's first single, "I Don't Know" (no, not the Ozzy Osbourne number!), having dropped this past May. That particular song is heavy and on the radio rock side of life, but for STUD and this 11-track album we're primarily looking at 80's-inspired hard rock (as in hard rock and not the hair metal/glam metal/pop metal nonsense!) that is distinctly STUD-like in nature. By which I mean STUD sounds like STUD first and foremost and in a world of carbon-copy hard rock/heavy rock bands that all look and sound alike that is not only remarkable, but downright refreshing! Starting with the appropriately-titled "Raise Your Fist" STUD rolls up it's sleeves and pulls out the guitar for some real foot-stomping rock and roll with great cuts like "Rock'n Roll World", "Freedom Call" and "Break The Chains" offering cool solos, slick bass work and addictive drumming! While the title cut strikes a slightly different cord while it's almost AOR-styled hard rock and "Poor Man's Buddy" slows things down a little there are songs like "Dangerous" and "I Don't Know" eagerly waiting to balance things out! As stated and just like the group's last album there are 11 tracks here with the near-ballad "Playing To Win" closing things out nicely. Despite the somewhat dull artwork pictured above, "Rust On The Rose" is actual a colorful album with plentiful amounts of energy, finesse and dare I even say it, swagger! Name-checking similar acts for reference points would be a folly, but just as "Freedom Call" pushes things toward an AOR-take on Dio(!) there are "helpful" suggestions should anyone be left wondering where exactly to put a band like STUD in the grand scheme of things. I'd be inclined to at least name AC/DC, Ratt, Montrose, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Bad Company, Ted Nugent, Van Halen, (early) Def Leppard and the Scorpions, but as I typed that list up if still struck me how much these Finnish rockers merely sound like STUD! So, after all of that I'm just going to go with my gut on this one and say that when it comes to "Rust On The Rose" if you like the idea of a band that combines heavy rock, 80's hard rock and the "lighter" side of heavy metal into one art-form (and one that is great benefited by way of the presence of a real rock and roll loving' guitarist by the name of Mika Kansikas!) then you should really try on this band for size. For an album that simply appeared one day in my inbox from out of the blue, "Rust On The Rose" is a pleasant remember of just how enjoyable old-fashioned hard & heavy/heavy rock can be when it's cooked to near-perfection! 

Vagabond Flag-"Not Afraid" Single Version

Self-Release/Independent
2014

The single version of "Not Afraid", due to drop on June 16th with a debut album scheduled for July 4th (seemingly fitting as his music shadows his inner independence) was my first introduction to Vagabond Flag. And I'll tell you what, I'm glad we meet. We all know that first impressions are everything and the impression I got from "Not Afraid" was that yes, I would like to spend more time in the presence of this man. Indeed, Vagabond Flag is a man, not some band or a collection of differing personalities working their way through those differences in the hopes of settling on a spark. His interests include making music (and at this point he's only a year or so removed from picking up a guitar in order to make that music!) and to protest, to rebel. And above all else to find the next love of my life (music being his first love!). That last part many of us can relate to. I know that I can. And it's that personal touch that kind of tugs at you on "Not Afraid". Having grown up in London, where he now works as hard as he plays, Vagabond Flag (https://www.facebook.com/VagabondFlagArtist?fref=ts) is in the thick of it all from politics and art to the hustle and bustle of everyday people (their movements and mannerisms re-shaping London daily). Maybe it's no wonder then that his music, like the man himself, is so personal, completely invested in the human condition. That seems like a fair connection, drawing a line from the music to the message and from the message back to the music. On the single "Not Afraid" we find Vagabond Flag relaying that message over-top of (somewhat gruff) Lo Fi indie rock. Influences run from the likes of Oasis, The Verve and The Pixies to Nirvana, Soundgarden and Dinosaur Jr. Oh, and David Bowie. We must not forget that part! Especially seeing as Vagabond Flag, like David Bowie before him, provides clear evidence on the (exceptionally cool!) guitar-driven/classic rock-infused (and yet unmistakably Lo Fi indie rocker!) single "Not Afraid" that rock can be passionate and intelligent (to go along with it's shapely body). Hopefully the upcoming debut album from Vagabond Flag, which is likely to be rich in content (political and personal lyrics) will be able to cast a similar reflection, music-wise. To hear "Not Afraid" for yourself simply click here: https://soundcloud.com/vagabond-flag.

Night By Night-NxN

Sun Hill Production/Cargo Records
2014

Take and mix eighties rock, nineties hard rock and today's modern melodic metal and what do you get? The answer is Britain's Night By Night and their Romesh Dodangoda (Motörhead, Bullet For My Valentine, Sylosis) produced album, "NxN". Having already won praise from both the press (Metal Hammer and Kerrang) and fellow musicians such as Rick Savage (Def Leppard), Kane Roberts (Alice Cooper/Kane Roberts), Bill Leverty (Firehouse) and Pete Lesperance (Harem Scarem) the members of Night By Night (Ben Christo (Sisters Of Mercy guitarist), Henry Rundell, Tom Daniel, Jonny Thornton & Damien Diablo) look poised to take things to the next level! The only downside for listeners is the fact that this one won't see release until mid-July, but, for those with Patience, "NxN" will be worth the wait! For now why not follow the band via their Facebbok page here: https://www.facebook.com/NightByNightU

Sinezamia-Senza Fiato

Self-Released/Independent
2013

Italy's Sinezamia, featuring the vocal talent of Marco Gazzi, are another impressive act signed to Atomic Stuff Production. "Senza Fiato", which was released last October (of 2013 naturally!), is the latest release from this band that traces its roots back to 2004. Available as both a digital download (pretty much everywhere fine music is sold!) and CD single,  "Senza Fiato" is charmingly rugged garage rock and roll with new wave and dark metal roots. Without getting too far off track with my rambling, which is something I'm far too often known for(!), this single (sung in their native language as is all of their work apparently) works because the two tracks here ("Senza Fiato" which is 3:17 and "Cenere" which is 5:08) are real (read: rather honest in approach and delivery!) works of art without the (oft-bloated) self-sense of importance that plagues far too many young artists these days (no names please, but we all know of way too many modern day rock/alt-rock bands that strut around like they are the next Beatles or some other silliness!).  When rock is represented in earnestness it (arguably) connects with it's target audience on a more personable level and with Sinezamia one gets the feeling that there isn't all that much distance separating them (emotionally-speaking) from their listeners. For fans of natural rock (albeit slightly dark rock) a single like this one should be appreciated!

http://www.sinezamia.it/