Hardline have quite the catalogue since realigning themselves as a European line-up with Johnny Gioeli fronting as the only original member. Their sound changed instantly, but I’ve always had a liking for the material and JG is a masterful vocalist. He turns up on other projects, but I think it’s here that he always sound most at home and the best version of himself.
The change to a new label seems to have given the band a fresh lease on life. This is a supremely energetic hard rock record with melodies and hooks galore. Johnny is singing for his life and the production is also a step up again. It’s a tight record with guitars and vocals fully in control. Keyboards line the tracks throughout, but not as dominantly as previous albums.
The opening trio is tunes run hot, with ‘It Owns You’ definitely giving off classic Hardline vibes.
The monster ballad ‘When You Came Into My Life’ is a cover of the Scorpions track, but Johnny makes it his own with an earth shattering vocal.
‘Mother Love’ and ‘Welcome To The Thunder’ (check out the intro!) again hold the true style of the original Hardline debut, which will surely impress long-time fans, but elsewhere there’s no letup in quality – just smash and grab melodic hard rock with chorus hooks and those killer vocals.
The closing piano ballad is another piece of brilliance.
Probably the band’s best album since the debut – itself a genre classic that will never ever be topped (how could they, it’s a completely different line-up and time). Don’t let any preconceptions keep you from enjoying this kick ass album.
