Share the post "Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night"
Escape Music [Release date 17.02.23]
Gabrielle de Val has been involved in the rock scene since 1987 when she created the band Yin-Yang, which would later be called D’Val. They never recorded a full album, however, fast forward to 2010 when de Val along with Alfonso Samos, David Erick and Alex Morell reappeared as The Val. They released their debut album ‘Back’, followed by ‘Heading for the Surface’ (2015) and ‘King Ocelot’(2020).
‘Kiss in a Dragon Night’, Gabrielle de Val’s first solo album, features guest vocalists Steve Overland (FM/Lonerider), Mick Devine (The Roads/Seven), Robin McAuley (Black Swan/MSG), Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen) and Terry Brock (Strangeways), as well as musicians such as Gary Pihl (Boston/Sammy Hagar), Eric Ragno (Joe Lynn Turner/Babys), Johan Kullberg (HammerFall) and Fredrik Folkare (Nordic Union).
As Gabrielle de Val herself explains all of the musicians involved have “given me more than I could have ever imagined and with songs that I have put all my soul and dedication into.”
The romping hard rock fun that is ‘When Midnight Comes’, featuring Mark Boals, is an early album highlight. Both singers suit each other style well and the chorus is insanely catchy.
Further into the album many other treats lie in wait for the listener including the AOR-tastic ‘Fight For Love’, which sees Mick Devine make the first of two guest appearances. This song has everything you want in classy AOR/melodic rock from the soaring vocals, upbeat backing, snazzy guitar solo and lashings of keys. Mick’s back for the album closer, a big power ballad beastie that is ‘Hold On’.
Of the two covers, the Mike Oldfield classic ‘Moonlight Shadow’ is stunning and suits Gabrielle’s vocals perfectly. On the cover of Magnum’s ‘Stayin’ Alive’ she duets with Terry Brock. Not an obvious choice a tune from ‘II’, one of Magnum’s lesser known albums (albeit not with the band’s hardcore following as said album does have some classics on it!).
The whole album is full of highlights to be fair, although ‘Natural High’, where Gabrielle is joined by FM’s Steve Overland, is a perfect example of how you can still produce modern day melodic rock which has its own sound and doesn’t sound like a rehash of the 80′s greats of the genre.
Whether singing with one the many guest vocalists or on her own, Gabrielle de Val further enhances her reputation as one of the finest melodic hard rock vocalists around today, on this hugely enjoyable debut solo album. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
