Frontiers [Release date 15.11.24]
Art for Art’s sake.
Lionville’s Italian founder, writer, guitarist and all round mainman, Stefano Leonetti has brought in Swedish vocalist Alexander (Art Nation) Strandell to replace the departed Lars (Work Of Art) Safsund.
Strandell has achieved much in his home country these last 10 years, both as a solo artist and in fronting Art Nation, winning award after award.
GRTR Reviews Editor, Jason, reviewed Strandell’s “supergroup” release, Crowne, Kings In The North, back in 2021, concluding that “they know how to create classy melodic hard rock.” The same could be said here.
Right from opener ‘Heading For A Hurricane’ to closer, ‘Celebrate Our Life’
Lionville lay down a really cool, classy mix of AOR and Melodic Rock.
Mixed and mastered by bass man Giulio Dagnino, the music achieves the kind of sonic clarity that only major labels once enjoyed. Times change.
Strandell bears a close vocal resemblance to Freddy (Alias) Curci. His voice has soul, he keeps a tight rein on the vocal melodies and he delivers with emotion and conviction. And he seems to hit the high notes with ease.
‘Heading For A Hurricane’ is the perfect opener. A mid paced slice of romance, with a hint of a melancholy rippling under the surface.
By the album’s mid way point, the balladic ‘The Right Time’, tells us we’re again in Alias/Curci territory, cranking the machine back to a time when songs like ‘Waiting For Love’ and ‘More Than Words Can Say’ topped North American charts.
‘Supernatural’ the track, is very Work Of Art. Wonder where that came from.
It’s deja vu all over again with ‘Nothing Is Over’. The track confirms that WOA’s warm, sophisticated tones are still with us, while Strandell’s skyscraping vocal does the heavy lifting.
Elsewhere, musically, lyrically, ‘Gone’ is a peach. It echoes Don Henley’s ‘Boys Of Summer’, striking the same mood, mirroring the “icy beauty’ if not the sentiments, of the Henley/Mike Campbell 1984 hit song.
Occasionally, Supernatural is cut and tailored to reflect the sharp, sleek lines of today’s Melodic Rock, as well as the genre’s past glories, and that can only be a good thing. ***1/2
Review by Brian McGowan
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)
Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
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