LA TORMENTAROCK

Robert Rodrigo has dedicated its professional life to the study of the guitar, paging the creation with other works, as clinics or demonstrations for manufacturing acquaintances of instruments. Now already we can enjoy their work in form of Cd.
AIRLESS presents us a collection of songs created to conscience, mixing illusion with profesionall work, song by song goes discovering that this band is not only a gentleman playing the guitar (quite well by the way) and other three to the side, let us don't make a mistake, it is not a guitar player album, although of course this instrument has a remarkable weight to the long and wide of the compositions. Also the good production of the Cd that has run in charge of Carlos Creator to highlight and that helps a lot in the final quality of this.
When you listen the album there is not place for the boredom, each song has an own history, all taken out with an insole are not, of course they have things in common, but they don't become worred, we can find more complicated compositions of entering to the hearing, but with a work of incredible elaboration as the song that the Cd opens up "Brief Love" or "When I Look into your Eyes", until songs that you have left inside to the first one "Autum Leaves", "The Truth" they hook you from the first note, with rhythms that you are surprised for its creativity, also decorated with good voice melodies and choirs very beautiful. But not everything is very elaborated songs, they have also left space to delight with compositions of AOR of great level "Holding on", the calmest in the Cd, also "Without You" or , for me the best song in the cd, "Lost", it is not necessary to forget that the soul of this group is a guitarist (of the good ones) for it could not lack an instrumental song "The First" (bonus track for the European edition), in which Robert takes out to glitter, if it stiller than along the Cd fits, all his influences, from Eddie van Halen to Satriani or Vai. We have not spoken nothing else that Rodrigo, but the rest of the band is at a high level, Iñaki Lazcano to the voices makes a splendid work, as well as Efe to the bass or Gas at drums.
Let us hope AIRLESS continues with this great level and that next time that we can see them in direct they make us enjoy this good material again.

Jean Beauvoir returns with his band, inside the AOR he continues being today per today one of the best song writers, in spite of the changes of style that he had during its career, this time he leaves aside his calmer vein of "Bare to the Bones" to return to the principles, to the beginnings of the band or even more behind to VOODOO X.
Accompanied of course by Tommy Lafferty at guitars and Michael Paige at bass, he brings us again a replete Cd of good Melodic Rock , with songs as "Till You´ve enough", "Keep on Surviving" or "Alone Again", where the melodies drag us and the guitars of Lafferty campan to their wide ones or quiet songs with more elaboration, "Believer" that opens the album or "Gotta get next to you" with some spectacular choirs, it is also able to create songs of pure AOR "Let´s start over again", "Before" or "Eleven in my Life" they are compositions of a great pleasure, without leaving aside one of the ballads of the disk "I´m sorry" with a voice that falls in love and one impressive choirs.
One of the best songs in the Cd is maybe another ballad, the duet that gives us next to the blond Metal Queen Doro Pesch, "Shed no Tears" is a beautiful ballad in which the two vocalists demonstrate us the quality of their voices. So much Doro as Jean they let perseverance each one, that they can be two of the best voices, each one in their style, of the current Hard Rock scene.
The production has run in charge of the same Jean Beauvoir, leaving something that to want in some points, the Cd doesn't sound bad, but maybe lacks some force, has even this way a good sound.
Maybe Jean Beauvoir is not so considered at the present time as other vocalists or composers, but it is really worthwhile to listen his albums, in this occasion with CROWN OF THORNS, other times in solitary, but it can surprise us pleasurably.
Cd very recommended for fans of Beauvoir, for those that are not it so much, it can surprise them pleasurably.

HARDLINE was formed when the Gioeli bross Johnny (voice) and Joey (guitar) left the band Brunette and they united forces with Neal Schon (JOURNEY / BAD ENGLISH). In a principle the idea was that Neal Schon was the producer of the band, but he was involved so much with the project that passed to be part of the band for the debut "Double Eclipse" in 1992.
That album was a true explosion at these moment, not only for the quality of the musicians that formed the band, besides those mentioned were also to the bass guitar player Todd Jensen (DAVID LEE ROTH, ALICE COOPER) and Deen Castronovo (BAD ENGLISH) at drums. Hardline made the American circuit open to bands like VAN HALEN or Mr BIG, also recording a videotape with the supersingle "Hot Cherie", this became forced song quickly that can be listens in any radio program and now 10 years later it´s considered a real classic of the Melodic Rock.
HARDLINE has taken this whole time, 10 years, in recording again, for this time the Gioeli brothers has not been able to count (except in one song) with Neal Schon, completely working in the return of JOURNEY. But for the project they have been made accompany of another great guitarist, Josh Ramos (THE STORM / TWO FIRES), besides another great musician, the drummer Bob Rock (NELSON, VINNIE VINCENT INVASION), they complete the formation with Michael T. Ross at keyboards, and Christopher Maloney at bass guitar, the great production is to be appreciated it to the veteran study man Bob Burch.
We imagined that after so many years the sound of the band suffered an evolution, but this evolution, in my modest one to seem has not been too drastic, it was clear that we could not wait again other "Double Eclipse", but still without being to the height of this "II" it is a good album, being able to mix songs in the classic style of the band like the magnificent ones "Y" or "Do or Die", both wonderful compositions with an incredible construction, the ballad "Face the Night" with a Johnny Gioeli in all its fullness and a Josh Ramos that makes us remember the beautiful guitar solos of "THE STORM", with more modern compositions, as which opens the Cd "Hold me down" very blow in a Hard Rock style or the songs that give more idea of toward where goes the music of the band, "Weight" with a refrain that mashes and mashes you, until leaving you without breathing or "Way it is, Way it goes" more leisurely but with a more evolved sound. "Hey Girl" it is a half time with more explosive parts, together with "This Gift" (only song with Neal Schon) they complete the trio of ballads in the Cd.
In short, after 10 years waiting, HARDLINE has returned, perhaps without the magic of their first work, but with an album that (this is an advice) it is preferable to listen at least a couple of times before judging it, certainly I recommend it to you.

New work of the Swiss Crystal Ball, from their formation in 1995 as cover band and third from their debut album in 1998, call "In The Beginning", from it their formation follow inamovible, the special voice of Mark Sweeney, treble and in occasions something torn, Scott Leach and Tom Graber, to the melodic ones and impact guitars, accompanied by Dany Schallibaum at bass and Marcel Sardella mashing the drums, if to this we added him the production, also for third serial time of the former Victory, Tommy Newton, is everything in hands of the quintet, to demonstrate us its "evolution", will they have overcome the test?
The last CD of the Swisses, call "Virtual Empire", although it follows the same line of Power Melodic Metal that takes the band from their beginnings, (in more or smaller degree), replete of melodic riffs, catching topics and hymn songs, it denotes a bigger class when the composition of the topics, something harder on the other hand, but maintaining, Like we already said, the melody and the claw that it characterizes to the group.
Classics songs of the Swiss quintet as "Hands Of God", "Am I Free?" or the one that the CD titles, "Virtual Empire", others as "Savage Mind" or "With Dances The Devil "with a more German sound and that in occasions reminds us to the current Pink Cream 69, the means time "Talk In Circles "or the great ballad and first single in their native country "Look In My Eyes."
Good work of the Swisses, with a small evolution to more good of a band than really, has had a good level, from their beginnings.
"Insert you" in the world of the "Virtual Empire" with.... Crystal Ball!
PD. Personally, and unintentionally to criticize more than that, it would recommend to eliminate, in some topic, the keyboards in first plane and to substitute since for a good guitar riff in courts as "Blind Side", it disappears the maturity partly from the band when beginning the sound of that supposition "barrel organ." I´m sorry, If I don't say it I explode!.

Fifth work of the German Jaded Heart, and second of 3 of those that their vocalist Michael Bormann will publish in the first half of this year, in solitary, for the company Z Records, this, with the group to the complete one for MTM and shortly with the Swedish Rain, for the label Kivel Records.
In the band and staying from their second work "$laves & Master$", Axel Kruse at drums, Michael Müller at bass, Henning Wanner, to the Keybs, of course Michel Bormann to the voices and the incorporation of their previous CD of the guitarist Barish Kepic.
From their formation in 1990, Jaded Heart had gone evolving as group and winning in their compositions quality, body and it forces, until arriving to their previous work, call "IV", leaving with this, the list so high and with such a big quality that difficult they will see them the teutons to be overcome.
In this "The Journey Will Never End", we are big songs as "Dangerous Destiny", These Are The Good Times", "On the Rise" or" I´ll Be There", with the very good melodies that characterize to the band during all its career, or, means times like the one that gives title to the CD, "The Journey Will Never End" or "Only Human", the ballad, only with acoustics and keyboards "Sign Of The Times", or the cover of those........ let us call them "dancing-topics", Backstreet Boys, "Larger Than Life", giving him a force with the help of guitar blow that, of course, doesn't have anything to do with the original one. To also highlight the cut "We´ll Drag On You", the more rocker of all those of the CD and one of the best personally in which mix the big choirs that we can find in the whole album, crossing voices and melodies and creating in some tracts, what I would call, a "radical rap". To this it is necessary to include him, like it is habitual, the great ripped and melodic voice of Michel Bormann and the production in this occasion of the exVictory Tommy Newton that in occasions, gives the CD a tone something more American of the habitual thing.
Summarizing, new CD of one of the biggest bands in the moment of Hard Melodic Rock that although they have not overcome their previous great work amply, yes, at least, they have equaled it, him which as little, it is a praise.
In occasions, what costs is not to arrive, it is to stay, and at the moment, Jaded Heart has gotten it.

When this first work of the band falls in our hands, little can imagine after a glance to the cover and of checking the name of the band that this it is not a new formation of New Metal or of Black. These things can maybe made a mistake, but when we listen the eleven compositions contents in the Cd, we are before a true demonstration from Hard melodic Rock in the style of final of the 80´s, with sounds like Y & T, DOKKEN OR TYKETTO and even with some you leave of Southern Rock like the most melodic songs of RIOT.
Check with a formation of veteran musicians, some of which part of bands like VFX formed in the decade of the 80, they have mixed the school hardrock obtained during that time, with more melodic touches, without forgetting to give an important rol to Jim's guitar, that in occasions ago to cry their instrument delighting with true jewels, but without ending up being luscious neither boring.
They offer us a variety of songs that they are able to mix strong Hard Rock with more modern melodies in the voices and the choirs. That which makes that the Cd becomes interesting to listens to it, taking us from compositions marchosas and catching as the topic that he/she opens the disk "Wrecking Ball", going by more melodic shades as "Mother Mary, May I" or "Calling You Tonight" (that would rot to have been created by Dokken very well), until topics like "Holding You Soon", beautiful ballad with piano accompaniment that together with "Still You Run", in which highlights the acoustic guitar of the beginning of the composition and the voices in the choirs, they are two of the beautyful compositions in the Cd.
Michael O´Mara, vocalist of the group demonstrates us her variety of registrations ending up resembling the mythical Rhett Forrester during her time in RIOT in topics as "Check In My Herat" (also with a great alone and guitar) or "Falling Star" with a clear sound TO him AND & T, both, next to "FIRE in Your Soul" they can be the topics more hard of the Cd (hard as for potent, of course).
The most commercial Topic leaves it for the end of the Cd "Rock and Roll Runaway" it would rot to have been in fashion a topic in the hints of dance of the last years of the decade of the 80 very well.
On the whole Check a quite amusing Cd presents us. For some it maybe arrives too much afternoon or for other the style is last in fashion, the production of Mickey Davis (WASP, KISS) perhaps it contributes to this effect, because it has gotten a true sound ochentero without leaving aside the quality.
Highly recommended for those that you/they like of the sound of bands of final of the 80.