2022: Mini playlist of rock albums, melodic hard-rock of the moment
The last two months, we have been spoiled with melodic rock and hard rock from the Nordic countries with the Swedes of 'Captain Black Beard', from 'Alicate' and lately from 'Prefect Plan' to which we can add the Danes from 'Meridian'. Well, the month of October continues to offer us melodic gems with four new releases that I have grouped together in a mini playlist, with two album to discover per day in the next two days. |
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After 'Wildness', it's still Swedish but this time with the new project 'Grand' and an eponymous debut album. Always at 'Frontiers Music', this new formation was created in 2020 by singer 'Mattias Olofsson' who realized his dream of releasing an AOR album. And the least we can say is that he joins the best melodists of his country because we spend a wonderful time listening to these 11 varied compositions which all have catchy melodic lines. The start of the album with the two singles which have each been the subject of a video, 'Caroline' (see video here)
and 'Stone Cold' (see the video here) highlight an elegant and luminous AOR that will get you in shape for a whole day and the sequel continues in the same way with a 'Make It Grand' which has a chorus giving an irresistible desire to accompany the choirs. With a good variety alternating more or less energetic atmospheres, then parade compositions all as addictive as each other and the album ends with the very beautiful ballad 'Anything for You' to add to the best ballads of AOR. In short, no need to add more, I let you discover this new Swedish gem which closes my mini playlist of melodic rock, and which is added to the three other albums, the whole being of course to be consumed without moderation... |
Line Up / Musicians :Mattias Olofsson (Chant, Chœurs), Jakob Svensson (Guitares, Basse, Claviers, Chœurs), Anton Martinez Matz (Batterie, Basse) |
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To start this melodic rock mini playlist, here is the new project 'Killer Kings' set up through the intermediary of the person in charge of 'Frontiers', 'Serafino Perugino' which brought together the American singer 'Gregory Lynn Hall' ('101 South') and the American-Canadian guitarist 'Tristan Avakian' who rolls his bump on a lot of scenes (with among others 'Red Dawn', 'Queen Extravaganza' and even a participation in 'Cirque du Soleil' – see his facebook page here). And, of course, when we talk about 'Frontiers', 'Alessandro Del Vecchio' is not far away and comes to lend a hand to the two artists on bass and keyboards, the rest of the line-up including drummer 'Nicholas Papapicco'. No surprise, we embark on 11 compositions of catchy melodic hard rock that we appropriate on the first listen. In short, without revolutionizing the style, this new project 'Killer Kings' puts forward two talented artists who are not necessarily very well-known who combine for the best with this first album 'Burn For Love' which should seduce all fans of rock and melodic hard rock... |
Line Up / Musicians :Gregory Lynn Hall (Chant), Tristan Avakian (Guitare), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Basse, Claviers), Nicholas Papapicco (Batterie) + Invités : Tommy Denander (Claviers), Joel Hoekstra (Guitare) |
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It is still in a Nordic country that this AOR project leads us, which is the work of one man, I named the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist 'Tom Satin' who is releasing his third studio recording, the first two albums 'Satin' and 'It's About Time' released in 2014 and 2017 respectively. with melodies that immediately stick in your head, you've come to the right place because 'Appetition' contains 10 little melodic gems that would have caused a stir in the 80s and would certainly go down in history along with the best songs of 'Toto', 'Journey', 'Foreigner', 'Bon Jovi' or even 'ASIA'. The first two titles that were the subject of a video, 'Going Your Way' (see here) and 'Angels Come, Angels Go' (see here) give you a very representative overview of this album, the first lively and radiant, and the second with this completely addictive mid-tempo rhythm. The suite does not weaken and continues in this path all traced with unstoppable melodic lines and the ballad is not forgotten with the magnificent 'A Dream Coming True' to which we can add 'Jenny (I'm Bringing You Down)' in two parts mixing ballad and catchy rhythm. In short, 'Tom Satin' offers us a remarkable new album with a series of melodic hits that we have great pleasure in listening to and which shows all the talent of this outstanding melodist and we hope that this 'Appetition' which has been signed on the label 'Art Of Melody Music / Burning Minds Music Group' allows him to reach a much wider audience... |
Line Up / Musicians :Tom Satin (Chant, Tous les instruments) |
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We are back in Sweden with 'Wildness' for the continuation of this melodic rock mini playlist which is releasing a third album 'Resurrection', the first two, the eponymous album and 'Ultimate Demise' dating from 2017 and 2020 respectively, the latter being part of the myprogmusic playlist of rock and melodic hard-rock albums from the second half of 2020. For this last baby of the Swedes, it is now the inevitable 'Frontiers Music' which has been chosen and which replaces 'AOR' but, whether at the level of the line up or the style, we do not change a winning team. with a new studio recording that continues the melodic path traced in the previous opuses. Whether it's the energetic compositions like 'Nightmare (see video here), 'Release the Beast', 'The Final Fantasy' or even 'Eternity Will Never Fall', but also the songs featuring radiant keyboards like 'Tragedy' or 'Best of Me', we have a great time savoring all these refreshing melodies. The calmer moments are not forgotten with the remarkable mid-tempos that are 'Love Resurrection', 'Lonely Girl' very close to 'Foreigner', 'One and Only' or even 'Fading Sun' without forgetting the ballad 'Dawn Of Forever' which transports us on a small cloud and which also shows all the talent of the singer 'Erik Forsberg' in more moderate moments. In summary, you understand why I have grouped together several albums of this quality because I could not dismiss any of them and this latest album from the Swedish 'Wildness' is still one of the melodic nuggets released in October... |
Line Up / Musicians :Erik Forsberg (Chant), Marcus Sjösund (Basse), Adam Holmström (Guitare), Pontus Sköld (Guitare), Érik Modin (Batterie) |
