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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Pride Of Lions - The Roaring Of Dreams (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Dec-23-2012 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Hard Rock Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2007 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........13 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.aprideoflions.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Pride Of Lions Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : The Roaring Of Dreams (Jap. Ed.)bel : Frontiers ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In a short space of time, the Jim Peterik/Toby ║ │
│║ Hitchcock lead Pride Of Lions have created a ║ │
│║ nice little catalogue of music. This is their ║ │
│║ third studio album and there are also 2 EPs and ║ │
│║ a live CD/DVD. ║ │
│║ On their third opus, the band takes influences ║ │
│║ from the first two albums, emphasizes those ║ │
│║ parts and adds in a few new twists to keep ║ │
│║ things fresh. ║ │
│║ Most of it works, but perhaps a couple of things ║ │
│║ don't quite work as well or sound as comfortable ║ │
│║ as when they are concentrating on the straight ║ │
│║ ahead AOR which the band delivers perfectly. To ║ │
│║ simplify things - those that loved or liked the ║ │
│║ first two albums will love or like this third ║ │
│║ album and those that haven't managed to warm to ║ │
│║ the band's unique take on the classic AOR sound ║ │
│║ will probably remain unconvinced. ║ │
│║ Bottom line for fans is that The Roaring Of ║ │
│║ Dreams is another fantastic melodic rock/AOR ║ │
│║ record, with mastermind Jim Peterik's style all ║ │
│║ over the record. ║ │
│║ And I must be said that the record sounds a ║ │
│║ million dollars, with a huge production quality ║ │
│║ that the guys should be proud of. ║ │
│║ And vocalist Toby Hitchcock further enhances his ║ │
│║ reputation with an outstanding performance here, ║ │
│║ even when I am debating the merits of his ║ │
│║ preferred style of delivery. ║ │
│║ Toby may not have the most natural voice for ║ │
│║ AOR, but he has one hell of a set of lungs. ║ │
│║ There is a element within the Pride Of Lions ║ │
│║ releases to cater for Toby's big booming voice ║ │
│║ and his natural tendency to sound like he is on ║ │
│║ Broadway. Several times throughout this record I ║ │
│║ felt as if I could be listening to a rock opera ║ │
│║ or Broadway musical. Toby should look into such ║ │
│║ an outlet as I believe he has a voice made for ║ │
│║ projection across a stage. ║ │
│║ The massive closing note of Heaven On Earth is a ║ │
│║ prime example, then there is the title track The ║ │
│║ Roaring Of Dreams, which could easily have come ║ │
│║ from something like The Lion King! Glorious ║ │
│║ tunes I must say û I'm just openly debating with ║ │
│║ myself whether it would be a good idea for Jim ║ │
│║ to write a rock opera for Toby and save the ║ │
│║ material such as Turnaround and Roaring Of ║ │
│║ Dreams for an occasion such as that. ║ │
│║ That said, the majority of the record remains on ║ │
│║ course for what is expected of the guys. And the ║ │
│║ quality of the songwriting takes us back to the ║ │
│║ anthemic choruses of the debut, even if this ║ │
│║ album is still its own beast. ║ │
│║ The Roaring Of Dreams is a nice uptempo record. ║ │
│║ The frantic rocking pace of Heaven On Earth can ║ │
│║ take you by surprise and sweeps you off your ║ │
│║ feet. It really is an intense song at times. ║ │
│║ Book Of Life isn't as instant, but you know that ║ │
│║ guitar sound by now and it feels very ║ │
│║ comfortable. Jim and Toby trading vocals lines ║ │
│║ through the verse bathed in keyboards is ║ │
│║ something many will enjoy. ║ │
│║ The more laid back and easy going Love's Eternal ║ │
│║ Flame brings back memories of the more ║ │
│║ commercial debut and of Jim's 80s style. Toby ║ │
│║ delivers a perfect AOR vocal here and a ║ │
│║ wonderful melodic chorus, showing that this kind ║ │
│║ of track should perhaps be delivered more often. ║ │
│║ One of the album's best tracks. ║ │
│║ I'm also big on Language of The Heart, which is ║ │
│║ more classic Peterik and perfect POL. Another ║ │
│║ great chorus and an uptempo, but relaxed vibe ║ │
│║ gives this song another best track tick. ║ │
│║ Let Me Let You Go sees the guys turn back to the ║ │
│║ more intense, hard driven sounds of the opening ║ │
│║ two tracks. A nice little rocker with a tough ║ │
│║ guitar lick, but perhaps not the most memorable ║ │
│║ track. ║ │
│║ Faithful Heart is the first big ballad of the ║ │
│║ album in which Toby delivers an astounding lead ║ │
│║ vocal. The guy could blow out car tires with his ║ │
│║ power. This big, passionate and over the top ║ │
│║ ballad with orchestral parts is another album ║ │
│║ highlight. ║ │
│║ The uptempo urgency returns for Defying Gravity, ║ │
│║ but it is not quite as intense as earlier tracks ║ │
│║ and I like it more for that reason. A catchy ║ │
│║ chorus keeps the song rolling along at a good ║ │
│║ pace. ║ │
│║ I spoke of The Roaring Of Dreams earlier. This ║ │
│║ is a big, bombastic ballad and is born to be ║ │
│║ delivered from a Broadway stage. ║ │
│║ Secret Of The Way is perhaps the other track ║ │
│║ from the album I could live without. Jim ║ │
│║ features on vocals with Toby for this very ║ │
│║ pleasant, more laid back pop tune that I don't ║ │
│║ think fits the overall record. ║ │
│║ Astonish You continues the breezy laid back pop ║ │
│║ portion of the album, but on this occasion, the ║ │
│║ song fits thanks to a classic 80s keyboard sound ║ │
│║ and a nice soulful lead vocal. ║ │
│║ I laughed the first time I heard Tall Ships. I ║ │
│║ love this track, but I wasn't sure how to take ║ │
│║ it when the big chorus includes a keyboard ║ │
│║ "riff" which resembles a foghorn or something ║ │
│║ like that. I'll leave it to individual tastes to ║ │
│║ decide the merit of that bit, but overall, the ║ │
│║ track is a fine uptempo melodic rocker. ║ │
│║ The album closes with another big bombastic ║ │
│║ Broadway style ballad Turnaround, that at 7 ║ │
│║ minutes in length overstays its welcome a ║ │
│║ little. ║ │
│║ The Bottom Line ║ │
│║ Overall, a very fine and fantastic sounding ║ │
│║ record. This should further enhance the band's ║ │
│║ reputation among established fans, but I'm not ║ │
│║ convinced too many new fans would come aboard if ║ │
│║ they did not already warm to the first two ║ │
│║ albums. The stage show portions might be better ║ │
│║ toned down a little, but everything about Pride ║ │
│║ Of Lions screams "big" and this record is the ║ │
│║ biggest of the three to date. Biggest, yes, but ║ │
│║ best, no. The debut still reigns supreme and I'm ║ │
│║ still very fond of The Destiny Stone too. ║ │
│║ I like the album best when it is more relaxed ║ │
│║ and concentrating on AOR, but all in all, it is ║ │
│║ another fine release from Jim Peterik and the ║ │
│║ guys.es ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Line Up: ║ │
│║ ╖ Toby Hitchcock: Vocals ║ │
│║ ╖ Jim Peterik: Guitar, Keyboards, Lead Vocals ║ │
│║ ╖ Mike Aquino: Guitar ║ │
│║ ╖ Ed Breckenfield: Drums ║ │
│║ ╖ Clem Hayes: Bass ║ │
│║ ╖ Christian Cullen: Keyboards ║ │
│║ ╖ Thom Grifin: Backing Vocals ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Heaven On Earth [05:35] │
│ 02 - Book Of Life [04:48] │
│ 03 - Love┤s Eternal Flame [04:30] │
│ 04 - Language Of The Heart [04:26] │
│ 05 - Let Me Let You Go [04:13] │
│ 06 - Faithful Heart [04:34] │
│ 07 - Defying Gravity [04:03] │
│ 08 - The Roaring Of Dreams [04:39] │
│ 09 - Secret Of The Way [05:04] │
│ 10 - Astonish You [05:26] │
│ 11 - Tall Ships [05:34] │
│ 12 - Turnaround [07:09] │
│ 13 - I Am my Father (Bonus Track) [04:38] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [64:39 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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