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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 Destiny Stone (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Dec-23-2012 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Hard Rock Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2004 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 Destiny Stone (Jap. Ed.) Label : Frontiers ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Music is all about emotions. And the best ║ │
│║ releases are the ones stacked with it. That is ║ │
│║ probably why Jim Peterik is one of my all time ║ │
│║ favourite songwriters and why he has never ║ │
│║ disappointed with each release he is part of. ║ │
│║ In recent years it has been the World Stage ║ │
│║ project, followed by songwriting and production ║ │
│║ duties with Mecca and then on to the first Pride ║ │
│║ Of Lions album, which is still a personal ║ │
│║ favourite from the year or so. ║ │
│║ Now it's time to prove that Jim can deliver the ║ │
│║ highest quality melodic rock consistently. I was ║ │
│║ in now way surprised to learn that The Destiny ║ │
│║ Stone does just that! ║ │
│║ This is an important release for all involved in ║ │
│║ Pride Of Lions. It will continue the momentum ║ │
│║ set by the debut and further help establish the ║ │
│║ name as a lasting vehicle for Jim Peterik and ║ │
│║ vocalist Toby Hitchcock. ║ │
│║ The debut became my favourite release of 2003 ║ │
│║ and narrowly missed a perfect score. ║ │
│║ I was tempted to bestow a perfect rating upon ║ │
│║ this release û as it is better than the debut in ║ │
│║ just about every department. ║ │
│║ The songwriting however is where the biggest ║ │
│║ gains have been made. It's hard to build on a ║ │
│║ near perfect set of songs, such as the debut ║ │
│║ album, but the songs of The Destiny Stone really ║ │
│║ have an emotional, passionate quality that few ║ │
│║ releases can match. ║ │
│║ Not only is there more passion, but the songs ║ │
│║ are in places more complex and really stretch ║ │
│║ the boundaries set by the understanding of what ║ │
│║ traditional AOR must conform to. The songs are ║ │
│║ quite lengthy and within them are passages that ║ │
│║ divert from the melody and structure of the ║ │
│║ song, adding extra texture and true character. ║ │
│║ The production is also extremely good û once ║ │
│║ again courtesy of Larry Millas with Jim's ║ │
│║ assistance. Multiple listens are required to get ║ │
│║ to know all facets of this album and new parts ║ │
│║ reveal themselves constantly. ║ │
│║ And Toby's vocals have, as expected, matured ║ │
│║ further. I said in my review of the debut album ║ │
│║ that once Toby lived in his own skin for a while ║ │
│║ and once he got out on stage and grew with the ║ │
│║ experience only performing can bring, that his ║ │
│║ voice would mature and warm further. That it ║ │
│║ has. Within this album are some moments any ║ │
│║ singer would be proud of. ║ │
│║ In many ways the band has taken the blueprint of ║ │
│║ the first album and worked on improving each ║ │
│║ aspect. And I think they have succeeded nicely. ║ │
│║ Track By Track: ║ │
│║ In the traditional sense, a band such as this is ║ │
│║ obligated to get the album off to a flying start ║ │
│║ and The Courage To Love Somebody doesn't ║ │
│║ disappoint. ║ │
│║ In the same vein of It's Criminal, but with a ║ │
│║ little more urgency, this is an uptempo AOR ║ │
│║ rocker, with a great chorus featuring some ║ │
│║ soaring vocals. ║ │
│║ One small thing that detracted from the debut ║ │
│║ was the general pacing. It was the continual ║ │
│║ transition from rocker to ballad and back again ║ │
│║ which slowed momentum. That has also been ║ │
│║ addressed here, with a few different tempo's ║ │
│║ used and an extra uptempo track or two included. ║ │
│║ Parallel Lines is one of those. Following on ║ │
│║ from the cracking pace of the opening song, this ║ │
│║ slows up just slightly, but still flows nicely. ║ │
│║ It's also a track straight from the 80's ║ │
│║ handbook, with a driving keyboard riff during ║ │
│║ the somewhat dramatic chorus setting the tone. ║ │
│║ The first ballad of the album is the very fine ║ │
│║ Back to Camelot. This is a truly epic ballad ║ │
│║ with a rich theatrical feel. Add strings and ║ │
│║ orchestra tappings, plus some fabulous lyrics ║ │
│║ touching on life in medieval times and an album ║ │
│║ highlight is made. ║ │
│║ Born To Believe In You kicks in with another ║ │
│║ strong dose of retro keyboards, but quickly ║ │
│║ fires up into a big rocker. The track builds its ║ │
│║ tension and pace by having Jim sing the first ║ │
│║ half of the verse and Toby the second half, ║ │
│║ moving into a raspy, aggressive chorus. ║ │
│║ What Kind of Fool slows things down again, at ║ │
│║ least for the intro and verse. The chorus is a ║ │
│║ big bombastic, pomp-fest that fans of the debut ║ │
│║ will love. Once again, the track builds ║ │
│║ throughout and features some fine guitar playing ║ │
│║ and powerful vocals. The ending is also a little ║ │
│║ different, which certainly adds to the texture ║ │
│║ of the album. ║ │
│║ Man Behind The Mask is a dramatic, retro styled ║ │
│║ pomp/rocker that hints of Dennis DeYoung era ║ │
│║ Styx. A good tempo changer for the middle of the ║ │
│║ album. ║ │
│║ Light From A Distant Shore is another brilliant ║ │
│║ ballad and one that is quite different from the ║ │
│║ first ballad Back To Camelot. This features some ║ │
│║ soaring vocals, but in a totally different sense ║ │
│║ to the earlier track. This is a very laid back, ║ │
│║ breezy ballad with some great slow guitar ║ │
│║ playing and some massive harmony vocals as the ║ │
│║ song rolls on. ║ │
│║ About time for a rocker and sure enough, Letter ║ │
│║ To The Future delivers. Starting slowly, the ║ │
│║ track doubles in speed and becomes a perfect ║ │
│║ melodic rocker with the arrival of a catchy ║ │
│║ chorus. ║ │
│║ The Destiny Stone is a mid-tempo rock track, ║ │
│║ with that sense of dramatics Pride Of Lions are ║ │
│║ becoming rather good at. The lyrics tell a great ║ │
│║ story and the track has a really positive vibe. ║ │
│║ Running at over 6 minutes, there is a lot to ║ │
│║ absorb, including some fine acoustic guitar ║ │
│║ riffing towards the end of the track. ║ │
│║ Second Hand Life really snaps things into high ║ │
│║ gear. I love this track. A great poignant lyric ║ │
│║ that should be listened to is the base of this ║ │
│║ memorable rocker with a great chorus. The track ║ │
│║ builds (a staple of this album) and features ║ │
│║ some great harmonies and a well placed tempo ║ │
│║ change later in the track. ║ │
│║ Falling Back To Then is a darker, moodier rocker ║ │
│║ that features some fine harmonies and a great ║ │
│║ chorus that gets better each listen. Well placed ║ │
│║ for a strong finish to the album. ║ │
│║ Closing the album in no better way is The Gift ║ │
│║ of Song? Holy smokes! How does one describe this ║ │
│║ track? If I was reviewing the score to Phantom ║ │
│║ Of The Opera it might be easier! This is a ║ │
│║ monster to close the album and I challenge ║ │
│║ anyone not to get totally caught up in the track ║ │
│║ and utterly blown away by the last minute! Toby ║ │
│║ Hitchcock û you rock my friend! ║ │
│║ This is an epic theatrical track that Styx and ║ │
│║ Dennis DeYoung would have been proud to deliver. ║ │
│║ I'll leave it to the listeners to enjoy it for ║ │
│║ what it is, but it's a tremendous credit to Jim ║ │
│║ and Toby for being able to pull it off ║ │
│║ successfully. ║ │
│║ The Bottom Line ║ │
│║ 99.5à.99.7 evenà.a fabulous all-round album that ║ │
│║ showcases classic style AOR with some well ║ │
│║ executed twists and turns. The addition of some ║ │
│║ orchestral parts and true sense of theatrical ║ │
│║ pomp just adds to further the enjoyment of an ║ │
│║ album that proves there is life in the classic ║ │
│║ form of the AOR genre; provided it is written ║ │
│║ and recorded with the same passion Pride Of ║ │
│║ Lions delivers. ║ │
│║ Essential for just about all lovers of melodic ║ │
│║ rock music and all fans of ║ │
│║ Survivor/Mecca/Peterik. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Line Up ║ │
│║ ╖ Toby Hitchcock: Vocals ║ │
│║ ╖ Jim Peterik: Guitar, Vocals ║ │
│║ ╖ Mike Aquino: Guitar ║ │
│║ ╖ Ed Breckenfield, Hillary Jones: Drums ║ │
│║ ╖ Clem Hayes: Bass ║ │
│║ ╖ Christian Cullen: Keyboards ║ │
│║ ╖ Thom Grifin: Chiors ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - The Courage To Love Somebody [04:24] │
│ 02 - Parallel Lines [04:37] │
│ 03 - Back To Camelot [06:08] │
│ 04 - Born To Believe In You [04:36] │
│ 05 - What Kind Of Fool [05:46] │
│ 06 - Man Behind The Mask [05:08] │
│ 07 - Light From A Distant Shore [05:49] │
│ 08 - Letter To The Future [04:36] │
│ 09 - The Destiny Stone [06:10] │
│ 10 - Second Hand Life [04:30] │
│ 11 - Falling Back Then [06:19] │
│ 12 - The Gift Of Song [06:16] │
│ 13 - Reckless Love (Bonus Track) [05:57] │
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│ Total Length : [70:16 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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