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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 - Pride Of Lions (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.........2003 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........15 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.aprideoflions.com ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Pride Of Lions Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Pride Of Lions (Jap. Ed.) Label : Frontiers ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ For those that have been living under a rock, ║ │
│║ Pride Of Lions is the new Jim Peterik melodic ║ │
│║ rock vehicle that features Jim alongside new ║ │
│║ discovery, vocalist Toby Hitchcock. Toby's just ║ │
│║ 25, but is happy to jump aboard Jim's first ║ │
│║ foray into traditional straight ahead melodic ║ │
│║ rock and AOR since Survivor. Yes, it has been ║ │
│║ that long! ║ │
│║ Jim has of course been as busy as he ever was, ║ │
│║ writing and producing with many artists û ║ │
│║ including Kelly Keagy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 ║ │
│║ Special and of course the monster debut Mecca ║ │
│║ album. ║ │
│║ But this is the first time he has performed and ║ │
│║ released his own AOR project since the late ║ │
│║ 80's. ║ │
│║ Since his departure from Survivor, Jim has ║ │
│║ toured and recorded with the reformed Ides Of ║ │
│║ March and released a debut album for his classic ║ │
│║ rock styled World Stage project. ║ │
│║ In 2001 Jim hooked up with Joe Vana to co-write ║ │
│║ and produce the awesome Mecca album, which also ║ │
│║ featured Toto's Fergie Frederiksen. ║ │
│║ That helped build a fresh desire to return to ║ │
│║ where Jim's heart lays û traditional 80's style ║ │
│║ melodic music. ║ │
│║ Pride Of Lions is a real mixture of influences. ║ │
│║ It's a combination of everything Jim has done in ║ │
│║ the past, with a couple of other 80's influences ║ │
│║ included. ║ │
│║ The primary musical influence is clearly that of ║ │
│║ Survivor. This could almost be the follow up to ║ │
│║ Too Hot For Sleep, while elsewhere there are ║ │
│║ touches of Vital Signs and When Seconds Count. ║ │
│║ Then there's the World Stage factor. Jim has a ║ │
│║ naturally earthy feel to his songs, and that ║ │
│║ shone through with the Midwestern style of the ║ │
│║ straight ahead classic rock of World Stage. That ║ │
│║ continues here, as does the dual vocal approach ║ │
│║ on that album. ║ │
│║ Jim can be heard here trading lines and verses ║ │
│║ with Toby on several tracks and it works ║ │
│║ perfectly. The rough bluesy vocal of the master ║ │
│║ over the sweet harmonies of the young ║ │
│║ apprentice. ║ │
│║ There is also the Mecca factor. Just as that ║ │
│║ album included two lead singers, it had a track ║ │
│║ pattern of rocker/ballad/rocker/ballad. To some ║ │
│║ extent, that is also a feature here. It works ║ │
│║ well, as the songs are all perfectly crafted, ║ │
│║ but I do think there is one occasion where it ║ │
│║ hurt the momentum of the album. ║ │
│║ And just to prove he's the master at just about ║ │
│║ everything, Jim's written a couple of tracks ║ │
│║ that sound like they could have been included on ║ │
│║ Toto IV. ║ │
│║ I would be remiss not to talk of the new boy ║ │
│║ here û Toby Hitchcock. This is Toby's first ║ │
│║ assignment as a vocalist and he passes it with ║ │
│║ flying colors. His voice is youthful, yet ║ │
│║ powerful and suits the music included here ║ │
│║ wonderfully. His voice can be compared favorably ║ │
│║ to that of Toto's Bobby Kimball and Survivor's ║ │
│║ Jimi Jamison, not to mention a little of ║ │
│║ Starship's Mickey Thomas. But one of the biggest ║ │
│║ vocal comparisons when Toby isn't flying into ║ │
│║ the high notes is to that of Mecca's Joe Vana. ║ │
│║ Yes, the two sound like brothers. Toby's debut ║ │
│║ is impressive, but as a young vocalist, he still ║ │
│║ has some developing to do. Which is scary ║ │
│║ really, as you can tell he's fresh, but his ║ │
│║ range and his tone is already fantastic. The ║ │
│║ only thing that will come with experience and ║ │
│║ with age is further warmth to his voice. ║ │
│║ Another important note about the album is the ║ │
│║ amount of guitar featured. On several tracks the ║ │
│║ guitar riffs come flying thick and fast. It ║ │
│║ features some of the most fired-up Peterik ║ │
│║ guitar parts sinceà.well, ever! ║ │
│║ Track By Track: ║ │
│║ The album opens with the perfect mood setting ║ │
│║ intro, which bursts into the guitar driven It's ║ │
│║ Criminal. Toby's opening lines are commanding ║ │
│║ and authorative and set the album up perfectly. ║ │
│║ The song is pure Survivor û a melodic verse and ║ │
│║ then a chorus that comes from nowhere, all the ║ │
│║ time building the intensity of the album. ║ │
│║ Although it's a fairly simple track, everything ║ │
│║ about it oozes class and for no other reason ║ │
│║ than it's perfectly crafted, the song is ║ │
│║ instantly planted in your head. Brilliant. ║ │
│║ Gone gives the impression it might be a ballad, ║ │
│║ especially with the piano intro. But the track ║ │
│║ fires up into a moody mid-tempo pop/rocker. Jim ║ │
│║ takes lead for the first verse, with Toby ║ │
│║ joining in for the bridge and then taking over ║ │
│║ completely for the massive chorus, which is ║ │
│║ another instantly catchy hook. ║ │
│║ There is no mistaking Interrupted Melody for ║ │
│║ anything other than a big ballad. The soft piano ║ │
│║ intro, the orchestral musical accompaniment and ║ │
│║ yes, strings. Like many Peterik songs, this one ║ │
│║ has another strong verse-bridge-chorus ║ │
│║ arrangement and as each chorus comes around, the ║ │
│║ intensity of the song builds. Perfect melodic ║ │
│║ rock, with some fine harmony vocals throughout. ║ │
│║ It's tracks like Sound Of Home which make life ║ │
│║ worthwhile. This is a textbook AOR anthem, with ║ │
│║ every ingredient included for fans of the old- ║ │
│║ school sound to get excited about. There's the ║ │
│║ driven guitar riff, plenty of keyboards, a ║ │
│║ melodic verse, building bridge and then a chorus ║ │
│║ that just goes right over the top! Jim sings the ║ │
│║ verse, with Toby coming in to take the chorus ║ │
│║ into overdrive. Magic stuff and one of the top ║ │
│║ contenders for song of the year. ║ │
│║ It's at this point in the album I would have ║ │
│║ liked another uptempo number. Prideland is a ║ │
│║ first rate slow to mid-tempo rock song, but the ║ │
│║ tempo was really on a roll after Sound Of Home. ║ │
│║ Despite that observation, Prideland is still ║ │
│║ very cool. It's a stripped back, reflective and ║ │
│║ somewhat soulful track that would have been at ║ │
│║ home on World Stage. Jim and Toby share vocals, ║ │
│║ and sound right at home together. The song ║ │
│║ features some fine soft guitar playing, as it ║ │
│║ builds throughout. ║ │
│║ Unbreakable is a straight ahead rocker, with ║ │
│║ plenty of guitar going in all directions. Toby's ║ │
│║ vocals are again commanding, while Jim's guitar ║ │
│║ playing is fabulous. Lots of little riffs and ║ │
│║ rhythms throughout. The tone of the track is ║ │
│║ quite dark and just that little bit aggressive. ║ │
│║ But the end of the track is what does it for me ║ │
│║ û this is pure shred-fest stuff, with guitars ║ │
│║ and vocals all over the place. A great rocker ║ │
│║ and nice aggressive number! ║ │
│║ Reverting back to a more laid back feel, First ║ │
│║ Time Around The Sun is something a little ║ │
│║ different. The tempo is slow to mid-tempo, but ║ │
│║ the track is no ballad. Rather it is a pomp-ish, ║ │
│║ jazzy pop number that could have come from any ║ │
│║ early Toto album. Toby is dead on for Bobby ║ │
│║ Kimball, while Jim does his best David Paich. ║ │
│║ And to add to all that û the song is as catchy ║ │
│║ as hell! ║ │
│║ Keeping the pace of the album flowing well is ║ │
│║ Turn To Me. This is another example of perfect ║ │
│║ straight ahead melodic rock/AOR with a major ║ │
│║ 80's keyboard slant, but a nice guitar riff for ║ │
│║ texture. Another pure Survivor track, this one ║ │
│║ features Jim and Toby trading verses and winds ║ │
│║ up with some great solo guitar work. ║ │
│║ Madness of Love is a mid-tempo and moody rock ║ │
│║ track that features more strong lead guitar ║ │
│║ riffs and another duel vocal performance. The ║ │
│║ verse is soft, the chorus is far more intense. ║ │
│║ Hard to compare this track û another World Stage ║ │
│║ style track, but more melodic and definitely ║ │
│║ Survivor-ish. ║ │
│║ Love Is On The Rocks is another classic piece of ║ │
│║ keyboard driven 80's rock a la early Survivor ║ │
│║ and Toto. The verse remains fairly stripped ║ │
│║ back, then there's a bridge that builds to a ║ │
│║ slightly more powerful chorus. Pure 80's pop ║ │
│║ here. ║ │
│║ Last Safe Place is a classic ballad. Classy all ║ │
│║ the way and if the world was fair would find ║ │
│║ itself on the biggest movie soundtrack of the ║ │
│║ year and would be a #1 hit. This is a fabulous ║ │
│║ lighters-in-the-air romantic ballad that ║ │
│║ features a big vocal from Toby and a chorus ║ │
│║ that's an instant hit from the start. Another ║ │
│║ album highlight! ║ │
│║ Music And Me closes the album in the same manner ║ │
│║ that Rick Springfield has done on a few ║ │
│║ occasions û with a storyteller track û and an ║ │
│║ autobiographical one at that. The song basically ║ │
│║ describes where Jim's heart lies and what his ║ │
│║ music means to him. And for that reason, many ║ │
│║ will relate easily to this. ║ │
│║ The song itself features Jim upfront initially, ║ │
│║ with Toby joining in. This is a powerful track ║ │
│║ that is mid-tempo throughout, but builds ║ │
│║ dramatically through the mid-section guitar- ║ │
│║ fest, then switches tempo û up another notch ║ │
│║ during a bridge section - before switching back ║ │
│║ to how it started. A rollercoaster ride if you ║ │
│║ will, much like most of this album! ║ │
│║ The Bottom Line ║ │
│║ For fans of Survivor, Jim Peterik, Mecca, Toto ║ │
│║ and classic 80's style melodic rock and AOR - ║ │
│║ this is an album that has it all. It's just ║ │
│║ fabulous and is without question, the best pure ║ │
│║ traditional melodic rock album of 2003. ║ │
│║ It's also a long albumàthe 12 tracks run just ║ │
│║ over an hour and the songs themselves aren't ║ │
│║ short. They all run 4 to 6 minutes. ║ │
│║ The great strength of the album is the diversity ║ │
│║ of the music. There are big ballads, moody mid- ║ │
│║ tempo tracks, soaring AOR anthems and guitar ║ │
│║ driven rockers. Something for everyone that ║ │
│║ loves old-school melodic music. ║ │
│║ Jim Peterik's songs once again come out as the ║ │
│║ winners in all this, but let's not forget the ║ │
│║ fabulous vocal talents of Toby Hitchcock, who is ║ │
│║ seriously only going to get better and better. ║ │
│║ To sum up û this is really the stuff. This is ║ │
│║ the kind of album I live for. This is why I do ║ │
│║ this website - so I can pass on the good word ║ │
│║ about classic melodic rock and AOR albums like ║ │
│║ this. And this is classic. The debut Pride Of ║ │
│║ Lions album is everything we hoped for and ║ │
│║ expected of, the great Jim Peterik. Just about ║ │
│║ perfect, but certainly 100% classic! ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - It┤s Criminal [04:56] │
│ 02 - Gone [04:37] │
│ 03 - Interrupted Melody [04:09] │
│ 04 - Sound Of Home [04:31] │
│ 05 - Prideland [06:17] │
│ 06 - Unbreakable [05:04] │
│ 07 - First Time Around The Sun [05:10] │
│ 08 - Turn To Me [04:49] │
│ 09 - Madness Of Love [06:20] │
│ 10 - Love Is On The Rocks [04:28] │
│ 11 - Last Safe Place [04:40] │
│ 12 - Music And Me [05:22] │
│ 13 - Surrender To The Night (Bonus Track) [04:07] │
│ 14 - Stand By You (Bonus Track) [06:08] │
│ 15 - So Deadly [04:21] │
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│ Total Length : [74:59 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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