Michael Sweet - One Sided War (2016)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Rat Pak Records

Track listing:

01. Bizarre
02. One Sided War
03. Can't Take This Life
04. Radio
05. Golden Age
06. Only You
07. I Am
08. Who Am I
09. You Make Me Wanna
10. Comfort Zone
11. One Way Up
12. Can't Take This Life [feat M. Formica ](bonus track)

It's been a busy couple of years for Styper lead singer, Michael Sweet,  releasing new music with Stryper, George Lynch (Sweet/Lynch) and his own solo music, and now he returns once more with his latest new solo release "One Sided War". Now whilst his previous solo effort was an extremely diverse Rock ‘n’ Roll record, this new release "One Sided War" is pure out and out hard rock.
For this album Sweet has assembled a fine bunch of musicians, guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger), drummer Will Hunt (Evanescence), guitarist Ethan Brosh (Burning Heat, solo work), and bassist John O’Boyle (Tom Ingram Band), and they have pulled off a mighty fine job too!
 “Musically it’s my heaviest solo album. It’s not metal but there are definitely some songs on there that will pop out at you. There are some songs that have a bit of the Iron Maiden / Dio feel to them, as well as some songs that have a little bit of a Van Halen influence to them. It’s a very guitar-oriented, hard rock/metal album with lots of melodies and hooks.” or so says the man himself, Michael Sweet.
The album opens with “Bizarre” a high-speed track that really sets the tone for the album.  The title track “One Sided War” kicks off with a drum roll from Hunt and then is filled with thick heavy riffs, loud guitars, thumping bass lines, and some brilliantly strong vocals. “Can’t Take This Life,” a catchy song that will having you singing along  in no time at all, is featured twice on this album with the bonus version featuring the talents of up-and-coming vocalist 16 year old Mariah Formica. “Golden Age” has its fast paced drums and chugging guitars together with some amazing guitar licks and solos from Brosh and Hoekstra. "Radio", which has been released as the albums second single, has a real fun feel to it, heavy and some great lyrics that have Sweet having his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.
“I Am” is a riff heavy song with a slower pace to it, whilst “Who Am I” slows things down a bit as this is the only ballad on this album. It is a beautifully written song that shows the softer side of Sweet that we all know he is capable of. “You Make Me Wanna” kicks things back to full-speed with another catchy and head banging tune, while “One Way Up” is a groovy tune that might have you dancing in your room.
If you are a fan of the harder side of Stryper, then you have to pick this album up. It will not disappoint you !

Rating: 9/10

MICHAEL SWEET (STRYPER) releases the official video for "RADIO"

The V - Now Or Never (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Frontiers Records

 

Track listing:

 

01. Again
02. Now or Never
03. Rollcoaster
04. L.O.V.E
05. Line in the Sand
06. Love Should Be to Blame
07. Kiss My Lips
08. Spellbound
09. Starshine
10. Below Zero
11. Ready to Run
12. King for a Day (feat. Tony Martin)

 

Released by Frontiers Music, "Now Or Never" is the debut solo album from reputed vocalist Veronica Freeman (Benedictum) under the mysterious moniker of THE V, where she ventures away from her traditional metal style of lead vocals over a (melodic) hard rock material.
Helping Veronica out musically we have a varied cast of hard rock icons such as Michael Sweet (Stryper), Jeff Pilson (Dokken), Jerry Dixon (Warrant), Mike Lepond (Symphony X), Tony Martin (ex- Black Sabbath) and more. "Now Or Never" shows that The V can wrap her tonsils around a wide variety of hard rock tunes where she displays some unexpected qualities and successfully try to stretch herself out with different singing styles and different approaches (check "Starshine").
Opener"Again" starts off like most songs in Freeman’s catalog, but the vocals soon shift gears and give this more of a hard rock/melodic feel that her typical heavy metal fare. Title track "Now Or Never" kicks off with strong bass & drums, then soon morphs into a cool melodic rock based track with searing leads and riffs that accompany Veronica’s rocking vocals.
"L.O.V.E." is one of the tracks that take on a different sound and feel compared to others on the disc, and a personal favorite. The vocals really stand out, especially when the chorus comes in. The drums are big on this track, as are the guitar riffs.
“Love Should Be To Blame” chugs along and gives the disc an edgier sound. The lower range of Veronica’s vocals in the chorus give her a sultry vibe that adds to the delivery of the emotionally charged lyrics. 
“Spellbound” takes on a darker, more straight sound that is very reminiscent of early '80s recordings from labels like Metal Blade. The bottom end is full and adds punch to the track in a hard rock / US metal vibe.
“Below Zero” has a heavy bass line that runs through it, even when the guitars are lighter and the vocals are charging from verse to chorus and back. The different bassists featured on the disc include Jeff Pilson, Mel Brown, Garry Bordonaro, Aric Avina, John O’Boyle and Mike Lepond.
“Roller Coaster” comes charging out of the gate and doesn’t let up from first note to the last. The drums, played by Derek Kerswill on the entire disc, keep the track anchored and the tempo steady. 

Line In The Sand” is a melodic gem that stands out on this disc. The guitars soar and build the mood of the track and allow Freeman to run rampant with some of the best arranged vocals here.
“Kiss My Lips” is one of the highlights too, as it is totally upbeat and full of rockin' energy. The guitars are full, the drums blast and the bass lines strong and steady. Throw in a cool duet between Veronica and Chastain's lead vocalist Leather Leone and you have a killer song.
Producer John Herrera utilized several guitarists to put this disc together, including Pete Wells, Michael Sweet, Peter Tentindo, Jimmy Durkin, Mick Tucker, Jordan Ziff, and Michael Harris.

“Starshine” shifts the mood of the disc with a lighter rock track (semi-ballad) that moves further from Freeman’s comfort zone, but allows her vocals to take the spotlight and run. The acoustic guitars and additional vocals from Meliesa McDonell give the song a little something extra at the chorus.
“Ready To Run” opens up like Motley’s Wild Side, but soon takes its own lead and direction, giving Freeman room to show off her vocals in a hard rock / melodic twist that gives the song a little depth.
Disc closer “King For A Day” features a heavier and bluesier groove that carries the track while Veronica and the great Tony Martin trade off verses and duet at the chorus.

What started out as a mad experiment has turned out to be proof positive that Veronica Freeman has the chops to handle anything thrown her way. As 'The V', Veronica proves she's not just a metal singer, she is a Rock singer. And she is drop-dead sensational in this role!

 

Rating - 10/10

 

 

 

The Players :

 

Veronica Freeman - vocals
Leather Leone – duet vocals on ‘Kiss My Lips’
Tony Martin – duet vocals on ‘King For A Day’
Meliesa McDonell – add vocals on 'Star Shine', acoustic guitar
Derek Kerswill – drums
Jeff Pilson, Mel Brown, Garry Bordonaro, Aric Avina, John O’Boyle, Mike LePond – bass
Pete Wells, Michael Sweet, Peter Tentindo, Jim Durkin, Mick Tucker, Jordan Ziff, Michael Harris – guitars

Produced by John Herrera
except for:
'King for a Day' (produced by Kenny Lewis)
'Love Should be to Blame', 'Again' (produced by Michael Sweet)

 

SWEET & LYNCH - Only To Rise (2015)

Genre - Hard Rock

Label - Frontiers Music

 

Track listing:

01 - The Wish
02 - Dying Rose
03 - Love Stays
04 - Time Will Tell
05 - Rescue Me
06 - Me Without You
07 - Recover
08 - Divine
09 - September
10 - Strength In Numbers
11 - Hero-Zero
12 - Only To Rise
 

"Only To Rise" is the debut album title, and SWEET & LYNCH is the name of the newest super-group to come together to make some old fashion, ass kickin’ classic US Hard Rock.
This pairing only seems awkward upon first glance, but there's a perfect logic to these guys hooking up.
Michael Sweet himself has stated on record he'd considered Lynch a 'bucket list' musician to work with and, straight outta the Eighties, SWEET & LYNCH was born.
Bringing along with them awesome skin basher Brian Tichy (Foreigner, Whitesnake, Billy Idol) on drums and James LoMenzo (White Lion, Megadeth, Lynch Mob) on bass, the unit's debut "Only to Rise", is, well, pretty durned cool.
"The Wish" rings precisely like you might expect, an amalgam between Stryper and Dokken with a hair more toughening up. As a mid-tempo power jam, Michael Sweet pounces upon the straight-laced lines and for the most part soars overtop George Lynch's steady riffs.
The song is written in the classic verse-chorus hard rock format, hitting Lynch's solo precisely where expected and the tune wraps up nice 'n' tidy as "Like a Dying Rose" struts out from it.
This track carries more Lynch Mob influence as Lynch chucks some bluesy plugs amidst the bobbing bass and floating keyboards. Sweet sounds relaxed as he molds his pitch to fit the lowdown groove of the cut.
The same can be said of the dirtier blues rawker "Rescue Me".
"Love Stays" could've been a predictable power ballad, but there's a heavier swing to this track even as it tails at a leisurely pace. This song is louder and chocked full of George Lynch's peals and rips where he can get away with them, but otherwise, it has far more oomph than meets the eye.
"Me Without You", features a gorgeous intro and threading melody by Lynch to compliment Sweet's harmonious croons. Sounding a bit like the Scorpions as the would-be ballad winds along, "Me Without You"'s biggest strength is the stellar vocal harmonizing aside from George Lynch's stress-free solo.
"Time Will Tell" changes the pace as Lynch and James LoMenzo ride hard upon Brian Tichy's crashing march. Reverberating chords and a determined bass channel thickens up this stout tune that carries an '80s action film verve about it. Accordingly, Michael Sweet reserves his best octaves for this one and the song blazes. The backing vocals are particularly great, one of the most uplifting songs Lynch or Sweet has ever put his name behind.
As much as this album stays in a low-rolling tempo, "Recover" finally steps on the gas with James LoMenzo's bass driving what becomes a Stryper-based rocker with more of a blues base to it. Sweet lets his falsettos fly free with "Recover"'s banging groove and lofting choruses. Appropriately, George Lynch, who delivers mostly tempered solos on the preceding tracks, cuts loose on this one.
Dipping back to mid-tempo, the band jams like beasts on the crawling "Divine". Only on the appositely sugary choruses does this song ease up, and Michael Sweet seizes those opportunities to remind his listeners to avoid letting the sins of the world swamp their lives.
There's classic choruses on "September", hot riffs in "Strength in Numbers" and "Hero-Zero" gimp more than move, but all that's come before them is enough to compensate, and the title track closing the album has enough sweat and hump (including a quick, bitchin' drum solo by Brian Tichy) to call it a good day in this camp.
Whether you get the soundness of this union or come to it with a glaring question mark, Michael Sweet and George Lynch answer their own call and "Only to Rise" is a killer Hard Rock record.

Well worth checking out!

Rating - 9/10

The Players:

 

Michael Sweet (Stryper) – Vocals, Guitar
George Lynch (Lynch Mob) – Guitar
James Lomenzo (ex White Lion, Megadeth) – Bass
Brian Tichy (ex Whitesnake) – Drums