Read over 170 more reviews in Issue #114

‘Shout’ is the lead-in track; an anthemic foot-stomper to get you in the mood, resplendent with its sing-along chorus and some soaring licks from Princiotta. ‘Rise Up’ pushes along, a run-of-the-mill rocker with enough going on to keep you interested, and once again featuring that chorus you just want to sing out loud. ‘When You Came Into My Life’ is a Scorpions cover from the German’s 1996 ‘Pure Instinct’ album. This is a real slow burner, providing a great platform for Gioeli to showcase his magnificent range.


‘Mother Love’ features the layered keyboards of Del Vecchio, providing the perfect foil for more impressive guitar work and another sing-along chorus. The song builds in energy throughout and is one of the standout tracks for me. ‘Rise Above No Fear’ is another full-on rocker, while ‘Candy Love’ slows the pace with its melodic, delicate intro, before blasting into big licks and a smoking rhythm; classic Hardline à la ‘Hot Cherie’. ‘Glow’ brings down the curtain, a smouldering ballad that builds into a crescendo at the end. This boy can sing!


‘Shout’ is yet another quality release from Hardline. Yes, it may be formulaic in places, but there’s no denying they do it well. Is it ‘Double Eclipse’? No… but in reality, it’s a different beast. As you would expect with any band featuring Del Vecchio, the songwriting is of the highest order, and now, with what could be described as a solid line-up, the band has grown comfortable with each other.