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PRIDE OF LIONS |
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Take the skills of one of the most gifted songwriters in rock history and put them at the service of one of the most promising young vocalists to come along in the past decade. The result is, PRIDE OF LIONS: a melodic rock renaissance led by former Survivor founder and singer of The Ides Of March, Jim Peterik, featuring the debut of singer Toby Hitchcock. |
"I had been wanting to go back to my melodic rock background for some time", said Peterik. Hence Frontiers Records president, Serafino Perugino, encouraged this desire in the past months and prompted him to focus his research on the right partner and in particular, adds Peterik, "to find a great singer, someone who could perform the extremely rangey melodies" that earned him several top ten singles including the triple-platinum Grammy winner: Eye of the Tiger, The Search is Over, I Can't Hold Back, Is This Love, High On You and the #1 smash from Rocky IV, Burning Heart. This goal was the genesis of Pride Of Lions and was achieved when Jim Peterik's niece, Kelly Moulik, brought Toby Hitchcock to the studio one day. "When I heard him at the mic... I was knocked out", admits Peterik, "he sounds like a combination of Jimi Jamison (Survivor), Bobby Kimball (Toto) and Dennis DeYoung (Styx), nothing less". With the help of such fellow musicians from the World Stage band; Mike Aquino (Mecca) on guitar, Christian Cullen on keyboards and Clem Hayes on bass, Ed Breckenfeld on drums plus guest drummer Hilary Jones, Peterik and Hitchcock created some new music which is set to "restore the excitement and majesty of the melodic rock genre when it was in its heydays and" continues Peterik, "we're talking big songs, big sounds, great messages, soaring choruses, not guitars and amazing vocals... what more can you ask?" The debut album is currently taking shape in Jim Peterik's World Stage studios in Chicago, Illinois under the direction of Jim himself and his long-time friend and partner Larry Millas (Mecca, The Ides of March). The result promises to be nothing else than another gem to add to the collection of all fans of bands like Survivor, Toto, Styx and Mecca. Some of the songs set to be included on the album are: Music and Me, Interrupted Melody, First Time Around The Sun, Prideland, Sound Of Home, It's Criminal, Love Is On The Rocks. Frontiers Records looks set to a worldwide release of this new melodic rock masterpiece in late October 2003. Pride Of Lions is not just another studio project; it is the pride of melodic rock surviving! COMMENTS FROM --- ANDREW MELODICROCK Anything with the name Jim Peterik attached has an air of expectation surrounding it. Even more so, after his most recent work on the stunning Mecca debut and the need for an album of this type to be released. I was fortunate enough to hear 4 demos from the POL sessions, which Frontiers played for me while in the UK recently. I have no doubt that this album will live up to every fan's expectations and will introduce further new fans to Jim's talents as a songwriter and a performer. Also let's not forget this great new singer Toby Hitchcock - bound to be an instant success once melodic rock fans become aware of his full range. A MINI-REVIEW OF THE TRACKS I HEARD: IT'S CRIMINAL - A feel good uptempo pop/rocker in a very Survivor style, with a little Bobby Kimball (Toto) sound to the vocals. Features a great guitar solo from Jim and some fine harmonies. MUSIC AND ME - Features Jim on vocals for some of the track and is a heavier style than we have heard from Jim in some time. Very pomp-rockish in the finest Styx style and features some more shredding guitar work. SOUND OF HOME - Pure AOR very familiar to fans of the Mecca release. Lots of keyboards and a pure 80's Survivor sound. Features a monster chorus that should bring a smile to the face of all melodic rock fans. And remember this preview is just a demo! Fans of Mickey Thomas will love these vocals. Interrupted Melody - An epic ballad in the finest AOR traditions. Nothing short of amazing. So what will the finished album sound like. Compared to the demo's featured above, Jim says: "You ain't heard nothing yet!" And what are Jim's other thoughts on the project? He says: "Toby is an amazing singer - just astounding - 25 years old and loves classic melodic rock. Should be fun. The album is very Survivor-ish stuff. I am writing for it and am also a part of the group - co- singing most of the songs. To find out more about this awesome CD go to Frontier Records site. GO to melodicrock.com to hear two of the demo's. 6/10/03 |
