HARDLINE – Heart, Mind and Soul
- Posted on 17-08-2021
Receiving a new album by renowned US/Italian hard rockers Hardline is usually always a great experience and the brand-new 11-song collection entitled "Heart, Mind and Soul" is no exception to that rule.
The explosive opening track "Fuel to the Fire" sets the tone and immediately conjures up an organic, vibrant atmosphere. Throughout we are treated to plenty of hook-laden, melodically gorgeous tunes that are easy on the ear and instantly attractive without losing any of their appeal even after several spins. The LP is an inspired one and it seems to me that there is a new-found vigor and energy within the Hardline camp these days as evidenced by the quality of the songwriting and the fiery spark of the playing.
The production deserves praise too and sounds thick, massive, and slightly unpolished in all the right places so that there is a bit of grit to be discovered here too. While there are plenty of superb compositions to be enjoyed here, there are also a couple of cuts that fail to captivate me or stir the emotions, more specifically "Heavenly" and "We Belong", but in general, this is a muscular and potent hard rock brew that ought to thrill and excite most of you lovers of the genre out there. Try giving the powerful ballad "Like That" and the chugging rocker "Waiting for your Fall" a serious listen – Johnny Gioeli’s vocals are pretty damn impressive here. On a final note, the album artwork looks killer too, which is always a huge plus.