Hardline – Leaving The End Open (3/5)

01. Voices 04:33 02. Falling Free 04:43 03. Start Again 05:31 04. Pieces Of Puzzles 03:57 05. Bittersweet 05:24 06. She Sleeps In Madness 04:59 07. In This Moment 03:22 08. Give In To This Love 04:09 09. Before This 03:54 10. Hole In My Head 05:37 11. Leaving The End Open 05:46

In 1992, a band named Hardline released their debut album ‘Double Eclipse’. It was a stunning piece of work consisting of twelve well-crafted, polished hard rock songs reminiscent of the big boys of the time such as Skid Row and Van Halen. Not only that, but their personnel consisted of what would be described as a supergroup; the rhythm section was comprised of Journey’s Neal Schon, as well as bassist Todd Jensen and drummer Deen Castronovo, whose impressive CVs list performing and recording with Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Marty Friedman and Alice Cooper among others. The core of the band, however, was in the Gioeli brothers; frontman Johnny and guitarist Joey. The duo’s previous bands had achieved underground success on America’s West Coast before – with the help of Poison’s Bret Michaels – breaking attendance records on the Sunset Strip. From the ashes of these acts came Hardline, and their first offering. With such achievements already under their belts, what stopped this troupe of long-haired musos from taking over the world? The answer is simple and one-worded: Nevermind.

After Sir Cobain had slain the dragons of hair metal, the group inevitably dissolved (despite never exactly being part of such a movement). Its members went on to find pastures new, Johnny becoming vocalist for German metal maestro Axel Rudi Pell as well as SEGA-endorsed band Crush 40, creating soundtracks for Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Dreamcast. In 2002, the brothers – the only original members – created a new Hardline album, ‘II’. Mixed in with not-as-memorable-as-their-first-record hooks were what the singer called ‘natural progressions’ – progressions into sub-Disturbed nu-metal thumpers. It wasn’t really what Hardline were all about, but it showed they could still capture some of the magic that blessed their killer debut and weren’t afraid to take risks either.

Last year saw the release of their long-awaited third release ‘Leaving The End Open’, Joey unfortunately disappearing from the line-up. So here we go, the new Hardline album. Can they envelop us in more hard rock majesty? Can they re-light the fires of 1992? First track ‘Voices’ has the job of dragging us into the album, but instead of getting in yer face, it trips over clumsy, unattractive riffs and falls down the stairs at your feet. Stepping over its slightly memorable chorus, one finds the real action in ‘Falling Free’, a breezy, feel-good melodic rock anthem, custom built for tearing up the highway and driving into the sunset. The first words of ‘Start Again’ sounds like Queen’s ‘I Want To Break Free’ while ‘Pieces Of Puzzles’ channels the hard-living spirit of Guns N’ Roses of yore.

By the time the apologetic notes of ‘Hole In My Head’ start to chime, a pattern is starting to emerge; this album is full of ballads. ‘Bittersweet’, ‘In This Moment’, ‘Before This’… they’re all slow-paced, synth-laced AOR offerings with pretty guitar licks over the top. There’s nothing wrong with a ballad, but it seriously takes away from the impact this album could surely have. Yes, Johnny, we know that you have a lovely soulful voice, but where’s the rock? Just about every track inexplicably slows down and takes coffee breaks, when it should be giving neck breaks. Maybe the eponymous track can wrap the album up in a fast-paced fashion tho-… oh, no, it’s another fucking ballad.

Hardline are a hidden gem of the rock world, their limited success never stopping them from soldiering on – albeit only doing something every ten years or so – and delivering music of great calibre (well, usually). Sadly, the uplifting, party shoutalongs and rock ‘n’ roll stompers of ‘Double Eclipse’ – and hell, even the second album – have taken a backseat to pseudo-Journey crooners that really don’t epitomise the previous heights of greatness that this band have soared to.

Leaving The End Open is available to buy or download at Play.com

Genre : Metal

Article by Andy McDonald