Rainmaker – Rainmaker
product: Rainmaker – Rainmakerrelease date: 06.10.2023format: CD territory: world Remastered with new artwork, limited on 500 copies The self-titled album of the Swedish Melodic Rock formation RAINMAKER was originally released in the year 2000 on an English genre label. Long out of print, Pride & Joy Music is now re-releasing this strong work of the formation around mastermind and guitarist Tommy Denander (Radioactive, Sayit, Alice Cooper, Deacon Street Project and many more) and singer Geir Rönning (Sayit) with new artwork and remastered by Tommy Denander as part of its new series „Pride & Joy Music Classixx“. The line-up of RAINMAKER was completed by bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder and many more) and Walter Diego on drums. Unfortunately, “Rainmaker” remained at that time with one album of this talented formation. The CD is exclusively available directly through Pride & Joy Music and is limited to 500 copies. RAINMAKERs “Rainmaker” album is vol. 2 of the new Pride & Joy Music Classix Series
Rockett Love – Galactic Circus
product: Rockett Love – Galactic Circusrelease date: 22.09.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world ROCKETT LOVE is a Hard Rock band from Sweden that has been making waves in the music industry since their formation in 2015. The band consists of members Daniel Samuelsson (lead vocals), Stefan Westerlund (guitars, vocals), Gustaf Eklund (lead guitars, vocals), Dennis Vestman (bass) and Fredrik Ahlin (drums, percussion, vocals) who have gained good reputation due to their high-energy live shows and their catchy, guitar-driven sound. “Galactic Circus” is set to be released on September 22nd, 2023 on Pride & Joy Music promises to become an exciting addition to the group’s discography, featuring a collection of hard-hitting rock tracks that showcase the band’s skill and creativity. The album was produced by Stefan Westerland and Daniel Samuelsson at Meganoise studio, mixed & mastered by Erik Mårtensson at Mass Destruction Production and the artwork was created by Andre Beckston (Blekkmark Design Studio). The band says: “The making of the album was a collaborative effort between the band members, who spent months perfecting each track and ensuring that the album flows seamlessly from start to finish. The result is a cohesive and powerful collection of songs that will leave listeners wanting more.” “Galactic Circus” is the group’s first release on Pride & Joy Music. Track list:1. Never Look Back, 2. Too Much Water Under The Bridge, 3. Running Out Of Time, 4. Under The Gun, 5. Easy Come And Easy Go, 6. On The Radio, 7. Talk To Ya Later, 8. The Angels Cry, 9. Far Away, 10. Last Men Standing, 11. The Higher You Rise The Harder You Fall
Domino Drive – Smoke And Mirrors
product: Domino Drive – Smoke And Mirrorsrelease date: 22.09.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world The Swedish, Uppsala-based Melodic Hard Rock band DOMINO DRIVE finally gathered in the summer of 2019 but the original seed was sown back in 2014 when singer, keyboardist Sebastian Okupski (ex-Loch Vostok, ex-Mayadome) and drummer Alvaro Svanerö (Imperial Domain) began working on some early material Sebastian had written. Philip Borg (Imperial Domain) later joined the band on guitars. The bass player and lyricist Jonas Söder (Sarcasm) heard some early recordings of the band at the HSH recording studio in 2017, and immediately contacted Sebastian to tell him that if the band ever become active, he wanted to be a part of it. Due to the member‘s other musical commitments, it would take another two years before they found the time to fully commit to the band. DOMINO DRIVE was eventually born in 2019, and a creative flow was instantly found among the band members. Sebastian had temporarily filled the shoes as a lead singer, but in the summer of 2022, the band finally found a permanent singer/guitar player in the outstanding multi-instrumentalist Jonas Tyskhagen (Winding Road), who also replaced Philip Borg. After being offered a record deal with the German label Pride & Joy Music, the band finished their work on their debut album ”Smoke And Mirrors” in June 2023. The album was produced and mixed by DOMINO DRIVE at Domino Studios, Uppsala, and mastered by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios, Stockholm. The album features guest appearances by JJ Marsh (Glenn Hughes/Hughes Turner Project), Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed), and Tina Gunnarson (Hexed). Track list:1. Starlet Queen, 2. Never Give Up, 3. Hollywood Nights, 4. What About Us?, 5. Maria Dolorosa, 6. Smoke And Mirrors, 7. The Girl Who Never Was, 8. Cul-De-Sac, 9. The Jester King, 10. Make Waves
Rising Wings – Reach
product: Rising Wings – Reachrelease date: 22.09.2023format: CD, LP & digitalterritory: world Rising Wings was founded in 2006 by Florian “Flo” Bauer in Schrobenhausen in the Ingolstadt region, as a melodic rock one-man-band. Florian Bauer has been playing in various rock formations for years, such as the AOR band Youringa and the hard rock cover band Saviors Cry. In 2006 the first steps were taken with the 3-track EP “Rising Wings”. The second 5-track EP „Higher“ followed in 2008. Both releases received consistently positive feedback. Since then, various singles have been released. In autumn 2023 Rising Wings will release the first full-length album “Reach” via Pride & Joy Music. The album features Florian Bauer on vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards and Franz Raßhofer (Joe Leila), Falco Münch (Reload), Markus Herzinger (2nd East) and Bobby Santiago (Bloodwork) on drums. The album was recorded by Ray Balconis at Studio Ray Recording in Queens, New York, by Rolf Beyer and Peter Hillinger at Klangwasserstudios Halsbach, Germany and by Chris Lausmann at MS Productions Studio in Poing, Munich. “Reach” was produced by Florian Bauer with Chris Lausmann (Bonfire, Voices Of Rock) co-producing and mixing the album at MS Production Studio. The album was mastered by Rolf Beyer (CD & digital) and Ludwig Maier (Vinyl). Track list:1. The Boy2. No Deal3. I Can’t Help You4. Like Nerver Before5. Is Anybody Listening6. Games7. He Said She Said8. Maybe On A Sunday9. Know Me10. Where’s The Love11. United We Stand12. Lies www.risingwings.de
West Alley – A Night To Remember
product: West Alley – A Night To Rememberrelease date: 25.08.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world WEST ALLEY is a band from Gothenburg, Sweden that has its roots already in the late 80’s. At the time they got inspired by several groups which were playing the AOR sound – like Journey, Toto, Kiss, and stayed together for a few years. They consist of Magnus Björkroth (lead vocals, keyboards), Jack Nielsen (bass, background vocals), Niclas Lundström (guitars, background vocals) and Jonas Michaneck (drums). During the 80’s, the Swedish group wrote a lot of songs which they never forgot and when they met again four years ago, they started talking about giving them another chance by finally recording and releasing them. WEST ALLEY signed a record deal with Germany based label Pride & Joy Music in early 2023 who will release the debut album “What A Night To Remember” on August 25th, 2023! “What A Night To Remember” was recorded at Valvet Studios, produced by Magnus Björkroth and mastered by Joakim Styren (Panoramamusic). The artwork was designed by Jonas Michaneck. https://www.facebook.com/Westalleyofficial Track list: 1. What A Night To Remember, 2. Good Times, 3. Fortune & Fame, 4. Miracles Can Happen, 5. Give Me Just A Little Time. 6. Warning, 7. How Many Hearts, 8. Higher, 9. Angels, 10. Colors Of Love, 11. Feel Like A Clown, 12. It All Begins Where It Ends
Heimdall – Hephaestus
product: Heimdall – Hephaestusrelease date: 25.08.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world The story of Heimdall started in 1994 when Fabio Calluori (guitars) and Nicolas Calluori (drums) decided to form a heavy metal band. After some changes of the line-up, bass player Giovanni Canu, guitarist Carmelo Claps and singer Claudio Gallo joined Heimdall which started an intense live activity and released their debut album “Lord Of The Sky” in 1998. Live shows with Sentenced, Labyrinth, 69 Eyes, Domine and Athena followed. 25 years later, after a couple of more line-up changes, numerous headline shows, a tour with Shaman and another four highly acclaimed studio albums, HEIMDALL now returns with their 6th album in total, “Hephaestus”, and a new record deal with Germany based label Pride & Joy Music! The group started with the composition of the new songs already in the year 2018 and entered the Sonic Temple Studio in 2020 to record “Hephaestus”. Today, the group consists of guitarist Fabio Calluori, singer Gandolfo Ferro, lead guitarist Carmelo Claps, drummer Nicolas Calluori and bassist France Amoroso who joined HEIMDALL earlier this year. Glory and honor to you…the Lord Is Back! Line-up: Fabio Calluori – Guitars, Gandolf Ferro – Vocals, Carmelo Claps – Lead Guitars, Nicolas Calluori – Drums, Franco Amoroso – Bass Discography: Lord of the Sky (1998), The Temple of Theil (1999), The Almighty (2002) Hard As Iron (2004), Aeneid (2013), Hephaestus (2023) https://www.facebook.com/heimdallofficial Track list:1.Hephaestus, 2. Masquerade, 3. King, 4. The Runes, 5. Till The End Of Time, 6.Power, 7. We Are One, 8. Spellcaster, 9. The Show Must Go On
Tony Mitchell – Radio Heartbeat
product: Tony Mitchell – Radio Heartbeatrelease date: 21.07.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world TONY MITCHELL is best known as being the singer songwriter & fronting the 90s classic rock band “Kiss of the Gypsy” signed to Atlantic Records USA & Warner Chappell. They toured the UK & states with their debut album & high energy live shows to great acclaim. Songs such as “Whatever it Takes”, “Take This Old Heart”. “From The Dirt” & “No Prize For the Loser” are still melodic rock classics to this day.Mitchell was also the singer songwriter for Melodic Rock/AOR band “DIRTY WHITE BOYZ” with their 2016 album release, “Down & Dirty” including the singles “All in the Name of Rock n Roll”, “Hanging on a Heartache”, “Ride With Angels” & “Dynamite”. 2023, Mitchell releases his 4th official solo album “Radio Heartbeat”. A hard hitting melodic rock rollercoaster ride opening with “Blue Lightning” written about the story of the legendry 70s/80s Scottish singer songwriter, Frankie Miller. The ride continues with the raw soulful “Keep the Love Alive”, “Radio Heartbeat” which is a tribute to the great music of the 70s & 80s & slides seamlessly into the next track “Rockin’ in a Hard Place” describing the long hard musical road, learning the pleasure & pain rather than the quick hit reality X Factor way. “Top of the World” eases the ride down with an honest reflection on the pain we cause but never seem to see when we think the grass is greener on the other side. Big hitters like “Another Beat of my Heart”, “This Side of Midnight” & “Borderline” turns up the melodic rock/AOR dial to full & with the poignant finale “Phoenix Rising” written at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Mitchell says he tries to keep politics out of his music but he felt too strongly not to express his thoughts on it. Track list:1. Blue Lightning, 2. Keep The Love Alive, 3. Radio Heartbeat, 4. Rockin In A Hard Place, 5. Top Of The World, 6. Another Beat Of My Heart, 7. Darkness Remains, 8. This Side Of Midnight, 9. Borderline, 10. Sunflower Girl, 11. Find A Way, 12. Phoenix Rising
Later Sons – Rise Up
product: Later Suns – Rise Uprelease date: 21.07.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world The LATER SONS are on a time travel through decades of rock and AOR from the eighties to today. They deliver songs with lots of hit potential and fine hooklines which do not sound dusty or old-fashioned. Actually, they sound exciting throughout the record. The compositions on “Rise Up“ meet a contemporary production and mix. Authentic sounds by authentic players and lovers of the rock genre. Experienced artists who know their business. Founding members are the former LIONCAGE musicians Thorsten Bertermann (v) and Torsten Landsberger (dr) who ignited the flame in late 2019 after the split of LIONCAGE. After several line-up changes on guitars foremost, today’s line-up is ready to strike. The debut showcases the full range of rock and AOR influences of everybody involved. They represent a cool mixture of typical eighties stadium rock flavored with AOR and a slice of southern rock. The album was produced and mixed by Torsten Landsberger, except for “Follow Your Dream” which was mixed by Pete Woj and “Eye Of The Storm” which was mixed by Steve Hardy; mastering at Sterling Sound and artwork by Tim Eckhorst. The LATER SONS are: Thorsten Bertermann (v, ex-LIONCAGE) Markus Knubbe (g, AVELON) Arvid Lukas (b, ex-LIONCAGE, SHE BITES) Bülent Sezen (d, ex-LIONCAGE) Friends who contributed to the album are: Joey Castellini (g, SKYLINE), track 5 Marcin Palider (b), track 10 Lars Slowak (b), track 5 Andreas Laude-Schwedewsky (b, SKYLINE), track 4 Anja Bublitz (v), tracks 10 & 11 Billy King (v), track 10 Sven Lüdke (g, MOB RULES), tracks 3, 4 & 10 Martin Hoheier (b), tracks 6 Marc Baumgart, (g, 5th Avenue) Torsten Landsberger (studio drums, guitars, keys, songwriting, mix and production) Track list:1. We Better Run, 2. Never Surrender, 3. Lady Rock, 4. Follow Your Dream, 5. Last Freedom, 6. Rise Up, 7. Family Affair, 8. Heaven, 9. Hometown Girl, 10. Eye Of The Storm, 11. Good Times, Bad Times
Fatal Vision – Twice
product: Fatal Vision – Twicerelease date: 23.06.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world June 23rd, 2023 marks the triumphant return of Canadian melodic rock band Fatal Vision, with the release of their sophomore album Twice on the Pride & Joy Music label. Fatal Vision’s debut album Once re-introduced the band in 2022, charting at #10 on the Japanese import chart, and in Canada, Mexico and Switzerland on the iTunes rock chart, followed by the singles “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (#15, Canada) and “Breakers” (#13, Canada). Once featured a series of videos telling the story of “The Lead Singer and The Heartbreaker”, which have yielded over 300,000 YouTube plays and have driven the band’s Instagram and TikTok metrics ever higher. Featuring lead singer Simon Marwood, who co-founded the band in 1988, guitarist Juan Miguel Gomez Montant, keyboard player Scottie Irving, drummer Alex Wickham and bassist Andrew Burns, Twice shows Fatal Vision continuing to delve into a rich tapestry of sounds both familiar and modern. The thirteen tracks nod to Fatal Vision’s key influences, including Survivor, Bad English, Loverboy, Night Ranger and REO Speedwagon. The first single, “In My Fantasy”, is a hard rocker reminiscent of Bon Jovi at their peak, followed by the post-apocalyptic, Asia-like “Tomorrow Never Comes” and the obvious Alice Cooper influences of “Welcome to my Nightmare.” The album also features power ballads “End of the Dream” (a duet with upcoming Nashville female artist Christine Corless, also featured on Once), “The Last Summer Night”, and “Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer” (which includes a record-setting 26-second final note by Marwood) as well as the mid-tempo duet (again with Corless) “Time Has Left Us As Strangers”, the melancholic offering “Ghosts of Yesterday”, rock number “In The Middle Of The Night” and the triumphant conclusion “Start Again.” Videos are being filmed for each of these tracks as an ongoing story of a lost love and the possibility of second chances is played out. Once again, the album has been graced by hard rock royalty, including Alessandro Del Vecchio (Edge of Forever, Hardline), Harry Hess (Harem Scarem), Paul Laine (Danger Danger, The Defiants), Marc Lafrance (Loverboy, Motley Crue), JK Northrup (King Kobra, XYZ) and Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) on backing vocals, Mark Holden (Boulevard) on saxophone, and Northrup and Derry Grehan (Honeymoon Suite) contributing additional guitars. The album is mixed by Northrup and Ron Nevison (Heart, Survivor), with production by Del Vecchio, Hess, Marwood, Montant and Northrup. Track list:1. Dominoes, 2. In My Fantasy, 3. Thick as Thieves, 4. End Of The Dream, 5. Middle Of The Night, 6. That Was Then (And This Is Now), 7. Time Has left Us As Strangers, 8. Start Again, 9. Ghosts Of Yesterday, 10. Welcome To my Nightmare, 11. The Last Summer Night, 12. Tomorrow Never Comes, 13. Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer
Heart Line – Rock ‚N Roll Queen
product: Heart Lyne – Rock ‚N Roll Queenrelease date: 23.06.2023format: CD & digitalterritory: world One year and a half after their debut album that created surprise in the world of AOR / Melodic Rock, French group Heart Line founded by guitarist Yvan Guillevic is once again „back in the game“ with a new album that will be released on June 23, 2023 on the German label Pride & Joy Music. As always rich in catchy melodies and sharp riffs, „Rock’n’Roll Queen“ offers a concentrate of AOR/Melodic Rock enhanced with a touch of Classic Rock offering the listener 12 powerful titles in the pure verve of the glorious 80’s. Following the release of their first album in November 2021, Heart Line were given chance to perform their music live a number of times and get appraisal from audiences as well, something that can easily be detected with „Rock’n’Roll Queen“. Emphasized by a sparkling production, the songs sound mature and intense. From the vocals of Emmanuel Creis to the solos of Yvan Guillevic, the bold keyboard lines by Jorris Guilbaud and the sharp rhythm section driven by Dominique Braud (Bass) and Walter Français (drums), everything now sounds bigger and louder. https://www.facebook.com/Heartlinebandofficial Track list:1. I am The Night, 2. Till The End Of Times, 3. Call Of The Wild, 4. The Last Time, 5. Rock ‘N Roll Queen, 6. Living My Dreams, 7. Hard To Believe, 8. Call Me, 9. Hard Life, 10. Reach For The Stars, 11. The Fire Still Burns, 12. Keeper Of Desire