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September 2023

• Kerrigan: Bloodmoon
• Taz: Shipwrecked, Vol 2
• Taz: Wake Up & Sweat, Vol 1
• Ronnie Romero: Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
• The Flower Kings: Look At You Now
• Vega: Battlelines
• Blackbird Angels: Solsorte
• Primal Fear: Code Red
• Eclipse: Megalomanium
• Seventh Wonder: Mercy Falls (Reissue 2008/2023)
• Seventh Wonder: The Great Escape (Reissue 2010/2023)

August 2023

• Hurricane: Reconnected
• U.D.O.: Touchdown
• Streetlight: Ignition
• Sarayasign: The Lion's Road
• Neal Morse: The Dreamer - Joseph - Part One
• Rian: Wings
• Icon Of Sin: Legends
• Lancer: Tempest
• King Kobra: We Are Warriors
• Dark Sky: Signs Of The Time
• Hell In The Club: F.U.B.A.R.
• Kent Hilli: Nothing Left To Lose

July 2023

• Turkish Delight: Volume Two
• Winterstorm: Everfrost
• Scream Maker: Land Of Fire
• James Robledo: Broken Soul
• Houston: Relaunch III
• All For Metal: Legends
• Withering Scorn: Prophets Of Demise
• Bloodbound: Tales From The North
• Kikimora: For A Broken Dime
• Degreed: Public Address

June 2023

• Night Legion: Fight Or Fall
• Midnite City: In At The Deep End
• Pyramaze: Bloodlines
• Shakra: Invincible
• Vypera: Race Of Time
• Stardust: Kingdom Of Illusion
• Pride Of Lions: Dream Higher
• Joel Hoekstra's 13: Crash Of Life
• The Defiants: Drive
• Ray Alder: II
• Art Nation: Inception
• False Memories: Hybrid Ego System

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Beggars & Thieves: We Are the ...

Melodic Rock/AOR

4.0/5.0

Frontiers Records
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by Craig Hartranft,  11.21.2011

The history of Beggars & Thieves goes back to the late Eighties, when formed by vocalist Louie Merlino and guitarist Ronnie Mancuso in New York City. Their self-titled debut was released in 1989 to good reviews. Label problems and the rise of grunge stifled their sophomore effort Look What You Create, and the band dissolved. But this didn't stop their involvement in the music business nor the possibility of a resurrection of Beggars & Thieves. This came at Firefest 2010 to everyone's surprise. Now signed to Frontiers, B&T returns with We Are the Brokenhearted.

Above, Ronnie Mancuso and Louie Merlino begging and thieving.

Merlino and Mancuso have lost nothing in twenty years. Merlino offers strong and focused vocals, and Mancuso, exceptional guitar work. We Are the Brokenhearted is an entertaining platter of well-crafted AOR melodic rock, reflecting as much strong composition and musicianship, as emotion. While that latter element flows throughout, it pervades songs like the heartfelt and soaring Wash Away and the epic and stirring Oil & Water.

But there's also some keen rock tunes on this album. Innocence and Seven Seconds offer more edge. Then We Come Undone and Midnight Blue have a more a determined delivery, a deeper groove in, at times, a warm heaviness. Lighter fare, nearing ballad quality, comes on Never Gonna See You Again and melodic rock on Stranded.

Beggars & Thieves return on We Are the Brokenhearted finds principals guitarist Ronnie Mancuso and vocalist Louie Merlino in fine form. The album offers a mature, but also fresh, take on classic AOR melodic rock. Recommended.

Beggars & Thieves return on We Are the Brokenhearted finds principals guitarist Ronnie Mancuso and vocalist Louie Merlino in fine form. The album offers a mature, but also fresh, take on classic AOR melodic rock.

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Formed in 1999 by singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson, Sweden's Eclipse is well into their third decade of making music. In the recent past, their recordings and reputation have ... [ Read More ]