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Pride & Joy Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 18.09.2024 | Released: 20.09.2024
It's been four years since we last heard from Sweden's Heartwind and their second album, Strangers. The core members of the band remain: Goran Engvall (guitars), Mikael Rosengren (keyboards) and Peter Svensson (drums). Previous albums featured guest musicians and multiple vocalists. With their latest and third studio album, III Heartwind pushes the envelope with eight different vocalists over ten song, along with other guest musicians. It's an impressive list of genre all stars:
Matti Alfonzetti (solo), Nalle Påhlsson (Treat), Rick Altzi (Gathering of Kings), Fredrik Folkare (Unleashed), Jakob Samuel (The Poodles), Henrik Bergqvist (The Poodles), Thomas Vikström (Therion), Andreas Novak (House of Shakira) Robert van der Zwan (Remedy), Carl Berglund (Age of Reflection), Matt Marinelli (Borealis) and Nina Söderquist (solo).
Essentially, III strays little from Heartwind's musical formula of AOR melodic hard rock, sometimes with a metal edge, and always driven by song and vocal melody and harmony, sharp riffs, memorable refrains, and roaring guitar solos.
Honestly, I can assure the reader and listener every song within is exceptional and highly entertaining. This would include the two songs (Cry For Love and One Reason) featuring Rick Altzi, even though I don't enjoy his nail-chewing coarse voice. His One Reason is the closest thing to a ballad. My favorites were rockers Warrior (Jakob Samuel), Blink Of An Eye (Thomas Vikstrom), Brothers (also Vikstrom), and the absolutely fantastic single, Struck By Love (Matti Alfonzetti).
All in all, with III Heartwind delivers another powerful and entertaining album of their signature AOR-driven melodic hard rock, thanks to a collaboration with a significant number of talent guest musicians and vocalists from the genre. Very recommended.
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All in all, with III Heartwind delivers another powerful and entertaining album of their signature AOR-driven melodic hard rock, thanks to a collaboration with a significant number of talent guest musicians and vocalists from the genre. Very recommended.
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