Review: Pride of Lions “Immortal”

Melodic rock/AOR

For the unaware, the dynamic duo behind Pride Of Lions is the legendary melodic rocker Jim Peterik (Survivor, Ides of March) and young gun vocalist Toby Hitchcock. Together they have released a trio of modern melodic rock albums that are destined to become classics in the genre. “Immortal” marks their return after a five year break that allowed the guys to work on other projects. In the words of Peterik, “After producing and writing the songs for Jimi Jamison’s wonderful 2009 release, Crossroads Moments (reviewed here), I needed a minute or two to get me juices back flowing in the direction of writing a great new Pride Of Lions record. When Toby decided to do his solo album (reviewed here), this was the perfect time for reflection. Once I started writing, the flood gates just opened up. I feel this is the CD to put Pride of Lions on the map once and for all.”

As with previous efforts, “Immortal” is filled with energetic anthems, mid-tempo rockers, and monster ballads. The mix of pace and style does not detract from the Pride of Lions signature sound, but provides a great dynamic when listening to the album from start to finish. The baritone vocals of Peterik balance well against the theatrical vocals of Hitchcock, who is likely to draw comparisons to the great Dennis DeYoung (Styx).

There are many songs one could shine the spotlight on, including the dazzling first single, “Delusional”, which is basically a healthy dose of child-rearing advice about not dosing our children with drugs just because they want to be unique. Similarly, “Ask Me Yesterday” ponders the wisdom that is found in youth, often in hindsight. On the power ballad side, “Everything Money Can’t Buy” and “Sending My Love” really shine here. “Sending My Love” features a particularly poignant vocal performance from Hitchcock, as the song truly connects with him: “Being a new father, it gets more and more heartbreaking to be away from my loved ones on the road. I love the road, don’t get me wrong, but it’s tough being separated from them as well.” Of particular interest to Survivor fans will be the track “Vital Signs” – this was a tune being worked on for the blockbuster release of the same name back in the 80s. Peterik never quite finished it until now, and I think most people will agree it was worth the wait.

Whether or not to add “Immortal” to your Pride of Lions collection is a no brainer – and if you were a fan of Survivor, Journey, or Styx, then it is time you discover that this kind of music lives on in this band.

Check out the video for “Delusional”:

Friday Videos

Loverboy has released a new record with 3 new songs and re-recorded versions of several classics. Check out one of the new tunes, "Heartbreaker", from "Rock N Roll Revival":



The new single from Pride of Lions (featuring Toby Hitchcock and Jim Peterik) is "Delusional", from their forthcoming fourth record, "Immortal":



Next up we have a new modern rocker called "Tremolo", the first song off the debut full-length album "New Symmetry" from Wires In The Walls:



And finally, a cover tune for you. This one comes from an entire album of cover tunes from Santana and various guests called "Guitar Heaven". My favorite track off the record was his version of Def Leppard's "Photograph" featuring Daughtry:

Review: Toby Hitchcock “Mercury’s Down”

AOR/Melodic Rock
Fans of the melodic rock community should be no stranger to the talent of Indiana native Toby Hitchcock, who was one half Pride of Lions (for the uninitiated, Jim Peterik of Survivor fame constituted the other half). Hitchcock has now partnered with another budding AOR legend, Erik Martensson, who wrote, produced, and played on the “Mercury’s Down” album. Hitchcock’s powerhouse vocals are often compared to Bobby Kimball (Toto), Jimi Jamison (Survivor), or Lou Gramm (Foreigner), and are easily the biggest highlight of this release. The combination of his voice with the AOR instincts of Martensson makes for quite the dynamic duo. True to the genre, Hitchcock belts out songs with straightforward lyrics about love and encouragement.

While still maintaining a keen sense of melody, this project is heavier and more guitar-driven than Hitchcock’s previous work. Favorites on this record include the huge anthem “Strong Enough”, “How To Stop”, “I Should Have Said”, and the thunderous “Tear Down The Barricades “. While there are no shortage of jaw-dropping notes that Hitchcock nails, “How To Stop” features some of his most amazing moments. Unlike most AOR records, the album is not plagued by too many slow songs, but there is a monster power ballad in “One Day I’ll Stop Loving You”. The record seems to get heavier towards the end, closing with the blistering rocker that serves as the title track.

“Mercury’s Down” should easily please fans of Pride of Lions, Eclipse, or Journey – it’s a great AOR soundtrack to ease us into autumn.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 12

Toby Hitchcock – Facebook

Check out the video for first single, “This Is The Moment”