Sunstorm Edge Of Tomorrow cd review

Sunstorm return to celebrate their tenth anniversary of their debut cd with the release of Edge Of Tomorrow out on the 13th of May on Frontiers Records Srl.

4 years since the last Sunstorm cd Emotional Fire legendary singer Joe Lynn Turner shows all the young pups how it should be done.

After the release of the recent Rated X album, Joe wanted to go back to the more melodic material of Sunstorm, but also wanted to retain some of the harder edge which the Rated X album had.

So he asked producer and songwriter Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Edge of Forever) to come up with some new songs in that vein. Del Vecchio joined forces with Simone Mularoni, guitar player of Italian prog metallers DGM. Together they developed songs which were exactly what Joe wanted, so it was a natural process to move forward and record another Sunstorm album. As usual, other songwriters, such as Soren Kronqvist and Daniel Palmqvist completed the array of individuals involved.

As a long time fan of Joe this is what I want him to be recording with a classic feel to all the songs but with a more guitar led direction than previous albums more AOR sound base.

There are hooks and melodies all over this and Joe sounds amazing for a man approaching his 65th birthday and his band all play their part too with Alessandro Del Vecchio, Hammond organ,keyboards,backing vocals,Simone Mularoni on guitars,Nik Mazzucconi on bass and Francesco Jovino on drums.

Don't Walk Away From Goodbye is an uptempo opener all driving drums and extra guitar melodies and crunching riffs and the first big chorus with Joe on this song having a harder edge to his vocal.

The title track is wonderful with a picked electric guitar melody start before a big riff and drums kick in before dipping for a Joe vocal verse that is centre piece as the guitars dip before building on the pre chorus.Classic Rainbowesque chorus with that unmistakeable Joe tone and great backing vocals too.A lengthy guitar solo from Mularoni isn't all about how many notes he can play and love the end of the solo as he holds notes with the big guitar riff as backing.More guitar soloing behind Joe's vocal chorus on the outro on a song that you get the feeling you have heard it before but when it done as well as this you just end up smiling at the beauty in it.

Heart Of The Storm is probably the heaviest song that Sunstorm have recorded with a huge guitar riff and fast paced rocker but still with hooks and melodies on the chorus that melt the heart.

The Sound Of Goodbye takes it down a notch with a big slower guitar riff over a keys riff before the guitar melodies take over and a not so urgent vocal too.

The Darkness Of This Dawn is a powerful ballad with Joe showing his full range and breathtaking melodies.The guitar playing from Mularoni is exemplary with additional melody lines and soloing on the verse and all building to a huge chorus.Classic JLT and nearer in pace and feel to previous Sunstorm material.

You Hold Me Down is a rocker right out of the Rainbow drawer with a fast paced drum rhythm and Alessandro adding Hammond organ depth to the mix and Joe's harder edge vocal style and another big chorus with a huge hook.

Angel Eyes is an old school ballad before a Hammond led driving rocker in Everything You've Got with a huge backing vocal chorus giving it a different feel.

Tangled In Blue has a wonderful big guitar riff in the outro that then dips out in the early verse before chugging in and out till the chorus with a keyboard part prominent and an AOR sense in the chorus with Joe at his melodic best.More guitar soloing alongside Joe's vocal in the outro.

Edge Of Tomorrow is a welcome return for one of melodic rock's most endearing character's and is just what all his fan's will love to hear him being involved in.

Superb.