Maybe the name Pride of Lions does not remind you of anything, or you might never have heard it before. Pride of Lions is a brand new band, but you all know the mastermind behind this super band for sure: it is Jim Peterik. I do not know if there is any connection between the lions and this band, but I can surely tell that Pride of Lions can become (or have they already become?) the kings of AOR / Melodic Rock music, and that’s for sure! We all know that Jim Peterik (Survivor, Ides of March, 38 Special) is an excellent songwriter and producer, but I believe that no one could imagine how good his new band could be! The surprise here is that Jim decided not to work with a known singer but to search for a new, talented one and give him the opportunity to sing his great songs. So, when he listened to the young (he is only twenty-six years old) and very talented Toby Hitchcock, he thought that he had found the guy that he was looking for, but he also decided to test him by recording the song “Love is on the Rocks” with him. The result was simply amazing, and the record company also agreed that he was the right person for the singer’s position! By the way, the vocal you hear on that song is the exact first audition! Incredible, huh?!
I strongly believe that Toby “inspired” Jim to write some of the best songs he has written in many years! We can find that out if we just listen to this awesome album. Everything seems to be just perfect between Jim and Toby. That is easy to understand after listening to “Pride of Lions”.
I haven’t listened to such a strong album for many years. It reminds me of the 80’s era of AOR music very intensely. It isn’t superannuated, and most important of all, there is no second-class song! All the songs are more than superb, and surely you will not skip a single song! It is also difficult for me to choose some songs from this album, and you will be in the same boat too if you listen to it! Just choose a song in random order, listen to it, and then tell me what you think… you will believe that the clock has stopped in the 80’s! That sweet feeling of 80’s music will fill your soul as it filled mine! And what a totally great voice! Everything is sooooo… perfect here!
The truth is that I cannot help but refer to the brilliant opener “It’s Criminal”, the excellent sensitive mid-tempo “Gone”, the outstanding ballad “Interrupted Melody” (the intro of this song brought Europe’s “Carrie” on my mind, but one thing is sure… this song will touch your soul!), the big rocker “Sound of Home”, the astonishing, mellow “Prideland” (Jim and Toby share vocals), the tremendous, hard rocker “Unbreakable” (the best rock moments of Survivor in your ears!), the melodious, pop-ish “First Time Around the Sun”, the 80’s,ala Survivor, up-tempo rocker “Turn to Me”, the astounding, catchy semi-ballad “Madness of Love” (this song has a killer chorus!), the unique mid-tempo 80’s keyboard-based rock tune “Love is on the Rocks”, the romantic, touching, classic ballad “Last Safe Place” (listen to this song and tell me that you do not feel nostalgia for the 80’s era), and finally the last but absolutely not least, first-rate mid-tempo rocker “Music and Me”, which to all intents and purposes, describes Jim’s love for music. That’s why Jim also sings at the beginning of the song, and then Toby joins in.
Your journey ends at this point, but you will push the play far too many times… again… and… again… and… again! “Pride of Lions” is the kind of album that will go down in history as a classic! After many years, people will be searching for this album, and it will cost the earth to get it! As we are doing with albums nowadays, albums that were released ten or more years ago and we did not buy them when we had the chance… besides, that’s life’s game! I have never been so sure for an album before, as I am for this one. Pride of Lions simply offered us a diamond! Are you still reading these lines? I can’t believe it! “Pride of Lions” will surely show you its worth better than I can! When the words are not enough to describe, music can still “speak” to our souls!!!
