Harem Scarem: Classic Harem keeps taking melodic rock higher.
The voice of Harem Scarem, Harry Hess, talks about the new album Higher, all things to do with the band and other stuff like producing and screaming on new tracks for Jack Frost.
Hi Harry, good to talk to you as usual. Thanks for sending me a preview of the Jack Frost track. He was in a band called Sabotage or Savatage, I guess, for a while. He was the guitar player. He's done a bunch of different projects. I think one is called Seven Witches or something like that.
That's right… He's from New Jersey. He's a guitar player and he called me up and asked me if I'd do two songs on his solo record with him, so I'm doing that.
It's kind of funny. It's metal, and I'm yelling. It's hilarious. I thought, "Well that would be funny; I haven't done anything like that in like 20 fuckin' years." So I thought that would be entertaining and it sure is.
Not since Blind Vengeance! That's right, exactly. I haven't yelled like this in a long time.
I love your comment on the track rundown you did for me for Higher. Oh, right.
You said you were about to explode or something like that if you went any higher. Yeah. It's getting higher and higher every day.
Fantastic. Speaking of…did Blind Vengeance ever come out on CD? Yeah, it did. Some guy bought the rights to it here in Canada. I don't know what he did with it, to tell you the truth. I just heard that he did.
I've never heard it... It's awful.
Is it? <laughs> It's really bad. It really is.
Even more reason for me to track it down! That's right. Track it down.
You've had a little bit of time to live with the new album now. What do you think? You know what? I haven't listened to it in a while. I heard it after we mastered it. I thought the mastering job was okay. I didn't love it.
Really? Yeah. It's a little bit bright in the high end, a little bit harsh sounding compared to the masters we had, but for the most part I'm pretty pleased with it. We were loving it when we were mixing it, you know. I can't remember making a record where we liked so many songs on it, especially while we were working on it. So I don't know. If that's any indication, I mean, we really enjoyed working on it from beginning to end. Usually by the end of it we're pretty sick of it and don't have a whole lot of perspective, but this one, we never really got sick of the songs. I don't know.
I think it's a bit of... you always do something a little different and there's a few tracks on here that are a little different again….but there's a little bit of everything of you on there isn't it? Yeah. Oh, for sure.
A little bit of Mood Swings. A little bit of the debut, a lot of the debut. A little bit of Voice of Reason. A little bit of Weight of the World. Yeah, I think this record is actually pretty simple, but very melodic and I guess if you could go back and compare it to anything, the closest I can... I found the first record like that, you know? There wasn't really a whole lot of outrageous guitar playing or anything like that. They were just straight ahead rock songs and treated a certain way and I at least kinda felt this way with this, but when things do go off on a tangent, like things like "Reach" and some other songs, that's just because of where we've come from all these years and influences, and our influences like Mood Swings and Voice of Reason and stuff. Those types of elements, they always crop up in songs or parts of songs at least.
Yeah. Stuff like "Lies" and "Lost" and "Waited" are very much like the debut aren't they? Yep. Very true.
I really like what you did with "Waited". Oh, yeah?
I think that's my favorite track on the album. Yeah, I really like it too, I mean, a lot of people that have heard it think it's actually quite modern in the sense that it could be on American radio right now too. And same with "Torn Right Out". For me that's a good accomplishment because, you never want to just be, you know, doing... rehashing what we did 10, 12 years ago and stuff.
It's nice to stay current and stay fresh and not have it sound like a total '80s rock production, with still having all the elements that our fans like about what we do and enjoying it ourselves and at least feeling we're always moving forward and doing the types of productions that are contemporary and I guess worthy of what's going on today.
Yeah. In fact my favorite albums in the last--my tastes have sort of changed a little bit--my favorite albums in the last 12 months have been albums that have updated their sound... but stayed true to what the band were, or are, what they do best. Yeah.
And there's definitely some modern production and songwriting on Higher. Is there any hope in hell of you finally getting a U.S. deal and this stuff getting on the radio? It's so wrong that it isn't. We just don't have a real outlet for it. We're kind of in a position now where everybody knows us as that hard rock, heavy metal band from 10 years ago and it's really, really tough to get anybody to pay attention to what we're doing and most of the A&R guys out there, they're just looking to sign something fresh and new and get it out, you know.
You see what happens with Nickelback when someone takes a chance on it, you know?
Exactly. I know. And again, we might be a little bit guilty of not pursuing it to the fullest extent either. We just kind of go, well that's our situation and there you go. Because we tried so many times in the past and it's just one of those weird things with us now and we really haven't bothered in the last few years to tell you the truth. We've got a little Canadian Indie deal here in Canada for Weight of the World and he's just about to put it out now; it's taken him so long to get to it.
Is that not out already? Yeah. There's a little bit of debauchery there with all that stuff, but…
How many other bands are out there have 8 or 9 studio albums behind them?! I know. That's like this Jack Frost guy. He's... I guess that Savatage band were signed to Atlantic for a while and now he's doing records for Sanctuary, and he says the same thing. He says, "Look, everybody that... here's this stuff and I can't believe it never came out in America." And I say, "Well, you've got to remember, we were trying at a time when hard rock was just, I mean, you couldn't even tell anyone that you were in a hard rock band, like when we first started because it was all grunge and that's what we were dealing with.” And major labels, as you know, all they're interested in is what's happening right now. Not what happened two years ago, so fuck, it's really no surprise to me looking back that we never got a U.S. release, but at the same time, with our whole catalogue now and a bit of a resurgence in hard rock again, and when bands like Nickelback and Creed can go out and sell millions and millions of records, I think there's a place for us somewhere in the middle, you know?
Yeah, there's got to be. Not everybody... I sort of started off liking pop/rock and then started looking for something that was a little bit more of a harder edge, something with a little bit more impact, that'll blow you right through. There's got to be a lot of other people out there that want something between Avril Lavigne and Creed, you know? Yeah, for sure.
Any dates or promotions you'll be doing in Japan or just phone interviews? There's nothing solidified yet. We're talking to some promoters about an actual tour and that's just kind of ongoing right now. So we'll see what happens with that. And the European release is almost a month later.
Did you go to Japan for Weight of the World? Oh, yeah. We've toured on every record there except for the first two.
Right. Okay. It's a good little market, isn't it? Yeah, it's been great for us.
Yeah, great for a lot of people. The European release... any dates in Europe? Yeah. It's always been really, really tough and, you know, it's just a financial thing, it's not for the lack of not wanting to go, we'd love to go.
We'd love to go everywhere and play, but it's just the reality of how much it costs to fly 4 or 5 people around and deal with hotels and cars and all that crap while we're there and it's just so expensive that unless you're selling records, and a promoter is willing to take a chance and give you some money to come over and do it, it's really next to impossible, so we just pick and choose the opportunities that come up and make the most sense and try to get everybody on board to help us out and get down there.
So that's kind of the situation. It's very tough.
Absolutely. I get a lot of questions... a lot of people asking about Canadian dates. Do you ever play live in Canada any more? Very rarely. The last time we played was when the Rubber albums came out and it was actually received very well and we did a lot of dates and it went great, but we literally haven't put anything out since the first Rubber album in Canada because there's been no reason to. Even this last one, Weight of the World, it hasn't come out yet, so if it does, who knows, we might do some warm-up shows here in Canada, like before a Japanese tour or a European thing.
Yeah, I do get some emails from guys who say, “Look, I live 15 minutes from these guys and I can't get their records here.” It's complicated isn't it? Yeah. It's very, very odd.
How do you move on from here, where do you go from here? You've been busy - with Weight of the World, you've had the live album, the archive release. Any idea where you'd like to go from here? Well, I don't know. I think, you know, even what I'm doing here tonight, like doing something a little bit different, you know, and as far as side projects go I'd like to do things that take me in a little bit of a different direction because I don't want to do the same thing over and over again.
xx
Sure. But the Harem Scarem records, they're actually a lot of fun to make now because there's really... it's not like there's a lot of pressure on us when we're making them. It's just pretty much Pete and I doing what we do and then the guys come in and do their stuff and we've kind of got it down as far as what we want to do and what we're going to do when we make a Harem Scarem record. It is just a matter of sitting down and writing the songs and actually taking the time to do it. It's just become 2nd nature and a real pleasure to do, so as long as people want us to do them, we'll do them because it's actually quite fun and easy these days.
So you pretty much see yourself sitting down once a year to do that? Yeah. I think so, yeah.
That's awesome. Unless people say stop.
Haha…I don't think you'll get that just yet. What about solo records? I wouldn't do what I did again in the sense that... trying to do something on my own. Like I said, like doing what I'm doing tonight just maybe collaborating with more musicians. It's a lot more fun and to get more feedback working with other people. I just would like to broaden my horizons rather than just repeat doing what I do and just kind of staying in my own little bubble and only going with what I know, so I kind of would be interested in kind of expanding my horizons a little bit more and working on different material.
xx
That's cool. You did that with the Once and Future King track, didn't you? Yeah. I actually just sang background on an Eric Martin track for his next record too.
Did you really? Yeah, which is awesome. Really, really cool.
I love Eric… He's a great, great singer.
Isn't he just. I've been a fan of his since like his debut solo album in the early '80s. Yeah, he's such a nice guy too. Real down to earth and he's just really, really cool; I like him a lot.
Fantastic. I look forward to hearing that. Anything else sort of in the pipeline? I've been doing a lot of mixing for bands around here. What else? That's really it. It's been pretty crazy since we came off the Weight of the World album. We did a little bit of a tour and then I came back and did the solo record, and right after the solo record started the Higher record and here we are now. So really, like the last 2 years it's been every day going non-stop, and lots of mixing projects in the middle and recording stuff here at the studio. There's lots of records being done in my place too when I'm not in here that have done really well. There's a band from Canada called Three Days Grace; it's a young band and they're doing real well. They've got a U.S. deal, and then there's another band called Billy Talent that was done here, which got a deal with Atlantic in America. So lots of great things have been happening. It's all been good. No complaints.
I looked up your site and saw the resume on there. It's quite an impressive resume there now, isn't it? Especially yourself. You've produced a lot of stuff, haven't you? Yeah.
I really enjoyed the Crush album. Oh, yeah. Me too. I think it's very cool. I've got to remember to send that out to some people because I don't think they ever got that record released beyond Canada.
They did a new record now, which is great as well. I'm a big fan of those guys. They're great.
Again, stuff that just should be all over the radio. Yep. Yep.
You've still got a lot of unreleased stuff. Do you think you might do an Archive Vol. 2? Yeah, you know what. It's possible. We do have a lot of stuff. I don't know specifically how many tracks and the quality of it. That would be something I'd have to sit down and check out and see if it's worth putting together.
How about a boxed set? Yeah. I never thought of that, actually.
Just get a FedEx package, stick all the tracks into it, send it to me and I'll put it together for you!!! That'd be awesome.
I'll save you the time <laughs>. Yeah, yeah.
I'll start bootlegging it, start sending them over the net without you even knowing about it. Yeah <laughs>. Sure. Why not.
$995 for the Harem Scarem CD. Yeah, I tell that story in every interview.
It's great stuff, isn't it? Yep.
If only I had a box full of that. Fuck. I know. Crazy.
Good stuff. The Early Years turned out well. Yeah, it did turn out pretty good. It's a funny little package. I love the pictures and stuff. It's hilarious. It's funny to see.
I actually got a copy of the Japanese… of the video you put out. It's out in Japan on DVD now. Oh, yeah.
Yeah, your first 6 or 7 videos. They put it out on DVD, eh? Was it Warner that did that?
Yeah. Absolutely. Wow.
There were about 8 clips on there, after the Believe or something like that. They didn't even tell us.
Didn't they? <laughs> No. I didn't know that.
I'll e-mail you the cover sleeve. Yeah, maybe they'll send me a copy one day.
Yeah, that would be nice wouldn't it? Yeah, very nice of them.
There's some big hair on there isn't there? Oh, yeah. I had the real rock hairdo.
Pete was guilty too. Actually, Pete just sent me... he's producing a band called, One Short. Do you keep up with what he's doing? Who? Pete?
Yeah. Oh, One Short. Who sent you that?
The guys in the band. Oh, cool.
Yeah, they did a couple of Harem... a couple of your songs, didn't they? They did. They did. A crazy version or two.
What do you think of that? You know. I thought it was pretty cool. They're a good little band. Real nice guys. They're really young. I think they're like 17 or 18 years old.
Is that right? Yeah. Real young guys and they're good, you know? I don't know how much luck they're having with it, getting it out there, but they're a good little band.
I'm going to feature them on the site and do whatever I can. Oh, cool.
Give them a bit of PR. I enjoy them. You can't substitute the originals though. <laughs>
Anything you'd like to add, Harry? I think we've covered it all… Yeah. No, that's cool. That's great. Great talking. Thanks and take care.
Thanks Pete for hooking up with me for this interview.
First up - when was the first time you considered bringing back the Harem Scarem name?
After we finished our deal with Warner we were checking out our options and both fans and labels we were talking to seemed interested in another HS record so we tried some stuff in that vein and decided that that is what we would do.
What kind of frustrations lead you to drop the name in the first place?
There was a stigma attached to the name in Canada and we thought the music had gone far enough from HS to warrant the name change.
In hindsight, were the Rubber albums good for you and Harry mentally?
Absolutely ... I still feel that the first Rubber record is some of the best work we have done.
And we were somewhat vindicated by having a top 40 hit in Canada with Sunshine.
Were they successful for commercially, in comparison to HS?
In Canada we had more luck with Rubber but it seemed to throw some of our Japanese and European fans for a loop.
Back to the point...haha...so you decided to bring Harem back and had it in mind to make a more melodic record - what exactly were your blueprints for this release?
The blueprint for any record is always the same for us. We just try to write the best songs we can.
Knowing what we were trying to accomplish we changed the production style, extended guitar solos, added more back up vocals and so on....It's all in the presentation, there's a couple of songs on WOTW that if they had been treated differently could have been on a Rubber record.
From listening to this record - it sounds very fresh and very now... when did you start writing for the album?
We started putting ideas together for the record in mid summer and finished mixing in early January.
And what was going through your minds when writing?
The same things as always, make sure the songs are good and worry about the rest later.
Haha! Are their any songs that were first started or written a few years ago on the record, or are they all vintage 2001?
A couple parts were still kicking around from previous writing sessions but most were brand spankin new.
What was the first song you wrote for Weight Of The World?
Outside Your Window. It was a finished instrumental song for my solo record and we had another look at it Changed some parts, Harry wrote some lyrics and there it was.
You guys have your own studio - how much of a Godsend is it having your own facilities to work out of?
It's amazing having our own studios really gives you the time and freedom to work on the songs and the production at your leisure.
What did you do differently sonically and in the studio to produce the sound of this record? It has a sound like no other HS record!!
A million things have changed in Technology since the last Scarem record and hope fully were just plain old getting better at making records.
I must ask especially about the rhythm section on this record. The bass is heavier and funkier than ever and the drum sound is simply ear shattering. How did you set that up when recording?
Barry and Creighton have are playing better together then ever and sonically.... ancient Chinese secret!
Ah ha...ok, did you at any stage worry about mixing a little of the Rubber sound in with the classic sound?
No.. once again we just worried about writing the best songs we could and since we have been doing the Rubber thing for the last couple years it came out a bit on this record.
Did it work as far as your ears are concerned?
Yes!
Have you seen the responses and the reviews (I gave it 100%!!) - But the fans seem to have agreed with me, I have not heard such a positive response from an album in ages!!!
Well hopefully that means we did something right, were totally excited about this record and it makes it that much better if our fans agree!!!
Favourite songs on the album?
WOTW, Killing Me, All I Want.
What tunes might be included in the 2002 HS live set?
Most of them.
Speaking of which - when are you planning to play - both Europe and Canada?
Hoping to make it to Europe in early summer. As far as Canada goes that remains to be seen.
You and Harry have a unique writing style, you seem to be able to make a melody out of nothing and out of everything. How do the two of you write together?
It varies. Songs can start from a number of different places, a riff a melody sometimes even a lyric. We work on stuff separately, bring the best of what we have come up with to the table and start slamming ideas together.
How does it vary to write on your own, in a solo context?
Harry and I are both working on solo records. I think the biggest difference is not having the other there to say that's shit or that's great so it puts a little more responsibility on yourself to make sure it's good..
Any idea how many more Compilation albums might we expect from Warner Japan? LOL!!
Stop it your scaring me!!!!
I heard you are also producing a few artists - who are you working with, so we can go out and buy their records?!!
Harry just finished mixing a band called Great Big Sea and I'm working with a young power pop band called One Short.
After two critical and fan acclaimed albums, First Signal are returning with a new studio album, "Line Of Fire". First single, "Tonight We Are The Only" has been released today with an accompanying video.
First Signal is the musical union between Harem Scarem band vocalist Harry Hess and Swedish drummer/producer Daniel Flores. Of their third collaboration together, Hess says, "once again it was a pure pleasure to be working on these songs. Daniel made it easy on me...just concentrating on being the singer is a luxury that I enjoyed immensely." Flores adds, "as a huge fan of Harem Scarem, I'm still asking people to pinch me to see if I'm still awake. Harry and his band made some of the most classic AOR and rock records ever, so I feel a responsibility to give the fans as close as possible to the quality that Harry continuously delivers with either his own solo work and Harem Scarem. Something the audience has certainly come to expect by now. I think the fans will love this one.”
Of the song songs on the record, Hess tells "there were three songs that I recommended to be included on the record. The first was “Born To Be A Rebel," which was a co-write that I did with Stan Meissner way back in 1989 and the other two were Stan Meissner songs “Walk Through The Fire” and “Never Look Back”. I have always loved these two songs and thought they were perfect for this project. Between Serafino (Perugino, President of Frontiers), Daniel, and myself we chose the rest of the songs from many great writers, whose songwriting fit perfectly in the First Signal vision." Flores says, "once again Harry and I worked closely with Serafino to find the perfect songs. It took about four months to find these gems. The writers are from all over the world and they all gave us their best songs. Harry's legacy had everyone, let's say, working at their best.”
Flores concludes, "there is more depth and structure now. The feel was right on the last record, but we hadn't found our groove yet. On this one Harry sings, in my opinion, like he has never done before. The audience will be surprised and delighted with his range and charisma here. The overall sound is heavier, but at the same time more melodic and more organic. I'm for sure really proud of the outcome.”
First Signal was first brought to life in 2010 when Frontiers President Serafino Perugino presented Harem Scarem singer Harry Hess with some melodic rock songs he thought would be a perfect fit for Harry to put his inimitable vocals on. The tunes specifically harkened back to the magic of the Harem Scarem sound, who at the time were on a hiatus. The project's self-titled debut was greeted with excellent reviews and enthusiasm from the melodic rock crowd, planting the seed for this to be more than a one-off.
Harem Scarem started up again after the release of the First Signal debut, but Harry was still wanting to go back and sing some excellent melodic rock songs that he had from various songwriters under the First Signal banner. The idea of a second First Signal album started to become realized and with the help of Swedish producer Daniel Flores (FIND ME, THE MURDER OF MY SWEET, etc.), the second record, "One Step Over The Line" started to take shape. Once again, the album was greeted with enthusiastic responses and acclaim from the fans and press alike upon release. So, it was a no-brainer to decide to release a new record and once again Daniel Flores teamed up with Michael Palace (guitars) and Johan Niemann (bass) and provided the basic tracks which Harry Hess and Darren Smith (background vocals) completed in their studio in Canada.
First Signal's third album “Line Of Fire” is once again a total delight for AOR and melodic rock fans and a contender for AOR album of the year! And be sure to follow First Signal on the newly launched Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/firstsignalband/
On March 22, 2019, Harem Scarem band will release "The Ultimate Collection Box Set” a 14CD limited edition deluxe box set and four titles (“Weight of the World,” “Higher”, “Thirteen”, “United”) on limited edition color vinyl.
Given the "hard to find" nature of many titles in Harem Scarem's catalog, the band, in cooperation with Frontiers, has decided to make their catalogue available in an exclusive, limited edition box set. The result is a mammoth box set inclusive of 13 studio albums encompassing the entire Harem Scarem discography, including the original Warner albums (not available on digital!), plus a gargantuan amount of rare, unreleased, and bonus tracks which comprise a full bonus disc (only available on the box set), in addition to original bonus tracks added to individual albums. The 14 CDs will be packaged in vinyl replica slipcases housed inside a collector's box.
On top of this, Frontiers and the band decided to add a very special one time limited run of colored vinyl for the signature Frontiers' catalogue releases “Weight of the World,” “Higher”, “Thirteen”, and the band’s last studio album, “United”. These vinyl runs are EXTREMELY LIMITED. For example, ONLY 150 TOTAL will be available in North America, so act fast to secure one.
The full set will also be available digitally as well.
Tracklistings:
CD 1 Harem Scarem
1. Hard To Love
2. Distant Memory
3. With A Little Love
4. Honestly
5. Love Reaction
6. Slowly Slipping Away
7. All Over Again
8. Don't Give Your Heart Away
9. How Long
10. Something To Say
Bonus tracks:
11. Hard To Love (Acoustic)
12. How Long (Acoustic)
13. Honestly (Acoustic)
14. Slowly Slipping Away (Acoustic)
CD 2 Mood Swings
1. Saviors Never Cry
2. No Justice
3. Stranger Than Love
4. Changes Come Around
5. Jealousy
6. Sentimental Blvd
7. Mandy
8. Empty Promises
9. If There Was A Time
10. Just Like I Planned
11. Had Enough
Bonus tracks:
12. Change Comes Around (acoustic)
13. No Justice (Crazy Pants Remix)
14. If There Was A Time (acoustic)
15. Jealousy (acoustic)
16. Just Like I Planned (Acoustic)
17. Stranger Than Love (acoustic)
CD 3 Voice Of Reason
1. Voice Of Reason
2. Blue
3. Warming A Frozen Rose
4. Let It Go
5. And That's All
6. Breathing Sand
7. Candle
8. The Paint Thins
9. I'll Be Brief
10. Untouched
11. Necessary Evil
Bonus track:
12. Candle (Acoustic)
CD 4 Believe / Karma Cleansing
1. Believe
2. Die Off Hard
3. Hail, Hail
4. Staying Away
5. Baby With A Nail Gun
6. Morning Grey
7. Victim Of Fate
8. Rain
9. I Won't Be There
10. Karma Cleansing
11. Cages
12. The Mirror
13. Rain (Acoustic)
CD 5 Big Bang Theory
1. So Blind
2. Climb The Gate
3. Reload
4. Tables Turning
5. Turn Around
6. Seas Of Dissension
7. Sometimes I Wish
8. Never Have It All
9. Lying
10. Without You
11. Wasted Time
12. New Religion
13. What I Do
14. In My State Of Mind
15. So Blind (Acoustic)
CD 6 Weight Of The World
1. Weight Of The World
2. Killing Me
3. Outside Your Window
4. All I Want Is Everything
5. This Ain't Over
6. Internude
7. You Ruined Everything
8. Charmed Life
9. If You
10. See Saw
11. Voice Inside
12. End Of Time
CD 7 Higher
1. Reach
2. Waited
3. Torn Right Out
4. Give It To You
5. Higher
6. Run And Hide
7. Lucky Ones
8. Lies
9. Gone
10. Lost
11. Wishing
12. Higher (Acoustic)
CD 8 Overload
1. Dagger
2. Afterglow
3. Rise & Fall
4. Don't Come Easy
5. Can't Live With You
6. Forgive & Forget
7. All You're Getting
8. Leading Me On
9. Understand You
10. Same Mistakes
CD 9 Human Nature
1. Human Nature
2. Next Time Around
3. Caught Up In Your World
4. Reality
5. Hanging On
6. Don't Throw It Away
7. Give Love/Get Love
8. 21
9. Starlight
10. Going Under
11. Tomorrow May Be Gone
12. Human Nature (Acoustic)
13. Caught Up In Your World (Acoustic)
CD 10 Hope
1. Watch Your Back
2. Time Bomb
3. Hope
4. Days Are Numbered
5. Dark Times
6. Beyond Repair
7. Never Too Late
8. Shooting Star
9. Calm Before The Storm
10. Nothing Without You
CD 11 Thirteen
1. Garden Of Eden
2. Live It
3. Early Warning Signs
4. The Midnight Hours
5. Whatever It Takes
6. Saints And Sinners
7. All I Need
8. Troubled Times
9. Never Say Never
10. Stardust
11. Garden Of Eden (Acoustic)
12. The Midnight Hours (Acoustic)
CD 12 United
1. United
2. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
3. Gravity
4. Sinking Ship
5. One Of Life’s Mysteries
6. No Regrets
7. Bite The Bullet
8. Things I Know
9. Heaven And Earth
10. Indestructible
11. Here Today Gone Tomorrow (Acoustic)
12. Sky Is Falling (Acoustic)
CD 13 The Early Years
1.Whatever I Want
2. When The Morning Comes
3. Say Goodbye
4. Looking Back
5. All Over Again
6. Honestly
7. Lovin’ Like 90
8. One Step At A Time
9. Staying Away
10. Last Time
11. One Of The Wounded
12. Right Time
13. You’re The One
14. Out Of Love
15. Lost In Yesterday
16. I Can Hear Them Now
CD 14 Bonus Tracks (Only available on the box set)
A wonderful year for music. One of the best. Pretty easy to pick my favourites and even though I haven’t had time to review a good many of these, they have all been in high rotation over the last 12 months. And yes, I will still run through some Reviews In Brief and add as many of these titles to the site. Past my Top 10, the rest were all very hard to put in order – some outstanding titles here, with quality music for all tastes released in 2017.
If you haven’t heard some of these titles, don’t waste another minute, check them out!
01. Harem Scarem – United
02. Eclipse – Monumentum
03. One Desire – One Desire
04. H.E.A.T – Into The Great Unknown
05. Threshold – Legend Of The Shires
06. Night Ranger – Don’t Let Up
07. Heaven & Earth – Hard To Kill
08. Degreed – Degreed
09. [TIE] Mr. Big – Defying Gravity
Tokyo Motor Fist - Tokyo Motor Fist
Kryptonite - Kryptonite
10. Sons Of Apollo – Psychotic Symphony
11. Wayward Sons – Ghosts Of Yet To Come
12. Black Country Communion – BCCIV
13. Night Flight Orchestra – Amber Galactic
14. Brother Firetribe – Sunbound
15. Jorn – Life On Death Road
16. All 4 1 – All 4 1
17. Art Nation – Liberation
18. Code Red – Incendiary
19. Houston – III
20. Riverdogs – California
21. Styx – The Mission
22. Inglorious – II
23. Wildness – Wildness
24. Lionville – World Of Fools
25. [TIE] Newman – Arial
Pick Cream 69 - Headstrong
26. Jeff Scott Soto – Retribution
27. Pride Of Lions – Fearless
28. Ten – Gothica
29. Revolution Saints – Light In The Dark
30. Tony Mills – Streets Of Chance
31. ColdSpell – A New World Arise
32. Midnite City – Midnite City
33. Cheap Trick – We’re All Alright
34. Crazy Lixx – Ruff Justice
35. The Radio Sun – Unstoppable
36. Santa Cruz – Bad Blood Rising
37. Dirty White Boy – Down And Dirty
38. Deep Purple – Infinite
39. Steve Walsh – Black Butterfly
40. Thunder – Rip It Up
41. Kee Of Hearts – Kee Of Hearts
42. Unruly Child – Can’t Go Home
43. Eden’s Curse – Eden’s Curse Revisited
44. Tales From The Porn – H.M.M.V
45. Jim Jidhed – Push On Through
46. Raintimes – Raintimes
47. Age Of Reflection – In The Heat Of The Night
48. Phantom 5 – Play To Win
49. Martina Edoff – We Will Align
50. Bonfire – Byte The Bullet
Song Of The Year
Threshold – Small Dark Lines
Harem Scarem – Here Today Gone Tomorrow
One Desire – Turn Back Time
H.E.A.T – Redefined
Revolution Saints – I Wouldn’t Change A Thing
Harem Scarem – Heaven And Earth
Eclipse – Vertigo
Eclipse – Never Look Back
H.E.A.T – Into The Great Unknown
Threshold – Stars & Satellites
Heaven & Earth – Hard To Kill
Heaven & Earth – The Game Has Changed
One Desire – Hurt
Sons Of Apollo – Coming Home
Sons Of Apollo – Signs Of The Times
Night Ranger – Somehow Someway
Night Ranger – Say What You Want
Mr. Big – Mean To Me
Mr. Big – Defying Gravity
Night Flight Orchestra – Jennie
Night Flight Orchestra – Something Mysterious
Unruly Child – The Only One
Pride Of Lions – All I See Is You
Riverdogs - The Revolution Starts Tonight
MelodicRock Records 2017 Releases
A special mention for the MRR releases of 2017. I would personally rank them all in the Top 50, but in an attempt to remain unbiased, I’ve left them out. But I am really proud of what the label has managed to achieve this year, it’s been MRR’s biggest year for number of releases, plus for sales in total and for individual titles setting sales records.
So what this means – I’ll have to make 2018 even bigger and better and so far it’s looking just that way! Stay tuned for news soon!
A huge HUGE thanks to the artists for believing in MRR and making this small label your home.
Another big thanks to all the journos, media outlets and magazines that featured MRR releases during the year.
And finally a big BIG thank you to all the stores and distribution outlets that also supported MRR and did such a great job getting these out there to fans.
To every single person that bought one or all of the releases this year – you guys ROCK!
Johnny Lima – Johnny Lima / Made In California (Reissues w/Bonus Tracks)
Shotgun Symphony – The Last Symphony (Reissues w/Unreleased)
Don Barnes – Ride The Storm (Previously Unreleased)
Arti Tisi Trilogy – New York City, Back Again & The Reeperbahn (All Previously Unreleased)
Jimmy Davis & Junction – Kick The Wall (Deluxe Edition)(Reissue w/Bonus Live Disc)
Jimmy Davis & Junction – Going The Distance (Previously Unreleased)
Rian – Out Of The Darkness (Debut Album)
Jan Akesson's Shadow Rain – Ascension (Debut Solo Album)
Scherer / Batten – Battlezone (Featuring Songs by Jim Peterik)
Cornerstone released a new video: one of the titles of their latest album REFLECTIONS, "Nothing To Lose", has been visually upgraded. Actually, the video was taken for an Austrian TV-show called "Mulatschag", but the feedback was so good, that the band decided to use it for Promotion-purposes. While there are still single concerts on the schedule till the end of this year, the planning for the tour through Europe in 2018 has already started. Some dates are already fixed. Stay tuned! www.cornerstone.co.at
I’ve always maintained that the writing partnership of Harry Hess/Pete Lesperance was the Lennon/McCartney of the melodic rock world and this, Harem Scarem’s 14th studio album, is not only further proof of that belief, it also proves that a long partnership can remain fresh, vibrant and exciting.
United is simply brilliant – a joyous celebration of the classic definition of melodic rock. Harem Scarem have never disappointed me. But I still have my favourite albums and I’m happy to add this one right near the top.
It’s just one glorious hook and chorus after another, but that isn’t the only thing that makes this album so extraordinary. It’s the intelligent musical bed that drives the songs and the contrast of unexpected twists and a quite varied palette of styles that all end up in the same place – melodic rock bliss.
The best aspect of this album is the diversity of the ways the anthemic choruses are delivered. Every song is different, yet every one is memorable.
And I love how the darker tone to many of these songs is seemingly cast aside for the many harmony drenched feel good choruses. It’s a contrast that’s almost impossible to pull off with such regularity.
Pete Lesperance shines with some of his finest riffing and soloing in years, Harry Hess is absolutely all over this record with what seems like a choir of harmony vocals and some really powerful leads.
United is essentially a 45 minute Harem Scarem history lesson. Fans will hear parts of Mood Swings, Weight Of The World, Voice Of Reason, Higher, Thirteen and Hope all in play.
There’s no track that doesn’t stand out on its own, but my personal favourites are the infectious Here Today, Gone Tomorrow; the fast stomping No Regrets; the moody modern rock brilliance of Bite The Bullet; the feel good stadium anthem Things I Know; another harmony drenched, lyrically brilliant The Sky Is Falling and the freeking fantastic bluesy-come-AOR anthem Indestructible.
Did I mention the great opening track and one of the band’s best ever ballads in One Of Life’s Mysteries? How about the hands-in-the-air Sinking Ship and the groove driven Gravity? Did I leave anything out?
How about the brilliant production and mix – among the best the band has delivered?
Jeff Scott Soto appears on backing vocals for Here Today, Gone Tomorrow and even more prominently, to great effect, on Bite The Bullet.
Why haven’t you purchased this already? What a wonderful, joyous, powerful statement from a band that just keeps delivering time and time again. Essential and perfect.
After a three-months rest, Cornerstone are back with their second single from the longplayer "Reflections": the song "Northern Light" was released on 03/31 and was mixed and mastered, like the whole album, by Harry Hess (SIMPLE PLAN, MUSE, BILLY TALENT) in Canada. The video for the song, which has been shooted the same time like the first single "Last Night", was produced by the well-proven filmteam THE COCKPIT and director Christian Enzmueller. "Northern Light" is already available as download on iTunes and in all other online-shops.
Frontiers Music Srl is excited to announce the release of HAREM SCAREM's highly anticipated 14th studio album, “United” on May 12.
The new recording offers up 11 tracks of trademark Harem Scarem music from Harry Hess (lead vocals, keyboards), Pete Lesperance (guitars, bass, keyboards), long-time drummer Creighton Doane, and backing vocals from original sticksman Darren Smith (who will be playing live drums for the band on tour dates). The band is back and stronger than ever!
Frontman Harry Hess says: "This year will mark the 30th year of Harem Scarem and I can tell you that we are just as excited about writing and recording today as we were then. The brand new " United " album is one of the best collection of songs we have ever put on one release and I can't wait for everyone to hear it!"
Harem Scarem make it clear they still have something to say right from the start with the title track, "United", a chunky slice of guitar-driven melodic rock nirvana that kicks off their strongest studio outing since the early 00’s. From there, the album lifts off with well-crafted songs featuring big choruses with simple and addictive hook-laden earworms. Each track carries a power-rock-packed punch, swaggering riffs, and hooks to die for. Hess and Lesperance without a doubt show the world that their partnership still works, that they indeed are still "United".
With sales well over a million records in 43 countries and 12 top 40 hits around the globe, 2017 will see Harem Scarem return and ready to dominate while touring the world in support of their 14th studio album, “United“!
“United” tracklisting includes:
1. United
2. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
3. Gravity
4. Sinking Ship
5. One Of Life’s Mysteries
6. No Regrets
7. Bite The Bullet
8. Things I Know
9. The Sky Is Falling
10. Heaven And Earth
11. Indestructible
HAREM SCAREM:
Harry Hess - lead vocals, guitar
Pete Lesperance - lead guitar
Stan Miczek - bass guitar
Creighton Doane - drums
Darren Smith - background vocals, live drummer
TOUR DATES (More to be announced soon)
- 30 September – The Music Hall, Oshawa, Canada
- 6 October – Norma Jeans, London, Canada
- 14 October – The Brass Moneky, Ottawa, Canada
- 20-22 October – Trent University, Nottingham (Rockingham Festival), UK
Harry Hess returns with a sequel to 2010’s First Signal debut. The lead role of Mr. Hess is about all that is in common from the debut to this album.
Normally I’d jump in and complain that if you are using a project name, you should stick to the original personnel of that project, as swapping musicians/producers/writers generally leads to a completely different sounding album (Sunstorm and Allen/Lande for example).
But in this case, I’ll let it pass as the results speak for themselves.
Daniel Flores (Find Me, Murder Of My Sweet) and his new buddy Michael Palace are the duo behind all the music, whilst the songs are provided by an array of the current artists within the Frontiers stable.
Flores produces and delivers results that sonically improve on that of the debut – even if the style is a little different. The Dennis Ward moody AOR debut is trumped by this bubbly, more keyboard driven 80s sounding affair with at times a more aggressive edge, but overall an improved sound that isn’t far from the AOR of the two Find Me releases.
Harry is of course in fine voice over 11 tracks that hold a pretty consistent sound and quality. At times the keyboards are a little “too 80s”, but there is no doubt that this is a very fine release.
Highlights include the punchy She’s Getting Away; the sentimental ballads Still Pretending and Weigh Me In; the early Harem sounding One Step Over The Line and Love Gets Through; the angst of Broken and the moodiness of Kharma.
Hess, Harem and fans of the First Signal debut shouldn’t give owning this a second thought. Why haven’t you got it already? Essential for anyone who appreciate fine vocals and some catchy traditional melodic rock.
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