PERFECT VIEW - review added 17th December 2010
Album Review: Hold Your Dreams (2010)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and a few little proggy hints
Italian band Perfect View - Massimilliano Ordine on vocals, Pier Mazzini on keyboards, Cristian Guerzoni on bass, Luca Ferraresi on drums, and Francesco Cataldo on guitars - started in early 2008 when Luca, Francesco and Massimiliano got together. All big rock/AOR fans, they were looking at creating a band in the vein of Whitesnake, Dokken, Winger, Journey, TNT and so on.
"Hold Your Dreams", engineered and mixed by Roberto Priori, is the first output from the band and has been a couple of years in the making, allowing for recording, production and negotiation of release contracts. You know what? Large chunks of it make the LP very much worth the wait.
The sound is a big and dramatic take on keyboard-led hard rock, with occasional dalliances down the guitar-led metal road.
Good:
The overall vibe of the album is excellent. There's a warm cohesive feel to the music, and although I can't put my finger on the reasons...this definitely sounds like a real band, not just a project. Singer Massimilliano has an interesting voice, and he hits some amazing notes on occasions. The musicianship is all utterly impressive, and there are a few gem-like songs hidden away on the album.
Not So Good:
Only a few of the songs really hit the mark. Saying that, there's certainly nothing that gets anywhere near bad on "Hold Your Dreams".
The Songs:
Most of the album is good and very enjoyable, but opening track 'A Better Place', the epic 'A Reason To Fight', the cool chorus of 'I Need Your Love', the pounding 'Showtime', the groovy 'Speed Demon', and the slow 'n' steady final track 'Where's The Love' are a cut above.
In Summation:
"Hold Your Dreams" is a really, really pleasant release from a great new band. They definitely need some bigger songs, but this is more than a fine starting point.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall:
Check out... All of it.
Track List:
01. A Better Place
02. Closer
03. One More Time
04. Believe
05. A Reason To Fight
06. I Need Your Love
07. Run
08. Don't Turn Away
09. Hold Your Dreams
10. Showtime
11. Speed Demon
12. Where's The Love
Label: Avenue Of Allies
Artist's website(s): Perfect View | MySpace
