There is no doubt that JSS is a highly regarded melodic hard rock singer, given he has more than 60 albums under his belt with different bands and collaborations, and he can often be found on the road with the likes of TSO, Sons of Apollo and others. This is his eighth studio album, and as with his last release he is joined by Fabrizio Sgattoni (guitars), Alessandro Del Vecchio (bass, keyboards, backing vocals) and drummer Edu Cominato. I have always admired his vocals, but must admit that I generally prefer his work with Talisman than I do his solo work, just because he seems to operate so much better when he is in a full band environment.
That is again the case here, as while he is a great singer, the songs do not always quite live up to expectations, and there are a few fillers here and there. But when he gets it right, then he is absolutely on fire and shows why the likes of Axel Rudi Pell, Yngwie Malmsteen and even Journey have been knocking on his door in the past. It is when the music is rocking and at pace that he shows what he can really do, and opener “Last To Know” is a classic melodic rock belter every day of the week. If the album had been like this throughout then we would be rating this as one of his best ever, but while “Until I See You Again” is a power ballad which allows him to really show off his ability, it just does not do anything for me and is a drag just when the album is starting to get going. When it is good it is great, but there are too many times when it is lacking in spirit and direction and the result is an album which will appeal to many of his fans while never being truly exceptional.
Rating: 7/10
