Toby Hitchcock – Reckoning
www.frontiers.it

Rating: A

Toby Hitchcock emerged from the AOR scene in 2003, as the frontman of Pride Of Lions, a project mentored by renowned Jim Peterik. Eight years later, he embarked on a solo career with "Mercury's Down", a nifty album that featured a heavier and more aggressive sound, different from the one practiced in Peterik's band. Now, after an eight-year hiatus, Hitchcock returns with "Reckoning," an effort that shows his vocals on the stuff a lot of people would like to hear: that contemporary AOR / Melodic Rock that infests the market. Accompanied by the duo Daniel Flores and Michael Palace (the new "do-it-all" of Frontiers Records), Hitchcock may have found the perfect musical format for his voice.

As expected on an AOR / Melodic Rock album, guitars and keyboards appear in abundance and sometimes comes way too close on exaggeration, just as in the introduction and among the verses of "No Surrender", but resurface to the exact extent in "Promise Me", in the ballad "Show Me How To Live " and in the great "Behind Enemy Lines ".

"Fighting For My Life" is another rocker with more balanced melody, as in the excellent "Serenity" and the catchy "Gift Of Flight", but way too many keyboards on "Queen Untouchable" almost spoil a very nice song.

The great "Do Not Leave" is another good example of balance, as well as "Someone Like You" (a killer chorus !!!). And when that predictable acoustic bonus track from the Japanese editions comes, the surprise is that "Show Me How To Live" sounds much better in that format, stripped of the elements that give it a disposable “greatness” ,so to speak. In addition, Hitchcock's vocals can be better appreciated.

So, my friends, "Reckoning" can be presented as the musical antithesis of Hitchcock’s previous work. While "Mercury's Down" packed more attitude and edge, the new album favors the melodies with more radio friendly songs.  Personally, I would like to hear Hitchcock on an album with the melodic orientation of his new album, but punctuated by the aggressiveness of the first. In any case, Toby Hitchcock confirms his high quality as a vocalist and also shows that Pride Of Lions is too small for his talent. I'm hoping for his solo career to consolidate as quickly as possible ...

Tracklist
01 No Surrender
02 Promise Me
03 Show Me How To Live
04 Behind The Lies
05 Fighting For My Life
06 Serenitiy
07 Queen Untouchable
08 Gift Of Flight
09 Don't Leave
10 This Is Our World
11 Someone Like You
12 Show Me How To Live (Acoustic)

By Juliano Mallon