The last time I reviewed a Revolution Saints album, the Frontiers curated supergroup had an almost completely different lineup. The bassist/backing singer position held by Night Ranger frontman Jack Blades has now been filled by former Dokken bassist/backing singer, Jeff Pilson. Meanwhile, guitarist Doug Aldrich has since been replaced by Joel Hoekstra; in other words, one Whitesnake guitarist for another! Journey drummer/singer Deen Castronovo remains from Revolution Saints Mk. 1, as does keyboardist/songwriter Alessandro Del Vecchio, who all together shine on the band’s fifth outing, Against the Winds.
Apparently, this is the second album from Revolution Saints Mk. 2. I’m not sure how last year’s Eagle Flight skipped my radar, but I’m going to have to give it a listen because I forgot how much I enjoyed the west coast Journey-centric AOR sound when done right. With all due respect to Castronovo’s main outfit and boss (Sit down for an interview with us sometime, won’t ya Neal?!), the last Journey album left me…unfulfilled. It wasn’t awful by any means, but it also didn’t hit me with the same firepower and passion as those classic ’80s outings we all know and love. Against the Winds does.
The majority of Against the Winds straddles the line between energetic, unrelenting, ’80s movie training montage heavy AOR characteristic of Hardline’s debut (which came out in the ’90s, I know) and melodramatic outbursts of AOR pomp, the latter of which might be trying to channel Whitesnake ’87? Yes, there are your obligatory wine mom friendly slabs of pedestrian adult contemporary as well (the title track, “Chaning My Mind”, “Divine Winds”). Yet Revolution Saints manages to make even this tried and true formula fresh and exciting, or at least as fresh and exciting as possible given the state of AOR in 2024.
The musical highlights of this album are Castronovo’s freakishly Steve Perry-esque vocals, Del Vecchio’s nostalgic synths, and Hoekstra’s blistering guitars, the latter of which shines brightest on the aforementioned heavy songs. Cuts like “Fall on My Knees”, “Will I See You Again”, and “Save All That Remains” are the type of high octane melodic rockers that make you want to tear up the highway in your ’86 Camaro on a hot summer night. Because let’s be honest here folks: ’86 Camaros will always be cooler than whatever electric powered vehicle the dorks in Silicon Valley are currently trying to pedal and cocaine fueled guitar solos (or at least solos that SOUND like a guitar on cocaine) will always be cooler than whatever AI generated dreck is polluting the airwaves as we speak.
Revolution Saints aren’t necessarily sparking a musical revolution. In fact, like one of the songs on here says, one can say this music as all “Been Said and Done”. In the same breath, these veterans still believe in it and it shows. This is not the sound of a band/project/whatever you wanna call it going through the motions for a quick paycheck. This is a melodic rock celebration. We should be so lucky to have received an invitation to the party, and with Castronovo as the master of ceremonies, you can’t lose!
7 out of 10
Label: Frontiers Records
Genre: AOR
For fans of: Journey, Hardline, Survivor