Music Discovery Monday – 7/10/17

MUSIC DISCOVERY MONDAY – 7/10/17

Music Discovery Monday shines a light on artists that are not getting the radio attention that they deserve, while also showcasing new singles by established bands that are likely to get airplay in the future.

In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlist below, all songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be listened to individually by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles above each review.
 

 

 

ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher/Editor, Hard Rock Daddy)

MASON HILL – “Now You See Me”

Mason Hill’s origin began when two teenage high school friends had success in the Scottish section of a European battle of the bands competition (beating out 12,000 other bands).  If you are a talented European band with any classic rock connection, you are likely to end up on the radar of Italian record label, Frontiers Music Srl.  Though the label is mostly known for new music from a number of legacy artists, they routinely find great bands like Mason Hill.

The band went through a number of lineup changes before settling on the current one.  The process clearly worked, because these young Glasgow rockers already have a sound that goes well beyond their years.  They’ve been described as “Alter Bridge meets Black Stone Cherry meets Foo Fighters.”  Although the band prefers to simply be thought of as Mason Hill, comparisons to other outstanding bands are a compliment.  Their music has been described as a “mix of classic and modern rock.”  Personally speaking, I’d describe it more as “timeless” or “modern day classic rock.”  Although they prefer to stand on their own, to pique your interest, I’m going to compare the band to some true legends…

While Mason Hill’s sound is shaped by a variety of influences, Scott Taylor’s vocals conjure up memories of Chris Cornell, and to a lesser degree, Robert Plant.  For brief moments during “Now You See Me,” you’d swear that Cornell was providing guest vocals, and tapping into the sound that he created with “Outshined.”  If Mason Hill captures the attention of the masses, it’s unlikely that they will be “outshined” by many up-and-coming rock artists.
 

 
KEE OF HEARTS – “A New Dimension”

Not surprisingly, Kee Of Hearts (featuring former Europe guitarist Kee Marcello) is another Frontiers Music Srl release.  The band’s self-titled debut is dropping in September.  Under the direction of producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, Kee Of Hearts is another melodic AOR project that takes you on a journey back in time.  With big hooks and passionate vocals courtesy of Tommy Heart (Fair Warning), Kee Of Hearts straddles the fence between German melodic hard rock and AOR bands like Journey and Styx.  If you’re a fan of the classic arena rock sound, make sure to check out the band’s single, “A New Dimension.”
 

 

 

ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES – “Living For Life”

Suicidal Tendencies, the iconic thrash/hardcore metal band from Califronia, recently released a new video for their latest album, World Gone Mad.  With Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer) on the drums, and Mike Muir on vocals moving in his trademark psychotic dance, this latest installment of the Suicidal brand will make you dig through your closet for your old skateboard.  I first got into this band when I was a teen, and it totally transformed me into a skater punk.  Watching this video brings me back to that time period.  Kudos to Suicidal Tendencies for bringing me back to some of the best years of my life.

 

DEMON HUNTER – “Cold Winter Sun”

Since I don’t know too many Christian bands, I normally don’t pay much attention to them, but the single “Cold Winter Sun” (from Demon Hunter’s eighth studio album – Outlive) is one great tune.  The song is heavy, with some great double-bass drumming, a memorable guitar riff, tasty guitar solos, growling verse vocals and a catchy melodic chorus.  The rest of the album is no slouch either.  At the end of the day, I suppose religious affiliation may or may not matter to most fans in the metal genre.  I, for one, am impressed with their latest release.
 

 

 

ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout

RIVERDOGS – “Welcome To The New Disaster”

In 1989, the Riverdogs brought together vocalist Rob LaMothe and guitarist Vivian Campbell (Dio, Def Leppard).  Their self-titled debut the following year was a hit with fans and critics, but their later albums went largely unnoticed.  That’s a shame, because they continued to put out quality material.  They return in 2017 after a long absence, with more of the melodic rock with a bluesy edge that they do so well.

 

EXCALION – “Divergent Falling”

Excalion is a Finnish metal band that put out three solid albums between 2005 and 2010.  Now, after a seven-year absence, they return with Dream Alive.  They’ve had some lineup changes, but are back to form with their brand of hard-driving melodic metal.

 

SUBMISSIONS

To be considered for Music Discovery Monday, please e-mail a link to the song being submitted on YouTube and an artist bio to – submissions@MusicDiscoveryMonday.com