HARTMANN – Hands On The Wheel (2018)

The new HARTMANN album “Hands On The Wheel” will be released May 18 via Pride & Joy, and if you have been following this talented German career, expect the unexpected. This is not the Oliver Hartmann of the last two albums. “Hands On The Wheel”, his seventh album, finds Hartmann in a different, yet familiar musical space.
While the last to albums were mild AOR melodic rock, this one finds Hartmann kicking out the jams with harder melodic rock.

With the opening song ‘Don’t Want Back Down’, which has a sweet start, we have the trademark Hartmann suave melodies, but at two minutes in, the song erupts into a strong and darn right catchy melodic hard rocker. Whoa. Change can be good.
Next, ‘Your Best Escapes’ pumps up the pace, offers sharp riffs, and grooves along. ‘Cold As Stone’ turns on stronger rock, yet with a fine melody and sweet vocal harmony.

‘Later The Harder They Come’ has nearly a metal feeling with more brisk riffage and big booming drums. Yet, about the two-third mark, a milder guitar breakdown arrives wrapped in classic synths. Near the end, there’s ‘Lost In Translation’ and ‘The Sky Is Falling’, both sort of slow and numbers, midtempo tunes.
An acoustic ballad arrives with ‘Soulmates’, mostly Hartmann’s voice joined to acoustic guitar. Yet, later in the tune, the song rises to a stirring guitar solo.

And not, I hadn’t forgotten ‘Simple Man’, a highlight, which features Mr. Big’s Eric Martin on lead vocals. The song turns upon a Celtic theme in the guitars, violin, and lute for a sweet texture, while still rocking out.
You just might want to buy the album for this song alonw. It’s that good, original.

With “Hands On The Wheel”, Oliver Hartmann has thrown us a musical curve ball with his move towards more edgy melodic rock. But it’s also not something he’s unfamiliar with considering his musical history. The album rocks. Get it.
Highly Recommended

01 – Don’t Want Back Down
02 – Your Best Excuse
03 – Cold as Stone
04 – Simple Man (feat. Eric Martin)
05 – Last Plane Out
06 – Soulmates
07 – The Harder They Come
08 – Dream World
09 – I Remember
10 – Lost in Translation
11 – The Sky Is Falling
12 – Heart of Gold

Oliver Hartmann (vocals, guitar)
Mario Reck (guitar)
Armin Donderer (bass)
Markus Kullmann (drums)
Jimmy Kresic (keyboards)

BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Hands-Wheel-Hartmann/dp/B07BN7PG86
prideandjoy.de/shop/en/home/108-hartmann-hands-on-the-wheel-digi-pak.html
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