Best Melodic Hard Rock 2017, #1 : TOKYO MOTOR FIST – Tokyo Motor Fist [Japan Edition +1] (2017)

Chosen by 0dayrox as the best 2017 Melodic Hard Rock release, this was our appreciation of TOKYO MOTOR FIST’s self-titled debut.

End of the year / beginning of 2018, it’s time to recap about the best 2017 releases, by category.
Awful band name for this new project, but boy, packed inside you find some of the most joyous uptempo Melodic Hard Rock songs of 2017 from Steve Brown and Ted Poley that fuse the best elements of their parent bands Trixter and Danger Danger.

TOKYO MOTOR FIST is the new exciting melodic hard rock project formed by guitarist / producer Steve Brown of Trixter and Danger Danger’s singer Ted Poley, and their self-titled debut will rank among the ‘Best Of the Year’ for sure. This Japanese Edition includes a bonus track.

Ted and Steve have been friends for a long time. They were playing the same club circuit with their respective bands, Danger Danger and Trixter, when both bands were starting their careers. Over the years, they kept a great personal relationship and the idea of doing a record together has been in the cards for many years.
Now, this concept has become a reality.

Album opener ‘Pickin’ Up The Pieces’ encompasses all ingredients prominent in feel-good songs that made melodic hard rock so memorable. Thunderous drum pounds? Tick. Choral background vocals? Tick. Outlandish mid-section solo? Tick. Lyrics surrounding heartbreak? Tick.
A sure promising start to the eleven track album.
The record keeps rocking with ‘Love Me Insane’, the wave of cascading guitar of ‘Black And Blue’ and the adrenaline pumping ‘You’re My Revolution’, all blazing and catchy numbers.

‘Love’, the first ballad, is actually quite subtle and understated, the other is called ‘Don’t Let Me Go’, and there’s some great strings and a soul-searching Poley vocals to go with the great refrain. Top class tune.

The quality though just continues relentlessly: ‘Put Me To Shame’ is like the lost child of Danger Danger & early Def Leppard with a Steve Clark style riff and nice vocal thrust, and ‘Done To Me’ has a similarly big and chugging riff with a nice melodic hook. Easily it could well be chosen as the best song from the album.
Then we have a monster midtempo semi-ballad in ‘Get You Off My Mind’. It turns upon an arena ready melody and rich chorus wrapped in a killer melody. A lighter-waver which ticks all the AOR Power Ballad boxes greatly. But the rock n’ roll continues and roars with the brisk & kickin’ closer ‘Fallin’ Apart’, another ruxh of a song.

Tokyo Motor Fist‘s self-titled release epitomises the feel and spirit of the members’ former bands with all that magic intact. Tokyo Motor Fist plays classic melodic hard rock, more the ’80s variety with a slight edge, and a definite AOR tone.
Everything about the songs rock with harmony and melody, rhythm and groove, an abundance of catchy hooks whether by arrangement, refrains, or vocal harmonies, and oodles of soaring guitar solos from Brown. Poley is on fire, never sounding better with his smooth and strong, melodic and passionate, vocal style.
One of the albums of the year folks. Don’t miss this winner.

01 – Pickin’ Up The Pieces
02 – Love Me Insane
03 – Shameless
04 – Love
05 – Black And Blue
06 – You’re My Revolution
07 – Don’t Let Me Go
08 – Put Me To Shame
09 – Done To Me
10 – Get You off My Mind
11 – Fallin’ Apart
12 – Don’t Let Me Go (Acoustic Version) [Japan bonus]

Ted Poley – Vocals
Steve Brown – Guitars, vocals
Greg Smith – Bass
Chuck Burgi – Drums, Percussion

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/KICP-1832
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