ICONIC (Michael Sweet / Joel Hoekstra / Tommy Aldridge) – Second Skin (2022)
ICONIC is the exciting new hard rock group featuring Michael Sweet (guitars), Joel Hoekstra (guitars), Marco Mendoza (bass), Tommy Aldridge (drums), and Nathan James (vocals), which debut album “Second Skin” will be released Jly 17 by Frontiers Music.
Michael Sweet, known for his work as guitarist/vocalist for the legendary band Stryper and his solo work, with his instantly recognizable voice and guitar style is really a name that needs no introduction to the hard rock faithful. Joel Hoekstra, currently of Whitesnake and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, is one of hard rock’s premiere guitarists
Marco Mendoza’s resume really speaks for itself (Thin Lizzy, Black Star Riders, The Dead Daisies, Journey) and the legendary bassist shines, as he always does, here. Tommy Aldridge, currently of Whitesnake, has also played with Ozzy Osbourne, Ted Nugent, and Black Oak Arkansas, among others, and is considered one of the great hard rock drummers of all-time.
And handling lead vocals is none other than Inglorious’ Nathan James, a young man whose vocal style is a fitting, proper descendent of rock’s vocal legends of the ’70s.
Frontiers in-house producer Alessandro Del Vecchio and Michael Sweet had already worked together on Sunbomb (Michael’s project with Tracii Guns of L.A. Guns) and had really enjoyed working together. Sweet was keen to come up with another release for the two of them to collaborate on, so he was happy to join in.
A pairing of Sweet and Joel Hoekstra had been an idea that was kicking around for a few years and this seemed like the ideal opportunity to bring that idea to fruition. Plus, Nathan and Joel were friends from their shared time in Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Sweet had become a fan of Nathan’s vocals after hearing Inglorious, so the two guitarists together with Nathan felt natural.
With the musical direction set and two wildly skilled guitar players on board, getting current and/or former members of Whitesnake’s rhythm section involved seemed an ideal scenario and thus Mendoza and Aldridge joined the fold.
Sweet and Hoekstra handled the bulk of the songwriting. Co-producer Alessandro Del Vecchio (he and Sweet produced the album together) contributed vocal melodies and keyboards. James also contributed songwriting to two tracks.
”Second Skin” rocks, with great melodies, smooth vocals, a mammoth rhythm section a swirling guitar solos.
Highly Recommended
01 – Run (As Fast As You Can)
02 – Ready For Your Love
03 – Second Skin
04 – All I Need
05 – Nowhere To Run
06 – Worlds Apart
07 – All About
08 – This Way
09 – Let You Go
10 – It Ain’t Over
11 – Enough Of Your Love
Nathan James – Vocals
Michael Sweet – Guitars, Vocals
Joel Hoekstra – Guitars
Marco Mendoza – Bass
Tommy Aldridge – DrumsGuests:
Alessandro Del Vecchio – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Skin-Iconic/dp/B09TPT5BHK
