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Melodic Rock, AOR, Hard Rock, Prog, Classic Rock news

Category: AFTER HOURS

AFTER HOURS / EDGE OF THE BLADE / SEVEN HARD YEARS (7HY)

EDGE OF THE BLADE – Distant Shores (2021)

Featuring on lead vocals former UK AFTER HOURS vocalist John Francis alongside Alan Kelly, former drummer of SHY and multi-instrumentalist with 7HY, EDGE OF THE BLADE are back with new album ”Distant Shores” to be released by AOR Heaven Records tomorrow.
Adding lead guitarist Miguel Angel Lopez to the line up they have teamed up once again to bring you yet more exciting new material which will see roots based well and truly in AOR / melodic rock.
They have released an album previously under the name of EDGE OF THE BLADE entitled ‘The Ghosts Of Humans’ on a British label in 2015 which was produced by Andrew Chick. This saw the band venture into heavier territory with modern influences. Although this album was well received with rock fans and critics worldwide the calling back to AOR was very strong.
Musically ”Distant Shores” is faithful to these musician’s pedigree where both have excelled in previously, and saw them soar to new heights with influences from Journey and Foreigner that show their talents off to the fullest extent…

AFTER HOURS / EDGE OF THE BLADE / SHY

EDGE OF THE BLADE – Feels Like Home (2020)

“Feels Like Home” is the new, second album from melodic rockers EDGE OF THE BLADE, the band featuring the talents of Alan Kelly (ex SHY) and John Francis (ex AFTER HOURS), and you can resume their style & sound taking as reference their previous bands and all the 80s British Melodic Rock / AOR movement.
While there was some duds with EDGE OF THE BLADE’s debut album, this new effort “Feels Like Home” is a totally different beast. When I say ‘beast’ I suppose I should say pussycat; the fluffiest Persian pussycat you can imagine.
Aside are the modern sounds of debut here; the guys have adopted an amalgam of SHY, TOBRUK, etc with JOURNEY, FOREIGNER and SURVIVOR with interspersed DEF LEPPARD harmonies and lush production thrown in for good measure.
HIGHLY Recommended

AFTER HOURS

AFTER HOURS – Against The Grain [full retail]

After the ’80s classic album from AFTER HOURS recently presented here, one of you asked for the band’s comeback CD “Against The Grain“, not easy to find in good sound quality. Just a little under a quarter of a century, AFTER HOURS reformed with most its original members, and recorded this album for AOR Heaven Records. The AFTER HOURS story...

AFTER HOURS / REMASTER

AFTER HOURS – Take Off [AOR Heaven Classix remaster] Out Of Print

Unfortunately discontinued, the AOR Heaven Classix brought some truly amazing much sought after albums finally reissued with a superb remastered sound. That’s the case with “Take Off“, the first ’80s record from British Melodic Rock / AOR band AFTER HOURS.
A strictly limited edition of 1000 copies (now out of print) containing unreleased photo material plus liner notes by specialist Dave Reynolds.
The Southampton based AORsters had a brief foray into the world of Adult Orientated Rock that was short-lived and only consisted of a couple of albums (‘Take Off’ -1988- and the self-titled from 1989) before splitting up and going their separate ways.
Lead singer John Francis had a brief tenure with SHY (check out the demo of ‘What Love Can Make You Do’ on the Shy Anthology) before disappearing completely with nothing being heard of any of them until 2011 when the band returned with a new album.
‘Love Attack’ is an AOR masterpiece that deserves its place in the hearts of every AOR fan. How this band never broke the big time is a case for the criminal justice system or merely a case of bad timing. John Francis has the voice of crushed velvet with the soul of a man who has loved and lost a thousand lovers…

AFTER HOURS / EDGE OF THE BLADE / SHY

EDGE OF THE BLADE – The Ghosts Of Humans (2015)

EDGE OF THE BLADE is the brainchild of a talented musician / songwriter / producer and studio engineer Andrew Chick, an exciting new project that features two veterans from the British Melodic Hard Rock scene, namely the former drummer for SHY Alan Kelly and the highly awaited return of Mr. John Francis from the After Hours fame.
Their first album “The Ghosts Of Humans” will hit the streets soon published by Escape Music.
This is edgy Melodic Hard Rock (with rocking AOR touches) of the highest order, powerful and surprisingly stronger than expected, notably the noble voice of John Francis and this particular overall feeling of modernism under a new found metallic nature is salutary here, that sensation of greatness is even improved by a slightly down-tuned riffage convention, and an innovative sound design with sharp guitar prominence.
I’m guessing there’s nothing surprising about their band name: Edge Of The Blade is also a Journey song, from the Frontiers album….

AFTER HOURS

AFTER HOURS – Against The Grain (2011)

AFTER HOURS was formed in 1987 by John Francis (vocals), Tim Payne (lead guitar), Martin Walls (bass), Mark Addison (drums) and Rick Young (keyboards). Soon after, the band recorded the album ‘Take Off’, a brillant piece of classic AOR rock in the best british tradition. By 1991, three of the members decided to leave the band. Martin emigrated to Canada,...