HAND ON HEART: Space (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

In 2017, bassist Alessandro Moschini and drummer Sergio Leonetti, two veterans of the Italian scene, played in a band that covered the songs of the legends of the Golden Age of hard rock. But our two Italian musicians wrote their own compositions between concerts. Attracted by the idea of a change of routine, they contacted two colleagues (guitarist Chris Evans and singer/keyboardist Gianluca Niccoli) who shared their passion for hard rock. The result is Hand On Heart's debut album, “Space”.

“Space” kicks off with ‘Roses’, which gets us right into the heart of the matter. From the image of the cover featuring a tattooed woman covering her nakedness with a guitar, we know we're in for a hard rock date, heavy, but with a touch of subtlety. This track is the perfect calling card. The guitars come to the fore, the rhythm section is on fire. Chris Evans proves adept with his guitar, attempting solo escapades on several occasions ('Angel', 'When You Fall In Love'). The Italian band slows down the pace on calmer tracks, such as the mid-tempo 'For You', 'I Am Lazzy' and the instrumental 'Love Theme'. While these compositions don't necessarily breathe originality, the whole is quite entertaining to listen to. However, a heavy track like “Agony” could have gone in a more metal direction.

“Space” is above all a voice, that of Gianluca Niccoli's, which is likely to divide people. Far removed from the genre's canons, it shares more similarities with David Surkamp (Pavlov's Dog) or Colin Goldring (Gnidrolog) than with Robert Plant. Some may find it weak, too high-pitched, but on the contrary, what might sound like an admission of weakness reveals a modesty and fragility. And no matter how strong the Italian accent, this androgynous voice blends perfectly with the poetic lyrics written by the band.

'You Are The One' closes this journey into the land of hard rock on a slightly stormy note after 35 minutes. Although the band could do with a little more madness, even if it means venturing into metal territory, Hand on Heart's first effort proves to be a pleasant journey that makes for good listening... - Official website

HAND ON HEART

SPACE

AUTRE LABEL

HARD ROCK