Review: Hardline – Shout

Steamammer – April 17^th, 2026

Reviewer – Jason Hopper

Hardline has a cherished history for me. Their debut came out in my Senior year of high school and brings back lots of fond memories. That album is considered by many to be one of the last great hard rock albums to come out of the eroding melodic rock scene, just as Grunge was taking hold of the youth. 2002’s ‘II‘ album had a few great tracks, but paled in comparison. In my opinion, the entire Hardline catalog could not touch the debut. With that said, 2012’s ‘Danger Zone‘ is a fantastic album,but it’s Euro-style rock made the band a different beast, with the only link being the band name and singer Johnny Gioeli.

So we arrive at ‘Shout‘, Hardline’s eighth album. I was fully expecting the same type of style and sound from the band, as keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio has been an integral part of the band since 2012. One straight playthrough and I was surprised to find a melding of their classic debut with their more modern elements. There’s a bit of a harder blues swagger to this album.  More importantly, the songs kick all sorts of ass!

The album is saturated in ear worm melodies that made me immediately press repeat when the album came to an end. Sooner, actually, as I ended the album halfway through the last song (more on that later).

Once the album gets rolling, it does not let up, taking you on a ride that is sure to leave you with a Cheshire grin, which is what I had with second to last track ‘Welcome To The Thunder’. I’ll start with this song because this absolutely should have been the album opener. Bizarre to put it near the end, but thankful it’s included. With a heavy blues Whitesnake 87 swagger, the track rips with an urgency that’s usually reserved for Johnny’s work with Axel Rudi Pell. It’s right up their with ‘Rhythm from a Red Car’, in terms of feel.

I’ll skip over the three singles that have already been released but do want to add that the Scorpions cover of ‘When You Came Into My Life’ is beautifully done. I love when bands cover deeper tracks instead of the big hit singles.

Of the tracks that remind me most of the debut, two jumped out immediately. Track 3’s ‘It Owns You’ was sonically unexpected. Blues-drenched riffage courtesy of Luca Princiotta.  I’m not claiming he plays like Neal Schon, but he has a feel and a similar guitar tone. I would not be surprised to find they attempted to replicate the same type of sonics as the debut.

‘Candy Love’ sounds like it could have easily been on their debut, fitting right between ‘Life’s a Bitch’ and ‘Dr. Love’. Once again, it’s in line with their debut in terms of feel.

Another favorite of mine is ‘Mother Love’. I fully expected a low-key ballad but what we get instead is a dynamic track that pulls back in the verses, showcasing the versatile playing of everyone involved. The bridge builds to an intense chorus, with Johnny bringing what I would consider his best vocal delivery. The man’s intensity is incredibly impressive for someone who has been on over one hundred albums in his over three decades long career. Note – 108 albums according to the press release.

Closing number ‘Glow’ is a piano ballad featuring Johnny and keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio that is a bit too schmaltzy for me. While it can be considered a ballad about the loss of a loved one, it was mostly inspired by the loss of Johnny’s pets over the years and his efforts to rescue abandoned dogs. Certainly noble and heartfelt, but completely out of place here, sticking out like a sore thumb. Wisely, the band placed this track at the end. Anywhere else would have made the album come to a grinding halt.

The band sounds more fired up than they’ve been in quite some time. The production is massive and, thankfully, sonically diverse than their years with Frontiers Records. This is certainly their best release since ‘Danger Zone‘. Make room at the top of your lists for Album of the Year and prepare to put this somewhere in your Top 3. It’s still a bit early in the year, but this could take the top spot.

Track listing:

1. Shout
2. Rise Up
3. It Owns You
4. When You Came Into My Life
5. Mother Love
6. Rise Above No Fear
7. Candy Love
8. I’m Leaning On It
9. Welcome To The Thunder
10. Glow

Line-up:

Johnny Gioeli (vocals)

Luca Princiotta (guitar)

Alessandro Del Vecchio (keyboards)

Anna Portalupi (bass)

Marco Di Salvia (drums)

Web Links:

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