Review: Neon Rider – Keepers Of The Flame

Pride & Joy Music October 23^rd, 2026

Reviewer – Chris O’Connor 

Argentina might not be the first country that immediately springs to mind when discussing classic AOR and Melodic Hard Rock, but Buenos Aires outfit Neon Rider are doing their damnedest to change that. Formed in 2020 by guitarists Hernan Cattaneo and Marcos Nieva Green, the band began life as a side project born from their mutual love of the classic ’80s sound before gradually developing into a fully-fledged band.

Drawing inspiration from the golden age of Melodic Rock and AOR – think Journey, Foreigner, Survivor, Toto and Europe – Neon Rider aren’t remotely embarrassed about wearing those influences proudly on their collective sleeves. The intention is essentially to capture the huge melodies, guitars and gloriously infectious choruses associated with that era, while combining them with contemporary production rather than simply attempting to recreate 1985 in musical form.

Their debut album, ‘Destination Unknown‘ (review here), arrived through Pride & Joy Music in 2024, featuring Bruno Sangari on lead vocals alongside Cattaneo and Green on guitars, Daniel Bravo on bass and Pablo Ureta behind the drum kit. The twelve-track album provided Neon Rider with their first full-length opportunity to demonstrate precisely where their musical allegiances lay.

Two years later, however, things have changed considerably.

For sophomore album ‘Keepers Of The Flame‘, Marcos Nieva Green has stepped away from guitar duties and moved centre-stage as the band’s lead vocalist, leaving Hernan Cattaneo as sole guitarist. Bassist Daniel Bravo and drummer Pablo Ureta remain onboard, with the resulting quartet promising a more direct and energetic approach while retaining the band’s unmistakable AOR foundations.

Released through Pride & Joy Music on 23^rd October 2026, ‘Keepers Of The Flame‘ offers twelve new songs – and, with a title like that, Neon Rider are hardly being coy about their intentions. The flame in question is clearly that of classic Melodic Rock. The important question is: how brightly does it burn?

‘Drowning In Shallow’ proves to be a blistering opener, driven by a killer riff, pounding rhythm section and, perhaps most importantly for music of this nature, one hell of a chorus. The band chose wisely by opting for this to begin proceedings, as it’s a great statement of intent!

It does take a little time to adjust to Marcos Nieva Green’s rather distinctive vocal delivery, but once your ears become accustomed to it, there is plenty to enjoy. Vocally, he seems to fall somewhere between Klaus Meine, Don Dokken, Joey Tempest and Jon Bon Jovi, yet without sounding particularly like any one of them. More importantly, the guy can seriously carry a tune, delivering the material with genuine power and commanding ease.

Guitarist Hernan Cattaneo proves he’s no slouch either, tearing through riffs and solos with considerable firepower while demonstrating that Neon Rider‘s love of classic ’80s Melodic Rock goes considerably deeper than simply writing enormous choruses.

Other songs that really stand out include ‘Helluva Ride’, which manages the neat trick of sounding delightfully retro while somehow remaining conversely modern at the same time. There’s more than a hint of Europe about this one, with another great riff and some thunderous rhythm work courtesy of Daniel Bravo and Pablo Ureta. Cattaneo’s soloing is powerful without becoming unnecessarily flashy, and the chorus is absolutely terrific.

‘Waiting For My Call’ is considerably more restrained but no less memorable. A softer number that provides a welcome change of pace, it suits the band perfectly and demonstrates another side to their songwriting. Cattaneo once again provides some killer lead work, while the keyboards – whoever is actually responsible for playing them – provide a perfect accompaniment, adding colour without overwhelming the song.

‘Those Times Are Now Over’ is a genuine Melodic Rock gem and, for me, one of the strongest numbers offered up here. The Foreigner influence shines through clearly, while Green turns in one of his finest vocal performances on the album. He really shines here. The chorus lodges itself almost immediately in your brain, while Cattaneo once again provides plenty of guitar fireworks. This really is fantastic stuff.

Finally, I would direct your attention towards album coda ‘Another Love Story’, a wonderfully brooding slow-burner. It’s mid-paced and deliberately measured, but works beautifully precisely because the band resists any temptation to rush proceedings. The atmosphere steadily builds, Cattaneo delivers one terrific final solo and the last chorus arrives sounding suitably massive and intense, providing an extremely satisfying conclusion to the album.

So, does ‘Keepers Of The Flame‘ live up to its title? For the most part, I’d say that it absolutely does. This isn’t an album I’m going to pretend reinvents AOR or deserves to be immediately mentioned alongside the acknowledged classics of the genre, because it doesn’t – and nor does it need to. What Neon Rider have produced is a strong, hugely enjoyable Melodic Hard Rock album and, importantly, a definite step forward from their debut.

There is confidence growing within this band, alongside some impressive musicianship and an increasingly strong sense of their own identity. If they can continue developing at this rate, then their future could prove very interesting indeed. Neon Rider deserve further success on the strength of ‘Keepers Of The Flame‘, and I’ll certainly be watching – and listening – with considerable interest to see where they go from here.

Track List: 

1. Drowning In Shallow
2. Higher
3. Helluva Ride
4. Drifting
5. Pump Up The Radio
6. Waiting For My Call
7. Keepers Of The Flame
8. Heading To The Line
9. Those Times Are Now over
10. Dominoes
11. Jukebox Anthem
12. Another Love Story

Line Up:

Marcos Nieva Green – Lead Vocals
Hernan Cattaneo – Guitar
Daniel Bravo – Bass & Backing Vocals
Pablo Ureta – Drums

Web Links:

Facebook