Kent Hilli - The Rumble (Frontiers Music)

As we stand in 2021, we have two new pretenders to the heavyweight division of hard rock singers; in the Ladies’ division, the peerless Chez Kane. And in the men’s, ladeez an’ gennelmen… I give you Sweden’s Kent Hilli.

If you’re familiar with the man’s work in AOR sensations Perfect Plan, you’ll have an inkling of what to expect from Hilli’s first solo album. But only an inkling mind. And if you’re not familiar with this man’s honeyed pipes… get ready for the listening experience of the year.

In simple terms, Kent Hilli is the much-missed former Survivor vocalist Jimi Jamison reborn; not that he’d ever have the bare-faced gall to claim that title for himself you understand, but anyone with ears to hear can confirm that that statement is true. On The Rumble, Hilli revisits some of Jamison’s most successful scenarios – usually singing the songs of Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan on albums like Vital Signs and Too Hot To Sleep – but he’s totally, utterly not a one trick pony. On the sumptuous ballad Heaven Can Wait he gives a virtuouso performance on a track you might imagine Kelly Clarkson singing, whilst the stomping, bluesy Miss Up To No Good imagines a world where Giant and Whitesnake might find themselves sharing some good times in adjacent recording studios with predictably delirious results… yes, folks – Our man Hilli has all the melodic hard rock bases covered, thank you very much…

Our hero is aided and abetted throughout by the superb musicianship of fellow Frontiers Music recording artist Michael Palace, himself a consummate AOR musician who knows how to crank out an eighties-inspired solo or two. Palace’s guitar playing is never less than stellar throughout, but it’s his production work, his feel for just what makes an authentic eighties sound, that essentially takes The Rumble to next level status. Apart from that voice, natch…

From start to finish, not a note is wasted, no chance to set the hairs on the back of the neck prickling is turned down, no stone is left unturned to deliver high quality melodic hard rock. Most artists have run out of steam just a little bit by the time they reach track eleven of any album, yet here’s Kent, bouncing through the utterly monstrous AOR of Still In Love sounding as fresh, as energised as he did on the first notes of opening track The Rumble (Never Say Die)… that’s quite a trick to be able to pull off. But then Kent Hilli is quite a vocalist…