Iconic's 'Second Skin' - Album Review

The fact that I have managed to make it to August without reviewing a single release from a Frontiers Records in-house project this year shows that I have finally started to listen to my own advice. Regular readers of this blog will by this point know of my love/hate relationship with the Italian record label, despite the fact that I own many CDs that have 'Frontiers Records' written on the spine. On the one hand, I really appreciate what the label does for genuine talent - particularly 1980s melodic rock bands that other labels would not want to associate themselves with these days and newer bands that play a similar style of music. For this reason alone I will always support the label, but I also wish that they would stop releasing an endless stream of cookie-cutter albums by projects that are artificially put together by the label and seem to be nothing more than outlets for the some of their in-house songwriters/producers to use up some songs which they clearly did not deem to be strong enough for their own bands. The label has been doing this for years, and the vast majority of these albums are faceless and not worth anyone's time. It has always been frustrating, but I feel that the practice has become even more egregious of late. At least in the past there were a handful of these songwriter/producers that were at it, which led to a little diversity, but now they are basically all spearheaded by Alessandro Del Vecchio. Just seeing his name linked to a new Frontiers project is usually enough to kill off any interest which I may have had - but occasionally one creeps up that sounds like it is still worth checking out. 2022's, so far, lone entry into this small list is Iconic, a new hard rock five-piece that very much channels the sort of hard rock sounds which bands like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and especially Whitesnake adopted during the 1980s - that is to say more streamlined and overtly-melodic than those bands' 1970s output, but still with plenty of grit. Iconic very much channel that sound, and the fact that the band includes three Whitesnake alumni makes the sound feel somewhat more authentic. Guitarist Joel Hoekstra (Night Ranger; Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Whitesnake), bassist Marco Mendoza (Blue Murder; Thin Lizzy; Ted Nugent; Whitesnake; Lynch Mob; Black Star Riders; The Dead Daisies), and drummer Tommy Aldridge (Black Oak Arkansas; Pat Travers Band; Gary Moore; Ozzy Osbourne; Whitesnake; House of Lords; Manic Eden; Thin Lizzy; Ted Nugent) all contribute to Iconic sounding very much like modern Whitesnake, with guitarist Michael Sweet (Stryper; Boston) and frontman Nathan James (Trans-Siberian Orchestra; Inglorious) adding plenty of classic and melodic rock heft to the band - and their newly-released debut album Second Skin. Del Vecchio does play keyboards throughout the album, and co-wrote every song here, but his usual influence is, thankfully, fairly limited. This is very much a project that lets the sounds of its members shine - as well as the songwriting of both Sweet and Hoekstra who have spearheaded the project from a creative standpoint. James co-wrote a couple of the songs, too, and he puts on a vocal performance throughout the album that showcases why he is gaining the reputation of being one of the best modern hard rock singers.

The album kicks off with one of its strongest cuts, Fast as You Can, which is a song that very much sets the tone for what is to come throughout the rest of the album. Whilst James is the band's frontman and main singer, Sweet also adds his vocal talents to a few of the songs here - and Fast as You Can is one that features his voice quite prominently. The two are both great singers, and their different styles compliment each other nicely, with the pair duetting throughout Fast as You Can's verses and harmonising during the hooky chorus. Elsewhere, though, the song kicks off with a muscular blues-based riff that would not sound out of place on one of Whitesnake's recent albums, before a great shredded guitar lick sets up the verse - which goes back and forth between James and Sweet as previously detailed. Musically the song is not a million miles from Inglorious' sound, so James certainly sounds at home here - with all his classic rock pedigree on show. Iconic's sound is meatier and bluesier than Stryper's, though, but Sweet's slightly thinner and higher pitched delivery still works well against the organ-drenched backdrop - with his occasional 1980s metal scream in particular going down well. A busy guitar solo section brings the best out of Hoekstra, too, and the muscular mid-paced hard rocker ensures that the album roars out of the gate. Ready for Your Love is similar, but the riff is bouncier - leading the song to feel a bit more upbeat. There is a strong 1980s melodic rock feel throughout, with the duelling guitar leads of Sweet and Hoekstra setting the tone early on. Aldridge's trademark approach to groove is very much evident throughout the track, and his hard-hitting drumming style certainly helps to keep the piece moving. His drums, as always, are tuned to perfection - and he is a big part of what makes his album tick for me. His occasional double bass flourish throughout the song accentuates some of the riffs, and the chorus is a gloriously catchy moment - with some excellent James vocals and a hook that reminds me a little of Van Halen. The album's title track follows, and it ups the pace with a driving double bass drum pattern and a guitar riff that makes liberal use of pinch harmonics in a John Sykes-esque way. Sweet contributes vocally to this song, too, and he duets with James during a cinematic, hard-hitting chorus - leaving much of the rest of the song to James' bluesier approach. Del Vecchio's Hammond organ adds a lot to the song, and his playing is a long way from the AOR synth approach that he usually takes. The keyboards here are very in-keeping with the gritty hard rock sound that the band are going for, though, and the keyboard-led section before the song's guitar solo adds a certain Led Zeppelin-esque stomp. All I Need slows things down somewhat, and acts as the album's first ballad with a clean guitar intro and some heartfelt James vocals. He is a vocalist that always manages to inject lots of emotion into his delivery, and this ballad certainly benefits from his soulful vocal approach - as it contrasts nicely with the riffing that is still relatively muscular at times despite the song's slower feel. It is still a powerful song as a result, and the bluesy guitar solo adds a lot to the overall vibe.

Nowhere to Run gets the album back to its trademark meatier side, with some more driving double bass drumming and a flashy lead guitar intro that includes lots of melodic, shredded phrases. The song is very similar overall in tone to Fast as You Can, but this time without the voice of Sweet. He provides harmonies throughout, but he is only used in a lead vocal capacity sparingly. I think this was a wise decision, as James is better suited for this type of material, but when Sweet does take over he helps to add something different and make those songs stand out. Nowhere to Run benefits from James' powerful approach though, and the hard-driving chorus soars thanks to his screams and gritty approach - whilst the song's guitar solo is perhaps less flashy than usual to allow its melodies to shine. Worlds Apart is another slower track, with a powerful drum build up during the intro and some excellent dual lead guitar melodies that follow it. The song is different in style to All I Need, though, and James approaches the song from less of a soulful angle to instead rock a little harder. It is a ballad that hits harder than All I Need, then, and there are times during the verses when the song is more of an out-and-out rocker thanks to the crashing drums and the big power chord stabs. The choruses are certainly smoother, though, with a poppier sheen and it contrasts nicely with the riffier verses - before the guitar solo returns to the soaring, dual guitar leads from the intro. All About returns to a heavier territory, and the track also ups the level of blues found in the band's sound. The main riff is packed full of bluesy touches, and the verses snake along with strident grooves and the powerful vocals of James. It is the song here that probably recalls James' day job with Inglorious the most for me, and it sounds like it could have easily sat on one of their last couple of albums. The chorus in particular is filled with lots of melodies that are typical of James' oeuvre, and the overall grooves are also very typical of Inglorious' throwback, yet fresh, sound. The solo is another very bluesy one, too, and the song is a great showcase piece for the whole band as a result. This Way is a bit more overtly-melodic, and it also slows things down a little. Despite feeling slower, the song never truly feels like a ballad, though, with the song instead being a poppy hard rock track - with lots of melodic clean guitar passages built around the bluesy riffing and a chorus that leaps from the speakers thanks to James' powerful melodies. There are certainly shades of 1980s Whitesnake here, with Del Vecchio's use of keyboards very similar to the approach that was taken throughout the 1987 album. It is the sort of song that stands out after only a couple of listens, but it has remained a favourite of mine over multiple sittings. It is just a heroic-sounding slab of 1980s hard rock, and James is the perfect singer to bring a song like that to life - as its chorus can attest to.

Let You Go is another ballad-esque piece, but for me it is somewhat less interesting than the ones that preceded it - and it is a track that is somewhat caught between being a slower song a true ballad. Parts of the verses are upbeat, with some driving double bass drumming, whilst others suddenly lose their power and become a bit plodding - something which can also be said for the chorus. The chorus also lacks the hooks that have generally been present throughout the album, and for me the song is one of the weakest cuts here. The solo section is upbeat, though, and very melodic - but to be honest it sounds like it has come from another song. Considering the quality of the album, though, this misstep can certainly be forgiven. It is certainly not a terrible song, but it lacks the punch that has come before - and there is little of the bluesy soul which has generally characterised the band's slower pieces, meaning that it somewhat falls between the cracks. It Ain't Over is more upbeat, with a soaring lead guitar intro - which then morphs into a hard-driving riff that sounds like it could have come from an early Ozzy Osbourne solo album. There is a great Hammond backing throughout this riff, too, and this pattern forms the basis of the song's verses - which are packed full energy and a big vocal presence from James. The chorus is a bit slower, but it retains the power of the rest of the song - with more of a cinematic vibe instead being displayed. This is a typical approach found in hard rock, though, and for me it works well here. The chorus is still packed full of hooks, and James' expressive, strident vocals allow it to shine. The guitar solo section revisits the intro riff for another burst of speed, too, and the song is an exciting cut as a result. The album then comes to a close with Enough of Your Love, another hooky mid-paced rocker that again recalls Whitesnake. The opening guitar leads are very memorable, with Hoekstra and Sweet harmonising nicely, whilst the grooves throughout are very much typical of Aldridge's trademark drumming style - with lots of off-beat cymbals to add some excitement to the overall arrangement. James definitely channels his inner David Coverdale during the bluesy verses, too, with a husky delivery - although he does really let rip during the grooving choruses with a powerful display that is in-keeping with the groove-based and melodic nature of the piece. It is the sort of song that perfectly sums up the Iconic sound, and its bombastic and groove-based approach makes it an ideal song to close out the album with. It is unclear at this stage whether Iconic will be a one-off project or whether we will see more from this five-piece going forward. It is always hard to tell with these Frontiers projects, but Second Skin is certainly worth any hard rock fan's time - and it is easily the best manufactured project that the label has been involved with for a while. I would certainly like to hear more from this group going forward, so I hope that the five can find some time in their busy schedules in the future to write some more songs.

The album was released on 17th June 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Nowhere to Run.