Life

Life is the sixth album, on which Hardline leaned again toward the hard rock of the debut, pushing forward with strong vocals and beefy playing. From this 2019 Frontiers release, Mario Percudani (guitar) and Marco Di Salvia (drums) joined. The lineup is Johnny Gioeli (vocals), Alessandro Del Vecchio (keys/production) and Anna Portalupi (bass). It races from the opener “Place to Call Home,” with “Take a Chance” and the power ballad “Page of Your Life” adding hooks. A cover of Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever” is also included, highlighting Gioeli’s expressive singing. Percudani’s guitar is sharp, tightening the songs in both riffs and solos, showing a flash akin to Reb Beach or Neal Schon. Consistently strong through “Story of My Life” and the closer “My Friend,” and within a lower-centered sound than the previous album, it wins you over with the songs’ core rather than flash — a powerful record. You can feel the new lineup bringing fresh vitality to the band.