The Road to Hell

The Road to Hell is the fifth album, on which Sunstorm stepped into harder guitar sound around Joe Lynn Turner's persuasive singing. Released on Frontiers in June 2018. Alessandro Del Vecchio's production and keyboards, and Simone Mularoni's guitar, give the songs thickness and a modern outline. Edo Sala took over on drums, and this became his only appearance. It pushes further along the tougher path begun on Edge of Tomorrow. On “Only the Good Will Survive” and “The Road to Hell,” the strength of Turner's voice and the beauty of Nordic-AOR-style melody coexist. Even as the weight increases, not losing the hooks is this record's strength. It places no formulaic ballad, and even a quiet song like “Everywhere” rises powerfully in its second half. “State of the Heart,” with swirling Hammond organ, evokes his Rainbow days, and the momentum holds to the closing “Still Fighting.” A classic voice wrapped in modern hard rock — the last satisfying record with founding vocalist Turner.