Rated X: Hard Rock’s Newest All-Star Band Releases Self-Titled Debut
Frontiers Music Srl, the label known for embracing new music from legendary Rockartists, returns with yet another impactful band: RATED X. The self-titled debut album features songs built upon a classic Hard Rock foundation, with a distinctly contemporary edge. The band has shot and released its 2nd official music video, this time for the song “Fire and Ice”.
RATED X features singer Joe Lynn Turner, the former lead vocalist for both Rainbow and Deep Purple and a solo artist in his own right and Carmine Appice, (a true percussion icon, Appice’s resume is one that Rock legends are made of: Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Ozzy Osbourne, Rod Stewart, Blue Murder, King Kobra and others). Appice’s former Blue Murder bandmate and bassist, Tony Franklin (also known for his work with The Firm, Jimmy Page, Paul Rodgers, David Gilmour, Kate Bush, and Whitesnake), signed up next. After a lengthy search for the right guitarist, they settled on long-time Turner collaborator Karl Cochran, who has also worked with Ace Frehley, and worked in the past with Joe Lynn Turner.
The self-titled debut album is remarkable in that it sounds like a band that has worked together as a unit for years. The songs are powerful and the performances are tight and innovative. Frontiers in-house producer, Alessandro del Vecchio, not only handled studio production but added keyboards on several tracks. Pat Regan (Mr Big, Deep Purple, Gotthard, Kiss, Doro) mixed the album.
Critics are already heaping praise on the release, including Melodic Rock, who declares “Joe Lynn Turner is in devastating form, ripping through 12 energized classic rock tracks drenched in organ and driven by some tough riffing from Karl Cochran. Drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tony Franklin reunite for the first time since Blue Murder, delivering the precise ear drum shattering rhythm section expected of both journeymen.”
