LIONVILLE is the Melodic Rock brainchild of frontman Stefano Lionetti, who started the band along with his brother in Genova, Italy. Though they've been through multiple lineup changes, vocalist Säfsund and jack-of-all-trades Lionetti remain at the forefront of the band. This album has been a long time coming for LIONVILLE fans. The group's last release was five years ago with "Lionville II". However, this release also served to put the band on the fast track to popularity within the European AOR scene. They've played all over Europe, most notably Frontiers Rock Festival and Firefest 2012, and were signed by Frontiers Music in 2016. Their new album has been praised for its polished, catchy sound and classic Westcoast AOR vibe, and the group has been compared to big names in AOR such as TOTO, AMBITION, and WORK OF ART (which lead vocalist Säfsund used to be a part of, coincidentally.) Judging from just the band's reputation, I'd say that their strongest quality is their ability to write a technically impressive but simultaneously catchy riff which, if given the opportunity, could become a radio hit. With the members' combined years of experience within the genre, I have no doubt that they can write a Melodic Rock song, and do it damn well.

"I Will Wait" kicks off the album with an impressive demonstration of Säfsund's swooping vocals, backed by a thumping, energy-filled drum track. The chorus worms its way into the listener's head and stays there. After listening to this song, I couldn't stop singing the melody. The solo is a classic, ringing example of Melodic Rock, and showcases the lead guitarist's talent: between the inspirational, soaring groove of the song and the musical expertise illustrated here, the track is definitely a strong opener. "Show Me the Love" employs a dreamy, floating guitar riff to go alongside the vocals, and while it's more toned-down in the verses than the previous song, the same power is still there. The band blasts into action during the chorus, which is where the guitars, bass, and drums are really allowed to release their pent-up energy. The keyboard solo here adds a little diversity to the track, and somehow the band manages to create one insanely catchy song after another.

"Bring Me Back Our Love" is a traditional Rock n' Roll song about love and loss, but LIONVILLE gives it an edge that most love songs don't have. The music video for this track is polished and obviously professionally done, and the band members exude the perfect mix of Hard Rock sleaze and swaggering confidence. I think this song really focuses on making Säfsund's vocals shine. He has an amazingly clear voice, and it melds beautifully with the melodic harmonies the band writes. In "Heaven is Right Here", the song takes on a slow, grooving vibe which would become a bit tedious if it weren't for the constantly changing, rhythmic guitar riffs. The chorus, unsurprisingly, has all the catchiness of any major radio hit, and the solo bubbles out of nowhere and screams its way into the listener's memory as it hits every high note possible. There's also nothing I love more than a well-done key change, and it always serves to impress when bands work those into their tracks.

"A World of Fools" is the title track of the album, and starts off with a chugging synth beat that screams 80's AOR. The steady drums combined with the dynamic, ever-shifting tones and harmonies in this song give it a complexity and diversity that is often lost in other songs of the same genre. The chorus is infectious and swings its way into the listener's memory easily. In this song especially, I can see the band's similarity to other great AOR acts like TOTO. In "One More Night", both the lyrics and the tone of the song take on a slightly sappy quality. It's definitely a love song, even the bubbly keyboard and slightly muted drum track convey that, and Säfsund turns from a classic rocker into a passionate crooner in this track. The change from the keyboard solo to a blasting electric guitar solo represents the band's versatility, which is exemplified in this song.

"All I Want" is an upbeat, energizing track which almost borders the line of Pop-Rock. It absolutely sounds like a Top 40 hit. Between Malacrida's relentless, inspired drumming and the guitar solo which wheels off into unimaginable heights, this is one of the tracks that'll stick with you after the album is through. In "Living On the Edge", LIONVILLE sounds like they're almost becoming a bit modern Alt-Rock in their tone, by using layered vocals in the chorus and muted, chugging guitar riffs in the verses. They start to sound a bit like those bands such as DAUGHTRY. However, despite this, they still manage to keep their classic feel and technical perfection intact.

"Our Good Goodbye" is a rhythm-centered, Power ballad-esque banger of a song which heavily relies on steady drum work and the heavier electric riffs in the chorus and bridge. The vocals are really highlighted here, due to the song's nature as a ballad and the sheer power and passion in Säfsund's voice which fits so well into a song about lost love. In "Paradise", the main melody is a glowing, synth-pop harmony which hovers over a more percussive guitar and bass riff. The vocals mix perfectly with the high, clear notes of the guitars, and even the solo seems to fit in well with the rest of the elements of the song. The chorus is catchy as always, and sounds like a summer radio hit from back when the radio used to play good music.

The last song, "Image of Your Soul", begins with a section of isolated vocals and ambient electric guitar. Soon, though, it dives into a traditional Melodic Rock chorus: catchy, powerful, and sweeping, like all of LIONVILLE's choruses, before returning to a more toned-down verse. The solo here seemed a bit Bluesy and a bit Synthy, a strange combination, but one that somehow worked to make the song more interesting. Overall, I have to say that this is probably one of the best Melodic Rock albums I've listened to all year. It was full of hit after catchy hit, and the time and talent that went into this album's creation was obvious. I hope that in the future, LIONVILLE decides to keep recording more dynamite albums such as this one, because they've truly got something special.