MARCO MENDOZA is a veteran musician who has played with the likes of THIN LIZZY, JOURNEY, WHITESNAKE and THE DEAD DAISIES. This new disc is the fourth eponymous album from Marco and is some really good Hard Rock. "New Direction" was released on September 16, 2022, via Mighty Music Records.

The album opens with "Take It to The Limit," a radio-friendly anthem style song with a great riff that has a great hook. The drums are solid, driving the song with a combination of perfect cadence and excellent fills. The bass is handled by Marco while he also takes on the vocal duties. There are a lot of layered vocals creating some pretty cool harmonies.

"Light It Up" has a slower opening with a nice bass line/drum phrase that pushes the song forward until the guitars come in and take over. This pattern repeats itself a few times, going minimalist through the verse and heavier through the chorus. The vocals show some different facets of Marco's voice when he hits some higher notes, getting a strange and appealing timbre going. Going almost James Brown mixed with Prince.

The first ballad is "Walk Next to You." It has a straight up 80s feel, so much so that if this album had been released in the 80s, this would have been the second single, no question about it. You can hear the 80s influence all over this disc and it makes me happy that rock is not dead, despite what some fire-breathing, blood-spitting demons might say. Rock might not be what it once was, but it sure as hell is not dead.

One song that surprised me a bit is "All That I'm Living For." If this song was on an album by KING'S X, I would think it fit perfectly. It has the groove, the harmonized vocals, and the tone of something they would record. I don't know if KING'S X is one of Marco's influences or not, but this is a beautiful example of how music can come from different quarters and have some fantastic overlap.

The album wraps with the title track. It's the longest song and takes a bit to build to the main riff. This is another anthemic track meant to inspire the listener to action. Don't dwell on the past and settle for mediocrity, venture forth and set a course for glory, or at least success.

New Direction is a really good album and MARCO MENDOZA is an excellent Hard Rock musician. This is a beautiful example of classic rock in the modern age. It is catchy, an easy listen. This is one you can put on and let it run a few times while you surf the net, clean the house or drive across the state. Let fans of the 80s rejoice, rock is not dead!