I must confess, I never heard about this band before, this "Robbed in Paradise" presented as their debut album is in fact it's the second.

SAINTS TRADE coming from Bologna in Italy as I can read in their press release and they want to pay tribute to the 80's AOR Classic Hard Rock bands. After some changes in their line up and the arrival of their guitar virtuoso Claus in 2010, the line up is now stable. Italy is really famous to have a lot of guitar virtuosos or great singers as Luca Turilli (RHAPSODY), Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE), Simone Mularoni (DGM) or Michele Luppi (SECRET SPHERE) Fabio Lione (ANGRA, RHAPSODY), Claus & Santi Libra are in this vein without no doubt... A girl on drums, the band's charming asset, Joana and her partner on rhythmic session Matteo on the bass! Saints Trade plays in a style around HARDLINE & CRAAFT, some touch of HOUSE OF LORDS and JOURNEY too.... I must say they scored their goal.

So starting this listening with the first track called "To The Light" and no doubt about the influences of the band, a pure heavy AOR style with a strong guitar riff to begin follow with a really nice melodic chorus... Close your eyes you are on Sunset Blvd at LA in the 80's.... Next Track "Feel The Fire", maybe the hit of this album, perfect for the US radios! I'm Fan!! a strong melodic voice and choruses we can't stop singing! The third one, the second hit of this album, "Inside" is slow hard rock song, the guitar soli in the beginning reminds me some old school bands from US scene... The chorus "ohoho Inside... You can't forget this one!!

The forth "Allied" begins as a walk on Malibu Beach with the sounds of waves... That song crush your brain with its powerful rhythmic session, the melodic voice and certainly the solo guitar on this album!! The Fifth song "Like A Woman" voice reminds me of Michael Monroe's style, impressive AOR song... Don't forget to listen to this song on March 8^th every year!!

The sixth track "California" a tribute to the state with love story in lyrics.. Next one "Dreams Running Wild" no surprise for a Hard Rock band, this track is the first ballad, a cool one not the best I have ever heard before, but I don't know what, something is missing in this ballad, in spite of really good solo!! "Siria (Dawn Breaks In)" is the eighth song from the album, back to strong powerful style with in the middle of the song some breaks where each member take the time to shine in his gear. "Rock N Roll Man" is an another strong song on this album with a crunchy guitar riff, a lot of "ohohohoh", the perfect song for the stage to share with audience. The tenth begins with acoustic guitar & keyboards follows a solo guitar, the second ballad "Into The fire" of this "Robbed In Paradise", and i must say, this one is better than the first, the lyrics are in the vein of this style music, a strong powerful ballad, Santi Libra uses vibrato perfectly, and one more time the solo is just "Waooo", this Claus is an amazing virtuoso. In the last piece of this AOR hard rock album called "The Game" the vocals are strong & melodic, the perfect song to finish an album.

So I'm a fan of this album, and it's perfect music for you, if you're, as me, a fan of AOR Big Rock US bands. This Italian band SAINTS TRADE pays my attention for sure! Close your eyes, put the CD in your car stereo, and drive all night and day... You're on the L.A. freeways during the 80's!