The last of the LIAISON albums from their 2020 eissue series, “Hard Hitter” comes fully remastered including a bonus track. While still retaining their melodic core and some AOR touches, “Hard Hitter” make justice to its title: this third effort finds the band rocking harder than ever before, with that punchy sound of the 1992 US productions.
According to the material on offer, this time the Melby brothers used the services of Lanny Cordola (HOUSE OF LORDS). Tony Palacios (GUARDIAN) and Oz Fox (STRYPER) for the guitar solos.
“Hard Hitter” is a very guitar-driven album plenty of powerful – yet extremely clean – hard rockers. It’s still very AOR in essence, however this time there’s some darker, heavier approach on some tracks.
As example, the ballads are not keyboard flavored this time, but based on acoustic guitars much in the vein EXTREME or Mr. BIG were doing at the time.
A clear contrast from Liaison early melodious sound and this new hard rocking approach can be heard on the track ”My God Is A Rock’: the album version is harder, while the original version recorded in 1990 for a rocord label compilation – included here as bonus track – is much more melodic rock oriented.
A kickin’ album with a punchy, American hard rock sound.
01 – Hard Hitter
02 – Attitude
03 – Up At Night
04 – Steal, Kill, And Destroy
05 – Who Can Heal The Pain
06 – Whatsoever U Sow
07 – Wicked Ways
08 – Violent Burning
09 – As Far As The East Is From The West
10 – My God Is A Rock
BONUS TRACK:
11 – My God Is A Rock [early version]
Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Acoustic Guitar – Lary Melby
Guitars, Backing Vocals – Tim Melby
Guitar Solos – Lanny Cordola, Oz Fox, Tony Palacios
Bass – Kelly Burns
Keyboards – John Andrew Schreiner
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Tim Jones
Drums, Percussion – Gregg Bissonette