Lead by singer and songwriter Rod Marenna, AOR / melodic rockers MARENNA “Pieces Of Tomorrow”, their fourth official release presenting a new phase for the band, showing a mature sound without losing their essence alternating between ’80s Melodic Rock / AOR and the current sound of the genre, especially from Scandinavia.
However, to my ears, Rod Marenna’s true love is Journey / Steve Perry music, and from there comes his inspiration.
Compared to Marenna previous material, this 2020 side of the band is much more rocking, edgy than before, pretty melodic hard rock at places, something you can hear on ‘Getting Higher’.
There’s pulsating rockers in ‘Reason to Live’, the catchy ‘About Love’, the anthemic ‘No Regrets’ and the more groovy ‘Can’t Let You Go’, primo modern AOR on the excellent ‘Never Surrender’ (legendary title for AOR songs) and ‘Fall in Love Again’ plenty of keyboards.
Then Marenna provide variation with the sweet midtempo ‘Come Back’ adding acoustics to the mix, and balancing things with an elegant ballad in ‘So Different’.
As Deluxe Edition extras we have Acoustic versions of ‘So Different’ and one of the album’s most emotive songs; ‘Forever’.
This the kind of albums that fans of the pure side of Melodic Rock / AOR will enjoy from start to finish. No tricks, no alternative or slightly experimental songs here, just true ’80/’90s arena music with melodies galore.
Marenna owns a solid deep tenor register specially designed for this type of music, and his bandmates are all seasoned musicians.
01 – Getting Higher
02 – Pieces of Tomorrow
03 – Break My Heart Again
04 – Reason to Live
05 – Can’t Let You Go
06 – Never Surrender
07 – Come Back
08 – The Price
09 – Fall in Love Again
10 – About Love
11 – Forever
12 – So Different
13 – No Regrets
14 – Forever (Deluxe Series) [Acoustic Version]
15 – So Different (Deluxe Series) [Acoustic Version]
Rod Marenna – lead & backing vocals
Jonas Godoy – guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Luks Diesel – Keyboards
Guilherme Mello, Matheus Tofehrn, Arthur Schavinski – drums
Alex Reck – guitar solos
Arthur Appel, Aaron Alves – backing vocals