British AOR newcomers Blood Red Saints was formed at the end of 2014 by singer Pete Godfrey and bassist Rob Naylor (Angels Or Kings). Fresh from his debut in the band In Faith, Pete walked away from that band, taking drummer Pete Newdeck with him as well as the Harem Scarem similarities.
The In Faith album was a very fine album and this also impresses with its classic British AOR sound, mixed with the melodic tone of Harem’s debut album.
Harry in fact takes care of the mastering of the album, with Pete Newdeck producing.
Lee Revill supplies the guitars in the best tradition of Vinny Burns and Dare.
I’m not particularly into the opening two tracks, which is odd, but for me they don’t hold the class that shows further into the album – starting with the Foreigner-esque commercial ballad Best Of Me, which is instantly catchy and an obvious first pick to showcase the album.
Dangerous, which follows, is even better though – the sound really is old-school AOR and the way Pete channels Harry Hess’ vocals is another selling point.
A triple play of AOR class is completed with Love Set Me Up Again.
The melodies and the sentimental choruses keep coming with Wrapped Up In These Arms, The Best Thing, Feels A Like Like Love and the big sparse vocal and piano driven ballad Faith.
In the best tradition of fellow British AOR names such as Dare, Ten, FM, Newman and of course the one-off In Faith album sits Blood Red Saints. Definitely hoping the band goes beyond this debut to develop further as I think there’s a lot to look forward to.
British AOR act BLOOD RED SAINTS to release debut album 'Speedway' -
out on Frontiers in December.
Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of new British AOR band BLOOD RED SAINTS. Their debut album, entitled “Speedway”, will be released on December 4th in Europe and North America.
BLOOD RED SAINTS is a new band formed in late 2014 by singer Pete Godfrey and bassist Rob Naylor. Pete made his recording debut on the October 2014 In Faith album, but hungry to be in a 'band' rather than a project, Pete formed BLOOD RED SAINTS with Rob from the band Angels or Kings and quickly got to work writing their debut album.
“I went in to the In Faith knowing it was a project,” says Pete Godfrey. “We were offered shows but we couldn't find any common ground to move forward. That was the moment where I decided I wanted to be in a 'real band', one that goes out and plays live and has that 'us against the world' mentality. Without doubt, we are going to play live. We have a launch show December the 4th in Bolton, UK then we are playing the JSY/ARFM charity show in Derby at the end of January and also HRH AOR in March - working on more shows right now!”
BLOOD RED SAINTS lineup was completed by another former In Faith member, Pete Newdeck (also from Eden’s Curse and currently the vocalist for Tainted Nation) on drums and Lee Revill on guitar (ex-Gary Hughes). “Pete and I quickly became good friends,” says Pete. “It was a simple choice on my part to want him involved. Rob Naylor I knew from the 1990's, but we became friends last year, we just gelled as far as wanting the same things musically, again. Lee Revill was talked about by everyone on the local scene, his reputation was that of a phenomenal guitar player who hadn't made the jump from local bands. He is our secret weapon, unbelievably talented and not precious or egotistical at all, a genuine nice guy also!”
The search for a name ended with the chance discovery of a semi legendary Speedway team, “The Blood Red Saints”. BRS were formed in the late 1920s in Brooklyn, New York. Their leader and icon, 'Freddie Rendetti' became synonymous with the team. Freddie was a fiery colorful character who ultimately lived the fast life a little too fast.
No history of the BLOOD RED SAINTS can be complete without the inclusion of James Martin of VEGA. James was instrumental in getting the band signed to Frontiers and – together with his twin brother Tom, he also co-wrote two songs on the album. Harry Hess from Harem Scarem took care of the mastering of the album.
The band’s debut album is an impressive slice of classic British AOR, following in the traditions of early Dare, FM and Newman, though according to Pete, “if you were to take elements of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Winger, FM, mix them all together, I think that is pretty much where we are. Our intention was to have great songs and next we want to take them out live and put on a great show!”
“Speedway” is a classic in the making and BLOOD RED SAINTS are a band to watch out for!
Enjoy the album trailer:
“Speedway” tracklisting: Kickin' Up Dust; Mercy; Best Of Me; Dangerous; Love Set Me Up Again; Better Days; The Best Thing; Unbreakable; Wrapped Up In These Arms; Cgrnr; Feels A Lot Like Love; Faith.
Disappointing news today with British AOR group IN FAITH declared as "terminated" by guitarist Tony Marshall.
His statement reads: "For what it matters, which is very little to anyone really. I found out today, via a frontiers press release, that Pete Godfrey had left In Faith to "do an album the right way" with Blood Red Saints. I had no idea this was going to happen and even a brief conversation with pete a few weeks ago ended with a positive response to whether another album was going to be done. It seems not.
I wish both Pete's the best for their future with BRS. In Faith has now officially been terminated.
Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the signing of a promising new British AOR act – BLOOD RED SAINTS! The band was put together by former In Faith singer Pete Godfrey together with Rob Naylor (ex-Angels or Kings) Lee Revill (ex- Gary Hughes Band) and Pete Newdeck (ex-Eden's Curse).
“I felt it was time to move on and do a band how I wanted it to be,” says Pete. He has come up with some of the strongest material from a newly formed British Melodic Rock/AOR band in quite a long time!
Brothers Tom and James Martin of VEGA co-wrote two songs with the band members and Harry Hess from Harem Scarem is contributing keyboards to one track and handling the mastering of the album.
Glorious! Aussie AORsters White Widdow are back with their third studio album after the untimely passing of drummer George Kristy and the departure of original bass player Trent Wilson.
A rejuvenated new line up, featuring Ben Webster on Bass and Noel Tenny on Drums fired the band back to life and the result is this stunning classic 80s AOR album that is packed with layers and layers of vocals, harmonies and lush lush keyboards.
The album packs a bigger punch than their first two. The production is tough and tight and the rhythm section is really pumping.
But the star of proceedings here are the brilliant songs and their massive harmonies.
I always find that White Widdow albums take a little time to grow and develop on me, but once they do, there’s no going back and their songs stay with you for days.
Caught In The Crossfire is a big opener with a killer bridge to chorus hook, keyboards and guitar both driving the song.
Fly Me Away is simply glorious AOR, no other way to describe. Pomp and 80s keyboards with a contemporary production.
Below The Belt is another ‘belter’ of an AOR track with a marvelous chorus.
Dreams Don’t Die is right out of 1985, those keyboards could have been lifted from either Giuffria album.
Angel is maybe the band’s heaviest number to date, it’s not metal, but it’s AOR with big attitude.
Carry The Heartache is another gem of a track, the sentimental song packing a punch…and a great chorus.
Never Again is another harmonized, multi-layered AOR anthem to finish in style.
Think early Harem Scarem, White Sister, Dakota, Houston and recent newcomers In Faith and you’ll have a fair idea of where this sits musically.
The album is mixed once again by Pelle Saether (Grand Design).
White Widdow are back with quite possibly their best album yet.
It appears that British AOR is alive and well. With the recent acclaim for new comers In Faith and 3 Lions as well as high praise for new albums from the more established Vega, Night By Night and Ten; it seems the Swedes don’t have a monopoly on good quality AOR and Melodic Rock. Angels Or Kings are another newcomer to the scene and on the face of things, they are set to gain the attention of fans of the aforementioned artists.
The British band, with origins dating back to 1988, split up over a decade ago but recent reformed to record this debut. They were voted onto the final Firefest lineup with over 3500 votes. The album is on the heavier side of classic 80s inspired AOR.
Baz Jackson is a memorable frontman. His passionate raspy vocals are at the forefront of each song. At times he appears to be pleading with the audience, such is the power of his emotional delivery.
There’s a veritable flood of keyboards throughout but the songs remain driven by guitar and those big vocals.
The tempo is largely uptempo and consistently delivers that classic British sound.
Musically the band sounds in the same territory as British legends FM, Shy and Heartland with a dash of White Widdow and HEAT.
Highlights are easy to find, the cream of the crop being Any Other Girl, A Harder Place, Same Star, Someone To Save Me and Same Old Love.
All good stuff really.
Yet another promising debut from a seasoned UK outfit. Traditional 80s melodic rock is alive and well. While this album may not be as groundbreaking or as unique as some others, it definitely has that charm of familiarity and is comprised of a good set of songs.
Now where did these guys come from? Dropping without a lot of warning comes the debut album from new UK outfit In Faith – featuring the talents of vocalist Pete Godfrey and guitarist Tony Marshall along with drummer Pete Newdeck.
The debut was recorded over the space of a year and was just released via Rocktopia Records.
This is an impressive slice of classic British AOR, following in the traditions of Dare, Ten and Newman.
It has a distinct 80s feel, without being dated and delivers a mix of feel good rockers, heartfelt ballads and those all-important AOR anthems.
The first thing I thought when listening to this album is that it sounded like a lost Harem Scarem album. Pete Godfrey has a huge vocal resemblance to Harry Hess and what I’m hearing here is an album that I think would fit perfectly between the debut Harem Scarem album and the classic follow-up Mood Swings.
In the same way as the debut Harem album saw a band finding their direction and musical path, so too are In Faith finding theirs and I can only imagine that their second album will be something potentially out of this world.
But back in the present, there is already something very special right here.
There are some straight forward melodic rockers in the form of the opener Radio and Church Of Rock N Roll, plus All Or Nothing and In Flames.
There are a couple of outstanding ballads with the heartbreaking Where I Want To Be leading the pack and the stripped back Leave Me Now.
Then there’s those anthems! Does It Feel Like Love is a hit single in another decade; Addicted is Harem Scarem at their old-school best and If That What Love Means is right up there for Song Of The Year – just perfect melodic goodness.
If you like your British melodic rock, have a soft spot for the Harem Scarem debut and like your music to represent a bygone era, then In Faith have delivered a very impressive debut that should be right up there on end of year best of lists. Can’t wait for more!
UK melodic hard rockers IN FAITH will release their full lenght debut album "There's A Storm Coming", on October 24 worldwide via Rocktopia Records.
The album contains 11 tracks, produced & mixed by Pete Newdeck (ex Eden’s Curse, Tainted Nation), co-produced by Tony Marshall (ex Contagious, Pride, Vaughn) and mastered by Harry Hess (Harem Scarem). The new video for the single "Does It Feel Like Love" can be viewed below:
The emergence of a new melodic hard rock band from the once thriving scene in the United Kingdom these days represents almost a major achievement considering the massive decline in the quantity of bands now plying their trade in the tried and trusted genre of melodic hard rock. The words “tried and trusted” by no means suggest that IN FAITH are simply a run of the mill, by the numbers type of band. Far from it; IN FAITH are taking the traditional parameters of hard rock and AOR and blending them together into a majestic accumulation of screaming guitars, soaring choruses and sumptuous melodies capable of raising every fist for miles or extracting tears from stone.
IN FAITH consists of Tony Marshall (ex Contagious, Pride, Vaughn), Pete Newdeck (ex Eden’s Curse, Tainted Nation) and the previously unheard of vocalist extraordinaire, Pete Godfrey, having performed with numerous local bands as a bass player before the revelation that he indeed possessed a God-given talent as a lead singer.
The debut album from IN FAITH, ‘There’s A Storm Coming’ represents everything that is great about British melodic hard rock: heavy, loud, in your face, soft, silky and absolutely unforgettable, all ingeniously blended into what surely is one of the best debut albums by any British melodic rock band of the past 15 years. From the glorious lead single ‘Does it Feel like Love’ right to the closing notes of ‘Bitter End’, ‘There’s a Storm Coming’ is one of the finest melodic hard rock albums you are liable to hear.
Track listing
1. Radio
2. Does It Feel Like Love
3. Church of Rock n’ Roll
4. Where I Wanna Be
5. Addicted
6. If That's What Love Means
7. All Or Nothing
8. In Flames
9. Million Ways
10. Leave Me Now
11. Bitter End
Featuring guest appearances from Brooke St James (Tyketto), Chris Green (Rubicon Cross, ex Pride, Furyon) and Pat Heath (ex Furyon), IN FAITH have delivered an album brimming with melodic gems that really demands everyone sit up and take notice and once again proudly raises the British flag to the fore of the melodic rock world.
Melodicrock.com: "The sound? Think classic Harem Scarem (the debut especially), throw in some Tyketto, H.E.A.T and some more Harem Scarem and you’ll get a good idea of what’s going on here. I've had a few listens to the whole album and there's a few tracks that are definitely going to figure in the 2014 MelRock Awards. Does It Feel Like Love and If That's What Love Means are two sure fire Monster AOR tracks and then there's also Million Ways, Addicted and In Flames."
Fireworks Magazine: "In Faith is the debut album and brainchild of Tony Marshall (Contagious, Firefest) and new vocal sensation Pete Godfrey, with stellar drummer Pete Newdeck (Eden's Curse, Tainted Nation) supplying the back-bone, backing vocals and excellent mix. The band's debut sees a glorious mix of Danger Danger, with flavours of HEAT Tyketto and Scorpions."
There’s a newcomer to the British melodic rock scene that shows so much promise that the new band might just find themselves featured on many Best Of 2014 lists.
IN FAITH will release their debut album via Rocktopia Records at Firefest in October of course!
The band features guitarist Tony Marshall (Contagious, Vaughn), drummer Pete Newdeck (Tainted Nation, Eden’s Curse) and vocalist Pete Godfrey.
The sound? Think classic Harem Scarem (the debut especially), throw in some Tyketto, H.E.A.T and some more Harem Scarem and you’ll get a good idea of what’s going on here.
I’m had a few listens to the whole album and there’s a few tracks there that are definitely going to figure in the 2014 MelRock Awards.
Does It Feel Like Love and If That’s What Love Means are two sure fire monster AOR tracks and then there’s also Million Ways, Addicted and In Flames.
There are rockers too of course – the high energy Danger Danger style of Church Of Rock N Roll and wonderfully moody Bitter End.
It’s a big traditional old-school British AOR albums folks…mark it down on your calendars for October.
Back in the late 80’s/early 90’s, when Rock was King, Pete Godfrey and Tony Marshall were both involved in various Manchester Rock Bands. It was inevitable that one way or another, their paths would at some point cross. Tony Marshall’s name was mentioned when Pete was attempting to put together a Rock band around 1991; they met up in a rehearsal room somewhere in Eccles, threw a few ideas around but nothing permanent came of this first meeting.
About six years late, Pete was playing lead guitar in a local band and needed to bow out. Tony was the obvious choice so they met up with the intention of working through twenty songs, the truth being Tony listened to about three and said he would be fine with the rest (and he was!).
Fast forward through various bands including Contagious, Vaughn and more, Tony Marshall was now married with a young child and apart from being heavily involved with the annual Firefest shows, had pretty much retired from the “Rock Scene”. Pete Godfrey had been writing pop tracks for a couple of years after 15 years away from the industry, enjoying a little success but it wasn’t satisfying from an artistic point of view. He decided to spend a few months writing what he “felt” instead of what he “thought” and came up with 6 or 7 demos that were definitely rock-based. Pete approached Tony who listened to the tracks but to be honest, wasn't massively impressed with the style. The two decided to meet up to see if they could write together. The ideas flowed but it took time to get up to speed with the advances in recording capabilities.
However, it became apparent pretty early on that the material was strong and what was originally intended to be a song-writing partnership quickly gathered momentum and a direction which was crying out for a band situation. To improve the tracks, Tony asked Pete Newdeck — who at the time was still the drummer with Edens Curse as well as fronting his own band Tainted Nation — to help with the drum programming. As an unexpected bonus, Pete Newdeck was also mixing songs in his own studio for his and other artists’ material, so, obviously the honourable thing to do was to ask him to mix a few of Tony and Petes’ songs, as it would have been rude not to!
Pete loved the songs and pretty quickly was drafted in as the third member of the as yet unnamed outfit.
In August 2013, during a conversation with Firefest’s Kieran Dargan, the suggestion was made that Tony and the two Petes write a track for use as the Anthem for Firefest X. ‘Church of Rock an’ Roll’ was that track and it was about this time that the boys decided to name the band IN FAITH
Over the next several months, songs were written, rewritten, tweaked and improved until they were deemed ready to be presented as demos to a select group of trusted friends now known as “the Jury”. The comments were pretty much phenomenal across the board, with some very positive critique offered which was taken onboard.
Once the decision was made to give “the project” a name, the push was on to complete an album. Favours were called in from several friends including Chris Green of Rubicon Cross plays a solo on ‘Addicted’,
Furyons Pat Heath adds his considerable talents to ‘Radio’ and ‘Learn to Fly’, and Brooke St James of Tyketto contributed a guitar solo to the track ‘Where I Wanna Be’.
In Faith’s debut album ‘There’s A Storm Coming’ was engineered and mixed by Pete Newdeck and co-produced by Pete Newdeck and Tony Marshall. Described by the UK’s FIREWORKS magazine as being “the best British melodic rock debut in almost twenty years”, we believe the album has been well worth all the hard work over the past two years.
