Richard Kordos - This Holy War
Rock, Pop
New Jersey, United States
Overall Impression: Melodically charged and fronted by a soaring lead vocal performance, "This Holy War" is a brilliant love letter to classic 80's hard rock with its galloping rhythm guitars, epic lead guitar flourishes, and that oh so iconic synth sound. Richard Kordos merges thematically driven lyrics with a keen eye for detail, resulting in a layered and inspired piece of songwriting that perfectly echoes the types of songs I myself grew up listening to when I first discovered the genre. Great work!
Strongest Point(s): The performances are excellent, the lead vocals showcase a great amount of tonal and dynamic control whilst expressing plenty of character, they handle the equally well-written lyrics brilliantly and serve as the heart and soul of the track. The guitars are wonderfully meaty and are played with both precision and nuance whilst the drums, bass and synth provide an incredibly strong backdrop for the vocals to flow over. Texture also plays an important role, the tracks instrumentation and overall arrangement help contribute to a detailed soundscape that's filled with timbral variation and tonal diversity, whether it be from the harder-edged chugging guitars, lush sounding synth pads, or blistering lead guitar, there's a great amount of variety on display that results in an absorbing listening experience from the very opening drum fill to the smooth fade-out that brings the track to a satisfying close.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of classic hard rock will have a lot to love about "This Holy War", it contains a great amount of melody, strong performances, and a polished production.
Artist target suggestions: Dokken, Stryper, Whitesnake, Winger, Tesla, Dio, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Lita Ford, Queensryche, Fates Warning, Savatage, Bruce Dickinson, King Diamond
Interested in having your Song Reviewed by our Professional Staff? Head to your RadioAirplay.com dash and click Song Reviews under the Special Offers menu!
About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.