Tony Harnell has undergone significant musical transformations since he appeared on the scene with Norwegian headbangers TNT in the early 1980s. From light hair metal to dark hard rock, he has remained a singing chameleon in various projects. That much certainly is apparent on Love's Dying Wish, Harnell's second CD recorded under the Starbreaker name (with Primal Fear guitarist Magnus Karlsson). These dozen tunes wrap the melodic urgency of early TNT with the shadowy layers of his late-1990s project Westworld, resulting in rockers and ballads that are haunted by piano intros and propelled by Harnell's earnest vocals — which take him places he's never been before as a singer.
For proof, listen to the post-bridge breakdown in "Hide," on which he reveals just how many octaves his voice has dropped since "10,000 Lovers (In One)." Then there's the emo-esque "Hello Are You Listening" and the modern buzz of "Building A Wall." Listeners looking for familiarity will find it on the title track, a dark ballad that could have been left over from a Westworld session, and the classic TNT groove of "Unknown Superstar." Harnell pulls them all off convincingly — and still manages to hit the requisite high notes.
He may not be a household name among casual rock and metal fans, but Harnell is proving that some singers do, indeed, get better with age.
Track Listing:
1) End of Alone
2) Evaporate
3) Love's Dying Wish
4) Unknown Superstar
5) Hide
6) Building A Wall
7) Beautiful Disaster
8) Live Your Life
9) Hello Are You Listening?
10) Changes Me
11) The Day Belongs to Us
12) This Close
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