Album review: ATLANTIS DRIVE – Atlantis Drive (2024)

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 14.06.24]

Composer and guitarist Markus Pfeffer (Barnabas Sky, Lazarus Dream) is the mastermind behind Atlantis Drive. As Markus explains – “I had a very clear goal with this album: To take up the sound of the keyboard-orientated melodic hard rock of the eighties with a slightly nostalgic glamour and transport it into the modern era. To achieve this, a keyboard player had to be found. I quickly found the perfect congenial partner in Jorris Guilbaud (Heart Line, Devoid) and he came up with some really impressive synth arrangements, sounds and melodies that have never been heard on any of my albums before and are more than impressive.”

Joining the duo are drummer Markus Kullmann (Glenn Hughes, Voodoo Circle) and vocalist Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Shining Black, Royal Hunt, Iron Mask). Boals will certainly be a surprise choice given his past in many a fine power & prog metal band. However, he fits the music like a glove, wrote most of the lyrics and hopefully we will see another album from Atlantis Drive with him at the mic stand.

Plenty of catchy melodic rock to be heard on here, from the keystastic ‘Faith’ through to ‘Living For The Moment’, where you can imagine Mark Boals having a great time singing this one.

‘Way Back When’ is the album’s stand out. Again it touches on a popular lyrically theme in rock music, looking back to growing up. The synths on this one are on another level! Add in guitar crunch and an instant chorus and we have a winner!

The album ends on a subdued note lyrically, with the ballad ‘Farewell To A Friend’, covering the loss of a loved one. Then the album ends on the eight minutes of ‘Heroes’, a song that pays tribute to musical heroes that have passed (a lyrical theme that seems to be used more and more as time goes on). Plenty of musical heft to this one.

Atlantis Drive wanted to bring back the glory days of 80′s melodic rock with a modern edge and they have done just that. Great fun to listen to and lets hope there is enough interest to get a second album from them. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Latest session: SUNDAY 26 MAY

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 26 May 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 28 May 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 10 June 2024

BASTION ROSE (Epictronic Records)
VOODOO RAMBLE Midnight Ride (indie)
BYWATER CALL As If (indie)
ESCAPE THE PARADIGM Cold (Curtain Call Records)
DEFENCES Gold In The Dark (indie)
BRAVE RIVAL Fairytale (indie)
MOJO ACES Old Crow (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 10 June 2024

09:00-12:00 NESTOR Teenage Rebel (Napalm Records)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 MIRACLE MILE East Of Ely (indie)

To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to an X (Twitter) account

Please note that as at 12.06.24 the X/Twitter embedded timeline appears to be broken. Please click the text link until this is resolved.

Tweets by Get Ready to ROCK!