TNT
"All The Way To The Sun"
(Mayhem Records)
Keeping up the prolific nature of the band, "All The Way To The Sun," the band's 12th overall release, is packed with sizzling guitar and emotionally driven vocals that soar through your ears like the best candy you ever tasted. Melody, harmony and big arena energy fill this incredible disc. Bound to be a hard rock classic, "All The Way To The Sun" acknowledges the roots of hard rock yet brings it into a new era with contemporary style and sophistication.
Ronni LeTekro's guitar playing is a shining star unto itself. Lyrical, imaginative, eclectic and magical. A modern day wizard known as an icon in the world of hard rock, he can hold one note and make you cry or blaze faster than any human on this earth and still leave you breathless. His rhythm guitar, though often ignored, is equally stunning and important to the TNT sound and his songwriting ability, often overlooked due to his remarkable fingers, is also an important notch in his belt.
Tony Harnell's voice is a gift. An inhuman ability channeled into a very human and personal delivery. Clear as a bell, raw as hell and everywhere in between, Tony draws the listener into his world. Many know of this man's bizzare range that leapsfrom a whisper to a scream, but, it's the subtleties in his voice and his newly found restraint that are most effective. It's not so much the extreme full voice high notes that strike you...and they are some of the best and most powerful in the business...but the power and clarity in his entire instrument. There is a beautiful, almost angelic quality that seems to cut through almost anything. Even when delivering an angry, edgy song, that quality is still prominent. His is a voice you'd recognize anywhere.
However, as with most visonary duos, Ronni & Tony are very different personalities. Like two long lost brothers from opposite sides of the planet, the respect is deep but the polarity is sometimes paralyzing....and that is the core of what makes TNT so damn original. It's two different worlds coming together to create a new one. "All The Way To The Sun" was a bit of a test for the two as they only had a couple of brife face to face writing sessions before moving on to the recording process...separately. While Ronni stayed at home in Norway, Tony flew back to New York City. By taking advantage of modern technology, the two were able to finish writing and then move on to recording what many think is the best album of their career. That's getting to be an old cliche for these guys as they continue to suprise and grow with each release. Even after 20 plus years together, the thing that sets Harnell & LeTekro apart from their peers is their consistent desire to create something special.
