Thunder Rising – Horizon Line

Thunder Rising
Horizon Line
Label: Wormholedeath
Out: 19^th December 2025
Playing time: 45:24

Thunder Rising – a super Group composed by great professional musicians united to deliver the best hard rock of our time

Oh, yes. The press release is once again very exaggerated. These are certainly very well-known musicians for the Italian label Wormholedeath. In that sense, it is certainly legitimate to speak of a supergroup, at least in Italy. But ‘the best Hard Rock of our time’? Many bands have claimed that about themselves. At least with ‘Back To The Time Of Rock’ (2022), the band has not yet completely convinced me. I am curious to see if the musicians will succeed this time.

‘Can’t Forget Your Voice’ is Old School AOR. Carried by lots of keyboard sounds. It’s such beautiful retro 80s stadium rock. The brevity of the songs is also retro. After just under four minutes, the even shorter ‘Master Of Destiny’ follows. And yet there’s still room for some great guitar solos. There are also repeated polyphonic vocals. A Hammond organ wafts in the background. ‘Live Forever’ is one of three songs that breaks the four-minute barrier. Catchy melodies with well-placed riffs. ‘What’s Going On Tonight’ is a bit harder. The riffs are slightly reminiscent of Led Zeppelin. The chorus is catchy and easy to sing along to. The next four-minute track, ‘Born To Ride’, starts with a shrill guitar riff and is very rhythmic. Here, too, you can quickly sing along. As the title suggests, ‘Prelude25’ is an interlude in which keyboardist Enzo Caruso can let loose. However, it fits well into the overall sound. ‘She Can’t Hold You Back’ is a little harder than the previous songs. Here, the classification ‘Hard Rock’ is entirely appropriate. The same applies to the following ‘Bloody Axe’. ‘Personal Vampire’ is then the third strong hard rocker in a row. ‘Mad Machine’ is also reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, with big guitar hooks. ‘The Prisoner’ is a contemplative ballad in which Frank Caruso lets his guitar sing, accompanying singer Alessio Spini. The album concludes with the country ballad ‘Dreaming Song To You’.

‘Horizon Line’ also has room for an instrumental piece. However, it fits much better than the two on the predecessor. This makes the journey back in time to the world of 70s and 80s AOR and Hard Rock a much more enjoyable listening experience than on ‘Back To The Time Of Rock’. This album feels like it was made as one piece. Only here and there I would have liked a few more degrees of hardness.

Thunder Rising – Dreaming Song to You: https://youtu.be/DOlOtRM0fcI?si=KSN0Q2dnt14qdud2

Lineup:

Frank Caruso – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Alessio Spini – Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Gabriele Baroni – Bass
Enzo Caruso – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Corrado “Nail” Ciceri – Drums

Track list:

• Can’t Forget Your Voice
• Master of Destiny
• Live Forever
• What’s Going On Tonight
• Born To Ride
• Prelude25
• She Can’t Hold You Back
• Bloody Axe
• Personal vampire
• Mad Machine
• The Prisoner
• Dreaming Song To You
• Dangerous Speed