Journey’s Eclipse released

First posted 3/28/2011; updated 9/11/2020.

Eclipse Journey

Released: May 24, 2011 Peak: 13 US, 33 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. City of Hope (2011, --) Edge of the Moment Chain of Love Tantra Anything Is Possible (2011, 21 AC) Resonate She’s a Mystery Human Feel (2011, --) Ritual To Whom It May Concern Someone Venus Total Running Time: 66:20 The Players: Arnel Pineda (vocals) Neal Schon (guitar, backing vocals) Jonathan Cain (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals) Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals) Deen Castronovo (drums, backing vocals)

Rating: 3.188 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings)

About the Album: This album is somewhat a return to form – just not the form that most Journey fans would want. “There is no ‘Separate Ways,’ no ‘Don’t Stop Believin,’’ no ‘Open Arms’ here because the emphasis is not on the song, it’s on the instrumental action.” AMG “This is music made for musicians.” AMG In other words, they sort of return to the progressive rock leanings that fueled the band on their first three albums before Steve Perry joined the fold and took Journey into the stratosphere of popularity. This is an album where “the group carves soundscapes out of massive guitars, intricate rhythmic interplay, and cascades of synthesizers” AMG more than trying to capture their “arena rock heyday.” AMG “What they neglect to do is find hooks to have this play for an audience larger than the already devoted….That’s not to say that Eclipse is hook-less, because there are melodies for Arnel Pineda to sing and riffs for Neal Schon to churn out, but both certainly take a backseat to the overall sound Journey creates, one that is certainly classic rock without sounding particularly classic.” AMG Keyboardist Jonathan Cain said this record is “very guitar-driven. This album has very little of me, keyboard-wise. Neal wanted to do a heavier rock album. So, this is kind of his baby.” BM He continued by sayig “It’s probably one of Neal’s best guitar albums. I think he’s on a mission on this album – to play, and he did.” BM Cain did, however, co-write all the songs with Schon, with some collaboration from Pineda. As Cain said, “I wrote the lyrics on the thing and lots of the melodies that sit above the guitars.” BM He also said, “It’s a very hard-hitting record that has some conscience to it. It’s about lots of things – spirituality, sexuality. There’s a song called Tantra on it about tantric circles. I was fascinated with all of that. It’s definitely a departure from what we’ve done before.” BM

Resources and Related Links: Journey’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine BM Blabbermouth.net

 

Journey’s Revelation released

Revelation Journey

Released: June 3, 2008 Peak: 5 US, 68 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Never Walk Away (2008, --) Like a Sunshower Change for the Better Wildest Dream Faith in the Heartland After All These Years (5/24/08, 9 AC) Where Did I Lose Your Love (2008, 19 AC) What I Needed What It Takes to Win Turn Down the World Tonight The Journey (Revelation) Total Running Time: 66:08 The Players: Arnel Pineda (vocals) Neal Schon (guitar, backing vocals) Jonathan Cain (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals) Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals) Deen Castronovo (drums, backing vocals)

Rating: 4.089 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Over the years, Journey has gone through a few incarnations, most notably their transition from a Latin-tinged rock group (due to a couple Santana alums) to the more pop-driven years with Steve Perry as their lead singer. When the band reconvened in 1996 after a ten-year hiatus, it looked like they were determined to restore their glory years by returning with the same line-up that had recorded their biggest hits, 1981’s Escape and Frontiers. Alas, the reunion didn’t last. Perry left the fold. “New Yorker Steve Augeri seemed to be the perfect replacement…, his voice being a natural fit for Journey. Sadly that voice failed him. In 2006, after eight years and two albums with the band, Augeri left Journey amid rumours that he had lip-synced on stage. He was later diagnosed with a serious throat infection.” CRM The predicament threw Journey into the hunt for a lead singer yet again. “Schon scouted literally hundreds of singers via online video website YouTube before finding the band’s new frontman,” JM Arnel Pineda. Once again, the band seemed like they were a cover band of themselves with a frontman who did an uncanny impression of Steve Perry. Ironically, the band decided to rework one of their songs with Pineda on vocals. However, they chose to do Faith in the Heartland Meanwhile, the remainder of the line-up included founding member Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who joined the band at the onset of their heyday in 1981. Returning for his third consecutive album was drummer Deen Castronovo, celebrating ten years with the band after first working with Schon and Cain in the short-lived late-‘80s/early-‘90s supergroup Bad English. Returning to the fold after a dozen years is bassist Ross Valory, a founding member who’d been with the band through their glory years and was part of their 1996 reunion. “Never Walk Away kicks Revelation off with the resilient air and upbeat optimism fans have come to expect from Journey, a melody-soaked and guitar-driven anthem sure to ignite the live circuit just as it lights up the new release. The heartwarming sentiment offered by Like a Sunshower gives a more poetic and reflective look at relationships. It’s an uncharacteristic ballad from the more hard rock-inclined Schon. There’s even an instrumental, The Journey (Revelation)…the band’s first instrumental since Departure (1980).” JM “Cain’s keyboards elevate After All These Years to new emotional heights. What I Needed is a power ballad, driven by heavy guitars, reminiscent of the early Journey that so many bands have modeled themselves after. Deen Castronovo drums up a frenzy during the hard-driving rock song, Wildest Dream. The talented Castronovo also sings most of the high harmonies heard throughout the album, proving that not only is he an amazing drummer, but he’s a dynamic vocalist as well. Schon’s smoking guitars rip through this track with a cool, eastern flavor. Bassist Ross Valory is steady throughout, a stabilizing force through the albums more driven highs and heartfelt lows.” JM Notes: -- Revelation was released as a three-disc CD and DVD package exclusively through Wal-Mart and Journey’s online store. The track listing on this page is only for the collection’s first CD, which contained all new songs. The other two discs in the collection are a CD of newly-recorded songs and a live DVD from a March 6, 2008 Las Vegas concert.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Journey CRM ClassicRockMagazine.com JM JourneyMusic.com First posted 10/10/2008; updated 8/9/2021.