PRIDE OF LIONS – Unbridled (Album Review)

These lions rock with pure horsepower.

It could be said that any musical endeavor lives and dies by the vision of its principal composer, but it is equally important that the caliber of musicians employed to translate that vision into a reality be top-notch. Regarding both, former Survivor keyboardist and prolific songwriter Jim Peterik has always had all bases covered when delivering a fresh opus of earworm anthems, be it smash hits like “Eye Of The Tiger”, “Burning Heart”, or a host of bangers with the likes of 38 Special and jazz rock icons Ides Of March.

In recent years, much of his energy has been focused on recapturing the same spirit that typified the 80s peak of AOR via Pride Of Lions, a collaboration with vocalist Toby Hitchcock and a cast of formidable instrumentalists that has been flying under the Frontiers Records banner since 2003. Now eight studio albums deep into the game, the latest LP Unbridled finds Peterik and company upping the creative ante considerably, blurring the line between retro rock nostalgia and present-day practices.

The energy factor wants for nothing even as the opening notes of this massive, 57-minute studio excursion unfold. Beginning on what can be best described as the AOR answer to Van Halen’s “Eruption”, the opener and title anthem “Unbridled” sees guitarist Mike Aquino putting on a six-string master class to rival many of the shred icons of the 80s, yet coming off as tasteful enough to make room for those signature melodic hooks that are the hallmark of Peterik’s sonic formula.

Between its extremely upbeat and riff-happy character, one might even go so far as to assume that this outfit let the cat out of the bag early and spent their best ideas on the first 6 minutes of the album, but the ebb and flow of rocking fanfare that immediately follows dispels this notion immediately. Be it the dramatic, guitar-driven fire of “Edge Of Forever” that could pass for a repackaged theme song for Rocky V that never was, or the inspirational power balladry that recalls the spirit of the original Karate Kid trilogy “Don’t Waste A Wish On Me”, the winning moments continue to pile up.

Though most of what occurs through this lofty album’s 12 chapters carries a strong stylistic aroma for what now seems a bygone era, the coat of paint that it sports definitely fits with where things stand in 2026. Mostly manifesting in a production quality that feels more up close and personal when measured against the analog era of Peterik’s career, more acoustically driven odes like “1000 Long Goodbyes” and the almost country-like power ballad “What The Whole World Needs To Know” carry a similar air of intimacy to the more confessional character of the post-90s rock era, even when accounting for the brilliantly vibrant vocal performances of Peterik and Hitchcock that ring similar to AOR contemporaries like Styx and REO Speedwagon.

In fact, the entire middle point of this album leans quite heavily into the ballad department, with standout entries like “I Can See In The Dark” and “Hell Of High Water” spearheading a more vocal-oriented array of craftsmanship that, nevertheless, comes with a healthy amount of melodic guitar and keyboard input to complement the steady grooves and soaring voices.

But for all the partial flirtations with modern rock trappings and the tendencies towards a more rustic atmosphere, Pride Of Lions ultimately hangs its hat on a mode of musical triumph that dates back to when video allegedly killed the radio star. Be it the explosive trifecta that kicks the album off or later guitar-focused banger entries like “I Can’t Let Go” (which sounds like an unofficial sequel to Survivor hit “I Can’t Hold Back”) and the album’s closer and appropriately named “A Mighty Noise”, Peterik has definitely opted to remember his 80s AOR roots quite loudly.

By the same token, the extremely boisterous and high-flying vocal delivery of Toby Hitchcock often closely resembles the signature timbre and luster of Jimi Jamison (R.I.P.), while barring the aforementioned shred fest that kicks the album off, guitarist Mike Aquino often channels the same tasteful melodic character as Franky Sullivan. Indeed, the entire arrangement that brings Unbridled into being could well pass for a 2026 reunion of Survivor, and those who fell in love with what they brought to the masses during the mid-80s are at the center of the wide net that this album has cast.

Release Date: July 10th, 2026
Record Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Genre: AOR

Musicians:

• Toby Hitchcock and Jim Peterik / Lead Vocals
• Ed Breckenfeld / Drums And Percussion
• Mike Aquino / Lead Electric And Acoustic Guitar
• Jim Peterik / Keyboards & Secondary Guitars
• Bob Lizik / Bass Guitar

Unbridled Track-list:

1. Unbridled
2. Edge Of Forever
3. Don’t Waste A Wish On Me
4. 1000 Long Goodbyes
5. What The Whole World Needs To Know
6. I’ll Be Your Rock
7. Hell Or High Water
8. Ride The Lightning
9. Lose Like A Winner
10. I Can See In The Dark
11. I Can’t Let Go
12. A Mighty Noise

Order the album here.