· VIDEO ·

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE: "Truth In Unity" (Promo Video Trailer)

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE: "Angel City" (Promo Video)

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE: "The Trickster" (Promo Video)

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE: "Get Ready" (Promo Video)

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE: "Still A Fool For You" (Promo Video)

· reviews ·

CHRIS CATENA is an Italian singer who has been in the music business for quite a while now and his latest adventure is a project called CHRIS CATENA's ROCK CITY TRIBE, on which he works together with Swedish guitarist JANNE STARK. There's a long list of guest musicians on the album, such as guitarists Blues Saraceno, Tracii Guns, Pat Travers, Stevie Salas, Dick Wagner, Doug Aldrich, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Ozz Fox, Jimmy Crespo and Freddie Salem, bassists Wyzard, Chuck Wright, Tony Franklin and Greg Chaisson, while the drums are provided by Matt Starr, Brian Tichy and Troy Lucketta and there's even room for guest singers like Paul Shortino, John Sloman and Bobby Kimball. Quite impressive for sure and thankfully we get to hear high quality music as well, because the album is filled with guitar riff driven groovy melodic heavy rock with a slight bluesy touch. Songs like The Trickster, The Seventh Son and Get Ready are very strong groovy melodic heavy rock songs (WHITESNAKE meets VAN HALEN), while there is a slight change to more late 80s sounding mainstream melodic rock (a la TYKETTO/BANGALORE CHOIR) on the sensational My Angel, which even reminds me a bit of classic 1990s FAIR WARNING. Funnily enough the following uptempo Still A Fool is even more going for that melodic hard rock approach, and it is probably the strongest song on the album, because it has a superb twin-guitar/chorus that reminds me of classic THIN LIZZY! I also need to mention the wonderful closing track Ridin' The Freebird Highway, which is a perfect semi/mid tempo melodic rocker in the style of HURRICANE and ICON, with superb vocals and a great middle and ending uptempo part. Anyway, this is a very strong record that is one to own if you like classic traditional Hardrock/Melodic Heavy Rock with the focus on the groovy guitar riffs and soaring solo's from the good old days of all the mentioned bands.

(Points: 8.6 out of 10)

Gabor Kleinbloesem / Strutter'zines (February 2021)
 

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The Roman rocker is back, with a great international record!

Despite a long career this is only the fourth album for the Roman singer and composer Chris Catena, an artist who from the very beginning has chosen to offer a cosmopolitan vision of his music. And that comes at a sidereal distance from the previous "Discovery". Over these twelve years Chris has worked to create the perfect record he dreamed of. He shared this burden with the Swedish guitarist and composer Janne Stark, involving numerous musicians, for a work unraveled in studios around the world and published by the prestigious American label Grooveyard.

The result is excellent, the fifteen tracks offer a homogeneous vision, despite the many figures involved, for a high level artistic figure. The reference is undeniable: the Deep Purple of the period 'Come Taste The Band', those influenced by Tommy Bolin's funky guitar, with a more modern cut in the production, thus approaching the soloist Glenn Hughes.

But this is a starting point, because "Truth In Unity" shines with its own light, with references to the American rock of the 80s, when rock stars proudly trampled Sunset Boulevard. Chris is a purebred singer and has the courage to share the stage with good colleagues, without ever losing identity, with the support of a stratospheric parterre of musicians. Some names? Kee Marcello (ex Europe), Doug Aldrich, Stu Hamm, Blues Saraceno, not to mention Tony Franklin and the late Dick Wagner.

The album is a purebred horse in its entirety, but it is impossible not to mention the deadly initial triptych the rock-hard of "Angel City", the heavy blues energy of "The Trickster" (shared with the voice of Paul Shortino, Quiet Riot / Rough Cutt) and the funky bully of "Down In The Black" that exhumes John Sloman, the extraordinary and underestimated singer that some will remember in 'Conquest' by Uriah Heep. Also beautiful is the impact of 'Motorcycle Killers', the daring melody of 'The Seventh Son' where the uvula of Bobby Kimball (formerly Toto) shines. But from 'Freedom' to 'My Angel', the power blues of 'Get Ready', to 'Ridin'The Freebird Highway', it is a flourishing of great hard rock, divided between energy and melody, played with precious technique.

'Truth In Unity' is an intense and powerful record, which you can listen to in one breath and which moves your favorite tracks from day to day, just like the great albums of the past.

Gianni Della Cioppa / Musical News (December 2020)
 

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So this is the game.

Stand in front of the shelf that contains your collection of records and CDs and place on the floor all the ones where the following musicians play or have played: Doug Aldrich, Carmine Appice, Greg Chaisson, Ozz Fox, Tony Franklin, Tracii Guns, Stuart Hamm, Scotti Hill, Joel Hoekstra, Bobby Kimball, James LoMenzo, Troy Lucketta, Kee Marcello, Neil Murray, Dizzy Reed, Blues Saraceno, Paul Shortino, Matt Starr, Brian Tichy, Pat Travers, Dick Wagner, Chuck Wright. Now, looking at the pyramid that has surely been created (and after reading the names of the groups on the covers), try to ask yourself what these musicians could produce if involved in the same project.

The answer to the question is: Chris Catena's new album.

The above list is also incomplete (I have limited myself to some of the names best known by the general public), but it is a fact that the multifaceted Italian singer has once again managed to make use of the contribution of a legion of undisputed and indisputable talents to create a simply crazy album, built in close collaboration with guitarist Janne Stark and containing fifteen tracks that defining overwhelming would be equivalent to diminishing its value: pure hard rock, the result of the exploration of every remote nuance of the genre, with fast tracks, mid-tempo and ballads, all embellished with funky inserts, heavy passages (heavy?), FM nuances and southern hints. An authentic sonic encyclopedia to listen, and listen, and listen, and listen ...

Luca Morzenti / Metal Garage (November 2020)
 

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Chris Catena may not be a well known name outside of music circles, but within those hallowed halls the Italian singer has the pulling power to make his latest project, Chris Catena’s Rock City Tribe, into an all star outing that puts many of these types of releases to shame. To give you an idea of the type of talent brought onboard the Truth In Unity album, just let me ring-off Bobby Kimball, Carmine Appice, Tony Franklin, Ozz Fox, Scotti Hill, Eric Ragno, Doug Aldrich, Matt Starr and Dick Wagner as the tip of this album’s iceberg and instantly leave you in no doubt that we’re in rock a-list territory here.

Thankfully, the talent that shines brightest remains Catena himself, a rich varied voice that can be Matti Alfonzetti like one moment and then come over all Glenn Hughes the next, catching the ear whether the man is sharing vocal duties or standing all alone front and centre. With the songwriting split quite evenly between Francesco Marras, Christian Francesconi and Locomotive Breath man Janne Stark, Catena proves once more that his strongest strength - aside from his full, rich tones of course - is his ability to bring a really impressive team around him and allow them to shine. However that’s not to take away from songs such as the banjo infused “Get Ready” - which reminds of the underrated sound that Lynyrd Skynyrd employed to such good effect on their more recent output - where it’s Stark who handles all of the guitars alongside slide, dobro and banjo man Toby Wilson, while Catena turns in a truly scintillating vocal. If, however, it’s star power you’re looking for then soak up the bluesy, funky “Down In The Black” where John Sloman (Uriah Heep/ Lone Star) joins in the fun behind the mic, Ken Sandin (Alien) handles bass and Troy Lucketta (Tesla) bangs ‘dem drums. And that’s an aspect that can be found throughout, with Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith) teaming up with Blues Saraceno on guitar for the swirling swoop of “Who Knew”, where Chuck Wright (Giuffria, Quiet Riot) provides bass. Arriving replete with an irresistible singalong of a chorus and some tasty yet considered guitar work, there’s also no doubt this cut bridges the gap between authentic heavy, hard blues romper and proud strutting melodic rock sheen. Neither is that the only song where the guitar team is enough to make you plough a dirt field with your dropped jaw, Damon Johnson (Black Star Riders) and Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger) taking turns on lead on “Round The Bend” as Stark nails down the rhythm work alongside bassist James Lomenzo (White Lion). Add in the vintage Whitesnake shuffle and hustle of “Livin’ Wreck” where Davide Spurio hammers the life out of his Hammond as Stark and Rowan Robertson (Dio) expertly ape the Marsden/Moody team-up that used to drive Old Cov’s boogie monster, and really, all bases are covered.

I could go on - after all I haven’t told you about Tracii Guns dropping by to go “Ridin’ The Freebird Highway”, or Stevie Salas utterly exploding onto “Angel City”, but by now you’re getting the picture. If you love blues and you dig hard rock, or if you miss the melodic hip thrusting days or like to live on the Southern side, then the one true maxim you need to live by is simple - there is Truth In Unity.

Steven Reid / Sea Of Tranquility (September 2020)
 

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The sense of unity and belonging to a band is something that, especially in metal and hard rock, counts a lot in the musical environment. Even more often makes the difference of an expensive production or trendy and transmit this type of values when you invest heart and soul into a project with the participation of guests so it is not difficult, it is almost impossible. This is the biggest advantage of 'Truth in Unity', an album that Chris Catena, in collaboration with the master Janne Stark, he thought he might be the subject of study for some of the most great hard rock professionals. The list is very long and it would be boring to list them all but when you start talking about musicians such as Doug Aldrich, Tracii Guns, Brian Tichy, Pat Travers, Dizzy Reed and Bumblefoot, then you will understand that this is not a joke. The other advantage of 'Truth In Unity' is that it can boast a remarkable cohesion. The ideas are varied, there is something for everyone in tastes in the lineup, yet the songs all seem linked by a common thread and there are no drops in tension or out of context passages. 'Angel City' and 'The Trickster' are a pretty good hit at the beginning but also 'Get Ready', 'Still A Fool' and, towards the end of the lineup, 'Freedom' they stand out for the care of the arrangements and the beauty of the timbre of a singer who in the past had already collaborated with the likes of Glenn Hughes and Jeff Scott Soto. It is natural to be curious about how the material will be transported live but, waiting to find out, 'Truth In Unity' is a disc to be consumed by plays and destined to remain near your stereo system for months.

Lorenzo Becciani / Suffissocore (October 2020)
 

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The name of Chris Catena is not one that I know but he is an Italian singer with several solo rock albums to his credit and he has managed to accrue a most impressive guest list of high quality musicians for his latest project which shows that he must be highly regarded.

Rock City Tribe has been put together, obviously, by Catena and Swedish guitarist Janne Stark (Locomotive Breath/Overdrive) and has been something like 10-years in the making. The songs have been written by a combination of Catena, Stark and Francesco Marras with one contributed by Kee Marcello (Europe) and all have that ’70s vibe that Catena was looking for. The music is also based on a definite ’70s framework with the some of the blues of early Whitesnake and funkiness of mid era Deep Purple (Coverdale/Hughes) combined with the glossy melodic rock of Journey.

Unfortunately, the promotion company has only given basic details so it’s not possible to break down which guests feature on which tracks but you need to know who has contributed to that you can get a flavour of what is on offer with this might fine rock album. So, there is no other way to proceed than a long boring list which you can either choose to read and admire or simply skip. Contributing in some form or another are Pat Travers, Doug Aldrich, Stevie Salas, Blues Saraceno, Damon Johnson, Bumblefoot, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Wyzard, Ozz Fox, Tracii Guns, Dizzy Reed, Scotti Hill, Jimmy Crespo, Freddie Salem, Dick Wagner, Bobby Kimball, Paul Shortino, John Sloman, Stu Hamm, Tony Franklin, Neil Murray, Chuck Wright, Ken Sandin, James Lomenzo, Sean McNabb, Carmine Appice, Brian Tichy, Matt Starr, Troy Lucketta, Greg Chaisson, Joel Hoekstra, Giacomo Castellano and Paul Audia.

Of course, some of the musicians are more famous than others but it is a mightily impressive list. There are fifteen songs with a running time of 80-minutes and not a weak track amongst them but, then, if you have spent 10-years on the project then you are going to polish it until it shines and it is easy to tell that this has been a labour of love for both Catena and Stark. The performances are impeccable and the vocals and guitar are extraordinarily exceptional on this superbly produced classic rock album that ticks just about every box. The album closes with the 11-minute epic Ridin’ The Freebird Highway which is a extravagant rock work out with the musicians having a blast and revelling in the over the top nature of the song and features some phenomenal guitar but, then again, that is the running theme through this quality album.

Terry Craven / Velvet Thunder (October 2020)
 

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Singer Chris Catena from Italy, together with solo guitarist Janne Stark from Sweden, started the project Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe, which further consists of a range of artists, such as: Pat Travers, Doug Aldrich, Stevie Salas, Blues Saraceno, Damon Johnson, Bumblefoot, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Wyzard, Ozz Fox, Tracii Guns, Dizzy Reed, Scotti Hill, Jimmy Crespo, Freddie Salem, Dick Wagner, Bobby Kimball, Paul Shortino, John Sloman, Stu Hamm, Tony Franklin, Neil Murray, Chuck Wright, Ken Sandin, James LoMenzo, Sean McNabb, Carmine Appice, Brian Tichy, Matt Starr, Troy Lucketta, Greg Chaisson, Joel Hoekstra, Giacomo Castellano, Paul Audia, Katiuscia and Davide Spurio.

It took more than 10 years to realize this project, a tribute to melodic heavy rock music, and to record the music in studios worldwide, from which 15 songs were selected to appear on the record. On July 31, 2020, Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe released the album "Truth In Unity" via the US Grooveyard Records and it was released on CD and as a digital download.

The album starts with "Angel City", in which the band plays a catchy hard rock song, which has a catchy rhythm and some subtle tempo changes (listen to this song via the youtube link below the review) and is followed by " The Trickster ", an uptempo rock song, which swings and contains wonderful guitar playing, and" Down In The Black ", a fantastic rock song, which is played at an average tempo and contains various tempo changes.

This is followed by "Motorcycle Killers", an uptempo song with progressive rock and funk influences, tempo changes and a danceable rhythm, "The Seventh Son", a heavy rock song, which is played at an average tempo and just sounds good, "Get Ready" , a great country rock song, in which the banjo plays an important role and the music contains an infectious, recurring rottenness, where sitting still is not an option and "My Angel", an excellent quiet song, with changes in tempo, a little more speed after a short time and contains symphonic rock influences.

In "Still A Fool" Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe plays a great up-tempo song that swings, in "Who Knew" I get another great up-tempo rock song, which has influences from "Who Are You" by The Who and in "Livin 'Wreck" I hear the band play a swinging song, which swings, contains wonderful guitar playing and has an infectious danceable rhythm.

Then I hear "Round The Bend", a delightful uptempo rock song, which starts harmonica playing and has influences from the rhythm & blues and swings like a train, "Fall Of Our Heroes", a nice sounding song that has tempo changes and contains an infectious rhythm and "Freedom", an uptempo mix of funk and hard rock, which swings, has a high sing-along quality and is very danceable.

Further follow "Theme For An Imaginary Western", a beautiful quite calm song, which has a danceable rhythm and the longest track on the CD, which lasts just over 11 minutes, entitled "Ridin 'The Freebird Highway" and in this the band plays a beautiful rock song, which is dominated by the guitar playing and gets more speed towards the end.

"Truth In Unity" by Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe is full of catchy hard rock songs, which swing and are generally played at a fairly high tempo and I can highly recommend this CD to fans of this genre.

Cary Munter / New Underground Music (Netherlands) (October 2020)
 

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Chris Catena has been an active singer for several years, with a couple of solo albums behind him but also many collaborations, including Pavic, Kee Marcello, Vitalij Kuprij, Mountain Of Power, Overdrive and Il Rovescio Della Medaglia. This new project, for which the moniker Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe has been chosen, sees a very open line-up, with the presence of many guests from the international rock scene and a practically stellar cast.

Most of the songs were written by Chris (often with the help of Antonio Aronne or Francesco Marras) and Janne Stark (sometimes four hands with Peter Hermannsson), but in a couple of cases the two collaborated directly together. Beyond the presence in the tracklist of a Jack Bruce cover ("Theme For An Imaginary Western"), among the authors of the songs there is also a character like Kee Marcello ("Still A Fool") and this can already make the idea of the level of this record, which sees guests, in addition to the former Europe itself, musicians of the caliber of Matt Starr (Mr. Big), Stevie Salas, Ron "Thal" Bumblefoot (Sons Of Apollo, Guns 'n' Roses, Asia), Paul Shortino, Neil Murray, Dizzy Reed (Guns 'n' Roses), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Tony Franklin, Carmine Appice, Ozz Fox (Stryper), Scotti Hill (Skid Row), James LoMenzo (White Lion, Megadeth), Stu Hamm, Tracii Guns (LAGuns), Brian Tichy (Velvet Revolver, Whitesnake), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio, Lion), John Sloman (Uriah Heep, UFO), Pat Travers, but the list would be much longer and we should devote too much space just to mention everyone. But let's talk about names that have made, more or less, the history of world rock, and it is significant that Chris Catena has managed to involve so many personalities, a sign of the respect and esteem he has managed to earn over the years. In fact, it is really a pleasure to listen to it, both in robust hard rock songs (among the influences we mention for example Whitesnake, Van Halen, Kiss, Europe) or a rock with strong bluesy veins, especially in the second half of the album, sometimes with a southern flavor; with "My Angel" the singer instead engages in a sort of power ballad, but there are also authentic forays into funky and r & b, as in "Freedom", a particular song, which almost seems to bring the Bee Gees together with Earth, Wind & Fire. Some duets by Chris himself were also very successful, sporting his golden uvula together with Paul Shortino ("The Trickster"), John Sloman ("Down In The Black"), Bobby Kimball ("The Seventh Son) and Peter Hermansson (“Livin 'Wreck”). We were also particularly struck by the final track, "Ridin 'The Freebird Highway", which lasts for over eleven minutes, flying away almost without realizing it.

Of course, we must also admit that with such a large number of collaborations, it is sometimes a bit difficult to pull the strings of a record where everyone gives his contribution, thus bringing together slightly different styles, which we try to bring together. at best: we do not mean that there are strange mixes or extravagant contaminations, but it is evident that every author and every musician makes his hand felt and more than the album of a solo singer, this 'Rock City Tribe' looks almost like a of those occasions in which musicians of various groups come together for a cause or to celebrate a tribute, ending up shifting the attention more on the event itself and on the participation of the various guests than on the music actually proposed. In any case, on "Truth In Unity" there are many good songs but, beyond this, it is a record to simply listen to, possibly without preconceptions and with a certain open-mindedness, since the styles and influences range from different decades. Probably it would have been easier for Chris himself to propose a classic hard rock album, but "Truth In Unity" is instead an authentic riot of sounds and emotions, which merge into a record that does not aim to surprise or invent anything, but which it sincerely pays tribute to those who have been able to give life to this authentic and genuine music, carrying on the flame of rock with passion and it is also a record dedicated to those who, even today, after decades of listening, are able to get excited about it.

Elio Ferrara / Metalitalia (September 2020)
 

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People that like some authentic guitar masturbation should have their ears cleaned out before digesting ‘Truth In Unity’, a CD that marks a cooperation between Italian vocalist Chris Catena and Swedish guitarist/song writer Janne Stark, both musicians who have been in the business for quite some time now.

The list of musicians that have lend a hand with this project is enormous and overwhelming. There are contributions on the guitar by Blues Saraceno, Tracii Guns, Pat Travers, Stevie Salas, Dick Wagner, Doug Aldrich, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Ozz Fox, Jimmy Crespo and Freddie Salem. On bass there are guest roles for the one and only Wyzard, Chuck Wright, Tony Franklin and a certain Greg Chaisson, drums are provided by Matt Starr, Brian Tichy and Troy Lucketta and on the vocal front people like Paul Shortino, John Sloman and Bobby Kimball add their talent to the mix. These are just a few names of the enormous guest list and I find it amazing that Stark and Catena have managed to make the album sound as a unit.

Most songs have been written by Stark (or on his own or in cooperation with other composers like drummer Peter Hermansson) and there is also a cover version of ,,Theme For An Imaginary Western’’, once written and recorded by the late, great Jack Bruce for his solo-album ‘Songs For A Tailor’ but many ( ‘older’) rockers might know this song from the ‘Climbing!’ album by Mountain. Mountain bass player/singer Felix Pappalardi produced the Jack Bruce album and decided to use the song for Mountain and guitarist Leslie West has kept this track in his live set for many years as well after the demise of Mountain. For me it is the only track on this album that does not cut it as this version on ‘Truth In Unity’ is clearly not in the vocal range of Chris Catena. It is originally, and also in the Mountain version, a song with a slow tempo and an amazing vocal line but here we find a beefed up version that just does not do it for me (maybe because the last couple of weeks I have been listening to a lot of older Mountain albums). But for the rest this album with its 15 tracks in total is a dream for guitar lovers as the solos are practically uncountable and the quality of the songs and the performances are at stages impressive. This is a hard rock project that is quite unique as there are so many different participants and it is a record with plenty of variation as well. Listen for instance to ,,My Angel’’, a ballad with a beautiful acoustic middle piece or the Kee Marcello composition ,,Still A Fool’’ that just kicks ass with Kee’s guitar leading the way. Also excellent is the duet between Catena and Toto’s Bobby Kimball on ,,The Seventh Son’’, another highlight on this record that has got groove, balls and melody. And did I mention that there are a few guitars burning a hole in the carpet as well?

Michel van de Moosdijk / Headbanger Lifestyle (September 2020)
 

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Italian rock vocalist Chris Catena is back with the stunning new hard rock project CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE featuring the musical talents of Chris Catena on vocals and Janne Stark on guitar along with an amazing, excellent, all-star cast of special guests which include: Pat Travers, Doug Aldrich, Stevie Salas, Blues Saraceno, Damon Johnson, Bumblefoot, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Wyzard, Ozz Fox, Tracii Guns, Dizzy Reed, Scotti Hill, Jimmy Crespo, Freddie Salem, Dick Wagner, Bobby Kimball, Paul Shortino, John Sloman, Stu Hamm, Tony Franklin, Neil Murray, Chuck Wright, Ken Sandin, James LoMenzo, Sean McNabb, Carmine Appice, Brian Tichy, Matt Starr, Troy Lucketta, Greg Chaisson, Joel Hoekstra, Giacomo Castellano, Paul Audia, among others who all land 100% solid to Keep the Rock alive with serious melodic hard rock excellence.

CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE just released the epic new album "Truth In Unity" via Grooveyard Records.

“Chris Catena's Rock City Tribe is my new project, directly linked to my first solo work entitled ‘Freak Out’ released in 2004. It was a very lucky album that earned me a great response from audiences and critics… My new CD sees the light after years (over a decade) of work. When you become a father, other priorities take over but, at the same time, new ideas are born and you are regenerated. The novelties of life, whether positive or negative, tend to give you new ideas to think about”, explains Chris Catena.

"‘Truth in Unity’ is a pure hard rock record with a Seventies matrix. Even taking up the way in which the albums of that time were structured, contaminated by funk, blues, country and southern rock of the great American bands. ‘Truth in Unity’ is a title inspired directly by the most recent events. It is necessary to be united, in connection but it is not enough to be united through socials where sometimes we expire in opportunism and exhibitionism but rather, to cement our union of intent in order to revive the fortunes of a world increasingly in disarray, as well as the fate of certain inner values that are progressively being lost. Music could be our banner of freedom - it could still be our lifeline, if only we gave it and who represents it, the right importance and the respect that has now been lost”, enthuses the Italian singer.

Fronted & produced by excellent rock vocalist Chris Catena from Italy, a seasoned veteran rocker with pure love & passion for the music that surrounds us. It was his "musical vision" to put together ROCK CITY TRIBE to celebrate heavy rock music. Chris Catena has recorded through the years with the likes of Glenn Hughes, Jeff Scott Soto, Bernie Marsden, Earl Slick, Tommy Aldridge, Eric Singer, Bruce Kulick and Virgil Donati among many others.

Teaming up with the impressive prolific guitar rock talents of Janne Stark from Sweden who has landed in many various excellent hard & heavy rock bands including LOCOMOTIVE BREATH, CONSTANCIA, GRAND DESIGN, OVERDRIVE, MERRYWEATHER STARK & MOUNTAIN OF POWER among others. The hard rockin' duo of Catena & Stark along with the all-star cast have recorded & produced an epic killer melodic hard rock musical project over the course of 10 years in many various worldwide studios which includes 15 strong, memorable, world-class, top-shelf, high energy, dynamic, classic hard and heavy rockin', 70’s-inspired songs that kick serious rock n' roll ass and land timeless & forever.

Talking about the stellar cast of special guests, Chris Catena states: “Once upon a time bands, single artists were able to bring together oceanic masses giving a message so important as to worry rulers and politicians. Most of the compositions, see the participation of Janne Stark (Overdrive, Costantia, Grand Design, Mountain of Power), great Swedish guitarist and friend of years, who was able to read what was my overall vision of this album and produced songs of excellent workmanship, powerful and incisive. Other songs are written by me or together with Francesco Marras, a song was given to me by my friend Kee Marcello, a couple features Peter Hermannson, drummer of 220 Volts etc. The record features other great musicians I met on my path and who have lent themselves to guaranteeing added value”.

There is "Truth In Unity" and CHRIS CATENA'S ROCK CITY TRIBE is all about the R.O.C.K. An outstanding, essential killer hard rock masterpiece disc of world-class proportions.

Metal Temple / Made In Metal - Spain (August 2020)
 

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The Grooveyard Records label is in charge of releasing the mega impressive debut album of the new project by Italian vocalist Chris Catena called Rock City Tribe under the name of 'Truth In Unity'.

Catena is a singer with many years of experience. In 2004 he released his first album 'Freak Out' (Frontiers Records), a mix of 70s hard rock, funk, freak, metal, blues with an impressive list of special guests such as Glenn Hughes, Doug Wimbish, Stevie Salas, Bruce Kulick, Tony Franklin, Virgil Donati, Jeff Scott Soto, among others. The 'Discovery' in 2007 (Escape Music) and another very high-level guest cast. He has also collaborated in other bands such as (Tommy Denander's Radioactive - Moonstone Project - Mountain of Power) among other projects. Now he comes to us with this debut album under this new name accompanied by renowned guitarist Janne Stark (Locomotive Breath, Overdrive, Mountain) with whom he had previously worked and another impressive guest list that includes Pat Travers, Doug Aldrich, Damon Johnson, Bumblefoot, Kee Marcello, Rowan Robertson, Ozz Fox, Tracii Guns, Bobby Kimball, Paul Shortino, Carmine Appice, among many others. It contains 15 songs loaded with the best hard heavy rock, vintage seventies with some blues and funk rock that you can enjoy from beginning to end.

The first single and number one cut from this album "Angel City" breaks with a powerful drums by Matt Starr and loud guitars to give way to vocals that will instantly catch you between Catena and Wyzard who takes over the bass, hard theme rocker with funk airs with a huge hook, great backing vocals and some huge guitar solos between Steve Salas and Rowan Robertson that will leave you stunned. The show on “The Trickster” is stolen by Paul Shortino with his unmistakable vocal tonality that we love so many, another hard rocker straight to the heart, huge rhythm section by Greg Chaisson and killer Brian Tichy, catchy and energetic chorus, solid riff of Bumblefoot's fingers, huge vocal registers between Catena and Shortino with a very thunderous closing. The slow-cut four-shot “Motorcycle Killers” while still having solidity, the roar of some motorcycles and Janne Stark's sharp guitars spitting riff, kick off a fantastic and memorable piece for its unforgettable chorus, with the incomparable Neil Murray on bass, riff and a keyboard solo by Dizzy Reed adorn and give the track distinction. From the best pieces from the album "The Seventh Son" with an impeccable cast, Chris with a very Coverdale tone and Whitesnake airs, accompanied on the vocals by the wonderful Bobby Kimball of TOTO give him a perfect and rewarding mix, Tony Franklin in the four strings and the legend Carmine Appice on the drum create a masterful rhythm section, an outstanding riff from another of the greats of the guitar Mr. Pat Travers leaves us speechless, what more could we ask for. It is followed by “Get Ready” and “My Angel”, the latter standing out for the melody it gives off with beautiful acoustic and rhythmic guitars by Janne Stark, a wonderful piece with brilliant Catena, in charge of the riffs Ozz Fox and Scotti Hill with a discreet but palpable Eric Ragno on the Hammond and keyboards.

"Still a Fool" another addictive and great track that hooks you since its inception, high-level melodic hard rock where all its musicians in groups give off virtuosity and musical mastery for their coupling and sound cleanliness, with Kee Marcello as leader on guitar (who wrote this song for Chris) with fierce solos, Sean McNabb on bass and Matt Starr on drums outstanding, also highlighting energetic keyboards giving it a flawless finish. “Who Knew” with a lot of energy and hook with a beautiful melodic change in mediation, Blues Saraceno and Jimmy Crespo delivering solos, not to mention Chuck Wright, another great of the four strings invited here, gives strength and muscle to the song. “Livin’ Wreck ”once again gives us Whitesnake passages because Catena gentlemen knows how to use that vocal tone when she wants that is right for her to give us pieces like this and enjoy them to the fullest. From my favorites and leading edge of the album, “Round the Bend” comes to us at the beginning, a philharmonic and immediately afterwards take movement and strength, hard rock and roll is breathed all the time with a creepy guitar solo by another genius of the six strings. great Joel Hoekstra, a piece with a dense and exciting rhythm that shows the level of union of these brilliant musicians. "Fall of Our Heroes" from which flows a classic seventies and eighties hard rock with great chorus and punch, brings back the sound of glory from those glorious years, includes a murderous melody, an excellent guitar solo this time by the virtuoso Doug Aldrich and a chorus line to die for.

Soulful “Freedom” with plenty of room to breathe funk, hard and some soul, keyboard riff also stands out, song that explores different moods and atmospheres. "Theme for an Imaginary Western" we could say that it is the power ballad in this release that will easily remind you of a Queen, where furious keyboards stand out, as the guitar riff progresses it is impregnated at all times that it does not even let you breathe by Janne Stark with Dick Wagner and a spectacular Catena turning it into another that raise the score of the album very high. “Ridin 'the Freebird Highway” closes the longest with eleven minutes long, very well elaborated in time changes and melodies, the influences of the past are well mixed with modern sounds, Tracii Guns participates in one of the riffs leaving the mark Catena's talented bass tones and huge registers with another impressive guitar solo give her an excellent, solid finish.

As final data I assure you that Catena, producer and leader of this new project has managed to edit his best hard rock work to date that draws from the sources of the classics and illustrious of the genre, accompanied once again by a cast of luxury musicians with enormous quality and respect in the world of rock music of old and current times, where we must highlight the enormous riffs that abound throughout the sound journey, in my opinion I already have it on my list of best hard rock albums so far this year. Album that I assure you will enjoy from beginning to end and I recommend 100%.

Highly recommended.

Eduardo Piña / Made In Metal - Spain (September 2020)
 

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“Truth In Unity” is a complete, intriguing, inspired and passionately played album. The simple but intelligent songwriting, combined with a high level production, places it far above today's standard.

Chris Catena is one of the most talented Italian artists, even if his name is not among those on everyone's lips. His experience over the years has grown exponentially allowing him to create works of excellent workmanship and to collaborate with the elite of international musicians. Starting from his first solo work (2004's "Freak Out", which sees among its ranks artists of the caliber of Glenn Hughes, Jeff Scott Soto, Tommy Aldridge and many others), the good Chris has passed between various collaborations ranging from Kee Marcello to Vitalij Kuprij, has recorded albums with Pavic, Dr. U and Mountain Of Power (with whom he performed at the Sweden Rock Festival). Finally 2020 arrives and Chris, assisted by his trusted partner in crime Janne Stark (extraordinary guitarist already seen at work with Grand Design, Overdrive, Mountain Of Power and many other bands), prints this "Truth In Unity" under the Chris Catena's Rock Tribe moniker.

The coordinates on which this work is based are a sanguine hard rock son of the 70s, where blues, southern rock and funk, depending on the songs, act as guidelines. The songwriting proves to be of the highest level in all the 15 tracks that make up the cd, but in addition to the great skills of the duo, what makes the purchase of the album really essential is the very long series of guests (I refer you to the list at the bottom of the review ) who have lent their class and put the icing on the compositions. Of course, the starting point is already on a stratospheric level both in terms of inspiration and production. "Angel City" the first single, immediately hits the mark with a funky line. The presence of Steve Salas and Rowan Robertson (ex Dio) on the guitars then gives that intriguing mix of sounds resulting from the different backgrounds of the two artists. "The Thickster" is the classic hard rock song with its roots firmly in the seventies, a bit like The Dead Daisies. The vocal duet with Paul Shortino and the great test of Bumblefoot (ex GnR and now in Sons Of Apollo) embellish the whole.

"Down In The Black" features slower and heavier rhythms where a painful blues line stands out well supported by the singing and the excellent solo. We return to more hard rock shores with "Motorcycle Killers" where the care for the choirs and melodies is top notch. "The Seventh Son" winks at Whitesnake in a crescendo of emotions, while "Get Ready" borders on southern rock. The latter, which sees Chris duet with Bobby Kimball, is certainly to be counted among the best pieces. “My Angel” is a slow, but not in the sense of a ballad. Her excellently crafted blues / rock highlights Janne Stark's versatility in composing. The presence of Scotti Hill (Skid Row) and Oz Fox (Stryper) on the guitars is just a small detail. With "Still A Fool" (written by Kee Marcello) you are left speechless for the shot of the song. The deliberately Thin Lizzy sound strikes from the first to the last note. “Who Knew” is a small masterpiece succeeding in the not easy task of creating a well-balanced mix between Ace Frehley and The Who. "Livin 'Wreck" is hard rock in the wild, while "Round The Bend" is the customization of the groove, spurting adrenaline from every microgroove. The hard rock "Fall Of Our Heroes" (with a great performance by Doug Aldrich), the funky oriented "Freedom" (very close to the best Extreme), the cover "Theme From An Imaginary Western" (by Jack Bruce and interpreted in a masterly way by Chris) and the 11 minutes of the hard rock / blues ride of "Ridin 'The Freebird Highway" are the very last pieces that go to complete a work of incredible value.

“Truth In Unity” is a complete, intriguing, inspired and passionately played album. Simple but clever songwriting, coupled with high-level production, puts it far above today's standard. In addition to the fact of containing splendid compositions, it is the series of international and Italian guests (and we must not neglect it absolutely) that makes it unique in its kind. All the years that have been invested in its realization have been spent in the best way. If you are a true lover of these sounds you absolutely must have it in your discography.

Fabrizio Tasso / Rock Rebel Magazine (September 2020)
 

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BAND OF GYPSYS MOVE OVER. This is a concatenation of raw talent in carefully constructed songs — the diversity is simply mind-boggling. There’s something here for everyone — a CD that can miraculously satisfy every guitar aficionado’s every fantasy. But the real miracle here, without doubt, is Chris Catena’s voice — a gift from God, or whomever might be in charge of rock heaven. All the tracks on this CD are great, but my favorite is Jack Bruce’s “Theme for an Imaginary Western,” which is more a nod to Mountain’s version than to the original. Not that it matters. In the end, Italian phenom Chris Catena’s “Truth in Unity” shows how you can bring diverse musical giants into proximity and create a cohesive whole of Blues-Rock magic that will pierce your heart, leaving guitar aficionados, especially, nearly breathless. We are talking about special guests like PAT TRAVERS, JOEL HOEKSTRA, DOUG ALDRICH, STEVIE SALAS, BLUES SARACENO, TRACII GUNS, SCOTTI HILL, JIMMY CRESPO, BOBBY KIMBALL, STU HAMM, TONY FRANKLIN, NEIL MURRAY, SEAN MCNABB, CARMINE APPICE, BRIAN TICHY, AND SO MANY MORE! This is a group effort, and if you don’t become part of that group, you need to reconsider your priorities. This is hard rock at its best!

Steven J. Rosen / Author + Journalist (September 2020)
 

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