1) Hardline is a melodic h… Read Full Bio ↴More than one artist exists by this name:
1) Hardline is a melodic hard rock band. The group was formed by brothers, and former Brunette band members, Johnny (vocals) and Joey Gioeli (guitar). They recruited former Bad English members Neal Schon (a guitarist best known for his work in Journey) and Deen Castronovo (drums). Bassist Todd Jensen, who'd worked with Doro and David Lee Roth, rounded out the band.
The group began a major tour with Van Halen prior to the release of an album. Their one and only release, 1992's Double Eclipse, featured a platter of upbeat melodic hard rock reminiscent of the 80s metal boom, tracks that arguably showed an even harder edge than that of Bad English. While that album has received praise from several critics, it appeared at a time when alternative rock was ascendant, getting a modest commercial response. Schon, Jensen, and Castronovo took time away from the band to work with seminal solo artist Paul Rodgers. However, the Gioeli's felt the other members were spending too much time on side projects, and Hardline ended up folding sadly before too long.
Schon and Castronovo would rejoin Journey in the late 90s. Jensen worked and toured with Alice Cooper while Johnny Gioeli sang on Axel Rudi Pell's Oceans Of Time album. A new version of Hardline consisting of the Gioeli's, Josh Ramos (guitar), Chris Maloney (bass), Bobby Rock (drums, ex-Vinnie Vincent Invasion) and Michael Ross (keyboards) released Hardline II roughly ten years after the band's debut. With the addition of Bob Burch on bass, Hardline played select live dates with one of those shows being released as a live album.
Since 1998, Johnny Gioeli had been the frontman for the Axel Rudi Pell band, touring many times over in Europe and performing at the Wacken Open Air festival, a huge metal rock fest held each year outside of Hamburg, Germany. He is known to be one of very few vocalists who can sing in a range that includes melodic rock, hard rock, and metal. The long awaited Hardline third album, Leaving the End Open, came out in mid-2009. Hardline has toured sporadically since, with a line-up of Johnny Gioeli, Josh Ramos (guitar), Michael T. Ross (keyboards), Jamie Brown (bass), and Atma Anur (drums).
Since then, the band has gone through a few lineup changes, but still continues to release music to this day. Their current lineup consists of Johnny Gioeli on vocals, Marco Di Salvia on drums, Mario Percudani on guitar, Anna Portalupi on bass and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keys. Their latest album, Heart, Mind And Soul released in 2021.
2) Hardline was a Norwegian hard rock band active in the early 80s based in Trondheim. They released a self-titled album in 1984, issued in Europe on the Belgian Mausoleum label. Failing to find an audience, they soon folded.
3) Hardline is a electro project from USA, with anti-PC themes.
Bittersweet
Hardline Lyrics
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And you were mine
And all the pain was gone
Remember the night
Far away so far away from home
Together there so many years ago
The last time that night
We made believe that nothing mattered
Walked to the cliff and took a dive
Like running from a murder
I remember the last time that we touched
Wishing there'd be another night so much
Bittersweet feeling inside
My body knew the truth it didn't matter
I still was with youâ¦
Falling fast so I kept the time behind my back
It cut through like a knife
We tried to survive
On the run from what we had to face
Now we're separated by a fall from grace
Love buried alive
We made believe that nothing mattered
Closed our eyes
A flash of bursting memory
A patient killer watching me
The opening lines of Hardline’s “Bittersweet” set the tone for a reflective tale of a past relationship. The track is a beautifully composed love song that revisits the memory of two lovers exploring their passion together. The lyrics speak of a time when things were simple, and the two were far from home, immersed in each other’s company. The remembrance of that particular night brings a bittersweet pang of nostalgia to the singer, who is reminded of the times they spent together. Despite the distance and the test of time, this moment stands out to the singer, creating a feeling of longing and yearning in his heart.
Line by Line Meaning
All the lights were turning on
The exciting atmosphere created out of nowhere
And you were mine
Together, intimately
And all the pain was gone
Leaving behind past worries and pain
Remember the night
Recall the night of freedom
Far away so far away from home
Far from personal life and responsibilities
Together there so many years ago
Together, in a place and time - long ago
The last time that night
Last time together, that very night
We made believe that nothing mattered
Living in the moment and ignoring consequences
Closed our eyes
Ignoring what may be seen
Walked to the cliff and took a dive
Taking a risk, jumping into the unknown
Like running from a murder
Similar to running from the scary unknown
I remember the last time that we touched
Recollection of the moments shared together
Wishing there'd be another night so much
Desire to experience it again
Bittersweet feeling inside
Mixed emotions of longing and sadness
My body knew the truth it didn't matter
Physical body realized the truth, but still desired to be together
I still was with you...
Physically together, but moving forward separately
Falling fast so I kept the time behind my back
Moving forward without reflecting on time or progress
It cut through like a knife
Hurtful memories resurfacing
We tried to survive
Working together to overcome the hurt
On the run from what we had to face
Avoiding facing the consequences of our actions
Now we're separated by a fall from grace
Consequences of past actions resulted in separation
Love buried alive
The emotional bond has been buried and forgotten
A flash of bursting memory
Sudden reemergence of memories
A patient killer watching me
Consequences are waiting to happen
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.