If you like your ’80s keyboard/synth heavy pop-rock, you will dig this! LOCKHART’s first full album City Pulse comprises of 9 tracks, 7 easily likeable synth driven rock tunes (most including a cool guitar solo), and 2 ballads (one being just a keyboard instrumental piece). Think Toto, Journey, Survivor, ’80s Heart… If this was released 40 years ago, there’d be a few potential hit singles, and one could easily imagine a few of these tunes in some ’80s movies, such as the final cut “No Chance In Heaven” fitting nicely in a Rocky film!… Best picks would be “Can’t Shake It”, “Together As None”, and “You Wouldn’t Know Love”.

Pre-Order the Album HERE

Lockhart is a new melodic rock/AOR band from Canada, fusing synthesizer-fueled eighties arena rock with classic hard rock. The trio consists of Devon Kerr (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Jason Junop (bass) and Fabio Alessandrini (drums). Jason is best known for his work in Cauldron and Goat Horn. Devon’s main band is Axxion, and Fabio plays or has played in Bonfire, Enforcer, Annihilator, Hardline and many others.

Lockhart issued their debut EP “No Chance” in 2022, followed by the single “City Pulse” in 2025. The band has signed with High Roller Records, and their first full-length album “City Pulse” is now ready to be unleashed to the public.

It’s hard to describe the specific sound of Lockhart in all its details but on “City Pulse” you will certainly hear a lot of Journey, Boston, Toto, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, and maybe even some Starcastle. “The influences are endless,” comments the vocalist, guitarist and keyboard player Devon Kerr, “and they go deep. I appreciate the comparisons. These bands are monumental. Lockhart has a sound of its own though. Bands that existed during the times you mentioned definitely provide influence! However, if you look past the surface (overdriven guitars and old synthesizers), you’ll hear influences from 50s doo wop, legends like Brian Wilson, and straight up choral music, too.”

Compositions such as “The Dose That Made You Poison”, “Under Fire”, “Before The Fall’” or “Together As One” are very well constructed and flawlessly performed. “For me, songwriting is a deliberate process,” explains Kerr. “I set out a time and carve out the songs. Lyrics are written last. Once the song is ready, it undergoes hours of polishing to mold the perfect choir parts, guitar leads, and so on. Everything is very deliberate and carefully selected. Nothing was written by accident.” You can clearly hear that on “City Pulse”.

With their melodic, at times even poppy approach Lockhart may stand out a bit on High Roller Records. Devon Kerr: “Our music has so many elements that traditional metal fans value, but with something very different, too. Something that might be new for some of the High Roller Records fanbase. I mean for those unsure, we’ve got Nick from Municipal Waste shredding guitar leads on ‘You Wouldn’t Know Love’, and Ian from Cauldron on ‘Can’t Shake It’ …”  MATTHIAS MADER

TRACKLISTING:
01 City Pulse
02 Can’t Shake It
03 The Dose That Made You Poison
04 Together as None
05 Under Fire
06 Just Can’t Wait
07 You Wouldn’t Know Love
08 Before the Fall
09 No Chance in Heaven

LINE-UP:
Devon Kerr – lead & backing vocals, guitars, synthesizers, grand piano
Jason Junop – bass, vocals
Fabio Alessandrini – drums, percussion

Guest Musicians:
Imogen Wasse – backing vocals on “City Pulse” & “You Wouldn’t Know Love”
Ian Kilpatrick – guitar solo on “Can’t Shake It”
Nick Poulos – guitar solo on “You Wouldn’t Know Love”

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Listentolockhart
https://www.instagram.com/listentolockhart
https://listentolockhart.bandcamp.com/
https://www.hrrecords.de/LOCKHART