Ok, do I really have to say it?

Well what the Hell would you expect from a collaboration between THE STORM guitarist Josh Ramos and VALENTINE lead vocalist Hugo? Two bands that have been so closely compared to JOURNEY over the years that it makes me wanna puke having to say it again.

Of course it sounds like… JOURNEY!

But what makes this collaboration even MORE special and their debut album “The Dream” truly a feast for the ears is the addition of world class keyboardist Eric Ragno, bassist Jamie Brown (HARDLINE) and the always amazing John Macaluso (ARK/ UNION RADIO/ TNT) on drums. The inclusion of all these top notch musicians not only broadens and thickens the arrangements, but helps to create a sound uniquely their own. Yeah, it still does sound like JOURNEY, but this is JOURNEY… with a BITE!

“The Dream” opens with a song called “You’re Not Alone.” This is a great, great track… an up-tempo rocker featuring a strong, melodic chorus, some stirring guitar work by Ramos and some even more thrilling double-bass pounding rhythms and fills compliments of Mr. Macaluso. Some nice underlying keyboards by Eric Ragno drive the next track “All The I Wanted” as well as the very JOURNEY sounding title track “The Dream” which also features another nice guitar break by Ramos.

“Fools Game” is the only track on the CD keeping this from being a five out of five. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a “good” song but it’s on the slower side and tends to droll on a little bit after a while. “Bring Back This Love” on the other hand is a rich, flavorful AOR anthem… a true highlight that shines like a diamond as Hugo provides one of his best vocal performances on the release.

“I Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye” is another slower-paced tune. It’s definitely able to grab your attention a bit more than “Fools Game,” but the chorus itself is just a “tad” too soft which doesn’t allow the melody to build anywhere. However, what really makes up for it is Ramos’ more dynamic guitar solo and fills towards the end.

The CD definitely picks up the pace again with “When You Get Lonely”… another more up-tempo track on the lines of “The Dream” in its heavy JOURNEY flavor. The album’s only true ballad “In The City” comes next. This is another tremendous track and really brings you back to the days when all those JOURNEY-esque/ BAD ENGLISH type ballads ruled the airwaves. Another impressive vocal by Hugo as well as some really nice fills by Macaluso are also highlighted in this sonnet.

You might wanna crank up the volume just a bit as “Tomorrow” kicks into gear. Its up-tempo melody and catchy chorus will have your tapping your feet in no time. This brings us to the closing track “I Can Take You.” It’s another slower number but not a “ballad” in the traditional sense. While it is over 8 minutes long, “I Can Take You” is still able to hold and demand your attention not only through Hugo’s gifted voice but straight on through Ramos providing some of the best guitar work he’s ever recorded.

The combination of Hugo with Josh Ramos couldn’t be anything less than a winner from the start. Putting two powerhouses like that together and then mixing them together with the likes of Ragno, Macaluso and Brown… now that’s genius! “The Dream” is a solid AOR collection that does NOT disappoint.