Album Review: Iconic - II (Frontiers Music, 2026)
- 21 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Written: 19th July 2026
Frontiers Music has built a reputation for bringing well-known musicians together to form supergroups and all-star studio projects within the melodic rock and hard rock genres. Back in 2022, Iconic – which comprises Nathan James, Michael Sweet, Joel Hoekstra, Marco Mendoza and Tommy Aldridge – released their debut album, Second Skin. Playing to the strengths of every member, it balanced skill and accessibility while sounding like the work of musicians having a genuinely great time together. Now they return with their second full-length release, II. Michael Sweet comments, “It’s been a long time coming and the time is finally here! It’s an absolute honour to be a part of such an incredible band.”
From the outset, it is clear that II picks up exactly where Second Skin left off. Opening track – and first single – Cry No More is a high-octane rocker that encompasses everything Iconic are about. Blistering guitar work from Hoekstra and Sweet - the latter long deserving greater recognition as a guitarist - ushers in a hook-laden verse that Nathan James delivers with commanding presence. The lyrics on II may not be the most profound you will hear this year but they fit the band's no-nonsense hard rock attitude and are delivered with enough conviction to have listeners singing along in no time. No more reason to believe / What is false and what Is real / Only need to carry on / Wash the pain and cry no more. Michael Sweet adds, “Cry No More is the perfect representation of who Iconic is. Music that takes you back to the best of times and reminds you that rock is still alive and well!”
All I Want continues in a similar vein albeit with some slightly heavier riffs. With one of the most memorable choruses on the album – which is highly redolent of early Def Leppard – it is an anthemic, soaring follow-up to Cry No More. Full of high-spirited swagger, Mendoza and Aldridge showcase the qualities that have made them enduring forces in rock, with the ever-dependable Aldridge still giving a captivating performance behind the drum kit at the age of seventy-five. Open My Eyes, which makes use of a slower tempo during the chorus, is another hard-hitting but catchy song crammed with melodic hooks and muscular riffs. Lyrically, it is a track about perseverance and courage during which the protagonist discovers inner strength. Open my eyes / The courage in my soul, I’ll never let it go / Takin’ me high / And now you’re gonna see, what’s inside of me. It is all very rousing and some of the interplay between Sweet and Hoekstra is truly electrifying for fans of this type of music.
Tears Keep On Falling changes the atmosphere a little and falls into the realms of a power ballad. Although filtered through the lens of modern production techniques, this would not be out of place on a melodic rock album of the eighties. Heartfelt twin guitars introduce us to the pulsating bass and keyboards of the verse, while James – who is on form throughout the album – gives one of his best performances as his voice reaches for the stratosphere during the final pre-chorus. Well positioned, it brings a different feel to the album after three hard rockers.
Take Me To The Place heads back to the familiar territory of the opening trio and keeps the momentum high. It is an album designed to hook you in from the beginning and hit you with its collection of driving, arena-friendly crowd-pleasers. That is not to say that there is not substance here – far from it – but safe to say that if you like one song on II, you are likely to enjoy them all.
As we approach the mid-point of the album, S.O.S. brings another dose of variety with its blues-edged approach. This diversity continues on Nothing Left For Me, with its slower, grittier riffs during the verses and its contrasting polished chorus. The mid-song bridge adds a little aggression to proceedings and leads to impassioned solos from both guitarists. The sense of fun that was so apparent on Second Skin is once again present in abundance and there is a genuine feeling that each member holds the others in the highest regard. Marco Mendoza confirms, “Like always, it’s a blast and quite an honour to be part of a project like this, with all these players! Take a listen and enjoy! Viva la Rock!!!”
Far Away keeps the tempo at a mid-pace and, in all honesty, is the sort of track these gifted musicians could write in their sleep but it nevertheless remains highly infectious. One of the highlights of II, Valley of the Lost Souls shakes listeners from any reverie and delivers a superb straight-ahead rocker that is sure to bring a smile to their faces. Hoekstra and Sweet really do let loose on this one and produce some razor-sharp, searing solos.
Written In The Stars and Heart Of Stone – which features another majestic chorus – round off the album in fine style, bringing together all the elements that have made the preceding tracks such an enjoyable listen, with Aldridge especially impressive as he seems determined to leave no part of his drum kit untouched.
There is little doubt that II will appeal directly to the audience Iconic are aiming for. The band understand the strengths of melodic hard rock and make no attempt to complicate what is already working. Equally importantly, the songwriting remains disciplined throughout. With tracks generally falling between three-and-a-half and four-and-a-half minutes, there is no room for excess and not a single song feels unnecessarily stretched.
If there is one minor criticism, it is that Michael Sweet appears confined to guitar duties. His occasional lead vocal contributions on Second Skin added further character to the band's sound and would have been welcome here. Nevertheless, this is a record packed with quality performances, memorable song writing and the sort of immediacy that encourages repeat visits. It may not be the most adventurous album released this year but that was never its purpose. Released at the perfect point in the calendar, II feels ideally suited to a summer soundtrack and fans of melodic hard rock should find more than enough here to keep them coming back long after the season has passed. Rousing. Engaging. Uplifting.
II is released on 31st July 2026
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