Album Review: Joel Hoekstra's 13 - From The Fade (2026, Frontiers Music)
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written: 17th February 2026
In more recent times, Joel Hoekstra has been best known for his work with Whitesnake but during the last three decades, he has played with Night Ranger, Foreigner, Cher, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Accept and has been part of supergroups Revolution Saints and Iconic. Joel Hoekstra’s 13 – so named because he considers thirteen to be a lucky number and he was born on the thirteenth on the month – released their first album, Dying To Live, in 2015.
From The Fade is the fourth offering from this project and features quite the role call of names alongside Hoekstra: Vinny Appice on drums, bassist Tony Franklin, keyboard player Derek Sherinian with Girish Pradhan – from Girish and the Chronicles - on lead vocals supported by Jeff Scott Soto providing backing vocals. It is a project that Hoekstra clearly holds dear. “As always with Joel Hoekstra’s 13, I wrote the style of music that inspired me to pick up the guitar and tried to focus on songs for you to enjoy, not overly self-indulgent guitar solos. Huge thanks to all the band members for bringing the songs to life! I hope you all enjoy ‘From The Fade’ as much as I enjoyed making it!”
You Can Give begins with energetic and fiery melodic hard rock. It is the kind of song that will have you tapping your foot from the first riff. Girish Pradhan is an excellent singer and his commanding vocals are immediately infectious. Hoesktra certainly knows how to write a hook and as mentioned, the solos are not self-indulgent and serve the song. The band that he has put together are convincing and anyone familiar with the previous three releases will find that this continues in a similar vein. Joel comments, “The songs were built from the guitar riffs up. Most of the riffs were written during the time I was filling in with Accept, so there is a heavier edge to this one overall. That being said, the album still would be more accurately described as melodic hard rock, not straight-up metal.” Lyrically, You Can Give examines a struggle for control when one person pushes another to their limits and the willingness to fight to prove what you can offer. I guess it’s time that you figured out / Who’s in control of who / I’ve always been what you’re all about / You know what you have to do.
The Fall adopts a slightly slower tempo during the choruses but accelerates with purpose in the verses. It explores the consequences of past actions and being haunted by missed potential. There are moments when the dynamics drop and the atmosphere is certainly more introspective, Pradhan drawing out the sentiment from the lyrics. Sherinian and Hoekstra both deliver expressive and interesting solos that sit over a nuanced and layered foundation from Franklin and Appice. Hoekstra states, “The Fall is built on riffs and melodies that stem from two early influences that I often fail to mention in Queensryche and Dokken.”
Third track Lifeline is straight ahead rock that sounds like a band just enjoying producing vibrant and anthemic material. Sherinian’s keyboards shimmer and there is something of the eighties within the track’s DNA. Whatever style From The Fade explores, Pradhan gives everything to his performance and draws us in with ease. Will You Remember Me is the album’s first ballad and continues to cover familiar ground for the band. I have nothing against ballads but this is easily the most formulaic track on the record, never quite igniting the imagination. Hoekstra’s soaring solo provides a brief spark but overall, it lacks the vitality and punch of the opening trilogy.
Misunderstood addresses this slight misstep immediately and is a contender for the best track here. Heavier and driving, it features some adept bass work from Tony Franklin. It is a raw, aggressive outburst against someone who is judgmental and hypocritical. So I break, make mistakes, but who doesn’t? / Didn’t like what I wrote? / You’re just a fake and your take isn’t wanted / Now I’ve finally blown. Hoekstra’s solo is incendiary, soaring and then it is the turn of each member of the band who has the opportunity for a mini-solo of their own. It all adds to the sense of fun and the feeling of camaraderie. The project may bear Hoekstra’s name but without doubt, he sees this a team effort.
This slightly heavier approach continues on Start To Fight with its chunky riffs and thunderous percussion from Appice. Hoekstra and Sherinian trade solos once more and the memorable chorus would be at home at any rock gig. All I’d Do and Free To Be are mid-paced rockers that while not particularly stretching the band’s abilities are both solid late album entries.
Penultimate track The End of Me begins as a reflective ballad but one far more convincing than Will You Remember Me. Its structure is far more engaging and it builds into a slower, weightier hard rocker that maintains interest throughout. At over six minutes, it is the longest song here, yet it never overstays its welcome - a testament to its arrangement and evolution. Franklin’s bass work is tight throughout and the track’s pacing and dynamics highlight just how well the band understands when to hold back and when to push forward. At the four and a half minute mark, the song ignites, the tempo suddenly increases and we are treated to the heaviest section on From The Fade. All in all, it makes for the album’s most rewarding track. Quite the Ride, a nostalgic journey through hardship, ambition, and personal growth, ends the album with conviction and rounds things off in a way that plays to the band’s strengths. It feels like a fitting closing statement for a project that continues to build on the legacy Hoekstra has been carving out - confident, reflective and musically assured. It brings the album to a satisfying and purposeful conclusion.
From The Fade is the next chapter in the journey Joel Hoekstra has been shaping with this line‑up and with it, he carries forward the traits that have defined the project since its inception. While it does not venture into unexpected territory or attempt to reshape the genre, it offers, for the most part, a set of songs that hold attention and provide exactly the kind of melodic hard rock experience listeners come to this project for. The performances are excellent throughout, the album is cohesive and the writing shows a firm grasp of what works for them. Long‑time followers of Hoekstra’s work and this project in particular will find an album that keeps them engaged and affirm that this project still has plenty to offer.
From The Fade is released on 27th February 2026
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