SoleDriver is a solo project and the brainchild of two well-known musicians, songwriters, and producers Michael Sweet(Stryper, Iconic, Sweet & Lynch) & Alessandro Del Vecchio(Jørn Lande, Revolution Saints).
SoleDriver draws influence from the magic of the 80's Rock scene to create their over-the-top Melodic modern-day Rock sound. SoleDriver draws comparison to bands like Journey, Boston, and Night Ranger. Alessandro sheds some light on how they chose their moniker and the meaning behind the band's name: "The name came from Michael Sweet. It has our initials S and D and it’s a word play between soul and sole and it means a sort of attached to the ground but soulful driver".
Generally speaking, when Michael Sweet takes on these side projects, he's usually found sporting an electric guitar from behind the mic. unfortunately, with such a recognizable guitar style, this can inevitably cause his side projects to feel like another Stryper album. However, with SoleDriver, this just isn't the case where we find Michael hanging up his guitar and letting Alessandro Del Vecchio handle all guitar duties. as a result, what you get is a totally different unique sounding "Sweet" side project that really stands out! In the following, both Sweet & Vecchio go into greater detail about this concept: “I’ve always been a metalhead at heart, but as much as I love metal, I love the melodic and “song” oriented side of music. Songs that move you and songs that touch your soul. So many bands from the '70s/'80s did just that. I’m proud to say that as much as I listened to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, I also listened to Loverboy, Toto, Foreigner, Survivor, Journey, and many others. That’s what makes me who I am today. Diversity. So, I’ve always wanted to do an album that takes you back to those days and here it is!" - Michael Sweet -
"One of the many cool things about working with Michael on this album was him asking me to play all guitars on the album as well. This is something I never do, but he thought I was really capturing the essence of these songs. So, here I am for the first time delivering the guitar parts I had in my head while writing these songs. I'm very honored to be teamed up with Michael as we share the same love for great sounding albums and we are perfectionists who never deliver below 100% and certainly always aim to go beyond our limits. I'm sure you're gonna end up singing, humming, and whistling these songs after you hear the album, while still being captured by the delivery of the vocals and the music, where passion, fire, and depth all melted into the essence of these songs." - Del Vecchio -
SoleDriver draws influence from the magic of the 80's Rock scene to create their over-the-top Melodic modern-day Rock sound. SoleDriver draws comparison to bands like Journey, Boston, and Night Ranger. Alessandro sheds some light on how they chose their moniker and the meaning behind the band's name: "The name came from Michael Sweet. It has our initials S and D and it’s a word play between soul and sole and it means a sort of attached to the ground but soulful driver".
Generally speaking, when Michael Sweet takes on these side projects, he's usually found sporting an electric guitar from behind the mic. unfortunately, with such a recognizable guitar style, this can inevitably cause his side projects to feel like another Stryper album. However, with SoleDriver, this just isn't the case where we find Michael hanging up his guitar and letting Alessandro Del Vecchio handle all guitar duties. as a result, what you get is a totally different unique sounding "Sweet" side project that really stands out! In the following, both Sweet & Vecchio go into greater detail about this concept: “I’ve always been a metalhead at heart, but as much as I love metal, I love the melodic and “song” oriented side of music. Songs that move you and songs that touch your soul. So many bands from the '70s/'80s did just that. I’m proud to say that as much as I listened to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, I also listened to Loverboy, Toto, Foreigner, Survivor, Journey, and many others. That’s what makes me who I am today. Diversity. So, I’ve always wanted to do an album that takes you back to those days and here it is!" - Michael Sweet -
"One of the many cool things about working with Michael on this album was him asking me to play all guitars on the album as well. This is something I never do, but he thought I was really capturing the essence of these songs. So, here I am for the first time delivering the guitar parts I had in my head while writing these songs. I'm very honored to be teamed up with Michael as we share the same love for great sounding albums and we are perfectionists who never deliver below 100% and certainly always aim to go beyond our limits. I'm sure you're gonna end up singing, humming, and whistling these songs after you hear the album, while still being captured by the delivery of the vocals and the music, where passion, fire, and depth all melted into the essence of these songs." - Del Vecchio -
In 2023 SoleDriver released their debut full-length studio album titled 'Return Me To Light' on Frontiers Music. The project was produced by both Alessandro Del Vecchio & Michael Sweet and executive produced by Serafino Perugino. The album was recorded, mixed, & mastered at Ivorytears Music Works Studios by Alessandro Del Vecchio in Somma Lombardo, IT. Michael Sweet's vocals were recorded at MSP, Inc and drum tracks were recorded at Cirice Studio, Suell, IT. 'Return Me To Light' is sure to be the right medicine for those finding themselves suffering from "80's Nostalgia"! Hook laden songs like "Hope's Holding You", "Spinning Wheel", "Eternal Flame", and "Wounded" with their radio friendly-AOR sound are sure to spark a flame & have Rock Fans holding lighters high around the world.
The track-list for 'Return Me To Light' includes: 1. Rise Again 2. Anymore 3. Pieces Of Forever 4. Hope’s Holding You 5. Spinning Wheel 6. Out Of The Dark 7. Eternal Flame 8. To Be Saved 9. Return Me To Light 10. Soul Inside 11. Wounded LINE-UP: Michael Sweet - vocals Alessandro Del Vecchio - guitars, bass, keyboards, backing vocals Michele Sanna – drums
The track-list for 'Return Me To Light' includes: 1. Rise Again 2. Anymore 3. Pieces Of Forever 4. Hope’s Holding You 5. Spinning Wheel 6. Out Of The Dark 7. Eternal Flame 8. To Be Saved 9. Return Me To Light 10. Soul Inside 11. Wounded LINE-UP: Michael Sweet - vocals Alessandro Del Vecchio - guitars, bass, keyboards, backing vocals Michele Sanna – drums
Frontman-Michael Sweet has been at it now for over 4-decades and shows no signs of slowing down. On this latest project, Sweet's vocals sound better than ever with a few brief moments where he even sounds a bit like Steve Perry(Journey).
Alessandro Del Vecchio is from Somma Lombardo which is a town in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy.
Listeners are going to find that throughout this record, Alessandro Del Vecchio's guitar work often draws comparisons to such 80's guitarists like Neal Schon(Journey), John Petrucci, and Joe Satriani.
Listeners are going to find that throughout this record, Alessandro Del Vecchio's guitar work often draws comparisons to such 80's guitarists like Neal Schon(Journey), John Petrucci, and Joe Satriani.
Some themes that the lyrics cover include restoration, faith, salvation, and dealing with
wounds as we walk through the trials of life. The following are some excerpts from the album's lyrics:
wounds as we walk through the trials of life. The following are some excerpts from the album's lyrics:
"Pieces Of Forever"
Wherever I go
Your Spirit is with me
When I go blind
You are my eyes to see
Everyday
You restore my faith
In every way I need you to stay
Just when I'm thinking of giving up
You bring me back to life
"Hope’s Holding You"
Memories are rusted
Hearts no longer sure
Answers only matter
If the questioning is pure
In a world that's drifting
You have to hold on
Never stop believing that
Your Faith will make you strong
Every morning
Every night
Some are dark
And some are bright
In the storm
There is a light that's
Guiding every way
Hope's Holding You
Showing you the truth
Never question
Never doubt
That Hope
Is Holding You
It's hard to see
What's lying underneath
No matter what they tell you
Never doubt
That Hope
Is Holding You
"Spinning Wheel"
The cold on my skin
The scars from my sins
I’ve got to let go
Of it all
I’ve broken some things
I’ve cut my own wings
And wounded my soul
From the fall
Spinning Wheel
I won’t ever let it get the best of me, of my destiny
Despite what I feel
I’m losing every blinder
So my eyes can see
In This
Spinning Wheel
"Out Of The Dark"
Sometimes all I want
Is just to be healed
Don't care what they say
All I want to do is feel I've tried it on my own
To hold back the pain
Then I find myself alone
Standing in the rain
If you're having doubt
If you're crying out
You don't have to live in despair
Out Of The Dark
And into the light
I'm trying to live
I'm training to fight
It's all up to me
And the answers I choose
I've made my decision to climb, to embark
Out Of The Dark
"To Be Saved"
I see the blood my sins have bled
The holes inside my heart and head
I won't lay down or walk away
I'm begging to be Saved
I've heard about your strength
I've read about your grace
You know the hairs upon my head
Every line that's written on my face
It's hard to comprehend
And tough to realize
You're more than words upon a page
In a book I try to hide
"Return Me To Light"
I see the painting in your eyes
The shades of color in the sky
The only star that’s in my sight
Return me to light
I can feel the power
It’s holding everything
I can hear it calling out my name
In my final hour
When I hear the angels sing
I don’t want to hang my head in shame
"Soul Inside"
There is a way, a door in sight
Another round, another fight
Bring your fear, into the light
See the Soul inside
You're much stronger now
Than you will ever see or believe
Never let someone tell you otherwise
You're made in the image
Of the One who is Most High
Wherever I go
Your Spirit is with me
When I go blind
You are my eyes to see
Everyday
You restore my faith
In every way I need you to stay
Just when I'm thinking of giving up
You bring me back to life
"Hope’s Holding You"
Memories are rusted
Hearts no longer sure
Answers only matter
If the questioning is pure
In a world that's drifting
You have to hold on
Never stop believing that
Your Faith will make you strong
Every morning
Every night
Some are dark
And some are bright
In the storm
There is a light that's
Guiding every way
Hope's Holding You
Showing you the truth
Never question
Never doubt
That Hope
Is Holding You
It's hard to see
What's lying underneath
No matter what they tell you
Never doubt
That Hope
Is Holding You
"Spinning Wheel"
The cold on my skin
The scars from my sins
I’ve got to let go
Of it all
I’ve broken some things
I’ve cut my own wings
And wounded my soul
From the fall
Spinning Wheel
I won’t ever let it get the best of me, of my destiny
Despite what I feel
I’m losing every blinder
So my eyes can see
In This
Spinning Wheel
"Out Of The Dark"
Sometimes all I want
Is just to be healed
Don't care what they say
All I want to do is feel I've tried it on my own
To hold back the pain
Then I find myself alone
Standing in the rain
If you're having doubt
If you're crying out
You don't have to live in despair
Out Of The Dark
And into the light
I'm trying to live
I'm training to fight
It's all up to me
And the answers I choose
I've made my decision to climb, to embark
Out Of The Dark
"To Be Saved"
I see the blood my sins have bled
The holes inside my heart and head
I won't lay down or walk away
I'm begging to be Saved
I've heard about your strength
I've read about your grace
You know the hairs upon my head
Every line that's written on my face
It's hard to comprehend
And tough to realize
You're more than words upon a page
In a book I try to hide
"Return Me To Light"
I see the painting in your eyes
The shades of color in the sky
The only star that’s in my sight
Return me to light
I can feel the power
It’s holding everything
I can hear it calling out my name
In my final hour
When I hear the angels sing
I don’t want to hang my head in shame
"Soul Inside"
There is a way, a door in sight
Another round, another fight
Bring your fear, into the light
See the Soul inside
You're much stronger now
Than you will ever see or believe
Never let someone tell you otherwise
You're made in the image
Of the One who is Most High
If you have a nostalgia for 1980's era Rock bands like Journey, Boston, Night Ranger, Foreigner, and Whitesnake then you are going to love what SoleDriver has offered up with their debut release. Help support the band and Christian Rock music by picking up your copy of 'Return Me To Light' today!
Purchases can be made at the following link:
Musicians:
Michael Sweet(Stryper, Iconic, Sweet & Lynch) - Lead Vocals
Alessandro Del Vecchio(Jørn Lande, Revolution Saints) - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vox
Michele Sanna(Manowar) - Drums
Michael Sweet(Stryper, Iconic, Sweet & Lynch) - Lead Vocals
Alessandro Del Vecchio(Jørn Lande, Revolution Saints) - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vox
Michele Sanna(Manowar) - Drums