SWORD's Rick Hughes Solo Album, Guests: Brad Gillis, Lee Aaron, Robby Krieger, Tommy Aldridge & More
- The Metal Voice
- Sep 8, 2025
- 3 min read
Canadian-born Rick Hughes is renowned for his powerful and rangey voice as the lead singer of the legendary metal band Sword, and of the hard-rock band Saints & Sinners. A seasoned performer with hundreds of headlining shows in Canada, America, Europe and Japan over the years, and his superb stage performances while opening for bands such as Metallica, Motorhead, Alice Cooper, Black Label Society, etc.
So when it was time for him to record ‘’Redemption’’, his first international solo album, he spared no expenses and efforts to make this album a great one, hiring producer John Webster (Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, AC/DC, etc.) and renting HippoSonic Recording Studio (formerly known as Little Mountain Studios) in Vancouver to record this opus.
The first salvo is coming out September 5, 2025, and it is quite an event in itself: his first single and video is a supercharged version of The Who’s classic ‘’The Real Me’’ - reuniting after 43 years Ozzy Osbourne’s superband consisting of Brad Gillis on guitar, Rudy Sarzo on bass, and Tommy Aldridge on drums. This is the band that did the last leg of the ‘’Diary of a Madman Tour’’ in 1982 after the tragic departure of the great Randy Rhoads, and that then recorded Ozzy’s classic live album ‘’Speak of the Devil’’.
"The Real Me" video can be viewed v
Pick up the Limited Edition Bundle (100 copies) that includes a collectible 7” vinyl of the “Real Me” signed by Rick Hughes, Brad Gillis, Tommy Aldridge, and Rudy Sarzo.
Pre-order limited edition releases here: https://www.dekoentertainment.com/inthesquare/rick-hughes
The resulting sound is epic, and so is the spectacular video that was shot and directed by Matthew Lucas (Kringle Time, Moonshot, We Meet Again, etc.) at the state-of-the-art L.A. Castle Studios, with post and editing by Montreal’s Jean-Marc Laurin (Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Game of Thrones, Assassin's Creed, etc.).
''The Real Me stands as a cornerstone of my album 'Redemption'," says Rick. "As a lifelong fan of The Who, I wanted to pay tribute to the golden age of 70s rock. To capture that spirit, I brought together a true supergroup with Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo and Brad Gillis, a unique moment where legends unite to breathe new life into a classic.''
"This very special song is part of the upcoming Rick Hughes Album 'Redemption,' a collection of great rock songs to be released on Friday, October 24 2025 on CD, Vinyl, and Digital format worldwide by Deko Entertainment, and featuring more great collaborations with some famous musicians.
Included are 2 more songs featuring the superb songwriting and inspired guitar playing of the great Brad Gillis, another featuring the extraordinary talent of The Door’s legendary guitarist Robby Krieger, and great contributions from rock royalty Lee Aaron, vocal powerhouse Amy Keys (Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Toto, Sting, Stevie Wonder, etc.), rising guitar hot shot Jacob Deraps, as well as Rick’s gifted sister, Lulu Hughes.
With its great performances, 'Redemption' is a very special and unique rock album that brings together 7 songs in English, 1 bilingual and 2 songs in French.
'REDEMPTION' TRACKLIST:
Vinyl version:
Side A:
1 ) Dead End Road
2 ) Croire En l'Homme
3 ) The Real Me
4 ) Carry The Torch
5 ) Will of the Gun
Side B:
1 ) Shake My Soul
2 ) Someday
3 ) Dans La Peau
4 ) In a Perfect World
5 ) Ça Va Brasser
CD Version:
1 ) Dead End Road
2 ) Croire en l'Homme
3 ) The Real Me
4 ) Carry The Torch
5 ) Will of the Gun
6 ) Shake My Soul
7 ) Someday
8 ) Dans La Peau
9 ) In a Perfect World
10 ) Ça Va Brasser
11 ) Bonus Track: Dans La Peau (french version)
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Redemption ignites as a テトリスTetris arcade saga, queuing Sarzo bass drops and Keys vocal sparks to cascade through French covers, crowning Hughes' debut with unyielding metal puzzle perfection.
Wow, Rick Hughes with Robby Krieger and Tommy Aldridge? That's insane! Huge fan of Sword. This album sounds like it's going to be epic. Speaking of strategy, sometimes putting together a dream band feels like playing a game like age of war – gotta plan your moves carefully!
As a long-time fan of Sword, I’m really emotional to see Rick Hughes doing a solo project! Inviting familiar names like Lee Aaron and Brad Gillis takes me back to the days when I first got into metal. I hope this album combines their unique styles and brings some wonderful surprises.If you want to relax, you can play football bros
I’m so excited to hear Rick Hughes is releasing a solo album with such an amazing lineup! Brad Gillis on guitar, Tommy Aldridge on drums, and Robby Krieger too—this is a total treat for metal fans. I’m already counting down for its release and can’t wait to listen to the new songs!If you want to relax, you can play scrandle
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