Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Joel Hoekstra’s 13 returns with their fourth studio album, "From the Fade," via Frontiers Music SRL on February 27th.
Guitarist and composer Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) has reassembled his band of rock luminaries, including drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo), and vocalist Girish Pradhan (Girish and The Chronicles).
With every Joel Hoekstra’s 13 release, Joel proves himself not just a remarkably skilled guitarist but an exceptional songwriter. In a time when the art of crafting unforgettable riffs seems to slip away from so many, Joel continues to make it look effortless. His unwavering dedication to his craft, paired with a genuine passion and infectious enthusiasm, radiates through every note he plays.
"From the Fade" is a dynamic collection of 10 fiercely powerful and musically diverse songs, ripping with raw emotion, crushing guitar riffs, and instantly memorable melodies. His guitar solos are always purposeful and dynamic as Joel seamlessly shifts from tasteful and melodic to fast and furious to best serve each song.
Pre-orders of "From the Fade" are available here: https://ffm.bio/fromthefadelalbum
Correspondent Robert Cavuoto spoke with Joel, who shared that this album feels like a more focused and heavier chapter in Joel Hoeksta’s 13’s evolution as it leans more toward metal than previous releases. While melody remains central to every song, Joel intentionally wrote songs that allowed Girish to tap into his more aggressive, high-register strengths, giving the album a sharper edge while maintaining its melodic core. He mentions that, after experimenting with stylistic diversity across earlier Joel Hoekstra's 13 albums, this one is more cohesive with a defined sound.
He walked us through his highly methodical writing process, revealing that the album was built one riff and demo at a time every day, often sketched late at night using nothing more than a guitar and his phone to record his ideas. You may be surprised to learn which legendary rock star Joel hears in his head singing his song while he is creating them, even if the final performances don’t directly resemble that singer.
With his band all recording remotely, he emphasized that the goal was always to make the album feel like a unified band performance rather than a pieced-together project. His guitar solos on From the Fade are intentionally song-driven rather than indulgent, and in most cases, he does countless takes to get them perfect.
Our conversation also touched on Joel’s thoughts about David Coverdale’s recent retirement announcement, with Joel supporting David, stating that he has earned the right to do what he wants and is happy for him. Looking ahead, Joel talks about working on new albums with Revolution Saints and Iconic’s second release. More acoustic shows are planned with Brandon Gibbs, but touring for Joel Hoekstra’s 13 remains uncertain.
WEBSITE: sonicperspectives.com
FACEBOOK: fb.me/sonicperspectives
FLIPBOARD: bit.ly/Flip-SP
PODCASTS ON ITUNES: bit.ly/SonicPerspectives
#JoelHoeksta #Interview #JoelHoeksta13 #Guitarist #HardRock #RobertCavuoto #SonicPerspectives @frontiersmusicsrl
Joel Hoekstra’s 13 returns with their fourth studio album, "From the Fade," via Frontiers Music SRL on February 27th.
Guitarist and composer Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) has reassembled his band of rock luminaries, including drummer Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio), bassist Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder), keyboardist Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Sons of Apollo), and vocalist Girish Pradhan (Girish and The Chronicles).
With every Joel Hoekstra’s 13 release, Joel proves himself not just a remarkably skilled guitarist but an exceptional songwriter. In a time when the art of crafting unforgettable riffs seems to slip away from so many, Joel continues to make it look effortless. His unwavering dedication to his craft, paired with a genuine passion and infectious enthusiasm, radiates through every note he plays.
"From the Fade" is a dynamic collection of 10 fiercely powerful and musically diverse songs, ripping with raw emotion, crushing guitar riffs, and instantly memorable melodies. His guitar solos are always purposeful and dynamic as Joel seamlessly shifts from tasteful and melodic to fast and furious to best serve each song.
Pre-orders of "From the Fade" are available here: https://ffm.bio/fromthefadelalbum
Correspondent Robert Cavuoto spoke with Joel, who shared that this album feels like a more focused and heavier chapter in Joel Hoeksta’s 13’s evolution as it leans more toward metal than previous releases. While melody remains central to every song, Joel intentionally wrote songs that allowed Girish to tap into his more aggressive, high-register strengths, giving the album a sharper edge while maintaining its melodic core. He mentions that, after experimenting with stylistic diversity across earlier Joel Hoekstra's 13 albums, this one is more cohesive with a defined sound.
He walked us through his highly methodical writing process, revealing that the album was built one riff and demo at a time every day, often sketched late at night using nothing more than a guitar and his phone to record his ideas. You may be surprised to learn which legendary rock star Joel hears in his head singing his song while he is creating them, even if the final performances don’t directly resemble that singer.
With his band all recording remotely, he emphasized that the goal was always to make the album feel like a unified band performance rather than a pieced-together project. His guitar solos on From the Fade are intentionally song-driven rather than indulgent, and in most cases, he does countless takes to get them perfect.
Our conversation also touched on Joel’s thoughts about David Coverdale’s recent retirement announcement, with Joel supporting David, stating that he has earned the right to do what he wants and is happy for him. Looking ahead, Joel talks about working on new albums with Revolution Saints and Iconic’s second release. More acoustic shows are planned with Brandon Gibbs, but touring for Joel Hoekstra’s 13 remains uncertain.
WEBSITE: sonicperspectives.com
FACEBOOK: fb.me/sonicperspectives
FLIPBOARD: bit.ly/Flip-SP
PODCASTS ON ITUNES: bit.ly/SonicPerspectives
#JoelHoeksta #Interview #JoelHoeksta13 #Guitarist #HardRock #RobertCavuoto #SonicPerspectives @frontiersmusicsrl
