Dennis Atlas – Principle

Keyboardist and vocalist Dennis Atlas (part of Toto’s 2024 touring line-up) returns with his latest sophomore solo effort, Principle. The guest list of musicians is impressive as Marco Minnemann, Bumblefoot, and Toto bandmate Steve Lukather all make appearances.

Soon after its official release on May 15, 2026, Anne-Claire Rallo of Bad Dog Promotions was kind to send me a physical copy of this highly-energetic and bombastic blend of 1970s arena prog, keyboard-driven hair metal and melodic rock. Principle consists of 11 fun, diverse and varied tracks, almost each of them featuring one or two guest musicians.

After a brief instrumental intro “Surprises From Within”, the first single “Violent Power” (Feat. Marco Minnemann) bursts in with a riff-heavy, hyper-polished sheen and some flashy keyboard soloing. Definately a fun way to kick off the album and grab the listener’s attention. The following “Scare Me” follows in more or less the same formula, though the legendary Toto guitarist Steve Lukather is handling guitar duties on this one. Talking of guest appearances, Bumblefoot tears through “Games” – a theatrical and complex song that blends 1980s electro-beat pop with hard rock. With the arrival of “Instincts” the pattern and vibe changes a bit, delivering strong and in front vocals, supported by a glossy production, pushing the album into keyboard-driven hair metal territory. “Different World” shakes things up again, this time by slowing things down. It’s probably the most direct and emotional statement on the album, it’s just Dennis Atlas and a piano, fantastic calm and warmth track! “Candy on Mars” is a brief and highly experimental instrumental swagger, clocking in at just 2 minutes and 39 seconds. The song serves as a creative and pivot point on the record, once again featuring Steve Lukather. This experimental and progressive record ontinues with “When the Monster Attacks.” It’s a dark and psychological monster and one of the album’s conceptual peaks. Next comes “Save It For Tomorrow”, a track featuring Warren Ham on saxophone, successfully bridges the gap between sophisticated jazz-rock and ambitious progressive rock. “We Can Be the Future” closes the album with forward motion and personal history intertwined. The song pairs Atlas’s trademark AOR bombast with a performance by Toto co-founder David Paich. In other words; the album closer is blending legendary Toto-esque keyboard textures with Atlas’s fresh, multi-instrumental layering.

The album cover artwork for Principle was designed by illustrator Sabrina Lau at ‘UnicornCat Artworks‘. The front cover features a comic book aesthetic depicting an animated version of ‘Superhero Dennis’ jumping into an adventure, ready to face a challenge.

In conclusion; Principle is an unapologetically fun, high-energy progressive rock album full of genuine heart and warmth. Despite massive contributions from Steve Lukather and Marco Minnemann, the album succeeds because Dennis Atlas maintains creative control and avoids letting it devolve into a mindless shred showcase. Principle is a major step forward from his 2021 debut album, My Magical Wonderland. As a result, the second full-length album from Dennis Atlas is recommended for fans of a high-energy mix of AOR stadium rock, progressive metal, and keyboard-driven hair metal.

If you are considering buying Principle on vinyl/CD, or are you just looking for more information on Dennis Atlas and his latest studio effort, visit his official facebook page.