It takes a special kind of imagination to collide two worlds as far apart as smooth yacht rock and roaring Heavy Metal. Cleopatra Records have done exactly that with Yacht Metal, a new collection that sees classic yacht anthems reworked by a line up of Metal heroes.
Rather than soft rock stars dipping a toe into distortion, Yacht Metal flips the script. Across the album, established Heavy Metal names step up to cover the smooth radio staples that once ruled late night FM. Thor tackles Jay Ferguson, BulletBoys drive hard through Takin It To The Streets, Joe Lynn Turner cruises through Ride Captain Ride, while Lorraine Lewis of Femme Fatale joins George Lynch for a riffed up take on Love Will Keep Us Together.
The latest single to drop is a standout. Former Girlschool guitarist and vocalist Kim McAuliffe teams up with Leader Of Down for a new version of Nicolette Larson’s hit take on Neil Young’s Lotta Love.
It is a song that keeps the laid back melody of the original but gives it a tougher, road tested edge. McAuliffe steps out of her usual comfort zone, fronting a track that lets her voice glide over a warm, glowing groove while the band add just enough crunch.
McAuliffe has spoken about how much she enjoyed being part of the project, praising the quality of the players in Leader Of Down and inviting listeners to turn the volume up and enjoy the ride. For long time Girlschool followers it is also a welcome reminder of just how much character and power she brings to anything she sings on.
Yacht Metal is due to dock on 19 December 2025, positioned as a last minute present for the rock fan in your life and a gateway to a very different side of ’70s and ’80s radio. Over the past year Cleopatra Records have been rolling out digital singles from the album, building a picture of just how far these songs can be pushed when Metal musicians are left alone with a smooth classic and a loud amp.
The cast list is huge. Alongside Kim McAuliffe and Leader Of Down you will find Megadeth legend Chris Poland, Rainbow alumni Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner and Bob Daisley, as well as Marcus Nand, Bumblefoot, Cherie Currie of The Runaways, Mick Box of Uriah Heep, members of Tantric and more. Each brings their own style to the material, from bluesy phrasing to full throttle shredding, but the original hooks are always front and centre.
For many of the artists involved, these are not guilty pleasures but songs they genuinely grew up with. Thor calls Thunder Island an obvious choice, remembering the impact this music had on him in the 1970s. Lorraine Lewis talks about singing Captain & Tennille long before Femme Fatale, while Doogie White and Tim “Ripper” Owens both highlight how strong the songwriting is beneath the soft focus production of the original hits.
That enthusiasm runs right through Yacht Metal. This is not a novelty record thrown together for a quick laugh, but a carefully curated set that takes the emotional core of each yacht rock staple and lets Heavy guitars and passionate vocals bring it into a new era.
From smooth ballads to radio singalongs, the album asks what happens when players from the world of Heavy Metal are let loose on songs built for sunsets, cocktails and calm seas.
Lotta Love with Kim McAuliffe and Leader Of Down is the perfect place to start. If this collision of chilled out melodies and big riffs wins you over, the full Yacht Metal voyage is waiting with more surprises, from Magnet And Steel through to Thunder Island.
Yacht Metal is available on 19 December 2025 via Cleopatra Records. Digital orders are available from orcd.co/yachtmetal while CD and Vinyl orders can be placed at the Cleopatra Records website.
