Artist:  Daylight Robbery
   Title: Cross Your Heart And Hope To die
   Label: Solar Flare Records

Just when you think that the British Melodic Rock scene has seen its day, a band comes out of the shadows and waves the red, white and blue flag and the hearts of the many are lit up by the music of the few.  Over recent years we’ve seen the likes of Serpentine and Vega step out of the shadows to show that there is still an abundance of UK Melodic /Hard Rock talent out there.

Now in 2012 we see the Midlands once more become the heartland for the scene, under the guise of Birmingham’s Daylight Robbery, who with the debut album 'Cross Your Heart And Hope To Die’, are once again shining the beacon for the scene in this country.

The band consisting of Tony Nicholl (vocals) and Mark Carleton (guitars), Murdoch (bass), Ben Dixon (drums) and Duncan Cook (keyboards), deliver pure unadulterated Melodic Hard Rock that will send fans of the genre into raptures.

From the opener and title track ‘Cross Your Heart’ you can tell the band are on to a winner, as the big licks and powerhouse back beat are only outclassed by the vocal power of Nicholl, who may be small in stature, but my goodness does he have a mighty set of pipes on him, as is evident from this opener.

Thing's continue in similar vein with the mighty ‘Shame On You’, with Carleton firing out the licks like six string confetti, while that mighty back beat of Dixon and Murdoch drive the engine of this one ever forward, all capped off with Nicholl’s tremendous power rich vocals.

We get a little heavier, while still retaining that melody rich vibe of the opening two tracks, with ‘The Perfect Storm’, before returning to the Melodic Hard Rock of ‘While You Were Sleeping’.

It's all change as the tempo, but not the quality, is brought down a touch with the haunting ‘Crossing The Great Divide’.  This time with Nicholl showing us he can bring it down when needed and still retain that power even on the ballads.

Thing's get a little funky with the groove filled ‘Real Love Is The Answer’, then it’s a touch of 70’s keyboards from Cook for the opening before the old school rocker ‘Reunite’ really takes off.  Then we get little bluesy rock with the Whitesnake inspired ‘She’s Got Me Misunderstood’.

Next it's time to really pick up the pace as the guys go all out with ‘1,000 Points Of Light’, an all guns blazing rocker that again shows Nicholl has the full package vocally.  The up-tempo rock continues with another blazer in ‘Line Of Fire’, which wraps up what is sure to be one of the debut albums of the year, and with the band already lined-up to tour later this year, this is definitely one band I'd recommend you check out during 2012.

Tracklisting:

1. Cross Your Heart
2. Shame On You
3. The Perfect Storm
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Crossing The Great Divide
6. REUNITE
7. Real Love Is The Answer
8. She's Got Me Understood
9. 1,000 Points Of Light
10. In The Line Of Fire

                   

 

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