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In
a very short space of time I've discovered that these melodic rock gods
are indeed just that. Oh my goodness! I've heard so much about this band
in the past but for some reason hadn't actually heard any of their
material, or if I had I hadn't realized.
When this CD dropped onto my doormat I put it on and I quickly flipped
through it. Yeh it sounded good, but nothing special. Due to being
snowed under with course work and holidays away I never really got a
chance to get my teeth back into it. However just after visiting the
Gods festival in Bradford and witnessing this band totally blowing me
away with their performance. The first thing I did when I walked back
through the front door was to dig it back out.
Oh what a gem, what an absolute little beauty this CD is. How on earth
had I missed it on the first listen? Hand on heart I can honestly say
that this has rapidly risen to my favourite CD to play in the car on my
journey to work.
So much so that all the other are left gathering dust as this one gets
worn away from overplay.
Knowing nothing about their previous material I am not in a position to
compare it to their earlier offerings. A friend of mine who has been a
big fan of the band for many years now informed me quite categorically
that she thought they had totally sold out with this new one.
Well if they have then so be it because this particular album in their
collection is the one that's ignited the flame within me to make me want
to seek out their back catalogue. Whether it will excite me as much I
will have to wait and see. Either way this album sound pretty damn fine
to my ears.
Now I wouldn't try to compare this band to another by way of sounding
similar, but the person who told me they were the Def Leppard of Melodic
Rock was way off mark. These guys are one classy act and this comes
through in the richly produced sounds that grace this album.
While 'This Ain't Over' and 'Charmed' are quite delicate and sweet, it's
tracks like 'This Ain't Over', it's only when you get to the feel good
tracks such as 'Killing Me' and 'All I Want' that the band really come
into their own.
The short funky number 'Internude' and 'See Saw' will particularly
inspire fans of big guitar pieces. Pete Lesperance is most definitely up
there now with all my guitar heroes. What a player! His fingers sound
like they simply glide around the frets as the sounds flood out from the
speakers. How refreshing to hear not one, but two guitar led tracks with
no vocals that do not send me to sleep.
The really big track that grabs your attention and simply refuses to let
go is 'If You'. If ever there was an anthem just waiting to be born then
this has got to be it. The song has massive sing-along potential and I
can confirm having seen it being performed live, that's exactly what it
does.
Whether it's your first time hearing it or your hundredth it's will make
you want to dance big time. I dare you to listen to this and not want to
get up off your backside and give it all you got.
What can I say about Harry Hess and his golden vocal chords that
probably hasn't been said a million times before. Singing with passion
and conviction he carries the words perfectly. Nothing is rushed
and listening to him sing you can almost imagine him smiling contently
at the way the whole thing just comes together and sounds so right.
My only complaint is that the album doesn't sound long enough for me;
it's wet my appetite and left me hungry for more. Hopefully it won't be
too long before we see another album coming out from this band.
If you saw them at The Gods recently then you'll know just how mighty
and powerful this band really is. If you didn't then you missed one of
the most enigmatic performances that I've seen in a long time.
Hey when these guys first took to the stage I was standing at the band
of the room thinking …' oh yeh, another bunch of soppy melodic rock
songs by a bland band everyone else thinks is god's gift to music'.
For once I am delighted to report they were right. These guys really are
melodic rock gods. No wimpy girlie songs here mind you; this is
melodic/hard rock with enough of a modern spin to keep it fresh and
dynamic.
Needless to say by the time they got into their second song I was
legging it the full length of the room with my trusty camera banging off
all and sundry and I squeezed my way to the front.
Do yourself a favour and give this album a listen. In fact it's so good
just go ahead and buy it, you won't be disappointed and if you are then
perhaps you should have stuck to commercial sell-outs Creed. Now there's
a band that couldn't even hold a match, let alone a candle up against
these guys.
Buy it! Buy it! Love it and treasure it for all it's worth! I've just
discovered a band, and an album to stick in my top 50 albums of all
time. Frontiers - please bring these guys back in the Autumn to wow us
again.
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