Artist: Norway 
   Title: Rising From The Ashes
   Label: MTM Music

'Rising Up From The Ashes' is the third and much anticipated release from New Jersey Melodic Rockers Norway.  From the bands insertion into the melodic scene back in the early nineties, when the band consisted of just former Max member Glenn Pierson and Jim Santos, the pair released the demo 'Night Dreams' which at the time received high acclaim with Pierson handling both vocals and keyboards, whilst Santos played guitar, bass and drums.

This album was released in Japan in November last year, but now the rest of the world has a chance to hear this piece of Melodic heaven.

With this new album we find the vocal duties being taken up by Dave Baldwin formerly of Tradia, Vox and Departure, and together with Santos on guitars, Marty Brasington on drums and Joe Slattery on bass, the band have come up with the bands finest release to date.

Things get under way with in true melodic rock style with ‘Save Me’ and from the off this album will have fans of the genre hooked, as the majesty of Baldwin’s vocals are unleashed, together with some fine fret work by Santos.

Things continue with more of the same high standard AOR with ‘Anything At All’ and ‘Only One I Need’, two superb tracks that will have all those diehard melodic fans in raptures.

The tempo is picked up a notch with the almost Y&T like ‘American Girl’.  A real feel good summertime song.  You can really imagine this playing on the radio as you drive along route 66 with the top down, it has that certain carefree sunshine vibe about it.

This album hits all the right spots both vocally and musically with some fine harmonies by Baldwin and some great solo guitar work from Santos, while the rhythm section of Brasington and Slattery keep things under control with some excellent back beats.  Some fine examples of this can be found of the lavish tones of ‘The Power Of Gold’, the almost Journey-esq ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’, and the ballad ‘Wont Let You Down’.

But the band aren’t all ballads and soft tones, they do show their more hard rock side from time to time as the guitar ridden ‘Tell Me’ just goes to prove.  That old adage of leaving the best till last springs to mind as the band do exactly that with the magnificent ‘Haunted’.  A track that is full of soul searching melody and soaring guitars, all which are great, but it’s the vocals of Baldwin than will win even the hardest of hearts on this one, thus making this my favourite track from an album that will put the name of Norway once again on the Melodic/Hard Map.

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