The album is a really fun and happy listen. So melodic and playful with cool solos galore. The riffing is just simple rocking and never really ventures into power metal territory as Kai eluded to in interviews. He didn't want the album to sound anything like a Gamma Ray or Helloweeny album and it doesn't . It sounds to me like a lighter or poppier new PC69 album or something like that but with a little more rock and roll feel with fun bouncy riffs and Michael's unique happy go lucky, soaring vocals on top.
Unisonic - A good statement of intent for the band with it's soaring cries of Unisonic and general energetic feel. 8/10
Souls Alive - A playful and rocking melodic song with a beautiful chorus sung brilliantly by Michael. One of the best on the album. 8.5/10
Never Too Late - A similar song in terms of tempo with a slight retro rock and roll feel. The song builds to a happy slightly Helloweeny chorus. A sunshiny light feel makes you smile during this song. Great for the summer as is most of the album. 9/10
I've Tried - A slightly more relaxed pace with more emotional vocals from Mickey this one. Leads onto an amazingly beautiful chorus with relaxed melodic backing. The song is as smooth as silk and it doesn't even feel like a rock song to me apart from the solo. It sounds like an 80s hi-tech aor pop song with a beautiful melody plain and simple. This sort of music should be huge in the charts IMO.
Star Rider - A slow paced song pretty much with Mickey's usual warbling soaring vocals leading onto an ok but a rather average chorus. Not loving this one that much as it's a bit pedestrian. There are some nice harmony vocal sections during the verses though. 6/10
Never Change Me - Another relaxed fairly, slow of tempo, light song with a pop feel that leads on to a fun melodic chorus again similar to the ones we've heard before. The formula of the songs so far seems to be to have simpler verses that lead onto bug hook filled choruses. This song is no different. The solo has a great melodic feel but the song feels very rock and rolly. 8/10
Renegade - One of the slightly heavier songs with a heavy groovy riff opener which gives way to the typical relaxed verses which again leads into an amazing chorus with quite a unique feel the way Michael sings it. I like this song a lot. Soaring, spine tingling vocal melodies on this one. 8.5/10
My Sanctuary - A song from the ep awhile back and an a brilliant song in my book. Great build up and I love the slow bit in the middle with Kai's vocals singing "sanctuary" with his low vocals. The tempo of the song is very cool indeed with nice riffs and solos and a great soaring chorus of course. One of my faves with this glorious happy song. 9.5/10
King for a Day - A slow paced pretty heavy rock song with again great melodies from Mickey. The guy really out did himself on the album. This song sounds quite symphonic and epic thanks to great keyboard presence. A beautiful song again and with a multi layered chorus with both Kai and Mickey and maybe more voices. This song is the closest we get to a Gamma Ray feel as the second part of the song sounds very metallic and Gamm Ray-ish as it speeds up with a gorgeous solo. However the vocal parts are always delivered to slower backing with Kai doing harmony to Mickey's lead. An amazing song to be honest which I can't find fault with 10/10.
We Rise - A spiky and energetic heavy rocking riff to start which gives way to a sedate verse before we reach another one of the stratosphere reaching Mickey choruses that sways back and forth with a typical Germanic melodic feel. The solo in this song is to die for. 9.5/10
No One Ever Sees Me - The longest song on the album is kept back till last and what we hear is an emotional quiet ballad with acoustic guitars and Mickey crooning away on top. The song is a bit too emotional and sappy but I guess it's the only real ballad on the album so I can forgive them. It would probably have been better to put this in the middle somewhere and ended on a more powerful note but that's just me. The song has a very heartbreaking solo in it with lush instrumentation all round. 7.5/10
This album is an amazing listen if you enjoy melodies in your rock music. I rate it at 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment