This is Autumn Child’s fourth release since the self-titled debut in 2019. That’s some creative work in this day and age when bands usually take at least three years in between albums. Ok, so the band/project isn’t exactly touring the world 24/7 – or at all – but the fact that none of those albums has been worse than good is pretty impressing considering the pace. With Jona Tee of H.E.A.T. – who was heavily involved in the song writing in the beginning – now completely out of the picture, at least what it seems, it’s time for this band to prove that they can stand on their own two feet. Now Tee is a song writer extraordinaire and hard to replace so it feels like this album is a trial by fire even though Tee’s involvement in the last two albums has been sporadically.
Opener and the first release, the upbeat AOR-stomper “Gamechanger” lets us know that all is well in the Autumn’s Child camp. It’s smooth and pretty slick with nods towards both pomp-rock and Classic Rock here and there. The guitars and keyboards meets half-way and creates a fine melodic blend while the guitar-riff catches on directly. Big melodies and a distinct chorus takes the song for the win. Very good. “Aphrodite’s Eyes” opens with flamenco-style guitar but continues with a metal-fueled guitar riffs and oriental melody-arrangements. It’s a Hard Rock driven tune with smooth vocal-melodies and embracing keyboards plus a dynamite chorus that grabs a hold right off the bat. Very good.
“Welcome To The Show” should maybe have been the opener with its edgy and rougher nature and fast tempo. It’s a Hard Rock stomper at its core but it’s refined by some slicker poppiness and a pomp-rock laden grandiosity. It’s direct and in-your-face and the chunky chorus is catchy and memorable albeit not in a hit-friendly way. Good one. “Opera” is a Beatles-esque slow ballad with a dreamy ambience, shining pop-melodies and slight AOR-isms but it also borrows a lot from Queen where guitarist Pontus Åkesson’s solo throws a nice tribute to “Bohemian Rhapsody”. The guitars also throws out nods to Brian May throughout the song soundwise. It’s not an opera-song but it flirts slighty with it. It’s a real strong ballad, though with some amazing vocal-hooks and a brilliant refrain.
“Karenina” is an upbeat and lively number that blends AOR with Pomp and is exactly as glossy as that sounds – but I mean glossy in a good way here. It’s very 80’s with big staccato keyboards and a glittering outlook, quite fluffy with big backup-harmonies and radio-friendly melodies. The chorus is a killer too with its distinct catchiness. Good stuff. Latest single “1995” comes off as an 80’s AOR meets Arena Rock number, it flirts with 1950’s style pop-music and even Pop in the style of Secret Service where singer Mikael Erlandsson also sings with a touch of Bryan Adams thrown in for good measure. It’s a driving tune, guitar-driven and the chorus is totally hit-crazed with a monster hook. Great.
“Dorian Gray” is a slow-paced semi-ballad with a cinematic atmosphere and dramatic arrangements. Queen influences rubs shoulder with plain Pop and there are references to both the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s within the song which in turn makes it sound a bit like a musical-theatre number. The vocal-melodies might just be a bit too sugary at times but as a whole I quite like the tune. On a much heavier note, “I Can’t Get Enough” brings in some much needed grit and darkness. While the melodies might be right in the Melodic Rock road it’s also grounded in classic Hard Rock with it’s edgy guitars, fat keyboards and punchy rhythms. At times the guitars sends a clear nod towards Blackmore as well while the hooky chorus makes me think of early Foreigner. Very good.
“The Final Call” kicks off like a 70’s style Glam Rock stomper where the main vocal melody reminds a bit of Rick Springfield’s old AOR-ish pop-rock with an insert of Cheap Trick’s power-pop. This uplifting, happy-go-lucky party-rocker also throws in elements of early 80’s AOR such as Streets, Wrabit and Styx’s more AOR-laden days. It’s a quite glossy and slick yet very live-friendly groover that would work like a charm at any summer-festival out there. The melodies are easily embraced with tons of hooks and the chorus is so catchy it’s ridiculous. I’m wondering why this wasn’t a single with a video to go with it because it smells like a hit to me. Brilliant.
The band takes a real left turn with “Love From Tokyo”, a slow, smokey and saddening blues-ballad with a dreamy soundscape that holds a pretty big reference to Thin Lizzy’s gorgeous “Still In Love With You” – in fact it’s almost too similar, to be honest. But it is a soulful tune with a chorus that grabs a hold and draws you in – and no power ballad cheese is to be found here. What can I say, I just love this. Maybe because I’m a huge Thin Lizzy fan, I dunno. They close the album with the upbeat and poppy AOR bouncer “It’s Not Too Late”. It’s a positive, happy and colorful track with gluey melodies and glistening hooks. It might be just a pinch too sugary but it’s hard to not get swept away by the massive refrain. I dig.
Style-wise there’s nothing really out of the box on here and if you’ve heard the band’s earlier releases – or even just one of them – you’d know pretty much what you’re getting here. But if it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? The thing is, these gentlemen know what they’re doing and they’re damn good at it too – they know their AOR, that’s for sure. Quality-wise, this record is their finest effort since the debut and they’re all flawless musicians and singers and the only thing I can criticize here is that the production is a bit too stale and clean-cut which makes the sonics a bit streamlined. But when I get a collection of songs like these I can let that slide.
8/10
Autumn’s Child
Angel’s Gate
Zenith
Tracklist:
1. Gamechanger
2. Aphrodite’s Eyes
3. Welcome To The Show
4. Opera
5. Karenina
6. 1995
7. Dorian Gray
8. I Can’t Get Enough
9. The Final Call
10. Love From Tokyo
11. It’s Not Too Late
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