Got cravings for yet another Frontiers project? Well, congratulations because here’s another one. This is the second effort by this project that features former John Norum/Yngwie Malmsteen (among others) singer Göran Edman. The self-titled debut that was released back in 2016 was crafted by people like Michael Palace, Daniel Flores, Sören Kronqvist and Alessandro Del Vecchio and was an uneven affair. Good songs that never really hit home with me. This time Edman has paired with multi-instrumentalist and song Writer Tommy Denander. With Denander’s later projects in mind – the last Radioactive album for example was great – I have some high hopes for this record. The project bears the same name but it holds different collaborators.
The opening single “Devil’s Highway” is a poppy yet driven AOR-rocker carried by a beefy beat and chunky riffs that blends guitars and keyboards in one. The tune holds a big 80’s Arena Rock vibe and it sounds like a Denander piece a long way. It’s a slick and glossy tune with big melodies, big hooks, big vocals and a damn catchy refrain. Very good. On a pumping rhythm, slightly symphonic keyboards and a bombastic soundscape, “Memory Lane” is an upbeat number, straight ahead AOR with clean guitars and lots of pompous keyboards. A strong main melody with a splendid, highly hooky chorus takes the song for the win. Great stuff.
“Before You Grow Old” takes us right back to the mid 80’s with a chunky riff and bouncy rhythm where guitars and keyboards shares space in great symbiosis. It’s very smooth but not overly glossy with all cheese cut out but where the melodies shine and the chorus takes us back to when AOR actually sold millions. This should too. A great number. “Swan Song Of Our Love” is a groove-laden semi-ballad, AOR that looks back to the early 80’s with a bluesy rhythm and some chunky bass-lines with some souly vocals from Edman. It’s quite smooth but never sugary and holds a direct vocal melody with a big refrain that grabs a hold and never lets go. It’s a killer track that really should be a single.
Not a Richard Marx/Vixen cover nor a take on the Bon Jovi B-side, “Edge Of A Broken Heart” is a mellow and emotional power ballad that brings out some melancholy on a down-beat rhythm pattern. While it contains some held-back vocals it’s also quite bombastic, especially in the lighter-in-the-air chorus that’s catchy as can be. In 1988 this tune would’ve shipped this record millions and since I’m a fan of that I put both my thumbs up for this one. Great. “Sign Of The Times” is uptempo and holds a bigger Hard Rock foundation. That said, even though the song is the roughest so far it still brings out smooth AOR melodies, clean guitars and big keyboards – and another Arena Rock chorus. Another good tune.
On a busier and more lively note “Last of The Innocent” might be in AOR territory but holds a rockier approach. It’s rhythmic, live-friendly, powerful and holds some firey guitars and majestic keyboards with big hooks, striking melodies and a chorus that floored me from go to go with it. A killer. “A Million Years Of Freedom” follows in its predecessor’s footsteps and keeps the rougher rock with us. The guitars lead the way carried by a powerhouse rhythm with a hard-hitting stomp and some edgy keyboards woven in which beefs up the sound. Again, a sharp edged hook gives us a chorus that etches itself to the brain pretty much right away. This is terrific.
“End Of The World” is a heavier take on AOR, a bit darker and atmospheric with big, fat guitars and a pumping rhythm section. The main riff is direct and grabs a hold which contrasts some with the smoother vocal-melodies and the juicy chorus that hits bullseye with an immense hook. Great stuff. “Long Time Coming Home” is more of an upbeat Arena Rock number that holds a chunky groove on a straight ahead note with big, slick keyboards that embraces Denander’s big guitar sound. The chorus is of late 80’s structure – slick, smooth and embracing that screams MTV-hit a long way. Good one.
They close the album by taking a huge leap back to the mid 80’s with a time-machine called “High And Low”, a straight forward Melodic Rock stomper that’s based on a classic Hard Rock foundation. Bryan Adams rubs shoulder with Foreigner on a solid groove. It’s a number that can wake up any Melodic Rock thirsty festival crowd anywhere in the world. It’s an uplifting tune, slick and smooth with a verse more memorable than many choruses and chorus so contagious there’s no medicine invented to get rid of it – not that you’d want to. It’s a great tune that knocked me for six – and in 1986 it would most likely have ruled the charts.
It didn’t take long to state that this record is a big step up from the debut. Everything on this one is better no matter if we’re talking song writing or production. Sure it’s smooth, slick and even glossy at times with AOR in the driver’s seat but this album holds more edge and a more rocking structure and outlook with some high-quality vocals from Edman with not one bad song in sight. The only issue with the album is that style-wise it’s a bit too streamlined and lacks in identity which is quite unusual when it comes to Denander’s work. That said, this is a highly enjoyable record for fans of AOR and Melodic Rock. Not too original but a damn good time. Recommended.
7/10
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Tracklist:
1. Devil’s Highway
2. Memory Lane
3. Before You Grow Old
4. Swan Song Of Our Love
5. Edge Of A Broken Heart
6. Sign Of The Times
7. Last Of The Innocent
8. A Million Years Of Freedom
9. End Of The World
10. Long Time Coming Home
11. High And Low
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