I’m a fan. A huge one. Of both Pretty Maids and Ronnie Atkins solo stuff. Pretty Maids’ self-titled debut E.P. from 1983 might leave a bit to be desired but from their debut album Red Hot And Heavy (1984) I can’t find one bad song by the band. Ok, so every song might not be a masterpiece but none of them are worse than good. And Ronnie’s two solo albums One Shot (2021) and Make It Count (2022) are both phenomenal – right up my alley. Does that mean that I’m such a huge fan that I can’t see the forest for the trees? That I love them so much I can’t be objective? That I will give the albums a high score just because it’s Pretty Maids related. Hell no. I review the music and the music alone and if the music is good it’s good no matter who’s playing – and vice versa. I get why some people are wondering though. What I do have though is extremely high expectations on every release and only a good record from either Pretty Maids – who seems to be no more, sadly – or from Atkins (or guitarist Ken Hammer as well for that matter) will a bit of a disappointment. I expect great.
Speaking of which, this is Atkins’ third solo record in three years which is quite impressing in a time when bands take years and years to release records. With the astonishing high quality of the two previous records the bar is, of course, set pretty high when it comes to expectations but one also wonders how long this will last before the musical well runs dry when you release music in this fast pace. Hopefully never. This record is said to be a heavier effort than the previous two with some darker vibes but with all the melodic hooks from the previous albums. Sounds like a good thing to these ears.
The opening first single, the album’s titular tune is an upbeat and quite punchy rocker with a darker twist and direct melodies in both verses and refrain. The tune holds a slight Pretty Maids laden twist in the vocal melodies but also a poppier touch that makes me think of ABBA of all bands. We also get a keyboard orchestrated mid passage that shakes up the dynamics. Still it’s a guitar driven tune with a magnificent main melody and a chorus catchier than Covid. Brilliant. Next up is the harder edged and faster metal-fueled rocker “Ode To A Madman” that reminds me a lot of latter day Pretty Maids. It’s more of a deep-cut carried on a solid beat, a live-friendly outlook and more direct and striking melodies with a refrain that hits home right off the bat. Splendid.
“Paper Tiger” on the other hand is a stompy, rhythmic and crunchy pop-rocker with a heavier outlook that needs to be a future single. The muscular riffage and the solid beat is pure Hard Rock but the melody-arrangements takes a stroll down Melodic Rock lane. It’s a kicking rocker for sure that’s perfect for the stage. The whole song bathes in a plethora of catchiness and the glueing chorus is so brilliant I almost gasp for air. Fantastic. The ballad “Soul Divine” is a beautiful piece that opens with a piano and acoustic guitars with a sort of Beatles meets Queen vibe. When the band comes in the song gets a bigger soundscape and the gorgeous keyboard-string arrangement is simply amazing. It’s quite straight ahead in a slower pace, the melodies are mesmerizing and the chorus is simply superb. Wow!
“Via Dolorosa” is a dark, atmospheric and low-key interlude with an eerie ambience and the gateway into the hard-hitting and rowdy “Godless”, a faster metal-tinged Hard Rock belter with some edgy riffing and ballsy and robust rhythms where the ominous keyboards creates an almost diabolical outlook. It’s a song that could’ve been written for Pretty Maids but has Atkins’ solo-vibes all over it and maybe it’s just me but I also hear slight traces of Tony Martin era Black Sabbath here and there. It’s a live-track for sure that blends heaviness, edge and aggression with memorable melodies all over and a stunning chorus that catches on right from the off. This could very well be one the best songs Ronnie’s ever written!
“Shine” must also be considered as a future single. This upbeat Hard Rock meets Melodic Rock tune comes across as both uplifting and positive and melancholic at the same time. It’s quite a straight forward number on a solid beat and the hooky melodies gives the song a very crowd-friendly outlook where the huge chorus is gets an anthemic, sing-along pleasing structure. It’s so catchy it hurts without going into any candy-coated territory at all. Simply brilliant. Latest single “If You Can Dream It (You Can Do It)” is one colorful piece. The main riff hold resemblance to Pyromania-era Def Leppard and Ratt with a slice of Thunder’s “Dirty Love” and the whole song brings back fond memories of late 80’s American Arena Rock with melodies and hooks so memorable and embracing they could be used as a time-machine. The chorus is a glistening powerhouse of catchiness and in a fair world this would be a hit of epic proportions.
“Sister Sinister” is another upbeat melodic rocker built on a steady rhythm with busy, bouncy verses, quite heavy but operates on a somewhat held-back structure. There’s a slight eerie ambience inserted with a slight mellowness involved too but its chorus takes on a bigger soundscape and even though there’s an underlying melancholy even there it’s a massive refrain that hits a home run on the first strike. Awesome. “Raining Fire” is again heavier and more hard-hitting. It’s a bit dystopian with a rowdy edge and holds an almost spooky undertone. It’s a melodic Metal stomper with gnarly keyboards and driving guitars with punchy refrain that sticks right from hello. I love this.
The heaviness and darkness stays on for the metal-esque track “The Unwanted”. Some smooth, more modern keyboards lays a nice contrast to the crunchy and firey guitars carried by the thunderous punch of Egberg/Sörensen. It’s a song that proves that Melodic Rock doesn’t have to be slick and glossy, that it can be powerful and edgy. Style-wise it sounds like it could’ve been written for the last album but it fits like a glove on this one. Another direct and distinct chorus is the icing on cake. Killer. The album closes with the mighty power ballad “What If”, a big, bombastic and orchestrated tune with a theatrical and cinematic touch where the piano and swirling guitars has a certain Queen vibe. It’s mellow with a saddening touch in a grandiose soundscape with a huge chorus that’s impossible not to surrender to. Simply phenomenal.
Some reviewers has pointed out that nines and tens shouldn’t be given unless we’re talking about a true classic or a monumental masterpiece and many almost parades with the fact that they never given out a ten. That’s bullshit to me. A ten for me is when everything aligns, where the whole piece is simply great – songs, arrangements, production, sound, performance. When I love the whole damn thing. It doesn’t have to be revolutionary or seminal. This album is all of that and I can’t even pick a favorite because every song here is a killer. When it comes to Atkins I love the guy’s voice – which still remains strong both in range, strength and tone – and there’s something in his melody language and phrasing that just speak to me.
Also he sounds like no one else, you’ll hear in a split second that it’s him singing. Sure, this is a melodic Hard Rock record but Atkins’ personality and identity is all over everything he does. Also his band is phenomenal. Chris Laney holds production duties as well as guitar and keyboards, Pontus Egberg (King Diamond) is a world-class bassist, drummer Allan Sörensen is a melodic yet heavy drummer and new lead guitarist Marcus Sunesson (Cyhra) is a real find with both feel and technique. This album is a ten – and a damn clear one too. If this kind of Hard Rock still brought out hits like it did back in the day, this album would be a greatest hits record – and yes it is his heaviest record to date. This album will most likely end up as the album of the year of 2023 for me. Hats off!
10/10
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Tracklist:
1. Trinity
2. Ode To A Madman
3. Paper Tiger
4. Soul Divine
5. Via Dolorosa
6. Godless
7. Shine
8. If You Can Dream It (You Can Do It)
9. Sister Sinister
10. Raining Fire
11. The Unwanted
12. What If
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