Whenever Tommy Denander’s name comes up it’s more often than not about his personality and what and have not done to other people as it is about the music. I’ve never met Tommy or had anything to do with him personally so I’m not gonna go there. What’s indisputable though is that he has worked with lots and lots of big names – the guys from Toto, Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley, Mutt Lange to name just a tiny few of them – and what’s also indisputable is that the guy is a phenomenal musician. As a musician, Denander’s more of a hired gun, a studio guy, a go-to-guy when you need someone who you can count on nailing things the way you want them which has led to him not being a band member or having is own band as much.
The last time Tommy Denander released records as a band member was with Impera with whom he released three great records as a guitarist and co-writer. As for his own project Radioactive, this new record is record #5 since the debut Ceremony Of Innocence in 2001. To be honest, I haven’t been a huge fan of any of the Radioactive albums, they’re all good records but in my opinion they lack that one little thing that makes them great. What that is I can’t really put my finger on. With him this time on the lead singer spot is Robin McAuley (MSG, Grand Prix, Black Swan), Robbie Leblanc (Find Me), Jerome Mazza (Pinnacle Point, Steve Walsh), Clif Magness, Christian Ingebrigtsen (A1) and Daniel Byrne (Revival Black) with some co-writing assistance from guys like Mutt Lange and Erik Grönwall (Skid Row, H.E.A.T.).
Mazza takes hold of the mike in the opening lead-off single “Monkey On Our Backs”. The tune isn’t as AOR as I thought and is more of a Melodic Rock cruncher, upbeat with a gritty guitar and a chunky, bouncy rhythm with a slight touch of early 80’s Foreigner with a distinct main-melody and a superb refrain – and Mazza totally nails it. This isn’t just good, it’s damn good. The more 70’s smelling, AC/DC flirtatious “The Deed Is Done” is guitar driven and fat-riffed where Hard Rock is the base. On top, we get some magnificent melodies and a McAuley in top form. The chorus takes us into the 80’s with a direct hook still kicking up some dust. This is great.
Big 80’s vibes shines through in “Remember The Ghosts” but it’s at the same time upbeat, groovy and sharp with a big rock-feel and even the otherwise so smooth Leblanc gives us a shot at some roaring vocals. It’s quite a riffy little thing that brings on a raunchy groove combined with some infectious melodies and a chorus so catchy it hurts. A killer tune with big hit-potential. The single “Written In The Scars” holds some brilliant vocals from Ingebrigtsen and is a soft-rock-pop number, quite AOR-laden on a ballady note. It holds a cosy, dreamy flow and a whole lot of colorful arrangements, a strong main-melody and a phenomenal refrain that pulls you in right away – and it’s not even cheesy. Damn good.
Mazza is back for “If Today Was Your Last Day Alive”, a mid paced number, slow even yet with a heavy rhythm and a big groove to it. It has a late 80’s melodic Hard Rock touch to it but it also contains some crunchy guitars with chunky riffing, fat keyboards and a slight funkiness to it that makes me think of Dan Reed Network. The vocals are smoother which contrasts nicely to the edgier rhythms and the chorus is of contagious nature – very good.
Latest single “Move It” has McAuley on vocals and the tune goes into an early 90’s Arena Rock vibe on a strong, bouncy beat. Co-written by Lange, the tune of course brings Def Leppard to mind but also inserts some Classic Rock touches. It’s an upbeat party-rocker with some gang-vocals in the huge chorus. Love it or hate it, doesn’t matter, you’ll be humming the chorus no matter what. I think it’s brilliant. “Youman Unkind” is harder, heavier and fast-tracked with a rowdy and raucous soundscape. It’s a straight-forward rocker, quite in-your-face with a 70’s Classic Rock influenced sound and Leblanc really nails this one too. Good one.
The Mazza sung “I Have A Dream”, also co-penned by Lange, starts out soft with a huge AOR touch but as it continues it gets more edgy with a bigger Hard Rock outlook. The tune blends a more modern, contemporary vibes – especially the keyboards – with slicker 80’s twists. It comes across as a bit different and the catchy enough chorus is both big and radio-flirtatious. It’s good but doesn’t shine as much as the previous songs. “Voodoo Queen” is also on the edgier, rawer and heavier route with Leblanc out of his comfort zone. It’s more Classic Rock – with a wink towards AC/DC – than Melodic Rock, it’s live-friendly and grooves away on a good stomp with another fine, catchy refrain to go with it. Good one.
Byrne takes the vocals for “Drag Me Through The Mud”, another fast and direct rocker that holds some bluesy-rock laden riffs and also a fun-loving, 80’s party-rock vibe and a band like Van Halen surely comes to mind here. It’s one stompy rocker, a bit dirty and raunchy and perfect for the stage. It’s also melodic enough to stick and the distinct chorus really does its job. Good one. The closing “California Ways”, which has Magness taking the lead continues the fast pace and I can’t help thinking of Van Halen on this one either. It’s a firey tune, electrifying and it rocks with edgy guitars and some 80’s laden vocal-melodies. The chorus hits the spot too without looking for air-play at all. Good stuff.
This is some good shit right here. It’s damn good even. Sure, this is a melodic Hard Rock album, very 80’s influenced, very much of American Arena Rock structure which means that there really isn’t anything new going on here style-wise. On the other hand, that was never the point of this album anyways. What we’ve gotten here is a bunch of well-written, well-performed, well-produced songs with some killer vocalists involved. What did surprise me though, is the rough edginess of the album – it’s much more Hard Rock than I thought it would be and even though we get some AOR-isms here and there, the record never gets mawkish or sugary. The best Radioactive effort to date. I hope Denander decides to make another one.
8/10
Tracklist:
1. Monkey On Our Backs (ft. Jerome Mazza)
2. The Deed Is Done (ft. Robin McAuley)
3. Remember The Ghosts (ft. Robbie LaBlanc)
4. Written In The Scars (ft. Christian Ingebrigtsen)
5. If Today Was Your Last Day Alive (ft. Jerome Mazza)
6. Move It (ft. Robin McAuley)
7. Youman Unkind (ft. Robbie LaBlanc)
8. I Have A Dream (ft. Jerome Mazza)
9. Voodoo Queen (ft. Robbie LaBlanc)
10. Drag Me Through The Mud (ft. Daniel Byrne)
11. California Ways (ft. Clif Magness)
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