British AOR/Melodic Rock band Vega is a band that played in my periphery for quite some time – their first three albums to be exact. I dunno why, there was just something about them that made me not interested – and I can’t put my finger on why. The reason I actually gave them a shot was because I got a promo of Who We Are (2016) from Frontiers and lo and behold – the album was good. Really damn good even. The follow-up Only Human (2018) was a great effort as well but with their 2020 release Grit Your Teeth there was a dip in the quality some, albeit not bad, plus the fact the band strayed away some from their AOR/Melodic Rock style. Nothing wrong with that at all but I just didn’t find the record as good as the previous ones.
But Grit Your Teeth was – like so many other records around this time – an album released in the midst of this effing pandemic which meant that the record was released without any touring in tow and the only thing that could be done was to get back to writing more songs which is why we get yet another Vega release only a year after the previous one. There has also been a line-up change, drummer Martin Hutchinson and guitarist Mikey Kew has left the band and was replaced by ex Inglorious guitarist Billy Taylor and drummer Pete Newdeck (ex- Nitrate, Midnite City).
Fans of the band will immediately recognize the band’s sound when opener “Beautiful Lie” kicks off the album. It’s an uptempo rocker perfect to open the shows with. It brings on both edge, attitude and a big live-feel while at the same time the band’s personal melody-lines shines through. It’s an electrifying powerhouse of a Melodic Rock song with an intense and catchy refrain. Very good. Leading single “Sooner Or Later” is guitar-driven on a heavier note where the band throws in some classic Hard Rock vibes without losing either memorable melodies or hooks. A direct and effective refrain says that if bands like H.E.A.T and Eclipse can be picked up by rock-radio, why shouldn’t Vega? It’s a hit in my book.
In a mid-pace, “End Of The Fade” brings on some heavier verses with a darker atmosphere and a rough guitar sound. The very embracing refrain comes with some smoother arrangements, especially in the vocal department that takes this rocker into Melodic Rock territory albeit without any cheese or syrup at all. Very good. Latest single “Ain’t Who I Am” starts off as a ballad with laid-back and mellow verses but changes character when the chorus comes around, turning the song into a more upbeat, stompy and straight forward more modern rocker where the aim seems to be said rock-radio. A good song and again, radio really should’ve picked it up.
With “Welcome To Wherever” it’s time for some AOR rock-balladry albeit on a heavier and crunchier note. In a grand and colorful soundscape and quite big on keyboards the song also holds a slight melancholic and dark touch but with an immense hook that makes the chorus massive. Great stuff. On the opposite side, “Bring The Riot” is where Vega goes hard, rough and edgy with some in-your-face riffage and a striking rhythm-section that does its best to beat you up. The tune do hold those classic Vega melodies but the song is aggressive and vigorous and the slow and down-beat middle-section brings the dynamics up. It’s a great number and maybe this is the concert opener that I thought “Beautiful Lie” was. Well, either will do the trick.
“Live For Me” is a slow-burner, a ballad that holds a fat, meaty punch rhythmically and some crispy guitar riffs. It’s also quite smooth and slick with a big late 80’s power ballad vibe and some huge Def Leppard like backing vocals with layers of harmonies. It’s quite keyboard oriented too but the upbeat, heavier solo part makes for a more dynamic experience – and the chorus is enormous with a direct hook. Very good. On a down-beat note, “Kneel To You” brings on slower verses where the piano shines but it picks up a stompy beat where the mighty chorus is uplifting, heavier yet with a big AOR-melody on top, making it catchy as hell. It’s not cheesy at all, more rather attitude-laden but with a luxurious chorus that makes the tune smell like a hit. Great.
“Glow” kicks off like a grittier take on Melodic Rock with some raunchy guitars and a hard-hitting beat, very straight ahead and muscular but with smoother, classic Vega vocal-melodies and another bad-ass refrain that hits the spot right from hello. “C’mon” is an upbeat pop-rocker with low-beat, almost jazzy, cabaret finger-snapping verses yet with a nice groove. When the chorus turns up, the song transfers into a pop-swinging groover with chunky guitars and amore AOR-like vocal-melody, very big on hooks and a direct catchiness. It’s the album’s sore thumb for sure but I really like it.
Vega goes all in on 80’s Arena Rock with the crowd-friendly party-stomper “Had Enough”. Take early Dynazty, throw in a chunk of H.E.A.T, add some classic Vega vocal-melodies and spray some mid 80’s AOR-isms on top and you’ll have an idea how this sounds. The verses might be a bit held-back but the big chorus is big, upbeat and damn catchy. There’s a nice organ weaved in too and the solo part takes a heavier and more Hard Rock laden approach. Good one. Closing track “2 Die 4” is riffy and rhythmic and the verses is American Arena Rock inspired by classic Hard Rock while the chorus is smoother and slicker with a bigger AOR touch and a slight pompous outlook. Again, the chorus is catchy enough even though it might not as strong as the rest of the songs here.
It sure looks like Vega got their lust for “experimenting” out of their systems on the last album and is now back to what they do best – rhythmic and melodic Hard Rock with big hooks, catchy melodies and look-backs to 80’s AOR-rock. No matter how catchy and easy-listened they get, this album never turns into a cheese-fest or sugar-rush orgies much because of the fact that Vega likes their guitars rough-edged, the rhythm section fat and beefy and the use of an organ here and there instead of blipping synthesizers at all times. The soundscape might be smooth but there’s grit inserted as well. This is a step forward from the last album and Vega’s best since Who We Are.
8/10
More Vega reviews:
Who We Are
Only Human
Grit Your Teeth
Tracklist:
1. Beautiful Lie
2. Sooner Or Later
3. End Of The Fade
4. Ain’t Who I Am
5. Welcome To Wherever
6. Bring The Riot
7. Live For Me
8. Kneel To You
9. Glow
10. C’mon
11. Had Enough
12. 2 Die 4
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