Here’s another “all-star” project from the Frontiers label. But there are projects and there are projects and some feels more interesting than others. Like projects with a theme or a certain reference, for example. Archon Angel, to name one, was supposed to be a link to the Zak Stevens fronted Savatage. Musically there were flirts with Savatage’s music and they brought in Stevens as the voice for the project. Here’s another one – this one has a clear House Of Lords reference where both the band’s name and some of the members are related to House Of Lords. According to the press-release it’s musically related too – especially the early days of the band.
Demons Down is of course House Of Lords’ third record from 1992, a real killer. Bassist Chuck Wright and drummer Ken Mary are both of HoL’s original line-up and guitarist Jimi Bell – also in Autograph – is the current HoL guitarist and has been with the band since they regrouped in 2006. The only snag here is that none of the members were on the Demons Down album. As a singer James Robledo (Sinner’s Blood and a solo artist) was chosen as well as second guitarist Francesco Savino (False Memories) with, of course, Alessandro Del Vecchio contributing as a keyboardist, co-writer and producer.
The opening title-track and also the album’s leading single comes on with a big nod towards HoL but it also draws close to 70’s Rainbow with its Classic Rock edge below the Melodic Rock vibes and the pompous touches. The song holds a darker edge where the Hard Rock laden rhythm gives the tune some punch. There’s a distinct Gregg Giuffria vibe to the dramatic keyboards as well which adds to the HoL references and soundwise this comes very close to Demons Down album. With direct and hooky melodies and a grandiose refrain with an immense catchiness, the opening song turns into a real winner where stuff like “Pleasure Palace” or “O Father” seems like the template. This is really, really good.
Second single “Disappear” holds a fast tempo and is more raunchy with a Classic Rock meets 80’s Hard Rock swagger not unlike stuff like “Lookin’ For Strange” or “Slip Of The Tongue” from the HoL 1988 debut albeit with a smoother keyboard sound. It’s in your face and punchy with a 70’s meets 80’s vibe and a memorable enough refrain. A pretty good tune. On a heavier note “Down In A Hole” dwells in a large soundscape, it’s somewhat symphonic and pomp-laden yet with fat guitars that blends well with a bombastic keyboards. The main guitar riff flirts some with AC/DC which gives the tune a rougher edge but the big refrain is right out of HoL’s back-pocket – big, catchy and striking. Very good.
The big power ballad comes along already with song # 3, “On My Way To You”. It’s a late 80’s tune for sure, slightly melancholic with a mellow, saddening touch. The pompous keyboards are all over the song complete with an orchestral arrangement but the guitars are quite prominent too. The main melody holds an embracing hook with smooth vocal-lines and a huge chorus that could’ve been on any HoL record out there. It’s catchy as hell but not too saccharine. I dig this. Latest single “Where Will Our Tears Fall” takes an upbeat approach and is more uptempo. There’s a fat organ involved that brings on a 70’s twist but the smoother melodies makes the 80’s take over. The refrain is quite catchy and the HoL vibes are mixed with a more modern AOR twist. A good enough number.
Also more uptempo and rocking, “Book Of Love” is crunchy and rawer with big guitars, a roaring organ and a live-friendly outlook. It’s a hard-rocking tune with a rowdy refrain but it feels like a filler and the song never really sticks. “Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere” is a standard Melodic Rock number, quite direct and straight ahead where the edgy guitars brings out a bigger Hard Rock vibe but it also brings on a pompy keyboard Gregg Giuffria style and said keyboards are the only thing that brings on a HoL reference here. It’s otherwise a pretty plain melodic Hard Rock number. It’s a good tune but it doesn’t stand out enough.
With its six minutes, “Follow Me” brings on an epic touch with a slightly progressive outlook like if you’d mix Empire style Queensrÿche with Sahara style HoL. It’s an 80’s sounding track with a more held-back verses that grows faster and more upbeat when the chorus comes. The slow and laid-back passage brings up the dynamics here and while the track is ok, the melody-arrangements and structure feels way to much a standard Frontiers project song for comfort. “To The Edge Of The World” is an upbeat tune in a mid-pace with some chunky riffs and solid rhythm where big keyboards and guitars meets half-way. It’s an 80’s Arena Rock tune full of hooks and catchy melodies and chorus that would’ve had a field-day on MTV in the late 80’s. Great stuff.
Musically “Search Over The Horizon” holds the solid fat rhythms, bombastic and darker keyboards with the pompous arrangements and the crunchy, tough guitar riffs that HoL threw our way back in the day and while that’s all fine and dandy the vocal-melodies and and melody arrangements in general comes off as most of the generic latter-day Frontiers projects. The song has it’s ups and downs – where the 70’s styles that shines through are among the ups and so is the Ritchie Blackmore-esque guitar solo while the catchy but quite one-dimensional and predictable chorus is among the downs. A decent track but not more.
The album closes with the highly melodic and very AOR-friendly rocker “Only The Brave”. It’s very much a mid 80’s sounding track that is guitar-driven with a crunchy and crispy guitar sound but it’s also very smooth and slick in both vocal-melodies and the Journey-esque keyboards. It’s an uptempo AOR-rocker with sharp hooks in both verses and refrain and speaking of Journey, the glossy and distinct chorus blends them and HoL’s more poppy stuff in the finest of ways. In my book, this should’ve been/should be a single because it’s catchy as can be. A damn fine closer.
Like the press-release stated this is an album for fans of that old House Of Lords era because lots of this record reflects those albums but the record also flirts with fans of bands like Giant, H.E.A.T and much of the whole mid 80’s AOR/Melodic Rock/Arena Rock sound. As for Robledo, the guy really does a terrific job here. As I find his solo-stuff a bit too generic and middle-of-the-road where nothing really stands out and his band Sinner’s Blood only ok, this is easily his finest moment to date – he fits this kind of music like a glove. Whether Demons Down will be a “real” band in the future or if they will remain just a project – I have no idea how much the members were involved in the song writing – remains to be seen but this record shows potential. A follow-up could be really interesting if the “Frontiers-project” elements will be put to a minimal.
6/10
Tracklist:
1. I Stand
2. Disappear
3. Down In A Hole
4. On My Way To You
5. Where Will Our Tears Fall?
6. Book Of Love
7. Stranded In The Middle Of Nowhere
8. Follow Me
9. To The Edge Of The World
10. Search Over The Horizon
11. Only The Brave
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