I figure most friends and fans of this site would not expect this review, however that still means I’m a new writer with not many knowing my interest, you see this band had featured Joe Lynn Turner vocalist of former bands of Rainbow and Deep Purple, two bands I like very much. Like Baron, who tracks and knows the filmmakers or actors’ various films how they connect, I kinda do the same thing but with my love affair with music. But Joe left, so I’m like, sh#t, now what, some likely turn their back, not me, who knows what to expect, and Ronnie Romero stepping more firmly in vocals with stunning and swagger needed for these songs.
Okay, ‘Brothers in Arms’ just got its release from Frontiers on August 12, 2022, and leans more to hard rock than metal, yet it ain’t weak, it does contain magnificent sound, epic quality and including those melodic moments that often shine through these sorts of albums. I definitely hear influence from the 70s namely with the keyboard player Alessandro Del Vecchio, it all works to hook the listener a clean production, which is what anyone would expect nowadays. The band brings together a major WOW factor, with cool solos, from each member, no one overlooked, contributing to performance. Romero makes sure to deliver the proper control to yield and allow the emotion to pour through, every lyric clear heard precision carefully lace. So wonderful!
Let’s look further, now you’ll often see this term with music like this called AOR (album-oriented rock), really its hard rock you could find on a rock station or podcast, or just blaring from the speakers at my home. “Brothers In Arms” roars to incredible an opening, as it should, no one ever wants a weak start; with Luca Princiotta’s guitar work match equally well by a combine force of Nik Mazzucconi on bass and full support of drummer Michele Sanna. “Games We Play” has strange start kinda quiet a lone guitar cries out, and then the moodiness starts to ease away and replace with a more triumphant sound. The fourth song is “I Will Remember” is another solid performance of hard rock that could balance well as power ballad, and something you would hear on a radio. Next up is “No Turning Back” which returns to an up-tempo beat and gives clear reason to carry-on listening their album as always the importance of the fifth song, as it often marked that last song on the first side, before you would flip to B-side, and awhile those days are long gone, the formula is still effect. We firmly get that ballad track which makes think back to David Coverdale and Whitesnake, a fully slow-down, a mellow synth and delicate guitar playing allowing Romero to carry the emotion to the next level, very crafty complete with some classy solos. “Taste of Heaven” is a truly moving song, it’s like something from the 80s that would find in Rocky movie, in that flashback moment or striving against the odds, a very melodic song. Then definitely kicking it back into a solid rocking groove with “Lost in the Shadows of Love” contains a heavy influence with the guitar work playing off the dazzling work of the keyboards, there’s clearly influence from Deep Purple. Finally, the album ends on huge cool solid rockin’ song “Living Out Of Fear” it’s a spectacular way to finish.
I am thoroughly pleased to have taken the chance and try something different, but that is the same with most things, I found in my life, there are plusses and minuses and yin and yang, here the music is good balancing hard rock and some metal input, it might be everyone’s taste but if the referencing of some bands above helped then you know your path. If you are still on the fence, you have many options too test them first whether on Spotify or YouTube, all before you buy.
Track Listing:
Brothers in Arms
Games We Play
I’ll Keep Holding On
I Will Remember
No Turning Back
Back My Dreams
Taste of Heaven
Lost in the Shadows of Love
Hold The Night
Miracle
Living Out of Fear
Line-Up:
Ronnie Romero – Vocals
Luca Princiotta – Guitars
Alessandro Del Vecchio – Keyboards, backing vocals
Nik Mazzucconi – Bass
Michele Sanna – Drums
Vincent’s Rating: 4.0/5.0
Band Link:
https://www.facebook.com/SunstormMusic/
Label Links:
https://www.facebook.com/frontiersmusicsrl
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https://twitter.com/FrontiersMusic1